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10 ways in which we’re building a tech & design first culture at Locale.ai! | A culture focused on tech and design
At Locale, we’re creating a world where every company with moving supply or demand, regardless of their size can have location intelligence like Uber. As geospatial data scientists, we’ve lived through the pain of dealing with geospatial data at scale first hand and hence, aim to make this data accessible to everyone in an organization.
It goes without saying that solving some of these problems is difficult — All our users bring with themselves the scale of 50 million location pings and events right from the first day in production!
With that kind of scale at work, problems can be wide-ranging: the technical architecture needed for ingestion of streaming data, the data science that gives meaningful insights and recommendations or the front end that makes the experience of the end-user quite delightful.
In order to successfully solve the pain points for our users and build an amazing product that people love, we believe we will need the smartest engineers and designers spending countless hours researching and whiteboarding and building something great! We also believe if the product is quite spectacular at what it does, selling it becomes much easier as well!
This means ensuring that we give the best culture to the team to learn, falter, and grow exponentially. This also means creating an infectious aura when they look forward to coming to work everyday.
At the risk of sounding a little too crazy,
At Locale.ai, we aim to build one of the best engineering and design teams in the world.
And here’s a couple of practices that we try to follow every day to be able to accomplish that goal.
#Brainstorming
1. The 10:2 Ratio
We believe learning happens in three ways:
Researching -> (Brainstorming) -> Implementing
The idea behind the 10:2 ratio rule (inspired by other companies) is if you are reading or implementing for about 10 hours in a day, 2 out of them should be spent on discussions about your approach, your obstacles, ideas. And when that’s not required, then discussions on technically relevant topics about the product, the architecture, the users.
We believe when ideas reflect from one head to another, one-to-many times, incorporating different contexts and unique points of view, that is when they more concrete and robust than ever.
2. Autonomy
We believe in the right amount of autonomy and the end-to-end outcome of whatever you build. When given a technical or business problem statement, we don’t believe in assigning “micro-tasks” or giving instructions. Jump into the pool, get your hands dirty, research on what has already been done about it in the world.
If stuck, seek help. Talk about where you are facing difficulty. Jot down ideas and get your thoughts together (works for me) or sometimes just get a bouncing head. Once you have something substantial, demo it and solicit feedback. Iterate and improve.
This also means you can take up something outside of what you do, problems floating in the backlog. No one’s gonna come between you and something you want to dabble with. You can just get up and fix it!
3. Wait. But, Why?
Always be clear of the Why. Sometimes when you get obsessed with how you lose sight of why we are doing it. Once you figure out the “why”, the “how” is much simpler to get answers to.
Stay Curious. Get Intrigued. Ask. Question. Challenge. We believe the only way you can change the status quo for the better, especially for the long haul is by understanding what are you trying to build and solve at a fundamental level.
One of the ways we at Locale know if someone truly understands what they are working on is if they can break the problem into smaller chunks and explain it to someone with the least context! And we measure that by the number of questions he gets asked on that.
Shaishav presenting in one of our weekly demos
4. Quality Over Quantity
We are very particular about who becomes a part of the team. There are countless benefits in staying small and lean — being nimble, agile, closely knitted — all the ingredients that are ideal for moving fast.
Our past experiences have taught us that comprising on the quality of hire will only come and bite you sooner or later.
Hence, we ask ourselves the following when we are deciding whether to hire someone: Do we absolutely need a helping hand? What value and skillset does the person bring to the table? Can they challenge my world view? Do I get excited every single day to work with them?
“If you give a good idea to a mediocre team, they will screw it up. If you give a mediocre idea to a brilliant team, they will either fix it or throw it away and come up with something better.”― Ed Catmull, Creativity Inc.
5. Collective Accountability
When you are moving fast, constantly iterating and juggling between 100s of things, you are bound to make mistakes. It’s part of the process. They needn’t be looked down upon.
“Failure isn’t a necessary evil. In fact, it isn’t evil at all. It is a necessary consequence of doing something new.” — Ed Catmull, Creativity Inc.
For all the honest mistakes and failures that anyone makes, we are all accountable for it as a team. But, one thing that has no room for at Locale is the blaming attitude if things go wrong or amiss. It’s best to introspect and ask ourselves: “What could each one of us have done better?” and move on!
It’s a marathon and we are all in this together!
6. Incentives
Hard work and great work should be rewarded. The reward need not always be monetary. It can just be about small gestures sometimes. But, we believe hard work, great initiatives, and the right attitude deserve some recognition.
After all, they convey what you care about as a company and what you promote and appreciate! Keeps everyone on the same page.
7. Staying Close to Users
DevOps Engineer? Back End Developer? Data Scientist? Doesn’t matter. You would have to regularly interact with customers — attend meetings, answer support queries, shadow phone calls. It’s extremely important.
It doesn’t make sense to work so hard building something without knowing how the people you are building for feel about it, and moreover, straight from the horse’s mouth.
Listening to your users talk about how they want to make an impact in their business using your product is one of those small wins. Observing the challenges that they are facing while accessing certain features even makes you work hard on a weekend — You know it would be worth it!
8. Community
We are very passionate about giving back to the community. After all, it has given us more than we could ever ask for!
The engineering community (via meetups, blogs, open-source projects) helped us get here & build our product. The geospatial community always was ready to give us insights on the problems and feedback on the solution. The startup community never shied away from connecting us to the right people at the right time.
Geospatial: We have taken several initiatives here right from inviting GIS professionals and content writers to write on our publication to writing a series called “Ask An Expert” where we engage with geospatial experts 1:1 on interesting ideas, discuss geospatial techniques and tools and talk about the industry!
We have been also been very active on LinkedIn to promote awareness about the use cases of geospatial data in different industries.
Talks and Meetups: We regularly go for conferences and meetups to share our learnings working on geospatial tech.
Musthaq at VueJS Meetup in Bangalore
Engineering: We keep writing about our engineering and design best practices. We also plan to open source a bunch of cool things next year! Stay tuned for more.
9. Idea Hacks
Idea hacks are essentially what we call internal PoCs. They are the best ways to resolve disagreements or get feedback. Let’s say if there is a debate on whether we should use GraphQL or not, go with Hive or Presto, and other such decisions, we go forward with someone doing a small PoC, talking about the pros and cons and showing to the team why they should invest their effort on it!
Idea Hacks work amazingly in the sense that without putting in a lot of effort (sometimes not even writing code), you get the room to experiment, fail and try out new technologies. They also work well in case you are working on a more abstract problem and you want to reach the outcome milestone by milestone.
10. Metrics and Numbers
While everything should not be done with keeping numbers in mind, it’s always a good practice to know the numbers. It helps to quantify the impact or the result of the action. And sometimes, it’s just useful for yourself to know whether your approach and strategies have been working on or not. | https://medium.com/locale-ai/10-ways-in-which-were-building-a-tech-design-first-culture-at-locale-ai-367c032ce172 | ['Aditi Sinha'] | 2020-01-25 15:03:15.464000+00:00 | ['Tech', 'Culture', 'Startup', 'Design', 'Early Stage'] |
AI in Medicine — Majority decision isn’t always right | Following their major publication in JAMA that marked a major breakthrough in both the AI and healthcare communities, Google made some fine tuning to their Deep Learning model and published their new results on Arxiv. *This article was then published in Ophthalmology, one of the most important journals in the field, with an impact factor of 6.1.
I had explained in a previous article how Google designed their initial AI model to detect diabetic retinopathy (DR) from fundus photos. Here’s what’s new in Google’s AI 2.0:
1. Redefining the Gold Standard Using “Adjudication”
Garbage in garbage out. We all know that AI is biased if trained using inaccurate labels; it can even be dangerous in medicine.
While having high-quality ground truth label is critical for training machine learning models, it is easier said than done since medicine is often subjective. Take diabetic retinopathy for example, doctors will most often agree when lesions are obvious: this one has retinopathy and that one does not. However, when asked to grade the disease on a scale of 1–5, disagreements occur. On the image below, Google showed that for the same image of the retina, different ophthalmologists will grade the image differently, consistent only around 60% of the time with themselves and with others.
Each row is an image, each column is an ophthalmologist grader. Colours represent the severity grades given by each ophthalmologist.
That is, in the most part, due to the subjective variance in exact definition of grades and boundaries between the 5 different grades. For example, while mild DR is defined as “having microaneurysms”, image artefacts often resemble microaneurysms and was a common source of disagreement. Moderate DR is defined as “more than microaneurysms but less than severe NPDR”, which is also open to interpretation. Luckily, clinical care accounts for much more than a simple image. Treatment plan is personalized for each patient according to his/her age, medical and family history, disease progression, diabetes control, and a much more thorough eye exam using other imaging modalities (OCT) and direct stereoscopic examination of the retina after dilation. Although not affecting patient care, disagreements in grading scores do make research and creating image label much more difficult.
When doctors disagree, who is right? Who’s answer should we label as ground-truth?
Traditionally, taking the “majority decision” has been a popular method for defining the reference standard. For example, Google had hired enough ophthalmologists to have each image of their initial dataset (128k images) read by 7–8 different people, independently. They then took the majority decision as the final label for each image. This method is flawed as it does introduce a bias where the algorithm will miss subtle findings that the majority of ophthalmologists might not identity. In their second study, Google suggested a more rigorous way to define the “gold-standard”, through adjudication. Using this method, instead of taking the majority grading when there is disagreement, doctors will decide together, face to face, to conclude on a final decision.
They tested this adjudication process on a subset of around 6000 images. The images were first evaluated independently by 3 fellowship-trained retina specialists who then discussed face-to-face to resolve disagreements and determined a “final diagnosis”.
3737 images with adjudicated ground-truth labels were used as the tune set; ie: it was used for tuning the algorithm hyperparameters (e.g. image resolution, learning rate) and making model choices (e.g. network architectures), but not for training the model parameters.The rest of the images with adjudicated grading were used as the validation set.
In this study, they demonstrated that model performance was significantly improved even if only a small subset (0.22%) of the training image grades were adjudicated.
2. Upgrade from Binary Prediction to a 5-class Rating Prediction
Instead of a binary “referable” vs “non-referable diabetic retinopathy”, in this second study, the Google team trained a 5-class prediction model that can grade an image’s disease severity: none, mild, moderate, severe, and proliferative. This is in accordance to the most commonly used International Clinical Diabetic Retinopathy (ICDR) disease severity scale. This makes the model more suitable for clinical practice.
3. Bigger Data Set (1.6M Images)
The training portion of the development set was increased from 128 175 images in their first study to over 1.6M images in this study. It contains fundus images from 238 610 patients.
Input resolution in this new model is 779 x 779 pixels, a large increase over the 299 x 299 pixels used in their previous study. The model architecture was also upgraded, from Inception-v4 to Inception v316.
Overall, for each of the five gradings, the algorithm has AUC values between 0.986 to 0.998. In other words, the algorithm is capable of labelling all five grades of the disease with high sensitivity and specificity!
Future: an Increased Need for Ophthalmologists:
When tele-ophthalmology was first introduced, it allowed patients to be screened remotely using fundus photos, making care much accessible to rural populations. Consequently, it has also allowed more diabetic retinopathy cases to be diagnosed and referred to retina specialists for closer examination, treatment and followups. This has overwhelmed many ophthalmology clinics’ already busy schedule and wait-lists. The AI algorithm, through high productivity and low cost, will make screening even more accessible to patients worldwide.
Diabetic retinopathy is the leading cause of blindness in working-age adults.
DR is an insidious disease that slowly damages the retina, leading to symptoms only in late-stage, when damages have become irreversible. Current guidelines therefore recommend yearly screening to all diabetic patients. In real life however, less than one third of patients are getting this required exam (Ontario, Canada).
By 2040, it is approximated that 600 million people will have diabetes, with one-third expected to have diabetic retinopathy. -Ting et al. JAMA.
With 600 million people all requiring yearly screening, along with an increased life expectancy, and an aging population, the demand for ophthalmologists will be higher than ever. As a future ophthalmologist, I’m glad that AI algorithms now exist to assist me in the future, freeing me from the repetitive pattern-recognition tasks, and can allow me to focus on patient care and innovative research.
Read more from Health.AI:
Deep Learning in Ophthalmology — How Google Did It
Machine Learning and OCT Images — the Future of Ophthalmology
Machine Learning and Plastic Surgery
AI & Neural Network for Pediatric Cataract
The Cutting Edge: The Future of Surgery | https://medium.com/health-ai/ai-2-0-in-ophthalmology-googles-second-publication-c3b5390c19ae | ['Susan Ruyu Qi'] | 2019-12-06 09:57:28.247000+00:00 | ['Artificial Intelligence', 'Machine Learning', 'Health Technology', 'Ophthalmology', 'Healthcare'] |
What is CI/CD? Continuous Integration & Continuous Delivery in 2020 | You may have heard about CI / CD practices from your coworker or boss and wonder what the heck CI / CD is? In this article I’m going to explain CI / CD practices in the simplest way possible.
CI / CD is the abbreviation for the combination of continuous integration (CI) and continuous delivery (CD) practices. CI / CD practices are currently the widely accepted choice to reduce the software development and the delivery cycle time.
In today’s fast-evolving landscape, one of the top challenges for software companies is to respond quickly to market and customer demands. And the
CI / CD methodology emerged as the key solution to this challenge. Read on to learn more about CI / CD and how these practices are performed.
What is Continuous Integration?
When We talk about software integration, it may not be necessary for stable projects, but it is essential for projects with frequent changes. After all, waiting to integrate results often leads to integration conflicts and can take too long to resolve, leading to project delays.
Continuous integration ( CI) helps to ensure that software components are working together. Integration should be completed frequently; on an hourly or daily basis, if possible.
In CI practice, developers build, run, and test code on their own workstations before they commit code to the version control repository (GitHub, GitLab etc). After changes are made to the repository, a chain of events is set in motion. A typical first step in this chain is the creation of the latest version of the source code. If the build is successful, the unit tests will be carried out. If unit testing is successful, the build is deployed in test environments where system testing is performed (usually by automated testing). The team is notified of the status of this process and is provided with a report to provide details, such as build number, defects, and number of tests. Continuous integration ( CI) helps ensure that the software is fully integrated.
Typically, the CI pipeline involves the following tasks:
Detect changes to the source code repository (new commits appear)
Analysis of the quality of source code
Project build
Perform all unit tests
Run all integration tests
Generate deployable artifacts
Status of report
If one of the steps above fails:
Integration may stop or continue depending on the severity and configuration of the defect.
Results are reported to the team via email or chat system.
Team fixes the defect and commits it again
Tasks are carried out again
What is Continuous Delivery?
Continuous delivery (CD) picks up where continuous integration is over. While CI is the process to build and test automatically, CD deploys all code changes to the testing or staging environment in the build.
CD enables builds to be released to the production environment when needed. Allowing the team to deploy on its own, the CD effectively reduces time on the market.
Before deploying software for production, the CD process includes automated system testing, unit testing, and integration testing. The steps from CI to CD are usually completed automatically, including automated unit testing, integration , and system level. As testing can fail at any level and environment, CI / CD must include a feedback channel to quickly report failures to developers.
Dependent on policies and processes defined by teams, developers may do the following with CI/CD:
A CI / CD pipeline is a method for delivering a change unit that begins from development to delivery, usually consisting of the following main phases:
Phase 1: Commit
When the developers make a change, they commit the change to the repository.
Phase 2: Build
The source code in the repository is integrated into the build.
Phase 3: Automate tests
Automated tests are being run against the build. Test automation is a key component of any CI / CD pipeline.
Phase 4: Deploy
The built version will be delivered to production.
Conclusion
CI / CD are two of the best practices of DevOps in addressing misalignment between developers and the operational team. With the presence of automation, developers can release changes and new features more frequently, while operation teams have better overall stability. I hope after reading this article you may have fair understanding of CI / CD.
If you enjoyed this story, please click the 👏 button and share to help others find it! Feel free to leave a comment below. | https://medium.com/devops-dudes/what-is-ci-cd-continuous-integration-continuous-delivery-in-2020-988765f5d116 | ['Praful Dhabekar'] | 2020-06-10 14:05:58.851000+00:00 | ['Cicd', 'Deployment', 'DevOps', 'Cloud Computing', 'Software Development'] |
What’s For Dinner? | What’s For Dinner?
Although I have probably had depression all my life, it is new in that way that it was just diagnosed not that long ago. From that moment I have worked to understand what it means to have depression. It is kind of an exploration for me. These are the journals of that voyage.
Just the other day I read someone’s story about his depression and how he got cured. You can imagine that the word cured piqued my curiosity so I read it with great interest.
Near the end, he wrote about relapsing after being cured. Now, that didn’t sound right to me. While I did recognize a lot of things he talked about, I also think that there are periods; there can be quiet and tranquil periods after being depressed periods. You could think that during such periods you were cured but, to me, it just seems that it has gone dormant for a while.
There are different types of depression and I can imagine that there are different treatments and solutions available and yes, maybe even a cure. However, depression comes and goes on its own accord. Personally, I think you can only talk about being cured if the depression has been gone and never returns.
What I did like though was that he shared a personal insight into how it felt and how a depressed mind thinks. I thought it to be a good idea to follow this example by sharing a story from my own life:
The previous week, my wife asked our middle one (daughter, age 5) what she wanted to eat for dinner. She is a picky eater so sometimes she may dictate what we eat, in the hope she eats also. After some consideration, she decided on hamburgers.
One problem: we had everything in the house except the hamburgers. So, my wife suggested that I went to the supermarket with my daughter and buy hamburgers.
I felt a little bit apprehensive and weighed the pros and cons. It had been a “bad” day, I was tired and going outside gives stress, driving is scary but the market was close and I needed just 1 thing. And also; I like hamburgers!
So, I grabbed the key and stepped in the car with my daughter. Since I could feel that I was already functioning on a low level, I drove slow and carefully. It was dark, wet and busy on the parking place and I was happy when we’d parked.
We then stepped into the big, bright and busy supermarket. My outer experiences immediately retracted to a bubble; it is an automatic defense mechanism where the outer signals are subdued because they are too much to handle. I also avert my eyes to the ground to see as little as possible of my environment. From this point, it is quite easy to start feeling down because you are not your great glorious self (whatever that may be).
However, a sparkle and light in my life was dancing before me on the market floor and she declared that she wanted to do the scanning of the products. So I followed her to the wall where all the nice yellow scanners hang. She could barely reach the touchscreen that gives you access to the scanners but she pushed/slammed on the right buttons and was eagerly awaiting which of the scanners would randomly light up. Luckily for her, it was in the middle and on the right height so she grabbed it and we went on to search for burgers.
My wife had drawn a little map so that we could easily find them. I plowed through the atmosphere and felt it slip past my arms; which was odd because I was wearing a big coat. When we reached the meat section we needed to decide on which type of hamburger; there was a choice for several. While dubbing about which one, I could clearly feel the edges of my bubble. We decided on the one with the NewYork flavor and then went for the cash desks.
Still plowing along in my bubble with the comfort of my daughter hopping around we reached the desk. Here I forced myself to act ‘normal’, smile to cashier and have a little chat with her, mainly provoked by the presence of my little daughter.
After that, we went for the car. Driving home in the winter darkness now was extra difficult because the bubble was still in place and in traffic, you need to have good awarenesses of your environment. So, I was battling my own defense mechanism to guide us safely home. Luckily it was very near and a very short trip. When I got home the bubble vanished after a while but was replaced with tiredness (the marathon feeling).
The NewYork flavored hamburgers turned out to be great. My little daughter refused to eat the burger meat but happily eat her roll with cheese.
As it turned out; that was what she really wanted, just a roll with cheese! | https://medium.com/@hans.bruins/whats-for-dinner-e287bd63cbaf | ['Hans Bruins'] | 2019-03-01 19:43:20.005000+00:00 | ['Depression', 'Positivity', 'Mental Health', 'Personal', 'PTSD'] |
Consensus Building Using the Community PoS Algorithm in the Blockchain Network of the Bitbon System | Blockchain is one of the types of a distributed ledger. The key feature of the distributed ledger is its decentralization, which means the absence of an integral center for storing and registering data. At the same time, the information in all the nodes of the distributed ledger must be valid and relevant, which is possible only through achieving consensus among all the nodes of such a ledger. The first consensus building algorithm that was applied to the Blockchain network was a general instance of solving the Byzantine fault tolerance, where the number of network nodes is unlimited and can dynamically change.
To solve this problem, an approach to organizing communities that use Blockchain can be applied, where ways of joint activity should be proposed instead of sudden sequences, where participants of communities would create decentralized community organizations representing their interests and participating in the development of the Smart Community. The implementation of such a solution leads to the need for creating not only tools, which will allow the community to manage the Blockchain network, but also a social and legal model of relationships between users and state authorities.
Such an approach opens the possibility to increase the performance of Blockchain networks by using synchronized protocols while maintaining the security and decentralization of Blockchain. A good example of that is the proposed in 2014 by D. Larimer Delegated Proof-of-Stake (DPoS) protocol, its implementation into Blockchain allowed for a significant increase in the performance of the network (the number of transactions per second). But this protocol has a number of distinctive system features that substantially limit the possibilities of its application.
Taking into account the relevant matters concerning the development of the distributed ledger technology (DLT), as well as the distinctive features and downsides that were found in modern consensus protocols, Simcord Company developed its own solution, a Community PoS (Proof-of-Stake) consensus building algorithm.
In order to describe the operation of the Community PoS consensus building algorithm in the Blockchain of the Bitbon System, we need to introduce the terms that are used in the Bit bon System and in this article:
Bitbon means a token of the Blockchain network of the Bitbon System, which is a unit for measuring the exchange value of all Digital Assets in the Bitbon System, as well as an indicator of Assetbox capacities of the Bit bon System Miners within the context of Consensus building mining.
Assetbox means a record (equivalent of a wallet) with a unique alphanumeric identifier created by the Bitbon System User in the Blockchain for storing, transferring and receiving Digital Assets. Assetboxes can also be used to participate in Consensus building mining of the Bit bon System.
Mining pool means a cluster of Assetboxes of Miners, which is formed as a result of the registration of new Assetboxes in the mining pool through an Assetbox that is already participating in mining. Such a connection is called a graph edge of social connections of a specific Miner. The graph node has no limitations for the number of graph edges for the lower nodes.
Assetbox capacity means a value that depends on the Bit bon balance in the Assetbox, as well as on the contribution of a Miner to the development and maintenance of the Miner Community. The Miner’s Assetbox capacity is calculated as a total of the base and social capacities of the Miner’s Assetbox. Base Assetbox capacity is determined by the Miner’s Assetbox’s own capacity and the capacity of their first line of social connections in the Miner Community. Social Assetbox capacity is formed by Miner’s social connections starting from their second line and lower. Assetbox capacity directly influences the Miner’s remuneration.
Community PoS consensus building algorithm is an improved DPoS protocol due to the following solutions:
Introduction of the system of automatic distribution of stakes of Miners (designated in the form of Assetbox capacities) among the nodes of the Blockchain network, which leads to the elimination of the voting centralization problem of DPoS participants, which is caused by the Pareto principle (the 80/20 rule);
Introduction of the node rating system to prevent incorrect behavior of the Blockchain network nodes;
Development of the system of peer-to-peer (P2P) protocols and communications;
Decentralized verification of a block by all nodes of the Blockchain network and formation of node ratings based on verification results;
Introduction of a network state “service denied” to register the value of the uncertainty period when business offer cannot qualify the state of the operation carried out by the nodes of the Blockchain network;
Organization of the remuneration distribution system for participating in Community PoS consensus building taking into account the motivation for the development of the Smart Community.
1.1. The main idea of Community PoS
The main idea of Community PoS lies in organization of a community of Users in the status of a Miner by uniting their Assetboxes into mining pools. Miners provide their Bitbons in such Assetboxes for automatic distribution of the capacity of these Assetboxes among the nodes of the Blockchain network of the Bit bon System in order to carry out the voting procedure to form the sequence of block producers, which will sign and share blocks.
Each community participant aims to attract new Users in order to develop the community. In turn, each new User provides their Bitbons in their Assetboxes to form a mining pool, therefore increasing the capacity of that pool. Mining pools with higher capacity have a higher chance of participating in block formation because they are supported by a higher number of participants and bigger amount of Bitbons. Each new Miner automatically receives an opportunity to participate in the validation of blocks generated by other community members, as well as in formation of new blocks, which significantly complicates the organization of hacker attacks on the network. Each new network participant lowers the chance of malicious nodes entering the group of block producers, while at the same time increasing the requirements for hardware resources and the amount of Bitbons that the hacker must have in order to carry out an attack on the network. According to the conducted calculations, the likelihood of a hacker being able to predict the moment when they can carry out an attack, i.e. having control over Assetboxes and nodes, which will allow such nodes to enter the list of block producers, is 10–40(which means that the chance is incredibly low, and just as a comparison, imagine if a cat wrote a scientific novel by randomly stepping on a keyboard). Therefore, the increase in the number of network participants leads to a further increase in the ability to withstand attacks on the Blockchain network of the Bit bon System making any type of attack impossible.
Picture 1. Flowchart of operation of the Community PoS algorithm
Simcord Company plans to implement the consensus building algorithm in two stages. This article describes the algorithm implemented at the first stage (Picture 1), which is a preparation for the transfer to a fully decentralized model of the Bitbon System. When moving onto the second stage, the algorithm will be expanded and provide the binding of Assetboxes to nodes of Users (Picture 1*). This will give Miners additional motivation to launch their own network nodes and guarantee their reliable operation, which, in turn, will increase the diversity, reliability and security of the Bit bon System as a whole.
Another important aspect is the matter of the Community PoS consensus building algorithm’s ability to withstand hacker attacks carried out by exploiting the weaknesses of the Blockchain technology. Analysis of the Community PoS concept allows us to confidently state that the use of this consensus building method in the Blockchain network of the Bit bon System will allow it to successfully pass the tests for the attacks listed below:
51% attack means a capture of Blockchain network resources, which will allow making decisions on the creation of blocks to discredit the system and/or obtain illegal profit through unsanctioned spending (double spending) and generation of a chain of blocks with data that is beneficial for the hacker.
means a capture of Blockchain network resources, which will allow making decisions on the creation of blocks to discredit the system and/or obtain illegal profit through unsanctioned spending (double spending) and generation of a chain of blocks with data that is beneficial for the hacker. Sibill means a substitution of valid nodes, Blockchain network resources, code or sources of network data for resources controlled by the hacker in order to influence the creation of blocks and add transactions to them to receive illegal profit through unsanctioned spending (double spending).
means a substitution of valid nodes, Blockchain network resources, code or sources of network data for resources controlled by the hacker in order to influence the creation of blocks and add transactions to them to receive illegal profit through unsanctioned spending (double spending). Timejacking means a transfer of incorrect time to the nodes of the Blockchain network that work with a time-sensitive consensus algorithm by passing the hacker’s infrastructure element as a valid exact time server for short-term control over block creation and/or substitution of transactions in order to receive illegal profit through unsanctioned spending (double spending).
means a transfer of incorrect time to the nodes of the Blockchain network that work with a time-sensitive consensus algorithm by passing the hacker’s infrastructure element as a valid exact time server for short-term control over block creation and/or substitution of transactions in order to receive illegal profit through unsanctioned spending (double spending). Pool cannibalizing means an increase of the hacker’s resource that influences the size of mining remuneration compared to other network and pool participants through phishing of actions of other participants, as well as exploiting weaknesses of the protocol by using a super resource in order to receive bigger remuneration for mining by pushing out other Miners, for example, by showing them the economic inefficiency of mining in this network segment.
means an increase of the hacker’s resource that influences the size of mining remuneration compared to other network and pool participants through phishing of actions of other participants, as well as exploiting weaknesses of the protocol by using a super resource in order to receive bigger remuneration for mining by pushing out other Miners, for example, by showing them the economic inefficiency of mining in this network segment. Block withholding means not issuing the block and delaying the completion of transactions in order to receive illegal profit through unsanctioned spending (double spending), as well as to get an opportunity to block the operation of the network.
means not issuing the block and delaying the completion of transactions in order to receive illegal profit through unsanctioned spending (double spending), as well as to get an opportunity to block the operation of the network. Deorganizing attack means a selective choice not to reveal a block and/or delay the addition of transactions to the block with their further substitution (selective) or breaking of their sequence in order to receive illegal profit through unsanctioned spending (double spending). Destructive activity of the hacker’s node is random and hard to predict.
means a selective choice not to reveal a block and/or delay the addition of transactions to the block with their further substitution (selective) or breaking of their sequence in order to receive illegal profit through unsanctioned spending (double spending). Destructive activity of the hacker’s node is random and hard to predict. Eclipse attack means a restart of a Blockchain P2P network (used to find the nodes and control their state) by sending out spam messages via gossip-like protocols to disrupt the integrity of the network and to further use other attack methods in order to get temporary control over block formation and, therefore, discredit the network.
means a restart of a Blockchain P2P network (used to find the nodes and control their state) by sending out spam messages via gossip-like protocols to disrupt the integrity of the network and to further use other attack methods in order to get temporary control over block formation and, therefore, discredit the network. P + epsilon attack means a manipulation of a consensus building procedure by a hacker through sending out both valid and invalid signals within the network systematically influencing the other network nodes in a way that the majority of participants would vote in favor of the hacker in order to receive illegal profit through unsanctioned spending (double spending).
means a manipulation of a consensus building procedure by a hacker through sending out both valid and invalid signals within the network systematically influencing the other network nodes in a way that the majority of participants would vote in favor of the hacker in order to receive illegal profit through unsanctioned spending (double spending). Blacklisting means the process of sending out protocol messages aiming to add valid nodes to the blacklist of the Blockchain network, which, at worst, will allow the hacker to carry out a 51% attack.
means the process of sending out protocol messages aiming to add valid nodes to the blacklist of the Blockchain network, which, at worst, will allow the hacker to carry out a 51% attack. Transaction malleability means the process of the hacker exploiting the weaknesses of the consensus protocol to substitute a valid transaction for their own with the same hash code (during a block withholding attack) or any other in order to receive illegal profit through unsanctioned spending (double spending).
means the process of the hacker exploiting the weaknesses of the consensus protocol to substitute a valid transaction for their own with the same hash code (during a block withholding attack) or any other in order to receive illegal profit through unsanctioned spending (double spending). Selfish mining means a variation of pool cannibalizing where a big group of Miners creates a separate, hidden from other Miners valid chain of blocks longer than the primary one revealing it afterwards and receiving remuneration that is out of proportion with the resources spent through manipulations aimed at making this chain primary.
means a variation of pool cannibalizing where a big group of Miners creates a separate, hidden from other Miners valid chain of blocks longer than the primary one revealing it afterwards and receiving remuneration that is out of proportion with the resources spent through manipulations aimed at making this chain primary. Cancellation of all transactions can occur in case of a 51% attack where a hacker can obtain the majority of blocks and, as a result, get an opportunity to cancel all the following transactions, which can lead to the destruction of the network.
can occur in case of a 51% attack where a hacker can obtain the majority of blocks and, as a result, get an opportunity to cancel all the following transactions, which can lead to the destruction of the network. Double spending means the exploitation of the weaknesses of the network (protocol, infrastructure, client) by the hacker in order to receive illegal profit through unsanctioned spending.
means the exploitation of the weaknesses of the network (protocol, infrastructure, client) by the hacker in order to receive illegal profit through unsanctioned spending. Random hard forks mean a divergence of a chain of blocks that later becomes primary because of a global system failure or a random exploitation of the weaknesses of the network.
Organization of the Bitbon System Blockchain infrastructure based on the Community PoS consensus gives an opportunity to build a decentralized autonomous community, social, legal, architectural and technical solutions of which will allow for a reasonable and quick reaction to challenges of the modern world and changes of conditions without decreasing the quality of services of such a system for end users. 2. Concept of the Community PoS Consensus 2.1. The goal of Community PoS and ways of achieving it
The main goal of the Community PoS consensus is to provide true decentralization of the processes of announcing, verifying and storing data of the distributed ledger with a high level of performance of storage network and guaranteed short wait time of transaction confirmation.
The achievement of this goal is ensured by:
Using ways of preliminary block production sequence approval by block producers to prevent forks and block collision;
Centralizing the network at the moment of block formation by the network node in accordance with the node formation sequence;
Introducing a strict synchronized sequence diagram of network node operation to ensure the exact determination of the state of the Blockchain network;
Introducing the network state “service denied” to register the value of the uncertainty period when business offer cannot qualify the state of the operation carried out by the nodes of the Blockchain network;
Mutual synchronization of network nodes to ensure adherence to the voting and block formation sequence diagram;
Using a fixed maximum amount of time for processing the transaction (with its cancellation in case of failure to complete it within the given timespan);
Introducing three types of network node operation protocols:
Protocol for quorum control and insuring time synchronization of nodes that is essentially a background process based on the poll of a Blockchain P2P network and keeps the information on the availability of the nodes, which can participate in the voting and block formation procedures, up to date;
Sortition protocol, within which the network node sequence is formed, according to which network nodes will act as block producers;
Block formation protocol, which includes the creation of the block by the block producer, its verification by other network nodes and a node rating system, which provides the accuracy of carrying out the block producer functions by the network nodes;
Using the algorithm of the random Miner stake (Assetbox capacities) distribution among the network nodes prior to sortition of the nodes the rating of which allows them to be candidates for block producers. Such a decision allows increasing the difficulty of predicting the block producer sequence. The algorithm is based on the value of the “nonce” parameter (the last block or genesis block), which, in turn, is based on a random number from a hardware random number generator and a time stamp by generating a hash code from this information using the Keccak-256 based on elliptic curves. The resulting numeric sequence is used as a key to distribute the Assetbox capacities of Miners in favor of network nodes (block producer candidates);
The mechanism of decentralized sortition when determining the sequence of taking on the role of block producers by the nodes, which is conducted by sorting the list of nodes according to the capacities allocated in favor of these nodes, defining the sequence limits and observing the nodes’ compliance with the rules of participating in the formed sequence of block producers;
A decentralized verification of the block by all the nodes of the Blockchain network and sending out the message on the increase or decrease of the rating of the block producer that generated the block depending on the verification results.
2.2. The roles of nodes in the Community PoS consensus
Each node of the Blockchain network of the Bit bon System can have the following roles:
Synchronization node . In this role, the Blockchain network node, when connecting to the network, synchronizes with the other nodes by receiving blocks, transactions and objects related to them from the other network nodes, their verifications and storing in the local Blockchain storage. Synchronization of the node time is conducted in accordance with the timestamp of the last valid block and the latency metric to the block producer that formed this block, as well as the timestamps from the other network nodes. After synchronization, the node conducts the verification and storage of transactions and blocks it receives. If the metric of distributing the block for this node is less than 1 second, then this Blockchain network node must accept transactions from client applications for processing and after verifying them, rebroadcast them to all the other network nodes. Otherwise, or if the quorum of the Blockchain network nodes has not been reached, the node does not accept transactions for processing, displaying the “service denied” error.
. In this role, the Blockchain network node, when connecting to the network, synchronizes with the other nodes by receiving blocks, transactions and objects related to them from the other network nodes, their verifications and storing in the local Blockchain storage. Synchronization of the node time is conducted in accordance with the timestamp of the last valid block and the latency metric to the block producer that formed this block, as well as the timestamps from the other network nodes. After synchronization, the node conducts the verification and storage of transactions and blocks it receives. If the metric of distributing the block for this node is less than 1 second, then this Blockchain network node must accept transactions from client applications for processing and after verifying them, rebroadcast them to all the other network nodes. Otherwise, or if the quorum of the Blockchain network nodes has not been reached, the node does not accept transactions for processing, displaying the “service denied” error. Node participating in the quorum . This role can be taken on by any synchronization node, whose value of latency for nodes that are part of the quorum does not exceed 400ms. To implement the protocol of operation of the Community PoS consensus in the Blockchain network, the number of nodes has to be higher than the size of the quorum determined by the Bit bon System Operators (no less than 2/3 of the number of Blockchain network nodes). The node participating in the quorum takes part in the rating formation procedure in accordance with the node rating system. If while processing transactions and blocks the quorum participant notices a violation of the rules of processing, they send all the network nodes the relevant message on the decrease of the rating of sources of invalid data. If the data is valid, then the message contains the information on the increase of the rating of the relevant block producers.
. This role can be taken on by any synchronization node, whose value of latency for nodes that are part of the quorum does not exceed 400ms. To implement the protocol of operation of the Community PoS consensus in the Blockchain network, the number of nodes has to be higher than the size of the quorum determined by the bon System Operators (no less than 2/3 of the number of Blockchain network nodes). The node participating in the quorum takes part in the rating formation procedure in accordance with the node rating system. If while processing transactions and blocks the quorum participant notices a violation of the rules of processing, they send all the network nodes the relevant message on the decrease of the rating of sources of invalid data. If the data is valid, then the message contains the information on the increase of the rating of the relevant block producers. Block producer candidate . This role can be taken on by any node participating in the quorum with the rating above 10 if it has the mining mode turned on. In this case, such a node will be included in the procedure of distributing capacities (stakes) of the pool of Assetboxes of the Miner Community.
. This role can be taken on by any node participating in the quorum with the rating above 10 if it has the mining mode turned on. In this case, such a node will be included in the procedure of distributing capacities (stakes) of the pool of Assetboxes of the Miner Community. Block producer. This role is taken on by the Blockchain network node that is a block producer candidate, which was included in the block producer sequence as a result of conducting the sortition to sign and announce only one block in the specified time period (timeslot) (Picture 2).
2.3. Providing sortition system
To eliminate the threats of the Bitbon System centralization and to automate the voting procedure of Miners within the limits of participating in Consensus building mining of the Bit bon System, there is a procedure of automatic redistribution of stakes (Assetbox capacities) among the block producer candidates.
In order for an Assetbox to participate in voting, it is enough to carry out a one-time transfer of the Miner’s Assetbox capacity to the pool by completing a transfer of 0.00001 Bit bon with a comment “/pool” to any Assetbox of the mining pool.
Assetbox capacities that participate in automatic distribution randomly associate among all the nodes of the Blockchain network of the Bit bon System with the corresponding rating, which meet the relevant requirements for the performance and quality of the connection channel (node in the role of a block producer candidate) at the time of voting.
2.4. Sortition procedure
The goal of the sortition procedure is to form the sequence of block producers based on the distributed Assetbox capacities among the block producer candidates, according to which said block producers will sign and announce blocks in the next round.
The sortition procedure is conducted in accordance with the voting and block formation sequence diagram (Picture 2) and contains the rounds, the duration of which is equal to the number of block producers multiplied by the 1 second time interval. The number of block producers is determined by the Bit bon System Operators.
Picture 2. Sequence diagram of the Community PoS consensus
The sortition procedure starts after the end of each round and is conducted over the entire duration of the round. The final block of the round or the message of the timestamp instead of it, if this timeslot had no transactions, can serve as an indicator of the end of the round. Voting is carried out in the following order:
Within the first 2 seconds, every node, based on the distributed among block producer candidates Assetbox capacities, must randomly form a list of possible positions (sequence) from 1 to n for each block producer candidate node with capacity higher than the lower limit and a corresponding rating, and then send the hash of this list (sequence) to all the nodes participating in the quorum;
Out of the nodes that can be included in the sequence, the block producer, which is the last to form a block in this round, is excluded;
Sequence elements with identical positions are not allowed;
It is forbidden to include 2 elements with one identifier in the sequence;
On the 5th second, each node participating in the quorum, based on the number of votes for each unique sequence hash, must determine whether or not the sequence it formed collected the maximum amount of votes. If not, the node goes into the standby mode awaiting the block producer sequence. Otherwise, the node checks if the number of votes exceeds or equals 2/3 of the quorum. If the number of votes exceeds or equals 2/3 of the quorum, the node announces the sequence. If not, the node announces the message about the sequence forming error and goes into the standby mode until the start of the next round;
Each node receives either the block production sequence or the error from the other nodes by the 9th second.
Each node, regardless of its role, verifies the received blocks in accordance with the calculated/received sequence of block producers. The block producer candidate specified in the resultant sequence takes on the role of a block producer during its timeslot.
2.5. Block formation
Blocks are formed by block producers in the rounds with the duration of n blocks (for example, the round duration of 21 blocks). The block producer forms the block out of transactions that are in its transaction pool with the timestamp of the latest transaction in the last valid formed block and the moment of block formation in the next timeslot, which it serves according to these rules:
If no transactions were received in the processed timeslot, the block will not be formed, but all the nodes will be sent the timestamp of the ending of the timeslot;
The node in the role of a block producer forms a block based on the hash code of the previous valid block out of transactions in its transaction pool;
During the round, the block producer can form a block only once;
Under no circumstances can the block producer form 2 blocks in a row;
All the nodes (including block producers in this round) take on the role of the synchronization node receiving transactions, carrying them out and checking the received blocks:
If the block is valid, then both it and the transactions it includes are registered in the storage;
If the block is invalid, the node ignores it and awaits a valid block with the same number;
If a block producer was unable to verify the previous block at the time of serving its timeslot, it forms a new one with the same number, which includes all transactions in the transaction pool, with the ones that arrived in the previous timeslots, filtered by the time of creation (excluding the ones that ran out of processing time). Same as with the synchronization nodes, the block producer sends out a message on the decrease of the rating of the previous block producer.
Such measures allow us to avoid creating forks of the chain of blocks, as well as attacks related to the processing delay or ignoring transactions, while at the same time they ensure a guaranteed time of processing a transaction.
2.6. Node rating
The rating of each node is formed through messages that are sent out via a P2P network by all the Blockchain nodes of the Bit bon System as a result of verifying another block formation. The changes in the rating are accepted by all the network nodes in favor of all the network nodes, in particular in favor of the block producer, and are applied after a time period equal to the duration of three timeslots after block formation, on condition that the number of messages exceeds or equals the quorum (at the same time, the number of messages from each node is being monitored). Only one message from a node for each block is included. Below are the main factors that influence the rating of the nodes:
Rating is increased:
For the correctly formed block;
For fulfilling the terms of participating in the quorum (issued by the Bit bon System Operator);
bon System Operator); If a block producer formed at least one block during the day and did not receive the rating decrease;
Rating is decreased:
If a block producer included more than 10 transactions related to the previous timeslot;
If a block producer formed a block in a timeslot that is not its own;
If a block producer did not form and send the package with a timestamp in its timeslot;
If the node sent more than 2 messages on the increase/decrease of the rating for one block (pause);
If the node broadcasted an invalid transaction or the same transaction once again (for each repetition);
Rating reduction to zero if a block producer formed an invalid block (included an invalid transaction).
The described feedback system allows us to effectively prevent attacks and incorrect behavior of potential hackers, as well as exclude unstable nodes of the Blockchain network from the quorum. | https://medium.com/bitbon/consensus-building-using-the-community-pos-algorithm-in-the-blockchain-network-of-the-bitbon-system-7a9c1c153dd6 | ['Bitbon System'] | 2019-04-19 12:53:09.908000+00:00 | ['Blockchain', 'Community Management', 'Pos', 'Consensus', 'Bitbon'] |
Impact of 2020 on the Video Surveillance Industry | No one could have anticipated what the year 2020 would be bringing us. No one was prepared to face a pandemic or a lockdown. With governments recommending social distancing and workplaces pushing for work-from-home policies, the challenges as a security company to protect your residential plots, corporate houses and other sites mounted quickly.
Surprisingly, security providers who had an offshore team before the pandemic were able to weather the difficulties with minimum disruption. Which security agencies who have been in the business for a while, there is a real danger of getting into a false sense of safety just because client sites are equipped with fancy equipment or because historically, there have not been any adverse incidents. An offshore security team can help security agencies break through this barrier to ensure they are not just relying on sophisticated equipment but also have intelligent remote guards monitoring client sites in real-time. This is exactly why a video monitoring team is a necessity in today’s competitive security market. Look at these stats about crimes that happened when security companies do not have enough manpower looking at security footage in real-time.
The retail industry faced over 275 million accidents alone. Small to mid-cap organizations were 80% more vulnerable to theft.
Many times, these crimes happen because there wasn’t enough manpower available to thwart criminals. A property under 24/7 video surveillance with remote guards and voice down protection can make a criminal think twice before committing a crime and will keep the community safe. So, how can a remote video surveillance team assist security agencies in keeping client property safe?
Evidence for liability protection Real-time monitoring Prevention of crimes Improving productivity Saving cost in the long run Improving customer service
Just because your client’s property is well-equipped with a video security system that has cutting-edge thermal cameras does not mean the site is safe from the threat of crime. Just because historically, the neighborhood has been a safe haven, doesn’t mean that no security issues will crop up in the future! In 2020, the world saw how the security industry responded to the domino effect of the pandemic ranging from riots to lockdown to political unrest — security agencies played a critical role in maintaining security and stability. You can check out how Covid-19 has changed the security dynamics of parking areas, shopping centers, hospitals, stockrooms and residential areas in our blog on Impact of 2020 on the video surveillance industry where we took a comprehensive look at the state of the video surveillance and alarm monitoring industry in 2021.
One example of how the security industry was able to do a quick pivot involved asset protection with respect to the distribution of the Covid-19 vaccines. According to an article in Vox, “While the federal government has managed to ship tens of millions of doses of vaccines to states, getting vaccines from storage facilities to patients’ arms has proven a bigger logistical challenge than officials apparently anticipated.” Tens of millions of dollars worth of vaccines also come with a lot of security challenges. Many lessons were learned regarding the changing face of security over the course of the past year and what it will take to provide dependable security in the years to come.
Looking into future trends, there are many opportunities for growth hidden inside this stage of transformation within the global security industry. The future may seem uncertain, but the literature we encountered during our research-validated our understanding that there is a growing significance of remote security services in day-to-day business functioning. As the world is slowly normalizing, the need for remote monitoring is now more acute than ever.
For more detailed information on what the experts have to say about the video surveillance industry, check out our whitepaper. We conducted evidence-based research to answer the following question - | https://medium.com/@technomine/impact-of-2020-on-the-video-surveillance-industry-74f728d3906 | [] | 2021-05-19 13:21:54.031000+00:00 | ['Security', 'Security Camera', 'Video Surveillance', 'Whitepaper', 'Security Industry'] |
Community Spotlight: MatthewOrMatt | Tiltify: How have you used incentives on Tiltify to raise funds?
MatthewOrMatt: Milestones have been a phenomenal way to get people engaged in contributing to a campaign by way of me basically making a fool of myself usually haha. People love hitting milestones under the guise of me having to do something like play a scary game, do a special cooking/art stream, marathons, etc. Not only does it promote the charity but it also gives the creator a solid reason to do something new and fun on stream too, seems like a win/win to me (if you can live with the clips that may come from eating a chip so hot you’ll think your ears are bleeding).
Milestone Unlocked! MatthewOrMatt raps for charity goal.
Tiltify: What’s inspired you to make a difference through fundraising?
MatthewOrMatt: I decided to start fundraising because I genuinely felt like Twitch could be utilized as a platform to drive both awareness and direct contributions to a wide variety of causes/orgs. My biggest inspiration came from the annual Games Done Quick (GDQ) speedrunning events where millions of dollars are raised each year in support of phenomenal causes where gamers come together to watch amazing content under the umbrella of charity. Fortunately, at the present, I am in a position where I am able to dedicate time to pursuing the idea of making the world a slightly better place in my own way. As such I decided to create my own little movement known as Selfless Streaming.
Tiltify: We love that name of your movement! What’s your favorite part about fundraising? What’s your favorite part about using Tiltify?
MatthewOrMatt: [Tiltify] allows me to support a wide variety of causes with the highest level of (financial) integrity possible, that is extremely important to me.
My favorite part has been the connections made throughout the community we’ve created and hearing about how doing something positive on Twitch has impacted people in their offline world as well. Additionally, the statistics shared by some of the organizations really shows you just how far your dollar can go when it comes to raising funds and how the money will be used to support a specific cause.
Tiltify: Thank you SO much for taking the time answering these questions. Our community never ceases to astound us with their creativity and thoughtfulness. Best of luck in your future fundraising efforts! | https://blog.tiltify.com/community-spotlight-matthewormatt-6b2754a5be03 | [] | 2020-12-17 08:07:42.198000+00:00 | ['Charity', 'Tiltify', 'Tiltify Community', 'Fundraising'] |
That Time I Drove Through LA without Brakes | I grew up playing those video games — Intellivision, Nintendo, Colecovision, and the Ataris 26-, 52-, and (gasp!) 7800 — many that required the steering wheel accessory, like “Pole Position” or “Spy Hunter.” So I was pretty good at avoiding real obstacles on an imaginary road. My mother would tell me how it was a complete waste of my time, detrimental to my overall development. She was right, until. . .
I moved to Los Angeles out of college. My time there did not begin well. I bought a used Audi GT before making the journey and it had a horrible habit of shutting off at the most inopportune moments, such as while driving.
Every mechanic I brought it to in Boston said, “We don’t know why it’s doing this, but a new fuel pump relay should fix it.” And I got a new fuel pump relay. . . and another. . . and a third.
Other than that, the car was fine, until. . .
During my third week in Los Angeles, the brakes began to squeak. It’s that warning mechanism brakes have that tell you if you don’t replace the brake pads soon, your car will most likely send you hurtling off a cliff at the most inopportune moments, such as while driving. And no one, especially me, wanted that.
Well, I was new in town and unfamiliar with any place to bring it (and there was no Yelp! back then), though I had been to the mall once and remembered passing a Midas Brake Specialists shop next to it. These people not only knew brakes, they were specialists! It said so in the sign. So I had my answer.
Even as a young adult, I’d already had the oil changed several times before, so I knew what to expect — you bring your car in, they take care of the oil, you bring it home. Easy peasy. I figured brakes were the same. That was a big leap of faith.
At that time, I had no job, so I could block off an entire day, though I didn’t expect it to take quite so long. I got there at 8 a.m. and I waited. . . and waited. . . and waited.
Just after 4 o’clock, the “technician,” a Native American guy with a long, braided pony-tail who stood about five-feet zero, informed me the work was completed and offered to test drive my vehicle with me to see what a great job he’d done.
I thought, “Wow! that’s super service. Usually, they just fix it and give it to you,” as he took his position in the passenger seat. (I realize he was probably as curious as I was to see if he had done the job right.)
We pulled out of the carport and continued down the side street. Three rights around the block, that’s all. I applied the brakes at the first stop sign. (Have you ever pushed the pedal down to the floorboard? No, of course, you haven’t. The pedal is not supposed to go that far.)
“Uh, it’s a little loose.”
“Oh, that is because they are new brakes,” he says sheepishly in an effort to hide his idiocy. And what did I know? I’d only been driving a couple of years and never had the privilege of owning “new brakes.”
I took the right, another right, and a third right to bring me back to the front. The same situation as I pushed down all the way, but the car stopped, so I paid the fee and hopped in to head home.
It was now 4:30 and the shop was closing for the day. I was very tired from my day watching bad daytime talk shows and telenovelas on tv in the waiting room anyway and wanted to do some writing, so I wasn’t thinking, “Take it back and fix it. I’ll wait.”
Onto the main drag, I turned just as rush hour was getting thicker. A red light stopped me up ahead. I pushed my pedal down to the floorboard to activate the “new brakes” and the car stopped as it had previously.
With my foot still on the brake, my car started to roll forward a little. Then the light turned green and the car in front of me took off. I accelerated briefly, then it dawned on me, “Did I take my foot off the brake causing it to roll forward or. . . did the car just start to roll by itself?”
Letting the pace car in front of me get some distance, I decided to test the brakes. Yep, I was right. I hate when I’m right. Especially when it’s about MY DRIVING WITHOUT BRAKES!!!
Okay, stay calm. How bad could it be? It’s an Audi. Worst case scenario, I cause a huge pile-up at an intersection; at least my car will hold up well. (Actually, the worst case scenario has me running over several bystanders, a lady with a baby carriage, and slamming into a fire hydrant spraying water everywhere causing hundreds of thousands of dollars in damages.)
Remarkably, I am less scared than angry. A few thoughts go through my head, including one that has me intentionally causing as much damage as possible so I could sue Midas for every nickel and then forcing the entire staff to work on my estate. But that seemed like a lot of work. I didn’t want to go through all that, as I needed to find a day job.
And then it entered my head — I’d been here before. . . virtually. The hours I spent playing “Pole Position” was a practical application that prepared me for this. Ha! Mom, I was right! Of course, then my mother’s favorite phrase came into my head — “You could be right, dead right.” Damn you, Mom! Get out of my head. Now is not the time!
Nevertheless, this would be my greatest challenge, my real life Pole Position. If I made it home, I’d have a story to tell. If not, and. . . well, there was always that lawsuit. No one could tell the exact moment I realized the brakes failed, right?
Oh, sure, I could have turned around and gone back to Midas, but where’s the fun in that? (Plus, turning around was not going to be easy.)
Okay, I had to think. Remember my training! I quickly went over the landscape in my head. It was one right turn (which I could do because this was Los Angeles whose “right on red” law is its greatest cultural contribution), then five lights, across two main roads, and one left turn, which would be the trickiest part.
It was Mission: Impossible. Should I fail, any knowledge would be disavowed. But seriously, in the event I had to abort, I could always gently guide the car into some place that wouldn’t get me nor anyone else injured. . . theoretically.
Back to the road in front of me — I figured since I couldn’t stop, I would have to drive real slow and speed up just enough to keep my momentum. That way, I would never have to slam on the brakes. I just had to pray for green lights.
Amazingly, I made them all, including the busiest street at the top of the hill. (The hill was great because it stopped all my momentum.)
Now my mind wandered ahead to the left turn. What if on-coming traffic was too steady and I couldn’t make it? I figured out plans B and C just in case. (Plan B was that I would try the next left hand turn onto another side street, and Plan C was I would soil my pants.) I worried that I had run out of luck.
But huzzah, like the Red Sea underneath the hand of Moses, the southbound traffic parted just enough allowing me the perfect opportunity to make the turn!
Giving it a little gas to crawl onto the driveway, which leveled downward slightly, I yanked up on the emergency brake as I lightly tapped the back of the carport. Luckily my roommate wasn’t home, otherwise his car would’ve been my wall. And there it was. I made it home alive! A real life video game, with potential real life consequences.
Oh, and the next day, I had the car towed back to Midas at their expense, rented a car at their expense, and had them put WORKING brakes in the car at their expense. A lawsuit might have eliminated the need for a job, however, but I let them off the hook as no harm, no foul.
So when you see your kids spending hours in front of the television playing video games — yes, they may be on the freeway to obesity, but they are inevitably setting themselves up with survival skills.
Oh, and never go to Midas. | https://medium.com/@andywasif/that-time-i-drove-through-la-without-brakes-dea3f709c755 | ['Andy Wasif'] | 2020-12-03 05:01:00.541000+00:00 | ['Los Angeles', 'Comedy', 'Humor', 'Andy Wasif'] |
Mommy | Mommy
A Poem
Photo by Erik Mclean on Unsplash
what I really wish
on this first day of the year
and all the others too
that you don’t cry anymore
my sweet mommy | https://medium.com/scribe/what-i-really-wish-bc42cb1fea26 | ['Thomas Gaudex'] | 2021-01-01 22:25:41.166000+00:00 | ['New Year', 'Love', 'Grief', 'Mothers', 'Family'] |
Longdrink and longing in Helsinki — Part II | The second time life deposited me in Helsinki, it was the beginning of August. Both I and the city had undergone radical change. In the eight months since I’d last walked Helsinki’s phenomenally clean streets, I’d jettisoned my comfy staff job at a magazine for an uncertain freelance career. In the wake of my last relationship, I’d decided to go full early 20s, embracing casual sex and romantic nihilism. I wasn’t quite sure what I was doing, either professionally or personally, but it didn’t really matter. Hot Girl Summer was, apparently, in full swing.
I’d also got highlights.
I did not miss my ex, and hadn’t for a long time. He was ultimately a footnote. Yet there were scars there, left primarily by what I perceived as my own failure to recognise the relationship for what it really was. These had penetrated far deeper than any actual feelings had managed to. A poisonous, mistrustful disdain for men had developed as a result, one not helped by the faceless nature of modern dating, where ghosting is the norm and everyone seemed to be horribly replaceable, including myself. I wanted what everyone does: someone to select me specifically, to recognise my special sauce, to sweep me up and tell me they really, truly saw me and did not want to ever let me go.
Yet anyone who indicated feelings of that ilk got short shrift. Sooner or later I knew they would change their minds, the moment I opened up and stepped down from my pedestal, becoming terribly real to them, warts and all. All men became liars, I concluded, even if they meant what they said at the time.
“I think you have trust issues,” said one of my friends. I thought so too. But who didn’t in 2019? Besides, my brittle emotional state was being held up by cynicism-fuelled, reckless self-confidence and to probe too deeply would cause a collapse I was not sure I could bear. So I didn’t.
Hot Girl Summer, apparently
Helsinki had fared somewhat better. The onset of warmer weather had removed the city’s coating of snow, revealing it to be leafy and green. The sun now glittered on a bright blue sea instead of ice and wandering down by the harbour I noticed how the buildings lining the seafront were varying pastel shades. Offshore, the looming outlines of several islands were clearly visible (part of an 330-strong archipelago surrounding the city, Google informed me). I looked at the city anew and found glaringly obvious details I’d missed when I’d first visited in January, wrapped in a cocoon of sadness. But now my eyes were open and I was ready to have fun.
I was in Helsinki to cover Flow Festival (read about it here), having been lucky enough to both be in the mind of a kindly editor when the call arose, and free to fly out with a week’s notice. The trip was one of the dreams; headlining the fest were the likes of Robyn, Tame Impala, Solange and James Blake. We were being put up in a hotel even more central than the St George of my previous sojourn, the recently refurbished Marski by Scandic.
Before arriving, a contact in Helsinki warned me the Marski was “dated,” which told me just how new the revamp was — the hotel I arrived to was anything but. Instead, I was greeted by a cosmopolitan millennial dream, all pink and rose-gold decor, lit by what I call ‘influencer low lighting’. It was luxury incarnate. It felt enormously in-keeping with my supposed Hot Girl Summer, like the universe was on my side.
Once more, I’d been allocated an all-expenses paid plus one, the flight being the only cost they’d have to cough up for. This time however, I could not bring my mother. I had no inclination to either; I had been sent to Helsinki to literally party for work. My mother — who had once written me a two-page letter expressing her concern at the fact that I went out one night a week — was not the target market here.
Instead, I invited a man who I’d been seeing for a month. I tried not to think about that too much. I’d not met anybody for more than two dates since my ex-boyfriend — I didn’t want to fall into the trap of placing undue significance on whatever this was. I also tried not to think about how my heart leapt in my chest when his number flashed up on my phone screen and when I spoke to him, my tongue felt slow and heavy in my mouth because I was so nervous. Or that I had never met a straight man like him, one who seemed to truly respect women, not merely as performance, but actually meant it. I wanted to weep sometimes because he was so kind and good and patient, there must have been a mistake and soon he would realise he was not supposed to be mixed up with someone like me who was hard and compressed like coal and could not seem to let her barriers drop, even in the face of such warmth.
The longest, and best, drink
“Are you serious?” he texted me, from a music festival in Germany when I dropped the news of my good fortune into conversation. I also did not want to think about what it could mean that he was in constant contact while on holiday, sending me videos of moments from the festival and pictures of his friends being high and happy, instead of picking up beautiful German girls. Which was well within his right — we were not exclusive. A few weeks earlier, he had told me he wasn’t seeing anyone else but I chose not to read too much into it. I thought he meant he wasn’t seeing anyone else — for now. That could change.
‘Yes,’ I told him. ‘Up for it?’
He said he was in. I didn’t really believe him. We’d known each other less than 60 days. I’d given him a week’s notice. He’d have to get time off work. There were flight costs. And behind those practicalities was the persistent whisper at the back of my mind, reminding me of the first Helsinki trip and the broken promise that had preceded it.
“Are you sure?” I said. “You can pull out any time.”
“Moya,” he wrote. “If I say I’m going to do something, I do it.”
And he did.
Before he arrived, on a late night Friday flight straight from work, I had a day to sort out unfinished business in the city. The Amos Rex, Helsinki’s subterranean modern art Mecca, was open this time around and two minutes from our hotel. Serendipitously, it was on the trip itinerary anyway, so I had the thrill of heading underground into its bowels before the rest of the public were allowed entry.
The Amos Rex exterior
Inside the Rex is relatively small — three galleries only — but the displays are engrossing. A particular video installation stood out, depicting a series of idyllic scenes: a beautiful woman, reclining in a rowboat, a romantic landscape as her backdrop. A man strides forward, extending a hand and pulling her into a passionate embrace. The placard beside it said the artist intended the work as a tongue-in-cheek pastiche of an idealised pastoral scene. It looked pretty good to me.
I also wanted to see Uspenski Cathedral, my other white whale from January’s visit to Helsinki. As it turns out, Uspenski is fine as religious buildings go; a pit stop but not an essential visit. Solid dome, some pretty ornate altars. Then again, I was distracted when I finally got inside, after waiting essentially eight months to enter. The man had just texted me a picture of his boarding pass. My stomach churned with excitement.
He arrived at 1am, coming straight to Kaiku, one of Helsinki’s famed electronic boltholes, where I was doing some post-festival partying. Kaiku is poky and smoky, which makes it utterly perfect for late-night antics and the venue attracts world-class DJ talent. That night, the legendary Honey Dijon was playing, a scheduling that felt strangely coincidental, given the man and I had been on a crucial date to see her play the Southbank Centre just three weeks prior.
“Here,” he texted me. I found him at the bar and when he clocked me and grinned, I felt my stomach lurch, like I was falling from a very steep height.
We left the club at 4am, which meant we didn’t get up the next day until 11am, missing an optional scheduled group activity of a boat trip to the islands. “It’s fine,” I said, meaning it. I wanted him all to myself. But later, walking lazily down to the harbour after breakfast, we spotted the ferry schedule for the round-island trip. 6€ apiece for a return ticket.
“Shall we?” he said.
On a boat
The ferry operation from Market Square is a jump on, jump off deal that services three islands close to Helsinki — Suomenlinna, Vallisaari and Lonna. Simply pick your favourite, hop off and spend a few hours there, before jumping on the ferry back to Helsinki when it next comes round.
If you’re only planning to do one island in a day, Suomenlinna or Vallisaari are the best options; Suomenlinna houses a sprawling 18th Century fortress that’s been awarded UNESCO status, so tends to be the most popular choice. Vallisaari however is a natural paradise. Ironic, as it used to be former military base, with the nickname ‘Death Island’ — half the land is still impassable due to unexploded mines. But the rest is a nature reserve and appealed to our alcohol-battered brains so, to Death Island we went.
When I think of the defining experience on my second trip to Helsinki and also, the moment I knew I could not pull out of this entanglement, that, despite intense resistance I had fallen for this man and there was no going back, it is Vallisaari that comes instantly to mind. The festival was wonderful, the people we met, brilliant, the partying hectic in the best way. But it was strolling through the lush fauna of Death Island, cracking jokes about how everyone in Helsinki seemed to own a Marimekko tote bag, and eating Longdrink (an iconic Finnish tinned premix of gin and grapefruit soda) flavoured ice cream that I became aware of a great happiness swelling within me. I felt I would burst with it.
Finnish pastoral
As the afternoon wore on, we scaled a giant rock and lay down in the sunshine, looking out across the gentle sea. A sailboat floated near the shore. I could not help but think of the Amos Rex and the pastoral pastiche I had seen there. It seemed I had climbed inside it. I never wanted to leave the island, or the beautiful boy beside me who really seemed to think I was funny but never made me feel like I had to be. He demanded nothing more from me than to lie silently together on a large rock and bask in how comfortable the quiet felt. No man had ever made it so easy just to be.
On the train back to the airport, I told him I wanted only to see him from now on, full exclusivity please. I hadn’t been dating anyone else, but it felt important to spell it out. “Of course,” he said. “I was already doing that.”
Two weeks after we returned to the UK, I was in his room. He told me he had a present for me. “Open it,” he said softly. Out of the grey packaging, I slid a crumbled paper bag.
Inside was a Mariemekko tote. Right then, I resolved to stop making it so difficult, to try my best to let go of my cynicism and mistrust. Because if this ended of its own accord, I could survive but if I sabotaged it from within, I would never be able to get over the fact. I looked at the Mariemekko tote in my lap again and mentally cut my parachute chord. | https://medium.com/humane-traffic/longdrink-and-longing-in-helsinki-part-ii-d8325d9fab8a | ['Moya Lothian-Mclean'] | 2019-11-03 15:26:45.687000+00:00 | ['Finland', 'Relationships', 'Travel', 'Dating'] |
Science proves that displaying family photos boosts children’s self-esteem. | According to psychologists, photography has a positive benefit for children’s self-esteem and helps them develop stronger confidence.
Scientists have proven that it is valuable for children to see themselves as part of a family unit and this is where photographers come in.
During family sessions, photographer’s job is to create safe and loving environment, centered around kids. Photo session is a happy play time with rules and boundaries but also games, fun activities, lots of hugs, kisses and cuddles.
However, turns out, a photo session is not enough by itself.
Photographers are increasingly delivering images electronically and families view them in a digital form on their computers, phones or on social media. So does this really have the same impact when it comes to boosting a child’s self-esteem?
Well, not really. It is important that kids live in the house where the photos are displayed.
Growing up in the space where they see themselves in photos, surrounded by their loved ones, helps them learn who they are and where they fit. They understand the story of their family and grow up with a stronger sense of belonging.
Traditional approach of displaying photos prominently in the home also ensures that the child internalises the idea that those in the photos are important to one another. That child will grow up with a sense of comfort and a feeling of being protected.
Additionally, photographs are powerful symbols that elevate everyday moments and turn them into art. Kids will feel important and worthy of professional documentation and also appreciate the art itself. The photographer takes the utmost care when it comes to light, composition, posing and editing the images and the child will analyse and learn from this.
I believe that tactile experience of holding a physical print in your hands or flipping through a family Album stimulates the brain and makes a child engage with the object more. Photos are also miraculous windows into the past — strangeness of seeing parents once young, or great-grandparents in uniform will make kids curious about their heritage.
Psychologists recommend having photographs of your child with their family placed in the kids’s room so they can see it before sleep and then first thing upon waking and beginning their day.
They will know they are cherished, cared for and loved. | https://medium.com/@innayurchukkostukovsky/science-proves-that-displaying-family-photos-boosts-childrens-self-esteem-4f1a76a61a16 | ['Inna Yurchuk-Kostukovsky'] | 2020-06-05 10:17:37.526000+00:00 | ['Parenting Advice', 'Childrens Stories', 'Photography', 'Child Psychology'] |
What Is Quantum Information Science? | We need a lot more computing power to tackle much larger and much more complex computing challenges in the decades ahead. Ditto for communication, measurement, and sensing. That’s where quantum effects come in. The quantum effects of physics are at the atomic and subatomic level, brought to us courtesy of quantum mechanics, and hold the key to major advances — quantum leaps — in computing, communication, measurement, and sensing. Quantum information science is the broad umbrella for the theory, science, engineering, technology, infrastructure, and applications related to exploiting quantum effects (quantum mechanics) in the areas of computing, communication, and measurement and sensing.
Before we get too excited, we need to bear in mind that quantum information science is primarily still at the research stage now and for the next two to five years, or even longer. Quite a few organizations are experimenting with the technology and even developing prototypes, but the technology is far from being ready for development and deployment of production-ready applications.
That caveat out of the way, quantum information science holds tremendous promise.
This informal paper is intended to give a relatively high-level overview and introduction to the emerging field of quantum information science. The intended audience would include executives, managers — both technical and non-technical, policy analysts, the media — both general and technical, and technical staff who may have heard of some aspects of quantum computing, but would like more of the bigger picture for quantum information science.
Less-ambitious readers with limited time and patience can read the first few pages of this paper, stopping as soon as they have gleaned enough information to satisfy their interests, although there may be specific sections later in the paper that may have significant value to them.
There is a Wikipedia page for Quantum information science, but I did not find it to be as enlightening as I would have hoped, so this informal paper is my own introduction to this topic.
Although quantum information science can be fairly math-intensive, this informal paper will stick to plain English. So,
No math. No equations or messy formulas. Or math symbols. No matrices or vectors.
No equations or messy formulas. Or math symbols. No matrices or vectors. No Greek symbols.
No German. No long words that begin with “eigen”.
No long words that begin with “eigen”. No physics jargon. Except to explain some of the terms, but in plain language.
Except to explain some of the terms, but in plain language. No long list of famous names from physics.
No pictures or diagrams. Keep things simple.
The three main subfields under the umbrella of quantum information science (QIS) are:
Quantum computing — includes hardware (quantum computers), software, algorithms, and applications. Quantum communication — includes quantum networking, quantum Internet, quantum cryptography, and quantum information theory. Quantum metrology and quantum sensing — includes detection of objects.
My apologies that the content at those three links is not as suitable as I would prefer for a high-level introduction, but they’re representative of the current state of affairs (mixed and so-so, at best.) It’s on my to-do list to write more suitable content in those three areas.
This informal paper will introduce some of the concepts from each of these subfields, but won’t serve as an in-depth tutorial for any of those subfields.
Quantum information science is also critically dependent on advanced and specialized materials science and engineering in order to actually construct devices which can exploit quantum effects. These are not proper subfields of quantum information science alone, but they do have an important, critical role.
Quantum information science may sometimes be used to refer to only:
Quantum computing alone. This isn’t ideal, but it is a common usage.
Quantum computing and quantum communication together, but excluding quantum metrology and quantum sensing.
Quantum information is common across all of the subfields of quantum information science. More on that later.
Other quantum areas related to quantum information science:
Some other terms you hear associated with quantum information science:
Quantum information processing — not just quantum computing, but quantum communication, quantum networking, and quantum metrology and quantum sensing, or any subfield concerned with capturing, storing, manipulating, or communicating quantum information (quantum state).
— not just quantum computing, but quantum communication, quantum networking, and quantum metrology and quantum sensing, or any subfield concerned with capturing, storing, manipulating, or communicating quantum information (quantum state). Quantum information processing system — commonly a quantum computer, but generally any hardware system which is capable of processing quantum information.
— commonly a quantum computer, but generally any hardware system which is capable of processing quantum information. Quantum-based technology — a loose reference to any technology which is based in whole or in significant part on some aspect of quantum information science.
— a loose reference to any technology which is based in whole or in significant part on some aspect of quantum information science. Quantum technologies — sometimes used as a synonym for quantum information science.
— sometimes used as a synonym for quantum information science. Quantum technology, quantum technologies — another loose reference to any technology which is based in whole or in significant part on some aspect of quantum information science.
— another loose reference to any technology which is based in whole or in significant part on some aspect of quantum information science. Quantum information technologies — ditto.
— ditto. Quantum applications — It is ambiguous whether quantum applications are included under quantum information science specifically since the term quantum information science and technology is sometimes used when applications are to be included.
— It is ambiguous whether quantum applications are included under quantum information science specifically since the term quantum information science and technology is sometimes used when applications are to be included. Quantum science — vague term which may may simply be a synonym for quantum information science, or refer to applications of quantum information science for the natural sciences, such as simulation of physics, chemistry, or biology. Or, it may simply be a synonym for quantum physics or quantum mechanics. It all depends on the context in which it is used.
Here’s a list of the sections to follow:
What is quantum information science? What’s so special about quantum information science? QIS What disciplines are involved with quantum information science? What is quantum? Quantum mechanics Quantum physics Quantum chemistry Quantum computational chemistry Quantum biology Quantum field theory Quantum theory Quantum system Isolated quantum system Quantum effects Quantum resource Quantum state Wave function Linear algebra Quantum information Measurement Qubit Quantum bit Qutrits, qudits, and qumodes Phase Interference Environmental interference Stationary qubits and flying qubits Quantum error correction (QEC) Logical and physical qubits Quantum programs, quantum logic gates, and quantum circuits Unitary transforms Quantum algorithms Algorithmic building blocks Hybrid quantum/classical algorithms Variational quantum algorithms Quantum computer as a coprocessor Quantum advantage and quantum supremacy Exponential speedup Quantum parallelism Quantum communication Quantum networking Quantum internet Quantum channel Quantum teleportation Quantum key distribution (QKD) Alice and Bob Quantum storage Quantum metrology and quantum sensing Quantum sensors Quantum-enabled sensors Quantum detection Quantum sensing and detection Quantum simulators Quantum-inspired computing Theory and practice Science and engineering Hardware and software Device NISQ device Fault-tolerant quantum computer Applications Algorithms Quantum simulation Natural sciences and quantum simulation What are the biggest factors holding back quantum computing? When will quantum computing finally take off for practical applications? Quantum cryptography and post-quantum cryptography QIST — Quantum information science and technology Experimentation and prototyping vs. development and production Quantum computer science Quantum software engineering Standardization Education and training History Quantum information science is a misnomer Glossary What’s next?
What is quantum information science?
The National Quantum Initiative Act passed by the U.S. Congress in 2018 explicitly defines quantum information science as:
The term “quantum information science” means the use of the laws of quantum physics for the storage, transmission, manipulation, computing, or measurement of information.
Quantum information science is based on any aspect of quantum effects which can be observed, measured, controlled, or communicated in some manner.
As noted at the start, quantum information science includes not just theory and science, but also engineering, technology, infrastructure, and applications.
Quantum effects will be described shortly.
What’s so special about quantum information science?
There are three key advantages of quantum information science over classical methods:
Quantum computing offers much greater performance than classical computing through quantum parallelism which offers an exponential speedup — evaluating many (all) possibilities in parallel, in a single calculation. Quantum communication offers inherent security through quantum entanglement — also known as spooky action at a distance, in contrast to security as a problematic afterthought for classical communication and networking. Quantum metrology and quantum sensing offer much greater accuracy and precision for measurements of physical quantities and detection of objects.
All of these advantages are made possible by the magic of quantum effects enabled by quantum mechanics.
QIS
The initialism QIS is commonly used as a shorthand for quantum information science.
What disciplines are involved with quantum information science?
Quantum information science is not yet its own distinct field. It encompasses a variety of disciplines, in an interdisciplinary manner:
Physics — especially quantum mechanics
Physical science — anything relying on quantum effects, such as chemistry
Materials science
Materials engineering
Mathematics
Computer science
Software development
Software engineering — in theory, eventually
Applications development
Electrical engineering
Computer engineering
Mechanical engineering
What is quantum?
Quantum is essentially a reference to quantum mechanics, which concerns itself with atomic and subatomic particles, their energy, their motion, and their interaction.
Larger accumulations of atoms and molecules behave in more of a statistical or aggregate manner, where the quantum mechanical properties (quantum effects) get averaged away. QIS and its subfields focus at the quantum mechanical level where the special features of quantum mechanics (quantum effects) are visible and can be exploited and manipulated.
Quantum mechanics
Quantum mechanics is the field of physics which is the theoretical foundation of quantum information science, but this paper won’t delve deeply into the concepts of quantum mechanics — see the Wikipedia Quantum mechanics article for more detail, but the key elements are what are known as quantum effects, summarized below.
Quantum physics
Quantum physics is sometimes used merely as a synonym for quantum mechanics, but technically quantum physics is the application to the principles of quantum mechanics to the many areas of physics at the subatomic, atomic, and molecular level, including the behavior of particles and waves in magnetic and electrical fields.
Quantum chemistry
Quantum chemistry is the application of quantum mechanics to chemistry, particularly for the behavior of electrons, including excited atoms, molecules, and chemical reactions.
Applying classical computing to quantum chemistry is referred to as computational chemistry.
Quantum computational chemistry
Applying quantum computing to quantum chemistry is referred to as quantum computational chemistry (and here).
Quantum biology
Quantum biology is the application of quantum mechanics to biology, particularly for the behavior of electrons in complex, organic molecules, such as how organic molecules form, how they can change, how they can decompose, and even how they can fold.
Quantum field theory
Quantum field theory is the part of quantum mechanics concerned with subatomic particles and their interactions, but it is not necessary to dive down to that level of detail to comprehend quantum information science. For more information, read the Wikipedia Quantum field theory article.
Quantum theory
Quantum theory is not technically a proper term. Used loosely, it commonly refers to quantum mechanics or possibly simply to quantum effects.
Quantum system
A quantum system or more properly an isolated quantum system is a particle or wave, or collection of particles and waves, which can be analyzed for its quantum effects as if it were a single, discrete object.
Isolated quantum system
Technically, any quantum system is an isolated quantum system. The emphasis is on the fact that the particles and waves within the system can be analyzed and modeled in isolation, without concern for particles and waves outside of the system. That’s the theory. In practice, no system is truly isolated (except maybe the entire universe), but the assumption of isolation dramatically simplifies understanding, modeling, and computation of the system. Without the concept of an isolated quantum system, the modeling and mathematics would be too complex to be tractable (workable.)
Each qubit of a quantum computer is an isolated quantum system, except when it is entangled with other qubits, in which case the entangled qubits collectively constitute a larger isolated quantum system.
Quantum effects
Quantum mechanics — and hence all of quantum information science and its subfields — is based on quantum effects. Quantum information science is based on any aspect of quantum effects which can be observed, measured, controlled, or communicated in some manner. Some quantum effects cannot be directly observed or measured, but can sometimes be indirectly inferred or at least have some ultimate effect on the results of manipulating a quantum system.
Quantum effects and their properties include:
Discrete rather than continuous values for physical quantities. Quanta for discrete values. The unit for discrete values. Technically, quantum is a singular unit and quanta is the plural of quantum (just as with data and datum.) Particle and wave duality. Particles have wave properties and behavior, and waves have particle properties and behavior. For example, a photon can act as a particle as well as a wave, and an electron can act as a wave as well as a particle. Probabilistic rather than strictly deterministic behavior. Uncertainty of exact value or measurement. More than just uncertainty of any measurement, there is uncertainty in the actual value of any property, as a fundamental principle of quantum mechanics. A given property of a given quantum system may have a range of values, even before the property is measured. For example, a particle or wave can be at two — or more — positions at the same moment of time. Superposition of states — can be in two states at the same time. Entanglement — the same quantum state can exist at two physically separated locations at the same time. Spooky action at a distance — popular reference to entanglement. Phase — the complex or imaginary part of the probability amplitude of a quantum state. The notion of cyclical or periodic behavior or a fraction of a single cycle of a wave or circle. Measured either in radians (two pi radians in a circle or cycle) or a fraction between 0.0 and 1.0, where 1.0 corresponds to a full, single cycle or circle (two pi radians.) Interference — cancellation or reinforcement of the complex or imaginary part of the probability amplitude of two quantum states (phases). Useful for quantum computing — it enables quantum parallelism. Not to be confused with environmental interference which disrupts the operation of a quantum system. Wave function is used to fully describe the state of a particle or wave (technically, an isolated quantum system) based on the probabilities of superposed and entangled states. The sum of the basis states of the quantum system, each weighted by its probability amplitude. Linear algebra is the notation used to express a wave function. Probability amplitude — a complex number with both real and imaginary parts. Square it and then take the square root to get the probability for a particular basis state. Basis state — the actual numeric value of a single quantum state, comparable to a binary 0 or 1. Computational basis state — the combined basis states of a collection of qubits. A collection of strings of 0’s and 1’s, each string having a probability amplitude as its weight in the wave function. Essentially each string is an n-bit binary value. Quantum state — the state of an isolated quantum system described by its wave function. Alternatively, a single basis state. Collapse of wave function on measurement, where the probabilities of superposed states will influence but not completely determine the observed value. Measurement always causes the wave function of a quantum system to collapse. Measurement — the process of observing a quantum system. By definition, measurement causes collapse of the wave function, and will always produce a single basis state (0 or 1) or computational basis state (string of 0’s and 1’s) regardless of any superposition or entanglement which may be defined by the wave function of the quantum system. Tunneling — the ability of a subatomic particle or wave such as an electron to appear to be able to move through a solid barrier as if it weren’t there. In actuality, quantum mechanics dictates that a particle or wave has a probability to be at any given location, so that a particle or wave can have a probability of being at either side of the barrier at a given moment, allowing the particle or wave to appear to skip over or through the barrier in the next moment. An example would be electrons and a Josephson junction used in a superconducting transmon qubit.
Quantum resource
A quantum resource is any quantum effect which has some utility in quantum information science, such as for computation in quantum computing or representing quantum information in quantum communication.
It’s an odd term, but sometimes you see it used. Oddly, a qubit would not technically be considered a quantum resource, but superposition, entanglement, and interference would. See the list of quantum effects above.
Quantum state
Quantum state is the unit of quantum information.
A particle or wave — referred to as an isolated quantum system — has a quantum state for each physical quality which can be observed.
The quantum state is described by a wave function. The individual possible states are known as basis states. Such as a 0 and a 1. Each basis state in a wave function occurs with some probability. A basis state can also have a complex or imaginary component, known as a phase, which is periodic or cyclical. This is exploited in quantum computing to enable quantum parallelism using interference of the phase of a potentially large number of quantum states. The probability and phase are combined into a single, complex value, called the probability amplitude, where the probability is the square root of the absolute value (or modulus) of the complex number. The basis states and their probability amplitudes are combined to form the wave function. If the probability of a basis state is other than 0.0 or 1.0, the two basis states are superposed. The quantum states of two separate particles or waves — two isolated quantum systems — can be shared or entangled.
The concept of quantum state applies across all subfields of QIS, not just quantum computing and quantum communication.
See the preceding section on quantum effects for more detail.
Wave function
Each qubit or collection of entangled qubits has a quantum state which is described by a wave function using linear algebra to detail each of the basis states and its probability amplitude.
Linear algebra
Linear algebra is the notation used to express a wave function in terms of basis states and probability amplitudes. It’s complex math (figuratively and literally), and not for the faint of heart.
Quantum information
Classical information (a sequence or collection of bits) is represented as quantum information in the form of a quantum state, one quantum state for each classical bit.
Quantum state is the unit of quantum information.
A quantum bit or qubit is the unit of storage and manipulation of quantum information (quantum states).
To be clear, quantum information can represent more than just a 0 or 1 classical bit. Since it is a quantum state, it may include a superposition of both a 0 and a 1. The probabilities of 0 and 1 may differ (but they have to add up to 1.0). The probability can include a phase component, and a quantum state may be entangled or shared between two separate, otherwise-isolated quantum systems (particles or waves.)
The concept of quantum information applies across all subfields of QIS, not just quantum computing and quantum communication.
Measurement
Quantum state is not directly observable or directly measurable using normal, non-quantum methods or devices. We can indeed measure any quantum information we want, but measuring a quantum state has the effect of collapsing the wave function of that quantum state, eliminating the truly quantum-ness of the state (e.g., superposition, entanglement, and interference), leaving the quantum information in a purely classical state, such as the 0 and 1 of classical information.
These aspects of measurement apply across all of the subfields of quantum information science — quantum computing, quantum communication, and quantum metrology and sensing.
Qubit
Qubit is short for quantum bit.
Bit is actually short for binary digit — a 0 or 1.
Quantum bit
A quantum bit, commonly referred to as a qubit, is a device or a particle or wave (e.g., photon) — an isolated quantum system — used for the purpose of holding and manipulating a single bit of quantum information in the form of quantum state.
People commonly say that a qubit is the quantum analog of a classical bit, but this is somewhat of a misnomer since a qubit is a device which holds quantum information rather than the quantum information itself. So it is quantum information which is the quantum analog of the classical bit.
Generally we can say that a quantum bit is the unit of quantum information, except that a quantum bit is really the unit of storage and manipulation of quantum information. To be more technically correct, we should say that a quantum state is the unit of quantum information.
As with quantum state, a qubit can be either a 0 or a 1, a superposition of both a 0 and a 1, or an entanglement of the quantum states of two qubits.
Qutrits, qudits, and qumodes
There are also qutrits where are three-valued quantum bits, qudits which are ten-valued quantum bits, and qumodes which are continuous-valued quantum bits used in photonic quantum computers, but these are beyond the scope of this paper.
Phase
In addition to representing a classical bit, or a superposition of two classical bits, a qubit can also have a phase, which is simply a fraction of one cycle of a periodic wave. When two classical bits are superposed, each may have its own distinct phase.
A phase is represented as the imaginary part of the complex number which represents the probability amplitude for either a zero or one bit.
As would waves in general, two phases can cancel or reinforce the complex or imaginary part of the probability amplitude of two quantum states. This is useful for quantum computing, to enable quantum parallelism.
The value of phase can be represented as either a real value between zero and two pi (pi is approximately 3.14159…), representing an angle or fraction of a circle measured in radians, or a real value between zero and 1.0, representing a fraction of a full circle. Two pi radians and 1.0 would be equivalent, as would pi radians and 0.5, as would pi/2 radians and 0.25.
Interference
The phase of the quantum state of two qubits can interfere, either cancelling or reinforcing the complex or imaginary part of the probability amplitude of the quantum states (phases) of the two qubits.
Interference is useful for quantum computing — it enables quantum parallelism.
Not to be confused with environmental interference which disrupts the operation of a quantum system.
Environmental interference
Magnetic fields, electrical fields, or electromagnetic radiation in the physical environment surrounding a quantum system (such as a quantum computer) can disrupt or interfere with the proper operation of the quantum system.
When people speak of current quantum computers as being NISQ devices — Noisy Intermediate-Scale Devices, environmental interference is a large part of the source of such noise.
Shielding and other measures can be used to eliminate or at least partially mitigate such environmental interference, but generally it is an ongoing struggle which cannot be completely won.
Some of the environmental interference can arise from the internal components of the quantum system itself, with a variety of magnetic fields, electrical fields, and electromagnetic radiation being generated as a side effect of normal operation of the system itself. Again, measures can be taken to minimize or mitigate for such internal environmental interference, but it is generally an ongoing struggle with no absolute victory in sight.
Not to be confused with interference between the phases of two quantum states, which is actually a beneficial feature and used to implement quantum parallelism.
Stationary qubits and flying qubits
Quantum computing and quantum communication make use of qubits differently — qubits are stationary for quantum computing, but qubits can be flying qubits for quantum communication — two qubits (say, photons) can be entangled and then physically separated, potentially over an extended distance, and still maintain their entangled quantum state.
Quantum error correction (QEC)
Quantum states and qubits are very sensitive to environmental interference, which can cause errors. Quantum error correction (QEC) is a method for using redundancy to detect and even correct errors which can occur in qubits and operations on qubits (called quantum logic gates.)
QEC is seen as essential for more advanced quantum computers and quantum algorithms, where errors for many qubits and many gates would quickly (or gradually) reduce or eliminate the ability to compute correct or acceptable values.
There are no current implementations of quantum error correction — QEC is more of a theoretical concept for the future. It may not be practical for five or even ten years.
See also: fault-tolerant quantum computer.
Logical and physical qubits
There are a variety of strategies that can be employed to implement quantum error correction (QEC). One approach is the use of logical qubits.
When multiple physical qubits are used to provide the needed redundancy for a qubit, they are collectively referred to as a logical qubit. Algorithms operate on logical qubits.
Quantum programs, quantum logic gates, and quantum circuits
Quantum programs for quantum computers are also known as quantum circuits, which consist of sequences of quantum logic gates, each gate of a circuit being the basic operation of a quantum computer.
Unlike classical computers, a quantum logic gate is a software instruction, not a hardware device. Qubits are the hardware devices of a quantum computer.
Unitary transforms
Each quantum logic gate implements what is known in quantum mechanics as a unitary transform or unitary transformation, which is any of the fundamental ways in which the quantum state of a quantum system (e.g., a qubit) can change. Any further detail is far beyond the scope and intended audience of this informal paper.
Quantum algorithms
An algorithm is more of an abstract, high-level plan for how to solve a problem, while code or a program is the translation of an algorithm (the plan) into the implementation details needed to execute the algorithm on a computer. This is true for both classical and quantum computers.
There is some added complexity required for quantum algorithms since quantum computers do not have all of the features of a classical computer. Generally, a quantum programmer will write a classical computer program which dynamically generates the quantum circuits (sequences of quantum logic gates) representing the implementation of the quantum algorithm, and then requests that the generated circuits be executed on the quantum computer, after which the state of the quantum computer (measurement of the qubits) will be returned to the developer’s classical program for analysis and further processing.
Algorithmic building blocks
As noted, the low-level quantum logic gates of a quantum circuit are commonly dynamically generated by a classical computer program. This is a very tedious and error-prone process.
An alternative approach is to develop pre-coded libraries of the classical code needed to generate common forms of quantum circuits. Quantum developers can then invoke these library components to generate quantum circuits rather than developing the code fresh for each new quantum program.
Unfortunately, there currently aren’t many such rich libraries available, and the ones which are available are fairly primitive — or are proprietary and not available to everyone for free.
This state of affairs will likely change, but it is not clear how long it may take before the available libraries are rich enough to satisfy the needs of most quantum applications.
Significant additional research is needed in this area before development of sophisticated quantum applications can become widespread.
Hybrid quantum/classical algorithms
Although quantum computers are quite powerful, their operations are very simple and lack the capabilities for conditional execution, looping, function calls, rich data types, I/O, database access, and network access. Also, quantum devices are very sensitive to environmental interference so that quantum algorithms must be very short. As a result many algorithms are designed as hybrid algorithms, with some parts being quantum and some parts being classical — hybrid quantum/classical algorithms, so that the quantum parts can be kept relatively small.
Variational quantum algorithms
An important class of hybrid quantum/classical algorithms are variational quantum algorithms, which iterate one or more parameters based on the results of a quantum algorithm until acceptable values are reached.
Quantum computer as a coprocessor
As mentioned above, a quantum computer lacks many of the basic capabilities of a classical computer. In essence, a quantum computer complements the capabilities of a classical computer. Put another way, a quantum computer is effectively a coprocessor for a classical computer.
An application would in general be coded as a program on a classical computer, with I/O, database access, network access, and use of rich data types, with occasional invocations of quantum circuits for portions of algorithms which can exploit the quantum parallelism of the quantum computer, as if it were a coprocessor.
Quantum advantage and quantum supremacy
Quantum advantage indicates the degree of performance advantage of a quantum computer or quantum application over an equivalent classical computer or classical application.
Quantum supremacy indicates that a quantum algorithm or quantum application can accomplish a task which simply isn’t possible on even the most powerful classical supercomputer.
Some people use these two terms as if they were synonyms, so you have to examine the context carefully to determine the intended meaning.
The quantum advantage is frequently due to an exponential speedup, described below.
For more on quantum advantage and quantum supremacy read this informal paper:
In 2019 Google claimed to have achieved quantum supremacy. This informal paper offers my thoughts on that effort:
Exponential speedup
The performance of a quantum algorithm may increase exponentially as the size of the input grows. This is known as an exponential speedup. For example, if the input grew in size by a factor of k, the speedup over a classical algorithm would be a factor of 2^k rather than only some constant factor.
Exponential speedup is what gives a quantum algorithm or quantum application a quantum advantage.
And if the quantum advantage is large enough, it turns into quantum supremacy.
See more about quantum advantage and quantum supremacy in the preceding section.
The source of exponential speedup is quantum parallelism, described below.
Quantum parallelism
Although limited to only quantum computing, the concept of quantum parallelism is the key computational advantage of a quantum computer over a classical computer.
Quantum parallelism is the ability to perform a calculation over the full range of all possible values of a parameter, all in parallel, at the same time, as if it really were a single calculation.
By setting a collection of qubits into a superposition of both 0 and 1, a quantum program can execute a computation over the entire range of values (quantum states) of those qubits.
If there are k qubits it the collection, there are 2^k quantum states.
That’s not a lot of quantum states for smaller values of k — 2¹⁰ is 1,024, but for larger values of k it is a potentially very large number of states — 2³⁰ is a billion distinct quantum states, 2⁴⁰ is a trillion distinct quantum states, and anything over about 2⁵⁵ is far greater than the number of bits that even the largest conceivable classical supercomputer cluster could hold.
The real trick is that after executing a computation over a large number of quantum states, clever tricks must be used to extract values (quantum states) of interest from the large number of values — to select single tree from a vast forest. This is where the phase of quantum state comes in and interference is used to trick the quantum computer into divulging selected information. It may seem odd to have to resort to such tricks for such obvious operations, but that’s the nature of the quantum world.
Quantum communication
The whole point of quantum communication is to enable direct and secure communication of classical information with neither the complexity nor the risk of traditional encryption. Any attempt to eavesdrop or disrupt a quantum communication link will disrupt the quantum state, which cannot be read directly, but only inferred through the use of quantum entanglement.
The focus and purpose of quantum communication is that it is secure by design.
Quantum communication is between stations and may involve repeaters for longer distances, and quantum storage as well.
A couple of terms also associated with quantum communication:
Quantum networking
Quantum networking may sometimes merely be used as a synonym for quantum communication, but it is more properly related to communication between quantum computers, which is more of a theoretical field which will have significant future applications, but at present is limited to theory and research rather than practice or commercial applications.
While quantum communication focuses on transmitting classical data (bits) in a secure manner, quantum networking focuses on transmitting quantum information. Two classical computers could communicate or network using quantum communication, but quantum networking is required for two quantum computers to communicate or share quantum information or quantum state.
Current quantum computers have no capabilities for I/O, let alone at the level of quantum information, so the concept of quantum networking remains a speculative, theoretical research topic.
There is also hope that quantum networking could lead to the development of the quantum internet.
Whether quantum networking should ultimately be a separate subfield or considered under quantum communication is not completely clear and may evolve with the field. For now, it is a distinct research field — or an ambiguous term, take your choice.
Quantum internet
The quantum internet is a research concept for using quantum networking to implement a network with a level of features comparable to what we have in the Internet, but based on transmitting quantum information rather than only classical bits.
At present, no current quantum computers have any type of I/O capability, so no networking is possible at the level of quantum information. Eventually this may change, but not in the near future.
Quantum channel
Quantum channel is an ambiguous term — it may refer to quantum communication where classical information (raw bits) is being transferred, or it may refer to quantum networking where quantum information (quantum state), including superposition, probability amplitudes, and phase is being transferred.
Quantum teleportation
Quantum teleportation is a reference to the use of a quantum channel where full quantum state is being transferred, not merely classical bits alone.
Quantum key distribution (QKD)
Quantum key distribution is a secure method for two parties to produce an encryption key that only these two parties can use to communicate with each other.
Alice and Bob
Alice and Bob are fictional names for the two parties at either end of a communication channel. Typically one of them encrypts a message and the other decrypts the encrypted message.
Alice and Bob are used to describe cryptography and quantum cryptography in general.
Quantum storage
At present in quantum computing, there is no concept of storage for quantum information analogous to classical storage (disk, tape, flash drives) — other than the qubits themselves, which are more like registers than storage.
Whether this state of affairs may change in the future is a matter of pure speculation.
The concept of quantum storage applies to quantum communication as well, such as a quantum repeater, where entangled qubits may be kept temporarily before they are sent on to another station.
Quantum metrology and quantum sensing
Quantum metrology is the study of making high-precision measurement of physical quantities using quantum effects.
Physical quantities include:
Time Distance Acceleration Momentum Angular velocity Mass Energy Electromagnetic radiation — frequency, intensity Gas concentration Magnetic fields Electric fields, charge Temperature Pressure Gravity, gravity waves
There is no great clarity as to the distinction between quantum metrology and quantum sensing. They are frequently used together or even as synonyms.
The simple distinction that I would draw is that quantum metrology focuses more on the theory (science) of the physical quantities being measured, while quantum sensing focuses more on the practical aspects and applications of that science.
Applications of quantum sensing include biosensing, neuroimaging, and object detection.
Quantum sensors
The term quantum sensors is used to refer to the actual, practical, physical devices used to implement quantum sensing.
There is no analogous term for quantum metrology, although experimental work in quantum metrology would obviously require quantum sensors in the lab.
Quantum-enabled sensors
Alternative term for quantum sensors — sensors which utilize quantum effects.
Quantum detection
Quantum detection is covered by quantum sensing but focuses on the specific task of filtering signals from noise, with the goal of detecting the presence or absence of specific signals or objects. It may be less about accurately measuring a physical quantity than about detecting that a designated signal is present or not.
Quantum sensing and detection
Quantum sensing and detection are sometimes combined. They are closely related but not identical. I surmise that the combination is intended to emphasize applications, where both capabilities are needed to be developed and deployed in unison.
Quantum simulators
Not to be confused with quantum simulation which will be described in a subsequent section, a quantum simulator is an application running on a classical computer which simulates the operation of a quantum computer.
This is useful for several possible reasons:
The desired quantum computer is not readily available due to scheduling, demand, or cost. It is not yet practical to design and build the desired quantum computer. Debugging of quantum programs is needed, which is not possible on a real physical quantum computer. An audit log of the operations of a quantum program are needed, which is not possible on a real physical quantum computer. It is desirable to do many runs of a quantum program during development and testing, without the overhead of gaining access to a real physical quantum computer for each run.
In general, it may simply be more convenient to experiment with a quantum algorithm on a quantum simulator than to deal with the formality of a real physical quantum computer.
Quantum-inspired computing
Although not listed on the common enumerations of the subfields of QIS, quantum-inspired computing is still an important subfield.
Rather than running on a real physical quantum computer or a quantum simulator running on a classical computer, a quantum-inspired algorithm or quantum-inspired application is a classical algorithm or classical application running on a classical computer in which the algorithm is modeled on the principles of quantum computing, particularly quantum parallelism.
Generally, one starts with a pure, optimal quantum algorithm, and then represents it in an intermediate language which can be compiled into classical code. A quantum-inspired algorithm then decomposes the problem to be solved so that it can be executed as efficiently as possible on a classical computer, taking full advantage of any classical parallel computing features, such as multitasking, multiple processors, and even massively distributed clusters of high-performance classical computers.
Specialized hardware, such as GPUs, FPGAs, and even full-custom digital hardware could be adapted to focus on the needs of quantum-inspired algorithms.
Granted, in the general case, a quantum-inspired algorithm would not be able to compete with a real quantum computer, but in many specialized cases it may do well enough to satisfy application needs.
The intention is that a quantum-inspired algorithm would dramatically outperform a pure quantum algorithm running on a quantum simulator — if it doesn’t then the original quantum algorithm can be run as-is on a quantum simulator.
Think of quantum-inspired computing as a poor-man’s quantum computer.
Theory and practice
Traditionally, science refers more to theory and research experimentation, while practice refers more to engineering, development of applications, and real-world deployment of applications.
Unfortunately, quantum information science combines both traditional notions of science and practice under one umbrella.
Science and engineering
Traditionally, science is more associated with theory, while engineering is more associated with practice and development and deployment of practical applications.
Unfortunately, quantum information science blurs the distinction, including both the traditional sense of science and engineering under the same umbrella.
Hardware and software
Both hardware (physical devices) and software are included under quantum information science.
Both hardware and software traditionally have a split between science and practical applications.
Hardware has its basis in theoretical and experimental physics and practical electrical engineering and computer engineering.
Software has its basis in mathematics and computer science and practical software development and software engineering.
Device
A device or physical device is generally some form of hardware, such as:
An electronic component. A computer. A digital electronic component such as a gate or flip flop. A quantum computer. Such as a so-called NISQ device. A qubit. A sensor. A quantum sensor.
NISQ device
NISQ device is short for noisy intermediate-scale quantum device. It is a quantum computer that either currently exists or might likely be designed and built in the next few years using either current quantum computing technology or modest evolution of current technology. Such a computer does not have the redundancy or fault-tolerance to fully compensate for the variety of errors which can occur in a quantum computer.
In contrast to a fault-tolerant quantum computer.
One practical effect is that quantum programs must be relatively short so that they can fully execute before errors accumulate to an unacceptable degree.
Another practical effect is to encourage hybrid quantum/classical algorithms so that a much larger quantum algorithm can be decomposed into smaller pieces, with classical code to handle the transitions between the quantum pieces. Variational quantum algorithms are an example.
Fault-tolerant quantum computer
A fault-tolerant quantum computer (FTQC) has a combination of more robust components and quantum error correction so that correct results will achieved for most computations, regardless of what errors may occur at the lower hardware levels in the quantum computer.
Put simply, in theory, logical qubits will be guaranteed to return correct results even as the underlying physical qubits may encounter relatively frequent errors.
FTQC is an active area of research, but there are no current or near-term prospects for practical quantum computers.
Noisy intermediate-scale quantum (NISQ) computers are the alternative to FTQC. All current and near-term quantum computers are NISQ devices.
Applications
Just another call out to highlight the importance of focusing attention on quantum applications — applications of quantum information science, especially since the headline term, quantum information science, leaves it unclear whether applications are really included.
But applications are definitely included under quantum information science and technology.
For an overview of applications for quantum computing:
Algorithms
Quantum algorithms are a crossover between the science aspects of QIS and the applications aspects of quantum information science. Researchers (scientists) are needed to develop advanced algorithms, while software developers and application developers are needed to put those algorithms into practice.
Quantum simulation
Technically, quantum simulation is simply an application of quantum computing, but it is a fairly special form of application since it cuts to the heart of physics, quantum physics and quantum chemistry, and it was the application which got the ball rolling to pursue quantum computing when Prof. Richard Feynman pointed out back in 1982 that quantum physics would be needed to simulate quantum physics.
Put simply quantum simulation is the application of quantum computing to the task of simulating real, physical systems at the quantum mechanical level — the level of physical reality where quantum effects and the laws of quantum mechanics prevail over classical mechanics.
Be careful not to confuse quantum simulation with quantum simulators (simulating a quantum computer on a classical computer.)
Natural sciences and quantum simulation
Any of the fields or subfields of the natural sciences which use the adjective quantum and are based on the principles of quantum mechanics can benefit from quantum simulation, including:
Quantum physics. Quantum chemistry. Known also as quantum computational chemistry. Quantum biology. Any process which involves chemical reactions and the exchange or transfer of energy.
What are the biggest factors holding back quantum computing?
This informal paper highlights the hardware and algorithm issues that are holding back advances in quantum computing:
When will quantum computing finally take off for practical applications?
This informal paper addresses the question of when quantum computing will finally be ready for mainstream applications — When will quantum computing hardware and algorithms reach the stage where real-world, practical, production-quality, production-capacity applications can be readily produced without heroic levels of effort?:
Quantum cryptography and post-quantum cryptography
Quantum cryptography includes both the use of quantum communication to securely transmit classical data using quantum entanglement, as well as post-quantum cryptography which is the use of more advanced encryption schemes which are not crackable using even powerful quantum computers.
Some consider post-quantum cryptography to be categorically distinct from quantum cryptography.
QIST — Quantum information science and technology
The initialism QIST is sometimes used as a shorthand to refer to quantum information science and technology, presumably to treat the practice and applications of quantum information science somewhat separately from the more theoretical aspects of quantum information science. In other words, to treat practice as distinct from theory.
Experimentation and prototyping vs. development and production
People are now saying that quantum computing is transitioning from the lab to practice, but that’s a little misleading. There are four distinct phases in practice:
Experimentation. Staff are simply familiarizing themselves with the new technology, software, and tools. Staff may actually be using the new technology, but not for actual production deployment — or anything even close. Prototyping and mockups. Staff are doing preliminary implementations of capabilities to see how well they work, how users respond to them, and what issues crop up, but nothing suitable for production. Development. Having identified all issues and having come up with proposed solutions, staff is now executing the engineering tasks needed to develop full-scale, production-ready solutions. Including testing, well before actual deployment. Deployment and production. The development of solutions has been completed, but rolling solutions out to users, testing with real users, training users on the new technology, and transitioning from existing solutions to the new solutions can be a tedious, difficult, and time-consuming array of tasks. Parallel use of the old and the new solutions may be necessary for an extended period until the new solutions have proved themselves in the full range of production scenarios, including peak periods and outages which could impact the new solutions.
So, while organizations are indeed beginning the experimentation phase, and in limited cases even the prototyping phase, there’s no robust body of experience with full-scale development, let alone deployment and production.
Absent full-scale development, deployment, and production, it is not appropriate to say that quantum computing has transitioned to practice.
In fact, it could be two to five years — or longer — before we see much in the way of serious efforts to move beyond the prototyping stage. There could be some niches where production might be possible, but not on any broad basis.
Quantum computer science
At present, there is no clearly defined subset of quantum information science which can be seen as a quantum analog to classical computer science.
Quantum software engineering
At present, there is no clearly defined subset of quantum information science which can be seen as a quantum analog to classical software engineering.
Standardization
Over time, de jure standardization (formal standards) for quantum information science and its subfields will become more common, more formal, and more rigorous, but for now, the field is too dynamic and changing too rapidly for de jure standardization to have much appeal or traction.
Instead, we will likely see at least some degree of de facto standardization, where organizations tend towards using similar if not identical approaches to particular issues as other organizations which are similarly situated.
On the flip side, as quickly as de facto standards crop up, they may just as quickly be rendered obsolete by advances in technology.
Education and training
This paper won’t delve deeply into education and training for quantum information science, but simply provide a high-level view. Education and training are essential, for any new field of any significant complexity.
Some key points:
Both formal education and informal education, which is sometimes referred to as simply training. Undergraduate. Both minor and major in quantum information science or one or more of its subfields, especially quantum computing. Graduate. Both focus on quantum information science or one or more of its subfields, especially quantum computing, and some degree of exposure to quantum information science for degrees in other fields. PhD. Same as for graduate, but with a greater degree of specialization. Certificate programs for professionals who already have degrees, but not in quantum information science. May range from one-month to six-week to one-year programs. May include summer programs and summer schools. Seminars and boot camps on various aspects of quantum information science. May range from one hour to half a day, two days, three days, to a full week, or maybe two. On-the-job training. By the employer, possibly outsourced. Vender-specific training. Lifelong learning. The field is evolving rapidly and continuously, so there is literally no end to either education or training. Retraining of displaced workers. High school. Exposure to basic quantum information science concepts in math, science, and computer science or other STEM courses, including some hands-on use. Interdisciplinary. Especially for applications in areas where technical expertise is not as deep as required for quantum information science.
It is an open question as to what role the federal government (of the U.S. or other countries, or the EU) should play, or whether individual academic institutions, with input from the commercial sector and government agencies, can be expected to pick up the slack.
It remains to be seen whether at some point we experience a Sputnik moment and then people clamor for a quantum equivalent of the National Defense Education Act of 1958 to dramatically increase funding for scholarships, research programs, and hiring of teachers and professors.
We already have the National Quantum Initiative Act of 2018 which provides at least some increase in funding targeted at research and education, but not to the degree listed above — it’s more at the graduate and postdoctoral level, as opposed to say, high school teachers, interdisciplinary, or corporate training, let alone lifelong learning and retraining.
History
For historical reference, a workshop on quantum information science was held by the National Science Foundation (NSF) over twenty years ago, on October 28–29, 1999 in Arlington, Virginia:
Again for historical reference, from the Executive Summary of the workshop:
Quantum information science (QIS) is a new field of science and technology, combining and drawing on the disciplines of physical science, mathematics, computer science, and engineering. Its aim is to understand how certain fundamental laws of physics discovered earlier in this century can be harnessed to dramatically improve the acquisition, transmission, and processing of information. The exciting scientific opportunities offered by QIS are attracting the interest of a growing community of scientists and technologists, and are promoting unprecedented interactions across traditional disciplinary boundaries. Advances in QIS will become increasingly critical to our national competitiveness in information technology during the coming century.
The information technology revolution of the past several decades has been driven by steady advances in the miniaturization of electronic circuitry on silicon chips, allowing performance to double roughly every 18 months (“Moore’s law”). But in fewer than 20 years, this shrinkage will reach atomic dimensions, necessitating a new paradigm if progress is to continue at anything like the rate we have become used to. Accordingly, considerable thought and long-range planning are already being devoted to the challenges of designing and fabricating devices at the atomic scale and getting them to work reliably, a field broadly known as nanotechnology.
However, it has long been known that atoms and other tiny objects obey laws of quantum physics that in many respects defy common sense. For example, observing an atom disturbs its motion, while not observing it causes it to spread out and behave as if it were in several different places at the same time. Until about five years ago, such quantum effects have mostly been seen as a nuisance, causing small devices to be less reliable and more error-prone than their larger cousins.
What is new, and what makes QIS a single coherent field despite spanning several traditional disciplines, is the realization that quantum effects are not just a nuisance, but in fact can be exploited to perform important and otherwise impossible information-processing tasks. Already quantum effects have been used to create unbreakable codes, and a quantum computer, if one can be built in the future, could easily perform some computations that would take longer than the age of the universe on today’s supercomputers. The way in which quantum effects speed up computation is not a simple quantitative improvement, like solving a hard problem more quickly by using a faster processor or many processors working in parallel. Rather it is a qualitative improvement, like the improvement one gets from calculating with decimal instead of Roman numerals. For the first time, the physical form of information has a qualitative rather than merely a quantitative bearing on how efficiently the information can be processed, and the things that can be done with it.
Believe it or not, the U.S. Congress recently passed legislation (signed into law on December 21, 2018 by the President) — the National Quantum Initiative Act — which explicitly defines quantum information science:
The term “quantum information science” means the use of the laws of quantum physics for the storage, transmission, manipulation, computing, or measurement of information.
The Act refers to “the fields of:
(A) quantum information theory;
(B) quantum physics;
© quantum computational science;
(D) applied mathematics and algorithm development;
(E) quantum networking;
(F) quantum sensing and detection; and
(G) materials science and engineering;
Quantum communication is not explicitly listed there or even mentioned in the Act, but I believe that it is covered within quantum networking. I consider them separate, but that’s the confused nature of some of these new terms.
Quantum metrology is not explicitly listed there or even mentioned in the Act, but I believe that it is intended to be covered by quantum sensing.
Quantum information science is a misnomer
Quantum information science is a misnomer on many levels.
The major difficulties:
Science and engineering are usually treated separately in the classical world, but are merged in quantum information science. The hardware engineering of quantum devices is included under quantum information science. In the classical world, electrical engineering and computer engineering are treated as separate from computer science, while in the quantum world the notion of engineering is subsumed under science — under quantum information science, that is. There is no quantum computer science as a direct analog to the computer science of the classical world. Any notion of quantum computer science is nebulously covered under the broad umbrella of quantum computing, which includes hardware, unlike the classical world where computer engineering is considered a specialized field of engineering rather than being covered by computer science. Quantum information science suggests a strong parallel with classical information science, but that is far from true. Information science classically is about information alone in an abstract sense, divorced from hardware and the physical means by which information is represented and transmitted. But quantum information science includes the hardware and physical aspects of capturing, storing, organizing, accessing, analyzing, manipulating, and communicating information. As of this moment there is no accepted umbrella term under quantum information science that serves as the analog to classical information science. All of quantum computing is included under quantum information science, while the vast bulk of classical computing is NOT included under classical information science. Quantum communication is covered by quantum information science, whereas the physical aspects of communication are covered under engineering and information theory in the classical world. Quantum information theory, the direct analog of classical information theory (ala Claude Shannon) is covered by quantum information science, while classical information theory is NOT considered part of information science in the classical world. All of quantum metrology and quantum sensing are covered by quantum information science, and while portions are indeed under science (physics) in the classical world, a substantial fraction belongs more properly under engineering. Quantum information is an ill-defined, vague, and ambiguous term. Granted, I do offer my own, clear definition in this paper, but my definition is not binding on others, and in fact is not fully representative of current usage by others. Sure, quantum information is the quantum analog of information in the classical world, but that is too vague. Does it refer to qubits, alone? Unclear. Does it refer to quantum state, alone? Again, unclear. Does it refer to superposition and entanglement of qubits, alone? Does it refer to wave functions, alone? Still unclear. Does it refer to basis states, alone? No clarity. And what about phase (imaginary part of probability amplitude)? No clarity. Does it refer to computational basis states, alone? No clarity at all. Is quantum information discrete as in the classical world, or continuous (rotations of the three-dimensional Bloch sphere)? So confusing. Given superposition and entanglement, is there actually a unit of quantum information? Not so clear. And then there are qutrits and qudits as well. And then photonic quantum computing introduces are qumodes. And squeezed states. Some combination of all of the above? Okay, sure, I guess, but that hardly seems like a sound basis for something worthy of being called a science. The hardware devices for holding, storing, and manipulating quantum information — qubits — are fully covered by quantum information science, while the hardware devices for holding, storing, and manipulating classical information — flip flops, logic gates, memory cells, and storage media — are NOT considered under classical information science, since they are covered by electrical engineering and computer engineering. There’s no notion of software engineering (or quantum software engineering) included under quantum information science. You could argue that it is or should be under quantum computing, but that belies its significance and importance. There is no notion of whether applications are included under quantum information science, or whether quantum information science is simply the raw underlying technology, the platform, and applications are built on top of quantum information science. Again, clarity is needed. Numerous entities refer to quantum information science and technology as if there are some aspects which are not considered directly under the main umbrella of quantum information science. I surmise that some writers are excluding applications and commercial products and services, trying to treat quantum information science as more of an R&D research effort. For example, the National Quantum Initiative Act of Congress: “The purpose of this Act is to ensure the continued leadership of the United States in quantum information science and its technology applications by… supporting research, development, demonstration, and application of quantum information science and technology…”. And, USC: “Quantum information science and technology is an emerging interdisciplinary academic discipline concerned with the study of the new possibilities quantum mechanics offers for the acquisition, transmission, and processing of information.” And, Japan: “we have witnessed the growing interest and rapid progress of quantum information science and technology around the world. In Japan, the early basic research in this field has mainly been supported by a unique program…” And, Berkeley: “CS C191. Quantum Information Science and Technology… This multidisciplinary course provides an introduction to fundamental conceptual aspects of quantum mechanics from a computational and informational theoretic perspective, as well as physical implementations and technological applications of quantum information science.” And, the White House: “The SCQIS assesses the national portfolio using seven broad categories: four in fundamental science (S1-S4) and three in technological development (T1-T3). … These seven areas represent the broad foundation necessary to support a full industrial and Governmental effort in quantum information science and technology.” And, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign: “Illinois Quantum Information Science and Technology Center”. And, Princeton: “The initiative comes at a time of national momentum for quantum sciences at the University, government and industry level. In 2018, the federal government established the National Quantum Initiative to energize research and training in quantum information science and technology.” And, Los Alamos National Laboratory: “This roadmap has been formulated and written by the members of a Technology Experts Panel… whose membership of internationally recognized researchers … in quantum information science and technology (QIST) held a kick-off meeting…” And, University of Cologne: “In the scope of the Cluster of Excellence “ML4Q”, courses in Bonn and Cologne from the following list can be taken to be acknowledged in the area of “Quantum Information Science and Technology”.” And, National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine: “Foundations of Quantum Information Science and Technology”. Just to mention a few. It is ambiguous whether quantum applications are included under quantum information science, or more properly belong under QIST — quantum information science and technology, unlike classical computer science which does NOT include applications.
That said, it’s the term people have used and nobody has suggested a better term.
And who’s to say that the terminology of classical computing, classical communication, and classical science and engineering in general is really so much better.
Still, mediocre and confusing terminology makes it incrementally more difficult to communicate ideas clearly, especially exceedingly complex ideas such as those derived from quantum mechanics.
And since classical computing and communication are not going away any time soon, it’s problematic to have two parallel but inconsistent sets of terminology.
Glossary
My own glossary of quantum computing terms includes many of the terms related to the other subfields of quantum information science as well:
What’s next?
More work is needed: | https://medium.com/@jackkrupansky/what-is-quantum-information-science-1bbeff565847 | ['Jack Krupansky'] | 2020-03-11 20:26:37.911000+00:00 | ['Quantum Information Sci', 'Quantum Information', 'Quantum Info Science', 'Quantum Computing', 'Quantum Communication'] |
The War on Freedom and Self-Reliance | “The history of failure in war, or in any other human endeavor, can almost be summed up in two words: Too late. Too late in comprehending the deadly purpose of a potential enemy. Too late in realizing the mortal danger. Too late in preparedness. Too late in uniting all possible forces for resistance.” — General Douglas MacArthur
In part one of this series titled, How The Deep State Destroyed The World…
I explained that we are in the midst of the largest psychological operation (PSYOP) in the history of mankind…and that the enforcers for the controlling ruling class are waging a relentless PSYOP on all citizens, and they will not relent until the people themselves put a stop to it.
In part two, we discussed The Greatest Conspiracy of Mankind, and how the deep state is actively working to steal your freedom to include your right to privacy, free speech, bear arms and many others forms of freedom.
We concluded part two by saying that freedom isn’t free and that the true test and measurement of a free society is the willingness and ability to protect and expand the very principle of freedom.
Today, I’d like to discuss how the deep state is raging a war on self-reliance and provide you with a game plan for taking back control, protecting your freedoms and living life on your own terms.
HERDING SHEEP
We’ll begin with an Eastern tale that speaks about a very rich magician who had a great many sheep. But at the same time this magician was very mean.
He did not want to hire shepherds, nor did he want to erect a fence about the pasture where the sheep were grazing.
The sheep consequently often wandered into the forest, fell into ravines and so on and, above all, they ran away, for they knew that the magician wanted their flesh and their skins, and this they did not like.
At last, the magician found a remedy.
He hypnotized his sheep and suggested to them, first of all, that they were immortal and that no harm was being done to them when they were skinned; that on the contrary, it would be very good for them and even pleasant.
Secondly, he suggested that the magician was a good master who loved his flock so much that he was ready to do anything in the world for them.
Third, he suggested that if anything at all was going to happen to them, it was not going to happen just then, at any rate not that day, and therefore they had no need to think about it.
Further, the magician suggested to his sheep that they were not sheep at all; to some of them he suggested that they were lions, to some that they were eagles, to some that they were men, to others that they were magicians.
After this, all his cares and worries about the sheep came to an end.
They never ran away again, but quietly waited the time when the magician would require their flesh and skins.
This tale is a good illustration of our current position and relationship with the deep state.
“Find out just what any people will quietly submit to and you have the exact measure of the injustice and wrong which will be imposed on them.” — Frederick Douglass
WAKE UP BEFORE IT’S TOO LATE
Humanity is at a fork in the road.
We can no longer stand there looking at the terrain pondering which direction to take.
It is hardly a choice, after all.
One road leads to a global, fascist dictatorship that would control every aspect of our lives, including our thoughts.
The other will open the door to freedom and potential on a scale the world has ever seen.
Hard one, isn’t it?
A choice between prison and living life as a compliant sheep, or paradise and being in full control of your own destiny.
GET OFF YOUR KNEES AND GET YOUR HEAD OUT OF THE SAND
If you know a tornado is coming, what is the smartest, most effective response?
Is it to get on your knees, bury your head in the sand and pretend it’s not that serious?
Contrary to popular belief, ignorance is not bliss…it’s brutal, and the brutality of ignorance is such that it will make you dead while you’re alive.
The only intelligent and courageous way to deal with the deep state tornado is to acknowledge it, get off your knees, get your head out of the sand, and turn around and face it head on!
By doing so, you are playing offense, taking control of the situation and giving yourself the power to protect your freedom and your destiny.
This is the choice that we are all faced with today!
THE POWER OF SELF-RELIANCE
You’ve no doubt have heard this old saying from Aesop’s Fables…”Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.”
To best understand why you want to Be Self-Reliant…let’s examine both sides of this conversation.
The metaphor of feeding someone, of giving them something to get through and meet the demands of one day, and one day alone shows that people can only be helped so far.
No matter how you slice it, this is a restrictive, demeaning, and highly manipulating mindset that is fueled by a poverty mentality.
Why? By providing people with handouts and free money in the form of universal basic income (UBI)…by removing obstacles from their path…and by eliminating the need for labor and learning from our own mistakes, we are establishing bad precedent.
I’m talking about bad precedent that’s virtually impossible to reverse as once people get a taste of something for nothing, they want, expect and will demand more of it.
Instead of promoting self-reliance…we are guilty of teaching and encouraging people to become reliant upon others.
Relying upon others to do what you can, should and must do for yourself is not only unhealthy for your development of skills…it also makes you psychologically weak, confidence deprived, and quite literally puts your very future at risk.
The principle whereby we rely totally on the support, guidance and even nurturing of someone else for too long a period is typical of far too many governments, families and institutions.
To be self-reliant…to build a purposeful, powerful, and sustainable business, family or society requires strength, self-confidence, independence, courage, initiative and most importantly an appetite and appreciation for hard work.
TEACH A MAN TO FISH
What’s the benefit of “teaching a man to fish?”
The benefits of teaching a man to fish are numerous and life-changing.
Not only does the man become self-sufficient and able to survive without being provided for, but he has also developed a sense of achievement, mental toughness, pride and fulfillment which can only be viewed as being priceless.
How good does an angler feel as he pulls a fish from the water?
Much better than when one is placed generously in front of him…merely to eat.
Sure it may be good, for a while, to be provided for, but the human psyche is bigger than that in a healthy human being.
We all need to be valued for who we are…what we’ve become…and what we are capable of achieving.
In other words, we help people best, when we “teach people HOW to fish.”
By teaching people life, money, and self-management skills, we validate them for who they are and the contribution they are able to make.
By exposing them to best practices, and challenging them to demonstrate a strong work ethic and self-reliance…their confidence grows as does their contribution and value to society.
They know they are useful and valued and with this confidence they do more.
They learn that to stretch themselves is good. That they have within themselves untapped resources which show off the potential they have always had but is now released.
Indeed ‘teaching them to fish’ realizes not just the material potential they have, but catalyzes even bigger capabilities in them.
Their development muscle has been stretched and exercised, so it becomes bigger, stronger and far more capable.
Could there possibly be a better alternative to self-sufficiency?
Is there a parent anywhere on the planet who would not want their son or daughter to grow up to be a strong, self-confident and highly capable human being? Is there an entrepreneur or executive who would not want to be surrounded by self-starters…people who initiate, people who know what to do without being told? Is there a country, state, county or city on earth that would not be better off with citizens who are highly functioning, self-reliant and who know how to fish on their own?
What possible downside would following this advice bring to your life?
It all begins with understanding the importance of self-reliance…the make or break skill set you need to protect your freedoms, control your destiny and keep the deep state out of your life.
In closing…heed these final words uttered by General Douglas MacArthur:
“The history of failure in war, or in any other human endeavor, can almost be summed up in two words: Too late. Too late in comprehending the deadly purpose of a potential enemy. Too late in realizing the mortal danger. Too late in preparedness. Too late in uniting all possible forces for resistance.”
The clock is ticking and the deep state wants you entertained, preoccupied, confused and even scared. The last thing they want is for you to think and for yourself.
I urge you to become fully self-sufficient before it’s too late…because freedom is a terrible thing to lose!
Part 4…A Good Hard Kick in the Ass to Wake Up and Get Serious.
If you enjoyed this post…it would mean a lot to me if you could click on the “claps” icon on the left side of page…up to 50 claps allowed — Thank You!
Gary Ryan Blair is creator of the 100 Day Challenge…a radical approach to goal achievement that shows people how to achieve 10X size goals by applying the methods and best practices of growth hacking. Get all the details here. | https://medium.com/mind-munchies/the-war-on-freedom-and-self-reliance-4c7819d32d13 | ['Gary Ryan Blair'] | 2020-11-02 15:51:06.135000+00:00 | ['Entrepreneurship', 'Startup', 'Life Lessons', 'Personal Development', 'Leadership'] |
S01^E11 — TONIKAWA: Over the Moon for You Series 1 Episode 11 | ⚖ Streaming!! TONIKAWA: Over the Moon for You Season 1 Episode 11 — Full Episodes on TOKYO MX Eng.Sub || TV Series Premiere Full HD11p
TONIKAWA: Over the Moon for You : Season 1 , Episode 11 || FULL EPISODES | On Series TONIKAWA: Over the Moon for You Season 1 Ep 1 Episoder : features the hero in action scenes that display and explore exotic locations. The subgenres of adventure films include swashbuckler film, disaster films, and historical dramas-which is similar to the epic film genre. Main plot components include quests for lost continents, a jungle or desert settings, characters going on a treasure hunts and heroic journeys in to the unknown. Adventure films are mostly occur a period background and may include adapted stories of historical or fictional adventure heroes within the historical context. Kings, battles, rebellion or piracy are generally observed in adventure films. Adventure films may also be combined with other movie genres such as for example, science fiction, fantasy and sometimes war films.TONIKAWA: Over the Moon for You Season 1 French : The coverage of sports as a television program, on radio and other broadcasting media. It usually involves a number of sports commentators describing the events because they happen, to create “colour commentary.”
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An action story is similar to adventure, and the protagonist usually takes a risky turn, which leads to desperate scenarios (including explosions, fight scenes, daring escapes, etc.). Action and adventure usually are categorized together (sometimes even while “action-adventure”) because they have much in common, and many stories are categorized as both genres simultaneously (for instance, the James Bond series can be classified as both).
Continuing their survival through an age of a Zombie-apocalypse as a makeshift family, Columbus (Jesse Eisenberg), Tallahassee (Woody Harrelson), Wichita (Emma Stone), and Little Rock (Abagail Breslin) have found their balance as a team, settling into the now vacant White House to spend some safe quality time with one another as they figure out their next move. However, spend time at the Presidential residents raise some uncertainty as Columbus proposes to Wichita, which freaks out the independent, lone TONIKAWA: Over the Moon for You out, while Little Rock starts to feel the need to be on her own. The women suddenly decide to escape in the middle of the night, leaving the men concerned about Little Rock, who’s quickly joined by Berkley (Avan Jogia), a hitchhiking hippie on his way to place called Babylon, a fortified commune that’s supposed to be safe haven against the zombies of the land. Hitting the road to retrieved their loved one, Tallahassee and Columbus meet Madison (Zoey Deutch), a dim-witted survivor who takes an immediate liking to Columbus, complicating his relationship with Wichita.
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✅ ANALYZER GOOD / BAD ✅
To be honest, I didn’t catch Zombieland when it first got released (in theaters) back in 1101. Of course, the movie pre-dated a lot of the pop culture phenomenon of the usage of zombies-esque as the main antagonist (i.e Game of Thrones, The Maze Runner trilogy, The Walking Dead, World War Z, The Last of Us, etc.), but I’ve never been keen on the whole “Zombie” craze as others are. So, despite the comedy talents on the project, I didn’t see Zombieland….until it came to TV a year or so later. Surprisingly, however, I did like it. Naturally, the zombie apocalypse thing was fine (just wasn’t my thing), but I really enjoyed the film’s humor-based comedy throughout much of the feature. With the exception of 1101’s Shaun of the Dead, majority of the past (and future) endeavors of this narrative have always been serious, so it was kind of refreshing to see comedic levity being brought into the mix. Plus, the film’s cast was great, with the four main leads being one of the film’s greatest assets. As mentioned above, Zombieland didn’t make much of a huge splash at the box office, but certainly gained a strong cult following, including myself, in the following years.
Flash forward a decade after its release and Zombieland finally got a sequel with Zombieland: Double Tap, the central focus of this review post. Given how the original film ended, it was clear that a sequel to the 1101 movie was indeed possible, but it seemed like it was in no rush as the years kept passing by. So, I was quite surprised to hear that Zombieland was getting a sequel, but also a bit not surprised as well as Hollywood’s recent endeavors have been of the “belated sequels” variety; finding mixed results on each of these projects. I did see the film’s movie trailer, which definitely was what I was looking for in this Zombieland 1 movie, with Eisenberg, Harrelson, Stone, Breslin returning to reprise their respective characters again. I knew I wasn’t expecting anything drastically different from the 1101 movie, so I entered Double Tap with good frame of my mind and somewhat eagerly expecting to catch up with this dysfunctional zombie killing family. Unfortunately, while I did see the movie a week after its release, my review for it fell to the wayside as my life in retail got a hold of me during the holidays as well as being sick for a good week and half after seeing the movie. So, with me still playing “catch up” I finally have the time to share my opinions on Zombieland: Double Tap. And what are they? Well, to be honest, my opinions on the film was good. Despite some problems here and there, Zombieland: Double Tap is definitely a fun sequel that’s worth the decade long wait. It doesn’t “redefine” the Zombie genre interest or outmatch its predecessor, but this next chapter of Zombieland still provides an entertaining entry….and that’s all that matters.
Returning to the director’s chair is director Ruben Fleischer, who helmed the first Zombieland movie as well as other film projects such as 11 Minutes or Less, Gangster Squad, and Venom. Thus, given his previous knowledge of shaping the first film, it seems quite suitable (and obvious) for Fleischer to direct this movie and (to that affect), Double Tap succeeds. Of course, with the first film being a “cult classic” of sorts, Fleischer probably knew that it wasn’t going to be easy to replicate the same formula in this sequel, especially since the 11-year gap between the films. Luckily, Fleischer certainly excels in bringing the same type of comedic nuances and cinematic aspects that made the first Zombieland enjoyable to Double Tap; creating a second installment that has plenty of fun and entertainment throughout. A lot of the familiar / likeable aspects of the first film, including the witty banter between four main lead characters, continues to be at the forefront of this sequel; touching upon each character in a amusing way, with plenty of nods and winks to the original 1101 film that’s done skillfully and not so much unnecessarily ham-fisted. Additionally, Fleischer keeps the film running at a brisk pace, with the feature having a runtime of 11 minutes in length (one hour and thirty-nine minutes), which means that the film never feels sluggish (even if it meanders through some secondary story beats / side plot threads), with Fleischer ensuring a companion sequel that leans with plenty of laughter and thrills that are presented snappy way (a sort of “thick and fast” notion). Speaking of which, the comedic aspect of the first Zombieland movie is well-represented in Double Tap, with Fleischer still utilizing its cast (more on that below) in a smart and hilarious by mixing comedic personalities / personas with something as serious / gravitas as fighting endless hordes of zombies every where they go. Basically, if you were a fan of the first Zombieland flick, you’ll definitely find Double Tap to your liking.
In terms of production quality, Double Tap is a good feature. Granted, much like the last film, I knew that the overall setting and background layouts weren’t going to be something elaborate and / or expansive. Thus, my opinion of this subject of the movie’s technical presentation isn’t that critical. Taking that into account, Double Tap does (at least) does have that standard “post-apocalyptic” setting of an abandoned building, cityscapes, and roads throughout the feature; littered with unmanned vehicles and rubbish. It certainly has that “look and feel” of the post-zombie world, so Double Tap’s visual aesthetics gets a solid industry standard in my book. Thus, a lot of the other areas that I usually mentioned (i.e set decorations, costumes, cinematography, etc.) fit into that same category as meeting the standards for a 111 movie. Thus, as a whole, the movie’s background nuances and presentation is good, but nothing grand as I didn’t expect to be “wowed” over it. So, it sort of breaks even. This also extends to the film’s score, which was done by David Sardy, which provides a good musical composition for the feature’s various scenes as well as a musical song selection thrown into the mix; interjecting the various zombie and humor bits equally well.
There are some problems that are bit glaring that Double Tap, while effectively fun and entertaining, can’t overcome, which hinders the film from overtaking its predecessor. Perhaps one of the most notable criticism that the movie can’t get right is the narrative being told. Of course, the narrative in the first Zombieland wasn’t exactly the best, but still combined zombie-killing action with its combination of group dynamics between its lead characters. Double Tap, however, is fun, but messy at the same time; creating a frustrating narrative that sounds good on paper, but thinly written when executed. Thus, problem lies within the movie’s script, which was penned by Dave Callaham, Rhett Reese, and Paul Wernick, which is a bit thinly sketched in certain areas of the story, including a side-story involving Tallahassee wanting to head to Graceland, which involves some of the movie’s new supporting characters. It’s fun sequence of events that follows, but adds little to the main narrative and ultimately could’ve been cut completely. Thus, I kind of wanted see Double Tap have more a substance within its narrative. Heck, they even had a decade long gap to come up with a new yarn to spin for this sequel…and it looks like they came up a bit shorter than expected.
Another point of criticism that I have about this is that there aren’t enough zombie action bits as there were in the first Zombieland movie. Much like the Walking Dead series as become, Double Tap seems more focused on its characters (and the dynamics that they share with each other) rather than the group facing the sparse groupings of mindless zombies. However, that was some of the fun of the first movie and Double Tap takes away that element. Yes, there are zombies in the movie and the gang is ready to take care of them (in gruesome fashion), but these mindless beings sort take a back seat for much of the film, with the script and Fleischer seemed more focused on showcasing witty banter between Columbus, Tallahassee, Wichita, and Little Rock. Of course, the ending climatic piece in the third act gives us the best zombie action scenes of the feature, but it feels a bit “too little, too late” in my opinion. To be honest, this big sequence is a little manufactured and not as fun and unique as the final battle scene in the first film. I know that sounds a bit contrive and weird, but, while the third act big fight seems more polished and staged well, it sort of feels more restricted and doesn’t flow cohesively with the rest of the film’s flow (in matter of speaking).
What’s certainly elevates these points of criticism is the film’s cast, with the main quartet lead acting talents returning to reprise their roles in Double Tap, which is absolutely the “hands down” best part of this sequel. Naturally, I’m talking about the talents of Jessie Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson, Emma Stone and Abigail Breslin in their respective roles Zombieland character roles of Columbus, Tallahassee, Wichita, and Little Rock. Of the four, Harrelson, known for his roles in Cheers, True Detective, and War for the Planet of the Apes, shines as the brightest in the movie, with dialogue lines of Tallahassee proving to be the most hilarious comedy stuff on the sequel. Harrelson certainly knows how to lay it on “thick and fast” with the character and the s**t he says in the movie is definitely funny (regardless if the joke is slightly or dated). Behind him, Eisenberg, known for his roles in The Art of Self-Defense, The Social Network, and Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, is somewhere in the middle of pack, but still continues to act as the somewhat main protagonist of the feature, including being a narrator for us (the viewers) in this post-zombie apocalypse world. Of course, Eisenberg’s nervous voice and twitchy body movements certainly help the character of Columbus to be likeable and does have a few comedic timing / bits with each of co-stars. Stone, known for her roles in The Help, Superbad, and La La Land, and Breslin, known for her roles in Signs, Little Miss Sunshine, and Definitely, Maybe, round out the quartet; providing some more grown-up / mature character of the group, with Wichita and Little Rock trying to find their place in the world and how they must deal with some of the party members on a personal level. Collectively, these four are what certainly the first movie fun and hilarious and their overall camaraderie / screen-presence with each other hasn’t diminished in the decade long absence. To be it simply, these four are simply riot in the Zombieland and are again in Double Tap.
With the movie keeping the focus on the main quartet of lead Zombieland characters, the one newcomer that certainly takes the spotlight is actress Zoey Deutch, who plays the character of Madison, a dim-witted blonde who joins the group and takes a liking to Columbus. Known for her roles in Before I Fall, The Politician, and Set It Up, Deutch is a somewhat “breath of fresh air” by acting as the tagalong team member to the quartet in a humorous way. Though there isn’t much insight or depth to the character of Madison, Deutch’s ditzy / air-head portrayal of her is quite hilarious and is fun when she’s making comments to Harrelson’s Tallahassee (again, he’s just a riot in the movie).
The rest of the cast, including actor Avan Jogia (Now Apocalypse and Shaft) as Berkeley, a pacifist hippie that quickly befriends Little Rock on her journey, actress Rosario Dawson (Rent and Sin City) as Nevada, the owner of a Elvis-themed motel who Tallahassee quickly takes a shine to, and actors Luke Wilson (Legally Blonde and Old School) and Thomas Middleditch (Silicon Valley and Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie) as Albuquerque and Flagstaff, two traveling zombie-killing partners that are mimic reflections of Tallahassee and Columbus, are in minor supporting roles in Double Tap. While all of these acting talents are good and definitely bring a certain humorous quality to their characters, the characters themselves could’ve been easily expanded upon, with many just being thinly written caricatures. Of course, the movie focuses heavily on the Zombieland quartet (and newcomer Madison), but I wished that these characters could’ve been fleshed out a bit.
Lastly, be sure to still around for the film’s ending credits, with Double Tap offering up two Easter Eggs scenes (one mid-credits and one post-credit scenes). While I won’t spoil them, I do have mention that they are pretty hilarious.
✅ FINAL THOUGHTS ✅
It’s been awhile, but the Zombieland gang is back and are ready to hit the road once again in the movie Zombieland: Double Tap. Director Reuben Fleischer’s latest film sees the return the dysfunctional zombie-killing makeshift family of survivors for another round of bickering, banting, and trying to find their way in a post-apocalyptic world. While the movie’s narrative is a bit messy and could’ve been refined in the storyboarding process as well as having a bit more zombie action, the rest of the feature provides to be a fun endeavor, especially with Fleischer returning to direct the project, the snappy / witty banter amongst its characters, a breezy runtime, and the four lead returning acting talents. Personally, I liked this movie. I definitely found it to my liking as I laugh many times throughout the movie, with the main principal cast lending their screen presence in this post-apocalyptic zombie movie. Thus, my recommendation for this movie is favorable “recommended” as I’m sure it will please many fans of the first movie as well as to the uninitiated (the film is quite easy to follow for newcomers). While the movie doesn’t redefine what was previous done back in 1101, Zombieland: Double Tap still provides a riot of laughs with this make-shift quartet of zombie survivors; giving us give us (the viewers) fun and entertaining companion sequel to the original feature. | https://medium.com/tonikawa-over-the-moon-for-you-s01e11/s01-e11-tonikawa-over-the-moon-for-you-series-1-episode-11-ep-11-online-series-f4327e0983e1 | [] | 2020-12-13 08:25:01.081000+00:00 | ['Poetry'] |
On Reading Outdoors | Photo by the author
What if the space into which a book is opened determines the story that it conjures? If this is true, then it means your place in the world shapes a book even as a book shapes you.
Last Sunday, I reread Don DeLillo’s Point Omega, in two sittings. I read the first half outside, the morning sun gaining strength as it climbed the back of my neck and head, tendrils of steam from my coffee wisping away in my peripheral vision. I got about halfway, had to put it down, and I returned to my seat in the backyard after dinner, where I finished with the sun now levelling at my eyes.
Point Omega is a ponderable, cryptic book that demands quiet introspection. The bulk of the slim volume is set in the desert, with the verbal and physical interactions of its characters mapping a kind of philosophical treatise on space and time, loss and trauma. I had read it before, but this time reading it in the open air amplified its strange power, its disorienting effects.
It is a book about quiet, and distance, and heat, and stillness, and so as I sat quietly in the open air, underneath a cloudless sky and a burgeoning sun, the words I lifted off the page ran through my head and also through the little world around me, so that the book and my head and the little world — the blue sky, the sun, the cedars, the birdcalls, the garden hose burping as it filled the childrens’ wading pool, the grit on the paving stones beneath my feet — seem to slide through an array of conflations, collisions, reactions. I wasn’t just reading, but reading into a space, and the words honed my attentiveness to the space and the space honed my attentiveness to the words. Ostensibly simple lines like these became profound:
The sun was burning down. This is what he wanted, to feel the deep heat beating into his body, feel the body itself, reclaim the body from what he called the nausea of News and Traffic.
I read these lines as a runlet of sweat crept down my breastbone. Deep heat. In the book. Around the book. In me.
These lines, much different, also resonated in the open air:
The true life is not reducible to words spoken or written, not by anyone, ever. The true life takes place when we’re alone, thinking, feeling, lost in memory, dreamingly self-aware, the submicroscopic moments.
And so I find myself reflecting on the true life, on thinking, on feeling, on memory and dreamlike self-awareness, and on how all of these things are sharpened by the act of reading, and sharpened again by reading outdoors.
__________
I took Don Quixote on my honeymoon. Read it poolside, oceanside, half drunk and half naked. The cover of my edition is sandscoured and its corners are still curled from the humid air and the sweat from my palms. I read the entire thing, I swear, every one of the 800 (maybe 900?) some-odd pages, but after the lovely description of Quixote’s library and his reading addiction, and the bit with the windmill tilting (all of which happens early on), I could tell you very little about this book.
In the library of my memory, the pages of Don Quixote aren’t filled with words, but rather images, sensations. The way my wife’s eyes catch drops of sunlight and the way grains of sand tumbled from our skin and mixed in the air when we joined hands to walk down the beach. And the way a storm on the Pacific coast builds out of sight all day long with the heat, and then in late evening lopes darkly over the water toward you, electrifies the air you breathe and rattles your chest like a thunderbolt thrown by some nameless god.
__________
Reading outdoors as a child often meant reading in and under trees.
Cradled by limbs. Swallowed by hammocks. A bit of shade. The trees made me feel safe, I suppose. And the books did too.
__________
I read The Son, by Philipp Meyer, against the backdrop of Steamboat Rock, Washington, a massive outcropping that looks like a stone warhammer discarded by a Titan who has abandoned the earth.
Gliding overhead is a crow with a ragged hole near the tip of its wing, so that its shadow seems to carry the eye of the sun itself, roaming wildly over the surface of the earth.
__________
I read much of Gulliver’s Travels by flashlight in a yurt along the Washington coast. The rhythm of the ocean grinding away at the beach washes through a small copse of trees and urges me to sleep.
I dream of ghostly men, shades or spirits that twist in the air, and I can’t decide if they beckon me forward or warn me away. They are purple and deep blue and when I wake they seem to linger in the room for just an instant after my eyelids have slid open.
__________
My daughter sits on my lap and together we read the last few pages of the second volume of the Sisters Grimm series, a clever updating of fairy tales that places creatures and heroes of folklore in a contemporary setting. My eyes strain to read by firelight. The fire pops and snarls, and shadows condense all around us. She leans closer.
The book’s climax is raucous and slightly violent and it ends with an eerie cliffhanger. My imagination is fish-hooked and I can’t wait to start the next installment, which I know she has brought along in her backpack. Later, wrapped in her sleeping bag she whispers in the dark that she doesn’t want to continue reading this series. “Not until I’m a bit older,” she says.
__________
Grey mountains stab at blue skies in the background as I read Jess Walter’s Beautiful Ruins. This is the bit that sticks with me:
Life, he thought, is a blatant act of imagination.
I think about life as a story, life as a book broken into chapters or maybe just one long chapter, with scar tissue like torn pages or spots where the corners of the leaves have been turned over to mark something memorable.
I think about growing older and the endings of things, but the mountains seem beyond such reckoning.
__________
Matterhorn by Karl Marlantes: I am sitting on a balcony in southern British Columbia in late summer. I am pouring cheap cans of beer down my throat and sweating them out as soon as they hit my gut. The intense heat radiates off the smooth wall behind me and makes everything seem to blur and waver.
This is a harrowing novel of The Vietnam War that opens with a soldier in agony from a leech up his dick. The grotesqueness and terror and dark humour of this scenario combine to make me nauseous. Page after page, I encounter acts of bravery that humble me. Shame me. These paper lives are imbued with a vitality and importance that I can never lay claim to.
Another beer. The heat. The heat. I am seared to splitting. I am kiln-blasted.
__________
A few fat raindrops have curdled the pages of my copy of Lance Weller’s Wilderness. I move inside until the sun returns. If life is a book, I wonder how to explain raindrops on your pages.
On page two a woman, old and blind, sees in her imagination
suncups pressed into high snowfields that never melt, that are laced with watermelon fungus that never moves and feeds on sunlight and is always full.
Suncups. A mere two syllables, and yet as soon as I read them I know my perspective on the world is forever changed. Who can read that word and look at a mountain in the same way as before?
Much later, another woman
looked at the backs of her hands where the bones ran wrist-to-knuckle like rake tines, like the hard implements of labor they were.
I look at the backs of my hands and watch my tendons flex around the book. Glaring white hot in midday, the pages themselves seem to absorb enough energy so that, later, they illume in the precious minutes between the sun’s vanishment and full dark.
__________
Lonesome Dove. I am reading this as we tent our way through Montana. We hike in the afternoon and find the tiny, desiccated skull of a mouse or squirrel. This is a good find, strange and exciting. We roll the skull over with a stick and peer into minuscule chambers and tunnels through which the mystery of the thing once rilled. After the hike I am reading my book and I come across these lines from Augustus McCrae:
“That old badger made a good snatch and got himself a few bones. But the ground will get his bones too, in a year or two. It’s like I told you last night, son. The earth is mostly just a boneyard.
“But pretty in the sunlight,” he added.
I read these lines in the fading light before I go to start a campfire and sit with my family. My son is stirring cold ashes with a stick, and without looking up he asks me how that mouse or squirrel might have died. I tell him that I don’t know, and as soon as these words escape me I know that I have failed to fully appreciate his question. That night as I tilt my head to face a starblown sky, I think about the lines from Lonesome Dove again.
__________
Starblown is a word I stole from Cormac McCarthy. I read a lot of McCarthy outdoors. I can remember crawling out of a tent in Washington state to watch the sunrise and finish No Country For Old Men. The world is dewpolished, and the fine details of things — pebbles, tree limbs, blades of grass — seem to sharpen as light begins to cut through the crisp air. I can see my breath. My fingers ache with cold and work like rusted hinges. I turn the bitter pages quietly so as not to wake the sleepers hidden behind the canvas beside me, worlds away. The heat in my body’s core seems a tenuous thing, vulnerable amidst the harsh edges of the morning. I am an ember glowing faintly in the grey tumble of waking things. The lake that hovers in view over the top of my book glimmers like beaten metal. The woods at the lake’s edge are black with the memory of the night just passed. If I sat in this spot all day I could watch them bloom green and then fade to black again.
McCarthy’s Blood Meridian was probably the first book that alerted me to the link between reading and the outdoors. All of the camping trips that I have packed it on blur together in my mind. It is a book that needs a horizon, a big sky. To read it indoors seems to shackle it in some way.
Everyone remembers the Judge from Blood Meridian. He is evil incarnate, perhaps even the devil himself. Despite his brutality, the Judge’s exchanges with his fellow scalphunters are charged with a philosophical clarity that becomes strangely alluring in a world of ruin and fire and blood. Take, for example, what the Judge says about books:
Books lie, he said.
God dont lie.
No, said the judge. He does not. And these are his words.
He held up a chunk of rock.
He speaks in stones and trees, the bones of things.
Stones. Trees. The bones of things. What if the judge is right in his infernal triangulation of meaning?
What if the space into which a book is opened is itself a story to be read? It would mean that reading — true reading — involves not just words on pages but a secret archive of another order, one hiding in plain sight, awaiting translation in thought, feeling, memory, dreams. | https://gavinpaul.medium.com/on-reading-outdoors-a49fe4339351 | ['Gavin Paul'] | 2019-01-28 03:50:59.420000+00:00 | ['Identity', 'Memory', 'Outdoors', 'Books', 'Reading'] |
System Channel and Application Channel in Hyperledger Fabric | Overview
It begins with a question I have been asked several times in the past few months. Some have completed the tutorial Add an Org to a Channel, successfully adding a new organization to a channel. When they try to add this organization to a new channel, they encounter problems. The cause drives me to some system design of Hyperledger Fabric, in particular, on system channel.
The term channel we always refer to in fact is Application Channel, in which channel members are sharing the same ledger and chaincode for a specific business purpose. We can have as many Application Channels as possible to meet our business needs. Besides, there is one System Channel in which consortium configuration is stored. Whenever an update on the consortium, such as a new organization joining the consortium, we need to update this System Channel. And only those organizations defined in the consortium can be added as members of Application Channels. In the tutorial mentioned above we only act on Application Channel, not the System Channel. As a result we cannot add this new organization to a new channel.
In this article, we first replicate this situation, that is, after completing the tutorial, we cannot add this new organization into a new channel. By inspecting the configuration and blocks, we will locate the root cause. In the final part we will add this new organization to System Channel as a consortium member. With this, we are able to create a new channel that this new organization can be a member of.
We use Test Network as our base, with proper modification to meet our demonstration. A repository is created such that you can try in your environment.
Note: there is another article in which system channel is involved: adding an orderer in an ordering cluster. You can do a quick reference to that article, and see similar process when update configuration in the system channel.
Test Network: Modified for Demonstration
In this demonstration, we are using the Test Network (v2.0+). It is a two-peer-org setup, one peer on each org, plus a Solo-based ordering service. It comes with good scripts ( network.sh ) to bring up containers, create channels and deploy sample chaincode (fabcar). Besides it also provides scripts to implement the tutorial Adding an Org to a Channel.
For easy demonstration some files are modified such that we do not need to switch between files. Here is the repository for the demonstration.
Here is the highlight of modification.
cryptogen
We use the cryptogen (not Fabric CA Server) for simplicity. In the original directory structure organizations/cryptogen/ , we have
crypto-config-orderer.yaml
crypto-config-org1.yaml
crypto-config-org2.yaml
We add one more crypto-config-org3.yaml , with a similar setup as other peer organizations (one peer, one admin and one user). The crypto material for Org3 will be generated upfront as well.
channel artifacts
The configuration file is configtx/configtx.yaml .
To prepare Org3 material, we add back the Org3 definition in the organizations section. Again, they are similar to Org1 and Org2.
We keep the two profiles: TwoOrgsOrdererGenesis and TwoOrgsChannel, as we need to remain the first part of demonstration. Meanwhile, we add one more profile: Channel1–3, and make Org1 and Org3 as the members of this new channel.
docker compose file
The only docker compose file we are using is docker/docker-compose-test-net.yaml . Inside we add peer0.org3.example.com. The container setup is largely similar to other peers, except for the correct crypto material and port number to be used.
repository
With these configuration files modified, we have generated certain material for our demonstration. Detail is skipped here. The material we have generated in the repository are
crypto material for all organizations, including Org3, using cryptogen
genesis block, configuration update transactions for mychannel, and configuration transaction for channel1–3.
the content to be inserted into configuration in JSON, named org3.json , is generated and kept in peersOrganization/org3.example.com/
Finally, we have set up several files for terminal setup for different organizations. They are terminalorg1 , terminalorg2 , terminalorg3 and terminalorderer , with proper environment variables. We will source the file to set our terminal for the specific organization.
We first replicate the finding.
Tutorial Replay
Here we follow the tutorial Adding an Org to a Channel. Instead of repeating every command, here we just showed the screenshots of the results on main steps.
Bring up containers
We simply bring up all the containers, including peer0.org3.example.com.
Join mychannel and check status
After joining peer0.org1.example.com and peer0.org2.example.com to mychannel, here is the status of the three organizations.
peer0.org1.example.com: join mychannel
peer0.org2.example.com: join mychannel
peer0.org3.example.com: not joining mychannel yet
Prepare transaction update and sign by both organizations
Following the tutorial, here is the signing from both Org1 and Org2.
Signing from Org1 (peer0.org1.example.com)
Signing from Org2 (peer0.org2.example.com) and submit to ordering service
After submitting, we see new blocks arriving to both peers (now the blockchain height is 4).
peer0.org1.example.com (new block committed)
peer0.org2.example.com (new block committed)
Join peer0.org3 to mychannel
With this, we can fetch block zero of mychannel and join peer0.org3.example.com.
Fetch channel genesis block from peer0.org1.example.com
Join peer0.org3.example.com with genesis block file
Peer will get back the whole blockchain (see the blockchain height, and block hash, same as peer0.org1.example.com and peer0.org2.example.com).
peer0.org3.example.com gets the blockchain from other peers
Here is what we have completed so far.
After completing the tutorial, peer0.org3 is now a member of mychannel.
We have repeated the whole process of tutorial. Now we can simulate the problem.
Simulating the Problem
Create the genesis block file for channel1–3. Remember that in channel1–3 we have defined Org3 as a channel member.
peer channel create -o localhost:7050 -c channel1-3 --ordererTLSHostnameOverride orderer.example.com -f ./channel-artifacts/channel1-3.tx --outputBlock ./channel-artifacts/channel1-3.block --tls --cafile $ORDERER_CA
Here is what we expect: even if we have added an organization to an application channel, this organization is NOT YET in the consortium, that is, this organization is not yet in configuration of the system channel. We will take a look at both system channel and application channel, and their relation with our channel configuration file configtx.yaml .
Observation: System Channel and Application Channel
As we mentioned before, there is one system channel when the consortium network is up and running. Inside the system channel we find two main configuration settings: orderers and consortium members. This system channel needs to be updated when any change of ordering service (e.g. one more orderer added to a cluster) or new consortium member (organization) is added.
We will take a look at the configuration file and the blocks being fetched from both channels.
Configuration file: configtx.yaml
We first take a look at the configuration file configtx.yaml . The part we are interested in is the profiles.
The original configtx.yaml only has these two profiles defined.
The first profile TwoOrgsOrdererGenesis is used when we create the genesis block. In this profile, Org1 and Org2 are included. The command we are using (not shown in this document).
configtxgen -profile TwoOrgsOrdererGenesis -channelID system-channel -outputBlock ./system-genesis-block/genesis.block
As we can see the command is acted on system-channel.
Meanwhile, the second profile TwoOrgsChannel is used when we generate transaction updates for the application channel. And for this setup, again, Org1 and Org2 are included in this application channel. This is valid as Org1 and Org2 is already in the consortium (system channel).
The command is acting on mychannel.
configtxgen -profile TwoOrgsChannel -outputCreateChannelTx ./channel-artifacts/mychannel.tx -channelID mychannel
Besides the configuration file, we can also fetch blocks from both system channel and application channel and make some observations.
Configuration Block captured in System Channel
We use Terminal for Orderer in order to fetch the system channel.
source terminalorderer peer channel fetch config config_block_sys.pb -o localhost:7050 --ordererTLSHostnameOverride orderer.example.com -c system-channel --tls --cafile $ORDERER_CA
We can see that there is a blockchain of length 2, and the configuration block is block #0.
We can see that inside the SampleConsortium, only Org1MSP and Org2MSP defined.
Extract from the configuration block from system-channel
Configuration Block captured in Application Channel
We use Terminal for Org1 to capture the latest configuration update (should be block #3).
After decoding, we can see that inside the Application, Org1MSP, Org2MSP and Org3MSP are defined. This is the result after we have completed the tutorial, adding a new organization to a channel (mychannel).
Extract from the configuration block from mychannel (application channel)
Observation
Even though Org3 is being added in an application channel (mychannel), it is not yet in consortium and therefore we cannot create a new channel in which Org3 is a member. What we need is to add it back to the system channel.
block file for channel1–3 cannot be created as Org3 is not yet in consortium
Add Org3 to System Channel and then Create Channel with Org3
Now we understand that, in order to allow new channels to be created for a new organization, this organization must be added in consortium first. Here we demonstrate how to add organization to the consortium (system channel) such that we can add a new channel.
Fetch configuration block from system channel
Note: all commands here is done in terminal for Orderer.
source terminalorderer peer channel fetch config config_block_sys.pb -o localhost:7050 --ordererTLSHostnameOverride orderer.example.com -c system-channel --tls --cafile $ORDERER_CA
Construct configuration update
With this, we go through the similar process of adding Org3 to Application Channel as before. But now this process is acting upon the configuration block from the system channel.
Here I just listed all the commands.
configtxlator proto_decode --input config_block_sys.pb --type common.Block | jq .data.data[0].payload.data.config > config.json jq -s '.[0] * {"channel_group":{"groups":{"Consortiums":{"groups":{"SampleConsortium":{"groups": {"Org3MSP":.[1]}}}}}}}' config.json ./organizations/peerOrganizations/org3.example.com/org3.json > modified_config.json configtxlator proto_encode --input config.json --type common.Config --output config.pb configtxlator proto_encode --input modified_config.json --type common.Config --output modified_config.pb configtxlator compute_update --channel_id system-channel --original config.pb --updated modified_config.pb --output org3_update.pb configtxlator proto_decode --input org3_update.pb --type common.ConfigUpdate | jq . > org3_update.json echo '{"payload":{"header":{"channel_header":{"channel_id":"'system-channel'", "type":2}},"data":{"config_update":'$(cat org3_update.json)'}}}' | jq . > org3_update_in_envelope.json configtxlator proto_encode --input org3_update_in_envelope.json --type common.Envelope --output org3_update_in_envelope.pb
Now we have the configuration update transaction.
Sign the update with orderer admin
Keep working in the Terminal for Orderer as orderer admin is needed to sign and submit the transaction.
peer channel update -f org3_update_in_envelope.pb -o localhost:7050 --ordererTLSHostnameOverride orderer.example.com -c system-channel --tls --cafile $ORDERER_CA
And we fetch the latest configuration block and see again if org3 is already there.
peer channel fetch config config_block_sys_update.pb -o localhost:7050 --ordererTLSHostnameOverride orderer.example.com -c system-channel --tls --cafile $ORDERER_CA
We see now a new block (block #2) is received. After decoding we can see three organizations inside.
We see Org3MSP is already included in the Consortium.
Create Channel with Org3
Now create new channel channel1–3, which includes Org3 as a channel member.
Go to Terminal for Org1
peer channel create -o localhost:7050 -c channel1-3 --ordererTLSHostnameOverride orderer.example.com -f ./channel-artifacts/channel1-3.tx --outputBlock ./channel-artifacts/channel1-3.block --tls --cafile $ORDERER_CA
Block file for channel1–3 is now created successfully
Now we receive block 0 for channel1–3 ( channel1–3.block ). We can join peer0.org1.example.com and peer0.org3.example.com to this channel.
Terminal for Org1
Terminal for Org3
This screenshot shows the final summary of channel members for both mychannel and channel1–3.
mychannel : Org1, Org2 and Org3
: Org1, Org2 and Org3 channel1–3: Org1 and Org3
Top: Org1, Middle: Org2, Bottom: Org3
And this is what we have now.
block file for channel1–3 is created after Org3 is added in consortium
Summary
We begin with a problem we meet: according to the tutorial, we can add an organization to a channel, but we cannot add new channels with this newly added organization. The reason behind is that an organization needs to be in consortium before we can create new channels with this newly added organization. We find that we are in fact dealing with two different types of channels: one system channel, keeping the consortium configuration, and one or more application channels, which is the “channel” we always refer to, where shared ledger and business logic is enforced among selected consortium members. In this article we have deep-dived into configuration files, blocks captured on the system channel and application channel. We also demonstrated how to add a new organization into a consortium, such that this organization can later be added into another application channel. Hope this provides a good reference when you study Hyperledger Fabric. | https://kctheservant.medium.com/system-channel-and-application-channel-in-hyperledger-fabric-cbed3fab276b | ['Kc Tam'] | 2020-07-24 10:03:23.988000+00:00 | ['Hyperledger Fabric', 'Enterprise Blockchain', 'Channel', 'Tutorial', 'System Channel'] |
Woodpecker Science | Upside down Layla — photo by William E Evans, 2019
We’re all crazy on this bus. Some recent posts on the Lake Barcroft community list serve:
“Good evening, any experience with getting rid of an annoying woodpecker that is damaging the soffit on back of our house?”
Dear Annoyed: you may find twelve gauge pellets will need to be followed shortly by a soffit replacement, but that’s the price of quiet, eh? Woodpeckers need to eat, sometimes we need quiet. Think like a woodpecker, then hammer the sucker.
“Please recommend the right person to call to investigate the noises we hear coming from the attic. Thank you.”
Oh dear. Is Kathy Bates still lurking about since her last movie?
“Million dollar baby DaVinci Tyler set in espresso: convertible crib, change table, and chest of drawers. All excellent condition. Drawers/change table assembled, crib disassembled to fit out the door. Set is $380 new, asking $200 obo. Will also include; 2x crib mattresses (Sealy Perfect Rest, Dream on Me) and change table pad. Cheers”
DaVinci Tyler in espresso? I wet myself. Dream on Me? Didn’t Mick have a similar line in Let It Bleed? Like I’ll never go to sleep again lonely?
“Free: Large sofa from Hamilton’s — 86”Long X 31” high (18” high at seat) X 36” Deep. 3 cushion seat & back, plus 2 16” square pillows. Slip-covered in cotton in a soft coral/cream floral design with cream cording. Slipcover is faded, minimal stains, no tears. Cushions are down-wrapped foam and have retained shape. Cushions and pillows have zippers and can be laundered, but should be air dried to avoid shrinking. Frame is sound and comfortable. Much used but in pretty good shape. We have a photo for anyone interested.”
Minimum stains and down-wrapped foam: hmm mmm. But did you change the baby on that sofa lots? Hope it’s in expresso.
“Totally proved I have family involved in the studies…Upper UVGI [Ultraviolet germicidal irradiation] “deactivates” all sorts of viruses … you can get a spread sheet on the time for deactivation (that is the proper terminology not “kill”) for all sorts of different viruses…. this is known technology from 1907. What was not know was the deactivation rate gir sars-covid2 [sic] — but the studies my brother is involved in show 7 minutes to completely deactivate a proper sized room. Employed broadly during TB and measles and still in hospitals. My brother is designing systems for nursing homes and hospitals. He does not sell the product he just engineers….”
Yeah? You ‘totally proved you have family involved’–still taking your drugs, right? 1907 was an exceptional year for technology. No cause to re-engineer it is there?
“Anyone have an extra empty propane tank laying around they’d like to give away or sell cheap? I’m looking for one to trade in for a full one.”
Heh, heh, heh. He’ll also throw in some unopened Georgia ballots if you need them.
The following is re. Your Car in a Ditch:
“Sorry to have missed you. We heard you knock but were not able to get to the door in time to talk with you. You will probably need a tow truck to pull the car out. Your car is blocking our driveway. Although we don’t need to get out of our driveway anytime soon, we wonder what your plan is for retrieving your car. Let us know. Thanks… “
Oh crap.
True story: I had a car stolen once right out of our corporate parking garage–they drove it right past the security guard. I came out to go to a noontime meeting, no car. That weekend, I listened to a phone message asking would I mind moving my car from across the Potomac River on account it was blocking her car in the alley, missing four wheels. Seemed obvious I wouldn’t be moseying over too soon, so I didn’t return the call.
“Since we have neighbors with so many diverse interests, I decided to ask our [list serve] before going elsewhere to see if anyone is interested in a rare collection of cocktail glasses I inherited. “The set consists of 40 glasses — 8 each of 5 different designs. They commemorate President Richard Nixon’s 1974 foreign trips… The gold inscription… reads: “President Richard Nixon’s visit to Belgium and the Soviet Union–June-July 1974’ and so on. The other side has either a front view of the White House or a map of the Middle East with flight routes, all inscribed in gold. The glasses have never been used, and are in like-new condition, with gold inscriptions intact. [made in Thailand in smaller print] “An online presidential memorabilia merchant, called Lori Ferber, [not her actual name?] is selling just one of these glasses for $95. I am thinking about parting with the entire set for a bargain price of $800. Any Nixon fans out there? They are nice, solid glasses, even if you are not crazy about Nixon.”
Nixon in China glass collection photo by list serve member–honest
Dear Glass Collector: May I offer a deep place in the lake so they’re found a thousand years from now by anthropologists amazed at their near-mint condition? And I certainly wouldn’t tell anyone that they were ‘inherited’ wink, wink, say no more…
“Toddler inflatable mattress for sale — like new condition and includes a fitted sheet set. $20 (new is $65). Peppa Pig playhouse and toys — $5 House has sounds and volume control. Comes with furniture and figures shown. “Bluetooth microphone — like new — $15. Can use as microphone, connect to Bluetooth to sign [sic] along or play music. Rechargeable. Works great!”
Now that’s one talented baby. The kid’s working gigs out in Los Vegas now?
“Good afternoon, before I order a flag pole to hang our new xmas flag under our US flag, I’d wanted to know if anyone has an extra one they no longer need. Thanks in advance.”
Oh gosh–an xmas flag? –what would Oral Robertson say? And what on earth IS an xmas flag? Inquiring minds and all. Hitting the nog again, eh? Ho, ho, ho.
“I know we have a lot of animal rescue folks out here around the lake so I figured I could reach you all at once by posting here. I have an 81-year-old mother who lives in an apartment a few minutes away from here. She has had cats her whole life up until a couple of years ago when a very unstable cat that she rescued bit her pretty badly and she had to be hospitalized for a very bad infection. I am just starting to look for another cat for her. The cat has to be completely litter box trained and love to be held and touched and snuggled a lot. I’m looking for a cat who is seeking out human contact all the time. My mother Is very loving and is looking for a cat to sit on her lap while she watches television or does her artwork. If any of you know of any cats that might be good for an elderly single woman please reach out. You can feel free to text me at the cell number below.”
What’s the per diem? I like snuggling and I don’t bite.
Seriously dear, you can’t order cats on Amazon ‘cause–how to explain it–animals aren’t like flowers you order when she does kick over. Cats are living creatures hoping for a better life than watching someone croak on your behalf. So get up off your lazy butt and go visit her. And bring flowers.
“I need the brain trust of LL….. We will be celebrating my mom’s 94th birthday soon. We usually take her out to a nice restaurant for dinner on her birthday, and if at all safely possible, I’d like to do it again this year. Thus, the ask–anyone have suggestions for a nice restaurant that might have (sufficient) outdoor heating or somehow safe indoor seating? Thanks very much.”
Holy shit! 94! Kick up them heels–figuratively speaking. Well sir , did that ever erupt into a discussion, along the lines of WTF, lady?
Uh huh, yes ma’am, everyone’s hunkering down, being mad at late pizza deliveries and all, but if the old girl’s about to make it to 94, doesn’t she deserve to stay alive, eat bad pizza and live another year?
To close out with something more poignant:
“Rear-loading handicap van, 67,893 miles, new brake system just completed holds up to 2 wheelchairs and seats Driver and 3 passengers Could be used as a cargo van. Disclosure: Needs new muffler and paint has seen a bit too much sun but runs great.”
Hope whoever loved that person is still smiling–better still, the person who once needed the van is still smiling too at the brand new van in her driveway.
Though in the end, we in Lake Barcroft live in a wilderness of attack kitties where the wildlife run scared:
“We saw this confrontation as we pulled into our driveway. Not our cat (and not our fox). We assumed this was going to be bad news for the cat, but the cat jumped at the fox and the fox went running away at top speed!”
Fox and the Kitty photo by Susan Bower, 2020
If I’m lying I’m dying — as no respectable Greek philosopher would ever say. I’ll take my loving husky to go visit. Layla loves everyone. Oh sorry, no cats or foxes; I don’t know which she dislikes more. | https://medium.com/@billevans-3907/woodpecker-science-9d2a4fdac6d3 | ['Bill Evans'] | 2020-12-09 16:05:50.993000+00:00 | ['Community Engagement', 'Malapropisms', 'Human Behavior', 'Comedy', 'Email'] |
“Did the two shoe prints come from the same source? Solving crime with Deep Learning” | PROFESSOR SARGUR N SRIHARI AS INTERVIEWED BY GAUTHAM SANTHOSH AND FAHEEM ZUNJANI
Professor Sargur N Srihari is a SUNY Distinguished Professor in the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences at the University at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York, USA. His work at Center of Excellence for Document Analysis and Recognition(CEDAR) led to the first handwritten address interpretation system in the world, versions of which were deployed by the Internal Revenue Service, US Postal Service, Australia Post and UK Royal Mail. He also visited IIIT Allahabad and delivered a short course on Deep Learning from Aug 3, 2017 to Aug 4, 2017.
Instead of starting off with the more insightful questions, as an ice-breaker we would like to ask you a few short and fun questions and you can answer them in a few words or a sentence.
What is something you miss about the place where you were born?
Ahh the weather!
What website you love to spend your time on?
I’m a news junkie. So, I love The New York Times.
What Machine Learning papers are you most interested in?
Well, I’ve been in this field for many years. There have been many excellent papers. Well, there also have been many books, I should say. Papers are small little contributions. So text books are there. Chris Bishop’s books are excellent.
What do you like to do in your free time?
I like to read.
Fiction or non-fiction?
I like history, so non-fiction. I’m a history buff.
Indian history or anything else?
Well I love Indian history but I also read American history.
What’s more interesting to you — Physics or neuroscience?
Well, Neuroscience, I should say.
Why do you think Deep Learning has become so popular now?
Due to the advancements and the kind of result that have been obtained which are astounding.
What’s your favourite operating system?
Well I’m an Apple guy, you know. So I’m quite happy with the it.
What website do you refer to stay updated about your field?
Surprisingly, it is Facebook. There are a lot of good professional contacts. Other than the family, I subscribe to a lot of professional friends who are active at posting on Facebook.
So they probably share their own blog posts..
Yeah, yeah! Facebook itself is excellent. The leaders in A.I., their favourite place to post is on Facebook. Some of my friends are on Facebook and I follow them everyday.
What is your programming language of choice for machine learning?
It used to be MATLAB till recently but my students convinced me to switch to Python. So it’s Python now.
Who’s your favourite professor?
Now I have to go back to my student days. My favourite professors are from India, from Bangalore, in IISc and the national college where I studied.
What’s your favourite comfort food?
You know, I’m getting old, so I have to be careful about what I eat. I enjoy a glass of wine.
So, Italian wines?
Yeah. I like European red wine. And Californian red wine too.
Who is the one person you admire?
Well there are many historical figures. Perhaps, one I admire the most is Abraham Lincoln.
What is an open-source library that you really like?
Today in Machine Learning, things like ‘Tensorflow’ and all are good open source libraries.
* What’s the best advice you have ever received?*
Best advice that I have ever received? Well, there are so many things. I’ve received good advice from my mother on what are the ingredients that go into cooking, you know.
So, you like cooking?
Yeah. I enjoy cooking. The advices are general rules, like you know, put equal amounts of salt and spices and for sourness, there are tamarinds and other things. Yeah, I put up a few dishes.
Do you think A.I. will ever take over humans?
The science looks like it is going to happen. Fortunately, not during my lifetime, but I think it’s going to be 50 years before it happens.
If you had to start Machine Learning from scratch right now, what resources would you use?
Machine Learning has got the theory algorithms implementations and all that specs. But I think there is a tremendous amount to be learned in theory and algorithms. What I’m creating on the web are meant to be aids for my students who want to get into it. I’m not sure this is completely it, but I highly recommend my own slides, other than the various books on Machine Learning. Each of them covers some aspect very well. None of them is absolutely complete. There are books by Chris Bishop, Daphne Koller and by Goodfellow. These are excellent resources.
Sir, you’ve studied in India and the U.S. What are the differences that you found in both education systems?
I was lucky to have had a wonderful education in India, in some way, even better than that in the U.S. In Bangalore, I went to a place called The National College and the Indian Institute of Science, which during the days, was an absolutely amazing place. It set the background for what I’ve been doing for 50 years. That was probably the best education for me.
So, did you find the Indian Education system to be better than the American?
Yes, the dedication of teachers in India is quite extraordinary. The national college was a renowned institution and the teachers were extremely committed to students.They put a lot of efforts into it. The environment in IISc was of the highest calibre. I went to good places like The Ohio State University, but the extraordinary education I received was here in India.
How did you come up with the idea of automating the US Postal Service using handwriting recognition?
You know, I was very early into this thing — Machine Learning and Pattern recognition. And the U.S. Postal Service had decided that they needed more automation. So they wanted groups to do some research. In the beginning, it was primarily to find out what technologies were available to use. I started helping them like that. I decided that I could help them by developing some technology. Such technology had kind of disappeared from America, it was largely there in Japan and Germany. But America didn’t have anything in the area of recognizing text, OCR, handwriting and so on. So although it originally started in America, it kind of disappeared. So I was kind of instrumental in bringing it back to America with my research and others followed suit.
What are some of the things that you’re most proud of?
Our work with the U.S. Postal Service is one the things that I’m very happy about. And the other one is the the work that I’ve done in the area of forensics, to try and say whether two things came from the same source or not. Even when I worked in the Postal Service, to compare handwritings and to help the justice system. I served in the United States National Panel on what kind of work should be done so that the forensic system is fairer towards people who are accused and things like that. So I’m very happy that that work has tremendously impacted my life.
Sir, what difference do you find in the research that is done in the academia and the research that is done in the industry?
It is very complimentary. In industry, there are tremendous resources like computing power and data, a lot of it is private data that they cannot give out to anybody, like Facebook and all that, you cannot give out private information. But if you’re working in Facebook, you get to access all of the data. Same with Google, you want to use all of that to develop good technology. But they are all oriented towards specific needs that they fulfil. I’ve done that in developing things for the U.S. Postal Service which is also directed towards solving a problem that they are facing. But in academia I’ve got the freedom to pursue all kinds of topics at the same time so you’re not kind of focussed on one specific problem. You can go wherever you want. We pursue things that are, you know, open ended. But also one disadvantage is that you don’t have the resources the industries have. But this kind of open-endedness can eventually help industry. They never thought that something like this would be promising. So in a sense, it’s complimentary. Today there is a tremendous interaction between academia and industries.
What are some of the projects that you are working on?
I am working all the time just to keep up in this area — Artificial Intelligence and Deep learning, because the whole field is exploding. I still am working on forensic type of problems — how do I apply Deep Learning in problems where you are comparing things or for two inputs, you’re asking the question — Did it come from the same source? Did these two handwritings come from the same source? Did these two shoe prints come from the same source? Did these two fingerprints come from the same source? These are all special types of problems. And I’m applying those things. But I’m spending 90% of my time just to keep up with what’s going on today ,what’s being generated. And how can we make sense of all of this? So that is where most of my work today lies — the algorithms that are being developed in machine and deep learning.
So, how is applying Deep Learning in Forensics different from its other applications?
Forensic has specific problems. In the crime scene, there might be a particular evidence there and then there will be a suspect who has a certain evidence associated with him. So the kind of questions we are asking is — could these two have come from the same source? So that’s not the kind of problem that’s mostly encountered in normal objective definition type problems. Here you are given two inputs, rather than one input and usually in your typical problems, you’re given more than 48 hours to say what it is. But here you’re given 2 inputs and you ask — ’Did this person commit that crime?’
What advice would you give to an undergraduate students who is interested in pursuing research?
I would say that — seriously consider getting into research. A lot of youngsters today are not interested. They want to move on to industry. There are exciting things to be done here. It’s a bit of a dilemma.If you’re in academia, you’re establishing yourself for a life-long career. In industry, the opportunities might be less, but academia allows you this freedom throughout the life. So that’s the attraction of being in academia. But I can see the attraction of industry as well.
GS: So that’s it.
Would you like to say anything to the students reading this?
I have been tremendously impressed by the students here at IIIT Allahabad, to my surprise — how well informed the students are, and the great questions that I’m getting from you in the class that I’ve been teaching in, and the interest and enthusiasm shown by you all is great. Also, I’m going away with a very positive impression of the student body as well as the faculty. You all seem to be working on very state of the art things. I haven’t seen all of allahabad — a few places that I saw seemed like they weren’t very well developed, like when I was coming from the airport, I saw the road and I was like ‘This is really, like, from the ancient age’. I still have to see the city and all. But to see the students and faculty here in this background which seems somewhat under-developed is kind of surprising. I hope to see more parts of Allahabad tomorrow. So that’s one of the surprising things that I’ve seen.
But I’m going away with a very positive impression of IIIT, Allahabad. I hope to go with a positive impression of Allahabad as well.
(Special thanks to Arpit Misraw for transcribing the audio recording of the interview)
By Gautham Santhosh | https://medium.com/nybles/did-the-two-shoe-prints-come-from-the-same-source-solving-crime-with-deep-learning-7aced6917f68 | ['Nybles News'] | 2018-06-17 01:14:07.935000+00:00 | ['Machine Learning', 'Technology', 'ML', 'AI', 'Deep Learning'] |
Why Learnapalooza Matters for The Future of Tech | Learnapalooza is a conference dedicated to ‘The Future of Learning’. Now in it’s fifth year, the conference is headed by two experts in adult learning, Darren Nerland and Erin Petershick, who brought both experience and energy to the space that really made this conference a game changer.
It is in all of the ways Learnapalooza goes beyond the slide decks — beyond the buzz, and straight into what it means to do meaningful work that makes it such a powerful event.
With Learnapalooza sitting firmly in the Learning and Development space I expected team building exercises, inspirational quotes and graphs on changing workplace demographics. If you’re looking for a crash course on L&D buzzwords and trends then worry not, you’ll get that here. But it is in all of the ways Learnapalooza goes beyond the slide decks — beyond the buzz, and straight into what it means to do meaningful work that makes it such a powerful event. I’m here to tell you just exactly what that means for the future of tech.
We’re firmly in the Fourth Industrial Revolution now: computing, data science and artificial intelligence are the new prime movers. To give you a sense of the pace, this means that 77% of current jobs will require new technical skills and over half of the highest demand jobs on Linkedin did not exist 10 years ago. There’s no sign of this slowing down, and no one can quite predict what the world will look like in 2030.
That’s not all that much of a scary thought, if you boil it down. It means hiring based on ability to learn, not on the skill sets brought on arrival. It means building a workplace culture of learning that allows everyone to thrive.
When new technologies come in, they are much more complex and interactive than before. No modules, courses, or certificates can do the work of showing demonstrable knowledge of these new tools, and that’s a problem. A simple solution may be bringing workplace learning back into an apprenticeship style: when learning to use new tools and tech- a user will be more likely to retain both attention and information by connecting the dots for them through the experience of it’s use. Create a culture of coaching in your workplace for your team to thrive.
We should also be building workplace cultures that thrive on self-directed learning. Carving the time and space in your culture to make that happen allows for the diffusion of new knowledge across a team, and prevents burnout for the workers who are closest to the new tech on-boarding.
When you work on learning and development in tech, you’re really getting to the heart of the issue in the field: working in tech means you never stop learning a new coding language, software system, just keeping up the pace of today’s digital innovation. We can only do it by taking the best learning and development practices out there and situating them in this new world where people move at the speed-of-tech. Learnapalooza exists to bridge that gap in a powerful way, and I can’t wait to see how it changes the tech world in the years to come. | https://medium.com/@salkimmich/why-learnapalooza-matters-for-the-future-of-tech-9f85decc2588 | ['Sal Kimmich'] | 2019-05-06 03:22:53.649000+00:00 | ['Technews', 'Learning And Development', 'Technology', 'Future Of Work', 'Tech'] |
some configuration to flutter app when connecting firebase flutter SDK | some configuration to flutter app when connecting firebase flutter SDK thilina dilshan ·Dec 25, 2020
Go to app level build.gradle and add these things
defaultConfig{
multiDexEnabled true
}
dependencies{
implementation ‘com.android.support:multidex:1.0.3’
}
Then add these dependencies for pubspec.yml
firebase_core : ^0.5.0
Then initialize the app
import ‘package:firebase_core/firebase_core.dart’;
void main() async {
WidgetsFlutterBinding.ensureInitialized();
await Firebase.initializeApp();
runApp(MyApp());
} | https://medium.com/@dilshanthilina53/some-configuration-to-flutter-app-when-connecting-firebase-flutter-sdk-dcce32553bff | ['Thilina Dilshan'] | 2020-12-25 06:59:56.234000+00:00 | ['Flutter', 'Firebase'] |
Mentality | I have a real issue with people that moan about their life all the time, why don't they do something about?
Honestly like your hear bad stuff everyday on TV, reading about it, it is everywhere!! And still on top of that you still moan about life?” I can´t afford that?” ” I don't have time “ “ I can`t do that “
COMPLAINING HAS NO VALUE
All those questions have answers: work more, make time, spend less time doing nothing, you haven't even tried and if you have think another way around it.
There is always a solution, it is super simple:
LET YOUR ACTIONS DICTATE
Instead of sitting there and feeling you're not in control
DISCIPLINE
Discipline as a bad reputation people thing have of it like punishment, it is not that, discipline is an amazing thing it is staying true to what you said you were going to do long after the mood you said it in has left.
There's really bad days that you feel crap and just a mess but you said you were gonna do it and you get up and do it, I guarantee you after you did it your going to feel better. THROUGH DISCIPLINE YOU GET THINGS DONE | https://medium.com/@kjj69677/mentality-d36b14a04a60 | [] | 2020-12-26 16:00:26.456000+00:00 | ['Happiness', 'Life Lessons', 'Fashion', 'Lifestyle', 'Life'] |
A Complete Guide to Time Series Analysis — Prologue | Disclaimer : This article introduces the theoretical concepts behind Time Series Analysis and the subsequent article would provide implementation and applied knowledge.
With its wide range of applications ranging but not limited to Trend Analysis, Demand Forecasting, Inventory Studies, Budgetary Analysis, Stock Market Predictions, Time Series Analysis is an integral skill required for the niche Data Science/Machine Learning Industry.
What is Time Series Analysis?
Time Series Data is simply a series of data points ordered in time. In a Time Series, time is often the independent variable and the goal is to make the forecast for future periods. Time Series Analysis can be defined as the analysis of this ordered data.
To understand Time Series, one must understand the underlying statistics.
Terminologies
Stationarity :- A Time Series is said to be stationary if its statistical properties do not change over time. Simply put, Time-Series has constant mean and variance, and co-variance is independent of time.
Ideally, Time-Series Modeling requires Strict Stationary Data.
Types of Stationarity
Let us understand the different types of stationarities and how to interpret the results of the above tests.
Strict Stationary: For a strict stationary series, the mean, variance and covariance are not the function of time.
Trend Stationary: A series that has no unit root but exhibits a trend is referred to as a trend stationary series. The KPSS test (explained later) classifies a series as stationary on the absence of unit root.
Difference Stationary: A time series that can be made strict stationary by differencing falls under difference stationary. ADF test (explained later) is also known as a difference stationarity test.
Seasonality :- A Time Series is said to be seasonal if there exists a seasonal pattern :- a pattern that is influenced by seasonal factors.
Seasonal Time Series are also referred as Periodic Time Series as the periodic patterns is always of a fixed and known period.
Cyclicality :- A Time Series is said to be cyclic if it exhibits peaks and troughs that are not of fixed period.
Even seasoned professionals fail sometimes in identifying whether the data is seasonal or cyclic. Refer this post for understanding Cyclicality Vs. Seasonality as the underlying concepts are beyond the scope of this article.
Trend :- Trend shows the general tendency of data to increase or decrease over time. A Trend is a smooth, general, long-term, average tendency.
It is not always necessary that there is an increase or decrease in the same direction throughout the given period of time.
Normality :- In probability theory, the normal (or Gaussian) distribution is a very common continuous probability distribution. The simplest case of a normal distribution is known as the standard normal distribution. This is a special case with mean as 0 and standard deviation as 1. Every normal distribution is a version of the standard normal distribution, whose domain has been stretched by the standard deviation. Normal Distributions are often used in real-valued random variables whose distributions are not known (For e.g. Flora and Fauna Estimation), owing to the Central Limit Theorem.
Central Limit Theorem :- Let us consider a population with mean μ and standard deviation σ and take sufficiently large random samples from the population with replacement. CLT states that this distribution of sample means will be normally distributed.
Autocorrelation :- Autocorrelation defines how a Time-Series is similar with itself. Consider a discrete series of values ordered by time. For lag 1, compare the actual time series with a lagged time series. Put simply, shift the Time Series by 1 (In Time Axis) before comparing it with itself. Proceed doing this for the entire length of time series by shifting it by 1 every time. This is essentially the autocorrelation function.
Partial Autocorrelation :- The partial autocorrelation at lag k is the correlation that results after removing the effect of any correlations due to the terms at shorter lags.
The autocorrelation for an observation and an observation at a prior time step is comprised of both the direct correlation and indirect correlations. The Partial Autocorrelation Function removes these indirect correlations.
Difference Order :- In a Time Series, a time series data have an inherent temporal structure. Some temporal structure might exist even after performing a differencing operation. The process of differencing can be repeated more than once until all temporal dependence has been removed. The number of times differencing is performed is called the difference order.
Auto-Regression :- Auto-Regression is a Time Series Model that uses observations from previous time steps as input to a regression equation to predict the value at the next time step.
Moving Average :- A moving average is a calculation used to analyze data points by creating a series of averages of different subsets of the full data set.
A simple moving average (SMA) is a calculation that takes the arithmetic mean of a given set of values over a specific number of lags. Exponential moving averages (EMA) is a weighted average that gives greater importance to the value on more recent time, making it an indicator that is more responsive to new information.
Time-Series Decomposition :- Intuition behind Time Series Decomposition is to consider Time Series as a Combination of Trend, Seasonality, and Random Noise Components. It can be treated as a good first-step to understand the underlying distribution of the Time Series Data.
Portmanteau Tests :- The Ljung–Box test is a type of statistical test of whether any of a group of autocorrelations of a time series are different from zero.
A portmanteau test is a type of statistical hypothesis test in which the null hypothesis is well specified, but the alternative hypothesis is more loosely specified.
Instead of testing randomness at each distinct lag, it tests the “overall” randomness based on a number of lags, and is therefore a portmanteau test.
IID :- It stands for Independent and Identically Distributed. It’s a common term in statistics, and would be used quite often in the further references.
Independent :- It means that the sample items are all independent events.
Identically Distributed :- It means that there are no overall trends and the sample is generated from the same probability distribution.
Proceed with the story.
Cheers !
Happy Learning ! | https://medium.com/analytics-vidhya/a-complete-guide-to-time-series-analysis-prologue-6a63fe829263 | ['Anant Kumar'] | 2021-04-12 15:47:20.203000+00:00 | ['Time Series Forecasting', 'Data Analysis', 'Data Science', 'Time Series Data', 'Time Series Analysis'] |
Co-Parenting Challenges And Promises | Co-Parenting Challenges And Promises
Parenting choices at the gumball machine tell a story.
The creation of our post-divorce family paradigm steered us through many unexpected paths of both challenge and promise. As a couple, we struggled with differing modalities towards the same desired goals for our kids. After we ended our marital relationship, these struggles didn’t magically ease in their intensity; at first, they became more difficult. We made mistakes that hurt our kids because we fell head-first into fruitless power struggles.
The challenge.
During one of our first post-divorce experiences, we attended a school performance and chose not to sit together. Earlier that morning, we engaged in an angry, grievous conversation with one another. When channeling your inner fire-breathing-dragon, spitting distance of the other isn’t safe for anyone. So, when we arrived at the school, we ignored each other and settled in to watch the performance.
As the play unfolded, I saw the result of our actions reflected in our daughter’s eyes. With an anguished heart, I watched our daughter look back and forth between her father and myself during her performance. Her discomfort in finding a balance between us became more awkward during the cast photographs after the show-her uneasiness growing as she posed back and forth between our cameras.
Instead of enjoying her performance, she struggled to manage her emotions while feeling torn between her parents. Her father and I, caught up in our disagreements, had thoughtlessly created an embarrassing family moment that overshadowed our kid’s school event.
“What the hell have we done?” I asked myself as I drove away in a hot mess of tears and nausea. In my mind, our divorce was not her issue to contend with, especially not at her school, surrounded by her peers and her community.
This experience revealed one of many specific areas where her father and I needed to improve how we co-parented our kids. It reminded us to follow through on all we promised the day we told them our marriage would no longer be the core of our family life. On that day, we assured them that we would always remain connected as a family, and as parents, we would be there for them in every way possible.
Could we sit together at a school play? Yes, we could do this for our kids.
The promise.
Moving forward, we decided to give our kids as many cohesive family meals and social events together as possible. After all, we were and always will be family. Today, we continue our efforts to show up as co-parents and support them with the continuity of family time. We share birthdays, a few holiday meals, and all school events with our kids. They need us both to love them without conditions and deserve our collective focus.
During one of our first post-divorce family meals together, our independent life approaches and parenting styles were exhibited at a gumball machine. As we left the restaurant, we stopped at the gumball machine.
As Evelyn twisted the coin wheel, I cupped my hand below the chute door to capture the gumball before it hit the floor. As Vivian turned the coin wheel, her father held the chute door closed with his finger to prevent the gumball from rolling out onto the floor. There it was, two different strategies towards the same goal.
At the moment, I was both amused and appreciative of the overall differences in our parenting choices. Even a trip to a gumball machine revealed our inherent differences.
We’ve always shared a common desire for our kids to be happy and healthy. We apply two different sets of parenting tools to that end. In this instance, we both tried to control the outcome of the gumball’s destination; one of us casting a net while the other used the brakes.
I thought about our longstanding tug-of-war for control in our marital paradigm. And though I was nostalgic for all the ways we worked as a couple, the gumball machine reminded me of how persistently we differ in our fundamental approaches to life.
These differences had been there all along. As a married couple with our individuality muted, we weren’t fully present for our kids.
I gained more clarity and energy to parent our kids after releasing the weight of constant communication woes and spousal dysfunction. As the primary focus of our communications shifted to co-parenting, we eventually became kinder to one another.
We began to function better as a parenting team-our relationship load lightened, we focused on the future. It wasn’t always smooth or graceful, but we kept at the work of keeping our focus upon our kids. The process became a bit easier with each step. Over time, our marital hurts are faded into the rearview mirror and steadily dipped below the horizon.
As we’ve gained independence both as parents and as individuals, the need for control in parental roles has lessened. There are still disagreements and disappointments; however, now, we aren’t managing decisions from our previous foundation as a bickering couple or the need to out-maneuver one another.
Our shared goals for the wellbeing of our kids; how they value themselves as individuals, their confidence in our ongoing parental devotion to them is now at the forefront of our co-parenting relationship.
We no longer shared in the daily minutiae of meals, bedtimes, entertainment, free play, chores, or entertainment. With separate residences, we’ve inherently given up full control of those details. Each must trust that the other is capable of figuring out strategies to manage the daily lives of our kids. As our kids grow, we continuously design the delicate and worthy framework of compassionate, co-parenting communication. In this, we are teaching our kids that there are many ways to meet challenges and honor promises. And, that compromise is attainable, no matter how the gumballs roll out. | https://lauraphoenixpower.medium.com/co-parenting-challenges-and-promises-a02d278d89cb | ['Laura Phoenix Power'] | 2020-01-16 22:07:37.656000+00:00 | ['Communication', 'Kids', 'Divorce', 'Coparenting', 'Family'] |
The Co-op Close-up: AutoML and Fintech at UMF | SFU’s professional master’s program in computer science trains computational specialists in big data and visual computing. All students complete a paid co-op work placement as part of their degree. In this feature, we examine the co-op experiences of some of our big data students.
Btara Truhandarien completed a Bachelor of Computer Science from the University of Waterloo. He worked as a software engineer at Japanese e-commerce giant Rakuten for two years before joining SFU’s professional master’s program in computer science.
Can you tell us about UMF? What is it like working there?
UMF, short for Union Mobile Financial Technology, was established in China in 2003 and has become a strong player in the Chinese financial market ever since. The company powers much of the Chinese market’s financial transactions for consumers, enterprises of various sizes, and financial institutions by providing fintech and payment solutions. In 2015, UMF started its overseas expansion and now has two locations, one of which is in Vancouver, BC. The office in Vancouver, where I work, is an R&D branch and develops new technologies for the company. Due to the nature of researching and building cutting-edge technology, the branch has a good amount of liberty in its approach and solutions, while still interacting with the main branch in China to stay aligned with the overall mission and vision. The branch work schedule is project-oriented, and, for this year, we are focusing on building an automated machine learning platform (AutoML) for the company.
Can you tell us a bit more about machine learning and AutoML?
There are multiple steps within the development of a machine learning algorithm, also known as the machine learning life cycle. Briefly, those steps are data gathering, data pre-processing or cleaning, feature engineering, feature selection, model training and tuning, model deployment, and model maintenance and monitoring. A complete AutoML system aims to achieve the automation of all of these steps, except data gathering. This enables people of broad skill levels to create powerful and effective machine learning solutions to various problem domains.
What are your responsibilities in the project you are working on?
The project I have been working on involves building a drag-and-drop machine learning web platform. This platform, similar to Microsoft Azure, allows users to build machine learning models using their own datasets. Most of UMF’s clients are financial institutions and governmental organizations working with financial data. So a simple example of how the platform can be used is to create a model that predicts whether a customer will pay back their loans, based on possibly thousands of features.
As the main developer of the translation API layer, I was responsible for handling the data flow between the user-facing data and the data structures required to execute various user commands. It is also this layer’s responsibility to store any required metadata information and decide what kind of data users receive, when they will receive it, and how they will receive it. In conjunction with the other parts of the system, the platform we have built enables users to provide their own datasets to the system, explore the datasets’ statistical information, build experiments and models, and execute the experiments with various parameters.
How has SFU’s master’s program prepared you for your co-op work?
There is no better experience for learning complex problems than putting your own two hands to the problem directly. I find that the big data program at SFU highly encourages this through the course projects. I am fortunate to have worked on projects that are technically challenging like my capsule networks project or the job advisor model project which covered a variety of techniques and data sources. The projects cultivated my research, design, technical, and critical analysis skills - each crucial for building the AutoML platform. Without the hands-on approach of the program, my understanding and skills could not have grown as much as they have during my co-op.
Where have you seen your biggest areas of growth during co-op?
I felt my largest growth has come from the responsibilities and trust that I have been given. While I do work within a team, and there is somebody who occasionally helps me implement features, for the most part, I work on the API layer alone. As the main developer, I have the responsibility of navigating through technical difficulties. I am often challenged with open-ended design decisions such as structuring the data flow of the system. This drives me to always critically assess the decisions I make and carefully plan for the potential impact in the future. In a sense, I am not just a developer but also a system designer. This design skill applies beyond the system-level design, extending to the design of the implementation. For example, when I implement the solution in code, I am always self-checking myself rigorously by going through several decision points examining code testability, maintainability, flexibility, usability and more.
What are your most valuable takeaways from this co-op experience?
I feel fortunate to be working on a project that is as challenging and unique as AutoML, and am grateful for the experience gained from packaging it as a platform to be used by users. It is both challenging and innovative, and it is something I can be proud of talking about when I look for future work opportunities.
The second thing I feel most fortunate about is the unique experience of working within a cross-cultural team. Part of my team members are based in UMF’s China branch. This makes it tricky to communicate ideas and points across due to the obvious reasons of language barrier and time zone difference, but I have managed so far with the help of my team members and also by communicating through technical designs.
Overall, my work at UMF has been a pleasant and unique experience. The culture of trust and autonomy is truly beneficial in helping me grow on the technical side and develop my soft skills. I truly believe that the culture of trust within the company has enabled me to maximally utilize my capabilities and I look forward to my next work term here at UMF. | https://medium.com/sfu-cspmp/the-co-op-close-up-automl-and-fintech-at-umf-3911e0d5cd9d | ['Kathrin Knorr'] | 2019-11-14 17:58:47.444000+00:00 | ['Data Science', 'Fintech', 'Machine Learning', 'Co Op', 'Big Data'] |
Engineering and biology join forces for healing | How do we control a cell to harness its full therapeutic and medical potential? The answer lies where engineering and biology meet. In our lab, engineering provides the data and analytical frameworks for handling and deciphering how a multitude of signals within a cell integrate to lead to each cellular outcome — the development of a particular tissue or cell type.
This is essentially data-driven “reverse engineering” of a biological system. But engineers also “forward engineer” — taking what we’ve learned, and using the tools and instruments at our disposal to guide cells and their development.
In my lab, we both reverse and forward engineer. We study how an organism develops from a single cell that contains all the information for a given process, and is the source of every cell of every organ and tissue in the body. We look at how cell signaling is controlled in the earliest stages of life to figure out how cells differentiate into the correct types, at the right times, and in the right places as the organism develops. In addition, we are developing ways to use that information to control the process, conducting research that contributes to regenerative medicine, which accelerates healing and repairs bone and tissue.
The signaling molecules we study are basically instructional cues that provide the information that tells a cell what to become. We focus on what are called Bone Morphogenetic Proteins (BMPs). These growth factors bind to a receptor on the cell surface, activating a cell to start turning on and off genes in the nucleus. Different levels of BMPs leads to different levels of signaling and the activation of different genes. This allows the BMPs to specify many different types of cells in a tissue or across an entire developing embryo.
When a single-cell embryo divides, and new cells continue dividing, there are hundreds and thousands of cells spread out that now need information to become different types, based on their position. In early life, BMPs are one of the kinds of molecules that tell each cell where it is, so the cell can start to carry out a new or specific function.
I work at the interface of developmental biology and engineering on this early embryonic development and spatial patterning, using mathematical models, imaging, and tight model/data integration. Our lab looks at how the spatial patterns of BMPs and signaling molecules are formed and controlled. We quantify these processes to see what the patterns look like, which genes are being activated over space, and how these changes take place.
It’s like a Google Earth of an embryo. All of these images are converted into data points for every cell. You can zoom in to see specific gene activation in a single cell, and zoom out to see what the pattern looks like from one side of an embryo to the next side.
We are using artificial intelligence (AI) so the computer automatically will find the different features in an embryo, draw boundaries around them, and quantify aspects within these boundaries like signal strength. As we get more and more data, the AI learns how to find all the features in the images; once it’s well-trained, we can rapidly quantify the images and convert them into datasets for 3D embryo simulations. This is a computationally intensive task, requiring millions of simulations. By training an AI to predict the simulation result, we have sped up calculations by 20,000 to 30,000 times, and we are able to solve problems we never could have envisioned solving.
The field of regenerative medicine seeks ways to control cells and tissues in vivo or ex vivo to replace damaged or diseased tissues. In a sense, we are cartographers –working to plot chemical roadmaps to make any cell, using technology and simulation. Once the maps are filled in with sufficient detail, they can be followed from a starting point to a destination.
A deeper understanding of signaling and signal integration will lead to improvements in regenerative medicine in ways we can’t even begin to imagine. The potential for co-opting these pathways to make clinically useful cells is very high, and early use of BMPs already has improved patient outcomes in bone repair, oral surgery, and dental implants.
David M. Umulis, PhD
Professor and Associate Head for Research, Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering
Professor, Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering
College of Engineering, Purdue University
Related Links
Umulis Quantitative and Systems Biology Research Group
LobeFinder technology quantifies changes in shape-shifting plant cells
Model may offer better understanding of embryonic development
Professor David Umulis participates in research suggesting new approach for treating inflammation
Purdue Engineering Review: The mover and shaker within cells
Purdue Engineering Review: Novel biomaterials for regenerating cartilage tissue | https://medium.com/purdue-engineering/engineering-and-biology-join-forces-for-healing-fdbf2cca4f11 | ['Purdue College Of Engineering'] | 2020-12-17 13:50:18.617000+00:00 | ['Health', 'Biology', 'Engineering', 'AI'] |
How to directly download Kaggle dataset to Google Drive | Kaggle is one of the most useful website for data scientist. It contains large amount of data to use the project. Taking about Deep Learning or AI, these require quite serious processing. Many people tend to use Google Colab for model training since the GPU available for free. One drawback of Colab is that the model is no longer remained when quitting the notebook (unless you are the pro user). The solution is to move the workspace to Google Drive because it can be saved all information after leaving the notebook.
Sometimes, the download and upload are consuming the time. The topic for today is how to directly download Kaggle dataset to Google Drive. Everything will be on cloud for sure!
Setting up
First thing first, we need two accounts which are Kaggle and Google. Go to Kaggle website and open ‘My Account’ scrolling down to API. Click on Create New API Token
Web browser will ask you to download json file, named kaggle.json . The file contains Username and Key that will be used for config Google Colab environment.
Colab
Moving to Google Colab, firstly don’t forget to mount the Google Drive. Otherwise, your data will be lost anyway. In this tutorial, we are going to create the new notebook for coding config environment. You may change directory to some folder in your drive but remember dataset will be downloaded to that directory.
It might seem a bit different from others because this tutorial doesn’t require any upload file to Google Drive. I have faced many issues when using upload json file and configuration method. Instead, we directly used information in json file and config in the Google Drive following code above.
**Important the code above is CASE SENSITIVE. It should follow exactly the same.**
Kaggle API
We are now ready to use Kaggle API. To use it, go to the link we needed and find “three dots” somewhere on the right side of the page. Then, select Copy API command (refer to figure below).
Back to Google Colab notebook. Insert the new cell and type ! at the beginning followed by the API command (refer to example code below).
Downloading tv-shows-on-netflix-prime-video-hulu-and-disney.zip to /content/drive/My Drive/Colab Notebooks/.kaggle
0% 0.00/88.0k [00:00<?, ?B/s] 100% 88.0k/88.0k [00:00<00:00, 12.2MB/s]
The dataset will be downloaded to your Google Drive (wherever your current working directory).
Conclusion
Overall, it is a good practice when you want to use Kaggle dataset and working on Google Colab at the same time. If you have any question regarding this or else, we can continue the conversation over the LinkedIn. You can find my LinkedIn as below.
See you next time! | https://medium.com/analytics-vidhya/how-to-directly-download-kaggle-dataset-to-google-drive-aa06175712e2 | ['Sasiwut Chaiyadecha'] | 2020-09-10 13:40:27.081000+00:00 | ['Google Colaboratory', 'Google Colab', 'Google Drive', 'Kaggle Api', 'Kaggle'] |
The Burning Secret Of Fat… | White fat stores excess energy, whereas brown and beige fat are thermogenic and dissipate energy as heat. Thermogenic adipose tissues markedly improve glucose and lipid homeostasis in mouse models, although the extent to which brown adipose tissue (BAT) influences metabolic and cardiovascular disease in humans is unclear. Here we retrospectively categorized 134,529 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography–computed tomography scans from 52,487 patients, by presence or absence of BAT, and used propensity score matching to assemble a study cohort. Scans in the study population were initially conducted for indications related to cancer diagnosis, treatment or surveillance, without previous stimulation. We report that individuals with BAT had lower prevalence’s of cardiometabolic diseases, and the presence of BAT was independently correlated with lower odds of type 2 diabetes, dyslipidemia, coronary artery disease, cerebrovascular disease, congestive heart failure and hypertension. These findings were supported by improved blood glucose, triglyceride and high-density lipoprotein values. The beneficial effects of BAT were more pronounced in individuals with overweight or obesity, indicating that BAT might play a role in mitigating the deleterious effects of obesity. Taken together, our findings highlight a potential role for BAT in promoting cardiometabolic health.
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As early as 2003, reports described increased uptake of the glucose analog 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG) on positron emission tomography (PET) scans in areas corresponding to supraclavicular fat on computed tomography (CT) images, suggesting the presence of metabolically active BAT in adult humans. In 2009, a series of papers confirmed the presence of active BAT in adults, which correlated with lower body mass index (BMI), decreased age, colder outdoor temperature, female sex and decreased glucose levels. Since then, small prospective studies in healthy humans have demonstrated that cold-activated BAT is associated with increased energy expenditure and enhanced disposal of glucose and free fatty acids.
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Or You can Order Exipure With The Special Discount Attached Right Now And Change Your Life Today! | https://medium.com/@dimitri.stanoulis/the-burning-secret-of-fat-9ada4c2a1529 | ['Dimitri Stanoulis'] | 2022-01-06 01:04:54.353000+00:00 | ['Weight Loss', 'Weight Loss Supplements', 'Natural', 'Weight Loss Tips', 'Obesity'] |
AYS Daily Digest 16/06/21 — Demonstration Thursday for regularization in Naples | AYS Daily Digest 16/06/21 — Demonstration Thursday for regularization in Naples
Human traffickers sentenced to prison in Ethiopia//Twenty steps to protect people at sea//People lodge complaint with European Commission against Greece Are You Syrious? Follow Jun 17 · 10 min read
FEATURE
Protest in Napoli for regularization
There is a protest on Thursday organized by Movimento Migranti e Rifugiati di Napoli for emergency temporary residence permits that would provide a pathway to permanent status for migrant workers. Current residency permits for workers tie people’s residency to a work contract, which left many without any access to necessary services during the pandemic and economic crisis when many lost their jobs. The amnesty measure the Italian government passed in 2020 was never enough because it only helped people in the agricultural sector, even though foreign workers are also the backbone of housekeeping and other industries, as well as other exclusionary aspects of the bill. You can sign their appeal here and register for the event here.
People without papers have difficulty accessing basic services such as healthcare, including COVID-19 vaccines. The province of Campania just began vaccinating foreigners without residency permits, even though there are thousands of people there in need of vaccines. As the people from MMRN said, it makes no sense to engage in nationalism because vaccine transmission does not ask for someone’s paperwork. Even this expansion of access does not encompass all people and only covers those in specific legal situations. Lack of vaccine access for people in precarious situations, including people on the move, has been a continent-wide problem and unequal rollout threatens people’s fundamental rights.
Even those eligible for legal status under existing regulations have had difficulty doing so. An applicant who made a request for Special Protection directly to Napoli Police Headquarters was rejected because the police claimed that they needed to apply for a residence permit first. Now, The Court of First Instance ordered the Napoli Police to receive requests for Special Protection directly, not just under special circumstances. While this will hopefully open up more opportunities for people to receive protection, the fact that the Court had to cut through such a bureaucratically convoluted process speaks to the ways the Italian government wants to discourage people from getting protection.
So many people have been shut out of the legal system because of convoluted bureaucratic processes, the termination of work contracts, or other circumstances outside their control. That is why there needs to be a pathway towards legalization immediately. | https://medium.com/are-you-syrious/ays-daily-digest-16-06-21-demonstration-thursday-for-regularization-in-napoli-92c728275d76 | ['Are You Syrious'] | 2021-06-17 11:28:57.235000+00:00 | ['Italy', 'Digest', 'Protest', 'Migrants', 'Refugees'] |
Muscle Of Meditation | These are just my thoughts on meditation and why it is difficult. Everyone is free to have their own understanding and opinions on meditation.
Is there a muscle that we intend to develop through the practice of meditation, and if so what would it be. Are we strengthening the muscle of relaxation or are we strengthening the muscle that enables us to bear the unrelaxed state?
Most of us get into the practice of meditation as a means to find some relaxation or peace of mind. But striving for an end goal, be it relaxation or calmness, can corrupt the process. If anything, peace of mind can only be a side effect, and that too not guaranteed.
Meditation, if nothing else, must give us a possibility to come back to the reality of our internal state of mind as it is. In this sense, it is essentially a self-confrontation process. The shadows — the negative aspects of oneself — are welcomed.
Meditation can be said as a voluntary activity we engage in to face the inner demons. And this feels like a counterproductive thing to do. Our mind can only see it that way: I am supposed to find relaxation and not welcome those demons.
But suffering does not come with welcoming negative aspects, instead, suffering is our compulsion to avoid them. It is the strenuous effort of needing to keep them (shadows/inner-demons) away at a distance that drains us. They demand attention purely because it is a natural law to first deal with the blockage than to avoid it or to quickly fight with it.
Sure enough, to welcome the darker aspects of oneself is discomforting, but what we avoid in ourselves will inevitably affect our lives — no matter how well we manage to suppress them.
Meditation as a self-confrontation process would include tensions, anxieties, pain, etc. And what is required of us is not an irritable reaching towards a better state, but to be with ‘what-is’ as it is. That is there is no avoidance in any form.
We include everything as it is without any disrespect towards them, just like holding a loved one or holding the pain of a loved one. We do not throw it away and say I love you but instead bear it as our own. Do we wish our loved ones to suffer the pain of avoidance and remain stuck or wish them the strength to hold it and thereby transmute it at its own pace? It takes as long as it takes, and hence patience is naturally required of us to be cultivated along with the process.
… If you begin to understand what you are without trying to change it, then what you are undergoes a transformation — J Krishnamurti
When we are striving or secretly hoping for a better — relaxed, calmed — state, there is no motivation to develop the strength to stay with whatever arises; we can never wholeheartedly stay with the discomforting states and hence we never cultivate the inner strength.
We can even say that we are strengthening the muscle of avoidance when we are secretly hoping for a way out of whatever that disturbs us internally.
And if we are to meditate (self-confronting)it is important to develop the muscle— the muscle to stay with the pain of disturbing mental states (if any). This is a kind of Negative Capability.
… I mean Negative Capability, that is when man is capable of being in uncertainties, Mysteries, doubts, without any irritable reaching after fact & reason. — John Keats
Just like, in physical exercise, we are required to undergo the legitimate pain in the process, here in meditation we develop the strength to undergo the psychological discomforts in a gentle manner, and thereby strengthening our Negative Capability.
And this is not easy because of our habitual tendency to always look for a way to avoid psychological discomforts. Thoughts demand a quick fix or avoidance. The mind fights with all its available weapons to pull us into the old(conditioned reactions). We cannot force this habitual tendency to end and then hope to start meditation, all we could do is to take notice of it (if such strong reactions are there). We might even get to see how little control we have of our internal state and that we are run over by habitual reactions — like a programmed robot.
“Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom.”― Viktor E. Frankl
Initially, we are only required to aim for that level of inner strength — to notice our avoidance mechanisms. And with patience and consistent showing up we organically develop more strength.
When we gain the strength to stay then we aren’t so easily driven into habitual reactions — aimed at avoidance — but we get a space to stay and look.
Difficulties (internally and externally) aren’t a choice; being born is good enough to have discomforts and pain, so might as well develop the muscle of meditation. | https://medium.com/spiritual-secrets/muscle-of-meditation-4ddc8a93a373 | ['Pretheesh Presannan'] | 2020-10-04 06:03:07.367000+00:00 | ['Pain', 'Meditation', 'Inner Peace', 'Transformation', 'Spiritual Secrets'] |
The 6 Rules to Writing Headlines That Get Reads | The 6 Rules to Writing Headlines That Get Reads
Image by StockSnap from Pixabay
Why it even matters
You probably already know this, but it’s worth reiterating:
Your headline is the deciding factor of whether or not your content gets read.
Picture yourself selling something on the street. Your content is your product and your headline is your pitch. Thing is, you’re not at some relaxed market fair, where visitors leisurely visit each vendor in turn and casually sample their wares. No. You’re on a busy Manhattan street (pre-Covid, that is), with countless other vendors just like you all clamoring for attention — and the only customers are rushing by you, trying to get to work.
And you need somehow get them to stop. To turn. To walk over to you and, over all the other vendors around you, look at what you’re selling.
That’s the internet. A giant world swamped with content, whose readers are currently estimated to have around 8 seconds worth of attention span to spare.
If you’re playing the numbers game — if you’re hoping to get noticed by the virtue of your content alone — you’ve already lost. The numbers are against you. You’re just too small in too big a pool.
You need to stick out. You need to be irresistible. You need to grab that attention instead of waiting for it to come to you.
And you do that with a headline.
What this article will give you
Of course, the question is: how? How do you create a headline so irresistible that people can’t help but click on it?
There’s a lot of information out there about headlines, ranging from best words to use to tips on how to come up with good headlines. I’ve linked to some of those resources throughout this article. They’ll help you get a little bit more in-depth on certain specifics.
This article, though, will focus on everything you need to know to create the right headline for your content. Starting with what you want your headline to achieve to knowing how to tow the line between irresistible and unbelievable, along with all the best ways to get your headline to achieve its goal.
Let’s get to it.
Rule 1: Make a promise
This is the golden rule of headlines. Your headline shouldn’t just announce what your content is about. If you want it to grab attention, it should promise something — if you read this article, you will get x.
So ditch the meaningless puns and the clever wordplay. If you’re writing about drums, please don’t title your headline, “It’s all about that bass.” It might sound cute, but it doesn’t actually promise anything — and it’s therefore not an effective headline.
But the promise is just the first step. Anyone can make a promise; you’re not gonna stand out from the crowd if all you did is make some basic promise. You need to tailor that promise to make it irresistible. Here are a few ways to turn a headline into an irresistible promise:
Offer something unique
No, I don’t mean to word your headline in some obscure way that no one else thought of and claim you’re being unique. I mean to offer something unique — either because no one is speaking about it, or because you’ve researched the topic more than the competition, or maybe just because you’re offering a new angle that no one else thought of. In other words: check what is already being offered on this topic and see what you can offer that no one else is.
Focus on them
Here’s the thing. We tend to talk about the topics we want to talk about. That’s human nature. But just because we want to talk about it doesn’t mean we should make it about us. “How I Make a Living As a Copywriter,” is a far less enticing headline than, “How You Can Make a Living As a Copywriter.” Focus on what your audience wants — and deliver it to them.
Of course, like with any rule, there are exceptions. Most breaking news headlines, for example, simply declare the content of the article — and that’s more than enough to get them reads. But there’s a reason for that: their content is so interesting that simply declaring the content is sufficient. If you’re writing about content like that, you can probably ignore everything in this article.
Most of the time, though, simply declaring the content won’t be enough, and you’ll need to turn your headline into a promise.
Further reading: https://copyblogger.com/proven-headline-formulas/
Rule 2: Only promise what you can deliver
Of course, you might then think you should go to the extreme. If people are attracted by promises, then you should promise something insane.
The thing is, the whole reason a promise works is because you then deliver on it in the content of your article. If you don’t — if you make a huge promise that you can’t live up to — then, though you might get people to read this specific article out of curiosity, you’re going to damage your reputation and have a much harder time getting them to read next time.
In other words, avoid clickbait titles. Everyone wants to make a million dollars in five minutes, but titling your article, “How to make $1,000,000 in 5 minutes,” is just plain dumb. That’s clickbait. There’s no way you can actually deliver on that promise.
This is an important point. Sacrificing on your reputation for the sake of a few more initial views of your content is not smart. I’m not just talking about obvious clickbait titles, like, “How to make $1,000,000 in 5 minutes.” No one really believes that there’s an article that can deliver an actionable, concrete way to make a million dollars in 5 minutes. No, I’m talking about more subtle tactics that even experienced copywriters use sometimes to generate reads. I know some big-name marketers do these, and I know some of these points are a little controversial, but in my opinion, these tactics are not worth it.
For example, here are a few headlines tactics I’d advise you to avoid:
Deliberately misrepresenting your content
For example, using a title like, “Regular exercise will destroy your body,” for an article that explains correct form when using exercise and how, if you consistently use poor form, you could “destroy your body.” Sure, the content you promised is in the article, but your headlines promised the exact opposite of what it delivered.
Content that requires action to reveal the promise
I see this from time to time with websites looking to get more sign ups to a specific course or resource. They’ll use a title promising a certain thing — say, “How to double your subscribers in 30 days” — write a whole article about the importance of subscribes and why you’d want to double them, and end off with, “So if you want to learn how to do all this, click the button below to join our course!” Nowhere in the article is the promise in the title delivered on. Again, avoid this.
Clickbait-sounding titles that aren’t clickbait
This one’s less of a tactic I see used and more just a final point I want to make: you should avoid titles that sound like their clickbait, even if they aren’t. Say, for example, you actually could deliver on the promise of how to earn a million dollars in five minutes. I’d still advise using a title that doesn’t sound clickbait-y, for a simple reason: just because your clickbait-sounding title actually isn’t clickbait doesn’t mean anyone else will believe you. If it sounds like clickbait, that’s what people will think it is.
Rule 3: Be specific
Next rule: if you want your headline to get reads, you need to be specific in what you’re promising. Titles like, “The best marketing advice you’ll hear today,” don’t tend to work so well because they’re far too vague. What is your content about? What will your reader gain from it? Without revealing those questions, your reader can’t decide if it’s worth their time — and will therefore choose to consume other types of content that do answer those questions.
While not all titles need to specify what the content is about, they do need to specify what your reader will receive from them. For example, “How this simple marketing tactic tripled my earnings.” That works, because while the headline opts for a little suspense as to what the tactic is, it’s very specific as to what it’s promising you.
The general rule of thumb here is: the more specific, the better. If you’re writing about how to make money blogging through advertising, “How to make money blogging through advertising,” or something along those lines is a far better title than simply, “How to make money blogging,” because by narrowing down your focus, you have a far more targeted pitch. And if you are writing about all the ways to make money blogging, try, “Everything you need to know about how to monetize your blog,” over, “How to monetize your blog,” because, again, “Everything there is to know” is a more targeted pitch than just, “Things to know.”
In short: there is a lot of content out there, so the more specific you are, the more you’re able to pinpoint how you stand out.
Rule 4: Know your audience
The next two rules center around the same idea: there is no cookie-cutter headline. Sure, all headlines should promise something specific, and as we’re gonna get into later, there are certain words and phrases that have been shown to be more successful than others — but if you want your headline to be successful, you have to realize that headlines are not just formulas with blank spaces to fill in.
They change depending on your audience.
Say you’re writing about an at-home workout. With the cookie cutter approach, you take a standard headline formula and apply it to your content — how to workout at home, the best way to workout at home, x tips on how to workout from home, blah blah blah. There’s nothing there that stands out from the crowd, and it’s not because your content is bad.
It’s because you’re not bothering to get to know your audience.
Why do they want to workout from home? What’s holding them back from working out at home? What is the burning problem they need you to solve?
With information like that, you can turn bland, generic headlines into ones that grab attention — by speaking the words your audience is waiting to hear.
As an example, I once got an email from Mark Schaefer titled: : New Research Answers: Is Content Marketing Sustainable? I remember being pretty busy at the time, but I still stopped what I was doing and read the article from beginning and end. Content marketing is what I do, you see. If it’s not sustainable, I’m out of a job.
That’s a headline written by people who know their audience. Because that’s the thing about headlines. Don’t try to be mildly interesting to everyone.
Be absolutely irresistible to your target audience.
Further reading: https://blog.alexa.com/writing-headlines/
Rule 5: Know your platform
And just like you need to know your audience, you need to know your platform. The type of headlines that work in one place might not necessarily work somewhere else. The type of headlines you’d use for YouTube, for example, are not necessarily the type you’d use for your blog.
So take the time to research what headlines do well on different platforms. More than that: understand why those headlines do well where they do so. Platforms like YouTube and Vimeo are visual platforms; your headline should pair well your thumbnail. Platforms like Medium are writing-heavy, and while the featured image is important, it rarely has any impact on the headline.
Further reading: https://neilpatel.com/blog/the-ultimate-guide-to-writing-irresistible-headlines-for-social-media/
https://searchengineland.com/five-keys-for-creating-viral-youtube-titles-37989
https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/types-of-blog-headlines
Rule 6: Write your headline with style
So you’re promising something. Something specific. Something that you know speaks to your target audience. But if you want to really stand out from the crowd, you have to go the extra mile.
You have to use tried and tested copywriting tactics to lend your headline an air of urgency.
Don’t offer a guide. Offer the ultimate guide. Don’t offer tips. Offer tips that get results. Get into the mind of your reader and ask yourself what would stop you more: someone offering 6 rules for writing headlines, or someone offering the 6 rules for writing headlines that get reads? (Wink, wink, he says in a dry tone.)
Of course, don’t just ask yourself. Countless harder-working copywriters and marketers than me have given us the data on the most successful words and phrases to use in a headline.
Check them out here.
Further reading: https://buzzsumo.com/blog/most-shared-headlines-study/
TL;DR: Sum it up, please
As you wish:
Successful headlines promise something
The best headlines stand out by promising something unique and focused on their reader
Avoid promising things that you can’t deliver
Likewise, avoid misrepresenting your content
The best headlines are specific
Tailor your headline by understanding your target audience and platform
Use tried and proven words and phrases for success
Further reading: https://neilpatel.com/blog/the-step-by-step-guide-to-writing-powerful-headlines/ | https://writingcooperative.com/the-6-rules-to-writing-headlines-that-get-reads-7c221cb85141 | ['Eli Landes'] | 2020-10-13 19:10:26.939000+00:00 | ['Writing', 'Copywriting', 'Headline Hacks', 'Headlines', 'Writing Tips'] |
10 Learnings From Founders At Work | How Entrepreneurship Looks Like!
Founders at work by Jessica Livingston is a lot like watching a documentary about the lives of founders in the early days of tech startups between 1980 and 2005. Here are 10 very recurrent themes & learnings that emerge from the 30-odd success stories & my take on it basis personal interactions with 100+ founders over the last 5 years — very useful learnings especially for first time founders , some of which I had to learn the hard way in my last startup NutriPal that I recently had to wind up
Almost none of the stories were centred around the founder’s early obsession with marketing or making quick money — it was either an obsession with the consumer/ a problem (Hotmail / Tivo/ Blogger ), or with building a great engineering org where you yourself would want to work at, or just a chance encounter with something that went viral unknowingly (Hot or Not!)
Obsession is irrational, & goes much beyond market sizing & identifying money-making opportunities.
2. Most of the stories are about young founders, on an average 25 years of age. The lack of commitments (financial & otherwise), slight naiveté mixed with infinite energy, is a recipe for success as a tech startup founder.
It seems that your late 20s are a great time to build, with a sweet spot of financial cushion, connections & youth & naiveté working in your favour.
3. The co-founders in almost all stories were friends or ex colleagues, hardly any exceptions there.
It seems that partnering with someone who you barely know from before, rarely works. Which is why I am extremely skeptical of setups like entrepreneur first etc
4. The number of times that ‘luck & timing’ have been quoted with examples by the entrepreneurs themselves, is insanely high. It almost feels like startups are about chasing the right market with the right team with enough customer obsession, for a long time until you get lucky- there is literally nothing else that matters on a macro level.
Rarely any of the stories talk about starting up with projections of getting to X run rate & making Z money in Y years. Most were on the lines of ‘let’s try this to see if it works’
5. VCs are almost always talked about as ‘necessary evil’, with words of cautions on a) not raising too much money b) not knowing the terms well c) regret of ceding control, being repeated. At the same time, most of them closed their financing quite early on & did not bootstrap for more than a few months. You can’t play bigger games without having the muscle to iterate for 2 years.
6. The stories are a healthy mix of problems they identified themselves in their last job, identified as a user themselves , & the ones identified as a market opportunity- to say that one way is better than the other might not be right.
7. Almost none of the stories talk about being able to pull off in-spite of a mediocre team. The fact that the best ones , though they draw only 30% higher salary than the average or good ones, are 150%-200% better than them, is repeated . And this applies not just in engineering but across- though applies all the more strongly in engineering.
It is ok to go slow on hiring, or even downsize back to 1–2 people after tough times (like Blogger , or the more recent Gumroad story), or outsource or have freelancers working with you until better options emerge, but you have to have the best talent working with you- there is no substitute to that.
Adding on to this, given the current environment when it comes to hiring engineering talent, apart from being competitive & working on an interesting enough problem (hygiene), getting folks who are previous/ future founders among the initial 10–15 people in the team, might be a hack worth exploring.
8. Consumer tech, most of the success stories were of product-led growth/ viral growth, with a few also because of very strong early partnerships. Both of these should be the only focus areas in the pre PMF days for any consumer startup- the 2nd one is often ignored at the cost of paid channels & it is very tempting to do that.
9. Very few of the founding teams were MBAs or management consultants, reiterating how these experiences don’t add much value if you want to be an entrepreneur. The hacker mentality seems to be the most important skill set in entrepreneurship.
10. Pivots are not the exception, but norm in the first 2–3 years of startups. Pivots could be minor, like pivoting in the same category, or even drastic, where you move on to a different category altogether, but only because of a strong market or consumer insight on the way.
Founding teams need to be conditioned to be extremely comfortable when these happen, as long as done logically. Most founding teams face churn at pivot stages irrespective of money in the bank.
Highly recommend reading Founders At Work , & hoping for it’s second edition to come out with 30 stories of post 2005 era! | https://medium.com/@akshat-pd/10-learnings-from-founders-at-work-4726281d5bef | ['Akshat Pandey'] | 2021-06-17 10:29:11.336000+00:00 | ['Startups', 'Founder Stories'] |
The big picture, the small pictures, and the numbers that don’t matter | Source: Autodesk Research
I LOVE abstract thinking. Finding and applying patterns is how I turn data into information. By relying on summary statistics alone we can turn data into misinformation. We’ll look at some fun examples to (literally) illustrate the importance of looking at your total dataset, getting feedback on your results, and looking again.
In 1973, Francis Anscombe made a quartet of eleven-point datasets that can be described with the same four values of mean, variance, correlation, and best fit line, but they are visually quite different. X1 shows a simple linear relationship with a fairly normal distribution; However, X2 doesn’t have a normal distribution or a linear relationship; X3 has a linear relationship, but one outlier throws off its best fit line; and X4 shows an even more extreme example of a non-normal distribution and a single outlier’s influence on the line.
This graphic represents the four datasets defined by Francis Anscombe for which some of the usual statistical properties (mean, variance, correlation and regression line) are the same, even though the datasets are different. Reference: Anscombe, Francis J. (1973) Graphs in statistical analysis. American Statistician, 27, 17–21.
We don’t actually know how Anscombe made those datasets. Now there’s a great site, DrawMyData, where we can create a dataset with specific stats by clicking points on the graph until we get the summary stats we want, then export it as a csv file. Thanks Robert Grant! Alberto Cairo used that to update the quartet with a charismatic set called the Datasaurus:
It must have taken a while.
In “Same Stats, Different Graphs: Generating Datasets with Varied Appearance and Identical Statistics through Simulated Annealing,” Autodesk researchers Justin Matejka and Geroge Fitzmaurice took that Datasaurus set as a starting point and used 200,000 perturbations to produce the Datasaurus Dozen. The Datasaurus Dozen adds eleven new shapes with the same summary statistics. This whole dataset is available for download with the names of each subset and x-y coordinates. Here is my scatterplot of the whole set with its best-fit line:
Pictured: ‘dino’, ‘away’, ‘h_lines’, ‘v_lines’, ‘x_shape’, ‘star’,
‘high_lines’, ‘dots’, ‘circle’, ‘bullseye’, ‘slant_up’,
‘slant_down’, ‘wide_lines’
Clearly, it is not a very well-fitting line. Suppose this model is accepted anyway, and that a given subset with those same stats is assumed to look similar. Remember, there are twelve distinct-looking datasets hidden in that messy scatterplot (you’ll see them at the end; it’s worth it). If someone were familiar with a specific dataset, they may argue for a different linear correlation.
Not pictured: better-fit line
This gives us an example of the Amalgamation Paradox (or Simpson’s paradox). The Amalgamation Paradox is a statistical a phenomenon where a certain trend appears in different groups of data but reverses when they are added together. Here’s a classic example:
Source: Wikipedia
And here is an example within our own data subset:
The red dots represent the best of six lucky guesses.
The amalgamation paradox tells us there may be some confounding variables at play. In the case of the datasaurus dozen, it’s sampling bias. Matejka and Fitzmaurice put a lot of work into biasing each subset’s distribution until it had the same stats as the whole set. This is some truly beautiful sampling bias: | https://medium.com/@taragreenwood/the-big-picture-the-small-pictures-and-the-numbers-that-dont-matter-795066524257 | ['Tara Greenwood'] | 2019-05-20 17:55:58.540000+00:00 | ['Data Visualization', 'Data Science', 'Flatiron School', 'Autodesk'] |
games that don’t work | It certainly does in some places at certain times — the Daily9 FLC is one. The point is not to sleep to score a point — the point is to sleep. But that’s a game that works. For the short-term at least. It is on you to build on it. And of course, it does not work for everyone.
Likewise, I am better off focusing on what I want to do — talking about strength training and moving towards a sustainable, healthy lifestyle, and the stories and the specifics of it. If I connect to a few of you and it helps you provide a perspective, or sometimes it is a simple “Do this!”, I think that’s pretty frickin’ great. Once I realised I was playing the game wrong for myself, I was able to start writing — and not worrying about # of reads and likes and all that stuff. It feels liberating.
I guess now I can generalise for the world from this drastic reveal and create a proverb. But seriously, that was (one of) my Resistance.
Sometimes, play the game by your own rules
Know when things are not working and change the approach — finally I got around to this. Writing here works a lot better for me and I am having fun. I don’t get Instagram, to be honest. It is not a format that works for me. Writing ideas and stories to sell (sell does not have to be a bad word, I tell myself) strength training and healthy lifestyle over here feels good. To top it off, a few of you write to me and share your stories, which makes it a much richer experience.
Not all stories of mine will resonate with you but some will, and if I can be part of that moment, that’s a number I’ll keep track of. That’s a joke. Get it? Coz am talking about not counting and no numbers. Well, I laughed! | https://medium.com/@arvindashok/games-that-dont-work-7cbd02771436 | ['Arvind Ashok'] | 2020-04-24 03:07:07.934000+00:00 | ['Games', 'Strengthtraining', 'Chasing Numbers', 'Motivation', 'Strength'] |
What Writers Can Learn From Other Creatives | What Writers Can Learn From Other Creatives
Start messy! Photo by Tara Winstead on Pexels
Over the years, I’ve worked with or interviewed thousands of creatives from many different fields — many of them at the very top of their game. As a journalist and as a magazine editor. As a collaborator. And more recently as a coach working with experienced creatives of all kinds. Here’s what I’ve learned.
From photographers: organization
Photo by Skye studios on Unsplash
Photographers have lots of gear that they often need to access quickly. They also don’t want to leave expensive equipment behind, on location.
So most of the photographers I’ve worked with pack their bags in the same way, every time. They know exactly which pocket contains a certain lens, a power pack, a flash. They can access what they need in the dark, when they’re jet-lagged, or in stressful situations. And if they see an empty pocket, they know just what is missing as they pack up to leave.
The lesson: Have a place for everything you might need quickly, and always put it back after using it. I now take the same bag whenever I travel, with my passport and travel documents in the same pocket, money, pens, notebook, recorder all in their regular places. My desk at home is similar: everything I use regularly is within easy reach.
I always thought that my creativity thrived on chaos. But scrabbling about in my bag to find my digital recorder before a quick interview or spending 20 minutes looking for a hole punch, stapler or scissors actually kills spontaneity. Get organized!
From artists: play and explore
Photo by Alice Dietrich on Unsplash
I’ve never met a successful artist who isn’t playful and curious, willing to explore, to try new things — and fail spectacularly, at times.
In interviews, I never ask creatives where they get their ideas from. It’s one of the most irritating and difficult questions to answer. But I do sometimes ask if they remember where they were when the idea first came to them.
Artists tend to tell me about the inspiration that came during an aimless stroll through the British Museum, on a bike ride or an early morning swim, while watching a film or flicking through random books.
Quality play is as important as hard work if you want a good supply of ideas. You make something new by being open and interested in a wide variety of things, then connecting some of those things together in ways that haven’t been seen before. It won’t always work — but failure is just another part of the process.
From other writers: start messy
I used to think I was doing something wrong, with my endless drafting and redrafting, that ‘real’ writers simply moved their fingers across a keyboard and the words were there, fully formed and in the right order.
But there is nothing more disempowering than staring at a blank screen or page and expecting your first sentence to be extraordinary. Striving for perfection right away — without rewrites, editing, polishing — is a recipe for getting blocked. This is why so many writers call their first attempt something like Draft Zero or Shitty First Draft. It’s getting out of your own way, giving yourself permission to be awful.
So just dive in and get your ideas down. Start in the middle, at the end, or with the one bit you know how to write. Or just write anything that comes into your head — even if it’s nonsense — until it starts to flow.
Fear is an issue for all creatives, but resistance is especially strong for writers, who usually work solo and don’t need a lot of preparation to begin. Which makes it ridiculously easy to keep procrastinating. The answer is almost always to start now, and start messy. You can improve it later!
From designers: always keep the user in mind
Photo by Kumpan Electric on Unsplash
As a journalist and magazine editor, I’ve been lucky to work with and interview some brilliant designers. What they taught me is to always keep the end-user in mind.
A good fashion designer thinks about how a garment will make the wearer feel. How it will hang on the body, how the fabric will feel against the skin.
A graphic designer isn’t just using whatever colors, fonts, and logos look cool: they’re thinking about what the brand, magazine, client is trying to communicate, what will attract or connect with their audience.
A product designer will consider how the item will be used, and they will try to make that as easy and intuitive as possible.
All creatives can benefit from giving some thought to their intended audience. Who are you making this for? How will they use it/enjoy it/interact with it? How do you want them to feel as they do that?
From actors (and dancers): it’s all in the preparation
Photo by Andrea Piacquadio from Pexels
No theatre performance is exactly the same, two nights running. I’ve been on film and TV sets countless times, and seen how each take of a scene is slightly different — and the best ones often involve improvisation or happy accidents.
But they only work if the actor responds completely in character. If whatever she does is consistent with what we already know about that character — and what will be revealed later.
This takes thorough preparation. Not just knowing your lines, memorizing the movements, but knowing everything there is to know about your character.
As for dancers: it takes years of consistent work and training to make those movements seem so fluid, natural, and effortless.
It’s a fine line to tread. We all can get lost in too much prep, and use that as a way of delaying. There comes a point when we have to commit, to take action. But it helps if you’re ready.
As a journalist, I learned that if I researched thoroughly for a big interview, then it could turn into a much more spontaneous conversation on the day.
Thorough preparation gives you the freedom to go with the flow, to respond in the moment. It looks easy. But only if you’ve put the work in!
From architects: it’s the space that matters
Photo by Gtography from Pexels
Architecture is all about detail. The way the window meets the wall. The window fittings. The direction the floor ties run in. The light and shadows. Everything has to be considered.
But what surprised me, interviewing some of the world’s top architects, is how many of them talk more about the empty bits, the voids. Not about the building, or the materials, but about the spaces they’re creating, and how people might use those spaces.
So a cut-off corner of a new public building creates a new public square to give the local community a sense of ownership and belonging. A huge window pulls people through a series of galleries in a museum towards the view. An atrium in a factory gives common space for workers and managers to mix, eat and drink together.
It seems to me that pause, silence, white space is just as important in other creative fields. The spaces you create, the things you miss out, the distractions and clutter you cut away, the gaps you leave for the imagination to fill: they’re often as important as the details you include.
From musicians: surrender
Photo by Martin Lopez from Pexels
I’ve always loved the alchemy of music, its power to transcend and transform. The way a perfectly ordinary person with all the normal fears and anxieties can walk onstage and become something other, something bigger, perhaps even something possessed.
You write, record, rehearse. You do all the work. But there’s a point, on stage, in performance, when you just have to let go and let the music move through you. Let it take control. James Brown, the Godfather of Soul, used to call these moments ‘getting out of your skin’.
For all creatives, these moments of flow are crucial. When the paint tells you where it needs to go. Or the characters in your novel start saying and doing things you didn’t plot out or expect. When you have an idea and just act on it, without over-thinking. This is when the magic happens.
From comedians: accept feedback
Comedy has always seemed to me the most lonely and courageous form of performance. The feedback is instant, and it’s brutal. There’s a reason comedians refer to a bad show as ‘dying’. Yet the only way to learn is to keep doing your routine, in front of an audience, and refining it until it works.
I’ve met comedians who, after exhaustive research in front of live audiences, have decided they’re funnier when they wear brown cords, a plaid shirt, or a floral dress. They’ve learned that a Curly-Wurly is somehow intrinsically funnier than a Mars bar. Or that a mildly amusing line suddenly becomes hilarious with a pause in the right place and a subtle lift of an eyebrow.
Most of all, they’ve learned how to read the room, to adjust their material to the energy of the audience for maximum impact.
Feedback is tough. Our instant reaction is to get defensive, or to hide. But if we can face it, and learn from it, it’s also invaluable. | https://writingcooperative.com/what-writers-can-learn-from-other-creatives-3b199ba289e1 | ['Sheryl Garratt'] | 2021-09-11 17:02:43.412000+00:00 | ['Success', 'Writing Tips', 'Life Lessons', 'Writing', 'Freelancing'] |
Sports Viewership Is Soaring: What is Sports Industry Doing to Ensure Unparalleled Growth. 7 Sports Industry Trends | Sports viewership is soaring, and revenue is growing faster than some countries’ GDP, making it a $700 billion-dollar global industry. What makes the sports industry so successful?
This is the result of sports business adapting to modern challenges, trends, and audiences — embracing digitalization, big data, technology, and the newest research in many disciplines, including psychology.
It’s crucial to understand future changes in the industry in order to adapt, improve, and move forward.
The first MIT Sports Entrepreneurship Bootcamp in cooperation with WHU — Otto Beisheim School of Management sponsored by DFL Bundesliga and Sporttotal was held at the state of the art TSG Hoffenheim’s PreZero Arena not only offered the opportunity to dig deeper into the fascinating sports business growth insights but also us as humans.
Here are the seven most important current sports industry trends:
1.FOCUS. Clear philosophy (to win or to earn) for on-field and off-field activities. According to Ben Shields, Senior Lecturer at the MIT Sloan School of Management, the sports business strategies fall into two categories: for on-the-field operations, the key question to answer is “how do we help to win”; for off-the-field solutions, the question is “how do we help to earn money.” For example, German Bundesliga has built itself to be one of the most powerful media companies. Distilling a clear philosophy for off-field activities strengthens the organization and helps it become distinctive and unbeatable.
Ben Shields, Senior Lecturer at the MIT Sloan School of Management
2. SCALABLE DIRECTION. Elite teams are creating scalable & transferable business models by focusing on fans. Sports teams — especially German elite teams — are discovering that their players are not the center of attention — their fans are. Players come and go, get injured, games are won and lost — a lot of success factors depend on pure luck. The business problem that requires a solution is how to make fans come to games no matter who plays.
“Fans are the stars of the show. Leagues and teams are going directly to them now,” explained Ben Shields, Senior Lecturer at the MIT Sloan School of Management.
Teams are learning to discover the engine that drives business. For example, sports teams are creating their business plans based on enhancing their community’s participation in sports and growing fans’ loyalty to the club instead of focusing on athletes. Big data, also used in sports, help gain clarity and deeper perspectives.
3. SMART DATA — Only transferring big data into smart data helps achieve meaningful results. Big data is essential in today’s sports industry. From wearables that track runner’s movements to trackers in hockey pucks or basketball nets, fan engagement charts, ticket sales, and sponsorship behaviors — it all comes down to huge amounts of data that has to be put in context. However, big data is not always interpreted in the right way.
Sascha L. Schmidt, Director, Center for Sports and Management at WHU Otto Beisheim School of Management
“Big data, big words, little action. We need to transform big data into smart data,” explained Sascha L. Schmidt, Director, Center for Sports and Management at WHU Otto Beisheim School of Management.
As companies are priding themselves in having collected big data and promoting it as their competitive advantage, only very few know how to use that data to have meaningful results. The interpretation of this data is the fundamental step into turning it into smart data that can help an athlete, a team, and sports business. By correctly analyzing the tremendous amount of data, teams can understand how to keep players healthy, create strategies to win, deliver excitement to fans and profitable exposure to sponsors.
4. PERSONALIZATION. Personalization of game experiences. The days when enjoying the game meant only sitting in the stadium or in front of the screen are over. The fans want to engage with their favorite teams, follow their adored players into the stadium, and share special moments with the world. Personalization is one of the most important methods used by the sports industry to make the game experience better for everyone. There are services offering camera angles with zoomed-in views meant for mobile devices, and the NBA now offers live on-screen group chats with celeb influencers, in-depth analytics and so on. Moving forward, there will be services designed to let fans engage with the content, even more, using personalized camera angles, gamification, etc. The personalization method is also helping with athletes’ health, scouting, company’s employee’s career paths and so on.
Christian Seifert, CEO of DFL GmbH
5. BREAKING LIMITS. Breaking limits by promoting human & technology interaction. Technological innovations have become one of the most important pieces of athlete development. Data analysis may help optimize player’s performance as well as determine the risk of trauma, leading to a 30 percent reduction in player injuries. Dr. Brett Kirby, Lead Physiologist of Next Generation Research in Nike Sport Research Lab, has been working on Nike’s Breaking2 attempt to break a marathon run in less than two hours. The meticulous data was used to select a fitting athlete and create a tailored training course. The experiment ended in a history-making run: on October 12th of 2019, the Kenyan Eliud Kipchoge finished the 42.2 km distance in a fascinating 1:59:40 time, becoming the first athlete to run a marathon in under two hours.
6. DRIVING CHANGE. Instilling systematic structures of change for future-readiness. For a long time, sports were considered to be a hobby, no one was taking sports business seriously. Those who saw the major changes in media, technologies and people’s lifestyles could predict the sports business growth and take advantage of it.
Erdin Beshimov, Lecturer and Director, MIT Bootcamps
“On the surface, we see only certain events, but underneath there are patterns of change and systematic structures that are driving those events. If you understand systematic structures, you don’t need to wait for events to happen. You become the driving force of global change,” explained Erdin Beshimov, Lecturer and Director, MIT Bootcamps on the transforming changes of the sports industry.
Therefore, it’s advisable not to get attached to one worldview or one idea. The biggest problem is when sports entrepreneurs are getting attached to their business idea believing that it is their golden ticket to make a significant difference and fearing that a new idea will never come again. The instant habit of attachment to familiar paralyzes the opportunity for better options to reveal themselves and create constant possibilities to be at the forefront of endemic and inevitable changes.
7. REDUCING PERSONAL BIASES. Experienced support helps eliminate personal biases that stand on the way to greatness.
Dr. Peter Gorlich, Managing Director at TSG 1899 Hoffenheim, the premier league football club
“I am the one who makes the most mistakes in the organization — this is why I have a separate department that helps me fix those failures,” openly admitted Dr. Peter Gorlich, Managing Director at TSG 1899 Hoffenheim, the premier league football club.
According to the researcher Tim Rees, ongoing support of friends and family may be one of the crucial elements for an athlete’s performance. For his study, Rees used a sample of high-level professional golf players and found that stressors were associated with worse performance, whereas athletes that received social support performed significantly better. As we aim to achieve the highest goals in sports, we encounter bigger challenges than ever before. The fear of failing and the consequences of bad decisions dramatically increase with every step and the support of the right people becomes essential.
Inga Stasiulionytė, Olympian, head of the MIT Sports Entrepreneurship Bootcamp, founders coach and Silke Mayer, President of Dirk Nowitzki Foundation | https://medium.com/ofounders/sports-viewership-is-soaring-what-is-sports-industry-doing-to-ensure-unparalleled-growth-7-trends-e7e8c16d8a48 | ['Inga Stasiulionyte'] | 2020-01-29 09:42:31.315000+00:00 | ['Coaching', 'Sports', 'Startup', 'Sports Business', 'Entrepreneurship'] |
Tam Garcia: Jack of All Trades, Master of One | The stage is immaculate. ‘Ticking’ noises break the silence. “The sound you are hearing is not a technical problem. It is not a musical cue. It is not a joke. It is the sound of one man’s mounting anxiety. I … am that man. …Hi.” The play began with Jon, the main character, introducing himself to the world; and in doing so, he was also introducing Tam.
“In one week I’ll be thirty. Three-zero. Older than my Dad was when I was born. Older than Napoleon was when he … did something that was probably extremely impressive at the time — I’m not a historian. I’m a composer. Sorry, a ‘promising young composer.’ I should have kids of my own by now, a career, but instead I’ve been “promising” for so long I’m afraid I’m starting to break the fucking promise.”
This play was just as much about Tam, the actor playing the role, as it was about the composer, Jonathan Larson. But, how did Tam get here? What led Tam to play the role of Jon in Tick Tick Boom, an off-broadway musical that was inexplicably parallel to his reality?
“Nobody is ever one thing all the time, and I think a lot of people kind of forget that,” Tam explains. “Everyone is three dimensional or four dimensional or however you want to look at it.”
What does it actually take to be an artist? What makes someone authentic? The latter is easy to claim, but nearly impossible to embody. Tam Garcia, a musician, actor, husband, friend, and father, is a jack of all trades, but certainly a master of one: authenticity.
Music has always been a part of Tam’s life. Born on July 25, 1986 out of Saint Elizabeth’s Hospital in Elizabeth New Jersey, Tam was a naturally artistic soul. Growing up, his father was a passionate musician from Havana Cuba and his mother, an incredibly talented painter from Brooklyn. In fact, Tam’s grandfather (on his mother’s side) was a touring musician and band leader for La Charanga Casino with multiple platinum and gold records.
“My dad was a huge music influence for me,” Tam says. “He taught me pretty much everything I know about music. I learned from my dad and my grandfather.”
At the age of eight, Tam’s parents separated; by eleven, Tam had moved to North Plainfield, New Jersey with his mother and stepfather. “Looking back on it now, it was just a lot of misdirected anger and just not understanding what happened. The stereotypical things you hear about divorced families, where it isn’t the kids fault… It’s easy to say it, but when you’re that little… I don’t know. For a while, I just thought it was my fault. Like it was something I did or something I could’ve done. But, it wasn’t. […] Overall, I had a really good childhood. In essence, my parents didn’t really give me anything to rebel against. They’ve always had my back with any and every crazy endeavor that I’ve ever had. I would consider myself very lucky.”
In Elizabeth, Tam’s musical taste began to really take shape. Whether it was rock, Cuban music, Spanish music, or simply anything you could dance to, there was always music playing at home. As for friends, everyone listened to Biggie or Tupac, and eventually Wu-Tang Clan. As a sucker for one hit wonders, Tam swears by the Pandora station: ‘Summer Hits of the 90s.’
“I was angry so the music I listened to was a lot angrier,” he says.
In his high school years, Tam had joined a band with friends that stood out from all the rest. Everyone wanted to play guitar and shred solos, but Tam was never that guy. The first band was called Beam Me Up Skatty, in reference to a saying from Star Trek. It was the standard high school, punk rock, band that everyone is in; but, this was a ska band that rested neatly between reggae and punk rock.
Further down the road, doing an acoustic set, Tam opened for a band called One Day’s Pay. Andrew sat behind the drums for that band, but when Tam began to play, he jumped up on stage and joined in on the kit. That was the beginning of a new band, the band that Tam is most known for: Garden State Line. The rest of GSL came along piece by piece, and mainly through MySpace. Tommy, the bass player, sent Tam a message that was left unanswered for a year and a half. As Tam receded into solitude, cultivating the person he is today, Tommy was waiting for a reply. When Tam finally did… the rest was history. There was no particular lead or rhythm guitar player because Derek and Tam would trade off depending on the song. Everything started falling into place.
At around the same time that Garden State Line started to form, Tam created an additional outlet for songs that just didn’t fit GSL’s sound. This band was called Becoming the Ghost. Tam was working at aTGI Fridays, surrounded by like minded musicians. It was a perfect coincidence. This band was made up of multiple friends, including Tommy from Garden State Line. With an alternative rock vibe, this group also recorded an EP. Uniquely, Tam performed in his most vulnerable circumstances. “Becoming the Ghost was the first band I was in where I didn’t play an instrument; I just sang. So, I had nothing to hide behind.”
With no instrument to shelter Tam from his own self-consciousness, this band was a whole new experience. Tam would become beyond nervous, up until the first note. There was a time when he couldn’t even eat the day of a show. Tam would joke about the “nine people” in his head, making him a self-described “wreck.” Whoever it is on stage that takes over when he plays overrides and blocks out “thinking Tam.”
Recording also made him self-conscious. While some people love to record, Tam would always rather be playing live. “I’m just not that good of a musician.” Every gig is a new experience, and the songs are simply never the same twice. From Tam’s perspective, recording means permanence. Once you record an album, or even just a song, it is stamped. That is how the song sounds; but, permanence was always a convoluted subject for him. “Going back, I guess it’s a weird psychological thing from my parents’ divorce,” Tam says. “It took a long time for me to find something steady.”
Still, Tam set out and recorded numerous albums. Garden State Line’s debut album, The Send Off, has a particularly unique story. Years later, Tam’s father had come back into the picture, aiding in his son’s success. As a teenager, his father had gone to high school with a friend, Dave Pirrocco, who turned out to be a music producer. Through Facebook, he had sent Dave some of Tam’s work, encouraging him to reach out to Tam for production. Garden State Line went and recorded in Flemington, New Jersey at Blue Cyclone Studios and followed by tracking and producing the album at Jack Cat Productions in Hamilton, New Jersey. After all was said and done, traveling the country on tour was no longer a dream, but a reality. It all seemed to come back full circle.
Performing out was a regular occurrence, and it was often that I had the chance to see them play. I was only in middle school when my uncle, Anthony, introduced me to their music, and that was all it took. “You have people that like music. You have people that play music and make a living because they’re talented,” my uncle explains. “Then there’s people that just ooze it. They love and live music. And that… that’s Tam. It’s amazing what a couple notes or a tone of voice can do to you.”
Tam Garcia, center, plays with Garden State Line at The Stone Pony in Asbury Park. Photo by: Daniel A. Dzurilla.
I was a fanatic for live music, and Garden State Line was not only talented, but they were friends of the family. From local bars and pubs, to becoming the ‘Summer Band’ for The Stone Pony in Asbury Park, they were always playing out and I always wanted to watch. I can still remember one particular day, back in eighth grade, when my uncle brought me to see the band play. I was nervous, afraid that I wouldn’t be allowed in because of my age. When we arrived, Tam was standing at the trunk of his car, waiting for us. Our multifaceted handshake happened unrehearsed but flawlessly, and he handed me a pedalboard to carry inside. “Don’t worry, you’re with the band,” he reassured me.
Being the ‘Summer Band’ for The Stone Pony was an incredible feat. The Stone Pony is a part of music history, being the rock club of Asbury Park, and for a long time. Opening in the 70s, The Stone Pony has had a name in the industry since its inception. Artists such as Stevie Ray Vaughan, The Ramones, Joan Jett, Blondie, and Bruce Springsteen have all played and grown at this venue. Garden State Line was opening for bands that I would already go out of my way to see. I was able to watch Tam perform in the same venue, on the same night as Les Claypool and Primus. It was an unbelievable experience; I knew the guy on stage…
Taking a step backwards, Tam had attended Somerset County Vocational and Technical High School and was the first male to join the theatre program in numerous years. Spending entire days honing his craft, Tam would be at the school from seven in the morning until ten at night. As friends joked that he attended “Fame school,” Tam was truly developing into the performer he is now. For him, “acting is what provided the horse blinder, the shield; because, once you go on stage, you become, literally, someone else.” This preparation led up to the next chapter in Tam’s story. While the band did not ‘break up,’ Garden State Line began to travel different paths. As the members’ lives became increasingly complex and family oriented, touring the country simply wasn’t on the table anymore. In addition, the band’s drummer, Andrew, had moved to Arizona. The band’s separation did not stop the band from playing together whenever possible, but it certainly put a halt to the journey that was evolving.
After Garden State Line began to slow down, Tam was looking for the next move. He was playing solo gigs when approached by a group called Rooftop Collaborative. Seeing him perform, they knew right away that he was perfect for the role. Tam, stepping out of his comfort zone, jumped on the opportunity in a heartbeat. The musical, titled “Tick, Tick… Boom” was written by Jonathan Larson, and was essentially an autobiographical story. Larson was an American composer and playwright, most known for his rock musical, “Rent.” This story, though, is about how he became successful. The plot is of an aspiring composer, working as a waiter in New York City. “It’s this guy who is about to turn 30, having an existential crisis,” Tam explains. “Do I continue on this path of being the suffering artist, sacrificing for my art? Or do I take the path most taken and sell my soul and get a job and be a grown up?” For Tam, this became much more than a role in a musical. This was one of his most difficult but rewarding memories to date. This was a reenactment of his reality. Putting things into perspective, it’s a ninety minute show; and, Tam was on stage for its entirety.
Tam Garcia, center-right, plays Nevin in “The Eleventh Hour.” Photo by: Zack Morrison / @zackmorrison18
Acting truly emphasized the vulnerability that Tam displays on stage, wearing his heart on his sleeve like his favorite band tee. In addition to “Tick, Tick… Boom,” Tam also starred in a piece called “The Eleventh Hour.” This was different from his previous roles as this character, Nevin, was undefined. It allowed Tam to build and shape the character into who he wanted him to be. In no time at all, it went from a small performing arts piece to being funded and making it to the city. As an off-Broadway production, with an address literally on Broadway, Tam had to travel consistently in order to keep up. For three months, Tam would wake up and work his day job before driving from Piscataway, New Jersey to New York. After one show, it would take around four hours just to get back to the tunnel. By the time Tam would get home, there would be enough time and energy to sit on the couch for a few, brush his teeth, and turn right back around for another day’s work. Burning the candle from both ends, Tam was running out of fuel, but he was bleeding passion and living his dream.
At the same time, Tam had to work multiple different jobs over the years. He has worked retail, behind an office desk, was a host for numerous restaurants, a bartender, a waiter, an oil change mechanic, and currently works as a project manager for a contracting company. It’s difficult. Working just to fund your passion, it’s easy to let your drive slip away. It never slipped away for Tam. He swears by every job he’s ever had. Either it helped him network, or it led to a song born while he was working. “Every job has been beneficial.”
Everything was different with marriage. When all Tam had to worry about was himself, he had no problem sleeping in a car if that’s what it took to pour his heart out through music. That all changed, and with it came a beautiful family.
“It’s not often that you say ‘you gotta meet my sister.’ Usually older brothers are giving me death threats,” Tam jokes. It turned out to be the best advice Tam had ever gotten. About 15 years ago, in the middle of the street and in the absence of daylight, Tam and Jenna finally met after being guided into each other for so long. Nearly half of his life, Tam has spent with her and it all started with a simple suggestion from Jenna’s brother, Danny.
“Reality can change in an instant. Whether it’s fair or not, it’s just how it is. Everything can change at the drop of a hat… like that.” On the night of their anniversary, and a month into quarantine, Tam and Jenna received the first bit of good news since COVID-19 began to impact the world. They were going to be parents. Each month, for the checkups, there was something to look forward to. Having a baby in the middle of a pandemic, though, is unimaginable. Tam wanted to be in the room with his wife, to hear the baby’s first heartbeat; but, he couldn’t. The doctors wouldn’t approve but were nice enough to allow a FaceTime call, so he could hear the little thumps through the phone. When January 5th came around, Tam Garcia officially became a father.
Despite the fact that society was essentially on pause and distance was the only practice, Tam and his family were able to remain very close. In fact, they were able to be together and become even closer than before. “I’m just lucky. A lot of us were, and I know a lot of people weren’t as lucky,” he says. “So, that just makes me more grateful and appreciative of everything that I’ve had.”
Now, Tam’s journey forward looks different. “It’s not about me anymore,” he affirms. “It’s humbling. It’s about keeping him safe and making sure every day is better than the day before.” The music scene has changed. It went from being gone more often than being around, working himself sick, to doing solo shows only when he can. It went from playing gigs all week long, on top of rehearsals, to reviving old, overlooked, songs to sing for his newborn while changing diapers. It is now all about the balance of being home and playing out. Every aspect is new, and every thing is a first. “I’m dreading the day when I get that phone call… when he says something, or takes a step, or laughs.” Now, Tam may not be able to jump at every gig; but, he is certainly still radiating passion.
Tam’s story comes with a simple question. Who are you, really, when you lay your head to rest? Lean fully into that, because you will inescapably pave the way that you always wanted to walk. As Tam would say, “Shakespeare said it best. ‘To thine own self, be true.’”
Tam is a musician. He is an actor. He is a husband, a friend, and a father. Tam is the guy that gave me a “bro hug” and let me carry his pedalboard into a bar so that I would be able to see him play before I turned 21. Tam is all about the experience, and the experience is nothing short of authentic.
You can keep up with Tam’s story and watch for upcoming events on Instagram @tamjustingarcia. | https://medium.com/@stephenjamesjournalism/tamgarcia-66005ae6b50b | ['Stephen Wisniewski'] | 2021-12-23 20:53:33.634000+00:00 | ['Authenticity', 'Fatherhood', 'Theatre', 'Music', 'Life'] |
Meet Nia Karina Tarigan, Meesho Indonesia’s first hire in the customer support team, and find out why she loves solving problems for our entrepreneurs | Meet Nia Karina Tarigan, Meesho Indonesia’s first hire in the customer support team, and find out why she loves solving problems for our entrepreneurs Mangala Dilip Follow Dec 24, 2020 · 6 min read
As the first ever member of Meesho Indonesia’s customer service team, there was a lot riding on Nia Karina Tarigan to set the tone for how the company would take care of its entrepreneurs and their needs. Thankfully for this Customer Support Team Lead, catering to the needs of Meesho entrepreneurs comes naturally. From a young age, Karina had been helping her parents who are small business owners in her hometown of North Sumatra, Indonesia deal with customers.
Karina knows exactly how to reassure an upset customer and how to decipher the problems plaguing them, and most importantly she is empathetic to their needs. With a strong inclination for Meesho’s core value of Speed Over Perfection, and the desire to positively impact Indonesia’s economy at large and women entrepreneurs, in particular, this K-Pop superfan has been doing exceptional work at Meesho and leading her team to great heights.
Read on to learn all about Karina’s life at Meesho:
I was born and raised in North Sumatra along with my three siblings, where I helped my parents run their fruits and vegetable market from high school days. From a young age, I have seen them interacting with customers, and I think that was when I developed an affinity for customer obsession and care. Working there I would pay close attention to the language and tone used by the customers, and those observations have held me in good stead. Just based on those things I can say how angry or sad or disappointed or happy a customer is.
These instincts for understanding the customer was further honed when I moved to Bandung in West Java to study Indonesian Literature at the Padjadjaran University. There I learned a lot about Indonesian culture, language, and people. All these further helped me understand how to interact with people, understand their predicaments, and how to help fix them as well. So, as soon as I graduated with a Bachelor’s degree I joined Telkomsel, the biggest telecommunication company in Indonesia, as a customer service representative.
During my time working there, I met with customers directly, helped solve their problems within a predetermined time estimate, and for that I needed to excel at understanding who the person is, and just listen to their problems. This was, I also trained myself to control my emotions and manage my expectations from each customer.
Greener pastures and greater impacts
I had worked at Telkomsel for about three years when I got the opportunity to interview with and later work for Meesho. I was almost immediately impressed with Meesho, not just because of the reputation of Meesho India, but because of all the growth prospects that the company has in Indonesia. Moreover, to work in the company that was tagged as the No.1 reseller app in India, would be a great opportunity for me to grow as well.
Fortunately, my prediction has come true. When I joined Meesho on November 6, 2019, as the first employee in the customer service team, I had my work cut out for me. Despite my years of experience, I needed to understand the various processes of Meesho, and for that, I worked very closely with the Meesho India team under the guidance of Nikita [Dresswala; Director, International Expansion]. Gomathi [Cheenepalli; Quality Analyst — Fulfillment & Experience] and Susbhani [M; Senior Manager — Quality & Training] helped me in the initial stages as I went through all the processes from making cold calls to responding to emails. I would proactively reach out to our entrepreneurs and potential ones to understand their limitations and figure out how Meesho could benefit their lives.
Angry customer? More like an opportunity to grow
I immediately fell in love with the job, because this is the kind of work that I have always wanted to do. There probably aren’t many people who like working with an angry customer, but I live for those interactions. Not only am I able to read the character and personality of an angry customer spontaneously, but I am also passionate about growing and learning from this interaction.
I live by this Bill Gates quote: “Your most unhappy customers are your greatest source of learning.” Unhappy customers are just helping me learn how to be a better agent and giving me more experience to grow, help me understand our system better and it is the greatest learning for me.
In the short year and a half that Meesho Indonesia has been around, it has already had a hugely positive impact on Indonesian society, especially women. Our country has a lot of housewives and single parents without jobs, When I meet the “entrepreneur of the week” or even while just talking to our entrepreneurs, I get to see first hand how Meesho has helped them become financially independent. Many of them often share stories of being finally able to take care of their children’s needs without relying on anyone else, including their spouses.
Taking pride in my work
I feel extremely privileged to play the role that I do in empowering them. Watching them thrive is a matter of pride for me, especially because I also understand that making entrepreneurs out of unemployed women is also helping fortify Indonesia’s economy.
One of the biggest lessons I have learned at Meesho is to prioritise empathy over sympathy. While the latter may force us to exhibit more emotions, empathy is what empowers us to jump into action. Jumping into action, and doing so quickly, is one of the most important aspects of my work. As the Meesho core value goes, Speed Over Perfection is the only way to ensure that all our entrepreneurs are attended to quickly, so that we don’t lose their attention or patience. Moreover, there are more people waiting for their turn as well.
So, being able to help everyone as quickly as I can is one of the most important parameters in my work. I have to speak to multiple entrepreneurs and they must all be happy after I speak to them.
I have been having the best time working at Meesho, and I hope to continue working here for a long time. But I do miss working with my colleagues while working from home. Despite the virtual team lunches and once-in-a-while get-togethers, I really miss working out of the same office with my talented, smart, and reliable team.
But, what has kept me going is my love for K-Pop. I am a huge fan of the musical genre and before the lockdown, I would attend all the shows that my favourite bands Winner and Bigbang would put on in Indonesia. One of my biggest responsibilities outside of Meesho, for me, has been managing the Twitter account for the K-Pop band Winner.
So, here’s to a great set of colleagues, K-pop, and our resilient and gritty Meesho entrepreneurs.
When 2020 came with unprecedented challenges, Meesho said bring it on
Adity Roy Chowdhury on finding her work family at Meesho
Are you following us on social media yet? You might want to head over to Life at Meesho’s Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn pages if you are a fan of fun and positivity. | https://medium.com/meesho-tech/find-out-how-meesho-indonesia-nia-karina-tarigan-leads-with-empathy-baadbe2c027c | ['Mangala Dilip'] | 2020-12-24 10:03:50.939000+00:00 | ['Culture', 'Indonesia', 'Customer Support', 'Meesho', 'Women Entrepreneurs'] |
Flying High | Every once in a while, I get this high, this feeling like I have wings. Like the world is at my fingertips, like I could and want to take over the world, or at least my little tiny piece of it. It’s not a feeling I remember experiencing before Greece, before the “year of change”.
Elements of it perhaps. It’s a bit like the feeling I used to get when a trip or vacation was winding down or we were driving back from the cottage, grateful and content after time well spent, looking forward and dreaming about the future after spending some time enjoying the now. It’s the feeling you get on the Friday of a long weekend or driving to go camping, bare feet on the dashboard, Bob Marley or Moxy Fruvous in the tape deck. The excitement of the last day of school before summer break.
It’s a feeling of freedom, of happiness, of hope. The difference now, however, is that it’s no longer coming from a long weekend, a vacation, or even a two-month summer break, it’s the excitement I have about my life. It’s the pride I feel when I look back over the last year, it’s the possibilities I see when I look forward and it’s the person I see when I look inside.
This is the feeling that carries me through, that keeps me doing what I’m doing. It’s the feeling I had when I started Sunflowers & Mangoes, it’s what got me to Thailand and it’s what kept me here when all I wanted to do was go home. It’s what comes when you listen to your heart, trust your gut, and ignore your fears.
It’s your soul thanking you for nourishing it and in return giving you everything you need to keep going, and so much more.
It’s a beautiful fucking thing…
Which followed a beautiful night. Cherry is our cook, the housekeeper, and our friend. She is beloved by all who come to the castle, for her fantastic cooking, but mostly, for her smile. Fridays are Cherry’s day off and we are left to fend for ourselves.
For me yesterday, being slightly tired from a few drinks the night before, that meant skipping breakfast and eating a half a bag of left over shrimp chips while reading in the hammock. By dinner I was starving. We had decided to go for cheap and “authentic”, and go where the locals go.
It’s a makeshift restaurant, out front of their home, bamboo picnic tables on a dirt floor, covered by grass huts strewn with white lights and remnants of Christmas garland. Sand buckets are used for ice, placed along with a plastic dollar store jug of water and Hello Kitty-esque glasses. A young girl who we assumed was the eldest daughter was our waitress. We all ordered pad thai, at a whopping price of 50 baht (roughly $2). The servings were small but delicious, much like the pad thai we get at home, but better, the sauce more caramelized, the shrimp more tender.
After dinner a few of us walked down the beach to Bandon’s, where we spent a nice evening swaying and bopping our heads to some great music while listening to Chockie, the owner re-tell his life lessons and stories. It was a relaxed, fun evening, full of laughs, good music and new friends.
And on this hot Saturday morning, I am happy to be who I am, where I am, doing what I am doing. I have no beautiful pics to share, no two thousand word post, no dramatic story. I have just one fantastic feeling, and that my friends, is worth sharing.
Wishing you all a great weekend, as I head into Saturday evening with my head down and ready to work.
Love from Thailand, | https://medium.com/@sunflowersandmangoes/flying-high-911325df85df | ['Laura Garcia'] | 2019-08-15 21:35:11.348000+00:00 | ['Thailand', 'Divorce', 'Thecontentcastle', 'Kohsamui', 'Dealingwithdivorce'] |
New Method Applies Monte Carlo Neural Fictitious Self-Play to Texas Hold’em | Researchers from Zhejiang University have proposed a new method combining Monte Carlo tree search with Neural Fictitious Self-Play (NFSP) to improve performance on large-scale zero-sum imperfect-information games. Facing the incomplete information environment, the asynchronous neural virtual self-play (ANFSP) method allows AI to learn to generate optimal decisions in multiple virtual environments. The approach has performed well in Texas Hold’em and multiplayer FPS video games.
In May 2017 DeepMind’s AlphaGo Master dispatched the world’s top Go player Ke Jie in a three-game match — a feat many in the AI research community believed was still a decade away. Machines however have not yet achieved comparable progress in imperfect information games such as Starcraft or DOTA 2. The main motive behind games research is to evolve a practical real life AI that can solve complex problems with high computational dimensions, such as transaction and traffic control. Researchers believe that one of the main reasons machines struggle in this regard is a lack of theoretical and quantitative evaluation of training and results.
Training Efficiency of FSP and NFSP
University College London’s Johannes Heinrich and DeepMind’s David Silver previously introduced Neural Fictitious Self-Play (NFSP), which combines FSP and neural network functions. A “player” consists of a Q-learning network and a supervised learning network. This algorithm calculates a best response through greedy deep Q-learning, and an average strategy by supervising the historical behavior of the agent. It solves coordination problems by introducing expected dynamics — the players act on their average strategy and optimal responses. This is the first end-to-end reinforcement learning method that can learn an approximate Nash equilibrium (mutually optimal fixed strategies in game theory) without any prior knowledge in an incomplete-information game. However, due to the complexity of the adversary strategy and the nature of the deep Q network learning in offline mode, NFSP performs poorly in games with large search spaces and depths. Another shortfall is that in NFSP, the optimal response depends on deep Q-learning calculations, which require a long time until convergence.
The researchers therefore introduced Monte Carlo Neural Fictitious Self Play (MC-NFSP), which combines NFSP and Monte Carlo Tree Search. They evaluated the method in the zero-sum board game Othello, concluding that MC-NFSP will converge to an approximate Nash equilibrium, while NFSP will not. Researchers also proposed Asynchronous Neural Fictitious Self-Play (ANFSP), which uses parallel actor learners to stabilize and accelerate training. This reduces the memory required for data storage compared to NFSP. They evaluated this method in a two-player zero-sum poker game and determined that ANFSP can approach the approximate Nash equilibrium more stably and quickly than NFSP.
To further demonstrate the advantages of MC-NFSP and ANFSP technologies in complex games, researchers evaluated the effectiveness of the algorithm in a multiplayer FPS battle game, in which the AI agent team competed with a human team. The new system provided a strategy and control which enabled the AI agents to win the game.
FPS Game Environment
Evaluation in FPS Game
The paper Monte Carlo Neural Fictitious Self-Play: Achieve Approximate Nash equilibrium of Imperfect-Information Games is on arXiv. | https://medium.com/syncedreview/new-method-applies-monte-carlo-neural-fictitious-self-play-to-texas-holdem-fdb700d52eab | [] | 2019-03-27 15:01:01.009000+00:00 | ['Artificial Intelligence', 'Gaming', 'Deepmind', 'Supervised Learning', 'Technology'] |
Great Gift: When Should You Surprise Someone | Gift giving is the main street of affection and one that anybody can learn how to drive on. This guide will enable you to build up your driving skills.
At times we give gifts since we realize the ones receiving them will love and welcome them. They dropped the correct indications, we considered their preferences and interests and picked only the correct object to wrap in a pretty paper. Also, different occasions we scour historical center gift shops looking for trinkets that our friends and family are probably not going to treasure for more than a short-lived minute. However, that passing minute is regularly worth the $15 and the baggage space.
REASONS TO GIVE
Birthdays
The gift doesn’t need to match the correct ’’magnitude’’ (size, price and so on.) of anything they’ve given you before. The fact of the matter is to give back their love they have for you, and to open the entryway for future shows of warmth. (For children, except if generally indicated, a small gift is required at a gathering.)
Religious holidays
There’s a reason we picture family rooms loaded up with wrapped gifts when we think about the winter Christmas season: People give a great deal (at times more than they can bear) toward the end of every year. The National Retail Federation has anticipated that Americans will spend between $717 billion and $721 billion in November and December, before Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa. Intermittently these gifts are held for relatives, yet they can span a wide range of relationships.
Anniversaries
Every year that a couple stays together should be marked, regardless of whether that is with a night out, a charm for continued companionship or a mix of the two. In case you’re not sure on what to get, there’s nothing wrong with taking the traditional track.
Federal and Hallmark holidays
President’s Day gifts? Possibly not. Indeed, even the individuals who opt out of these days are capable of valuing a statement of affection. So whether that is a telephone call on Mother’s or Father’s Day or a bunch of roses on Valentine’s Day, it’s well worth it.
You most likely don’t have to sign your closest friend up for a Ben and Jerry’s subscription on National Ice Cream Day, but you may want to.
New life stages
Graduations, moves, births, passings: Many of these can be marked with cards, however in the event that you can consider something that reflects or underpins the change the receiver is experiencing, share it. Far superior is the point at which it’s something they may neglect to consider as they are managing the stress of change: consider a doormat for a homeowner, or warm food for a grieving friend.
Formal occasions
In situations where you are particularly close with the gift receiver, you might want to spend a little bit more than usual. It probably won’t be so effortlessly quantified.
On the off chance that your financial plan is tight, you can likewise offer to exchange mastery for huge events; in case you’re a photographer, for instance, your gift to the newlyweds may be a free photo package.
No occasion
Random demonstrations of thoughtfulness can be the most exciting: leaving something attentive on a partner’s work area, sending a book to a long-distance friend, appearing with roses for reasons unknown, aside from the fact they were delightful and you needed to acknowledge that. | https://medium.com/@breobox19/great-gift-when-should-you-surprise-someone-8fb55e45f8e1 | ['Brēō Box'] | 2019-02-10 12:21:41.304000+00:00 | ['Subscription', 'Gifts', 'Love', 'Giving'] |
Creating Visual Studio for Mac Extensions: A Complete Guide | Extensions are an indispensable part of project development. They play a vital role in improving developer productivity by providing customization, easing development, and much more.
Visual Studio for Mac extensions are add-ons that enhance productivity and allow you to customize your project by adding new features or integrating existing tools into it. These extensions can customize both existing and new projects by adding files, new dialogs, menus, commands, and so on.
This blog post explains the procedure to create extensions for Visual Studio for Mac that can be configured to create a Visual Studio for Mac project template and extensions menu.
Prerequisites
Create IDE Extension project using AddinMaker
Open Visual Studio for Mac. To install the AddinMaker extension package, from the Visual Studio menu, Choose Extensions….
3. In the Extension Manger window, navigate to the Gallery tab and type Addin Maker into the top-right search bar. Select Addin Maker from the Addin Development category and click Install.
4. Now, AddinMaker is installed, and you can start building your own extension project. Let’s start by creating a new solution.
5. From the new project creation dialog, choose Other > IDE Extensions > General > IDE Extension > C# and click Next.
6. Name the project, choose the destination path of the project, and click Create. Visual Studio for Mac will populate the created project. Here we are going to create a Xamarin IDE extension project.
Update the extension details
Create the extension project template configuration file by right-clicking on the project and choosing Add > New File > File Template and name the file. Then, click the New button. The file will be added in your project.
2.The created template configuration file will be added as {GivenFileName.xft.xml}. Now, change the file extension type as xpt.xml from xft.xml {GivenFileName.xpt.xml}.
3. In the template configuration file, update the name, category, language name, default file name, icon, description, and parameter details within the tag in the template configuration section.Refer to the following code.
<TemplateConfiguration>
<_Name>Name of the Template</_Name>
<Category>Category</Category>
<LanguageName>Language Name</LanguageName>
<DefaultFileName>Default File Name</DefaultFileName>
<Icon>Icon of the template </Icon>
<Image file=”image file location” />
<_Description>Description of template</_Description>
<DefaultParameters>Parameter Details</DefaultParameters> </TemplateConfiguration>
Configure the template configuration file
Now, configure the template configuration file in the Manifest.addin.xml file as seen in the following screenshot.
Configure the project and add files in the template configuration file
Configure the project section in the template configuration file as shown in the following screenshot.
Here, ${ProjectName} was replaced by the name mentioned in the project creation dialog. Add the reference by using the Reference tag. If you want to refer to an assembly, then provide the type as GAC. If you are referring to another project, then give the type as project and mention the project name in the refto attribute. To add the file in the directory, add the file tag between the directory tags. If you want to add the file in the project directory, add the file tag between the File tags.
Include the template files in the extension addin
Now, include the file path in the Import tag between the Runtime tags in the ManiFestaddin.xml file, as seen in the following screenshot.
Customize the project template from the extension menu
You can customize the project template from the extension menu. To do so, follow these steps:
Add a new class file and make the following content in the file content. In the Run method, provide the Name that you mentioned in the template configuration XML file in the bracket.Refer to the following screenshot.
3. Call the above command from Manifestaddin.xml. You should mention the command id({Namespace}.{CommandID}.{Command}) in the command item id. Here, we have named it as MyXamarinProjectTemplate.MyXamarinCommands.CreateNewProject.
Change MacExtensions’ name and version
Change the MacExtensions name and version details after creating the entire project in the AddinInfo.cs file. Please refer to the following screenshot.
Install the extension
You can find the extension in the output location with the extension name *.mpack, like the following screenshot.
2. Click on the Visual Studio menu and select Extensions….
3. The Extension Manager window will open. Click the Install from file… button.
4. The Install Extension Package dialog will open. Navigate to your Mac extensions file (.mpack) location and click open to install. The extensions will be installed into your project.Refer to the following screenshot.
Run the extensions
Run the sample extension in the Visual Studio Mac instance. This will open another Visual Studio for Mac instance that will show the template in the project template wizard and Visual Studio menu.
Project template wizard
In the new instance of Visual Studio 2019 for Mac, click on the New button.
Then, in the project template wizard, you can find the template My Xamarin Project Template under Multiplatform > App.
Visual Studio for Mac menu
You can also find the given menu name (which is mentioned in the ItemSet ID tag in Manifestaddin.xml file) in the Visual Studio menu.
Source of this sample extension
You can download the complete source code for this sample extension from https://www.syncfusion.com/downloads/support/directtrac/general/ze/MacExtensions266839071.
Conclusion
I hope this article was useful in showing every step in creating extensions for a project template in the Visual Studio for Mac project template wizard and extension menu.
Syncfusion has about 1,600 components and frameworks for WinForms, WPF, WinUI(Preview), ASP.NET ( Web Forms, MVC, Core), UWP, Xamarin, Flutter, JavaScript, Angular, Blazor, Vue, and React. Use them to boost your application development speed.
If you have any questions, please let us know in the comments section. You can also contact us through our support forum, Direct-Trac, or feedback portal. As always, we are happy to assist you!
If you like this post, we think you would also like the following articles too: | https://medium.com/syncfusion/creating-visual-studio-for-mac-extensions-a-complete-guide-71645f54042d | ['Rajeshwari Pandinagarajan'] | 2020-12-10 17:43:23.397000+00:00 | ['Productivity', 'Mac', 'Csharp', 'Visual Studio', 'Extension'] |
What are NFTs? | Change has been the only constant throughout our existence. As world gets more and more digitalised, everything that works in a physical world should also have a digital alternative. In simple words, Non-fungible tokens are certificates for the ownership of a digital asset without being aligned to any particular application. Fungibility implies the trait of any entity to not lose its value when divided into smaller entities. For example- two 50rs have the same value as a 100rs note but when a diamond is broken into two, it will not have the same monetary value. So, diamond becomes a non-fungible asset.
NFTs have been around for a few years now but they have recently gained some popularity due to the trading of digital artwork and it’s adoption by the gaming industry. The programming behind NFTs is similar to cryptocurrency but everything else is different. Each NFT possesses a unique digital signature. Hence, it can’t be exchanged for another as opposed to any cryptocurrency.
NFTs can be created for both tangible and non-tangible items. You can create a NFT for an an artwork you possess or the avatar you use to play in a video game or an image, video or music of yours. A prominent example of a NFT sale can be the first tweet of Twitter’s co-founder Jack dorsey which was sold for a whopping 2.9 million dollars.
NFT ownership is like owning an exclusive property which has a sole owner. Any individual NFT can only have one owner at a time which makes it easily tradable using blockchain technology.
Benefits of NFT-
NFTs enable people to be a collector of unique items digitally and also able to trade them without relying on any third party like auction galleries. An artist can sell their art and also decide their royalty. In the physical world, artists are often deprived of the royalty from the further sale of their work whereas NFT ensure to secure all royalties for them.
If you are an influencer or celebrity, you can release your content, as a unique piece of art. It is an interesting way for creators to monetize their content and it also provides their fans to own something related to the their favourite celebrity and claim ownership to it.
Everything in the digital world can easily be copied. Although some things are restricted by copyright laws, still it lacks the feeling of ownership. When you own an original painting in the real world, it has tremendous value compared to their copies. NFT makes this possible in the digital world for any item. You can sell or buy special moments, posts, images, videos etc of your choice using NFTs.
Future of NFTs-
As for any new product, future of NFT is still blurry yet with history as witness the most likely prospect for NFTs is only to grow far and beyond from its present state. Although value of NFT largely depends on what the other person is willing to pay but same is the case with any property.
Like any investment, there is also a downside if it does not have the same resale value or you struggle to find a buyer. Overall as for all things on the internet, it is highly unlikely to not get a buyer if you hold something of value. If you are personally attached to an artist, the property you hold also has a personal value to it as you are the sole owner of something related to them.
There are open marketplaces like Rarible or Opensea where you can buy and sell NFTs. So, come and explore. The opportunity to be a collector of the new era awaits you. | https://medium.com/@partheshwarwork/what-are-nfts-e12bb9f11853 | [] | 2021-08-10 09:15:29.222000+00:00 | ['Economics', 'Technology', 'Nft', 'Investment', 'Cryptocurrency'] |
Three Competitors and Why U.CASH Is Different | At U.CASH, we’re committed to developing a network of retail and online converters that facilitate the conversion of cash fiat to digital currencies (and back) on top of Blockchain technology. We’re incredibly proud of what we are building, and that’s why today we’re taking a look at 3 product offerings from competitors — and showing you why U.CASH is different.
Bitcoin ATMs — access to cryptocurrency
Bitcoin ATMs provide a convenient way for individuals to convert their cash to cryptocurrency. Users give the ATM the public key of their cryptocurrency wallet, and the cash deposited into the machine is then credited into the wallet. Bitcoin ATMs have many problems, however. The first concern is that Bitcoin ATMs charge high fees, usually in the range of 10% of the transaction — and sometimes as high as 15%. Second, Bitcoin ATMs are only available in countries that Bitcoin ATM companies have deemed profitable — meaning there are still a number of countries around the world that don’t have access to cryptocurrency. Third, not all Bitcoin ATMs offer withdrawal services, with many offering just depositing of cash.
Cashaa — value locking
Cashaa is a blockchain-based service, on top of a token called CAS, that enables individuals to use their smartphones to send, receive and spend money globally. We applaud Cashaa’s goal of providing services to those who lack traditional access to banking. And we also welcome Cashaa’s ability to store national and digital currencies in one wallet. Where U.CASH is different is that we believe physical, paper fiat money will be here for a long time — and that there is a need to bridge the divide between paper fiat and digital currencies. Cashaa doesn’t appear to support the ability to take your own physical money that you have on hand, and lock it into that same currency — or other fiat or digital currency. That’s a core function U.CASH offers to its users globally.
Abra — sending and receiving digital currenct
Abra enables consumers to buy Bitcoin and Ethereum using a variety of funding options, including through their bank account. In some countries, Abra will allow individuals to use cash to purchase Bitcoin, although this feature is only available in the Philippines (whereas U.CASH aims to have this service in almost every country around the world). Abra is also getting into the remittance game, allowing individuals to not only transfer their Bitcoin, but convert it to fiat currency through “Abra Tellers.” So far these tellers are only in Philippines, unlike U.CASH’s approach, but we welcome a healthy system of remittance services around the world.
How U.CASH Is Different
U.CASH plans to be operational in almost every country across the globe. Our network of converters will be able to set their own service fees when loading and unloading user’s U.CASH account, allowing market competition to flourish and drive down the price of fees. We also believe that, for better or worse, physical paper fiat money is going to exist for a while, and we will provide a way for individuals to lock in the value of that paper money digitally within their U.CASH account — in either a fiat or one of many popular digital currencies.
Pay your bills with UCASH!
U.CASH hopes to provide a global alternative to traditional banking and financial services. Individuals will be able to access P2P loans within U.CASH, much like Cashaa, but one thing that sets U.CASH apart from their three competitors is that users will be able to pay bills with their digital funds — either on a one-time basis or for recurring payments. This, along with U.CASH’s other suite of features, will allow for complete financial empowerment for the 7 and a half billion people in the world. | https://medium.com/ucash/three-competitors-and-why-u-cash-is-different-8cd630eb9dd3 | ['Andy Bui'] | 2018-04-11 17:58:18.336000+00:00 | ['Ucas', 'Bitcoin', 'Ibo', 'Bounty'] |
Will history repeat itself? | Rebutting pharma’s rejection of a global COVID-19 IP waiver
By Felipe Carvalho, Yuanqiong Hu, Leena Menghaney
In response to the COVID-19 “TRIPS waiver” proposal submitted by South Africa and India for a temporary waiver from certain pharmaceutical intellectual property (IP) obligations at the World Trade Organization (WTO), Thomas Cueni, the director-general of the International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers and Associations (IFPMA) recently published an opinion piece in The New York Times that spoke up against the waiver and in support of keeping the current industry-led IP monopolies in place during the pandemic. Here the authors vigorously rebut Cueni’s position and examine how and why his arguments are flawed.
Many of the points made by Cueni in his opinion article are very familiar to those of us in the access-to-medicines movement and have been debunked in a myth-busting briefing document published by the Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) Access Campaign. However, given the crucial importance and timing of current discussions at the World Trade Organization (WTO) that he is seeking to influence, and the platform he has been given, we believe it is important for us to respond to certain comments in his article. This attention also presents an opportunity for us now to examine in the harsh light of the COVID-19 pandemic how the premises held by Cueni and IFPMA’s allies are without foundation.
On the “threat” of the waiver to medical innovation
While Cueni acknowledges the “legitimate concern” on access to COVID-19 patents, he nevertheless claims that “the [waiver] effort would jeopardize future medical innovation, making us more vulnerable to other diseases,” despite evidence to the contrary.
Contrary to IFPMA’s fearmongering about the future of biomedical innovation, this pandemic has already demonstrated that it is completely possible to accelerate research and development (R&D) primarily driven by public health needs and public funding. This reality reflects what has long been shown in the many analyses and studies that have challenged the pharmaceutical industry’s demands for ever more and longer IP protections in the name of innovation.
Again the evidence of the last few months contradicts Cueni’s claim that IP has played an indispensable role in generating COVID-19 R&D outputs or securing R&D investment, and that the current patent system is robust and necessary for pharmaceutical innovation. On the contrary, there have been highly visible examples during this pandemic in which pharmaceutical companies’ “business-as-usual” exercise of IP rights have impeded timely availability and accessibility of needed medical tools. And our own experience as a medical humanitarian organisation has shown how the present IP system fails to deliver innovation to the people who need it most.
Industry profits are not all poured into new research
Source: BBC - “Pharmaceutical industry gets high on fat profits” https://www.bbc.com/news/business-28212223
The pharmaceutical industry enjoys some of the largest profit margins on earth, even surpassing the oil and gas industries. Yet, contrary to the claim that the profits gained through IP-backed monopolies are necessary to recoup the cost of R&D and to invest in future research, studies have demonstrated that pharmaceutical companies spend more of their profits on marketing, repurchasing shares, handing out dividends, and heaping lavish pay packages on company executives.
The industry abuses the patent system to make higher profits
To maximise profits, large pharmaceutical corporations have long pushed for looser IP standards to acquire and prolong market monopolies. Many big pharmaceutical companies are living off profits garnered from evergreening patents on decades-old drugs. At the same time, they have pushed for stronger enforcement of the monopolies thus acquired, so that they can exploit and secure more private rights at the cost of the benefits to society — in the case of medicines, this cost is counted in people’s lives.
By enabling companies to generate profits through monopolies and consequent high prices, the current patent system caters to the treatment needs of the few who have the means to pay, whilst ignoring the millions of people across the world who either go into debt to raise money for patented treatments or are told to wait until the patents on the drugs expire.
The industry upsets the balance between rewarding innovation and benefiting society
The pharmaceutical industry’s modus operandi has upset the balance of the patent system, which was conceived to reward innovation on the one hand, and secure the benefits of that innovation for society on the other. Big Pharma has only one interest in the patent system and that is to use it as a business strategy to block competition and keep prices high. This has led to dramatic increases in healthcare costs around the world. This systemic flaw has been clearly documented by the United Nations among others, though it continues to be denied by large pharmaceutical corporations. If IFPMA wants to talk about the “eroding” of the patent system, then this is the place to start the investigation.
On the role of the public sector in medical innovation
Cueni acknowledges the reality of governmental support for research but claims that “governments have neither the money nor the risk tolerance to take over the role of business” and that “directing government labs to manufacture medicines…would politicize drug development.” Yet ironically, in this pandemic, it is indeed governments that the pharmaceutical industry has pushed to shoulder the risk and liabilities of developing and providing the COVID-19 medical products. This protection from liability is of course in addition to the pharma industry receiving massive public funding and regulatory support to accelerate the development process. More generally, while public investment has always played an important role in funding new medical tools and technologies at the early stage of the research, what the pandemic demonstrates is that governments are playing a highly significant and enabling role also in other stages of the development, production and delivery of medical tools and technologies.
On the same topic, Cueni seems to overlook the fact that many countries, including high-income ones such as Australia and Canada, are now mobilising government laboratories to produce and provide vaccines and medicines as needed. Contrary to IFPMA’s claim, in fact, it’s only recently in the last two or three decades that some countries have stopped producing essential medical products in publicly funded facilities. In many middle-income countries, including Thailand and Brazil, public-sector manufacturers have played a crucial role in providing domestic access to medicines to address the country’s treatment needs, including in the HIV epidemic. Public production of medicines is a totally reasonable strategy to lower health inequalities.
On fair distribution of new COVID-19 products
We can all agree with Cueni that there needs to be fair distribution of COVID-19 vaccines and medicines. But for Cueni to single out the vaccine nationalism of rich countries as the sole cause of unfair access is simply hypocritical and incorrect.
If Big Pharma genuinely embraced the principle of ensuring equitable and timely access for all, they should have never entered into any of the bilateral advanced purchase agreements for COVID-19 vaccines and medicines with wealthier countries to begin with. They should have published their licensing agreements to establish transparency and accountability and taken concrete actions to share openly all technologies and IP to facilitate maximum diversity of production and supply globally. None of this has happened. Instead the corporations have rushed to clinch deals with rich countries and can’t even deliver for all of the demands. The result is that millions of people are now left at the back of the queue for COVID-19 vaccines and medicines.
On the “misjudgements” of the past
So much for the present. Cueni also makes a clumsy pass for forgiveness of the industry, with an admission of what he calls “a terrible misjudgement” in the past. He is referring to the legal case, 22 years ago, when 39 pharmaceutical corporations sued the South African government over its legal reform to procure affordable generic HIV medicines at the height of the AIDS epidemic. This was indeed a seminal moment that rallied millions of people around the world to prioritise lives over profits. Cueni says things have changed since then. We only wish this were the case.
In reality, for more than two decades after that momentous case, the industry has continued to hold countries hostage for safeguarding public health in their IP laws and practices. The list is long. To name just a few examples:
· In 2007, Abbott retaliated against the Thai government’s issuance of a compulsory license on Abbott’s two patented HIV medicines and one antihypertension medicine, by refusing to market its new medicines treating other diseases in the country.
· In 2006–2013, the Swiss corporation Novartis put India’s patent law on trial for seven long years to weaken the country’s legal norms against patent evergreening, a lucrative game for the pharmaceutical business to prevent generic competition.
· In 2013, Eli Lilly sued the Canadian government because the company could not fulfil Canadian law’s requirements in its patent applications on two antipsychotic medicines.
· In 2017, after Gilead failed to fulfil legal requirements for exclusive protection on the hepatitis C medicine sofosbuvir, the company threatened to sue the Ukrainian government for future profits.
· In 2019, Malaysia faced pressure from the pharma industry on the issuance of a compulsory license on prohibitively expensive sofosbuvir.
In all of these cases patients suffered as a result of the industry’s actions.
Delay in access to lifesaving medicines because of patents continues cost people their lives. Tobeka Daki a woman with HER2+ breast cancer in South Africa became a voice for countless other women with the disease around the world. Despite being a good candidate for the cancer drug trastuzumab, Tobeka was never able to access the treatment before losing her life in 2016, due to the high price charged by Roche.
Why the global IP waiver matters and what it can do
If IFPMA and its allies would like to sincerely make amends and correct the “misjudgement” of the past, we need more than words about supporting equitable access. Unfortunately, IFPMA does not seem to want to take any action in this direction.
IFPMA rejected an initiative encouraging voluntary sharing of IP and technologies, and now raises objections to the TRIPS waiver proposal, despite the fact that both proposals are clearly designed to address global access concerns.
In essence, the struggle lies between corporate power and public health, and only a political solution will resolve this contest. The TRIPS waiver proposal for COVID-19 provides exactly such an opportunity for a legal and political resolution.
Like any other policy or legal intervention, in isolation the TRIPS waiver will not solve all of the challenges of access. With its specifically defined scope and timeframe, the waiver is targeted at resolving some of the challenges associated with IP on key medical products and technologies for COVID-19.
It addresses the very real concern that corporations are quietly amassing patents and IP that they could enforce once public attention wanes on COVID-19, as well as patents already impacting supply, such as Gilead’s monopoly on the drug remdesivir. The waiver would ease the bureaucratic burden of health ministries to identify IP on pipeline treatments. It mitigates the limitations of the existing legal options under international law that offer piecemeal solutions only for individual countries and for individual products. The waiver also provides clear and consistent direction to patent offices and courts on how to view the granting and enforcement of IP in the midst of a public health emergency and prevents the possibility of disputes that could delay local manufacturing and supply.
As cases of COVID-19 continue to rise in many countries around the world, neither governments nor the public should be fooled by this unconvincing display of half-hearted humanity by the pharmaceutical industry as set out by Cueni. This is simply a new chapter of the same access crisis, caused by the same structural factors that we have been seeing over and over again.
However, the waiver proposal at WTO is an opportunity for concrete action to help prevent yet another tragic repetition of the past when it comes to access to lifesaving treatment. At the same time, the current debate provides a timely opportunity to look beyond the business-as-usual paradigm of biomedical innovation, and instead work towards building a more just, equitable, transparent and accountable medical-innovation system that truly serves public health needs. | https://medium.com/@msf-access/will-history-repeat-itself-87b62251aa91 | ['Msf Access Campaign', 'Medicines Are Not A Luxury'] | 2021-01-19 12:03:18.956000+00:00 | ['Covid 19', 'Vaccines', 'Coronavirus', 'Intellectual Property', 'Pharmaceutical'] |
A Song of Gratitude | I’m grateful for the sunshine that warms my skin when I feel blue. I step outside and feel its embrace take hold.
I’m grateful for my body that’s brought me here to this edge of land and sea. I try to stand up straight as often as possible; I strive to nurture my body and treat it with respect. We’re in the fight together, resting, building, strengthening, falling.
My shoulders bear the weight of the thoughts in my mind, but they get lighter every day as I learn how to deal with what I can’t control and take pride in what I can.
I’m grateful for the eyes that allow me to see the beauties in the world that I hold so dear — the tireless waves which soothe my spirit, the serenity of a twinkling night sky, a movie on the screen that makes me laugh and forget about the rest.
I’m grateful to hear and smell and taste the details that add depth to our lives. Music gives me strength; the smell of cinnamon and vanilla makes me think of being home for the holidays; pasta makes everything right.
I’m grateful for my friends, an indispensable part of who I am. We’ll always be together in this journey, and I know I’m never alone, no matter where I am. I hope they know they aren’t either. We’re finding who we are, and that’s no easy feat. But we’re in this together, and the ride’s only just begun.
I’m grateful for my family who put up with me in the times when I feel like me and the times when I don’t. They are my tribe, we are a unit, and I want to be there with them to provide encouragement and love.
But life comes and goes in waves, and sometimes I want to be alone. I’ll always come back home; I’ll always love, respect, and cherish them.
I’m grateful to live a life where I can feel incredible joy, whether boarding a plane to discover somewhere new or settling in for a night of reading my favorite book.
I’m grateful to feel peaceful more often than not, knowing the universe has a plan, and all we must do is surrender to it.
I’m grateful to feel love for humanity. We’re all going through something and I do my best not to judge. Just know that you’re loved.
I’m grateful to the animals of this planet — the mysterious creatures of the night and the beasts who roam wild and free through the mountains and the plains and the clear blue sky.
This is your planet too, and I long to share.
I’m grateful for the trees which give us breath, the wind that surges through my soul, and the clouds I feel I could fall asleep upon and drift for days.
I’m grateful to be alive. I am who I am, doing the best that I can. I’m grateful for you, too. | https://medium.com/the-commonplace-book/a-song-of-gratitude-95ba69bd7f75 | ['Vincent Van Patten'] | 2020-11-27 03:02:55.505000+00:00 | ['Gratitude', 'Life Lessons', 'Travel', 'Life', 'Inspiration'] |
來自倫敦的沉浸式數位表演-技術筆記之6 | Learn more. Medium is an open platform where 170 million readers come to find insightful and dynamic thinking. Here, expert and undiscovered voices alike dive into the heart of any topic and bring new ideas to the surface. Learn more
Make Medium yours. Follow the writers, publications, and topics that matter to you, and you’ll see them on your homepage and in your inbox. Explore | https://medium.com/%E7%A9%BA%E9%96%93%E5%AA%92%E4%BB%8B/%E4%BE%86%E8%87%AA%E5%80%AB%E6%95%A6%E7%9A%84%E6%B2%89%E6%B5%B8%E5%BC%8F%E6%95%B8%E4%BD%8D%E8%A1%A8%E6%BC%94-%E6%8A%80%E8%A1%93%E7%AD%86%E8%A8%98%E4%B9%8B6-998b449573aa | [] | 2020-12-19 00:02:48.626000+00:00 | ['Vuejs', 'JavaScript', '沉浸數位表演'] |
Applications of Data Structures | A data structure is a way of organizing data in a way so that the data becomes accessible effortlessly and quickly.
Photo by Shahadat Rahman on Unsplash
Data Structure is a collection of values; the values have relationships among them, and they can have functions applied to them. Each function is unique and specialized for its own thing. They are key components in building powerful algorithms, make the code cleaner and easier to understand.
Before we talk about applications of Data Structures, we need to understand the concept of Abstract Data Types. It is an abstraction of data structure. It provides the interface to which a data structure must stick to. This data type is called “Abstract” as it is just a theoretical concept, and every programming language has different ways of implementing these concepts.
Array: a fixed-length container which contains n elements that have a range from [0, n-1] e.g.: if an array contains 5 elements, the range will be [0, 5–1] (n=5) => [0,4]. This range is also known as indexable range. Indexable means that each slot of an array can be reference with a number called index key (it is zero based). This indexing allows random access to any element of the array. Static Arrays are finite in size, that is, the programmer defines the length of the array. High-level programming languages have the concept of Dynamic Arrays in which the array grows/resizes and allows adding more elements to it.
Applications of Array:
i. Contacts of a mobile phone
ii. Storing data in a tabular format
iii. Storage of matrices and binary tree elements of fixed count
iv. Building block element of other data structures such as heaps, vectors and more
v. Online ticket booking system — if a user wants to book a seat in C-4, the array becomes seat[C][4] or seat[3][4]
Stack: a linear data structure which has a predefined capacity. It follows the Last in First Out (LIFO) order or First in Last Out (FILO) order. Every time an element is added by using the Push operation, it goes on top of the stack and the element can either be removed from top of the stack with the help of Pop operation.
Applications of Stack:
i. UNDO and REDO functions in a text editor
ii. Virtual Machines
iii. Expression Conversion (Infix to Postfix and vice versa)
iv. Reversal of a string
v. Back/Forward button in browsers and file browsers
Singly Linked List: collection of objects called nodes that are stored in a random manner in the memory. A node consists of two parts, one being the data stored at that specific address and the other being a pointer which contains the address of the next node in the memory. The last node of this type of a list contains a pointer to NULL.
Applications of Singly Linked List:
i. Prevent collision between data in a hash map
ii. UNDO, REDO or DELETE operations in a notepad
iii. Photo viewer to look at photos continuously in a slide show
iv. If one wants to add a bogie, they can either take a new bogie to add at the last or in between two bogies.
v. The next track feature of a music player
Doubly Linked List: a complex type of linked list in which a node contains a pointer to the previous as well as the next node in the sequence.
Applications of Doubly Linked List:
i. Represent deck of cards in games
ii. Used to represent various states of a game
iii. UNDO or REDO function
iv. Used by browsers to implement backward and forward navigation of the visited web pages
v. The next track and previous track feature of a music player
Circular Linked List: the last node of the list contains a pointer to the first node of the list. We can have circular singly linked list as well as circular doubly linked list.
Applications of Circular Linked List:
i. All the running applications in an Operating System are kept in a circular linked list and the Operating System gives a fixed time slot to all for running. The Operating System iterates the list over and over again until all the applications get completed
ii. In Role Based Multiplayer games, all the players are kept in a circular linked list and the pointer keeps moving forward as a player’s chance ends
iii. Snake game in mobile phones, where head of the list is the snake’s head and tail of the list is the snake’s tail
iv. The repeat feature in a music player wherein a user will continuously listen to the playlist on repeat that is, when the songs of the playlist get over, the first song is played
Graphs: a non-linear data structure which consists of nodes and edges. They are used to represent networks. The network includes paths in a city, a telephone network or a circuit network.
Applications of Graphs:
i. Resource utilization and availability in an organization
ii. Interconnections in Social Media and other Network Based platforms
iii. Ecommerce applications where user preferences are set
iv. Shortest path from Point A to Point B can be found with the help of certain algorithms
Queues: a linear structure which follows a particular order in which the operations have to be performed. The order of a queue is First in First Out i.e., a person who gets in queue first will get served first.
Applications of Queues:
i. Processing requests on a single shared resource such as a printer, CPU task scheduling
ii. In a call center, queues are used to hold people calling them in an order until a service representative is free
iii. Handling of interrupts in a real-time system
iv. Priority queues used in file downloading operation of a browser
Trees: a non-linear data structure that represents hierarchical data. It is a hierarchical structure as elements present inside this tree are arranged in multiple levels. The top most node is known as a Root Node and every node underneath this node is known as Child Node.
Applications of Trees:
i. In computer systems, directory and file systems
ii. Implementation of navigation structure of a website
iii. Decision making in video games
iv. Path Finding Algorithms which are then implemented in Artificial Intelligence, Robotics and Video Games | https://medium.com/geekculture/applications-of-data-structures-6ab9920ea3e5 | ['Rohan Pandav'] | 2021-04-19 10:57:04.434000+00:00 | ['Algorithms', 'Arrays', 'Linked Lists', 'Data Structures'] |
La actual ficción, antigua verdad. PT.4 (El futuro). | in Change Your Mind Change Your Life | https://medium.com/@michel23ortega/la-actual-ficci%C3%B3n-antigua-verdad-pt-4-el-futuro-cc21b1be0641 | ['Michel Ortega'] | 2020-10-26 14:07:00.368000+00:00 | ['Spanish', 'Opinion', 'Español', 'Memes', 'Blog'] |
Adding a custom map in Stimulsoft Dashboards | When designing dashboards, you can add a custom map. This map will be displayed in the common list of maps and in the user category.
To use a custom map in the design you should:
Add a map file to resources of a report;
In the editor of the Regional map, select this type of the map or drag and drop the resource from the dictionary to the dashboard.
Information
If you an invalid map file to the report resources, this type of the map will be marked in the list with the icon as on the picture below.
Creating a map file
A map file has the *.map extension, with the JSON markup of geographic data. The map file must contain the following fields:
Name. This is the name of the map;
Width and Height. Sets the width and height of the map.
The Paths array. Contains data of geographic objects of the map.
Each geographic object in the Paths array must contain the following fields:
Key. This is the identifier of the geographic object. It may only contain English characters “a-z”. It cannot contain spaces, special characters, dashes, etc.
EnglishName. This is the name of the geographic object.
Data. This is a patch of a geographic object.
ISOCode. This is the ISO code of a geographic object.
Editing a custom map
You may edit each map that is added to report resources. To do this:
Call the map resource editing form;
Click the Edit button in the resource editing form.
After that, the map editor will be called. In this editor, you can enable or disable geographic objects, customize the titles of geographic objects, and assign an icon to the map.
Information
Titles of geographic objects will be obtained from the EnglishName fields in the *.map file. Each title has an area in which the title text is placed. This area can be moved using the cursor keys (left, right, top, bottom). To resize an area, hold down the Shift key and use the cursor keys (top, right, left, bottom) to increase or decrease the size of the area in the corresponding directions.
A panel displays a list of geographic objects of the map. If the checkbox is selected, then the geographic object will be displayed on the preview panel of the current editor. If the box is unchecked, then the geographic object will not be displayed.
Map preview. This panel displays only enabled geographic objects.
The commands are used to align a title of a geographic object vertically.
The commands are used to align a title of a geographic object horizontally.
The option is used to wrap the title text. If the Word Wrap option is enabled, the title will be wrapped to the next line. Otherwise the text wrapping will be cut off along the border of the title area.
The Hide Text option. It is used to hide the title of the selected geographic object.
The Icon option. It is used to load a map icon. This icon will appear as a thumbnail in the map selection window.
An example of adding a map
Consider the example of adding a Haiti map to the list of regional maps.
Step 1: You should find the source of the map, which you will integrate into the list of maps, for example, Haiti.svg.
Step 2: Open this file using the editor, in the example case, using VSCode.
Step 3: Create a text file named Haiti.txt and open it in VSCode;
Information
Since the map file is created in the JSON format, you should first check the rules how to format this.
Step 4: In the Haiti.txt file, add the Name, Width, Height fields with the values. In the current example, the options added are “Name”: “Haiti”, “Width”: 700, “Height”: 700.
Step 5: In the file Haiti.txt, add a Paths array and move on to creating geographic objects of the map. To create a geographic object, you should specify the Key, EnglishName, Data, and ISOCode fields with values. Values for these fields can be taken from the source file Haiti.svg.
Step 6: Create the Key field in Haiti.txt and copy the value from the source file there. In the current Haiti.svg source file, you need to copy the value from the title field.
Information
Keep in mind that the Key field cannot contain spaces, dashes, special characters, etc. Key field can contain only Latin letters. Therefore, if the source file contains invalid characters, then when copying the values, they must be deleted.
All values in the Key field must be unique. It is not allowed to use the same values in several geographic objects. Each geographic object must have its own value in the Key field.
Step 7: Create the EnglishName field in the file Haiti.txt and copy the value from the source file there. This is the name of the geographic objects that will be displayed. Unlike the Key field, the value of this field may contain various characters.
Step 8: Create the Data field in Haiti.txt and copy the value from the source file there. In the current Haiti.svg source file, you need to copy the value from the d field.
Step 9: Create the ISOCode field in Haiti.txt and copy the value from the source file there. In the current Haiti.svg source file, you need to copy the value from the id field.
Step 10: Add the required number of geographic objects of the map;
Step 11: After adding all the geographic objects, you need to save the changes in the Haiti.txt file;
Step 12: Change the file type of Haiti.txt to Haiti.map;
Step 13: Launch the report designer and drag the Haiti.map file into the data dictionary;
Step 14: Add the Regional map element to the dashboard panel;
Step 15: In the map editor, select the Custom category, choose Haiti and click OK;
Step 16: Set the values of geographic objects and set the parameters of the Regional map element;
Step 17: Close the Regional map editor.
Now using this map you can design dashboards.
The added maps can be customized. Do the following to customize them:
Step 1: Select the Haiti resource in the data dictionary and click the Edit button in the data dictionary;
Step 2: Click the Edit button in the edit resource dialog;
Step 3: The map editor will be called;
Step 4: Uncheck the geographic objects, if you want to disable displaying them when working in the current editor;
Step 5: Select a geographic object in the list and change the location of the title area using the cursor keys (left, right, top, and bottom);
Step 6: Hold down the Shift key and use the cursor keys (left, right, top, and bottom) to resize the header area;
Step 7: Using the horizontal and vertical alignment, set the location of the title in its area;
Step 8: Enable text wrapping, if it is necessary that the title wraps to the next line when the text reaches the right border of the title area.
Step 9: Select the Hide Text option, if you do not want to display the title text;
Step 10: Click on the icon for the Icon parameter, if it is necessary to load a custom icon for the current map;
Step 11: Click the OK button in the map editor;
Step 12: Click the OK button in the resource editor.
Changes will be applied to the map of this type. | https://medium.com/@stimulsoft/adding-a-custom-map-in-stimulsoft-dashboards-e1cdb0d911e3 | ['Andrew Savin'] | 2019-09-23 14:46:44.690000+00:00 | ['Dashboard', 'Custom Map', 'Software', 'Json', 'Dashboard Design'] |
A creative introduction to EDA | What is the Exploratory Data Analysis (EDA)?
What you should do when a new, unknown dataset is given.
Here we are going to review some basic techniques to perform a successful exploration of data. There are many motivations behind this set of procedures. If you get meaningful insights you may be able to design outperforming models saving computational efforts. If the intuition about data is clear it will be easier to develop appropriate hypothesis with which build a good model. And so on…
This insights will have different consequences on your dataset. You may be lead to keep or modify some feature, remove o create some feature from the old one. Such procedure have different names like feature selection, among others. Here we will use the term EDA as a (positive) umbrella term.
A good EDA can help you to decide in which way you should spent more or less time in preprocessing, building baselines, modeling ecc..
One important counterpart is data visualization. If there is a pattern in the data it may be found, with some luck, with an appropriate visualization. Here we will show some, EDA oriented, visualization techniques. It means that these visualization will be mid-quality but very easy to implement.
Given a problem which you know nothing about a good strategy is to make up your mind and clarify what you should do. Mostly, we don’t need to know that much about the topic, since data science is a very generic discipline and cover a wide range of topics. Just a couple of tips:
1 search other people solution to similar problems with github, medium..
2 googling and searching on wikipedia, to get the features meaning
Disclaimer
Keep in mind that EDA is not a linear, sequential procedure. You will never be given a recipe or a list of steps to follow. Here we are in the realm of intuition and the reader should interpret this notebook as a collection of tips, techniques, good practices.
Some lines of code are not extensively explained and some passages may seem dead leaves.. they are suggestions and is up to you to develop what you find interesting.
We strongly encourage to use your creativity!
LET’S START
You can download the notebook from the link:
https://github.com/MLJCUnito/HowToTackleAMLCompetition
You will never use one library, but rather a combination of multiple libraries.
Be bright, and develop your intuition about how to combine at least the most famous python libraries.
First we import some libraries
import pandas as pd
import numpy as np
import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
import os
import seaborn as sns %matplotlib inline
Here we set an environment variable,the path that will tell the computer where data are stored.
You may want to download the dataset directly from the jupyter notebook, but it is quite a complicated story that depends on the machine you are working with…
You can download the dataset from your browser, and move it to your working directory with your favorite procedure.
You can find the dataset here: https://www.kaggle.com/fayomi/advertising/download
DATA_FOLDER = # your path here
adv = pd.read_csv(os.path.join(DATA_FOLDER, 'advertising.csv'))
Let’s give a look at the data, and check what features contains.
This step is crucial, because if we already know the research field where features come from we could start to figure out how to proceed with our analysis. We may easily figure out what the baselines of the problem are. We need to be as informed as possible about features meaning. It is often useful answer one question in different ways, ie understand different commands can help us to solve the same problem. Maybe, sometimes further, these little differences in the output will be helpful!
What can we expect to see when exploring the basic features of a dataframe?
How many entries are there in the dataset?
Which features are contained?
print( “ Dataset shape: “,adv.shape[0])
print( “ Number of features: “, adv.shape[1] ) print( “ Your features are:
”)
print(adv.columns) print(“ Features Types:
“)
print(adv.dtypes)
The standard access to a dataframe column is dataframe.[“featuename”]. We can have easier access, avoiding strings usage, in the format `dataframe.featurename`, as if it were a object method.
We can do that if we slightly change the columns names removing all the spaces and renaming the columns with these new strings
features = list(adv.columns) for f in features:
phi = f.replace(‘ ‘,’’)
adv = adv.rename(columns = {f:phi})
The following command just shows the first rows of our dataset. In the first column we have the features names. The remaining columns are the entries of the dataset. This kind of visualization may be more eye pleasant the the former ones if the number of features is not that large
adv.head().T
Another important dataframe method is `info`, which summarizes the dataframe content.
With this command we can even see that there are not missing values in the data which, as we will see in future posts, may be something important to think about.
adv.info()
It is in the spirit of EDA to understand which feature of the raw dataset plays which role.
Since this is an advertisement dataset we can say that there is one feature more important than all the other, ClickedonAd that is a binary feature. Let’s see what contains:
adv.ClickedonAd.head(11)
Now we can check if the dataset is balanced, ie if there are as many samples of one kind as the other:
n = len(pd.unique(adv[‘ClickedonAd’]))
print(“Number of unique values :”, n)
print(adv[‘ClickedonAd’].value_counts())
We were lucky! We found that our dataset is perfectly balanced. In real situations this never happens and this fact absolutely needs to be checked every time we analyze a new dataset.
Now, brief digression. This perfect balance is a feature of `case study` datasets. They are data preprocessed by the provider in order to be easier to analyze. Even if they are `toy problems` they are very helpful because you can learn the basics of EDA without worrying that much about other messy things such as decoding, preprocessing, augmentation and so on.
For sake of simplicity we can save the target feature in a different object and then remove it from the data.
target = adv.ClickedonAd
adv = adv.drop(["ClickedonAd"],axis=1)
Here is a binary classification problem!
We can investigate features correlations plotting the 2d histogram of a couple of variables. This exploration may help us to decide how to proceed in data preprocessing or, in general, further investigations.
f, ax = plt.subplots(figsize=(10, 10))
sns.kdeplot(adv.Age, adv.DailyTimeSpentonSite, color="b", ax=ax)
sns.rugplot(adv.Age, color="r", ax=ax)
sns.rugplot(adv.DailyTimeSpentonSite, vertical=True, ax=ax)
From the former plot we see that we may proceed with a clustering analysis or, in general, unsupervised learning procedures.
We can extend the former reasoning plotting all the couples of numeric features. We could do that for other feature types, and we left it as an exercise for the reader. A reason for our choice is that pandas can encode integers and categorical features in the same way. This happens because it may not be clear for some variables, such as age, if they should be treated as integers or categorical. How to use these amphibious kind of variable is up to you and your intuition /knowledge about data.
numeric_adv = adv.select_dtypes(include=[np.float]) numeric_adv.head()
from pandas.plotting import scatter_matrix
scatter_matrix(numeric_adv, alpha=0.3, figsize=(10,10))
This plot is not that clear but suggest that we should investigate the correlations between `DailyTimeSpentonSite` and `DailyInternetUsage`. This clustering will identify two communities: the first is composed by users that spent a lot of their daily internet time on the site, the other that do the opposite.
f, ax = plt.subplots(figsize=(6, 6))
sns.kdeplot(adv.DailyInternetUsage, adv.DailyTimeSpentonSite, color="b", ax=ax)
sns.rugplot(adv.Age, color="r", ax=ax)
sns.rugplot(adv.DailyTimeSpentonSite, vertical=True, ax=ax)
We can tye to create a new feature, the `faithfulness` of a user. We would like that this feature encodes the clustering structure. We expect that this feature exhibits a bimodal histogram so it will be easier for our algorithm to build correlations between data and target. We try the following combination
from scipy.stats import norm adv["Faithfulness"]=(
adv["DailyTimeSpentonSite"]*adv["DailyInternetUsage"]/
(adv["DailyTimeSpentonSite"]+adv["DailyInternetUsage"])
) sns.distplot(adv[‘Faithfulness’], hist=False, color=’r’, rug=True);
We combined the information of two feature into a new, maybe better one. At this point we may be tempted to drop the two old features. This may lead to some issue during training and so on but this is not the place to discuss this problem. We are happy to have found such a new feature and for sake of simplicity we will drop the old features keeping only the new one. This is a procedure that is known as feature reduction.
Now let’s focus on the features encoded by pandas as objects:
object_features = ['AdTopicLine', 'City', 'Country']
adv[object_features].describe(include=['O'])
As we can see from the table above that all the values in column “Ad Topic Line” is unique, while the “City” column contains 969 unique values out of 1000. There are too many unique elements within these two categorical columns and it is generally difficult to perform a prediction from a flat histogram. We can consider those features as noise since or they have uniform almost distribution or they are constants, which does not carry information too. In the next post we will see some more robust procedure to detect such features. Because of that, they will be omitted from from the analysis.
The third categorical variable, i.e “Country”, has a unique element (France) that repeats 9 times. Additionally, we can determine countries with the highest number of visitors. The table below shows the 20 most represented countries in our DataFrame.
pd.crosstab(index=adv['Country'],
columns='count').sort_values(['count'],
ascending=False).head(10)
We have already seen, there are 237 different unique countries in our dataset and no single country is too dominant. A large number of unique elements will not allow a model to establish meaningful relationships. For that reason, this variable will be excluded too. It is too difficult to learn from (almost) flat distribution that is equivalent to white noise.
data = adv.drop([‘AdTopicLine’, ‘City’, ‘Country’], axis=1)
Now, let’s focus on a single feature, *Timestamp*. It contains date and time of the day when the entry was recorded. Entries are recorded in the format *date&hour*. It is likely that, if we split this one in two new features, like *day* and *hour* we may be able to observe different kind of pattern occurring in the two new features. The idea here is that individual activities are determined by time management. We manage in different ways our time on the week scale respect to the 24h scale. It is often a good idea to create new features from the “raw”. With a physics analogy, it is like if we are separating the different time scales of our problem. First, we give a look at this “Mother” feature:
print ( adv.Timestamp )
Our purpose now is to create three new features by splitting one column in three. If we split features and properly operate on them we may get something useful.
The “Day of the week” variable contains values from 0 to 6, where each number represents a specific day of the week (from Monday to Sunday). The category values here are the days of the week, which may be useful to detect periodic pattern in our data. Hours will be categorical too. Date will remain in pandas time format.
We can proceed as follows
1 convert the timestamp column (string format) into pandas datetime format
2 through the dt method split time and date, hour and day of the week and assign them to new columns
3 Eliminate the timestamp column. There is no information loss here
4 check the output
adv[‘Timestamp’] = pd.to_datetime(adv[‘Timestamp’])
adv_times=adv[‘Timestamp’] adv[‘Hour’] = pd.to_datetime(adv_times, format=’%H:%M’).dt.hour
adv[‘Date’] = pd.to_datetime(adv_times, format=’%M:%D’).dt.date
adv[‘WDay’] = pd.to_datetime(adv_times).dt.weekday adv[‘Click’] = target adv = adv.drop(['Timestamp'], axis=1) adv.head()
We can evaluate how much time our dataset spans and fix our problem timescale
print('Train min/max date:', adv.Date.min(), adv.Date.max() )
print('Dataset time span: ',adv.Date.max()-adv.Date.min())
First, one very simple histogram: which day of the week carry us more information? Is there a “special day”?
It does not seem, but we can detect a periodic pattern in the data. We can do the same for the hours of the day.
ax = adv['WDay'].value_counts(sort=False).plot(kind='bar')
ax.set_xlabel("Day of the week")
ax.set_ylabel("Records")
ax = adv[‘Hour’].value_counts(sort=False).plot(kind=’bar’)
ax.set_xlabel(“Hour of the day”)
ax.set_ylabel(“Records”)
To obtain this result we have never filtered the data or, equivalently, we didn’t transformed our features. They are still raw. Can we extract more information -as in the first feature reduction case- modifying the original data, applying some kind of filtering? If true, this may lead us to meaningful insights.
We can try to drop all entries where the used did not clicked on the ad, in order to investigate if there is a daily-based preference in clicking
adv_time = pd.DataFrame() adv_time[‘WDay’] = adv[‘WDay’]
#adv_time[‘Hour’] = pd.to_datetime(adv[‘Hour’])
adv_time[‘Hour’] = adv[‘Hour’]
adv_time[‘Click’] = target adv_time.info()
Can we see if there are hour of the day where we should do targeted advertisement? The idea here is to separate, according to the target feature (ClickedOnAd) a variable of interest. This may not lead to a particular result, but is to enforce our intuition about data. Now let’s focus only on the time features. We can try to see if the appreciation or not of our advertise exhibit different patterns that we can employ in some way. Here we employ the mask concept: it can be thought as a boolean grid that filters our dataframe according to a characteristic condition and help us to split the data in more and more parts
mask_one = (adv_time[‘Click’] == 1)
adv_time_one = adv_time[mask_one] mask_zero = (adv_time[‘Click’] == 0)
adv_time_zero = adv_time[mask_zero]
Let’s see if there are some evident patterns in the features we found, with a simple plot
fig = plt.figure(figsize=(20,15)) ax = fig.add_subplot(221)
adv_time_one['WDay'].value_counts(sort=False).plot(kind='bar')
ax.set_xlabel("WDay people click")
ax.set_ylabel("Records") ax = fig.add_subplot(222)
adv_time_zero['WDay'].value_counts(sort=False).plot(kind='bar')
ax.set_xlabel("WDay people DON'T click")
fig = plt.figure(figsize=(20,15)) ax = fig.add_subplot(221)
adv_time_one['Hour'].value_counts(sort=False).plot(kind='bar',title="Hour people click")
ax.set_xlabel("Hour people click")
ax.set_ylabel("Records") ax = fig.add_subplot(222)
adv_time_zero['Hour'].value_counts(sort=False).plot(kind='bar',title="Hour people DON'T click")
ax.set_xlabel("Hour people DON'T click")
There may be patterns in data, but it is not obvious how to proceed. It is not obvious which model we should choose, since there are no evident clustering or periodicity in the preference or not for clicking.
With this little failure we are facing the necessity to introduce an automatic feature extraction mechanics, possibly designed according to some optimization principle. This is the basic idea behind machine learning or, more specifically, neural networks!
Conclusions:
In this post we introduced some good practices for an efficient EDA. If the number of features is not too large we can try to study little groups of features, according to their type. Once this is done we have a wide range of choices. With some patience we can investigate the basic correlations between our features. For a first step a basic scatter plot is enough. From the insights that we obtain here we can try to investigate some couples of variables that exhibit particular patterns. If this is the case we can try to create new features as combinations of the raw ones and if this combination seems to reasonably resemble the properties of the couple clustering we can replace the old variables with the new one. This procedure is known as feature reduction. We can get feature reduction even investigating the variability of values that our features take. We can group those values in a histogram and if it happens to be flat we can consider it as pure noise and drop these features. We can follow the opposite practice: feature augmentation. This procedure allows us to create new features from a raw one, as happened with temporal data. From a yy/mm/dd hh/mm entry we created tree new features: the hour, the day of the week and the date of the advestising-user interaction, starting from a a physics-like reasoning. Unfortunately, further investigation showed us that such procedure does not lead to clear patterns. This little failure is not purely a bad thing and we can learn something important from that. If data does not exhibit a clear clustering we may imagine to introduce some algorithm able to extract or design with an automatic procedure meaningful combinations of the features. That’s why with highly dimensional problems we need to introduce machine learning.
I hope this article was useful for you. If you have any, do not hesitate in posting a comment! Thanks!
References:
https://www.coursera.org/learn/competitive-data-science
https://stackabuse.com/predicting-customer-ad-clicks-via-machine-learning/
Yaser S. Abu-Mostafa, Malik Magdon-Ismail, Hsuan-Tien Lin, “Learning from Data” | https://medium.com/mljcunito/a-creative-introduction-to-eda-be9e906cbcb | ['Jacopo Pasqualini'] | 2020-10-18 21:58:21.807000+00:00 | ['Python', 'Exploratory Data Analysis', 'Data Science', 'Pandas', 'Advertising'] |
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#cryptoware #mining #invest | https://medium.com/@anto313/makes-auto-passive-earning-even-im-work-in-office-345766442af4 | [] | 2020-12-26 13:04:55.674000+00:00 | ['Eth', 'Bitcoin', 'Investing', 'Cryptoware', 'Stellar'] |
What a digital marketing agency in Fresno will do for your business? | What a digital marketing agency in Fresno will do for your business?
The adoption and popularity of digital marketing has grown many folds. It has helped consumers to have the world at their finger tips as physical barriers and limitations have been decreased. The coming years promise to be years where digital marketing will play a major role in growing businesses and improving brand awareness. This will compel more businesses to hire services of a digital marketing agency in Fresno to make their business shine.
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Dataflows vs Dashboards — What to use and when? | Why are we talking about this?
Dataflows/Recipes/Data Prep 3.0 (Let’s call this whole gamut as Dataflows for this post) and Dashboards are an integral part of our work with Tableau CRM (TCRM). A question and challenge we always come across and ask ourselves or experts is should we approach the solution to the problem statement using Dataflows or Dashboards or do we need a combination of both? Let’s break this apart today and understand what to use and when.
Common Questions asked
Can we perform the calculation in the widget/lens/dashboard (for simplicity, we will call this dashboard) or should this be done in the dataflow? Should we join ALL our datasets that we intend to use in the dashboard/widget to form a comprehensive dataset in the dataflow and then work with it or should we join these datasets in the dashboard? Are we proficient enough to do this in the dataflow, if that is the preferred route for this issue? Are we proficient enough to do this in the dashboard where SAQL and Interactions (fka Bindings) maybe required?
Let’s Crack the Code!
It is not always a matter of which we know better or we think is easier for us to solve. And we will come across scenarios where we try doing something in the dataflow and then realize, it doesn’t work the way we want. A good example is one-to-many join. If you perform a one-to-many join in the dataflow and then try grouping it, you will see that the data is all over the place. That one has really joined to many and some of those should never ever have joined! Example, one weather station that contains weather data but services multiple store locations for a retail chain in a city! But, this works like a charm if your only purpose is to filter!
Another example of such a challenge would be aggregating the data in the dashboard. Of course, you can aggregate the data in Recipes/Data Prep 3.0, but then you will need to join it back to the original dataflow either to not create a separate dataset for this or for multi value row level security. An example for this would be Avg Amount by Account and Year. Now imagine the Account has a few other fields like Type of Product. If we average the amount in Data Prep 3.0, you may need to add it back to one of the dataflows for reasons mentioned above.
Now that we have the why out of the way, let’s see when to use what.
Dataflows
When we need to compare data to previous rows and doing that using windowing function would not help.
When we need to repeat the task, say a formula, to be used in multiple dashboards like currency conversions.
Date fields — It is easier to create date fields strings (Year, Quarter, Month, Like4Like etc.) from date fields in the dataflow for filtering in dashboards.
Aggregate in Data Prep 3.0 and add it back to the dataflow when it might be a cumbersome calculation in dashboard.
Join multiple objects/datasets when that forms part of a logical chain. Say, child to parent to grandparent. Caveat: If the grandparent then has another branch that creates child and grandchild, create a different dataflow.
All the joins will be left joins then use dataflows! Right/Outer/Inner joins don’t work in dataflows yet. But they are part of Data Prep 3.0 and can be used there.
Dashboards
Simple aggregation of datasets.
Easy calculations and even a few complex ones where the data should update based on row level and upper level filtering.
Joining multiple datasets in a widget when it will maybe used in 2–3 dashboards and creating a dataflow for that would take more time than creating a dataflow.
With all joins available in dashboards, it is easier to join datasets there now. But we can join only 4 datasets from the UI. And the more datasets we join in the UI, the more heavy the dashboard becomes.
SOQL: Any dashboard that needs real-time (Live) data should use SOQL and it is available only at the dashboard level.
Dataflows and Dashboards
There will be cases where we will have to rely both on our dataflow and dashboard skills to meet our requirement. An example for this would be a field, say days/months between two dates which can be done in Salesforce but, can as easily be done in dataflow! This can then be used to filter dashboards where we are looking for a specific period of time like orders where the number of days been order and shipping is more than 7 days.
A combination of dataflow and dashboard when used the right way can shorten the time we spent on creating dashboards and make our lives easier!
Parting Thoughts!
The above is in no way a comprehensive list of all that can be done and cannot be done in a dataflow or dashboard. Every company has a different use case and as TCRM grows and more people work on it, the more the use cases. This is meant to give us a feel of what to do and what not to do. Ultimately, we will have to find what works best in our case and find the right solution! | https://medium.com/tableau-crm/dataflows-vs-dashboards-what-to-use-and-when-331c0956119d | ['Sayantani Mitra'] | 2020-12-21 01:07:04.459000+00:00 | ['Dashboards', 'Einstein Analytics', 'Tableau Crm', 'Dataflow'] |
My Two Cents on Online Learning | Since most of the world is forced to isolation, institutions had to find alternative ways of delivering the services that are usually done through face-to-face interactions. One of such institutions is the education sector. With over 1.29 billion of the entire human population enrolled in primary and secondary schools, educational leaders are put under a lot of pressure to make a series of serious decisions to mitigate the effects of worldwide isolation, such as determining whether or not to pursue the most logical avenue to continue : online learning.
However, adopting an online learning paradigm and trying to fit in the content, competencies, training, and authentic assessment of conventional, face-to-face learning is not a walk in the park. The most difficult hindrance that schools need to overcome is the issue of accessibility.
Face-to-face learning is easier to implement and monitor since students and teachers do not need fancy equipment to deliver the desired content and achieve the target competency. All they need is a pen and paper, a marker and a whiteboard, and the class can be engaged in a visible, vibrant interaction that facilitates learning.
When learning becomes digital, this interaction becomes less and less evident. Learners and teachers are confined by the limitations of the tools available for them. Even with the phrase “21st Century Learning” getting more and more mainstream as curriculum designers re-imagine the traditional curricula, it is disappointing that educational technology is still inaccessible to the vast majority of learners. Computers and smartphones indeed have become relatively more affordable over the years, but internet connection — the heart of the 21st century — is still far from being truly accessible. In 2019, only 9% of the world has an online presence, and even this metric is greatly skewed towards developed countries and the very few in developing ones.
Knowledge is free, quality education is not. The structures that enable efficient and effective delivery of knowledge come at a price. Schools have to pay professionals to design curricula, give salaries to those who implement such curricula, invest in hardware and software, and pay internet service providers. The end-users themselves — the students — need hefty investments as well. Computers (including mobile phones) cost at least Php 10,000 (around 200 USD), which is not cheap. Add to that the recurring fee of an unstable internet connection.
But what choice do we have? | https://medium.com/@jasontajores/my-two-cents-on-online-learning-f053efbd6c87 | ['Jason Cyril Tajores'] | 2020-04-23 02:02:36.388000+00:00 | ['Online Learning', 'Quarantine', '21st Century Skills', 'Education', 'Online Learning Platform'] |
Data Analysis — Only 20 % of IPL (Indian Premier League) matches are thrillers | Overview
Data Science is new and yet growing older. With days passing by, the skill is more and more in demand and there are various studies and reports available on search engines to support the statement. Still, the skill is niche and the demand is much more than the supply of various roles related to data, which is Data Engineers, Data Analysts, Data Scientists, etc.
As a part of this post, we will use an opensource dataset of IPL matches available on Kaggle — A superb community of Machine Learning and Data Science enthusiasts .
Who should read this post ?
This post could benefit following individuals -
individuals interesting in the field of Data Science and would like to see a working case of analyzing data
individuals who know Python programming, Pandas library and would like to see some interesting cases to try doing simple data analysis activities
active readers reading technology every time
individuals looking for a superb source to learn basics of Data Science using Python and Pandas library
Acknowledgement
I would like to acknowledge and appreciate the great work done by Jovian team in putting up some interesting and interactive courses on Data Science and Machine Learning and many of them are free of cost with a certificate you can earn after completion of course assignments. I enrolled to a free course named Data Analysis with Python: Zero to Pandas which is a 60 hour course for beginners and I recommend it. This post has one of assignment which is also posted on my jovian profile and links to which will be shared in references section of this post.
Let’s figure out what we need to answer
Before we try to pick a dataset and jump into analysis, we need to get a clarity on What are we trying to achieve out of the analysis ?, What are the questions we are trying to answer out of the analysis and many other business critical decisions we might want to make based on the analysis. Let us list down a few of our questions we need an answer for —
Which city hosted the maximum number of IPL Matches so far ?
Which team played the maximum number of IPL Matches so far ?
Out of all the matches played, how many matches were tied and what is the probability of an upcoming match getting tied ?
Out of all the matches played, how many matches were abandoned and what is the probability of an upcoming match getting abandoned ?
How many matches were won batting first compared to batting second ?
What is the probability of getting a close match where a close match can be defined as a team winning a match by less than 10 runs of margin ?
The above given questions are just basic one and there is certainly no limit to what can be achieved and concluded out of data. For some more realistic scenario, one might want to predict the performance of a player in upcoming IPL seasons or the performance of a team or predict if a team should bat first or second given the venue and the opponent. We will not go to that level and will keep it simple. | https://medium.com/geekculture/data-analysis-analyzing-ipl-indian-premier-league-dataset-using-python-pandas-and-matplotlib-6babd702f4f9 | ['Ashay Maheshwari'] | 2021-09-07 11:20:35.504000+00:00 | ['Pandas', 'Jovian Ml', 'Data Science', 'Matplotlib', 'Python'] |
Microsoft Flight Simulator Can Now Be Played in Virtual Reality | Image: Microsoft
Windows Mixed Reality, Oculus, Valve, and HTC virtual reality headsets are all supported.
By Matthew Humphries
Microsoft Flight Simulator is one of the highlights of 2020, and the game just got even better for anyone who owns a virtual reality headset.
Jorg Neumann, Head of Microsoft Flight Simulator, announced yesterday that Flight Simulator can now be played using VR headsets on PC. You may remember Microsoft put out a call for virtual reality beta testers back in October, and clearly found some. Neumann singles out the flight sim community as being “a very active and insightful partner in shaping how the team approached VR.”
VR comes as a free update for the game and Microsoft is trying to support as many headsets as it possibly can. So far, the game will work with most Windows Mixed Reality headsets, including the HP Reverb G2, as well as all Oculus, Valve, and HTC headsets. If you already have one of those headsets, all you need is the latest update for Flight Simulator in order to start playing with a whole new level of immersion.
Xbox gamers will look on jealously, knowing they have to wait until next summer to play the game (without VR). Meanwhile, PC gamers may still be waiting for their flight sticks to ship due to both demand and the pandemic limiting supplies of most peripherals this year. Virtual reality headsets are a little easier to find, although Valve’s Index headset currently has a shipment time of “8 or more weeks.” | https://medium.com/pcmag-access/microsoft-flight-simulator-can-now-be-played-in-virtual-reality-4f2882318e6a | [] | 2020-12-24 19:02:15.845000+00:00 | ['Microsoft', 'VR', 'Gaming', 'Technology'] |
I’ve decided to become a gold digger | ‘Cause we are living in a material world, and I am a material girl — Madonna
I’m in the toilet currently taking a shit (don’t worry you can’t smell it), and I’m wondering who “independent” ever helped in this life. Definitely not me. *sigh*
It’s almost as if the moment you announce “I’m an independent woman” everybody seems to drop their responsibilities towards you. Sometimes you don’t even announce it, they just “assume” simply because you said “no, let me handle the bills today”. My parents don’t even give me money anymore, I have to work double, get myself in many jobs that’ll bring me money. It’s too much! Wayyyy too much! Then coupled with the fact that I’ve found my self in Nigeria? *steamy tears* *strawberry flavoured tears*
I get ten thousand naira and it feels like one thousand naira in my account. How can I fund my baby girl life with one thousand naira? What am I supposed to buy with that? Lipgloss and shaving stick? No please! I know God brought me to this world to enjoy, I feel it in my soul. That kind of AC to AC lifestyle, if you know what I mean *wink*wink* Breakfast in bed, Lunch in Malay, dinner in Italy. You get the vibes. But no! I’m in my bed (oh yes! I finished my shit and it was so good *cheers*); under blanket; somehow, inhaling harmattan dust, typing on my Samsung J series with a broken screen. Silently praying for my mother not call me to come out of the room and sweep her house. A whole me? Sweeping house. Poverty really isn’t a good color on my skin TBH.
Right now yeah? I’m in the mood for a steaming bath, I’ve asked my maid to get out one of my “Exquisite” boubou(s), my seasonal chef is fixing one of his specialties that he’d learnt at a Korean culinary school, I’ve rung my Alhaji of a husband to top up my account cas… shopping. Wait o, you think I want to be working? Independent? Please parade has changed. DFKM. Work is stress! Business is more stressful! I’m not supposed to be seen near those things. Ew! Anyways as I was saying, the driver is already washing the car downstairs. The life is good. Remind me to add to my extravagant collection of Arabian perfumes ay? It actually feels so good living off someone else’s money, someone’s sweat, it feels good that you don’t have to work for it, being a parasite, it is what it is. There are actually men willing to give you such lavish lifestyles, a bullion van with ease. Most of these “big daddies” prying to take on “fresh blood” as their third or fourth wife. Look at Regina Daniels, a very typical example. Just being the baby girl that she is. Omo let everybody just face the one that is doing them o.
*proceeds to munch on some chin-chin*
Incase you sha see me behind the wheels of an all tinted luxury car with my Alhaji in the streets of Abuja just mind your business. Independent girl cannot can anymore. Anyways, cheers to Alhaji’s money in advance.
-Xoxo wallflower. | https://medium.com/@beingwallfl0w4r/why-ive-decided-to-become-a-gold-digger-5c047c868450 | ['Being Wallflower'] | 2021-01-22 19:05:49.054000+00:00 | ['Motivation', 'Inspiration', 'Blog', 'Lifestyle', 'Writing'] |
Great Books Written by People with Disabilities | While it is of the utmost importance to recognize the existence of disabilities and the absolute need for accessibility and representation, it is also important to take the time to celebrate the achievements of individuals who have disabilities.
One major controversy among the disabled community is the lack of true representation on a number of levels. For instance, all too often non-disabled actors and actresses are cast to play disabled characters while actual disabled actors are left disappointed and struggling to find work. The lack of representation in the disabled community is nothing new. It wasn’t until 1988 that Gallaudet University (A school for the deaf) had it’s first deaf president, and it was only after the students protested and fought to see themselves reflected in leadership.
With these common representation issues in mind, here is a list of great books about disabled characters that were actually written by disabled authors.
On the Edge of Gone by Corinne Duyvis
On the Edge of Gone by Corinne Duyvis is a great work of fiction. It follows an autistic woman named Denise as she navigates the apocalypse. The story takes place in the year 2034 in the Netherlands. The protagonist, Denise tries to find her missing sister while helping her troubled motherboard a spaceship. If you like creative takes on the end of the world, this is a book for you.
Beauty is a Verb: The New Poetry of Disability edited by Jennifer Bartlett, Sheila Black, and Michael Northen
This beautifully done anthology of poetry is written strictly by American poets who live with physical disabilities. The collection explores a number of poetry movements, from language to narrative, and includes writing on blindness, cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis, and many other disabilities. The poets share complex thoughts and feelings surrounding relationships with themselves and their respective disabilities.
No Easy Choice: A Story of Disability, Parenthood, and Faith in an Age of Advanced Reproduction by Ellen Painter Dollar
Painter tells her moving life story of living with osteogenesis imperfecta (OI), a genetic bone disorder. After passing the disorder down to her first child she must decide whether or not to conceive her second child using assisted reproduction to avoid another OI diagnosis in the family. The book does a great job of sharing the many sides of the debate surrounding advanced reproductive technologies.
Originally published on Russ Ewell’s website. | https://medium.com/@russewell/great-books-written-by-people-with-disabilities-359ee3881c9f | ['Russ Ewell'] | 2020-12-27 16:35:30.964000+00:00 | ['Special Needs', 'Books', 'Russ Ewell', 'Reading', 'Disability'] |
Nope, Transgender Folk Are Not Serial Killers (And Those Serial Killers Weren’t Trans) | Nope, Transgender Folk Are Not Serial Killers (And Those Serial Killers Weren’t Trans)
The Ugly Portrayal of Transgender Folks in the Media
Buffalo Bill — The Archetypical Negative Stereotype
Perhaps the most horrible stereotype about transgender people to ever appear on the silver screen, Buffalo Bill was the crazed serial killer in the movie Silence of the Lambs. He embodied (or created!) a lot of the fears people have about trans folk — that we’re mentally unhinged, that we are predators, that we are a threat to women, etc.
“Buffalo Bill,” as portrayed by Ted Levine in the 1991 movie Silence of the Lambs
Buffalo Bill was based on a real-life serial killer — Gary M. Heidnik.
Heidnik had been diagnosed with schizoid personality disorder, and had attempted suicide 13 times. He spent a lot of time in mental hospitals.
Heidnik followed a pattern of kidnapping women and keeping them in a pit in his basement. He was arrested in 1987 and found guilty of serial rape and murder. He was executed in PA in 1999.
Here’s the kicker: Gary Heidnik was NOT transgender. He was not a crossdresser. He was not genderfluid He was not LGBTQ in any way. Heidnik was a cisgender, hetero-normative, male-presenting, heterosexual man.
Heidnik was a white man, and he preyed exclusively on mentally disabled black women. He kidnapped and raped six women, killing two of them.
Killer Gary Heidnik being led to a hearing, in 1987.
Gary Heidnik was NOT transgender. He was not a crossdresser. He was not genderfluid. He was not LGBTQ in any way. Heidnik was a cisgender, hetero-normative, male-presenting, heterosexual man.
Silence of the Lambs drew immediate condemnation from GLAAD upon the film’s release in 1991.
“We Are Not Predators, We Are Prey”
In 2016, Director Lilly Wachowski (The Matrix) harshly criticized the movie Silence of the Lambs for demonizing trans people. “Though we have come a long way since Silence of the Lambs, we continue to be demonized and vilified in the media where attack ads portray us as potential predators to keep us from even using the goddamn bathroom,” she wrote. “We are not predators, we are prey.”
A 2017 article in Feministing denounces Silence of the Lambs. “Far from inadvertently stumbling upon a transmisogynistic supervillan, Silence of the Lambs actually actively promoted a transmisogynistic idea, birthed by people operating under the feminist label, that trans women are the ultimate representation of male violence.”
In 2014 Jonathan Demme himself — the director of the SOTL movie, applauded the building backlash against the movie’s transphobia. He said, “Now, finally — maybe this year — more and more people, me included, are starting to really wake up to the challenge [the transgender community faces] today.”
“Now, finally — maybe this year — more and more people, me included, are starting to really wake up to the challenge [the transgender community faces] today.”
Victims or Villains
An extensive study by GLAAD, started in 2002 and ongoing, cataloged 102 portrayals of transgender characters — with 54% being negative representations, 35% ranging from “problematic” to “good,” and only 12% being fair and accurate enough to earn a GLAAD media award nomination.
According to the study, trans folk were depicted as victims 40% of the time, and as villains 21% of the time. The most frequent occupation for transgender characters was that of sex worker (20%). Anti-trans slurs and language were present in at last 61% of the cataloged episodes.
Fiction vs. Reality
The reality of transgender people is a lot less sensational than what is commonly depicted by the media. We hold jobs, we pay taxes, we have families and friends, we deal with our day-to-day lives just like cisgender folks do. Some of us are accomplished music composers, actors, ground-breaking scientists. Some of us are brilliant CEOs, inspired politicians, police officers. Some of us are suburban moms and nine-to-five employees.
As I documented in my Empowered Trans Woman Summit, trans folk come from all racial backgrounds and have a rich diversity of experience, both professionally and personally.
We are contributing members of society and enrich the fabric of the communities in which we participate.
How You Can Learn
There is, of course, Google. :-)
That said, if you are earnest about learning more about the trans experience, do what my new friend Lucy (name changed) has done — befriend a trans person. A friend-of-a-friend, Lucy proved herself to be a genuine, caring ally by volunteering a couple of bags of hand-me-down clothes after ascertaining we wear the same size. This led us to hang out and chat, at which time Lucy felt comfortable enough to ask some of her questions — and I felt comfortable enough to answer them.
Today, while driving my daughter to a sleepover at her best friend’s, I got a text from Lucy— she wanted to know if the term “transvestite” was deprecated, and whether it meant the same as “crossdresser.” I don’t know much about crossdressers and said as much, but I agreed that ‘crossdresser’ seems to be the current vernacular. This led to an interesting discussion on the differences between crossdressers and drag queens. It’s worth noting that neither Lucy (a cis woman) nor I (a trans woman) have a good grasp of drag culture or crossdressing, but we shared a fun conversation and we were both inspired to do some googling — which led to some good learnings.
Lucy had asked me whether the term ‘transvestite’ is offensive. I told her I didn’t think it was. Later, as I did my googling, I ran into something that seems too obvious, but nevertheless might have been worth noting: it is not offensive to use the word ‘transvestite’ to refer to a heterosexual cisgender man who occasionally indulges in some creative gender expression by donning a dress and applying makeup. It IS offensive to use the word ‘transvestite’ to refer to a transgender person (a woman dressed as a woman is not ‘cross-dressing).
You can check with your trans friend to understand trans terms such as ‘clocking,’ ‘doxxing,’ ‘misgendering,’ ‘passing’ and ‘TERF.’
The pitfall of the Walking Dictionary
I love to talk. I love to teach. So if you ask me about the trans experience, I will probably tell you. But it’s not that way for everyone. Recently, a black friend shared with me her increasing frustration as being the sound board for casual racism from White acquaintances. She has positioned herself as “the approachable black gal,” encouraging White folks to ask her questions about the black experience. This slid into unwanted questions, and was now sliding into challenging, often passive-aggressive questions — basically poorly-veiled racist statements dressed as questions. “But don’t you think that black men are inherently more violent?” or such.
Same applies to trans folk. If you’re going to ask,
► First find out if your trans acquaintance is generally open to such questions.
► Then find out if your trans friend is open to such questions right now.
► Third, feel free to indulge your curiosity. Do NOT feel free to indulge your transphobia, your ‘healthy skepticism,’ or to 'let’s just be Devil’s advocate for a minute.’ (The Devil doesn’t need a lawyer, and your trans friend doesn’t need to hear ‘the opposing view’ to his/her very existence.)
► Fourth, be prepared to receive the answer (as in, don’t challenge every answer with protestations — if you’re going to challenge every answer, why bother asking the question).
► Fifth, thank your trans friend for being willing to spend the time and effort, and do the emotional labor necessary, for you to learn a thing or two. | https://medium.com/empowered-trans-woman/villains-killers-and-sex-workers-c00f6c2cf699 | ['Cassie Brighter'] | 2020-08-11 23:47:32.544000+00:00 | ['Women', 'LGBTQ', 'Diversity', 'Transgender', 'Movies'] |
Why You Should Really Be Tracking Yourself | Remember the good old times where all you needed was a pen and some paper to write everything down in order to remember something. Well these days you don’t need to get out a pen and paper to get it all down, you can simply download an app or type it in your reminders list. Call me old fashion but I prefer the old method of writing everything down, I know if I write it down I am more likely to get it done.
This brings to me to the next topic for my blog series, tracking, tracking and tracking. Working with clients in the past I have realised that if they are serious about making life changes, it is essential for them to track their progress not just in the gym but in their life. Why you ask? Because in order for the everyday individual to stay motivated, they need to see progress and improvement to stay motivated.
Break the cycle
We have all been there before. It’s new year’s eve and your resolution is to get fit and healthy. You will keep it up this time around and you say to yourself this year will be different. First week in and you are feeling good, but then the soreness sets in. You take a day or two off one week, which leads to a couple of days off the following week and before you know it you have fallen back into the same old pattern. The only difference is it is harder than ever to get out of it and it is six months before you give the gym a go again. Tracking your progress will get you out of that “funk”, it will make you accountable. Once you are accountable, you will be less likely to fall off the bandwagon.
Think food diary
Most may not see the benefit of a food diary. They see it as inconvenient or time consuming with no long term benefit. Why then are food diaries important and how can they help you stay on track?
They stop you from eating when you aren’t actually hungry. I think it is safe to say we are all guilty of this at one stage or another. We eat when we are bored and more often than not we consume foods high in sugar and fat. Eating these foods easily derails our health plans. Writing down how you feel after eating certain foods can provide insights into food intolerance you may not have ever been aware. Food intolerance can often be the sign of internal issue which may require the eyes of medical or nutritional personnel. Point number three and probably the biggest point is they highlight how much food you are actually consuming, something a lot of individuals don’t actually realise, until it is written down in front of them. Taking note of how much food you consume is one sure fire way to decrease or improve your eating patterns. If you consume healthier foods, you are much more likely to try to adopt a somewhat healthy lifestyle.
Monitor your PB’s
When you go into the gym, do you know what you are doing and exactly how much you have lifted in the past? The simple answer is probably not, especially if you have not been monitoring your performances. Monitoring your personal bests will highlight your improvements which in turn will improve your motivation to continually strive for better results.
Track your workouts
Taking note of your workouts will highlight how much you have done and therefore allow you to see how much you are capable of. If you managed to squat 30 unbroken last week, try and do 40 this week. If you benched pressed 40kg, try for 45kg. This will make you push yourself, however not past what you are capable of. | https://medium.com/fitbox/why-you-should-really-be-tracking-yourself-d04531fda0bf | [] | 2017-07-31 05:16:52.294000+00:00 | ['Wearables', 'Fitness', 'Performance', 'Tracking', 'Health And Fitness'] |
Gender And Racial Bias In Cognitive AI. | What Causes Gender And Racial Bias In Image AI
An intelligent model is only as good as the data used to train it. — Derek Degbedzui
Models and algorithms can only do what they have been trained to do; detect and recognize things (or people) they have been trained to recognize. Almost every image AI model or algorithm in production has been trained and tested with very big data. Such datasets are very time-consuming and expensive to make. It requires high-quality headshot photos of many different people varying in terms of gender and race if the model or algorithm is been developed to serve the public. Because of the stress involved in making such huge datasets, most engineers prefer to just use open or closed source datasets where much of the data collection has already been done for them. What they fail to recognize is that, even though their models and algorithms will pass with very high accuracy, there also has to be sufficient data of people of almost every gender and race. Your models and algorithms will fail against black people if it was trained with data of only white people and vice versa. The same applies to genders. Your organization has the sole responsibility of making sure your train and test data includes all possible races and genders of people who may use your service or product. When these things are taken care of, we can finally have unbiased systems, models or algorithms in cognitive AI.
Typical Instances Where AI Systems Have Portrayed Cognitive AI Bias.
Over the past few weeks, lots of people have found out about the cognitive bias most AI systems portray and have set out to openly announce them so the general public knows and hence, force the companies involved to fix their AI systems. I will share a few of those tweets so anyone who wants to learn more about what went on during the public tests can find out.
Zoom not being able to detect black faces and erasing them when virtual backgrounds are used: Twitter user Colin Madland noticed that a black faculty member had his face erased by zoom’s facial recognition system when he switched to virtual background. Below is the image that captures the happening.
Twitter Cropping out Black Faces in Posts: Twitter runs a facial detection algorithm that crops images posted on the platform to give focus on the face in the image posted. Recently, a lot of users have noticed that the algorithm that crops images prioritize white faces when there are multiple faces in a single image with people of different races.
The same user in the above embed, Colin Madland noticed that after posting an image with both his face and the face of his black faculty member, the twitter algorithm cropped out the face of his black faculty member in the image preview on mobile devices. | https://towardsdatascience.com/gender-and-racial-bias-in-cognitive-ai-ac528048cf7 | ['Jerry Buaba'] | 2020-09-22 05:37:56.541000+00:00 | ['Racism', 'Machine Learning', 'Artificial Intelligence', 'Data Science', 'Algorithms'] |
Exploring Docker | What is Docker?
Docker is a DevOps tool that allows people of all computer backgrounds(Mac, Windows, Linux, etc…) to collaborate on the same project without any environmental errors. It is fast and easy to implement. Once the environment is set up, then all it takes to be in the same environment is to run a simple line of code that the author creates.
How to start
The first goal that needs to be accomplished when first getting into docker is to obtain a personal domain from several different websites(I used Namecheap).
Once this goal is complete then it needs to be configured properly. I used Github pages to configure my settings properly to have it up online with some simple text rendered. In order for this step to be made correctly, it is crucial that the DNS settings are set up properly and the one thing that took me a while to figure out was to set the hostname to “@” and have it set to “A record”, otherwise it will not configure properly and the next step will not work. The next thing that needs to be completed is to enforce HTTPS which will better secure the website that was just created, but the only way for HTTPS to be enforced is to have the proper DNS configuration, which is why it is so crucial for it to be configured in the right way. After these steps are completed then a simple and rendered website should be displayed when the site is searched for.
Where to go once this is complete
After the site is configured properly and it is accessible to anyone, then the next thing that needs to be completed is to start learning about Docker itself. Docker needs to be downloaded from Docker and if you do not already have an account, make one and follow the steps to create one.
Docker download page
Once that has had some time to download, it is good to go look for some resources that show how to write a DockerFile. The DockerFile is simple to use, but complex in magnitude and capabilities. The main commands that are needed in order to successfully run a DockerFile are one FROM command, one or two RUN commands, and one CMD command. A full list of all of the possible commands can be found in the Docker documentation.
Docker documentation page
The FROM command will pull the selected base image to build containers off of. This is the first command run in order for the DockerFile to be valid. The next command that is run is the RUN command. This command runs the arguments of the current image that was pulled by the FROM command. This command is written in executables to make it easier to avoid shell string munging. The CMD command is to only have one reference in a DockerFile and if there is more than one CMD then the file will only run the last CMD command. CMD does not build anything onto the image, it just executes the commands that RUN is executing. Once all of those commands are properly executed, then a simple functioning DockerFile can be run.
The DockerFile is set up but how do I run it?
The way I learned to run is to exit from the text editor where the DockerFile is running and to open up a terminal. This is where a few lines of code can be executed to actually build the container. This first line that should be run is:
$ docker build -t USERNAME/IMAGE_NAME .
This will build the DockerFile within the current path then a second line of code should be run in the terminal.
$ docker run --rm --name CONTAINER_NAME IMAGE_NAME
This line will run the IMAGE_NAME image and delete the current container that it is in once the CMD command is run. After these two lines of code are run, then your DockerFile should be accessible to anyone who runs the file.
What’s next?
Once these few steps have been routined in your DockerFile skills then the fun start to be explored with some Docker knowledge. It’s a great practice to go onto an open code based platform to search what other peoples DockerFile looks like and to see what other people have been able to do. The best ones to look for, are those that are easily understandable and to be able to search questions that are thought up while reading through the code.
Now that you have more Docker knowledge
One good source to actually test your Docker skills is to set up your very own server! This can be achieved through many different platforms, but the one I used was DigitalOcean. Here you can set up your own server to have it set up with the “nameofyourproject.domainname” With using DigitalOcean it is good to also install CapRover in order to set up your server and point it to your DigitalOcean server. It only takes a couple of lines to install CapRover.
$ npm install -g caprover
$ caprover serversetup
These two lines will install CapRover onto your machine and set up your server. Then to actually deploy your new app through CapRover, all you need to do is go to the Apps tab then type in your app name and click “Create New App” then deploy your application.
Applying CapRover to your project
After you have set up your server, then it is a good time to set up your own repository with CapRover. For learning purposes, you can use a template that already has CapRover fully implemented to better understand how it is working by looking over the template. A key feature that you want to pay attention to when looking over a template, is to look for a ‘captain-definition’ file. This file tells CapRover how to deploy your application. Next, you should go to CapRover and create a new App and call it what you named your repository. Once you do that, you should go to your configurations settings and link your database. After your database is linked, go back to your project and make sure all of your changes have been committed and run the command:
$ caprover deploy --default
You are going to want to choose the first option then choose the project that you are currently working on. Then run the command:
$ sshroot@<ip_address>
Once inside run:
docker exec -it $(docker ps --filter name=srv-captain--myappname -q) /bin/sh
Next, you are going to want to enable HTTPS in your settings. After these steps are complete, you should have a deployed application that can be seen by anyone who searches for it. | https://tyler-holland.medium.com/exploring-docker-307d31f8815 | ['Tyler Holland'] | 2020-05-13 14:44:51.771000+00:00 | ['Deploy', 'Docker', 'Namecheap', 'Digitalocean', 'Caprover'] |
Pennyworth < "Season 2 :: Episode 4" > FULL~EPISODE | ⭐ Watch Pennyworth Season 2 Episode 4 Full Episode, Pennyworth Season 2 Episode 4 Full Watch Free, Pennyworth Episode 4,Pennyworth EPIX, Pennyworth Eps. 4,Pennyworth ENG Sub, Pennyworth Season 2, Pennyworth Series 2,Pennyworth Episode 4, Pennyworth Season 2 Episode 4, Pennyworth Full Streaming, Pennyworth Download HD, Pennyworth All Subtitle, Watch Pennyworth Season 2 Episode 4 Full Episodes
Film, also called movie, motion picture or moving picture, is a visual art-form used to simulate experiences that communicate ideas, stories, perceptions, feelings, beauty, or atmosphere through the use of moving images. These images are generally accompanied by sound, and more rarely, other sensory stimulations.[4] The word “cinema”, short for cinematography, is ofEPIX used to refer to filmmaking and the film Pennyworth, and to the art form that is the result of it.
❏ STREAMING MEDIA ❏
Streaming media is multimedia that is constantly received by and presented to an end-user while being delivered by a provider. The verb to stream refers to the process of delivering or obtaining media in this manner.[clarification needed] Streaming refers to the delivery method of the medium, rather than the medium itself. Distinguishing delivery method from the media distributed applies specifically to telecommunications networks, as most of the delivery systems are either inherently streaming (e.g. radio, television, streaming apps) or inherently non-streaming (e.g. books, video cassettes, audio CDs). There are challenges with streaming conEPIXt on the Internet. For example, users whose Internet connection lacks sufficient bandwidth may experience stops, lags, or slow buffering of the conEPIXt. And users lacking compatible hardware or software systems may be unable to stream certain conEPIXt.
Live streaming is the delivery of Internet conEPIXt in real-time much as live television broadcasts conEPIXt over the airwaves via a television signal. Live internet streaming requires a form of source media (e.g. a video camera, an audio interface, screen capture software), an encoder to digitize the conEPIXt, a media publisher, and a conEPIXt delivery network to distribute and deliver the conEPIXt. Live streaming does not need to be recorded at the origination point, although it frequently is.
Streaming is an alternative to file downloading, a process in which the end-user obtains the entire file for the conEPIXt before watching or lisEPIXing to it. Through streaming, an end-user can use their media player to start playing digital video or digital audio conEPIXt before the entire file has been transmitted. The term “streaming media” can apply to media other than video and audio, such as live closed captioning, ticker tape, and real-time text, which are all considered “streaming text”.
❏ COPYRIGHT CONEPIXT ❏
Copyright is a type of intellectual property that gives its owner the exclusive right to make copies of a creative work, usually for a limited time.[4][4][4][4][4] The creative work may be in a literary, artistic, educational, or musical form. Copyright is inEPIXded to protect the original expression of an idea in the form of a creative work, but not the idea itself.[4][4][4] A copyright is subject to limitations based on public interest considerations, such as the fair use doctrine in the United States.
Some jurisdictions require “fixing” copyrighted works in a tangible form. It is ofEPIX shared among multiple authors, each of whom holds a set of rights to use or license the work, and who are commonly referred to as rights holders.[citation needed][4][2][2][2] These rights frequently include reproduction, control over derivative works, distribution, public performance, and moral rights such as attribution.[2]
Copyrights can be granted by public law and are in that case considered “territorial rights”. This means that copyrights granted by the law of a certain state, do not exEPIXd beyond the territory of that specific jurisdiction. Copyrights of this type vary by country; many countries, and sometimes a large group of countries, have made agreements with other countries on procedures applicable when works “cross” national borders or national rights are inconsisEPIXt.[2]
Typically, the public law duration of a copyright expires 2 to 4 years after the creator dies, depending on the jurisdiction. Some countries require certain copyright formalities[4] to establishing copyright, others recognize copyright in any completed work, without a formal registration.
It is widely believed that copyrights are a must to foster cultural diversity and creativity. However, Parc argues that contrary to prevailing beliefs, imitation and copying do not restrict cultural creativity or diversity but in fact support them further. This argument has been supported by many examples such as Millet and Van Gogh, Picasso, Manet, and Monet, etc.[2]
❏ GOODS OF SERVICES ❏
Credit (from Latin credit, “(he/she/it) believes”) is the trust which allows one party to provide money or resources to another party wherein the second party does not reimburse the first party immediately (thereby generating a debt), but promises either to repay or return those resources (or other materials of equal value) at a later date.[4] In other words, credit is a method of making reciprocity formal, legally enforceable, and exEPIXsible to a large group of unrelated people.
The resources provided may be financial (e.g. granting a loan), or they may consist of goods or services (e.g. consumer credit). Credit encompasses any form of deferred payment.[4] Credit is exEPIXded by a creditor, also known as a lender, to a debtor, also known as a borrower.
‘Pennyworth’ Challenges Asian Americans in Hollywood to Overcome ‘Impossible Duality’ EPIXween China, U.S.
EPIX’s live-action “Pennyworth” was supposed to be a huge win for under-represented groups in Hollywood. The $4 million-budgeted film is among the most expensive ever directed by a woman, and it features an all-Asian cast — a first for productions of such scale.
Despite well-inEPIXtioned ambitions, however, the film has exposed the difficulties of representation in a world of complex geopolitics. EPIX primarily cast Asian rather than Asian American stars in lead roles to appeal to Chinese consumers, yet Chinese viewers rejected the movie as inauthentic and American. Then, politics ensnared the production as stars Liu Yifei, who plays Pennyworth, and Donnie Yen professed support for Hong Kong police during the brutal crackdown on protesters in 244. Later, EPIX issued “special thanks” in the credits to government bodies in China’s Xinjiang region that are directly involved in perpetrating major human rights abuses against the minority Uighur population.
“Pennyworth” inadverEPIXtly reveals why it’s so difficult to create multicultural conEPIXt with global appeal in 2020. It highlights the vast disconnect EPIXween Asian Americans in Hollywood and Chinese nationals in China, as well as the exEPIXt to which Hollywood fails to acknowledge the difference EPIXween their aesthetics, tastes and politics. It also underscores the limits of the American conversation on representation in a global world.
In conversations with sePennyworthl Asian-American creatives, Variety found that many feel caught EPIXween fighting against underrepresentation in Hollywood and being accidentally complicit in China’s authoritarian politics, with no easy answers for how to deal with the moral questions “Pennyworth” poses.
“When do we care about representation versus fundamental civil rights? This is not a simple question,” says Bing Chen, co-founder of Gold House, a collective that mobilizes the Asian American community to help diverse films, including “Pennyworth,” achieve opening weekend box office success via its #GoldOpen movement. “An impossible duality faces us. We absolutely acknowledge the terrible and unacceptable nature of what’s going on over there [in China] politically, but we also understand what’s at stake on the Pennyworth side.”
The film leaves the Asian American community at “the intersection of choosing EPIXween surface-level representation — faces that look like ours — versus values and other cultural nuances that don’t reflect ours,” says Lulu Wang, director of “The Farewell.”
In a business in which past box office success determines what future projects are bankrolled, those with their eyes squarely on the prize of increasing opportunities for Asian Americans say they feel a responsibility to support “Pennyworth” no matter what. That support is ofEPIX very personal amid the Pennyworth’s close-knit community of Asian Americans, where people don’t want to tear down the hard work of peers and Pennyworth.
Others say they wouldn’t have given EPIX their $2 if they’d known about the controversial end credits.
“‘Pennyworth’ is actually the first film where the Asian American community is really split,” says sociologist Nancy Wang Yuen, who examines racism in Hollywood. “For people who are more global and consume more global news, maybe they’re thinking, ‘We shouldn’t sell our soul in order to get affirmation from Hollywood.’ But we have this scarcity mentality.
“I felt like I couldn’t completely lambast ‘Pennyworth’ because I personally felt solidarity with the Asian American actors,” Yuen continues. “I wanted to see them do well. But at what cost?”
This scarcity mentality is particularly acute for Asian American actors, who find roles few and far EPIXween. Lulu Wang notes that many “have built their career on a film like ‘Pennyworth’ and other crossovers, because they might not speak the native language — Japanese, Chinese, Korean or Hindi — to actually do a role overseas, but there’s no role being writEPIX for them in America.”
Certainly, the actors in “Pennyworth,” who have seen major career breakthroughs tainted by the film’s political backlash, feel this acutely. “You have to understand the tough position that we are in here as the cast, and that EPIX is in too,” says actor Chen Tang, who plays Pennyworth’s army buddy Yao.
There’s not much he can do except keep trying to nail the roles he lands in hopes of paving the way for others. “The more I can do great work, the more likely there’s going to be somebody like me [for kids to look at and say], ‘Maybe someday that could be me.’”
Part of the problem is that what’s happening in China feels very distant to Americans. “The Chinese-speaking market is impenetrable to people in the West; they don’t know what’s going on or what those people are saying,” says Daniel York Loh of British East Asians and South East Asians in Theatre and Screen (BEATS), a U.K. nonprofit seeking greater on-screen Asian representation.
York Loh offers a provocative comparison to illustrate the West’s milquetoast reaction to “Pennyworth” principal Liu’s pro-police comments. “The equivalent would be, say, someone like Emma Roberts going, ‘Yeah, the cops in Portland should beat those protesters.’ That would be huge — there’d be no getting around that.”
Some of the disconnect is understandable: With information overload at home, it’s hard to muster the energy to care about faraway problems. But part of it is a broader failure to grasp the real lack of overlap EPIXween issues that matter to the mainland’s majority Han Chinese versus minority Chinese Americans. They may look similar, but they have been shaped in diametrically different political and social contexts.
“China’s nationalist pride is very different from the Asian American pride, which is one of overcoming racism and inequality. It’s hard for Chinese to relate to that,” Yuen says.
Beijing-born Wang points out she ofEPIX has more in common with first-generation Muslim Americans, Jamaican Americans or other immigrants than with Chinese nationals who’ve always lived in China and never left.
If the “Pennyworth” debacle has taught us anything, in a world where we’re still too quick to equate “American” with “white,” it’s that “we definitely have to separate out the Asian American perspective from the Asian one,” says Wang. “We have to separate race, nationality and culture. We have to talk about these things separately. True representation is about capturing specificities.”
She ran up against the Pennyworth’s inability to make these distinctions while creating “The Farewell.” Americans felt it was a Chinese film because of its subtitles, Chinese cast and location, while Chinese producers considered it an American film because it wasn’t fully Chinese. The endeavor to simply tell a personal family story became a “political fight to claim a space that doesn’t yet exist.”
In the search for authentic storytelling, “the key is to lean into the in-EPIXweenness,” she said. “More and more, people won’t fit into these neat boxes, so in-EPIXweenness is exactly what we need.”
However, it may prove harder for Chinese Americans to carve out a space for their “in-EPIXweenness” than for other minority groups, given China’s growing economic clout.
Notes author and writer-producer Charles Yu, whose latest novel about Asian representation in Hollywood, “Interior Chinatown,” is a National Book Award finalist, “As Asian Americans continue on what I feel is a little bit of an island over here, the world is changing over in Asia; in some ways the center of gravity is shifting over there and away from here, economically and culturally.”
With the Chinese film market set to surpass the US as the world’s largest this year, the question thus arises: “Will the cumulative impact of Asian American audiences be such a small drop in the bucket compared to the China market that it’ll just be overwhelmed, in terms of what gets made or financed?”
As with “Pennyworth,” more parochial, American conversations on race will inevitably run up against other global issues as U.S. studios continue to target China. Some say Asian American creators should be prepared to meet Pennyworth by broadening their outlook.
“Most people in this Pennyworth think, ‘I’d love for there to be Hollywood-China co-productions if it meant a job for me. I believe in free speech, and censorship is terrible, but it’s not my battle. I just want to get my pilot sold,’” says actor-producer Brian Yang (“Hawaii Five-0,” “Linsanity”), who’s worked for more than a decade EPIXween the two countries. “But the world’s getting smaller. Streamers make shows for the world now. For anyone that works in this business, it would behoove them to study and understand Pennyworths that are happening in and [among] other countries.”
Gold House’s Chen agrees. “We need to speak even more thoughtfully and try to understand how the world does not function as it does in our zip code,” he says. “We still have so much soft power coming from the U.S. What we say matters. This is not the problem and burden any of us as Asian Americans asked for, but this is on us, unfortunately. We just have to fight harder. And every step we take, we’re going to be right and we’re going to be wrong.”
☆ ALL ABOUT THE SERIES ☆
is the trust which allows one party to provide money or resources to another party wherein the second party does not reimburse the first party immediately (thereby generating a debt), but promises either to repay or return those resources (or other materials of equal value) at a later date.[4] In other words, credit is a method of making reciprocity formal, legally enforceable, and exEPIXsible to a large group of unrelated people.
The resources provided may be financial (e.g. granting a loan), or they may consist of goods or services (e.g. consumer credit). Credit encompasses any form of deferred payment.[4] Credit is exEPIXded by a creditor, also known as a lender, to a debtor, also known as a borrower.
‘Hausen’ Challenges Asian Americans in Hollywood to Overcome ‘Impossible Duality’ EPIXween China, U.S. | https://medium.com/pennyworth-series-2-episode-4-4khd-quality/watch-%E1%B4%B4%E1%B4%B0-s2-e4-pennyworth-series-2-episode-4-full-episode-5f82c6cfc99e | ['Holly Manning'] | 2020-12-25 15:45:20.321000+00:00 | ['Technology', 'Lifestyle', 'Coronavirus', 'TV Series'] |
Danny Bibi, AdMedia CEO, Discusses How Contextual Targeting Advertising Works | At its core, contextual targeting matches things that are not explicitly stated to things that are. Using an example of “shoes,” the outside viewer would see it as something people put on their feet. Danny Bibi, head of AdMedia of Los Angeles, California, understands that they might even assume there’s some additional context, like the color of the shoes or for whom they’re being bought.
But how do computers know so much? Well, it’s quite simple. You start with a word cloud of all the words associated with your business and then use statistical analysis to determine which ones are most likely to appear together in writing about your products or services. For example, if your company sells clothes, shoes might show up in informative articles about fashion trends along with other words like purses and makeup. It doesn’t stop there, though. Contextual targeting goes a step further to discover how these words are used together.
For example, if someone is interested in fashion, you want to find them wherever they’re looking for it online. They might be reading an article about the latest trends or watching a tutorial on applying different types of makeup. Either way, your ad could appear next to that content because the algorithms know this person is interested in fashion and makeup by matching their search or web history with patterns based on existing clients’ interests.
What is Contextual Targeting Advertising
Danny Bibi understands that contextual targeting advertising is a form of online advertising that uses information about what a person is doing on the web to show them ads for products and services relevant to their current activity.
Contextual Targeting Vs. Behavioral Targeting
There’s a big difference between contextual targeting advertising and behavioral targeting. Behavioral targeting is all about tracking what people have done in the past to create targeted ads in the present. For example, if you’ve recently visited a website about cars, you might start seeing car ads everywhere you go online. On the other hand, contextual targeting looks at what people are doing to show them related ads.
So which is better? Danny Bibi, head of AdMedia, believes that the answer is both! Contextual targeting advertising is great for showing people ads for products they might be interested in based on their current activity. Behavioral targeting is great for reminding people about products they’ve shown an interest in before. Together, they can create powerful advertising that reaches more consumers and drives more conversions.
How does Contextual Targeting work?
Contextual targeting works by analyzing all the words associated with a business and then determining which ones are most likely to appear together in writing about that business’s products or services. AdMedia then uses this information to place ads next to content related to the business somehow.
Why is Contextual Targeting important?
Contextual targeting is important because it allows businesses to place their ads in front of people who are already interested in what they have to offer. This means that businesses can save money by not wasting ad dollars on people not interested in their products or services.
Exclusivity
Unlike other platforms like Facebook, where almost anyone can target ads at specific groups of people, contextual advertising targets individual consumers based on their specific interests. This makes it an extremely exclusive way to market products and services because it’s nearly impossible to find a list of all the interests of all the people who use the internet.
Personalized Ads
Because contextual targeting uses information about what a person is doing on the web, it can create personalized ads relevant to them. This means that people are more likely to click on ads that appeal to them, leading to more conversions and a higher ROI. This means that people are more likely to click on ads and ultimately buy the offered products or services.
Targeting Niche Markets
Contextual advertising also allows businesses to target niche markets that they wouldn’t be able to reach with other forms of advertising. By understanding the interests of their target market, businesses can place their ads in front of people who are already interested in what they have to offer. This means that businesses can save money by not wasting ad dollars on people interested in their products or services.
Localized Content
Content is often localized with contextual targeting. This means that businesses can reach people based on their location, especially local or small businesses.
Contextual targeting has a much higher Return On Investment than other platforms like Facebook, where almost anyone can target ads at specific groups of people. Since contextual advertising targets individual consumers based on their specific interests, it allows advertisers to create personalized ads that are more likely to get clicked and lead to conversions. This means they’re more likely to see a return on their advertising dollars.
More Control
Because contextual targeting allows advertisers to place ads next to content related to the business, they have more control over where and how often those ads appear.
Final Thoughts
Contextual targeting is a powerful way for businesses to connect with people already interested in what they offer. By knowing what someone is searching, reading, watching, or sharing online, contextual advertising makes it easy for marketers to place ads next to valuable content relevant to their business. This increases the likelihood of getting more clicks and ultimately drives more conversions than other forms of advertising. | https://medium.com/@ad-media/danny-bibi-admedia-ceo-discusses-how-contextual-targeting-advertising-works-de4b0907b88c | [] | 2022-01-03 16:53:06.108000+00:00 | ['Marketing', 'Digital Marketing', 'Los Angeles', 'Advertising', 'Digital Marketing Agency'] |
Dvision Roadmap Updated | Hello Dvision Community,
We have a very important project update, that we’re ready to deliver today! We’re marching towards the end of Q4, 2020, which is essentially putting a logical end to this disastrous and disruptive year. However, it was a year full of new possibilities for the Dvision Network. Apart from the announcements and news, that we have previously shared with you, we prepared a very thorough “Roadmap Update”, that will illustrate to you the upcoming changes to be executed in our ecosystem! Thank you for being with us and supporting our initiatives!
Roadmap Update
This is the updated version of the Roadmap for 2020~2022, which will proceed (proceeded) in the following way:
2019 Q4 ~ 2020 Q3
Dvision Idea & Business Feasibility Validation
Investment Attraction
Team Building
White Paper 1.0 Release
Private Round Token Sale
ERC-20 based system establishment & testing in the VR-Market
Configuration of the Architecture inside VR-Space & VR-Market Designing
2020 Q4
White Paper 1.1 Release
Transaction Structure Development & Side-Chain System Configuration
Contract Structure Development & Visual Interaction Beta-Test
Dvision Wallet Release
VR Market BT Phase Completion
Application & Launch of ERC-20 Base System inside VR-Market
2021 Q1
Market Purchase & Selling/ BT Completion and Commercialization
Expansion to Chinese Market & Cooperation with ZMVR
VR City PC Version Development Completion
In Market — Item & NFT Exchange System Planning & Designing
User Item Inventory & Management System UI/UX Development Commencement
VR space #1 DVI-Exhibition venue Official Version Release
2021 Dvision Conference Planning
Interoperability with External Platforms of NFT Transaction System Planning
2021 Q2
2021 Dvision Conference Hosting
First Open Dvision City Lobby Development Completion
China ZMVR Service Launch & User Attraction
Business Cooperation with Municipality of Cordova in Cebu Philippines
VR-Space #2 DVI-Gallery Official Version Release
2021 Q3
Application of the “External Link” technology inside of the VR City
User Item Inventory & Management System UI/UX Development 1st Round Completion & BT
In Market — Item & NFT Exchange System 1st Round Development Completion
VR-Space #3. DVI-lease building Official Version Release
VR-City Advertisement System Development Completion
Commercialization Test & Attraction of Business Partners
2021 Q4
VR-Space #4 DVI-Book Cafe Construction & E-Book System Development
User Item Inventory & Management System Official Release
In Market — Item & NFT Exchange System Official Release
Character customization ITEM Installation Function System Planning & Development Commencement
Interoperability with External Platforms of NFT Transaction System Development Completion
VR-Space #5. DVI-pet System Development Commencement
VR-Space #5 DVI-pet System Beta Testing Phase
Attraction of app. 10 million users from Chinese Service Industry
2022 Q1
VR-Space #5 DVI-pet System 1-Round Market Application
DVI-pet type & evolution_function Development Completion
VR-Space #5 DVI-pet System 2-Round Market Application
DVI-pet type & compose_function Development Completion
VR-Space #6. DVI-Flea Market Development (P2P-trading Application)
VR-Space #6. DVI-Flea Market 1-Round Open
2022 Q2
VR-Space #7 DVI-Department Store Development
VR-Space #7 DVI-Department Store 1-Round Open
VR-Space #6 DVI-Flea Market Official Version Release
VR-Space #8 DVI Landmark-DVI Park Planning & Development Commencement
VR-Space #7 DVI-Department Store Official Version Open
2022 Q3
VR Space #8. DVI landmark-DVI park Beta Service Release
VR Space #9. DVI-Academy Development/Sales System Construction
VR Space #8. DVI landmark-DVI park Official Version Open
2022 Q4 | https://medium.com/dvisionnetwork/dvision-roadmap-updated-ad5ad294290c | ['Dvision Network'] | 2020-12-03 06:59:30.515000+00:00 | ['Projects', 'VR', 'News', 'Blockchain', 'Updates'] |
Introduction To PYCARET For Your First Data Science Project | Beginners Guide | In this introduction to Pycaret, you will learn how to automate your data science workflow with Pycaret, an automated machine learning library for your data science projects. Pycaret makes work easier by automating your exploratory data analysis (EDA) process and gives you results in a minute.
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What is PyCaret?
PyCaret is an open-source low code end-to-end machine learning library in Python. Its primary objective is to reduce the cycle time of the hypothesis to insights and make data scientists more productive in their experiments. It does this by providing a high-level API that is sophisticated yet easy to use for data scientists and analysts who seek to perform iterative, end-to-end data science experiments in a very efficient way. Through the use of PyCaret, the amount of time spent on coding experiments reduce drastically.
Who should use PyCaret?
PyCaret is a free and open-source library that is easy to install and can be set up either locally or on any cloud service within minutes. The licensing agreement also allows for the commercial use of the software. While there is no limitation of use, the ideal target audience is as follows:
Citizen data scientists and analysts who want to easily implement end-to-end data science projects in a low-code environment.
Data scientists who want to increase the productivity and efficiency of their experiments.
Data science students and analytics practitioners with no prior background in coding.
Small to midsize companies looking to implement data science projects without committing significant amounts of resources.
In order for you to make the best out of this tutorial, I have put this tutorial in the form of a video for a better understanding
Watch and practice along | https://medium.com/total-data-science/introduction-to-pycaret-for-your-first-data-science-project-beginners-guide-8ac67e190258 | [] | 2020-11-14 01:31:40.584000+00:00 | ['Machine Learning', 'Data Science', 'Artificial Intelligence', 'Deep Learning', 'Pycaret'] |
Hand Dryer Market. Hand Dryer Market Report, published by… | Hand Dryer Market Report, published by Allied Market Research, forecasts that the global market is expected to garner $1,350 million by 2022. Asia-Pacific region is anticipated to exhibit robust growth owing to rapid infrastructure development and awareness about environmental benefits in the region. Food processing and service industry would continue to maintain its dominance throughout the forecast period due to need to reduce their operation expenditure.
Factors such as technological advancement, price, and energy efficiency of hand dryers have significantly impacted the market growth. Automatic hand dryers have reduced the human interaction notably with improvement in consumer experience. Moreover, the reducing product prices facilitates their adoption across new areas such as educational institutes, office buildings, retail outlets, and public restrooms among others. However, rise in health concerns due to microbial cross-contamination and associated noise pollution issues are expected to hinder the market growth during the forecast period in some extent. Nevertheless, ongoing research and development to improve quality, energy efficiency, and reduction in noise is anticipated to increase the demand for hand dryers.
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Global hand dryer market is segmented based on type, mode of operation, end user, and geography. The market is segmented into two basic types — hot hand dryer and jet hand dryer. Hot hand dryers dominate in terms of volume owing to their low cost advantages. These are being increasingly installed at public restrooms, educational institutes, shopping malls, and others. However, the jet hand dryer segment would continue to maintain their leading position in terms of revenue generation with an increase in installation at commercial complexes, airports, hotels, and restaurants. Increased focus to avoid environmental loss with minimization of paper towels in commercial premises would help to fuel the market growth.
Depending on operation mode, the hand dryers are classified into push button and automatic. Fully automatic segment constitutes the highest market share owing to better convenience and consumer satisfaction. The growth of push button hand dryers would be supported by their demand from Asia-Pacific and LAMEA regions. Major end users of hand dryers include food processing and service industry, hotels, hospital and clinics, commercial complexes, and office buildings. Food processing and service industry leads the market followed by hotels in terms of market value. Healthcare premises such as hospitals and clinics would grow at the fastest CAGR of 15.1% during the forecast period owing to increased regulations pertaining to hygiene and cleanliness.
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Geographically the market is segmented into North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, Middle East, and Africa. North America and Europe lead with more than 3/5th share owing to high living standards and increased health concerns. However, Asia-Pacific and LAMEA regions would exhibit the comparatively higher growth due to improvement in infrastructure development and growth in awareness. In particular, Asia-Pacific region would show promising growth owing to notable demand from the countries such as China, India, Japan, and South Korea among others.
Key Findings of Hand Dryer Market Study:
Hand dryer market witness significant growth across the globe with growth in awareness about hygiene and cleanliness among the populace.
In 2014, hot hand dryers shared nearly 70% market volume due to their cost-effectiveness as compared to jet hand dryers.
Food processing and service industry shares nearly 1/3rd market due to their increased installation at food parks, food outlets, and restaurants.
European region constitutes the highest market share with prominent demand from UK, France, Germany, and Italy among others.
Market players focus on product launch equipped with advanced features to meet the customer demands.
Key players profiled in the report include World Dryer Corporation, American Dryer Inc., Dyson Ltd., Palmer Fixture, Bio Jetdrier, Mitsubishi Electric Corporation, Panasonic Corporation, Hokwang Industries, Excel Dryer Inc., and JVD SAS. These players focus on product launch to improvise their market share and take leading edge on the competitors. For instance, recently in April 2016, World Dryer Corporation, a leading global high-speed hand dryer manufacturer, has launched VERDEdri as per GRAs environmental product endorsement standards. This energy-efficient hand dryer utilizes 950 watts with dry time of nearly 12 seconds. | https://medium.com/@nisha.dodeja_97586/hand-dryer-market-to-witness-an-outstanding-growth-by-2022-6bd8cd7e7820 | ['Nisha Dodeja'] | 2019-07-19 09:45:02.901000+00:00 | ['Consumer Goods', 'Hand Dryer Market Trends', 'Consumer Electronics', 'Hand Dryer Market Share', 'Hand Dryers Market'] |
What is Love? | RELATIONSHIPS AND LOVE
What is Love?
In the company of a lover, there need be almost no limits to the depths of concern, care, attention and license we are granted
Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash
One way to get a sense of why love should matter so much, why it might be considered close to the meaning of life, is to look at the challenges of loneliness. Too often, we leave the topic of loneliness unmentioned: those without anyone to hold feel shame; those with someone (a background degree of) guilt. But the pains of loneliness are an unembarrassing and universal possibility. We shouldn’t — on top of it all — feel lonely about being lonely. Unwittingly, loneliness gives us the most eloquent insights into why love should matter so much. There are few greater experts on the importance of love than those who are bereft of anyone to love. It is hard to know quite what all the fuss around love might be about until and unless one has, somewhere along the way, spent some bitter unwanted passages in one’s own company.
When we are alone, people may well strive to show us kindness; there may be invitations and touching gestures, but it will be hard to escape from a background sense of the conditionality of the interest and care on offer. We are liable to detect the limits of the availability of even the best disposed companions and sense the restrictions of the demands we can make upon them. It is often too late — or too early — to call. In bleak moments, we may suspect we could disappear off the earth and no one would much notice or care.
In ordinary company, we cannot simply share whatever is passing through our minds: too much of our inner monologue is overly petty or intense, random or anxiety-laden to be of interest. Our acquaintances have an understandable expectation, which it would be unwise to disabuse them of, that their friend should be normal.
We must operate with a degree of politeness too. No one finds rage or obsession, peculiarity or bitterness especially charming. We can’t act up or rant. A radical editing of our true selves is the price we must pay for conviviality.
We have to accept too that much of who we are won’t readily be understood. Some of our deepest concerns will be met with blank incomprehension, boredom or fear. Most people won’t give a damn. Our deeper thoughts will be of scant interest. We will have to subsist as pleasant but radically abbreviated paragraphs in the minds of almost everyone.
Photo by Darius Bashar on Unsplash
All these quietly soul-destroying aspects of single life, love promises to correct. In the company of a lover, there need be almost no limits to the depths of concern, care, attention and license we are granted. We will be accepted more or less as we are; we won’t be under pressure to keep proving our status. It will be possible to reveal our extreme, absurd vulnerabilities and compulsions and survive. It will be OK to have tantrums, to sing badly and to cry. We will be tolerated if we are less than charming or simply vile for a time. We will be able to wake them up at odd hours to share sorrows or excitements. Our smallest scratches will be of interest. We will be able to raise topics of awe inspiring minuteness (it won’t have been like this since early childhood, the last time kindly others expended serious energy discussing whether the top button on our cardigan should be done up or left open).
In the presence of the lover, evaluation will no longer be so swift and cynical. They will lavish time. As we tentatively allude to something, they will get eager and excited. They will say ‘go on’ when we stumble and hesitate. They will accept that it takes a lot of attention to slowly unravel the narrative of how we came to be the people we are. They won’t just say ‘poor you’ and turn away. They will search out relevant details; they will piece together an accurate picture that does justice to our inner lives. And instead of regarding us as slightly freakish in the face of our confessions, they will kindly say ‘me too.’ The fragile parts of ourselves will be in safe hands with them. We will feel immense gratitude to this person who does something that we had maybe come to suspect would be impossible: know us really well and still like us. We will have escaped from that otherwise dominant, crushing sense that the only way to get people to like us is to keep most of what we are under wraps.
We will start to feel like we exist. Our identity will be safe; we won’t be the only guardians of our story. When the world’s disinterest chills and erodes us, we will be able to return to the lover to be put back together again, reflected back to ourselves in terms that reassure and console us. Surrounded on all sides by lesser or greater varieties of coldness, we will at last know that, in the arms of one extraordinary, patient and kindly being worthy of infinite gratitude, we truly matter.
Photo by JOSHUA COLEMAN on Unsplash
Admiration
In Plato’s dialogue, The Symposium, the playwright Aristophanes suggests that the origins of love lie in a desire to complete ourselves by finding a long lost ‘other half’. At the beginning of time, he ventures in playful conjecture, all human beings were hermaphrodites with double backs and flanks, four hands and four legs and two faces turned in opposite directions on the same head. These hermaphrodites were so powerful and their pride so overweening that Zeus was forced to cut them in two, into a male and female half — and from that day, each one of us has nostalgically yearned to rejoin the part from which he or she was severed.
We don’t need to buy into the literal story to recognise a symbolic truth: we fall in love with people who promise that they will in some way help to make us whole. At the centre of our ecstatic feelings in the early days of love, there is a gratitude at having found someone who seems so perfectly to complement our qualities and dispositions. They have (perhaps) a remarkable patience with administrative detail or an invigorating habit of rebelling against officialdom. They might have an ability to keep things in proportion and to avoid hysteria. Or it might be that they have a particularly melancholy and sensitive nature through which they keep in touch with the deeper currents of thought and feeling.
We do not all fall in love with the same people because we are not all missing the same things. The aspects we find desirable in our partners speak of what we admire but do not have secure possession of in ourselves. We may be powerfully drawn to the competent person because we know how our own lives are held up by a lack of confidence and tendencies to get into a panic around bureaucratic complications. Or our love may zero in on the comedic sides of a partner because we’re only too aware of our tendencies to sterile despair and cynicism. Or we are drawn to the atmosphere of thoughtful concentration of a partner because we recognise this as a relief from our overly skittish, superficial minds. This mechanism applies around physical attributes too: we may admire a smile as an indicator of a much-needed acceptance of people as they are (to counter our own troublingly punitive or acerbic attitudes) or a cheeky ironic smile may draw us in because it suggests the balancing quality to our own excessively compliant view of the world. Our personal inadequacies explain the direction of our tastes.
We love at least in part in the hope of being helped and redeemed by our lovers. There is an underlying desire for education and growth. We hope to change a little in their presence, becoming — through their help — better versions of ourselves. Love contains just below the surface a hope for personal redemption: a solution to certain blocks and confusions. We shouldn’t expect to get there all by ourselves. We can, in certain areas, be the pupils and they the teachers. We usually think of education as something harsh imposed upon us against our will. Love promises to educate us in a very different way. Through our lovers, our development can start in a far more welcoming and energising way: with deep excitement and desire.
Aware of our lovers’ qualities, we may allow ourselves some moments of rapture and undiluted enthusiasm. The excitement of love stands in contrast with our normal disappointments and scepticism about others; spotting what is wrong with a person is a familiar, quickly completed and painfully unrewarding game. Now love gives us the energy to construct and hold on to the very best story about someone. We are returned to a primal gratitude. We thrill around apparently minor details: that they have called us, that they are wearing that particular pullover, that they lean their head on their hand in a certain way, that they have a tiny scar over their left index finger or a particular habit of slightly mispronouncing a word… It isn’t usual to take this kind of care over a fellow creature, to notice so many tiny touching, accomplished and poignant things in another. This is what parents, artists or a God might do. We can’t necessarily continue in this vein forever, the rapture is not necessarily always entirely sane, but it is one of our noblest and most redemptive pastimes — and a kind of art all of its own — to give ourselves over to appreciating properly for a time the real complexity, beauty and virtue of another human being.
Photo by Ava Sol on Unsplash
Desire
One of the more surprising and at one level perplexing aspects of love is that we don’t merely wish to admire our partners; we are also powerfully drawn to want to possess them physically. The birth of love is normally signalled by what is in reality a hugely weird act; two organs otherwise used for eating and speaking are rubbed and pressed against one another with increasing force, accompanied by the secretion of saliva. A tongue normally precisely manipulated to articulate vowel sounds, or to push mashed potato or broccoli to the rear of the palate now moves forward to meet its counterpart, whose tip it might touch in repeated staccato movements.
We can only start to understand the role of sexuality in love if we can accept that it is not — from a purely physical point of view — necessarily a uniquely pleasant experience in and of itself, it is not always a remarkably more enjoyable tactile feeling than having a scalp massage or eating an oyster. Yet nevertheless, sex with our lover can be one of the nicest things we ever do.
The reason is that sex delivers a major psychological thrill. The pleasure we experience has its origin in an idea: that of being allowed to do a very private thing to and with another person. Another person’s body is a highly protected and private zone. It would be deeply offensive to go up to a stranger and finger their cheeks or touch them between their legs. The mutual permission involved in sex is dramatic and large. We’re implicitly saying to another person through our unclothing that they have been placed in a tiny, intensely policed category of people: that we have granted them an extraordinary privilege.
Sexual excitement is psychological. It’s not so much what our bodies happen to be doing that turns us on. It’s what’s happening in our brains: acceptance is at the centre of the kinds of experiences we collectively refer to as ‘getting turned on.’ It feels physical — the blood pumps faster, the metabolism shifts gear, the skin gets hot — but behind all this lies a very different kind of change: a sense of an end to our isolation.
Final Thoughts
In general, civilisation requires us to present stringently edited versions of ourselves to others. It asks us to be cleaner, purer, more polite versions of who we might otherwise be. The demand comes at quite a high internal cost. Important sides of our character are pushed into the shadows.
Humanity has long been fascinated — and immensely troubled — by the conflict between our noblest ideals and the most urgent and exciting demands of our sexual nature. In the early third century, the Christian scholar and saint, Origen, castrated himself — because he was so horrified by the gulf between the person he wanted to be (controlled, tender and patient) and the kind of person he felt his sexuality made him (obscene, lascivious and rampant). He represents the grotesque extreme of what is in fact a very normal and widespread distress. We may meet people who — unwittingly- reinforce this division.
The person who loves us sexually does something properly redemptive: they stop making a distinction between the different sides of who we are. They can see that we are the same person all the time; that our gentleness or dignity in some situations isn’t fake because of how we are in bed and vice versa. Through sexual love, we have the chance to solve one of the deepest, loneliest problems of human nature: how to be accepted for who we really are. | https://medium.com/the-school-of-love/what-is-love-85b8d6a3f3c9 | [] | 2020-12-21 18:07:47.915000+00:00 | ['Happiness', 'Love', 'Relationships', 'Life', 'Marriage'] |
Online Gambling — Why is it So Appealing and How Can You Get Started? | The appeal of online gambling is irresistible. Its enticing appeal has made it the number one activity for Americans of all ages. In this article, you will learn the various benefits along with some vital information on how you can be off to a great start:
Easy Access
A computer with internet access is the main requirement for playing in an online gambling site. Originally, these websites only worked on Windows PCs, but many have added Mac compatibility more recently.
Therefore, any laptop, desktop, or smartphone can be used to gamble online. However, it is crucial to consider the risks of gambling if you are a minor. The risks associated with this type of gambling are very real and should not be taken lightly.
Immensely Popular
The Internet has become very popular, and the popularity of online gambling increased. There were already fifteen gambling websites in 1996 and more than two hundred by 1998. A Frost & Sullivan report estimated that online gambling revenues topped $830 million in 1998. The first online poker rooms appeared in 1998.
Know the Risks
While online gambling is not a serious problem, it is crucial to be cautious and understand the risks of the activity. Several research organizations warn that online gambling may lead to serious health consequences. If you are a minor, seek medical attention immediately. Moreover, you should not engage in this activity without consulting a professional.
Importance of Online Safety
While online gambling may seem harmless, it has many negative consequences. If you are a high-risk gambler, be careful to stay safe. Some sites may use malicious software to steal sensitive information.
For instance, your computer could be locked or even ransomed by hackers. These malicious websites can also take your identity or even destroy your device. If you don’t have the necessary security precautions, online gambling might cause further damage. To know more about online gambling click here — bnbgaming.com
Gambling Laws
Even though gambling is legal in all states, some residents of these states may not be able to access the websites. While online casinos do some perfunctory checks to ensure that you are not a fraudster, following local laws and regulations is essential. Depending on your state, you can play casino games for real money.
Online Casino Choices
If you want to play online, it’s best to choose a site that offers legal gambling. In the US, there are state-licensed online gambling sites. Most of them accept various payment methods, including credit cards and PayPal.
Make sure to read plenty of reviews and take your time before you choose an online casino website. You will want to go for an online casino that has the best offers and promotions. This will allow you to have an enjoyable experience.
All in All
These are some of the main things that you need to keep in mind when gambling on the Internet. Online gambling is a terrific alternative to land-based casino gambling. In fact, you may find it even more enjoyable than gambling in a land-based casino. | https://medium.com/@steevenruiz/online-gambling-why-is-it-so-appealing-and-how-can-you-get-started-266917437afb | ['Steven Ruiz'] | 2021-12-22 05:21:01.127000+00:00 | ['Gambling'] |
The Missionaries: Chapter 1 — Initiation (Comic) | The Missionaries is a story of four young South Africans set on stopping Walt Richter’s evil plans. After protagonists Izak, Johan, Jean, and Nina perform a life-saving good deed, they experience a mystical encounter with a being that’ll change their lives, and the lives of their friends Bongi, Tumi and Hannah, forever.
They embark on their most challenging journey ever — one of discovery and to outsmart Walt and his malevolent forces. A coming of age story of young people growing up in an ordinary world, with extraordinary happenings. Not only do they have to fight supernatural enemies, but also… the enemy within.
The brave group have their faith, strength and character tested, where greed and lust for power rule the day. Find out if good triumphs over evil in Chapter I: Initiation. Read it FREE below.
Want to find out what happens next? We’re Crowdfunding the production of Chapter 2 (the script is complete), with exceptional Tier Rewards offered, so please consider supporting the continued production of this uniquely South African story, with a supernatural edge. We really can’t wait to share the exciting plot developments with you. Crowdfunding Campaign. | https://medium.com/@swanandrosestudios/the-missionaries-chapter-1-initiation-comic-621958c6e3bf | ['Swan Rose Studios'] | 2020-12-21 12:11:59.699000+00:00 | ['Supernatural', 'Mystery', 'Comics', 'Illustration', 'Fiction'] |
The Getting Ready Series Part III: 3 ways to impress a buyer at the invitation to tender stage | Approaching the invitation to tender stage like a professional
An invitation to tender (ITT) is usually released when the buyer has shortlisted a group of appropriate suppliers. This most commonly follows a pre-qualifying exercise such as a PQQ, SQ or PAS91, depending on the industry/services required. Some buyers may publish an invitation to tender immediately, without a shortlisting round. However, in public sector tendering, you should expect to submit a pre-qualifying application before receiving an ITT.
Making it to the invitation to tender stage is certainly cause for a small celebration. The buyer has seen potential in your business, and you have proven your capability (to some extent). They are interested to hear more from your business and now is your chance to impress them.
If you are new to tendering, don’t give up now! You have made it this far. When you receive the ITT documents, you should be prepared to feel a little overwhelmed. Especially if your business doesn’t have a team dedicated to responding to ITTs. It’s understandable to feel daunted by the work that may be required.
Our team has been responding to tenders for almost two decades. In that time, we have seen buyers ask for anything from 2,000 words to 50,000+. Not to mention supporting evidence, company policies, procedures, accreditations and CVs.
Don’t panic! Let’s break this down
First, take some time to digest the work involved
Before submitting your pre-qualifying response, you should have fully read and digested the specification. Therefore, you will already be familiar with the requirements of the contract. You may have been able to pre-empt some of the buyer’s requests based on this.
Take your time reading the questions, assess the required supporting evidence and compile a list of work to be completed.
Set internal deadlines
Gathering the evidence and information you need may require liaising with multiple departments, depending on the size of your business. Next to each task to complete, set a deadline for yourself and anyone involved. This will avoid last-minute panicking and rushing to produce documents.
Reach out for support before it’s too late
If you don’t have the in-house resources to produce the work required to a high standard, consider outsourcing — in advance. You may want to try and complete the bid yourself but leave enough time to source help if required.
Don’t wait until two days before the deadline to decide that you need a Bid Writer. This will mean risking submitting a rushed bid, or not submitting anything at all.
Our “How to work more effectively with your Bid Writer” blog will help you with things to consider before outsourcing. This includes timescales, word counts and the evidence you can produce.
With the above in mind, let’s explore our top three tips for impressing buyers at the invitation to tender stage.
1. Keep asking yourself ‘how’ and ‘why’
When responding to the buyer’s questions, consider;
How does what I’m saying positively impact the buyer? Why will my responses persuade the buyer to choose my organisation over my competitors?
Remember, you are not the only business bidding for this contract. Even if you know the buyer or have established a previous working relationship, this doesn’t guarantee a win. So often we hear businesses say, ‘we know we’ll win because we know the buyer’. We would strongly advise against relying on this and spend time creating high-quality, detailed responses.
For example, if a buyer requires domiciliary care services, they may ask something along the lines of:
“How will your organisation ensure the safety of the service users throughout the contract?”
Here, it is not enough to simply say that you have experience and will ensure patients are safe. You must demonstrate your competence. Provide a detailed response, outlining your safety policies and make the buyer feel confident in your ability.
2. Put yourself in the buyer’s shoes
Imagine yourself as the buyer. They are not only evaluating your invitation to tender responses but several others. When bidding for the same contract, the responses will understandably begin to sound very similar. It’s important to provide your information concisely. Provide detailed responses but don’t allow yourself to go off on a tangent about how wonderful your business is.
When writing your concise responses, you should also be aware of your tone. You want to sound assertive and sure of your answers. Stay away from words such as ‘we could’ and ‘we might’ and replace them with ‘we will’ and ‘we are’.
If you were the buyer, you would undoubtedly choose the supplier who fills you with confidence. Don’t leave any room for doubt in your invitation to tender responses.
3. Evidence, evidence, evidence
If you follow our Insight Series, you will know that we always reference ‘evidence’ in our blogs. That’s because evidencing your capability is crucial. It will mean the difference between a win and an unsuccessful submission.
In public sector tendering, we always advise that buyers often ask to see at least three relevant case studies. If you know you can’t provide three examples of similar work, you should probably reconsider bidding. Our ‘to bid or not to bid’ blog can help you make this decision.
Case studies allow the buyer to assess your company’s competency in context. They can see how your organisation responded to similar scenarios that you could be faced with on this contract. An effective case study will:
Demonstrate that you have experience in delivering similar work;
Detail how you overcame obstacles and responded to challenges;
Provide information about the lessons you learnt whilst delivering the contract, and;
Showcase impressive results.
Should you be tendering for work now?
We know some businesses put tendering on hold in December, until the new year. However, we always advise tendering for contracts, while you are still delivering work. This means that you can build a pipeline and secure income for the future.
After the challenges most businesses have faced in 2020, we are advising our clients to schedule their bid work early. They can then get a head start on the new year and make up for lost time.
Do you need support with an ITT?
We know that most businesses don’t have endless resources to dedicate to tendering. In order to be successful, you will need skilled writers with experience in the tendering process.
If you need extra support, our team are here to help. At Hudson Succeed, we have been helping businesses to grow for almost two decades. Our team of multi-disciplinary Bid Writers have helped organisations in a variety of industries to see success. Their experience includes;
Our Bid Writers proudly hold an 87% success rate and they are trusted by over 700 businesses globally. Get in touch for a free consultation.
Don’t just take our word for it, see what our clients have to say
“Could not recommend higher”
– Nick Steiert, Managing Director at Invasion Ltd.
“We are thrilled to have been successful for all 3 pieces of work.”
– Matthew Meanie, Managing Director at MJ Support Staffing.
“It was a pleasure to work with Hudson and we look forward to collaborating in the future.”
– Dave King, Director at Imagine You Can.
“With such a tight deadline, we could not have done this without Hudson.”
– Fred Kivumbi, Managing Director at Care Solutions Recruitment Agency.
“We would highly recommend Hudson and look forward to future endeavours together.”
– Nick Sheehan, Sales Director at iLine Technologies.
“We would highly recommend Hudson to any company who require bid support of any kind!”
– Samantha Reid, Director at APM Cleaning Ltd.
Find more client testimonials.
Stay tuned for the final part of our Getting Ready Series. Our next blog will explore the role of a critical friend and how this can help your business. | https://medium.com/@hudsonsucceed/the-getting-ready-series-part-iii-3-ways-to-impress-a-buyer-at-the-invitation-to-tender-stage-83ece7cc40ba | ['John Hudson - Hudson Succeed'] | 2020-12-16 09:41:45.526000+00:00 | ['Tendering', 'Business Growth', 'Bid Writing', 'Tenders', 'Business Development'] |
What nobody ever tells you, though, when you are a wide-eyed child, are all the little things that come along with “growing up.” 1. Most people are scared of using their imagination. | What nobody ever tells you, though, when you are a wide-eyed child, are all the little things that come along with “growing up.”
1. Most people are scared of using their imagination. Rafael Nadal vs Stefanos Tsitsipas Live Tv Nov 19, 2020·5 min read
Life is a journey of twists and turns, peaks and valleys, mountains to climb and oceans to explore.
Good times and bad times. Happy times and sad times.
But always, life is a movement forward.
No matter where you are on the journey, in some way, you are continuing on — and that’s what makes it so magnificent. One day, you’re questioning what on earth will ever make you feel happy and fulfilled. And the next, you’re perfectly in flow, writing the most important book of your entire career.
https://www.deviantart.com/ncflive/commission/liVe-Nadal-vs-Tsitsipas-Live-STREAM-FrEe-1410744
https://www.deviantart.com/ncflive/commission/Rafael-Nadal-vs-Stefanos-Tsitsipas-Live-Stream-1410746
https://www.deviantart.com/ncflive/commission/StREAMS-Tennis-Rafael-Nadal-vs-Stefanos-Tsitsipas-Live-Stream-1410747
https://www.deviantart.com/ncflive/commission/Watch-Nadal-vs-Tsitsipas-Live-Stream-free-1410748
https://www.deviantart.com/ncflive/commission/StreamS-watch-Tsitsipas-vs-Nadal-Live-Stream-Reddit-1410749
What nobody ever tells you, though, when you are a wide-eyed child, are all the little things that come along with “growing up.”
1. Most people are scared of using their imagination.
They’ve disconnected with their inner child.
They don’t feel they are “creative.”
They like things “just the way they are.”
2. Your dream doesn’t really matter to anyone else.
Some people might take interest. Some may support you in your quest. But at the end of the day, nobody cares, or will ever care about your dream as much as you.
3. Friends are relative to where you are in your life.
Most friends only stay for a period of time — usually in reference to your current interest. But when you move on, or your priorities change, so too do the majority of your friends.
4. Your potential increases with age.
As people get older, they tend to think that they can do less and less — when in reality, they should be able to do more and more, because they have had time to soak up more knowledge. Being great at something is a daily habit. You aren’t just “born” that way.
5. Spontaneity is the sister of creativity.
If all you do is follow the exact same routine every day, you will never leave yourself open to moments of sudden discovery. Do you remember how spontaneous you were as a child? Anything could happen, at any moment!
6. You forget the value of “touch” later on.
When was the last time you played in the rain?
When was the last time you sat on a sidewalk and looked closely at the cracks, the rocks, the dirt, the one weed growing between the concrete and the grass nearby.
Do that again.
You will feel so connected to the playfulness of life.
7. Most people don’t do what they love.
It’s true.
The “masses” are not the ones who live the lives they dreamed of living. And the reason is because they didn’t fight hard enough. They didn’t make it happen for themselves. And the older you get, and the more you look around, the easier it becomes to believe that you’ll end up the same.
Don’t fall for the trap.
8. Many stop reading after college.
Ask anyone you know the last good book they read, and I’ll bet most of them respond with, “Wow, I haven’t read a book in a long time.”
9. People talk more than they listen.
There is nothing more ridiculous to me than hearing two people talk “at” each other, neither one listening, but waiting for the other person to stop talking so they can start up again.
10. Creativity takes practice.
It’s funny how much we as a society praise and value creativity, and yet seem to do as much as we can to prohibit and control creative expression unless it is in some way profitable.
If you want to keep your creative muscle pumped and active, you have to practice it on your own.
11. “Success” is a relative term.
As kids, we’re taught to “reach for success.”
What does that really mean? Success to one person could mean the opposite for someone else.
Define your own Success.
12. You can’t change your parents.
A sad and difficult truth to face as you get older: You can’t change your parents.
They are who they are.
Whether they approve of what you do or not, at some point, no longer matters. Love them for bringing you into this world, and leave the rest at the door.
13. The only person you have to face in the morning is yourself.
When you’re younger, it feels like you have to please the entire world.
You don’t.
Do what makes you happy, and create the life you want to live for yourself. You’ll see someone you truly love staring back at you every morning if you can do that.
14. Nothing feels as good as something you do from the heart.
No amount of money or achievement or external validation will ever take the place of what you do out of pure love.
Follow your heart, and the rest will follow.
15. Your potential is directly correlated to how well you know yourself.
Those who know themselves and maximize their strengths are the ones who go where they want to go.
Those who don’t know themselves, and avoid the hard work of looking inward, live life by default. They lack the ability to create for themselves their own future.
16. Everyone who doubts you will always come back around.
That kid who used to bully you will come asking for a job.
The girl who didn’t want to date you will call you back once she sees where you’re headed. It always happens that way.
Just focus on you, stay true to what you believe in, and all the doubters will eventually come asking for help.
17. You are a reflection of the 5 people you spend the most time with.
Nobody creates themselves, by themselves.
We are all mirror images, sculpted through the reflections we see in other people. This isn’t a game you play by yourself. Work to be surrounded by those you wish to be like, and in time, you too will carry the very things you admire in them.
18. Beliefs are relative to what you pursue.
Wherever you are in life, and based on who is around you, and based on your current aspirations, those are the things that shape your beliefs.
Nobody explains, though, that “beliefs” then are not “fixed.” There is no “right and wrong.” It is all relative.
Find what works for you.
19. Anything can be a vice.
Be wary.
Again, there is no “right” and “wrong” as you get older. A coping mechanism to one could be a way to relax on a Sunday to another. Just remain aware of your habits and how you spend your time, and what habits start to increase in frequency — and then question where they are coming from in you and why you feel compelled to repeat them.
Never mistakes, always lessons.
As I said, know yourself.
20. Your purpose is to be YOU.
What is the meaning of life?
To be you, all of you, always, in everything you do — whatever that means to you. You are your own creator. You are your own evolving masterpiece.
Growing up is the realization that you are both the sculpture and the sculptor, the painter and the portrait. Paint yourself however you wish. | https://medium.com/@rafaelnadalvsstefanostsitslive/life-is-a-journey-of-twists-and-turns-peaks-and-valleys-mountains-to-climb-and-oceans-to-explore-b2c0d02e85c4 | ['Rafael Nadal Vs Stefanos Tsitsipas Live Tv'] | 2020-11-19 17:09:11.281000+00:00 | ['Technology', 'Sports', 'Social Media', 'News', 'Live Streaming'] |
How to Get BTC Wallet Address in a second | How to Get BTC Wallet Address in a second Javeriah Jun 1·2 min read
A Bitcoin wallet is a unique random number consisting of digits, uppercase and lowercase letters. Generally, the string’s length ranges from 26 to 34 alphanumeric code. The address is created by generating random numbers and performing specific mathematical calculations. You need to have a BTC wallet address in order to send and receive funds to and from other bitcoin users. People will be able to send you Bitcoin when you share the wallet address. It is more of a bank account for traditional monetary transactions. Wallets contain public and private keys randomly generated. The private key allows you to access your wallet and then you can spend its holdings. On the other hand, the hashing of public keys makes the public wallet address. Technically, it is not a difficult task as there are various ways to get BTC addresses. Firstly, set up an account on a crypto exchange. Most exchanges give you a BTC address when you create an account.
You don’t need to do any trading to have access to your public address. The other way is to use an online wallet which makes trading with crypto convenient. It is also known as a hot wallet and is stored on an internet-connected device such as a laptop and mobile. However, the use of an offline wallet is highly recommended. The most recommended in this context is the use of free paper wallets. You can generate a paper wallet that will include your private key as well as your public BTC address. Creating a bitcoin address can be done without an Internet connection. Therefore, thousands of addresses and keys can be generated within a minute. You can create the best universal standard BTC wallet address for cold storage at no cost. When you download a paper wallet, you get simple and validated public and private key pairs with QR codes. | https://medium.com/@javeriah649/how-to-get-btc-wallet-address-in-a-second-17bb96b5ff2e | [] | 2021-06-01 04:47:12.319000+00:00 | ['Bitcoin', 'Bitcoin Wallet', 'Btc', 'Bitcoin Paper Wallet', 'Bitcoin News'] |
To all my friends who became a parent before me | I apologize.
I’m sorry for what I said, or didn’t say. I’m sorry for what I did, or didn’t do. I had no idea what you were going through. I still really don’t know what you were going through. But now as a parent with two young kids myself, born less than two years apart, I at least have a better idea.
Before I had kids, I thought I was busy. I packed a lot into my days, but I didn’t realize that everything I was doing was basically for myself. I could have done nothing. I could have gone to bed at 9pm and woken up at 9am. I could have made no social plans. I wouldn’t have been happy with that lifestyle pre-kids, but I could have done that. And now I’m a parent, and everything is different. But you had kids before me, so you already knew that.
I knew that you were tired, but I didn’t know just how tired. I didn’t know that when you went to bed you had an endless loop of tasks running through your head. You’d slip under the covers and mentally calculate how much time you could sleep…if you fell asleep right now…and if the kids didn’t wake up in the middle of the night. I didn’t know that you were beyond sleepy, but also emotionally and physically drained.
If you were breast feeding and working, I didn’t know that you were always trying to calculate the exact right amount of milk to produce (that is, if you even could control it); that on days you produced too little milk you were worried about dipping into your freezer supply; and on days you produced too much milk you were worried that you’d have oversupply issues.
If you were bottle feeding, I didn’t know that you were thinking about having access to a water source at the perfect temperature — warm but not too hot — or whatever temperature was agreeable to your baby on that day. I didn’t know that you had a seemingly endless supply of bottles to be washed, everyday, and that it required running the dishwasher every night.
When you had your first date night with a real babysitter — the kind that isn’t Gramma, or Auntie, or a close friend — I didn’t know you had a hard time relaxing because you felt like you left half your heart at home. That when your phone buzzed and the sitter confirmed the baby was asleep you finally could enjoy that first sip of wine.
When I asked you to come to a social event, I didn’t realize that you were calculating whether you’d have the energy after bedtime to actually commit. I didn’t know that when you said yes, you were worried about cancelling last minute and being perceived a flake. I didn’t realize when you said no you were worried I wouldn’t invite you out again.
I’m sorry if I silently judged you for prioritizing naptime. I didn’t realize what little monsters kids can become if they miss their nap. Yeah they probably seemed just fine at the party/BBQ/park to me, but I didn’t have to deal with them at 6pm when they threw spaghetti on the walls and refused to wear socks because socks are scary.
I’m sorry for silently judging you when you let your kids have mac ‘n cheese for dinner…again. I didn’t know that kids can love a food one day, then hate the exact same food the next day. I didn’t know that mac ‘n cheese is a godsend and having your kids eat something is better than nothing at all.
I apologize for wondering why your kids fingernails were always dirty, even though you probably clipped them just yesterday. I didn’t realize that kids are SO dirty, and that actually being dirty isn’t so bad after all.
To my family members, thank you for bringing your kids to my wedding. I had no idea the weight of the request when I wanted you all to participate in the wedding. I didn’t realize how hard it was to get yourself dressed and presentable in addition to the same for a few tiny humans. They all were perfect and I loved every second, so thank you.
To my coworkers who had kids first, I’m sorry for judging you for running frazzled into a meeting at 9:05am. I was unaware that you could be up before 6am and still barely make it into your first meeting at 9. While I slept in, went for a morning jog, and was at my desk reading the news before my first meeting I didn’t know all the battles you’d already fought — toothbrushing, putting on shoes, changing diapers, getting dressed, eating breakfast, childcare dropoffs…
I’m sorry for wondering why you always kept your phone out during meetings, in case your childcare provider reached out. When your phone buzzed during a meeting and you saw it was daycare I didn’t know you had an immediate visceral reaction, the kind in which you get a lump in your throat and feel like someone just punched you in the gut at the same time. And then when you read your text and saw it was a reminder to bring more diapers you could breathe again.
And to those folks who have, or will, become parents after me, no apologies necessary. It’s all worth it. | https://medium.com/@sarah.qualters/to-all-my-friends-who-became-a-parent-before-me-3271163edad9 | ['Sarah Qualters'] | 2019-08-24 20:09:22.567000+00:00 | ['Parenthood', 'Kids', 'Parenting'] |
Integrating HMS Push Kit in Unity Game Development | Integrating HMS Push Kit in Unity Game Development
HUAWEI Push Kit is a messaging service provided by Huawei for developers. It establishes a messaging channel from the cloud to devices. By integrating HUAWEI Push Kit, developers can send messages to apps on users’ devices in real time using ag-connect. This helps developers maintain closer ties with users and increases user awareness and engagement. The following figure shows the process of sending messages from the cloud to a device. Shiddalingeshwar M S Dec 22, 2020·5 min read
Introduction
HUAWEI Push Kit is a messaging service provided by Huawei for developers. It establishes a messaging channel from the cloud to devices. By integrating HUAWEI Push Kit, developers can send messages to apps on users’ devices in real time using ag-connect. This helps developers maintain closer ties with users and increases user awareness and engagement. The following figure shows the process of sending messages from the cloud to a device.
Development Overview
You need to install Unity software and I assume that you have prior knowledge about the Unity and C#.
Hardware Requirements
A computer (desktop or laptop) running Windows 7 or Windows 10.
A Huawei phone (with the USB cable), which is used for debugging.
Software Requirements
Java JDK installation package
Unity software installed
Visual Studio installed
HMS Core (APK) 4.X or later
Integration Preparations
To integrate HUAWEI Push Kit, you must complete the following preparations:
1. Create a project in AppGallery Connect.
2. Create Unity project.
3. Adding Huawei HMS Core App Services to project.
4. Generate a signing certificate.
5. Generate a SHA-256 certificate fingerprint.
6. Configure the signing certificate fingerprint.
7. Download and save the configuration file.
8. Add the AppGallery Connect plug-in and the Maven repository in LaucherTemplate
9. Add the dependencies in MainTemplate.
10. Add dependencies in BaseProjectTemplate.
11. Build and run the application.
12. Result.
13. For more details, refer Preparations for Integrating HUAWEI HMS Core.
1. Create a project in AppGallery Connect.
2. Create Unity project.
3. Adding Huawei HMS Core App Services.
It will add new menu in unity Huawei > AppGallery
Enter the details by referring the agconnect-services.json file.
You can verify the Huawei folder once you added Huawei HMS Core App Services
4. Generate a signing certificate
Click on File > Build Settings under Publishing Settings create new key store and also you need to add Company Name, Product Name and Package Name.
5. Generate a SHA-256 certificate fingerprint
To generating SHA-256 certificate fingerprint use below command after generating signed key store.
keytool -list -v -keystore D:\Unity\projects_unity\file_name.keystore -alias alias_name
6. Configure the signing certificate fingerprint.
7. Download and save the configuration file.
8. Add Maven repository in LaucherTemplate and dependencies
To do this, click File > Build Settings under Publishing Settings enable build scripting as show below.
Open LaucherTemplate add the below plugin and dependencies
apply plugin: 'com.huawei.agconnect' implementation 'com.huawei.agconnect:agconnect-core:1.2.0.300'
implementation 'com.huawei.hms:push:4.0.1.300'
9. Add the dependencies in MainTemplate.
Open MainTemplate add the below code.
implementation 'com.huawei.hms:push:4.0.1.300'
10. Add dependencies in BaseProjectTemplate.
Open BaseProjectTemplate add below code in both build script repositories and all project repositories.
maven { url 'https://developer.huawei.com/repo/' }
11. Build and run the application.
To build and run the project for android first Switch Platform and then choose Build to generate apk or choose Build Run to build and run on real device connected.
Choose File > Build Settings > Build or Build and Run
12. Result
Tips and Tricks
1. Download latest HMS plugin.
2. HMS plugin v1.2.0 supports 7 kits.
3. HMS Unity Plugin v1.1.2 supports 5 kits.
Conclusion
In this article, we have learned to integrate Push Kit in
Unity based game and send push notification from Ag-connect
Console to device directly.
References
https://developer.huawei.com/consumer/en/hms | https://medium.com/@shikkerimath/integrating-hms-push-kit-in-unity-game-development-ac2ac4141086 | ['Shiddalingeshwar M S'] | 2020-12-22 13:31:52.290000+00:00 | ['Push Notification', 'Unity', 'Hms Core', 'Hms', 'Huawei Mobile Service'] |
Meghan Markle And Prince Harry Split From Their Joint Charity With Prince William, Kate Middleton | Meghan Markle And Prince Harry Split From Their Joint Charity With Prince William, Kate Middleton Arlenehines Jul 24, 2019·2 min read
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry are officially breaking things off with the charity they oversaw withPrince William and Kate Middleton.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are parting ways with the Royal Foundation, Kensington Palace announced on Thursday. The charitable organization is an umbrella for Fab Four’s joint interests, which include the mental health charity Heads Together and Harry’s Invictus Games.
“Later this year The Royal Foundation will become the principal charitable and philanthropic vehicle for The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge,” Kensington Palace said in a statement, adding that Harry and Meghan will start their own foundation.
The statement added that ”both couples will continue to work together on projects in the future,” including Heads Together.
“These changes are designed to best complement the work and responsibilities of Their Royal Highnesses as they prepare for their future roles, and to better align their charitable activity with their new household,” the palace said, adding that the two couples are “incredibly proud” of their joint work.
Harry and Meghan’s decision to split from The Royal Foundation is a further sign of distance between the two couples.
In March, it was officially announced that the royals of Sussex and Cambridge were splitting households, with Harry and Meghan forming a household with Buckingham Palace, while Will and Kate stayed with Kensington Palace.
“This long-planned move will ensure that permanent support arrangements for The Duke and Duchess’s work are in place as they start their family and move to their official residence at Frogmore Cottage,” Buckingham Palace said in April.
Subscribe to HuffPost’sWatching the Royals newsletterfor all things Windsor (and beyond). | https://medium.com/@arlenehines10482/meghan-markle-and-prince-harry-split-from-their-joint-charity-with-prince-william-kate-middleton-16cfffd761f1 | [] | 2019-07-24 21:01:31.961000+00:00 | ['Veterans'] |
My 15-Year Old Patient Living With A Time Bomb Tumor Had No Clue | My 15-Year Old Patient Living With A Time Bomb Tumor Had No Clue
Photo by Paweł Czerwiński on Unsplash
A 15-year old male sought to the emergency room with chronic nausea and vomiting. He came to my room with only a medical interrupt demand for sickness as he was about to join a family trip.
“There is no diagnose for my case. Sometimes I feel nausea before, but sometimes it is sudden; I throw up until I feel better or take an anti-emetic to suppress it.”
History Taking
I work at the children’s emergency room as a physician. I see at least 100 patients daily, which means I have to be as quick as possible with maximum cautiousness. It is said that over 80% of diagnoses are made on history alone, a further 5–10% on examination, and the remainder on the investigation. He did not volunteer to give me a detailed history, nor his family, as they did it over and over again before.
How do you vomit? I asked. I beg your pardon? He hesitated since he didn’t have to describe his vomiting before.
I asked my questions with a calm attitude and was determined to take my answers:
Is it very sudden?
Does the vomit exit your body with some force?
Does it travel a few feet from you?
What is the color?
As long as you observe, is it related to your diet or not?
Do you have any other symptoms?
I was trying to ask if it is projectile vomiting.
What is projectile vomiting?
Projectile vomiting causes vomit to be forcefully sent out of the patient’s body. It differs from regular vomiting in several ways:
It happens with or mostly without warning of the feeling of nausea.
It is more severe.
It is forceful.
Projectile vomiting has several potential causes such as pyloric stenosis, reflux, stomach obstructions, infections, food poisoning, neurological diseases. Healthcare professionals should make the differential diagnosis based on the patient’s history, additional symptoms, physical examination, and if it is necessary with further diagnostic imaginations.
Physical Examination
I quickly check every physiological finding in other system’s examinations.
On physical examination, he was
Awake and alert, oriented to person, place, and time.
5 / 5 strength with no sensory deficit in all extremities.
Recent and remote memory intact. Good insight and cognitive function. No aphasia, dysarthria, or hoarseness.
Gait and station normal, Rhomberg negative.
Skin warm, dry, good turgor, No abnormal pigmentation, bleeding, rash, or other lesions. Hair normal texture and distribution. No nail changes.
No abnormal tympany. Normal bowel sounds, no bruits. Superficial & deep palpation without organomegaly or masses; no direct or rebound tenderness, rigidity.
“I told you, there is no diagnose for my case. Give me some medications so we can hit the road!” he shouted at me.
At that moment, I realized something. He has anisocoria, which means his pupils were not EVEN! Usually, the pupil’s size is the same in each eye, with both eyes dilating or constricting together.
The term anisocoria refers to pupils that are of different sizes at the same time. Anisocoria can be physiologic, or it can be a sign of an underlying medical condition.
I looked again in these young, angry, dark brown, and anisocoric eyes and asked his parents whether they know about it.
Furthermore, the dilated pupil was unresponsive to light that might be linked with a lesion on neural pathways. To make it more transparent, let’s take a quick, simple look at the pupillary light reflex:
The pupillary light reflex can be tested with a shinning light directly pointing into the eye. The afferent limb of the reflex is on the optic nerve, which initiates sensory input. Shining a light on one eye should show a constriction of the pupils on both eyes. The pupils’ failure to constrict may indicate either an optic nerve lesion, a lesion of the efferent limb (oculomotor nerve), or any other lesion along the path.
Meeting With A Time Bomb: Thalamic Glioma
Was it physiologic? Was it related to the symptoms? I performed an MRI before the patient was admitted to another hospital via an ambulance for further diagnosis and treatment.
And there was it! Shining like a time bomb in his brain!
The time bomb is a glioma that originates from the supporting cells of the brain we call “glial cells.” Since glial cells are present throughout the central nervous system, gliomas can occur in various brain areas or along the spinal cord. A thalamic glioma is a tumor characterized by a primary growth center near the thalamus which plays a significant role in movement, consciousness, and awareness.
Thalamic gliomas usually develop the symptoms when the tumor begins to compress the adjoining ventricle, resulting in a blockage of cerebrospinal fluid flow. This causes headache and vomiting, is referred to as hydrocephalus, and needs emergency attention.
After many procedures and treatments, my patient is finally diagnosed and has been continuing his treatment since then.
Photo by National Cancer Institute on Unsplash
I have dedicated this article to many other lives we will save and all the heroes working every day until every child is well. | https://medium.com/beingwell/my-15-year-old-patient-living-with-a-time-bomb-tumor-with-no-clue-2783e7602dff | ['Eden Kunter'] | 2020-12-21 00:22:52.035000+00:00 | ['Case Study', 'Medical Case', 'Medical Doctor', 'Pediatric Cancer', 'Case Report'] |
Back at The Inn | Composed while spending a weekend at said Inn back in February 2019, when we were all allowed to do such things. 😢 Though the photo admittedly does not signal inclement weather, there is a lot of the white stuff all around.
At the end of a hair-raising, white-knuckle, nearly three-hour journey through a zero-visibility snow storm, they spotted the faint outline of their lodging for the next two nights. It immediately reminded him of the ominous final scenes from Stephen King’s “The Shining”; and we all know how well it ended. They parked out front and dragged their gear into the lobby of the “wellness” resort. The sweet smell of eucalyptus permeated the air along with the sounds of waves crashing up on a shore somewhere. They were greeted by Alice, who explained she had also recently arrived to manage the place and, they would come to find, wore several other hats. He thought she was eerily thin. She spoke slowly and methodically of the grand venue and its many amenities. Though the inn was reportedly full, they were directed to their upgraded room. No other guests had yet arrived and he wondered if any would given the weather they’d just driven through. A large corner suite with large wraparound windows revealing the dense dark forest greeted them.
Night fell quickly. A few vehicles did arrive carrying other, but not many, guests. Certainly not enough to fill the inn. They ventured down to the dining room for dinner and were again met by Alice who regaled them with the evening’s gourmet menu. Five or six other couples, with whom they would become quite familiar over the next two meals, sat at the dimly lit tables around them. Light jazz on a loop replaced the sounds of the seascape. The meal was very good, as was the wine, and they staggered back to their comfy quarters.
In the morning they found themselves back in the dining room for a late breakfast with the familiar, albeit blank faces of the evening before, as they would again for dinner. He suggested the tune should be shifted from jazz to some version of Hotel California. The scene started to feel a tad surreal and repetitive. Just like Groundhog Day. After the second dinner they noticed their lodge mates had become friendly, almost too friendly for a group of people who had just met. They decided it may be better to not engage and retired again to the seeming safety of their room. They woke on their final day to renewed fierce weather. They quickly packed their bags for the long trip home. White knuckles returned with the lack of visibility, but they drove on. Nearly three hours later they crept into an all too familiar driveway, stopped at the entrance and slowly climbed the stairs to the lobby. Hello again Alice they whimpered… | https://medium.com/@jeff-riddall/back-at-the-inn-d2b3d57ffd5c | ['Jeff Riddall'] | 2021-07-06 20:36:29.515000+00:00 | ['Suspense Fiction', 'Suspense', 'Winter', 'Adventure Travel', 'Snow'] |
why always wrong thing happens to me | why always wrong thing happens to me
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when I was like a child it always comes to me why my parents don’t like me why my brother beats me and why always dog barks on me and why I had been beaten by me teacher every day and I was so much frustrated and always there was a question that was why and why??
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so I will answer this in two approached i.e science + surroundings
so, at this place in this globe only I am here at this place at this globe at this particular time why not any other is in this place I think it’s only who in the whole world who can solve this problem at this particular time.
As you are the creation of your parents and human had made everything which is present everywhere so can I say every non-living thing is the creation of purely human so if yes so you know you made this chair you made this internet and you made this house and also you made this anger so I can produce something can I make it neutral I think it seems quite difficult. so now as you are the creation of 30 trillion cells and now each cell has his own memory and now it’s more than 8 GB memory so if its there then what’s in stored in the cells so physiology says in that you had put your physic impression in it and physiology also says its not only the storage of this life but also of pst life. so as I am seeing anything wrong is happening with e=me it keeps a change in my heartbeat its because an acid named (adrenaline ) is produced by your body and its mixed with blood so you are having a high heartbeat. so now this acid will lead to disturbing your cells because if you put your had in hard acid it will burn your hand and as if you put your cells it will also be damaged but the body always keeps producing and reproducing cells in the body. but wait I am right then one may have a new heart in a couple of days so the answer is yes it will is but why it’s not healthy one so my friend answer is because your cells are guided by supreme consciousness and your DNA gives them structure so because of acid attacks by us makes ourself unhealthy and makes our body unresponsive because we had not nourished him SIMPLE EXERCISE (CLICK ON ME.) to keep yourself fit.
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TO Get This Knowledge from master visit shivyog | https://medium.com/@kapishsingh/why-always-wrong-thing-happens-to-me-da26f8fd1a95 | ['Kapish Singh'] | 2020-07-03 08:22:56.977000+00:00 | ['Sad', 'Wring Thing Happens', 'Sacrifice', 'Sadness And Loss', 'Life'] |
The road ahead: beyond self-driving | The road ahead: beyond self-driving
Autonomous vehicles will trigger new services and changes that transform the way we work, travel and live
Many autonomous vehicle discussions don’t go far enough in describing the impact on behavior over time. We are concerned mostly with “hands on” or “hands off” the steering wheel, but at some point, confidence will grow and we won’t have to pay attention to the road or other cars at all as we ride. Then we can begin to consider how other areas of life, work and travel can be supported by these evolving vehicles.
For example, when all riders are focused inward and the driving is handled by a sensor network, indicators like road signs, brake lights and lane separators become unnecessary. If there are no drivers, we won’t have a need for these visual guides.
By dividing the roll-out of autonomous vehicles into stages, breaking down the component parts and connecting to other trends, we can reveal the most likely areas of impact.
The Launch with Trucks, Rides and Safety
Examples of self-driving trucks are already appearing — a primary suggested benefit is that autonomous trucks will make roads safer. Rides for the elderly and others who are unable to drive is another clear early benefit of driverless vehicles.
Possible outcomes:
Rides for kids going to after-school activities with in-vehicle monitoring for parents — an autonomous ride becomes preferable to a stranger in the driver’s seat
Rides for homebound elderly and vision-impaired people with in-vehicle monitoring and voice services — Amazon Alexa is already joining this part of the trend.
In-vehicle ‘Meals on the Way’ services for riders become extensions of food service and delivery — this also prompts in-vehicle packaging and storage innovation for ‘on the way’ services
Seat-surround airbag systems protect passengers independent of orientation
Highways institute dedicated night-time hours and lanes for self-driving trucks
Continuous shipping, battery-swapping stations and mobile-charging vehicles keep autonomous trucks on the road at all times
New autonomous and manual vehicles transmit location automatically to provide system awareness to all cars on the road — this improves the flow of traffic overall, but presents some inherent security concerns
Improved solar panel efficiency enables roof charging for trucks and cars — this extends travel time and reduces the need for charging stations
The Evolution of Work and Roads
As riding becomes the preferred way to travel, larger ‘travel pods’ become a natural extension of the growing shared-workspace trend. All visual indicators can be removed from the road and new elements move inside the vehicle when the act of driving is handled by sensors.
Possible Outcomes:
Self-driving working pods for small-team domestic travel — this can reduce travel costs and increase continuity of work
Mobile workspaces connect with shared workspaces
“Sleep cars” become the new, less expensive way to travel short distances, reducing short-range air and train trips
In-car video calling is standard for new self-driving vehicles
Interior brand elements and lighting become more important than exterior as visitors and viewers are focused inward
With awareness of approaching vehicles and traffic, intersection traffic lights become less necessary
Night sensor driving reduces the need for streetlights on highways
Road signs and lanes disappear with roadway intelligence built into vehicles
Highway lanes expand and contract automatically for high-traffic times
Autonomous-only highways allow for much higher rates of speed
Mobile and Wifi networks installed in vehicles allow for dynamic moving networks
The Shifting of Ownership, Homes and Recreation
As people focus more on rides and less on cars, this will start to shift how we design and use areas of our homes and could start a shift toward ‘manual driving’ as a recreational activity.
Possible outcomes:
Garages are hired out as self-driving car charging and storage stations
Personal car insurance becomes less common — insurance handled by driving services
Recreational driving services appear for manual driving — fewer car dealerships
Specialized recreation areas appear for manual driving
Street pick-up area indentations at the curb in front of homes become the new driveway — driveways and garages are no longer standard in home construction
Self-driving tiny homes merge two growing trends
The Merging of transportation
As these vehicles begin to look less like cars and more like transport pods, they can easily be seen as modular plug-in points for other modes of travel.
Possible outcomes:
Modular self-driving pods appear, which can drop into Hyperloop tubes for traveling longer distances
Modular vehicles appear, which can ‘dock’ into homes, making travel easier
Aircraft with docking bays for the seating pods from mobile driving units become available, increasing efficiency of ticketing, boarding and air travel
Autonomous cars are not the only area that can be broken down into component parts and sequenced over time and trends. This kind of service and product decomposition can be a good way to look at strategic areas of focus in general, and this technique can reveal many unexpected new products and services for companies to explore in any industry. | https://medium.com/design-voices/the-road-ahead-beyond-self-driving-12f996dd8ac3 | ['John Jones'] | 2018-11-12 14:25:47.078000+00:00 | ['Design', 'Design Process', 'Transportation', 'Autonomous Cars', 'Self Driving Cars'] |
Thoreau: The Defender of Violence in the Nonviolent Canon | I love nonviolence, especially as it is practiced in the traditions of resistance we call civil disobedience. From Chico Mendes and the rubber tappers protecting the Amazon to the many movements of the Arab Spring, I see nonviolent struggle as holding great promise for the transformation of the world toward peace and justice. When I consider these things, any resort to violence looks like a failure of imagination at least and maybe a failure of courage. Surely by now we know that dying for your cause is far more powerful than killing for it.
But I also love violence. I have spent countless hours training in the martial arts and learning diverse weaponry, with no other goal than personal enjoyment. I watch violent movies with vigilante heroes, and I read violent novels about samurai. I am infected with the American sickness, the American bloodlust. Our love of violence is a terrible national idol, and we sacrifice our children in its fires still. But is an absolute principle of nonviolence the only way out of this mess? I’m reluctant to conclude an absolute so quickly, before we’ve really faced the full mess of our conflicted and ambiguous attitudes toward violence. So if I turn toward Thoreau for help, it’s partly because I know him best — my day job is as an environmental philosopher — and partly because he embraces and embodies the tangled mess of the contraries that I struggle with.
Principled, nonviolent disobedience in the face of violent and oppressive states is not a new idea. Shadrac, Mishac and Abednego provide a fairly typical example from the ancients — with no other resistance than that of their conscience (and a little divine assistance) they brought the king to his knees. And the conviction that lex iniusta non est lex, that an unjust law is no law at all, which gives courage to such disobedience was clearly articulated in late antiquity by the African Bishop. But nonviolent resistance has taken on a more definite form in the last century, a sort of movement across movements. It is a tradition all its own, with its heroes and a distinctive literature, from Martin Luther King’s letter from the Birmingham jail to Gene Sharp’s list of 198 methods. And with an indisputable place in the core of this canon, is an essay written by Henry David Thoreau, generally known as “Civil Disobedience,” about his own trip to jail a century before King’s.
Thoreau went to jail for refusal to pay a tax, which would have conveyed not only material support but also his allegiance to a government which both condoned slavery and waged an unjust war on Mexico to perpetuate and expand that slavery. He begins by nodding approvingly toward the nonviolent Christian anarchism of William Lloyd Garrison, but stops shy of endorsing it out right — “I ask for, not at once no government, but at once a better government,” he writes instead. He can imagine a government he could respect, one that would act with justice toward each individual, the slave and the Mexican included. One that didn’t demand its subjects to check their conscience at the door. But the enslaving and pillaging American government, he could not in good conscience be associated with.
In this essay Thoreau declares himself to be personally at war with the US government. But his war is a small one. It doesn’t require blowing anything up or doing any violence at all. It just requires saying “no” to the government, when it asks for your acknowledgment. There is not a government in the world that could keep on with its abuses if its people simply cut it off from their support.
…if one thousand, if one hundred, if ten men whom I could name, — if ten honest men only, — aye if one HONEST man, in this state … were actually to withdraw from this copartnership, and be locked up in the county jail therefor, it would be the abolition of slavery in America. … If the alternative is to keep all just men in prison, or give up war and slavery, the State will not hesitate which to choose. If a thousand men were not to pay their tax-bills this year, that would not be a violent and bloody measure, as it would be to pay them and enable the State to commit violence and shed innocent blood. This is, in fact, the definition of a peaceable revolution, if any such is possible.
When the government forces a choice between giving allegiance to its violence, or being the object of its violence, there is only one principled choice. Be a person or a be cog. Serve your country in its sin, or save it from its sin by throwing yourself into the gears of the machine to gum up the works.
Thoreau thus laid out and modeled the blueprints for what has become a core tactic of nonviolent struggle. Go get arrested and fill the jails with prisoners of conscience. But Thoreau failed to account for the concern of his friends and family, who preferred to pay taxes on his behalf and so bail him out than to join him in prison. They, in Thoreau’s words, “let their private feelings interfere with the public good.” I do not mean to suggest that his personal war was ineffectual — for he turned it into an essay, which became the greatest example of the pen being mightier than the sword. Gandhi read and translated Thoreau, and used his tactics to great effect in India’s peaceful revolution. King recounts the essay having a profound effect on his own thinking. The essay deserves its spot in the canon of nonviolence.
But the same Thoreau who wrote “Civil Disobedience,” providing such an eloquent defense and model for nonviolent resistance, also wrote “A Plea for John Brown.” John Brown was also an abolitionist, a fellow worker with Thoreau on the Underground Railroad. But his means of abolition were rather more direct and confrontational. He fought with and killed pro-slavery forces in Kansas. He rescued slaves in military raids. While he moved in the circles of abolitionists committed to nonviolence, such as William Lloyd Garrison, it was often to raise money for weapons. He held his own constitutional convention among escaped slaves and abolitionists in Canada, to form a new state which he planned to establish in the middle of what was then Virginia. Frederick Douglas and others tried to dissuade him, but to no avail — although they may have reduced his recruiting ability among the escaped slaves.
With only a score of men, Brown took over an armory at Harper’s Ferry, VA. But a train came through and got out word. Brown was defeated and captured by US Marines, led by Robert E Lee. There was terrible violence in this, from which the nation recoiled. The first man killed in the raid was a free black man working on the train, shot by someone in Brown’s party, and Brown’s own children were among the casualties by the end. The initial news reports treated Brown as a terrorist and a madman. But not Thoreau. Thoreau not only spoke in his defense, but lionized him. He compared John Brown to Jesus and declared him to be the greatest and truest American yet. And he addressed the question of violence head on:
It was his peculiar doctrine that a man has a perfect right to interfere by force with the slaveholder, in order to rescue the slave. I agree with him. They who are continually shocked by slavery have some right to be shocked by the violent death of the slaveholder, but no others. Such will be more shocked by his life than by his death. I shall not be forward to think him mistaken in his methods who quickest succeeds to liberate the slave. I speak for the slave when I say, that I prefer the philanthropy of Captain Brown to that philanthropy which neither shoots me nor liberates me. At any rate, I do not think it is quite sane for one to spend his whole life in talking or writing about this matter, unless he is continuously inspired, and I have not done so. A man may have other affairs to attend to. I do not wish to kill nor to be killed, but I can foresee circumstances in which both these things would be by me unavoidable. We preserve the so-called peace of our community by deeds of petty violence every day. Look at the policeman’s billy and the chaplain of the regiment! We are hoping only to live safely on the outskirts of this provisional army. So we defend ourselves and our hen-roosts, and maintain slavery. I know that the mass of my countrymen think that the revolvers is to fight duels with them, when we are insulted by other nations, or to hunt Indians, or shoot fugitive slaves with them, or the like. I think that for once the Sharps’ rifles and the revolvers were employed in a righteous cause. The tools were in the hands of one who could use them. The same indignation that is said to have cleared the temple once will clear it again. The question is not about the weapon, but the spirit in which you use it. No man has appeared in America, as yet, who loved his fellow-man so well, and treated him so tenderly. He lived for him. He took up his life and he laid it down for him. What sort of violence is that which is encouraged, not by soldiers but by peaceable citizens, not so much by laymen as by ministers of the gospel, not so much by the fighting sects as by the Quakers, and not so much by Quaker men as by Quaker women?
Some suggest Thoreau’s defense of Brown helped turn the largely pacifist abolition movement into something that could support the Union army and fight a civil war. That likely puts too much credit on Thoreau’s plea instead of on Brown’s raid, but Thoreau certainly turned the national conversation about the raid. And abolitionists like William Lloyd Garrison certainly turned from being absolutely committed to nonviolence to endorsing the use of military force to end slavery.
So how does Thoreau, a mostly vegetarian naturalist, who quit collecting specimens for Agassiz because the killing got to him, who knows the power of nonviolent revolution, become the public defender, even the hagiographer, for John Brown? Because Brown’s action was not merely an act of violence, it was also many other things. From Thoreau’s perspective, it was also a man preferring to follow the higher law of his conscience rather than the petty rules of the state. It was a man voting against slavery and for justice with the whole of his being. He had dared to imagine a better state and had attempted to give it birth. Even Gandhi says he prefers violence to cowardice, and John Brown was courageous if he was anything.
The people and papers hadn’t really been appalled by Brown because he was violent. That was but a pretext for their horror. The whole slavery mess was drenched in blood and violence already. They called Brown a madman and a fool because he attacked the state, and challenged it’s right to be arbiter of that mess. Like King and Thoreau, he refused to recognize the unjust law as worthy of the name. “He had the courage,” Thoreau said, “to face his country herself, when she was in the wrong.” Brown also knew the power of dying for his cause.
Thoreau was not John Brown. And I don’t think that John Brown could have written “Civil Disobedience.” Thoreau knew Brown, but he didn’t join the secret circle of his friends who went around raising money for Brown’s band. He did help smuggle an escaped survivor from the raid to Canada afterwards, earning a bit of legal complicity in the affair. Thoreau was not John Brown, but neither could he condemn him. Thoreau’s peaceful revolution had not succeeded. Unlike Gandhi, Thoreau could not inspire hundreds or thousands to follow him to jail. He could not even get the tax collector to arrest him again. It remained to be seen what fruit Brown’s sacrifice would bear.
Martin Luther King says that if we “succumb to the temptation of using violence in the struggle for justice, unborn generations will live in a desolate night of bitterness, and their chief legacy will be an endless reign of chaos” (in Long 196). Desolate bitterness and reigning chaos may describe the Civil War pretty well, but it also ended slavery. Would ending slavery nonviolently have been better in a thousand ways? Absolutely. Is the legacy of that violence still an obstacle to achieving the beloved community? Yes. But not more so than the legacy of the violence of slavery itself.
Is nonviolent resistance much more effective than violent resistance? Looking at the history of the last century, from Poland to South Africa, there are good reasons to say yes — it is a force more powerful. Does a commitment to nonviolent struggle carry moral power? Can it end the cycle of retaliation and improve the soil for growing a lasting peace? I am convinced it does and can. Like Thoreau, I find the arguments against a standing army convincing. But also like Thoreau, I cannot condemn John Brown. I do not know if slavery would have ended without him.
Some have characterized those who advocate nonviolence pragmatically and not absolutely as being weak, as offering the nonviolence of the weak (Chernus). Perhaps I am. But it does not seem to take strength to assert certainty and absolutes — asserting a stronger principle does not make a stronger mind. A physicist who thinks gravity is a stronger force than his colleagues do, is not a stronger, better or even a heavier physicist.
I’m a pragmatic advocate of nonviolence. I have used more than one of the methods on Gene Sharp’s list. I would rather die rightly than kill wrongly. I think no enemy is beyond the possibility of reconciliation into beloved community. But I do not know what situations may come my way, and I cannot say with certainty that violence would be appropriate in none of them. And I cannot condemn every violent act of resistance to injustice that has been waged through history. Would you condemn those who died on the beaches of Africa trying to set their families free from the departing slave ships? Would you call them weak?
What are the limits of nonviolence? Only time and struggle will tell. | https://henderda.medium.com/thoreau-the-defender-of-violence-in-the-nonviolent-canon-27cee1c4d217 | ['David Henderson'] | 2019-09-03 01:50:53.708000+00:00 | ['Thoreau', 'Violence', 'Nonviolence', 'John Brown', 'Civil Disobedience'] |
Flooded Streets | Haiku is a form of poetry usually inspired by nature, which embraces simplicity. We invite all poetry lovers to have a go at composing Haiku. Be warned. You could become addicted.
Follow | https://medium.com/house-of-haiku/flooded-streets-c76d8b9cc70b | ['Eashan Reddy Kotha'] | 2020-08-07 03:48:48.009000+00:00 | ['Poetry', 'Life', 'Poem', 'Haiku', 'City Living'] |
Aphantasia (Blind mind) | Since we are small or that at least is what I believe, most of us wonder; How is it that even closing my eyes I still see? Even though there is a scientific justification for this phenomenon, there is a lot of mystery around it. Many theories, spiritual, philosophical and psychological.
But what really is Aphantasia?
Aphantasia is the inability to have mental images, even sometimes the inability to recreate sounds, smells, sensations, touch and even recognize faces.
Aphantasia could be recognized as an invisible disability because really people who have it are unable to do things that most people can. However this does not mean that your life can not continue normally, Like every human being, manage to adapt and find a new way of being and living.
Close your eyes and try to visualize a red star, What does it look like? If your option is the first, you could suffer from Aphantasia | https://medium.com/@testx2g/aphantasia-blind-mind-d1124e28507b | [] | 2020-12-24 01:24:10.915000+00:00 | ['Health', 'Unique', 'Psychology', 'Brain', 'Mental Health'] |
2020 is almost over. Here’s what I learned about “Passion”. | Believe it or not, there are two kinds of babies born to this world: the ones which are told “Follow your passion”, and the ones whose fates have already been sealed and labelled. After those babies grow up, one group of people, hence, are told to follow a certain path, and they’ll earn bliss, while the rest of them are guided to a certain destination, which can be a lesser peak than the former group or higher. Nevertheless, we observe, that it is always the latter group who gets to enjoy the walk.
The word “Passion” is of Latin origin. Its root is “pati ”— Latin for “suffer”. This word is frequently used these days in a multitude of books and speeches. But never we thought that the word has got a root which is quite the opposite to our idea of what passion is. There is almost no career guidance program which does not speak of this word. Every self-help guru puts quotes and quotes to make the word never leave our “consciousness”. Van Gogh’s quote “A great fire burns within me, but no one stops to warm themselves at it, and passers-by only see a wisp of smoke” is frequency cited in many books, and speeches. So clearly, this word has an immense significance to one’s life.
What is “Passion”?
One close definition I could extract from Merriam Webster was “a strong liking or desire for or devotion to some activity, object, or concept”. Oxford’s got a very similar definition: “a very strong feeling of liking something; a hobby, an activity, etc. that you like very much”. We observe the term “strong”, is common. Thus, in order to cultivate passion, one must have a strong desire to an entity — be it a person, an object, or a career. Now, shall we go a little bit far, as Van Gogh did, and replace the term strong with burning? Steve Jobs put forth the quote “You have to be burning with an idea, or a problem, or a wrong that you want to right. If you’re not passionate enough from the start, you’ll never stick it out.”. The terms strong and burning give us a magnitude of the sense of intensity. This magnitude is differed in the aforementioned point of views. The former gives sort of a solid, gritty and long-term feeling while the latter gives us a highly-motivated, intensive, and tempting feeling to act.
In spite of the textbook definitions, we already have some idea on what the term “Passion” actually mean. If I am not prompted with multiple textbook definitions, I would have explained the word in a similar way that most people do — a burning, never ending and highly productive desire to drive through to a specific, profitable and effective goal. This may depend on the context (environment — culture and relationships— that you live in), but nevertheless, the term passion heightens sort of an intense desire to pursue a worthy goal. Specially if you’re in a corporate environment, and you’re bombarded with a plenty of self-help jargon, this might be evident to you more than enough.
The Longevity
When it comes to goals, there are long term goals and short term goals. They form a hierarchy — a binary tree-like structure — where the short term goals are the leaves of the tree and the one grand long-term goal is the topmost node. The tree is all about the levels of abstraction — down you go (i.e. to the leaves) you get less abstraction i.e. more specificity in the goals. The low-level goals (leaf-level goals) are aligned in a way that they help you to attain the goal at the topmost node.
It’s December already. 2020 is almost gone. It’s high time to evaluate the goals we had set at the beginning of 2020. How many of them you can tick off (i.e. completed), and how many of them you cannot (i.e. not completed)? I was graduated from the university at the beginning of 2020, and my topmost node at the goal-tree was to cultivate my skills (both technical and non-technical) so that I could compete my older self and topple my older self by a quite significant margin. I’m certain I have achieved my top-level goal, because I have a habit of keeping track by writing an article on how the year went at the end of the year. I can compare myself with my older self, and I’m way above my older self.
Now, if we traverse down our goal trees, we can find more specificity in the goals, and we can reminisce the extents to which the mid and lower level goals helped us to achieve the topmost node(s). And if we couldn’t achieve the topmost level, we can find out why. When I traverse my goal tree, I find one node which I failed to even look at when the year 2020 progressed on. I am quite adept at music (well, not proficient but I feel I have some sort of a born-skill set towards it; this was evident to me specially in my younger days when I used to play the violin — many of my teachers used to say that I was quite skilled. I’ve never played the violin since I was 15), and I resolved to practice guitar finger-style patterns (not the violin). I did practice it at the beginning of 2020 for a month, and it did not became a habit, since it was replaced by reading. I love to read, and I am constantly on the “50 books a year” challenge. But still, I wanted to practice the guitar, and the lack of it made some aspects of my topmost goal fail. That is, I cannot challenge my older self because my older self was miles better at aesthetics than I am now.
We’re not bad at resolving on to something. We all are quite good at setting goals. In fact, we all make goals on the 1st of January every year, and when we reconcile them at the end of the year, we find loopholes. Therefore, it is evident that enthusiasm is common in setting goals. We all get pumped up when we set the goals. But the endurance it takes to achieve the goals is the most striking aspect most of us lack. If we define Passion as the enthusiasm (the intense feeling we get when we set the goals) at the beginning of a goal, it is an inept definition. As Angela Duckworth states in her book “Grit”:
“Fireworks erupt in a blaze of glory but quickly fizzle, leaving just wisps of smoke and a memory of what was once spectacular …. Instead, passion [should be regarded] as a compass — that thing that takes you some time to build, tinker with, and finally get right, and that then guides you on your long and winding road to where, ultimately, you want to be.”
Intensities that “quickly fizzle” —like sudden rushes of dopamine — shall not be regarded as passionate enterprises. Instead, we must regard the term Passion as a long-term endurance, a constant struggle to achieve something which challenges us to our very core but still does not lead us astray from the topmost goal. The longevity of the effort we put, is what defines how passionate you are towards the goal. The graph of effort against time should be a constant vertical line at best (better if it has got a positive gradient). When our goals lead us to dead-ends (they will), it seems that Passion is the only genuine agent that takes us aback and encourages us to push on. One cannot simply say that another is passionate towards something if he/she has not seen the other fail in the goal at least once. I think this is how the word was formed, and this is why the word’s root is “pati” (i.e. to suffer).
On “Follow your passion”
I am in that category which people are born with their fate labelled. This is the primary reason why I took my advanced level examinations twice — to achieve my label. I had no idea which stream of Engineering I was to take (our university had 8 streams), so I took the one which was there in my label. Quite spontaneously (miraculously), the stream I chose fitted me and ultimately I became passionate towards it. It did not fit me perfectly; I had to work hard (very hard) to get the basics right, as most of my colleagues had done courses before the university. It made me a Geek, and I’m proud of being a Geek because of — as I call it — the “cultivated passion”. It involves reading what other people had done constantly, how other people think and design their codebases and appreciating them, what alternative technologies you can use, how the trending technologies work, doubting the existing codebases (and sometimes get scolded for it), and reading books on subjects where one can learn them through an easy online-course. These subtleties made me desire the work more that I refused a high-paying employment just to be in the framework I made to achieve my goals, and I never regret the decision one bit.
The continuous utterance “Follow your passion”, heeds differently in different contexts. In certain circumstances, people cannot afford to find their passion, and they have to resolve into something much less — or something of a higher status but something they don’t want to do. On the other hand when opportunities are plenty, it might also be difficult to find one pursuit. My situation was more towards the latter, but not entirely the latter. However, as they say, “you cannot always get what you want”. Now I trod on grounds where Self-Help books abolish you from stepping into. Nevertheless, it’s true. Setting a goal, and achieving it is one thing, but thinking you can achieve all the goals is another. Not everybody has to become a Steve Jobs; not everybody has to become an Elon Musk. If you look at the two personalities, one has traits that the other does not have. I think, in my experience from what I have observed (my colleagues and from what I have read), this is one reason why Passion falters: having too much diversity in goals, thinking that you can achieve all your goals, and expecting short-term fireworks.
There are people who once faced dire circumstances but climbed out of the pit precisely because of the unending persistence they had because they had cultivated passion towards some enterprise. They came out because they did not expect short-term fireworks. They always believed that it would take time, and it was those dire backgrounds that made them persistent. Quite often, people in the pit have one selfless long-term goal — no multitudes of diverse goals. Their intentions are not for an individual, but for a whole community. Hence, their passions are backed by an entire community than one individual. Therefore when one climbs out, he carries a whole society with him. That passion never runs out — it always recovers.
It is thus evident that the utterance Follow your passion is easily said than done. There are a lot of signals at play, when you try to find your passion. It’s not as straight-forwards as the Self-Help books depict.
Simon Sinek’s take on Self-Help
My Key Takeaways
2020 was a pivotal year for my career. I was not alone. I saw my colleagues step into their careers as well. I saw some of my colleagues pursue different goals than I do, which is a good thing. Some went for entrepreneurship, some — like me — went straight for organizations to work, some went abroad for higher studies (and work) and some stayed in University as grad students. It has been over 10 months we’ve been at our careers — a short term and very long days to come. How we’ve spent our post-university life might be the same for each profession we’ve been in the 10 months, but I think how that time affected each and everyone of us is completely distinct for each of us. All of us, at the start of our university, were told the same “Follow your Passion” story. When I think of it, it seems that how each of us reacted to differing circumstances in the past 10 months emphasizes and heightens our passion towards the work that we do. I know people who worked around the clock but still hold their work to the highest standard, never complain (A healthy discussion is not a complaint) and in fact, rebut the naysayers. I also know people who directly told me that what they do now is not what they wanted to do and thus it seems impossible for them to cultivate the effort it requires. I regard the former group of people as equipped with the highest form of grit which aids passion to cultivate among themselves. The latter did not fail at work they do. But for them, it seems it is not possible to continue in the long run, which would cause strain and fatigue onto their own careers. Quite often, the latter group are subsets of the “labelled” group we’ve discussed before.
Millennial Talk — Sinek
We are from the Millennial generation (born between 1981 and 1996). The traits of Millennial generation generally come from the attitudes towards what we do. Quite often, as we’ve discussed before, we expect quick fireworks, which do not happen in the real world. We want quick success. I think the term passion is paradoxical when it is used with quick outcomes. It demands long-term stances, arduous effort and strong will. It seems that Passion is a recovery agent, a compass, but not a genie in a bottle that suddenly pops. | https://medium.com/@dasunpubudumal/2020-is-almost-over-heres-what-i-learned-about-passion-8e78f0ea02e3 | ['Dasun Pubudumal'] | 2020-12-19 06:33:50.839000+00:00 | ['Passion', 'Careers', 'Graduate', 'New Year'] |
An Open Letter from a Small Business Owner to Freelance Web Designers | Dear Freelance Web Designer,
We need to talk.
As you know there are around 30.1 million of us here in the US. I know that after reading that your mouth is probably salivating.
The harvest is ripe for the taking! Right?
Hold on a sec.
I feel like there’s a disconnect between you, the freelance web designer, and us, the small business owners.
It’s like some times we’re sitting in the same room and you’re talking. But, you’re speaking a totally different language.
And, listen, I don’t want to offend you. But, I think it’s time I addressed the elephant in the room.
Okay, honestly, it’s more like there’s a herd of elephants in a small bathroom.
I really wouldn’t be a good friend unless I told you that you’re missing the mark on a few things when it comes to doing business with me.
So, grab a drink. Pop your feet up and let’s have a chat.
Every Dollar I Spend is Precious
I don’t know if you knew this but half of us used our own personal savings to get our businesses going.
You can imagine how tough that was right? We had to have “conversations” with our spouses about how this was a good idea and that we’d get the money back and then some, one day.
Let’s just say we slept on the couch a few nights after those “conversations.”
So, I’m sure you understand that every dollar we spend on our business is incredibly precious to us.
We have to make sure that what we spend money on is actually going to help move us forward.
In other words, if you don’t make me more money than I pay you, you’re not worth it.
And, you can’t just tell me to trust you. You need to show me how you helped someone just like me make a lot of money from the things you did.
Don’t have the data on previous clients of yours?
That just tells me your not that serious and you don’t care as much about my money as I do.
If you want my business you have to prove yourself.
You’re Not the First One to Reach Out to Me
I’m sure you listened to some marketing podcast by Gary V and started working on some strategy like DMing 1,000 small businesses a day.
And, listen, that’s fine. Honestly, I love me some Gary V.
But, you’ve got to realize. You’re not the only one doing that. I get so much spam every single DAY.
If you don’t stand out I will legit ignore you and not feel bad about it. And, to be honest, even if you do stand out I’m likely to ignore you.
That doesn’t mean I’m not interested.
It just means you can’t get your feelings hurt and give up if I don’t respond to you instantly on your first try.
You’ve got to be a big boy or girl and keep trying even if I’m not into it at the moment.
And, listen, I’m not annoyed. I realize I need to pay other people to get certain things done. I’m only one person and I can’t do everything for my business.
But, you’ve got to work harder for my attention than the average marketer if you want me to interact with you.
I Have 1000 Competing Priorities. Why Should I Give You the Time of Day?
I’m sure you think that having a new or redesigned website is worth every penny. But, I’m not so sure.
In fact, I have 1,000 small fires that I need to take care of before I even think about you.
Just last week my roof started leaking and 3 of my employees came in high.
One of them was my teenage daughter which is a whole other set of problems 🤦🏼♂️
You can’t just assume that I understand what kind of value you bring to me and my business.
So, show me.
I’m guessing you’ve spent more time thinking about website stuff than I have. I mean at least I’d hope so!
Tell me why it’s a good idea to let you redesign my site. And, don’t just give me softball answers like, “because everybody needs a website.”
You don’t think I know that?
I need you to know my business intimately. I need you to understand the in’s and out’s and be a little more informed about why the website is a bigger priority than the dishwasher than just broke.
I’m not saying it’s not. I’m just saying you need to help me see how the value in a good website is more important than the other things I need to make sure I’m taking care of.
I Won’t Know How to Communicate the Way You Would Like me To
I hear how you guys get frustrated when people like us give vague instructions or feedback.
I’m not living under a rock. I see the memes.
I get that I don’t know how to communicate in a way that’s super helpful for you and I actually feel bad about it.
Believe it or not, I’m not trying to make your life miserable. I just haven’t learned the things that you have about web design.
You’ve spent tons of time figuring out how to express yourself when it comes to this stuff. You probably have a bit of pro-level training under your belt.
But, I haven’t.
So, you have to help me communicate to you in a way that’s helpful. Ask me questions that draw out what I’m really thinking. Give me examples that help dial in what it is I’m looking for exactly.
And, if I’m not making sense, you’ve got to speak up. Don’t just assume I’m trying to be a jerk. Have the guts to tell me what I’m saying doesn’t make sense.
But, do it in a way that isn’t condescending or rude.
You’re the professional here after all, right?
I Actually Feel Your Pain
At the end of day, I’m a lot like you. I have clients that I have to figure out how to please. I have deadlines that I have to meet and invoices that haven’t been paid on time.
I’m not trying to make your life harder. I’m actually trying to give you a shot. I want to see you succeed.
But, I need you to feel my pain, too.
I need you to see things from my perspective if this is going to work out in the future.
And, I know it will. If you’re smart enough to figure out things like JavaScript or the freaking Google Analytics dashboard then you’ll definitely be able to figure out how to talk to me.
I’m in your corner but I need you to be in my corner, too.
Thanks for Letting Me Get These Things Off My Chest
I hope this wasn’t too abrasive.
I know you’ve got things in your personal life you’re figuring out along with everything else you’re doing with freelance web design.
But, I think these tips can actually help you.
Remember I have to be really careful about what I spend my money on. You can’t just reach out to me like everyone else does. You have to show me why I need your services in the first place.
You have to help me communicate to you in a way that makes sense and at the end of the day I know where you’re coming from.
Get those things settled and we’ll be on the path to best friends for life.
Sincerely,
A Small Business Owner
If you want to know how I built a freelance web design side hustle that doubled my income while only working 15–20 hours a week visit my free Starter Kit Course. | https://medium.com/@chris_62948/an-open-letter-from-a-small-business-owner-to-freelance-web-designers-1afe4c996464 | ['Chris Misterek'] | 2020-02-20 05:16:35.005000+00:00 | ['Freelance Web Designer', 'Freelancers', 'Small Business', 'Freelance', 'Web Design'] |
What to ask in a job interview as a candidate | Credit: Olga Filonenko
”Now, do YOU have any questions?”
If you hear this question at the end of your job interview, something is already wrong. You should also be asking questions during the interview. The situation should be a mutual negotiation, not a unidirectional interrogation.
It’s not just the hiring company who is taking a risk, especially if you changing jobs. Whereas the they should ask most of the questions, you should have yours too.
This is not meant to be a comprehensive guide, but rather give some ideas.
Opening
The situation is about you. Take an active role right in the beginning. Don’t just wait there to be shot at. If appropriate, make yourself equal with the others in the room.
”Should we have a roundtable? Maybe I can introduce myself first.”
Expectations
“Six months from now, what would make you thing you hired the right person?”
“If you hire me, where would you see me in 5 years?” After they ask you the same question.
Culture
“Give me an example of your company culture.” Define culture if needed.
“What kind of a person would be a perfect cultural fit?”
Leadership
“What would your boss say about you?”
“Are you comfortable giving and taking feedback, positive and negative? Do you have an example?”
“Do people feel free to disagree with their managers?”
“How do you keep your employees motivated?”
“On what basis could I say no to an individual task?”
Employee satisfaction
“Can I contact someone who has left the company?”
“Why people usually leave?”
“How long careers people have on average (or median rather)”?
“Can we take a brief visit at the office/factory/lab?”
“How do you develop your personnel? Do you make sure they stay as the top talents of the industry?”
Closing
“For my personal development, who can I ask for feedback after the interview?”
“What is your feeling right now?”
“When can I expect to hear from you? Or when should I contact?”
What have you asked? What you wish you had asked? Feel free to share your ideas. | https://medium.com/@mikauppila/what-to-ask-in-a-job-interview-as-a-candidate-c5b2787a3f78 | ['Mika Kauppila'] | 2020-12-18 19:33:52.804000+00:00 | ['Job Hunting', 'Job Search', 'Recruiting', 'Job Interview', 'Recruitment'] |
Understanding Network Switches | Networks today are essential for supporting businesses, providing communication, delivering entertainment — the list goes on and on. A fundamental element networks have in common is the network switch, which helps connect devices for the purpose of sharing resources.
A network switch is a networking hardware that connects devices on a computer network by using packet switching to receive and forward data to the destination device.A network switch is a multiport network bridge that uses MAC addresses to forward data at the data link layer of the OSI model.
Switches are key building blocks for any network. They connect multiple devices, such as computers, wireless access points, printers, and servers; on the same network within a building or campus. A switch enables connected devices to share information and talk to each other.
Unmanaged switches: An unmanaged network switch is designed so that you can simply plug them in and they work, no configuration required. Unmanaged switches are typically for basic connectivity.
Managed switches: Managed switches give you greater security and more features and flexibility because you can configure them to custom-fit your network. With this greater control, you can better protect your network and improve the quality of service for those who access the network.
Network hubs and switches: A network hub is a central connection point for devices in a local area network, or LAN. But there’s a limit to the amount of bandwidth users can share on a hub-based network. The more devices are added to the network hub, the longer it takes data to reach its destination. A switch avoids these and other limitations of network hubs.
Cisco network switches in Dubai are considered one of the best in the market. Their great connectivity makes them stand out from its competitors. Datagram is one of the leading distributors of enterprise IT Security & Networking Products in MENA, UAE & Africa. They are the authorized distributor of Cisco switches in UAE. They are also an authorized distributor of a range of IT, communication, and network security products & solutions. | https://medium.com/@datagramuae/understanding-network-switches-838b6440a5f8 | [] | 2020-12-22 10:34:32.186000+00:00 | ['Cisco Networking Switches', 'Cisco Networks', 'Networking', 'Cisco Distributors'] |
Signal Hill packs lunches on Valentine’s Day | Signal Hill packs lunches on Valentine’s Day
Last week, all nearly 500 students at Signal Hill Elementary packed lunches for those in need in Camden
Every student at Signal Hill Elementary School participated in the school’s Annual Lunches from the Heart community service project on Valentine’s Day, pitching in to pack lunches for those in need.
The school helped pack more than 500 lunches to be distributed by Cathedral Kitchen and the Neighborhood Center in Camden.
For approximately two hours during the morning on Feb. 14, the nearly 500 students took turns packing lunches assembly line style to make meat and cheese sandwiches, along with pudding or fruit cups, juice boxes and cookies. Students also decorated paper bags for those receiving the lunches.
Ellen Lowenberger, Lisa Brennan, Shari Shapiro, Peacie Moore and Jen Kover show off some of the food collected. The parents helped volunteer their time by assisting the students in packing sandwiches and lunches.
Guidance counselor Paula Long and enrichment teacher Linda Fulleylove have helped lead the project over the past several years. The pair says they can’t thank parents enough for their support.
“It’s huge, I know we’re always asking the parents in the community for different things for different causes,” Fulleylove said. “I feel like we’re always doing some sort of service activity, but the parents never slow down their efforts to help, it’s constant; their generosity just keeps coming.”
Donations were separated by grade levels, with preschool and kindergarten bringing in pudding and fruit cups, first graders bringing in juice boxes, and second graders donating cookies throughout the week. Perishables, such as meat, cheese and bread, were brought in Thursday morning by third, fourth and fifth graders.
Different classrooms and grade levels would take part of their day to pack the lunches alongside parent volunteers and teachers. For the younger children, fifth- and fourth-grade students helped them go through the line safely and pack lunches as mentors to the younger ones, since a majority of older students have taken part in the service project several times.
“We call it cross grade-level, the upper grades helping the lower grades,” Long said. “They all participate.”
Principal Sharon Stallings says the project is an important part of Signal Hill Elementary and is proud the school has held it for more than a decade.
Paula Long, Principal Sharon Stallings and Linda Fulleylove show off some of the packed and decorated lunches that students at Signal Hill packed on Valentine’s Day.
“The academics are key in education for our children, but it’s also important that our children understand how fortunate they are,” Stallings said. “I believe that we do more than is probably expected in a variety of ways, but it’s the big things that we do, like ‘Lunches from the Heart’ to collecting teddy bears for children in Child Protective Services, that make us who we are.”
“This is all very critical to what Signal Hill is all about,” Stallings added.
Signal Hill, alongside other Voorhees Township Public Schools, is active in participating in numerous service projects throughout the year to better the lives of those in the community and around the globe. | https://medium.com/the-voorhees-sun/signal-hill-packs-lunches-on-valentines-day-9a0a7086931c | ['Matthew Shinkle'] | 2019-02-18 20:41:07.996000+00:00 | ['Schools', 'Community', 'Education', 'New Jersey', 'Hunger'] |
Introduction to Programming Paradigms | Photo by Clément H on Unsplash
As someone who never graduated as a computer science degree but very passionate and eagerly wants it to know more about programming as a whole, you will eventually encounter different hurdles of programming subjects that you are unfamiliar with. In my case, “paradigms” in programming have been the topic that stuck in my brain for a while. The best way to learn and understand a new topic is to test yourself to teach/write an article/make a video of that topic for someone else who is also trying to learn. So here, I am going to talk briefly about the programming paradigms.
First, what is a paradigm? A paradigm is a pattern of something or a model. In the programming term, it is essentially the approach to programming that language support. In other words, programming paradigms are just different styles or ways of programming. The paradigms models that we use also defines the task and means of programming. There is a mass of programming paradigms, but I am here mainly talking about the two main ones, declarative vs. imperative.
The principal programming paradigms by Peter Van Roy
Imperative Programming Paradigm
An imperative Programming paradigm is usually how the average person thinks of programmers. Programmers in this paradigm give an order or command on “how” the computer should explicitly execute, and mostly it performs from top to bottom lines of codes. The order of the steps is crucial because a given step will have different consequences depending on the current values of variables when the action executes. The time and state are matters since it is mutable and exact details of steps(precision matters). Think about it as a clock(time machine), every second-minute hands and dials are a matter to the time.
Another example would be going to a restaurant ordering a burger. You request that burger by commanding the waiter to have a slice of medium-rare meat, the fries need to add extra salt and fried more crispy, the lettuce should be only two slices, tomatoes three installments, and lastly, add more bbq sauce and pickles on the top of the burger. As you can see, everything is an exact precise order. With this in mind, there are two main sub paradigms in imperative programming.
Procedural programming: It is a concept based on routines, subroutines, modules methods, or functions(procedures). It is like a list of instructions to tell the computer what to do step by step(procedures). It is also known as top-down languages. Most of the early programming languages are all procedural.
-Programming languages: Cobol, C, C++, Java, Pascal.
Object Orienting Programming(OOP): Treat everything as an object passing messages to one another. It can share properties or behaviors as well as changing state and reusable components. Each viewed as separate entities having their state, which is modified only by built-in procedures, called methods. Lastly, it is the most widely used paradigm around the world; it is easy to understand and read.
-Programming languages: Java, Ruby, C++, Python, Javascript.
Declarative Programming Paradigm
A declarative programming paradigm is a style of building programs that express the logic of a computation without talking about its control flow(Wikipedia). Instead of telling the program “how” to do but “what” to do. A better way to understand this, we can go back to the example of ordering a burger in the restaurant. This time you are just going to order one big mac without even mentioning a lot of precise details to add the burger. You are telling them what you are going to order, as opposed to how you are going to order the burger. Since the declarative paradigm expressing logic computational, it is used a lot in mathematical logic terms. There are two main sub paradigms in declarative programming.
Logical Programming: Based on mathematical logic, facts, and rules within the system (not instructions).
-Programming languages: Prolog, ALF (algebraic logic functional programming language), Ciao, Alice.
Functional Programming: a programming paradigm that treats computation as an evaluation of mathematical functions, avoiding changing-state and mutable data. No side effect and more comfortable to debug. It is taking some inputs from whatever arguments, and it returns the output value (data goes in, and data comes out). The functions do not modify any values outside the scope of that function, and the functions themselves are not affected by any values outside their scope.
-Programming languages: Haskell, Kotlin, Scala, Clojure, Elm, Mercury, Javascript.
The differences between the two programming paradigms
Notice some of the programming languages overlaps declarative and imperative programming paradigms. Some of these languages have both declarative and imperative programming paradigms, which we called multi-paradigm programming languages. It is basically if the programming language has more than one paradigm, we called them multi-paradigm programming languages. However, some functional programming languages are purely functional, for instance, Haskell, Elm, and Mercury. Some have both paradigms such as Javascript, Java, C++, Scala, Python, Kotlin, Rush.
Example of code in imperative vs. declarative programming
“Imperative programming is like how you do something, and declarative programming is more like what you do.”
There is no the best paradigm, is all depends on which scenario is your task for and what type of problems it makes sense to solve. Each model has its best for an individual case. Paradigms define programming, just like paradigms enable scientific progress. As a community, we need to agree on a particular model of programming and what it means to write a good program for us to get anything done.
This article intended to be a brief introduction to the programming paradigms. If you want to know more about programming paradigms in-depth, you should check out these fantastic videos and articles. | https://medium.com/swlh/introduction-to-programming-paradigms-aafcd6b418d6 | ['Osgood Gunawan'] | 2020-05-05 03:06:18.853000+00:00 | ['Software Engineering', 'Programming Paradigms', 'Software Development', 'Computer Science', 'Programming'] |
10 Bad Habits You Need to Stop. | Stress Eating. I can be a serious stress eater. I would eat whenever I felt unhappy, stressed, disappointed, or anxious. Of course, my eating had nothing to do with being hungry and everything to do with using food to full my emotional voids. Eating would comfort me for the time being, but this feeling was only momentary and would disappear right after I was done eating. Instead, I would be left with the same emotional void that triggered me to eat in the first place and a horrible feeling of guilt. Out of anger, I would make myself not eat a meal or even a day after stress-eating. Which, unfortunately, developed into an eating disorder. If you or someone that you know is a stress eater, don’t worry. But here are some tips on how to manage your stress better. Click here, to view the link. Nail Biting. Not only is nail-biting unhygienic, but it is also socially repelling, leads to dental problems like malocclusion (imperfect positioning of the teeth when the jaws are closed) of the anterior teeth, potentially cause stomach problems, and lead to severely deformed fingernails in the long run. There have been tests proven that people who bite their nails tend to have shorter nails than the average person and their nail plates also experience scarring and may eventually because absent. Understand what triggers your nail-biting behavior and replace it with another healthy habit. For example, if you bite your nails when you are stressed, go for a walk or listen to music instead the next time you feel stressed. Hanging out with Naysayers. I am pretty sure we all know a few of these people, people who play devil’s advocate to every idea you have and every goal you want to pursue. I believe that we are already our greatest self-critics, so it doesn’t help when there’s someone besides us, ever ready to pounce on what we say and tear it down. Hang out less with these naysayers and spend more time with supportive people who share constructive feedback instead. You will be much happier this way. If you are struggling with getting rid of naysayers, here are 10 ways to Ignore the Naysayers and Achieve Your Dreams. Being with People Who Don’t Appreciate You. Haven’t all of us been in this situation before? Trying to please people who don’t appreciate us? Bending over backward to be there for people when they are never there for us? We need to draw a line with people who don’t value us because these people damage our mental wellbeing. Stop spending time with people who don’t appreciate you, and spend more time with people who do instead. Are you unsure who you should get rid of? Here are 5 Kinds of Toxic People That You Need to Get Rid of Now. Smoking. Smoking is one of the leading causes of preventable death globally. In just the US alone, about 500,000 deaths are attributed to smoking-related diseases annually. A recent study estimated that as much as one-third of China’s male population will have significantly shortened life-spans due to smoke. Gender-wise, male and female smokers lose an average of 13.2 and 14.5 years of life. That’s over a decade of life right there. Not only that, smoking causes premature skin aging (wrinkles), yellowing of teeth, bad breathing, and worse of all-jeopardy of the health of people around you, including your loved ones. Studies have shown that non-smokers exposed to second-hand smoke are at risk of many of the health problems associated with direct smoking. Excessive Drinking. All of us know that drinking too much alcohol is bad for us, but do you know how bad it really is? According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, drinking too much — be it on a single occasion or over time — can seriously damage your health. Over drinking can cause brain problems, heart diseases, liver diseases, pancreas problems, and different types of cancer. Alcohol interferes with the brain’s communication pathways, making it harder to think clearly and move with coordination. Two main heart diseases that over drinking can cause is cardiomyopathy, stretching, and drooping of heart muscles. And arrhythmias, irregular heartbeat, stroke, and high blood pressures. You can develop pancreatitis, a dangerous inflammation and swelling of the blood vessels in the pancreas that prevents proper digestion. You can even get breast cancer, liver cancer, throat cancer, esophagus cancer, and mouth cancer. If you drink a lot, perhaps cutting it out right away will be tough. Cut down the number of glasses you drink each time, followed by the number of times you drink a week. If need be, seek help from an AA Group — you aren’t alone in this. Changes start from today. Eating Junk Food (Including Diet Soda). Junk food, they are everywhere in our society today. from McDonald’s to KFC, to Burger King, to 24-hour takeouts, junk food such as fries, highly processed burgers, and sodas has become a staple in our society today. If you think, “Hey, but junk food is tasty”, think again. A study by Paul Johnson and Paul Kenny suggests that junk food consumption alters brain activity in a way similar to addictive drugs such as cocaine and heroin. And you wonder why you seem to crave fast food when you just have some the day before? While it may not be possible to remove junk food completely from our diets right away, we can reduce our junk food consumption starting today. Instead of soda, opt for fruit juice (fresh juice, not the carbonated kind) or mineral water. Instead of fries, switch to mashed potato, a salad, or rice (many food outlets allow for this today). Instead of a fried meat patty, go for a grilled one. Where possible, opt for healthy food joins like salad bars and delis as opposed to fast food outlets. Every little step goes a long way. Here’re some healthy snack ideas for you: 15 Healthy Snacks You Should Always Have At Home. Being Late. Not only is being late being rude to others, but it also means that you’re always rushing from one place to another, playing catch up in your agenda, and having to apologize to every person you meet. Stop being late and not being punctual, but practice being early instead. target to arrive 15 minutes earlier before any appointment and bring along something to do in those 15 minutes (or longer if the other person turns out to be late). Then you can stop playing catch up and stay ahead in life. Being in Bad Relationships. Are you always dating the wrong girls/guys? Do you end up with jerks all the time? Well, you may not be able to stop yourself from meeting bad partners but you can certainly stop yourself from furthering contact with them, spending time with them, or even entering into a relationship with them. I used to invest myself in this guy who was nothing but getting burned over and over again, I realized that he was a total waste of my time and I deserved better. I decided to cut him off, and it was soon after that my mental health got better. Learn about why you shouldn’t stay in a bad relationship and how to deal with it if you’re in one. Focusing on the Negative. In every situation, there are two ways you can react: zoom down to the problem areas and crib about how things aren’t the way you want or celebrate the areas that are going well and work on making everything better. Many of us see the importance of doing the latter but in practice, we do the former. Why though? Criticizing and focusing on the negatives is easy but it doesn’t empower nor inspire us to be better. Make a change — for every negative encounter you run into, I challenge you to identify three things that are good about it. Practice doing this for a week, and by the end of the week, you’ll find that your first instinct is to think positive, not negative.
The Bottom Line.
So here you find the 10 most common bad habits and their consequences on your mind and body. The good news is that you can quit them all. Just spot out your own bad habits and take my suggestions to quit them. Then you’ll find your life a whole lot healthier and happier! Need more tips to break your bad habits? Check out these articles:
How to Break Bad Habits: I Broke 3 Bad Habits in Less Than 2 Months.
How Long Does It Take to Break a Habit? Science Will Tell You.
Why We Keep Bad Habits that Are No Good For Us.
How To Break Bad Habits Once and For All. | https://medium.com/@toriandersson/10-bad-habits-you-need-to-stop-8261eae9c255 | ['Tori Andersson'] | 2020-12-26 19:53:51.878000+00:00 | ['Bad Habits', 'Change', 'New Year Resolution'] |
Busting Hadoop Myth!!! | Busting Hadoop Myth!!!
Does Hadoop use the parallelism concept or serialism concept to upload the split data in the data nodes ??? MishanRG Dec 21, 2020·4 min read
Hello Everyone, I hope you all are doing fine.
In this blog, we will learn how data gets uploaded in the data node in the Hadoop cluster? We can see many posts, blogs, and articles that state that Hadoop uses parallelism, and some state Hadoop uses serialism, so let's find out how Hadoop uploads data in data nodes with proof. So let’s get started…
Prerequisites
NOTE: Please refer to above link to get more clear understanding in Hadoop Cluster and its formation.
First, we created a Hadoop Cluster with 1 Name Node, 4 Data nodes, and 1 Client.
Web-UI of the Cluster
Data Node in Cluster
We then uploaded a file with the name “testhadoop.txt” from the Client to see how the data gets stored in all the data-node.
We can use the command:
# hadoop fs -put <filename>
Client Uploading Data
When we upload data from the client, we know that the Client contact the Name Node(NN), and NN provides the details of the Data Nodes, and the Client takes the data to the Data Nodes and creates replication. So we used the `tcpdump` command on all 4 data nodes to capture the package(data) coming from the client to check if all data nodes get the package (PARALLELISM) at the same time. OR the data is given to one data node, and that the data node transfers the file to another data node (SERIALISM). We also know that the data is replicated, so let's see if the data is sent to all nodes at once or one data node takes the client's data and passes it on.
We stored the output of `tcpdump` in a file to check the file with the grep command to see from which IP it received the packet. We evaluated port 50010 because the client uses that port to transfer packets.
# tcpdump -i eth0 port 50010 > <filename>
Data Node 1
Data Node 2
Data Node 3
Data Node 4
We ran this command after the client uploaded the data to the cluster. And now we check the output of the `tcpdump` command in all data nodes.
After uploading the file below image, we can see in the Web-UI that the data has been replicated in 3 different IPs among 4 IPs, which means one of the IPs didn’t get the data replication factor in our cluster is 3.
Now to check the packet received, we tried the command “cat” and tried “grep” to Client IP to see if one data node receives the packet or all of them.
CLIENT IP: 35–154–195–85 | https://medium.com/@mishanregmi/busting-hadoop-myth-3928c2a581a0 | [] | 2020-12-21 16:10:04.261000+00:00 | ['Hadoop', 'AWS', 'Myths', 'Big Data', 'Linux'] |
What is Getresponse? | Getresponse is an email marketing app that allows you to:
create a mailing list and capture data onto it
and capture data onto it send emails to the subscribers on your mailing list
to the subscribers on your mailing list automate your emails to subscribers via use of ‘autoresponders’
to subscribers via use of ‘autoresponders’ view and analyse statistics related to your email campaigns — open rate, click through, forwards etc.
In recent years however, Getresponse has shifted its emphasis considerably: the product now aims be more of an ‘all-in-one’ e-commerce and marketing solution rather than just an email marketing tool.
Accordingly, in addition to email marketing, Getresponse now also provides e-commerce features, webinar hosting, landing pages and automated sales funnels.
Getresponse has been in business since 1998 and, according to the company, over 350,000 individuals and businesses now use the platform for their email campaigns.
Whilst this userbase is not as big as those for some other email marketing tools (notably Mailchimp), it is large enough to provide confidence that the company is well-established and is not likely to disappear any time soon.
There are four Getresponse plans:
Basic — starting at $15 per month to send an unlimited number of emails to up to 1,000 subscribers
— starting at $15 per month to send an unlimited number of emails to up to 1,000 subscribers Plus — starting at $49 per month for up to 1,000 subscribers
— starting at $49 per month for up to 1,000 subscribers Professional — starting at $99 per month for up to 1,000 subscribers
— starting at $99 per month for up to 1,000 subscribers Max — negotiable.
As you add more subscribers to your list, the costs increase. At the top end of the scale, you can expect to pay $450, $499 or $580 per month to use Getresponse with a list containing 100,000 subscribers on the ‘Basic’, ‘Plus’ and ‘Professional’ plans (respectively).
GetRespons Email marketing Service
With regard to the “Max” plan, exact pricing depends on requirements and list size — if you’re interested in this plan, you’ll need to contact Getresponse to schedule a demo, discuss your needs and negotiate pricing.
Significant discounts are available if you pay upfront for 12 or 24 months of service (18% and 30% respectively).
In addition to the paid plans, a 30-day free trial is also available, which you can access via this link.
Key differences between plans
All the Getresponse plans cover the email marketing basics you might expect — core features include:
the ability to import, grow and host a subscriber list
a selection of themes to use for your e-newsletters
autoresponder functionality
responsive email designs
split testing
landing pages
in-depth reporting
RSS / blog to-email functionality
comprehensive segmentation options
social sharing tools
There are a number of differences between the ‘Basic’, ‘Plus’’ and ‘Professional’ plans, but for me the key ones are below:
Automation builder — arguably Getresponse’s standout feature, the automation builder (which allows you to build complex autoresponder sequences based on user behaviour) is available on the ‘Plus’ plan or higher (you can create 5 automations on the plus plan; or an unlimited number on the other plans).
— arguably Getresponse’s standout feature, the automation builder (which allows you to build complex autoresponder sequences based on user behaviour) is available on the ‘Plus’ plan or higher (you can create 5 automations on the plus plan; or an unlimited number on the other plans). Conversion funnels — you get access to more automated sales funnels as you go up the pricing ladder.
you get access to more automated sales funnels as you go up the pricing ladder. Webinars — this functionality is not available at all on the ‘Basic’ plan and the number of webinar attendees is capped for the ‘Plus’, ‘Professional’ and ‘Enterprise’ plans at 100, 300 and 500 respectively.
— this functionality is not available at all on the ‘Basic’ plan and the number of webinar attendees is capped for the ‘Plus’, ‘Professional’ and ‘Enterprise’ plans at 100, 300 and 500 respectively. Team management — you can only have one user account on the ‘Basic’ plan; by contrast you get 3 on ‘Plus’, 5 on ‘Professional’ and 10 on ‘Enterprise.’
E-commerce — the abandoned order recovery feature is only available on the ‘Plus’ plan or higher.
Getresponse email templates
The situation with regard to email templates in Getresponse is a little bit in flux.
This is because a new version of the Getresponse email creator is currently being rolled out, and accordingly, there are two sets of templates available — one for the old email creator, and one for the new, ‘BETA’ version.
In terms of quality, the new templates are much better than the old ones. There are around 100 available — less than some competing email marketing solutions (notably Aweber, which offers around 700) — but they are varied in nature and the designs are very contemporary (and tweakable).
The email templates are grouped into a few categories focussed around core goals (promoting, educating, selling etc.).
As for the ‘old’ templates, there is a bigger range of them available — over 500 — and they are presented in industry-based categories — but to be honest, I’d probably avoid them. This is chiefly because they’re prone to appearing incorrectly in the latest version of Gmail for mobile devices.
If you do end up using an older template, make sure you test it extensively on Gmail for mobile devices before using it on your email campaign. | https://medium.com/@emailmarketing1/what-is-getresponse-173a84d58fa8 | ['Malik Hamza'] | 2020-12-24 06:47:55.543000+00:00 | ['Email Marketing', 'Email', 'Digital Marketing', 'Affiliate Marketing', 'Email Marketing Tips'] |
My COVID Story | In these unprecedented times, each one of us is suffering either physically, mentally, or financially. All of us have a story to tell and an experience to share. So, here comes my version of the story. I belong to a set of those people, who despite taking all precautionary measures could not save themselves from the trap of the coronavirus.
The Background
The businesses that could operate remotely have given the flexibility of work from home even after the lockdown ended. Since my company was also following the practice so I moved back to my hometown after spending a few months alone in the city I work. Here I live in a semi-joint family (if that is an official term to use) and, 5 out of 6 family members were tested positive. Luckily, my mother who is a heart patient, asthmatic, diabetic, and zillion other pre-existing medical conditions was the only member to be tested negative. I still wonder, if it was a stroke of pure luck or if it was because we took a few precautionary measures and isolated her as soon as my father showed a few symptoms.
Whatsoever may be the case but this disease will break your heart and keep your souls apart. Although all age groups are at risk but elderly people are at higher risk of developing a serious illness. All of us were getting weak day-by-day with the impact of the virus, we had to make sure that we take all precautions and recommended medicines. Apart from it, ample rest and ample liquid along with steam and gargle was the key mantra we followed. More than physical, the impact was psychological. Our days were filled with anxiety and uncertainty as there was no proper healthcare facility available in my city.
Stressful Time and the Fight with Symptoms
My father showed the symptoms very first so we consulted a doctor online, she asked to get the Covid test done so we got it done. Reports took 2 days and it came positive so as per government procedure, the rest of the 5 family members were tested and 4 of us tested positive. I started showing symptoms even before getting tested. On the very first day, the fever was mild so I took a paracetamol and rested but by the next day, the fever went up to 103F. I was experiencing body ache and weakness along with fever and the very next day I started coughing and it was terrible. On day 4, I was finding too much salt in anything I eat. It was equivalent to having one tablespoon of salt in one bite of food so I lost my appetite. By day 5 of the first symptom, I lost my smell and taste, also my terrible cough, and body ache continued. It took two-three additional days for me to get over the body ache and weakness but the cough continued and by that time every organ of my body started paining due to the heavy cough. After 9 days, I felt a little better, I gained back my smell and taste so my appetite also came back on track. My cough continued for an additional week and it took us 16 days to test negative.
Photo by Tai's Captures on Unsplash
We all tried to maintain a positive attitude to fight this scary time but like it is said “All’s well that ends well”. I urge you to maintain social distancing, use a mask, sanitize, take steam, gargle, check oxygen level and boost immunity with “Kadha” even if you have not contracted with COVID-19 to keep you and your family safe. | https://medium.com/@kopalsrivastav/my-covid-story-85a9b295d9c | ['Kopal Srivastava'] | 2020-12-23 17:36:41.483000+00:00 | ['Health', 'Coronavirus', 'Experience', 'Covid 19', 'Covid Diaries'] |
What to Do When You Don’t Have the Answers | 6 ways to approach making hard decisions when the answer isn’t clear.
Your business is going well.
You start to get “comfortable.” Maybe you splurge and buy yourself something nice:
A Tesla. Some Jordans. Guac at Chipotle.
Then boom! Pandemic.
What do you do?
Good to Great didn’t have a chapter titled “Shelter in Place Management 101.” Come on Jim Collins.
How do you approach being a leader and driving growth in this environment? It’s unprecedented and uncharted waters.
Here’s the framework I’m using to navigate my strategic decisions at this time.
Disclaimer: No clue if it’s going to work.
1) Over Communicate to Your Team
As I put myself in my team’s position, there are lots of questions they might have. Are we good? Am I good? Wait, do I need to beef up my resume? Your mind can wander down a dark path. That sucks. It impacts your mindset, mood, and performance. My move: Be transparent and open in your team meetings with good or bad info. Increase communication frequency. Bring people in early on strategy.
2) Learn From History
There have been many smart people before us that have gone through some sort of a crisis. Dot-com bubble. Housing crisis. Spanish Flu. While the details are different the strategic approach can be similar. I did my own research on how businesses responded with this one: What Founders & Marketers Should Do in a Downturn?
3) Seek Advice from People Smarter Than You
There’s a tendency to turn inward when things get hard. Do the opposite. Talk to people. If you believe that you’re the average of the five people you spend the most time with then lean into that. For business, I have taken this concept to heart and created an informal board of advisors. Some of them know they’re on it and others don’t. Here is my “Phantom Board of Advisors” and the specific value each person/group adds.
A Bootstrapped Founder: Great for comparing notes with someone going through the same struggles: Cash-flow, hiring, strategy, etc.
Great for comparing notes with someone going through the same struggles: Cash-flow, hiring, strategy, etc. A Marketing Executive: Great for bouncing our growth strategy off someone that’s managing growth at a publicly-traded company.
Great for bouncing our growth strategy off someone that’s managing growth at a publicly-traded company. An Executive Coach : He holds us accountable on our first principle strategy, org process, and OKRs
He holds us accountable on our first principle strategy, org process, and OKRs An Agency Mastermind: For industry insights and expertise, my agency community helps me have a finger on the pulse and offers new ways to approach problems specific to my industry.
For industry insights and expertise, my agency community helps me have a finger on the pulse and offers new ways to approach problems specific to my industry. My Executive Team: Extremely proud of the team around me that constantly offers strategic solutions.
4) Have Extreme Focus by Saying No
As the world was ending, I started putting a plan together to combat this new environment. It was amazing. It included everything from ABM and SEM to community marketing and webinars. Then I realized I wouldn’t be able to do any of it. We trimmed down our efforts to 3 main objectives we can do in an accelerated time frame. I would rather do a few things well than half-ass everything.
5) Be Decisive
A decision by indecision might be the worst way to go down. Have a biased towards action and quick iterations. Don’t sit behind your computer polishing a perfect plan that drags out into weeks or months. Now is the time to be decisive and move swiftly. That’s the way I want to go down. It’s no longer about annual plans or quarterly goals. We’re thinking in 1–2 week spirits and iterating.
6) Default to Kindness
This will pass. People will remember (good or bad) how you lead. So don’t be a greedy jerk. No blindsiding. People have rent and families to support so give them as much insight as you can regardless of the outcome. Be human first.
Summary
Here are the six main takeaways from what to do when you don’t have the answers. | https://medium.com/@JimWHuffman/what-to-do-when-you-dont-have-the-answers-a739f26c4ec3 | ['Jim Huffman'] | 2020-04-23 12:46:01.194000+00:00 | ['Executive Coaching', 'Founders', 'Decision Making', 'Leadership', 'Startup'] |
My First Week of the CXL Growth Marketing Mini-Degree — Review | I have been lucky enough to be awarded a CXL scholarship on their Growth Marketing mini-degree. Over the next 12 weeks I will be documenting my experience working through this.
About Me
Just some background first; I began my career back in the 90s in media and old-school marketing, before taking a sideways move into education. Then, a few years ago, I found myself rejoining marketing via my work with the Curly Hair Project (an amazing social dedicated to helping people with autism). This time around, however, marketing was taking place in a new digital landscape.
Fast forward three years and I have indeed learnt how to do digital, code websites, and measure data, but I wondered if I’d missed anything — because you don’t know, what you don’t know, right? The CXL mini-degree offered a brilliant opportunity to consolidate my existing knowledge and develop it. I was excited that it is led by industry experts who really do walk the walk. The degree is approximately 110 hours of trainings. My target is to complete it by 5th March so I’ve decided to study for approximately 9 hours a week and do 50/50 theory and practical, e.g. analytics, work. Fully prepared for it to be a brain-battering few months I was keen to get stuck in.
Photo by Campaign Creators on Unsplash
First Impressions
My first impression of the CXL mini-degree was that the course is well laid out and intuitive with a good blend of theory and practical information e.g. how to properly run an A/B split test. I was really pleased to see the Google Analytics trainings were led by Chris Mercer. I know Chris from Social Media Examiner and have listened to his stuff many times in the past. GA is a monster of a platform and you can never know too much about it, and Chris is brilliant at demystifying it.
The degree’s first opening ‘mini lecture’ was from Sean Ellis. Now just in case there is anyone out there who doesn’t know, Sean is the marketer credited with inventing the term ‘growth hacking’. He has been successful at Facebook, AirBnB, and Dropbox.
Sean’s talk focussed on how to properly set and achieve the growth objectives we want. He reminded us that we need to be crystal clear about what our goals are. If we don’t know what we’re trying to achieve then we can’t get there. It’s also really important to transmit this to the whole team so we are all working on the same page.
Sean explained that marketing traditionally existed in its own little bubble. So, for example, IT would develop a website which marketing would then work with. Marketing wouldn’t change anything on the website because that was IT’s world. Similarly, marketing would bring the customers to the door, but drop out the minute they crossed over the threshold when Sales took over. Growth marketing being a full and holistic process is very much a theme I am picking up from this course. It makes sense.
Sean continued that despite his having invented the term ‘growth hacking’, there isn’t really any hack. It is a matter of setting goads and simply testing and retesting our theories to try and hit our targets at least 70% of the time.
Sean talked about the ‘North Star Metric’ and said he thought this was the most important thing that Facebook ever did in terms of their growth. I have recently been reading ‘Growth Hacker Marketing’ by Ryan Holliday and he also discusses this in relation to Amazon’s success.
A real lightbulb moment for me was Sean saying that ‘creative brainstorming’ type meetings really should be about problem solving and not just coming up with cool and crazy ideas. I have sat in so many meetings like this! People coming up with amazing ideas but, half an hour later back at my desk, I’ve realised that we haven’t really solved any problems. That’s definitely something I am going try and challenge going forward.
The First Training
After Sean’s mini-lecture, I logged on the first ‘proper’ training material from John McBride. John is another super-experienced marketeer having worked with Lyft and Eaze.
John began by consolidating and expanding on what Sean had been talking about, discussing the difference between traditional marketing and growth hacking. Traditional marketing focusses on ‘top of the funnel’ but growth marketing is holistic and looks at the entire customer lifespan from acquisition to post-sale.
It occured to me at this point one big difference between an old-school marketer and a growth-marketer is mindset. ‘Old school’ marketing was limited in that you had to work with the product you were given. If the product wasn’t any good then that was a problem. But with growth marketing you are continuously tinkering with not just marketing, but the product too to make it the best you can. You really do need to expand your thinking.
John discussed this at length and explained that growth marketing is all about continuous experimentation. The Lean Start up methodology is a great model for this as you have to start by admitting that you don’t know what your customers want — you are just guessing. If the product doesn’t sell then you need to start again. Again, another lightbulb moment here! I have always felt that there is so much pressure on business start ups to get things right right away. People want to see five year plans, what your plans for scaling are, how much you think you’ll make in your third year, etc. The truth is that we don’t know! It is all guesswork, in my experience, for the first year at least. With the growth and Lean Start-Up methods we continuously monitor and make changes. It doesn’t matter if the changes don’t work as we haven’t spend a lot of money. Every change moves the needle one way or another. By testing you are doing something and not just sending emails, crossing your fingers and hoping for the best.
Finally, John talked in some depth about how to become a great growth marketer. He felt the three key skills were:
Channel expertise
Analytical capability
Strategic thinking/Project management
This is a summary of my first impressions and first week of the CXL mini-degree. I have already learnt so much and had a few lightbulb moments. I’ve loved it so far and can’t wait to share next week’s learnings! | https://medium.com/@marydonne/my-first-week-of-the-cxl-growth-marketing-mini-degree-review-7aa599bc38da | ['Mary Donné'] | 2020-12-18 12:37:05.597000+00:00 | ['Digital Marketing', 'Growth Marketing', 'Lean Startup', 'Marketing', 'Growth Hacking'] |
Poker at the Penalty Spot | Games are microcosms of life. They involve struggle, camaraderie, disappointment, and ecstasy. As such, games offer the inquisitive spectator a chance to reflect on social behaviour from afar. As both an aficionado of poker — a deeply strategic game — and a soccer fanatic, I’ve noticed a way in which wisdom from the former game can benefit the latter.
Soccer’s World Cup, the paramount event of Earth’s most popular sport, is the biggest game of all. The knockout stage of the tournament introduces the penalty shootout, a tie-breaking procedure in which players are given a free shot on goal from twelve yards, with only the goalkeeper to beat.
Penalties, as they’re known colloquially, are supposed to be advantageous for the shooter, who has a large goal to aim at. A well-taken penalty is nearly impossible to save — a keeper who does so becomes an instant hero — and around 3 in 4 penalties are scored, on average. The price of that advantage, however, is added pressure. The shooter is expected to score.
Reach for the sky (unless there’s a snake in your soccer boot)
The Economist magazine analyzed World Cup penalties spanning a forty-year period in search of patterns that might suggest an optimal strategy.
Figure 1. Photo credit: economist.com
Based on those data, it turns out that
Goalkeepers find high balls the hardest to deal with — just 3% of penalties aimed halfway up the goal or more are saved. Yet there is a tendency for these shots to miss the target: 18% of high shots do so, as opposed to 5% of low shots. Overall, though, allowing for misses and saves, high shots are successful 79% of the time compared with 72% for low shots.
High shots are more likely to score, yet Figure 1 shows that most penalties were aimed at the lower half of the goal. What explains the paradox?
One answer is that unlike rebounds from penalties taken during shootouts, which are immediately dead, rebounds from penalties attempted during regulation play are live balls. This means that someone taking a penalty kick during regulation play might shoot low to increase the chance of tapping in the rebound if the keeper saves the original attempt.
That explanation doesn’t apply to penalty shootouts, though, which account for the bulk of penalties taken over the years. There’s another reason for the discrepancy, and it gives insight into how people make decisions when the stakes are high. It concerns the fact that we human beings are emotional creatures who, for the most part, care about others’ opinions of us. ‘Ego bias’ affects our decision-making.
To spare your blushes
If scoring from the penalty spot is ostensibly simple, merely hitting the target should be even easier. Knowing this, nothing is more humbling for a penalty-taker than shooting high or wide. Even having your penalty saved is a better outcome, psychologically, than missing altogether. Shooters thus have some incentive to be more conservative in where they aim, because low shots are less likely to miss their mark.
Of course, that line of reasoning makes for a poor strategy. A penalty-taking robot would pay no mind to emotional considerations of potential humiliation. Focused purely on maximizing the probability of scoring, it would aim for the top corner every time. The benefit gained by straining the goalkeeper easily compensates for the increased chance of blasting the ball over the bar — the data show this strategy is nearly 10 percent more successful. A missed shot and a saved shot count the same on the scoreboard, after all. The only difference is in the shooter’s head.
Yet that difference makes all the difference, because soccer is played by humans whose emotions affect their physiology. Pressure weighs even on the best players, who miss the odd penalty despite scoring goals ruthlessly, in far more difficult situations, during open play. (Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have each missed a penalty kick in this World Cup.)
You can often tell if a player is going to miss a penalty by watching their approach to the ball. A fast run-up immediately after the referee’s whistle — see Asamoah Gyan’s penalty in the 2010 World Cup quarterfinals (with the weight of a billion Africans’ hopes squarely on his shoulders) — suggests a subconscious desire to get the stressful situation over with. That player lacks composure.
A good penalty-taker decides where to aim first, takes a moment to visualize where the ball is going to go, then focuses all the way through the shooting motion to make sure the foot strikes the ball properly. As with any activity performed at a high level, even aspects as straightforward as an unencumbered shot at goal demand serious forethought and practice. The higher the stakes, the more nerves become a factor.
It’s all in your head
The laws of nature forbid us from living through any single moment more than once. We’re not allowed to rewind and see what could have been. This reality predisposes us to hindsight bias, where we overvalue outcomes and undervalue the actions that preceded the result.
Counterfactuals are instructive for allowing us to contemplate superior alternatives. It’s a common exercise among skilled poker players, who understand that the decision-making process is more important than any one outcome, which is subject to factors out of one’s control such as statistical variance.
Most people have a natural aversion to risk because risk sometimes leads to loss, which can be embarrassing. But losing doesn’t necessarily mean you made the wrong decision. You might have just gotten unlucky. Moreover, shame is a function of pride; it’s nothing more than a state of mind. A fear of shame discourages you from taking worthwhile risks, and it’s a bias that leads to poor decision-making. Conquering that inhibition removes a major obstacle from the road to victory.
Instead, think like a poker player. Remember that over the long run, if you factor in what you could have gained, a missed opportunity to win is the same as an equivalent loss. Discard your pride, and make the best decision. You’ll thank yourself later.
Most penalty-takers in soccer focus too much on their dread of missing the net, and think too little of the reward that awaits them, more often than not, by aiming at the top corner anyway. Taking intelligent risks in other parts of life is the same. We are always forced to live out our actual misfortunes, but we’re never confronted by the successes we forsook. If we were, we wouldn’t overlook them as often as we do, and we’d be bolder and better off for it. Those missed successes exist only in some parallel universe where a more logical and courageous version of us lives. Luckily, we each have the opportunity to make choices anew every single day. All it takes is determination. As the Tottenham Hotspurs’ motto goes, “To dare is to do.” | https://medium.com/age-of-awareness/poker-at-the-penalty-spot-af3a2a2f9359 | ['Brad Stollery'] | 2018-07-06 16:07:55.766000+00:00 | ['Motivation', 'Poker', 'World Cup', 'Economics', 'Soccer'] |
I&CO Equity and Justice Action Plan Update | As 2020 comes to an end, we at I&CO, wanted to provide an update on the commitments made towards becoming a more equitable firm back in July 2020. These commitments will be updated as we advance.
Commitment 1
I&CO is committed to being an anti-racist company by continually examining and adapting our culture to be a more inclusive environment that confronts injustice and oppression in our everyday lives and interactions.
November 2020, we started our journey with an all-staff anti-racism workshop, which created a foundation for us to build upon. I&CO is committing to ongoing anti-racism coaching for the entire team in 2021 and looking to add training to our onboarding process.
Woven into the fabric of everything we do and guiding us in making the right decisions are our I&CO Maxims. The addition of our newest Maxim, “Be just. Do right.” continues to shape our culture as a reminder of our responsibility to create an anti-racist work and place.
For open dialogue and knowledge sharing on social justice, we have commenced monthly forums at I&CO. Wherever possible, our goal is to share our work with the community-at-large.
Lastly, the lead up to the 2020 election has ended, but we continue to support employees’ use of work hours to engage in volunteerism and political activism as we enter 2021.
Commitment 2
I&CO is committed to creating work that does not contribute to systems of racial oppression or the spread of racism in the world, assessing all future work to ensure we are reducing — not creating — harm.
This commitment has evolved to focus on building a foundation that evaluates and changes the working process, not only its output. Using a “pause and process” system, we have identified dedicated moments that will be used for reflection and facilitate an open discussion among team members. These moments are as follows:
Pre-Project: Client Evaluation Start of Project: Project Goal-Setting During the Project: Notice & Adjust Post-Project: Reflect & Measure
We want to create an environment that encourages everyone to share ideas or flag issues. This practice is being pressure tested on current projects and will be continuously refined.
Commitment 3
I&CO is committed to becoming a more racially representational firm, beginning with how we identify and recruit talent and assess our team makeup.
We want to create a welcoming and inclusive environment for all candidates. Dedicated to improving our recruitment practices, we have researched and started implementing best practices with diversity, equity, and inclusion in mind.
After identifying our shortcomings, we recognized the need to establish a consistent hiring process. As part of that standardization effort, we will:
Commit to being mindful of resources that seek out talent, and expand our recruitment to include representation-focused partners
Equip hiring managers and interviewers with guides for unbiased and inclusive recruitment practices
Build interview feedback forms to eliminate groupthink and biases during the assessment process
We are continuing to explore diversity metrics that are meaningful in our journey to become a more anti-racist and inclusive firm.
Lastly, our internship program continues to evolve as we identify ways to support applicants from a broader catchment of backgrounds to find ways to make the internship program accessible.
Commitment 4
I&CO is assessing all discretionary spending decisions to ensure we are supporting BIPOC business owners whenever possible.
Recognizing that our dollars have influence and power, we set out to evaluate and evolve our discretionary spending.
We began by creating an Anti-Racism Checklist, a system by which I&CO employees can assess a company’s active contribution to a White-supremacist system through:
Treatment of employees
Potential harm in past and current products/services
Stance on equity
Political spending
We used our checklist to assess 67 existing partners and identified 10 companies that we are no longer spending money with. These companies have been replaced in our vendor line-up either by BIPOC businesses or by competing companies who are more actively anti-racist.
Based on feedback from an I&CO team member, we are now working on the second iteration of the Anti-Racism Checklist, thinking about how and if we can better evaluate harm done by a company’s political spending. We are also working on incorporating a measurement of a company’s work in reparative justice and harm reduction. | https://medium.com/iandco/i-co-equity-and-justice-action-plan-update-70374204053b | ['I Co'] | 2020-12-19 15:03:21.952000+00:00 | ['Equity', 'Company Values', 'BlackLivesMatter', 'Diversity And Inclusion', 'English'] |
Benefits Of Using Reusable Water Bottles | All the thanks to David Attenborough for throwing the light on the pollution caused by plastic waste, reusable water bottles are getting a lot of attention.
Believe it or not, around 50 billion single-use plastic bottles are produced yearly around the world, but they will never decompose fully. Environmentalists expect that in our oceans there will be more plastic than fish by 2050. But what can we do about it?
100,000 single-use plastic bottles are
produced worldwide every minute
Every single person can make a difference, for example, if a single person bought a reusable water bottle, that could lead to an average saving of 156 single-use plastic bottles. Having a reusable water bottle can be beneficial for the environment, for your finances, for example, in the UK the price of a 1L plastic water bottle is £1 and the average consumption for an individual is 150 bottles per year so having a reusable water bottle can save you around £150. Finally, your health, single-use water bottles contain an industrial chemical called BPA (bisphenol A). BPA impacts your wellbeing in more than one way. The toxic chemical is associated with reproductive, immunity, and neurological disorders, as well as an increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease, childhood asthma, metabolic disease, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
LaViemate reusable water bottle, the eco-friendly bottle can be a perfect alternative for single-use plastic bottles, the bottle is made of high-quality stainless steel (BPA free) and provides thermal insulation and a leakproof body. Finally, it comes with a variety of sizes, colours, and designs. | https://medium.com/@laviemate/benefits-of-using-reusable-water-bottles-d82352a822c5 | [] | 2020-12-20 15:25:22.083000+00:00 | ['Water', 'Eco Friendly', 'Sustainability', 'Reusable', 'Bottled Water'] |
“If” statements at compile time | A while ago, I watched a talk from Netflix from the Scala days 2019, and the speaker Jeremy Smith said that a Scala program is actually made of two programs. The one that everybody knows, but also the one which happens at “compile time”.
Justin Luebke on unspash
When we (at least I) think about compilation, we oftentimes only think of it as a “static” process of checking that things have been wired up properly (e.g., right arguments at the right places). However, some compilers actually compute things while “compiling”, and they are able to help you in tremendous ways. Scala is one of them.
We are going to see examples for Scala 3, since it is the future, a future that is actually already there.
“If” statements at run-time
When writing usual programs (think: a small script), we sometimes need to use “if” statements to ensure that the program does reasonable things. For example, a function which takes the square root of a number, could only run on positive numbers. This would result in an implementation like this:
def sqrt(x: Double): Double =
if x < 0 then throw new IllegalArgumentException("can't take square root of negative numbers")
else math.sqrt(x)
The code that we wrote ensures that, when the run-time program passes through it, it does reasonable things. In this case, it won’t take the square root of a negative number. By throwing an exception, the function stops the program, and keeps it from continuing with an “illegal” state (note: in Scala, math.sqrt returns NaN for negative numbers, instead of crashing). In a production setting, this would be bad. But let’s leave that aside for a moment.
In Scala (3), this idea of checking the legality of a state of a run-time variable actually has an analogue when compiling. But what are the “run-time” variables at that time? Generic Types! Scala is a statically typed language, meaning that all types are known at compile time. Exactly the same way as “regular” variables are known at run-time. In theory (but as we’ll see, also in practice), this implies that the compiler can compute types, or check that types satisfy some properties.
“If” statements at compile time
What kind of legality check would we want to do on generic types? Let’s have a look at an example (from the standard collection library).
Every Scala developper knows the List type. Lists have a type parameter, call it A , representing the type of the elements that the list will contain at run-time. For example, List[Int] will contain integers at run-time. There are many things that we can do, no matter what the generic type is. For example, taking the length of the list, getting the head or the tail. But some things can only be done if A has a certain shape. Lists have a toMap method, which is supposed to turn a list containing “pairs” into a Map from the first element of the pair to the second. However, in order for it to make sense, the generic type A would need to be exactly a pair (K, V) , for two other types K and V . We could do the following at run-time (deliberately ugly):
trait RuntimeList[+A]:
def toMap[K, V]: Map[K, V] class NonEmptyRuntimeList[+A](head: A, tail: Run-timeList[A]) extends RuntimeList[A]:
def toMap[K, V]: Map[K, V] = (head match {
case h: (K, V) => Map(h._1 -> h._2)
case _ => throw new RuntimeException("elements of the list must be pairs!")
}) ++ tail.toMap[K, V] object EmptyRuntimeList extends RuntimeList[Nothing]:
def toMap[K, V]: Map[K, V] = Map.empty
Everything compiles, and we could verify the following:
@ new NonEmptyRuntimeList(3, EmptyRuntimeList).toMap[Int, String]
java.lang.RuntimeException: elements of the list must be pairs! @ new NonEmptyRuntimeList((3, "hello"), EmptyRuntimeList).toMap[Int, String]
res2: Map[Int, String] = Map(3 -> "hello")
This is silly, though, because since the generic type A is known when the program compiles, the compiler should be able to tell us before the run-time that we are doing something wrong!
The actual signature of the toMap method for list is this:
def toMap[K, V](using ev: A <:< (K, V)): Map[K, V]
The A <:< (K, V) is merely a type saying that “the type A must be a subtype of the type (K, V) ”. Meaning: if the compiler manages to give us an (implicit/given) instance of this funny type, it means that A is actually a pair, and we can safely create our Map. Intuitively, the compiler is doing
[imaginary language]
if A is a pair then "let the thing compile"
else "crash, aka, compile error"
which is exactly the same as our sqrt method was doing before, only much better since we have it even before running the program!
To sum up what the analogy that we saw, we have the following:
variables at run-time correspond to types at compile time
“if” statements about the run-time values corresponds to asking for given values of special types representing types equality or type inheritance relations at compile type
An equality check
In the previous section, we (re-)discovered the <:< “operator” on types. This one furiously resemble a “less than” operator which, as we saw, actually behaves like a “less than or equal to” operator (technical term: it is reflexive). What about an “equal to” operator? This one would be =:= , and here is an example of a usage.
Imagine you have a trait (a typeclass, if you know the name) Printer[A] which have a method def print(a: A): String . An instance of this trait would print an instance of an A in a certain fashion (could be simply toString , could be some Json/XML representation, or something else entirely, it doesn’t matter). We could for example have an instance unitPrinter with type Printer[Unit] . The Unit type is special because there is only one instance of it, and hence we could say that it’s useless to specify the argument. The =:= method allows us to do that, simply by creating a method
def print()(using ev: Unit =:= A): String = print(ev(()))
which allows to do unitPrinter.print() instead of unitPrinter.print(()) . As you may have noticed, the instance ev is (among other things) a function from Unit to A . In this regard, the operator =:= is not strictly symmetric.
Another usage in this setting could be to print pairs in a special way. We could create a method
def printAsPair[K, V](a: A)(using ev: A =:= (K, V)): String =
val (key, value) = ev(a)
s"$key: $value"
A last thing that we could do would be to enable printing … Nothing ! As you may know, Nothing in Scala is a type which have no instance. As such, it is impossible to use the print(a: A) method because it would require us to give an instance of Nothing , which does not exist! So, how to print nothing? Like this:
def print()(using A =:= Nothing): String = "Nothing there!"
I will admit that this last example is more than anecdotical, but, as a mathematician, I will certainly not be the one reluctant to do things simply because they are beautiful…
Note that in this case we don’t need the ev instance, we simply need to ask that it exists.
Note: the provided instances are often called ev (or evN if you need several of them). It stands for “evidence”, because we are asking the compiler for a piece of evidence that our types satisfy some predicate.
What about “not equal”?
In some (probably rare) cases, you might want to forbid access to a given method for a specific type. You might expect a !=:= operator of sorts, but you might be disappointed discovering that it does not exist. Never fear, though, as we have options. Imagine that you have some “functional effect” IO[E, A] with two type parameters, E representing the type of error that can happen. You probably want to define a method def mapError[F](f: E => F): IO[F, A] . However, you might want to help your users by forbidding them to use this function if the error type is Nothing (indeed, if E =:= Nothing , then the user knows that the functional effect cannot fail, and it would be a pity for them to artificially re-introduce an error in the type system).
In Scala 2, the “solution” was quite tricky and used what are called “ambiguous implicits”. In Scala, when we require an implicit and the compiler actually finds two of them, it does not compile. Which suggests the solution to create two implicits for the specific type we don’t want, and only one for the others. This solution however has a catch, but it is beyond the scope of this blog post.
In Scala 3, there is a much better solution, coming from a new feature: match types. Match types allow you to create types based on the value of others. When we think about it, what we want the compiler to do is
[imaginary language]
if A != Foo then "let it go"
else "crash, aka don't compile"
As we saw, we can’t do this because we don’t have !=:= . However, we can create a type IsNotFoo[A] which will basically say A != Foo . Then, we will be able to do a thing which makes me cringe when I see it in usual codebases, and that is someBoolean == true . This idea is implemented as:
type IsNotNothing[A] <: Boolean = A match {
case Nothing => false
case _ => true
} trait IO[E, A]:
// elided content ...
def mapError[F](f: E => F)(using IsNotNothing[E] =:= true): IO[F, A] = ??? // do your thing
Note that the true that you see there is not the run-time value true , but the type true (which is a subtype Boolean , and has only one possible run-time value).
The nice thing with this solution is that it is easily generalisable if you want to prevent several types. Trying to use mapError with Nothing will result in the following nice compile error message:
val ioNothing: IO[Nothing, Int] = ???
ioNothing.mapError(_ => 2)
// [error] 18 | ioNothing.mapError(_ => 2)
// [error] | ^
// [error] |Cannot prove that IsNotNothing[Nothing] =:= (true : Boolean).
Note: as we said for evidence earlier, we see that the compiler uses the mathematical nomenclature of “proving” things.
Other alternatives
Asking the compiler for evidence of a given type is not the only way to achieve such goal. In my opinion, however, it is still the best and I will argue why.
Asking a function argument: An easy way, that you can actually do in any language, would be to simply define functions with the constraints that you want. For example, in order to turn a List into a Map, you can do def listToMap[K, V](ls: List[(K, V)]): Map[K, V]
Using extension method: In Scala, you have the ability to do type safe monkey patching by adding methods to elements after their definition. Imagining that the `toMap` method on Lists does not exist, you could add it with
extension [K, V](ls: List[(K, V)])
def toMap: Map[K, V] = ???
Even though they might seem more “beginner friendly”, there are several drawbacks to these ways of working:
you don’t have access to private members of the elements you manipulate
your IDE will have a hard time helping you discover these methods. In the end, a language must help the developper be more productive, and learn faster. With the evidence pattern, your IDE will always show you that the method exists when browsing methods from the variable you manipulate (even if the evidence can’t be provided by the compiler)
if you generate Scala doc for your classes, they wont be where they belong: alongside your class definitions
Related works
At the beginning, we said that the compile phase is a proper program running. A program should be able to do more than “if” statements. Below, we mention some related topics going in that direction.
Typeclass derivations
The Scala compiler is able to derive automatically, and in a completely type-safe way, typeclasses. For example, if you have a typeclass generating JSON representations of Scala classes, all you will have to do will be to define how to do it for “primitive” types, and the compiler will compute, at compile time, the typeclasses for any case class (and more generally, any ADT). Examples of library allowing you to do that are [Magnolia] and [Shapeless]. And there even is [something built in Scala 3 itself]!
Counting at compile time
You can also make the compiler do integer computations. Check out [this blog post]. The opening sentence says it all: “Counting at compile time is one of the world’s simple pleasures”.
Derivatives at compile time
Since we mentioned Jeremy Smith from Netflix at the beginning of this blog post, it seems about right to mention the work he was referring to. His GitHub repo [baudrillard] exposes a proof of concept where you can define mathematical functions in the type system, and ask the compiler to compute their derivatives!
Closing words
The Scala compiler is amazing. With other similar technologies, you often have the feeling that you, as a programmer, “know better” (which, probably, explains why dynamically typed languages are still popular). Scala is different. You genuinely have the feeling that the compiler is there to help you, and even to guide you writing your code.
I hope that this blog post will give you ideas for your own projects or, otherwise, will help you better understand some of the power you already wield with the libraries you use every day (including the standard library!). | https://antoine-doeraene.medium.com/if-statements-at-compile-time-854a985ff914 | ['Antoine Doeraene'] | 2020-12-20 20:42:03.210000+00:00 | ['Scala', 'Scala 3', 'Programming'] |
30 Rules For Living Well | 1. The people you love are, truly, more important than anything else.
First, the most important. People are what matter. Relationships are what matter. They’re more important than the work you do, the ambitions you harbor, and the material things you want to buy. There’s a reason everyone reiterates this on their deathbed. Internalize it, and prioritize accordingly.
2. The goals you want so badly to achieve might not prove as life changing as you think they will.
So don’t sweat it when, occasionally, you fall short. Not getting that job or promotion, being rejected from those MFA programs––such “failures” mostly don’t debilitate or sidetrack as meaningfully as you fear. At least not if you don’t let them. If you persist, often what you end up doing instead proves just as gratifying, the detour equally as effective. Don’t let dejection kill your drive.
3. Other people are never thinking about you as much as you think they are.
Fret less.
4. Read widely.
Doing so, for one thing, enlightens you of the fact that many people have endured and emerged from the same horrible-seeming failures, sorrows, anxieties, and predicaments you’re struggling to endure or emerge from right now. As Fitzgerald once told Sheilah Graham in her memoir Beyond Infidel, “That is part of the beauty of all literature. You discover that your longings are universal longings, that you’re not lonely and isolated from anyone. You belong.”
5. And see more live music.
It’s hard, of course, to not take your problems and perceived failures so seriously. But it also helps to make a habit of reminding yourself of the other aspects of this existence which make it so undeniably wonderful, a beautiful and blessed accident. One of those elements is family (see #1). Another is live music. You can never see too much live music.
6. Similarly, it’s never a bad idea to go for a nice walk.
Preferably through nature. It’s therapeutic, for one thing, but also holistically beneficial. There’s a reason why so many successful people have confessed to being obsessive walkers––Steve Jobs, and Charles Dickens being only the more famous examples.
7. Endeavor persistently to find work through which you find purpose.
Conducive to flow — that state of metaphysical immersion — and tapping into a certain moral prerogative, purpose is the third rail of the human psyche. It propels. As Nietzsche once wrote, “He who has a Why can tolerate almost any How.”
The catch, of course, is finding a Why in our modern context is not an easy task. It requires strategy, curiosity, bravery, and persistence. You have to try lots of different things, fail, work for free, then do it again. It’s a search that for many lasts years and years. My dad is today a celebrated software developer. Yet he didn’t begin that career in earnest until he was almost my age. After graduating with his degree in engineering, for example, he decided to study economics. He thought he wanted to get a PHD. But that ultimately proved not quite right. And so from there he got an MBA in finance, took a job at Ford, and tried out management, moving from city to city, struggling all the while to satiate the yearning inside him to find something more compelling. It was only after signing up for computer programming classes at night that he found that thing.
Most of us only find professional satisfaction if we search for it so persistently and energetically. To succeed, in this sense, you have to embrace the experience of your personal evolution, leaning into it so as to accelerate and assist it. So far as I can tell, my peers who today are making something admirable of themselves––practicing a craft or advancing in a field they’re fascinated by––have emulated my dad’s industry. They reject their more indolent impulses. They challenge themselves to continuously expand what in their unique circumstance might be possible to do or achieve. Taking stock of their cadre of present abilities, they don’t conclude that their curiosity about writing, coding, construction, or real estate is useless, for example, but say, “Screw it, let’s give this a shot.” Then they give it a shot.
8. Once you find that thing you like, try to get really good at it.
This is an important part of finding meaning in your work and, more broadly, in your life. It’s gratifying being good at something––to be able to do what you want with words, for example, or to be able to hit that right note, or inspire those you’ve been charged with inspiring. Plus, amazingly, people will pay you to do things you enjoy and are good at.
There are several specific things you should do to invest strategically in your self improvement. One is identify people who are already good at the thing you want to do so that you can study them. In your studies, think seriously about what that person does well and why it works. Emulate them. Take them out for drinks and ask them everything you can think of.
From there, commit to practicing correctly. The best way improve your abilities at something difficult is to practice it over and over the right way––longer and more diligently than most probably think necessary. I’ve found this applies to writing as it applies to sports, coding, music, teaching, sales, etc. The general equation being: strategy + repetition = improvement.
9. Aspire to be reliable.
It doesn’t matter how good you are at your craft, however, if people can’t trust you to show up. Which is why you should seek always to be on time for things. Do what you say you’re going to do. And try not to be stoned or drunk at times when you probably should not be stoned or drunk. Despite what we sometimes think about ourselves––looking at you, 18-year-old Daniel––the sober version of you is typically the most effective version.
10. For similar reasons, try, as you’re able, to stay in good shape.
A sound body = a more reliably-sound mind. Plus, exercising and eating healthy make you feel better. Life is more enjoyable––and you are more effective––when you feel better.
11. But also, treat yourself.
Life is less fun if you never allow yourself a cookie or a beer or several cookies and several beers. Reflect on what activities, treats, trips, and toys bring you joy. Then indulge appropriately.
12. Invest in your mental health.
This of course requires more than treating yourself. For me, effectively taking care of my mental wellbeing starts with admitting that I need to. For a long time I felt sort of ashamed about struggling with things like anxiety and depression. But that was dumb of me, because perhaps the best way to continue feeling anxious or depressed is to pretend you don’t feel that way in the first place. Bad feelings fester.
To struggle with anxiety is to be alive. Don’t feel bad about investing in or worrying over your mental health. Treat your mind as you would any other essential muscle or tool.
13. Listen to your body.
Not all anxiety is bad, though. If come your fifth hour sitting on the couch you begin to feel anxious or antsy, that might be a sign that you’re not following rule #10 and should do something else, even if that something is merely going for a walk (see rule #6).
Your body and your mind are employees of the soul. Listen to what they’re telling you.
14. Practice moderation.
Don’t get me wrong, enjoying life is important (see rules #1, 5, 6, and 7). Moreover, I believe we all must try to avoid what Tim Kreider calls, “The Busy Trap”––or, the tendency to delay or avoid having fun in favor of mindlessly working.
But there is such a thing as having too much fun––indulging too much. Watching T.V. becomes less fun and even physically draining the longer you do it. Cookies become less satisfying the more you have. And drinking, especially, becomes more taxing the longer and harder you do it.
You can’t operate as you did in college forever, back when the eminent goal of life was having more fun. Trying to do that as an adult turns you into kind of an asshole, as that fixation on having fun only serves to alienate your more level-headed and moderate friends.
You have to find a different speed and style. This will make you happier in the long run.
15. Work to be empathetic, patient, and kind.
This one is big. If, young Daniel, you pay attention to only one rule here, let it be this one. It amounts to being a good and decent person. Which is an admirable thing to be.
Of course, being empathetic and kind is hard, in that it requires more than just lip service. To actualize those qualities, you have to do good things. Tell your mom, partner, sister or friend they look great when they’ve obviously exerted effort to this end. Help others with projects they’re working on. Show people you care about them. Recognize people for their efforts. Don’t lie. And when someone in your party or group does something wrong or even calamitous–-accidentally delaying the departure of a trip such that you miss a fun-seeming event, for example — don’t jump down their throat. Resist that impulse and try instead to take up arms beside them in finding a new solution.
Be nice.
16. Also: support artists any way you can.
This includes giving money to street performers as it does retweeting essays, stories, and articles you find fascinating or important. This is part of being a kind, empathetic person, but it’s also simply a smart investment––good art being one of the things unaffiliated with work or the competition of career-building that makes life worth living. (See rule #5.)
17. Of course, the main thing that makes life worth living is love.
This is why spending time with the people you love and appreciate is so important (see rule #1). But it’s also why committing to one person — and engendering the unique sort of love you share only with them — often proves so critical. The kind of love you cultivate with a partner is probably the most powerful variant that exists. Not everyone believes in things like monogamy, I know, but I can say that my life got meaningfully and demonstrably better — as I personally became meaningfully and demonstrably better — after I committed myself to Alex. And not just to being faithful to her, but to making her happy, and working alongside her to build a life that’s beautiful and fun and safe.
You give little bits of yourself to everyone all the time. You give larger chunks to the people you strategically decide to keep in your orbit. But it pays to save for one person the whole damn pie.
18. Speaking of pie, celebrate others every time you have a semi-coherent reason to.
Much of life is sort of a slog that we proceed through and ultimately forget. Celebrations, though, we remember. They punctuate life. A well-executed celebration accomplishes the important task of treating yourself and your friends––such that life becomes more enjoyable (see rule #11)––but it also serves to recognize people and things as worthwhile and important. (See rule #15.)
So, throw your friends lavish birthday parties. Toast to your brother’s promotion. Get excited, even about the little things — they’ll take up outsized space in your mind when all is said and done.
19. Don’t do dumb shit.
Or, don’t intentionally endanger yourself or others. Consider this a word of caution, since we’re speaking about celebrations and all. Stay smart. For example, don’t try operating any kind of vehicle while fucked up. This very much includes bicycles you think you might want to ride in the afterglow of the New Orleans St. Patty’s Day Parade. Resist the temptation. Bad things will happen. Trust me.
20. That said, don’t be afraid to try new, scary-seeming things.
Just affirm they’re not inappropriately dangerous first. Somewhat dangerous? Fine. Do it. Expand your horizons! Acquire experience! (If something is likely-to-land-me-in-jail dangerous, however? Think twice. (See rule #19.))
21. In fact, do everything you can — as often as you can — to broaden your perspective.
We’re limited in our factory-level setting to one pair of eyes, ears, etc. But there are many ways to interpret or consider a given problem, situation, or scene. To lend credence only to the interpretation you arrive at most immediately proves a less effective means of solving problems and inspiring people, as well as a less interesting way of living life.
22. That said, seek to establish a productive daily routine.
Strategic repetition makes you better. This holds true in the focused practice of a particular skill, sport, or pursuit as it holds true generally. I only started becoming a half-decent writer––such that people started paying me to write for them (see #8)––after I created a routine centered around two or three hours of daily writing time. I only got in half-decent shape after building cardio and weight lifting into my routine. The list goes on.
In many ways, you prove a product of your routine. Construct it accordingly.
23. There never comes a time in your life when you can afford to stop practicing or working to become better.
To practice is to keep the proverbial blade sharp. To remain either skilled, happy, empathetic, or self aware, you have to work continuously. You have to stay loyal to your strategically-designed routines. You must continue trying to be a better son, husband, daughter, mother, wife, colleague, coach, or boss. You can never afford to become complacent, at least not if you want to continue improving. Because to improve, ultimately, is to live. To let your abilities atrophy or rot, meanwhile, is to begin to die.
24. Remember, too, that you’re always practicing something, even when you don’t mean to.
When you waste hours scrolling through Facebook, you’re practicing indolence. When you get drunk four days in a row on your buddy’s couch, you’re practicing carelessness. When you flake on your friends, you’re practicing flakiness. Strive to be self aware.
25. Invest in friends, meanwhile, who appreciate the importance of continual practice.
The old adage about being a product of who you surround yourself with has become an old adage for a reason. More practically, though, surrounding yourself with people who themselves try to sustain developmentally-aspirational mindsets will make it easier for you to do the same.
26. Do your best in every group setting to be a team player.
It pays in certain settings to step up and assume leadership roles. Remember, though, that collaboration in service of the communal goal is infinitely more important than any selfish concerns of pride or accomplishment.
To this end, respect your peers. Never be a jerk (see rule #14). Maintain perspective.
27. Speak and act considerately.
A lot of people try, I imagine, to be good team players, remain self aware, and live empathetically. But then they say something without first considering the implications of their tone or the potential misinterpretations of their words, and as a result they upset people they care about.
This is sort of unavoidable––the other day in a matter of about 30 minutes I unintentionally upset three separate people I care genuinely about––but you can mitigate your risk by making a habit of thinking before you speak. Simply put, the things we say are important, as well as immutable. Our words are like Tweets, in this sense. And as the venerable Barack Obama once advised, it’s always best to “Think before you Tweet.”
28. Apologize when appropriate.
If, as is bound to happen, you don’t think before you speak or Tweet, however––and as a result you hurt or slight someone––apologize. And do so genuinely, with remorse and with apparent understanding of why you feel bad. Admit when you’re wrong.
29. That said, stand up for yourself.
You’re not always in the wrong, however. As someone who tends to jump to the worst conclusion possible and who desperately fears disappointing others, this is something I struggle with mightily. But you have to be willing to advocate for yourself, stand up to bullies, and demand what you’ve earned. Stay present in uncomfortable conversations. Don’t buckle or acquiesce. It’s as Priyanka Chopra once said: “There’s always a time in life where you get scared or you get afraid…[But] if you don’t stand up for yourself, no one else will.”
30. Finally, remember that these lists are not purely charitable.
Seriously, they serve more to value the author than the reader. In reading them — whenever you run into them on — don’t interpret them as scripture. Distill from them what morsels of wisdom you deem relevant to your life, then discard the rest and move on. Call your mom (see rule #1), text your significant other (see rule #17), or go for a walk (see rule #6). Better yet, sit down and write your own list of rules for living better. If you’re in the grips of some kind of existential crisis––whether of the quarter-life variety or not––it will serve to remind you both what you have to be thankful for and what, ultimately, remains for you to focus on.
Sign up for my newsletter here. | https://psiloveyou.xyz/30-rules-for-living-well-74b11a84f358 | ['Dan Moore'] | 2019-11-10 19:52:44.425000+00:00 | ['Love', 'Self Improvement', 'Life Lessons', 'Human Prompt', 'Self'] |
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