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All the Things I’ve Been Doing With My Fingers Since I Stopped Touching My Face | All the Things I’ve Been Doing With My Fingers Since I Stopped Touching My Face
get your mind out of the gutter, sicko!
Photo by AJ Garcia on Unsplash
Finding yourself with tons of downtime these days?
Listening to the health authorities and not touching your face?
Have a case of Restless Finger Syndrome (patent pending)?
Looking for some new finger activities to pass the time?
Well, look no further!
Here is my comprehensive list of all I’ve accomplished since I stopped touching my face. | https://medium.com/the-junction/all-the-things-ive-been-doing-with-my-fingers-since-i-stopped-touching-my-face-61d97c48eb4d | ['Tommy Paley'] | 2020-03-20 19:39:45.907000+00:00 | ['Funny', 'Satire', 'Health', 'Humor', 'Coronavirus'] |
Best N1-N5 Level japanese Languages Course Abroad-by ValueAdz | What is the Japanese Language Proficiency Test?
The Japanese Language Proficiency check (or JLPT for short) is a globally recognized qualification within the sort of a standardized criterion-referenced check to gauge the proficiency of the Japanese language for non-native speakers.
Sponsored by the Japan foundation, you’ll be able to either take the check-in Japan or overseas. The dates and implementation vary across the world for the countries that square measure eligible, except for the united kingdom the JLPT is run by the SOAS Language Centre within the University of London.
The check is there to attain your proficiency in learning the Japanese language, which may assist you to secure higher-paying jobs, be part of the university, and customarily broaden your horizons.
While you’ll be able to verify additional info regarding the Japanese Language Proficiency check from their official website, we tend to encourage you to explore our final guide description of everything you would like to understand regarding the check.
Let’s begin by exploring the various JLPT check levels and what they entail.
Japanese Language Proficiency check Levels (N5 best — N1 Hardest)
Not too dissimilar to high school there square measure numerous completely different levels of educational scoring; SATs, GCSEs, A-levels, etc. an equivalent is true for the Japanese Language Proficiency check. The JLPT will be diminished into 5 areas (N5 — N1), with N5 being the simplest and N1 being the foremost tough.
It’s value mentioning that none of those levels check your ability to really write or speak Japanese, but rather your ability to scan, hear and perceive the Japanese language.
There is but a separate additional advanced qualification referred to as the Examination for Japanese University Admission for International Students (EJU) that needs the answerer to jot down in Japanese.
Below you’ll be able to realize every JLPT level and what’s to be expected of you.
N5 — Basic Level
N5 is that the most simple level of the Japanese Language Proficiency check and simply needs you to grasp some basic Japanese.
The N5 level essentially ensures you’ll be able to perceive basic sentences and typical expressions written in hiragana, katakana, and basic kanji in addition to spoken conversations
N4 — Elementary Level
N4, whereas slightly additional advanced, has an equivalent description, to grasp some basic Japanese.
The N4 is a part of the JLPT but focuses on additional common daily interactions.
N3 — Intermediate Level
N3 is that the intermediate level of the Japanese Language Proficiency check and is delineated because the ability to grasp Japanese employed in everyday things to an explicit degree.
This is slightly additional advanced than the previous levels therein spoken conversations square measure to be understood at near-natural speed instead of slow and perceive additional regular writings like in newspaper headlines.
N2 — Pre-Advanced Level
N2 is wherever things begin to induce, again, additionally sophisticated and is delineated because the ability to grasp Japanese in everyday things, and in a very sort of circumstances to an explicit degree.
As one of the very best levels of the Japanese Language Proficiency check, you’re needed to not solely perceive some of the general topics, however, comprehend the intent and narrative behind them.
N1 — Advanced Level
N1 is that the advanced level and thus the foremost sophisticated, and is delineated because the ability to grasp Japanese employed in a spread of circumstances.
At the very best level of the Japanese Language Proficiency check, you’re needed to be able to scan and listen with logical complexness and comprehend each structure and content comprehensively.
In writing, you’re needed to scan written materials with profound contents, follow the narrative and perceive the intent of the writers comprehensively.
While listening needs you to grasp the main points like the relationships amongst the individuals concerned, the logical structures, and also the main takeaway points.
How is that the Japanese Proficiency check Scored
Unlike alternative qualifications which can need passing specific modules, the Japanese Language Proficiency check is marked each overall and exploitation individual sections.
So whereas the JLPT is split into 3 completely different sections being; language information (vocabulary and grammar), reading, and listening — you’re needed to pass every section separately and overall.
Pass Scores
The overall passing scores for the Japanese Language Proficiency check vary across N1-N5. With N1 being the foremost tough includes a passing score of 100/180 (55.55%), whereas N5 being the simplest includes a passing score of 80/180 (44.44%).
The sectional passing scores but square measure lower. The passing scores for individual sections square measure 19/60 (31.67%) and also the equivalent of for the larger sections of the N4 and N5.
It’s additionally value noting that the passing scores square measure between 44–55% whereas the sectional passing score is thirty-one. 67% — is lower. you are doing not have to be compelled to attain the passing score of 44%+ in individual sections to pass overall.
Each check level is marked out of a hundred and eighty, across 3 sections for N5-N3 and 2 sections for N2 and N1. you would like nineteen points to pass in every section — except N2 and N1 which mixes language information (grammar and vocabulary) and reading, requiring thirty-eight points to pass.
N5 needs 80/180 points (44.44%) and 19/60 (31.67%) in every section to pass.
N4 needs 90/180 points (50%) and 19/60 (31.67%) in every section to pass.
N3 needs 95/180 points (52.77%) and 19/60 (31.67%) in every section to pass.
N2 needs 90/180 points (50%) and 19/60 (31.67%) and 38/120 (31.67%) in every section severally to pass.
N1 needs 100/180 points (55.55%) and 19/60 (31.67%) and 38/120 (31.67%) in every section to pass.
Read More:- Best N1-N5 Level Japanese Languages Course Abroad-by ValueAdz | https://medium.com/@harshit.studyabroadd/best-n1-n5-level-japanese-languages-course-abroad-by-valueadz-5dcde500c706 | ['Studyabroad Ind'] | 2021-12-20 12:57:34.085000+00:00 | ['Bestcourseabroad', 'Studyabroadind', 'Studyabroad'] |
ネットワークデザインスタジオ卒業・修了制作展2016 | Lecturer of CSIS at the University of Tokyo / Social Geography / Participatory GIS / Neogeography / Volunteered Geographic Information / Qualitative GIS
Follow | https://medium.com/tosseto-info/%E3%83%8D%E3%83%83%E3%83%88%E3%83%AF%E3%83%BC%E3%82%AF%E3%83%87%E3%82%B6%E3%82%A4%E3%83%B3%E3%82%B9%E3%82%BF%E3%82%B8%E3%82%AA%E5%8D%92%E6%A5%AD-%E4%BF%AE%E4%BA%86%E5%88%B6%E4%BD%9C%E5%B1%952016-c03aefa6073c | ['Toshikazu Seto'] | 2017-02-07 14:56:48.723000+00:00 | ['Conference'] |
Demystifying Black-Box Models with SHAP Value Analysis | As an Applied Data Scientist at Civis, I implement the latest data science research to solve real-world problems. We recently worked with a global tool manufacturing company to reduce churn among their most loyal customers. A newly proposed tool, called SHAP (SHapley Additive exPlanation) values, allowed us to build a complex time-series XGBoost model capable of making highly accurate predictions for which customers were at risk, while still allowing for an individual-level interpretation of the factors that made each of these customers more or less likely to churn.
To understand why this is important, we need to take a closer look at the concepts of model accuracy and interpretability. Until recently, we always had to choose between an accurate model that was hard to interpret, or a simple model that was easy to explain but sacrificed some accuracy. Classic methods like logistic regression or a simple decision tree make it easy to explain why we assign a person to the positive or negative class, but there is only so much predictive power we can squeeze out of these basic models. To improve accuracy, more complex models may use thousands of these decision trees and then combine their results with yet another model or ensemble rule (e.g. majority vote). On the other end of the complexity spectrum, deep learning uses neural networks with multiple interconnected layers, each layer looking at a higher level of abstraction of the underlying data. This added complexity gives these models more flexibility, allowing them to reach high accuracy levels that cannot be obtained by simple models, but at the expense of our ability to comprehend why the model made the predictions it did. Even the people who designed and trained the model can no longer explain what led one person to get assigned to one class over another. For the work we do at Civis (where our models have to generate insights and recommendations for actions), getting the trade-off between accuracy and interpretability just right can be a difficult balancing act. With SHAP values, we are finally able to get both!
The SHAP values technique was proposed in recent papers by Scott M. Lundberg from the University of Washington [1, 2]. It is based on Shapley values, a technique used in game theory to determine how much each player in a collaborative game has contributed to its success. In our case, each SHAP value measures how much each feature in our model contributes, either positively or negatively, to a customer’s predicted churn risk score (see Figure 1). This is a similar idea to feature importance in logistic regression, where we can determine the impact of each feature by looking at the magnitude of its coefficient. However, SHAP values offer two important benefits. First, SHAP values can be calculated for any tree-based model, so instead of being restricted to simple, linear — and therefore less accurate — logistic regression models, we can build complex, non-linear and more accurate models. Second, each individual customer will have their own set of SHAP values. Traditional feature importance algorithms will tell us which features are most important across the entire population, but this one-size-fits-all approach doesn’t always apply to each individual customer. A factor that is an important driver for one customer may be a non-factor for another. By looking only at the global trends, these individual variations can get lost, with only the most common denominators remaining. With individual-level SHAP values, we can pinpoint which factors are most impactful for each customer, allowing us to customize our next actions accordingly.
Figure 1. SHAP values measure the impact of each variable on a customer’s Engagement score (measuring their likelihood to remain a loyal customer in the next month or year). For each individual customer, this allows us to identify the biggest risk factors (red arrows) and protective factors (blue arrows), and recommend a tailored intervention plan.
While SHAP values can be a great tool, they do have shortcomings (although they are common in calculating feature importance using observational data). For one, SHAP values are sensitive to high correlations among different features. When features are correlated, their impact on the model score can be split among them in an infinite number of ways. This means that the SHAP values will be lower than if all but one of the correlated feature(s) had been removed from the model. The risk is that dividing impacts this way makes them look less important than if their impacts remained undivided. To be fair, all known feature importance methods have this problem. A second shortcoming is that SHAP values represent a descriptive approximation of the predictive model. For example, SHAP values can tell us that for a given customer, a low number of sales visits has the largest negative impact on their risk score, so we may decide to schedule more sales visits in the upcoming month. However, we cannot determine based on the SHAP values alone what the impact of this intervention will be. Again, this is a fundamental limitation to data science. There is only so much we can do with observational data. To accurately estimate the impact of different churn prevention techniques, we will need to conduct a randomized controlled trial (RCT).
We think there’s a lot of promise in SHAP values. Instead of having to choose between accuracy and interpretability, we finally have a tool that lets us push the envelope in terms of model complexity and accuracy, while still allowing us to derive intuitive explanations for each individual prediction. SHAP values have been added to the XGBoost library in Python, so the tool is available to anyone. Scott Lundberg, the author of the SHAP values method, has expressed interest in expanding the method to a broader selection of models, beyond tree-based algorithms. As we continue to test this out further, we’ll report back with our experience!
References: | https://medium.com/civis-analytics/demystifying-black-box-models-with-shap-value-analysis-3e20b536fc80 | ['Civis Analytics'] | 2018-06-25 20:37:07.451000+00:00 | ['Machine Learning', 'Data Science', 'Predictive Modeling', 'Data Science Engineering', 'Predictive Analytics'] |
Do The Things That YOU Love… | Do The Things That YOU Love…
Photo by Marcus Wallis on Unsplash
I used to love to work out. Just because it felt good.
Actually, it hurt. But it felt good at the same time.
This might sound crazy, but I used to run down the center of the railroad tracks. If you have ever tried that, then you know; you can’t run on a bunch of railroad ties and be thinking about the stress of the day.
If you do, you will fall on your face.
Running down the center of a train track demands total focus.
You look three to four strides ahead. That’s it. No more, no less. You are looking for misaligned ties and rocks or other debris. Look five strides ahead, you fall. Look two steps ahead and you fall.
To run the railroad, you must focus totally on the moment at hand.
And I loved that. It forced me to shut off my wandering mind. | https://medium.com/know-thyself-heal-thyself/do-the-things-that-you-love-1ae8bb8318cb | ['Doug Heron'] | 2020-12-19 09:42:29.206000+00:00 | ['Awareness', 'Life', 'Motivation', 'Self Care'] |
Why Customer Trust Will Be Critical in 2021 | Why Customer Trust Will Be Critical in 2021
What is “trust”?
Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary defines “trust” in both noun and verb forms. In noun form, “trust” is “assured reliance on the character, ability, strength, or truth of someone or something.” In verb form, “trust” means “to rely on the truthfulness or accuracy of ____.” A synonym for the verb “trust” is “believe.”
As humans, we have relationships built on trust. We put our trust in other people. We become frustrated when others betray our trust.
And what is a company? It’s a collection of employees — or people. By that definition, consumers’ relationships with companies can be viewed as relational — human-to-human — instead of impersonal and/or transactional — corporation-to-customer. As is the case with any relationship, the connection between people and the brands they love is built on trust. Often, people choose to change brands due to breakage or betrayal of that trust.
Photo by Brett Jordan on Unsplash
What builds customer trust?
Consumer trust is directly tied to customer retention. However, companies all too often take a short-term approach to building this long-term relationship by placing disproportionate emphasis on customer acquisition and singular transactions versus cultivating trusting relationships with customers over time.
Today, companies compete on more than prices, features, and even benefits. According to Forrester, consumers today “contend with more glitter than gold.” More brands claim to be entirely trustworthy than truly are. In the mind of consumers, the following qualities determine whether a brand is trustworthy:
Authenticity
Intentionality
Truthfulness
Relevance
Consistency
It is critical for organizations to reflect these qualities throughout their customer experiences, particularly in this time when people are more skeptical than ever and are empowered to push back. This looks like delivering with consistency at all touchpoints, authoring messaging that conveys empathy and understanding, meeting needs online and offline, and exceeding expectations before the moment of purchase and after. The way that customers live, work, play, and interact is evolving — companies need to keep up with the pace. It’s important for teams to evaluate what’s changed, what hasn’t, and double-down on what’s most important.
When brands deliver on each of these qualities, consumers take notice. Consumers desire an emotional bond with brands more than ever before — and that emotional connection is built on trust. But, this relationship isn’t one-sided. Consumers are willing to bring value to the relationship too — in the form of feedback, loyalty, and referrals. People want to be included in the conversation. They want to be part of the process. They long to be active participants in these relationships.
Trust is built when a company listens to its customers, takes action accordingly, and keeps its promises. However, including customers in the conversation can be intimidating. The very action of soliciting customer feedback creates accountability for companies to act on what they hear and follow-up. If organizations invite feedback but take no action, customers feel that their trust has been betrayed for lip service. They see the company as being dishonest and disingenuous, which diminishes the hope for a lasting relationship.
How has 2020 impacted customer trust?
In March of 2020, Forrester conducted its Consumer Energy Index study, which measured “what kind of emotional toll COVID-19 is taking on consumers and how consumer sentiment will influence imminent behavior. The study found that, at that time, consumers were more distrustful of companies and other people than they were in 2018. Consumers, as a whole, are less optimistic that brands will keep the promises they make.
More than six in ten consumers consider a company’s ethical values and authenticity before buying their products. Once a brand displays unethical behavior or is the subject of controversy, 45% of customers say that a brand will never be able to regain their trust.
It’s no surprise, then, that Forrester’s Consumer Energy Index study identified consumer trust as the most important metric of success in 2020–21. In these turbulent times, consumer trust is earned as customers see companies prioritizing people’s well-being ahead of anything else.
According to the Edelman Trust Barometer 2020, 81% of consumers say that being able to “trust a brand to do the right thing” is a dealbreaker or deciding factor in their decision-making process. 60% of consumers said that they are “turning more and more to the brands that I’m absolutely sure I can trust.”
What obstacles do companies face to cultivating authentic relationships via customer experience?
Trust is built via shared experiences. A customer’s trust is not the result of a single transaction or moment in time; rather, it is the culmination of all of their experiences with a brand. Hence, why delivering an excellent customer experience is critical to raising brand trust.
Comparing the 2018, 2019, and 2020 Forrester Consumer Energy Index studies, five common organizational obstacles emerge that keep companies from transforming their customer experiences into ones that better deliver on the five qualities of “trustworthiness” listed previously:
Companies sacrifice voice-of-the-customer (VoC) quality because it is challenging to switch feedback management vendors. Companies overemphasize convenience and make the customer experience less engaging by making it easier. Companies prioritize customer experience projects poorly. Companies dilute the quality of customer experience research by interpreting it with bias — which leads to action missteps. Companies fail to make the employee experience all it can be so that, in turn, employees can deliver an excellent experience for customers.
Photo by airfocus on Unsplash
How can brands build trust in 2021 and beyond?
Here are four key principles that companies can apply to start building trust today:
Put the focus on people versus products — a key part of being relevant. Invest in brand purpose and act with intention (a.k.a. “Show Don’t Tell”). Build authentic relationships with customers. Be consistent and reliable in all things. Champion truthfulness and transparency.
About What’s Next Labs: What’s Next Labs is a publication of INTO, an agency that empowers businesses to transform their aspirational goals into actual growth. Learn more about INTO at into.agency. | https://medium.com/whats-next-labs/why-customer-trust-will-be-critical-in-2021-5fb3acbbf069 | ['Mackenzie Caudill'] | 2020-12-17 21:20:28.535000+00:00 | ['Customer Experience', 'Branding', 'Corporate Culture', 'Customer Service', 'Brand Strategy'] |
Win the Forex, Crypto or Commodity markets with Level01 DeFi App | While most DeFi platforms deal with spot trading in digital assets, Level01 has pursued a more challenging development aspiration: to deliver a world class decentralized derivatives platform capable of handling all forms of trading contracts beyond cryptocurrencies; encompassing forex, commodities and eventually stocks and indices. With the global derivatives market estimated to be worth over $542 trillion, the platform’s wide coverage of major derivatives markets will enable Level01 to earn revenues many times above the nascent cryptocurrency market.
Win the Forex, Crypto or Commodity markets with Level01 innovative app now, https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=io.level01.android
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LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/level01io | https://medium.com/level01io/win-the-forex-crypto-or-commodity-markets-with-level01-defi-app-303302072577 | [] | 2020-10-25 04:26:26.937000+00:00 | ['Derivatives', 'Defi', 'Blockchain', 'Crypto', 'Forex'] |
How to manage states with State Design Pattern in C#? | State design challenges
The pattern was developed to overcome two primary design challenges:
How can an object change its behavior when its internal state changes? How can state-specific behaviors be defined in a way that states can be added without altering the behaviors of existing states?
Boolean Flag Pattern can answer to the first challenge. The object will know when to change its behavior because we detect internal changes with boolean flags. You can use boolean flags and decision-making statements to take control of object states.
The second can be answered with the Boolean Flag Pattern too. In this case, state-specific behaviors are code segments of the decision-making statement body. You will not alter this code segment. You will add a new branch of if or switch statement.
But this solution brings more complex code. More states mean boolean flags. More boolean flags indicate more decision-making statements, which means more debug time while fixing the bug, which means headache, which means you will need a booster which leads to alcoholism.
Created by Katemangostar
State Design Pattern
State Pattern is part of behavior patterns designed to avoid overusing of decision-making statements by applying bright use of object-oriented languages.
The pattern consists of three components:
Context Abstract State Concrete State
In the diagram above, you can see a representation of Context(DogContext), Abstract State(IDogState), and Concrete States(SleepState and BarkState).
The Context contains a method TransitionToState , and this is the only allowed way to change the transition of the Dog object. The method invokes the EnterState method of its parameter, the object of an Abstract State(IDogState). Also, it introduces a value of parameter into Context’s property CurrentState .
Method EnterState of Concrete States will do state-specific behavior.
Methods Bark and Sleep are triggers to change state from one to another if it is allowed. For example, if the dog can change state from bark into sleep but not the other way around, implementation will look like this.
Pros and Cons
Code following State Design Pattern is:
More modular. Easier to maintain. Less challenging to debug. More extensible.
As a disadvantage can be mention: | https://medium.com/net-core/how-to-manage-states-with-state-design-pattern-in-c-d4ca47ec6aa | ['Daniel Rusnok'] | 2020-10-06 19:11:26.389000+00:00 | ['Coding', 'Csharp', 'Software Development', 'Development', 'Design Patterns'] |
Why It Feels Impossible To Break The Vicious 9–5 Work Cycle? | Why It Feels Impossible To Break The Vicious 9–5 Work Cycle?
Photo by Damir Spanic on Unsplash
Human beings find solace playing safe. Stepping out of my comfort zone is grueling. It takes more than blood and sweat to leave your boring day job and start your own business. If you are committed, family responsibilities restrain you from leaving your 9–5 job.
Sadly, it’s a vicious cycle where you halt everything in the hope of your salary. Paying bills, mortgage, home allowances, and medical bills all depend upon your paycheck.
If you are starting, a 9–5 job is fine. You get to learn new things, meet people, and get ideas for your startup. But 9–5 work cycle is addicted. After a while, you get addicted to procrastination. And to excel in your career, you must understand why people believe that a 9–5 job is doing them good. Don’t be like such people; up your game.
The world is getting competitive day by day. If your only earning is a 9–5 job, then soon you’ll have to do side gigs to support your family.
Being afraid to break the nasty 9–5 work cycle takes time, faith, and slog of work.
Here are a few reasons why people are still afraid to break the 9–5 work cycle:
1. It Gives False Hope
My friend used to say, “One day, I will save enough money to start my own business.” This was in college. My friend was working as an intern at an organization. We graduated together, we enrolled for higher studies, and when I met him five years after we graduated, he was still working 9–5 job for another firm.
That’s the reality of the 9–5 work cycle. It’s an endless cycle of comfort and hope that never ends. You may dream that one-day things will get better and your financial situation will improve, but nothing of this sort happens.
You get stuck in the repetitive cycle, and at times you don’t even realize that you were living a life that you don’t love anymore. When you feel like work is exhausting, step up and get out of the work cycle.
2. You Have Bills to Pay And Family To Feed
You don’t have a second source of income. You have bills to pay, family to feed, and mortgage to pay off. At least with a 9–5 job, you can pay for the necessary things to stay alive.
That’s a lame excuse. Just working a 9–5 job is squandering your human potential. You are not here only to pay the bills; you are here to change lives, give jobs, and do something worth talking about.
Indeed, the 9–5 work cycle will help you survive, but starting a business will make your dreams come true like my friend who, by the way, is still working at a multinational firm.
3. A Dedicated Place of Work
Despite the 9–5 work cycle’s hazardous effects, people still consider it a safe place to work. With a dedicated office, you can create things, work on something, or show your efficiency to others.
But whenever you meet someone, the first question they ask is, “where do you work?” if the answer is a dedicated office, it relieves them. And if you don’t satisfy them with a solution, they might harass you with an array of endless questions.
People assume that working in the same environment helps in achieving more. That’s a lie. Amy Wallace, in the best-selling book Creativity, Inc., talks about the founding years of Pixar.
Instead of dedicated meeting rooms, Steve Jobs asked everyone to meet people on their way to coffee or a lunch break. Jobs argued that standing tables foster creativity, so there is no room for a dedicated place.
4. There’s More Growth
Of course, there are pros of affiliating with a multinational firm. If you are starting, you get to learn a lot. And if you shift from one firm to another, you explore possibilities and network with diversified people.
But that’s just one phase of your life. Once you’ve acquired that knowledge, you must step up and sprint towards success. But sadly, the way the 9–5 work cycle is laid out leaves little room to succeed as an individual.
You can begin small. Invest your morning for something productive. Until you think like a CEO, you won’t become one.
5. People Are Afraid To Take The Leap
The mediocre people often fear taking the leap and starting something from scratch.
9–5 work cycle makes people create a comfort zone around themselves. They don’t want to take the leap and even think of growing themselves.
But if you read books, watch videos or TED talks of all the successful CEOs, you’ll realize that everyone took that leap. And most of them label that decision as to the best decision of their lives.
Indeed, there will be insecurities. But once you leap, opportunities will arise, and you won’t even think of getting back to the old life.
Closing Thoughts
In his must-read book, Crush It!, Gary V talks about starting small, “Even if your ambitions are huge, start slow, start small, build gradually, build smart.”
There is no need to quit your job tomorrow and start your own business. It will help if you plan smartly before you leap. When to start, what to sell, and how much you plan to earn to keep your day job before you quit.
The best way to build your business is to start with a side gig and see how people respond to it. If the response is excellent, go for it. If people do not like it, figure out a better way to do it.
On a closing note, it is essential to understand that a 9–5 job won’t get you far; to | https://medium.com/better-advice/why-it-feels-impossible-to-break-the-vicious-9-5-work-cycle-bb388bd6a520 | ['Yousuf Rafi'] | 2020-12-25 10:43:34.755000+00:00 | ['Hard Work', 'Work Life Balance', 'Stuck', 'Business', 'Work'] |
How to Speak Data in Plain English | Be Simple
You should always be asking yourself “What is the easiest way to explain this finding?”. Provide your findings to someone that has no context about the problem and see if they can understand what you’re saying. Write what you want to say, then write it again with only 50% of the words. Empathize with your audience by considering whether you could understand what you’re writing or saying if you had no knowledge of analytics.
Let’s take the following the statement in the complaint to the SEC…
“During the 87 month span analyzed, Madoff was down only 3 months versus GATEX being down 26 months. GATEX earned an annualized return of 10.27% during the period studied vs. 15.62% for Bernie Madoff…”
…and suggest an alternate way that might be easier to follow:
Over the 7 years studied, $100,000 invested with Madoff would have grown to $286,000 but only $203,000 for its competitor. Further, Madoff’s performance suggests that he was 90% more effective at avoiding negative returns than comparable funds.
Image by Author
We could also consider including a simple chart like the above to emphasize the point.
What did we change to simplify the interpretation of the data? First, months was changed to years since its more common for someone to think of that amount of time in years. Then, instead of an annual return, we put it on dollar values, which people can more easily compare and appreciate the magnitude as it compounds over time. Then, we presented the data on negative returns in a format that I believe better emphasizes the difference in performance and should make someone question how the difference could be 90%.
We should remove numbers where possible and add interpretation. The author mentions 3 negative months vs. 26 and 10.2% annual returns vs. 15.6% but what he’s really saying is that Madoff’s performance is uncharacteristically better than his competitor. For a non-technical audience, just give that answer and have the supporting data ready if necessary rather than giving the numbers and assuming they’ll come to the same answer.
Takeaway: Avoid jargon, be empathetic, and where possible show — rather than tell — your data. Give an answer; don’t give data and assume the person will arrive at the same answer. | https://towardsdatascience.com/how-to-speak-data-in-plain-english-9ee541064ac9 | ['Jordan Bean'] | 2020-12-10 19:04:44.643000+00:00 | ['Communication', 'Data', 'Data Science', 'Towards Data Science', 'Ds In The Real World'] |
Start your DEV journey | Are you someone who wants to start your career as a web developer and not sure as in how to start it, by the end of this I can assure you would be good to go.
In case you’re new to this let me welcome you with some facts .
1. Coding is one of the most important technical skill an individual can have these days.
2. If one wants a high paying job or wishes to freelance, its all he/she needs in their arsenal to kickstart this journey.
I hope you’re pumped up, so let us begin . We will talk about 3 things.
A browser : Everything is online. Yes, all the information to all the help or assistance you need is here. But that’s not it. To see the magic you’re doing, a browser is what you need. INSPECT ELEMENT and it is a whole new world. I personally use Google Chrome Browser and it is as good as anyone out there. A code-editor : You know know where to look for information and where is it that to you can see your work let’s now see how. A code-editor is the place , to see wonder you will be writing codes and this ability of creating something out of nothing is magic and once you get the hang of it, you’ll be amazed to see what you can do. Do try VS Code with all the extensions it is a really powerful tool. Github and Git: Things that will keep you progressing.
Github is the go to place for all the developers , yes every site’s data can be found here(if they are open sourced). Now to answer why github, because you need to showcase your work taking you ahead in this journey of yours. It is the online storage for your codes and it is no less than a skill to use Github efficiently.
Now comes GIT , it is the language that helps your local system interact with Github, to use it efficiently Git is a must. It usually comprises of a bunch of codes which will make your journey fun and easier. Let’s call these the “Magic Words”.
All done yet it is not out online, for this you need to host your codes as in a project with the help of a hosting platform like Netlify which is absolutely free and you are done.
Keep coding… | https://medium.com/@masoom-kr04/start-your-dev-journey-d9ccb89cab48 | ['Masoom Kumar'] | 2020-12-18 11:33:24.196000+00:00 | ['Github', 'Beginner', 'Git', 'Dev'] |
How does COVID-19 affect students? | More than 317,000 Americans have died so far from COVID-19 and there have been over 18 million cases in the US. This virus is serious business and has affected Americans of all ages. It’s truly like they say, “the virus doesn’t discriminate.” Personally, I have learned and grown a lot through these long months in quarantine. But many other students are suffering because of the effects of this virus. Many things in our ordinary life have changed. For example, schools have shut down forcing distance learning on students leading them to feel isolated from the world. Other students have seen the virus up front and are dealing with other personal matters. No matter who you are, your voice is heard. Today, I am here to explore the effects of COVID-19 on students.
Students are currently engaging in remote learning. In a recent anonymous survey I conducted, 60% of High School students reported that online school has not helped them academically. When asked to explain their choice, one student said that “it has been very hard to learn especially since classwork and homework have been mixed.” Another student said that they “find it harder to learn” online. Based on the results of the survey, we can conclude that the sudden shift to online school has negatively affected students. Distance learning is an uncharted territory and right now we do not have a choice when it comes to schooling. In my school, teachers are trying their best to uplift students while still educating them but there is still a long way to go.
Remote learning is a rocky road that’s still developing. The Washington Post reported that more students than ever got F’s in the first term of the 2020–2021 school year (Strauss 2020). This sour report shows that students aren’t understanding and processing the material they’re supposed to learn in online school. A recent research from The NASFAA showed that 76% of all undergraduates surveyed identified the lack of motivation for online learning as the biggest obstacle and 56% of graduate and professional students felt the same way (Daugherty 2020). Lack of motivation is another rationale responsible for the drop of grades in American students.
It’s a major issue and I believe that the only way to move past this predicament is for schools to offer support to students. If school’s really want students to succeed they should consider their student’s feedback and cries for help. Schools should also provide lenience to students because every student is going through something. In my survey, I asked teenagers to explain how COVID-19 affected them personally. Nonetheless, all the answers were of a vast range. Some students opened up about loneliness. This makes perfect sense, talking to a computer screen all day can definitely have consequences. The same teen expressed how “everyday is the same and there’s nothing to look forward to.” At this time we are not able to see our friends and are obligated to a certain space. Due to that matter, it is common for time to feel repetitive. In fact, COVID-19 has had a psychological toll on students. A survey from JMIR proved that 71% of students indicated increased stress and anxiety due to the COVID-19 outbreak (Sasangohar 2020). The students involved in the survey explained that they felt fear and anxiety due to worries about their health and of a loved one. Many others reported difficulty concentrating, disruptions in sleep patterns, academic performance, and the absence of social interaction. The students in my survey felt the same way regarding the pandemic. This productive survey opened up my eyes to the harsh truths of the world. Since the majority of students feel this way, schools are partially responsible. Many schools lack tolerance and don’t cater to all teenagers’ personalized experiences. This explains why so many students are struggling in school.
The first step is to communicate our concerns and lead a movement. Schools are here to help us fellow students, not to suppress our voices. I’m sure that thorough communication with the school district can help us students achieve a reasonable agreement concerning remote learning.
Works cited:
Strauss, Valerie. “Analysis | More Students than Ever Got F’s in First Term of 2020–21 School Year — but Are A-F Grades Fair in a Pandemic?” The Washington Post, WP Company, 6 Dec. 2020, www.washingtonpost.com/education/2020/12/06/more-students-than-ever-got-fs-first-term-2020- 21- school-year-are-a-f-grades-fair-pandemic/.
NASFAA, www.nasfaa.org/news- item/22637/Students_Face_Obstacles_Lack_of_Motivation_in_Transition_to_Remote_Learning_Ami d _Pandemic_Report_Finds
Son1, Changwon, et al. “Effects of COVID-19 on College Students’ Mental Health in the United States: Interview Survey Study.” Journal of Medical Internet Research, JMIR Publications Inc., Toronto, Canada, www.jmir.org/2020/9/e21279/. | https://medium.com/@revaj/how-does-covid-19-affect-students-ef7d56a65012 | ['Reva Joshi'] | 2020-12-23 20:04:17.110000+00:00 | ['Distance Learning', 'Quarantine', 'Schools', 'Covid 19', 'Pandemic'] |
Rethinking self-interest | In the late 1990s, people around the world began to live in a state of rising fear of two missing numbers.
The computer bug known as Y2K threatened to wreak havoc on the global infrastructure through the tiniest of details: computers being programmed to represent years in two digits (“99”) instead of four (“1999”). Headlines warned that systems would go haywire — crashing planes, freeing prisoners, and potentially leading to “The End of the World as We Know It?” as a 1999 Time Magazine cover posed.
We laugh at Y2K today like it was just another Skidz-like ’90s fad, but that’s only because computer scientists successfully fixed the bug. (The immovable deadline helped: computer scientists had raised alarm over this exact issue since the 1950s but it took until basically the night before for anyone in charge to do something about it.)
Though it has yet to make headlines, our world today faces even greater threats — also because of incomplete information. The kinds of things alarmist Y2K articles warned about are actually happening right now because of it. The problem in our case isn’t some faulty code. It’s a critical, out-dated assumption.
In the interests of self-interest
Our story begins — where else? — with the origins of capitalism and Adam Smith’s famous observation:
“It is not from the benevolence of the butcher, the brewer, or the baker that we expect our dinner, but from their regard to their own self-interest. We address ourselves not to their humanity but to their self-love, and never talk to them of our own necessities, but of their advantages.”
On this point, Adam Smith was absolutely right. Expecting and encouraging people to act out of their own self-interest will produce better results than imploring them to do something for some other cause, however noble. When it comes to capturing what’s actually in our self-interest, however, this observation inadvertently inspired significant harm.
Over the course of the 20th century, society’s concept of self-interest became more and more bound to our short-term individualistic desires. Self-interest is instant gratification — what you as an individual want right now. The wave of consumerist individualism began with the Baby Boomers (leading to the so-called “Me Decade” of the ’80s) and Millenials are the predictable sequel.
This shift is more than a media fiction. We can track the rise in individualism in everything from the increase of singular pronouns versus collective pronouns in song lyrics to the decline of bowling leagues to the personalized feeds we spend hours in today. Our lives are becoming more atomized and our future timelines are shortening.
Our view of self-interest has become so specific it even has a logo: the hockey stick graph. A chart where whatever we want — money, power, followers — is growing so fast the line slopes up and to the right.
We’ve convinced ourselves this is life’s best-case scenario. In reality it’s just a small slice of a much bigger picture. When we extend both axes on the graph, a very different image emerges.
From this we can map out four distinct spaces of self-interest.
There’s Now Me. What I as an individual want and need right now. This is how we see self-interest today.
There’s also Future Me. What the older, wiser version of you wants you to do. The person you become is defined by your actions in the moment.
There’s Now Us. Your friends and family and the communities you’re a part of. Your decisions directly impact them, just as theirs impact you.
There’s also Future Us. The community you belong to even though you haven’t met the people in it yet. Your kids, other people’s kids, the older versions of ourselves that face an uncertain future.
All of these spaces are in our self-interest. Not just Now Me. This theory is called Bentoism, an acronym for BEyond Near Term Orientation.
Why Bentoism matters
For decades we’ve operated like Now Me is all there is. We’ve maximized comfort, pleasure, and financial gain while actively avoiding sacrifice of any kind. We’ve kicked so many cans down the road there’s now a giant wall of them that we’re barreling into head-on.
It’s not that there’s no solution. It’s that we keep trying to solve every decision according to the needs of just one piece of the puzzle. Our systems are built on models that see people as individualized consumers that reduce the range of human possibilities down to the optimization of financial value. People have built truly amazing machines to do these things. But while humanity’s Now Me is a giant glimmering skyscraper (with extraordinary amounts of homelessness), its Future Me, Now Us, and Future Us look more like the summer disaster movies we escaped into so we could tune out the bad news our disinterest further fueled.
Despite all of this, I’m optimistic about humanity. I believe people do the best they can with what they have and what they know. The question is what don’t we know, and how can we gain it or become more aware of it?
More clearly defining our self-interest — the playing field we agree on as in-bounds for our decisions — is exactly this kind of awareness adjustment, and one that can drive fundamental shifts on both the individual and societal levels.
This would be a big change, but changes of this level happen all the time. They just take time to happen. Thirty years, give or take. In our case, that means working to redefine our map to self-interest by 2050.
Why 2050? Because profound changes in social values happen in generational increments. (In my book I write about how everything from modern medicine to exercise to hip-hop went from nowhere to mainstream in thirty years.) The people leading the world in 2050 will be Millennials and Generations Y, Z, and COVID. Groups with very different ways of seeing the world than those now in charge. A falling empire will give the 2050 generations the unfortunate responsibility and opportunity to lead humanity’s most dramatic evolution in more than a century.
The overwhelming majority of these people recognize our current path is a dead end. What they lack is vision for what to build instead. The Bento is a map to our new world.
Creating new systems and refactoring existing ones to reflect this new map is critical work. Here’s how I described it in my book, which closes with a snapshot from a sci-fi future:
“In 2050 a Bentoist view of value is a real thing. People better understand their values and live more self-coherent lives. Companies hold themselves accountable to a wider set of values that they take as seriously as their profitability. Slowly but surely over the course of thirty years, a belief in rational value beyond financial value becomes normal. “As the Bentoist approach to value emerges, talented people become drawn to its unique challenges. Using your skills to maximize financial value seems like a waste when a whole new frontier of value awaits.”
A year into the journey, this vision is starting to become real.
The Bento Society
Over the past year, Bentoism has become more than a theory. It’s become a community of people and a laboratory for experimentation. Its name is the Bento Society.
The Bento Society hosted more than 100 workshops for thousands of people from around the world this year, its first. One member, Julian, describes it as “a welcoming space for people to rejuvenate themselves and co-imagine the world together.”
In these sessions people actively confront and adjust how their beliefs, values, and lives come together. They push at the boundaries of their self-interest. Here’s what members say about it:
“Ever since I created my first bento, I knew this was the community and space for me because I feel like I’m contributing to something bigger than myself. I consistently leave our time together feeling refreshed and motivated for the week ahead. Bentoism has simply beautified my life, inside and out.” “It’s helped me feel more confident and less alone when looking at the current state of the world and less stuck about certain decisions.” “It literally changed my life. I feel like now I have a focus beyond the present. It makes me think beyond today and see life from another perspective.” “It’s given me lots of clarity and a great framework to make important decisions that I struggle with. The interactions I’ve had during bento events have been super meaningful!” “Bento has helped me realize that I’m not yet very clear about what kind of future image I have of myself and the society I want to live in. Bento is currently helping me to interpret this nebulous image of Future Us and Future Me and to adapt my current actions accordingly.” “I am conscious of what I am creating in a holistic sense I am connected with the reality around me and by default am contributing sustainably. This ‘feeling a part of the whole’ is comforting and cleansing at the same time.” “Being able to sit and really think about and be accountable to all aspects of my now and future selves is time I now treasure in my week. Maybe changing the world is in how we all live our lives and not the preserve of a select few.” “Bentoism helped me begin to unearth the broader sense of values that I have that exist outside of commercial consumerism and my existence being defined by my daily career.”
Bento Society members come from all around the world and every walk of life. We are retail workers and artists. Students and professors. CEOs and customer service workers. Health care workers and filmmakers. Scientists and Uber drivers.
The Bento Society’s Mission
As important and life changing as this work is, the goal of Bentoism isn’t just to help people better see what’s valuable and in their self-interest. The Bento Society’s mission is to redefine what the world sees as valuable and in its self-interest. Our goal is for this perspective to become the new default.
There are three parts to our work:
1. Teach people Bentoism and create a welcoming space where they can practice, explore, and create self-coherence.
We do this now with our Weekly Bento on Sundays, smaller Group Bentos on Wednesdays, a Slack community of several hundred people, and in newsletters to a couple thousand people. This work will grow and evolve to make the Bento as useful and accessible as possible.
2. Introduce Bentoism to organizations, community groups, and other collective structures through existing members.
The next phase is the adoption of the Bento as a decision-making and priority-setting tool in organizations. The new Bentoism website has a section devoted to this with real world examples. The goal is to equip Bento Society members to shift their own organization’s maps in Bentoish directions.
3. Lead, fund, and support projects that establish a wider map to value and self-interest.
We’re heavily inspired by Thomas Kuhn’s idea of “normal science.” That in the wake of paradigm change, new ideas become useful once the process of “normal science” happens. Kuhn defines normal science as the iterative, “puzzle-solving” work of applying a theory to individual fields of study. As individual scientists run experiments across a variety of contexts we learn how the new paradigm practically works. What had been a political debate over knowledge becomes practical and factual, and the new paradigm becomes adopted.
The Bento Society plans to push the normal science of defining new values and a larger map to self-interest. This will start with community-supported grants for projects that expand how we define value and self-interest, which we’ll announce later this year. If you’d like to tell us about something you’re working on in this spirit we’d love to hear about it.
A map to the new world
In the lead-up to the year 2000, society became acutely aware of how dependent its systems were on faulty code. The Y2K bug turned what had been invisible and irrelevant into a major part of life.
COVID-19 has similarly made us aware of the flaws in our systems and thinking. Social distrust, active undermining of collective norms, and a weak public health infrastructure are all the disastrous consequences of decades of under-investment in Now and Future Us. The pandemic has made clear which societies are limited by short-term individualism and which are not.
The societies who are successfully navigating the pandemic are ones that have invested in Now and Future Us. Denmark put their economy and way of life into a temporary freezer at the start of COVID so it could be preserved for unthawing later. New Zealand’s high social trust has resulted in a society essentially free of the virus. In Asia, COVID has been more of a speedbump than a dramatic reset. These are the truly developed societies. These are the societies whose maps of the world remain intact.
Struggling nations like the US and UK are lost because their existing map to the world — dominated by the pursuit of financial gain and Now Me desires — has no relevance to where we find ourselves. Economic growth can’t cure disease. Public health can’t be protected in societies led by governments that believe society doesn’t exist. These old maps have even less relevance to the challenges we face in the years and decades to come.
But we can solve this. Shifting how we see self-interest is a scalable solution. It fundamentally changes our relationships to one another without infringing on personal beliefs. It imposes no values beyond an increased awareness of ourselves and each other. Yet it dramatically changes the context and substance of our decisions.
Like Adam Smith’s OG ideas, Bentoism relies on each person looking out for their own self-interest. But it also, in the simplest of ways, expands the perimeter of our self-interest to include each other and our future selves. The Bento is a map to our new world.
Notes
The softcover of my book, This Could Be Our Future: A Manifesto for a More Generous World, comes out on November 19 with a new afterword and cover:
Preorder here. | https://ystrickler.medium.com/rethinking-self-interest-e125b220ca8f | ['Yancey Strickler'] | 2020-10-23 17:10:47.754000+00:00 | ['Future', 'Technology', 'Values', 'Self'] |
Bringing The Necessity To The IT Industry | Bringing The Necessity To The IT Industry
Who Necess-IT is and what they do.
Necess-IT provides high quality IT work within the Tampa area and beyond. While Covid-19 had many businesses shutting down in 2020, Necess-IT stepped up to the plate to provide the necessary equipment and upgrades required in many businesses to adapt to the changing landscape that the entire world needed to quickly adapt to. This consists of growth at the end of 2020 within Josh’s company that was unexpected but highly welcomed.
Check out my video on data findings over the last year.
I spoke with Josh who is the CEO of the company and he stated that they went from working from their home office to a fully staffed warehouse and expanded from 4 to 20 technicians who work on the field all over Florida in a matter of a year. He started the business in 2014 with his partner Kevin who is part owner. They worked out of the trunk of their car (called trunk slammers in the industry) endlessly for years to build up their team of skilled employees and gaining the necessary knowledge on the IT industry. Fast forward to 2021 and they work with big name brands such as Coca-Cola, IHG Hotels and Manor Care nursing homes. Providing everything from low voltage cabling projects, fiber optic site surveys and service calls daily to repair cable that provide data, phone connections that are not working properly and complex camera system setups at retail and office spaces. During the height of Covid-19 many businesses had to adapt, this included the addition of new ways to pay in retail such as NFC pucks for contactless payments and upgrading entire internet provider networks in nursing homes to provide better flow of data throughout local networks within the businesses so their daily employee tasks can resume as usual.
For more information on Necess-IT and public relations you can also visit my website.
The technology industry during the pandemic shifted in a major way. Entire companies went from working in offices to all working remotely and shutting their office spaces almost entirely. Below are some articles that I found interesting regarding the tech industry and Covid-19 and the changes that took place over the span of a year and beyond. Necess-IT worked hard to assist local businesses upgrade their network workload that it was going to have to now produce since most employees were starting to work from home and offices needed upgrades anticipating their return after the pandemic.
https://www.pwc.com/us/en/library/covid-19/coronavirus-technology-impact.html
In conclusion, Necess-IT has been a great example of a business that became a need for many when times got tough. They see no signs of slowing down and expanding their services and quality work for years to come.
For more public relations insights and information you can visit my Facebook page. | https://medium.com/@gregoriocreates/bringing-the-necessity-to-the-it-industry-26db952ae4e2 | ['Gregorio Feliciano'] | 2021-12-20 02:07:13.220000+00:00 | ['It', 'Technology', 'Mastersprogram', 'Fullsailuniversity', 'Necessit'] |
SLEEP REGRESSION IN BABIES: EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW | What is sleep regression?
“ sleep regression in babies” — it’s a period of time, it’s usually about two to four weeks, when a baby who’s sleeping well suddenly has trouble settling down for sleep or wakes up fussing in the middle of the night called sleep regression
signs of sleep regression in your baby
signs of sleep regression can based on the cause of your baby’s sleep problems. Here are some lists of signs your baby may be going through a sleep regression:
More frequent night waking ,
Trouble falling asleep at bedtime,
Increased creakiness or fussiness ,
Suddenly resisting naps.
sleep regression ages -
sleep regression — it is linked to some unpredictable factors like disruptions in routines or an illness so it can happen at any time,
But there also a few periods when sleep regression is relatively foreseeable, due to baby growth spurts, reaching new milestones or teething .
sleep regression 3 to 4 months:
This time is often the hardest for parents simply because it’s the first.
sleep regression 5 months:
There are several things behind baby sleep problems at this age:
the pain caused by teething,
hunger linked to baby growth spurts and
the excitement of rolling over for the very first time.
sleep regression 6 months :
Babies sometimes go through another growth spurt at this months old. By this age, your little ones are capable of sleeping through the night and may wake simply for snuggles — which means it might be time for testing a sleep training method.
sleep regression 8 months to 10 months:
Many babies begin crawling when they’re around 8 to 9 months old, and begin standing at around 10 months. Anxiety is also common (and perfectly normal) around this age, which may cause your baby to wake up during the night.
Sleep regression in 12 months:
Sometime between 9 to 12 months, babies start standing up and starts walking also. At around the one-year mark, others take their first steps (although the average age is 14 months, with some babies starting earlier and others waiting until the 18-month). Reaching A big milestones can cause temporary sleep problems with baby.
sleep regression toddlers
Toddlers are also often go through sleep regressions at around 18 months and 24 months. But that may be caused by nightmares and night terrors also, fear of the dark, toddler teething and separation anxiety, caused sleep regression toddlers
Tips for dealing sleep regression in your baby or toddlers
Can we prevent sleep regression
Unfortunately there’s no way to prevent sleep regression. For the many bleary-eyed new parents out there who’ve struggled with a sleepless baby, there’s no way to prevent sleep regression. It’s generally a normal part of baby and toddlers.
In the meantime, following a bedtime routine and sleep schedule may help reduce the likelihood of sleep regression. Hang in there and know that this, too, shall pass.
When you need the medical help about sleep regression | https://medium.com/@bidisha127/sleep-regression-in-babies-everything-you-need-to-know-89429d306c03 | ['Bidisha Das'] | 2020-10-06 19:14:47.696000+00:00 | ['Parents', 'Sleep', 'Toddlers', 'Baby'] |
The YouTube Convention | The YouTube Convention
Finally a convention for the public, not the pols
Tragic circumstances forced them into it, but the Democrats created the first democratic convention, the convention for citizens.
It is the YouTube convention, with all the intimacy and directness the medium of the age demands: click on Michelle Obama and she speaks directly to you and no one else: not to a cheering crowd, the mass; not to delegates who are included through patronage and politics, to the exclusion of everyone else. YouTube is one of the mechanisms of the public conversation the internet provides and the Democrats had to learn how to use it.
Meanwhile, Donald Trump pines for the roaring crowd, the now extinct kind of convention that was an institution of television and mass media: the really big show, the firepit for enthusiasm and anger and, in its dying breath, authoritarian adulation. Now who’s going to sit home in front of a laptop chanting “Lock her up!”? Fools, that’s who.
The internet is far from finished. In this early phase, it has been built to speak — so, at long last, voices too long not heard in mass media finally have microphones of their own. I celebrate that. But the net has not yet been built to listen, to converse, to cooperate. TikTok, just a toy still, is the first net tool I’ve seen that’s designed for public collaboration, for taking someone else’s sound or video and responding or reinterpreting. It’s a start. It also befuddles Donald Trump as TikTok is not built for fanning hatred; this is why he hates it. On the prior net, on YouTube, in newspaper comments and forums, in Facebook and Twitter, what passes for conversation is reaction. And so this Democratic YouTube Convention will be an unfinished artifact of a transition out of Gutenberg’s age of hot text and McLuhan’s age of cool television, out of the primordial internet into the age of whatever’s next. [You can tell I’m working on a book.] This event is not a conversation, not yet. But moving down from the rostrum to the humble webcam forced the Democrats to speak eye-to-eye, at a human level, and to find something to say that is worth listening to. That can be the start of conversation.
The YouTube convention doesn’t supersede just the hoary delegates in the hall but also news media there: television and print. I say this, too, is a good thing. In years past, news organizations wasted huge money on institutional and individual ego, sending 15,000 journalists to “cover” the conventions where nothing happened that was not known and scripted. It was a show of access — of savvy, as Jay Rosen would say. The pols and the journalists put on shows for each other, not for the nation. The journalists and pols got to be inside and the rest of us were left out. They danced, pranced, pontificated, prognosticated, and predicted and never listened to us, the public. Now that’s over. Good riddance.
The Democrats have missed a few beats. I wish they put every single speech into their site and YouTube channel so we each could remix and share our own conventions the morning after. David Weinberger calls these Citizen Cuts. I wish they had invited YouTube videos from citizens to talk about the issues and expectations we have — messages produced by citizens, not producers. But still, it’s a start. | https://medium.com/whither-news/the-youtube-convention-af4825f1843a | ['Jeff Jarvis'] | 2020-08-18 16:13:43.946000+00:00 | ['Journalism', 'Democratic Party', 'Democratic Convention', 'YouTuber'] |
Why are so many coders musicians? | I am currently at the beginning of my career as a developer. I came in ‘through the back door’ so to speak. I’ve been a musician my whole life, and it was through my interest in building music tools that I got into software.
Going from music to code was a gradual transition. It took me some time to make the decision because of my fear of alienation. I didn’t want to turn into a cubicule zombie, typing mindlessly into a computer all day long, detaching from life and art. I have had a couple of corporate jobs before and couldn’t take it. For the creative type, alienated work sucks the marrow out of life. Musicians need creative expression in their work and have low tolerance towards soul crushing jobs.
Even though coding implies staring into a screen for long hours, to my surprise, I found it was not alienating. In it I found a new way of expressing creativity. Just like working in music, either producing, composing, or playing, it didn’t feel like actual work. Why was that? In addition to this, I noticed many developers were musicians. After a few months in the industry, I realized this was not a coincidence.
Finding musicians made me realize my fears were unjustified and it also made me wonder why many coders were musicians. What are the commonalities between the two professions that make this relationship?
In this three part series of posts, I’ll talk about the different qualities that relate these two professions.
Long-term commitment
There seems to be a quality of focus for musicians and for coders. That reserve and focus is needed for people to be able to concentrate and develop skills for the long term. Staying on track and persevering through continuous frustration is a personal trait I find in both disciplines.
Developing musicianship requires long-term commitment and a continuous training of brain plasticity to incorporate fine hand movements in instrumentality, to train the ear to distinguish between notes, chords and timbres, to learn how to read scores, and to transform the theoretical abstraction of harmony, counterpoint and instrumentation into mental representations of sound.
As a beginner coder I’ve found myself in a similar process. Learning the fundamentals and becoming comfortable and creative with them requires a maturity of the concepts that takes a long time. A lot of the concepts in programming are abstractions that you can’t relate to day-to-day experiences, hence, they require a long time to settle in.
This being said, though the nature of the two disciplines requires a similar mindset, it doesn’t mean the skills are the same. I don’t think logic and algorithmic thinking translate directly into music, which requires knowing how to count and having a good ear and coordination. At the same time, I don’t see how these last skills would translate into coding. A lot of musicians can’t code and a lot of coders couldn’t be musicians no matter how hard they tried. Nevertheless, the process by which you gain the skills is similar and rewards the kind of personality that is able to engage in long-term practice and learning.
Thanks for reading. Please continue with the second part of the series, with other relationships I have found between music and coding. | https://medium.com/hackernoon/why-are-so-many-coders-musicians-60389fb8b645 | ['Francisco Rafart'] | 2018-03-08 13:19:10.481000+00:00 | ['Software Development', 'Technology', 'Programming', 'Learning', 'Music'] |
Video: iExec Completes Whitepaper and Presents New Adoption Roadmap | 22. October 2020: iExec has released a video marking the milestone of the completion of the 2016 roadmap. The video covers recent business developments and outlines how iExec will be moving forward, with the future roadmap being adoption-driven.
When iExec and the concept of off-chain decentralized computing was imagined four years ago, it was impossible to forecast how blockchain technology and ecosystem would evolve over the years. Certain emerging technologies such as trusted computing were almost unknown at the time. iExec was able to innovate in some cases even additionally were not initially outlined in the original whitepaper (such as releasing the first full ‘trusted compute’ solution for blockchain with Intel). The world’s first decentralized marketplace for computing resources was successfully delivered and during this time, iExec has evolved from a start-up idea to a fully-fledged enterprise.
iExec maintains its vision that decentralized Cloud computing is the best way to provide enterprises with secure and affordable computing resources. Having proven to be the leader in decentralized computing as well as confidential computing.
Covering recent iExec developments
Approval from the French SEC (AMF) for its new Enterprise Marketplace token swap offering. This token allows enterprises to exchange cloud resources in a regulated & compliant environment, facilitating adoption & reinforcing RLC token economics. More information can be found on the dedicated iExec Enterprise Marketplace webpage .
for its new Enterprise Marketplace token swap offering. This token allows enterprises to exchange cloud resources in a regulated & compliant environment, facilitating adoption & reinforcing RLC token economics. More information can be found on the dedicated Partnership with ‘OntoChain : the EU project funding 4.3m euros for blockchain innovators. With OntoChain, iExec will be offering EU-funded grants for projects to build on iExec stack.
: the EU project funding 4.3m euros for blockchain innovators. With OntoChain, iExec will be offering EU-funded grants for projects to build on iExec stack. iExec Academy : the new platform that acts as an aggregator for content. From blog posts to Github repos — all things iExec, in one place.
the new platform that acts as an aggregator for content. From blog posts to Github repos — all things iExec, in one place. Adoption roadmap and EPICs process : iExec outlines their plans moving forward, presenting the initial new roadmap as well as ‘EPICs’: projects towards developer and enterprise adoption. Have your say: Submit an idea or business application via this form.
: iExec outlines their plans moving forward, presenting the initial new roadmap as well as ‘EPICs’: projects towards developer and enterprise adoption. Have your say: Submit an idea or business application via this form. Developer walkthrough demo for adoption: iExec will be releasing developer guides and walkthrough interfaces for various iExec user types, taking into account their knowledge-level in both blockchain and iExec. The goal is to make the onboarding process as easy as possible and to ensure that value propositions are clear to the specific user persona. More details for this work can be found in the roadmap. The first onboarding is for cloud developers. It removes the complexity of blockchain with iExec Cloud Computing. Select a provider offering the best price and run the demo app. Give it a try with free credits: https://developers.iex.ec/goal
iExec now has all the building blocks for adoption and we can’t wait to see what the future holds. | https://medium.com/iex-ec/video-iexec-completes-whitepaper-and-presents-new-adoption-roadmap-d26402ac9761 | ['Baptiste Castiglione'] | 2021-08-13 12:30:39.124000+00:00 | ['Cryptocurrency', 'Ethereum', 'Blockchain', 'Tech', 'Press Release'] |
Dealing With Anger | Just a few months ago it happened to me to lose a good job. I had to switch from working in a stable environment everybody would be jealous of, to a sudden de-escalation downwards, like a balloon getting a hole while mid-air. It wasn’t easy. Anger became my standard companion and friend which I would trust all my secrets in return of which he was to protect me from getting hurt and feeling exposed. It was an instinctual response. I wasn’t only dealing with loss but with its irreversibility of it as well. Unconsciously I knew there was nothing to be done and there was no action from my part to fix anything. There were too many internal questions to be answered that I refused profoundly to look upon. What were my mistakes, what can I learn from this, what can I do from now on to at least lessen the pain and get up standing in my feet the soonest possible. I asked none of that. Too proud to admit they had to be answered. Anger seemed a much easier approach to fix my problems.
Digging Into The Emotion
Anger is the auto-generated response to loss when we fixate in a particular cause. The moment we lay eyes on something that we think is hindering our desired state or outcome is the moment that aggression is generated. Evolutionary speaking, it worked fine. Anger declares our willingness to fight for what’s ours and sends the message we are not willing to duck out with the tail between our legs. Just the existence of it makes any attacker think twice before making a move forward. So anger is natural and exists in all species. It evolved to help us sustain our havings and possessions. But as with everything else, feelings evolve in their own. It shouldn’t surprise us. What anger was initially, as it came to be and the reason for its existence, doesn’t collide 100% with what is today. Emotions evolve together with people and the environment. They mutate like a virus until they find a sweet spot to coexist in our society. And their manifestations need to be looked upon anew, with a fresh eye. | https://medium.com/@philip-baker/dealing-with-anger-85961e4279a3 | ['Philip Baker'] | 2020-04-17 11:00:02.791000+00:00 | ['Self Improvement', 'Self-awareness', 'Anger', 'Anxiety'] |
6 Steps to Up the Sustainability Game for Your Business | Lessons from the most sustainably managed company in the world
Photo by Alexander Abero on Unsplash
While some business owners are still hanging onto a feast or famine mindset, others, as if tipped off by a prophet, have embraced a marathon running attitude. Gone are the old days where Darwinism reigned in business — sustainability is the new law of jungle.
However, unlike financial success, ‘sustainability’ of a business is daunting to measure to say the least. It’s like trying to predict human longevity — use all the health matrix you want but only time will tell.
Yet The Wall Street Journal cracked the hard nut head-on. They recently published a ranking of the The 100 Most Sustainably Managed Companies in the World.
Who claims the top spot? Let me spare you the laborious effort of a click. It’s one of the largest Japanese conglomerate with business in electronic products, video gaming, music and media — Sony.
Sony’s headquarter in Tokyo. Photo: Sony.net
To combat the pandemic alone, Sony set up a $100 million Sony Global Relief Fund for COVID-19 for efforts in medical — donating $10 million to the World Health Organization’s COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund; education — joining UNICEF to roll out digital learning platform “Learning Passport” in Latin America; and the creative industry —Play At Home for gamers, 500 ARTISTS WANTED for musicians, and free Sony cameras for visual artists.
All these efforts find their roots in Sony’s purpose statement revealed last year, “Fill the world with emotion, through the power of creativity and technology”, which to Sony is not a goal but reason for existence.
Before the word “Covid-19” existed in any dictionary, Sony has been funding startups focusing on environmental technologies with plans to invest 1 billion yen ($9.46 million) over the course of three to five years and recoup in about a decade. It publicly announced its goal to achieve a “zero environmental footprint” by 2050 and use 100% renewable energy by 2040 — both are now very well on track.
If you are wondering how Sony became the most sustainably managed company in the world, here’s six easily applicable steps we learned from Sony’s sustainability success. | https://medium.com/datadriveninvestor/6-steps-to-up-the-sustainability-game-for-your-business-ddd41b8f596b | ['Eunice X.'] | 2020-12-28 15:49:42.209000+00:00 | ['Finance', 'Investing', 'Sustainability', 'Venture Capital', 'Economics'] |
The Pandemic Affordable Housing Crisis | Landlords Vs. Renters
Homeownership is an insanely expensive undertaking and has created a deep wealth gap for many households. Many people are becoming forever stuck in a cycle of renting. While renting isn’t inherently bad, it’s nowhere near as fruitful when owning your own home. In the short-term, renting isn’t so bad. It gives you somewhere to stay and the flexibility to move around later. However, over the long-term, the costs of renting add up significantly. And consequently, if you fall behind as a renter, it can become disastrous.
Due to financial inflation, where the value of your money goes down over time and the price of assets *cough* homes *cough* goes up, it makes renting extremely costly in the long-term. When you own a home, your mortgage will always stay the same unless you choose to refinance. When you’re renting, the costs continue to go up every year. From higher rents to new fees, it gets expensive to the point of just being hilarious. For example, just ask anyone about the housing markets in California and New York City. Even people with luxury tech careers struggle to keep up with the prices in those areas. It’s insane. It makes saving money brutally difficult even in the best of times and you lost out on the opportunity cost of building your own net worth.
On top of the high costs, the conditions are often abysmal. Depending on your location, the quality of your living will change too. Again, it’s not so bad if you’re single, but when you’re trying to start a family and finding a positive environment, it’s a social nightmare.
And then there are the homeowners — or in this case, landlords.
I’m not talking about someone that owns a house and just renting it for a few bucks. But the type of people that have built their fortunes on buying out multiple properties and charging exorbitant prices — often at the costs of others. Any failure to pay the cost results in eviction. It’s modern capitalism at it’s ugly finest.
However, the worst part of it all is the parasitic relationship between renters and landlords. Because:
If the renters don’t pay rent, landlords could potentially fall behind on the house mortgage or property tax.
If the mortgage or property tax isn’t paid, the bank doesn’t get their money and the city will lose out on vital tax money.
And if that happens, banks fall behind which then leads to government intervention and get bailed out with new money. While cities will eventually recoup their money, but city workers will potentially lose their jobs until then.
It’s a harsh game where the winners constantly win and the losers…well… keep losing. It’s severely messed up when something as crucial as owning a home has become gate-keeped to this level. Only those at the very top truly win which is the big banks. Meanwhile, everyday people, whether they’re a homeowner maintaining a family, a small-time landlord, or someone just renting and getting by, all get screwed over in some form.
Throw in foreign investors and big companies buying up whatever affordable housing is left, and you have a fucked-up recipe for the lack of affordable housing.
Redlining And The Racial Wealth Gap
So, we can’t mention homeownership without mentioning this. While wealth inequality is bad, it’s so much worse if you’re a minority. Particularly, in America, and still to this day, the effects of this practice continue to haunt the wealth of many people living today.
As listed by Investopedia:
Redlining is a discriminatory practice that puts services (financial and otherwise) out of reach for residents of certain areas based on race or ethnicity. It can be seen in the systematic denial of mortgages, insurance, loans, and other financial services based on location (and that area’s default history) rather than on an individual’s qualifications and creditworthiness. Notably, the policy of redlining is felt the most by residents of minority neighborhoods. The term “redlining” was coined by sociologist John McKnight in the 1960s and derives from how the federal government and lenders would literally draw a red line on a map around the neighborhoods they would not invest in based on demographics alone. Black inner-city neighborhoods were most likely to be redlined. Investigations found that lenders would make loans to lower-income Whites but not to middle- or upper-income African Americans. Indeed, in the 1930s the federal government began redlining real estate, marking “risky” neighborhoods for federal mortgage loans on the basis of race.3 The result of this redlining in real estate could still be felt decades later. In 1996 homes in redlined neighborhoods were worth less than half that of the homes in what the government had deemed as “best” for mortgage lending, and that disparity has only grown greater in the last two decades.
Even during the pandemic, the practice of Redlining made everything worse for minority communities. A popular report by financial site, MoneyWatch, expressed that those same communities are more vulnerable to COVID-19 due to the discriminatory practices that led to unhealthier communities.
(And please don’t say people in those areas should just *stay healthier*. That’s pretty hard to do when healthy food options are more expensive. Plus, they're intentionally located away from minority communities to the nicer (not minorities or black) neighborhoods while cheap, and extremely unhealthy, food options were built to exploit the people living there.)
How Do You Fix A Wealth Gap This Big?
So for all of the complaining and explaining thus far, what are our solutions to such a massive problem? Unfortunately, I’m not sure.
A popular response to this issue is the concept of Universal Basic Income (UBI). It’s literally what it sounds like — everyone gets paid a minimum wage. Personally, I’m all up for helping those in need, but it does come with a simple problem: if you’re making enough to be comfortable, why work at all? It would definitely become harder for a business to operate if people have less reason to do so.
But UBI is a flawed idea, not least because it would be prohibitively expensive unless accompanied by deep cuts to the rest of the safety net. In the U.S. (population: 327 million), a UBI of just $1,000 per month would cost around $4 trillion per year, which is close to the entire federal budget in 2018. A proposed response by the Democrats is to tax the wealthiest among us at higher rates to compensate. But it’s hard to do due to strong Republican opposition and the wealthy elite having considerable influence on politics.
There is also a practical idea of just building more affordable housing. If the lack of housing supply and high demand is driving up prices, just build more homes right? Well, the problem is:
A. Those homes are generally built for the wealthy because home builders are focused on profits first and people second.
B. Even if those homes were affordable, they would just get brought out by everyone with the most money to do so. And we would end up back where we started.
And even if we got another housing market crash, due to the absurd difficulty of just buying a home, most people wouldn’t benefit from it anyway.
The global housing system isn’t just unequal — it’s absolutely broken. A system that is, by design, built on the backs of those that work the hardest to keep the world alive.
The Pandemic Made Housing Inequality Even Worse
Unfortunately, even when this pandemic is over, the affordable housing issue is only going to get worse.
While housing values are going to keep going up, a lot of people will have bigger problems on their hands. Mainly, catching up on any debt incurred during this time and getting bills paid.
Meanwhile, politicians have yet to approve a stimulus plan that could help those in need. Instead of supporting their fellow citizens, they're too busy playing politics while families around the country continue to fall behind. The housing wealth gap. Whether you’re in danger of losing your home or being evicted from an apartment, this is a dangerous time to fall behind as we have yet to receive any vaccines for the virus.
The Greatest Wealth Transfer In History?
There is also the classic idea of just inheriting our parent’s property. And even that is a hit or miss idea, as many households are struggling to pay the mortgage and keep up with various financial responsibilities. On top of that, for a lot of minority families, it’s not even possible if their parents don’t own property, to begin with. Thus, wealth inequality will become so much worse by the time this mess over. The gap will just increase over the next decade if massive action isn’t taken.
Due to the many pandemic-related factors, there are many people claiming we’re in the middle of the greatest wealth transfer yet as the older, Boomer population is passing down their wealth to the younger generations.
(Prolific writer, Tim Denning, has also covered this idea in much more extensive detail if you really want to understand the full scope of this. I also included a link to an excellent YouTube video on the matter for further information.) | https://medium.com/an-injustice/the-worlds-other-pandemic-the-homeownership-crisis-745c9e2f5972 | ['Dayon Cotton'] | 2020-11-23 19:37:13.361000+00:00 | ['Money', 'Politics', 'Society', 'Race', 'Culture'] |
When to Fire Your Therapist | Have you kissed any good frogs lately?
Photo by Nik Shuliahin on Unsplash
I would never make it as a Scientologist, because I am a true believer in therapy. I think counseling is something almost everyone could benefit from. For those of us with rougher personal histories it’s mandatory. PTSD is the №1 threat to my life. Aside from the suicidal tendencies, PTSD ravages my physical health.
According to The American Institute of Stress:
Researchers reported that the number and severity of PTSD symptoms were significantly associated with deaths due to coronary heart disease as well as non-fatal heart attacks.
Unfortunately I have to fire my new therapist.
One of the saddest things I hear people say: “I went to therapy. It didn’t help.” That always comes down to one of two things: either the patient really didn’t want to do the work, or the therapist failed in their role — which many of them do.
So I’m here with some pro tips I’ve picked up since beginning therapy in the late 1980s. You can learn from my mistakes, work smarter at your wellness, and get better results. Self-care is the gift that keeps on giving.
Therapy: The emotional gym
The last person who told me therapy didn’t help her, when pressed, said she had only gone to two sessions. People often have unrealistic expectations for how therapy should work, what kind of benefits they can expect.
The issues we address in therapy have usually built up over a lifetime. I’ve found that a good therapist helps people learn how to balance and navigate from the lives they have to the lives they want. The therapist helps people find the healthier, happier, more balanced version of themselves. That’s why I go.
Using the gym analogy, I’ve recently lost over 120 pounds. For many years my weight and mental health both seemed insurmountable, intertwined and completely demoralizing. However in hindsight it has only taken me a year to lose about 35 percent of my body weight. Because I was emotionally ready, like I had hit bottom, it has been much quicker to correct the problem than to create it — which took decades of imbalance.
When I started at the gym I was 350 pounds. It took a good six months before I saw any difference except on the scale. But there is no scale for your therapy progress except the happiness in your life. What works for me is to trust the process and keep doing tiny amounts of it constantly.
The imposition of an infrastructure — a sustainable, reality-based understanding of my physical needs and how to consistently approach them — was what I needed to lose weight all along.
And that’s what I want from a therapist, too: a competent person to provide healthy guardrails for my life. People like me almost never graduate high school. Anyone who was able to become a therapist by definition had a better life with significantly more social support than I did.
Really excellent therapists enable me to leverage their stable childhoods by relating to them. They show me how a person with undamaged self-respect and healthy attachment would respond, often indirectly. A strong therapist is an ultimate role model.
For me a therapist is like a professional parent.
Key word there is professional: they’re not your actual parent. But they’re trained to behave like a highly appropriate, high-functioning parent.
At least that’s how I think of it, since neither of my parents was appropriate. Therapists give me a model of what it could look like without all of my parents’ poop injected into my thought process, a healthier way to reframe my life than I could imagine. Therapists don’t share your history, and thus can create a wonderfully neutral space.
I learned what good parenting is supposed to look like in therapy. A psychologist was the first person to tell me it’s not appropriate for parents to lean on their children for emotional support. I was horrified at the suggestion that I should stop being my mom’s #1 emotional supporter. It took me years of therapy to get it in my bones, which I now do.
After discussing these ideas many times with many therapists over the years, here’s what I believe a good parent thinks:
1.The child’s needs always come first.
2. The child may not necessarily like what’s best for them, but I do it anyway.
3. I may not like what’s best for the child, but I do it anyway.
Like a doctor, lawyer, or teacher, a good parent is an advocate who runs interference while providing guidance. You can’t do that when you are emotionally dependent on the child. That imbalanced relationship requires clearly defined duties and priorities. There’s a fiduciary responsibility. It is unethical for a parent, doctor, lawyer, or teacher to place their own personal needs —such as sex or money — above the needs of their charge.
The fiduciary duty doesn’t mean therapists can or should be abused. But in the session, the patient’s personal feelings count and the therapist’s don’t. That’s the only way it can be.
But a lot of problems are more subtle than theft or sexual abuse. Therapists are only human. It’s not always easy to see where interpersonal boundaries are or should be. Ultimately it’s your job as the patient to make sure you feel heard and respected, and if you don’t, kiss another frog.
Of course the relationship works both ways. I’ve never been fired by a therapist, but I know people who have. I don’t get close to anyone who confides that in me. I take it as a clinically educated red flag that this person has unsustainable issues. Therapists usually have to drum up their own work. They don’t just fire patients on a whim. If a doctor can’t work with them I probably can’t either.
My new therapist isn’t necessarily wrong. She’s just wrong for me.
I had a therapist that I really liked for the last couple of years, and my life improved immensely in that time. I moved out of my van and into an apartment with no help from anyone, which was Herculean. As I said, I’ve lost 120 pounds and counting. Neighbors who once ignored me now meet me in the parking lot for aerobics before dawn. People want to pay me to be their personal trainer. All of my problems are solving each other. My life got much better with her, and it felt so good.
So I was devastated when my therapist told me that she’d no longer be accepting insurance, any insurance, in 2020. She saw me on New Year’s Eve, twice that week. I know she hated to leave me without a new provider lined up. We both had to move on. Again, it’s a professional parent. I never lose sight of that. It doesn’t hurt me on a personal level, only the issue of kissing more frogs.
Importantly, though, it puts my entire therapeutic process back to Square 1. I’m heading into Month 6 without a new therapeutic relationship established despite my best efforts. For someone with my mental health issues this not sustainable. I’m keeping myself alive until I find a new doctor to help me survive. Unfortunately the last session with the latest provider, Kathy, was a deal-breaker.
Like having a baby, it’s never a convenient time to switch therapists.
I thought I was going to die when my second therapist, Raye, moved away.
I had fired the first-ever therapist after one visit. I told her that I was working with childhood sexual abuse, and I felt like forgiveness was a crucial part of my process. I needed to de-escalate emotionally. Forgiveness was so clear to me, like a lighthouse in my heart.
That initial therapist felt that for me to be thinking about forgiveness that early in the game was a cop-out, that I was letting people off the hook to avoid my anger. This was a complete misread of the situation and a foolish thing for her to say. She didn’t even explore what I meant by forgiveness.
My very first therapist didn’t have enough clinical experience to get that I first needed to forgive myself in order to truly believe I deserved therapy. I could not budge off that forgiveness vibe, nor should she have advised me to. I was so angry I couldn’t find any other safe way to approach it except with the goal of forgiving everyone unilaterally, because I can and that’s how I want to feel.
That first therapist was shocked and horrified when I told her I would need to switch providers because of the irreconcilable difference in strategy. The next person, Raye, was much more skilled. She saved my life.
THERAPY PRO TIP: When I fired that first therapist, she said that was fine but I’d have to come in for another session to discuss it. She said she needed to ensure that I wasn’t ditching her because she challenged me. I had already explained to her that we have irreconcilable differences in our goals. If anyone ever tells you you need another appointment to fire them, tell them no. The relationship is over when you say it is.
Not all therapists are created equal.
Like every other profession, therapists have their share of C students. Then there’s also the common thing of people simply not communicating well together. Some people don’t click. However it’s the therapist’s job to establish rapport with the patient, never the other way around.
I think my latest therapist, let’s call her Kathy, is both inexperienced and not especially skilled.
With the very first therapist I ever saw, our irreconcilable difference was, on the surface, how we understood the word “forgiveness.” But it was actually her inability to meet me where I was at. She expected me to get onto her page. And it’s the same thing with Kathy.
With Kathy I find myself in the session thinking I’m not doing it right, not meeting her expectations, that she’s not understanding me. I remember several times thinking, “Wow, she must think this is my first therapy session, Day 1 of my process.” I made another appointment with her for next week, because I wanted to make sure I’m not incorrect. I wanted to fire her several times during the session. But I felt like I needed to sleep on it to be sure it’s the right decision. Next time I will just pull the plug, even on a therapist.
People often want to fire a therapist who challenges them in an appropriate, even vital way.
Before I do the list of why to fire a therapist, the list of why not to is very short:
Don’t fire a therapist who tells you things you don’t want to hear, unless those things are abusive, or like the forgiveness thing, an irreconcilable difference. That’s why I didn’t fire Kathy mid-session. I need to make sure she didn’t have a valid point.
A good therapist must be able to put a boot up your ass if need be.
It goes back to the professionalism of the therapist. I need to work with someone whose clinical judgment I trust. I have to get that they’re my advocate, that they get me, that we’re understanding each other. If we’re not communicating in therapy something is bad wrong. Kathy has to go.
So here’s my quick list, reasons I’ve fired therapists:
Must-Fire ASAP №1: I’m not comfortable with this person or in this environment.
I once went to a session at the private office of a therapist who also worked for the county mental health department. He gave me the address, and I met him at a small office park near the county building.
When I pulled in on Saturday morning it was a little spooky, completely abandoned. It was four smaller buildings around a courtyard. As I was parking, a homeless guy came out from the courtyard and stood by the entry.
I sat in the van and smoked a bowl, hoping he’d wander off and I could go to my appointment. He didn’t look dangerous, just dirty and disheveled. I didn’t want to be panhandled or deal with him.
The guy didn’t leave after five minutes. I decided I could take him in a fight, and went to look for the office.
Even though he turned out to be the therapist, I did go into the office with him. I was amazed that he would show up in dirty sweatpants and a T-shirt, as though he had rolled out of bed, down Main Street, and through a mud puddle. In hindsight this simple lack of professionalism should have been an automatic deal-breaker.
His office was, of course, in the back of the building. We went in and sat down on opposing couches, in a room he clearly shared with other therapists. When he left the door open for the session I was glad he did. He gave me the creeps.
I sat inside his office looking at outer door and the base of the stairs. During the session a stranger walked into the middle of the room with us and asked us how to get to the architect’s office. I walked out behind him.
I shouldn’t have walked into that office, period. That guy skeeved me out, which is why I was glad he left the door open. If that’s the case, save time and trouble and just leave. You can’t do therapy with someone you don’t want to be alone with.
Never do a therapy session where your privacy isn’t guaranteed. Someone walked in on me with my last therapist and she looked like she wanted to gouge his eyes with a scissors. Even so she held her shit together and stayed in professional mode until my session was over, because I wanted to finish my thought. I hated losing her. When I get rich I’ll pay cash and go back to her, unless I kiss the lucky frog.
Must-Fire Moment №2: This visit is traumatic.
I once had a psychiatrist ask me a rapid-fire series of questions about my life, ticking boxes without considering either the questions or the answers.
A psychiatrist is not actually a therapist, but was a required part of my mental health assessment process. That appointment itself was incredibly traumatic, jumping from one painful aspect of my life to the next at a high rate of speed without regard for the questions’ impact on me.
That psychiatrist taught me to get up and walk out the door mid-session if need be. I almost did it with Kathy today. But because she’s an actual therapist I wanted to be sure I wasn’t reflexively rejecting constructive criticism, that she didn’t have an important point.
Take a tip from every Larry Nassar survivor:
“I hated it, but I didn’t know it was abuse.”
If you’re traumatized by the experience itself — unless it’s like a colonoscopy or a root canal, and you’ve been warned, and they’ve taken steps to minimize your stress level — something is wrong. I know psychiatry kind of sucks. But the first rule for doctors is “do no harm.” There’s a reasonable, empathetic way to do that process. That wasn’t it.
Must-Fire Moment №3: Can you hear me now?
I’ve been in therapy longer than many people have been in practice. So I have my own personal practice of therapy, over many years, with many different providers as described herein. I’ve got a certain style that may be challenging for the clinician, especially if their own game is not so strong.
I have to fire Kathy for a few reasons:
I felt judged. I was stunned when Kathy stopped me mid-sentence and accused me of ranting. This is how I’ve worked successfully with other therapists for years. But I gave her the benefit of the doubt. Then she didn’t have anything other than her belief that I was much angrier than I was. Annoying AF. Not good. I feel like it’s rude for a therapist to stop me short and say I’m ranting, especially if that’s all she has to say. I felt like I’m not able to be emotional with her. I can’t express myself freely with Kathy, game over. I felt belittled. Kathy asked me what I got out of that, and I told her how I work through my process, talking. I listed the reasons it’s important for me. Even so she described it as “venting” and told me that wasn’t therapeutic. My last few therapists — and the circumstances of my life , described above— would beg to differ.
Given a do-over I would ask her to rate my anger level on a 1 to 10. I would’ve put it at about 2–3. She seemed to think I was much angrier, even when I flipped it on demand. Again it’s her job to get on my page, not the other way around.
Must-fire ASAP: therapist who tells me how I feel. Especially when they’re incorrect.
PRO TIP: Next time I notice feeling bad about myself during a therapy session — not processing that self-blame but experiencing it anew — I will drop the therapist like she’s hot, THEN sleep on it and decide if I’ve made a mistake and want another appointment. Because that one rule, about not firing them for challenging you when you need to be challenged, is really crucial.
3. Kathy doesn’t understand the therapeutic relationship well enough. While we were discussing rape trolls on Medium and how I deal with them, Kathy said she didn’t think I was being an effective advocate because she could tell I was angry. I was shocked that she assumed I would speak to everyone the same way I do in therapy. Not everybody has a fiduciary relationship with my feelings, right? Especially rape trolls, eh? Super basic. She also assumed that the rape troll was conversing with me the same way people do with her in her office. Also obviously wrong. Those are two entirely different communications. If Kathy thinks everybody is at the same level of conversation in therapy as they are all the time, she’s very low-functioning.
4. It’s not the patient’s job to establish rapport or run the session. Kathy and I met on a video chat due to the lockdown, I brought up the awkward last session. I wanted to see if she had some point that I missed, and clearly she felt the same way. This is your red flag moment, folks. I shouldn’t be the one trying to make this work.
Kathy said, “If you were in my office I would’ve shut you right down.” First of all it’s very scoldy, fuck that. I’m sure I wasn’t inappropriate. I’ve never had a therapist suggest that I was before. That tone, especially after she used the offensive word “ranting,” was a good time to end the call. Other therapists have successfully set boundaries with me. Not often, but it can happen. There was a gentle, effective way to redirect me, but Kathy couldn’t find it.
It’s important to understand the therapeutic relationship, the sacred space that is created. That video conference was her virtual office. If she maintains lower professional standards because of the lockdown, because the patient is not physically present, then videoconferencing is unethical for her to participate in. To say, “If you were in my office…” implies that what we’re doing here is somehow now official, not what she actually does. If she wanted to “shut me down” and didn’t know how, and I also didn’t know what she wanted from me, then we have nothing to discuss. She’s simply unqualified.
PRO TIP: Don’t let anyone do you any special favors, things they wouldn’t normally allow but we’ll keep it between us. That’s a grooming technique.
At the end of that session Kathy showed me a printout that said, “You are not your thoughts,” which is not a deep or new thought, and also had nothing to do with anything we discussed. Kathy failed to demonstrate either insight or empathy, and she got fired.
So that’s my short list of reasons to look for a new provider. Fortunately there are more options than ever before. I found Kathy through an online service that has all kinds of virtual doctors. Like a dating site, I can pull up profiles, request appointments, and see how it goes.
On the one hand I see that I will need to be more cautious next time, taking the time to make the provider prove themselves before thinking I can continue working on my issues. Just like with dating, I shouldn’t have jumped right into bed with Kathy right away. When I got to know her I didn’t like her.
On the bright side, I can take my time and shop around, and find the perfect partner for my best life. And I know that I will. | https://medium.com/narrative/when-to-fire-your-therapist-5b276b45dc72 | ['Art Nunymiss'] | 2020-05-26 19:28:09.041000+00:00 | ['Life Lessons', 'Mental Health', 'PTSD', 'Therapy', 'Self'] |
Timestamp parsing for time-series data analysis with Pandas and Python | Experiments with unique timestamps
1. List of timestamps with a standard format
ISO-8601 is a widely accepted international standard for time-related information exchange. In addition to timestamps that follow the ISO-8601 standard, a few others are also a “standard” format as far as Pandas is concerned. This means that there is some set of timestamp formats that Pandas can parse very efficiently. An exhaustive list of these is not available (as far as I know) but in general, timestamp formats with all parts of the date and ones that start with the year seem to fall under this category.
So now, let us see how these methods perform when given timestamps of a known standard format. The formats of the timestamps are consistent throughout each dataset. We test the performance with datasets of different sizes given to the applicable methods.
Comparing different methods when the timestamps are of a standard format | Image by author
The results show that Pandas.to_datetime significantly outperforms time.strptime in this instance. The pre-built lookup method also marginally outperforms the time.strptime method. However, it is still well short of the performance that Pandas delivers.
2. List of timestamps with a non-standard format
Now, if we run the same tests with datasets that have a non-standard timestamp format (e.g. 13–11–2000 04:50:32), we see some differences.
Comparing different methods when the timestamps are of a non-standard format | Image by author
We notice here that Pandas.to_datetime with a specified format performs the best and a plain time.strptime loop comes in second place. The pre-built lookup method spends too much time building the map and therefore, its performance suffers. Pandas.to_datetime without the infer option also takes a long time because of the repeated format-inference of each timestamp string.
We also see some curious behaviour with the results of Pandas.to_datetime with infer. We see that it performs exceptionally well until it hits a dataset size of close to 20000. And then it performs the same way as Pandas.to_datetime without infer. What is going on here?!
This behaviour happens to be a side-effect of the dataset used in these experiments but it illustrates an important point. The dataset used in these experiments is a list of timestamps that starts with 12:00AM on January 1, 2000 and progresses consistently with an interval of 1 second. The format of the timestamp used is dd-mm-yyyy hh:MM:ss. Therefore, when Pandas tries to infer the first timestamp in the list, there is ambiguity about the format. This is because the timestamp string 01–01–2000 00:01:00 could be either in the format dd-mm-yyyy hh:MM:ss or mm-dd-yyyy hh:MM:ss!
So, when we have a dataset that starts with an ambiguous timestamp but has an unambiguous timestamp towards the end of the list, Pandas may realize that its inference is incorrect when it reaches the end of the list. It would then fall back to the behaviour of inferring the datetime format for each timestamp string individually. This would cause the performance of the operation to be similar to the case when infer_datetime_format = False.
Experiments on datasets with duplicates
The datasets used thus far have had no duplicates in them. However, in the real world, we are often dealing with datasets that have repeated timestamps or multiple datasets from the same time period. In the industrial intelligence domain (in which I currently work), it is not uncommon to process scores of datasets together from the same time-range and therefore, there is a lot of duplicated timestamp strings between all of them.
In the following experiments, we’ll see how our choice of timestamp parsing may change based on how much duplication we have within our dataset.
For the following experiments, all datasets contained 1 million timestamp strings. During a test, different numbers of duplicates were infused into each dataset while keeping the dataset size fixed. The lowest number of duplicates infused was 0 (all unique), and the highest number of duplicates infused was 100 (each timestamp in the dataset had 99 other copies).
Experiment with timestamp strings of a standard format (and consistent throughout dataset)
Pandas performs well with or without duplicates when the timestamp format is standard | Image by author
We see here that Pandas.to_datetime is an easy choice when dealing with a standard format. And as expected, memoization and pre-built lookup mapping improves as the number of duplicates in a dataset increases.
Experiment with timestamp strings of a non-standard format (and consistent throughout dataset)
Memoization and pre-built lookups performing better than Pandas when the timestamp format is non-standard | Image by author
But when the format of the timestamps is not standard and there are some duplicates in the dataset, memoization and pre-built lookup mapping both perform significantly better. In fact, I recently used the pre-built lookup mapping method to parse a large collection of timestamp strings and it saved me over 8 hours! | https://towardsdatascience.com/timestamp-parsing-with-python-ec185536bcfc | ['Sudeep Gowrishankar'] | 2020-11-07 17:01:01.876000+00:00 | ['Big Data', 'Data', 'Getting Started', 'Data Science', 'Python'] |
Time to DRY those IaC configurations with env0 and Terragrunt! | But, what does keeping your configurations “dry” mean? Having dry configs allows you to sanitize your terraform configuration files for use in multiple environments at once. Let’s say your code looks like this:
└── live
├── prod
│ ├── app
│ │ └── main.tf
│ ├── mysql
│ │ └── main.tf
│ └── vpc
│ └── main.tf
├── qa
│ ├── app
│ │ └── main.tf
│ ├── mysql
│ │ └── main.tf
│ └── vpc
│ └── main.tf
└── stage
├── app
│ └── main.tf
├── mysql
│ └── main.tf
└── vpc
└── main.tf
Each one of the environments have multiple components. In a traditional Terraform environment, you would have multiple sets of the same configuration files, that are all almost the same, but you have to edit the specific config info for each of the different environments. With Terragrunt, you can have “remote terraform configurations” where you store the clean terraform files in a separate repo, and then just call on it in remotely from any place you need it, and only put the Terragrunt configs for each specific environment in their corresponding place.
└── live
├── prod
│ ├── app
│ │ └── terragrunt.hcl
│ ├── mysql
│ │ └── terragrunt.hcl
│ └── vpc
│ └── terragrunt.hcl
├── qa
│ ├── app
│ │ └── terragrunt.hcl
│ ├── mysql
│ │ └── terragrunt.hcl
│ └── vpc
│ └── terragrunt.hcl
└── stage
├── app
│ └── terragrunt.hcl
├── mysql
│ └── terragrunt.hcl
└── vpc
└── terragrunt.hcl
This kind of operation can be very helpful when you have a lot of different environments or very complex environments at scale.
For more information on Terragrunt, check out our friends at Gruntwork. You can also find them on GitHub.
So how do I use it in env0?
This is the easiest part! You can set up your templates with your Terragrunt repo’s the same way you set up your Terraform repo’s today. Just click Create New Template as you normally would, and then select Terragrunt. | https://medium.com/env0/time-to-dry-those-iac-configurations-with-env0-and-terragrunt-12f8a937a067 | ['Tim Davis'] | 2020-12-21 15:27:29.977000+00:00 | ['Terragrunt', 'Automation', 'DevOps', 'Terraform'] |
[Live Prayers] Friday Khutba — 8th March 2013 — What is Hell Part Two | We have now changed the way we broadcast our live khutbas every Friday. We will not longer be embedding the video here on our site, but you will need to visit our new host website on LiveStream.
Todays broadcast, starting at 12.30pm UK GMT, can be seen via the link below;
Watch our LIVE BROADCAST
Please note the video will automatically appear on the page at approx. 12.30pm UK GMT. | https://medium.com/virtual-mosque/live-prayers-friday-khutba-8th-march-2013-what-is-hell-part-two-d16e625451ac | ['Virtual Mosque'] | 2016-04-09 17:56:33.648000+00:00 | ['Khutba', 'Live', 'Friday'] |
This is THE BAD INFLUENCE — “Be daring, be different, be impractical, be anything that will assert integrity of purpose and imaginative vision against the play-it-safes, the creatures of the… | 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/the-bad-influence/this-is-the-bad-influence-be-daring-be-different-be-impractical-be-anything-that-will-assert-f5d8c514f60f | ['Reuben Salsa'] | 2020-12-16 05:34:12.181000+00:00 | ['Writing', 'Salsa', 'The Bad Influence', 'Self', 'Short Form'] |
Home Security with HDWiFi Cameras | The advantages of HD Wi-Fi Cameras for home security
The present market offers various extraordinary outdoor and indoor security cameras that a helpful property holder can introduce themselves. The only thing you need to decide is the place to install them. The complete manual for home security with HD Wi-Fi cameras establishment is the strategy you have to plan, position and introduce your reconnaissance gadgets.
WiFi Cameras
Security cameras are more amazing assets than one frequently might suspect. The fact of the matter isn’t just to deflect wrongdoing, even though that is a significant piece of it. Here are various ways security cameras can support you:
· Give a strong visual impediment
· Recognize passing vehicles and their plate numbers
· Overview the zone when you’re nowhere to be found
· Distinguish fires
· Distinguish interruption (line crossing)
· Distinguish suspicious traffic (for example somebody investigating the house)
· Article expulsion recognition (know when somebody expels things from your patio or shed)
· Send a warning when somebody is at the edge of your home’s edge
· Confirm whether contractual workers showed up and left when they said they did to guarantee they charge the right sum.
Kinds of security products
Amcrest cameras have received well known in the previous decade as information move rates over wi-fi expanded, and remote associations turned out to be progressively dependable. These are regularly utilized for general reconnaissance, infant screens, and caretaker cams.
Conventional Wi-Fi cameras, otherwise called IP cameras, have power lines that must be connected to the wall to control the camera. This is valid for both indoor and open-air remote cameras.
While moderately simple to introduce for indoor use due to access to electrical plugs, it can turn into more confused when these cameras are set outside.
Dependent upon your home’s structure wiring, the establishment of these cameras may require some craftiness to limit uncovered wires.
Wireless cameras are battery-controlled and, because they use Wi-Fi, have no outside wiring.
It’s Easy to Expand Your System
As you and your family develop and change, your necessities change as well. The remote innovation is compact, adaptable, and adjusts to you.
With your kid in transit, you should add a camera to your nursery without any issue. At the point when your children become increasingly versatile, you can add additional sensors to kitchen cupboards or the cooler.
In case you’re traveling more for business and need to procure a pet sitter, it’s easy to add a shrewd lock to allow them to travel every which way.
No matter what you may need to include for your future, you can be sure since your security network will grow when the opportunity turns up. | https://medium.com/@amcrestusa/home-security-with-hdwifi-cameras-9bb2255b5cc8 | [] | 2020-03-06 11:51:32.322000+00:00 | ['Outdoor Security Cameras', 'Wifi Cameras', 'Ip Cameras', 'Security Products', 'Security Cameras'] |
Using Query Tile Pro to boost your Azure DevOps Dashboard | Dashboards ❤
Metrics should be easy to find, easy to understand and easy to keep an eye on. When collecting Agile metrics such as Lead Time or Cycle Time, most of boards/dashboards systems have automatic widgets or reports and Azure DevOps board is one of them. And if you don’t find a “native” solution, you can download one of the many widgets at Extension Gallery. Here I’m going to talk about my favorite widget to get more complex metrics, the ones that involve aggregation and math operations with more than one query result set.
Query result tiles are an easy solution if you have to keep track of the total number of work items, for example, how many bugs or the sum of Story Points you have in an Iteration. But if you want the number of tasks instead, the default Query Tile won’t work. And this is where Query Tile Pro comes in.
As its publisher Mattias Sköld wrote, you can summarize field values, calculate min and max values on all fields, including text & date fields and much more. Here I’ll show you how you can include the widget in your dashboard and understand basic and advanced configuration modes.
Adding the widget
Before adding Query Tile Pro to your dashboard, you need to add it to your organization. On a dashboard, click on Edit, and on Add Widget, click on the link “Extension Gallery”.
Let’s explore the Extension Gallery
Query Tile Pro is the first result:
After clicking on it, it will open the main page of the product. Now click on Get it free, select your organization and click on Install. When it’s installed, it will show you this page, and you’re ready to go!
To add to a dashboard, open the desired dashboard, click on Edit and after clicking on Add Widget, it should appear in the list as the rest of the widgets. Just drag and drop or click on “Add”.
Configuring Basic Mode
What to do when we want to count the children of a User Story? It’s pretty easy using Query Tile Pro. Let’s calculate how many Bugs we have inside new User Stories.
First of all, you need a query that returns all Bugs inside new User Stories.
See that “2 linked” in the count results? That’s what we want.
Although Query Tile Pro doesn’t force you to save queries in Shared Queries as Query Tile does, I recommend it if you are going to use in a dashboard that other people than you have access.
Now, add the widget to a dashboard and open the Basic mode. In Query, select the query you created. As we want the count of the children, select Children for filter and Count for aggregation. Hit enter to update the result in the tile:
Now finish your tile adding a Title and a Subtitle!
Now save and enjoy your new tile :)
Configuring Advanced Mode
In Advanced Mode we can create variables, therefore, make math operations! Let’s calculate the User Story percentage in our backlog.
First, you need a query that returns all User Stories and one that returns everything.
All User Stories in backlog
All in the backlog
Again, I recommend saving the query in Shared Queries if you are going to use the tile in a dashboard that other people than you have access.
Now, add the widget to a dashboard and open the Advanced mode.
To set up your first variable, select the query that returns all User Stories, and give this result a name. This name can’t have spaces. Also, in this case, select All for filter and Count for aggregations, as we want the number of all User Stories.
Now, click on Add query. Yes, I know it doesn’t look like a link or a button. And it doesn’t show the “hand icon” that shows something is clickable, but it is. Please believe me ;) When clicked, it shows another group of configurations fields(name, query, filter, and aggregation).
Now, complete selecting the query that returns everything and giving this variable a different name. Select All for filter and Count for aggregation again.
Now, having all the count results we need, we have to input the Result expression. Let’s start simple: allUserStories/allInBacklog. After adding the expression, press Enter to make it update the result in your tile.
I had 2 User Stories and 2 Bugs in my backlog (4 items in total), so the result is 0,5
But we want to show as a percentage, so we need to multiply it by 100, and now the Result expression is (allUserStories/allInBacklog)*100. Hitting Enter again we will see 50 as a result.
Tip: as result expressions can get more and more complicated, I strongly suggest to use parenthesis when making calculations. It’s easier to see what’s been computed first.
Now that we have the right result, let’s finish the configuration. Set up a Title and a Subtitle:
And let’s set that when this number is below 80%, it should turn red.
Conditional formatting is pretty simple when comparing values. But what if I need something more complex? What if my problem is having less than 80 US, but only when we’re on the second half of the month? In this case, we should use “Expression” instead of “Value”.
We need some JavaScript for this one, and our expression is:
(@value < 80) && (new Date().getDate() > 15)
“(@value < 80)” is what we already had, when the result is less than 80.
“(new Date().getDate() > 15)” is getting the day of today and comparing to 15 (the half of the month). Here we have some examples of date manipulation in JavaScript (ps: I have not tested all these options yet).
And between the two expressions, “&&” is a logical operator, and it means that both expressions must be true to color the tile. Your widget config should look like this:
And that’s it!
Be happy!
These examples were just the tip of the iceberg we can do with Query Tile Pro. I hope I helped you to set it and now your life is easier and your dashboards are more complete. If you have already done even more complex uses of Query Tile Pro, please let me know so I can include here and help more people! | https://medium.com/@crismotinha/using-query-tile-pro-to-boost-your-azure-devops-dashboard-105e79dffd45 | ['Cris Motinha'] | 2019-05-17 17:14:14.707000+00:00 | ['Azure Devops', 'Metrics', 'Dashboard', 'Agile', 'Query Tile Pro'] |
Bisk Volunteers Help Brighten Last Days of School for Young Students | I’m sure we all remember those days of sitting in elementary class as summer break inches nearer. Your teacher has become the real-life version of Charlie Brown’s teacher. You know, her mouth is moving and you hear some noise, but you are too busy thinking about something more important, like not being at school all summer.
As the years have passed, I have learned that teachers look forward to summer break with similar exuberance. The only difference is in how the adults channel this anticipatory energy.
At Bisk, we are working to play a greater role in improving local and national education experiences year-round.
One small part of this effort was the volunteer opportunity we organized in May to read with students at Limona Elementary School in Brandon. Knowing the 2015–16 school year was nearing a close, teachers and students alike were grateful for this activity.
Our Bisk team worked with Hillsborough County Public Schools for volunteer approval and Assistant Principal Ms. Crim to coordinate logistics to have seven team members spend 30 minutes reading to various individual classes from kindergarten to 5th grade. Our group also prepared a short presentation about Bisk’s history and how we help student accomplish their higher education goals.
We also prepared a fun marketing activity where the students worked in small teams to create a marketing ad to tell people why Limona is such a great school. They were then given a few minutes to present their marketing message. The kids enjoyed the activity and the teachers certainly appreciated seeing the creativity used to describe their school.
At the end of the experience, we walked away from Limona with a deeper appreciation for teachers and certainly fond memories of these wonderful kids; and just a few days later, the kids and teachers alike were able to jump head first into summer break.
Written by Ryan | https://medium.com/lifeatbisk/bisk-volunteers-help-brighten-last-days-of-school-for-young-students-91d91c5d0f9c | [] | 2017-01-24 18:57:28.800000+00:00 | ['Employee Engagement', 'Bisk For The Better', 'Education', 'Company Culture', 'Employee Experience'] |
U.S. Autonomous Drone Maker Skydio Grows Momentum in Japan’s enterprise Market With High Profile Customers | U.S. Autonomous Drone Maker Skydio Grows Momentum in Japan’s enterprise Market With High Profile Customers Skydio Follow Nov 16, 2020 · 4 min read
Customers include telecommunications giant NTT DOCOMO, NTT West subsidiary Japan Infra Waymark and leading drone services provider FLIGHTS
TOKYO — November 16, 2020 — Skydio, the leading U.S. drone manufacturer and world leader in autonomous flight technology, today announced it is seeing rapid adoption of its solution in the Japanese market with several enterprise customers, including telecommunications giant NTT DOCOMO, NTT West subsidiary Japan Infra Waymark, and drone services provider FLIGHTS. This news comes quickly on the heels of Skydio’s recent announcement of the establishment of their first international office and subsidiary, Skydio Japan. As demand for Skydio products grows across the world, the company plans to expand its presence into additional countries in the Asia Pacific region next year.
“We are excited to see such quick traction in Japan, and look forward to increasing our investment in the broader region next year” said Tom Moss, CEO of Skydio’s subsidiary for the region, Skydio JAPAC.
Japan Infra Waymark (JIW) is a spin-out from NTT West that is tasked with helping to pioneer new solutions to inspect the tremendous amount of aging infrastructure in Japan, which is going through a rapid population decline. Drones are powerful and cost effective tools for inspection, and autonomy is the key to deploying these solutions for safe and reliable operation. JIW has already purchased several hundred Skydio 2 drones, using them in hundreds of infrastructure inspection projects across Japan.
“In 2019, we traveled all over the world, meeting with all of the top drone companies, and immediately recognized Skydio 2 as the most advanced drone for use in infrastructure inspection thanks to it’s unique autonomous capabilities” said Takumi Shibata, CEO of JIW.
Separately, NTT DOCOMO (DOCOMO), the mobile telecommunications giant who previously invested in Skydio as part of the company’s series C round of fundraising, has selected Skydio as the drone provider for DOCOMO’s recently launched drone management solution called docomo sky®.The solution provides a comprehensive platform for managing drone operations across the country.
“Skydio’s advanced autonomy is unparalleled, and I am excited to bring these revolutionary drones to the Japanese enterprise market. Together with docomo sky®, Skydio drones will reduce the stress of drone pilots and help them to better focus on the work they must do. Moreover, we are excited about fully autonomous workflows in the future which will help to solve social issues in Japan,” said Hisakazu Tsuboya, Senior Vice President, General Manager of 5G & IoT Business Department.
“I still remember feeling amazed the first time I encountered the autonomy technology of Skydio and was convinced that their core technology is indispensable for the safe and efficient enterprise use of drones,” said Mr. Takashi Hara, President of NTT DOCOMO Ventures, Inc. who led the investment into Skydio.
Skydio additionally announced that FLIGHTS, a leading drone services provider, is planning on using Skydio drones in a wide number of inspection and mapping missions across several industry verticals.
“Skydio’s solution will allow drone missions to be undertaken more safely, more efficiently, and at a lower cost than with any other drone,” said FLIGHTS CEO Shuhei Taoshita. “We believe that Skydio will catalyze a significant expansion of commercial drone usage in Japan.”
These customers represent a powerful validation of the value of Skydio’s autonomous drone solutions. Skydio Autonomy is the AI-powered brain built into every Skydio drone, which enables a breakthrough flight experience and can be extended to perform end to end automation of complex workflows. These solutions enable Skydio drones to fly themselves with the skills of an expert pilot or serve as an expert copilot, with 360° obstacle avoidance, even in GPS-denied environments.
Building upon the success of its popular Skydio 2 (S2), Skydio plans to introduce X2E in Japan in the next fiscal year. X2E pairs breakthrough autonomy software with a rugged, foldable airframe for easy “pack and go” transportation, and up to 35 minutes of flight time. X2E is equipped with six 4K navigation cameras for 360° obstacle avoidance and a dual sensor payload that includes a 12MP color camera and a 320x256 FLIR® thermal sensor. From situational awareness and asset inspection to security and patrol use cases, X2E enables enterprises, first responders, and civilian agencies to ramp their drone fleets with minimal training. Designed, assembled, and supported in the USA, X2E provides a higher degree of supply chain security.
Skydio Japan is located in Minato-Ku, Tokyo.
To learn more about Skydio visit: https://www.skydio.com/
Contact Page for business inquiries: https://pages.skydio.com/Contact.html
Media Contact, Japan: [email protected]
Media Contact, U.S.: [email protected]
Media Kit
About Skydio
Skydio is the leading U.S. drone manufacturer and world leader in autonomous flight. Skydio leverages breakthrough AI to create the world’s most intelligent flying machines for use by consumer, enterprise, and government customers. Founded in 2014, Skydio is made up of leading experts in AI, robotics, cameras, and electric vehicles from top companies, research labs, and universities from around the world. Skydio designs, assembles, and supports its products in the U.S. from its headquarters in Redwood City, CA, to offer the highest standards of supply chain and manufacturing security. Skydio is trusted by leading enterprises across a wide range of industry sectors and is backed by top investors and strategic partners including Andreesen Horowitz, Levitate Capital, Next47, IVP, Playground, and NVIDIA.
Contacts:
Aircover Communications:
Morgan Mason
[email protected] | https://medium.com/skydio/u-s-autonomous-drone-maker-skydio-grows-momentum-in-japans-enterprise-market-with-high-profile-15e085d19f44 | [] | 2020-11-16 19:08:35.328000+00:00 | ['Technology', 'Drones', 'Tech', 'Inspection', 'Infrastructure'] |
Berkenalan dengan Sublist3r si pencari subdomain | Sedikit tentang Sublist3r,menurut mas @aboul3la Sublist3r adalah :
Sublist3r is a python tool designed to enumerate subdomains of websites using OSINT. It helps penetration testers and bug hunters collect and gather subdomains for the domain they are targeting. Sublist3r enumerates subdomains using many search engines such as Google, Yahoo, Bing, Baidu and Ask. Sublist3r also enumerates subdomains using Netcraft, Virustotal, ThreatCrowd, DNSdumpster and ReverseDNS. | https://medium.com/@saepulawr/berkenalan-dengan-sublist3r-si-pencari-subdomain-3995c6597cf8 | ['Saepul Anwar'] | 2020-12-05 17:39:10.100000+00:00 | ['Tools', 'Subdomain', 'Python', 'Pentesting'] |
How to Handle Common Selenium Issues Using Python (Part 1) | How to Handle Common Selenium Issues Using Python (Part 1)
Written by: Amal Hasni & Dhia Hmila
Photo by Olav Ahrens Røtne on Unsplash
I have recently had the idea to use Selenium with Python to automatize some repetitive tasks on SAP for a client. And as it always is the case when getting your hands dirty with code, I started to come across some challenges I never saw coming. Having spent a lot of time going through the internet trying to find the most suitable solution for each issue, I thought to myself:
How nice it would’ve been if I had found everything I needed gathered in one place, ready for use ?
So, to make your lives easier, I gathered in this article, the answers to the most frequent issues a user could encounter when using Selenium along with ready to use code snippets written in Python.
P.S. If you don’t feel at home yet with Selenium basics, you can check out our Getting started with selenium article first:
And now let’s jump right into some action!
How to download files using Selenium WebDriver
When using Selenium to automate navigation, you might need to download files. The problem is, as soon as we select and click on the download link, a native dialog window pops up requiring manual intervention. Selenium having no control over your browser’s file download windows, cannot go through with the download process. Fortunately, there are always alternatives.
To work around this problem, you can give your browser authorization to automatically download files beforehand and set a default download file location. This can be done by setting preferences for the WebDriver profile (the code below is for a Firefox browser, you might need to adapt it for it to work on other browsers):
You might have noticed the CONTENT_TYPE variable that you need to replace. It actually corresponds to the MIME type of the file you’re downloading. If you’re not familiar with this term, a MIME-type is simply an identifier used to recognize a type of data for contents on the internet. It serves the same purpose on the Internet that file extensions do on your os.
To simplify the task for you, I scrapped the MIME types for the most common extensions from Mozilla’s web docs, for easy access. In the widget below, you’ll find the code to use to get the content type corresponding to your file extension. You can use the console to try it out immediately!
Graphical interface to retrieve MIME-type
You can get the JSON file by either copy-pasting from the widget above or downloading it from Github.
Now, your WebDriver should be able to go through with downloads without asking for permission or displaying any dialog windows 😉 | https://medium.com/geekculture/how-to-handle-common-selenium-issues-using-python-part-1-bb38029c0a04 | ['Amal Hasni'] | 2021-01-07 12:26:31.622000+00:00 | ['Selenium', 'Programming', 'Automation', 'Web Scraping', 'Python'] |
A convenient Amazon seller Account Setup checklist to drive deals | A convenient Amazon seller Account Setup checklist to drive deals
The date you sign up for an Amazon seller account, the time starts.
With your first month to month account charge coming through the following 30 days, you are relied upon to meet all Amazon execution measurements from the very beginning.
Before you bounce in carelessly and begin selling on Amazon, there are various steps we empower any potential seller to take before conduct the seller account registration process.
Amazon seller account checklist
To go through the full registration method for an Amazon seller account, you will require a bunch of data readily available, including:
1. Business information
Your official company name, address, and contact information.
2. Email address
An email address that can be utilized for this business account. This email account should be prepared already, as you will begin getting crucial emails from Amazon almost immediately.
3. Credit card
An internationally payable credit card with a genuine billing address. Whether the credit card number isn’t original, Amazon will cancel your registration.
4. Phone number
A phone number where you can be accessed during these registration methods. Furthermore, have your phone nearby during registration.
5. Tax ID
Your tax personality data, including your Social Security number or your organization’s Federal Tax ID number.
Asks to work through before registering your seller account
A portion of the coordination of being an effective seller ought to be worked out before you set up the dealer account, as you probably won’t have as much an ideal opportunity to address these after you begin.
1. Where do you decide to send Amazon order returns?
As an Amazon dealer, it is basic that you consider your bring process back.
· Is it accurate to say that you will deal with the Amazon returns yourself, or send them to an organization that spends significant time in testing/evaluating returns and making the item ready to move once more?
· Who in your group will deal with Amazon client requests?
The key isn’t simply having the entirety of the appropriate responses, yet in addition regarding Amazon’s requirements to react to all client requests inside 24 hours, any day of the year.
Consequently, making sense of who is on point (with conceivable backups) is one basic operational issue that ought to be tended to before opening your Amazon seller account.
2. If you decide to use Amazon’s fulfillment by Amazon program, will you co-mingle your items?
Amazon gives FBA merchants this possibly deadly choice of sending item into Amazon’s Fulfillment Centers, where they may get coexisted with other FBA sellers’ items.
This may bring about your items getting stirred up with fake or poor quality adaptations of what you imply to sell.
Tragically, if a mixed together unit gets picked to satisfy a request for you, you are left disclosing to Amazon why a client complained about getting a fake thing.
You have to work through this issue at an early stage in such a case that you choose to utilize FBA however not utilize the mixed together choice, you have to initiate your record to turn into a “stickered” FBA account before ever making your first FBA shipment into Amazon.
While it is conceivable to turn into a stickered account, later on, it can immediately turn out to be exceptionally convoluted on the off chance that you have just sent some item into FBA as a stickerless item.
3. Do you decide to use a DBA name to operate your Amazon seller account?
While a few organizations have authentic motivations to utilize an alternate client confronting name, Amazon is additionally a spot where numerous vendors deliberately cover their character.
Explanations behind doing this incorporate not needing brands to realize that they are selling online, or the brand is really the affiliate and doesn’t need its other retail accomplices to realize that it is selling an item online direct to buyers.
4. Have you checked to see if the items you decide to list are in categories that Amazon has gated?
Amazon has limitations on who can sell in specific classes and keeping in mind that the ungating process is generally conquerable, it’s imperative to perceive that if your desired classifications are gated, you should apply to get ungated.
Survey Amazon’s endorsement class page before you choose to register on Amazon to study the ungating process and whether it applies to your item classifications.
Important knowledge and skills for Amazon sellers
The Amazon commercial center has its own setup rules and guidelines yet in addition its own mix of skills that each dealer should master decently fast to succeed productively and long-term.
These include:
· Stellar marketing content to create product listings
In the event that the items you are selling are now sold by others on Amazon, this is less significant on the grounds that you will undoubtedly wind up adding your proposal to the item posting that is now set up (expecting you to give just essential estimating, accessible amount and SKU name data).
· Clear understanding of your items sourcing avenues
In the event that your items sell well on Amazon, do you realize how to recharge rapidly enough to stay away from broad stock out periods?
In the event that you work in close-outs and one-time gets, you will be unable to recharge the equivalent SKUs effectively, yet ought to have very much characterized measures for including new stock, as your Amazon money position improves.
· A developed method for identifying and addressing stale inventory
While everybody needs their items to sell, the fact of the matter is there will consistently be some that don’t offer well and should be exchanged or sold on different channels to help convert the stock once more into working capital.
Amazon has apparatuses to help FBA vendors distinguish flat stock, while the non-FBA Amazon merchant should screen its stock by SKU to make sense of what may be advanced for the quicker deal.
· Know how much time is needed to get listings incorrect place after you’re registered as an Amazon seller
Amazon doesn’t charge another merchant until the finish of the main month on Amazon, during which time the vendor ought to have made its item offers and initiated probably some with sellable stock. | https://medium.com/@amazon-consultant/a-convenient-amazon-seller-account-setup-checklist-to-drive-deals-5b77b939661a | [] | 2021-06-01 06:16:43.209000+00:00 | ['Amazon', 'Amazon Seller Account', 'Amazon Fba', 'Selling', 'Deal'] |
TechnoSoc: Sociologists of Digital Technology | So what, exactly, is this 350+ online community of tech-focused social scientists you’ve been hearing about? We, the administrators of TechnoSoc: Sociologists of Digital Things (SDT), wanted to share with you what we do, what members get out of it, and how it works. There’s also a lot of new and exciting stuff in development. So we’ll share a bit about that, too.
Who are we?
SDT is a member-led community of sociologists who study digital phenomena in any capacity and/or study social life using digital methods. We are a diverse grassroots collective aiming to help one another with questions we have about research, readings, teaching, jobs, and more. We also organize community activities for those who are interested. We host all of this primarily on Slack.
Who is it for?
The only condition for entry is a substantive interest in the sociology of digital life (a student interested in the field, a professor studying this work, an industry researcher, etc.). This means that even if you don’t have a degree in sociology you can still join.
What’s in it for you?
We’ve done a bit of research on our own community (social scientists, am I right?) and so we have a pretty good handle on the key needs and value of SDT to members. They include:
Feeling part of a community : activities centered on shared connection and support
: activities centered on shared connection and support Getting help with research and teaching: literature suggestions, data sources, research design crits, reading groups, syllabi sharing, and paper feedback
literature suggestions, data sources, research design crits, reading groups, syllabi sharing, and paper feedback Celebrating milestones : you deserve it!
: you deserve it! Getting a job: academic or otherwise, including industry internships and jobs in the tech sector — like sharing job market advice and resources
What, specifically, is already cooking in SDT — and what is planned for the near future?
We have a number of different initiatives within SDT that map to those aforementioned needs. You can get the skinny on all of it on our somewhat lengthy starter guide, but here’s a descriptive overview:
When new members join the Slack we direct them to the #intros channel, an area where all new members say a hello and share a little bit about themselves. To me, this is one of the most fun parts — while many of us will respond with warm welcomes, some community members inevitably share research interests and connections start to form. Not super tech-savvy? No sweat! We’ve got a channel for no judgement Q&A to get help with technical issues. We’re working on a how-to video to use the Slack, too.
From there, participation is very “choose your own adventure.” On Mondays, we host a “standup,” or a weekly ritual to check in with everyone and share what they’re up to that week. We also have a 1:1 coffee meetup program, where those who join are randomly assigned a new member to connect with every month or so. Soon, we’ll even have a ‘who’s who’ guide to the Slack, where members can learn who’s in the community and what types of connections and opportunities others are looking for (like mentoring, paper feedback, etc.). We’ll also be hosting a series of Ask Me Anything (AMA) events, where researchers will answer questions community members ask them about their work and their careers.
There are also many opt-in sub-communities that members join, covering topics like research questions, teaching questions, student life, computational methods, data resources, research on video gaming, influencers, labor, artificial intelligence and machine learning, misinformation and polarization, scholarship by/centered on BiPOC/POC, and more. We also have sub-communities specifically for BiPOC/POC and first gen members In these groups you’ll find topic-centered discussions among like-minded researchers. If you’re looking for more formally run programs, we’ve got those too! Consider our writing accountability group, and our upcoming works-in-progress and research training workshops.
You may want help getting ready for job applications, and so you might participate in our upcoming industry research mentorship program. Or you’ll follow channels where we share job postings and offer feedback and advice on the process. Soon, we’ll have a place where hiring committees and hiring managers can peruse a list of our members who are on the market.
We also help get the word out there about your work. We have a channel for those interested in public writing about their research. We also maintain an expert database of social scientists of digital things for use among educators, journalists, and in applied contexts.
Enough already. How do I join?
Apply here! The only requirement to join SDT is a dual interest in sociology and digital technology use.
Sincerely,
Ande Reisman, Angèle Christin, Angelica Maineri, Christine Tomlinson, Christopher Persaud, Daisy Lu, Diana Enriquez, Didem Türkoğlu, Jenny Melo, John Boy, Julian Posada, Liz Marquis, Lucy Li, Madelaine Coelho, Mary Beth Hunzaker, Matt Rafalow, Michael Dickard, Michael Miner, Morgan Johnstonbaugh, Nga Than, Rida Qadri, Sam Jaroszewski, Sarah Outland, Seyi Olojo, and Susana Beltran-Grimm | https://medium.com/@mrafalow/technosoc-sociologists-of-digital-technology-9b9a37672be4 | ['Matt Rafalow'] | 2021-04-08 14:55:27.785000+00:00 | ['Digital', 'Digital Technology', 'Social Science', 'Research', 'Sociology'] |
Behind Closed Doors | 12/26/2020
This story is about a girl named Amy. Her parents are very wealthy and famous. Outsiders would say she has the perfect little life, but that's not true… Amy was homeschooled up to age 10. Her parents (Noah and Anais) thought their child might be lonely, considering she is the only child. When she starts school, everything messes up. Years later she gets bullied and sent death threats. Amy thinks of giving up and committing suicide, but little did she know she would meet someone special. The question is, will Amy commit suicide or will this new person stop her from her death?? Read Behind Closed Doors to find out!! {COMING SOON}
NOT THE STORY!!!! | https://medium.com/@snowbutterfly/behind-closed-doors-755530d2b1af | [] | 2020-12-26 11:23:00.425000+00:00 | ['Life', 'Sad', 'Suicide', 'Love', 'Famous'] |
Oru Nadigai Nadagam Parkiral Review | This is the novel by Jayakanthan. This story revolves around how a drama actress leads her life and what is her visualisation about life and about relationship.
Come let us see the storyline!
Kalyani , a 33 year old lady is Devadasi by birth and drama actress by profession. Ranga, a widower works in media and writes review about her drama. Kalyani was previously inspired by his stories which he wrote 10 years back.Both came to know about each other by Annasaamy who helped Kalyani’s family a lot.
Kalyani had an attraction towards Ranga and wrote a letter without her name and asked him to contact if he found who wrote that. Ranga asked for an interview with Kalyani and he interviewed her.He was inspired by her intelligence.
Both started to love each other and thought of getting married.But there came a misunderstanding regarding love. Ranga asked to leave her drama company but Kalyani refused.He found that Kalyani saw the life as a drama and she was a character in that and that is why she loved persons without having any expectations from them.They applied for divorce and started to live without seeing each other. After 3 months, Ranga found that it was wrong on his side and tried to change him.At that time, he came to know that Kalyani had some disease by which she can’t able to walk.
Ranga realised that even if Kalyani doesn’t love him he loves her and why should I expect the same from her.He decided to apply for divorce and thought of living with Kalyani .For the first time , Kalyani refused for divorce and he was happy on that.They started living without expectations.Just live !Don’t complicate things much!!! This is the ultimate thing that the author suggests! | https://medium.com/@thirumagaldhivya-dhivya123/oru-nadigai-nadagam-parkiral-review-7d32164e0b47 | ['Thirumagal Dhivya'] | 2020-12-09 17:57:28.410000+00:00 | ['Reading', 'Jayakanthan', 'Tamil', 'Novel'] |
MailPanda Review — From A Real User With Special Bonuses | MailPanda Review
Introduction
We all know an email list is the most precious asset an online marketer has.
“The money is in the list” is key to earnings.
Profits, success, and fame, but there is a BIG problem that’s stopping all of us from making MORE money from our lists. I’m talking about being dependent on autoresponders like Aweber, GetResponse, or Mailchimp, that maintain and mail our lists… because if there’s EVER a break in their service, your business is as good as dead.
Your revenue => drops to $0. Just like that.
Here’s a flagship cloud autoresponder you can own for LIFE
– plain out refuses to let you import your list
– loses your leads due to archaic processes like double opt-ins
– can shut you down at any time they want to
… Not to mention they’re charging HUGE monthly fees which amount to $228/year at a MINIMUM (for just 500 subscribers!). This amount could run into the thousands per year if you have a substantial list size
Today, MailPanda changes everything.
MailPanda is your own cloud-based autoresponder that makes emailing your leads as simple as clicking a button. This software is a lifesaver for both newbies and experienced marketers alike. It gives YOU the power of emailing your lists with no monthly fees and no restrictions!
Just import your list directly and it can mail
Connect it seamlessly with SMTP for free
Direct API integration with pay-as-you-go services like Sendgrid or Mailgun
Advanced features like scheduling or throttling
It’s just launched and it’s a revolutionary new software that comes with a one-time fee.
Please keep reading my MailPanda Review For more details.
Product: nameMailPanda Vendor: Daniel Adetunji Front-end price: $17 Homepage: https://getmailpanda.com/unlimited Release Date: 2020-Dec-16 Release Time: 10:00 EST Niche: General Recommended: Very High Skill levels needed: No need any skills Support: Effective Response Bonuses: Mega 700 Bonuses Value At $296,389 Refund: 100 Day Money Back Guarantee
MailPanda Review — What right?
MailPanda is a completely incorporated email advertising framework that causes you to assume full responsibility for your missions and produce monstrous benefits without paying unusual expenses.
About Creator
Daniel Adetunji developed MailPanda for months.
He was also behind Stock Haven, ImagePanda, Instant Social Success, BUZZ, PixieLogo, SociClicks, SmashTraffic, ClikBankProfits, Stockily, DFY Profit Suite, PitchBolt, SociLiveStream, ProfitPixar, etc.
The proof is in the pudding so join my MailPanda review for what you are looking for.
What Are the Features of MailPanda?
This is what you will get when buying MailPanda:
Outline dashboard
Effectively see counters about the number of email records, crusades, endorsers, email formats yet additionally late missions subtleties and a nitty-gritty late action report.
Email lists management
Manage email lists, list subscribers, list segments, custom fields, list forms, and list pages.
Email lists tools
Need to split a large list into multiple smaller ones? Or sync existing email lists? Use this section for these types of actions.
Email blacklist
This is a customer only email blacklist that applies to each email belonging to the customer, therefore email addresses listed here will never receive any communication.
Drag & Drop Editor
Start with a blank canvas to build your email from scratch or kickstart your design process with one of their ready-to-go email templates.
Suppression lists
Suppression lists can be selected per campaign basis so that the campaign does not send to subscribers in the selected suppression lists.
This is complementary to the email blacklist.
Campaigns management
Manage regular, autoresponder, or recurring campaigns. Create campaign groups or custom campaign tags.
Email box monitors
System administrators can allow you to add your own email box monitors and decide how many they are allowed to add. Then you can manage them from here.
Sending domains
System administrators can allow you to add your own sending domains and decide how many they are allowed to add. Then you can manage them from here.
API keys
Create API keys to allow external applications to connect to your account and run various actions like adding new subscribers, creating campaigns, etc.
It starts getting more opens, sales, clicks, and conversions from the lead you already have, all it takes is just 3 simple steps:
STEP 1: Upload Your Leads or generate from web forms.
STEP 2: Select any from high converting email templates in various niches.
STEP 3: Send or schedule unlimited emails to your unlimited subscribers and start getting results.
MailPanda Review — Is it Worth Buying?
As should be obvious, MailPanda is worked with the top tier email highlights. Your advertising results will increment over the rooftop.
It eliminates all the impediments of the current email specialist co-ops. Indeed, MailPanda’s in a class.
It is the best autoresponder accessible pass on, also the most moderate arrangement.
Decline to look at MailPanda and you deny tremendous simple paydays.
BONUSES
MAILPANDA REVIEW — WHY SHOULD YOU INVEST IN THIS?
Above all else, MailPanda in a real sense has assisted individuals with multiplying their email advertising benefits. It is a total beginner well-disposed programming with amazing outcomes. No requirement for specialized aptitudes, no cerebral pains, no limitations, no additionally speculating game, no all the more losing your business to money sucking email autoresponders.
You should simply set up, transfer, and send an email and let the product deal with the rest. Presently you can make and send profoundly captivating and benefit pulling email crusades in under one moment.
Despite the fact that with only a few basic advances, you can get 3X additionally opening and snaps with no additional endeavors. Items or administrations should be possible without spending a fortune on promotions and thus, you can create more leads and deals than any other time.
Besides, you can get the most progressive email autoresponder for a profoundly limited one time cost for only 7 days and put your email showcasing at max speed.
Additionally, you can feel tied down gratitude to its 100 Days Money Back Guarantee. They will allow you to attempt MailPanda for 100 days and send the same number of messages with it as you may like and inside these 100 days, if there is some issue that their group can’t resolve or doesn’t give full fulfillment, they will handle your discount immediately.
Click on Visit To Website | https://medium.com/@superaffiliatesysteme/mailpanda-review-from-a-real-user-with-special-bonuses-ffcd4b4f640 | ['Nancy Johnson'] | 2020-12-16 23:37:07.552000+00:00 | ['Mailpanda', 'Mailpanda Bonus', 'Mailpanda Honest Review', 'Email Marketing Tips', 'Mailpanda Review'] |
Do As I Say, And As I Do | or Raising Kids That Are Socially Aware
From birth to adulthood, parents the world over want to create better for their children. Sometimes it seems more difficult than we think. Sometimes what we feel is best for them, we find they may disagree with later.
We are currently living through moments of civil unrest and children may not be able to process the information before them. If, like me, you are a parent that struggles yourself with the state of the world, it can be daunting to help your child process what they see. That doesn’t mean that we should simply ignore it. While my child is currently too young to have discussions on institutionalized racism and the myths of race, colorism, the historical systemic racism that is found in most countries (let’s be honest), that doesn’t mean we can’t help her see the world through inclusive eyes.
Although it definitely feels different in the US, especially with this current string of protests and activism and support from the greater community. But like many will tell you, we have been here before. Many times.
So where do we go from here? While outside, policy changes are needed to rectify the situation there are things you can do in your home in order to raise children that are more aware. So I’ve pulled together some resources that might be helpful.
In the end, we must lead by example. Our children learn from us what is acceptable in the world and what is not. If we keep them from our conversations, how will they learn?
We need more diverse books! Period. Exclamation mark!
A list of resources for those looking for diverse materials for adults and children from We Need Diverse Books.
There aren’t enough but it’s a start.
If you’re interested the The Brown Book Shelf held a # KidLit4BlackLives with a replay now available.
Teachable Moments
We all know when they happen, that awkward moment that feels as if we don’t grab it could slip through our fingers never to be seen again. If this feels like that for you then this may be the opportunity you need to talk to your child about the “why’s” and “who’s” and “what’s”. We may not have the exact right words and that’s the point, parenthood is not perfect but bringing awareness to something we may feel inclined to let pass us by, makes our children also think.
If the conversation makes you feel awkward and unsure, that’s ok. Parents are allowed to not have the answer to everything, but at least trying to engage with your child at their level is a start.
Rebecca Bigler, Professor Emeritus of Psychology and Gender Studies at UT College, where her research focuses on racial stereotyping and gender role development in children as well as gender neutral language, states that children learn about race much younger than we think they do. Which is why these conversations are important from an early age.
For more examples on how to speak to children in a way that they understand check out her example in this NYT article from 2014, “ Talking about racism with white kids “.
Be the change you want to see in the world. Ghandi
We can be our childrens’ moral compasses by leading and walking in step with values and morals that embrace diversity, allow for conversations on change and promote understanding.
Because they are always watching. | https://medium.com/@jessysantana/do-as-i-say-and-as-i-do-4773d74d280e | ['Jessy Santana'] | 2020-06-05 13:33:36.440000+00:00 | ['Raisingsociallyawarekids', 'Diversity And Inclusion', 'BlackLivesMatter', 'Parenting Advice', 'Parenting'] |
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year 2021 Wishes | Merry Christmas and Happy New Year 2021
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year 2021
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year 2021. In the new year not only does the calendar change from the New Year, but you get a beautiful moment of 365 days of new life, new opportunity, a new goal, new dreams, which belong to you.
New Year’s Wishes of 2021 (Friends & Family)
Happy New Year
May the days be filled with love and affection and nights of peace,
Sorrow and hatred may be gone forever,
Everyone has such desires in their hearts,
Best wishes for a happy New Year…
Whatever your dreams are in your eyes; And whatever desires are hidden in the heart; May this New Year make them come true, This is our wish for you! Happy New Year! Forget the past Settle in the heart for tomorrow Smile whatever the moment Tomorrow will bring happiness Happy New Year
The new year came and light Open the lock for luck Always be on top of you This is what your lover wants May your home be blessed with happiness this year Lack of wealth, you become rich Keep smiling Happy new year to you wholeheartedly
There should be no sorrow, no sorrow, No eye should ever be moist of anyone! No heartbreaks anyone, Leave no one with anyone! Just the river of love flows, Wish this be so 2021 .. !! Happy New Year wishes to All… !! January went, February went, Gone are all the festivals…! The world is swinging in the New Year Bella Now, which you had eagerly waiting Happy 2021 year for you… !!
In this way, New Year 2021 will begin, Love will be with everyone, Nor will there be any talk of sorrow, Because there will be a rain of happiness in the new year. The new year came as light Your lock of luck should open Always be kind to you Because tomorrow is a new year coming
Keep this relationship up Keep the lamp burning in the heart The journey of 2020 was very sweet To do the same in 2021 As the new year approaches, Start another evening of your love, Staying together live births May every moment be filled with love,
New Year has brought flowers scattered in your path New Year has brought the scent of deafening smells Happy New Year …
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year Wishes 2021
1. Comes every year, goes every year, this year you will get all that your heart wants.
“Good Luck for New Year 2021”
2. Forgotten yesterday, tomorrow to come
Laugh and laugh whatever the moment
This coming tomorrow will bring happiness
Wishing you a very Happy New Year 2021
3. A new beginning with a new ray, a new day with a lovely smile, wishes you a happy new year, with my blessings.
4. In the new glory of the new year, decorate dreams in life, fulfil your dreams, live every day in life.
5. In the New Year, this morning message, come every day in your life, special happiness. New message with a new ray.
New message with a new ray A new day with a lovely smile Happy new year to you with many wishes Happy New Year 2021
6. Passed 2020, forgot what went wrong, embrace this new year 2021.
7. I am sending a New Year wish, keep it on heart, Happy New Year 2021.
8. This Christmas your enthusiasm, full of love and happiness, may this year bring happiness and joy to you.
9. Christmas festival gives you a thousand happiness, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year 2021.
10. I am not sending any cards, nor am I sending any flowers, I only wish you a very happy Christmas and Happy New Year 2021.
11. I wish you well and good health in this Christmas, Merry Christmas.
Related Topics:-
Greetings Card 2021| 10 Best Greetings for Christmas 2021| | https://medium.com/@ananyashaw4370/merry-christmas-and-happy-new-year-2021-wishes-8643c5b65a6a | ['Ananya Shaw'] | 2020-12-20 14:48:37.262000+00:00 | ['New Year 2021', 'New Year', 'Christmas Gifts', 'New Year Resolution', 'Christmas'] |
The Infamous ACL Tear: Part 1 | Life isn’t over
Preface
I am writing this article to share my experience after tearing my ACL, to give people hope and understanding about getting through recovery optimistically, and at the right time. Feel free to reach out if you have any questions — I will work on future articles to share updates about my recovery progress.
Intro
I had been playing soccer a few days a week, working out, running, and everything in between to stay active and enjoy the warm weather after a winter spent mostly on the slopes and in the pandemic. I was in the best shape I had been in after quite a while, what else could I have asked for?
At 25 years old, in the shape I was in, the diet I was on, the daily care I put forth to keep my body limber through stretching and extra healthy with vitamin consumption, I never would have thought that I could tear my ACL. Before this, I never had a serious injury that set me back more than 2–3 weeks of some R+R, but low and behold, no one is impervious, not me nor professional athletes, especially not soccer players.
And then it Happened
But then after one bad play, I went down and I instantly knew something wasn’t right. I felt and heard something I never had before — I couldn’t even put weight on my leg, and that is when I knew — I definitely tore something.
The next 2 weeks I spent making calls, having a few doctor visits, getting X-rays and MRIs, until I had the lifechanging facetime with a sports Medicine Specialist who said the words I had been praying I wouldn’t hear — “You tore your ACL.” So yeah, I cried a little, this was a new feeling and realization I didn’t know how to deal with. I went from playing soccer minimum 5 days of week, among other physical activities, to not having a day in sight wherein I could return to what was my normal life.
Post Realization
After I received the news it took a little while for me to really “accept it.” I sat for a few days, or rather laid on the couch immobile in pain, trying to play back the incident and conceptualize how it could have happened, if it was real or just a bad dream, and if there was anything I could have done to prevent it. This quickly became futile and harmful — and once I recognized this I realized I had to move forward, there was no going back and no gain in dwelling in the “what ifs”
I mustered up the strength to start my research, reach out to physical therapists, sports medicine specialists, and surgeons, and get the ball rolling. It was far too early to know when any next steps would occur, but I couldn’t waste time on being equipped with knowledge and starting the healing process, knowing it was going to be a long and uphill battle.
Before the Surgery — Requirements
You have to be “cleared” for surgery, which is dictated by satisfactory reduction of swelling and a sufficient Range of Motion (ROM) replenished. This is critical as it makes the surgery more complicated with these disturbances, so ideally you start physical therapy right away to focus on these.
Pro Tip: always stay in touch, even weekly, with your surgeon to monitor progress
After some time with physical therapy, I followed up, went in for a checkup and was now “cleared.” I overcame the first hump — getting physically ready for surgery.
Pro Tip: I did PT with a specialist 3x a week, at home 10x a week. This drastically sped up the pre-surgery prep time
I asked the surgeon coordinator what dates were available, wherein she told me only Wednesdays. I next had to take on the hardest part of the journey prior to surgery, deciding when to have the surgery.
Build Support Network
This is definitely a tough time and not one you want to go through alone. Be honest with yourself and your friends, as well at work. Take some time for mental health and seek help whenever needed. I am super grateful for my family and friends that have been supporting me, as well my boss Yanir and co-workers that continue to lend a hand when and where needed.
Considerations because “There’s no perfect time”
Cleaning out your closet, getting a gym membership, starting a new hobby, investing, buying yourself a gift, asking out your crush…. there’s no perfect time. The same holds true for the surgery, there really is no perfect time. “The sooner the better” is often a good prescription, but there are many things to consider, so at the end of the day you have to decide when is right for you, if ever.
The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now.
At least a day or two prior to the surgery, you will probably want to take off from work.
You will have to fast before the surgery
You may be on pain killers and anesthesia that will prevent you from returning to work for a few days
Your appetite and bowels will be off for a few days
You may have difficulty showering for a few days
You will be on crutches for minimum 2 weeks
You will be in a hard brace for a few weeks after that
Now that you’ve digested the period immediately after the surgery, there are some other things to consider. For me, I had several travel destinations in mind I was planning to visit in the months following my anticipated surgery window, but given the time it takes to really “heal,” I simply could not do them all. Waiting a few weeks for one, would delay the surgery, which isn’t inherently bad (will discuss more later), but would put at risk going on later trips. I had to select what was more important to me — certain trips with friends and some more time for prehab, or faster recovery and trips with family. It was tough in the beginning, naturally I wanted to do everything, but that would have been a Herculean feat I wasn’t looking to run the risk.
In the long run, the travel and getting back to soccer, which are huge parts of my life, was good enough reason to start the countdown timer. I looked at the calendar, I gave myself a little buffer for both a few more fun weekends, and plenty of days to do physical therapy and prehab, and locked in a date.
Mentally, this motivated me more than ever, because I “had” to “be ready” for the surgery. I made prehab my second job and got my fitness back to a local maxima, which greatly improved the outcome of the surgery and the start of the recovery period thereafter.
Do you need surgery?
I am not a doctor, so I strongly encourage you reach out to a professional physician for final say, but I can give you things to consider to help you aid in your decision. You first need to decide what you are looking for in terms of tear life, which is quite simple.
The Truth: If you fully tore your ACL, are under the age of 40, and/or want to return to an above average athletic life with activities that utilize the ACL (lateral and balancing movements) — you should most probably get the surgery.
If you go through with it, you can delay it quite a bit — as long as you aren’t constantly doing activities that could cause major imbalances, there isn’t a lot of research done on the effects of waiting for the surgery
— as long as you aren’t constantly doing activities that could cause major imbalances, there isn’t a lot of research done on the effects of waiting for the surgery Did you fully tear it? If not, you are in luck, and it is certainly possible it could heal on its own.
Can I live a normal life after? Yes, you can, just be aware some activities will be difficult. If its fully torn, “the damage is already done,” but you could cause imbalances depending on the lifestyle you have.
There isn’t such thing as “waiting too long” — it depends on your goals, however if you don’t have a reason to delay it and are planning to get it, you should.
Regardless of the nature of the tear, getting surgery done (at a minimum PT) will help to reduce scar tissue, promote ligament repair, and most importantly decrease the risk of Arthritis in the knee
Prehab
This is exactly what it sounds like — it is rehab before your surgery.
You’re probably asking yourself, and rightfully so, why on Earth would you do rehab before surgery for your leg, when you’re not going to be able to use the gains and be bedridden after the surgery? You are right to be perplexed, and many Sports Medicine specialists are switching to this model because
after years of recent research it has been statistically proven that both the surgery and recovery have better success correlated to overall leg fitness.
This is simply an extension on the need for physical therapy before surgery to reduce swelling and increase Range of Motion, but with greater emphasis on fitness and strength. Different specialists have different opinions on how long, how much, and what types of Prehab to do. It is not a requirement, but could be very beneficial if done safely and helps with your goals.
Pro Tip: Collect multiple opinions and find a physical therapist that understands your goals.
Once I started physical therapy, about 3 weeks after my injury, I would go 3x a week, coupled with 10 total times of at home PT per week. After doing this for 2 weeks, I started to continue to increase the difficulty of my PT (at home and in the gym).
My physical therapist and I agreed I was “ready” for the surgery, in that I had met the pre-reqs, but I wasn’t satisfied with my fitness level and wanted to raise the bar. For roughly 5 weeks after that, I started adding in weekly full leg routine, slightly adjusted to avoid ACL-intensive exercises, but nonetheless, I was doing non-negligible amounts of weights and resistance. This also included a few days per week of light cardio on ellipticals, bikes, and stair-masters. By the end of 5 weeks all swelling had dissipated, I had a full range of motion, and I had quite a bit of new muscle growth and definition.
If you looked at my legs, you couldn’t tell a difference between the two, and based on my workouts and mobility, you definitely wouldn’t have suspected I had a torn ACL. This is where the mental game became increasingly difficult. Barring a few motions and acute isolated exercises, I felt “fully recovered,” which on paper I was, again, barring the ability to do those things.
However, I reminded myself that it was the very things I could not do, that were among the most crucial. So I could squat, deadlift, leg press, etc., but I couldn’t do the two things I cared the most about — pivot on a dime for soccer and slide across the dance floor after completing a 360 (I can write a whole separate article about dancing, but I will spare you that). With this in mind, I was now mentally ready.
Types of Surgery
Granted, once I told the Surgeon I was ready and picked a date, I didn’t think I would have to make any more decisions. Unfortunately, that was not the case, but fortunately, the following question, as daunting as it was, is becoming increasingly easier to answer as technology and research improve.
The question was as follows, “what type of graft do you want, autograft or allograft?” So first I am thinking, what the heck is a graft? A graft is simply a “sample” (segment) of bone and/or tissue from somewhere else, that is used in transplant surgeries. In this case, translated from Latin roots, auto means self and allo means other, and that’s what these are — you can get a graft from somewhere else in your body or get a graft from someone else.
At this point I had no idea how to make a decision so I did some research on the pros and cons of both, and I strongly encourage you to do the same.
Note: Graft adoption is the process by which the body accepts the new ligament/tendon/etc. and works to re-incorporate into body itself, similar to how stem cells work.
Autograft
Pros:
higher success rate of adoption
They are “cheaper”
Lower risk of infection
Cons:
You are getting “2 surgeries” (there’s the additional cut to remove the graft, albeit small depending where it comes from)
You may have to do extra work in PT and it may take longer to heal overall depending on the location of the graft
2. Allograft
Pros:
You only have the need one for one surgery (incision)
You are more likely to heal faster (overall, depending on quality of graft and surgery)
Cons:
They are more “expensive”
You need to trust and rely on your doctor to obtain a high quality graft
There is lower risk of adoption and higher risk of infection
So what is the verdict? On paper it look like Autograft is a clear winner, but this is definitely between you and your surgeon. In my case, my surgeon, who I strongly recommend you connect with if feasible, recommended the allograft for the following reasons:
As an athlete, he didn’t want to disrupt other parts of my body so I could heal faster
He directly works with the sourcing of Allografts for his practice
He has had great successes with his grafts
I took his recommendation and in less than a week I am already comfortably walking, albeit slowly, and making great progress on my ROM. It is early, but I am optimistic and look forward to sharing updates in the near future
Reminders
Stay positive: its going to be okay
its going to be okay Stay motivated: you dictate your recovery by how hard you work on your PT
you dictate your recovery by how hard you work on your PT Stay educated: do your research, and ask a lot of questions
do your research, and ask a lot of questions Stay connected: reach out to friends and professionals for any questions you have
reach out to friends and professionals for any questions you have Find yourself a PT and Surgeon practice that works before for you
My Doctor
As I mentioned, I had a phenomenal experience from start to finish with my Surgeon and highly recommend him. He is extremely well-educated, with many years of experience, in and out of the operating room, with thousands of surgeries under his belt.
His name is Doctor Stuart Fischer, and you can learn more about him and his practice here! | https://medium.com/@tylercitrin/the-infamous-acl-tear-part-1-18057f119785 | ['Tyler Citrin'] | 2021-07-06 15:38:26.747000+00:00 | ['Surgery', 'Soccer', 'Optimism', 'Recovery', 'Health'] |
Demo version will be published 28/03 at 11:00 UTC | Huge news! Demo version of our Cryptoscanner and Cryptonews will be published tomorrow at 11:00 UTC.
Visit: https://algory.io
Join our Telegram Group: Algory Project | https://medium.com/algory-project/demo-version-will-be-published-28-03-at-11-00-utc-b92c9e8a3b58 | ['Tomasz Przybycien'] | 2018-03-27 21:09:45.806000+00:00 | ['Cryptocurrency', 'Blockchain', 'Cryptocurrency Investment', 'Crypto Trading', 'Trading'] |
Sikhism and the Gurudwara | From my experiences, Sikhs have always seemed like incredibly benevolent and optimistic individuals. I have been very curious to learn more about their religion and visit a Gurudwara (Sikh house of worship, meaning literally “Gateway to the Guru”). With the hospital unusually quiet this morning, today was my chance to break away and visit the most prominent Gurudwara in Delhi, the Gurudwara Bangla Sahib.
Sikhism is the fifth largest organized religion in the world. There are more than 19.2 million Sikhs in India and 700,000 in the United States. According to the pamphlet I was given, “A Sikh is a person who believes in one God [Ik Onkar] and the teachings of ten Gurus enshrined in the Guru Granth Sahib, the Sikh Holy Book.”
Once I arrived at the Gurudwara (after nearly two hours of travelling), I was given a tremendously warm welcome by a white-bearded volunteer who explained to me what I should do. There was a specific place for foreigners where I left my shoes and socks and was given a triangular cloth to tie around and cover my head.
I then joined the masses in washing my feet in a small pool of water and walked into the courtyard surrounding the temple itself. I followed everyone to the left as we entered to a long set of what looked like ticket windows.
I observed as people bought aluminum foil bowls containing food, deposited their receipts in a large metal drum, walked across the courtyard to two men who took half of it, and then walked into the temple with what remained. I was rather confused. I spoke to this man, who was taking half of everyone’s food, to learn more.
The congenial man taking half of everyone’s prashad
The man explained that the food was kadah prashad. For Rs 10 (20 cents), people bought a bowl, gave half as an offering to the Holy Book, and took the rest home. I tried to find out what happened to the half that was donated but struggled with the language barrier and let it go. I went back, bought some kadah prashad, gave the man half, and walked into the Temple.
The temple was rectangular in shape with live music and ceremonial procedures being conducted at an altar in the middle of the room (which contained the Guru Granth Sahib). To the left, right, and back of the space, people sat on the plush carpet and listened to the music in motionless solitude. The steady flow of worshipers moved clockwise around the altar, bowing at various significant points throughout the temple. I had noticed music playing outside but had not realized that it was coming live from inside the temple. The music was a seemingly integral part of the religious experience. It was loud, consistent, compelling, and amplified throughout the Gurudwara so that everyone could hear it. After a while, three new musicians rotated in, giving an entirely different feeling to the space.
After a while, I made my way to the exit, outside of which dollops of prashad that had been obtained at the entrance were handed to each worshiper. My questions were answered, at least partially. I took my prashad to the steps next to the exit and enjoyed the sacred pudding-like delicacy.
Man looking over the Sarovar and main temple
I continued to follow the worshipers clockwise around the sacred water feature called the “Sarovar.”
The entire Gurudwara was a flurry of activity and unusual rituals. This man was filling empty plastic bottles of all types with holy water.
Lining up for lunch
The Gurudwara Bangla Sahib is not just a temple; it is also a school, hospital, and kitchen. And what a kitchen it is! As I approached the kitchen and dining hall, hundreds of people were already lined up for lunch. Inside, the kitchen was stirring with dozens of volunteers and Gursikhs (Sikhs completely devoted to the ‘true’ guru). Groups of people from different races, ages, and religions rolled chapatis, cooked chapatis, filled and transported enormous pots of soup, cleaned dishes and silverware, and prepared the dining room for the next wave of diners.
In the Sikh tradition of langar, any person of any faith or background is welcome to eat at the Gurudwara for free. Between 10,000 and 20,000 meals are served here every day! All ingredients are donated and most of the workers are volunteers. The food is strictly vegetarian so that all may eat equally without restriction.
The next time I looked at the dining room, it was filled with obedient and hungry guests. Wanting to try some of the cooking, I went back to the front where the doors were just closing. As an obvious outsider, I was told to go around to the side, where I was let in and showed one of the last remaining seats on the floor.
Everyone sat in silence as chapati was handed to us and aloo (potatoes) and dal (lentil soup) were poured into our metal trays. I was amazed and impressed by the clean atmosphere, efficiency of the service, and quality of the food. Surprisingly, it was actually one of the best places I have eaten out in India!
After a few more chapatis and helpings of aloo, I deposited my tray and spoon at the exit. Feeling uneasy about taking food for free, I went back into the kitchen and spent 30 minutes rolling and flipping chapatis with the locals. Speakers in the kitchen and dining room played the continuous spiritual music from inside the temple. No one spoke, except when I would mess up and then they would all laugh and help me fix my mistake. Although I probably slowed production more than I helped, it was a fascinating undertaking to be a part of. | https://medium.com/squalor-to-scholar/sikhism-and-the-gurudwara-da2aebb98180 | ['John Schupbach'] | 2017-06-27 21:54:39.168000+00:00 | ['Philosophy', 'Religion', 'Travel', 'India'] |
Medium’s New Clickbait Guidelines Are Controversial — But I’m Fine With Them | Photo by Medium
A few days ago, Medium released the following story:
For those who didn’t read, it was an interesting guide detailing EXACTLY what Medium views as clickbait.
At first, I was a little apprehensive to like the changes, but after a second and third reading I must say I’m happy with their new guidelines.
As a publication owner who outsources all the editing to a very capable Stephen Moore, it’s nice to know what Medium wants and doesn’t want from us.
Now, on to the big questions..
How will these changes affect you?
What exactly do they say?
How will they affect Medium at large?
Let’s get into all of that. | https://medium.com/finding-tom/mediums-new-clickbait-guidelines-are-controversial-but-i-m-fine-with-them-629ef750f3b7 | ['Tom Kuegler'] | 2020-12-14 13:58:58.774000+00:00 | ['Creativity', 'Social Media', 'Medium', 'Art', 'Writing'] |
Why we created another payment system which are plenty out there? | Because most of them are not private, nor anonymous. We are tired of total and excessive governments’ and corporations’ control of our lives and finances. Control that is hardening every year on far-fetched grounds.
So we decided to make our own payment system “with blackjack and hookers”. It was not easy, because you can not use most of turnkey solutions and need to write all code from scratch. But we did it. Hope you like the result.
We definitely plan for further development. If you have wishes and suggestions, will gladly consider them.
Nixt.io payment system | https://medium.com/@nixtio/why-we-created-another-payment-system-which-are-plenty-out-there-bc0274fa9d16 | ['Nixt.Io Payment System'] | 2020-12-13 11:28:42.299000+00:00 | ['Payments', 'Payment Processing', 'Anonymity', 'Privacy', 'Nixt'] |
Privacy: Dash vs Monero | We’ve been asked by some of our users about the differences between Dash and Monero, two cryptocurrencies born out of a desire to make cryptocurrency more private and fungible. It should be noted from the onset that Monero on the lone dimension of privacy has greater guarantees than Dash. Monero is private by default where as Dash’s privacy can be characterized as an opt-in service, but we wanted to address this common question from our users nonetheless.
This post will cover Dash much more thoroughly than Monero since we already have a post detailing how Monero achieves privacy for its users. In this blog post I’ll give a brief bio of Dash, its distinguishing feature, describe how Dash’s Private Send works, and finally compare Dash’s Private Send to Monero. For a more in depth overview of Monero, its history, and how it achieves privacy please check out our previous blog on Monero.
Xcoin
Development of Dash was started in 2013 by Evan Duffield, an early Bitcoin adopter who set out to create a cryptocurrency that improved upon Bitcoin’s privacy and fungibility. In January 2014 Duffield announced a new cryptocurrency on BitcoinTalk called Xcoin. Xcoin was quickly renamed to Darkcoin until it was finally renamed in 2015 to its current name, Dash.
Master Nodes
The Dash network pioneered a unique governance structure with a two-tiered hierarchy of nodes and an explicit development fund that receives part of the regular block rewards. This is a sharp contrast with Monero which has no hierarchy of special nodes nor a special treasury to fund development.
At the top of the Dash hierarchy are a class of nodes called Master Nodes. Master Nodes serve a number of special functions and are at the center of what makes Dash unique. Master Nodes have a hand in governance of the network and provide services to users such as Instant Send (faster confirmation times) and Private Send which we will discuss later in more detail.
To operate a Master Node, one would have to prove that they own at least 1,000 Dash by signing a special message and broadcasting that to the Dash network in a transparent way. The owner of that 1000 Dash has to lock up those funds as collateral for the right to operate a Master Node. If any of those 1000 Dash move out of the operator’s wallet, the server that was a Master Node will no longer be able to operate as a Master Node.
Why would someone lock up 1000 Dash?
The Dash protocol doles out 45% of the block reward to the Master Node network and allows Master Node operators to vote on proposals related to the development of the network.
Private Send
As stated before, privacy is not on by default when using the Dash network but is rather a service offered by the Master Nodes. The name Private Send can be misleading to newcomers in that users are not sending any funds privately to other users. Private Send users are instead using a “mixing” service provided by the Master Nodes to obscure the source or origin of their funds from outside parties looking in at the Dash network.
The mixing service provided by the Master Nodes is modeled on an earlier project that many old school Bitcoiners know as CoinJoin. As the word mixing suggests, Dash users using Private Send mix their Dash with other Dash users who also wish to obscure the source of their Dash.
For those not familiar with mixing or CoinJoin imagine you and two other friends each have $20 bills. Let’s assume for the sake of this example each $20 bill is linked in some way to a previous transaction or to each friend’s personal bank account. A fiat “mixing” service would provide a service that would receive the bills from each user ,“mix” those bills, and return each bill to a new owner. If the fiat mixing service does this correctly, it should be very hard for outside observers to know which person owns which particular $20 bill. Each bill has been cleaned of any link to a previous transaction or a certain account.
To give context to how this works, we need to backup a moment. The Dash network like many other cryptocurrencies is transaction based. Standard Dash transactions can be seen by anyone since it is an open, public blockchain. If an outside party knows a particular Dash address they can see all of the transactions that go in and out of that address. Each transaction draws on inputs from a sending address and are spent as outputs, which refer to a receiving address the inputs were sent to. Inputs and outputs can roughly be thought of as the same digital cash with different names. Inputs refer to the digital cash previously owned by the sending address and the outputs refer to the same digital cash now in the control of the receiving address. This inherent link-ability between inputs, outputs, transactions, and addresses poses problems for privacy and fungibility in many blockchain based networks.
Dash’s Private Send attempts to solve this by mixing inputs from different users and dispersing them to those same users in a way that the outputs can no longer can be linked to the original inputs.
How does Private Send work under the hood?
First, a user’s wallet software will break a user’s transaction inputs into standard denominations: 10, 1, 0.1, and 0.01 Dash . Many “inputs” are not in clean, standard denominations and must be broken up into these denominations to mix with other user’s standard denomination inputs. In our earlier example of mixing fiat bills, we need $20 bills to be mixed with $20 bills for this mixing process to work. If the inputs amounts are not identical it becomes much easier for third parties to figure out the relationship between inputs and outputs.
After breaking up the inputs, the user’s wallet software then sends a request to a Master Node to communicate the user’s intention of mixing their inputs.
When two other users signal their intention to mix the same denominations at roughly the same time our hypothetical user does, a mixing session can begin. The Master Node mixes up the inputs and tells all 3 user’s wallet software to create a new address to receive the mixed up inputs they’re entitled to.
The user’s wallet software should repeat this mixing process a few times. Each session makes it exponentially harder to determine where the source of funds of the newly created receiving address came from. After a few mixing sessions, each of the three users will receive their Dash back to that newly created address. Remember that outputs are linked to inputs but when using Private Send the origin of the Dash funds on the new address are obfuscated from outside parties. In other words its very difficult to figure out where the Dash came from on that new address. Thus improving privacy and fungibility.
Dash vs Monero
Unlike Dash, Monero’s privacy features are on by default, meaning there is no other setting or special service to use. It’s private at the protocol layer. Every unit of Monero is fundamentally untraceable and unlinkable to any previous address with no possibility of outside parties seeing transaction histories of those units even if they know specific public addresses. Monero achieves this through the combination of two asymmetric key pairs, ring signatures, stealth addresses, and even hiding transaction amounts which we detailed in a previous blog post. The combination of these technologies provides privacy for the sender, receiver, and the transaction amounts in every Monero transaction. There is no opt out or opt in setting or service. If you wish to understand how this works, please see our previous blog post on Monero.
Dash, in contrast, only mixes inputs upon request by users and relies on the Master Node network’s ability to stay decentralized, relatively private, and provide a competent mixing service.
On the sole dimension of privacy, Monero has the edge. This is to be expected given Monero’s almost exclusive focus on privacy. In practice however, Private Send, although not as robust as a standard Monero transaction, might be good enough privacy for a user. In addition, a user might appreciate the other feature of Instant Send (fast confirmation times) as well as the difference in governance structure Dash provides, i.e. Master Nodes and a dedicated treasury for purposeful development of the Dash network. Monero has no analogous Instant Send and by in large continues the Bitcoin model of governance with a strict reliance on Proof of Work mining with no node hierarchy or explicit development fund.
Governance and the structure of cryptocurrency networks has and will continue to be a huge area of debate and innovation. Dash has been at the cutting edge of this debate since its inception eliciting derision and praise which inevitably happens when doing something different.
Dash in Edge
We support Dash in the Edge Wallet but we do not have support for Private Send at this time. We look forward to working with the Dash developer community to provide support for this feature natively in the Edge Wallet. Users that want to use Private Send today should check out the Dash community’s own wallet which will give users the ability to use Private Send as well as Instant Send.
We do not have a time-table on when these features would or could be added to the Edge Wallet but we’d love to hear from Dash developers who want to help make this happen! All of our repositories are open source and our lines of communication are always open.
Download Edge for iOS Download Edge from the Play Store Android APK Direct Download | https://medium.com/edgewallet/privacy-dash-vs-monero-8da5ecc4579c | [] | 2019-01-10 21:16:24.155000+00:00 | ['Bitcoin', 'Dash', 'Monero', 'Privacy', 'Cryptoasset'] |
Business Traps for Blondes.. A relative insisted I needed iTunes on… | A guide for business owners who have an AppleID, use dating platforms and on the whole believe that most people usually have good intentions.
In 2018 I began to understand the power of an AppleID. It starts off as something that is happy and lets you share photos with your devices and maybe a few friends. The next thing its a key to your soul and harbors evidence of something that is about to be twisted against you.
In 2012, my brother set up my first AppleID.
He wanted me to have an AppleID.
I should have asked more questions.
My home phone was set up as a trusted device. My brother failed to advise my landline could be used to reset my AppleID.
This was a good recipe for a stalker. Its much easier for a third party to send a code to a victim’s landline instead of their personal phone or computer.
If he wanted, he could access all my data by resetting the AppleID via my home phone. This was before facial recognition. Actually this was before a password was even required to access the iPhone. Of course he does not do this as I have no evidence.
But if I did have evidence. All he needed was the landline in the front room of the house and any device. Given I was usually in the kitchen (that was down the other end of the house) privacy was not a problem. The house had polished boards so my location was always easily tracked.
I also have early onset Parkinson disorder. A disability is attractive to organised crime. There are more weaknesses to leverage. Especially when another family member is involved. The entertainment can be guaranteed when one acts quickly without proper consideration and the other is more thoughtful (but will swiftly kick you under a bus whilst no one is looking). | https://medium.com/@digitalgarde/why-you-should-never-let-anyone-set-up-your-appleid-aede7a821c6a | ['Digital Garden'] | 2021-05-09 09:04:15.219000+00:00 | ['Apple Id', 'Cybersecurity', 'Thriller Suspense', 'Trust', 'Small Business Marketing'] |
The New York Giants 3 All-Time Leaders in Receiving Yards | The New York Giants 3 All-Time Leaders in Receiving Yards
A screenwriter based in New York City, Sawyer Petrick has written a script for the web series The Look and consulted on the feature film script The Speech. Outside of his work, Sawyer Petrick is a passionate fan of the National Football League’s New York Giants.
Sixty-eight players have recorded at least 1,000 receiving yards with the Giants since the team’s inception in 1925. Below are the team’s top three all-time leaders in that category:
1. Amani Toomer — Selected by the Giants in the second round of the 1996 NFL draft, Toomer spent his entire 13-year career with the Giants and recorded 9,497 receiving yards and 54 touchdowns. He won a Super Bowl with the team in 2007.
2. Odell Beckham Jr. — Despite playing only five seasons in New York, Beckham Jr. ranks second in team history with 5,476 receiving yards. He recorded 1,305 receiving yards in his rookie season in 2014 and was named AP Offensive Rookie of the Year. He joined the Cleveland Browns in 2019.
3. Frank Gifford — Inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1977, Gifford played for the Giants from 1952 to 1964, during which time he accumulated 5,434 receiving yards and 3,609 rushing yards. He played in eight Pro Bowls and won a championship with the Giants in 1956. | https://medium.com/@sawyer-petrick/the-new-york-giants-3-all-time-leaders-in-receiving-yards-1b5d06aa83f8 | ['Sawyer Petrick'] | 2020-12-26 19:01:21.812000+00:00 | ['NFL', 'Frank Gifford', 'Football', 'Ny Giants', 'Odell Beckham Jr'] |
Goodbye Jeffrey (Epstein) | If you’ve never been to prison, let me give you a hint. It’s a really strange place for a “civilized” inmate. Especially when you miss the train to Camp Cupcake and end up in a shithole like MCC federal prison — surrounded by a division of drug and gun slingers.
Generally tax fraudsters like me get locked up with other white collar criminals. But because I suffered a pending state charge (in addition to the federal one) and would have to make appearances in State court — and was a local with a “short” sentence (a year and a day), the Federal Bureau of Prisons parked me 300 yards from that New York State court — at the aforementioned MCC.
I tell y’all this because finding friends with whom to relate on any intellectual or spiritual level was probably the worst part of prison.
And while Paul Manafort (my 5th celly) wasn’t exactly my style, and Jeffrey Epstein was addicted to having sex with teenagers, they at least had some gray matter between their ears.
A breath of fresh air is all relative when you’re incarcerated in a prison with no “yard” — literally and figuratively.
And so with the exception of just two or three inmates during my entire stay, Manafort and Epstein were really the only two guys I could stand being around for more than a few minutes. (Actually, that’s not entirely true. I liked the Mexican dishwashers down on kitchen duty.)
Manafort was my celly. We lived in 70 square feet together. Hence, we were able to spend too much time in each other’s company. But Epstein was different. With the exception of the first day or two of his incarceration, Jeffrey was either in the SHU (special housing unit — protective custody) or a suicide watch cell because after a few days locked up in solitary, Jeffrey decided he might be better off dead than alive.
In total, Jeffrey spent two or three weeks in a suicide cell (he bounced back and forth). And I, as inmate companion coordinator (another of my prison jobs), made out the schedule to which all suicide watchers were subjected. I say “subjected” because there were times I had to assign inmates 3 AM shifts when I didn’t have enough “watchers” to accommodate their wishes.
But I digress. I made the schedules. And because I worked in the kitchen from 1 PM — 7 PM, I assigned myself the 7 PM suicide watch — so I could a) keep myself out of the unit where I really didn’t like to be…and b) hang out with my boy Jeffrey.
Because we were almost the same age, same religion, and grew up within a few miles of each other, Jeffrey and I had a lot in common. In fact, the first words out of my mouth when I first met him were (to the best of my recollection) “my name is Mersey. I’m here on a tax fraud charge for not paying my fair share on money I earned running an adult advertising agency for New York prostitutes. You don’t have to worry about me. I have my own money. I don’t need yours.”
After that overture, I quickly became his favorite inmate. “Mersey! You coming back tomorrow, right?” he asked once or twice when I left at the end of my four hour shift watching him. During one of the probably 10 or so 4 hour shifts I spent watching Jeffrey, an inmate named Lopez (another suicidal prisoner who was in the cell next to Jeffrey’s) told me that earlier in the day, the shrinks had visited Jeffrey and he’d requested me as his bunky. (Jeffrey was convening with his lawyers at the time Lopez old me this and wasn’t in his cell.)
I was his salvation in the inmate community. And once my rocket scientist friend had gone home (yes, I had a fellow inmate at MCC with a PHD in Astro-physics from Berkeley), I was really hurting for anybody to talk to. Jeffrey became my salvation as well.
Sometime in early August of 2019, I heard from the psychs that Epstein was going back to the SHU the next day. And I knew that night might be the last time I’d ever see him. He knew it as well. As soon as I sat down at my post, Jeffrey sat up and asked “Mersey! You need any money?”
Somewhat startled at his question, I managed to respond “I could always use money from a billionaire.” He laughed and answered “spell your last name and give me your reg number and I’ll put some money on your books.” (This could be done via his lawyer.)
I can’t remember what we talked about that night. But at 10 PM, Epstein excused himself to pass out (which was his usual routine. Come around 10 PM, he’d lie on his back with a sock over his eyes and be snoring within two minutes.) There was only one suicidal inmate that night. And once Jeffrey fell out, it was just me all alone with my thoughts.
Realizing I might never see Jeffrey again, I wrote him a note ridden with cliches along the lines of “one step at a time,” and “day be day,” et al, and slipped it under his door. I wanted him to feel he still had a friend in spirit — if not in his immediate vicinity.
The next day, Jeffrey was placed back in the SHU and we heard nothing until about a week later when at the usual time our cells would be unlocked and the boys would line up for breakfast, we were informed “you guys are locked in. Epstein killed himself and there are federal gents all over the building.”
I was at once stunned, saddened, and angry that because Jeffrey had “hung up,” I was now stuck in my cell and eating bologna sandwiches for the duration. Well…what can I say? Another day at MCC federal prison — but this one without the expectation that I might see my buddy ever again. And no, he never put money on my books…if you were wondering. | https://dollarbill108.medium.com/goodbye-jeffrey-epstein-7fa8ca25ae84 | ['William', 'Dollar Bill'] | 2020-10-05 10:35:12.450000+00:00 | ['Life Lessons', 'Prison', 'Jeffrey Epsein', 'Life', 'Paul Manafort'] |
National Institute of Urban Affairs, IIT-Roorkee to Suggest Guidelines for Accessible Cities | National Institute of Urban Affairs, IIT-Roorkee to Suggest Guidelines for Accessible Cities MediaMarg May 8·2 min read
The National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA) in collaboration with the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Roorkee, and support from the Ministry of Housing and Urban affairs have successfully conducted public consultation meetings for revisions in guidelines and standards areas of universal accessibility in built environment in India. The consultation meetings were in the backdrop of ‘Building Accessible Safe Inclusive Indian Cities’ (BASIIC) program supported by FCDO, UK government.
The meetings, were held with persons with disabilities, elderly and their caregivers, women, and children on virtual platform. The broad objectives of the consultation were to understand the diverse needs of identified groups in different facets of independent life, understand the problems faced by them in the everyday life due to the inaccessibility of urban infrastructure and services, the IIT informed. The IIT claims that from their experience and suggestions, they would work towards introducing several improvements in the guidelines.
The discussion was divided into housing/residential, healthcare, mobility, education, employment, and recreation — five critical components of urban life with an overarching theme of assistive or smart technologies. The consultations had more than 40 participants from across the country on each day sharing their views and experiences.
Prof. Ajit K Chaturvedi, Director, IIT Roorkee said “In collaboration with NIUA, IIT Roorkee aims to foster the creation of accessible built environments with a human-centric approach. The workshops witnessed meaningful participation from diverse groups including persons with disabilities, the elderly, caregivers, women, and children. These sessions will lead to the development of Harmonised Guidelines for Universal Accessibility in Built Environments.”
Major concerns discussed included age-appropriate features in housing or apartment design, safety of personal information, significance of mixed land-use development, anthropometrical mismatch in housing, maintenance of streets and public spaces, absence of ramps and use of slipper materials in flooring etc.
Improper Implementation, lack of sensitivity in society/practitioners and need for stringent monitoring mechanisms were identified as overlapping concerns in both the consultations.
Hitesh Vaidya, Director, NIUA said “A city is for everyone. It is important for us to be more cognizant of the needs of vulnerable population groups i.e. children, elderly, and persons with disabilities. One of the key elements of Inclusive planning is participatory approach. The consultations will not only act as an insightful tool to mainstream the inclusivity and universal accessibility, but will also provide inputs to develop strategies, to make future cities more accessible and inclusive.”
The insights from these consultations will support in suggesting appropriate revisions in existing Harmonised Guideline and space standards for persons with disabilities and elderly, from the lens of universal design and inclusive planning.
Read all the Latest News, Breaking News and Coronavirus News here
Source link | https://medium.com/@mediamarg/national-institute-of-urban-affairs-iit-roorkee-to-suggest-guidelines-for-accessible-cities-1830d2c791a6 | [] | 2021-05-08 11:30:55.882000+00:00 | ['Educationnews', 'Iitroorkee', 'Iit', 'Smartcities', 'Latestcourses'] |
Dirt Wart Soldiers | Photo by DenisProduction.com taken from ShutterStock
This is war down in the south
My mountain of mud is tall as the trees
My brother leads his two man militia
Uphill and on towards their victory
The rubber on our make believe horses
Chews up the pavement catching leaves
Riding far from teenage generals
I slam the breaks and skin my knees
Every scar and scab reminds me
Of the battles we fought in vain
And the memory of our daydream conflict
Rewrites our painful history page by page | https://medium.com/@fibonascii/dirt-wart-soldiers-37e6ccab9b06 | ['Reagan Kirby'] | 2021-01-29 05:11:30.959000+00:00 | ['Short Story', 'Short Fiction', 'Poem', 'Written Tales', 'Poetry'] |
CAN BABIES REALLY READ ? | By The End of This Story. You Will Not Only Get The Answer to That Question You Will Also Learn How to Teach Your Baby How To Read !!
Indeed, They Can! All infants are Einstein’s with regards to figuring out how to peruse. Your child can really figure out how to peruse starting at 3 months old enough. Examination shows that from this early age, infants can learn dialects, regardless of whether, composed, unfamiliar or communication through signing effortlessly. It requires no exertion for the creating infant to learn dialects. They in reality retain the language that encompasses them.
Open door Babies have a favourable position over most of us. They have a quickly creating cerebrum. This permits them to easily learn and retain mass measures of data, all before their fifth birthday celebration. The specialists allude to this time of exceptional mental health as a “Basic Period” or a “Open door”. That essentially implies that during this timeframe, it is viewed as the ideal opportunity to present certain things. Abilities, for example, figuring out how to peruse, are gained with minimal measure of exertion during these periods.
teach your baby how to read CLICK HERE (AFFILIATE)
The cerebrum develops through use. By invigorating your child you are developing and fortifying the mind and its associations, called neural connections. These are for the most part vital in the improvement of your youngster’s acumen. We can do this by giving rich, invigorating conditions for our children. We can open them to unknown dialects and communication through signing. We can likewise instruct them to peruse.
— -
It’s Easy! Encouraging your child to peruse might be the least demanding of the above decisions. You may not have the foggiest idea about some other dialects. You may not realize how to sign and you might not have the opportunity or assets to learn. That is the reason encouraging infants to peruse is so natural thus fulfilling. Since you definitely realize how to peruse, it is a characteristic advance to show your child to peruse too.
The System Babies figure out how to peruse utilizing the entire word technique, additionally called sight perusing. Heaps of infants have figured out how to peruse utilizing this straightforward and astonishing framework. Infants that figure out how to peruse utilizing the entire word technique, normally become familiar with the guidelines of phonics all alone or with next to no openness to phonics exercises. Nonetheless, we suggest that guardians of kids ages 4 years and up utilize a phonetic framework to educate perusing.
How It Works Teaching your child to peruse should be a good time for your infant. The thought is to keep their advantage in the thing you are introducing.
— The principal rule in encouraging infants to peruse is to make the words huge. Their creating visual pathway doesn’t permit them to peruse words at the text dimension we are familiar with perusing.
- Secondly, you need to show them the words rapidly. They are learning at staggering rates. At the point when we instruct children to peruse, we should remember that they can be figuring out how to speak Chinese, French, Spanish and English with no exertion, all in the exact day. You should likewise show the infant the words rapidly. In the event that we attempt to encourage an infant to peruse by having them gaze at words they will lose interest. It requires a brief moment for your kid to deal with the word you are introducing to them.
- Thirdly, you should express the word in an unmistakable voice. It is ideal to utilize a marginally more shrill tone, which falls into place without a hitch for a great many people when they address babies in any case.
- The last advance for accomplishment in instructing your infant to peruse is recurrence. You should introduce the words frequently all together for your kid to dominate them. As your kid advances in their program, they will dominate new words at an unbelievable rate. In the start of your child’s program, you should introduce a word somewhere in the range of 15 and multiple times to guarantee authority. As your program advances, your youngster will dominate new words in the wake of review them just 2 or multiple times.
How They Progress When instructing infants to peruse, you start with single words. After we have instructed between 30 to 50 words, we start to join the words to frame couplets or word sets. From that point we progress to expressions, sentences, and afterward book.
We suggest that after your youngster has figured out how to peruse numerous words that you do acquaint them with phonics.
It is energizing to hear your child read their first word. Obviously, you won’t hear your infant perusing until your infant can talk. This doesn’t imply that you need to stand by until your infant can talk to educate perusing. As you read this article you are doubtlessly not perusing resoundingly, yet you are as yet perusing.
Evidence If you are dubious that children can peruse, go to the video down howl. see with your own eyes how multi month old Caleb can peruse in such a manner it will make you go WOW. also, the stunning thing is you can show your infant to do likewise.
TAKE ME TO THE VIDEO (AFFILIATE) | https://medium.com/@lonniezack/can-babies-really-read-5a9b110ab963 | ['Zaky The Simple Citizen'] | 2021-03-25 22:49:05.956000+00:00 | ['Baby', 'Parenting', 'Kids', 'Family', 'Motherhood'] |
Financial Freedom: An Effective 5 Step Formula to Break From Overwhelming Debt | When economic times are unpredictable, people tend to lean on credit facilities to make ends meet. Actually, it’s amazing how most Americans are accumulating debts since most rely on credit to meet their daily expenses. There is no denying that credit can help you get through some tough financial patches but if you are not prudent with its utilization, it’s easy to ruin your credit scores.
Financial freedom has different definitions and the perception depends on an individual. The exact picture is heavily dependent on values and preferences you hold. Attaining financial freedom is coveted by most people. Nevertheless, the hard truth is that it can be out of reach, to anyone who is not ready to make serious commitments.
When most people are in debt, it’s easy to think that financial freedom is unattainable. In fact, it emanates from the deep feeling of helplessness that comes as a result of debt constraints. If you feel financial liberty is almost alien to you, this article attempts to debunk the myth that financial freedom is not feasible when you are in debt.
Good planning is all it takes and you’ll be set on the right path
If debts are weighing heavily on you, it’s pretty easy to concentrate on the present moment but at the expense of your future. Basically, financial freedom calls for adequate planning. If you dedicate your life to chasing after instant gratification, there is a high probability that you won’t have enough funds to invest in your future.
More often than not, cyclic debts are a result of bad spending habits. Unfortunately, habits are easy to form but hard to break. There is a trade-off. You have to choose between securing your financial future and sustaining a lifestyle that jeopardizes your future.
When you are deeply indebted, it’s pretty easy to feel that breaking free is still a farfetched idea. But in essence, all that is required of you is make a decision to replace your current damaging habits with ones that are in line with your financial objective.
Nevertheless, this doesn’t imply that you shouldn’t enjoy this good life just because you want to save for your future. There are endless ways of having fun without ruining your finances. All you need to do is put your needs, wants and financial goals in perspective.
You can increase your earnings
When your savings plan doesn’t have a solid foundation, it could take forever to become financially stable. If you listen to financial experts, they will tell you that living below your means is critical to breaking out of debt. Have no illusions, as long as you are spending money, no amount can last forever. Money can fly away faster than the wind.
Irrespective of how bad you want to stack up some savings, you can only optimize your plan after you are aware of how you have been spending your cash. To do this, you need to start tracking your expenses and determine what you have to cut back on.
Nevertheless, limiting your budget is seldom sufficient. There is always a line you can’t cross. But you can find a way to increase your cash flow. Besides offering your skills on available freelancing sites, you can also offer to sell some items on the merchant sites like eBay.
Make a commitment to pay your outstanding debts
Credit always comes with various benefits but some people often find them on the ugly side of things. This normally happens when you overestimate your ability to handle the loan repayments on time. But you need to know that being in cyclic debt doesn’t seal your fate to endless payments. If you choose, you can bounce back today and pay all the money you owe them and enjoy financial freedom.
Today, there are numerous debt repayment options and they are designed to make sure that you never have to stress about multiple payments which can be quite stressful to follow and track. If you are troubled by multiple loans that have high interest rates, these programs can be quite useful.
Basically, you can have an easy time to repay your debts because you don’t have to bother with multiple creditors but instead; you just pay a single loan. If you chose well, debt consolidation plans can help you get lower interest loans as well as better terms.
When you are budgeting, it’s always prudent to make sure that you have a sufficient allocation to pay back what you owe. After paying your debts, it is prudent to continue putting the same amount towards a solid investment fund. This will definitely hasten your financial recovery and freedom.
It’s crucial that you develop healthy spending habits
If you are serious about making progress towards financial freedom, it is imperative that you drop all your destructive spending habits. Poor financial decisions normally result in uncomfortable financial situations. Generally, the only way to make sure that you get out of debt is by making a strong resolve-then rethink your spending preferences. Otherwise, chances are that you will have to go through the same debt elimination process.
Unlike what most people tend to believe, breaking free from bad financial habits is not out of reach. According to psychologists, the average human takes about three weeks to develop brand new habits. Basically, this has much to do with your commitment to invite change into your life. As you can see, the ball is in your courts because this is seldom a question of if it’s possible but it all about when you want it to become a reality.
It’s no secret that you have to spend a significant amount of energy and willpower to make this a reality. Therefore, you might want to make sure all the efforts are not in vain by ensuring they last longer. At the end of the day, your ability to handle finances plays a major role in ensuring consistent wealth generation and lasting financial freedom.
Ditch the excuses and start investing today
Saving a portion of your income is the basic step to better finances. However, this is meant to facilitate other steps that can be more effective in creating wealth. Whether you think your income is sufficient or not, you ought to be growing your investment fund.
After saving for some time, make sure the money is invested through tested channels. This can’t be rushed and you need to consider your options to make sure your funds are safe. While you may be tempted to keep most of your money in a savings account, the returns are mediocre.
While there are risks involved with almost every form of investment, it offers you the opportunity to grow your funds exponentially. Furthermore, you don’t have to worry about the effects of inflation on your savings.
Before you dive in, make sure you have sought insight from a seasoned investment expert. Doing this will safeguard your funds and at the same time improve your returns.
Final words
Breaking free from cyclic debt is quite engaging and it may require some time to accomplish. This means you may find yourself off the track at times. Nevertheless, it is wise to track your progress and adjust accordingly to make sure you achieve the desired goal. Every time you make a mistake, take some time to reflect and analyze the mistake in order to learn from it.
Finally, always celebrate your achievements however small. This ensures you stay motivated as you work towards a debt-free and secure future. | https://medium.com/@gibskinyua/financial-freedom-an-effective-5-step-formula-to-break-from-overwhelming-debt-15cada42e1bb | ['Gibson Kinyua'] | 2019-02-07 23:43:57.474000+00:00 | ['Money Saving Tips', 'Personal Finance', 'Personal Development', 'Money', 'Debt'] |
Wrap me in Moonlight | Give me reasons to hold the night,
paint the stars,
undress your heart.
Wrap me in moonlight.
Fill the page with words,
the darkness with envy.
Have we gone too far?
Just be sure to catch me when I fall. | https://medium.com/a-cornered-gurl/wrap-me-in-moonlight-bf7f82f7c613 | ['Connie Song'] | 2020-10-30 10:27:42.501000+00:00 | ['Love', 'Romance', 'Heartwork', 'Poetry', 'A Cornered Gurl'] |
What will change in the world in 2021? Baba Wanga, who accurately predicted the 9/11 attacks many years ago, has come up with alarming predictions about the coming year. | What will change in the world in 2021? Baba Wanga, who accurately predicted the 9/11 attacks many years ago, has come up with alarming predictions about the coming year. Julia seena Dec 25, 2020·1 min read
Sofia (Monitoring Desk) — Leading Bulgarian astrologer Baba Wanga has predicted major events in the world up to 5079 and according to her predictions, the world will end somewhere around 5079 and doomsday will come. She has also made some sensational and exciting predictions about 2021, including the assassination of Russian President Vladimir Putin, the attack of a powerful dragon, and the discovery of a cure for cancer.
Baba Wanga, whose many predictions, including the 9/11 attacks, have come true, has predicted that 2021 will see more suffering in the world this year. The world will suffer so much that it will change the human path. People will go through a process of more severe divisions based on religion and belief, and Vladimir Putin will be assassinated from within Russia.
Baba Wanga has predicted that in 2021 a powerful dragon will paralyze the world and Continuous Reading… | https://medium.com/@abigailada800/what-will-change-in-the-world-in-2021-588d141b1b6b | ['Julia Seena'] | 2020-12-25 17:44:03.881000+00:00 | ['Baba Wanga', 'Predictions', '2021 Prediction', 'World In 2021', 'Putin'] |
I have asked this question to myself a lot of times that how should I react to someone who is being… | How to deal with negative people?
I have asked this question to myself a lot of times that how should I react to someone who is being rude to me or who is always being negative no matter what the situation is. I am sure a lot of you have also thought about this at least once because we all meet a lot of people daily and some of them carry negative energy or vibes with them which not only affects their happiness but also affects our vibes. Mostly teenagers had to face this a lot of times as teenage is the age when we meet a lot of new people and most of them are the temporary ones and in that phase of our life we need to learn how to deal with negative people as well.
Here are some of my tips to deal with negative people which I wish I knew before.
1. BE KIND TO THEM
I know this may seem difficult to be kind to people who are being rude to you. But trust me this is the best way to deal with them and this will actually help. Being kind and not being rude to them in return will save your energy because arguing with them will only affect your own inner peace.
2. NEVER TRY TO CHANGE ANYONE
You cannot change a person’s perspective and way of thinking so just don’t try to change others. Unless the person is so close to you or so important to you, don’t try to change someone’s perspective because at the end of the day only you will get disappointed. So to save your vibe and energy don’t argue or try to change toxic or negative people.
3. STAY AWAY FROM THEM
The best way to be happy and positive is to cut negative people from your life and be around people who motivates you, supports you and makes you happy. Choose your friends and the people you hang out with wisely because according to a study you are an average of 5 people you be with most of the time. So don’t be around people who are rude to you or who always have negative thoughts going on in their minds. | https://medium.com/@kangansharma_34161/i-have-asked-this-question-to-myself-a-lot-of-times-that-how-should-i-react-to-someone-who-is-being-d8eb2df7d81b | ['Kangan Sharma'] | 2021-06-17 07:46:28.575000+00:00 | ['Negative Thoughts', 'Positive Thinking', 'Love Yourself', 'Be Your Own Boss', 'Positive Vibes'] |
How property managers scam tenants | Envision tracking down an incredible rental home for a youthful family the area, size, and value range are for the most part great for their requirements and they even like the format and shading plan. Everyone is content until moving day, when you observe an alternate family you’ve never met residing in the house you’re going to lease, demanding they have a consented to rent arrangement and have paid the store and first month’s lease to the proprietor (a land owner you’ve never known about whose contact data is unique in relation to the proprietor who employed you).
Presently, rather than taking sure a basic action goes off easily, you’re overpowered, not knowing what to do. Do you call the police, attempt to view as the phony proprietor The casualties of posting misrepresentation need their cash back and clearly will not be cheerful about being turned out in the city, while your occupants need their new house. How would you hold pressures back from bubbling over? The land owner thinks you committed an error and needs a clarification you don’t have. In the mean time, you’re attempting to assist your new inhabitants with getting arranged like you guaranteed while examining what turned out badly and attempting to sort out some way to misunderstand the occupants who just moved in, out.
For a property supervisor, misrepresentation not just costs you time and cash, it likewise harms your standing, which can bring about helpless informal exchange that whittles down your income later on, even a long time down the line. Regardless of whether you’re overseeing properties for yourself or as an expert property supervisor, playing it safe to try not to be defrauded merits your time and energy.
There’s some variety with regards to rental tricks, yet they ordinarily share two components for all intents and purpose: 1) the culprits publicize an investment property they have no lawful right to lease and 2) endeavor to gather cash from clueless tenants who are keen on that property.
Lawbreakers don’t should be in your space, or even your country to endeavor rental tricks. Nigerian tricks spin around persuading imprints to send cash abroad, and in the rental trick circle this typically implies posting properties the tricksters have never at any point visited and mentioning a development rental installment or an alternate charge through a cash wiring administration.
Tricksters now and again target property supervisors just as inhabitants, as with 419 telephone tricks, where con artists will answer online postings and request to pay a development, ordinarily through a cash wiring administration. The tricksters request a discount or will overpay, and request the overabundance assets to be returned. Assuming the chief returns the cash without trusting that the false installment will go through with the bank, they’re out that measure of money.
Know more property managers scam tenants | https://medium.com/@towhidulislam472/how-property-managers-scam-tenants-a5ca7f9b2183 | ['Towhid Jewel'] | 2021-12-24 11:27:18.509000+00:00 | ['Tenants', 'Scam', 'Manager', 'Property'] |
The Place Within | The Place Within
No storm can touch you
The storm churns the surface,
While the depths of the ocean remain calm.
This is the nature of the place within.
Beautiful, peaceful, poised,
Perfect, whole, and complete.
Untouched by pain, sickness, or sin.
Immune to chaos,
Free of the ego,
One with the Divine.
You are not the churning surface.
You are not the storm.
You are the depth of the ocean.
Truth lies within.
The ocean knows she’s the ocean,
And no storm can touch her.
-CB
Visit me at www.christinebradstreet.com
You deserve genuine and lifelong happiness, the type of happiness that can’t be taken away from you no matter what sort of craziness is happening in the world. Read my book, Happy Ever After. We can all use that right now. | https://medium.com/change-your-mind/the-place-within-137fa9563506 | ['Dr. Christine Bradstreet'] | 2020-12-08 18:07:11.476000+00:00 | ['Faith', 'Healing', 'Inspiration', 'Spirituality', 'Poetry'] |
Day 3 — Confessions of a Paralegal turned Techie | Day 3 — Confessions of a Paralegal turned Techie
Noise
It’s all around us. The sound of a passing train; the chatter of passerby; the pitter-patter of rain. Background noise.
And then there’s a different kind of noise: phones pinging, but never really ringing; background music, always playing; people chatting, but never speaking. Noise that gives us a temporary high — a faint state of ecstasy.
When asked, we tell others that we’re good, that we’re doing well. But are we good? Are we really doing well?
Noise hides our deepest and darkest anxieties, insecurities, and fears. It gives us a quick dosage of endorphins, just enough to soothe our most ingrained pains.
But at night, when all is silent, our anxieties, insecurities and fears? They come back to haunt us, appearing as voices in our head. One moment, you’re thinking about “what-ifs”? The next moment, you’re thinking about that girl back in junior year that you found attractive and should’ve talked to, but never did. You crave the morning to come so you can re-enter the world of noise. To re-enter the world of goodness and wellness.
I quit
That night, hours after I had uttered the words “I quit” to my boss, I couldn’t sleep.
I had always followed the well-paved path, never picking up the shovel to carve out my own path.
“Don’t take the four lane highway, pick up the shovel and dig your own path. The easy route is predictable and leads to easy results which leads to no growth.” — David Goggins (taken from this interview)
The shovel.
Now, I was slowly leaving the world of wellness and goodness. No longer did my phone ring with work emails; no longer did I receive messages from my colleagues. I was now a nobody.
It took a few days for me to put on what Goggins calls “the Bose headphones,” to enter a headspace of noiselessness. After then, I no longer cared about the cheap pleasures of life — going out, partying, drinks with friends. With all that noise gone, what was I left with?
My anxieties, insecurities and fears, of course.
Which I now run towards at full speed. Every. Single. Day.
The world of noiselessness
It’s now been a month of noiselessness.
With coding, I’ve made some progress. Today, I went through the Python datatypes module of the Flatiron School’s Data Science Prep Curriculum. I think I’ll be looking to Udemy for more practical content on Python to supplement my studies. After all, I do want to start building cool stuff soon!
With other things, insecurities like my fear of being judged and my fear of not working hard enough, I think I still have a lot of work to do.
In a state of noiselessness, though, work — that’s all there is to do. My world is now silent, and as haunting as silence can be for some, for me, it sure beats the haunting voices that once used to haunt me at night.
Now, I spend my days building cathedrals in my mind — each cathedral a project that first started off as a crazy idea. In these cathedrals, I find wells of joy. Each cathedral once a “what-if,” now finally a “what-is.” | https://medium.com/@asklegionlegal/day-3-confessions-of-a-paralegal-turned-techie-32f0d0467e78 | ['Legion Legal'] | 2019-02-07 00:51:42.893000+00:00 | ['Law', 'Perseverance', 'Work', 'Reflections', 'Careers'] |
N-Word in Singapore | N-Word in Singapore
Singaporean?
Yes. Dad’s African, mom’s Chinese.
Do you feel Singaporean? Chinese? African?
Strangers see me as a foreigner.
I grew up, am really Singaporean. I’m stressed over school.
I speak mandarin. I’m more assimilated with Chinese people.
Dance and music helps me feel “black.” I know a little more history than others, but not enough.
Racism?
Older generation. They’ll speak in mandarin, hokkien. “Why is she here?” “She’s not welcome here.” My afro grabs attention. “Why is her hair so big?” “Does she wash it?”
Race as a plus?
Modelling. I’m “unique.” My godmother pushed my mom to audition for TNP New Face.
I’ve met beautiful people in the black community in Singapore. Others have wanted to know more about me, my culture.
The Tweet.
Because of hip-hop, the N-word has become so prevalent. If people say it in songs, I close one eye.
People come up to me and say, “What’s up, my N*gga?”
My friends Chris and Noreen retweeted it.
It’s respect not to say it in front of, to me. When you do it, there’s intent to piss me off.
I got a lot of love, but more hate.
SMRTFeedback said: it’s Singapore, black history, people don’t matter.
Africans in Singapore reached out to support me. People have messaged me to find out more, asked me to elaborate. I’m glad I helped.
I don’t represent black people. Some are okay with the N-word.
N-word = Homie?
I won’t think, “Is it ‘Nigga’ or ‘Nigger?’” Because of social media, people think it’s okay. I don’t find it welcoming. I think it does lift off negativity. I think it’d lift off more negativity just not using it.
Malays and Indians tend to use it more than Chinese. I’ve asked; they say it’s because they’re the minority in Singapore, they have more rights to say it.
Is Singapore less liable since we’ve less black people?
Elsewhere, you can get beat up for using the N-word.
I can’t entirely blame Singaporeans. They haven’t experienced the depth, don’t understand the pain that accompanies the N-word. But there’s social media. Everyone should know.
Is Singapore racially insensitive?
Even though we’re multiracial, yes. Because it’s socially unacceptable, they aren’t racially insensitive in front of others. I’ve seen looks. It’s a feeling.
The older generation, school tend to pass down racial stereotypes. Even if these stereotypes start off as “jokes,” they are repeated so much it sounds like people mean them.
How can we be less racist?
Education in schools. Respect. | https://medium.com/@marcusleeyang/n-word-in-singapore-6eacd19a5aa7 | [] | 2019-03-27 10:41:17.184000+00:00 | ['Racism', 'Social Media', 'Singapore', 'Asia', 'Social'] |
Dear Future Baby | Good evening, baby.
It’s a gorgeous Friday night, and rare in that both your father and I have the day off. We’ve been married almost three years now, baby, and I am still in awe how much I enjoy spending time with him. We had a lovely day in which nothing big happened and yet our lives intertwined into errands and daily habits feels like an unending gift. Even now, in 2021, after more than a year in which he was more therapist, best friend, husband, confidant, and co-worker, I still am not sick of him. Let’s hope this continues for 30 more years, at least.
Now, he is inside, listening to a podcast and calming the dog, who has been alerted to a non-owner human somewhere within a 100 feet, while I sit on our quasi-deck with jazz music and pinot grigio.
Today, your dad had to renew his driver’s license. We had gone to the far west edge of the city so that I could return my internship computer, and he found a DMV not nearby. He discovered that his driver’s license had expired when we went into for our first round of IUI. It’s funny because many have used it to verify his identity, including the fertility clinic, but it was only at this point, 10 months after it expired, that someone noted it. When we pulled up to the DMV, which was situated in strip mall, our eyes widened at the three-block long line. This task had to be done, and as long as your father has his phone, he can occupy himself for hours, so he went to the back of the line and began waiting. I had brought a book a long but decided to explore the area. The strip mall with the DMV faced another strip ball and both were legs to a large Walmart that stood opposite of the entrance. Having spent most of my life with meager means, I am an excellent window shopper, so I decided to browse a few of the stores in this shopping park, leaving my wallet behind.
It’s fun to think about what your life would be like if you had endless amounts of money. I would most certainly but that three-foot marbled blue planter and put some kind of exotic green inside it. Or, I would gather up a ton of these wicker baskets for shoes, toes, and another knick knacks one wants to be able to hide from company in a minute’s notice. And, $200 doesn’t seem like too steep of a price for a robot vacuum that would could daily clean up after my sweet, but always-shedding, hound mix. I wandered through home decor, lawn care, and sports, thinking about a life in which I might need all of these things.
Then, I came to the baby section, and no longer was it about wishful thinking rather homework. A onesie with lemons called to me. So did another with a mountain print. Some women experiencing infertility will do what they call a faith purchase, or #faithpurchase. These items are things women with infertility issues buy as a nod to life beyond the struggle. They are often clothing or a book or a decorative item for a nursery. I nearly bought one during our first round of IUI, and I think about one item in particular that would be part of the celebration of a pregnancy. But, I always refrain, kind of like in the way I wouldn’t allow myself to buy wedding magazines or look at dresses until your father proposed, even though marriage was inevitable for us. They call it a faith purchase because you have to have faith that the outcome you want will come your way, but I guess I’ve always been too much of a realist. After I entertained the idea of grabbing one of those onesies, in hopes that this next round of IUI will take, I resigned not to do so and moved on to the big ticket items.
First, strollers. I casually gazed at them but knew that I had other thoughts in mind. I want, nay, need, a running stroller. When you come to this world, I will need to be able to fasten your into your seat and push you along as I toddle behind. I have a few makes and models in mind, and I’ve already put your grandmother, an expert-level bargain hunter, on the case. There was a couple of cribs, but again, I would like to find something specific, maybe vintage, when I know you are for sure on your way.
The car seats intrigued me the most because they are the most complicated. How heavy are they? How will I learn to properly strap them in? How can you tell which of these eight is the best? Even though I want you so much, it was a slight relief that these weren’t questions I needed today.
I also looked at carriers, bottles, bibs, and teething rings, mostly wondering what it would feel like to actually need these items rather than want to need them. What it would be like to be a mother, running in quickly for diapers, so I can get home and put my sweet child to bed.
Part of me felt like a cliché, a woman who has troubles getting pregnant (oooh typing that made something real that wasn’t before) wandering the baby aisle. And, yet, it also didn’t feel too foreign, like give it some time, and I will belong in this aisle.
For as long as I can remember, for whatever reason, shopping often reminded me of how single I was. I would shop for clothes and wonder what does a married woman buy. I would walk by the men’s section, trying to imagine what it would be like to pick out a shirt or a pair of shorts for my husband, you know, because his others were ratty and he needed some new ones. I wanted to be able to shop for a partner as much as I wanted that partner.
A couple of weeks ago, I was with your grandmothers shopping. It was the first time I had seen either in months, and the first time we had been shopping. They both wanted to spoil me, and they did with all kinds of nice pieces of clothing. They also picked up items for your cousins, and before we left, I mentioned that your father needed red shirts. They were on it. We went to the men’s section, and their eyes darted to everything red. Your father has a particular style, so we video chatted him to make sure he approved. As your grandmothers continued to hunt, I went off to find him some socks.
It hit me, in the men’s sock aisle of a department store, that this is what I always wanted—a loving husband at home to shop for. Someone who I could show off my new clothes to but would insist I was beautiful regardless. Someone I could pick out an item and know that he would like it because I know him. This little fantasy had finally come true.
And, that’s why I know the one of me picking up a new bottle or a small pair of pants will come true, too. Maybe you’ll be at home with your dad, or in the car with me, but this small moment of motherhood is coming my way. I just know it is. | https://medium.com/@dearfuturebaby/dear-future-baby-243037ded496 | ['Dear Future Baby'] | 2021-05-22 01:19:37.744000+00:00 | ['Baby', 'Window Shop', 'Fertility', 'Shopping', 'Baby Products'] |
How to Be Happy Every Single Day | I recently stumbled across heaven and it’s not where you think it is.
Heaven isn’t a place we reach after death nor is heaven a place we reach here on earth. Simply put, heaven is a happy state of mind. And we’re welcome there each moment of every day. For many of us we think this nirvana is an impossibility, a fairy tale place of make believe like never never land or the magical faraway tree, made of childhood myths lulling us to sweet slumber. But once we rub the sleep from our eyes, we start to see that it’s real and it is all around us.
Currently I am the happiest I have ever been in my life. Wow that’s a grand statement but it’s true. I wake up early every morning full of purpose and peace. I teach yoga to the sunrise and the sunset, making a living making people happy. My seaside shala is my office, Ganesha is my boss, and I am blissfully unaware what day of the week it is. I live for fulfillment in my working and my waking hours, not just on the weekend, I surround myself by love and positive people and I live life simply and stress-free.
Here’s my 5 tips to help you be happy every single day.
Wake up peaceful and positive
How we wake up sets the tone for our whole day. Be conscious of your very first thoughts as these set the gear for the daily mind mill. If you let a negative thought take the first spin of the wheel, before you know it, you’ll have a slowly growing slew of negativity being spun off in all directions. These thoughts feed each other, inviting other nastiness to cling on, creating a cumulating cloud of despair. If you wake up feeling angry, anxious or sad, flip this feeling upside down and either see the light in the situation, come up with an action plan, or focus your mind on something happy instead.
Just before you fall asleep at night, fill your mind with positivity and calmness. Switch off your cellphone and switch off the running commentary in your head. This will help you sleep deeper and wake up in a chirpier mood.
Remain grounded
In yoga, in order to lift, you first need to ground down into the mat. Just like this, in life, in order to keep our spirits uplifted, we first have to grow our roots deep into the earth. This means having very clear and strong personal values, keeping your own moral compass constantly in check and anchoring yourself to a calm centredness that cannot be altered by the craziness of the world. The method to this magic is yours to choose. Try meditation, yoga, spending ample amounts of time in nature, working up a sweat or writing all your mental ramblings down. Keep your mind clear and allow calmness to settle in.
And always remember that no matter what happens externally, you, and only you, have control over your own internal world.
Release yourself from the opinion of others
The only time I weathered an emotional wobbly on my now 1 month streak of uninterrupted good vibes, was when I let the judgments of others creep into my centre. The world is an absolutely mad place and we are all completely bonkers. Some of this is good crazy, a lot of it is bad crazy. Don’t let the bad crazy get to you. Some days you’ll have to dance through a storm of sullenness, drama, self-interest and deceit. You’ll duck beneath the narrow-mindedness of some and dive over unreasonable expectations of others.
Not everyone will like the way you dance. Some will want to steal your steps while others will want to knock you off the stage. But keep strong and keep your energy for yourself, don’t give it to others by allowing your mind to focus on their opinions and needs. People will always have their own views and judgements, let them be, what they think of you is none of your business.
Kick off your shoes and jam your own jig. This life is yours, live it how you want to live — happy and free.
Do the things you say you’ll do
Regret and guilt are two of the most unnecessary man-made emotions. Why do we spend so much time beating ourselves up over what we did or didn’t do in the past? Bring your head back to present and use each moment as an opportunity to be who you want to be — right now. All of us have felt the familiar feeling of knowing what we should be doing, but just not being able to get ourselves to do it. We put so much off for a tomorrow that never comes.When we do this, we neither enjoy our free time nor the fruits of our labour, because, well there is no labour.
Don’t do this. Release yourself from your self-created prison of perpetual procrastination. If you get things done right away your mind has no chance to build a mountain out of a molehill and you’ll get a buzz from those productivity endorphins.
If you’ve promised someone or yourself you’ll do something today then just do it, you’ll feel all the more happier for it.
Accept everything exactly as it is
This may seem the toughest tip to practice but it also the most valuable. Even when a situation presents itself as completely covered in kak (that’s South African slang for sh*t), pause and remind yourself that each moment and every happening has a divine purpose. I promise you this. Even the worst of the baddest days, the most soul consuming challenges, turbulent of times or terrible of break ups, all have a reason for happening and all lead on to something beautiful. This beauty may take its time to reveal itself to you but don’t lose hope, it is there. Look for the positive in every situation. Don’t live a life of “what if” but rather of “because of this I have…”
The most spontaneous and spectacular of occurrences come about when we let go of how we think things should be and just accept them exactly as they are.
My final piece of advice is a fast track to happiness:
“If you want to be happy then make others happy.”
Do one thing right now to get the good vibes flowing. Give someone a compliment, send a friend a message or pick a flower for the next person you pass in the street. Whatever your seek in life, if you give it away to others, you invite this energy to flow toward you.
In every moment choose to enter the heaven of happiness.
❤ Dime for a Dream ❤ | https://medium.com/dreamer-do/how-to-be-happy-every-single-day-7c65f87a4550 | ['Camilla Marsh'] | 2019-10-16 03:41:44.737000+00:00 | ['Mindfulness', 'Life Lessons', 'Life Hacking', 'Inspiration', 'Happiness'] |
Obliterate Your Uncertainty and Fear With These 6 Quotes | Moving far away from my family is something I have always both wanted and feared. It’s not the “being away from my family” part that I want — it’s just that the places I want to live, they happen to be on the opposite side of the planet from where my family lives.
I have always wanted to live in these faraway places, but the fear of the unknown and the uncertainty have always held me back. Until recently. I decided that I want to officially commit myself to moving to Hawaii. I’d always thought it was impossible — until I actually looked into it.
I did the research and mapped out everything it would entail, and it’s actually not as hard or unachievable as I thought. It’ll be difficult and challenging, sure, but it’s well within my means and abilities.
I armed myself with information, and now the prospect of moving to the middle of the Pacific Ocean is less daunting and fearsome than before — because I have a plan, and I have a wealth of information to support my decisions.
“A pattern is a pattern and only a fool ignores one because he does not care for the implications.”
This quote comes from Long John Silver of the Starz show “Black Sails.” I think of this one most often in fishy dating situations.
A lot of times, dating starts off in ambiguous waters. You’re feeling each other out, you’re not sure yet if you’re committed or exclusive, or officially in a relationship. There can be a lot of dancing around and playing games.
One guy I dated — I really, really liked him — had established this pattern of only seeing me late at night on weekends, after he’d already been out drinking and having fun with his friends.
I told myself it was because he was in the military, and during the week he didn’t have time to see me or his friends, so the weekends were his only chance to do both. I told myself that even though he went out with his friends and never invited me, it was okay because I was the one he came home to.
It took him ghosting me on our date for New Year’s Eve for me to finally see the truth: he just really wasn’t that into me.
His behavior for months had established a pattern that made that fact very clear — but I always rationalized it away and made excuses, because I didn’t want to see the obvious truth staring me in the face.
I was afraid to face that truth, because by admitting I let this guy fool me for months also meant that I had to admit I’d wasted months of my time on a guy who never cared about me, and who made it perfectly clear.
If you see a pattern, study it, pay attention to it, and listen to its implications. Patterns are patterns for a reason. Don’t rationalize it away.
“When you hear hoofbeats, think horses, not zebras. It means that the most obvious answer is usually right.”
This is another quote from “Grey’s Anatomy,” said by Meredith Grey. This quote helps me to hold onto and focus on the truth based on the facts that are in front of me. It keeps me from jumping to outlandish conclusions and fearing the worst.
A guy I had been dating for a while suddenly started acting skittish on me. He’d done it before, months previously — that time, it had been because he “didn’t know what he wanted” and “wasn’t ready for a relationship.”
We parted ways for a bit, but then found our way back to each other. The second time he started acting skittish, I immediately knew why. The signs had been there for a while that he wasn’t interested in committing to me. I knew I was also the first girl he’d dated after breaking up with a long-term girlfriend of five years.
I heard the hoofbeats, and I looked at the facts in front of me. And the truth was obvious. “He’s still in love with his ex,” I said aloud to myself.
I could have easily explained it away and blamed his disinterest on work or his busy schedule — but it was obvious. He couldn’t commit to me because he was still in love with someone else. | https://medium.com/moments-matter/obliterate-your-uncertainty-and-fear-with-these-6-quotes-67267f4bc8f4 | ['Megan Boley'] | 2020-10-26 12:08:17.583000+00:00 | ['Life Lessons', 'Life', 'Relationships', 'Love', 'Self'] |
The Last Letter | The Last Letter
A year after receiving their last letter from her, Diane Webb’s family randomly receive another one, just not from her.
At 18-years old, a pregnant and engaged Diane Webb stays behind in California with her soon-to-be husband, while the rest of her family move to Arizona. Although apart, Diane keeps in contact with her family through letters for months, until she doesn’t. Some time goes by before they finally get another, albeit not from her.
Born on April 20, 1942, Diane lived with her parents and siblings in San Bernardino, California until 1959. In March of that same year, Diane’s family moved to Dolan Springs, Arizona while she remained in California with her boyfriend, 16-year old Bennie Milton Webb.
On at least one occasion, Diane visited her family in Arizona, staying for a week. She told her parents she was pregnant and intended to marry Bennie, who was in the Phoenix, Arizona area by then. Although Diane’s father disapproved of both the pregnancy and relationship, her mother and younger brother traveled to Indio, California for her wedding, marking the last time her family saw her.
Following her wedding, for the next several months, Diane wrote letters home. The last one she wrote was mailed on August 22, 1959, her younger sister’s birthday, and included some crocheted handkerchiefs as a gift. This letter would be last her family had received from her.
Sometime in late 1960, over a year after last hearing from her, Diane’s family received a letter from Bennie. In his letter, he indicated that he thought she was with them in Dolan Springs, to which her parents promptly wrote back asking what had happened. Bennie responded on January 5, 1961, saying that he had not seen or heard from Diane in a very long time. The last time he saw her, he had given her $100 and put her on a bus to return to her family.
After seeing her off, Diane later wrote him one letter, informing him that she had had a miscarriage. Bennie also suggested that Diane’s parents contact a female friend of hers in California, whom he thought might have information on her whereabouts.
Sometime after her disappearance, Diane’s father went to Bennie’s hometown of Truth or Consequences, New Mexico to see if he could learn anything about the situation; Bennie’s brother was chief of police at the time. He allegedly threatened Diane’s father, making him leave town.
As recent as 2016, Bennie is still alive but has refused to cooperate with the police or take a polygraph. Although he also said he doesn’t recall ever marrying Diane, a copy of their marriage certificate does exist.
In August 1961, either Diane herself or someone else used her name while visiting a dentist’s office in California, this being the last possible sighting of her.
Several years later, in November 1967, the skeletal remains of a young girl were found at the Catalina Mountains in southern Arizona. Investigators initially believed they were Diane’s and tried to give them to Diane’s family. The cause of death was ruled as suicide. Diane’s mother did not think her daughter would have taken her life and did not believe that the remains were hers, of which both her parents refused to accept. In 2013, the bones were exhumed, and DNA tested. The results came back confirming the remains as not Diane’s.
If Diane is still alive, she would be 77-years old. She was between 5'2–5'4 tall, and 110–120 pounds. She had brown hair and brown/gray eyes.
Diane’s parents have since passed away, but her siblings continue to search for her. Her case remains unsolved. | https://medium.com/of-misdeeds-and-mysteries/where-is-diane-marie-webb-bcbc1c6b48f0 | ['Nicole Henley'] | 2019-07-16 23:06:12.552000+00:00 | ['Lost', 'Mystery', 'True Crime', 'Crime', 'Arizona'] |
Make Your Working Day Work for You | Make Your Working Day Work for You
Dealing with task switching and interruptions, from a Neuroscience Graduate
Photo by Roman Koval from Pexels
When I was an employee, the worst jobs I had were the ones where my boss or line manager would give me new tasks one after the other, without considering that I was trying to focus on previous tasks first.
As a Neuroscience graduate, I knew how bad task switching was for my brain. It was frustrating to know exactly why my energy was haemorrhaging out of me, but not feeling able to stop it, as scared as I was of confrontation with the boss.
My working days were not working for me.
Today as a freelancer, I organise my working days to avoid task switching – but I do incorporate variety, because that’s good for my brain, my body and my soul.
There is a critical difference that, once understood, takes your focus and energy from being wasted to being utilised well.
It’s worth getting clear first on what task switching really is. It can apply to both scrolling through your phone while on a call (A.K.A. multi-tasking), and suddenly changing from doing one job to another, which is what we more commonly think of as task switching.
The term multi-tasking is actually a misnomer. People can’t actually do more than one task at a time. Instead we switch tasks. So the term that is used in the research is “task switching”.
- Susan Weinschenk Ph.D. in Psychology Today
What ever you call it, it’s all bad for your executive function, in other words, your productive and reasoning-based brain activity. Thoughts, planning, problem-solving — it all suffers when we divide our attention.
Variety in your day, on the other hand, can be thought of as taking sensible breaks as and when you reach an appropriate point to wrap up one task and purposefully move on to something else.
Variety is a good thing for most people. If we performed one type of task all day, we would get bored and our mind would wander, making task switching more likely to occur.
A planned break in your day where you get up from your desk and move, or just simply do something different, can be a welcome break for your brain, and can boost your productivity overall.
Research is showing us that we need to take more breaks to stop our creativity and focus from drying up.
Push yourself through too many hours or days of work and your brain starts to push back. Ideas that once flowed easily dry up, and tasks that you should be able to perform quickly become excruciatingly difficult.
- Minda Zetlin in Inc.
Here are a few simple things you can use, whether working from home or an office, to manage your time for better energy, making your day work for you.
Simple Time Blocking
Time block your days and say no to instantly replying to things.
That ‘multi-tasking’ kind of task switching is sneaky. We see a notification on our phone or desktop, and it’s like an unopened Christmas present just calling to us…
I’ve started ignoring DMs until my first coffee break of the day, so I can maximise my early mornings, when I am most creative.
During my coffee break, I indulge in replying to messages, giving my brain a nice little break from the focus of my early morning writing.
Instrumental-only music
Playing some relaxing or uplifting music can be great for your productivity. But did you know how important it is to listen to instrumentals only while writing?
If there are lyrics in your music then it’s like having somebody whispering in your ear while you are trying to work.
It might not feel like it, but on some level your brain is attending to those words, stealing away brain power.
It’s your brain’s equivalent of having too many tabs open on your browser – shut it down and save those songs for your break time.
Don’t force it
If you are forced to task switch due to an interruption or emergency, allow yourself a little break afterwards before returning to your original task.
Switching back is switching twice, and forcing yourself to do that is only going to add to the cognitive demand on your brain, tiring you out.
Be kinder to your brain and it will repay you with prolonged focus.
These tips helped me when I was studying for my Neuroscience exams several years ago now, and I still use them today as a freelance content writer.
I hope that these tips help you too. If you are working in a way that requires quiet focus, then I know it can be tricky. We can’t always control external circumstances, like interruptions or new urgent tasks from our boss.
But we can do the best with what we have, and that all helps. | https://medium.com/the-innovation/make-your-working-day-work-for-you-ed66e35d9d08 | ['Sarah K Brandis'] | 2020-11-19 17:49:44.103000+00:00 | ['Neuroscience', 'Psychology', 'Work', 'Entrepreneurship', 'Study'] |
An MBA’s guide to understanding Data Science | If you come from a non-technical background, it is easy to feel insecure with heavy buzzwords around data science. Do not let that concern overshadow all that you can bring to the table. A business-savvy tech person or a technically-sound business person is an asset to any organization.
To oversimplify it,
“Data science is the discipline of making data useful.”
If you are wondering why you should care about these terms, we present to you some facts.
The big data analytics market is expected to touch $103 billion by 2023. In 2020, an individual will generate 1.7 MBs in a second. Users on internet generate about 2.5 quintillion bytes of data each day. 95% of businesses acknowledge the need to manage unstructured data as a challenge for their business. 97.2% of organizations are investing in big data and AI. Using big data analytics, Netflix saves $1 billion per year on customer retention. [1] In 2020, there will be around 40 trillion gigabytes of data (40 zettabytes)
Organisations are extensively hiring data scientists and machine learning engineers for an analytical transformation within the various verticals to keep up with ever changing and rapid data generating world.
“You can’t manage what you don’t measure.” — Peter Drucker
There is also a high demand for business translators or those who can serve as a link between data analysts and practical applications and solutions to an organization’s business challenges.
Increasing number of organizations are on the hunt for these translators who not only possess data savviness but who can also deeply embed themselves into the organization’s decision-making processes. McKinsey & Company estimated the demand for translators will reach 2 to 4 million in the United States alone over the next decade.
Businesses are swimming in data of customer behavior, competitors, and their operations. The need for managers who can sail through the data and uncover insights that would generate profit is why data science positions are some of the most in-demand and highest paying jobs around.[2]
A Data Science Lifecycle
Evolution of Data Science
The Begining (40s, 50s, 60s)
Used in operation Research during World War II, predicting Weather Model on ENIAC, Barometric equations,Scheduling and resource allocation
Analytics turns Mainstream (70s, 80s)
In 1977, John W. Tukey published Exploratory Data Analysis, the book emphasised on using data to suggest hypotheses tests.
The Relational Database is born!
1982: IBM DB2, Oracle v3, Sybase (SAP)
1986: First standardized SQL
1987: Commercial use of Decision Support Systems in the Texas Air Traffic Expert system
The Internet goes Global (90s)
1995: Amazon, eBay
1996: HotMail
1998: Google, Paypal
Data warehouses and ETLs come into existence in 90s
Analytics (OLAP): Long queries, aggregations, data mining, reporting, models Operations (OLTP): Fast transactions, ACID, consistent, available, fault-tolerant
The World goes Social (00s)
Hyper growth of web applications
2003: LinkedIn, Skype
2004: Facebook
2006: Twitter
Map-Reduce and Hadoop come into existence for processing huge raw files.
Fast Data, APIs, Mobile and IoT (10s)
Spark is a new framework for in-memory computing. It combines SQL, streaming, and complex analytics.
Rise of distributed Computing paradigm: SQL, Machine Learning, Map-Reduce, Graph Analytics
Micro-Batch and Event Streaming Analytics (20s)
Micro-Batch (Spark Streaming)
Log Oriented (Kafka, Samza)
NewSQL (VoldDB)
Career in Data Science for an MBA graduate
Machine Learning Scientist: Often going by titles of Research Scientist and Research Engineer, they are the ones who research new approaches and build new algorithms and prototypes, using mathematics in order to solve business problems.
Data science consultant: Are you someone who has a special knack towards data analysis, problem-solving and has an in-depth industry knowledge, not forgetting to have attention to detail and advanced vision? Then probably this profession is for you!
Data science consultants provide data science solutions to their clients and help them understand the business mechanisms with in-depth understanding and insights. They also strive to build up their client’s analytical skills and data competencies and sail them through each step in the process of hypothesis testing.
Product managers: this job role requires the person to be innovative, drive business requirements and communicate their decisions lucidly. In the data science domain, a product manager would need to discern applications based on the inferences that has been assimilated from the data. They are a wholesome pack of managers and technicians and need to talk to everyone, right from designers to engineers and jence can be pursued by an MBA degree holder.
Product analysts: When it is time for a company to design or release a new product, product analysts come to their rescue! Their main task is to provide continuous product analysis, conduct thorough market research and develop marketing strategies. They engage in inter-departmental collaboration and work in tandem with the entire product development team and other several entities simultaneously. Their other responsibilities would include creating dashboards, defining product metrics, and performance control and measurement.[3]
References
[1] https://techjury.net/blog/big-data-statistics/#gref
[2] https://www.infoworld.com/article/3198927/thinking-twice-data-science-or-mba.html#:~:text=The%20growing%20demand%20for%20business,an%20MBA%20for%20management%20positions&text=Big%20data%20helps%20organizations%20amass,decisions%20quickly%20and%20more%20effectively.
[3] https://www.jobhero.com/career-guides/interviews/prep/what-is-a-product-analyst
[4] https://datasciencedegree.wisconsin.edu/blog/history-of-data-science/ | https://shalini-singh20b.medium.com/an-mbas-guide-to-understanding-data-science-50c02331dd55 | ['Shalini Singh'] | 2020-11-01 17:17:40.452000+00:00 | ['Data Science', 'Data Visualization', 'Data'] |
How Professionals Remove Pest From Upholstered Furniture Effectively? | Upholstered furniture can face serious pest infestation due to aging. But this can be resolved by calling professional cleaners. In fact, this is the only way of getting rid of them because natural solutions generally do not work against insects that have laid eggs deep inside the fibres. So, the cleaning specialists in Launceston use specific agents and methods to remove them effectively.
Here, we will take a look into how the cleaning specialists remove the insects. That way, you will get an idea of the entire method and can choose the best cleaners near you.
Application of Proprietary Solutions
Most of the applications that are applied by the specialists carrying out upholstery cleaning in Launceston use in-house solutions to remove pests. These agents are made with specific chemicals that target not only the insects but also the larvae. Moreover, the agents that are used by the cleaners do not cause harm to pets or human beings at most times. Anyway, the cleaners only apply these solutions after carefully inspecting your upholstery.
Vacuuming
It might sound strange, but actually, this is actually true. Vacuuming can not just remove dirt and dust from upholstery but also remove bugs that find a safe place inside the upholstery. However, for this, the professionals will be using special nozzles depending on the fibres or type of upholstery. On the other hand, in some situations, this particular step is completely ignored, especially if the insects can fly.
The noise from the vacuum can disturb them and this might cause them to flee temporarily but later hide inside the upholstery again.
Steam Cleaning
Removal of pests is undoubtedly possible with steam cleaning besides dust, dirt and stains. This is the reason why it is considered a versatile cleaning solution. However, to make the upholstery steam cleaning process in Launceston more effective, the professionals add some harmless chemicals to drive off the insects. On top of that, they control the steam frequency so that it reaches deep inside the carpets and can kill the insects or their hatched larvae.
Applying Heat
An effective way of driving out insects from upholstery is to apply heat. To do this, the cleaners will mostly use a soft and clean cloth.
Since insects are afraid of heat, applying the same to each and every part of the upholstery can work like a charm. Also, the good thing about this process is that it can be used as a DIY as well. However, only heat might be ineffective against the insects if the infestation is too strong. In this scenario, the professionals will use other solutions as well.
Plain Washing
Depending on the strength of insect infestation and the furniture cover, the cleaners carrying out professional upholstery cleaning services in Launceston will wash the cover. This is because plain washing them with a detergent solution helps in removing insects quickly. However, some insects can still remain even after they are washed. In these situations, however, the cleaning specialists use steam after the upholstery is cleaned and dried.
Using Interceptors
This is a modern technology that is used by professional cleaners to remove insects from upholstery. However, not every cleaner uses it due to unavailability.
This equipment transmits sound waves that can effectively drive away the insects. The cleaners place the equipment below the furniture and wait for a few minutes for it to take effect.
Full Insect Treatment
This is the last resort for severe insect infestations.
As you can well imagine, cleaners will recommend this step if and when they diagnose too many insects inside the upholstery and in other areas of your property. In this scenario, you should not delay as procrastinating can make an infestation worse.
Anyway, now that you know how professional cleaners remove pests, you should always hire the best ones having good experience in making upholstery fully clean. | https://medium.com/@kancleaningsolutions/how-professionals-remove-pest-from-upholstered-furniture-effectively-91ad435ea23b | ['Nihal Vohra'] | 2021-12-31 08:36:46.934000+00:00 | ['Upholstery Cleaning', 'Pest Removal', 'Cleaning', 'Furniture Cleaning'] |
Mixed-Race Musings | Mixed-Race Musings
Re-inspired by Mariah Carey’s and Lenny Kravitz’s healing and validating autobiographies — and why I love Barack Obama
I’m currently (and excitedly) working on a story to perform for The Moth. The story below was my initial direction, but we decided to try something different. Still, this piece means a lot to me because mixed-race identity is complicated when it comes down to it. In some spaces, I’m too preppy. In others, I’m Harriet Tubman. But the truth is, I’ve always defined myself.
I’ve spent a lot of my time on this earth trying to make people happy. From an early age, I learned that bringing people happiness was a good, celebrated thing. I remember the moment that my pre-school teacher said I was “one of the good kids.” I was just four years old, but I felt myself standing a little bit taller because I knew in my little life, I must have been doing something right. And in tandem with being good, I also wanted to “do good.” I put this in action during a kindergarten play in Queens Village, NY where I grew up. I was totally on-brand as a “sunshine” kid, and my classmate and I were supposed to come on stage and banish the clouds away by singing our sunny day song. Except, my classmate got stage fright and ran off the stage before we could finish. Eyeing my sobbing classmate and seeing my parents in the audience, I thought as quickly as I could to save the day. I sang both of our parts and yelled, “Don’t worry, I’m coming!” as I ran off to console my classmate. The crowd broke into applause and awws, and putting the production, and my classmate before me, made me feel like I saved the day.
Growing up in Queens, I was pretty much shielded from the racism that I’d learn about later in my life, thanks to my parents. Queens is the most diverse county in the world, and I got to grow up with a little bit of every culture. My best friend growing up was Irish; I listened to dancehall (thanks to my neighbors blasting Shabba Ranks and Patra next door) as much as I would Janet Jackson and the stories from my Teddy Ruxpin. It seemed like my first gen friends spent their Saturday mornings learning about the language of their cultures. I didn’t seem to encounter much racism, but even in this unusual Queens safe space, I was not shielded from colorism.
My mother is Black and Honduran, with dark skin and a bright smile — a smile that’s pretty much identical to mine. And my dad is Puerto Rican, what people today might call a white-presenting Latino. And together they had me, a composite of both of their sketches that caused wide-eyed stares, unexplained awe, and on the flip side, unexplained frustration. My parents split when I was very young. So I spent most of my time being shuttled around from elementary school and kids’ birthday parties to high school and eventually being shipped off to college, with my mom shepherding me the entire way. And even though we have that identical smile, that didn’t seem like enough for people to place me as her daughter. She was either my “nanny” growing up or my “friend” as I got older because it seemed odd to people for a dark-skinned woman to be the mother of a light-skinned child. I would smile politely and correct them at a young age, almost trying to will them into seeing that yes, this was my mother, and yes, I could belong to her. When I would visit my dad at Yankee Stadium, where he worked for years, it was clear that I was his daughter. But if any of my Puerto Rican and Italian cousins would join us while meeting new stadium people, they’d greet my cousins as my dad’s kids and then surprisedly recover when he introduced me as his child.
I set down my own gauntlet that no, I wasn’t going to become that “uppity light-skinned girl” that some family elders warned my mother I would likely become. That I wasn’t part of the problem. Because I wouldn’t let myself exist too loudly.
As I got older and my peers were assembling their own ways of dealing with differences, I was introduced super early to awkward comments. “So your father isn’t white, huh? He definitely looks white,” I’d hear.
So I started to just deny deny deny. I’d deny everything about my identity. If someone asked me if my hair was real, I’d tell them, absolutely not! This hair? Oh, I got it from the beauty supply shop, it’s #189. What are you? I’m a person. Where am I from? Queens. At 13, I thought this was brilliant. It was my way of being an ironic quippy kid, but really, the underlying goal was not to offend anyone with my identity. I set down my own gauntlet that no, I wasn’t going to become that “uppity light-skinned girl” that some family elders warned my mother I would likely become. That I wasn’t part of the problem. Because I wouldn’t let myself exist too loudly.
I had grown up with this being my normal that I didn’t even think to be angry about it. I’m an introvert by nature, and I never liked being the topic of conversation, especially when my existence was the topic.
Fast forward to college. I had been accepted to NYU, a school I didn’t feel like I was even good enough for, even though I had a stellar GPA coming out of high school. This practically Ivy League institution was a reach school in my mind, and I only applied with the encouragement of my guidance counselor — my plan was to go to a SUNY school that I’d likely get a scholarship to, and be as little a burden on my parents as possible. I was pre-med, partly because I was genuinely interested in medicine to heal people, and partly because I knew it would make my parents happy. And as a lifelong do-gooder, making them happy was priority #1.
But the West Village was definitely no Queens Village. I finally got why people kept asking if my mom was my nanny when I was young. Most of the Black women I’d see in Washington Square Park were pushing the strollers of white children or children many shades lighter than them. This was a dynamic that was so new to me, but not to many of my classmates. I noticed that only a few kids looked like me in any of my classes. Although I was usually one of the few actually from New York City in class, I was made to feel othered. But what’s different about college kids is that they broke it down scientifically, with actual percentage rates. And if they could break down stats, that means they had to be unequivocally right.
I tried to do the dance and keep up with my impossible balancing act while being overwhelmed with an intense pre-med track and double majoring in journalism. I got quieter and quieter in every aspect of my life. Aside from making friends with one classmate who is still my very best friend, Jing Jing Mei, who quickly set the bar of how she would be treated by telling our classmates, yes, she is from Brooklyn, and no, she did not have a recommendation for a dry cleaner. I stayed to myself in the library, with massive headphones on — listening to the ’80s soul music, hip-hop, and soca that made me feel like I was back home.
But this building pressure to not offend anyone by existing, wanting to declare a new major, and just hearing myself think and figure out who I truly wanted to be in this world became unbearable. In a literature class focusing on Caribbean identities, the dam broke. I’d mentioned that with my own Bahamian roots, I had related to the mindset of one of the protagonists of a book we were examining. A classmate told me that he found that to be surprising since the Black experience couldn’t actually be mine. “Come on, you’re light as Aaliyah. No one’s seeing you as this character.” I was stunned, but my first reaction wasn’t anger or a quippy comeback. It was fear. By identifying with this character, was I claiming an experience that wasn’t mine? Do I have the right to claim any of the boxes I’d been trying so hard to cram myself in, not to upset anyone, my entire life?
I felt so much shame. I wanted to immerse myself with stories about mixed-race identities. I wanted to bury myself in the pages of stories of people who may have been feeling the same shame and uncertainty. And I wanted to see how they made it right.
Right before Father’s Day in my junior year, I discovered Barack Obama’s first book, Dreams From My Father, on a random Barnes & Noble discount display. I didn’t think much of the author, considering I had picked up the book in the early 2000s when he was a Chicago senator, and there was no talk about a presidential run for the virtual unknown. My quest to “find the right way to describe myself” quickly transitioned into seeing my exact shame and insecurity projected back to me within his words. He talked about being the only child of a white mother and an African father, and how growing up in Kansas, he tried to learn about the blackness he couldn’t get from his mother and grandparents by watching Soul Train. He talked about being the “only one” in classrooms all over the country, and even in Thailand. He spoke about his present-day views when younger family members are targeted for being Black by police. He didn’t let some percentage rule change the way he identified as a Black man.
This book caused a gradual shift and lifted my insecurity boulder for the second half of my time at NYU. But I never challenged that classmate, and still, I rarely spoke up in class. I found myself spending less time in the chem lab and more time writing papers ferociously, and infusing them with as much culture as I could. My culture. The culture of the mixed kid from New York City, who deserved to walk NYU’s campus, and to tell her authentic New York story with no shame. I wrote about my Puerto Rican grandmother and how she used a meal to keep her family both nourished and united. The history within her cast iron pots passed down from generation to generation. I wrote about the authenticity of Notorious B.I.G., who, yes, entered the drug game just to feed his daughter, in a Bed Stuy that’s nothing like the gentrified oasis that has removed Brooklyn residents like him. They exist, and I exist, and New York City belongs to us. I wrote and wrote with the fire that I guess I was supposed to have as a Leo but never permitted myself to embody.
I told my parents that no, I did not want to be a doctor. I did not want to cram myself into this life I knew everyone wanted for me. I wanted to spend my life writing stories I was afraid to speak before so that young people could discover my words and know that no, they are not crazy for being so confused in a world that puts so much value in locking us in boxes no one, whatever race, should be forced to fit in.
Since then, a thing happened. Obama became president. I learned that we have the same birthday, and I would follow his steps as a kind and impactful leader and have them subtly guide mine as I became a working journalist. Just recently, we could also add Meghan Markle to the August 4 club, a biracial woman who’s self-made with a strong sense of identity and an even stronger mission for a better world. As she deals with scrutiny in a world not used to being confronted with her existence, I remind myself that speaking up with my pen lifts her up, and those like her.
I spent many years in knots about who I should be, until I started to untangle them and realized that only I write my own script. | https://jada.medium.com/mixed-race-musings-7dcb76e4e63c | ['Jada Gomez'] | 2020-10-16 17:10:39.754000+00:00 | ['Identity', 'Mixed Race'] |
People + Drive = Thrive. Every business and organisation is… | The Key Formula For Business Success
Every business is unique
However every business relies on its people to drive results
So, if every business relies on its people for success, why aren’t all organisations developing more innovators and creative thinkers?
The phenomenal pace of change through the availability of new technologies continues to disrupt the competitive landscape
Slowly, more and more companies are recognising that, if they are to survive in today’s rapidly changing environment, they must nurture their greatest asset (their people) and create agile cultures accepting of new ways of thinking and digital solutions
Without an engaged and effective workforce who are capable of driving change, suboptimal results will continue
Companies must act fast if they are to avoid being usurped by agile newbies
For those organisations slow to respond (or worse, languish in inertia) they will inevitably fail at some point in the future, swallowed up or left behind by the growth of smaller, more tech savvy competitors, who have at their core empowered individuals capitalising on the latest market changing technologies
Employees must be equipped with the tools to bring change to life effectively, to collaborate with ease and seize opportunities at speed
Sustained growth does not happen by accident
Exceptional results do not happen by accident
Collaboration toward a common vision does not happen by accident
These are the outputs of great teams who have learned and implemented the vital skills needed to succeed in today’s evolving business world
Just imagine an organisation where individuals understand how to interact effectively with their virtual and non-virtual peers, confidently harnessing the power of new technologies and embracing each step change
Where each team member is clear on goals and expectations, and how their contribution impacts the delivery of the overall vision
The organisations who invest time, money and energy in developing cohesive and high performing teams who support the development of new ideas and automation will always outperform their competition
Creativity, effective collaboration and the relentless pursuit for better ways of working set great organisations apart from the mediocre
People — Drive = Survive
People + Drive = Thrive | https://medium.com/@jomcdowall1/people-drive-thrive-bc164202e1f0 | ['Jo Mcdowall', 'The Mindful Leader'] | 2020-07-21 13:35:36.779000+00:00 | ['Digital', 'Engagement', 'Leading Change', 'Change Leadership', 'People Development'] |
Easter TV Picks: 6–12 April 2020 | — MONDAY 6th —
★ A DAY IN THE LIFE OF CORONAVIRUS — CHANNEL 4, 9PM.
Documentary capturing the lives of those in self-isolation over a 24-hour period on 3 April.
Also watch:
The Dark: Nature’s Nighttime World — BBC2, 1.45pm . New wildlife series exploring South and Central America after dark. Presented by George McGavin, Gordon Buchanan, Justine Evans, Sophie Darlington & James Bryson Voirin. (1/3)
. New wildlife series exploring South and Central America after dark. Presented by George McGavin, Gordon Buchanan, Justine Evans, Sophie Darlington & James Bryson Voirin. (1/3) Terror in Paradise — BBC2, 9pm. This World documentary about the bombings of churches and tourist hotspots in Sir Lanka last Easter.
— TUESDAY 7th —
★ ALMA’S NOT NORMAL — BBC2, 10PM.
Sitcom pilot about a rebellious unemployed woman (Sophie Willan) who returns home to find her heroin-addicted mother has been sectioned for arson. Co-starring Shameem Ahmad, Maizie Wickson, Tahir Shah & James Baxter.
Also watch:
Your Home Made Perfect — BBC2, 8pm . Series 2 of the renovation show using virtual reality. Hosted by Angela Scanlon. (1/6)
. Series 2 of the renovation show using virtual reality. Hosted by Angela Scanlon. (1/6) Tales from the Coast with Robson Green — ITV, 8pm . New travel series with the actor and presented covering the British coastline. (1/4)
. New travel series with the actor and presented covering the British coastline. (1/4) Return to Belsen — ITV, 9pm . Documentary on the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp for the 75th anniversary of its liberation by British troops. Presented by Jonathan Dimbleby.
. Documentary on the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp for the 75th anniversary of its liberation by British troops. Presented by Jonathan Dimbleby. A Country Life for Half the Price — Channel 5, 9pm. New series meeting people who live self-sufficiently. Presented by Kate Humble. (1/6)
— WEDNESDAY 8th —
★ CORONAVIRUS: HOW BRITAIN IS CHANGINGS— CHANNEL 4, 9PM.
Dispatches documentary about the longterm effects of Covid-19 and the UK’s period of self-isolation to combat the spread.
Also watch:
The Countess and the Russian Billionaire — BBC2, 9pm. Documentary about Sergei Pigachev and his British partner Countess Alexandra Tolstoy.
— THURSDAY 9th —
★ RED DWARF: THE PROMISED LAND — DAVE, 9PM.
Feature-length special of the long-running sci-fi comedy where the crew meet three cat clerics who worship Lister (Craig Charles). Co-starring Chris Barrie, Robert Llewellyn, Danny John-Jules & Norman Lovett.
Also watch:
Coronavirus: How Clean is Your House? — Channel 4, 8pm . Documentary about Covid-19 and the hidden dangers of spreading the virus inside your home.
. Documentary about Covid-19 and the hidden dangers of spreading the virus inside your home. The Mum Who Got Tourette’s — Channel 4, 9pm . Documentary about a housewife who developed Tourette’s after her 40th birthday.
. Documentary about a housewife who developed Tourette’s after her 40th birthday. Coronavirus — BBC2, 9pm . Horizon documentary series about the current health crisis and pandemic. Presented by Dr Chris Van Tulleken, Dr Hannah Fry, Michael Mosley & Dr Guddi Singh. (1/2)
. Horizon documentary series about the current health crisis and pandemic. Presented by Dr Chris Van Tulleken, Dr Hannah Fry, Michael Mosley & Dr Guddi Singh. (1/2) Dynamo: Beyond Belief — Sky1, 9pm . New magic series with illusionist Dynamo during his global tour after a career-threatening illness. (1/3)
. New magic series with illusionist Dynamo during his global tour after a career-threatening illness. (1/3) The Great British Dig: History in Your Back Garden — More4, 9pm . Archaeological special focused on a road in suburban Kent where a Roman settlement is believed to have once existed. Hosted by High Dennis.
. Archaeological special focused on a road in suburban Kent where a Roman settlement is believed to have once existed. Hosted by High Dennis. Celebrity Juice — ITV2, 10pm. Series 23 of the comedy panel show about celebrity culture. Hosted by Keith Lemon with team captains Holly Willoughby & Mel B, with guests AJ and Curtis Pritchard, Will Mellow, Nadine Coyle & Emily Atack.
— GOOD FRIDAY —
★ JOE LYCETT’S GOT YOUR BACK — CHANNEL 4, 8PM.
Series 2 of the consumer help show with a comedic bite. Hosted by Joe Lycett and Mark Silcox with guest Katharine Ryan. (1/8)
Also watch:
The Graham Norton Show — BBC1, 9pm. Series 27 of the chat show. (1/9)
— SATURDAY 11th —
★ BRITAIN’S GOT TALENT — ITV, 8PM.
Series 14 of the variety talent competition. Hosted by Ant & Dec with judges Simon Cowell, Amanda Holden, Alesha Dixon & David Walliams.
Also watch:
Mary Berry’s Easter Feast — BBC2, 6pm . New culinary series exploring faith through food. (1/2)
. New culinary series exploring faith through food. (1/2) Ninja Warrior UK — ITV, 6.30pm . Series 5 of the physical challenge game show. Hosted by Ben Shephard, Chris Kamara & Rochelle Humes, with appearances from Steps’ Lee Latchford, X Factor’s Jake Quickenden, Dom Lever & Katie Walsh. (1/8)
. Series 5 of the physical challenge game show. Hosted by Ben Shephard, Chris Kamara & Rochelle Humes, with appearances from Steps’ Lee Latchford, X Factor’s Jake Quickenden, Dom Lever & Katie Walsh. (1/8) Easter from King’s — BBC2, 7pm. Special from the Chapel of King’s College, Cambridge, celebrating Easter.
— EASTER SUNDAY —
★ WHO WANTS TO BE A MILLIONAIRE? — ITV, 7PM.
Celebrity special of the big-money quiz show. Hosted by Jeremy Clarkson with singer Charlotte Church, Pointless co-host Richard Osman, and ex-England John Barnes. | https://dansmediadigest.co.uk/easter-tv-picks-6-12-april-2020-97e505fcb1a5 | ['Dan Owen'] | 2020-04-06 16:01:00.925000+00:00 | ['Listings', 'Tv Picks', 'UK', 'Television', 'TV'] |
Elon Musk: Crypto Hodlers ‘Deserve a Nobel Prize,’ Mining Energy Consumption Worrying | Elon Musk has recently been in the news for praising cryptocurrencies, but also disappointed some individuals with his lack of personal holdings.
The news started when Musk said in an interview that cryptocurrency stands a very good chance of replacing the current monetary and financial system due to its superior technology.
“It [cryptocurrency] bypasses currency controls. … Paper money is going away. And crypto is a far better way to transfer values than a piece of paper, that’s for sure.”
However, Musk then later elaborated on twitter that he only owns 0.25 Bitcoin. Nevertheless, he gave a cryptic tweet that said “whoever owns the early BTC deserves a Nobel prize in delayed gratification”, referencing how it has been 10 years since Bitcoin’s creation and there still hasn’t been large-scale adoption. He also highlighted the negatives of cryptocurrencies saying that “one of the downsides of crypto is that, computationally, it’s quite energy intensive”.
Tech leaders guide mass adoption
Musk has cultivated authority on the issue of discussing mainstream adoption since he has now become famous for transforming electric vehicles from a fringe item into a must have consumer good, which he previously accomplished with online payments/shopping through PayPal. Thus, his reference to the plight of cryptocurrency holders waiting for mass adoption carries some weight. However, it is a bit apprehensive that he does not own much Bitcoin since, within the entrepreneurial world, it is often viewed negatively when industry leaders do not personally have ‘skin in the game’ with the product/service they preach. So his praise of cryptocurrency in general, while also not personally (publicly) owning Bitcoin sheds light on his views of what will be successful cryptocurrency.
Musk’s comments contrast greatly with another startup leader, Jack Dorsey, CEO of Twitter and Square. Dorsey has previously greatly praised Bitcoin, specifically, including the Lightning Network and even passed the ‘Lightning Torch‘. He has also been amendment in only owning and supporting Bitcoin in the Bitcoin Cash app over other cryptocurrencies.
Overall, the fact that these industry leaders have relatively positive views of cryptocurrency is a sign that mainstream adoption is starting to occur since it is no longer only a thing of computer geeks and libertarians. Additionally, these tech leaders have each found a unique way of achieving a semi-similar goal of bringing prosperity and happiness to consumers with what once appeared to be a niche item. This mimics the cryptocurrency ecosystem with multiple teams pursing different strategies to bring financial and monetary independence to consumers.
Dash racing towards sustainable, mainstream adoption
Dash is leveraging its unique DAO structure to create a sustainable method of long-term cryptocurrency adoption. Dash has been accomplishing this by being able to fund its own development and community outreach through its Treasury, which is 10% of monthly block rewards. So far, Dash has achieved over 4,800 direct merchant integrations around the world and this becomes even bigger when gift card services and POS devices are factored into the equation. By having a significant number of merchants accepting Dash, consumers can more confidently purchase and accept Dash since they know that there are locations where they can spend their money, which can easily be found via DiscoverDash.
Additionally, while the energy consumption of cryptocurrency has been shown to be not as bad as initially thought and mimics the energy consumption fears in the early days of the internet, Dash is still finding ways to mitigate energy use. Dash is accomplishing this through its soon-to-be released ChainLocks, which will institute an evolutionary protocol so it will take less work than the current PoW method to better secure the blockchain against 51% attacks. The combinations of these efforts places Dash in a unique position to incentivize greater adoption by creating real world usability and easy accessibility. | https://medium.com/@DashNews/elon-musk-crypto-hodlers-deserve-a-nobel-prize-mining-energy-consumption-worrying-46c82c234c4b | ['Dash News'] | 2019-02-25 14:36:28.184000+00:00 | ['Dash', 'Cryptocurrency', 'Elon Musk', 'Bitcoin', 'Crypto'] |
Wildcast: Podcasting is about to get Wild… | Interview with Madison Catania, CEO & Co-Founder of Wildcast
Interview with Madison Catania, CEO & Co-Founder of Wildcast
Tell us about your business. What do you do?
Wildcast is a networking platform and community for those within the podcast industry. Our first version, which became available to the public as of September, focuses on connecting podcasts with guests and with other podcasts. You can explore those on the platform to add them to your network, message with them, and schedule recordings, calls, and events based on your calendar. Some of our early users include podcasts from the top charts of Comedy, Society & Culture, Science, TV & Film, guests who have worked on shows and networks such as The Bachelor, Netflix, Bravo, as well as experts on everything from the coronavirus to astrology. Our long term goal and vision is to be a place where everyone in the podcast industry (guests included) can go to network, find community, and explore collaboration opportunities.
What is your startup’s origin story?
I was leading the production team at a podcast network, working on shows mainly in Society & Culture and Comedy that were top charting within their categories. A big component of my role was booking guests for our podcasts, booking our podcast hosts on other people’s podcasts, and looking for cross promo opportunities. Basically, I wanted a tool to help me accomplish all of this but I couldn’t find exactly what I was looking for! Ultimately, my co-founder and I decided to take a shot at building it ourselves.
Had you been involved in the industry before this startup? What is your background?
Yes! For a couple of years, I was in the production space. Prior to actually entering the industry, podcasts were a huge passion of mine and I was an avid listener. I had worked in Marketing and Content Strategy in a variety of industries, but really wanted to explore the podcast space. Luckily, after connecting with one of my now mentors, I had the opportunity to do so.
What’s unique about your company? What are the key differentiators between you and other players?
Because of my background as a producer for a variety of shows, I believe I really understand what podcasters and podcast guests are looking for and what can help them to expand their reach and listenership. My co-founder comes from the tech space, and with his help and the help of our development team, marketing agency, and strategic advisors, we’ve put together a group of people who are passionate and knowledgeable about what we are doing. A lot of “guest finding” competitors are more similar to a Tinder — they’re making one time matches for one night stands, AKA a transaction for a guest to record with a podcast. We’re trying to create a community and networking platform where eventually, everyone in the industry can go to thrive and grow.
Take us through a day in your life. What does the typical day look like?
Everyday is truly different. I try to build routine into my days such as waking up at the same time, making time for breakfast, going for a few walks, etc, but for the most part it really depends on what I need to tackle that day or week. I always make a general list on Fridays for what I need to do each day the following week, and then a more detailed list the morning of my day. I love lists!
What has been the most challenging part of growing your company?
I think the most challenging part really is just trying to be patient and manage expectations. We would love to have tens of thousands of users overnight, and there is an endless list of features we want to build to be the best platform out there. It really is slowing down to take things one step at a time in order not to be overwhelmed.
What has been your best marketing channel? What are some channels you are looking to explore next?
We just started some paid social initiates on Facebook and Instagram and though it’s very early, it seems to be working well for us. We’re also trying to collaborate with other companies and people in the space via social media, newsletters, and eventually on our own website.
What apps do you use that you would recommend to others?
I use Slack, Asana, and Canva nearly everyday to keep on track of our team and to build assets for social media and general content. I’m also a pen to paper kind of person, so my to-do lists typically exist both on an app and on paper in front of me so I can psychically cross items off.
Do you have a book, podcast, or Youtube channel you would recommend to other Entrepreneurs?
How I Built This is an obvious but truly great podcast that always inspires me to keep moving forward.
If you could go back in time to the day you founded your company, what advice would you give yourself?
Some days are going to be really shitty and that’s OK.
What’s something you’ve learned from building your business that someone else can learn from?
Take meetings you don’t want to take and reach out to anyone and everyone who might be able to offer you perspective you hadn’t yet thought of. | https://medium.com/startup-thread/wildcast-podcasting-is-about-to-get-wild-461637756eb8 | ['Dan Stein'] | 2020-12-24 08:57:40.581000+00:00 | ['Startup Life', 'Startup', 'Entrepreneurship', 'Entrepreneur', 'Founder Interviews'] |
Google Cast Web Receiver — Introduction | Google Cast Web Receiver — Introduction
A Web Receiver application is an HTML5/JavaScript application that runs on the Web Receiver device, such as a Chromecast. The Web Receiver application performs the following functions:
Provides an interface to display the app’s content on the TV.
Handles messages from the sender application to control the content on the Web Receiver device.
Handles custom messages from the sender application that are application-specific.
Sample receiver application
Web Receiver SDK
The Web Receiver SDK also comes with a built-in media player, which provides a seamless and easy playback experience. It also allows you to customize the player UI and provides your Web Receiver with the ability to intercept and override messages and methods to execute your custom business logic.
You can implement your Web Receiver application in the following ways:
Use the Styled Media Receiver: This is a pre-built Web Receiver application that provides a media player UI for audio and video content. It provides a default UI for the Web Receiver application, but you can customize several elements in the UI with a CSS file.
Develop a Custom Receiver: This is a custom built HTML5 app that you must host to handle the display of your app content on the TV. You may need to create a Custom Receiver if your app wants to display content other than audio/video media or if the Styled Media Receiver does not support the media types your app requires.
If you choose not to implement a Web Receiver, your application can use the Default Media Receiver.
Registration
To use the SMR for your application select the Styled Media Receiver option when you add a new application in the Google Cast SDK Developer Console.
To register your Cast application:
Sign in to the Google Cast SDK Developer Console. From either the Overview page or Applications page, click Add New Application. Select the type of Web Receiver app you will use, here it is Styled Media Receiver
Select this if your app streams video or audio content using one of the supported media types and you’d like to provide a user interface on the TV that uses either the default media player UI or a set of custom styles on top of the default media player UI.
The custom styles you may provide allow you to define the look for various elements of the player UI (such as the splash screen and progress bar) simply by providing a CSS file — you do not need to build a receiver app.
4. Fill in the details for your Web Receiver app:
Name field, this is the application name as it appears when the Web Receiver is loading or in the idle state if you are using the Styled Media Receiver.
Skin URL field, provide an HTTPS URL that points to your CSS file located on your own website. To use the default styles, leave the field empty. You can always edit this later if you want to provide or update your custom styles.
Guest mode allows your Web Receiver to support casting from senders not connected to the same WiFi network as the receiver.
To allow your app to discover Google Cast for audio devices, check the Supports casting to audio-only devices option
Click Done to return to the Applications page.
Note: You can edit these details later
Styled Media Receiver
The Styled Media Receiver (SMR) allows your sender application to play media on a Cast device without creating your own custom receiver application. You can customize the SMR color scheme and branding by providing your own CSS file during registration.
The Styled Media Receiver uses the following CSS classes:
.background : The background for the receiver.
: The background for the receiver. .logo : The logo is shown when the receiver is launching. This class is also used when the receiver is in the idle state and no .splash class is declared.
: The logo is shown when the receiver is launching. This class is also used when the receiver is in the idle state and no .splash class is declared. .progressBar : The progress bar for media playback.
: The progress bar for media playback. .splash : The screen is shown when the receiver is in an idle state. If this class is not declared, the receiver will default to .logo or the app name.
: The screen is shown when the receiver is in an idle state. If this class is not declared, the receiver will default to .logo or the app name. .watermark: A watermark is shown when the media is playing.
.background {
background: center no-repeat url(background.png);
}
.logo {
background-image: url(logo.png);
}
.progressBar {
background-color: rgb(238, 255, 65);
}
.splash {
background-image: url(splash.png);
}
.watermark {
background-image: url(watermark.png);
background-size: 57px 57px;
}
Publish your application
Publishing your application makes your application available to all Cast devices worldwide. It also creates a listing for your application on Google properties such as the chromecast.com/apps listing site, where users can discover and download your app.
To publish your application:
In the Google Cast SDK Developer Console, from either the Overview page or Applications page, for the application you want to publish, click Publish.
If your application information is complete, a preview screen appears with the application information you entered in Edit application information. If not, a message appears citing the information you need to provide.
2. You can click Edit to go back and update any information. | https://medium.com/@asibin99/google-cast-web-receiver-introduction-deea15f30ff8 | ['Sibin A'] | 2021-03-09 07:20:04.179000+00:00 | ['Google Cast', 'Chromecast'] |
Unexpected Growth seen in automatic fire sprinkler system market including : APi Group, Cosco Fire Protection, Tyco International, Adams Fire Protection, Heiser Logistics, Vfp Fire Systems | Unexpected Growth seen in automatic fire sprinkler system market including : APi Group, Cosco Fire Protection, Tyco International, Adams Fire Protection, Heiser Logistics, Vfp Fire Systems Shreya Mali Sep 5, 2019·3 min read
Automatic fire sprinkler system is an active fire protection method consisting of a water supply system that provides adequate pressure and flow to the water distribution piping system to which the fire sprinkler is connected. Historically used only in factories and large commercial buildings, now systems for homes and small buildings are available at a cost-effective price. Fire sprinkler systems are widely used around the world, and more than 40 million sprinkler heads are installed every year. In buildings fully protected by fire sprinkler systems, more than 96% of fires were controlled solely by fire sprinklers.
Automatic Fire Sprinkler System market Key Players: APi Group, Cosco Fire Protection, Tyco International, Adams Fire Protection, Heiser Logistics, Vfp Fire Systems, American Fire Technologies, Viking Group, Kaufman Fire Protection Systems, Grundfos
The automatic fire sprinkler system market is analyzed with industry experts in mind to maximize the return on investment by providing the clear information needed to make informed business decisions. This survey will help both existing and new entrants identify and analyze market needs, market size, and competition. It will help to learn about supply and demand situations, competitive scenarios, market growth challenges, market opportunities, and threats faced by key players.
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Segmentation of automatic fire sprinkler system market by type:
· Wet Fire Sprinklers
· Dry Fire Sprinklers
· Deluge Fire Sprinklers
· Preaction Fire Sprinklers
Segmentation of automatic fire sprinkler system market by application:
· Residential
· Commercial
· Oil, Gas and mining
· Industrial and Manufacturing
· Energy and Power
· Transport and Logistics
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A 360-degree overview of the automatic fire sprinkler system market competition scenario is presented by Report Consultant. It has enormous data related to recent product and technology development in the market. There is an extensive analysis of the impact of advances on the future growth of the market. This research report examines the market in detail by explaining the key aspects of the market that are expected to have stimuli that can be counted as evolutionary extrapolation during the forecast period.
Reasons to choose this market report:
· Provides analysis of changing competition scenarios.
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· Provides a 7-year evaluation of the automatic fire sprinkler system market.
· Helps understand key major product segments.
· Researchers shed light on market dynamics such as drivers, restraints, trends, and opportunities.
· Along with a regional analysis of the market, it provides business profiles for several stakeholders.
· Provides vast amounts of data on trending factors affecting the development of the automatic fire sprinkler system market.
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This is expected to drive the automatic fire sprinkler system market during the forecast period. This research report covers market conditions and progress in the near future. After researching the major companies, the report focuses on new entrants that contribute to market growth. Most companies in the market are now adopting new technology trends.
Finally, researchers shed light on a variety of ways to discover the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats that impact the growth of the automatic fire sprinkler system market. This report also measures the feasibility of new reports.
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www.reportconsultant.com | https://medium.com/@shreyamali0603/unexpected-growth-seen-in-automatic-fire-sprinkler-system-market-including-api-group-cosco-fire-2120f731a3dd | ['Shreya Mali'] | 2019-09-05 12:30:01.684000+00:00 | ['Automatic Fire Sprinkler', 'Safety', 'Security', 'Manufacturing'] |
Mind Awareness | Just because you’re smart, doesn’t mean you’re right.
I’ve always admired people with a fast and sharp intellect.
This could be a natural gift, but I think it has more to do with your environment.
My slower brain belongs in the South, for sure.
There’s a difference between how quickly you can process thought and what you’re actually aware of.
Wisdom is a character strength, it comes from having experience, knowledge, and good judgment.
Awareness is so much more powerful than regurgitating facts.
Don’t you think?
Namaste | https://medium.com/spiritual-secrets/mind-awareness-a62dca8ba0a5 | ['Judy J Lutz'] | 2020-11-08 04:08:18.460000+00:00 | ['Spirituality', 'Intelligence', 'Mindset', 'Wisdom', 'Spiritual Secrets'] |
Mad | 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/american-haiku/mad-fb104dad9aff | ['Sean Zhai'] | 2020-12-10 13:32:53.100000+00:00 | ['Healing', 'Art', 'Haiku', 'Youth', 'Emotional Intelligence'] |
The Computer-Language-Interface: Vision And Outlook | The Computer-Language Interface
These posts are largely unedited “brain dumps” which I dicated into my phone. I am publishing them for those who might find them useful.
Let’s talk about natural language processing. After all, defining the question is 80 % of the answer.
Text as a fluid representation of data
First of all, text should be fluid. Text should be a fluid representation of data.
So I would like to have a corpus of data. Data about the world. About observations. And the computer should be able to translate that into human language on the fly.
The computer should be able to give me a high-level summary of the available data. And it should allow me to probe, by asking questions, into deeper and deeper layers of their knowledge.
Language as a function of the human brain’s limitations
Whenever the computer is talking to me, the computer should have in mind the limitations of the human mind. This means, sentences should be simple enough that humans can understand them. It would also mean that the amount of data that is given as answer to any question is compressed into a summary that is short enough for a human to digest.
An object oriented map of knowledge
The way this computer would think is in terms of objects.
Just like in object oriented programming, we would have a number of objects, all of them with different properties.
As soon as an object gets too complicated, it gets split up into several parts.
Splitting up objects into parts simple enough to handle
I believe this is how the human mind actually created language:
The human mind starts out in life by slowly differentiating. At first, there is just the “I”. What the new-age-people call “I-am-ness”, or “oneness”. Then, a differentiation takes place. At some point, the child learns to distinguish himself from the world. Learns to distinguish his hands from his feet. His mother from his father, and so on.
I believe we could replicate that in a computer by imposing upon the computer the same limitations that the human mind has.
It has been said that a human can only keep around seven properties in mind at the same time. So we could say that, and object, as soon as it has more than seven attributes, has to be split up into two different objects.
I believe this is something that we are observing in human language is as well:
They say that some Eskimo tribes have large number of words for the concept of snow. This is because they have so many conflicting observations about this particular phenomenon that a single word is no longer enough. In other cultures, where snow isn’t such a common observation, or doesn’t play as large a role in life, such a distinction does not take place, and hence we just have one word for it.
Another example: In capitalist cultures, we have the same phenomenon with soda. At some point, people had a choice between soda that tasted like Coke and soda and that tasted like lemon, for instance. Hence the concept was broken up into lemonade, Coke, Ginger Ale, and so on.
Computers can invent new words for us
Based on such rules, which, by the way, the computer would be able to learn by observing human language, the computer would also be able to actually invent new terms. This is something we humans do all the time. That’s why language is alive. As soon as there is more focus on a particular aspect of life, new terms and words arise.
And we will know that natural language processing is working when the computer is able to invent new terms on its own as observations progress. And these should be terms that humans will intuitively understand, and which will intuitively makes sense to humans.
Understanding what is being talked about based on context
Once a computer has this ability, it would also mean that the computer can observe human language and understand the objects that are being talked about in there.
In fact, you would be able to cross out all but a few nouns in a piece of text, and a computer would be able to infer what the text is about.
This is something we humans can do easily. If you give us a piece of text with a few nouns blanked out, we will be able to infer, based on the context, what the text is about.
The computer will be able to do that, too. Because it will have built an internal map of objects that are object of human observation. It will also know the relationships between these objects, and it will know the properties of these objects.
This will be similar like the self driving computer of Tesla is able to recognize that this object is a dog, the dogs tend to walk on the earth, that they are able to walk, and lie, and jump, but not to fly. In the same way, the natural language processing computer would be able to understand what the different objects are capable of and how it is possible to talk about each of them. And this will allow the computer to “guess” which object it is that humans talking about.
(I put “guess” in quotation marks, because the computer’s ability to map a speech object to an object in its internal knowledge map would be shockingly accurate. The search space the computer traverses within a second when trying to match the object will be massively larger than what a human would be able to do in months of work. It would be a lot more like solving a complicated equation than “guessing”.)
Synonyms and pronouns, resolved
This, at the same time, will solve the problem of synonyms and pronouns:
Because the computer will understand what the other person is talking about.
And so it will be able to generate learning data for itself in the sense of…
“The object of this piece of language is X, and the term that this piece of language is using for X is Y.”
Adding observations to the knowledge landscape
The result will be that we have a system that we can constantly feed with new information, simply by allowing it to parese new pieces of human language.
The computer will extract from these pieces of human language the data structure, that is, the objects and the properties and relationships. And it will be able to integrate this into its database. Into its corpus of knowledge.
Of course, all the input to the system is tracked. So you will always be able to pin down the source of any piece of information, as well as the source of any confidence the system has in any particular claim.
And with each such addition of information, the knowledge landscape, internalized by the computer, will change:
Either the computer learns something completely new.
Or it learns a new differentiation.
Or it gains confidence in a fact already known.
Or it calls into question a fact already known.
“Ask the world”
At any time, the computer can be asked questions by the human.
And the answers will always reflect the current state of the knowledge.
So we would have a Wikipedia that doesn’t need editing for humans. With current systems of information storage, we use human language. And the problem here is that you can change a fact on a lower level of the knowledge tree, and those portions of the text to talk about the higher levels of the knowledge tree, the conclusions, will remain unaltered.
This means that, in human language, there are constantly contradictions arising.
A simple example would be a novel author who, after completing his work, changes, on the first page of the novel, the name of the main character. When he does that, the name does not automatically change in all the subsequent pages.
While this seems a simple search and replace problem, it actually goes much deeper. Because, there might be a scene in that story where it matters that the name of the character starts with the letter B, or that it rhymes with a particular word, or that it’s an unusual name, and so on.
If a natural language processing computer would be the creator of this novel, all of these instances would change as soon as you changed the name of the character. The change would instantly be reflected everywhere in the entire work.
The same would be true with Wikipedia:
As soon as a new piece of knowledge is introduced the contradicts what was said earlier, perhaps even on entries about completely different topics, this new page piece of knowledge would instantly be integrated into the whole system, and the change would be instantly reflected in all of the text output.
A two way translator between human speech and an ever-changing model of reality
Basically, what we are building is a translator between human language and a computer model of reality, based on human observations.
What we would be observing with such a system also is that the computer would be able, based on the huge amount of human observations that it digest, to come up with a gnu distinctions that we humans haven’t yet seen.
For instance, in the case of Covid, humans have had trouble understanding how the virus is being transmitted. There was a lot of conflicting observations. And humans, from some observations, concluded that the virus must be transmitted through touch. Then, from historic precedent, humans were reluctant to conclude that the virus transmits through aerosols. And so it became very difficult for humans to get a mental picture of the mechanics of transmission, and us to understand what actions to take.
And, of course, the ability of humans to draw such conclusions are severely limited. No human is able to completely listen to the stories of each infected individual. These people would have been telling long stories, and most of what they told about would’ve been irrelevant. So human would not have had the patience to listen to all of these stories. And even if he had, he would have gotten so confused with all this data, that he wouldn’t have been able to draw any conclusions at all.
The only way to draw conclusions for human is to drastically simplify the input data. Which is: To ignore large parts of data based on some kind of simple mental model. This already severely restricts the ability of humans to draw accurate conclusions and build an accurate model of reality.
The computer would have no such restrictions. It would be able to listen to every single report that is out there. It would spot patterns that the reports have in common. It would also be able to identify outliers (and liars). And it would come up with a model of the virus that is in line with all of the observations.
From that model, the computer would also be able to give us a ranked list of actions that we should take.
All of this would be happening not in the course of weeks or months of research. It would not require hundreds of people discussing and exchanging information through the low-bandwidth channel of speech (or, god forbid, a Slack chat), or grouping up into warring tribes and belief systems.
Instead, it would happen instantaneously. Like a reflection of reality. Like a lens through which we can see that which was invisible to us before.
It would be like a telescope. | https://medium.com/swlh/the-computer-language-interface-f074bf01f73b | ['Leonard Baumgardt'] | 2020-12-26 20:12:46.779000+00:00 | ['Augmented Intelligence', 'Naturallanguageprocessing', 'Language', 'Mental Models', 'NLP'] |
Why Digital Transformation is on top of the CFO’s mind today? | OpenText CEO Mark Barrenechea
Businesses today, more than ever, expect a blueprint to success. By asking the right questions, helping with planning and offering advice along the way is the way to go.
Technology adoption is critical for an organization to evolve and increase value to customers. More than 90% acknowledge that their existing processes and systems are redundant, inefficient or lack capabilities.
Technology costs and enhancing productivity are key performance indicators on your CFO’s radar.
According to McKinsey article, the 3 most noted barriers are culture, organizational structure and governance. In my experience, culture is the most important and can make or break any transformation.
Let’s begin with an easier explanation of your organization’s digital transformation. It is simplification of back-end processes allowing for low complexity and faster adoption by the team. Leaders need to get their version of digital nailed down. What exactly do you want digital to include? Is it going paperless, analytics, business intelligence, AI tools or omni-channel to your customers? Only when the proper definition has been established, can the team rally behind the objective.
“COVID-19 has wiped off almost $500 billion of worldwide DX technology investment between 2020–2023 from pre-COVID forecast.” Eileen Smith, Program Vice President at IDC.
The silver lining is that DX transformation spending forecasts global spend to grow 10.4% in 2020 to $1.3 trillion.
Tangible benefits are operational efficiencies, improved collaboration and customer engagement. I prioritize all digital initiatives on a value/competency matrix. While it is a challenging exercise there is clear benefit of having one strategic priority. Based on my experience, set aside other initiatives that don’t directly benefit the one priority.
Value matrix measures on an X-Y basis (low to high) — external vs. internal. External value measures how important is an initiative to customers. Internal value measures how critical is an initiative to the team and partners.
Competency Matrix measures on an X-Y basis (low to high) — capacity vs capability. Capacity measures whether the team has bandwidth to see-through the initiative to the finish line. Capability measures the team’s technical knowledge to understand total risks and effectively mitigate them.
Finally, once I overlay both matrices, there will be 4 quadrants of initiatives. Quadrant 1 (top right and moving counterclockwise) is for strategic initiatives. These are actions taken for long term benefits and building a moat around the business. Quadrant 2 and 3 are for parking lot where initiatives are placed on hold or to reconsider. When there isn’t a direct connection to the strategic priority, actions should be parked here. Quadrant 4 is for those initiatives with internal and external value, that can be tackled immediately. These are sometimes called the low-hanging fruit with a quicker risk-reward.
The bottom-line here is to evaluate your priorities before embarking on this journey. Digital transformation is breaking down old habits and forming newer methods — it is not for the faint of heart.
Most companies have been working on a digital transformation strategy or are already in the middle of one. This is first of three articles to help executives with creating a blueprint for digital transformation and execute it if one is already in place. Here is a link to my next article https://lnkd.in/g3Bx_vj | https://medium.com/@dipesh.pattni/why-digital-transformation-is-on-top-of-the-cfos-mind-today-ef58594dc9d6 | ['Dipesh Pattni'] | 2020-11-26 16:23:08.269000+00:00 | ['Digital Transformation', 'Digital Strategy', 'Change Management', 'Digital Marketing'] |
Mastering Difficult Conversations at Work | 🐣 Mastering Difficult Conversations Step-By-Step
Consider this scenario — a colleague made a comment that made you or your teammates feel uncomfortable. The colleague thinks it is amusing, but the comment is simply inappropriate.
Naturally, you need to talk to them about what just happened. But how do you bring it up without making things uncomfortable?
Well, here’s how.
📌 Step 1: Prepare
This step is all about setting the stage. Gather your thoughts and calmly inform the other person, that you would like to discuss the event — don’t bring up the conversation suddenly. This makes conversing less intimidating, more effective, and also shows that you’ve taken the time to reflect on your feelings.
Also, keep a positive tone when you propose this discussion. Be ready with an opening statement and some precise examples of the behavior that you want to change.
Make a plan but definitely don’t write a script. In fact, this should be a general rule for any conversation you ever have, however important it may be. It’s a waste of time to write a script in your head because things will never go word-to-word as you expect them to.
Remember that the purpose of this discussion is to find a solution and not to make the other person feel like they’re in trouble!
📌 Step 2: Listen
Never enter a difficult conversation with a ‘my-way-or-the-highway’ attitude. Go ahead and ask why they did what they did.
Grant them the benefit of the doubt and don’t automatically assume that they intended to hurt someone. Instead, give them the space to express themselves and show them that you heard their reply, without necessarily agreeing with it. Remember that acknowledgment is not the same as agreement.
Most importantly, make sure that your actions reinforce your words.
Saying “I hear you” while fiddling with your phone is 100% insulting and 0% convincing!
📌 Step 3: Express
This step is all about ensuring that you are heard as well. With assertion, you need to tell them the truth about what you think. Burying your feelings won’t allow you to have an authentic conversation.
One tactic that can help you here is to find an overlap in your viewpoints. As the other person is speaking, assess their tone, and listen to their words. Do you find anything even remotely similar to what you want to tell them? Pick up their words and use these words to begin your sentence.
The other person is more likely to listen and agree to what you say if they think your words are chosen from their sentences.
📌 Step 4: Solve
The last step is all about finding a solid, long-term solution to the problem that led to the discussion in the first place. Going through the turmoil of discussing an uncomfortable or sensitive issue is a waste if you don’t end the conversation with a proper conclusion.
However, as you conclude the talk, make sure that the person agrees with you because they are convinced that you are right, not because they feel sympathetic towards you. | https://medium.com/skynox/mastering-difficult-conversations-at-work-62a4ab02db3b | ['Nilohit Kanwar'] | 2020-08-22 11:53:10.418000+00:00 | ['Work', 'Careers', 'Workplace', 'Mental Health', 'Productivity'] |
How to Easily Invest in the Cryptocurrency Market | Despite the cryptocurrency market continuing its rapid growth process in 2018, the industry still has a wall of problems to break down between its current state and successful, widespread public adoption. These issues stem from the prevalence of fraudulent ICO’s, frequent security breaches and the inefficient nature of current ‘on-ramps’ from traditional fiat currency into cryptocurrency. Participation in the cryptocurrency market in its current state remains a high-risk, high-reward endeavour without the possession of exceptional technical and financial skills. While ETFs and licensed financial advisors provide solutions to these problems in traditional markets, no entity currently exists in the cryptocurrency space that offers bespoke, risk-optimised portfolios to the retail market. Until Automata.
U.K-based fintech company Automata seeks to address the problems that I have laid out above and have consequentially created a product that allows anyone, from farmer to fund manager, to invest in the surging cryptocurrency market. The beauty of Automata is found in its elegant simplicity. Automata does not require the exchange of cryptocurrencies, nor does it limit users to a highly restricted selection of cryptocurrencies as is currently seen with major companies that specialise in fiat to cryptocurrency ‘on-ramping’. Users simply create an account, answer a short series of questions in order to allow Automata to create a personalised risk profile and you’re ready to invest. Deposits can take the form of a one-off investment or can be scheduled to suit the user’s personal preference, which is a testament to Automata’s focus on developing a product that is not only easy to use, but also consumer-minded. Additionally, deposits can be as little as £1 and adjusted simply if a user’s preference changes over time. When put into a cryptocurrency context, it becomes clear just how important a user-friendly project like Automata is in finally achieving the widespread adoption of cryptocurrency to the global public.
While the interface and transaction framework must be applauded for its ease of use, the technical element to what Automata achieves is far from simplistic. Automata uses a range of fundamental, technical and analysis of overarching market forces to formulate a proprietary algorithm capable of outperforming traditional investment strategies in both bull and more importantly, bear markets. It does so by adjusting individual user’s risk exposure depending on the overarching market trend, with an investment having a greater exposure to a greater number of cryptocurrencies in an established bull trend and a smaller level of exposure to cryptocurrencies (and therefore a higher percentage held in stable cryptocurrencies and fiat currency) in the event of an identifiable bear trend. This algorithm has been tested extensively by the Automata team in traditional markets, where it experienced great success but also in the cryptocurrency market where it showed an ability to outperform standard market strategies by upwards of 80% in an established bear trend. As mentioned previously this ability to mitigate risk and protect a client’s investment is not insignificant in a cryptocurrency market that is dually highly volatile and rampant with attempted fraud. In this respect, Automata is essentially unique as it dramatically reduces the potential downside of any capital outlay, to the point where traditionally frugal investors, renowned for being reluctant to move any money from traditional blue-chip stocks should be attracted in entering the cryptocurrency market. As a result, it would be logical to suggest that Automata could act as the true catalyst required for mass retail investment into the cryptocurrency space and a significant step towards enabling the financial independence of those who may not have otherwise had the opportunity in traditional markets.
Automata’s current roadmap suggests that this disruption isn’t as far away as might be expected. The Alpha version of Automata’s platform has been completed and the Beta version is currently in testing, with an eye to releasing the completed desktop version in Q3 of 2018 and the fully operational smartphone application by Q4 2018. In addition to this, the comprehensive whitepaper is in the final stages of editing and due for dissemination in the coming weeks. This whitepaper will outline the token economics of the Automata project in detail, as well as explaining more about the trading platform itself. If rumours are to be believed, the incoming whitepaper will also reveal that Automata is seeking to create an environment in which users can track leading portfolio manager’s investment choices and replicate them to mirror their own personal portfolios through a specialty smart contract. Leading portfolio managers will set their own fees and be rewarded in Automata’s native token if they have success.
The cryptocurrency market is not easy. The possibility for high-upside investing is not without its inevitable counter side lurking darkly around the corner. The revolutionary blockchain technology that lays the foundation for cryptocurrencies however, is an opportunity that simply cannot be missed. Automata takes this high-risk, highly liquid and immature cryptocurrency market and simplifies it. Suddenly, instead of having to navigate exchange after exchange (and the fees that come them), with Automata users have a tailored, risk managed platform that allows users to access all of this at the tips of their fingers and without the notable security risks that come with trading individually. Automata is a brilliant solution to one of the cryptocurrency’s biggest existing problems. | https://medium.com/automatalive/how-to-easily-invest-in-the-cryptocurrency-market-de3cc72e4022 | [] | 2018-06-26 13:46:16.116000+00:00 | ['Investment', 'Technology', 'Fintech', 'Cryptocurrency', 'Bitcoin'] |
Using Python and Selenium to get coordinates from street addresses | Exploring Google Maps :
rawpixel.com
Before any web scraping job, it is essential to explore the website you want to extract data from. In our case, it’s Google Maps.
First, let’s study how searching for a full address using the search bar inside Google Maps affects the URL of the result page. For this, I’ll go with the fictitious address Grinch house mount crumpit whoville because I want Google Maps to return no results :
As you can see above, we get www.google.com/maps/search/ followed by the address we searched for. In other words, if we want to search for an address XYZ within Google Maps, all we have to do is use the URL www.google.com/maps/search/XYZ , without having to interact with the search bar itself.
The idea here is to generate a new column within mel where we combine www.google.com/maps/search/ with every Full_Address we have in our dataframe mel, and then have Selenium iterate over them visiting the URLs one after the other.
Let’s create that new Url column :
mel['Url'] = ['https://www.google.com/maps/search/' + i for i in mel['Full_Address'] ]
Now that we have a column containing all the URLs we want to crawl, let’s take a look at the address G Se 11 431 St Kilda Rd Melbourne for example :
www.google.com/maps/search/G Se 11 431 St Kilda Rd Melbourne
The above link gives us :
The above address corresponds to the charity Australian Nurses Memorial Centre. Let’s search for it on Google Maps by name :
We get the exact same spot, but not the same coordinates in the URL. That’s because the coordinates in the URL are linked to how the map is centered and not to the marker (they change if you zoom in or out). That’s why we’re going to extract the coordinates directly from the source code of the page itself.
To view the source code, right click on a blank space within the page (outside of the map) and choose View Page Source (CTRL+U or Command+U in Mac). Now search for -37.8 or 144.9 within the source page :
You’ll find the coordinates we are seeking in many places throughout the hot mess that is the source code. But they are mostly useful to us if they are comprised within an HTML tag we can target. Luckily, there is one meta tag we can make useful here :
For now, let’s note that it’s a meta tag with an attribute content containing the URL we want to extract, and an attribute itemprop with the value image which can be used to identify and target this particular meta tag. | https://towardsdatascience.com/using-python-and-selenium-to-get-coordinates-from-street-addresses-62706b6ac250 | ['Khalid El Mouloudi'] | 2020-01-29 13:35:31.704000+00:00 | ['Mapping', 'Selenium', 'Web Scraping', 'Pandas', 'Python'] |
How to Download YouTube Videos | Tons of footage is uploaded to YouTube every minute. But what if you want to download a video? Here’s how.
By Eric Griffith
When the topic of downloading YouTube videos comes up, there’s a side subject that must be broached: Is it legal? When it comes to copyright, as long as you’re downloading a video for your own personal offline use, you’re probably okay.
It’s more black and white when you consider Google’s terms of service for YouTube, which read: “You shall not download any Content unless you see a ‘download’ or similar link displayed by YouTube on the Service for that Content.”
After all, watching YouTube videos offline is taking money out of Google’s pocket and those of the videos’ creators. There’s a reason YouTube runs pre-roll ads; a lot of people make a living that way.
So, let’s be clear: Taking video from YouTube is a big no-no. If you want to share a video, YouTube makes it pretty damn easy to do, from embedding to emailing to sharing via social networks. You don’t really need to download a video most of the time. But maybe you have your reasons. We won’t judge. If you must download a YouTube video — absolutely need to, just for yourself, and not for dissemination — here’s how.
[Note: This story is updated periodically as the tools involved frequently go through changes. Some of those changes are not always pleasant, such as software that gets so full of extras it gets flagged as malware by antivirus tools. The programs, services, and sites in this story are all working spam-, virus-, and problem-free for the writer as of this writing, but caveat emptor. Especially if you’re not really emptor-ing.]
Software
Third-party software is where many will find the best control for downloading online videos. Typically, you just paste the URL for the YouTube video you want into the app, and it downloads the highest quality version it can find, typically in MP4 format.
It used to be that YouTube videos were all Flash-based, so your download was an FLV file, but those tend to be harder to play back. MP4, short for MPEG-4 Part 14 multimedia format, plays everywhere on anything. Here are some options:
Freemake Video Downloader
Free (with caveats); Windows
Freemake claims it can download video from over 10,000 sites; “Loved by 83 Million users,” it brags. With YouTube videos, it grabs things in any format, lets you save links, and downloads multiple videos at once. It also claims to be the fastest, grabbing a two-hour HD video in four minutes, but users can limit the speed if they’re on a throttled Internet connection. And that price? It’s a no brainer. If you only want to grab music out of the videos you watch, it also offers the free Freemake YouTube to MP3 Boom. A couple things to be aware of: Freemake throws in extras when you install, including a third-party antivirus program and a forced change to Yahoo as your search engine in all your browsers. Make sure with this, or any of these programs, you do the custom install to avoid unwanted changes to your system.
Freemake Video Downloader
Airy
$19.95; Mac/Windows
All you need to do is copy a YouTube link from the browser into Airy, and it does the rest. It even works with YouTube playlists. You set the quality or format, including extracting audio into MP3 format. Airy integrates with the Web browser so it can be a one-click affair to download. The biggest downside may be that Airy appears to work only with YouTube; no other video sites are supported. If you show them proof you’re migrating from a competing paid product, Airy will give you 50 percent off the price.
YTD Video Downloader
Free or $29.90/year; Windows/Mac
YTD works not just with YouTube but over 50 other video-hosting sites. It will convert files to other formats. Pay the yearly fee and you get more functions, including the ability to download multiple videos at once, download acceleration, and no advertising. YTD has Android and iOS apps; the iOS version won’t actually download video, while the Android version can, but you can’t install it from Google Play, you have to use the APK file it provides (with instructions). We have more on that below. YTD is the old guard in this area, but it’s a little hard to use.
YouTubeByClick
Free to $24.99, Windows
The developer of YouTubeByClick says YTD was an inspiration, and the software has most of the same features. It captures video from over 50 sites, including via playlists or entire channels worth of content, plus downloads video in full HD, converts to your format of choice on the fly, like making MP3s for your music collection. And it can integrate with the browser (Chrome, Firefox, IE, and even Edge) for one-button downloads right from within YouTube.
YouTubeByClick
Any Video Converter
Free to $49.95 (Ultimate); Mac/Windows
It’s expensive, but AVC Ultimate claims not only that it can download video from 100-plus sites including YouTube and Facebook, but also that it can also capture streaming video — from, say, Netflix. It’ll also rip DVDs and provides some video editing.
DLNow Video Downloader
Free, Windows
Another freebie, DLNow Video Downloader has a list of over 570 sites it works with to download video. It’ll do an MP3 conversion if you only want the audio, and grab any video in the best possible quality, even live streams or multiple videos at once. It’s also completely free.
Softorino YouTube Converter
Free to $19.95, Windows
The folks at Softorino have a product called Waltr specifically for converting video that plays on the iPhone or iPad — without using iTunes or jailbreaking. Naturally they’d want a program for grabbing videos to convert. The YouTube Converter does just that, getting videos sans ads for offline viewing, but also with the Waltr functions integrated, so you can sent YouTube vids directly to iOS devices.
Helper Sites
Want to avoid installing software? Download helper sites do the work for you, providing conversion and then a download link, so you don’t have to install anything. It can take a lot longer, depending on the size and quality of the video you want — a typical two-minute movie trailer in 1080p can be around 50 megabytes — but you can’t beat the convenience. There are hundreds of these types of sites out there ; seems anyone with a modicum of coding ability has set one up. They have names like SaveFrom, FLVto, GrabClip, VideoGrabber.net, keepdownloading, getvideo.at, TubeOffline, etc. Such sites can easily go from useful to suspicious, especially if they get popular; if your browser (or your instincts) throws up warnings, avoid and move to the next.
A few of these sites try to go the extra distance by making it easy to grab video by letting you change the URL of a vid at YouTube just slightly, so the service takes over. For instance, change the “youtube.com” part to “vdyoutube.com” and the site VDYouTube takes over. (Or you can still cut and paste the URL into the site.)
Other sites that do that: Save-Video.com (put the word “magic” between the “you” and the “tube”) and YoutubeMonkeydownloader (change to “youtubemonkey.com”) and SaveFrom.net (add “ss” before the “youtube.com”.)
One of the more popular sites that did this, YouTubeDownloader.com, apparently got bought by TubeNinja.net; if you use its “dlv” or “dl” in front of the “youtube.com” part of the URL, it now brings up a legality warning — the site got a warning from YouTube’s lawyers. (I also got one of those false malware warnings on the site, so avoid it.) Here are a few others that stand out.
ClipConverter.cc
ClipConverter.cc does the usual: It takes a URL and lets you download the video hosted there in multiple formats, both video and audio. Change the start and end time of the video if you like. YouTube, Vimeo, and others are supported; it also offers browser add-ons for Chrome, Firefox, and Safari.
KeepVid
Supporting downloads from an alleged 10,000 sites, KeepVid does more than video (as evidenced by supporting downloads from SoundCloud). Just paste in the video’s URL and click download next to it — don’t click the big advertisement that also says “download.” You’ll get back a slew of download options, both video and audio, in every size possible, including MP3 audio. Right-click the file you want and select “Save Link as” to download to the desktop. The site requires Java to run.
ConvertToAudio.com
Simple is what you need, and ConvertToAudio.com is that. Plug in the URL, pick a format for conversion (audio or video, though MP3 is the default), even set the volume control, then click Convert It! You’ll have to wait a while for the conversion. They offer a bookmarklet to put in the toolbar — click it whenever you’re on a video site to start a conversion. (Also try LinktoMp3.com or YoutubeMp3.to, or a slew of others with the same functionality.)
Browser Extensions
A browser extension can help you save a step. But you’re going to run into some issues with downloading video from YouTube, especially if you’re using Chrome as your primary browser.
The Chrome Web Store — where you get such browser extensions — is controlled by YouTube owner Google. Even an extension ostensibly for this purpose — the obviously named Video Downloader professional — states right up front in its description, “The download of YouTube videos to hard drive is locked because of restrictions of the Chrome Store.” Google isn’t in the habit of letting one division screw over the others. The download of any RTMP protocol video (protected videos) or streaming video also isn’t possible. (Video Downloader Ultimate, however, is software from the same developer that downloads from YouTube, Facebook, Vimeo, etc.)
It’s the same with other extensions like vGet. But you can use them on other sites with video, of course. Just not YouTube. Want to get around it? You need an extension that doesn’t come from the Google Web Store. Download YouTube Chrome says it’ll do the job, and even spells out how to do the install without the assistance Chrome users typically get from Google Web store.
Other browser extensions that can do the job, if you don’t get them from Google:
FastestTube
Free; Opera, Safari, Chrome, Firefox, Internet Explorer, Chromium-based browsers
This downloader tool is on all the platforms, and even has an installer for Chrome that skips the Google Web Store. It puts a “download this video” menu right on any YouTube page you load, with all the format options on display.
Video DownloadHelper
Free; Firefox, Chrome
Supporting a huge number of sites — even those for adults! — this extension adds to your Tools menu and provides a bunch of format options for download when you’re on a page with a supported video. You’ll know when the icon for the extension animates. If you upgrade to Premium for $28.50, you can convert files (but only on Firefox). They also have a Kiva initiative page, where they’d prefer you donate funds to those in need. They’ve already raised over $75,000.
Mobile
Remember that problem of using Chrome extensions from the Google Web Store to try and grab YouTube videos? You’re going to have an even bigger issue when you want to get an Android app from the Google Play store since Google’s got an even tighter grip on the apps there. Of course you can’t actually download anything with your officially sanctioned YouTube apps. Unless you live in India.
That said, with Android it is possible to install apps without going through Google. WonTube’s Free YouTube Downloader for Android is one — you can download the APK (Android application package) file to sideload on an Android device. Find it in your device’s downloads and click it to install. (You may have to go into your security settings and enable “Unknown sources.”) After that, launch the app, use it to surf around YouTube, and the download links and video management features are built right in. It’s buggy as an ant hill covered in syrup, but one of the few options. YTD, mentioned above, has a similar app.
On the iOS platform, you’d think there would be no such restriction, since Apple and Google aren’t exactly the best of pals. But on the few apps I tried in the first edition of this story not only wouldn’t they download from YouTube, they’re not even available anymore; it’s likely with iOS 9 they wouldn’t have worked anyway. One of those apps said in its description, “downloading from YouTube is prohibited due to its Terms of Service.” Apple is ensuring that app makers play by the rules — even Google’s rules. All the better to get Google to block someone who eventually does something illegal with iTunes downloads, probably.
There are workarounds. One is using a free iOS file manager app like Documents 5. You can use its built-in browser to visit the Helper Sites above (I used SaveFrom.net successfully), and download a YouTube video to the built-in downloads folder of the app. Hold down and drag the file up, until you’re back on the main screen, then drag it down to another folder to place it in the Photos app (like in the animation below). You’ll need to give Documents 5 permission to access Photos the first time. You can then access the video like you would any video taken on the phone or tablet.
Another workaround: Apps like Video Downloader Pro For Dropbox, Google Drive, OneDrive. It doesn’t download video from the video site like YouTube, but does make it easy to get video from a cloud storage/backup platform and stick it in your Camera Roll to watch later.
Or you can, of course, go old school: Use iTunes to sync videos on your Windows or Mac desktop to iOS, even use AirDrop. But it’s not the same. Chances are, the minute you find an app that can download YouTube videos, it will get “fixed.” The only real option to do that is jailbreak your iPhone to use sideloaded apps that download what you want. | https://medium.com/pcmag-access/how-to-download-youtube-videos-b938b526fca7 | [] | 2016-09-26 16:32:21.096000+00:00 | ['Apps', 'Streaming', 'YouTube', 'Tips And Tricks', 'Video'] |
Tonight’s comic wants to go 𝘖𝘜𝘛 for coffee?? | More from rstevens Follow
I make cartoons and t-shirts at www.dieselsweeties.com & @rstevens. Send me coffee beans. | https://rstevens.medium.com/tonights-comic-wants-to-go-for-coffee-97260c99aeb3 | [] | 2019-10-16 01:55:53.880000+00:00 | ['Solitude', 'Comics', 'Pumpkin Spice', 'Coffee'] |
Calling DIBS on cultural diversity | Building diversity, inclusion and belonging strategies (DIBS) within an organisation is not an easy thing to do. And while I applaud multiple companies that tackle this challenge, I can’t help thinking of the importance of approaching DIBS as a deeply transformative cultural change and treating it as such.
While we are all getting a little bit more relaxed after an incredibly challenging year, and looking hopefully into the future, there are still tens of thousands of people from the culturally diverse workforce that experience anxiety and uncertainty and what’s most important — a whole bag of bigoty biases.
I hope that this post might help people on both sides of the fence — candidates from culturally diverse backgrounds as well as recruiters and hiring managers.
With an attention span of the neurotic butterfly, that seems to be a norm in our modern age oversaturated with information, we draw conclusions and judge incredibly fast. So, I invite you to dive in the potential reasons for certain behaviour.
Statement: This female candidate is too pushy.
Explanation: Female professionals coming from cultures that are on the patriarchal side, realise at some point of life that to be heard they have to acquire some behaviour patterns that are historically assigned to ‘male behaviour’. It’s, in fact, basic mimicry. If you want male peers to see and hear you, you have to be like them.
Recommendation to candidates: you don’t have to be loud and insistent to be heard here. You would exhibit more gravitas, if you come across as someone confident, structured and not overall eager. When you build relations with a potential employer, it’s a good idea to inquire about the hiring process — how many stages, what’s the time frame, what are the dependencies. You might want to explain to companies that clarity and transparency in the job search are important for you. Be accountable and ask for accountability without ‘woodpeckering’ them with ‘are we there yet?’
Recommendation to companies: Be patient and kind, please. Introduce a workflow and follow it.
Statement: Oh, this candidate would not shut up. They gave me a 15 mins spiel. They don’t listen. Can’t let them go to clients/stakeholders/team. It’s a no go.
Explanation: For people coming from hierarchical societies, interaction with a recruiter/hiring manager is a highly stressful event. They feel like there is an expectation from them to recite their whole life, and they are anxious that they might miss some important details because the time is so limited. Think X-Factor or Dragon Den.
Recommendations to candidates: Australia and New Zealand are egalitarian societies. How does it translate into a job interview situation? No one is expecting that you would climb that chair and recite a poem. It’s not an exam. It’s a friendly discussion when sometimes people would not even ask you explicit questions. For example, saying something like — oh, I see you have a lot of experience in xxx field… is actually an invitation to tell them a bit more. Just make sure you don’t talk for longer than 1–2 minutes at a time.
Recommendation to companies: It’s a good idea to introduce an interview structure to the candidate, anticipating a situation when they might spring into a 15-mins speech. Tell them that you want to concentrate on impact, tools, interactions, results — whatever you are after, and tell them not to worry that they might not have time to tell you everything, like EVERYTHING. You read their CV anyway (did you?)
Statement: Why so serious? It’s impossible to have a relaxed conversation with XXX!
Explanation: Professional immigrants treat their jobs incredibly seriously. And while more relaxed and laid-back local colleagues wonder about all that ‘huffing and puffing with a serious face’ there is a simple explanation. For us, our jobs are not just a part of identity. It’s a differentiating factor because all this hard work brought us where we are today, when millions of people in our countries still live in very unfortunate circumstances with limited opportunities, in oppressed backwards societies and are facing many other limitations and even hazards.
Recommendation to candidates: Belonging is a two-way street. And we need to soak in the local culture, which is generally happy and optimistic. Relax for yourself a bit. Also, educating yourself about Australian pop-culture, reading/listening to local news, taking an interest in the community through volunteering and, most importantly, ‘reading the room’ would help immensely.
Recommendations to companies: Yes, belonging IS a two-way street, and as much as overseas professionals need to do their homework, so should you, if you want these people to stay and bring what they have to the table. And they have a lot to give.
Statement: S/he is so manipulative.
Explanation: Australians believe in their system because the system does not generally screw them up majorly. They feel like things are taken care of, and if not immediately, it will eventually happen. Many immigrants from less fortunate countries bear a deep mistrust in the system in general. What’s more on many occasions in their careers previously they had to deal with ‘Do or Die’ situations. Hence, their behaviour — when they see a fence, they don’t assume that it’s a bearing feature of construction, they immediately switch into ‘problem-solving’ mode and are thinking of how to climb it over.
Recommendation to candidates: Problem-solving is awesome, but you don’t want to exhibit mistrust in other people competencies. Bring solutions, but know that people who are working next to you know their stuff.
Recommendations to companies: Immigrants bring a whole set of creative solutions to different problems, and if the company channel this skill in the right way, it’s certainly a win-win situation.
Finally,
It’s important to understand and appreciate the work culture in Australia, as much as taking a deeper dive into behaviour and communication patterns of a culturally diverse workforce. A lot of challenging situations can be solved with an open dialogue when both parties give each other benefit of the doubt. But it takes time, it takes will, and it takes genuine determination to bring diversity, inclusion and belonging as an organisational strategy that reflects on each and every level in the company. | https://medium.com/@olgabarrettdotcom/calling-dibs-on-cultural-diversity-ad6fb7cb5a16 | ['Olga Barrett'] | 2020-12-17 00:39:17.435000+00:00 | ['Belonging', 'Diversity And Inclusion', 'Culture Change', 'Cultural Appropriation', 'Diversity'] |
Girl birthday party ideas | Theme party
As we all know that nowadays there is a new trend for the party comes that is called a theme party. This party theme makes our party more interesting and trendy as compared to the older version of parties. Theme parties make everyone very joyful about their and other costumes. There are different types of theme party we have:
Disney party: in this theme the costumes are like Disney characters example: Mickey Minnie etc.
Fairy princess party: in these costumes are like a princess, for example, cinderella froze, etc.
The ‘All pink’ party: in this all the guests at the party should wear a pink color outfit.
Western party: in western we wear western outfits like jeans, shorts dresses, etc.
Traditional party: At this party, we should wear traditional clothes like a suit, Kurti,lehenga, etc.
Pool party: in this theme the guest should wear swimming costumes
Tea party: in this, we just came in normal casuals for hangout and gossiping.
Decoration
At the birthday party of girls, the decoration should be shiny, sparkly, and colorful. So the party hall looks more glamorous and everyone just feels wow when entering into the hall. Decoration makes our memorable moments more happy and beautiful. So the ideas include in decoration should be:
● Colorful balloons
● Net curtains
● Lights
● Lamps
● Ribbons
● Craft papers
● Flowers
This all helps us very much in making our area beautiful and outstanding.
Dance performance
Every party is just also incomplete without dance. So we have to just prepare some special performances so people show some interest and enjoy the party very much.We also organize a dancing competition and choose winners and awarded them with a prize.
Tattoo maker
At the party, we also just call a tattoo maker person so people are enjoying having their favorite unique tattoos according to their like this is also a method of including fun at our party.
Return gift
Every party return gift should also be a part of this for as a memory it will make all of us feel special and just remember this gift as a token of love.Like: chocolates, accessories, etc.
So,the above-mentioned ideas will be perfect for your kids’ birthday party. I hope it helps you in managing birthday events. What are you waiting for? You can call birthday party organizer Party Sharty. | https://medium.com/@sonuawp/girl-birthday-party-ideas-83bcbcef1b75 | ['Sonu Maurya'] | 2020-05-02 13:09:06.410000+00:00 | ['Kids Birthday Party', 'Birthday'] |
What is a VPN? How does it work?. A VPN creates a secure connection… | A VPN creates a secure connection between your device (for example, your computer or smartphone) and the internet. This private network allows you to send your data traffic via an encrypted, secure connection to an external server. From there, the traffic will be sent on to the internet. Because of this, the IP address shown to the internet will also be changed.
When going online, we all have a unique IP address. You could compare this address to a phone number or home address, but for your computer or smartphone: your IP address is a personal identification code for your internet connection. It reveals your location and is tied to the person paying your internet provider. With your IP address, you’re recognizable and traceable online, no matter what you’re doing. That is, unless you use a VPN.
A VPN won’t always be able to cover all your online tracks: there are other methods that could result in uncovering your online identity. Techniques that use WebRTC leaks and browser fingerprinting could still collect data about you. Even so, a VPN will protect your privacy very well in most cases.
How does it work?
A VPN connection usually works like this: Data is transmitted from your client machine to a point in your VPN network. The VPN point encrypts your data and sends it through the internet. Another point in your VPN network decrypts your data and sends it to the appropriate internet resource, such as a web server, an email server. Then the internet resource sends data back to a point in your VPN network, where it gets encrypted. That encrypted data is sent through the internet to another point in your VPN network, which decrypts the data and sends it back to your client machine.
The Encryption Key
The central process with any VPN is the encryption of data. VPN software encrypts all the information sent out by your computer. This means that your Internet service provider, and the wider Internet, cannot intercept the traffic that you are transmitting over the World Wide Web.
Encryption works by applying a secret code to the data in order to transform it in an indecipherable form. The information can then only be decrypted by a system that also has the key used to encrypt the data (pre-shared secret key), meaning that VPN networks are extremely difficult to crack. Most modern VPN systems, now offer AES-256 encryption. The security keys used to encrypt the data are hugely complex and this level of encryption is practically impossible to breakdown.
VPN Types
Many VPNs will work directly with the settings of an operating system, such as Windows, Mac OS, iOS, or Android-so that every app that connects to the internet -such as browsers, banking, or social media apps are protected.
1. Standalone VPN Services
This is the VPN most commonly used by homes and small businesses. It uses an application that creates an encrypted connection to the private network that you can then utilize to connect to the internet at large.
2. Browser Extensions
Some VPNs work as a browser add-on. There are a plethora of add-ons you can install to browsers like Google Chrome or Firefox, while Opera comes with a built-in VPN. The downside of this is that your data will only be protected when you’re specifically using that browser. Other apps will not be protected. Furthermore, browser VPNs tend to be a little more vulnerable and IP leaks can occur.
3. Router VPN
Another way to implement a VPN is through a VPN-enabled router. This is ideal if you have several devices you want to protect as it will protect every device connected to the router, saving you having to install the VPN individually. Furthermore, you’ll only need to sign in once; your router will always be connected to your VPN.
4. Corporate VPN
Organizations often use a remote-access VPN for employees who work remotely. Through this VPN employees can securely access the company’s private network, often by using a password and an app. This is a custom-created solution that requires personalized development and heavy IT resources.
Best free VPNs for Android: | https://medium.com/beyondx/what-is-vpn-how-does-it-work-e9b51d4cb358 | [] | 2020-10-25 07:51:55.732000+00:00 | ['Encryption', 'Android', 'VPN', 'Security', 'Cybersecurity'] |
Designers, be kind to your developers | If you call yourself any kind of application designer — do not provide developers with PDFs of your designs.
What the hell, I can’t even believe this is still a thing.
Recently, a developer I work with often asked me to provide her with a quote for an interface design.
Most of the time, I win these projects. The developer and I work well together. We negotiate budgets and know each others processes and we enjoy working with each other.
I didn’t get this project because the client decided to use their own designer. That’s ok, it happens. When the developer told me I didn’t get the project she added, “I met him and he talked about sending me a pdf. I shed a little tear in my heart at the thought of Zeplin.”
This got me thinking about a designers process and workflow. It’s important to be a competent designer but to also have a professional workflow. A workflow that saves the client money and the developer time.
There are a 1000 different devices now with increasingly complex interactions. Providing a developer with a PDF is cruel and should be a crime.
The easier you can make a developer’s life, the more they will recommend you for projects. You create more avenues for work without having to really do anything.
If a developer is pitching to a new client, who are they going to recommend as the designer?
The designer who sends them a PDF of the design or the designer whose entire workflow is geared towards making their life easy?
Developers jobs are hard and their time is valuable (yes, yes, yours is too but I’m not talking about you). They solve difficult problems for a living. It’s a waste of their time when they have to chase designers for assets, colour codes, margin sizes etc. All that stuff they don’t want to and shouldn’t have to deal with.
It’s not just about them though. No designer wants an angry developer on their hands, that sucks so bad. The more organised I am, the happier the developer and the faster I get paid. Then, I can move onto new projects without old ones coming back to haunt me.
It is the designers job to provide all the elements of a design to a developer in the easiest way possible.
Every aspect of my workflow is designed to save time. Whether it be my time, the clients time or the developers time.
My workflow consists of the usual sketching and wire framing and then I jump into Sketch. Artboards are then loaded into Invision. From there, both the client and developer can view any interactions in the design.
Once the design is approved I ensure my Sketch files are super organised. Assets are named properly, assets ready for export, style guide is consistent and ready to go. I don’t want the developer hassling me if I can help it.
Finally, I also export all the finished artboards to Zeplin. It’s here that the developers can access everything they need. Hex codes, margin sizes, paddings, images (as png or SVG) are all there.
I am a freelancer and I learned all this the hard way.
I have worked with developers who were constantly coming back to me and asking for things. Getting frustrated when they couldn’t find “shadow-man.png” in the assets folder. Oh yeah, and why are there 3 versions of that pink colour and why are there 6 font variants when you’re only using 2? Eh?!
You want to hear crickets, not complaints when you hand over those final files.
Spending the time needed to organise your files means you can relax and I really like to relax.
If you are a designer who thinks it’s fine to give developers PDFs, I would love to know why. Do tell. | https://medium.com/sketch-app-sources/designers-be-kind-to-your-developers-5c5c858decb7 | ['Linda Wilson'] | 2016-12-13 12:35:21.514000+00:00 | ['Developer', 'UI', 'Design', 'Zeplin', 'Sketch'] |
A Small Note From LockTrip — About the Market Situation | There is no doubt, that currently the industry is going through hard times; and so are stakeholders. That’s why we want to share a few notes regarding the market and its effect on LockTrip.
Since the market boomed around New Year, it slowed down gradually and significantly. While Btc is down 60% from its all time high, Eth lost more than 70% from its high times. Many tokens are worth next to nothing.
However, we still have to keep in mind that the industry grew within a short period of time from a bunch of ideas and a market cap of $ Millions to a BIG ecosystem with vibrant development and a market cap of $ Billions.
Thus we believe, that this maturing process is necessary for a healthy development of the industry.
During times like these, the crypto industry is in a process of cleaning itself from the projects and most importantly the people, who weren’t truly determined to deliver on their promises and/or who made promises that weren’t deliverable in the first place.
It will also clean itself from traders and investors who have little to no understanding of the market dynamics.
Not to mention projects that weren’t able to effectively manage their finances or their business operations due to lack of experience.
At this point, we want to emphasize, that LockTrip is financially secured for a period of at least 3 years without the necessity to liquidate any of its current Eth funds due to our forward thinking and smart finance management.
Furthermore, it is very important to note that the concept of utility tokens has been validated. The first generation of utility tokens being ones bound to the economies of exchanges (BNB, HT, KCS etc) have consistently outperformed the markets during both bearish and bullish states of the markets, despite the fact that they technically classify as “altcoins”.
This will create a paradigm shift in the industry where previous “centralized is bad” will switch to “smart centralized with real economy is good”.
The reasoning is, that these projects have managed to build actual economies bound to those utility tokens through proper utilization of talent, skills and resources.
The second generation of utility tokens will be ones which are bound to economies that fall outside of the crypto world (like LockTrip).
We at Locktrip, are determined to go for the end game. And things have never looked this bright.
The business development of the project together with the engineering are performing better than we wished for.
Some of the upcoming short term goals are:
- Kucoin listing → Update expected this week from KuCoin
- Credit card payments for bookings → Sheduled for the end of August
- Significant enhancement of our hotel inventory (yes more hotels and better prices are coming sooner than you think) → Announcement coming soon
- Airline tickets → More info will be shared once development reached a certain stage
We want to thank our amazing community and investors for being so rational during these tough market moments.
This shows how our community is indeed the biggest asset of this project.
LockTrip is the first marketplace with 0% commission where you can save on average 20% on your hotel and rental bookings compared to anywhere else. Learn how to buy LOC tokens to enable access to our marketplace and its lower prices here! | https://medium.com/locktrip/a-small-note-from-locktrip-about-the-market-situation-847654e58877 | ['Locktrip.Com', 'Loc Token', 'Official Blog'] | 2018-08-13 14:42:15.450000+00:00 | ['Blockchain', 'Locktrip', 'Market', 'Bitcoin', 'Ethereum'] |
The Narrow Way | I remember the days, full was the way
A lonely trip, I walked that day
We laughed and sang along the way
But as the path grew broader, I did not stay
For something greater, I was called today
I took a narrow path that way
Alone I was, the month of May
Oh, will it forever be this way?
My heart, it sank as I remembered the days
Of laughter and singing along the way
But times had changed and the path grew gray
It was time to find another way
It was narrow and lonely for a time that way
But it was full of hope and purpose that day
I walked the narrow road the rest of my days
And laughed and sang along that way
For hope had come, the sun, its rays
They shined on me and said to stay
For a rainbow it was around the bay
I cried with joy, the narrow way | https://medium.com/koinonia/the-narrow-way-cc05f27d8857 | ['John Ross'] | 2020-10-20 16:41:46.243000+00:00 | ['Poetry', 'Christianity', 'Spirituality', 'This Happened To Me', 'Inspiration'] |
Tornadoes Facts | Tornadoes Facts & Special Details
About : A tornado is a rapidly rotating column of air that is in contact with both the surface of the Earth and a… | https://medium.com/@reemasharma-74165/tornadoes-facts-380a987b1a09 | ['Reema Sharma'] | 2020-12-12 17:37:00.357000+00:00 | ['Earth', 'Science', 'Facts', 'Tornado', 'Nature'] |
Gold & Silver Market Report for Dec 19, 2020 | Photo by Hans Eiskonen on Unsplash
Gold & Silver Market Report for Dec 19, 2020
In a stunning reversal, Gold and Silver charge higher this week looking to end the year strong!
It’s Saturday, December 19, 2020 and this is your week’s Gold and Silver market report. In a stunning reversal, Gold and Silver prices closed higher this week. While this is good news, the charts are showing that Gold is making ‘lower highs, and ‘lower lows’ on the weekly charts and Silver appears to be in a range.
Still, this up movement was welcome news for the Silverbugs who are hoping for a $30/oz Christmas. Gold closed at $1,885.69, up 2.49% for the week, where Silver closed at $25.94, up 7.94%!
Gold Chart
Gold had a strong week with Bulls breaking through last week’s long legged dojo and charging higher. Last week’s model’s predicted a lower close but Gold Bulls wanted to end the year on a strong note. Our models show that this week’s action was strong enough to affect the downward price trend by creating a temporary pause.
It remains to be seen if Bulls will come charging out of the gate to higher prices in 2021. Right now, our models are predicting a lower close for Gold next week to the $1,839 level and the risk to the downside remains. It is quite possible that Gold could end the year closer to the $1,800 level than the $1,900 level.
Note: Red lines are key resistance, Green lines are key support
Silver Chart
Silver had a volatile week as Silverbugs continue to buy at these levels. The long legged dojo from the week before was broken as Bulls took control but failed to break through the $26 level. Silverbugs are eyeing the $30 level to either start selling trapped positions or confirm that their purchases at the $23 to $25 level was a wise buy. Expect more volatility this week.
Just as Gold above, this week’s price action was enough to create a temporary pause on the downward price trend and our models are pointing to a flat close for Silver next week to the $25.92 level. Our models show that the current price level for Silver is where it supposed to be, anything above it is too pricey and anything below it is at value.
Note: Red lines are key resistance, Green lines are key support
Gold to Silver Ratio Chart
The Gold to Silver Ratio closed higher to the 72.66 level, a touch higher from last week’s close. Last week’s strong Gold and Silver action kept this ratio pretty flat and our models appear to be transitioning to another state with initial results are showing the Gold to Silver ratio could move lower in the new year. However, our models forecasting a slight higher close to 76.82 for next week indicating that Silver might be heading lower. This is at odds with our Silver forecast above.
Note: Red lines are key resistance, Green lines are key support | https://medium.com/datadriveninvestor/gold-silver-market-report-for-dec-19-2020-49f3943f8eb8 | ['Thomas Ott'] | 2020-12-26 15:59:04.926000+00:00 | ['Futures Trading', 'Trading', 'Gold', 'Stock Market'] |
The Words You Say And Think Can Change Your Life | If you knew of a way to lower stress, feel better and actually set yourself up for success in life, would you be interested?
Well, much of that power is in what you say and think.
What?
That’s right, the words you speak and thoughts you generate internally have a direct correlation in affecting your body chemistry, health and mental outlook. This in turn can influence so many other aspects of your life. For many it’s the difference between success and failure.
The reality is that by saying negative things and internalizing negative thoughts, you can end up creating a self-fulfilling prophecy. One in which you’re more likely to fail and never reach your full potential.
As we become older, many people have created a pattern of unconscious negativity and have an ongoing mindset that feeds on this type of thinking.
Unfortunately, this pattern is so ingrained that it creates a negative feeling that makes one feel like there is no hope for a positive outcome. However, positive change is within your reach!
It’s all in your words.
I know, some of you will laugh ( with negativity ) and think what I’m saying is just some “positive thinking” nonsense. Nonetheless, one can’t deny how beneficial it is to focus on eliminating negativity and concentrating on positive words and thoughts.
Here’s five examples of the negative statements that should be tossed from your vocabulary. It’s time to break free and get out of the rut!
1. I’m too old. This statement places a label on yourself in your mind and only serves to create limiting thoughts and behavior. You’re never too old to live, learn and grow. Saying you’re too old causes you to embody a persona that doesn’t match your true situation. There are individuals 90 years old parachuting out of airplanes and teaching Yoga. Dump that limiting mindset ASAP!
2. It’s too hard to change. By telling yourself that, you again put up a roadblock mentally. Life moves fast and we all have to adapt to change. Change is the only constant we can count on. Sure it might be difficult, but change can be good and it can also be positive.
3. I can’t. That statement has destroyed the success of so many people who would have achieved great accomplishments. They had the talent, the skill and the ability but they didn’t believe in themselves. They believed they “couldn’t do it.” Actually, it was their mind lying to them. Kick “can’t” out of your vocabulary!
4. It’s too late. Again, this is a negative statement signaling your mind to give up and lose hope. Too late for what? It’s never “too late” to try and go after your dreams. Life is short and it’s never too late as long as you are alive.
5. I don’t have time. This statement is another negative excuse. You CAN make the time to do something positive, you just have to eliminate the distractions. So many people waste time doing things of little value. Playing on their phones, surfing the web, watching negative news and partying. The time is here and now, you just have to own it!
The key is what you verbalize and think has the ability to manifest itself into something good or bad. Not by magic but by all of the different things that are put into action based on these words. Negative words create negative emotions, cortisol release and actions that continue the down cycle. Conversely, positivity and enthusiastic energy can lead to the likelihood of more productive and favorable outcomes.
Start moving in the right direction, Now!
If you found this article interesting… follow me at https://www.erniebray.com | https://medium.com/@erniebray/the-words-you-say-and-think-can-change-your-life-fa9acb244fae | ['Ernie Bray'] | 2019-10-17 21:11:01.787000+00:00 | ['Lifehacks', 'Self Improvement', 'Motivation', 'Success', 'Life Lessons'] |
Playful Seals at La Jolla Cove | Photo by the author (La Jolla Cove, California)
Playful Seals at La Jolla Cove
In my mid-twenties, I moved to California. Before heading to the Los Angeles area, I spent a few months in San Diego. Every day, after work, I would drive to La Jolla Cove and walk the path. My eyes would soak in the ocean and dance with delight as I watched the seals. I would snap a few pictures to remind myself of how lucky I was to experience such a wonder. The wildlife, serenity, and ocean waves crashing against the shore created a little piece of heaven for me. This is where my mind drifted, and I fantasized about the incredible adventure I was about to embark on.
Photo by the author (La Jolla Cove, California)
I have been fortunate to wander back to California on numerous occasions. I was most recently in San Diego for a friend’s wedding. Of course, I had to stop at one of my favorite places — La Jolla Cove. The Cove is truly one of the most beautiful places in the world.
Photo by the author (La Jolla Cove, California)
When I got there, the street had been blocked off. I only had a few hours to enjoy the ocean and wildlife before meeting up with a friend. I was determined to find a way down to the Cove, which eventually I did.
Photo by the author (La Jolla Cove, California)
What is La Jolla Cove like? There is a stretch of the ocean against little patches of sand and sandstone cliffs. You may spy birds, squirrels, tons of seals, and other wildlife. The ocean waves are powerful as they crash against the rocks. The seals are playful and calm around the masses of people who stop to admire them. Parking along the street can be challenging, but the views are fabulous. This is a great, little spot to immerse yourself in nature and wildlife.
Photo by the author (La Jolla Cove, California)
If you are ever in San Diego, I hope you add La Jolla Cove to your itinerary. I promise; you will not be disappointed by the Cove’s unmatched beauty. After you have enjoyed California’s majestic views, you can wander off to the cute restaurants and shops in downtown La Jolla.
Photo by the author (La Jolla Cove, California)
“Until one has loved an animal, a part of one’s soul remains unawakened.” — Anatole France
Photo by the author (La Jolla Cove, California)
Photo by the author (La Jolla Cove, California)
Photo by the author (La Jolla Cove, California) | https://medium.com/snap-shots/playful-seals-at-la-jolla-cove-65481027cee0 | ['Gina Pacelli'] | 2020-12-09 17:02:33.796000+00:00 | ['California', 'Animals', 'Photography', 'Wildlife', 'Travel'] |
Ingredients | “Do you have some of that bread?” I would ask, sometimes even before I said hi, as I walked into my Sister’s. When she hands me some, I keep the pieces of bread in my cupboard secretly wrapped and tucked away like a sacred relic. Yesterday, I looked for some in her freezer, but there was no sight of the tin foiled delicacy that is as precious to me as a Pizarro’s silver bullion. “It’s lightly sweet”, said my husband when I parted hesitantly from a small piece of bread. A rare event since I can’t purchase it at a store and have to wait for left overs of my sister’s baking. You have to understand, this bread is not only delicious, it makes my system “work” if you know what I mean… I’ll spare you any further details.
My sister called from her dining room: “Look, on the table… It’s for you.” A pink bag, ribbons, a card. Wrapping paper crumbled under my fingers as I tried to see what it contained. Ingredients. Spelt. Hard winter berries. Yeast. Flax seed meal. A bread pan. And a recipe. As I stepped into my kitchen this morning, yesterday’s ingredients whispered into my ears: bake. I whisked them together. Learned a new verb: to knead. And waited for 80 minutes.
As my sister’s note said: “Give a woman bread, and she’ll be happy for a day. Give a woman the recipe for the bread, and she’ll be happy for life!”.
Kindergarten Bread (a Waldorf School recipe)
2 tsp yeast
1 tsp salt
2 cups of warm water
¼ cup of honey
2/3 cup of olive oil
¼ cup of flax meal
1 cup (before grinding) of hard winter wheat berries
6 cups of organic Spelt flour
Pre-heat oven to 350. Combine yeast and warm water, salt, honey and olive oil and let it rest for 15 minutes. Add flour until dough is able to be kneaded and no too sticky. (Too much flour will make it tough). Add in ground hard winter wheat berries. And after, flax meal. Bake for 1 hour and 20 minutes.Check bread at 1 hour mark and then bake it for 20 more minutes if needed. | https://medium.com/letters-from-cabral/ingredients-b9ed204ace4e | ['Jennifer Cabral'] | 2017-08-15 02:37:27.973000+00:00 | ['Breakfast', 'Recipes', 'Stories', 'Flax Meal', 'Food'] |
Intermittent Fasting for Slackers | Photo by Bill Oxford on Unsplash
I love to eat. I like the way food fills me, comforts me, grounds me. When I’m hungry, I feel lighter than air, and I can’t seem to focus. When full, I’m so grounded I sink into myself; I can finally be still and relax.
I also don’t have much time. I work full-time, am a mom to two boys, and have significant community obligations. Plus, I spend time with my widowed mom, go to church, and keep the household running. I barely have time for a walk most days, and I plop into bed bleary-eyed around 10 pm or whenever I can peel my fingers from my smartphone.
Given both these facts, I’ve given up on more diets than I can remember. Weight Watchers, veganism, plant-based, Paleo, calorie counting, intuitive eating, celebrity best-seller diets, no sugar, Overeaters Anonymous, nutrition coaching, health coaching, detoxing…none has made much dent against the encroaching weight gain that started accelerating in my mid 40s. In desperation, I tried 5:2 intermittent fasting, and I began to lose a little weight. But it was unsustainable for me. Two days per week, I was supposed to eat only 500 calories. That’s just not much food for an Italian food-lover! For the first week or two, I was fine, but then I began to dread Tuesdays and Fridays, the fasting days. I’d be grumpy with my kids and husband and short of attention at work. I finally gave up fasting altogether because I valued my family and well-being over losing a few more pounds. I bought larger clothes and tried to find peace with my larger-sized body.
But when COVID-19 arrived, and I was cooped up on Zoom for 8–10 hours a day, the pounds started adding up faster on the scale. I didn’t want to buy more clothes, and I was feeling uncomfortable in my body, so I knew I had to do something. I had recently read about a mild version of Intermittent Fasting that Lesley Jane Seymour of CoveyClub posted about in her blog. She said that she began stopping eating after dinner and not eating again until she did some kind of movement in the morning. I don’t even think she called it intermittent fasting. She ate normally otherwise and didn’t give up any of her favorite foods. I do remember that she said it helped her shed some stubborn pounds. Well, this plan sounded simple enough to me — no complicated counting or schedules or apps or additional Zoom meetings, and I still got to eat as much as I wanted as long as I did some kind of morning movement.
I resolved to stop eating after dinner and not eat again until after I took a short morning walk. Being me and trying to find the easy way to do this (hence the “slackers” in the title), I decided I only had to walk a few blocks to “earn” my breakfast. I wanted to find something so simple that I wouldn’t have an excuse not to do it. Otherwise, I kept my meals the same. Instead of eating a snack or dessert later in the evening, I just added it to my evening meal. When I felt like I was missing out at night, I’d have a cup of herbal tea. Not super satisfying, but it did allow me to give myself something when my husband was fixing a late night snack or the boys were eating popcorn with a Netflix movie.
Within a few weeks, I noticed I had lost a pound. A month or so later, it was another pound. I hadn’t been able to consistently lose weight in years, so this was amazing progress to me. I kept at it, and after a few more pounds, my weight stabilized. I allowed myself breaks for holidays and weekends, and I didn’t restrict what I was eating. If I’m too strict about what I can and cannot eat, I get rebellious and then eat all the things.
So far, this way of eating has been sustainable. It feels much less intense than “real” intermittent fasting as I can eat breakfast as soon as I do my morning walk. And I don’t have to give up dinner with my family. Nor do I have to do it every single day. I am more lax on the weekends, allowing a late night drink or snack and an early morning breakfast with the boys most Saturdays. By Sunday night, I’m back to stopping the eating train after dinner.
This is working for me with much less pain and suffering than other programs, and it seems like something I can continue doing. Am I thin? Nope, but my BMI no longer teeters on the edge of being overweight. Could what I eat be improved? For sure. I still eat junk food and not enough veggies, but I’m doing what I can to survive working from home and parenting two boys during a pandemic. I know there are folks with a lot more serious issues than weight gain during the pandemic, but I’m a big believer in the serenity prayer — focusing on what I CAN do and letting go of that which is outside my control. I can control, to some degree, my food intake, and I’m a nicer person when I’m neither starving nor overfed. I’m grateful that I’ve lost some of my COVID-belly and am healthy enough to have energy to play with the kids at night after work. Losing weight hasn’t solved our problems, the pandemic still rages, work is still difficult, my kids are still struggling, but it’s nice to feel a bit better in my body, and so I’ll take the small win, and dessert too. | https://medium.com/@mggill/intermittent-fasting-for-slackers-2b860853f9c7 | ['Michele Gill'] | 2020-12-21 22:18:07.744000+00:00 | ['Work From Home', 'Weight Loss', 'Diet', 'Intermittent Fasting', 'Pandemic'] |
Conversation: Corrigan and Sprague Talk Executive Spending | by Tim Ford
On November 6, The Stanford Review published “Execs Spent $13,000 on Food, Gas” by Tom Corrigan ’11, revealing that former ASSU Executives Hershey Avula and Mondaire Jones (2007–08) spent $13,000 out of ASSU executive discretionary funds for 300 relatively small monetary amounts for food and gas. Despite the story occurring almost two years ago, the Review was the first to go through the financial records and put the story together.
In response to Corrigan’s piece, the Review columnist and former director of Stanford Student Enterprises (SSE) Capital Group, Matt Sprague ’10, wrote “The $13,000 Question,” discussing the implications of Avula and Jones’s actions and where the ASSU goes from here.
On November 10, the CEO of SSE and the ASSU Financial Manager, Matt McLaughlin, published an op-ed in The Stanford Daily, “Op-Ed: Executive Expenditures, the ASSU, and Fiscal Responsibility,” detailing SSE and the ASSU’s response, including committing to publicize all ASSU political expenditures and to discuss ethical rules for discretionary funds. In addition, McLaughlin also criticized the Review‘s work, writing, “The Review may actually have come to providing the extra level of evidence we lacked so many months ago, but at the time of this writing, even the Review seems to have tiptoed around this issue carefully in the advanced copy provided to me.”
In a new feature, Fiat Lux follows the model of “The Conversation” in The New York Times, bringing two writers together, Corrigan and Sprague, to talk across their articles. Below, see Corrigan and Sprague discuss what it was like putting the investigative news story together, what appropriate solutions are, and its implications. The conversation serves to further the campus discussion by offering insights from two people who took an active role in the original story.
Tom Corrigan: Matt, one of the greatest functions of journalism is its ability to raise awareness and, most importantly, motivate change. Journalism, particularly investigative journalism, has a unique capacity in our society to provide information that leads to legal and societal change. Though, in choosing whether or not to report a story, ethical judgments are necessarily made, the primary purpose of an investigative piece is not to make judgments. Rather, the primary purposes are to facilitate the correction of a presumed wrong and ensure that wrong never again occurs.
Journalists must have a loyalty to the community they serve. As the reporter conducting the investigative work behind the recent article exposing the spending habits of former executives Hershey Avula and Mondaire Jones, I had absolutely no interest in seeing any heads roll. In writing the article, I was primarily concerned with ensuring that the community became aware of the facts surrounding the former executives’ spending and raising questions about possible unethical actions and about the lax accountability of funds at Stanford.
Retrieving and sifting through the financial records that led to this report were not easy tasks. Though all ASSU financial records are public information, it is a non-trivial task to acquire them, which is one reason why publicly available records would be such an improvement. Once these records were in my hands, making sense of the many pages of financial material proved to be a complicated endeavor.
Finding sources familiar with the former executives’ spending habits that were willing to have their names mentioned in the article also proved difficult. Ultimately, though the testimony that appeared in the Review’s article appeared without a name to support it, the accusations were strong enough to initiate questions of financial policy and questions concerning the ethical nature the executives’ spending.
Now that the facts are out, now that questions have been raised by the community, it is time for those familiar with the events of this article to come forward and explain, on record, whether or not legal and ethical lines were crossed. It is time to finally resolve this situation and ensure that such a thing won’t ever again occur.
Personally, I find the very existence of an executive credit card to be quite disturbing and a prime candidate for change. Matt, as former director of Capital Group and someone familiar with financial management at Stanford, what specific changes do you think can and should be made?
Matt Sprague: Tom, I’d really like to see some positive steps be taken by the ASSU to ensure this doesn’t happen again. Institutional memory has never been one of the ASSU’s strengths, and what worries me is that the lessons learned from this debacle will be forgotten in ASSU generations 5, 10, and 15 years down the road.
I hope that the active information release policy that ASSU Financial Manager Matt McLaughlin alluded to in his November 10 response in the Daily becomes institutionalized through an amendment to the ASSU constitution requiring political bodies to publish financial records quarterly, and I second his call for “ethical rules surrounding discretionary funds.”
I understand the flexibility that discretionary funds provide to the Executive, and for this reason I think a budget that leaves those funds’ discretion mostly in place is required. What I propose is that a small portion of the ASSU Executive Discretionary Account be allocated explicitly for ASSU-related discretionary expenses, such as cabinet meeting food; the remaining discretionary funds would be used only for the programs and events that the ASSU Executive decides to pursue that have an impact on the greater student body (not a limited cabal of friends or ASSU insiders).
This differs from the current system, where the breakdown of discretionary fund expenditures has historically been left to the judgment of the Executives in charge. The proposed system would allow the Executive the flexibility to engage in meaningful endeavors, while limiting the extent to which fiscal malfeasance can occur (i.e. no more $13,000 mistakes). Furthermore, readers should note that budget allocations are not fixed in stone, and could be changed (with the approval of the GSC and Senate), should the above system require adjustment.
I’ll conclude with an appeal to our legislators in the ASSU Undergraduate Senate and Graduate Student Council to take substantive steps, and secure the responsibility and future of ASSU discretionary funding in the generations to come. As you mentioned, Tom, this has been a tremendous opportunity to raise awareness and by doing so serve the Stanford community.
Tom Corrigan: Matt, I completely agree. I would, however, like to expand the nature of our conversation. In an era in which the words “executive greed” primarily bring to mind Wall Street executives such as Bernie Madoff, these recent findings concerning Avula/Jones broaden the lens through which we can look at the depraved spending of others’ money. Given what we know about the former executives’ spending, I believe it’s fair to ask what, if anything, pushes those in positions of public trust toward seemingly unethical behavior.
Because what was uncovered here at Stanford clearly echoes larger, national issues of the recent past, by thinking the Avula/Jones case, we can attempt to serve a much larger community than that of Stanford. It’s not just Avula/Jones; it’s Madoff, corruption in Congress, corruption in both small towns and cities across America (let’s look at Chicago…), etc, etc. We can and should take our relatively small-scale story and develop it into a serious look at fiduciary malfeasance on a larger scale and why we see it occur so often. | https://medium.com/stanfordreview/conversation-corrigan-and-sprague-talk-executive-spending-db5f8b1b1c6f | [] | 2016-12-09 09:13:51.006000+00:00 | ['Government', 'Journalism'] |
What I Learned About Life, Love & Sex From My Great-Grandfather | What I Learned About Life, Love & Sex From My Great-Grandfather
Two writers, a century apart, trying to understand the workings of the human heart
The Wolfes, late 1930s (Photo from Yael Wolfe’s family collection)
My grandfather died in 1994, when I was 18 years old. I was obsessed with genealogy at the time and was thrilled when I discovered Grandpa’s boxes of old photos, family journals, and genealogical notes.
One of the most fascinating finds was his father’s — my great-grandfather’s — journal. It was filled with musings on society, economics, social observations, and notes about love…and sex. Yes, sex.
Some of it, I could not read. My great-grandfather brought his family to America around 1920, from Denmark. He, his wife, my grandfather, and my grandaunts and -uncles were fluent in many languages — Danish, Norwegian, English, French, German, Latin — and they often wrote or spoke in multiple tongues.
What Great-grandpa wrote in English, though, I read over and over. Oddly, I wasn’t able to grasp a better understanding of his personality by reading through his journal. My opinion of him vacillated quite violently. Was he a sexist, privileged, wealthy, overly-educated man who treated women like a commodity? Was he a curious philosopher whose sexism was simply a product of his time, his culture?
He died long before I was born and my grandfather never spoke of him. So who was this man who felt as compelled as I did to scribble away about sex and love in his notebooks?
Great-grandpa Anton (Photo from Yael Wolfe’s family collection)
His name was Anton. He was born in Copenhagen in 1873, one hundred three years before my own birth. He married a young woman from Norway, named Louise. Her family was in the business of making copper pots and kettles.
Together, they had four children — two girls, then two boys, just like my family.
We know they lived a good life in Denmark, but after their eldest child died at the age of 21, they made the decision to come to America with the remaining three.
I know all the facts, but I want to know more. What was their life like? Were they happy? What went on behind closed doors?
A Good Wife
I have a fascination with love stories. Not for the typical reasons. I’m not trying to look for confirmation that “true love is real” or couples can “make it.” I’m interested in how humans express love, what love looks like in different moments in history, how humans choose to define love and relationships.
So of course, I would love to know how my great-grandparents felt about one another. Were they in love? Did their well-to-do parents orchestrate the marriage for financial or social reasons? How did they fare in their long marriage?
Great-grandpa Anton appeared to want a sensible, good wife — such a cliché, I know, but to be fair, it was a very different time. In one of his journals, he wrote:
One of the funniest things about the cult of modern beauty is that while it is encouraged on the theory that it will hold husbands, its devotees lose theirs with alarming regularity. Beauty culture for hobbling straying husbands is largely a failure. A lot of women who depend on it now suffer from diminishing alimony returns as well as from plucked eyebrows. If they had coaxed along their husbands half as hard as they did their complexions, they could have had a comfortable fireside seat cinched forever. But they were so busy enhancing their charms that they had no time to practice the arts of the good wife.
The “cult of modern beauty” is still alive and well and I love to write about it just as much as Great-grandpa…but not for the same reasons. I think the cult of modern beauty is just as dangerous as the cult of the good wife. (Sorry, Great-grandpa.)
Louise & Anton, 1921 (Photo from Yael Wolfe’s family collection)
The Hunter
The older I get, the more open-minded I become about relationships. I grew up around monogamous couples, and yet rarely saw that model work in the long run. Are affairs inevitable in this structure? Or does it stem from multiple factors?
My great-grandfather also appeared to be fascinated with the topic of infidelity, though he came at it from a very different perspective. Men, he surmised, were hunters, and collecting women was their natural instinct.
In his essay called The Second Woman (in which I have made appropriate grammatical corrections), he wrote:
Into the life of every man…comes the second woman, and the minute she appears, sense and reason go flying out of the window. Why will any sane man who truly loves his wife, cherishes his family, recognizes the worth of all the things he has spent years in building, chance the destruction of all for a few hours in the arms of the second woman? Why? Because he has no choice in the matter… From Adam on, every man has been a hunter. He wins the first great hunt when he finds the woman whom he makes his wife… Then the second woman makes her appearance. It may be her sexual lure which first attracts him — it may be an intellectual attraction, pleasantly natural. No sooner does the second woman appear than visions of a new hunt creep back into his mind… And he deceives himself that the affair is entirely innocent, so he is inclined to deceive the woman — either he poses as an unmarried man or he tells her his wife does not understand him, and he needs her sympathy, her aid, in solving his problems… Nine times out of ten, the man still loves his wife more than the second woman… No man can be as happy with the second woman as with the first, with very few exceptions…
How interesting that he speaks with such authority on this subject, hmmm? Great-grandpa, did you have a secret or two?
Interestingly, he doesn’t place any blame for this deception in the hands of the perpetrator, but calls it the fault of civilization. But I try to be forgiving, since he wrote this at a time when the cultural mores around marriage were, I imagine, suffocating for all genders. I’d guess many couples accepted their fate: men being denied in the bedroom, women playing the part of the dutiful, virtuous wife. That was what people were supposed to do, what marriage was supposed to look like, having absolutely nothing to do with what our hearts, souls, and bodies actually want.
That, Great-grandpa, can be blamed upon civilization.
Sexual Frustration, Circa 1920
One of my favorite subjects is sexual frustration and the cultural factors that contribute to it. This is a sensitive subject and I’ve found that many men can be quite reactive when this comes up. I’ve heard so much bitterness around this subject, but bitterness aimed at women, and bitterness that births false information about female sexuality that in turn creates even more bitterness. And beneath it all is this strange sense of entitlement — as though some men feel they deserve to have their every sexual need met by their female partner.
I see something similar in my great-grandfather’s musing on this subject:
There is no evidence to prove that woman has any right to assume herself the possessor of any man during a prostrated period. Man’s taste changes and what for him was the sublime in his young life may not fulfill his desires in later life. Man has a hunting nature or instinct. For this reason, it is quite natural that he is always on the hunt for new game, for new diversification, or to be frank about it, for new meat. Woman wants to be conquered and is forever teasing and egging the man to begin the preliminaries for the conquest. Although in order to save the face of her chastity, she pretends to be suavely defending her so-called honor. She generally plays the game so long as she can without cooling his ardor and when he is on the verge to lay off, she submits and gives his rigid generant approved admission to the voluptuous receptacle in which the seed for a new individual is to be fertilized.
Well, shit. Great-grandpa, this is fucked up.
What’s interesting to me, though, is how often I still see attitudes like this. One hundred years later, there’s still so much enmity between the sexes — frustration, blame. The myth of the hunter and the teasing prey. The conquest, the “face” of chastity, the “so-called honor”… these are all constructs of the patriarchy, of puritanical religious beliefs, of sexism, of misogyny. We can see that today, but he would not have known that back then.
Anton’s journal (Photo from Yael Wolfe’s family collection)
Life, love, and sex
I’m fascinated by the fact that my great-grandfather used his writing to understand the world better, just as I do. Sure, he might have been a sexist dick who had a whole lot of “meat” (to use his words) on the side, but to be fair, we are all formed by our cultures. Sometimes, in his writing, I can see his inner struggle, trying to do what he’s “supposed” to do — be the good, virtuous husband who loves his good, virtuous wife. And when faced with the emotional and physical denial that I assume accompanied that role, his anger and frustration would eventually bubble over, searching desperately for a “voluptuous receptacle.”
Here we are, a century later, still dealing with this issue. Some women are still struggling so much to emerge from the sexual shame our culture used to bind us, to discard the harmful role of “good girl,” “good wife.” Some men are trying so hard to be good husbands who love their good wives, until their blue balls (or lonely hearts) send them into a momentary fit of anger or frustration and the structure comes tumbling down. And so many people (not just men), when they just cannot find a way through this, seek out someone else. We find a way to get our needs met elsewhere.
Great-grandpa Anton didn’t have any solutions to this, nor do I. But unlike him, I have the benefit of one hundred years of social progress. Admittedly, we didn’t get very far, but at least we’re talking about it now. At least there is some awareness of the problems.
Sexist or not, I’m grateful to have my great-grandfather’s words to look back on, to ponder, to explore. There is power in writing. Just like Great-grandpa Anton, I’m only scribbling away, sharing my theories, but these written words, like his, might live another century and beyond, touching the lives of people, of descendants, I will never meet.
My great-grandnieces and -nephews might look back on all my writing and shake their head, thinking, as I do about my great-grandfather, “Damn, that lady was so unenlightened…but at least she wrote, and shared, and talked…and tried.”
In the end, I think that’s all we can do — share, talk, try.
And write.
© Yael Wolfe 2019 | https://medium.com/wilder-with-yael-wolfe/what-i-learned-about-life-love-sex-from-my-great-grandfather-40287a293c8 | ['Yael Wolfe'] | 2020-08-21 04:21:32.390000+00:00 | ['Writing', 'Relationships', 'Sex', 'Love', 'Feminism'] |
We’re Crushing On: Andrew Stover | Andrew Stover, creator of Vino50 wines and Wine Enthusiast’s “40 Under 40” Tastemaker
Creator of Vino50 Wines, Larger-Than-Life Sommelier, and “40 Under 40” Tastemaker
I met Andrew Stover when we were preparing to open DCanter A Wine Boutique back in 2013. My business partner and I were in search of unique, off-the-beaten path wines. Andrew definitely had plenty to show us when we came by his company’s Virginia warehouse for a tasting. We tasted what seemed like 100 wines — a number of which were from unbelievable places like New Mexico, Idaho, Arizona, Hawaii. What? At the time, it was crazy to think that these places could produce wines that actually met DCanter’s quality standards. But we found some gems that we continue to showcase at the shop.
Andrew has an incredible personality, always discovering what’s fun and new in American wine and beyond. He is the creator of Vino50 Wines, a highly curated portfolio of American wines, particularly from newly emerging wine regions in the United States. He is also a trained sommelier, working the restaurant scene and was named a “40 Under 40 Tastemaker” by Wine Enthusiast in 2015. Let’s get to know him a little more, shall we?
So, Andrew, tell us:
Me: How’d you get into the biz? What was your first job?
AS: First job was in media sales for WhereTraveler, a local city mag found in hotels/concierge desks. I worked with loads of restaurants on marketing programs to get hotel visitor business through their doors, so I was always exposed to new openings, chefs, and so on. Some of my work was with the Loudoun County Convention and Tourism Association, and with that brought winery visits. It was where I met Paul Breaux of Breaux Vineyards and ended up taking a part-time job in their tasting room a few weekends a month so I could learn more about wine. This is circa 2000/2001.
The interest in wine grew due to my interest in travel. Wine is all about places and people. I enrolled in various wine courses, which culminated with the International Sommelier Guild Sommelier Diploma Program over 2004–2006. I passed the 12-hour exam in 2006 and began offering marketing and wine consulting services to restaurants, especially those I knew from working in media sales while I was at Where. OYA Restaurant was one of my first consulting clients. I also helped build the programs for Extra Virgin in Arlington (now shuttered), Panache Tysons Corner (now shuttered), plus Smith Commons, SEI Restaurant and Sax Restaurant & Lounge, to name a few.
Me: What’s the hardest part about working in the wine world?
AS: It depends on which aspect of the business. If we just focus on sales and marketing, the hardest thing is the amount of competition. There is just so much wine out there and so many people trying to sell wine. It is often difficult to distinguish one’s self from the crowd, which is true for any winery or wine-focused company. What makes them different? What makes them special? I find that focusing in on the unusual regions and grape varieties is one means to stand out. Who wants to hawk yet another California red wine when you can hawk a standout red wine from Maryland?
Me: About a winemaker/winery you feel more people should know about?
AS: [That’s a] tough call. There are so many things I could insert here. How about we select a winery and then a wine region?
Andrew Stover #winepimping wtih Maynard Keenan, winemaker of Caduceus Cellars.
For winery, I think more people need to know about Caduceus Cellars and Maynard Keenan. Sure he’s a well-known recording artist/musician known in some circles but his wines don’t always get discussed as much as I feel they should. I really love his extreme passion for making wines in the high desert of Arizona and New Mexico, and his style is very natural and elegant. There is very little that he does to manipulate the fruit or the outcome of the wine. The wines just happen. Follow him on Instagram for lots of winemaking folly. (@puscifer on Instagram)
A wine region that’s very exciting to me right now is the south of England. The soil is almost a carbon copy of that found in Champagne, France, with similar climatic conditions. Heck, some vineyard sites in England are approximately 90 miles from the Champagne region. The quality of many of the traditional-method sparkling wines from England easily rival that of the best of Champagne and often with more racy acidity and finesse. England should be on everyone’s watch list.
Me: English wine? Noted! Okay, so when you’re not drinking wine, what’s in your glass?
AS: Beer of course! There is a saying many winemakers have: “it takes a lot of good beer to make a lot of good wine.” I enjoy a wide variety of styles, but tend toward more savory beers with a hoppy edge. I love the Atlas Rowdy rye from DC and Ninkasi Total Domination IPA from Oregon.
Me: What’s on your playlist these days?
AS: A mix of very random things, that’s for sure. If it’s not the Nike running mix curated by Spotify, it’s often music I’ve heard on various trips. Brooke Fraser brings me back to New Zealand. The Babasonicos brings me back to Argentina. El Sueno de Morfeo brings me back to Spain. Of Monsters and Men brings me back to Iceland.
Me: What’s your guilty pleasure?
AS: Chocolate and peanut butter. The peanut butter spooned right from the jar onto a basic everyday milk chocolate bar. Always Jif, it’s the best.
Me: What inspired your signature “duck face” look?
AS: [The] one [we] have renamed #winepimping face? God only knows where it first started but I always get accused of “aerating” other beverages besides wine. I’ve been caught aerating water in fact. It’s just a subconscious act. The real thrust of this “look” got going back with my good winery friend, Cara Early, general manager for Girardet Winery in the Umqua Valley of Oregon. Cara was visiting the area on a sales [and] marketing trip, and while in my car we decided to take a selfie. But not just any selfie, it was the duck face which we then dubbed the #winepimping face because that’s what we do — we pimp [out] wine! It’s been all downhill since, and now I am stuck being known as “that guy” with the duck face. | https://medium.com/winelife/we-re-crushing-on-andrew-stover-fea25e874666 | ['Michelle Lim Warner'] | 2015-12-02 03:00:47.236000+00:00 | ['Wine', 'Tastemaker', 'Live'] |
So you want to be a designer advocate? | Here’s a deeper look:
The community
As a face in the community, we receive a lot of (awesome!) product feedback and feature requests. As someone who sits in the middle of product, design, and community, we have the opportunity to synthesise and drill down into this kind of feedback to inform what Figma looks like tomorrow.
This naturally leans into an ability to read between the lines of a problem statement and feed this back to the team in a way that isn’t “we need to build X”, but “our users are struggling to achieve “Y”. If you don’t have extensive experience with in depth user research, that’s okay as I didn’t either! It’s having natural empathy for users and being able to distill feedback that is key to informing the product.
Figma owes a lot of its success to our amazing community. Spread across multiple channels, we have a buzzing group of people that we love chatting to and hearing ideas from.
I usually dip in and out of our Friends of Figma community Slack group to answer questions and keep excitement flowing for our feature releases and livestreams or events. The Slack group is a great way to dive really deep into nerdy issues that people are trying to solve. Want to help someone with a multi-nested Auto Layout component? You’d love this.
Our community hang out on Twitter a lot. In fact, I’d almost go as far as saying that Design Twitter is slowly but surely becoming Figma Twitter, and we love it! There is no hard guideline on “you must send X amount of tweets per day”, so it’s something we all approach slightly differently. I like to post design memes and feature updates mostly, whereas other members of the team like to knuckle down on plugins and the more technical side of design. Not a big Twitter user? That’s fine, now is your time to shine 😃
LinkedIn is still very much an experiment for us, and I’ve been posting a lot in the past few months to see how receptive the platform is to design content. So far, it’s been pretty good. The more platforms we can crack, the more community members we can help out.
Another important aspect of the community is Figma’s Community product itself. The Designer Advocate team make heavy use of sharing files, presentations, and templates within the Community to help other designers get a head start. If we are helping someone out with a specific problem, more often than not that file will be published to the community as well so it can help others.
Lastly, I love a Loom video. I love recording quick tips for either the team internally or clients so that we can offer visual support for blockers or issues that people are facing.
Sales
I work heavily with our sales and account management team every single day. Figma is a SaaS product, which means that we’re happy the more people are using it, and we have a big sales team to try and make that happen.
For those of you that are currently not working directly with a sales team, or have zero sales experience, don’t worry! Previously, I’ve worked alongside sales but have never really been hands on.
We’re not requiring you to know or use Salesforce! Being empathetic and understanding of non-designers, and to be willing to work alongside an interested but non-technical team is key to the success in this role.
Practically, this means chatting to colleagues on Slack and answering customer questions, replying to emails where teams are stuck with process blockers, or doing Figma demonstration sessions with teams across Europe, from 20 designers to hundreds.
A typical sales call sees me advising design teams on the best way to set up their teams for success, design operations Q&A sessions and more broadly a demo of how Figma works. A large part of sales calls is being able to think on your feet. We receive questions live that we may not have prepared for, so being able to think rationally and calmly in the moment is a top skill 🧘♂️
I also run a weekly Figma 101 session for beginners who want to know the basics. This is a nice way to keep on top of the “need to know” parts of the product, whilst being able to answer questions from people who may not be able to book a 60 minute session.
Marketing
Designer Advocates sit within the Community team, but we more broadly live within the Marketing team, which means we have a great cross-discipline group of folks all tasked with trying to spread the good FigJam in the community.
So, what does the marketing aspect of our job look like?
Livestreams
You will have seen the Designer Advocates popping up on livestreams or YouTube, because we host these sessions!
This means that we need to be comfortable in front of a (now virtual) audience, camera, microphone, you get the picture.
What type of streams do we do? Any time there’s a major feature release there will be an opportunity for a Designer Advocate to host what we call Office Hours. These are typically 60 minute sessions where we walk through the feature head to toe and show people how to use it, the tricks etc.
Other livestreams include our In the File series, where we give the stage over to one or two of our customers to present their Figma workflows. We facilitate these and run the Q&A sessions, so the main skills required here are an ability to ask good questions, keep the audience warm, and make sure the event runs smoothly from behind the scenes.
Writing
The Figma Best Practice guides section of the website is written by the Designer Advocates, seeing as we sit in the middle of design teams and the product. This gives us a unique perspective into the usage of features and what they mean in a practical sense.
Being able to communicate through words is something Figma believes at a fundamental level, and being able to write concisely and clearly as a Designer Advocate makes our team and customers feel valued and looked after.
Support
Although we don’t sit within the Support team, we do work quite closely as we are often a first line of defence when a customer has an issue or perceived bug that they’d like to solve.
For example, we may receive a direct message on Twitter or in our Slack group where someone has an Auto Layout issue. Rather than going directly through to support, sometimes we can offer a fix and allow that person to become successful in a few minutes. | https://medium.com/8px-magazine/so-you-want-to-be-a-designer-advocate-4167e8ca20c2 | ['Luis Ouriach'] | 2021-05-02 14:20:26.759000+00:00 | ['Figma', 'Community', 'Designer', 'Advocacy', 'Hiring'] |
AYS Daily Digest 8/5/19: Deportation straight to danger, violence and humiliation — widely practiced by Europe | AYS Daily Digest 8/5/19: Deportation straight to danger, violence and humiliation — widely practiced by Europe
EU continues funding and supporting Libya’s inhumane treatment through deportations to detention surrounded by shootings / Hungary ignores duty to examine asylum claims, keeps deporting people to war zones / German detention and deportation treatment under the criticism of the European Council / Calls for aid and help, invitations to protests Ellen Elias-Bursac Follow May 9, 2019 · 7 min read
Are You Syrious?Follow
May 9
“Shrapnel from the blast tore through the roof of the women’s hangar and nearly hit an infant. “My baby was asleep on this bed when it came through the roof,” says one of the women. “ — source: MSF Sea
FEATURED STORIES
Night deportation from Hungary
Hungary’s infamous policies and failing to respect the common laws and principles of the European Union are already widely known. However, lately ahead of the upcoming elections and in the generally heated discussion on all questions regarding migration and international protection, the country’s official actions are touching a new low.
“In Budapest from the airport, on the side of the road, I stopped counting after 20 billboards. <Let’s support Orban Victor’s program. Let’s stop immigration.>” — Photo and comment: Orsi Hardi
Several strands of electrified wiring in front of the multiple barbed wire fences still stand on the border with Serbia, where one of the recently expelled families was returned in an event that grabbed many people’s attention.
A family’s hopes were crushed after they had spent more than three months at Hungary’s border migrant camp, having waited for over two years for an answer to their request and later for their appeal to be considered.
In the transit zone, not only is starvation a common practice, but the experiences of those who stayed there are horrid, described in more detail here.
Hungary rejected the families’ asylum requests and gave them the choice of being expelled to Serbia or being flown back to Afghanistan.
“The treatment of these families, including their removal from Hungarian territory with no serious effort to look at their claims to refugee status, is deeply regrettable,” U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi reportedly said. Still, obviously nobody did anything to prevent their expulsion and Hungary’s methods continue.
A family of six was deported to Serbia, having to cross a gate in the border fence in the dark, with no one waiting for them on the Serbian side.
UNHCR workers witnessed the whole thing.
“Hungary never examined their asylum claims on merit,” said Andras Lederer, of the Helsinki Committee. It was the Helsinki Committee who took the three cases of Afghan families who were about to be expelled to the European Court of Human Rights. The ECHR suspended Hungary’s plan to deport a family.
The activists said they had secured an interim measure to stop the deportation of one of two other families awaiting a similar fate.
According to Eurostat, there have been deportations to all major countries of origin, even Syria. In 2018, Hungary deported 45 people to Iran, 80 to Afghanistan, 95 to Iraq and 25 to Syria.
Urgent action needed in Libya to prevent a disaster
As the death toll from the fighting in Tripoli rises to 443, last night’s airstrikes directly hit the Tajoura detention centre compound in Tripoli, a mere 80m from where refugee women are trapped, reports MSF. However, the EU is still cooperating with the Libyan coast guard to send people who are seeking asylum in Europe back to war-torn Libya.
An immediate evacuation of these people is necessary!
“Utilising civilian infrastructure in this manner constitutes a violation of international humanitarian law and must be avoided at all costs”, says the UN. At the same time, at the UNHCR Gathering & Departure Facility a 21-year old pregnant woman is very sick, she has been vomiting blood for the past two weeks.
Refugees in contact with the journalist Sally Hayden say they’re worried she won’t survive the night. | https://medium.com/are-you-syrious/ays-daily-digest-8-5-19-deportation-straight-to-danger-violence-and-humiliation-widely-5d1934641cea | ['Ellen Elias-Bursac'] | 2019-05-09 15:24:56.889000+00:00 | ['Migration', 'Digest', 'Deportations', 'Europe', 'Refugees'] |
Why Do Small Businesses Fail? | Do you know someone whose seemingly thriving startup business hit the dirt?
Perhaps this happened to you instead.
Why do small businesses fail? Why does an apparently promising small business suddenly close up shop?
Opening your own small business and starting out on the journey you’ve always dreamed of, can be one of the most exciting times in a person’s life.
Unfortunately, the reality is that the vast majority of small business ventures end in failure.
While this can be a terrifying truth for anyone starting out on their own, taking advantage of the information out there and learning everything you can about why these businesses fail and what you can do to avoid it can make a world of difference.
Here are the principal reasons why businesses often fail.
Keep an eye out for each and every reason so that you are fully prepared ahead of time to prevent things going south.
1. No Solid Business Plan
One of the biggest and most important reasons why many small businesses don’t even get off the ground is that they don’t have an effective business plan in place.
Being passionate about something and having a vision isn’t enough to build a successful business.
You need to be able to create something that fits well into the market and solves a problem that is currently being ignored.
Make sure you take the time to do adequate research on both your product and the industry you’re heading into.
Who are your target customers?
What is their current financial situation?
The more knowledge you have in a subject, the better prepared you’ll be for when things start heading in a direction you weren’t expecting.
2. Lack Of Uniqueness
To run a successful business, you need to constantly offer clients something that they’d never be able to find with anyone else.
This unique approach to your product and business will be the key to your success.
Make sure you understand what fully separates you from your competitors.
What makes you stand out amongst the crowd?
When you can fully grasp that and make sure to capitalize on it, you’ll be sure to bring in large amounts of clients who need your product.
Shape your brand around what makes you unique or you’ll just fall in line with a large amount of competition that’s already out there.
3. Not Enough Demand
Another serious issue that many small businesses
face is a lack of demand for their particular product in a given area.
To be a successful company, people need to want what you’re trying to sell.
If there’s no demand for your business, then you can’t ever expect it to thrive.
It’s incredibly important that you do the necessary research and even question potential clients about whether or not they’d use your product and be excited to see it come into the market.
If you’re receiving a less than enthusiastic response, then it might be time to reconsider your options.
Maybe you just need to rethink the design or layout?
Perhaps this product simply won’t sell or be useful to the market-base around you.
Whatever the cause, be aware of this demand long before you commit to opening the business.
4. Poor Accounting
All too often people think that they can rely on their passions to push them through the business world.
Many small business owners find themselves feeling immediately overwhelmed by the amount of financial knowledge they really should have had before they opened up their business.
The fact of the matter is that if you can’t control your accounting, there’s no way you can successfully control your business.
If you know that you’re bad with numbers, make sure you find someone that you can trust who can handle that part of the business for you before you open up.
Otherwise, you’re essentially setting yourself up for failure from the get-go.
However, even when you have someone working on your accounting for you, you’ll still need to be constantly aware of what the numbers are and why they look that way.
5. Not Having A Cash Cushion
One of the most common reasons for small businesses failing is their lack of having a cash cushion for when things go back down.
Many businesses take their current success and think it will last forever, spending all the money they make initially to improve and grow the business.
Thus, leaving them little to nothing to cover themselves with when the economy starts going south.
The economy is a cyclical thing, and so you can almost never expect your sales to remain on a constant uphill journey.
You need to make sure you’re ready to deal with those negative times by putting the money away when you have the opportunity.
Only then can you guarantee you’ll be able to weather even the worst storms.
6. Fast Overspending
In the same vein, many small business owners become overexcited by the sudden success they feel after opening and they’ll quickly decide to invest in unnecessary luxuries much too soon.
They see the income coming in and start spending more and more money thinking that the return on investment will adequately compensate.
However, this is very rarely the case, and if your business is just starting out the reality is that you’d be much better off holding onto whatever money you can to save up for the necessary expenditures later on.
If you have trusted mentors in your life, take advantage of them.
Ask for their opinions before you make any sort of massive purchase.
Their years of experience will help determine whether or not something is worth it at the point you’re currently at.
7. Closed Minded Ownership
One of the biggest reasons that small businesses fail is the owner’s inability to change their ideas and adapt them to the current market.
Owners who can’t open up their minds to new possibilities are condemning their businesses to failure.
These kind of business owners are often easy to spot due to their stubbornness, their need for perfection, their greed, and even their self-righteous attitude.
Make sure you keep yourself in check and remember that even you can make mistakes and that taking new ideas and concerns into consideration isn’t giving up.
In fact, making necessary changes is part of owning a business, so you might as well get used to it at the start.
8. Failure To Listen To Customers
When clients don’t feel valued or considered, it’s highly unlikely that they’ll want to visit your establishment or purchase your product.
One of the key factors in being a successful business owner is your ability to listen to what the customer says they want or what they feel isn’t working.
Even if you don’t agree with them, taking their opinion into consideration will be incredibly important.
Eventually, you are creating a product that must be sold to customers.
If you aren’t understanding and living up to the expectations of those customers, then they’ll have no reason to come back and purchase what you have to sell.
One of the best ways you can get access to this feedback is by taking advantage of social media.
Send out surveys through your profiles, then watch and see the kind of responses you get.
Additionally, review sites such as Yelp and Google can give you a much clearer idea of how clients view your business.
They’ll make sure to critique everything from customer service to the packaging on these sites, so make sure you’re constantly taking a look.
9. Bad Management
Success in business comes from the top.
If your business is poorly managed, there’s just no way you can ever expect it to be a success.
When you don’t have good leaders in your business, poor decisions can be made.
A lack of consistency in care and quality can quickly lead to customers leaving your business behind.
As this kind of failure starts at the top, it trickles down to every part of your business and eventually leads you on a downward spiral.
Make sure you not only keep yourself motivated and thorough but that you also bring in a quality management team that you can trust.
When you can feel confident that they’ll be able to oversee everything to the same high standards that you would yourself, you can rest easy knowing your business will be in the best of hands.
10. Excess Overhead
One serious issue that many small businesses face is a tremendous amount of overhead that they just can’t keep up with.
When you’re paying so much money in rent, electric, payroll, water, and every other necessary bill that you can’t take in any sort of profit no matter how hard you try, you’ll never be able to succeed.
A business needs to see consistent growth in its profit.
You can’t consider yourself successful just because you’re able to pay off your bills.
Make sure you take the time to consider all the different bills you’ll need to pay before you set a price to your product and open up a business.
Your prices need to balance out your expenditures, so make sure you have a firm hand on what you need to get done.
11. Poor Management Of Inventory
When things aren’t going well in your business, and you have unreliable people working underneath you, one of the most devastating things to a business can be the mismanagement of your inventory.
When you over-order a particular material and find yourself sitting on boxes and boxes of something you barely use, you’re losing money every second that goes by.
On the other hand, when you lack a particular material you require to successfully run your business, you’ll need to quickly find an alternative.
This alternative could cost you tremendously, or you’ll need to try and make do without it, which also could lead to devastating results.
Bad inventory counts might seem like a simple mistake, but it can quickly have dramatic effects on your profitability, especially if it goes on for too long.
12. Poor Choice of Location
The space in which you choose to place your business can have a huge impact on your success.
Just because a place seems to be the most affordable doesn’t mean it’s the best choice for you.
There are a number of factors that you need to take into consideration when choosing a location.
Such include, foot traffic, access to parking, nearby competition, general accessibility, upkeep of the building, the price of rent, etc.
If you are trying to sell a larger product, for example, refrigerators, then you don’t want to invest in a space that has absolutely no access for vehicles.
How will people ever be able to load what they’ve purchased into their vehicles?
Make sure you find a space that will fit your every need before you commit to any sort of lease.
13. Declining Market
While this might be a factor that’s outside of a business owner’s control, it’s still something that has a tremendous effect on their success.
When a market starts heading downwards, and people are spending less and less, many small businesses, particularly those selling more luxury products, tend to fail.
This is why it’s important to consider current economic trends before you open up your business.
If things seem to be heading down into a negative slope, it might be best to reconsider your timing and put off your opening for a bit.
Better to get a steady paycheck during this time and keep your own business in the planning phase, rather than trying to start out when no one is interested.
14. Ineffective Marketing
Your marketing strategy will be a key factor in the overall success of your business.
If you aren’t able to find marketing strategies that work for you, you’ll never be able to bring in the clients that you need.
When it comes right down to it, customers can’t buy from you if they don’t know you’re there.
One of the most important marketing factors in today’s world is online.
Many customers today use the internet as their first interaction with a business and it forms their main impression of what you have to offer.
If you have a beautiful and well-organized website, as well as a booming social media page, they’ll assume that you’re a business that’s worth taking the time to check out.
Make sure you invest in this crucial form of modern marketing, particularly if your business is targeting a younger crowd.
15. Lack Of Data
Another reason that many small businesses fail, is that the owners don’t place enough importance on receiving the necessary reports that they need to fully understand how their business is doing on the whole.
Only when you have all the information can you really make successful decisions that will lead your company down the right path.
Real-time data collections and reports can make a world of difference in how you view the current situation your business finds itself in.
Small businesses have a distinct advantage that they can make fast changes, should the need arise.
But, too few of them make these changes simply because they don’t realize how necessary it actually is.
Stay on top of your business in every way so that you can always be sure of where you stand and what needs to be addressed.
16. Underestimating The Competition
When small business owners simply assume that they’ll be the best, it often leads to devastating results.
You need to remember that you’re a small fish in a big sea.
Also, note that there is a tremendous amount of competition out there that could easily offer just as much as your business does with better customer service or better quality products.
Never underestimate the skills and talents of your competition.
By constantly challenging yourself to keep up with the best of the best, you’ll be able to quickly drag your business up to the top right along with them.
17. Complacency
This might be a more difficult thing for business owners to see directly and address.
Nonetheless, having a complacent mindset can be one of the most devastating reasons for a business’s failure.
When business owners see that they are starting off successful, many become too complacent much too quickly. This in turn ultimately results in their failure to strive for newer and better things.
As such, other companies are given the opportunity to overtake them and push them out of their leading position.
Thus ending with the business failing completely.
When you decide to open up a small business of your own, you need to understand that there’s simply no way to guarantee your success.
However, making sure you’re aware of the traps and pitfalls that have been the main reason for the failures of other endeavors will help you to protect yourself against these issues.
Keep these failure-factors in mind and start your business off on the right foot down the path to success today.
Do you know more factors that could contribute to the failure of small businesses in addition to the ones above?
Leave us a comment and let’s share in your knowledge!
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Share this article with your friends and colleagues! | https://medium.com/@smallbusiness.ng/why-do-small-businesses-fail-13ef58c4b787 | [] | 2020-12-21 10:03:11.662000+00:00 | ['Startup Life', 'Online Business', 'How To Start A Business', 'Start A Business', 'Online Business Plan'] |
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