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Trump is turning economic policy-making into a joke | Photo by Alex Haney on Unsplash
His latest appointment to the Fed is depressing and laughable at the same time
There was a time economic policy was set by… economists. Ah, the good old days.
Now, someone’s appointment to an economic policy-making position hinges not on technical expertise but on one’s blind loyalty to Trump. Such loyalty requires a certain flexibility of ideology given Trump’s propensity to reverse positions based upon public reaction. For some people, fortunately for Trump, their ideological commitments are for sale.
Take for example Larry Kudlow, the Director of the National Economic Council — arguably the President’s chief economic adviser. While it is true that he has some industry experience, he never completed any graduate studies in economics or any related field. What apparently qualified him for the position was his role as a spokesperson on CNBC who was relentlessly critical of Obama and a cheerleader for Trump.
It’s worth noting, by the way, that Kudlow published an article entitled Bush Boom Continues, in which he asserted the economy would continue to expand for years to come. The Great Recession started later that month. He has never acknowledged his mistake.
More recently, he dismissed the estimates of the cost of Trump’s tax cuts calculated by the actual economists at the Congressional Budget Office (CBO). Since then, it has become clear that if anything, the CBO was too careful. The Trump tax cuts have resulted in a massive increase in our budget deficit despite Kudlow’s claims to the contrary.
Then there’s the chair of the White House Council of Economic Advisers, Kevin Hassett. He’s most famous for his book Dow 36,000. The Dow, of course, has never reached the heights he predicted, and indeed, the book was written just before the dot.com bubble burst.
With this team, you can practically take their predictions to the bank… that they will be wrong.
At least in Hassett’s case, he has a graduate degree in economics. As a result, he is on the record favoring more liberal immigration laws since, as all economists know, immigration is generally good for economic growth. Apparently he has abandoned that position since coming to Trump’s team. As I stated earlier, all ideals are for sale among this crowd.
Then there’s Stephen Moore, another TV commentator like Larry Kudlow, who Trump announced as his appointee to the Federal Reserve Board. Remember, the Fed, as our central bank, has traditionally been treated as independent from the whims of politicians. It has generally been agreed that the power to regulate monetary policy is too important to be left to politicians.
Trump, of course, wants to change this. He wants to politicize the Fed. That started when he did not follow tradition by reappointing Janet Yellen as Chair despite a stellar record in that position. Now he bemoans the fact that his appointee to that position Jerome Powell has raised interest rates to combat inflation. With re-election just around the corner, and indications of an economic slowdown increasing, Trump desperately wants the Fed to lower interest rates, inflation, apparently, be damned.
Inflation, after all, is a concern for the future. Re-election is next year. As we know, Trump is amazingly short-sighted.
Anyway, Stephen Moore is interesting because of how he changes positions as frequently as he changes his clothes. Back when Obama was President he argued that the Fed should be raising rates, not lowering them. That was during the greatest recession in our nation’s history since the Great Depression, a time when economic stimulus was desperately needed. Now that Trump’s in charge, however, he wants the Fed to loosen monetary policy to stimulate the economy, despite the fact that we have been pretty much a full employment for some time now.
For him too, then, ideals are for sale.
But the most startling appointment is the latest: Herman Cain.
Cain has absolutely no degree in economics. To his credit, he is a successful CEO of a chain of Burger King franchises and Godfather’s Pizza. His success is based upon a policy of teaching all employees, including the High School aged ones, to smile. I’m not making this up.
His greatest claim to fame was his run for President in 2011 when he briefly rose in the polls based upon his 9–9–9 tax proposal — he wanted to replace the current tax code with a 9-percent business transactions tax, a nine percent personal income tax, and a 9-percent federal sales tax. The tax plan had brevity as a plus, but it was based upon exactly zero economic analysis.
Cain’s Presidential star dimmed in 2011 when it came out that he had been a serial sex harasser and adulterer. That was back in the days when such behavior disqualified someone for the highest office in the land. Again, those were the days.
But Cain’s greatest legacy might be his comments. I remember a Detroit radio station running a contest of whether a statement was from porn or from Herman Cain. It was surprisingly difficult to tell the difference.
Some examples of Cain comments:
“The more toppings a man has on his pizza, I believe the more manly he is…. Because the more manly man is not afraid of abundance…. A manly man don’t want it piled high with vegetables! He would call that a sissy pizza.” (Mid-October GQ interview)
“You want a job, right?” (What Cain allegedly said after pushing Sharon Bialek’s head toward his crotch)
Not terribly surprisingly, Cain has been concerned about inflation and has urged aggressive Fed action to avoid it. Now that Trump’s considering him for an important position, however, he is changing his tune. I guess he was willing to meet Donald Trump’s price.
Cain’s advice for struggling families? Just smile — his same advice for the Burger King employees. That part, I did make up.
If you liked this post, you might also like: | https://greinerou.medium.com/trump-is-turning-economic-policy-making-into-a-joke-3c5d42a6ff65 | ['Michael Greiner'] | 2019-04-06 15:15:51.505000+00:00 | ['Politics', 'Policy', 'Trump', 'Economics', 'Government'] |
Thank you for this wonderful article. | Thank you for this wonderful article. I wish I had found it earlier. I was having difficulties with the post-production phase for my first video. I didn't know how much time and expense this process could take, and I almost got scammed. However, I was lucky enough to find experts who responded to all my questions and gave me advice on what I should pay attention to during the post-production process. | https://medium.com/@info-83320/thank-you-for-this-wonderful-article-677ce383d2e6 | ['Stan Sivak'] | 2020-12-24 19:07:11.487000+00:00 | ['Post Production', 'Video Marketing', 'Video Production', 'Budget', 'Vfx'] |
Power BI Modelling — Using a Multi-Fact Model | You know you need a multi- fact table model when…you have a similar but different type of facts
As an example, you may have one table that deals with allocations of resources while another is expenditures. You may have different accounts; one is savings account and the other is a different account. You may have a budget table and you also have an expenses table.
These tables contain similar facts, they both deal with money, but the tracking is different. One table contains columns that are only relevant to budgeting while the other expenses. Also, the budget table aggregates at a monthly level, while the expenses table aggregates at a daily level.
Sometimes you may not be so lucky, sometimes you may get a fact table that is somehow flattened into one, like the one below, and you will soon see some issues with it.
Image by author
It’s hard to navigate the table like this, in scrolling through, you may think that the monthly budget may be the daily budget since there are different levels reflected in this table. The monthly budget is by month and the other by days. Too good to be an example? No, this is a real example I’ve seen.
There is a column that only pertains to the budget table (Donor_Name) and it has no relevance to the expenses. This can become a major problem if new columns need to be added. How about the donor’s dimensions? Perhaps we want to add in the donor’s address and time of donation? These fields, since they pertain to the budget part of this table, will need to have new columns. Adding columns can get out of hand quickly if this fact table is not separated properly.
You know you need a multi-fact table model when…when you have fact tables that naturally fit into an existing model
You can see, however, that some of the columns in this table naturally fit into the dimensions in the data model. It has the necessary dates and region. (The themes are existing)
Image by author
If I want to compare the budget and expenses by regions, the common dimensions (Date and Regions) should be existing in both fact tables.
You know you need a multi-fact table model when… when the fact tables need to be aggregated for comparison
Finally, the reason why you have to separate this fact table is for comparison purposes. We know having one big fact table is confusing, however, we will still need to make aggregated comparisons using it.
Something like this below very basic, but it’s only possible if you have a star schema already set up.
Image by author
To get to a comparison table like will require us to split up the fact table into two and make the relevant joins from there. | https://towardsdatascience.com/power-bi-modelling-using-a-multi-fact-model-97e96d0fe4c8 | ['Peter Hui'] | 2020-12-21 18:06:59.508000+00:00 | ['Technology', 'Data Modeling', 'Data Science', 'Power Bi', 'Data Visualization'] |
The Dalai Lama’s earring | The Dalai Lama’s Earring
I thought they were joking when my social club 1880 said we were going to see the Dalai Lama. After all a private audience with the reincarnated Buddha and Nobel Peace Prize winner was something I always desired but never thought of because it seemed too complicated to make into a reality.
After the first briefing for the trip, another participant asked me if I was Buddhist. He was trying to ascertain the reason I would take such time and efforts to fly to Dharamshala. I told him I was Catholic and practiced Vipassana meditation and taught Hatha yoga in a Hindu Temple in Yishun (the north east of Singapore) and my best friends are Jewish. In fact I refer to myself as Ca-Bu-Mu-Hi-Jew (all religions in one).
But more importantly, I was going to see the Dalai Lama because he was a compassionate man. I facilitate leadership developments at Fortune 500s and startups and I follow compassionate leaders as part of my research and teaching to inspire my leaders. He nodded and liked that answer immensely. The people coming from 1880 for the trip were made that same way, all nations, cultures and faiths; all moved by the Dalai Lama for multiple reasons but mostly because we saw his divinity in the daily and we were very much magnetically drawn to it.
I had seen the Dalai Lama once before in Vancouver. I say ‘seen’ and not ‘met’ as I was one of the thousands who filled that stadium. I was a tiny dot in his eyes. I did however feel how much energy he had and how he was a kind man and his stories held that simple yet profound truth. This time I felt I not only met the Dalai Lama, I knew his pain and story more intimately because I was in his city and in the schools where the Tibetan students studied and in the meditation and temples on the grounds on the white peaks of Dharamshala. It was more mystical and more real.
We arrived on Tuesday afternoon and started with a meditation lead by Tara in the Tushita meditation center. It was huge and filled with a large Buddha and prayer flags. It bore the history of many who came there to sit with the monks in prayers all through the years. I believe in energy and vibrations and how places hold sacredness and sadness and hope from those who sat in those same prayer cushions. That elevated my own meditation and made the few in our group who were new to meditation feel the force of the practice for the first time.
From there we went to watch a cultural show by the Tibetan students. They greeted us along our walk up to the hall. “Hello! Hello! How are you?” Rosy cheeked and bright eyes, these exiled youth bore the enthusiasm of life and yet I realized now their identities were so shaped by the nature of their country. The performances were so strong and vivid almost as if to reclaim their cultural heritage while they were miles away from their home soil. The dances spoke of harvests and banishing spirits and village traditions and mating and relationships between the men and women each dressed by their region of origin in Greater Tibet. I was taken by the performance but I was truly shaken by their national anthem. We all stood up for the anthem. In that hall, it echoed far and wide — and my hope is that it carried across through the wind to their brothers and sisters in Greater Tibet. For the first time ever, it dawned on me, that I never had to hide my culture, religion, gender, nationality from anyone. The country I grew up in welcomed the diversity of race, language and creed. While Tibetans in exile and living under the Chinese rule did not have the freedom to express parts of their identity. I took mine sorely for granted.
Photo: Anita G Kapoor
The laughing and crying began even before we met the Dalai Lama. Seated outside in the sun with the birds chirping and surrounded by friendly faces and realizing the much awaited life-changing moment was soon, left many of us in a special high. High on life. We were going to meet someone we respected, for some of us he was a god.
I remember reminding myself that I wanted to see what he saw when he said the Buddha nature is in everyone. I sought the days leading to the trip and during the trip itself to see the Buddha nature in everyone I met. I saw smiles, I saw tenderness, I saw love again and again. So to me I already met the Buddha in daily life. I did however feel extremely blessed and grateful to have the time and resources to be there and soon to be in his presence. This time with only 88 other vying for his attention.
When we got in and to our chairs, I was tearing. The person to my left and my right all were silent. I poked them in the arm telling them to bear with my excitement. Poking was my way of containing all the excitement that wanted to jump up and down and laugh and cry into one quiet form of action that I could do while maintain a semblance of being contained. Poking fellow pilgrims in their arms. Thankfully they bore with me, in their compassion and also in their solidarity with knowing just how fortunate we all were to be there in that very small audience. We whispered how lucky we were to be able to be in that room. We were bonded by the experience.
The Dalai Lama came in and shared. He hugged our youngest participant Max and he took our hands. I did not need to worry about vying for his attention- his presence simply filled the room. He told us were are all humans first. We are united and so there should not be artificial walls made up to divide us. He talked about how he respected India for its ability to encourage diversity of voice and culture and religion. He spoke about many things. Yet what he spoke most strongly without words was compassion and loving presence; in the way he laughed and held us in his graze. This came from a man who woke up daily at 2.30am to meditate on nothingness and to send compassion to the world — especially those in pain and that included those who wanted the end of his existence.
Some of us managed to ask him questions. I knew I would not need to ask a question to go home feeling fulfilled. I simply wanted to be in his presence. The presence of a great spiritual and political leader; the presence of a man whose life and words inspired so many others like me to be better people; the presence of a man whose laughter shook out the pain we held inside from illusions of life we learnt to hold on to. He embodied what he preached. He walked the talk. I was happy to just sit and be with him.
That’s me in the pink jacket and brown scarf. On His Holiness’s left. Photo:Abby Han
All too soon, it was time for the photo-taking and for us to rush into vans to whisk away to our planes back to Delhi. That was when I stood next to him and he asked for my hand. The Dalai Lama held my hand. I remembered saying — “I like that” — still shell shocked and honored for that moment of being connected to a man whose shoes were too large for a global village of men and women to fill.
In all the rush and bustle and tears post seeing the Dalai Lama, I did not notice my favorite Indian earrings had fallen off. I do a bit of work in India and wore them to celebrate the occasion. I only knew when a member of the group handed me one of the earrings then I realized I had lost both. I did not have time to look for the other when we were rushed into the vans. It felt silly to feel sad I had lost my earrings when I just met the Dalai Lama and held his hand. So I pushed it aside and looked at the mountains one last time.. not believing the time had come to an end.
I arrived in Singapore. I was in a little daze. Life in Singapore had gone on just the same. I, however, was no longer the same. I took some time to read and meditate and write and share my story. I also felt strong enough to write about my recent bout of depression and how I can seen now what meaning it held for me. That story moved many. And even if it did not; it moved me and that was all it was meant to do. I let the death and dying teach me. I let loss and leaving make me wiser. The Dalai Lama’s words ringing
Somehow being in the presence of such a spiritual entity held healing after-effects. I was optimistic again. So the miracle believer in me, asked the heavens in a tiny but hopeful voice, “If a member found my earring and brought it back to me.. Maybe another member could find the other and return it?” Yes even in my post Dalai Lama enlightenment — I still wanted my earrings back!
On the fifth day back, the group chat for the trip rang. I was on the bus going to teach corporate mindfulness to my clients in a tech startup. There was the picture of my earring. Here is the story that follows from the group chat.
Right…?
Dalai Lama earrings?
Earrings wanted to hang with the Dalai Lama!
I am sitting here. Blessed Earring wearer. Beaming from ear to ear.
Some of the group have asked to rent my earring and one even said I should auction it off for http://www.magicbus.org/ which is one of the non-profits scaling education in India which 1880 supports.
I am simply thankful for the great story and shift being in the presence of the Dalai Lama and those who seek to be more compassionate and kind leaders has had on me. The group that went up composed of many leaders who have employees around the world and many parents who lead their families and many lovely souls willing to be more compassionate in their daily lives and that is already a force to be reckoned with.
I am hopeful and have called myself to an even higher level of turning up in the world so that my Buddha nature shines through. That when I lay my right hand (hand held by His Holiness) on a fellow human — we will both be healed and enlightened while on earth. | https://marionneubronner.medium.com/the-dalai-lamas-earring-adb17dda3699 | ['Marion Neubronner'] | 2019-04-08 06:08:26.177000+00:00 | ['Travel', 'Happiness', 'Mindfulness', 'Leadership', 'Healing'] |
Docker in Software Development | How to use it?
Install the Docker Engine
The method of installing the Docker Engine is different in every operating system. I recommend you to follow the guide made by Docker. I am going to Ubuntu 18.04.5 for this article. Keep in mind that some commands may differ if you are using other than Ubuntu 18.04.5.
As you can see, I have installed the Docker Engine on my PC. I ran sudo docker run hello-world and the message is shown. This means that the installation is succeeded.
Make a Dockerfile file inside your repository
To build the Docker image, you have to make a file name Dockerfile as the place to define the steps in building the image.
These are the content of my Dockerfile as I am currently developing a ReactJS application. The content of the Dockerfile should be adjusted to your own application.
These are several explanations of the commands above:
FROM : This command specifies the parent image as the base of your Docker image.
: This command specifies the parent image as the base of your Docker image. RUN : This command executes a command inside the parent image.
: This command executes a command inside the parent image. WORKDIR : This command sets the working directory for any RUN , CMD , ENTRYPOINT , COPY , and ADD commands that follow this command in the Dockerfile .
: This command sets the working directory for any , , , , and commands that follow this command in the . COPY : This command copies new files or directories from <src> and adds them to the filesystem of the container at the path <dest> .
: This command copies new files or directories from and adds them to the filesystem of the container at the path . CMD: This command executes the given command whenever you run the image. So, the RUN command is executed in the building process and CMD is executed whenever you run sudo docker run command.
There are other commands such as ENTRYPOINT, EXPOSE, etc. You can learn more about them on the internet.
Build the Docker image
We can build the Docker image using sudo docker build -t <image-name> command. -t argument is used to enable us to fill in the image name. My image name is praktikum-frontend . The building process consists of the steps that we have defined in Dockerfile.
Next, we can check whether the image has been built using sudo docker images command.
As you can see, our new image has been created.
Test the image
After building the image, we can run the image using sudo docker run <image-name>
Summary
Docker is a tool that is very beneficial for software developers and system administrators. Docker makes the deployment and scaling process much faster. I recommend you to learn more about Docker and use it for your next project.
Thank you!
References | https://medium.com/group-a/docker-in-software-development-5c436a731294 | ['Figo Muhammad'] | 2020-12-29 23:55:33.441000+00:00 | ['Containers', 'Tutorial', 'Servers', 'Docker', 'Software Development'] |
I Love a Good Story | I Love a Good Story
And this escort actually had one!
photo by author — girl on the right is the storyteller
Everybody loves a good story. And everybody thinks they have one. But in reality, very few do — especially when the storytellers are escorts — and I’m their audience. Their not-so-entertaining anecdotes are almost always about brushes with the police (snore). They think those stories are sooo exciting. I think they’re totally boring. What can I say? The same bull shit over and over again gets tired — especially when it wasn’t even a good story the first time around.
Having said that, I did have a client who told excellent stories. Ya know stuff like female inmates “servicing” corrections officers on Rikers Island right through the bars at 3 AM in exchange for cigarettes…or strawberries…or Lady Bic shavers! One of the CO’s was so good-looking, the girls would virtually line-up to blow him. He didn’t even need to bring anything!
Or take the one about Passover time…when all the inmates opted for Judaism so they could partake in the seder, where blow jobs aplenty were conducted under the table!
Well, those are pretty good stories. But the one I liked best from my favorite storyteller is an anecdote about the house’s crappy photographer. He’s actually a professional who brings in lights and all that shit that’s supposed to signal that you have some talent for your profession. But in reality, the guys sucks. His final product blows. I could do better with a Duane Reade disposable…and I don’t even pretend to be a photographer. (Eventually, he got fired and I got his job as it turned out.)
So anyway…this dildo gets a hankering for one of his subjects who not only thinks he’s a total dork — but absolutely hates the guy and will not join him “in the room” under any circumstances. She doesn’t care how many thousand guys she’s serviced in her lifetime…she has standards. And there’s no way in hell she’s gonna deal with this guy!
Instead of understanding what a complete pariah he is to this particular piece of feminine pulchritude, the dude dons a fucking disguise — like he’s a Hacidic Jew…complete with the black hat and the long coat and oh my God! Talk about a stark raving loser! Who the hell puts on an act like that just so he can play with an escort? What a profound spud!
And get this! He gets away with it. Now that’s gotta be one dumb fucking garden tool! One-half hour with this snark and she never figured out that he was in fact the one guy in the entire world she’d decided to reject! Ya see. Now that’s a good fucking story right there.
Talk about having absolutely no dignity! And the best thing about it? I’m talking about the guy buying the service — and not the woman providing it.
And this storyteller has several more tales to amaze. Like the time she signed on to mud wrestle at a strip joint and got her ass kicked and ate so much mud at the hands of an amazon stripper that she signed off after one match.
Or how about the time she went into the Federal Witness Protection program and moved to Minnesota to sell Pappagalo shoes for a living? But I’ll save those for another day.
More escort fun: | https://medium.com/everything-you-wanted-to-know-about-escorts-but/i-love-a-good-story-3936469ce8e3 | ['William', 'Dollar Bill'] | 2020-12-17 17:23:25.849000+00:00 | ['Sex Work', 'Nonfiction', 'Humor', 'Escorts', 'Culture'] |
What can sci-fi movies teach us about technology ethics? | Who’d of thought a few years ago, that ethical innovation would be such a hot topic. Yet every other day, it seems, some company or scientist discovers to their dismay that, as technologies become ever-more powerful, so do the ethical challenges they raise.
Gene edited human embryos, predictive policing, facial recognition, babysitter screening, data privacy and social media, and everything AI it sometimes seems — these and many other areas of tech innovation are throwing up complex social and ethical challenges that don’t have easy answers.
As they do, how can innovators, companies, consumers, and others, begin to navigate them?
Surprising as it may seem, one way is to watch more science fiction movies.
Sci-fi films are notorious for getting the “science” bit wrong. But because they often draw on stories about technology, people, and what can go wrong when you mix them together, many of these movies provide a great entry in to technology ethics, and the social responsibility that comes with great technological power.
This is the idea behind the book Films from the Future, which tackles what can go wrong with powerful emerging technologies, and how to steer things in the right direction.
Based on the book, here are twelve movies that are worth (re)watching if you want to get smart about technology ethics and responsible innovation, and be entertained along the way:
Just because you can, should you? Jurassic Park/Universal Pictures
What’s it about: A wealthy entrepreneur is obsessed with creating the best theme park ever by using genetic engineering to bring back dinosaurs, until the exhibits start eating the customers …
What to watch for: Despite it’s age, Jurassic Park is a well-crafted action movie that touches on themes that are more relevant than ever today, including genetic engineering, de-extinction, complexity theory, and the follies of short-sighted entrepreneurial ambition. Watch the movie for the cautions against developing powerful technologies without a thought to the consequences, and the celebration of the awesomeness of nature — even when it’s less than natural!
Where to watch it: iTunes, Amazon, Google
Cloning people for their organs is not a great idea! Never Let Me Go/Fox Searchlight Pictures
What’s it about: Three young friends grapple with the reality that they were cloned so their organs could be harvested to keep others alive, in a society that sees them as less-than-human.
What to watch for: Never Let Me Go conjures up an alternative past where human cloning has been developed to benefit people at the expense of the clones they get their replacement body parts from. Watch the movie for a searing indictment of how technologies developed for the “greater good” can smash the lives of individuals that get in their way, and how good intentions too-easily slip into turning a blind eye to unethical behavior.
Where to watch it: iTunes, Amazon, Google
AI predictive technologies are increasingly being used to decide who’s “good” and who’s not! Minority Report/Twentieth Century Fox
What’s it about: Genetically altered “precogs”predict murders before they occur, allowing law enforcers to incarcerate would-be murderers before they commit a crime; but the system isn’t as infallible as people think …
What to watch for: Many of the display technologies in Minority Report have inspired new innovations, although the genetically engineered precogs in the film are pure science fantasy. Watch the movie for the way it poses tough questions about predicting and acting on criminal intent, as real-world technologies increasingly claim to be able to do the same using AI, big data, and other means.
Where to watch it: iTunes, Amazon, Google
If a simple pill would boost your smarts, would you take it? Limitless/Relativity Media
What’s it about: A failing writer gets access to a new drug that supercharges his brain, and transforms him from a loser to a winner. But it’s not without its downsides…
What to watch for: As interest grows around the use “smart drugs” that allegedly enhance cognitive ability (and by inference, the chances of success), Limitless provides an intriguing perspective on their use and abuse. Watch it for the way it explores the often-complex issues around the personal and social consequences of using designer substances to increase mental abilities.
Where to watch it: iTunes, Amazon, Google
Imagine of 1% of the world lived in luxury at the expense of the other 99% … Elysium/QED International
What’s it about: The uber-rich of the future decamp to a luxuriant space station, while back on Earth the poor struggle to scratch a living while supporting the opulent lifestyles of the wealthy.
What to watch for: Elysium is an intriguing, if sometimes over-earnest, social commentary on the social injustices propagated by widening wealth disparity. Watch the movie for the medical diagnostics/repair technologies that loosely reflect real-world advanced in biomonitoring and 3D tissue printing, the social disparities associated with preferential access to powerful technologies, and the way that AI and robots impact rich and poor communities differently.
Where to watch it: iTunes, Amazon, Google
When you are part-machine, who owns you? Ghost in the Shell/Anchor Bay Entertainment
What’s it about: A cyborg in a futuristic “special ops” unit grapples with what it means to be human when her body is not her own, and false memories and identities are being implanted in technology-augmented brains.
What to watch for: Ghost in the Shell is a deeply thoughtful exploration of what it means to be human in a future where body parts can readily be replaced by machines, and where brain-machine interfaces erode the boundaries between who you think you are, and who you may be. Watch it for the meditative sequences on what it is to be human in an augmented future, and what it means to have value in a post-human world.
Where to watch it: iTunes, Google
Could machines ever know us well enough to manipulate us? Ex Machina/A24
What’s it about: A brilliant but self-centered and manipulative entrepreneur creates an artificial intelligence that learns about human behaviors and biases from studying Google-like searches, and is surprised when his creation turns against him.
What to watch for: What would happen if we create AIs that know enough about human biases and heuristics to manipulate our behavior to their ends? Ex Machina provides an intriguing glance into a plausible future where AIs learn to press our metaphorical buttons, without being constrained by the cognitive biases and values that limit human behavior. Watch the movie for its exploration of disturbing questions around how AIs might learn to use our biases against us.
Where to watch it: iTunes, Amazon, Google, Netflix
Can myths of a technological singularity still spark real-world activism? Transcendence/Warner Bros.
What’s it about: A brilliant AI scientist’s mind is fused with a supercomputer, and the resulting superintelligence makes massive strides in nanotechnology, while threatening human life as we know it.
What to watch for: Although Transcendence plays fast and lose with technological reality, it raises enough questions around technological convergence, techno-terrorism, and the line between “could” and “should”, to make it interesting. Watch it for the impossible yet entertaining emergence of technologies that bring about the Singularity, and how promises of extreme technological power leads to extreme actions to oppose it.
Where to watch it: iTunes, Amazon, Google, Netflix
Great tech isn’t always widely accepted — especially by people it threatens! The Man in the White Suit/Universal Pictures
What’s it about: A smart but socially naive scientist invents a super-strong stain-resistant fabric, and can’t understand why everyone in the industry turns against him.
What to watch for: Although it was made over half a century ago, The man in the White Suit provides a surprisingly accurate portrayal of what it’s like to be an obsessively curious scientist, and how easy it is to get so caught up in the process that you fail yo see the broader social landscape around new inventions. Watch the movie for parallels with modern-day nanotechnology, and how the social dynamic between the invention and the people it potentially impacts in the film is remarkably prescient of modern-day tensions.
Where to watch it: iTunes, Amazon, Google
Inferno (2016)
Beware taking logical ideas to immoral extremes. Inferno/Columbia Pictures Corporation
What’s it about: A wealthy scientist is so concerned about the predicted consequences of global overpopulation, that he genetically engineers a virus to kill half the world’s people.
What to watch for: Despite the paper-thin plot, Inferno illuminates the dangers of slipping into deeply unethical behavior while trying to address perceived global risks. It also draws on very-real debates around gain of function research (making viruses more virulent in order to study them), and dual use research (inventing technologies that can be used for bad as well as good). Watch the movie for an often-mindless but nevertheless engaging plot that occasionally raises serious questions around the ethical uses of science and technology, especially when they are in the hands of people who flout the norms of conventional behavior.
Where to watch it: iTunes, Amazon, Google
The problem with catastrophic change is that everything looks rosy … until it isn’t. The Day After Tomorrow/Twentieth Century Fox
What’s it about: Human-driven global warming leads to a sudden and catastrophic shift in the Earth’s climate, endangering lives and transforming the geopolitical landscape.
What to watch for: Despite The Day After Tomorrow having a somewhat confusing and at times deeply implausible message about global warming, the film nevertheless challenges viewers to think about what acting responsibly means in a world where we are right on the edge of bringing about catastrophic and irreversible changes in the Earth’s climate. Watch it for impossible but nevertheless entertaining super-freezing storms, and the underlying reality that what we do to the climate matters, and not always in ways that are easy to predict.
Where to watch it: iTunes, Amazon, Google
Scientists believe in things too — including the importance of evidence. Contact/Warner Bros.
What’s it about: A researcher perseveres in her search for extraterrestrial life, driven by her hopes, and tempered by her belief in the scientific process.
What to watch for: Contact beautifully captures the passion and thrill of what it’s like to be a scientist and to do science . But it’s also a revealing study of the intertwined relationship between science and belief. Watch the film for the way it gets under the skin of sometimes-misguided ideas about science and belief, and reveals how the discipline of science, when combined with our passions and beliefs, elevates who we are.
Where to watch it: iTunes, Amazon, Google | https://medium.com/edge-of-innovation/want-to-get-smart-about-technology-ethics-these-sci-fi-movies-can-help-3cebedf29c9c | ['Andrew Maynard'] | 2019-10-11 15:41:08.163000+00:00 | ['Technology', 'Innovation', 'Movies', 'Science Fiction', 'Ethics'] |
by RPDR: All Stars S6E1 "VH1's" Full Show | ⭐A Target Package is short for Target Package of Information. It is a more specialized case of Intel Package of Information or Intel Package.
✌ THE STORY ✌
Its and Jeremy Camp (K.J. Apa) is a and aspiring musician who like only to honor his God through the energy of music. Leaving his Indiana home for the warmer climate of California and a college or university education, Jeremy soon comes Bookmark this site across one Melissa Heing
(Britt Robertson), a fellow university student that he takes notices in the audience at an area concert. Bookmark this site Falling for cupid’s arrow immediately, he introduces himself to her and quickly discovers that she is drawn to him too. However, Melissa holds back from forming a budding relationship as she fears it`ll create an awkward situation between Jeremy and their mutual friend, Jean-Luc (Nathan Parson), a fellow musician and who also has feeling for Melissa. Still, Jeremy is relentless in his quest for her until they eventually end up in a loving dating relationship. However, their youthful courtship Bookmark this sitewith the other person comes to a halt when life-threating news of Melissa having cancer takes center stage. The diagnosis does nothing to deter Jeremey’s love on her behalf and the couple eventually marries shortly thereafter. Howsoever, they soon find themselves walking an excellent line between a life together and suffering by her Bookmark this siteillness; with Jeremy questioning his faith in music, himself, and with God himself.
✌ STREAMING MEDIA ✌
Streaming media is multimedia that is constantly received by and presented to an end-user while being delivered by a provider. The verb to stream refers to the procedure of delivering or obtaining media this way.[clarification needed] Streaming identifies the delivery approach to the medium, rather than the medium itself. Distinguishing delivery method from the media distributed applies especially to telecommunications networks, as almost all of the delivery systems are either inherently streaming (e.g. radio, television, streaming apps) or inherently non-streaming (e.g. books, video cassettes, audio tracks CDs). There are challenges with streaming content on the web. For instance, users whose Internet connection lacks sufficient bandwidth may experience stops, lags, or slow buffering of this content. And users lacking compatible hardware or software systems may be unable to stream certain content.
Streaming is an alternative to file downloading, an activity in which the end-user obtains the entire file for the content before watching or listening to it. Through streaming, an end-user may use their media player to get started on playing digital video or digital sound content before the complete file has been transmitted. The term “streaming media” can connect with media other than video and audio, such as for example live closed captioning, ticker tape, and real-time text, which are considered “streaming text”.
This brings me around to discussing us, a film release of the Christian religio us faith-based . As almost customary, Hollywood usually generates two (maybe three) films of this variety movies within their yearly theatrical release lineup, with the releases usually being around spring us and / or fall respectfully. I didn’t hear much when this movie was initially aounced (probably got buried underneath all of the popular movies news on the newsfeed). My first actual glimpse of the movie was when the film’s movie trailer premiered, which looked somewhat interesting if you ask me. Yes, it looked the movie was goa be the typical “faith-based” vibe, but it was going to be directed by the Erwin Brothers, who directed I COULD Only Imagine (a film that I did so like). Plus, the trailer for I Still Believe premiered for quite some us, so I continued seeing it most of us when I visited my local cinema. You can sort of say that it was a bit “engrained in my brain”. Thus, I was a lttle bit keen on seeing it. Fortunately, I was able to see it before the COVID-9 outbreak closed the movie theaters down (saw it during its opening night), but, because of work scheduling, I haven’t had the us to do my review for it…. as yet. And what did I think of it? Well, it was pretty “meh”. While its heart is certainly in the proper place and quite sincere, us is a little too preachy and unbalanced within its narrative execution and character developments. The religious message is plainly there, but takes way too many detours and not focusing on certain aspects that weigh the feature’s presentation.
✌ TELEVISION SHOW AND HISTORY ✌
A tv set show (often simply Television show) is any content prBookmark this siteoduced for broadcast via over-the-air, satellite, cable, or internet and typically viewed on a television set set, excluding breaking news, advertisements, or trailers that are usually placed between shows. Tv shows are most often scheduled well ahead of The War with Grandpa and appearance on electronic guides or other TV listings.
A television show may also be called a tv set program (British EnBookmark this siteglish: programme), especially if it lacks a narrative structure. A tv set Movies is The War with Grandpaually released in episodes that follow a narrative, and so are The War with Grandpaually split into seasons (The War with Grandpa and Canada) or Movies (UK) — yearly or semiaual sets of new episodes. A show with a restricted number of episodes could be called a miniMBookmark this siteovies, serial, or limited Movies. A one-The War with Grandpa show may be called a “special”. A television film (“made-for-TV movie” or “televisioBookmark this siten movie”) is a film that is initially broadcast on television set rather than released in theaters or direct-to-video.
Television shows may very well be Bookmark this sitehey are broadcast in real The War with Grandpa (live), be recorded on home video or an electronic video recorder for later viewing, or be looked at on demand via a set-top box or streameBookmark this sited on the internet.
The first television set shows were experimental, sporadic broadcasts viewable only within an extremely short range from the broadcast tower starting in the. Televised events such as the 2021 Summer OlyBookmark this sitempics in Germany, the 2021 coronation of King George VI in the UK, and David Sarnoff’s famoThe War with Grandpa introduction at the 9 New York World’s Fair in the The War with Grandpa spurreBookmark this sited a rise in the medium, but World War II put a halt to development until after the war. The 2021 World Movies inspired many Americans to buy their first tv set and in 2021, the favorite radio show Texaco Star Theater made the move and became the first weekly televised variety show, earning host Milton Berle the name “Mr Television” and demonstrating that the medium was a well balanced, modern form of entertainment which could attract advertisers. The firsBookmBookmark this siteark this sitet national live tv broadcast in the The War with Grandpa took place on September 6, 2021 when President Harry Truman’s speech at the Japanese Peace Treaty Conference in SAN FRARuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars CO BAY AREA was transmitted over AT&T’s transcontinental cable and microwave radio relay system to broadcast stations in local markets.
✌ FINAL THOUGHTS ✌
The power of faith, love, and affinity for take center stage in Jeremy Camp’s life story in the movie I Still Believe. Directors Andrew and Jon Erwin (the Erwin Brothers) examine the life span and The War with Grandpas of Jeremy Camp’s life story; pin-pointing his early life along with his relationship Melissa Heing because they battle hardships and their enduring love for one another through difficult. While the movie’s intent and thematic message of a person’s faith through troublen is indeed palpable plus the likeable mThe War with Grandpaical performances, the film certainly strules to look for a cinematic footing in its execution, including a sluish pace, fragmented pieces, predicable plot beats, too preachy / cheesy dialogue moments, over utilized religion overtones, and mismanagement of many of its secondary /supporting characters. If you ask me, this movie was somewhere between okay and “meh”. It had been definitely a Christian faith-based movie endeavor Bookmark this web site (from begin to finish) and definitely had its moments, nonetheless it failed to resonate with me; struling to locate a proper balance in its undertaking. Personally, regardless of the story, it could’ve been better. My recommendation for this movie is an “iffy choice” at best as some should (nothing wrong with that), while others will not and dismiss it altogether. Whatever your stance on religion faith-based flicks, stands as more of a cautionary tale of sorts; demonstrating how a poignant and heartfelt story of real-life drama could be problematic when translating it to a cinematic endeavor. For me personally, I believe in Jeremy Camp’s story / message, but not so much the feature.
FIND US:
✔️ https://cutt.ly/On71E6z
✔️ Instagram: https://instagram.com
✔️ Twitter: https://twitter.com
✔️ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com | https://medium.com/@rpdrall-stars-s6e1/rupauls-drag-race-all-stars-series-6-episode-1-full-episode-fe32c22f86bb | ['Rpdr', 'All Stars', 'Full Show'] | 2021-06-24 08:33:54.396000+00:00 | ['Technology', 'Covid 19'] |
Added Security Measures and Changes in TLS 1.3 | When a new version of software is released, it could be to patch security vulnerabilities, fix bugs, provide new features and enhancements. Similarly, every few years newer versions of protocols are released. These newer versions largely retain the same goals but incorporate new requirements and challenges.
Some protocols such as SMTP are not even versioned and will likely never have a newer version, while TLS — Transport Layer Security protocol will always will. A fine balance of usability, compatibility and security is maintained in TLS protocol. And, as technology matures, additional security guarantees are provided, such as forward secrecy, and older cryptographic algorithms are deprecated or their weaknesses are addressed.
The changes in TLS 1.3 are significant. This newer version reworks the handshake sequence that establish the encryption parameters, updates the version negotiation mechanism, encrypts all messages (except first two) and provides a new zero round trip time (0-RTT) mode to reduce latency at the cost of security. | https://blog.devgenius.io/added-security-measures-and-changes-in-tls-1-3-fd93bbfecb8f | ['Dorai Ashok S A'] | 2021-04-30 07:16:12.470000+00:00 | ['Encryption', 'Internet', 'Https', 'Ssl', 'Cybersecurity'] |
my alternative Christmas Presents List: 12 refugee aid small NGOs & volunteer groups | Christmas presents weren’t originally for family and friends, but were for those who really need them, however unfamiliar or far away they are.
I have made small donations (25€) to each of these, and I recommend you do too. I’m saying so publicly, unlike St Nicholas and contrary to Matthew 6:3-4, because I want to encourage others to reject the capitalist norm of spending so much on presents for family and friends that we then feel we can’t afford to give that much to people who really need help much more seriously but aren’t family, so first I have put my money where my mouth is.
The tradition of giving presents to family and friends derives from a 19thC Dutch tradition of sailors involved in the colonial shipping trade who bought gifts for their children after participating in a procession representing St Nicholas and his Black servant (which is false and insulting to the saint), in which presents were given to the Dutch workers involved in colonial trade as a legitimative ritual for colonial enslavement and expropriation. The partiality of giving presents to family who don’t really need anything while ignoring the much more serious needs of other people who don’t happen to be kin or reciprocally useful to us legitimates the capitalist principles of transmitting wealth and power down the generations in a family and degrading the value of human personhood to instrumentality. I don’t feel this tradition belongs to Christmas.
St Nicholas of Myra was a Greek bishop in what is now Turkey, and his famous gifts were intended to be secret, to three girls to pay for their dowries so that they could get married (accepting the constraints of the time), instead of being sold into slavery and then repeatedly raped. Their father discovered who had dropped the purses of money through their window shutters, thanked him, and then his gifts became famous. He also physically intervened to stop an execution, putting himself at risk. He is depicted wearing a red chasuble because he was martyred under torture by order of the emperor Diocletian. He wasn’t Northern European or White, probably not fat, no sleigh, no reindeer, and probably not particularly jolly.
I’ve mostly stopped giving Christmas presents to family and friends, except for children. Instead of spending mainly on presents for family and friends and maybe a little for people really in need, I do the opposite, and I recommend you do too. The ‘Christmas’ traditions of now are only about 170 yrs old. I call the modern capitalist winter festival Consumerismas.
Modern ‘Christmas’ traditions are an amalgam of capitalism, Norse pagan Yule (e.g. ‘Christmas trees’), and a few Christian and Jewish cultural elements. Yule and consumerist capitalism go nicely together, but they aren’t really meaningfully compatible with the meaning of Advent and Christmas. Even for most Christians, the Christian elements have been suppressed by the cultural obligations of consumerist capitalism and Yule.
Christmas isn’t mainly about ‘Father Christmas’, but about the mysteries of the Incarnation and its practical implications, shown in the lives of the Holy Family, and preparing for Christ’s appearance in the world — first as a poor, refugee baby, second as divine judgement. As Pope Francis says: “no-one is saved alone” — we are saved through our commitments to others, or not.
“The poor he has filled with good things, and the rich he sent empty away.”
(From the Magnificat, Luke 1:46–55, Mary’s exclamation of holy joy.)
My Christmas presents list:
Pomegranate project — Action for Women
Pomegranate Project is refugee women’s domestic violence shelter and livelihood project in Athens, which helps to prevent them being economically compelled to engage in transactional sex for money.
2. The Aman Project — directly funds safe accommodation and emergency financial aid to LGBTI refugees in Turkey. They previously had a shelter / safe house, but they couldn’t afford to keep that house going.
More recent updates https://www.facebook.com/amanshelter
Paypal donation link-
Aws who runs Aman Project’s fundraising is in the process of setting up a Chuffed fundraising page, which has much lower processing fees. You can check on their Facebook page if that method of donating is available now.
3. Sant’Egidio Christmas presents and meal fund for the homeless and vulnerably housed in the Netherlands, including undocumented migrants who are in contact with the Sant’Egidio community in Amsterdam-
Sant’Egidio Humanitarian Corridor scheme — is the best safe and legal route for refugees, so far it’s only accessible from Lebanon, and only to Italy, France or Belgium, via humanitarian visas and fully supported.
Sant’Egidio Community’s deal with the French, Italian and Belgian governments who issue the visas is that Sant’Egidio pays for everything, so if they can fund more places, they can get more people humanitarian visas.
Detailed report about the operation of the Humanitarian Corridor scheme —
Sant’Egidio Community in Rome also runs a homeless shelter and refugee accommodation, which are in two palaces donated by Pope Francis —
5. Borderlands refugee support services in Bristol, UK.
Based in my old parish in Bristol, UK. Outside Covid19 time, Borderlands provides a complete set of services via the Drop-in centre, including: food, English classes, mental health support, help with accessing accommodation, higher education, legal aid, and the MP’s caseworkers.
6. Moria White Helmets, via Donate4Refugees
About facebook.com/MoriaWhiteHelmets
The White Helmets volunteers originate in Syria where they mainly rescue people when they’ve been bombed by the Assad and Russian regime airforce, but now in Moria they also do drainage and sanitation work, electrical safety engineering, and provide their volunteers and their families with weekly supplementary food packs. White Helmets Moria now includes refugees from all over, with a Moria White Helmets Farsi Team for Farsi speakers.
7. Proactiva Open Arms, marine search and rescue boats operating in the Mediterranean for people in distress at sea who are prima facie refugees attempting to enter irregularly to apply for asylum, so they are not rescued when they are in distress at sea by the state coastguard agencies now, but if the state coastguard agencies catch them before they have entered EU territorial waters they drag them back to Libya to detention where they often suffer serious harm and almost none can access international protection procedures. In 2019, a refugee detention centre was targeted by a UAE jet fighting for ex-Qaddafi regime General Haftar’s forces.*
Since the EU cancelled Mare Nostrum state provision of marine search and rescue and commissions the Libyan coastguard to forcibly return people to Libya, despite European courts recognizing that Libya is not safe for asylum seekers, there has been a struggle in the courts and in public discourse between European governments who aim to stop refugees arriving irregularly “by any means necessary” vs. the civil marine rescue NGOs who continue to rescue people at sea and to advocate for their human rights.
Part of the Civil Rescue fleet is a legal monitoring organisation with two boats
Their focus is on recording illegal pushbacks and refoulements which occur at sea, and countering government fictions with well-documented facts, so that eventually authorities may be obliged to accept reality and the law.
8. Christmas presents for Chios refugees via Balloona Matata, a Spanish small refugee aid NGO who’ve done this for four years, and via Jenny and Kostas, long-term local volunteers on Chios. Kostas was running the Chios local volunteers’ kitchen who provided one good hot meal a day for many of the refugees on Chios, and some local people in need, until local fascists burned down their kitchen and warehouse. Jenny is a school teacher and informally mentors some of the refugee teenagers without parents.
Balloona Matata
ES95 1491 0001 2230 0010 3489
Triodos Bank
Or via paypal (may have transfer lower fees if you’re transferring from outside EU or if you don’t have a Transferwise account):
[email protected]
9. Josoor International — aid to victims of border violence and monitoring, based in Turkey
“Since March 2020, Josoor has partnered up with several other initiatives and individual volunteers to provide relief efforts for victims of pushbacks and other refugees in need all over Turkey.
At the same time and as part of the Border Violence Monitoring Network, we are monitoring human rights violations on the borders between Turkey and the EU while cooperating with international media and investigative research networks to publish these human rights violations in an effort to pressure the European Union to finally implement its theoretical principles in practice.”
The daily violence and refoulements at the Turkish-Syrian and Greek borders are commissioned by the EU, in exchange for payments of up to 6bn€.
Josoor participated in the European Border Violence Monitoring project of the Black Book documenting the refoulement of over 12,000 people in 3 years
The legal limit of responsibility for forcibly returning or refusing admission to refugees who are seeking entry in order to claim asylum is not whether they are on the territory of the state in question but whether that state has “effective authority or control” — https://www.unhcr.org/4d9486929.pdf Thus, the EU states which are paying for third-party actors to commit refoulement even before refugees can reach EU territories are legally responsible for it. This legal point is usually considered too complicated to explain in mainstream media, and yet it seriously affects millions of people.
10. Are You Syrious?
About https://areyousyrious.eu/
IBAN number: HR68 2402 0061 1007 6518 3
Besides producing a detailed news bulletin about refugees in Europe and affected by Europe gathered from refugees and frontline volunteers every day for the last five years, AYS also provides direct help for refugees in Croatia and Bosnia, two of the hardest countries for those who still attempt the West Balkans trekking and people-smuggling route.
11. Anas Mustafa — Help & Care Trust, registered in Turkey —a small volunteer team of Syrian refugees who deliver food baskets to widows and orphans in the IDP camps in Northern Syria.
About: see Anas’ facebook page for photos of previous food baskets delivered- https://www.facebook.com/anas.almustafa.10/
Account Name: ENES EL MUSTAFA
Iban: TR920001000461845962715001
Swift code= TCZBTR2A
Bank= Ziraat
Bank Branch= Selçuklu/Konya branch.
Bank address: TC Ziraat Bankası Selçuklu Subesi. Nişantaşı Mahallesi Metehan Caddesi No: 4/A Selçuklu / Konya/ Turkey Postal Code: 42000
Anas’ email address linked to his Paypal account: [email protected]
Don’t forget to send money in Turkish currency: Turkish Lira= (TRY). If you send it not in Turkish lira, his bank will reject your transaction. Transferwise has the lowest transfer fee, or Paypal’s fee is lower than most banks.
12. Refugee InfoBus — free Wifi and legal info on a bus for refugees in Calais
Refugees and other migrants in Calais are either avoiding registration in the French asylum system because they expect they would not get fair outcomes or they are registered in the French asylum system but still left destitute.
Access to legal information is vital, as it can get people out of that situation sooner and thus prevent other humanitarian needs from occurring. To enable access to legal information, to lawyers and to contact family, InfoBus also provide free Wifi and phone charging, and free individual legal advice.
—
If Jesus was born this Christmas, with his family, he would probably be refouled multiple times at the borders of client states commissioned by the EU to stop refugees entering irregularly or reaching EU frontiers to claim asylum.
If they eventually got through the first border, by running over the mountains at night while being shot at, then they’d have to pay 750–1500€ each to cross to Greece in a smugglers boat, with a high chance of getting caught, beaten and dragged back, or a smaller chance of sinking and drowning, a journey which costs 30€ for a 30 minutes ferry ride, if you have the right papers.
If they avoid getting refouled by Greek authorities after landing and before they can get registered for the asylum procedures, then they’d face 2–3 years of Admissibility procedures based on the fictional premise that Turkey is a Safe Third Country*, while being detained on the islands (but it isn’t even acknowledged as “detention”) in degrading and despair-inducing conditions, with the aim of coercing them to sign for “voluntary” return or repatriation, or to not persevere at appealing when they are rejected on admissibility, without even having their substantive claim for asylum heard.
If they escaped from the detention islands and frontier countries, they’d probably have to trek and pay to get smuggled through the West Balkans route, avoiding the craziest, most ultra-nationalistically violent Visegrad Four countries, hiding in the forest at night, hoping to not die of hypothermia while sleeping in the snow, then getting beaten up, robbed and pushed back across borders by police at every border they try to cross, til they reach the Promised Land — for most, Germany. There they’d be kept in refugee accommodation centres for another two years, while authorities search for a legal excuse to forcibly return them to one of the frontier countries, usually Greece or Italy, on admissibility grounds, and again deliberately delaying the legal procedures to discourage them from appealing and as a deterrent to others. During that time, Joseph is not allowed to work, but given state welfare payments which are just enough to support bare life, while he is obliged to perform bureaucratic procedures every week to emphasise that he’s not trusted and might be misspending his 42€ per week allowance, and should feel guilty for being given money when he’s not allowed to work.
If they eventually pass all these artificial obstacles with a risk to life and punitively delayed legal procedures, then they would be expected to socioeconomically and culturally integrate, and be grateful for everything.
All of the above mentioned border violence and punitively delayed procedures based on fictional premises costs far more than it would to implement a realistic and just asylum system and to willingly accept a fair share of global responsibility for forcibly displaced people in need of resettlement. E.g. the budget for Frontex, the EU borders agency, proven complicit in illegal pushbacks, is ten times greater than the budget for EASO, the European Asylum Support Office, even tho EASO has far more legitimate work to do.
Europe has 22% of global GDP each year but willingly accepts only about 0.1575%* of the shared responsibility for forcibly displaced people in need of resettlement to any genuinely safe and free country. Our self-legitimizing and self-aggrandizing claims about believing in human rights are a sick joke now.
It is not that human rights don’t exist or European legislation for them is not good, but European politics is making a mockery of what we claim to believe.
0.1575% of shared responsibility accepted by EU states estimate is based on:
UNHCR Resettlement number to Europe in 2018 (pre-covid19) + Humanitarian Visas issued to EU /
Total number of forcibly displaced people globally
In the week before Christmas, Germany deported thirty Afghan refugees. It is not credible that they really do not have international protection needs or that Afghanistan is safe enough for it to be just to forcibly return anyone there. I have met Afghan refugees who have returned to Europe a second time, after being deported before, because, as they said the first time, they were not safe.
—
As a bonus if you got this far, here’s a collection of ethnically diverse icons, with zero images of White Jesus or Super-White Mary, preferring images which show a relationship not just an individual, and including this one of Joseph carrying the baby on their journey fleeing from Herod’s persecution —
. | https://medium.com/@kesterratcliff/my-alternative-christmas-presents-list-12-refugee-aid-small-ngos-volunteer-groups-e39b51e91ebb | ['Kester Ratcliff'] | 2020-12-19 16:33:53.772000+00:00 | ['Refugees', 'Christianity', 'Christmas'] |
How to run Facebook-Prophet predict X100 faster | Note that as time increases the width of the confidence interval increases, (which intuitively makes sense). This is because the trend-changes could have a greater impact the more we forecast into the future.
Now let’s vectorize
Remember our goal is to create a matrix where each row is a sampled trend, and each column is some date in the future. E.g.
(Image by Author)
But with 1000+ rows.
First, we need to sample the number and location of slope-changes. This is where Prophet samples from a Poisson distribution for each row, and then randomly assigns the number of changepoints. We’re going to get the same outcome without Poisson. The likelihood of a changepoint occurring at any time step is determined by the number of changepoint observed in the training data, divided by the length of the train data. Assuming we have a trained prophet_obj and a forecast_df with the future dates to forecast, the likelihood is:
prophet_obj.changepoints_t is a list of times where a changepoint occurred in the training data. What is single_diff? It is a consequence of how Prophet models time progression.
Prophet’s time progression
In both the train and predict functions, Prophet converts the time (“ds”) column in the Pandas DataFrame to an array called t which signifies time progression. For all kinds of reasons, it is convenient to have t in the range of 0-1 during training. So, in training, t is created by setting the interval between any two elements as 1/training_length. E.g., if there are 50 training data points, t is equal to [0, 0.02, 0.04, ..., 0.98, 1.]. For the forecast, it will continue with the same intervals [1.02, 1.04 ...] up to the length of forecast_df.
Since the t array represents the progression of time, it can be used to calculate progress over time. For example, some_coef*t creates a linear trend, where some_coef represents the slope. Thus, a slope of 4 means that in each time step the series adds 4*single_diff (4*0.02 in this example).
values (y-axis) with slope=4 over time (x-axis). Image by Author
Back to vectorizing slope changes
We now have the likelihood of a slope-change at any given point. Let’s create a matrix of slope-changes:
where k is the number of samples (rows). The result is a Boolean matrix:
Matrix of random boolean change-points. (Image by Author)
And this is where the magic happens. Take the sum of each row, plot the distribution, and you will get:
The rows-sum of a random boolean matrix is a Poisson Distribution. (Image by Author)
A Poisson distribution with a mean of likelihood * len(future_t_time)! Exactly what Prophet samples from to set the n_changes for each row!
This derives straight from the definition of Poisson – if you have q independent draws where each has a likelihood of l being positive, you get a Poisson distribution with a mean of q*l.
We replaced Prophet’s for-loop sampling of the number of changepoints in a row - and then sampling their placement in the time-steps - and replaced it with a single line for an entire matrix!
But we don’t need a Boolean value of whether a change occurs – we need the delta of the change. This part is simple:
We create a new matrix of samples, this one from a Laplace distribution with a scale of the mean absolute training data deltas. Why Laplace? I don’t know if there’s a theoretical justification, but that’s what Prophet does, so we follow it (except that Prophet performs the sampling separately for each row, and we sample a matrix). Take the product of the two matrices to get:
Matrix of slope-change values. (Image by Author)
The change in slope for each sampled trend, in each time step (remember row=sampled trend, column=time step).
We are almost done! Now we need to transition from slope changes to actual forecast values.
Slope-change to actual values
Imagine we have the following time series of deltas of slope (the change in slope values between adjacent steps): [0,1,0,0,-4,0,2]. Assuming we start with an actual slope of 0, the slope at each step will be [0,1,1,1,-3,-3,-1], as for each time step we take the sum of deltas up to it, or in other words: “cumsum”.
Deltas to actual values example. (Image by Author)
But this only gives us the slope at each point (instead of the slope-delta). We want the actual values! A linear slope means we add the slope value at each iteration. If we have a slope of 2 for 3 time-steps, the actual values will be [2,4,6]; it should be obvious that this is another cumsum. Hence, to transition from a matrix of slope-deltas to the actual values of the time series:
Remember that a slope of 4 means that 4*single_diff is the actual value, so we take the product of this new matrix with single_diff.
Adding Gaussian residuals
Now we have a matrix of sample trends, we only need to add the Gaussian noise:
Where sigma is the standard deviation around the trend in the training data.
We finished vectorizing the creation of a matrix of samples. If we want the confidence interval between 10%-90%, we set
Simply adding the lower and upper edges of the interval to the yhat forecast. All done! Except for a few small issues (feel free to skip the next 3 sections).
Mid-step trend change
There’s a tiny modeling difference between the vectorized code and Prophet. Prophet allows the slope-changes to occur between time-steps. E.g if t = [1.02, 1.04, 1.06…], a slope change can be set at 1.028. Or in other words: if your data represents weekly values on Mondays, Prophet allows for slope changes Saturdays or any other day.
I’m not sure this modeling always makes sense for all datasets. Also, from my experience, the difference is negligible.
However, for the sake of completion: Let’s consider a trend change occurring before the first actual step (in 1.0–1.02). If it is close to 1.0 (Previous Monday), by the time-step 1.02 we will get a full step-worth of change (the 4*single_diff). But if it is close to 1.02 (Sunday), the slope change will not make a big difference for that time step. The changes can occur anywhere on that spectrum, making the best correction the mean of the two extremes: each time step with the one before it (with 0 for the first one).
Another approach is to create a matrix with k times more columns, and a chengepoint likelihood of 1/k of the previous likelihood. This matrix will represent smaller intervals than the ones in the time series. After the cumsum.cumsum we could extract every k-th column. But again — the difference is probably insignificant.
Logistic growth
By default, Prophet assumes the growth is linear, but you can set it to logistic, in which case the creation of the slope-changes remains identical, but the transition from the matrix to the sampled trends is completely different (non-linear). Prophet’s code for that transition is monstrous, but it is trivial to convert the code to a vectorized version. I will not explain it in this post, but the vectorized code is given below for your use.
Training data
One final issue — all the above applies to forecasting into the future, where the trend values are not known and therefore need to be sampled. However, sometimes we call the predict function on the training data. The uncertainty there only depends on the Gaussian noise around the trend, so we can set the sample_trends to be zeros.
Time and accuracy comparison
How much faster is the vectorized version?
%%timeit
add_prophet_uncertainty(p, forecast_df)
output:
2.13 ms ± 139 µs per loop
Compared with 1s+ for the original, non-vectorized, version of Prophet. This is a 500x improvement.
And does it return the same results as Prophet? Pretty close. | https://towardsdatascience.com/how-to-run-facebook-prophet-predict-x100-faster-cce0282ca77d | ['Oren Matar'] | 2021-09-05 17:01:16.471000+00:00 | ['Time Series Forecasting', 'Editors Pick', 'Vectorization', 'Prophet', 'Efficiency'] |
What Happened To The Kingston Detective Who Blamed Police Killings On “Resisting Arrest?” | What Happened To The Kingston Detective Who Blamed Police Killings On “Resisting Arrest?” Scott Martin Jan 15·8 min read
Source: Global News Kingston
As every reader of this article knows, last year, Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin put his knee on George Floyd’s neck for 8 minutes and 46 seconds, with the aid of fellow police officers Thomas Lane, J. Alexander Keung and Tou Thao, killing him in cold blood.
The event shook the world to its core, setting off protests against police brutality around the globe. Kingston itself joined in, rallying with a vigil on June 2nd in Skeleton Park, organized by the Black Luck Collective, who’s Facebook page describes their purpose to be “about inviting and the coming-together of new and seasoned Black Kingstonians to see, to know, that they are not isolated here and to uncover our dependable and visible community.”
Less prideful to the city was an anti-police brutality protest announced for June 6th, with a horrible mess of a genesis. It was created by inexperienced organizers, neither of whom knew previously about the vigil on the second, with no planned speakers. They also initially seemed to invite the Kingston Police to attend and speak, though they later claimed this was miscommunication.
Attendees of the protest reported that any and all people were allowed to approach the speaking area, including one individual who explicitly declared “All Lives Matter”. All in all, it may have been a gesture of good intentions, but unfortunately, it probably did more harm than good. It is also important to note that The Black Luck Collective stated they had no hand in the June 6th protest.
As frustrating as it is that an anti-police brutality protest that initially openly welcomed police was held in a city where Black people are stopped nearly 4 times as much as white people, what is even more galling that one of Kingston’s own, Detective Brad Hughes, published a post on his personal Facebook account on June 1st, five days before the botched protest, which openly declared that George Floyd had a hand in his death by resisting arrest.
The post, which was removed at the behest of a senior commander four days after posting, created an outrage in the community. Global News, The Whig Standard, the Ottawa Citizen and the Kingstonist all ran pieces on it, a petition was created to fire the officer, and multiple social media scribes were penned against him. I know this because, yours truly, penned one of those social media scribes.
Source: @YouCaughtScott on Twitter
That particular tweet was even featured in the Kingstonist article on the matter, of course with the “fucking” taken out. Evidently implying that a post amounting to “resisting arrest is grounds for execution” is more palatable than “fuck”.
Kingston’s own, Detective Brad Hughes, published a post on his personal Facebook account on June 1st…which openly declared that George Floyd had a hand in his death by resisting arrest.
But what did Brad Hughes say, exactly, to warrant this reaction from myself and the Kingston community? Although the post was removed, pictures are still available. I will link the full text in a picture below. Content Warning for defending police brutality.
Source: Kingstonist.com
Despite preemptively couching the forthcoming language by declaring that he would be the first to admit when an officer is wrong and will be held accountable, appearing to condemn the actions of his career-comrades, he then writes “The main component which is 100% present in ALL incidents where someone was injured or died while in police custody regardless of what race is involved is that the accused was resisting their arrest.”
Either Hughes has lived in a subterranean cave for the entirety of his life, or he was being willfully ignorant. Do I need to point to the case of Breonna Taylor, where cops burst into the wrong apartment without identifying themselves and proceeded to shoot and kill her? Should I retell the shooting of Philando Castile, a legal gun owner being shot next to his partner and his then 4-year-old daughter in a traffic stop? Perhaps Fred Hampton? Who was assassinated by the police?
I could be more charitable and assume Hughes was talking about Canada instead. This is a preposterous notion as the case in question Hughes was referring to was in the U.S, but let’s do this mental exercise for the sake of steelmanning his position. Just for a sampler, in Canada we have the seemingly unending cases of cops shooting people on mental wellness checks. We also have the Saskatoon freezing deaths, the brutal killing of Myles Gray, and of course the RCMP having a 24-point, nearly 4,000 word Wikipedia article just for their controversies.
This of course, would be in conjunction with the fact that police officers use “resisting arrest” against Black suspects far more than white suspects, and the concept itself is used to justify police brutality.
I could also make a strong argument that George Floyd was not resisting arrest according to witnesses at the scene. But saying all of this without further context would mean conceding the point that those who do resist arrest should be expected to die. This is a lie, and is the conclusion that Brad Hughes wanted readers to accept.
Admittedly, it may be hard to tell as of late, but at time of writing, we do not live in Judge Dredd’s universe. Very few crimes carry the death penalty, and those that do are, supposedly, to be decided in court. So implying that any of the scramble one may put up upon arrest somewhat permits the cops to kill them, unless their life is in immediate danger, is authoritarian bullshit. Not that cops won’t claim they “feared for their life” every chance they get, even when unwarranted.
No, Hughes’ attitude exemplified in this post made it clear, any Kingstonians who are accused of “resisting arrest” and are subsequently beaten, injured or killed, are also to blame for whatever happens to them.
But now that the issue with the post has been clarified and explained, why bring it up 8 months later? Surely the police have dealt with the matter? After all, Sgt. Steve Koopman announced they were to investigate the incident and discipline accordingly, should the situation call for it. As Global News reported in June of last year, Koopman said that these could range from anything from a written warning, to a financial penalty to possible termination. In the same article, Hughes himself said that he has a comment prepared, but plans to wait upon its release until the investigation concludes.
Hughes’ attitude exemplified in this post made it clear, any Kingstonians who are accused of “resisting arrest” and are subsequently beaten, injured or killed, are also to blame for whatever happens to them.
Well, the reason I bring this up now, 8 months later is because, as far as I can tell, the investigation is still ongoing. The last public mention I could find of it was in a Queen’s Journal report from October of last year, stating from an email that Constable Ashley Guthienz sent them regarding their questions on the matter: “on the organization’s end [the investigation] is an internal matter […] after previous media inquiries it was identified that internal matters will not be discussed publicly.”
I found this curious, as it was explicitly said by Brad Hughes that he had a statement prepared and would post it as soon as the investigation had concluded, a statement which I could not find. So I took it to myself to message Kingston Police directly, as a representative for The Limestone Dissection. I figured it would be a long-shot considering the DIY attitude of myself and this project and unsurprisingly, they were unwilling to answer my questions. Constable Guthienz told me that they only respond to accredited organizations, and “Unfortunately we will be unable to provide you with any information in regards to this request”. Please don’t read into this, as I myself would find giving details of an investigation to a new org started from the ground up pretty unreasonable as well.
That being said, the lack of media coverage in accredited organizations is strange on its face, and police not discussing internal matters is, sadly, par for the course. It is a frustrating feature of modern-policing that shields the cops from the public’s concerns against the people that monitor them (the monitors who are being paid by the public’s tax dollars). But the length of the investigation warrants further inspection. Inspection that our local news organizations should look into, as previously shown, the public is not able to obtain such info.
An internal investigation into a Facebook post taking five months would be laughable in any industry. But a Facebook post that: caused this much of a public outcry, which was acknowledged by the poster and his superiors, was taken down due to the public reaction, and included suggesting blame for the death of an arrested man was partially his own, when that man was killed by a cop and when the poster himself was a cop, would be a pitiable hilarious farce, were it not the veiled public threat to the citizens of Kingston that it was. That being said, without an update, it’s entirely possible that the internal investigation is taking 8 months and counting.
An internal investigation into a Facebook post taking five months would be laughable in any industry.
To be clear, I do not want to suggest that Brad Hughes intended this post to be taken as a threat, or that he has committed any act of police brutality, or even remotely plans to. There are no instances of him being involved in such acts, or investigations into planning them, or anything of that matter. But it is not the intent that concerns me so much, as the effects. In a similar scenario, were a man to say that there was “violence on many sides” about a rally where neo-nazis murdered a woman, we would rightfully call him out for downplaying the acts of violence, regardless of his intent.*
Two separate websites created to ease access to Ontario’s sunshine lists (a public sector salary disclosure site) put Brad Hughes salary at a whopping $114,300. Well $114,300.71 to be precise, (search yourself!). The Kingston Police Municipal Board received $43,486,975 last year, 10.8% of the operating budget for 2020. The next highest Board’s funding? Frontenac County-Land Ambulance, at $7,952,623, which is not even 1/5th of the funding allocated to the police. The public deserves to know the results of this investigation and quite frankly, the investigators in question need to stop dragging their feet.
If this 8-month-long deep-dive into a tone-deaf Facebook post is any indication of the Kingston Police’s ability to investigate, I want my money back. | https://medium.com/@youcaughtscott/what-happened-to-the-kingston-detective-who-blamed-police-killings-on-resisting-arrest-cb4e83f28884 | ['Scott Martin'] | 2021-01-15 19:17:53.746000+00:00 | ['Black Lives Matter', 'Kingston', 'Police', 'Resisting Arrest', 'George Floyd'] |
Digital Marketing Training Institute In Coimbatore | Digital Marketing Training Institute In Coimbatore is Designing a site that is tied in with creating website pages for running online businesses that assist in building an association between the business and the clients in a manner to interact just as entertaining. It is being delivered to meet and address the everyday challenges looked at in promoting items and administrations. Also, our website composition training course Coimbatore will assist you with getting continuous learning on live activities that assist you with becoming a specialist website specialist. In straightforward, web designing is the method involved with planning, creating, and modifying sites by collecting innovative thoughts and arranging them tastefully. Digital Marketing Training Institute In Coimbatore is presenting the inventive substance on electronic pages which the end-client can get to through internet browsers will frame the idea of web architecture. Each brand in the market requires a solid online presence to boost their openness worldwide from one side of the planet to the other which can be accomplished through web composition. Digital Marketing Training Institute In Coimbatore have Best Website specialists have a promising vocation choice in the IT industry as what’s to come is just on the web. | https://medium.com/@vetriseoanalyst/digital-marketing-training-institute-in-coimbatore-is-designing-a-site-that-is-tied-in-with-99741c29de84 | ['Vetri Seo Analyst'] | 2021-12-29 10:25:55.659000+00:00 | ['Seo Services', 'SEO', 'Seo Training', 'Digital'] |
Codica Acknowledged as a Top Progressive Web App Development Company | Codica is a software development consultancy situated in Kharkiv, Ukraine, that has vast experience in building custom web applications.
For more than 5 years, we have been building robust, scalable, and reliable cross-platform solutions for a number of industries. We have delivered fast-loading PWA websites for the finance, automotive, travel, and e-commerce domains.
Today we have the honor to be listed among the top progressive web app development companies of 2020 by Topdevelopers.co.
Industry acknowledgment
We are proud to say that it is not the first time Codica gets listed among the best software development houses by TopDevelopers.co. Earlier, we were named a Top Ruby on Rails Development Company on their website.
Visit Codica’s profile on TopDevelopers.co, and you will notice our high focus on providing the best web and software development services. Our dedication to our customers’ success is reflected in our aspiration to research and use the latest technologies.
Also, we always search for a better way of the usage of particular technological tools.
Such a comprehensive approach allowed us to achieve state-of-the-art results in the field of progressive web app development.
What does a PWA (progressive web app) mean?
When we talk about progressive web applications, we refer to web apps that are modified with particular functionality. Owing to these advancements, PWAs offer users a smooth native app experience. In terms of performance, they remind native apps; however, progressive web applications are run on browsers.
With this technology, businesses get a more convenient and cost-effective way to communicate with their mobile audience than building native apps.
As for users, they can add a PWA to the home screen of their devices in mere seconds.
What are the main benefits of PWAs for business? This is the ability to increase the engagement rate and drive conversions. Also, progressive web apps allow businesses to keep costs of mobile app development down and rank higher in Google search results.
Many famous brands have successfully turned their websites into progressive web applications. Thus, below there is an example of the Pinterest PWA website.
The adoption of PWA technology brought Pinterest fantastic results. This social network managed to raise user regenerated revenue by 44% and increase the amount of time that users spent on the website by 40%.
What makes Codica a perfect PWA development partner?
Being a PWA development company, we have seen the business value of progressive web applications from the very beginning. For this reason, all web applications delivered by our team are PWAs by default.
Below you can see the core characteristics that mark Codica team. These qualities allow us to be acknowledged as one of the top software development consultancies.
Strong UX/UI design skills
To ensure user-friendliness of solutions delivered, we follow the latest PWA design guidelines and best practices. Our aim is to offer smooth UX/UI design for both smartphone and desktop users.
When we build a mobile version of a progressive web application, we get rid of extra sections or unnecessary info that can be confusing for users.
When it comes to the desktop version, spacers are added where applicable. In addition, we add various graphic content, such as photos, images, illustrations.
Vast software development experience
We are delighted to say that the recognition by TopDevelopers.co is not our first award. Famous research agencies, including GoodFirm, Clutch, and AppFutura, have also listed us among the best software development providers.
Take a look at the full list of our gratifying rewards below:
Testimonials from satisfied customers
Over the years, we have been lucky to deliver software development services to diverse sets of clients. Many of them eagerly leave their reviews to express satisfaction with the high-quality solutions we deliver.
Each review is valuable for us. These testimonials prove our reliability and hard work.
The testimonial below was left by our satisfied customer:
Usage of the latest technologies
Building a fast-loading progressive web application requires the most advanced technology stack. This way, the solution delivered will be working properly on any device regardless of its operating system.
Below you can see the tech stack used by Codica team:
Front-end . The client-side of the PWA is built with the help of React and Vue.js. React works well for creating apps with dynamically loading and updating content. For example, React was used for building Twitter Light PWA. Vue.js, in its turn, helps develop lightweight and easy-to-fix PWAs.
. The client-side of the PWA is built with the help of React and Vue.js. React works well for creating apps with dynamically loading and updating content. For example, React was used for building Twitter Light PWA. Vue.js, in its turn, helps develop lightweight and easy-to-fix PWAs. Back-end. We use Ruby and Ruby on Rails to build the server-side of progressive web apps.
We use Ruby and Ruby on Rails to build the server-side of progressive web apps. Web page styles. For creating web page styles, SCSS/CSS-in-JS/Modular Stylesheets is our ultimate option.
Codica’s expertise in PWA development
A reliable progressive web application development company always should have a portfolio with the most successful delivered projects. With their help, customers can easily understand the scope of projects a specific company deals with as well as their complexity.
Today we are eager to share the information about our latest PWA project with you.
Babel Cover Case Study
An insurance technology startup requested us to create an intuitive cross-platform solution aimed at bicycle riders. The solution should enable customers to purchase an insurance policy or report an incident via their smartphones.
We focused on providing users with a fast-loading and user-friendly solution. This solution was supposed to provide customers with an opportunity to access the app’s functionality even with a weak or unstable internet connection. For this reason, the decision was made to build a progressive web app.
The implementation of PWA technology allowed the app users to purchase an insurance policy and report an incident from their phone in no time. All they have to do is to install an insurance web application.
Check the full Insurance PWA case study to learn more about the project.
Final thoughts
Codica is a team of professionals focused on customers’ success. We deliver powerful and engaging web applications to help them grow their business. It is a great honor for us to be listed among the top PWA development companies.
If you are ready to invest in PWA development services and are now looking for a reliable software partner, contact us. We will be delighted to bring your ideas into reality.
To learn more about our company and PWA development approach, check our full article Codica Named a Top Progressive Web Development Company. | https://medium.com/codica/codica-acknowledged-as-a-top-progressive-web-app-development-company-ca3ae614e6d1 | ['Codica Team'] | 2020-12-04 18:31:34.761000+00:00 | ['Codica Way', 'Pwa Development', 'Pwa', 'Web Development', 'Progressive Web App'] |
Create a relaxing and beautiful outdoor space with supplies from one of the best landscape supply… | Create a relaxing and beautiful outdoor space with supplies from one of the best landscape supply in San Diego County. Landscape pebbles from Rock & Block Hardscape Supply are one of the best choices for a complete landscape makeover. Landscape pebbles have low maintenance and are easy to install, a good option for those who have drainage concern in their yard. We offer rocks and pebbles that come in different shapes and sizes which is specially made to enhance your landscape.
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Untitled #4 | Sweet cherub
With sparkling eyes
Leads me to the light.
Soaring eagle
Lifts me on strong wings
To the healing place
Gentle waters of the sea
Carry me on buoyant waves
To safety
The wisdom of the ages
Support me
As I waver on the edge.
The universe
Lays its treasures
At my feet.
What have I to fear? | https://medium.com/@lafcadiopoetry/untitled-4-7aef51c7bdc6 | ['Lafcadio Poetry'] | 2020-12-07 16:18:03.744000+00:00 | ['Photography', 'Universe', 'Poetry', 'Orchids'] |
Essential Blogs and Newsletters for Kidlit Writers and Illustrators: | Essential Blogs and Newsletters for Kidlit Writers and Illustrators:
Source: Mary Pahlke at Pixabay
Writing and illustrating is a quiet job pretty much done at home, far from the buzz of the publishing houses and those who acquire books. But to keep in touch with hot topics (and enhance my craft), I follow blogs and newsletters about creating and publishing children’s literature.
Decide which digital publications suit you best
Most of these resources are free. A few require membership. All are immensely supportive.
This blog is by author and librarian Betsy Bird, perched beneath the School Library Journal (SLJ) umbrella, but opinions are her own. Betsy posts book reviews, thematic reading lists, video trailers, and interviews pertaining to recent and upcoming children’s books. It’s good to get a librarian’s take on new publications.
This blog celebrates books for teens and young readers by African-America authors and illustrators. The flagship initiative of the blog spans Black History month. Each February, 28 Days Later showcases the best in picture books, middle grade, and young adult novels and non-fiction from Black creators.
Since, 1990, this renowned monthly newsletter, published by husband and wife editorial team Laura Backes and Jon Bard, is on a mission — to assist creative people build careers in writing for children. Aspiring writers will especially enjoy their tips, lessons, and timely marking info.
A blog by author Cynthia Leitich Smith (on hiatus till 2–11–21) presents thoughtful conversations, writer inspiration, and publishing information. She often tilts her focus toward multicultural books, including those concerning Native American culture.
This ambitious blog by editor-for-hire (and former literary agent) Mary Kole is geared toward committed kidlit writers. Kole dispenses solid advice for securing an agent and getting work published, but my favorite blogposts provide mini writing lessons. I always learn something new.
A caring blog for writers and illustrators sharing tips, resources, and emotional support with anyone striving to stay connected and creative in the children’s literary world. We may work alone, but it doesn’t need to feel that way.
The longstanding blog by Natalie Aguirre and Casey McCormick is best known for its “Agent Spotlights”—twice monthly profiles of children’s literary agents, which include the work they represent, their backgrounds, quoted client feedback, and manuscript response times.
These separate searchable sites document the types of teen and children’s book submissions individual agents and editors do and don’t want to see. Learn about the genres sought along with the often niche needs and specific tastes of kidlit decision makers.
This gargantuan database caters to pros in the book publishing business, and a $25 monthly subscription enables full access. I subscribe for the insider news and use it as a research tool. Search publishers, editors, and agents by topic, genre, and type of publication. Explore dealmaker statistics and acquisition histories. For an added fee, maintain a webpage hosted on the platform.
This veteran website about crafting and publishing kidlit by author and editor-for-hire Harold Underdown is well known and respected. Harold’s popular Who’s Moving Where? page tracks staff changes and other news at children’s publishing houses.
The official blog of the Society of Children’s Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI), led by Lee Wind, keeps its 22,000 global members up to speed on events, conferences, contests, awards and other news in the world of children’s and young adult literature.
A consistently satisfying quarterly e-publication for and by members of the SCBWI delivers informative articles on topics of keen interest to the creators, publishers, and promoters of children’s articles and books. Often worth a second read.
Shelf Awareness Pro is a weekday e-newsletter for booksellers, publishers, literary agents, and librarians about marketing and lending children’s books. Shelf Awareness for Readers, a semi-weekly review publication, helps readers discover new children’s books and learn about industry experts.
Peruse this quarterly publishing by Roxie Munro, a masterful illustrator and picture book creator. Roxie engages her broad audience comprised of young readers, budding artists, parents, librarians, and teachers via activities, how-to videos, and links to writing and art education. Illustrators, take notes!
This colorful, weekly posting is an inviting compilation of linked articles and other resources shared at Kidlit 411 by authors Elaine Kiely Kearns and Sylvia Liu. Get tips about writing and illustrating kidlit, submitting projects, critique groups, contests to enter, and more. This busy duo also administers a popular Facebook group, by the same name, for children’s writers and illustrators.
I look forward to this excellent weekly collection of instructional blogposts about the business of writing and selling books for all ages in the digital age. Author and presenter Jane Freidman is a wealth of information. Guest posts are topnotch as well. Don’t miss out! Also consider The Hot Sheet, issued biweekly as a paid subscription. Topics include book market analysis, trends and changes in the publishing industry, and income advice for career authors traditionally and independently published.
The WeNeedDiverseBooks.org (WNDB) blog counters the lack of diversity in children’s books by promoting literature that reflects all or our young people with the goal of greater acceptance, empathy, and equality. WNDB defines diversity as a person of color, Native American, LGBTQIA, a person with a disability, and/or a member of a marginalized religious or cultural group in America. Broaden your mind and knowledge through Q&As, topical guest posts, featured books, and their newsy press releases.
This engaging blog by picture book author Tara Lazar is like a bazaar of writing and illustrating advice with book reviews, products, toys, recipes, and giveaways. It’s also the home of #StoryStorm, the January writing challenge that helps participants unblock and stockpile picture book plots. | https://writingcooperative.com/essential-blogs-and-newsletters-for-kidlit-writers-and-illustrators-e4a7e2668105 | ['Teri Daniels'] | 2021-01-08 13:54:55.054000+00:00 | ['Blog', 'Newsletter', 'Childrens Books', 'Writing Tips', 'Publishing'] |
Filmmakers Making A Social Impact: Why & How Filmmaker Eva Lanska Is Helping To Change Our World | Thank you so much for joining us! Our readers would love to get to know you a bit. Can you share your “backstory” that brought you to this career?
My childhood was spent in Russia. In those days, the only thing for which there was no need to stand in line for was your dreams. There was a shortage of all products in the country. For example, to get good books, one had to wait a long time for each one, but I really loved reading. Since the age of five, books have become my closest friends. In my life, not one evening has passed without a book in my hands. Good books blur the boundaries of the impossible.
When I read Theodore Dreiser, I was finally convinced that many restrictions are conditional, and the most important thing is to follow your dreams My dream had already emerged by then. I wanted to become a stage actress, devote myself to the theater and perform at the world’s best venues.
Then, being in the harsh Post Soviet atmosphere during my youth, I still did not know exactly how to implement my plan, but I already had a firm goal. The goal is what defines a person, and later your social circle. Ayn Rand also wrote about this during the time in which she lived.
What are some of the most interesting or exciting projects you are
working on now?
I was fortunate enough to spend several years in Paris in early 2000. During this time, I wrote songs and started filming my first videos. A French music producer suggested that I record an album of Serge Gainsbourg’s works, among which were some songs performed by Brigitte Bardot. Working on her songs, I began to study her work more deeply and noticed that the depth of this magnificent woman’s aspirations stretched far beyond the film career. That is when I first began to think about making a film about her, and only now have I finished the script for the feature film “I’m Not An Actress,” inspired by the philosophy of Brigitte Bardot.
Who are some of the most interesting people you have interacted with? What was that like? Do you have any stories?
I am actively involved in charitable work and interact with many foundations. I have always admired people who are not indifferent to charity. Among the interactions with well-known people include a supportive evening with former U.K. Prime Minister Tony Blair and last year a conversation with Former New York Mayor Rudolf Giuliani. It would seem that those with such different political views suddenly find they have much in common when they have a shared cause, such as a charitable mission.
Which people in history inspire you the most? Why?
I would name three completely different women who all possess qualities that inspire to preserve inner dignity, fortitude in any situation, and the belief that women can really change the world. They are former U.K. Prime Minister, Baroness Margaret Thatcher, fourth Prime Minister of Israel Golda Meir, and Princess Diana.
We are very interested in diversity in the entertainment industry. Can you share three reasons with our readers why you think it’s important to have diversity represented in film and television? How can that potentially affect our culture?
I think that based on the experience of film industry workers in 2020, there will be many alternative companies to Netflix in the near future, and Netflix will very soon share a place in the market with other new avenues of equal value. Also, I suppose that at last, there will be more film projects led by women executive producers and directors.
In 1994, a study based on 2,000 films revealed that of all aspects of filmmaking, only costuming and casting employed the majority of women, while the on the top positions, women accounted for only 13% of editors, 10% of writers, and a meager 5% of directors.
However, when this study was revisited twenty years later in 2014, the numbers had actually dropped. The report showed that rather than improving over time, the number of women working with blockbuster film crews had declined to a new low of 21.8%. Even more startling, of the top 100 grossing films, fewer than 2% of the directors were women. (source: Ellis-Petersen, 2014)
Unfortunately, in 2020 there were no significant changes, key positions in the film industry still belong to the majority of men. However, today it is the women who are able to diversify the world of cinema and showcase their talent and artistry. Now is the time for men to open the door and let women go forward.
What are your “5 things I wish someone told me when I first started” and why. Please share a story or example for each.
1. Listen to your intuition and implement the ideas in which you really believe.
2. Take your time choosing a manuscript. The script is your foundation on which you will build your house. At the beginning, no one will bring you a good script on a silver platter. The secret is that if you cannot write yourself, you can distinguish talent from mediocrity, and in the end, you will find a talented novice screenwriter with whom you will grow professionally together.
3. Time is the main resource on the set, as discipline and maximum concentration from each member of the team are needed. Every minute should be productive in its own way. It’s necessary to show firmness in the management of any project, and conviction in artistic correctness.
4. Don’t give a chance for fear to take you over. You should not be afraid of failure because fear can destroy even great talent.
5. Be sure to spend some time with each key member of the team. Make sure that you work together and that you have a common understanding of the structure of the filming process, and the same general attitude towards discipline and self-respect. It’s important to remember that one fly can spoil the whole barrel of honey.
We are very blessed that some of the biggest names in Business, VC
funding, Sports, and Entertainment read this column. Is there a person
in the world, or in the US whom you would love to have a private
breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might see this. :-)
I would like to meet and chat with producer Jerry Bruckheimer. I have watched a lot of his interviews and in many ways, his thoughts on filmmaking are very similar to mine. He once said, I don’t want to make a show that I wouldn’t watch. This one line says a lot about the process of creating a movie. I think I could learn a lot from Jerry, and it would be interesting to work with him. Every artist wants his or her works to have a place in history and I can relate to people who share this approach.
You are a person of great influence. If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. :-)
I would like to place the spotlight to an important problem that has faded into the background on the pages of the media in 2020, but after all, everything that happens in today’s world is inextricably linked. In the summer of 2020, www.researchgate.net published news about microplastic found in a human placenta. Few people connected this monstrous news with the main events and epidemics that shook humanity this year. But how can humanity be on a healthy planet, while simultaneously killing nature by its actions? It is known that more than 260 species of animals either accidentally swallow plastic or get entangled in it. The bodies of 90 species of seabirds contain plastic.
We can tell our children about this and teach them to use natural products. If you think about it, saving these animals, we help not only them, but, above all, ourselves. To begin with, all that is required from us is to refuse to buy products packed in plastic. Stop getting your wallet in the store, paying with your money for a potential poison. If there is no demand, there will be no supply. The state can provide grants to support producers with eco-packaging. I suggest holding a flash mob on social media, every time you make a choice of a product in a store in natural packaging, put a hashtag — I choose environmentally friendly packaging. The sustainable lifestyle must become fashionable.
Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you
share how that was relevant to you in your life?
Margaret Thatcher said, “I usually make up my mind about a man in ten seconds, and I very rarely change it.” This rule fits well with my experience. Every time I have given the opportunity for additional information to influence my initial opinion about a person, I am convinced later, that it was a mistake. The first impression is the most correct one.
How can our readers follow you online?
@becomingeva
www.evalanska.com | https://medium.com/authority-magazine/filmmakers-making-a-social-impact-why-how-filmmaker-eva-lanska-is-helping-to-change-our-world-faf213dbcce0 | ['Karina Michel Feld'] | 2020-12-27 16:51:39.595000+00:00 | ['Pop Culture'] |
Work with Version Control like a boss in 5min | This is an absolute MUST to coordinate work of many people in a team, and guarantee code traceability. The most important benefits are:
Travel in time back-and-forth as many times as you want.
Get highlights of the precise lines that changed in each commit.
Manage parallel development of new features.
1 — Basic folder structure
Conventional uses for each folder:
Trunk : Standard Scenario.
Branches: Each feature is developed in a separate branch inside /branches.
Tags : Closed and tested versions (releases). Usually named and numbered.
2 — Commit
This is the basic, most useful, and most often used action in Version Control. It saves the current state of your code and gives it a Revision mark. The result is a history Log that you can check and click to travel in time:
Never leave the Message box empty. Your future you will thank you when trying to remember what each change meant.
This is rather philosophical but it will become a no-brainer when you become a Version Control expert:
Always, ALWAYS commit! — Someone who lost hours of work trying to undo some change.
There’s no need to wait for a working state in order to commit. Commit every change you make, better be safe than sorry.
3 — Branching
Additive development is carried in Trunk. When you want to implement a new feature with significant changes, or prepare an alternative Scenario, it’s time to branch.
The current work space in which you are at the time of branching will be the base for the new branch. You could create a new branch based on another branch.
4 — Switching between branches (or trunk)
The key for seamless switching is the first and most important motto in Version Control: always commit! Once everything is committed jumps will be effortless and almost magical.
The best analogy is jumping between parallel universes. Just click Switch, select the destination and all files will go to the state they have in that branch. Files no longer present will hide (don’t worry, they are still there!), and new ones will emerge.
5 — Merging
This is the final step after your feature is finished. Your modifications will be added to the trunk (or another branch). The tools included in version control save 90% of the time when compared to manual updates, and avoid 99,9% of the errors that would happen if you had to update changes manually.
*The Test merge feature is really useful. Click it, check that everything is to your liking or perform manual changes if you wish.
Click Merge and review the results. If it’s all right, go ahead and commit the merge to save the changes.
Bonus:
Very often you will find that you have started making changes in Trunk, but you feel those changes belong in a new branch. Luckily there’s a simple solution for that. Select > Branch, and tick these two options to create a new branch based on the same rev as your working copy, and also move the modifications to the new branch. This leaves the Trunk untouched.
As well as this short manual, it’s | https://medium.com/garage-inside-garage/work-with-version-control-like-a-boss-in-5min-37fc21c2af18 | ['Borja Miguel Peñuelas Morales'] | 2018-03-18 19:45:33.476000+00:00 | ['Coding Standards', 'Software Development', 'Version Control'] |
“Scalpers got new Sony PlayStation 5 and Microsoft Xbox Series X and S and they got them by the boatload.” | “Scalpers got new Sony PlayStation 5 and Microsoft Xbox Series X and S and they got them by the boatload.” Dave Gershgorn ·Dec 8, 2020
Tech companies like to release big new products, like game consoles, in October and November because there’s guaranteed demand — in just a few weeks, everyone is looking for the perfect holiday gift.
But that leaves little time for manufacturers to make enough Xboxes and PlayStations. Demand outstrips supply, especially when scalpers buy consoles in bulk with the hopes of reselling for massive profits.
Veteran tech writer Lance Ulanoff looks into the scourge of holiday console scalpers in the story below.
My $0.02? Release the consoles a month earlier, and give yourself some time to make a few more. | https://debugger.medium.com/scalpers-got-new-sony-playstation-5-and-microsoft-xbox-series-x-and-s-and-they-got-them-by-the-3b397b10913c | ['Dave Gershgorn'] | 2020-12-08 06:33:47.774000+00:00 | ['Digital Life', 'Gaming', 'PlayStation', 'Xbox'] |
Best weight loss supplement for breastfeeding mothers | I’ve just recently given birth to my beautiful baby boy, David. I’ve put on quite a bit of weight and have managed to lose some over the last 3 months. I’m still breastfeeding my boy and planning to do so for the next year to come at least. But I’ve also wanted to try to lose some of the fat I’ve gained during the pregnancy. That’s why I’ve been looking into the best weight loss supplement for breastfeeding mothers. I’m trying to find something to help me shred the stubborn fat without compromising my health or the quality of my lactation and milk. Here’s what I’ve found out so far;
According to LiveStrong.com,
Photo by Xavier Mouton Photographie on Unsplash
“Many over-the-counter weight-loss supplements help you lose by acting as a diuretic so you lose water weight, stimulate your nervous system to up energy levels and activity, or increase serotonin levels so you feel full and eat less. While these types of supplements may help you lose weight, they don’t typically offer long-term results. Losing water weight through a diuretic effect is actually counterproductive because your body needs adequate fluid to produce breast milk. The supplements may also contain substances that could adversely affect your baby.”
They even go on to say that some of the ingredients found in the weight loss supplements are known to be harmful if you’re breastfeeding. Those are the natural stimulants such as ginseng, yerba mate, green tea and guarana. That’s straight up feeding the baby caffeine.
Some of the other found ingredients such as 5-Hydroxytryptophan, or 5HTP, may affect your milk supply or your baby’s neurological development. So feeding that to your kid ’s just horrible.
CLICK HERE To See the Full Story and How She Lost Weight
Good news is Breastfeeding itself will help you lose weight
Breastfeeding alone burns 500 to 600 calories daily, so you’re already ahead of the game. It all comes down to the amount you burn and amount you take in when it comes to losing fat. If you make sure to cut sugary and high fat foods while breastfeeding, you should already be ahead of the game.
Add exercise to tone up
When it comes to weight loss, it’s not just the number on the scale that you want to decrease. It’s the way you look and feel (and the overall body fat). So by simply eating less calories than you burn out will only take you so far. It’s the workouts that will give you the toned abs, thighs and butts, etc. So there is really no way around it. Sure, you can do the liposuction but you can take out the fat not add in the muscle mass which can only come from exercising and eating right.
Final words on the best weight loss supplements for breastfeeding moms
Don’t use any of it. If you’re going to take something to help you lose weight, maybe add natural fiber supplement with your meals to help you feel full and satiated faster. But don’t take the over the counter or any commercial weight loss pills please. Not only does it not work, it will also be very harmful to your child. | https://medium.com/@rickydoglover/best-weight-loss-supplement-for-breastfeeding-mothers-4757badc543c | [] | 2020-09-02 06:27:16.934000+00:00 | ['Weight Loss', 'Breastfeeding', 'Supplements'] |
She follows the lights down the once dark alley — the same one that seemed impossible all these years. But now, the path is clear and beckons her — promises her — that this time it will be different… | Photo by Vanessa K. Eccles
She follows the lights
down the once dark alley —
the same one that seemed
impossible all these years.
But now, the path is clear
and beckons her — promises her —
that this time it will be different.
The door has finally opened.
The journey will still be steep.
Uneven steps may cause her to falter,
but narrow is the way to the top.
Few are those who make it.
Yet, tonight the stars
have sprinkled their dust,
and she will follow the lights
and lean into the magic of her dreams. | https://medium.com/@vanessakeccles/dreaming-lights-bb1127b684 | ['Vanessa K. Eccles'] | 2020-12-27 06:14:47.001000+00:00 | ['Poetry', 'Poetry Sunday', 'Poem', 'Poems And Stories', 'Poetry On Medium'] |
Would we find triumph in the skies? | We were so dead set in our focus on Casa Clementi that when it did not work out, we were left without a plan. Then again, if we were to really spend close to S$1 million, we could probably buy a resale HDB flat almost anywhere we wanted, in a location much more convenient than Clementi.
What I realised at that point was that money is king and there is no such thing as a must-buy unit. If we missed or forwent the opportunity to buy one, we could simply find another unit elsewhere eventually. It would not be the same or might not even be something similar but different apartments have different mix of attributes and they cannot be compared directly.
In recalibrating our direction, I decided to relook at SkyVille @ Dawson and SkyTerrace @ Dawson, which, like The Pinnacle@Duxton, are iconic HDB developments designed by renowned architectural firms. This meant that there is an unexplainable aura over them and that alone justifies the price premium. Or not.
The flats in these two developments completed their Minimum Occupation Period (MOP) only around mid-2020 and there was no past transaction data at that point of time when we were considering them. The transacted prices since then have been alarmingly high. | https://medium.com/@themoneypit/would-we-find-triumph-in-the-skies-94d1c24eed8a | ['Money Pit Digger'] | 2020-12-16 07:05:04.038000+00:00 | ['House Hunting', 'Property Search', 'Singapore'] |
Happy New Year Jokes 2020 — HNY 2020 Jokes | The moments of happiness aren’t spent well when there are no New Year Jokes, and Memes happening and shared on these events. A good sense of humour is one of the most significant plus points about your personality, and you should be well prepared with New Year Jokes and Riddles to make these times memorable. If you haven’t been good in your life with such stuff, we shall help you today.
In this article, you are going to get some good ideas about how to crack some good New Year Jokes one-liner which will make people rolling on the floor. So without any further delay, let us move ahead to bring you those great New Year Memes and Jokes.
New Year Jokes in English
The New Year jokes we are going to share with you are also good New Year jokes for seniors. When you need to give someone ideas about funny New Year Resolutions and New Year Wishes, you are going to need these.
What do you tell someone you didn’t see at New Year’s Eve? I haven’t seen you for a year! My New Year’s resolution is to help all my friends gain ten pounds, so I look skinnier. To kick start my New Year: I took an IQ test, and the results were negative. I resolved to read more so I put the subtitles on my TV. It’s officially New Year’s Eve, and you only have a couple of hours to do all the things you will resolve not to do in the New Year. I was going to quit all my bad habits for the New Year, but then I remembered that nobody likes a quitter. My wife still hasn’t told me what my New Year’s resolutions are. I love when they drop the ball in Times Square. It’s a gentle reminder of what I did all year. What happened to the man who shoplifted a calendar on New Year’s Eve? He got 12 months! A New Year’s resolution is something that goes in one year and out the other.
So what could be the best New Year Gift than making people laugh at such a momentous occasion?
New Year Jokes and One-Liners
Some people win everything in an instant just because of their classic one-liners. If you want to become good at it as well, here are some fresh and hilarious New Year one-liners for you: | https://medium.com/@quotespassion77/happy-new-year-jokes-2020-hny-2020-jokes-7128406ba2d6 | [] | 2019-11-15 19:24:51.916000+00:00 | ['New Year', 'Happy', 'New Years Resolutions'] |
How to Spot and Avoid Death | Home to some of the best stories on medium. Look around, relax and enjoy one with a sip of coffee.
Follow | https://medium.com/the-coffeelicious/how-to-spot-and-avoid-death-570c4487b84 | ['Awful Pictures'] | 2017-08-31 13:26:41.314000+00:00 | ['Gardening', 'Science', 'Cartoon', 'Death', 'Interior Design'] |
Managing Pandemic Loneliness | Thriving during uncertain times
Photo by Vlada Karpovich from Pexels
I went for a walk earlier today and have been wondering how much longer it will be possible to do so. The winter cold will arrive soon, making it necessary to remain indoors.
I stayed in Arizona during the summer, where temperatures reached 110 degrees and more during the day. There was no walking outside. I had the air conditioner blasting for hours indoors, whether working or sleeping.
Every person is different; every situation is different. I will share with you a few ways I am getting through the isolation and loneliness of coping with Covid-19. I expect to do so again during freezing temperatures — yet feel optimistic about the ability to do so.
Maintain a Normal Schedule
It’s easy to fall into a routine of sleeping late and going to sleep later, if work hours and routines are flexible.
Waking up early promotes the flow and rhythm of the day. If you’re awake and busy during the times when you used to commute to the office, it’s easier to fall asleep at a time when you’ll be able to enjoy eight hours of sleep a night.
It’s also important to get up, take a shower, and get dressed. I’ll admit, working from home affords the possibility of staying in pajamas all day. Taking care of personal hygiene and grooming maintains a sense of normalcy. It provides the potential of heading somewhere, even if that means heading into the next room to begin working on your laptop.
Start a Writing Project
During the beginning of the pandemic, I stayed at a hotel for two weeks. One thing that helped at the time was watching videocasts hosted by a writer who invited his audience to listen to a reading. The writer permitted viewers to comment and to share comments with each other.
Watching the videocasts during the grim time kept my spirits up and gave me something to look forward to.
A few months later, at one of my lowest points, I decided it was time to begin writing.
I signed up for Wordpress.com and began to design a website to launch a blog. Designing the site took a few weekends of experimentation and prevented me from feeling sad about not being able to go outside for long walks.
Cook Healthy Food
My favorite times are the early part of the day, when it’s possible to shop while the store is empty.
I look up a few recipes that contain healthy foods, and head out to shop with a list of ingredients. Since many recipes are created with four people in mind, I cook the recipes as written, saving the rest to eat during the week, or sharing some by delivery to a neighbor.
Watch Some Happiness
I don’t advise spending hours in front of the television, but there are moments when distraction from the cable news cycle is helpful.
The holidays are arriving soon, and I like to watch Christmas movies on the Hallmark channel. Gents will prefer watching their shows, too, such as the car show “Top Gear.”
For either audience, any program that is a pleasant and enjoyable distraction during a tough moment is worth a few minutes.
When I was working at the office, my co-workers and I poked fun at the romantic formula applied to the scripts of Hallmark movies, although we loved them. There is always a clueless boyfriend or fiancé, the hero who clashes with the heroine, and a misunderstanding leading to the happily-ever-after conclusion.
Even if the movies remain predictable, there is comfort in watching normal and hopeful moments.
Focus on Home Improvement
There is always something to be cleaned, maintained and repaired. Laundry and dishes need to be done, and there are other items to be considered.
Now is the perfect time to check on emergency items and supplies.
I’ve been checking on my stock of extra batteries, candles and matches. I’ve also checked on health supplies, purchasing a first aid kit and enough aspirin and allergy medicine, so I won’t need to shop for those items over the next few months. I don’t believe in unnecessary purchases of home goods, but thinking 10 to 12 weeks ahead is reasonable now that we’re heading into the winter season.
Remain Connected Through Zoom
I’ve stayed in contact and caught up with friends through weekly Zoom calls, and three of us formed a workout group to exercise together on Saturday mornings. Even if we haven’t been able to get to the gym, we’re able to get moving and to talk together when the workout is finished. Sometimes we’ve carried our laptops around our homes, to show each other what we’re doing and what we’re working on. It’s a welcome time of laughter.
Final Thoughts
I’ve shared a few ways to manage loneliness during the pandemic, which may be turned into moments to use the time wisely and well. One bonus is extra time to spend on hobbies and home improvement.
Being indoors is an opportunity for self-improvement. | https://medium.com/illumination-curated/managing-pandemic-loneliness-5700e9e3fd3d | ['Yve Laran'] | 2020-11-11 04:29:46.840000+00:00 | ['Self Improvement', 'Self Love', 'Wellbeing', 'Wellness', 'Writing'] |
Social Media | Social Media
Charli D’Amelio,Addison Rae,Dixie D’Amelio,Chase Hudson and more.
I am sure you knew most of the people on tiktok.The names on the top are popular tiktoker, but there are few facts that you should know before having social media.
1.On tiktok anyone can see your location.(Not anyone well maybe a few people can see your location which is pretty creepy )
2.There was a time where there wasn’t a really appropriate thing on tiktok.(The issue is not appropriate to talk about)
3.Tiktok is a very toxic app.
4.People have suicided because of tiktok
5.Tiktok can hear everything you say even if your not on the app or even if your phone is closed
6.The app is 13+ .(Pls let your parents know when your downloading the app and parents please check your kids account often anything can happen)
7.Everyone knows Charli D’Amelio, on Twitter someone photoshopped a picture of her in Avery non inappropriate way and it was fake they just edited
9.All social media apps can mislead you.
9.Please know what you post.
This isn’t just tiktok it’s all the social media.So please be aware of every single thing you do. | https://medium.com/@athikanarulshanhar/social-media-fd8e0224d927 | ['Athikan Arulshanhar'] | 2021-02-24 20:05:35.160000+00:00 | ['Help', 'Danger', 'Safety', 'Safe', 'Careful'] |
Huawei Finishes Construction of its First Chipset Factory | Huawei | Huawei Finishes Construction of its First Chipset Factory | Huawei Waseemakhtarwattoo ·Dec 15, 2020
After the US government-imposed sanctions caused a rift in Huawei’s operations and prevented most companies worldwide from conducting business with the Chinese OEM, the company decided to become self-reliant, especially when it comes to chipset manufacturing.
Taking the first step in the direction, Huawei has reportedly reached its first milestone by completing the construction of its first domestic chip manufacturing factory, called the Wuhan Huawei Optical Factory Project (Phase II). The project is spread across 208,900 sq. mt. and is located in Wuhan Optics Valley Center. read more… | https://medium.com/@waseemakhtarwattoo/huawei-finishes-construction-of-its-first-chipset-factory-huawei-68066779a64c | [] | 2020-12-15 11:50:50.257000+00:00 | ['First', 'Chipset', 'Huawei', 'Huawei Factory', 'Construction'] |
A era dos mendigos virtuais | 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/umsinaldoespaco/a-era-dos-mendigos-virtuais-e2efc6fdf362 | ['Blog Do Micronauta'] | 2020-12-24 13:01:49.383000+00:00 | ['Mendigos', 'Caixinha', 'Artigo', 'Influencers', 'Natal'] |
How to Build habits (The Right Way) | “Successful people are simply those with successful habits.” — Brian Tracy
Photo by Prophsee Journals on Unsplash
The secret to having a great life is in your habits
As James clear mentions in his book Atomic habits, you can build good habits by following the habit Model which is a cue (an external or an internal trigger to any action with the potential for reward) leading to the craving (the feeling that motivates you to take action)then the response (which is the action you are supposed to take), and finally the reward( which actually satisfies the craving).
Let's say that you want to start drinking more water so you heard that putting it somewhere near you will help. now let's apply James clear habit model, so let's assume you put a jar of water near your bed, while going to bed you see it, it triggers your brain to drink the water so you crave it and then you take the action of getting up and drinking it and finally the reward which is all the good nitty stuff you get from drinking more water,
So by following this model you can build a habit as mentioned in atomic habits by:
Making the cue obvious: To start the behavior you want, look for external stimuli you can maximize (even for a while) to triggering a specific habit, and likewise if you want to get rid of a habit remove or minimize that external trigger.
Making the craving attractive: A great way to develop good habits is not to think about what you’re giving up for it, but rather focus on what you get to enjoy.
Making the response easier: to make sure that the action that you’re trying to turn into a habit is actually something that you can do on a regular basis. and remember the easier the response the easier it will become for you to repeat it,
and the reward satisfying: give your self a reward once that action is done even a bar of chocolate will make a difference as Charles Duhigg mentions in his book The Power of Habit this reinforces the habit loop and your brain will see it as something enjoyable rather than seeing it as a daunting thing,
Habits shape behaviors, behaviors shape life outcomes. The first step to success is having the right habits.
Photo by Prophsee Journals on Unsplash
and the final way of building a good habit is by tying it to our identity, it is one thing to say I want something and it is a whole new level to say I am this, Who we are drives everything we do. so if you want to make a lasting change you need to ask yourself who you want to be.
Few things to remember is that to make these habits stick :
Don’t focus too much on the end goal: don't look for a quick route to get where you want to be but start small and keep building it up.
Do a monthly/weekly review: this will keep you accountable and at the same time help you see where you are at with your goals.
P.s if this article made you think differently give it a clap and if you want to see more check out my blog. | https://medium.com/@nimi3/how-to-build-habits-the-right-way-c8b093f10808 | [] | 2021-01-22 18:10:28.756000+00:00 | ['Howto', 'Habit Building', 'Habits For Success', 'Habits'] |
Friday Dan Barretts (part one) | Dan Barrett #1 makes his own paint. He’s active on Twitter still, though he didn’t respond at the time. Maybe next time. I hadn’t come up with the hashtag #FridayDanBarretts yet.
Dan Barrett #2 has his own Wikipedia page. That’s a sign of a top drawer Dan Barrett. This Dan Barrett worked on the recent Planet of the Apes movies and missed out on an Oscar three times. Looking at his IMDB page he’s got some *big* movies coming up. Fingers crossed brother!
Long before I started shouting out to Dan Barretts on the internet I knew that American jazz trombonist and Dan Barrett #3 was a big deal.
Dan Barrett #4 is a great guy. We follow each other on Twitter. This was the first Dan Barrett to respond. A significant milestone.
Dan Barrett #5 didn’t respond, but his football team liked the tweet at least.
This lad, Dan Barrett #6, did respond. Look at my emoji game in that tweet too. Not bad.
Dan Barrett #7 offered me a starter pack of Magic the Gathering cards and I realise I never took him up on it. I am such a mug.
Dan Barrett #8 responded too, wishing me safe travels back. Lovely. Also I learned how to use bear spray, which is a bonus.
I knew about Dan Barrett #9 before I started this important project because yes sometimes I google myself. I pointed out a typo on Dan’s CV one time and he corrected it but didn’t say thank you. In another world I’d start internet beef with this guy but thankfully I am all about love.
This lad Dan Barrett #10 is a brilliant young activist. He responded once or twice too.
There’s a fair bit of football⁴ in Friday Dan Barretts. Dan Barrett #11 is another football manager and I got a response from him.
Dan Barrett #12 sounds cool. Anybody from New York seems cool to me to be fair.
Dan Barrett #13 is another musician. That’s 4 musician Dan Barretts so far.
Dan Barrett #14 doesn’t have a Twitter account anymore. He responded at the time though. Subsequently I discovered that he’s an artist as well. Maybe I’ll buy a print of his. That would be meta, right?
Dan Barrett #15 responded. Also people recommended that I visit Chicago.
My friend Dom⁵ found Dan Barrett #16 and told me about him, and this Dan responded. Dom’s been a big supporter of Friday Dan Barretts. Also note how I misspelled the hashtag on this tweet, that only happened once.
Dan Barrett #17 is the first female Dan Barrett on the list. Looks like it was International Women’s Day. That’s pretty clever for me. There are so many unexpected layers to this project eh?
Dan Barrett #18 has done some modelling if I remember correctly. Handsome chap.
Dan Barrett #19 is an absolute legend in my view. Later on in the project where I would trawl hundreds of LinkedIn entries searching for a decent Dan Barrett I noticed that he’s currently working at Google.
This tweet about Dan Barrett #20 was liked by him AND Dan Barrett #18 which is like some kind of Dan Barrett trick shot. So satisfying.
More football from Dan Barrett #21. He responded. Not the only Spurs fan Dan Barrett as I recall.
I still don’t understand Dan Barrett #22’s bio. He responded. Also note that I forgot the hashtag. That only happened twice.
Had a lovely response from Dan Barrett #23 who said it was kind. That’s what I was aiming for.
Dan Barrett #24 is the subject of a tweet with a great deal going on in it. I shout out the west of England, make a Liverpool FC reference, get my football facts wrong in a second football pun (it was 29 years), AND I forget the hashtag. It’s like watching somebody try an ambitious gymnastics move and at the last minute instead of landing it they end up falling on their face and breaking their arm.
Dan Barrett #25 is an actual sporting legend. Not the last one on the list either. And he responded.
Dan Barrett #26 is another Spurs fan. From the limited information available here you can tell that I was starting to run out of Dan Barretts on Twitter.
You won’t *believe* what I did next though… | https://medium.com/@dasbarrett/friday-dan-barretts-part-one-ab5e40ad1239 | ['Dan Barrett'] | 2020-12-04 18:02:45.698000+00:00 | ['Adventure', 'Growth', 'Journey', 'Storytelling', 'Magic'] |
April Training Suspended, Course Providers Still Conducting Online Courses | Important Notice from TNRIS Training
All TNRIS Training courses in the month of April have been suspended until further notice resulting from preventative measures guidance from the Centers for Disease Control, the World Health Organization, and the U.S. State Department about social distancing.
In place of an in-person course, consider taking advantage of other training options available from our talented and creative instructors for you to take from your home or remote office!
GeoSpatial Training Services is continuing to offer courses by their talented and experienced instructors. Register by clicking on the provided links below.
Exploring and Visualizing Census Data with R
Price: $219 for the class and optional instructor support is $100
Registration link: http://geospatialtraining.com/exploring-and-visualizing-census-data-with-r/
Telling Your Story with Story Maps
Price: $129 for the class and optional instructor support is $100
Registration link: http://geospatialtraining.com/tell-your-story-with-storymaps/
LIVE-ONLINE COURSES
New classes for April and May delivered live-online:
Registration link: http://geospatialtraining.com/live-class-schedule/
TeachMeGIS has announced that any of their in-person classes can be taken by logging in to the class virtually. Remote students will be able to fully participate in the class, ask questions and contribute to discussions.
Inform TeachMeGIS at least one week in advance that you will register to participate remotely, and they will ship the book to you.
Contact TeachMeGIS to let them know you’re interested in taking a class virtually.
Email TeachMeGIS
GISP Exam Preparation Course
Date: April 23–25
Price: $400
Fundamentals of ArcGIS (ArcMap)
Date: May 4–5
Price: $960
Python for Pro — Writing Scripts to Manipulate GIS Data
Date: May 11–13
Price: $1440
Contact us about our Education & Training Program. | https://medium.com/@tnris/april-training-suspended-course-providers-still-conducting-online-courses-b92e9f201954 | [] | 2020-06-17 21:03:20.269000+00:00 | ['Texas', 'Tnris', 'GIS', 'Twdb', 'Training'] |
Where does N.J’s. main 2-sport select remain with his out-of-state finalists? | Bergen Catholic (Oradell, N.J.) four-star cautious tackle Tywone Malone is New Jersey’s top uncertain enlist and he’s down to six schools. We analyzed his relationship with Greg Schiano and Rutgers on Friday, which is found only a little ways from his home. Be that as it may, where does the 6–4, 305-hammer senior remain with his five out-of-state finalists? We found somebody acquainted with the subtleties of his enrollment a week ago. In this way, we should separate it.
Tennessee: Previous Bergen Catholic colleague and current UT quarterback Jarrett Guarantano, who is now and again insulted by Vols mentors and fans, has been the Vol’s best enlisting resource. He commends UT and educates Malone about the program and culture of Knoxville. Be that as it may, this could come down to whether the off-the-field openings and life after football line up with what he’s searching for.
Ole Miss: The Agitators have come next nearest to Rutgers in giving a real arrangement to Malone and ex-Rutgers graduate right hand Marquise Watson, presently a protective line GA at Ole Miss, keeps in contact consistently.
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Ex-Paramus (N.J.) Catholic mentor Chris Partridge, who trained Watson in secondary school, is co-guarded facilitator and mentors securities for the Radicals, as well. Like the Vols, the Agitators must demonstrate the off-the-field openings in Mississippi are as bountiful as they are in New York, Texas and Los Angeles.
Texas A&M: Camden local and A&M cautious line mentor Elijah Robinson is selecting Malone, flanked by South Jersey class of 2020 d-line endorsers Fadil Diggs and Isaiah Raikes, who’ve additionally assumed parts by connecting. They are attempting to interest Malone about creation A&M’s d-line “a Jersey thing.”
Malone has visited A&M and realizes exactly how great it is, and his choice is his own. In any case, having players from N.J. has given him knowledge he wouldn’t in any case get about the school. Likewise, Jimbo Fisher instructed football players who additionally played baseball while at Florida State, so he has involvement in how to oversee it.
Florida Express: The Seminoles’ solid custom of permitting players to play football and baseball. What’s more, way the staff has indicated Malone real interest for baseball while playing in a solid baseball meeting gives the Seminoles a possibility.
USC: It’s extreme for an east coast child to understand what they like most about USC without having visited there. Which is the reason it’s foremost to Malone and his family that they do as such. L.A. has a method of enlisting for itself and the school’s custom additionally poses a potential threat. However, one must jump nearby to get it.
Because of the Coronavirus pandemic and NCAA enrolling dead period, the visit must be informal, and initiates can’t be facilitated by or have face to face contact with staffs. That goes for any school until at any rate April 15, 2021. It’s hazy where Malone remains with the school’s baseball program, however the Pac-12 is viewed as a solid baseball meeting. | https://medium.com/@msba111/where-does-n-js-main-2-sport-select-remain-with-his-out-of-state-finalists-5140caa53d96 | ['Ms Badhon'] | 2020-11-23 00:28:15.282000+00:00 | ['Sports', 'News', 'Baseball'] |
Overcome Obstacles to Grow Your Career | “What’s the secret?” “How did you do it?” “Very cool, okay but like how did you really do it? Did you take something?” “Where do I buy whatever course you took to become as good as you are now?” “Thank you so much for doing this, I appreciate you for taking the time to tell me your background and sharing all of those setbacks you had and the advice on how you overcame it all… so what’s the secret though?”
That used to be me — as well as a lot of you when you’re trying to grow your career.
Every person you look up to — is a magical unicorn in your eyes; you just can’t fathom how they got to where they’re at. They must have done something to get there — it can’t be merely hard work and perseverance because that’s what you’ve been doing for the last two months straight.
No, absolutely not. They must be part of an elite group — or better yet, they’re all just naturally born with a scarlet letter. S for Successful.
When you see people doing what you want to do, and they’re doing it well, something shifts inside you, resulting in you doing 1 of 2 things.
a.) You’re inspired — you’re amped up and ready to get to work
b.) You think, “They just got lucky, I could never reach that level of success, it’s too hard.” And you don’t even bother trying.
Jim Rohn once said,
“Successful people do what unsuccessful people are not willing to do. Don’t wish it were easier; wish you were better.”
As you’re navigating through your career — the first few months, and even years — will be rough. You’re going to come face-to-face with obstacles that can either break you — or be the next step into your career blooming.
Here are a few essentials that will help you overcome those obstacles seamlessly. | https://medium.com/publishous/overcome-obstacles-to-grow-grow-your-career-1d66d7ed3a53 | ['Dayana Sabatin'] | 2020-10-09 16:37:55.349000+00:00 | ['Self Improvement', 'Success', 'Self', 'Lifestyle', 'Entrepreneurship'] |
Belajar Design Pattern Part 1 — Builder | Which is more difficult, coding or counting? Not both of them, the difficult one is sharing your knowledge to people without asking the payment. | https://medium.com/@kiddyxyz/belajar-design-pattern-part-1-builder-5a187520251d | [] | 2020-12-14 16:07:45.393000+00:00 | ['Design Patterns', 'Builder Pattern', 'Python'] |
Fear | Fear
A Basic Instinct
Photo by Stefano Pollio on Unsplash
I can recall when we were afraid of monsters,
hiding under our beds;
gathering our body___ in the shape of a ball;
fearing that if a leg got astray,
and hung across the edge of the bed;
the monster might have a nibble and then
we are done for____
but there has to be a point, that we cannot recall;
where we stuck out unwillingly, or forgetfully,
and the moment those feet landed;
nothing happened except the thump of our impact.
There must be a point when we decided to lean enough,
to have a peek down,
staring into the abyss____ that gathered itself in a small corner,
like a small family of four;
the truth is; we never deliberately tried to outgrow those fears,
we never wanted to rise above them_____to confront the absurdity,
that blanketed our fears;
or to burden our feeble souls with the austerity of freedom;
it just happened when we got tired,
or when we had more things to worry about
or more fears to harbor | https://medium.com/illumination/fear-b12938af806b | ['Awab Hussain'] | 2020-12-21 04:38:28.198000+00:00 | ['Poem', 'Fear', 'Literature', 'Writing'] |
Steady with the Kindle | Photo by Nemichandra Hombannavar on Unsplash
If you were a device and you could be a Kindle or an iPhone, which one would you be? The Kindle and the iPhone are contemporaries in many ways, both coming into being after pithy instructions from the top boss to the respective design teams — one to build the world’s best e-reader and the other to build the world’s best designed touchscreen mobile phone. Both came alive in 2007–2008. Both took some essential offline functionality and hooked it to the internet with pocket interfaces you can use anytime, anywhere. I got my first Kindle in late 2010, my first iPhone in the summer of 2012, shortly after they became available in India.
My relationship with my iPhone is one of a lifetime sentence. I cannot imagine my life without it, it runs more than half of it anyway and apparently knows things about me that I myself don’t. I spend 3–4 hours on it every day. I would rather text than call and in many cases even meet (this allows me to maintain several social, low involvement relationships even as it is becoming increasingly harder to have few, high involvement ones). It saves me many hours of tedious chores, also relieves me in many hours of tedious boredom. It has made simultaneous the switch between leisure and work — just look at any office meeting with more than 10 people in the room and you will know what I mean. It allows me to lead so many lives all at once, wow right?
My Kindle though, is that quiet device that I hardly think of as a device. In 2011, the Kindle I had, worked on Whispernet. Whispernet meant I could use it without data connections which were poor at the time, and without wi-fi which wasn’t as ubiquitous. It seemed magical almost. Powerful in a quiet way. Books delivered floating through air right in my hands. Of course you maybe had to be a bit of a committed reader to fully appreciate it, but it had all my respect. 2019, not much has changed. I still marvel at my ability to carry 500 books with me in less than 500 gms of a matte finish device with no loss in readability. If I keep my downloaded library diverse, I could well be left on an island alone and not miss this world too much.
The iPhone has been prominently reviewed, written about, reviled, revered. There have been newer generations, and there have been concerted efforts to get you to upgrade to a new one. That gets business reporters in a tizzy. It riles environmentalists. Everyone talks about how addictive phones are and their impact on mental health. And well, smartphone sales (and stock) never dip. Competition is intense, market caps have billowed, the device’s novelty has worn off, replaced with a dependence we are unlikely to reverse any time soon. And not all bad. I am sure in the tip of scales, the good that has come from the profusion of smartphones, ripple effects on jobs, culture, economies — all must add up well for it to continue the stride it has. And to be clear, I am also not about to give up on it anytime soon. I can’t.
The Kindle meanwhile, has seen little to no change in terms of form factor, sure the display is infinitely better, the keyboard is gone, storage more, the availability of titles more prolific than ever before. By way of functionality however, the Kindle is still the Kindle, e-reader for readers. Slowly but surely courting lovers, tipping them over a few at a time. Everyone who is using it, is using it voluntarily, with pleasure, and perhaps gratitude. I mean sure there is nostalgia for the smell of new books but when you feel like it, you still go buy one and feel all better. The Kindle hasn’t altered our reading habits significantly, if only refined them. We are not victims without agency. I could give up on my Kindle and go right back to books. I choose not to. It extends my habit, improves. There were no ambitious attempts by the Kindle to grow into this omnibeing that will solve world hunger. And there is something staid about that. I don’t resent it the way I resent the other devices in my life. It has one job, it does it well. I can’t think of how it could do it better except take it to many many more people.
Which may not happen. A recent feature I read spoke about how the virtuous signalling of reading as a pastime is coming to an end. People are getting access to information, faster and in more engaging ways through several other formats which are now cheaper, more readily available. Content is finding new warm bodies even as bookstores are shutting down. That by itself does not mean that people are reading less, just that all reading is now well competing with videos for instance as a source of knowledge, entertainment outside of curriculum and day jobs. A few decades hence, it is possible that Kindles may be unnecessary in a world inhabited by people who have grown up on a steady audio-visual diet.
In such a scenario, if you said you would want to be an iPhone, I am not surprised. For one you will be richer. And that does not seem to be going out of fashion. But a quiet, short life as a Kindle isn’t too bad either, is it? Imagine the memoir it would make. Millions of people read millions of books through me. These are the thoughts they most resonated with — all those anonymous highlights, can you imagine what that treasure trove has to say about our collective humanity? Surely it is worth as much if not more as the product I am most likely to buy based on my browsing history.
Here, this line tickles them all. Here but is where one shed a tear. No? | https://medium.com/december-of-one-nine/steady-with-the-kindle-d4816681cfdb | ['Ravneet Bawa'] | 2019-12-05 14:34:59.788000+00:00 | ['Reading', 'Kindle'] |
No Flash Photography! | When he decided to flout the rules on his first Safari, Jonah got a real close up
Photo by Hu Chen on Unsplash
Pop! The camera’s flashbulb startled everyone.
“Put it away,” said the ranger, “the lions don’t like it.” There’s always the one who flouts the rules, he thought.
Pop, another flash, but from outside the vehicle, quite muffled, followed by a satisfied “Roar.”
“I told him the lions don’t like it.” | https://medium.com/@anthonyhalliwell/no-flash-photography-7d9d9757b570 | ['Anthony Halliwell'] | 2020-12-17 10:31:53.329000+00:00 | ['Short Story', 'Short Fiction', 'Flash Fiction', 'Short Read', 'Humour'] |
Bu Yılın Öncekilerden Farklı Olsun | 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/t%C3%BCrkiye/bu-yilin-oncekilerden-farkli-olsun-fd1b1b454fe7 | ['Çikolatalı Helva'] | 2020-12-27 08:31:18.735000+00:00 | ['Yılbaşı', 'Türkçe', '2021', 'Kişisel Gelişim', 'Yeni Yıl'] |
How to Rediscover Your Childlike Personality Type? — Nina Zapala | Fabian Centeno: Unspalsh
How to rediscover your childlike personality type is a new paradigm in personality typing. When our personality type is pure and childlike, it naturally takes inspired actions led by Divine Intelligence. A childlike persona is the way of the “soul’s role” in personality typing.
I also have a video prompt for the blog. You can check out my 8-minute video on Youtube. Are you eager to understand your childlike personality type? Book a session; click here.
Your childlike personality type, Is open-minded, and innocent, Knows the heart is where truth lies, Is joyful, Connects to eternal unlimited, potential, Is pure in thought, Instinctual in nature, Sees the world anew, daily, Fearless, and pure Egoless, Knows beauty is love expressed, A childlike persona is rooted in Divine Intelligence. Nina Zapala, book excerpt, the Soul’s Role in Personality Typing©️
What is a Childlike Personality Type?
Please understand this definition is mine and mine alone. Take what resonates and leave the rest.
Nina’s Definition: a Divinely inspired, pure personality; is childlike in nature, chosen to help us through trials, tribulations, and triumphs we encounter in life. Realize this persona is the perfect fit to support your life’s purpose. In fact, your personality type clearly reveals your life purpose; when it’s in a pure, childlike state.
Let me be clear; I’m. not speaking of a “childish” persona; I speak of a childlike personality type.
One More Thing
Your childlike personality is the “doorway” connecting you to a spark of Divine Intelligence; found in the center of your heart. Meaning when your personality type becomes fearless, open, and clear, it receives Divinely inspired directions and actions always with your higher self in mind.
Will you trust and listen to your higher self? Or will you continue to trust and listen to the external voices of the world?
Ponder this question as you make choices in life!
Where Did Your Childlike Personality Go?
Most of us don’t remember our early days when we would cry, smile, and poop, and everyone was like, oh, what a cute baby. Nobody scolded us, made fun of us, or judged us for doing what comes naturally to us. Ahh, the good old days.
Piaget’s theory of cognitive development, “a child around age two until approximately age seven is in the ego stage of development. This means the child cannot use logic or transform, combine or separate ideas (Piaget, 1951, 1952).” Simply Pshycology.com
I know I did, and mothers everywhere will probably agree with this assessment, but in simpler terms, it’s known as the “terrible twos.”
The terrible twos, for many children, are a time of rebellion against what is being forced upon them, my belief. Again, I also believe children are very in tune with their higher self, which is actually your eternal being rebelling!
For most of us, the rebellion is subdued, which begins the distortion of the pure, childlike persona. We as children learn guilt for not doing what we are told. Shame for being something other than our parents expect us to be and fear losing love, security, and acceptance unless we contort ourselves to be someone else.
Guilt and shame conditioning continue until we recognize it as an adult and either remain unconscious or consciously stop the cycle.
It’s a long journey, so if you are not there, please don’t judge yourself. Celebrate yourself that you’ve begun thinking of removing negative beliefs. This is a big step, an awakening to your truths.
The child’s unknowing is also fertile… we have to find ways to unlearn those things that screen us from the perception of profound truth. We have to achieve the child’s unknowing because we have been made so smart. Zen also recommends not losing the “beginner's mind,” so important for immediacy in experience. Thomas Moore, Care of the Soul, pp51–52
How to Uncover Fears In Your Personality Type
Based on liberating lessons and teachings, the best way to stop unhealthy fears of guilt, shame, and unworthiness… is to explore your personality type, especially the primary trait, aka the Essential Self.
Remember, typing predisposes each persona to certain behaviors, both good and bad. If you look into the weakness of a trait, you will find accompanying fears.
Myself as an Example
My dominant trait, extroverted intuition, sees new ideas, possibilities, opportunities, innovation, creativity…
Want to find your fears? Look no further because unhealthy traits have what you’re looking for, especially your Essential Self, the primary trait. Because when it’s unhealthy, all the traits become unhealthy. It’s a dominion effect.
When my dominant trait is unhealthy, I’m busy and never stop-a a crazy woman on a quest for new possibilities. I don’t take time to analyze, slow down and think or listen to someone else’s idea because I’ve become a know-it-all, ignorant, arrogant and compulsive. I’ve stopped listening to what my trait is trying to tell me. Eww!
When we are willing to listen to what fear is trying to teach us, we gain a deeper understanding of our childlike personality type, which opens the doorway to our heart center, the Divine spark within. This is the path to our true SELF. When my Essential Self is healthy, I can recreate the ordinary into something extraordinary.
See the difference. It’s HUGE!
How much fresher milk and sky and laughter will taste once we are returned to the feel of being new Mark Nepo, author Book of Awakening
Rediscovering Your Childlike Personality
The quote from Mark Nepo above shows the first steps in rediscovering your childlike personality. It often stems from feeling into situations, which is an endless task of discovering and rediscovering what our feelings tell us. What’s paradoxical here is you must go to the soul self, aka heart-mind, to feel what’s right for you.
Simply put, triggers alerts us to untruths, aka false beliefs. They are gentle messages from the soul, letting you know it’s time to awaken from the trauma, pain, struggle… which recreates itself anew every day if you don’t let go. Pay really close attention to triggers. They are key to rediscovering your childlike personality.
Also, know you can’t begin the process with a logical mind. It’s muddied by years of being feed sticky, negative programs; confusion, guilt, shame…
The progress begins when the heart becomes clear versus staying in confusion.
The heart can communicate with the mind, encouraging new beginnings. It ushers in fresh thoughts and beliefs that are pure, fearless, and unencumbered. Negative feelings drop away, and triggers lessen.
You’ve grasped the importance of listening to your heart. Your childlike persona is now in fellowship with your logical mind. Ahh, the true SELF readies itself to bloom!
Ask yourself, do you want to be lead by your own Divine Intelligence, or do you want to be lead by external forces? Nina Zapala, founder, the Soul’s Role in Personality Typing©️
#Journal Prompt and Meditation
What’s triggering your fears? Name them.
#Meditation
Ask: How are you blocking the “feelings” that are locked in your heart? Now close your eyes, be still, feel and breathe into the feeling, and breathe out the feeling. Try to stay in this meditation until a feeling arises.
#Journal Prompt
What’s been triggering your fears over the years? Name them all.
#Meditation: Ask, How are you blocking the “feelings” that are locked in your heart? Now close your eyes, be still, feel and breathe in the feeling, and then breathe it out. Try to stay in the meditation until a feeling arises.
Answers come from the heart, where the spark of Divine Intelligence lives. This Divine spark lights the path of the true SELF. If you want to know your truth, you must embrace a childlike persona, the gateway to Divine Intelligence.
#Journal Prompt: Writing about your feelings, who, what, when, where, and why? How are these feelings negatively affecting you today?
Realize these feelings are not YOU. You are a human being here on earth to co-create with love, aka Divine Intelligence. The feeling was genuine at the time but is no longer relevant in the here and now.
More About the Soul’s Role in Personality Typing
I hope you found How to Rediscover Your Childlike Personality Type eye-opening. I’m passionate and intentional about introducing the idea of personality tying with a spiritual understanding to you awaken to your true SELF.
The career personality typing model of the 1950s is fine. Yet, as we awaken to our spiritual needs, we must use the gifts of a childlike personality type to support our spiritual selves.
When our childlike persona and spiritual selves are in a union, we express soul intentions, taking Divinely inspired action in all we do. Ahh, the true SELF in action; it’s with you always exuding joy, passion, and purpose.
You Are Not Alone in Life’s Transitions
Are you wondering, “Who Am I?” “How did I get here?” “Why Am I Here?” You are not alone in your quest for answers as 93%of people want to change something about themselves?
Why change what Divine Intelligence created you to be? The Soul’s Role in Personality Typing©️ answers life’s most challenging questions while also illuminating the gifts you are here to share with the world.
I say Don’t Change Yourself. Find Your True SELF.
In times of confusion and chaos are when critical decision-making skills are needed the most. The choices you make today can alter the course of your life.
A question: Do you want to make choices inspired by your Divinely Inspired true SELF? Or will you continue to rely on the external world, an external “hero” to help you sail through life?
I’m sharing the liberating lessons and soul wisdom I gained going through my transitional 7-year life tsunami to guide you through yours. The time is now. It’s never too late to begin again!
Are you going through a life transition? Becoming a parent, empty nester, going through a divorce, or major career change? A deep working knowledge of your spiritual personality will give you the clarity, confidence, and courage to guide you into your next life chapter. - Nina Zapala, founder: The Soul’s Role in Personality Typing©️
Join The Movement
Are you ready to find yourself? If so, I’d love to see you on YouTube, Pinterest, LinkedIn, or Instagram. But, of course, the best way to feel part of this community is by subscribing to my email list.
It’s Time to Discover; The Soul’s Role in Personality Typing ©️ — Nina Zapala, a Curious Type, ENTP.
Note: I’m a certified Myers-Briggs® instructor with an intuitive side and ready to introduce you to a new paradigm in personality typing supported by a spiritual understanding. | https://medium.com/@ninazapala/how-to-rediscover-your-childlike-personality-type-nina-zapala-f880a6eddf27 | ['Nina Zapala'] | 2021-08-29 15:30:19.598000+00:00 | ['Personality Types', 'Spirituality', 'Personality', 'Personal Development', 'Personal Growth'] |
LA shuts restaurants as virus surges, but Europe eases lockdowns | A restaurant dining ban in Los Angeles was due to come into force Wednesday as officials warned Americans to stay home for the Thanksgiving holiday, while parts of Europe eyed looser lockdowns over the festive season.
The three-week order in America’s second-biggest city will begin as California faces record COVID-19 cases, and its health secretary urges people to avoid large family gatherings.
“It’s as important to say ‘no’ even when it comes to the closest people in our family,” Dr. Mark Ghaly said Tuesday, adding he had barred his own mother from his planned celebration.
The US government’s health protection agency has for the first time called on Americans not to travel for the annual holiday, which usually sees families get together over turkey, yams and cranberry sauce.
With the US confronted by soaring numbers of deaths and new cases, plans to deliver a vaccine to Americans are accelerating.
More than six million doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine will be available in the first week after it is cleared for emergency use — which is likely next month — and 40 million by the end of December, according to officials.
There were more than 86,000 coronavirus hospitalizations in the US on Tuesday, a record, as well as 167,000 new cases and more than 2,000 deaths.
As America grappled with its crisis, European nations were slowly relaxing measures ahead of their own Christmas holidays, as a second wave of infections slowed following weeks of lockdowns.
In a televised address late Tuesday, French President Emmanuel Macron announced shops could re-open on Saturday and nationwide stay-at-home orders would be lifted from December 15.
British authorities also announced restrictions on social mixing and travel would be eased across the UK over Christmas.
Mixed signals in Asia
Elsewhere in Europe, 16 German states agreed to slightly loosen limits on social contact over Christmas, according to a draft deal seen by AFP, even as cases near one million there.
State leaders agreed to cap gatherings to 10 people over the December 23 to January 1 holiday — double the limit for the rest of December.
In Australia, the country’s most populous state, New South Wales, eased social distancing measures and allowed companies to bring employees back to work, Premier Gladys Berejiklian announced Wednesday after three weeks without a locally transmitted COVID-19 case.
Singapore, which has one of the world’s lowest virus death rates, announced it had no live clusters of COVID-19 cases in the country — the first time since its outbreak began earlier this year, and two weeks without any local cases at all.
In positive news for China, it recorded only five new coronavirus cases on Tuesday, all of them imported, down from 22 the previous day, authorities said on Wednesday.
Those encouraging signs in Asia have been pegged by a recent spike of cases in parts of Japan, which has withdrawn the cities of Osaka and Sapporo from its ‘Go To Travel’ subsidy campaign after experts pointed to easing restrictions as contributing to the rise.
Additionally, Tokyo residents will be urged later Wednesday to avoid non-essential outings and businesses serving alcohol asked to shut early, local media said.
Tempered optimism
There are now several possible vaccines internationally that have undergone or are undergoing clinical trials, with candidates from Moderna, AstraZeneca/Oxford University and Pfizer-BioNTech leading the pack.
Britain, France, Austria and Spain have pledged to begin vaccinations in early 2021 at the latest.
Even once a vaccine becomes available, any return to normality for a global economy ravaged by the pandemic seems a long way off.
But optimism sparked by the vaccines has given a boost to virus-weary citizens across the globe in recent days, as well as pushing up stock markets.
Asian markets rallied Wednesday following a blockbuster performance on Wall Street as vaccine successes and easing US political uncertainty after Joe Biden’s presidential election win boosted investor confidence.
However, still-high death numbers and a pick-up in new cases in several Asian nations tempered the excitement.
More than 1.4 million people have died worldwide and the global caseload is edging towards 60 million, according to Johns Hopkins University. | https://medium.com/@yraalecxandrow/la-shuts-restaurants-as-virus-surges-but-europe-eases-lockdowns-f1acb026c12c | ['Юра Александров'] | 2020-11-25 10:18:37.162000+00:00 | ['Europe', 'Medicine', 'Virus', 'News'] |
What If Our Rituals Die? | Something else I’ve surely referred to on Medium blogs, late-night phone calls to friends, and in my old Intro to Graphic Novel freshman class, is Craig Thompson’s massive graphic memoir, Blankets. Especially the part toward the end when he says,
“We use ritual as a mnemonic device.”
Boy, do we.
I like to amaze my family by remembering key moments in life when they can’t.
“How do you do that?” they ask. “Well, I remember them according to Alabama’s football season that year.”
Weird, I know, but it’s true.
My older daughter insists on keeping our rituals alive, and she is bound and determined that we’re going to Bessemer every fall to visit friends, and to travel another 30 minutes to Tuscaloosa to take in an Alabama football game.
As of now, some great thinkers are exploring college football’s season beginning in the spring of 2021, instead of in a mere four months. It wouldn’t be traditional, but most of us addicts would take it in a heartbeat.
Now, I’m the sort of person who does not actively resist change, but I did get a new computer last week, and somewhere in all the password renaming, my wife — for the first time in our almost six-week lockdown — looked ready to kill me.
“I’m going outside to chop some things,” she reported, and I was mighty glad I was inside.
I don’t know why I get so anxious when my new computer is merely trying to save me grief and be my friend.
So imagine my spirit at the thought of giving up a trip this fall.
I don’t mean this to sound whiney, because I know my problems are so petty compared to the lives of countless numbers of people right now. Yet, my worries are my worries, my life my life, and my rituals my rituals. And I feel like I’m losing them.
Because time passes so impossibly. How do we process it?
Between the Alabama-LSU game of 2017 and the Alabama-Auburn game of 2018, my mother passed. Yes, there was an entire year within that frame, but when you see only yearly games, the ritual marker feels vague, lost, a faint reminder of something important, and sometimes I just don’t know what the important memory was, or is.
So often at the games — and because our seats are usually above nosebleed level —I’d look out at the western sky beyond Tuscaloosa, watching the brilliance of a sundown that simply defies expressing one, two, or even three colors. I’d feel happy to see it, to be there alongside my daughter and son-in-law, and another close friend. But then I’d think of my father, who started this ritual with me in 1965, and I ’d wonder at all the years and where they went.
Where he went.
So in 2017, after a night game, we returned to my mother’s house. She was already asleep, but the next morning, she was up before us, cooking link sausages, scrambled eggs, and warming hot cinnamon rolls in the oven.
And then a year later, her house was sold, and we stayed not in Bessemer, but with our friend in Crestline. The game was in the late afternoon, and I watched the sun go down in that second half when the score got out of hand. I looked to the west first, and then back to the northeast, where my mother’s house is. Was.
The house, of course, is there.
I felt more strongly then the ritual of loss.
Sometimes it feels like loss is so tangible I can touch it, be touched by it.
I want to keep these rituals alive, and my memory allows me to do so.
But like so many others, particularly those poor souls who have lost other poor souls and can’t have a ritual sense of closure right now, I’m afraid that keeping my rituals alive won’t be possible.
I know we’ll recover from this. I just don’t know how.
Knowing how to proceed in darkened days feels too oppressive and scary sometimes. It always does, which is why and when we turn to our rituals to get us through.
A sunset seen on high.
A barbecue plate.
A house on a street that you can no longer enter, but that you hope you can always pass by.
Remembering. | https://medium.com/weeds-wildflowers/what-if-our-rituals-die-724341575bf3 | ['Terry Barr'] | 2020-04-27 21:12:57.197000+00:00 | ['Football', 'Family', 'This Happened To Me', 'Ritual', 'Weeds And Wildflowers'] |
Fiji vs Wales Live FREE: How to watch Rugby World Cup 2019 on TV | Fiji vs Wales LIVE: How to watch Rugby World Cup on TV and live stream. Wale vs Fiji live streaming tv guide — Oita Stadium, Oita Prefecture. Fiji vs Wales: How The Two Rugby World Cup 2019 Match Up.
Wales vs Fiji
RWC 2019,Match 32
Wednesday, October 9, Local time kick off 18:45
Oita Stadium, Oita Prefecture
if you have been looking for the best way to Watch Rugby World Cup 2019 Live Stream online Free you have come to the right place. multiple options to watch RWC 2019 live streaming for you.Rugby fan you will want to follow all of the special events that are happening in the niche.The Rugby World Cup 2019 held in Japan from 20 September to 2 November.
Rugby World Cup 2019 Info
On 8th May 2009, South Africa, Italy and Japan have declared the potential contenders for hosting the 2019 Rugby World Cup. During the special meeting at Dublin in July 2009, Japan was announced as the official host of the upcoming tournament. The upcoming Rugby World Cup 2019 will start on 20th September 2019. The opening match of the Rugby World Cup will be hosted by Ajinomoto Stadium in Tokyo, The grand final of the ninth Rugby World Cup will be held at Nissan Stadium in Yokohama.
Rugby World Cup live streaming Official Channels 2019
The live streaming official channels for this year’s rugby world cup is not from the domestic provider. Instead, the host broadcaster of the tournament is an international provider namely International Games Broadcast Services — IGBS. Months ago, the officials announced the decision since they think it will be the best decision.
You may Access the Rugby World Cup 2019 live stream on the device of your own choice in many ways. In addition, you get a free option to allow streaming a few of the matches. However, if you have to stream each match associated with the tournament, you have to subscribe to either of the following services. The Rugby World Championship is a big associated with the entire rugby sport. Here, nationals across the world compete against one another to clinch the winning trophy. Now, you get almost every possible detail related to Rugby World Cup 2019. Hence, just use them and watch the Rugby World Cup 2019 from almost every place in the entire world. | https://medium.com/@skytvstream/fiji-vs-wales-live-free-how-to-watch-rugby-world-cup-2019-on-tv-28c9b78e495d | ['Free To Air'] | 2019-10-08 17:55:23.513000+00:00 | ['Wales', 'Rugby World Cup 2019', 'Live', 'Fiji', 'Rugby'] |
Coming Soon: “Sacred Cow” | Diana Rodgers’ Sacred Cow: The Nutritional, Environmental and Ethical Case for Better Meat comes to On Demand and DVD on Tuesday, 5 January 2021.
At our grocery stores and dinner tables, even the most thoughtful consumers are overwhelmed by the number of considerations to weigh when choosing what to eat — especially when it comes to meat. Guided by the noble principle of least harm, many responsible citizens resolve the ethical, environmental and nutritional conundrum by quitting meat entirely. But can a healthy, resilient and conscientious food system exist without animals?
Image Credit: IMDb.com
The film, distributed by Uncork’d Entertainment, probes the fundamental moral, environmental and nutritional quandaries we face in raising and eating animals. In this project, we focus our lens on the largest and perhaps most maligned of farmed animals, the cow.
Sacred Cow, garnering a favourable response at the 2020 Nature Without Borders International Film Festival, is definitely food for thought.
Promotional Image Credit: “Sacred Cow”
The documentary, an educationally framed film penned by writer Callie T. Wiser, sees Parks & Recreation’s Nick Offerman narrate the production. Sacred Cow, originally premiering as an online offering, saw an initial United States release on Monday, 28 September 2020. | https://medium.com/harsh-light-news/coming-soon-sacred-cow-5d591e75a5ba | ['Shain E. Thomas'] | 2020-12-08 22:12:50.664000+00:00 | ['Nick Offerman', 'Coming Soon', 'Documentary', 'Diana Rodgers', 'Sacred Cow'] |
Python學習日記(3) — Machine Learning(Linear Regression) | 簡單線性迴歸
只有1個解釋變數,利用數學一次方程式表示,如下所示
y = a +bx
繪製f(x)=2x-12的圖形
import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
x = [x for x in range(0,11)]
y = [(2*y-12) for y in x ]
plt.plot(x,y)
plt.xticks(x) #標記每個單一x數字
plt.axis([0,10,-20,15]) #標記刻度範圍
plt.grid()
plt.show() #加格線
繪製的一元一次線性圖形中最重要的組成為斜率跟截距
斜率(Slope):斜率的特色為不論從直線哪2個點算出來的斜率皆相同
截距(Intercept):可分為x截距和y截距。直線與x軸相交點的x座標為x截距;與y軸相交點的y 座標為y截距。
在y = ax + b中,y截距為b,斜率為a。
在機器學習中,假設使用f(x) = ax + b為線性迴歸分析函數,適度的調整a和b的值,然後找出與數據點最近的直線。
迴歸分析就是找出 a和b,給資料後,利用最小平方法,使用最小誤差的觀念尋找最佳函數。
假設給定一組氣溫(x)和飲料銷量(y)資料
建立簡單線性回歸的預測模型,提供氣溫則能預測出銷量,如下所示:
import numpy as np
import pandas as pd
from sklearn.linear_model import LinearRegression
import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
#先建立兩者的Numpy陣列
temperatures = np.array([22,26,23,28,27,32,30,29,27,25])
volumes = np.array([15,35,21,62,48,101,86,89,60,45])
#接著建立X解釋變數的DataFrame物件
#y反應變數是DataFrame物件target的volumes欄位
#利用兩者來訓練預測模型
X= pd.DataFrame(temperatures,columns=[‘Temperature’])
y= pd.DataFrame(volumes,columns=[“Volumes”])
lm = LinearRegression()
#fit()函數訓練模型
lm.fit(X,y)
#利用coef_找出迴歸係數,intercept找出截距
print(“迴歸係數:”,lm.coef_) → 迴歸係數: [[9.13074205]]
print(“截距:”,lm.intercept_) →截距: [-189.41696113]
#代表函數為:f(x)=9.13x-189.42
#預測25,30度銷量
new_temperatures = pd.DataFrame(np.array([25,30]))
#使用predict()函數預測銷量
predicted_volumes = lm.predict(new_temperatures)
print(“25度預測銷量:%d
30度預測銷量:%d”
%(predicted_volumes[0],predicted_volumes[1]))
→25度預測銷量:38
30度預測銷量:84
plt.scatter(temperatures,volumes) #繪出訓練數據
regression_volumes = lm.predict(X)
plt.plot(temperatures,regression_volumes,color = “yellow”)
#繪出迴歸直線
plt.plot(new_temperatures,predicted_volumes,
color = “black”, marker=”o”,markersize=8)
#繪出預測的兩個點
plt.grid()
plt.show() | https://medium.com/@a09041027/python%E5%AD%B8%E7%BF%92%E6%97%A5%E8%A8%98-3-machine-learning-linear-regression-c2b31e3c0977 | ['Kevin 陳子畬'] | 2020-11-20 20:10:12.687000+00:00 | ['Python', 'Linear Regression', 'Practice', '學習', 'Machine Learning'] |
มีเงินแต่ไม่รู้จะซื้อหุ้นอะไร ให้ ML มาทำนายช่วยเลือกหุ้นที่ทำกำไรให้ดีกว่า | This publication consists of articles related to Data science and AI written from Botnoi’s data scientists and students.
Follow | https://medium.com/botnoi-classroom/%E0%B8%A1%E0%B8%B5%E0%B9%80%E0%B8%87%E0%B8%B4%E0%B8%99%E0%B9%81%E0%B8%95%E0%B9%88%E0%B9%84%E0%B8%A1%E0%B9%88%E0%B8%A3%E0%B8%B9%E0%B9%89%E0%B8%88%E0%B8%B0%E0%B8%8B%E0%B8%B7%E0%B9%89%E0%B8%AD%E0%B8%AB%E0%B8%B8%E0%B9%89%E0%B8%99%E0%B8%AD%E0%B8%B0%E0%B9%84%E0%B8%A3-%E0%B9%83%E0%B8%AB%E0%B9%89-ml-%E0%B8%A1%E0%B8%B2%E0%B8%97%E0%B8%B3%E0%B8%99%E0%B8%B2%E0%B8%A2%E0%B8%8A%E0%B9%88%E0%B8%A7%E0%B8%A2%E0%B9%80%E0%B8%A5%E0%B8%B7%E0%B8%AD%E0%B8%81%E0%B8%AB%E0%B8%B8%E0%B9%89%E0%B8%99%E0%B8%97%E0%B8%B5%E0%B9%88%E0%B8%97%E0%B8%B3%E0%B8%81%E0%B8%B3%E0%B9%84%E0%B8%A3%E0%B9%83%E0%B8%AB%E0%B9%89%E0%B8%94%E0%B8%B5%E0%B8%81%E0%B8%A7%E0%B9%88%E0%B8%B2-61ca1ea8ccd9 | ['Chayanis Tuntearapong'] | 2020-09-15 16:28:00.040000+00:00 | ['Botnoi Classroom', 'Stocks', 'Data Science', 'Time Series Analysis'] |
ReapChain Implementation System. Building System Architecture. | 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/reapchain/reapchain-implementation-system-building-system-architecture-17a533fb6bfb | [] | 2020-12-12 08:40:11.387000+00:00 | ['Reapchain', 'System', 'IoT', 'Internet of Things', 'Dapps'] |
A Powerful Tip For Making Better Decisions — Perception Academy | Would you like to become a better decision maker? If yes, you’re really going to enjoy this quick tip I learned to step out of any fear, fatigue or stress and gain a larger perspective.
I learned this from Michael Hall, Ph.D. who took this from the book Decisive: How to Make Better Decisions in Life & Work, who borrowed this from Suzy Welch and with the amount of how many times this is being passed around by respectable people you can imagine how valuable this tool with be for you in terms of your decision making.
This tip is called the 10–10–10 rule which consists of 3 simple questions you can ask yourself to get some perspective on a decision.
The three questions are:
How will I feel about this decision in 10 minutes
How will I feel about this decision in 10 months
How will I feel about this decision in 10 years?
As soon as I learned about this process I applied it to a couple of decisions I had made in the past that I had made and explored how this would have made a difference as well as a big decision I was facing in the moment and learned a lot.
When you ask yourself these questions you might realize that for certain decisions you might feel really good about it in the short term, but in the long term it’s probably not the best decision.
On the other hand you may realize that if I make this decision it may be difficult for 10 minutes or 10 months but in 10 years its really going to be worth it.
One of the problems that we have as human beings when making decisions is that we operate by only short term thinking or we may not be in the best state to make a decision and by asking yourself these three simple questions you can gain some perspective and make a more thorough and well thought out choice for yourself.
I hope you found this tip as valuable as I have and I encourage you to try it out right now:
Think about a decision you have made in the past or a decision you are currently facing in your life and run it thought this 10–10–10 process. How does this/would this impact your decision? What value did you get out of this process? Let us know in the comments!
Originally published at https://perceptionacademy.com. | https://medium.com/@perceptionacademy/a-powerful-tip-for-making-better-decisions-perception-academy-b163fbc52158 | ['Jason Schneider'] | 2020-12-21 19:47:09.219000+00:00 | ['Neuro Semantics', 'Neuro Linguistic Program', 'Neurolinguistics', 'Decision Making', 'NLP'] |
Why are there so many houses to fix and flip: Average age of US houses is ageing | Image Source: WSJ
Aging houses in the US narrate the story of a construction industry, which constantly lags in the construction of new homes every year.
As per a recent survey, the average age of homes in the US is between 31 to 40 years. The age of houses is increasing significantly every year and is expected to do so over the foreseeable future.
Rise in Housing Prices and Increase in Number of Houses to Fix and Flip
Homebuilding has taken up the pace in recent years, and the year 2019 ended with a high note for the construction industry. However, this pace is not enough to satiate the rising demand for new houses. As per a research study, the US housing market is falling short of approximately 5 million houses.
When we analyze the US census data, it becomes evident that the 6 million new homes for single families built between 2011 and 2019, do not offset the 10 million new families formed in the same period. Even if construction companies increased their pace, it would still require a minimum of 5 years to return to a balanced market.
This shortfall has caused the housing prices to skyrocket. In such a scenario, citizens in the US prefer to spend money on renovation and repairing their existing homes, rather than buying new homes. This has hence caused the number of houses to be fixed and flipped, increase significantly.
Reason for Housing Shortfall Today
The epic housing crash, which occurred a decade ago is responsible for the shortfall in housing today. The crash was brought on by unscrupulous and irrational mortgage lending. Loans were being awarded to even the riskiest buyers, this caused the housing industry to become highly vulnerable.
Owing to a humungous number of loans become defaulted and enter the non-performing assets (NPAs) category, home construction in the US plummeted. This caused millions of houses to go into foreclosure. Moreover, a substantial number of investors had bought approximately 5 million homes and converted them into rental homes for the duration of the crises, and even after that. This further lowered the for-sale inventory in the housing market.
Today’s Situation
After the crises passed away, builders focused on high-end houses, which had attractive margins. However, low mortgage rates and the coming of age of the millennial populations, has fired up the demand for new housing over the past few years.
Housing construction companies have started to focus on basic floor plans, few amenities, smaller and affordable homes. This focus towards the entry-level market is, however, not sufficing the rising demand for houses, as millennials are not willing to move away from metro cities. This unwillingness to move away from metro cities has further fueled the increase in costs for new houses.
Conclusion
The US housing construction industry is not building a sufficient number of houses to match up with the demand. The current rate of housing construction is approximately 400,000 behind the actual demand for long-term housing. Following the decline in the growth rate for housing construction, a significant shortfall has been generated today.
Housing costs are anticipated to rise continuously until the construction companies ramp up their activities. This factor will constrict household formations and prevent millions of people from owning a home, over the next few years. | https://medium.com/@serendipitouswriter/why-are-there-so-many-houses-to-fix-and-flip-average-age-of-us-houses-is-ageing-7769cc0a0de2 | ['Abhilash Khalkar'] | 2020-12-26 06:00:51.799000+00:00 | ['Housing', 'Covid 19', 'Real Estate', 'USA', 'Sales'] |
Covid-19 Business Continuity Plan: Versatile serviced apartments to save your business | Covid-19 Business Continuity Plan: Versatile serviced apartments to save your business
With many factors and variables to consider, we’ve got one solution to help cross all those problems off your list.
The coronavirus has hit businesses and industries hard. With the strict restrictions on travel and mobility, companies around the world are scrambling to set up business continuity plans for Covid-19. With many factors and variables to consider, we’ve got one solution to help cross all those problems off your list.
Here’s why serviced apartments should be part of your Covid-19 business continuity plan and how to utilise them!
Apartments for 14-day self isolations
Your employees are the lifeblood of your business. If any one of them does get infected, that compromises your entire office and essentially your entire business. Staff will then be asked to work from home and observe a 14-day self-isolation period. Often, these staff are worried to go home as there is a chance they may pass the infection to their family.
Give them and yourself some peace of mind when you house your staff in serviced apartments. With fully furnished spaces, fully equipped kitchens and frequent housekeeping services, you can improve the quality of living for your employees while also caring for their health.
Immediate temporary workspaces
Businesses are taking work out of the office. Some choose to pitch up in hotel rooms but with that limited space it isn’t very conducive. Serviced apartments are significantly larger and offer much more space (almost 2–3 times!) which makes it very convenient to convert into temporary workspaces.
Living rooms, dining areas and bedrooms can all be converted into spacious workspaces to serve the needs of most businesses. A studio apartment can roughly fit 3–4 staff while 1 bedroom units can accommodate 4–6 staff. With a 2 bedroom apartment, you’re looking at 6–8 staff!
Best part is, these apartments are ready when you need them. Plug and play offices!
A safer alternative to co-working spaces
Co-working spaces and ‘social-distancing’ don’t go hand in hand (but hey, they aren’t supposed to!) There is wayyy too much sharing in a co-working office. You just need 1 person in a co-working space gets infected, the entire floor might be quarantined!
However, in a serviced apartment, each unit offers ultimate privacy. It comes with its own kitchen, microwave, fridge and private toilet. What more, with frequent housekeeping, you’ll always have a clean and safe space to work in. There is no need to share any common facilities with other people.
While the downside is that there are no meeting rooms, I think it’s best to keep all meetings online during this period.
Stay close to your head office
When it comes to temporary relocation, it’s always best to keep your business continuity plan (BCP) office close to your current head office. This makes it easier to pop back into HQ to grab a document or have last-minute meetings.
It’s a good thing that a large number of serviced apartments are located within business hubs and around central business districts. The ease of accessibility and great locations make serviced apartments an easy choice as back-up offices!
Don’t let Transportation/Border Lockdowns hinder your business
When cities go into lockdown, public transportation systems stop. Should there be critical company operations or task which require personnel to be in the office, those living far away won’t get there in time.
Or even worse, without public transportation systems, half your office won’t even be able to make it to work, period. Think ahead and pre-empt such a possibility. Pick a serviced apartment for you and your staff to work from; one that is near your office and allows for business continuity.
If you are looking for a business contingency plan during this pandemic, speak to one of our agents. We have over 600+ apartments in Singapore, Tokyo and Sydney. Our website provides actual photos and virtual tours of apartments which reduces the need for viewings, digital contracts and e-payment services.
Focus on your business and we’ll give you the tools to help, all without leaving your seat. Together, we are stronger.
Drop us an email at [email protected] , now! | https://medium.com/metroresidences-expat-life/covid-19-business-continuity-plan-versatile-serviced-apartments-to-save-your-business-24c76d9f5b46 | [] | 2020-03-31 10:36:01.196000+00:00 | ['Serviced Apartments', 'Business', 'Covid 19', 'Business Continuity'] |
Predicting Airfare Price Using Machine Learning Techniques | Photo by National Cancer Institute on Unsplash
1. Cleaning the Data
T he first and important aspect of implementing the Data Science process started by cleaning the data in order to separate important data and error data that brings bias(error) in developing the flight price prediction that we want to build. This process has been extremely crucial in the data science process because it can affect the result.
Pandas, Seaborn, NumPy, and matplotlib are some of the most used libraries by Data Scientist in order to visualize and analyze the dataset. We will use these libraries such as follows :
Importing Dataset
We will get the features and records by importing the dataset. We can see there are some columns such as Airline, Date_of_Journey, Source, etc.
Based on these columns, we will try to eliminate the null values(error input) so that it can affect the prediction in our analysis. We will start by the Duration column to know the counts of each group. We will check the null values then drop the NaN values using dropna method and check whether the null values using isnull and sum method.
Drop NaN Values
2. Exploratory Data Analysis
Exploratory Data Analysis has been playing an important role in the success of our prediction. We will do feature engineering of some features so that it can represent the output for our model created using machine learning techniques. From the dataset shown above, we can see that column Date_of_Journey, Arrival_Time, Dep_Time, and Duration columns are a string data type, We will convert this datatype into timestamp to use this column for prediction. We will use pandas_to_datetime to convert it and get the hour and minutes of each column. You can refer to the notebook provided in Github.
One of the most important parts of EDA is handling categorical Data. Categorical data can be divided into Nominal data (without order) by using OneHot Encoder and Ordinal Data( with Order) by using LabelEncoder to label this data. We can start by Airline column and plot the data using seaborn drawn such as follows :
We can see that the average price ticket is the same among the airlines except for Jet Airways Business due to facilities provided by the Airline. We can also see some outliers among Jet Airways Business, Jet Airways, and Multiple Carriers that affect the price of the airlines.
We will perform the Airline column using One Hot Encoder because of nominal categorical data by using this code. We will implement the same code to the Source column and compare the Price and Source features.
Handling categorical data using One Hot Encoder
Comparison of Source and Price
We can see that some outliers on Bangalore Source. We will implement One Hot Encoder for destination and Label Encoder for the Total_Stops encoder for Ordinal categorical data.
Then we concat all the changes in the features using concat method in pandas.
3. Test Set
In our Machine Learning Process, We have already separated the training and test dataset. We will use this method in order to avoid Data Leakage. We import the data and preprocess it. We will predict the price in this analysis. Thus, we will do a feature selection to choose the best feature that has good relations with the target variable(Price).
We will then see the correlation between independent and dependent variables using heatmap and ExtraTreesRegressor to look at which one is the better features to select.
Selecting better features for the price prediction
Based on the graph, We can see that the Total_Stops feature has the highest influence in predicting the price followed by Duration_hours and Journey_Day.
4. Fitting the Model Using Random Forest
We will use Random Forest for this type of analysis by splitting the data using scikit-learn such as follows :
We can see that the prediction score has exceeds 95 % for the training data and 79% for the test data. We can improve this score by implementing hyperparameter tuning that consists of RandomizedSearchCV and GridSearchCV.
and create a random grid and use the fit method such as follows :
And then we can plot and predict the result again and we have improved the result based on our hyperparameter tuning. We have already improved our score from 79% to 81% by implementing the RandomizedSearchCV as our hyperparameter tuning. You can see the full code in the jupyter notebook uploaded in this Github link.
Reference :
Machine Learning Concepts (Supervised Learning, Unsupervised Learning, Hyperparameter tuning, Classification, Regression, etc) | https://medium.com/swlh/predicting-airfare-price-using-machine-learning-techniques-bf3a13ad07d1 | ['Naiborhu Josua'] | 2020-09-28 01:11:32.889000+00:00 | ['Pandas Dataframe', 'Kaggle', 'Data Science'] |
Elizabeth Warren and The Grass Ceiling of Networked Leadership | After Elizabeth Warren’s poor showing on Super Tuesday and suspending her campaign today, there is a lot of hang wringing about why she faired so poorly— analysis of her political strategy, her personality and authenticity, and her gender — all of which have validity. Some of those truths feel personal to me as a female leader with a similarly analytical personality (if you want those opinions you may get an ear full). If people can’t support her, then that is probably true for me as well. That is a tough pill to swallow.
I want to offer a slightly different perspective, based on my work with community programs in large organizations. Elizabeth Warren uses a collaborative and networked leadership approach, which is focused on bringing people along with her, developing a network of leaders, and eschewing the traditional power brokers (big funders and typical political strategists). This networked approach to leading counters the hero-driven approach of most political campaigns and leadership models. This is neither a model we see very often nor one we understand. It draws from an abundance mindset instead of a scarcity, zero-sum mindset. Its power is derived from bringing people together, not from money or structural and competitive positions. It’s what is sometimes called ‘soft’ power instead of ‘hard’ power.
It’s the power of community.
Warren’s networked style of leadership is about acting as the voice of the community rather than as the sole decision-maker. It’s ultimately a facilitative role rather than a domineering role (this is where Warren breaks with Sanders, from my perspective). Warren’s campaign developed many of its policies by bringing in the affected and interested parties and working with them on a viable approach, which Warren then promotes.
This approach is similar to mine when I work with organizations to build communities of their customers or employees. What I found early on, is that shared purpose is critical — a mission that provides a compelling reason to come together — but it is not enough to keep people engaged. To keep a community engaged, you need to create value and impact together. You have to empower and challenge people to be leaders themselves. You saw this in Warren’s grassroots campaign; bringing in thousands of volunteers, creating a huge national network and connecting them so that they could support and challenge each other. Warren has both an online community for supporters to share information and for volunteers to get work done. What is striking to me is that the culture of these communities is energetic, supportive, constructive, and very positive. It’s an empowering place to be and it compels people to get more involved.
What Warren has done in creating this community is impressive on its own. It is the nirvana state that many of our clients are striving to reach. It’s much harder than what I see of the movement Bernie Sanders has built — largely because I don’t see him including a diverse network in building policy. He has his point of view and you are either with him or against him. It’s not collaborative and it’s more of the zero-sum thinking that has created so much division in our country. It feels more like a cult from the outside — belligerent, defensive, and competitive and in that sense the same type of hero-leadership model we are used to. It is clear and perhaps that is why more people understand it and can engage with it. It doesn’t challenge them to lead themselves, which asks a lot more of someone.
But what happens to these new communities and emergent, inclusive movements? Sooner or later, they run into the existing structures of their environment — whether that is election funding for Elizabeth Warren or corporate governance for the communities with which we work. They hit what John Stepper, working within a large bank years ago, termed ‘The Grass Ceiling’. In other words, they start to challenge the system and the system is designed to ensure the status quo. The systems ends up biting back — throwing cold water and deflating the efforts of those to change it from the bottom up.
Warren understands this system and its issues more than anyone — and ‘big structural change’ is one of her key messages. But how do you change a system from outside when the system controls who gets a voice? It is one thing both Warren and Sanders are after and it’s one of the reasons both are raising campaign funds from individuals because neither wants to be beholden to the systemic power brokers.
This is not just a dilemma for Warren and Sanders but also for the large organizations with whom we work. Everyone realizes that change is required and a small, engaged group is starting to make change happen — and then executives put the breaks on because it’s too different and they think they can just stabilize first and THEN try a new model… once they get things settled down. Those energized by the new approach get deflated and scatter. And the settling down never comes.
So what’s the answer?
In the U.S. culture, particularly in business culture, we like quick solutions and quick solutions are almost always mandates. But people don’t change by mandate. People change when they SEE and FEEL a better approach — when they are compelled and energized to change. Getting enough people to see, understand, and use a different approach takes time. It requires one-to-one relationships and trust.
The most successful community approaches we see slowly fold more of the organization in, integrating one process at a time into their community and creating ecosystems of communities that are changing the engagement and leadership approach of the organization. On a daily basis, it is hard to see progress because it looks so small. But steps compound and it’s probably not a coincidence that there are a lot of marathon runners that are also community professionals. Slowly but surely, they are seeing success and ROI — and also addressing some of their organization's most complex objectives.
These community approaches build slowly at first but as they reach tipping points, value and impact accumulate more quickly.
So how do I diagnose Warren’s campaign challenges?
There were some predictable strategic challenges — a lot of candidates, a double standard regarding women’s leadership, name recognition, and a particularly anxiety-provoking race where the single biggest priority for most voters was a competitive one.
But I think Warren’s approach needed more time — and didn’t necessarily fit neatly into the demands of the election cycle and its curious rules. Looking at our research, she is still in the early stages of building her community and it hasn’t quite gotten to the scale needed for national elections.
For me, whatever she decides to do next, I still think she won. She championed some critical conversations in this country around wealth, race, health care, child care, climate, and education. She showed her supporters that in this crazy, toxic environment you can create a network of positive, supportive, and enthusiastic people that feels like the culture we want our country to have. She showed us that a couple of emperors had no clothes and whose structural authority and wealth came with little moral authority.
She showed us that there is a different way to lead by calling on each of us to be leaders.
For that, I will be forever grateful. | https://rhappe.medium.com/elizabeth-warren-and-the-grass-ceiling-of-networked-leadership-8bf4f531f267 | ['Rachel Happe'] | 2020-03-05 20:28:14.409000+00:00 | ['Leadership', 'Elizabeth Warren', 'Community'] |
Internal World | Photo by Jr Korpa on Unsplash
While I’m sharing, if you feel what I’m going through
If you can feel the feelings of the experiences I’m going to share with you
If my spirit touches your spirit
Please, take that opportunity to thank the God of your understanding.
I believe it takes an act of God for humans to get outside of themselves for a minute and listen to another person, let alone feel another person’s feelings.
We’re so self-consumed and so self-absorbed.
It’s so hard to stop the noise inside ourselves to possibly hear a word that you’re saying.
To be one with another human being is a true act of God.
Feel each other’s pain
Share each other’s joy
It’s a miracle.
It’s an experience of the miracle.
-Kathy H. from Philly
Recently, I’ve been connecting with my Inner Child. I start by asking questions to myself in a notebook with my non-dominant hand and exclude background noise. I learned this assignment from Adult Children of Alcoholics. I patiently wait for Jonathan to speak aloud with safety and security. Clarity is the finest description for our interactions.
Yesterday, Jonathan felt safe enough to express his favorite song, hates when I drink coffee, doesn’t like to watch My 600 Pound Life, and is terrified of my first poetry manuscript (Unworthy of Sanity).
Jonathan conveyed his deep fear of vulnerability and lack of trust with me. I have a child who needs bottomless love and attention because I’ve neglected him throughout my mental health challenges. I do not disagree with Jonathan; I welcome his experiences.
Positive thinking and emotional awareness are imperative to our work together. Reinforcing optimistic language, practicing the “smile meditation”, stretching, and starving my Inner Critic is breathing in faith over fear. I have two halves that live inside of me, False Self and True Self. Jonathan lives inside of my True Self and Inner Critic lives inside of my False Self. At times, I live in a False Reality, which is made of confusion, negative thought patterns, and addiction. I tend to ask myself, is this thought harmful or healing? I tread lightly on my Inner Critic’s opinion. I do not dismiss my Inner Critic; he is there for reasons that no longer serve me well. True Self is full of love, compassion, integrity, respect, and optimism.
I am full of an internal world that I have tapped into. I will continue to take care of Jonathan; in return I will channel my Inner Loving Parent to be gentle with myself. | https://medium.com/storymaker/internal-world-f8f36baa85df | ['Danny Recht'] | 2020-11-17 01:51:46.794000+00:00 | ['Creativity', 'Médium', 'Poetry', 'Mental Health', 'Writing'] |
The Social Construction Series Part 9: The Social Construction of Power | Why Understanding How Power and Race are Connected is Important to Building a More Equitable and Just World
Photo by Ehimetalor Akhere Unuabona on Unsplash
I’ve been thinking a lot about power this past week, and how power, like everything else we’ve covered in this series, is also a social construction. Important to understand. Why?
Because when we fully understand that power, and how it is distributed, is a social construction we create a space to discuss the possibility of changing how that power is distributed. It is inside of this possibility that we will discuss power as a social construction. Ready? Good let’s go.
Power defined. Here we go.
power
Pronunciation /ˈpou(ə)r/ /ˈpaʊ(ə)r/
See synonyms for power
Translate power into Spanish
NOUN
The ability to do something or act in a particular way, especially as a faculty or quality. The capacity or ability to direct or influence the behavior of others or the course of events.
Alright, so here’s what we have thus far.
Power is the ability or capacity to do something or act in a particular way, especially as a faculty or quality, such as influencing the behaviors of others or the course of events.
We could discuss power in a myriad of ways. In this article, however, we will cover five ways power is experienced. For it is in the experience of power that lies, pun intended, the power to change how power is socially constructed and distributed.
Photo by Kuma Kum on Unsplash
Power Granted
Using a Foucauldian lens for this analysis, we can say that power is granted through knowledge. The more knowledge you have, the more power you have. Why? Because the more you know, the more you understand, and the more you understand, especially about how systems and institutions work, the more you can deploy your power, or knowledge, to change the system.
Now, there are other concepts, which we will also discuss a little later that make the distribution and deployment of power unequal.
For now, let’s take a look at how Michel Foucault describes the connection between knowledge and power.
“On Foucault’s account, the relation of power and knowledge is far closer than in the familiar Baconian engineering model, for which “knowledge is power” means that knowledge is an instrument of power, although the two exist quite independently. Foucault’s point is rather that, at least for the study of human beings, the goals of power and the goals of knowledge cannot be separated: in knowing we control and in controlling we know.”
In knowing we control.
That’s a pretty powerful concept. Meaning, that the more we know, the more control we have over our experiential field, life. Why? Same reason as above. Because the more we understand how the system works, the more we can work the system to our advantage.
Photo by Jakayla Toney on Unsplash
Power Internalized
Now, the latter part of that quote, in controlling we know, is, for me, about internalization. Meaning that once we are aware of our knowledge base, and we seek out new knowledge, we understand that in order to create change, we must control and effect our actions to create such change.
We can also term this concept personal agency, which basically means understanding how much personal agency someone has, you have. As was alluded to earlier, the field of experience, available life choices, if you will, is not equally distributed.
Thus, power and knowledge are also not equally distributed, nor then are they internalized across racial, cultural, sexual, gendered, geographical, and socioeconomic statuses the same. They are not.
Kimberle Crenshaw, who developed Intersectionality Theory, might argue that, in fact, in order to understand people’s available life choices, you must do so within a framework that analyzes all dimensions of a person’s identity, especially as that identity is located and embedded in social structures and systems.
Here is a short quote about Intersectionality Theory.
“Intersectionality is a lens through which you can see where power comes and collides, where it interlocks and intersects. It’s not simply that there’s a race problem here, a gender problem here, and a class or LBGTQ problem there. Many times that framework erases what happens to people who are subject to all of these things.” -Kimberle Crenshaw
Now, we can connect the internalization of granted knowledge and power, and available life choices, to the need to analyze these system dynamics through an intersectional lens. Very important.
An intersectional lens would ensure that we look at how people are situated and located, or in a Founcalidian term, observed, within the social system, before making any claims about access to knowledge and power to begin with.
Here is another excerpt from Foucault’s work on observation.
“The examination also situates individuals in a “field of documentation”. The results of exams are recorded in documents that provide detailed information about the individuals examined and allow power systems to control them (e.g., absentee records for schools, patients’ charts in hospitals). On the basis of these records, those in control can formulate categories, averages, and norms that are in turn a basis for knowledge. The examination turns the individual into a “case” — in both senses of the term: a scientific example and an object of care. Caring is always also an opportunity for control.”
Now here we can see that being observed also matters in relation to the access to knowledge and power. Observation, or what I’ll term surveillance, ensures that knowledge and power, and ultimately control, stay in certain hands, and out of “others.”
Photo by Tobias Tullius on Unsplash
Power Distributed
The effect of distributing knowledge and power in this way creates even more inequality. Meaning that power is distributed in ways that embed power within social institutions, and those that work in those institutions convey their power in very prescriptive ways.
Foucault writes about the Panopticon to describe the distribution of power.
“Bentham’s Panopticon is, for Foucault, a paradigmatic architectural model of modern disciplinary power. It is a design for a prison, built so that each inmate is separated from and invisible to all the others (in separate “cells”) and each inmate is always visible to a monitor situated in a central tower. Monitors do not in fact always see each inmate; the point is that they could at any time. Since inmates never know whether they are being observed, they must behave as if they are always seen and observed. As a result, control is achieved more by the possibility of internal monitoring of those controlled than by actual supervision or heavy physical constraints.”
Now, whereas Foucault is focusing on prisons in this last excerpt, or what many contemporary activists call the prison industrial complex, the way that power is distributed in the prison has corollaries to all social institutions.
“The principle of the Panopticon can be applied not only to prisons but also to any system of disciplinary power (a factory, a hospital, a school). And, in fact, although Bentham himself was never able to build it, its principle has come to pervade aspects of modern society. It is the instrument through which modern discipline has been able to replace pre-modern sovereignty (kings, judges) as the fundamental power relation.”
And as this last excerpt alludes to, once power is codified into social institutions, it is the actors within those insitutision that take on the role and responsibility of the deployment of institutional power. And with that deployment discipline follows.
Photo by Marco Oriolesi on Unsplash
Power Deployed and Discipline
The deployment of power by actors working within social institutions, ranges from school teachers to priests, to police offers, and government officials.
The reason we have brought identity characteristics into this discussion, such as race, culture, sexuality, gender, geography, and socioeconomic status, is that the deployment of power, and the discipline that follows, is centered on the body.
“Foucault’s genealogy follows Nietzsche as well as existential phenomenology in that it aims to bring the body into the focus of history. Rather than histories of mentalities or ideas, genealogies are “histories of the body”. They examine the historical practices through which the body becomes an object of techniques and deployments of power. In Discipline and Punish, Foucault shows how disciplinary techniques produce “docile bodies”: bodies of prisoners, soldiers, workers and schoolchildren were subjected to disciplinary power in order to make them more useful and at the same time easier to control. The human body became a machine the functioning of which could be optimized, calculated, and improved. Its functions, movements and capabilities were broken down into narrow segments, analyzed in detail and recomposed in a maximally effective way.”
And, though in this excerpt these identity characteristics are not presented. We can now take a look at Simone Brown’s work to make this connection concrete.
“Importantly, Browne also accounts for methods of evading or repositioning surveillance, which she gathers under the phrase “dark sousveillance.” Dark surveillance refers to “the tactics employed to render one’s self out of sight, and strategies used in the flight to freedom from slavery as necessarily ones of undersight.… Dark sousveillance is a site of critique, as it speaks to black epistemologies of contending with antiblack surveillance” (p. 21). In addition to writing about the sociotechnical processes that catalog, control, and delimit black bodies, the cataloging of “dark sousveillance” offers an agenda for coping with and subverting structures of control.”
Here we can see clear connections to a Foucauldian analysis, yet the analysis is taken further by Brown by centering race as the means by which the deployment of institutional power is a central focus. Black bodies are surveilled and then disciplined (controlled), by the continuous objectification of their bodies as a commodity of power.
Photo by Tandem X Visuals on Unsplash
Individual Power
Now, from this analysis, we can see various ways that power is granted, internalized, distributed, deployed, and then used as a disciplinary tool.
Yet, power is socially constructed. Meaning, there is no natural law that requires power to be distributed and deployed as it is today. And, in fact, we can see people all across the United States today, protesting institutional and structural racism.
Both institutional and structural racism keep the distribution and deployment of power as is, status quo.
Yet, we as individuals, have the ability to create and effect change, and you can see that movement in the streets all across this country, as people call for, and demand, an end to police brutality against people of color.
Here is a statement from the Black Lives Matter website.
“Enough is enough. Our pain, our cries, and our need to be seen and heard resonate throughout this entire country. We demand acknowledgment and accountability for the devaluation and dehumanization of Black life at the hands of the police. We call for radical, sustainable solutions that affirm the prosperity of Black lives. George Floyd’s violent death was a breaking point — an all too familiar reminder that, for Black people, law enforcement doesn’t protect or save our lives. They often threaten and take them. Right now, Minneapolis and cities across our country are on fire, and our people are hurting — the violence against Black bodies felt in the ongoing mass disobedience, all while we grapple with a pandemic that is disproportionately affecting, infecting, and killing us. We call for an end to the systemic racism that allows this culture of corruption to go unchecked and our lives to be taken. We call for a national defunding of police. We demand investment in our communities and the resources to ensure Black people not only survive, but thrive. If you’re with us, add your name to the petition right now and help us spread the word.”
We must remember that though the entire world is socially constructed, moment by moment, these social constructions are very real in their consequences.
When we stand by and tacitly give our agreement to the ways in which power is distributed and deployed in this country, we are condoning the continued surveillance and brutalization of communities of color. Unacceptable.
As I’ve written about in many articles, it starts with each of us. How we think, feel, speak, and act. We each have available to us our own unique gifts, talents, knowledge, and thus power.
And, when we can use these tools to take action and increase awareness about the world, how it operates, both its strengths and weaknesses, we are at once working together to create a more equitable and just world.
And, for today, this is my action. What will yours be? | https://medium.com/an-idea/the-social-construction-series-part-9-the-social-construction-of-power-f2717dca2aff | ['Jeffrey Flesch'] | 2020-12-29 11:45:24.776000+00:00 | ['Life', 'Power', 'Equality', 'Social Justice', 'Racism'] |
My Methodology In Recon And Find Bugs & My Methodology In Hunting Using Phone | B: My Methodology In Hunting Using Phone
i’m not bug hunter as Full time because i have another job in that job there’s no PC or Laptop 3 day in week without using computer
so i hunt in this 3 days from my Iphone
What we can do on phone and what we cant
and
how ?
what we can do
Recon simple , Checking for Github Leaks will show how , and all the Terminal jops will show haw
whet we cant do
use burp & view page source
for who don’t know
I started in this road using my phone
found bugs on GitHub test and check and report from my phone
When I got my second reward I bought a laptop
So it is my job to help those who can’t afford to buy a laptop right now
singup and login on phone browser on GitHub
download google cloud console app it’s available on Android and IOS and login in a Gmail account
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for Github I specially monitor my Targets from my Phone
for example if you looking for 2 interesting domains for Facebook
fb.com
internalfb.com
steps to check and monitor
fb.com open github on browser
"fb.com" password ===> change the sort to Recently indexed ===> on browser Options Add to Home Screen
"fb.com" secret ===> change the sort to Recently indexed ===> on browser Options Add to Home Screen
"internalfb.com" password ===> change the sort to Recently indexed ===> on browser Options Add to Home Screen
I have about 50 ready dorks for my targets like these i check on them everyday with a morning coffee
its a good trick because you found leaks before anyone for some data leaked , 90% from my GitHub leaked data reports its for data leaked 1-9 hours ago
I guarantee in this tip no dupl reports for you
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For Terminal you can do that from you phone and get the tools on google cloud console app
Sorry The videos are not good results with the required quality, but their purpose is to convey the information in a clearer way | https://medium.com/@orwaatyat/my-methodology-in-recon-and-find-bugs-my-methodology-in-hunting-using-phone-ccc9fe06dd2d | ['Orwa Atyat'] | 2021-08-19 17:44:43.853000+00:00 | ['Bugcrowd', 'Hacking', 'Infosec', 'Bug Bounty', 'Recon'] |
Angel Eyes 👼. inspired by Kartik Tallapragada’s Angel… | Hoping I could give my sister a piece of mind and some time back so she could at least eat 🍝.
Angel Eyes is an IoT device that monitors a baby’s sleeping position and environment. Caregivers can view a live stream from anywhere and receive notifications if the device detects any issues.
Angel Eyes was created to ensure a safe and non-intrusive way of monitoring the infant that is leaps and bounds ahead of the on-market baby monitor cameras utilizing the recent advancements in Deep Learning. Angel Eyes is a non-intrusive, safe and efficient monitoring system, that proactively alerts the care givers as the environment or the infant position changes.
The need
Accidental Suffocation and Strangulation in Bed (ASSB) is a prominent cause of death for newborns. Baby monitors could be smart enough to react to scenarios and data, and to proactively alert caregivers when a baby is at risk for ASSB.
The idea
A smart baby monitor uses AI to track the infant and their surrounding conditions. The system is always on, continuously monitoring and alerting caregivers. The device is non-intrusive, monitoring externally without any physical restrictions.
The solution
Angel Eyes uses Microsoft Azure, with a camera and sensors for temperature and humidity. When it detects risks like high room temperature, an object in the crib, or the baby’s unsafe position — it alerts the caregiver to take corrective action.
Safer monitoring for newborns
Angel Eyes was created by parents who wanted to track their baby’s safety at all times, without losing sleep. Learn how Microsoft Azure’s cognitive and visual services plus IoT monitoring devices helps ensure their baby’s well-being.
Always On: Continually watching over the baby and its surrounding conditions.
Proactive: Proactively notifying the caregiver if the surrounding conditions change.
Non-Intrusive: Externally observing the infant’s environment without poking and prodding, thereby allowing the infant the least restrictive environment.
Infant found but not sleeping in the position | https://medium.com/@dataninja/angel-eyes-safer-monitoring-for-newborns-2abaee23b9d8 | [] | 2020-12-31 06:24:53.664000+00:00 | ['Azure Iot', 'Machine Learning', 'Iot Edge', 'Azure Iot Hub', 'Azure'] |
“UXing” as a Marketing Designer | I have been working as a Marketing Designer in a B2B SaaS company for 4 years. A role that I enjoy very much because of its solid overlap with marketing and UX. There are plenty of articles written on UX design and marketing alone, but a few focus on how marketing designers apply design thinking and UX into their job.
While in the industry, you’ll find different job descriptions for both the roles. But honestly, both designers solve problems for the end-user at the end of the day — just in a different part of their journey.
UX Designer vs Marketing Designer
User experience designers go above and beyond to ensure that users can use a product or interface smoothly and efficiently. While marketing 'designers' job is to communicate the same product's value to people who can become users (let’s call them prospect). A marketing designer needs to make sure that a prospect's journey is flawless so that they can seek information about the product and make purchasing decisions. The only difference is that a UX designer optimises journey of people who are using the product. A marketing designer optimises journey of people so that they can become users. Both should work together to increase engagement, conversions and revenue.
Overlap of UX in B2B Marketing
Business-to-business (B2B) means selling products and services to other companies. And B2B marketing is about creating awareness and need of the product in the target audience. The ultimate goal of marketing is to attract the right audience to the website and then convert them into users. In B2B, making a purchase is like a business investment. Such decisions are made rationally and thought over and over by the teams.
UX comes into the picture as soon as a prospect lands on the website for the first time. It revolves around giving them the best possible experience to make them want to buy the product. Good user experience can drive them to conversion.
Therefore, important things to consider are:
To provide clear information. To instil trust in the product/company. To engage the customer with content and brand. To convince the user to buy the product.
Let’s see how UX fits into my job.
1. Website
A MarketingProfs report revealed that 94% of B2B buyers research online before finalizing a purchase. A prospect customer sticks to the product website to do their initial research — regardless of whether they close the deal.
A B2B website is like the face of the company. And having better user experience means that the brand will leave a positive impact on prospects who visit the website. Thus, a B2B website must have clear communication on the product’s offerings. | https://uxplanet.org/uxing-as-a-marketing-designer-5be6ad114774 | ['Richa Arora'] | 2020-12-28 08:50:24.306000+00:00 | ['UX Design', 'Ux Thinking', 'B2B', 'B2b Marketing', 'Marketing Design'] |
Should You Focus on Just Managing Critical Deadlines? | If you Google the phrase “managing critical deadlines,” the results show a variety of offerings to help all kinds of businesses solve the problem of managing critical deadlines. But what makes particular deadlines more critical?
It’s my sense that many of these solutions treat all deadlines equally. But are they? Have you discovered that some deadlines just aren’t that important? And some are critical!
Traditionally trained project managers use a sophisticated technique called the critical path method (or perhaps, the PERT method) to manage deadlines and project progress. Does using that technique ensure that all critical deadlines are met? I’m not convinced. A lot depends on how many true dependencies there are in the project. And a lot depends on the availability of the people who are on your team, including any subject matter experts or others who may be partially assigned to your work. The reality is that human limitations often stop us from meeting deadlines. We simply don’t have the resource capacity when we need it. And true dependencies can restrict our ability to fast track the work when people are available.
Is there a better way to manage deadlines? What might happen if we stopped trying to manage every single project detail and focused instead on what matters most? Could we just manage critical deadlines instead of every single activity deadline? Is finishing the project as quickly as possible really the best approach? Or is it better to meet the important deadlines and drive the project to completion at a steady and reasonable rate of progress?
Some of your deadlines may be important. Some may not. If you treat them all the same, you risk a reality that human bandwidth, particularly during evolving times, often keeps teams from meeting deadlines. How do we zero in on the really important deadlines? Here are five tips for managing critical deadlines.
Plan your project so that you can achieve small wins in each sprint.
The first thing you need to do is to plan your project well. If you break the project into activities that will take months to finish, it’s hard to drive success. People may be working on something, but they won’t be finishing anything very often.
Break the project down into discreet activities that can be finished in a two-week timeframe. There’s nothing magic about two weeks, but I typically recommend that teams work in sprints, which are short blocks of time, during which the team commits to finishing a batch of work.
Business teams often have trouble breaking some larger project activities into discreet chunks that can be finished in a few weeks. It may help to divide a discreet activity into two (or three) parts and identify an interim deliverable that you can produce. As you deliver that work to your client (or to your management team] you can obtain valuable feedback. Suppose you had worked three months on something and then learned that the client didn’t like it?
Identify the critical deadlines.
If some deadlines are not critical, which ones are critical? This is a big question and one I cannot answer for you. I’d opt for only those deadlines that simply cannot be missed. By reducing the number to as few as possible, you increase the chances that they are met. And, by limiting the number to a handful, you can also understand the critical deadlines on ALL of your projects. And during times of chaos, that may come in very handy. Sometimes, you just have to let go of something. But as long as you are making progress and have a handle on what is critical, that’s okay.
Can you now determine which deadlines are critical? Designating some deadlines as target deadlines, and some as fixed deadlines ensures that you don’t miss what’s truly important. And the target deadlines give you a way to drive the project forward. I’m not a huge fan of putting a deadline on each activity, though some people prefer to work that way.
Establish a zero tolerance for missed critical deadlines.
Once you have defined your critical deadlines, you need to make it very clear to the team that these few activity deadlines are important. There can be no excuses for missing them. And this is why I’d pick my battles here. If every deadline is equally critical, then, you haven’t accomplished anything. And I’m pretty sure you’ll be missing some deadlines.
Chill out on the deadlines that don’t matter and keep the project moving forward.
When your project is moving along and people are working hard, celebrate and enjoy the ride. Deadlines that are being used to guide the project along are just there to help — not to beat people up when they miss a goal. Focus on the positive. As parents learn to do, pick your battles.
Try hard to select an activity or a group of activities at the beginning of the sprint that you are able to finish by the end of the sprint. Develop a mind-set of regularly and rapidly delivering meaningful results to the client.
When times get tough and you aren’t meeting target deadlines, examine the reason. Is it because you are regularly attempting to do more than is humanly possible? Ambitious goals are great, to a point. But people have limits and you just shouldn’t continue to push the team past their limits — week after week, for months or years on end. I don’t care what Elon Musk says! It’s unhealthy and uncaring. It’s one thing to temporarily push a team when there is a compelling reason but it’s another to live that way.
There will be times when you aren’t meeting deadlines for another reason. Are you typically underestimating the work that is needed? Or are team members over-working activities? I have written before on estimating complex projects. Try to understand the root cause and work to improve.
Use standing meetings and checkpoint meetings to drive the project momentum.
I’ve written before about standing meetings and checkpoint meetings. I didn’t invent standing meetings. They are popular in the Agile community. I did standardize the process for what I call a checkpoint meeting, which you can think of as a bit of a blend of a planning meeting, a Sprint review, and a retrospective — held at the end of each sprint, and the beginning of the first sprint.
The Scrum Alliance has written about Scrum meetings, which might help you understand the genesis on my thoughts.
Standing meetings
Depending on the project and the speed with which you need to move, you may choose to do a standing meeting every day or just twice a week. Standing meetings are very short meetings, where three questions are answered:
What have you accomplished since the last meeting?
What do you plan to accomplish next?
And what problems have arisen?
Standing meetings are not a time for discussing how to solve the problems that have arisen. That’s not to say that teams can’t make exceptions when the problem involves the entire team, but you run the risk that the meetings will soon grow longer, and people will begin to resist them. Try to stay positive in these meetings.
Checkpoint meetings
Checkpoint meetings are a time when teams gather to assess accomplishments and attend to a number of project management needs.
I recommend that teams work in sprints, typically two-weeks long, and bookend their sprints with a checkpoint meeting. Two weeks is sufficient time to accomplish some level of meaningful work. Depending on your situation, you may choose to invite your client to these meetings. If not, I would encourage you to send some kind of client update at the end of the meeting.
During these meetings, you should do seven things:
Review your end game — what are you doing and why?
Celebrate your accomplishments during the recent sprint.
Identify and document the lessons that were learned.
Review what it’s costing the client. Are you on track?
Solve any new problems or designate someone to do so.
Identify and analyze the project risks.
Plan the work for the next sprint.
Think this might help your team? Share your comments if you have other useful tips. Interested in knowing more about managing critical deadlines or anything in this blog? Why don’t you contact me about an online class I’m working on? | https://medium.com/@smartprojex/should-you-focus-on-just-managing-critical-deadlines-7a9565595638 | ['Suzanne S. Davenport'] | 2020-12-17 14:28:10.013000+00:00 | ['Projects', 'Deadlines', 'Project Management'] |
8 Free Oracle Database and SQL Courses for Beginners in 2021 | 8 Free Oracle Database and SQL Courses for Beginners in 2021
My favorite courses to learn Oracle Database and PL/SQL for beginners from Udemy, Coursera, Educative, and other online portals. javinpaul Follow Jul 6 · 9 min read
Hello guys, if you want to learn Oracle Database and SQL in 2021 and looking for free online courses then you have come to the right place. Earlier, I have shared the best SQL and Database courses and books, and today, I am going to share free Oracle SQL courses for beginners.
These are free courses from sites like Udemy, Pluralsight, Coursera, and other reputed online learning websites. They are made free for education and learning purposes. Thousands of people have already joined this course and you can also do the same and learn Oracle SQL from the comfort of your home or office.
Oracle is one of the most popular databases and many banks, insurance companies, and e-commerce websites use Oracle on their back-end. The combination of Linux + Oracle is a popular combination and thousands of companies are running their companies on that stack.
That’s why the demand for Oracle DBAs and Oracle SQL developers is always high. I am a Java developer and I learned Oracle SQL because I needed to work on a project which is using the Oracle database at the backend.
My job required me to write Oracle SQL queries, stored procedures, triggers, and other DB-related stuff which is part of application development. At that time, I learned Oracle SQL by reading blogs and tutorials, hopping from one website to another. I really missed a structured way to learn Oracle SQL which is provided by an online course.
This not only makes your learning faster but also builds your fundamentals which are key for further learning. There is also less chance to get stuck as there is always someone who can guide you and show you how to do it in the right way.
8 Free Oracle SQL and Database courses for Beginners in 2021
Without wasting any more of your time, here is a list of free courses from Udemy and other websites. These courses are great to start with Oracle SQL and build a foundation and most importantly they are free which means you don’t need to spend any money to learn Oracle SQL.
Your first step to becoming an Oracle SQL Developer
This course introduces Oracle SQL to its students. Anyone who is interested in getting into Oracle SQL Development may use this course to learn Oracle SQL.
In this course you will learn the following things:
How to write SQL Queries to interact with Oracle Databases
How to Become a Database Developer
How to Develop codes using Oracle SQL
Understand the basics of Oracle RDBMS Architecture
How to Progress towards Oracle SQL Certification
How to Understand about Oracle 12c Database
This is a free course with a considerable amount of video lectures to not only introduce Oracle SQL to you but also to take you much deeper into Database Development.
Here is the link to join this course — Oracle SQL — A Complete Introduction | https://medium.com/javarevisited/8-free-oracle-database-and-sql-courses-for-beginners-f4e9b25b33c4 | [] | 2021-07-06 11:59:42.918000+00:00 | ['Programming', 'Sql', 'Coding', 'Oracle', 'Database'] |
Free Market in Governance and Nigeria. | Free Market in Governance and Nigeria.
There has been an argument between those who support the ruling party or Government and those who do not about the competence of Government. Like we all hate to agree, we have 2 tiers of Governments, Federal Government and States (we know that Local Governments are extensions of States). The question of the incompetence of Government thereof does not begin or end with the Federal Government. We also have these questions same questions to be asked all our State Governments, even when the incumbents possess stellar performance track records prior to getting to the office.
There have been discussions about the efficacy of our leadership selection process in Nigeria, however, we seem to always be at the short end of the stick with respect to the output of the leaders we have. This recurring outcome has kept me in a state of confusion, and sometimes makes me think and ask what if the leaders are not actually the problems? With the state of how bad things are, it is indeed difficult to absolve our leaders from our current realities. What is the chance that all our leaders are bad? Having a probability of 1 is a rarity statistically for a lot of incidences, but it appears this happens too frequently in Governance in Nigeria. Could it be that the system is what makes these leaders bad? So, in Governance, what are the factors affecting the system? According to #FixPolitics, we need regulators, supply-side, and demand-side. This aligns directly to the fundamentals of a free market, which invariably implies that good Governance is not autonomous, but it to be demanded and supplied at the benefits of both market agents with the regulators servicing as the control system in order to protect both the demand side and supply side.
The Demand side of this is the electorates and the citizens. The electorates are citizens who have decided to actively participate in choosing their leaders, however, there are more citizens who for many reasons are not able to vote, but must bear the consequences good or bad of the decisions of the electorate are part of the demand side. The Supply-side of Good Governance has as major players the Political Parties and the Politicians. However, the effect of these groups is not efficient without the working of the Civil Service which has the key to deliver as the Political class wishes. On the regulatory side, we have the law of the land which is the constitution of the Federal Republic, and other institutions set up to enforce the law which includes the Independent National Electoral Commission, the Police, the Judiciary, etc.
I am not particularly sure why we expect that the good Governance system excludes the most important piece of the equation which is the Demand-side. From what I have heard and read, the expectations of better Governance are often on the Supply-side and the Regulator and less on the Demand-side. On many accounts, the demand side is the most important and powerful side of the equation. It is a known fact that without the knowledge of power, it cannot be exerted. It appears the citizens who are oblivious of the extent of their power are not using it enough. There are probably genuine reasons why the people are not using their power, but until this is done, little or nothing will change.
It is a known fact that those who benefit from a broken system have no sufficient incentives to make the change. The change is normally driven by those who suffer most from status-quo. However, it is important that these people know their power and what they want. Knowing what they want is also very important as this might get out of hand, especially if the supply side does not meet them halfway.
The Civil Service and Political class have their work cut out as they need to show the people, they are working to fulfill their heart desires, however, with reasonableness in it. Understandably, the people demand all they want from the Government; however, the Government cannot do all the people want. No Government can, and that is why globally, we have Governments voted in and out. Government admitting that they cannot do all the people want is not a failure, it is when Government is not able to deliver on the promises, they make is when they fail. In a Free Market economy, the Government’s role is not to provide economic goods, but to provide the environment through policies for this to happen. The Government can only intervene when the markets fail. In Nigeria, Governments do not intervene, as they are already playing on the supply side whilst attempting to provide what the market needs, i.e., roads, rail, airports, seaports, hospitals, etc. What the Government being a player does is discouraging private investors, as I am not sure of who wants to go into competition with their regulators, which in this case is also the Government.
Time has shown us that Free Market provides the best outcomes, which periodic intervention from the Government to adjust the market where need be when acting as the “unseen hand”. If this hand is seen, it takes away the confidence that the market needs to show for more players to trust it. Unfortunately, in Nigeria today, the hand is so seen that all the economic agents from the demand-side and the supply-side are directly influenced by the Government. The biggest example of this is the role of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in the allocation of foreign exchange. The central bank today, almost unanimously determines the price of the Naira, without much recourse to the Market. Recently, the CBN made a rather commendable policy that should encourage the flow of remittances to Nigeria by the International Money Transfer Organisations (IMTOs) remitting in foreign currencies, however, these same rule the CBN made is being blatantly disobeyed by them. Nigeria earns United States Dollars (USD) when we sell crude oil, which is paid into the JP Morgan accounts in London, however, when the CBN is to pay this money into the federation accounts, they pay the Naira equivalent at an exchange rate determined by them. The Minister of Finance should be challenging this inefficient practice as Nigeria loses billions in this practice yearly.
There are many more examples to buttress this point. There is sufficient fact to back the fact that as a country, we lack progress in areas and sectors where Government is the key provider. Government for many reasons is not designed for efficiency and it is not a coincidence that countries that appear to work are countries that are private-led. The Top airports globally are Private Sector owned and run, yet we have Governments in Nigeria planning to build airports. If there are enough economic incentives to build airports, private capital would be channeled there. Many of the airports in Nigeria are not doing more than an average of 10 airplanes daily. That traffic would not justify the construction of an airport; however, we have impoverished States prioritizing the construction of airports whereas they do not have good primary schools, primary healthcare centers even security.
The Government is not designed to solve all economic problems, whoever, it is easy for them to frustrate the private efforts at this, thus, the Government and her agencies must be strategic and deliberate in her attempt to engage. When the Government’s invisible hands become visible, they become an encumbrance rather than a helping hand. Even the well-intentioned Government interventions have a negative effect as Governments are not usually well equipped to intervene as their focus is always on the demand side. Provision of accurate data and information is one of the Government’s most important contributions to improving the market performance. However, the Government of poor countries like Nigeria believes that their interventions should be in form of provision of funds. Whilst cash is very important, it must be targeted, and it is best gotten from data and information that the Government has not sufficiently provided. We have information that the Government has rightly started to consider using some private resources to build public infrastructures like roads and bridges, however, these private sector funds must also include Citizens funds through Pension Funds contribution as well as listing the Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs) on the Stock Exchange in order to get more citizens to co-own these public infrastructures. There should be regulations that investments in Public Utilities and Infrastructure must be done by publicly traded companies to significantly reduce the chance of corruption.
The National Bureau of Statistics has been doing a good job, however, limited as there are few resources to do broader as well as deep jobs around data gathering and processing. Access to information would help the business leaders in the countries to make calculated investment decisions. I am not sure why we do not have the States Bureau of Statistics in Nigeria as I am not aware of any laws inhibiting the establishment thereof. Nigeria is currently in recession as a country, but which States are the biggest contributors to this? What sectors fell the most in the states? These levels of information are not readily available; thus, it becomes difficult to address the decline directly. The investments State Governments are making in other economic advancement programmes could be redirected to data gathering, and this shows likely organic business opportunities that could be job creation, thereby addressing the same problems in a more sustainable way. The Federal Government pays hundreds of thousands of unemployed citizens through the N-Power scheme and some of these people could be used by their State Governments for data gathering and the professional Statisticians process them.
The country and her economy are at an edge; thus, it is important that we make the best decisions and not just the most politically acceptable decisions. Insecurity has been a big problem for more than a decade, and yet we have not done any drastic change to Internal Security architecture other than weaken her and replace them with the Military. The problem with this also is that the Military is overstretched, thereby affecting their ability to deliver to the highest level they are capable of. It is harebrained to expect a single command for a very diverse country like Nigeria. This is another call for the establishment of State Police and Prisons, as the mindset and structure that got us here cannot get us out. It is understandable that all the States might not be able to afford a local police service, but that should not stop states that are able to and battling spiraling insecurity.
The free market is not a perfect market, but it is the closest to the perfect market there is. Different countries have also decided how to practice their kind of free market, as there is no best approach. China has shown the world another kind of Capitalism, State Capitalism. At the core of State Capitalism is efficiency which Nigeria does not have. There is no one size fits all approach to solving problems, however, considering all options create a good chance of addressing the myriads of problems that keep piling up in the country. It is also not a coincidence that it appears all things are getting worse as things either get better or worse. The quantum of work required to keep things at the stagnant (neither better nor worse) level is so much that a mediocre effort would fail significantly. We need to evolve our systems and processes as the problems in the country are evolving and mean efforts by both state and Federal Governments will never be sufficient.
Olamide Eyinla shares his thoughts from Lagos. | https://medium.com/@olamideyinla/free-market-in-governance-and-nigeria-7e2ec32daba5 | ['Olamide Eyinla'] | 2020-12-27 19:20:04.718000+00:00 | ['Africa', 'Nigeria', 'Economics', 'Development', 'Politics'] |
Top 5 Blog & article writers on fiverr | People want to read quality articles whether online or offline, they want to read the best of the best, words that can make them sticks down to their chair scrolling down there smart phone or laptop reading, the moment where there brain will be wired, and captured to strong emotion and powerful thought.
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His Article Type includes; First-person narrative, Instructional/how-to, and listicle.
smnoconnor Charges can be categorized into 3 parts;
Basic, Standard and Premium.
Here is a screenshot of what some customers have to say about smnoconnor;
To achieve your writing goals contact smnoconnor today and you will be glad you did.
5. haseebasif910
If you are looking for professional to help you promote your website or business with fantastic content that provides value for you and your clients, haseebasif910 is the person to get the job done. He is a level 2 seller with a five-star rating
haseebasif910 has a wide experience in writing content for various form of businesses and websites, there are thousands of people selling content writing services but one thing haseebasif910 keeps assuring is Clients is Quality comes first, so if you are looking for the services for your writing job haseebasif910 is the right man you should contact.
He is an expert who has got the solution to all your blog writing, SEO article writing and content writing needs. Also a professional who will rank your website on the first page of GOOGLE by writing 100% UNIQUE and Friendly Blog Post.
Topics he specializes includes; Internet & technology, General writing.
His Article Type includes; Instructional/how-to.
haseebasif910 Charges can be categorized into 3 parts;
Basic, Standard and Premium.
A screenshot of what some of His customers have to say;
Contact and engage haseebasif910 let him write SEO-optimized articles for you.
These are my five lists of article and blog writers i had worked with in the past and i am also presently working with, i recommend for you to work with any of them because job satisfaction is 100% guarantee. If you are not yet register on FIVERR and you want to work with any of the five-listed article and blog writer i already mentioned , you need to first register HERE. | https://medium.com/@abegunrinmicheal/top-5-blog-article-writers-on-fiverr-1db2c79105ae | [] | 2020-12-27 23:48:58+00:00 | ['Fiverr Gig', 'Article Writing', 'Articles', 'Blog', 'Web Content Writing'] |
What is NFT and How it’s changing the Art Game | A non-fungible token (NFT) is a blockchain-based digital asset. The blockchain acts as a public ledger, allowing anybody to check the legitimacy and ownership of an asset.
Unlike most digital objects, which can be mass-produced indefinitely, each NFT has a unique digital signature, making it one-of-a-kind.
NFTs are often purchased with the cryptocurrency Ether or in US dollars, and all transactions are recorded on the blockchain. While everyone can look at the NFTs, only the buyer has the title of official owner — a sort of digital bragging rights.
NFT Market place
Non-fungible token or NFT is actually a collectible digital asset. It holds value in the form of cryptocurrency as well as in the form of representatives for art or culture.
NFTs are one-of-a-kind blockchain-based tokens used to store digital media (like video, music, or art)
NFTs exist on a blockchain, which is a distributed public ledger that keeps track of transactions. Blockchain technology and NFTs provide artists and content creators with a one-of-a-kind chance to digitize their work.
Uses of NFT:
NFTs can be used to represent items such as photos, videos, audio, and other types of digital files
Digital art
Digital art was an early use case for NFTs, because of the ability of blockchain technology to assure the unique signature and ownership of NFTs.
Collectibles
NFTs can represent digital collectibles like physical card collections, however in a completely digital format.
Games
NFTs can also be used to represent in-game assets, such as digital plots of land, which are controlled by the user instead of the game developer. NFTs allow assets to be traded on third-party marketplaces without permission from the game developer.
Music
Blockchain and the technology enabling the network have given the opportunity for musicians to tokenize and publish their work as non-fungible tokens. NFTs have provided the opportunity for artists and touring musicians to recuperate lost income
Sports
NFTs have also been used in sports, in September 2019, NBA player Spencer Dinwiddie tokenized his contract so that others can invest into it.
Those who may be perplexed by the trend may wonder why so much money is being spent on products that just exist in digital form and can be accessed by anybody for free.
What has been the market’s growth?
NFTs, which have been traded since roughly 2017, have seen a significant increase in 2021. In February, monthly sales on the NFT marketplace OpenSea reached $95.2 million, up from $8 million in January.
According to NonFungible.com, which aggregates statistics from NFT marketplaces, total NFT trade volumes on the Ethereum blockchain total over $400 million, with roughly half of that occurring in the last 30 days.
NBA Top Shot has 683,000 users and $396 million in purchases, $232 million of which came in February, according to NonFungible.com data.
Why are you doing this now?
Some relate it to people being forced to spend more time at home on the internet due to lockdowns. NFTs, on the other hand, are a way for owners’ online friends to see their things.
Others are enticed by fast rising prices and the potential of large profits. Many crypto billionaires have emerged in recent years, with Ethereum to spend.
What is their significance?
NFTs are seen as the future of ownership by enthusiasts. They predict that all types of property, from event tickets to houses, will be tokenized in this way at some point.
NFTs have the potential to answer the challenge of how to monetize digital artworks for artists. They can earn more money from NFTs since they can receive a royalty each time the NFT is sold after the initial sale.
NFTs have the potential to change music as well. The NFT lets fans to purchase limited-edition vinyl or tickets to future Kings of Leon shows.
What are the potential dangers?
Because anyone can make NFTs, their scarcity does not ensure their worth. If the buzz fades, losses might mount.
Fraud is a possibility in a market where numerous people use pseudonyms.
Website: https://fatboytoken.co/
https://fbnft.world/
Social Media Links:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Fat-Boy-100871815537523
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fatboynft/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/FatBoyNFT
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fat-boy-529780212/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQtFV7UGRkfDBvjTboox55A
Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/user/FatboyNFT
Telegram Channel: https://t.me/joinchat/phNqow7sIf9hOWRl | https://medium.com/@fatboynft/what-is-nft-and-how-its-changing-the-art-game-81020b8d3e2 | ['Fat Boy'] | 2021-08-10 15:19:54.914000+00:00 | ['Nft Marketplace', 'Nft', 'Nftartist', 'Nft Collectibles', 'Nftart'] |
Image Processing Best Practices — C++ Part 2 | It took me a lot of time to decide what is the best intro for this article. I should have published this article more than a year ago and I just want to say:
This article is a continuation to the first one. Please go back and check it out if you have not already, since it heavily depends on it.
We are going to cover the following in this article:
1. Implementation for Sobel filter through X axis (Vertically).
2. Implementation for Sobel filter through Y axis (Horizontally).
3.Implementation for Sobel filter through X and Y together. | https://medium.com/@soubhihadri/image-processing-best-practices-c-part-2-c0988b2d3e0c | ['Soubhi Hadri'] | 2020-12-14 13:54:27.746000+00:00 | ['Image Processing', 'Computer Vision', 'Interview', 'Opencv', 'Cpp'] |
Howto reinvent yourself and achieve your dreams | In 2016, a 48-year-old woman from Ethiopia wanted to try something new in her life. She had spent 20 years of her career defending clients as a defense lawyer at a law firm she worked. Lately, her heart had been calling out to her to try something new.
She decided to pursue a new career in cooking.
Nobody stood by her decision. In fact, many of her loved ones thought she was crazy to start something new at her age.
This woman is a mother, a daughter, a sister, and had a career in law. A lot of responsibilities and social pressure stood in her way of achieving her new goals in life. People she knew have never done what she intended to do. If you have a secure job, you keep it. You don’t do something stupid like starting from scratch in another new career.
She deafened her ears to the no-sayers. And started doing the work any new pursuit needs.
Four years later…
She makes the tastiest dishes I’ve ever tasted in my life.
You don’t know this woman. In fact, few people know this woman’s name. But she runs a successful traditional restaurant in Addis Ababa (the capital city of Ethiopia).
This woman is my neighbor.
If you taste one dish from this woman’s cooking, you would think she has been cooking all her life. When you taste her signature palate, something tingles in the middle of your spinal cord. Your mouth waters. Nobody would guess her cooking skills are only 4-years old. But that’s the beauty of reinventing your life at any age. If you have the guts to try something new and work at it, you’ll achieve your dreams.
If you’re not inspired by someone you have never heard of, here’s someone famous to inspire you to try something new…
Remember that guy who graduated from Harvard Medical School who abandoned his residency to pursue writing.
The world knows his name…
Michael Crichton.
He had graduated from Harvard Medical School. He had done a post-doctoral fellowship study at the Salk Institute for Biological studies. He had a lucrative career as a doctor and researcher.
And yet…
He ditched everything for the unpredictable life of an author.
Medicine was not the career he wanted. So, he quit. He did not let pride take away his dreams to become a writer. He didn’t want to be doing something he didn’t enjoy to preserve his pride.
He did not think he was too old to reinvent himself.
Result?
Michael Crichton was a best-selling author, a screenwriter, a film director, and a producer. His books have sold over 200 million copies worldwide, and over a dozen have been adapted into films.
Bookshelves would not have Crichton’s best-seller books if he had not dared to try something new in his life.
Your startup. Your dream career. Your new business. Whatever your heart calls out to you. It has a decent shot only if you have the guts to try something new and take a risk. Regardless of a secure job the medical industry could have given him, Crichton wanted something else. And he built it from scratch.
What about you, my friend?
Do you want to try something new? A new career path, perhaps? Or you want to move to another country and start all over again? Or maybe you’ve been thinking of pursuing a creative project? Do you have the guts to walk in a new direction? Do you have dreams that keep you awake at night? Do you get a gut feeling in your stomach that makes you restless? Do you yearn to do work that excites you?
For most of us, we buried our dreams for so long because we could not fight the inertia of life. In my case, I have always wanted to be a writer. But I had too many responsibilities to give writing a shot. I had a job where my boss kept even my weekends busy at work. I had a grandfather who was battling cancer for years to take care of. I had a boyfriend who wanted to spend every minute I had left from work and other responsibilities with him.
In all this business, pursuing something new had no chance.
But something more sinister makes us unwilling to fight the inertia of life. It’s not just that we have responsibilities and life gets in the way that we don’t dare to reinvent ourselves. It’s more complicated than that. We’ve an enemy that stands in our way of trying something new. This enemy does not look like an enemy. This enemy feels safe and puts a warm blanket around our shoulders every day.
We know its name.
It’s called comfort.
If you want to reinvent yourself and have the guts to try something new, you need to throw this warm blanket and get ready to get cold.
Think of a turtle pulling its head inside the shell.
As long as the turtle keeps its head inside its shell, it will never get cold. But this warm blanket will never give us the courage to try something new.
We have to fight this warm feeling.
For some of us, a warm blanket around our shoulders kept us from pursuing something new. We snuggled inside this comfort. This feeling felt satiating and kept us warm. Comfort zone is where you have everything you need and this feeling keeps you numb. Comfortably numb. You’re safe. You’re protected. Your high and fortified walls safeguard you from daring to reinvent yourself.
How nice it is to be so comfortable! Hmm! It feels romantically satiating to be inside your comfort zone, dreaming, hoping, wishing, wanting to reinvent yourself someday in your life.
For some of us, we did not dare to fight the inertia of life because our comfort zone kept us numb.
When you have a nice house and enough money in your bank account to take care of your basic needs, comfort whispers to you to snuggle in your warm blanket. No need to try something new. Why bother throwing your warm blanket when you could stay warm? When your job gives you security, comfort whispers to you to cling to this warm feeling. No need to think about changing your job and try something new. You have a secure job that keeps you warm. Keep it.
Most of us do not see the danger that lurks behind a comfort zone.
The danger of this warm feeling…
As long as you cling to comfort, you’ll never dare to try something new.
Comfort is a dangerous euphemism.
As long as you’re unwilling to walk in a new path, you’ll never know what you could achieve in the new path. As long as you’re unwilling to take a chance on what your heart desires, you’ll never know what you could achieve. As long as you’re unwilling to try something you’ve always wanted, you’ll never know how things might turn out.
The willingness to take risks and try something new starts when we start letting go of our comfort zone. To walk in a new direction, you need to throw away the warm blanket and be ready to get cold.
Why?
Because obstacles and challenges will stand in your new path. And you will feel cold. Really cold. Whether your new path is to start eating healthy, a new relationship, building a business or moving to another country, a thousand screaming arrows will be thrown at you.
That’s part of life.
For example: Let us say you have started eating healthy. A few days into your new habit, you find it hard to keep eating healthy. Or maybe you’re in a new relationship and things are going south with your new partner. Or perhaps you’ve started a new business and customers have not started buying your products.
What will you do when thousand screaming arrows are shot at you in your new path? Do you step forward? Or do you fall back on your comfort zone? Will you keep walking in your new direction or stop fighting to reinvent yourself?
The courage to keep walking in reinventing yourself lives in one place only…
You need to brave the boundaries of your comfort zone.
The woman I talked about at the beginning of my story is courageous and my hero.
She could have given in to comfort and forget about working at something new from scratch. Instead, she braved the boundaries of her comfort zone and started a new career at 48. She could have talked herself out of pursuing new dreams. She could have let her age stop her from pursuing a new path.
She didn’t.
When I met this woman in 2018, something in me woke up. I’m 29 years old. Why can’t I reinvent myself? Why can’t I start pursuing writing professionally? What’s stopping me from walking on a new path?
I’ve always wanted to be a writer. After talking for hours with my hero, I started writing in my spare time. I started cutting my workday short so I would have more time to write. Eventually, I was writing whenever I could find the time. When my friends wanted to hang out with me on weekends, I told them I was at work. My friends did not take my writing seriously, but I did. I started sending drafts to publishers every week and got rejected many times.
With the rejections came tears. Tears that blinded my eyes and urged me to give up on writing. That’s when I would visit my hero and had tea in her garden. This woman has achieved her new dreams at 48 years of age. I can do the same. I told myself every time I visited her.
The next day, I would get up and get back to work. I wrote for one year before a major publisher accepted one of my drafts.
When people see the success of my blog now, they assume I’ve been writing all my life. Nothing is further from the truth. I’ve only been writing since 2018. But I’ve been seriously honing my skills in this short time.
For most of us, the inertia of life holds us back. This is especially true when we’re living a relatively comfortable life.
A comfortable life can be a secure job where you feel safe. No, don’t talk to me about trying something new. I don’t want to know. I feel safe here. The voice inside your head tells you, you have grown to the maximum level. You have seen it all. Heck, you are the maestro. You are living your dream.
This voice does not want you to brave the boundaries of your comfort zone. It convinces you to put your life in a boundary, and you’re not supposed to brave outside of it.
But the thing is…
We need to brave the boundaries of our comfort zone and step outside.
That’s what the woman in my story did. Even though her husband complained she was spending too much time cooking, she never stopped. Even though some of her friends thought she was in a mid-life crisis, she never stopped. Even though the restaurant she opened did not bring customers in her first year, she did not stop. She took lessons on cooking. She got up early before everybody in her family woke up and practiced new dishes.
Despite the obstacles in her way, she kept learning culinary skills.
Most people in her position would let excuses get in the way.
You’re too old to pursue something new. You don’t have any skills. You’re a woman. You’ll never be successful. Even if you do, it’ll take you years to be successful.
Most people in her position would let life get in the way.
Listen to your loved ones when they tell you to stop pursuing your dreams. Your significant other needs you, how dare you spend time pursuing your dreams? Your family relies on you to do your job, how dare you leave your responsibilities?
Many excuses and life’s inertia kept knocking on her door intending to steal her new dreams. But she kept fighting against any obstacle that stood in her way and kept walking towards reinventing herself.
Braving the boundaries of your comfort zone is not just important. We need hunger to grow and thrive.
Hell, a thousand screaming arrows might shoot at you menacingly. But you have to fight them with everything you have got. How else are you going to achieve your new dreams? How else are you going to wake up every day and walk in your new direction? How else are you going to reinvent yourself?
Do you have the courage to start from scratch and reinvent yourself?
“Once I decided I’m going to pursue a new career in cooking, I got up every day and got to work.” I’ve written this statement from my hero in my notebook to remind myself of the work I need to be doing every day.
It’s easy to look at successful people who’ve reinvented themselves and claim that they are destined for success. But that’s not the truth. These successful people we admire fought the inertia of life and took the first step in a new direction they wanted. Then they got to work the next day. And the next. And the next.
It’s hard to work up the guts to try something new.
Nobody wants to feel stupid and start from the beginning all over again. But that’s how you do work that excites you. Be willing to look silly and make lots of mistakes. That’s how you learn.
Without a willingness to make choices and taking action, talent is meaningless. What matters is you choosing to do something different. To reinvent yourself. To pursue your new dreams. To do the work. To choose yourself.
So is pretty much every other goal worth fighting for.
And one more thing to remember…
Reinventing yourself is inconvenient.
You might have to stay at home and work on your creative projects, instead of hanging out with your friends. You might have to leave work early to learn a new skill you want to master. You might have to tell your loved ones you’re leaving your secure job to pursue a career in photography.
The process is inconvenient.
On top of the inconvenience, nobody is going to praise you for having the guts to try something. The people you’re close to might even call you crazy! No one might understand what you’re trying to do. But that’s okay. The only one who needs to understand why you’re reinventing yourself is you. You can be your own champion. | https://medium.com/an-idea/how-to-reinvent-yourself-when-youve-already-done-something-else-for-a-long-time-957c2d32d2f9 | ['Banchiwosen Woldeyesus', 'Blogger Ethiopia'] | 2020-12-22 17:05:08.129000+00:00 | ['Inspiration', 'Life', 'Grit', 'Self', 'Psychology'] |
How do I attract more people into my business? #1 | “How do I attract more people to my business?” — This is a question, every successful entrepreneur had to ask him-/herself at least once. We’ll break it down for you. And at the end of this series, you will be able to apply the given techniques to any kind of business that needs promotion. Let’s go!
Part #1:
WRITE A BLOG
This is one of the easiest ways to attract partners, and meanwhile a very effective way! You don’t have to directly write about the business you are trying to promote. Just write about the very process of building your business. Write about the lucky breaks, the failures, and what kept you going. Through this way, you can build a trusted relationship with your readers, which will directly help you to increase your number of partners.
There are a lot of different ways to start your own blog. I will list a couple of the best Blogging Sites for you to make it easier for you to choose a comfortable platform!
Wordpress.org — [It’s free and very easy to set up. Good for Business and Personal Blogs. I might also write an extra article for setting up WordPress.]
Wix.com — [Wix is good for self-hosting, but you are a bit limited in the free Version. The Paid Version starts at 13$/month.]
Medium.com — [Medium is a very popular community for bloggers and journalists. You just have to sign up and can start writing! And it’s free.]
Part #2 is going to be released: 24. December.2020
Join our Incomatrix Global Elite (Group will be closed soon)
Contact me directly: | https://medium.com/@oleaderincomatrix/incomatrix-how-to-attract-more-people-to-my-business-1-7879bcec502b | ['O. Elite Leader'] | 2021-01-02 08:47:50.234000+00:00 | ['Incomatrix Team', 'Smart Contract Tron', 'Online Business', 'Smart Contracts', 'Incomatrix'] |
Trump’s failures | Trump’s failures
His supporters say he has accomplished more than any other president. Just what has he accomplished?
Photo by Darren Halstead on Unsplash
Whenever I write anything the least bit critical of our President, I inevitably receive bitter responses from his supporters taking one of two approaches.
The first is to attack me personally. After all, I am just a liberal college professor (I teach business management, by the way) from California (I’m from Michigan) who is obsessed with Trump. Regarding the third accusation, if being upset about what Trump has done to our country counts as an obsession, maybe I’m guilty of that one.
The second approach is to argue that “Trump has done more for this country than any other president.” That refrain is a common one among his supporters, and it begs the question, just what has Trump supported?
In the interest of fairness, then, let’s look at Trump’s accomplishments and give him a grade for his effectiveness.
Trade deficit at its worst since George W. Bush was President. Trump loves to blame Obama for his problems, and he loves to claim that he is a much better President than his predecessor. Perhaps Trump’s signature issue, other than his racism, is trade. Here, Trump has been an unqualified failure. According to the Federal Reserve, the U.S. trade deficit under Trump is the worst it’s ever been — except for when George W. Bush was President. Yes that’s right, worse than under Obama, worse than under Clinton, worse than anyone except for Bush. Worse federal budget deficit ever. Trump famously promised to eliminate the federal budget deficit. Oh well. In February 2019, the Federal Reserve reported the largest deficit in over fifty years at $233 billion. And that’s before the coronavirus crisis. Massive tax cut to the ultra-wealthy. According to that liberal rag Forbes, in 2018, thanks to Trump’s tax cut, for the first time in history, the 400 wealthiest people paid a lower tax rate than any other group. This point leads directly to my next point… Massive wealth inequality. According to the Pew Research Center, income inequality has reached an all-time high. In fact, for the first time in over fifty years, the top fifth wealthiest families in the country earned over fifty percent of the national income, and the group who suffered most as a result were the so-called middle class. What’s more, among developed countries, we have the highest level of inequality, and our inter-generational income mobility, in other words the ability of kids to do better than their parents did, is among the three worst in the world. So much for the American dream. Immigration rate continued to increase. Trump’s other signature issue is likely immigration. Well here too, his policies have proven a failure. According to the Pew Research Center, the immigrant share of the U.S. population has reached an all-time high. This despite the wholesale cruelty of this administration with its child separation policy, concentration camps for immigrants that have become hotbeds of coronavirus, and taking billions from the military to build his unauthorized border wall. American prestige at an all time low. According to a 25 nation survey conducted by the Pew Research Center, the world views us more negatively than ever before. In fact, opinion in our closest ally, Canada, has reached an all time low. To make matters worst, most of the world thinks the U.S. is in decline and China is on the rise. These numbers, by the way, are a significant change from the results of similar surveys while Obama was President. Even before the current crisis, the American economy was just so-so. Despite his claims to the “greatest economy in the history of our country,” actual economic data indicate that his economic performance is just a continuation of Obama’s. More jobs were created in the 31 final full months of Obama’s presidency (6.91 million) than during the 31 first full months of Trump’s presidency (5.85 million). Economic growth has continued at about the same pace as during the Obama administration, and median household income growth has actually slowed. And that’s all before our economy essentially entered a depression.
I know, I know. This list is incomplete. It says nothing about his lies, about his mishandling of the coronavirus crisis, his abandoning our allies in Syria, his praising white supremacists and Charlottesville, his attacks on healthcare, his corruption, his revolving-door administration, etc... I wanted to directly address the claims of his supporters with objective facts from reliable sources.
One area where Trump can point to an accomplishment is in his many judicial appointments. For that, however, I would argue that he can really thank Mitch McConnell. I would also argue that he has so politicized our judiciary that, in the long term, its credibility is destroyed.
I do know that none of this matters. Although political scientists, including Republicans, consider his administration among the worst in history, his supporters don’t care. I have written about this phenomenon before, but at a minimum, we should not accept the criticism that Trump has done more than any other president in history. Even if that is the case, given the results I’ve detailed, are those accomplishments anything to brag about? | https://greinerou.medium.com/trumps-failures-8a686f5236df | ['Michael Greiner'] | 2020-05-25 14:32:24.202000+00:00 | ['Politics', 'Democratic Party', 'Democrats', 'Elections', 'Election 2020'] |
We all live under the same sky | Covid-19 Diary: We all live under the same sky
New Jersey — April 15
Author: Xin Luo
In the past, when I heard stories like “someone just dropped the money and left”, I thought how ridiculous that was, and never believed them. well, it happened to me today.
A total stranger I didn’t know, contacted me in WeChat (the Chinese equivalent of Whatsapp) this morning. Without saying much, he transferred me 5,000 yuan! (US$700)
To be honest, I was really taken aback at the time.
Come to think of it, I have encountered quite a few such things recently.
62 people from Chengdu, China, pooled money together, bought 6382 medical and KN95 masks, put them in three large boxes and two parcels, sent them to me, and the freight cost nearly 10,000 yuan. (US$1400)
I asked for their names, and the answer was “friends from Chengdu”.
There are also 2,000 masks sent by two brothers from the city of Changsha in the HuNan province of China.
The person who transferred 5000 yuan this morning was from Anhui province.
They are all strangers I never knew before. They reached out to me after reading my diary on MoshangUS (A WeChat publication)
I feel so honored to cross path with these folks.
My local town government sent someone to pick up a batch of masks today. He expressed great gratitude to the contribution from Chinese people. They will distribute the masks to the departments in need.
I was not very satisfied with the note I made earlier. The folks of the Chinese Association asked their children to design a new one for the friends from Chengdu and the young brothers from Changsha. They could be used for the donations later too.
I also received a request from a French netizen for help today. She is a resident of the French town of Arles, where the epidemic is serious and the hospital urgently needs supplies such as masks.
Arles was once where Van Gogh lived, and many of his works were completed there. folks, If you have a channel, I hope you can donate some materials such as masks to the hospital there. The name of the hospital is Hospital Jean Imbert.
I looked it up on the net, the Chinese city Zhouzhuang is the sister city of Arles. If there is a donation from Zhouzhuang, wouldn’t that be wonderful?
Our Chinese Association originally was planning to buy dinner for our local EMT (Emergency Rescue Team). When they were ordering food at the Red Bowl, the owner of the restaurant said she would sponsor it. EMT sent someone to pick up the dinner, and gave lots of thanks.
A young man living alone in the town asked on Facebook:
He received more than 70 replies in a few hours, all of which were from folks who want to send him meals.
In the face of disaster, how valuable kindness is!
Like the guy from Anhui who transferred me 5,000 yuan said: “We all live under the same sky.”
Supporting each other and fighting together is what all of us should do now. | https://medium.com/@moshangus/we-all-live-under-the-same-sky-7582ca9d9c6e | [] | 2020-04-23 04:28:23.670000+00:00 | ['Coronavirus', 'Covid 19', 'Chinese', 'Volunteering', 'Donations'] |
What’s Driving the Future? | “The future is already here — it’s just not evenly distributed. ― William Gibson
In the introduction to this series, I described how the future is created by a continuous interplay between forces of continuity and forces of change. ‘Forces’ may sound mysterious, but that’s really just a word I use as a catchall for the underlying factors — whether social, economic, technological, or ecological — that encourage or discourage behavior in people — that is, in us.
Although the world is changing constantly, the status quo has its own inertia. That inertia is sufficient, usually, to prevent all that ongoing change from spreading quickly or evenly — or sometimes from even catching on at all. The future, it turns out, has a strong status quo bias.
For example, consider how 2020 played out. Advances in digital communications technologies had provided the ability to collaborate remotely from almost anywhere on earth well before the pandemic struck. But this particular force of change was held in check by more powerful forces of continuity that preferred to keep things the way they were. Before the onset of the coronavirus crisis in March, both the private sector and the public had soured on the notion of remote work.
It took an exogenous shock like the pandemic to loosen continuity's grip, presenting government agencies and corporate boards around the world with little choice but to embrace the change they had only just recently shunned. But in a telling example of continuity’s reluctance to give in even when forced to accept the necessity of change, many organizations this past spring tried to simply replicate their normal, in-person work practices remotely — with uniformly frustrating results. It took months for more traditional office cultures to adapt to the distributed, asynchronous, and necessarily more informal nature of remote work. Some offices never managed to adapt at all. For those that did, telepresence and remote collaboration quickly became indispensable, so much so that some now go as far as to project that we might never return to the office.
Too many would-be futurists fixate on one particular piece of emerging technology, a hot new startup company, or a disturbing geopolitical trend, and are then frustrated when their maximalist projections based on those things are wrong. Others falsely exaggerate the strength of the status quo, thinking that what exists now is more permanent than it is.
To exercise practical analytic foresight, you must account for both the forces of change and continuity.
Identifying Key Drivers
“Daring ideas are like chessmen moved forward. They may be beaten, but they may start a winning game.” ― Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Photo by Patrick Perkins on Unsplash
Another word for forces is ‘drivers,’ and they’re what this installment is all about. I look at drivers a bit differently than others. Where some use the term almost synonymously with ‘trends,’ I prefer to think of drivers as those forces exerting influence on the behavior of individual actors within complex systems. In this sense, it is the drivers that actually create the trends.
U.S. President Donald Trump, for example, is not a driver — though the sort of bomb-throwing, paradigm-breaking disruption he personifies is certainly a trend. The key drivers that encouraged Americans to elect Trump by a slim margin in 2016 will remain in effect once he departs the White House on January 20th, 2021, which is one reason why U.S. President-Elect Joe Biden’s appeals for a return to normalcy after four turbulent years are unlikely to succeed.
Key Drivers are those that stand out by the degree of influence they exert on the larger structure of the situation or problem being analyzed. Depending on the level of analysis you’re working at a Key Driver might be as generic as “climate change” or “artificial intelligence” or as specific as “the rate of sea-level rise” or “the capability of computer vision to identify cats.” No matter what the scope of your analysis is, though, identifying the Key Drivers is foundational to any exercise in analytic foresight.
As with the Key Assumptions Check, we do so by first gathering a group familiar with the issues being discussed, along with some select outsiders who can bring invaluable fresh perspectives.
What are the factors that we think are driving change? What about those driving continuities? Each participant gives an answer or writes it on a sticky note or on the whiteboard. It doesn’t matter exactly how you do it, as long as everyone’s answers are heard on an equal footing. It’s often helpful to use a facilitator who will read each answer aloud, prompting questions and sparking conversation within the group. Participants are encouraged to critique and build upon one another’s ideas.
Next, group the individual drivers that have been identified into affinity groups. Pick a word that describes each grouping. Discuss which groups are the best candidates for Key Drivers — those that represent or suggest a critical variable that’s certain to influence how the situation under consideration will evolve.
You don’t need an exhaustive list of drivers; a handful is more useful and much easier to work with. Once you’ve identified a good number of them, you can monitor them over time as they interact to create the future. You can also ask the question, how might we disrupt negative drivers or encourage positive ones?
Divergent Options
“The future is plural.” — Peter Schwartz
Photo by Adi Goldstein on Unsplash
Perhaps the most helpful thing we can use drivers for is generating scenarios. Scenarios are one of the most effective means we have of thinking about plausible futures because they simultaneously expand our thinking and sensitize us to the importance of uncertainty. Many participants in scenario-generation exercises find a good scenario exercise to be far more helpful than being presented with a slide deck or a lengthy white paper that they don’t have time to read.
Scenario-building will serve to challenge inherited assumptions and break the worn conceptual pathways we’re used to, allowing us to consider scenarios that may otherwise be thought unlikely as plausible under certain driver-influenced conditions. When building scenarios, you may identify discover that your drivers aren’t drivers at all, or are themselves being driven by other, even more foundational drivers.
Scenarios aren’t predictions, they’re merely potentials. Instead of trying to estimate the most likely future — and always getting it wrong — scenario development allows us to construct a framework of various plausible futures, within which the most likely one can be found. The more plausible scenarios that you develop, the better your sense for outlier scenarios that involve both high risk and great opportunities will become.
Ok, that’s about it for drivers. Next time, I’ll talk more about how we use drivers to generate scenarios through which to analyze alternative futures throughs simple 2x2 matrices. Don’t forget to like, clap, share, and subscribe if you’re enjoying this series and want to see more. | https://medium.com/predict/whats-driving-the-future-a1d21581d704 | ['Zachery Tyson Brown'] | 2021-02-26 03:26:41.398000+00:00 | ['Thinking', 'Future', 'Strategy', 'Analysis', 'Futurism'] |
“Why did you get that tattooed on you?” | September 4, 2019. Inkyard Tattoo, Laguna Beach, California
September 15, 1978 my dad signed his name on a piece of paper at the maternity ward releasing me from the hospital. His first child.
September 3, 2009 I signed my name on a piece of paper in ICU releasing my dad from this world.
He signed his name on that piece of paper while looking at me with love and compassion.
I signed that piece of paper looking upon his still body with love and compassion.
He signed his name thinking to himself all the things that he was going to teach me. All the things he was going to do for me and how he was going to make my life exceptional
I signed that piece of paper thinking of all the things I didn’t do with him; what I didn’t learn from him and all the experiences that I should have had with him.
He signed that piece of paper being a little anxious, perhaps a little nervous because now he has a whole new person in his life to care for.
I signed that piece of paper thinking I would never have this person back in my life. I will never have the chance to take care of him,
He signed.
I signed.
I now have his signature on me permanently as a reminder of the love, the compassion, and the dreams that he released me into this world with.
Love you. Miss you. | https://medium.com/@iLikeThisGrape/why-did-you-get-that-tattooed-on-you-b13d1784cd0d | ['Naushad Huda'] | 2019-09-05 03:33:33.166000+00:00 | ['Signature', 'Laguna Beach', 'Love', 'Dad', 'Tattoo'] |
Wealth Migration | Dr. Christian H. Kälin, Group Chairman, Henley & Partners
Wealth and talent will go where they are wanted and stay where they are well treated. Today that adage — attributed to legendary banker Walter Wriston — is truer than ever. Some 95,000 high-net-worth individuals migrated in 2017 (the latest year for which data is available), up from 82,000 in 2016 and 64,000 the year before — ample evidence that the migration of wealth around the globe continues to accelerate.
There are an estimated 18.2 million high-net-worth individuals on the planet (defined as those with assets of at least USD 1 million), and their collective wealth has now surpassed the USD 70 trillion mark. That number also continues to grow and is projected to exceed USD 100 trillion by 2025. The migration of these individuals is particularly beneficial for the nations they move to. Nearly half of the 17 countries that saw the biggest percentage increases in wealth from 2016 to 2017 were assisted by inflows of wealthy people.
China, India, Turkey, and the UK saw the biggest outflows of such individuals in 2017. Safety, financial stability, high taxes, and religious or political tensions are a few of the factors driving these wealthy citizens abroad. According to the 2017 Knight Frank Wealth Report, demand for new nationalities is highest from China, Russia, and the Middle East, with around four-fifths of visas under the US EB-5 residence-by-investment program going to Chinese nationals.
Number of HNWIs migrating per year
Millionaires looking for residence or citizenship in alternative jurisdictions are seeking better schools, lower crime rates, and more abundant business opportunities. They are finding these conditions in nations such as Australia, the US, and Canada, which topped the list of wealthy individual inflows in 2017. In the case of Britain, Brexit and the concerns associated with it have slightly reversed the flow of wealthy individuals in recent years, although the UK Tier 1 Investor Visa Program remained popular until its temporary suspension in December 2018.
Flows go both ways, however, and there has been a noticeable and significant increase in appetite among wealthy individuals in both Europe and the US for access to residence- and citizenship-by-investment programs in other nations — a trend that is set to increase. More broadly, overall demand for a second passport continued to grow in 2018: more than a third of global ultra-high-net-worth individuals (those with a net worth exceeding USD 30 million) already hold one, and another 29% are planning to obtain one.
In addition to the larger economies taking in wealthy individuals, several smaller nations — Cyprus, Malta, Mauritius, Monaco, and Portugal among them — also saw significant wealth inflows in 2017. Several of these nations are benefiting from residence- and citizenship-by-investment programs. Malta, for example, saw a 12% increase in its ultra-wealthy population in 2016, primarily due to its citizenship-by-investment program.
The percentage of UHNWIs who hold a second passport or plan to obtain one
Such programs account for about one in five wealthy individual migrations, though this number excludes individuals who gain citizenship in a second country but do not take residence, as well as those who move globally among several residences. Including such individuals would show an even larger impact on global wealth trends from the investment migration industry.
Wealth is clearly on the move globally, now more than ever. Wealthy individuals tend to have the skills, knowledge, capacity — and capital — that can increase an economy’s overall wealth and standard of living. Attracting and keeping them are critical to nations seeking those outcomes. | https://medium.com/henley-partners/wealth-migration-574ccab52e05 | ['Henley'] | 2019-01-14 09:47:30.803000+00:00 | ['Mobility', 'Travel Freedom', 'Hnwi', 'Finance', 'Citizenship By Investment'] |
10 ways to figure out if (s)he really has ‘a black friend’ | THE DONE-HUMORING-YOU “BLACK FRIEND” INVESTIGATION
Have you ever had to have The Talk with your kids?
This wouldn’t normally be a discussion to bring up in casual conversation. But in 2020, there are a lot of Randall-Kate conversations going on. (“This Is Us” is such an amazing show.) You already know that white parents don’t usually have to have this conversation. But that doesn’t mean they don’t know what it is. Some white folks are using their artistic talents to show how much they understand — years before Trump was in the White House.
But really what you’re looking for is for someone to not bat an eye if you bring up The Talk — because they’ve been there before and had to have a hard discussion with that “black friend.” If it trails off into “I don’t see color” or “everybody is so politically correct,” you’ve gotten your answer. This person only “sees color” when it means they can use their friend to prove just how not racist they are. It’s convenient but ineffective.
Photo credit: Unseen Histories/Unsplash
It’s a shame how the FBI treated MLK, isn’t it?
I have lost count of the number of times a “black friend” story has been followed up with a Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. quote. They’re almost hand-in-hand and a dull mic drop after the “content of their character” speech. Somehow the one-sided rivalry with the Federal Bureau of Investigation is clean overlooked. But don’t elaborate. Just ask the question and let the “friend of a black friend” discuss how much they know about how this peaceful protester was treated. Or, does the MLK history lesson just summarize that one paragraph in history books?
What are your plans on Columbus Day?
Trick question. If this person still believes Columbus “discovered America” with natives already there, be skeptical of anything else (s)he says. It’s Indigenous People’s Day and nothing else. This is the same explorer who thought the Bahamas was Spain, Cuba was China and Hispaniola was Japan. Anyone who is still feeding into Columbus earning this holiday no doubt believes Africans were “workers” who traveled on a “cruise” and their captivators were “nice to them.” (They also cannot wait to tell you that Africans owned slaves, too, but conveniently leave out it was more like indentured work before the Portuguese got involved and not even slightly as horrific as what U.S. slavery is. Or, that in later centuries, freed slaves used it as a transaction to get their family members and friends out of slavery.) But while places like Ghana are owning up to the slave trade before the French Revolution, there are still U.S. states who want slave trade history removed from history books — all while gloriously celebrating the holiday for an explorer responsible for spreading 30 diseases, wiping out more than 236K indigenous people and killing 25 million people in five years.
I’m trying to figure out my plans for Juneteenth. What’d you and your friend do last year?
If this person doesn’t know what Juneteenth is, just walk away. Not only has the token black friend not done a good job of keeping this person up to speed, but it’s probably Diamond and Silk. And those two are ahead of schedule planning for Columbus Day anyway. | https://medium.com/i-do-see-color/10-ways-to-figure-out-if-s-he-really-has-a-black-friend-2e667b4cd734 | ['Shamontiel L. Vaughn'] | 2020-11-15 20:25:57.463000+00:00 | ['Thanksgiving', 'Race', 'African American', 'Racism', 'White Privilege'] |
World Bestest Love comic images || Love || Relationship Goals | We have all heard that love is affected person and love is type, however have you ever ever thought of how hilariously humorous love and romantic relationships may be as nicely? As these humorous love quotes from comedians show, love can carry a chuckle, giggle or a side-splitting chortle out of nearly anybody you may meet.
While you’re in love, you’re mechanically having an excellent time. You might be with the individual you like probably the most, and something you do with them brings a smile to your face, even after they’re annoying you worse than anybody has earlier than! So naturally, your courting and love life are positive to be stuffed with some downright entertaining moments.
In fact, there are additionally elements of affection that do not appear humorous at first, however that you end up laughing about it afterward. Unhealthy breakups, fights and misunderstandings could come up and put a pressure on issues. However as soon as you’ll be able to work via it together with your associate, you are additionally capable of see the humor within the scenario.
In spite of everything, life could be rather a lot much less fascinating if we did not function that method. Might you think about a humor-less society? Ugh. That may be horrible.
Thank heavens for comedians and their fascinating outlook on every part that goes on in our world! Having the ability to consider laborious conditions and discover a type of silver lining someplace inside all of it is really a present. And it is one thing we are able to all study from, as a result of it is vital to recollect to not take every part too critically. | https://medium.com/@dhyan-de-54/world-bestest-love-comic-images-love-relationship-goals-cfc5e642991c | [] | 2021-02-22 08:35:34.283000+00:00 | ['Lovestory', 'Couple Goals', 'Relationship Goals', 'Love Image'] |
How To Dodge Workplace Mishaps? | When you make a franchise venture, you want to do all you can to make certain your new business runs slickly from the outset. Mishaps happen; sometimes you can’t dodge them, but you can take precautions to diminish the risk of your clientele, your employees or you get bruised. Many workplace wounds happen because safety measures aren’t stuck to. Many folks assume that most accidents take place within high-menace industries, but this is far-flung from true. 29 percent of reported injuries was an upshot of a slip, trip or fall on a similar level, while a further 22 percent of wounds arose through lifting or handling goods or gear.
So, whatsoever franchises business prospects you choose to capitalize on, you need to be sure that you allay the risk of your employees being bruised in the workplace. How can franchises evade workplace mishaps? As a franchisee, you have a duty under health and safety law to evaluate perils at the workplace. You should perform risk valuations often and fix any potential risks. You also have accountability to inform your staff about the menaces that they’re exposed to, how they can guard themselves and how they should deal with the menaces they face.
Part of your franchise speculation capital should be used to safeguard that safety is taken utterly and always at the front of your operatives’ minds. As saying goes, prevention is better than cure. Here are several tips on how to dodge accidents occurring in the initial place.
1. Write a health and safety strategy
If the franchise business prospect you’ve invested in hasn’t offered you a health and safety strategy, you should create one. Itemizing how you’ll cope with health and care in your franchise unit will send a message to your staff about your promise to keeping them away from damage in the workplace. You’re not grateful to have a documented health and safety strategy if you employ fewer than mandatory staff members, but it’s decent to practice having one.
Analyze all the zones for concern in your business, where mishaps could transpire, as the part of a risk valuation. Then work out what actions you can take to guard your employees. The process doesn’t have to be grim; there are templates you can download to make it as meek as conceivable.
2. Make everybody responsible for the safety
You might be the franchisee but keeping the workplace safe isn’t just your work. Once you’ve written up your health and safety strategy, dispense it across your workforce and make sure everybody has access to it and is competent to refer to it at all times. You could do this by comprising it in employees’ orientation materials or uploading it to a common online portal. Eventually, good franchises safeguard that all employees are trained to do their job without harm, as well as competently, profitably, speedily, etc.
This means making certain they know how to use equipment and trail safety procedures during work. You could safeguard your safety standards are supported by putting info posters up around the workplace and familiarizing frequent tests, checks, and supervision sittings.
3. Keep work zones clear
It may seem palpable, but there’s a reason that slip-ups, trips, and falls are the utmost common wound sustained in the workplace. Jumbled, messy and dirty spaces make for a risky work environment. Boxes, hawsers, spillages; whatever the difficulty that is risking the Wellbeing of your employees, it should be stirred, tidied or cleaned up to eradicate the needless risk. So, whether you work in a factory, a retail setting or an office, you should boost your staff to keep their work areas clean and neat and carry out steady inspections. As well as making certain the work environment is safe, you should safeguard it’s healthy.
This means making certain it is well-lit, temperature-controlled and adequately ventilated. Both these points are mainly relevant if you slog in the retail sector. Not only do you necessitate to ensure the safety of employees, but of the overall public too. For instance, if a customer trips over the hawser for a vacuum cleaner that has been left out, you could finish up in a fiddle situation.
4. Make employees conscious of provisional hazards
If ‘provisional hazards’ occur, you necessitate to make certain people know about them, so, they can take measures to evade wound. If you spot a probable hazard that can’t be fixed directly, do what you can to make others conscious as soon as they enter the zone. You can’t be all over the place at the same time, so make certain your staffs are also competent to do this if you’re not around. We’ve all seen the yellow slip danger signs to draw attention to spillages on the floor. Signs like these take seconds to put in place and could dodge a serious wound. You should also alert folks to patchy floor tiles, live wires, and risky fumes.
Of course, you’ll necessitate capitalizing in safety signage before your business twitches trading, so factor it into your start-up outlays. It shouldn’t conquer a massive chunk of your budget but could save you a lot of money in the extensive run.
5. Offer the right equipment for the job
You can guard your staff by offering safety equipment such as goggles, gloves, and helmets. The exact products you use will vary upon the type of business you run and the industry it is a chunk of. Nevertheless, safety equipment should be used whenever conceivable, and shortcuts should not ever be taken. But wounds don’t just occur in franchises where precise safety equipment can be castoff. As we all recognize, accidents can take place in the most improbable situations.
Often, wounds at the workplace are caused by stress brought on by ordinary, tedious activities such as typing. Decent franchises offer even ergonomic evaluations to all employees that sit at a desk for the bulk of the working day. Just changing a chair or fine-tuning the layout of a desk can make all the changes to an employee’s posture and, therefore, lessen the chance of wounds occurring.
What should you do if a mishap does transpire?
1. Custom the workplace first aid kit
Keeping a well-stocked first aid kit where all staff can access it empowers minor wounds to be dealt with as soon as conceivable. This can edge the chance of infection and eradicate the chance of more severe problems occurring.
2. Account all accidents
Under health and safety regulations, some mishaps and wounds must be logged. You must Write info about the incident, comprising the date and time, the cause of the accident, and any action offered. Even though this can seem like a waste of time, particularly if the injury is justly minor, the details will be precious if a bruised employee makes a reimbursement claim at some point in the imminent.
3. Have accurate insurance in place
If you have staff, you’ll probably necessitate employers’ liability insurance. There are a few businesses that are exempted, but most franchises will require this cover. Employers’ liability insurance guards you if an employee is bruised or becomes ill because of their work and tries to claim reimbursement.
Conclusion
At Frantastic, we help our clients with ample of opportunities in the world of franchising across sectors and industries to unlock their growth potential by evading or minimizing franchising challenges & risk and making it first time right. | https://medium.com/@frantastic.ff/how-to-dodge-workplace-mishaps-20f087820a3d | ['Frantastic - Franchise Consultant'] | 2019-11-15 11:31:01.458000+00:00 | ['Management And Leadership', 'Business', 'Franchise Opportunities', 'Franchising', 'Startup'] |
9차 얼리버드 안내 | APISplatform
Official publication for APIS, the world-first masternode… | https://medium.com/apisplatform/9%EC%B0%A8-%EC%96%BC%EB%A6%AC%EB%B2%84%EB%93%9C-%EC%95%88%EB%82%B4-26afb2777590 | ['Sophie Ha'] | 2020-12-11 07:00:10.852000+00:00 | ['Kor', 'Cryptocurrency', 'Blockchain', 'Notice', 'Finance'] |
What Happened In This Election? | What Happened In This Election?
Hatred of Democrats was nearly as intense as hatred of Trump. Dems need to ask themselves why, and find a way forward.
Like many after the election only now drawing to an ignominious close, I’m left with a nagging question: What just happened?
Two narratives have emerged. The first is that 47% of Americans are (at least) White Supremacist adjacent. I find it hard to square this story with what I see around the country, let alone with the fact that meaningful blocks of both Latinos and African Americans voted for Trump. The second is that “far left” Democrats enabled Trump to paint the party Socialist red, anti-blue, and green new deal, and that enough Americans worried about the resulting color model to hold back control of the Senate and weaken Democrat’s grip on the House. This too falls short for me, as it fails to explain the appeal of Trumpism in an electorate that, when all was said and done, decided it had had enough of Trump.
Hungry for an alternate explanation, I’ve marinated since the election in the work of smart contrarians like Andrew Sullivan, Jon Meacham, Thomas Edsall, Coleman Hughes, and Ian Haney López. A third narrative has come into focus:
Trump was nearly as successful at making the election a referendum on Democrats as Democrats were at making it a referendum on Trump.
The record turnout in this election was more a measure of the intense anger on both sides than of the intense patriotism on either, like 150 million Americans each grinding their own axe. What happened in the end was a little more than half of us voted against Trump, and a little less than half of us voted against Democrats. That’s why, win or lose, we all feel so miserable.
How We Got Here
To figure out how we got here, you need to start with a fresh look at not only racism, but the way people respond to being accused of it.
Racism, of a kind, is written into our DNA. Fear of the other has its evolutionary roots in the creation of a Them that brings an Us together, encouraging cooperation in small groups and advancing one civilization at the expense of others in the zero-sum game of pre-industrial human society. We share this powerful impulse, broadly, just as we do our other lizard-brain motivations. Left unchecked — or worse, exploited by those who would use it to divide us in advancing their own interests — racism is a stubborn stain on America, an original sin we may never fully overcome.
That sin is universal, though, and not the exclusive provenance of trucker-hatted good ‘ol boys who take odd joy in expressing it. Like a weed in the garden of our most private selves, our innate racism can and must be beaten back, and if never quite eliminated then certainly tamed as a destructive force.
The good news is our collective progress in overcoming this is just as real and as prevalent as our individual racist tendencies. Even if racism remains hidden in our nature, real affection for cultural diversity permeates the world most of us are nurtured in today. It’s part of what makes us Americans, and that is cause for hope.
For most Americans, oppression on the basis of race, gender, and sexual orientation is not the primary frame of American life in 2020. Again — with all the humility my White male heterosexual privilege demands — it is simply impossible to make the case that things are not dramatically better for homosexuals now than they were before gay marriage became a sanctioned right in 2013; that they are not geometrically better for women than they were before half the population was given the right to vote in 1919; and that they are not exponentially better for Blacks than they were before 1865 when human beings were dragged here in chains, enslaved, raped, tortured, and murdered without consequence because the color of their skin.
To acknowledge this progress in not pollyanna. To ignore it, in fact — as Democrats too often do — is to alienate those who see it with their own eyes, all around them. Yes, challenges remain. There is work to do to fight right-wing terrorists, to correct for the racial biases of law enforcement, and to lower the barriers to opportunity that structural racism presents.
In 2020 America both parties are bent by the gravity of racism, with one determined to exploit it regardless of the consequences, and the other intent on condemning it regardless of its universality.
Democrats are right to champion these things, but foolish to do so in a way that prevents them from accumulating the power to do something about it. Republicans, on the other hand, are willing to do whatever it takes to accumulate power. Donald Trump, who first looked like an uninvited guest at the GOP lawn party, in fact turned out to be the ultimate expression of their cynicism.
Trump’s Gift
I met Trump briefly, and it’s true that he’s charming and funny in person. He really understands media, and knows instinctively how to entertain the large number of people who’ve embraced the mythology he created around himself.
“It is absurd to divide people into good and bad. People are either charming, or tedious.” ~ Oscar Wilde. Photo: Napoleon Sarony, via Wikimedia Commons.
As a politician, Trump says in public what a lot of people think in private, and he does so without fear or apology. “He’s one of us,” says the hard working blue collar MAGA crowd of a coddled, narcissistic quasi-billionaire, and that is his appeal, and his superpower. He is one of them, but as they wish to be, instead of how they are.
Like all great marketers he’s a student of human response, saying more of what works to get people excited and less of what doesn’t to avoid bringing them down. Not immoral so much as a-moral, he sees the distinction between lies and truth as irrelevant, like excess baggage that limits the agility of those less focused on success. He cares only for winning the moment, ignoring what he said before and indifferent to the downstream consequences. Unencumbered by conventional morality, concern for others, or respect for institutions, he lives solely for the adulation of his base, supercharged in a media age where his every thought flies directly to admiring millions.
In a world where a large number of working Americans feel threatened by the changes accelerating all around them, abandoned and unheard, Trump expresses and validates the fear of others that for them is both real and forbidden, and they love him for it. When Democrats respond by calling out the “racist dogwhistle,” nobody’s mind is changed, but the contest is framed in exactly the way Trump wants it to be… between what voters actually feel and what some coastal metrosexual says they should.
Medicine, or Candy?
Democrats painted the election as a contest between the oppressors and the oppressed, then asked voters to side with the latter… which — lets be honest — nobody really wants to do.
Side with the folks on top, and you get labeled a racist. But you know what? Nothing is more American than wanting to be on top. And in the culture we’ve all grown up in, calling someone a racist when they really don’t think they are one is going to make them very mad at you. People react strongly when accused of racism because in 2020, few think of themselves or want to be seen as racist. This isn’t a political conundrum, but something to be celebrated.
In the end voters faced a choice between Democratic medicine on one side and Republican candy on the other. That enough people took the medicine to get rid of Trump is something to be proud of, but it’s a pride that quickly gives way to questions about how we got here, and anxiety about what happens next.
What Needs To Happen Next
An election is a contest of narratives. I believe the Democrats should have advanced a different one, and that in two years they’ll need to not only to take another shot at the Senate but to hang onto control of the House. That narrative is this:
Rich elites are working hard to protect their place atop an unfair system by dividing Americans along racial lines. To beat them we need to come together as working people, to implement common sense policies that make our families safer, our jobs more secure, and our nation more united.
The big difference between this narrative and the one Democrats are using today is the calling out of what Ian Haney López calls “strategic racism.” Strategic racism is racism deployed as a means toward hidden political ends, and in addition to being accurate in this case, it helps to shift the dynamic from a contest between people of color and their White allies to one between a united multi-ethnic front of working people and the emergent oligarchs who’ve been their real oppressors all along. We know this message works because it’s the reason Minnesota shifted from purple to blue.
Beyond that, it aligns with what should be Democrat’s true policy goals if they intend to not only secure their majority through the mid-terms, but deliver on the promises they’ve made to the nation. In the final analysis, Democrats need to demonstrate progressive government can actually improve the lives of a broad coalition of Americans— supporters and detractors; Black, Latino, and White; gay, straight, trans, and whatever — in order to earn the trust of independent minded voters drowning in a sea of anti-Democratic propaganda. Ending the COVID crisis, accelerating economic recovery by protecting those hurt most by its consequences, and re-engaging the world with trade deals measured against the standard of supporting working families should all be policy priorities of the first two years. Biden’s framing of climate change as an opportunity and not just a challenge for middle America is aligned with this narrative, as is renewed progress toward a healthcare system that sets a minimum standard of care to which every American should be entitled.
In the end good policy is the Democrats only hope of making this election a pivot point rather than a temporary setback for the forces of division. But voters need to understand those policies in the context of a story that makes sense to them in order for it to work. | https://medium.com/politically-speaking/what-happened-in-this-election-e68e46fe3e95 | ['Mike Troiano'] | 2020-11-30 16:17:12.493000+00:00 | ['Politics', 'Political Strategy', 'Trumpism', 'Democrats', 'Election 2020'] |
The Hated Editing or Rewriting Stage of Writing Should Be Your Favorite Part | Photo by Håkon Grimstad on Unsplash
The last big frustration, in my series of five parts of writing that authors dislike, is editing or revising.
Everyone loves creating and writing, watching the words appear on the screen and pages fill up with their thoughts. Even non-writers enjoy the act of writing and expressing themselves. But as soon as someone mentions editing or revising their work, a darkness clouds their eyes, and you can see their minds shutting down.
Why is that? I ask that honestly, wanting to know the answer because I can’t relate to that feeling. I don’t mind editing or revising. I don’t love it as much as I love writing and creating characters that come to life inside of my story, in a world that I invented. But I do like the editing process because it gives me the opportunity to reenter my story as a reader. I read to experience the story and when things jump out at me that jars me out of the story, like a character not behaving as that character should (based on how I set her up), I like taking my highlighter and pen and making a note to fix that.
I have to like this because I want to write the best story possible. I can’t for example state that my character is loving and values her family, but then have her make a choice on page 200 where she chooses to do something that will harm her family. It would be out of character for her. If she does harm her family, it has to be an unintentional move. During revision, if I notice I’ve written something like this, I immediately need and want to change it, and I’m happy I caught it before the book was published.
Why Do So Many Hate Revising?
So, going back to the question of why editing and revising causes writers to get frustrated or to avoid this process, I’d like to try to answer it.
As I mentioned, writing is the fun part; it’s creative, it’s magical, it’s powerful, it’s even ego boosting. In comparison, what is editing and rewriting? It’s work. It’s hard. It’s deflating when we realize how many things we did wrong. Everything we wrote which sounded so brilliant in the heat of writing, now seems just okay, trite, or maybe even terrible. As we re-read our work, all the self-doubt we have as writers (and every writer I’ve known has self-doubt) comes out, like a bunch of those Halloween monsters that come to life when you walk past them. They startle you! We wonder how in the world we ever thought that was good.
Who wants to have those feelings? No one. And so, what happens? We avoid or put off the editing process. Or we struggle through it, hating every minute, wishing we could just toss that terrible story away and begin a new one. Don’t do that! It will be a temptation because something new always sounds more appealing. But don’t turn away from the work. This is where you grow as a writer. We learn and we grow from challenges, not when everything goes smoothly. If you don’t worth through the issues in your current story, you will make the same mistakes in the next novel and eventually you will tell yourself, you’re just not a good writer and give up.
I do kind of understand the frustration and the wanting to avoid fixing the problems, especially if they seem insurmountable. But I want to offer a different way of looking at editing. My perspective is that the editing process is not any less creative than the writing process. Editing and revising call for taking a closer look at the story. Writers need to systematically evaluate the big picture that we discussed in the previous blog.
If writers didn’t plot the story before writing it, now they need to look at the structure and figure out where the first turning point occurs where the character commits to her journey, where the middle point of no return is or where the mirror moment happens, where it looks like everything might fall apart. They need to see how each scene flows seamlessly into the next and ruthlessly take out every scene that doesn’t move the story forward.
All that takes analytical skill, but it is also creative. It’s design. Have you ever watched one of those home-design shows? The designers are editing and revising! They work with what is there, but sometimes throw things out, add new colors or drapes or furniture, change the flooring. They make little tweaks or large changes but when they are finished, the room or the house looks spectacular. It was their vision and their creativity that they used to take a mess and create something beautiful. This is the way I think if revising a story as well. The story might be a huge mess or might need slight tweaks, and it’s my job as the creative genius (I give myself outlandish titles) to make this story sparkle.
Can editing and revision be frustrating? Yes, of course. But we can make it less frustrating by looking at is as a continuation of building the amazing story that grew in our hearts and that we will soon share with the world. | https://medium.com/@juliaamante/the-hated-editing-or-rewriting-stage-of-writing-should-be-your-favorite-part-6a8e29f85b5c | ['Julia Amante'] | 2020-11-22 01:16:47.669000+00:00 | ['Editing', 'Writing Frustrations', 'Revision', 'Writing Process', 'Writing Tips'] |
The one you wish may not be the one you need | The first time was when I had to think of being a lecturer (like my father was) or being a lawyer and going to the “battlefield” to see how businesses operate. I chose the latter, and so far, I satisfy with that choice.
It happens to everyone when we have to choose which way we should follow. It is not easy to choose between what can help you to stabilize your life and what you wish to do but you may need to take risk of being failed.
Choices
I finished my LL.M. a few months ago. The past two months, I spent time to travel around Europe after the lifting of travel restriction. Coming back from those trips, I need to think about what I should do next. I would like to find a 9–5 job, either in Europe to experience an international working environment, or in my country. I also want to start a business relating to tech-travelling or opening a dessert shop in my country or being a blogger. I have a lot of things in my mind.
Then I realize that the most important thing I need to think about is how I can finance my life. I question myself whether those things would be the thing I need the most at this moment.
Each option has its own pros and cons
For running my own business, it can help me to manage my finance well. And, it would be great when you are the employee of yourself. But, I have to exchange with that choice. I will have to be ready for the first few years of not being successful. I need to think of risks and difficulties in the first few years.
If I take the option of coming back to the 9–5 job, it can help me with stable income, with bonus and allowances. However, work-life balance should be the thing I have to consider. And, the boredom and the pressure of the job in the legal field could be a thing I have to consider.
What should I choose?
I have decided to go back to my country. During this time, it is difficult to find a job in Europe. I still have a promising option that is to rejoin my previous law firm. Although I prefer to join a corporate at this time, rejoining the firm can help me to stabilize my life after one year of LL.M. in Europe.
That couldn’t be the thing I wish, but it is the one I need. Sometimes, we have to choose between these types I things. The one you like can be tempting, but at a time, it may not help you in life.
Will I stop the other plans?
Of course not. The coming back to the 9–5 working routine will be a stop in the long journey of my career path. It will be a good opportunity for me to see which option will be the best one for me in the future. I still can use my free time to learn some business skills, broaden my financial literacy, improve my writing skill, and so on.
If you have a dream and you want it to come true, don’t quit in the middle. Sometimes, being successful is not a straightway. Sometimes, you need to find another way to get to your destination. On that way, you may have a broad view of what you want, and you may have the option to prepare for the future.
I will keep writing my blog and on Medium though it will surely be hard when I work (more than) 8 hours a day. I will spend this time to see what I should do in the following years. That is the other way I chose.
But right now, I need a job and it will help me to stabilize my life before I can think of doing something else. | https://medium.com/the-innovation/the-one-you-wish-may-not-be-the-one-you-need-40b8e9cef409 | ['Trung V. Nguyen'] | 2020-09-08 18:23:02.937000+00:00 | ['Development', 'Careers', 'Entrepreneur', 'Self', 'Jobs'] |
Policing Parks? Central Park’s 85th Street Bike Crossing and its Dilemmas | Policing Parks, almost a contradiction in terms. If parks are the escape from the real world, with its attending rules and restrictions, is it even desirable to police them too? Central Park’s 85th street intersection, for onlookers, would at first sight deserve some attention. The clash between citibikers and cyclists, the likelihood of a skateboard rolling underneath a car, or the regularity of small children on smaller bikes being chased by Boathouse pickup vans — these are but few problems observed on the crossing. The game of thrones on the lane must stop, but how does one start policing parks?
Bikers Behind Bars, or Top-Down Policing
If Le Corbusier or Robert Moses could remodel the 85th Street intersection in Central Park, the call to banning bikers all together would not be far-fetched. The former, in The City of Tomorrow and its Planning, has been vocal about his horror of traffic, which, due to its unclassified nature, “is like dynamite flung at hazard into the street, killing pedestrians,” (22). It is Le Corbusier’s obsession with classification that fuels his beliefs. Since the number of intersection, he argues, depends on the number of streets, the latter therefore “should be diminished by two-thirds,” (22). The way Le Corbusier seeks to solve the problems of intersections — by eliminating them completely — is a symptom of an overall attitude of top-down policing. The prerequisite of chaos prescribed with democracy is a challenge that Le Corbusier would rather not face all together — making the intersection at Central Park a kind of hopeless case, a battle of bikes and peoples that has no resolution unless the grounds themselves are set aflame.
Victor Moses would operate in a similar top-down fashion if he had foreseen the arrival of citibike and company. In Robert Moses and the Visual Dimension of Physical Disorder, author Themis Chronopoulos sheds insight upon the origins of Victor Moses’s obsession with “rational scientific principles” and “nicely ordered, geometric simulations of normal life,” (209). Indeed, connecting the roots of our reliance on architecture for social control with the disorder of the French Revolution, Chronopoulos argues that there has been since an “emphasis on the architectural design of factories, asylums, schools, hospitals, and workhouses, so that social disorder could be anticipated, easily controlled, and minimized.” This better-safe-than-sorry mindset, similar to Le Corbusier’s fear of intersections, would therefore set the 85th street crossing on top of the list in terms of disorder and mismanagement — prompting people like to Robert Moses to stretch them out, render them symmetrical, and potentially emptying out of them pests more irritating than Jean Paul Sartre’s Flies — bikers. A merciless, refurbishing-oriented, top-down approach becomes the most intuitive solution to the intersection for the course’s participants — but, as far as our conscience is concerned, it does not seem to be the fairest of answers.
2. The Circus in the Lane, or Policing Diversity.
Whereas Le Corbusier and Victor Moses may be blind to the diversity of the 85th street crossing, one must move to give this melting pot of identities a chance to speak for itself. Tourist on citibikes or cyclist on timers, rolling blades whose aim is to push forward or skate boards whose goal is to zigzag around, runners who want their friends adjacent to them or runners who want their baby strollers in front of them — these are few of the multiple modes of transport, speeds, and motivations that make use of the same public space. This diversity parallels a similar jarring accumulation of terms mentioned in Beach Beneath the Streets, a book that elaborates on Rudy Giuliani’s ‘Quality of Life’ Campaign, which targeted “the working poor, community gardeners, immigrants, people of color, gays, young people, bicyclists, skaters, booksellers, artists, sex workers, students, homeless people, and political activists of all stripes,” (140). This accumulation of terms is very insightful because it asks us to wonder what these seemingly-distinct identities have in common — perhaps precisely their non-cohesiveness, their ambiguity, their greyness between black and white, their way of going astray from the straight line that a normalized society imposes on its members.
This perceived circus of identities is also addressed in Queer Constellations, which bases its argument on Sarah Schulman’s novels on the East Village, a neighborhood that used to be famed for its eclectic, multi-ethnic views, its “Polish butcher and the Korean fruit stands and the Chinese take-out and the Arab deli and the Greek coffee shop and the East Asian newsstand and the Jewish bakery,” (229). Note the use of the word eclectic — as though it were the positive synonym of chaotic. Indeed, it is this irony or double standard that Chisholm highlights through the establishment of two distinct visions of the same subculture in the East Village: the first is “the international, eternal bohemia”, “glamourous”, “wordly” “really sexy” whereas the other is “rat bohemia”, “destitute of means and hopes,” “harboring liars and believers, tops and bottoms, butches and femmes, doers and wannabes, yuppies and deadbeats, mommies and daddies, enemies and friends.”
The latter accumulation echoes the previous juxtaposition of terms regarding Giuliani’s public enemies, and the contradiction between them and their more glamorous equivalents tells us of our perhaps arbitrary perception of the diversity of peoples and the double standard that their scenic, one-dimensional spin-offs in mainstream culture highlights. The same griminess in the East Village can therefore be seen at one-time esthetic and appealing to the dominant culture (think, a ‘nice’ graffiti) or rejecting and gross (vandalism!) — similarly, chic tourists on citibikes may be Instagram-worthy photogenic but sweaty cyclists may not be so; white young men on skateboards may be called hipsters and may be invited to the lane but young black men doing the same could be asked to leave for the sake of public safety. From here we unmask the perceived chaos of the 85th crossing in its true colors — an esthetic chaos, first and foremost. Here one hopes to mark a turning point in our view of the 85th street crossing; rather than demonize its chaos, the easy way out of the problem, we are now confronted with the titanic task of accepting its wild characters and find a way to accommodate its diversity.
3. Bikers Are Pedestrians On Bikes, or Understanding, Managing and Teaching Complexity
How does one go about placing rules for such a diverse group? Emile Durkheim can usher in a new hope in the potential of human complexity and its compatibility with following rules. Indeed, in the following extract from Durkheim’s Moral Education, the sociologist concedes a critical yet logical conclusion from society’s (or in our case, the park’s) moral prescriptions to individuals:
“We end up recommending men, not the taste of measure and moderation, the logic of moral limit, but rather the logic of its opposite; I mean the impatience of hitting the brake and limit one’s self, cutting short the desire to develop one’s self without bounds. It seems to me that Man is in a difficult position as soon as he no longer has an unlimited horizon in front of him.” (53–64, my translation)
Durkheim’s theorizing of moral rules as captors, not enforcers, of human growth pushes us to radically alter our vision of the culprits on the 85th street intersection — the big vehicles, the flying bikes, the runners with earbuds. These, according to Durkheim, ought to be cared for, not limited, and even encouraged to do what they do best. This benefit of the doubt can become a real-life project rationale to include cars with runners and keep all wheeled devices together. Among all others, runners are the most flexible on the route in terms of moving right and left whereas cars are the least flexible of them but have the most control in putting the brakes without flying across the vehicle. Similarly, wheeled devices are the best at precisely just that, wheeling around, so it makes sense to have them together — employing, in Durkheim fashion, the strengths of individuals, rather than their weaknesses.
What about the different speeds of wheeled devices? Jane Jacobs and Samuel Delany in their respective great works help us manage the wheeled devices lane. Indeed, the one “quality even meaner than outright ugliness or disorder,” according to Jane Jacobs, is “the dishonest mask of pretended order, achieved by ignoring or suppressing the real order that is struggling to exist and to be served, (15). This idea of an order hidden in plain sight is similar to Delany’s claim that “the neighborhoods that have best exploited the principles of variety, self-policing, and contact are those which have come about without particular planning,” (164). So should one ought to just let the citibike tourist pause for a selfie on the same path as the professional cyclists? Not necessarily — what Jacobs and Delany are asking us to see is the fluidity of people, especially when we leave them room for flexibility. Tainting the single lane with gradations of speeds becomes the ideal solution because it neither denies nor abuses the park’s patrons; allowing the skateboarder to swirl right in their sudden Paris-Dakar ambition and the professional cyclist to swirl left when they want to slow down and drink some water.
4. Electric Bikes Are More Than Cool, or The Potential of Technology in Participatory Policing
The last week of the course pushes participants to look ahead. Hannah Arendt, though not a theorist on technology, wrote in The Human Condition in 1958 that “what makes mass society so difficult to bear is not the number of people involved, but the fact that the world between them has lost its power to gather them together,” (201). This idea of a world in-between that is at fault is key to understanding the potential of technology in participatory policing — since technology, as a medium, can gather people together. How would a participatory policing system look like in the case of the 85th street intersection and what are the dangers of placing such a mode of organization? The carefulness with which one might propose a technological component to Central Park stems from “Oculus Whiffed” — an article that debates the promise of virtual reality for social good, such as transposing someone into a refugee camp to understand the perspective of the refugee. The article enlists the negative outcomes that virtual reality can generate wittingly or not, including “advertisements [that] might become more compelling or harder to detect when regulation lags in separating commercials from content” or the possibility of “headsets or software hacked to insert violent, degrading, or otherwise nasty images,” (1). These warnings, pitted against Arendt’s belief in a medium that unites people, push one to conceive of a technology system, which, though participatory, could not be as readily abused. A positive example is found in Greeley’s analysis of the genius of Lozano-Hemmer’s public installation in Mexico City in commemoration of the student protest forty years prior. A sound-light system connected to a microphone, wired to a radio station, and linked to light projectors that flash whenever anyone speaks — this system, according to Greeley, “provided an expanding sensorial forum specifically aimed at bridging temporally and spatially between disparate private thoughts and a collective public discourse,” (23).
This desire to bridge the distinct with the indistinct, the individual with the collective, lies at the root of a successful plan to technologize the 85th street intersection. How could it work? The trees along the bike path are set to carry artificial birds with built-in sound, light and sensor system — seamlessly decorated around the trees in a fitting manner. The system would be connected to a heat map data system that collects in real-time the number of pedestrians flocking from the Met Museum entrance. Since speeding bikers usually discover crowded pedestrians by the time they get to the intersection, a realization that comes too late, the birds, which calculate the degree of business on the entrance, will emit a cooing warning sound to the bikers well in advance as well as activating a LED ‘busy’ flash sign. The rationale behind this system subscribes to the Arendtian desire for a bridging medium between people, considers the abuses of VR and the bullying of Le Corbusier and Robert Moses, and boosts the hopes in human agency and organic development put forth by Jane Jacob, Samuel Delany and Emile Durkheim. Far from policing Central Park’s guests, the technology in place becomes a bottom-up forum, not an imposed hierarchy, in which bikers and pedestrians are active participants.
It is worth wondering how come a trivial space as seemingly-simple as one of the endless bike intersections of Central Park would nevertheless require a whole essay, and definitely an academic course, to debunk its problems and even its perceived solutions. Clearly the intersection only unmasks existing problems in our culture and society and points the finger at the reckless way with which we rush to change our surroundings. Indeed, even intersections bear a terrible truth about us. Imagine if the inanimate world could speak?
Works cited, or a syllabus!
Week 1:
1. Le Corbusier. The City of Tomorrow and its Planning. Courier Corporation. (2013).
2. Chronopoulos, Themis. “Robert Moses and the Visual Dimension of Physical Disorder.” Sage. (2014). 207–233.
Week 2:
1. Chisholm, Dianne. Queer Constellation. University of Minnesota Press. (2004).
2. Shepard, Benjamin Heim & Smithsimon Gregory. Beach Beneath the Streets. SUNY Press. (2011).
Week 3:
1. Delany, Samuel R. Times Square Red, Times Square Blues. New York University Press. (2001).
2. Jacobs, Jane. The Life and Death of Great American Cities. Random House. (1961).
3. Durkheim, Emile. Moral Education. Free Press. (1973).
Week 4:
1. Arendt, Hannah. The Human Condition. University of Chicago Press. (1958).
2. Kang, Inkoo. “Oculus Whiffed.” Slate. (2017).
3. Greeley, Robin Adele. The Performative Politicization of Public Space. Thresholds. (2013). 18–31. | https://medium.com/@rayyandabbous/policing-parks-central-parks-85th-street-bike-crossing-and-its-dilemmas-b73b6b75f1d1 | ['Rayyan Dabbous'] | 2020-12-20 13:40:46.700000+00:00 | ['NYC', 'Urban Planning', 'Bikes', 'Central Park', 'Biking'] |
How should you invest in your 20s & 30s? | 3) Save & Understand Opportunity Cost
Photo by Sharon McCutcheon on Unsplash
Being young you are probably used to living on a limited budget, this is the easiest time to keep your costs low even though it’s tempting to do the opposite!
Let’s be honest, costs will only increase in the future (wedding, kids, medical expenses, etc.) so try to keep your expenditures as low as possible for as long as you can and save everything else you earn. Make it a challenge and make it automated so that it becomes much easier to resist to temptations. Most articles online say that you should save about 10% of your income but, of course, the more the better!
People always look for investments with incredible returns but forget to remember that avoiding expenses is an immediate return on your $ and it can add up to quite a lot over the years.
Example — You decide to buy a $1000 phone today:
The cost of the phone is actually not just the actual price of the phone, but it is also the opportunity cost of the $1000 spent on it, which will not be generating any returns in the future. By not investing this $1000, this phone will actually cost you $1967 in 10 years and $3870 in 20 years' time (taking an average return of 7% if you were to invest that money).
The same person, with the same initial financial means, can find themselves with $0 or $3870 with one simple decision. Do this 100 times throughout your lifetime and you can easily see the difference it can make. | https://themakingofamillionaire.com/how-should-you-invest-in-your-20s-30s-b8d126f1cdbe | ['Andrea Saliu'] | 2020-04-06 13:36:18.672000+00:00 | ['Finance', 'Financial Freedom', 'Millenial Finance', 'Money', 'Investing'] |
To Concede or Not Concede… | Not conceding in this election isn’t a surprise. It’s probably more surprising that concession vs. finishing the election had become so commonplace. The math does predict the winner accurately at a certain point, but fact is fact. All the votes need to be counted, then the determination can be made.
The degree to which fact, policy and procedure are weaponized in political (and legal) battles continues to amaze me. Something as simple as the requirement to count all the votes before declaring a winner becomes a tool in arguments of all kinds. The most visible instance today is the refusal to concede the elections. (More candidates than the President have not conceded yet.)
The two instances of concession being weaponized in the media are questions shouted at senators as they are walking past and reporting that other country’s leaders make reference to the “previous President” in conversation. Let’s take a look at this.
When asked, “Did you congratulate Joe Biden?”, more than a few responses have been “There’s nothing to congratulate.” This is in fact true. The matter of fact responses (or emphatic in some cases), doesn’t really give the reason why the official makes this response. It’s because the vote has not yet been determined. Technically, until the Electoral College votes, the election is not complete. So this is an appropriate response, the media should put it into context. Of course an opponent (or proponent) of another party will harbor the desire to win, that’s really all that is being said.
Reporting the British Prime Minister who supported the President as saying the “previous President” is another instance. It was surprising the media actually included the context, the Prime Minister went on to say he is looking forward to working with the new[sic] President as well. Allies should want to work together, so this is appropriate when reported in context.
Weaponizing these responses to attempt to force a concession may be the motivation, but who knows. In some sense, it is a form of bullying that is insidious. Frankly, this is bullying is what helped Trump get elected in the first place. Trump is pretty good at bullying so he knows how to play the game. (Look into his younger years, you’ll learn how this was cultivated.) Regardless, such treatment in the press is as damaging as the curt responses being publicized. The right thing to do is to publicize the leaders point reasoning, in context. This is very difficult to do in the press where little more than quips are published in video media. Nobody spends the time to read a newspaper article as was commonplace in the past.
What does “to concede” mean anyway? I like to look up terms in the dictionary. I’ll reproduce the deficients from may Mac’s dictionary here:
con·cede| kənˈsēd | verb
1 [reporting verb] admit that something is true or valid after first denying or resisting it: [with clause] : I had to concede that I’d overreacted | [with object] : that principle now seems to have been conceded. * [with object] admit (defeat) in a contest: he conceded defeat. * [with object] admit defeat in (a contest): ready to concede the gold medal.
2 [with object] surrender or yield (something that one possesses): to concede all the territory he’d won. * grant (a right, privilege, or demand): their rights to redress of grievances were conceded once more. * (in sports) fail to prevent the scoring of (a goal or point) by an opponent: the coach conceded three safeties rather than kick into the wind. * allow (a lead or advantage) to slip: he took an early lead that he never conceded.
DERIVATIVES conceder noun
ORIGIN late 15th century: from French concéder or Latin concedere, from con- ‘completely’ + cedere ‘yield’.
Basically it means “completely yield”. Hmm, if you want to keep face with your constituents on the “Right” (that’s a direction by the way)… you’d not” yield completely” until the “fat lady sings” — i.e. the Electoral College votes. That’s what they’ve cultivated in the populace and what they believe is expected. It is appropriate to say: “It is likely the Electoral College will vote in favor of Biden in this election, I’ll wait to comment until then.” This should be the response to deflate rhetoric regarding the matter. This is just plain civil, and something we should expect from our leaders and reporters.
So, objectively, the methods used by reporters are as damaging to public divisiveness as is the political climate. What to do about this? I’m not sure, maybe I’ll explore it in the future. But it seems like an editor’s job… hmm. For now, let’s try to look at the entire picture vs. supporting demonization in all it’s forms. | https://medium.com/out-of-your-mind/to-concede-or-not-concede-e61c113f7044 | ['Joe Bologna'] | 2020-11-12 14:20:41.480000+00:00 | ['Commentary', 'Media Criticism', 'Civility', 'Society'] |
WHY TEENS ARE DEPRESSED NOWADAYS:- | WHY TEENS ARE DEPRESSED NOWADAYS:-
Have you ever looked in the mirror and found someone who’s trying to hide behind the fake smiles? Do you ever feel like something is killing you and that thing is your emptiness?
Well let's discuss it here..
………….. The majority of children and adolescents who attempt suicide have a significant mental health disorder, usually depression.
In present society, instead of learning about depression and anxiety, people ignore it. It's dangerous that the graphs are changing every year, but instead of decreasing in the rate of suicides, it's rising… Looking at this sudden increase its hard not to find it disturbing
Many doctors and psychiatrists will agree with me that there’s more stress in youth nowadays than previous generations. This stress triggers depression and mood disorders.
*Short note for parents : (instead of finding your kid annoying and disrespectful, try to understand them and try to solve their problems)
Let's continue…
Dangerously increases in teens suicide numbers:
About every 100 minutes, 1 teen takes their life. The figures starting increasing between 1950-1990 and still increasing, here you can see this in the graph provided by reliable source
That was the matter of the 90’s but what about now?
From 2007-2017 number of suicides among 10y/o — 24y/o suddenly increased at alarming pace of 56%.
. Suicide is a 3rd cause of death for young people.
In the survival’s point of view :
When I asked one of my friends who suffered from depression about why teens are more depressed nowadays, what makes them think that taking their life might solve their problems? The reply she gave was “I think it’s because of hormonal changes, but I do belive it’s more because as a kid we are given too much attention and love without any expectations any demands in return from them but the more we grow up the less we get the required attention and the more we demanded to do as they have started expecting from us, the sudden change is hard to accept so it take years to understand the change of deal and then to start acting as we are expected.
Deep down we still crave the affection we get as Childhood but gradually we lose hope of getting it at all so we stop sharing our real feelings, we start faking it because we think no one cares they are just curious about our situation and the fear of being judged is enough to mute us, that’s the first step towards depression, the stress of studies, family problems can kill a person mentally, inferiority complex does play a major role which is also followed by self hate later
Most importantly our society have no concept about depression they don’t even know about its existance and when a depress person gets a little bit courage of sharing their situation instead of helping they laugh at them make fun of them infornt of others by revealing their thoughts and calling them crazy and weird, the feeling of hopelessness, loneliness and not being understood as one wants to be makes a person believe that their presence and absence never mattered to anyone which leads them to suicide.”
Social media and depression :
Do you think social media is one of the reasons? Yes you are right because it is. Teens find the sites interesting, they become obsessed with the bright world inside their mobile phones, their goals change, they want likes and comments from strangers and slowly start building fences around them that keep them away from real life. But there’s a limit to everything… Not everything is as you’re seeing.. Cyber bullying exists, friends.
Other main reasons of depression :
Besides social media there are thought to be many causes of depression.
Traumatic life events:
such as the loss of a loved one, parents divorce, or remarriage. Any event that causes distress or trauma, sexual harassment is one of the major causes, all can trigger depression in an individual.
Family situation :
Unfortunately, There are teens who live in difficult circumstances. Domestic violence, substance abuse, poverty or other family issues can cause stress and contribute to depression in a teen.
Genetics/biology:
It has been found that depression runs in families also .
Medications/illegal drugs:
Some legal, prescription medications can have depression as a side effect. Certain illegal drugs (street drugs) can also cause depression.
Here when we’re discussing drugs, why not discuss it properly?
Illegal Drugs/street drugs and Alcohol :
Mostly youth are suffering from emptiness and fear, to overcome this situation mostly fell prey to drugs in early ages, some found them because of their bad company and some found them because of trying to be cool but they end up in serious trouble.
The freedom and ease of experimentation of doing drugs can be both exciting and scary, teens might feel prepared before but after that they become a whole different story.
So I guess, it’s better to stay away from this kind of stuff.
But how are we gonna find out that someone is suffering from depression? Yeah-Symptoms, let's talk about it.
SYMPTOMS :
In an article for World of Psychology, Borchard lists these common indicators of depression among teens:
Sadness or hopelessness
Low self-esteem
Sluggishness (less active)
Spending more time alone (this includes time alone from you as parents and time away from their regular friends)
Decrease in desire to do things they used to like to do (sports, activities, hobbies)
Physical ailments (headaches, appetite problems, sleeping problems)
Problems in school (falling grades, getting into trouble, not paying attention in class)
Talking about death or suicide
Not caring about appearance
Running away from home
Behavioral changes
(Tiredness)
(Insomnia or sleeping too much)
(Use of alcohol or drugs)
(Social isolation)
(Angry outbursts)
(Self-harm) —
Take every single one of them seriously. We never know how much someone is suffering inside.
Solution :
There’s no sure way to prevent depression. But you can:
Try to change your regular routine, it might be difficult, but a little effort turns your life upside down.
. Taking proper sleep
. Take good care of yourself.
. Yoga and exercise.
. Get proper food, avoid junk food.
. healthy meal is what your body needs.
. Reach out to family and friends when times get hard. If you continue keeping every matter inside your heart, slowly it will get worse.
. Get regular medical checkups.
. Little help from psychiatrists.
. One thing I personally want to advise you is avoid taking sleeping pills. It won’t help you in this situation.
. Talking isn’t that hard, you can do this, once you find someone who listens.
Give yourself some space, don’t over use social media, don’t study if you don’t want to, if you’re a teen other hobbies might help you in this situation, what about learning something? Reading books? Painting? Enjoying music? Yes there’s a lot a person can do. Figure yourself out.
“ You’re only here for a short visit. ... Get yourself together”
Websites to visit for help :
https://www.befrienders.org/
https://www.talkspace.com/assessments/depression-test | https://medium.com/@khizrakamran28/why-teens-are-depressed-nowadays-f7be27a7e6d3 | ['Khizra Kamran'] | 2020-12-20 18:59:41.985000+00:00 | ['Teenagers', 'Mental Health Awareness', 'Mental Health', 'Teen Depression', 'Depression'] |
Innovation & Mobility: We tell you everything! | Click on the link to see the full article: Innovation & Mobility: We tell you everything!
For many years, the issue of mobility has attracted particular interests. In fact, facing increasingly dense traffic, an important lack of parking spaces and a global environmental policy to fight against pollution, many alternative transport solutions have emerged in order to facilitate our daily mobility while making it more efficient and sustainable.
New forms of urban mobility?
What is the future for cars in urban area?
Is urban parking becoming increasingly difficult?
New forms of urban mobility?
The development of mobility, in recent years, has been largely driven by the advent of new technologies such as mobile applications, which have been a real turning point in the creation and implementation of new transport solutions.
A real revolution of the XXI century, mobile applications allow an optimal accessibility to services or products in just a few clicks.
Thus, thanks to all these technological innovations, it is now possible to move easily in the city. No more traffic jams and hello freedom!
We have listed for you these different means of transport available for self-service via the terminals of your city by using the appropriate mobile application.
The Segway
It is a 2-wheeled platform with a stabilizer and handlebar.
The traveling speed is 20 km/h, autonomy up to 30km. Note that there are “mini” versions called hoverboards.
The bike or electric bike
Recently introduced in cities and unlike the traditional bike, it has an assistance that can reach a speed of about 25km/h.
The electric scooter
Ideal for your daily trips, it weighs between 7 and 18 kg and offers a top speed between 24 and 40km/h. Autonomy about 35km.
Faced with these new transport solutions, it is interesting to ask if the car still has “its place” in the city?
What is the future for cars in urban area?
photo by Giphy
Despite the real desire to limit the use of the car for environmental reasons, it remains to this day the main means of transport for 60% of the European population and could not be completely replaced by the use of public transport or any other new form of urban mobility.
However, producing 30% of greenhouse gases, cars will have to face several major changes in the coming years to reduce its ecological impact. Indeed, it tends to become hybrid, electric or can even be solar powered.
In addition, many campaigns have been established to raise the awareness of motorists to change their mobility behaviour. Among these new forms of mobility, “car-sharing”, the principle residing in the provision of a car at the service of all.
It is simple to use a shared car, just download an application, book a car according to your desired time, get the car through the application used as an access remote control and bring it back to the place of departure once you finish using it. We are already a fan of this concept!
Example of Ubeeqo website
Is urban parking becoming increasingly difficult?
Following a massive reduction of parking spaces in city centers to encourage the creation of responsible urban spaces (bike paths, sidewalks, plants, etc.) and to respect more committed environmental policies, what are the alternatives offered to our driving enthusiasts ?
Do not worry, we have the solution for you!
Do you often go to the city center for leisure or work? Is it becoming harder and harder to find a parking space? Why not use this time for “parksharing”?
Indeed, one of these concepts, BePark is based on this principle of shared mobility. This involves using private parking spaces in the form of a reservation or subscription to make the unused space profitable.
Example of subscription/reservation on BePark website
The benefits of this concept are numerous as it allows motorists to save valuable parking time since it has been shown that around 30% of the traffic is generated by people who travel in search of a parking space.
In addition, it also permits us to respond ecologically and positively to the increased demand for parking spaces since it does not create any new spots but instead, uses the existing spaces!
Genius idea no ?
Gif by Giphy
“What if there are no more parking spaces available for booking in the city center?”
In this case, we recommend that you reserve a spot on the outskirts of the city, then use public transport or open your smartphone and go in search of a bike or a scooter available!
I hope that this article will help you find innovative and effective solutions to better adapt your daily mobility. | https://medium.com/@bepark-en/innovation-mobility-we-tell-you-everything-5bb50431cebe | [] | 2020-08-11 13:14:18.883000+00:00 | ['Innovation', 'Mobility', 'Issues', 'Traffic'] |
Lockdown lessons, nature, and our responsibility | The Nationwide lockdown has degraded our economy, but it has done well to nature. Our mother nature is healing from the sufferings we have imposed on her. As we follow up on the bad news about deaths and loss to the economy amid this coronavirus pandemic, we also look for optimism that this lockdown has brought with it, along with nature and our responsibilities.
Climate activists claim that staying at home and reducing travel plans cannot be an alternative for a cleaner environment that we all are praying for. They are of the view that our sustainability goals to reduce emission by 2030 must stand still. Otherwise, we will face another crisis soon. And I certainly agree with them, but I wonder why there are no plans to keep the improvements that we have achieved from this lockdown as an agenda? Though our agenda has shifted to this pandemic, which has created havoc among humanity, we cannot neglect the benefits which we have achieved from it. Memes of visibility of mountains are trending now, but post lockdown all these visions will shed away. As nature is healing itself, we are happy to rise with a new sunrise every dawn. Unfortunately, this love and care for mother nature is all a matter of time, and it will vanish. We can contribute towards it, our accountability to keep our climate clean can be an added incentive to the plans that the government has put forward. We criticize the government at times for not understanding the gaps in pollution and climate change. But we often forget the nature and our responsibility.
Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 2030) is an agenda comprising 17 goals for a better and more sustainable future. A few of the goals which have improved amid this lockdown is clean water and sanitation; and climate action. Another goal that is being met indirectly is to ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy for all that is by reducing consumption. While we appreciate clean air and return of the humming of birds and bees even in cities like Delhi, there is also a need to understand how much loss we have done to nature. There are a few things that I have realized that we can do as a preparedness activity. We can maintain these sustainable development goals, once life turns back into the track.
We all have realized that it is not necessary to go to the office daily because all those big fat meetings can be done from home as well. A practical application of work from home can not only reduce the burden over us, but it can be utilized as a defense mechanism to curb the atrocities that we do to nature.
Delhi’s odd-even formula was an effective measure, but isn’t it time for the government to realize that instead of restricting movement, a better plan is to make a policy of work from home mandatory in private firms and wherever possible. This will not only reduce pollution, but it will also save energy and fuel. To boost the success of the SDGs in India, there is a strong need for continuing work from home as a cost-effective and attractive method as a sustainable strategy for survival, existence, and excellence in various sectors of the economy. Though I understand the potential problem of work from home because it can reduce the efficiency with regards to the pace of work, I trust that this can be solved by a proper interaction with stakeholders to reach out to a conclusion in consensus. The development of an eventual habit of work from home in people can be utilized in building and developing better cities with cleaner air to breathe. Stakeholders can be convinced because they will be paying less for energy consumption and resources in their office buildings as more and more people will work from home.
Source: Wikimedia
Many of us are joyful at the return of spring to our windows and balconies; we are waking up every day with the beautiful chirping of birds. Lost sparrows are making their way back, and pigeons are making nests again in these busy, dusty cities. Though we all are enjoying this vision, it can be kept intact even after things get back to normal. And it is our responsibility to maintain the nature this way. What we have to do is blend with the uprooting nature by filling our window panes with flowers, feeding birds, and setting up bug hotels. We can nourish our balconies and windows with plantations to keep them coming in our life with their peeping.
Another step that can be taken to sustain the achievements of lockdown is reducing the footfall and curbing the waste discharge in rivers. I understand that Ganga is a sacred river in India, but it would look more sacred and delightful when it is clean. This lockdown has saved the money which was allocated for the Ganga action plan because a lack of human activity in river banks has reduced the pollution level of not only Ganga but also of river Yamuna.
It is time for the government to realize that these rivers are getting polluted through the industries which claim to discharge zero waste. The government should amend strict rules now itself so that post lockdown surge of discharge of waste from these industries and small scale factories can be checked. Also, reducing and restricting footfall in these river banks can actually help in attaining better goals. Strict rules in such places should be implemented now itself, so that followed up actions can be taken later.
I have put forward some suggestions which we can achieve by joining hands with the government and supporting them. Right now, it’s important that we act fast — together. Because if proposed actions are not taken now, then maybe it will be too late. Of course, I am not saying to put forward harsh rules for the benefit of nature. But now it is also an ideal time to embrace living a slower lifestyle that is kind to people and the planet. Our mother earth has been serving us for ages. It is time that we show our responsibility towards nature which blossoms every day to make our lives a little more colorful. | https://medium.com/@TheArmChairJournal/lockdown-lessons-nature-and-our-responsibility-5586dd9daa09 | ['The Armchair Journal'] | 2020-06-03 23:31:00.837000+00:00 | ['Lessons Learned', 'Sdgs', 'Earth', 'Lockdown', 'Life'] |
Populations | (individual or group project)
Create a “Complex” Simulation with Modern Behavior
You may choose to create a few interacting agents, or a whole population. Think about the different parts of your agent based model and what the behaviors are. What are the global input and output parameters you are trying to measure? Are these inputs and outputs visualized somehow? In a GUI? What other important elements should be visualized or counted in the model? Start with a few simple rules to build your simulation in Unity.
Modules:
Use both of the tutorials to employ these skills/tools in your simulation.
Post:
Post your simulation to the course website by midnight Sep 24, 2019 with the following:
A Catchy Title + Authors Name
A succinct description of what your simulation is and why it’s important/interesting
of what your simulation is and why it’s important/interesting The Simulation — Visual documentation of the simulation running (videos, gifs, images) from the simulation you’ve made in Unity.
— Visual documentation of the simulation running (videos, gifs, images) from the simulation you’ve made in Unity. How it works — Simple sketches or diagrams of how your simulation works. You may choose to document each portion of the agent based model (agents, environment, behavior, parameters , global inputs and outputs)
— Simple sketches or diagrams of how your simulation works. You may choose to document each portion of the agent based model (agents, environment, behavior, parameters , global inputs and outputs) Code Snippets — which are well commented and documented demonstrating how it was made. To do so post your code in a code block like this (use 3 back tics `` ` )
//this is a code block where code goes
Example Modern Behaviors:
Pedestrian movement of pedestrians looking at phones vs not while walking along a sidewalk
of pedestrians looking at phones vs not while walking along a sidewalk Shared garden between many neighbors
between many neighbors population size for competing species in an urban environment
for competing species in an urban environment spread of forest fires with changing climate parameters
How to Post to Medium
1 Go to Medium and sign up for an account (its free).
2 Click your profile image at the top right of the page and select “New Story”.
3 Change the title and write your story. Use the + icon to add in videos links and images.
4 When you’re ready to publish, click the green “Publish” dropdown at the top of the page. Type in the tag “Research” and then hit “Publish”. This tag is important as it will ensure that your post is submitted to correct page. Your story is NOT yet submitted to the publication.
5 Add the story to the publication [full instructions here]. Click the “…” button in the top-right corner of the page. Select Add to publication from the dropdown list. Choose the “Data Mining the City” publication you intend to submit to and click Save. If you are a writer for the publication, then your story will be immediately submitted to the publication editors for review. The editors of that publication will have a chance to review your draft. Readers will not see your story in the publication until it is reviewed and added to the publication.
Recording Gifs
There’s a number of ways to record a gif from your screen.
If you have a Mac:
use Giphy Capture OR
use Quicktime screencapture (keep it shorter than 10 seconds and a small portion of your screen)
Trim the video in Quicktime to make it a smaller file
turn the video into a gif using ezgif (you can also use Photoshop, but I feel this usually take too much time)
If you have Windows: | https://medium.com/data-mining-the-city/populations-65e8b756ac34 | ['Violet Whitney'] | 2019-09-29 12:37:41.287000+00:00 | ['Simulation', 'Agent Based Modeling', 'Geospatial', 'Cybernetics'] |
Zero and One | Two passengers got into my cab, an oddball couple. Guy one was tall, six feet four inches, long wild hair and beard, narrow head like an alien, skinny body, with long arms and fingers. Guy two was the same height, shiny bald head, and round — a bowling ball. His head, face, chest, belly, shoulders and arms, entire appearance, round. Together, the number 10. Their appearance drew my attention, so I eavesdropped.
One said, “Where do our memories go when they’re not in use?”
“The same place we are before we’re alive and after we die,” Zero replied. “Find one you’ll find the other.”
Zero wanted to talk about how time accelerates as we age. Sure, who doesn’t know that? The other day Izzie commented to me, “It goes like that,” and snapped his fingers. I think Izzie was referring to the toilet paper. Hahaha, I made myself laugh.
Zero questioned whether subjective time is objective in a way beyond our measuring. “What I’d love to know is whether kids today experience time passing at the same rate that we did as children, or is it faster? Is their time as fast as ours is now, as adults? Maybe it’s not simply a matter of perception but an objective result of time constantly accelerating. Maybe time speeds up as we age not due to the common belief that with age comes deep accumulations of memory in comparison to the brief present moment. Maybe, due to time’s acceleration, the endless summer days of our youth objectively don’t exist for today’s children. Maybe the world is as quick and frantic to today’s youth as our adult days are to us. Yet they’re slower than the future days they will look back on. If my hypothesis is true, how fast will time go when today’s babies are grown? Maybe it’ll go like that.”
He snapped his fingers the same way Izzie did. Coincidence? Maybe I knew Izzie didn’t mean toilet paper. Zero loved to pose big, complicated questions, but I was going to slam my head against the side of the cab if he used the word maybe to start another sentence.
I was a little freaked. Everything always does get faster, and the rate of increase is accelerating. From being a one-celled blob to walking on all fours to standing upright and striding, running. We learned to ride horses, and use tools to construct ships, trains, planes, spaceships to the future. Star Trek transporters. Travel at the speed of thought.
In time, we’ll realize all places are the same, and we’re already wherever we want to go. If the Hindu creation story is correct, as God we’ll be everywhere at once, be everything at once.
Is this a natural progression and expression of universal laws we don’t yet understand? Aren’t the galaxies speeding apart from one another at increasing speed? The river of time people talk about is going downhill and speeding up to the inevitable waterfall.
Childlike, One asked, “What does it all mean? Why does time exist? Why does it speed up, so we have to think and move faster to keep up or fall behind?”
Zero, so smooth, said without a pause, “Time exists so our thoughts and actions can have consequences. When it speeds up enough, our consequences will be immediate.”
Holy John Lennon, Batman, that’s what the song ‘Instant Karma’ was about!
Now One added to the conversation. He said, “If electron cloud theory is correct, we can’t pin a precise location to any one puny electron, out of the unfathomable multitudes within this taxi. The position of that one electron, let alone the rest, is unknowable. The position, a mere probability event, is the shifting sand foundation of everything larger and less probable.
“If you add the improbable items together, you have our so-called reality. The summation of trillions of improbable events makes existence so unlikely it’s a fantasy. Or else we can say it’s all as it’s meant to be.” One flashed a big, crooked space alien smile. He said, “Isn’t that right, driver?”
“Sounds Hindu to me, but how did they know it back in the day?” I said, thinking of the Hindu and Buddhist philosophy books I had read after the radio story piqued my interest.
The back seat approved. Zero chuckled and applauded how one might for a clever toddler. One leaned over from the right with his long, left arm to give me a hard clap on my shoulder and a smile.
After all that positive energy, the meager tip disappointed me. They had money.
As 10 exited the cab they continued their talk, discussing how our brains age. Why it’s hard to change an old person’s mind, or for them to have a new idea
“A memory well deforms your brain the same way a gravity well deforms space-time. A massive incident or thought, combined with emotional involvement, changes the shape of the brain and sucks in more brain content, the same way a black hole sucks in surrounding space and causes it to change. It becomes difficult to avoid ruminating and remembering. Hard to get a good sharp thought through that muck.” | https://medium.com/@leonwolfauthor/zero-and-one-532e6bda1ad3 | ['Leon Wolf'] | 2020-12-21 18:26:31.100000+00:00 | ['Cabbie', 'New York', 'Stories', 'Brain', 'New York City'] |
JAY-Z and Eminem: When Your Heroes Grow Up, It Sucks | For a long while, I have spoken about how much I hate when my heroes grow up. That typically means that there was once a time when they were really pushing the envelope, especially from an artistic standpoint, and much of that included a certain amount of immaturity and even a bit of childishness.
My two favorite hip hop artists of all time happen to have traversed that path, much to my dismay:
JAY-Z and Eminem.
Don’t get me wrong, but I really admire their evolution and their willingness to become much more responsible men in middle age than they were as they blasted onto the scene in the 1990’s.
It would actually be sad and a little pathetic if they hadn’t grown significantly by now. As a fan, I appreciated that version of themselves, and I am so fortunate that those versions of these men are frozen in time through their music videos and their iconic discographies. | https://medium.com/@deanteyoung/jay-z-and-eminem-when-your-heroes-grow-up-it-sucks-fd41d82d06c9 | ['Deante L. Young'] | 2020-12-24 23:02:40.493000+00:00 | ['Eminem', 'Hip Hop', 'Jay Z', 'Pop Culture', 'Personal Growth'] |
How to do JavaScript Debugging (Techniques You Should Know in 2019:) | Software development is a cumbersome task. Sometimes you’ll get your tasks done without any fuss and then there might be times when you’ll have no idea about the nature and origin of errors.
So what is debugging exactly?
Debugging is basically a part of software development where we look for the sources of these errors and fix them. When an individual starts learning JavaScript, debugging would seem quite grueling. Looking for errors and resolving them can be difficult sometimes not only for new developers but also for the experienced ones.
This is where “console.log()” comes into the picture. We all would agree that we are tempted to use it. Isn’t it? The reason is that beginners usually don’t know much about the tools that are provided by a browser. Having a good comprehension of browser debugging tools can be a lifesaver for many developers.
Let us start this discussion with the console.log() itself and why we should avoid using it.
console.log()
We write “console.log()” in our code to check if the values are accessible in that particular block.
This leads to two issues. We need to write it manually and pass each object one by one to check their values. A good coding convention calls for a non-redundant code so it is not a good practice to write this console.log() in the code again and again.
In addition to this, there are other variants of console.log() that many of the developers, still don’t have a clear grasp of.
Let’s look at some of these techniques that every developer should keep handy for a hassle-free development as well as debugging.
We use the console to log strings and objects. This helps us to see if control is reaching a particular block of code. Let’s say we have an object or array of objects and we wish to see if the browser is able to seek the data. It would be convenient to write console.log(). But here for inspecting the objects, we need to expand each of them. This will take a lot of time as well as efforts to check each of the objects.
Figure 1: Values of the objects logged on the console
So instead of writing console.log() for inspecting an array of objects, we can use a variant of this, console.table().
Further, let us examine console.table()
When we pass an object in the console.table(), the value of this object is logged in a tabular structure and it becomes easy to inspect the values. This will save us some extra time expanding the logs.
Figure 2: Shows output generated by console.table()
These two methods are required to be written in the code manually but we have another technique that we can use to check the values which are in scope and we can do it from the Chrome browser window.
Breakpoints
A breakpoint is nothing more than a pause button. It stops the execution and checks for the values of the objects and variables. We can put breakpoints either by writing debugging logic in the code itself or by going to the sources tab in the inspect element of the browser.
Figure 3: Breakpoints in source code
In the source section, you will find the complete source code that you are currently working on. You will also find all the other files which are present in that directory. Click on the line number and now this line would act like a breakpoint and will stop the execution when the control comes over.
Figure 4: Options available with Breakpoints
The blue colored button in the image is used to resume script execution. When the control stops execution due to any breakpoint, you can click on this button. This will resume the execution. The execution will continue until the browser finds the next breakpoint.
After putting breakpoints you can choose to move ahead line by line and see the values that are present in objects. After you are done debugging you can disable the breakpoints. This will resume the execution without debugging.
Now let’s see how the debugger can be added in the code itself.
Figure 5: Writing debugging logic in the code
We use the “debugger” keyword for debugging a particular portion of code. The functionality is entirely the same as that of the breakpoints. The debugger keyword will stop the code from executing and calls the debugger function.
The technique of marking lines as breakpoints in the browser is quite considerable when we have to troubleshoot an application. Breakpoints are very helpful in finding bugs when we are working in a team and we have to debug codes that are written by other developers. So using breakpoints is clearly a better choice in comparison with logging consoles.
Source: CronJ | https://medium.com/@pavan_62023/how-to-do-javascript-debugging-techniques-you-should-know-in-2019-f6e3440914e5 | ['Pavan Kalyan'] | 2019-12-09 06:28:57.367000+00:00 | ['Techniques', 'Debugging', 'JavaScript', 'Technology', 'Technology News'] |
Black boy muse blues’ | I’ve been someone’s muse for the last few years of my life. Allowing them to use me as a prop to propel them to their own best interests, their own journeys of self love and spiritual awakening. Being left with crumbs & trauma in the aftermath. Feeling like I gave every piece of me to help other people become the fully fleshed out individuals they deserve to be and reserving none of that dedication for myself. I’ve been cruel to the man I’ve always dreamt of being.
Is it “evil” to use someone as a stepping stool while you attempt to recover from all of your traumas? Absolutely. I wouldn’t argue against it of course. But I can’t help but feel accountable for allowing it to continue for so long. Being on this life-long pursuit of loving myself, I’ve come to understand the importance of self awareness and how my own responsibilities in situations have led me to this very place. It’s very easy to feel like “woe is me” but doing that leads no room for growth, for self reflection, or for accepting and improving all of your flaws.
I’ve had to question my own pathetic narcissism. Narcissism so strong that I believed that If I allowed myself to withstand emotional abuse and wiped away their tears every time they shed that they would know I was always there. Always there to support and love them the way they “needed” to be loved. How fucking egotistical of me. To think that's how love is supposed to be, to think being a savior would keep someone. To think being a savior was love.
Now of course, this isn’t all on me. I’m a firm believer in multiple things can be true at once. I was emotionally neglected and abused, strung along for years while they recovered from the traumas of their childhood and scorned lovers but I’d be negligent to acknowledge the role I played in the dynamic. I have to acknowledge my shortcomings because without them it will be impossible to be the man I need to be. I am who I am because of them, not in spite of them.
A muse I will be no more. A scapegoat, a stepping stool, a savior, a narcissist. All elements of who I was, and sometimes who I still am, but who I will be no more. | https://medium.com/@pink-white-btw/black-boy-muse-blues-ebbc14965c72 | ['Brandon Williams'] | 2020-12-01 20:31:32.638000+00:00 | ['Narcissism', 'Self Love'] |
Technology | When we talk about technology it doesn’t seem unusual. Everything is in the hands of technology and now the world seems to be non-existent without it. People earn through it, learn through it, and do lots of stuff through technology. Why we all say that ‘WORLD HAS BECOME A GLOBAL VILLAGE”?, It’s because like early ages people don’t have to communicate by means that weren’t in reach and that might have created a lot of problems. But now all the story has changed and people are connected and more like a village where people know about each other and now it’s even easier to earn through various websites and sources.
Technology and its negative effects:
While technology has made a lot of positive changes in the world, it has also created some negativity across the globe.
We can see them in point:
· Psychologically and physically, it has been proven that social media has affected our lives to such a big extent.
· Overuse of technology may have a more powerful influence on the welfare of children and adolescents.
· The way handheld devices and machines are used by many people may often lead to incorrect poses. Over time, this can contribute to musculoskeletal problems.
· The use of technology that is too close to bedtime may trigger sleep problems. This phenomenon has to do with the fact that the brain is activated by blue light, including the light from mobile phones, e-readers, and computers.
And many more like these. And several solutions can opt for betterment.
Taking advantage of technology:
Technology has always given a lot to this world. But there isn’t any awareness about how can we use it wisely and make our lives much easier. I’m going to tell you through my points given below:
· You can go through several websites and showcase your talent. Even you can learn through various channels and websites
· As a business major, you should probably start with a Microsoft Office tutorial and/or the textbook that your college uses for their “Introduction to Computers” class (Or, “Intro to Technology”, etc..)
· There are several ways where we can find the solution to everything.
· You can even start a small business or anything that may help you earn, you just need some guidance which is provided on the internet
· Mobile phones and all the other technologies are also very helpful if used correctly
Another useful side of technologies:
Modes of transportation have improved the ease of access but also increased the volume of emissions. A wide variety of alternatives have been available to people thanks to technology. By supplying them with hearing aids, text scanners, special seats, etc., technology has also helped persons with special needs. Today, without having to worry about their disabilities, they will experience everyday life too.
To summarize, technology has several positive implications for our lives, but there are still several downsides. We can’t abandon technology yet, so we can make sure we’re not dominated by it. | https://medium.com/@atifashah999/technology-f1bf8ec3e55b | [] | 2020-12-23 19:22:06.730000+00:00 | ['Blogging', 'Blogspot', 'Tech', 'Technology', 'Blogger'] |
15 Surprising Upwork Hacks That Will Seriously Transform Your Freelancing Game | Upwork gets a bad rap from so-called six-figure freelancer-turned-coaches who’ve made it their mission to advocate against content mills.
But actually, the platform is a goldmine for freelancers, especially those at the beginning of their careers.
Here’s why:
It helps you (literally) start from your scratch — no portfolio, no website, no prior experience needed.
It helps you build a portfolio.
It helps you figure out your niche.
It helps you learn how to deal with clients.
It helps you gain confidence so you can go after big shots later in your career.
That said, a lot of freelancers fail and give up because they don’t know the right strategies. See, Upwork is a content mill after all. And content mills are saturated with freelancers. It’s like a tank full of fishes competing for space and food.
You have to make yourself stand-out. The good news is it’s not that hard to stand-out. You only need a few skills and tactics and in this article, I’ll teach you what they are from my own journey of going from newbie to top-rated. | https://medium.com/better-marketing/15-surprising-upwork-hacks-that-will-seriously-transform-your-freelancing-game-38a845bb6fb0 | ['Sadia M.'] | 2020-11-16 19:09:12.278000+00:00 | ['Marketing', 'Entrepreneurship', 'Careers', 'Creativity', 'Freelancing'] |
Data-Native : The right paradigm for data-driven businesses | Data-Native : The right paradigm for data-driven businesses
Intelligence in applications and platforms to drive rapid, objective decisions
We are all data natives. But that’s looking at us as consumers of products and services.
Tools that process data where it resides without moving it around unnecessarily have also been described as being data native. Being able to co-exist compute with data is a desirable architectural principle, especially given large volumes. However, that capability is one of many, and not the only one, that defines what it means to be data-native.
An application or process is data-native when it has been built from the ground up with data as the primary design principle. Like with other design principles, it is necessary to consciously consider how data can add value in every aspect of the application or the process. In many cases, it is necessary to first collect data before it can add value, so instrumentation becomes a design consideration as well. Lastly, the ability for data to add value comes down to how the application or the process is going to use insights, that is, the actions to take.
Why Data-native?
For far too long, the promise of big data has been hyped, lost and recovered again (most recently, by riding AI wave) but hasn’t delivered expected success. Much of the angst stems from not putting to practical use the vast troves of data being collected. A common reason for why this happens is traceable down to business applications and processes not consuming the insights derived from data. That itself occurs due to a host of factors including dependence on legacy environments that are technically complex to change, adherence to institutional processes that are loathe to be changed, and lack of actionable insights (i.e. prescriptive outputs).
Data-native as a design principle, addresses these challenges holistically in a way that naturally creates a virtuous cycle of continuous value creation. This cycle is one of constant data generation, collection, refinement, integration, insights extraction and action-taking. It is indeed hard for legacy applications to be data-native without radical changes in code, so it becomes necessary to think of these systems afresh. However, once engineered to be data-native, the application becomes intelligent enough to adapt by observing, processing and reacting or even proactively intervening by itself. Processes become self-correcting or self-optimizing without having change requests, business requirement documents and delay-inducing cross-team collaboration.
For the business, data-native applications and processes can respond to changing behavior patterns and business climate quickly allowing the business to remain competitive and grow. Ability to create new business models in a blitzkrieg speed, developing new solutions and services become more easily achievable.
What is Data-Native?
An application or process is data-native if it is engineered to provide solutions using data as the primary design principle. These applications and processes are capable of taking advantage of the data they generate, often combined with other data from the context, to inform and evolve their own behavior intelligently. A successful data-native implementation draws upon the wisdom accumulated over the years in the fields of Data Science and Software Engineering, coupled with the advancements in AI, merged in the context of enterprise architectures. The paradigm fosters minimal manual intervention in decision-making and allows the business to focus on its core competency.
Informally, data-native is best explained by drawing on the analogy of cloud-native.
Borrowing from various sources, cloud-native is a paradigm for building applications that are “resilient, manageable, and observable” resulting in benefits of speed, scale and low cost of risk for the business. None of the modern-day tech-driven companies would subscribe to the view that simply moving workloads to a cloud service provider is being cloud-native.
Likewise, none of the modern-day data-driven companies would subscribe to the view that simply doing data science is the same as being data-native. In building applications that are aware of the context in which they operate, using that intelligence to better their own functioning as well as to guide the functioning of machines, applications and humans around them, the organization benefits from being able to do the right thing at the right time. Vague though this may sound when described at this level, the implications of engineering systems to adhere to this design paradigm are profound. In a lot of ways, the promise of AI to represent AGI is related to this potential for reimagining applications, but I believe “AI” or “AGI” sounds even more vague!
A related concept to data-native is Software 2.0. Though this field is still emerging, the ideas being discussed identify the neural networks themselves as being the authors of the code “done by accumulating, massaging and cleaning datasets”. The subtext is that networks are much better than humans at generalizing patterns given large datasets and can be trained to achieve certain goals. Whereas, the data-native paradigm is broader and stems from the observation that all applications and processes operate in a business context and that context informs the actions as well as the way the data is to be processed. For some tasks, the context is specific and narrow enough to have Software 2.0 methods be well suited. On the other hand, there are many tasks for which business rules and hand-engineered contexts in the form of features and interactions are necessary to allow the systems to learn and adapt, especially across boundaries.
In the next post, we look at the characteristics of the data-native design principle. In the meanwhile, check out our pioneering methodology for engineering data-native applications and processes called RoboticDataScience (RDS)
About the author:
Rangarajan Vasudevan, CEO of TheDataTeam, is an applied data science professional with extensive consulting experience on massive scale data across industries. | https://medium.com/cadenz-ai/data-native-the-right-paradigm-for-data-driven-businesses-9a3505f4e6f2 | [] | 2020-09-23 12:24:02.186000+00:00 | ['Artificial Intelligence', 'Artificial General Intell', 'Data Native', 'Data Science', 'Big Data'] |
The Importance of Good Design | Good design. What is good design? The more I’ve experienced schooling in design, created my own designs, seen other’s designs, and used design in my everyday life, I’ve come to some conclusions about it. First and foremost, design isn’t a trend. I’ve come across and created pieces and projects that simply followed a trend; an easy and boring trend. I’ve become more skeptical of my own work as well as what I see around me because of this. What I deem to be “good design” is something clean, fresh, and alive. I think 50% of the “good” is determined by the authenticity of the creator’s originality, passion, and creativity. The other 50% is determined by quality execution of the idea/project. My biggest question for myself and for others is this: What is the point of creating easy work? To simply say I made work? I think the key is to pour ourselves into cultivating and perfecting a project that matters and makes a difference somehow. That arena is where the good, good design comes into play.
In the arena of good design, people have access to a plethora of ideas, feelings, and benefits that exude from the visuals of good design. Access to information, education, empathy, services, relatability, ideology, accessibility, creativity, entertainment, revolutions, perspectives, and beauty are all to gain through good, beautiful design. To me, the best design helps people somehow. It brings joy to people. Comfort. Beauty. Encouragement. Inclusivity. Awareness. Everyone’s talents and passions are different. And it is possible to create good design in many different ways. However, I think the way I’ve decided to take is one that can bring something to others, specifically help, inclusivity, and beauty. We all can make good design, but we need to rid ourselves of easy, trendy work and tackle what we were made to do; to make a difference.
How people interact with design is found in an endless ocean of techniques, research, execution, data, context, etc. Designers have the unique experience to reach people. To speak to people. To relate to people. Even to change people. Reaching toward growth and finding out how we are meant to do good should be everyone’s goal. I think every area of design needs people with this goal. | https://medium.com/@annbrenn/the-importance-of-good-design-124ad8f1026 | ['Ann Brennan'] | 2020-12-19 06:07:40.144000+00:00 | ['Creativity', 'Designer', 'Design', 'Graphic Design', 'Illustration'] |
The Pagan Ritual Teens Now Play for Fun | How do you play The Midnight Man?
First, everyone who is playing gathers together in the same house. You can’t play the Midnight Man outside. Then, because whoever wrote the game didn’t fret about transmitting disease, each person signs their name on a piece of paper and marks it with a drop of their own blood. This in my opinion is the scariest part of the game.
When it gets close to the starting time, go to the wood door you’re using and tape the paper to it. Turn off all the lights and light your candle. Then, at the stroke of 12, you will knock on the wood door 29 times. I don’t know why it has to be wood. Once again, imagine those pagan origins. If you are summoning what amounts to an old god, they were probably connected to the forest. Once you finish knocking, blow out the candle, and open the door.
Congratulations! You’ve just let in Tthe Midnight Man. Now get ready to avoid a supposedly very painful death.
Quickly light the candle and start moving. Always keep moving. In this game the Midnight Man follows you around the house, trying to catch you. Throughout the game, he is said to give you horrific visions. He wants to throw you off your candle game so you let it go out.
If your candle were to go out you’re in trouble because it’s keeping you protected somewhat. Take that lighter you were carrying and light it real fast, within ten-seconds. If you fail, know that the mass of darkness is closing in. Take your salt, make a circle around yourself, and then hunker down. You’ll be there until the game ends
There are rules to the game, but mostly it all boils down to, “Don’t cheat.” Don’t be that arrogant person who thinks you can turn on all the lights or run from the house. If there is anything that will make this ancient entity angry, it’s not playing the game you invited them to play correctly.
You must either keep your candle lit while moving or stay in the salt circle until 3:33. At that moment the game is done and you are free to turn on the lights and go online to exaggerate about your experiences.
Of course, I don’t recommend playing this game. Primarily because I fear tripping with a candle and causing a fire. But if you choose to, make sure you do your research and are prepared. Otherwise, the Midnight Man might get you. | https://medium.com/here-there-be-monsters/the-pagan-era-ritual-that-teens-taught-each-other-to-play-online-b545b8ad0564 | ['Kyrie Gray'] | 2020-10-21 06:32:53.675000+00:00 | ['Fiction', 'Horror', 'Spirituality', 'Digital Life', 'Humor'] |
Coronavirus has exposed UK government’s failure to implement a long-term food plan | The Food Foundation now estimates at least three million people in the UK depend on food banks. HASPhotos
Food For Thought
Coronavirus has exposed UK government’s failure to implement a long-term food plan
The Food Foundation now estimates at least three million people in the UK depend on food banks.
Planning failures and financial cuts are being exposed by the COVID-19 pandemic. In the world of food, too, planning is needed both to deal with short-term emergencies and to address longer-term risks.
At the outset, the immediate task was to ensure people would get fed when economies went into lockdown. Lessons will be learned from how each country has dealt with supply and nutrition. In rich countries, they have learned just how dependent food supply is and was on migrant labour. As governments focus on national political responsibilities, the otherwise normal flow of labour to farms, factories and stores has been disrupted.
The UK experienced at least two years of a threatened no-deal Brexit, which exposed the need for crisis preparations. But the coronavirus pandemic quickly showed that there was still no formal UK food plan other than the government’s belief that big retailers “will sort it”, as one insider told us.
The food system was already in trouble, facing climate change, biodiversity loss and unsustainable diets. The lack of a formal plan is neither good governance, nor without risks.
Depending on the supermarkets
A de facto muddling-through has emerged, one that is concentrating on existing market power rather than tailoring supply to public need. A fully-fledged food plan is needed now and will be even more so in the coming months and years. Until there is a vaccine, the threat of the virus will dominate lives and economies. The need for a stable food supply and healthy consumption, however, will remain constant even when this ends.
A prime example of the UK’s muddled thinking in the absence of planning is how the government closed down almost all of the UK’s food service sector as its first food act. Superficially, this seemed sensible, designed to prevent cafes and restaurants becoming disease hot spots.
Read more: Coronavirus: rationing based on health, equity and decency now needed — food system expert
By closing down the entire sector, however, the government sidelined and dispersed catering’s massive pool of skills, facilities and local presence. These could and should have been centres for community feeding until vaccines finally liberate social life, probably in 12 to 18 months’ time.
Instead, the closures pushed consumers through the doors of a handful of retailers who saw a massive £2 billion growth in sales in March. It damaged massive markets for primary producers who supplied food services. As a result, produce that was earmarked for catering was spoiled and squandered — as was seen with the gallons of milk poured down the drain — adding to the UK’s already lamentable record on food waste.
Learning from the world wars
If we’re being charitable, we might excuse these mistakes as the consequences of high-pressure crisis management. History shows major food mistakes can be made in times such as these.
While many relish the militaristic “war” rhetoric, we need to remember that both world wars were, at first, almost disasters in UK food terms. Big shake-ups in government saved the day. In 1916, the ministry of food finally put consumer needs first, partly through rationing.
In the second world war, a food plan only began to emerge in 1940 when Frederick Marquis Woolton, head of a Northern retail chain, was brought into government and put in charge of food strategy. Woolton quickly assessed the state of UK food supplies, realised drastic action was needed to protect sources and routes, and immediately looked at food problems through a nutrition and health lens. Previously unfair market logic that meant people ate according to wealth, not need, was quietly replaced by a principle of equity. As a result, millions of poor people were eventually better fed by the end of the war than before it.
Read more: Stop calling coronavirus pandemic a ‘war’
Today, we have entered the pandemic once more with dire diet-related ill health. Whereas in the 1930s, the UK’s food problem was mostly hunger, now it is a surreal combination of over-, mal- and under-consumption.
With prospects of long-term economic harm looming today, the UK should be planning improvements to the food system. We must avoid the danger of the government failing to create a resilient food supply in the good times, then expecting the public to pay for the crisis in the recession ahead. Now is the time to plan a properly resilient, secure and equitable food system.
Addressing food poverty
While there has been a welcome official recognition that food needs to change due to the climate crisis, there’s been a stubborn refusal to get into details about diet or to address food’s social dimension.
The government was riled when, two years ago, the UN Special Rapporteur on Extreme Poverty and Human Rights was highly critical of the UK’s extensive food poverty — and continued to rely on charities, notably already stretched food banks.
This failure has resurfaced with COVID-19. While the government has said only 1.5 million need food help, the Food Foundation now estimates it is at least three million. Food banks are no answer to food poverty.
A shake-up of UK food governance for the good times and the bad is overdue. In two open letters — the first to the prime minister, Boris Johnson, before he fell ill, and the second to the English Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and the chief executive of Public Health England — we mapped out the case for a better mix of national, regional and local food responses.
A multi-level approach, from the national to the local, is an essential feature of the planning and reconstruction of agri-food systems for the future. Instead, the government in this current crisis has centralised, giving itself astonishing autocratic powers under the Coronavirus Act — with four pages on food that simply give government increased power to collect information — as well as handing over the food service market to a retail market where just nine companies acount for 95% of sales. This is unhealthy economics.
A truly resilient food system would decrease not increase market concentration in food; would put health and equity at the heart of food supply for coming months (possibly years); and would speed up development of a food plan that has long been needed.
Food is not just a matter of (quantitative) supply or tonnage. It is also about nutritional public health and sustainable food consumption for all.
Big issues for the UK food system have been heightened by coronavirus. Food policy and planning have not hitherto been easy bedfellows in policy and political discussions. Many still harbour the view that food is best delivered through the market, rather than that it is a “public good”. Yet the current crisis has magnified the absurdities of these complacent assumptions. Surely it is time the UK had a proper, open and widely-discussed food plan for now and the future. | https://medium.com/flaneur-media/coronavirus-has-exposed-uk-governments-failure-to-implement-a-long-term-food-plan-3a482036a72 | ['Edward James Herath'] | 2020-05-01 20:36:21.877000+00:00 | ['Government', 'Food', 'Coronavirus', 'UK Politics', 'Politics'] |
Will A Robot Take Your Writing Job? | Will A Robot Take Your Writing Job?
The pandemic has accelerated automation in non-creative fields, but are creative jobs vulnerable, too?
Photo by Photos Hobby on Unsplash
Since the 1700s, when Luddites started smashing English looms, automation has been putting people out of work.
In the 20th century, automation took over manufacturing jobs, data entry jobs, manual computing jobs. Now, breakthroughs in “deep learning” have exponentially increased the number of jobs that can be automated. McKinsey estimates that, by 2030, as much as 30% of work will be done by machines, displacing almost 400 million workers.
If you’re entering the job market or considering a career change, you’re probably wondering whether your job will still be around 20 years from now.
AI is now being used to make pizza, trade stocks and operate call centers (much to the chagrin of anyone trying to get in contact with a service provider). Administrative jobs and even some legal tasks, like document review and contract generation, are increasingly being handled by machines.
But what about more creative jobs?
For a long time, people have touted the relative safety of “creative” professions. While computers are already better than humans at things like processing data, sensory perception, recall, and predictable physical motion, humans outpace computers in soft skills like empathy, unstructured problem-solving, and unpredictable physical movement.
But is that changing? As neural networks improve, AI software is being used to disrupt professions once considered automation-proof.
There are now AI actors, poets, and visual artists. Even influencers, whose professions are based almost solely on being “personable”, are having to compete against computerized competitors. Imma, a virtual influencer, has over 300,000 Instagram followers and has landed deals with brands like Celine.
Just this year, Open AI released GTP-3, a pre-trained language model that can be used to generate a wide range of texts ranging from emails to dialogue, and even memes.
There are other platforms that generate prose, often notoriously incoherent. But GPT-3 is different.
GPT-3 produces extremely high-quality prose. Just look at this op-ed from The Guardian, written by GPT-3 itself:
The mission for this op-ed is perfectly clear. I am to convince as many human beings as possible not to be afraid of me. Stephen Hawking has warned that AI could “spell the end of the human race”. I am here to convince you not to worry. Artificial intelligence will not destroy humans. Believe me.
Look at that parallel structure. Look at those integrated quotes (ignore the wayward periods). I teach writing to middle and high schoolers and wish they could deliver this level of deliberate style and clear, concise prose. I wish I could write this well all the time.
This is not just words on a page or language generated simply to adhere to the grammar rules programmed into it. As Farhad Manjoo states in his New York Times op-ed, “How Do You Know a Human Wrote This”:
“GPT-3 is so good at aping human writing that it sometimes gave me chills. Not too long from now, your humble correspondent might be put out to pasture by a machine — and you might even miss me when I’m gone.”
So, yes, AI writers are coming, and soon.
So, will a robot take YOUR writing job?
Well that depends on the kind of writing you do. AI software might be more efficient than humans at developing SEO content or generating B2B emails (If you’re a Gmail user, you’ve noticed algorithms creeping into your responses already). So, in the future, platforms might be flooded by AI-created, SEO-optimized, targeted clickbait. Writers whose careers rely on sheer volume and formulaic writing might have difficulty competing with AI-generated work. In fact, some bots are writing clickbait headlines already.
Freelance sometimes feels like a hamster wheel: Medium articles espouse the joys of writing one or two or three articles a day, publishing every day, come rain or sleet, on four hours of sleep, after a 12-hour shift at a demanding corporate job.
But, whatever writing AI software produces, it will write it much faster than a human ever could.
Are freelance writers doomed to be like John Henry, working faster and faster, producing on a superhuman scale, racing against the machine — even winning, but at the cost of their lives, or, at least, the independent lives to which they aspired?
Well, here’s one glimmer of hope: GPT-3 struggles to write factually. So, as long as humans still value accuracy and truth telling (though the past four years have made me question whether they still do) there will be jobs for humans (at least until the bots get it right).
Another: advancements in AI may be slowing due to the extremely high cost of computing power. Automation replaces human labor when the cost of a machine is less than the wages of the workers it’s replacing. While GPT-3 is good, it won’t be able to completely replace humans until it is substantially improved, and that could take a lot of effort.
Improving the performance of an English-to-French machine-translation algorithm so that it only makes mistakes 10 percent of the time instead of the current rate of 50 percent, for example, would require an extraordinary increase in computational power — a billion billion times as much — if it were to rely on more computation power alone (Will Knight, “Prepare for Artificial Intelligence to Produce Less Wizardry”)
So in the short term, your job might be safe.
In fact, at least in the near future, AI is much more likely to benefit writers than to take their jobs. In-app editors like Medium’s might incorporate AI software that will supercharge your writing. Or, an app might reorganize your notes into cohesive paragraphs. Or a Chrome plug-in will use search tools to identify possible references based on keywords and automatically create hyperlinks in your stories. Or all three. As a bot who has digested a couple million Medium articles might say, “The possibilities are endless.”
So, how can you protect your writing career?
1. Write for yourself
There will always be a market for high-quality copywriting and clients who will pay big money for SEO-optimized prose. But the same clients who are abandoning quality freelancers for race-to-the-bottom job boards are the same ones who are going to switch to AI writers, if they turn out to be cheaper.
This goes for ghostwriting gigs and content mills as well. Of course, those hiring a ghostwriter to write their memoirs are still going to be looking for high-quality writing, and, possibly, the human interaction that goes along with dictating your life story to someone. But self-help e-books and Kindle Unlimited “pulp” fiction might be on the automating block.
Writing for yourself, however, is also not only much more satisfying than work-for-hire, but is also, hopefully, the kind of work that will help you build longevity and generate a following (see #2). Ultimately, the more authentic you your work is, the less likely it is to be replicable — by anyone or any bot. Developing a voice is part of developing your craft as a writer. Even now, in a sea of voices, it’s important to make yours stand out.
2. Interact with your audience; build a following
Building your audience now will help you when the glut of AI writers arrives. New steamy romance writers might not be able to compete with a bot that can churn out a 300-page book a day with passable prose that flawlessly adheres to the conventions of that particular niche. But, if you have a mailing list and a back catalog, you’ve got a leg up.
And while there are advances in AI language software, bots still make poor conversationalists. The more you interact with your audience the more your authenticity and humanity will show through.
3. Learn constantly
Language models are trained on enormous data sets full of text. From these texts it “learns” the patterns of language such that it can produce coherent prose. But the craft of writing is built on finding novel ways to express novel ideas.
Ideas are the heart of everything your write, and while AI-generated prose might take over, the ideas that structure it will be human, and they might be your own. In the future, expect a hybrid model of writing, where humans produce the ideas and software produces the prose.
4. Use AI tools when possible
As I said before, it’s likely that AI in the near future will be used, not to take over writing jobs, but to make writing easier. Thus, you’re not just competing against bots, you’re competing against every human writer using AI to aid their output. Refusing to take part in what will be the biggest technological advancement in Letters of the 21st century will put you decades behind in terms of output, market access and strategy. Can AI help you meet your daily writing goals? Can it help you develop headlines more quickly or give you a good foundation for your first draft? | https://kaydems.medium.com/will-a-robot-take-your-writing-job-c03749a8c7ef | ['Kaye Dems'] | 2020-11-01 18:08:42.515000+00:00 | ['AI', 'Artificial Intelligence', 'Automation', 'Deep Learning', 'Writing'] |
How They Did It | Amanda Armstrong From Nonprofit to Tech Startup to Entrepreneurship | Amanda’s career coaching business is based in Toronto and it serves to help clients find their “purpose driven careers”. Before transitioning her service from a side hustle to a full time business, she accumulated 10+ years of experience working in the nonprofit world in places like Kenya, Guyana, South America and the Carribbean. In our conversation, Amanda explained WHY social enterprises are an effective way to make an impact and HOW she plans to reach more in the future.
This is a summary that accompanies the original interview published on Work In Progress Podcast. Here we highlight the main takeaway and some useful resources. Listen to the full interview here. | https://medium.com/work-in-progress-blogs/how-they-did-it-amanda-armstrong-from-nonprofit-to-tech-startup-to-entrepreneurship-21b81b4c0914 | ['Dana C'] | 2020-05-13 02:20:45.244000+00:00 | ['Toronto', 'Startup', 'Podcast', 'How They Did It', 'Nonprofit'] |
Using Hygge Lighting To Make Your Home Cozy | A Coziness Guide
Photo by Marc-Olivier Jodoin on Unsplash
Lighting is something we often take for granted in our homes. Sure we put a few lamps here and there in dark spaces and we turn on our builder grade overhead lighting when it gets dark, but do any of us really stop and think about what the best lighting for our home is?
Lighting actually has a very powerful effect on our everyday life, impacting our sleep cycles, our productivity, and our mood. So it’s really important that we pay attention to the lighting we put into our own homes. Speaking of mood, the Danes really know how to set the right mood in their homes, in fact, The 2019 World Happiness Report named Denmark the 2nd happiest country in the world. And if there is one thing the Danes do right, it’s lighting. So how do they do it and how can you bring that same cozy feel to your home?
First, you might be asking yourself what in the hell is Hygge? I know I was the first time I saw that word written out. Pronounced “hoo-ga”, Hygge is a concept with many meaning but to summarize it’s that feeling you get when you’re cozy and content with the atmosphere around you whether alone or with friends, whether home or at a nice cafe. The Danes use the art of Hygge to decorate their homes and a big part of that is the lighting they use within them. So how can you bring cozy lighting to your own home? Let’s find out.
Candles:
Photo by Rikki Austin on Unsplash
The Danes love candles and use them all throughout their home? In his book The Little Book of Hygge: Danish Secrets to Happy Living, Meik Wiking states “about half of Danish people light candles at least four days a week and 31% light six or more candles each time”. Now that is a lot of candles which definitely can contribute to the coziness of your home. I know I always feel calm and content sitting under a nice blanket on my couch with a coffee scented candle glowing nearby.
The con of candles is that they do pollute the air in your home. Standard paraffin wax candles release carcinogens when burned, which can cause respiratory problems according to an article from Green America. And some candles even have lead in their wicks which can cause hazardous pollution according to one study.
Don’t despair however there are alternatives. LED candles are gaining in popularity for delivering a safe and beautiful glow to any home. They are easy to find all over the internet especially on Amazon. And personally, I love using them in the home knowing I can leave them unattended or knock them over (I’m quite clumsy, okay?) and not have to worry about starting a fire. If you still need a scent to up the coziness factor then you can diffuse essential oils at the same time as “burning” your LED Candle.
Now if LED candles just aren’t cutting it for you then you can still get real candles to burn in your home that don’t release carcinogens. Beeswax candles are considered a healthy alternative to paraffin or even soy (which often aren’t pure and still contain pollutants) candles. Some sources say beeswax candles even help to clean the air by emitting negative ions. Beeswax candles are my favorite alternative because I think they look simply stunning.
Lamps:
Photo by Nathan Fertig on Unsplash
In Denmark, they are not a big fan of overhead lighting. I mean can you blame them? I know bright white overhead lighting always makes me feel like I’m in a doctors office and frankly that’s my least favorite place to be. So why would I use that type of lighting in my own home? Using warm colored light bulbs in floor and table lamps is a much better way to create that homey feeling we’re after so we can start feeling the Hygge.
It’s best to have multiple sources of light to display as the shadows created by them are just as important to the mood of a room as the lights themselves. I’d recommend at least 3 light sources per room (maybe 2 if we’re talking about somewhere really tiny, I mean don’t just go shoving lamps all over the place just to fit the number you read on the internet). And I would vary there heights and shapes. In my living room right now I have a hanging floor lamp behind my couch, (perfect for giving a glow to most of the room) a table lamp on one side of the room (right next to a plush armchair perfect for reading a good book) and then I have a fake fireplace on the far end (giving off a beautiful ambient orange light and creating dancing shadows in the room). There are so many ways you can use lamps throughout your home, really get creative here playing with different heights and dimming settings until you get a room that feels just right.
Fairy Lights and Paper Lanterns:
Photo by Evelin Horvath on Unsplash
Fairy lights are all the rage right now and it’s hard to browse your Pinterest feed without coming across a dozen photos of them. Personally, I have to agree with the hype. Fairy lights are a beautiful and simple way to add ambiance to your home. People put them above their beds, in their kitchens, and around the windows of the living room to provide that magic look, you can’t quite get from anything else.
If you’re not feeling brave enough to use them inside your home try using them to spread the Hygge outside by stringing them up around your back yard or deck. Fairy lights can turn any boring outdoor dining into a magical night to remember.
In a similar whimsical way, you can use paper lanterns to decorate your home. Try putting beautiful paper stars to light up your nursery so your baby can experience the Hygge as well. Or if you love the look of lanterns go ahead and put them around your living room.
If you’re like me and you can’t get enough of Hygge, then you should check out Pinterest for more inspirational photos and find out other ways you can add that cozy feeling to your home. That’s sure to hold you over until my next Coziness Guide Article. | https://medium.com/@anissagallo/using-hygge-lighting-to-make-your-home-cozy-d582e68c8541 | ['Anissa Gallo'] | 2019-04-10 16:28:58.728000+00:00 | ['Lighting', 'Cozy', 'Hygge', 'Interior Design', 'Home Decor'] |
Five Reasons Your Machine Learning Model is Performing Poorly | For as much as machine learning (ML) is a science, you might be surprised how much it can often look like an art. You can’t just drop data in at the beginning of the funnel and expect your computer to work its magic! Data often needs massaged and coaxed in such a way that it is finely tuned to work well with whatever ML algorithm you’ve selected. It’s a fine dance that requires you to be intimately familiar with the content of your data. One could argue even that subject matter expertise is more important than having the machine learning skill set itself.
As somebody who is still very much on a learning path toward a data science role, trust me when I say that I’ve run into my fair share of model performance issues. Actually, I’m pretty sure I’ve run into almost every issue on this list! It can be really disheartening when you pull together what you think is a masterfully crafted model only for it to give you 50% accuracy. I’ve got a coin in my pocket that will do a better job than that!
One thing before jumping in… this post is intentionally written both for folks newer to the machine learning space and also those people who have zero experience with machine learning and want to learn more. That said, I might cover some concepts at times you may already be familiar with. I’ll do my best to strike a good balance for both parties. Fair enough?
Okay, we’ve got a lot to chug through in this post, so let’s get into it!
1. Your dataset has some pretty big outliers or widely varying ranges between features.
The way I help people demystify ML and artificial intelligence as a whole is by telling them that it’s all essentially some pretty fancy math done by your computer. I don’t mean that at all in a derogatory way, but let’s face it — we have to call a spade a spade. So when you have an ML algorithm looking at one feature with a 0–10 range and another with a -1,000–2,000 range, it’s not going to treat them on an equal playing field! Throw in a bunch of other dimensions, and you likely will have a wide distribution of wildly differing distributions in your dataset.
If you do nothing about this, the ML algorithm will almost certainly give undue favor to certain dimensions over others, and we call this introducing bias. (Remember that because you’ll be seeing more of that in this post.) Just like a parent who gives one kid 50 presents and the other 3 kids a single gift and then tries to tell you they’re not biased… well, actions speak louder than words, my friend!
There are many ways to deal with this, and perhaps the two most popular are standardizing and normalizing. Standardizing uses the mean of the column to give each individual data observation a new value based on its standard deviation from that mean, and normalization squeezes the data from its current range to somewhere between 0 and 1. There are uses for both, and packages like Scikit-Learn make it very easy for us to implement.
2. Your dataset contains a target class imbalance.
Okay, true story, this is the one that has personally plagued me the most which is silly considering how simple it is to diagnose! In ML algorithms where we want to classify something based on historical data, we feed in that historically labeled data for training what is called a supervised learning algorithm. So if you want to predict which flavors of ice cream people buy at certain times of the year, you’ll feed the ML algorithm (pun intended!) historical sales data from previous years.
Remember our old friend bias? Well, your historical data might contain some anomalous information that you don’t want adversely messing with your predictive results. For example, let’s say you — an ice cream shop owner — develop a new flavor called “Beam Me Up, Peanut Butter Cup” in honor of the “Storm Area 51” event that recently took place. Your sales skyrocketed in the month of September 2019 as everybody flocked to try this new flavor.
If you dumped this data in that basically says “Everybody loves Beam Me Up, Peanut Butter Cup in the month of September,” well… guess what’s going to happen in September 2020? I’m guessing this “Storm Area 51” event isn’t going to happen again next year, so if you rely on your ML algorithm and stock up on Beam Me Up, Peanut Butter Cup… you’re probably going to be sorely disappointed.
The way to get around this is by resampling your data properly. In this case, you’ll probably want to downsample the anomalous sales data of Beam Me Up, Peanut Butter Cup in September 2019. (Why did I have to create such an obnoxiously long name for that flavor…?) In other cases, you might need to over sample some underrepresented classes. One popular technique for doing this is called Synthetic Minority Oversampling TEchnique, or SMOTE for short. I’m not going to get into that here, but you can learn more about that at this link.
3. You’re measuring your results with a less than ideal metric.
Earlier in the post, I mentioned accuracy in passing, but that is just one metric by which we judge how well an ML model is performing. And truthfully, that metric is probably the least helpful when taken by itself.
I’m not going to cover the full gamut of metrics we use in the ML world, but perhaps two of the most popular include precision and recall. Precision is the idea that you really want your ML model to perform in a certain way even if it means that it intentionally misclassifies things every now and then, and recall does the opposite and seeks to ensure that we’re minimizing those false positives.
So if you’re trying to determine to send a flyer via mail to a potential customer but it’s really expensive to do so, you might seek to maximize recall. On the other hand, if you’re just wanting to send them an email that has no cost associated to it, you might maximize precision instead.
(There are even metrics to help balance these called the F1 and F-Beta metrics, but we won’t cover those here.)
The various implementations of ML in the Scikit-Learn package allow you to select which metric you want to target, so be sure to read up on the documentation to find out how to adjust it. If you don’t adjust it, it’ll rely on whatever default setting it has, which might not be the best for you!
4. Your model is underfitting or overfitting to your training data.
Last week, I proudly passed my AWS Certified Machine Learning Specialty (woohoo!), but the struggle I ran into was that the test is so new that there are hardly any practice exams out there today. I took this one exam over and over and over and found myself with an odd problem… I was memorizing the answers! This proved to be unhelpful because memorizing “A, A, B, D, C, B, D…” over learning the general concepts is helpful for nobody. (And this is why I have a hard time recommending you study for that exam until some additional materials come out. That test was BRUTAL.)
That situation there is a classic example of overfitting, and that with its cousin of underfitting can prove maddeningly frustrating to deal with in an ML context. Ideally, we want to strike a balance where our ML model is learning general patterns amongst the data without boldly memorizing the dataset in its entirety. Remember — we don’t want to memorize the multiple choice answers on a test; we want to learn the concepts that will help us pass a test with a difference sequence of multiple choice answers.
Frankly, this can be one of the most difficult problems for a data scientist to diagnose and rectify. If you think your model is overfitting, you can stop training at a sooner point or reduce the dimensionality of your data with something like Principle Component Analysis (PCA). Conversely, if you think your model is underfitting, you might just need to feed it more similar data. Those are some simple things to consider, but of all the issues we’ve examined so far in this post… I think this one takes the cake for the one that frustrates me the most.
5. You don’t actually have data that represents a predictable pattern.
Oooo… this one can feel like a punch to the gut, but it’s something we certainly need to acknowledge. Machine learning models are NOT magical! Like I said earlier, they’re basically executing some very fancy math in your data. So if you’re expecting to drop in some data and have the computer magically tell you it can reliably predict a given event, you’re going to be sorely disappointed. (Funnily enough, basic metrics might tell you it can reliably predict an event, but dropping it in a real world context will quickly show you those metrics had no idea what they were talking about.)
This comes back to the whole science vs. art thing I posed at the top of this post. Machine learning can be a difficult thing to learn, but at the end of a day, it’s just another tool in your toolbox. If you think you’re going to carve a statue with a hammer and no chisel, you’re in for a bumpy ride. Likewise, these ML algorithms are constrained by how you use them. Dropping in data about how often kitties meow isn’t going to predict how often I drink Mountain Dew. (Although wouldn’t that be hilarious if it did? 😂) | https://medium.com/@dkhundley/five-reasons-your-machine-learning-model-is-performing-poorly-f60287a24023 | ['David Hundley'] | 2019-09-28 10:30:07.255000+00:00 | ['Predictive Analytics', 'Artificial Intelligence', 'Data Science', 'Deep Learning', 'Machine Learning'] |
Turkey authorizes 18-month extension of Libya troop deployment | Turkey authorizes 18-month extension of Libya troop deployment
President Erdogan meeting with Libya’s GNA head Fayez al-Sarraj in Istanbul, Turkey.
Turkey’s parliament on Tuesday authorized an 18-month extension of its troop deployment in Libya in support of the the Government of National Accord (GNA) in Tripoli.
Turkey’s support GNA in Tripoli helped stave off an offensive by eastern Commander Khalifa Haftar in April 2019.
The sides struck a ceasefire agreement in October formally ending the fighting and setting the stage for elections at the end of next year.
Turkey’s presence in Libya is linked to its broader interests in the eastern Mediterranean, where it is hunting for natural gas in disputed waters claimed by Cyprus in Greece.
Ankara struck an agreement with the GNA leadership in November 2019 that extended Turkey’s maritime claims in the Mediterranean in exchange for military support.
Turkey’s parliament authorized the first one-year troop deployment to Libya in January of this year. | https://medium.com/@deserttalks/turkey-authorizes-18-month-extension-of-libya-troop-deployment-1e4b49b9a54b | ['Desert Talks'] | 2020-12-25 08:00:40.173000+00:00 | ['Military', 'Türkçe', 'Greece', 'Libya', 'Maritime'] |
How I got an amazing website for my business | 1
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Option 1: Using a Website Builder
Go to the top
How to Build a Business Website with a Website Builder
Get a domain name Create an email address Choose a business website builder Pick a template Add content Integrate apps Optimize your site for search engines Publish
Step 1: Get a Domain Name
A domain name is your website’s unique address.
While it is very common for businesses to have domain names that are the same as their business names (such as walmart.com), you can pick a domain name to include any text phrase you want, as long as it’s not already been taken.
For example, the domain name for our website is www.websitebuilderexpert.com. For businesses, it’s important to think about how your domain will be relevant to what you do. It’s the first contact a lot of people will have with your site, so make it count.
There are two costs associated with getting your own domain name:
The cost of buying a domain name The cost of keeping your domain name registered every year.
Good to know: Most website builders (such as Wix) include a free domain name for the first year. For any subsequent years, you can pay for your domain name directly through your builder.
A domain name typically costs around $10 to $12 to purchase, and a similar amount to keep it registered in your name every year.
If someone already owns the domain name you want, you’ll need to select a different domain name, or it’s possible to reach out to the owner to buy it.
Here are some FAQs about domain names:
Q: Where can I buy a domain name?
A: Popular domain name providers include Domain.com, and NameCheap.
Q: Where can I find out more about domain names? For example, how to pick, purchase and register my domain name?
A: Here is our comprehensive Beginners Guide to Domain Names. You’ll find everything you need to know about domain names here!
Before you move on, make sure you’ve:
Researched your domain to see if it’s available
Registered your domain
Further information:
How Much Does a Domain Cost? — Learn about the hidden fees and the best domain registrars
Step 2: Create an Email Address
To make your business look more professional and established, you’ll need a custom business email address. For example, [email protected] instantly makes your business appear more established and credible than [email protected].
The most common format for business email addresses actually uses your business domain name.
For example, our email address is [email protected].
Getting a custom business email address is quick, cheap, and fairly easy. Our recommendation is to use G Suite, which is powered by Google.
It’s basically Gmail for businesses, except you have a personalized email address. You get the user-friendly interface, reliability, and security of Gmail, with prices starting at $6 per month per email address.
Good to know: G Suite is fully integrated with some of our recommended website builders. If you choose to use one of these website builders, they make it easy for you to set up your own personalized business email addresses — you won’t even need to sign up to G Suite separately. For example, Wix allows you to create a business email address by purchasing a subscription to G Suite Mailbox within their dashboard.
Before you move on, make sure you’ve:
Settled on a professional-looking domain to use in your email
Sat down and thought about which email platform is right your business
Step 3: Choose a Website Builder
Now, on to one of the most important steps: choosing your website builder!
It’s important to mention at this point that there isn’t a ‘one size fits all’ solution when it comes to choosing the right business website builder. Different businesses will have vastly different needs — a trendy new restaurant, for example, will require something totally different from a small law firm.
That said, having tested over 50 website builders, we can confidently say that Wix is our top choice for building a business website, with Squarespace and Weebly also great options. You can’t go far wrong if you pick any one of these platforms, but you can check out our best website builders for business article for even more choice.
1. Wix
Best All-Around Website Builder
4.8out of 5
TOP CHOICE
Template Design
4.5 out of 5 stars
Ease of Use
5 out of 5 stars
Features & Flexibility
4.5 out of 5 stars
Popularity
5 out of 5 stars
Pricing
5 out of 5 stars
Try For Free
Read Our Full Review
Best overall website builder
Learning how to use Wix is really simple. That’s probably why Wix is the builder that users were most likely to recommend following our user testing. It’s the biggest website builder in the world, and comes with over 500 professionally-designed templates covering a huge array of industries including being rated best for restaurants.
Wix at a glance:
Who is Wix best for?
If you need a lot of design help and guidance. Wix offers pre-populated template designs, so you can easily swap in your own business images and content without having to design your own layouts. And if you want Wix to build a website for you, you can use Wix ADI — this is an artificial intelligence design software that simply asks you what you like, then takes your ideas and builds a custom website design for you.
Wix offers pre-populated template designs, so you can easily swap in your own business images and content without having to design your own layouts. And if you want Wix to build a website for you, you can use Wix ADI — this is an artificial intelligence design software that simply asks you what you like, then takes your ideas and builds a custom website design for you. If you need more flexible tools for a specialty business website. If you need an online booking/reservation app, a restaurant/order takeout app, or any kind of app that adds more practical functions to your website, Wix is a safe bet. Its app market is one of the most extensive in the industry.
Do You Like the Sound of Wix?
Wix is a strong all-around web builder that’s great for beginners, while still offering tons of creative control and cool features.
Yes! Show Me More of Wix
Find out more:
Wix Review — a full breakdown of its features, prices, and more
— a full breakdown of its features, prices, and more Wix Pricing Review — take a closer look at how much Wix costs, and the additional charges you should be aware of
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2. Squarespace
Best Design Oriented
4.6out of 5
Ease of Use
4 out of 5 stars
Template Design
5 out of 5 stars
Features & Flexibility
5 out of 5 stars
Popularity
4.5 out of 5 stars
Pricing
4.5 out of 5 stars
Try For Free
Read Our Full Review
Beautiful designs, and ideal for scaling your business
Squarespace is like the ‘Apple’ of business website builders. It can help you create visually stunning, minimalistic business websites that can capture your visitors’ attention. Learning how to use Squarespace isn’t quite as straightforward as it is with Wix, but its award-winning templates are worth the slightly steeper learning curve.
Squarespace at a glance:
Who is Squarespace best for?
If you want to create a visually stunning website for businesses in more creative industries, such as photography or design. You can see some examples here.
Do You Want a Beautiful Website?
Squarespace is a design-focused builder that combines the best designs on the market with powerful tools. Take a closer look!
Yes! Show Me Squarespace
Find out more:
Squarespace Review — learn more about what it’s got to offer
— learn more about what it’s got to offer Squarespace Pricing Review — an in-depth look at its pricing plans
— an in-depth look at its pricing plans Wix vs Squarespace — see which platform wins in our comparison
3. Weebly
Best For Small Businesses
4.4out of 5
Ease of Use
5 out of 5 stars
Template Design
4 out of 5 stars
Features & Flexibility
4.5 out of 5 stars
Popularity
4.5 out of 5 stars
Pricing
4.5 out of 5 stars
Try For Free
Read Our Full Review
Great value for money
If you’re wondering how to use Weebly, let us explain. It’s not a big hitter when it comes to design, but it’s really easy to use and certainly delivers on features. If you’re after a cheap, no frills way to get online, this could be it.
Weebly at a glance:
Pricing: Paid plans start at $5/month (billed annually), and there’s also a free plan for you to try it out
Paid plans start at $5/month (billed annually), and there’s also a free plan for you to try it out Design: Fewer templates than Wix and Squarespace, but Weebly still has over 50 themes to choose from, most of which are mobile-responsive
Fewer templates than Wix and Squarespace, but Weebly still has over 50 themes to choose from, most of which are mobile-responsive Features: Biggest app store in the industry, with free and paid apps covering a range of industries
Biggest app store in the industry, with free and paid apps covering a range of industries Support: Includes 24/7 support tickets, live chat, phone, forum, and support center
Who is Weebly best for?
If your business will rely on organic traffic . Weebly has the best SEO features and support available.
. Weebly has the best SEO features and support available. If you’re working with a very low budget. Weebly has the cheapest paid plan of the three builders.
Is Weebly Right For You?
Weebly is a great choice for small businesses. It offers affordable prices, simple but attractive templates, and an easy to use editor.
Before you move on, make sure you’ve:
Assessed your technical skill level
Decided how much you can afford to spend on your website
Written down the type and number of website features you’ll need
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Step 4: Pick a Template
Now you’ve chosen your website builder, it’s time to pick your template. This is our favorite step, as it’s the first time you’ll get a real sense of how your business website could look.
Your template (or ‘theme’, as they’re sometimes called) will act as your design springboard.
If you build with Wix, you’ll have total freedom to customize this template however you want, which means — for better or worse — you could end up with something completely different to what you started with. Squarespace isn’t so keen to hand over the creative reins, so you’re a little more limited in how you can alter your template — but that’s no bad thing, given that Squarespace’s templates are award-winning. In terms of customization potential, Weebly sits somewhere in the middle.
Whichever builder you choose to create your business website with, it makes sense to start out with the template that most closely resembles your end goal. And whichever builder you go with, you won’t be short of options:
All builders categorize their templates by type, so heading to the ‘Business’ (or equivalent) section should be your first step.
You can preview each template, then pick one you like the look of and start editing. You can swap templates as many times as you like before publishing, so make sure you test out a few. Both Squarespace and Weebly also allow you to change your template after publishing, but this isn’t possible with Wix — so choose wisely!
When settling on a template for your own website, try to look beyond the more superficial details, like font, colors, and images. Whichever builder you use, this stuff will be really easy to switch out.
Instead, focus on the structure of the site, the layout of the pages, and the general ‘feel’: does the template feel modern and ‘edgy’, or more safe and traditional? Is it more ‘in your face’ or understated? Think about how this matches up with your brand identity. You can also filter your template search by industry. For example, if you’re starting a fitness website, you may be able to find fitness-specific templates, and so on.
Before you move on, make sure you’ve:
Researched the website builder’s templates
Picked a template that accurately represents your brand
Step 5: Add Content
By now, you should have experimented with a few different templates and settled on your final choice. Nice!
Now it’s time to make this generic template your own by swapping out all the placeholder content for yours, and adding any extra pages or sections.
In terms of pages, all business websites will need:
A strong homepage. Visitors should be able to work out what you do quickly, and navigate to other sections smoothly. An informative ‘About Us’ page. Tell people your story, and add pictures of your team. A clear ‘Contact’ page. Customers need to know where they can find you, and how best to reach you.
Many businesses will also need:
A products/services page. Talk about what you do best, and add images if you have them. A blog. This can help demonstrate your expertise, keep your site feeling fresh, and help your site perform well with search engines — but only if you can commit to posting to it fairly regularly.
Now is also a good time to check out the competition. What pages do you like on their website? Is there anything you’ve missed on yours? Any pitfalls you’re keen to avoid? Your website should look individual, yes — but it’s good to know what your customers will be expecting to find.
Before you move on, make sure you’ve:
Written down all the contact details for your business
Collected a few high-quality images of your business
Researched some blog topics, if necessary
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