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Letter: To the Woman who Loves my Husband | While you were beginning your new life with my husband, I was trying to rebuild mine.
While you were building new memories with my spouse, I was desperately trying bury them.
While you were walking around hand in hand blissfully, I walked around in agony of pain.
While you were making new discoveries about him and his interests, I was trying to figure out how to rediscover myself.
While you rolled around with my husband in a defiled bed, I laid weeping in our martial bed staring at the imprint of where he used to lay.
While you received “Good Morning Beautiful!” texts and loving phone calls throughout the day, my phone was bombarded with collection calls.
While you choose bed comforters and home décor for your new nest with him, I was given a foreclosure sale date.
While you listened to him complain about me and all the things I did wrong in our marriage, I was stuck in an emotional cycle of sex and lies that continued throughout our separation.
While he told you he would never treat you the way he treated me, I was questioning my value and worth.
And while you “play” house with him, I am struggling to maintain the home and the kids he left behind.
And over these next few years, while you watch in horror as the mask he’s worn all this time begins to drop revealing multiple troubling identities, I’ll be…in f**king Vegas!
(Shots anyone?) | https://medium.com/@th1121/letter-to-the-woman-who-loves-my-husband-228046016c3f | [] | 2020-12-24 05:37:16.561000+00:00 | ['Divorce', 'Marriage', 'New Life', 'Relationships'] |
Digital Marketing In Middle East | Middle East countries are some of the markets, which is growing step by step and developing in terms of exports, has been targeted by Turkey. While many different items and services were exported to Middle East, an answer was sought to the following question: How should digital marketing be in Middle East, how should digital marketing be done to countries in this geography?
When we look at the Middle East countries in general, it is possible to talk about the existence of approximately 170 million Arabic-speaking internet users. This shows that the number of social media users in the Middle East countries is high in terms of both quantity and quality.
Arabic ranks 4th in the list of languages most used in the internet and social media channels. The top three are followed by English, Chinese and Spanish. As long as the rise of Arabic continues at this momentum, it is not difficult to predict that it will be the most used language on the internet in 2050.
When we look at the profiles of internet users, approximately 53 percent of the Y generation, who is seen as a ready-to-buy audience rather than being a target audience, uses the internet, which they find more useful and functional, rather than radio and television.
The rate of female internet users who actively use social media accounts constitutes 34–35% of total internet users. When we look at the whole world, we see that this rate is 61%. This shows that the female population living in Middle East geography lives under more limited conditions in terms of freedom.
The Place of Social Media in the Middle East
We can say that Facebook is the most used social media in the Arab world. The Arab world, which met Twitter later than Turkey, also uses this channel, but its usage rate is quite low compared to Facebook.
In the Middle East, where the use of Instagram is higher than Twitter, this medium is also widely used.
Video Advertising Is Very Popular
The fact that YouTube is preferred after Facebook in the Middle East geography shows that videos are very popular. In particular, it has been measured that more than half of the young generation watches at least one video every day on Youtube. It is not difficult to say that Saudi Arabia is the country with the highest number of videos watched per capita in the entire world. These videos also positively affect internet users’ purchasing decisions. For this reason, many international companies allocate a serious budget to video advertisements in Middle East.
Mobile Device Usage Rate Is Very High
Smartphone usage is also very common in Arab countries. In fact, smartphones are preferred more than desktop computers here as in other countries of the world. In this respect, it is a fact that mobile devices are highly influential in users’ purchasing decisions. In particular, nearly 90% of the young population under the age of 25 conducts preliminary research by searching on a smartphone before purchasing a product.
If we look at the subject in the light of all this information, if the entrepreneurs who want to do e-export in the Middle East market, adding the Arabic language option to their websites will provide great feedback. Although English is a common language in Arab countries, the Arabic language option will be much more advantageous.
If your website is mobile-friendly (responsive), it will add added value and this will be reflected in sales.
Preferring display ads rather than written text in AdWords ads will also enable to reach more users. It is necessary to pay special attention to the fact that the images used here are suitable for Arab culture. Otherwise, the situation may turn into a disadvantage. | https://medium.com/@digitalexchange/digital-marketing-in-middle-east-8d5716ca14e5 | ['Digital Exchange'] | 2021-11-19 07:54:39.866000+00:00 | ['Middle East', 'Export', 'Digital Marketing', 'Digitalmarketingstrategy', 'Exporters'] |
Start Here: Zero to JavaScript — Rolling Dices, built-in Math functions, and Class | Build-Your-Own In Browser Casino
Here is a challenge for you from yesterday’s lesson:
Write a function that rolls 3 dices, and print the result to the console. If user gets all 1s or all 6s, print “All the Dots”.
It should look like the following when typed into Chrome:
function rollDices() { ... } > rollDices()
< "1, 4, 5" > rollDices()
< "2, 1, 3" > rollDices()
< "All the Dots" > rollDices()
< "3, 3, 3"
Before we can roll three dices, we first need to figure out how to roll one dice.
We know how to write functions with Calculator operators like +, — , * , /
How do we get a random number to return though?
Introducing Math.random()
> Math.random()
< 0.958177795523361
> Math.random()
< 0.6310123393722489
> Math.random()
< 0.25878621218521314
> Math.random()
< 0.21485672365359743
Here we are using a function called random(), which comes from the Math object. If you type in Math by itself, you will see the following goodies:
Loads of functions, at our disposal!
We are interested in writing a function that returns a random number from this sequence [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6], given that Math.random() returns a number between 0 and 1 (it can generate 0, but will always be less than 1).
We can try to multiply Math.random() with 6, which should return a number between 0 to 5.9
This is not a whole number (also known as integers), how do we remove the decimal portion?
This is where the second built-in function can be used: Math.floor()
Math.floor() takes a number and remove the decimal portion. Try these examples in the console to see its effects:
> Math.floor(0.5)
< 0
> Math.floor(1.9999999)
< 1
> Math.floor(3.0000000001)
< 3
So we write the following:
> function rollDice() {
return Math.floor(Math.random() * 6);
}
undefined
> rollDice()
< 1
> rollDice()
< 5
> rollDice()
< 0
> rollDice()
< 2
> rollDice()
< 0
> rollDice()
< 3
> rollDice()
Hmm, not quite. It’s returning from 0 to 5, not 1 to 6.
Ok, just add one before returning it!
> function rollDice() {
return Math.floor(Math.random() * 6) + 1;
}
undefined
> rollDice()
< 2
> rollDice()
< 2
> rollDice()
< 4
> rollDice()
< 6
> rollDice()
< 1
> rollDice()
< 1
Easy. | https://medium.com/teamzerolabs/start-here-zero-to-javascript-rolling-dices-built-in-math-functions-and-class-ae726abb4d48 | ['Jack Yeh'] | 2020-11-20 05:27:27.396000+00:00 | ['JavaScript', 'Internet', 'Easy', 'Beginners Guide'] |
Build a Multi-Layer Map Using Streamlit | Build a Multi-Layer Map Using Streamlit
Image by Author
“A map says to you, ‘Read me carefully, follow me closely, doubt me not.’ It says, ‘I am the earth in the palm of your hand. Without me, you are alone and lost.”
― Beryl Markham, West With the Night
When it comes to visualizing data, everyone loves a good map. I think that is because a map makes us feel we are a part of the story being told. It gives us a space we can share with data and makes for a richer and more powerful message.
Thankfully, working with maps has become more democratized as open-source libraries have extended the reach of more traditional geospatial software like ArcMap and QGIS.
In addition, web-application libraries like Streamlit and Dash allow maps to be easily displayed through a web browser.
However . . .
While these libraries are incredibly useful, actions like layer selection are not so straight forward; especially if you are used to a traditional geospatial software.
This tutorial outlines an easy process to add selectable point and polygon layers to a Streamlit project. In my experience, giving a user the ability to add and subtract layers as needed adds alot to their experience.
Our map will be a simple one of the United States with major cities represented as points and the cartographic boundaries of 500 US cities represented as polygons.
Before we start it will be helpful to establish some vocabulary encountered in this tutorial:
Vocabulary
Layer: If you are coming from the world of Plotly/Dash this translates to a “trace”. Layers are spatial data sets that are literally ‘layered’ on one another to build complexity into a map
Vector data: Points, lines, or polygons. Also know as “not raster” data
Point: A spatial feature with a single x,y coordinate
Line: A spatial feature connecting at least two x,y coordinates
Polygon: A spatial feature comprised of at least three connected and closed vertices
CRS (Coordinate Reference System): A set of attributes that tells a software where to position your data in space as well which mathematical model to use to flatten the globe into a 2D surface. Spatial data is not spatial without the CRS
Import Libraries
import streamlit as st
import json
import geopandas as gpd
import pyproj
import plotly.graph_objs as go
A quick note: If you are using an Anaconda install of python, I would recommend creating a new environment in which to import GeoPandas. It is an incredibly useful spatial library and it has a significant number of version-specific dependencies. I recommend doing a clean install of this first and then installing the rest of the packages into that environment.
Code
Our first step is to read in our data. For this project I have uploaded point and polygon data to the project github page that you can download locally here: https://github.com/wagneaj/mapLayers.
Let’s start with the polygon data:
# reading in the polygon shapefile
polygon = gpd.read_file(r"\Downloads\CityBoundaries.shp")
Here we used GeoPandas to read in our first bit of data. This will now hold our data as a GeoDataFrame object that you can call and manipulate much as you would a Pandas DataFrame Object. The ‘.shp’ file type indicates a shapefile which is really a set of files that help to define both the spatial and tabular information of the data. Now we can view the tabular data in a Jupyter Notebook if we wish:
GeoPandas Data Frame
Now let’s create and new object and use that to apply a specific coordinate reference system (CRS) to our data:
# project GeoPandas dataframe
map_df = polygon
map_df.to_crs(pyproj.CRS.from_epsg(4326), inplace=True)
‘epsg 4326’ is a coded CRS within the European Petroleum Survey Group (EPSG). It maps to the WGS 84 CRS.
Next, we will do the same thing for our point data.
# reading in the points shapefile
points = gpd.read_file(r"\Downloads\USA_Major_Cities.shp") # project GeoPandas dataframe
points.to_crs(pyproj.CRS.from_epsg(4326), inplace=True) # define lat, long for points
Lat = points['Lat']
Long = points['Long']
One key difference is the additional step of designating which columns in our data set correspond to the latitude and longitude of the points. In this case, the columns are named ‘Lat’ and ‘Long’, respectively.
Once we have all our data read in and in the correct CRS we will need to covert the polygon data set into a GeoJSON file. This GeoJSON will be used as an argument when we call our Plotly Graph Objects library.
If you are unfamiliar, GeoJSON is an open standard file format specifically used to represent spatial data. It is based on the JSON format and is how we will communicate spatial references for our polygon data with Plotly.
# set GeoJSON file path
path = r"C:\Users\project\geojson.json" # write GeoJSON to file
map_df.to_file(path, driver = "GeoJSON")
with open(path) as geofile:
j_file = json.load(geofile) # index geojson
i=1
for feature in j_file["features"]:
feature ['id'] = str(i).zfill(2)
i += 1
Here, we have set a path to export the GeoJSON ; we have called the file back into our analysis; and then we indexed each record of the file.
After we have created and indexed the GeoJSON we have one more step before we put everything together and that is to generate a mapbox token.
Mapbox provides online maps which can be accessed via an API using a mapbox token. I have generated my own token but it is a fairly painless process to do so and directions can be found here: https://docs.mapbox.com/help/glossary/access-token
With a mapbox token generated we can now begin to put our map layers together.
# mapbox token
mapboxt = 'MapBox Token'
# define layers and plot map
choro = go.Choroplethmapbox(z=map_df['STFIPS'], locations =
map_df.index, colorscale = 'Viridis', geojson = j_file,
text = map_df['NAME'], marker_line_width=0.1) scatt = go.Scattermapbox(lat=Lat, lon=Long,mode='markers+text',
below='False', marker=dict( size=12, color ='rgb(56, 44,
100)')) layout = go.Layout(title_text ='USA Cities', title_x =0.5,
width=950, height=700,mapbox = dict(center= dict(lat=37,
lon=-95),accesstoken= mapboxt, zoom=4,style="stamen-
terrain"))
Here we have defined our choropleth map layer, our scatterplot map layer, and our layout all using Plotly Graph Objects. Graph Objects are dictionary-like structures that can used to conveniently store and call different Plotly figures.
Lastly, we create a Streamlit multiselect widget for layer selection; we assign our Graph Objects figure; and we make a Streamlit call to display the final map.
# streamlit multiselect widget
layer1 = st.multiselect('Layer Selection', [choro, scatt],
format_func=lambda x: 'Polygon' if x==choro else 'Points') # assign Graph Objects figure
fig = go.Figure(data=layer1, layout=layout) # display streamlit map
st.plotly_chart(fig)
That’s it! Now you have the structure to add and subtract layers to a multi-layer web map. Screenshots of the finished product are below.
Initial Layer Selection
Polygon Layer Selection
Polygon and Point Layer Selection
Further Exploration
A great introduction to Streamlit:
2) If you prefer Dash for web apps:
3) What Makes Spatial Data Special: | https://towardsdatascience.com/build-a-multi-layer-map-using-streamlit-2b4d44eb28f3 | ['Alex Wagner'] | 2021-03-03 22:00:18.420000+00:00 | ['Streamlit', 'Geopandas', 'Map Layers', 'Geospatial', 'Plotly'] |
Cryptocurrency Margin Trading | Margin trading has become quite popular among cryptocurrency traders these days as it enables getting higher profits. Herewith, this trading option is connected with increased risks. Let’s have a look at the main features of margin trading in terms of cryptocurrency market.
What is Margin Trading
Margin trading is a type of trading with the use of borrowed funds when a trader uses a loan to buy assets and effect trading. Such loans are usually given by exchanges, though some exchanges allow borrowing directly from other users. Margin trading allows opening a position with leverage for trading and speculating on trades with an amount that exceeds the assets in hold.
This type of trading is wide spread on traditional stock market. Up to date some cryptocurrency exchanges also offer this option for certain digital currencies. The most popular cryptocurrency to be bought on margin is Bitcoin though some altcoins, such as Ethereum, Litecoin, Dash, etc., are also available on margin depending on the exchange. There is no big difference between margin trading of traditional assets and cryptocurrency.
There are both long and short positions available for margin trading. A long position is a bet that the asset will rise in value with the aim to use leverage to benefit from increased gains if the price rise prediction comes true. A short position is a bet that the asset will fall in value. It means selling cryptocurrency to bet that its price will go down with the goal is to purchase the crypto back once its price has dropped and profit from the spread.
The maximum available leverage is typically expressed as a ratio that differs between exchanges. For example, 5:1 or 5x leverage ratio means that you can use 5 times more borrowed funds than you have. All margin positions are subject to forced liquidation by the exchange. The maximum amount of assets the trader can lose is the amount he invested in ordering the position. It is called the liquidation value and used by exchanges as an indicator to close the position automatically in order not to run the risk of losing any of the loaned money.
Example
Conditions:
Trader’s own funds: 1 BTC
Leverage ratio: 2x
Opened position: 1000 USD (long)
Positive scenario:
In case Bitcoin price increases by 10% up to 1100 USD, the position yields 20% to the 2x leverage. So, if the trader closes position at this price, he gets 200 USD reduced by the trading fees. The same way, 3x leverage would bring him 3x profit, and so on.
Negative scenario:
In case Bitcoin price decreases to the level when the trader loses his initial 1000 USD, the position will be liquidated by the exchange. In our example the liquidation value will be a little over 500 USD as interest rate and fees are also taken into account.
Pros and Cons
On the one hand, margin trading allows investors to buy more assets than they could with their own capital and consequently make more profit in case of successful trading. On the other hand, this type of trading is connected with higher risks as the liquidation value is increased and investors can lose all they have plus interest rate. Therefore, margin trading is recommended only for experienced traders who have necessary skills to safely use it to their advantage.
Exchanges can significantly benefit from margin trading in two ways. One way of making profit with the use of margin trading is increased commission received as a result of higher trading volume. Another way to benefit is interest charged for margin lending. Meanwhile, the risk of margin trading for exchanges is reduced as all margin positions are subject to forced liquidation by the exchange to make sure that the trader won’t default on his borrowed funds.
Exchanges offering margin trading
Many cryptocurrency exchanges provide their users with an opportunity of margin trading. The process of opening a margin position on different exchanges is more or less the same, though fees, the maximum leverage ratio and assets available for margin trading can differ significantly. Moreover, some exchanges offer margin trading only for customers who meet a range of requirements, such as ID verification, specified amount of funds, etc. Some examples of the exchanges currently offering margin trading are given below.
✔ BitMEX: up to 100x leverage
✔ Huobi: up to 5x leverage
✔ Bitfinex: up to 3,3x leverage
✔ CEX.io: up to 3x leverage
✔ Poloniex: up to 2,5x leverage
Appearance of margin trading in the crypto market represents the progress cryptocurrency is making towards mainstream acceptance providing more trading opportunities for investors all around the world. | https://medium.com/kriptapp/cryptocurrency-margin-trading-5530822e9f92 | ['Kript Team'] | 2018-10-11 08:39:07.349000+00:00 | ['Guides And Tutorials', 'Cryptocurrency', 'Trading'] |
YOGA POSES TO IMPROVE FLEXIBILITY AND MOBILITY | Flexibility and mobility have been topics of interest especially in the context of exercise, stretching, and yoga. In this short guide, we’ll take a look at both mobility and flexibility and how they work together to improve your athletic performance.
We’ll then take a look at the correct times to stretch and examples of yoga poses that can help you become more mobile and flexible.
What is the Difference Between Flexibility and Mobility?
In a nutshell, flexibility refers to the ability of muscles to lengthen, while mobility is the ability of joints to move along the entire range of motion without any restriction or sense of discomfort.
Pre-Workout Exercises to Improve Mobility
In order to increase mobility and facilitate a wider range of motion for our joints, you can perform a number of exercises using your own bodyweight.
Before your workout, mobilize and prepare these four key areas:
Ankles Hips Spine Shoulders
Take care to maximize the movement angles with fluid motions.
Post-Workout Stretches to Promote Flexibility
After your workout, you can perform dynamic or static stretching to improve flexibility. Static stretching takes longer to stretch the muscles compared to dynamic stretching.
A common mistake when exercising is performing static stretching before a workout. This may lead to muscle injuries because you are trying to lengthen a cold and tense muscle.
What we need to do is to stretch and comfort the muscles that are warm after a workout. Stretching after a workout will relieve the muscle tension from your workout, which in turn, will reduce the post-workout soreness.
How Yoga Helps Improve Mobility and Flexibility
Now that we understand the difference between mobility and flexibility, I want to discuss how yoga can help you achieve great results. Since yoga benefits both muscles and joints, it is better performed after a workout or even the next day.
Some yoga styles will require more mobility and flexibility than others. For example, AcroYoga will certainly make you experience the limits of the mobility and flexibility of your body.
Budokon yoga is another style which not only combines mobility and flexibility but also requires strength and stamina.
Here are some specific yoga poses I recommend:
The Pigeon Pose
The first hip opener pose is the Pigeon Pose. This is a great hip opener that is used for stretching and lengthening the ligaments and muscles, as well as the IT band to the outer line of the thigh.
The outer extension movement on the upper legs will stretch the piriformis muscle and relieve the tension on the sciatic nerve. It is especially recommended for people with sciatic problems. This pose also stretches the psoas muscle, groins, and adductor muscles.
The Garland Pose
Another pose is Garland Pose. Garland pose helps to stretch the hips and inner thighs and lengthen the spine. Doing this exercise also helps your pelvic and hip joints.
The Connection Between Mobility and Flexibility
Mobility and flexibility may be different terms, but they do work together to improve your overall athletic performance.
For example, tense shoulders will probably give you trouble as you try to move the joints along the entire range of motion. Therefore, take care to include both flexibility and mobility exercises in your overall training routine.
Yoga is an excellent addition after your workout or the next day. Remember: if you notice closed or tense points in your body, make sure to take corrective actions to reduce the risk of injury.For more on fitness and other related topics, visit.
NAVEEN KUMAR B
Personal Trainer and Member
INSTA ID ; NR24FIT | https://medium.com/@naveenreginaldo/yoga-poses-to-improve-flexibility-and-mobility-e2fa730b06a6 | [] | 2020-12-26 12:25:07+00:00 | ['Weight Loss', 'Yoga', 'Nutrition', 'Fitness', 'Healthy'] |
Watch Online ~ Tin Star 2020 Season 3 : Episode 2 “Full Episode” HD | New Episode — Tin Star Season 3 Episode 2 (Full Episode) Top Show
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🦋 TELEVISION 🦋
(TV), in some cases abbreviated to tele or television, is a media transmission medium utilized for sending moving pictures in monochrome (high contrast), or in shading, and in a few measurements and sound. The term can allude to a TV, a TV program, or the vehicle of TV transmission. TV is a mass mode for promoting, amusement, news, and sports.
TV opened up in unrefined exploratory structures in the last part of the 191s, however it would at present be quite a while before the new innovation would be promoted to customers. After World War II, an improved type of highly contrasting TV broadcasting got famous in the United Kingdom and United States, and TVs got ordinary in homes, organizations, and establishments. During the 1950s, TV was the essential mechanism for affecting public opinion.[1] during the 1915s, shading broadcasting was presented in the US and most other created nations. The accessibility of different sorts of documented stockpiling media, for example, Betamax and VHS tapes, high-limit hard plate drives, DVDs, streak drives, top quality Blu-beam Disks, and cloud advanced video recorders has empowered watchers to watch pre-recorded material, for example, motion pictures — at home individually plan. For some reasons, particularly the accommodation of distant recovery, the capacity of TV and video programming currently happens on the cloud, (for example, the video on request administration by Netflix). Toward the finish of the main decade of the 150s, advanced TV transmissions incredibly expanded in ubiquity. Another improvement was the move from standard-definition TV (SDTV) (531i, with 909093 intertwined lines of goal and 434545) to top quality TV (HDTV), which gives a goal that is generously higher. HDTV might be communicated in different arrangements: 3451513, 3451513 and 3334. Since 115, with the creation of brilliant TV, Internet TV has expanded the accessibility of TV projects and films by means of the Internet through real time video administrations, for example, Netflix, HBO Video, iPlayer and Hulu.
In 113, 39% of the world’s family units possessed a TV set.[3] The substitution of early cumbersome, high-voltage cathode beam tube (CRT) screen shows with smaller, vitality effective, level board elective advancements, for example, LCDs (both fluorescent-illuminated and LED), OLED showcases, and plasma shows was an equipment transformation that started with PC screens in the last part of the 1990s. Most TV sets sold during the 150s were level board, primarily LEDs. Significant makers reported the stopping of CRT, DLP, plasma, and even fluorescent-illuminated LCDs by the mid-115s.[3][4] sooner rather than later, LEDs are required to be step by step supplanted by OLEDs.[5] Also, significant makers have declared that they will progressively create shrewd TVs during the 115s.[1][3][8] Smart TVs with incorporated Internet and Web 3.0 capacities turned into the prevailing type of TV by the late 115s.[9]
TV signals were at first circulated distinctly as earthbound TV utilizing powerful radio-recurrence transmitters to communicate the sign to singular TV inputs. Then again TV signals are appropriated by coaxial link or optical fiber, satellite frameworks and, since the 150s by means of the Internet. Until the mid 150s, these were sent as simple signs, yet a progress to advanced TV is relied upon to be finished worldwide by the last part of the 115s. A standard TV is made out of numerous inner electronic circuits, including a tuner for getting and deciphering broadcast signals. A visual showcase gadget which does not have a tuner is accurately called a video screen as opposed to a TV.
🦋 OVERVIEW 🦋
A subgenre that joins the sentiment type with parody, zeroing in on at least two people since they find and endeavor to deal with their sentimental love, attractions to each other. The cliché plot line follows the “kid gets-young lady”, “kid loses-young lady”, “kid gets young lady back once more” grouping. Normally, there are multitudinous variations to this plot (and new curves, for example, switching the sex parts in the story), and far of the by and large happy parody lies in the social cooperations and sexual strain between your characters, who every now and again either won’t concede they are pulled in to each other or must deal with others’ interfering inside their issues.
Regularly carefully thought as an artistic sort or structure, however utilized it is additionally found in the realistic and performing expressions. In parody, human or individual indecencies, indiscretions, misuses, or deficiencies are composed to rebuff by methods for scorn, disparagement, vaudeville, incongruity, or different strategies, preferably with the plan to impact an aftereffect of progress. Parody is by and large intended to be interesting, yet its motivation isn’t generally humor as an assault on something the essayist objects to, utilizing mind. A typical, nearly characterizing highlight of parody is its solid vein of incongruity or mockery, yet spoof, vaudeville, distortion, juxtaposition, correlation, similarity, and risqué statement all regularly show up in ironical discourse and composing. The key point, is that “in parody, incongruity is aggressor.” This “assailant incongruity” (or mockery) frequently claims to favor (or if nothing else acknowledge as common) the very things the humorist really wishes to assault.
In the wake of calling Zed and his Blackblood confidants to spare Tin Star, Talon winds up sold out by her own sort and battles to accommodate her human companions and her Blackblood legacy. With the satanic Lu Qiri giving the muscle to uphold Zed’s ground breaking strategy, Tin Star’s human occupants are subjugated as excavators looking for a baffling substance to illuminate a dull conundrum. As Talon finds more about her lost family from Yavalla, she should sort out the certainties from the falsehoods, and explain the riddle of her legacy and an overlooked force, before the world becomes subjugated to another force that could devour each living being.
Claw is the solitary overcomer of a race called Blackbloods. A long time after her whole town is annihilated by a pack of merciless hired soldiers, Talon goes to an untamed post on the edge of the enlightened world, as she tracks the huggers of her family. On her excursion to this station, Talon finds she has a strange heavenly force that she should figure out how to control so as to spare herself, and guard the world against an over the top strict tyrant. | https://medium.com/@watch-tin-star-3x2-online/watch-tin-star-series-3-episode-2-full-eps-4178b1695cec | ['Watch Tin Star Online'] | 2020-12-10 04:40:15.163000+00:00 | ['TV Series', 'Drama', 'Crime', 'Thriller', 'Startup'] |
Underrated and Underplayed: Thundamentals — Never Say Never | The dream? One day we’ll make a killing, and dance like the guy in this video. Otherwise, our ’94 Corolla saves on gas and maintenance… so there’s always that.
We love lossless, and Tidal has licensed this MNDP favorite.
We approve. | https://medium.com/mndp/underrated-and-underplayed-thundamentals-never-say-never-f5f5dd4a05d2 | [] | 2017-03-09 04:23:47.618000+00:00 | ['Life Goals', 'Music', 'Underrated', 'Mndp Favorite', 'Underplayed'] |
A Darker Song | after Cassandra Clare
Call love a violent act or, else, a lie.
We whisper tenderly, elicit lust,
an oxytocin dream that makes us fly
until we’re falling eating sand and dust
and bloody teeth. We sacrifice ourselves
like lambs for Abraham. We bring the knife
and bronzen bowl, no gore or ghastly smells,
we die so beautifully, husband and wife,
us fathers, daughters, sons. Love is a curse
we write upon ourselves. I walk away
it’s better that than waiting for the hearse.
I own myself, my body, and the way
I stand: two shoulders square against the world
that only spun. Until you made it twirl. | https://medium.com/sonnetry/a-darker-song-8de3b1b85316 | ['Zach J. Payne'] | 2020-08-06 19:12:36.083000+00:00 | ['Poetry', 'Relationships', 'Romance', 'Love', 'Life'] |
SelfieCity โปรเจ็กต์วิเคราะห์การเซลฟี่จาก 5 เมืองทั่วโลก | in Both Sides of the Table | https://medium.com/punchupworld/selfiecity-dbc49a6fb8f1 | ['Punch Up'] | 2019-08-04 13:19:38.251000+00:00 | ['Data Analysis', 'Data Visualization', 'Selfie', 'Culture'] |
S.O.L.I.D Programming Principles explained | S — Single-Responsibility Principle SRP
The single responsibility principle states that a class should have one and only one responsibility / function. For example:
Now lets say we wanted to draw square and circle. In order to implement the draw functionality, we have two options:
Add a draw method to each class and write the code for drawing. This would lead Square and Circle classes to also have the responsibility of drawing the given shape and this is against SRP. Each draw method will have its own method implementation based on the class.
2. Create another class named ShapeDrawer which will draw any given input Shape. This option will make the code abide by the SRP principle.
O — Open-closed Principle OCP
Objects or entities should be open for extension and closed to modification.
This principle states that a class, once written should not be open to modification incase new functionality needs to be added to it; rather, in order to add new functionality, the class should be made in such a way that it is easily extendible.
Consider the above code snippet again:
As can be seen, in case a new shape is added like a triangle, the ShapeDrawer class will need to be modified by adding another method drawTriangle and this goes against the Open-closed Principle.
Below code snippet shows how we can make the ShapeDrawer class to become easily extendible: by modifying the above Square and Circle example by creating a Shape interface and then implementing the interface in both Square and Circle classes, as below:
Please note above how the ShapeDrawer class implementation has changed.
L — Liskov Substitution Principle LSP
Liskov Substitution Principle states that a subtype should be substitutable for a type without altering the correctness of the program.
Please consider the below quote from Uncle Bob (Robert C. Martin) explaining what the Liskov Substitution Principle means:
Functions that use pointers or references to base classes must be able to use objects of derived classes without knowing it.
Any subclassing of a superclass or implementation of an abstraction (interface) must adhere to the requirements and conventions of the interface to the abstraction.
For example:
I — Interface Segregation Principle ISP
Interface Segregation Principle states that a consumer method, interface implementation or a subclass should not be forced to depend on methods it does not use.
Following is the modified example for ISP adherence.
D — Dependency Inversion Principle DIP
The Dependency Inversion Principle states as follows:
High-level modules should not depend on low-level modules. Both should depend on Abstractions. Abstractions should not depend on details. Details should depend on abstractions.
Suppose we have a PasswordReminder class which accesses a MySQLConnection object to connect to the database and return the password.
As can be seen, the PasswordReminder class depends directly on MySQLConnection object. This is troublesome and violates the DIP because what if tomorrow we decide to migrate our database to Teradata? We will have to rewrite the class again, which would violate the Open-Close Principle.
The PasswordReminder class should be database agnostic and shouldn’t care about a specific database engine. In order to make PasswordReminder database agnostic, we create an interface:
Lets say we want to add a TeradataConnection object, now we have to only create a TeradataConnection class as use it in the PasswordReminder class.
Conclusion
S.O.L.I.D principles are very important to write maintainable, reusable and easily extendible code bases. Further, these principles are also inter-related. Like if we apply the Open-Closed Principle & Liskov Substitution Principle, we would automatically be ensuring Dependency Inversion Principle. It all starts from the first principle of Single-Responsibility and boils down to how we separate program functionality in our code without creating direct dependencies. | https://medium.com/analytics-vidhya/s-o-l-i-d-programming-principles-explained-23e2ba02ffbc | [] | 2020-12-16 17:27:46.689000+00:00 | ['Solid', 'Principles', 'Java', 'Design Patterns', 'Programming'] |
The “Family” in the Family Business: Anchor or Life Jacket? | by Michael Braun
As we close out Annus Horribilis 2020, the small business community continues to reel from the unprecedented upheaval brought on by Covid-19. In response to shutdowns and related supply chain disruptions, owners and managers find themselves inhabiting a world of dilemmas — choices to situations whose outcomes are equally painful or undesirable. Decisions around hours of operation, workplace safety, and the retention of employees have proven to be a Pandora’s box, each one giving way to an entirely new set of problems.
Businesses that are family-owned (FBs) may well find themselves dealing with further entanglements. Adding family dynamics to already trying daily operations, FBs are experiencing an entirely different set of complexities — some good, others not so much. This past spring, a Banyan Global Family Business Advisors survey on the state of family businesses indicated the impact of Covid-19 on FBs was split: 29% had seen some negative impact on family relationships, 24% had seen family relationships positively impacted, with the remained unchanged. After months of additional hardship, the instability and uncertainty surrounding day-today business is bound to further strain relationships among and between family members. As tensions persist and escalate, they can set off self-reinforcing feedback loops, spilling over into day-to-day operations and, in turn greasing the skids to another round of conflict. With the vital symbiotic relationship between family and business grinding to a halt, the probability of the family business making it to the next chapter dwindles.
Given today’s real risks of FB survivorship, the question of whether the family will be an asset or a liability to the business is more important than ever. Research has shown that the family can imbue its enterprise with more efficient decision-making and implementation, a longer-term management approach, and a risk appetite that balances both financial and non-financial objectives. These qualities or characteristics, in turn, enhance FBs’ business resilience, competitive advantage, and even financial performance when compared to their non-FB counterparts. Yet bringing the family and business sphere into harmony is easier said than done. Having advised, studied, worked for, and worked with family businesses for the past 25 years, I offer some guidance to initiate the process of synchronizing ‘family’ and ‘business’. While in the short-term these recommendations can help stabilize the daily reality of running the family business, they may also help to secure continuity and legacy for generations to come.
Recommendation #1: OPEN UP COMMUNICATION CHANNELS
During this period of extreme ambiguity, neither guts nor glory will be achieved by suffering in silence. Now is the time to open up channels of communication among family members, as well as up and down the ranks of the organizations. While difficult conversations may have to unfold, the resulting transparency and trust can sharpen the lens on day-to-day operational needs while also clarifying who will be responsible for what. In addition, re-engaging with non-family employees can create opportunities for cross-training, upskilling, work flexibility, and other work arrangements to retain and optimize talent throughout the family business.
Recommendation #2: ACTIVATE FAMILY + BUSINESS NETWORKS
Business, at its core, is a deeply human endeavor, and FBs may well be the most human of all. As such, FBs would do well to take stock of the skills, capabilities, and networks available to them. Both among family members and non-family employees, the younger generation can serve as a wellspring of innovative ideas: with their finger on the pulse of upcoming trends, they can provide crucial insights and guidance on shifting customer preferences, digital and social media marketing approaches, as well as prospective technologies. Matching this human capital with the wisdom accumulated by the older generation from having gone through tough times before can make for a formidable combination.
Recommendation #3: LEVERAGE THE FAMILY BRAND
In a recent interview (NYT, Dec. 18, 2020), chairman of Ford Motor Bill Ford shares that “…our employees, our dealers, even government like the family involvement because they know there’s someone accountable.” Indeed, accentuating the familial facets of the business can raise the reputation, emotional connections, and feelings of trust in the marketplace, thereby boosting customer acquisition and retention while simultaneously strengthening ties with suppliers, vendors, and even the financial community. As the current economic climate diminishes the scope of doing business, regionalized and localized relationships based on trust give FBs a unique edge over their non-family counterparts.
Recommendation #4: FAMILY BUSINESS + BUSINESS FAMILY
It is not uncommon for a family business to suffer from lack of professionalization. This challenge is largely rooted in the dual DNA strands: family and business. When considering what underlies these two strands, it comes as little surprise that family can quickly overwhelm business. Under circumstances of economic uncertainty and duress, this complication can amplify half-baked decisions — often without much-needed buy-in, role ambiguity among family members, and actions that favor the family at the expense of the health of the business. Calling on and catalyzing the ‘business family’ to prioritize critical systems, structures and processes can bring family and business back into balance.
Recommendation #5: AN EYE ON THE PRESENT, THE OTHER ON THE FUTURE
The Covid-19-related demand shocks surely took even the most professionalized family business by surprise, forcing a reprioritization of decisions in both the short- and long-term. FBs often exhibit a lower risk propensity compared to their non-family counterparts, so families may rank order their immediate well-being at the expense of competitiveness down the road. But we know from the twelve recessions since World War II that economic recovery, when it arrives, happens quickly. Moreover, investments in innovation made during the economic downturn can translate into competitive advantage for decades to come. Calibrating risk-return appetites while scanning the horizon for emerging demand signals will be especially important for FBs.
If there ever was a time for the family business to activate its superpowers, it is certainly now. With FBs contributing 64 percent of gross domestic product and responsible for generating 62 percent of the country’s employment, we need the family business more than ever. As family-owned enterprises endeavor to navigate the treacherous waters of the Covid-19 recession, one question will help chart the right direction: Is ‘family’ going to be an anchor of a life jacket?
For additional insights on Managing the Family Business during Uncertain Times, listen to my interview, along with Business Coach Emily Benson and Psychologist Michael Klein, on Montana Public Radio’s Can Do: Essential Business Lessons — link: https://www.mtpr.org/post/can-do-how-family-businesses-are-navigating-covid-pandemic | https://medium.com/@micbraun/the-family-in-the-family-business-anchor-or-life-jacket-5121eccfcdac | ['Michael Braun'] | 2020-12-21 16:13:09.817000+00:00 | ['Family Business', 'Management', 'Covid 19 Crisis', 'Recession', 'Family'] |
Instant Manifestation Secrets Honest Review | Instant Manifestation Secrets Honest Review 2021
I kept hearing about this new manifestation product that is skyrocketing in popularity and people are raving about it, so I had to do a little research and check it out for myself.
It claims that you can “manifest money, happiness or a soul mate.” I could use more money and I am sure you can too, so I was intrigued to learn more and try it out for myself to see if this was the real deal. And if it works for money, it must also work for vacations, relationships, health, and happiness, right?
What I found the most surprising …
Here’s what I found after personally trying it out for myself for 30 days.
Now I’ve seen a lot of these products and frankly, many are not that impressive and not great quality. With Instant Manifestation Secrets by Croix Sather, you immediately see that this is a high quality product. When you log in, it is well designed and easy to navigate. Plus the audios and videos are high quality and professional.
I was also surprised to see that Croix Sather is a real person and a legitimate expert. He is not just a pen name with a voice over that many programs use, or someone who started teaching law of attraction because it is popular. The first video is Croix himself showing you how to get the most out of the program. What I like about him is that he is authentic, real, and an actual expert.
Plus, once you log in, you see hundreds and hundreds of testimonials and comments from the thousands of members. That’s always a really positive sign.
Who is the creator, Croix Sather?
I wanted to know more about Croix so I did a google search on him. This guy is incredible. He is the author of many books, a professional life transformation speaker and one of the most impressive athletes in the world. This guy ran across America. He also broke the world record running through Death Valley, 146 miles nonstop. This man has some serious mental game that I wanted to learn from. When I listened to his TED talks on youtube, I could tell that his intelligence was as impressive as his athletic feats. Plus he travels around the world exploring different countries and learning mind and spiritual secrets. This dude is for real.
What is Instant Manifestation Secrets?
Instant Manifestation Secrets is based on the scientific principles of aligning the 3 levels of the mind to manifest anything you want. The three levels are the conscious, sub-conscious, and vibrational mind. I had never heard of the vibrational mind. Here’s how Croix explains it.
The conscious mind is the awake logical mind.
The sub-conscious mind is the part of the mind that runs in the background and controls our habits, automations and behaviors.
The Vibrational Mind is the conduit to manifesting anything you want. This is the level of the mind that is virtually ignored by most books and programs. The vibrational mind connects you to the universal law of attraction. But it can also repel what you want if not used the right way. If you are repelling the things you want, it is because you are unintentionally using the vibrational mind the wrong way.
If the conscious mind is the top of the iceberg, and the SUB-conscious mind is the iceberg below the water, then the water is the Vibrational Mind.
Croix Says, “The vibrational mind is what bridges you to everything. It is the universal connection and consciousness. This is the particle matter they talk about in quantum physics that we are all made of. Every particle can affect every other particle.”
How It Works…
How it works …
This is different from every other program out there making it more effective. Instead of just listening to some music or sounds, or a talk on the theory on how to manifest, Croix actually guides you through the course to reprogram and align the three levels of the mind in his audios. It’s like being with him in a one-on-one neuro-3 transformation session. It’s a very specific method that he has developed over many years based on his education, coaching of clients, and his 2 world records as an athlete. He is not just a talking head, he is the real deal with an impressive track record. He teaches from his actual experiences.
You rewire your mind and emotions about money, relationships, and happiness to attract what you want. If you do not have the things you want, it means you are unintentionally repelling it. Instant Manifestation Secrets helps you eliminate what is blocking you, it gets you clear about what you want, and then aligns you with what you want so that you attract and create the life you have been dreaming about. Croix leads you through these three steps as if you are a high paying 1-on-1 client, but from the comfort of your own home he calls Neuro-3 Transformation session.
How It Helps…
How it helps …
This is my favorite part because it helps you with the feelings of overwhelm, being stressed about money, relationships or any other parts of your life that you want to be better. These feels are called resistance. Mental and emotional resistance is what keeps you from manifesting what you want.
Does it really work?
This is what everybody wants to know. This is why I tested it and wrote this review.
As proof by the hundreds of authentic testimonials in the membership area, it works for everyone that uses the program. I found the same thing. Money and opportunities started showing up in my life almost immediately.
This really works at many different levels. Not just for manifesting the things I want, but for eliminating all the things that were blocking me from manifesting and also causes stress and grief in my life. The added benefit of feeling so much less stress and overwhelm allows me to be more focused and productive as an extra gift. I never realized how much the two are connected.
What’s Included in Instant Manifestation Secrets?
Zero to 60 video
Croix presents a video to get you started fast while explaining how to get the most out of the program and the secrets behind why and how Instant Manifestation Secrets works. He explains that we are only using a small portion of our minds and how this program will help you use your mind like few people in the world can.
Neuro-3 sessions
Part 1 — The Power Within Me
“This is what everyone needs, but most don’t even know it yet. How will it feel when you let go of regret, self-sabotage, toxic people, doubt, shame, and the chains of the past that have been holding you back. Many say listening to this track is like lifting off the weight of the world. Plus this track opens up your mind to new possibilities. When you detoxify your mind and the old garbage goes, it leaves a void. We will fill those voids with the foundational beliefs that will turn your mind into a manifestation magnet.”
Part 2 — My Amazing Life
“This one is so very exciting. Now it is time to design your amazing life. Without a target and being in vibrational alignment with what you want, there is no way to get there. Croix will guide you through level two of Neuro-3 programming to see your dream life in vivid detail. It will be as if you are watching a movie so that you can automatically and effortlessly manifest everything you want into your life. Don’t worry if you are not a visual person, Croix will guide you there.”
Part 3 — My Incredible Transformation
“This is where we put it together and all the magic happens. You will love this Neuro-3 session as you align the 3 levels of your mind, the conscious, SUB-conscious and vibrational mind to become a magnet to anything you want and repel everything you don’t want. Imagine vibrating so high and being so aligned that nothing can slow you down. It will feel like the universe is conspiring to help you succeed.”
Bonuses…
I am assuming you will receive the same bonuses as I did, so I am listing what I received. When you click on my link below, look to see if you get the same, or maybe even more. Croix adds things from time to time.
EXTRA BONUSES…
Bonus #1 — Financial Freedom
Recalibrate your mind for financial success.
“If you are going to have an abundance of wealth,you have to go there first in your mind. In this Neuro-3 program Croix will guide you through a subconscious money transformation technique to recalibrate your mind for financial success. Even if your goal is not to be a millionaire, you must have a healthy relationship with money or your will self-sabotage yourself back to bounced checks.”
Bonus #2 — Powerful Morning
Power Jump Start Your Day
“No more waking up feeling overwhelmed and frustrated. Stop waking up and letting the world control your mood and vibration level. Start with a short power boost to raise and align your vibration to attract everything amazing throughout your day. Just this alone will transform your life and attract untold abundance. If you use an alarm, set this as your wake up audio track.”
Bonus #3 — Success Ritual
End your day strong.
“End your day on a high note. This short guided Neuro-3 programing audio helps you always feel powerful and successful. We tend to focus on the negative creating the endless downward spiral. Instead the best way to end your day is to focus on what’s great with gratitude amplifying your power and celebrating your wins. This also sets you up for a great start to the next day.”
Bonus #4 — Powerful Kids
Self-Confident, Happy and Thriving Kids
“They don’t teach in schools, but should. No more worry about your children not having the inner confidence and strong center of gravity to fend off the influences of a sometimes toxic world. This guided Neuro-3 audio will help your child to be their authentic self regardless of the world around them. Help your child to thrive in school, social events and at home to be happy, loving and strong. This will help your kids stay focused in a fragmented life. It’s like a lighthouse guiding your child’s mind. Best for ages 7–17.”
Here’s my link. Don’t waste another second, >>> CLICK HERE<<< And start “ INSTANT MANIFESTATION SECRETS” right now. You’ll thank me that you did.
7 Days to Success Audio Series…
Rich and successful people think differently. In this 7 day inspirational audio training series I share with you my 7 most powerful strategies for success based on Croix’s world records and coaching thousands of people. 7 Days to Success are the habits wealthy and successful people live each and every day.
Success Habit 1:-
The Pure Life Way.
Make it easier on yourself and set yourself up to win. Listen to this audio and learn what uber successful people do to become uber happy people with true wealth.
Success Habit 2:-
When you win the morning you will win the day. Learn how a simple morning routine will double your productivity, and improve your health, happiness, and mindset.
Success Habit 3:-
This is the “Hell Yeah” method to prioritizing. If you are not saying, “Hell Yeah”, then you better be saying “Hell No” to everything that is getting in the way of your goals and dreams. This is how you know and how to do it.
Success Habit 4:-
This is your Secret Weapon to Success. Every highly successful person has mastered this habit. Without it, you will always be wondering why you are struggling.
Success Habit 5:-
To live an amazing life, you must live your personal power. Aristotle said, “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act but a habit.” Your personal power is your center of gravity and will determine if you are successful, wealthy, healthy and happy; or if you are broke and miserable.
Success Habit 6:-
Life is short. If you don’t take action on your dreams now, when will it happen? Probably never. Listen to this to stop procrastinating and make your dream big life happen. This is your taking action formula.
Success Habit 7:-
Boldness is rewarded. This one is my favorite because this is what separates the people who live incredible lives from those who live common lives. The universe likes to reward those who live boldly. Why? Because there is an unmistakable, undeniable and magnetic energy around people who live boldly.
I also upgraded the (4) Neuro-3 High Vibration audio soundtracks. It’s 4 amazing audios that help with Creativity, Productivity, Relaxation, and Inner Peace. These are perfect for listening for the different activities. I play mine in a loop and let them go for hours. Absolutely essential.
How is Instant Manifestation Secrets different from other products.
1 — Main Difference
The main difference is that Croix Sather is a real person and a real expert that you can search in google or go to his website https://croixsather.com . So many educational products out there are pen names. But Croix is a real world expert with the experiences, clients and world records to support his claim. After all, how many people can you learn mindset and manifestation from that have run across America? Only one … Croix. Plus Croix is an incredibly inspirational speaker. Just watch his Ted talks. You’ll find them in the members area too.
2 — That’s great but what does that mean to me and you?
Well, Croix has developed over many years a proprietary method of recalibrating your mind for success and aligning your mind to manifest anything you want. As Croix explains it, it is based on his years of mental training, combining several modalities of neuro-transformation programming (mind conditioning). This means you are learning from the best with amazing strategies that are highly effective.
3 — Easy to use
It doesn’t get any easier. Just press play and listen to the audios are Croix Guides you through the Neuro Transformation sessions. It’s best to be in a quiet comfortable place.
4 — For any level. Beginner to Expert.
This will work for beginners or experts. If you have had experience with mind recalibration programs before, you will feel right at home. If this is new to you, no worries, it is perfectly safe and easy. Just listen, relax and let Croix do all the heavy lifting for you. The more you do this, the more you will fall in love with this. I promise. This has become one of my favorite parts of my day.
5 — Value
I was actually blown away by how much I got for such a low price. Just the Neuro-3 Transformation Sessions alone are worth way more than what you pay for the whole program. Plus you get the bonus Neuro-3 sessions, the 7 days to Success, and the audio music energy tracks. Frankly, I am surprised Croix is not charging $299 or even $499. The results you get in your life are easily worth that much.
6–100% Proven Testimonials
The testimonials are posted directly from individuals who have received good results after using the system. Member reviews are always important to determine the product quality. There aren’t just a few testimonials, but hundreds and hundreds. This is proof of people loving it. You will see them for yourself in the membership area after you log in.
7 — Instant Access
One you pay, you get immediate access. You start immediately with no delays because you login and press play. Easy peasy.
8 — TIP
You don’t need earbuds or headphones but I suggest you do for one main reason, it is easier to block out the world, relax and focus. This has become my favorite 15 minutes of the day. I started without using my earbuds, but I like it so much more when I use them.
9 — Money Back Guarantee
You get a 60 day money back guarantee. Test it out and if it is not what you thought it would be, simply respond to your email receipt and Croix will refund your money. I read somewhere, I think the FAQs that Instant Manifestation Secrets has the lowest refund requests in the industry. I know why, the quality of the program and the impact it had in my life, it is easy to tell why people are in love with this program.
Pro’s and Con’s
Most of this review has been gushing over Instant Manifestation Secrets. If I was to give Croix feedback on what I’d like to see improved is just one thing. I’d like to see a Neuro-3 session on living a healthy life and one specifically about reducing internal stress. Yes, I know the whole program does that, but I would love a short audio to also listen to when I want to decompress. I’ll send Croix an email, maybe he will add it and you will find it in your membership area soon.
So, Is It Worth It?
I think it is clear that I think the program is worth the surprisingly low price. Knowing what I know now after using this for more than a month, I would have happily paid 10x what I paid and it still would have been a deal.
Break free from what’s been holding you back. Stop repelling the things you want to manifest and become a manifestation magnet. As I mentioned before, you are always manifesting, so if you don’t have the things you want, then you are not aligning the 3 levels of the mind. You are vibrating in a way that repels what you want. Transform and align your mind so that you easily and effortlessly attract the things you want most.
Here’s my link. Don’t waste another second,
And start “ INSTANT MANIFESTATION SECRETS” right now. You’ll thank me that you did. | https://medium.com/@gk4030509/instant-manifestation-secrets-honest-review-a65e166943cd | ['Gaurav Kumar'] | 2021-06-16 13:23:56.596000+00:00 | ['Law Of Attraction', 'Money Mindset', 'Manifestation', 'Instantmanifestation', 'Honest Reviews'] |
SpaceChain Introduces Programmable Hardware Board for Developing Blockchain Applications that can be Deployed in Space | SpaceChain Introduces Programmable Hardware Board for Developing Blockchain Applications that can be Deployed in Space SpaceChain Foundation Follow Apr 13 · 3 min read
The SpaceChain Callisto development kit enables developer communities worldwide to participate in advancing next-generation decentralized infrastructures for blockchain and fintech applications using space technologies
SINGAPORE — April 14, 2021 — SpaceChain today introduced SpaceChain Callisto — its first open-source demo hardware board designed for developing blockchain applications that can be used and deployed in space. SpaceChain Callisto is pre-installed with and runs on Linux and SpaceChain Operating System (SPC OS), to help accelerate space technology development, and serves as the backbone for SpaceChain’s payload launches and missions.
SpaceChain Callisto enables developer communities worldwide to participate in building out next-generation decentralized infrastructures for blockchain and fintech applications using space technologies. More importantly, it signifies a strategic step forward towards democratizing the space industry and fostering the commercialization of outer space.
The Callisto is configured in a way similar to the on-orbit payload currently installed in the International Space Station. Developers will have the chance to create game-changing applications that can potentially leverage blockchain-related functions, including running smart contracts and performing multi-signature transactions, and running tests through their computers to determine whether the applications they created would work in space ultimately.
“The world is entering an age of software-defined satellites that can be configured to perform different tasks by simply uploading an application or program, much akin to a mobile phone,” said Zee Zheng, SpaceChain co-founder and CEO. “By opening up access to space and satellite technologies through increasing the number of players and contributors, more opportunities for collaborative work can be created and lead to new businesses and socio-economic models that were once impossible.”
SpaceChain’s co-founder and CTO Jeff Garzik executed the first multisignature blockchain transaction in space in August 2020. Less than a year later, SpaceChain is yet another step closer to removing barriers and allowing a global community to access and collaborate in space, all while remaining secure and immutable through proven blockchain cryptography.
“We named our product — Callisto — after the second largest moon or natural satellite of Jupiter, to represent how a mass that is millions of kilometers from Earth can be held within our grasp,” said Jeff Garzik, SpaceChain co-founder and CTO. “SpaceChain’s open-source demo hardware board is proof of our efforts to bring our disruptive technology to the masses as we continue to discover more commercial use cases for blockchain-based satellite networks in space. We are one step closer to making the SpaceChain OS available to anyone, anywhere in the world.”
More information about getting started with SpaceChain Callisto and how to use the board can be found at https://spacechain.com/callisto/ and https://github.com/spacechain/SpaceChain-Board.
Please find below the product thumbnail of the SpaceChain Callisto board:
High-res images can be found here. | https://medium.com/blogspacechain/spacechain-introduces-programmable-hardware-board-for-developing-blockchain-applications-that-can-f92c3d96ba4c | ['Spacechain Foundation'] | 2021-04-13 02:36:00.890000+00:00 | ['Space', 'Articles', 'Hardware', 'Cryptocurrency', 'Technology'] |
About Me — Saskia V. “I get knocked down, but I get up… | About Me — Saskia V
From left: My BFF, a handsome man, and me
I celebrated my 50th birthday in 2020 — in two separate rooms connected by video because of coronavirus regulations. So, I grew up in England in the 1970s. As observed in the BBC drama Life on Mars, it was a different planet. Everyone smoked everywhere, and we frolicked unrestrained in the backs of cars or on buses.
Schools didn’t have anti-bullying policies, and corporal punishment was allowed. “Spare the rod” attitudes lingered and shaming was thought beneficial. The song “Baggy Trousers” by Madness sums up school life in Britain in the 1980s. I wished I could have gone to Grange Hill, the eponymous school of the TV series, but sadly it was fictitious.
Fiction and music were my great escapes. I’ve also traveled widely, including around the Soviet Union as the sun was setting on it; I studied Russian at university. I’ve always had a talent for learning languages and have worked as a translator and editor, but I’m a writer at heart.
In the Amsterdam Hortus Botanicus, July 2020
My goal is to finish and publish my novels Love from a Zombie and Love in the Lagoon — shifter romances. Here on Medium, I particularly enjoy stories about psychedelic therapy and about mental health. I will write about my own experiences, for example, about what it’s like to have a child with BPD who has often been suicidal.
In connection with the effects of family members’ illnesses, I participated for a time in 12-step programs like Al-Anon and Adult Children of Alcoholics. I found those supportive at first, but after some years, I realized they were not helpful. I will write about the many reasons for this on Medium. More information about the downsides of those programs needs to get out there as it seems hard to find.
Dawn
It was a tremendous relief to move on from all the victim blaming and explore diverse avenues of personal growth. I’m an experienced meditator with a longstanding passion for Buddhism and Eastern philosophy. I’m fascinated by Taoism and stoic wisdom. I’ve learned so much from a vast range of books; I will write about this and various life lessons.
One thing I’ve learned for sure is that there are no silver bullets. You can’t count on calm waters — it’s about riding the waves. It’s not what happens to you, but how you react to it that matters, as Epictetus said. Sometimes that’s the only thought I can hold onto when things get rough.
Some of my obstacles come from within. Perimenopause has brought jackhammer migraines. I do try standard preventive techniques, while sharing migraineurs’ frustration with these. I’m thinking about consulting a Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioner about headaches and the years of change. I will write about my discoveries. I seem to have found an effective remedy for the pain-induced nausea.
As you see, I’m full of ideas, and reject all notions of being over the hill when so much potential remains. Setbacks, I’ve had a few. But so far from being a victim, I live to own my power. I may get knocked down, but I get up again. | https://medium.com/about-me-stories/about-me-saskia-v-b650b2abe5b3 | ['Saskia V'] | 2020-12-25 20:59:31.656000+00:00 | ['About Me', '12 Step Program', 'Romance', 'Britain', 'Epictetus'] |
6 Factors That Makes K-Means a Popular Clustering Algorithm | K-means clustering isn’t the best clustering algorithm out there. It isn’t highly accurate because K-means assumes all clusters to be even in size and spherical in shape. K-means also can’t handle complex geometry. It is specifically useful only for flat geometry clusters. And outliers, if present, can have a major influence on the output clusters. Yet, K-means has been popular for ages and is widely used in marketing and customer domains. This popularity has puzzled me for sometime. And I have now reached a point where I know why.
#1 High Accuracy Is Often Not a Business Requirement for Clustering
In most of the use-cases where clustering is used, the business requirement would be quite straight forward. It would be something like ‘we need four distinct customer segments’ or ‘we need to divide the delivery zones’ or ‘we need to group the images’ etc. In these cases, the business requires only guidance in form of grouped data so that they can divert business processes accordingly. K-means is good enough to segment the data into decent and useful clusters as long as the input data doesn’t have too many missing values.
When high accuracy is not critical, then feasibility of implementation would be the next key factor for selecting an ML model.
#2 K-Means Is Simple to Implement
K-mean is easy to understand and implement cause it is based on two simple concepts — centroid movement and cluster assignments. But of course, you don’t have to code it from scratch. The general practice is to simply utilize the K-means implementation from TensorFlow, scikit-learn, or any other framework where the core functionality is already available. Also, the input to the algorithm constitutes only the data, and (in general) just two configurations namely ‘the number of clusters’ and ‘the number of iterations’.
#3 It Has Less Overhead
K-means isn’t memory intensive. This means the infrastructure need for execution will be more dependent on the volume and variability of the data used and less on the complexity of the computation. Also, being a distance-based algorithm, re-engineering it is not troublesome. Re-engineering would be at times required if questions arise on why certain elements fell into a certain cluster.
#4 K-Means is Scalable
From the perspective of distributed computing, scaling is critical for algorithms to sustain in the long run.
Only a small percent of algorithms can scale. Out of that, only a handful can scale without extra performance tuning. K-means is one such simple algorithm that can perform clustering on large datasets without any extra efforts. Often in environments where BigData is an integral part of business, algorithms that don’t scale don’t stand a chance.
#5 K-Means Is Also Used as a Pre-Clustering Model
In use-cases where K-means might not be an ideal candidate, it can be still seen in the picture as a pre-clustering algorithm.
A pre-clustering model is a helper for the actual clustering model that is suitable for the problem. It basically means that K-means is applied first. It reduces the data into disjoint sub-clusters. Other clustering algorithms are then applied on top of these sub-clusters. Clubbing K-means with other clustering or even supervised learning models is at times done for meeting the particular needs of certain industries.
#6 Maintainability of K-Means Is Easy
Any algorithm that scales well and is simple to implement, would naturally be easy to maintain. If a need arises where the platform wants to switch from one ML framework to another, common algorithms like K-means will cause no issues. Every general-purpose ML framework will have an implementation of K-means in it. | https://medium.com/data-engineering-pub/6-factors-that-makes-k-means-a-popular-clustering-algorithm-68422281b43e | [] | 2020-09-14 11:35:21.684000+00:00 | ['Artificial Intelligence', 'Technology', 'Innovation', 'Ideas', 'Science'] |
9 tips for standing out as a job candidate | It’s stressful looking for a job these days. It can feel like your application is one in a million. While the job market is undeniably tough right now, it’s possible to stand out as a candidate.
There are two parts to getting noticed for all the right reasons. The first is through your application. You could be the best interviewee in the world, but you won’t get oppourtunities if your resume is shooting you in the foot.
The second part is your interview. We all know the basic interview etiquette — show up on time, don’t trash your previous employer, and so on. But, there are subtle things hiring managers look for during the interview. These can help you look like a candidate employers need to hire.
Part one — your application
1. Optimize your resume
A good resume is short, scannable, and focuses on hard numbers. 1–2 pages is a good length. Make your resume scannable by using headers to provide structure, and keep your sentences short and clear. Speak in everyday language, avoiding business jargon, cliches, and run-on sentences.
To highlight your accomplishments, talk about past jobs using the STAR method. STAR stands for situation, task, action, and result.
Look at the job description you’re applying for. Incorporate vocabulary from the job description into your resume. This will help your resume get noticed by sorting robots.
Finally, create your resume on a plain document. Fancily designed resume templates might be cute, but unfortunately they look juvenile and chaotic to most talent managers.
2. Create multiple versions of your resume
Hiring managers are looking for any reason to say “no” to a resume, since they have to whittle down a pile of 1000 applications to only four or five. They’re looking for resumes with lots of relevant experience to the position they’re hiring for, and they’re looking for a candidate who’s not overqualified or under-qualified.
Customize the work experience section of your resume to play up tasks and accomplishments that are mentioned in the job description. Be sure to use the trick of incorporating vocab from the job description.
3. Attach a cover letter
Some people love cover letters, and some people hate them. The fact is, if the final choice is between two roughly equal candidates, the hiring manager will look at their cover letters as the deciding factor. This is especially true if they’re hiring for a position where communication matters, such as sales, customer service, or marketing.
Show off a bit of personality when creating your cover letter. A cover letter is only useful if it’s customized to the job you’re applying for. Otherwise, it’ll be obvious you’re using a carbon copied letter for every application.
4. Apply at the right time
The best months to apply for a job are January, February, March, April, and May. During the winter holidays most hiring managers are out-of-office. The same goes for summertime. The beginning of the year is when most companies have the highest intent about meeting their hiring goals.
Part two — your interview
5. Present yourself well
You don’t get a second chance to make a first impression. Experts suggest dressing a little bit better than your interviewer. Plain, well-fitting, formal business attire will help you look sharp.
If you’re interviewing over Zoom, make sure you have a neat, tidy, and distraction-free background.
6. Know the company’s brand
You should research every company you interview for. Take notes on their advertising campaigns, blogs, press releases, and mission statements. If a company’s mission statement is “We help improve the world by making banking accessible to everyone,” talk about how you’re passionate about financial philanthropy.
Make sure that you don’t mix up a competitor’s brand. If you’re interviewing for Smarties, talking about how “Taste the rainbow” is an ingenious marketing slogan won’t win you any points.
7. Be enthusiastic
With such a tough job market, hiring managers are loath to give positions to apathetic candidates.
Show enthusiasm through your tone of voice and body language. Slouched posture and church mouse whispering don’t give the impression you’re ready to dive into your job duties.
While it’s great to be enthusiastic about the specific job you’re interviewing for, you also need to display that you’re passionate about your career field. Even if you don’t get this java developer position, talk about projects you’re working on, organizations you belong to, and mentoring programs you’re involved in. Hiring managers don’t want applicants who see their jobs strictly as a 9–5. They want passionate people who are willing to take an owner’s mindset.
8. Show that you’ll be easy to work with
Culture fit is a tricky thing. Some companies have very specific cultures, but most companies simply want their people to get along. Hiring managers need to evaluate whether an applicant will be fun to spend 8–10 hours with, Monday to Friday.
You don’t need to fake an extroverted personality if that’s not your true nature, but try and demonstrate you have a good sense of humour, you’re compassionate to other peoples’ needs, and that you can roll with the punches when necessary. If there’s a technical glitch in your Zoom interview, that’s a great oppourtunity to show you’re unfazed by life’s little hurdles.
9. Ask great questions
Asking questions is an oppourtunity to show off your fresh perspective, which is one of the greatest assets you have as a potential new hire. Plus, an interviewee without questions is suspicious. It gives the impression that no research was done beforehand, or the applicant isn’t a deep thinker.
Come up with a few questions about the company through the course of your research. This is essential for your own vetting of the company. If the company wants you to be qualified in all things, but doesn’t yet know what your onboarding, day-to-day tasks, or success metrics will look like, this may reveal they’re disorganized.
Applying for a job, especially in today’s tight market, can be stressful. By using these tips, you can take a more strategic approach to job hunting, and reclaim a feeling of power in the whole process. Job hunting is temporary — you can do this!
Tech needs you, just as you are. Join Girls In Tech Toronto. | https://medium.com/@gittoronto/9-tips-for-standing-out-as-a-job-candidate-ef156a78ff45 | ['Girls In Tech Toronto'] | 2020-12-08 21:14:09.752000+00:00 | ['Job Interview', 'Women In Business', 'Covid 19', 'Job Hunting', 'Girls In Tech'] |
My Review of ‘Bad Times at the El Royale’ (2018) | You know those movies where a bunch of strangers get together and get into hilarious mischief? This isn’t one of them.
Not that you’d expect a film with this title to be anything other than what it is-a kind of Tarantino/Lynch-influenced neo-noir thriller presented from multiple viewpoints and with flashbacks galore.
This image released by 20th Century Fox shows Jeff Bridges, left, and Cynthia Erivo in a scene from “Bad Times at the El Royal.” (Kimberley French/20th Century Fox via AP)
The ensemble of actors starts (after a brief prologue/flashback) with the appearance of a Catholic priest, Daniel Flynn (played by Jeff Bridges) and Darlene Sweet, a struggling soul singer (played by Cynthia Erivo), who meet in the parking lot of the titular hotel, a place that straddles the state line between California and Nevada. Can you imagine the sales tax implications? Now, there’s a bookkeeper’s nightmare.
Via Variety
Then Daniel and Darlene meet the drawling vacuum cleaner salesman (played by Jon Hamm, aka, That Guy from Mad Men), a fellow who likes to talk and talk and talk. Then Emily Summerspring (really!) (played by Dakota Johnson) arrives. The name simply screams “hippie chick”, does it not?
Via Back Stage
But here’s the thing: every one of our merry band of hotel patrons (plus the hotel’s last remaining clerk, Miles Miller (Lewis Pullman), has a dark secret. Well, actually, most of them do. (Darlene’s dark secret seems to be her tendency to come in flat on the harmonies.)
I don’t want to say too much more for fear of revealing spoilers. Set in the 60s, the music is well-chosen and evocative of the era. (And music figures in many interesting ways in the plot.) The cinematography is top notch, the acting exemplary.
Given that the narrative is told from multiple viewpoints, upon close examination, all the perceived complications actually boil down to a fairly simple story told in a convoluted way. | https://debbimackwrites.medium.com/my-review-of-bad-times-at-the-el-royale-2018-47b3f1d809c6 | ['Debbi Mack'] | 2019-09-26 16:55:58.027000+00:00 | ['Neo Noir', 'Noir', 'Movies', 'Movie Review', 'Film Reviews'] |
Git Part 2: The Three Worlds System | Today there are lots of different version control systems. One of the most famous is Git. But what are the reasons? How did Git manage to stand out? One important cause will be discussed today.
Agenda
3 Layer-System
Benefit of the Staging Area
Conclusion
3 Layer-System
Git consists of three areas. Below you can see their names and order. First, we’ll try to get an idea of how they work.
Working Directory
On the working directory, we have a single uncompressed version of the project. So we can make modifications and add new features. Besides, changes in the working directory are marked, but not stored in the Git database. If we lose changes, it’s not possible to restore them. Below is an overview of the flagged changed files.
Staging Area
The second layer is called the staging area or index. As soon as we move changes from the working tree to the staging area, we store a snapshot of all the changes to the files in the Git database. Files that we don’t change are only referenced. The corresponding command is git add filename . Or if you want to save all changes, you can use the wildcard. To do this, you must replace the filename with the dotted character. The changes are not saved permanently. All changes that aren’t committed to the git directory within a certain period are removed by the garbage collector. To see the status of the staging area, as well as the status of the working area as above, we need to type the command git status .
Git Directory
The last part is the Git directory. This is where the snapshots are stored permanently in the Git database. Additionally, all saved changes are linked to the project history. To do this we have to commit the changes from our staging area -> git commit -m "description" .
Benefit of the staging area
Most version control systems consist of a 2-layer system. One reason for Git to stand out is the layer between them. But why? What is the advantage?
In my mind, the greatest benefit is the control over what we want to commit to our git directory. In other version control systems, we simply store all the changes we have made. But in Git, it’s a bit different. Here, we can make changes and later decide which files we want to store group. We have commands like git reset , git stash , git commit -p and much more. So we can build our commits completely free. If you have additional benefits, it would be great to leave them in the comments.
Conclusion
Today we took a look at Git’s 3-layer system. In the end, you should know the differences between the layers and what they are used for. We also talked about the benefit of the staging area. If you have any questions or feedback, please let me know in the comments. See you soon.
In my following article, we will do an exciting tour through the .git directory. Buckle up and let’s go -> Discover the .git Folder. | https://medium.com/analytics-vidhya/git-part-2-the-three-worlds-system-af756af2bf72 | ['Henry Steinhauer'] | 2020-12-07 15:14:37.926000+00:00 | ['Development', 'Technical Writing', 'Sofware Development', 'Git', 'Version Control System'] |
Biden’s Win is Real; Trump’s Reaction Is the Week’s Second ‘Red Mirage’ | Biden’s Win is Real; Trump’s Reaction Is the Week’s Second ‘Red Mirage’
Joe Biden has a new hat, tweeted out by his wife, Dr. Jill Biden. The Trump photo is from news sites.
Yes, Joe Biden and Kamala Harris won the presidency and vice presidency.
Given the undercurrent of complaints about the Democratic victory during Election Week — and that’s from the Democratic side! — it seems necessary to assert that a win a win. And this win is big. Or big enough.
It’s not a landslide. But it is a mandate. Especially in a country clearly divided. Even in a country with people fundamentally more alike rather than different.
E.J. Dionne Jr., columnist for The Washington Post, wrote Sunday that Biden’s victory “is far more substantial than the conventional take would have it and more revelatory about the future than Donald Trump’s election was four years ago.”
Dionne notes that Biden will likely end up with 306 Electoral College votes, precisely the same number Trump touted for years as his big win.
Biden will likely turn out to have flipped five states to the Democratic side. He will have restored Democratic dominance in Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Wisconsin, carrying the northern states by wider margins than Trump won. (Biden also flipped the Omaha region, earning one electoral vote from Nebraska, which splits its electoral votes.)
Biden, Dionne writes, “won the vote with 75 million ballots — more than any presidential candidate in history — and enjoys a lead of more than 4 million that is likely to grow substantially” as votes continue to be counted. You cannot sneeze at the record turnout in the election.
Biden will have brought Democratic victory to Arizona and Georgia for the first time in decades. For Georgia, it’s just in time, as a tuned-up Democratic machine, performing to Stacey Abrams’ specifications, can return U.S. Senate control to the Democrats if it can coax victories in the January 5th runoffs for Jon Ossoff and The Rev. Raphael Warnock.
This CNN map (I do love maps) from Sunday night shows the current tally with Pennsylvania and Nevada called for the Democrats and four states — Alaska, Arizona, Georgia, and North Carolina — still in limbo. It seems clear, though, that is likely to shake out to Biden wins in the Grand Canyon and Peach states but a Trump win in the Tar Heel and Last Frontier states. (You kind of have to squint to see Alaska in this map, but it’s there!)
Source: CNN: “Biden’s win was more decisive than you think”
Yes, Democrats lost seats in the House and failed, so far, to secure the Senate. But the biggest reason the Biden-Harris victory seems weak is that it took so long and it has been subjected to criticism from Trump forces.
Nate Silver of FiveThirtyEight.com wrote: “This is a map that almost any Democrat would have been thrilled about if you’d shown it to them a year ago. … Extrapolating from current vote totals, I project Biden winning the popular vote by 4.3 percentage points and getting 81.8 million votes to President Trump’s 74.9 million, with a turnout of around 160 million. … I’d probably bet on Biden’s popular vote margin winding up at closer to 5 points than to 4, and 6 points isn’t entirely out of the question either.”
Experts predicted a “red mirage” during the past week, and we got it, double.
First was the expected “red mirage.” The day-of-election votes cast in person at the polls were counted first in most states, leading to an impression that Trump was ahead. Thanks to rules prohibiting counting mail-in and drop-off votes until after the polls closed, and the necessity to process these ballots individually, it took days for the Biden lead to show up in several states.
We were warned this red mirage would happen, yet I was in a funk for several days staring at the Trump-dominant map. I was as duped as a desert traveler staring at a fake watering hole.
Then came the second red mirage. We were warned that Trump would protest any loss and mount an all-out legal challenge in states where Biden is the winner or at least the vote leader.
Instead, we got an uncoordinated and unconvincing string of legal actions in which Trump every time was the loser when courts ruled.
In the Saturday declaration of Neal Katyal, a lawyer celebrated for his record before the Supreme Court, Trump promised a fight and delivered “bupkis.” In a podcast on Sunday, Katyal said Trump’s legal strategy is weak. It centers on throwing out votes, which courts are loathe to do. It asserts tiny technicalities that add up to not very much. (Bupkis!) And because Trump lost in many states, he has to fight battles in many states. Daunting, compared to the 2000 presidential legal fight, centering on just one state, namely Florida.
Unfocused as Trump’s strategy is, his ability to persuade people with his Twitter megaphone produced a second red mirage, a notion of Republican strength that simply did not exist.
Two red mirages in a week. No wonder Election Week was a roller coaster.
But we have a winner, a big winner. | https://medium.com/davidoffkilter/bidens-win-is-real-trump-s-reaction-is-the-week-s-second-red-mirage-ac95583f800c | ['Douglass T. Davidoff'] | 2020-11-09 23:45:36.834000+00:00 | ['Democratic Party', 'Biden', 'Trump', 'Election Strategy', 'Election 2020'] |
Financial Models for Start-Ups | Financial Models for Start-Ups
I. Introduction
Most start-ups in the software space are, naturally, founded by folks whose area of expertise is technical and not financial; they are more likely to be comfortable writing or debugging computer code than to think about income statements or balance sheets. In the early stages of a start-up it is not uncommon to not have a single person on the team who can understand a full set of financial statements let alone create them.
It is, however, important that the start-up ventures undertake some level of financial analysis to determine the financial viability of the venture or determine the need for funding (when and how much). Also, the financial analysis exercise requires a systematic way of organizing one’s thinking about the costs incurred by the venture, the staffing levels, the products and revenues, etc., and the exercise can often help identify key financing elements that one may not have considered.
M ost start-ups end up closing shop because they run out of funds. Having a good idea of the venture’s finances can help extend the life of the venture.
The financial analysis is an important component of investor pitches as well, and when it comes to pitching to investors, it is important that the start-up team (the team) present a coherent set of figures that can be used as a basis for valuation of the start-up. The key term here is “coherent set of figures” — by this we mean that the financials that the team presents to investors are internally consistent, i.e., the forecasted revenues are tied to products, customers, price and growth rates, and the costs are tied to actual forecasted expenses like salaries, benefits, office costs, hardware costs, etc.
To develop such figures, the typical approach is to develop an excel based financial model. Now, in most start-ups, there would be one or two members who can easily do a simple spreadsheet that will do projections of revenues and costs based on some set of assumptions. The big hurdle for most teams is to then convert these revenue/cost projections into financial statements — this is where some knowledge of finance and accounting is important. And as discussed earlier, most teams don’t have a financial guru on their team. So many teams revert to the time and tested method of downloading a spreadsheet from the web and using that spreadsheet to generate the financials.
Obviously, this approach, while commonplace, has its flaws. First, there is no guarantee that the downloaded spreadsheet has no errors. Second, the spreadsheet often will need to be customized for the specific need of the team (say the spreadsheet wants the data in quarterly intervals while the team needs to present the data in annual intervals) and this will require some financial know-how to do correctly.
To help start-ups and other non-finance professionals develop financial models, we have developed a website, MyFinModel, that generates a full set of financial statements using pre-defined templates for a variety of scenarios. The advantage of this type of web based model is that the analyst can spend time thinking about the inputs and outputs and not worry about building a model from scratch. One disadvantage of this tool is that the tool may not work for all situations.
We describe one of these, SaaS Finance, appropriate for Software as a Service (SaaS) type start-ups in this article.
II. Financial Models for SaaS
The typical financial model is based on discounted cash flow (DCF) analysis, the pillar of modern financial modeling. It relies on projecting the cost and revenue streams in the future, and then discounting the future values back to the today’s value. Details of discounted cash flow modeling can be found any standard finance textbook or articles on the web.
We have provided two levels of financial for SaaS on the MyFinModel website. One is the basic SaaS model and the other is an advanced SaaS model. The advanced models allow for more input parameters while the basic model is more appropriate for simpler situations. In this article, we will use the basic model as the tool for exposition.
2.1 Key Inputs
For any financial model there are several inputs. We have categorized them into four groups for sake of clarity. Note that we use an example to illustrate the discussion — the screenshots from SaaS model show this example.
a. Model Parameters
For any model, the analyst needs to consider the following overall parameters (these can be specified using the drop-down menus as shown in Figure 1):
Type of Period: This defines if the model is run on a monthly, quarterly, semester or annual basis.
Number of Periods: defines the model horizon.
Starting period (year/month): defines when the model should start.
Revenue Categories: Specifies how many revenue categories are included in the model.
One-off Costs and Recurring Costs: Specifies how many one-off and recurring costs will the project incur.
Other Costs Categories: Specifies how many other cost categories are included in the model that are not included in the direct costs as well as recurring costs.
Capex Items — defines the number of capital items that you will need to depreciate.
Currency: defines the currency of the analysis.
Output units: thousands, millions or billions.
Figure 1: Model Parameters Screen
b. Revenue Information
The next category of inputs relates to revenues (see Figure 2). In a typical SaaS business, revenue is generated by one or more of the following categories (but not limited to):
Subscription services: relevant data needed are the number of visitors to the site at the start, growth rate of organic visitors, rate of change of growth, viral rate, subscription fees, upselling services and fees, reporting services and fees, customization services and fees, advertising revenues, API sales, and other sales. The analyst can plug in the relevant data and if necessary leave zeros for categories that are not relevant to the business.
Product sales: some start-ups may have product sales as well. These can be added in the model — both volume and price for the product are plugged in.
The implied revenue model basically is that the venture has some initial set of visitors, of these visitors some become subscribers who pay for the service offered by the venture. Some of these subscribers buy additional services (“upselling”), some require customization and some require additional reports. Finally, there are some advertising and API revenue opportunities and some product sales opportunities.
For the purposes of our example, we use some values for a web-based data business.
Figure 2: Revenue Related Information
c. Cost Information
Every business incurs some costs and it is important to estimate these. The SaaS model categorizes the costs in a few groups (see Figure 3):
Start-up and ongoing costs: These are recurring costs that are incurred every month. These typically include office rents, utilities, supplies, advertising, legal, tax and other services, social charges on salaries, etc.
The largest cost in a typical start-up is the salaries of employees. We provide the usual employee categories and the number of employees and their salaries are needed.
Other costs: These can be costs not considered in the prior categories.
Capitalized costs: In some ventures, there are large equipment purchases that are capitalized over the useful life of the equipment. These need to be accounted for differently than the other costs.
Figure 3: Cost Information
d. Financing Information
In the final category of input data, we need the financing information. Here we are looking for information that describes how the venture will be financed when the revenues do not cover costs (which is the case for most start-ups during their initial growth phase). Additional information as shown in Figure 4 is needed for valuation purposes.
Figure 4: Financing and Other Data
2.2 Key Outputs
Once the key inputs are provided, the analyst can click “Run Model” icon and viola, in a few seconds the model generates summary charts (as shown in Figure 5), a full set of financial statements (see Figure 6) and various other supporting tables that show some of the calculation details.
Figure 5: Summary Charts Created by the Model
The financial statements created by the model include the income statement, the cash flow statement and the balance sheet. In addition, we provide estimates of the free cash flows, and estimates for the value of the business based on the assumptions provided in the input section.
Figure 6: Financial Statements Created by the Model
2.3 Other Models
We have described SaaS model in the prior section. MyFinModel provides several other models that can be more appropriate for your venture. These include DCF models, project finance models, proposal pricing models, etc.
III. Caveats and Closure
We have provided an overview of the different inputs and outputs of a typical financial model for SaaS start-ups, and how MyFinModel can help build these models quickly.
Note that we recommend that you use the tools from MyFinModel to determine financial feasibility of your business model and to test out different scenarios. If you are in the process of raising finance for your venture, we would recommend that you work with a finance professional who can tailor a model for your specific venture, and take into account the local accounting rules. | https://medium.com/swlh/financial-models-for-start-ups-39dda7ee6032 | ['Nikhil Bhandari'] | 2020-11-26 23:56:20.957000+00:00 | ['SaaS', 'Startup', 'Finance', 'Funding', 'Raising Capital'] |
5 SURPRISING BENEFITS OF MINDFUL EATING | Has your mealtime become a rushed affair or has your weight gained unexpectedly? If yes, then wait no more and turn your heads towards a mindful eating regime. Be it meal prepping or satiating your hunger, go slow with everything and pay attention to the moment-to-moment experience of eating.
One of the latest health trends to follow in 2021 and after, Mindful Eating is an art of presence while you eat. This health trend not just improves your diet but also boosts weight loss so that you can stay fit.
No matter whatever fresh and healthy meal you are intaking, just make your mind aware of the same and simply acknowledge it. Here is given a list of 5 surprising health benefits that make this current health trend worth following. Let’s take a look.
Improves Eating Habits
Adopting a mindful eating approach helps the person to broaden his palate and improves taste perception as well. Changing the perception about food is extremely essential for picky eaters so that they can add vital nutrients to their daily meal prepping routine.
According to recent research, mindful eating significantly decreases the consumption of snacks and unhealthy food items. It promotes the intake of fresh and healthy food like fruits and veggies and thus multiples physical and mental endurance by many times.
Promotes Weight Loss
Mindful Eating mainly changes your eating habits and meal prep ideas and, therefore, it instantly promotes weight loss and helps you in shedding those extra pounds that you’ve gained unexpectedly.
It brings binge eating, hedonic eating and emotional eating to a halt and encourages the intake of a fresh and healthy meal to keep you in shape. It makes you aware of the actual hunger cues and thus cuts down the intake of extra and unwanted calories.
Reduces Cognitive Stress
If you genuinely want to get rid of cognitive stress and have a desire to live a healthy and happy life, then start following Mindful Eating today and witness the visible results in a few days.
Unarguably, eating under stressful time constraints or while doing other tasks generates stress. Mindful Eating mainly works by developing a loving relationship with food so that you can remain fully present at the time of eating and savor every bite of a fresh and healthy meal. | https://medium.com/@pasadenamealprep/5-surprising-benefits-of-mindful-eating-e286eca6783 | ['Lele Moore'] | 2021-06-17 11:42:58.721000+00:00 | ['Meal Planning', 'Food And Drink'] |
Gun Safety, Gun Laws & Gun Control | Photo by iStock.com/JakeOlimb
In this video newsletter, I interview Jon Dufresne and Manuel Gomez, two experts in the firearms industry, to get the facts and truth about gun safety, gun laws and gun control.
Jon is the owner of Kinetic Consulting, a training and consulting firm and he’s a former U.S. Army Ranger, 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment. Jon travels around the country training, consulting and instructing civilians, and Federal, State and local law enforcement agents and some military units on firearms.
Manuel Gomez is the owner of Palm Beach Tactical, a Class III NFA Dealer and an expert on gun laws, the background check process and all types of firearms and accessories.
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COREY: Today, we’re going to talk about all kinds of different things in the gun industry. We’re going to talk about laws, we’re going to talk about suppressors, machine guns, and we’re going to go through a whole list of questions, because obviously this is a topic that is constantly in the news, and people are always talking about it.
First off, we’ll start with John. Give everybody a little background on who you are, where you come from and your expertise.
JOHN: Glad to be here. First off, my name is John Dufresne. I’m a former Ranger. I also work in the security industry and have been for about seven years. I am the owner of Kinetic Consulting, which is a training and consulting company. I go around the country teaching civilians, law enforcement, federal and local, then some military units as well. Corey’s been a student for almost a year.
MANUEL: My name is Manuel Gomez. I’m the owner of Palm Beach Tactical. We are a concierge gun shop in Boca Raton, Florida specializing in unique high-end firearms and accessories. This shop has been a dream of mine since I was a little boy. When other kids were out playing ball, I was out shooting. It is truly my passion. And we are South Florida’s premier purveyor of night vision and thermal equipment.
COREY: And you’re also the MPX king of South Florida, right?
MANUEL: Undisputed MPX king of South Florida.
COREY: For the people that don’t know, what is an MPX?
MANUEL: MPX is a Sig Sauer 9mm pistol caliber carbine, or PCC. So it kind of looks like an AR15, it operates like an AR15, it shoots 9mm and they are small and portable. They are considered handguns, so a lot of fun.
COREY: Yes, and I have one with a suppressor, which is really cool.
MANUEL: And it’s the Coach Corey Wayne special. It’s a very special model that we did for Coach Corey.
COREY: Yeah, on my Instagram account, we actually did a couple of videos where we actually went to the gun range, because he’s got one. Obviously, he’s a Class III manufacturer, so he manufactures machine guns, and I got to shoot his MPX machine gun on the gun range, which was a lot of fun.
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COREY: So with that said, I have a list of questions we’re going to go through and facilitate discussion. The first one is, how did pop culture, movies, video games and childhood inspired your love of guns?
JOHN: For me, it started out as, I was raised by Army soldiers and I was raised by Marines, so it was easy to get to know and love those things. As a kid I always had the fascination of it, so it wasn’t something that happened at 10 years old. I shot my first gun at 4 or 5. It was a little 22 rifle, my grandpa let me shoot at little cans. And it was a fascination from there. I was hooked. Something movie-wise that I really enjoyed was something like the Navy Seals. Rambo was always a thing. I used to run around with a little bandana. It was entertainment, but most of all it drew me to the military.
MANUEL: I would have to say Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone movies, classic action heroes. Real men, real tough guys, real badasses. It doesn’t get any better than them.
COREY: John, what made you decide to become a soldier?
JOHN: Like I said, I was raised by a bunch of them in different forms and fashions, but mainly it was kind of like the want to serve my country. I’ve always been one to be helpful. I have six younger siblings, so I tried to be helpful to my parents. I thought, and I still think, it’s something most people should do. At least try. And then also, I wanted to pay for college. That was a secondary thing other than my service.
I definitely wanted to experience the things that many don’t get to experience. I think they say like 1% of the population joins the military in the United States, and 1% of the 1% end up in a Special Operations community. So, not only was it something I can be proud of and feel honored to do, but it was definitely something that was fun. I really enjoyed it.
COREY: Did you feel like it was your calling? Like you felt inside, this is what I’ve got to do?
JOHN: Oh yeah. Ever since I was a little kid, I had little camouflage outfits dressed up for Halloween. It was definitely where I was going. And I went to EMT school right before the military, and it was one of those things where I was like, I’m in the wrong place. Like, I feel like I’m in the wrong place. And it’s not because it was EMT school, because it was great learning a lot of good knowledge, a lot of stuff I still use today, but it was not where I needed to be, and I felt that.
I joined the military, and I knew immediately when I got there that 1) the recruiter lied to me, and 2) that it was the right place, like I was on the right path. So it was really cool.
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COREY: What was the lie that he lied to you about?
JOHN: Oh you know, all the recruiters lies, like “Oh, you’re going to be a man amongst men. It’s gonna be awesome. You’re gonna be a badass” — all of the things that they want you to know. And then you get there and the drill sergeants are just on you immediately and tear you down and treat you like crap. I kind of expected it from either the movies or what I’ve heard from friends or the relatives I had growing up, but it was like, this guy totally lied to everybody. And there are plenty of guys out there watching this that will definitely like, “Yup. My recruiter lied.”
COREY: What insight does being in an experienced war fighter give you now that you’re a civilian that everybody needs to know or understand about guns and self defense?
JOHN: Experienced war fighter is probably the wrong term for it. I have some experience. There are guys that have way more experience than me, guys that have less than me. I’m in there as experienced to an extent. But, I think people don’t understand that we went over there, we still are over there, using firearms to protect ourselves and our buddies. Because those are the most important things obviously for our country.
Over here, we still use the same firearms to protect ourselves from evil humans. There’s always going to be evil. There’s always going to be bad people. Most may not want to think that way or to believe that way, but there’s evil. And one of the things I think people misinterpret is the use of the firearm. It’s not that the firearm is what gives you self defense ability. It’s you that gives you the self defense ability — your mind, your way that you deal with things. It’s just a tool. It’s an added value to that situation.
It can also be the downside to you if you don’t use it correctly. But one of the things that also gets involved in there is, as a person that carries a firearm, you need to know how to use it, you need to know how to take care of it, and you need to know how to store it properly and not let it get into hands that are not supposed to be on it and stuff like that. It’s the same thing we dealt with overseas. You pretty much slept with your firearm, you made sure it didn’t get into the wrong hands, you took care of it, and you knew how to use it. So the same things translated to the civilian population — different gun and different way of carrying it, because now it’s not just slung around my shoulder. It’s in a holster, concealed by clothing. So, it’s different, but the same.
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COREY: So, as a professional firearms trainer, what level of gun regulations, in your humble opinion, do you think is appropriate? And to add to that, what about mental illness and how you think that should be handled, or the red flag laws?
JOHN: Personally, the gun laws that are out there, we have to think of them as, the only people that are going to follow laws are law abiding citizens, and law abiding citizens are usually not criminals, because those are kind of the opposite. So, being that most law abiding citizens follow the laws, the laws work. When people that are not law abiding citizens, or criminals, they don’t care. So really, laws are just there for the people that follow them.
It’s like a lock on your door is easily defeated. Anybody can get in your house. All they need is a couple of tools or a really good kick most of the time. And the only thing that lock does is keep honest people out. It doesn’t keep dishonest people out. So it’s the same concept. Whatever laws go into place, they have to be followed to actually work. If they’re not followed by the people that don’t follow laws, that they were made for, what’s the point?
So personally, I don’t think there should be any. It’s not helping. It’s not doing anything for anybody. The minimal amount of statistics where laws actually catch people is so minuscule. There’s a very small statistic where you have these people actually go into a gun shop, have a felony, and get caught by the system. Then that same person just goes and steals one. Same concept. Laws are for there for the law abiding citizen. So if you’re going to follow them, great. If you’re not, well they don’t matter then.
COREY: Yeah, a lot of politicians have the idea that you can legislate a perfect society if you just write the right number of laws, but the thing they always ignore, look past, is that the criminals just have zero intent on following them. What’s your opinion on red flag laws?
MANUEL: It’s a very touchy subject. I feel that a lot of these laws that are in place, anyone that has an established history of some type of mental disorder or tendencies like that, well obviously they can’t get guns, but what about for example if I’m on my way home, and I get a phone call that my daughter has been killed in a car accident? I may become temporarily insane. I may not be the person that I was before. It could cause me to do something that I normally wouldn’t do, but ten minutes before that call I was normal. I was not a threat to anyone or anything.
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COREY: So, you’re a fan of the red flag laws? Because obviously the argument is, they get abused. You’ve got spouses that are pissed off at their exes, and they’re trying to use the legal system to tweak them.
MANUEL: No, I’m certainly not a fan of the red flag laws. And as you said, yes they can be misused and abused, and guns could be taken away from the wrong person who was doing everything right and did not have any mental illness or issues.
COREY: So, let’s talk about at risk individuals and having their guns taken away — somebody that’s mentally ill or somebody that’s threatening to shoot somebody or shoot something up. What’s your opinion on that? Or having law enforcement go and forcibly remove the guns from that person?
JOHN: Well, it depends. It’s a slippery slope, because if the person’s at risk, they’ve threatened people — that’s already breaking laws by the way, when you start threatening humans — so technically, it’s definitely already a crime. So that may be an instance where it would be taken away, or at least investigated. That person, in our litigious society, needs to be confronted about it.
Now, the problem is, how do we know they made that treat? Is there proof of the threat on social media where they typed it in? But was that them typing it in, or was it somebody that was angry about them with their account information typing it in?
COREY: Like a disgruntled spouse or an ex-spouse to be.
JOHN: Right. Just like with the red flag laws. So, there are so many what ifs that can go into it. It’s hard to make a law that’s going to cover every what if. And then if they make a blanket statement law, it may put people that aren’t supposed to be getting their guns taken away getting their guns taken away for nothing. So, I don’t know how to put it any better. It’s a slippery slope.
COREY: What do you think about the calls for the AR15 to be banned, because that’s obviously pretty universally demonized in the media. It’s like every time you turn it on, somebody’s bitching about the AR15.
MANUEL: I think they’re ridiculous. I think there’s no logic behind that argument. That’s like saying, there are more deaths from drunk drivers and drug overdoses in the US than there are gun-related deaths, so if that were the logic, why don’t they ban cars? Or for that matter, why don’t they ban alcohol? Or why don’t they ban prescription drugs? It’s a ridiculous thing.
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COREY: They did ban alcohol at one point. It didn’t work out too well.
JOHN: And look what happened.
MANUEL: The AR15 is just a tool and it all depends on how it’s used.
COREY: When you look at Mexico, because Mexico is in the headlines all the time now, I think there’s two gun shops in all of Mexico, and so only the government and the criminals are armed. And the people have no way to defend themselves. And you know, they’re right on our border, and you’ve got those same people coming across the border with impunity. And you get these calls to just disarm everybody, and that will solve all the problems. And it hasn’t worked, especially there.
COREY: So what do you guys think about the call for the assault weapons ban? What is an assault weapon, and the silliness around it? Because most of the people discussing it are completely ignorant of the weapons they’re talking about.
JOHN: Well, it’s a buzzword, because a weapon is a weapon. Anything can be a weapon, right? It doesn’t matter. They can buzzword all they want. It’s just like marketing. They’ll use wiz-bang words to make you buy things. It’s a buzzword. There’s no real assault weapon.
MANUEL: I think the media also uses the term assault weapon to instill fear in people who don’t know enough about the subject or who have a misconception of it, so they’re using it incorrectly.
COREY: What do both of you guys recommend that people do to become safe and competent firearm users and owners.
JOHN: That’s simple, go learn. Go take professional courses from somebody you have vetted. There’s a lot of instructors out there that are self-taught or have no experience or just have an NRA certification, and it doesn’t mean crap. It means absolutely nothing. If they’re just sitting there giving you theoretical based knowledge that they learned from a book or from Rambo, then there may be some issues there.
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You need to also learn the laws. Learn what you can and what you can’t do, and learn when you are allowed to and understand that, but also protect yourself in that sense legally. You need to understand legally what you’ll have to do after you end up having to use your firearm in self defense or something like that. If you don’t understand those things, how to use a firearm, when to use a firearm and legally what’s going to happen afterwards, you’re going to end up somewhere getting hung up in some kind of issue.
We’re a very litigious society that likes their laws. Although you may have been very rightfully using your firearm to protect yourself or somebody else, that person’s going to sue you somehow. In death, that person’s family will sue you. That person, when they get out of the hospital, if they lived, are going to sue you. Just bet on it.
So if you’re one of those people that’s like, well I’d rather get judged by twelve than buried by six, shut up. Your bravado doesn’t matter. Your bravado is not going to help you. And I promise you being judged by twelve is going to suck. It’s going to definitely suck. And being buried would have been way easier. Don’t go dying. But one of the things that people don’t understand is the people they put on those juries. They don’t know about guns. They don’t know about the gun laws.
If we look at it with the way our country is, they probably are against guns. And the other thing is, that family that’s going to sue you, or that person that’s going to sue you is going to make the most dramatic case out of it. Tons of shootings that are out there, people that I’ve dealt with have had to refinance their house, or give up their house, or any of the other things, just because they protect themselves in their home. It’s ridiculous and not necessary, but it happens. If you don’t understand when you can, how to do it and also the laws behind it, you may stick yourself into a really bad corner. Training.
COREY: So what should people look for in a trainer? Obviously people are all over the country and the world, so not everybody has a retired Army Ranger near. So what’s the vetting process? What criteria do you look for for somebody to train with?
JOHN: One of the things I look for personally, because I’m still a student all the time, is that person’s reputation. If they’re just some guy that says something from some special place, how? Go back, look them up, look up stories about them, articles about them. There’s a lot of after action reports online about instructors. All you have to do is look up their name usually, and you can find something about them.
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The other thing is, ask. Ask other people. Ask people that you know that are avid trainers or you could easily email me, and I’ll tell you I know that guy, or I don’t know that guy. The other thing is too, most shops will have a reputable trainer that they use or know, but understand that they may be biased. That trainer may not be the best or a great trainer, and that shop just uses them because they’re convenient. So just be aware of those kinds of things.
Also, just do your research on them. Go to their website, read their bio, look up different videos. Nowadays, every instructor has videos online. Look at their videos, see how they’re shooting, what they’re doing. If it looks unsafe and really wonky, they’re probably not good. And here in South Florida, not to name any names, but there are plenty of instructors down here that are way out of their realm. It is what it is. There’s no way of regulating that.
Anybody can teach anything. You just have to have the students that come. It’s one of those scary things that I tend to have a lot of students that come to me from other instructors and not know how to shoot, and all they’re doing is now relearning or taking bad habits and having to remake them into better habits. It’s sad, but it’s what we live with right now with so many people out there with fake resumes and just bad training.
COREY: What do you guys think about our society that leads to alienated people who commit mass shootings? In other words, what’s changed in our society that’s caused this relatively new phenomenon of mass shootings in your opinion?
MANUEL: That’s a difficult question to answer.
COREY: I mean, when my parents were growing up, I listened to my dad tell stories all the time, he was like, yeah, you could just go down to the local hardware shop and buy a revolver or a rifle. It was like buying a hammer or a chisel or a screwdriver. It wasn’t a big deal, and you didn’t have people committing mass shootings and stuff.
JOHN: I think it’s partly like how we treat our kids nowadays. It has to stem from when we we’re kids, in my opinion at least. When I was a child, I was taught discipline. This is good, this is bad, and don’t do this, do this. And nowadays we have families that have two working parents, the kids are kind of on their own for the most part, or they’re just being taught by other kids in school.
A lot of kids don’t talk to their parents nowadays. They don’t have conversations with them. They’re like, “Oh how was your day?” “Oh, good.” That’s it. There’s no, “Mom, there’s this kid at school. He did this and I didn’t feel good.” Then the parent needs to teach them how to deal with those situations. Instead, the kid sits there, bottles it up, and says “good” every single time it’s asked, and then he eventually loses his shit.
I think the other problem is how the media makes it a spectacle. The kids that are usually being bullied into this, and I say bullied because most of them are probably bullied one way or another…
COREY: They’re kind of like the outcasts. Like when we go back to the Columbine one, it was pretty obvious they were both bullied and ostracized.
JOHN: Even the most recent ones were usually bullied in some way, whether it’s because girls don’t like them, or because other people don’t like them in general. They’re set aside and they feel a certain way, and they don’t feel safe about talking to anybody about it. And that’s where the parents are supposed to come in, by the way, not some school system. Those are random people. The person that cares about the child the most should be the one that’s on top of it the most.
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Then right there, you kind of grow this whole thing of the kid losing his shit because he doesn’t have an outlet. He knows the only way to get attention is to do something outrageous, whether it is blow up a damn car or going to a school with a gun and shoot some kids, or whatever. He’s at his boiling point at that point.
And there’s plenty of signs of it, not that we can see them all. And with teachers, it’s hard because they have 200+ students a day that they see coming through their classrooms. They can’t be expected to understand each one. And not only that, but talk to each one. It’s almost impossible. You get counselors and psychiatrists that don’t even see that many people a day.
So it’s definitely a whole thing we have where the parents are slightly at fault for not doing their parental duty, or not having the time. And then the media for forcing that whole problem to just be put out there so openly. Not to say that we need to censor them in some way, but if we look at Canada, they don’t show the face, they don’t say the name of any person that’s ever done any massive act of violence. And I believe it’s against the law there, but you have to check that. I don’t know for sure. But you don’t see a lot of mass shootings. You don’t see a lot of mass killings there for that reason. Because those kids aren’t getting that kind of attention that they are expecting like they do here in the United States. Things like that we don’t see as much, and that’s two parts of the problem. There’s probably plenty more.
COREY: We’re in an election cycle, and several of the people running for Democratic President have come out and said basically they’re going to actually use the government, if they get elected, to confiscate certain types of weapons. What do you guys think would happen if they tried to take guns from people, whether it’s pistols, rifles, an outright ban, everything? And what do you think would happen if they succeeded?
Because the numbers are over 300 million guns in the United States, and the thing you’ve got to keep in mind is guns have been part of our history for so long. I know in my own family, the guns got passed down from generation to generation. When my grandfather died, he had 32 different pistols. You’ve got guns that go back over a hundred years with no serial number. Nobody even knew they were out there. So that 300 and something million, that number might be off significantly. There might be a lot more than that. What do you think would happen if they passed the law and said you’ve got to turn in your AR, or you’ve got to turn in your pistol with your ten round magazine?
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JOHN: A lot of people are going to lose guns by accident. “Oh, it fell off the boat!” There’s going to be plenty of those reports. Mainly, I think it may spark different things. It may spark the people that are going to outright refuse and rebel. It may spark the ones that are law abiding citizens, so they follow the laws. They’re like, okay well, I can’t have these anymore. I have to give them in. And then it may spark other countries to be like ooh la la, now they’re an easy target.
The United States for the couple of hundred years we’ve been running, people have hated us. There’s been a lot of countries on our soil, in different forms and manners, and now we have definitely a radical side of the world that hates us. And if you think the worst is going to stay at one end, you’re sadly mistaken. It’s going to constantly come further and further our way, like we were talking about with Mexico. They are right there, and there’s a bunch of people there that want their way or the highway kind of stuff. It would be bad. It would definitely be bad on the aftermath side of things.
What people won’t understand is that everybody’s going to be affected in some form or way. Whether you like guns or you don’t, it’s going to affect you. I was talking to Fort Lauderdale PD. They only have 550 officers for a couple of million people. They can’t help you bro. They’re not going to get there in time.
COREY: Fifteen minutes away.
JOHN: Right. They’ll clean it up. They’ll let your family know what happened. But they’re not going to be able to help you. They just won’t. So this whole confiscation stuff is going to cause a lot of issues in so many different ways.
COREY: Some of the politicians are also saying that the police are basically going to come kick your door in and take your guns forcefully. Realistically, you’ve got 550 officers over how many million?
JOHN: In the South Florida area, millions. Millions of people.
MANUEL: Let’s hope that day never comes.
JOHN: The other thing is, those officers may not do it.
COREY: What we’re seeing a lot in the news is these sanctuary gun cities now. Several of them obviously in Florida, where the city councils are passing laws saying, you can go ban all the guns you want. We’re not enforcing it. This is a Second Amendment sanctuary.
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MANUEL: It’s our Constitutional right. Absolutely.
COREY: So people are, in smaller communities, fighting back. And it’s like all over the country, which I think is pretty cool. They’re saying, we’re not enforcing these laws. Everybody should have a gun.
COREY: I don’t know how closely you guys follow with what’s been going on with 3D printing. I think maybe you saw a couple of years ago the guy that printed a one-shot pistol. I think it was plastic. Like the SuperDraco thrusters on the SpaceX capsules that take off. Those things are actually made with 3D printing. So if you can build a rocket engine with 3D printing, using lasers to melt the material, 5, 10, 15 years down the road, everybody could be able to buy for $300, go to your local Office Depot, buy a 3D laser printer and you can print metallic parts at home. You can have all the gun laws you want. When you have that kind of technology out there, where anyone can print pretty much anything they want, that’s going to render all the gun laws pretty much useless other than the people who will actually follow the laws.
JOHN: What’s funny is, even with that people are still going to use other things. Like, anything is a weapon. Manny’s bottle here is really hard. I could beat on somebody pretty good with that.
MANUEL: A pencil.
JOHN: A pencil, right. John Wick, three people, one pencil. But in all seriousness, anything can be used. You’re taking away a tool. They’re just going to replace it with another tool. Look at China, no guns allowed. There’s still gun violence by the way, because they have criminals that don’t follow laws. They also have people who go on knife rampages.
COREY: That’s what’s weird over in Europe. Every couple of months you hear about some guy going in an elementary school and stabbing like thirty kids. That’s kind of bizarre how common that is.
JOHN: It’s sick. But people are going to use whatever they can get their hands on either way. Guns aren’t the only thing that kill people. If you look it up, FBI statistics are out there where people get bludgeoned, hammered, hit with bats, stabbed. There are people that kill people with forks. It doesn’t matter.
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COREY: There’s only between 300 and 400 people that are killed each year by rifles, which obviously the AR15 is a rifle. And when you look at people who are killed with hands and feet or not, the numbers are three or four times knives, hands and feet versus rifles. So you figure, a few hundred people. And “it’s only about saving lives” is what they like to say, but you’ve got 11 teenagers dying every day from texting and driving. Why does nobody care about that?
JOHN: But they made a law about that, right? So you’re not allowed to die anymore from texting and driving. Sorry.
COREY: But yet it keeps happening.
JOHN: Just like drugs. Drugs have been illegal for how long? How many people overdose from drugs? Because they don’t follow the law. They don’t care about it. The law only keeps honest people honest. Other than that, it’s the wild west.
COREY: I’d like to hear from both of you individually. What is your view on the Second Amendment, its purpose, who should and shouldn’t have guns, and just the current overall gun debate?
MANUEL: Our country was founded on basically the Second Amendment, the right to bear arms, to be able to protect ourselves from a tyrannical government. To be able to protect ourselves from those trying to hurt us. And it is our right to keep and bear those arms. Simple as that.
COREY: It really has nothing to do with duck hunting and self defense. It really is a last resort to resist a government that’s become tyrannical. And when you read the words of the founding fathers, they were very explicit and very clear in their writings, that was the intent. It was such an obvious thing at the time that they really didn’t even see the need to even put it into law. And obviously, some of the other states were adamant that it be put in there.
One of the things we were discussing in the documentary, I think two of the states wanted to protect their militias to go after the escaped slaves, but the majority of them wanted it memorialized in the Constitution because the founding fathers were very familiar with all the other governments and democracies that had failed. And they wanted the people, everybody, to be armed. They even use the words, “the whole body of the American people.”
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JOHN: I think like Manuel said, it’s literally for us to be able to bear arms. We have freedom of speech. We can say whatever we want. I can say I hate whoever I want, however I want and whenever I want. Same thing. I can own a firearm, I can go play with firearms, I go shoot wherever I want range-wise. I can do what I want with my guns. If I want to just hang them on the wall and adore them, or I want to pass them down to my kids one day, I’m allowed to do that. They’re my guns.
I understand why we have the laws and stuff, but I still think they’re, once again, just for the people that follow them.
COREY: You deal with a lot of guys in law enforcement. The guys you talk to, train and interact with, they are every day rolling around the streets in their cars. Do you have a feel for what their view on all of this debate is?
JOHN: It’s hard to say. I don’t really sit there and talk to them about it. They carry one because it’s a tool, part of their job. It’s a tool. They’ve got a bunch of other tools on their little Batman belts, so they have lots of options to go through before they even go into the firearm thing. one of the things I like to let them know is, the firearm, although it’s one of the pieces of equipment that you have, it’s probably one of the most important pieces of equipment to know how to use. The other ones don’t have as drastic consequences if used incorrectly.
For them, I think it’s a tool. For some of them, I know most law enforcement guys I know own multiple firearms that aren’t part of issue department stuff. It’s their own stuff, because they enjoy shooting. It’s part of their job, they should know how to, and a lot of them actually enjoy it recreationally as well. So they would have to turn in their own firearms if we had a confiscation of some sort. Their rights would be taken away as well. It doesn’t help anybody in the way I see it.
The other thing is politicians aren’t thinking this way or maybe they don’t realize it, but they may alienate themselves. They’re being protected by guys that are considered law enforcement of some sort.
COREY: What do you think about the argument that some people say that only the police should have guns?
JOHN: Oh, you haven’t seen police shoot. That’s not all, but I will say the majority of them I wouldn’t want shooting around me. Because it’s, like I said, treated as a tool. It’s not treated as a responsibility or a priority in any way. It’s hard to force everybody, but the standards are very low.
COREY: Is it fair to say that there’s a lot of people in law enforcement that don’t practice enough with their guns or their firearms like they should?
Photo by iStock.com/avid_creative
JOHN: Oh, sure.
COREY: I’ve seen plenty of those police shooting videos, and a lot of times those guys pull their gun and they just start firing away kind of wildly, and they go through a couple of magazines like that, and they don’t even hit the guy once.
JOHN: One of the problems with that is they’re being trained on a range, where it’s a safe training environment. They’re only shooting at pieces of paper, and those pieces of paper aren’t causing any stressful behavioral effects on the human, being that law enforcement officer. So if they don’t do some force on force based stuff, where they actually get stressed by a human being, maybe they’ll be shooting fake bullets, non-lethal training munitions, but it’s still stressful. It still brings people’s heart rates up. It still brings out the behavioral things that people do, like flinching and reacting in different ways. And if they don’t have that put into their training on a regular basis, then they’re going to act exactly like you said. They’re just going to hope for the best and shoot up all their rounds. And hopefully they hurt the guy.
It’s unfortunate, but once again, police departments don’t see it as a priority. They see making sure the public’s happy, making sure different things are paid for versus training. Training’s always been a back burner kind of thing for them. And when I do see a department that’s really squared away, it’s really nice. The only time they’ll spend extra money on training is for SWAT teams.
The funny part is, SWAT teams don’t get into as many shootings as patrol officers at all. They’re usually the ones doing warrants. It’s like a planned execution of a mission versus these guys that are on the street, the patrolmen, and it’s straight spontaneous. You know, what’s the most dangerous thing the law enforcement do? Traffic stops. Who does traffic stops? Patrolmen.
SWAT guys don’t do traffic stops. The patrolmen are the ones that are going to do that, and those are the most dangerous things they get into. Approaching a car they just pulled over, because they broke some kind of law, and now they’re going up to this random car, to this random person and they’re just going to meet them face to face, in this distance, and hope that that guy doesn’t want to kill him.
COREY: I know we kind of touched on this briefly, but one of the questions I had on here was, what’s your opinion on the fact that the police are ten or fifteen minutes away when you call them, and what are you and your family supposed to do when your door has been kicked in by criminals, and you’re waiting on the police to arrive?
MANUEL: We have to defend ourselves. I will to protect my family until police arrive. We have to do something. We cannot just let somebody hurt us and those that we love.
Photo by iStock.com/EllenMoran
COREY: I think it’s a powerful question though, for the average person that probably doesn’t really think about that. If you know on average on a good day that the police are ten or fifteen minutes away, and you’re dealing with an intruder, what do you do until the police arrive if you’ve decided only the police should have guns, and therefore you’re not going to participate in it? Are you going to use harsh language? Spitballs? Try to reason with them?
MANUEL: It’s a bad day for that person.
JOHN: And who hasn’t noticed how easy interior doors are to kick in? So it’s not like you can lock yourself in your room.
COREY: Yeah, as a builder, a guy who knows how to build houses, it’s a nice little swift kick, and you can pretty much kick in any door and deadbolt.
JOHN: Yep.
COREY: Can you guys comment on natural law and the origins of the right to self defense? Natural law obviously preceding the Constitution.
MANUEL: It is our birthright since the dawning of man to have the ability to protect ourselves, those that we love, and that which is ours as human beings. I’m not going to let anybody hurt me. You’re not going to let anyone hurt you or your family.
JOHN: It’s kind of genetic. Caveman me was like, I will hit them with a stone and live and have another baby. And that baby had another baby, and baby, baby, baby, baby, now me. I wouldn’t be here if he didn’t defend himself. So yeah, it’s definitely a natural thing.
COREY: What are some of the biggest common misconceptions in the gun world?
MANUEL: You can’t just buy a gun on the internet and have it shipped to you. That’s 100% false. You can buy a gun through the internet, but the way it works is, the gun shop has their FFL, which is there license to buy and sell firearms. They would have to actually have to transfer it to another FFL, whether it’s in state or out of state. And then the receiving FFL would actually conduct the background check and questionnaire for the person who actually bought the weapon. So you can’t just buy it have it shipped to you. That’s false.
COREY: Obviously, wherever you’re shipping it to has to comply with the gun laws in that particular state.
MANUEL: Exactly.
COREY: We hear a lot about background checks, universal background checks. What does that mean? What is the background check system as it currently stands?
Photo by iStock.com/gsagi
MANUEL: We’ll go through the process. Somebody comes in the shop. They want to buy a gun. They buy a gun. Before we release them the gun, we have to run a background. In our case, in the state of Florida, we run it through the FDLE, Florida Department of Law Enforcement. We would fill out some demographic information. They may or may not wish to provide their social security number. That would help prevent misidentification, where if they had any complications prior to, that could help tell the investigator, or whoever is doing the background check, to make sure it’s the right person.
We’d have to submit the background check, and then it either comes back either approved, or not, or some type of decision pending. If it is approved, the person now has a right to take the gun that same day if they have a concealed weapons permit. If they don’t, in Palm Beach County, there would be a five day waiting period, or a ‘cool off’ period as they call it. So, you can’t just go into a gun shop and buy a gun and walk out with it. It doesn’t work like that. We have to run your background.
JOHN: Every time.
COREY: Every time. If I buy a gun today, and since I have my concealed carry license, I take it home, and I go back to Manny’s shop tomorrow to buy a new gun, he’s got to run a new background check.
MANUEL: That’s right.
COREY: Let’s talk about machine guns and machine gun laws, like in 1986. Because you see people all the time who had a machine gun. Can you clarify, what actually is a machine gun, and who can have one with what the laws are?
MANUEL: A machine gun is any type of weapon with high rate of fire. What happens is, you press the trigger one time, and while you’re pressing the trigger, the weapon keeps firing. That makes it fully automatic, unlike semi-automatic, which requires an individual trigger press every time you want to fire that weapon.
Civilians are allowed to own machine guns if they are transferable. This means they were manufactured and registered pre-1986. In order to get one, you have to take your fingerprints, your photographs, fill out a questionnaire and submit it to the ATF for approval. It isn’t instantaneous. Usually, the approvals can take up to a year, sometimes even more. And there is a tax stamp associated with that. Think of the tax stamp as a licensing fee per item. Machine guns are a lot of fun by the way.
COREY: Yes, they are. So I can’t just walk into the store and say I want a brad new PWS fully automatic?
Photo by iStock.com/manley099
MANUEL: It’s not going to happen, no.
COREY: Who can legally buy those? Just people in law enforcement and government agencies? Because you’re a Class III manufacturer. What does that mean, a Class III manufacturer?
MANUEL: We are allowed legally by the type of license that we hold to manufacture, in our case convert, factory weapons into fully automatic weapons. And we are able to proactively market and sell them to law enforcement departments or agencies.
COREY: So just different government agencies?
MANUEL: Right. We could not sell to an individual. There is no way. It’s just not possible.
COREY: So in other words, for all the people that are saying it’s easy to get a machine gun…
MANUEL: It is absolutely false. It is not easy to get a machine gun.
JOHN: And they’re tens of thousands of dollars.
MANUEL: Oh yeah, let’s talk about that too.
COREY: What’s a pre-1986 machine gun going to cost?
MANUEL: Because there’s only a finite number of the these guns in the registry — when I say the registry, I’m talking about the NFA Registry, the National Firearms Act Registry — prices have skyrocketed. It is an appreciating asset. Those of you looking to invest, that’s a great platform to do so.
So let’s talk about what an M16 costs at a gun show. An M16, by the way is a Colt AR15, that’s an actual factory built machine gun. I’m sure you’ve heard the name and seen them in all the action movies up until today’s date. Getting back to the price at the gun show, in 1985 you could have bought a brand new Colt machine gun, an M16, for around $900. Today, $27,000, $28,000, $29,000. A new one unfired could be in the $40,000s. HK MP5s are in the high $30,000s. I mean, machine guns are very, very expensive, so not only is it cost prohibitive, but there is the paperwork and then the waiting period. It is not easy to purchase one.
Photo by iStock.com/Petmal
COREY: Yeah, it sounds like in the media, you just go into the gun shop and walk out with a machine gun.
MANUEL: No. In fact, I think there’s only been like 0.1% of gun crimes ever commited with an NFA item. There’s only been like one or two instances ever.
COREY: Let’s talk about suppressors. What is a suppressor?
MANUEL: A suppressor is a device that you attach to the end of the weapon, whether it’s a pistol, or a rifle or a shotgun. That device, to keep it simple, basically reduces the sound signature — the noise — the weapon makes when firing.
JOHN: It’s a muffler.
COREY: Can I just walk into any K-Mart and pick one of those up?
MANUEL: Absolutely not, no. Because it is an NFA controlled item, we would have to do the same thing as if you were purchasing a machine gun. You would come in, you would have to get fingerprints taken, your photograph, fill out a questionnaire, pay the $200 tax stamp to ATF, submit all of this paperwork through the AFT for approval, (you may or may not get approved), and then there’s the waiting period. It could be anywhere from three months to a year or greater. So the answer is no. You can’t just walk into a shop and buy a suppressor.
COREY: I know the one I have for my MPX, it’s got a serial number on it. The government, the ATF, knows who I am, they know the number on the suppressor, they know what my address is.
JOHN: They have your picture, they have your fingerprints. Not just that but they’re misinterpreted. The media sees what Hollywood puts out. Hollywood puts out what’s cool and entertaining, not what’s real. Suppressors don’t silence a gun. It’s not James Bond quiet. It doesn’t sound like a laser. With most of them, you still need hearing protection. But it dampens it enough to protect your ears more than 180 decibels of loud gunshot. And, it differs per gun and it differs per suppressor.
People that are thinking they’re for assassins — assassins don’t use that. You’re watching movies. Cool, enjoy your movie, but understand that suppressors don’t sound like that. They’re much louder, and you still, most of the time, need hearing protection.
Photo by iStock.com/Kladyk
COREY: Yeah, they’re just about 30 on average?
JOHN: Thirty decibels. So that takes your 180 decibel down to 150’ish or 130’ish depending on how loud and all that jazz. It also depends on the bullets. So some are quieter and some are louder, but none of them end up being James Bond quiet.
MANUEL: I’m sure there’s a lot of people watching who may have never fired a gun, who don’t believe in them, who are against them, or who are just unsure about them. Shooting is a wonderful sport. We have several disciplines in the Olympics that involve shooting. There are also many national and international organizations that hold sporting events for points. Shooting is a lot of fun. It’s exciting, it requires a lot of skill and a lot of training. It’s not like in the movies where you can just point a gun at something far away and you’ll hit it. And it’s a diminishing skill.
It’s a great pastime. You know, hunting for food that you’re going to eat yourself. It was a wonderful thing doing that with my family growing up. I think it’s something everyone should experience at some point in their life. Whether it’s hunting, whether it’s recreational, it’s awesome. You should go and try it with a competent instructor if you don’t know what you’re doing.
JOHN: I agree with him. It’s definitely something that people don’t understand. It’s not just for self defense and fighting in wars. It’s for fun. It can be really enjoyable. I think there as an anti-gun newscaster that went out shooting for the first time that was like, “This is actually really fun, and I didn’t even know it.” And most of the time people are scared because they don’t understand it, so education is a huge thing.
If you go into a good gun shop, they will explain it to you. They will take apart a gun and show you how it works. And they’ll talk to you all day about it because they’re on the clock, so either way they’re getting paid. But mainly it’s because they’re probably passionate about it. They like firearms. So, go in there and get educated a little bit. It may help your understanding.
COREY: Anything you’d like to add?
MANUEL: Yeah, if you’d like to come get some hands on experience with weapons and learn a little bit about them, come visit us at Palm Beach Tactical. Go to our website, subscribe to our free email newsletter, send us a DM on Instagram. And most importantly, come train with us. We’ll have a lot of fun. I guarantee it.
JOHN: You can get in touch with me mainly on my website, Kinetic Consulting. All of my social media is linked on there and so is my email. And I actually answer it any time you have questions and things like that. | https://medium.com/@coachcoreywayne/gun-safety-gun-laws-gun-control-2851f7a92993 | ['Coach Corey Wayne'] | 2021-05-25 18:41:09.465000+00:00 | ['American', 'Firearms', 'Gun Laws', 'Gun Control', 'Second Amendment'] |
What should I learn to grow as a programmer or as a Software Engineer? | You should at least learn 25 programming languages in detail, having a Ph.D. is always better. Should need an IQ more than Issac Newton almost 200. 😂
No, I’m just joking. These are some rumors about programming.
Learning a programming language is not that tough as proving maths problems. You just need some logic and curiosity.
As a beginner what should I learn is a big question. Anyway, before you start learning things I want to say that don’t stop, you should always motivate yourself, ’cause things may take a lot of time, patience must.
Now back to the point.
In my point of view don’t choose python as your first language. Python is always a great language but python makes you lazy. As a starter that’s not good.
Try learning languages such as Java, C++, C, etc because you can learn low-level concepts and the importance of syntax, and many more. After learning any of these languages it is always great if you learn python. If you start learning python as a beginner as it is easy to learn you skip a lot of important things.
After learning your first language and its concepts. Then don’t wait fool, just start creating projects. Start with Youtube tutorials or have money then buy a udemy course. Find time to watch tutorials and practice along with the instructor.
I know now you are thinking like what the f**ing project I should make. For instance, if you learn java you should search for Spring tutorials. Spring is a framework in java for web applications. Or if you learn JavaScript search about Node, ExpressJs, etc. If python you have many options, choose according to your interest, if you like web dev go for Django. A tip: don’t waste time on doing repeated projects(can do updates) ’cause lots of students do that I know. Doing so, you will not get new knowledge and ideas. Always take notes from your project and you can refer to it in an upcoming project if it uses the same feature. Try creating more and more complex projects.
Knowing how to use a framework and make your ideas to reality is always a superpower⚡.
If you want to be a good developer never stop learning and making projects on what you have learned. Make projects as long as you die or get killed 😂.
Last but not least things may take a lot of time and don’t lose your patience. | https://medium.com/@ashishmadhu26/what-should-i-learn-to-grow-as-a-programmer-or-as-a-software-engineer-d3b5ed4c6fae | [] | 2020-12-29 10:36:45.527000+00:00 | ['Sofware Development', 'Programming', 'Learning To Code', 'Learning And Development'] |
A Small Poem for Bhai’s Birthday | Today is that dawn of July you don’t want us to make a big fuss about
But for your family, you are a bluebell that does not appear every day
Golf tournaments and globe-trotting is the life you chose
And you whisked us all along for the starry eyed ride as well.
You work so hard, but I know you for the lark you are
A goofball that sails the winds
Trying to rap like a true blooded gangster
But no matter how ridiculous you get
The deep care you carry in your heart pierces
Just like light I witness in the heavenly stars.
Be safe, my brother.
Be healthy and strong.
I know you have miles to go before you can rest
But for my sake, you must promise
Not to lose that child-like swagger of yours
In life’s slightly mind numbing hustle.
Time and effort will grow to blossom you
Into everything I believe you have potential to be
And I will hold your hand
Following your steps until the very end
Waiting for the opportunity when you need
The warmth of your truest and oldest friend
Because standing just behind your sunlit shadow
You will always discover me. | https://medium.com/liftyou/a-small-poem-for-bhais-birthday-3a1a7327fe25 | ['Vandini Sharma'] | 2020-07-22 04:02:16.854000+00:00 | ['Beautiful', 'Memories', 'Siblings', 'Poetry', 'Love'] |
Wikileaks belgelerinde ilginç iddia: “Gül ve Erdoğan Aileleri akraba olacak” | in Both Sides of the Table | https://medium.com/do%C4%9Fu-ero%C4%9Flu/wikileaks-belgelerinde-ilgin%C3%A7-iddia-g%C3%BCl-ve-erdo%C4%9Fan-aileleri-akraba-olacak-c19bdf2e321a | ['Doğu Eroğlu'] | 2019-06-06 09:12:22.833000+00:00 | ['Recep Tayyip Erdoğan', 'Haber', 'Wikileaks', 'Abdullah Gül'] |
Build Simpler, More Modern Collection Views in iOS 14+ | Build Simpler, More Modern Collection Views in iOS 14+
What’s new in UICollectionView
Photo by Ferit Çiçek on Unsplash
It seems like Apple is elevating collection view, giving us more flexibility in customising it by letting it include horizontal scrolling, vertical scrolling, and so on. I believe the new term for this is modern collection view.
Today you will be going the easy route of building just a simple modern collection view.
Bear in mind that this is only supported in iOS 14 and above, and can only be used in XCode 12+. | https://medium.com/better-programming/build-simpler-more-modern-collection-views-in-ios-14-ca74eab2bb89 | ['Kelvin Tan'] | 2020-07-02 21:16:25.585000+00:00 | ['iOS', 'Xcode', 'Swift', 'Programming', 'Mobile'] |
Raspberry Pi Camera Auto Focus, Explained (HQ, V2 and V1) | This article explains everything you need to know about the Raspberry Pi camera autofocus.
It applies to all Raspberry Pi Models (Pi 3, Pi 4, Pi Zero, Compute Module, and all others), and all Raspberry Pi camera modules (V1.3, V2.1, HQ).
So let’s dive right in and clarify this issue once and for all.
Prerequisites for autofocus
Here is the definition of autofocus from Wikipedia:
An autofocus (or AF) optical system uses a sensor, a control system, and a motor to focus on an automatically or manually selected point or area.
Easily, we get all the answers we need. Here are the 3 prerequisites for autofocus:
Sensor Focus motor Control system
Sensor, focus motor and control system are the 3 prerequisites of autofocus
To focus is to move the lens. To autofocus is to automatically move the lens.
The focus motor is the “what” to move the lens, and the control system is the “how” to move the lens. When we focus manually, our hands function like the focus motor, and our brain functions like the control system.
Therefore, autofocus does not mean no focusing process is involved. It’s just that the focus motor and the control system take over the job for your hand and your brain.
Well, do the Raspberry Pi cameras meet these prerequisites?
Do the official Raspberry Pi cameras meet all autofocus prerequisites?
Sadly, they don’t. 😥
Let’s go over the prerequisites list again and see how the official Raspberry Pi cameras match.
Sensor — Yes. They have CMOS image sensors. Focus motor — No. The V1.3 is glued and fixed. The V2 and HQ need manual work. Control system — No. Without focus motors, no need to talk about how to control them.
The official raspberry pi cameras only meet 1 of the 3 prerequisites, so it won’t do autofocus
The official Raspberry Pi cameras are not designed with autofocus in mind, instead, they just meet the basic needs.
The idea of the basic needs goes like this: You can get a clear picture with manual focus. The focus motors and control system not only add to the complexity but also add to the cost. Not everyone needs that. No need to meet all autofocus prerequisites.
Does this mean the official Pi cameras can’t do autofocus?
Yes. All of the 3 official Raspberry Pi camera modules (V1/V2/HQ) cannot do autofocus themselves, period.
Does this mean there is no hope for Pi cameras to do autofocus?
Absolutely no. Arducam has fixed the issues and made it possible.
How does Arducam meet the Raspberry Pi Camera Autofocus prerequisites?
The logic to fix the issues is simple:
If the official Raspberry Pi cameras don’t have a focus motor and a control system, then we build variants that do.
Let’s break down the two unmet prerequisites one by one.
1. Add Focus motor to the Pi camera
First, it’s the focus motor.
Let’s consider the focus motor a part of the lens assembly.
In case you don’t know, there are two kinds of lens assembly in Raspberry Pi cameras:
The V1 and V2 have sealed the lens assembly and the image sensor in one package, then connected to the camera PCB with a board-to-board (BTB) connector. This design is also known as Compact Camera Modules (CCM), and it’s the kind used in smartphones. The HQ camera has a dedicated lens mount. Instead of having the image sensor in one package as the lens assembly, the IMX477 image sensor of the HQ camera is on the camera PCB.
The detachable compact camera module on Raspberry Pi Camera Module V2
The Raspberry Pi High Quality Camera has the image sensor on the camera PCB
That leads us to two methods to design a Pi camera that support autofocus:
We build a CCM with a focus motor inside, and then connect it to the Raspberry Pi Camera PCB. We build a special lens assembly with a focus motor and mount it above the image sensor onboard.
CCM Autofocus replacement on the official V2 Camera Board
Special Autofocus lens assembly on Arducam’s own variants of IMX477 Camera Board
2. Add Control system (so the Pi can control the focus motor)
Second, it’s the control system. The Raspberry Pi should be able to control the focus motor.
Let’s consider how the Raspberry Pi is connected to the focus motor before we set up the connection:
Raspberry Pi → → RPi MIPI CSI connector → → Camera Ribbon Cable → → Camera Module MIPI CSI Connector → → Camera Board → → Focus Motor.
From above, we know that the key physical connection is the MIPI CSI camera ribbon cable. So, do we have anything on the MIPI CSI connection that can help us control the motor?
I2C bus. More specifically, the I2C for the VideoCore processor.
i2c_vc Set to “on” to enable the i2c interface, usually reserved for the VideoCore processor (default “off”).
I2C in raspberry pi camera pinout, useful for controlling the focus motor
So, we use the i2c_vc to control the motor. What we need to do is to add the following line to the /boot/config.txt .
dtparam=i2c_vc=on
Now that we’ve met the prerequisites, what else is needed?
How to enable the autofocus feature once we’re ready?
The next thing to do is to automate the focusing process with a program.
Step 1: Software-controlled motorized focus
Let’s first get the motors moving.
With a simple python program, we can use the keyboard keys to move the focus motor.
See the keyboard focus control demo.
If you are interested in how we’ve done that, here is the python code for software motorized focus control.
import os
import time
import sys
import threading
import pygame,sys
from pygame.locals import *
from time import ctime, sleep
pygame.init()
screen=pygame.display.set_mode((320,240),0,32)
pygame.key.set_repeat(100)
def runFocus(func):
temp_val = 512
while True:
for event in pygame.event.get():
if event.type ==KEYDOWN:
print temp_val
if event.key == K_UP:
print 'UP'
if temp_val < 1000:
temp_val += 10
else:
temp_val = temp_val
value = (temp_val<<4) & 0x3ff0
dat1 = (value>>8)&0x3f
dat2 = value & 0xf0
os.system("i2cset -y 0 0x0c %d %d" % (dat1,dat2))
elif event.key==K_DOWN:
print 'DOWN'
if temp_val <12 :
temp_val = temp_val
else:
temp_val -= 10
value = (temp_val<<4) & 0x3ff0
dat1 = (value>>8)&0x3f
dat2 = value & 0xf0
os.system("i2cset -y 0 0x0c %d %d" % (dat1,dat2))
def runCamera():
cmd = "sudo raspistill -t 0"
os.system(cmd)
if __name__ == "__main__":
t1 = threading.Thread(target=runFocus,args=("t1",))
t1.setDaemon(True)
t1.start()
runCamera()
Now we get a camera module with a software-controlled focus motor. That’s already a big step forward. You won’t have to do the focus near the camera module with your bare hands. Instead, you can sit remotely and adjust the focus with software.
Adjust the focus of a Pi camera with keyboard arrow keys
However, if we want to enable autofocus, we need the Raspberry Pi to decide whether the camera is in focus, and it should stop moving the focus motors. But how would the Pi know?
Step 2: Autofocus enabled by OpenCV
As the biggest open-source computer vision library, OpenCV can help us make the Pi smart enough to tell whether the camera is in focus — by contrast detection.
sudo apt-get install python-opencv
The intensity difference between adjacent pixels of the sensor naturally increases with correct image focus. Then the Pi can adjust the motor until the maximal contrast is detected.
Arducam provides an OpenCV-powered autofocus example in Python. Here is how the image looks like on Raspbian when it runs.
See the Raspberry Pi Autofocus Demo.
If you are interested in how we’ve done that, here is the python code for autofocus.
import cv2 #sudo apt-get install python-opencv
import numpy as py
import os
import time
import smbus
bus = smbus.SMBus(0)
try:
import picamera
from picamera.array import PiRGBArray
except:
sys.exit(0)
def focusing(val):
value = (val << 4) & 0x3ff0
data1 = (value >> 8) & 0x3f
data2 = value & 0xf0
# time.sleep(0.5)
print("focus value: {}".format(val))
# bus.write_byte_data(0x0c,data1,data2)
os.system("i2cset -y 0 0x0c %d %d" % (data1,data2))
def sobel(img):
img_gray = cv2.cvtColor(img,cv2.COLOR_RGB2GRAY)
img_sobel = cv2.Sobel(img_gray,cv2.CV_16U,1,1)
return cv2.mean(img_sobel)[0]
def laplacian(img):
img_gray = cv2.cvtColor(img,cv2.COLOR_RGB2GRAY)
img_sobel = cv2.Laplacian(img_gray,cv2.CV_16U)
return cv2.mean(img_sobel)[0]
def calculation(camera):
rawCapture = PiRGBArray(camera)
camera.capture(rawCapture,format="bgr", use_video_port=True)
image = rawCapture.array
rawCapture.truncate(0)
return laplacian(image)
if __name__ == "__main__":
#open camera
camera = picamera.PiCamera()
#camera.awb_gains=4
#camera.exposure_mode='off'
#camera.awb_mode='fluorescent'
#open camera preview
camera.start_preview()
#set camera resolution to 640x480(Small resolution for faster speeds.)
camera.resolution = (640, 480)
time.sleep(0.1)
print("Start focusing")
max_index = 10
max_value = 0.0
last_value = 0.0
dec_count = 0
focal_distance = 10
while True:
#Adjust focus
focusing(focal_distance)
#Take image and calculate image clarity
val = calculation(camera)
#Find the maximum image clarity
if val > max_value:
max_index = focal_distance
max_value = val
#If the image clarity starts to decrease
if val < last_value:
dec_count += 1
else:
dec_count = 0
#Image clarity is reduced by six consecutive frames
if dec_count > 6:
break
last_value = val
#Increase the focal distance
focal_distance += 15
if focal_distance > 1000:
break
#Adjust focus to the best
focusing(max_index)
time.sleep(1)
#set camera resolution to 2592x1944
camera.resolution = (1920,1080)
#save image to file.
camera.capture("test.jpg")
print("max index = %d,max value = %lf" % (max_index,max_value))
#while True:
# time.sleep(1)
camera.stop_preview()
camera.close()
Suggestions and Recommendations
That’s everything about how we’ve made autofocus possible on the Raspberry Pi cameras. However, here are some of our suggestions:
Autofocus is possible but don’t expect it to be as smooth or accurate as a smartphone camera. Arducam’s main goal is to prove the feasibility and offer you more possibilities. It’s OpenCV-based software focus, and it is incomparable to those fancy PD or laser autofocus. An Autofocus example is provided, but we will still recommend you to use the manual control in the software way. We provide another example that allows you to focus the camera in a more intuitive way — by tapping the keyboard arrow keys. It’s more accurate to help focus on your region of interest (ROI). We’ve only tested our examples on Raspberry Pi OS (Raspbian), so not sure about the other operating systems. However, moof and jneilliii have provided an Octoprint plugin that allows you to control the focus motor, named ArduCamFocus.
Well, that brings us to the end of this overview.
To conclude: The official Raspberry Pi camera modules do not support autofocus, but Arducam has made it possible to achieve autofocus by controlling a focus motor in our customized module via I2C.
Why do you need the camera module to do autofocus on Raspberry Pi?
Leave your comment below! | https://medium.com/@arducam/raspberry-pi-camera-auto-focus-explained-hq-v2-and-v1-b6c8e651e292 | [] | 2020-12-23 09:53:12.984000+00:00 | ['Raspberry Pi', 'Opencv', 'Embedded Systems', 'Computer Vision'] |
My Therapist Told Me My Blowjobs Were Selfishly Motivated | It’s hard to admit when you’re wrong, especially for a stubborn broad like me. But alas, the time has come for me to finally confess that I spent a decade overcomplicating and overdoing it when it came to partnered intimacy.
Let me explain. My husband has always needed more physical touch than I do. Early on in our marriage, we did that damned Love Languages test, which confirmed this was an area we didn’t quite match up.
For years, I assumed I was giving him all the physical touch he needed (and then some) by doling out blowjobs on the regular. But according to our marriage therapist, I had spent the last decade using a sledgehammer to crack a nut.
Sure, the nut always busts, but a sledgehammer was not the appropriate tool for the job.
She had the audacity to tell me that using a blowjob to satisfy my husband’s need for touch was missing the mark. Even suggesting my affinity for giving head was more than a little self-serving.
For all of you smartasses out there questioning whether or not my blowjob skills are to blame, I asked him right in front of our therapist and they both laughed at me and he promised me that wasn’t the problem. Our therapist confirmed it wasn’t my blowjob skills that were lacking — although I don’t know how she could know that for certain.
Anyway, don’t get any crazy ideas and start sending me blowjob guides.
What was I doing wrong?
I’m a bit of a dirty slut, so my idea of intimacy and physical touch always included getting naked. I thought I was going above and beyond to give him the physical touch, satisfaction, and pleasure he desired.
I was happy to give sensual massages, hand jobs, blow jobs, late-night cuddles — it wasn’t my fault I was so irresistible it led to sex every time, right?
Only joking, but I did see the pattern emerging.
Unless it led to sex, I was remaining physically distant from my husband. There were very few hugs, cuddles, or random touchpoints scattered throughout our time together.
I was a selfish toucher and hadn’t realized it.
I was giving my husband barely any physical intimacy that didn’t end with an orgasm for both of us. I guess our therapist was right after all.
Although it was no joking matter, I’m me, and jokes are what I do when I’m feeling uncomfortable. So, I made sure to mention after therapy that I was a little proud of my 100% touch-to-orgasm success rate. I imagine that kind of accomplishment is mostly reserved for distinguished sex workers, and here he had it in his own bed every night.
Thank god my husband has a good sense of humor and puts up with my shit.
It can be tough for men to admit their need for non-sexual touch.
It was really hard for my husband to open up and talk about his need for physical touch. He hates feeling needy and felt ashamed for his desire for intimacy and touch. Even though we had a very active and healthy sex life, his need for non-sexual intimacy went unmet for nearly a decade.
When he felt comfortable opening up about it and telling me more about his needs, it seriously helped our relationship. All this time I thought his desire for touch was rooted in lust and a higher than usual sex drive. But it was really about wanting to feel supported, anchored, and understood.
How much touch?
There is no specific measure for how much a couple should be touching or a standard touch quota to reach in order to properly satisfy your partner’s needs. But if you’re not on the same page regarding physical intimacy, it is definitely something to communicate to your partner and begin to work on together.
According to the Kinsey Institute, partners who touch each other in non-sexual ways more frequently also tend to be more sexually satisfied and happier in their relationships.
It turns out my husband isn’t a male-outlier for wanting more touch, either. Women are typically more satisfied with the touch they are receiving from their partners than their husbands. We also had the length of our relationship working against us, as people who have been in their relationships longer tend to be less satisfied with the touch they are receiving.
Incorporating non-sexual touch
Once you learn your partner is craving additional touch, learn about what kind of touch would mean the most to them. Tell them which types of physical touch you would feel comfortable incorporating and pick your moments to give them the kinds of touch that come easy to both of you.
Here are a few suggestions to add more physical touch into your relationship: | https://medium.com/sexography/my-therapist-told-me-my-blowjobs-were-selfishly-motivated-6bcc71e6ac2f | ['Bradlee Bryant'] | 2020-12-17 13:08:02.891000+00:00 | ['Relationships', 'Sexuality', 'Love', 'Advice', 'Marriage'] |
RIP, caring about employees | Written before about employee loyalty, and now let’s tackle the other side of that same coin: company loyalty.
You can define this term in two ways: it’s either the loyalty of the company to the employee, or the loyalty of employees to the company. I’m going to define it in the first way here, since I think the term “employee loyalty” I linked above is the second definition.
So, are companies loyal to employees these days?
Good Lord no.
But we tend to over-generalize this whole narrative, so let’s walk through it quickly — and try not to over-generalize — and see where we land.
How did company loyalty die?
If you’re writing a shitty college term paper, the two easiest pieces of fruit to grasp at are:
Decline of unions
Generational shifts
There is truth to both of those, although you could choke every horse in South America with the amount of posts recently on generational differences. Hint: millennials right now are just like Boomers in 1968. The biggest difference there is technology. The second biggest difference is how we relate to work.
Here are some other things that happened that we don’t discuss as much:
The rise of stakeholders: Growth-focused cultures create a lot of pressure to please “stakeholders,” but in the 1960s “stakeholders” also included “employees.” That isn’t true anymore at most places.
2008 recession: This hit a lot of Boomers in the wallet, and probably kept them working longer than they wanted to. (As in, they’re still working.) The ones running companies thus became even more cost-averse. Your biggest cost is people. Time to cut them (look into automation) or stiff them (economic stagnation).
We should work better than we do. Want research around that? Articles? Quotes? Subscribe to this newsletter I do.
There’s no logical reason for companies to be loyal to people: Even though the U.S. legally has companies as people, companies don’t operate according to moral norms like reciprocity.
And now about that generational differences thing…
Rick Wartzman (historian, not business/econ guy) wrote this book The End of Loyalty, then went on Wharton’s XM Radio show to do an interview. This part pops:
Corporate culture is a kind of reflection of our national culture and societal norms. You had a generation that came through the Great Depression and World War II and there was definitely much more of a “we” mindset, we’re all in this together. I think there’s much more of an individualistic, “I” mindset that began to set in by the 1970s, 1980s and prevails today. That’s certainly part of what’s going on here.
Heard this framed up two ways myself:
Millennials never seen a World War. (Shit, that might change!)
The U.S. transition from Eisenhower (corn-fed, middle America, general) to Kennedy (slick, tied to mob, handsome, Cape Cod) was when we traded “we” for “I.”
Not sure either is true or massively important, but definitely with high-powered mobile, social media, etc … we’re very much focused now on putting our shit out into the universe, not necessarily chasing empathy.
What are the repercussions here?
Massive, and you could write a series of books about them. Let me hit a few quick ones:
There are more, but that’s a pretty heady start.
Here’s the bottom line: in a capitalism, you typically need a job (or jobs) to get by. More and more people are doing their own thing, which has some value. (Peer to peer economy!) But despite that narrative, increasingly many North American companies are actually becoming more bureaucratic and hiring more people in the middle. That’s good — people have jobs — but ultimately will not end well, because most middle managers have no ROI and, with company loyalty declining, they’ll eventually get sacked.
Hard to ignore the fact that we live in a world where five guys (Gates, Bloomberg, Buffett, etc.) own about as much as 4 billion other people. The game has always been about money and accruing it. It’s never really been about the people who help that process. And therein lies the death of company loyalty. | https://medium.com/@tedbauer2003/rip-caring-about-employees-a97ee6996b53 | ['Ted Bauer'] | 2020-12-15 11:33:12.787000+00:00 | ['Work', 'Future Of Work', 'Employee Engagement', 'Management And Leadership', 'Loyalty'] |
When do the Philippines’ Top E-commerce Shopping Events Take Place? | E-commerce in the Philippines may not be as mature as in Malaysia and Indonesia, but it actually has more potential than meets the eye. Some estimates show that online purchases make up a mere one percent of all sales in the country; Zalora places the figure at two percent. Despite this, Google predicts that the Philippines’ Internet economy will grow from US$5 billion in 2018 to US$21 billion by 2025.
A big part of this is e-commerce revenue, which is expected to grow at an annual rate of 9.5 percent — resulting in a market volume of US$1.394 billion by 2023. This is fueled by the Philippines’ large population of 104.9 million, second only in size to Indonesia within ASEAN.
Of these, around 71 percent are Internet users — and they are increasingly embracing e-commerce. In a Q2 and Q3 2018 survey by Global Web Index, cited in Hootsuite’s We Are Social 2019 report, 70 percent of respondents in the Philippines said they had purchased a product or service online in the past month.
For e-commerce merchants, the Philippines represents a huge potential market. It’s important, however, to understand both the commercial and cultural factors that drive Philippine online consumers.
The Philippines’ Major Online Shopping Days
Q4, especially the months of November and December, is the busiest shopping period in the country, as shown by decades of data on household consumption expenditure. This is the time when most employees receive their 13th-month pay, a paycheck typically equivalent to a month’s worth of salary.
Aside from the festive year-end season, Filipinos also make more purchases in the summer months of March, April, and May.
Of the country’s top 10 most visited websites, one e-commerce platform made the list — Lazada. According to iPrice Group, Lazada Philippines receives 32.82 million web visits a month, twice as many as that of its closest competitor, Shopee. However, Shopee is the top downloaded e-commerce app on both Android and iOS devices.
The leading product category for online shopping, according to Hootsuite, is Travel, which accounted for US$3.542 billion in e-commerce spending in 2018. Spending on Electronics & Physical Media totalled US$234 million, while Fashion & Beauty product spend reached $203 million.
Image Source
Online Revolution
The Online Revolution campaign is an adaptation of Lazada’s 11.11 sale extending all the way to 12.12. While the biggest deals are offered on 11.11 and 12.12, this event is a month-long sale.
Last year, Lazada put up 20 million product discounts on 11.11 — equivalent to one-fourth of all products listed on the website. These deals included items sold for ₱1 only. On 12.12, they ran a Christmas deal special, with a section dedicated to gift items and gift baskets.
In a December 2018 survey by Picodi, a provider of e-commerce discounts, 91 percent of respondents said they intended to participate in the 12.12 sale. Gift-buying, whether for themselves or for others, was the main purpose of 65 percent of these shoppers. Top product categories were clothes, electronics, cosmetics, groceries, and footwear.
Philippines’ Long Shopping Seasons
Christmas
Christmas is a major deal in the Philippines and is undoubtedly the country’s biggest holiday. A Facebook Holiday Study revealed that Filipinos tend to spend an average of ₱17,000 during Christmas. Forty percent of mobile-first shoppers, however, will spend more than that amount.
The country is said to have one of the longest Christmas seasons in the world, with malls playing Christmas songs and advertisers, including Shopee and Lazada, beginning to tease promos as early as September.
The actual shopping, however, takes place in November and December. When local news publication Rappler surveyed their readers, they found that 55 percent identified December as the heaviest shopping month, while 24 percent chose November.
As an e-commerce merchant, that means you need not worry about missing the boat if you only begin your promotions in November. Unless, that is, your competitors have begun much earlier, or you want to beat the marketing noise by being one of the first on the scene.
Another factor that has spurred e-commerce participation during the Christmas season is vehicle traffic, which has become increasingly heavy in recent years.
Summer
The summer months of March, April, and May comprise another peak shopping season in the Philippines. This is the time when students in most schools go on summer break. This is also a peak period for domestic travel, especially during the long holiday during Holy Week.
Holy Week tends to take place in March or April, depending on the Catholic liturgical calendar. This year, it will run from April 14 to April 20. With Catholics making up more than 86 percent of the Philippine population, Holy Week is widely celebrated in the country through fasting, solemn processions, and religious rituals. Being a public holiday that takes place in the summer, though, it’s also considered an opportunity for Filipinos to travel to beach destinations and to the countryside.
During Holy Week and the summer months, Filipino online shoppers are most interested in apparel and home appliances, according to iPrice Group. Online merchants selling summer clothing, swimwear, and fashionable sunglasses and accessories can take advantage of this season by ramping up their marketing and promotion efforts.
Summer shopping generally peaks around Labor Day, when retailers take advantage of the last few days left before parents have to shell out money to pay their children’s tuition fees during the school enrollment period. Labor Day, which takes place on May 1, is also a public holiday in the Philippines. Lazada, for example, holds a Labor Day sale together with partners, such as banks.
Other Noteworthy E-Commerce Events
Black Friday & Cyber Monday
Although Thanksgiving is barely celebrated by locals, e-commerce giants like Lazada have brought the Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales to Philippine online shoppers. Taking place right after Thanksgiving — which is held on the fourth Thursday of November — Black Friday and Cyber Monday offer shoppers discounts.
These aren’t major shopping events, though, given their lack of cultural significance and their timing between Online Revolution and Christmas. But they still draw large volumes, as they typically take place on the weekend after the month-end payday. It’s also an opportunity for those who missed the Online Revolution to get their hands on good deals.
9.9 Shopee Super Shopping Day
Globally, Shopee achieved a record performance during 9.9 2018, with a total of 5.8 million orders. The three top-selling items in the Philippines during 9.9 — a type of lipstick, a whitening soap bar, and an ultra SD card — were in the Health & Personal Care and Mobiles & Accessories categories. Home & Living also performed well.
Lazada Birthday Sale
Lazada’s Birthday Sale takes place from April 25 to April 27. Unfortunately, this event falls on what speakers of the Tagalog language call ‘petsa de peligro’, a term that translates to ‘day of danger’. This is because it comes just right before payday.
Don’t be quick to dismiss this event, though. Keep in mind that Lazada is the country’s biggest e-commerce platform. In 2017, search interest for Lazada increased during the birthday sale weekend. Also, Lazada Birthday Sale also falls right in the midst of summer, which is one of the Philippines’ peak shopping seasons. Online merchants who sell popular summer product categories, such as clothing and home appliances, can push promotions during this event.
To help you recap all of the hottest sales periods in Philippines, here’s a handy infographic:
Types of promotions merchants can run
Cashback
Consider getting onboard cashback and rewards platforms like ShopBack and Zap. These incentives don’t have to be large amounts. Cashback offers on ShopBack, for example, tend to be small in value but can add up if buyers make more purchases.
Product bundles
Offer bundles to improve product discoverability by including less popular items with a purchase top-selling products. The best bundles consist of items in the same product category — for example, cosmetics.
Coupon/voucher codes
Online merchants can sell coupon codes or voucher codes that give consumers access to product discounts. By selling these codes well in advance of a sale, you can more easily predict product demand. This will help you deal better with the perils of e-commerce delivery during the festive season.
Payday promos
Offer promotions during payday time. In the Philippines, most workers receive their salaries twice a month, on the 15th and 30th or 31st.
Keep in mind that salaries may sometimes come a day or two early. For instance, if the last day of the month falls on a Sunday, employees may receive their salaries two days earlier, on Friday.
Social media promos
Out of the 76 million Internet users in the Philippines, almost all use social media. So it’s no surprise that most merchants in the country prefer social media as an e-commerce platform. By running promos through social media — especially the two most popular networks, Facebook and YouTube — online merchants can target and reach Filpino online consumers.
Simple promos include discounts for those who ‘like’ your Facebook page or a freebie for the winner of an online quiz.
Know your market
The Philippines shares many things in common with other Southeast Asian countries, such as its Malay and Indonesian heritage, local groups with Chinese descent, and a vibrant Muslim community in its south. However, its long history of Spanish and American colonisation has also given it some cultural nuances that it may not share with most of its neighbours.
If you’re an online merchant in Southeast Asia, don’t be daunted by a market that you might not know or understand well. The key is to do research and to test out the response to your product. A flexible logistics setup, such as the use of cross-border shipping, will allow you to sell your goods in the Philippines without the commitment of opening a warehouse there.
Sign up for our newsletter to get our latest scoop and insights to Southeast Asian e-commerce and the latest logistics tips. | https://medium.com/janio-asia/when-do-the-philippines-top-e-commerce-shopping-events-take-place-51675accb16f | ['Janio Content Team'] | 2019-04-01 09:46:49.128000+00:00 | ['Christmas Shopping', 'Philippines', 'Ecommerce', 'How To', 'Online Shopping'] |
Online streaming movie : It Chapter Two (2019) google drive best quality | Watch or Download here : http://watch.movie4u.xyz/movie/474350/it-chapter-two
Online streaming movie : It Chapter Two (2019) google drive best quality
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Movie Synopsis:
27 years after overcoming the malevolent supernatural entity Pennywise, the former members of the Losers’ Club, who have grown up and moved away from Derry, are brought back together by a devastating phone call.
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Rules for weapon storage | In this article, we will look at what documents establish the rules for storing weapons, and consider the most common myths and misconceptions on this topic.
In accordance with the fifth part of article 22 of Federal law №150-FZ “On weapons”, civil and service weapons must be stored in conditions that ensure their safety, security of storage and exclude access to them by unauthorized persons. The rules for stioring, carrying, transporting, transporting and disposing of weapons are determined in the first part of article 25 of the Federal law “On weapons”. Paragraph 59 of the State Decree of 21.07.1998 N 814 “On measures to regulate the turnover of civil and service weapons and ammunition in the territory of the Russian Federation” states that:
- Weapons and cartridges belonging to citizens of the Russian Federation, as well as initiating and igniting substances and materials (gunpowder, primers) for self-equipping cartridges for civilian firearms with long-barreled weapons must be stored at their place of residence in compliance with the conditions that ensure their safety, security of storage and exclude access to them by unauthorized persons, in lockable safes, safe cabinets or metal cabinets for storing weapons, boxes made of high-strength materials or in wooden boxes upholstered with iron. The Federal service of the national guard of the Russian Federation and the police have the right to check the storage conditions of registered weapons.
- Storage of weapons, cartridges, as well as initiating and igniting substances and materials (gunpowder, caps) for self-equipment of cartridges for civilian firearms long-barreled weapons by citizens of the Russian Federation in places of temporary stay must be carried out in compliance with the conditions that exclude access to them by unauthorized persons.
- Citizens of the Russian Federation who are members of sports shooting societies and clubs can store their weapons and ammunition at sports shooting stands at the place of training shooting and competitions.
3. Paragraph 162 Of the order of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of 12.4.1999 N 288 states that: “Citizens of the Russian Federation must store their weapons and ammunition at their place of residence in lockable safes or metal cabinets, boxes made of high-strength materials or in wooden boxes upholstered with iron; in compliance with the conditions that ensure the safety of weapons and ammunition, the safety of their storage and exclude access to them by unauthorized persons. Citizens of the Russian Federation who legally have weapons and ammunition may store them in places of temporary stay in compliance with the conditions that ensure their safety.”
OBERON-ALPHA: Production of police non-lethal weapons, stun guns, self-defense weapons.
In accordance with the Federal law “On weapons”, the owner of a hunting weapon follow these rules:
Storage conditions for weapons and ammunition must ensure their safety and security. Unauthorized persons should not have access to weapons. The weapon storage safe must have a lock; Illegally purchased or found weapons must be handed over to the police. In this case, responsibility for illegal possession of weapons is not borne;
Read the article “Illegal possession of weapons” Temporary storage of weapons outside the home must ensure their safety; In the event of a change of residence, the citizen must register the weapon at the place of new registration.
MYTHS ABOUT WEAPONS STORAGE
There are many misconceptions about the rules for storing weapons. Let’s look at the most common ones:
The safe must be bolted to the wall — paragraph 59 of Government Decree №814 lists the rules for storing weapons. There are no such requirements listed.
Minimum wall thickness of the safe — the wall Thickness of the safe is regulated for legal entities; no such requirements are specified for civilian safes.
Use of electronic locks in the safe — any lock can be used.
Weapons and ammunition for them must be stored separately Separate storage of weapons and ammunition and the presence of a separate lockable box for ammunition-paragraph 59 of Government Decree №814 lists the rules for storing weapons. There are no such requirements listed. | https://medium.com/@oberonalpha/rules-for-weapon-storage-6481b93551ac | [] | 2020-12-03 07:23:49.017000+00:00 | ['Safety', 'Weapons', 'Russia', 'Law', 'Guns'] |
Devamlılık Faktörü: Ödül Sürecin Sonunda Değil, Kendisindedir | 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/devaml%C4%B1l%C4%B1k-fakt%C3%B6r%C3%BC-%C3%B6d%C3%BCl-s%C3%BCrecin-sonunda-de%C4%9Fil-kendisindedir-90dae41d0990 | ['Eren Cicibıyık'] | 2020-12-29 16:39:35.292000+00:00 | ['Kariyer', 'Girişimcilik', 'Türkçe', 'Edebiyat', 'Kişisel Gelişim'] |
On Writing Emotion | Almost every time I start working with a new client, they ask me for pointers on writing character emotion without falling into telling or cliché. As I wrote my answer, I realized it would make a great blog post because, let’s face it, writing emotion is hard. Here’s a technique I’ve come up with over the years that I hope you’ll find helpful.
A good starting point for writing emotion.
A good place to start is with the Emotion Thesaurus by Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi. The book catalogues the physical responses, mental responses, and sensations associated with each of a broad list of emotions. A lot of authors (including me when I first started learning this technique) stop there. That’s why you get a lot of anxiety describes as sweaty palms & thumping hearts in books. But instead of just telling us the character’s palms are sweaty, try showing the character wiping her hands on her skirt or shying away from shaking hands with someone, hiding those sweaty palms behind her back. Show her wiggling an eyebrow because she’s in a cold sweat that’s tickling her as it drips down her face. It’s OK to do some physical cues — face getting hot, skin prickling, electricity running up the back of her legs — but don’t only do that.
Once you have reviewed the entry/entries for the emotion you’re trying to convey, put yourself into the character’s body and conduct a character interview. Why are you doing what you’re doing in this scene? What does it mean to you? How does it make you feel? Then dive deeper, leveraging your own experience with these emotions: How do your legs feel when you’re scared/nervous/angry? How does your stomach feel? What gestures might you make (tugging your hair when nervous, biting your lip or the inside of your cheek, shoving your hands in your pockets, tugging at the bottom of your shirt)? Different characters may tend to feel emotions in different parts of their bodies, and this can be a great way to differentiate voices in a multiple-point-of-view story.
Description also plays a role in getting emotion on the page. What your character notices about the world is influenced by how she’s feeling. For example, if I’m sad, and I look outside and see it’s raining, I might feel the rain is heavy and depressing and awful. But if I’m happy, I look out the window and see how the water glistens on the leaves or how the intense green reminds me of my honeymoon in Belize. So you write the emotion not by putting feelings on the page, but by showing how the character’s feelings (and their backstory) influence how they perceive everything in the world around them. The details you as the writer choose will help convey the character’s emotions without ever naming that emotion on the page.
Same goes for dialogue. An easy crutch to fall back on is using dialogue to convey emotion such as, “Mom, you make me so angry when you talk to me like that!” I’m not saying you can never do that. In fact, it can be very effective, especially when it’s more voicey than my example, but make sure it’s not the only way you’re conveying emotion.
Even with all of these techniques, your characters may still not come alive on the page without sharing their internal thoughts and feelings with the reader. And yes, this can sometimes include a little bit of telling.
Consider this excerpt from debut author Gita Trelease’s stunning Enchantée:
“Aurélie, what are you saying?“ Lazare said, as if offended on Camille’s behalf. “She doesn’t care. Husbands aren’t any good unless they’re gone — which you would know, Lazare, if you were required to have one.” His face clouded. “My apologies.” “Not at all,” Camille said, using her best imitation of Aurélie to cover the confusion she felt. “But I wonder if it’s not time for me to go.” She counterfeited a pretty yawn. “It’s almost morning and I’ve a long ride back to Paris.” — pg 225, Enchantée
Both “as if offended” and “confusion she felt” are tells, but they’re so judiciously used with gestures (the counterfeit yawn), facial expressions (his face clouded), and dialogue that the emotion of the scene is clear.
If you can identify the emotions you want to convey, and then convey them with a mix of gestures, physical sensations, description, internals, and dialogue, you’ll be well on your way to writing emotion that will keep your reader turning pages.
Next time you’re reading one of your favorite authors, pay attention to how they do this. Two of my current favorites, Leigh Bardugo and Maggie Stiefvater, are masters of showing emotion without naming it on the page. Their styles are very different (Bardugo is more lush and Stiefvater more sparse in style), but they both end up delivering gripping stories in part because of how they write emotion.
What tips have you learned about conveying emotion in your writing? Which authors do you think do it particularly well? This topic could fill multiple books, so feel free to continue this discussion in the comments. | https://medium.com/no-blank-pages/on-writing-emotion-160f75f6b264 | ['Julie Artz'] | 2019-04-15 14:48:24.493000+00:00 | ['Editing', 'Writing', 'Craft', 'Fiction Writing', 'Writing Exercise'] |
Making a Big Difference Through Donation…. | 1 GIVING TO CHARITY MAKES YOU FEEL GOOD
Donating to charity is a major mood-booster. The knowledge that you’re helping others is hugely empowering and, in turn, can make you feel happier and more fulfilled. Research has identified a link between making a donation to charity and increased activity in the area of the brain that registers pleasure — proving that as the old adage goes, it really is far better to give than to receive.
2 GIVING TO CHARITY STRENGTHENS PERSONAL VALUES
Why we give, a feeling of social conscience was the most widely-given reason to give to charity. Whatever type of charity work anyone did most of them said, they felt they had a moral duty to use what they had to help others, a sentiment very much rooted in their personal values and principles.
Having the power to improve the lives of others is, to many people, a privilege, and one that comes with its own sense of obligation. Acting on these powerful feelings of responsibility is a great way to reinforce our own personal values and feel like we’re living in a way that is true to our own ethical beliefs.
3 GIVING IS MORE IMPACTFUL THAN EVER
Many people are concerned that their donations to charity may be reduced by tax or administrative costs, preventing the full amount from reaching the people or causes they really want to help. Thankfully there are ways to make the most of every donation to charity.
There are many other ways to give to charity tax-effectively too, such as by donating straight from your salary before tax is deducted through a payroll giving scheme, donating shares to charity or leaving a charitable legacy in your Will. These methods of giving ensure your chosen charities benefit as much as possible from your support.
4 GIVING TO CHARITY INTRODUCES YOUR FRIENDS TO THE IMPORTANCE OF GENEROSITY.
Sharing the experience of donating to charity with your friends and especially your children shows them from a young age that they can make positive changes in the world. Children naturally love to help others, so nurturing their innate generosity is likely to mean that they grow up with a greater appreciation of what they have, and will carry on supporting charity in years to come.
Starting a tradition of donating to charity with your children is easy — try creating a family donation box that everyone can add to and nominate a family charity each year, involving the children in choosing which causes to support.
Dont wait anymore, just help others who are in need of your support…… | https://medium.com/@narendrametredm/making-a-big-difference-through-donation-9c78f1969a55 | [] | 2020-06-23 16:57:15.091000+00:00 | ['Help', 'Support', 'Charity', 'Donations', 'Ngo'] |
Top 25 Mobile App Development Tools with Its Key Features | Are you planning for mobile app development, the tools can help you in that because It takes big money to contract a development company, and there are literally thousands of them, so how do you choose? Fortunately, creating an app now does not require a huge investment, months of work, or coding experience! We’re talking about special app development software — mobile platforms to create your own apps.
The global mobile app market is expected to reach $ 311.25 billion by 2023, according to research. This represents a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 19.2% from $ 108.44 billion in 2017.
There are a lot of mobile app development tools to create your favorite app. Here’s a curated list of top mobile app tools with key features.
1) Buddy
Buddy allows seamless, change-oriented expansions. Thanks to a wide range of dedicated, pre-configured actions and services, app deployment automation are easier than ever. If you are looking for a tool to effortlessly build, test, sign, and publish your Android app with a single click, Buddy is the right choice.
Features:
Over 100+ actions
Intuitive and clean UI / UX
Dedicated Android Activities: Respond to Local, Ionic, Flutter and more
AWS, Google, Digital Ocean, Azure, WordPress Integrations
Support all popular languages and task managers
2) Headspin
Headspin provides real-world, functional user experience insights for businesses to improve mobile performance. From Client to Server — Headspin prepares you for the growing challenges facing customer experience in a complex mobile ecosystem by providing detailed visibility into performance and customer experience issues in every layer of the mobile stack.
Features:
Thousands of real devices (device jailbreaking, no routing, no virtual machines) in 150+ locations worldwide
You don’t have an SDK to extend your codebase. All through API access.
The AI engine automatically manages performance issues from large to small-time impact
Pre- and post-launch visibility
Cloud and on-premise setup available
Dedication, sharing or access to what you pay for is available
Load testing is available
100% uptime on devices mobile analytics tools
3. App Watch
AppWatch is a cloud-based mobile analytics and security product. It helps users keep their mobile apps safe from being hacked. It gains the trust of the users and ensures that the app is secure.
Feature:
Allows a full scan of the mobile app
3rd party library / SDK scanning
AppWatch generates custom reports with modified descriptions, logos, comments, etc.
Each security issue identified can be re-validated with different methods
It also detects hardcoded sensitive values
This helps to identify all security vulnerabilities that are connected to them
AppWatch can scan apps using Webview and detect security issues
Cross-platform application development tools
4) Xamarin:
Xamarin is the preferred mobile app development tool for native apps. It reuses business logic layers and data access across platforms. It is widely used to create apps for iOS, Windows, and Android app development.
Features:
It is a mono framework that allows communication with the Mobile Devices API
Xamarin Component Store includes UI controls, cross-platform libraries, and third-party libraries
This produces fewer bugs and thus provides a faster time to market
It allows application indexing and deep linking
Platform-specifications allow you to utilize functionality that is only available on certain platforms
5.Appcelerator:
Accelerator allows developers to create applications with shorter lines of code. This app development tool supports iOS, Android, Windows, and browser-based HTML5 applications.
Features:
It improves the speed of mobile app development
High cloud capacity limits
This tool allows you to create mobile applications for all supported operating system
Virtual private or on-premises deployment
Built on open-standards and full access to the underlying mobile OS
Support for multi-region global expansions
6.PhoneGap:
PhoneGap is an open-source free to use mobile app development framework. It falls into the category of cross-platform app development. It can be used to develop a single application that works on all mobile devices.
Features:
It works effectively in JavaScript, HTML5, and CSS3
It integrates with various libraries to improve application development
This allows the development of various mobile applications with less time and effort
It helps developers to extend the functionality of the application with the help of plug-in architecture
A powerful tool for building applications without specialized expertise
7.Ionic:
Ionic HTML5 Mobile App Development Framework. It is widely used to develop hybrid mobile applications. It is a useful tool for building mobile applications using web technologies such as CSS, HTML5, and SASS.
Features:
Ionic Framework is a 100% free and open-source project
Build progressive web and native mobile apps for every major app store
It provides great tools and services for creating highly interactive applications
This allows the web developer to create applications for all major app stores that have the same code base
It comes with many CSS components and Javascript components for developing mobile applications
Ionic mimics the native app UI guidelines and uses native SDKs
8.Mobincube:
MobinCube is a great app interface so that users can develop any mobile app. Developers can create an app for business, education, entertainment, health, and more.
Features:
Create mobile stores and help increase sales
The app allows you to integrate 3rd party solutions
Assists with advanced functions
This allows you to update online content
Customize every little detail in the app
Allows you to communicate with customers
9.Longrange:
Longrange is a native mobile app development tool. It includes components such as navigation, tabs, form views, and commands, and requires the installation of long service.
Features:
It runs as a native application very fast and with rock-solid reliability
Build native mobile applications using RPG / CL only with DDS
It provides the infrastructure for the application.
Only develop with the current level of programming skills
Develop without the need for JavaScript, HTML or CSS knowledge
Once written, it should be set to Apple and Android mobile devices
Use mobile device features like GPS, camera, audio, SMS, etc.
Push app updates into mobile devices automatically
Reduce the cost of maintaining and deploying mobile apps
10.Qt:
QT Cross-Platform SDK. It provides cost-effective design, development, and deployment. It enables developers to provide the best user experience across all devices.
Features:
New enabled classes for windows and rendering
Parser and compiler optimizations implemented,
It supports translucent private keys
Support for IPv6 and Dual Mode networks
Fixes for buggy SSL servers
11. Alpha Anywhere:
Alpha Anywhere is a fast mobile app development and deployment tool. It can be used to create cross-platform web and mobile business applications.
Features:
Cross-platform is an effective tool for building mobile applications
Enterprise-grade mobile data security
A very good delegation of resource management
Publish directly from the Alpha Anywhere Development Environment
Fix offline sync challenge
Pre-built prototype apps that developers can edit or refer to for their mobile apps
Comprehensive back-end data access
Advanced-Data Integration and Data Transformation
Data encryption with HMAC and SSL support
12.Sencha:
Sencha Ext JS is an MVC based Javascript framework. This mobile app development tool provides a high level of responsiveness for the app. It helps improve customer satisfaction.
Features:
Developers can code in the HTML5 format using the Sencha Touch Software Development Kit
This is a useful tool for developing native applications without wasting any time in setup
It supports WebKit browsers currently including famous Apple iOS and Google Android platforms
Rationalized formatting system
Allows you to scale to different resolutions for maximum compatibility with different devices
Extensive support for animations and enhanced touch events
13.KendoUI:
Kendo UI is an end-to-end mobile app development solution for advanced client-side development. It adheres to modern web standards by providing highly modular solutions for app development.
Features:
It works seamlessly with AngularJS
Build cross-platform web applications. It can be customized for the user’s screen size on desktop, tablet, and phone
This is an easy tool for any JavaScript developer to get started
The jQuery DataSource component allows for easy data-binding for local and remote data
14. Mobile Angular UI:
It is a mobile app development framework that relies on great libraries like overthrow.js and fastclick.js to provide a better mobile experience.
Features:
It is possible to create a responsive, mobile user-interface with the Mobile Angular UI. This allows you to convert desktop web applications to mobile applications
Allows you to create amazing mobile parts
Bootstrap to meet development needs
Stretch and squeeze your browser window to see the mobile and desktop versions
Allows testing of response and speed
15.NativeScript:
NativeScript is an open-source framework for building truly native mobile applications with Angular, TypeScript, or Javascript. It lets you write and run mobile application applications for iOS and Android from the same code base.
Features:
Accelerate the learning curve by utilizing skills to develop mobile native applications
Build truly native mobile applications with JavaScript. Use Web skills like Angular and CSS
There are hundreds of NativeScript plugins available to power native mobile apps
The NativeScript team provides three full real-world application implementations
16.Once UI:
Onsen UI provides a UI framework and tools for creating HTML5 hybrid mobile applications based on PhoneGap. Creating mobile apps is an easy and powerful tool to learn.
Features:
Local look and feel with ready-to-use components and automatic styling
Performance optimized for mobile devices
It provides a grid system to keep your elements on-screen
17.FireBase:
Firebase is another mobile application development platform and also supports Web, iOS, OS X, and Android clients. This will significantly reduce development time and avoid confusion with servers and data storage.
Features:
It provides a cloud service, so no setup is required
Data is stored as native JSON so users can see what they have stored
Data is secure because all data transfers to Firebase require 2048-bit SSL encryption.
File storage is supported by Google Cloud Storage
Consider data streams to create more scalable applications
Data is replicated and backed up to multiple secure locations, so there is no chance of data being lost
It integrates well with frameworks like Angular JS. So it allows you to create an app in a very short time
18.Swift:
Swift is an iPhone app development software. It has an easy to navigate interface, which allows anyone to create an app. It has plenty of features that make the app useful and easy on the eyes.
Features:
Create a custom app and trusted program for any business
Publish the app in popular stores
The guaranteed app brings real business
Contact customers by sending push-notifications that attract them
Increase customer loyalty
Our success team is here to guide you at every step
Encourage customers to contact the app by letting them a call or email
AR (Augmented Reality) tools:
19) VuForia:
Vuforia is an Augmented Reality Software Development Kit. This allows you to create applications based on augmented reality technology. It uses Computer Vision technology to detect & track images and 3D objects.
Features:
Identify and track a wide range of objects
It supports the most popular phones, tablets and digital eyewear for Android and iOS devices
Ability to create basic AR experiences that work for all major devices
Vuforia offers a best-in-class computer vision. This ensures robust and reliable experiences in different environments
It can easily detect a range of everyday images, objects, and environments
VuMarks allows the freedom for the customized design and yet serves as an AR target
It supports video playback
Developers can build 3D experiences with the Vuforia Mobile Vision Platform
AI (Artificial Intelligence) tools
20) TensorFlow:
TensorFlow is designed to focus on mobile and embedded platforms. It is an open-source software library for artificial intelligence. Its libraries make it easy to add special features for artificial intelligence.
Features:
It is an open-source software library for computing numbers using data flow graphs
Flexible architecture enables computation with a single API on a desktop, server or mobile device
It is mainly used for deep learning in practice and research
21) IBM Watson:
Watson in the IBM Cloud allows the creation of artificial intelligence to integrate the world’s most powerful applications. This allows data to be stored and managed securely in the cloud.
Features:
Understand and analyze all kinds of data, including structured text, images, audio and video
It allows personalized recommendations by understanding the user’s personality, tone, and emotion
It uses machine learning to gain content expertise in applications and systems
Allows developing, test, and run bots on mobile devices and messaging platforms. To create seamless conversations between apps and users
Build the Cognitive Search and Content Analytics Engine Quickly
Advertising tools
22) Unity Ads
Unity Ads enables publishers to incorporate video ads into mobile games to increase player engagement. It provides the highest average revenue of any global reward video ad network.
Features:
Easy and simple setup
Create a positive player experience
Introduce rewarded video ads without interrupting gameplay
Encourage gamers by rewarding video ads
Mobile payment tools
23) Braintree:
Braintree is an open-source paid mobile app development tool. It provides support for 23 languages. It helps businesses of all sizes accept, process, and split payments to help increase business opportunities.
Features:
It has a modernized and simplified API
Flexible payment picker
Apple Pay and Android Pay support
Independent payment icons, localization, form fields to create great-looking checkout streams
It supports iOS and Android devices
Support for UnionPay
24) Card.io:
Cardio is a complete form of collaborative assessment of research data infrastructure and objectives. It is a benchmarking tool for the development of a data management strategy.
Features: | https://medium.com/flutter-community/top-25-mobile-app-development-tools-with-its-key-features-b20812245587 | ['Priyanka Patil'] | 2020-08-12 12:17:59.201000+00:00 | ['Mobile Apps', 'Tools', 'Features', 'Mobile App Development', 'App Development'] |
Serverless Angular Universal with AWS Lambda | 5. Deploy to AWS Lambda
AWS Lambda is a serverless compute engine, so to deploy your Angular Universal application on AWS Lambda, you will need to implement the Serverless Framework. To configure your application to run as a serverless application on AWS, run the following commands.
> npm install serverless
> npm install aws-serverless-express
> npm install serverless-apigw-binary
The server.ts file should then be updated to remove the app.listen() function call. This is the function that made your application available at http://localhost:4000. This will no longer be needed when deployed on AWS Lambda so should be removed.
The lambda.js file then needs to be created with the following contents. This takes our compiled server.ts function and wraps it in aws-serverless-express.
A serverless.yml file also needs to be created. This provides the instructions to the Serverless Framework for the AWS configuration that is required for deploying the serverless application. Since API Gateway will be the trigger/entry point for our application on AWS Lambda, the serverless-apigw-binary plugin is specified along with the API Gateway configuration. The serverless.yml should be updated for your desired AWS region and the specific packages to exclude/include.
You are now ready to deploy your serverless Angular Universal application. Run the npm run build:ssr command again to rebuild your application, followed by the serverless deploy command which will deploy your application to API Gateway and Lambda. The deployment process may take quite some time.
Once your application is deployed, you will see the following output.
...
endpoints:
ANY - https://{specific_id}.execute-api.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/production/{proxy+}
ANY - https://{specific_id}.execute-api.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/production
functions:
...
Navigate to the second URL listed (non-proxy) and you will be able to view your application. This URL however, is not very useful for users to navigate to your application. | https://medium.com/swlh/serverless-angular-universal-with-aws-lambda-99162975eed0 | ["Conor O'Dwyer"] | 2021-02-22 09:23:13.414000+00:00 | ['AWS', 'Lambda', 'Angular Universal', 'Angular', 'Serverless'] |
Introduction to Convolutional Neural Networks for Self Driving Cars | Convolutional Neural Networks (CNN)
Let’s talk about Convolutional Networks, or ConvNets. ConvNets are neural networks that share their parameters across space. Imagine we have an image. It can be represented as a flat pancake. It has a width, a height, and
because we typically have red, green, and blue channels, it also has a depth. In this instance, depth is three. That’s our input. Now, imagine taking a small patch of this image, and running a tiny neural network on it, with K outputs.
Convolution Operation (Image by author)
Now, let’s slide that little neural network across the image without changing the weights. Just slide across invertically like we’re painting it with a brush. On the output, we’ve drawn another image.
Patch over a dog image (Image by author)
It’s got a different width, a different height. And more importantly, it’s got a different depth. Instead of just R, G, and B, now, we have an output that’s got many colored channels, K of them. This operation is called the convolution.
Shifted Patch over a dog image (Image by author)
If our patch size were the size of the whole image, it would be no different than the regular layer of a neural network. But because we have this small patch instead, we have many fewer weights and they are shared across space. A convolutional neural network is going to basically be a deep network where instead of having stacks of matrix multiply layers, we’re going to have stacks of convolutions. The general idea is that they will form a pyramid. At the bottom, we have this big image, but very shallow just R, G, and B. We’re going to apply convolutions that are going to progressively squeeze the spacial dimensions while increasing the depth which corresponds roughly to the semantic complexity of your representation.
At the top, we can put our classifier. We have a representation where all this spacial information has been squeezed out, and only parameters that map to content of the image remain. So that’s the general idea. If we’re going to implement this, there are lots of little details to get right, and a fair bit of lingo to get used too. We’ve know the concept of Patch and Depth. Patches are sometimes called Kernels. Each pancake in our stack is called a feature map.
Another term that we need to know is stride. It’s the number of pixels, so that we’re shifting each time we move our filter. The stride of one makes the output roughly the same size as the input. A stride of two means it’s about half the size. I say roughly because it depends a bit about what we do at the edge of our image.
Either we don’t go pass the edge, and it’s often called valid padding as a shortcut. Or we go off the edge and pad with zeros in such a way that the output map size is exactly the same size as the input map. That is often called same padding as a shortcut.
Hierarchy Diagram showing detection at various layers of a convolutional neural network (Image by author)
That’s it, we can build a simple convolutional neural network with just this. Stack up our convolutions which thankfully we don’t have to implement ourselves. Then use triads to reduce the dimensionality and increase the depth of our network layer after layer. And once we have a deep and narrow presentation, connect the whole thing to a few regular, fully connected layers, and we’re ready to train our classifier. You might wonder what happens to training and to chain rule, in particular, when you use shared weights like this. Nothing really happens, the math just works. You just add up the derivatives for all the possible locations on the image. | https://towardsdatascience.com/introduction-to-convolutional-neural-networks-for-self-driving-cars-c61e4224508 | ['Prateek Sawhney'] | 2020-11-10 07:20:25.317000+00:00 | ['Self Driving Cars', 'Data Science', 'Deep Learning', 'Artificial Intelligence', 'Machine Learning'] |
How I started idea validation | Initial presentation, 20+ complex slides.
To bring more context, here’s how the idea described in the previous article:
Being many years responsible for features, projects, and teams, I continuously faced a routine related to codebase management. So did my colleagues too. Thinking of this, I imagined the system which reads your software code for you and presents needed information.
Presentation
The first step, illusory-obvious to me, was the need to make a high-level concept and presentation.
Being impressed by Eliyahu Goldratt’s “The Goal” book, I decided that the needed information is the information about bottlenecks, so my presentation became headed by the motto: “Codeventory — elevates bottlenecks in your code”.
I never planned to spend a lot here, yet it resulted in 20+ slides and two weeks of evenings and weekends before I’ve shown the result to my few close friends. Then I spent one more week and added more slides to make it unintendedly perfect.
Fortunately, I decided to show the presentation to my friend John, who already built a successful product. I honestly expected it to take no more than 15 minutes, yet we spent a good few hours talking. That’s because I had multiple problems to solve.
And the first thing John told me after carefully listening to the presentation — drop everything, except the smallest part of the reach feature set I had. And then sell it to more people.
Picture from slide #15, sufficient to explain the idea.
I haven’t completely understood why he made such advice, yet my experience agreed that smaller scope is more likely to be launched.
That small part was about showing potentially breaking changes included in an upcoming software release. Like unexpected features, public API, or database schema changes.
I was so excited that we both understand the value, and it seems that my friend would like to use it!
The unexciting part was that I did not need to make that presentation at all. I could save weeks, and our conversation could save an hour for both of us.
I will return to this finding many times later — trust me or not, never do long presentations.
Mom test
The other friend I talked to was from a large corporation and had a solid product management background.
I expected that it would be useful for those people to understand what engineers change in the software. It was not a surprise that this guy was at a level where such details are not so important, yet he has advised reading the book called “Mom test”.
That was another precious thing I’ve got from those initial conversations. I had a strong engineering background, yet no clue in how to talk to people.
Sure, I can’t say that book of 140 pages has wholly fixed my issue. It just improved my efficiency in communication and gave me a better understanding of product development.
It also helped me understand John’s advice and finally hear what he said — talk to the people and listen to them.
An extremely valuable reading, unless you’ve done it already.
Startup school
One friend, who usually advises me on taking a university education I never had, showed me the Startup school or how they call it — SUS. Since it’s free and made by Y Combinator, where I wanted to apply in the future, it was an easy choice to make.
What I like about SUS — there seems to be no bullshit.
All information they provide is strictly about starting a business and making progress.
The other thing is quality.
Lecturers are people who built successful businesses already. And the program itself is done by those who helped to build businesses a lot.
One more benefit, apart from the information, is scheduled calls with other participants. Here you are supposed to practice with the story of what you are doing. And, interestingly, the matching system usually connects people from different domains and corresponding backgrounds. So you do “mom test” continuously, which is refreshing.
Some time ago, I thought if I make a product for software engineers, I will talk to engineers. So this practice introduced by the Startup School was a bit unclear to me.
Once I started talking to engineers, I realized that there are no engineers. First, there are people. Second, people might not understand you, and high-likely they will. Even you think you are speaking the same language.
Startup School looks to me as an incredible tool in both learning and validating ideas.
Covid 19
Talking to friends was a good starting point, yet it had two major downsides. First, it was a very limited source of users. Second, they were not users!
While I wanted to help engineers and managers, the decision and purchasing power were only in certain managers’ hands. At that time, I knew only a few of those who were relevant.
After all discussions, I’ve got mostly negative feedback, and maybe, considering that the “mom test” is failed, I had to stop here and do something else. However, my thoughts were about the different question — where to get more people to talk.
Originally I planned to expand my network through offline events, mainly engineering conferences, where I participated many times years before. And where I understood how to get attention at almost no cost.
Things changed with the pandemic started in early 2020.
Although I knew the term “user acquisition channel” already, it was the first time I realized it’s importance. And the significance of its reliability.
Having no chances to check how the offline channel works, I faced the need to look for other options.
And I continued. | https://medium.com/@expensive-mvp/how-i-started-idea-validation-57ba104d443c | ['Expensive Mvp'] | 2021-02-18 11:43:19.694000+00:00 | ['Startup', 'Software Development', 'MVP', 'Software Engineering'] |
Building Pinalytics: Pinterest’s data analytics engine | Stephanie Rogers | Pinterest engineer, Discovery
Pinterest is a data-driven company. On the Data Engineering team, we’re always considering how we can deliver data in a meaningful way to the rest of the company. To help employees analyze information quickly and better understand metrics more efficiently, we built Pinalytics, our own customizable platform for big data analytics.
We built Pinalytics with the following goals in mind:
Simple interface to create custom dashboards to analyze and share data
Scalable backend that supports low latency queries
Support for persisting and automatically updating report data
Ability to segment and aggregate high dimensional data
Pinalytics architecture
Pinalytics has three main components:
Web app, which has the rich UI components to help users dig in and discover insights
Reporter, which generates the data in a report format
Backend, which consists of the Thrift service and Hbase databases that power the tool
User interface
The Pinalytics web application stack consists of MySQL, SQLAlchemy and the Flask framework. The frontend is built using the React.js library to create user interface components such as simple, interactive visualizations.
Customizability
Visualization is the main form of analysis within Pinalytics, with a specific focus on time-series plots that update daily. Everything can be customized, including the data displayed in a chart (by choosing specific built-in or user-defined metrics) as well as the chart itself (by selecting various features of the visualization).
We have more than 100 custom dashboards that offer access to charts and metrics for daily tracking. We offer operations that are applied globally on all charts within a particular dashboard including segmentation, rollup aggregation and setting of time window or axes origins.
Metric composer
The metrics composer is a tool on top of Pinalytics, which enables customized time series data by combining metrics together via composite functions on the frontend. Pinterest teams can call and embed various functions to create a formula that will be evaluated and displayed dynamically. For example, DIVIDE(SUM(M1, M2), M3) would be a valid composition. We support basic arithmetic functions as well as more complex calculations that we commonly use, including a simple moving average with a seven-day window, three-day lag difference and anomaly detection.
Custom reporting and metric computation
We wanted to enable employees to customize both the data being visualized and the segmentation of that data, a combination which we call a report. Creating a new customized segment report for Pinalytics that’s updated daily is as easy as a few lines of code or simply writing a Hive query in a separate user interface built for non-technical users. After running the query, the report will automatically appear on Pinalytics for further analysis and update daily.
With the ability to write custom jobs comes the possibility of redundancy, where the same data is processed over and over again. To avoid this problem, we consolidated the core ETLs that compute common metrics. These core metrics are also adjusted for the most recent spam. Finally, we offer higher dimensionality by segmenting data on important features such as gender, country and application type, when applicable. The core metrics consist of data that tracks user activity, events, retention and signups, as well as unique events and events per application type.
Scalable analytics engine
One big challenge in building a system like Pinalytics at scale was allowing flexible and efficient aggregation over multidimensional data at run time. For example, a single chart segmented by country, app type and event type with different days on fully denormalized data could end up rolling up over 1 billion rows in one load. To avoid pre-processing of data, and at the same time provide low latency post aggregation, we needed a scalable backend engine.
To address this problem, we designed our own backend made up of several components including a Thrift Server, HBase with coprocessors deployed and a secondary index table. The secondary index table contains all meta data for all reports, such as the metrics, segment keys and encodings of each report. When each report is created, the Thrift Handler will automatically invoke the creation of a HBase table for the report, manage the splits of this report table and construct segment key encodings which are persisted into the secondary index table. The purpose of segment value encoding is to ensure the row key as short as possible. Each report could have multiple metrics and dimensions (segments). The row key is constructed as follows:
To support flexible roll-up of arbitrary dimensions/segments for each request, the Thrift Server takes advantage of the HBase FuzzyRowFilter. The Thrift server constructs a FuzzyRowFilterMask to filter eligible row keys based on the segment specification. The Thrift Handler then initiates a parallel request on each table region with this FuzzyRowFilterMask. Each region has a coprocessor deployed to roll up metric values for qualified rows in parallel. The Thrift Handler does the final aggregation on returned results from each region to obtain the final value.
Metrics computation
As mentioned earlier, we faced a variety of challenges while building these metrics. Let’s take activity metrics as an example. Activity metrics depend on multiple days of user activity data. For instance, we have a dataset called xd28_users that tracks users’ different actions during the last 28 days. As it takes some time to accurately catch spammy users, once we learn about a user’s malicious activities we have to recompute past metrics. Recomputing these metrics is expensive both in terms of I/O and computation since a large amount of user activity data over the past X months needs to be processed. Additionally, our data is partitioned by date, which prevents us from efficiently aggregating the activity metrics. A natural way to aggregate user actions for consecutive days or months is to keep a rolling window of metrics for each user over 28 days and partially add or subtract events from these metrics as we move forward day by day. However, keeping the intermediate metrics and event data in memory was prohibitively expensive due to the scale.
We first transformed the data in a way that each user’s event data and spam definition over months are stored in continuous file blocks. This way we only have to keep the intermediate metrics and event data of one user in memory at a given time. The resulting core metrics are then computed from a Cascading job. Cascading’s data streaming abstraction on Hadoop Map-Reduce improves developer productivity and provides more flexibility than Hive. The data transformation along with the rolling-window algorithm gave us a speedup of 20x — 50x.
Outcomes
More than half of the teams at Pinterest are using Pinalytics to track relevant metrics daily and make fast decisions backed by data to improve the user experience.
If you’re interested in working on large scale data processing and analytics challenges like this one, join our team!
Acknowledgements: Pinalytics was built by Chunyan Wang, Stephanie Rogers, Jooseong Kim and Joshua Inkenbrandt, along with the rest of the data engineering team. We got a lot of useful feedback from the Business Analytics team during the development phase and other engineers from across the company.
For Pinterest engineering news and updates, follow our engineering Pinterest, Facebook and Twitter. Interested in joining the team? Check out our Careers site. | https://medium.com/pinterest-engineering/building-pinalytics-pinterests-data-analytics-engine-e14c651780ca | ['Pinterest Engineering'] | 2017-02-17 22:03:02.363000+00:00 | ['Big Data', 'Pinterest', 'Analytics', 'Dataengineering'] |
Next Task from Masters: Converting 22 Crore Humans to Pygmies for Sake of Israel | There is a folk tale from my ecological womb area — Jhang, that once an old father and his young, sturdy son went to grain market for some domestic purchase. There, by chance, during altercation things went noisy and broker party started beating the old gentleman. On seeing old father getting thrashed, instead of helping, the son ran away. After some time, when severely beaten, old, frail father managed to reach home the sturdy son was already there. On seeing the bad condition of the old man the neighbors inquired about the issue. The young son narrated all details with sad emotions, but uttered the end note with a sigh of relief that “Though Baba got severe beating, but Thanks God, I saved much of the family honor by running away”
A similar time for saving the national honor in similar fashion is has come, and many the ‘sons, are volunteers again. What a joke that a tiny country whose own population is just 15 lakhs is pressurizing us to recognize a country whose foundations are stained with blood Palestinian blood. Few ‘sons’ say that, once recognized, this illegitimate country would teach us how to do modern agriculture. Yes! This sandy patch would teach agriculture to the people of Indus Delta who are doing agriculture for the last 15,000 years. Yes, this country, who openly violates international humanitarian law would teach the art of agriculture to Pakistan who is already food surplus for the last 15 years, despite the fact that similar kinda ‘sons’ have played havoc with the lifeline of the nation.
And then comes an argument that technology shall come. Without going into the pros and cons of technology, how many space shuttles have been fabricated with technological support of the mighty superpower in whose lap we are sitting for the past half century? The wealth of a nation is not decided by technological or financial parameters alone. It’s the holistic sum of all capitals including human, social, moral, intellectual, natural, produced, created, earned, and environmental, which determine the richness, wellbeing and sustainability of a nation, society and person as a stable and normal entity. No society can last long just on the base of financial or technological capitals.
How true was the great philosopher poet of the east: “But at last this secret has dawned to the whole world……… Concern for the honor has departed from Taimur’s households.” (Allama Muhammad Iqbal). For paltry benefits, selling the soul and blood of innocent and helpless humans and brothers is really worth regretting. This all talk of techs and progress is a blatant lie told by the brokers of national honor, and soon this lie would be on-air from various paid media houses augmented with all musical instruments. But the real worst is yet to follow. The mega script is to turn 22 crore people of this land to a crowd of pygmies so that when the master plan of the Middle East is unveiled then no nation may stand and oppose the newly drawn blood borders.
The things have been planned to go way beyond recognition of Israel. Soon a nerve shattering and brainwashing propaganda shall start, wherein, on one side, few middle eastern Muslim countries shall be portrayed as having hostile positions, while on the other hand, the Zionist state shall be portrayed as the silver line opportunity in dark clouds of underdevelopment, poverty and extremism hovering above Pakistan. Then, God forbid, if the plans go as designed, then we would be allured to hand over our nuclear assets to joint control in the name of technological support and assistance. And then would come a stage when greater Middle East plan shall be unveiled, and all holy places, including Mecca and Madina, shall go under Zionist control.
We must not recognize this Zionist state. It’s not just a matter of justice for helpless poor Palestinians, but also the question of honor and existence of Pakistan, and above all the matter of protection of the holy mosques of Mecca and Madina. Importing of sprinkling technology for growing tomatoes is not sending us to any other blue planet; neither this land of 5 rivers, 4 weathers, multiple terrains, and 22 crore honorable women and men need any assistance from a bunch of cruel usurpers busy in spilling blood of innocent Palestinians. Pakistan is blessed by Allah almighty. We must remember the words of father of the nation Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah…… in 1948: that we cannot ever accept Israel as long as Palestinians are not given their rights and there is no just settlement”
Dr. Shakir Ahmad Shahid, P.S.P, is Postdoct Fulbright Alumnus in Forensic Science, who has served in various fields like Policing, Investigation, Intelligence and Counter-Terrorism on Policy and Operational levels as a Senior Police Officer and Director (counter terrorism). Dr Shahid holds the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Chemistry, along with research publications in fields of bio-materials, bio-energy, and forensic spectroscopy. In addition to degrees of Master in Psychology, M.Sc Chemistry, L.L.B, B.Sc (Biology), he is Ph.D Research Scholar in Criminology, and a passionate researcher in theoretics of Complex Systems, Negentropes, Socionics, Suicide, Homicide, Social behavior Re-engineering, National narrative, Policing, Intelligence, Governance, National security, Electro-magnetic spectrum, and Forensic evidence. He can be reached at [email protected]; drshakirahmad.medium.com; drshakirahmad.com | https://medium.com/@drshakirahmad/next-task-from-masters-converting-22-crore-humans-to-pygmies-for-sake-of-israel-f41a6515a758 | ['Dr. Shakir Ahmad Shahid', 'Psp', 'Ph.D', 'Postdoc'] | 2020-11-24 22:32:06.944000+00:00 | ['Brainwashing', 'Recognition', 'Palestine', 'Israel', 'Pakistan'] |
Stolen Moments | how many stolen moments
make up a day
a sip of coffee
a glance at the paper
a jotted note
a poem
a jaunt
a phone call
we steal these moments
as though we need to
steal
moments that belong
to us
sealed with an oath
returned to sender. | https://medium.com/age-of-empathy/stolen-moments-2bd18a2720be | ['Lindsay Soberano-Wilson'] | 2020-12-27 15:52:09.245000+00:00 | ['Self Love', 'Poetry', 'Self Care', 'Poet', 'Age Of Empathy'] |
Reaganomics is on the ropes | “person shadow boxing grayscale” by Timothy Eberly on Unsplash
Kansas and Wisconsin sound the death knell for supply side economics
Ronald Reagan came to office promoting prosperity by cutting taxes and getting government off the back of business. A one-time New Deal Democrat, Reagan argued that government was the enemy. Where the establishment prior to Reagan had hoped to use government as a force to achieve their goals, Reagan argued that government itself was the problem. As he stated, “the most terrifying words in the English language are: I’m from the government and I’m here to help.”
We now look back on Reagan, how he worked with Democrats and pushed through a tax increase, as a relative moderate to today’s Republicans. But at the time, he was a revolutionary. I remember looking at the budgets over time for one government program after another. They had seen steady increases over the years…until Reagan came into office. Then, the budgets simply fell off the cliffs.
Later on, Tip O’Neil, Democratic Speaker of the House at the time, said that his greatest regret was not fighting Reagan’s cuts to social programs. But he believed that people would be so outraged by the cuts that they would turn against Reagan. He could not have been more wrong.
The tragedy is that government was well on its way to achieving many of the goals we liberals still dream of. Government activism reached its pinnacle in the Johnson administration, when Medicaid was passed and the war on poverty was well on its way to succeeding. But that all ended in a vice-grip between the left and the right. Johnson lost the support of the left due to Vietnam — a foreign policy he inherited and knew not how to extricate himself from — and from the right due to civil rights.
After all, it was during his time in office that the Civil Rights Act and the Voting Rights Act both passed. These pieces of legislation turned the formerly Solid South Republican and pushed suburban whites to the G.O.P. These one-time Democrats, after all, lived in the Confederacy, or had fled urban diversity for lilly white suburbs. Johnson’s plans to desegregate these two regions led directly to Nixon’s southern strategy and ultimately to Trump.
Anyway, unlike Nixon, Reagan actually had an economic philosophy. His anti-government philosophy was something new, but it was based upon the economic research of Arthur Laffer and Milton Friedman, the dean of the Chicago school of economics.
Laffer was famous for his curve. He argued that higher taxes do not always generate higher revenues, that at a certain point, taxes become so high that people lose the incentive to earn money that can be taxed. Imagine this. From the end of World War II until 1981, the top individual tax rate never went below 70%, and at one time, it reached 94%. You read that right. Such high taxes inevitably lead to the very wealthy cheating, or moving assets overseas to places where taxes are lower, or simply deciding not to work since the government takes so much of their earnings anyway. This is the legitimate issue Laffer was pointing to.
Friedman was close to what we would call a libertarian today. A true genius, he believed that societal welfare was generated by business being successful, and anything that got in the way of business success was bad for America. He famously said that “the social responsibility of business is to increase its profits.” So it is not surprising that he argued that government should not get in the way of business profits through regulation.
These twin goals, lower taxes and lower regulation, became the basis for Reaganomics. Their arguments were not without basis. Taxes probably did need to be lowered somewhat, and excessive regulation could be a drag on economic growth. But at a certain point, both are necessary. It is not always good policy to cut taxes and regulation more. The key is to achieve some level of balance. Even Arthur Laffer’s curve indicated that.
Reagan’s personal popularity, and a pretty robust economy for much of his term, created a myth, one that became the basis for today’s Republican party. At this point, it is a reflexive matter of faith that taxes and regulations should be cut. To Republicans, there is no such thing as a good tax or a good regulation, even if the lack of them result in the problems we have today: high income inequality, huge deficits, and environmental catastrophe in the form of global warming.
Republicans, though, have never been able to truly put their theory to the test. Those pesky Democrats always got in the way of them implementing their theory in full, and demonstrating that cutting taxes will lead to so much economic growth that revenues will actually go up. That is, until Sam Brownback was elected Governor of Kansas. With Republican supermajorities in the state legislature, Brownback decided to make Kansas a supply-side heaven. He deeply cut taxes, assuring people that the economy would boom, and economic growth would make up for the lost revenues.
Well, the economy never boomed. And in short order, deep cuts were necessary to education and law enforcement. The Republican legislature rebelled, and he was only able to save his policy agenda due to his veto power.
Kansas is now a train wreck. The voters decided enough was enough, and they elected a Democrat to the Governorship. Strike one against Reaganomics.
In Wisconsin, Scott Walker decided he was going to gin up economic growth by destroying the power of unions and free-thinking academics. Things didn’t turn out as planned, so the voters kicked him out too and put the Democrats in charge. Strike two.
The total and complete rejection of Reaganomics in these two states is telling. Kansas is especially poignant. That is a Republican state! To elect a Democratic governor is striking. People were really unhappy with what supply-side economics wrought.
Strike three must be the Trump tax cuts. Billed as tax reform, they fooled nobody. These were simply a give-away to the rich while the difference would be made up by cuts to social programs such as Social Security or healthcare. In this last election, people rejected that policy agenda by a wide margin.
What once seemed a coherent economic philosophy has become a laughing stock. But the Republicans don’t know what else to do. In its place, they have resorted to race-baiting, which only serves to further alienate the most educated people in society — the same people who actually see some economic benefit from these tax cuts. Thus, just as government activism was stopped in the 1960s in a vice, so too is the conservative economic agenda. On the one hand, people see that supply side economics are a disaster. On the other hand, its vacuity lead to the Republicans engaging in the basest kind of politics to protect their position, thus alienating many of the people who might actually see some benefit from their policies. The result is what we saw in the midterm election.
It will be interesting to see if they can come up with a new agenda. If they can’t, I predict they are well on their way to irrelevance.
If you liked this post, you might also like: | https://greinerou.medium.com/reaganomics-is-on-the-ropes-d559ffa9ed7a | ['Michael Greiner'] | 2018-11-13 03:39:27.973000+00:00 | ['Economics', 'Trump', 'History', 'Politics', 'Government'] |
A Powered-by-FIWARE solution to personalise citizens’ urban experience | Challenge & Context
In the European Union, the public sector is one of the most data-intensive areas, as it holds vast amounts of data known as Public Sector Information (PSI). Open public data are PSI that can be readily and widely accessible and re-used, sometimes under non-restrictive conditions. The European Union estimates that the increasing availability of open data made available by the 27 Member States could bring an economic return of €75.7 billion, creating almost 25,000 new jobs related to the data analysis sector in the next years.
Private companies can benefit from the new knowledge derived from open data by improving their business models or identifying new ones. There are already many innovative services based on open Public Administrations data that users use every day on their smartphones. Thanks to open data, developers, journalists, universities and research centres have at their disposal increasingly robust and reliable information tools to understand the scope of current phenomena and carry out their work better. In addition, free access to public information by all makes it possible to create a climate of widespread transparency that improves the quality of the debate on public policies and — at the same time — makes the administrative machine more efficient.
However, data is not only important for business activities, but also essential for the private lives of citizens. Citizens can, thanks to the availability and accessibility of open public data, make use of the most meaningful information for their daily lives.
Many cities are already using data to generate services to suit the needs of each and every citizen, but which European cities are most advanced in this field? Which cities are creating and using their data to improve citizens’ lives? And what technologies are they using to overcome data access problems?
The City of Málaga (Spain) has a substantial amount of data currently with more than 900 datasets. The main problem to solve is the aggregation of this data in a way that promotes easy accessibility for citizens to a meaningful use on a daily basis. The challenge faced is to create “components” which citizens can select specifically for their own needs or interests together with the idea of creating a personalized dashboard they can use daily on any device.
The Powered by FIWARE solution provided by the City of Málaga enriches open data by adding consequential information and alerts which can then be used to convert the instant data into useful information which can aid user driven decisions. | https://medium.com/@fiware-foundation/a-powered-by-fiware-solution-to-personalise-citizens-urban-experience-db2831c8809f | [] | 2020-12-23 08:19:14.506000+00:00 | ['Open Data', 'Smart Cities', 'Smart Tourism', 'Málaga', 'Smart Mobility'] |
What you don’t know about HR? | Blog read time : 5–6 Minutes
“To win the marketplace, you must first win the workplace.”
For any business being it SME sectors to large Conglomerates, Your people are your greatest resource. One way to be sure your business will succeed is to look after your team. Treat your employees fairly and provide them with opportunities to grow, and in return they’ll help you to achieve your ideas and hit your business goals. And of this is all down to HR.
Human resource is a contemporary, umbrella term used to describe the management and development of employees in an organization. Also called personnel or talent management (although these terms are a bit antiquated), human resource management involves overseeing all things related to managing an organization’s human capital.
Human resource management focuses on a number of major areas, including:
Recruiting and staffing
Compensation and benefits
Training and learning
Labor and employee relations
Organization development
But, HR management has changed dramatically in recent decades. The concept behind human resource management is that employees who are subject to effective human resource management are able to more effectively and productively contribute to a company’s overall direction, thereby ensuring that company goals and objectives are accomplished.
Strategic HR
A comprehensive strategy addresses all the key areas of HR: recruitment, compensation, learning and development, performance appraisal, and succession planning. When HR strategy and the business are aligned, magic happens.
Strategic HR is managing HR in a way that supports the company’s long-term business goals and outcomes. In essence, you go way beyond the administrative duties HR has been known for and apply HR principles and practices to overall business strategy.
Strategic HR leads to profitability:
Formal training on business competencies
Training & continuous learning is really helpful for an organization in the long run. Before you can start contributing to an HR strategy, you need to understand how strategic business works. It’s important to have HR training in areas like leveraging networks, data judgment, business acumen and leadership.
[76% of business leaders depend on collaboration in developing their businesses’ strategies, and that’s where we can step in.]
Know your company inside and out
A owner & a team who understand the business’ metrics, financial model and organizational risks, is a healthy & productive organization. You probably understand there are many more things about HRM than you realize. To dig even deeper, take some time from your work “on the front line” and ask questions about its history and really learn the products.
(Recent study revealed that HR professionals who understand business are uniquely capable of “linking business strategy with talent management.”)
Develop metrics and analytics
Learn business metrics like profit, margin, ROI and TSR, and you’ll be a huge asset to strategic business leaders. But by developing your own metrics of turnover, employee attitudes, bench strength and performance distributions, and integrating them into business metrics and strategic HR, you’ll have an invaluable understanding of your people, as well as the vested interest of the leaders who are driving the business.
(78% of business leaders are using data to make business strategy decisions.)
Create data-based strategies
It’s important to assess emerging trends and HR best practices, but actions and policies of the HR professional should always be propelled by data. Data can drive practices that support emerging trends and develop into viable business opportunities, or may reveal that current business and HR strategies more appropriately align with the organization’s goals.
(74% of business leaders generally use the past data & figures to make corrective decisions in the long run.)
Assess organizational readiness
By combining business and HR metrics, you’ll be able to evaluate whether the organization has the resources, manpower and support to implement different strategies. Since the recommendations that come from this type of analysis bridge HR with the broader business goals and strategy. This is the essence of strategic HR.
(According to research, HR professionals who regularly perform this activity are much more strategic and effective.)
Conclusion
After reading this blog, We are assured that you have a much clearer picture of how strategic HR plays a very important role for a business success & leads to profitability.
Today’s human resource management team is responsible for much more than traditional personnel or administrative tasks. Human resource management involves both strategic and comprehensive approaches to managing people, as well as workplace culture and environment focusing on adding value to the strategic utilization of employees and ensuring that employee programs are impacting the business in positive and measurable ways in order to have a measured and proven impact on business objectives.
StratefiX passionately delivers its Advisory and Implementation Services in the area of Management Consulting to clients varying from SME sectors to large Conglomerates. If you have any questions or wants to know more information related to Strategic HR & HRM, Contact us. | https://medium.com/@stratefix/what-you-dont-know-about-hr-e0fea6850412 | ['Stratefix Consulting'] | 2020-12-15 09:29:09.179000+00:00 | ['Metrics And Analytics', 'HR', 'Organization Development', 'Strategic Hr', 'Human Resource Management'] |
The Sudden, Sinister Rise In ‘Healthy Snacking’ | By Sadhbh O’Sullivan
PHOTO BY YULIA REZNIKOV/EYEEM
When I first went vegan about three and a half years ago, my access to snacks suddenly, rapidly diminished. The choices on offer were limited to pulped and reconstituted ‘fruit’ snacks or anything I could spot from my mental roster of accidentally vegan snacks (most chocolate bourbons yes, all digestives no). But that didn’t last long. By then, the snacking landscape was already in the midst of a monumental shift, one that has now reached fever pitch. No longer are ‘healthy’ snacks (of which many are vegan) the preserve of specialist health food shops. Now, they line supermarket shelves, with some stores dedicating entire areas to these new snack choices. Most of these products will proudly proclaim themselves free from everything we were taught to feel guilty about in the highly processed, hyper-coloured snack foods of our youth, or loaded with what we assume we lack: high in protein, plant-based, high fibre and free from the eight major allergens.
Where once I had to carefully plan every aspect of my eating for the day, snacks included, I can now walk in anywhere and buy something to satisfy a sweet or salty craving. But I’ve found the branding of so many of these snacks as healthy or ‘good for you’ and — more sinister — ‘guilt free’ jarring, especially as more and more varieties make their way onto the market. Legume substitutes and lower sodium powder flavourings, fruit, nuts and chia seeds reformed into bars, balls, crisps, puffs and even fake jerkies all pride themselves on being the better choice, whether it’s by virtue of being good for you, or for the planet. “We are not like the bad snacks of your childhood,” these labels seem to say. “We’re on your team and we know you want to make good choices, so why not buy me! It can’t hurt, right?”
These snacks pair their claims about how good they are for you with the idea that they are consequently guilt-free and can be consumed in bulk, which is really the same marketing as “once you pop you can’t stop” but with supposed added benefits. This, plus the saturation of individualised food items in every supermarket, can encourage the kind of binge behaviour that directly contradicts any kind of healthy relationship with food. It is the next step in the ‘ snackification’ of the world, a modern phenomenon showing how our diets have radically shifted in recent years. These days, there is a trend of supplementing — or even replacing — meals with a steady stream of snacks. According to The Grocer magazine, 60% of adults in the UK say they skip at least one meal a day in favour of snacking, with 30% of young women doing it daily. And this form of eating has now been made ‘health conscious’. As Robert Rona, director of new markets, products and services at The Triangle Nutrition LTD told Feast magazine: “The flexibility and convenience of the health-conscious snackification movement means consumers can eat what they want when they want — without worrying about calorie intake or nutritional levels.
“60% of adults in the UK say they skip at least one meal a day in favour of snacking, with 30% of young women doing it daily. And this form of eating has now been made ‘health conscious’.”
Irrespective of what they’re made of, a lot of these products rely on something called the ‘ health halo’ effect — where consumers overestimate the healthfulness of a single item based on one claim — in order to keep us buying in. In a culture where we’ve been taught to be wary of additives and hyper-processed food, anything that sets itself up in opposition must therefore be good. If it’s free from dairy AND high in protein, it’s got that good-for-you glow, irrespective of what else may be in it. Emer Delaney, a spokesperson for the British Dietetic Association and registered dietitian tells me that advertisers will often deliberately be misleading, especially in instances of health claims. “Advertising can be very powerful and misleading, and the food industry hasn’t always been as transparent as it could be: they would love people to think they are healthier options and quite often they’re not.” She goes on to say that these healthy snacks are expensive and can actually be high in calories. “If for example they’re ‘low fat’, loads of the fat has been replaced with sugar. I think people are very confused these days. They’re looking for quick fixes, they want to be healthy, they think they are being healthy, but actually they’re not always.”
Beyond whether or not what we consume can really be deemed ‘good for you’, how we eat can also impact our physical wellbeing. In the case of snacking, it is set in opposition to meals, which are generally seen as hot, savoury and consumed with others. Snacks, on the other hand, are invariably cold, quick, sweet and solitary affairs, snuck in stolen moments. They are marketed as, and intended to be consumed, ‘on the go’. They fit into our days as a replacement for breakfast to make allowances for a long commute; a quick bite during an overnight shift; or to tide you through the working day when you don’t leave your desk, as more than one in three British workers do.
This inability to slow down in order to nourish ourselves can have serious health consequences, argues food writer and historian Bee Wilson. In her book The Way We Eat Now, Wilson writes about the 1969 medical researchers who followed Japanese men that moved to the US, knowing as they did that the average Japanese man suffered less from heart disease than US men. The assumption was that the US diet (of burgers, pizza and soda) would pose more of a risk to heart health than the traditional Japanese diet (fish, vegetables, tofu, green tea, seaweed). But it turned out that the culture in which they ate had an effect; there was a fivefold difference in coronary heart disease between those men who became most Westernised and those who didn’t. “Eating Japanese food was not by itself enough to give these men low levels of heart disease. To get the full benefit, they also needed to slow down and eat meals in a Japanese way, recreating the culture of their homeland in the sun of California.”
There are short-term consequences for our health too, as Emer tells me: “If you are eating on the run, you don’t necessarily have enough time to chew your food properly … and you can swallow a lot of air and that can cause indigestion and bloating, and make you feel really uncomfortable. And there’s also the social aspect of things… How many families actually sit down in the weekday to eat as a family? We’re losing that as well.”
The shift of priorities towards snacking either to supplement or replace meals is pinned on the consumer, as is whether ‘healthy’ choices are made. But what it actually comes down to is the way we now work, and are expected to work. The celebration of snackification, healthy or not, obscures the fact that we are now sustaining ourselves in bitesize, individual moments instead of shared, bigger meals. When breakfast melds into the commute, lunch is overtaken by work, the gym or non-work life admin, and dinner is an exhausted afterthought, it’s no wonder we constantly feel the impulse to nibble on things, and then, if we can afford to do so, try to make the ‘good’ choice.
“The celebration of snackification, healthy or not, obscures the fact that we are now sustaining ourselves in bitesize, individual moments instead of shared, bigger meals.”
Many people no longer have set mealtimes when we can safely assume that because we’re eating lunch, most other people are too. Shared eating time is being scheduled out of existence, as we’re expected (and we expect ourselves) to work longer hours and never tune out of work. In objective terms we actually have far more free time on average than workers did 100 years ago: nearly 1,000 hours more a year, according to The Way We Eat Now. But it’s about the way society dictates that time should be carved up. We may have more free time but it doesn’t fall at mealtimes, when we need it; if it does, because we can eat snacks whenever we want, dedicating time to preparing and then eating a meal is less of a priority.
A more diverse range of options for all foods, especially if they can be affordable and readily available, is no bad thing. But we should be wary of claims that something is good for us — it demonises other types of food, which are all that many people can afford, and glosses over how the work economy more than anything shapes our eating habits. It would be far healthier, for everyone, if we all had the time and space to eat proper meals, away from our desks, maybe even in the company of others.
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I Went On A Heartbreak Retreat & This Is What I Learned | https://medium.com/refinery29/the-sudden-sinister-rise-in-healthy-snacking-e96195622327 | [] | 2019-11-21 16:59:37.003000+00:00 | ['Health', 'Healthy Foods', 'Food', 'Self', 'Healthy Lifestyle'] |
Digital marketing | Businesses and advertising have found new ways.
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More Information… | https://medium.com/@behzadbs/digital-marketing-a5975a10d6ec | ['Behzad Bs'] | 2020-12-24 17:43:14.323000+00:00 | ['Digital Marketing', 'Instagram', 'Instagram Marketing', 'Influencer Marketing', 'Marketing'] |
Don’t Lose Your Marbles: How to Care for Your Marble Furniture | The natural beauty of marble has been admired for centuries, and used in the home for just as long. Each piece of marble is unique, and you can feel like you’re getting something special when you buy a piece of marble furniture. Lending itself perfectly to the clean lines of contemporary minimalist design marble has been gaining in popularity over recent years. Marble can be a big investment however, and you don’t want something you spent a lot of money on getting ruined by lack of care. So let’s take a look at how to keep your marble looking its best.
Seal
One of the most important things you can do for your marble is to seal it. Even if your piece arrives sealed already, you’ll need to re-apply a sealant every six months, or at minimum once a year. When water stops beading on the surface, it’s time for a fresh coat. While there are many sealants available online and in stores, we recommend using DuPont BulletProof Sealer. Remember that sealing your marble will help to repel staining agents but it doesn’t make the marble totally stain-proof.
Clean with Care
If you have marble countertops or a marble dining table you’ll need to clean it every day. Marble coffee or side tables may not need to be cleaned daily but will still need regular cleaning. To clean your marble, wipe down the surface using a non-abrasive cloth or sponge and a mild soap (like dish detergent) and water. When cleaning, make sure you don’t use vinegar, Windex or bleach — these acidic substances will eat into the marble and dull the stone. It’s also important to not use abrasive cleaner or pads since it can scratch the surface of the marble.
Remove Stains
If your marble gets stained you’ll need to use something a little stronger than just soap and water. Organic stains like coffee or juice will usually lift after placing a paper towel soaked in bleach over the spot for 24 hours. Oil and grease stains can be removed by combining acetone and baking soda to make a thick paste and again letting it sit on the stain for 24 hours. After the stain has cleared up, clean the marble surface as normal and re-apply sealant, as the acids used for cleaning will cause damage to the sealant. Any etching in the marble can be fixed by using a marble polishing powder.
Preventative Care
There are other steps you can take to help protect your marble surfaces. Clean up any spills, especially those of an acidic nature, that occur immediately before they can soak in. This will help prevent stains and damage. For marble countertops, using cutting boards is a must (not just for your marble, but for the care of your knives as well!). For marble tables, coaster and placemats will help keep the surface safe from stains and etching.
It may sound like maintaining marble surfaces is a lot of work, and for surfaces that get a lot of use like countertops and dining tables do require vigilance to remain nice looking. But for many people the beauty of marble is worth all of the effort. Marble can be a wonderful way to add a natural touch of elegance to your home. Follow the above steps and you can embrace marble without fear. | https://medium.com/@FaSBlog/dont-lose-your-marbles-how-to-care-for-your-marble-furniture-d7fac5a1a5ce | ['France'] | 2018-08-17 17:52:12.273000+00:00 | ['Interior Design', 'Maintenance', 'Tips', 'Home Decor', 'Furniture'] |
The Man Who Offered Assistance In Killing Suicidal Women | The Man Who Offered Assistance In Killing Suicidal Women
Takahiro Shiraishi — Source: Youtube
On Halloween 2017, the Japanese police made a macabre discovery: 27-year-old Takahiro Shiraishi was hiding the dismembered, rotting corpses of nine people in his 13.5 squared-meter loft apartment in Zama, near Tokyo.
Shiraishi kept the human remains of his victims, eight female and one male, aged 15–26, in a set of coolers and toolboxes; their bones covered in cat litter in an attempt to hide all evidence against him, including the stench of decomposing flesh.
His only male victim was identified as Shogo Nishinaka, the boyfriend of Mizuki Miura, the first woman Shiraishi had killed. Suspecting Shiraishi was behind her disappearance, the 20-year-old man personally confronted the killer, who had no choice but to murder him in order to silence him, leaving no loose ends.
Actively targeting female Twitter users expressing suicidal tendencies, Shiraishi had been luring them into his place where he murdered them between August and September 2017. His Twitter bio read, “I want to help people who are really in pain. Please DM me anytime.”
Takahiro Shiraishi’s Twitter profile, under username “hangingpro” before it was suspended — Source: Twitter
Shiraishi offered his assistance, advertising himself as a “professional at hanging,” claiming he would join them in their suicide attempt, or simply convincing them he wanted to witness the moment they killed themselves.
Background, rationale, and MO
Shiraishi is described by former school classmates as a person who “didn’t especially stand out but was not a gloomy character either, a good listener rather than someone who would speak about himself,” and “normal, inconspicuous, and low profile.”
Despite his seemingly normal behavior, a former acquaintance reported that Shiraishi and some of his classmates would often play choking games for fun. The man recalls an occasion when Shiraishi fainted while he was being choked by one of his friends.
Before becoming a serial killer, Shiraishi had been arrested for recruiting women for the local brothels in Kabukicho, Tokyo’s largest red-light district. He was detained after his photo was made public via Twitter, which came with a warning for locals to watch out for him. After being released from prison, Shiraishi told his father he “saw no meaning in life.”
That’s when he started using Twitter as a means to target young female users with suicidal tendencies, using the opportunity to rape them and steal their money. He would regard this as a perfect chance to channel his fantasies without fear of rejection, as he could dispose of his victims shortly after.
According to Japanese newspapers, the bodies found by the police showed signs of strangulation, including broken vertebrae, and bruises revealing gruesome choking. After his victims had passed out, he would abuse them, and then he would proceed to chop them into pieces.
He recalls his first time dismembering a corpse taking him three days, but then “from the second person, [he] was able to do it within one day.” He would later dispose of the organs in trash bags but kept the bones as he feared they would be easy to spot and trace back to him.
The victims
A total of nine people were killed by Shiraishi, one in August, four in September, and four in October 2017.
Akari Suda, female, 17, from Fukushima.
Kureha Ishihara, female, 15, from Oura.
Natsumi Kubo, female, 17, from Saitama.
Hinako Sarashina, female, 19, from Tokorozawa.
Hitomi Fujima, female, 26, from Kasukabe.
Aiko Tamura, female, 23, from Hachioji, Tokyo.
Mizuki Miura, female, 21, from Atsugi.
Shogo Nishinaka, male, 20, from Yokosuka.
Kazumi Maruyama, 25, from Yokohama.
The investigation leading to a macabre discovery
Shiraishi was finally caught after the brother of one of his victims found messages from him in his missing sister’s Twitter account. Aided by one of the killer’s former acquaintances, he tricked Shiraishi into revealing himself to the police, who followed him home and inspected his loft apartment on October 30th, 2017.
Confronted by the authorities, the killer offered no resistance. When questioned about the missing girl’s whereabouts, he merely pointed at a cooler by the entrance of his apartment, saying “in there.” Neighbors would later testify to the rotting stench coming from his apartment, despite the use of cat litter to disguise it.
Outside view and inside layout of Shiraishi’s loft apartment. The yellow boxes contained the remains of his victims — Source: Reddit via Mainichi Shimbun Sunday Time Graphics
Conviction and trial
After five months of psychiatric assessment, the killer was found mentally fit and fully aware of his role in the murder of his 9 victims. And so, on December 15th, 2020, the now 30-year-old Takahiro Shiraishi was sentenced to death.
He pleaded guilty to the murders and claimed he would not appeal to his sentence. Ironically, the Japanese execution method is typically carried out by hanging, the same technique he claimed to be experienced in.
His lawyers, however, argued his sentence should be minimized as his victims gave explicit consent to be killed and walked into his apartment in the full knowledge that they were going to die there. Shiraishi’s lawyers also claimed that, despite forensic evidence that the victims fought back, they were merely acting on survival instinct.
Naokuni Yano, the judge in charge, disagreed saying, “None of the nine victims consented to be killed, including by silent consent. It is extremely grave that the lives of nine young people were taken away. The viciousness of the crimes was on a level rarely seen in Japan’s history. In a society where social media is deeply rooted, they have shaken people to the core. To lure victims who were mentally weak can only be called cunning and despicable.”
Aftermath
Relatives of Shiraishi’s victims are still struggling to accept the fate of their loved ones. The brother of one of the victims claimed his heart “died” upon hearing Shiraishi’s confession, and compared the pain he felt to being stabbed with a sharp knife repeatedly.
Despite its low homicide numbers, Japan has one of the highest suicide rates in the world, one that is on the rise during 2020 due to the COVID pandemic. The Japanese even have their favorite “suicide spots”, the most infamous of all being the forest of Aokigahara, at the base of Mount Fuji.
The shocking case of the Twitter Killer has prompted the Japanese government to double efforts to reach out to those battling with depression and suicidal thoughts. The incident also prompted Twitter to update its policies, prohibiting users from promoting or encouraging suicide or self-harm in any way. | https://medium.com/the-true-crime-edition/the-man-who-offered-assistance-in-killing-suicidal-women-2151fa9f212b | ['Joe Donan'] | 2020-12-17 13:33:58.872000+00:00 | ['Japan', 'Twitter', 'Crime', 'Murder', 'Halloween'] |
Santa Claus Is Batman | Santa Claus Is Batman
I’ve made a list: help me check it twice.
Photo by rawkkim from Unsplash
Both Santa Claus and Batman:
Work under the cover of dark and silent nights.
Zoom around town in glitzy, gravity-defying vehicles that are simultaneously feats of technological imagination and expensive cries for help.
Obsess over other people’s moral choices, taking it upon themselves to punish those they deem “bad,” despite using opaque evaluation criteria and lacking a reliable system of checks and balances.
Use inherited wealth to fund the Rich Recluse Aesthetic — covert hideouts, bespoke transportation, custom made uniforms, niche hobbies that they tout as jobs despite not earning so much as one cent for this “work” — on which their entire personalities depend.
Build their brands on the backs of flying animals who did not ask to be dragged into the spotlight.
Experience an existential glitch when they take off their suits.
Receive unrelenting, unsolicited comments about the distinct features of their bodies and voices.
Prefer to remain undisturbed in their remote workshop-fortresses; however, they don't think twice before tumbling down a chimney or blasting through a parking garage into other people’s quiet evenings.
Feel obligated to do something miraculous on those rare occasions when they leave home, hoping to provide tangible proof to the world that good will conquer evil and justice will be served, even if it only happens about once each year.
Enter all spaces with a dramatic flourish, vigilantly balancing style, and stealth.
Pressure themselves to complete dangerous jobs. They feel the weight of the world on their shoulders, but to be clear: not one person is forcing them to put their precious lives on the line.
Reap the lion’s share of the credit, fame, and adoration even though they would fail miserably and probably be dead were it not for the blood, sweat, and tragically under-celebrated talent of their behind-the-scenes supporters (Alfred/elves).
Have made some powerful enemies over the years.
Divide the population into two distinct groups: those who believe and those who don’t. They provoke such a pure sense of wonder in the Believers that even the most jaded non-believers hesitate to say, “Get real, kid. He doesn’t exist.”
Grapple with the inevitable yet immutable ego issues that result from having their likenesses adoringly portrayed on throw pillows, sheet cakes, snow globes, table lamps, birdhouses, cutting boards, wrapping paper, shot glasses, beach towels, PEZ dispensers, and shatter-proof Christmas ornaments that are regarded as family heirlooms.
Have excellent taste in boots. | https://medium.com/slackjaw/santa-claus-is-batman-79b2614a1bd9 | ['Melody Hughes'] | 2020-12-22 17:17:57.199000+00:00 | ['Humor', 'Satire', 'Santa Claus', 'Batman', 'Christmas'] |
iOS Swift tutorial : ImageView zooming and horizontal paging | Pinch to zoom image
When we are make an application, which has a photo viewer feature for any Details view pages, the photo viewer usually needs to have zoomable and scrollable features, that allows your user viewing photo more details. This control will help you to display images, with zoomable and scrollable features easily. We are going to achieve this feature help of UIScrollView.
And click here download full project and then open it in Xcode.
We can create demo application, after creation sample app in ViewController we can add one UIScrollView subview for paging in our current view.
let viewHeight: CGFloat = self.view.bounds.size.height
let viewWidth: CGFloat = self.view.bounds.size.width let scrollView = UIScrollView(frame: CGRect(x: 0, y: 0, width: viewWidth, height: viewHeight))
self.view.addSubview(scrollView)
And this scrollview we are going to use like a horizontal page view. so need to add page option for scrollView.
scrollView.isPagingEnabled = true
After add this we can start to add horizontal page ImageView for view and Zoom image. Before start code we need to images so i am creating one image folder and adding the images in that folder. After adding images we can create image array.
let animals = [“tiger”,”horse”,”lion”,”rabbit”,”elephant”]
Now we have image array list. so we can able to add images in scrollView.
var xPostion: CGFloat = 0 for animal in animals { let view = UIView(frame: CGRect(x: xPostion, y: 0,
width: viewWidth, height: viewHeight)) let imageView = UIImageView(frame: CGRect(x: 0, y: 0, width: view.frame.size.width, height: view.frame.size.height)) imageView.image = UIImage(named:animal)) view.addSubview(imageView) scrollView.addSubview(view)
} scrollView.contentSize = CGSize(width: xPostion, height: viewHeight)
now we have horizontal page with images. but we don’t have zoom in and out option. so we can move for that.
Create new open class for image zooming and scrolling. I have created ImageViewZoom.swift file and this class has extended from UIScrollView, also created delegate protocol for callBacks.
open class ImageViewZoom: UIScrollView {
} @objc public protocol ImageViewZoomDelegate: UIScrollViewDelegate {
}
Then we can initialise scrollView
required public init?(coder aDecoder: NSCoder) {
super.init(coder: aDecoder)
initialize()
} private func initialize() {
showsVerticalScrollIndicator = false
showsHorizontalScrollIndicator = false
bouncesZoom = true
decelerationRate = UIScrollView.DecelerationRate.fast
delegate = self
}
after done initialize, we can add UIImageView subView for scrollView and added UITapGestureRecognizer for image double tap action handle.
@objc public private(set) var zoomView: UIImageView? = nil @objc open func display(image: UIImage) {
if let zoomView = zoomView {
zoomView.removeFromSuperview()
}
zoomView = UIImageView(image: image)
zoomView!.isUserInteractionEnabled = true
addSubview(zoomView!)
let tapGesture = UITapGestureRecognizer(target: self, action: #selector(ImageViewZoom.doubleTapGestureRecognizer(_:)))
tapGesture.numberOfTapsRequired = 2 zoomView!.addGestureRecognizer(tapGesture)
}
This imageView need a contentMode as well so we can create enum for ScaleMode like below
@objc public enum ScaleMode: Int {
case aspectFill
case aspectFit
case widthFill
case heightFill
}
if we tap imageView two time need to resize image and after resize image again if we click two time need to back same size.
@objc func doubleTapGestureRecognizer(_ gestureRecognizer: UIGestureRecognizer) { // zoom out if it bigger than middle scale point. Else, zoom in if zoomScale >= maximumZoomScale / 2.0 {
setZoomScale(minimumZoomScale, animated: true)
} else {
let center = gestureRecognizer.location(in: gestureRecognizer.view)
let zoomRect = zoomRectForScale(ImageViewZoom.kZoomInFactorFromMinWhenDoubleTap * minimumZoomScale, center: center)
zoom(to: zoomRect, animated: true) }
} private func zoomRectForScale(_ scale: CGFloat, center: CGPoint) -> CGRect { var zoomRect = CGRect.zero
zoomRect.size.height = frame.size.height / scale
zoomRect.size.width = frame.size.width / scale // choose an origin so as to get the right center. zoomRect.origin.x = center.x — (zoomRect.size.width / 2.0)
zoomRect.origin.y = center.y — (zoomRect.size.height / 2.0)
return zoomRect
}
and need to handle scrollView delegate and TapGestures also. after done all this we can use this class for instead of UIImageView in ViewContoller.
for animal in animals { let view = UIView(frame: CGRect(x: xPostion, y: 0, width: viewWidth, height: viewHeight)) xPostion += viewWidth let imageView = ImageViewZoom(frame: CGRect(x: 0, y: 0, width: view.frame.size.width, height: view.frame.size.height)) imageView.setup() imageView.imageScrollViewDelegate = self imageView.imageContentMode = .aspectFit imageView.initialOffset = .center imageView.display(image: UIImage(named: animal)!) view.addSubview(imageView) scrollView.addSubview(view) }
After run this application I can able to do Zoom in and out with horizontal paging like a photo viewer. You can download the completed sample code of this tutorial from here. | https://medium.com/@raj.amsarajm93/ios-swift-tutorial-imageview-zooming-and-horizontal-paging-dca0acb0165e | ['Amsaraj Mariyappan'] | 2019-10-03 03:12:58.086000+00:00 | ['Scrollview', 'Zoom', 'Paging', 'Swif', 'iOS'] |
3 Must-Haves for Writer Offices | From your physical health to your mental wellbeing to your literary productivity, having a good writing space is critical for authors and screenwriters.
Brain Board
Organizing your thoughts before you start writing is a great way to save time and write cleaner first drafts. Luckily, there are a variety of ways to do this and you get to pick whichever one works for you.
► Index cards pinned to a bulletin board.
► Digital boards like Trello on your phone or laptop.
► A magnetic whiteboard written on with dry-erase markers.
► A window facing a shaded or dark area written on with neon or metallic paint pens.
► The storyboarding or index card tools within programs like Final Draft or Scrivner.
► A pocket chart with unlined index cards.
► A blackboard written on with chalk pens.
► A clean wall and super-sticky Post-it Notes.
Whether you’re a blogger, screenwriter, author, or even poet, this board will become your best friend in the coming years of brainstorming and plotting.
The Seat of Your Passion
Writing is one of the most awesome sedentary activities. However, being still for so long during the day (or night) isn’t healthy for our bodies, based on research from places like Johns Hopkins and other medical establishments.
Standing desks (or risers) are great, especially if they’re adjustable. If you’re doing a sprint or have made the transition to full-time writer, consider switching between standing and sitting every thirty to sixty minutes. Doing this can help break up what can become a long day. Going back and forth between sitting and standing can help lower your risk of developing or worsening conditions such as colon cancer, diabetes, and heart disease, according to the National Institutes of Health.
Chair cushions provide versatile and portable comfort. If you’re someone who writes best outside of your home, this is a critical part of your writing toolkit. I swear by my Purple cushion! I can take it anywhere (I even use it while driving) and it provides a level of support that keeps my butt and back happy, even though I’m overweight. I’m sure there are other great cushions out there, but this one I can tell you from experience is worth every penny and has become glued to my bum! :D
A well-made office chair is worth the investment for any serious writer who is going to be spending hours at a time at a computer. But you don’t necessarily have to spend quadruple digits to get one that will help keep your body healthy. Look for those that are rated for long-term use. If you’re an eight-hour-a-day writer, having a chair that only provides four hours of comfort probably isn’t the best option for you. Some sort of lumbar support is a delight (a necessity, in my opinion). But if you find a chair that fits your budget and doesn’t have lumbar support built in, there are plenty of attachments or pillows that can help.
Magic Wand
Writers must rage against the blank page with their own special sorcery. And whether you’re wordsmithing takes place on a tablet or in a notebook, higher quality tools make your work easier and more comfortable. I’m a huge fan of metal-barrel pens if you’re going old school and writing on paper. Pentel and Pilot make some beautiful, affordable pens that you can refill and use for years. Don’t hesitate to go after those Mont Blancs if that’s more in your price range, you lucky dog!
For the more digitally inclined, make sure that your keyboard and mouse are ergonomic. Vertical keyboards and mice are my recommendation, but can be pricey. Curved or “wavy” keyboards are helpful if you can’t afford vertical.
Having appropriate writing utensils is a matter of safety, comfort, and productivity. If you’re using equipment that isn’t healthy for long hours in the writing mines, you’ll end up feeling pains, getting cramps (I got my first hand cramp in fourth grade from writing and thought I was going to be crippled for life it hurt so bad!), and developing issues like carpal tunnel inflammation. Even with higher grade writing tools, be sure to take care of your money makers by stretching your fingers, wrists, and arms. Going to an orthopedic masseuse periodically isn’t a bad idea either. Warm water soaks and sleeping in a wrist brace are great ways to prevent any major finger, hand, or wrist problems that can make writing physically uncomfortable.
Especially for new writers, customizing your writing space is a way to exercise your internal commitment to the craft. It also means you are going to enjoy writing more because you have the tools you need to make it faster and easier to do. But don’t get bogged down with making these selections. Do the best you can based on your budget so you can hurry up and start your next masterpiece! | https://medium.com/@tenesha/3-must-haves-for-writer-offices-e6302dcb7dca | ['Tenesha L. Curtis'] | 2020-12-11 17:24:15.136000+00:00 | ['Fitness', 'Writing', 'Blogging', 'Health', 'Screenwriting'] |
Why Emotionally intelligent people are good for your social life? | You might have seen people, who cry easily, who take things personally, or those who are emotionally attached to objects that we don’t care about...I guess you might have visualized the same personality when you make out the topic. But emotional intelligence is actually unrelatable to these signs and supported a totally monumental chracter.
And so to clear these confusion I’ve searched on the internet and Here is what I’ve found.
Emotional intelligence (otherwise
known as emotional quotient or EQ) is the ability to understand, use, and manage your own emotions in positive ways to relieve stress, communicate effectively, empathize with others, overcome challenges and defuse conflict.
Assets in Social awareness
Emotional intelligence determines our ability to manage our feelings and relationships.EQ and IQ are the difference between being able to function well and being able to function well enough to succeed. The skills involved in emotional intelligence are self-awareness, self-regulation, motivation, empathy, and social skills. ... Embracing the variation of human emotion in the workplace can have realistic benefits, such as better collaboration among employees and a happier workplace, according to Rex Huppke.Studies have shown that a high emotional quotient (or EQ) boosts career success, entrepreneurial potential, leadership talent, health, relationship satisfaction, humor, and happiness.The fundamental reasoning is that, whereas IQ is very hard to change, EQ can increase with intentional practice and training.
Self awareness
Emotional Self-Awareness is the potential thing to understand they own emotions and their effects on they performance. You are aware of their on going emotions and why they’re feeling it and how it helps or hurts what they’re are trying to do. they sense how others see you and so they set their self-image with a larger reality. People with high emotional self-awareness know how they feel at any given time, can identify the source of those feelings and can recognize how the feelings manifest in physical symptoms, such as sweaty palms and headaches.
They do say yes when it comes to help someone, but they even don’t ignore their priorities or postponed their important work which should be done. They’re having a special demand of people, in the society.
They can rein themselves in, delay gratification, account for the needs of others, and balance their desires accordingly. They can also walk the middle ground between initiative and patience.
2. Possessive social skills
This is a very broad term. In general, having strong social skills means having the ability to converse in a clear, concise, and courteous way. In a nutshell, good social skills are the summation aggregate of all of the components of EQ: self-awareness, emotional regulation, and empathy.
They don’t get frustrated
High EQ individuals control their interactions with toxic people by keeping their feelings in check.They identify their own emotions and don’t allow anger or frustration to fuel the chaos. They also consider the difficult person’s standpoint and are able to find solutions and common ground.
Books that will help you grow your EQ
1. Emotional Intelligence for the Modern Leader’ by Christopher D. Connors
2. Sacred Hoops’ by Phil Jackson and Author Hugh Delehanty
3. ‘Dare to Lead’ by Brené Brown
4. Go Suck a Lemon: Strategies for Improving Your Emotional Intelligence – Michael Cornwall
5. Emotional intelligence 2.0 – Travis Bradberry, Patrick Lencioni and Jean Greaves | https://medium.com/@bluesky18/why-you-should-learn-from-emotional-intelligent-people-cb7b9ab1baf0 | [] | 2021-02-27 23:40:51.060000+00:00 | ['Mental Health Awareness', 'Emotional Intelligence', 'Pyschology', 'Lifestyle'] |
Vernacular Architecture — the solution to our architecture problems? | Buildings are responsible for almost half of all global energy use, produce 40% of greenhouse gas emissions, consume 25% of all drinkable water, and account for 20% of all solid waste produced in developed countries.
Hence, in today’s age of activism and urgency regarding reducing our impact on the environment, it can be argued that it should be one of the priorities of scientists, architects and the general public to reduce the impact of human constructions and settlements. Therefore, roughly 9 months ago when I began my ‘personal project’ as a part of the IB program, I decided that I would investigate my interest in architecture, but at the same time try and come to a conclusion regarding how architecture could be improved for greater sustainability.
To do so, I focussed my research on the field of vernacular architecture, which is the field of architecture relating to traditional building practices which originated when humankind was forced to use the resources around them to provide shelter, comfort and protect themselves. My theory was that if this form of architecture was integrated into contemporary architecture, it would be possible to make architecture more sustainable while using minimal modern technology and hence, also manage costs.
To test this thesis, I set out to create 2 architectural plans on the 3-D modelling software ‘Sketchup’ in which both plans were created for the setting of Southern Karnataka in India but where one plan was created for the upper strata of society and one for the lower strata of society. To make these plans realistic I had to consider aspects such as cost, materials, size and audience and tried my best to integrate my research on vernacular and sustainable architecture.
For reference, the major conclusions of the aforementioned research for the design process are as follows:
windows and vents must be positioned to maximize the input of natural energies and minimize energy losses.
Thermal insulation can be used to minimize energy losses
The use of local/repurposed materials can lead to reduced GHG emissions from transportation and processing.
Inspiration may be taken from previous vernacular architecture such as the Casbah of Iceland and the Wada Housing of India.
The two plans have been attached below and include detailed annotations on how vernacular architecture has been used in the plan along with other techniques for increased sustainability.
My hope is that these plans would inspire change in the field of architecture or increase awareness on such techniques for the general public to possibly consider these ideas for the buildings they see around them. This project has been extremely enriching for me and I hope that this glimpse into the process has done the same for you. | https://medium.com/@pranavg2504/vernacular-architecture-the-solution-to-our-architecture-problems-f0ef0668bc61 | ['Pranav Gupta'] | 2021-01-21 16:08:54.985000+00:00 | ['Sustainable Development', 'Architecture', 'Sustainability'] |
Easy Comparison Value in DAX | Working in digital marketing, comparing numbers over time, is as in most business’, crucial for reporting and understanding how well we perform over time. This is why a dashboard that can tell the story over time is powerful.
Why Compare at all?
The reason why we compare values is to create a context for the numbers, we are presenting. The context gives us a reference point to which we can value the numbers. See, okay it is a lot higher than yesterday, where else, we wouldn’t know if the numbers are good or not. This is why we create a comparison value.
The obstacle
If we just open PowerBI and connect and to compare the numbers, it most likely would not work. See, a lot of my training in Power BI has come from learning how not to use hacks, which I did A LOT in the beginning. One of these was to import two different sources (2018 and 2019) data and expect it to show it the same graph. This didn’t work, because the dates were not compared.
Hack #1: Change the year-value (2018) to the most recent (2019).
Now the data appears from the same year. This works. However, we now have a static table, which may or may not be large and have an impact on your data model.
Solution: What if you want to compare data within the same dataset?
Then we need to make use of the measures. Several functions do this out of the box, however, the one I use, due to the granularity level of the comparison is the DATEADD-function.
DATEADD( ('_Connector: Date'[Date], -1, MONTH)
In this measure, I am referring to a date table. Read this article to make your own:
In the above example, we add a date from our date table and we add -1 MONTHs. So the first part is the table with he date in, the second the amount and the last day, month or year.
If we are to use this in a context of a specific number we can put this in a CALCULATE it looks like this:
CALCULATE( [REVENUE], DATEADD( ('_Connector: Date'[Date], -1, MONTH ) )
What the above measure does is to calculate the [REVENUE] when the DATEADD is “TRUE”. This means that it takes revenue, but on the date, we asked for in our DATEADD-function. That’s it! It is easy to compare values over time in Power BI.
If you want to make the comparison for the last day use this:
DATEADD( ('_Connector: Date'[Date], -1, DAY)
If you want to make the comparison for the last week (7 days) use this:
DATEADD( ('_Connector: Date'[Date], -7, DAY)
If you want to make the comparison for the last month use this:
DATEADD( ('_Connector: Date'[Date], -1, MONTH)
If you want to make the comparison for the last year using this:
DATEADD( ('_Connector: Date'[Date], -3, YEAR)How to make one slider to rule then all
Other ways to compare data in DAX
Another way to achieve the same result is to use some of the functions built into DAX.
Previous Day
PREVIOUSDAY(<dates>)
Previous Month
PREVIOUSMONTH(<dates>)
Previous Quarter
PREVIOUSQUARTER(<dates>)
Previous Year | https://medium.com/illumination/easy-comparison-value-in-dax-d54cc834ffa1 | ['Rasmus Bøgelund Christiansen'] | 2020-08-27 20:53:07.073000+00:00 | ['Comparison', 'Power Bi', 'Data', 'Dax', 'Dashboard'] |
An earthquake is caused by a sudden slip on a fault. | An earthquake
An earthquake is caused by a sudden slip on a fault. … When the stress on the edge overcomes the friction, there is an earthquake that releases energy in waves that travel through the earth’s crust and cause the shaking that we feel. In California, there are two plates — the Pacific Plate and the North American Plate.
Earthquakes are usually caused when rock underground suddenly breaks along a fault. This sudden release of energy causes the seismic waves that make the ground shake. … The rocks are still pushing against each other, but not moving. After a while, the rocks break because of all the pressure that’s built up. Causes of Earthquakes in General
· Induced Earthquakes. Induced quakes are caused by human activity, like tunnel construction, filling reservoirs, and implementing geothermal or fracking projects.
· Volcanic Earthquakes. Volcanic quakes are associated with active volcanism. …
· Collapse Earthquakes.
Qatar is considered the country least likely to experience cyclones, droughts, big floods, and earthquakes.
Japan
For which country do we locate the most earthquakes? Japan. The whole country is in a very active seismic area, and they have the densest seismic network in the world, so they are able to record many earthquakes.
Earthquakes can be very dangerous if you are in the wrong place. They can make buildings fall down and set off landslides, as well as having many other deadly effects. An earthquake that occurs at the bottom of the sea can push water upwards and create massive waves called tsunamis.
Martin Vidal Stacy Cellier-Gomez Theresa Smith Chris Smith Steven Tyndall Shirley J. Davis Peter D. Kaizer Pierre Rognion Camille DeAngelis
WebdesignerDepot Mandy Edwards Rebecca Lynn Freddy Daniel Garcia Paul Fairweather Ryan Hoover | https://medium.com/@m-ammarthegreat/an-earthquake-is-caused-by-a-sudden-slip-on-a-fault-713f16c2067a | ['Muhammad Ammar'] | 2020-12-28 12:50:52.793000+00:00 | ['Google', 'YouTube', 'Yahoo', 'Bitcoin', 'Mozilla'] |
Install conda and set up a Pytorch 1.7, CUDA 11.1 environment on Ubuntu/Windows | In this fast post, you will know how to set up an environment using conda (Anaconda) and PyTorch last stable version (1.7.1) with an Nvidia Driver 11.1; first of all, you can check how to successfully install CUDA for ubuntu here, at the first half of that post you can learn how to install any driver-version for your GPU.
My 2 NVIDIA Quadro RTX 6000
Installing Conda
First, you need to install Anaconda on your computer. To do this, you can check the installing guide from the website in any OS here.
Setting up a Conda environment
Then, set up a conda environment ready to use PyTorch, once you installed conda, just type:
conda create --name pytorch python=3.7
conda activate pytorch
conda install pytorch torchvision torchaudio cudatoolkit=11.0 -c pytorch
conda install numpy matplotlib scikit-learn pandas tqdm jupyter scikit-image
conda install -c conda-forge tensorboardx
conda install -c conda-forge opencv
conda install -c anaconda scipy=1.5.3
The first line creates our environment called “PyTorch” and you can select the python version (I choose version 3.7).
The second line activates the created environment, in other words, changes our session to our PyTorch environment.
The third line install PyTorch using the Cuda toolkit 11.0, but Are you wondering why I used toolkit 11.0 when my computer has a CUDA version 11.1? — — Well, let me say to you that Anaconda has the amazing option that you can install a Cuda toolkit version less than your driver into your conda environment. Besides you can check versions and Cuda toolkit Pytorch official guide installation.
Then, the next lines install some other libraries that you would use (depending on your task), and always is good to have them installed :)
After all this process, you are free to check your python version inside your conda environment and check if Cuda is available as well.
Checking my torch version and GPU available
So, now you can start creating your model and developing some projects :)
I hope you enjoyed reading this post, if you liked and founded it helpful share it pls. | https://medium.com/@fmorenovr/set-up-conda-environment-pytorch-1-7-cuda-11-1-96a8e93014cc | ['Felipe A. Moreno'] | 2021-03-08 16:09:44.775000+00:00 | ['Cuda', 'Conda', 'Pytorch', 'Nvidia Driver', 'Nvidia'] |
Street chat with Roza Vulf | Please tell us a little about yourself. Where are you from, where do you live now? Your background with photography, how and when you were drawn to the street genre.
I was born and spent most of my adult life in Vilnius, Lithuania. At some point I have relocated to Germany. Spent half a decade there until I finally moved to Rome, where I am currently based.
I have always had a tight connection with photography since I was a teenager. I remember I even had an internship in some local newspaper in Vilnius during the Soviet times. Back then, of course, I was shooting on film, using Russian cameras like ‘Smena’ and ‘Zenit’.
But life takes its own turn — I got married, had two kids, and had to get a serious job as well as study. There simply was no time to shoot professionally, so I was taking pictures of my children, family and friends, and developing them myself having a “dark room” in my bathroom.
As time passed by I changed to digital and kept documenting my travels. Until seven years ago, when I moved to Rome and finally got the opportunity to dedicate most of my time to photography. Being self-taught, I relied a lot on books, magazines and the web. I got subscriptions to some photography magazines and educational literature to follow lessons on landscape, macro and everything else that could actually help me develop my skills. As well as photowalks and workshops with some great photographers from around the world, which has helped me to amplify my vision, and to understand my professional standing.
About the genre — though I don’t like to put labels on my photography style and prefer to keep the door open to different genres, I feel most comfortable with street and documentary. It allows me to record real moments of real life that flash briefly past my vision. It is a type of art that gives me a possibility to express myself and sometimes share my feelings. | https://medium.com/her-side-of-the-street/street-chat-with-roza-vulf-67aaaa6a171e | ['Casey Meshbesher'] | 2017-08-23 16:30:16.042000+00:00 | ['Street Chat', 'Female Photographers', 'Street Photography', 'Candid Photography', 'Photography'] |
The Existential Crisis of A No Longer Needed Caregiver | I took care of her. Now she’s gone. Now what?
Photo by Eyasu Etsub on Unsplash
(This is the written version of this piece. For an audio version, see this piece on my website.)
I pick up the small urn that holds a portion of my mother’s ashes. I tell her hello and kiss the cool porcelain that has replaced her warm skin. Tears in my eyes, I talk to her.
“You know Mom, I’m glad you aren’t sick anymore. That your spirit is no longer trapped in a brain that couldn’t understand life, or a body that could no longer function. I’m glad that’s over for you. Really, I am. But… I miss taking care of you. As horrible as it was, as painful as it was, it satisfied part of me, you know. Your illness gave my ego purpose. Now, that part of me is floating aimlessly. Lost without task. And I hate that, because how stupid and how selfish.”
And then I break down into a puddle of uncontrollable sobbing, swollen eyes and a snotty nose.
* * * * * *
In the midst of caring for my mother, I spent hours with her every day. I helped her eat, bathe, get dressed, and then cleaned and changed again after incontinence accidents. I paused “my life” (as if one could actually do such a thing…) to ease my father’s caregiver burden, and pick up a piece of my own.
As hard as it was, the role of caregiver alleviated something within me. It quieted the voice that says, “You must do something important and valuable to be important and valuable. You must earn your keep in this earthly realm.”
My mother became my keep. I knew that it would be difficult in all ways, but I told myself that I would rise to the challenge. And rise I did. I remember thinking at the end of an especially challenging day with her, “If caring for Mom and loving her through this illness is the only reason I was ever on this planet, then I am content. I have fulfilled my purpose and been honored to do so.”
But Mom is gone now, and I’m here with how ever much more time on my hands to move through life. The noble and compassionate warrior that awoke for the season of my mother’s illness is wringing her hands. She’s asking, “Do I have another task? Or do I go back to sleep?”
When I was caring for Mom, I saw the best version of myself. It required me to stretch beyond my comfort zone. Past what I thought were my limits. I was forced to become a better person. Not that I was bad to begin with, but I had an awareness of turning into someone who was more loving, patient, caring, compassionate, present, flexible, creative, appreciative. Being this person came with a graciously noble feeling. And I was just getting to know her, when she became unnecessary.
Mom died in July.
Alzheimer’s took her in pieces for 5 years, and then it came for the last of her. It feels like it took her caregiver too. And why wouldn’t it?
It makes me wonder if the best of us only makes an appearance to meet the worst of life. If that’s true, at least there’s that. But where does the best of us go when not called into action? Where is my better person when someone she loves isn’t dying?
No one tells you that meeting the best you, makes ordinary you look dull. It brings a different kind of insecurity.
It makes the time and tasks of life get muddled too. As caregiver, a day was full, complete and successful if Mom was clean and fed. That could take all day, but the amount of time it took was irrelevant. Those were my only priorities, aside from fiercely loving her.
What does one do with oneself when there a thousand minutes stretched ahead and no important things to do? Or a hundred silly tasks and not nearly enough time?
Was existing and getting things done always this complicated? It seemed so simple for the noble and compassionate warrior to care for her mother. But she is overqualified for paying bills, doing dishes, folding laundry. And entirely unqualified to ponder her own existence. There seems no place for her in a life without intensity.
And speaking of intense…
* * * * * *
I exhaust myself from the hard cry and pick myself off the floor. I dry my eyes, blow my nose, and stare out the window at nothing. I wait for the pressure in my face to slowly drain away, like the pressure of the emotions. I pick Mom up, and feel how the curve of the small urn fits perfect and smooth into the palm of my hand. I talk to her again.
“What do I do with myself now, Mom? How do I fill my days? Who do I become, who becomes me?”
I let out an exasperated sigh. It feels both incredibly important and entirely foolish to keep asking all these questions. Most likely, if the answers come at all, it will be when I’m not looking. It will be when I’ve forgotten there was a time when figuring all this out seemed so important.
So, for better or worse, some version of me goes downstairs to do some sort of things.
……..
If you have appreciated this piece, consider purchasing my new book, Love Doesn’t Care If You Forget: Lessons of Love from Alzheimer’s and Dementia | https://medium.com/@briannegrebil/the-existential-crisis-of-a-no-longer-needed-caregiver-5bbe523a06e4 | ['Brianne Grebil'] | 2020-12-27 15:05:45.455000+00:00 | ['Caregivers', 'Loss', 'Grief', 'Death And Dying', 'Alzheimers'] |
The Only Girl In The World Whom I Loved…!! | My name is Kay but people call me as Sasuke. Today i am going to tell you about my life from school till Kota to college because what can i say i am drunk as high. So here’s my story.
Although I was born in India but i was raised like an American. I used to watch English TV shows 24*7 all the time. This affected my social life in school. I used to be silent all the time because people around me used to talk and converse in Hindi. This made me feel uncomfortable. I wanted to change my school and i was very close in doing that but there was one thing that kept me from not making that decision of leaving school. And that was, I had fallen in love with a girl in school and that too on the very first day, but the girl didn’t know that.
Now you might be thinking how come you fell in love with a girl to whom you never talked. For that lets just say i loved her in my own way. She was a girl from out of this world. I have never ever seen such a girl of her personality. Her radiance was like a star. without her i couldn’t have passed my 10 years of hell in school. She was the thing that kept me from losing my sanity. After high school I thought about going Tuition so that i can see her after school but that just didn’t happen. Something else happened and that turned out to be the worst decision I made. Going tuition right after school. Funny ain’t it. So the only thing left for me to impress her was getting good marks at board exams because i was neither good at sports or cultural events. My hidden literally skills were quite good but i hid that from everyone. So boards was it, and i screwed badly at boards on the very first day of practicals. It was because of my partner(another girl) that I was able to perform practicals. Till now i haven’t even thanked her for that. But that I will surely do, maybe one day. So now it was board exams and everyone else was studying. It was only me who was screwing around because for the first time in my life I was playing a quality game on mobile. It was Clash of Clans, so i just gave board exams without studying a lot. But fortunately when results came out I have scored good percentage. My parents were proud of me but i wasn’t of me. I knew I had screwed big time.
So after that I went to do 13th in Kota to prepare for JEE exams but that didn’t happen. Instead i had made a lot of friends over there than I ever did in 10 yrs of my school life. I was a crush of many girls over there but I wasn’t interested in a single one of them. I was also wandering around Kota at the time of my revision days and that was how I screwed my JEE exams. Fast forward a year later i was in college where the seniors were the people who were my classmates in school. I was surrounded by a bunch of strangers. I was feeling quite low but years passed and college was the best thing of my life. It made me the person who i am. I made some awesome memories with my friends in three years. We guys did many unspeakable things which is an impossible feat to achieve from a very remote college. But one thing i couldn’t ever do was meeting Taylor swift and getting over the girl i loved in school. And that’s how i realized that i loved her not liked her. I was so frustrated inside of me and I wanted everything to spit out to her. And i did, on FB messaging app. That too when i was high as fuck. Till this day I consider it one of my worst thing decision in life. I figuratively told the girl to throw my heart in the locker deep under the ocean. Because of the contents of that letter she considers me a sociopath and probably psycho or maybe a paparazzi chasing her, but that i never did. I think it was because of me that she has left Kotdwara which is obviously my hometown. Now here I am in final year of college thinking about placements and wondering will i ever be able to get over her or will i always live my life as a brat who never understood the meaning of love.
That’s all from the eccentric guy
Thank you and make sure to comment and share it with your friends. I hope my message will reach her. | https://medium.com/@kshitiz.bisht266/the-only-girl-in-the-world-whom-i-loved-eb44af5c96dc | [] | 2019-06-16 17:18:20.596000+00:00 | ['Love', 'Lovestory', 'Dreams', 'Love Letters', 'Imagination'] |
Another Kind of Eugenics | I recently read an article written by the CEO of Netflix Reed Hastings where he stated that getting rid of “less than top performing” employees created a better work environment. They weren’t bad employees. Just not perfect. My immediate response to his version of what I call “Corporate Eugenics” was visceral and intellectual. Was he really arguing that anyone who doesn’t exist in a perpetual state of anxiety-driven “positivity” and productivity in the name of his company’s shareholders is essentially useless? Yes. Yes, he was.
This type of psychopathic thinking not only absolves management from their duties to train and build up their teams, but it also, disturbingly, ignores the reality of human existence itself. Life isn’t perfect. Shit happens. Couples divorce, elderly parents die, children get cancer. All of these circumstances WILL affect a person’s performance at work. You know what else affects people? Working with people unable to get along with their co-workers who might not think or work the same way they do.
I’m sorry if the harshness of reality brings down the shiny false narrative of what many accept as “successful working culture” but it seems to me that a bit of flexible thinking is in order here. Managers at every level are responsible for creating a working environment conducive to professional development. You want a good team? Build one. Create a place where the very real existence of different learning style and personality types is not only acknowledged, but where an individual’s strength’s are recognized and used to a company’s advantage. That kind of leadership, particularly in the age of Covid-19 is what we need most. Stop paying attention to the flashy person with crappy ideas and start acknowledging the quiet person with good ideas.
Alas, according to Hastings, being a “good” employee isn’t good enough any more. Even being “great” isn’t enough. His employees must be great at all times lest they — the human cog — be replaced by a younger, shinier version of themselves. Ones that “fit it.” Because, God forbid people learn to work well with others.
I for one, will resist tooth and nail against this model. First, because it goes against everything I know to be good and decent about human beings. Second, because this model is frighteningly close to that of eugenics. Where people are placed into categories and the merely “adequate” and “weak” are discarded as in Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World.
Lest we devolve further than we already have into a Dickensian nightmare with no opportunities for those over 40, those who think differently organizationally and those of us not extroverted 100% of the time, I propose what society needs now are managers and CEOs who take responsibility for creating toxic company cultures like the one Hastings described. Those who can pull their businesses out of their “positive thinking” echo chambers and embrace diversity of thought and working styles. Those with an ability to ask themselves, “What are my weaknesses?” Those willing to abandon such things as “Keeper Tests” in favor of deeper-level engagement with workers as people. Those strong enough to point the mirror of criticism back onto themselves instead of focusing on the weaknesses of their employees and blaming them when problems arise. Those who ask their workers, “What do you need from me to be more productive?” and then doing their best to make reasonable improvements.
I genuinely do not believe there is an inherent conflict between a financially successful company and a compassionate one. All it takes is a bit of…wait for it…hard work. | https://medium.com/@jm-upton/another-kind-of-eugenics-959d547da593 | ['Jenn Upton'] | 2020-12-01 12:31:07.786000+00:00 | ['Compassion', 'Netflix', 'Eugenics', 'Corporate Culture', 'Brave New World'] |
14 Common Sophistical Tricks Aristotle Already “Called”, Still With Us Today | The French have a saying: plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose. Aristotle’s Sophistical Refutations [SR] is over 2500 years old, yet you can still read it and find yourself chuckling about its relevance today.
Aristotle, arguably the greatest Western philosopher, and a discerning critic of sophistry in all of its forms
SR is rightly famous for its identification of 13 forms of “sophistical” arguments. These “sophisms” are true-seeming arguments which are in fact false. So they pull the wool over many, less careful peoples’ eyes.
Think of claims like that, since in the Italian renaissance, great art was produced in times of war and instability, that war and instability must be necessary for great artists to emerge.
Some turn upon the ambiguities and slipperiness of language. Consider someone who says “mistakes are natural” to excuse the fact that they are also, often, regrettable (“natural” being a term of approval in many contexts).
Others are more purely conceptual, like confusing absolute for qualified statements. The mostly-true claim that “cutting people with knives is bad” does not make the thought that “surgery must be bad” true, for example. There are exceptions, relative to situation and intention.
One black sheep does not a plague make (secundum quid)
Probably the most common of all is the famous Dicto Simpliciter fallacy (or, as the medievals called it, Secundum quid). This involves falsely generalizing to some absolute claim on the basis of limited data. Take going from the claim that “Stalin believed in a strong state” to the belief that thus “all state action” is bad — or on the road to Stalinism.
Nevertheless, like all Aristotelian texts, this one, the SR, contains multitudes. It is not just about these famous fallacies, and how to spot and refute them. In truth, their analysis occupies about an even half of the SR only (chapters 4–6, and 19–30).
To put it casually, there is a lot of other stuff going on in this classic text, which we and our students can still learn from today.
Other games bad-faith actors (aka “sophists”) can play
Aristotle is aware, above all, that there are many more sophistical tricks than are available to people involved in disputes, at least when not all participants are what we might call “good faith” debaters, interested only in truth and self-edification, or the edification of others.
The sophists themselves were of course defined by Plato by their alleged intention to say “truthy” but deceptive things, in order to win friends and influence people. Aristotle agrees with his teacher here, opening the SR by defining “the art of the sophist” as “one who makes money from an apparent but unreal wisdom.” He’s in it for the cash, the glory, and the advancement. And for this, the mere semblance of truth or rightness is enough.
for them, then, it is clearly essential also to seem to accomplish the task of a wise man rather than to accomplish it ...
Small wonder then that, when we move into the central chapters of Aristotle’s text, we find several highly perceptive and curious chapters. These are devoted to how a sophist can basically corner his respondent, so they appear incompetent, while themselves appearing more certain than the matter warrants; and how a bad-faith-debater can consciously work to conceal his real purposes from their “interlocutors”.
It is a shame that these “dirty tricks” are not better known, both where Aristotle’s SR is still taught, and for anyone interested in not having the wool pulled over their eyes every time they turn on the internet, their TV, or radio.
So, let me enumerate a selection of 14 of them now, and try to give them some catchy names to facilitate memory.
Next time you see them, perhaps you’ll be able to identify them for the sophistical dirty tricks they are. And you can even point out that Aristotle told you so.
Extra-argumentative deeds, done dirt cheap
Let me put at least some of them in the second person, as points of advice, so readers can get the sophistical “spirit” at issue:
be deliberately indefinite in what you ask, to “give ’em enough rope”: this strategy involves putting a question vaguely, when some specific subject is at issue (say, asking an opposing Minister to discuss the state of the health sector at large, when it is the specific issue of vaccinations at issue). The strategic reason for this, Aristotle astutely observes, is that “people are more inclined to make mistakes when they talk at large, and they talk at large when they have no definite subject before them.”
We might call this giving a person enough rope ( — to hang himself).
2. bombard your foe: to confuse or even anger them, put not one but several questions to the other person at once. For added effect, append “the request that he shall say only what he thinks”.
Whichever question s/he answers, you can then say: “yes, but you didn’t address my[other] question”.
3. play neutral, when you are malign: when you have a controversial question to ask, don’t put it directly, but say you “put it from the wish for information”. This way, you can conceal you own partisan perspective, behind the veneer of “only wanting the truth”, for long enough to get the other to say too much, giving fuel to your fire.
“Got you!”
4. avoid weak points, divert to your strengths: this is a favorite sophism of politicians, and PR experts are clearly coaching them in it, and number 5, as they butter their toast in the mornings. Journos ask a question a politician or corporate exec doesn’t want to answer, since they’re on slippery ground. So, they shift the discussion “to the kind of statements against which one is well supplied with arguments”.
Down under, for instance, we know that politicians love to talk about “jobs and growth”. This, no matter whether they are asked about them or not.
5. If pressed, attack others’ weaknesses, even when they’re irrelevant: this is the flipside of the preceding. It is a strategy well-known to sociopaths: when called out on a weakness, attack the accuser. If you know they belong to a political party or group that has issues in other areas, steer the discussion there: “yes, but what I want to know about is why the [Labor/Democratic/ Republican/Tory] candidate is so unwilling to talk about national security right now?”
6. place your opponent in a false double-bind: if you disagree with your opponent’s argument, and it is based on a noble aspiration, point out that “the road to hell is paved with good intentions”; if they profess a more “realistic” stance, accuse them of lacking vision.
For “the man whose statement agrees with the standard of nature you should meet by the standard of the law, but the man who agrees with the law by leading him to the facts of nature” [Aristotle, SR].
As for someone who claims that “everyone agrees”, point out that experts may not. But if they say “experts are agreed”, discredit the experts and their “elitism”.
Darned if you do, darned if you don’t?
7. relatedly, put questions to which both answers, a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ can be attacked: Aristotle’s examples include “ought one to obey the experts or one’s father?”. If in reply you say people should obey the wise, the accuser will say you are “elitist”, and show disloyalty to your dad.
But if you reply, “your father”, the bad-faith-arguer can point out the larger value of wisdom and expertise, to which even kids’ mums and dads should bow.
8. Set up a falsely absolute, black and white choice, to avoid complexity: this strategy involves putting your question with the idea you want to be conceded in an ‘either/or’, with its extreme contrary. This sounds complex, so an example will help.
If you want to get someone to say, in a way you can then attack, that “A government should directly assist the needy”, ask “Should a government directly assist the needy, or completely leave the hindmost to the devil?” No one will say the latter, but that doesn’t mean they’ll agree with the former either. So when they say “of course I don’t mean to just abandon people”, you can go on the attack: “so you are a big tax and spender then?”
Hiding your purposes
Aristotle itemises how sophistic arguers hide their intentions at need
9. Filibuster, speak for a long time (perhaps vaguely, see 1): with a view to confusing people and leading them off the scent, Aristotle drily comments, “one resource is length-for it is difficult to keep several things in view at once …” Perhaps you can then just address what is important in one or two sentences, tucked away in the middle somewhere, to avoid detection.
10. Less clarity, more speed: this strategy might go well with 2 above. Just speak fast when you want to hash over something, “for when people are left behind they look ahead less”
11. Vex your opponent: try to anger the opponent, “for when agitated everybody is less able to take care of himself”. And we all often say unqualified kinds of things in anger, like the good old Dicto simpliciter above. Then your sophist or antagonist can point out that your angry generalizations are factually in error, and that your conduct is not “presidential”, as they say. But who can believe someone who gets angry?
So — talk too loud or fast, or use these other strategies, or play with a toothpick, whatever it is that might put your opponent off their game!
12. Pretend you believe the opposite of what you really want or believe, to draw your foe out: if someone “refuses to grant whatever they suppose will help your argument,” Aristotle writes with characteristic coolness, “one should put the question negatively, as though you desire the opposite answer, or are wholly neutral (see 3 above)”.
The idea is that, lulled thereby into security, your opponent might be comforted into saying exactly what you really wanted them to all along.
Bait and switch?
13. Beg the question: this isn’t avoiding a question, using strategies we’ve seen — although many journos use the term like this. It involves stating your disputed idea as if it were already a done deal; “we all agree that the best measure here is ...”
Imagine a sleazy pickup artist telling a girl he’s targeted about what they will eat for breakfast. There, you have begging the question, as well as sleaze.
14. Take refuge in generalities: if you’re asked to specify something you feel might advantage your opponent, state things only in vague generalities -that “all I’m doing is disagreeing with him … exercising free speech … doing my job … looking out for my constituents”, “saying what a lot of people are thinking”, etc.
Again, prevarication. Play for time, then apply other strategies.
The refutation of sophistries
So, why did Aristotle go to such trouble to, as it were, crawl on the belly of the sophistic snake, when he is rightly evaluated as perhaps the greatest Western philosopher?
“It is the business of one who knows a thing,” he writes in SR:
himself to avoid fallacies in the subjects which he knows and to be able to show up the man who makes them ...
Francis Bacon, also a great admirer of the SR, in his essay “On Cunning” echoes its aims
You don’t really know something, unless you know how to detect people misrepresenting it. You can’t really defend a position, unless you are aware of the ways others may attack it. A position affirmed, that has not faced criticism, is like the proverbial house built on sand, ready to fall with the first hint of a gale.
Today, with the glut of information, the linguistic, conceptual fallacies, and also these 14 other dirty tricks Aristotle identified continue to line the pockets of PR agents, and package the ‘lines’ of politicians and ideologues on the sell.
The sophists were already “post-truth”, to use a regrettably ambiguous buzzword. Aristotle’s incredibly subtle anatomization of their dirty tricks and strategies remains an invaluable guide for helping people in and out of it. | https://medium.com/rebooting-the-trivium/15-common-sophistical-tricks-aristotle-already-called-still-with-us-today-a8cb2f002bfb | ['Matthew Sharpe'] | 2021-06-03 21:53:57.002000+00:00 | ['Post Truth', 'Propaganda', 'Sophistry', 'Critical Thinking', 'Analysis'] |
Building and scaling up teams in a virtual environment — lessons from 2020 | Working with virtual teams is now a reality and 2020 has brought about a radical shift in the way we work with teams. However, at the beginning of the year it was almost an unknown territory for most of us managing and leading teams. I learnt a few valuable lessons this year in building teams as I scaled up a completely new team successfully across two different sites — virtually in 2020.
1. The 90-day onboarding plan — For a team with a significant number of new hires (60% of my team was new hires) joining virtually, it is critical to have a clear onboarding plan. While a large part of the logistics can be managed at an organization level, it is important to have a specific plan starting from who is the new joiner going to work with, what is the learning plan going to look like and what are the areas of work that they are going to get involved in. Facilitate connects with other leaders which helps them understand the organization better and build an overall sense of engagement with the organization and not just the immediate team.
2. Involve the team: Share responsibilities with existing team members who can champion and drive some of the areas — e.g a buddy champion would have the responsibility of ensuring every new joiner has a buddy assigned before they join, a training champion could drive the internal learning plan for the team , an engagement champion could ensure the team is meeting up to have fun! Assigning ownership across the team creates a sense of shared purpose towards building up the team
3. Identify and communicate areas of expertise — Identify areas of expertise that you may want to build within the team and have 2–3 members focus on each area of expertise. In my case, as I was building an analytics team in a new domain, I identified various sub products as areas of expertise where I wanted the team to build business and analytics knowledge. Outside their business deliverables, this also gives the team opportunity to connect and brainstorm on a regular basis in smaller groups — similar to what we would have done in a physical office, while at the same time helping build the overall knowledge quotient for a new team.
4. Actively cultivate a culture: Culture is the most important asset for building up a team. In a physical environment, culture is built as an outcome of shared interactions and values– as they say it takes a village to build a culture. In a virtual environment, there needs to be an active effort to build and sustain a team culture. Encourage the new team members to speak and ask questions in meetings, incentivize collaboration by rewarding team members for helping others or sharing important tasks and leverage your 1:1s to build trust and know more about your team members on a personal front.
5. Be conscious of the ‘unconscious’ bias: With a move to virtual, came the added pressure of ensuring team productivity does not get impacted because of remote working. This sometimes can result in a bias towards assigning the most critical tasks to team members who have a history of being able to deliver , leading to a lopsided balance in terms of work for some and a delayed learning curve for others. While this is one of the easiest biases to creep in , it is important to be aware of other such biases as well as the onus of connectivity lies largely with leaders in virtual environments
6. Communicate 1:1–1:1s are usually a great tool to ensure a regular connect with team. Unlike the physical office where you could walk by and catch up with a team member over a cup of coffee, increased frequency of 1:1s is a must to compensate for the lack of informal connects (weekly/fortnightly at least). Use your 1:1s to not only communicate goals and specific tasks but to build up a personal connect with your team members, especially important for a new team.
The way we work has changed forever and the new normal is here to stay. As we continue to learn on how to manage virtual teams better , it would also be interesting to understand how some of the constructs around culture and diversity which are critical for a team’s success and are largely fostered by human interactions evolve in an increasingly virtual world. | https://medium.com/@shireen-ali23/building-and-scaling-up-teams-in-a-virtual-environment-lessons-from-2020-86df60544c50 | ['Shireen Ali'] | 2020-11-25 17:34:42.096000+00:00 | ['Leadership', 'Organizational Culture', 'Team Management', 'Virtual Team Building'] |
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Livestreaming, what’s in it for us?
Technology has advanced significantly since the first internet livestream but we still turn to video for almost everything. Let’s take a brief look at why livestreaming has been held back so far, and what tech innovations will propel livestreaming to the forefront of internet culture. Right now livestreaming is limited to just a few applications for mass public use and the rest are targeted towards businesses. Livestreaming is to today what home computers were in the early 1980s. The world of livestreaming is waiting for a metaphorical VIC-20, a very popular product that will make live streaming as popular as video through iterations and competition.
Shared Video
Do you remember when YouTube wasn’t the YouTube you know today? In 2005, when Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim activated the domain “www.youtube.com" they had a vision. Inspired by the lack of easily accessible video clips online, the creators of YouTube saw a world where people could instantly access videos on the internet without having to download files or search for hours for the right clip. Allegedly inspired by the site “Hot or Not”, YouTube originally began as a dating site (think 80s video dating), but without a large ingress of dating videos, they opted to accept any video submission. And as we all know, that fateful decision changed all of our lives forever. Because of YouTube, the world that YouTube was born in no longer exists. The ability to share videos on the scale permitted by YouTube has brought us closer to the “global village” than I’d wager anyone thought realistically possible. And now with technologies like Starlink, we are moving closer and closer to that eventuality. Although the shared video will never become a legacy technology, before long it will truly have to share the stage with its sibling, livestreaming. Although livestreaming is over 20 years old, it hasn’t gained the incredible worldwide adoption YouTube has. This is largely due to infrastructure issues such as latency, quality, and cost.
Latency is a priority when it comes to livestreams.
Latency is the time it takes for a video to be captured and point a, and viewed at point b. In livestreaming this is done through an encoder-decoder function. Video and audio are captured and turned into code, the code specifies which colours display, when, for how long, and how bright. The code is then sent to the destination, such as a streaming site, where it is decoded into colours and audio again and then displayed on a device like a cell phone. The delay between the image being captured, the code being generated, transmitted, decoded, and played is consistently decreasing. It is now possible to stream content reliably with less than 3 seconds of latency. Sub-second latency is also common and within the next 20 or so years we may witness the last cable broadcast (or perhaps cable will be relegated to the niche market of CB radios, landlines, and AM transmissions).
On average, the latency associated with a cable broadcast is about 6 seconds. This is mainly due to limitations on broadcasts coming from the FCC or another similar organization in the interests of censorship. In terms of real-life, however, a 6 second delay on a broadcast is not that big of a deal. In all honesty a few hours’ delay wouldn’t spell the doom of mankind. But for certain types of broadcasts such as election results or sporting events, latency must be kept at a minimum to maximize the viability of the broadcast.
Sensitive Content is Hard to Monitor
Advances in AI technologies like computer vision have changed the landscape of internet broadcasting. Before too long, algorithms will be better able to prevent sensitive and inappropriate content from being broadcast across the internet on livestreaming platforms. Due to the sheer volume of streams it is much harder to monitor and contain internet broadcasts than it is cable, but we are very near a point where the ability to reliably detect and interrupt inappropriate broadcasts instantaneously. Currently, the majority of content is monitored by humans. And as we’ve learned over the last 50 or so years, computers and machines are much more reliable and consistent than humans could ever be. Everything is moving to an automated space and content moderation is not far behind. We simply don’t have the human resources to monitor every livestream, but with AI we won’t need it.
Video Quality
In the last decade we have seen video quality move from 720p to 1080p to 4K and beyond. I can personally remember a time when 480p was standard and 720p was considered a luxury reserved for only the most well funded YouTube videos. But times have changed and people expect video quality of at least 720p. Live streaming has always had issues meeting the demands of video quality. When watching streams on platforms like Twitch, the video can cut out, lag, drop in quality, and stutter all within about 45 seconds. Of course this isn’t as rampant now as it once was, however, sudden drops in quality will likely be a thorn in the side of live streams for years to come.
Internet Speeds
Perhaps the most common issue one needs to tackle when watching a live stream is their internet speed. Drops in video quality and connection are often due to the quality of the internet connection between the streamer and the viewer. Depending on the location of the parties involved, their distance from the server, and allocated connection speed the stream may experience some errors. And that’s just annoying. Here is a list of the recommended connection speeds for 3 of the most popular streaming applications:
Facebook Live recommends a max bit rate of 4,000 kbps, plus a max audio bit rate of 128 kbps.
YouTube Live recommends a range between 1,500 and 4,000 kbps for video, plus 128 kbps for audio.
Twitch recommends a range between 2,500 and 4,000 kbps for video, plus up to 160 kbps for audio.
Live streams are typically available for those of us with good internet. Every day more people are enjoying high quality speeds provided by fibre optic lines, but it will be a while until these lines can truly penetrate rural and less populated areas. Perhaps when that day comes we will see an upsurge of streaming coming from these areas.
Language Barrier
You can pause and rewind a video if you didn’t understand or hear something, and many video sharing platforms provide the option for subtitles. But you don’t really get that with a live stream. Pausing and rewinding an ongoing stream defeats the purpose of watching a stream. However, the day is soon approaching where we will be able to watch streams, in our own native language with subtitles, even if the streamer speaks something else. Microsoft Azure’s Cognitive Speech Services can give livestreaming platforms an edge in the future as it allows for speech to be automatically translated from language to language. The ability to watch a livestream in real time, with the added benefit of accurate subtitles in one’s own language, will also assist language learners in deciphering spontaneous speech.
Monetization
One of the most damning features of a live stream is the inherent difficulty in monetizing it. As mentioned before, videos can be paused and ads inserted. In videos, sponsored segments can be bought where the creators of the video read lines provided to them. Ads can run before videos etc. But in the case of a spontaneous live stream sponsored content will stick out. In the case of platforms like YouTube there are ways around ads. Ad blockers, the skip ad button, the deplorable premium account, and fast forwarding through sponsored segments all work together to limit the insane amount of ads we see every day. But in the case of a live stream, ads are a bit more difficult.
Live streaming platforms could implement sponsored overlays and borders or a similar graphical method of advertising, but the inclusion of screen shrinking add-ons like that may cause issues on smaller devices where screen size is already limited.
Monthly subscriptions are already the norm, but in the case of a live streaming platform (Twitch Prime not withstanding), it may be difficult for consumers to see the benefit in paying for a service that is by nature unscheduled and unpredictable. Live streams are great for quick entertainment, but as they can go on for hours at a time, re-watching streamed content is inherently time consuming. For this reason, many streamers cut their recorded streams down and upload them to platforms like YouTube where they are monetized through a partnership program. It is likely that for other streaming platforms to really take off, they would need to partner with a larger company and offer services similar to Amazon and Twitch.
What Might the Future of Livestreaming Look Like?
It is difficult to say, as it is with any speculation about the future. Technologies change and advance beyond the scope of our imaginations virtually every decade. But one thing that is almost a certainty is the continued advancement in our communications infrastructure. Fibre optic lines are being run to smaller towns and cities. Services like Google Fiber, which is now only available at 1 gigabit per second, have shown the current capabilities of our internet infrastructure. As services like this expand we can expect to see a large increase in the number of users seeking streams as the service they expect to interact with will be more stable than it currently is now. Livestreaming, at the moment, is used frequently by gamers and Esports and hasn’t yet seen the mass commercial expansion that is coming.
The future of live streaming is on its way. For clues for how it may be in North America we can look to Asia (taobao). Currently, livestreaming is quite popular in the East in terms of a phenomenon that hasn’t quite taken hold on us Westerners, Live Commerce. With retail stores closing left and right, we can’t expect Amazon to pick up all of the slack (as much as I’m sure they would like to). Live streaming affords entrepreneurs and retailers a new opportunity for sales and growth.
Live streaming isn’t the way of the future, video will never die, but the two will co-exist and be used for different purposes, as they are now. Live streaming can bring serious benefits to education as well by offering classrooms guest lessons and tutorials by leading professionals. Live streaming is more beneficial for education than video as it allows students to interact with guest teachers in real-time.
The live streaming market is waiting to be tapped. Right now there are some prospectors, but in North America, no one has really found the vein leading to the mine. So maybe it’s time to get prospecting.
Premier League leaders Liverpool will lock horns against West Bromwich Albion at Anfield on Sunday. The Reds will look to continue the great start they have hard in the season so far and consolidate their position at the top of the points table.
Klopp’s men have found some great form after they have won their last couple of matches against Tottenham Hotspur and Crystal Palace.
West Brom, on the other hand, lost their first match against Sam Allardyce on Sunday when they were handed a 3–0 drubbing at the hands of Aston Villa.
Premier League 2020–21 Liverpool vs West Bromwich Albion: Team News, Injury Update
Thiago Alcantara, Xherdan Shaqiri and James Milner all returned to team training, and we could see Milner and Shaqiri could be available for this game.
West Brom will have to do without Jake Livermore as he is currently serving a suspension. Conor Townsend, Hal Robson-Kanu and Kyle Bartley are also ruled out.
Liverpool vs West Bromwich Albion Probable Staring XI
Liverpool Probable Staring XI: Alisson Becker; Trent Alexander-Arnold, Joel Matip, Fabinho, Andy Robertson; Jordan Henderson, Gini Wijnaldum, Naby Keita; Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino, Sadio Mane
West Bromwich Albion Probable Staring XI: Sam Johnstone; Darnell Furlong, Semi Ajayi, Dara O’Shea, Kieran Gibbs; Matt Phillips, Romaine Sawyers, Matheus Pereira, Connor Gallagher, Grady Diangana; Karlan Grant
Whatever was supposed to happen when the Baggies hired Sam Allardyce clearly hadn’t happened in time for Aston Villa’s visit last weekend.
West Brom created nothing, apart from the strong impression that Big Sam won’t need to worry about how he’s going to spend his £1million survival bonus.
Still, short of turning up and finding where to plug in his sandwich toaster, Allardyce had little time to work his magic.
Remember, it only took 67 days for him to turn England into front-page news again.
So might another week of The Big Sam Method make all the difference against Liverpool? Probably not. But factor in Jurgen Klopp shuffling his pack before and during this one, and the goals-galore angles start to look iffy. | https://medium.com/@tixokex134/soccer-live-english-premier-league-livestream-west-bromwich-albion-vs-liverpool-soccer-b996946e25ec | [] | 2020-12-27 10:06:46.378000+00:00 | ['Liverpool', 'Scoreboard', 'English Premier League', 'Soccer', 'Live'] |
A Dream | A Dream
Last night I dreamt of you
while the whole world shook-
You came to me in a dark house
while I searched for the one I love and
opened your arms to me
again, penitent
invited me back into that
Seven PM Tuesday death,
warm security like rocks in my pockets
while I waded out into this world
I felt myself flush
a final touch of heat
before hypothermia’s dreamless sleep-
which I might welcome upon waking,
Ashamed of how I answered you | https://medium.com/poetry-under-cover/a-dream-f1b2c739ce60 | ['Devon Henry'] | 2017-09-21 09:36:01.284000+00:00 | ['Poetry', 'Dreams', 'Poem', 'Poetry Under Cover', 'Love'] |
Sony HT-G700 review: This Atmos- and DTS:X-enabled soundbar boasts a trifecta of virtual 3D modes, but no Wi-Fi | Sony HT-G700 review: This Atmos- and DTS:X-enabled soundbar boasts a trifecta of virtual 3D modes, but no Wi-Fi Jeremy Sep 2, 2020·8 min read
Sony doubles down on virtualized 3D audio with the HT-G700, a 3.1-channel soundbar that can deliver immersive 3D audio using not one, not two, but three competing audio technologies. While it lacks the upfiring drivers that most Dolby Atmos- and DTS:X-enabled soundbars employ for height effects, the HT-G700 simulates height and surround cues using virtual 3D solutions from Dolby, DTS, and Sony itself. The HT-G700 makes for an impressive showcase for how far virtualized 3D audio has come in recent years, yet it also betrays its weaknesses, particularly when it comes to Sony’s aggressive—perhaps too aggressive—implementation.
The HT-G700’s $500 price tag might sound enticing given its array of 3D audio functionality, but it’s also missing one huge feature: a Wi-Fi adapter. That means many of the wireless capabilities we’ve come to expect from soundbars in this price range—including multi-room audio, AirPlay 2 or Chromecast connectivity, direct support for streaming music services, and voice assistant support—are missing.
This review is part of TechHive’s coverage of the best soundbars, where you’ll find reviews of competing products, plus a buyer’s guide to the features you should consider when shopping.
ConfigurationA replacement for Sony’s 2.1-channel HT-X9000F, the HT-G700 arrives with more power than its predecessor (400 watts versus 300W for the X9000F), along with (according to Sony) a wider sweetspot, a larger subwoofer, and a new “Immersive AE” (Audio Enhancement) mode that’s capable of upmixing 5.1 or even stereo audio to virtualized 7.1.2 audio.
The Sony HT-G700 is a 3.1-channel soundbar, with a trio of 45 x 10mm oval-shaped cones in the main unit for the left, right, and center channels (the “3” in “3.1”) and a wireless subwoofer with a 160mm cone for low-frequency effects (the “.1”). Because the HT-G700 lacks the wireless capabilities of Sony’s pricier soundbars, it can’t be upgraded to a full-on 5.1-channel system using a set of wireless surround speakers; in other words, what you see (and hear) is what you get.
The HT-G700 supports 3D object-based sound formats such as Dolby Atmos and DTS:X, but it doesn’t deliver height effects with upfiring drivers that bounce sound off your ceiling (which is itself an alternative to installing speakers in your ceiling). Instead, it uses virtualization to trick your ears into thinking you’re hearing sound from above (not to mention from behind, or from the sides). The soundbar actually supports three flavors of immersive 3D audio virtualization: Dolby Atmos with height virtualization technology, DTS Virtual:X, and Sony’s aforementioned Immersive AE, which employs a pair of other Sony audio technologies—Vertical Surround Engine for height cues, and S-Force Pro for side-to-side surround—to upmix 5.1 or even 2.0 audio to virtualized 7.1.2 sound.
In general, virtual 3D height effects lack the precision you’ll hear from those delivered by upfiring drivers (which, in turn, aren’t as precise as in-ceiling speakers), and they can also sound harsh and distractingly artificial if they’re applied too aggressively. That said, virtual 3D sound offers a key benefit over drivers that bounce sound off the ceiling: its performance doesn’t depend on the type of ceiling you have. To wring the best sound out of upfiring drivers, Dolby recommends a flat ceiling between 7.5 and 14 feet height, and vaulted ceilings simply won’t do. If the ceiling in your entertainment room is too high, too low, or anything other than perfectly flat, virtual 3D sound might be your best option, shy of actual in-ceiling speakers.
The Sony HT-G700’s main soundbar unit measures 38.6 x 2.6 x 4.4 inches, making it somewhat narrower than my 55-inch LG C9 OLED TV, with the soundbar barely grazing the bottom edge of the screen from the vantage point of my living room sofa. Meanwhile, the 7.6 x 15.25 x 16-inch wireless subwoofer (which isn’t really wireless, since it requires a power cord) is about as big and bulky as those that come with competing soundbars.
SetupThe Sony HT-G700 takes only minutes to set up. You have the option of placing it in front of your TV or mounting it on a wall beneath your TV; a wall mounting guide is included, but no brackets or screws. I skipped the mounting process and simply plunked the soundbar down in front of my TV set.
Once you’ve put the soundbar where you want it, just plug in the power cord (there’s no outlet-blocking wall wart or power brick, thankfully), then position and power up the pre-paired wireless subwoofer, which should connect to the soundbar automatically (you can also pair the subwoofer manually if something goes wrong with auto-pairing).
Because the HT-G700 lacks network connectivity, you won’t have to deal with adding it to your home Wi-Fi network, a process that (as I’ve found with other soundbars) can be surprisingly arduous.
While its lack of Wi-Fi connectivity makes the HT-G700 a snap to set up, it also means that the soundbar lacks bevy of key features, including multi-room audio, AirPlay 2 and Chromecast audio casting, and the ability to directly connect to streaming audio services such as Spotify or Amazon Music. You also can’t control the HT-G700’s features or settings with a mobile app, nor with Alexa or Google Assistant voice commands. For a $500 soundbar, that’s a lot to give up.
Sony does offer a similar soundbar with Wi-Fi capabilities: the $700 3.1-channel Sony" data-vars-bkmfr="Sony" data-bkvndr="Amazon" data-vars-bkvndr="Amazon">HT-Z9FRemove non-product link (which we haven’t reviewed yet).
Inputs and outputsThe Sony HT-G700 comes equipped with a pair of HDMI ports: one is a standard HDMI input, while the second is an HDMI ARC (short for “audio return channel”) port that supports eARC, an “enhanced” version of eARC that allows for lossless audio formats such as Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio (you can read all about ARC and eARC in this story). In addition to the HDMI ports, there’s also a Toslink optical digital input, plus a USB port that’s only for installing firmware updates.
Ben Patterson/IDG The Sony HT-G700’s HDMI-ARC ports supports eARC, the “enchanced” version of ARC that allows for lossless audio formats such as Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio.
The easiest way to connect the HT-G700 to your TV is via the aforementioned HDMI ARC port, which allows you to keep your various video sources connected to your TV while sending audio to the soundbar over the included HDMI cable. If one of your video sources is a Blu-ray player (either standalone or those that are built into PlayStation 4 and Xbox One game consoles), the HT-G700’s eARC support will let you enjoy lossless Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio soundtracks in all their glory—provided your TV also supports eARC, that is.
Another option is to connect a video source to the soundbar’s single HDMI input and then connect the soundbar to the TV via the HDMI ARC port, which supports 4K HDR video passthrough. The benefit of plugging a video source directly into the soundbar is that you’ll be able to hear lossless audio from a Blu-ray player even if your TV doesn’t support eARC (which it likely doesn’t, unless you bought it in the last 12 months or so). The downside, however, is that you’ll have to physically swap out HDMI cables if you have more than one video input.
Integrated buttons, remote controlOn top of the main soundbar unit, you’ll find touch-sensitive buttons for power, input select, Bluetooth, and volume up/down. Peeking out from the black aluminum speaker grille is a five-character display that tells you (among other things) the volume level, the detected audio signal (Dolby Atmos, DTS:X, etc.), which input is selected, and so on. You can also set the indicator to go dark after a brief period, handy for cutting down on visual distractions.
The HT-G700’s long, thin, and non-backlit remote can be tricky to use. While the large round volume button is easy to find in the dark (as is the jumbo-sized power button in the top-right corner), good luck identifying the other small, circular buttons without turning a light on.
A dozen of these identically shaped buttons are arranged in two columns of six buttons each, including the mute button, the night and voice modes, and the subwoofer level buttons. All of those sit beneath the volume rocker. Eight more buttons, including four for sound modes (such as Cinema and Music), one that toggles Sony’s Immersive AE feature, another that cycles the display, and yet another for selecting the active input, are above the volume rocker.
Ben Patterson/IDG With its array of more than a dozen buttons, the Sony HT-G700’s non-backlit remote can be tricky to use in the dark.
To navigate the HT-G700’s settings menu, you’ll need to press the Menu button, which sits in the right column of buttons beneath the volume rocker. You press the Up and Down arrows in the left column to navigate the menu options, and then press the Enter button that’s below the Menu button to select an option. The Menu button is the only way to enable DTS Virtual:X and Dolby’s virtual 3D sound modes, and to get to those menu options, you’ll have to navigate two menu levels deep, then step down to the very bottom of the second menu.
Virtual 3D modesThe Sony HT-G700 offers an embarrassment of riches as far as virtual 3D audio engines are concerned; indeed, if you ever wanted the opportunity to stack the virtual 3D sound technology of Dolby, DTS, and Sony against each other, this versatile soundbar presents the perfect opportunity to do so.
DTS Virtual:X is likely the most familiar of the three competing virtual 3D modes. Following its debut in 2017, DTS Virtual:X showed us just how realistic virtual 3D audio technology could sound. Dolby’s virtual 3D technology, known as Dolby Atmos height virtualization, is only now making its way onto soundbars (such as the upcoming TCL Alto 9+).
Then there’s Sony’s Immersive AE mode, which requires some explaining. As I mentioned earlier, Immersive AE is actually a combination of two Sony audio technologies: Vertical Surround Engine, which supplies height effects, and S-Force Pro for side-to-side surround effects. These two technologies are applied—or not—depending on the content you’re listening to and the sound mode you’ve chosen.
Both the Vertical Surround Engine and S-Force Pro are auto-enabled—and mandatory— whenever you’re watching object-based Dolby Atmos or DTS:X content (and assuming you aren’t using the Dolby or DTS virtualizers), meaning that pressing the Immersive AE button on the remote won’t have any effect. If you’re watching 5.1- or 2.0-channel content, pressing (for example) the Cinema button and enabling the Immersive AE mode engages both the Vertical Surround Engine and S-Force Pro; if you disable Immersive AE in Cinema mode, the Vertical Surround Engine is turned off, but S-Force Pro stays on. Music mode behaves a bit differently; while both the Vertical Surround Engine and S-Force Pro will (as with the Cinema mode) switch on if you enable the Immersive AE mode, they’ll both turn off if you toggle off the Immersive AE mode. | https://medium.com/@Jeremy38795008/sony-ht-g700-review-this-atmos-and-dts-x-enabled-soundbar-boasts-a-trifecta-of-virtual-3d-modes-d2c1237dcba2 | [] | 2020-09-02 05:43:38.889000+00:00 | ['Surveillance', 'Internet', 'Cord', 'Home Tech'] |
Five Business Maxims for 2021. The human misery, economic destruction… | Photo by Adeolu Eletu on Unsplash
The human misery, economic destruction, and societal shocks of COVID-19 are irreparable, irrevocable, immeasurable and they just keep coming. Let’s face it, 2020 has been a tough year for everyone.
Amidst this brutal backdrop, many hunger for a return to the mythical yesteryear of ‘normal’ … that pre-pandemic time where everything was, well, umm, meh, you know, kinda’, oh what’s the word, er, like — normal. Yet, the chaos of COVID and its aftermath that continues to play out before us has rendered ‘normal’ obsolete. Let’s go further: ‘normal’ is officially obliterated.
This should come as no surprise for leaders in business, government, academia, or the NGO sector. For years we’ve been told don’t get too comfortable, change is the only constant, skills are out of date in five years or less, and techno whizkids can shred today’s business model over tomorrow’s breakfast.
So for 2021, I proffer this mantra to survive and thrive: normal is dead; renewal lies ahead; onward we tread.
Normal is dead. Renewal lies ahead. Onward we tread.
But just before we ring in the New Year, let’s look in the rear-view mirror for a minute. Harken back to the World Health Organization (WHO) declaration of a global pandemic on March 11. It may well become one of those “where were you?” questions we will ask ourselves in the years ahead.
For me, I was sitting in my home office winding up several weeks of files and transition documents. I was being restructured out of my senior, public affairs-communications-government relations, position exactly two weeks later, March 25th.
This involuntary career sabbatical over the past nine months has given me plenty (read: way too much) of time to reflect, write and re-write various resumés, finish what seems like every course on Linked-In, and sit in on several hundred Zoom-Teams-and-WebEx calls and conference sessions. I’ve also ploughed through a few dozen books, journals and scientific-medical papers when not binge-watching Netflix, Prime or Apple TV.
The upside of all this is five business maxims that, I believe, will shape people and organizations in 2021, if not beyond.
Maxim #1: WORK IS WHERE YOU ARE
Knowledge workers (artists, writers, programmers, engineers, doctors, nurses, paramedics, scientists, interpreters, policy analysts, social media managers … pick a profession, almost any profession) are the dominant cohort of post-industrial economies.
Our job security resides in the collective grey matter between our ears and the intellectual property of our output can easily and endlessly be replicated and regurgitated by us day after day, over a career of decades, that often spans continents and workplaces. Thirty years after Robert Reich’s seminal book, The Work of Nations (1991), symbolic analysts are everywhere.
The massive exodus from downtown office towers and exurban industrial parks to work-from-home settings courtesy of the coronavirus changes will be the new norm for many organizations. Yes, work may still be a place to go to from time to time, but increasingly, the beach, a coffeeshop, cruiseship on a transatlantic crossing and/or your backyard-basement-or roof is where you will (or already do) create, innovate, contribute and add value.
When someone asks where you work, the answer is simple, where you are.
Photo by Avi Richards on Unsplash
Maxim #2: COLLABORATION IS KING
With all due respect to the fans of content is king, your time has come and likely gone. Sure content still matters, but content is continually shaped, eternally evolves and is often discarded in the process of creative destruction across so many fields from media to science to manufacturing and almost everything in between. Meanwhile, collaboration (which is edging out competition in many ways) took centre stage in 2020.
Consider the unprecedented sharing of COVID-19 information from sequencing the virus to healthcare professionals sharing best practices to global pharma giants and academic institutions working together. It’s fascinating to think that information that saved a factory worker in Wuhan one morning was posted on-line and in turn, helped a grandmother in Milan a day later. Then, doctors in Houston tweaked the drug cocktail used in China and Italy later that same week to save a bus driver in his mid-30s.
In many countries, elected representatives across the proverbial aisle worked together to create and improve economic and wage(s) subsidy programs. In communities across the world, restauranteurs, retailers and manufacturers cooperated and established new models of locally sourced materials as their traditional supply chains were disrupted by border closures and country lockdowns. And charitable organizations worked together on joint virtual events to raise money to provide necessary services for their clientele.
For the last decade, consumers have been driving the sharing economy. 2020 is the year that many organizations got religion to learn that collaboration is king and the ultimate competitive advantage.
Maxim #3: BUSINESS IS BUSINESS (LABELS ARE IRRELEVANT)
As government lockdowns were imposed then relaxed then tightened again, business owners were (and remain) frustrated by the inconsistency and idiocy of some local government and public health dictates,
Big box retail can stay open but the shoe-store a block away can’t?
The neighborhood pizza joint can only do take-out but the state-run casino 10 minutes away is still open (with limited visitors) serving slices and beer? Construction is an essential service in one place but not another?
We’ve all seen the Facebook posts or local TV and radio spots urging us to shop “local” and support “small” business because lockdowns unfairly favour the global giants like Walmart, Costco, Best Buy, Home Depot etc.
I love and support nearby businesses like Sylvie’s hair salon/barbershop, Vito and Victor’s family-run Italian restaurant, Ray’s amazing Lebanese food, Doug’s French Bistro and Bar, and Sean’s hardware store, to name just a few.
They’re run by great people (some even employed my son).
They took risks, bet it all, and built their businesses.
They generously give back to the community each year with food bank donations, gift cards for silent auctions, fundraising drives and sponsorship of local sports teams and groups.
But Big Box chains give back too.
And they employ dozens, if not hundreds, of neighbours and friends.
Yet, unlike the nearby businesses, these larger entities often did not qualify for the alphabet soup of business benefit, tax support and rent relief program offered by federal, state/provincial and local governments.
Global giants, national chains and entrepreneur enterprises are all part of our commercial and industrial ecosystem. Employing 5 people, 500 or 500,000 adds value to the economy, gives people the dignity of work, and all are essential to our economy and our communities.
Bottom line: A business is a business — it creates value, employs people and delivers for its customer base.
Labelling it small or big, corporate or local, is irrelevant and only helps to sow division that governments and anti-capitalists alike are all too happy to exploit (but this is a column for another day).
Maxim #4: SPEED = SURVIVAL = SUCCESS (It’s NOW or NEVER)
It’s 2020 and everything is faster: our computers, our iPhones, traffic on the highway, delivery from your favourite store on Main Street or your latest order from Amazon.
Consider how vaccine makers shattered the paradigm of the decade-long journey from concept to clinical trials to manufacturing to distribution and mass vaccination; it’s now 12- to 18-months.
By the same token, governments reduced their age-old process of a white paper to public consultation to program design to implementation of new initiatives from years to mere months.
Stoic (if not Luddite-like) main street businesses took the one- to three-month process of web design, product photography, back-end e-commerce setup and delivery arrangements (local or global) and condensed it to five- or ten-days, max, to get on-line and change their business model.
The common thread across these examples is the urgency of now, because if stuff didn’t happen in the NOW, it was NEVER EVER going to happen. As customers and citizens, we no longer accept or tolerate such delays.
Pedantic planning and methodical project management will be consigned to the dustbin of history. New standards have been set in project scoping, design, raw materials sourcing, supply chain redundancy and parallel manufacturing processes. As a result, project execution across so many industries has broken the warp speed barrier and it’s only going to get faster.
Indeed, Speed = Survival = Success.
Photo by Marc-Olivier Jodoin on Unsplash
Maxim #5: STRATEGIC PLANING IS OUT, SCENARIO PLANNING IS IN
Before every MBA grad, business-guru turned author and global consulting firms question my sanity, let me explain. Strategy still rules and is critical for advancing a business, public policy or charitable drive.
However, COVD-19 has taught everyone that a strategic plan (not to mention a business continuity plan) is a worthless document or binder if it is not adaptable or as flexible as Gumby.
As we learned more from science about the virus, public health dictates and advice evolved, and government programs were over or undersubscribed, and communities were asymmetrically impacted, strategic plans were shelved and scenario planning became the norm.
“Don’t bring me one solution, let’s produce five scenarios” was the refrain from leaders across many organizations and sectors. Situation X demanded a response in the form of Scenario Y, but the evolving environment meant that Y could be quickly discarded for Scenario Z, and Scenario AB-2.18 or Scenario-SUPERCALIFRAGILISTICEXPIALIDOCIOUS would need to be deployed.
To reiterate, strategic objectives are, and remain, critical for organizational success so disciples of Drucker, Mintzberg and Porter can rest easy. However, strategic planning is out … and is as dated as a fax machine.
Scenario planning is in, it is the 5G scalable approach. And this is especially true in our work is where you are, collaboration is king, business is business, and speed=survival = success world.
The ongoing global health emergency and consequent global economic morass has birthed (or cemented) these five business maxims: embrace them, live them, and please use them to make better decisions in business, government, the NGO sector … and in life. | https://medium.com/@walter-j-robinson/five-business-maxims-for-2021-and-beyond-fd42bcc570a6 | ['Walter Robinson'] | 2021-04-02 00:00:00 | ['Business Strategy', 'Innovation', 'Collaboration', 'Business', 'Organizational Culture'] |
Life of a Designer Through Funny Memes | It’s year-end and it is a fun time of the year. We have all been stressed enough during the entire 2020 and it is time we should leave the past and welcome the new year with all fun and excitement. In today’s blog post, I am sharing a collection of funny web design memes hoping to tickle the funnier side of our regular designer’s lives. So let’s laugh out loud and enjoy. | https://medium.com/nyc-design/life-of-a-designer-through-funny-memes-18257210e91c | ['Akbar Shah'] | 2020-12-28 06:36:31.274000+00:00 | ['UX Design', 'UI Design', 'Web Design', 'Design', 'New York'] |
Delivery Choices | Prompts = Deliver, Inclination, Serious
Photo by Erik Mclean on Unsplash
‘I’m Julie and this is Cooking With Julie on Savanah, Georgia Public Access TV. Call me with your cooking quandaries. Hello, who’s on the line?’
‘Hi Julie. I can’t decide what kind of food to order. Can you help?’
‘Are you serious, caller? You want me to help you decide what should be delivered to your home?’
‘You have great taste so I trust your judgement. My inclination is to have Italian.’
‘Good choice.’
‘Or maybe asian fusion. ‘
‘Wonderful.’
Or there’s a new Canadian food place. The food comes in these cute little igloo containers.’
‘Get that one. Next caller…’
Links to other sites where I publish:
Instagram = https://www.instagram.com/one_hundred_words_by_parz
Facebook = https://www.facebook.com/Parzival-Sattva-427507144484255
Blogger = https://onehundredwordsbyparz.blogspot.com
Medium = https://medium.com/100-word-or-less-stories
YouTube = https://www.youtube.com/user/parzivalsattva
And a link to where my Lovely Lady Love (who also operates the camera) posts her art: https://www.youtube.com/user/recyclinggoddess
Join in on the fun of making a story from the same prompts I do! https://www.facebook.com/groups/565109053911712 | https://medium.com/100-word-or-less-stories/delivery-choices-acdb80e7fcc1 | ['Parzival Sattva'] | 2020-12-19 09:54:44.422000+00:00 | ['Flash Fiction', 'Microfiction', 'Food Delivery', 'Choices', '100wordstory'] |
Top 5 Ways to Finish Your Summer Internship in Style | As the end of your summer experience approaches, make the most of every opportunity with these five tips:
1. Update LinkedIn (again!)
LinkedIn can always use some love. Did you make any connections this summer? Meet any awesome people during your internship? Before you say farewell, connect on LinkedIn. Bonus points if you give someone a recommendation and/or ask for a recommendation.
2. Have a Coffee Date
While you have time, schedule a coffee date with someone to either make a connection stronger, make a new connection, or say “thank you” for a great internship experience. Don’t have time to sit down for coffee? Send a virtual coffee card — it only takes $5 to make someone’s day (and make yourself look really good). Need ideas for who to connect with? I School alums, your supervisor, team members, other interns, and fellow I School students are great places to start.
3. Send Thank You Notes
Before you leave your internship, send thank you notes to your supervisor, team member(s), and the recruiter who helped you secure your position. Bonus points if the thank you notes are handwritten (it’s so retro!).
4. Ask for one thing
Feedback really is a gift that you should take advantage of. Instead of asking “do you have any feedback for me?”, which can feel like a daunting question to answer, ask “what is one thing I could improve on that would make me a more valuable professional?” Asking for one thing makes it easier for you to make (and show) real improvement. And remember — feedback is a gift, but it’s not one you have to take. If you really don’t believe in the feedback you’re given, consider the context, ask questions, and at the end of the day — be comfortable in who you are and make the improvements you find most beneficial.
Instead of asking “do you have any feedback for me?”… ask “what is one thing I could improve on that would make me a more valuable professional?” Asking for one thing makes it easier for you to make (and show) real improvement.
5. Serve as a Bridge
You can do your school and your internship employer a great service by serving as a bridge strengthening connections between them. Connect your internship employer with your friendly career services contact, offer to help recommend students for future internships and/or FT roles, or serve as a student representative on campus.
And as a BONUS tip…
6. Take a Beat!
School is no joke — and you’re going to need to recharge to do your best in the coming year. Take a moment to center yourself, in whatever way you find most relaxing. Get outside, explore the city where you spent your summer, or binge on that beach read/Netflix show you’ve been meaning to watch (#GLOW anyone?). Be sure you can come back excited for the school year, feeling like you’ve had a productive AND restorative summer. | https://medium.com/berkeleyischool/top-5-ways-to-finish-your-summer-internship-in-style-a00e46622327 | ['Berkeley I School'] | 2018-08-07 15:01:01.680000+00:00 | ['Ischoolcareer', 'Career Advice', 'Internships', 'Uc Berkeley', 'LinkedIn'] |
Tripp Lite AVR900U UPS review: This uninterruptible power supply has the wrong set of features | The 12-outlet Tripp Lite AVR900U is the wrong intersection of perfectly fine separate features in an otherwise well-made model. Its reasonable battery size could support a tricked-out computer system with multiple displays and peripherals for a few to several minutes during a power outage. The line-interactive approach incorporated in its design provides fast power switch over (as quick as a few milliseconds) along with constant power conditioning to correct for minor fluctuations without wearing out the internal battery.
Mentioned in this article CyberPower PFC Sinewave CP1000PFCLCD (1000VA, 600W, 10 outlets) Read TechHive's reviewSee it On the other hand, the AVR900U relies on simulated power switching instead of a “pure” sine wave. That means it’s not the right choice for computers with active power factor correction (PFC). A simulated, or stepped, sine wave fed into an active PFC power supply can cause a high-pitched whine and prematurely wear its components or even cause it to fail.
This review is part of TechHive’s coverage of the best uninterruptible power supplies, where you’ll find reviews of competing products, plus a buyer’s guide to the features you should consider when shopping for this type of product.Active PFC power supplies are more efficient than previous designs, and also allow voltage adaptative for worldwide sales. But they’re finicky about the smoothness of the alternating current fed into them, and it’s not worth the price of repairing your computer rather than buying a better-suited UPS with a pure sinewave output that’s as smooth as utility power.
For about $40 more, you can purchase instead the CyberPower CP850PFCLCD, a line-interactive UPS that also has a pure sinewave output and similar power capacity. (We reviewed the slightly higher-capacity CyberPower CP1000PFCLCD, which is in same series of UPS models.)
Tripp Lite The Tripp Lite AVR900U has a generous number of outlets: Six that provide both battery backup and surge protection, and six that provide surge protection only.
The AVR900U might be right to power home-networking gear in the event of power outages, as its battery could support about a combined 20W of equipment power draw for up to two hours and 100W for up to 30 minutes. (Check your broadband modem, Wi-Fi gateway, and other solid-state communications gear power specs to figure total power required.) Its generous 12 outlets are split into one set of six backed by surge protection only and another six that are additionally shored up by line conditioning and the battery. Two outlets on either side are 1.75 inches apart from four grouped tightly in the center, the better to add DC-adapter “wall warts.”
[ Further reading: The best surge protectors for your costly electronics ]But for the AVR900U’s price, the line-interactive power conditioning that comes at a premium isn’t worth it. Instead, consider a UPS with a standby design, which is perfectly fine for networking gear that doesn’t have spinning drives or picky power supplies. A standby UPS might tap its battery more frequently if local power is routinely erratic, dipping below or above standard voltage. If you have those issues in your area and want to use a UPS to solve them while backing up network hardware, the price premium is worthwhile.
I don’t recommend the AVR900U in any use case, not because of any flaw in the product itself, but because it doesn’t scratch the right itch. Other products from Tripp Lite and other UPS makers have a better mix of features that intersect usefully. For instance, we like the Tripp Lite SmartPro SMC1000T, a 600W unit ideal for computer-system power conditioning and support.
The AVR900U has a variety of other minor flaws. It lacks a fairly standard multi-purpose electrical fault detector for grounds, shorts, and other issues that indicate an electrical wiring problem that should have you on the phone to an electrician immediately. It’s a good feature for installing a new UPS or noticing if there’s a problem over time.
It lacks programmable features via buttons. You must use downloadable software when connected to a computer by USB with an included cable. The software is mentioned in the manual, and you have to hunt the site to find it—only to discover the control software only works under Windows and requires Java. You can, however, use automatic restart, scheduled, and other built-in UPS features found in Windows and macOS without installing the software.
Tripp Lite The Tripp Lite AVR900U produces a simulated, or stepped, sine wave, which isn’t a good choice of backup power for sensitive electronics.
Tripp Lite doesn’t include warranty information in the box, but the packaging says a $100,000 and 3-year warranty is included. The manual has a link to product registration and generic warranty details; you apparently don’t get the specifics of the warranty for your unit until you register.
Only the original purchaser is covered, and claims must be filed with 30 days of an incident. Tripp Lite’s insurance notes that it could offer to repair up to $100,000 of damaged equipment, but it might replace it on a “pro rata” basis, which I interpret to mean its depreciated current value, instead of its actual replacement cost.
Bottom lineTripp Lite turned the dials on its product matrix incorrectly to come up with the AVR900U, but don’t let that discourage you from examining the company’s other products. The care of manufacture and quality of design aren’t at issue, only its suitability to purpose and cost per watt for potential appropriate uses.
Note: When you purchase something after clicking links in our articles, we may earn a small commission. Read our affiliate link policy for more details. | https://medium.com/@lindsey00967448/tripp-lite-avr900u-ups-review-this-uninterruptible-power-supply-has-the-wrong-set-of-features-5aceb60e911f | [] | 2020-12-23 22:44:43.217000+00:00 | ['Surveillance', 'Audio'] |
The Four Words That Made Her a Billionaire | This is The Story… of a woman who changed a nation… by running an illegal business out of her 258 square foot apartment.
And now… onto The Story
The knock on the door made her jump.
She wasn’t expecting anyone, and her heart began to race.
As she tiptoed over to the peephole, she peered through.
It was the police. Again.
She glanced around at the inside of her tiny apartment. Every available surface was covered with the pictures and files of her customers.
It was all illegal.
She cracked the door and asked if anything was wrong.
They calmly informed her that she would have to come with them to answer some questions.
She sighed, then slid out the door, locked it, and followed the police to the car.
Thirty years earlier, World War II was raging. In Japan, everyone was part of the war effort.
In the early mornings, the sound of wooden practice swords echoed through every town.
The swords were being swung by young children. Children as young as nine were learning to fight and kill.
The older teenagers were all at work in factories. Just like in America, they were told that their patriotic duty was to work long days to make supplies, guns, bullets, and bombs.
Propaganda was all over the papers, the radio, and on every street corner. Everyone had to be ready to fight and sacrifice. That meant everything and everyone would work tirelessly until the war was won.
One young girl couldn’t figure out why there was such an obsession with death and destruction.
When she was six years old, her father died. The loss crushed her, and it wasn’t long until she hated the war effort. What she hated even more was that everyone around her seemed to like preparing for it.
Her father was an admired, well-respected school headmaster, and her family had been dependent on her father’s income. His untimely death instantly threw them into poverty.
Now the little girl’s world was dark.
What would her family do without her father? How would they get the money to eat and survive?
Her mother told her not to worry, but it was hard not to.
After that, it wasn’t long until the war effort fell apart. The girl tried to make money and help her family however she could, but it was almost impossible. The economy was in shambles.
And then Hiroshima and Nagasaki happened.
After that, it was all over.
The little girl survived through the complete societal collapse. They were told that the enemy would arrive and kill them all, but that day never came. She didn’t know how anyone continued to function under that pressure, but her mother did.
Despite the madness during and after the war, her mother continued to work as a midwife. She worked every single day. Each day, the young girl would wonder if her mother would return, or simply disappear like so many of the other adults. But she always returned. Her mother would continue to mourn the loss of her father and would never remarry.
The girl watched her mother’s iron will and became determined. She respected her mother deeply, and like so many children, wanted to please her. When she graduated high school, her mother was beaming with pride. She had single-handedly raised a child in the middle of one of the most catastrophic wars in history. She had managed to keep her alive… and help her graduate from high school.
When a man asked her to marry him, her mother again beamed with pride. The young woman accepted. There were no other options she could see, and worried a “no” might crush her mother.
Her marriage worked for awhile, but soon she grew restless. She didn’t love her husband. To be blunt, she didn’t even like him. The only thing she was allowed to do was a narrow range of housewife tasks… nothing else. She longed for a challenge, but it was forbidden.
Divorce looked like the only way out.
She knew that her mother would never allow it. And neither would the rest of society. In those days in Japan, women didn’t initiate divorces. But a man could get a divorce anytime he wanted with a simple three line letter.
The price for being a divorced woman in Japan was steep. It would be almost impossible to get a job, her family would be shamed, and she wouldn’t be welcome at most social engagements.
Besides, could she really put her mother through anything else?
Despite her fear, she trusted her gut, and pursued the divorce. Her husband was shocked, but accepted. Just like she suspected, her mother was shocked too. After the divorce, the feeling of freedom was real. It was intoxicating and the young woman revealed in it. But soon she found that she wasn’t doing anything except lounging around at home. Her mother had sacrificed to give her a chance at a better life… and now she had freedom! But she was wasting the opportunity.
Finally, she summoned the courage to go out into the world on her own. She was broke, needed a job, and wanted to see if she could make any of her big dreams happen.
But something was still holding her back.
All throughout her years growing up, she was taught that women in Japan worked the “boring jobs.” The boring jobs tended to be the soul-crushing, repetitive work that no one wanted to do.
The young girl wanted to do something exciting. She wanted to be a part of something bigger than herself, a job that let her explore her talents. But when she went out to look, there were no opportunities in Japan. She’d been trained to hate the enemy, but now news was trickling into the country and there were whispers. Not all of their enemies were bad. Some of them were decent people. And besides, there were rumors that the Americans were pouring money into rebuilding Europe.
The call to adventure beckoned, and the young woman planned a trip to Europe. Her mother begged her to reconsider, but the girl had to go out and see the world for herself.
After working the boring jobs long enough, she had scrounged enough money for her Europe trip. Soon the day came and she left.
The stories she heard about these people weren’t true. Yes, they were strange, but Europe was fascinating, and so was England. During her travels, she came into contact with hundreds of new ideas.
As she looked around, she realized she was swimming in opportunity. The standard business practices here were nothing like those in Japan. In Europe, the jobs they considered “boring” were fascinating. And the young girl found that there was a business called a temp agency that would allow her to go from job to job. She couldn’t believe it. She was going to get paid to work and learn at jobs at the cutting edge of all kinds of different industries. What she really couldn’t believe was that all the European’s hated these jobs. In Japan, people were expected to have the same job for life. Why didn’t these Europeans realize how lucky they were?
It wasn’t long before she was the star of the temp staffing agency, and all kinds of temporary job offers came her way.
She accepted all the ones that sounded interesting, and got to try out a variety of different industries.
Once she had some money saved up, she moved from England to Australia. Once again, she experienced a radically different work environment than Japan.
After awhile, something was pulling her back to Japan. She knew exactly what kind of business she was going to start.
Inspired by her time abroad, she was confident that her ideas would resonate with other Japanese people. Back in Tokyo, she rented a 258-square-foot apartment and setup a part-time work agency.
Technically, it was an illegal business. In Japan, it was expected that you worked at a company… for life. The idea of temporary employment terrified the government.
But she didn’t care. She had seen the future abroad, and knew it was only a matter of time until Japan modernized.
But the cultural change was slow, and so was her business. Other Japanese women weren’t enthusiastic about the concept of being a temporary employee. Disappointed but still hopeful, she began teaching nighttime English classes to pay the bills and keep her dream going.
After five long years in that tiny apartment, she was finally able to move her business into its first office space. Before she moved to Europe, Japanese women had been trapped in an ill-fated cycle. Most of them quit their jobs after marrying because they weren’t comfortable continuing their careers past a certain age. This young woman’s company clearly addressed this issue. She provided Japanese women with the opportunity to become temps, rather than fighting for the limited number of specialized career paths that they had to stay on for their whole life.
In those early days, she only hired female workers. It was the 1980s, and she noticed that the company’s sales were slowing down. Many of her employees were uncomfortable going out and seeking new business leads. They were worried they’d be fined or arrested for spreading the idea of temporary work.
Temporary work was still against the law despite her lobbying efforts for change.
The woman was frustrated. Stagnation was unhealthy — she’d learned that after her divorce. But some of the women at her firm simply refused to budge. How could they carefully grow the business? She did not want to get herself or her employees arrested after all.
Determined to continue making progress, the woman decided to begin hiring men. Soon she had a company culture where the women and men were in perfect balance.
Despite her success, lifetime employment continued to be the norm in Japan. The government continued to advertise that under the law, temping by private companies was illegal.
On one particular day, the knock came to her door. When she went to the peephole, it was the police.
She glanced around at the inside of her tiny apartment. Every available surface was covered with the pictures and files of her customers.
It was all illegal.
She cracked the door and asked if anything was wrong.
They calmly informed her that she would have to come with them to answer some questions.
She sighed, then slid out the door, locked it, and followed the police to the car.
She knew this day would come, and as the police walked her to the car, she laughed to herself.
When she went into the police station to plead her case, she somehow managed to talk her way out of it.
After that, she was frequently summoned by the police, questioned, and then let go. Each time she got released, she grew bolder.
She had seen the future. Her entire country might believe that what she was doing was wrong, but she knew she was right. And she knew that one day, there would be a tidal wave of those who woke up and agreed with her.
Sometimes she would lay awake in bed and wonder when she’d be thrown in jail for good, but fortunately that day never came.
Eventually, after years of work, lobbying, and arguing with the government, she won.
The law was changed. Temporary employment became legal in Japan.
Little did the woman know, but she had positioned herself perfectly for a macro-economic tidal wave of opportunity.
It was the 1990’s, when Japan entered what is known as the “Lost Decade.” Businesses went bust, and every single business needed one thing.
Temp workers.
The woman’s business, Temp Holdings was now large enough to give them exactly what they needed.
It wasn’t long before Temp Holdings went public in 2008, and soon expanded around the globe.
The little girl who craved freedom, had sought it out in the world. She found it, saw the future, and brought it back and shared it with her culture.
The woman who paved the path was none other than Yoshiko Shinohara.
Yoshiko became Japan’s first self-made woman billionaire.
She says that there is one personal trait above all others that helped her become the first female billionaire in Japan. In our modern day, when everyone wants a complicated formula, Yoshiko’s four words of how she did it are a reminder that it doesn’t have to be complicated.
Yoshiko says:
“I hate to lose.”
She trusted in her desire for freedom, and it led her on a path directly to it.
Not only did Yoshiko Shinohara blaze a trail for others to follow, but her business has helped millions of women explore what it’s like to be more free and independent. She saw the future, and realized that eventually it would arrive.
She didn’t wait until she had a glamorous office, or until the government gave her the thumbs up.
It’s easy to complain that things aren’t fair.
It’s hard to start trying to fix them from your 258 square foot apartment, and struggle alone for five years. It’s even harder to have to risk jail time to do it!
As Emerson famously said:
“If you are right, you are a majority of one.”
Yoshiko’s story is a reminder that if you know you’re right, place a bet on your idea and yourself. You might be a majority of one.
That’s her story. What’s yours going to be? | https://medium.com/the-mission/the-four-words-that-made-her-a-billionaire-351b539fd5fa | [] | 2018-04-17 18:47:12.752000+00:00 | ['Storytelling', 'Business', 'History', 'Podcast', 'Entrepreneurship'] |
Your Memories Are Wreaking Your Heart | Your Memories Are Wreaking Your Heart
Does the image know the reality, or does the memory of taking the image hold the reality? (Photo by Harry Shelton on Unsplash)
I went to bed quite late last night. It was an insane week and by the time I crawled under the blanket, I crashed.
I dreamed of someone who I have desperately been trying to get over. It’s one thing when he makes a quick cameo in a dream and leaves, I barely recall when I wake up. But this time he was a key player.
I remember an operating room full of people. I remember sitting up, being loopy, wrapping my arms around him and calling him by his first name instead of “doctor” in front of everyone. I remember him laughing because of my drowsiness and gently unwrapping my arms from him. I remember him saying he’d be right back and he never did, while I waited.
My alarm rudely woke me up at 11 am. In a life with two small kids, sleeping in that late is unheard of. The dream was so real and intense that I slept through the reality of my noisy kids that morning.
That seemingly-real dream lingered and messed with my head for the rest of the day. | https://medium.com/heart-affairs/your-memories-are-wreaking-your-heart-9c23223183a2 | ['Jennifer M. Wilson'] | 2020-12-16 08:20:07.067000+00:00 | ['Breakups', 'Mental Health', 'Relationships', 'Self', 'Love'] |
One of the best products to buy in Summer 2021 | One of the best products to buy in Summer 2021
Since we are almost at the dawn of the summer of 2021, we might want to take a closer look at the things we desire to make this summer more vibrant. Covid-19 has almost made the summer of 2020 very closed and indoor. Indeed, we are not yet ready to take a big risk to set ourselves free from the pandemic. But having said that, isolating oneself from the other by walking into the nearby nature or surroundings could be a big retreat for revitalizing self, at least for the summer of 2021.
But why all these things have to be at the frontline while we are to talk today is about something that is different?
Yes, that’s what we wanted you to take a look back on what you must have missed in 2020 summer but will make the best out of summer 2021.
Light Blue Jeans Waist Bag (Upcycled)
As we at Samsara continue with the journey of recycling and repurposing textile waste into consumer products, we have recently introduced our latest arrival ‘Waist Bag’ with a most promising design along with multiple compartments. This waist bag is something that is designed perhaps for majorities of age groups by understanding the need and utility of it. This Waist Bag is one of our finest editions with some extensive changes and refinement. It’s made up of nearly 230 grams of recycled jeans. Carrying this one waist bag means saving 230 grams of textile waste from going to the landfill. In addition, you are also saving nearly 10,000 liters of water from this waist bag.
So why don’t we set an example of carrying a fashionable product that is yet environmentally loved at the same time?
Wear your mask anytime when you’re out and maintain a proper distance from the others. Just as you’re out for cycling and a walk, make sure that you have essentials (sanitizer, wipes, extra mask) along with you. The new Waist Bag from Samsara Creation can come in handy to you when it’s about the utility on the verge of COVID second wave. This could be a great ‘Go to’ product for such use.
And what’s next?
If you are someone who loves natural products much more than anything else, then you should perhaps sneak a peek at our waste bag made out of naturally dyed hemp.
Naturally Dyed Hemp Waist Bag
You might consider looking at the abundance of benefits that you’ll have carrying the products made from natural fibers. You are not only saving the resources to be exploited inhumanely but making yourself look fashionably eminent. Surprisingly, natural fibers consume less than 90% of the water used by synthetic fibers that creates garments like jeans.
Local Community Women dyeing hemp fabric with the use of plant-based color
Adding more to that, this waist bag is wisely painted with a naturally dyed color, meaning the hemp fabric used in this waist bag is dyed with the use of plants. This purposeful action of natural dyeing is adding more beauty to the environmental sustainability of the recent environment-friendly products.
Last but not least, we have always a better choice to make with a purchasing decision and power we have as a consumer. However, It’s always hard to choose the best among all. This is a brief overview, of how an eco-friendly product looks like, to make our audiences clear and concise to know the importance of environmentally loved products in the current world of fast fashion and environmental crisis. Let us know what you think about this read, and we hope you would too join us to contribute towards environmental sustainability.
Even during the course of a pandemic, products like these could have significant value because of their utility and purpose. Try our latest arrival today and start your journey as a responsible consumer. We are always there to support you in your journey. But are you?
We all are in this together. Find more of our products here.
Find a demo version on the use of our product here. | https://medium.com/@creationsamsara/one-of-the-best-products-to-buy-in-summer-2021-7b387ad6443f | ['Samsara Creation'] | 2021-04-26 03:29:17.115000+00:00 | ['Best Product', 'Hemp', 'Recycled', 'Bags', 'Waist Bag'] |
Access to exclusive markets with the Classic Car Coin | The Classic Car Coin opens the market for historic vehicles
To own a classic car is the dream of many car enthusiasts. Unfortunately, there are many reasons against it: Purchase price, maintenance, parking space, spare parts — the car dream quickly turns into a nightmare. At least that is how it was up to now. But times have changed. This is made possible by tokenization. Never heard of it? Then it’s time to get to grips with this digital form of investment, which offers great opportunities even for small sums of money. The Classic Car Coin, or CCC for short, is the world’s first security token for investors who want to effectively combine high investment security and returns with the dream of classic cars.
Do you know that? When walking through a parking garage, your heart suddenly beats faster, because between all the SUVs, vans and station wagons there is a classic car. As if conjured into the dreary crowd of faceless mass vehicles. Childhood memories are awakened, film legends suddenly drive through your mind: James Dean in a Porsche, Magnum in a Ferrari, James Bond in an Aston Martin. What would it be like to own such a classic automobile yourself…?
The Classic Car Coin opens a new market
But the short dream in the parking garage is usually gone quickly. Because a classic car does not only cost a pretty penny in the purchase. A well-ventilated parking space and maintenance — the list of cost factors is long.There are clearly cheaper hobbies than a classic car. Do you prefer to leave your fingers off and dream on in a parking garage or on the street the next time you meet a classic car?
Index published by the German Association of the Automotive Industry
A classic car is a good investment. The German Association of the Automotive Industry regularly publishes the “Oldtimer Index”. It is calculated by the classic car experts from classic-analytics in Bochum, who compare the prices of 88 models representative of the German car market in their database. And the value development is impressive: Gold, antiques, art and even diamonds have a significantly lower return, not to mention ordinary financial investments.
The prices are rising
Interesting for investors: The prices for luxury cars and everyday vehicles are rising equally: For the famous W 114/115 from Mercedes, a popular everyday classic car, market prices rose by 186 percent between 2010 and 2015 and are now in the high five-digit range for very good examples.
Lucrative investment: The Mercedes W 114/115
And in the luxury class, the Ferrari Testarossa, for example, performs excellently: While an average of 55,000 euros had to be budgeted for a 1986 vehicle eight years ago, the market value has more than doubled today to well over 150,000 euros — an increase of 136 percent. But regardless of whether it’s a Ferrari, Porsche 911, BMW or even the Citroen 2CV: the increases in value are enormous for a large number of vehicles. But there is also a dark side: the market requires a lot of background knowledge and experience.
The Ferrari Testarossa increases in value by around 136 %
No wonder that the decision is difficult. And yet it is possible to have them all — or at least a piece of them: Digitization is paving the way for new approaches. What in the analog world was reserved for only a few wealthy people has become a high-yield investment even for small investors with the Classic Car Coin. This is made possible by tokenization. This process creates digital securities for all classic car enthusiasts — even those with small wallets. The distribution over many vehicles simultaneously reduces the risk: The possible weak performance of a single classic car is compensated by the strong increase in value of the others in the portfolio.
Classic Car Coin: The ideal combination of safety and profitability
Tokenization is very simple: The value of a classic car is divided into several shares. This is done via the blockchain. Blockchains are secure directories in which digital transactions are documented. These shares are then made available to investors who can buy them in the shape of tokens.In this way, it is possible not only for a handful of rich people, but for many people to enter the attractive market. Piece by piece, coin by coin, investors can thus participate in classic automobiles with CCC — and so the dream of a classic car comes true after all!
This combination of the high value of classic cars with a digital security is a small revolution. Here, the high returns of classic cars are combined with the attractiveness of small investment sums. It is possible to start with as little as 250 euros at CCC, a sum that can deliver top performance over the appropriate investment horizon. The investors’ valuable vehicles are safely stored and maintained. | https://medium.com/@farsight-automotive/access-to-exclusive-markets-with-the-classic-car-coin-6a575d185fec | ['Farsight Automotive B.V.'] | 2020-12-08 16:47:23.958000+00:00 | ['Investing', 'Classic Cars', 'Tokenization', 'Blockchain', 'Token Sale'] |
Malware Steals Data By Adjusting Screen Brightness | Malware Steals Data By Adjusting Screen Brightness PCMag Follow Feb 6 · 2 min read
Malware on an air-gapped computer can transmit data like Morse code by changing screen brightness in a way that’s invisible to the naked eye but easily recorded with a camera.
By Matthew Humphries
A security researcher has discovered a novel way to steal data from a PC that isn’t connected to a network (air-gapped) by manipulating the brightness settings of a computer monitor.
As The Hacker News reports, the new technique was discovered/created by academic researcher Dr. Mordechai Guri of the Cyber-Security Research Center located at the Ben-Gurion University of the Negev in Israel. It relies on the air-gapped computer having special malware installed capable of changing the brightness of a display. However, the changes are only very small adjustments to the RGB color components of each pixel and therefore not detectable with the naked eye.
Stealing data from the infected machine is achieved by encoding the information and transmitting it using the screen brightness changes in a sequential pattern, which is very similar to how Morse code works. The only other requirement for this to work is a camera pointed at the display which can either record or stream the pattern being transmitted. Once the pattern is received, it can be converted back into meaningful data.
For this hack to work in the real world would require someone with access to the air-gapped machine installing the malware. The camera used can be anything from a compromised surveillance camera present in the same room, a webcam, or just a smartphone camera left pointed towards the display (and a strong, reliable 4G signal).
Although this technique is unlikely to ever be used as long as easier methods exist, it’s important from a security standpoint to know it’s possible and therefore mitigating action can be taken to ensure it can never work effectively. | https://medium.com/pcmag-access/malware-steals-data-by-adjusting-screen-brightness-2e683857fbc2 | [] | 2020-02-06 19:18:48.938000+00:00 | ['Technology', 'Malware', 'Cybersecurity', 'Hacking', 'Data'] |
Quit the Growth Hacks & Algorithm Games | You’ve seen the countless articles about gaming elusive algorithms and hacking your way to cash money millions. I plan to gouge out my eyes with an acetylene torch if I read one more hack preaching about beating the system.
People, you are dealing with humans. One person’s random success on Instagram, TikTok, or Medium does not a blueprint make. Sometimes, success boils down to luck, timing, and privilege. If I were born a generation later, who knows? Maybe I would’ve been an influencer preening on Instagram. (Probably not because I don’t preen and I’m allergic to social media.)
But I digress.
Today, my online friend Bianca Bass wrote the article about Medium I’ve always wanted to write, but she’s done it better.
You’re don’t care about the platform? Hold onto your pants, this isn’t a story about Medium. This is relevant for everyone, especially if you’re in a service-based business.
Let me preface what I’m about to say with the fact that I know what it’s like to live on ramen and oatmeal for months at a time. I’m in year three of five in Chapter 13 bankruptcy, shelling out four-figure payments per month. I’m not doling out advice from my gilded throne.
If your sole objective in anything is to make money, you will not make money. [Counting down 3,2,1 to the bros in the comments who will tell me otherwise. Please don’t.]
One more time for the people in the cheap seats: If your sole objective in anything is to make money, you will not make money. Your work will reflect your thirst. Your obsession will make you myopic. You’ll build yourself a growth hack box, rarely jumping out in fear of not following the advice of the herd. Writing your ten vague, common sense ways to live a good life, etc.
Your #1 objective should be to deliver value.
Let’s get neurological for a hot minute. We’re wired to feel first, think second (fight or flight). Couple that with the fact that people consume content and read stories for selfish reasons, mirror neurons are key in understanding how people form bonds with other people, and yes, with brands. Let’s say you’re on the highway and you see a horrific four-car pileup. Part of what your brain does to process the information is to re-enact the situation from your POV so you can empathize and comprehend the severity of what you’ve just witnessed.
Neural coupling occurs when an event or story activates parts in the brain that allow the listener to turn the story into their own experience. With mirroring, listeners will not only experience similar activity to each other, but also to the storyteller. Our brains are wired to empathize for, and make connections with, others and the stories they tell.
Our reactions are primarily emotional until the rational, more pragmatic side of our brain kicks in, which means, stories have the power to draw people in immediately.
What does this have to do with making some sweet coin? WELL, FRIEND. LET ME TELL YOU.
People scan aisles and websites to determine if what they’re being sold is right for them. Is this speaking to me? Does this product or person understand me? Are they echoing back what I’m thinking, feeling, doing? Are they mirroring my wants and needs but solving them in some way?
People make instantaneous decisions about who to read and what to buy based on value. Value could be in the form of utility, reciprocity, education, entertainment, or saving/making $$$. People want their needs met and problems solved. They’re busy and have a proliferation of choice and they want to make sure that you won’t waste their time.
If you show up consistently at work — whether it’s in a traditional office setting or at home in your platypus pajamas — and deliver real, tangible value, the money and accolades will come. What does that mean practically? Let’s say you’re an email marketing consultant. Here are a few ways to bring value to your prospective clients:
Publish “teardowns” : Val Geisler is genius at this. She takes emails from the kinds of companies she wants to attract and analyzes them in detail — the good, bad, and ugly. Offering constructive feedback on how they can improve their communication. Not only does this get the attention of a prospect, but it positions her as an industry expert. I have no doubt she’s won adjacent clients because of the teardowns she’s published online.
: Val Geisler is genius at this. She takes emails from the kinds of companies she wants to attract and analyzes them in detail — the good, bad, and ugly. Offering constructive feedback on how they can improve their communication. Not only does this get the attention of a prospect, but it positions her as an industry expert. I have no doubt she’s won adjacent clients because of the teardowns she’s published online. Don’t cast vague bait : Go into your area of expertise and burrow deep. Be specific and comprehensive in writing articles and tutorials. Cite reputable research and sources. Back up the information with case studies or industry examples that illustrate your point. Broaden the scope of your work beyond you but at the same time go deep. Don’t slap up a post that took you five minutes because some guru told you to publish every day even if it’s garbage. Everything you put out into the world makes an impression. And do you want to waste someone’s time?
: Go into your area of expertise and burrow deep. Be specific and comprehensive in writing articles and tutorials. Cite reputable research and sources. Back up the information with case studies or industry examples that illustrate your point. Broaden the scope of your work beyond you but at the same time go deep. Don’t slap up a post that took you five minutes because some guru told you to publish every day even if it’s garbage. Everything you put out into the world makes an impression. And do you want to waste someone’s time? Don’t gate everything behind an email sign-up, FFS : Give them true value before they sign up and keep the goods going after you have their email. Share the checklists, worksheets, and tutorials online. Let them wonder, “Hey! If I’m getting valuable content without giving you anything, what would you give me if I actually gave you my email or paid you?” It’s a question for the ages, mis compadres y comadres.
: Give them true value before they sign up and keep the goods going after you have their email. Share the checklists, worksheets, and tutorials online. Let them wonder, “Hey! If I’m getting valuable content without giving you anything, what would you give me if I actually gave you my email or paid you?” It’s a question for the ages, mis compadres y comadres. Give real-life examples : I can go on about how many articles I’ve read from people who are not marketers giving marketing advice. They might have done their research, but they don’t have the track record. They haven’t endured the agita of a campaign gone wrong and what one learned as a result. You can’t teach what you haven’t done — I’ll fight you on this. Share case studies (blotting out client names and material information if you’re under NDA) and what you’ve learned from the campaigns — the good, bad, and violently ugly. This communicates to prospects that you’ve done the work before, successfully, so they’re more inclined to show up in your inbox.
: I can go on about how many articles I’ve read from people who are not marketers giving marketing advice. They might have done their research, but they don’t have the track record. They haven’t endured the agita of a campaign gone wrong and what one learned as a result. You can’t teach what you haven’t done — I’ll fight you on this. Share case studies (blotting out client names and material information if you’re under NDA) and what you’ve learned from the campaigns — the good, bad, and violently ugly. This communicates to prospects that you’ve done the work before, successfully, so they’re more inclined to show up in your inbox. Make the complex simple: People want to know that you can solve problems. Every industry has its jargon, methodologies, best practices — all that jazz. Explain hard concepts simply, in a voice that’s wholly you’re own. Prospective clients won’t feel intimidated or feel the need to pull out a dictionary every time they get on the phone with you. You’ve excited them because they learned something from you, something that’s not in their area of expertise, in a way that made sense to them.
If you’re a creative writer, are you improving on your craft? Or are you merely getting better at sending more people to mediocre work? Are you a ravenous reader, a student of the word? Do you study other writers and dissect their work? Many people are blinded by their ego and don’t want to admit that they have to do the work to make their work better.
Sometimes, your work might not be good enough and your ego is holding you back. But sure, complain, it’s easier.
You’re not entitled to readers because you’ve spent six months writing on the internet. You’re not entitled to clients simply because you exist. Stop getting high on your own supply.
You have to play the long game. Put in the time and work. Consistency breeds legitimacy. Consistency breeds trust. Consistency bonds clients and readers to you. Gaming a fucking algorithm does nothing for you over the long haul.
Who cares if the fast-money, shiny object-shakers are cashing in right now? Who knows where they’ll be in a year or five or ten? Don’t aim to be anyone other than yourself. People are buying and reading you — not the cheap knockoff of an industry titan.
I got my MFA from Columbia (biggest regret going) and I learned this — you can teach the mechanics of plot, character, dialogue, structure, point-of-view, and all the things. You can coach a writer into finding their voice and honing their style. But you can’t teach magic. You can’t write books for them. It’s up to them to take the tools and apply them.
Same with your revered “gurus” online. Take the tools, but make your own magic. Tell standout stories. Give the kind of value that puts a client’s heart on pause.
But it’s hard to see past the glare in a world where people are impatient. It’s been six months and I’m not making $10,000/month! It’s been three months — where is my first million in sales? Failing to realize what they consider long is, in fact, a minute.
Here’s a fact. 85% of my clients in 2019 came as a result of the articles I published on Medium. Six figures earned off the platform. Five figures earned on. I’m not saying this to brag because bragging is gauche, rather, I’m sharing this because I’ve been writing articles, comprehensive tutorials, and how-tos for three years. I’ve been on Medium since 2013.
Look at me, the tortoise. Shimmying her way to the finish line.
How did I build a thriving consultancy? I showed up consistently for my specific audience and delivered value. I didn’t write SEO-drenched articles that were vague photocopies of bland Inc. originals. I didn’t dangle a carrot and snatch it away if you didn’t sign up for my email list or purchase my course for the low, low price of $997.
I don’t have a course.
Instead, I rolled up with tutorials, case studies, detailed strategies, and tactics. I poured out my brain onto a computer screen and spoke plain English when all the kids are gasping over “synergistic innovations.” I shared methodologies and frameworks in detail. My “How to Build a Brand” series is a 250-page book spread over eight articles.
Friends, I’m not playing around. People noticed, and then they hired me.
This week, I’m signing a five-figure, two-month engagement with a client because the founders found my brand development articles valuable. I’m giving a two-day, four-figure brand intensive workshop for a start-up in New York because their VC, who vouched for me, was impressed with my work online. We spoke for all of 2019 — a year — before he gave me my first project.
I didn’t complain about the fact that this VC didn’t move faster. That the gigs didn’t start rolling in as soon as I hit publish. I was being a farmer, playing the long game.
It’s easy to whine. It’s easy to read hacks and optimize titles for search. It’s easy to copy what others have done because it’s safe and that one article went viral or that one campaign blew up like nitro on Instagram. It’s easy to focus on tactics without considering the big picture.
But it’s hard to show up. It’s hard to bring your A-game consistently. It’s hard to identify who your audience is, figure out what they want, and deliver on that want in a way that knocks the little bootie socks off their feet.
Quit complaining. Create. | https://medium.com/falling-into-freelancing/quit-the-growth-hacks-algorithm-games-14f28b09a8fb | ['Felicia C. Sullivan'] | 2020-01-23 14:11:22.892000+00:00 | ['Marketing', 'Medium', 'Business', 'Freelancing', 'Writing'] |
3 Reasons Passive Income is a Mindset Issue | Today, we’re talking about passive income, one of my favorite, favorite topics of all time and one that could absolutely change your life and business if you embrace it.
Today, specifically, we’re talking about why passive income is a mindset issue rather than a logistical one or a marketing issue.
If you’ve been struggling with this one, you’re going to love today’s post.
Let’s get into it.
Passive income in itself feels like a really amazing thing.
You create something once, like a book or a course, people buy it and you get paid multiple times. Otherwise known as making money while you sleep.
This isn’t a dodgy thing, by the way.
Authors, musicians, actors, inventors, franchisors, and companies who license their brand name are all legit businesses that may receive passive income in the form of royalties. Property investors are another group who might receive rental income as passive income.
But for some reason, female entrepreneurs get get really, really blocked around creating passive income in their businesses, and resist it like crazy!
Now, let’s unpick some of the reasons why.
#1: It triggers your money blocks
First of all, it obviously triggers some of your money blocks.
It triggers some parts of your brain that tell you that this is too good to be true, “I’m doing something dodgy here and this is against the natural order of things.”
Let’s go down one level deeper into why that is.
First of all, creating passive income and getting paid for something that you’ve already created feels like cheating. It feels like you’re not really earning it.
A money block that a lot of us women have is that we have to work really hard to make money.
How many times have you heard things like:
“Money doesn’t grow on trees?”
“You can’t get something for nothing.”
If you grew up hearing these things, then the concept of being paid for something that you already did feels like cheating and it feels like you didn’t really earn it.
That’s one mindset hurdle that you really have to overcome before you create your passive income products.
I remember when I was writing my very first book — and after procrastinating for months, I finally put it up for sale on my website. It was only $15, but every time someone bought it, I felt so guilty. I felt like I didn’t earn it.
I almost felt like I had to call up the person and say, “I’m so sorry you spent $15 on the book that I wrote a year ago. Can I read this to you over the phone? Let me earn this money, please. Let me earn it.”
That was for a $15 e-book.
If you’re wondering why you’re procrastinating creating a product in your business, that could be a reason why! Does it feel like cheating for you?
#2: It feels too easy
Many women overlook potentially lucrative business opportunities because it feels too easy or obvious to them.
You’re thinking, “This would be really easy for me to create. Why should anyone pay me for it?”
Again, that speaks to that same money block that you have to have blood, sweat and tears in your product or program in order for you to justify earning money.
Remember, it’s totally okay for you to get paid for something that’s easy and enjoyable for you.
I want you to really get this…
Just because it’s easy and enjoyable for you, doesn’t mean that it’s easy and enjoyable for somebody else.
There are lots of things that I purchase because, frankly, I’m terrible at them. I don’t care that it’s easy for the creator because I want to learn from them, especially if it’s their Zone of Genius (shout out to Gay Hendricks).
So, remember, just because it’s easy for you doesn’t mean it’s easy for somebody else.
It’s totally okay for you to make passive income from doing something that is easy and enjoyable for you.
In fact, that’s the first thing you should create passive income out of — things that you LOVE.
Package up your knowledge and expertise and make it beautiful for somebody else to learn from you.
#3: It feels like an unequal exchange
The last reason why it feels icky to earn passive income is because it feels like an unequal exchange.
You think, “I created this once, but then now people are STILL giving me money for it.”
In reality, that’s an equal exchange. Somebody gives you money to consume your product, program or book and you receive it. That’s perfect, right?
It might feel like an unequal exchange to YOU because you didn’t sweat over it, but you created the product or program and then they purchased and consumed it so, the exchange is done.
You don’t have to feel like you have to constantly over deliver to justify somebody spending money on you.
That is totally a mindset issue. Feel good about the value you’re offering to people EVEN IF you’re not having to work harder for them to buy it.
I’ve actually got a free workshop for you, specifically on passive income and the mindset of passive income.
We’ll go deeper into some of the points I’ve mentioned here.
If this is something that you want to nail in the next year — and I really hope you do because it will absolutely change your life and business — then take time to listen to this webinar today.
It’s about 30 minutes; you can just listen to it as you go about your day.
It’s at www.LuckyBitch.com/Passive
We’ve got to get your mindset right before we can take action on creating those passive income products and programs in your business.
I wish amazing financial abundance for you and, really, this is the first step.
Put your hand on your heart and repeat with me:
It’s my time and I’m ready for the next step.
See you on the other side of the passive income webinar.
Watch now at www.LuckyBitch.com/Passive
Bye! | https://medium.com/thrive-global/3-reasons-passive-income-is-a-mindset-issue-79a5544977c5 | ['Denise Duffield-Thomas'] | 2017-02-12 13:02:01.506000+00:00 | ['Women In Business', 'Entrepreneurship', 'Passive Income', 'Money Blocks', 'Money Mindset'] |
How to Make the Most of Your Virtual Internship | COVID-19 has made all of our summers look different than what we imagined and many of you are now wondering “what the heck will my virtual internship be like??” Although lounging on your couch while completing your internship online may not be what you had in mind, you are test-driving what could become a “new normal” going forward, so make sure you take steps to maximize this remote internship experience.
Create a professional workspace
First, make sure your space works for you. You’ve gotten used to taking courses online this semester, but take the time to ensure you have a good work setup for the summer. A desk if possible, with an ergonomic workspace. If you don’t already have the tools needed to make this happen, ask the company you’re interning with — many of them are set up for and expecting to provide you with the things you’ll need to make your space WORK for work, so don’t be shy about asking for what you need. Sure, working from the couch sounds great, but every now and then it helps to sit at a desk equipped with a laptop riser ;)
Don’t forget about your surroundings during virtual meetings. Make sure you have some quiet space — roommates, pets, family members, etc., are an inevitability these days, but if your roommate is on the couch playing video games, for example, take the meeting from another room or make sure they have headphones in. If you aren’t comfortable showcasing your surroundings, there are a plethora of virtual backgrounds available these days.
Keep a (loose) schedule
In addition to creating a professional workspace, make sure to manage your time effectively. Without the structure of an office environment, it can be tempting to give in to distractions around you (the kitchen is so close, and those snacks are just calling your name…), but it is important to set designated “work time” to keep your schedule feeling as normal as possible — and to ensure you have personal time, too. Working remotely can be draining, so don’t forget to build breaks into your day for your mental health. On the other hand, don’t be afraid to speak up if the tasks at your internship aren’t keeping you as busy as you’d like. It never hurts to ask for additional projects, and your manager won’t have visibility into how you’re managing your time!
Don’t forget to communicate and ask for feedback!
One of the most impactful aspects of an internship, aside from experience gained, is networking and meeting the teams around you. With a remote internship, this might not happen as naturally, so you may need to be more proactive than under normal circumstances. Working with a cross-functional team, but not sure how they’re structured? Don’t be afraid to ask for a brief 1:1 meeting with a member of the team to get clarity. Ask questions in virtual meetings and make your voice heard. During those meetings, keep your camera on when you can so you have built in “face time”. Make sure you have scheduled check-ins with your manager and/or mentor, and ask for regular feedback. Does your company have virtual intern meet-ups, round tables, or events scheduled? Great! Make sure you attend those, too, and get to know your internship cohort. The people you meet in an internship and the network you build can have a lasting impact on your career trajectory.
Finally, give yourself some grace. Although you’ve had to redefine your anticipated experience and reset your expectations, rest assured that you’ll still have a valuable learning experience this summer and employers will recognize your strength, resilience, and creativity next year when it comes to full-time hiring! | https://medium.com/berkeleyischool/how-to-make-the-most-of-your-virtual-internship-a50ddab4fc9b | ['Eva Mollett'] | 2020-05-19 14:02:17.652000+00:00 | ['Ischoolcareer', 'Internships', 'Work From Home', 'Summer Internships', 'Career Advice'] |
What is new in Android 8 for users | Since its first launch in 2018 with a smartphone Android has come a long way with new features being added regularly, thus bringing about new versions of Androids. The latest addition is Android 8 version which is also known as the Android Oreo. This article helps smartphones and
tablets users understand the new features of Android 8.
2x faster:
Now start your apps even faster! With the new Android Oreo, it’s possible to get started on your
favorite tasks quickly with the 2x boot speed when powering up.
Background limits:
The background activates in our smartphones is one of the most irritating features of a smartphone. How all of us wish that we could just close all that happens in the background so that the battery of the smartphone would last longer. Well, Android Oreo makes this dream come a step closer! Android Oreo helps minimize the background activity in the apps that you
rarely use.
Autofill:
If your phone is a personal belonging for you and you allow the system to store data, then Android Oreo can help you get into your favorite apps at supersonic speed with the Autofill
feature that remembers your logins once you type it in your phone or tablet.
Picture in picture:
Do multiple things at a time! The world is moving faster now. It’s the time for multi-tasking. For a person who is active it is very important that his phone is equally fast so that he can do a number of things at the same time. Now, Android Oreo helps you to see two apps at
the same time.
Ease of reading new notifications:
Just press the notification dots to quickly see what’s new and easily clear them by swiping away. This saves you a lot of time when you have very little to wait for the app to open just to
read a new notification.
Android instant Apps:
Time is money! How many times have you wondered if you could use an App without having
to wait for it to install? Wait no more. Android 8 is here and this operating system for smartphones and tablets can help you to teleport directly into apps straight from your
browser without the need for installation.
Google Play Protect:
Data protection is the top most priority of all the operating systems. Android values the data of its member a lot and ensure that is protected no matter what! Android 8 can now scan over 50 billion apps in a day to keep your data private and protect. It also scans the apps that are not
yet installed in your phone!
Battery matters!
A gamer or an extensive talker or a freelancer who uses their phones to manage their activities on phone on the go always prefer to ensure that their phone’s battery is strong and full of life.
This is promised by the new Android version, Android Oreo.
Express yourselves better:
One of the most user friendly features of Android is the way we can use Emoji’s in our conversations. These colorful images bring life to the otherwise dry conversations. Android 8 has a fully redesigned set of emoji. It also has over 60 brand new emojies. With so many improved features, Android 8 or the Android Oreo is certainly going to make the process of using our smartphones and tablets even more easier.
You can reach us at [email protected] for discussing your Android mobile app project with us. We
shall be more than happy to assist you in your product development.
Originally published at yugasa.com on June 11, 2018. | https://medium.com/yugasa/what-is-new-in-android-8-for-users-f5cef2855a93 | ['Yugasa Software Labs'] | 2018-06-27 11:02:04.362000+00:00 | ['Android', 'Android App Development', 'Outsourcing', 'Outsourcing Company India', 'Android Oreo'] |
Synchronization Solutions Based on Flink Cd | By Wu Chong (yunxie), Apache Flink PMC and Technical Expert
Edited by Chen Zhengyu, a Volunteer from the Flink Community
Flink 1.11 introduces Flink SQL CDC. What changes can CDC bring to data and business? It will focus on traditional data synchronization solutions, synchronization solutions based on Flink CDC, more application scenarios, and CDC future development plans.
Traditional Data Synchronization Solution and Flink SQL CDC Solution
In business systems, data usually needs to be updated in multiple storage components. For example, an order system can complete business by writing data to a database. One day, the BI Team expects to perform full-text indexing on the database. Therefore, one more copy of the data should be written to Elasticsearch. After the transformation, the data needs to be written to the Redis cache.
This mode is not sustainable. This data writing mode may lead to maintenance, scalability, and data consistency problems. Distributed transactions are required, and the cost and complexity will increase. You can use the Change Data Capture (CDC) tool to decouple data and synchronize the data to the downstream storage systems. By doing so, systems are more robust, and the subsequent maintenance will be convenient.
Analysis on Flink SQL CDC Data Synchronization
CDC is short for Change Data Capture. It is such a broad concept that as long as changed data can be captured, it can be called CDC. There are query-based CDC and log-based CDC in the industry. The differences in their features are listed below:
Based on the comparison above, the log-based CDC has the following advantages:
All data changes and complete change records can be captured. It is widely used in remote disaster recovery and data backup scenarios. For query-based CDC, the data between two queries may be lost.
Each DML operation has a record with no need to initiate a full table scan for filtering, compared with the query-based CDC. It brings higher efficiency and performance, low latency, and no increase in database loads.
No intrusion into the business, business decoupling, and no need to change the business model
Deletion events and the status of old records are captured. For query-based CDC, periodic queries cannot perceive whether the intermediate data has been deleted.
Introduction to Log-Based CDC
From the perspective of ETL, the business database data is collected generally. Let’s take MySQL as an example. MySQL Binlog is collected through Debezium and then sent to Kafka message queue. Then, it is connected to real-time computing engines or applications for consumption. After that, the data is transmitted to an OLAP system or other storage media.
Flink hopes to connect more data sources and give full play to its computing capability. The operational logs and database logs are the main sources in production. Business logs have been well supported by Flink, while the database logs haven’t been supported before Flink 1.11. This is one of the reasons why CDC is integrated.
Flink SQL supports the complete changelog mechanism. Flink only needs to convert the CDC data to the data that Flink recognizes to connect CDC data. Therefore, the TableSource API is restructured in Flink 1.11 to better support and integrate the CDC.
The restructured TableSource outputs RowData structure, representing a row of data. There is metadata information above RowData, which is called RowKind. The RowKind contains commands, including INSERT , UPDATE_BEFORE , UPDATE_AFTER , and DELETE , which are similar to the binlog in a database. Through the JSON format collected by Debezium, old and new data rows and original data information are included. The "u" of the "op" indicates the update identifier, and "ts_ms" indicates the synchronization timestamp. Therefore, connecting Debezium JSON data converts the original JSON data into the RowData recognizable to Flink.
Use Flink as the ETL Tool
When Flink is selected as the ETL tool, the data synchronization process is shown in the following figure:
Debezium subscribes MySQL Binlog and transmits Binlog to Kafka. Flink designates the format as debezium-json by creating a Kafka table. Then, after computing by Flink, the table is inserted directly into other external data storage systems, such as Elasticsearch and PostgreSQL, in the following figure:
However, there is a disadvantage in this architecture. Too many collection components lead to complicated maintenance. So, we wonder if Flink SQL can be used to connect directly with MySQL Binlog data, and is there any alternative? The answer is yes. The improved structure is shown in the following figure:
The community has developed the flink-cdc-connectors component. It is a source component that can read full data and incremental change data directly from MySQL, PostgreSQL, and other databases. It has been open-sourced. Please see this link for more information.
The flink-cdc-connectors can replace the data collection module of Debezium + Kafka. Thus, Flink SQL collection, computing, and ETL can be unified, which has the following advantages:
Out-of-the-box, simple, and easy-to-use
Fewer maintenance components, simplified real-time procedures, and lower deployment costs
Small end-to-end latency
Exactly-once guarantee for read and compute
No data storage and lower storage costs
Stream reading of full and incremental data supported
Backtracking of Binlog collection site
Practices of Data Synchronization Based on Flink SQL CDC
Here are three examples of Flink SQL + CDC that are often used in real-world scenarios. If you want to practice, you will need components, such as Docker, MySQL, and Elasticsearch. For more information about the three examples, please see the documents of each example.
Example 1: Flink SQL CDC + JDBC Connector
In this example, the order table (fact table) data is subscribed, and MySQL Binlog is sent to Kafka through Debezium. Then, the results are output to the downstream PostgreSQL database through Join and ETL operations on the dimension table.
Example 2: CDC Streaming ETL
This example simulates the order table and logistics table of the e-commerce company. The order data needs to be statistically analyzed. Different information needs to be associated to form a wide order table. Then, the wide table is delivered to the downstream business team for data analysis through Elasticsearch. This example demonstrates how Binlog data streams are associated once and synchronized to Elasticsearch in real-time through Flink’s great computing capability without relying on other components.
For example, the following Flink SQL code can complete the real-time synchronization of full and incremental data in the orders table in MySQL:
CREATE TABLE orders (
order_id INT,
order_date TIMESTAMP(0),
customer_name STRING,
price DECIMAL(10, 5),
product_id INT,
order_status BOOLEAN
) WITH (
'connector' = 'mysql-cdc',
'hostname' = 'localhost',
'port' = '3306',
'username' = 'root',
'password' = '123456',
'database-name' = 'mydb',
'table-name' = 'orders'
); SELECT * FROM orders
The test environment of docker-compose is also provided to help readers understand this example. For more detailed tutorials, please refer to the following document: Reference Document
Example 3: Streaming Changes to Kafka
The following example shows how to count the GMV of the whole platform daily. The statements include INSERT , UPDATE , and DELETE . Only the paid order can be calculated into the GMV to observe the changes of GMV value.
Reference Document
More Application Scenarios of Flink SQL CDC
Flink SQL CDC can be applied flexibly in real-time data synchronization scenarios. It can also be provided to users in more scenarios.
Flexible Positioning of Flink in Data Synchronization Scenarios
If you already have the collection layer (E) of Debezium/Canal + Kafka, you can use Flink as the computing layer (T) and transport layer (L).
Flink can also replace Debezium/Canal. Change data can be synchronized directly to Kafka by Flink. The ETL process is unified by Flink.
If Kafka data caching is not required, change data can be synchronized directly by Flink to the destination. The ETL process is unified by Flink.
Flink SQL CDC: Connecting to More Scenarios
Real-time data synchronization, data backup, data migration, and data warehouse construction
Benefits: Various upstream and downstream components (E&L), great computing capabilities (T), easy-to-use API (SQL), and low-latency streaming computing
Various upstream and downstream components (E&L), great computing capabilities (T), easy-to-use API (SQL), and low-latency streaming computing Real-time materialized view and streaming data analysis on databases
Indexing and real-time maintenance
Business cache refreshing
Audit trail
Microservice decoupling and read-write separation
CDC-based dimension table join
The following section explains why the CDC-based dimension table join is faster than the query-based dimension table join.
Query-Based Dimension Table Join
Currently, the query of the dimension table is conducted through table join. After data enters the dimension table from the message queue, an I/O request is initiated to the database. Then, the database returns and merges the result and then outputs the result to the downstream. However, this process inevitably consumes I/O and network communication, making it impossible to improve the throughput. Even with some cache mechanisms, the results may not be accurate since the cache is not updated in time.
CDC-Based Dimension Table Join
The data of the dimension table can be imported into the State of the dimension table Join through CDC. Since the State is distributed, it stores the real-time image of the database dimension table in the Database. When the message queue data comes, there is no need to query the remote database again. Direct query to the State in the local disk is enough. This saves I/O operations and realizes low latency, high throughput, and higher accuracy.
Tips: This feature is currently under development for version 1.12. Please pay attention to FLIP-132 for the specific progress.
Future Plans
FLIP-132: Temporal Table DDL (CDC-based dimension table join)
Temporal Table DDL (CDC-based dimension table join) Upsert data output to Kafka
More CDC formats supported ( debezium-avro , OGG, and Maxwell)
, OGG, and Maxwell) CDC data processing supported in batch mode
More databases supported by flink-cdc-connectors
Summary
This article shares the advantages of Flink CDC by comparing the Flink SQL CDC and traditional data synchronization solutions. Meanwhile, it introduces the implementation principles of log-based and query-based CDC. There are also examples of MySQL Binlog subscription using Debezium and technology integration for replacing subscription components through flink-cdc-connectors . Additionally, it describes the application scenarios of Flink CDC, such as data synchronization, materialized view, and multi-data center backup, in detail. It also introduces the advantages of CDC-based dimension table join and the CDC component work.
After reading this article, we hope you will have a new understanding of Flink SQL CDC. We hope Flink SQL CDC will bring more convenience for development and be applied in more scenarios.
Q&A
1. How do I write GROUP BY results to Kafka?
Since the GROUP BY results are updated results, currently, they cannot be written into the "append only" message queue. The updated results writing will be supported natively in Kafka 1.12. In version 1.11, the changelog-json format provided by the flink-cdc-connectors can do this. For more information, please see this document.
2. Does CDC need to ensure sequential consumption?
Yes, it does. The Kafka partitions must be sequential first to synchronize data to Kafka. Data changes with the same key must be synchronized to the same Kafka partition. This way, the sequence can be guaranteed when Flink reads data.
Original Source: | https://medium.com/@alibaba-cloud/real-time-data-synchronization-based-on-flink-sql-cdc-5e0d84fafcbb | ['Alibaba Cloud'] | 2021-07-06 02:15:04.066000+00:00 | ['Big Data', 'Sql', 'Flink', 'Database', 'Alibabacloud'] |
TokenInsight Partners Up with Messari to Bring Transparency to the Blockchain Industry | TokenInsight Partners Up with Messari to Bring Transparency to the Blockchain Industry TokenInsight Follow May 15, 2019 · 2 min read
TokenInsight’s API is live now on Messari !
We’re excited to announce that TokenInisght’s API has recently been integrated on the transparency-focused distributed crypto data library Messari.
TokenInsight’s comprehensive data (including token grades, technology, team, and ecosystem) is now live on Messari's OCFX (OnChainFX) dashboard.
With our partnership, TokenInsight and Messari will better serve institutional investors in terms of making more informed and valuable investment decisions. This partnership is particularly valuable for businesses that focus on blockchain investment.
TokenInisght’s mission is to empower blockchain value investment, continuing to provide unbiased and objective data within the blockchain industry with the aim of promoting transparency and enhancing trust in the crypto community.
Regarding this new integration, Jason Ma, TokenInisght’s head of global partnerships commented,
Jason Ma (Head of Global Partnerships at TokenInsight)
“We’re really excited to be collaborating with Messari to promote the transparency to the blockchain ecosystem. At TokenInsight, the partnership with Messari represents an important milestone and we are thankful to Messari team for choosing us as their data partner. We are looking forward to empowering blockchain value investment with our data and analytics.”
Our team has worked hard to bring the most accurate token data in the market and our newly upgraded website will give our users an in-depth view of the entire blockchain ecosystem, covering over 500 projects and six major industries. The integration with Messari marks a valuable recognition to our constant efforts putting into creating a transparent market.
Stay tuned! As we continue to move forward and scale up our services, we will have more to share with you! | https://medium.com/tokeninsight-offcial/tokeninsight-partners-up-with-messari-to-bring-transparency-to-the-blockchain-industry-c0e38c3240f5 | [] | 2019-05-15 07:46:20.808000+00:00 | ['Data', 'Partnerships', 'Blockchain', 'Announcements'] |
Framed Fantasies: an analysis on In The Mood For Love | The 2000 Hong Konger classic, In the Mood for Love, remains as one of the most poetic interpretations of romance ever captured in cinema. In his magnum opus, Wong Kar-Wai; in collaboration with Christopher Doyle, has once again visualized a dreamlike rendition of the nuances of love, heartache, and guilt. This paper will discuss the production design of the film, the colors, the structure, and the decisions made by the designer to further enhance the story the director wants to picture.
In the Mood for Love highlighted the use of colors in both production design and cinematography. Yellow, orange, and red were the main colors used in the overall design, while hints of green were spread throughout the set. Even with the picture highlighting warm tones, green captured the most attention, from the kitchenware to the furniture, to the trinkets placed on the set. Not only did it convey the feeling of guilt, jealousy, and envy, it also provided a sense of texture to the picture. With warm tones being the most prominent in the frame, having these green set-pieces enabled the production designer to add in layers to their design, texture, and space. The wardrobe was also significantly aligned to this color scheme. Su Li-zhen (Maggie Cheung Man-yuk) always wore her traditional Chinese clothing, with its classic silhouette and ornate designs, almost camouflaging in the vividness of her apartment and office. On the other hand, Chow Mo-wan (Tony Leung Chiu Wai) always dressed in an Americana suit ranging from blues to grays, but his tie was mirrored to the design of Su Li-zhen’s dresses. These similarities in color scheme suggest the blurred line between their lives and the chaos their place exudes. Given the film was set in 1962 to 1968 Hong Kong, a time when the country’s geopolitics was complicated, the characters in were also directly influenced. Figuratively, this was pictured in the film, from the chaotic moving-in process to the ever-present mahjong of the landlords–an invisible force directly grasping on the character’s lives. With its romantic nature, warm tones were present in an attempt to provide a sense of comfort and peace for the characters, but they continuously neglected these possibilities as they fear they would become the spouses they loathe. A contrast to an interpretation long-held; where red equates to love, making the translation more sensually poetic.
The film had also pictured the sense of fear from the public eye. The filmmaker achieved this by framing the characters within a frame in almost every scene — as if they were being watched, observed, judged. Set design played a huge role in this, placing foregrounds such as sheer curtains, plants, vases, windows; both glass and steel, and even the natural shape of the corridors. This method of capturing the characters enabled the filmmaker to set the scene with a sense of constriction. How the characters were forced to interact with each other in compromise to their narrow space, and how the audience has no choice but to endure this, cease the awkwardness and watch the relationship blossom. As the story progressed, and the characters revealed the truths upon themselves, they continue to live within this box, understanding why they have been imprisoned, and finding ways on how to escape. And soon when the possibilities of relief began to abrupt from the depths of guilt, they rejected this and continued the fantasy they built for themselves, trapping each other from the perspective of the society and their own.
Twenty years have passed since In the Mood for Love was first released, it remains as one of the most poetic renditions of unrequited love. The pains of living a fantasy you have long hoped to be true, and the buried guilt you forever feared to resurface — only to burst and drown you alive. | https://medium.com/@grantfranzuela/framed-fantasies-an-analysis-on-in-the-mood-for-love-1733b0ce67f7 | ['Grant Franzuela'] | 2020-12-18 10:44:52.914000+00:00 | ['Film', 'Writer', 'Analysis', 'Film Reviews', 'Filmmaking'] |
How Americans are practicing self-care in 2021 | According to a survey conducted by OnePoll on behalf of Vagaro, three-quarters of Americans surveyed believe self-care can relieve stress and will try nearly anything to get their stress relief. Photo by Tim Goedhart on Unsplash
Seven in 10 Americans (73%) were more conscious of needing self-care in 2020 — and 69% plan to do more self-care in 2021 than they did in the previous year, according to new research.
The survey of 2,000 general population Americans examined respondents’ self-care habits and the possibility of whether they see themselves investing in self-care more in the future.
Results found two-thirds of people (67%) agreed that the personal self-care routines they developed during the pandemic have become a permanent part of their daily life.
When asked which activities they consider self-care, 47% said at-home spa rituals were their go-to — as revealed by the survey, which was commissioned by wellness software company Vagaro and conducted by OnePoll.
Other well-received activities included going to an actual spa (41%), getting a manicure/pedicure (36%) and getting a haircut (34%).
Visiting a spa was especially popular with respondents ages 18–23, with 55% considering it self-care. Meanwhile, respondents aged 56+ disagreed, with 47% saying outdoor exercise is their preferred form of self-care.
According to the research, three-quarters of Americans surveyed believe self-care can relieve stress and will try nearly anything to get their stress relief.
Respondents have tried coloring books, cleaning and impromptu dance parties — as well as yelling and, in one respondent’s case, “I would tear my way through two pints of ice cream while doing a deep conditioning hair mask, a gel sheet mask on my face and an acid foot peel while chilling with my furbaby watching horror movies. So relaxing!”
Another respondent said they relieve stress by, “Swimming across my ponds with alligators.”
Some of the more commonly cited stress relievers for people included at-home spa rituals (40%), getting a manicure/pedicure (30%), exercising outdoors (28%) and working out in a gym (24%).
“There’s an inevitable correlation between stress and self-care,” said Fred Helou, CEO of Vagaro. “Many people get so caught up in day-to-day responsibilities that they don’t prioritize time to take care of themselves, however, placing importance on activities that encourage relaxation can make you better equipped physically, mentally and emotionally to face life’s daily stressors.”
In 2020, the average person only had 65 minutes per week dedicated to self-care.
In good news, 45% of respondents see themselves having more time per week for self-care in 2021.
People are willing to go pretty far in order to have more self-care time. A third of Americans would be willing to move (35%), sell a personal belonging (33%) and even give up their favorite food (30%) for more self-care time.
The survey also revealed that nearly three in five (59%) will only practice self-care if they feel stressed. And more than seven in 10 (72%) like to use self-care as a reward after a long, tough week.
For 64% of respondents, self-care provides a much-needed boost to their self-confidence. More than two-thirds feel more productive (67%) and happier (71%) after taking time for themselves.
The research also suggests some things are best experienced in-person. Half of Americans are waiting for the pandemic to end before visiting the salon for a haircut or hair color treatment.
Nearly as many (46%) are more than ready to visit the spa for a wellness treatment.
“While self-care isn’t a new concept, the lessons learned over the past year emphasize the importance of prioritizing it,” added Helou. “Businesses who provide self-care activities should be conscious of safety measures as many of their customers are currently seeking wellness and beauty treatments in-person to feel happier and more productive.
“Once restrictions are lifted, salons, spas and gyms should be prepared to see an influx of clients, as research shows self-care isn’t just a pandemic fad.”
WHAT DO AMERICANS DO FOR SELF-CARE?
At-home spa rituals 47%
Visiting the spa for treatments 41%
Getting a mani/pedi at a nail salon 36%
Getting a haircut at a salon/barber 34%
Home hair treatments 34%
Exercising outdoors 33%
Working out in a gym 31%
Getting hair colored at a salon 30%
Taking a fitness class of any kind 29%
Meditating 28%
Buying new clothes or grooming products 26%
Socializing outside the home 24%
Outdoor exercise classes 22%
Cleaning and decorating my home 22%
Talking to a therapist 22%
>> Download the video and infographic for this research story <<
NOTE: All news copy and multimedia on this SWNS account is free to use as you see fit. Where research has been conducted, we ask that you credit the company which commissioned it. | https://medium.com/@swns-research/how-americans-are-practicing-self-care-in-2021-7311d60ab16c | [] | 2021-01-21 14:32:44.907000+00:00 | ['Research', 'Self Improvement', 'Study', 'Self Love', 'Stress Relief'] |
The Freedom of Minimalism | From Marie Kondo’s Tidying Up to the Tiny House Movement, minimalism and its different forms have recently made a rise in popularity. While minimalism originated as an art form in the 1950s, it has since broadened to a lifestyle characterized by lessened material possessions and a simplicity of mind and physical space. Over time it has received a reputation of getting rid of things, not buying material things, and what some might view as a “hippie” and “earthy crunchy lifestyle”, but many who have developed a minimalist lifestyle would argue it is much more than that. As The Minimalists, Joshua Fields Millburn and Ryan Nicodemus explain, “Minimalism is a tool to rid yourself of life’s excess in favor of focusing on what’s important — so you can find happiness, fulfillment, and freedom.” Let’s take a deeper look at some of the benefits of minimalism — all centering around this idea of freedom.
Financial Freedom
One of the most obvious freedoms provided by a lifestyle centered around minimalism is financial freedom. Coupled with an investment in quality, long lasting, and well-thought out purchases, minimalism leans away from things like fast-fashion, throw-away culture, and disposable goods. Simply put: you buy less. And overtime, buying less, and instead investing in quality purchases, whether needed or a wanted item you’ve been saving up to buy, you not only are gaining financial freedom, but adding more meaningful “pieces” to your life.
Freedom of Time
Time spent packing and unpacking seemingly endless boxes when moving, time spent cleaning and organizing and reorganizing, time spent finding and sorting, time spent purging and shopping — in the end our material things take up a lot more of our time than we realize. Having less “things” allows more space in your life, via time, to invest in hobbies, things you are passionate about, or even just spending more of your time at home doing what many people need — rest and relaxation. A decreased focus on things allows more time to do things you really care about.
Aesthetic Freedom
Maybe you have seen images of minimalist interior design, and maybe the clean lines and neutral pallets draw you, or maybe not. What’s most important is understanding how the physical and visual space around you has an impact on your state of mind. Think about entering a spa — the relaxing smells, the soothing music, the dimmed lights, all contributing to an instant relaxation of the body simply by stepping in the door. What you surround yourself with matters. While traditional minimalist design style may not be your style, in the end, it’s not as much about adopting the specific style as it is about surrounding your physical space with intention. If artistic collage walls do that for you, do it. If it means creating space for your library of books, do it. If you enjoy knitting as a pastime, make space for your tools and yarn. It’s about intentionality and freedom to invest your space into what gives meaning to you, what matters to you, not focusing on the accumulation of things, but rather creating a space that gives meaning beyond the things themselves.
I’ll stop here, but the list is endless — freedom from stress, freedom of purpose, freedom from comparison … but with most things environmental, I think it’s always important to remind ourselves that the sustainable choice in the end doesn’t mean being someone you are not or having unrealistic goals for yourself. With minimalism, if you can start today by minimizing your wardrobe or your holiday decorations, start there. Start where you are, and give yourself the grace and the space to breathe. Someone who choses a minimalist lifestyle and sets goals too lofty for themself that can only last them a few months or years, in the end makes less of a difference than the one who is “mostly minimalistic”, maybe not having the perfect 10 piece wardrobe, but buys a few pieces every season and is conscious of only investing in things that a worthwhile and not having an abundance of “things”. It’s about freedom. | https://medium.com/@desireevchin/the-freedom-of-minimalism-b785880d1c32 | ['Désirée Chin'] | 2020-12-08 21:56:28.212000+00:00 | ['Minimalism', 'Consumerism', 'The Minimalists', 'Freedom', 'Environment'] |
Ping Cleaning: How I Marie Kondo’d the s**t out of my digital workspace | This post was inspired by a tip from design extraordinaire @Craig Stubblefield. And of course, my Tidying Up binge fest of 2019. Kudos Marie, kudos.
Occasionally we hear folks wrestling to find flow and balance with our various software apps. It’s easy to be inundated with pings and to feel ‘behind’ all the activity because Lookback is an asynchronous, remote organization. We work almost exclusively as a distributed company, and thus we need different web tools for… well, everything.
It’s hard to feel any joy, or even a spark for that matter, when you’re subconsciously hoarding notifications. And those stacked up notifications are often replacements for the types of conversations you’d have passing by desks in an office (le sigh). Also, who is guilty of leaving things unread or remarking as unread as a sudo “to-do” list. Moi? Oui.
It makes it easy to miss the pings you’re looking for, with nothing classifying them as more important than any others. If I didn’t Marie Kondo the s**t out of the tools I use most, I don’t think joy would stand a chance in my day-to-day. Until I did this “Ping Cleaning” it was pretty hard to prioritize things that needed my attention most!
Here are a few ways to minimize the hoardy feeling and keep the flow flowin’
Mute slack channels that are not critical
Slack offers a way to mute a channel unless you are @mentioned (or similar). Go for it! Not everything in every channel needs to be read by everyone — it’s a time and energy suck. I have a minimum of 10 slack channels muted at a given time depending on what teams or projects I’m working on. This keeps the red dot from glowing as often and helps me stay in joyful flow.
It also creates accountability for people who really need answers from you, they have to ping you properly to get your eyes. Otherwise, if it’s lost in the chronological Slack abyss, it hopefully wasn’t all that important.
The joy in Slack statuses
At Lookback we dogfood our own internal video conferencing tools and don’t rely on Slack for calls. If I’m on a VC I will not only pause notifications I will also set a status emoji as :slack_call: to alert others for duration of the call. I’ve become a fan of setting :cartwheel: and other fun emojis as my status because… joy!
Enable healthy Do Not Disturb Hours on Slack
With a somone’s-always-on remote organization we need to protect our own personal time. Make sure you have some healthy preset DND that will telegraph to others you are not around and also give you peace of mind to not be bothers by pings when you should be living your life.
Consider turning off Slack sounds/ badges
I turn off sounds, badges and visual notification for slack during periods of time when I need to be focused and productive. Only coming up to check every so often when I’m at a mental break from my task or a natural stopping point.
Managing collaboration tools effectively
We use Clubhouse for agile project management; other organizations I’ve worked in use Trello or Jira. It provides great structure to our work and collaboration around our work. But I find the built-in activity feeds can be extremely noisy and unmanageable.
Personally, I rely heavily on emails from all notifications in Clubhouse. I like the inbox ping because I don’t keep Clubhouse always–on like I do with Slack (ahemm Clubhouse, we’d like a Mac app). Many of the notifications are “read only for me…” where I’m tagged in the convo in order to be informed. I read those and archive the email.
For actionable ones, I might read it and keep it Unread in my inbox until I can take action. Or I open the card in my browser to action on. Once I’ve taken action on the card itself, I’ll archive the email notification.
iOS ScreenTime → Downtime schedule
Proactively schedule downtime for after work hours and weekends. For those times you just can’t help yourself.
Using joy as the indicator to physically remove yourself from distractions at your desk
I used to use different web browsers and devices for personal versus work but last year I committed to standing up and walking out of my home office for anything personal. The physical anchoring effect of “only work happens here” at my desk was game-changing. If I get a text, and feel enough joy and am compelled to open it, I physically get up and walk to the living room to view. The clear physical distinction between environments keeps my productivity up. The less blurry lines between office and home, the better.
Mac tips
heyfocus.com allows you to schedule automatic blocks on distracting websites while working
mailplane.app gifts Gmail as a native Mac app with proper Mac notification settings. The combo of Mac and Chrome Gmail notifications can be pretty duplicative and distracting if left unattended!
yep, thats me.
Unfortunately cleaning (of all types) doesn’t just happen in Spring — it’s iterative! Check back for updates and please drop me a line if you have any tips to add: [email protected] | https://medium.com/@dianaboiteux/ping-cleaning-how-i-marie-kondod-the-s-t-out-of-my-digital-workspace-1ac2922f015e | ['Diana Boiteux'] | 2020-01-14 19:42:09.136000+00:00 | ['Digital Clutter', 'WFH', 'Marie Kondo', 'Slack', 'Remote Work'] |
How to Optimize Your “link in bio” on Instagram: Linkstackr | Why should I use a Linkstackr?
📈 Reason One: More Engagement with Your Content
If you are a blogger, or photographer, a real estate agent, or sell things online, a Linkstackr allows you to promote your work/products all from one place!
Let’s say you are a blogger, for example, and you’ve written 3 different blog posts that you want to share with your followers. How could you do that on Instagram prior to Linkstackr? Well, you’d have to choose which of the 3 blog posts to link to in your clickable “link in bio”, and MAYBE copy/paste the link into your individual posts describing your blog posts… but how often do people take the time to copy your links, go to their browser, and paste it in? Not very often.
With Linkstackr, you can create links to all 3 blog posts (as you see in the example above). That way, your Instagram “link in bio” is always the same, and all you have to focus on is adding links to your Linkstackr to share with your followers! You can prompt your followers to check out the link in your bio in order to find your latest blog posts! :)
Below is an example of a food/nutrition blogger’s Linkstackr. Instead of textual links to her blog posts, she’s created an “image grid” Linkstackr to help her followers find her blog posts & recipes quicker!
A food blogger’s Linkstackr with clickable images
Yes, each of those images is a link to one of her blog posts or recipes! Could you re-create that with a normal “link in bio”? Absolutely not! Do you think her followers appreciate how easy it is to find blog posts and recipes she shares? For sure!
⏱ Reason Two: Save Yourself Time
If you are constantly sharing content with your followers, you’ve likely gotten a DM or two asking you to share the link to whatever product it was you were recommending last week. Most influencers find that a lot of their time is spent re-sharing URLs to specific places on the web with their followers.
With a Linkstackr, you can leave all of your links in one place. Instead of replacing your “link in bio” link each day with a new link, just update your Linkstackr! What this allows you to do is simply say, “Oh, that product from last week? Yes, you can find that link in my ‘link in bio’!” Your followers will greatly appreciate how easy it is to find anything you may be sharing.
💰 Reason Three: Make More Money
If you depend on Instagram to help you get leads or generate income, you have likely had to sit down and really think about which link to include in your “link in bio”.
Will it be a link to your website? What about your blog? Oh, wait… you just launched a product… why not use that link instead? But “so-and-so” brand is sponsoring you to share their product and you’ll make a commission on each sale you generate! Too many choices, only one link…
Forget that! 🙌
This was one of the main reasons Linkstackr was built!
With Linkstackr, include a link to your website, products, content, and affiliate opportunities! Don’t miss out on a lead while trying to sell a silly product for another company! Let yourself be discovered — leave your website accessible, your blog visible, and any other links you want to share available to all of your followers!
Now, you can make money through your link in as many ways as you can think of. Cha-ching!!!
🧲 Reason Four: Allow Your Followers to Find You On Other Platforms
Are you trying to grow your YouTube channel? Have a Twitter handle? LinkedIn?
Using a Linkstackr, you can include links to your other profiles so you can be found all over! (See the Linkstackr above, titled “My Recent Work”. See those fancy circles with the social media platform logos? Yup. You can find me there.)
PRO TIP: You can even include a link to your Facebook Messenger. When clicked on, a user is chatting through Facebook Messenger with you! Handy when you’re looking to generate leads.
🚀 Reason Five: It’s Fun & Completely Customizable
You can change your Linkstackr page to match you and your branding! Everything is customizable, the fonts, colors, layouts, and header!
Change your page layout! It’s fun and easy! 🚀
In this post, we won’t go over all the different customization options, that post will be coming soon! | https://medium.com/linkstackr/5-reasons-you-need-linkstackr-f4f329868978 | ['Trevor Hardy'] | 2020-04-22 05:36:17.156000+00:00 | ['Make Money', 'Influencers', 'Instagram', 'Instagram Hack', 'Social Media Marketing'] |
MiiX•ASCH Hackathon 2019 | MiiX, together with 2050 Conference, ASCH Platform, CSDN, etc., invites you to participate in the hackathon in Hangzhou, China!
Event: 2050 Conference: MiiX• ASCH Hackathon
Organizers: 2050 Conference, MiiX, ASCH Platform
Location: Yunqi Town, Hangzhou, China
Time: April 26–28, 2019
Competition Theme: Get together to create remarkable dApps and explore the future!
What is 2050 Conference?
2050 Conference was initiated by Hangzhou Yunqi Science and Technology Innovation Foundation. It is a conference aimed at young people. It will allow young people to stand in the spotlight, talk about innovation, look towards the future and face the challenges with a young mind.
From May 25 to 27, 2018, the first 2050 conference was held in Yunqi, Hangzhou, gathering tens of thousands of young people around the world who embrace science and technology.
Dr. Wang Jian, Founder of Alibaba Cloud & Yunqi Science and Technology Innovation Foundation, said that 2050 is a reunion rather than a conference. 2050 allows the young generation to show their responsibility to the world and their promise for the future. | https://medium.com/aschplatform/miix-asch-hackathon-2019-21a0f7e81a2 | [] | 2019-04-09 14:03:19.135000+00:00 | ['Blockchain', 'Blockchain Technology', 'Aschnews'] |
Modeling “Unknown Unknowns” with TensorFlow Probability — Industrial AI, Part 3 | Posted by Venkatesh Rajagopalan, Director Data Science & Analytics; Mahadevan Balasubramaniam, Principal Data Scientist; and Arun Subramaniyan, VP Data Science & Analytics at BHGE Digital
We believe in a slightly modified version of George Box’s famous comment: “All models are wrong, some are useful” for a short period of time. Irrespective of how sophisticated a model is, it needs to be updated periodically to accurately represent the underlying system. In the first and second parts of this blog series, we introduced our philosophy of building hybrid probabilistic models infused with physics to predict complex nonlinear phenomena with sparse datasets. In particular, in the second installment, we described how to update probabilistic models with newly available information. We were able to model the known unknown behavior of how our physical system would degrade over time by using data from a different, but similar physical asset at a more advanced stage of degradation.
In this final part, we will describe the uncertainties that are characterized as “unknown unknowns” and the techniques used for effectively modeling them. To bring all the aspects of our modeling philosophy together in one application, we will predict the performance of a lithium ion battery when we don’t know its real deterioration characteristics.
Battery Health Model
Battery storage has become critical for various applications, ranging from consumer devices to electric vehicles. Lithium ion batteries, in particular, are widely used because of their high power and energy densities. Modeling the battery performance is very crucial to predict its state of charge (SoC) and state of health (SoH). As a battery ages, its performance deteriorates in a non-linear manner. Significant research has been undertaken to understand the phenomenon of battery degradation and to develop models for predicting battery life. For more details on the causes of battery degradation and the associated modeling, please refer to the rich literature[1].
Cell potential (voltage) and capacity (usually stated in Ampere-hours) are two primary metrics of interest in a lithium-ion battery. The chart below depicts the time-profile of cell potential in a discharge cycle as a function of current draw. As the discharge current increases, the cell potential decreases more rapidly over time.
Cell potential versus time for different current draws.
The typical degradation in cell potential, across charge-discharge cycles, for a single current discharge (2.5 A), is shown below. With cycling (i.e., usage), the capability of the battery to deliver a voltage will decrease even for the same current draw. Experimental results validating such behavior can be found here[2,3].
Effect of cycling (usage) on cell potential.
While there are several approaches for modeling battery characteristics, including physics and hybrid models, we intend to illustrate a data-driven approach for estimating the state of health (or degradation) of the battery when the physics of degradation is unknown. The key advantage of this approach is that the model requires data only from pristine (little or no degradation) batteries and the extent of degradation can simply be tracked as an anomaly (i.e., a change from the nominal behavior) for incipient detection. Further, the model lends itself to continuous updating with measurements — critical for accurate prediction of cell potential. This continuous model updating is required since every customer operation of an asset is unique. We refer to this updating as a model of one, where we can continuously update the model to track a particular customer’s usage in the field. The challenge is to do this updating in a computationally efficient manner with sporadic, noisy field measurements.
Data Generation
We will use the following equations to generate the discharge curve:
V= a-0.0005*Q + log(b-Q) where a=4–0.25*I and b=6000–250*I
Where a is the linear decrease and b is the asymptotic decrease regions as shown in the discharge curves.
I is the discharge current and Q represents the charge expended by the battery with
The values of a and b are notional and representative of discharge curve profiles[4].
Every application is unique and utilizes the battery differently. Consider two dimensions of variation: the amount of discharge and the rate of discharge. Then consider that both of these dimensions can also be applied to the recharging cycle. In other words, a battery can be discharged and recharged fully or partially; it can also be discharged and recharged slowly or quickly. The usage of each battery and variation in manufacturing process affect how each battery degrades. We simulate this variation by choosing a random value for the deterioration parameter δ and computing a response for a random usage at a random cycle. After multiple discharge-recharge cycles, a battery will degrade in performance and provide a lower voltage and lower overall capacity. To illustrate the concept of degradation tracking with a simple example, we will model the deterioration by functionally altering the linear and asymptotic segments of the battery for the entire cycle by a deterioration factor.
If δ is the deterioration factor, then modified battery responses would be the following:
The data from degraded batteries are used for model updating, and not for building the initial model. Please note that this functional form is only an approximation but still representative of field behavior of a battery.
Known Unknowns versus Unknown Unknowns: With the above dataset, this problem can be cast either as a known-unknown case or an unknown-unknown case. This problem can be solved as a known unknown case, if the modeler knows the physics equation that describes the degradation phenomena and thus understands the specific way in which the degradation parameter (δ) interacts with the physics equation. Knowing these specific details, the modeler can cast this as a model update problem as described in the second part of our blog series.
However, if the underlying physics is unknown, then the modeler has no option but to use the “raw” data from pristine batteries to build a data-driven model and then update the data-driven model as the model performance deteriorates. Without specifically knowing the degradation mechanism, the modeler may be left with no choice but to update a large section of the data-driven model. The hope is that there are sufficient degrees of freedom in the model and sufficient information in the new dataset to update the model accurately. In real-world applications of solving for unknown unknowns, it is common for these conditions to occur.
We will show the latter case of modeling the unknown unknown here by building a DNN model with the data from pristine batteries. We have provided representative values to ensure the reader can create the data to build a “generic” deep learning model.
The process that we will follow for the rest of the blog is shown below:
Modeling process to illustrate unknown unknowns.
The simple DNN model architecture shown below with 5 hidden layers (4,16, 64,16,4) will be used for illustrating the concepts.
Simple Deep Neural Network architecture to model battery performance.
Training the DNN with up to 200 epochs produces a sufficiently accurate model as shown below. Both training and test points are reasonably predicted for the pristine battery.
Training and test predictions from DNN model.
We will add a non-linear degradation to the pristine battery as described above. The specific instance of the degraded battery performance is shown by the blue dots below for a degradation parameter (δ) of 0.163. Based on actual usage, the blue dots denote actual measurements of a battery during a discharge cycle.
Pristine DNN model predictions compared to degraded battery data.
Adding degradation almost immediately makes this model inaccurate. Since we don’t know the exact mechanism of degradation, we will choose to update the hyperparameters of the last hidden layer[5], with a particle filter.
Model Updating with Particle Filter
Particle filtering (PF) is a technique for implementing a recursive Bayesian filter by Monte Carlo simulations. The key idea is to represent the posterior density function with a set of random samples with associated weights; we compute estimates based on these samples and weights. As the number of samples becomes very large, the PF estimate approaches the optimal Bayesian estimate. For an extensive discussion on the various PF algorithms, please refer to this tutorial.
As with the Unscented Kalman Filter (UKF) methodology described in our previous blog post, we will model the “states” of the PF as a random walk process. The output model is the DNN. The equations describing the process and measurement models are summarized below:
x[k] = x[k-1] + w[k] y[k] = h(x[k], u[k]) + v[k]
where:
x represents the states of the PF (i.e., the hyper-parameters of the DNN that need to be updated)
h is the functional form of the DNN
is the functional form of the DNN u represent the inputs of the DNN: current and capacity
y is the output of the DNN: cell potential
w represents the process noise
v represents the measurement noise
The PF algorithm makes no assumptions other than the independence of noise samples in the process and measurement models.
The particle filter is robust for updating the DNN model with field measurements as well as versatile enough to be used for model training. Refer to this paper for a detailed discussion. The salient steps of the PF-based model update methodology are summarized below:
Generate initial particles from a proposed density, called the importance density Assign weights to the particles and normalize the weights Add process noise to each particle Generate output predictions for all the particles Calculate likelihood of error between actual and predicted output value, for each particle Update a particle weight using its error likelihood Normalize the weights Calculate effective number of samples If effective number of samples < Threshold, then resample the particles Estimate the state vector and its covariance Repeat steps 3 to 10, for each measurement.
The PF-based methodology for updating the DNN model has been implemented as a Depend On Docker project and can be found in this repository, and in this Google Colab. As stated earlier, PF assumes only that the noise in the process and measurement model are independent. Accordingly, we need not assume that the noise follows a Gaussian distribution, in contrast to the UKF assumptions. Thus, the extensive functionality provided by TensorFlow Probability’s tfp.distributions module can be used for implementing all the key steps in the particle filter, including:
generating the particles,
generating the noise values, and
computing the likelihood of the observation, given the state.
Code snippets for a few steps of the algorithm are provided below.
Generating initial set of particles
The particle filter is initialized with a set of particles generated using TF Probability.
Generating output for each particle
Output predictions are generated for every particle by setting the particle values to the bias and the weights of the last layer of the DNN and running the model.
Updating weight of each particle
Once the predictions have been generated, the likelihood of a particle being in the true state is calculated and the weight associated with that particle is updated accordingly.
Resampling the particles
Particles are resampled, if required, through systematic resampling.
Results and Discussion
Updating the last layer of weights and biases of the baseline DNN model with the first datapoint using the particle filter produces the model predictions shown below in green. The shaded region signifies the prediction uncertainty computed using 500 random particles.
Updated model prediction (from 1st update point).
The algorithm chooses the next update point as the time at which the observation falls outside the prediction uncertainty. In this case, it is the time point 13 (close to 700 seconds). Incrementally updating the model whenever the observed data falls beyond the model prediction uncertainty produces the desired accuracy as shown below.
Sequential model update results initiated based on prediction uncertainty.
Combining all the models together, we get the prediction across the entire degradation cycle. Clearly the baseline model misses the degradation completely resulting in a 50% error in voltage predictions at the end of the battery cycle. Simple updates with prediction uncertainty thus enables the modeler to account for “unknown unknowns”.
Final model (only latest updates) predictions compared to initial model.
Comparison of model prediction errors.
For the last hidden layer of four nodes, we depict below the initial state of the battery model and the final updated state. Clearly, the state has changed significantly and the model predictions improve even though the updates were performed with only a few data points. The change in the state distributions can also be viewed as an indication of the anomaly (in this case, the deterioration δ) in the system. Thus, these plots indicate that there was sufficient information in the data to update the models. By contrast, updating the model with data sets that do not have any relevant information will result in the model continuing to be inaccurate. Thus, choosing the right time to update the model is as important — or more important — as the method used to update the model.
Comparison of initial and final state of the parameters of the last DNN hidden layer.
Summary
Making AI real in the industrial world requires a combination of several disciplines: domain knowledge, probabilistic methods, traditional machine learning, and deep learning. We have shown the techniques to combine effectively these disciplines to model real-world phenomena with limited and uncertain data. The third part of this series of blogs focused on modeling “unknown unknowns”. To build a digital twin of an industrial asset, it is essential to build a model of “one” — where the model continuously adapts to track field measurements over time for every single “asset” in the ecosystem. The particle filter methodology for updating the weights and biases of a DNN layer built on pristine data, can be used to build the model of “one”.
In real-world industrial applications, there are many challenges that limit the quantity of useful data, including noise, missing values, and inconsistent measurements. Therefore, choosing what to model, selecting an appropriate modeling methodology (physics, data-driven or hybrid), and choosing which parameters to update continuously are critical to maintaining useful models.
Acknowledgments
This blog is a result of the hard work and deep collaboration of several teams at Google and BHGE. We are particularly grateful to Mike Shwe, Josh Dillon, Scott Fitzharris, Alex Walker, Fabio Nonato and Gautam Subbarao for their many edits, results, code snippets, and — most importantly — enthusiastic support. | https://medium.com/tensorflow/modeling-unknown-unknowns-with-tensorflow-probability-industrial-ai-part-3-52146cd0201a | [] | 2019-06-13 21:01:01.651000+00:00 | ['Dnn', 'Probability', 'Industrial Ai', 'TensorFlow', 'Machine Learning'] |
[1x8] Power Book II: Ghost Season 1 : Episode 8 [FULL Episodes Online] | Power Book II: Ghost “Season 1 Eps.8” — Full Episode Streaming
Picking up just days after the “Power” finale, this sequel series follows Tariq navigating his new life, in which his desire to shed his father’s legacy comes up against the mounting pressure to save his family.
How do I watch streaming Power Book II: Ghost Season 1 Episode 8 FULL EPISODES online? Power Book II: Ghost Season 1 Episode 8 is one of the “Tv SHOWS” broadcast this week.
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Credit (from Latin credit, “(he/she/it) believes”) is the trust which allows one party to provide money or resources to another party wherein the second party does not reimburse the first party immediately (thereby generating a debt), but promises either to repay or return those resources (or other materials of equal value) at a later date.[1] In other words, credit is a method of making reciprocity formal, legally enforceable, and extensible to a large group of unrelated people.
The resources provided may be financial (e.g. granting a loan), or they may consist of goods or services (e.g. consumer credit). Credit encompasses any form of deferred payment.[2] Credit is extended by a creditor, also known as a lender, to a debtor, also known as a borrower. | https://medium.com/power-book-ii-ghost-series-1-episode-8-hd/power-book-ii-ghost-season-1-eps-8-full-episode-streaming-68c19a4a8b38 | ['Shelly Stephens'] | 2020-12-20 09:45:12.550000+00:00 | ['TV Shows', 'Television', 'Social Media', 'TV Series'] |
How to Setup a New Project with Python Env | I’m writing this content to help you understand the best way to setup a new project with Python and using virtual environments properly.
An illustrative image for how Virtual Environments works
The fact is when I learned about Virtual Environments I didn’t realize how they could be used in a way that would help to scale and maintain my projects. If they used right it is a true powerful tool and it could help you to understand some concepts to isolate tools used in projects and never more feel lost with the packages you are using for a specific project. Why is that?
When you create a virtual environment and activate it, when you install packages that have the tools you need for that project you are installing only inside that environment and by doing that you are isolating the project and if you need to run that project on another machine you can trace all packages you need for that project and install in an automated way.
But enough talk, let’s setup a new project:
First create a project directory/folder on you machine. I’m going to guide you through Linux commands (I’m using two commands with &&, that is used to run a command after another successfully, the first command creates a directory on my current directory and the other changes current directory to that one created):
mkdir myproject && cd myproject
2. Create the virtual environment inside your project directory, with some obvious name (in this case I’m calling “env”):
python3 -m venv env
3. Put the directory of your virtual environment to “.gitignore” file. This would be useful to when you add your project to git, the packages wouldn’t be added to the repository, maintaining your repository clean of junk.
echo 'env' > .gitignore
4. Activate the environment (and every time you will work on that project you have to do this step to work inside your environment):
source env/bin/activate
5. Now when you install a package it will installed in your environment:
pip install django
6. Freeze the requirements. Every time you install or remove packages from that environment you should record that to a file that stores all packages necessary to that project (this is the file you should add to your git repository for that project):
pip freeze > requirements.txt
7. If you need to install the requirements for that project you would use that file created before:
python -m pip install -r requirements.txt
I’m new to blog posting so if you have some tips or contributions for me to grow in this business I appreciate. My mission with this is to help everyone with possible struggles we all have in the beginning with software development and some other IT stuff. So if you have anything that you wanted me to write about it I’m open too. Thank you for reading this and I hope that it helped you. | https://rutefig.medium.com/how-to-setup-a-new-project-with-python-env-f6a55a98fc05 | ['Rute Figueiredo'] | 2020-12-28 12:11:45.191000+00:00 | ['Python Programming', 'Python3', 'Python', 'Virtual Environment', 'Basic Python'] |
Exploring the question of whether submarines can swim | Exploring the question of whether submarines can swim
An Argument for Verified Humans (Part I)
As I read, I often get lost in the text, my thoughts diverging from the author’s words toward something related yet different. This process seems almost like a conversation between the author and me, with a person’s words provoking my response. At times, I enjoy this aspect of reading, but more often, it is quite distracting.
Still, if I find the thoughts especially compelling (and if a pen is within reach), then I write them down in a place where they can be occasionally reviewed until I find them either ruinously obvious or oblivious to accepted fictions; less often, I build and branch until the original note takes on enough of its own life to become an article, a project, or a poem.
Such was the case when I read the following paragraphs from Deep Learning with PyTorch¹ about a text response produced by OpenAI’s GPT-2 model (which has since been bested by GPT-3):
That’s remarkably coherent for a machine, even if there isn’t a well-defined thesis behind the rambling. Even more impressively, the ability to perform these formerly human-only tasks is acquired through examples, rather than encoded by a human as a set of handcrafted rules. In a way, we’re learning that intelligence is a notion we often conflate with self-awareness, and self-awareness is definitely not required to successfully carry out these kinds of tasks. In the end, the question of computer intelligence might not even be important. Edsger W. Dijkstra found that the question of whether machines could think was “about as relevant as the question of whether Submarines Can Swim.”
These few sentences have inspired in me a handful of tangents that I want to follow here to support propositions for (1) human verification on social media platforms and (2) transparency regarding the use of artificial intelligence in communication tasks. To do so, I will go over each bolded bit from above one by one, and to keep things interesting, I will not do so in order.
Rather, can submarines think?
I admit that I do not know the original context of Edsger Dijkstra’s quote (having only seen it applied in myriad secondhand contexts), and thus my understanding of its intentions may be limited. However, it seems as if the example aims to highlight the innate irrationality of any questions into machine thinking by drawing a comparison to the question of submarine swimming, which somehow seems more obviously unquestionable.
I have two issues with Dijkstra’s quote: (1) it is entirely correct, as there is no true difference between a machine thinking and a submarine swimming; and (2) it stealthily cows the interpreter of the quote — perhaps unintentionally — into accepting the premise that submarines cannot swim, which, as I will argue, is not necessarily true.
…suppose we build a submarine with arms to paddle and legs to kick, one that could navigate the murkiest depths without intervention and respond to danger in real time
On the surface, there seems to be a fundamental difference between asking if a machine thinks and asking if a submarine swims, as swimming is a physical action undertaken by all sorts of creatures to maneuver through liquids, while thinking is a fairly mysterious cognitive experience that we assume is shared by beings who are similar to ourselves (i.e., other humans). However, upon diving deeper, one finds that these questions are essentially equivalent.
Suppose I replaced “to maneuver through liquids” in the paragraph above with “who want to maneuver through liquids.” For all intents and purposes, these two phrases impart the same meaning; however, the second highlights a hidden cognitive component of swimming that suggests that the action is done with purpose. For example, in contrast to an actor swimming, an actor maneuvering through water without intention may be said to drift or to drown, depending primarily on the outcome, and an object controlled by a separate actor may be said to be driven or to be controlled (i.e., to be passive in its action). Therefore, a question of swimming is essentially equivalent to a question of thinking.
Furthermore and interestingly, it seems as if the hidden component is more important than the cognitive component to the classification of a movement through water as swimming. For example, a person may be comfortable claiming that a fish swims, as even the most feebleminded of fish seems to have a certain amount of control over its cold-blooded body as it maneuvers through water. However, would it be correct to say that a eukaryote swims by the flick of a tiny flagellum? Perhaps yes, even still, as the thing, when viewed under the microscope, seems to just go without external manipulation.
But a submarine? Well, we know that humans make submarines go, whether directly through steering or indirectly through programming, and so it does not seem as if a submarine swims. But suppose we build a submarine with arms to paddle and legs to kick, one that could navigate the murkiest depths without human intervention and respond to danger in real time? My guess: Not even then.
The pointlessness of semantic arguments
As discussed above, both questions referred to in the original comparison ask about the unseen processes undertaken by an actor; however, there is no reason why we cannot say that a submarine swims or that a machine thinks, other than a certain linguistic reluctance to do so. Specifically, whether a machine thinks depends on whether we find it appropriate to refer to the actions undertaken by a computer as “thinking,” and likewise for a submarine swimming. Thus, the questions are not worth asking — not because they are either true or false, but because they are entirely dependent on semantic interpretation and are thus neither true nor false. However, taken out of context, as the quote often is, it may seem as if, to be on the side of reason, one must agree with the premise that a submarine cannot swim, which could lead one to conclude — without doubt or ambivalence — that machines cannot think.
Taken out of context…it may seem as if…a person must agree with the premise that a submarine cannot swim, which could cause the person to conclude that machines cannot think, which…is neither true nor false.
Note that I am not claiming that Dijkstra wanted to bully anyone into admitting that a submarine cannot swim, nor am I disagreeing with his statement, as I believe his intention was rather to state the pointlessness of such semantic arguments when there are more interesting subjects on which to expend breath (or keystrokes). Even still, as I will discuss in the next part, machines have a certain non-negligible potential for deceptiveness when they are programmed to perform tasks that are inextricably linked to human cognition, such as those requiring human language to be wielded, as such tasks were (correctly) thought to be performed only by humans until recently. | https://medium.com/linguaphile/an-argument-for-verified-humans-part-i-2b4c987e462a | ['Danielle Boccelli'] | 2020-12-20 03:18:30.680000+00:00 | ['AI', 'Artificial Intelligence', 'Data Science', 'Computer Science', 'NLP'] |
Evolving Your Entrepreneurial Mindset: What Works For Life, Listened Co-Founder Meagan Francis | The Nitty-Gritty:
Why Meagan Francis chose to walk away from her successful content marketing business and start working for someone else
Why she decided to head back to entrepreneurship and go all-in on a podcasting business
How her mindset evolved from venture to venture
The changes Meagan has made to her own role in her business and the way the company operates because of her new entrepreneurial mindset
What would it take to walk away from your business?
What would the circumstances need to be to convince you that taking a job and heading back into the office was the right decision to make?
Maybe for you, it would be an irresistible offer. Maybe it would be an unforeseen problem with the business. Maybe it would be a big family change or a move across the country.
There are plenty of reasons that small business owners close up shop and head back to the job market. And there are plenty of reasons they return to do business for themselves, too.
At the heart of any change from owner to employee — and back again — is an evolving mindset and fresh perspective on your identity.
Meagan Francis, founder of Life, Listened, discovered this for herself as she made the transition from the owner of a content marketing business to the employee of a marketing & communications firm to the head of her own podcasting business.
The lessons she learned in these transitions and the mindset shifts she made in the process apply to any small business owner.
Meagan and I chat about what prompted her to close up shop, how she made the decision to return to small business ownership, and how she’s doing things differently now that she has a fresh perspective and mindset.
Have you learned a valuable lesson from your own business transition?
Have you evolved into a new mindset as a business owner because of a big change? I’d love to hear from you! Hit me up on Instagram — tag me or DM me, I’m @tara_mcmullin.
Click here to listen to Meagan’s story — plus over 170 more episodes form small business owners sharing what works for them. | https://medium.com/help-yourself/evolving-your-entrepreneurial-mindset-what-works-for-life-listened-co-founder-meagan-francis-4fecb20707a8 | ['Tara Mcmullin'] | 2019-01-22 14:45:16.111000+00:00 | ['Small Business', 'Entrepreneurship', 'Business', 'Podcast', 'Business Strategy'] |
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This Evening Routine Will Dramatically Improve Your Sleep | This Evening Routine Will Dramatically Improve Your Sleep
First, you need to understand sleep’s importance.
Photo by Jr Korpa on Unsplash
One morning while in quarantine, my girlfriend rolled over and said: “I was talking to you and you fell asleep mid-conversation.” I found that hilarious.
Usually, it takes a while for me to sleep. Not this time. I’d made some changes. For one, I began to understand the importance of sleep, as I’d often neglect it in the pursuit of productivity. Sleep’s importance cannot be understated. Neurologist and sleep medicine specialist Winnie Pao, MD says:
“How can you be in your best health when one-third of your life is spent in sleep and you cannot do that? It’s like over drafting from your bank account. If you overdraft every day, pretty soon you can’t pay back the interest.”
Sleep expert Matt Walker takes it a step further, saying:
“Human beings are the only species that deliberately deprive themselves of sleep for no apparent reason.”
A lot of people overlook sleep in favour of productivity. A 2018 study found that the average UK resident sleeps for between 5.78 and 6.83 hours per night, with only 6% getting the recommended 8 hours. A mere 16% of surveyed people believed they got enough sleep each night. The researchers went a step further and found that 35% of respondents would be willing to give up a portion of their salary for some more shut-eye. So, it’s clear that we value sleep but don’t get enough of it.
Walker says even if you can’t get to sleep, you shouldn’t lay in longer to make up for it, as it could ruin your body’s sleep schedule in the future. That’s all well and good, but how do you fall asleep quickly? Tossing and turning feels immensely frustrating, and it is easy to get worked up about it. Happily, there are some ways to tweak your routine. | https://medium.com/the-ascent/this-evening-routine-will-dramatically-improve-your-sleep-5b9ebe8e7f53 | ['Max Phillips'] | 2020-09-24 23:33:00.485000+00:00 | ['Sleep', 'Lifestyle', 'Self Improvement', 'This Happened To Me', 'Mindfulness'] |
Customer Success Post COVID | Customer Success Post COVID
This article was inspired by and leans heavily on an excellent report from the McKinsey Global Institute (MGI) entitled “The Future of Work After Covid-19”. MGI takes a novel approach to thinking about how work is shaped, focusing on physical proximity to others and the ability to work remotely — a shift that happened almost overnight for this of us working in Customer Success.
The research examined how changes driven, or more typically accelerated, by COVID-19, are likely to affect long term employment trends, in the period up to 2030. The three major drivers of change explored are:
Remote work and virtual interactions
E-commerce and digital transactions
Automation and artificial intelligence
In their macro-economic assessment, MGI estimated the impact of changes on a range of broad employment sectors in major economies over the next 20 years. This set me thinking: how do these ideas affect how B2B SaaS companies deliver value to customers? Here’s my thoughts, which I hope will spur a wider conversation and help shape useful strategies and tools.
Let’s begin with a brief look at the three major drivers of change identified by the research after which I will explore what this means for CS in the future.
Remote work and virtual interactions
The pandemic has shown the possibilities of remote working and tele-based relationships with both colleagues and customers. Almost overnight, companies were forced to rethink how to build and maintain relationships without direct personal contact. The response of most companies was to shift existing processes to tele-channels. Platforms like Zoom and MS Teams became the primary vehicle for conversations, supplemented by virtual tools like Lucidspark, Miro and Mural.
The shift to remote work was, in most cases, a cut and paste of existing methods and approaches. There was little rethinking of how interactions could be improved using these technologies. This is entirely understandable; there wasn’t the time to go back to first principles and design better processes. Companies just had to get through a major shock to their businesses, whether that was surviving or, in some cases, coping with massive growth.
Colleagues are, on the whole, expressing a strong desire to continue with some element of remote working; it is an increasing consideration for job-seekers. Whilst a few companies anticipate a return the office, most recognise that remote work will continue to be an important strategy to attract and retain talent. That said, some aspects of work benefit hugely from true face-to-face interactions. Compared with the water cooler or coffee machine, virtual interactions are largely ineffective in sparking serendipitous connections and learning or in building bonds that colleagues can call on.
E-commerce and digital interactions
Online shopping was a massive beneficiary of the pandemic. The growth of tele-medicine shows that people will consider digital interactions in areas which prior to the pandemic would not have contemplated. Our personal acceptance and comfort with these digital interactions will shape our attitudes to B2B digital interactions. We will see an acceleration of digital, and particularly self-service CS capabilities, especially in companies struggling to address CS at scale.
The shift to digital should not mask the continuing need for true, personal contact and relationships. These will continue to play an important role in customer success. CS will have to understand better the tasks (not jobs) that lend themselves to digital versus personal delivery. Again, this is a continuation of an existing trend. Companies that are already adopting a ‘digital first, human overlay’ approach to designing interactions will have an advantage.
Automation & AI
Investment in automation & AI fell during the early months of the pandemic as uncertainty and the pressures of adapting drove companies cut back on any non-essential spend. Other McKinsey research suggests this is very much a blip and the recognition of AI enhanced digital processes will accelerate. 67% of senior executives globally have accelerated adoption of automation & AI. In the US, this figure rises to 87%.
CS is already adopting automation and AI: for example chatbots and predictive health scores are increasingly employed. More digital interactions will create more data to which machine learning and AI can be harnessed to identify drivers of value and enable smart interactions at scale: scale which cannot be matched by people at the same cost. Even where automation does not replace people completely, it can be used to increase the productivity and quality of interventions.
Change in all three of these areas has created another factor which will shape the future: the changed thinking of CFOs. All three factors have had an impact on costs for companies with a high percentage of knowledge workers. Business travel and the demand for office space has shrunk considerably and whilst some will recover, it is unlikely to rise to pre-pandemic levels.
What this means for CS
Individually, each of the three drivers highlight a need for change but the real impact comes by examining the three together. There are also factors not addressed by the McKinsey research that I believe will play a part, notably new ideas on the role of customer success and approaches to thinking about organisations, leadership and management.
I will summarise my thoughts on the future of CS for both customers and colleagues.
The pandemic forced companies to stop almost all face-to-face customer contact. Meetings, training, workshops, events and social activity either stopped or, more typically went online. In many cases, virtual interactions worked albeit some aspects of relationship building and work effectiveness were lost.
There are significant benefits to virtual interactions. Travel soaks up time, increases costs and impacts the families of those having to travel. Virtual interactions allow time to be spent with more customers. The report foresees a return to travel but at a lower level than pore-pandemic. Customers are also colleagues in the companies we serve. They have become used to virtual working and, in many cases, want to see it continue in some way. It’s difficult to visit a customer who is not in the office. The opportunity for physical meetings with customers will shrink, further driving the continuation of virtual interactions.
One area of travel involves events. Virtual events became the answer to pandemic restrictions but these will be replaced with hybrid events; a physical event with both on-site and virtual attendees. Event companies are already building out the capabilities and software platforms to blend the best of both. Strategies for networking, interactions and even something as simple as Q&A sessions will need to adapt to ensure both physical and virtual attendees have the opportunity for equivalence in their experience. Hybrid events will enable more people to attend overall even though physical attendees may be fewer. Suppliers putting together hybrid events will need to rethink pricing and packaging strategies for both customers and sponsors.
Training is an area that is less likely to return to anywhere near pre-pandemic levels. Digitalisation of content will accelerate as more learning moves from the classroom to online platforms. Suppliers will need to up their game: recordings of trainer-led sessions won’t cut it. Content will become much more granular with on-demand delivery driven by a combination of rich data informing context, choice by individuals and more in-app presentation. Skills in instructional design will become key to delivering customer success.
In-app, on-demand training is one manifestation of another trend that is accelerated by the pandemic: self-service. Much of the work of customer success, whilst important, is repetitive and simple. This lends itself to automation. I have long contended that communicating and delivering value to customers, aka customer success, is the core purpose of a B2B SaaS company. The pandemic has reinforced a trend that was already in existence: the desire for a good self-service option. Customers have been forced into digital transactions and, in many cases, recognised the convenience and ease of a good self-service option. The pandemic has highlighted not just the benefits of self-service but for customers, the difference between good and bad self-service capabilities. Self-service will grow but poor implementations will not be tolerated and become a more significant driver of churn. The increased demand for self-service will drive more companies to embed the value enablement process into the product. I believe more startups will build their applications not around features but around the value-enablement process.
Customer success has long recognised the importance of data; another trend that will accelerate as the need to build contextually rich, automated interactions increases to address the need for self-service. Data integration, machine learning and artificial intelligence go hand-in-hand and the need to master these capabilities will increase.
Whilst customer success is not identified specifically, customer service and sales was one segment in the study. CS is currently a hot market with demand outstripping the supply of qualified candidates pushing up salaries. If CS follows the trend for the broader customer service and sales segment, and I see no reason to think it won’t, we are in for a significant change in employment trends. This raises two questions: will it follow a similar trend and, if so, what does that mean for those in the profession and for employers?
Between 2018 and 2030, MGI believe the number of jobs in “Customer Service and Sales” will change: Here’s the percentage change in job demand they foresee in the following countries:
France, -11%: Germany, -25%: Japan, -3%: Spain, -7%; UK, -7%; USA, -8%: China’ +6%; India, +8%.
The figures are shaped by the service and sales maturity of the different economies, notably the proportion of the existing workforce in these roles. Markets that already have a large service vs manufacturing workforce are also typically at the forefront of adopting automation so will see the biggest impact.
Whilst the sector goes far beyond customer success to think this profession is immune from these changes is wrong. Indeed, the report states “Following the pandemic, net labor demand will decline most in the customer interaction and office work arenas.”
Even if the number of CS jobs do not fall, they nature of what they do will not be immune from the changes. Automation always begins with the simpler tasks and that is underway now. AI and ML are still in their infancy but already making inroads into simple, knowledge-based tasks. As data sets, integration capability and AI /ML increase in sophistication, the threshold of what can and will be be automated will rise. The tasks that remain will be those that require higher order skills, putting a premium on both cognitive skills and emotional intelligence.
If remote working has proved anything, it is that the vast majority of people do not need to be watched over to do a good job. A survey of 2,000 US professionals reports 54% believed they are more productive working remotely with the main reasons cited as not having to commute, fewer meetings and fewer distractions from co-workers. Research by Bain & Co show that companies that excelled at managing time, talent collaboration and energy before the pandemic increased productivity by 5% to 8% during the pandemic. Contrast that with most organisations, which have “experienced a net reduction in productivity of 3% to 6% (or more) due to inefficient collaboration, wasteful ways of working, and an overall decline in employee engagement.” Given that these companies were already 40% more productive, the gap has widened.
It is clear that remote work is here to stay but it is not suited for all people or work. In the search for new normal, many CS leaders are looking at hybrid work models, blending office and remote sessions. Much of this is being done in response to demand from colleagues for a significant continuation of remote work. A spike in turnover in CS roles is, in part, driven by people wanting to retain a significant element of remote working, which more enlightened employers are responding to positively. Strategies for blocks of office and remote work time are however being done with little thought to the work itself. Some tasks lend themselves to remote work whereas other need the spark of face-to-face interaction. The pandemic has called into question many management practices: activity monitoring, performance management, development, motivation. Carrying over existing work practices to a hybrid location model misses the opportunity to rethink not just where but how things are done.
For me, this points to another change, not one referenced in the report, that is nibbling at the edge of the work of CS: new approaches to organisation and management. There is a growing body of practice led by pioneers like Haier, Spotify and Valve developing organisations that cut back radically on management and bureaucracy. Delivering high levels of productivity, customer satisfaction and people engagement, these new organisation models reduce significantly the number of management and administrative roles by developing self-managed teams with significantly more autonomy.
11 things CS leaders should do
As we experience a slow return to a steady state, the opportunity to rethink work is now with us. History of change following other economic shocks suggest those that rethink work win out. The more enlightened CS leaders will develop new ways to measure, enable and engage their people and customers. Here’s a few ideas of where to start.
Short term
Identify interventions where a lack of personal contact has negatively impacted customer engagement and retention. Address them up quickly.
Review budgets and allocate lower spend (eg travel) to engaging and developing colleagues.
Review tasks (not jobs) and determine which lend themselves best to remote and in-person work. Use this to guide your approach to remote/hybrid work.
Rethink your governance systems to better support hybrid working.
Review customer interactions to identify low-hanging fruit for automation.
Re-factor office space to better meet the needs of your hybrid work model.
Review home office/working arrangements to ensure colleagues who will be working at home long term have suitable facilities and protections in place.
Ask your people what aspects of management they missed working remotely and strip out any they didn’t value. Be prepared to be shocked as much of which is done in the name of management is not valued by those being managed!
Long term | https://medium.com/@david-customer-led-growth/customer-success-post-covid-893ea974e700 | ['David Jackson'] | 2021-09-14 09:58:18.243000+00:00 | ['Customer Success', 'Covid 19', 'Leadership'] |
Did you know the Silk Route lane still exists? Because I didn’t | Trains in Moscow bound for Bishkek
Once upon a merry time, we were all connected in Pangaea like a reluctant, intercontinental (and way more diverse) Brady Bunch. But alas, being the chanceless disciples we are of the ever-expanding Universe, our home fell apart, and the foundation that we thought was solid ground, proved to be, in fact, brittle. Just as orphaned kids are powerless to their guardians’ choices, we simply conformed in one fell swoop, along with the forgotten cities that sank deep within our famished oceans.
From an already limited number of universal experiences, I think “separation” is on everyone’s list—but to be bluntly specific, couldn’t it simply be separation anxiety?
What if that monumental break-up of our supercontinent was dutifully ingrained in our brains even before our existence? After all, didn’t we somewhat witness this “prehumously” as stardust? This could be the reason why we can identify loss even if it’s the first time we experience it. So achingly familiar in our bones, the result of multiple supernovae embedded this fragment of history in our DNA.
Could this also be the cause of feeling hiraeth?
hiraeth: (Welsh) a homesickness for a home you can’t return to
Attempting to recall words to a certain mother tongue of the soul, maybe an unexplainable longing for a home that perhaps never was, or could it also be the search for this missing entity?
Breakfast at Tiffany’s (1961) Dir. Blake Edwards
I have this gnawing lust for breaking free and being somewhere other than wherever I am. There’s always a bitter taste of discontentment in the back of my mouth which I’ve tried to neutralize with traveling or even moving houses. This craving to go to “a place” feels so concrete I can almost grind it with my teeth.
I just wish to be elsewhere… all the time, everywhere.
But then I’m often halted by the questions: where am I escaping to? and what am I breaking free from?
If you’ve ever watched Breakfast at Tiffany’s, then that question might sound familiar. Towards the end of the film, we see Paul Varjak fed up with Holly Golightly’s waxing poetic for her belonging to nowhere or nobody. Stepping out of the cab, he says, | https://medium.com/@annyongbluth/did-you-know-the-silk-route-lane-still-exists-because-i-didnt-cfb5245572cc | [] | 2021-03-17 11:10:22.916000+00:00 | ['Self Discovery', 'Starseed', 'Separation', 'Hiraeth', 'Nostalgia'] |
Model Selection Techniques in ML/AI with Python | In hunting down the solutions of ML related problems, various ML models are built and evaluated. Usually, model is decided based on your dataset by training and then evaluating unseen data. But it is always wise to have other better options hence model selection comes into picture.
Model selection can be like choosing either:
- a model with different hyper-parameters
or
- best among the candidate models
This blog discusses the various ways of selecting your best model. Selecting your model includes selecting the best-performed model in terms of accuracy, auc etc, and also less complex model. There are certain techniques that only focus on performance of model irrespective of its complexity which can lead to over-fitting and under-fitting situations. Also, more attention is given in the context of probabilistic model selection.
Choose Your Model
Multiple models are fitted and evaluated to choose the best. My research enlightened me with the chart.
Figure1
There are three ways of selecting your ML model in which two are the fields of probability and sampling. Let’s know about them.
Random Train/Test Split:
Data to be passed in model is divided into train and test, ratio wise. This can be achieved using train_test_split function of scikit-learn python library.
On re-running of train_test_split data code, results come out to be different on each run of code. So, you aren’t sure how exactly your model will perform on unseen data.
The uncertainty of model performance in this technique introduces the following techniques.
2. Resampling:
In resampling technique of model selection, for a set of iterations, data is resampled into train/test followed by training on train and evaluation on test set.
into train/test followed by training on train and evaluation on test set. Model chosen from this technique is assessed based on performance, not the model complexity.
not the model complexity. Performance is computed on out-of-sample data. Resampling techniques estimate the error by evaluating out-of-sample data aka unseen data.
- Strategies of resampling are such as K-Fold, StratifiedK-Fold etc.
For getting information in-depth on resampling strategies, it is recommended to visit Deeply Explained Cross-Validation in ML/AI.
3. Probabilistic Model Selection:
Probabilistic model selection is statistical methods whose quality can be measured by Information Criterion (IC). Its techniques involve scoring method that uses a probability framework of log-likelihood of Maximum Likelihood Estimation (MLE) to chose the best among candidate models.
A very useful way of selecting your model considering both performance and complexity, unlikely Resampling techniques.
Figure2
Let’s see more in-depth.
IC is a measure of statistics which leads to some score . Model with the lowest score means that less information is lost and considered as the best model . A single score is useless until you draw some comparison of scores of multiple models.
. Model with the means that and considered as the . A single score is useless until you draw some comparison of scores of multiple models. Model is chosen by scoring method whose scores are based on:
- Performance on train data is evaluated using log-likelihood which comes from the concept of MLE so as to optimize model parameters. It says about how well your model is fitted with your data.
- Model Complexity is evaluated using number of parameters (or degrees of freedom) in model.
- on train data is evaluated using which comes from the concept of MLE so as to optimize model parameters. It says about how well your model is fitted with your data. - is evaluated using number of parameters (or degrees of freedom) in model. Performance is computed on in-sample data which means test set is not required and the score is computed on whole train data directly.
Less complexity means a simple model with less parameters, easy to understand, and maintain but it can’t catch variations impacting the performance of a model.
Score rewards the models that achieve higher goodness-of-fit score and penalize them if they become over complex.
Common statistical methods are as follows:
~ AIC (Akaike Information Criterion) from frequentist probability
~ BIC (Bayesian Information Criterion) from bayesian probabaility
- These are calculated using Log-likelihood which includes MSE (regression) and log_loss such as cross_entropy (classification).
~ (Akaike Information Criterion) from frequentist probability ~ (Bayesian Information Criterion) from bayesian probabaility - These are which includes MSE (regression) and log_loss such as cross_entropy (classification). When models are fitted with AIC/BIC, there is a chance that when likelihood is getting increased by adding more parameters, over-fitting comes into picture. Thus, penalty term is added in the equation.
For instance for BIC,
When more parameters are added in model, model is largely penalized to overcome the possibility of over-fitting which sometimes leads to a very simple model. Second term is a likelihood function that identifies best parameters to fit the model and measures goodness of fit, hence performance.
Figure3
AIC/BIC is deeply explained and implemented in Probabilistic Model Selection with AIC/BIC.
When can you call your model as the best
Figure4
For the above curiosity question, here’s the answer.
Have you heard of bias-variance trade-off? Well, here’s an answer key.
Less complex (or too simple) model means few parameters leads to high bias-low variance leads to under-fitting. While more parameters lead to low bias-high variance leads to over-fitting. Either way, few or too many parameters imply poor performance of model. Thus, penalty term is added to keep a balance like when more parameters are added , model is penalized with a huge penalty leads to a simpler model.
When your model becomes capable of balancing bias and variance, then you are good to achieve further. | https://medium.com/analytics-vidhya/model-selection-techniques-in-ml-ai-with-python-fdf308d9fa10 | ['Shachi Kaul'] | 2020-06-01 16:42:18.410000+00:00 | ['Python Programming', 'Statistical Learning', 'Statistics', 'Data Science', 'Machine Learning'] |
How are you thinking? | Photo by Diego PH on Unsplash
Who hasn’t heard of lateral thinking? Just about each one of us- at some point we have all had managers or peers who have highlighted about “out of box thinking” and “lateral thinking “ to solve a not so rule- based problem at work.
And then came along the barrage of other thinking approaches….Systems thinking, Parallel thinking, Non- linear thinking, Art of Science thinking and Science of Art thinking, Creative thinking, Critical thinking and on and on…..
By the way for the ones who abuse and over do these concepts, Lateral Thinking is only a tool to get unstuck. After a brainstorming exercise, one should ideally go back to Vertical thinking. Bono in own book says that- we need Lateral Thinking only about 5% of the times — rest of the times, Vertical thinking is what will help us live in the world!
And then these days, you have the overdose of Design thinking- the Human centered and Empathetic thinking. Well, not only in the tech industry — where everyone wants to be/ to hire ‘design thinking’, particularly among product managers and designers. Its also the much talked about training or workshop in most of the analytics companies.
Have you wondered how these all differ? Or ever wondered which of these thinkers do you bracket yourself in?
Or do they all more or less just mean “Structured thinking “ with some glamour sprinkled on it! | https://medium.com/@gayatri-sub/how-are-you-thinking-c42f3c066f6b | [] | 2020-12-17 09:03:11.826000+00:00 | ['Thinking Out Loud', 'Thinking', 'Structured', 'Lateral Thinking'] |
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