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Digital Marketing | Is it Only Hype that Sells? | Following the lead
Originally published at www.beaconsocialmedia.com
In the marketing industry using emotion or hype to sell a product or service has very much become today’s trend. In fact, the use of this so called ‘enticing’ energy has become so deeply ingrained in society, that many of us do not even realise the hooking tactics businesses and marketeers are using to ‘draw us in’, and sadly, this is what marketeers are taught in their study and training.
This ‘hooking’ method of marketing for business is not unlike fishing. You bait the hook, with something that will appeal to the emotions of your desired catch, then sit back and wait for the haul to roll in. It is a method based purely on manipulation of people wants and desires.
Stop. At what point did we drop our standards in business and in life to allow such a game to go on, for go on it does and if we truly look around us, it is not only occurring in big industry, but it has now infiltrated all industries and all sectors of business marketing.
Today’s Marketing industry has lowered its standards to become a game that plays on people’s emotions, wants and desires.
Is it possible there is an alternative approach? One that is true and in fact honouring of the people it goes out to? Is it possible we have tainted the word marketing, which should simply be a term to describe ones sharing of their business as an offering to others around them?
These are big questions, however they are questions that can be answered simply.
The answer is yes. There is another approach, and yes, we can still market our businesses, but in a way that is not imposing, hooking, or manipulating of the people.
Yes, the word marketing has been tainted, and yet is it we, the industry and the people it targets who have allowed this to occur. Equally so, it is we who can turn this around.
It is true that emotional content is something people respond to. But does that give us permission to use manipulation tactics? This is a great question to consider.
On the other side of things, what of genuineness, honesty, integrity and the like. Do these things not appeal to each and every one of us? Could it be that perhaps they hold even more appeal then the tantalising energy of excitement or drama?
We say yes. It may not seem as exciting, but what it offers is something of unsurpassed and lasting value. And that is, true relationships with the people that we serve in our business and a pure joy in knowing we hold a level of integrity that we will not drop in any case. There is no reward greater than this.
You can read more about the author of this blog (pictured below) here | https://medium.com/multiplier-magazine/digital-marketing-is-it-only-hype-that-sells-b4c123fca92c | ['Beacon Social Media'] | 2018-02-24 18:15:08.264000+00:00 | ['Marketing', 'Business', 'Business Strategy', 'Social Media', 'Social Media Marketing'] |
Warner Bros. will debut all its 2021 movies on HBO Max as well as in theaters | Warner Bros. will debut all its 2021 movies on HBO Max as well as in theaters Monica Dec 7, 2020·3 min read
We’ve already seen one movie after another skip movie theaters for streaming this year thanks to the COVID-19 epidemic, but nothing comes close to what Warner Bros. just announced: Every one of its 2021 films will stream online the same day they hit theaters.
Even with Warner Bros.’s assurances that its day-and-date streaming plans will only last through the end of 2021, it’s still jaw-dropping news, and one can’t help but wonder if the move will forever change the way we go to the movies,
There is some fine print to consider, including the fact that Warner Bros.’s latest movies will stream on HBO Max for only a month following their release dates; after that, the films will continue to play in theaters before eventually heading for iTunes, Amazon Prime Video, Vudu, and the like. It’s unclear when they’ll return to HBO Max after that.
[ Further reading: Amazon Prime Video vs Hulu vs Netflix ]Warner Bros. parent company WarnerMedia also announced that all the studio’s 2021 movies would debut on HBO Max in 4K and HDR. Until now, HBO Max hasn’t supported 4K or HDR streaming, but Wonder Woman 1984, which is slated to hit HBO Max on Christmas Day, will be the streaming service’s first 4K HDR title.
In all, HBO Max will offer 17 Warner Bros movies on the same day they arrive in theaters, including The Little Things, Judas and the Black Messiah, Tom & Jerry, Godzilla vs. Kong, Mortal Kombat, Those Who Wish Me Dead, The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It, In The Heights, Space Jam: A New Legacy, The Suicide Squad, Reminiscence, Malignant, Dune, The Many Saints of Newark, King Richard, Cry Macho and Matrix 4.
Shocking though it is, Warner Bros. decision to send its 2021 movie slate directly to HBO Max also feels inevitable. With COVID cases surging around the world, it’s pretty clear that nothing, including going to the movies, will be returning to normal—or even close to normal—before next fall, or even later.
“No one wants films back on the big screen more than we do,” said Ann Sarnoff, Chair and CEO of WarnerMedia Studios and Networks Group, in a press release. “We know new content is the lifeblood of theatrical exhibition, but we have to balance this with the reality that most theaters in the U.S. will likely operate at reduced capacity throughout 2021.”
Warner Bros. maintains that its “hybrid distribution model” will only last a year, ending (hopefully) around the same time that the pandemic is finally over.
That said, could the traditional movie release window be gone for good? Nothing beats seeing a Hollywood blockbuster on the big screen, but now that so many of us have big 4K screens—and in many cases, high-end audio systems—in our living rooms, complete with HDR, Dolby Vision, and in some cases Dolby Atmos, the convenience of streaming the latest Marvel, Star Wars, or Matrix epic at home will be hard to pass up.
Of course, once we are finally done with COVID, the “theater or streaming?” dilemma will be a good one to have.
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/@monica89183327/warner-bros-will-debut-all-its-2021-movies-on-hbo-max-as-well-as-in-theaters-5de0ae1f5759 | [] | 2020-12-07 09:10:35.382000+00:00 | ['Lighting', 'Cord', 'Streaming', 'Consumer'] |
Real People Don’t Use UTM Codes | Real People Don’t Use UTM Codes
UTM codes are a great way to track the success of your online activities, but you shouldn’t use them. Avoid link shorteners too. Especially if your goal is to engage in authentic human-to-human conversations.
Caveat: If you are in a marketing organization driving marketing campaigns, you should totally use UTM codes. For example, this post from Lee Hurst begs marketers to start using more UTM codes.
So why shouldn’t you use UTM codes?
Human filtering
Every time we dive into social media (email, reddit, Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, …) our brains drown in a sea of information overload. We are in this site to find interesting links, but our brains have had to develop quick strategies to separate real content from ads.
Which of these links would you rather click on?
The answer is clear: The first one looks like a link that a friend would send to me. The second one looks like a link I would find on an email campaign. The third one tells me nothing, and will probably remain un-clicked.
These 3 links go to the same place, but the first looks way more trust-worthy than the rest.
Machine learning filtering
A savvy internet expert will quickly counter: “People don’t need to see the links, you can hide URLs behind text”.
That’s true — and there will be people that click on a link without first snooping into what URL is hidden behind. But not all filtering is done by human brains. Computers try hard to filter authentic links from noise for you.
Take email, reddit, Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook: They all try to surface links that are interesting to you, while filtering out spam. They all use machine learning to look at a link and score how interesting it might be to you. All of these ML models have been fed millions of annotated links, and all of these models have learned: If the link has an UTM code or if the link goes through an URL shortener, the probability of spam is much higher.
Let’s look at some data
For example, on reddit.com/r/programming during a given month 491 links had a score>5. Only one of these links had utm codes embedded:
/r/programming links don’t use utm codes (except 1 of 491)
Same on Hacker News: Looking at all the links with score>5 during 2020 so far, only a very small proportion of them have UTM codes embedded:
Hacker News links don’t use utm codes (except 49 of 36,170)
What about shorteners? 260 bitly URLs have been submitted to Hacker News this year, and their average score is 0:
Bitly links on Hacker News get an average score of 0
Queries
SELECT fhoffa.x.median(ARRAY_AGG(score)) median_score, url LIKE '%utm%' with_utm, COUNT(*) c
FROM `fh-bigquery.reddit_posts.2019_08`
WHERE score > 5
AND url>''
AND subreddit='programming'
GROUP BY 2; SELECT fhoffa.x.median(ARRAY_AGG(score)) median_score, url LIKE '%utm%' with_utm, COUNT(*) c
FROM `bigquery-public-data.hacker_news.full`
WHERE EXTRACT(YEAR FROM timestamp)=2020
AND score > 5
AND url>''
GROUP BY 2; SELECT ROUND(AVG(score)-1,1) avg_score, url LIKE '%bit.ly%' is_bitly, COUNT(*) c
FROM `bigquery-public-data.hacker_news.full`
WHERE EXTRACT(YEAR FROM timestamp)=2020
-- AND score > 5
AND url>''
GROUP BY 2
LIMIT 1000
UTM codes make it harder to re-share your content
Whenever I want to re-share an interesting link, I do so. But the link I got has UTM codes, now I have to work harder: Before sharing said link, I will need to clean it up, and remove al the UTM noise from it. Even more, if re-sharers don’t remove the existing UTMs, then all your analytics will become messed up with the wrong attribution.
If you want top social media influencers to naturally share your links, help them do so with minimum effort. They know their shares will be more successful without UTM codes, so help them by giving them clean links.
Shorteners are against the rules
On Medium, their rules:
To prevent fraud and abuse, you must, you may not: Include shortened URLs in your posts.
Medium rules agains shorteners. You may not “include shortened URLs in your posts”.
In fact, one of my friends was recently banned from Medium. The only flaggable behavior we found on their posts was the use of bitly links.
“Account suspended. Error 410. This account is under investigation or was found in violation of the Medium Rules”. If you use link shorteners on Medium, this might happen to you too.
This because URL shorteners are commonly used by spammers and abusers.
Quora seems to have similar policies (friends have had their content removed). And also people have strong negative reactions to UTM links. For example:
In summary
If you are driving marketing campaigns, use UTM codes.
If you are engaging in human-to-human conversations, don’t use UTM codes.
To avoid your links getting tagged as spam, don’t use URL shorteners or UTM tags.
To measure results without UTM codes… well, that’s for a future post.
Want more?
I’m Felipe Hoffa, a Developer Advocate for Google Cloud. Follow me on @felipehoffa, find my previous posts on medium.com/@hoffa, and all about BigQuery on reddit.com/r/bigquery. | https://medium.com/swlh/real-people-dont-use-utm-codes-30e6c12ea60 | ['Felipe Hoffa'] | 2020-08-12 22:41:54.717000+00:00 | ['Social Media', 'Analytics', 'Developer Relations', 'Marketing', 'Bigquery'] |
It’s Time for Kevin Hart to Decide What He Wants His Legacy to Be | This is where the “relative” in Hart’s “relatively unanimous approval rating” comes in. That’s because from the very beginning, a vocal LGBT population rang the alarm about Hart’s earlier stand-up material and tweets. Hart had done routines about beating up his son for having his first “gay moment.” He’d tweeted jokes about AIDS and used the “F” word. As often is the case, LGBT communities trying to hold Hart accountable were drowned out by the rest of us who laughed over their anguish. All that changed when Hart was picked to host the 2019 Oscars and those communities resurfaced those old clips and tweets all over again. This time, it caused a firestorm — the first mainstream scandal of Hart’s career. He’d had relationship scandals before but those were mostly confined to Black gossip circles. The Oscars controversy was on the morning talk shows.
Still, it could have all been a blip on the radar if Hart had simply apologized. Instead, he went on Instagram and said “I passed on the apology… I’ve addressed this several times. This is not the first time this has come up. I’ve addressed it. I’ve spoken on it. I’ve said where the rights and wrongs were.” The insinuation here was that Hart had already apologized for his comments, something he and his fans ran with. But in actuality, there’s no record of him ever previously apologizing. In 2015, for instance, when asked about his old jokes, he wrote it off as political correctness. “I wouldn’t tell that joke today, because when I said it, the times weren’t as sensitive as they are now,” he told Rolling Stone. “I think we love to make big deals out of things that aren’t necessarily big deals, because we can. These things become public spectacles.” Not quite the act of contrition anyone was looking for.
Ultimately, Hart posted a series of tweets about how he was stepping down from the Oscars while then apologizing for his old jokes. He even went on Ellen to continue his apology tour, which he could have just done in the beginning. But it was too late. Hart had become the face of a battle over “cancel culture,” using the example of his having to answer for years-old offenses as a symptom of a society that’s too sensitive to allow artists to express themselves. Hart was the symbol of a belief that free speech and comedy were under attack by a population of snowflakes hell-bent on ruining artistry. Whenever “cancel culture” arguments emerge, Hart’s name is sure to follow — as are the ahistorical claims that he was “kicked off” the Oscars. Dave Chappelle, another warrior on the front lines of a fictional war against “cancellation,” even did a whole bit on Hart as the victim.
He’s reminding us that accountability and understanding are concepts he simply refuses to demonstrate. And he’s providing more than enough justification for every fed-up fan who decides to walk away.
Hart, for his part, embraced the victim role, ignoring the fact that complaints about “cancel culture” only serve to silence legitimate movements and people who simply want a reckoning for the harm done to them. By doing so, Hart had to speak to a larger cultural battle — something he’s gravely unqualified to do. Every time he was called on to be an ambassador for a cultural reset, he fumbled.
Take his appearance on The Shop: Uninterrupted in 2019. When Lil Nas X spoke about homophobia and why he decided to come out, Hart spoke over him — “He said he was gay, so what?!” — feigning incredulity over why it would be a big deal for a Black queer man in hip-hop to come out. Hart gaslit X, using the same logic a White person uses when they say they don’t see color. It’s an act of silencing someone’s experience and struggle. I don’t know Hart’s intentions, but it certainly seemed like he was trying to use the conversation to show allyship with a community he hadn’t taken the time to make peace with — without even doing the work to understand what allyship looks like.
Hart sought out to regain control of the narrative at the beginning of 2020 with his Netflix documentary Don’t F**k This Up. The idea was that he would be able to explain everything in his own words, including the previously-revealed sex tape that showed he had cheated on his wife, Eniko, while she was eight months pregnant. (It bears mentioning that he confessed in part in order to get ahead of an alleged extortion attempt in 2017.)
The reality, again, did more harm than good. The doc showed a defiant, ill-informed man who cared more about his own ego than who he’s harming — even when that person is a gay creative executive trying to get him to understand why he’s so harmful. The one thing that seems to motivate Hart is the quest to become a billionaire, a desire he expressed many times in the doc.
Additionally, the way the documentary handled the Oscars fiasco was far outdone by its approach to the cheating scandal: a bizarre montage in which his close friends lined up to take blame for his cheating because they weren’t there to stop him. There’s no bigger sign than this that Hart is a man who doesn’t live by the same rules of accountability as the rest of us. Later in the doc, Hart handles an argument with his trainer (and Plastic Cup Boyz inner circle member), “Boss,” by holding wealth over the man’s head, insinuating that his money funds Boss’ lifestyle.
By the time the credits rolled, any scrappy underdog appeal Hart still had was gone. What we saw instead were private jets, ego, waving money in people’s faces, and a refusal to truly reckon with his wrongs. Hart was a brand, all right — a brand that was hurting people and had little interest in doing better.
It didn’t help that the string of PR debacles was happening just as Hart was at a creative nadir. His Netflix comedy specials What Now? and Irresponsible lacked the shimmering genius of his earlier works, instead relying on the same vocal inflections and a string of tepid catchphrases that had grown stale. Meanwhile, his movies, while still commercial hits, had been feeling just as warmed over.
Still, Hart could have released Zero F**ks Given and lived up to its name. People were always going to watch; all he needed to do was drop the special and keep it pushing. Instead, he’s reminding us how much he doesn’t give a fuck about bad reviews. He’s releasing videos explaining the nuances of whether or not he called his daughter a ho with zero self-awareness to realize that even having to make such a video means that you did something wrong along the way. And finally, he’s hopping in Clubhouse, trying to defend himself when people wonder if he’s funny.
Before Hart joined that Clubhouse conversation, I had already checked out the room, and found a lively discussion going on about freshness, creativity, and the nature of comedy. When I came back and Hart was on, he was doing what he’s become known for in these more serious exchanges of ideas: word vomit, circular logic, and empty-calorie gaslighting, all proof that he’s not doing the reading or considering anyone else’s thoughts. Hart swore that he was enjoying the discourse — all while kicking a Black woman out of the conversation. He was reminding us through his actions that accountability and understanding are concepts he simply refuses to demonstrate. And he’s providing more than enough justification for every fed-up fan who decides to walk away.
Hart is so fully established as a one-man entertainment conglomerate that quality can be an afterthought for the rest of his career. There’s no situation in which he’ll cease being a money-making commodity, and might even get to that three-comma end zone. He’ll still have Netflix specials. He’ll still have movies with The Rock. He’ll still be on every talk show and have any show he wants greenlit at any network he wants. There’s no stopping the gravy train any time soon.
All of which makes the appeal for him to do better even more important. Does he care about his work, or is he happy as long as his pockets get fatter? Does he care about being better or being richer? Does he want his audiences to laugh, or is he just happy they bought tickets? Hart can exist as a brand that loses his longtime supporters — or he can change, listen, and become someone we root for again. It’s all about if he’d rather be in a room full of strangers or be surrounded by the fans who made him who he is in the first place.
We know Hart gives a fuck about criticism. He just has to show that he gives a fuck about changing. | https://level.medium.com/its-time-for-kevin-hart-to-decide-what-he-wants-his-legacy-to-be-b73689206b8c | ['David Dennis'] | 2020-12-04 16:01:19.195000+00:00 | ['Comedy', 'Society', 'Culture', 'Kevin Hart', 'Race'] |
Silver Linings | Paralyzed is fear, but air doesn’t stay still,
Fluctuating lingers around our noses, our mouths, our eyes.
Laments and tears rain on dry stones, cracked open by
Humane cries among deserted tombs of an off-limits church.
Immobility at its place and stuttering uncertainty lock
Doors and gardens to children’s eruptions of freedom.
It’s true: anguish, grief, gloom, and solitude. But.
Walls keep bodies enclosed, but minds fly Pegasus
Through windows, trotting to win the sky of Spring.
Indisputably masked, but faces turn to the scent of
Sun and Zephyr, living impressions from nature’s actions.
Many deaths hurt hearts, but emotions bind and strengthen
Renewed parental and filial acknowledgement in Love.
Through the crevices of fear, still passing air
Brings oxygen and change.
Through souls’ buried sorrow, sprouting hope
Takes root in spirit and life.
Through glitters of collective love, a fresh new start
Explodes indomitable and contagious.
Prodigious human, rejoicing for just a thin slice of moon,
you find hidden silver linings and their precious boon. | https://medium.com/promposity/silverlinings-335f14f85f8 | ['Raffaella Ferretti'] | 2020-04-10 11:36:00.792000+00:00 | ['Love', 'Poem', 'Silver Lining', 'Poetry', 'Hope'] |
Insomniac Sleep Machine | For a journalist and critic, sleeping with your subjects is a potential conflict of interest, not to mention a monumental act of bad taste. But that’s what I’ve been doing with the OontZ Angle 3 Plus. This little portable speaker is my new bedtime music companion.
I was drawn to the OontZ because for me, bedtime music is a medical necessity. I have chronic insomnia. Without enhancers, I would sleep two or three hours every two or three nights. No one can go on like that. Drugs helped, for a while, but I reached the point where the elephant tranquilizers I was taking to bludgeon myself to sleep were losing effectiveness. Rather than increase the dose, I looked for enhancers. A blackout curtain helped. Slow, chiming music also became an indispensable part of my sleep regimen.
It has been 13 years since I’ve last written about this subject. I wrote about the Altec Lansing inMotion im600 twice that year. First I reviewed it. A few months later I announced that it had become my favorite means of playing music while falling asleep. It has faithfully lulled me to sleep ever since (with occasional help from a Soundmatters FoxL Dash 7).
At one point I had as many as three Altec units, the review sample and two more I bought. Since then one developed a mechanical buzz and had to be discarded. Another lost so much battery life as to become unusable, and two attempts to replace the battery failed. I was down to one Altec with two or three nights worth of running time when I bought the OontZ Angle 3 Plus. The OontZ brand arose out of Cambridge SoundWorks, a well-known loudspeaker maker.
Two features were crucial in my selection. First, because the single power outlet in my bedroom is not where my bedtime music system needs it to be, I need to use a battery-powered speaker. And because there are few chores I loathe as much as recharging hungry little batteries — see this token of my distaste — I need the speaker to run as long as possible on a charge so that I won’t have to mess with it more than once a week, assuming 60 minutes of playing time per night.
The OontZ far exceeds my requirements. It is rated to run an incredible 30 hours per charge when playing at two-thirds of maximum volume. In that respect it outpaces other OontZ products as well as most other portable speakers on the market. (If you know of something else that runs longer, let me hear about it in the comments section.)
Because I don’t want to damage the battery by running it all the way down, I usually wait no more than two weeks before recharging the OontZ. That comes to 14 hours, or about half of the rated playing time. Once every few nights I awaken in the middle of the night and go for another hour of music, so two weeks of active duty would come to roughly 20 hours out of the rated 30 — still a good margin of error.
The Angle 3 Plus is a triangular solid 6.5 inches wide and fewer than three inches high and long. The enclosure is plastic with perforated metal speaker grille and rubber end caps that are pleasing to the touch. It is not heavy but feels solid. Rubber-clad membrane controls are on one side. They include power, volume up, volume down, play, back, forward, and a Bluetooth pairing button.
Anti-wireless scofflaw that I am, I don’t use the Bluetooth function. Instead I use a short KabelDirekt mini-plug cable to link a gaggle of music players to the analog stereo mini-jack that sits beneath a rubber hatch near the controls, along with the USB-Micro jack used for charging. That way I don’t have to worry about running down my phone battery — or running out of music.
The music players include a vintage Astell & Kern AK100, the company’s first product and still a sterling performer, along with an AK Jr. I’ve also got a couple of ancient SanDisk Sansa players which continue to amaze with miracles of longevity — the older of the two has been in regular use for 13 years. Because they’re a lot thicker than most Apple products, they have room for bigger batteries that help them run longer.
The lone survivor of my fleet of iPods is a sixth-generation nano, the one with a touchscreen the size of a postage stamp. My three other iPod nanos and first-gen touch are essentially dead — their slim form factors were pleasing to the eye but did not leave room for batteries that would stand the test of time. When the 6G nano and a slowing iPad mini give up the ghost, my divorce from the Apple ecosystem, with its unconscionable planned obsolescence, will be complete.
Top: Altec Lansing im600. Middle: OontZ Angle 3 Plus. Bottom left to right: iPod nano 6G, SanDisk Sansa Fuze, SanDisk Sansa View, Astell & Kern AK Jr, Astell & Kern AK100.
Back to the OontZ: Two drivers of approximately 1.5–2 inches (at a guess) with neodymium magnets fire out of the front. Because of the unit’s triangular shape, they aim upward at a 45-degree angle. On the bottom is a flat rectangular bass radiator. It is an active driver and when you hold the unit you can feel it vibrating madly. Output power is a total 10 watts of peak power, which is not bad for an active speaker that runs for 30 hours.
The Angle 3 Plus has talents I will never use. It is certified IPX5 water resistant. When connected to a phone, it can serve as a hands-free speakerphone thanks to its built-in mic. And it can play while sitting on its broad base, with the bass driver aiming down, or standing on one triangular end cap. You try singing for 30 hours while standing on one foot. Trust me, it isn’t easy.
The Angle 3 Plus sounded good for its size but delivered a small fraction of the bass output you’d get from a full-size stereo system or even a larger powered speaker. The price of extreme efficiency was that Led Zeppelin’s ace Bonham/Jones rhythm section on “The Ocean” (Houses of the Holy, 24/96 FLAC) was decidedly on the light side. Even the lower strings of Jan Akkerman’s guitar on his all-acoustic Passion album (16/44.1 ALAC) were subdued.
Even so, I don’t play Led Zeppelin at night. I’m more likely to go for piano or chamber music. The OontZ delivered Beethoven’s third piano sonata (Alfred Brendel, 16/44.1 ALAC) with a light treatment of the left hand but a clean, listenable midrange. The slow movement of Schubert’s first piano Trio (Golub/Kaplan/Carr, 16.44.1 ALAC) showed relatively little plasticky coloration on the violin and cello. The top end, crucially with this kind of device, was not harsh or ragged at reasonable volume levels.
The OontZ certainly serves the guitar-synthesizer music I play most nights with commendable clarity and intelligibility. And as long as you don’t expect miracles, it does sound larger than its physical size, and plays as loud as you could reasonably want. I never quite reached the top of its volume limit — my ears gave out before the speaker did.
The OontZ line no longer includes the Angle 3 Plus but it does have a half-dozen models at presstime. The largest is the 11.5-inch-wide Angle Ultra Pro Edition; the smallest is the Angle Solo. Interestingly, none of the current models approaches the 30-hour playing time of the Angle 3 Plus. The one that comes closest is the 20-hour Angle 3 Ultra.
And how will the OontZ stand the test of time? Ask me a decade from now. | https://medium.com/@toycritic/insomniac-sleep-machine-19556410c8bf | ['Mark Fleischmann'] | 2020-08-07 21:29:59.227000+00:00 | ['Insomnia', 'Music', 'Audio', 'Electronics', 'Speakers'] |
Oversight of Quantum Entanglement in IT | Our mind craves to discover a causal connection in all cases of correlation. We want to know why, just like a four-year-old child. Because we only perceive the two events, we assume that one of them caused the other. However, in the vast majority of correlation occurrences, an unobserved event triggered both associated events.
We call anything correlated when two or more events occur at the same time. We frequently hear about correlations, particularly in the scientific section of the news. We hear phrases like “sugar causes cancer” and “smoking causes cancer.” In either situation, what is seen is a group of people who participate in some activity while also suffering from cancer. We assume the opposite since certain malignant lung cells do not cause a person to smoke. Establishing a causal link between two things, on the other hand, is extremely difficult. It took several years of research to confirm the link between smoking and lung cancer. But why is that?
In IT, this theory of correlation gives rise to something called quantum entanglement. For example-
Suppose there are 2 strings in a program-S1 and S2. Soon they will be converted into runners. They are also given additional values to increase the potential output. Let’s say that the additional values are A1 B1 and A2 B2. When the and A1 and A2 are accessed, the right derivative comes on… sometimes. Sometimes the wrong derivative comes on. The same is true of the A series of additional variables for both strings. In fact, no matter what the value is extracted, the derivative is completely random.
Our mind craves to discover a causal connection in all cases of correlation. We want to know why, just like a four-year-old child. Because we only perceive the two events, we assume that one of them caused the other. However, in the vast majority of correlation occurrences, an unobserved event triggered both associated events.
A well-known example is a fact that cities with more cops have more crime. Is it true that as crime increases, so does the number of police officers? Do more cops lead to more crime? Neither, in fact. In fact, just because there are more people, a city with a high population has both more police and more crime. This is referred to as a common cause. Because all possible common causes must be ruled out, yet there are infinitely many potentially concealed common causes, relatively few scientific investigations can say one thing causes another. To establish that smoking causes cancer, researchers had to rule out all other possibilities.
Similarly, a hidden variable is a term used in quantum IT operations to describe a shared cause. Because the cause must be traced back to a common point in space and time, these are commonly referred to as local hidden variables. Nonlocal correlations exist when correlations persist even after all probably shared explanations have been ruled out. As in the case of string operations, the constant derivative rules out the random output and the hidden variable establishes the practical throughput of the entire process.
Here are some of the main advantages of entanglement in quantum computing:
Quantum entanglement helps to resolve extremely complicated calculations easily such as extremely large systems of linear equations.
easily such as extremely large systems of linear equations. Quantum entanglement in IT makes it possible to simulate quantum systems not possible on traditional computers .
systems not possible on traditional . Since quantum computing is potentially thousands of times faster, it makes data processing more efficient.
Note: Quantum entanglement is non-local by default. Therefore, implying quantum computing into mainstream operations for any traditional B2B or B2c process can incur heavy duties on task audits and monitoring of quantum resources. From a developer’s POV, quantum computing requires a non-traditional coding approach where the single variable input can result in producing multiple variables fixed into non-local or hidden entities. | https://medium.com/@techgigdotcom/oversight-of-quantum-entanglement-in-it-390b60640899 | [] | 2021-06-16 12:53:14.884000+00:00 | ['It Industry', 'Quantum Computing', 'Pov', 'Quantum', 'Quantum Entanglement'] |
Lovers, Players, Seducer Book III | The Betrayal of Nicholas La Cour
Nicholas La Cour never expected to be betrayed.
Convicted of a crime he didn’t commit; it is only luck that proves his innocence.
Maëlle has always had a thing for bad boy Nicholas…
…and Nicholas has always had a thing for trouble.
After Nicholas left her at the altar, Maëlle wasn’t sure her heart would ever heal.
The wounds of the past run deep for both of them.
But despite their drama-filled past, their chemistry defies logic and burns hotter than ever.
As sparks fly and Maelle and Nicholas have the chance to reunite, will Nicholas sabotage their chance for happiness with his plans for revenge? Or will he finally focus on what truly matters?
Can they make love grow this time around?
Something both of them aren’t sure they can do…
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08DV9SL23/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_hsch_vapi_tkin_p2_i
A Betrayed man, a bride left at the altar, and a plan for revenge. Dive into the complex world of Nicholas in Book III of J. A. Jackson’s Lovers, Players The Seducer series and discover if love can transform even the best-laid plans? | https://medium.com/@jerreecejackson/lovers-players-seducer-book-iii-3477b674d175 | ['J. A. Jackson Author'] | 2020-12-21 06:30:46.338000+00:00 | ['Fiction', 'Love', 'Social Media', 'Self Improvement', 'Novel'] |
Billionaires’ Ball | For the false memory of Steve Jobs, master magician, who never wrote a line of code, drove his employees to suicide, was a terribly toxic father, an all round horrible human being, and yet is now worshiped as a Tech Saint.
Stars! Glamor! Celebrity!
Bill. Elon. Zuck. Bezos,
all smiling actor alchemists.
With the first billion
comes a grimoire filled
with spells, incantations,
magick to bedazzle and baffle
the other 99 percent.
To create a religion for robots.
The ignorant, fawning suckers
never get an even break,
but bow willingly to the gods
of money and live vicariously
through them, ignoring
the enchantments that
render them stupid, blind,
and happy. So pleased to be
warmed by the second-hand
radiance of the ultra-wealthy.
Each billionaire becomes
a divine celebrity:
For the rest, life reduced
to watching reality TV,
imagining that what they
see includes them, that
the grinning Titans are
just like you and me, and
if we only try hard enough,
money will come, make us Saints
dissolve our sins, set us free.
Really! Really! Really! | https://medium.com/resistance-poetry/billionaires-ball-7e8dbb69fa6b | ['Mike Essig'] | 2019-03-26 16:40:44.714000+00:00 | ['Billionaires', 'Wealth', 'Steve Jobs', 'Resistance Poetry', 'Poetry'] |
The Creativity Leap: Unleash Curiosity, Improvisation, and Intuition at Work | The Creativity Leap: Unleash Curiosity, Improvisation, and Intuition at Work
December book review
The Creativity Leap: Unleash Curiosity, Improvisation, and Intuition at Work, Natalie Nixon, 2020: Berrett-Koehler Publishers Inc
Consider this scenario. A kindergarten class is asked who would like to be an artist and most of the children put their hands up. A high school class is asked the same question and maybe ten per cent of the class put their hands up.
Consider another scenario. You are discussing creativity with a group of people. The consensus is that creativity is a good thing. Do you say, self-deprecatingly, something like “I wish I was creative. I don’t have a creative bone in my body”?
Natalie Nixon examines the underlying assumptions and beliefs behind these scenarios. In her book, she posits that creativity is not something that some lucky people are born with but something that all humans have. Creativity is abundant in the early years (think about those kindergarteners who love to paint, tell stories, move their bodies) but is gradually killed off by the structures of our schools and workplaces. What if we were taught how to use and develop our creativity instead of relegating it to the realm of the arts? How much more fulfilling would our personal and professional lives be if we could unleash the creativity that is inside all of us?
Nixon defines creativity as “the ability to toggle between wonder and rigor in order to solve problems and deliver novel value”. She identifies three practices that anyone can implement to increase their creative competency: inquiry, improvisation, and intuition. Each of these practices are discussed in detail with interviews with people from a wide variety of people; actors, perfumieres, restaurateurs, farmers, and more.
Now that we are living in the fourth industrial revolution (cloud technology, artificial intelligence, augmented reality, increased automation of jobs), creativity is more important than ever. Technology is intersecting with our lives in ways that it never has before. Nixon states that a ‘love/hate’ relationship with technology is not viable. Instead, we need creative thinking to ensure that technology is made human-centric and we have the capacity to solve new problems.
The Creativity Leap is easy to read. The ideas are clearly laid out and explained with useful analogies and examples. You could read this in a day if you wanted to, but there is a lot to digest so I suggest taking your time with the exercises. Each chapter ends with suggested creativity leap exercises for you and for your organisation. I liked the personal suggested exercise from Chapter 1: Create like your life depends on it: “Become a clumsy student at something”. This was something I advocated for when teaching students with learning disabilities. I found that many of my colleagues, well-meaning or otherwise, had either forgotten what it was like to be a student in the classroom or did not have the imagination to put themselves in the shoes of a student with a learning disability. The best teachers are creative and encourage creativity.
As we try to imagine a post-pandemic world, we need creative thinkers and doers who can envision how to improve society for all people. But that is not a job for a select, gifted few. It is something that we should all contribute to. So consider this, take a creativity leap and work on your creative competency, for yourself and your communities. | https://medium.com/the-innovation/the-creativity-leap-unleash-curiosity-improvisation-and-intuition-at-work-f445425e6373 | ['M Ainsley Blackman'] | 2020-12-03 01:01:03.474000+00:00 | ['Book Review', 'Work', 'Creativity', 'Books'] |
10 tips to stay sane during COVID-10 lock-down! | Here we talk about 10 self-love ideas for consideration during this lockdown. Find that work for you and try to integrate those into your daily schedule. Who knows, this boring lockdown can become the best time of your life.
Learn from the history
Mankind is not new to these kinds of pandemics; we have been through few like this in the past centuries. The most known of all is the 1918 Spanish flu which infected 500 million people worldwide. But this tragic event left a lot of useful inspirational stories about how to survive in difficult times.
Try to find out these stories and learn from them, you’ll be surprised that there could be many helpful ideas that you can adapt during your lockdown. Old pictures, videos, literature, or historical records are all good sources for you to learn about the interesting life in those tough times.
2. Rewire your mental well-being
Self-love during lockdown should not be limited to nourishing your body with healthy nutrition and spa. But you should also look after your mental, emotional, and spiritual side too. You are lucky that nature has answers for all of it.
You all know that when you spend time outside in nature, even as little as 10 minutes a day, it has a huge effect on your health, reducing anxiety and stress. You can rewire your mental well-being through nature without violating social distancing rules:
Walk barefoot in your garden
Do some stretches near the patio or in balcony
Take a couple of deep breaths after you wake up and regularly through the day
Listen to relaxing music in your garden and enjoy the warm sunshine touching your face.
You can use apps like “calm” and “headspace” to rejuvenate your mental well-being.
3. Love yourself first to love others
There is an old saying, “If you can’t love yourself, how the hell you’re going to love somebody else?” And, I truly believe that. This quote has really helped me develop as a better person and understand the importance of “self-love”, so that I can give something back to the community. You have to fill the bucket before you can water the flowers.
Therefore, why not take your time and ask yourself:
What can I do today to appreciate more for my well-being?
What can I do to give myself more care and love?
How can I support others and show gratitude?
What can I do to support others in these difficult times?
Remember, we are all in this together! It’s so important to practice compassion for yourself by taking care of yourself first, then only you’ll have the strength to help and support others.
“You can’t drive a car with empty tank!”
You can start with cooking healthy meals or enjoy home spa to relax your body and mind.
4. Practice healthy eating
These days it is more important to practice healthy living and boost your health during this difficult time. It starts with best nutrition.
A healthy immune system needs the right nutrients to enable your body to function optimally. We’re in a rare phase where most of us have a lot of time to find out different foods and healthy living strategies that we’ve never tried before and put them into practice.
There are many free resources online to help you to navigate the rocky road of eating well and feeling your best. From healthy recipes, fitness ideas to healthy living, figuring out what works for you is the key to have a quality time with yourself.
5. Explore the world digitally
It’s a shame that you couldn’t spend your Easter holiday with your friends and family. But there are many ways through which you can explore the world during lockdown without risking an inch from your door.
You can be easily do this by using google pictures and earth, for example. Or consider virtual day trips that you can now register for online. In there you simply enter the destination that you want to explore and see where the digital virtual tool can take you.
6. Find new exercises to boost physical well-being
I know it can be hard when you can’t go to the gym or your favourite fitness classes right now, but this should not be the excuse for not moving your bodies. There are many useful resources so that you can move your body in the comfort of your own home, or in your garden and even on the balcony. And you still can practice social distancing.
Check out online and discover the workouts that you would like to practice at home today to burn calories, lose weight, and feel great. These fun, safe, and efficient home workouts can get your body moving during lockdown.
7. Talk to someone
Communication and interaction with other humans is our very basic need, we all need to talk to somebody, particularly during this current global crisis. Lockdown could be a deserted place and you may possibly not get the support you need. But should remember that you are not alone and there is always somebody that you can talk to.
Here are a few charities which you can call. These are totally free and confidential. You can arrange online sessions or make a telephone appointment at the comfort of your home.
Anxiety UK. If you are diagnosed with an anxiety condition, then these are the people you should talk to.
If you are diagnosed with an anxiety condition, then these are the people you should talk to. Men’s Health Forum. They provide 24/7 stress support for men via text, chat, and email.
They provide 24/7 stress support for men via text, chat, and email. Minds. This charity promotes the viewpoints and needs of people with mental health problems.
This charity promotes the viewpoints and needs of people with mental health problems. Macmillan Cancer Support. They provide physical, emotional, and financial support to help you live life as fully as you can.
They provide physical, emotional, and financial support to help you live life as fully as you can. The Mix Specialise in providing free information and support for under 25's in the UK. They provide advice about sex, relationships, drugs, and mental health.
8. Have some fun at home
Because of the lockdown, we all have a lot of time to for ourselves and to spend with our dear ones. So, why not use this time to do things which bring in joy to life? Remember that a tiny thing can make a huge difference! Let’s discover some choices, shall we?
Baking a pie, baking a cake and cooking a healthy meal with your child.
Dance with your kids/partner at home.
Play online games with kids or sing with karaoke.
Explore and connect with online people who share the same interests, like, zoom meetings, WhatsApp, Facebook groups.
“If you can’t have fun yourself, how the hell you gonna entertain somebody else!”
9. Find a way to serve
Self-love during this time is not just about taking care of yourself, but also giving back and supporting others in need.
Seek out organisations that help elderly people or feed people; your local food bank or care home can be a great start. If you want to go for the extra mile, you could even support your local businesses, for example by ordering your grocery through independent producers that are losing business, etc.
10. Learn a new skill
Want to learn how to say “lockdown is a badass” in French? This is the great time to learn a new language or any other skill that you always wanted to learn.
Here are a few options that are suitable for every learner, organise time and also encourage other family members to join you, make learning fun!
Duolingo — This is easy to use free app for those who wants to learn new languages. 25 different languages are available.
This is easy to use free app for those who wants to learn new languages. 25 different languages are available. Do Yoga with me — Amazing online learning source for yoga lovers. Try their free online tutorials during this lockdown period, from stress-relieving breathing exercises and popular yoga postures, you can find 100s of helpful videos here.
Amazing online learning source for yoga lovers. Try their free online tutorials during this lockdown period, from stress-relieving breathing exercises and popular yoga postures, you can find 100s of helpful videos here. Harvard free online courses — The University offers many free online courses for people who want to learn new skills. Free courses.
Be kind, be compassionate to yourself and others. If you are able to help, donate, and give back to the world. Remember, every little help Helps.
Let’s all spread some love, positivity, smiles and help others in need.
Stay home and Stay safe. | https://medium.com/age-of-awareness/10-tips-to-stay-sane-during-covid-10-lock-down-3514ce509073 | ['Bhupinder Sandhu'] | 2020-05-06 12:55:10.372000+00:00 | ['Self Care', 'Self Love', 'Covid 19', 'Stay At Home', 'Helping Others'] |
Ask Baba Yaga: How Can I Stop Craving Male Attention? | Dear Baba Yaga,
I think I must crave male attention too much. I fear that, without it, I would feel invisible.
BABA YAGA:
When you seek others this way, you are invisible nonetheless. Yr shawl is covered in mirrors in which others admire themselves; this is why they greet you so passionately. It is good to be seen, but it is better to see. Find a being to look hard into, & you will see yrself and what is more than you.
Previously: How Do I Overcome My Guilt?
Taisia Kitaiskaia is a poet and writer living in Austin. She’s taking questions on behalf of Baba Yaga at askbabayaga [at] gmail.com.
Illustration of Baba Yaga’s hut by Katy Horan. | https://medium.com/the-hairpin/ask-baba-yaga-how-can-i-stop-craving-male-attention-41857dba32ab | ['Taisia Kitaiskaia'] | 2016-06-02 07:16:07.162000+00:00 | ['Ask Baba Yaga', 'Advice'] |
Announcing the native integration of API3 to Fantom | API3 is pleased to announce a collaboration with the Fantom Foundation and a native integration with the Fantom Opera Network. The API3 DAO will build and provide Airnode compatibility with Fantom’s Opera Network for expanded use in decentralized applications.
What is Fantom?
The Fantom Foundation is building a highly scalable blockchain ecosystem that facilitates technologies that are decentralized, scalable, and secure. Fantom’s team is made up of engineers, scientists, researchers, designers, and entrepreneurs all around the globe who all share the same vision for a world powered by Web 3.0.
Fantom’s Opera Network is a fully permissionless and open-source network powered by Fantom’s own consensus algorithm. It is secure, fast, and fully compatible with the Ethereum Virtual Machine and provides full smart-contract support through Solidity. Through the EVM, developers can utilize smart contracts on top of Fantom, and it allows projects to port their existing Ethereum dApps over to Fantom easily.
Native Integration
The Fantom network will integrate API3’s decentralized API’s and Airnode-enabled API’s into its platform. This will give developers building on the Fantom network access to all of the data that API3 provides through these solutions. API3 is excited to work together with Fantom through Airnode compatibility and pursue opportunities for further collaboration in building decentralized applications.
We’re incredibly excited to collaborate with the API3 DAO in creating Airnode compatibility with Fantom’s Opera Network, as it allows API providers to host Opera-native first-party oracles that developers can use in their decentralized applications. From an ecosystem developer perspective, it’s also a great addition to the existing array of oracle options on top of Opera, as dAPI’s give us access to data that is aggregated right from the source.
-Michael Kong, CEO/CIO Fantom Foundation
API3 is thrilled about the native integration with Fantom’s Opera Network and excited to provide the Fantom network with new data feed solutions. We look forward to collaborating further with Fantom Foundation and supporting their efforts to enable the creation of new, data-rich and scalable decentralized applications.
-Heikki Vänttinen, API3 co-founder.
What is API3?
API3 is building decentrally governed and quantifiably secure data feeds that power Web 3.0 applications without employing third-party intermediaries. API3’s dAPI’s are fully decentralized and blockchain-native APIs with quantifiable security.
API3’s dAPIs — which will be set up, managed, and monetized at scale by the API3 DAO — will be the next evolutionary step to meet the inevitably strict decentralization requirements of Web 3.0. Read our full whitepaper here.
API3 Links
Twitter — https://twitter.com/API3DAO
Telegram — https://t.me/API3DAO (Community Chat)
Discord — https://discord.gg/qnRrcfnm5W (Builder Chat)
Github — https://github.com/api3dao
Reddit — https://www.reddit.com/r/API3/
Medium — https://medium.com/api3 | https://medium.com/api3/announcing-the-native-integration-of-api3-to-fantom-40a5c7a88fbc | [] | 2020-12-22 15:01:59.011000+00:00 | ['API', 'Smart Contracts'] |
Sometimes, Time is Worth The Wait | POETRY
Sometimes, Time is Worth The Wait
To succeed
Photo by Nathan Dumlao on Unsplash
As the snow melted
Because of the sun’s heat
A song of tunes danced
Through the concrete streets
Making its way
across the creeks and stones,
I stand there in delight
and ecstasy,
as I learn a life-lesson.
Wait for the right time
Wait for the turn
To carve your niche
and make a mark. | https://medium.com/this-shall-be-our-story/waiting-for-the-right-time-e37a6e3c31e1 | ['Darshak Rana'] | 2020-10-13 02:55:29.349000+00:00 | ['Life Lessons', 'Motivation', 'Poetry', 'Time', 'Success'] |
Certified Organic Skin Care | Certified organic skin care is one of the beauty industry’s rapidly growing areas. It is likely that through the use of an array skin care and body products, typical women apply over two-hundred chemicals to their skin daily. Moreover, recent studies have shown that sixty percent of the chemicals are absorbed by the bloodstream. It has also been established that numerous people with eczema, skin complaints, and allergies have been provoked by chemicals in body and skin care products.
A lot of products for skin care are known or suspected to contain neutroxins, hormone disruptors, and carcinogens. Man-made fragrances, as well as those natural fragrances are often allergenic. Ingredients such as sheep’s wool may be polluted with pesticides. Other chemicals in these products interrelate with nitrites that form carcinogens known as nitrosamines.
The best means of steering clear of these artificial chemicals to enter the body is the use of only certified organic skin care products, which are chemical-free and fresh. So what are certified organic skin careproducts? These are products with organic components which have been grown without using artificial pesticides and fertilizers. The nagval regulations that govern organically grown produce, also forbid the utilization of ingredients that are genetically modified.
Products that claim to be organically grown must hold at least ninety-five percent of organically grown make. While a product that claims to be certified organic skin care product must be prepared with organic components containing seventy-percent of organically grown ingredients.
A lot of products for skin care, both from the mainstream companies and the natural, hold either triethanolamine (TEA) or diethanolamine (DEA), which may sometimes cause chemical reaction. Two foremost causes for irritation and allergy in products for skin care are preservatives and fragrances, which may sometimes cause reddened skin, irritation, watery eyes, or allergic reactions, as well as other reactions including restlessness, mood changes, memory lapses, nausea, depression, irritability, lethargy, and incapacity to concentrate.
Conventional skin care products frena need bactericides and preservatives to protect them from contamination, and most of these components release irritating and allergenic reactions. They can never do away with using these ingredients as they serve as one of the main components of the product. Certified organic skincare products offer a great alternative for skin care with much more benefits: both on the outside gently yet effectively caring for the skin, and the inside not being intoxicated with chemicals. | https://medium.com/@fzahra.acharki/certified-organic-skin-care-a2a0b76b1fe3 | ['Fatima Zahra Ach'] | 2019-06-21 11:49:19.397000+00:00 | ['Health Care Reform', 'Headlines', 'Organic Healthy Food', 'Organic', 'Health'] |
Second-hand Site JIMOTY: English Shopping Guide | Second-hand Site JIMOTY: English Shopping Guide
JIMOTY (ジモティー) is a site much like Craigslist where users list items to sell and others buy. Prices can be negotiated and the pick-up location is usually set by the seller . For example, if they live in Shibuya, then they’ll set the pick-up place near Shibuya station. There’s an in-app mail system for working out these details.
Today I’ll show a step by step guide to searching for goods on JIMOTY and how to contact a buyer to arrange purchase. It will open up a whole new world of buying opportunities for you in Japan, especially if you like to bargain hunt!
Be sure you have downloaded the JIMOTY app to get started since all my screenshots and instructions come from the official app. See the image below to find out how to register with an email address. Just enter the info in each slot and you’ll be good to go! Your nickname can be anything, English is fine.
Registration
So let’s see the homepage of your app to start shopping.
Shopping
You’ll want to go down to the bottom left side and click the search button, this magnifying glass. Simple.
Next, type the brand name or item you’re looking for. If you want to get the most results, Google translate the name of what you want to find and paste the Japanese word in here.
Be sure to choose the area where you want to buy. I live in Tokyo so my example shows “東京都” which is the kanji for Tokyo. If you live in a different area just find out the kanji for your city and choose it from the list. Wikipedia is good for this (find your city page in English and then change it to Japanese for the correct kanji).
Just choose the city you live in and press the green button below when you’re all done. The part highlighted in yellow shows the number of results for the item you’re searching for in that city. In this case there are 57 Samantha Vega brand items being sold in Tokyo.
This is the fun part! Browse the results! Click on the items that you have an interest in.
If you found an item you love and really want to buy, click the green button I’ve circled in purple to contact the buyer. You have to communicate with the buyer to arrange the purchase much like Craigslist.
Up next is maybe the most tricky part. You need to send the seller your request to buy the item. If you know a little Japanese it helps but Google translate will help you here! I’ve purchased plenty of items on JIMOTY by using an online translator to both write and read the messages. Keep your English very simple. See below for a few useful phrases. | https://medium.com/@emilyjkitazawa/second-hand-site-jimoty-english-shopping-guide-faf188e01049 | [] | 2019-03-09 13:16:09.951000+00:00 | ['Guides And Tutorials', 'Travel', 'Japan', 'Shopping', 'Japanese'] |
india post gds recruitment 2020,india post up gds online form 2020 | india post gds recruitment 2020,india post up gds online form 2020 Dsaienterprises ·Dec 14, 2020
Homelatest post india post gds recruitment 2020,india post up gds online form 2020
india post up gds online form 2020
Department Of Post of India Are Invited Online Application Form for Various Post s. some eligibility is for this all notifications are given below. if you are interested then apply on their official website. if you are eligible for this post and all requirements are clear then fill the form. all-important dates are given below.
Indian Post Vacancy district-wise information
Pay the Exam Fee through Online Debit Card, Credit Card, Net Banking OR India Post E Challan Submit At Nearest Head Post Office. | https://medium.com/@dsaienterprises2018/india-post-gds-recruitment-2020-india-post-up-gds-online-form-2020-73b0b5c3d097 | [] | 2020-12-14 06:40:53.545000+00:00 | ['Job Search', 'Government', 'Latest News', 'Jobs'] |
Another Kind of Eye Anatomy | The look of kindness, like a warm hug
Too much or too little light, the iris blossom
The vision is clear, the breath is there
In the eyes everything makes sense
There are unspoken stories
Iconic bonding
Lost natural beauty into the deep ocean
Take that look at someone in slow motion
A glance is enough to see inside
There are smiles and storms
Tests, examinations, nothing to compare
The view may change but anyway you’ll never be the same
A. | https://medium.com/blueinsight/another-kind-of-eye-anatomy-616321638996 | ['Alexandra Androne'] | 2020-10-23 13:12:43.065000+00:00 | ['Poetry', 'Emotions', 'Blue Insights', 'Beauty', 'Eyes'] |
Understanding How Schools Work with Canonical Correlation Analysis | Understanding How Schools Work with Canonical Correlation Analysis
Photo by peter bucks on Unsplash
Us data scientists spend most of our time analysing relationships and patterns in our data. Most of our exploratory tools, however, focus on one-to-one relationships. But what if we want to have a more generalised view and find commonalities and patterns between certain groups of variables?
This post includes:
an introduction to Canonical Correlation Analysis that lets us identify associations among groups of variables at a time.
a CCA tutorial in Python on how school environment affects students’ performance.
So what is CCA, anyways?
Suppose we want to find out how a school’s ambience affects its students’ academic success. On one hand, we have variables about the level of support, trust and collaboration in their learning environment. On the other hand, we have students’ academic records and test results.
CCA lets us explore associations between these two sets of variables as a whole, rather than considering them on an individual basis. Loosely speaking, we come up with a collective representation (a latent variable called canonical variate) for each of these variable sets in a way that the correlation between those variates is maximised.
First Things First, Why is CCA Useful?
Before diving into a pile of equations, let’s see why it’s worth the effort.
With CCA we can:
Find out whether two sets of variables are independent or, measure the magnitude of their relationship if there is one.
Interpret the nature of their relationship by assessing each variable’s contribution to the canonical variates (i.e. components) and find what dimensions are common between the two sets.
Summarise relationships into a lesser number of statistics.
Conduct a dimensionality reduction that takes into account the existence of certain variable groups.
Constructing Canonical Variates
Given two sets of variables:
We construct the first pair of Canonical Variates as linear combinations of the variables in each group:
where the weights (a1, … ap), (b1, … , bq) are chosen in a way that the correlation between the two variates is maximised.
Calculating first Canonical Variates.
Having our pair of covariates:
The Canonical Correlation Coefficient is the correlation between the canonical variates CVX and CVY.
To compute the second pair of covariates, we conduct the same process by adding one more constraint: each new variate should be orthogonal and uncorrelated to the previous ones.
Computing second pair of variates.
We compute min(p,q) pairs in a similar fashion and end up with min(p,q) components ready to explore. (Note that the number of variables in each set doesn’t have to be the same.)
Just as in PCA, we project our data onto min(p,q) latent dimensions. However, not all of them might be informative and important. Let’s see the makeup and interpretation of our canonical variates in the example below.
NYC School Data
We’ll be using two variable groups from NYC schools dataset:
Group 1: Environment Metrics
Rigorous Instruction %
Collaborative Teachers %
Supportive Environment %
Effective School Leadership %
Family-Community Ties %
Trust %
Group 2: Performance Metrics
Average ELA Proficiency
Average Math Proficiency
As for the tool, we’ll be using the pyrcca implementation.
We start with separating each of our variable groups in a single dataframe:
import pandas as pd
import numpy as np
df = pd.read_csv('2016 School Explorer.csv') # choose relevant features
df = df[['Rigorous Instruction %',
'Collaborative Teachers %',
'Supportive Environment %',
'Effective School Leadership %',
'Strong Family-Community Ties %',
'Trust %','Average ELA Proficiency',
'Average Math Proficiency']] # drop missing values
df = df.dropna() # separate X and Y groups X = df[['Rigorous Instruction %',
'Collaborative Teachers %',
'Supportive Environment %',
'Effective School Leadership %',
'Strong Family-Community Ties %',
'Trust %'
]] Y = df[['Average ELA Proficiency',
'Average Math Proficiency']]
Group X
Group Y
Convert group X into numeric variables and standardise the data:
for col in X.columns:
X[col] = X[col].str.strip('%')
X[col] = X[col].astype('int') # Standardise the data from sklearn.preprocessing import StandardScaler
sc = StandardScaler(with_mean=True, with_std=True)
X_sc = sc.fit_transform(X)
Y_sc = sc.fit_transform(Y)
After relevant preprocessing, we’re ready to apply CCA. Note that we set the regularisation parameter to 0 as regularised CCA is out of the scope of this post (we will get back to this in future posts though).
import pyrcca
nComponents = 2 # min(p,q) components
cca = pyrcca.CCA(kernelcca = False, reg = 0., numCC = nComponents,)
# train on data
cca.train([X_sc, Y_sc])
print('Canonical Correlation Per Component Pair:',cca.cancorrs)
print('% Shared Variance:',cca.cancorrs**2)
The meaning behind the numbers
Cannonical Correlations
>> Canonical Correlation Per Component Pair: [0.46059902 0.18447786]
>> % Shared Variance: [0.21215146 0.03403208]
For our two pairs of canonical variates, we have canonical correlations of 0.46 and 0.18 respectively. So, latent representations of school ambience and students’ performance do have a positive correlation of 0.46 and share 21 percent of variance.
Squared canonical correlation represents the shared variance by the latent representations of variable sets, and not the variance inferred from the sets of variables themselves.
Canonical Weights
In order to access the weights assigned to our standardised variables (a1, … , ap) and (b1, … , bq) we use cca.ws :
cca.ws >> [array([[-0.00375779, 0.0078263 ],
[ 0.00061439, -0.00357358],
[-0.02054012, -0.0083491 ],
[-0.01252477, 0.02976148],
[ 0.00046503, -0.00905069],
[ 0.01415084, -0.01264106]]),
array([[ 0.00632283, 0.05721601],
[-0.02606459, -0.05132531]])]
Given these weights, the canonical variates of set Y, for example, were calculated with the following formula:
Weights assigned to standardised variables.
where the weights can be interpreted as the coefficients in a linear regression model. We should take into account that it is not highly recommended to rely on weights when interpreting individual variable contribution to covariates.
Here’s why:
Weights are subject to variability from one sample to another.
Weights can be highly affected by multicollinearity (which is quite common for same-context variable groups).
Relying on canonical loadings instead is a more common practice.
Canonical Loadings
Canonical loadings are nothing more than the correlation between the original variable and the canonical variate of that set. For example, to assess the contribution of Trust in school environment representation, we calculate the correlation between the variable Trust and the resulting variate for variable set X.
Calculating loadings for group Y in the first variate:
print('Loading for Math Score:',np.corrcoef(cca.comps[0][:,0],Y_sc[:,0])[0,1])
print('Loading for ELA Score:',np.corrcoef(cca.comps[0][:,0],Y_sc[:,1])[0,1]) >> Loading for Math Score: -0.4106778140971078
>> Loading for ELA Score: -0.4578120954218724
Canonical Covariates
Finally, we might want to access the covariate values directly, be it for visualisation or any other purpose.
To do so, we need:
# CVX
cca.comps[0]
# First CV for X
cca.comps[0][:,0]
# Second CV for X
cca.comps[0][:,1]
# CVY
cca.comps[1]
# First CV for Y
cca.comps[1][:,0]
# Second CV for Y
cca.comps[1][:,1]
That’s about it!
Hope you find this helpful and use CCA more in your EDA routine.
-Keep Exploring | https://towardsdatascience.com/understanding-how-schools-work-with-canonical-correlation-analysis-4c9a88c6b913 | ['Liana Mehrabyan'] | 2020-03-06 14:07:47.186000+00:00 | ['Towards Data Science', 'Data Science', 'Dimensionality Reduction', 'Machine Learning', 'Exploratory Data Analysis'] |
Mandalorian Ep. 7 was the Best Episode this Season (Spoilers) | Screenshot: Disney
I know that saying that the most recent episode of the Mandalorian is a bold statement, after a season that has given us some amazing episodes.
looking back at previous episodes this season has been absolutely fantastic. I am a big fan of the the animated Star Wars series Rebels, so I was very happy to see the introduction of Ashoka to the show.
We have also seen the introduction of Bo-Katan another Rebels character. This is still not mentioning Boba Fett’s return and so many other amazing characters and plot points that we have seen this season.
So, after such an amazing season with so many great characters, why is that I believe that episode 7 of Mandalorian was so important. Let me explain.
Episode 7, The Believer, was a slower episode that was meant to show us the perspective of the other side. It gave us a look at storm troopers struggles. The show even early on in the episode uses Bill Burr’s Mayfield as a device to carry the message that wherever you grow up is the message that you believe.
This message is carried out through the episode. We see that Cara Dune does not want to work with Mayfield, we see that the pirates want to destroy the empire for militarizing their planet and that the message can even change as we see Mayfield’s character get revenge against the empire.
Speaking of Mayfield, I am also really impressed with the way that they used his character in this episode. While I like the episode where they sneak on the ship from the previous season, and then the Mandalorian takes them all out one by one. I did not feel that Mayfield was all that interesting of a character, I didn’t really think anyone in that episode was all that interesting. It was a pleasant surprise to see them bring this character back and actually make him interesting.
Yet, even with all these great moments I have not touched on why I think that episode 7 is the best episode of the season. It all lies in the structure of this episode. The episode starts out with them picking up Mayfield. He is freaked out when he sees Boba Fett, then realizes that it is not Mando, but then gets freaked again when he does see Mando.
The episode then tasks the group with breaking into a base controlled by the empire. There is great action in this episode and they kill a lot of Storm troopers and blow up their base. I personally loved this as it reminds me a lot of Rebels. Rebels was always about them going into bases filled with storm troopers and sabotaging the bases.
Finally, we have the moment that Mando has to take off his helmet in order to have the empire’s system scan his face. This moment is super important, as earlier in the episode Mayfield talks about how everyone has their line, but sometimes it has to be moved. This is an example of Mando doing something he truly does not believe he should do, in order to save Grogu. It then leads to another great moment where Mayfield hands a trooper helmet back to him and tells him you did what you had to, I never saw your face.
This episode was so important, developmentally for so many characters. It changed Mayfield’s outlook on the empire, it changed Mando’s outlook on what lines he’s willing to cross and it changed Cara Dune’s out look on Mayfield who she just saw as a member of the empire. It makes me so excited for what episode 8 will bring, what did you think of episode 7? Let me know in the comments. | https://medium.com/@connor636/mandalorian-ep-7-was-the-best-episode-this-season-spoilers-a595e199c29f | ['Connor Edrington'] | 2020-12-13 16:13:59.520000+00:00 | ['Star Wars', 'Disney Plus', 'Mandalorian'] |
The best free and paid online monitoring tools for PR right now | You’ve worked hard to get that story out there, now you need to collate the coverage. But how do you find your hits?
CoverageBook does not have a monitoring feature. But it’s an essential part of the job of reporting on coverage so we have collated, tried and tested some of the biggest services to give you the lowdown on media monitoring.
Here is a list of 20.
If we’ve missed any please let us know!
Free Tools
***Our picks***
Mention
Mention covers news sites as well as social networks like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram and pride themselves on being a comprehensive media monitoring tool which covers 42 languages!
“From social media to PR mentions, user reviews to blog comments, Mention helps leading brands track the most important conversations about their brand, competitors, and industry online. If you need it, it also covers sources in 42 languages!”
Sandra Chung, Content marketing manager at Mention
There is a free trial and after that you are moved to a free plan which includes 1 alert and 250 monthly mentions. If you need more, prices start from only $29 a month.
TOP TIPS
Make sure you click ‘view all mentions’ to make sure you are getting everything each day — I know I have been guilty of missing some this way
If your team uses Slack you can integrate the mentions over to a Slack channel
Talkwalker Alerts
This is a stand alone tool from the guys that make Talkwalker Analytics which is a social listening and analytics tool (which also has brand image recognition capabilities, and a more in-depth alerts systems to alert users based on a range of criteria). They boast that they collect data from a wider range of sources than most tools but overall is a super simple free tool that is very similar to Google Alerts but appears to have greater coverage.
Best of the rest
When I first started in online PR this was one of the first tools I found to monitor for online coverage. This used to be my go to — but I have found lately that it just doesn’t find everything, the tool often goes down too. However, it is free and can be set up in 5 minutes. You only get an email when it finds something (and you can set it to once a day at a specified time) so there is no harm in having this set up alongside whatever monitoring tool you choose.
Google search
There may be lots of fancy pants monitoring out there but it’s always worth checking back to good old Google — word on the streets is it’s pretty powerful! However with so many results it can seem impossible to find your coverage. So it’s useful to swat up on Boolean Search to find some tricks on using Google to find coverage. Here’s a really handy infographic to print out until you are really familiar with the rules.
Here’s using these rules in practice:
In this example it was filtering for only exact mentions of “North St. Bags” but then I also excluded content on the actual website northstbags.com to avoid google showing new/fresh content updates in this site. You can see the results here
With NewsMeter you are allowed a single user and single keyword before having to jump to a paid package. You can set yourself up in only a few minutes, search past data and have a dashboard similar to that of a paid tool. If you register you can also set yourself up notifications. The downside though is the site can be a bit glitchy.
Paid Tools
***Our picks***
Great value — Buzzsumo
Buzzsumo was built to look at how engaging your content is but I use my Buzzsumo account for monitoring coverage. You can track your own mentions by setting up an alert for your brand(s) and you’ll be emailed when the term is mentioned. It’s easy to share and amplify coverage from within the app. I also really like how in addition to being alerted to coverage, you can see which piece of coverage is shared/engaged with the most too.
“BuzzSumo is specifically focused on identifying and tracking engaging content. Thus we track social interactions, links and who is sharing content. We also track the most engaging Facebook posts and the questions people are asking. For questions we crawl the whole of Reddit, Quora, Amazon and 200,000 other forums. We crawl and index billions of content items each year and have a database going back 5 years”
Steve Rayson, director Buzzsumo
Cost — There is a feemium version of the app where you can have a fully featured free trial then paid plans start from $99 a month
TOP TIPS
-Use the in app share buttons to share the coverage as it comes in, amplifying the piece further
-Put in your competitor domains to see their top content and who is sharing it to find influencers
Great US and Broadcast coverage — Critical Mention
Critical Mention are renowned for their broadcast and video coverage and boast themselves on finding coverage 8x faster than the industry standard, so if you need to be alerted to coverage fast it is worth checking them out.
“PR professionals at organizations both large and small rely on Critical Mention’s lightning fast platform year after year to quickly and easily alert them to coverage in real-time from 2,200 global TV and radio signals, millions of online news sources from 270 countries in 91 languages as well as social media. Reporting and sharing is done in minutes, and dedicated 24/7/365 account support is ready should you need help. We’re on it so you’re on it.”
Steve Shannon, SVP Sales and Marketing
Best of the rest:
Unless stated, these companies all provide bespoke prices and demos so you need to get in touch for information specific for your needs.
Agility PR solutions offer two packages. For those who are money rich and time poor, they can manage your monitoring for you and cut through the noise, making sure you are only sent clean data, or you can choose the cheaper package and do it yourself. Whichever package you choose it covers varying degrees of social media, print and broadcast coverage so it could be your one stop shop for all your monitoring.
Brand24 is really easy to use and pretty thorough. They have a free 14 day trial so you can easily try before you buy. They have great customer services reps who get in touch and suggest amendments to your search terms and are efficient and speedy with any questions you may have. You can view the results in a variety of dashboards, or export to an excel to build up a clean coverage tracker. Prices start from $49.
They describe themselves as hands down the most comprehensive US media monitoring service and cover local and national print, online, broadcast, and social media sources so if the most of your coverage is from US titles this is worth looking into.
One of the few services that provide print, television and radio monitoring, they also convert speech to text across 40 countries so you’ll only need to have the one monitoring service. If you have heard of Custom scoop — they joined the CARMA family a few years ago.
One of the biggest media monitoring companies, with global ambitions — they can source all of your media coverage, from print to online to broadcast. Results can be viewed on their coverage portals, and then analytics can be layered on top of this. Our experience finds that many people only use a fraction of the functionality available to them by these companies. For example, have you noticed the export to Excel button on the media coverage portal? It’s a great way to save time when putting coverage trackers together.
In 2016 Precise media rebranded as Kantar Media. They offer a comprehensive monitoring service covering everything from traditional media, to online, forums, social and broadcast. Kantar look to help you determine what is driving the coverage and allows you to access your portal on any device.
A leading social media intelligence out of France and making waves in other markets too, it uses a combination of really smart tech called Radarly, beautifully delivered, with a layer of human consultancy on the top. It has great image and logo recognition capabilities so great for visual brand tracking as well as having strong data from global social channels too such as Sina Weibo. Some of the smartest minds have moved on from leading monitoring agencies to Linkfluence, adding knowledge and experience to their human consultancy offering.
Mediatoolkit also have a free 14 day trial so you can see what you will be getting. They have a very simple set up process and you’ll be up and running in a matter of minutes. You can set up an email to be sent at a certain time so you can plan for your latest coverage to be at the top of your inbox when you arrive to compile your coverage emails. After the free trial, prices start from €49.
Meltwater is one of the biggest global names and with over 9 years worth of historical data, they claim to be the only ‘all-in-one’ provider with global access to online, print broadcast and social. There’s no free trial and their services is ‘modular’ so the pricing and packages are bespoke to each client — but it is one of the biggest players so if you were looking for global reporting it would be worth setting up a call to see if they are right for you.
Signal media boast using AI technology to power their media monitoring so that you only get the most relevant coverage and news in your results. All pricing is bespoke to each customer so you’ll need to get in touch for your individualised quote.
Trackur is a social media monitoring tool — but it does cover some news blogs. The tool is definitely more geared for social media so you may want to supplement it for your online coverage. While its interface is a bit bland, I really like how it lists the results and you can see a snippet and drop down for more information, bookmark, email or share each one. There’s a free 10 day trial and then prices start from $97 a month for 50 saved searches.
One of the bigger players in media monitoring, Trendkite monitors online, print, radio and broadcast (but you’ll have go supplement your social coverage) originally based in Austin, they have recently opened an EMEA office in London. One of their most interesting features is their spike alert where you can be notified if there is a spike in coverage for you or a competitor.
Although they can cover global campaigns, their specialities lie in US coverage. If you are looking for US focused coverage, they monitor everything from press, TV, radio, web, and social media and you can download the Radio and TV clips in high res formats. As well as AI, Universal Informations use trained editors, broadcasters, and analysts to ensure accuracy. They can set up a free trial where you can check how well they capture your brand (but you’ll only have access to a daily emailed coverage summary rather than the full dashboard). Monitoring starts at $125/month with unlimited keywords, unlimited searches, unlimited results, and access to the SmartView portal.
If there is a tool you think should be on this list but isn’t do let us know.
Next you have to pick a provider and begin monitoring for coverage. If you are unsure of where to go from here — the next post in the series, Managing media monitoring will help you choose a monitoring tool and start gathering your hard earned coverage.
(This is an update of our very popular 2016 post which reviewed 6 monitoring solutions) | https://medium.com/the-resolution/6-of-the-best-online-monitoring-tools-for-pr-right-now-b0277484a967 | ['Laura Joint'] | 2019-08-09 11:04:44.985000+00:00 | ['Media Monitoring', 'Pr', 'Public Relations', 'Marketing'] |
How to Change Your Brain In Your 20s (Despite Everything) | We’ve all laughed about going crazy from isolation. “My last braincell,” “smooth brain,” “brain worms,” etc., popped up a lot. As ever, humor copes with fear.
Legitimate fears, in a year of lockdown limbo.
Early on in the pandemic — mindlessly playing a Nintendo Switch through government announcements of stricter lockdowns, more death — I was worried about regressing to a teenager. Getting dumber, forgetting words, how to socialize, losing independence as a young adult, or having my mental well-being eroded in lockdown.
Instead, my brain genuinely feels more peaceful in December 2020 than in December 2019. I know — I’m surprised too.
It didn’t happen by magic. There is no magical immunity to being affected by COVID-19 this year.
Just knowledge, a slow adjustment process, and effort.
Most of all, effort around answering one question:
What habits can we establish to beat the mental drain of a pandemic and still grow as people?
If a Psychology degree doesn’t come in handy when experiencing a globe-wide traumatic event: when would it, right?
Here are some simple, condensed insights from Psychology & Neuroscience to answer that question. They’ve reassured me that my brain isn’t turning into a puddle and helped me like mental floss. I hope they can do the same for you.
No more brain worms. | https://medium.com/the-post-grad-survival-guide/how-to-change-your-brain-in-your-20s-despite-everything-5400d0d2a623 | ['Hannah Davies'] | 2020-12-15 16:58:59.936000+00:00 | ['Personal Growth', 'Growing Up', 'Neuroscience', 'Mental Health', 'Psychology'] |
Christmas is over. Christ lives on. | Christmas 2020 is over. It may be remembered as the loneliest Christmas the world might have spent in ‘peace time’.
As the Instagram stories disappear, the Whatsapp groups move on from the forwarded greetings, I cannot help but think, what is the point of Christmas ? What significance does it hold in the world today?
Is the message of the Christ still relevant in today’s context?
Spoiler alert : Yes it does. Yes, He does matter.
Let’s take a step back to see what does the Bible say about His birth.
“The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”)” — Matthew 1:23
Old Covenant
In Eden, God was with His first creation, Adam and Eve. They both rebelled against God which created the division between Heaven and Earth. Had they not done what they had done, we would all have been in Paradise forever and ever). The distance between human and God grew more and more. Humans acted He set up a covenant, a promise, with the people of Israel and rules that are to be followed in His temple.
Temples = Place where God and Human meet.
But since Temples are representation of God’s manifestation of Heaven, it was to be maintained Heaven like. Every sin had its wage. Prayachitam/Parigaram as one may call it in the Indian context. Animals were slain and the innocent blood took the place of us human sinners. This was all part of the Old Covenant.
If we were living on the Old Testament times, this would have been the norm.
“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” — Romans 6: 23
The Bible clearly states that the wages of sin is death, eternal death. To escape this eternal death, the Old Testament people offered sacrificial offerings. But why should innocent animals be killed ? Good question.
New Covenant
When Jesus was born, He was given another name : Immanuel, which meant God With Us. This is significant because the distance between God and Humans reduced tremendously. He was now walking on Earth. He was amongst us. His message was one of love, one of mercy, one against injustice.
His New Kingdom, was based on love for neighbour, love as a friend, love for fellow human beings, love with compassion. No one looked at people like that before. No one touched lepers (who were restricted to city gates before). No one healed the sick like he did. No one talked about sharing one’s belongings with others. No one treated tax payers like He did. No one had listened to prostitutes and women in general like He did. In short no one loved humanity like He did.
His ultimate sacrifice was to take our place of the eternal death, nailed to the cross. He took the place on behalf of ALL of humanity, for ALL of the sins committed, for an eternal time. He did it without us asking for it, without any judgement, out of mercy for us. This Salvation is free, it is given to us for free.
In the Kingdom that Jesus came to establish, he did it without waging a war, without a revolution, with just His love.
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” — John 3:16 “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.” — John 15:13
This is the Good News, the Gospel of the Kingdom, that He had asked his followers to tell the ends of Earth.
This Goodnews, for our broken world, our broken relationships and our broken systems, is relevant.
While we put so much faith in our governments, in politicians and our general hope that humans do good, we have failed. We have fallen to our own understanding and have kept God actively out of the equation.
The world needs more Mercy, more Grace, less judgement and more love.
Talking of Love, this what the Bible says :
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.
It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.
Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.
It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away
- 1 Corinthians 13: 4–8
This love is difficult to achieve, especially when you are hurt, intentionally or unintentionally. But this the love God wants us to fight for. This is what the world needs. More and more. The love as described in Corinthians. And what better to show us that than the life Jesus lead during His time on earth. | https://medium.com/@happyness/christmas-is-over-christ-lives-on-c3763572a986 | ['Pradeep K'] | 2020-12-25 21:08:10.548000+00:00 | ['Christmas', 'Kindness', 'Love', 'Jesus', 'Christianity'] |
Birding for Well-being: How Connecting with Nature Can Improve Mental Heath | Western Tanager
There are many proven health benefits to being in nature daily. For example, walking in the woods, also known as the Japanese custom “forest bathing,” or “shinrin-yoku,” lowers stress levels and boosts overall well-being.
Male Goldfinch
Researchers from the University of Exeter recently found that bird watching can have a positive effect on mental health. They discovered that people who are able to watch birds from their homes have a lower risk of depression, stress, and anxiety compared to people who live in less nature dense areas with fewer birds…
Female Goldfinch + Male House Finch
Biophilia, the hypothesis that humans innately seek a connection with nature, drives biophilic design. This central design principle aims to create healthy and comfortable spaces through the incorporation of natural elements. As a WELL and LEED accredited interior designer, I use biophilic design to create happy and healthy spaces for my clients. Biophilic design ranges from adding indoor plants to ensuring proper air circulation throughout the home, to one of my frequent design priorities, arranging spaces to showcase natural views. I invite you to consider amplifying the soothing properties of your view by creating a safe-haven for birds in your yard.
Hummingbird
Birding as a hobby currently ranks second to gardening as America’s favorite pastime, with an estimated 43% of all U.S. households, or about 65 million people, participating each year. Watching birds and their behavior may contribute to feelings of relaxation, which in turn leads to reduced stress and improved mental health. As a bird enthusiast, I would agree that watching birds in my garden helps me expand my perspective, gain focus and ultimately feel more at ease.
Male House Finch + Female Black-headed Grosbeak
Based on my experience, I’ve put together a list of helpful tips for beginning bird watchers.
Male Black-headed Grosbeak
To first attract birds to your garden, observe the birds that currently frequent your neighborhood. Investigate their eating preferences and offer their favorite foods in your garden. In Los Angeles county, sprinkling mixed seeds about in the garden will likely attract mourning doves, white-crowned sparrows, and other ground feeders. Towhees love a protein-rich diet, and will eagerly indulge in dried mealworm. Orioles have a sweet tooth and fancy grape jelly and fresh oranges. Goldfinches love thistle seed, and house finches, while willing to eat most seeds, seem most excited for shelled sunflower seeds.
European Starling
I began with a tube feeder that only accommodates tiny birds. For the first few months, I solely had house finches visit. The mourning doves came soon after eating the seeds on the ground that the finches dropped. I soon realized that I would need more diverse feeding stations to attract larger birds.
Towhee
If you are hoping to have a greater variety of bird species come to your garden, try adding a platform tray feeder. Last year, I hung a platform tray feeder from a tall post and was delighted when the first scrub-jay arrived. Since then, I’ve had an ever-expanding variety of visitors that include black-headed grosbeaks, scaly breasted munia, juncos, European starlings, and the occasional red-tailed hawk. I’ve found that somehow birds bring more birds. Once word gets out in the neighborhood that free food is served, they find their way.
Juvenile Towhee
If you’re still not having much luck attracting birds to your garden, this could be because some species, like Beswick’s wrens, are shy and seldom visit feeders located out in the open. I’ve outfitted the perimeter of a covered outdoor area in leafy shade plants like an assortment of ferns, Ficus triangularis, and abutilon. Nearby I’ve nestled a suet feeder among the ferns and hanging baskets of plants. I found that placing the suet feeder amongst the plants provides wrens the security of leafy cover while offering the opportunity to watch the birds feed just feet away. Hummingbirds will also visit to drink from the abutilon blossoms, sometimes only inches away from where I’m sitting. It’s magical.
Bewick’s Wren
If you’re interested in having hummingbirds come to your garden, many plant species attract them. Although they do like hummingbird feeders, they seem even more interested in drinking nectar from flowering plants. Interestingly, bugs comprise a third of a hummingbird’s diet; they don’t just live on nectar. By planting nectar-abundant plants, you’ll also attract more bugs for them to eat. Brightly colored, tubular flowers hold the most nectar and are, therefore, particularly attractive to hummingbirds. Examples of these types of flowers include salvia, foxglove, and fuchsia.
Cooper’s Hawk
Try adding a water feature to your yard. Birds love moving water, and it has been such a delight watching them bathe in a simple multi-tiered fountain. A bird-friendly fountain does not need to be anything elaborate that requires special plumbing; it can be as simple as buying a solar-powered water feature at your local nursery or online retailer. A solar-powered water feature is a cost-effective and energy-friendly option, and its cordless design allows for mobility.
White-crowned Sparrow
Whenever possible, orient furniture to face views of the outdoors and place bird feeders in locations visible from the indoors, without spooking the birds. It is delightful to watch the early risers, pecking around the garden for insects before sunrise, drinking my morning tea.
Male House Finch
As more of us are working from home now, nature and design are imperative to promote calmness, serenity, and healthy living. I hope this time at home can provide new opportunities to appreciate our surroundings, and the beauty and pleasure of observing local birds.
Mourning Dove
Sarah Barnard, WELL AP, and LEED AP designs healthy, happy, personalized spaces that connect deeply to nature and art. Empathy and mindfulness are the foundation of her practice creating healing, supportive environments that enhance life. | https://medium.com/age-of-awareness/birding-for-well-being-how-connecting-with-nature-can-improve-mental-heath-7e6826ce1f4 | ['Sarah Barnard Design'] | 2020-07-31 20:21:07.291000+00:00 | ['Mental Health', 'Bird Watching', 'Birding', 'Wellbeing', 'Birds'] |
ZIPHOMECHEF Delivers Food Security, Home Security and Jobs in California During COVID-19 | Photo by Jason Briscoe on Unsplash
ZIPHOMECHEF Delivers Food Security, Home Security and Jobs in California During COVID-19
How Making Money Cooking from Home Can Help You Stay Safe and Pay Your Bills
This social venture brings together home-based food preparation as a source of income, with social benefit through local food distribution to the needy.
In one day, as summer temperatures in California hit a record peak of 125-degrees, ZIPHOMECHEF rose from one employee to 17 new hires. Without fanfare, the high-tech social enterprise moved into Riverside County and began to prepare and deliver fresh, healthy meals made with local produce to more than 350 individuals. Their clients? People who had found shelter from the intense summer heat through a countywide multi-agency program called Project Roomkey. Over the past two months, the company has prepared and delivered over 50,000 meals. Their goal: 100,000 meals delivered by the end of the year.
“We have developed a structural framework to enable sustainable success for licensed home cooks.”
To get there, ZIPHOMECHEF.com plans to grow from one to 100 kitchens in Riverside over the next few months by training people who have a home kitchen and love to cook how to create a licensed microenterprise home kitchen operation (MHKO). Working from home, home cooks can learn how to prepare healthy meals that the organization can purchase for delivery to vulnerable individuals in their community, including the elderly and people with health issues. Through the online platform home chefs can sell up to 60 meals per week to neighbors.
“If the branch you’re on doesn’t reach your destination, take a leap of faith!” Shad Finney ZIPHOMECHEF Exec. Chef
“We’re connecting people who love to cook with a future home-based career. Their job includes learning safety protocols required to run a small business from their own home kitchen,” says Alexia Parks, the company’s award-winning CEO. “We have developed a structural framework to enable sustainable success for licensed home cooks.”
Due to COVID-19, the company is now considered an “essential industry.” It offers both an emergency food, and food security solution for cities and counties and a job creation opportunity for those seeking a consistent income from home.
Those who take part in the company’s “food prep” training can become part of the company’s “first in the nation” online network of First Food Responders™ providing a local response to emergency food needs, while also running a small business from their home kitchen.
In Riverside County, which includes an oasis called Palm Springs, a landscape of avocado trees and vineyards in Temecula, and a rock climbers paradise called Joshua Tree National Park, ZIPHOMECHEF.com is creating an “oasis of hope” for those who love to cook, to the benefit of all. | https://medium.com/carre4/ziphomechef-delivers-food-security-home-security-and-jobs-in-california-during-covid-19-cdfb19687d27 | ['Alexia Parks'] | 2020-10-15 19:54:46.263000+00:00 | ['Tech', 'Jobs', 'Careers', 'Food', 'Covid 19'] |
How Do You Select a Best Domain Name? (6 Special Tips) | Do you want to lose your brand value or business identity by selecting the wrong domain name?
I’m sure that you don’t want to lose your brand value or business identity by selecting the wrong domain. Unfortunately, it’s quite hard to switch later to another domain if you selected the wrong domain name. Sometimes it’s impossible.
Now you can ask me, “How do I select the best domain name?”
In this article, I will describe how you can select the best domain name for your website. Also, I will guide how you can take a domain name FREE OF COST.
Rememberable, Easy to Type, and Keep It Short
Make sure your domain name under 11 characters and easy to remember. You know! People do not feel interested in writing a longer domain name using smartphones or computers. Even it’s harder to remember from the visitors’ end. Even, If you plan to create a professional business email address, for example, [email protected], it’s mandatory to keep the domain name shorter and easy to understand and spell from the user and listener end.
Avoid Hyphens and Double Letters; Use Keywords
I don’t recommend to anyone to purchase a domain name with hyphens and double letters. Example: dassandipan.com or sandipan_das.com. If you purchase a domain name with hyphens and double letters, then there is a chance to miss the typos from the client end. As a result, the client will redirect to another site, and you will lose traffic. Even from the visitor end, it’s not easy to type a domain name with hyphens and double letters using their smartphones or computers.
I highly recommend to you please keep keywords on your domain name. Do you know? Keyword playing an important and most valuable role in a domain. By using keywords, you can tell your client and search engine about your website content. Even it helps to get rank on Google search engine.
Research
Before selecting a domain name, please research the targeted audience. Make sure the domain is easy to pronunciation from your audience end. Also, please make sure the domain name you selected isn’t registered business by someone.
Best Extension?
My first choice is to go with the .com extension. You know! It’s a most preferred domain extension than any other extensions. Even you know! Most of the browsers offer shortcut keys to visit this domain. Example type “drone host” and press CTRL+Enter (windows) or Command+Enter (mac). You will automatically redirect to “sandidas.com.” You will see most smartphones have a “.com” extension button on the keyboard when you want to write something on the browser.
There were many reasons to select the “.com” domain.
– Easy to remember.
– Easy for tech-savvy visitors who will automatically type “.com” at the end of every domain without thinking about it.
Protect Your Domain Name With Brand Name
Don’t be stopped by purchasing one domain extension. To protect your brand identity domain name, I highly recommend to you purchase multiple domain extensions.
Special Tips
Purchase Your Selected Domain as Fast as Possible
You know! This industry has millions of domains. And thousands of active people are looking for good domain names. So, you have to take it first before you lose it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=51RP4wCy2E8 | https://medium.com/@sandipandas-net/how-do-you-select-a-best-domain-name-6-special-tips-c3bd9ed36107 | ['Sandipan Das'] | 2021-05-03 07:22:20.912000+00:00 | ['Domain', 'Website Design', 'Website Design Ideas', 'WordPress', 'Website'] |
Why I Stopped Forgiving People… and Maybe You Should, Too | Why I Stopped Forgiving People… and Maybe You Should, Too
Forgiveness was turning me into a chump
Image by Timisu
Forgive and forget, right? I used to think that. I don’t anymore.
Now look, I know I’m up against some real heavy hitters here when I say maybe you should stop forgiving people. After all, isn’t forgiveness a cornerstone of the major religions?
The Tanakh says that one who forgives an insult keeps a friend (Proverbs 17:9). The Christian New Testament says to forgive, if you have anything against anyone (Mark 11:25). The Qur’an says that one who forgives shall have reward with God (42.40). The Vedas say that forgiveness is the greatest strength (Mahābhārata 5.33.48).
Well, I tried that. For decades, I forgave people who did me wrong. And you know what? It made me feel good about myself. But then one day, I woke up. And I realized that forgiving people was turning me into a chump.
No Good Deed Goes Unpunished
What changed my mind was Frankie. We met in high school, and despite our differences became friends. But at some point, he started going down roads I didn’t particularly want to be on. It wasn’t just all the New Age stuff he and his girlfriend Hailey were into. It was their physically abusive relationship, which he made no apologies for, along with his white suburban Marxism and what I considered an abuse of psychedelics.
I reached my breaking point one night shortly after his marriage (not to Hailey) when he invited me up to his new place, saying we’d go out and shoot some pool. Turns out, he hadn’t bothered to tell his new wife about these plans, and I found myself cooling my heels out in the hallway while overhearing a knock-down-drag-out argument. Eventually he walked out, cool as a cucumber, and drove us to a pool hall somewhere in Atlanta. Almost as soon as we arrived he excused himself and slipped into the back to score some acid. I ended up playing 9-ball with total strangers for over an hour.
I’d just had the bartender call me a cab, hoping he could find Frankie’s place from my memory of the directions to his house from mine which were on a scrap of paper in my car (this was before cell phones and GPS), when Frankie reappeared, all smiles. His guy didn’t have the stuff, so they’d had to go get it. After that night, I didn’t see Frankie for two or three years.
Until the day he showed up on my front porch. His wife was divorcing him. All his stuff was in his car.
It wasn’t much stuff. He’d sold most of it, including his guitars. “What’d you do,” I asked, “have a yard sale?” Frankie let out a quick “Ha!” Apparently, he had other venues for selling things.
So he stayed a couple weeks.
Back then, I was using the “envelope method” of budgeting, and a couple of times I could swear I’d had more cash in this or that envelope than was now there. But since I didn’t write down the running amounts, I couldn’t be sure. I told myself I was being paranoid, misjudging my friend, letting old scores make me suspicious. Then again, why was it that I, of all people, was seemingly the only option he had to turn to?
A few days after he split, I went to get my checkbook out of my desk. And didn’t see it. Uh-oh. Rummaging around, I found it, and felt ashamed of myself. Until I thought, “Wait, where’s the watch?”
My grandfather’s silver pocket watch. (Yes, like in Pulp Fiction — except my grandfather carried his in his vest and never took it to war.) I knew the watch was in that drawer. Except now, it wasn’t. I searched the house. No dice. It was gone. I had no idea where Frankie had lit out to. And I’ve never seen him since.
The Trap of Forgiveness
It took a while, but I forgave Frankie. For the night at the pool hall, the cash in the envelopes, even the watch, which was irreplaceable. Being angry wasn’t doing me any good. And the odds of getting restitution were pretty much zero. It felt like the right thing to do, like it made me a better person.
Then came the day, many years later, when I decided to finally go through all my old photographs, put dates and names on the backs, organize them, and toss out the ones I didn’t want to keep. I pulled out all the photo albums and Fotomat envelopes. And there, in the back of the drawer, was the watch.
That’s when it hit me. Forgiveness had made me a chump.
I realized then that forgiving Frankie hadn’t really made me a better person. It had only made me feel like one. But not just better than who I’d been before. Better than Frankie. It was a way of permanently casting Frankie as the offender and myself as the victim. I got to be blameless, and he got to be the villain.
Truth was, if I was honest with myself, I’d had my own problems in relationships. I wasn’t physically abusive, but I knew how to turn the emotional screws when I wanted to. And come to think of it, I’d pulled a vanishing act on very close friends a couple of times myself, and for no more noble reasons than he had. And, too, I’d taken my own flights of fantasy into strange philosophies and mystical nonsense. And I could be a downright arrogant sumbich.
I was no better than him. After all, we became friends for a reason, didn’t we? But by “forgiving” him, I got pretend to myself that I was. That he was down there and I was up here. My “forgiveness” had never been about him. It had been about me the whole time. It was a shaming moment. And it changed my attitude.
If Not Forgiveness, What?
There are lots of stories told about the Buddha, to illustrate his teachings. In one of them, a man decides to test the Buddha by insulting him. If he were to react with anger, he would show himself to be a fraud. If he did nothing, he would reveal himself as a coward.
So the man found the Buddha sitting with his disciples, walked up to him, and spat right in his face.
The Buddha wiped off the spittle with the hem of his garment, looked up at the man, and said, “What now? What else do you have to say?”
The man was not prepared for this question. He turned and left in silence and went home. And that night, he could not sleep for shame at what he had done.
The next day, he again found the Buddha sitting with his disciples, and he bowed to him and said, “Sir, please forgive me for what I did to you yesterday.”
“I’m afraid that’s not possible,” responded the Buddha. “I cannot forgive you. Because I have no grudge against you. Please, sit down, and let us talk of something else.”
Returning to Here and Now
There is a technique in Buddhist counseling to ask the person seeking help to focus on what is going on at the moment. If a person is angry about an argument they have had with their spouse, they might be asked “So where is your spouse right now?” And then they might be asked “Where is your argument?”
The argument no longer exists. What exists is simply who we are at this moment.
We do not need to “let go of the argument” because there is no argument to let go of. There is only who we are now, where we are now. Once we see this, we can get to the truly important question: What next? What do I choose to do at this time? What karma, what result, do I intend to create?
Doing this, we can escape the trap of forgiveness, the self-serving urge to cast ourselves as the victim and the other as the offender, ourselves as the good guy and the other as the bad guy. We can recognize our responsibility to decide how we are going to act, and let go of our desire to protect our own ego. And believe it or not, we can do this for offenses a lot more heinous than petty larceny (real or imagined). Just ask the Vietnamese monk Thích Nhất Hạnh. For me, it has turned out to be the key to getting past things I am not yet ready to write about, and maybe never will be. I don’t have to carry them anymore.
I have no idea where Frankie is today. I’ll probably never see him again. But wherever you are, Frankie, I owe you one. | https://medium.com/illumination-curated/why-i-stopped-forgiving-people-and-maybe-you-should-too-37fc61e00a22 | ['Paul Thomas Zenki'] | 2020-11-22 02:20:56.949000+00:00 | ['Psychology', 'Personal Growth', 'Zen', 'Buddhism', 'Forgiveness'] |
The Art of Daily Reading | There are so many touted benefits to reading daily that it feels unnecesary to repeat them here. We all know we should be reading more—what holds us back is the notion that we just don’t have the time, or the energy, or the focus to read as much as we think we should.
I’ve always loved reading, and I have a PhD in English to prove it. Still, reading every day is a habit I’ve had to cultivate.
At times I’ve thought I’m just too busy right now, or I’m just too tired. Sometimes it just feels easier to plop onto bed after a long day spent with a toddler and stream scenes from my reality TV fantasy life directly into my brain.
Those days, not coincidentally, are usually my worst—they come when I’m in an emotional rut, uninspired, and running out of steam.
I’ve learned that these are precisely the days when pausing for a moment of reading helps me the most.
I don’t think I’m alone in this.
Fortunately, getting yourself into the habit of reading daily can be done. It’s a matter of making good use of the bits of time that are already there, pushing away the shameful and judgmental thoughts we all have, and becoming aware of the reading that brings you joy.
Here are some guidelines that will help you seamlessly integrate your reading into your daily life.
1. Take advantage of the little unexpected bits of time.
Christine Smallwood once said, “Children fill up time that you didn’t know was empty.” This is true, and the same can be said about writing, and about reading.
When I’m into a good book, I miraculously find little pockets of time all through the day: while standing by the stove waiting for a pan to heat up, waiting for an Uber or a bus or the train, in line at the grocery story, in line for the bathroom, waiting for a to go order, on hold, in waiting rooms, etc.
These bits of empty time are scattered all throughout the day, waiting for us to notice them.
This doesn’t even take into consideration the convenience of audiobooks. Personally, I like the feel of a book in my hand, and I like to be able to control the pace of my reading, to linger on a line or reread a passage or skim back to remind myself of a detail or a name. I realize, however, how many more opportunities audiobooks open up: you can listen while you walk, drive, bike, fold your laundry, wash your dishes, etc.
Pretty reliably, unless it’s an especially grueling day and all I want to do is close my eyes, I can at least read for a few minutes before going to bed. Reading relaxes me and so actually helps to lull me into a better sleep.
Those little bits of time are there to be used. You’d be surprised how much you can read in a day if you’re willing to read a page at a time.
2. Let go of that perfect reading time.
We all have the ambition to find the time to sit and read for hours. These big chunks of time when you can really get lost in a book are wonderful, but, for most of us, they’re hard to come by.
We all want to be curled up in a couch, with some hot chocolate (or spiced rum) and a book in hand, while snow falls outside. At the very least, we want to be able to “fully” immerse, in other words, get lost, in this other world that books offer.
That is the ideal—I can’t argue against those beautiful, peaceful hours. But, I can advocate for the brief moments of immersion that come from touching on your book several times throughout the day.
When you’re reading something a bit at a time, you’re always just a little bit immersed. Because your reading time is full of interruptions, you never really leave the book. You “hold that thought” for when you can get back to it at some other point in the day.
You pick up your book and can get right into the next paragraph without having to remind yourself of where you are, or what happened last, or who these characters are.
Everything is fresh because you were just now, an hour or two ago, there.
3. Keep your books nearby.
To make this work, you need to keep your books accessible.
You never know when that free moment is going to arrive, but you need to be ready for it. Make packing up your book on your way out of the door as essential as taking your keys or your wallet with you.
Don’t leave your book gathering dust on your nighttable.
When you get up, take it into the bathroom with you. Then take it into the kitchen. It might be that while you wait for your coffeemaker to start up, you’ll have an extra minute or two to jumpstart your reading for the day.
Seeing your book every time you open your purse or every time you refill your coffee cup will give you a nudge.
4. Stop reading what you think you should read, and read what you actually enjoy.
When I hear people say they just don’t like reading, I often think they’re just reading the wrong kind of books.
I’m not ashamed to admit that I used to keep a copy of Gustave Flaubert’s Madame Bovary by my bedside to help me fall asleep. One paragraph in, my arms would go limp. I’m sure other people love this novel—I don’t.
Lots of people want to read more, but what they want themselves to want to read are the books they think are important: the classics, the denser the better.
I’m not saying you shouldn’t read outside of your comfort, or that you shouldn’t read anything difficult or new or challenging. This is sometimes where we have the most to gain.
What I’m saying is, if what you enjoy is speculative fiction, or detective novels, or historical romance, then find the well-written and challenging examples of writing in those genres.
Look beyond the American or Anglo- examples and build your own canon.
Not everybody is going to love Charles Dickens’ wordiness, or William Faulkner’s excess, or Virginia Woolf’s abstraction. While there are obviously benefits to knowing your way around the classics, there are so many examples to chose from.
There’s no point in forcing yourself to invest weeks or months working through Ulysses if you hate every second of it. It’s actually more likely that you’ll start to avoid reading altogether.
It is nearly impossible for me to enjoy a book of nonfiction. I know this about myself. I know this from many years of trying and failing to get into even the most eventful biography or influential theory books.
So, if I don’t want to get kicked out of my daily reading habit altogether, I plan to read nonfiction in little bits and switch back to my novel when I get tired of it.
5. You don’t have to finish every book you begin. Let go of books that don’t interest you.
This one is still hard for me.
Earlier this year, I bought Laura Lippman’s Lady in the Lake. It got rave reviews from some good publications. It features a woman journalist as the detective trying to solve a murder mystery. What could go wrong? I went to my nearby bookstore and did something I almost never do: I bought a hardcover copy.
Turns out, I just couldn’t get into it. Still, I tried for weeks. I kept thinking, everyone else says it’s good, and rationalizing, it’s got all the things I like, and the kicker, I now own this hardcover book!
When my husband asked me why I didn’t just start reading something else after the fifteenth time I fell asleep after a page or two, I responded with annoyance: “Listen, I invested $27 in this book.”
What keeps us stuck in projects or investements we don’t care about or believe in anymore is the “fallacy of sunk costs.”
We tend to think of it as stubbornness or pride, I have to finish what I started, but it’s usually a little deeper than that.
When you’ve sunk a certain amount of money or time or effort into a project, you convince yourself that you need to keep going. You’ve already invested x amount of time on this, how could you give it up now? Giving up feels like throwing away all of that time and effort.
So, you push on. This is a mistake.
That time is already gone, there is nothing you can do to recover it. Investing even more time isn’t going to get you that initial investement back. The thing to do is to accept your loss and move on instead of continuing to invest time in something you don’t care about.
Nobody cares if I do or don’t finish Lady in the Lake, and nobody cares whether you do or don’t finish Infinite Jest.
Spend your time reading books that enrich your life. | https://medium.com/swlh/the-art-of-daily-reading-a4eb75b21211 | [] | 2020-02-22 00:36:06.180000+00:00 | ['Mental Health', 'Habit Building', 'Books', 'Reading', 'Habits'] |
Understanding Pulsar Message TTL, Backlog, and Retention | Originally published on the Kesque blog on June 22, 2020.
I’ve noticed some confusion out there around message deletion and retention in Pulsar (for example, in order to keep messages indefinitely what should be configured in the backlog quota or the retention policy or both). So I thought I’d put together a quick primer on how Pulsar manages message life cycle, and a few of the ways you can fine-tune it to manage backlog queues and message retention policies.
Pulsar uses several mechanisms to manage message life cycle. This blog post explains how Pulsar uses these mechanisms together to determine which messages to retain and which messages to delete.
But a quick heads-up: the information here only covers scenarios for persistent topics where messages are persisted in non volatile storage. Message retention/deletion on non-persistent topics are outside the scope of this post.
Message life cycle in Pulsar
Before we dig into the ways you can manage message retention in Pulsar, let’s quickly review how Pulsar determines which messages to keep or discard in an ideal scenario, when Pulsar runs in the default configuration and storage space is unlimited.
Rule #1: Pulsar keeps all messages until they are acknowledged
Pulsar’s subscription keeps track of all message consumption. When a consumer receives a message, it sends an acknowledgement back to Pulsar, to indicate that it no longer needs the message. That tells Pulsar that it can delete this message. Pulsar retains any unacknowledged messages for a particular subscription in a backlog.
This means two things:
1) Pulsar keeps all the unacknowledged messages in a subscription backlog.
2) When messages in a backlog are acknowledged, Pulsar removes them from the backlog and marks them for deletion.
Also, since a topic can have multiple subscriptions, that topic can have multiple backlogs. A message must be acknowledged in all subscriptions before Pulsar can consider it ready for deletion.
Rule #2: Pulsar does not intend to keep acknowledged messages or messages in a topic with no subscriptions
If a message isn’t tracked by any subscription, it doesn’t exist in any subscription backlog. In this case, Pulsar considers it ready for deletion.
Take a look at the following (simple!) diagram for a visual representation of these rules in action.
Message will be retained until it is acknowledged.
Message will be deleted once it is acknowledged.
Pulsar keeps unacknowledged message until they are acknowledged for deletion.
Backlog quota and TTL
What I described is default Pulsar behavior in an ideal scenario. Now, let’s move into the real world.
Disk storage has limits, and messages can’t be stored forever while Pulsar waits for a consumer to acknowledge them. Pulsar uses two mechanisms to prevent the unlimited growth of message backlog: A Time-To-Live (TTL) parameter for individual messages, and a subscription backlog quota for the backlog itself.
The TTL parameter is like a stopwatch attached to each message that defines the amount of time a message is allowed to stay in the unacknowledged state. When the TTL expires, Pulsar automatically moves the message to the acknowledged state (and thus makes it ready for deletion).
But TTL only applies to individual messages. The backlog could still swell to an unmanageable size if messages are entering the backlog at a faster rate than individual messages are being acknowledged and expired by TTL combined. To handle this scenario, Pulsar uses a quota to enforce a hard limit on the logical size of the backlogs in a topic.
Backlog keep tracks of unacknowledged messages; backlog quota triggers alert policy once the quota limit is reached.
Breaching the backlog quota (Caution: details ahead!)
The backlog quota applies per topic, and is defined by the backlogQuotaDefaultLimitGB parameter in the broker.conf file. As the name suggests, it sets a limit on the maximum backlog size permitted for the topic. Since a topic can have multiple backlogs, Pulsar applies the limit to the largest subscription backlog for the topic (that is from the slowest consumer).
So what happens when a topic’s backlog exceeds the permitted size? Pulsar can either interrupt message transmission, or start removing older messages from the backlog. Pulsar offers three policies to prevent backlog overflow:
producer_request_hold: Pulsar holds the Producer’s send request until the backlog has room for more messages. Pulsar blocks the producer send() method until one of the following conditions are met: a. New consumer acknowledgements take messages off the backlog, freeing room in the backlog; or b. Producer send() method times out. producer_exception : Pulsar sends ProducerBlockedQuotaExceededException to producer in Java code. consumer_backlog_eviction: Remember that there is only one logical copy of a message. Both message acknowledgement and TTL move a cursor to track messages consumption on a backlog. This eviction policy follows the same design by Pulsar moves the subscription cursor to skip messages in the backlog. The skipped messages are still available for the Reader interface if the retention policy is correctly configured (more on that below).
The first two options interrupt message transmission to prevent further backlog growth, but consumers can still receive and acknowledge existing messages.
The third option clears existing messages from the backlog. The consumer_backlog_eviction has a 0.9 reduction factor for message eviction. That means that the slowest consumer will lose 10% of the oldest messages in the backlog. Neither producers nor consumers will get any exceptions or errors, and message transmission proceeds as usual.
The default broker option is producer_request_hold. It is the least intrusive option, because it relies on consumers to drain the backlog.
Retention policy
Ok, back to another “real world” scenario. The whole “message will be deleted once it is acknowledged” rule obviously doesn’t satisfy Pulsar’s data streaming use case. Messages must be kept for Pulsar’s Reader interface. That’s where Pulsar’s retention policy comes in: it tells Pulsar to retain acknowledged messages and messages on a topic with no subscription. Pulsar hangs on to these messages based on two configuration parameters: defaultRetentionTimeInMinutes and defaultRetentionTimeInSize in the broker.conf file.
Retention policy defines the limit to keep acknowledged events and mark deletion for messages over the limit.
You can specify retention policies at the namespace level, so teams using different namespaces can use different policies.
To sum up …
Now that we’ve covered the basic rules of backlog and message retention, let’s look at these concepts from a few different angles.
Implications for storage:
The backlog quota and TTL parameters prevent disk size from growing indefinitely, as Pulsar’s default behaviour is to keep unacknowledged messages forever.
The retention policy allocates storage space to accommodate the messages that are supposed to be deleted by Pulsar by default.
Implications for message queuing and data streaming:
The subscription backlog is designed for message queuing. Once a message is consumed, it is no longer required.
Backlog quota is a cap on the queue size.
The TTL mechanism automatically removes messages from the queue to prevent queue overflow.
The retention policy enables data streaming, so that acknowledged messages and messages without subscriptions on a topic can be streamed over and over again.
Implications for message retention:
The backlog quota governs unacknowledged messages. It has no jurisdiction over acknowledged messages.
The retention policy only governs acknowledged messages and messages with no subscription.
Ultimately, to understand (and manage) message retention in Pulsar, you need to look at both the backlog quota and the retention policy configuration.
If the retention limit is reached, Pulsar deletes older acknowledged messages. Readers may lose a few older messages, but there is no interruption in message flow.
If the backlog quota is exceeded, the consequences are more serious.. Either Pulsar halts incoming messages from Producers until more backlog space becomes available, or Pulsar removes older messages from the backlog (and the slowest consumers lose messages). So configuring an appropriate TTL for your messages is important to protect the backlog quota threshold.
Finally, consider the following when factoring in your available physical storage:
The size of your physical storage should accommodate the sum of the backlog quota and the retention size.
Only the retention policy governs the physical deletion of messages from storage. Backlog quotas do not result in message deletion.
Can consumers keep up with the rate of incoming messages? What is the budgeted backlog size on a topic? (At the time of writing, Pulsar 2.5.1 and earlier versions do not limit backlogs based on time.) If so, how long can a message stay unacknowledged? If you set lower TTL, it will take longer to hit the backlog limit.
Is there any Reader interface for data streaming needs? Are there any new subscriptions when all messages are acknowledged? These scenarios require that Pulsar keep acknowledged messages through a retention policy.
Here’s another diagram that puts all these concepts together. It (hopefully) shows how a message can transition through different message flow stages and how the backlog quota and retention policy mechanisms govern its life cycle.
A message is transitioned across different stages. Both backlog quota and retention policy govern the life cycle of a message.
Message retention in the tiered storage
Pulsar offers a tiered storage feature to offload closed ledgers to AWS S3 because S3-like blob storage offers a lower cost than storage nodes and substantially extends the storage size. But remember that messages offloaded to tiered storage are still governed by the same retention policy. If the deletion requirement is satisfied, the ledger on S3 will be deleted. You should adjust your retention policy accordingly to take advantage of any extra storage.
Conclusion
So those are the nuts and bolts of Pulsar message retention and backlog control. As you can see, Pulsar provides a backlog quota with TTL and retention policy to serve the needs of message queuing and data streaming separately.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
In writing this blog post, I need to acknowledge Ali Ahmed and Alexander Ursu from Pulsar community, and Chris and Ben from my team to review the content. Special thanks to Anne Kavanagh for the copy editing.
What is Pulsar anyway? | https://medium.com/kafkaesqueio/understanding-pulsar-message-ttl-backlog-and-retention-2c38ddecf868 | ['Ming Luo'] | 2020-06-27 14:42:25.900000+00:00 | ['Data Streaming', 'Apache Pulsar', 'Message Queue', 'Pulsar'] |
Starting a Bra Company is Easier than Finding a Bra That Fits: Why I started Behave Bras | Starting a Bra Company is Easier than Finding a Bra That Fits: Why I started Behave Bras Behave Bras Feb 20, 2020·5 min read
The Lounge Goddess Bralette-the first ever designed specifically for DD-I cup and 30–38 band sizes
25 million forgotten women
Today in 2020, over 25 million women in the US have a bra cup size DD or higher and are wearing the wrong size bra, I know because I was one of them. Like me, my millions of female friends in the US are straight sized (meaning standard 0–14 sizing) in all areas BUT breasts. Personally, as a 32G in bras I am misunderstood across the board and that’s not a size that most (read basically none) retailers carry. A G cup is not a size that most women in the US have even heard of (what, bras go above a DD?!) and conjures up images of Dolly Parton.
Yet, the most common breast size in the US is a 34–36DD, and that’s AVERAGE. It should be totally understandable that breast-size goes all the way up the alphabet and yet US brands put us on a 4 part spectrum of A, B, C, and D. For those of us who are willing to dig into boutique bra brands, we are able to find US brands that are starting to carry larger cup sizes, albeit 20 or so years later than their European counterparts. But, these brands are usually plus-sized brands, catering to a different part of the spectrum and focusing on making the entire bra larger, rather than developing and innovating new technology to fit the curves and contours of 25 million women.
100's of Years of Bras, very little innovation
After years of fitting into uncomfortable options and ordering countless bras from Europe, I was fed up and literally had to start Behave in late 2017, after struggling for years to find a super comfortable bra made specifically for women like me: Curvy In-Betweeners. Who is a Curvy In-Betweener? Cramming themselves into ill-fitting US brassieres that stop at a DD in the cup, because the band fits and really, 1 out of 2 things to fit isn’t bad (and they don’t know any better). They go through life not knowing, or being educated in any way, that there is a huge group of women that live in between Regular and Plus-Sized bras. These ladies sized between a 30–38 band and a DD-I cup are the most needy when it comes to truly supportive bras: They carry several pounds of breast tissue on a regular-sized frame (and sometimes even petite frame) and need the most support out of any consumer. And yet, us Curvy In-Betweeners are generally ignored by major brands. As a CPG Brand manager for big brands that you see on the shelves of every corner drugstore, I realized I was looking at a large under-served segment in the US market and was uniquely positioned to be both the voice and the inspiration for a new bra technology.
So I started with what I wanted and what Curvy In-Betweeners need most: an everything bra. One that would provide all of the vertical lift of my underwires (without wires), but would also keep my breasts stable and reduce their jiggle. A bra that would separate my breasts when I was laying on the couch so I could avoid the development of chest wrinkles that come from boob smash as you lay on your side. A bra that was engineered to support vertically and horizontally the largest breasts. And a bra that was gorgeous, one I would be proud to wear in front of a love interest, v. the matronly and boring ones I normally own. This all required new technology to be created, math to be done and outside the box ideas from lingerie experts, architects and real-life consumers. After 2 years of development, we created The Lounge Goddess Bralette.
Behave’s signature Stayz (patent pending) design with supportive sport mesh to give horizontal support
Female First Foundations
Building Behave and developing our first product has been a labor of love, but also one that was so important to get right and not rush. Not just because our Lounge bra is such a great product, but also because our company is a testament to the passion we have for our consumers, and ultimately ourselves. Curvy In-Betweeners are an actual consumer group that deserves to be paid attention to and engaged. We are a growing population of women that are tired of being told they are weirdly shaped, out of proportion, or that they don’t exist. The proof of our existence is paramount because with that proof comes solutions. Solutions tailored for the most under-served consumer in all of intimate apparel.
As the founder of Behave and n = 1 consumer for our bra, I’ve realized that this issue goes deeper than a missing product in the market. It’s much bigger than that — women don’t feel empowered to take up space and many women with natural DD and up boobs feel shame about their size.
We are here to help women take back their boobs; they’re not for ogling and they’re not something inherently sexual, rather they are part of our bodies and we should feel confident about how they look. Function and beauty should be on equal footing and we will not compromise when it comes to creating something she wants to wear and loves how it looks too.
How you can help
If you’ve made this far into my first Medium post, I hope that means you are sold on the Curvy In-Betweener market segment and also Behave’s mission to empower women to embrace their bodies to be their own personal Perfect 10. As a pre-seed start-up, we are going live with our first product in March ofthis year and need all the support (pun intended) that we can get. This looks like following us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, reading and sharing this post, and of course ordering our bra when pre-sales go live. If you’re not a boob owner and feel awkward about sharing a bra brand with bra wearers in your life, rest assured that any woman who has had bra fit issues (it’s everyone btw) will love to hear about our work to bring innovation to bras. And to all the Curvy-In Betweeners reading this: We made this for you and we are you. Let us help you get those boobies to Behave so you can set the world on fire. | https://medium.com/@behavebras/starting-a-bra-company-is-easier-than-finding-a-bra-that-fits-why-i-started-behave-bras-888a4c31f3af | ['Behave Bras'] | 2020-02-20 20:32:00.787000+00:00 | ['Women', 'Innovation', 'Founder Stories', 'Fashion', 'Startup'] |
Why trade commodities? | Why trade commodities?
It is essential to add commodities to your trading portfolio as gold, silver, crude oil, natural gas and other basic goods tend to move in opposition to stocks, as well as offer you high amount of leverage and the opportunity to ride sustained bull or bear trends.
Precious Metals
Precious metals include gold, silver, copper, and more. During financial uncertainties like economic or financial crisis and pandemic crisis, which makes markets volatile, trader and investors turn to precious metals specifically gold because it’s sought out as a safe store of value. Metals are also preferred by investors as a portfolio diversifier and hedge against high inflation.
Energy
Energy commodities comprises of mainly crude oil (such as Brent Oil, WTI Oil, etc.) and natural gas. The prices of oil and other energy products fluctuate according to many factors including supply & demand and general confidence in the global economy. It is also majorly impacted by any shifts in production enforced by the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC). | https://medium.com/@smartfx/why-trade-commodities-e5a1384d41b3 | [] | 2021-04-25 09:56:41.536000+00:00 | ['Commodities Trading', 'Smartfx', 'Gold', 'Commodities', 'Commodity Tips'] |
Accelerating Toward Autocracy | Sean Hannity posed a rather surprising question to the President in his interview on July 10. Hannity asked, “[O]ne of the reasons Seattle finally acted [on cracking down on the city’s “autonomous zone”] is that they were given notice that if they didn’t act, that you were going to. Is that correct?” The President responded, “A hundred percent, We were going in, we were going in very soon. We let them know that. And they, all of a sudden, they didn’t want that so they went in before we got there”. Trump had tweeted a similar threat earlier, declaring “Domestic Terrorists have taken over Seattle”.
Now, everything Trump ever says must always be taken with a grain of salt. But his response to Hannity at least implied that there was an actionable administration plan to send federal law enforcement into a major American city without the approval of local or state authorities. It seems that plan has now been put into action in Portland instead of Seattle. Unidentified federal agents in camouflage, body armor, and paramilitary gear are literally kidnapping random protestors off the street, throwing them into unmarked cars, and taking them to federal courthouses where they are read they rights, searched, and then released. The protestors are never informed why they have been detained and are never provided any documentation about their arrest. At least one of the protestors claims he was essentially blindfolded when put into the unmarked car and then driven randomly around Portland before finally being delivered to the federal courthouse. At present, the government is refusing to admit this protestor was even arrested or provide any legal justification for such an arrest. In addition, one peaceful protestor was seriously wounded by these same unidentified federal agents shooting supposedly “non-lethal” munitions. The protestor suffered multiple facial fractures and need reconstructive surgery.
State and local authorities have not asked the federal government for help with the protests in Portland, so it is unclear under what, if any, legal authority these unidentified federal enforcement officers are operating. In fact, the governor asked the acting head of DHS to remove these enforcement officers and he simply refused. These agents are clearly not operating under the limited authority that Oregon gives federal officers to enforce state laws. The acting head of DHS has tried to insinuate that the agents, now possibly identified as part of the Border Patrol, were merely protecting federal property but many of the kidnappings occurred blocks away from any federal site. In addition, he has tried to imply that all the protestors are “violent anarchists”, documenting a whole litany of incidents that are not even violent, much less federal, crimes and predominantly involve graffiti.
What’s happening in Portland is replay of what happened earlier in Washington DC, where Attorney General Barr deployed secret police composed of unidentified federal law enforcement agents to “flood the zone” in response to massive protests in support of Black Live Matter. There, too, local DC officials had not asked for federal assistance yet Barr’s secret police set up checkpoints well beyond the normal federal security area.
Having secret federal police kidnap peaceful protestors and then refuse to acknowledge those detentions is simply the definition autocracy. And another favorite tactic of autocracies is to simply muzzle information that might be detrimental to the regime. That is exactly what has happened with the states’ hospitalization and ICU data that used to get reported to the CDC and then provided to the public. The Trump administration ordered hospitals to report that data directly to HHS instead of the CDC and now that information has gone into a black hole. Some states do not have access to the new HHS data and are now flying blind as to their hospital and ICU capacity. This new policy is just a continuation of the Trump administration’s freezing the CDC out of its pandemic response decisions simply because the science the agency puts forward contradicts the President’s message.
Similarly, just hours before Roger Stone’s prison sentence was commuted, Michael Cohen was forced to return to prison. Cohen had violated the terms of his release by going out to a restaurant but what actually prompted his return to prison was his refusal to sign a document that he would not speak to reporters or write a book while he served the remainder of his term at home. Cohen had hoped to release a book about his work with Trump before the election this fall and believed that signing this document would violate his First Amendment rights. According to Cohen’s lawyer, when federal marshals actually took him back into custody, “Mr. Cohen relented and agreed to sign the document to avoid returning to jail. The marshals continued to take him into custody anyway…with one of them saying, ‘It’s out of our hands.’”
Politico is reporting that the White House’s personnel office is now conducting a sweeping program of loyalty tests across the entire administration. According to the report, “The White House’s presidential personnel office is conducting one-on-one interviews with health officials and hundreds of other political appointees across federal agencies, an exercise some of the subjects have called ‘loyalty tests’ to root out threats of leaks and other potentially subversive acts just months before the presidential election…The interviews are being arranged with officials across a wide range of departments including Health and Human Services, Defense, Treasury, Labor and Commerce and include the top tier of Trump aides: Senate-confirmed appointees.” The program is being led by Trump’s former bodyguard, 30 year old Johnny McEntee, who was recently installed as head of the Presidential Personnel Office (PPO) despite having no personnel experience and being unable to receive a security clearance because of gambling and tax issues. As one unnamed administration official dryly noted, McEntee “does not have the relevant experience to do this job, unless the job is to purge Never Trumpers and reward loyalists.”
Almost all modern autocracies have created legal justifications for their crimes as well as providing some sort of electoral procedure designed to virtually guarantee their victory, creating a mere veneer of democracy. Both of those tactics usually rely on compliant courts, which Trump and the GOP have now obtained through their years-long efforts. Late last year, Trump was finally able to flip the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals to majority conservative by appointing his fifth judge to that eleven member panel. In 2018, Florida had overwhelmingly passed a ballot measure allowing ex-felons to vote, a measure that would have potentially made an additional 10% of the total electorate and 20% of black voters in that state eligible to vote. Republicans could not let that stand and accordingly the legislature passed a law requiring felons to have paid all their fines and restitution before being allowed to vote. Florida, however, was unwilling or unable to inform ex-felons about the amount of their unpaid fines, thus making it impossible for them to fulfill the requirements to vote. That law, essentially a poll tax, was ruled unconstitutional by a lower court over a year ago, thereby allowing ex-felons to register to vote. In February, a three judge panel from the 11th Circuit refused the state’s request to block that lower court ruling, reiterating that the law was unconstitutional.
Now, just days away from the deadline to register to vote in the state’s August primary, the newly-flipped full 11th Circuit reversed its own three judge panel and granted the state’s request to block that lower court decision, effectively barring hundreds of thousands of Floridians from voting and, worse, putting those ex-felons who had already registered at risk of another new felony for voting illegally if they do vote and still had outstanding fines. And just days after that 11th Circuit decision, the Supreme Court, with the conservatives making up the majority in a 5–4 vote, also refused to intervene.
The Roberts Court has spent most of last decade disenfranchising primarily Democratic voters, often overturning or staying lower court decisions that ruled GOP voting restrictions unconstitutional. The Court usually cites the Purcell decision that mandates courts should not change the rules for voting close to an election. This is the law the conservative majority cited in blocking the extension for absentee ballots in Wisconsin which forced thousands to risk their lives to vote and created a new spike in COVID-19 infections. Now, in Florida, with the lower court ruling having stood for almost a year, the Court changes the rules literally hours before the registration deadline, ignoring the Purcell precedent and again disenfranchising primarily Democratic voters. As Justice Sotomayor wrote in her stinging dissent, “This Court’s inaction continues a trend of condoning disfranchisement. Ironically, this Court has wielded Purcell as a reason to forbid courts to make voting safer during a pandemic, overriding two federal courts because any safety related changes supposedly came too close to election day. Now, faced with an appellate court stay that disrupts a legal status quo and risks immense disfranchisement-a situation that Purcell sought to avoid-the Court balks. I respectfully dissent.”
This, of course, is the same Supreme Court that preened about ensuring that no man is above the law while, at the same time, endowing the President with special rights to resist valid congressional subpoenas of third party documents that no other citizen enjoys and again allowing him to hide his taxes from the American people for a second consecutive election. In addition, the US Treasury is refusing to provide Congress with Trump’s taxes, despite clear statutory language that it is required to do so. That case has been languishing in a lower federal court for over a year. Meanwhile, the President is refusing to produce his required annual financial disclosure forms even as it emerges that his business is receiving hundreds of thousands of dollars from donors in what look remarkably like structured payments to avoid money-laundering laws.
There seems to be a general belief, belied by history, that autocracies are these ruthlessly efficient machines and, therefore, Trump’s and his administration’s ineptness shows that he is really not an autocrat to be feared. Mussolini made the trains run on time, except he didn’t; in true Trumpian fashion, he just claimed he did. Stalin’s collectivization scheme created famines across Russia, not just in Ukraine. Autocracies are only ruthlessly efficient when it comes to responding to the whims and needs of the autocrat. Anything else can and actually must be ignored, even when it leads to chaos or mass death. In fact, chaos and death provide the vehicle for the autocrat to show that only his strong hand can deal with the problem.
This is where we are now with Trump. While the pundits wonder why he doesn’t realize that containing the virus will help him politically, Trump sees the pandemic as largely killing his Democratic opponents in the urban areas of swing and red states while also reducing turnout if it is still raging in the fall. In addition, by abdicating leadership now, Trump can claim the general chaos created by the pandemic is the fault of governors and allows Trump to declare the country needs his strong hand to control it. Trump’s need for that storyline is why Dr. Birx can wander around the White House spewing happy talk while Fauci is relegated to the hinterlands and attacked by the administration.
It’s also now clear that Barr’s secret police deployment in DC was merely a prelude to Portland. And the administration is also making it clear that it is planning to deploy federal stormtroopers to what Trump describes as the “war zones” in urban centers run by “liberal, left-wing primarily Democrats”. Trump has threatened to “take over cities”; the acting DHS deputy secretary has stated, “[T]his is a posture we intend to continue not just in Portland but in any of the facilities that we’re responsible for around the country”; and the White House chief of staff declared, “You’ll see something rolled out this week as we start to go in and make sure that the communities, whether it’s Chicago or Portland, or Milwaukee, or someplace across the heartland of the country, we need to make sure our communities are safe”.
Come election day, we could be seeing the pandemic raging as badly or even worse than it is now. As we saw in Wisconsin and Kentucky with limited in-person voting, one poll location could serve tens or hundreds of thousands voters, creating massively long waits to vote. At the same time, there could be federal forces in the streets of largely Democratic cities in key swing states, provoking violence, providing a level of voter intimidation not seen in decades, and potentially abetted by local police forces and right-wing paramilitaries. CBP already has jurisdiction over areas within 100 miles of a border, an area covering most of the major cities in this country. In addition, the Republican party has already committed $20 million to challenge ballot access and eligibility. The party, which has just been released from what became a 30 year injunction due voter intimidation, is hoping to recruit 50,000 people as “poll watchers”. Trump hopes that, with enough general chaos and suppression of Democratic votes, he can “win” the in-person vote and declare himself the “winner” on election night. Then he will contend that the mail-in votes are fraudulent and contest those votes, dragging those counts on as long as possible and hoping to get the courts to intervene. The entire project will not only have the full support of the majority of the Republican party but will also be backstopped by the coordinated efforts of the right-wing media, including Facebook.
Americans need to face the fact that we have already become an illiberal democracy. The state is literally kidnapping people off the streets; it is suppressing critical health information and replacing it with propaganda in the hopes of literally killing its political opponents in poor and minority communities; it frees its accomplices from jail and sends those who may expose it back to prison; it is conducting loyalty tests for government officials; and it has corrupted the courts to provide the legal basis for its criminal actions. Will Stancil summarizes, “Curious what parts of the US federal government could be considered a liberal democracy right now. The executive openly defies the law, he appoints whoever he wants to run his agencies, he pardons his accomplices, he has a paramilitary, the opposition tweets complaints about it. The Constitution envisions major checks on Trump’s authority, but our political class has abandoned all of them in favor of simply waiting for the quadrennial election. And Trump will contest the election if it’s close, so it’s less an election and more a test of his mandate.”
For Democrats, simply waiting to vote Trump out in November will not be enough. Trump and the GOP will try and make voting as difficult as possible, both in early voting and on election day. That means contesting voter suppression before, during, and after the election, despite the Supreme Court’s lack of interest in protecting democracy which has thankfully not permeated the entire federal court system. It also means fostering the will and commitment to vote despite those obstacles. And it may also mean getting out on the streets every day like those moms in Portland and protestors around this country. | https://tidalsoundings.medium.com/accelerating-toward-autocracy-d5100fb00c34 | [] | 2020-07-20 15:06:27.559000+00:00 | ['Election 2020', 'Democracy', 'Trump', 'Politics'] |
The Three Pillars of Happiness | Teaching cheerfully until his painful death in 270 BC, Epicurus contributed enormously to the school of philosophy during his lifetime, his legacy surviving for thousands of years.
Epicurus lived in Athens with his closest friends and spent his days trying to solve the perennial puzzle that troubles us all: happiness. While most philosophers contemplated at length what it means to be good, Epicurus instead aimed to uncover the key principles of contentment.
Naturally, his early works attracted severe criticism from other scholars. Surrendering more intellectual pursuits in favour of searching for happiness, peers ridiculed Epicurus in the beginning, labelling him as a pleasure-hungry, pseudo-philosophical hedonist.
Rumours even circulated claiming that Epicurus would engorge himself with lavish ten-course feasts every evening, others insisting that he frequently partook in orgies with several women at a time.
Meanwhile, poor Epicurus lived modestly out in the countryside. His diet consisted of little more than bread, olives and an occasional slice of cheese as a treat whilst he studied happiness from his humble home and garden in Athens.
Teaching passionately until the very end of his life, Epicurus spent his days hashing out a wealth of thought-provoking material which would be quoted for many years after his death.
One of his most famous sayings summarises the core principle behind his teachings:
“Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not; remember that what you now have was once among the things you only hoped for.”
This is but one of Epicurus’s maxims for joy. He proposed that we all make three mistakes when searching for happiness, and it is the corresponding solutions to these mistakes that I’ll be discussing in this article.
1. Cultivate True Friendships
In contrast to the false stories attached to his name, Epicurus wasn’t interested in sex or romance. He argued that our obsession with romantic relationships is, in fact, the cause for a lot of misery.
Instead, Epicurus suggested that true, meaningful friendships are fundamental to our happiness.
Friendships are not marred by the same bitterness, jealousy and resentment that romantic relationships often are. Therefore, instead of searching tirelessly for lovers or sex, we should spend our time cultivating positive relationships with our friends.
The only issue with friendships, he stated, is that we just don’t see our friends enough. Life gets in the way, and often we neglect those dearest to us in favour of other pursuits.
In addition to this, many of us are reluctant to open ourselves fully to our friends because we fear that they can’t be trusted or that we’ll be met with rejection.
We may have many friends and acquaintances, but not all are held in equal regard where trust and openness are concerned.
While Epicurus didn’t explicitly discuss which characteristics denote true friendship, Stoic philosopher Seneca later revisited Epicurean philosophy and set out some guidelines detailing the criteria of positive and meaningful relationships.
Seneca held that true friends should inspire us to improve and become happier. They should have our best interests at heart.
Our best friends shouldn’t just reflect our interests but also our values. Cheaters, liars and fakes are all being driven by vices which, Seneca suggests, will only impact us negatively should we admit such people to our friendship. It is better to commit to friendships that uplift and enlighten us.
Seneca also advises that, when we ultimately decide that a person should be accepted into our lives, we should welcome them wholeheartedly and trust them fully.
As he writes in letters to his friend Lucilius,
‘Ponder for a long time whether you shall admit a given person to your friendship; but when you have decided to admit him, welcome him with all your heart and soul. Speak as boldly with him as with yourself… Regard him as loyal and you will make him loyal.’
Such relationships will enable us to lead better, more peaceful lives. That’s the first pillar of happiness.
2. Produce Meaningful Work
The next thing that many of us feel we need in order to be happy is wealth.
Though Epicurus’s ideas were formulated almost two-thousand years ago, today we are more motivated by money than ever before.
So much so, in fact, that the majority of us spend our entire lives working hard in the hopes that someday we will have enough money to buy an expensive house and retire early.
Our obsession with earning money wills us to work tirelessly, driving ourelves to exhaustion and causing us tremendous amounts of stress and unhappiness.
Epicurus argues that the key to satisfaction in our working lives isn’t earning a lot of money, but the knowledge that we’re producing meaningful work.
We all long to feel that we’re making a difference. Deep down, we don’t care about large sums or job titles, but the feeling that we’re playing our part in making the world a better place for other people.
In order to live happily, it’s critical that we love our work. After all, it’s this work that comprises a large chunk of our time. It only makes sense that we do the things we enjoy, and few things deliver as much joy as the knowledge that we’re helping others.
Instead of slaving from nine until five every day in a job that you hate, seek to discover how you can provide meaning and support others.
In the words of Charles Dickens,
“No one is useless in this world who lightens the burdens of another.”
3. Learn to Live Happily With Less
Lastly, Epicurus considered our fixation with desire.
We seek to fill gaps in our lives by chasing after our wills and drives, such as striving to earn more money, get in shape or find a romantic partner. We endlessly follow our desires in the hope that, by achieving them, we will finally feel happy.
But there’s a catch: pursuing these desires only delays the arrival of peace.
By chasing mindless pleasure, we’re missing the mark completely. Epicurus argues that our longing for luxury, status and pleasure conceal a deeper hunger for satisfaction.
In one of the earliest wellbeing experiments to date, Epicurus relinquished his pursuit of desire and instead made three fundamental changes in his life. He sought to measure how these changes affected both his and his followers’ levels of happiness.
Surrounding himself with good people: We don’t need sex or wealth to feel happy — just our friends. It’s no good seeing them every now and then. Regularity of contact is crucial. Epicurus was so convinced that friendship was the key to happiness, in fact, that he purchased a large house in Athens and moved in with many of his dearest companions. Pursuing the work he loved: Epicurus and his friends took big pay cuts in exchange for free time to produce their own work. Living together, he and his friends wrote, practiced pottery and cooked. They lived happily together, prioritising meaning over wealth. Finding peace of mind: In their shared household, Epicurus and his friends spent their spare days seeking calm. They meditated, spent time alone reflecting and wrote in journals. These practices were hugely successful in helping them find peace of mind.
A Happiness Revolution
After following all three of these principles for some time, the Epicurean household became so happy with their lives that word spread like wildfire.
Neighbouring communities couldn’t believe the success of Epicurus’s commune. Epicurean schools began to open all over the Mediterranean, inspired to learn how to find contentment using the once-ridiculed philosopher’s practices.
The reach of Epicurean philosophy began to spread far beyond his commune. His influence was enormous, making vast contributions not only to philosophy, but to religion and politics, too.
Centuries later, Karl Marx would produce a Ph.D thesis about Epicurean philosophy. Communism is, after all, merely a misguided and failed version of Epicureanism.
Epicurus’s works are still quoted today, shaping the landscape of the modern world of self-improvement. His ideas hold more value now than ever.
At its core, Epicurean philosophy is founded upon one key principle. Happiness cannot be found in the material, but only by living modestly and meaningfully.
This practice can benefit every single one of our lives — even if only a little.
The Takeaway
Epicurus sought to teach others how to live happily for one reason: nobody seemed to know how. Many of us are still puzzled by the problem of happiness.
We think we know that sex, money and luxury are the solutions to our misery — but they are not. These things only provide fleeting pleasure that fails to produce any long-lasting changes to our wellbeing.
Instead, Epicurus advises that we reflect on the moments that bring us true happiness. We should pay close attention to small, wonderful things that populate our daily lives and cultivate gratitude for all that we have, surrendering our desire for more.
We should make time to spend with friends and ensure that, as Seneca advocates, these friends help us to improve and grow. It is these friends that provide our lives with joy and meaning.
We should forego our strenuous jobs and long hours in favour of meaningful and inspiring work that serves to make the world a better place.
And lastly, we should seek peace of mind in our spare time. Through meditation and learning to live happily in the present moment, we will no longer crave luxury or wealth, content with what we have already.
Through exercising these practices, we may all learn to live happily — even if it means spending our days living out in the country, eating cheese and reading philosophy books with a couple of good friends down the hallway.
Before You Leave
I run a daily newsletter The Daily Grind where I send out tips to creatives and entrepreneurs about success, wellness and honing their craft.
If that sounds like you, follow this link to sign up. | https://medium.com/mind-cafe/the-three-pillars-of-happiness-81cc21c0333d | ['Adrian Drew'] | 2019-06-12 17:13:17.052000+00:00 | ['Philosophy', 'Happiness', 'Life', 'Mental Health', 'Self Improvement'] |
What is NTRU and why do we like it so much? | History
NTRU was created in 1996 by Jeffrey Hoffstein, Jill Pipher and Joseph H. Silverman and patented one year later by NTRU Cryptosystems Inc, a company the three inventors established with Daniel Lieman. The name they gave the new system stands for “N-th degree Truncated polynomial Ring Units” (NTRU). The NTRU cryptosystem consists of two algorithms: NTRUEncrypt for encryption and NTRUSign for digital signatures, however only NTRUEncrypt is currently of interest to us.
In the beginning the new cryptosystem was praised for its speed and efficiency, however there were some worries that for smaller N (degree of the polynomial) some attacks performed well. With the possible advent of Quantum computing however NTRU drew new attention and the different attacks were studied much better, as it is more and more obvious that it (or something based on it) is one of the foremost contenders for the title quantum secure cryptosystem of the future, and allows for a lot of further development on its basic structure and concepts. These developments have been happening at a somewhat slow pace since its invention, however in recent times a lot of new research is put into NTRU, and its properties have been studied in much greater detail. A greater scrutiny upon the possible values of the parameters proved certain rings to be weaker and others to be more robust and some provably secure versions were created as soon as 2013. As of 2017 NTRU entered public domain and is free to use by anyone. Currently NTRU has been entered into the Post-Quantum Standardization Project of the US National institute of Standards and Technology.
Homomorphic cryptosystem
We have already established, that quantum security is of utmost priority to us, and our chosen system is quantum secure, as well as efficient and quick to use. However, there is also another reason that makes NTRU the perfect fit for Tixl and possibly other currencies with similar goals. As we have already pointed out, one of the great innovations that we bring to the market is encryption of the amount of currency transferred from one account to another. But any transaction must be ready to be verified by anyone and when the amount is encrypted that becomes harder. However, if we use a cryptosystem, which allows the encrypted values to be added and subtracted while they are encrypted and then still be properly decrypted, that allows the transaction to be verified independently without knowledge of any of the actual numbers and sums involved.
Imagine that A wants to transfer n Tixl to B. We encrypt the amount in A’s balance into the number C and the amount in B’s balance into a number D and the transferred amount x into the number y. Then we transfer the amount y from C to D. A’s balance becomes C-y and B’s balance becomes D+y. Anyone can verify that the transaction took place, that account A’s balance has decreased with the same number y that account B’s balance has increased, but nobody knows what those balances are and what that number is.
Thus for our innovation we need a cryptosystem with the property, that you can add and subtract the numbers while they are encrypted. This property is called homomorphism and such a cryptosystem is called homomorphic to addition. Unlike RSA and ElGamal and many others which are homomorphic to multiplication, but not to addition, NTRU is, with some restrictions — homomorphic to a limited number of additions. However this restriction does not apply to us, since we need just one addition, as soon as the encrypted amount goes to the receiver’s account it is decrypted and included. Thus, our chosen cryptosystem is perfect for the use of any cryptocurrency which wants to preserve the transaction amounts hidden, which, combined with the generally excellent speed performance and, of course, the omnipresent danger of the quantum computer is why we have chosen the NTRU system for our product.
Lattices, or where the math gets harder…
First of all, NTRU is a lattice-based cryptosystem. A lattice-based cryptosystem is any cryptosystem based on a problem in the field of lattices, which is considered hard to solve. A lattice is a set of all integer linear combinations of basis vectors and cryptosystems based on lattices generally deal with vectors with integer coefficients. There are several computational problems based on lattices that are considered hard to solve efficiently using both normal and quantum computers. The most important of those is the Shortest Vector Problem, or SVP, which looks for the shortest Euclidean length of a non-zero lattice vector. NTRU and almost every other lattice-based cryptosystem is based on the assumption that this problem, or one of its close relatives — is hard to solve (some versions are provably hard, others are not) and the general consensus is, that even with the advent of quantum computers this problem will still not have a solution. As we will see, NTRU is based on the truncated polynomial ring R and thus generally deals with polynomials and the coefficients of each one of those polynomials form a vector in a lattice. Factoring the multiplication of those polynomials is thus very similar to reducing the basis of a lattice, which is generally the way to solve the SVP. Here, we would not go into much detail about the whole field of lattice mathematics, as NTRU is better understood with a focus on the polynomials and not the lattice.
So what is NTRU? The general definition is that it is a family of cryptosystems based on a truncated polynomial ring
R=Z[x]/X^(N-1)
In that equation R is the name of the ring, Z[x] indicates that the coefficients of x are integer numbers and X^(N-1) indicates the greatest possible degree of the polynomial.
Imagine a polynomial of the form a0 + a1x + a2x^2 +…an-1x^(N-1). The set of all possible polynomials of this form with integer coefficients (a0, a1…an-1) is the so called truncated polynomial ring R, where NTRU is based. So for example the polynomial 6+2x+3x^2 is a polynomial, belonging to the truncated polynomial ring of degree N=3, upon which we can build a (very basic) NTRU cryptosystem.
The value of N (the maximal degree of the polynomials in the ring +1) is one of the three components that determine the particular NTRU cryptosystem (in contrast with the other NTRU cryptosystems in the family). Some particular rings (and thus N-s) are better for the usage of NTRU than others, but generally the rule is — the bigger N, the bigger the set of polynomials, and thus — the more secure the system (and also a bit slower). Some traditionally used values of N are N=167 for quicker applications, N=251 for standard and N=367 for applications with emphasis on security. The other two components determining the NTRU cryptosystem are two co-prime (having no common divisor different from 1) numbers, usually named p and q. Usually p is a very small integer number, almost always 3 is used, while q is usually some power of the number 2 (for example 128 or 256). Since 3 and any number that is a power of 2 have no common divisor, they are co-prime and we can use them for our NTRU encryption. The three system parameters (N, p and q) can be known by anybody.
Basic cryptographic notations
In the basic cryptographic notation, we usually have Alice (A) who wants to send a message (m) to Bob (B), without divulging its content to the eavesdropper Eve (E). The act of encoding the message is called encryption, the act of decoding it — decryption, the encoded message (e) is called the ciphertext and the mathematical device used for encryption or decryption is called a key. Those are the standard names used for notation in all kinds of cryptographic content and have become the standard and we will use them too. Of course, the role of the potential eavesdropper is not necessarily malicious, for example for our purposes when the currency amount that is transferred is hidden, everyone should be able to verify that the transaction took place and thus operate on the encrypted message, without getting the information hidden in it.
So, Alice wants to send a message to Bob. This means Alice needs a key to encrypt the message and Bob needs a key to decrypt it. Almost all modern cryptosystems are asymmetric, which means that Alice’s key for encrypting the message is different from Bob’s key for decrypting it and NTRU is no exception. In most cases, including ours — the key that Alice has is called a public key and is available to everyone, however Bob’s key, called a private key — is available only to him. Bob generates both keys before the message exchange starts and then releases the public key to the public, including Alice.
Our cryptosystem (and most others) consists of completing three distinct action elements: Key generation, which is the action taken by Bob to create a public key for Alice (or anyone) and a private key for himself; Encryption, which is the action taken by Alice, who has a message that wants to be sent secretly and uses the public key generated by Bob to encrypt it; and finally — Decryption — which is an action taken by Bob to read the secret message using his private key.
So, next time we will look at the three elements one by one and explain how that connects to the lattices mentioned above. Brace yourselves for some more serious mathematics. | https://medium.com/tixlorg/what-is-ntru-and-why-do-we-like-it-so-much-4028d05eabb3 | ['Christian Eichinger'] | 2019-07-11 22:32:11.247000+00:00 | ['Cryptocurrency', 'Cryptosystem', 'Cryptography', 'Quantum Computing', 'Security'] |
Chancellor seeks campus complaints | Chancellor seeks campus complaints
Peralta community expresses worry about safety, homelessness
by Yohana Gebre
Sharon Cornu reviews complaints written by staff at a March 15 meeting at Laney. She and Chancellor Laguerre visited Peralta campuses to hear concerns. (Photo By Yohana Gebre)
Chancellor Jowel C. Laguerre met with students, administrators, and faculty March 15 in several brainstorm sessions meant to allow students and faculty to voice concerns and to present possible solutions in a report that will be reviewed by the district.
Laguerre said that once they were done collecting the district’s concerns, on March 28, a report would be released stating the concerns expressed from the colleges and district and how the district plans to solve the concerns.
“We wanted to give the space for faculty, staff, students, and administrators to help us come up with the needs that we have,” Laguerre said.
The chancellor met with students and ASLC representatives, faculty, staff, and administrators.
Sharon Cornu, a strategic communications and community engagement consultant hired by the district, instructed those attending the ASLC meeting to break into groups, discuss their concerns, and write them on Post-it notes. She and the chancellor collected the Post-its for their report.
Chancellor Laguerre poses with students, administration and faculty during a meeting on March 15 at Laney College.
“Our intention is to do a thorough needs assessment of the district,” Laguerre said. “It may not be complete without knowing what your needs are.”
The chancellor said the purpose of these exercises was to hear concerns, make a combined report, and start planning which concerns can be addressed based on the district’s resources. Cornu said this strategy was based on what the administration has used in the past.
“This is a chance to think about the facilities issues that the chancellor was raising but also to think about other kinds of needs that would support your work as well as the students and the district,” Cornu said when she spoke to Laney administrators.
Students, administrators and faculty all held very similar concerns — the budget, safety, housing, homelessness support, lack of parking, and affordable transportation for students.
ASLC President Keith Welch and other student representatives noted that the lack of housing was a stressor affecting many students. He suggested hotel vouchers as a potential solution.
“I think that the Peralta district would benefit from hotels,” Welch said. “Two students could occupy one room with a hotel voucher.”
The chancellor and Cornu said emergency call boxes in district parking lots were neither functioning nor distributed evenly. They also said the facility buildings, especially the Student Center, needed to be upgraded and that staff members should receive more training.
Faculty and administrators stressed the need to share equity funds equally throughout different departments, redesign and modernize the Student Center and more actively help people feel safe while on campus, such as by fixing the emergency call boxes and getting security guards.
Cornu said that the purpose of the meeting was to identify what concerns the colleges have and present them to the district. Secondly, the district needs to know how much money those needs amount to, Laguerre said.
After the meeting on March 28. the district will release a report that has combined the colleges’ concerns and district’s ability to pay for the changes. Neither Cornu nor the chancellor made any indications as to how the concerns would be addressed by the district.
The chancellor made similar visits to College of Alameda, Berkeley City College and Merritt College. | https://medium.com/laney-tower/chancellor-seeks-campus-complaints-c3b9a10c8f5d | ['Laney Tower'] | 2018-04-27 20:57:07.660000+00:00 | ['Safety', 'Peralta', 'Education', 'Laney'] |
Why should we enhance our Public speaking skills? | Why should we enhance our Public speaking skills: Public speaking plays a very important role in all spheres of life including education, business, and other aspects of daily public life too. Public speaking is a reflection of your personality. Public speeches can include a wide range of topics which can be chosen as per the occasion of speaking. Slideshows and presentations always add a complimentary to your speeches and will ultimately help you cover all points of the topic. Pictorial representation helps in building the interest of the listeners and grasping the maximum interest of the audience. Public speaking differs a lot from online presentations as in online medium all audiences are present in virtual form and pre-recordings are also used while in public speaking you directly address your speech to the huge crowd. Many people generally get afraid of public speaking but once you get adapted to it one will enjoy maximum interaction with the crowd in a joyful manner.
Public Speaking in a corporate field has great benefits which will ultimately help you in reaching the topmost position of your life are as follows:
Career advancement
Helps in boosting confidence
The power of critical analysis and thinking develops to a great extent.
Helps in developing the personality of an individual
Enhance your communication skills.
One gets an opportunity to build new social relations in the world
Personal satisfaction will keep both your physical and mental health healthy and help in deriving peace.
Professional contacts or network ranges get increased
Best public speaking skills will help to learn the skill of persuasion which is in high demand nowadays.
Leadership skills of presenting your ideas and getting other colleagues' best innovative ideas on board can be developed which will ultimately help in being a good listener.
Vocabulary and fluent English qualities will help in best-presenting ideas in the speech
Argument on proper firm points too can be made.
Changes can be easily driven if you are a public speaker.
Improves individual self-esteem.
http://www.guidershala.com/why-should-we-enhance-our-public-speaking-skills/ | https://medium.com/@info.guidershala/why-should-we-enhance-our-public-speaking-skills-97a4b487cefb | [] | 2021-12-20 04:21:21.006000+00:00 | ['Public Speaking', 'Skills'] |
Sports Have Always Been Political and That’s the Way it Should be. | Sports Have Always Been Political and That’s the Way it Should be.
What Drs. John Carlos and Tommy Smith taught future generations of politically conscious athletes
42 years ago today, Drs. John Carlos and Tommy Smith raised their fists in protest of the Vietnam War and race relations in America while standing on the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City. Beside them, Australian sprinter Peter Norman, who won a silver medal in the men’s 200-meter, wears a patch from the Olympic Project for Human Rights in solidarity.
1968 was one of the most tumultuous years in American history. Martin Luther King Jr. and Bobby Kennedy were assassinated, the Vietnam War was killing over 500 Americans per month, there were riots outside the Democratic Convention in Chicago, and race relations were at an all time low.
In what is now known as one of the most iconic protest images in sports history, Drs. Carlos and Smith bound themselves to the spirit of their time without saying a word. They were tired of being treated like second-class citizens. They were tired of riding in the back of the bus. And they were tired with staying quiet.
“How many times in your life have they really expressed to you what that protest was all about?” Dr. Smith asked in an interview with SportsNet. “They have it in the history books with no explanations whatsoever. Nothing about how they did it, why they did it, or why it matters.”
To Drs. Carlos and Smith, the protests were about much more than making a simple statement. Their clenched fists symbolized a passing of the baton to the next generation of leaders fighting to create a more perfect union. They went to the Olympics with the intent of doing a service for humanity.
“It wasn’t a protest to show Black power, or Black pride. We were concerned for all humanity, all mankind,” Dr. Carlos said.
And this concern hasn’t waned. Instead, athletes from Curt Flood and the Syracuse 8 to modern heroes like Colin Kaepernick and LeBron James have continued the long march toward freedom.
Still unchanged, however, is the vitriol directed at athletes that use their platform to protest. Recall Gertrude Ederle, whose coach attempting to sabotage her first attempt to swim across the English Chanel, students at the University of Missouri threatened to kill New York University’s fullback Leonard Bates for daring to travel with the team to an away game, and Kathrine Switzer, who was physically attacked for running the Boston Marathon faster than many men.
Contemporarily, Fox News’ Laura Ingraham famously told LeBron to “shut up and dribble,” San Francisco 49er fans burned Kaepernick’s jerseys while league owners blackballed him from finding work, and Conservatives on Twitter vowed to stop watching the NBA , NFL and MLB allowed their athletes to express solidarity with the Movement for Black Lives by wearing insignia and slogans on their jerseys.
Yet, no matter how often the faces or places change, the message Drs. Carlos and Smith wanted to send to future athletes was received loud a clear: Sports have always been political, and that’s the way it should be.
History in the Making
Sports, like politics, is not a contemporary phenomenon.
The Greeks, considered by many to be the muse of America’s founding fathers, played games including running, long jump, shot put, javelin, boxing, pankration, and equestrian events because they believed a healthy body was the key to vitality.
Public gyms were places where people relaxed and trained. Oftentimes, philosophers like Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle used gyms to both train and work out their political theories.
Before the Greeks, the Egyptians would run races at the sed-festival dedicated to the fertility god Min. Winners were seen as having the blessing of the Pharaoh.
The Maya played a ballgame in their city centers stretching between Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, and Belize. The game symbolized the city’s size and power. Losers were sometimes decapitated and the removed appendage was used for future games. The blood spilled by the loser was seen as a sign of fertility.
Social Development
And while many sanguine themes from sports history have vanished in the modern era, several researchers believe sports still serve an important social function.
Psychologists consider elements of sports such as self-sacrifice, competition, and goal-orientation as positive individual benefits of organized sports.
On a macro level, sports can also assist in the development of communities.
A recent article in the Journal of Legal Issues of Sports argues that “Professional sports are intricately embedded in their communities, arguably more dependent on consumer and government support, with greater influence on culture and more power to improve community well-being.”
By combining elements of personal development with the corporate social responsibilities such as charitable giving and activism that many professional sports organizations share, “these facts lead to the expectation that professional sports will contribute more to society than just exciting exhibitions,” author Brendan Parent of NYU argues.
Jesse Owens standing on the Gold Medal Podium after winning the men’s 4x400 relay. Credit: Cleveland.com
Sports as an Olive Branch
With the history of sports in mind, it’s easy to see why American politicians are wont to use sports as an olive branch for political gains.
In 1936, while the country was furiously debating what to do about Hitler in Germany, President Franklin D. Roosevelt supported sending US athletes to Germany to participate in the Olympic games because 23-year-old Jesse Owens represented an opportunity to dispel the myth of Aryan supremacy.
“It would seem that a move of this kind would be a Master stroke for many obvious reasons — politically and otherwise…This should please the negro race because of Jesse Owen[sic] and the other colored Americans…I believe that the most extreme Southerner would laud you for this very discreet and timely move,” FDR wrote in a telegram.
However, after Owens returned, FDR refused to meet with him and the other 18 Black athletes who won medals at the Olympics because he did not want to be seen as “soft on the Negro issue.” Nearly 70 years later, President Obama gave the athletes the celebration they deserved.
Similarly, President Nixon sent the US table tennis team to play the Chinese national team in Beijing in 1972 because he wanted to soften trade relations between the countries. This event became known as ping pong diplomacy.
President Carter threatened to withhold the US hockey team from the 1980 Olympics in protest of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. He eventually reversed course, and the US team won the gold medal against the Soviets in what’s now known as The Miracle on Ice.
Today, President Trump has rescinded that olive branch by consistently vilified athletes who protest, famously telling a crowd in Alabama that NFL owners should “fire those sons-of-bitches.”
This is why many NFL players feel conflicted about wearing patches saying “It Takes All Of Us” or “End Racism” when 90% of the cash their team owners spend on politicians have gone to the Republican Party, headed by Trump who recently refused to denounce white supremacy.
The Ethics of Loss and Hope
Maybe the most powerful lesson Drs. Carlos and Smith taught today’s athletes concerns the ethics of loss. Not simply how to graciously lose a game or a race, but what it means to have the courage to speak up about injustice even when threatened with losing their job or violence.
Today’s athletes are more wealthy and powerful than at any point in history. The MLB, NFL, and NBA combined revenues exceed $30 billion and many athlete contracts are fully-guaranteed. With this much money on the line, it’s easy to see why some athletes stay silent about their political beliefs.
“The big thing is a person of conviction like [Carlos and Smith] who doesn’t take the moment to speak up about injustice, they have a harder time living with themselves than they do from the ramifications of speaking up,” Hall of Fame CFL player Michael Clemons told SportsNet.
“What can never be counted is the number of people who found hope in knowing a world champion cared about them.”
While hope has yet to pay the light bill or rent, it is a powerful force for change. It is the belief that circumstances will improve, a steadfast determination to make the world a better place.
In the end, hope is the essence of politics. Without it, there is no reason to fight, no reason to try, and moreover, no reason to win. It is hope that Drs. Carlos and Smith thrust into the air inside of their clenched fists, one that endures to this day. | https://medium.com/indian-thoughts/sports-have-always-been-political-and-thats-the-way-it-should-be-6cb87bbc3b39 | ['Robert Davis'] | 2020-10-17 02:14:20.047000+00:00 | ['Sports', 'Protest', 'Politics', 'BlackLivesMatter'] |
Top 10 Best Online Platforms to Find an Investor for Your Startup 2020 Part 2: Biotech | Top 10 Best Online Platforms to Find an Investor for Your Startup 2020 Part 2: Biotech
Sourcing money for a biotech startup company can be a challenge
There are plenty of options out there, but it can be hard to make the best assessment for your business. From family offices to business angels to crowdfunding to grants, it can be difficult working out what type of investment to go for.
After all, every company has unique requirements when it comes to funding. If you’re feeling a bit overwhelmed when it comes to finding the best investor for your biotech company, then you might want to read below.
As a private request from one of my readers, I decided to do my best to put down 10 best online platforms to help you find an investor for your startup in biotech. You can check the first part more dedicated to hardware startups.
10. Hyde Park Angel Network
Hyde Park Angel Network consists of a group of investors that assist with young startup companies that need funding for development. Impressively, they’re the busiest angel investor team in the Midwest, boasting over 130 angel investors.
The main sectors that they invest in include industrial technology, information technology, healthcare services, and financial services.
Their blog is also pretty useful for budding entrepreneurs. It features two new posts a month that highlight fundraising tips and growth advice.
9. AngelList
AngelList prides itself on being the world’s largest startup community. The website was designed to assist tech startups to gain funding, recruit staff members, and launch their startup all with the help of angel investors.
AngelList is very popular among fresh startups that are hoping to grow and it’s super easy for investors to find brands to help out using the website.
The blog offers some interesting insight for entrepreneurs too. It focuses on investing and angel investors. Some of the articles and advice includes how to recruit a remote team and how to welcome diversity into your hiring strategy, for example.
8. Tech Coast Angels
Tech Coast Angels is an investment firm located out of Los Angeles. The group involves 263 investors. It helps startup brands with funding, mentoring, connections, and assistance with growing their business.
These services are provided to startups in a variety of industries. These include biotech, life sciences, software, and information technology.
Navigate to their website and you’ll discover exhaustive entrepreneur resources to help you build your brand. This includes a blog that’s regularly updated twice a month.
These posts focus on topics such as thinking to the future when investing and what many angel investors expect from helping with funding.
Tech Coast Angels also offer helpful social media posts on Facebook and Twitter, offering regular advice and updates.
7. Golden Seeds LLC
Golden Seeds LLC is unique on this list as the brand focuses on offering investments to startup companies that have been established by or are currently run by women.
The main industries that their angel investors assist with include technology, software, life sciences, and consumer goods.
Learn more about the company and the angel investors behind it by heading to the blog page on the website. New posts are published every month to help entrepreneurs on their business journey.
Boasting around 190 investors, Golden Seeds LLC is a popular investment company with more than 2,000 followers spanning on Facebook and Twitter. Follow these accounts regularly to discover more about the types of businesses Golden Seeds LLC’s angel investors typically help.
6. SeedInvest
SeedInvest is a popular angel investment platform that works with health tech startups. Another unique option, SeedInvest is a crowdfunding website that raises investments from people who would like to help fund young startups.
Every startup put forward is thoroughly vetted before investments are made through crowdfunding.
Head to SeedInvest’s blog page to learn more about the world of startups, with around one new blog post published each week. Topics range from the advantages of a diverse portfolio to how to execute a successful startup exit.
5. Life Science Angels
Life Science Angels is another popular angel investor platform. The group focuses on helping startups in sectors like biotech, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, and diagnostics.
What’s great is that lots of angel investors on this platform are successful founders or senior executives of brands in the healthcare industry. So, if you receive funding from one of these angel investors, you know it’s a good sign.
When you browse their website you’ll soon discover how to apply for funding. There are also valuable tips available to help you apply so you can submit a more successful application.
There’s also plenty of information on the successful investments the angels have worked with in the past, so you can gain a feel of the types of startups the group usually help with.
The blog also contains some insight to help you grow your startup.
4. Wefunder
Wefunder is an investing website assisting entrepreneurs in a variety of different fields. One of the focuses is biotechnology, with a whole website dedicated to those seeking appropriate funding.
Wefunder recognizes that hacking biology is becoming more useful and accessible. They believe that the future of life sciences will be led by innovative scientists that use technology to ensure that biology moves faster.
Wefunder’s investors help fund scientist founders in budding startup companies, hoping to help the entrepreneurs and scientists that will lead the way in how we develop with biology.
Wefunder has a process in how they select projects to invest in. First, the founders are interviewed. Then the specific market outlined is researched.
Next, Wefunder delves into the disclosure and finances and creates a deal memo. If Wefunder believes they should invest, there’s a negotiation and they decide whether to personally invest or not.
3. Y Combinator
Y Combinator is a platform that offers seed funding for startup companies. Seed funding refers to the earliest point of venture funding. It pays a brand’s expenses while they’re getting started in the world of business.
In 2014, Y Combinator first funded a biotech company called Ginkgo Bioworks. Since then, Y Combinator has expanded into all fields of biotech and life sciences. Today, Y Combinator proudly assists seed-stage biotech brands more than any other investor.
Y Combinator believes that there’s a revolution happening in biotech which is similar to what happened to software in the 90s. That’s why they aim to make investments in so many budding businesses.
Costs and cycles have been reduced for biotech, which means that there are great opportunities for startups to create innovative work.
While Y Combinator also funds brands that are more established, the company feels most comfortable helping startups at their earliest stage. Ideally, that’s when they’re ready to progress with university research.
Y Combinator covers types of businesses across the whole life sciences realm. This includes investing in businesses in synthetic biology, digital health, food technology, therapeutics, and more.
2. Angels in Medcity
As we know, biotech and life sciences can be more difficult than other industries for angel investing. One of the main reasons is because a return on investment usually takes longer. For example, it may take between eight to ten years compared to five to seven years for other industries like artificial intelligence.
Yet as we’ve established, many angel investors are drawn to startups working in biotech and life sciences because of the positive social impact these brands can have. That’s as well as the potential big returns, of course.
Angels in Medcity is a program designed specifically to link business angels with life science startups for this very reason. Every investor in the group is interested in funding companies in biotech.
Based in London, Angels in Medcity focuses on funding startups in diagnostics, digital health, and medical device technologies. Potential investors are brought together with experts in the field of life sciences to help advise both new and more experienced investors in choosing a project to fund.
The main aim of the company is to build an understanding for potential investors in the life sciences realm and to support startup brands in biotech to help grow their business.
1. Aescuvest
Recently, crowdfunding has become a popular option for many new brands and projects to have a kickstart with funding. In a relatively short amount of time, the biotech and life sciences industry has found great opportunity in equity crowdfunding.
Equity crowdfunding allows biotech brands to raise up to around one million dollars by drawing a large pool of small-ticket investors.
With the popularity of the model, the German crowd investment platform Aescuvest recently designed the first pan-European crowdfunding website focusing on businesses in life sciences and biotech.
The platform works to group various investors. The startup brand only has to work with one entity, rather than many of them which can result in big savings in terms of time and legal fees.
Excitingly, a biotech startup could be funded over 10 million dollars using this method.
Conclusion
The biotech industry is still not as equal as other industries in terms of funding opportunities but it has and still is changing step by step. With our society becoming more and more aware of how important the biotech startups are for our future, surely investors will turn their investments into the same direction.
If you think a platform is missing in here and/or you have a platform and wants to be listed on it, feel free to reach out to me! | https://medium.com/the-innovation/top-10-best-online-platforms-to-find-an-investor-for-your-startup-2020-part-2-biotech-c9d947ac55ac | ['Chris Boucher'] | 2020-06-24 07:17:26.624000+00:00 | ['Biotechnology', 'Startup', 'Equity', 'Investors', 'Funding'] |
MyCamp: camping trips minus the hassle | Timeline: 1 week
Project: Group project for Misk Academy UX/Ui Bootcamp
problem
Campers complain about issues in their camping trips.
As a outdoor camping enthusiast, I have noticed Campers who need assistance in organizing a camping trip, because they don’t have time, experience, or equipment to organize it by themselves. Our solution should deliver a way to help campers to find camping organizers to have an interesting and comfortable camping trip.
The solution
Professional organizers to the rescue
Our solution is to create a P2P application to connect campers with professional organizers where organizers provide a variety of packages that full fills all campers’ needs including tent setup, equipment, food and drinks, entertainment and emergency services.
Desk research
Unpleasant surprises are major setback
My colleagues Haneen Alghamdi, Najla Alsaedi and I started research through social media like Twitter and Instagram and read about campers’ experiences, motivation and needs of their camping trip, when I noticed how many people actually complained about the unexpected issues they face.
Exabit A: camping trip struggles
User Interview
Key factors: Weather came on the top of the list
Even though we found out in our research that unexcepted problems was a huge issue during camping trips. We have conducted interviews with 10 people who camp frequently every year yet they fail in achieving the camping experience they are looking for. The question below are some of what we asked them to find trends on what these issues are and why they occur.
Research Questions:
What is your definition of a successful camping? How do you plan your camping trip? Where do you go for camping trips? Why do you like camping? Have you tried a professional camping organizer before? How was your experience?
affinity mapping
The main insight
They never used an app to arrange camping trips
Based on the trends in the affinity map, we have noticed that there are many pain points related to weather, accidents, food and water supply, equipment and location. here are the key insights:
Users need professional organizers to be carefree during the trip. Users like to camp because they look to change routine, have fun activities, and enjoy nature. Some users hesitate to camp because of unexpected accidents.
Design
Wireframing:
sketching the wireframe was assigned to me by our team. We wanted to create easy and intuitive design and here what I came up with.
MyCamp: wireframing stage
prototyping
The final prototype
User Testing
Finding
In general, users didn’t stuck and quickly read the screen, clicked the button and went to the next screen. But there is particular one when almost all of them got confused. The choose package screen was puzzling for them and we thought it must be improved.
Conclusion + lessons learned
What I’d do differently next time.
Conduct more usability testing and improve the design accordingly.
Iterate as much as we can.
Documenting every step and take pictures and videos.
Ask for more feedback from our peers and mentor.
Thank you for reading! | https://medium.com/@amal.gregri/mycamp-camping-trips-minus-the-hassle-9472f2072ca | ['Amal Algregri'] | 2021-09-11 05:41:34.488000+00:00 | ['First Post', 'Beginner', 'Ux Ui Bootcamp'] |
Seth Moulton Pulls the Veteran Card | Seth Moulton is not the first person to flag his veteran status around Washington. He has been known to be as opportunistic as they come. The former presidential candidate serving as a U.S. Representative has a long list of controversial allegiances.
Moulton touted gay rights as a major issue at the Nashua Pride Festival in New Hampshire. He pushed the bill that President Trump signed as the National Suicide Hotline Designation Act. We can’t help but anticipate Moulton’s nudge for more government programs and fueling money into the pockets of The Department of Health and Human Services. “Gay rights are the civil rights fight of our generation,” says Moulton. While laws are modernizing, we can’t help but admit that the left is advocating for a heavy gay-agenda.
Taking it a step further, he is pushing to retract dishonorable discharges from veterans who were kicked out due to being gay. Let’s not forget they signed a form stating that they acknowledged the policy. Many Lesbian, Gay, and Bi-sexual veterans have successfully retired from the military on the policy and many more continue to reap one hundred percent of the benefits of the new policy allowing gays, lesbians, and transgender individuals to enlist or commission.
Let’s not forget the hundreds of LGBTQ+ youth that want to join the military service simply to claim gender dysmorphia for free surgery and a one-way ticket home due to their sudden mental change. We don’t know how many have slipped through the cracks on a medical board retirement which is what the taxpayers are absorbing. Luckily, government defense has changed the rules to allow transgender persons to serve as long as it is without special accommodations and with a stable mental health evaluation. We haven’t yet considered the service members who claimed “gay” status during the don’t ask, don’t tell era as a means to purposefully be discharged.
If anything we should be asking ourselves about Seth Moulton’s diagnosis of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Is he really a good candidate for any office? He is justifying social program overreach into Veteran Affairs. He calls President Trump “fundamentally un-American”. Yet, he fails to be the voice of the Veterans. The best approach to meeting the needs of service members is to grassroots rally the network of veterans of the baby boomer generation and of foreign wars which make up a large capacity of veterans. It’s not to push rights for a small concentrated group of LGBTQ+. | https://medium.com/@determinationgeneration/seth-moulton-pulls-the-veteran-card-3beecd9c9600 | ['G. Gabby'] | 2020-12-21 00:12:03.124000+00:00 | ['Veterans', 'Politics And Elections', 'Politics For Tomorrow', 'Senate Republicans', 'Policy'] |
Amal Totkay | A growth of mindset or a mindset of growth leads people to better qualities, where they utilize their skills to solve and tackle problems with easy and swift techniques. They start thinking deeply. They love to learn more.
Some of the techniques, by which we can develop a growth mindset, are:-
Self talking: This is the first step which enhances and motivates you to do a thing to achieve your goal. Getting out of your Comfort Zone: Sometimes, when we are reluctant to do something, we just start making lame excuses for not doing something. Remember that a journey to a thousand miles start with a footstep. You need to work hard with consistency by getting out of your comfort zone. Otherwise, you aren’t going to get any thing done by itself. Creating new habits: Habits are your developed traits and are highly influenced by your community. You should try to create new and positive habits which will help us achieve our goals. Asking people for help: This causes you to interact with people, value the team work, and hence improve your communication skills. You should get valuable comments and feedback because it plays a vital role in your growth. Fake it, till you make it: By saying that I am doing right, but I have not done it yet motivates you and you succeed.
I personally like the third trait that is creating new habits. It helps you to be active all times and remain motivated.
Growth mindset plays significant role in our life. | https://medium.com/@salman-uetlahore/amal-totkay-3893c6d0c3df | ['Muhammad Salman'] | 2020-12-26 05:59:38.026000+00:00 | ['Amal Academy', 'Amal Totkay'] |
Fathers are precious | It was past midnight when I drove past the neighborhood park towards home. From quite a distance only I could see a figure clad in white shalwar kameez standing in front of my house’s driveway. Of course, it’s s Abba. Why does he stay up so late for me? I’m not a kid anymore. I’ve grown into a responsible individual and I can surely lock the gate myself without him watching over me. Ah, fathers these days. These were a few by the way thoughts that would pop in my head every time I would come home late and find Abba standing.
Photo by Jude Beck on Unsplash
“Overtime again, yeah?” inquired Abba.
“Yes Abba, you know these companies. 9 to 5 is just a spoken formality. Actual work begins after the clock strikes 5”, I answered back.
“Oh yes, I know. I know you always wonder as to why I always stay up whenever you’re not home early. Beta, it’s not the gate I’m worried about. I know you’re responsible enough to take care of it. It’s for you that I patrol the garden until I hear your car honking. It just makes me feel elated to see you return home after a day of hard work and fatigue. It gives me immense pleasure to see you what a version you have become of yourself. It’s just that I really look forward to this time of the day”, said him.
What he said left me speechless. I felt as if I couldn’t find the words to thank him or express my emotions and feelings for him. Only when I was finally able to gather my strength to speak did my phone start to ring clear and loud in my ears.
I managed to lift my eyelids. They felt unusually heavy. I felt lost for a minute. What just happened? I found myself lying on my bed staring at the roof fan making its slow, measured moves. My lips slowly broke into a big smile but it was just a matter of a few seconds when the realization hit me. It was a dream. Abba came in my dream. He is gone. He is gone forever.
I ushered out into the balcony. The night was cold, silent and pitched dark with the only light illuminating from the moon. Setting my eyes on the moon took me back to one of the chaand raats when my kurta was not stitched in accordance with my measurements. I can still vividly reckon how upset I was and refused to attend Eid Prayers the next morning. Abba’s words “Don’t spoil your mood beta, grab my wallet and buy another kurta for yourself” still echoed in my ears.
Eyes brimming with tears and feeling claustrophobic, I felt a strong urge to see that lively, smiling face once more. It has been more than four years now since God made his final call for Abba, but each and every moment that I lived with him lies crisp in my mind.
Photo by Aliyah Jamous on Unsplash
Abba, I am a married man now with a reasonably well settled life. Just like you, I put my blood and sweat in whatever I do and have been blessed enough to make successful career advancements. Abba, did I ever tell you how much you meant to me? Your advises, constant support, warmth and love meant the world to me. I got so occupied with my education and later on with my career that I never realized that life in this world is temporary.
Now that you are gone, I wish to go back in time and relive those moments with you yet again. How I wish to go down the memory lane and listen to you narrate your childhood stories to me and Aisha. Abba, if only I could go back in time I would quit everything to lean against your shoulders and listen to the tales that you tirelessly narrated; one after the other.
Abba, your upbringing and most importantly your prayers have played a massive role in shaping my values and personality. You brought me up as a strong and confident individual who knows how to put up a brave smile in trying times.
You have and will always remain my confidant and best friend and my eyes will keep searching for you in the driveway. | https://medium.com/@mehak-masood93/fathers-are-precious-c004957512d3 | ['Mehak Masood'] | 2020-11-26 22:27:12.979000+00:00 | ['Relationships', 'Parenthood', 'Family Bond', 'Father And Son', 'Family'] |
9 Technical notes for migrating from Rails to Django | Years ago when I started programming with Ruby, it was famous, and there was a race between both Ruby and Python, Although, until this day the debate still stands, Python has the upper hand and becomes more popular now.
Fortunately, I had a chance to work with Both of them; however, the migration was both remarkable and challenging at the same time, but I learn a lot during this transition, and my north star was all of the notes that I gathered; as a result, I decided to share them with you guys to help someone else in my situation hopefully.
1- Ruby vs Python
Anytime someone asks me what the main difference between Python and ruby is, the uncle bob’s reaction comes to my mind, he shook his hand in the air and said: “aah, Python is Ruby”.
Even though Ruby and Python have tons of similarity as far as I can understand, there was one major thing that keeps buging me, and it was the usage of mapping. To illustrate this, I come up with this example below.
Ruby:
["Dave", "horse", "FOO"].map(&:upcase)
Python:
[x.upper() for x in ["Dave", "horse", "FOO"]]
I think mapping in ruby is way more intuitive. More of these differences could be found here.
2- Rack vs WSGI
When it comes to an application that stands between the web server and the web application, I could say I have found Rack way more comfortable to understand than WSGI, and there is an example for in both of them.
# WSGI
def app(request):
return {
"status": 200,
"headers": {"content_type": "text/plain"},
"body": "Hello World"} # Rack
app = proc do |env|
[ 200, {'Content-Type' => 'text/plain'}, "Hello World" ]
end
3- Framework Architecture
Rails MVC
Django MVT
As you can see, Rails follows well-known MVC; on the other hand, Django is based on MVT. I don’t want to get too deep in this concept, but I strongly recommend to read a book or at least a paper about MVT before starting using Django.
At my first programming days in Django, I found these notes helpful to reminds me of the changing from MVC to MVT.
Want to read this story later? Save it in Journal.
routes.rb == urls.py authors_controller.rb == authors/views.py models/Author.rb == authors/models.py
4- Commands
Generally speaking, python manage.py is actually the same thing as Rails command.
Python manage.py == Rails
Rails console == Python manage.py shell
Because Python using methods instead of classes, we have to import instead of requiring.
require == from * import * #Rails
require 'render' #Django
from django.shortcuts import render
By the way, if you see an empty __init__.py a lot don’t panic, it’s the ways for Python to define packages.
parent/
__init__.py
one/
__init__.py
two/
__init__.py
three/
__init__.py
5- Forms vs form_for
Forms are technically an answer for an embedded logic code like this:
<%= form_for(@post) do |f| %>
<%= @post.errors[:base].full_messages %>
<%= f.text_field :title %> <%= @post.errors[:title].full_messages %>
<%= f.text_area :body %> <%= @post.errors[:body].full_messages %>
<% end %>
Django handles this with Forms:
# The form, with a custom validation
class PostForm(forms.ModelForm):
class Meta:
model = Post
fields = ['title', 'body'] def clean(self):
cleaned_data = super().clean()
body = cleaned_data.get("body")
title = cleaned_data.get("tags")
if not title in body:
self.add_error(None, "Body must contain title")
Although this is not something that comes with Rails, I think every primary application has found a solution for separating view logic from a template in Rails, and I like TrailBlazer the most.
6- Model Manager vs Model ActiveRecord
This part was the back-breaking part for me to learn in Django and be able to adapt my self. A model in Django has at least one Manager. Let’s make our hands dirty to find out more about it and the differences it has with Rails ActiveRecord.
Here an example of creating a simple model in Rails and Django:
# Django
# app1/leads/models.py
class Lead(models.Model):
name = models.CharField(max_length=255)
credit = models.models.DecimalField()
email = models.EmailField()
phone_number = models.CharField(max_length=255, blank=True)
lead_owner = models.ForeignKey(LeadOwner) # Rails
# models/lead.rb
class Lead < ApplicationRecord
validates :email, format: { with: URI::MailTo::EMAIL_REGEXP }
belongs_to :lead_owner # db/migrate/2018..._create_lead.rb
class CreateLead < ActiveRecord::Migration[5.1]
def change
create_table :lead do |t|
t.string :name
f.number_field :credit
t.string :email
t.string :phone_number, null: false
t.references :lead_owner, foreign_key: true
end
end
end
As you can see, because of the manager the model’s fields’ logic is included in the model itself; in contrary, Rails separate this logic in migrations. I like this about Django but what makes it horrible was how migration works here.
Other than lacking the ability of completely and simply rollback in Django, like what I have used to in Rails, other simple things are way more complicated to develop for models in Django, for instance, if we want to run a custom migration in Django we should do as follow:
#Django
from django.db import migrations def forwards(apps, schema_editor):
if schema_editor.connection.alias != 'default':
return
#Your migration code goes here even SQL << class Migration(migrations.Migration): dependencies = [
# Dependencies to other migrations
] operations = [
migrations.RunPython(forwards),
]
And in Rails, it is easy as three lines of codes:
#Rails
class ExampleMigration < ActiveRecord::Migration
def change
#Your migration code goes here even SQL <<
end
Doing simple tasks like filtering or aggregating are also way easier in ruby
#Django Lead.objects.last()
Lead.objects.filter(name__startswith="Foo")
Model.objects.all().aggregate(Sum("num_field")) # Rails Lead.last
Lead.where("name LIKE 'Foo%'")
Lead.sum("num_field")
7- Scopes vs Custom Model Manager
We all are familiar with scopes in Rails, how easy and intuitive they are and how useful they could be when being chained together, even though we don’t have chain ability in Django, at least as far as I researched, Rails’ implementation is clean and tiny against what should be done in Django to achieve the almost same thing. This is how they being implemented in each of them:
#Rails scope :with_counts, -> () {
find_by_sql("SOME QUERY")
} #Django class PollManager(models.Manager):
def with_counts(self):
from django.db import connection
with connection.cursor() as cursor:
cursor.execute("""SOME QUERY""")
result_list = []
for row in cursor.fetchall():
p = self.model(id=row[0], question=row[1], poll_date=row[2])
p.num_responses = row[3]
result_list.append(p)
return result_list class OpinionPoll(models.Model):
...
objects = PollManager()
8- Interfaces vs abstract class!
Oh, suitable old interfaces, or even Mixin, do you like them? are you finding them useful especially if you have come from languages like Java and C#, here how ruby could handle this in Ruby.
For example, imagine you had this incredibly useful Module:
module Greetings
module Greetings
def hello
puts "Hello!"
end def bonjour
puts "Bonjour!"
end def hola
puts "Hola!"
end
end
To add these methods as instance methods on a class, you would simply do this:
class User
include Greetings
end
Now you have access to the methods on any instance of that Class:
philip = User.new
philip.hola
=> Hola!
You can rais an implementation error to make it similar to interfaces in Java or C#, now let’s take a look at the implementation of the same thing but this time with Django:
class Greetings:
def hello(self):
prints("Hello!") def bonjour(self):
print("Bonjour!") def hola(self):
print("Hola!") class User(Greetings):
pass philip = User()
philip.hola
=> Hola!
As you maybe noticed a class would be multiply inherited, even though we are talking about dynamic languages and these kinds of inheriting could probably be ignored, but I think it is more obscure and can mislead developers.
I have to mention that I am not talking about ABC(abstract class methods), those are different from this concept even in dynamically typed languages like Python and Ruby, in this case, what we want is to share method messages between entities.
9- Tests, VirtualEnv, IDE, And other things
I think with something like Django noes and Factory Boy, and The testing environment was way more similar to what I have experienced in Rails.
I am not going to talk about python environment, but I highly recommend if you are coming from Rails just go for Pipenv.
In case of IDE, I was using vim for Rails but here I feel comfortable with VScode, and one of my friend who also migrated from Rails, Happily using Pycharm right now. (Hey Milad if you read this I talking about you), to be honest I can not recommend anything special here.
Also, i Found Dot.Env also acceptable here; however, settings.py or utils.py or even helpers.py could be useful if you need to separate logic from models or views.
10 — Conclusion
In this essay, I tried to shed light on what was similar and what was different in my experience of moving from Rails to Django, I hope these notes could help people, and by the way, Because I am still learning Django if you find any error in the above examples or even if you know a better solution for them, please tell me, So I could change it.
And my final thoughts about Django is, However, is powerful, well documented and has a vast community but I have to say that I don’t like it because of the cases I have mentioned above, To be honest, I hope someday, in python world, Flask could get Django’s | https://blog.usejournal.com/9-technical-notes-for-migrating-from-rails-to-django-fdc21bc00e86 | ['Mahrad Ataeefard'] | 2020-11-30 17:15:44.211000+00:00 | ['Rails', 'Django', 'Software Development'] |
Best Family Law experts and Divorce Lawer in North Carolina | Best Family Law experts and Divorce Lawer in North Carolina Harnett Lawyer ·Dec 21, 2020
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Divorce is a very common word in today’s world. Every couple trying to live their married life happily. But Due to misunderstanding and Disturbance, they decide to separate from each other and move towards the legal way to be separate from each other that process is called Divorce. Improper way divorce can spoil your life easily. So no need to worry about divorce, The best divorce expert near your location in North Carolina. Smith and Mark are the Best family Law experts and Divorce Lawer. Feel free to contact us @ (888) 930–6753 or visit our website: https://www.harnettlawyer.com/. | https://medium.com/@harnettlawyernorthcarolina/best-family-law-experts-and-divorce-lawer-in-north-carolina-79a66b42c708 | ['Harnett Lawyer'] | 2020-12-21 13:28:07.320000+00:00 | ['Divorce', 'Divorce Attorneys', 'Divorce Lawyer'] |
In the News: Talking Transition in NYC | As New York City Mayor-elect Bill de Blasio prepares to take office, a handful of the city’s largest foundations are trying to set a tone for city hall that is more open to community engagement and perhaps more inclusive. Former Ash Center Democracy Fellow Hollie Russon Gilman writes about the Talking Transition initiative in GovLab Blog.
Talking Transition is hosting an open conversation about the future of New York City. Inside a glittering white tent local civic organizations are collaborating to offer an interactive opportunity for New Yorkers to voice their governance opinions. The tent contains interactive keypads, bulletin boards to post ideas, and survey opportunities throughout to share concerns and ideas for the new Mayor.
Read Talking Transition: Participatory Budgeting (Hollie Russon Gilman, November 13, 2013).
View a video and read more about Talking Transition from Open Society Foundations here.
View photos from Hollie’s recent visit to the tent below.
Residents during a participatory budgeting simulation (All photos courtesy of Hollie Russon Gilman)
Message board for residents to post their ideas and concerns for the city and the new Mayor
Tablet stations for residents to weigh in on issues important to them and to rate City services
As of November 19, close to 10,000 people had visited the tent, and more than 48,000 people participated through an online survey
Filed under In the News, Participation, Technology | https://medium.com/challenges-to-democracy/in-the-news-talking-transition-in-nyc-b343387f0109 | ['Harvard Ash Center'] | 2018-08-06 13:17:01.678000+00:00 | ['Foundation', 'Participatory Democracy', 'News', 'NYC'] |
PARSIQ — Bringing Smart Contracts to the Real World | “Building the bridge between blockchain transactions and actions outside the blockchain.” | https://medium.com/@axelf67/parsiq-bringing-smart-contracts-to-the-real-world-acd607c55ee4 | ['Axel F'] | 2020-12-26 10:33:30.465000+00:00 | ['Cryptocurrency', 'Parsiq', 'Ethereum', 'Smart Contracts', 'Blockchain'] |
An Overview of Authorization in Concourse 3, 4 and 5 | Photo credit NASA HQ Photo
With the release of Concourse 5.0.0 this week I thought it would be a good time to review the evolving implementation of authorization in Concourse. I’ll also be covering some helpful debugging information for you to consider when configuring authorization in your own Concourse instance.
Read the Docs
The revised Concourse Auth & Teams docs is a great place to start when diving into Concourse 5.0.0. The docs will cover important steps around provider configuration and team configuration for your cluster. If you’re more interested in how things used to work compared to how they now work; then read on!
How Authorization Works in 3.x
This section will only be useful to operators who are migrating into 4.x and beyond. Feel free to skip ahead if this does not apply to you.
Every Concourse instance starts with a main team that must be configured against an Authentication Provider on start-up. The main team is an admin team, meaning it can create teams, update other teams and view system-scoped details on workers, containers, etc.
One of the tasks that only a main user can do is to create new teams via set-team . When creating the team, the operator must specify:
An Authentication Provider e.g. Basic Auth, GitHub, OAuth
The relevant configuration of the Authentication Provider e.g. secrets, tokens
The user/group to authorize (if applicable)
Some important notes to keep in mind:
Authentication Provider configurations are attached to an individual team, and not shared across teams. As an operator, you will have to repeat/resupply the Authentication Provider configuration for each team. If Team 1 wanted to change their own auth to add a member or group they would have to ask the Operator for the github API token or bring their own.
wanted to change their own auth to add a member or group they would have to ask the Operator for the github API token or bring their own. Since Authentication Provider details are provided per-team, operators can set unique provders for each. A common use-case is to provision Team 1 to authenticate against the USA-East-1 OAuth server and Team2 to authentiate against the EMEA OAuth server.
to authenticate against the USA-East-1 OAuth server and to authentiate against the EMEA OAuth server. You can stack Authentication Providers by supplying multiple parameters when applying set-team ; e.g. a team can have both GitHub and Basic Auth configured to authenticate users.
; e.g. a team can have both GitHub and Basic Auth configured to authenticate users. Users who are authorized to access more than one team can only see one team at a time.
Concourse 4.0 — Users
Concourse 4 introduced Users and totally revamped the authorization flow:
Identity providers must be specified when Concourse first starts up (this includes local users as well!)
Identity providers are shared across teams and can no longer be customized per-team
Adding/removing Identity Providers require a restart to the web node
node When specifying groups in provider configuration, administrators must use : as the separator instead of /
as the separator instead of Users logging into Concourse are whitelisted into all teams that match thier provider membership. More on this later
Overview of Authorization Flow
Operator determines the Identity Providers they will allow in Concourse and configures their Concourse startup scripts (Docker, BOSH, Helm, etc.) with the necessary parameters as described in Configuring Auth. If there are any local users that have Basic Auth (username/password) identities, the operator will add them to the startup scripts as outlined in Local Auth The Operator will start Concourse and begin creating teams using the fly set-team command. Keeping in mind the auth providers that were added in step (1) the Operator can specify the allowed users/groups/teams from that provider. See Configuring Team Auth for more details. When a User logs into Concourse, they are asked to login using one of the configured providers from (1). Once the User selects a provider, Concourse will redirect the User to the identity provider’s authentication mechanism and wait for a successful login response When a login success response is recieved, Concourse will examine all of the teams/orgs the User belongs to under that provider. Concourse will then match the user’s information against the internal list of Concourse teams and their list of whitelisted users/teams/orgs. The resulting list will be the teams that the User can access The User is logged into Concourse and can access the teams they were whitelisted into
Identity Providers
An Identity Provider is any external entity that creates, manages and maintains identity information to auth. Concourse 4 uses the OSS dex library to do most of the heavy lifting.
Specifying Identity Providers
You will need to provide the connection details for all the auth connectors you plan to use for teams up front. The full list of supported providers and their require parameters can be found on the Concourse docs site under Configuring Auth.
Local Users, The Special Case
Local Auth users are a bit of a special case because there’s no external auth provider for them, and you can no longer “create” them on set-team .
To add a local user you will need to add that user to the Concourse startup parameter list as described in the Local Authdocs.
Whitelisting Users with set-team
Once you have configured the providers you can freely add users/teams/orgs/groups/whatever to a team. This is as simple as using the parameters described in the fly set-team docs for Configuring Team Auth.
As with most fly commands, you can actually attach multiple users/teams across providers to a team. For example: if you have GitHub and OAuth providers set up, a team owner could attach two teams (one from GitHub, one from OAuth) to the team.
Examples
In this example we have a simple Concourse installation with two identity providers: GitHub and a single Local User.
On the left we have two simple GitHub orgs: Pivotal and Concourse. Pivotal has three teams: cloud, billing and admin. Concourse has one team. Each team has a single user attached to them.
On the right we have a map of the Concourse teams and their allowed users/groups.
Let’s go through a few scenarios to get a good understanding of how auth works in Concourse 4.
Local User Logs In
A Concourse user uses the local user provider to login with username:password and only sees Team Local .
Alice Logs In
Alice logs into Concourse using the GitHub auth scheme. She finishes the flow and sees..two teams! Because she is a member of the Pivotal GitHub org she sees Team All , which is configured to allow all users under the pivotal org on GitHub. She also sees Team 1 because it allows all users who are also memebers of pivotal:cloud on GitHub.
Operator Logs In
The Operator logs in using GitHub auth and…can see everything! Because the Operator is part of the main team, they can see all teams. However, that does not mean the Operator can see all the team pipelines. In this scenario, the Operator can only see the Main and Team All team pipelines.
A non-member logs in
Jama finds out about this cool Concourse thing and logs into Concourse using the GitHub auth provider. Since he has a GitHub account he is able to login successfully. However, once the login flow is completed he is returned to Concourse and a blank screen…nothing is available to him! Jama is not a member of a GitHub team/organization that was specified in the Concourse team configurations.
Debugging Login Problems
What are the auth settings for [insert team name]?
If you are an operator and you need to figure out what the exact auth settings are, you can use the new fly teams -d command. This will list the teams with details, including the users and groups whitelisted into that team
Help, I logged in but I can’t see my team
Try using the search function on the dashboard. This is silly but for large Concourse clusters there are a LOT of teams with exposed pipelines and it can be hard to find the team you need Logout and Log back in. Due to the implementation of the auth scheme, Users who are already logged into Concourse and are added into a new team must refresh their token by logging out and logging in. Yes, we know it sucks. Is the user a member of the org that was specified in set-team ? For example, if GitHub team pivotal:foo was used, make sure to ask if the user is a member of that team on GitHub! Was there a typo? Use fly set-team -d to look for the team in question and triple-check the spelling of usernames and teams Did you use the correct separator? Concourse requires all group separators to use : and not / :
pivotal:foo is OK
is OK pivotal/foo will fail silently on set-team
I have two Identity servers, how do I add them both?
Unfortunately, that is not possible in Concourse 4. You’ll notice that you can only supply one set of credentials when providing auth providers. The side-effect limitation is that a single Concourse installation can’t be connected to more than one of the same provider. The operator will have to set up another Concourse if they absolutely must be able to connect to two differet identity providers of the same type.
Concourse 5.0 — RBAC
Concourse 5.0 comes with 4 roles: Concourse Admin, Team Owner, Team Member, and Team Viewer.
Concourse Admin
A Concourse Admin is the same as today’s admin user. Members of main team will automatically be Concourse Admins* and have the ability to administrate teams with fly : set-team , destroy-team , rename-team , and teams . Given that all Concourse Admins must be a member of the main team, all Concourse Admins must have at least one other role; and that should typically be the Team Owner role.
Team Owner
Team Owners have read, write and auth management capabilities within the scope of their team. For those familiar with Concourse today, the scope of allowed actions for a Team Owner is very closely aligned to today’s Concourse team member. The new change is that you can no longer rename your own team or destroy your own team as an owner.
Team Member
Team Member is a new role that lets users operate within their teams in a read & write fashion; but prevents them from changing the auth configurations of their team.
Team Viewer
Team Viewer is also a new role that gives users “read-only” access to a team. This locks everything down, preventing users from doing a set-pipeline or intercept .
Full Roles Breakdown
For a full list of each role’s allowed actions you can reference our handy permission matrix on Google Sheets here.
Configuring Roles with fly
Now that we’ve gone over the new roles, we can do a quick overview of how we can go about setting users & roles on teams.
Default Behaviour
By default, if no configuration is provided the user is given the Team Owner role:
fly -t dev set-team -n PowerRangers --local-user=Zordon This behaviour also applies to groups as well, so be careful!
fly -t dev set-team -n A-Team
--github-team=MightyMorphin:PowerRangers
Specifying Roles with -c
Roles must be specified in a separate configuration file using the -c
fly -t dev set-team -n A-Team -c ./team.yml
team.yml
roles:
- name: owner
local:
users: ["Zordon"]
- name: member
local:
users: ["RedRanger", "BlueRanger", "GreenRanger"]
- name: viewer
local:
users: ["Alpha"]
Inspecting Roles Configuration
Once you’ve set the team configuration you can verify it using the details flag on fly teams :
fly -t dev teams -d
name users groups
A-Team/member local:RedRanger, BlueRanger, GreenRanger none
A-Team/owner local:Zordon none
A-Team/viewer local:Alpha none
..where you’ll find the output is now updated to list each team/role combination and its associated users/groups.
Further Reading | https://medium.com/concourse-ci/an-overview-of-authorization-in-concourse-3-4-and-5-7128cca36194 | ['James Ma'] | 2019-03-08 17:33:10.808000+00:00 | ['Continuous Delivery', 'Concourseci', 'Continuous Integration', 'DevOps'] |
[Work][Python]Spec power automation-3 | Environment: Windows server 2019, python 2.7
This blog follows from the previous blog.
There are three steps which I want to develop for automation.
Produce related setting file SPECpower_ssj_EXPERT, SPECpower_ssj_config_sut1, runssj.batch automatically. Run spec power, related stress, record related power consumption and ambient temperature. Plot chart and output report value automatically.
In the section one of this blog, the target is create SPECpower_ssj_config_sut1 file automatically. It shows system config and spec power setting. We can use “wmic” related command to get what config file need.
a. CPU: wmic cpu get name, NumberOfCores, NumberOfLogicalProcessors, L2Cachesize, L3Cachesize, CurrentClockSpeed/Format:List
b. DIMM:wmic MEMORYCHIP get capacity, manufacturer, partnumber, speed/Format:List
c. disk: wmic diskdrive get size
d. Power option: powercfg /getactivescheme
e. BIOS: mic bios get name
Solution:
import os
import subprocess
#=======================================================================================Cpu
Cpu=os.popen('wmic cpu get name, NumberOfCores, NumberOfLogicalProcessors, L2Cachesize, L3Cachesize, CurrentClockSpeed/Format:List').readlines()
Cpu_name, Cpu_core, Cpu_logical,Cpu_speed = Cpu[5][5:48], Cpu[6][14:16],Cpu[7][26:29].strip(),Cpu[2][18:22]
Cpu_number=len(Cpu)/9
Cpu_l3,Cpu_l2 = (float(Cpu[4][12:])/1024)*(Cpu_number),(float(Cpu[3][12:])/1024)*(Cpu_number)
Cpu_11=Cpu_l2/(4*Cpu_number*Cpu_number)
#=======================================================================================Nic
input_i=open(r'C:\specpower_D\TestInput.txt').readlines()
Nic_FW, Nic_speed= input_i[3].strip(), input_i[4].strip()
#=======================================================================================Dimm
Dimm=os.popen('wmic MEMORYCHIP get capacity, manufacturer, partnumber, speed/Format:List').readlines()
Dimm_size,Dimm_m,Dimm_p,Dimm_s=int(int(Dimm[2][9:])/(1024**3)),Dimm[3][13:].strip(), Dimm[4][11:].strip(), Dimm[5][6:].strip()
Dimm_slot=os.popen('wmic MEMORYCHIP get devicelocator').readlines()
slot=""
Dimm_n=len(Dimm_slot)-2
for i in range(1,len(Dimm_slot)-1):slot+=Dimm_slot[i][5:7]+" "
#=======================================================================================disk
disk=os.popen('wmic diskdrive get size').readlines()
disk_n, disk_c = len(disk)-2, int(int(disk[1])/(1024*1024*1024*0.93125))
#=======================================================================================spec power setting
Jvm=int(Cpu_logical)*Cpu_number/4
spec_c=0.83
if (Dimm_size*Dimm_n)<70:
spec_c=0.8
xmx=int((Dimm_size*Dimm_n*spec_c)/(int(Cpu_logical)*Cpu_number/4)*1024)
ff=[]
if Cpu_number==2:aff=Jvm/2
if Cpu_number==1:aff=Jvm
for i in range(0,aff): ff.append("F"+"0"*i)
#=======================================================================================Power option
power=os.popen('powercfg /getactivescheme').readlines()
power_s=power[0][57:]
#=======================================================================================BIOS & BMC
Bios=os.popen('wmic bios get name').readlines()[1][1:20]
Bmc= subprocess.check_output("c:\\ipmitool\\BMC_version.bat").rsplit()[12]
#=======================================================================================update config
h=open(r'C:\specpower_D\SPECpower_ssj_config_sut1.props')
sut_config=h.readlines()
sut_config[52]="config.hw.cpu="+Cpu_name+'
'
sut_config[55]="config.hw.cpu.characteristics=Cores: Cores: "+Cpu_core+" LogicalCores: "+Cpu_logical+" L3: "+str(int(Cpu_l3))+" MiB"+'
'
sut_config[58]="config.hw.cpu.mhz= "+Cpu_speed+'
'
sut_config[61]="config.hw.cpu.chips= "+str(Cpu_number)+'
'
sut_config[64]="config.hw.cpu.cores= "+str(int(Cpu_core)*Cpu_number)+'
'
sut_config[67]="config.hw.cpu.cores_per_chip= "+Cpu_core+'
'
sut_config[70]="config.hw.cpu.threads_per_core="+str(Cpu_number)+'
'
sut_config[73]="config.hw.cpu.orderable="+str(Cpu_number)+" chips"+'
'
sut_config[76]="config.hw.memory.gb="+str(Dimm_size*Dimm_n)+"GB"+'
'
sut_config[79]="config.hw.memory.dimms="+str(Dimm_n)+" x "+str(Dimm_size)+" GB"+'
'
sut_config[84]="config.hw.memory.description="+str(Dimm_size)+"GB "+ Dimm_m+" "+Dimm_p+" Speed: "+Dimm_s+" ;"+" slots "+slot+'
'
sut_config[88]="config.hw.cache.primary="+str(Cpu_11)+"MB"+'
'
sut_config[92]="config.hw.cache.secondary="+str(Cpu_l2)+"MB"+'
'
sut_config[95]="config.hw.cache.tertiary="+str(Cpu_l3)+"MB"+'
'
sut_config[102]="config.hw.disk="+str(disk_n)+" x "+str(disk_c)+"GB M.2 SSD"+'
'
sut_config[112]="config.hw.network.controller.enabled.firmware="+Nic_FW+'
'
sut_config[121]="config.hw.network.speed="+str(Nic_speed)+"GB"+'
'
sut_config[169]="config.sw.jvm.options=-Xmx"+str(xmx)+"m -Xms"+str(xmx)+"m -XX:ParallelGCThreads=2 -XX:SurvivorRatio=60 -XX:TargetSurvivorRatio=90 -XX:InlineSmallCode=3900 -XX:MaxInlineSize=270 -XX:FreqInlineSize=2500 -XX:AllocatePrefetchDistance=256 -XX:AllocatePrefetchLines=4 -XX:InitialTenuringThreshold=12 -XX:MaxTenuringThreshold=15 -XX:LoopUnrollLimit=45 -XX:+AggressiveOpts -XX:+UseLargePages -XX:+UseParallelOldGC"+'
'
sut_config[173]="config.sw.jvm.affinity=start /affinity "+str(ff) +'
'
sut_config[177]="config.sw.jvm.heap.initial="+str(xmx)+'
'
sut_config[181]="config.sw.jvm.heap.max="+str(xmx)+'
'
sut_config[196]="config.sw.power_management="+power_s+'
'
sut_config[200]="config.sw.boot_firmware.version="+Bios+'
'
sut_config[209]="config.sw.mgmt_firmware.version="+Bmc+'
'
h=open(r'C:\specpower_D\SPECpower_ssj_config_sut1.props','w+')
h.writelines(sut_config)
h.close()
Reference:
http://www.spec.org/power_ssj2008/ | https://medium.com/@donic0211/work-python-spec-power-automation-3-ab344f864af4 | ['Fatboy Slim'] | 2020-04-23 06:45:15.301000+00:00 | ['Cpu', 'Power', 'Servers', 'Python'] |
2020年、今年買って良かったものをまとめてみた | Programmer, DevOps and Docker comedian, Horse Racing Analyst at CyberAgent, Inc. | https://medium.com/@stormcat24/2020%E5%B9%B4-%E4%BB%8A%E5%B9%B4%E8%B2%B7%E3%81%A3%E3%81%A6%E8%89%AF%E3%81%8B%E3%81%A3%E3%81%9F%E3%82%82%E3%81%AE%E3%82%92%E3%81%BE%E3%81%A8%E3%82%81%E3%81%A6%E3%81%BF%E3%81%9F-3c6f9c3faa0c | [] | 2020-12-05 14:29:05.207000+00:00 | ['Gadgets', 'Fitness', 'Qol', 'Running'] |
How to Adapt in a Changing Economy | BACK IN THE 1800’S, THERE USED TO BE A TON OF BUFFALO THAT SPENT THEIR DAYS GRAZING ON THE PLAINS.
The entrepreneurs of those days saw that and recognized an opportunity. They created a business of loading people on trains, similar to what you would think of with an African safari, and they would bring people to see the buffalo.
Now, to up the ante, the people on the train would take turns shooting the buffalo out the window. (I know, I don’t like it either, but just hang with the story for a minute…) But the buffalo weren’t the smartest creatures.
They would watch their friend fall to the ground, right next to them, they would just look down at their fallen friend like “Oh, wonder what happened to him?” and they just kept right on eating. They didn’t move. They didn’t change. They didn’t think twice that they might be in danger.
Same thing happened to the carriage makers when the automobile was invented. Same thing happened to the radio when television debuted. And with television when Youtube debuted. And with music when streaming debuted. And blockbuster when Netflix debuted.
It’s happened over and over in every industry. The current giant (the buffalo) sees the signs of danger, but when they’re getting shot at, they just casually look over and say “Oh, geez, what happened to him?” and keep doing the same thing. They don’t change. They don’t move. And they die.
I see this happening today. With the current and unexpected crisis caused by the pandemic, many businesses are unable to go into their physical locations. They quickly realized they were metaphorical buffalo being shot at.
Restaurants had no email lists and no way to keep in touch with their customers. Some had no websites for online ordering, much less apps to make the client experience a breeze.
Brick and mortar stores realized they had no alternative ways to make income without people shopping in stores. They needed to set up e-commerce shops or create offers so they could offer new ways for their clients to be helped in a new economy.
Gyms struggled with how to transition from in person to online classes. Same with schools, hospitals, and healthcare. And on and on.
In today’s economy, the need, no the requirement, to have a strong brand online has never been more important. If you don’t have one, you are probably looking around at the others around you saying “hmm, wonder what happened to Bob?”. If you’ve only had a brick and mortar business, the transition to online is going to be a lot. There are a lot of moving pieces and the barrier to entry to try to learn everything, especially when your back is up against the wall, is going to be steep.
AT THE BARE MINIMUM, YOU NEED THESE THREE ITEMS FOR EVERY SINGLE BUSINESS (BOTH ONLINE AND OFF):
1. A Website
Your website is your digital calling card. It is a place for you to grow your brand, explore your voice, attract new clients, and connect with your customers. It’s a fact that absolutely boggles my mind, but less than two thirds of businesses have a website. But over 93% of transactions in 2020, started on a search engine.
What do you think happens when your business isn’t online, but your competitor’s business is, and Grandma Sue is searching for something to buy for her grandson’s birthday? YOU DON”T GET THAT BUSINESS.
Even if you hate online shopping and you detest social media, your customer’s don’t. And they are looking for your product or service online 24/7. In fact, at any given moment, 84% of people are shopping for something online.
Second problem is, that you may have a website, but it may be sending customers the wrong message. You are an expert at what you do and have been in business for years, but if your website and messaging just doesn’t reflect your credibility, you are losing business. Unfortunately, customers only give you about .05 seconds to determine if your website looks credible and your brand looks like something they align with.
2. AN AUDIENCE
Alright, now you’ve got a beautiful, new website that shows off your offers and connects with your customers. Ah, the customers. We have to get customers….
Unfortunately, just having a website, a Facebook page, a Youtube channel, an email list, or any other tool will not alone get you more customers. You have to find a way to get in front of them, connect with them, and create a way to stay in touch via these awesome tools. So you need the tools before you try to find the customers.
So how do we do that? I like to use the analogy of movie premiers. Let’s look at the process for how studios create desire and demand for movies so they can create an audience to come see their film.
The Prep: The executive producer secures the movie. He gets the script written, finds investors, finds talent, schmoozes the stars, and gets the ball rolling. Without the executive producer, nothing would get done. (You are the executive producer in this analogy). The Movie: The crew and the actors work hard to create a beautiful and meaningful movie. They create this well in advance of the audience, the stardom, or the fame. The work in the quiet for the day that their work will be shown to millions. (Your content is the “movie”. You need to give people multiple ways to interact with you, to get to know you, to understand your process, and to connect. Without content, your audience shows up to an empty newspaper and a fuzzy screen with no movie.) The Anticipation: Before the movie is released, there is going to be a massive press circuit. Not only will the stars tour all the biggest talk shows, podcasts, and network late night TV, but they will create teasers and trailers and start showing those everywhere. The first time you hear about a movie is NEVER when you’re standing in line for the movie. You’ve heard about it for months and you’re excited about it. (Your marketing and advertising is the anticipation here. This is an area where most businesses seriously struggle because they lack a clear and understandable message and don’t know how to create a buzz around something confusing. Brand strategy and messaging is the key to preventing this issue and must come BEFORE you consider marketing and advertising. You better bet your bottom dollar that the production company has spent hundreds of thousands on creating a strategy, a clear message, beautiful posters, movie covers, and advertisements to create a brand for each and every movie. You need the same.) The Launch: Opening day is here and the movie theatre is packed every night for weeks. This launch started way back during the prep stage, the part we couldn’t see. The production company has spent tons of time and money to build up the desire and to create an audience for their movie. (Your launch could be a physical store opening, a website rebrand, a digital course, a coaching program, or pretty much anything. To have a successful opening day, the work begins long before and is strategically planned so that you can launch to an audience who are excited to buy!)
3. A PROCESS
Alright, you’ve got a gorgeous website and hundreds of new customers, but what do we do now? You need a repeatable process. One of the things I help clients with is creating a branded on-boarding process, email flows, and brochures to wow your clients and take a ton of burden off of you. (Please tell me you’re not still sending individual PDFs for each client?)
Having a great process involves creating an irresistible offer, a clear scope of work, automated or semi-automated workflows, and analytics that keep an eye on everything.
If it would be hard for you to take on 10 new clients RIGHT NOW or to hand off your work to someone else, you absolutely, positively, desperately need a process. Creating a process will not only free up your time, but it also makes your business more attractive if you want to sell down the road.
Okay, so we just covered the three things your business absolutely has to have so you don’t become a buffalo in 2020. What did you find to be the most eye-opening? Is there something you’d like me to explore more in the next blog? Let me know in the comments! | https://medium.com/@sarahroseinc/how-to-adapt-in-a-changing-economy-44c2d85a9361 | ['Sarah Rose Stoenner'] | 2020-08-06 14:37:46.107000+00:00 | ['Small Business', 'Changing Economy', 'Brick And Mortar', 'Corona', 'Digital Transformation'] |
Avoiding Organizational Debt | Leaders who can’t make tough decisions cause teams to accumulate “organizational debt.” Steve Blank, who first coined the term, described how “all the compromises made to ‘just get it done’ in the early stages of a startup…can turn a growing company into a chaotic nightmare.” But a lot of these compromises are less about the pursuit of lean productivity and more about avoiding conflict. Like the notion of “technical debt,” which is the accumulation of old code and short-term solutions that collectively burden the performance of a digital product over time, organizational debt is the accumulation of changes that leaders should have made but didn’t.
The consequence of delayed optimization adds up over time. Image by O.R.Orozco — 99U
The consequences of this kind of organizational debt were abundantly clear during my tenure at Adobe and experiences working with other companies. In large companies that pride themselves on having a friendly culture and comfortable work environment, leaders are liable to refrain from causing ruckus. Sometimes leaders opt to isolate or transfer under-performers and bad actors to other projects and teams rather than deal with the difficulty of firing them. Often times, when it’s necessary to reorganize a team, leaders are dissuaded by the time it takes to plan, coordinate with HR, and communicate the change (especially if the communication involves upsetting someone). As a result, the most common decision is to not make a decision yet. Organizational debt accrues.
Especially when companies are successful, the repercussions of moving people around or changing team structure and practices are amplified. The old adage “don’t fix it if it ain’t broke” becomes the law of the land. The incremental optimizations that leaders should be making never happen, and the company’s organizational debt accrues. Eventually, the mountain of organizational debt compromises the team’s operations and product. Progress slows as people become misaligned, and motivation dwindles as bureaucracy sets in. And then a nimble start-up (or better-led competitor) outpaces you and wins.
What to do? Small companies with a culture of honesty and a commitment to continuous improvement have an advantage. You should alway be optimizing how you work. My friend Aaron Dignan from TheReady shared some great ideas for eliminating organizational debt in big companies, including launching a “bounty program,” where, like a bounty program to catch technical bugs, “any employee that encounters a policy or process that is hindering their ability to deliver value to the customer can submit the policy/process (and a recommendation) to the program website.”
Keep an eye out for the symptoms of organizational debt. When you find yourself waiting for changes that seem obvious, speak up. When you implement a process, be sure that it it isn’t an escape door from taking action. A great process advantages conviction — when people you trust on your team know what needs to be done, they should be empowered to do it.
—
Follow along @scottbelsky // http://scottbelsky.com // and sign up for the free ~monthly digest to see new content first. | https://medium.com/positiveslope/avoiding-organizational-debt-3e47760803a0 | ['Scott Belsky'] | 2017-01-21 23:43:02.922000+00:00 | ['Leadership', 'Startup', 'Project Management', 'Entrepreneurship', 'Management'] |
What is Muslin Cotton & What is a Muslin Swaddle, Blanket, or Washcloth? | Since the launch of our soft muslin washcloth a bunch of people asked us, What is a muslin blanket?, What is muslin cotton? What is a Muslin Swaddle and why do we need one? Since we focuses on muslin baby products we have answers for all of your muslin questions.
WHAT IS MUSLIN?
Muslin is a type of woven cotton fabric, it is not a material, but a method used to create a strong, breathable, mesh-like cotton fabric.
This may be the first time hearing about Muslin, but it has been around for centuries. Muslin dates way back to the ancient times and gets its name from Masulipatnam, the port town in India where the material was traded.
Other scholars think Muslin originated in the town of Mosul, Iraq where light breathable material was common in the dessert heat. This style of weaving cotton was also very popular in Europe in the 1800’s due to its comfortable feel especially during the summer or in hot weather.
The difference between muslin and common cotton fabrics and is a lower thread count and slightly larger space between threads. This makes muslin cotton durable, but more breathable and comfortable than traditional cotton fabrics.
BENEFITS OF USING MUSLIN WASHCLOTHS
Now that the history lesson is out of the way, the soft cotton fabric remains popular today, especially among new parents. Here are some reasons why you can use Muslin Washcloths
Exfoliating Cleaning: They are really effective when cleansing the skin. They have a gentle exfoliating action that helps remove impurities and leaves your skin feeling clean and smooth.
They are really effective when cleansing the skin. They have a gentle exfoliating action that helps remove impurities and leaves your skin feeling clean and smooth. Soft and Gentle: They are soft and gentle on the skin — you don’t want to pull or scratch your face while cleansing.
They are soft and gentle on the skin — you don’t want to pull or scratch your face while cleansing. Re-usable and last a long time: They are re-usable so much more environmentally friendly than cleansing wipes and contain no toxic chemicals just 100% pure cotton. They can be added to your washing machine and reused over and over.
They are re-usable so much more environmentally friendly than cleansing wipes and contain no toxic chemicals just 100% pure cotton. They can be added to your washing machine and reused over and over. Naturally anti-microbial anti-bacterial: They dry very quickly due to their open weave so this prevents any bacteria growing. That’s the last thing you need especially if you suffer from acne or eczema. Also makes them perfect for traveling.
Take a peek out our all-natural cotton line of soft muslin washcloths.
Photo by Kelly Sikkema
MUSLIN SWADDLES
For infants, muslin swaddles have multiple benefits, a few are listed below:
Natural and breathable fabric: Unlike other materials or traditional cotton, which can trap a baby’s body heat and prohibit movement, muslin is an incredibly soft and breathable fabric. It’s freely woven, allowing heat to escape and fresh air to enter so your baby can be comfortable, calm, and healthy
Unlike other materials or traditional cotton, which can trap a baby’s body heat and prohibit movement, muslin is an incredibly soft and breathable fabric. It’s freely woven, allowing heat to escape and fresh air to enter so your baby can be comfortable, calm, and healthy Mimics the shape and feeling of the womb: Muslin swaddle blankets are designed to envelop babies in a gentle, warm environment, similar to that of the womb. The fabric even becomes softer with every wash!
Muslin swaddle blankets are designed to envelop babies in a gentle, warm environment, similar to that of the womb. The fabric even becomes softer with every wash! Helps babies sleep through sleep cycles: Everyone knows that sleep is essential to babies. But discomfort can definitely interfere with shut eye. It’s only logical that a soft, temperate womb-like environment can help your baby establish better sleep patterns.
Everyone knows that sleep is essential to babies. But discomfort can definitely interfere with shut eye. It’s only logical that a soft, temperate womb-like environment can help your baby establish better sleep patterns. Helps with Breast Feeding: Due to the lightweight design of muslin swaddle cloths, babies can still feel the heat of their mother’s chest during breastfeeding. Soft, snugly muslin also allows for easy handling of your baby and a very comfortable hold during feeding time.
EXAMPLES OF OTHER MUSLIN PRODUCTS
Just in case you are still wondering what muslin cotton could be sued for, here are a few examples:
Muslin burp cloths Big floor blankets / Tummy-time blanket Nursing cover/blanket Reusable wipes Swaddling Changing table cover / mat cover Covering a car seat while they sleep for shade Swaddles while in car seat or stroller for safety Stroller cover Baby bib
Thanks for reading. 🙂
Ellie Tot | https://medium.com/@ellietot/what-is-muslin-cotton-what-is-a-muslin-swaddle-blanket-or-washcloth-dfda41e9c546 | ['Ellie Tot'] | 2020-02-09 06:30:05.943000+00:00 | ['Moms', 'Pregnancy', 'Motherhood', 'Baby', 'Parenting'] |
Limits of the Unable. | “Cannot” leaves the ownership of limits at someone else’s feet.
Being “unable” bring limits to the user. When owned permission to reason and explore change comes naturally.
We live in a world where people with no legs can run faster than those with two.
Paralympians take ownership of their inability transforming it to enduring and adaptable ability.
In any exchange ask….What or who is creating my “cant”? More importantly, can I take that ownership back? Become unable too own and expand what limits. | https://medium.com/@kfdurrant/limits-of-the-unable-9b8eb3005c89 | ['Karl Durrant'] | 2020-12-09 23:14:28.520000+00:00 | ['Psychology', 'Expanding', 'Limiting Beliefs', 'Insights', 'Acceptance'] |
Morbid, Part 2: Nails | Photo by Malvestida Magazine on Unsplash
My first “official,” under-the-table job was my Freshman year of High School as a receptionist at a nail salon. I was paid $7 an hour to sit at a front desk after school, Saturdays, and every other Sunday. On top of accidentally getting high on acetone through constant exposure, I learned a lot. I learned the differences between acrylic, gels, and pink and whites. I learned that mani-pedis are the backbone of the industry but dollar for time, really don’t make a lot. I learned some Vietnamese and I can still count to six!
What I really learned was that the nail industry is really toxic, and that it exists on a cycle of racism. This experience has become so ingrained in me, that its hard for me to untangle nail art as an art form from its social implications.
Don’t worry, we’re gonna talk about how gross nails are in a second, but it doesn’t beat how disgusting power differences are.
Let’s lay out the scenario. I was hired for a number of reasons. I would work for that pay, I was young and white looking but I also spoke Spanish. I had lied on my resume, because that seemed the only way to get a job, so, there was that. My job included making appointments, greeting customers, collecting payment and closing out every night. I also had to upsell.
“Are you sure you want acrylic? The gel lasts longer.”
“A mani/pedi is just ten more.”
“The pink and whites can be painted over and they last the longest.”
My job was essentially a liaison to customers before and after interacting in the very intimate interaction of getting your nails done. And it is intimate. It’s a service that has people touching hands and feet. Nail techs regularly rub, touch, and massage dozens of strangers a day. And that isn’t even getting to the parts where they pumice stone your thick calluses and remove your dried hangnails with tiny clippers.
They rub your soaked and softened feet, using scrubs to peel away the dead skin you’ve neglected to take care of. They rub and lotion you, intertwining their fingers in your leg hair or between your fingers. They touch our bodies, in intimate ways and places, all before stripping away your nails with power tools.
Nail techs deal with a lot of shit at their jobs. They touch people all day, clearing away our grizzled portions, ingrown hairs and bitten nails. And they do it for little pay and long hours. Most of the people I worked with made their money on commission, and worked six days a week. Because we were situated in a mall, the nail techs I worked with worked mall hours: 9 AM to 9 PM. Twelve hour days, six days a week, to make 50% on a ten dollar manicure. It was grueling and exhausting for them.
They did my nails for free. I didn’t ask, but they wanted my nails to help advertise. I had a free set of pink and whites, which I asked to be curved at the edges. To add these nails, the nail tech ripped off my cuticles, then with a small drill, shaved off and sanded the already shallow nails. He cut the nails down and with glue, added tips. He then took to shaping them, cutting them to a manageable size for me. He filed and smoothed the edges to soft curves. Then, after a few scraped and buffs, he dipped a brush in acetone and a small pot of pink powder. The powder gelled, forming the pink base on my nails. He repeated the process with white powder, creating a French Tip.
My nails dried under ultraviolet light for a moment, buffed out and coated. They smelled a little like burning rubber, chemical. They hurt a little, and were heavy. Heavy enough, in fact, that they made my hands cramp the next morning.
But they were pretty. Not only were they the pretty, lovely imitation of strong, perfect nails, there were other lovely things about them. The clicking sound it made on school desks or against one another was audibly pleasurable. Scratching an itch with the thick ends was amazing. And I felt strong. I had claws. If I wanted to, I could draw blood, could probably gash someone’s eye out. If I wanted to.
The nails, however strong they made me feel, were disabling in other ways. Small movements, typing especially, became a pain in the ass. Popping zits became a painful experience. Plus gross shit constantly ended up stuck on the underside- dead skin, snot, food. No to mention wiping in the bathroom became a balancing act.
My habit of biting my nails did not stop with these nails. They became another challenge, and beneath the nervous tick of a 15-year-old, the gels cracked and collapsed into jagged pieces.
Photo by Kris Atomic on Unsplash
Working at the salon meant I saw nails at different stages of this adaption. To remove gel nails, you had to soak them in acetone. It was my responsibility to make the acetone baths, the frigid liquid was kept by the case in the small back room. I set people up as they dipped and held their fingertips in, as the gels dissolved. When gels melt, they look a little like cloudy hot glue. Leaving in their wake, damage and shaved down nails.
It’s oddly poetic, to watch a thing of beauty and skill collapse on itself and leave a sort of wreckage. Nails, fake nails, however pretty, are a dangerous business. Not as much for the customer, but for the nail technician who is constantly exposed to chemicals linked to a multitude of issues, including respiratory and neurological issues.
I worked in a salon that primarily employed Vietnamese immigrants who worked ridiculous hours and were exposed to numerous chemical hazards.
Photo by Jakob Owens on Unsplash. Also you should avoid sand and beaches with fake nails.
On top of that, they would have to service a generally racist public. That year became a huge learning experience for me in regards to racism. While I present as white, and because of it, white people, especially white women, have no problem saying racist things to me about other people. The worst were middle-aged white women. They could be the most two-faced and duplicitous. They would smile and chat with their Vietnamese nail tech, then, when it came time to pay would complain about the tech’s accent to me, or how dare the nail tech be in the country without learning English. Sometimes they referred to techs as slurs, especially if they were unsatisfied.
These women wanted their nails done cheap. And the last thing they wanted to do was acknowledge that their laborer was a human being.
But that racism was cyclical. While white customers could be grotesque and deride the workforce, those same Vietnamese nail techs held their own prejudices to their Black customers. Some wanted to teach me Vietnamese words for black and white to discreetly distinguish which customers were coming in, in case they didn’t want to make room for them. This occurred after I learned the words for “manicure” “pedicure” “gels” “refill” and “full set”. This wasn’t the case for all the techs, but enough to make it easy enough to leave.
There’s a terrible irony there. While the place I worked at was just one salon in Florida, there are Black and Asian women who have written or talked about this kind of bias and racism from Nail Technicians, and also long standing issues between both communities. It’s ironic because nail art is booming in the instagram age, largely replicating styles associated with Black women that were once derided as “ghetto”. It’s ironic, because the younger nail techs spoke in a blaccent. It’s ironic, because not once did I hear a black customer refer to tech in a slur, but you better believe that I heard it more than once from a white customer.
When I think of nails, I can’t untangle that from the memory. I think of the chemical cold smell of acetone, and I think about racism, heaped and shifted from one group to another. Pain, the pain of getting a full set, and the pain of dealing with bias and bigotry.
My nails for my wedding, the last time I’ve had fake nails.
I’ve had my nails done a few times since then. Once, a manicure by a good friend of mine who is also a nail tech. Once for my wedding, when I had a full set: stiletto and clear gels. Fake nails are beautiful. They are powerful feeling, heavy and weaponed. But to get them, you have to have an intimate moment with a stranger as they coat your fingertips, breathing close. In order to have them cheap, people work 12 hour days in toxic conditions.
It is nice to feel like you can pop someone’s eye out though. You know, if you wanted to.
Check out the rest of “Morbid”.
(Originally published by CLASH. Check out CLASHbooks.com, especially Tragedy Queens, edited by Leza Cantoral). | https://lauradiazdearce.medium.com/morbid-part-2-nails-990e2b83c217 | ['Laura Díaz De Arce'] | 2020-01-22 04:19:24.552000+00:00 | ['Morbid', 'Nails', 'Nail Salons', 'Body Modification', 'Personal Essay'] |
ICONOMI Weekly Update | This week we added several new digital assets to the platform, including stablecoin TrueUSD, released an updated iOS app, launched two new DAAs, and more.
TrueUSD Stablecoin
TrueUSD is a stablecoin that can be “redeemed 1-for-1 for US dollars.” Access to a stablecoin allows DAA managers to mitigate losses during times of high volatility. For example, if a market correction is expected, TrueUSD can be used in the structure of the DAA to preserve its value.
The addition of a stablecoin allows for better management of volatility, which can result in more stable DAAs that our users can buy into. It will also lead to the creation of a wider variety of DAAs for more conservative buyers.
Read our full overview in our blog post.
Ten New Digital Assets
On Wednesday, May 23, we added support for NEO, the last in our series of ten digital assets added to the platform over ten days, starting on the first day of Consensus 2018. Read our blog post for full details.
Events
Meet the Managers Events
CyberMiles will be joining us in Hong Kong on May 29, 2018 for our first Meet the Managers event in Asia. Attendees will have a chance to connect with CyberMiles CFO Garwin Chan and in-house general counsel Maggie Guan, who will also be giving a presentation.
Seats are still available for both our Hong Kong (May 29) and Singapore (May 31) events, so sign up soon if you want to attend!
ICONOMI Mobile App Updates
With the latest release of the official ICONOMI iOS app, users can now verify their accounts to Tier 1 and Tier 2 directly from the app. Due to Apple’s restrictions on some specific digital assets, buy/trade functionality for DAAs has been removed.
We are working on implementing Tier 2 verification for the Android app and recently added Tier 2 verification support for the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Ghana, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Malawi, Peru, and Serbia.
More details are available in our blog post.
New DAAs
MOON is our first DAA based in the Middle East. Manager ArabFolio Capital aims “to bridge the gap between Eastern and Western investment opportunities by providing institutional and individual investors with an easy and frictionless gateway for entering the world of blockchain and digital assets.”
Marking another first for ICONOMI, GMC is based in Latin America. GMC is “a well-hedged DAA diversified into different types of digital assets: protocols, utilities, DAOs, and dapps.”
DAA Manager Twitter List
The team behind Hive Index has created a Twitter List for following our DAA managers, making it easy to follow DAA managers’ news and updates all in one place. Subscribe here.
Sneak Peek
At Consensus 2018, we received a lot of interest from other blockchain companies in having their digital asset listed on the ICONOMI platform. To clarify the process, we will be publishing a blog post with our basic rules, prerequisites, and due diligence requirements for adding new digital assets to the platform.
Follow our official channels for more updates and news:
Facebook / Twitter / Reddit / Medium | https://medium.com/iconominet/iconomi-weekly-update-9da62d09e037 | [] | 2018-05-25 15:00:41.164000+00:00 | ['Iconomi', 'News', 'Blockchain', 'Updates', 'Weekly'] |
My Personal Faves | My Personal Faves
Stories on minimalism, small biz marketing, and aligning your business with your personal values Andrea Morris ·Dec 14, 2020
Photo licensed from Adobe Stock by author.
More to come.
Know you need to email your list but can’t find the time? Get my free Easy Emails Guide: 4 Steps to Email Your List Every Week. Minimalist-approved tips for simplifying your marketing emails.
Talk to you later, Andrea | https://medium.com/@andreamorris21/my-personal-faves-ad8ccf770e5f | ['Andrea Morris'] | 2020-12-16 02:26:19.275000+00:00 | ['Minimalism', 'Content Writing', 'Marketing Writing', 'Small Business Owner', 'Copywriting'] |
Are you looking for Reliable Road Freight and Express Road Freight transport to Slovenia solutions ? | Are you looking for Reliable Road Freight and Express Road Freight transport to Slovenia solutions ? Maxi Logistics Services ·Oct 28, 2021
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#shipping #cargo #freight #freightforwarding #supplychain #export #import #transport #Poland #MaxiLogisticsServices #Czechia #Slovakia #Hungary #Prevoz #Turska #Logistika #Lojistik #Minivan #ExpressTransport #Taşımacılık #Nakliye #BeyondOfLogistics #Bosnia #Albania #CrnaGora #Srbija #Croatia #Slovenia #LojistiğinÖtesinde #Bulgaria #Macedonia #Netherlands #Kosovo #Belgium #Greece #Romania #Germany #France #Denmark #Minivan #Speedy #Panelvan | https://medium.com/@maksitransport/are-you-looking-for-reliable-road-freight-and-express-road-freight-transport-to-slovenia-solutions-8886337239c6 | ['Maxi Logistics Services'] | 2021-10-28 12:29:12.968000+00:00 | ['Export', 'Maxi Logistics Services', 'Supply Chain', 'Slovenia', 'Logistics Ask Us'] |
관용어(Idioms):#9 —Turn aside | Flutter for an app, Vue for an web, nodeJs for a server, Linux | https://medium.com/@nerdrun/%EA%B4%80%EC%9A%A9%EC%96%B4-idioms-9-turn-aside-6b4fb2594d29 | [] | 2020-12-19 11:00:11.837000+00:00 | ['Daily', 'Idioms', 'Phrase', 'Languag', 'English'] |
Early September 2019 Options Trading Guide | Read an updated Guide and ask Questions Here
Welcome to Helium’s first trading guide. In this tutorial, we’ll walk you through our thought processes and trading strategies, including how last week we earned $112.27 to donate to the Sierra Club Foundation.
What we did at a high level: We sold insurance on two stocks, insuring them against large price movements.
Diving a little deeper: For our two stocks of interest, we opened iron condors expiring in 45 days. To decrease our risk, we only held these options for four days.
Let’s get started.
Finding Good Trade Inspirations from Helium
Looking at Helium’s Top Stock Predictions, we saw two models that look tradable: AAL & ADBE.
What made these models stand out?
High Helium Score: If a model has a higher Helium score, the model is more confident in its prediction ability.
Decent Correlation over longer time horizons: “Prediction vs Actual Correlation” is the correlation between the model’s predictions and the actual stock price. Higher, positive values indicate more accurate performance.
The 90% confidence forecast means the model thought the price would be between the two values with 90% confidence, meaning it expects to be wrong about 1/10 times. We used this to inspire our trades, but it’s important to remember not to follow the models literally, especially models with low Helium and correlation scores. Helium models help guide us for potential trades, but they don’t tell us exactly what strike prices to use. If you don’t apply appropriate risk management to your trades, you will be unsuccessful.
First Trade: AAL
September 3 morning: Here’s what the AAL options chain looked like for options expiring in 45 days:
On the call side, let’s look at the delta values (red box). Delta can be used as an inexact indicator of what the market thinks the probability is (at the given moment) of the option expiring in the money. To keep the risk on this trade down, we sold the $30 call (delta = 0.17) and bought the $33 call (delta = 0.05). It’s helpful to think of selling the 0.17 delta as making a trade with about a 17% chance of failure if we held these options until expiration (which we didn’t because we only planned on holding them for up to a week).
On the put side (blue box), we sold the $22 put (delta = -0.11) and bought the $19 put (delta = -0.03). The market thought that if we held these two options until expiration, there would be about an 11% chance of failure.
Now that we defined all four options of the iron condor, we looked at E*trade’s Snapshot Analysis:
A quick, back-of-the-napkin style estimate of return is ($400 upside) x 0.7669 odds of success — ($2600 downside) x 0.0446 odds of success = + $190.80. However, since we planned on not holding until expiration, our odds were much better than this (we only held these for four days, not 45 days). Since we were comfortable with the potential to lose up to $2600 on this trade, we pulled the trigger. After executing a limit order halfway between the bid and ask price, on the call side we sold the $30 strike for $283.58 and bought the $33 strike for $66.39. On the put side, we sold the $22 strike for $223.58 and bought the $19 strike for $76.39. You can think of the options that we bought as us buying insurance on the insurance that we sold in order to cap both our potential upside as well as our potential downside.
Second Trade: ADBE
Also September 3 (morning): Here’s what the ADBE options chain looked like for options expiring in 45 days:
On the call side, we sold the $315 strike (delta = 0.18). On the put side, we sold the $255 strike (delta = -0.17). Since ADBE is a more expensive stock (more money at play), we reduced our risk by buying more expensive insurance on the insurance that we sold. To do this, we bought the $320 call (delta = 0.14) and the $250 put (delta = -0.14). Here’s the snapshot analysis:
By only holding for up to a week, we increase the odds of success and don’t have to deal with next earnings on the 17th. We’re comfortable with the potential for a max loss of $3450, so we sold the $315 call for $2593.53, bought the $320 call for $1806.39, sold the $255 put for $4043.50, and bought the $250 put for $3286.39. Just like the previous trade, the success of this trade depended on the price of the underlying staying in between the strike prices of the two options we sold and implied volatility not increasing too much. Ideally, all four options lose value over time and we keep our initial credit (since we sold expensive options and bought cheaper ones).
Managing Our Trades
September 4 Midday:
Up $123.63. Nothing looked troublesome, so we left it alone.
September 5 Afternoon:
Up $83.63. We left it alone again.
September 6 Midday:
Up $108.63. We could have held longer, but holding longer means more risk because there’s more time for the stock price to move outside our short strikes or implied volatility to increase. To keep things small this time around, we decided to close out by the end of the day.
September 6 Before Market Close:
To close out our positions, we needed to buy back the options we sold and sell the options that we bought. Total realized profit: $112.27. Here’s the final results:
By trading small and using a defined-risk strategy like the iron condor, we were able to reduce downside risk (while also limiting potential profits).
Donating Profits
We donated the $112.27 to the Sierra Club Foundation. For future trading guides, we’ll let you vote on your favorite nonprofit/charity.
“The Sierra Club Foundation promotes climate solutions, conservation, and movement building through a powerful combination of strategic philanthropy and grassroots advocacy.”
Until next time,
Helium Trades
* Disclaimer: Nothing on HeliumTrades or our blog constitutes investment advice, performance data or any recommendation that any particular security, portfolio of securities, transaction or investment strategy is suitable for any specific person. Helium Trades is not responsible in any way for the accuracy of any model predictions, price data, or trading. Any mention of a particular security and related prediction data is not a recommendation to buy or sell that security. Investments in securities involve the risk of loss. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Helium Trades is not responsible for any of your investment decisions. You should consult a financial expert before engaging in any transaction. | https://medium.com/@heliumtrades/early-september-2019-options-trading-guide-112-27-to-sierra-club-foundation-a9abb4cc0a54 | ['Helium Trades'] | 2019-11-25 22:29:10.105000+00:00 | ['Stock Market', 'Stock Prediction', 'Options Trading', 'Risk Management'] |
Russian crypto-exchange Livecoin hacked after it lost control of its servers | Hackers gained access to the Livecoin portal and modified exchange rates to 10–15 times their normal values.
Russian cryptocurrency exchange Livecoin posted on message on its official website on Christmas Eve claiming it was hacked and lost control of some of its servers, warning customers to stop using its services.
According to posts on social media, the attack seems to have happened on the night between December 23 and December 24.
Hackers appear to have taken control of the Livecoin infrastructure and then proceeded to modify the exchange rates to gigantic and unrealistic values.
Before Livecoin admins managed to gain back access to some of their systems during late December 24, the Bitcoin exchange rate had ballooned from the regular $23,000/BTC to more than $450,000/BTC, Ether grew from $600/ETH to $15,000, and Ripple price increased from $0.27/XRP to more than $17/XRP.
Once the exchange rates were modified, the mysterious attackers began cashing out accounts, generating gigantic profits.
In the message posted on its website, Livecoin admins described the incident as a “carefully planned attack, which has been prepared, as we assume, over the last few months.”
“We lost control of all of our servers, backend and nodes.
Thus, we were not able to stop our service in time.
Our news channels were compromised as well,” the company said. | https://medium.com/@ethone/russian-crypto-exchange-livecoin-hacked-after-it-lost-control-of-its-servers-26d571667648 | [] | 2020-12-25 11:21:04.051000+00:00 | ['Livecoin', 'Cryptocurrency', 'News', 'Bitcoin', 'Hacking'] |
On the Line | Sharing a phone call
On the Line
Learning a New Skill #nsfw
Predictable Kate
Kate writes for a newspaper where I sometimes pick up freelance work. She’s a business writer, with a calm and professional demeanor. In some ways, Kate tries a bit too hard to be taken seriously, but I understand why. She’s in her early twenties, trying to survive in a struggling field. She wears current, fashionably sedate, business attire: slacks, flats, and dress shirts that mimic menswear. With her short brown hair and piercing green eyes, the look works, but she seems oblivious to how attractive she is.
We run into each other once or twice a month and usually have a quick cup of coffee and chat in the empty break room.
It was a Thursday afternoon when I ran into Kate.
“How about going across the street?” she asked. “I’d rather not talk here.”
That was unusual for her, so I leapt to the conclusion that more cuts were coming to the newsroom. Kate led me across the street to the chain coffee shop, where we could talk.
“What’s wrong?” I asked, prepared to comfort her with reassurances that freelance work wasn’t so bad.
“Nothing. At least I don’t think so. Maybe something. I’m so confused.”
Coffee shops are apparently the modern confessionals. At least, they are where I hear a great many. We sat down with our mochas, as I wasn’t in a chai latte mood, and we sat in silence for a bit.
“I know you research relationship things. I have a question about if something is normal or okay or what.” Kate was uncharacteristically anxious.
I nodded and then placed a hand on hers.
“My boyfriend had phone sex with my roommate.”
“And you’re not sure if that’s a problem? I believe it is for most people.” I patted her hand. “But there’s something more to it, isn’t there?”
“Yes. It’s not like it was behind my back or anything. Let me explain.” She inhaled and exhaled slowly, twice. “Jill and I share a landline. It came with the cable bundle. It’s really practical choice — ”
“Kate, skip to what you need to share,” I interrupted. “Relax and just tell me the story and we’ll discuss it.”
And so, with my gentle nudging, Kate jumped ahead to the cause of her anxiety. Her voice wavered as she spoke. She took yet another deep breath and began….
Kate’s Story
Todd and I were finishing our weekly call. He’s still in school back home, working on a graduate degree in statistics. As you can probably guess, we both like our routines. Every Sunday night at 10 o’clock, I sit on my bed, call him up, and we talk about our respective weeks. Then, we say goodbye and trade emails and messages for the rest of the week.
“I’ll see you in a week,” Todd promised.
He visits the third weekend of every month. I really look forward to those few days together. Todd arrives late Friday, after the long drive, and we generally cuddle up and go to sleep. We wake up late the next morning, then go to the park, a museum, or just sit around and do nothing. He has to leave Sunday afternoon, sadly. Todd always calls the moment he gets home safely, though.
That night we were saying our goodbyes when suddenly there were the beeps of someone dialing the phone. The push-button tones stopped our conversation mid-sentence.
“What the hell?” I probably yelled, covering the receiver.
“Oh. Sorry, Katie.” My roommate Jill quickly apologized from the kitchen. “You two are usually done within 20 minutes or less. I mean, well, your calls are over quickly.”
Jill and I are the Odd Couple. She doesn’t remember to do her dishes, leaves clothes wherever she removes them, and walks around the apartment in next-to-nothing. A few times she’s forgotten that Todd is visiting and walked out of her room in nothing but panties. And it didn’t even faze her. She apologized and went back to put a top on, but her choice of tops aren’t that modest.
I uncovered the receiver. “Sorry, Todd.”
“She’s right. We do kept the calls short,” Todd acknowledged. “We are — ”
“Predictable,” Jill’s voice chimed in.
“Yes. Predictable.”
“Excuse me,” I interjected. “Jill, I was saying goodbye to Todd.”
“Seriously? That’s all you were going to say? That’s just pitiful, Katie. Do more than that.”
“Jill!”
“Don’t you two ever need to get a little wild? Damn, I sure do. Freddie and I know how to say goodbye.”
If there’s one thing Jill isn’t, it is restrained. I usually leave the apartment if she’s on the phone with Freddie, who travels a lot. Even with her door closed, and that means I close it for her, you can hear her. I know what she’s doing, and it makes me feel a bit awkward that she doesn’t care that I can hear. I’m glad that when Freddie isn’t on the road, she spends nights at his apartment. The few times they’ve come back to our place, it was… loud.
“Thanks, Jill, but we know how to say goodbye.”
“Oh, please. No you don’t. Katie, don’t you ever want to just tell him that you look forward to making love the next time Todd’s here? Don’t you want him all eager to see you again?”
“I am eager to see Kate,” Todd assured us, his voice meek and somewhat sad. That wasn’t the tone I had wanted to hear. At the very least, I wanted Todd to sound excited to spend time with me.
“I’ll see you soon,” I offered, without much enthusiasm. I told myself it was the result of Jill’s interruption. “Bye, Todd.”
“Goodnight, Kate.”
“Oh, hell no. No, no, and no. You two are not ending a phone call like that. Talk about dead fish.” Jill mocked us with a monotone, “‘Bye, Todd…. Goodnight, Kate’. What the fuck is that?”
“How we say goodbye isn’t really any of your business, Jill,” I responded tersely.
“Kate, don’t be offended. I’m sure Jill means well.”
“See? You guys need help. You might both be smart, but you’re pretty stupid about how to have a good phone call. You want to know how to really say goodbye, Katie? I’ll tell you.”
I could feel my neck muscles tense. My patience was wearing thin. I started to disconnect the call.
“How should we say goodbye?” Todd asked.
“Don’t encourage her!” I growled. “We don’t — .”
“I’d tell you, ‘Todd, I really can’t wait to kiss you all over. I can’t wait to feel your arms around me while we kiss. I count the hours until I get to see you again.’ Something like that.”
Come on, I thought, that is the most fake, most absurd thing to say imaginable.
“That’s… nice,” Todd said.
How could Todd not notice how stupid Jill’s little flirtation sounded? Maybe I should have ended the call. Or maybe not. I clenched a fist, but didn’t say anything.
“What else would you say?” Todd asked.
“Hey! Todd, don’t let her tell us how our relationship should be.”
“I’m just curious,” he pleaded.
And, of course, Jill kept on talking.
“I’d get you all worked up, telling you that when you arrive I’m going to slam the door behind you, push you against the wall, and kiss you like you’ve never been kissed before. My tongue is going — .”
“Okay, that’s enough. Your tongue isn’t doing a thing to my boyfriend!” I protested. Well, I probably screamed. I can’t remember being so pissed off as I was at that moment.
“I’m sorry,” Jill answered. “Not my tongue, of course. Your tongue, Katie. Right, Todd?”
Todd actually laughed. “I knew what she meant, Kate.”
“Still, she shouldn’t say things like that.”
“You’re right, Katie. I shouldn’t be saying them. You should be!” Jill said with a giggle. “You really need to learn to tease your man.”
I sighed, loud enough I’m sure Todd and Jill heard me. “That’s not me.” It wasn’t really a claim, so much as an admission that I didn’t know how to be any other way. I’m not seductive or playful. I’m serious, all-business, me. That’s the me Todd first met, so why try to change?
“Katie, the first trick is to get yourself in the right mood. Are you laying down on your bed?”
“Yeah,” I said with some hesitation. “And it is lying down. Not laying.”
“Whatever. You’re not doing it. If I open your bedroom door, I’ll find you sitting on the edge, ready to put the phone back in its stand. Recline. Put your head on a pillow and enjoy the sound of Todd’s voice. Imagine a bit.”
For some inexplicable reason, I did as Jill suggested.
“Now, I’m going to my room and I’m going to teach you how to do this right!”
Our rooms are on the same side of our small living, dining, everything room. The two-room apartment is pretty small, with one shared bathroom off the short hallway. I heard Jill’s bed creak as she flopped onto it. Part of me was still seething, part of me was stunned, and a whole lot of me was too damn curious.
“Is she really going to — ?” Todd asked.
“Yes, I am,” Jill gleefully responded. “You’re going to have phone sex, Todd. Real, wild, phone sex!”
“No, he isn’t,” I said.
“Bullshit, Katie. We’re going to have phone sex,” Jill proclaimed. “Todd, are you still thinking about getting kissed when you arrive?” Jill asked.
“Uh, well — ”
“Of course you are,” Jill continued. “You’re a guy and you love the idea of a tongue teasing yours. Good phone sex is all about great ideas, even if you’d rarely be so wild in real life. Well, in your cases, maybe never that wild.”
“This is sort of weird. We shouldn’t do this,” I said, trying half-heatedly to stop what seemed so likely to happen by now.
“Katie, you need this. And I’m sure Todd does.”
“Need what?” Todd asked.
“Okay,” Jill continued, ignoring both Todd and me, “I’m Katie. Just listen and don’t try to analyze everything. Let yourselves fantasize about each other.”
I leaned back on the bed and momentarily thought about Jill in the other room. Was she shaking her head at us? Was she laughing at us? Or was she thinking about Todd?
“Todd, you enter the apartment and I, Katie, close the door. I push you against the wall and kiss you. I push my pelvis against you, so I can rub my body against yours. My tongue teases yours while we kiss. And you kiss me back, passionately, with your arms tightly around me.”
“Sure. Yeah.” Todd sounded distant. He wasn’t having any trouble with his imagination.
“I’d slowly move to kissing your neck, while my hands undid your belt and unzipped your pants. I’d kiss you so passionately that the electricity would make you cock beg to be set free.”
I could hear Todd’s breathing change. We had never had phone sex, but it was clearly something he was enjoying. I noticed my hand was no longer clenched and my neck wasn’t quite so tight, but I wasn’t relaxed or okay with things, either.
“I’d drop to my knees and reach into your tighty-whities, pulling out your cock so I could tease it with a kiss.” Jill paused to listen to Todd. And then, without Todd realizing it, or me for brief moment, she shifted the perspective of her narrative. Damn, she is good at talking to men. “And another kiss. And your lover licks the head of your cock with the tip of her tongue. She’s teasing you.”
There was something about her voice. Jill was speaking in a soothing rhythmic manner. It was seductive. I want to be able to talk like that.
“She lifts your cock and licks that nice little spot where the seam is. You know the spot.” Jill paused. “Are you alone, Todd?” she asked.
“Yeah,” he answered. I knew he was alone, and so did Jill. Todd has a little studio apartment near the university. Then it dawned on me where she was going. I thought about speaking up yet again, protesting, but I really, really wanted to hear him.
“So take out your cock for Katie,” Jill instructed him. “Take it out so you can stroke it.”
“I… uh… it… ,” Todd stuttered.
“What?” I exclaimed?
“I didn’t mean to — ”
“It’s okay, Todd. Tell Katie what you’re doing.” Jill knew how to use pauses to tease Todd. It was an art form, the way she coaxed him. “It’s okay. Are you playing with it?”
“Yes. I’m holding my penis and can feel the blood pulsing through it.”
“It’s a cock, Todd. Or a dick. Or whatever you want to call it, but not a penis. Tell Katie what you’re thinking and doing describe it to us.”
“My hand is around my dick and I can feel it throbbing. It almost hurts, it’s so hard. The idea of… well, you know, someone doing that….”
“Now, think about Katie. You’re in the doorway and your lover is kissing it and licking it. A little sucking, too. But not too much. You don’t get to cum that quickly,” Jill continued. “She stands up and kisses you again. You finally realize, she’s wearing a nightshirt and nothing else.”
Me? Wearing nothing but a nightshirt? I couldn’t imagine doing that. Not even in my own apartment. And Jill knew that. I’m not her.
“You’ve done that,” Todd vacantly said.
“Yes, I have. Nice of you to notice,” Jill giggled. “Think of Katie wearing no bra, no panties, nothing. Just a nightshirt,” Jill cooed. “Katie, lose those sweat shorts you wear around the house.” Jill tapped on the wall between our rooms. “Right now. I’m taking my shorts off so I can enjoy this more. I’m going to be rubbing my clit while Todd gets off.”
Todd was breathing deeper, more intensely, but not faster. He was masturbating as he thought about both of us at the other end of the conversation. I was so shocked by Jill’s bluntness that I couldn’t think clearly.
“Katie? Those shorts off?”
“Yes,” I answered, and they were. And so were my panties.
“Todd, think about Katie, leading you to her room, your cock still hard and exposed. She’s going to push you down onto her bed and climb on top of you. Would you like that?”
“Oh, yes. Yes, I would.”
“Katie, imagine Todd, lying there on the bed. You pull down his pants and his underwear. Still in your nightshirt, you climb onto him. You position his cock and slide down, guiding it deep inside of your wet, tingling pussy.”
Todd and Jill were both breathing in synch. My roommate and my boyfriend, about to cum together over the phone.
“Can you hear Katie’s gasping, deep breaths, Todd?”
“Uh-huh.”
“She’s touching herself. She’s imagining that big, throbbing cock of yours inside her while she plays with her pussy. Don’t you wish you could see what she’s doing? She’s enjoying this!”
I was enjoying it. It was exciting and disturbing at the same time. Jill was talking to us about having sex. I shouldn’t have been enjoying it so much.
“So tell her what you’d be doing for Katie.”
Todd was doing quite a bit, from the sounds of it. He had to slow down and focus to tell us his version of the fantasy.
“I’d lift that nightshirt over her head, toss it aside, and kiss her breasts.”
“Kiss her breasts? That’s the best you can do?”
“No, Todd, don’t kiss my breasts and gently like you do. It’s not that great,” I blurted out. “I want you to suck my tits. Passionately go after my nipples, taking them into your mouth and really, really suck them,” I told him.
“Hell, yeah!” Jill concurred. “Go after Katie. Devour her. Consume her.”
“You’d be okay with that?” Todd asked. “I try to be gentle and romantic.”
“Sometimes, I want you to just rip my clothes off and fuck me. Suck my tits. Ram your dick into me. Have some passion.”
“God, that’s fantastic,” Jill said between moans. “Please, Todd, please fuck Katie this weekend. I want to hear that bed bounce and shake. Shove that throbbing cock of yours into her pussy.”
“Oh, no, I’m getting on top of him and I’m riding that dick. If he finally wants to show some passion, he’ll have to earn that chance.”
I was running my hand through my soft pubic hair, teasing my clit, and sometimes inserting a finger into myself. My pussy was dripping, begging for Todd’s dick. I tensed, tightening my pussy while fingering myself. And then I thought of being on my back, Todd pumping hard. I hoped he would really take me this weekend, really fuck me like Jill had said.
“Todd?” Jill softly whispered. “Keep stroking that cock of yours. Tell me about her tits.”
“I’ve always loved Kate’s breasts. So soft. Her beautiful light skin makes her nipples seem so brilliantly pink.”
“And you’re going to suck them for her.”
“Yes. I am. While she’s sitting on my lap, facing me, I’m going to suck her tits.”
“And I’m going to slide up and down that dick of yours, while you suck my tits,” I reminded Todd.
“Oh, crap! Oh, man. Oh…” Todd lost control. He gasped and groaned. He was cumming like I’ve never seen or heard him cum before.
“Katie, tell him what you’re doing,” Jill begged.
As I teased my clit, using the wonderfully slick juices from my own pussy, I told Todd I was touching myself. I didn’t know what else to say, but that was enough.
“I love you, Kate!” Todd managed to say.
I came instantly, with a wave of passion, my body convulsing. “I love you, too.”
There was silence as we all enjoyed the moment. Of course, Jill broke the silence.
“That’s how you say goodbye, kids. Damn that was fun.”
“I’ll see you Friday night,” Todd whispered.
“I’ll be wearing a nightshirt,” I promised.
We ended the phone call, but I kept thinking about the call for another ten minutes or so. Without so much as a knock on my bedroom door, Jill entered. She was wearing only a t-shirt, her pussy was completely visible. She walked over to my bed and sat on the corner. I realized my pussy was exposed, too. I sat up and tried to be nonchalant, but I felt quite vulnerable.
“I’m pretty sure Freddie’s home this weekend. You’ll have the apartment to yourself. Use it.” She then flopped down next to me, giggling. “Damn, that was fun.”
Jill pulled me down next to her. We were there on the bed, side by side, staring at the ceiling. She started to play with herself, right there next to me, without the slightest inhibition.
I wasn’t angry anymore, but I wasn’t sure how to feel, either. I nudged Jill. “What are you doing?”
“Masturbating. Again.”
“You can do that?” I asked.
“You can’t?”
“I don’t think so. I’ve never been able to have two orgasms in a night. I’m just not wired that way, I guess.”
Jill turned her head towards me. I could feel her breath against my ear. She whispered as she spoke.
“On Friday, you’re going to fuck Todd. You’re going to throw him down on this bed, climb on his cock, and fuck him until you have two, maybe three, wild orgasms. You’re going to be so turned on that you cum with a burst. I bet it’s the first time you squirt!”
I reached down, and did what Jill was doing. She wasn’t just touching herself, she was thrusting a finger deep within herself. And more. I sat up to watch, to study. Jill smiled at me and kept on pleasing herself. She was using her palm as her middle finger explored her body.
“What are you doing?” I asked again, but this time my meaning was curiosity. “Tell me.”
“I’m feeling the ridges inside and pushing my palm against my clitoris. Right at those ridges, that’s the beloved g-spot. Put your head back on the pillow, look up, and find the g-spot.”
I did as she suggested. There were the ridges and an intensity I hadn’t felt before that moment. Something weird was going on.
“I think I need to pee!”
“No, no. Go with it. Think about Todd, think about whatever you love. Keep touching yourself. Enjoy the feeling.”
“But what if — ?”
“Enjoy it, Katie. Keep touching exploring yourself.” Her voice was soothing, but I was worried I might pee all over myself. But I didn’t.
Yes, I came again. It was messy and thrilling. With Jill right there beside me, coaching me on how to lose total control.
When Friday arrived, I came home from work to find a thin white cotton nightshirt on my bed, with the words “Wild Thing” emblazoned across the chest.
Learning to Trust Others
Kate looked at me, searching for approval or something.
“Sounds like you have a great roommate.”
“You don’t think we did anything wrong?”
I shook my head.
“What if Todd was thinking about her while he… took care of things?”
“He probably did. That would be normal, Kate.”
“Didn’t she cross a line?” Kate wanted some sort of recrimination, on the surface, but I sensed she really needed to be told what she had enjoyed was okay.
Why do we look for reasons to feel guilty? Do we think men do the same? Not in my experience. I’m sure Todd wasn’t wondering anything other than when he might get laid again.
I explained to her that Todd hadn’t cheated and Jill seemed to be a good friend. Todd clearly didn’t lie or go behind Kate’s back. Sure, Todd might think about Jill from time to time, but Jill had guided him to think about Kate. That was the right thing to do, and done pretty damn well.
Kate needed to accept that our friends and lovers all think about other people. Fantasy is part of most healthy relationships. Learning to use that fantasy and lose the guilt isn’t easy for some women, but we need to embrace human nature.
You have to learn to trust yourself, your partner, and your friends. Real love isn’t about to be damaged by enjoying a little teasing over the phone, especially when it is shared so openly. | https://medium.com/true-love-romance-sex/on-the-line-17f607378c8e | ['T. D. Simone'] | 2015-03-08 16:23:40.333000+00:00 | ['Relationships', 'Romance', 'Erotica'] |
FAQs — Freelancing. Being a freelancer is being… | by Chaitanya Kulkarni
Ms. Shreya Pattar with our host Mr. Madhav Gandhi.
Being a freelancer is being self-employed. In today’s era of great digital accessibility, the need of the hour is to provide effective marketing as well as monetary content like — blogs, videos, podcasts, info-graphics, and illustrations. So, freelancing finds its major applications in industries like music, writing, computer programming, web designing, graphic designing and translating, etc.
So you might be wondering why should I bother to know about freelancing? As I am still a college student?
The big reason is being a college student you can have a set of skills that can apply in the practical world and that can be further monetized. There will be instances when you’ll be short on money but freelancing can help you in managing your expenses.
Here are some features of modern-day freelancing -
1.Flexibility
Freelancing let’s you decide your working hours, so what’s a better job for a college student who’s packed with some tedious college lectures? Isn’t it amazing to lay your hands in something like Freelancing that gives you all that flexibility needed to work at your own pace!
2.Blossoming of opportunities everywhere.
Develop your skills, expand your horizons and build an awesome portfolio by dipping your toes into a pool of possibilities. This helps you to expand your horizon to the greatest possibilities.
3.Networking
As you start doing many projects you will start developing connections with different clients. You will have a network of people who can present future opportunities and aid you if you ever need any.
4.Fiscal Responsibility
Sometimes, a project can be cut short for a variety of reasons-budget, style, etc. Because of this, you will learn to have a Plan B. Then money management also comes aside.
In today’s world, just a college degree will not suffice. You need to have something that sets you apart from the herd! And, what’s cooler than getting paid for honing your skills?
Here are some FAQs on Freelancing, which we got answered from Ms. Shreya Pattar.
Shreya Pattar on Medium
Q. What qualities should I have when starting as a freelancer?
There’s no set of qualities required; rather you need to focus on what your client is asking for and how efficiently you can deliver the work! Moreover, try to improvise your work with a perspective of business development, this will help you understand how your piece of work is generating business or revenue out of it.
Q. How should I find my first client?
Reach out on social media, to the people you know. Ask if they have any projects you can work on or make a case study and present the solution to them.
Q. How can I avoid myself falling into some pitfalls?
Simplicity is the key — make it simple and try not to overthink about adding some extra elements to your work.
make it simple and try not to overthink about adding some extra elements to your work. Search for clients (on loop) — Do take one client at a time but keep looking for other clients. This way you can work smoothly and have continuous jobs without being buried in the sea of unfinished projects.
Do take one client at a time but keep looking for other clients. This way you can work smoothly and have continuous jobs without being buried in the sea of unfinished projects. Find your own path — Do not get overwhelmed by loads of tips on the internet about freelancing. Choose one which fits your current condition and apply it.
Do not get overwhelmed by loads of tips on the internet about freelancing. Choose one which fits your current condition and apply it. Seek stability with time, don’t rush! - Do not take a lot of financial responsibility initially. Because you might not earn the same amount every month.
Do not take a lot of financial responsibility initially. Because you might not earn the same amount every month. Money management — It’s your hard-earned money, respect it by managing it in a smarter way. Don’t be wild with it, try to hold it with investments that will sustain and promise lastingness.
Q. How should I price my work?
Judgment of work - You need to learn how to judge and compare your work with the similar kind of work in the market being delivered by other freelancers. Then research about their charges and accordingly increase or decrease your own charges!
For articles, you can charge per word. For example, if you charge Rs.2 per word. A piece of 780 words will be charged for Rs.1560.
If you charge, for example, Rs.10 per hour. For 10 hrs, you will get Rs.1000
If you want to charge for the overall project, you can charge Rs. 1000–2000 per project.
Q. What should you ask a client on call?
Clarity is the key -
Ask what exactly they need for their business.
Ask about what they think the problem seems to be.
Ask them if they have a final image in mind about the content.
Ask if they want you to work along with any of their employees or departments in their institution.
Ask a lot of questions to get a good read on the client and their expectations.
In the end, here’s a small book suggestion that can further guide you getting a clear road-map of freelancing-
FREELANCING FREEDOM — Shreya Pattar
Do follow us on Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Medium.
Here’s our session with Ms. Shreya Pattar
https://www.instagram.com/tv/CSG8YyYoQ3Z/?utm_medium=copy_link | https://medium.com/@pcpedcell/faqs-freelancing-4dac480ba9cb | ['Ed Cell Pcp'] | 2021-08-30 10:19:39.145000+00:00 | ['Personal Branding', 'Freelancers', 'Personal Finance', 'Freelancing', 'College Students'] |
Microsoft Exam To Start Your IT Career | Establishing yourself in any career field is never an easy affair. You need proper guidance on what to do and how to do it. But with numerous opportunities for training from reputable companies such as Microsoft, getting your foot in the door is no longer a mystery. This post clarifies the various ways in which the audits can help kick-start your cloud career. In this article, you’ll see 4 ways that the Microsoft MS-900 exam can help kick-start your IT career. It considers the various skills that you’ll gain and how dumps can provide fodder for your career growth.
4 Ways Microsoft MS-900 Can Launch Your Career in IT
MS-900 test provides the basics that make your career start on a good footing. It’s the only assessment you’ll need to get the Microsoft 365 Certified: Fundamentals credential. So, how does such a managing a stable ground to launch your profession? Well, it does so through the exam topics which you have to study and master:
Microsoft MS 900 Exam: Cloud concepts
At the end of learning this MS-900 topic, you should be able to give a description of cloud concepts. This includes describing various types of services available for the cloud, the benefits. As well as considerations that will make you prefer to use the cloud rather than familiarize yourself.
Core services and concepts for Microsoft 365
Mastering and identifying the core services as well as concepts for Microsoft 365 is another great way MS-900 can help you to kick-start your IT career. Your knowledge should include the ability to identifying Microsoft 365 core services. So, you should know what it means to deploy and support Windows as well as Office. You must also be knowledgeable about the investigation and collaboration solutions.
Security, privacy, trust, and compliance
The Microsoft MS-900 exam ensures that you understand the various aspects of Microsoft 365. Such as security, privacy, trust, and compliance. You’ll become conversant with security principles such as zero-trust as well as management concepts for unified endpoints. Other competence areas for this topic include knowledge of threat protection. Security center, service trust portal as well as compliance manager. Also, included in this data privacy, you will find information protection as well as governance solutions.
Microsoft MS 900 Exam: Pricing and support
If you can understand how pricing and support for the Microsoft 365 are done. Then your career is off to a test gages! This area gives you the opportunity to acquire knowledge in planning, predicting, and comparing pricing, identifying various licensing options, and the Microsoft 365 service lifecycle. There is also the issue of supporting offerings for the services of Microsoft 365.
Why Use Dumps to Hone MS-900 Skills?
Guesswork exam topics will become clear to you if you use dumps to study them. These materials will not only help you become accomplished in assessment domains. But will also teach you how to apply some tricks for your exam prep. If you didn’t know, dumps are files with past questions and answers that were compiled by the previous examinees. From them, you’ll learn the expected formats for the real test as well as what topics might be there. Apart from identifying the areas in aviation. MS-900 dumps will also help you go into depth with them so that you can remember the concepts when answering actual MS-900. So, as long as you use dumps, you’ll be at home with how this accreditation is to appear.
Conclusion
When you think about your career, skills are an inherent aspect of its growth. The Microsoft MS-900 exam guides you through the various areas. That should be right concerning the basics of Microsoft 365. You should, therefore, diligently work with dumps during your preparation while aiming. At gaining the skills that will help your career take off. It is through the Microsoft 365 Certified: Fundamentals badge that you can begin a steady career! All the best! | https://medium.com/@visualmodo/microsoft-exam-to-start-your-it-career-bb37f5c9b9c6 | [] | 2020-12-08 02:13:45.762000+00:00 | ['Career Advice', 'Microsoft Exams', 'Career Development', 'Examination', 'Careers'] |
The ODC Sets New Hemp Guidelines For Australia | The ODC’s new hemp cultivation guidelines have made things a lot easier for hemp cultivators in Australia.
Cannabis legislation has been changing rapidly over the past few months, and the global cannabis industry has felt major gains as a result. In early November, five states in the U.S. voted to legalize some form of cannabis, followed shortly by the U.N.’s announcement that cannabis would be removed from its list of Schedule IV substances, where the plant previously sat alongside heroin.
Most recently, the MORE Act (Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement) passed in the U.S. House of Representatives, which aims to remove marijuana from the Controlled Substances Act and create a shared federal-state control of cannabis programs, though it’s unlikely it will also pass in the Republican-controlled Senate.
And, here in Australia, cannabis advocates are waiting with bated breath for CBD medicines to be made accessible over the counter, as medicinal cannabis prescriptions continue to climb month-on-month.
Cannabis is being increasingly accepted by countries and governing bodies, thus allowing the benefits of legal cannabis to become more widespread.
However, there are recent changes to the Australian cannabis industry that have largely gone unnoticed involving Australian hemp cultivation. These changes could have much wider impacts for the hemp industry at large in Australia, and in particular, for one publicly-listed company.
1. Hemp Crops May Be Processed For Both Flower & Fibre
Prior to the ODC’s recent changes, Australian hemp cultivators had to nominate whether they were growing their crop for industrial hemp or medicinal cannabis. If a cultivator were to nominate their plant as an industrial hemp plant, this meant that they were no longer allowed to extract CBD from it.
As Dr. Les Baxter from Tasmanian Alkaloids explained, this bifurcation of the hemp plant was leading to a lot of waste:
“If you assume that there’s maybe two percent CBD in the residual plant, you’re talking about up to 200 tonnes of CBD [nationally] that is potentially there and currently not accessible to the pharmaceutical industry for extraction.”
As such, the concept of ‘dual use’ hemp plants was raised when discussing barriers to medicinal cannabis prescription in Australia, which would allow for the use of industrial hemp as well as the extraction of CBD in the same plant.
This dual-use of hemp plants has since been implemented by the ODC, meaning that Hemp crops may be processed for both flower and fibre, provided that the companies which seek to do so have all the requisite licenses.
This allows hemp cultivators to save capital as well as reducing waste, should they wish to produce both industrial hemp and medicinal CBD extracts.
2. Security Is No Longer Needed for Hemp Plants
As per the Office of Drug Control, “The illicit value of cannabis makes the risk of diversion a significant one requiring sound and holistic security arrangements.”
Put simply, due to the intoxicating effects of marijuana and the prevalent cannabis black market in Australia, there is a heightened risk of theft for Australian cultivators. In response to this, the ODC requires that cannabis cultivators establish “sturdy, high fencing” to prevent “the risk of diversion.”
However, prior to the September changes from the ODC, even hemp cultivators were subject to these same rules and regulations, despite having a non-intoxicating amount of THC within them.
This meant that hemp cultivators were required to spend significant sums of capital on security measures in order to limit diversion that was unlikely to occur.
For the nascent hemp industry, additional and unnecessary regulations can only serve to discourage new players from entering the space. As the founder of Ecofibre, Phil Warner said to ABC “[Australia] can produce better [cannabis] than anybody else can but if it has to be behind a 12-foot barbed wire fence with security guards, lights and swipe cards to get in and out — it’s not going to happen.”
Now, as per the September update, fencing is no longer required for low-THC hemp plants, with the ODC stating: “The low THC content means that it is not attractive for ‘recreational’ use and it would therefore be far less attractive to black market diversion. Essentially, low THC medicinal cannabis is no more attractive to criminal diversion than is industrial hemp.”
This will allow hemp cultivators to reduce expenditure required to begin their operations.
ECS Botanics (ASX:ECS) is Poised To Reap The Rewards of These Changes
ECS Botanics (ASX:ECS) is an Australia based cultivator and producer of hemp and hemp-based food products, in addition to a medicinal cannabis project.
ECS has the full suite of licenses needed to cultivate, supply, and manufacture industrial hemp in Tasmania, in addition to a growers license in Queensland and the required medicinal cannabis cultivation and manufacturing licenses from the Australian Office of Drug Control (ODC) to capture this opportunity.
The founder of ECS Botanics, Alex Keach, spoke on the benefits of growing hemp in Tasmania, stating that Tasmania has “a cool climate but warm long summer days which are perfect for producing hemp seed and a consistent and concentrated profile of secondary metabolites.”
“Tasmania also has an abundance of water supply, the state has a moratorium on genetically modified crops, some of the cleanest air in the world, plus has a clean, green image which is recognised globally,” concluded Keach.
As one of the only major publicly listed Australian hemp players, few companies are as well-positioned to reap the rewards of these recent ODC changes than ECS Botanics. | https://medium.com/@louisarthuroneill/the-odc-sets-new-hemp-guidelines-for-australia-8964fba85696 | ['Louis O Neill'] | 2020-12-11 04:15:34.885000+00:00 | ['Australia', 'Cannabis', 'Agriculture', 'Farming', 'Hemp'] |
“If You Forget Me” (Pablo Neruda) Analysis | Photo by Luis Alfonso Orellana on Unsplash
Pablo Neruda was a Chilean author who was exiled for his views on communism; he wrote “If You Forget Me”” while on vacation with his mistress. It is believed that he wrote it while she was in the same room- so one would naturally think that it is dedicated to her, but there are theories that this poem is actually addressing his complicated relationship with his home- Chile- from where he was banished for his views.
The poem’s first line is, “I want you to know one thing”.
This line is composed of only one sentence, and the words “one thing” seem to be emphasized as the focal point of the sentence’s structure. This emphasis creates a tone that is firm and almost foreboding- it sounds like he meant it as a kind of warning to whomever the poem is addressed to.
The next stanza is “You know how this is: if I look; at the crystal moon, at; the red branch; of the slow autumn at my window; if I touch; near the fire; the impalpable ash; or the wrinkled body of the log; everything carries me to you; as if everything that exists; aromas, light, metals; were little boats; that sail; toward those isles of yours that wait for me.”
This language beautifies the idea that love imbibes itself into everything. Common objects become reminders of a significant other because everything becomes connected to that love.
Then there is “Well, now; if little by little you stop loving me; I shall stop loving you little by little.”
This line seems to communicate that his love must be noticeably reciprocated or it will slowly die. It shows that the love he has for the subject of the poem isn’t a need.
The next stanza is “If suddenly; you forget me; do not look for me; for I shall already have forgotten you.”
The noteworthy aspect of this line is his perceived ability to tell whether his subject will be faithful in the future just by how they are in the present. He is saying he would have already forgotten by the time they forget.
Next is “If you think it long and mad; the wind of banners; that passes through my life; and you decide; to leave me at the shore; of the heart; where I have roots; remember; that on that day; at that hour; I shall lift my arms; and my roots will set off; to seek another land.”
He is saying that if he isn’t accepted for all of his beliefs, he will stop loving the subject the moment he is left, and he will take all his deepest investments in the relationship away with him.
The last stanza is “But; if each day; each hour; you feel that you are destined for me; with implacable sweetness; if each day a flower; climbs up to your lips to seek me; ah my love, ah my own; in me all that fire is repeated; in me nothing is extinguished or forgotten; my love feeds on your love, beloved; and as long as you live it will be in your arms; without leaving mine”
This last stanza is basically articulating that if his subject does choose to love him for everything he is, and continues to believe in the longevity of the love, that love will be everlastingly requited and their connection will be wonderful and complete.
I think this poem was ultimately written for Neruda’s lover, but it also has an unintentional double meaning in the way he feels about Chile and the way it “forgot” him because of his communist beliefs even though he would have loved it until the end if the circumstances were different. | https://medium.com/literally-literary/if-you-forget-me-pablo-neruda-analysis-fa8582125f7e | ['Shavi Sikaria'] | 2018-11-10 23:59:02.912000+00:00 | ['Español', 'Pablo Neruda', 'Literally Literary', 'Critical Essay', 'Chile'] |
線上銷售到線下體驗：中國是全世界新零售概念的實驗場？ | Cement Pot
Our Cement Pot is the perfect little planter for your kitchen window sill or bathroom counter! Plant some greenery in… | https://medium.com/y-pointer/newretail-future-14f0920001e4 | ['侯智薰 Raymond Ch Hou'] | 2018-11-05 03:57:08.099000+00:00 | ['Retail', 'Business', '中文', 'Marketing', 'China'] |
Katafin Week 15 — “It’s Different This Time” | Image Source: Flickr, Different, There’s Always one, by Doug NC
I can calculate the motion of heavenly bodies, but not the madness of people — Isaac Newton
In 1999, I worked for PictureVision, a digital media startup that was the backend of America Online’s You’ve Got Pictures and Kodak’s PhotoNet services. It was an interesting time as this new internet thing was beginning to take off and disrupt businesses. Actually, it wasn’t disrupting businesses at that time but you could see clearly that it would one day. IPO’s were going bananas and companies with little to no revenue and lots of promise where getting stratospheric valuations not based on reality but rather the potential of future revenue. This the whole point of an IPO and it is exciting. It is also dangerous.
New companies always have a great risk/reward proposition. Even proven companies fail regularly. Roughly half of the S&P 500 falls out every decade. I can remember visiting a Porsche dealership in Tysons Corner during the ’99 froth and all of the salespeople were hovered around their computers talking about stocks, I had to ask someone to help me with a car. When the car sales folks are more interested in trading stocks than selling cars, its probably time to consider the frothiness of the market. Add to that the timeless quote, “it’s different this time,” and you have a recipe for a downturn.
I heard a couple of market analysts on CNBC this week discussing how this IPO frenzy is different than that of 1999 because prices were only 30X revenue now vs. 46X then. Whew, I feel better, nothing to worry about. I am reminded that this is why I stopped trading stocks and options and switched to options premium. At this point, I really don’t care what happens to the market in general, I just want to be well positioned to take advantage of volatility on either side. This was a big mindset change for me and one that I am still learning to maximize. I think the market is overvalued and want to be wary of getting stuck in stocks that I’ll never be able to realize and premium gain. Fortunately, I only have a few investments to watch that give me angst about a severe market reversal.
Net Invested Capital — $80,806
Assigned Short Puts: WMT-100 shares at $150-$15,000. BB-500 shares- at $8.50-$4250. F-200 shares at $9.50-$1,900. TOL-100 shares at $47-$4,700.
GE Premium-(5) $10.50 12/11 Put-$200 (closed early for $150) $50.
F Premium- $9.5 12/11 Put-$52 (assigned $1,900) $52.
GOLD-$23 12/11 Put-$27 (closed early for $9) $18. $23 12/18 Put-$77 (closed early for $24) $53.
ASAN-$25 12/18 Put-$170 (closed early for $65) $105. 2-Option Order-$230 (closed early for $173) $57.
MUR Premium-$12.50 12/18 Put-$155 (closed early for $90) $65.
RCII Premium-$36 12/18 Call-$70 (closed early for $35) $35. $35 12/18 Put-$160 (closed early for $100) $60.
TOL Premium-$47 12/11 Put-$155 (assigned-$4,700) $155.
HEES Dividend-$27.87
BB Premium-$7.50 Put 12/18-$72 (closed early for $46) $26. $8.50 12/11 Put-$130 (assigned-$4,250) $130.
XPEV Premium-$51 12/4 Put-$173 (closed early for $37) $133. $52 1/8 Put-$330 (closed early for $248) $82.
SDOW-$18 12/18 Call-$50 (closed early for $20) $30.
RIO-$72.5 12/18 Call-$135 (closed early for $75) $60.
INTC Premium-$49.5 12/18 Put-$86 (closed early for $59) $27.
WMT Premium-$150 12/11 Put-$125 (assigned-$15,000) $125.
PTON Premium-$122 12/11 Calls-$180 (closed early for $76) $104.
JETS premium-$22 12/11 Put-$45 (closed early for $5) $40
APHA Premium- $7.50 12/18 Put-$23 (closed early for $12) $11
AAPL Premium-$121 12//11 Put-$146 (sold early for $58) $88. $119 12/18 Put-$142 (sold early for $79) $63.
SNAP Premium-$48 12/11 Put-$75 (closed early for $16) $59. $48 12/18 Put-$107 (closed early for $53) $54. $50 12/31 Put-$160 (closed early for $115) $45.
PLTR Premium-$26 12/11 Put-$35 (expired) $35. (2) $25 12/18 Puts-$228 (closed early for $174) $54.
ELF Premium-$20 12/18 Put-$50 (closed early for $30) $20.
TWTR Premium-$47 12/18 Put-$107 (closed early for $75) $32.
DKNG Premium-$50 12/11 Put-$189 (expired) $189. $48 12/18 Put-$200 (closed early for $180) $20.
NET Premium-$78 12/11 Put-$45 (closed early for $20) $25.
QS Premium-$47.50 12/18 Put-$285 (closed early for $35) $250.
OLLI Premium-$7.5 12/11 Put-$115 (closed early for $85) $30.
Total Return: $2,409.87, 2.98%
As investors rotated into and out of new IPOs this week, changing their investments like their socks, some of the hot tech stocks rose and fall as capital changed hands. I bailed too early on NET and XPEV as they seemed like they could tank at any minute but as Doordash and AirBnb exploded and then drooped slightly, money rotated back. Timing the market is hard and a bad idea. Timing the emotions, maybe harder but somewhat more predictable.
Note: This is not financial advice, and I am not a financial professional. This article is an account of my personal experience. This information is for entertainment purposes only. | https://medium.com/@katadhin/katafin-week-15-its-different-this-time-59c5e65b2f1d | ['John Andrews'] | 2020-12-20 13:10:05.638000+00:00 | ['Options Trading', 'Options Strategy', 'Fintech', 'Retirement'] |
One Way To Become Rich | I know you can spend a lifetime researching lists written by those who purport to be rich and how they achieved their net worth, a million, a billion. Tell you what. Take those lists, rip ’em up and throw ‘em away. There’s one simple way everyone can achieve wealth.
Photo by Alef Vinicius on Unsplash
As Lucy said to Linus in the classic comic Peanuts on the subject of hitting STOP signs with thrown rocks: “The secret, Linus, is to throw not just one rock but a handful. One is bound to hit it.”
This is how I feel when I come across the countless lists created by self made millionaires, billionaires. When I listen to well-meaning investment counselors. You know. those folks on commission who are always searching for answers to wealth creation and maintenance for their clients.
The myriad of clever ideas may be helpful to some but likely more confusing than useful to most.
There’s only one way to do it.
No matter how creative the list, almost all of them seem to center around the old catalogue of one.
As a wealth manager in New York City a number of years ago, I came across a prospect. Interestingly, he worked for an investment firm Nuveen & Co. ( now a subsidiary of the financial giant TIAA).
We were discussing his speciality, municipal bonds, in re: conservative investment opportunities for my retired clients.
Our conversation wended its way to personal income and investments.
Turns out for my municipal bond friend — his former was as substantial as the latter was sparse (non existent).
He confided in me that he made close to $1.5 in income per year— this was in the 1970’s when $1.5 was worth something!
And:
that he had no savings or investments. That’s right NO, as in none — nada.
If this story was told to me by someone else, I wouldn’t have believe it.
The wealth manager in me compelled my respectful suggestion he invest $200 a month in a good quality growth mutual fund. I reckoned, maybe he couldn’t see the financial forest for the trees.
His answer astounded me.
“I can’t afford it!” he said.
Here was a prime example of someone who knew investments. He made a living by advising municipalities on how to raise money. Yet personally, he had no net worth. My friend had earned this plateau in his financial affairs by his mid 40's.
PAY YOURSELF FIRST!
The one tried and proven rule on my list of building wealth and power.
This doesn’t mean to ignore basic family necessities and debt.
PAY YOURSELF FIRST!
After paying yourself, structure the rest of your financial requirements around the remaining income.
Your goal is to make sure there’s enough income saved to invest — before discretionary purchases are made.
Interestingly, if you keep track of everything you spend for a month, I mean EVERY expenditure down to the last penny, you’ll find dollars for which you can’t account.
Try it, I’ve never seen it fail.
It’s a financial truth!
“Do not save what is left after spending but spend what is left after saving,” — Warren Buffett | https://medium.datadriveninvestor.com/one-way-to-become-rich-ee0ca96bce7f | ['Brian Dickens Barrabee'] | 2021-08-05 09:31:58.115000+00:00 | ['Budget', 'Money', 'Lists', 'Advice', 'Wealth'] |
Changing My Language, Changed My Outcome | It’s hard to imagine what iPhone I would have been using in the year 2012, but it was that year that I began writing yearly resolutions in the Notes app of my phone. I kept it up for a good few years until, according to my digital record, I apparently just stopped setting goals altogether.
While I’m sure that isn’t entirely the case, it wasn’t until December 2017 that I picked this culturally-applauded habit back up — except that it looked a bit different when I did. I stopped writing run of the mill resolutions, and I started writing intentions.
Lest you assume that the point of this article is to tell you that this singular shift in verbiage will lead you to miraculously achieve all of your goals, rest assured this is NOT the case.
When faced with the task of writing “resolutions”, too often we head straight for what I’m calling, The List of the Obvious; spend more time with family, eat out less, be better about saving money, floss, and, of course, it wouldn’t be an American New Year without capping off the list with, lose weight. But it’s in calling out these banal activities that we miss something crucial to the process; reflection.
Instead of writing yourself the same to do list year after year, get into the ritual of really confronting the year that has passed. How do you plan to grow beyond where you’ve been, if you haven’t taken time to assess where exactly that is? Where were your boundaries last year, and how can you push past them? Mentally, physically, financially? In your career, relationships or craft?
In my experience over the last 3 years, it seems that in order to actually cross things off the list come December, we must commit time to thought and reflection, and then rethink the language we use when writing our resolutions.
Since 2017, I‘ve started each year with a list of 8 intentions, all based around 3 core words, or themes.
In 2019, those words were patience, fear and impermanence. The intentions that branched from them were both broad mantras and specific goals. Number 1 on my list was to, “Ride the Waves” — to welcome challenge and impermanence as a part of life, and to go towards things that make me fearful, rather than away from. This also represented a desire to be more spontaneous, so when a friend asked me to book a trip to Mexico on a whim, I did. This checked my box to travel more.
A week ago when I sat down to reflect, I genuinely felt I had successfully invested in 3/4, if not more, of the intentions I’d set out for myself. Of course this required work and revisiting my intentions often (I hung them next to and above my bed where they couldn’t be missed), but I also attribute my mind’s ability to hold these intentions present throughout the year to having taken time for deep reflection, and careful selection of personally meaningful words and phrases.
I want you to give it a try:
Clear an open space, physically and mentally, where you feel comfortable and distraction free. Definitely put your phone away. Wear something that makes you feel good. Fill your favorite cup with your favorite beverage. Settle in. Take a few breaths. Light a candle if that speaks to you. On a piece of paper, challenge yourself to write down a minimum of 7 things you achieved, succeeded at, or overcame last year. You can write down as many highlights as you want. The only rule is that you genuinely spend time reflecting on the high’s (and low’s) of the last 365 days of your existence. Once you’ve finished, let it sink in. We tend to speed through everything these days; life comes and goes at an alarming pace. How many new shows came out on Netflix today? How many social media posts are you not caught up on? Moments of calm are crucial for clear reflection. Flip over your piece of paper. In thinking about the year past, you may have already started to formulate some ideas about what it is you would like to achieve in the year to come. Come up with three words or themes that seem to underline those advancements you want to make. Consistency. Trust. Awareness. Patience. Ecstatic joy. Gentleness. Accepting uncertainty. Confronting fear. Invest. Slow down. Choose any words or themes that speak to you. They can be literal or abstract — as long as they highlight the ways in which you would like to evolve. Underneath each of your three words, expound on what they mean to you. Under consistency you could write remembering to floss and getting to the gym more often, but challenge yourself to also go deeper than surface level. Maybe a desire to floss is really about wanting to spend more time care-taking yourself. The idea of picking up a new hobby may be a call to do more things that are unexpected and step outside of your own box. Hang it up! Ideally place your intentions somewhere you’ll easily see them every day. Write it again: write all your words and intentions down a second time by hand on a separate piece of paper. By writing two copies you give your brain a chance to commit your goals to memory. Hang the second copy in another space you inhabit often and you’ll have even more opportunity to be reminded of where it is you want to go.
So, take your pick; it doesn’t matter what word you use to define your journey towards betterment. Light a candle, put on your most comfortable pajamas and spend some quality time setting those goals/resolutions/intentions/aims/ destinations/ambitions, etc.
What matters is that you’ve taken quality time to reflect, and to carefully articulate for yourself broad themes and specific calls to action for your own personal growth.
My words for 2020 are; trust, accepting uncertainty and ritual. You can read more about what they mean to me here. | https://medium.com/swlh/changing-my-language-changed-my-outcome-d69ebb9843f6 | ['Micole Rondinone'] | 2020-01-18 05:36:01.776000+00:00 | ['Reflections', 'Resolutions', 'Productivity', 'Intentions', 'Personal Growth'] |
Things Are Getting Weird Up Here | Things Are Getting Weird Up Here
Anyone who isn’t aware that our country is deeply divided is definitely not paying attention.
Photo courtesy of author
Americans are polarized and full of anger. But we in our little village in Northern Michigan believe we are different. We are convinced that we aren’t like people in the cities who always seem to be mad about something. We understand the need for civility in a place where everyone is on a first name basis.
My tiny village, perched on picturesque bluffs overlooking Lake Michigan, is a good place to live. The round table in the General Store is occupied by the men’s coffee group on Monday mornings and then by the gathering of women knitters on Thursday afternoons. When a popular clerk at that store had a stroke, a group of townsfolk got together and built a ramp to his front door to surprise him on his return from the hospital. When our school children lost the school lunch program due to the pandemic, the donations to provide food were overwhelming.
The citizens of our village have never claimed to be perfect. We have our share of eccentricities and resentments, but we are more in the “live and let live” camp, putting up with each others’ foibles. But that was before things started to get weird up here.
The weirdness started with a smattering of political yard signs. They were mostly Trump signs in the beginning, which upset Biden supporters who hurried to catch up. Soon taking a drive included the popular activity of counting the number of signs in each political camp. The Yard Sign War had begun. Some homes displayed multiple signs and, to even out the count, signs were destroyed or stolen. Arguments erupted over the placement of signs in vacant fields and on public land.
The competition ramped up and soon we began seeing massive Biden signs and gigantic Trump flags — “yard signs on steroids” — proclaiming super partisanship. At first it seemed to be a rather harmless, slightly silly competition, but something darker was happening.
Harsh words hurled across the political divide have turned into threats. Instead of political choice being a difference of opinion, it is an indication of what kind of person you are. Relationships suffer, friendships are at risk and neighborliness is a thing of the past if you have an allegiance to a different candidate. We have friends who live on our street with whom we have spent many enjoyable social times, including sharing Thanksgiving dinner one year when none of our children were able to be here. But the day a Trump sign appeared in their yard our friendship changed. Now when I pass their house, instead of a cheery wave, I mutter with gritted teeth about what I would like to tell them about their stupid sign. I’m not proud of the fact that I am now on the level with a woman I know who lives in a condominium in Scottsdale and told me that she puts a “mental black X” beside the name of every fellow resident who displays a Trump sign. But I can’t seem to change my visceral reaction.
What is getting weird is the rage, the bitterness, and the disruption of relationships. The stakes have become high — and ugly.
“If you set foot on my property, you won’t make it out alive!” A local farmer, known fondly for open-handedly sharing his produce with local people, shouted those words to a neighbor recently. Every Fall his fields are filled with colorful pumpkins and other cheery seasonal decorations. This year the corncobs and scarecrows have been supplanted by 16 political yard signs and three super-size banners. One of the signs was based on the Pure Michigan slogan and proclaimed that the Governor of Michigan is an Idiot and a Pure Moron. The fight was started by a neighbor’s threat to tear down the new Confederate flag flying over his barn.
An isolated farm farther from town also sported the Idiot sign but had raised the stakes by placing next to it a hand lettered wooden placard proclaiming that “Socialist distancing” was practiced there followed a lengthy rant about Antifa’s capture of our state government, comparing them with Hitler’s brown shirts. Since a plot to kidnap the Governor of Michigan was uncovered recently, the signs targeting her are particularly chilling.
There is one thing that can’t be destroyed by political ugliness — the stunning beauty of autumn in the north. People come from all over to experience the reds and golds and flaming oranges of our tree-covered hills. I was feeling particularly tranquil last week as I drove into town through the brilliant colors when suddenly I rounded a curve and saw a jarring sight. A wooden barricade had been set up beside a winding trail. Someone had lettered on the unpainted boards a warning that anyone who was a fan of Biden had better not stop there. My first thought was, what would happen if someone did stop? What if someone had a flat tire at that very spot, or was lost? I stopped briefly to take a snapshot and felt fearful that someone with a shotgun was watching for someone like me. I feared for my little town — and for all of us.
What will happen after this election? Will we be able to look back on the craziness of these times and move on? Will I? Or has something been lost that can’t be brought back? Will our village come back together as a community, enjoying monthly potluck dinners and gathering at the one-room post office every day to hear the latest town news? Will we renew friendships that became strained or will we struggle to get back the good feelings we used to have only to find that things won’t be ever be the same again?
A friend told me recently that if Biden wins she believes her family won’t speak to her for at least six months. We frequently hear that the side that loses this bitter contest will find it almost impossible to accept defeat. Yet, I think it is deeper than that. I think winner and losers alike will find it hard to forgive and forget. No matter who wins, we all have lost.
Political yard signs are a clear symbol of identification. That is their purpose. They signify such a level of approval of that person that they want everyone to know what camp the homeowner is in. If that sign of approval is for someone I despise and whose values I don’t respect, it is hard for me to ignore that. I remember a few bullying incidents I witnessed during my school days. Of course the bully was despicable, but those children who stood by encouraging the bully by approving of his behavior and cheering him on were equally guilty.
I want to believe the best. I imagine that the local farmer will return to his usual cheery fall decorations next year and we will share many more social evenings with our friends down the street. We may even share Thanksgiving again. But I don’t know that I will be able to wipe the sight of those Trump signs away, no matter who is victorious in November. I worry that something has unraveled in our little village that can’t be easily repaired. Some words cannot be taken back. It is all so very sad. | https://medium.com/indelible-ink/things-are-getting-weird-up-here-e14a84fb343 | ['Edy Stoughton'] | 2020-10-23 11:09:05.716000+00:00 | ['Biden', 'Politics', 'Community', 'Elections', 'Trump'] |
The Dichotomy of Verisimilitude between Books and Movies | By Lawrence Martin
[email protected]
[Note: “Plato’s Podcasts” is the author’s invention, a format chosen to express his views. You won’t find this interview on any radio station.]
Plato: This is Plato’s Podcasts, for Radio Station WLOV in Cleveland, with another interesting podcast. Today I am interviewing Larry Martin, a retired physician who lives in The Villages, Florida. My interview is about his recent blog post, “The Dichotomy of Verisimilitude Between Books and Movies.” Welcome, Larry.
Larry: Thank you, Plato.
Plato: Give us a little of your writing background, please.
Larry: In my medical career I was a non-fiction writer, mainly about medical topics. Just before retirement, five years ago, I started writing fiction. To date, I’ve written seven novels and a bunch of short stories. It was a big learning curve, to go from non-fiction to fiction, but enjoyable.
Plato: OK, and you write movie scripts as well?
Larry: No, not yet. No scripts.
Plato: So, what’s with this blog title? I don’t want to sound stupid, but what the heck is “Dichotomy of Verisimilitude”?
Larry (with a slight chuckle). OK, I admit my title is pedantic, but purposely so, to get readers’ attention.
Plato: Or turn them away?
Larry: Well, I hope not. Anyway, it refers to the fact that movie scripts routinely misrepresent reality — that’s the verisimilitude –whereas most printed fiction does not. So there’s a big divide between the two, and that’s the dichotomy.
Plato: I see. Now, if you wanted a fifth-grader to understand your title, what would it be?
Larry. Umm, good question. How about this? “You Can Get Away With Unreal Stuff in Movies but Not in Books.”
Plato: OK, I’m getting your drift. Can you be more specific?
Larry: Love to. I’m in a critique group here in The Villages, called Wannabes, so-called because everyone wants to be a better writer. Great group, we read our stuff weekly, usually no more than a couple thousand words, and members offer their critiques. Almost all the fiction writing is what you would call realistic fiction, as opposed to fantasy. So if something is flat out wrong, or makes no sense in the real world, we’ll point it out. Almost invariably, the writer will recognize his or her mistake and change the passage.
Plato: Examples?
Larry: Sure. One story read in our group takes place in 1930s New York. The protagonist gets an infection, and the doctor gives him a shot of penicillin. Well, the writer is informed penicillin didn’t exist in the 1930s, so she recognizes her mistake and fixes it. Here’s another one. The protagonist is abducted by gangsters, given an anesthetic to keep him quiet, and is dumped into the trunk of a car. Two hours later he’s taken out, fully intact. Totally unrealistic. The anesthetic given would certainly have killed him in the car trunk. This is pointed out and the writer changes the drug. Now, it’s more realistic.
Plato: OK, medical stuff, but what else?
Larry: Oh, lots of other stuff. We have a retired marine, a retired police chief, retired cyber specialist, and other members with special knowledge. Everyone points out flaws in fiction that’s read, and the author makes changes. No one wants to publish an obvious error that will distract the reader. You would look stupid if you write, from a scene taking place in 1989, “Jill googled the internet to get more information.” Google and the internet didn’t exist in 1989, so that has to be changed. But often the mistake is more subtle, though no less glaring, such as misunderstanding how professionals and institutions work. Can I offer another medical example?
Plato: Sure, go ahead.
Larry: In the story as read in our group, Sam tries to kill his business rival Ben. Despite four bullets, Ben survives after major surgery, albeit on life support in the hospital. Determined to finish the job, Sam calls the hospital’s ICU, says he’s Ben’s cousin, and asks the nurse, “Is Sam going to make it?” The nurse replies, “He’s on life support, but the doctors think he’ll pull through. We’re hoping he can get off the breathing machine in another two to three days.” Sam asks for visiting hours, thanks the nurse, and hangs up. Do you see a problem here?
Plato: Well, I assume the nurse wasn’t allowed to give out that information to Sam.
Larry: Right. Totally unrealistic, unless your goal is to portray the nurse as either incompetent or in cahoots with Sam, but that was not the plot line. The passage just shows some ignorance of basic hospital procedure.
Plato: So, what’s this all got to do with the movies?
Larry. It’s very different in the movies, and here I include streaming series on television, very popular these days. With the Covid-19 pandemic, my wife and I have watched a lot of streaming shows, and I am amazed at the insane inaccuracies and plot holes in these scripts. Stuff you’d never get away with in a novel, at least not if it’s subjected to a critique group or editorial review.
Plato: I’ve seen some of those shows and have myself wondered about the plots. What has bothered you?
Larry: In the Netflix series The Politician there are several glaring plot holes. I’ll give you just two. A high school student tells everyone she is under treatment for cancer, and gets sympathy for this diagnosis. For various reasons her school friends are skeptical. They manage to get a blood specimen from her, which they send out for analysis. The results come back, “no cancer,” and the story takes a new turn. This is nonsense. No such blood test exists. Put that in your prose writing and you’ll get an earful.
Plato: And the other one?
Movie Poster for Netflix series “The Politician”
Larry: One of the male characters, a U.S. Senator, is having affairs, while his wife lies in the hospital, where she’s been for three years. In a coma! Let me repeat. She’s been in a coma for three years. One day she suddenly wakes up and, wouldn’t you know it, she looks great. No tubes, no weight loss, hair coiffed, just perfect. She puts on her clothes, goes out to make a speech about her plans. Crazy! If this scene was read in our group, we’d tear it apart.
Plato: Do you have any examples not, well, not medical?
Larry: Yes. The Netflix series Ratched is the fictional back story of Nurse Mildred Ratched in One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest. In that 1975 movie Ratched is portrayed as a cold, heartless tyrant. The Netflix series depicts her bizarre career before Cuckoo’s Nest, and has lots of plot holes. Here’s just one. Ratched is determined to hurt a young man living in a Catholic nursing home. He has PTSD following a horrendous crime he saw her brother commit, and she wants to make sure he cannot testify in court. She somehow manages to take him from the nursing home to a hotel room. There she drugs him, ties him to the bed, and does an icepick lobotomy — through his forehead. | https://medium.com/@drlarry437/the-dichotomy-of-verisimilitude-between-books-and-movies-e5dcca776868 | ['Lawrence Martin'] | 2021-02-23 13:17:54.101000+00:00 | ['Fiction', 'Script', 'Scriptwriting', 'Movies', 'Fiction Writing'] |
Why Men Really Should Hate Shopping | Why Men Really Should Hate Shopping
Photo credit: iStockPhoto
By Ayo Fayola
Having committed to change my consumer behavior, I recently made a drastic change in my life. I began to bring reusable cups to my daily coffee outings. I continued to drive my aging hybrid car, rather than seek out a (long-desired) upgrade. When I had to buy goods, I sought out only locally made products, but most importantly, I stopped shopping for unnecessary items.
Not that I liked shopping, to begin with. In fact, it is commonly known that men hate to shop. Historically speaking, such aversions to shopping malls and supermarkets may have evolved in much earlier eras than we might imagine on a contemporary basis. While there is, of course, a certain gender-bias in the thought that consumer behavior can be reduced to the presence, or lack thereof, of a Y chromosome, perhaps it’s not a bad time — maybe it’s even a crucial one — to start using this stereotype to our social advantage.
In our modern-day Western realities, we are constantly barraged by a cornucopia of consumer choice. Where brick-and-mortar excursions used to be the norm, now one-click visits to digital retailers prevail. So many of our everyday desires can be purchased with so little thought, and even less resistance, that it may be hard to resist the temptation to buy, buy, buy.
Yet, if we begin to peel back the veil of consumer retail habits, an unsettling reality begins to emerge. Across industries like fashion and electronics, we see the toxic environmental effects wrought by producing cheap products. As we move towards more online shopping, we witness how the cost of convenience adds both carbon emissions and packaging waste to our ecological tab.
Many American citizens are already taking steps towards modifying their consumer behavior, determined to demonstrate a personal commitment to being the change one wants to see in the world. Where this move away from consumerism is encouraging, admittedly, making these changes usually represents the privilege of being able to choose. Further still, one may continue to ask whether one person’s actions really affect the overwhelming issue of consumption-based environmental destruction.
Even in the conscious-consumer world, vocal proponents of changing personal behaviors suggest that personal life changes offer little in the way of impacting environmental solutions. After all, one supposes, if enough people can’t or won’t get on board the conscious consumer train, it may not matter whether, metaphorically speaking, it reaches the station just in time.
Personally, in light of this past weekend, where many young citizens organized and demanded that we take the future of our environment seriously, I remain encouraged that personal actions, coupled with strong policy initiatives, are significant ways of addressing the real threats that our collective consumer behavior may present to coming generations.
We may feel like our life changes are not drastic enough to supplant the looming crisis we are constantly warned about, but at the very least, it suggests seriousness in addressing a societal problem, one that may be persuasive to those in our immediate zone of influence.
But if nothing else, as men, we can chalk up our unwillingness to tag along on suggested trips to the mall or to the market on age-old stereotype and a newfound social calling: we hate to shop and the environment is all the better for it. | https://medium.com/greener-together/why-men-really-should-hate-shopping-f9a6e7568030 | ['The Good Men Project'] | 2020-12-25 07:28:22.089000+00:00 | ['Environment', 'Shopping', 'Waste', 'Men', 'Stereotypes'] |
PixieDust 1.0 is here! | PixieDust 1.0 is here!
Notebook data visualizations for everyone
Back in October of last year, I introduced the PixieDust open source project. PixieDust is a helper library for Python or Scala notebooks, which lets you generate sophisticated charts, maps, and other visualizations in a few clicks — no coding necessary. It smooths out some other pain points for notebook users too, which you’ll read about in a minute. PixieDust got lots of interest from the community. Thank you all for your feedback, which is helping us refine the tool.
The magic is bottled
Finally, the wait is over. After much hard work from the team, I am happy to announce the availability of PixieDust 1.0 on PyPi. Can’t wait to see it? Here’s a quick video showing PixieDust’s display() API and chart rendering in action:
New features
Multi-renderer support
PixieDust offers several different rendering engines you can use out-of-the-box to display your data. Depending upon what chart you’re viewing, render with matplotlib, Bokeh, or Seaborn — all without coding a single extra line. You can also generate sophisticated, gorgeous maps from your data using Mapbox or Google Maps.
Spark Progress Monitor
Track the status of your Spark job. No more waiting in the dark. Notebook users can now see how a cell’s code is running behind the scenes.
Installer for local use
We’ve made it easier to get started with PixieDust locally. Try our new packaged installer. It will walk you through setup, step by step.
Scala in a Python notebook
Enter Scala commands in a Python notebook. Variables are automatically transferred from Python to Scala and vice-versa.
Improvements
Extensibility Guidance
Want to create your own visualizations or add a renderer? We help you understand how to build add-ons with a generate wizard, which walks you through a sample setup using Terminal or other command line tools.
Display improvements
We continue to refine and improve PixieDust’s display() API with smarter introspection of your DataFrames and expanded options for data visualizations.
That’s just the latest
As before, PixieDust lets you install Spark packages inside a Python notebook, export data, embed a polished app UI in your notebook, and more. For details on these and other features, visit PixieDust’s readme.
Coming soon
Full Scala notebook support
Love Scala, but crave the robust visualizations that only Python can deliver? Fear not, Matplotlib lovers — soon, there’ll be no need to choose!
PixieDust will soon work in Scala notebooks too, letting you configure robust and varied data display options in just a few clicks (no coding necessary). To see a preview, watch the video above or jump straight to it on YouTube.
Try it yourself
To help you get started, we offer some sample notebooks. Give PixieDust a try and share your issues, comments, and ideas on GitHub. PRs welcome!
Also, spread the magic. Click the ♡ here to sprinkle a bit of love in the name of PixieDust.
Oh, hey. Did we forget to mention? We have a new logo too:
Sprinkling data science magic since 2016.
Acknowledgements: Since there would be no magic without passion, I want to thank va barbosa, Mike Broberg, Jess Mantaro, Brad Noble, RAJ SINGH, Patrick Titzler, Chetna Warade, Mark Watson , and the rest of the of the IBM Watson Data Platform developer advocacy team for their dedication and long hours trying to make data simple and accessible. | https://medium.com/codait/pixiedust-1-0-is-here-15e0f428df88 | ['David Taieb'] | 2017-03-23 22:31:36.123000+00:00 | ['Python', 'Jupyter Notebook', 'Pixiedust', 'Data Science', 'Scala'] |
The Simple Privacy (and Cookie) Policy Guide for Website Owners | The Simple Privacy (and Cookie) Policy Guide for Website Owners
Earning an income from your blog is a much easier venture than starting a traditional business and you don’t have to check zoning laws or apply for building permits.
However, that doesn’t mean there aren’t legal requirements you need to comply with.
One of the most inconspicuous but necessary legal requirement is the privacy policy, and this applies to all websites, big or small. If you’re a small business or even just a blogger earning no income from your website and aren’t sure why on earth in the first place you’d need one, you might be surprised.
Chances are quite high that you might be (even if you’re not really aware of it) — collecting various forms of information from your visitors, tracking them with analytics, or displaying ads. For many of these activities, the chances are quite high that you’re required to have a privacy policy.
What Is a Privacy Policy?
A privacy policy is a document that details what personal information you collect from your users, how you use it, and how you keep it private.
The exact contents required will depend on the applicable laws or policies. Also, the definition of what constitutes “personal information” varies, but it often includes names and email addresses, and sometimes IP addresses and browser cookies.
Data = Money
In the information age, data is the new currency. Private information on individuals is very valuable to advertisers, businesses, and governments.
Today, many countries consider privacy to be a fundamental human right, and have passed legislation to protect individuals from their information being collected and used without their knowledge. Data privacy laws usually require that anyone collecting personal information via their website needs to have a statement on how and why they do so.
According to many privacy laws, you can be fined or even prosecuted if you collect personal information without informing your users, or if you violate your own privacy policy.
Privacy laws in different countries
Australia’s Privacy Principles (APPs) is a collection of 13 principles guiding the handling of personal information. According to these principles, you must manage personal information in an open and transparent way.
is a collection of 13 principles guiding the handling of personal information. According to these principles, you must manage personal information in an open and transparent way. European Union Data Protection Directive of 1998 states that anyone processing personal data needs must do so in a fair and lawful manner. In order for the data collection to be considered lawful, data can only be collected for specified, explicit and legitimate purposes.
states that anyone processing personal data needs must do so in a fair and lawful manner. In order for the data collection to be considered lawful, data can only be collected for specified, explicit and legitimate purposes. U.K. Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations 2003 restricts the use of cookies and similar technologies on users’ devices unless users 1) are clear about the purpose of the usage of cookies and 2) have given their consent.
Tip: Wonder if this applies to your country? Information Shield is a great resource to find out more about your country’s privacy laws, though the legalese can be difficult to interpret.
Updates: GDPR Compliances
GDPR stands for General Data Protection Regulation. At its most basic, it specifies how personal data should be lawfully collected, used, protected or interacted with.
Applications of GDPR include:
An entity’s base of operations is in the EU (this applies whether the processing takes place in the EU or not);
An entity not established in the EU offers goods or services (even if the offer is for free) to people in the EU. The entity can be government agencies, private/ public companies, individuals and non-profits;
An entity is not established in the EU but it monitors the behavior of people who are in the EU, provided that such behavior takes place in the EU.
In short, the GDPR applies to your organization whether you are based in the EU or not.
GDPR Fines
Businesses that are not in compliance with GDPR’s requirement can face large fines up to 4% of a company’s annual global revenue OR €20 million (whichever is greater).
Privacy policy
To understand this new regulation better, please refer to this infographic by European Commission.
When do you need a privacy policy?
Every now and then we get the “when” question.
When do you need a privacy policy?
Do All Websites and Mobile Apps Need a Privacy Policy?
Here are some possibilities on why you might need a privacy policy:
It may be required by law. Dozens of countries around the world have laws requiring privacy policies if you live in their jurisdiction, or if you collect information from their citizens. You may be required to by a third-party service. Many services that collect information through your site, such as Google AdSense and Amazon Affiliates, require you to have a privacy policy as well. It’s the right thing to do. Being transparent and sharing honest information about what data you collect and how you use it goes a long way towards establishing trust with your users. Collecting and using their data in secret is deceitful and devious — which is why it’s illegal in many countries.
If you’re not sure whether or not you need a privacy policy, it’s better to be safe than sorry.
What Should Be Included in Your Privacy Policy?
When creating a privacy policy, the exact information required will depend on the applicable laws or policies.
In general, most privacy policy laws require you to inform your users of:
Your name (or business name), location, and contact information
What information you’re collecting from them (including names, email addresses, IP addresses, and any other information)
How you’re collecting their information, and what you’re going to use it for
How you’re keeping their information safe
Whether or not it’s optional for them to share that information, how they can opt-out, and the consequences of doing so
Any third-party services you’re using to collect, process, or store that information (such as an email newsletter service, or advertising network)
For Google Adsense, your policy needs to inform your users:
Google Adsense
Google and other third-party vendors use cookies to serve ads based on a user’s prior visits to your website.
Google’s use of the DoubleClick cookie (a cookie that is activated when users visit a partner’s website and view or click on an ad) enables Google and its partners to serve ads to your users based on their visit to your sites and/or other sites on the Internet.
Users can opt-out of the use of the DoubleClick cookie for interest-based advertising by visiting Google Ads Settings.
Inform them of any third-party vendors and ad networks serving ads on your site, and provide a link to them.
Inform your users that they may visit those websites to opt-out of the use of cookies for interest-based advertising (if the vendor or ad network offers this capability). Alternatively, you can direct users to opt-out of some third-party vendor’s use of cookies for interest-based advertising by visiting aboutads.info.
For Amazon Affiliates, you’ll need to inform your users:
Amazon Affiliates
How you collect, use, store, and disclose data collected from users
That third parties (including Amazon or other advertisers) may serve content and advertisements, collect information directly from users, and place or recognize cookies on their browsers
Be sure to avoid complex writing, jargon, or legalese. While a privacy policy document is about protecting you, it’s also about informing the user. Try to keep your privacy policy short and concise, and easy to understand.
Tools for Creating Privacy Policies
While it would be ideal to hire a lawyer to make sure your privacy policy is compliant with all applicable laws, that’s not an expense every blogger can afford.
You can follow the bullet points above to write your own privacy policy in simple, easy to understand language. However, that won’t ensure that your policy follows all the applicable laws in your country.
Instead, here are some online tools and resources for you to create your own privacy policy.
1- iubenda Policy Generator
Site: https://www.iubenda.com/
Iubenda helps users generate privacy policy in three steps:
Add your website name, Add the services (ie. Google Adsense) you are using and the type of data you are collecting, Embed your policy to site.
iubenda Policy Generator
The best part of iubenda — your privacy policy is hosted on their servers. This means the system can automatically update the legal text when the law changes.
iubenda Policy Generator
Is Iubenda GDPR ready?
Short answer — Yes. Iubenda does provide complete solution to comply with GDPR.
At the price of $39/mo (ouch!), the system will help:
Generate the right privacy and cookie policy, Display a cookie banner and release profiling cookies only when consent has been provided, and Track, record, and retrieve user consent with the Internal Privacy Management tool.
2- Shopify Policy Generator
Site: www.shopify.com/tools/policy-generator
Shopify provides a simple tool where you can generate refund policy and terms of service policy for free.
Shopify Policy Generator
Put Your Privacy Policy Into Place Today
While it may seem like a hassle, putting off this important aspect of your blog could result in trouble down the line. You really don’t want to risk being banned from your affiliate ad networks or getting sued by a website visitor.
Protect yourself by using one of the tools above to create your privacy policy now, and you won’t have to worry! The process will also help you to familiarize yourself with useful details on user privacy.
If you liked this piece why not check out some of my other pieces here. | https://medium.com/@everythingcj/the-simple-privacy-and-cookie-policy-guide-for-website-owners-4806928aea0a | ['Everything Cj'] | 2021-02-07 14:25:54.630000+00:00 | ['Protection', 'Data', 'Gdpr', 'Privacy', 'Policy'] |
Forget Me Not: A Forgotten Entry in Tokyo | Using art to tell the stories of those who are yet to find their own voice | https://medium.com/@hephzibah.cirene.ely/forget-me-not-a-forgotten-entry-in-tokyo-f162aa08cae1 | ['Hephzibah Cirene Ely'] | 2020-12-14 07:14:02.490000+00:00 | ['Tokyo', 'Filipino', 'Nostalgia', 'Travel', 'Japan'] |
#4: Last journal of 2020 | This should be a long one, but I have college application deadlines coming up. So, please, bear with me. This week I’m not as happy as I am last week — and that’s okay. Probably because my instant-gratification-monkey lost control of my professional procrastinating brain. And my brain does not like it when the panic monster takes over. But, there it is, 7 days before my Ivy League application and I still have a lot to do.
So here I am, doing the thing I’m not supposed to do, journaling. I really don’t know why I’m writing and what I’ll be writing but I’m just doing it. This week was super unproductive as there’s Christmas Day — a day where all my unproductive sins are forgiven. Forgiven by myself obviously, but all this time since March 2020 are Christmas Day’s for me. Even though some days are harder than the other, I still manage to find myself doing nothing but complain. And here I am again, complaining.
At least, Jay Shetty said that happy people complain … wait for it … mindfully. And right now, I’m complaining mindfully. I’m complaining on the fact that I’m not going over to my friends house for a sleepover. I’m complaining on the fact that I will — most probably — spend new year’s eve alone .I’m complaining on the fact that I had approximately 3 weeks and I did nothing. I’m complaining on why everyone is having a fun holiday. But, here I am, writing an essay — and journal — on the last days of 2020, alone in my room.
These bad times would pay off when I get my college decisions — or not. Because, it all depends on how it turns out. So, wait for my complains on March 2021 or my celebration — I hope. I guess the main reason I’m writing my journal is because I just didn’t want to be inconsistent for once and I’m really hoping that this journal would last for years — at least. | https://medium.com/@collinpinn/4-last-journal-of-2020-2fecbe4eaf16 | ['Alexander Collin'] | 2020-12-27 16:27:00.231000+00:00 | ['2020', 'Journal'] |
Jason Statham’s body double? Series 1 Episode 4 | Fancy a Brew? | Take a look at some highlights from the episode:👇
What is it like being an Army Reservist?
Private Giles: “I think the opportunities that the Army Reserves offers you are incredible, I have been skiing, I’ve got to do some incredible courses, and some other crazy things as well.
Sergeant Wood: “What the Reserves does give you is awesome, an amazing opportunity. All over the world I have been doing amazing experiences, like skiing in Norway. I have also been to Belize, Kenya, all over the world doing different exercises, gaining different experiences.
“It is a fantastic way of life, and I wouldn’t do anything else now.” — Private Giles Maythan
What is it like inside the Buffer Zone?
Private Giles: “I’ve got to say, patrolling the Buffer Zone is really cool, I really like it. The Buffer Zone itself is a very strange and fascinating place. There’s lots to look at in there and I remember being quite young and seeing the UN on TV and I remember seeing the trucks and I’ve got a very clear memory of it. So to be here now is quite special for me.
Captain Roberts: “There definitely are these peculiar little occurrences. I think one of the weird surreal moments for me was when I went to the very far West, and came across a village.
“It’s a Greek Cypriot village that is well and truly square in the Buffer Zone. We spend a lot of our time trying to maintain security and prevent illegal movement and trafficking across the Buffer Zone, and here is this fully functioning village with hundreds if not thousands of individuals, and they’re just living in the middle of what is sometimes referred to as the dead zone or what we call the Buffer Zone. It’s quite surreal.
The Buffer Zone, which is also called ‘the Green Line’, extends approximately 180km across the island.
Were you really Jason Statham’s body double?
Private Giles: “I don’t like to talk about it much, but I was once Jason Statham’s body double, many years ago now, just the body double, obviously standing in for films.
“I’ve done bits and bobs in the past but I think that was one of the reasons why I joined the Army because I spent a lot of time playing soldiers in various bits and bobs and it just got to the point where I was like, actually I think I want to do this for real as opposed to just playing it.
What is the food situation like?
Private Giles: “What’s really interesting is that Cypriot food is incredible, even little things like the takeaways, it just feels like they really take pride in their food.
Captain Roberts: “There’s been some very good days, and hopefully if the weather keeps improving, we can get some socially distanced barbecues going. I wouldn’t mind if we could get out once or twice more to experience a few more places. There is fantastic restaurants on both sides of the border.
Private Giles: “I had chicken wings from a big pizza store, and they were the best chicken wings I’ve ever tasted, I couldn’t believe it! I was incredibly happy with them. In the UK, chicken wings are like dry little bits of cardboard but here they’re how chicken wings should be. | https://medium.com/voices-of-the-armed-forces/jason-stathams-body-double-series-1-episode-4-fancy-a-brew-bdb0a3c62fde | ['Ministry Of Defence'] | 2021-03-24 10:18:41.760000+00:00 | ['Cyprus', 'Military', 'Peacekeeping', 'United Nations', 'Podcast'] |
Why Babies Are More Resilient Against Covid-19 | Why Babies Are More Resilient Against Covid-19
Understanding infants’ peculiar response to the virus may be a key to finding new treatments Jossbuttler Dec 2, 2020·7 min read
Photo: Sirapat Saeyang/EyeEm/Getty Images
Babies make up a tiny percentage of all diagnosed cases of Covid-19. In the United States, where 1.2% of the population are children under one year of age, they account for only 0.27% of the positive tests, according to a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report. It’s not clear if babies are getting infected at a lower rate compared with other age groups or if they are just not being tested as much. But what is evident is that the ones who are diagnosed have, in general, significantly milder illness compared with adults.
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The reason behind babies’ apparent resilience to Covid-19 is being intensely investigated by scientists. Getting to the bottom of that mystery could inspire the development of new treatments, potentially benefiting people of all ages.
What’s known so far about the outcomes of babies infected with SARS-CoV-2 comes from reports such as the one published in this month’s edition of The Journal of Pediatrics by physicians at the Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago. The study, which included 18 previously healthy children under 90 days old who tested positive for Covid-19, showed that none had severe symptoms. Nasal congestion was seen in 28%, cough in 44%, and vomiting or diarrhea in 22%. The study sample is very small (again, the number of infants who test positive is a low figure overall), but the researchers say the early findings provide some potentially important insights.
“It’s notable that a large percentage of them had fever as maybe even the only symptom,” says lead author Leena B. Mithal, MD, a pediatric infectious diseases expert from Lurie Children’s and assistant professor at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. “None of the babies required any oxygen or any respiratory support at all,” she adds. “This is a small series, but what we saw during that period has remained true moving forward in the cases of previously healthy infants.”
Scientists have a few theories that could help explain why the novel coronavirus is mostly harmless to healthy babies. One of them has to do with the receptor that SARS-CoV-2 uses to enter human cells. The expression of this receptor, called ACE2, varies with age and is less present in babies and children compared with adults. The hypothesis is that, in the youngest people, the virus finds fewer keyholes it can unlock to get inside the cells and replicate.
“An additional hypothesis proposed for the mild infection in young children is their strong ability to mount primary immune responses mediated by T-cells,” says pediatrician Petter Brodin, MD, PhD, a researcher at the department of women’s and children’s health at Karolinska Institute in Sweden. T-cells, along with antibodies, are part of our adaptive immune system, whose function is to target pathogens like SARS-CoV-2. The fact that babies have a large repertoire of naive T-cells, which are able to recognize new invaders and develop into mature killer cells, is probably important to explain their effective response to the virus, Brodin says.
Brodin also notes that, at least until puberty, children’s immune systems are calibrated differently from those of adults, and this could protect them from the sequence of events that usually leads to severe disease, including a poor initial response by interferons (proteins that act as “first responders” against viruses), a poor response of the adaptive immune system with T-cell exhaustion, and hyperinflammation driven by massive tissue damage.
Another theory is that young children, including infants, might have more recent exposure to common cold coronaviruses, which could potentially modulate their immune response to SAR-CoV-2 infection. “Although adults have likely been exposed to those coronaviruses as well, it’s common to get many colds in the first decade of life and there may be some cross-protection,” says Mithal. It’s not clear, though, if babies are currently as exposed to these other coronaviruses as they normally would, given the social isolation measures in place.
Although these theories are yet to be proven, at this stage of the pandemic there is enough epidemiological data to confidently state that infants are in general protected from severe illness. So much so that the American Academy of Pediatrics has updated its recommendations regarding newborns and mothers with symptomatic Covid-19 at the time of delivery. AAP now does not recommend universally separating babies from Covid-19-positive mothers, as long as they are well enough to take care of the baby and take the necessary precautions to decrease transmission.
“Over time, it seems that babies who went home with moms infected with SARS-CoV-2 at the time of delivery did not do significantly differently or have worse outcomes than babies who were separated from their mothers in the initial postpartum period,” says Mithal. “This speaks to the fact that, of these babies at risk of exposure and infection in the household, only a small subset may have symptomatic infection and further problems.”
Observing how children and infants respond to the virus may lead to new therapies for Covid-19.
This doesn’t mean that babies cannot get severe symptoms. Alvaro Coronado Munoz, MD, a doctor specialized in pediatric critical care and an assistant professor at McGovern Medical School at UTHealth in Houston, learned that lesson when he and his colleagues treated a three-week-old boy who was admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit in with low blood pressure, tachycardia, rapid breathing, and hypothermia. He had presented nasal congestion for two days and had an X-ray consistent with Covid-19 infection. A nasal swab confirmed the diagnosis.
“It was one of the first cases reported in the U.S. of critical care admission of a pediatric patient with Covid-19. It was very early in the pandemic and there was all this information regarding the fact that pediatric patients were less affected, so it was a little bit of a surprise,” says Munoz. The boy had to receive mechanical ventilation for five days and survived after intensive care. “This case was very important to recognize that an infant can become as sick as adult patients. So, don’t just assume that it’s something else.”
Observing how children and infants respond to the virus may lead to new therapies for Covid-19. One of the treatment strategies that is being explored is how to combat a harmful type of inflammation sometimes seen in the acute phase of the infection. “We hope to learn from ongoing studies that certain inflammatory pathways are differentially activated in children with mild infection compared to adults with severe disease. Maybe then we can develop more targeted immunomodulating therapy that we can apply to those with more severe illness, including adults,” says Mithal.
Another avenue of research is looking at the strong initial interferon response, which is probably critical for early antiviral defense and is a system that the SARS-CoV-2 directly interferes with, according to Brodin. This is most likely a mechanism that protects babies and children and it is possible that triggering the same response in adults could help protect them as well. | https://medium.com/@jossbuttler83783276/why-babies-are-more-resilient-against-covid-19-cecd369ef5e6 | [] | 2020-12-02 16:42:04.711000+00:00 | ['Covid 19', 'Health', 'Science', 'Babies', 'Coronavirus'] |
Making C# More Welcoming | This article is part of the C# Advent Series check it out for more articles from others in the community
I love C#. I’ve been working with the language since 2001 and still view C# as my favorite and primary programming language, despite growing to love many other languages as well since then. However, this year has been eye-opening for me as I’ve gotten a glimpse into how others learn programming and the problems C# has with new developers.
This year I left software engineering and became an instructor at Tech Elevator, a full-stack C# and Java bootcamp. I am now responsible for teaching others programming via teaching them C#, SQL, and JavaScript among other technologies.
Learning programming is hard, but learning a language that was introduced 20 years ago and continues to radically grow and change year after year is monumentally harder.
In this article I’ll lay out some of the current problems I see with C# for new developers and talk about my hopes for the future of the language, including some early information on changes Microsoft is looking at including with .NET 6 and a feature request I’m hoping Microsoft will implement in Visual Studio.
It is my hope that this article helps others empathize more with new developers and take new developers into account when designing their own libraries, languages, and tooling. I would also love it if Microsoft entertained some of the suggestions in this article, but my primary desire is for the community to have a bit more empathy for new developers learning in a broad and deep ecosystem.
Panic! In the IDE
While it’s normal for experienced developers to feel waves of impostor syndrome throughout their career, it can be harder to remember that feeling of being a brand new developer writing your first few pieces of code.
As a beginner, your primary focus is on learning the syntax and learning to think like a machine, but there are so many ways things can fail and a vast array of things you’ve not even encountered yet.
“Not All Code Paths Return a Value”
The “Not All Code Paths Return a Value” compiler error in C# is one that almost all of our students run into as they start making their first methods and playing with conditional logic.
Let’s say you need to write a method to return a string based on whether the number is above, below, or inside of a specified number range. A seasoned programmer would have no problem with this, but new programmers often try an approach that looks something like this:
The core logic here is correct: We have 3 good checks for things that have appropriate boundary conditions and return the right result, but the compiler isn’t happy:
A beginning programmer looks at this CS0161 identifier and it scares them because it’s an alien string from a computer. They see “not all code paths return a value” and think “Did I miss a return statement inside my if statements? Is there an edge case I forgot?” and they’ll validate that any number going into the method should meet one of those 3 scenarios. They think about the logic and not necessarily about the compiler’s perspective.
Beginner programmers like repetition. They like thinking about things in terms of if statements and they’ll repeat the same types of condition checks with slight edits. It’s very normal for people to do things like this as they get used to programming. Only later do they think “I don’t need an if here if I’m returning on the prior lines for the other conditions” because it takes time to become truly familiar with the return statement and its implications.
I have a fix in mind for this error in particular which I’ll get to in a bit.
Unassigned Local Variables
Just to illustrate that I’m not just picking a random bad compiler error, let’s take a look at another case folks are likely to try at some point:
Here the programmer forgot to assign favoriteNumbers a new list of integers. Most programmers, when confronted with these two lines in close proximity, will spot this issue and be able to correct it. The problem is that these are often less clear with longer methods, additional variables, loops, if statements, etc.
So let’s take a look at the error message Visual Studio offers. The message once again tells us what’s wrong, but most experienced developers forget that reading error messages is an acquired skill. To the novice “unassigned” might not make them think “I need to create a new list and set that list into my variable”.
This has all the right words, but it could be clearer with one more sentence asking if they meant to set the variable to a value when declaring it.
Two Decades of Language Features
Let’s shift gears a bit to talk about how C# and .NET is awesome. As I mentioned in the opening, I’ve been working with C# since beta 2 back in 2001. You don’t stick with a language that doesn’t adapt and change over time.
.NET has made some phenomenal changes over the past two decades with the major new platforms such as Razor, .NET Core, MVC, WPF, LINQ, Entity Framework, and Microsoft Azure, among other things. As technology continues to change, .NET remains relevant entirely through these efforts.
However, with two decades of progress and history, there is a price to pay, and unfortunately it is the new developers who bear the brunt of it.
Options Overload
As C# has grown over the years, it’s gained a number of incremental improvements in new language features. As new capabilities and keywords get added on, older ways of doing things remain supported to provide easy migration paths. This means that newcomers in tech are likely to see things a number of different ways in looking over existing code and documentation.
This problem is perhaps at its most prevalent with properties. Let’s take a look at all of the different ways of handling properties in C#.
Here we have all the currently supported ways of working with C# properties in one class. As you can see, there’s a lot of valid, but different syntax. Some of these pieces of syntax are matters of preference ( expression-bodied members), and some are necessary to support certain scenarios.
A novice programmer needs to be familiar with reading and understanding most of these. Visual Studio will actually automatically insert properties as expression-bodied members when overriding a class, which forces that arrow syntax on new devs who may not be ready for it yet.
Guiding People Towards Cliffs
C# has a growing number of keywords — particularly when dealing with method parameters and with the concept of a class vs a struct vs an interface vs a tuple vs a record vs an anonymous object.
There’s simply a lot of things that a newcomer needs to be able to read and understand in online help, starter templates, articles, books, and existing code. Not only does a newcomer need to understand how to read these things, but they must internalize guidelines and rules on when to use what type of thing as part of the process of understanding each new thing they know.
Unfortunately, the tooling makes it easy to discover some of the newer and more advanced language features when you don’t necessarily want people to.
Take this error message our students might encounter when running on a slightly older version of C# and working with interfaces for the first time:
Here the student has tried to define an interface containing a method body out of habit. The compiler message (pictured above) is more encouraging towards upgrading C# versions to take advantage of default interface method implementations as opposed to pushing them to double check if they wanted to add a method body to an interface to begin with.
Note: Interestingly, newer versions of C# don’t error on this code at all, making it harder for a student to understand the difference between an abstract class and an interface and what the intent of either one really is.
This is an example of a new language feature making it harder for newcomers to learn core aspects of the language first, which is unfortunately a common trend.
Making C# More Accessible
At this point hopefully you have a slightly larger understanding of some of the things that concern me about people learning C# 2 decades into its existence.
Let’s talk more about remedies for these things.
Here are a few things that I think would help people have an easier time getting into C# and feeling confident and competent with the language:
Beginner-Friendly Compiler Errors
The number one thing I would encourage Microsoft to change would be the way that compiler errors appear to the user when the user hovers over the “red squiggly” in the interface.
Let’s take a look of a simple mock-up of what might appear with the “Not all code paths return a value” error I cited earlier as an example:
Here we have a few changes:
First, the “red squiggly” occurs at the end of the method instead of at the method title. This helps the developer with this particular error by putting the squiggly closer to the spot of the missing / incorrect code.
Secondly, the error tooltip is vastly different and includes basic contextual information up at the top, a short beginner-friendly paragraph describing the main cases of the error, and includes examples of bad and fixed code.
Finally, the error code is still included at the footer, along with a hyperlink to learn more details from the official documentation on this error code.
This type of experience would be optimal for a new developer and would take a certain degree of fear out of the experience while steering them in the direction of a proper fix.
Note: This feature has been officially registered as a feature request. If you believe that this provides value, please upvote it.
These tooltips would be hard to do with many errors, but I’m certain Microsoft has some idea of which compiler errors are the most common errors and could prioritize providing help for those scenarios. Here are a few I’d prioritize myself:
CS0029 — Cannot implicitly convert X to Y
CS0103 — X does not exist in the current context
CS0161 — Not all code paths return a value
CS0165 — Use of unassigned local variable
CS1002 — Semicolon expected
CS1513 — } expected (missing closing scope)
CS1525 — Invalid expression term. Specifically when using == instead of = for assignment (e.g. int i == 4)
CS7036 — No argument given that corresponds to the required formal parameter (incorrect method call)
Opt-In to Advanced Language Features
It’s healthy and expected to add more language features to support developer productivity and keep up with the changing nature of programming. The recent rise in popularity of functional programming is a great example of this as it has pulled in a lot more functional-style syntax into newer versions of the C# language.
The problem comes when more complex language features are pushed to new developers still trying to learn the basics.
For example, when a new developer is trying to implement an interface for the first time, C# will helpfully offer to generate members for the user. That’s an awesome feature. However, the implementation is maybe not the best for new users:
Here C# generates a property getter and setter, but prefers the expression-bodied member syntax of the language.
This is actually my preferred syntax for writing a simple property, but this is distracting to show someone brand new to C# and programming in general because there are so many other fundamentals to focus on first before you get to the point where you can learn arrow functions.
One of the most surprising things for me as a new instructor was seeing how much trouble new developers have understanding properties. New programmers are juggling so many different concepts and this idea of a class as a re-usable piece of code with little properties that can be customized takes time to soak in. During this “soaking” period, properties don’t make a lot of sense and, unfortunately, there are far too many ways of writing them at present.
What’s worse, when Visual Studio pushes expression-bodied member properties at a new developer who has only seen the older ways of writing a property (and has potentially not yet seen arrow functions), the beginner may not even realize that they’re looking at a property.
Beginner Mode
I think what we need is a “Beginner Mode” that simplifies the language of error messages and sets the auto-generated code to prefer older style syntax.
Just like how when you used to set up Visual Studio you would tell it if you had a C#, VB.NET, or Web Development background and it would customize its menus, it’d be nice to indicate that you’re new to programming or new to C# and have Visual Studio minimize the number of things that could distract you from that early learning path.
To be fair to the wonderful team at Microsoft here, there’s definitely new features coming out that you now must opt-in to receive. A notable recent example would be the way C# 8 adjusts how null values are handled by requiring a project-level setting enabled to enable that advanced behavior.
More features need to be handled in similar ways going forward.
Deprecate and Remove Old Syntax
We need to seriously think about the growing baggage in terms of number of different keywords and different ways those keywords can be arranged. When we introduce new things, we need to seriously ask ourselves what, if anything, we can take out or deprecate from older versions of the language.
For example, if expression-bodied members are truly designed to replace standard field-based properties with gets and sets, we should say that you should stop using the older way of doing things and provide compiler warnings to guide people away from them. (Note, I’m not saying this change should be made, I’m just using it as an example of adding complexity without removing anything)
Even better, we should provide handy quick-fixes that automatically convert old code to use the new recommended ways of doing things, and let you do that at the file, project, or solution level.
By making explicit best practices clear in our tooling, we remove things that new developers need to care about. Sure they need to care about understanding the old and new way, but they don’t need to worry about deciding when they should use one way over another.
Beginners like and need guide rails because they reduce mental strain and improve comfort as people learn the ropes by focusing on one thing at a time.
What’s Ahead in .NET 6?
The good news is that making .NET Accessible to new developers is a central theme currently under consideration for the .NET 6 release.
Looking into the current theme, it looks like Microsoft is aiming for the following improvements:
Overall, I’m elated at this, but I’d still love to see more progress on improving the compiler and runtime errors users see and gearing them towards those brand new to programming.
I strongly support and embrace Microsoft’s approach in prioritizing new developers coming into the language as the language and its tooling continue to grow and evolve and I’d love to see some additional effort on simplifying legacy ways of writing C# code or guiding people towards more modern approaches in a way that’s as friendly as possible to new developers while respectful of existing code.
Closing
This article may read like a wish list or an airing of grievances about things that make my job harder as an instructor, but it’s actually not my students I’m worried about. A skilled instructor can serve as a tour guide through an existing language.
My fear is for the folks who want to learn C# in greater depth than their schools teach it, or who are trying to improve themselves on the side. My fear is also that students may struggle and give up due to the daunting learning curve early on when they could have succeeded if they’d had a bit more help.
We need a wider diversity of people coming into tech, and the learning curve is one of the many factors stifling that growth. More people should have a fair shot at learning these technologies, and that means revisiting our tools and documentation to welcome the next generation of developers from all ages, genders, and backgrounds.
I am incredibly proud of .NET and all of its supported languages and associated tools. Microsoft has done a phenomenal job over the past 20 years and I cannot overstate that, despite the improvements I want to see. | https://medium.com/swlh/making-c-more-welcoming-4c5a76a7497e | ['Matt Eland'] | 2020-12-13 06:55:09.151000+00:00 | ['Visual Studio', 'Csharp', 'Dotnet', 'Learn To Code', 'Programming'] |
Your Brain on Move To Intermediate Programming Level : Any Kid Can Code | Your Brain on Move To Intermediate Programming Level : Any Kid Can Code Laxman Singh Follow Nov 1 · 4 min read
I hope my last topic (link is below) would have helped a bit and you would have tried to make 5–10 different figures. And, you will be feeling confident and I am also looking forward to challenging you with new things to add to your programming experience. I will be covering the following items and their usage: variables, conditions, loop.
I hope and assume you have created a different figure and would be facing some problems. Solving problems must be having good time and output in the end making different figures is always achieving something. Let's go ahead with Variable:
What is Variable?
As a name change, anything that can change or has the capability of changing is called variable. In programming terms, program needs to store value and variable helps to achieve that. If you remember maths problem, where we used to write “Let us assume ABC’s age is x years”. This “x” is variable. Similarly, in programming we say x =10 and now if we will print x or use x anywhere it will be treated as 10 or replaced by 10.
I hope I am not sounding difficult. Examples will help you :
x = 10
y = 20
print(x+y)
Here we go, we magically got the value printed as sum of 10+20. And, similarly, it gives multiplication too.
Manipulation with variables
Conditions
Conditions are easy to understand as it is almost similar to english language connector “IF”. Just we have to learn syntax a bit as our friend python language is very much particular about spaces. In other words, condition is something like which test some condition and on the success of that test takes actions. e.g, If it will not rain today, we can go to playground else study. Her test of rain happening is condition and going to playground is action to be taken if it will not rain. If it rains, actions is ?
Below is the syntax:
if (<<condition>>): (colon)
<<whatever you type here will run if condition is successful>>
Example of IF condition syntax with else
Initially you might face issue as after colon, once you press enter you have to give space (4 spaces is best practice to indent). So, anything with 4 spaces inside if will execute if the condition is true. Don’t think too much just follow and try to use it with various options.
Loop
Loop is very important in programming as condition and variable. Loop helps to make your program short and less repetitive (redundant code can be written once and run in loop).
What is Loop? Loop can be termed as a set of commands running together till the condition given in the loop is true. Let us have an real life example: if your mother has said that you are allowed to play till 7pm, then you can play all the games any number of times till the clock says 7 pm. Nice and disheartening example. Let us move to the Syntax: (I am constraining myself to one loop only i.e, while loop. If you understood, i will introduce “for” loop at the time of implementing some task)
Syntax:
while <<condition>>:
<<commands to execute>>
<<counter so that condition will be successful after n number of runs>>
Example of Loop which runs for 5 times
Now, its your turn to play with all these terms. Play with condition, variable and loop. And, try to go to the extent where you might ask question to yourself for multiple if condition and multiple loops.
For practice, try to convert your square and figures developed earlier inside loop and see if you are able to reduce it to minimum. e.g,
x = 0
while x < 4:
jumper.forward(100)
jumper.left(90)
x = x + 1
Few more commands to add which will help to play with turtle:
reset — It will clean the screen
speed — You have to pass 0–10 any number where 0 is the fastest.
Our aim is to reach to develop at least 2–3 games in the coming 2 months. Let us be on target. And, in the mean time, I will work on next items for you: functions and write a program in file to execute. I remember pain to you for typing, once you have flexibility to save programs in file and run, you will save time and will be able to learn much more faster. Relax, practice and I will be back soon! | https://medium.com/swlh/moving-to-intermediate-any-kid-can-code-d75609a79a1b | ['Laxman Singh'] | 2020-12-03 09:55:23.508000+00:00 | ['Kids', 'Python Programming', 'Kids And Tech', 'Kids Programming'] |
Creating a Twitch Command Script With Streamlabs Chatbot | Appendix B: Nice to Have
Here is some neat stuff you could add to your command to make it just a little bit cooler, but they’re by no means necessary to create your commands.
Adding a cooldown period
You might not want your commands to be available to everyone all the time, even though they’re awesome. You could have a busy chat or someone could be a troll and spam the command all the time.
That’s where cooldowns come in. SC has a few handles to add and check for cooldowns on a user or a command. I’m going to show the user-specific cooldown here.
It involves two small additions:
Add the user cooldown at the end of the Execute(data) method, using data.User to get the user ID of the viewer and specify 30 seconds as the cooldown time:
That should put a dent in the number of triggers.
Now, at the beginning of the Execute(data) method, in the command check, include an extra check for the user cooldown.
If a user calls this command again while still on cooldown, we don’t want to execute our logic. Adding that bit of logic:
Now the trolls have been thwarted!
Checking whether I can trigger the command shortly after each other yields a promising result. The command does not execute, because I triggered it in the last 30 seconds:
I guess he must be speechless after his faulty conclusion last time.
Now you know how to add a user cooldown.
Adding a cooldown for the command itself has a similar flow, simply exchange the user cooldown methods with the command cooldown methods.
Adding UI
You may or may not have seen an interface in SC for some commands where the controller can change values used in the script. It looks something like this:
The huge added benefit is that things like cooldown time and other values can be changed from outside of the script, without having to touch the script at all.
This saves quite a bit of work and makes the script easier to handle for people who aren’t used to scripting.
I want this for our script, so let’s dive into it:
First off, let’s create the UI_Config.json file in the same folder as our Python file. Get the naming right, create it and open it in your IDE:
It’s kinda empty in here…
SC has the format and options of the file documented on their GitHub Wiki page. First, we have to choose the name and type of file our values will be dumped in to use in our script.
Add the following to the file:
Mind the brackets and the quotes.
We need two values for our script: the probability in percentages and the cooldown in seconds. Both are numbers, so we’ll need a numberbox for both.
Let’s add those and fill in the fields:
value: the initial value, label: what appears above the box, tooltip: when you hover over it with your mouse.
Save the file, go back to the Scripts section in SC and reload the scripts.
When you now click on the Mulder command, it shows our fresh new UI:
What’s this!? Your Mulder is evolving!
We’re not there yet, friend. Remember the output file we defined? Hit Save Settings in the UI and head back to your IDE.
You should see two new files created:
So far, so good.
We’re interested in the settings.json file, which is the file we defined. If you open it up, you’ll see our defined values and their data:
This is automatically generated by SC. Nice, huh?
We now want to use these dynamically updated values instead of the hardcoded ones in our file. To this end, we’ll need to import some libraries to help with reading out this settings file.
Add the following above the global script information variables:
We’ll get to using these next.
Before we load the file, we need to have something to store these variables in. Let’s create a global settings object to that end:
Empty at first, we’ll load the values next.
We only want to read these values in once, when the script is (re)loaded. There is no need to read those every time the script executes.
Which method runs only once per (re)load? You remembered! It’s the Init() method. Let’s start adding logic to it step-by-step.
First, we need to let Python know we are going to change our global settings object:
Now Python knows that we mean our global settings object when we use it in the method.
We’re going to need to access the settings.json file.
As it’s in the same place as the current script we’re in, we can ask Python to get the path to the directory we’re in right now for later use:
Just a little longer, you can do it!
Alright then! Now, let’s get to the juicy bit: reading the file and storing the contents in our settings object.
We’re going to construct the full path to the file with the working directory we defined before and join that with the actual filename. Make sure the filename is exactly the same as the filename defined in UI_Config.json :
We have loaded the settings!
Great! Now that we have loaded the settings, we can use that object to access the values defined in the UI.
Let’s replace the hardcoded values with the dynamic reference to their counterpart (Make sure the spelling matches the spelling in the UI_Config.json file):
Test time! Head towards SC, go to the Scripts section and reload the scripts.
Calling the command in the console yields the result we had before, but now we can dynamically change our values from outside of our script:
Same, but not the same?
Bonus point: We can catch a possible error when trying to read our settings file. In our current scenario, a read error would result in the script breaking, but if we catch and handle this error, we’re able to build a fallback.
This is the cleaner way to handle this. The following code catches any error, or exception in Python lingo, logs the error for research, and provides fallback values so the script can continue while you calmly investigate what’s happening:
Make sure the spelling is correct!
And that’s how you incorporate UI! | https://medium.com/better-programming/creating-a-twitch-command-script-with-streamlabs-chatbot-step-by-step-a9f8cccd680d | ['Nintendo Engineer'] | 2019-08-29 02:59:51.305000+00:00 | ['Programming', 'Twitch', 'Commands', 'Python', 'Streaming'] |
How Abzu adapted to Corona times | How Abzu adapted to Corona times
Small and large adjustments from a global artificial intelligence startup
March 2020 is a month we will never forget. The world changed quite quickly, and we were all stunned by the severity of the crisis as countries shut down and borders rapidly closed.
Here at Abzu, we are categorically aware that every state’s response is unique. We’re a European company at heart with offices in Barcelona and Copenhagen, and the situation in each country is quite different:
Spain was hit quickly and hard with the virus, and a mandate was put in place that required everyone to shelter at home. Our Barcelonian coworkers and friends can only leave their homes to buy medicine or necessary groceries. Schools and the public sector are closed.
Denmark has been mostly shut down since March 11th, but it has recently started a gradual reopening. At the time of writing, schools and kindergartens have partially reopened.
Abzu is an international company, famous for our self-organizing culture, and we already have an established culture of running “video windows” the entire workday to connect our two offices and anyone working remotely. We use Zoom a lot for daily check-ins and various pairings or meetings.
Daily check-ins every morning at Abzu
In the “new normal,” we’ve democratized our “video window”: now we leave a Zoom room open all day, which has an average of eight Abzu faces at any time with various emotions (concentration, frustration, amusement, etc.), or sometimes empty chairs or couches as symbols of solidarity, or the occasional cat or kid vying for attention. Our mics are mostly muted, but it recreates the feeling of being around our colleagues. It’s a small change that has returned large, fuzzy dividends.
Human connection during a time of isolation
But a significant change for us was our decision to alter the launch of our product which we had planned for full release in April 2020. Of course the decision was difficult — especially as plans had been underway for over two years — but it was abruptly apparent that we had to adjust more than just tech use in this “new normal”.
We’ve shifted our plans to an invite-only launch. It’s a little annoying, but we’ll change the face of artificial intelligence with a select group of users instead of the public. And although this wasn’t the big splash we have all been working towards, it has its benefits: white-glove onboarding service, more tailored feedback, and the opportunity to improve our digital communications.
Some home offices are tidier than others
It’s been a privilege to see how well all the Abzoids have adapted to this situation, with children running around them and up and down the walls, and a monumental shift in product strategy. It’s humbling, to say the least. But I am looking forward to our next in-person gathering. We all miss the hugs.
Whatever changes Coronavirus has forced you and your team to make in your culture and operations, don’t underestimate the toll it takes on your employees. Whether they’re still sheltering in place under heavy restrictions or gradually reopening — which has its own set of unique challenges — we’ve found that small and genuine tokens of appreciation and connection go a very long way.
When you’re making deadlines, sometimes you need coffee, soda, and beer
A few tips and techniques that have done more than keep us sane: | https://medium.com/abzuai/how-abzu-adapted-to-corona-times-2735c4e37b3b | ['Jonas Wilstrup'] | 2020-04-21 14:02:54.752000+00:00 | ['Remote Working', 'Teal Organizations', 'Work From Home', 'Startup', 'Coronavirus'] |
5 Things I Changed Since I Found Out I Was Pregnant | Hello people!
Today I want to share with you the 5 things I have changed and learned since I found out I was pregnant. Currently I am 8 months pregnant and there is a lot I wish I had known earlier in order to prepare myself better for my growing baby. What’s most important is to know that pregnancy is an exciting adventure with ups and downs. Therefore we should aim at creating the most peaceful environment possible for our growing baby and enjoy the process as much as possible. As slow as the first weeks may pass, in the end time flies and soon you will find your baby in your arms and you will be glad you gave your very best to prepare your him or her for life outside of your womb!
Enjoy!
1. My diet
When I found out I was pregnant I started to read more scientific articles and books about nutrition. Overall my husband and I we started to cook more and also healthier at home.
Before having been pregnant we already very aware of what we consumed. But as everything I eat during pregnancy has an impact on our baby we just want to make sure that we are up-to-date on the information about nutrition and do the very best we can so that our baby starts off as optimal as possible.
I got to learn a lot new things.
Our bodies need protein and fats to stay healthy and work the way it should. Carbs are not essential.
So to optimize my intake on food I focus more on a high protein, high fat diet with fewer carbs.
1.1 Protein
This means that I plan my meals around protein.
For example, I ask myself before preparing a meal: What source of protein am I going to have?
Also, when I choose a source of protein (whether it’s plant based or animal based) the amount of protein mattes.
A good rule of thumb is to aim for 1.5 to 2 grams of protein per kg of body weight. That equals about 30 to 50 grams of protein with each meal.
Protein intake is very important for everyone especially if you are pregnant, as protein has a big impact on muscle tissue and body composition. The protein you eat during pregnancy you share with your baby.
During pregnancy, women require at least an additional 25 grams of protein per day. Inadequate protein consumption by pregnant women has been linked to their children developing various chronic health problems as adults.
Also, if you want to regulate your appetite and gain the usual pregnancy weight in a healthy way, complete your protein intake at a meal first.
Meal examples that I choose during pregnancy:
In the morning: eggs, avocado and a whole grain slice of bread with cottage cheese and a hot cocoa For lunch or dinner: source of meat (steak/chicken) or fish (salmon) with rice and dark leafy greens such as kale, broccoli or spinach For snacks: nuts, protein bars, protein shakes with milk, peanut butter and fruit
1.2 Fats
As protein fats are also essential to our body. Especially the right kinds of fat help to fuel your babies brain and eye development.
About 20 and 35 % of your daily calories during pregnancy should come from fats. A good rule of thumb is to aim for about 1gram of fat per kg of body weight.
Problematic can be the overconsumption of low quality fats such as those we find in fast food and processed foods. So when you choose your fats prefer those that are healthier such as from vegetables, nuts, seeds, and fish.
Good sources of fats are:
-extra virgin olive oil
-avocados
-nuts
-peanut butter
-omega-3 fish oil capsules
1.3 Carbonhydrates
I love carbs: the rice, noodles, cereal, fresh baked bread, candy…
Carbs are good during pregnancy because they supply energy for you and your growing baby, so you don’t need to avoid them during pregnancy. But as you read earlier, in comparison to protein and fats, carbs are not essential.
Moderation with carbs is key!
It’s not that carbs are a problem. Its the overconsumption of processed carbs that are suboptimal for our body. Also, if we eat a lot of carbs it might be difficult to get all our proteins in.
1.4 Supplements
It’s ideal to supplement a prenatal vitamin about 6 months prior to conception.
Optimal is a prenatal vitamin with folic acids and iron.
Folic acid decreases the chance that your baby will be born with a series of birth defects that affect parts of the nervous system, including the brain and spinal cord.
Iron is very important as many pregnant women are at risk for an iron deficiency.
2 Exercise
There are so many benefits from working out while pregnant. The more active and fit you are during pregnancy, the easier it will be for you to adapt to your changing shape and weight gain.
Also, your baby benefits from you being active.
Exercise makes the baby grow optimally and make a mature brain function.
Doing exercise on a daily basis will help you to cope with pregnancy pains, labor and to get back into shape after birth.
Luckily, I didn’t have much morning sickness in the beginning. So up until month 5 in my pregnancy I was able to lift light weights. But when my belly grew bigger and it became uncomfortable I started to go slower. Now I go for three walks a day with my dog, I do some stretching and breathing exercises!
Tip: Aim for 10k steps a day or at least a daily 30 min walk.
3 Mindfulness
One of the things I struggle a lot with is stress.
So when I became pregnant I told myself:
I want to be a calm and mindful mom!
I would rather start now becoming calm and mindful mom before our baby is born so that eventually it will be a lot easier for me to cope with the struggles of being a new parent.
I was recommended a great pregnancy book from a former Buddhist monk. Andy Puddicombe wrote: “A mindful pregnancy” which I bought through audible. Its one of the best books I have listened to in a long time. Its about creating the most peaceful environment possible for you and your baby. Andy guides you through your pregnancy and shares practical and reassuring meditations.
As I am huge fan of Andy Puddicombe, I also have the headspace app- so I meditate every day for about 10 minutes. It helps me to be a lot more mindful and to breathe more. As its becoming harder and harder to breathe with my baby in my belly pushing against my lungs- these breathing exercises help me a lot.
When you are calm and content, so is your baby.
4 Minimalistic Lifestyle
For a long time my husband and I have aimed for a more minimalistic lifestyle. More time, more freedom, more room to breathe. Less stuff and less stress. So when I found out that I was pregnant this was a a good opportunity to take this journey more seriously.
We started with moving from Barcelona to Berlin when we let go of a bunch of things so that we could move by car. Everything that fitted into the car we took and everything else we donated or sold.
It’s a challenge because my husband and I have grown up very frugally. Both of our parents didn’t have much money. This means we had to save money, save stuff we might end up needing for the future.
Every time we let go of stuff, we feel free.
So far we have decluttered, reorganized, and donated a lot. For everything we buy new or get new for our apartment we ask ourselves first whether we truly need it or not. Our vision is that we live only with what we really love. Our favourite clothes, our favourite furniture, our essentials.
Spending less time organizing and cleaning every week gives us more time to spend with each other and make more memories together.
5 Say No More Often and Not Feel Guilty About It
One of the hardest things I changed was saying no more often and not feel guilty about it.
I was raised to be a people-pleaser. Typically, I want everyone around me to be happy and I will do a lot to keep them that way. Often I put everyone else before myself. Most of the time it’s not about what I want, it’s about what the others want or need. The good thing about it is that I have learned to be good at making social connections and resolving conflicts. The downside is that I feel guilt whenever someone pushes me to do something and I say no to it.
But for my own health and happiness setting limits and saying no is important. Everything I do for myself has an effect on my baby,too.
The truth is, people hardly ever are satisfied and it’s almost impossible to please everyone. And if you please them, they keep coming back for more and more expecting you to be fine with that. This costs a lot of energy especially if you are introverted as I am.
I love the quiet, I love to stay at home.
I don’t need to meet people on a daily basis.
This doesn’t mean that I don’t love them.
This means that after having spent a lot of energy during the day I love to recharge in quiet.
This has been one of the hardest things so far. Not everybody understands a no, most people even take it personal. But being pregnant and having our baby real soon encourages me to do more of I want and need.
It’s decision making for our lives, taking responsability for our well-being. This will also be very important when the baby is born and my husband and I have the usual struggles being a new parent.
A good quote helps me whenever I struggle with decision making:
Saying no to something always means saying yes to something else.
Whether that’s regarding quality time with loved ones, choosing a healthy nutritient meal and exercise or being able to enjoy this journey of pregnancy a lot more.
What is it you need to be saying yes to more often? | https://medium.com/@erika-jamerson/5-things-i-changed-since-i-found-out-i-was-pregnant-9d5162a1a885 | ['Erika Jamerson'] | 2020-12-10 16:56:20.051000+00:00 | ['Minimalism', 'Pregnancy Tips', 'Pregnancy Nutrition', 'Setting Boundaries', 'Pregnancy Care'] |
Day 35 with Bitconnect | Today I’ve earned a total of $9.01.
For tomorrow, I’m expecting a pending interest of 1.29%. This interest will be applied for the initial investment and the 4 reinvestments I’ve done so far. So, for tomorrow, I’m expecting a total return of (1.29%+0.1%) * 1280 + 1.29% * 100 * 4 = 17.79 + 5.16= $22.95.
Pending interest for 09.01.2018
For those who are new to this publication, I made an initial investment of 1280$ in Bitconnect to try this system and I’ve committed to keeping you up to date every day with the evolution.
If you want to start investing, register here with me (aleximuresan) as a sponsor and I will give you a 5% bonus on the initial investment.
See you tomorrow. Ciao. | https://medium.com/my365bcc/day-35-with-bitconnect-339ec01ab32c | ['Alex Muresan'] | 2018-01-09 18:26:00.835000+00:00 | ['Crypto', 'Investing', 'Cryptocurrency', 'Bit', 'Bitcoin'] |
Healthy Alternatives to Synthetic Drugs | Medicinal Herbaceous Plants
The high prices for prescription drugs and pharmaceutical medicines continue to grow from year to year, and this hurts the budgets of many patients who need them. Unfortunately, many people can’t afford to buy the best medicines that they need, and usually, have to settle for lesser-priced generic brands or go without. Because of this, more and more people now days are starting to rediscover natural medicinal herb plants.
Many herbaceous plants that are used for medicinal purposes are found growing in gardens because of their beauty and have been used in food preparation since the beginning of recorded history. Lacking a persistent woody type of stem, herbaceous plants are known for their attractive flowers and also for their hardiness to cold environments. The classification of these types of herbaceous plants is based on some unique factors, such as growth cycles, the ability to adapt to different climates and genetic distinctions.
Because these types of herbs have been used for their medicinal properties throughout human history, only in modern times have people veered away from their usage, but that is now changing. Today, people are getting back to their roots and beginning to use medicinal herb plants once again, plants such as goldenseal, black cohosh, blue cohosh, and ginseng. When compared to prescription drugs, medicinal herbs are less expensive, natural and a much safer method of helping our body’s ability to heal itself. Listed below are some medicinal herbaceous plants and their natural healing properties:
Black Cohosh — also known as Bugwort, Rattlesnake Root and many other names, grows in central areas of the United States and was used regularly among the many Native American tribes. The plant was used as a remedy for various ailments such as for women’s menstrual cramps, muscle pain, coughing, arthritis, indigestion, and sore throat discomfort. Juice taken from this plant was also used to repel insects and applied to snake bites to help the body to resist venom.
Today the plant is used primarily as a nutritional supplement to help women with mood swings, vaginal dryness, bloating, menstrual cramps and various other symptoms associated with menopause. The roots of the plant are available in some health stores as tea, capsules, liquid extract or in tablets form.
Blue Cohosh — also known as Blue Ginseng or Yellow Ginseng, is another plant found in central and eastern United States and was used by many native American Indian tribes. The plant was used primarily to induce labor by stimulating the uterus, which was also helpful in starting menstruations and as a laxative. Other effects helped to alleviate and stop muscle spasms, hiccups, epilepsy, inflammation of the joints and the uterus. Health stores are an excellent place to look for supplements made from this plant, and the roasted seeds are also used as a coffee substitute.
Golden Seal — supplements made from this plant have become very popular in recent years, mainly due to the plant’s reputation as an immune system enhancer and a natural antibiotic. Native American Indians knew the plant’s medicinal value and used it to treat genitor-urinary tract infections, digestive inflammation and for respiratory conditions. The plant’s roots are helpful in treating diarrhea, fever, pneumonia, whooping cough, heart trouble and can help the function of the liver.
Every day more and more people are becoming aware of medicinal herbs and the many health benefits that they provide, states Tammy Sons, a Tennessee based nursery owner that sells many wild and herbaceous plants for medical research as well as health and healing of consumers. Medicinal Herbaceous plants like goldenseal, which have natural antibiotic and anti-inflammatory properties, Blue Cohosh which helps induce menstruation and helps those struggling with epilepsy, and Black Cohosh, which helps reduce muscle pain, menstrual cramps and symptoms related to menopause are all inexpensive alternatives people are turning too. When compared to expensive prescription drugs today, medicinal herb plants have become a natural alternative. | https://medium.com/@tnnursery/healthy-alternatives-to-synthetic-drugs-using-plants-8e021a0c6315 | ['Tammy Sons Owner Of Tennessee Wholesale Nursery'] | 2019-09-21 18:55:03.939000+00:00 | ['Medicinal Plants', 'Plants', 'Organic', 'Health', 'Herbal Remedies'] |
The [Crypto] Art of the Experiment | “Painting, sculpture, and all manner physical art are dead.
Long live painting, sculpture, and physical art.”
-Montbland
Just kidding… not really.
On Sunday, September 20, 2020, I formally made the transition from selling physical art (large scale oil paintings), to digital “cryptoart” on the blockchain.
It was eye-opening.
And what was super fun, is that I didn’t sell just one digital painting; I sold FIVE. In the span of two hours. But I’ll come back to that…
First though, imagine someone telling your future-self in the year 2048: “Oh, ya know, we kinda got so futuristic as a society, with robots, artificial intelligence, and virtual reality, that we sort of had to put all that physical art in storage.”
While this theoretically could happen, as humans I don’t think we’ll ever stop falling in love with physical paintings, or art that was expertly crafted by human hands, with raw materials.
It’s in our nature.
Figuration, for example, is arguably why painting (as an art form) was created. One of my painting heroes, famously once said:
“Flesh is the reason oil paint was invented”. -Willem de Kooning
Willem de Kooning and his wife, Elaine
I tend to agree. But physical paintings also have their own… physical limitations.
And our affection for tangible art should not hold us back from embracing new artistic mediums. Whether we are artists, collectors, enthusiasts, students, educators, gallerists, dealers, curators, or investors.
Especially if those new mediums categorically challenge the art world industrial complex / status quo.
I’m no an art historian… but last time I checked art has never been about maintaining the status quo. If anything, artists are professional status quo destroyers. That’s how they create value.
You may already know the blockchain is useful, or that Bitcoin is super important and eating the financial world, or that CryptoArt is in its infancy stages of becoming a mega-important emerging asset class.
I started paying attention to Bitcoin back in 2012 when it was still viewed largely as an experiment. Fortunately for us today, there are extremely smart people who can help you learn about all that stuff, and you can learn from them for free! Here’s a few notable people that I pay attention to:
@PlanB, @RaoulGMI, @APomliano, @DanHeld, @PrestonPysh, @LauraShin, @JeffBooth, @PeterMcCormack, to name a few.
And for your reference:
Currently, CryptoArt is only available to purchase on a handful of websites, like SuperRare, KnownOrigin, Rarible, Nifty Gateway, MakersPlace, OpenSea, and Async Art.
That’s me on the right. One of my oil paintings, ‘Shark Week’ was purchased by a collector for $4,900 🍾
As a painter, to bridge the gap between the traditional art world and the CryptoArt world, I knew I had to do something NEW, innovative, and FUN.
So I decided that I would price all of my digital art using an extremely non-typical, yet utterly simple strategy.
Here’s what I’m doing:
I’m creating a series of 250 (single edition only) digital paintings.
Each will be priced exactly 0.01 ETH higher than the previous.
That’s it.
Digital Painting #1 = 0.01 ETH
Digital Painting #2 = 0.02 ETH
Digital Painting #3 = 0.03 ETH
Digital Painting #68 = 0.68 ETH
Digital Painting #142 = 1.42 ETH
Digital Painting #250 = 2.5 ETH
After I announced a “pre-sale” late night on Twitter, the DM’s began flooding in. There was way more demand than supply, so I had to operate on a first-come / first-serve basis.
Here’s what happened…
‘Actinomyces Citreofluorescens’
#1 of 250
Sold for 0.01 ETH / $3.42
to @burst_cryptoart
‘Bacteroides Pneumosintes’
#2 of 250
Sold for 0.02 ETH / $6.84
to @burst_cryptoart
‘Confluentimicrobium Naphthalenivorans’
#3 of 250
Sold for 0.03 ETH / $10.26
to @Kyloren_NFT
‘Dethiosulfovibrio Acidaminovorans’
#4 of 250
Sold for 0.04 ETH / $13.68
to @kokokocrypto
‘Epilithonimonas Psychrotolerans’
#5 of 250
Sold for 0.05 ETH / $17.09
to @punk_cipher
IT WAS OVER IN A FLASH.
The first tranche of the pre-sale, 5 paintings, sold instantly. The full pre-sale will allocate 10% of the project, 25 digital paintings, to be made available to collectors who express interest directly on Twitter. I’m @Montbland, my DM’s are open.
Once the private pre-sale is over, new artwork releases will be extremely limited in quantity each week. Each new digital painting will be announced on Twitter, where / how to purchase it, and will adhere strictly to the pricing schedule described herein.
100% fixed prices / no auctions. The model will apply until #250 is sold. In terms of new projects, I may re-employ the same strategy… we’ll see.
Collectors routinely ask me, ‘What do these paintings mean?’. What I can share you is that each one is named after bacteria. Bacteria is everywhere, and life couldn’t exist without it. More than 20,000 strains have been identified by scientists and biologists.
Final thought. Art is meant to uplift the human experience and to be enjoyed. My goal for everyone who participates in this project is to have fun, and to watch what happens.
#DontSleepOnCryptoArt
Montbland | https://medium.com/swlh/the-crypto-art-of-the-experiment-bf1bd1bbc10f | [] | 2020-11-01 19:55:19.360000+00:00 | ['Painting', 'Cryptoart', 'Art Market', 'Blockchain', 'Art'] |
How to Set Up Touch ID on iPhone and iPad? | Don’t know how to set up a secure Touch ID on your iOS device? Well, we have got you covered.
Touch ID is one of the best, quick and secure ways to make the device safe and user-oriented. The recent editions of Apple devices like iPhone SE and iPad Air 4 are coming with this new safety feature. If you have purchased any of these two gadgets, then you must want to read this post.
Secure your iOS device with Touch ID using these easy to use instructions:
Know the Options to Get Started with Your New iOS Device
Here are the different ways to get started with your new iPhone and iPad using the Touch ID encryption feature:
Setting up the device as the new one means starting everything : You have to begin using scratch if never used online services or a smartphone before this point of time.
: You have to begin using scratch if never used online services or a smartphone before this point of time. Restoring from the older iPad, iPhone, or iPad Touch Backup : You can efficiently perform the restoring and backing-up process from your previous iOS device using online iCloud Storage or over your USB using iTunes. It applies to the users having an older device and those who want to move to the new one.
: You can efficiently perform the restoring and backing-up process from your previous iOS device using online iCloud Storage or over your USB using iTunes. It applies to the users having an older device and those who want to move to the new one. Importing from Blackberry, Android, and Windows Phone: Apple provided an app in Google Play to make your android device easy to use, but you can use online services to transfer lots of data from any previous device. It is only applied to the users who want to switch to the iPad and iPhone.
Setting Up Touch ID Over iPhone and iPad
Everything starts off a similar process regardless of whether you are restoring from backup, setting up a new device, or switching from an older or another one.
If you want to set up the Touch ID on your iOS device, follow these straightforward steps:
Tap the option “slide to set up.” You need to slide your finger across your device’s screen to get started.
Select the language of your choice. In case you have purchased your smartphone or iPad in your country, then your device will automatically pick the appropriate option.
Now, you have to select your local region and country. It will automatically set to the default location where you purchased the product.
Select a Wi-Fi network and type the passcode into relevant boxes. In case you are not in the range of Wi-Fi or don’t have the stable access, you can select the option Use Cellular instead for your iPad or iPhone with data.
Wait for some time for the iOS device to get activated. It may take some time for the procedure to complete.
Now, select the option whether you like to activate the Location Services or not. You can deactivate the service, but it is advised to turn on the necessary location for some useful apps to work, such as Maps.
After that, you have to set up a secure Touch ID or Password. If you want to skip this step, then tap the option Set Up Touch ID Later but finally, security is necessary for all the gadgets in today’s world.
Setting Up Touch ID Supported iPhone and iPad as New
Below are the detailed instructions to let you understand how you can set up a Touch ID over supported iPhone and iPad as new:
In case you are new to the iOS device and don’t want to transfer your data, then here’s what you require to perform next.
First of all, you need to sync your device to the iCloud account. You have some related options for the same. Read them all:
Log in to your iCloud account. Here, you need to type your Apple ID username and password.
Hit the option “Use Different Apple IDs for iTunes and iCloud.”
Then, create a free and new Apple ID.
Now, hit the tab “Skip This Step” if you don’t like to do the same right now or you haven’t any Apple ID yet. You can go back and set up the one or log in using the Settings app on your device at any moment you want.
Next, read the Terms and Conditions page and then hit the “I Agree” option there.
Verify all your entered details and confirm once more.
Set up an Apple Pay account if it is serviceable in your location.
Now, create an iCloud Keychain if you wish to sync and store your passwords across all your synced devices.
Next, set up a Siri account if you want additional assistance from Siri on your smart device.
After that, set up “Hey Siri,” if you like to automatically trigger Siri assistant using Apple’s smart and virtual assistance.
Then, hit the option “Send Diagnostic Info to Apple” when issues arise in apps, otherwise hit the option “Don’t Send.”
Lastly, switch on the Display Zoom option if you want additional visual accessibility of a more extensive interface.
Now that you have followed the above steps and understood the procedure to set up a secure Touch ID on your newly launched iPad and iPhone devices, go ahead, and slide your finger across the touch screen of your gadget. Select country and language and set up Touch ID or passcode to protect your device.
Everleig is a Blog expert and has been working in the technology industry since 2003. As a technical expert, Everleig has written technical blogs, manuals, white papers, and reviews for many websites such as 1yellowbook.com
Source: Touch ID on iPhone and iPad | https://medium.com/@addisonwalker922/how-to-set-up-touch-id-on-iphone-and-ipad-ac1078db0830 | ['Addison Walker'] | 2020-12-25 10:18:49.619000+00:00 | ['iPhone', 'iPad', 'Up Touch Id'] |
How I Built a Full-Time Career as a Freelance Writer | Lesson Two: Find a Golden Ticket
One of the biggest problems freelancers tend to have is increasing their rates. They secure a few clients, those clients become accustomed to paying x amount of money per article, and then the budding writer gets stuck. They don’t want to demand more money and lose a client, but they also don’t want to spend years writing for the same nominal sums.
How, then, do you increase your rates once the money starts coming in? Well, as with any sale, if you’re expecting customers to pay big money, you’d better start demonstrating big value. You wouldn’t spend $10,000 on a fake diamond ring, so don’t expect your clients to pay triple your current rate if you still have next to no experience.
It doesn’t matter how much value you claim to provide. Anybody can say they’re providing value. You have to be able to prove it. You wouldn’t pay thousands for something if you couldn’t ascertain its value, so don’t expect clients to pay you a lot of money just because you tell them you’ll provide high-quality content.
In the world of writing, the proof isn’t in the pudding, but in the experience. Often, not even a degree in creative writing is enough to persuade a person to pay you. Trust me. I’ve employed many writers, and not once have I asked to see a degree. I ask where they’ve been published.
In my experience, being published in reputable spaces has enabled me to ramp up my rates quickly. Last winter, I was charging a standard price of £0.10 per word. Fast-forward 12 months and I’m being paid $500 for 500 words — $1 per word. That’s an enormous jump for a year, and the only way I was able to provide it was by demonstrating value.
Interestingly, the client paying me those rates approached me. I didn’t apply to work for them. They found me through my work.
So what changed? Well, around a year ago, I was catching up with my mum at a local cafe over a hot mug of coffee when my phone lit up, displaying an email that seemed too good to be true.
After reading the subject line, “An Invitation From Arianna Huffington’s Thrive Global,” my first thought was ‘surely this is spam’. Spoiler alert: it wasn’t.
Getting published to Thrive was a huge deal for me. But most importantly, it was a golden ticket that allowed me to increase my rates. Adding to that, I had two articles of mine go semi-viral, attracting 50K views each. More recently, my publication, Mind Cafe, exceeded 100K followers and began reaching millions of monthly readers, as well as welcoming esteemed writers such as Nir Eyal, Benjamin Hardy, PhD, and Brianna Wiest to our roster.
All of these things communicate one thing to my clients. That is, that I know what I’m doing. I stand out amongst the competition, and therefore they’re happy to pay more money for my work.
If you want to charge more and get away from those peanut-paying clients, you need to find ways to make a name for yourself either by growing an audience or being published in a reputable space. Those are your golden tickets — your credentials.
Every decent feature is like an extra dollar in your pocket where your freelancing rates are concerned. You’ll probably be rejected a few times, but that’s okay. So long as you’re taking the time to write truly engaging, high-quality content, somebody will publish you, and that somebody will become your golden ticket. | https://medium.com/the-post-grad-survival-guide/how-i-built-a-full-time-career-as-a-freelance-writer-3d66f5090773 | ['Adrian Drew'] | 2020-12-11 13:27:15.585000+00:00 | ['Creativity', 'Business', 'Work', 'Freelancing', 'Writing'] |
Youtube Bans Limitless Mindset (Again!) | Natural or preventative health competes with the giant pharmaceutical-hospital industrial complex that spends billions advertising with Silicon Valley. Silicon Valley elites really are leftwing technofascists, keeping the masses dumb, sick and dependant on the system is part of their future vision of technological mediated global communism.
Youtube and Pinterest have decided that they will be the global ministry of truth when it comes to your health, Facebook censors those who are skeptical of state-mandated vaccination and even Keto diet groups.
My channel was almost totally non-political, I think the edgiest stuff on my channel was some of the chapters of my audiobook that I had uploaded. Furthermore, on every video about Nootropics, I included a disclaimer…
[This educational video advocates responsible, SAFE use of legal supplements. Please see my guide on How to Biohack Smart and Safe www.limitlessmindset.com/blog/1510-biohack-safe]
In the past, Youtube had this three strike system that gave you ample warning when you were doing something naughty, now it appears that system is gone, they can just pull the plug anytime without warning. Youtubers who have any remotely interesting to say perpetually have a sword of Damocles dangling over their channels.
Call to Action
If you don’t already please follow me on some of the alt-tech platforms, Minds.com, Bitchute, Telegram and join my weekly newsletter. I’ll continue publishing videos to Minds and Bitchute. Silicon Valley has built some amazingly convenient software and apps, so convenient that in the case of social media it can be extremely addictive, but all the convenience comes at a high cost our freedom of speech. Silicon Valley is engaged in a modern-day digital book burning of content and communities that spread knowledge that can empower our health. I urge you to get outside of their information suppression platforms and venture back out onto into the wild wild west of the world wide web.
Read my book, How to Be Cross Eyed, a memoir and lifehacking manifesto this entertaining read encapsulates all my best biohacking and lifehacking content.
Recommend me as a guest on other podcasts and shows. A good way for me to rebuild and expand my audience is to be a guest on other health and personal growth related podcasts and shows. As you can see here, on my appearance on The Public Space, I’m a very witty and informative podcast guest.
I’m going to submit the form asking Youtube to restore my channel. Who knows if they will but I would really appreciate it if you can send them a message on Twitter @TeamYouTube, tell them that you loved my channel and would like to see it restored. I have a little bit of hope that Youtube (who just lost Google $70 billion!) will eventually see the folly of trying to police the thought of its billions of users and may be restored as a place for free speech if that happens I’d love to still have my Youtube channel. | https://medium.com/@roselandj/youtube-bans-limitless-mindset-again-e85143ec945f | ['Jonathan Roseland'] | 2019-06-18 12:05:25.173000+00:00 | ['Biohacking', 'YouTube', 'Health', 'Censorship'] |
Diabetes Patient Re-Admission Prediction | Diabetes Patient Re-admission Prediction: Source: My own
Problem Statement:
The Problem Statement here is, to identify if the patient will again come back for medication or not, based on the the mentioned feature variables which are described as below.
1. Data description and Hypothesis Generation
Below are the variables given to us for predicting if the Diabetic patient will be re-admitted to the hospital.
Data set Description
We can see that there are about 15+ variables(considering extra telemetry variables) which can be used for modelling. Variable encounter_id is an identifier column. It has a unique value for every sample in the data set and cannot be used for modelling. Variable ‘diabetesMed’ is Target/y column. It has binary values and we need to predict this variable given 15+ variables as features.
HYPOTHESIS GENERATION
Simply put, a hypothesis is a possible view or assertion of an analyst about the problem he or she is working upon. It may be true or may not be true.
Are older patients more likely to take medication as compared to younger patients ? Are patients with certain Race affect the medication? Does weight of the patient affect the medication? Does admission type id affect the medication? Does discharge disposition id affect the medication? Does admission source id affect the medication? Does time in hospital affect the medication?
2. EDA
Before going to any kind of modelling, we will always want to have a look at the kind of data that we have.
We have been provided a file, with information:
Train.csv: We will use this file for training our model. It contains variables or features that we will input to our model, and the target variable that we want to predict.
We will split the data into Train data set, Cross validation data set and Test data set and perform the job.
Now lets go ahead and check the data we have.
Dataset Shape (Number of Samples and Variables in the dataset)
2(a). Target Distribution
This is a binary classification problem. Lets have a look at the number of positive and negative examples that we have, or in our problem statement terms: ‘Number of People who came back for medication, and number of people who did not’
Visually we are able to see communicate things more clearly and graphs help us do that. Lets visualize the same target distribution in a countplot.
Quite obviously dataset is very imbalanced. About 89% of the examples are positive, and only 11% are negative.
Checking and Displaying the Unique values in each variable to better understand the data.
As you can see that there are variables which have more than 100 unique values and few have lesser values.
Analyzing Each Variable & their relationships
There are two types of features that we have:
Categorical Numerical
And also our target is Binary
For each feature type we will be perform two types of analysis:
Univariate: Analyze 1 feature at a time Bivariate: Analyze the relationship of that feature with target variable, i.e. ‘diabetesMed’
But before jumping straight into analysis, lets have a look at the variables we had and try to ask some questions ourselves
2(b). Analyzing Categorical Variables — Univariate Analysis
From the pandas dataframe, lets pick up only the categorical Variables and perform analysis
Univariate Analysis — Pie Charts.
Pie Charts can be useful in seeing the proportion of samples, that fall into each category of a categorical variable. For each of the categorical variables we will make a pie chart.
And there are few more pie charts for remaining categorical variables in the same fashion.
So below are the inferences we get from the pie chart
Race column has about 2 % records with ‘?’ values Weight column has about 98% records with ‘?’ values tel_1 column has about 17 % records with ‘?’ values tel_2 column has about 55 % records with ‘?’ values
Pre-Processing and Transforming of data for few columns as we need good data for the models to produce good results.
As part of this step we are :
Replacing ‘?’ with ‘UNKNOWN’ value Dropping the variables which are having > 15% of data as nulls[weight and tel_2 variables]
Data looks more neat now, after cleansing as shown in figure below.
2(c). Analyzing Categorical Variables — Bivariate Analysis
Here lets perform the Bivariate analysis using the target label as well.
And there are few more bar charts for remaining categorical variables in the same fashion.
Now Lets try to answer few Hypothesis Questions:
Q: Are Older patients more likely to take medication as compared to younger patients?
A: From the above bar plots we see that patients above 50 are more prone to medication
Q: Are patients with certain race affect with medication?
A: we see that AfricanAmerican get affected more, next comes asian population. Caucasians and hispancis are not much affected from the insights we see(volume of data for them is huge).
2(d). Analyzing Numerical Variables — Univariate Analysis
1. Univariate Analysis — Boxplots
Boxplot can be used to see the spread of the numerical variables, and identify outliers
So here we will pick up only numerical variables for our analysis.
So we build the box plots using the below code
And there are few more bar plots for remaining numerical variables in the same fashion.
2(e). Analyzing Numerical Variables — Bivariate Analysis
Bivariate Analysis using Horizontal BarPlots
For each numerical Variable. We will plot the median of the numerical variable for:
When diabetesMed == 0 when diabetesMed == 1 We are choosing median since median is not affected by outliers, and our data has a lot of outliers
Lets try to answer few more hypothesis Questions:
Q: Does admission Type id affect the medication?
A: No it does not as per the insights from the graph
Q: Does discharge disposition id affect the medication?
A: No it does not as per the insights from the graph
Q: Does admission source id affect the medication?
A: No it does not as per the insights from the graph
Q: Does time in hospital affect the medication?
A: Yes it does, as it is showing that people who spend more time in hospital are more likely to comeback for medication
3. Splitting the data and making the model ready
Here we will split the data into Train, Validation and Test data set as shown in code snippet below.
3(a). For Categorical Variables we will use One-Hot-Encoding.
One Hot Encoding for race column as shown below
As shown in the above example we follow the same method on all the remaining Categorical variables like ‘gender’,’age’ etc.
3(b). For Numerical Variables we will use Normalization.
Normalization for admission_type_id column
As shown in the above example we follow the same method on all the remaining Numerical variables.
Finally Concatenating all the features using hstack
So the next step is choosing the Metric and hyper parameter tuning based on the model chosen
4. Choosing the Metric for Classification Model
We will train our model on Decision Trees, Logistic Regression and SVM and check how each of it is performing on the Binary Classification.
We have chosen AUC-ROC score as a metric as it is good for binary classification problems.
What is the AUC-ROC curve?
The Receiver Operator Characteristic (ROC) curve is an evaluation metric for binary classification problems. It is a probability curve that plots the TPR against FPR at various threshold values and essentially separates the ‘signal’ from the ‘noise’. The Area Under the Curve (AUC) is the measure of the ability of a classifier to distinguish between classes and is used as a summary of the ROC curve. For more information refer this URL:
5. Decision Tree Classifier
We will first choose Decision Tree classifier here and train our model. But before we train we first need to perform hyper-parameter tuning.
It can be done by 2 methods, either by Grid-Search or Random Search.
we have defined a couple of helper functions which can help in searching the best hyper parameters. Detailed level Code is shown in GITHUB link.
5(a). Hyper-parameter Tuning
Code snippet for Grid-Search is shown here. We are taking max_depth and min_samples_split as hyper-parameters for Decision Tree
Calculating ROC_AUC score using GridSearch for Train Data
Showcasing the AUC score using Heatmap (max_depth, min_samples_split)
5(b). AUC Plots
Selecting the Best hyper parameters and test the performance of the model on test data, and plot the ROC Curves
we see that the best parameters with Good AUC score are:
max_depth_best= 5
min_samples_split_best=5
The AUC Plots for Train and Test data is as shown below.
5(c). Confusion Matrix
Selecting the threshold and predicting the probabilities, and building the Confusion Matrix for Train and Test Data
we will define our own helper functions here to predict based on threshold values.
And then plot the confusion matrix using the below code snippet.
6. Logistic Regression — Predictions
In the same fashion we will train our model on different Classification Algorithm which is Logistic Regression.
And before that we tune for best hyper-params which are C and penalty here.
Choosing the best params which gives us good AUC score.
6(a). AUC Plots
Testing the performance of the model (Log. Reg) on test data, plotting ROC Curves using best hyper param : penalty and alpha values
penalty=’l2'
alpha=0.01
6(b). Confusion Matrix
In the same fashion we will use the same code snippet and plot the confusion matrix.
7. SVM — Predictions
we will also train our model on SVM as well.
And before that we tune for best hyper-params which are C and penalty here as well.
7(a). AUC Plots
Testing the performance of the model (SVM) on test data, plotting ROC Curves using best hyper param : penalty and alpha values
penalty=’l2'
alpha=0.0001
7(b). Confusion Matrix
In the same fashion we will use the same code snippet and plot the confusion matrix.
8. Final Summary
Finally we summarize as below with all the approaches, by using different models.
The full code for this post can be found on Github. I look forward to hearing any feedback or comment.
For few other case studies please refer below URL:
https://vishal-aiml164.github.io/vishal_aiml_portfolio/ | https://medium.com/@vishal-aiml164/diabetes-patient-re-admission-prediction-ddd2e288f0ed | ['Vishal K Singh'] | 2020-11-07 08:59:16.729000+00:00 | ['Python Pandas', 'Predictions', 'Artificial Intelligence', 'Machine Learning Ai', 'Classification'] |
6 Reasons I Started A Bible Teaching Publication | I have been on Medium now for just over a week. Already, I have made the decision to start a personal publication for verse by verse Bible teaching. Sounds crazy, right? I am aware that it is probably one of the least “marketable” things on this site, but not all of us are here to make a living. Here are six reasons I decided to go ahead and take the leap into a Bible teaching publication:
1. A personal reason
I have to teach the Bible! It runs in my veins. In fact, if I’m not teaching the Bible in some way I don’t know what to do with myself. I can only conclude that this drive in me is God telling me to find every opportunity to teach His Word.
2. I see a need
There are enough “10 steps to a better you" kinds of Bible teachers circulating the internet. I see a need for careful, slow, and deep Bible study. It’s the kind of Bible study that combs every verse to pull out anything and everything of value. I believe an alarming number of Christians are missing out on the joy and wonder that comes from this deep study. So I am going to do what I can from my small corner of cyberspace to bring out the riches of God’s Word.
3. I don’t want to be selfish
If the Lord allows me to see beauty in His Word I don’t want to just keep it to myself. I want to show it to others. After all, when Isaiah had his famous encounter with the glory of God the result was God sending Isaiah out to speak His Word. Our sanctification is one reason God impacts us, but not the only reason. Another reason is that we might spread that impact to others. So here I am, trying to make an impact.
4. No verse is wasted
In the economy of the Bible there are no worthless verses. There is no filler. Every word is profitable (2 Timothy 3:16–17). Yes, even the genealogies. I want to take it slow and pull the profit out of every word I can. When we do “Read the Bible in a Year” programs we get a good overview of the biblical map, but we miss so much from the ground level. I don’t want to miss anything from Scripture. It is a treasure to be investigated deeply and carefully.
5. Organization
Simply put, I want people to be able to easily read piece by piece through a series instead of wading through my profile trying to find the next post. A publication seems to be the best way to do this in an organized way.
6. Medium needs some more Bible teaching
So far I am loving this platform, but it didn’t take me long to notice one thing about it. There are tons of stories criticizing Christianity. More Bible teaching here means more clear representation of the true Christian faith. The whole world needs that desperately right now. | https://medium.com/@bcreech410/6-reasons-i-started-a-bible-teaching-publication-d68914ecda46 | ['Brad Creech'] | 2021-01-25 03:04:39.604000+00:00 | ['Publication', 'Bible', 'Christianity', 'Religion', 'God'] |
Is few-shot learning useful? And when? | What if we don’t have enough data for our super cool machine learning algorithm? Is there a way how can we still manage to train models with the best performance even with a small amount of data.
To be honest — No we cannot train supermodel with only a small fraction of data (let’s say only one example per class). But we can train a good-enough model and if we add a little bit of transfer learning we can end up with something even better. We need to mention the concept of transfer learning which provides a very good result on its own, according to [3] sometimes even better than few-shot learning techniques. The idea is that we have a huge amount of data in a slightly different domain than we need for our task. We train feature extractor on that huge one, fixed his parameter, and then train a small classification layer on our task-specific data. | https://medium.com/@petr-lorenc-ml/is-few-shot-learning-useful-and-when-3d2a32b80b33 | ['Petr Lorenc'] | 2020-11-03 14:42:33.642000+00:00 | ['Few Shot Learning', 'Machine Learning', 'Classification', 'One Shot Learning', 'Zero Shot Learning'] |
Congress Must Pass the Missing Persons & Unidentified Remains Act of 2020 | By now, most Americans have learned how brutal and inhumane our immigration system is. From metal walls designed to burn anyone who touches them, to children being taken from their parents simply for exercising their right to ask for asylum, our immigration policies and the agencies who enforce them are not only violating human rights, they are the embodiment of the evils that spring forth from hateful human minds. Worse yet are the many crimes that we have yet to learn.
There are thousands of those.
I say crimes because I believe it is a crime to force people to cross dangerous terrains simply in search of a better life. To insist that there are legal means with which to enter the U.S. when there are not, to claim that the asylum system is shut down to suppress the spread of Covid-19 while the government cannot even issue a mask mandate, to force families to live in a dangerous country where they are not welcome, to then punish them after they are forced to cross in an undesignated area — these our our crimes. And when the Border Patrol spends millions of dollars to film themselves repelling out of helicopters to save these families from the dangers that the agency itself placed them in, from what they know is sure death, this sort of self-fulfilling propaganda is criminal too.
What the agency does not talk much about, what you rarely see in the media, are the thousands of asylum seekers who do not make it. Since 1998, agents have found over 8,000 migrant bodies. Over 1,000 of those have remained unidentified. These statistics are deceiving though. Agents only search for people if they believe they may still be alive. Once too much time has passed, the agency will call off the search. Too many dead migrants results in bad publicity for them, while pictures of saving migrants is better public relations and gets them more funding and the false notion that they are somehow heroes.
They don’t want you to see the thousands of skeletons scattered out on the desert floor, the way that animals carry the bones off to strip every last piece of tissue is bad publicity after all. They don’t want you to know how the father of a family from Guatemala was forced to cross illegally because the government feels being threatened with the rape of his daughters by gang members and police is not reason enough to flee his country. The Patrol doesn't want you to hear how his legs began to cramp in the heat of the Arizona sun, how he just thought he needed a rest and would catch up with the group soon, how quickly he began to vomit and have diarrhea, how he crawled under a tree and took his last breath, how it wasn’t long before his stomach exploded from the gasses that built up from the high temperatures.
They don’t want you to know about the mothers and children who fled violence from Honduras by crossing in the cold mountains during the winter time. They never mention how she walked right out of her shoes, how her mind went all crazy thinking she was not freezing but burning up, how she stripped her clothes off and suddenly just fell face down in the snow. They don’t tell you that others in the group folded her arms and put a cross on her chest or that if the child was still alive, they took him to try and save him.
Photo courtesy of Armadillos Busqueda y Rescate.SD.
This happens thousands of times a year on our southern border. Why? Because we do not have an asylum system. Because we have shut the border down pretending that it saves us from Covid-19. Because the Border Patrol has militarized our border with lies about how dangerous it is and made claiming asylum a crime.
This will continue to happen. Thousands more will be found, but thousands more will never be.
This is why Congress must pass the Missing Persons and Unidentified Remains Act of 2020 (H.R. 8772). It is a true unicorn of legislation in that it has wide bipartisan support. The costs of finding, collecting, identifying and returning bodies to their families often falls on local governments who neither have the funds nor the resources for such forensic investigations. This bill would increase funding as well as create 170 cell-powered 911 cellular relay rescue beacons in some of these dangerous areas. It mandates more transparency in how Border Patrol locates and treats human remains as well.
The recovery of human bodies is not a political issue. At least, it should not be.
Please ask your members of Congress to support this bill. You can also help non-profit organizations working to locate lost migrants by contributing or volunteering with these organizations: the Colibri Center, Armadillo Busquedas y Rescate, Aguilas del Desierto. | https://medium.com/@jennbudd9/congress-must-pass-the-missing-persons-unidentified-remains-act-of-2020-3eed6565ff4f | ['Jenn Budd'] | 2020-12-12 03:09:00.286000+00:00 | ['Migrants', 'Congress', 'Border Patrol', 'Asylum Seekers', 'Immigration'] |
#1: Banking, 1400 — Today | Featuring Joshua Goldbard, General Partner at Crypto Lotus.
Listen Now
Show Notes
“Banking has basically been the same since the 1400s, until now.”
We cover definitions of cryptocurrency and the blockchain. Josh helps explain from a banking perspective what makes this so different than traditional banking. Enjoy our deep dives into security and postal carrier metaphors and discussion on ICOs and alt coins like Ripple and Tezos.
Reach this weeks guest:
Transcript
Coming soon. | https://medium.com/coloringcrypto/episode-1-from-medici-to-modern-banking-what-is-so-special-about-cryptocurrency-96e71b41f3a | ['Kelly Mcquade-W.'] | 2018-06-28 22:41:17.275000+00:00 | ['Banking', 'Education', 'Podcast', 'Bitcoin', 'Cryptocurrency'] |
Handwritten Digit Recognition in 10 minutes | Using scikit-learn to built a handwritten digit recognition model.
Digit Recognition
What is Handwritten recognition ?
Recognizing handwritten text is a problem that can be traced back to the first automatic machines that needed to recognize individual characters in handwritten documents. Think about, for example, the ZIP codes on letters at the post office and the automation needed to recognize these five digits. Perfect recognition of these codes is necessary in order to sort mail automatically and efficiently. Included among the other applications that may come to mind is OCR (Optical Character Recognition) software. OCR software must read handwritten text, or pages of printed books, for general electronic documents in which each character is well defined.
But the problem of handwriting recognition goes farther back in time, more precisely to the early 20th Century (1920s), when Emanuel Goldberg (1881–1970) began his studies regarding this issue and suggested that a statistical approach would be an optimal choice.
To address this issue in Python, the scikit-learn library provides a good example to better understand this technique, the issues involved, and the possibility of making predictions.
Model Building
Importing libraries and loading dataset.
In this model we will import the dataset from scikit_learn which consist of 1797 different images and their corresponding target variable.
libraries and dataset
2. Data Visualization.
Viewing first image
Plotting first image
3. Model designing.
We will use Support Vector Classifier for this model.
Support vector classifier
4. Training and testing
As our dataset is not so big , so we will train and predict 3 times for different splits of our dataset to get an average accuracy score.
> Training data = first 1791 images , Testing data= last 6 images.
1st Training and Testing
Accuracy score
1st prediction score
>Training data= Images from 6th to last , Testing data= first 6 images.
2nd Training and Testing
Accuracy score
2nd Prediction Score
>Training data= First 1785 images , testing data= Images from 1785 to 1790.
3rd Training and Testing
Accuracy score
3rd Prediction Score
Average accuracy =(100 + 83.33 +100)/3 = 94.44 %
Conclusion: Out of 18 our model predicts 17 correct digits for their respective images .
Full code : https://www.kaggle.com/anmolarora013/recognizinghandwrittendigits-svm | https://medium.com/analytics-vidhya/handwritten-digit-recognition-in-10-minutes-6a1588be2eee | ['Anmol Arora'] | 2020-10-11 12:53:54.401000+00:00 | ['Matplotlib', 'Data Science', 'Scikit Learn', 'Handwritten Digit'] |
Companies That “Speak” Multicultural Are Dominating Their Industries By 70% | Companies That “Speak” Multicultural Are Dominating Their Industries By 70%
Last year, when the world watched protests sweep across the country, one message became clear. People of color were tired of the prejudice so deeply ingrained into our culture that it perpetrated inequality in the justice system, workplace, and everywhere else we went. And countless companies listened. They voiced support for Black-owned businesses, joined the 15% Pledge, and made bold promises about diversity.
Analyses by MarketWatch and Harvard Business Review lay out the hard truth. Companies that promote diversity within their culture are 70% more likely to capture new markets than organizations that don’t. This is a huge number of potential customers and clients these companies are missing out on. Of course, promoting diversity just for the sake of drawing in customers is not smart business. Customers are quick to catch on if a company is trying to cash in on “woke advertising” and they are not afraid to call them out. Promoting diversity has to come from a place of sincerity and the companies that fail to do so will plummet.
An Advertising Company that Gives Back
Sherman Wright TEN35 COO
For companies like TEN35, being multicultural isn’t just about fulfilling a quota. It’s part of its DNA. TEN35 is an advertising company that “rewards creativity born out of an unrelenting curiosity for culture”. They do so with the purpose of promoting growth for their employees and clients.
“At Ten35, we reward creativity in a number of different ways, but primarily in guiding our partners in building meaningful connections and creating moments that transform culture. For example, to increase awareness for talented Black artists who oftentimes don’t get the spotlight, we worked with LIFEWTR in creating the Black Art Rising campaign, where we highlighted eight rising artists in a digital exhibition documenting the diverse responses to the Black Lives Matter movement in 2020. The gallery was created not only to preserve this moment in time but to help keep the movement alive and ensure future generations have access to the art and artists who are acting as vanguards of change.”
The company is led by COO Sherman Wright and CEO Ahmad Islam who master the art of “speaking Multicultural, Millennial, and GenZ”, with an impressive employee makeup of 80% people of color, 70% women, and 20% LGBTQIA+. Their company is also committed to helping its community by leading award-winning programs like PepsiCo’s Dig In, which supports Black-owned restaurants, and guiding Pearl Milling Company through its historic name change.
Ten35 also participates in the Ten Hours program, which encourages all TEN35 employees to contribute to a local charity through ten hours of community service. Once complete, a $35 donation is made on behalf of the individual employee from TEN35.
TEN35 Wins Small Business of the Year
Ahmad Islam TEN35 CEO
In light of its efforts, TEN35 was recently recognized by the U.S. Black Chambers, Inc as the 2021 Small Business of the Year. They have also tripled their revenue and worked with other notable brands such as Air Jordan, Amazon, Microsoft, and Mountain Dew. These are impressive achievements that acknowledge the power companies can have when they not only stand up for what is right, but reflect the beauty of our multicultural society.
“As curious creators who strive to consistently grow and evolve, this Award is a powerful testament to the fundamental strength of culture and growth that TEN35 has experienced over the years,” says TEN35 Chief Executive Officer Ahmad Islam. “We’re proud to partner with forward-thinking brands looking to make an impact, and it is an honor to be named 2021 Business of the Year by the USBC.”
TEN35 is just one example of the future of business. Companies perform better when they have a diverse team with wide points of view. Speaking multicultural ensures that companies are connecting to both older and current generations and making a difference in their communities.
What do you think of TEN35’s recent achievement? Let us know down in the comments.
This article originally published on GREY Journal.
This article originally published on GREY Journal: https://greyjournal.net/news/companies-that-speak-multicultural-are-dominating-their-industries-by-70/ | https://medium.com/greyjournal/companies-that-speak-multicultural-are-dominating-their-industries-by-70-e673eb4189e0 | ['Grey Journal Staff'] | 2021-11-29 19:25:40.818000+00:00 | ['Cap Dromodiscovergrey Com', 'Chicago', 'Multicultural', 'Diversity', 'Home'] |
16 Free Online Courses for Learning Content Marketing Strategies | Here are 3 different lists of digital marketing courses that offer a ton of valuable information.
I like how these online learning platforms focus on courses related to skill-building. Whether you’re starting out in the field or already working.
Hope you find these sources useful. | https://uxplanet.org/16-free-online-sources-for-developing-and-implementing-content-marketing-strategies-13e9e1c46998 | ['Eva V.'] | 2020-12-13 07:42:47.579000+00:00 | ['Marketing', 'Content Marketing', 'Design', 'SEO', 'Social Media'] |
What is Interaction Design, really? (toward an ultimate definition) | What is Interaction Design, really??
We often wonder outside our team, how many definitions of Interaction Design are understood by your internal stakeholders? To start, how we define Interaction Design is important because it determines how well you or your team do UX.
If you think Interaction Design(IxD) is wireframing, you’re 50% right. Instead, IxD is about translating user needs, desires, metaphors, and emotions into actionable screen flows. Furthermore, IxD aims to provide an intuitive sequence and a strong ‘call to action’. To be clear, the goal is logical and intuitive (user) experience that steers and guides the behavior of a user, based on their expectations.
For more on ‘UX is not UI’, or why we don’t call it ‘Information Architecture’, keep reading…
Let’s unpack a little history on the term Interaction Design and hear it defined from some UX giants and top authors of a textbook standard in design courses around the world…
1. Origins: Where did ‘Interaction Design’ come from?
Interaction Design comes from the field of Human-Computer Interaction (HCI). HCI as an academic field, sits between Psychology and Computer Science in the multidisciplinary corner called Cognitive Science. “Cog Sci” also leans on “anthropology, computer science, ethology, electrical engineering, linguistics, neurology, neurosciences, philosophy, psychology, and sociology” (UCSD- where Don Norman, grandfather of Human Centerd Design, started and ended his career).
Key point: Interaction Design is about understanding how a user interacts with their goals and tasks, and bringing that context into view with a rapid prototype.
History of the term Interaction Design:
Bill Moggridge (co-founder of IDEO and inventor of the first laptop) who passed away in 2012, and Bill Verplank, are credited with founding the term “Interaction Design” in the mid-80’s (Wikipedia) to extend user interface design into industrial design (physical products). His “Designing Interactions” book offers a historical reflection on the field. His definition:
“ You’d like to create something where the emotional relationship is more satisfying over time…growing a little more fond of things over time” (Moggridge interview).
Note their emphasis on relationship as key to interaction. Moggridge stresses sociability again in Designing Interactions:
“To designing for usability, utility, satisfaction, and communicative qualities, we should add a fifth imperative: designing for sociability. When IT systems fail to support the social aspect of work and leisure, when they dehumanize and de-civilize our relationship with each other, they impoverish the rich social web in which we live and operate, essential for both well-being and efficiency”.
Key point: Context of use, including social interactions and behaviors are critical to IxD. Context includes social, emotional, temporal (time based UX elements), and cultural issues or phenomena.
Interaction Design book cover- Rogers, Sharp, and Preece
The authors (Rogers, Sharp, and Preece) of the popular and probably best text on Interaction Design, called “Interaction Design: Beyond Human-Computer Interaction (3rd edition)” noted that HCI focused on design, evaluation, and implementation (basically assessing and correcting usability). Instead, they define Interaction Design as involving four key activities, starting with identifying user needs:
1) Establishing Requirements
2) Designing Alternatives
3) Prototyping
4) Evaluating
2. Why is the term ‘Information Architecture’ no longer widely used?
Around 2005, Interaction Design replaced Information Architecture (IA) as a way to define UX Design. This was because, after the Dot-Com era, IA was seen as too website-focused and did not cover the complexities of Enterprise problems commonly found in Web applications or mobile apps. “UX Design” emerged as a term to mean “all of the above” but is often used to cover the field as much as to mean IxD or Visual Design. These days, people seem to use the term UX Design generically to fit a range of occasions. (Don’t we love to police definitions and invent acronyms?)
Side-story: The term “IA” was created for UX Consulting purposes by Rosenfeld (yes, the UX book publisher) and colleagues who started with their O’Reilly book — Information Architecture — and consulting firm. That admission comes from a former employee who was crucial in shaping the practice beyond the founders. Due to that book and the need for leveraging structure in strategic design, IA was all the craze during the Dot Com era. I was even refused an interview with User Centered Design on my resume: “Change it to Information Architecture, then send it back to me”, said the Silicon Valley recruiter.
The term Interaction Design also scales across technologies, for example, you would not refer to the Information Architecture of Augmented Reality — but you would refer to it as Interaction Design. Similarly, this applies to Voice or Speech Interfaces, IoT, etc. In short, Interaction Design just covers more scenarios, plus it is taught with HCI programs — IA is no longer taught.
So why Interaction Design? Why focus on Interaction and not Experience? Experience covers a much broader range of issues, while Interaction helps focus the design decisions on how to facilitate an ideal interaction experience. Tiny ones are called micro-interactions. Don’t get me wrong, experience as a concept (AKA Experience Design) is great. This term has become “User Experience Design” so it is part of today’s common term “UX Design”.
What is less acknowledged is that you first have to understand, observe and model human experiences, and then use that to create Interactions.
Let’s explore the confusing nature of how Interaction Design gets defined…
3. How is Interaction Design typically thought of?
If you’ve ever been unclear it’s because Interaction Design has been poorly or inconsistently defined, historically. Let’s look at four examples…
Alan Cooper (1999) provided a very loose and broad definition:
“The practice of designing interactive digital products, environments, systems, and services.”
Alan Cooper: Father of Visual Basic and ‘inventor’ of personas.
Using the term “interactive” confuses things! This is why I don’t think you should never call Interaction Design “Interactive Design”: The reason is, interactions reference human behavior, wherein industry, ‘Interactive’ is a term marketing and ad agencies (interactive agencies) or Graphic Designers once used to describe interactivity on a website, such as the now-dead Flash. Flash? Think too many motion graphics, videos, or animations. Making something ‘interactive’ is not the same as designing deliberate Interactions. Okay, we’re getting into semantics, but if you do this for a living, it’s important.
2. Industry organizations, like the Interaction Design Association (IxDA) provide an equally broad definition:
“Interaction Design (IxD) defines the structure and behavior of interactive systems. Interaction Designers strive to create meaningful relationships between people and the products and services that they use, from computers to mobile devices to appliances and beyond”.
Key point: Many definitions of IxD are so high-level, it’s as if, we as a field, are afraid to commit to any complete definition.
3. Dan Saffer (formerly Adaptive Path) insisted that Visual Design is equal to IxD (2007):
“Interaction design’s strongest ties are to the discipline of design — not to, say human-computer interaction or cognitive psychology, although it does draw heavily on those fields. Interaction designers are designers, for good or ill.”
Equating IxD to Visual Design diminishes that focus on the often complex task of translating user behavior, needs, and desires into wireframes that compel the right actions. Visual Design is a different discipline that brings aesthetics, branding, and style to a design. A design problem might both involve visual perception, and often does, but the approach of an IxD and a Visual Designer is very different. Rarely do Visual Designers attend field studies, where user pain points, personas, and observation of tasks take place? These are the secret (and essential) weapons in an Interaction Designers tool kit.
4. Academics like Gillian Smith, who founded the first Interaction Design Institute in Ivrea, Italy — now at the Royal Art College in London — provides the broadest defintion: “If I were to sum up interaction design in a sentence, I would say that it’s about shaping our everyday lives through digital artifacts for work, for play and for entertainment” (2002).
In short, we have looked at four definitions from UX consulting, academia, and a leading industry organization. The lack of consistency between definitions gives the impression that Interaction Design is an onion! Keep peeling and more layers come off…;-)
Let’s conclude with a super-definition that hopefully bridges many of these definitions by helping understand the process necessary to create IxD.
3. Toward a concrete definition: How does Interaction Design come together? | https://medium.com/@expdyn/what-is-interaction-design-really-toward-an-ultimate-definition-301024001d83 | ['Experience Dynamics'] | 2021-06-17 18:45:04.017000+00:00 | ['UX Design', 'Ui Ux Design', 'Interaction Design', 'UX'] |
Farm to Fork | In 2013 it was found that in parts of Europe, foods that were being advertised as beef actually contained undeclared traces of horse meat — and in some cases, 100% of the labelled ‘beef meat’ was horse meat. Such cases of food fraud aren’t unique to Europe. In fact, it happens worldwide where after Spain, and Italy — China has been reported to have the highest number of food fraud cases.
As consumers, we want to trust the companies we buy our food from. We want to trust the farm that produce our food, we want to trust the manufacturer of the food, and lastly, we want to trust the companies that distribute our food. But as the food system becomes more complex — in the interest of decreasing costs, and producing more to feed a growing population — the gap between farm and fork, along with our trust levels widens. Furthermore, global food production is controlled by a few conglomerate companies — that try to maximize profit. Where the health, safety, and necessary regulations are overlooked by companies and often times even the government in order to provide cheap food regardless of the dire consequences (Food Inc).
It becomes impossible for consumers to understand the processes that cluster to create the foods that we eat. This lack of understanding creates an environment where we have to trust to consume — but as seen time and time again conglomerate companies within the food system act in an untrustworthy way.
Food labelling is an essential process — not only is it a legal requirement, but it also allows consumers to make informed decisions when purchasing. When a food company is allowed to sell a product at a retail store it must include the name of a food product, a list of ingredients, a percentage of certain ingredients, expiration date, storage instructions, and contact details. And when companies deceive customers by mislabeling they are breaking the law and breaking consumers trust. Hawleys defines untrustworthiness as a failure to follow through on commitments. And corporations in the food system, break their commitment to their consumers by mislabeling to increase their bottom line. In doing so their actions and inherently the companies are deemed untrustworthy.
The need for increased economic motivation does not absolve companies from doing what is right. And as consumers, we can educate ourselves, and be aware. But at some point, we have to trust our food system because we have to consume. And we hope that there are some food companies out there that are capable of acting in a responsible, and trustworthy manner — to bring food from the farm to our fork. | https://medium.com/@ishanijp/farm-to-fork-943a4ae01b4c | ['Ishani J Patel'] | 2021-01-22 11:22:40.338000+00:00 | ['Startup', 'Consumerism', 'Venture Capital', 'Health', 'Food'] |
Upcoming IoT Trends to look for in 2021 and Beyond | IoT is omnipresent in today’s world and is making an impact on our daily lives. IoT has seen significant growth in 2020, and as we are on the verge of 2021, the number of devices installed is only expected to grow. This is quite evident from the stats as well. According to a report by Techjury, there will be 35 billion IoT devices installed worldwide by 2021 and 75.44 billion by 2025.
According to Forrester, the article also stated that in 2021 some uses of IoT would focus on core health-and-safety initiatives (such as building cleaning technologies and track-and-trace capabilities). Simultaneously, while IoT technologies will be enlisted for basic needs, it will also be critical for higher-level customer service and customer experience efforts. Many IoT technologies will lay a foundation and help organizations progress to focus on more mature areas, such as customer service and customer experience.
You could read more about how the convergence of IoT is driving industry 4.0 here.
Also, read more about the upcoming trends in IoT here. | https://medium.com/@coppermobile/upcoming-iot-trends-to-look-for-in-2021-and-beyond-96281ec1d5cb | ['Copper Mobile'] | 2021-03-25 00:00:00 | ['IoT', 'Updates', 'Digital Transformation', 'Trends', 'Digital'] |
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