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BEEspoke Data 40

Improving Your Confessional Poetry

A kind of workshop Photo by Josh Applegate on Unsplash That the haughty neck is happy to bow And the proud back is glad to bend Out of such chaos, of such contradiction We learn that we are neither devils nor divines — Maya Angelou Here’s the secret to writing “confessional” poetry in one easy lesson: Do not tell people how much pain you are in, how lonely and heartbroken you are, UNTIL you have mastered the techniques of communicating these feelings to the reader as they experience these feelings in their own lives while acknowledging (to yourself) that you know nothing of their lives. In the end, confessional poetry isn’t about the writer. It’s about the reader. An easy lesson to know, difficult to actually learn. Amazing though how some people do take to it so quickly and early on. Some call it “empathy,” but it is actually the accumulation of genuine knowledge about the lives of others. There are poets, right here on Medium, who do a crackerjack job of this, and seem to have been doing it almost right out of the box. Myself, for example? I cannot do it. I was dropped on my head too many times as a child, so I have to depend upon abstractions and metaphors, a lot… you know, old fashioned poetic junk to make my point. I don’t go in for “confessional” poetry. I leave confession for prose. You know, punch in the nose writing. And most confessional poetry, as far back as the “form” goes, would have been better suited to prose. Actually, you see, if you read, there’s nothing wrong with prose. People like prose. You’re reading it right now! Don’t you love it? And why is this the case? Because straight confession usually doesn’t “sing” the way poetry sings. It flows the way prose flows (ooh, that flows nicely, doesn’t it?). Photo by Felix Koutchinski on Unsplash And, if you look around THIS PLACE, you will see something fascinating. People, as in readers, tend to like confessional prose far more than they like confessional poetry. Now, if you are searching for some kind of “metric” by which to measure the accuracy of my words… Thar she blows. Now, before you blow some “creative” gasket, hold on. We’re not talking about trading your emotions in for a buck. Although, if you actually could… Do they like poetry? Sure. Not as much, in general, but there clearly is an audience for poetry here. Just as clearly, though, a much bigger audience for that confessional prose! Soooo… You want to get some of that confessing done? Do it in prose. A suggestion. Nothing wrong in doing it that way, first of all. And it certainly is easier, as far as writing is concerned (formally speaking). It doesn’t inhibit your growth as a writer, generally. It does (theoretically) expand your potential audience based, once again, on the existing “metrics.” The prose form gives you far more opportunity to develop certain skills as a writer that poetry does not (especially these days with the “wild west” attitude in poetry…sorry, but honesty is the best policy when speaking of learning things…). Hardly anyone “demands” discipline in poetry. Discipline and detail are absolutely demanded of the writer in prose. More important, in the bargain, you may learn that crucial lesson about the readers, their lives, and how they feel when they experience what you are experiencing. Photo by Priscilla Du Preez on Unsplash How so? By engaging with more readers from a wider body of experiences (as you will when you write prose). This is simply a matter of a different level of interaction. Think of it as a larger writer’s group! A different writing lab! Then you can carry these lessons back to your other work. The new experiences, like any new experiences, only open your eyes. As far as your work is concerned, it only changes what you want to change. Alan Asnen copyright 2019

https://medium.com/the-partnered-pen/improving-your-confessional-poetry-e9f31c88caa6

['Alan Asnen']

2019-12-25 01:34:33.944000+00:00

['Poetic Form', 'Prose', 'Empathy', 'Poetry', 'The Writing Life']

Is Mobile Marketing A Solution or A Problem for Your Business?

You need to have some knowledge of what to look for and expect from a mobile marketing plan. You need to know what resources are available to you, and who can provide you answers as to what you need for helping promote your business. The tips in this article can help you with how to start. Be prompt with your messages. This goes along perfectly with being relevant. You can send out an email about something happening, but it doesn’t always translate when you need to send a text message. Don’t be too early or too late with your messages. For example, you can announce a sale minutes before the store opens, versus days. You must remember that in order to receive something from your subscribers you have to give to them. Try offering some type of incentive. This can be special access to relevant information, special mobile content, or even some coupons to help increase their take rates and your subscribers’ participation. Make sure your customers know their business is appreciated. Give them special offers, discounts based on hallmark goals or even a simple thank you note. They need to know you value their business or they may take it to someone who will go that extra step. Decide now whether you’re going to use QR or 2D codes in your mobile campaign. Your audience may not understand how to leverage certain technology out there, so you need to ensure that you’re going with something current, popular and people-friendly. You’re marketing to basic folks; not everyone will be tech-savvy. Enlist the aid of your friends in testing your website, emails, advertisements and other aspects involved in your campaign. To get a truly unbiased opinion, you could pay an outside firm to test out your campaign. Many business owners don’t realize how easy it is to create apps. Making your own customized app for your customers is a breeze. You can market a special app for your business to boost mobile marketing efforts. There are many exciting, engaging features available for your use. Creating a customized ringtone and offering it to your customers is a great way to make mobile marketing fun and unique. If you have a personalized voice message you’ve just released for a promotion, they’ll know exactly who’s calling when that personalized tone rings aloud. There are all types of programs you can find to assist with this. Use a platform that allows you to personalize your messages by way of tokens. Personalizing something is always a great touch. You can put your recipient’s name in every message making it a little more likely they will want to read it. Just keep in mind the 160 character limit when doing using tokens with email formatting. On your webpage, you should put links to your business pages on social networking sites. This will make it easier for your customers to find you. They are unlikely to search for your social presence, but if you include a link, they can easily find the page. Be sure to lay claim to your business in each social network’s location pages. In social media marketing, it’s all about location, location, location. Smart mobile devices, all have location awareness built into their systems, so users can tell what is around them. Make sure they can find you by claiming your page on sites, like Foursquare, Facebook Places, Gowalia and Google Places. The best text message that you send will be non-commercial related. They will be brief and have links to your customers that will be valuable. You don’t want to appear to give them nothing but a sales pitch over and over. Keep your texts to a limit so you are not bombarding your customers. Be adaptable! Make sure your mobile marketing campaign is compatible on different kinds of devices. Your campaign should look the same on a brand of smart phone device. Do not forget about tablets: perhaps you can adapt your mobile material to be displayed properly on a digital tablet. You will reach more people if your campaign covers several devices. As you have seen in these tips, there is a lot of knowledge you can acquire before creating your own mobile marketing plan, and it’s this knowledge that can help promote your business. Do everything you must to find out what techniques to include in your plan that are best for your business needs.

https://medium.com/@digitalservice3013/is-mobile-marketing-a-solution-or-a-problem-for-your-business-fdbc6ff6d4c9

['Digital Service']

2021-12-24 05:57:23.981000+00:00

['Digital Marketing', 'Social Media Marketing', 'Facebook Marketing']

Bubble Sort With JavaScript

Let’s Go! The first thing we need to do is get the bubble sorter function started and get a couple of arrays, so it has something to do. For one array, we can use small numbers all close together. For the other, we’ll have a mix of numbers to put this thing to the test. With this setup, we’ll have a function called bubbleSort , and it will have an argument that I’ll call array. We’ll make a call to the function so it runs when we run the file. To make things a little easier, let’s create a const so we don’t have to type in array.length more than once. You can name the variables whatever you would like, but, for this piece, I want to keep them as descriptive as possible. With that, we also need to set up the first for loop to see if we can iterate over the numbers in our arrays. Inside the initial for loop we’ll add another for loop . It’s like for loo p inception. The inner loop is the loop that will handle all of the work. Inside this loop is where we’ll do the checks to see which number is larger and decide if it would be shifted or stay where it is. The inner for loop will continue to run until it has moved to the end of the array. Once this completes we’ll be transferred back to the first for loop and start the whole process over again. It will start moving through all the numbers again, grabbing the largest number, and keep moving to the right until it finds the second-largest number, and so on. When I first looked at the code for how a bubble sorter worked, all seemed ok and made sense until I hit the if statement. Once I got to this part, I could not fully grasp what was going on. So if you’re looking at this code and thinking you’re lost, that is totally fine, and I understand that feeling 100%. I will explain it the best I can here. Then I’ll use the numbers from array2 to help clarify it a little more. The if statement will only run if the number on the left is larger than the number on the right. The comparison is between the number at index J and the number at index J plus 1. Because we want to move the number at index J to the right, we use a variable to hold its value. In the next line, we are saying the number at index J is now the same as the number at index J plus 1. We don’t want to have the smaller number in two places so with the third line inside the if statement we place the larger number into the position on the right, which is index J plus 1. Once that is complete, we move on to the next number and repeat until we hit the end. array2 = [800, 32, 91, 8, 1032, 473, 981, 218, 1031, 1] Let’s break down what’s going on inside the if statement using numbers this time. Doing this helped me get a better understanding of what is going on. The first two numbers we’re checking are 800 and 32. 800 is larger than 32, so we will move into the if statement. With the first line let bigNumber = 800 we use this variable to hold the 800 value for us while we adjust the number 32 over to the left. In the second line, we’re saying that we want to change the value of 800 (J) to 32 (J + 1). If we stopped here the first two numbers of our array would be 32 because right now we are saying the value of J is equal to the value of J + 1. That’s not what we want. So with the last line, we want to drop 800 into the slot on the right. That’s why we use J + 1 is equal to bigNumber . With that completed, our for loop would run. Now J would be 800 again, and J + 1 would now be 91. It would then put bigNumber equal to 800, and J and J + 1 would both be 91. Again we would drop 800 into the spot on the right, so now the first three numbers in our array2 are 32, 91, 800. The if statement would run again because 800 is larger than 8. But when we get to comparing 800 to 1032, we will not go into the if statement because 800 is now the smaller number. The process above happens over and over until we get to the end of the array. So the first pass through the array will have 1032 as the last number. Because we hit the last spot of the array, the inner for loop would finish. But because the outer for loop is still at index 0, it would move to index 1 and start the process again. The purpose of the outer for loop is to make sure we go through the array enough times to fully sort all the numbers.

https://medium.com/better-programming/bubble-sort-with-javascript-fe679b3d52d9

['Kent Roth']

2019-08-16 20:51:40.386000+00:00

['Learning To Code', 'JavaScript', 'Programming', 'Bubble Sort', '100daysofcode']

SHAME OF THE SCIENCE WORLD

SHAME OF THE SCIENCE WORLD Thalidomide is a type of medical research and drug, according to estimates from the 1950s-1960s. This research has been done in unethical ways. Doctors who wanted to find a vaccine against typhoid in Nazi Germany of the time infect innocent people in the concentration camp with typhoid to experiment. Then they experimented on them. Meanwhile, hundreds of people die in the gathering camp. Later, these doctors work at the pharmaceutical company Chemie Grünenthal, where they discover the Thalidomide component. The drug called contagion was produced with this substance, whose pharmacological effects were not fully known due to insufficient research. This medication can activate or deactivate the immune system so it can be used for treatment. Later, the anti-vomiting and calming effects of this drug were discovered. Does it have a calming effect? Calming was the most needed for wartime effect. Therefore, many people used this drug. The antiemetic-anti-vomiting-effect was also a nice effect for pregnant women. One in seven Americans used it regularly, and the demand for thalidomide in European markets was much higher. This drug is the only non-barbiturate drug ever available. Barbiturate is the name for sedative drugs that cause serious side effects. For this reason, Thalidomide, which was first used in Germany, attracted great attention and was marketed in 46 countries in 1960. It was sold just like aspirin. Australian obstetrician William McBride explained its antiemetic effect in 1960 and advised pregnant women to use this drug. Pregnant women also started taking this over-the-counter drug. But then things changed. The same obstetrician William McBride began associating thalidomide with a birth defect in 1961. A German newspaper said 161 babies were badly affected by thalidomide. People who used it started to experience muscle aches, weakness, and peripheral nervous system diseases. In late 1962, as miscarriages and birth defects increased, it began to be banned in all countries sold. But it was too late now. As we said earlier, thalidomide was widely available without a prescription. Meanwhile, the company that manufactured the drug has denied the reports that this drug is harmful. The company lied to all the doctors who said that this Thalidomide -containing drug was harmful. While the minor negligence caused the health of thousands of lives and even the existence of this company, this company was still saying that the medicine was healthy for the money. After an experiment on chickens, it is now revealed that the drug Thalidomide adversely affects bone development, preventing the embryo from forming blood vessels while developing. After that, the company resisted a little more, but finally, its production completely stopped. Finally, he also does not allow the state that a simple drug Thalidomide Disasterhas two countries, the US and Turkey. Turkey is the only case where the non-visible country because in America, Dr. While Frances Kelsey does not allow legal permission, 2000 drugs are used under the name of my introduction sample. Therefore, many cases are observed in America. The order that the veterinarian in Turkey. Prof. Dr. Sureyya Tahsin Aygun in accordance with the Turkish Ministry of Health warns Turkey’s laws in this regard and these drugs are not used in any way. Therefore, due to thalidomide 90.000 deaths in the world and more than 100.000 birth defects found in Turkey have not been demonstrated in this case.

https://medium.com/predict/shame-of-the-science-world-322d696787d1

['Recep Suluker']

2020-12-27 00:54:46.743000+00:00

['Science', 'Future', 'Technology', 'Disaster', 'Disability']

Fuel taxes and the 2018 midterm elections

What’s the problem? Fuel taxes have become an increasingly large topic of debate as many states around the nation have looked to them as an additional stream of revenue to rebuild state infrastructure. Fuel taxes, also known as gas taxes, are a form of an “excise tax,” or a tax attached to a product or service with the intention of discouraging the usage of it. Other examples include taxes on indoor tanning beds, alcohol and tobacco. In 2018 alone there were seven states which raised fuel taxes. In fact, 27 states have raised fuel taxes since 2013 in an effort to increase tax revenue. Currently there are three states with gas taxes higher than 40 cents. A notable state is California which boasts a combined federal and state gas tax of more than 73 cents. In 2017, the governor of California signed a piece of legislature to increase the state’s fuel tax by 12 cents. After Californians grew angry at the tax increase, legislation was drafted, creating Proposition 6 which repeals the 2017 increase. This, among other vehicle and diesel tax increases, was expected to bring in $5.4 billion per year for road repair projects. Although the additional tax brings in revenue for each state, it does not bring in as much as it used to, according to Bloomberg Opinion columnist Justin Fox. The federal gas taxes have remained near-constant for more than three decades at around 18.4 cents per gallon. The federal tax is instituted by the cent, not a percentage making its revenue decline as inflation rises. With many states in need of an infrastructure overhaul, such as Rhode Island and New Hampshire, this decline in adjusted tax revenue limits the state’s ability to fix the roads. In addition to the federal gas tax revenue decreasing in effectiveness, consumers have been buying more electric and fuel efficient cars. This in turn leads to purchasing less gas and to a decreased revenue. In Florida, the impact of the increasingly efficient vehicles brings more than $3.3 billion in missed fuel taxes through fiscal year 2024/2025 according to the Florida Transportation Commission. The impact caused by more fuel efficient vehicles entering the market is more than $3.3 billion in unrealized state fuel tax collections through FY 24/25. The average age of road infrastructure in the United States is 28.4 years old, according to the New York Times. Relative to the economy in the 1950s, the country is spending half as much on infrastructure than in the mid-century. A February 2018 report by President Trump’s Council of Economic Advisers, it states basing the funding of road infrastructure through gas taxes “is becoming increasingly unsustainable.” As this continues, more states are looking for alternative ways to fund infrastructure repair. Until then, prepare for potholes. All graphs in this piece were found using Grafiti’s chart search engine.

https://medium.com/grafiti/fuel-taxes-cbe0d7c99dd1

['Madison Hall']

2018-10-25 19:24:52.821000+00:00

['Elections', 'Taxes', 'Politics', 'Fuel Economy', 'Gas']

The Silent Voters and their importance

The silent voters The recently concluded Bihar elections proved one thing — the importance of the silent voters, who come from a section whose importance is often neglected. Who were these silent voters? The women of Bihar! Bihar saw better turnout and participation of women(around 60%) during elections than men(around 55%). There’s a reason why Nitish Kumar thanked this section in his victory speech. Many believe that the women of Bihar propelled the NDA to a win even though most exit polls predicted that MGB would get a landslide victory. But why did women of Bihar vote for the NDA? Because unlike what a lot of educated and privileged women would like you to believe, in developing nations like India, women empowerment starts from the grassroots. Rural women can’t think about fancy issues, when their basic needs like health and sanitation aren’t fulfilled. Be it sanitary pads for Re. 1(a PM who talks about sanitary pads in I-Day speech! What a sanghi dude!!), or clean drinking water under AMRUT scheme, or LPG connections under PM Ujjwala scheme, or free electricity under PM Saubhagya scheme or toilets under Swachh Bharat, the NDA government has taken huge strides in improving the quality of life of women in Bihar. Even the Triple talaq bill played an important role in enticing the women who were victims of this practice! But if we look at the bigger picture, we need to ask ourselves — is this enough? A concerning indicator for India has been the steady decline of women in the labour force over the years — from 37% in 2005 to around 26% in 2018. While a small part of this fall has been due to more women going for higher studies and self-employment, most of this can be attributed to socio-economic biases that still exists. A fast growing economy might mean improving household incomes, and in India, that might mean women being restricted to household chores. An estimate shows that with equal participation of women in labour force, India can gain around $700 billion by 2025 in economic value! That’s nearly 25% of our current GDP! There’s also a reason why a lot of the welfare schemes in India try to target women. Because women, in general, don’t use the money for drugs or gambling, but rather spend it for their household needs. A widely proposed solution to solve the problems of women is to increase their participation and representation in politics. The Nordic countries, which are consistently ranked at the top in Human Development indices, have the highest average representation of women in their houses(around 42%). But the Indian approach of 33% reservation for women hasn’t worked out that well, and that’s primarily because it has been a top down approach rather than trying to develop women leaders at the grassroots. The practice of Pradhanpati(which has been jokingly portrayed in the famous comedy drama series called “Panchayat”), is the crude reality in most villages. In such cases, women merely occupy an ornamental position, while most of the campaigning and administrative work is carried out by Pradhanpatis. When it comes to leadership or entrepreneurship, there are some great models that have worked quite well for women, and which can be emulated on a larger scale : — a. Kudumbashree program in Kerala: I rarely believe that Communists have had any significant contribution to India’s development, but if I had to name a few, then the Kudumbashree model has worked wonders for women. Loosely influenced by Bangladesh’s concept of Grameen banks, it organizes poor women at the grass root level and enhances their socio-economic standing through micro-credits and women empowerment initiatives via vocational training, education and healthcare. Its innovative poverty reduction approach is implemented through local self-governments. The program has over 5 million women participants, and is one of the world’s largest women empowerment programs. It has produced a number of women leaders who have even found their way into the state assembly, and at the same time it has also given rise to contribution of women to Kerala’s economy through various cooperatives. It is one of the shining examples of how SHGs should work. b. Amul model: In the highly competitive milk sector in India, Amul is now a household name when it comes to dairy products in India. A product of the White Revolution, Amul’s cooperative model helped it to survive in a sector where the supply market is extremely fragmented. Even foreign food and dairy giant, Danone, couldn’t compete with Amul in India. And women have played an extremely crucial role in Amul’s success. According to a report, the number of female cooperative members had increased from 0.22 million in 1981 to 3.7 million in 2008. Working at the ground level, women are the sole reasons for the success of this business model. And this has enabled the women of Gujarat to become economically independent and more involved in business and decision making. The Modi government has multiple schemes which have higher percentage of women beneficiaries— like Standup India, Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojna (PMMY), Pradhan Mantri Jan-Dhan Yojana (PMJDY), Atal Pension Yojana (APY), Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana (PMJJBY) and the Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMSBY). Infact, Standup India scheme has 81% of registered women accounts. Most of these schemes are aimed at improving financial inclusion and support for neglected and poor sections of the society. It’s my firm belief that extending such support, coupled with wide-scale adaption of such successful models will go a long way in empowering the women of India!

https://medium.com/@f2016165/the-silent-voters-and-their-importance-29aa43782da4

[]

2020-12-19 11:29:04.798000+00:00

['Empowerment', 'Welfare', 'Women', 'Public Policy', 'Reform']

‘You Had No Father, You Had The Armor’

by Melanie Laura Brown Modified from flickr / Mark Mauno When did you first split open? Did you spill into your own hair? Did you ever find the pieces? How does it feel to look at yourself and wonder if you’re really there? At the long end of 1986, two households emerge and I absorb the remnants of the home that split four people open. After my parents’ separation, I am always looking around for the rest of me, making sure I am still there. I am several parts of one body, holding two homes and four people’s memories. When the phone rings at my mother’s house, my father’s berating increases to make up for the fact that he can no longer yell at her in person. Instead of embodying different parts of myself with each parent, I begin to present all of me with my mother and a shadow of me with my father. When I am with him, I am a mistake to be corrected. Most of what comes out of my mouth is wrong, so I eventually stop talking. In my sixth year I learn that I should never have to go to the bathroom away from home. When I need to, it’s very bad and it upsets my father, but I do not know how to stop. He asks me why I don’t go before we leave, but I don’t have to go then or I do and then I have to go again. I do not know why my body works this way, but it must be wrong because he gets very irritated and lectures me for a long time — whether we find a public restroom quickly or not. Dinners at his house feel like sharp teeth on me. He picks at me for how I eat, how much I eat and the baby fat I gain in adolescence. I come to realize he is using meal time to poke at my brother and me; asking us questions that no kids could answer, only to laugh at us then lash out at us for getting them wrong. Eventually my brother loses patience with the picking and starts to respond back. This results in a Ping-Pong game of verbal confrontations that bounce back and forth between them and latch onto my skin, assaulting me. I want to escape to the basement or the attic but my limbs are stiff against me. My body is still though I am slowly floating away from me. In my 13th year, my brother begins to taunt me. We are at my mother’s kitchen table when he smiles, insisting I am holding my fork wrong and people will shun me for it. I melt into my plate and realize I am being eaten down to the core of me. When I look for myself in my body, I can barely find a trace of me. How old were you when your face fell through? Did you hold it in your hands? Did you catch it in your skin? Did you lose track of where they end and you begin? In my 17th year, I am in my first year of college when I meet Daniela* — the older cousin of one of my best friends. She becomes part of our friend group and we’re envious when she starts dating the cute guy we’re all curious about, until we find out he pulls her hair by the root when he’s angry. We are parked in front of the house Daniela grew up in when I notice my skin becoming heavy, as though I am falling out of myself. I feel a draft in my body as though a door has opened that cannot be closed. It is on this day that I learn from my friend, that Daniela’s brothers used to throw her down the basement stairs when they were angry. I look up and stare at the house, as if for the first time, and something cracks in my bones. I am ripped open and that tear becomes the catalyst for my sociology project — women rappers using art to discuss gendered power dynamics and abuse. When I take the risk of telling my brother and father about it, I do not mention the door of the house, the staircase or the hair pulled from Daniela’s head. I do not tell them the focus is on Eve’s Love is Blind. I simply say that I did a presentation on women rappers using music to illuminate social issues. I explain that I worked really hard and I know my professor doesn’t care for hip-hop, but I have the sense that she might be able to look at the genre in a different light after this. For a moment, neither of them are saying anything, but they’re both smiling and they eventually begin to laugh. They make fun of me for thinking I had an impact on my professor and I begin to disappear into the length of my hair. I sail away to all those nights at the dinner table, the staircase at Daniela’s house, and the distance from the top of that first step to the basement floor. I imagine the door to my father’s basement, the safety of his attic and the way edges of houses hold somelittle girls together, but pull other ones apart. When I float back, they’re still laughing. I know how quickly they erupt when disagreement is present, so I draw a smile on my face too. Were you tangled in your words, when your flesh fell to your ankles? Could you see yourself around? Were you stuck inside your own sound? In the last week of my 28th year, my agoraphobia and sensory processing disorder spill out on either side of me. Preparing to get on a plane for the first time since high school, I am terrified. I am washing my hands in the airport bathroom when my mother appears, telling me it’s time to board the flight. I check my hair and make-up and walk back to where she and my brother are sitting, only to find him exploding at me. I try to figure out what I’ve done, but I am fading down to the seams of me. I am transported back to the ’90s to the small apartment we shared with my mom. My skin snags on the image of him shouting in my doorway. I remember the shape of the bedroom door, the contour of his mouth, and the screams that shook my skin out. I think back to the day I found my room trashed and the way I held the damage like souvenirs. I recall the string of punches that came after I interfered with his business call; I remember the rhythm of his fists hitting my arm. When I drift back to the airport he is still yelling, grating me down to my ankles. Apparently, my having to pee was very selfish and those two minutes I took to look myself over meant that the three of us could’ve missed our flight. As the screaming tapers off, I find the edge of my abandoned body, pick it up by the shreds and drag it onto the plane. In the coming months I begin to wear my silence like armor. It becomes the protector of me. I find that the only way to be around my brother and father is to be a ground down version of me, an acceptable facsimile; it stands in for me as a way to survive. This makes me feel like I am not a real person or they are not real to me. I start to feel like I don’t really have a father or a brother. The two of them are essentially strangers to me, flaming things that mostly know how to rage at me. Do you live inside the skin of you? Are you the girl behind the face? Did you find yourself in the shadow box? What’s left of you after the chase? As my twenties begin to evaporate, I begin to part down the length of me. I feel enamored with men, but when they’re standing in front of me, it seems like there’s a wall between us. I think there must be something wrong with me that cannot be fixed or reconciled, so I eventually stop dating them — but the pull towards them remains. When I tell my therapist about it, she asks if I am more attracted to men’s or women’s bodies. I tell her that is not the right question. I ask a friend for advice and they tell me that if I enjoy having sex with women, then I am queer. I know that is not the right answer. I feel drawn to men inside my bones, but when I get close to them, it feels like the best parts of me drop out of my body. I know there must be a reason why thinking about it makes me feel like I am holding my breath. I know there must be a reason why they light up so many parts of me, then leave me split up in messy piles. On the raw edge of my 29th year, my long-term partner starts transitioning and something is pulled up and out of me. I begin thinking about the way people both transcend and encompass gender. I think about the way I am absorbing and categorizing gender and I begin to ask what I mean when I say I cannot connect with men. I begin to ask if I mean that I cannot connect with cis men. Like my other relationships at the time, there is unwarranted anger and an inability to show up for difficult conversations. But when I think about all the ways he is different than my recent partners, the most obvious difference on both a superficial and spiritual level is that he isn’t a girl. I freeze into myself when I think about the way our relationship took shape. We are best friends and it is New Year’s Eve — one week after my 27th birthday. He’s coming from work as a bartender, but I’m the one who’s been drinking. He starts a violent argument with me in the public hallway of my apartment building and I fall out to the edge of me. His words draw a fence around me, yelling that he can no longer play this “friend role.” I am confused and tired, but I understand he feels I’ve wronged him and now I owe him a right. I am drunk and drowning in this hallway. I just want it to stop. I cannot imagine losing him, so I have sex with him. When I come, it’s the kind of orgasm I wish I could take back. I know there must be a reason why men light up so many parts of me then leave me split up in messy piles. Five years after the waves rush out and over our relationship, I read Jenny Lumet’s letter to Russell Simmons, and I am cut through to the other side of me. Her words are gentle but unapologetic and I am reminded of the intimacy that is having patience with Black men, even after experiencing harm at their hands. I wipe my face with my ownhands and count how many years I’ve held on to things for fear that the men who have hurt me, would feel some of the same hurt if I use words to say what they have done to me. She talks about making a trade — ”just keep him calm, and you’ll get home” and I am yanked down to the tightest threads of me. I think about the way silence and sex turn into offerings when men decide you owe them something. My eyes spill out to my formative years and then back to adulthood. I remember the weight of being covered by flesh that never asked. I think about all the times my eyes stood still while my body stiffened into a “no” because my words couldn’t do it. I’ve been making trades with trauma since I was 14. Did you make oceans with your eyes, when your legs dropped out from under you? Do your recognize your body, when you split right down the length of you? In the wake of 4:44, I awoke — 30 years after I first swallowed my mouth closed. Three decades after one house became two, I widened out like unfolding fists. When I heard those words, “You had no father, you had the armor,” it felt as if they lived inside my fingers. When Jay Z says, “You got a daughter, gotta get softer,” I am holding both lines in both hands; I am holding the child me and the grown-up me in the skin of my palms. I consider the way the world conflates hyper-masculinity with Blackness and vulnerability with femininity. I think about the way self-reflection is conceptualized as something men do in honor of daughters — but not wives. I remember my mother’s ability to hold my father’s rage. I think about the length of my emotional intelligence and how little I was when I learned to shut my mouth. I consider the way abuse patterns wrap around us like rope. Of all the things that tried to split me, it was the juxtaposition of having a white mother and a Black father and the pain of being accepted by her and rejected by him that ultimately severed me in half. It was the confusion of not being Black enough for my father and feeling like I was supposed to partner with men who acted like him in order to prove that rejecting his abuse does not mean rejecting my Blackness. It was the cut of feeling so guilty; I would see his face in other people and believe I could undo what had been done to me by having it done again by them. Feeling like men were in charge of me made me feel like my body wasn’t mine long before I knew what words like consent meant. So when it came time for me to say yes or no to a man, I would tighten into my mouth and fall out of my skin. I would later attribute it to my Selective Mutism, my Non-Verbal Learning Disability, and a confusion around my sexuality. But my tendency to lose my words was born out of a trauma that developed from being unable to speak freely in my home as a child. And my difficulties with non-verbal communication were informed by a childhood that left me feeling like I was safer when I didn’t speak. In my 36th year, I learn about the R Kelly sex cult accusations and several memories converge as if on cue. The idea of a man controlling women so much that he has power over their eating and going to the bathroom makes me fall backwards into my six-year-old self. I realize that I have spent my entire life being unsure if it is ok for me to speak, eat, go to the bathroom or do anything that reveals me as human around men. You are not a shadow box, an after-thought or a vacant sketch of you. My father did not get softer, as a result of having me. He simply reproduced what had been done to him as a child. And my brother’s ability to replicate my father’s abuse came from absorbing my parents’ dynamic and being able to identify more with losing yourself to a fit of violence, than being able to identify with the body that holds the scars after the fit. I know now that people rage when they are disconnected from their person. Having so much rage projected onto me eventually resulted in my belief that I am too much of a person. Men regarded my most basic needs as something to get rid of. So I believed that if I wanted to be with a man, I’d have to get rid of myself. When I was able to connect with queer and lesbian people, I thought it meant there was something queer about my attraction to masculinity. I started to think there was something inherently queer about me — something internal that exists outside of my attractions. But as my queerness became wider, it felt like the puzzle was being solved outside of me. The more I tried to grow into these understandings, the more I seemed to grow out of me. When I learned I was dating a man, I simply thought the way in which I was attracted to men had revealed itself as a different shape. I thought my attraction to him could explain why my chemistry with cis men never translated properly. But I left the relationship still feeling like there was something wrong with me. It is only now after spending years of my life depriving myself from relationships with all men and then cis men specifically as a way to protect myself, that I realize the only relationships I’ve ever had were replications of the abuse that led to the repression. And most of the sexual experiences I’ve had with men reinforced that my body was theirs. So I became averse to the abuse and called it an aversion to men. As I thaw out into the larger part of me, I know that the thing standing between myself and other people in relationships is not their gender. It’s the way my body viscerally responds to gender, since my early understandings of masculinity and intimacy were tied up in abuse. It’s about the way my skin translates injury, after years of experiences taught me to anticipate blood instead of love from men. I am finally starting to ask if I am truly a poor fit for cis men or simply not attracted to men who act like my father and brother. You are real raw love and gorgeous flesh. You deserve to be held like the entire shape of you. In the aftermath of the home that broke open, I know that girls like Daniela* and I will have a steeper climb towards finding home in the arms of a man, because of what happened at the hands of men in our homes. I know that relationships aren’t about breaking somebody down or taking away their person, as a way to regain yours. I know that intimacy doesn’t feel like being trapped inside a house. I know that love doesn’t feel like the wrong side of the basement door. When I look at the place inside me that split, I can see the wound and feel it closing. I know that people are neither good nor bad, but in a constant state of becoming. When they engage in harmful behaviors it’s because they’ve been profoundly hurt and they’re perpetuating that learning. I know unlearning is a process. I know I’ve survived both my child and adulthood due to my ability to read people who were so checked out from their person, they didn’t care if what happened next froze me out of my person. I know that brain structure, systemic and familial post-trauma can complicate the ability to say or hear a no. I know that doesn’t make it a yes. I know the thing that causes people to control and rage is the same thing that allows them to keep going during a sexual act, after a face has gone blank. And I know I don’t owe it to anyone to be an emotional punching bag while they work through their trauma superficially through me. On the long end of my 36th year, I figured out why that complex, primal, physical and emotional longing for men never went away. It is part of me, but it is no longer a gash on me. I am learning how to stop the blood. In the wake of my healing, I know that trying to love people in similar pain as me was an attempt to grow the skin over the cuts that once divided me. I am not broken, but I have existed in pieces and I know that being deeply harmed during childhood is a particular kind of bruise. I have a higher level of empathy because of it and I know that empathy will translate into the highest level of love for myself as I continue to learn that I cannot love the rage out of a person. And if you are navigating that kind of trauma, you deserve to learn it too. You deserve to be loved like survival, like the spelling of your name, like the softest whisper and the loudest yell that sounds like the entire length of you. And you deserve to hear it over and over again until you know it’s true.

https://medium.com/the-establishment/you-had-no-father-you-had-the-armor-e2deea6b0554

['The Establishment']

2018-09-04 05:41:01.175000+00:00

['Fathers', 'Sexuality', 'Abuse', 'Family']

The amazing data probe helping journalists make sense of Manchester’s smoggy Bonfire Night

The Sensemaker project allows the Manchester Evening News and researchers at UCLan to gather real time data around issues impacting local people. Paul Gallagher, executive editor (digital development) with Reach plc explains more This is the chart that remembers the 5th of November. Data taken from an air quality sensor south of Manchester shows clear peaks in particulate matter in the atmosphere in the lead up to Bonfire night last week. Anyone in the city on Tuesday evening will have been aware of the thick, smoky smog created by the countless fireworks and bonfires on a still and clear night. But how bad was the air quality? And which was the worst night for bonfire pollution over the first week of November? Journalists at the Manchester Evening News are working on a project to help answer these and other questions about how data sensors can be used for local news. The Google-funded SenseMaker project held a public workshop on Wednesday evening in Manchester city centre just as the bonfire night smoke cleared. Among those who attended was Scott Davies, a software engineer who has installed the pollution sensor at his home near Stockport. He shared the chart (above) generated over several nights leading up to Bonfire night to illustrate how data can be used to illustrate a local news story. The graph shows how levels of PM10 began to rise from the 29th October, reaching a peak at 19:38 on the evening of Sunday 3rd November and then rising again on Bonfire night. SenseMaker is a joint project between the Manchester Evening News and the University of Central Lancashire in Preston, funded by the Google GNI scheme. So far, the engineers at UCLAN have built two home sensors to measure air quality and also developed software which detects and analyses what colour clothes people are wearing in a crowd. The M.E.N. has supplied the home sensors to the Levenshulme Bee Network in South Manchester, a community group campaigning to create better spaces for walking and cycling and to improve public areas. The Sensemaker public workshop invited people to pitch ideas to the project Campaigners hope to use data from the sensors to help demonstrate the need for action in their community. The first set of sensors were built after journalists and news editors at the M.E.N. pitched ideas for how they could use data for local journalism. But at the public workshop on Wednesday evening, the SenseMaker team opened up the project to the wider community inviting academics, campaigners and technicians to contribute their ideas. The meeting at the Federation, a co-working space established by the Co-op for digital and social innovation, was hosted by John Mills, of UCLAN’s Media Innovation Studio. It is the first in a number of public events planned for the next phase of the SenseMaker project. jAmong the ideas discussed were a sensor to count the number of cyclists who use a cycle lane, or one that measures the traffic speeds around a school. John Mills John said: “Our SenseMaker workshop was designed to really understand how data could be used by a variety of communities. What types of issues or challenges they face, or where they see the opportunities for data to make a difference. “We talked about a range of ideas and opportunities that spanned city-wide sentiment, transportation challenges and city livability. “The plan now is to figure out what sensors could serve these issues, and how might stories and data make a difference to people living and working in the city. We’re hoping to deploy some initial prototypes in the next couple of months.” The next steps will be assessing audience feedback on uses for Sensemaker There were also suggestions for a ‘fake news’ sensor and a device which could measure the ‘happiest place in Manchester’. The ideas will be further assessed by the engineers at UCLAN to determine which will be feasible and can be built and put into action as part of the SenseMaker project, which runs until March 2020.

https://medium.com/behind-local-news-uk/the-amazing-data-probe-helping-journalists-make-sense-of-manchesters-smoggy-bonfire-night-186b55e3c775

['Behind Local News']

2019-11-11 10:39:23.615000+00:00

['Journalism', 'Data Journalism', 'Behind Local News']

Time to Ditch the S&P?

The S&P 500 has returned over 200% in the past 10 years, in large part thanks to the top tech firms. With Tesla’s inclusion to the index and Google and Facebook facing antitrust suits, some investors may be doubting the kind of high-growth companies that had benefited them so greatly. It begs the question: Is time to switch from the S&P and seek other options? The widely used stock market index consists of 500 of the largest publicly traded companies. It is a market-capitalization-weighted index, which uses the total market value of firms’ outstanding shares to weight it. The firms with a higher market capitalization make up a higher percentage of the index. Apple’s market cap, which is over $2 Trillion, represents over 6%. The next two biggest holdings, Microsoft and Amazon, represent over 5% and just over 4% respectively. One of the smallest components, Unum Group, whose market cap is a little over $4 billion represents just .01% of the index. Perhaps the biggest benefit of market-cap-weighted indexes is the fact that they take advantage of momentum. The high performing companies’ weightings increase, while the poor performing shares shrink. This has led to the top 5 big tech firms (Apple, Microsoft, Amazon, Google, and Facebook) making up over 20% of the S&P 500 (with Tesla coming in at 6th). While this has paid off big time with strong “S&P 5” performance, if these top firms begin to underperform, it could mean trouble for the index. Although underperformance may be a concern, big tech’s prominence in our increasingly virtual world should limit some of this downside. The Impact of Tesla Tesla’s addition to the S&P 500 has been a hard pill to swallow for many people invested in the index, who may have missed out on the company’s over 700% year-to-date return leading up to its inclusion. Tesla’s returns have dwarfed those of the S&P 500, which has still produced strong returns in 2020. While it’s hard to argue that there hasn’t been some irrational exuberance involved in this run-up, and the stock has dropped since being added, it probably isn’t time to panic and sell off funds that track the S&P 500. Tesla currently makes up about 1.6% of the index. With this weighting, Tesla could give up all its gains from the past two years, dropping 90%, and it would only bring the S&P down around 1.4%. It is also important to be aware of Tesla’s bull case. This includes their strong presence and potential growth in China, their insurance program, high margin software-driven upgrades, the fact that they are viewed as the future of autonomous driving, and that they represent the future of electric and solar power. While likely overvalued at the moment, the limited downside of Tesla’s inclusion with its 1.6% weighting in the index, in conjunction with Tesla’s bull case, should ease the fears of those invested in the S&P. Antitrust Concerns Although Tesla’s inclusion alone shouldn’t be too serious of a reason to worry, there could be others. Earlier this month the FTC and 46 states sued Facebook, accusing it of buying and freezing out startups to limit competition. Some of the deals in question include their acquisitions of Instagram and WhatsApp. This news came a couple of weeks after the Justice Department had filed an antitrust lawsuit against Google, alleging that they have used anticompetitive tactics related to its search engine and advertising business. The suit is predicated on the claim that Google uses its billions of dollars in ad revenue to pay for the right to keep Google as the default search engine. This can be seen as creating a self-reinforcing cycle of supremacy as essentially the lone search engine. While it could be argued that it is up to us to pick our search engine, the danger lies in the fact that humans suffer from a default bias. We tend to accept the option we’ve been given and just move on. Facebook and Google have also been accused of cutting a deal where Facebook agreed not to compete with Google’s online advertising tools in return for special treatment when using them. As a part of this deal, they also agreed to cooperate and assist each other if they ever faced any antitrust action as a result of their pact. Major hurdles for the government will be the fact that they had previously approved Facebook’s transactions, and that they will be going up against the tech giants high powered lawyers. Considering both Facebook and Google’s cases will likely take years to resolve and the uphill battle for the government, the two firms’ legal issues don’t appear to be a reason to flee the S&P for now. S&P 500 Alternatives It could still be wise to diversify, or just be aware of some potential options to protect you if things for the top firms in the S&P do go south. Some ETFs to look at could be the Invesco S&P SmallCap Information Technology ETF (PSCT) and the Invesco S&P 500 Equal Weight ETF (RSP). PSCT could benefit greatly from continued pressure on big tech firms and potential breakups. If some of the anticompetitive behaviors top tech firms have been accused of are forced to subside, it could allow smaller tech firms to flourish. Investing in PSCT would give exposure to a wide variety of these companies and eliminates some of the volatility that comes with investing in singular small-cap tech firms. In equal-weighted indexes, every company represents an equal amount of the index. As a result, each firm in RSP would carry a weight of around .2% (.2% x 500 = 100%). Investing in this ETF could reduce exposure to Tesla and the other top tech firms and provide more exposure to smaller companies that may have been neglected in recent months. It’s natural that Tesla’s inclusion, such a heavy weighting from tech giants, and antitrust lawsuits against some of these top firms, may give investors pause about investing in the S&P 500. Considering the limited downside of Tesla’s inclusion, big techs continued prominence, and the arduous journey ahead for government legal teams, it probably isn’t time to abandon the index, though is still important to be aware of potential risks and all your options.

https://medium.com/@austinbrand/time-to-ditch-the-s-p-9586446eced1

['Austin Brand']

2020-12-27 22:59:23.078000+00:00

['Facebook', 'Google', 'Investing', 'Tesla', 'Index Funds']

Meet Konrad Reuland, the late NFL player whose heart and kidney are keeping baseball great Rod Carew alive

Meet Konrad Reuland, the late NFL player whose heart and kidney are keeping baseball great Rod Carew alive AHA News Apr 14, 2017·23 min read SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO, California — One evening last April, NFL tight end Konrad Reuland sat on a barstool in his parents’ kitchen and started filling out his driver’s license renewal form. His mom was making dinner, so they chatted while blowing through their tasks. She pulled out plates; he updated his address. Konrad played for the Jets in 2012 and 2013. He skipped the questions for commercial drivers and military veterans. At Section 6, he paused and asked his mom for some advice. “Do you think I should be an organ donor?” he said. “It’s up to you,” she said. “It’s a personal decision.” “Are you?” he said. “Yes,” she said. “If I can’t use my organs anymore, maybe they can help someone else.” He thought about it briefly and said, “I’m going to do it, too.” And on he went to page two of the form. A month later, the Baltimore Ravens released Reuland (ROO-land). The Colts signed him in July, but let him go in late August. Once the nation’s top tight end coming out of high school, he wasn’t drafted out of college. Smarts and character helped him earn a place in the pros. He played 30 games, starting four. His NFL dream had come true; he’d beaten the odds. He took pride in that. But he also understood that at 29 he’d become a journeyman, having played for four teams over the last five years. He also thought he could still play. So he went back to California and sculpted himself into the best shape of his life, carrying a lean 270 pounds on his 6-foot-6 frame while waiting for another team to call. “God only gives you what you can handle,” he told his parents, Mary and Ralf. “This is happening for a reason. It means I have to keep pushing harder.” On Thanksgiving weekend, an artery in his brain betrayed him. It bubbled, then burst —a ruptured aneurysm. Surgery stopped the bleeding and patched the damage. But there was too much damage. As big and strong and tough as he was, Reuland couldn’t win this fight. He could, however, do what he’s always done — improve the lives of others — because of his selfless decision to be an organ donor. The colored circle below the RSTR and above-right to his signature signifies Reuland as an organ donor. The fact this donor was a professional athlete doesn’t make his story more remarkable than other donor stories. But it does make his story newsworthy. The story’s news value rises because of who received his heart and kidney: Baseball Hall of Famer Rod Carew. Organ procurement network officials believe it’s the first time a heart has gone from one pro athlete to another. Another unique angle is a connection between donor and recipient. Reuland spent sixth through eighth grades at the same small, private school as Carew’s two youngest children. They even met way back then. Carew brings more layers to this tale. Since his heart problems began in 2015, he’s worked with the American Heart Association to help people beat heart disease. He launched an awareness campaign called “Heart of 29,” named for the jersey number he wore throughout his career. The name is more meaningful now because that’s how old Reuland was when he gave Carew this second chance at life. And if anyone can appreciate a second chance — and if anyone can understand what Mary and Ralf are going through — it’s Carew. In 1996, his 18-year-old daughter Michelle died of leukemia. She needed a bone marrow transplant but a match wasn’t found. Her dying wish was for her dad to get more people to become potential donors. He did such a good job that the folks who oversee the registry named their leadership award after him. He also holds an annual golf tournament that’s raised more than $4 million to fight pediatric cancers. Wildly different paths brought together the Carews and the Reulands, binding them in a way that few people understand. The emotional dichotomy to their relationship will always exist, exhilarating joy for Rod and Rhonda Carew, overwhelming grief for Mary and Ralf Reuland. Yet they’ve become fast friends because of a mutual purpose: Extending and improving more lives through the power of their story. The full tale is a series of colorful strands that somehow twisted together to form a beautiful knot. At the core is one person. Konrad.

https://medium.com/@jmaron/meet-the-late-nfl-player-whose-heart-and-kidney-are-now-keeping-baseball-great-rod-carew-alive-58c23f7e5c2e

['Aha News']

2017-04-18 00:12:09.828000+00:00

['MLB', 'Sports', 'NFL', 'Rod Carew', 'Konrad Reuland']

Crypterium to allow users to shop on eBay, refill PayPal and bank accounts with cryptocurrencies

Crypterium to allow users to shop on eBay, refill PayPal and bank accounts with cryptocurrencies Crypterium Follow Oct 22, 2018 · 3 min read Crypterium has just released a feature that allows you to spend crypto on everyday expenses by transferring it directly to bank accounts. Paying your mortgage and loans, bills and taxes, and even your gym membership with crypto — all at once is now a reality. Users can also make bank transfers to personal accounts, which means they can not only refill their own balance, but easily send money to friends and family in other countries. Everyday crypto It is a given that with the simultaneous rise of digital payments and crypto wallets, their users need tools to be able to cash out their assets to fiat and back quickly and conveniently. Most of the services available today make crypto-fiat transactions a bit of a pain: they are complicated, time-consuming and expensive with up to 25% fees for each transaction. Crypterium changes that by introducing a new feature that allows its clients to send cryptocurrencies directly to traditional bank accounts with a few taps on the screen. Customers can make bank transfers to any personal and business account that has an IBAN number. This means users can not only pay into their own account, send money to friends and family in other countries, or use crypto for an increasing range of activities such as paying bills and taxes. “If you were to go to an exchange with your bitcoin or any other coin, it would probably take you 3 to 7 days to get that money paid out into your bank account,” — says Marc O’Brien, CEO of Crypterium. “What Crypterium offers is a very easy-to-use way of cashing out your crypto holdings as well as spending your crypto in everyday life. Pay your taxes or bills, send money to friends and family — it’s all very simple now”. Big step towards crypto mass adoption What is even more promising, is that with Crypterium it will soon become possible to transfer crypto simply by using the recipient’s card number, not by their account. Once the feature is live, crypto transfers won’t be any different from the way we send fiat. In addition, Crypterium is seeking a partnership with Visa’s and Mastercard’s issuing banks to launch cryptocurrency-backed debit cards. The idea is to join a card to its user’s crypto account and link it to Apple Pay or Android Pay so the user can enjoy shopping with crypto in any store around the world. Given that the number of Bitcoin users is expected to reach 200 million within the next seven years, Crypterium expects to expand its customer base to at least a million by that time.

https://medium.com/crypterium/crypterium-to-allow-users-to-shop-on-ebay-refill-paypal-and-bank-accounts-with-cryptocurrencies-be4e6e66c097

[]

2018-10-30 11:26:47.861000+00:00

['Bitcoin', 'Mobile App Development', 'Cryptocurrency', 'Finance', 'Technology']

Windows Server and Linux Monitoring Tool with NETDATA

Netdata Monitoring tool Hi everyone; Today we will try to install netdata in our linux and windows servers. After than we will design a new custom HTML file for netdata tv. Netdata is a very useful application and very light for memory usage and Cpu usage for monitoring. You can monitor everything in real time and free. I will show you the basic installation today. For more detail please check the official web page. Now let we start First we need a linux machine. In this scenario I used a Ubuntu 20 LTS distribution. This is my configuration but you can increase or decrease this options RAM : 4 GB / CPU : 2 VCore / Disk : 50 Gb Please ssh to the ubuntu server with root or root permission and run the command. Please check the official installation page for more details. After installation is finished everything is done. Now netdata is working. Let the check with your browser Open your web browser and write the following address http://your_ubuntu_server_ip:19999 If you see the monitoring details in your browser then it says net data installation is successful for ubuntu.

https://medium.com/@uergun/windows-server-and-linux-monitoring-tool-with-netdata-b1fcc312ce6f

['Umut Ergün']

2021-08-17 16:45:13.768000+00:00

['Windows Exporter', 'Netdata', 'Monitoring', 'Wmi', 'Monitoring Software']

The Pied Piper Was Real: 130 Children Disappeared and Never Came Back

But wait… what happened to the children? For years, historians didn’t really know. There were many hypotheses, but one by one, research would prove them wrong. Some historians thought the children died of the plague and the Pied Piper was a reference to death. Problem was, the dates didn’t add up. And there were no adult deaths of the plague at that time, either. Another suggested the piper was a pedophile who murdered them, but that was ruled out, too. No bodies were found. And how would one man subdue 130 children at the same time? Nope. That wasn’t it. So many theories, I could write an entire story about them. But they were all proven wrong, one after another. Truth is stranger than fiction… Turns out June 26 wasn’t just the day the children disappeared. It was also the day of a pagan midsummer celebration. A piper would show up and merrily lead people into the hills (koppen) for a midsummer fire-lighting ceremony. Interesting, right? But wait. It gets better. Fairy tale scholar Jack David Zipes found evidence that someone came to Hamelin that summer, looking for people to colonize parts of Eastern Europe. Recruiting people to migrate was a common practice, especially in times of hardship. No different than the way people migrated to California, the “land of opportunity” during the Dirty 30s and the great depression. In medieval Germany, recruiters wore colorful (pied) clothing and played a flute, so people who wanted to migrate could hear them and follow along in the merry procession. Entire families who were struggling would join into the festive parade and dance away, into the hills. Never to be seen again. A German linguist named Jürgen Udolph wondered if the children of Hamlin had followed a flutist — not to a midsummer fire lighting ceremony — but as part of a migration. Can you even imagine that possibility? That maybe, just maybe, they followed the wrong piper? That instead of following the piper leading them to the midsummer fire ceremony, they followed the piper leading a migration? The recruiter, seeing adults and children following, would have thought nothing of it. And the children’s parents just watched, thinking their kids were off to a midsummer celebration in the hills. It’s almost beyond belief, isn’t it? Surely, this theory must be as crazy as all the others. Surely, the research would prove it to be wrong. And yet, his hunch seems to check out. According to place-name evidence, the most common surnames in Hamelin at the time the children disappeared appear with shocking frequency in the areas of Uckermark and Prignitz, near Berlin. They were the destinations of the migration tour. And the rats? No one led them away… There were rats, of course. But no one played a pipe and led the rats away. They just kept on making life miserable until sanitation became a thing. According to historians who were trying to figure out what happened to the children, the rats were added to the Pied Piper story in 1559. The rats didn’t even appear in earlier versions of the Pied Piper story. They were added 275 years after the children disappeared. Why? Who knows? Maybe it was an easier story to believe or tell if the town was being punished for not “paying the piper” so to speak. Maybe it was just too harsh to think that a piper showed up and their children followed him into the hills and never came back. Even though that’s exactly what happened, as it turns out. No one led the rats out of town and took the children as punishment. That’s not how it happened. But if those rats hadn’t been added to the story, it’s possible there’d be no annual Pied Piper Parade and no one telling the story of those children still today. They’d have been forgotten hundreds of years ago.

https://historyofyesterday.com/the-pied-piper-was-real-130-children-disappeared-and-never-came-back-542085ffb34

['Linda Caroll']

2021-07-23 14:03:34.967000+00:00

['Nonfiction', 'Germany', 'History', 'Truth', 'Fairy Tale']

Viral Gymnast Katelyn Ohashi on Learning to Show Emotion

Viral Gymnast Katelyn Ohashi on Learning to Show Emotion ‘Find those things that help you mentally and give you passion. This can help you through those dark places, when the sport is gone and you don’t know who you are without it.’ There are many ways to live a healthy life. The Health Diaries is a weekly series about the habits that keep notable people living well. Katelyn Ohashi walked onto the gymnastics floor on Jan. 12 with one goal in mind: to have fun. Her new floor routine was high energy, technically brilliant, and extremely challenging. She danced to Earth, Wind & Fire, Tina Turner, and Michael Jackson. Finally, the music ended and Ohashi flung her arms into the air, victorious. The judges handed her a perfect 10. That floor routine changed Ohashi’s life, vaulting her from a well-known gymnast (she beat Simone Biles in the American Cup in 2013) to a viral superstar. UCLA’s video of Ohashi’s routine now has 34 million views and counting. But the 21-year-old UCLA senior says this is one of the final chapters in her gymnastics career. In a few months, she’ll be graduating and going on to her next adventure. This week, Ohashi spoke with Medium about her training routine, life after virality and sports, and why her floor routines are so joyful. Gymnastics practice starts at 7:45 a.m. every morning, Monday through Friday, so I wake up around 7:10 a.m. I set my alarm for 7 a.m. and snooze it once. Then I give myself 10 minutes to get ready before I head out the door. I sometimes have treatment, which means maintaining any injuries using tools like soft tissue massage, and that starts at 6:45 a.m. I have a history of shoulder and back injuries, so I go to treatment a lot. We have a fueling station at practice, so I usually grab a string cheese, yogurt, or protein bar there for breakfast. I was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis a few years ago, so that really affects my intake of food. I struggle to find foods that fuel me but don’t cause inflammation. Recently I’ve started taking vitamin D supplements, which have made a huge impact on my stomach in a good way. I also have another autoimmune condition called granuloma annulare, and the vitamin D supplements help to lighten up the spots on my skin caused by that condition, too. I sometimes also take turmeric as well as a probiotic and a women’s multivitamin. I’m usually at practice during the weekdays from 7:45 until 11 a.m., depending on my class schedule. Right now we’re in competition season, and we exert a lot of energy during weekend competitions, so we’re working on maintaining and managing our bodies during weekday practices. We do a lot of rolling out, sauna time, and massages, and our workouts are typically pretty light, just for maintaining our skills. My workouts always look different from other people’s because of my body: I broke my back during high school, and now I can’t take a lot of impact. Right now, I’m training about once a week doing gymnastics, and then the rest of my week is rehab for my back and shoulder and squats and stuff for keeping up my leg strength. After class, I have a decent amount of free time, but it feels like it goes by so quickly. I’m a women’s and gender studies major, so I’ll typically do some studying after class. For lunch, I often eat the pre-prepared meals they make for the gymnastics team, which have some form of a protein, veggies, and grains. Right now, I do a lot of interviews after lunch and class, too, then I’m usually hanging out with friends or trying to find some alone time. I’ll go home, listen to music, or maybe watch some TV to relax. For dinner I like to have a protein and veggies again. But because of my ulcerative colitis, really healthy foods are hard on my stomach. Sugars aren’t good, and I have to be careful with vegetables. So it can be tough to find food that feels good. After college, I’ve been thinking that I would love to try to get rid of gluten and also go pescatarian. I think I’d only miss burgers! Before bed, I just brush my teeth and fall asleep. I don’t usually wear makeup, but if I do, I’ll wipe it off. Then it’s pajamas and falling into bed, no other routine; I’m pretty good at just falling asleep right away. One habit that’s important for keeping me mentally healthy is having meaningful conversations with the people around me. That’s a habit that fuels my body and my mind. I also like to go to the beach and write, and I’ve been trying to focus on giving myself time to be alone. My big thing right now is trying to not spread myself out in a bunch of different areas. I don’t have to do everything right now — I can give myself a break. A lot of people ask me why my floor routine was so joyful, and I think it’s because of my gymnastics journey. My coach told me a while ago, “You live your life in the light.” And I think that’s true for all athletes but maybe especially gymnasts. Everyone is watching us, and we’re not supposed to show emotion. As a gymnast, I’ve always compartmentalized my life, which is a blessing and a curse. But over time, I’ve learned that my sport doesn’t fully define me, and I think that’s where a lot of the joy in my routines comes from now: I’m not compartmentalizing as much, and I know who I am beyond my sport. After this year, I won’t be doing gymnastics anymore. I don’t want to coach, although I think I’ll probably do some camps. But I love writing and poetry, and I’m doing photography now to match my poetry. I also have an internship set up with Players’ Tribute when my life calms down. I have a lot of plans for the future that I’m passionate about.

https://elemental.medium.com/viral-gymnast-katelyn-ohashi-on-learning-to-show-emotion-7e74b6fa4d9b

['Jenni Gritters']

2019-05-09 20:58:14.678000+00:00

['The Health Diaries', 'Daily Habits', 'Routine', 'Gymnastics', 'Sports']

Open Banking in India- Everything you must know

Open Banking in India- Everything you must know Open Banking is an innovative financial service used in modern banking to cater various customer needs.It provides third-party developers and service providers an open access to customers’ banking, transaction, and other financial data.This is done from banks and other non banking institutions using Application Programming Interfaces (APIs). Open Banking is often referred to as ‘open bank data’. In simple words, open banking is about providing financial information to service providers or third parties in a secured way. History of Open Banking A Revised Payment Service directive was introduced by European Lawmakers in 2015,which allowed the use of innovative online and mobile payments in banking. In 2016, the UK Competition and Markets Authority directed nine big banks to allow licensed third party access to their data. This helped all payment service providers to operate at the same level and also maintain security and customer protection. Evolution of Open Banking in india The Banking System in India has had constant revolutions.Traditional product-centric, inside-out approach is converted into consumption based,outside-in approach.The former believes that the capabilities and inner strengths of the organisation will lead to better results while the latter believes in creating customer value for a sustainable future. India entered into open banking through Unified Payment Interface (UPI) by Indian Government in 2016. Unlike the initiatives in the UK and US where open banking operations are market driven and Regulation driven respectively, India combined both and created a hybrid model, where both government and markets play an active role in these services. UPI allows individuals to access their bank accounts from registered applications such as Google pay and make transactions. These initiatives were brought into Indian Markets by National Payments Council of India(NPCI). In recent times, with the emergence of players like, API Aggregators and Digital Banks, the life of customers is simplified. Large banks such as ICICI have also joined the business by releasing their developer portal consisting of over 250 APIs. List of top private Indian banks who have opened their APIs to Fintechs for better customer Services: Kotak Mahindra Bank YES Bank HDFC Bank ICICI Bank Kotak Mahindra Bank had announced its open bank platform launch in November 2018. They had a collaborative ecosystem which is powered by a developer portal making Kotak’s API available to fintechs and developers. The platform offers lending and payment options to serve customer needs. Fintechs developers have to register their details on a portal before getting access to the bank's APIs. The bank had an ABCD growth charter catering A- AI enriched app B-Biometric Enabled Branch C-Context enhanced customer experience D-Data empowered design and this initiative has been a part of A, which is AI enriched app. YES BANK The fintech developer portal of YES bank was launched in November 2019. It consists of over 50 virtual APIs and is in line with the bank's strategy of creating customers and retaining them through providing them value services. YES bank grants access to four usage categories which are Management Payments Cards CRM HDFC Bank HDFC Bank has 142 APIs in its present catalog. The bank aims at security in exposing APIs to developers along with providing all necessary tools to build applications. The domains include payments, customer sourcing, and servicing. ICICI Bank The API portal launch of ICICI Bank was in January 2020.‘ICICI Bank API Banking portal’ has of 250 APIs enabling businesses, fintechs, corporates and e-commerce start-ups to partner with the bank.The portal incorporates a detailed workflow for conveniently moving the API solution to the final production stage. How Open Banking Ecosystem in India works Open Banking network in India can be broadly divided into five layers: Banking Layer-Banks and Non Banking Financial Corporations(NBFCs) Technology Layer-Application Programming Interfaces(APIs),API Integrators,Networks Third Party API layer-API Stack Players,NBFC Account Aggregators Customer Layer-Retail NeoBanks,SME NeoBanks, Digital BAnks,Big techs Enabling Layer-KYC / AML / Risk Management Players / Credit Bureau,India StackInvestors Banking Layer The Banks and NBFCs consist of the bottom layer of the open banking ecosystem.They offer APIs to perform banking services which include Payments, Collections, lending etc. The introduction of open banking allows third parties to develop better personal finance management. This creates pressure on existing banks and financial service providers to improve their services. Due to this increased competition, banks either enhance their financial services or partner with third parties. The banks utilize the APIs to stay at par with the competition. APIs refers to the set of codes and protocols which decides the path of interaction among various software components. These enable day to day transactions like collections, disbursements etc. Technology layer This layer is fueled by technology, the integrators who have coding expertise. API gateway enables access of the bank's API in a secured way. It also handles user and partner authentication, routing controls, API monetization, monitoring and analytics.API Integrators are the technology based startups which guide in development of API Gateways along with handling the bank’s internal APIs. Payment Networks in India provide payment routes to everyone through instruments like Debit Cards, Credit Cards,UPI etc. Third-Party API Layer: The API slack provides access to banks to fintechs. NBFc aggregators enable the customers to get a single view of their financial status and consent based sharing of information through APIs. Customer Layer These constitute Neobanks- which is a digital bank with no branches. These lack physical existence, and are completely online. Neobanks focus on retail customer needs like savings and payments. Banks like Kotak, SBI and DBS have also taken aggressive measures to new age banking and made retail Digital Banks. Big technological based players such as Amazon and Google have also launched their UPI enabled platforms. Enabling Layer: Data Providers / India Stack: These help customers onboarding and management through KYC Check,credit Checks etc.Investors work at all the layers. Significance of Open Banking in India Since open banks are digital, they open a wide benefit window which include: Easy Account Creation User Friendly Interface Easy access to transaction Records Easy Account Creation: Creating an account in a traditional bank is a cumbersome process. When it comes to open banking this process becomes extremely easy saving customers’ both effort and time. User Friendly Interface: Open Banking provides good customer experience.The interface is easy to understand and fast. The applications are designed understanding the customer needs. Transaction Records: Immediate transaction recording takes place in case of open banking. This enables customers to access the full transaction history anytime by a simple click. Apart from this, Open Banking also provides Operational Efficiency Standard Delivery Mechanism Continuous Delivery Commercialization of Bank’s Infrastructure API based banking systems can better service multiple activities associated with one customer.These can be further improved by API integration tool. This tool connects externally facing APIs with internal Banking API and manages records.The requests of customers are directed to the endpoint through technology allowing back-office changes without impacting customers’ engagement service. The instant access to financial data is a major requirement of customers' in this digital age. Open banking enables them to choose from various platforms,what would best suit them. To financial institutions, it provides customization of these application software to innovate and develop. There is high growth potential of financial institutions through open banking. Safety Authorised providers have access to the data for the service customers need. In simple words, if one wants to look at account details, providers won't be able to receive your debit card information unless you give them your permission. Apart from this, all providers have to comply with data protection rules, this includes GDPR regulation which came in May 2018. According to this, the provider has to inform the customer which data it will use, the duration and how that information will be used.At the end, it's the customer's choice if he wants to opt these services or not. However Open Banking Application Based Programming has a few risk elements. Threat of malicious third-party applications can wipe a customer's account. Cybersecurity is a concern for India.The Reserve Bank of India is also stressed and planning on a framework addressing cyber risk, since indian Economy is being pushed towards being cashless. The other risks with open banking include data loss, identity theft,and terrorist financing activities. Full Digital activities are managed on the web which increase the chances of fraudulent activities. However, Indian Government has increased its focus towards security with encouragement of digital and cashless India.(Cybersecurity in Digital Banking: Threats, Challenges and Solution) Sharing of Data “Data sharing is based on consent” The rules say that banks can share information only when a customer gives permission to new providers. The providers will ask for consent to access information.And this permission is withdrawable. With the consent of customer, third parties can access the following accounts: Current Account Credit cards Prepaid Cards Savings Account can be shared The rules are applicable on accounts which can be accessed online and this online banking is needed to be connected by third party. However, it is important to know with whom data is being shared. Banks won’t be liable if the customer shares his data with an unauthorised service provider. These authorised third parties are regulated by Financial Conduct Authority(FCA) and will appear in FCA’s Register or on the Open Banking Directory. Authorised service providers offer two types of services, and they are required to have different authorizations for each of them. Account Information Services Payment initiation Services Account information Services makes all account information from different banks visible at one place and offers budget features and product recommendations. This could also include budgeting applications and price comparison websites . Payment initiation Services offers direct payment from bank accounts to companies Is Open Banking Recommended? Open Banking has a high potential to revolutionise money. However since it is consent based, It's totally based on the customer's personal choice if he wants to share data with a third party or not. They offer better deals and help with finances, one should stay protected before availing these services.At the end it's all your choice Conclusion Open Banking in India is the result of increased competition in financial services. Banks are left with no choice but to revolutionize the traditional inside-out approach to customer-centric approach for retaining customers. Open Banking will bring positive changes, with improved regulations, and technology.The banks have to follow “Customer is the King” ideology to survive competition and enhance overall customer banking experience.

https://medium.com/@financepeer/open-banking-in-india-everything-you-must-know-382aca838e26

['Financepeer Official']

2020-12-27 13:46:18.803000+00:00

['Loans', 'Money', 'Money Management', 'Finance', 'Banking']

We Are Back in Business

We Are Back in Business Legends say my Grandpa Pete was a hell of a fighter and boxer. I don’t know because he was washed when I knew him. I believe it based on how he watched boxing. It always seemed slow watching it with him. I do know he was good with his hands. He must have been a great mechanic because my Dad is a good one. He leaned on his Dad for solving weird automotive problems. This past week I lost my third grandparent in 2020. My Dad’s Dad died unexpectedly. He was the second in our lineage of Petes. We all have different middle names but remain connected because pf our first and last initials. This is why I feel the need to never forget the “D.” when I publish. It hurts seeing my Dad lose both his parents in the last year. Sure, his relationships with them were complicated but all that made him into the father he is for me. He was a mechanic as was his Dad and grandpa. Despite that, my Dad never showed me much about being a greasy monkey. He turned the wrench so I didn’t have to. My pops wanted better for me than the family trade. That doesn’t mean I don’t carry myself with the same arrogance, problem solving skills and work ethic passed to me by my name. After all, Peter built the church, David beat Goliath and Camarillo is a settlement turned city. which was once home to the largest mental institute. Knowing where my name comes from helps me get my own meaning. I try to focus on the fact that my Grandparents are looking out for each other. I hope some of their energy comes to me too. It does not make it much easier though at the holidays. You miss their presence, their expertise and all the things you wish you said or did. This latest passing reminds me of that again. It also compounds the fact that I’ve been so busy with work and the kids that maybe I still need more time to grieve and sit with my sadness. You know grief waits for no one. Doesn’t matter if my bereavement is dried up and my leave is gone. Well, I got back to business as usual this week. Sure, I spent the last few days filtering through thousand of emails. However, not much else changed. There is something relieving about returning to work and not feeling like you missed much. Yet, it can also make you feel insignificant. Business moves even when you’re away. Speaking of which, I hoped to use my time away from the 9–5 to work on my side projects. About halfway through I kind of gave up on that since distance learning a lot of bandwidth. Now, I feel that urge kicking inside of me again. This time I hope to enlist some help so I can reach my goals without sacrificing the time my teenagers need. Already, it feels like their focus is letting up. Maybe, it’s me being more relaxed trying fo focus on work or just exhaustion from 15 weeks distance learning. Either way, next semester will be different in the new year. Hopefully, none of them bury themselves in a whole this time. Ideally, they should be more adjusted to living with me and distance learning too. To be determined. For now, I am just happy to have made it this far. Christmas and the holidays seemed so far a few months ago but the days flew by. This will be my new normal and I am ok with that. Sure, I could use more money considering leave only paid part of my salary and we skipped the Christmas bonuses. Nonetheless, I celebrate the small wins. Putting together the Christmas tree was the most fun I’ve had in a minute. My house looks cool with the pictures covered in wrapping paper for the season. All this would not have been possible without my girlfriend, Dad, Step mom, sister and other friends/brothers who chipped it. It is amazing seeing my brother’s excitement when he passes all his classes or football training adds up. I enjoy being challenged from them even on days when it feels too hard. With everything I’ve lost this year and the rest of my life, I’ve been given a lot too. I’m reminded of this when I think about past supervisors and family. Doesn’t matter if it is an old teammate or boss, you feel values seeing their respect hold when communication and paths go a different way. For me the motive has always been respect over money or title. That is why I am always open to help young journalists and students with their career path and relationship building. It can still all feel like a lot. Luckily, this leave gave me time to slowdown for the first time since graduating college. That’s the clarity I needed. For as fast as the world and media moves, feeling like you need to speed up does not help. You and I are not androids or time machines. Limitations and boundaries are important. You need this clarity to move in a space that stops for nobody. Otherwise, you fall victim to seeing everything through cranky, burnt out eyes. At that point, everything just feels like another thing. It might be but getting stressed out about it only slows you down more. Who are you helping? Why are you even doing this? All that purpose and drive gets lost when you’re the cranky guy in traffic honking and barking at the car in front of you. Guess what, the person singing and smiling in the car next to you is dealing with the same delay and probably the same bullshit you subconsciously hate. The difference is they aren’t punishing themselves and people around them by being irritable all the time. Of course, you might not notice that because you’re so busy with your foot on the gas, switching lanes and fighting for a few meaningless minutes in bumper to bumper traffic. Slow down and take the moment in. Really what’s the rush to get back to mundane anyways? The process moves as fast as it needs to. There is beauty in the struggle if you aren’t so distracted by the destination. Life is short, the journey is long but once you slow down and accept that they feel less hard and more meaningful.

https://medium.com/@Petecertified/we-are-back-in-business-6f26305455e8

['Pete D. Camarillo']

2020-12-17 05:15:51.987000+00:00

['Brother', 'Fatherhood', 'Journal', 'Work', 'Love']

Will Being a Republican Cause You to Live a Longer Life?

Meet Republican Sarah Knauss Who Died at Age 119 It has been 47 days, 21 hours, 59 minutes, and 51 seconds since our last election. I made it through four, draining years. To celebrate this feat, I decided to take better care of myself to survive four more years of who knows what! I was browsing the net to get some hints on how to eat healthier and started to read articles about people who lived to be centurions. Now, I am not sure that is my goal. I just want to be off all my diabetic medication! I ran across this article about a Republican woman who lived to be 119. Her daughter stated that all the woman cared about was her family. This was her focus in life and nothing outside of this, phased her. There is nothing wrong with this, but it got me thinking-is this narrow focus truly what kept this woman living longer? Do Republicans live longer? Sarah Knauss was the oldest American to live to date. She died on December 30, 1999. She was the last living member of the “Missionary Generation”. She was born, Sarah DeRemer Clark on September 24, 1880 in Hollywood, Pennsylvania. The town no longer exists. In 1901, she moved to Allentown and married Abraham Lincoln Knauss who was a well known Republican in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania. Mr. Knauss was active in the Republican Party and he died in his 80's. They had a daughter Kathryn who attributed her mother’s longevity to caring about nothing but her family. When her mother died, Kathryn was 96. They are one of the oldest mother and daughter known to be alive at the same time in history. Kathryn stated her Mother was serene and nothing outside of the family phased her. This got me thinking about how Republicans are operating today. They are thinking mainly about their own family,”The Republican Party”, and what will be most beneficial to them. They have sued to keep Biden from being President, still blame Obama for things that happened on their watch, and have pledged to repeal health reform to mention only a few. Do you think Republicans feel that by caring about their own family’s agenda, (the Republican Party), this will lead them to a longer political life? Mrs. Knauss kept her focus on her family. Is this a Republican trait? It seems that the “compassionate conservatives” are anything but compassionate, as evidenced by legislation they have tried to enact or block. The party of “ family values” appear to be concerned about only their own family and doing whatever is in their power to bring Biden down. In a time when our Country is in great need, the Republicans continue to turn their backs on the neediest of the family which is the United States of America. As I examine this narrow minded view, I think to myself that my life would be less stressful if I only cared about my own family and my own political party. Would I too be more serene if all I worried about was the Green Party? I don’t believe I could ever do this. I would rather live a shorter life span than wonder if my narrow minded focus caused injustice to be allowed and to prevail. The Republican Party needs to come back to the National Family Table and not worry about their own bottom line. The Democrats need to challenge the Republicans and work for the citizens. Both parties seem to care only for their corporate masters as is evidenced by this slap in the face $600.00 stimulus check being tossed at people in dire need. “Let them eat cake”- Marie Antoinette References: Suite 101.com Forever Young and Healthy.com Wikipedia Britannica.com

https://medium.com/@robinlaurain/will-being-a-republican-cause-you-to-lead-a-longer-life-52fd2b6853e8

['Robin Lea Laurain']

2020-12-21 03:45:36.333000+00:00

['Green Party', 'Democrats', 'GOP', 'Stimulus Check', 'Coronavirus']

Telecommuting Breaks Transportation, Pt. 3: House Money

Credit: Macrovector (composite image) This multi-part series addresses core concepts in telecommuting’s impact on transportation; concepts which have gone largely dismissed by the very experts who fund, plan, and build our nation. For more, see Part 1 and Part 2. House Money The holy grail of sales opportunities is the house money scenario, in which a customer’s investment in your solution presents zero financial risk because their dollars are currently being dumped wastefully into the very problem you’re solving. The rub, of course, lies in whether both parties agree on what is considered waste — and a lack of agreement there often stems from a misunderstanding about whose house you’re in. Companies developing connected and autonomous vehicles have leaned on house money arguments from the beginning: no one wants to spend a hundred billion dollars to sit in traffic, and no one wants to spend eight hundred billion dollars to clean up the aftermath of traffic collisions. It stands to reason that if the public is routinely pouring money into unwanted outcomes, they’d surely be willing to invest in solutions to mitigate such unwanted outcomes for a fraction of the current expense. That argument, logical as it might be, is problematic because the public doesn’t see their money going to waste. Whether veiled or normalized, the steps between a government’s money pit and a resident’s pocketbook are often exhaustively untraceable. We see evidence of this disconnect when surveying the public on connected & autonomous vehicle adoption, wherein the most effective carrot to gaining support is the notion of lowering their car insurance premiums — yet, the greater financial benefit of systemic infrastructure and operational savings goes ignored. Mobility advocates have battled with this financial disconnect for decades. When a COVID-era traffic study revealed that Californians were saving $40MM every day thanks to the downturn in traffic collisions, transit reformists aplenty began nominating what should be done with the money. What money? The money from this alternate reality where insurance claims didn’t need to be paid out, and where city property wasn’t damaged? Those dollars don’t get returned directly to residents as rewards for driving less. At best, they vaguely come back years later under the banner of lower taxes or health insurance premiums — at worst, they get absorbed as usual to balance budgets or boost profits. The public only sees a murky swamp of fluctuating social costs, unable to decipher where behavioral changes directly benefit them. Hence, citizens gravitate towards the immediately perceivable costs (e.g. car insurance), and the broader house money argument falls flat. Not so with telecommuting. Working from home has its macroeconomic implications, without a doubt. But the relevance of its microeconomic impact hits home like no other, and as a result, makes it the most dangerous behavioral alternative in transportation. Mrs. Citizen doesn’t like commuting. What’s more, while she doesn’t know she’s spending thousands every year to support commuter culture in general, she is well aware of the thousands she’s hemorrhaging to cover her fuel, parking, insurance, and maintenance costs. If a solution could simultaneously save her from something she doesn’t want to do, and save her the cost of doing it, the decision is all upside. House money. This microeconomic influence is hard to argue with, but even in reversing some of the behaviors that made America so unsustainably car-centric, it still perpetuates ignorance of holistic financial impacts. That’s not to blame Mrs. Citizen for the lack of transparency corporations and governments have burdened her with — but when the ripple effects of telecommuting en masse begin to erode parking revenues, gas taxes, insurance revenues et al, balancing budgets at city and state levels will become an even more treacherous game of musical chairs. Taken as an opportunity, leaders could open up their books and engage the public in a way mobility advocates have always dreamed would happen. Taken instead as a crisis, the usual three-card monte funding maneuvers which have sewn seeds of public distrust for decades could come to a head, as an influential minority of citizens naively proclaim their independence from transportation funding.

https://medium.com/the-whimper/telecommuting-breaks-transportation-pt-3-house-money-bb700e4bf80f

['Mitch Turck']

2020-05-26 17:39:40.717000+00:00

['Transportation', 'Urban Planning', 'Remote Working', 'Remote Work', 'Future Of Work']

Wakeful(less)

‘Consciousness’ hits The harmony splits I remember things that I ‘have to do’ Just a moment ago I was floating on flow In a land without rules, Without ‘false’, without ‘true’ The light shines in The time shines in The shite shines in What a dreadful place Awake awake For badness sake The realm of Sense(less) dissension and hate It’s cold as fuck it’s noisy too As other people’s ‘perspectives’ Scream through Better listen and learn More like Bicker and burn Get dressed Get stressed Let the ‘real’ world return Awake awake But not quite enough Guzzle coffee, take drugs Just to focus on stuff That you’d rather forget Work, anxiety, mess A society swept up In shiny duress That yells Good fucking morning In everyone’s face Through the Screens Through the Waves Through the Brain cells erased Eat your eggs, drink your juice And then scroll through your day Scroll through love scroll through hate Scroll your own thoughts away Awake awake But still fast asleep In a world run by robots That run our beliefs Awake awake But still fast asleep In a world Where the ‘shepherds’ Love strangling ‘sheep’.

https://medium.com/resistance-poetry/wakeful-less-9c37f1f80cc

['Adam Millett']

2020-10-28 11:23:06.149000+00:00

['Poetry', 'Society', 'Algorithms', 'Resistance Poetry', 'Social Media']

Poor Writing Costs More Than You Realise (and How to Fix it)

Doing the Writing Arithmetic The average annual salary in Australia for adult, full-time employment is roughly $89,000. (According to the Average Weekly Earnings figures for May 2020 from the Australian Bureau of Statistics.) That comes out to about $44 an hour. Let’s look at very basic costs for writing, based on the average hourly rate: $7.33 — If you bang out an email in 10 minutes. $44 — If you spend an hour writing a memo to your staff, or a status report to your manager. $176 — The average blog post takes close to four hours to write, according to 2020 blogging research from Orbit Media. Those big multi-person projects like answering bids, writing grants, or pulling together a proposal can easily cost your company hundreds, if not thousands of dollars. It’s a simplistic view, for sure. I haven’t taken into account the cost of employee benefits, office space, or equipment. I haven’t considered all the people involved in getting an email, memo, or blog post ready to print. The time required by subject matter experts hasn’t been added in. And I haven’t considered the time it takes for quality control. And I bet you haven’t either, at least on the point about quality control. It’s hard to put a cost on reputation damage, on a tarnishing of your professional image, or the erosion of trust experienced when your readers encounter errors in your writing. If you’re depending on yourself, or your writers, or an online tool to find errors for you, those costs might be accumulating more rapidly than you realise.

https://medium.com/better-marketing/poor-writing-costs-more-than-you-realise-and-how-to-fix-it-9a457e7da240

['Sarah Mitchell']

2020-12-29 19:19:32.340000+00:00

['Content Creation', 'Content Writing', 'Business Writing Skills', 'Writing', 'Writing Tips']

What we know about the busy trap

At some point in our lives, we will come across the person in the workplace who is always too busy to stop and help or even have a chat. This person is constantly rushing to and from meetings, making big important decisions and often saving the company from imminent disaster. In the domestic setting menial tasks and social engagements are often avoided, sometimes overlooked or cancelled because the person of interest is way, way too busy! It seems we are all busy these days and for some reason, in our minds, busy people equate to important people! Or at least that is what they would have you think. But why? How come we are all so busy being busy, surely this can’t be the case all the time? Can it? Well my friends for some of us we have learned the art of looking busy when really we are not. We have learned how to slack off but at the same time look industrious. We have learned how to promote our self-importance in the eyes of our would be admirers. So if you fancy a bite at this apple or more importantly want to learn how to spot a busy person, then read on. Below are some tips on how you too can join the legions of, “I can’t do that, I am way too busy”. Follow these tips and you will be next in line for acceptance into the hall of fame of busyness. Clutter your environment — Have you noticed busy people are often surrounded by lots of things. Their work desk is stacked high with papers, files and all sorts. For the technologically minded their computer desktop has many applications open, always at the same. Well, when you see this be sure to know this is the classic cloak of busyness. Move with urgency — I have never known a busy person to amble across a room. For some reason, they walk everywhere at an exaggerated pace, almost as if they are putting in the practice for their next race walking competition. Try it and for added effect try walking across a room carrying a clipboard, a book or notepad. It doesn’t really matter what it is, walk with something in your hand and with urgency and everyone will think you are moving with purpose. Perfect your concentration stare. Looking intently at something. Sends the message you are locked in deep concentration and thought. I once worked with a guy who would sit upright, with his right hand on his mouse and stare at his computer screen. He would do this for minutes and minutes at a time. I was convinced he was working until one day I looked closely and noticed his computer screen saver was on. Intrigued I took the opportunity to walk past his desk. It was then that I noticed he was staring at his screen with his eyes shut! So the lesson here is to avoid staring with your eyes shut and remember to disable or increase the duration at which your screen saver comes on. For a bonus tip, if you are going to stare at something, do it with a frown or your angry looking face. People very rarely want to disturb or talk to angry looking people! Fill your calendar/schedule— If you are running an electronic or paper calendar/ schedule it doesn’t matter. Book meetings with yourself, dream up titles to pad out that hour here or there for me time. The trick is to reduce your availability but you need to be inventive and use descriptions that people won’t think to question such as personal/ self-development or admin. With a busy schedule, you now have evidence and a ready-made excuse to avoid meetings and social functions. Respond appropriately — If asked to attend a meeting always default back to your busy schedule which you can now proudly share. If you are feeling assertive offer an alternative time, early in the morning or late evening. The key is to offer a time you know will be inconvenient for the person asking. Somehow this always seems to make a meeting less important. Use your phone as a weapon— In this day and age, most of us carry a mobile/ cell phone to stay in touch with our business or loved ones. So these strategies come in handy anywhere or anytime you want to cloak your busyness. Option a) — Take a call. Simply switch your phone off or put it into silent mode and have an imaginary call. Being on the phone is a great way to look busy. To do this you need to be prepared to talk to yourself, so devise a script to make it sound convincing. Make it sound important and concerning and you won’t be interrupted. Option b) — Stare at your phone and scroll through your apps whilst frowning and pretend you are reading something of great interest. This option perfectly doubles up for the situations when you simply want to avoid any form of social interaction. Take notes — Remember how in school if you stepped out of line you were given lines to write. Well here is your chance to relive that moment and maybe combine some of the tips above. Clutter your environment with paper, whilst staring angrily and intently at the lines you are writing and I can almost guarantee you won’t be disturbed. Get busy being busy — Finally, I have saved the best tip to last. It is one that you may have already used yourself or undoubtedly come across because someone has shared this with you. The tip is to simply go around huffing and occasionally sighing whilst telling everyone how busy you are. When doing this make sure you say things like, “I can’t help because…” or casually slip into conversation, “I would love to do that but…” Tell as many people as you can and do this often enough and soon word will spread about how busy you are. I would love to share more tips, but right now I am busy being busy and it’s time for me to….

https://medium.com/the-haven/what-we-know-about-the-busy-trap-cf7520dd1bc7

['Jesse Wilson']

2019-06-10 02:10:42.782000+00:00

['Life Lessons', 'Life', 'Productivity', 'Work', 'Humor']

Reaching Out and Giving Back: The 2017 JCCI-EDI CSR

By Summer Medina In their eyes and hearts, they witnessed a day to remember, but what they did not know was that they also gave us something back- they gave us an experience of a lifetime. Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) promotes the engagement of an organization to its stakeholders and serves as a way for employees to bond and interact for a good cause. If you think about it, there are a lot of ways to reach out and get together at the same time, but how would we do it? What would be the basis of our theme? Would everyone enjoy this activity? Here at John Clements Consultants, two words answered all the questions which, at the same time, have become a core theme for most of our CSR activities: giving back. Last September 23, 2017, John Clements Consultants, Inc. held its annual CSR activity at the Chosen Children Village in Silang, Cavite. It was the third time the event was held at this location but, nevertheless, the participants were still excited. There were two types of CSR participants that day: the familiars and the first-timers. Being part of the latter, I was really looking forward to this activity since it was my first time to visit the place and because it was, admittedly, a nice break from the usual workweek. The day started with a brief introduction and history of the Chosen Children Village. We learned that the foundation was established in 1989 by Mrs. Maria Angeles “Lita” Fullerton, or “Mommy”, as the children fondly call her. The establishment cares for children with special needs, especially the physically and mentally challenged, within a family setting. The facilities were first built in Las Piñas but the foundation eventually transferred to Silang, Cavite to accommodate their growing family. I was moved by the big heart and philosophy of Mrs. Fullerton, who said, “Each and every one of the children deserve to be cared for by people who will love them with a mother’s instinct.” And I could attest to this, as every child in the Village showed their love for their “mommy” through tight hugs and sweet kisses. The CSR event was divided into three parts: (1) a tour of the Village, (2) interaction with several children, and (3) a short program over lunch. Likewise, we were divided into three groups in order to have an efficient tour and ample time to cover the cottages we were allowed to see. Out of the 11 cottages, we went to the toddlers’ area, the older children’s facility, and their gym, where we witnessed how well-maintained their facilities were. All throughout our tour, we were greeted with big smiles from the children, which made us want to stay longer. From the outset, the aspiring psychologist in me was already learning and enjoying a lot — what more if we could extend our interaction with them? At around 10:00 a.m., eight of us went back to the toddlers’ cottage in time to see the children begin their meal. Four of us volunteered to assist in feeding them while the rest watched and cheered on the children to finish their meal. I was amazed because at their age, they could eat with minimum assistance and finish their food without throwing a tantrum! The reward for finishing the meal was dessert, something they looked forward to. Following their meal, the toddlers had a quick bath, and afterwards we were allowed to play with them. Personally, I liked the play part because the children were already comfortable with us and we were able to bond with them. It was fun seeing them so carefree and happy the way only children can be. We couldn’t help but smile at their antics — whether they danced, ran around, or played with their toys, they were really a joy to watch. Aside from the toddlers’ cottage, other participants went to the gym and played basketball, badminton, and volleyball with the “athletes” of the Village. They broke into a sweat while playing, but I was sure they were also amazed at how athletic and agile those children were. Next, we had our program over lunch at one of their halls. The program started with opening remarks from JCCI Managing Director Mario Biscocho, who said that it was always good to come back to the Chosen Children Village. This was followed by a short question and answer portion regarding our experiences, conducted by our hosts, Pauline Zantua and Andy Sanuco. Everybody had a great time — there was a lot of dancing, singing (where, I thought, many were teary-eyed), and fun games. It was a sad moment when the day ended and we had to leave, but we all left with gratitude for the things we accomplished and what the CSR event meant to us. Giving back is not only limited to material things — it’s also the time and effort spent in the process. In this case, we helped the Village sustain their needs through donations and, at the same time, made the children smile with delight because we were able to spend time with them. Several parts of the program might be forgotten by the mind, but what truly transpired that day would always be remembered by the heart. What started as a gloomy, overcast Saturday ended up being bright and warm because of the children. Their appreciation gave us an extra dose of Vitamin C — Vitamin Cheer — and it was something worth remembering. Our “reaching out and giving back” project was a success because we were able to achieve our objective of giving back. And what made it more successful was the fact that we also received something in return: love, appreciation, and inspiration to be a special kind of person.

https://medium.com/the-looking-glass/reaching-out-and-giving-back-the-2017-jcci-edi-csr-2884a181cbba

['Marge Friginal-Sanchez']

2017-10-01 06:10:27.906000+00:00

['Jcevents', 'Csr']

Satan & Adam- Now on Netflix

Review by Jason Godbey, Creative Director, Behind the Rabbit Productions Here’s a review for one you may have missed. Satan & Adam is a documentary about Adam Gussow and how he met and came to play the blues with a man who calls himself Mister Satan. The story begins in 1986 when a young Adam then a recent college grad gets dumped by his girlfriend and ventures uptown to the Harlem section of New York City. There he meets Mister Satan, a one man blues band playing on the street. Adam, a harmonica player, pulls out his mouth harp and asks to sit in, and with that their relationship began. We later find out that Mister Satan is really Sterling Magee, a legendary guitar player who once played on Ray Charles’ Tangerine record label for acts like Little Anthony and the Imperials. After becoming frustrated with the establishment, Magee dropped out of the mainstream music industry and became a street performer in Harlem. Adam is our point-of-view character. We follow him as a stranger in a strange land, a middle class white guy who decides to quit his job and play the blues on the streets of Harlem. Magee is the mystical sage, the real deal who’s seen it all. He’s the Yoda to Adam’s Luke Skywalker if Yoda were a blues man and Luke carried a harmonica instead of a light-saber. The two have real chemistry both as friends and as musicians, and their relationship is the heart of the film. The documentary is unflinching in its look at their unlikely marriage, their triumphs and failures. We track the pair from their meeting in ’86 to the present. There’s archival footage of them playing on the street, recording, and touring over the years. This film will keep viewers guessing and offers quite a few surprises through it’s superb use of editing. This documentary has everything you’d want in a movie, twists and turns, emotional moments, and compelling characters. Satan & Adam is a testament to the universal language of music and how it can bring people together. It’s a story of second chances and serves as an inspiration to anyone who is still pursuing their dreams late in life. If you’re in need of some hope and motivation to start your year or you just love the blues, I highly recommend it. Satan & Adam is now streaming on Netflix.

https://medium.com/@btrproductions/satan-adam-now-on-netflix-6be7ecec0036

['No Rest For The Weekend']

2020-01-19 17:23:20.247000+00:00

['Documentary', 'Entertainment', 'Entertainment News', 'Film Reviews', 'Movie Review']

Parliaments, picnics and social cleansing: a walk in London

Sometimes walking up and down hills is the only way to truly try and understand what’s happening in the city around you, writes Matt Tidby. The view from Primrose Hill. Photo: Richard Kaby via Flickr CC I’m pretty good at walking. I enjoy exploring places on foot — I once spent a full day finding Coventry utterly fascinating, which is no small achievement. Last year, I moved to London. In such a sprawl, it can be difficult to perceive and appreciate the social and historical value of even your immediate surroundings — let alone try to think about the place as a terrifying, multitudinous whole. So, I’ve started walking about. This Easter bank holiday, spring had sprung, so I jumped on a train to Gospel Oak and climbed Parliament Hill — intent on walking from there, via Primrose Hill, to its namesake in Westminster. The view from Parliament Hill is a hazy east-west panorama of blue smudges — the city still feels distant, but I was distracted — I had seen someone whom I thought was Josie Long on the Overground a few minutes before and had promptly tripped extravagantly whilst disembarking. Pride suitably prodded, I set out down the hill and out the park; past children doing earnest laps of the athletics track, past fedora-topped characters openly smoking cannabis within waft of the ice cream van queue. The walk towards Primrose Hill took me through the gargantuan mansions of Belsize Park, down the aptly titled England’s Lane — itself a coldly concise summary of London’s housing crisis. The average asking price for a property here, amongst the designer eateries and near-toxic levels of chic, is a spicy £2.1 million. Yet, at the top of the road, sits the squat and uninspiring redbrick form of the England’s Lane Hostel, where Camden Council ‘temporarily’ houses its homeless families — often for years at a time. I stopped for a moment on the opposite side of the street, watching the Bank Holiday coffee crowds luxuriating in the sunshine. A recent burst of resistance to social housing evictions, with occupations from Barnet in the North to Stratford in the East, has been a strong and uplifting rallying cry against the wilful disassembly of working class communities. However, it may ultimately be in vein — with council’s facing increasingly taut financial boundaries, and with ‘Right to Buy’ rearing its ugly head once more, the incontinence of London’s property gold rush may already have burst the dam. The trouble with England. Photo: Bex Walton via Flickr CC Reaching Primrose Hill, I meet my first proper crowds. Appropriately for Easter, there’s something pleasingly occult-ish about the clamour of sun worshippers atop the summit of the park. The more ostentatious among them have gone the whole hog with wicker and wine — reclining to survey the eclectic swinging dick spires of their capital. To avoid being accused of looking sideways at nearby romantic entanglements, I focus on the skyline — as ever, feeling sorry for St. Paul’s amongst its charmless looming neighbours, whilst furtively admiring the Pyongyangian protuberance of the Shard. London is in the white heat of a skyscraper boom — clusters of chrome dugtrios are bursting upwards, with the number of buildings over twenty storeys set to double. Quotas of “affordable” housing have been established to prevent these glittering upstarts being the sole estate of the rich, but developers are becoming savvy to avoidance manoeuvres. Speaking of which — eventually, the couples begin daubing their naked torsos in pentagonal patterns, ready for the ever-popular sacrificial dance at sundown. Before I get short-listed for the slab, I potter down the hill and into the Regent’s Park. Beyond the boulevards and blossom of the park, and in a fit of self-punishment for not having the foresight to bring a picnic hamper, I elect to take a direct route to Westminster — following Portland Place and Regent’s Street, past the doom-destined horseshoe of Broadcasting House and into the crowds proper. For the first time, my pace slows. At one point, within the echo of an earnest Oxford Circus beatboxer, I become trapped amongst an enclave of Spanish teenagers, who appear to have set up their own static autonomous state on the borders of Banana Republic. I manage to traffic myself out by jumping into the bus lane. I nearly lose a foot to a Tuk Tuk outside Hamley’s, and decide that enough is enough. I dive down a lane of tradesman’s entrances, emerging into the comparative silence of Messrs Carnaby and Beak — Soho, increasingly encroached upon, still manages to cushion the chrome-steel horrors that mass upon its borders. A campaign to preserve the cultural role of the area has gained national attention. However, just as with the mothers of E15 and the homeless of England’s Lane, the burrowing claws of cash may be too deeply entwined in the fabric of Soho to preserve her tapestry indefinitely. I skate across Piccadilly Circus without looking up — its piazza of pizzazz looking grubbed and tawdry under the glare of sobriety. Within moments, the garishness recedes to be replaced by another kind of brazen monumentalism. From Waterloo Place, adjacent to the dusty halls of the Royal Society, a party of statues — Captain Scott, Florence Nightingale, Edward VII and others — welcome me to Westminster proper. With an election looming, there’s something unfathomably pregnant about the Palace of Westminster. With the civil service off darning their socks in the bank holiday sunshine, the silence of Whitehall evokes the possibility of more ‘There’s no money left’ notes, patiently waiting on desks. I skirt the rear along Horseguard’s Parade, to get my favourite view of Downing Street. From here, that sun-kissed coalition rose garden, for all the power it contains, can be seen for what it is — the modest yard of a lonely, besieged terraced house, behind barbed wire and security gates. It looks like somewhere to dig out of, not commit your life to get in to. I walk into Parliament Square from Great George Street, and tweet my delight at being out in the sunshine, having done enough exercise to permit the consumption of a quite indecent volume of banana loaf once home. London, for all its grace and comedy, is fundamentally flawed — a great city, but a victim of its success. Our national media are delighted to blame London’s problems on the crowd — particularly those in social housing, or the 37% of its residents born outside the UK. But any walk in London, whichever way you go, makes it plainly obvious that the greatest threat to the future of our capital is capital itself. It saturates every edifice — a groundswell of finance, flooding our commercial thoroughfares and communities alike. And in the grand tradition of apocalyptic storytelling, this catastrophe can often be best seen from the surrounding hills, of Parliament and Primrose.

https://medium.com/abstract-magazine/parliaments-picnics-and-social-cleansing-a-walk-in-london-6e6d74ac06f4

['Matt Tidby']

2015-11-28 13:01:14.945000+00:00

['London', 'Life']

10 Ways To Engage Employees With Year-End Financial Results

The end of the business fiscal year is fast approaching for many organizations. The results of 12 months of effort are revealed. A yardstick is planted for how successful the business has been — and what the future may hold. For internal communicators, it’s a golden opportunity to increase employee engagement. Transparency and openness are the cures for damaging rumors and water cooler talk. Sharing year-end financial results improves confidence in leadership and directly influences employee happiness. It’s time to start planning your comms requirements. These ten communication tips will help you share your fiscal year-end performance with staff — regardless of whether the outlook is gloom or boom. 1. Link results with strategy With every piece of communication, spell out how everyday efforts across the organization supported the results. A new branch opening; a new product launched; a departmental restructure. Significant developments like these will have had big impacts on staff, either positively or negatively. Failing to address results in light of these developments will have the whiff of cover-up. 2. Keep staff in the loop Ensure staff are looped in on all public announcements. Don’t leave them to find anything out from external media sources. After all, staff were instrumental in the results, so it’s only fair. Plus it also demonstrates that employers have nothing to hide, which is especially important given 76% of employeesdon’t trust employers who fail to share company data. 3. Consider channel selection You’ll need an integrated communications plan to engage employees and achieve high readership. Not just posting on the company intranet; not just broadcasting an email. Select complementary channels which support engagement at each step. Channels that generate interest, offer broad reach and support reinforcement. If your comms platform doesn’t provide this, find one that does. 4. Paint a picture Don’t just deliver the numbers — join those numbers like a dot-to-dot activity to visually capture your results. Translating the data in this way will be especially welcomed by non-financial staff (which will be most of them). Consider including video as well — video desktop alerts are a great option to reach remote staff if an in-person presentation is not possible. 5. Accentuate the positive Employees rally behind success — it lifts spirits and inspires efforts. So even if your business results have been disappointing, make sure to spotlight any successes. Has a team performed especially well? Has a previous negative trend begun swinging to positive? You needn’t neglect the improvements the business has to make, but look for the light amidst the darkness too. 6. Prepare answers in advance There are sure to be questions from staff, especially if performance has been less than stellar. Preparing answers in advance allows you to better manage staff response, particularly emotionally, as well as demonstrates strong leadership. Their primary concern will be ‘what does this mean for me?’, so be sure you can answer appropriately. To foster openness, consider an ‘Ask Me Anything’ session with your CEO. 7. Summarize key takeaways When communicating your year-end financial results, there will be a lot for staff to take in. What’s the top-line result? What were the main drivers for this? How did their department fare? Summarize the key takeaways for promoting internally. Display these visually on digital signage or poster boards in common areas, like kitchens, bathrooms and break-out spaces. 8. Cascade to departments Employees’ main frame of reference is the department or team they work in, so it’s important to cascade the results down to the level most relevant to them. Detail the specific impacts made by their department. How did they perform against their KPIs, what were their achievements, how did the work of every team member contribute to the results? 9. Allow staff their say Invite staff to submit their ideas for improvement. With the announcement of results, their attention will be on business performance — probably more so than any other time of the year. So leverage the opportunity to get them to brainstorm ways to improve the business. Use a staff survey for suggestions or run a contest to encourage participation. 10. Define clear next steps So, you’ve delivered the results, made them meaningful, engaged with departments and addressed the questions. That just leaves ‘where to from here?’ As one year ends, another begins. Clearly spell out your new business objectives, your expectations of staff and the tactical initiatives you’ll undertake to achieve them. This is the time for a rallying cry that musters the strength of your workforce into an unstoppable army. Year-end is a crucial time in the business calendar. It’s also a time where internal communications can really shine — improving employee engagement, aligning individual efforts with collective achievements, and establishing foundations for the future. It just takes a little bit of forward planning. Looking for more tips on increasing employee engagement?

https://medium.com/@laura.holding/10-ways-to-engage-employees-with-year-end-financial-results-eae40969a3e1

[]

2019-06-25 22:08:45.002000+00:00

['Communications Strategy', 'Employee Engagement', 'Finance', 'Internal Communications', 'Year In Review']

5 Songs for the Weary Loud Music Fan

It’s amazing how much can change about you from one injury. By Scott Mason The past half year has been a time full of things I’d have considered to only be possible far off into the future up until now. I’m not talking about how Trump became the 2nd most voted for candidate in history. I saw that coming. I’m talking about my own capabilities as a fairly healthy 32-year-old-male. I thought it would be decades before I had trouble opening most jars. I didn’t think I’d spill most of my beverages until much further down the line. The biggest surprise was that I never thought I’d get too tired emotionally to listen to the vast majority of my own music taste. That…is not like me. It’s amazing what low morale can do to even the most minuscule aspects of a person’s quality of living. Enjoying your life in certain ways doesn’t just take effort. It takes focus and fortitude. It never occurred to me that the vast majority of my music taste actually might require more than most others. It tends to be active, imposing or sudden sometimes to the point of jarring. It can even be calm but there just needs to be something there that is moving other than a vocalist. Even beats can count if the producer is creative. Most of it all suddenly became too much effort. I’m glad that particular part of my recovery is over. Here are a few songs and why they weren’t too much partway through it. 1. “The Regulator” by Clutch This is the band I will want to see once concerts start happening again. If you are familiar with this amalgamation of the styles of Black Sabbath, ZZ Top and desert rock bands like Kyuss, it might not make sense for me to put a Clutch song anywhere on this list. They tend to have swagger, which takes a certain amount of enthusiasm to digest. They certainly aren’t quiet but this song certainly is unique for a number of reasons. It’s trippy and distant with the electric guitar. It has a loose, dusty acoustic guitar for the verses. The drums never get too explosive. They get partially drowned in the mirage-like haze and soulful vocals. The chorus nearly pushed past my capacity as a drained listener but it doesn’t become too much to give me a headache by zeroing in and trying to enjoy the sound. 2. Illumination by Gogol Bordello The opening chords and the eventual bass are the hardest parts to get through this song in an exhausted state. Again, this culture punk song might be surprising. The opening choppy acoustic guitar hits you as if you’re a nail until you get used to it. Then whenever it transitions to another part of the song, it’s always smooth and melodic. Even when the rest of the band joins in, it’s surprisingly gentle for a genre that is built on hyperactivity of sound or of mind. As for vocals, this is an unusually calm performance in a gypsy punk band. 3. “Six-Forty-Five” by Firewater You know how I previously mentioned that culture punk bands tend to be drunk on parties and fun? Firewater is one notable exception. If the last year of Kurt Cobain’s life was given one sound, sent overseas and created using Klezmer, gypsy and Turkish folk instruments, it would probably sound like Firewater. Despite their frequently raucous tendencies, they occasionally have odes to self-destruction that remain stripped down, stay disturbingly soothing and lull you into a state where you can be humorously at peace with your own suffering. “Six-Forty-Five” sounds like a day at the beach where you are somehow the victim of a hit and run collision on the sand. 4. “All Along the Watchtower” by Bob Dylan The vast majority of my favorite Bob Dylan songs are chaotic. Some of which include “Hurricane” and “Highway 61 Revisited.” However, a softer ballad is one brilliant work of his that is actually perfect for my situation. “All Along the Watchtower” is one of my definitions of a well written song. It doesn’t matter who’s performing it. Even with Jimi Hendrix, TSOL, The Dave Matthews Band even that I’m not a fan of, like U2, it still never loses its tone. The sense of imminent global doom, yet the fortitude to face it. You can even sometimes get a sense of what kind of end the singer is looking down the barrel of. A plague, a nuke, Reaganite totalitarianism or pure sadness and even a goth punk band can’t fully shake off the last gasp of determination that is inherently imbedded into the song. Everything from the chords to the lyrics contribute to the same rough situation and the same way it will be met. With weakened, yet still unbroken, courage. 5. “Tonight’s the Night” by Neil Young The 60s and 70s sounds have not been ones that I could endure while healing up from my two ulnar tunnel release surgeries and my ulnar nerve transfer. Barring classical and romantic composers, it all began for me with “Purple Haze” by Jimi Hendrix and “Paint It Black” by The Rolling Stones. None of the above, within the item on this list, were options for what I could listen to. This song almost sounds like nobody else is there. As if Neil Young and Crazy Horse are playing purely for the pleasure of their lost friends and colleagues, given that it’s a tribute to their roadie and their former guitarist. I also find that Young’s distinct warble is easier to appreciate during sickness, rather than during health. He just has that way of making the sadness, pain and dread in all our lives less crippling with. The best way I can some that up is that his music doesn’t use it’s sound to provoke a particular response. It usually comes a lot closer to asking for one.

https://medium.com/@scottm5551988/5-songs-for-the-weary-loud-music-fan-e11c2477917d

['Scott M.', 'His One-Man Blog']

2020-12-22 19:57:02.458000+00:00

['Wellness', 'Recovery', 'Health', 'Songwriting', 'Music']

The best affordable espresso machines you can buy in 2019

Coffee connoisseurs say that the espresso is the highest form of caffeinated enjoyment. We’re not here to argue — only to assist you in brewing your tiny cup of java. While some coffee makers sell for ridiculous prices, it’s not actually necessary to empty your bank account for good coffee. Here are some of the best affordable espresso machines we’ve stumbled across this year. Breville Nespresso Creatista Retailing at under $350, the Breville Nespresso Creatista offers exceptional value for money. This pod-based espresso machine gives you complete control, with a built-in touchscreen for selecting your ideal brew. Price: $349.88 USD Breville Bambino Plus If you prefer grounds over pods, the Bambino Plus should float your boat. This thing can match the performance of machines twice the price, thanks to a ThermoJet heating system. Price: $479 USD Nespresso Prodigio Smart Espresso Machine The Prodigio was one of the first connected espresso machines, and it’s still going strong. Through the app, you can select the size and style of your coffee, check the water tank level, and even order more capsules. Price: $399.98 USD Nomad Espresso Machine by UniTerra Can’t be without your coffee? You should pack the Nomad. This tiny machine lets you brew the perfect espresso without the need for any electricity — perfect for camping and road trips. Price: $299.99 USD ROK Espresso Maker This stunning manual espresso maker adds a slice of style to any kitchen. It also produces a great cup of coffee, thanks to a high-pressure seal. In addition, this machine is made from durable engine-grade metal. Price: $154.99 USD NowPresso Portable Espresso Machine Don’t have access to hot water? No problem with NowPresso. This compact device automatically heats the water and brews your coffee. It even has a built-in cup for enjoyment on the go. Price: $199 USD De’Longhi Magnifica S Thanks to a built-in conical burr grinder with 13 adjustable settings, the Magnifica S lets you enjoy fresh coffee every morning. This machine is also very compact, and much easier to clean than many competitors. Price: $900 USD Breville Barista Express This countertop beast gives you the full coffee-shop experience at home. The Barista Express has a 15-bar Italian pump and a 1600W thermo coil heating system. You also get fine control over the grinding process, and micro-foam milk texturing. Price: $499.96 USD Bonus: Breville Oracle Touch If you’re willing to spend more for the best possible cup of coffee, the Oracle Touch is worth every cent. This machine lets you adjust the strength and temperature of your coffee, and save your settings. You can actually store eight customized coffees, with quick access through the built-in touchscreen. Price: $2,499.95 USD The best affordable espresso machines While you can always get your caffeine fix at Starbucks, brewing coffee at home is much cheaper in the long run. In addition, you can adjust the settings to your exact taste and experiment with different beans. We hope this round-up will help you make the leap, no matter your starting budget.

https://medium.com/the-gadget-flow/the-best-affordable-espresso-machines-you-can-buy-in-2019-1f03b410c982

['Gadget Flow']

2019-06-17 16:34:54.672000+00:00

['Coffee', 'Kitchen', 'Morning Routines', 'Coffee Culture', 'Gadgets']

everything happened at the same time. Stoicism helped me remain resilient during that difficult time. I’ve been studying the philosophy ever since.

everything happened at the same time. Stoicism helped me remain resilient during that difficult time. I’ve been studying the philosophy ever since. Mimil Dec 19, 2020·4 min read I discovered Stoicism in early 2015, right around the time my grandmother passed away, and I was dealing with a breakup and a career switch — everything happened at the same time. Stoicism helped me remain resilient during that difficult time. I’ve been studying the philosophy ever since. Inspired by Seneca’s renowned letters, I’m starting a weekly column here on Medium, that I call the Stoic Letter. Roughly speaking, there are two philosophies to base your life on. Seeking pleasure: Think of Hedonism and Epicureanism Finding pleasure in duty: Think of Stoicism, Zen, and other philosophies that promote self-reliance I believe seeking pleasure is the current philosophy of the world. We live in a society that revolves around pleasure, consumption, and escapism. Most of us simply want to be comfortable in life. While there’s nothing wrong with making our lives better, there’s major risk in taking this philosophy too far. https://247sports.com/high-school/mississippi/board/football-102607/contents/gggs-boxing-golovkin-vs-szeremeta-live-stream-reddit-online-157272430/ https://247sports.com/high-school/mississippi/board/football-102607/contents/watch-gennady-golovkin-vs-kamil-szeremeta-live-free--157272593/ https://247sports.com/high-school/mississippi/board/football-102607/contents/ggg-vs-szeremeta-live-stream-start-time-price-tv-channel--157272592/ https://247sports.com/high-school/mississippi/board/football-102607/contents/hd-gennadiy-golovkin-ggg-vs-kamil-szeremeta-live-stream--157272591/ https://247sports.com/high-school/mississippi/board/football-102607/contents/redditlive-ggg-vs-szeremeta-live-stream-how-to-watch-to-157272594/ https://247sports.com/high-school/mississippi/board/football-102607/contents/reddit-ggg-vs-szeremeta-live-reddit-free-how-to-watch-golovkin-157272595/ https://247sports.com/high-school/mississippi/board/football-102607/contents/streaming-ggg-vs-szeremeta-live-reddit-free-how-to-watch-golo-157272596/ https://247sports.com/high-school/mississippi/board/football-102607/contents/streamswatch-ggg-vs-szeremeta-live-reddit-free-how-to-watc-157272597/ https://247sports.com/high-school/mississippi/board/football-102607/contents/redditstreams-ggg-vs-szeremeta-live-reddit-free-how-to-watc-157272598/ https://247sports.com/high-school/mississippi/board/football-102607/contents/reddit-boxing-fight-gennadiy-golovkin-vs-kamil-szeremeta-live-157272599/ https://247sports.com/high-school/mississippi/board/football-102607/contents/crackstreams-saul-canelo-alvarez-vs-callum-smith-live-streaming-157272601/ https://247sports.com/high-school/mississippi/board/football-102607/contents/free-gennady-golovkin-vs-kamil-szeremeta-fight-live-stream-wa-157272605/ https://247sports.com/high-school/mississippi/board/football-102607/contents/ggg-vs-szeremeta-live-stream-fight-on-reddit-online-tv-info-wa-157272609/ https://247sports.com/high-school/mississippi/board/football-102607/contents/ggg-vs-szeremeta-live-reddit-free-how-to-watch-golovkin-vs-szer-157272610/ https://247sports.com/high-school/mississippi/board/football-102607/contents/redditstreams-ggg-vs-szeremeta-live-stream-reddit-free-boxin-157272613/ https://247sports.com/high-school/mississippi/board/football-102607/contents/boxing-streams-reddit-watch-ggg-vs-szeremeta-live-157272616/ https://247sports.com/high-school/mississippi/board/football-102607/contents/golovkin-vs-szeremeta-free-live-stream-121820-157272618/ When you’re primarily driven by pleasure, you risk ending up on the hedonic treadmill. This is not new information. We all know social media makes us feel unworthy and depressed. We know we can’t buy our way to happiness. We also know that seeking pleasure turns us into slaves of our desires. And yet, we fall for these traps every day. Enter Seneca’s moral letters to Lucilius One of my favorite philosophers is Seneca. He was not only a thinker, he had a long career in politics, serving as a senator and later as the advisor to Nero. His works show how practical he was. Towards the end of his life, he started traveling and writing letters to his friend, Lucilius. The goal of these letters was to share Stoic thoughts with Lucilius, who had hedonistic tendencies and lived a busy life. At the time, Seneca himself took a step back from public life and left Rome. From the quiet countryside of southern Italy, he wrote 124 letters to Lucilius. I’ve been a long-time fan of these. You can tell that Seneca subtly tries to convince his friend to be more stoic, to pursue tranquility, and to focus on what’s inside his control. These letters serve as reminders to focus on the right things in life. The Stoics believed that, to live a happy life, you need to go against the herd. In a letter to his brother, Seneca wrote this: “Let us enquire what is the best, not what is the most customary, thing to do, and what establishes our claim to unending happiness.” The weekly Stoic Letter: Focus on what’s important I love Seneca’s letters to his friend because it feels like he could’ve written them to you and me, living in the 21st century. Seneca successfully stepped away from the busy life of Rome and gave Lucilius an outside perspective. Sometimes, that’s all you need to get out of your own head. Every Friday, my followers will receive a new letter that deals with today’s problems and concerns using practical Stoic thoughts. The format and feel will be the same as Seneca. The goal of these new letters is to help you focus on the things that matter most in life. The things that you value — not the herd. If you want to read these letters every week, simply follow me here on Medium. I’m looking forward to corresponding with you. All the best.

https://medium.com/@2mimi0034l/i-discovered-stoicism-in-early-2015-right-around-the-time-my-grandmother-passed-away-and-i-was-f8ae0153c773

[]

2020-12-19 00:30:52.080000+00:00

['Stoicism', 'Life', 'Stoic Letter', 'Philosophy', 'Self']

What are Best Online Sites to Prepare CCIE Routing And Switching?

When it comes to IT certifications, Cisco Systems is considered near the top of the category in terms of interest, perceived value as well as size and heft of its overall program. The Cisco Certification pyramid shows a well-elaborated family of credentials that are available at many career and complexity levels, where both Architect and Expert certifications most notably, the Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert, or CCIE would be remaining evergreen credentials and in high demand, with lots of cachets, and considerable income-generating power. Below mentioned are some sites, which you could rely on to learn about the Cisco Certification. But along with these practice sites, you also need to have good training, which you could gain it through the SPOTO. 1. The Cisco Learning Network: Cisco operates a formidable training as well as certification operation, both online and in person. The online portion is called The Cisco Learning Network or, more unofficially, Cisco Learning. Here, you could be navigated to the individual credentials as you see fit, but you could also tap into a huge volume of supporting and surrounding information. 2. MeasureUp: Whether you would be looking for resources to help you to obtain that first Cisco certification or you are a seasoned professional which would be seeking to advance in order to the next Cisco certification level, MeasureUp is definitely considered is worth exploring. 3. Cisco Press: Cisco Press offers an amazing collection of certification preparation materials. CCNA self-study resources would be illustrating, you could find all kinds of materials for the enormous majority of Cisco certifications at the company’s official press site. Cisco Press not only would be offering a full-length study guide, but also the software simulators, flash cards, video training, and even practice tests. 4. CCNA Cert Prep at Celtic Rover The Celtic Rover CCNA pages would be offered to some great resources for IT professionals preparing for Cisco’s CCNA exam. You would be finding lots of great information in order to dig into for the various CCNA exams. This material would make a great supplement to the candidates who are preparing through Cisco Press CCNA exam cert prep books. 5. CCNP Certification Prep at CCNP Guide As with Celtic Rover for CCNA, there’s a lot of good stuff that you could learn at CCNP Guide which would help you out to bone up for the various professional level CCNP exams, especially for those who are on the Routing and Switching track. 6. Cisco Lab Kits The higher you climb up the Cisco certification pyramid, the more the importance of hands-on access to the hardware increases. That’s why at least half of Cisco CCNP candidates as well as those who are pursuing CCIE, purchases their own gear upon which they are going to practice on. And in the case of the CCIE, Cisco pros would be spending a great amount of time with the hardware so as to prepare for the infamous CCIE lab exam. 7. Cisco Virtual Labs Online There would have always been lots of sources for virtual lab access to Cisco environments online, but only in 2012 did Cisco itself would be dipping a toe into these waters by launching of the Cisco Virtual Labs. 8. Cisco Certification Training As is so often the case for training on certifications of the vendor-specific, you would have an important choice in order to make when you would be seeking out training on Cisco certifications to go through an authorized Cisco training partner that would be taught elements of the Cisco official training curriculum, or in order to go outside the Cisco channel so as to find a solid, reputable third-party training provider. CCIE R&S Certification would be achieved without proper training module, for which I would recommend you to join the SPOTO, as it provides you with the training along with the passing guarantee.

https://medium.com/@xiaotonghu/what-are-best-online-sites-to-prepare-ccie-routing-and-switching-f7d10fbcf17c

['Xiaotong Hu']

2019-04-12 08:06:19.563000+00:00

['Certification']

Masculinity

I grew up in Venezuela in the 80s in 90s in a family with very traditional values; some of these values today can be seen by many as somewhat backward thinking or outdated. However, it is because of many of these values that I think I can see and adapt to changes in society. See, the thing about values is that they guide us and not to define us. If you let the values that are instilled in you in your childhood defined who you become as a young person or adult, then you will spend the better part of your life stuck in the past. The idea that boys are supposed to be strong and manly and not emotional is one of the craziest things that I ever heard. In fact, I thought about this even as a young kid being raised with this mindset. To me, it was contradicting because my dad and my uncles and pretty much every male around me would tell me boys don’t do that and boys don’t sit that way and boys don’t wear pink and boys don’t play with dolls. Yet my grandfather was probably the best-groomed man I knew. His entire presence was that of a man who cared deeply about how he looked. His hair always on point, skin moisturized, clothes always impeccable, shoes clean, hands and feet meticulously manicured. He had watches and jewelry that, in many cases, were custom pieces he would commission his jeweler to make for him (I remember always being fascinated by his rings and necklaces). And as if that wasn’t enough, his sitting posture was in complete contrast with what all the manly men in my family would tell us kids to follow. Looking at girls and talking about them was the norm. Sexualizing women and objectifying them was culturally accepted, and it still is in the Latin community. I mean, the entire reggaeton genre is based on it. I must say, though, that my father did instill in my brother the value of respecting women and not objectify them and me. He is very traditional in that way too. A respectful manly man ;). I am not sure exactly where I am going with all of this, but I am happy to be still young enough to express myself in any way I want, regardless of my sexual orientation. Growing up, many people would label my twin brother and me as gay, and it wasn’t necessarily in a complementary way. I never was, and I am not the manliest of man. While I am by definition a “straight man,” I have never really been one to let rules dictate how I want to express myself, and today I find a lot of joy when I see that we are more open to the idea that gender doesn’t define us. Not all genders fit in a box. I remembered one day back in 2017; I was out exploring some abandoned places with a group of young photographers in new york city. One of the kids in the group asked me to fit a fake blue flower on his hair for a photo in front of the art he had drawn on the wall, and the other guys said that putting a flower on his hair was girly and not manly. Andrew then asked the guy to define masculinity, and the guy stumble his words, and Andrew said something that went along the lines of “True masculinity is about being secure of our feminine side so that we are not threatened by it” I remember thinking to myself; this kid is on another level of awareness. Andrew, at 16, was the youngest person in the group and probably the most secure of all. This was the first time I honestly thought about masculinity and about what it means to be manly and also what it means to be feminine. In our society, in many parts of the world, people still buy into the idea that boys have to be manly and tough and the girls need to be girly and somewhat dependent on the toughness of men. And that is something I hope that future generations don’t have to deal with because, well, you know, I think it is better to be who we are than who we are expected to be. We need to tell our boys that it is good to be sensitive and cry and that it is good to express themselves as they want, and the same for our girls. Harry Styles recently became the first “Man” to have a solo cover shoot for Vogue Magazine. In it, he wore one of the most beautiful gowns I’ve seen; yet, some people in 2020 still gave him and the magazine a ton of backlash for this, saying things such as boys can’t wear dresses, and this is a women’s magazine. But my absolute favorite was one by a somewhat famous person who said the following. “There is no society that can survive without strong men. The East knows this. In the west, the steady feminization of our men at the same time that Marxism is being taught to our children is not a coincidence. It is an outright attack. Bring back, manly men.” This sentiment here has a lot to unpack — first of all, what is a strong man? A man so insecure that needs to adhere to a standard because being seen as a weak (feminine man) is too terrifying? — I don’t know about you, but to me, that contradicts the whole strong man thing. Second — The East knows this? Hmmm… I don’t know what this means because, in Asia, the men are not that manly, but maybe she refers to the strong man in NK. Third — The steady feminization of our men — Is she taking possession of the men?! Also Marxism?! I think she is a trump supporter; you know, the strong man who is so weak he can’t even accept losing and people not liking him and the press talking wrong about him. And lastly, “Bring back, manly men” — There are plenty of manly men around who happen to express themselves freely, and I think what she means is that she likes men who are weak and insecure but disguise themselves in a faux belief of masculinity. Ok, maybe it is time I bring this ramble to an end and say if you are a man/boy reading this and you fit the many shades of masculinity, feel free to express yourself however you see fit. You don’t have to be butch and strong to feel masculine, and you won’t be less masculine or less of a man because you don’t fit the traditional concept of it. Lastly, being a man is all about being yourself and not what others expect you to be to fit the mold, so to the kids out there, always be you and keep discovering who you are.

https://medium.com/@jaysrambles/masculinity-b620e24bf2a1

['Jay Flores']

2020-12-01 15:05:32.567000+00:00

['LGBTQ', 'Gender', 'Men', 'Masculinity', 'Gender Identity']

An Angel Hidden Scenery on Bali

Are you ready to adventure in Bali? Let’s go to Bali Island. Hidden Green Canyon was the final stop on your whirlwind trip around Bali. Hidden Green Canyon is one most supernatural view. The natural views like a green steeply sloping mountainside, it was so beauty picturesque seen. There were favorite incredible waterfalls, freshly dale, rice terrace, great’ river, and the unique temples. Are you interest to visit? If you want to, please kindly read my line stories and join with Mister Aladin Tours three day two night (3H2M Hidden Canyon-Bali) services. I wanted to write the best places and the attractions activity in Hidden Green Canyon. The Hidden is located in The Undisan Villages in the area of Sukawati, Gianyar. How to get there? Next, to the Pura Dalem Guwang there is a path in the form of a ladder that leads to the bottom, and from this is the beginning of the entrance or a way to access the hidden natural attractions of Bali, the hidden canyon. Easiest going away around Bali by used motorbike. It is incredibly budget-friendly spending time in far to there for three days two nights on there. Before you go make sure to about the weather because the canyon’ is closed when it’s too rainy. There are three Canyons or cliffs wants to see. There were a Tubing Canyon, Kalimudah Canyon, and Hidden Beji Guwang. But the ones top cliff is a green “Tebing Undisan or Hidden Beji Guwang” looks like a face shape at glance. The color green is a uniqueness that attracts many visitors. This is only one adventure that made you so close and unspoiled nature of Bali. Also, the calm atmosphere is suitable for those of you what do you want to meditation. Not only a cliff, but there was also a waterfall named Tangkup, is easily one of the most beautiful waterfalls near Undisan village. It’s only been officially open a few years and rather than a huge weight of water dropping down, this has an almost step-like structure. You can swim, but when there has not to rain been for a while. Do not forget to bring the swimsuit, protect your body with the mosquito-spray, many bastards are everywhere. I think when you have the plan to visit Bali, do not go in July, October and December there was the busiest time the travelers visiting Bali. I’d recommend in April, May, June, and September when the weather, not a rainy day. The prices are more reasonable and there are fewer tourists around. Where next traveling in Bali? Find out more on Mister Aladin’s website!

https://medium.com/@nugget.bukansogood/an-angel-hidden-scenery-on-bali-dea7cb3d3a63

['Nugget Sogood']

2019-04-11 04:32:30.509000+00:00

['Travel', 'Waterfall', 'Bali', 'Tourism', 'Indonesia']

My Husband Will Never Know I Used to Own a Sex Doll

She was my special little secret. I loved her. She was a brunette with blue eyes. We looked a like. It was kinky. I loved kissing her. I loved touching her. I loved lying beside her and letting my thoughts wander. Sometimes I just enjoyed dressing her and doing her hair. There’s no need to ever tell my friends or family. They just wouldn’t get it. They don’t have to. Sex doll owners don’t need anyone’s understanding or forgiveness, even if a little acceptance would be nice. The world still assumes there must be something wrong with us. They think we must be serial killers. It’s been a while since I thought about my sex doll. Reading about pansexual bodybuilder Yuri Tolochko’s recent marriage brought back some memories. It also reminded me of the judgment I always lived in fear of, if anyone had ever found out about her. Yuri doesn’t look too worried. There’s no shortage of bedroom police. The world is still full of sad, broken people who need to make themselves feel better by heaping judgment on everyone else, just for trying to live their lives and find their own happiness. It’s time to set the record straight. Owning a sex doll doesn’t make you crazy or dysfunctional. There’s a few reasons you might try it: Sometimes you want to be left alone. Years ago, I moved into a studio apartment with the plan of getting a PhD and working two jobs to support myself. There wasn’t any time to date. My last relationship had drained me dry. I didn’t want to develop feelings for anyone when I knew I’d be leaving in a few years, with no idea where I’d eventually end up. It made no sense. So I bought a doll. It’s not like I turned into a witch, living somewhere deep in the woods and never interacting with humans. I had friends. I went to bars. When I had a free weekend, I went to parties. Guys hit on me in public. I even had a couple of stalkers. Sometimes I had casual sex, but not often. I lived a normal, busy life with lots of quiet evenings in the library. Sometimes you want freedom. Here’s the truth about sex dolls. They’re the greatest toys you could ever buy. They’re expensive, but if you’re not too picky you can find them used online for a fraction of the original price. That’s what I did. You just have to be careful, because plastic and silicone can harbor viruses. A desire for personal space isn’t the only reason someone would buy a doll. Some people want a safe space to explore their sexuality. They might be bi-curious, or have fetishes they don’t feel like they can explore with anyone else. Sex dolls don’t care. They’re up for anything. They’re cool like that. Sometimes you want a story. Some people do form emotional attachments to their dolls. They make up a relationship narrative, maybe to make it feel less strange. Personally, I never felt the need to give mine a name. Some people introduce their dolls to their friends and families. They want everyone to treat their doll like a person. That can be a tough conversation. Nobody ever knew about mine. She was my secret. I never wanted to marry my doll, but I can’t say I never felt feelings for her. At the end of a long day, I was happy to see her. I took care of her. It was some of the best sex I’ve had. Some people have a doll fetish. There’s a large and vibrant community of men and women who feel intense attraction to dolls. I’m one of them. Everyone has their kink. Some people like feet. Others like dressing up as Pikachu. Like every other fetish, we can’t explain it in a logical way. We just do it. Okay? You could say childhood trauma made it a little more difficult for me to establish meaningful relationships, but that kinda takes the fun out of it. In the end, I just like sex with dolls. I like porn with dolls, mannequins, and robots. It turns me on more than vanilla sex, and I’m not ashamed of it. You can still love people. Some of us don’t choose dolls over conventional relationships. We do both. We move back and forth. Some couples incorporate dolls into foreplay. They use them when their partners are out of town. Two years into my PhD, I did start dating someone despite my better judgment. He was a conservative Catholic, and I suspected my current lifestyle would be a point of tension. In short, I felt like I’d need to get rid of my doll. So I listed her online and sold her. (Tip: It’s best to sell locally if you can. That way you can just drop them off somewhere.) Goodbye sex with my doll was a little sad. Sometimes I miss her. I definitely miss her more than the guy I dumped her for. Despite a year of decent conversation and sex, we just weren’t that compatible, and he didn’t respect my career. He turned out to be a little more close-minded than I expected on the religion front. Regret isn’t worth much when it comes to love, so I don’t think about it that often. I moved on and got married. Now I have a kid, and I’m going to let her sexuality unfold however it does. I’m going to support her, like I wish I’d been. There’s only one thing wrong with sex dolls. The average person would still tell you it’s unhealthy to own a sex doll. Look at Yuri Tolochko’s social media, and you see so much hate. Everyone seems to think owning a sex doll disqualifies you from “normal” relationships, or it means you have to forfeit your membership to humanity. That’s nonsense. The only problem with owning a sex doll is that it makes you vulnerable to everyone’s judgment and ridicule. People make all kinds of assumptions about the community, when they know nothing about them. Like always, fear rules over close-minded people. In the end, it’s the internalized shame and guilt that makes it harder for sex doll owners to engage in relationships with people. That’s what we need to change.

https://medium.com/sexography/my-husband-will-never-know-i-used-to-own-a-sex-doll-6d1a75da0d87

['Jessica Wildfire']

2020-12-22 17:04:37.686000+00:00

['Relationships', 'Society', 'Sexuality', 'Love', 'Sex']

Helping public institutions look beyond the curve

We spoke to Jason Pearman in April about how he and his team are keeping an eye on the long-term and helping public institutions think about ‘the curve beyond the curve’. He’s been busy with charts and frameworks to give himself some useful mental models to make some sense of quite extraordinary times. Let’s jump in. Hey Jason! First off, how are you feeling, are you ok? Hi! Like most of us, the first few weeks of this pandemic were a struggle. After making sure my family and team were safe, I did spin my wheels a bit trying to find ways for our team to contribute to the immediate COVID response. What’s got your immediate attention? Young people. As part of a team with a mandate to support young people along their journey into the labour market, the COVID crisis has really forced us to think deeply about how we’re able to help them; not just right now (though that’s important) but through the duration of this crisis and into a period of recovery. In the midst of this crisis, governments are being asked to respond to… just about everything. With so much to get your head around, how have you framed your thinking? Where did you start? I’m sure I’m not the only one who was unsure where to start! But I have come to lean heavily on the International Futures Forum’s Three Horizons framework. Obviously, no framework or mental model is 100% accurate, but they can be useful and the Three Horizons Framework has given me a way to consider the continuum of this crisis. If you’re not familiar with the Three Horizons Framework I’d check out this great video explainer by Kate Raworth. From the immediate challenge of stretching the social safety net as wide as possible to protect people’s health and livelihoods; to the longer-term challenge of lowering the barrier many young people face when joining the workforce. It’s thinking about those longer-term problems that’s keeping me awake at night. We’re doing our best not to take our eye off of the long game. We’re also seeing huge amounts of money from both funders and governments. Where that money goes will have a huge effect on whether we have a future we’re happy with. We need to make sure we structure this massive ‘portfolio of investment’ — because that’s what it is — well. Practically, this means casting our attention and investments beyond what’s immediately in front of us at all times. I like that the Three Horizon Framework helps us see three interconnected systems that are at play during any transition. The first system, Horizon 1, is the dominant system that we all recognize and rely on. Sometimes referred to as “Business as Usual” or the system that “keeps the lights on”, when conditions change this system loses its effectiveness. The third system, Horizon 3, is a new end state that is a better fit for the new realities on the ground. The second system, Horizon 2, is the collection of new innovations and new infrastructure that helps Horizon 3 emerge. To successfully navigate a transition, it’s important to act effectively across these three horizons. Can you get a bit more granular on what kinds of activities or investment that you’d want to see? What kind of portfolio is needed to lay foundations for a viable future? I tend to obsess about how to operationalize innovation frameworks and strategy, so I recently ran a thought experiment to A) map the Three Horizons over the phases of a crisis response, and B) map some decision and innovation operational models like Cynefin, Innovation Portfolio Sensemaking/Management, Mission Oriented Innovation, Boring Revolution, Delivery-Driven Policy, and IAP2 over the Three Horizons. Ok, that’s a lot of frameworks… Yeah, it is. So I made it a table to make sense of when these ways of thinking are most helpful to us (or helpful to me and the team) over the duration of the crisis. This is where I got to: Worth noting that H1, H2, and H3 systems act in parallel (not one after the other). I only included the dominant Horizon during a given phase of the crisis response.

https://medium.com/states-of-change/helping-public-institutions-look-beyond-the-curve-a68ff2c808e9

['States Of Change']

2020-06-16 15:52:00.249000+00:00

['Innovation', 'Three Horizons', 'Framework', 'Government']

“Dapper” Devs Unite

Sounds like a barber shop quartet, but these guys are making something far more interesting than harmonious melodies. Blockchain development has grown exponentially over recent years. While no one seems to have missed the enormous amounts of opportunity crypto holds, the demand seems to be outpacing the supply of experienced Devs needed to keep up. Enter DApperNetwork, “a global community of early tech adopters building next generation decentralized apps with blockchain technology”. Founder Eric Chung, adjunct faculty at the University of Southern California and co-founder at Los Angeles Blockchain Lab, is bringing the Dev community together with events, hack nights, and even panel discussions with industry experts discussing hot topics and trends in blockchain. These panel nights feature a Q&A session where panelists are quizzed by community members, leading to insightful discussions and an imparting of knowledge that would otherwise be tedious to acquire. The most intriguing service the DApper Network provides is the Developer Bootcamps. These weekend training camps teach participants with at least one year of programming experience how to build an Ethereum app. Training covers the ins and outs of the Ethereum blockchain, solidity code, and simple smart contracts. Led by the DApper Network’s awesome team of mentors, participants also learn how to utilize Truffle and Web3.js to build their own decentralized apps. Participants learn about use cases from the mentors before working on their own smart contract projects. But the best part about these bootcamps may be that they are mobile! Community members can request a boot camp in their city or attend one nearby. You’d expect such valuable training to be costly but with tuition set at less than $400 this may be the smartest investment in your development education you can make. The shortage of devs in blockchain is an issue many have noticed, in fact blockchain solutions are already in the works to address this concern. NULS for example has built a modular blockchain to assist devs new and old in their DApps projects; simplifying the process while providing users the opportunity to customize their subchain to meet their solution needs. With the DApper Network, Eric and his experienced team of mentors are doing their part to educate and assist new devs in building the future of blockchain. Eric Chung is teaching blockchain at USC Fall 2018. Join the DApper Network family here → http://www.thedappernetwork.com/ and see just how beneficial a global community can be to your continued growth and education within this ever-changing industry.

https://medium.com/teamglasses/dapper-devs-unite-9811d34f95ae

['Rachel Pascascio']

2018-08-11 17:42:12.681000+00:00

['Blockchain', 'Dapps', 'Development', 'Education', 'Networking']

How would I answer product role interview questions?

A big shoutout and picture credit to Headway. Source: Unsplash As a young graduate who is planning to venture into a product design or manager role. Solving a case question is posed to a participant. The question consists of a real-world scenario in product teams and the participant is asked how they would navigate in such a situation in a team. These questions allow interviewers to learn a lot about the candidate. It allows the interviewer to know about How the candidate arrives at a conclusion? Is the candidate thinking critically about solving a real problem for the customer? Do they have enough knowledge about the product? Does the candidate seek help when he is stuck? Is the candidate thinking about business objectives while arriving at a solution? Can the candidate really communicate what he intends to communicate? It is just amazing, one case question can reveal so many ambiguous characteristics of a potential candidate. In addition to that, an interviewee can make a confident decision about hiring a candidate. I’ve been practicing some product manager role interview questions. Here is the framework or a technique that I’m using currently to answer the interview questions. Stating a clear desired goal about what I want to achieve; allows me to have clarity on what I intended to achieve? I would spend time trying to empathize and understand the user, the motivations of the user, priorities of a user. In the next step, I would try to identify the pain points of a user After identifying the pain points. I would spend some time trying to understand the opportunities I have to achieve the desired goals. After identifying the opportunities, I would spend time understanding the constraints that I need to navigate to arrive at a solution for the problem. After becoming aware of the constraints, I would spend some time understanding the tradeoff’s that I can make to achieve the desired outcome After becoming aware of the context that, I would be operating in. I will spend some time choosing the solution path that I think will allow me to achieve my goals. In the next stage, I would devise experiments that would allow me to build the solution and I’ll keep developing the product from the experiments and making iterations to the development process. I would follow the 8 steps that I have mentioned above to answer product role interview questions. Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this blog are from my own personal experience and research. If you find it useful, please share it with your friends and family. If have any suggestions to improve this blog post feel free to let me know in the comments section below. Thank you 🙏 - Amarnath Nagula

https://medium.com/@amarnathn/how-would-i-answer-product-role-interview-questions-b27c8306b621

['Amarnath Nagula']

2021-06-08 16:52:48.113000+00:00

['Interview Preparation', 'Product Management', 'Product Development', 'Interview Questions', 'Case Study']

Press Release: DragonBite, Loyalty Points on the Blockchain, Webapp Open for New Users Globally

Press Release: DragonBite, Loyalty Points on the Blockchain, Webapp Open for New Users Globally DragonBite Sep 3·3 min read For immediate release HONG KONG, September 3, 2021 — DragonBite, a blockchain technology company, is proud to announce the global rollout of its web application. The new platform enables people to buy vouchers from popular tier one brands such as Amazon, Adidas and Starbucks while distributing crypto currencies as rewards for purchases. DragonBite’s webapp aims to increase adoption and help non-native crypto users get into crypto. The interface makes it easy for people who are not familiar with technology to use the product. Users of the app will be rewarded with BITE equal to ten percent of profits made on sales. Mickael Costache, CEO of DragonBite, is proud of DragonBite’s accomplishments thus far: “The blockchain space for those uninitiated seems complicated and risky; with the launch of the DragonBite webapp, what excites our team most is the significant population of loyalty point holders around the world. Loyalty points are a digital asset, so we are starting with a consumer group and category that is familiar and we will use that as a bridge to bring the next ten million new people to their first contact with blockchain and cryptocurrency wallets. This is not only good for DragonBite but it will be a boon for all companies in the crypto ecosystem.” The worldwide release of DragonBite’s webapp is only the first of a number of exciting developments on the roadmap for this rising startup. The company token is now listed on Bitmart and Uniswap. It will release a DApp in Q4 of 2021. Underpinning the functionality of the DApp is a utility token called BITE that allows users to convert their reward points into cryptocurrencies. BITE is DragonBite’s native token. The price of BITE is driven via game theory, incentives, and standard supply and demand models all encompassed in the BITE Tokenomic model — engineered to incentivize usage of the DragonBite system and continually bring value to BITE holders via deflationary economics. Since the launch of the webapp, the token has rallied more than 14%. As the webapp is the first step to work the bugs out of the system prior to full blockchain rollout of the DApp; to accelerate the BITE tokenomic flywheel, all profits from voucher sales are used to buy back BITE from the market and burn it. Thus, the rally will accelerate as more users onboard and begin using the webapp. Holders of the BITE token will continue to benefit from the tokenomics because of the increase of the webapp’s usage and the release of the DApp next quarter. You can store BITE in an ERC-20 compatible wallet, like Metamask, and trade BITE on exchanges. Enthusiasts trade BITE for USDT and ETH on Uniswap and Bitmart. A How-to Video Series is under production by the DragonBite team to walk users of the webapp through the process of using the app, claiming their tokens and getting comfortable with blockchain technology. The DragonBite team is excited to bring new people to their first experience with the cryptosphere. The webapp can be accessed at https://webapp.dragonbite.io/.

https://medium.com/@dragonbite/press-release-dragonbite-loyalty-points-on-the-blockchain-webapp-open-for-new-users-globally-509b8cabdb79

[]

2021-09-03 04:20:31.809000+00:00

['Web App Development', 'Press Release', 'Blockchain', 'Voucher', 'Loyalty Program']

A Covid Christmas

CULTURAL PROMPT- “WHAT DOES DECEMBER MEAN TO YOU?” A Covid Christmas Photo Credit: Olenka Sergienko for Pexels. There are no hot chocolate-filled mugs, decorated with marshmallows and topped with thick whipped cream and cocoa powder drizzle this Christmas. The festive market treats that you and your friends once indulged in, are now memories of a Christmas past. Despite the paper lanterns and small-bulb lights scattered on plastic coated string, the glowing streetlights do little to raise your spirit. Underneath the displays and thick winter chill are the scattered pedestrians. Social distancing has imposed barriers between you and the outside world. Your friend is now kept at arm’s length, as you talk over a morning two metre spaced jog for your daily exercise allowance. Your friend reveals the affair they are having with their co-worker, sparking later concern when they inform you over text that their lover received a positive test result. Panic ensues. Staring at the sixty-four rolls of stacked toilet paper commanding your living room, you shudder in fear at the prospect of being a spreader. (Yes, you are one of those hoarders that people read about in newspapers, but you will not be featuring in one of those anytime soon. Besides, you had put effort into your collection, lining up two hours a day for the past week to gather the supplies.) What about your elderly mother, who you dropped off some of your famous carrot surprise soup to this afternoon at her doorstep? What about your overly friendly neighbour, who eager to gain your attention, stepped a little too close for comfort, as they greeted you outside your house? And what about your ex-partner? Separating right before the lockdown, you did not have any time to prepare to move, and so you both had been trying this co-habiting thing. That night’s winter blues had led to a time of familiar passion, but as the next day seeped in, you were both back to your opposite ends of the house. Were all of these people, alongside the countless others that you had passed along your errand adventure now infected? What about your own health? Under your breath, you curse your friend and reach for your phone, ready to call all concerned.

https://medium.com/blueinsight/a-covid-christmas-662add401eff

['Lexus Ndiwe']

2020-12-22 16:40:00.368000+00:00

['Cultural Prompt', 'Christmas', 'Blue Insights', 'Coronavirus', 'Writing Prompts']

Stop being impressed with Donald Trump. He’s never taken a risk.

Originally published on August 10, 2015. There is a popular narrative being spun that Republican Party Presidential Candidate and noted bloviator, Donald Trump, is impressive because he speaks his mind even if he offends. And while it may be true that he speaks his mind–and it’s absolutely true that he offends–it’s hardly impressive for one simple reason: he has nothing to lose. What makes a person’s forthrightness and honesty impressive is when it is considered along with the risk taken for them to speak out. A brave act is only “brave” if one is afraid of the worst consequences. If you don’t have any fears, you aren’t being brave. Trump–and this is a through-line for his life and business–isn’t taking any risk when he trumpets his “politically incorrect” thoughts. He’s set financially and career-wise. While we may mock (rightly so) the career politicians who are so careful with their words, we should remember, this is actually their job. None of us has the luxury of firing off at our boss without facing the consequences. Neither do career politicians. (Why we make it possible for a person to become a “career politician” is another subject but such a career exists and it’s not illogical that those careerists need to negotiate their words delicately.) Secondly and thirdly, the narrative about Trump speaking his mind makes two declarations: that Trump is refreshingly political incorrect and that he is responsible for the Republican Party’s current conversation about immigration. To the first point, saying racist things and then criticizing the offense taken proves the validity of political correctness as a practice. In its intended form, “political correctness” simply means “speaking of everyone with respect.” While it is true that political correctness (like any bromide) is often taken to extremes to avoid offending anyone, in its basest form, it is simply another term for “being polite.” Making a racist or sexist remark and then trying to claim that only “political correctness” causes our offense at it is proof that political correctness works. In that instance, the speaker’s political incorrectness highlights his racism. Had he been politically correct, we’d never have known he was a racist. (I mean, except for all the other times he’s been a racist.) Related to that, this notion that Trump is responsible for bringing the issue of immigration to the Republican Party is ridiculous. If an intelligent person wants to start an intelligent conversation about an issue, there are many ways to do it. What Trump did was to throw a grenade of evidence-free, racist assertions into a pack of Republicans and claim righteousness while the responsible parties picked up the pieces and addressed the wounded. This is akin to a cop who shoots a black man claiming responsibility for our current national conversation about racially-motivated police shootings. Trump is to blame. But he isn’t the least bit “responsible.” Finally, upon examining actual issues, Trump isn’t really saying anything different from the majority of Republican candidates. This is the real head-scratcher because of the Republican candidates, there is one who speaks his mind forthrightly, honestly, and intelligently–Rand Paul. How Trump gets so much credit when he spent most of last Thursday’s debate (once you subtract the time he took to offend and trumpet himself) nuancing himself into mainstream Republican positions on immigration (wall or fence, they all agree), abortion (fuck women’s individual rights), or healthcare (undo Obamacare) is staggering. What we can draw from this is that the Republican faithful respond to their core messages being delivered as bluntly and uncompassionately as possible. Republicans don’t want to hear actual forthrightness when it contradicts their views on the security state or individual rights. Republicans–for all their “real Americans” talk–don’t seem to gravitate to real, working candidates. They prefer the hyper-rich and the ensconced political class. But there is something else that the example of Trump shows us: how empty a candidate can be and still be seen as “leading.” Reason and the National Journal both recently opined on the vacuousness of Trump the candidate if you’re interested in a real inside look at it. Key hilariousness from Reason: I suspect, though, that most of Trump’s supporters, rather like Trump himself, have put very little effort into imagining a Trump presidency, except to idly fantasize about all the ways that it would be different and awesome and better. He would be an exciting, deal-making, ass-kicker who would strike fear into the hearts of America’s enemies, and he would do this simply by virtue of being Donald Trump, in all his glorious, exciting Trumpiness. Of course his candidacy is vacuous. He isn’t risking anything. He isn’t afraid of anything. If you want your personal narrative to have actual substance, you have to take risks. You have to be afraid in order to be brave. And Donald Trump–silver spoon in his mouth, reliant on government financial protection, loser of other people’s money, mismanager of his own, and career sexist–has never been afraid nor brave.

https://medium.com/hey-todd-a/stop-being-impressed-with-donald-trump-hes-never-taken-a-risk-cbdac293073c

['Todd A']

2017-09-12 20:30:18.554000+00:00

['Donald Trump', 'Republican Party', 'Politics', '2016 Election']

A case for better financial products & services

Photo by Jon Tyson on Unsplash In the last couple of months, as a part of my customer development research, I have been interviewing and surveying people regularly to understand the top challenges they face when it concerns their personal finance and what is causing these problems. During these interviews, most people felt the same about one thing. There needs to be better financial products or solutions. To see why better solutions are needed, we first need to understand what is wrong with the present ones according to customers. Customer is not the priority One question that constantly bothers the people I spoke to was, what is the priority of financial institutions? Is it me or my money? It is a valid question. Most salespeople from banks and other financial institutions eagerly follow up to sell their products. However, when the same customer reaches out to customer care to resolve a problem concerning the same product, they hardly share similar levels of enthusiasm. In this case, the customer has to follow up several times and get buried in paperwork to get the issue resolved. No wonder, people think these institutions are just behind their money. Why is everything so complex? If you have ever tried investing or getting a loan, you would be asking the same question. Why is everything so complex? The entire process requires you to go through numerous pages of brochures and documentation loaded with financial and legal jargon. When your customer feels like they need a specialization or a degree to understand your marketing content and accompanying documentation, you know you have a problem! Everyone except the customer makes money! Mis-selling financial products is not something new and has taken place as long as financial markets and institutions have existed. What annoys the customer is that companies rigorously innovate to make money for themselves instead of their customers. Firstly, the agents or partners cleverly misrepresent the product and sell it to the customer to take home a hefty commission. The classic example being insurance policies sold as investments. Institutions then slap on sizeable management and administration fees for delivering returns lower than low-cost index funds available in the market. Even if these low-cost index funds are available through them, customers hardly hear about them. A problem of plenty Just like the famous line from a poem, “Water, water everywhere, not a drop to drink!” there are thousands of options out there. Nobody with a full-time job and a limited amount of time can figure out the right one for them. There are 5000+ mutual funds in India, thousands of insurance policies, and hundreds of credit cards and loan options. Why so many? Why can’t there be just a handful of great ones presented to customers in an easy-to-understand manner and help them make good decisions? It’s not that there are no answers to these questions. It’s just in the best interest of many players in the market to not answer them and maintain the status quo. The devil lies in the details! There are charges and then hidden charges. Nobody knows this better than anyone who has used a credit card. They allow us to happily spend the money we don’t have in the most seamless manner possible and then slap us with hidden charges in a statement which most people can barely understand. Also, why should one pay 3–4 times the interest rate of a personal loan to finance their spending on a credit card? Both of them are uncollateralized loans. Nobody knows why! Why do we need better products and services? In conclusion, we can see a strong case for better financial products and solutions. Firstly, we work hard for our money, and we shouldn’t be working harder to make it work for us. Secondly, making money without delivering good value to your customers is just not good business. Thirdly, prioritize your customers, and they will happily offer their money if they see the value. Lastly, financial institutions need to understand, there will be new players in the market willing to help their customers and disrupt them. If not today, pretty soon they will!

https://medium.com/@charanravindra/a-case-for-better-financial-products-deb00b77a98e

['Charan Ravindra']

2021-09-09 11:55:53.516000+00:00

['Financial Services', 'Finance', 'Financial Inclusion', 'Personal Finance', 'Customer Experience']

Features and Benefits of Bulk SMS Services

Everyone having mobile phone knows the meaning of SMS. The special ring alerts the user about the arrival of new SMS and then they just cannot hide their anxiety and look for the message to read. Nowadays, companies and commercial organizations have started utilizing this SMS service for their benefit by sending Bulk SMS. Bulk SMS Service is sending the same message to hundreds or thousands of recipients probably in a list. This is being sent very quickly and hence it is highly beneficial to the commercial people to reach thousands of individuals at a time. Types of bulk SMS Services: · Promotional Bulk SMS Service refers to the advertising purpose about a service or a product. · Transactional Bulk SMS Service means the messages sent by the financial institutes like insurance companies, banks and credit card companies. Moreover, government bodies, educational institutes and other registered bodies also belong to this category. · International Bulk SMS Service refers the messages sent to other countries. Mobile handsets of other countries will receive them. Process of Bulk SMS: Bulk SMS Services Provider is the organization who arranges for sending these messages to the recipients mobiles in a very quick and efficient manner. They have more than 100 characters and can also include pictures, videos and sound files. Usually, the term ‘SMS’ Short Message Service refers to the messages and not the services or about the process. Basis of Bulk SMS: The very purpose of SMS is to send messages to the people who are interested about the local events, club openings, and music concerts, sales at top retailers, seminars and conferences. People who have signed and joined in a members list for receiving these messages will receive them. The organization who wants to send Bulk SMS will compile a mailing list containing thousands of people with their mobile numbers and pay for the SMS Services Providers and allow them the mailing list. These lists can be used later on also. Features of Bulk SMS Service: · One SMS can contain 160 characters · Many Bulk SMS Service Providers allow their clients to login in their allocated portal and send Bulk SMS directly for the people in their database or mailing list. For this, they have to purchase some packages that will provide them access of this facility for certain period. · In case, clients prefer the service providers to send the SMS to the database of the Bulk SMS service provider, then it also can be arranged for some fixed charges. In general, minimum 50,000 messages can be sent like this from the service providers’ end. · These are mainly for sending information updates. · Depending upon the messages and the speed, there exist several types of Bulk SMS Services. · Messages can be scheduled and sent automatically. Benefits of Bulk SMS Service: · With a single button push, thousands of customized messages are sent instantly and simultaneously. · This is cost effective advertising reaching a large number of individuals within a very short period. · The best Bulk SMS Services Providers protect the details of both the end recipients and their clients’.

https://medium.com/@SMSIdeaIndia/features-and-benefits-of-bulk-sms-services-83c37a4cb261

['Sms Idea']

2016-02-17 08:22:25.757000+00:00

['Messaging', 'Mobile Marketing', 'Sms']

Esports Business Review

Nike signs deal with first esports athlete Credit: Nike Nike Has Inked Their First Individual Esport Deal The majority of sponsorship deals that have been coming out are between teams and brands. Nike has taken this a step further by sponsoring Royal Never Give Up’s Jian “Uzi” Zihauo to be part of Lebron James “Dribble &” series promotion. During the 2017–18 NBA season Lebron James was criticized for his outspokenness on political topics and was told to “Shut Up & Dribble” by Fox News host Laura Ingraham. Uzi will join LBJ and and Chinese actor Bai Jingting in this campaign. Uzi is arguably the best LoL of player in the world and has one of the largest Chinese followings in Esports. Royal Never Give Up is one of the most recognizable teams if you base this metric on sponsorship deals. Before this Nike deal with Uzi, they inked deals with KFC, and Mercedes-Benz. Credit: QG Facebook QG Raises $14.4M in Series A Funding QG has continued to prove why they are such a strong organization. Partnerships include JingDong, Nike, and 361°. Now they have secured $14.4M in funding to build a headquarters in Shenzhen. The round was led by Toutoushidao Fund who has been making substantial investments in the entertainment industry and now continues to build their portfolio in the esports space. QG previously sold their League of Legends team to JingDong in May of 2017 and is also the owner of QG.happy, a mobile esports brand. Credit: Trust Esports Trust Esports to Invest $23.1M in Esports A new VC fund, Trust Esports, led by FIMALAC and Matthew Dallon will be deploying over $20M into 10–12 ventures. Dallon founded the Esports World Convention and Tournament. According to The Esports Observer, “ Trust Esport plans to support 10 to 12 businesses that have a focus on developing applications, modifications, and other services for esports titles. The fund will look for investment opportunities in companies aiming to improve the viewing esports experience, develop audience monetization, and create better, more optimized playing conditions for players.” Credit: The Esport Observer Fighting Esports Group Closes $15M in Funding Fighting Esports Group, a Beijing based mobile esports company, has secured $15M from sequoia-backed VC firm, China Sports Capital. Other investors were SAIF Partners, and Sea of Stars Capital. According to gamesindustry.biz, rumors of this funding round are to “gear up for a partnership with Tencent to bring Honor of Kings’ largest esports competition, the King Pro League, to South Korea, where it will be referred to as the Korean King Pro League.” If you have any questions, please reach out to our team: [email protected]

https://medium.com/konvoy/esports-business-review-201e74a2008f

['Taylor Hurst']

2018-11-29 17:33:41.143000+00:00

['Esports', 'Videogames', 'Nike', 'Venture Capital', 'Sponsorship']

I Own a One-Hundred-Year-Old How to Draw Book

Comparing how to draw in ink books and my take on the #Inktober controversy The dust jacket for my book is a little worn around the edges but still intact. Photo by Nadia Davidson Sketching Without a Master by J. Hullah Brown, was first published in 1919. If I owned a first edition of this book that would make it 101 years old. Unfortunately, I do not. A revised and enlarged edition of this pen and ink technique drawing book was later published in 1939 and reprinted several times in the 40’s. The edition I own was published in 1949, which still makes this the oldest book I own, at 70 years old. (I love to collect older books and have several from the 60’s and 70’s). It is a very useful and inspiring book, which I have read from cover to cover, and dipped into many times. Since October is typically the month when all pen and ink enthusiasts sharpen up their skills by participating in #Inktober (drawing every day in ink for the month of October), I thought it was fitting to talk about how this ‘old master’ has encouraged my love of the medium. The artist J. (John) Hullah Brown is a master draughtsman, as testified by the many elaborate full-page ink drawings throughout the book. The heading of the first chapter is marked by a sear and sombre landscape of broken trees and a solitary soldier, perhaps recalling the artist’s own wartime experiences in the 1st World War. Concerning the ‘guerilla warfare’ still taking place in the medium read on. photo by Nadia Davidson Biographical information on the artist’s life is sparce. I only know he wrote another book on watercolour painting and several on playing the violin. I believe he lived in Richmond, Surrey, England, and was probably a teacher. He also invented a type of violin known as a violinda, specially designed for use by children. He also seems to have written a single children’s book The Perfect Circle in 1943. Only image available of the author of the book. Screenshot taken from a short video where some children demonstrate playing the violinda https://www.britishpathe.com/video/kids-violins-aka-violinda This book is unfortunately dated by reference drawings of items which would be ‘familiar to the reader’ such as Japanese dolls and a golliwog, to illustrate the point of texturing ink to indicate colour. Although it may seem to be aimed at children, the techniques in the book are difficult to master and an adult audience was probably considered. But, overall, the illustration plates in the book (of which there are many) are of tranquil country scenes. Depictions of such a deep sense of peace which can only be experienced after a war. The tiny English churches surrounded by a dense foliage, the occasional, more elaborate cathedral, hay fields, woodland walks, and thatched cottages. All meticulously rendered in a sure, steady hand. Pages from the book showing illustration plates. Photo by Nadia Davidson The joy of this technique is that, unlike so much digital art today, you can see the hand of the artist in every piece. And, with such an unforgiving medium as ink, there will be mistakes. Part of the charm of the art is in their flaws (which are very few). I am still in awe of this artist, though I have worked through the techniques in this book and copied many of the illustrations. Still, the variety and sheer density of line work is amazing. And very difficult to imitate exactly. Inktober Pen and ink is a favourite technique of mine, although I have graduated to fine liners now (they are less messy). I am participating in #Inktober this year, but in a subdued manner, after learning of the recent accusations of plagiarism levelled against its founder, Jake Parker, when he tried to release his own ‘how to draw in pen and ink’ book, Inktober All Year Long: Your Indispensable Guide to Drawing with Ink. When I first heard about this, I thought it was just a lot of people shouting about nothing. Situations like this do tend to get blown out of all proportion by online communities taking sides, and nobody doing any research. I did not participate in any of the discussions and chose to believe that it was all a misunderstanding (I like to believe the best of people until proven wrong). However, in the first few days of October, I did look into it, and there does seem to be some cause for complain. Yet, I consider Inktober to be an international movement which has outgrown its creator, and for this reason, I am participating this year. This is more for my own satisfaction, as I failed last year (the first year I attempted it) and know that with three monthly art challenges under my belt, I shall succeed now. Actually, I have made it super easy on myself this time, not attempting anything fancy (like I did last year by drawing in multiple colours of ink), I am not even taking a new page for each drawing, but only using a single A3 sheet for the entire month’s-worth of drawings (an idea I borrowed from another Inktober participant, who mentioned it on a group I belong to). The controversy The point here is that its OK to borrow from other people, if you do it right. Artists do it all the time. Taking a small idea and working it up differently is fine. But what seems to be the cause of all the hoo-ha over Jake Parker was that he, or perhaps a team he had got to help him put together his art book, had stolen almost word for word, chapter order, and even examples from Alphonso Dunn’s art book Pen and Ink Drawing, in which he uses his teaching experience to concisely explain the fundamentals of the art. Small things which you might think ‘every how to draw in ink book includes this stuff,’ but if you actually go back over many different art books, and compare keywords, images and correspondences, there are surprisingly few. As this guy did in a (slightly obnoxious) video which breaks it down nicely. I checked my own book, Sketching Without a Master by J. Hullah Brown, and the correspondences are noticeable by their absence. What I’m talking about are specific examples, the most damning ones in my eyes being the ‘furry balls’ the ‘cult of cubes’ (which to be honest, I was certain I had seen before), and using a brush to sweep up your eraser dust — seriously, you need to be slightly OCD to do that. There just seem to be certain things, which (discounting that fact there are so many how to draw tutorials floating around, could have been absorbed by osmosis from the internet), line up too perfectly. I mean, there is a whole section on using unconventional tools for mark making, which I believe, is highly original to Dunn’s book. A book, more damnably still, which Jake Parker was familiar with, and admired. The whole situation was not helped by the fact that Parker had previously spoken out against people who chose to participate in Inktober digitally. The whole point of the challenge was to hone traditional skill in working in ink, which is a difficult medium to master. He later retracted his statement against digital Inktober participants, claiming that the challenge was as relevant to the hone digital skills. Although I believe that this was reluctantly. The generation which grew up with Ctrl+Z (the undo shortcut key in Photoshop) have no concept of making art where mistakes become a part of the final piece. As you can probably tell, I am a traditionalist. And remember this is all just my own opinion. I am still doing Inktober. But, I do think there are a huge number of people who are familiar with this challenge, yet have no idea who Jake Parker is. The whole think could be just a publicity stunt. The now infamous Inktober book is still to be released, and all this ‘evidence’ was amassed from only a sneak peek flip-through online. It is a fantastic way to increase sales when it finally comes out. Value of art books Although many how to art books, especially those which are specific to certain media (like ink) will cover similar ground, it is the way in which they are presented which is original to each artist and captures the flavour of an artist’s style. Like J. Hullah Brown’s peaceful country churches. Due to the age of Sketching without a Master, there is very little in this book which is common to almost any other book in this field. Every example used is unique to the artist, but also to the time. This is another of its charms. It is also the book which has most inspired my love of this medium. And this is the overall value in any art book. And despite the slightly faddish nature of Inktober, it has also inspired a great many people, all over the world, with a love of the medium. This is why, despite everything that’s happened, the movement continues.

https://medium.com/the-molten-mind-space/i-own-a-one-hundred-year-old-how-to-draw-book-33904f593fa

['Nadia Davidson']

2020-10-09 14:52:30.494000+00:00

['Controversy', 'Inktober', 'Drawing', 'Art Books', 'Pen And Ink']

Promises in JavaScript

What is a Promise? In JavaScript, as in life, a promise is something that you hope to receive in the future, but not now. In JavaScript, this “something” is a native object type with attached value(s). Promises deal with things happening in asynchronous time. Real World Example To understand promises, let’s first use a real world example. Let’s say your partner goes to the store, and, since you’ve been working hard all day, he or she promises to get you a nice bottle of wine. While your partner is at the store, the promise is unresolved/pending: you don’t know until he returns as to the state of the promise. From there, there are a total of three possible outcomes specifically concerning this promise: 1) your partner successfully returns with the wine and resolves/fulfils the promise, 2) your partner forgets the wine, resulting in the promise being rejected, and 3) your partner drives through a wormhole to another dimension and the wine promise is forever unresolved/pending. Similar to real world promises, JavaScript promises have 3 states: pending, resolved, and rejected. Unresolved or Pending — A promise is pending when it’s not ready yet, perhaps waiting for a result value to be available. — A promise is pending when it’s not ready yet, perhaps waiting for a result value to be available. Resolved or Fulfilled — A promise is resolved if the result value is available. — A promise is resolved if the result value is available. Rejected — A promise is rejected if an error occurred. In order to reach a resolved or rejected state, the promise must pass through a pending state. States of a Promise in JavaScript Promise Creation A promise in JavaScript is created using a constructor function. The constructor function takes a callback function as a parameter, which in turn takes 2 parameters: resolve and reject, which in turn take one argument which is a value that can be a string, number, boolean, array, or an object. Resolve() and reject() are static method inherent to the promise, and therefore can also be invoked immediately upon the promise’s creation. Promises have other static methods: all() — According to NearForm(2019), all “takes an array of Promises and returns a Promise that either fulfils when all of the Promises in the iterable argument have fulfilled or rejects as soon as one of the Promises rejects. If the returned Promise fulfils, it’s fulfilled with an array of the values from the fulfilled Promises in the same order as defined in the array argument. If the returned Promise rejects, it is rejected with the reason from the first Promise in the array that got rejected. This method can be useful for aggregating results of multiple Promises.” allSettled() race() — according to NearForm(2019), race(), “takes an array of Promises and executes them in the same way as Promise.all, the difference being it returns a Promise that fulfils or rejects as soon as one of the Promises in the iterable fulfils or rejects, with the value or reason from that Promise.” — useful for timeout functionality Promise Constructor Function Promise States Promise Consumption Now that we have been through promise creation, we need to talk about promise consumption. A promise is consumed by calling one of the following methods on the promise: then() catch() finally() The method then() takes 2 parameters: the first is a function that is called when the promise is resolved, while the second is a function that is called when the promise is rejected. In the event that you want to separate success from failure, you can use the catch() method to append a rejection handler to the promise. The method finally() can be used optionally, and usually performs general cleanup operations such as causing a loading indicator to stop running. Promise Chaining In order to use the methods mentioned above, they must be chained to the promise. Additional promises can also be chained to the original promise, as can be seen in the example below where the promise shareWine is chained to the original willIGetWine promise. Subsequently, another then method and a catch method are chained to handle the second promise’s fulfilment and rejection. Chaining Promises & Promise Methods Promises Uses Chaining promises allows you to avoid the proverbial “callback hell” that is pervasive is more arcane ways of dealing with multiple asynchronous operations. Instead of the nightmare of nested callback functions seen below, promises could be used and each of these callbacks could be replaced with a .then() statement. Callback Hell Common Mistakes Nested Promises — use all() Broken Promise Chain Mixing Sync & Async Code in a Promise Chain Missing Catch Forgetting to Return a Promise Promisified Synchronized Code Mixing Promise & Async/Await Async Function that Returns a Promise Defining a Callback as an Async Function Conclusion Promises are useful structures that not only allow you to avoid unnecessary complication in your code for asynchronous processes, but also make your code more legible. A note from the Plain English team Did you know that we have four publications and a YouTube channel? You can find all of this from our homepage at plainenglish.io — show some love by giving our publications a follow and subscribing to our YouTube channel! References

https://medium.com/javascript-in-plain-english/promises-in-javascript-93390014bf79

['Rachel Andersen']

2020-05-24 21:07:08.925000+00:00

['JavaScript', 'Promises', 'Programming', 'Web Development', 'Coding']

Is Windows Vista still usable in 2019?

This weekend for a trip, I was planning to do audio mixing. I picked up a laptop from a thrift store for $13. It was a Dell E4310, which in theory would be a great laptop for light audio work, and light gaming. The previous owner had decided to install Windows Vista Home Premium on it. Luckily it had 4 GB RAM, instead of 1 or 2, and was an I5 model. Quick background on Windows Vista. It released in 2006, and was known for being extremely slow and intensive on resources especially for laptops at the time which had anywhere from 512MB of RAM to 2 GB as a “high end” *laughs in 16 gb*. Three years later it was replaced by Windows 7 as the new and improved Windows, and in 2017 removed from official Microsoft support. The Dell E4310 is a business laptop, at core. It’s a 13 inch cut down version of the Dell E6410 from my understanding. These are very versatile laptops, where you can remove just about everything, very simply. But this is about Vista, not the laptop itself. My first experience was loading up Opera, and going to Facebook. Facebook actually worked like a charm, if a bit slow because of the mechanical hard drive. My next was my home school site, Connexus. It worked pretty well too, if a bit slow. I thought for my next venture, I should try to download more than a browser. First attempt was Discord. Straight up just didn’t work. I bought this laptop for portable audio mixing, so next was Audacity. This was tricky, I knew the most recent version wouldn’t work, so I tried 2.3, which promptly after installation didn’t work. I tried about 4 different versions before giving up. After that, I was done with Vista, it was no longer of interest. I tried to download a Windows 10 ISO straight from Microsoft, plugged in a 32 GB USB flash drive, and what do you know, it wouldn’t work. I have a theory that Vista doesn’t support over 4 GB USB flash drives, since this was the 32 bit version, for some reason. I tried 2 different 32 GB flash drives, and I’ll just stick with my theory. My basic question to you : What do you do? That’s all that matter when you choose out any OS. Some people can get away with MS-DOS on something like a Brother Desktop Publisher, and others might need a fully specced out I9 15 inch Macbook Pro. Despite that, I’d go way way out of my way to use Windows 7 or 10 even if the PC just wouldn’t do it, Vista just doesn’t cut it for anyone anymore. It makes any computer feel a decade older than it is.

https://medium.com/@LilRamenCHS/is-windows-vista-still-usable-in-2019-e9658ae3f4e7

['Lil Ramen']

2019-05-11 03:19:51.605000+00:00

['Vista', 'Windows 10', 'Mac', 'Os', 'Technology']

Navigating my first API: the TMDb Database

The TMDb Database is a powerful, easy-to-use API. New to the world of APIs? Read below for some tips on how to get started! By now, the middle of quarantine, it is safe to say that I have watched the majority of movies on Netflix. So you can imagine that I was excited to discover that our first Data Science project would involve analyzing movies! And thus began my process of investigating the TMDb API. Using tmdbsimple Wrapper One great thing about the TMDb API is that there is a Python wrapper available, called “tmdbsimple” which simplifies the use of the API. Follow the steps found here to install tmdbsimple using your terminal window, and then create an API key that will allow you to access the database. Getting Started with the API My first step was to look at the TMDb documentation, which explains the variety of ways you can explore the data. My first attempt was to try the ‘search’ method to see if I could find movies that were produced by specific company, in this case, Sony Pictures. Amazing! By using the .Search() method, we were able to include a query for “Sony Pictures” and print the first two results. This is a great start in learning how to use the functions within the tmdb wrapper to search for specific categories of movies! The next step in my process was to browse the .Discover() method to filter results. The example below uses the discover method to look at all films that were released in 2016. The for loop used prints all the titles for the movies that were in response2. However, we then see that the length of all the results in response2 is 20. That doesn’t make sense, there must be more than 20 films that were released in the year 2016 in the database. Therefore, more exploration will be required in order to retrieve a full list of results. Using the requests.get() method to access larger datasets Clearly, we will need to implement a pagination method in order to access more than 20 results at a time. Before I began to explore this, I first decided to try to access the API using the requests.get() method and input different URLs to make different API calls. Below is one example of this, where I use the requests.get() method that looks at the top most popular movies: The requests.get() method provides similar results as to when we used the .Search() and .Discover() methods. There are many ways to alter the URL in the requests.get() method to sort by different results, this is just one of the many ways to use this powerful function! Next steps: Collecting Data and Pagination Now for the exciting part — time to extract a larger dataset! Using a URL similar to the one in the example above that selects movies based on popularity, I will paginate through 500 pages (hence the n<500) to create a list called finallist that will hopefully contain 10,000 results. And voila! The length of finallist is 10,000, meaning that I was successful in pulling a larger dataset. So previously, I was only analyzing one page of data at a time, but now I have 500 pages! Final steps: Creating a DataFrame While having a list is useful, browsing my data in a table format will be helpful in understanding what potential story this data can tell. The TMDb API has an enormous collection of data, and to keep track of what data was collected, it is wise to display the data in a cleaner format. The DataFrame above contains all columns that were included in the API call, but it is clear that some of these columns will not be necessary in our analysis (i.e. poster_path, backdrop_path, etc.). Let’s quickly pull them out in order to get a cleaner visualization: Almost there. The “overview” column contains text that won’t be used for our data visualizations purposes, and we see both “original_title” and “title” (we only really need to have one in our DataFrame). Let’s drop these extra two columns and see what is left: Great! This DataFrame looks pretty good. There is a lot more cleaning that can be done in order to simplify this table that I unfortunately will not have time to cover in this post (stay tuned for my future publications!), but do note that this is just the beginning of a standard data cleaning process! A lot can be done here, but before you begin cleaning and storing your variables and data, play around with the API calls to see other ways to sort and create your dataset! Conclusion This article provides just a brief insight into the world of APIs. The TMDb API is one of many free, user-friendly APIs that are available. It is important to remember that each API is different, and it is extremely crucial that you read through the documentation for each API before you begin to play around with the data. I hope this post provided you with a solid introduction into how you would use the TMDb API, and I encourage you to explore this topic further on your own!

https://adinasteinman.medium.com/navigating-my-first-api-the-tmdb-database-d8d2975b0df4

['Adina Steinman']

2020-10-22 13:04:12.801000+00:00

['Python', 'Data Science', 'Data Visualization', 'API', 'Flatiron School']

Fiat to crypto exchange bitpolo.com goes live

Bangalore — 6 May 2020 Highly anticipated fiat-crypto exchange BitPolo, goes live with its trading platform bitpolo.com custom-designed for Indian users, on May 6, 2020. Headquartered in Bangalore, India, BitPolo cryptocurrency exchange offers crypto trading with a series of desirable, state-of-art features like high liquidity markets, fiat payment gateways, tight order book spread, instant INR deposits and withdrawals, engaging and easy to use UI, and bare minimum fees. Chief Business Officer Mr. Suresh Choudhary said, “We were building through the bear market and thought the timing of our launch cannot be more apt than when the world is slowly inching back towards normalcy post a pandemic & recessionary environment. As we foresee fragilities of traditional asset classes, crypto markets seem to offer the bigger upside and we intend to bring simplicity and solid technology to the screens of Indian traders and hodlers.’’ The company’s Head of Strategy Mr. Chandan Choudhury said that “COVID-19 is an eye-opener. We always knew at the back of our minds that there is a huge bubble across traditional asset classes fuelled by loose monetary policy. It is imperative we make strides towards crypto adoption and we expect people actively participating in this distributed, permission-less crypto/blockchain ecosystem and anticipate bitpolo.com to enable this vision.” Crypto usage and adoption have been snowballing in India, especially after the SC’s ruling in March this year that was proclaimed in favour of it. The first crypto, Bitcoin, after shaking off the brief pandemic induced volatility, also shows signs of correlating with gold and exhibiting price-action and properties similar to the safe-haven asset. BitPolo’s launch overlaps with an increasing necessity for an exchange providing a comprehensive, holistic, and unparalleled service. BitPolo, with its pioneering, robust platform seeks to abridge millions of Indian crypto users to a market that provides convenient BTC to INR trading, high-speed order matching, uncompromising security, and uninterrupted 24/7 support. About BitPolo BitPolo, founded in March 2020, is an idea that strives to introduce crypto assets to each and every citizen of India. A group of crypto enthusiasts, traders, and fin-tech promoters had weathered down the previous two-year period of uncertainty, waiting for the right opportunity to disrupt the market. BitPolo is the culmination of efforts to develop a trading platform both simple and futuristic in its delineation. The BitPolo team states that it firmly believes in and works by the motto that ‘Crypto assets are the inevitable future.’ Visit https://www.bitpolo.com to explore a seamless trading platform. Contact: Chandan, Head of Strategy Email: [email protected]

https://medium.com/mrcryptoindia/fiat-to-crypto-exchange-bitpolo-com-goes-live-e277272ee840

['Anand Agarwal']

2020-05-06 06:17:30.793000+00:00

['Blockchain', 'Cryptocurrency', 'Bitcoin', 'Exchange']

Revitalized

Revitalized A Poem Photo by Jr Korpa on Unsplash After about twenty seconds of solid rubbing, twisting my hands are warm enough to be brought to work again But it’s hard to revitalize the eyes, they want so much in the way of the same but with subtler alterations Yeah, they’d like to be featured but they don’t want to burn at the sight of the sun or any one thing Another twenty seconds go by, and I didn’t write anything, don’t even know which doors to knock on right now I feel unleashed, but not in the good way; just hanging just drifting and calling out names of random beers I can’t even drink this away not that I was gonna… Well, I might have thought that way, once or twice But I had to leave your grip get on with the marching towards another stale camp site full of yesterday’s weeds Ambushed by a sensitivity that makes a wilderness out of this pseudo-civilazation and all the curses got let out Another interval, 20 seconds fingers somewhat warmer now but lacking ideas for what to put down next An absent crack from the basement and I recoiled in the gaze from the mirror, hoping for direction, a plateful to take me up After all, I won’t be able to leave anything as it stands but the change has to come with and that’s a burden too

https://medium.com/illumination-curated/revitalized-c072fdfa217e

['J.D. Harms']

2020-12-17 17:07:36.007000+00:00

['Poetry', 'Pain', 'Writing', 'Musing', 'Image']

concat: Learn JavaScript’s Array Methods by Building Them

For the third article in the series, we explore the concat method and how we can abstract complicated logic into a function so we don’t have to think about it. Introduction Arrays are one of JavaScript’s most robust features. Their flexibility and power are subtle, so the spotlight tends to get shined on functions or objects instead. This results in mangled coding-through-hoops for even some of the simplest tasks involving an array. We have now explored two popular JavaScript array methods and seen how they can make our code easier to read. In this article, we’ll continue by exploring the concat method, which provides an easy way of joining multiple arrays into one. How it Works The concat method (short for concatenate) takes any number of arrays and combines them into one, new array. We can do this without the concat method. For instance, if we had the following two arrays: const num1 = [1, 2, 3]; const num2 = [4, 5, 6]; We could combine them with two for loops (one per array): const nums = [] for (let i = 0; i < num1.length; i++) { nums.push(num1[i]) } for (let i = 0; i < num2.length; i++) { nums.push(num2[i]) } console.log(nums) // [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6] This solution works just fine, but it has a couple of drawbacks. Namely, it’s not very dynamic. What do we do if we need to add a third array? Do we add a third loop? Well, let’s make it more dynamic: const numArrays = [num1, num2] const nums = [] for (let i = 0; i < numArrays.length; i++) { let currentArray = numArrays[i] for (let j = 0; j < currentArray.length; j++) { nums.push(currentArray[j]) } } console.log(nums) // [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6] In the above block of code, we’re taking the two arrays, num1 and num2 and adding them to an array, numArrays . This will let us handle all of our arrays together. We then loop through our list of arrays. We can then loop through each array and push the items into our num array. It’s more dynamic, meaning we can more easily accommodate changes in our data. There’s also a point to be made about nested loops, but we can leave that aside for now. The main issues are that this block of code is long, difficult to read, and hard to understand what we’re doing. If you saw this block of code without any comments, it would take you some time to understand what the developer was trying to do. We want to do something like this: const num1 = [1, 2, 3]; const num2 = [4, 5, 6]; const nums = num1.concat(num2) console.log(nums) // [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6] Blink and you’ll miss it! This block of code achieves the same result in one, easy to read line. Hallelujah! Implementing Our Own We’ve established what it does so let’s talk about how concat does it. To implement our own, we need a function that: Takes any number of arrays Loops through them all Adds the items of each array into a final array Then, returns that final array That is the specification of the final version of concat that we’ll build, but to get their we’re going to practice a trick called reduction. Rather than try to solve for all of that, we’re going to reduce the complexity of the problem a bit. Our first solution will take two arrays and concatenate them, then we’ll modify that solution to handle any number of arrays. So to start we need a function that takes two arrays: function concat(arr1, arr2) { // More to come here ... } Let’s combine these two arrays into a single array, so we can handle them together. Then we can loop through the combined array: function concat(arr1, arr2) { let arrs = [arr1, arr2] for (let i = 0; i < arrs.length; i++) { // More to come here ... } } The next step is to then loop through the two passed in arrays and push each item into a final array that we can then return: function concat(arr1, arr2) { let arrs = [arr1, arr2] let final = [] for (let i = 0; i < arrs.length; i++) { let currentArray = arrs[i] for (let j = 0; j < currentArray.length; j++) { final.push(currentArray[j]) } } return final } This is the same as our implementation from before, but we’ve pulled out the difficult to read logic and made it reusable. Now, when we want to concatenate two arrays, we don’t have to think of how to do it, just that we want to: const letters1 = ['a', 'b', 'c']; const letters2 = ['d', 'e', 'f']; const letters = concat(letters1, letters2); console.log(nums) // ['a', 'b', 'c', 'd', 'e', 'f'] We’ve solved our reduced version of the problem. We have defined a function that takes two arrays and concatenates them into a new array. Now we need to solve the original scope and make it so this function will work with any number of passed in arrays. For that, we need a dynamic way of handling the function’s passed in arguments. Using a Function’s arguments We need a way of handling any number of passed in arrays. There are a couple of ways we can do this, but the simplest is to use the built-in arguments object: function printArguments() { // Print out the `arguments` object console.log(arguments) } printArguments('hello', 'world') In the above snippet, we’ve defined a function that uses console.log to print the arguments object. We then invoke this function passing in two arguments: 'hello' and 'world' . If you run this code, you’ll see something like this in the console: { '0': 'hello', '1': 'world', length: 2, callee: ƒ printArguments(), __proto__: { ... } } The arguments object is array-like. You can access items in arguments by index (i.e. arguments[0] will give you 'hello' ) and it has a length, but it isn’t a true array. But, if we can access items by index, then we can loop through it. So we can modify our implementation of concat to use arguments : function concat() { let final = [] for (let i = 0; i < arguments.length; i++) { let currentArray = arguments[i] for (let j = 0; j < currentArray.length; j++) { final.push(currentArray[j]) } } return final } We’ve replaced the numsArray with arguments , but otherwise this block of code is the same as the one before it. And now our concat method can take any number of arrays passed in: let num1 = [1, 2, 3] let num2 = [4, 5, 6] let num3 = [7, 8, 9] let num4 = [0] let nums = concat(num1, num2, num3, num4) console.log(nums) // [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 0] We’ve finished our version of concat , but we could certainly make it a little cleaner, which we’ll do now. Cleaning Up Our Implementation Our implementation of concat works great, but it’s not very clean. In previous articles, I talked about how loops in general are difficult to read. Well, nested loops are especially difficult! We can start to clean this up by replacing our for loops with forEach . We simply have to convert arguments to a full array: function concat() { let final = [] let args = Array.from(arguments); args.forEach(arg => { arg.forEach(num => final.push(num)) }) return final } We’ve shaved off a few lines of code and we’ve made our implementation easier to read through. We can take this one step farther but using the rest and spread operators. First, we’ll implement the rest operator, which is a way of replacing arguments : function concat(...args) { let final = [] args.forEach(arg => { final = [ ...final, ...arg ] }) return final } That shaved off a few lines. This is also the more modern way of handling the problem of an unknown number of inputs. Next, we’ll use the spread operator to remove on of our loops: function concat(...args) { let final = [] args.forEach(arg => { final = [ ...final, ...arg ] }) return final } The spread operator “unpacks” an object, like an array. I liken it to holding a backpack upside down over a suitcase and unzipping it: everything in the backpack is going to fall out into the suitcase. Here, we’re unzipping each passed in array ( arg ) and letting everything fall into the final array. Why do we do the same with final ? Well, with each iteration of the loop, we’re creating a new array that replaces the previous version. So after the first iteration of our forEach loop, the final array would hold all of the items in the first array passed into concat . We want these items inside of the current version of final to be in the next version (after the next iteration of forEach ), so we unzip it too. Conclusion You can still see that any Array method can be implemented with a loop, but our implementation of concat was a little more complex than our previous implementations of forEach and map . We’re able to see that these array methods are not just about making our code more declarative, they’re also about hiding complexity. This will be even more true as we explore some of the more complex Array methods, like reduce .

https://levelup.gitconnected.com/concat-learn-javascripts-array-methods-by-building-them-cd2cbb44b4e2

['Zakk Fleischmann']

2021-01-04 14:53:39.729000+00:00

['Array Methods', 'Arrays', 'JavaScript', 'Learning To Code', 'Coding']

Starbucks is Not Your Home

Starbucks is Not Your Home Sickened by the whine of the latest pop culture commodities, and spooked by the mechanical scripts of corporate serfs, we yearn for the aging coffee shacks of yore, the ones that were only grotesque in their literality. Of course, the sterilized designer dens bred by the relentless creep of gentrification provide no relief for those with conscience and minimal means. An attempt to assimilate within the grips of such high brow hipsterism would likely only mean sweaty pits and a broke bank. So where’s a scummy cynic to rot? Like a scorned lover, I turned towards the unfamiliar arms of another: The Doughnut Shoppe. Once an affair I had engaged in only in passing, The Doughnut Shoppe became my primary refuge. I was enamored. The listless air. The piss-colored plastic seating. The aimless collection of disgruntled ghouls. The fly-encircled dough rings, speckled with sprinkles, cream, and the gleam of glaze. In short, the integrity of filth! I was relieved to find that I was not regarded as a ‘valued customer,’ nor the Other to be served, but rather a fellow dame with dark under-eye circles and a waning will to operate as prescribed, a partner in general wariness and shallow pockets. Just as the most righteous of lovers are willing to rendezvous at all hours, The Doughnut Shoppe was open day and night, a stoic witness of social castaways seeking warmth. Hence, I dunked my woes in dough and drifted, sifted, and pored over the purpled prison of a solitude in flux. I marveled at the mysterious stains on the ceiling, imagining an epic brawl involving infidelity and an airborne coffeepot, flung in fury. I smirked at this conjured scene. Thought: “I am familiar with deception.” I am familiar with deception. Deception in love, sure, but also at large. Which brings me back to the dwindling vitality of our local coffee haunts, reduced to mirth by the monied swipes of the merciless, seeking to sanitize, dignify. Huh. Well, I say: Fuck that shit. Resist their corporate gloss, their dollar dew. Worship the crust of a deep fried doughnut, the silt of a watery cup of joe. Ditch the plasticized preening of pretty uniformity in favor of loners, of losers. And remember, Starbucks is not your home.

https://medium.com/@lydia-sviatoslavsky/starbucks-is-not-your-home-4004f527aa57

['Lydia Sviatoslavsky']

2020-12-05 19:29:40.620000+00:00

['Corporate Culture', 'Starbucks', 'Gentrification', 'Loneliness', 'Coffee']

Final NBA Mock Draft With Trades

Final NBA Mock Draft With Trades Marc Delucchi projects where prospects will fall and which trades will go down in the first round of the NBA Draft. Photo by NeONBRAND on Unsplash Final NBA Mock Draft With Trades Marc Delucchi projects where prospects will fall and which trades will go down in the first round of the NBA Draft. Photo by NeONBRAND on Unsplash After months of scouring through scouting reports, watching highlight reels, and reading various rumors, the NBA Draft is finally here. With plenty of unknowns still up in the air, I take my best shot at how the first round will shake out. The 2020 class is known best for what it lacks: obvious top-end talent. It’s become clear that James Wiseman, LaMelo Ball, and Anthony Edwards are in a tier of their own to most teams at the top of the draft, but how they rank among themselves seems heavily undecided. Still, people sour on the top of the draft should look down most big boards and mocks to see what this group has to offer. This class is deep with prospects that will contribute to NBA rotations. Figuring out which players projected as secondary pieces are the next Jimmy Butler or Kawhi Leonard will define this year. There are just too many well-rounded prospects for someone not to emerge from outside the top-five as an All-Star. In most years, betting on whether there will be more All-Stars in the top-ten picks or the rest of the draft is an easy choice for the former. However, this year, I’d lean heavily toward the field. With that said, I think we’re set to see some significant action at the top of the draft. Minnesota and Golden State hold the top-two picks, and neither seems particularly committed to keeping their selection. As the rumors keep swirling, here’s my projected picks and trade for the first round of this year’s draft.

https://medium.com/sportsraid/final-nba-mock-draft-with-trades-df5fba70af03

['Marc Delucchi']

2020-11-18 14:16:34.832000+00:00

['NBA Draft', 'Sports', 'Nba Trade Rumors', 'NBA', 'Golden State Warriors']

3 Things You Should Do Before You Go To Bed

Do you ever wake up wanting to get work done, but then mope around and get nothing done? If this has ever happened to you, you are likely to do things wrong before bed. And as a result, don’t get good enough sleep. You don’t ever want to wake up with a foggy mind with a deadline to meet. Tim Roth once said: “Sleep is an investment in the energy you need to be effective tomorrow” Doing the wrong things before you go to sleep will set you up for an inefficient next day. You will have a lack of energy, motivation, and the ability to do anything through the rest of your day.

https://medium.com/illumination/5-things-you-should-do-before-you-go-to-bed-decfb5c10f78

['Mike Wang']

2020-12-20 20:53:25.847000+00:00

['Sleep', 'Health', 'Advice', 'Life', 'Personal Growth']

Confessions of an Avid Reader

My childhood Books! (some of them) I have lived without TV many times in my life. Either I didn’t have a television or I didn’t have cable, which never seemed worth the expense to me. When DVDs became available, I started a movie collection for times I wanted visual entertainment. Back in the days when you could still get something to fuzz in on your screen using an antenna, I would occasionally watch something on the four channels. I admit to being able to get wrapped up in great movies and captivating television shows, but ultimately, if I went to that proverbial desert island without video, I’d survive. However, if you plopped me on that gorgeous island with a stocked cabana, handsome bartender (ssh, don’t tell my husband), and all the scotch I ever wanted to drink (and the ability to stay sober), if you don’t also provide a vast library, I’ll opt for returning to the mainland in a nanosecond. I have, you see, never, ever been without a book. When we were children, the most exciting part of the school year was when the Scholastic Book truck would arrive. Each time, I marveled that our tiny, turn of the (last) century, stone school in the middle of rural western Pennsylvania mining country continued to be found by the driver. He must have consulted map in an atlas about the state! Our parents allowed us three kids to pick one book each, so the decision was agonizing. What if that truck didn’t find us the next time? Which one would I choose? Would it be poetry, adventure, riddles? (some of the) author’s childhood books I’ve gotta make an aside: I wrote that last sentence then traipsed downstairs to see what books I was reading as a grade schooler. Here are the categories: Disney books to movies Poetry Westerns Assorted single topics But the greatest number of books? Mysteries! That is so not a surprise! Wanna know what some of them are? Sure you do, I know you do, okay, here they are: The Midnight Beast (original title Lion at Large) by Richard Parker Mystery of the Witches’ Bridge (original title, duh, The Witches’ Bridge) by Barbee Oliver Carleton The Swiss Family Robinson (original title The Swiss Family Robinson — just seeing if you’re paying attention) by Johann David Wyss The Lost World by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle — think my 1965 paperback edition of this classic is worth anything? No, I suppose not. Magic Elizabeth by Norma Kassirer. Here’s one for you, when the internet first started — yes, there was a time, Millennials, where the world wasn’t at our fingertips — I tracked down Norma and was able to thank her for such a fun book. Okay, stop pressuring me. Yes, I will add them to my to-re-read shelf and do so before the end of the year. Those kids’ books will make an interesting diversion to my GoodReads Challenge, eh? Back to the truck [No, wait, I have one more side note for you. I find it quite hilarious that I have a book from 1967, when I was eight, entitled Too Much Noise. I am sound-sensitive. I sleep with a fan going at home and earplugs anytime I’m not in our abode. Loud noises hurt my ears and children squealing at that wretchedly high pitch of theirs equals inch-long nails on a chalkboard. Mom always said I was the worst sleeper — guess this mini tome backs that statement!] Now seriously, back to the truck and agonizing decisions. Believing in the less-is-more mentally, that frugalness restriction on behalf of our parents simply ensured that our books were precious and treated with tender care. The four of us (there’s a sister 10 years younger than me, so she wasn’t part of the truck experience) still have our childhood books. Books remain like gold to me and I treasure them. Right now I’m reading: William Shatner’s Up Till Now. Don’t miss it if you want to laugh out loud when you’re supposed to be nodding off to sleep. He’s uniquely hilarious. John Grisham’s The Innocent Man. I’ve been hit and miss with Grisham over his long career. This one, his first non-fiction, is a page turner and quite disturbing. Pierce O’Donnell’s In Time of War: Hitler’s Terrorist Attack on America. Did you know the Germans once landed submarines near Long Island and Florida, letting out several would-be terrorists? I didn’t. Antony Beevor’s The Second World War. It took a year to get through Beevor’s D-Day: The Battle for Normandy, but was so worth it that I’m determined to finish this saga as well. There’s also a little cozy in there I started last night, but I have a feeling I won’t finish, so I’m not providing the name. It’s one of those books that has, for me, a pedestrian writing style — the character went to work, she went to the store, she went home. I scream out, “What’s the point of the story?” Then I calmly go to Scrivener (writing software), open my novels, and read the first chapters and think: Yes, at least you would know what my books are about. You may not like them, but you would get the gist of the story There you have it — four books and a Bible study (Women of the Bible). That’s how I roll. In the midst of these, I stopped to read Preston & Child’s, City of Endless Night. Sunday, it was 86 degrees farenhiet with correspondingly thick humidity, so my typical afternoon doing yard work was out of the question. I flung myself into my favorite easy chair, cool glass of tea at hand, and indulged. In this thrilling, speedy novel, they redeemed themselves from the last two flops. Whew. a favorite reading spot on a cooler afternoon Many of my friends are disciplined in their reading. They actually read one book at a time! Can you imagine the self-control they must have to do that! Astounding! Alas, I have tried to stem my yearnings for devouring various genres at the same time. But with the multiple selves I have inside, it seems to work best if I keep at least one book going for serious me, one for laughing me, and one for historian me. I’ve not yet had a problem keeping the stories straight — I don’t think I’m in any danger of suddenly placing Captain Kirk in WWII Europe. So what the heck, I keep at it. Then I go into elimination mode. My household rampages to clear out stuff usually begins with the easiest to part from: clothes we don’t wear, shoes that no longer have any support to them, coffee cups with chips in the rim. These are the easy things — they are donated or tossed, depending on their overall condition. My trash, your treasure, right? Paperwork is next. I’ve moved so many times over the decades that even this is not that big of a deal anymore. I delightedly shred like an Enron employee — having either chosen to scan that item or have it simply disappear from my life. My load lightens. I love to purge the unnecessary and the redundant, removing the heaviness of too many objects in my life — but watch out, I occasionally purge people. Then it comes time to go through bookcases. Ah, what agony! What indecision! What pain! Leave room for more! author pic When I left Red Lodge, Montana to move back to Pennsylvania, I assessed the loads stacked on three bookcases and donated or sold over 300 volumes. It hurt. But I lived. I’ve moved five times since I got to Pittsburgh and not having those small, but ever-so-heavy boxes hiding my perfect bound treasures has eased the process. I’ve been in this home with my husband for ten years. Collecting creeps up on us when we rarely pack up lock, stock, and barrel and go elsewhere. Formerly, each spring and fall, I reviewed my collection, removing book after book from the shelves and assessing each. What ones won’t I read again, what ones haven’t I yet read, what ones are like beloved friends I couldn’t possibly expel from my life? My annual book-purge evolved into a continual process with an empty box always sitting by one bookcase. It’s there to remind me when I finish a physical book to pause and think: Will I re-read this? Is there someone I want to pass it along to? Both answers no? Into the box it goes, designated for the Mt. Lebanon Library’s used bookstore. Then there are e-books. I love my Kindle because I can get a book right NOW, and I can take a hundred books on vacation and not have to pay to check their own suitcase. I love highlighting a word to learn or confirm its meaning. I love that the Kindle app allows for creating collections. It was also a big help when you could start deleting books. That was an organizational purge I longed to make. There are, sadly, some truly bad books out there and although I’ll try reading almost anything, sometimes they have to go. I started this year (as I did last year) with a plan. My goal was to read every book on hand — physical and Kindle — without buying any new ones. By December (and now) I realized I failed. I mean, Michael Connelly releases a new Bosch each autumn and John Sandford is sure to unleash a new Virgil Flowers — please, won’t you, John? Sigh, I may never get ahead on this goal, but I sure will entertain myself trying. And you? Are you a crazed and avid reader? Do you read more than book one at a time in different genres? Do you have one genre you stick to? Do you — horrors! — skip reading entirely and take to the screen instead? Tell me I’m not alone in my desire to never be without a book.

https://rosemarygriffith.medium.com/confessions-of-an-avid-reader-a9d359fa4040

['Rose Mary Griffith']

2020-10-12 17:45:44.422000+00:00

['Reading', 'Books', 'Fiction', 'Parenting']

Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga (2020) • Netflix

Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga (2020) • Netflix When two aspiring musicians are given the chance to represent their country at Eurovision, they embrace a chance to prove that any dream worth having is a dream worth fighting for. As an American, I’m only tangentially aware of the phenomenon that is the Eurovision Song Contest. I’ve seen clips on YouTube and have heard a few of the bigger hits released over the years, but I love the concept of a musical competition between nations. This fueled my interest in this new Netflix film that pays homage to Europe’s annual celebration of music and culture. And it seems the producers of Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga share my fascination and admiration… The film chronicles the journey of musical duo Fire Saga — Lars Erickssong (Will Ferrell) and Sigrit Ericksdóttir (Rachel McAdams) — and their dream to have a song entered for Iceland in the Eurovision Song Contest. They’re not well-respected in their small-town of Húsavik, but their tune was picked at random to fulfil requirements for Iceland’s selection process since Katiana (Demi Lovato) is the shoo-in to win. Lars and Sigrit’s performance is panned, but when all the other contestants are killed in an explosion at the after-party, Iceland’s committee has no choice but to send in Fire Saga. The plot of this film sets up the perfect underdogs: they’re full of heart and optimism, with Sigrit exhibiting true vocal talent, but her devotion to Lars hinders her potential. The audience will want to see Fire Saga succeed but the story takes its time developing the adverse circumstances that build against them. The comedy comes from how difficult it is for them to find respect as real contenders, yet it’s clear they have a talent and have worked hard to develop their act. Because of this, I often found the comedic aspects of the film were flat and forced. There are funny moments, but few and far between. While marketed as a comedy, it’s really an entertaining story of two naïve people performing on a world stage. The romance in the movie is another dubious facet. The misunderstandings and Lars’s weird reluctance to commit to Sigrit feel like a routine establishment of romantic complications for a story that might’ve been better off focusing more on the contest and Fire Saga becoming a better team. It also pads out its runtime with a plot dragged down by Lars and Sigrid’s falling out. Midway through, I was growing weary of yet another Fire Saga performance thwarted by a ridiculous contrivance. Emotionally, the relationship between the pair also doesn’t come across as believable and I wanted to see more development of Fire Saga as musicians. The celebration of the Eurovision Song Contest is the real reason to watch. This competition is beloved and the film does credit in realising such a gorgeously extravagant camp spectacle. And it’s like a primer for people who are not aware of this event — especially Americans (hilariously represented as clueless tourists Lars keeps insulting). It also portrays Iceland and the city of Edinburgh in Scotland so beautifully. The cinematography while filming on location is exquisite and observes that one of the parallel goals of Eurovision is to promote different countries as tourist destinations. Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga seems to chronicle the steps to the Finals accurately and even features a soundtrack written in the style of catchy pop tunes suitable for Eurovision. The music is a highlight of the film, as the songs are fantastic! Fire Saga’s entry “Double Trouble” is performed multiple times throughout and I enjoyed hearing it every single time. There are also more effervescent tunes in Russia’s entry, with Alexander Lemtov’s (Dan Stevens) song “Lion of Love”, and the tribute to Lars’ and Sigrit’s love and hometown “Húsavik “. Former participants of Eurovision also receive featured performances, most memorably in the “song-along” sequence at Lemtov’s party where real-life singers Conchita Wurst, Loreen, Anna Odobescu, Netta, and others, turn up to sing in the clever mash-up of “Believe”, “Ray of Light”, “Waterloo”, “Ne Partez pas Sans Moi” and “I Gotta Feeling”. That sequence isn’t necessary to the story but is such a wonderful treat for Eurovision fans. The soundtrack captures the unique intersection of music and culture that Eurovision presents. All of the performances are polished and entertaining and present a wonderful insight into why Eurovision is so fun to watch and has endured over the decades. Unfortunately, the 2020 Eurovision Song Contest was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, so Netflix’s movie is something of a replacement spectacle. Despite my love for the depiction of the contest throughout, the resolution is pretty unremarkable — especially since it focuses on the romance instead of the competition. There’s a twist near the end that brings up a plot point I’d nearly forgotten about, resolving a little mystery in the story quite neatly… but in a comedic and nonsensical way. I understand the emphasis of the plot was always on Lars and Sigrit’s relationship, but I wanted to see more of the bonkers world of Eurovision. However, the conclusion and the film as a whole is joyful, genuine, heartwarming, and celebratory… much like the real Eurovision Song Contest.

https://medium.com/framerated/eurovision-song-contest-the-story-of-fire-saga-2020-netflix-1104ad02414c

['Charlene Dekalb']

2020-07-21 22:27:54.683000+00:00

['Movies', 'Review', 'Netflix', 'Eurovision', 'Film']

Windowbear : A Song For My Dog

Windowbear : A Song For My Dog I’m not a songwriter, but this is actually not a bad song “Windowbear” I drove up to Chico for a flat of pears And saw a Red Heeler that was part éclair I said “Can I be your forever au pair?” You said: “If I can be your Windowbear” Windowbear in action Windowbear, Windowbear Now when I come home you’re always there Standing on the bed, standing on a chair Looking out the window like a Windowbear Windowbear being Windowbear Your eyes your ears your golden hair You’re The Jungle, I’m Upton Sinclair You’re Ginger Rogers, I’m Fred Astaire You’ve effectively made me a kajillionaire Classic Windowbear Ohhh, I do declare The Eiffel Tower and l’ École Militaire Are further apart than I could bear To be away from you mon frére How hard I would fight in every guerre To defend the honor of Windowbear Hotel window during the fire taking care of mommy [Musical break, whistling] Last verses sung by enormous child’s chorus, forte; Windowbear, Windowbear We’re Mrs. Garrett, you are Blair When forced to complete a questionnaire We mark every answer “Windowbear” From Seattle to Eau Claire From The Mall of America to Arden Fair We shout your name into the toxic air And it shouts back Windowbear [Piano] And it shouts back Windowbear And it shouts back Windowbear

https://sarahlovescali.medium.com/windowbear-a-song-for-my-dog-c894aa7ad4f2

['Sarah Miller']

2020-10-18 04:20:17.541000+00:00

['Songwriting', 'Animals', 'Dogs']

S&P Global to acquire IHS Markit for $44bn

By Aron Adamski, BSc Economics @LSE ©M&A Hub OVERVIEW OF THE DEAL: Announcement date: 30/11/2020 30/11/2020 Industry: Financial Media and Data Solutions Financial Media and Data Solutions Implied EV/LTM EBITDA: 30.83x 30.83x Deal consideration: All-share All-share Acquirer advisors: Goldman Sachs, Citigroup, Credit Suisse Goldman Sachs, Citigroup, Credit Suisse Target advisors: Morgan Stanley, Barclays, Jefferies, J.P. Morgan New York-based S&P Global has agreed to acquire London-based IHS Markit for $44bn, making it the largest deal of 2020. S&P Global will exchange 0.2838 shares of its common stock for each outstanding share of IHS Markit, valuing IHS at 5% premium to its share price 5 days before the announcement. Upon completion, Douglas Peterson, CEO of S&P Global, will serve as CEO of the combined company. Lance Uggla, CEO of IHS Markit, will stay on as a special advisor to the company for one year following closing. The leadership team will comprise senior leaders from both organisations. Upon closing of the transaction, current S&P Global shareholders will own approximately 67.75% of the combined company on a fully diluted basis, while IHS Markit shareholders will own approximately 32.25%. The deal is expected to close in 2H 2021. COMPANY DETAILS: S&P Global Inc. ©S&P Global Founded in: 1917 1917 Headquartered in: New York, United States New York, United States Market Cap: $78.7bn $78.7bn EV: $82.9bn $82.9bn LTM EBITDA: $4.05bn $4.05bn EV/ LTM EBITDA: 20.5x S&P Global is one of the world’s foremost providers of credit ratings, benchmarks and analytics in the global capital and commodity markets, offering ESG solutions, deep data, and insights on critical economic, market, and business factors. Its divisions include S&P Global Ratings, S&P Global Market Intelligence, S&P Dow Jones Indices, and S&P Global Platts. Through its diverse offering it serves the 30,000 customers in 150+ countries, including the biggest Investment Banks (10/10 top banks), and Firms (99/100 Fortune Global 100). Over $11tr of assets are indexed to S&P500, S&P has over 1mn credit ratings outstanding and it provides 100,000 leading equity and energy benchmarks. Breakdown of S&P’s revenue streams. COMPANY DETAILS: IHS Markit Ltd. ©IHS Markit Founded in: 1959 1959 Headquartered in: London, United Kingdom London, United Kingdom Market Cap: $36bn $36bn EV: $41.2bn $41.2bn LTM EBITDA: $1.4bn $1.4bn EV/ LTM EBITDA: 29.4x IHS Markit is a world leader in critical information, analytics and solutions for the major industries and markets that drive economies worldwide. The company delivers next-generation information, analytics and solutions to customers in business, finance and government, improving their operational efficiency and providing deep insights that lead to well-informed, confident decisions. IHS Markit has more than 50,000 business and government customers, including 80% of the Fortune Global 500 and the world’s leading financial institutions (49/50 largest US Banks). Breakdown of IHS Markit’s revenue streams. STRATEGIC RATIONALE SYNERGIES The deal is expected to lead to a significantly enhanced growth profile of the combined group due to a high level of complementarity and cross-selling opportunities. Between 2021–23 revenue is expected to grow between 6–8% per annum. EBITDA margin is expected to expand by around 200bps as result of the transaction, and 5 years after the closing EBITDA is expected to increase by ~$680mn. Annual cost savings of are expected to be~$480mn and 65% of those are expected to be realised as result of rationalisation of operations. Revenue improvements are expected to be ~$350mn and most of those are expected to be as result of new product offering of the combined group (60%) and the rest is expected to come from cross-selling (40%). ESG, CLIMATE AND ENERGY TRANSITION Both companies are very strong in the ESG sphere, providing benchmarks and analysis for ESG purposes. S&P has an extensive portfolio of ESG benchmarks, including ESG equity indices, ESG evaluations and price benchmarks (carbon, hydrogen). IHS Markit offers ESG fixed income indices, hence the deal will make the combined group’s benchmark offering “complete”. Likewise, S&P offers ESG scores with time series data, whilst IHS has an emissions database. Combining the two will create a much more powerful and comprehensive platform. “Through this exciting combination, we are able to better serve our markets and customers by creating new value and insights.” ~ Douglas Peterson, CEO S&P Global RISKS AND UNCERTAINTIES The deal is subject to regulatory approvals which will likely not come easily. The combination is likely to attract regulatory scrutiny from lawmakers concerned about a consolidation in the market for data providers. For example, in recent months, London Stock Exchange’s deal with Refinitiv faced intense scrutiny in EU. Thus, it might be a bumpy road. Nevertheless, if approved the deal appears to be very promising. The combined group will command a greater market share and will be able to better address the $20bn market for data and information, which the firms’ predict to grow by 10% per annum on average. It will also be better positioned to compete with information giants like Bloomberg. The combined group plans to continue investing $1bn+ in technology every year, leading to even more services being offered, ultimately benefiting customers.

https://medium.com/@mnahub/s-p-global-to-acquire-ihs-markit-for-44bn-33cf50f6efee

['M A Hub']

2020-12-10 09:17:28.870000+00:00

['Mergers And Acquisitions', 'News', 'Information Technology', 'Technology', 'Finance']

How To Secure Your TYPO3 Sites From Hack Attempts?

According to a survey, TYPO3 is one of the most secure Open Source CMS — it is a proud feeling to be involved and working with such a great community who did their best for the security concerns. But yeah, as you know with increasing advancements security is a never-stopping thing, so Let’s try to make your TYPO3 sites more secure. And yes, we have already started to implement high-security features to our customer’s projects. We are happy to share it hereby with you too. TYPO3 is the most secure OpenSource CMS Facts and figures of security issues Ideal Secure Server Architecture Thanks to Helmut Hummel TYPO3 system requirement and conflict Step-by-step guide to install and configure TYPO3 securely Read the full article at https://www.nitsan.in/blog/post/how-to-secure-your-typo3-sites-from-hack-attempts/ 🧡 #TYPO3 #Security #InspiringPeopleToSecure

https://medium.com/nitsan-technologies/how-to-secure-your-typo3-sites-from-hack-attempts-e442b83b610a

['Nitsan']

2019-05-02 11:06:09.067000+00:00

['Hacks', 'Security', 'CMS', 'Typo3', 'Open Source']

Can You Replace Your Desktop PC With a Raspberry Pi 4?

Can You Replace Your Desktop PC With a Raspberry Pi 4? Here’s why I won’t be tossing out my desktop PC anytime soon Raspberry Pi 4 Model B. Image: Raspberry Pi Since the introduction of the Raspberry Pi 4, a lot more people have been trying to use this microcomputer as their desktop PC. More recently, the Raspberry Pi 400 Personal Computer has been released, the name of which directly indicates its “main” purpose. I have long been interested in the possibility of using a portable and silent PC for simple tasks like creating this text, where the full-size desktop is redundant and the tablet is inconvenient. Finally, I bought a top-of-the-line Raspberry Pi 4 with 8GB of memory. It’s time to see how it works. Image courtesy of the author I wrote and published this article on the Raspberry Pi, and it works well. I did not have any troubles or glitches. Why the Raspberry Pi? Of course, motivations for using the Raspberry Pi can vary. You may need an inexpensive Linux desktop for learning. You may not have the money for a full-fledged PC. I have long wanted a 100% silent and low-power computer to use as a media center and “typewriter.” Using the power-consuming 500W Core I7 desktop PC just to type this text seems a bit redundant for me, at least in terms of reducing the energy footprint. (I don’t care about the electricity bill; I care about the environment.) I tried using Samsung DeX as a desktop, and the experience was generally very positive — for typing and watching videos on the big screen, my Samsung Galaxy S10 is powerful enough. But the Android software that can work in desktop mode is limited, and not every website displays correctly using Android in desktop mode with a mouse. And DeX is still Android, with many limitations of the smartphone-based operating system. Linux is another matter — complete freedom in terms of SSH access, installing any libraries, components, a fully functional terminal, USB, GPIO, and hardware support. Sounds promising. Let’s see how it works. Before we get started, an important note: To fully use the Raspberry Pi as a desktop, good cooling is required. I wanted to have a 100% fanless PC, so I bought this case: The case works well in terms of heat dissipation. Even with a high load, there was no overheating or system freezing. The case temperature did not exceed 50 degrees Celsius, even during stress tests. Image courtesy of the author A version of Ubuntu for the Raspberry Pi was recently released, and we will also test that. But first, let’s start with the standard Raspbian, which has been familiar to DIY enthusiasts for many years. Part I: Raspbian Before we start, let me remind you of the Raspberry Pi 4 specs. The Raspberry Pi 400 has similar capabilities, so almost everything described below is also true for it. CPU Quad Core Cortex-A72 (ARM v8) 64-bit SoC @ 1.5GHz 2, 4, or 8GB LPDDR4–3200 SDRAM memory Wi-Fi 2.4/5.0 GHz, Bluetooth 5.0, BLE Gigabit Ethernet port 2 USB 3.0 ports; 2 USB 2.0 ports Support for two monitors, micro-HDMI connectors (up to 4kp60 resolution) Support of H.265 (4kp60 decode), H264 (1080p60 decode, 1080p30 encode) According to the description, everything looks fine. But the very first launch showed that the system works slowly. The solution is simple: The processor frequency needs to be increased. By default, the OS works in a low-power mode — the Raspberry Pi comes with no heatsink at all, and at high computing power mode, the CPU will simply overheat. Solution: Edit the config.txt file with the sudo nano/boot/config.txt command and uncomment two lines: over_voltage=2 arm_freq=1750 After that, everything became noticeably much better. The web benchmark showed an increase of 36 to 48 “units.” The disadvantage that causes inconvenience is the lack of a power button and sleep mode for the Raspberry Pi. If the system is turned off, you can turn it back on only by reconnecting the power plug. There is no way to activate the sleep mode, and there is no power management system on the board at all, although it is possible to buy a USB cable with a switch — simple enough, but it works. Electricity consumption, by the way, is quite moderate. When playing videos through a browser, a little less than five watts are consumed. Photo courtesy of the author Compilation using four cores with the make -j4 command gives about the same power consumption. About three watts are consumed when typing this text in the browser. Web browser Things turned out to be not so simple with the web browser. First, the Chromium browser comes preinstalled with Raspbian, and Chromium is not the same as Chrome. I don’t know if they really have the same core, but some news sites wouldn’t play the video, and Amazon Prime refused to work at all, giving a message about an incompatible browser. The main page opens normally. But when trying to play video, an error message is displayed: Attempts to replace the User-Agent did not lead to anything; the error was issued elsewhere. I found that it’s caused by the lack of DRM support, and I tried several manuals on how to install the Widevine Content Decryption Module DRM library by extracting it from the Chrome OS image. Several of the published scripts did not work; finally, I found a working tutorial on this site. This support for the DRM is unofficial, and if the version of the library or browser is changed, you will probably need to run the script manually again. But at least it works. YouTube works fine, but I heard annoying clicks when playing audio. This should not be the case, because the manufacturers of the Raspberry Pi 4 promised support up to 4K. As it turns out, this is a known issue in Linux when playing audio over HDMI and can be solved by editing the /etc/pulse/default.pa file, after which the sound became normal. Other sites such as Gmail and Google Docs work, although not fast. The web.basemark.com benchmark worked for a long time and as a result gave a score of 64.8. For comparison, the latest Microsoft Surface X produces 457 in the same test — the difference is almost the same as the price difference between the devices. Wi-Fi speed The Galaxy S10 smartphone showed twice the download speed (64.3 MBps) and the same (19.6 MBps) upload speed using the same Wi-Fi. Perhaps the speed still drops due to the metal case of the Raspberry Pi, but 33 MB/s is sufficient for real use. Programming With programming, everything is quite good. Of course, the Raspberry Pi can’t replace most professional desktops, but in general, it can run almost all programming languages and frameworks, from Python to Fortran. Simple but handy Mu editor for Python: For kids, Scratch is available: In general, the Raspberry Pi is pretty suitable for studying software development basics or just for learning and experimenting with Linux. Even the absence of a disk is rather a plus here — even if the system is completely destroyed, the SD card can just be pulled out and the new image can be saved again in five minutes. As for Linux itself, terminal commands, bash, and other stuff, everything works in a standard way as expected, with no difficulties. Here’s an example of displaying the system load in htop with a running browser and several programs in the background: Image courtesy of the author The load of the CPU cores is not high, but video playback in the browser increases it to about 70%. If we make a kind of stress test by opening several browser tabs with large documents (YouTube, graphics editor, file explorer), then the CPU load will go to the maximum (which is not surprising), but there is enough free RAM with even a large margin. The CPU info: In conclusion, Raspbian works well, and except for the lack of DRM out of the box, I did not find any serious issues. Let’s switch to Ubuntu. Part 2: Ubuntu 20.04.1 Ubuntu 20.10 Groovy Gorilla has official support for the Raspberry Pi 4, and as announced, the Raspberry Pi is now a “first-class citizen” for this version. Let’s try to figure out what came of this and how “first class” corresponds to reality. Ubuntu 20.04.1 LTS install The installation process is not much different from the standard Raspbian installation. We need to download the system image, write it to a micro SD card, and start the device. The images themselves can be downloaded from ubuntu.com/download/raspberry-pi: I first decided to go through all the steps from scratch, choose the console version Ubuntu Server 64-bit 20.04.1 LTS (because this version has a “RECOMMENDED” status), and install the missing components myself. After download and boot, we get into the standard Ubuntu console. First, we need to configure Wi-Fi, for which we edit the 50-cloud-init.yaml file using the sudo nano/etc/netplan/50-cloud-init.yaml command. Add access point parameters to it: network: ethernets: eth0: dhcp4: true optional: true version: 2 wifis: wlan0: optional: true access-points: "MYWIFIPOINT": password: "12345678" dhcp4: true After rebooting, we can check for an internet connection with ping 8.8.8.8 command, and if everything works, we can install Ubuntu desktop. Run the commands sudo apt-get update, sudo apt-get upgrade, and finally sudo apt-get install ubuntu-desktop. The process takes about 30 minutes, after which we can reboot the system and get a full U. Image courtesy of the author It’s probably easier not to do all this and instead immediately download the final version with the UI support. But that’s not as interesting. First impressions The very first impression is that the system is really buggy. For version 20.04.1, you can simply open window by window and record bugs: Wi-Fi: Wi-Fi itself works, but it is not shown in the system settings. “Wi-Fi Unavailable” is displayed, and the list of networks is empty. (At the same time, the command ifconfig shows a normally working wlan0 adapter in the running status and an IP address.) Image courtesy of the author Display: The monitor resolution was detected incorrectly, so I had to manually add HDMI parameters into the configuration file. The monitor resolution was detected incorrectly, so I had to manually add HDMI parameters into the configuration file. Audio: By default, for an unknown reason, the headphone output is always active — there is no sound on the display speakers. I can switch the sound to HDMI in the settings, but it all reverts back after a reboot. By default, for an unknown reason, the headphone output is always active — there is no sound on the display speakers. I can switch the sound to HDMI in the settings, but it all reverts back after a reboot. Application manager: The built-in application manager looks quite nice: But I failed to install any of the programs. The process hangs in the “Pending” status: However, the standard apt-get from the console works fine. Web browser Let’s return to the browser. The main hopes were on it because built-in Chromium is limited in DRM functionality. Indeed, Google makes it possible to download Chrome for Ubuntu: When trying to install it, however, it throws the error “package architecture (amd64) does not match system (arm64).” It looks like there is no version of Chrome for ARM yet. This means that everything written in the first part is relevant here as well. And the icing on the cake: The web.basemark.com test showed a result of only 36.4 against 64.8 for Chromium in Raspbian: At this point, I decided to stop testing version 20.04. I have no desire to recommend a version that has a lot of bugs and is twice as slow as the standard Raspbian version. Part 3: The latest Ubuntu 20.10 This version, at the time of writing this article, had the status “latest development release with nine months of support, until July 2021.” That means this is not the final release. But in comparison with what it was, it will definitely not be worse. Indeed, the Ubuntu developers have done a great job! A bug with Wi-Fi has been fixed, the application manager now works correctly, the display resolution was detected properly, and the system’s responsiveness seems to have increased remarkably. The background picture has also changed. In general, it all looks quite stylish. The benchmark result in Chromium has grown but still falls short of the original Raspbian value: I’ve read in some reviews that the Firefox browser has better hardware acceleration support. In practice, YouTube plays video more smoothly, but the benchmark showed only 44.3 in Firefox—that is, even a little less. The conclusion is simple: Firefox only accelerates video, but nothing else is faster, even the contrary. In general, the Ubuntu UI looks pretty good. Desktop: Applications panel: Settings: File explorer: One bug still exists: The sound plays via the headphones after each boot. But Ubuntu version 20.10 is much better than 20.04, so those who want to experiment on their own can be advised to start with it. A lot of work has also been done to improve the drivers. Interface speed, smoothness when dragging windows, and other bells and whistles have been significantly improved. Conclusion To be honest, for me, the final conclusion on Raspbian vs. Ubuntu has not yet emerged. Raspbian is more stable, but the latest version of Ubuntu looks much more attractive in terms of design, and the speed and smoothness of the interface in the latest version has significantly increased. For now, I switched back to Raspbian — Ubuntu bugs are a bit annoying, and Raspbian is faster. As for the subjective opinion about using the Raspberry Pi as a desktop: There is a real potential for this, but the system is still unfinished. In principle, the device can be used (considering, of course, that you shouldn’t expect the comfort and speed of a Core i7 from a $50 computer). This text was completely written on the Raspberry Pi, and it works fine. The possibilities are more limited for multimedia. Some things can be improved by tuning the configs or using third-party tools, but it may require some Linux knowledge. On the other hand, its compactness, noiselessness, and low power consumption are impressive. Also, the Raspberry Pi 4 can be useful for studying programming and Linux and may be a perfect holiday gift for a student who is passionate about computers and IT. Finally, a short summary about what you get by using the Raspberry Pi 4 as a desktop replacement: In general, the Raspberry Pi 4 can handle most tasks such as reading articles like this one, playing video, or working with text. But don’t expect top-level performance from the $50 board — it will be not the fastest computer in the world. Be aware that when you buy the Raspberry Pi 4, you get only the board. By default, you get no case, no cooling, no power button, no power supply, no SD card or slot for SSD. The final price will be definitely bigger. The big disadvantage is the lack of official DRM support in the web browser. You can use third-party tools, but in the default configuration, you won’t be able to watch Netflix or Amazon Prime. As I understand, it’s a legal issue, not a technical one, and I hope the Raspberry Pi team can finally solve it. The latest Ubuntu Desktop 20.10 was still in the beta stage at the time of writing this article (November 2020). Its design looks nice, but the benchmark results in Ubuntu are still lower than on Raspbian. Those, who are interested in another way of having desktop experience on the mobile device, can read my article about Samsung DeX.

https://debugger.medium.com/my-impressions-on-using-a-raspberry-pi-4-as-a-desktop-replacement-ff677c885149

['Dmitrii Eliuseev']

2020-11-21 13:39:58.196000+00:00

['Raspberry Pi', 'Gadgets', 'Technology', 'Computers', 'Software']

Spirituality of My Ancient Ancestors

On my quest to connect with the practices of my ancient ancestors, I discovered more information than I ever imagined existed. Indigenous Celtic spirituality, it turns out, is a thing. There is evidence from 5,000 years ago that suggests people in Western Europe practiced a spirituality rooted in reverence for the earth and her creatures. Their religion was not expressed in sacred texts but through the experience of being attuned to the land and sky, the changing seasons, the power of the mountains and rivers, the vastness of the stars, the movements of the sun and moon. These early religions were instinctual and grounded in intuition. The people invoked a sense of awe and wonder at the power of life itself and of death. They were amazed by each type of animal, plant, tree, landscape. For the Celts specifically, regions and tribes of people developed a spirituality based on their relationships with the land, and local sites became ritual places. Gods and goddesses were guardians of those places. Over time, groups began to interact with their neighbors, stories and deities were shared, some subsided and others persisted and spread. Practices included the use of music and chanting, the belief in animal spirits as guides in the Otherworld, honoring the four directions, sweat houses for healing, a reverence for all living things. Like other indigenous streams of wisdom, Celtic spirituality was an oral tradition. Place was especially important. We know that in 3200 BCE, Newgrange was built in Ireland’s Boyne Valley. It is an enormous tomb with an entryway that leads into a chamber with three alcoves where bones were found. The passage and chamber are illuminated with light as the sun rises each year on the Winter Solstice. It is physical evidence of the ancestors’ understanding of the cycles of the year and the sun, along with their appreciation of the people who lived and died before them. History shows that in about 2000 BCE there were Mystery Schools in Egypt, Greece, Rome and Albion (now called Britain). The last one influenced and taught my people, most certainly, as it was prevalent in Ireland, Wales, Scotland and England. It is likely that the teachings were called druidry. At first glance, indigenous Celtic/Druid practices look much like Native American practices. There is speculation that the ancient ones met each other somehow, but scholars believe it is more likely that Nature was the common teacher, and her message was universal and clear. From about 450 CE until the sixteenth century, indigenous Celtic spirituality seemingly went underground. Then in the sixteenth century, scholars in Europe ‘rediscovered’ the Druids, and began to reclaim their Celtic heritage. I learned much of this using Wikipedia (a useful resource, admittedly), and then a friend told me about www.druidry.com. I compared it to other modern schools of Druidry, talked to several folks who were members, and decided to give their program a try. Every month I get a packet of lessons — myths, meditations, prayers, rituals, music. I’m part of a local “grove” which is the term for group. (I can’t believe that my maiden name is Groves.) I feel like part of myself has been reclaimed. It’s as if I’ve come home. There are many ways to explore your own indigenous spiritual roots. Google searches and Wikipedia are places to start. For example, “What was the religion of people in Germany before Christianity?” “What was the first religion in Russia?” And so on. Or maybe when you go to your current house of worship, you can remember that people have been gathering to invoke spiritual power for more than 5,000 years, and you can imagine your own ancestors doing so. One of my Unitarian Universalist colleagues wrote a “call to worship” that describes just that. I close with it. For Five Thousand Years, Or More By Matthew Johnson For five thousand years, or more, more than fifteen thousand generations, human beings have been invoking spiritual power. My predecessors, and yours, have gathered together to make sense of their lives and their place in the cosmos. And they have spoken aloud, and invited what they conceived as sacred and powerful to be with them. They called upon the spirits of air and earth, fire and water. They called the bear and dear. They asked for the raven to protect them. They pleaded for the heroes of old to slay the monsters of their fears. They sang songs they learned from their grandparents, and moved in the appointed ways, or in ways that were new, but felt like the right thing to do. And they imputed power to these spirits, and to the memories of those heroes. They called them gods. And they were invoked. Vishnu and Kali, Elohim, Odin, and a hundred million others. Every group of people, everywhere: they gathered to make sense of their lives and to make sense of their place in the cosmos, and they called these spirits to be present to them. And so do we. So do we — we gather this morning to make sense of ourselves and this universe in which we live, as best we are able. And we call ourselves to worship together, and we invoke the power and wonder of life itself, that to which all those spirits of animals, and memories of heroes pointed the way. We invoke that power, which is, we know, always around, always with us, but which we sometimes forget about. We forget that we are part of the whole of creation. We forget that we are stardust. We forget that we are capable of miracles, first among them, that we can love. We forget these things, so we invoke the power of existence so that we can remember. So we can lift our eyes and open our ears to the true and beautiful. For five thousand years, or more, we have done this. In many tongues, in many ways, we have done this. And so we continue that ancient tradition, in our way and in our time, and so let us now worship together. Sources: Wikipedia The Celtic Shaman by John Matthews The Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids — Introduction www.druidry.org

https://medium.com/kelly-dignan/spirituality-of-my-ancient-ancestors-2713e627e751

['Kelly Dignan']

2020-06-02 19:58:17.147000+00:00

['Religion', 'Ancestry', 'Indigenous', 'Druidry', 'Spirituality']

Research Before You Give

Giving Tuesday is upon us once again. Non-profit organizations will be reminding you of all the good they do and ask you for your help. While it’s easy to get swept up in the excitement of the latest cause du jour, or fall for a slick marketing campaign, take the time to find out about the organization wanting your dollars. My eyes were opened when I learned many years ago that those nice people ringing the bell outside of the grocery stores, with the big red kettle, were working for an organization that spent time and money working against LGBTQ rights and causes. I made a decision not to support an organization that went against what I stood for and I started researching any organization I considered supporting. Not every organization may openly work for something you’re against, but you can learn a lot about an organization by taking a look at what they do and how they operate. Not just the mission statement they post on their website, but what they actually do. This might require a little digging, but it will be worth it. Some things you can do are: Find out how much of the money you give will actually go for the cause you’re giving to. What does the leadership of the organization look like? Is it top-heavy and overpaid? Is it diverse? How are the employees or volunteers treated? Do they feel valued? Are there obstacles, or red tape getting in the way of clients or users of the service? Does the organization act transparently and with integrity when facing a challenge? Another option for Giving Tuesday is helping to support individuals suffering from financial losses during the pandemic. There are many out of work or struggling artists, actors, performing arts professionals, small business owners or food service staff who could use your help. If you aren’t comfortable giving to them directly, consider giving to a service benefitting them, such as a food pantry or local meal provider. Giving feels good; just make sure you know what you’re giving to.

https://medium.com/@rickf413/research-before-you-give-19f9859c1800

['Rick Flynn']

2020-12-01 00:51:55.671000+00:00

['Nonprofit', 'Corporateintegrity', 'Philanthropy', 'Givingtuesday', 'Giving']

Top 3 Trending Online Marketplace Platforms in 2021

Online marketplace helps to connect both buyers and sellers at one platform. By using this online marketplace platform, buyers can easily identify sellers and connect with them to move further. The online marketplace is one of the best platforms to buy, sell, and rent anything anywhere. In an online marketplace, both product or service information is provided and maintained by multiple third parties. Transactions and other inquiries are made possible with the help of third parties. In the USA, more than 11,444,141 consumers make use of an online marketplace platform, and revenue of the online marketplace which increased up to 50 Billion U.S. dollars. Here: Let’s find out these top 3 trending online marketplace platforms which were used by more consumers. Product-Based Marketplace. Service-Based Marketplace. Rental-Based Marketplace. Product-Based Marketplace: The product-based marketplace is called as E-commerce marketplace, where people can buy and sell any kind of product. This product-based marketplace was maintained by a third party, By connecting both buyers and sellers they can earn money. This marketplace only charges to the seller, and the customers can choose the right product and purchase it for the fixed price. This marketplace can earn more money from business models like the commission model and subscription model. And then customers can be charged little for delivery fees. Some examples of top product based marketplace are Amazon, Flipkart, eBay, etc, Service-Based Marketplace: The Service based marketplace helps businesses to connect with seekers. The services based marketplace it's offering to any kind of customers and provide opportunities for their paid work. This service-based marketplace is also called a freelance service marketplace. This marketplace platform acts as a bridge for connecting these both ends. You can earn a commission on each successful transaction. Some of the top freelance service marketplaces are Fiverr, Upwork, Guru, etc, Rental Based Marketplace: The rental based marketplace helps rental businesses to connect with customers. The rental marketplace which suits for home appliances, electronics, gears and it has become famous for all rental business. This rental based marketplace which is giving a huge rise to peer-to-peer marketplaces. And niche-based online rental marketplaces such as vacation rental, Car rental, Co-working space, Event venue sharing, Equipment rental, and more rentals. They can earn more with business models like commission model, subscription model, listing fee, lead generation fees, and freemium services. Some examples of the top rental based marketplace are Airbnb, Turo, Peerspace, etc. If you are looking to build a rental marketplace platform like Airbnb. I would like to suggest RentALL. RentALL is one of the best rental marketplace solution providers in the market. They can help you to build a top-notch rental marketplace platform like Airbnb. It is 100% customizable for any type of rental marketplace platform. It is built with advanced technologies like React & GraphQL to provide a secure & scalable platform. Some of the standard features of RentALL are CMS management, payout management, seasonal pricing & more. … I hope this blog post can help you to find some ideas about the online marketplace platform. Thank you for your wonderful time in reading the blog post. If you have any suggestions, Please comment below and I’ll be happy to respond. For the latest tech & business updates, Visit: https://www.rentallscript.com/blog/

https://medium.com/@thapreel/top-3-most-popular-online-marketplace-in-2020-d9d8733b0d82

['Thapreel Alam']

2020-12-29 07:34:47.732000+00:00

['Startup', 'Development', 'Marketplaces', 'Business', 'Airbnb Clone']

Symaps Spatial Data Catalog

Symaps is an AI-powered location platform that helps you find the best locations for your business. Our team of experienced data scientists gathers, processes, analyzes, and models large volumes of raw multidimensional data (public and private) to distill it into practical, easy-to-use, and visually-appealing map-based insights. Symaps’s technology has the ability to compile and enrich different types of large datasets for usage in deep geospatial analysis. Adding many sources of geospatial datasets to a smart map makes it possible for you to to analyse a location in depth. We typically work with 3 different datasets: premium data, public sources and private business datasets. I. Symaps Premium Spatial Data Streams People Flow Data (Anonymous footfall from millions of devices) This data is available in more than +180 countries and usually consist of anonymous headmaps from the data coming from millions of anonymous devices. This highly accurate data consists of anonymous, GDPR-compliant GPS tracks, which are both highly detailed and precise, and maintain anonymity and privacy. Thanks to this data, we can determine the volume of people who pass through a selected address according to the time of the day, and identify daily and weekly trends. There’s no need to make any uninformed decisions on these crucial metrics. top-notch people flow visualization Symaps Global Places (Insights into 200M places) This is the location data for business establishments, brands, competitors, restaurants, points of interest, landmarks, schools, attractions, and more… Symaps Places insights deliver powerful business analytics that explain how consumers connect with places in the real-world. Symaps.io continuously updates (every 60 seconds) and validates Global Places data to capture real-world changes and give the best insights possible. Symaps Demographic Data (Worldwide) : Even where there is no census. Symaps.io integrates spatial statistical methods, exploiting the power of machine learning, to transform and disaggregate population counts at administrative unit levels to 100x100m grid square level, exploiting relationships with spatial covariate layers from satellites and other sources. We enhance this data further this data by adding age-Gender pyramid distribution (5 years gaps). Understsand the footfall around your stores II. Public sources Census data : Symaps integrates the most recent census data including information about people such as age, gender, income, household types, and more. Geographies: Digital boundaries for data aggregation and display on a map. III. Private business data Customer transaction data & loyalty card data: We enable our users to enrich Symaps’ service with their own data. They broaden our analysis with historical transaction data & loyalty card data Our platform is built for emerging and established brands & retailers looking to scale their business or optimize their existing locations. With a strong focus on retail, FMCG, and real estate, Symaps combines the power of Machine Learning with AI and acts as the backbone for companies for whom location counts when it comes to making key strategic decisions. Want to have access to our technology? Feel free to reach out here!

https://medium.com/@symaps/symaps-spatial-data-catalog-92e8eca56683

[]

2020-12-18 12:10:13.029000+00:00

['AI', 'Consulting', 'Geomarketing', 'Retail Technology', 'Data']

Mistletoe: The Parasitic, Poisonous Plant Perpetuated by Poop

Mistletoe: The Parasitic, Poisonous Plant Perpetuated by Poop Photo by Kate Miheyeva on Unsplash In 2020, kissing is just another thing Covid-19 stole from us, the rotten bastard! As someone who loves everything about all sorts of kisses, it makes me sad. Of course, I still kiss my husband, but no more playful kisses with babies, children, and friends. Butterfly kisses (eyelashes to cheek), European kisses (lips brush each cheek), Eskimo kisses (rubbing noses), pecks, chaste kisses, friendly kisses … I miss them all! As I decorate the house for the holidays, I pull out our, “big ball of love” and start feeling nostalgic. Mistletoe conjures up images of couples smooching in doorways beneath a cheery ball of greenery suspended by a festive ribbon and bow. Picture them with eyes closed and glowing cheeks. Add snowflakes gently falling outside the window. Paint in a fireplace to add some heat. It’s all very romantic. Or is it? Well, just like all things related to love and relationships, it gets complicated. Get ready to kiss everything you know about mistletoe goodbye. Mistletoe is a parasitic plant Mistletoe is an opportunistic herb that evolved from the ancient sandalwood plant. The modern-day sandalwood includes the variety burned as incense. Over time, mistletoe developed into over a thousand species, most of which are parasitic. Instead of having roots in the soil, mistletoe roots muscle their way into the upper limbs of trees and suck the nutrients from its host and uses its lofty position to bask in the sun to soak up some energy. Reminds me a of guy I used to date. The mistletoe is generally propagated by birds. To me, it seems like a shitty way to replicate, but I’ll let dictionary.com explain it properly: As for the roots of mistle, that etymology is obscure, though the word has cousins in Germanic languages. Because mistletoe can be spread through birds’ feces, it is possible that mistle derives from an obsolete, Germanic-derived noun mix, meaning “dung, filth.” So we can safely say this has nothing whatsoever to do with your toes. That plant you’re kissing under could be … a “dung-twig.” It is believed to be a healer, but it can be a killer Mistletoe dates back thousands of years to when the Romans and Greeks revered it as an herb capable of healing an array of disorders from menstrual cramps to epilepsy. Some other uses include predicting the future and ingesting it after being poisoned. Sadly, these genius civilizations could be heralded for their contributions in medicine, mathematics, and engineering, but they have it all wrong with the mistletoe. The innocent looking herb causes vomiting and painful stomach cramps, not to mention the tea made from berries is lethal if consumed in high quantities. The link between mistletoe and virility/fertility is in the seed The seeds of the mistletoe are encapsulated in juicy berries which have a sticky consistency similar to semen. Perhaps this is what made the Celtic Druids of the 1st century A.D. believe mistletoe could restore virility and fertility to humans and animals. Or it could be because the plant blossoms even during the coldest winters. Either way, in those times, it is viewed as a sacred symbol. Mistletoe found on the oak tree is particularly prized and gathered during the Summer solstice and the Winter solstice. Why the oak tree? I can only guess because of its girth, height, and hard wood it makes for an obvious phallic symbol long before Freud was around to point it out. In a tradition having nothing to do with Christmas, the Celtic Druids decorated their homes with mistletoe during the solstice with hopes of prosperous times ahead. Victorian England brings mistletoe and misogyny to Christmas During the 18th century, it becomes commonplace to hang mistletoe for good luck in homes at Christmastime. By the Victorian Era, it is believed the servants are the ones who started the tradition of kissing under it, which eventually spread to the middle class. Back then, a woman underneath a hanging mistletoe is fair game to men with lonely lips. If the woman pushes him away, she is ridiculed. And the Ice Queen better not expect any marriage proposals for at least a year! No man will touch her now! That should show her! I will never try to kiss that dead fish again! More than likely, she’ll end up an old maid! With all the social pressure on women back then to “perform” under the mistletoe, it becomes the perfect spot to hang out for a woman bored with her husband or a young lady with strict parents. Her response to their ire could be, “I didn’t know it was up there!” Or maybe just, “Oops!” It is used for barbaric means According to Johnathon Briggs, a European botanist and mistletoe expert, mistletoe can be used for evil purposes, Birdlime is a sticky substance derived from the juice of mistletoe berries used to capture small birds. People spread birdlime on tree branches and when a bird lands, it is easily captured by hand. The unsuspecting birds are then sold or eaten. In most countries, the use of birdlime to obtain small birds is illegal, but unfortunately, in some countries, the brutal and unsportsmanlike practice is still happening. Takeaway My mistletoe hangs in our entryway, even though only a few guests grace our doorway this holiday season. After my research, I feel like I’ve seen the ancient beauty naked, flaws and all. It proves that a symbol of love can grow out of a pile of (bird) shit and a selfish, parasitic plant can inspire people to come together. Under the humble mistletoe, bonds are formed, and reputations are sullied. We can choose to see the good in all things or focus on the bad. In the ugliest of years, I’m going to end 2020 focusing on beauty. From my home to yours, we wish you the happiest of New Years!

https://medium.com/the-bad-influence/mistletoe-the-parasitic-poisonous-plant-perpetuated-by-poop-addc37c08f6f

['Tracy Stengel']

2020-12-19 13:31:11.630000+00:00

['History', 'Relationships', 'Nonfiction', 'Society', 'The Bad Influence']

Java Tips — A homemade linked list

The node of the list First of all we need to define the collection like a set of node and every node must have: Value : the information content that every node carry; : the information content that every node carry; Pointer: the pointer to the next element into the list; with this link every node knows the following node; The structure of a Node is: Node class The Node class is provided of: A class variable to maintain the value and one to maintain the pointer to the following Node and one to maintain the to the following Node A default constructor that initializes to null the value and the pointer; that initializes to null the value and the pointer; A value constructor that initializes the value of the node with the object received in input and the pointer to null; that initializes the value of the node with the object received in input and the pointer to null; Getter and setter methods to manipulate the node. The linked list will be a sequence of nodes and every node will point by reference to the following node like the next picture: Linked list structure The LinkedList class is provided of: A class variable to maintain the reference to the first node of the list and one to maintain the reference to the last node; node of the list and one to maintain the reference to the node; A default constructor that initializes to null the value and the pointer; that initializes to null the value and the pointer; Getter methods to retrieve the first and the last node of the list; methods to retrieve the first and the last node of the list; Business method useful to manipulate the list. The structure of the LinkedList class is: Extract of LinkedList class The core of the Linked List has two class variables: one to maintain the reference of the head of the list (first) and one to maintain the tail of the list (last). When the list is created both are null and need to be updated for every manipulation of the list. Moreover the Linked List core class needs to implements the Iterable interfaces to be iterate.

https://medium.com/quick-code/java-tips-a-homemade-linked-list-9adae0906332

['Marco Domenico Marino']

2019-09-22 05:34:52.286000+00:00

['Software Development', 'Data Structures', 'Java', 'Programming', 'Programming Languages']

Zeus Protocol adds Four New Projects to Strategic Partner Initiative

Zeus Protocol is happy to announce a formal collaboration with four new blockchain based projects: 4New — Providing Clean Energy for Crypto Mining Block Alchemy — A Blockchain Impact Fund Accelerator LeadRex — A Lead Generation Platform based on AI Credits.com — Blockchain Platform for Dapps Our team looks forward to helping these projects reach their roadmap mile stones. Zeus Protocol is committed to becoming the standard 2nd layer network for Ethereum. We will accomplish this by focusing on providing the network with key innovations to support applications with scalable computation, interoperability, identity and off-chain information. Zeus Protocol’s first solution, ZeusID (http://id.zeusprotocol.com/), will provide their partners and clients with decrypted on-chain identity and insightful reputation analytics, which will give them significant advantages over their competition. ZeusID is one of the core capabilities of Zeus Protocol because it solves one of the biggest pain points of the blockchain ecosystem — trust & reputation. That is why we’re proud to say that for the first time, 30 million+ ETH wallets now have a reputation score, miner verification, wallet persona and graph — all algorithmically verified! Stay tuned for more updates! Email: [email protected] ZEUS Protocol: Website: https://zeusprotocol.com/ Telegram: https://t.me/zeusprotocol Reddit: https://old.reddit.com/r/ZeusProtocol/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/zeusprotocol

https://medium.com/zeus-protocol-blog/zeus-protocol-adds-four-new-projects-to-strategic-partner-initiative-bc6bbffda1e8

['Paul Almasi']

2018-10-25 18:21:36.644000+00:00

['Cryptocurrency', 'Blockchain', 'Etherum', 'Bitcoin', 'Venture Capital']

Nexus Mutual is now using Chainlink’s price reference data contracts for decentralized valuations…

Nexus Mutual is now using Chainlink’s price reference data contracts for decentralized valuations of the multi-currency capital pool We’re excited to announce that Nexus Mutual will be using Chainlink’s decentralized oracle networks to bring transparent and accurate on-chain valuations to its multi-currency capital pool. This allows Nexus Mutual to perform daily on-chain updates and rebalances of its minimum capital requirement (MCR) by consistently recalculating the value of each capital asset (currently ETH and DAI) in the multi-currency pool using Chainlink’s Price Reference Data Contracts. We are leveraging the DAI/ETH price reference contract, which is now live on mainnet. It brings secure and reliable on-chain valuations to ETH and DAI by tapping into a decentralized network of data aggregators that pull prices from all the top liquidity sources in the market. To understand this upgrade in architecture design, let’s dive deeper into both protocols, expand upon the importance of the current integration, and briefly discuss an exciting frontier for a future collaboration together. Nexus Mutual Nexus Mutual is a peer-to-peer risk sharing mutual built using smart contracts and blockchain technology. Instead of traditional insurance agreements between the insurance company and a policyholder, it’s a membership-based discretionary mutual that protects its members against hacks and pays out their claims based on communal voting. The first coverage plan offered is called smart contract cover, which provides discretionary coverage against technical risks, such as software bugs in smart contracts. Nexus Mutual operates as a discretionary mutual, wherein members can stake against a contract to show they believe in it’s security, or purchase smart contract cover to protect themselves in the event there is a hack. The mutual is backed by a pool of capital. Any member can buy coverage, in ETH or DAI, in case of a failure. When a claim is triggered, NXM (the token held by Nexus Mutual members) holders can vote on whether or not to pay out the claim. While payouts are not contractually guaranteed, the members are incentivized to act fairly to not only support their own member’s claims but to support the trusted reputation of the mutual so that it can both maintain and grow its membership into the future. Chainlink An oracle is a digital agent employed by a smart contract to retrieve and/or connect it to data and systems outside its native blockchain (off-chain). Chainlink is a decentralized oracle network that currently provides decentralization at both the oracle and data source level. By using multiple independent Chainlink nodes, the user can protect against one oracle being a single point of failure. Similarly, using multiple data sources for sourcing market prices, the user can protect against one data source being a single source of truth. Chainlink’s Price Reference Data Contracts are a collection of decentralized oracle networks live on the Ethereum mainnet, each one responsible for securing a particular market price (ETH/USD, ETH/DAI, ETH/BTC, etc). Each Price Reference Contract is backed by numerous independent, security reviewed, and Sybil resistant nodes, which are run by leading blockchain DevOps and security teams, many of which have extensive experience running POS nodes that secure millions of dollars in value across multiple blockchain networks. Each node sources market data from a pool of seven different highly respected data aggregator APs. Their individual responses are then aggregated together into a single data point and updated on-chain at specified intervals, such as by time (daily), deviation (every .5% change in price), or a customized combination of both (minimum once a day + 1% price deviations). These reference contracts provide Dapps with exposure to market-wide price discovery and are redundantly secured via decentralized oracle computation. Current and Future Integration One of the critical components for operating Nexus Mutual in a secure and reliable manner, which is easily verified by all its members, is maintaining the minimum capital requirement (MCR) on the blockchain. The minimum capital is a key value for the mutual as it influences how much cover can be written on any particular smart contract system, and is also the level at which redemptions are restricted. It is essentially the level of funds the mutual needs to operate. Since the MCR is vital to calculating quotes for new coverages and rebalancing the capital pools, updating the MCR regularly is critical to managing risk and maintaining profitability in the face of price volatility. For this, we need a secure and reliable price feed for the ETH/DAI price. Chainlink’s Price Reference Contracts come into play, as they not only provide highly decentralized pricing that secures the underlying collateral in our capital pool (DAI right now), but also source it from an aggregation of the top liquidity providers and provide it on-chain in a transparent manner. By tapping into true market price discovery, quotes more accurately reflect the current risk distributed in the capital pool. Additionally, members are always up-to-date on the risk present within the system, therefore are better equipped to make more informed governance decisions. Chainlink provides security when rebalancing the mutual’s funds given its reflection of the collective liquidity in the market. Our fund is far better protected against an oracle attack similar to bZx, since it is not reliant on one liquidity source. In addition to the recent integration, both teams are exploring how Nexus Mutual can provide cover for Chainlink’s Price Reference Contracts in the event of a contract failure. While their reference contracts are already highly decentralized and secure, this would provide for an additional level of security for the numerous DeFi applications currently leveraging them for critical smart contract functions or considering it in the future. “We are excited to be working with Chainlink to further increase our security against liquidity attacks. Security is a critical aspect of what we are doing; it’s at the core of our product and is absolutely essential to providing the best options for our members.” — Hugh Karp, Founder of Nexus Mutual “We’re glad to work with Nexus Mutual by supplying their mutual with highly reliable and accurate price reference data secured by our decentralized network of price oracles. This allows their mutual to tap into true market prices when valuing their on-chain capital pools, ultimately bringing more security to their members.“ — Sergey Nazarov, Co-founder of Chainlink Nexus Mutual Nexus Mutual is a discretionary mutual, an alternative to insurance, running on Ethereum. Members can buy cover to protect against hacks against any smart contract verified on Etherscan. Using Nexus gives members peace of mind when interacting with any smart contract system by knowing their funds are protected in the event of a hack. You can become a member here. Members own and operate the mutual through raising and voting on claims and governance proposals. All funds are owned by the members. Come and chat to the community in our Discord or on Twitter. We are looking to expand the security expertise in our team. If you’re a solidity developer passionate about DeFi and security, please get in touch! Chainlink Chainlink is a decentralized oracle network that enables smart contracts to securely access off-chain data feeds, web APIs, and traditional bank payments. It is well known for providing highly secure and reliable oracles to large enterprises (Google, Oracle, and SWIFT) and leading smart contract development teams such as Polkadot/Substrate, Synthetix, Loopring, Aave, OpenLaw, Etherisc, Conflux, and many others. If you’re a developer and want to connect your smart contract to existing data and infrastructure outside the underlying blockchain, reach out to us here! We can help you quickly, yet securely launch your data-enabled application or Chainlink Price Reference Data Contract on mainnet today. You can also visit the developer documentation or join the technical discussion on Discord. Learn more by visiting the Chainlink website or follow us on Twitter or Reddit.

https://medium.com/nexus-mutual/nexus-mutual-is-now-using-chainlinks-price-reference-data-contracts-for-decentralized-valuations-6a62c5d4e030

['Kayleigh Petrie']

2020-03-03 15:22:55.068000+00:00

['Ethereum', 'Chain Link', 'Oracle', 'Insurance']

Rainbow Bridge

They’ve gone. Perhaps it was a freak accident or a long illness — it doesn’t really matter now. They’re gone; they’re at peace. But what are we left with? Guilt, loneliness, sadness. Perhaps even a sense of our own mortality. A pet is a member of the family, often the heart-beat of the home. My cat Bert was the one I came home to after long, grey days, the one who woke me up, the one I wished goodnight. He was my best friend, and I spoiled him like a child. I won’t presume to tell you how to mourn your own loss. We all have our ways. Perhaps you had to make the agonizing decision to put your pet to sleep, or perhaps you wished you’d opted for euthanasia sooner, to prevent a prolonged decline. Guilt is often a defining feature when we lose a pet, and can be a stubborn feeling to make peace with. Or perhaps loneliness is the real kicker — your pet was your favourite company, and their absence is too much to bear. Right now, I feel all of these emotions, and more. My beloved cat Bert was killed by a saddle thrombus less than a week ago. Here are the steps I took to grieve his passing and celebrate his life. 1. Make Peace with Guilt Bert died as I was on the phone to the vets to confirm his euthanasia. The nurse said that Bert had gracefully taken the decision ‘out of my hands’, but I couldn’t help feel like I’d let him experience a horrible death instead of the kindness of a sedative, and the release of the injection. I am still dealing with these thought processes daily, because guilt is a persistent, stubborn emotion, and can only be defeated by radical acceptance. Be kind to yourself as you move through this phase; tell yourself that you did everything you could, and acted in accordance with the information you had at the time. You loved your pet dearly. You took the path you took, and you took it out of love. 2. Talk it Out Tell people how you are feeling. Share your memories and cherish them with your friends and family. The loss of a pet is a time of great sadness, and nearly everyone has been through it at some point. Don’t try to grin and bear it, or undermine your emotions by telling yourself it ‘was only an animal.’ If you don’t have any supportive people around you, The Blue Cross offer a pet bereavement service, and Paws to Listen offer a confidential phone line if you’re suffering the loss of a cat. Don’t bottle things up. Let it out. 3. Decisions: To Bury or Cremate? I chose not to bury Bert, because I disliked the idea of moving house and abandoning him in the garden. If you’re sure you’re going to be staying in your current home, then burial is a lovely option. There’s the chance to conduct a proper funeral or service, which is especially important for young people and children who may only just be experiencing grief. The family has a chance to say goodbye and choose a gravestone together, perhaps painting pebbles with the animal’s name, or planting a particular flower. I chose to cremate because I wanted Bert with me, in the home, where I felt he belonged. 4. Memories Here’s where online shopping really comes into its own. The internet has so much to offer in terms of pet keepsakes. From pet portraits and decorative urns, to necklaces and keyrings, the choices are endless. I chose to purchase a necklace from Etsy, an engraved silver bar that opens to contain some of your pet’s ashes. I then went over to Notonthehighstreet.com and ordered a print of my cat, with the lyrics to a song that I used to sing for him — ‘He’s a Rebel’ by the Crystals. The ink paw print they took at the vets will go into a shadow box with a collection of his favourite collars. My mother took it upon herself to buy a leather keying with his name stitched in gold, that opens to reveal a photograph. So his urn will take pride of place on the mantelpiece, his photographs will go on the wall, his cremains will hang around my neck, and his likeness will dangle from my car-keys. He will be wherever I am. 5. Acceptance When your pet has been laid to rest, the prayers and memories said and shared, the photos hung up on the wall…now what? Perhaps in time you’ll be ready to move on and adopt another furry friend, or maybe the loss has put you off owning another pet. At the moment I feel like it’ll be some time before I invite another cat into my home. Bert was irreplaceable, as all animals are. But in time we can begin to accept that our pet has moved on to greener pastures. We will smile when we remember them. We will watch the rosebush that we planted in their memory grow and blossom, and we will grow and blossom too. You were lucky to have had them, and they — you.

https://medium.com/@vohwrites/rainbow-bridge-aa42179ce8af

['A.V Rimbored']

2020-09-22 14:07:00.303000+00:00

['Pets And Animals', 'Grief', 'Grief Support', 'Pets', 'Grief And Loss']

A “Tip-ping” Point

Being a Pakistani, I’ve grown up with “totkay” (tips) all my life. Amla (gooseberry) oil for thicker and stronger hair, rubbing garlic on cuticles for stronger nails, adding a bay leaf to your container of flour to prevent flour beetles from infesting it, the list goes on. The true essence of being a Desi, is hearing all these “totkay” around you, being skeptical about it, and then becoming a believer once you try it out for yourself. For my PW this week at Amal Academy, we were provided with a comprehensive list of “Amal Totkay”, which are tips on how to be a successful human being, in our personal, and professional lives. The were: Self-Talk/Developing a Growth Mindset 2. Get Out of Your Comfort Zone 3. Create New Habits 4. Ask People for Help 5. Fake It Till You Make It These tips are the ones that one truly needs to hold onto in life to succeed. By providing catchy pointers, they make sure that people apply it to their daily lives, and can observe their own progress. They state fairly easy to understand concepts: To not put your own self down/To believe in your own potential, To push past what you think is your comfort zone, and take up exciting things to develop diversity, To inculcate new and positive habits by taking baby steps and setting small goals for yourself, To ask, and offer people help when you need it, and finally, To believe in yourself and your work so much that it is almost fake… until you make it true. My favorite tip was the first one, that is Self-Talk. It summarizes all the goodness anyone can teach you, that is to develop a growth mindset. It asks you to be passionate, empathetic, confident, and brave. To work towards a cause that you believe in, or something that calls to you, and to be empathetic to your own self when you fail and rise again, and to others, to be confident that you can work hard and achieve your goals, and to be brave enough to take risks and move away from the mainstream. I have been taught to implement this tip ever since I was a child. I was told that there was no limit to what I could learn, and study, and be. That not even the sky was a limit (NASA takes the credit for this). I was taught to work hard and turn my dreams into reality, and I’m thankful to, and for everyone who has instilled this mindset in me. Amal Academy has given clarity on what all of our strengths, areas of improvement, goals, passions are. In order to live our lives as we want them, we need to continue to progress mentally. As Merida in the Disney Pixar movie “Brave” put it succinctly, “There are those who say fate is something beyond our command. That destiny is not our own, but I know better. Our fate lives within us, you only have to be brave enough to see it.”

https://medium.com/@anousha-qureshi/a-tip-ping-point-ea632f75ee5f

['Anousha Qureshi']

2021-04-08 14:48:55.616000+00:00

['Amal Fellowship', 'Amal Totkay', 'Amal Academy']

Selection in Relation to Sex

In a BBC special featuring the mysterious mating dance of birds of paradise, tropical jewel-colored birds that thrive in the steaming jungles of New Guinea and Australia, David Attenborough narrates the elaborate process of sexual selection. Here’s the black sicklebill a sleek ebony bird, his yellow eye piercing the camera as he swings his wings up over his head in one smooth practiced motion. He’s warming up, David explains, before the camera draws back and we can see the full spectacle of this bird, his long jet tail swooping away from his perch on a broken tree branch rising up from the trunk like a fountain. Then, with a final flourish, where there was a bird there is now a kite, a cobra’s floating hood. He has pressed his wings together above his head to form a tide, a fan, a fish writhing and twisting in a stream where there was a bird there is now a fluttering ribbon of love. He lowers his wings and is a bird again. He repeats this ritual on his chosen post several times a day until he attracts a mate. Not only that, but he has practiced each element of this intricate dance day after day for years, since before he even had the right equipment. Now he assembles and displays all of his worldly knowledge he demonstrates his glorious virility he hopes to secure his legacy he wants his dance to be danced by each black sicklebill for generations. Evolution dictates that form precedes function Darwin believed that beauty itself is appreciated, the energy expended to rise with a flourish to transform ourselves in the name of desire to capture the eyes of our lover. We must have beauty to survive. Unlike those birds, you do not have to wear a crown of brightly colored feathers or transform yourself into a fan or flower for me to look your way.

https://medium.com/california-thrasher/selection-in-relation-to-sex-d83b2ea3cf14

['Sara Grace Stasi']

2019-10-12 17:01:01.076000+00:00

['Poetry On Medium', 'Poetry', 'Birds', 'David Attenborough', 'Nature Poetry']

Adventures in Hiring a Career Coach

(A coaching session on the move. I have not been compensated by Volvo for the placement of their mug here.) “To pay (for a coach) or not to pay (for a coach)?”, that is the question. I first faced this question many months ago as I had reached eight months of sending out resumes & cover letters and receiving interviews. While interviewing, I would show up with just enough smile for hiring managers to like me and just enough doubt for them to read through it all when they asked: “Why are you a fit here?” I never said it outright, but I know what they heard from me: “I’ve always been passionate — no thrilled — about not starving to death!” Something wasn’t working. A brief backstory about myself. I have spent my career largely in academic spaces. I studied Drama as an undergraduate student, received an M.F.A. in playwriting, and just this past year completed a Ph.D. in Theatre Studies. I believe stories and the intentional construction of narrative have the power to transform our world and ignite excitement into the work we do. Of all applications on paper, it was my hope that my experiences in instruction, writing, and storytelling would look incredibly attractive to most managers hiring for marketing, writing, and communications positions. In August 2020, I finally decided to hire a career coach. One of the most challenging and enlightening moments of that 2-month process was discovering I never mentioned the impact my work had on any person, thing, organization, or community in past resumes and cover letters. I had only been listing things I’ve done in the style of a curriculum vitae. And then it all hit me. Quickly. How could this glaring omission take place? So much of my creative work had definitely made an impact and I’ve measured my work’s impact over the years. For instance, while at the University of Arkansas, I saw a new play of mine staged at the Walton Arts Center in Fayetteville. Because of the inherently subjective nature of theatre, we asked patrons to complete a survey that asked a variety of questions. This was an attempt to probe into the experience they had each night. “How did the unmaking of the minister as a hypocrite make you feel? Did you sympathize with the Senator when he was made to feel like a fool? Do you feel the intermission was necessary?” Questions like that. This was an attempt to measure impact on our audience. Additionally, while at the University of Kansas, my dissertation process examined how the stories told on commercial Broadway and television sound stages reproduce narratives that protect the dominant, homogenous, wealthy, hierarchical, and exploitative ruling class in the U.S. and Germany. Heavy stuff. However, even with this, my role as an ethnographic scholar was to measure how these stories impacted and continue to impact our world. I’ve been tracking impact all along, I just didn’t know it. Colleges and universities also ask educators to measure impact in the classroom. Crafting curriculum that aligns course objectives with outcomes is a surefire way to engage students and demonstrate an instructor is competent in a subject on which students (or their parents) are spending thousands of dollars. However, in my experience, I cannot remember a time when I was asked or trained to measure impact of myself. August 2020 is a memorable month for me because it was the first time I was asked to measure my own impact in the classroom. For those who remain in academic spaces as educators and students, measuring your impact will help you expand your career search to corporate and startup positions. Begin making a list now of what you’ve done and what measurable impact that thing had on a person, group, organization, or community. Measuring impact will also aid your search within academic spaces. Did you increase attendance? Did students’ grades improve? Did you save your department money by serving on a committee? Did you increase efficiency? There are many ways to think about impact and these are definitely translatable skills. Although I am still applying to educational and corporate positions, I have been happily and successfully discovering myself. It is because of hiring a career coach that I have been able to put my career’s impact into words. If you’re on a job market, and find yourself asking the question I did, do consider paying for a career coach and starting your own adventure!

https://medium.com/@thisiscmartin/adventures-in-hiring-a-career-coach-a071491efb2f

['Christopher Martin']

2021-01-19 16:35:02.725000+00:00

['Resume', 'College', 'University', 'Careers', 'Career Change']

The Deaths of Dyatlov Pass Still A Mystery

The Deaths of Dyatlov Pass Still A Mystery In 1959, nine Russian hikers were found dead in the snow; one of them missing his eyes and tongue Photo of the victims (taken off BBC article) The tent was cut from inside, and their bodies were found barely clothed, bruised, mutilated, and frozen. Tired and exhausted, we started to prepare for the night. Not enough firewood. Frail, damp spruce. We made a fire on logs, reluctant to dig a hole. Dinner right in the tent. It’s warm. – journal entry – Kholat Syakhl, which translates to “Dead Mountain” in Mansi (the local mountain people,) Is a mountain in the northern Ural region of Russia. A team of nine Russian hikers, who were an experienced trekking group, started their journey to the mountain. Igor Dyatlov was a 23-year-old radio engineering student at the Ural Polytechnical Institute. He gathered a team of nine students to embark on an adventure that would turn out to be one of Russia’s greatest conspiracies. The team of nine: Igor Dyatlov (age-23) Yuri Nikolayevich Doroshenko (age-21) Lyudmila Alexandrovna Dubinina (age-20) Georgiy (Yuri)Alexeyevich Krivonischenko (age-23) Alexander Sergeyevich Kolevatov (age-24) Zinaida Alekseevna Kolmogorova (age-22) Rustem Vladimirovich Slobodin (age-23) Nikolai Vladimirovich Thibeaux-Brignolles (age-23) Semyon (Alexander)Alekseevich Zolotaryov (age-38) Yuri Yefimovich Yudin (Left expedition on 28 January due to ailment; died the 27th of April 2013 at the age of 75) The journey The group arrived by train at Ivdel, which is a city inside of the northern province of Sverdlovsk Oblast, early morning, January 25th, 1959. They then took a truck to a nearby city (Vizhai)to rest and gather their energy for their upcoming hike. Upon leaving the city, they landed at the base of their trek, where Yuri Yefimovich Yudin, would soon feel ill and have to abandon the trip. The first couple of days, they sang and rejoiced, made campsites with lavish fires, meat, and other pleasantries. Judging by their journal entries, they were a group of friends who loved to hike and clearly expressed their expertise in the field. They wanted to start their climb, so they moved through the pass. ultimately, they lost their location due to intense weather, and decided to make camp in an open area instead. If they had trekked back down to the base, there would have been a wooded area that would have provided some decent shelter. The death That shelter on the hill would prove to be their last night alive. The team told their families to expect a telegram by the 12th of their arrival back to Vizhai. When it reached the 20th, they decided to start a search. Upon finding the camp, they noticed nearly all of their belongings were left behind. The tend was ripped open from the inside, and nine sets of footprints set off into the dark unknown. The bodies The first two men (Krivonischenko and Doroshenko, ) were found huddled together, in socks and underwear, bruised and bunched. It looked as though they tried to start a small fire. The next three bodies, (Dyatlov, Kolmogorova, and Slobodin, ) were found over 1,000ft away from the first two, in crawling positions. The other four, (Dubinina, Zolotaryov, Aleksander Kolevatov, ) were found two months later. With sever skull injuries and chest trauma equivalent to getting hit by a car. One was missing their eyes, one missing their tongue.) High levels of radiation were found on one victim’s clothing. Contradictory results were obtained: one of the experts stated that the character of the injuries resembled a person knocked down by a car, and the DNA analysis did not reveal any similarity to the DNA of living relatives. In addition, it turned out that the name Semyon Zolotarev was not on the list of buried at the Ivanovskoye cemetery. The conspiracies They reopened the investigation in 2019, yet multiple skeptics and sources say it’s still so unexplainable. Over 100 treks have accrued in the same area to date, and none have reported anything odd. Some conspiracies include: Avalanche Mansi people Yeti The military Natural causes Aliens Animals Domestic dispute The journal walkthrough Diaries and cameras found around their last campsite made it possible to track the group’s route up to the day preceding the incident. Online, they have an interactive journey of the hikers. It starts from day one, and up to their unfortunate deaths. On the site, ruptly.Tv, you can walkthrough the Russian hiker’s voyage while viewing their diary entries, photographs, and testimonies, and conspiracy theories from the locals. At the end of the sites interactive journey, it allows you to select which theory of death you support, or you can add your own. I chose the Mansi people.

https://medium.com/lessons-from-history/the-deaths-of-dyatlov-pass-still-unexplained-1ff01c78fad

['Meghan Gause']

2020-08-07 19:21:48.279000+00:00

['Life Lessons', 'Life', 'History', 'Death', 'Russia']

BECOME A HYGIENE STAR

The Hygiene Star is an award that makes you stand out in the minds of your customers, members, and guests CLICK HERE TO KNOW MORE It’s a fact that a lot has changed. The expectations for hygiene have changed fundamentally as a result of the crisis. Just being clean is not enough anymore. 100% cleanliness is necessary to not give germs and viruses any chance. That’s why we have developed the Hygiene Star for your company. Your advantages: · Better personal health · Professional marketing tool · Satisfied customers Basic (online) training Company-specific analysis (self-analysis check for evaluating the main focus areas of your company’s hygiene), planning, training and implementation, implementation for social media — all explained clearly and in a practical context. Access to the shop to purchase disinfectants and protective agents. With no time limit and fair prices. The Hygiene Star is a visible and prominent sign of your commitment Course sections adapted to your specific industry The training course is graded on the basis of an eight-point scale and is taken online. It covers the analysis of your needs, practical implementation into daily work, and everything in-between as well as the high-profile “Hygiene Star” seal. This course boils complex knowledge down to what employers, customers, guests, and members need to know and presents it in a simple way. Topics: Proper disinfection Mindset Training employees Masks Social media Documentation With the Hygiene Star insignia, organizations convey a solid message as far as trust and care. It will be 8 stages straightforward and simple and easy to understand CLICK HERE TO KNOW MORE Respects Hygiene Star [email protected]

https://medium.com/@balraj533/become-a-hygiene-star-727f13de1a0a

['Balraj M']

2021-06-08 15:25:36.792000+00:00

['Jobs', 'Job Hunting', 'Job Search', 'Job Interview', 'Jobs To Be Done']

Can You Really Change Your Life in Twelve Months?

Can You Really Change Your Life in Twelve Months? I started off with a simple goal: to build my self-trust, one small step at a time. But I ended up with so much more. Photo by Denys Nevozhai on Unsplash I started this year with a commitment to learning how to build my self trust, one small step at a time. To me, self-trust meant trusting I would do what I said I would do; trusting I would honor my word to myself. After a lifetime of struggling with incredibly low self-worth, I was convinced that if I could just learn to do what I said I would do, I would start to trust myself which would raise my esteem in my own eyes and I could finally stop carrying the shame of what I perceived to be my past failures because I was finally doing life the “right” and “responsible” way. Looking back, I feel so much compassion and tenderness for the person who thought this was what she needed in order to start feeling worthy. In many of the early episodes of my podcast, I talk about learning to trust myself. I laugh a bit now because those episodes also included a lot about my love/hate relationship with the habit tracker I used to monitor my progress (which I then used to assess my level of trustworthiness). This was a lesson in itself — how, if we’re not careful, we can use the very tools that helped us grow so much to sabotage ourselves. But my commitment to growth one small step at a time was everything. And after almost 12 months, I realize I do trust myself, not because I marked X’s on a habit tracker, but because I did keep my word to myself, I did do what I said I would do, I did honor my word to myself in the most important of ways. I committed to watching my negative self-talk, which led me to start treating myself with more kindness and tenderness. I committed to asking myself what self-compassion would do in moments when my brain wanted to revert back to harsh self-judgment, self-loathing, shame, and compare and despair. I committed to leaning into my insecurities and vulnerabilities around relationships and worked to dismantle past, traumatic stories that no longer served me. In moments of intense vulnerability when all I wanted to do was put my armor back on, I clung to Brené Brown’s teachings on strength in vulnerability and intentionally chose not to suit up. Over and over again, I committed to choosing the path opposite of what I would’ve done in the past to give myself the chance to get to the other side, to the outcome I truly wanted. I was very intentional about how I wanted my growth to look this year. I was willing to tear down all my beliefs in order to start with a foundation of my own choosing, not based on past trauma, conditioned beliefs, societal norms, or my own limiting beliefs or fears. Did it always feel good and positive? Absolutely not. This year was definitely packed with the full range of human emotions. Ironically, I had to develop the muscle of being present with and delighting in the moments of happiness just as much as I had to learn to lean into sitting with and processing fear, insecurity and vulnerability. But, as cliché as it sounds, I’m grateful for all of it because it allowed me to do the innerwork I desperately needed to rebuild my self-concept. Over the past 12 months I worked on: Radical self-responsibility (accepting 100% responsibility for my thoughts, feelings, actions, and results) Self-awareness Self-compassion (based on the work of Dr. Kristin Neff) Self-validation, self-acceptance, self-trust, self-worth Remembering that pain is not in the thing but in what I make the thing mean (and I get to choose what I make the thing mean) Dropping shame and harsh self-judgment Dropping or rewriting long-held narratives about my past Acknowledging and embracing my humanness Listening to and comforting my nervous system Slowing down and embracing more mindfulness Learning to identify, accept, feel, and process my emotions Making powerful decisions and having my own back Cultivating a growth mindset (based on the work of Dr. Carol Dweck) Starting before I was ready Learning to value imperfect action versus perfect, imaginary inaction Understanding the difference between massive action and passive action Reminding myself “hard” things are 100% easier with a managed mind, and since I’ve committed to managing my mind, I can 100% do hard things (and not die) Building my emotional intelligence and resilience Learning to set personal boundaries for my mental, emotional and physical health Learning how to be in close, meaningful relationships with others from a place of wholeness, abundance and love — without self-betraying Developing the ability to practice the pause before engaging, particularly when my nervous system is triggered Truly believing in the power and compound effect of one small step over time compound effect of over time Understanding how our brains process thoughts and feelings (including the link between our primitive brain and our fear-based emotions) and using that knowledge to not only increase my ability to do things outside my comfort zone but to see the world and others through a more compassionate lens Understanding the brain science behind habit formation and using that knowledge to unlearn old habits and develop new habits, including old and new ways of thinking Visualizing and believing in the future I’m creating Learning to love and accept the person I was in the past, the person I am now, and the person I’m becoming Intentionally choosing over and over the energy I wanted to fuel my growth for long-term health and success (with self-compassion, curiosity, wonder, fun, commitment, and an abundance-driven, growth-mindset versus fear, insecurity, anxiety, pressure, and a scarcity-driven, fixed mindset) my growth for long-term health and success (with self-compassion, curiosity, wonder, fun, commitment, and an abundance-driven, growth-mindset fear, insecurity, anxiety, pressure, and a scarcity-driven, fixed mindset) Learning to be proud of myself for all the things, big and small Loving and being excited for the growth on the way to a result versus focusing solely on the end result Practicing patience with myself as I continue to grow and learn, understanding that mindset work is a daily practice and one I will continue for the rest of my life Understanding that mindset work doesn’t mean I’ll never struggle or feel negative emotions; it means that when I do I trust in my willingness and ability to help myself through the difficult times What started as a determined exercise in self-trust grew and blossomed into a wholeness of self and inner peace I’ve never had before. This feeling of groundedness and self-assurance allowed me to do things I never thought possible: Go all in a mindset coaching practice Start a mindset and emotional wellness podcast (with 26 episodes to date) Help people throughout the country and in different parts of the world Allow myself to develop relationships and friendships without the pain of intense insecurity and anxious attachment The most rewarding part of this journey has been witnessing the ripple effect of my own growth on my family, friends, and clients. Watching others take courageous steps to explore a different way of thinking and being, rediscovering their own worth, loveability, and potential, easing their own emotional suffering, and starting to believe in hope and possibility again, has been nothing short of a privilege, one that I’m immensely grateful for. If I’ve learned anything this past year — from my own growth work, talking with friends and family, and listening to and helping clients all over — it’s that much of our emotional suffering (our fears, insecurities, worries, anxieties, vulnerabilities) is universal… …and self-created. I say this knowing some will feel I’m invalidating their pain, as if I’m suggesting they’re to blame for their struggles. As someone who spent a lifetime suffering from often debilitating depression and anxiety, I know this can feel like a slap in the face. But the pain we suffer is often because we feel powerless to change and to live the lives we want. That the happiness, love, fulfillment, peace, and success we long for is available for others, but not us. I remember those days well. And I know life can feel unbearable through this lens. But with courage, we can empower ourselves to change the lens through which we view our lives and the world. It will require us to untether ourselves from the belief that someone else’s wrong-doings or behavior, or past circumstances, are responsible for our present and future happiness and success. It will require a firm commitment to taking 100% ownership of our thoughts, feelings, actions, and results. Some might say, “Wait, so others are off the hook for the pain and trauma they caused me?” Accepting 100% responsibility for your thoughts, feelings, actions, and results, is actually the kindness gift you can give yourself. It’s self-compassion and self-liberation in the truest form. It means we stop depleting our mental and emotional bandwidth on things beyond our control (what happened in the past, others’ opinions of us, the political climate, the economy, family and professional dynamics, etc.) and focus our energy instead on the things within our power and control: our thoughts, feelings, actions, and results. When we do this, we empower ourselves to create the change we desperately want. Whether through therapy, coaching, meditation, breathwork, mindset work, mindfulness practices, podcasts, etc., resources are available, if we’re willing to seek them out. We don’t have to wait for anyone else or a specific turn of events to get the help we need to heal and move forward. We spend so much of lives chasing goals or things, when what we’re truly chasing are feelings. We can add up all the accolades and accomplishments, but at the end of the day, we’ll measure how we lived by the way we feel when we look back at our lives. We want to feel like we truly lived, not just survived. That’s why innerwork is the most important thing we can do for our present and future happiness. And it starts with having the willingness and courage to first turn inward to work on healing, strengthening and deepening our relationship with ourselves. Whoever said growth is not a linear process clearly understood what it takes to be in the arena. And maybe that’s the greatest lesson yet: In order to experience the growth of being in the arena, you must: Step into the arena; Commit to staying there; and Choose wisely the energy you use to fuel your growth and success. I understand in my bones now why successful people urge others to just start. I could never have known all that I would learn this year when I set my intentions back in January, but I’ll forever be grateful I let myself just start. If you’re reading this and struggling, I see you. I feel you. I was you. Just start, my friend. Start where you are. Start with radical self-compassion. Seek help if you need it. The arena is worth it. — — — — This post inspired Episode 27 of The End of the Day: A Mindset Podcast with Kari Watterson (available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, and via KariWatterson.com). — — — — Partial List of Recommended Resources: Book: Atomic Habits by James Clear Book: The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle Book: The Power of Vulnerability by Brené Brown, Ph.D. Book: Mindset by Carol Dweck, Ph.D. Book: Breaking the Habit of Being Yourself by Dr. Joe Dispenza Article: The Five Myths of Self-Compassion by Kristin Neff, Ph.D. Podcast: Tara Brach, Ph.D. — — — — Kari Watterson is a mindset coach, editor and writer of the Medium publication, Mindset X-Factor, and host of The End of the Day Podcast where she shares tools, resources and insights to help people think differently so they can start to live differently. Catch the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, and Stitcher. To learn more, visit the website at KariWatterson.com or follow on Instagram (@kari_mindsetcoach) or LinkedIn.

https://medium.com/the-partnered-pen/can-you-really-change-your-life-in-twelve-months-b29857822995

['Kari Watterson']

2020-12-18 10:44:39.809000+00:00

['Self Improvement', 'Life Lessons', 'Life', 'Self', 'Mindset']

The Achievable Success

Although we actually have this quality, or practically, as a consequence of this circumstance, many people still think of it as natural. There are various avenues to make a living on the Internet, from becoming a virtual assistant to internet marketing, to crowdfunding to becoming an online retailer. In order to be able to market our customers’ health benefits, we would be able to earn more revenue, so in order to do that, we need to know how vigilant we will be about our own health insurance. What do you ever need to own to create a big breakthrough? It is a matter about how to guarantee that web advertisers are viewed in the same manner as offline salespeople. In order to easily remember a brand, you have to build a picture of a brand in your head or on a sheet of paper. If you’re going to be good, you need to be excited about your job. This would result in a significant financial advantage for the organization, and they would be paid for their participation. Allow the business champions of your colleagues by investing in more activities and collaborations. That’s how businesses are trying to use advertisements in their promotions. Being excited implies being open to exploring fresh, promising, and profitable opportunities as a way to gain the sustainable benefits. It will take considerable commitment and immense resilience. Although there are a few stubborn roadblocks, if one is determined to pursue, achievement is only around the corner. Dropshipping: Modern Stores Customers who want one thing, but can’t locate it in the shop are won over by the drop-in concept. Nowadays, more consumers are doing just about the same stuff as an online — shopping, dining and entertainment. Internet marketing jobs may be carried out by way of a computer that does not require the need for a supermarket, paying workers or heating the store. For people who are wholesalers, this is where you will get prospective buyers to try and/or order your products. It is a wholesale vendor, and businesses are purchasing products at wholesale prices. After the wholesaler sends the order, the manufacturer takes the order in motion. It’s a very easy profession to be in. The key mission of the project is to show people that the website operates and to promote it from that point on. My website would become someone’s “home page” with all of my merchandise and stuff, because all of my items will be seen by memorable phrases and catchy advertising. In simpler language, you need to be primed before you show on Screen, on the radio or in print advertisements. The company owner loses the responsibility of marketing the goods. It’s a feature that the ad firm does, but the creator doesn’t. But this is how you can get hold of it. If you choose to use it, set up your account on various sites that will get you excited. And as well, it is like am you promoting it. However, no matter what one advertises, one needs to be absolutely truthful with the consumers. This app is really famous and is one of the most popular on the web. There are also false customers and fake merchants out there. The most honest approach is the right policy, even if it will require at least ten years to fulfill itself. Putting out the work you’ve received above would help you gain the trust of everyone who will recruit you and please your customer.

https://medium.com/@aladinllegaspi/the-achievable-success-b1c5c755f78c

[]

2021-01-22 03:20:53.207000+00:00

['Dropshipping', 'Marketing', 'Consumer', 'Business', 'Advertise']

Covid-19 Times: Organizing a first virtual entrepreneurs event at scale

At the beginning of March, just three weeks before our major ecosystem event Experiencia Santiago and our Match VC, where we expected to gather +300 attendees in networking sessions, keynotes and speeddatings, it became apparent that we could not to realize the event as planned. Although, still hardly present in Latin America, the covid-19 outbreak had already arrived at full scale in Italy and Spain. Travel restrictions by nations in Latin America have been put in place. Our main speaker Juan de Antonio, Founder of Cabify, was meant to fly in from Spain. No chance that this was going to happen. So, we pivoted, from the initial set-up to a virtual one. At first, we considered preserving the whole event and having panels online. Juan de Antonio would be connected remotely and the panel on “Emprendeder para impactar” with decorated Endeavor entrepreneurs be conducted via Zoom. We were concerned the quality of the event would suffer significantly, making the event similar to a mere online ted talk. When Juan let us know that he will have to focus on the contingencies of his business, the decision was taken for us. However, during these tough times, we did not want to postpone or cancel the entire event, but preserve the speed-dating sessions between leading VCs and start-ups, as well as a webinar about raising capital internationally during covid. Smart capital is more needed than ever and we felt that it was an important signaling effect to our Endeavor network and the start-up ecosystem as a whole that we can add truly tangible value through a virtual set-up when in-person interaction is not feasible. It was an experiment from the get-go, that was for sure. With less than 3 weeks planning time, we re-invited VC funds, convinced them of the virtual format and even confirmed a few additional ones that previously couldn’t travel to Chile. We arrived at a total of 34 funds confirmed, the largest setup we ever had. From IFC, ACCEL KKR to KasZek and Omidyar’s Flourish, the line-up was definitely something to show for. Applications from entrepreneurs started to pour in. At the deadline, 1 week before the event, we had received more than 80 applications of top Latinamerican start-ups that could all make the cut. We even had to close the form before the application deadline, out of concern that we were not even capable to screen the high number applications due to the time constraint. Initially, we did not intend to confirm more than 40 start-ups to facilitate the match-making between funds and entrepreneurs. We decided to increase the number to 60 slots. This decision in the end would prove challenging, as we spent hours finding a pareto-optimum distribution between the funds and entrepreneurs. We could have left it to 40 slots only, but we felt strongly that we should give as many entrepreneurs as we could handle the chance to join, as this might be their last opportunity for a longer period of time to be able talk to investors directly. After having finalized the match-making part, the entrepreneurs and VCs had to be informed of their individual agenda on the day. The plan was the following: Set up zoom links for each fund. Just like a table, the VCs would sit with a qualified Endeavor staff member in one meeting room and the entrepreneurs would take turns between the different meeting rooms, accessible through the various zoom links, switching every 15mins. This would sum up to 230 meetings on April 01st conducted in 2 time-slots, 3 hours in the morning and 3 in the afternoon. Nobody on our team had used Zoom or any video-chat platform at this scale before. We tried reaching out to the Zoom customer service to get some more intel and possibly a discount for the 20+ licenses we had to acquire, as the basic version wouldn’t suffice for the longer meetings with multiple attendees. As one could expect, the Zoom customer service was entirely collapsed during this time, so we didn’t get a response. We improvised. Endeavor Argetina kindly borrowed us an additional zoom account we were missing. Two very kind staff members of Endeavor Peru volunteereed to join the calls as we did not have sufficient staff to be on all the calls in parallel. We got everybody on board at our local team as well. From Accounting, Events, Marketing, and the whole Selection & Growth team, everybody was motivated and played a fundamental role in coordinating the calls. On the event day, did everything really go as planned? The key bottleneck as we had thought, was getting the entrepreneurs to join at the right time and respect the already tight timeframe. Our ambition was to replicate the in-person dynamic entirely on a virtual format. This is definitely a key learning. We thought that it was sufficient in one email to clarify the whole dynamic to the participating entrepreneurs. Obviously, not everybody got it. Especially the ones that haven’t participated in speed-datings before. 15mins is a very short time period to talk to anybody, but talking to a VC, you have to make each second count. This applies in the in-person as well as virtual design of speed-dating sessions. Next time, whether virtual or not, we will definitely provide a webinar beforehand to the entrepreneurs that are less familiar with the format. Eventually, what did it come down to? We finalized the day with 230 meetings conducted, all but one VC were able to assist in the scheduled timeframes. All entrepreneurs appeared. In general the timings were respected, but of course a few ran over and some Zoom links didn’t work as planned. But all in all, our first virtual Match VC event went down smoothly, especially considering the short timeframe we had and the limited previous experience. Would we change a few things? – For sure. Find some key learnings at the bottom. First feedback gathered from the attending entrepreneurs conveyed a clear message: More than 90% would participate again in a future virtual Match VC. Out of a scale from 1–10, with 10 being excellent, 79% rated the event between 8–10, 35% gave it a solid 10. Not one score was lower than 6. In terms of the quality of the matches, a core bottleneck, and one of the main concerns we had due to the high number of participants, 68% of the entrepreneurs rated at least 3 out of 4 meetings as a great fit. 95% of participants rated a minimum of 50% of the sessions to be of great value. Data on the VCs satisfaction is still pending, but we have received tremendous feedback telling us that 2 events per year of this kind, would greatly add to their dealflow. Can we recommend you to take the jump and organize your first virtual event at scale? Absolutely! Go for it! You will have a great experience, learn a lot and be able to add tangible value to your attendees, when it is most needed. KEY LEARNINGS TO SUCCESSFULLY ORGANIZE A VIRTUAL EVENT Plan early and ideally start from scratch (not with a previous in-person setup in mind, rethink the interactions and design of the event entirely) Think carefully about potential bottlenecks, reduce complexity and margin for error Have a trial run and if needed an introductory webinar to brief participants beforehand – Rather over-inform than risk misinterpretations Don’t be too ambitious and do not underestimate mission creep – Keep the scale smaller than usual especially when executing a virtual event for the first time Zoom is a tremendously powerful, check breakout-rooms and waiting rooms! (Zoom is not paying me for this, they don’t need anymore advertising these days) Happy organising, Patrick

https://medium.com/@patalex/covid-19-times-organizing-a-first-virtual-entrepreneurs-event-at-scale-d84e91d48db2

['Patrick Alex']

2020-04-06 11:14:50.708000+00:00

['Enterpreneurship', 'Venturecapital', 'Zoom', 'Startups', 'Co Vid']

Plan for Your Future

Failure to plan is planning to fail Photo by Anne Nygård on Unsplash Reflection Mark 14:12–21 On the first day of the Unleavened Bread, Jesus’s disciples asked where they would be having the Passover Meal. This was another opportunity for Jesus to talk about His crucifixion, death & resurrection. However, His disciples may not believe Him since this event has yet to occur. To address their unbelieve, Jesus foretold a series of events that would happen as He described. He told two of His disciples that a man with a jar of water would greet them. This was unusual because, a woman, rather than a man, would carry a jar of water. How did He know that? Then Jesus also knew the availability of a guest room in Jerusalem when most of His ministry was in Galilee and Capernaum. How did He know that? Jesus also knew this room was large enough and furnished to house His disciples. The host would also provide bread for all of them. How did He know that?!!! Jesus seemed to know everything beforehand. Hence, when He foretold that one of them would betray Him, it would most likely be true. This troubled His disciples very much. Corporate Leadership Jesus knew that His disciples would face great difficulties after His death. Hence, He gave them the assurance that all of these were part of God’s plan. He demonstrated this effectively by foretelling the events that would happen and they did! This was different from fortune-telling. In fortune-telling, the fortune-teller has no control over what will happen. For Jesus, the events to come were part of His plan. Likewise, a good leader knows the importance of planning. If he failed to plan, he planned to fail! In planning, he envisions the outcome he desires and how it fits into the objectives of the company. He plans for the finances, the right people for the right job, the resources they need & the training necessary for the job. When the planning is well thought out, his staff will more likely support it and make it happen. Donald Henry Rumsfeld, a former US Secretary of Defense, said, “Think ahead. Don’t let day-to-day operations drive out planning.” — XW Family Leadership When Jesus started off His ministry, He taught the Jews and healed the sick. Many miracles He performed affirmed Him as the Son of God. Nearing the end of His ministry, He began to talk about the future more often. This was done in preparation for Him leaving them. As parents, this same pattern also applies. When children are still young, parents have to teach them constantly. They fall sick and parents have to take care of them. As children grow up, parents also have to talk to them about their future. This is when children realize they have to take on responsibilities, learn to be independent, manage their own finances & make decisions. Like the disciples who had to grow up spiritually to help the early Christians, children will also need to grow up, plan for their future & contribute to the family well being. Malcolm Forbes, an American entrepreneur said, “Thinking well to be wise: planning well, wiser: doing well wisest and best of all.” — XW Next: Feed Your Body & Soul

https://medium.com/@xavierwoon/plan-for-your-future-6b3c3530c551

['Xavier Woon']

2020-12-25 01:15:24.454000+00:00

['Christian Living', 'Leadership', 'Parenting', 'Family', 'Catholic']

Microblog: using closures to create JavaScript factories

JavaScript factories tend to be much less imposing. Hi everyone! In today’s Microblog post, we’ll be looking at JavaScript closures and how you can use them to make factories. First, though — why learn about this technique? Well, even though many people dive straight into frameworks like React and Angular, it’s always good to understand the fundamental vanilla JavaScript underlying those frameworks. As a result, you’ll be able to do more both with and without the frameworks supporting you. Now, onto closures: What are closures? Good question. At their core, closures are simply an enclosed scope inside a function. They allow an inner function to access the variables in an outer function. A super simple example would look something like this: const addTo = (numberOne) => { return (numberTwo) => { return numberOne + numberTwo; } } const addToFive = addTo(5); const addToTen = addTo(10); addtoFive(3); // => 8 addToTen(3); // => 13 When the addTo function is called with a parameter, it returns another function that has access to the numberOne variable; this returned function is the closure. Both addToFive and addToTen each have their own unique scope, where the variable numberOne equals 5 and 10 respectively. As a result, when calling those functions with 3 as a parameter, they give the expected results of 8 and 13. Now, onto factories: What are factories? Factories are generally used in testing to create objects without creating the full object declaration inline. A simple example might look this: /* User { {string} firstName {string} lastName {number} age } const createUser = (userObj) => { // create mock user let user = { firstName: "John", lastName: "Doe", age: 21 }; Object.keys(user).forEach((userKey) => { }); return user; } This allows us to scope our testing to be more relevant to the tests we perform. // WITHOUT FACTORY const returnsFalseForMinors = () => { // irrelevant data in test let user = { firstName: "John", lastName: "Doe", age: 17 }); console.assert(functionToTest(user), false); } // WITH FACTORY const returnsFalseForMinors = () => { let user = createUser({ age: 17 }); console.assert(functionToTest(user), false); } Factories and closures, together? When we use factories together with closures, we’re able to dynamically generate useful functions that don’t have to take too many parameters. Here’s an example from the codebase for my photography page, where I needed to add and remove different classes for large amounts of objects: // closure and factories, working together const removeAndAdd = (remove, add) => { return (el) => { el.classList.remove(remove); el.classList.add(add); } } // methods generated by the factory for use later const leftToCenter = removeAndAdd("left", "center"); const centerToRight = removeAndAdd("center", "right"); const rightToCenter = removeAndAdd("right", "center"); const centerToLeft = removeAndAdd("center", "left"); // ... const movePrev = () => { if (currentIndex <= 0) return; else { centerToRight(images[currentIndex]); leftToCenter(images[--currentIndex]); // decrement inline labelText.innerHTML = (currentIndex + 1) + "/" + numImages; labelTitle.innerHTML = altText[currentIndex]; } } const moveNext = () => { if (currentIndex + 1 >= numImages) return; else { centerToLeft(images[currentIndex]); rightToCenter(images[++currentIndex]); // increment inline labelText.innerHTML = (currentIndex + 1) + "/" + numImages; labelTitle.innerHTML = altText[currentIndex]; } } As you can see, by using a closure as a function factory, I was able to avoid repeating calls to each element’s classList , making my code more readable and semantic in the process. I hope this short post gives you an idea of the power of closures in JavaScript, and I’m hoping to make a longer post further down the line detailing the most powerful ways these can be used. Make sure to follow me to be notified when that post drops. If you found this post useful, please consider buying me a coffee. Until next time!

https://medium.com/@shaileshcodes/microblog-using-closures-to-create-javascript-factories-a5b7a8aff2ef

['Shailesh Vasandani']

2021-01-09 20:40:20.783000+00:00

['Frontend', 'Microblog', 'Webdev', 'JavaScript']

Lore, lore, learn by heart

Lore, lore, learn by heart I’m taking pleasure of rewriting my code for higher and higher performance. There is a something compensating in perfecting nanoseconds and counting CPU ticks. My job is all about Python (slow) and Ansible (…ekhem… super slow), so to be able to mess with nanoseconds a true self-esteem boost. But in the process I learned yet another tiny-tiny bit of lore you normally can’t reason about beforehand. Cargo provides with many nice commands: cargo test , cargo bench , etc. They allow to run tests and benchmarks. But did you know that those tests and benchmarks have own command options? Up to a certain point I was sure that cargo test --help is enough to see all of them. NOPE. Listen, folks, and remember the lore: cargo test -- --help cargo bench -- --help Each of those shows a very own unique set of options which must be passed with this -- trick. The trick itself is reasonable: in Unix command line it’s a well-known (another lore here) way to separate options from ‘arguments’ if your argument has misfortune to contain something ‘dash-like’. The one of the most common cases (for me) is to search text starting with ‘-’ symbol in grep : grep -r * -- -find-this So cargo is doing the same. It allows to separate own options (for cargo binary) from options passed to the child binaries. test is a separate binary, compiled for testing purposes only. Benchmark is a separate binary, etc. So -- is used to separate options for those binaries from options of cargo itself. Retrospectively this make a total sense. Discoverability is non-existing though. The option I was hunting for was --nocapture to disable capturing of stdout of my tests. Debugger is great, but some cases are faster to solve by just looking on output. Turns out, the proper call is: cargo test -- --nocapture .

https://medium.com/journey-to-rust/lore-lore-learn-by-heart-b8039e626d6a

['George Shuklin']

2021-01-18 19:48:12.329000+00:00

['Programming', 'Lore', 'Command Line', 'Rust', 'Cargo']

An Introduction to Dash Platform, DAPI, and Drive

Following the open sourcing of Dash Core Group’s (DCG) project repos, we are excited to provide the community and the general public with more insight into our product development. Before going further, I would like to provide background for our product thinking, through a high-level introduction to the Dash payments network and its vision for the future. Dash is a leading cryptocurrency and p2p network, allowing individuals to send money to anyone, anywhere, for a nominal network fee, typically less than one cent ($0.01 USD). DCG is one of the many organizations working on behalf of the Dash network. Our mission is to build the most user friendly payments network in the world. In that regard, our primary efforts have been focused on evolving our network technology and forging partnerships with organizations and businesses. Evolution, DCG’s vision for upgrading the Dash network, involves several distinct initiatives including Core protocol upgrades and the development of the most user-friendly crypto wallet to date. In order to facilitate the development of this new wallet, as well as many other use cases, DCG is building Dash Platform, an application development platform leveraging Dash’s masternode network and blockchain. Comprised of two main architectural components, Drive and DAPI, these components turn the Dash p2p network into a cloud, through which developers will be able to integrate their applications. For our MVP release, the platform will primarily act as a Database as a Service, using data contracts to define custom data structures for applications, storing that application data on our masternode network, and notarizing that data via our blockchain. While still in active development, the DCG team is happy to invite the community to review our code, assess our security, and contribute toward our development as we progress toward our v1.0 release. Next, let’s delve into the two main components comprising Dash Platform: Drive (decentralized storage) and DAPI (decentralized API). These reference implementations are written in Node.js. Drive, Decentralized Storage on the Dash Masternode Network In order to integrate applications with Dash Platform, it is necessary for developers to create a data contract. This data contract will describe the data structures comprising their application. It’s analogous to creating a database schema for a document-oriented database like MongoDB. Any data created by users of your application will be validated and verified against this contract. Upon successful validation/verification, your application data will be uploaded to Drive, where it will be stored on our masternode network. In exchange for hosting this data, masternode owners will be compensated using fees charged to users, similar to traditional transaction fees. These fees will be based on user-requested data operations such as reading, writing, and storage duration. Our PoSe (proof-of-service) algorithm will be updated to keep track of whether masternodes are hosting Drive, thereby making them eligible for compensation in exchange for their service to the network. Data is uploaded to Drive via state transitions, which are special transactions that describe a transition in your application’s state. A record of your application’s state transitions is stored in Drive, allowing you to view your application data at different points in time. This provides potent functionality for use cases that require high levels of trust between multiple, independent parties. This functionality facilitates the access of records which are secured and verified according to our consensus protocol, rendering them auditable by any involved party. Some example use cases include chain-of-custody, digital rights management, supply chain, property records, and audit management. Your application’s state view is the current state of its data. This data is stored in a MongoDB instance, allowing for quick access. Your application’s historical state transitions are stored in IPFS, which also propagates your application data to other nodes in our network. Consequently, application data is replicated several times over, protecting application data against any individual node downtime in our network. DAPI, Dash’s Decentralized API Clients will be able to integrate their applications to Dash Platform via DAPI (dæ-pee), our distributed, decentralized API. DAPI is an HTTP API exposing JSON-RPC endpoints. Through these endpoints, developers will be able to send and retrieve application data via Drive, as well as query the blockchain, eventually replicating the functionality of Insight through a more developer-friendly interface. In effect, DAPI provides developers with the same access and security of a full node, without the cost and maintenance overhead. Developers will use DAPI to submit state transitions for storage in Drive. The fees for submitting these state transitions will be comprised of a fixed transaction cost, similar to a normal transaction fee, and a variable cost determined by the size of the data being stored. In a typical p2p network, excessive leeching behavior can drain a network of its speed and efficiency. This free-rider problem is solved through our fee structure, which ensures that masternodes are adequately compensated at a level that supports the demands of the network. Unlike traditional APIs which have a single point of failure, DAPI allows clients to connect to different instances depending on resource availability in the Dash network. If a masternode goes offline, taking its DAPI instance with it, then clients will be able to seamlessly connect to and retrieve their application data via another instance. Developers will have the option to connect to DAPI directly or use a client library provided by Dash Core Group. This initial client library, dapi-client, is a relatively simple API wrapper, providing function calls to our endpoints. Eventually, a more robust client library will be released that will incorporate advanced functionality, aiding developers with more complex platform development and payment processing use cases. Next Steps Our immediate goal is to continue active development of DAPI and Drive in order to support the release of the DashPay wallet. Consequently, Dash Platform will be available for development as part of Release 1.0. After this initial release we will continue evolving the platform, eventually providing developers with a full stack for development. We are actively exploring additional features such as object storage, data triggers, sharding, developer tools and frameworks, off-network state transition storage, and more. If you’d like to take a deeper dive into Dash Platform and Evolution, you can view the design document here. On behalf of the DCG members working on this product, I’m excited to invite the community to join us in the evolution of Dash by sharing your thoughts and your PRs.

https://blog.dash.org/an-introduction-to-dash-platform-dapi-and-drive-9d080d6e89c9

['Dana Alibrandi']

2019-05-20 20:27:37.971000+00:00

['Fintech', 'Finance', 'Developer', 'Dash', 'Blockchain']

God of the Trauma

God of the Trauma On finding God inside the doubt Photo by niklas_hamann on Unsplash I don’t remember the walk through the hospital — I was on autopilot, parking in the parking garage, taking the elevators to the hospital lobby, and then walking through the doors to the Emergency Department (backward to the way most people do it). Everything about this was backward. “I’m suicidal,” I said to the lady behind the desk. A nurse came over and took my pulse. “Are you on drugs,” she asked. My heart was racing because wouldn’t yours be, too, after panicking the whole way through? And in that moment, I never felt so alone. Despite the crowd of faces around me, the ubiquitous ambiance caused by the humdrum of the hospital — heart monitors and pagers, codes, and alarms — loneliness is a powerful thing. I still feel alone in a room full of faces. Disassociation: existing, but slightly to the left, feeling numb when feeling everything. I’ve come so far since walking into the ER the first time, farther than I ever expected. Healing more than I ever anticipated. I don’t know if the trauma I went through was “worth it.” But I do know this: my doubt doesn’t negate my faith. And I’ve been blessed with a therapist who happens to be a Christian, whose path overlaps with mine in multiple ways. In our session yesterday, I talked about the hurt I’ve experienced from growing up in the church, trying to reconcile the trauma with what I heard every Sunday. We unpacked the hurt and the pain; we unpacked the questions I have about my faith — how can God? Why does God? What does God? My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? I have no idea if the pain was worth it: the years of starving myself to make the part of myself they touched smaller; the years of self-harm to get rid of the skin that they touched; the years of feeling nothing because feeling nothing has to be better than feeling everything. Can anything good come from this? I’m learning now that blocking painful emotions and feeling nothing is the most dangerous thing. Numbness guides me towards trees. And in order to ‘heal’ in the way that I want to, I need to feel. Jesus didn’t shy away from painful emotions. Even if those painful emotions left him crying out on the cross alone and forgotten. Sometimes I feel forgotten by God. On my dark days when I can’t remember what the Son of Hope looks like. On the days when the question of “why” is the only thought running through my head, but I’ve learned that if I dwell on the “why,” the “because” will never show up. I’ve learned that I do not suffer alone. Sometimes in the midst of your own struggle, it’s easy to forget that you’re not alone. That you’re not struggling by yourself. That other people get it. I let myself move from hurting to self-pity and back again, spiraling from all the nobody could ever understand how much I’m hurting thoughts. But then God reminds me. The truth is: we’re not alone in our pain. I’m not alone in my pain. I have met people with amazing stories who have overcome some powerful things — drug addiction, rape, suicide attempts, abusive relationships. I met people that night in the emergency room that have impacted my life in more ways than they’ll ever know: God has a way of showing up in the middle of our mess. Even Jesus understands my pain, and He’s right there mourning with me, hurting with me, rejoicing with me. I don’t have to justify to anyone why I still believe in God. All I have to do is tell them my story because, through it all, despite my curiosity on how they can, people have stuck by my side through it all. For me, God’s found through the love of others. Imperfect human love for a hurting person illustrates the unconditional love of God for one of his children. All this despite my doubt. And I’m still trying to figure out where my purpose lies in all of this, what plans God has for my life. But I do know this: He can salvage good from even the evilest things in our lives. He can bring hope into hopeless places and healing into the broken places. And he loves me more than my support team loves me. When I feel like I don’t deserve their love, their support, their words of encouragement during the hard times, how much more don’t I deserve the love of God? Yet he loves me anyway. I’m continuously reminded that people deciding to love me isn’t up to me — it’s not a choice I can make. All I can do is allow myself to be loved by them, to let them see the ugliness, the darkness, the real, the raw I don’t want to be here me, the me who struggles to stay alive but really, really wants to keep fighting. But they haven’t left. God hasn’t left despite the times he feels so far away, despite my doubt. Not my will, but Yours be done.

https://kldistaffen.medium.com/god-of-the-trauma-56932e3e5ec

['Kaleigh Lynne Distaffen']

2020-01-15 18:05:18.413000+00:00

['Doubt', 'Religion', 'Faith', 'Christianity']

Dieting Addiction

Dieting Addiction A poem about poison Photo by i yunmai on Unsplash She is addicted. She has been hooked since she was young. Sold it as the solution for life. She was told it’s health-giving, necessary. That it will save her. Yet, it’s taken away her life. Stolen precious minutes of every hour. Robbed her of other thoughts, dreams. Her life is no richer. She’s never known the fruits of her labor. Rather, she even denies herself fruit. Yet, she labors on. Believing in the promises they fed her. Believing she will never be enough until she loses “the weight.” Believing she is not enough as she is. She has been fed lies. The “cure” is the poison that keeps her sick. As long as she diets, she will never be free.

https://medium.com/invisible-illness/dieting-18b27e022d9b

['Rachel Miller']

2020-08-08 18:43:47.971000+00:00

['Poetry', 'Life', 'Mental Health', 'Self Improvement', 'Psychology']

Learn to speak the language of love (but also take no crap).

Photo by Priscilla Du Preez on Unsplash One of my favorite Mexico stories is when I botched the Spanish language big time. I’m not bilingual, as you’ll soon find out. I am working on learning to speak the language of love, even if there is little hope for me in learning to speak Spanish. I’ve been to Mexico many times and I have an adult daughter and son-in-law who live there, so I have a special love for Mexico. Hispanic people are amazing and I have had the opportunity see just how incredibly inspiring their culture is, and I learn something from each visit there. Oh, and I also love street tacos. Now that love runs deep. So deep. I have tacos in my veins. I can understand some Spanish, but I am not great at speaking it. I am trying. My kids who live there are bilingual, so I’m trying to learn so that I can communicate better, but it’s a slow and painful process, particularly when you are as caucasian as they come…hello, it’s me, white girl from southern Idaho. Yep, that’s me. Several years ago, I was in Baja California with my daughters Maggie and Molly. Fortunately, I was with a larger group that had much better skills than I did in speaking the language. We were heading out to give some food and supplies to locals who really needed them. I wanted to be able to say something in Spanish, so I asked some of the group members how to say, ‘Jesus loves you’ in Spanish. They told me and I was ready to go. Before we left, I decided to repeat what I had practiced. In the most confident way I could, I said, ‘Me llamo is Jesus’. Yeah, so that means, ‘My name is Jesus.’ So I was prepared to go out and tell every single person we saw that my name was Jesus. If that doesn’t tell you my Spanish level of comprehension, I don’t know what does. Fortunately, they helped me, and finally, I got it right, ‘Jesus te Ama’. Also, the error was discovered during my practice session, and not during our actual outing. No one was embarrassed except me, and it still makes me laugh to this day. I’m hopelessly unilingual. Is that a word? If not, it is now. Maybe it’s monolingual? I give up, maybe I’m not even good at my native language of English. What did this experience teach me about speaking the language of love? It’s uncommon to communicate in the language of love in our world today, and it takes practice. I mess it up a lot, but I am trying to learn. I’m not fluent in the language of love either. I’m just about as bad at this as I am at the Spanish language. I’ll never get it perfect, but I am committed to trying. What does that look like? Here’s what I’m learning about this skill. There are three things that I’ve learned about how to respond in love when difficult situations arise in my life. Each one has its place. It’s not always easy to determine which response is best. Oftentimes I need trusted counsel to help me decide, particularly if a situation is difficult or complex. Speaking the truth, in love. This one is only as strong as the relationship. If I’m in a relationship with someone that I want to preserve, this is necessary. Total honesty and being forthright is the only way. It means being able to be fully me in the relationship, and sometimes that means the other person won’t be happy. But with an eye toward love, how I approach those conversations is key. If I’m unkind in that process, it can damage the relationship. It’s not easy! Sometimes in a weak relationship, this is too much, and the relationship is harmed. I’ve got to take that risk sometimes though because I can only be authentically me, and I’ve got to be true to myself and who God made me to be. Standing up for myself when I need to. There are times to fully stand up for me and that means taking a strong position and staying in it. Listening and compromise are important, but there are times when being loving is actually showing others exactly where you begin and more importantly where you. It’s scary to do, but sometimes it’s a must. No matter what others think, I am my own best advocate. I choose these times wisely, but it’s more prevalent on the big issues and dealing with the world in general. If I’m being loving to myself, I’m going to stand up and fight. Period. Being silent when I need to. Silence can be a huge help in remaining in a posture of love. When things have reached a point where there isn’t any help that can come by arguing, fighting, or proving, then sometimes the most loving thing to do for myself and for others is just to shut up. This one requires letting go of what other people think. People-pleasing runs deep for me. This one is hard for me because of that, and I hate it when people don’t understand me. Silence means letting that go and walking away to be the person I want to be. Loving myself and knowing God loves me. This also means acknowledging that God loves the other person too. That helps me with the next step, letting go of resentment or bitterness. Let it go and move forward in peace. No matter which option above is the right one (and let’s be honest, sometimes all three are necessary at different points in life) bitterness has no place in my life, ever. It’s not easy to stay away from this one because wrong and unfair and unkind things will happen in life. It’s an imperfect world we live in, and stuff happens. Sometimes I do wrong, unkind, and unfair things to others too. I know it’s a shocker, but I’m not perfect. I don’t want to be an angry person as I move forward in life. In order to not be that way, I have to choose differently. It’s a process, just like forgiveness, but so worth it. It keeps me from sinking into a pit of self-pity or doubt and allows me to be the person I want to be. I’m imperfect, flawed, messed up, and obviously not bilingual, but I am a person worth caring for. That starts with me. No matter what. This also allows me to love others unconditionally. That means even my enemies. It can be a daily battle, but it’s one I’m willing to fight so that I can live the best life that God has intended for me. If this helps you, please take what you want and leave the rest. If not, that’s ok too. This is a reminder for me, and if my transparency is of any benefit to you, you are welcome to read along. Subscribe to my email list: andersonsofwesthills.com/about/ Love, Leslie Leslie Anderson For more inspiration: visit Andersons of West Hills

https://medium.com/@andersonsofwesthills/learn-to-speak-the-language-of-love-but-also-take-no-crap-c6d614ccae15

['Leslie Anderson']

2021-03-07 17:16:03.419000+00:00

['Empowerment', 'Empowering Women', 'Recovery', 'Communication', 'Addiction']

Luke Reaches For Hope, Marissa Runs For It

“Can I tell you a story, Luke?” That’s what Grampa asked me before he died. I was in the hospital room with him. Just a few weeks after he heard me praying in the bathroom at church. I got worried for a while when I figured he heard me asking God to save me from being gay. But then I decided he must not have because he never said nuthin’. I was wrong. “Listen, kid,” he growled. “I gotta tell you about this friend I used to have. In the Army. Long time ago. Before we had your mom.” He sounded terrible, Grampa did. He kept pushing this button that gave him more medicine for his pain. So, I didn’t really want him to talk, you know? But he kept going, even though he had to bite down really hard sometimes. “Luke, I had a best buddy back then, kind of like you and Brad. We did everything together. We were close like brothers. Spent every minute we could with each other. Sort of like you two do now.” He had to push the button and stop for a while after that. He got this dreamy look on his face. When I think about it now, I think the morphine was helping him dream about his friend. Or maybe his ghost came to visit. Who knows? But he started back up again pretty soon. His voice was real soft at first, but it kept getting stronger. “We weren’t supposed to be friends, you know. I was a corporal. He was a lieutenant, an officer. We didn’t care. One bit. Every time we had liberty or a pass, we left post and met up somewhere and had fun together. When were with each other, everything was better. Everything was OK. “We did all kinds of things we weren’t supposed to do, boy. I wish you were older. I wish you were old enough to hear it all. He reached out and grabbed my hand, even though it hurt him. I could tell. “I just want you to know that you have to be who you are. You can’t let made-up rules stop you from being who you are, son. I’m proud of you for being Luke. Luke’s a good kid. A good young man. And God? He’s proud of you too, or I’ll eat my cigar. You hear me?” I didn’t really understand him then, or maybe I only did sorta half way. But I remember that I felt warm and good when he said that. He wasn’t finished, though. “I don’t regret marrying your Gran. I even loved her in my way. And of course I got your mom and you and your sister outta the bargain, and that’s pearls beyond price, boy. “I never forgot LT, though, That’s what I called him. LT for lieutenant. We saw each other a few times after the army. We tried, but being together made us more sad than anything. So, we stopped. “What happened? Eh, he died a long time ago. He got that sickness, that AIDS. Wrote me a letter. Said goodbye. Your gran, she found it and threw it away a long time ago. Long story.” Grampa sighed really big after that and I could see his eyes get sad. I never understood why till later on — after Pastor Tim and the blow job in the basement. “So, listen here, Luke Thomas Sanders, and you listen good. Don’t you believe that you’re any worse off than any of God’s creatures. Like I tell you and tell you, God’s a lot bigger than any of us can imagine. Don’t you go listening to people who wanna put limits on him. “And listen to one more thing. Your initials are LT, right? Well, that ain’t exactly a coincidence. Your mom, she wanted to call you Luke Mark. I convinced her she had the wrong apostle. Talked her into Thomas. So LT is my gift to you, boy. Anybody ever gives you trouble, you just tell em your name’s LT, and you remember your grampa, and you remember he says you’re just fine the way you are. “You hear me, boy?” I squeezed his hand real soft and held it for a while. He had to push the button again. A lot. He fell asleep then, and that was last thing Grampa ever said to me.

https://medium.com/prismnpen/luke-cries-marissa-runs-4324459edb72

['James Finn']

2020-11-23 14:37:40.927000+00:00

['Fiction', 'Sexual Assault', 'LGBTQ', 'Homeless', 'Youth']

CrossNER: Evaluating Cross-Domain Named Entity Recognition

Motivation of CrossNER We Need Cross-Domain NER Models Named entity recognition (NER) is a key component in text processing and information extraction. Contemporary NER systems rely on numerous training samples and a well-trained NER model could fail to generalize to a new domain due to the domain discrepancy. However, collecting large amounts of data samples is expensive and time-consuming. Hence, it is essential to build cross-domain NER models that possess transferability to quickly adapt to a target domain by using only a few training samples. We Need a Better Benchmark to Evaluate Cross-Domain NER Models There are two drawbacks when utilizing existing datasets for cross-domain NER evaluation. First, most targetdomains are either close to the source domain or not narrowed down to a specific topic or domain. Second, the entity categories for the target domains are limited. To this end, we collect a cross-domain NER dataset (CrossNER), a fully-labeled collection of NER data spanning over five diverse domains (politics, natural science, music, literature and artificial intelligence) with specialized entity categories for different domains. Additionally, we also provide a domain-related corpus since using it to continue pre-training language models (domain-adaptive pre-training (DAPT)) is effective for the domain adaptation (Gururangan et al. 2020). The CrossNER Dataset To collect CrossNER, we first construct five unlabeled domain-specific (politics, natural science, music, literature and AI) corpora from Wikipedia. Then, we extract sentences from these corpora for annotating named entities. We consider Reuters News from CoNLL2003 as the source domain data. Data Statistics and Entity Category

https://medium.com/@zihanliu1026/crossner-evaluating-cross-domain-named-entity-recognition-1a3ee2c1c42b

['Zihan Liu']

2020-12-27 09:42:40.230000+00:00

['Dataset', 'Naturallanguageprocessing', 'Cross Domain', 'Named Entity Recognition', 'Multi Domain']

Quarter II 2020 Mental/Physical Challenge: Ultra Marathon Row

DO HARD SHIT: EVERY DAY The journey to rowing 50,000m for my quarter 2 mental/physical challenge was hard fought and definitely warranted; warranted because I had put it off for the longest time. You see, a few years back the CrossFit Games athletes rowed a marathon which is 42,197m in competition and I thought to myself man, that looks tough and I’ll probably never do it. I can vividly remember watching the athletes get started and I hung around for maybe 20 minutes of rowing, then took off. When I came back a few hours later, they were still rowing away trying to get to 42,197m. It’s no easy task and from that point on, I had been fascinated with that length of row, never to even consider doing it until this year. After my quarter 1 challenge I quickly decided that I would do an ultra marathon row of 50,000m instead of just a marathon at 42,197m because I wanted to prove to myself that I could do a marathon row and even go further for that mental boost of knowing I could do more. I kept track of my stats as I was rowing for the most part and I hit a full marathon row in 3h50m48s. From there I continued on to row 8,000m more to finish out at 50,000 meters with a time of 4h29m15s. Average heart rate was zone 1, so for me that was roughly an average of 126bpm. I burned 3,242 calories during the 4.5hrs and my estimated recovery time was 67hrs, which if we’re keeping track, that means I can get back on the wagon today and begin to workout again! Mentally I had a plan when I went into the row, I was going to split it up every 5k (1k = 1,000m) and get up to walk around, stretch, and hydrate. However, when I got on the rower the morning of June 14th, 2020, at 630am my body had a different plan. I felt so good right off the bat that I stuck to it without getting off the rower for 30k! Don’t get me wrong, in my head I was fighting a battle of, “Just go another 5k then get off. Just go another 10k then get off.” etc. I flew past the first 5k and felt amazing, breezed passed the 10k mark and from then on, I would only question myself every 10k to do a quick inventory of how I was feeling. Right out of the gate, I went 30k meters without stopping, which was far more than I thought I would go before I hopped off for a quick stretch and hydrate. After that, I went roughly every 5k meters to stop and stretch, generally on the rower, grab a quick drink, then back to it. I only ended up getting off the rower twice throughout the entirety of the row. At the 30k mark, my hips were in pain and my hamstrings were super tight, so it was warranted to take a 90 second break off of the rower to get a little stretch in. At that point, my heart rate was on a steady incline due to compounding stress over the past 3 hours of rowing and began to sweat heavily. By this time, it was between 930–10am and I hadn’t eaten anything that morning on purpose — just to make it a little bit harder. At the end of the day when the row was all said and done, the pain was worth the suffering and the sacrifice or preparing myself over the past three months to get ready for the ultra marathon row was exactly what I needed in my life to help hold me accountable. Accountable to myself, accountable to my brothers who have gone before me (Zach, Guzzo, Curtis), accountable to my family, and just as important as everything else, accountable to living life on my own terms and doing hard shit every single day I’m alive. If there’s something you want in life, you have a choice between only two options: Get busy living or get busy dying. During the process, I also took donations for Children International, the charity that I and my business back and support 100%. We managed to raise around $200 which in turn will allow for nearly six sponsorships for children living in poverty around the world. Everything I do is on purpose — to make an impact in my life and in others. #TheDillonBurnsMethod

https://medium.com/@thedillonburnsmethod/quarter-ii-mental-physical-challenge-ultra-marathon-row-f9b0d8769f10

['Dillon Burns']

2020-12-15 20:55:11.945000+00:00

['Mindset', 'Challenge', 'The Dillon Burns Method', 'Mental Health', 'Fitness']

Approval Letter Fee

NOTE: The fee table does not apply to citizens of the following restricted nations: ANGERIA, BAHRAIN, BHUTAN, JORDAN, KUWAIT, LEBANON, GAMBIA, MOROCCO, NEPAL, KENYA, OMAN, QATAR, SAUDI ARABIA, TIMOR-LESTE, TUNISIA, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES, YEMEN Please email us at: [email protected] or call our hotline at (+84) 977383586 if you are a passport holder of one of the nations listed above. This fee table is valid for all visa requests made on regular working days: Monday — Friday ( till 3:15 Pm ). For all emergency visa requests applied after 3:15 PM of every Friday to arrive on Saturday or Sunday, there will be a surcharge for weekend service. We strongly suggest travelers to check before applying. The Approval Letter Fee is paid online. We accept all major credit cards: Visa, MasterCard, American Express, and Diners Club This fee must be paid in advance to process visa Approval Letters for urgent service in 1 business day/ 1 hour/ 2 hours/or 4 hours, as well as for normal service of 2 business days. Visa vietnam Stamping Fee Following are Stamp Fee updates for 2015 (price per person): $25 for 1 month/3 month Single Entry visa $50 for 1 month/3 month Multiple Entry visas Applicants pay Stamp Fees directly at the airport in cash using either Vietnam dong or U.S. dollars. If you have any questions regarding visa fees or currencies, please email us [email protected] or call us on our hotline at (+84) 977383586.

https://medium.com/@topvietnamtour/approval-letter-fee-3f89adf2fb23

['Top Vietnam Tour']

2017-11-24 07:58:05.306000+00:00

['Vietnam']

Make Money In ANY Business

In today’s world, you can market and sell virtually anything! People don’t realize how much opportunity is out there to make money. I remember when I was in college a girl asked what I did for a living. At the time, I was working for my dad’s company, Adams Ice. After sharing what I did, she said, “Wow, when are you going to get a real job?” I thought to myself, really? You can make a lot of money in the ice business, and this industry has allowed my dad to live a really great life. So, yes, you can make money selling frozen water. And yes, I can sell ice to an Eskimo. I once met a guy at an event that was selling flying pet squirrels for a living. I’m not joking. He sold them for around $600 each and made over half a million dollars a year. It was insane! You may not have any interest in selling flying squirrels or frozen water, but there are SO many ways to make money. It’s a big world out there, but you have to do what you really enjoy and feel passionate about. When you enjoy what you’re doing you’re more than likely to go the extra mile and put in the time. When I graduated in 2012 I was working in the ice business and didn’t think I was going to go onto all of the things I’m doing today. The following year I was working 110 hour weeks and was burning myself out. Then, I got into the online world where I did public speaking, marketing, and got into crowdfunding which led me to ultimately doing our event, the Young Entrepreneur Convention, and where I am today. It’s hard to say where your journey is going to go. You have to set goals and know that they will change along the way, but at least you know what you’re working towards. If you’re running an online business, it’s always beneficial to have an understanding of how a brick and mortar business is run. What I mean by “brick and mortar” is any business that has a store or physical location with tangible inventory. This kind of business is what I grew up in and where I learned a lot of tactics as an entrepreneur. I love the ice business, but I will pick an online business over that ALL day. It’s not that I’m not willing to do the hard work and manual labor, I just want to work smarter. I’m thankful for all of the experience and knowledge I’ve gained because it’s given me a different perspective toward running virtually any kind of business. The opportunities that I’ve found in the online world continue to blow my mind. My family and friends back home don’t fully understand it, and before I got into it, I didn’t either. I didn’t know you could make hundreds of thousands — heck, even millions — of dollars online with a domain and offering value and knowledge. For me, we sell courses, masterminds, books, tickets to events, exclusive consulting, “done for you” services like creating a course, personal brand, or video, and even spots for people to be a part of our show. Over the past couple of years, I’ve experienced more ways to make money than I’ve ever known in my entire life. It comes down to this. Whatever the business is if you want to make a lot of money you have enjoy it, add a lot of value to your customer, and give them a great experience. If you can master these areas, you can make a lot of money in whatever you choose to do. Stay open-minded to all of the possibilities that are out there. No matter what it is that you’re going to sell to someone, take your knowledge and experience and always be willing to adapt to any changes that come your way. If you apply these things to your next endeavors, you’re going to always have success in what you do. BTA LiveToGrind.com

https://medium.com/the-ascent/make-money-in-any-business-610de92b6cf8

['Brandon T Adams']

2018-01-12 23:00:38.777000+00:00

['Entrepreneurship', 'Online Business', 'Money', 'Entrepreneur', 'The Ascent']

Why You Should Never Fly on Fridays, and Instead Choose This Day.

After this article, you will change your perceptions about the middle of the week. Source: pexels.com After years working as a strategy specialist in the world’s best airline, I came to one conclusion: Airline companies are very good at one marketing method: Customer segmentation The good news? You can play with their segmentation to save thousands in your next travel. I am seriously talking about price differences near 40% of the total paid for a ticket. Airlines delineate their commercial strategy all over the expected behavior of customers. Millions are spent in research to profile and project the behavior of those buying tickets every day. This entire effort starts at a very basic level: all the passengers are divided into two main categories: Business or Leisure. There are other groups (like pilgrims or visiting relatives) but their relevance is minor compared to those previously mentioned. Business Travelers vs Leisure Customers: Who are who. Business passengers usually are not paying their own ticket. They buy with less anticipation and are relatively inelastic (meaning they don’t care too much about the price). On the other hand, leisure customers plan their trip well in advance. They pay their own tickets and are more price-sensitive (or elastic). Business travelers tend to fly at the beginning of the week, like Monday, and return before the weekend, especially Friday. Meanwhile, they rarely travel at Sundays (except in the Middle East, where this is a working day) and Wednesdays. Due to the lack of corporate travelers, airlines tend to price Sundays and Wednesdays at lower rates than Fridays. There are exceptions, though. If a certain destination is attractive, for example, to Saudi nationals, Sundays tend to be expensive. This is because Sunday is a working day for them. Special events and holidays also may inflate the prices of specific days. However, in normal circumstances, the price pattern is relatively stable. This drives us to our conclusion. Conclusion All the rest being constant, the best opportunity to save money is to avoid flying on Fridays. Wednesdays, on the other hand, tend to have much better prices. That is how you will hack the day of the week price segmentation. In my next story, I will tell you how much in advance you should look for flight tickets! Hope none of my former airline bosses feel betrayed by that. Author: Levi Borba, founder of Colligere Expat Consultancy, former RM specialist for the world´s greatest airline, co-founder of Nearby Airport Hostel Warsaw and author of the books Moving Out, Living Abroad and Keeping Your Sanity and Budget Travelers, Digital Nomads & Expats: The Ultimate Guide. You can check some of his articles here. Subscribe here, for free, to my email list and receive the digital book 20 Essential Hacks for Saving Money While Travelling. Discover the way to cheaper flight tickets and even an upgrade to Business Class! Written by an author that worked during years in some of the best airlines of the planet.

https://medium.com/this-shall-be-our-story/why-you-should-never-fly-on-fridays-and-instead-choose-this-day-3ff211f4e945

['Levi Borba']

2020-08-22 14:55:25.921000+00:00

['Travel Hacks', 'Travel Tips', 'Budget Travel', 'Flight Tickets', 'Travel']

We All Treat Object as Map in Javascript, No Alternative ?

In different languages including javascript , “map” is introduced as a higher order function that uses another function in order to transform any structure (like array) to a certain form . But this is not the same case when we talk about a well renowned data structure called “Map”. Map is a non-linear data structure we often have to use in order to fulfill some specific purposes under certain use cases . Many programming languages provide a built in support for using map ,may be in different names. For example , in python this is called “dictionary” that serves as map. Unfortunately Javascript had nothing called “Map” before Ecmascript2015 got released. This absence compelled the developers growing the habit of using “object” as “Map” whenever it was needed. This blog assumes that you already know javascript (and definitely familiar with Object) and have been using object as Map without giving a second thought like many other programmers out there .In most cases, there is no fatal issue in using object as Map and this blog is not written for discouraging you from using so. Rather i would like to show some anomalies around using object as map in certain use cases and how to avoid those either by following some tricks or using the built-in Map class. Javascript object facilitates the tasks of a programmer in many ways. The most important one is, you don’t have to create a class in order to leverage the power of an object anytime in your program. For example , if you have to send a group of data to the server in a single request, you can simply create an object with relevant properties having those values .It could have been a lengthy task in other programming languages where creating a class is a mandatory thing before using it’s object. For example let person = { name : "reza", age : 25, occupation : "student" } We can see that, person is an object having “name”, “age” and “occupation” as properties. We can know the value of each property in just one go. console.log(person.name) // returns "reza" console.log(person.age) // returns 25 Using object.property is a common approach in many programming languages to access object’s property. Javascript provides an alternative way to access the properties as if it treats them in “key-value” pairs . For example, console.log(person[“name”] ) // returns “reza” With this much flexibility around js object, we usually treat it as “Map” whenever we need to use map like structure. Javascript ,by its nature is a tricky language that if you are not curious enough to see it’s anomalous behavior , it will keep you in peace [but life seems hell when it starts showing the dark side of the moon].We will now use the aforementioned example to show some inconsistencies around using javascript object as Map. console.log("name" in person) // true console.log("address" in person) // false . person has no such property. console.log("toString" in person) // true . but why? First two examples worked as expected, but in third one, despite “person” object’s having no key like “toString” , it returned true . This is so weird ,right ? Let’s try to understand the reason behind this inconsistency ? the “in” operator checks if a given property is valid in an object . Javascript is actually a prototype based language that every object has a thing (object actually) like “prototype” which keeps the record of all ‘its’ inherited properties from the “master/parent” Object/Class. This is how inheritance is ensured in js object via prototype chaining . you can console.dir(“any object”) in your browser’s console to see the prototype chaining . It is clear that, every object in javascript inherits everything from a “master” Object .For this, we can use a bunch of alien methods for string,arrays without even defining them in our code . “toString” is such a method every object inherits from the master object. Even though “person” object has no key like “toString”, it is defined in it’s master object . I guess, now you have got the point why it returned “true” in last example. Is there any way to get rid of this inconsistency from our object. The answer is yes . You can simply tell javascript that my object will not have any prototype. if you create your object the following way Object.create(null) the created object will have no prototype as well as those “alien” properties and methods in it . Let’s elaborate a bit to understand this. let person = Object.create(null) console.dir(person) // it will show no properties in it . The created object will not inherit anything from the master “Object” unlike the previous one. To check, console.dir it in your browser’s console. Now let’s try to add the properties we want to see in person object. person.name = "reza" person.age = 25 console.dir(person) // it will just show name and age as property. Now if you check anything which is not present in current object, it will show false. Wohooo! There are other issues in treating object as Map . For example, every property of an object is supposed to be a string. So ,in such use cases where conversion from “key” to “string” is difficult (in case of object and function) , you cannot use object as Map . No worries!! Javascript came up with a new structure called Map (released with Ecmascript 2015) which exactly fulfills our purpose. Why not using this? let person = new Map() person.set("name","reza"); person.set("age",25); person.has("name");// returns true person.has("age") ; // returns true person.has("toString") ;// returns false At first we created the person map. Then, we set two properties for person (name and age) . we then checked the person Map with some keys which gave us the expected result. Remember one thing, if you try to use “in” operator to see anything is valid inside map, you will see some inconsistencies. for example , console.log("toString" in person) // still returns true We will never use “in” operator to check something inside Map. Because , it rather checks things not in the map, but in the object itself. It is obvious that, person itself is an object created in reference of Map class . As a result, “toString” and other keys from prototype will still be valid in person object. but if you check them with “has” method, they will be invalid and return false. We can also access the value of the properties/keys with “get” method . person.get("name") // returns "reza" Here are other advantages of using Map : It preserves the order of the keys we set while it is not guaranteed in case of object. We can easily find the size of map with size method while it’s not that straightforward in object. Last but not the least, Map is not a replacement for using object as map. You can still treat our sweet “object” as map following certain rules. For example, Object.keys(“myobject”) will return only the keys of myobject. Another alternative to using “in” operator is “hasOwnProperty” method, as it will not take inherited properties into consideration while checking .To sum up, I just tried to shed some light on different aspects of Object and Map .Its up to you which one you will use in different use cases. Happy Coding!! reference : Eloquent Javascript , MDN .

https://medium.com/geekculture/we-all-treat-object-as-map-in-javascript-no-alternative-df80a35cd3c3

['Rezaul Karim']

2021-06-03 18:44:05.486000+00:00

['Data Structure Algorithm', 'Programming', 'JavaScript', 'Objects', 'Maps']

A Mother’s Care

She was touched by a man and screamed into the night So her parents sent her to fulfill her purpose At 18, so innocent and ripe It was time for marriage and breeding Not thinking to discuss or offer her proper healing She moved to the states and was silently taken aback by my dad’s American ways 3 girls she had — 3 she didn’t know how to raise She cried and hinted at the things he said in the bedroom Not knowing her trauma would pass down to us, we now curse and fume She read a story of the worst of men and created her own reality of them Up the stairs she went to set up camp, To keep guard at night and to demand a twisted form of protection Pissing with the lights off Bells on doorknobs Scarves covering faucets and toothbrushes Each scene in my mind has their disturbing sequence of flashes I can’t remember the last time I slept peacefully She claims I should be grateful — that she did all of this for me She blames me for not changing clothes in the eldests’ closet I knew that wouldn’t be the end of a long, unbearable process Through the years, I was bold enough to try and resist her control But as I’ve moved out and she sleeps in my room, She took it all back tenfold Annoyance and resentment built up She made me regret it when she spat in my face and told me, “You think you’re going through a lot, huh?” I cried and begged for mercy, but she shook her head in refusal until I got on my knees Perhaps that is why when I desperately seek forgiveness from God, I feel no peace Food she cooks and groceries she brings in the middle of the day She pats me with favors to keep me tame “I’m trying, I’m trying” I used to say I burden my sisters with a new tale to the saga They fret and worry as I insist that I’m okay She said we will see the punishment of our rationality and weep the day of her demise I can’t buy into it when we were spoon fed lies She said, for us, she’s had a world to bear I’m sorry I didn’t know this was a mother’s care

https://medium.com/@skermani96/a-mothers-care-1352d7cdb9fb

['S. Kermani']

2020-12-17 18:23:38.813000+00:00

['Mental Illness', 'Trauma', 'Writing', 'Abuse', 'Poetry']

LinkedIn Agency Aces Contest — UX Case Study

Objective To increase awareness about LinkedIn among the agency audience. Project Overview Creating a contest targeting the LinkedIn users & agencies to increase the awareness among the agency audience. The contest should be engaging, user friendly and should look visually appealing. The contest included question and answers for which every right answer will help contestant in earning points. The winners will be announced post the contest. Contestant will also be encouraged to earn more points by inviting their connections to the contest via LinkedIn. Project Deliverables - User Flow - Wireframes (User Journey) - Visual Design - HTML - CMS Development My Role - User Flow - User journey wire frames - UX Support to Design and Dev Duration 4 Weeks Defining User Flow The user flow provided here gives better understanding of the templates, scenarios and functionality. Before, I begin the flow these three scenarios gave me an approach for designing flow. 1. “Before the Contest” 2. “During the Contest” and 3. “After the contest” This has helped me in designing the user flow. The templates are mapped accordingly as per the scenarios. I have used UI Tile cards for creating user flow in order to get the sense of how the template will look like. Each stage has a call out and brief information explaining the template. Below is the sketch diagram for User Flow.

https://medium.com/@prasadvijaykumarmarewar/linkedin-agency-aces-contest-ux-case-study-8654bc7d276b

['Prasad Vijaykumar Marewar']

2019-04-12 10:04:12.671000+00:00

['Usability', 'Case Study', 'User Experience Design', 'User Interface', 'Interaction Design']

What’s often forgotten in the debate surrounding ‘fake news’, Russian troll farms, and clear…

What’s often forgotten in the debate surrounding ‘fake news’, Russian troll farms, and clear Russian influence in the American election is that people just don’t like to think. It’s too hard, or maybe they’re just too lazy after a long day at the office. The Internet used to be a place for intellectualism and debate in the early days, at least when I was on IRC and Usenet. It’s devolved since then (and Usenet is no more) and American critical thinking skills have never been all that strong anyway. The Russians succeeded in turning our election because we let them, even if we didn’t know what was going on at the time. We allowed our confirmation biases to rule us, we didn’t stop and think, “What’s the likelihood Hillary Clinton is running a pedo ring out of a pizza shop?”, nor did we wonder too deeply if the misogyny of some of the ‘Bernie bros’ didn’t sound rather a lot like the toxic hysterics of white male conservatives. Maybe the biggest question we should ask ourselves is…collusion accusations aside, in fact let’s pretend for a moment that the Mueller Report really did exonerate Trump & his family/cronies on NO COLLUSION!!!…what does it say about Trump that the Russians, one of our biggest security risks and enemies, wanted him to win? How many unwitting (and just plain witless) Russian stooges are there in America anyway? That’s a question non-Americans should be asking too, since the rest of the free world doesn’t appear to be much brighter as it’s swept by populism, nativism and angry white male violence. (Yeah, I’m pointing mon doigt at you this morning, France!)

https://medium.com/@nchardenet/whats-often-forgotten-in-the-debate-surrounding-fake-news-russian-troll-farms-and-clear-ca2a217d1307

['Nicole Chardenet']

2019-05-27 11:59:11.053000+00:00

['Us Election 2016', 'Trump Administration', 'Fake News', 'Russian Interference', 'US Politics']

The Best JavaScript Audio Libraries for Manipulating Sound

Merging code with sound design can be an often overlooked specialization of programming. Unless your daily tasks center around programmatic sound design for games or other interactive programs you might not think twice about having to manipulate sound via code. Downloading prepackaged samples is easy enough and playing a clip is also straightforward, so why reach for anything more complex? The world of programmatic sound design is an immense and wonderful one filled with many different areas of focus. You can build lush sonic environments for games, create unique virtual instruments and develop collaborative musical composition systems right from the browser. The power packed into modern browsers like Chrome or Firefox would rival that of many dedicated hardware synthesizers of years past. Being able to develop instruments and sounds with nothing other than JavaScript is a fantastic modern option. This is especially useful if you’re trying to incorporate an audio experience into an existing lightweight web application. Which area of sound design you focus on is entirely up to you. Having the right tools at your disposal for the path you decide on is crucial. In this article we’ll explore the unique and fascinating world of sound manipulation available with JavaScript and some of the incredible libraries that make it easier than ever. Let’s get started. First on this list is a total powerhouse of an audio library. Tone.js packs in features for different virtual instruments, sequencers, effects and more. This is truly one of the most comprehensive libraries on this list. With Tone.js you can build robust musical capabilities into most web applications and leverage more functions than you normally would be able to with just the Web Audio API. Although Tone.js is one of the more complex libraries to use because of its extensive set of features, it still provides a pragmatic and intuitive interface. Attention to detail is clearly an important tenet with Tone.js. One great example of this is the inclusion of a gradual BPM ramping function (loop setup is omitted for brevity, reference here for full setup): ... Tone.Transport.start(); Tone.Transport.bpm.rampTo(200, 5); By using the bpm.rampTo function you can tell Tone.js to slowly increase the BPM of the previously defined loop to 200 over the course of 5 seconds. Having an out-of-the-box feature like this saves a ton of time building out a complex BPM control scheme and let’s you focus on being creative. If you’re ready to sink some time into learning Tone.js I highly recommend Jim Bennett’s fantastic article: Tutorial: Let’s Make Music with JavaScript and Tone.js. In this article Jim walks through how to setup the Tone.js basics and details the fundamentals of music composition using the library. For even more examples, check out the official Tone.js documentation. Pizzicato.js is another well-rounded library that provides a feature-packed set of tools to create everything from compositions made up of sample groups to precisely synthesized sounds. There is a fairly extensive set of built-in effects and other audio manipulation tweaks that help you craft the perfect sound. Some of the effects include flanger, distortion, reverb and tremolo. Creating instruments with Pizzicato.js is incredibly straightforward. After importing the library you can craft a simple sine wave instrument by doing the following: const synth = new Pizzicato.Sound({ source: 'wave', options: { type: 'sine', frequency: 440 } }); synth.play(); The snippet of code above simply creates a new Sound and then assigns the corresponding source and source type. There are many other sources and types to choose from as well. Check out the Pizzicato.js demo site for more details on how to use this awesome library. This library is an excellent example of one that provides a variety of unique functionality not native to the Web Audio API. With WadJS you create different types of “wads” that allow you to setup different sound sources and effects. Just like many of the other libraries you can setup basic synthesizers and sample playback objects, but what WadJS gives you that they don’t is unique and specific use-case functions. The first interesting feature of WadJS is an object called the SoundIterator. This allows you to step through a group of sounds in either a random or predefined order. Like author Raphael Serota says, this would be “good for footstep sounds” but you could also use this to stitch together smooth environmental sounds like running water or wind noise. Another excellent feature included with WadJS is a pitch detection PolyWad. This will accept a audio input and attempt to determine the frequency and note name of the source. This is an amazing feature to have in your arsenal and opens up a whole realm of possibilities for interactive applications. For example, you could have users interact with an app by humming a certain pitch into their microphone and displaying how accurate they are. Check out the WadJS API Documentation for more detailed information. Rounding out our collection of excellent libraries we have jsfx. This library has a little different focus from the rest. This is all about sound effect generation. Rather than attempt to be a kitchen sink of sonic functionality, jsfx provides a quick and easy way to generate a library of sound effects. Although this particular library is less active and a few years old it still provides great examples of how to construct different sounds using the API. After cloning the repository you simply load up index.html and are provided with a dashboard for creating various sound effects. Some of the basics include “reset”, “coin” and “laser” which implies that this library is geared towards game sound design. A portion of the jsfx sound effect dashboard. Once you’ve generated your desired sound effect by tweaking the various sliders, you can save it to the library with a unique name. In order to use your new library of sounds, you have to download a configuration JSON blob and then provide that somewhere in your application along with jsfx. This is a unique way of building very portable sound libraries and also provides great examples of how tweaking different parameters alters the overall sonic shape. For more detailed jsfx usage information reference the GitHub documentation.

https://medium.com/swlh/the-best-javascript-audio-libraries-for-manipulating-sound-6fe319e32d49

['Tate Galbraith']

2020-12-23 17:20:59.925000+00:00

['Technology', 'JavaScript', 'Audio', 'Code', 'Programming']

Perihelion

Perihelion He came as close as he could get Image public domain from DigitalComicMuseum.com Tension packed the small room between Lucas and Captain Kendrick. “To what do I owe the visit, Captain?” Lucas asked with a mock sincerity. “I’ve heard we’ve arrived at ‘peri-hell-whatever.’” “As close to the sun as you can get,” Kendrick explained. “That’s what Perihelion means. If you had learned your Latin, you’d know.” His scowl narrowed. “Or, if you’d cared to work hard rather than payoff data personnel to manufacture credentials for you, you might have earned your way here.” “Well, I am here, aren’t I?” Lucas snapped. He’d had enough of the Captain’s lectures. Since being exposed as a fraud seven months ago, he’d endured the heat of the crew’s anger. ‘Worthless kid’, ‘Phony’, and ‘He’ll get us all killed’, were a few of the phrases he’d overheard. But a few others had extended friendship. He suspected it was either their own guilt or weariness of the captain’s oppression that generated sympathy for him, rather than compassion. But none admitted such. “Indeed, you are here,” Kendrick said. “So best you learn to make yourself useful.” “I’ve told you I’m here to help,” Lucas said. He swallowed hard, nearly choking on the pride. Lowering his head, he stared at the sleek floor. “I’ve no ill will toward you.” He swept his fingers across his newly shaved head, as if expecting hair to still be there. “We will deliver the payload in the next few minutes,” Kendrick said. “It will neutralize the solar radiation on Proxima Centauri. Proxima b will finally become inhabitable for us.” “You think I don’t know what we’re doing here?” “I don’t think you care,” Kendrick said stiffly. “And I’m letting you know once we land, you’ll spend the rest of your days in a cell. You’ll never roam freely on our new home.” Lucas’ noticed his fingers trembling. He cowered before Captain Kendrick, inched in close, and let his voice quiver. “I’m sorry,” he said while allowing his hands to shake, “I’ve done wrong. My actions not only endangered you, but the entire crew. You should blast me out of an airlock. I don’t deserve to be on this ship.” Kendrick looked down his nose at the hunched man before him. “Now it seems we are finally clear. And in full agreement. You have declared your own fate. You will—” Without warning, Lucas thrust his open palm into Kendrick’s chin and delivered a swift kick to his crotch. Kendrick collapsed and Lucas stomped on the back of the man’s neck, and again on his temple — repeatedly — until he ceased breathing. The captain’s lifeless eyes stared awkwardly at the floor. Lucas yanked the security keycard and blaster from Kendrick’s belt. He dragged the captain’s body into the ejection chamber and strapped it to the payload. He exited the chamber, inserted the keycard into the console and ejected the cargo towards its destination. A crewmate walked by. “Where’s the captain?” he asked. “Perihelion,” Lucas replied. “As close to the sun as he can get.”

https://medium.com/sci-fi-shorts/perihelion-39d9e4210e5e

['J.A. Taylor']

2020-09-20 02:57:06.383000+00:00

['Resentment', 'Sun', 'SciFi', 'Fiction', 'Short Story']

NAOS Finance Partners With EthSign to Bring Real World Agreement and Contract Signing On-Chain

NAOS Finance Partners With EthSign to Bring Real World Agreement and Contract Signing On-Chain Kevin Tseng Follow Sep 2 · 3 min read NAOS Finance and EthSign to bring Web3 solutions to agreement and contract signing process in traditional finance We’re excited to partner with EthSign to develop an agreement/contract signing solution for RWA on-chain. The partnership offers a notary solution critical in financial services, allowing involved parties to send agreement, sign content and process transaction on-chain. Electronic signature services such as DocuSign and eSignly are great solutions for simple transactions, but complex financial transactions still require a burdensome notarization process. Traditional notarization requires signing parties to be physically present before a notary in order to have the signatures authenticated, further creating unnecessary friction for CeFi to interact with DeFi. EthSign 3.0 is an electronic signing platform. Users can sign documents and agreements with their own private keys generated via wallet or social media accounts. Digital signatures generated by private keys are recorded on-chain, and the signed documents are encrypted and stored on decentralized storage networks to enhance privacy and security. The NAOS-EthSign partnership looks to further strengthen the compliance infrastructure for RWA lending. EthSign’s e-signature product is legally compliant in more than a dozen major jurisdictions. Under the Technology-Neutral laws, it’s compliant with the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Cayman Islands, British Virgin Island and China; and it’s compliant with the EU, UK, Sweden, Finland, Singapore and Hong Kong under the Tier-Model laws. Through the partnership, NAOS will provide borrowers with the same off-chain e-signature experience without the need for conventional notarization processes. Borrowers will be able to execute contracts and agreements digitally on-chain, significantly reducing the friction in the DeFi-CeFi lending process. The on-chain signature will be bundled with the underlying collateral and distributed to ecosystem partners as proof of identity and legality. Kevin Tseng, Founder of NAOS Finance, added “As we think through each step in the CeFi lending process, it’s important to be mindful of the critical details that are often overlooked. With years of experience in traditional finance, we know the pain to notarize or apostille documents and agreements in different jurisdictions. We’re excited to offer a proof of identity solution on-chain to provide more credibility and transparency for our community, ecosystem partners, lenders, validators and regulators” Potter Li, Founder of EthSign, added “This is a monumental partnership that fully demonstrates the value of conducting e-signing on-chain. We are excited to showcase EthSign’s ability to act as an interface between real world assets and blockchains, and are seeking more strong partners like NAOS so that we can continue to build more use cases for EthSign.” NAOS Finance Ecosystem Update About NAOS Finance NAOS Finance is a decentralized real world asset (RWA) lending protocol that facilitates the borrowing of crypto native assets by using RWA as collateral. NAOS has established a large network of corporate borrowers and is operating with financing licenses in multiple regions. In the effort of connecting CeFi with DeFi, NAOS takes an ecosystem approach and looks to engage in meaningful strategic partnerships to expand the boundary of decentralized finance. Medium | Twitter | Discord | Telegram | Reddit About EthSign EthSign is an agreement signing and executing platform built on the Web3 tech stack. EthSign brings several advantages to users including decentralized and immutable storage of encrypted files, ease of integration with other protocols and dApps, and transparency in how data is managed that’s entirely subject to users’ consent. EthSign’s new offering Smart Agreement(SA) is a customizable and extendable framework that truly realizes the vision for “smart contracts”. SA enables electronic agreements to have tighter binding properties by enforcing its execution using smart contracts in addition to or in place of existing legal enforcement. Twitter | Discord | Gitbook | Youtube | Telegram

https://medium.com/naos-finance/naos-finance-partners-with-ethsign-to-bring-real-world-agreement-and-contract-signing-on-chain-18bc572b1d74

['Kevin Tseng']

2021-09-02 10:12:10.015000+00:00

['Compliance', 'Defi', 'Ecosystem']

Avoiding Digital Rabbit Holes: Focus and productivity strategies for digital design.

If you’ve arrived at this article, it’s probably because you’ve experienced the feeling of stalling out in the middle of a creative digital project. Whether you’re making an illustration or building a piece of software, digital products can be endlessly reworked and changed. The work can sprawl, and there’s no clear stopping point. Blend that with a little procrastination and it can be challenging to get anything finished. I’ve always liked making things with my hands. I’m a ceramicist and a woodworker, and one of the things I like about it is that at the end of the process, I’ve made a thing. It might not be perfect, but it’s finished. Then I go on to make the next thing and I try to make it better next time. I can tell how far along I am in the process and can usually guess how long it will take. When I first started working in digital design, I found that so much of what I knew from the process of making things in the physical world didn’t apply anymore. I had to relearn how to stay focused, prioritize tasks, and decide when something was finished. As someone who gets distracted very easily, I wanted to share some of the strategies I use to get things done faster. 1. 80/20, 20,80 — Keep sight of the big picture 2. Make lists 3. Set a timer 4. Time-sinks — Tasks that take longer than you expect 5. Prime time 6. Go back to analog 7. Limit your options 8. Walk away 9. Decide when it’s finished 80/20, 20/80 You may already be familiar with the 80–20 principle. When completing a project, it takes 20% of the time to do 80% of the work, and it takes 80% of the time to do the last 20% of the work. In the context of building a website, the 80% is big picture things like structure, outlined content, general vibe, basic setup. The last 20% is more focused on details and styling. At the beginning of a project, you want to make sure you are spending your time almost entirely on 80% (big picture) tasks. If I’m making a sculpture of a face, I’m not going to make a ball of clay and then spend an hour getting the details of the ear just right before I’ve roughed out the rest of the features. Stay in the big picture. Focus on the content and the purpose of the site. Why it matters As you work on your project, it might seem like that finish line just keeps getting further and further away. You progressed quickly at first and then everything slowed to a crawl. This happens to me with nearly every project. Don’t get discouraged! You are in the last 20% (details and styling). This part takes much longer than you think it should, so adjust your expectations and plan your time accordingly. The humble list It sounds obvious, but this is how professional developer teams get things done. They make tickets for issues that need work and then work on them one by one. The list you’re working from should have tasks that are all about the same level of complexity. Why it matters Once you’ve started building, it can be frustrating and distracting to try working on a site where there are a lot of unfinished or broken elements. Make a list of issues that need attention. Then prioritize which ones feel really important and focus on getting them done in order. It also feels amazing to have a whole list of crossed-off items at the end of a session. How to do it If you want to get fancy and use a kanban board app, there are a lot of free online resources like Trello. Most of the time, though, I like keeping it simple with post-it notes or a paper list. Set a Timer Often referred to as the Pomodoro Technique, using a timer breaks up your work time into focused intervals with deliberate breaks. Often, people will use 25 minutes of work with a 5-minute break. You don’t have to stick to the 25 on/5 off interval. I adjust the interval depending on what I’m working on and how lengthy my attention span is that day. Reasons I love using a timer Helps me if I’m having a hard time getting started for the day . I say, “I’ll just work on this for 20 minutes.” Usually, that first 20 minutes is all I need to get engaged. . I say, “I’ll just work on this for 20 minutes.” Usually, that first 20 minutes is all I need to get engaged. Helps me remember to check in with what I’m working on. If I’ve gotten distracted , I can get back on track and make sure I’m working on the big picture 80%. , I can get back on track and make sure I’m working on the big picture 80%. Helps me keep track of how much time I’m spending on a task . That way I don’t accidentally spend an hour on something trivial. Plus, if I tell myself I need to get something done in 25 minutes, I can usually get pretty close. . That way I don’t accidentally spend an hour on something trivial. Plus, if I tell myself I need to get something done in 25 minutes, I can usually get pretty close. Helps me remember to stand up and move around. I personally get very cold when I do a lot of computer work and it makes me a special kind of cranky and miserable. Some things really do take a lot of time Knowing which tasks are secret time-sucks is useful for gauging if you’re spending a productive amount of time on a task or if you are way off in left field. Finding images and editing images Finding the right image can be incredibly time-consuming. If you’re using an online resource for free or stock images, there’s no real shortcut for combing through image catalogs looking for exactly the right vibe and exactly the right content. Working with a photographer or photographing your own work will help you get more precisely what you are looking for, but you’ll invest more time in shooting and editing. A bad image is worse than no image at all, so don’t skimp on this step! Copywriting and editing I’ve always identified with the adage “write long to write short”. Give yourself the time to write more content than you need, then edit mercilessly. Prime time If a website is a priority for you, you need to give it some prime time. Do yourself a favor and block out time to work when you are at your best. There’s nothing more frustrating than blocking out a prime time slot and then getting nothing done. Make sure your time is well spent. Go back to analog Just because you are making software for a computer doesn’t mean you have to only use computers to do it. Trying to figure out a layout? Try making a sketch. Want to organize your tasks? Try post-it notes. Our brains think differently when we put pencil to paper. Try switching it up! Walk Away Sometimes taking a break is just as productive as actively working. This is a strategy I use all the time for doing visual work and writing. I’ve found that I can’t muscle my way through getting a visual design right. If I’ve been struggling with colors or layouts and not getting anywhere, I’ll walk away and come back the next day. Why it matters Usually, I can see something I couldn’t see before, and more importantly, I’m often more willing to let go of an idea that wasn’t working. If you’re the type of person who just wants to keep plowing forward until you get it right, try giving yourself a “productive break”. Limit your options There is nothing worse you can do for creative work than giving yourself too many options. If you’re struggling to move forward, ask yourself if you’re trying to make too many decisions at once. I will either give myself a parameter, such as: try working with just two colors. Or I will stop and go look for inspiration. Find an example of a site you really like and then figure out what you like about it. When is it finished? If you’re building a website. It’s never really finished. They are living things that need to be updated and can be changed endlessly. But, you will need to make some decisions about when to stop working on specific parts. It’s all about going back to what your website is trying to accomplish. Does it accomplish this outcome? Ok, then move on.

https://medium.com/@kacieguthrie/avoiding-digital-rabbit-holes-focus-and-productivity-strategies-for-digital-design-d42a2476c6b9

['Kacie Guthrie']

2021-08-10 19:54:08.632000+00:00

['Productivity', 'Website Development', 'Digital Design', 'Focus']

Spotify’s Group Session feature now allows for remote listening with friends

The original version of feature-lets-your-friends-control-your-music-queue.html">Spotify’s Group Session feature, which lets you listen to your Spotify queue with your friends, came with a head-scratching restriction: Everyone in the group had to be in the same physical location. Well, no longer. Starting today, Spotify is rolling out an update to its still-in-beta Group Session feature that finally lets you create remote listening groups, perfect for spinning up Spotify tunes with friends who are thousands of miles away. Plenty of third-party apps that take advantage of Spotify’s public APIs already allow groups of remote friends to listen to Spotify together, but the newly updated Group Session feature marks the first time that Spotify has natively supported remote group listening. [ Further reading: The best media streaming devices ]Creating a remote Group Session works in more or less the same way it did before. Once the leader starts a Spotify queue, they can tap the Connect button in the bottom-left corner of the maketour.ru/sitemap_17.xml">screen (it’s the button that looks like a speaker in front of a PC monitor) and scroll down to the Start a group session banner. Once you’re there, you’ll also be able to copy a “join” link that you can share via text or social media. Previously, there was only a barcode that your friends had to scan in order to share your Spotify queue, which meant they had to be in the same room with you to join your Spotify listening group. Besides listening to music together in real time, members of a Spotify Group Session will be able to pause, play, skip, and select tracks in the shared queue, as well as add new tracks. The ability to listen with friends remotely makes Spotify’s Group Session feature far more compelling, but there are still a couple of key caveats. ablet desktop" id=""> First of all, everyone in a Group Session must be a Spotify Premium member, which does make sense from a practical standpoint given the unskippable advertisements that free Spotify must listen to. The second catch is that Group Sessions are capped at five people, which means you’ll have to look for a third-party alternative if you want to stage a remote Spotify concert. Spotify’s updated Group Session feature is rolling out starting today, but not everyone will get it at once. The Spotify app on my iPhone XS, for example, is still showing the old Group Session interface. 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/@Cynthia03009649/spotifys-group-session-feature-now-allows-for-remote-listening-with-friends-3c03e08370ef

[]

2020-08-26 08:03:00.115000+00:00

['Services', 'Internet', 'Connected Home', 'Chromecast']

#Bhaadmeinjaa 2020 trends on Twitter as netizens relate to the viral song: Watch here

New Delhi: This year has been one heck of a roller coaster ride for everyone across the world. From the ongoing pandemic, forest fires to cyclones and floods, it seems like 2020 has had everything disastrous for us. Most of us would be lying if we say we didn’t think for once that this year will never end. But, since this year is about to get over with 3 successful vaccines in hands and many others on the way, it rekindles our hope for a better year ahead. Hashtag #BhaadMeinJaa2020 is trending on Twitter after the qawwali by Home time went viral on social media platforms. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lAhMQwtwNxs&utm_source=TwitterTrend&utm_medium=VidoolyTrendTwitter&utm_campaign=2020Qawwali Well, is it possible that netizens relate to something and not express it on their feed? Microblogging platform Twitter is flooded with memes expressing the frustration that all of us share for the year 2020. Here, have a look: https://twitter.com/_TheKidd9/status/1342753591535136768 https://twitter.com/mard_tweetwala/status/1342747130973233152 https://twitter.com/mm_Singh761/status/1342743927821119489 https://twitter.com/Being_Akbar/status/1342739465081671680 https://twitter.com/KingS21697049/status/1342737639963705346 https://twitter.com/saffron_warlord/status/1342721635577602051 https://twitter.com/Being_Akbar/status/1342724418313678850 https://twitter.com/_Dishant7/status/1342725531079340037 https://twitter.com/imAKPandey/status/1342720830338306048 With

https://medium.com/@indiaaheadnews/bhaadmeinjaa-2020-trends-on-twitter-as-netizens-relate-to-the-viral-song-watch-here-d19a19263756

['India Ahead News']

2020-12-26 12:35:33.913000+00:00

['Covid', '2020', 'Covid-19']

The Fallacy of the Born Leader

Future leader. A few months ago, I had a lively debate of this age-old question: are leaders born or made? That is, are leaders born with traits that they can seamlessly translate into natural leadership abilities? Even after all this time, I’m still thinking about it. The conversation got a bit heated mostly because I couldn’t believe it was still a question. After all, there is plenty of research that proves leadership skills are mostly developed. The most famous of this research was done by studying twins. The research concluded that leadership is about one-third genetic while two-thirds made or developed over time. The characteristics of leading a business, military unit, dance squad, or sports team are complex and diverse. It is impossible to expect a person to be born with all the qualities they need to lead. Here’s my hot take: The people who still maintain that leaders are born are usually leaders themselves. It’s a great narrative. Those in leadership positions like being there. It’s a privileged place to be, plus they get to feel like special, genetically gifted trailblazers. The idea that anyone can learn to be influential, inspirational and visionary must be terrifying to those people. The insistence, despite evidence, that leadership skills are purely genetic is a dangerous path. It suggests that leaders don’t need to work on it because they’re naturally blessed. Good leaders or managers understand their limits and ensure they invest in professional development. The other risk of this kind of thinking is that this bias often affects hiring or promoting. Those who believe this fallacy will look for people with that traditional mix of management qualities. The typical idea of leadership is tied to traits like extroversion, decisiveness, assertiveness, and projected confidence. Case in point: how many times have we assumed the loudest person in the room is likely the boss? Conversely, sometimes people who are good at their job may seem like a natural fit for a promotion, but do they know how to manage a group? So, if leaders are taught and developed, what makes a good leader? 1. Leaders work for the team, not the other way around A manager’s job is to support their team, helping them to do their job. I’ve met many so-called leaders who think it’s the other way around. One manager once told me that my job was “to make (him) look good.” This is a counter-productive way of thinking, putting the manager’s profile first (there’s a lot of research around the link between the manager and employee retention, but that’s for another blog post). Good leaders are not threatened by the skills, expertise, and strengths of their team. They support the team by adapting to their needs and supporting their efforts. This requires a certain level of EQ but it can also be learned through self-development. 2. Leaders communicate vision and expectations clearly. Good leaders can both conceive of a vision, but also convey it clearly to motivate their team to put it into action. They communicate their expectations and set milestones. While not everyone is an exceptional communicator or has superb strategic skills, these are learned competencies. Take it from me, someone who knew nothing about communicating clearly until I went to university. After 20 years in the biz, I still learn new tricks regularly. 3. Leaders get the full picture. The best managers know how to look at all the available information and spend time on macromanagement. They focus on strategy and empower their team to work on the actionable items. When managers start getting too involved in the tactics, they often get caught up in areas that their team members can easily tackle with guidance. The key is to use the right data to make strategic decisions or solve problems so that the team can best do their jobs. 4. Leaders use their time wisely. Time is always a premium, regardless if you’re naturally gifted leader or not. It’s important to figure out where efforts are best spent and use augmented management to help with the rest. For example, a shop floor manager in a manufacturing plant may spend hours a week plugging production, uptime and downtime data into a spreadsheet. With augmented management, this same manager recognizes that their time is better spent solving problems and interacting with the team. They use an AI tool (like Raven) to gather data, clean it, and extract actionable insights. 5. Leaders learn continuously. Finally, leaders recognize their own shortcomings and are actively curious. Since leadership skills can be developed, successful managers will seek professional and self-development throughout their careers.

https://medium.com/@kindha_2052/the-fallacy-of-the-born-leader-c76b2a929ce5

['Kindha Gorman']

2019-02-07 17:15:44.063000+00:00

['Leaders', 'Leadership Skills', 'Management And Leadership', 'Leadership', 'Augmented Management']

13 Creative Brochure Ideas To Inspire Your Design

Brochures are an excellent tool to spread the word about your offerings, upcoming events, promotions or conferences. In today’s post, I gathered 13 of the best brochure ideas to help you design clear, beautiful and useful marketing assets. Let’s get started! Brochure Idea #1: Blend Bold Fonts and Colors A top graphic design trend is the use of bright colors and bold fonts. These colorful alternatives to the popular minimalist design is a great choice for a brochure that needs to get your audience’s attention. Brands can use extremely eye-catching color schemes and typography that stands above other content. It’s hard to resist opening brochures that utilize this idea, making it an excellent approach to highlighting your message. In the above brochure example, an art and music school uses bright, bold fonts and colors to develop a cohesive feel. The designer was able to accomplish this by framing the content inside eye-catching color choices. This choice allows the writer to amplify the key messages the school wants to communicate to their audience. Brochure Idea #2: Use Color To Organize Your Copy One of the core challenges of designing a brochure is space. You have a limited amount of space to communicate your important message. To achieve optimal clarity, it’s crucial to organize your content effectively. This way, you can include all of the information your reader needs while not overloading them with too many words. An effective way to achieve this clarity is with color design. When you use contrasting backgrounds for various sections in your brochure, the reading experience becomes more enjoyable. You can use a tool like Visme to make sure all of your visual elements are balanced properly. The travel brochure in the above example achieves clarity by using color effectively. The designer uses a clear color scheme to highlight photos of the destination. Additionally, the contrasting colors in various sections makes the reading experience less taxing. These choices allow the brochure to contain a lot of information without overwhelming the reader with blocks of text. Brochure Idea #3: Use Typography as the Brochure Centerpiece Font choice will often depend on the topic of your brochure. For example, if you’re raising awareness for a serious cause you might choose a heavy font. Conversely, a light or minimal font may be a better choice for brands that want to express a sense of joy or fun. Fonts are a powerful design element that can influence your audience’s behavior. It’s a great idea to take some time to make a strategic choice. The designer who created this trifold brochure brought a number of elements together into a harmonious design. In particular, the interesting typography choice dominated the centerfold and blends nicely with the color schemes. It looks awesome as a brochure for a coffee shop. Brochure Idea #4: Use Photos and Illustrated Icons Illustrated icons are a popular design element. They are also a great addition to try out on your brochure. Icons can help make brochures seem genuine. Additionally, when there is a significant amount of content you need the reader to observe, icons and photos alike are great ways to add personality to your design. Take a look at the brochure above. Many real estate brochures have industry standard requirements. Because of these limitations, illustrated icons and photos are an excellent way to include visual elements in a design. In the above example, the design team uses an illustrated house icon to emphasize an important section of marketing copy, as well as incorporating high-quality photos throughout each page. Brochure Idea #5: Use Statistics as Crucial Visual Elements Emphasizing statistics as a crucial visual focal point is a great choice for your brochure design. Large numbers are always eye-catching, and can easily be used as a central design element. Statistics are helpful for stopping readers who are casually flipping through in their tracks. Because of this, they should be used in conjunction with the important messages you want to communicate. The designer of this corporate business brochure uses stark lines and interesting angles to highlight the statistics in the brochure. Additionally, using a more bold color underneath the statistical message draws the eye directly to the central section. These choices highlight the importance of designing a brochure to amplify the most important messages. Brochure Idea #6: Use Contrast to Highlight Content The use of color contrast goes a long way to help a particular message stand out. Through the use of intelligent design, you can create a sensible hierarchy that guides your audience to the content they need the most. In particular, the use of complementary colors creates a visual impact that makes a great impression on your reader. When you’re designing a brochure, you know you’re onto something when the color choices jump off the page. In the above example, the blending of purple and white with a splash of red helps communicate the most important value proposition of this spa. Brochure Idea #7: Use Consistent Visuals In Your Brochure Design The use of inconsistent visual themes is one of the easiest mistakes for a designer to make. With the endless customization options available to you, it’s possible to layer on element after element without settling on a consistent theme. For this reason, it’s crucial to make sure your visuals as a whole add up to a bigger idea. For example, be careful about using images of your product as the centerpiece of one page while using animated icons on another. When you mix and match design elements, it’s easy to confuse your reader. A brochure for a small business is a great way to make sure customers are aware of your company’s offerings. The brochure designer uses consistent visuals to create a sense of competence and clarity. Additionally, the use of a sharp color palette helps to emphasize this clarity. Brochure Idea #8: Highlight Calls To Action With Bright Colors A strong call to action is a critical element of your brochure. Your audience needs a strong call to action so they know what action you want them to take. There are plenty of options for emphasizing calls to action on brochures. For example, you can use strong copy, bold colors or an icon to make sure the call to action stands out. The designer for this pizza restaurant demonstrates how to use calls to action effectively. This trifold pizza brochure draws us in with striking images. It’s call to action stands out because of the star icon and the use of white as a color contrast. Brochure Idea #9: Increase Clarity With Data Visualization The efficient use of space is an essential consideration while you’re developing brochure ideas. Because this constrains how much content you can use, you need to make sure each element communicates a message. This is why data visualization is a good idea when you’re designing a brochure. Data visualizations are both engaging and concise. Because of this, they’re a great choice for communicating information with limited space. The above brochure, designed for a university initiative, uses data visualization to tell a story. The graph clearly shows that the metric being tracked isn’t moving fast. This stark image communicates the importance of their mission. Paraphrasing the message contained within the graph via text would take up valuable space. This is why the skillful use of data visualization is a great way to improve your brochures. Curious about the basic steps you can take to create a data visualization? Check out our short video on how to make them with Visme. Brochure Idea #10: Incorporate Clear Calls To Action Earlier, we talked about the importance of emphasizing calls to action with color. Hopefully, this has helped you understand how crucial it is to have at least one call to action on your brochure. In this section, I’d like to review how to make calls to action clear. Far too many calls to action are not clear or persuasive. If your reader is not excited to take action after reading your copy, then your call to action needs some work. For example, listing a website or phone number is contact information — not a call to action. You need to give your reader a clear reason to act when you’re using call to action. If you want to learn how to make clear, persuasive calls to action, this brochure for a marketing agency is a great example. The designer showcases the main value proposition right above the contact information. This shows the reader that if they want to grow their business efficiently all they need to do is call. Brochure Idea #11: Improve Brochure Organization With Clear Sections Keeping your brochure neatly organized is a fantastic way to improve its design and readability. In particular, numbering the various sections is a good organizational strategy. Clearly delineated sections help your readers scan for information. Plus, clear sections can help with reading comprehension. Marketing consultants need a brochure that creates impact for their audience. This designer used numbered sections to keep the brochure neatly ordered and aesthetically pleasing. They also added sharp images and beautiful color schemes to take it to the next level. These decisions make this brochure an excellent example for your brochure ideas. Brochure Idea #12: Use Quality Visual Assets Brochures are made to be printed. For this reason, it’s crucial that each of the logos, icons and graphics that you use are high quality. In particular, when it comes to any images or photos, make sure you have nice images that won’t become pixelated upon printing. For creators working with a budget, Visme provides a library of brochure templates that you can customize with millions of icons, graphics and photos for free. In the above example, a travel agency commissioned a beautiful brochure. The designer utilized high quality photos of travel destinations to showcase the travel experience. Blending these high quality images with content, a nice color scheme and icons creates an eye catching brochure. The layout choice uses the space effectively without creating clutter. Brochure Idea #13: Improve Brochure Readability With Visual Cues Visual cues are an important part of our life. For example, a big red stop sign is certain to get our attention. The bright red color directs our eye while the word stop warns us that there may be danger ahead. Using this insightful psychological knowledge can help us create an impactful brochure. Utilizing well placed design cues throughout our brochure helps our reader have a great experience. Our design choices will often be far more subtle than the use of a red stop sign. However, using an element like subtle lines is a great way to direct your readers’ eye. Without them, it may be confusing what section of your brochure to read next. The above brochure provides an excellent example of visual cues. On the back of the brochure, the designer uses icons and a subtle white line to show us the best order to read the back page. Conversely, they use pictures on the center page to guide our eye from section to section. This demonstrates the optimal order to proceed through the brochure, and creates a high quality reading experience. Bring Your Brochure Ideas to Life With Visme I hope that these creative examples inspire some incredible brochure ideas for your business. To create your own brochure with Visme, all you need is our brochure maker that has plenty of design options and templates. Simply add your individual content, information and brand assets to get started. Get started with a template, and dive into the world of brochures.

https://medium.com/sketch-app-sources/13-creative-brochure-ideas-to-inspire-your-design-f18c400aaf12

['Payman Taei']

2020-09-25 21:38:10.734000+00:00

['Brochure', 'Design', 'Brochure Design', 'Marketing', 'Brochure Printing']

How Autonomous Driving is Transforming Automotive Industry?

Summary: Autonomous driving is a hot topic that has gained immense popularity — but is it an actual concept. If yes, what are the probabilities that it brings along as it sounds oxymoron? Let’s understand the challenges of autonomous driving and how agile technology can play an important role in bringing this concept to reality. Autonomous driving is a new concept, and everyone is excited to know about driverless vehicles. The technology is undergoing testing in several areas; the picture is not clear yet. Autonomous vehicles rely on sensors, machine learning systems, artificial intelligence technology, processors, and complex algorithms. The self-driving car works on a map of its surroundings that is based on sensors integrated into different parts of the vehicle. The sensors and cameras detect the nearby vehicles, monitor road signs, traffic signals, pedestrian position in the surroundings to help these cars move smoothly. Lidar signals measure distance, identify lane marks to flash the light pulses. Ultrasonic sensors integrated into the wheels allow parking the car considering all the rules. Software applications that integrate into the autonomous driving vehicles processes and execute all the sensory outputs transmit instructions to the vehicle’s actuators that control the steering and the brakes. A lot of challenges obstruct the path of autonomous cars, and it seems like the world is still years away from experiencing it. If you’re thinking about what Lidar is, here’s the answer. Artificial Intelligence Jobs Lidar is an abbreviation used for “light detection and ranging” and also referred to as 3D scanning or laser scanning. Challenges Involved in Autonomous Driving Concept Let’s see what are the challenges involved in autonomous driving. Setting Up Lidar Signals is Expensive Implementing Lidar signals across multiple locations is over-expensive. But it’s an important component that must be in place to enable the right balancing of distance and range between vehicles. What if more than one autonomous car drives on the same route? And if their lidar signals would intersect each other. Additional Infrastructure Cost To bring the concept of autonomous driving to life, it is important to re-build the infrastructure of the cities and metropolitan areas. It’s imperative to figure out if the autonomous cars will have trouble riding on bridges and in tunnels. And what about separate lanes for autonomous and legacy cars. Artificial Intelligence vs. Human Intellect Humans rely on non-verbal interactions such as understanding the body language or reading other drivers’ facial expressions, and making eye contact with pedestrians while driving. It helps in predicting the behavior of other drivers and pedestrians for safe driving. No matter what, the autonomous cars can never assimilate the same safety instincts. Accountability & Responsibility During Accidents What if the autonomous car hit an accident? Who will be responsible for the cause? Who is to be blamed — the human passenger, the pedestrian, or the manufacturer? The latest prototype reveals that the Level 5 autonomous car will not have a steering wheel or even a dashboard. It implies that if an emergency occurs, the human passenger will not be able to take control of the car. Trending AI Articles: How Autonomous Cars Will Change Our Lives? Should we get ready for an all-new riding experience? Or we have to wait for a few more years? Once autonomous cars are ready to take over the roads, they can prove to be a revolutionary innovation that will transform people’s lives, not only the automotive industry. It will provide the flexibility to work while commuting. You can watch movies while on the go or can browse your social media accounts conveniently without fearing the traffic rules and regulations. Although other industries (such as telecommunication, retail, travel) have disrupted the latest technology advancements, the automotive industry is one that has experienced a little change. However, with the launch of level 3 autonomous cars, the automotive industry has spelled magic in the area of the connected world. The paradigm shift in technology also reveals that once the Level 5 autonomous cars are launched, the industrial giants will be left with no choice but to enter the new automotive ecosystem. A fully-immersive environment that has emerged as a result of top industry trends and innovative technology landscape. High-Level Engineering Technologies for Autonomous Driving The autonomous driving technology landscape can’t be built on the base of high-end concepts or blueprints. There’s a wide array of technologies, skills, and innovations involved in building one. Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) is something that the automotive industries will require for preparing consumers and regulators to take over the control from drivers. Primary challenges involved in the advent of autonomous cars are the pricing, safety issues, and consumer understanding. It can be calculated that regulatory guidelines and consumer acceptance can play a vital role in obstructing the development of autonomous cars. Agile Java application development, combined with tech expertise, can help to create the roadmap for successfully achieving the goal. Technologies that lay grounds for the development of immersive autonomous driving technology includes: Machine vision Sensor fusion Localization Planning Control Each of the above-mentioned components is responsible for handling different domains of software engineering. One of these elements may focus on sensor programming; others might focus on artificial intelligence, while others will handle cameras. All the development team members must distribute the workload as per specialized skills, from developing data layers to building V2X connectivity applications. Today’s legacy cars have reached level 3 autonomy with innovative software application development in the area of autonomous driving. It will take a couple of years till we see fully automated cars on our roads. Autonomous driving is an exceptional engineering area that requires excellent technical skills and agile software to make it a reality in the near future. Fully autonomous vehicles are unlikely to rule the market until the regulatory and technological issues are resolved. However, the fact is that, nor the automotive giants or the leading tech players have this outstanding skill set. However, if hardware and software service providers can shake hands and collaborate for developing automated solutions, it is possible that they can meet the business-specific requirements of the automotive industry. Don’t forget to give us your 👏 !

https://becominghuman.ai/how-autonomous-driving-is-transforming-automotive-industry-af48783967b7

['Divyesh Dharaiya']

2020-12-12 15:03:02.237000+00:00

['Self Driving Cars', 'Artficial Intelligence', 'AI', 'Machine Learning', 'Autonomous Driving']