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Into the unknown	Into the unknown Product in the time of Corona Product managers need to handle ambiguity. We are never really sure if the product we are building is the right fit for the market. We check the competition, validate hypotheses, measure and A/B test but there is always some element that remains unknown as we are handling prediction of the future. We assume we know who will use our products and how they will use them. We think we can predict their needs and wishes and can provide the answers to them. David Hume explained to us in 1739 that the problem of induction is that we think that the past predicts the future, though we have no guarantee of that. Bertrand Russel further visualised it when he described how the chicken that was fed each day by the farmer was surprised the day the farmer came to wring its neck. Even though we know there are unexpected events and surprises out there, we live our lives and plan our products based on past behaviour, as this is the best dataset we have. But sometimes life happens when you’re busy making other plans. Not always as big as COVID-19 (aka Corona) crisis, but in small pieces reality is not always as we expected, and we find out that in a way, we are all chickens. It is a survival mechanism to think that the past will predict the future, but what do we do when it doesn’t? Elsa embracing the unknown, Frozen II Being a product manager means being in charge of the roadmap and the direction of your products. While this may be challenging in a regular time, it proves to be much more when the reality changes drastically. What can we do differently in these times? Prioritise. Remember all these little tasks you have on your table, exploration of different directions your product can take? Now is the time to brutally prioritise them. Your resources have probably changed, and not for the good. Your team now has to work from home, to care for kids and the house in the same time and retain productivity. Clear your tasks and focus on the really important one. Communicate clearly. When you are in the office, if someone misunderstood you, they can chat with you next to the coffee machine or catch you in the elevator. But now, when we are working remotely, not necessarily in the same time, clear written communication is important. Your team and your colleagues should be able to go back to an email or a ticket that has a clear description of what will be done or what you expect them to do, even if they can’t chat with you. Emails instead of meetings. Meetings with large number of attendees don’t work all that well over VC. There is the guy that has problem connecting and the other one that forgot to mute. If the purpose of the meeting is to share information with a large audience, try emailing it. Don’t disappear. While keeping with the last point, you should not go to the extreme isolation of disappearing. Your team should still see you and you should be there for them. Schedule some smaller meetings for your team members or 1:1 synchs. Share what you are working on and be responsive to their queries. Empathise. People are accepting this change differently. Some may have sick relatives, need to care for elderly parents, or have kids that they need to occupy. Try to be patient and help where you can. We are all in this together. We are just at the beginning and this is only temporary, this too shall pass and we will go back to working in open space offices with so many meetings to fill our days, but perhaps there is an opportunity hiding here. An opportunity for some paradigm shifts. The world is behaving completely different than it did a few weeks ago. Does that mean our users’ needs have changed, that our users have changed? Could there actually be an opportunity for a whole new line of solutions in this situation? Remote video calls are blooming as well as the delivery services (so far) and the web is filled with creative ideas on what to do with stay-at-home kids. There are new needs arising and new solutions that can answer them. Let’s not be chickens and look the farmer in the eye when he comes, let’s face this change with the best creative minds we can gather. As the great almighty Monty Python said: “No one expects the Spanish Inquisition! Our chief weapon is surprise, fear and surprise; two chief weapons, fear, surprise, and ruthless efficiency! Er, among our chief weapons are: fear, surprise, ruthless efficiency, and near fanatical devotion to the Pope!” Stay focused, efficient and most important- stay healthy.	https://medium.com/swlh/into-the-unknown-da6d68d18f4a	['Sivan Yaron-Enden']	2020-03-18 16:16:31.292000+00:00	['Product Management', 'Corona']
Precious painting lost at German airport found at dumpster	A surrealist painting worth more than a quarter million euros (dollars) that was forgotten by a businessman at Duesseldorf’s airport has been recovered from a nearby recycling dumpster, police said Thursday. The businessman, whose identity was not given, accidentally left behind the painting by French surrealist Yves Tanguy at a check-in counter as he boarded a flight from Duesseldorf to Tel Aviv on Nov. 27. By the time he landed in Israel and contacted Duesseldorf police, the 280,000-Euro (340,000-dollar) oeuvre, which had been wrapped in cardboard, had disappeared. Despite multiple emails with details about the 40x60-centimeter (16X24-inch) painting, authorities could not locate the artwork, police spokesman Andre Hartwig said. It was only after the businessman’s nephew traveled to the airport from neighboring Belgium and talked with police directly with more information that an inspector was able to trace the painting to paper recycling dumpster used by the airport’s cleaning company. “This was definitely one of our happiest stories this year,” Hartwig said. “It was real detective work.” https://johnsoncountytaxoffice.org/sbn/Hor-v-Rap-liv-snf-01.html https://johnsoncountytaxoffice.org/sbn/Hor-v-Rap-liv-snf-02.html https://johnsoncountytaxoffice.org/sbn/Hor-v-Rap-liv-snf-03.html https://johnsoncountytaxoffice.org/sbn/Hor-v-Rap-liv-snf-04.html https://johnsoncountytaxoffice.org/sbn/Hor-v-Rap-liv-snf-05.html https://johnsoncountytaxoffice.org/sbn/Cav-v-Pac-ntv-091.html https://johnsoncountytaxoffice.org/sbn/Cav-v-Pac-ntv-092.html https://johnsoncountytaxoffice.org/sbn/Cav-v-Pac-ntv-093.html https://johnsoncountytaxoffice.org/sbn/Cav-v-Pac-ntv-094.html 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https://johnsoncountytaxoffice.org/udx/Capella-v-Stakes-cast03.html https://johnsoncountytaxoffice.org/udx/Videos-Jp-horse-v-j1.html https://johnsoncountytaxoffice.org/udx/Videos-Jp-horse-v-j2.html https://johnsoncountytaxoffice.org/udx/Videos-Jp-horse-v-j3.html https://johnsoncountytaxoffice.org/udx/Videos-Kobe-v-UH-01.html https://johnsoncountytaxoffice.org/udx/Videos-Kobe-v-UH-02.html https://johnsoncountytaxoffice.org/udx/Videos-Kobe-v-UH-03.html https://johnsoncountytaxoffice.org/udx/Videos-Kobe-v-UH-04.html https://johnsoncountytaxoffice.org/udx/Videos-Kobe-v-UH-05.html https://johnsoncountytaxoffice.org/odz/Video-Figue-v-Morno-tv-es01.html https://johnsoncountytaxoffice.org/odz/Video-Figue-v-Morno-tv-es02.html https://johnsoncountytaxoffice.org/odz/Video-Figue-v-Morno-tv-es03.html https://johnsoncountytaxoffice.org/odz/Video-Figue-v-Morno-tv-es04.html https://johnsoncountytaxoffice.org/odz/Video-Figue-v-Morno-tv-es05.html https://johnsoncountytaxoffice.org/odz/Video-UFC-v-256-liv-01.html https://johnsoncountytaxoffice.org/odz/Video-UFC-v-256-liv-02.html https://johnsoncountytaxoffice.org/odz/Video-UFC-v-256-liv-03.html https://johnsoncountytaxoffice.org/odz/Video-UFC-v-256-liv-04.html https://johnsoncountytaxoffice.org/odz/Video-UFC-v-256-liv-05.html http://www.senderosazules.org/sites/default/files/webform/Videos-Kobe-v-UH-01.html http://www.senderosazules.org/sites/default/files/webform/Videos-Kobe-v-UH-02.html http://www.senderosazules.org/sites/default/files/webform/Videos-Kobe-v-UH-03.html http://www.senderosazules.org/sites/default/files/webform/Videos-Kobe-v-UH-04.html http://www.senderosazules.org/sites/default/files/webform/Videos-Kobe-v-UH-05.html http://www.senderosazules.org/sites/default/files/webform/Video-UFC-v-256-liv-01.html http://www.senderosazules.org/sites/default/files/webform/Video-UFC-v-256-liv-02.html http://www.senderosazules.org/sites/default/files/webform/Video-UFC-v-256-liv-03.html http://www.senderosazules.org/sites/default/files/webform/Video-UFC-v-256-liv-04.html http://www.senderosazules.org/sites/default/files/webform/Video-UFC-v-256-liv-05.html http://www.senderosazules.org/sites/default/files/webform/Video-Figue-v-Morno-tv-es01.html http://www.senderosazules.org/sites/default/files/webform/Video-Figue-v-Morno-tv-es02.html http://www.senderosazules.org/sites/default/files/webform/Video-Figue-v-Morno-tv-es03.html http://www.senderosazules.org/sites/default/files/webform/Video-Figue-v-Morno-tv-es04.html http://www.senderosazules.org/sites/default/files/webform/Video-Figue-v-Morno-tv-es05.html	https://medium.com/@thorsl/precious-painting-lost-at-german-airport-found-at-dumpster-de0593f1c495	[]	2020-12-13 00:05:19.546000+00:00	['Heritage', 'News', 'Painting', 'Dumpster']
Confusion	Photo by Nick Fewings on Unsplash मौसम की लुकाछिपी देखो हम कंबल ओढ़ के सर्दी का इंतजार ही करते रह गए। ख़्वाहिशों की साज़िश देखो हम मोहब्बत मे खुदको भुलाते ही रह गए। Translation: Look at the hide and seek this season plays I kept waiting for winters wearing a blanket. Look at the conspiracy this hope creates I kept forgetting myself in love.	https://medium.com/illumination/confusion-6c784a192edb	['Urvi Karani']	2020-08-07 10:38:53.122000+00:00	['Hindi', 'Heart', 'Poetry', 'Illumination']
There Are Bigger Problems Than The Coronavirus	People are debating the flu vs. pneumonia vs. coronavirus all the time. Which one is worse than the other. Here’s a graph of the mortality rate of the coronavirus per 100k the last week, as it has apparently spiked out of control, reported by the CDC on their website. Source: CDC.gov Website As we are told, a horrible spike in deaths and cases. They have us in a panic locking back down and forcing mask mandates again. The other disease that needs to be looked at is pneumonia. I was even amazed looking at the mortality rate, especially among children, which the coronavirus seems to avoid. Here’s a sample of that: Source: ourworldindata.org I was going to crop the photo to show just the graph, but I believe the information above is important. Extremely important. The main reason for pneumonia, especially in children, is due to a lack of nutrition. It’s the main cause of pneumonia in general. So why isn’t this looked at as a problem? With all the billions of dollars being invested into the coronavirus pandemic and also for this vaccine, you would think world hunger, which is a huge problem, would be addressed. According to the borgenproject.org, 36 million people die every year to hunger. There’s enough food, but one of the ways the food is distributed is the reason so many are hungry. 1 billion dollars is estimated to be able to feed over 200 million people if you estimated a meal at $2 a pop. Why we aren’t focusing on a bigger problem than the coronavirus is a mystery. World hunger has been going on for a much longer time than the coronavirus. I thought maybe there might be a lack of food to feed that many people here on Earth but it turns out research shows that’s not the case. We waste a lot of it. World hunger is a pandemic of bigger proportions. But it gets ignored. So why the focus on the coronavirus? Because it affects everyday people that are low, middle, and high class? That anyone is susceptible despite their income? When things start to affect people that can’t control the outcome with money, it becomes a pressing issue. Hunger only concerns who? Poor people. And we have a horrible trend on this Earth of ignoring and treating poor people plainly like crap compared to other classes. It’s not a secret. So I leave you with these questions. Why is hunger not being addressed and the coronavirus so pressing, when the death rate is so staggeringly different? Why aren’t we addressing the issues that have the highest death tolls? Why are cigarettes that cause heart disease, a major killer, banned from being sold, when they kill more people than most other diseases? It all revolves around money. Once the higher class are susceptible to the disease, it must be fought. They aren’t susceptible to hunger, so why fight it? The tax revenue from cigarettes and alcohol are so high so why stop the sales, even though it results in drunk driving deaths, incarceration, and health concerns, plus a toll on the healthcare system. It doesn’t make sense. We ban restaurants from opening up due to a “deadly disease” as other things that are more deadly only get a warning label slapped on the side to warn us it might kill us. So will be eating out, but we have to stop that? I am not trying to undermine the coronavirus, but I am simply stating there should be some other things that even before this should have been focused on prior to this and even during this happening. It’s never too late to start.	https://medium.com/illumination/hunger-is-a-bigger-problem-than-the-coronavirus-1c9dc1a3a9e6	['Chad Raybourne']	2020-12-13 16:27:38.141000+00:00	['Pandemic', 'Covid 19', 'Hunger', 'Homeless', 'Coronavirus']
COVID-19 Vaccine: How Does it Works, How Was it Made so Fast, and Is it Safe?	The first case was in December of 2019. The US went into lockdown in March. Millions of jobs were lost soon after. Thousands fell victim to it, and some ultimately lost their life to it. This pandemic has been a test of not only the world’s but our own resilience, but there’s finally hope! As of writing this, Pfizer and Moderna have developed vaccines for COVID-19, both of which were approved for emergency use. However, how do they work? How were they developed so quickly? And are is they safe? How does the vaccine works? First off, how do vaccines work in general? The goal of a vaccine is to train your body’s immune system to fight off a specific virus. To do that, a vaccine normally contains a dead or weakened virus (which lets your body practice identifying and fighting off the virus). However, the COVID-19 vaccine is a little different. You may have heard that it contains mRNA, or a fancy molecule that tells the body how to make a specific protein. What protein you may ask? In this case it’s the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 (the virus’ technical name). This protein is responsible for attaching to and infecting your cells. Your cells take in this mRNA, makes the spike protein, and learns to recognize it, which ultimately leads to you being immune to SARS-CoV-2! How was the vaccine created so quickly? The CDC gives strict guidelines on how vaccines are created. Specifically, there are six stages: Exploratory Stage, Pre-Clinical Stage, Clinical Development, Regulatory Review and Approval, Manufactory, and Quality Control. The Exploratory and Pre-Clinical Stages determine the basic science of the vaccine and identifies potential vaccines that work in human cells and animals. The Clinical Development is when, once passing through the Pre-Clinical Stage, is when human testing occurs. Lastly, the last three stages are all about production and administering the vaccine. The Clinical Development stage is a key step. There are three steps, or phases, in this stage. Phase I administers the potential vaccine to a small number of people to see how it affects them. Phase II is similar, but a wider variety of people are used: people from different demographics, people with health issues, etc. Phase III is when thousands of people are given the potential vaccine to test its safety and effectiveness. So how did the COVID-19 vaccine go through all these stages? There are three reasons for this. First off, remember that SARS-CoV-19 is part of the coronavirus family. This family of viruses includes the MERS virus back in 2012, SARS virus back in 2002, and even some types of the common cold. Thus, scientist already knew a whole lot about these viruses. (Remember the spike protein mentioned earlier? Scientist already knew this protein was incredibly important in the coronavirus family and was a potential key protein in the production of the COVID-19 vaccine.) Secondly, the stages of vaccine production were modified without sacrificing safety (more on that later). The phases of the Clinical Development were overlapped slightly. Phase II was overlapped with Phase I and III. This allowed for faster progression of vaccine production while maintaining safety requirements. In addition, the manufacturing stage was started during Clinical Development to prepare for distribution immediately after Phase III. Finally, Operation Warp Speed (OWS) provided crucial logistical and financial support during the whole process. The goal of OWS is to deliver millions of vaccines by the end of this month and to have 300 million US citizens vaccinated by mid-2021. To do this, OWS has aided the companies working on the vaccine get over an hurdles they had, including financial hurdles. OWS was behind the manufacturing of the vaccine in preparation for Phase III completion, allowing the vaccine to be delivered to hospitals almost immediately. Is the vaccine even safe? Doctors and scientist from around the country have weighed in on this, but we will cover some of the bigger points. Although the vaccine was fast tracked, it still had to go through different rounds of review, including the Center for Disease Control (CDC) Data and Safety Monitoring Panel, the FDA and their independent vaccine-advisory committee, the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, along with some state committees. So yes, the vaccine has gone through multiple rounds of scrutiny, which does suggest that is safe for the public. But what about those shortened phases? Do we need to worry about that? Normally, vaccines go through lengthy stages, as described earlier, but the COVID-19 vaccine did not. The Clinical Development phases were overlapped to reduce the time to make the vaccine. In addition, Phase III was shortened to only two months. This does lead to some questions on the effectiveness of the vaccine. Since this stage would normally take two or three times that (maybe even longer), some people are more weary of the vaccine. As Dr. Joel Ernst described it in the UCSF Magazine (link below), people who are at high risk of getting in contact with the virus and low risk of adverse reaction from the vaccine should get it. However, if you are at a low risk of getting in contact from the virus (if you work on home and limit contact with others) and high risk of adverse reactions from the vaccine, you may want to contact your primary care doctor to talk about the vaccine. In Conclusion The COVID-19 vaccine was developed in record time, from the first case of COVID-19 in December 2019 to the vaccine production and distribution in December 2020. Using the wealth of knowledge scientist knew about coronaviruses (along with aid from OWS), the vaccine was developed, tested, and manufactured in a year. For comparison, the fastest vaccine developed before this one was mumps, which took a whapping four years! However, is the vaccine safe? Yes! The vaccine went through the proper stages, yes quickly, but still safely, according to the CDC. If you still have questions about whether you should get the vaccine or not, talk to your primary doctor about it. As for now, lets all rejoice in seeing the light at the end of this long, grueling, emotional tunnel. References: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-92HQA0GcI8 https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/basics/test-approve.html https://www.naco.org/articles/look-funding-covid-19-vaccine-planning-and-distribution-counties#:~:text=116%2D136)%2C%20allocated%20billions,19%20vaccine%20manufacturing%20and%20therapeutics. https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMp2027405 https://time.com/5922752/moderna-covid-19-vaccine-fda-recommendation/ https://www.ucsf.edu/magazine/covid-vaccine-safety	https://medium.com/@jordantt1993/covid-19-vaccine-how-does-it-works-how-was-it-made-so-fast-and-is-it-safe-7e081b11314e	['Jordan Thomas']	2020-12-18 21:45:30.799000+00:00	['Pandemic', 'Vaccines', 'Health', 'Covid 19', 'Safety']
Impacty SpotOn!: Bilkiss Adebiyi-Abiola	Bilkiss Called the trash collector in many quarters, Bilkiss Adebiyi-Abiola is an MIT- trained whiz. She grew up in Lagos Nigeria, moved to the United States at the age of 17. While in school, chasing her dreams, she had to do a second-year project which made her venture into thinking up ideas to help low-income communities. Her thoughts soon took her back home where she had to think about waste management and how to curb the environmental hazards as a result of poor waste management. Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) reported that Lagos generates a massive 12,000 metric tons of waste daily. Additionally, only about 40% of that amount of waste was properly disposed. This discovery, backed by unbeatable passion, led Bilkiss to take a journey of purpose back home to the city of Lagos. She came back home and presented the idea to family and friends who encouraged its execution. The idea transcended beyond being a mere idea to a problem-solving strategy as Bilkiss saw how the improperly disposed trash clogged drainages and caused harm to the environment and to residents in highly affected areas. Bilkiss went back to the States and presented the rather impossible-to-execute project to the MIT who readily thought it over and saw that it was good because of how Bilkiss pitched it to them. She also entered the idea in competitions. After graduation, she moved back to Nigeria with her husband in 2012. Bilkiss came back, this time as an executioner, literally, to get rid of environmental pollution caused by poor disposal of wastes. Bilkiss had some challenges with the project at first as she was now married with a kid at that time. It was challenging but it makes her a ready example of women-power to outdo her seeming inabilities. Her company, Wecyclers, now has workers Operation StartUpNg records that Wecyclers uses low-cost custom made cargo tricycles which they call ‘Wecycles’ to collect a large portion of the wastes, especially in areas where normal vehicles are unable to ply. The company’s effective structure makes waste collection efficient and rewarding — something many households are keen to jump on. Wecyclers has grown from a mere waste collection business to something of a movement.	https://medium.com/@heyimpacty/impacty-spoton-bilkiss-adebiyi-abiola-ca6add3aa3bc	[]	2020-12-02 22:58:54.394000+00:00	['Impact', 'Communication', 'Community', 'Storytelling', 'Social Change']
Cinderella Solution Diet	Shattered metabolism as I’ll show you in the next six minutes it is possible to eliminate all the years of frustration while stamping at the fire responsible for depression disease and uncontrollable weight gain, So you too can start building the fairytale life you believed in when you were younger All it takes is a diet free solution that rewires and reawakens are scientifically proven 22 hour a day weight loss Magnification system and even those powerful systems that went dormant for you the moment puberty ended undeniable recent top-level university Investigations now verifying there is a fat burning sleeping giant inside of you And by the time we’re done today Together you and I will have given him a giant slice kick in the butt the screams get back to work You know I could have never dreamed that myself my friends and my family. (Get Your Solution) Would watch amazement as I eliminated almost seven pounds of soul crippling fat each and every week for the first six weeks straight Allowing me to lose 20 pounds of fat in the first 20 days, but my journey didn’t end there in fact Far from it because the truth is I had no idea that a hundred and sixty-year-old flavor pairing ritual designed by the planet slimmest longest living and most disease Resistant country could actually transform the female body into a fat-torching furnace that burns harder with each passing moment Let the same time generating a rebound waking defense system making it almost Biologically impossible for the fat to wickedly reappear like it always does you know what I’m talking about? So even though I have horrible genetics and nothing has ever worked for me Everyone around me witnessed another 66 pounds quickly evaporate in the shortest time possible That’s right at almost 40 years old I eliminated almost a hundred pounds of confidence stealing energy sucking and potentially life ending body fat and finally let’s live my happily ever after reversing all signs of hypertension diabetes and depression all While managing to lose 12 dress sizes and 23 inches off my waist shrinking from a whopping 42 inches all the way around down 26 but before all this happened I mean like even before I started gaining all the weight I too had no idea that almost every woman falls victim to the shadowy Metabolic villain that forces your three Oh pheromones that kept you fit youthful healthy and happy when you were younger — literally funnel floating fat cells into every single area exposed by your bathing suit all while Introducing you to a lifetime struggle with body image while locking in your weight management hormones — storage mode and even though none of this is our fault because not even our doctors warned us about this when we were Younger unless of course, you’re one of the 8% blessed with near-perfect genetics We are all the victim to this fat hoarding 30 year sentence that dismembered her metabolism From the end of puberty all the way through menopause However, if it wasn’t for that fateful day not so long ago. (Get Your Solution) I could have never discovered these kindergarten simple flavor pairing rituals from a tiny island 6,000 miles across the ocean that not only had the power to transform my body but bodies and lives over Sixteen thousand seven hundred and eighty-seven other women just like you in the last year alone Because the truth is you were literally only one unusual step in an unexpected direction Away from knocking over that one big fat lost Domino that’s standing between you and the body you’ve been dreaming of Just like these women did ladies with once silent metabolisms like Kelly who lost 52 pounds while using a salty sweet flavored pair that revs up her fat-burning by over 200% or Women in their 50s like Susan who used of all things a carb pairing ritual to channel a fat flush and current that forced 48 pounds of fat from her body while allowing her to recover the youthful glow she lost in her 20s or ladies like Sarah who melted away even more weight than I Did in her first three weeks by drinking a metabolism reset tea that pairs two savory flavors found in your kitchen cabinet right now The best part is not only are these weight loss doubling flavor pairing methods a hundred percent Biologically guaranteed to work for women between the ages of 20 and 65 years old But it’s a hundred percent proven safe Because it’s the cornerstone of weight loss and longevity for the planets healthiest country for almost two centuries Sadly, you’ve never heard of this secret because it’s so closely guarded by their nation’s top eight keepers it wasn’t until a few highly respected doctors and government officials broke their code of silence that I was able to unleash a flood of Age-reversing enzymes allowing me to reclaim my body my energy my husband and as you can see here my youth. I Cannot describe what it’s like to actually feel something start to work right from the moment You start all the way up until you lose your very last pound but what I can do is finally empower you with this fast pace yet easy to Understand step by step tutorial that I pledged will make your very own Cinderella story come true starting tonight Because trust me I know how it is I too never planned on avoiding my reflection in the mirror at all cost every single attempt to diet and exercise Ending up in frustration and rebound waking my favorite clothes ending up in the back of the closet because they just don’t fit anymore How do my libido permanently set to headache and my energy level set to snooze sufferer? And Relentless sugar cravings and senseless mood swings and scrolling through old pictures on Facebook asking myself. (Get Your Solution) What happened to the old me? But if you two can relate to any of this I can tell you with conviction undeniable proof and love that This is all about to change for you in the next three and a half minutes I promise to reveal to you the one thing you must absolutely do to finally achieve the draw dropping daily results while reclaiming the attention And confidence you have been missing out on for so long skeptical. You should be after all these failed attempts at weight loss you’ve gotten wiser over the last few years, haven’t you and let me tell you something right now None of this is your fault because I think by now, you know The last thing you need or want is another workout DVD or fad detox some skinny fitness model is raving about on Instagram Right, and let’s be honest I know you’re just done with all those point counting pill-pushing companies that empty your pockets with proven to fail schemes that treat fat Itself is the actual problem and I’m with you girl I know right now You’re probably saying fat is the problem but hear me out and follow my words closely up until this moment I’m willing to bet that every single weight loss solution You have ever tried actually targets fat first instead of actually fixing the real reason your body is storing fat in the first As a woman we must dig deeper than simply attacking the surface with old-school outdated tactics marketers have recycled for the last four decades Think about it. (Get Your Solution) The Atkins diet of the 90s is now called the keto diet Today’s p90x is just a digital version of buns of steel for twenty years ago and Jenny Craig Weight Watchers, South Beach Nutrisystem all found new ways to glam up the sacred art of counting calories and portion control Give me a break the sad and very scary. The truth is even though you lose weight at the start using these fat first methods It’s like a blunt force trauma to your metabolism with every pound you lose Trying to lose weight. This way is the same as using sandpaper to sweep your makeup off each night It’s overkill It doesn’t make sense and more importantly It’s dangerous and Trusts me I know giving in is easy Because each one of their million-dollar marketing tactics preys on women like you and me by seducing you with exactly what you want to hear In your most vulnerable moments that all ends today because the truth is each time. You try these temporary outside-in approaches It’s like having razor-sharp thorns poke thousands of tiny holes in your metabolism making it even more Painstaking to lose weight on your next attempt. It’s not fair and you deserve better. So let me ask you this Doesn’t it make more sense to use a trusted solution that works from the inside out? To sync with your metabolism in order to ignite your true fat-burning potential so you too can experience the permanent weight loss Victory you deserve today. It’s finally time for you to seize control and lose weight Six times faster than today’s most popular commercial diets without counting a single calorie Look-and-feel 10 to 20 years younger by eating the comfort food TV doctors are getting paid to say is unhealthy Burn fat faster in female trouble spots by freeing up fat cells to uses on-demand energy Live twenty-two percent longer by stacking carbohydrates in a way that actually strengthens your heart while you lose weight achieve the freedom from hunger and food obsession Using our procrastination method used in alcoholics Anonymous for over 75 years Find the golden window of when to drink wine and still lose weight all by simply using the stopwatch on your smartphone and so much more and Don’t take my word for it Listen to what women like you are About how easy it is to drop weekly dress sizes by doing the exact opposite of what they have tried in the past Someone up there must have heard my prayers the initial stages of menopause had already done number on the way I look and feel after everything. I didn’t care about losing 20 pounds I just wanted to start feeling like myself again and get back the energy and confidence. I had in my 20s and 30s Well, it’s just been under two months and it seems as well as those prayers have been answered Not only do I feel ten years younger, but I’ve already lost 23 pounds and were a size six to my son’s graduation thank you so much, Carly, in the support of the Cinderella team and Carolyn who just left a message saying hey guys I just got my plateaus back and well I had to sell somebody my husband’s not home and my sister didn’t answer So I thought of you guys at the Customer Support Center. (Get Your Solution) Anyway, it’s official as of the Soaring My doctor told me that I don’t need to take my blood pressure or even my thyroid pills anymore on top of that I don’t want to scale at home. So even though getting off the meds is a huge win for me. I was really looking forward to seeing how much weight I had lost and I knew well I knew was gonna be good because I’m usually a size 12 and I’m back into a size six for the first time since kids anyway 52 pounds down 52 freakin pounds. Oh my gosh. Thank you so much to all of you and all the ladies on the support team Thank you. Thank you. Thank you Take a second right now. Imagine the feeling cinderella solution. [it included affiliate link]	https://medium.com/@ariyansojib110/cinderella-solution-diet-dc93f58f9ec5	[]	2021-02-12 17:14:33.680000+00:00	['Cindrella Solution', 'Keto Diet', 'Cinderella Solution', 'Body Positive', 'Body']
How to Use AmCharts 4 With React Hooks	If you’re reading this article, you probably decided to use AmCharts as your data visualization solution, but you are having an issue or two with how to integrate it with your React project that uses Hooks. Well… been there, done that :). AmCharts is one of the most used data visualization solutions out there. You can use it for free (with their small logo present on your charts in that case) or buy the license and don’t have to show the logo, get premium support and other benefits. While the documentation is free, publicly available, very extensive and detailed with a lot of demos, it has a “downside” of focusing on the library itself, not on integration with other frameworks or libraries. In the past months I built quite a few charts with AmCharts and React Hooks, and by doing so, I had to dig through github issues, stackoverflow questions and reddit posts (reddit is so great :)) to get a feeling of what would be the best practices and how to use it the “proper” way with Hooks. These are my findings, if you have questions or suggestions — feel free to start a discussion in the comments. Packing the data Learning is best by example, so let’s build a simple chart that visualizes Europe’s population since 1990 in a 5 year step, using column series. In plain language, the chart will show population of Europe for years 1990, 1995, 2000, 2005, 2010, 2015 and 2018 (year with last final data). Wikipedia is used for data source. Our data set looks like this: Preparing the basics Since we have the data ready, let’s build our React chart component. Boilerplate code, that we start with, looks something like this: Above we have chartId as an optional prop, so the div that chart is going to be mounted into, either has this chartId or fallbacks to CHART_ID . Dynamic ids passed as props come in handy when you want to render multiple charts on the same page (to avoid ids collision). In a real life situation, most probably the data for the chart will come as props as well, but for sake of simplicity, I left it out in our example — so we use data stored in a data const . Now we want to initialize the chart. useEffect hook, with an empty dependency array (so it gets executed only on initial component mount) is the place for that. NOTE: Official AmCharts documentation, in it’s guide on integrating with React Hooks, shows use of useLayoutEffect . It is similar to useEffect , but it is fired synchronously, after DOM mutations. React Hooks documentation recommends starting with useEffect first and only trying useLayoutEffect if that causes a problem. Note that refs mechanism is used to save reference to the chart. Refs are a good way to persist information between component re-renders. This will come in handy for disposing the chart as well. Besides basic setup, we did some styling as well — to showcase just one tiny portion of all the things that AmCharts can do. Re-rendering the chart on data change Now we add a new useEffect hook, with data in the dependency array. For this demo, data will not change, since it is a static information stored in the data const . However, in a real life situation, data will most probably be fetched from a backend service, so you will pass it to the chart as a prop. You want to make sure that, when data prop is updated, your chart gets updated as well, and that’s exactly what we are going to do in the code below: NOTE: Updating the whole chart dataset is an expensive operation, because it triggers not only react re-render but also chart’s internal calculations and repaints. As an optimization boost - you can set data per series. Of course, in that case, you would need to extend the approach shown above. Idea: save reference to each series extend the dependency array of useEffect with series-specific data with series-specific data get series by reference (or by id), set the data per series, as described above and so on... Extended reading on the topic: https://www.amcharts.com/docs/v4/tutorials/dynamically-adding-and-removing-series/ Disposing the chart Since we have the chart reference stored in ref , it is easy to dispose the chart, to avoid memory leaks and ugly warnings in the console. Short reminder for those who are migrating from classes to Hooks or who are just still new to Hooks — if your effect returns a function, React will run it when it is time to clean up — perfect place to do some chart disposing. This is it — we have our fully working chart done with React Hooks and AmCharts 4, which looks like this: You can check the fully working version on codepen. Hope you enjoyed this short walk-through — if you have any questions, suggestions, doubts or thoughts — please feel free to share in the comments section :). Sources:	https://medium.com/swlh/how-to-use-amcharts-4-with-react-hooks-999a62c185a5	[]	2020-10-23 17:06:21.582000+00:00	['Reactjs', 'Data Visualization', 'Amchart', 'React Hook', 'React']
I’m a Feminist Who Shaves Her Pubic Hair	Some women choose not to remove their body hair. Some prefer the natural state of their pubic, underarm, or leg hair. And some refuse to shave as an act of rebellion against the patriarchy or societal standards of beauty. I’m of the belief that anyone can do what they like with their pubic hair. It’s a personal decision whether you shave, trim, or go natural — but the biggest priority is that you’re happy, healthy, and comfortable in your body. I don’t base my decision to remove my hair on any outside persuasion. I base it on what I want for my body. I truly respect and appreciate a woman’s choice to shave or not shave for whatever reason she sees fit. Some have had the experience of being oppressed or forced or pressured into shaving, so I understand the need to go against the grain. I see my shaved lady parts as an act of feminism because it’s what I want. I’m grateful I have the freedom to tune out what anyone else thinks, and I don’t care if it’s looked down on by some as the popular choice or the slutty “porn look” choice or the patriarchy-approved choice. It’s my choice. To me, that’s feminism. Independent thought, and being valued enough and liberated enough to do whatever you damn well please with your body hair. I shave my legs because growing the hair out exacerbates my eczema. I shave under my arms because it feels more comfortable. And I shave my pubic hair for a number of different reasons, all of which involve my comfort, sexual pleasure, and personal preference. My grooming habits are based on what I want. Expectations put in place by society don’t factor in the decision. No, I’m not brainwashed by the patriarchy or razor companies. I simply do what I like with my body. Not shaving my body hair just to stick it to the patriarchy (even though I prefer shaving for all sorts of personal reasons) would be just as problematic as shaving because society tells me to. Some men love a woman who shaves her outer vulva. Other men prefer or even need at least some pubic hair on a woman. I’ve had an ex-boyfriend tell me that a shaved woman doesn’t seem sophisticated or worldly enough, and that there should be some hair down there so that she’s more “sexually appealing.” That’s a personal preference that works for him, but it’s just not for me. I just groom my vulva the way I like. And I like it smooth. Discovering my personal preference I’ve read many articles online on the matter of female body hair. Probably more than any one person needs to read. Some of them hint at or outright describe shaving as a shameful, self-hating activity that we do only because it’s the way we’ve been programmed. But I think it’s all about doing what’s right for you. Do you love the feel of your freshly shaved legs against your bedsheets? Or against the skin of your lover’s hand? Do you love the curl and thickness of your pubic hair? Does it make you feel more feminine, more sexually confident, more whole? No matter what anyone thinks, do what you love. Not shaving my body hair just to stick it to the patriarchy (even though I prefer shaving for all sorts of personal reasons) would be just as problematic as shaving because society tells me to. Once I was old enough to have plenty of hair on my pubic region, I never felt pressure from anyone to shave. My mom didn’t suggest it, and none of the razor commercials of ladies performing synchronized swim routines in colorful bathing suits made me feel pressured one way or another. What I did get frustrated with, however, was how my tuft of hair would become increasingly difficult to keep clean when I got my period. Before I learned to use tampons, my dark, thick curls would get tangled in the blood of a soaked pad, and dry toilet paper did little to help the issue. I eventually started using tampons, but I played a lot of sports and still had plenty of mess and sweat to deal with. I wasn’t a fan of the coarse feeling whenever I touched it, either. I didn’t like the smell, especially during that time of the month (even though I bathed each night). And I didn’t like the stray hairs sprouting out every which direction from my underwear. I decided my feelings on my hairy lady parts before anyone told me to, before I saw porn, and before I ever had sex. Boyfriends didn’t see me naked until I was 17, so I’d had plenty of time to come to the conclusion naturally. And then, I discovered sex. And, especially, my love of oral sex. Now, as a full-fledged adult who very much enjoys sex, I’ve found more reasons to love my smoothly shaved pleasure zone. Increased sensation and pleasure The feel of my partner’s hands or tongue or penis against my vulva is far more pleasurable when I’m shaved. I love the skin-on-skin contact. The warmth and wetness of his tongue directly on my sensitive folds, the feel of his fingers exploring my exposed self. I can more thoroughly enjoy a friction-free vaginal massage. And I love the glorious sensation of smooth, silky lube down there. Without pubic hair, my sensation and pleasure increases. It helps me not only have more intense orgasms, but more orgasms in general. A better experience giving oral There’s no double standard here. My preference for shaved genitals goes for any gender of the person I’m pleasuring. I’m a big fan of giving partners as much pleasure as I can. Arousing them arouses me, and that’s one reason why I’m such a big fan of performing oral sex. If my male partner has pubic hair, it’s more difficult to properly lick and suck his balls. And it’s a lot less sexy when hair is constantly scraping against my tongue or getting caught in the back of my throat. Nothing breaks the mood like stopping at the peak of pleasure to hack up a few stray hairs. Easier to keep clean I’ll probably get some pushback on this one especially. First of all, I understand and agree that there are absolutely no health benefits to shaving, and that having pubic hair is not in any way unhygienic. You can be perfectly clean with a full bush. In the same way, you can be smooth as a rose petal and not practice good hygiene habits. However, I’m able to maintain cleanliness more easily by staying shaved. There’s a lot going on down there for me. Sweat, my own sexy juices, blood, urine — it’s a busy place. Add the fact that I’m a runner to the equation. I like that I don’t have to take the time to thoroughly wash another set of hair in the shower. All I need is a relaxing swipe or two from my sudsy bath loofah on my bare skin, and I’m good to go. I feel more sexually confident I simply love the beautiful aesthetic of my shaved vulva. Even though I know the bare look isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, it happens to be more visually appealing to me. But it’s not just about what’s on the surface. I also feel sexier when I’m shaved. Removing my pubic hair fully exposes my most feminine and private parts. You can more easily see my labia, my clit, my vaginal opening. Even when my legs are closed, I like the look of that telling line at the beginning of my slit — it opens to a world of my femininity and pleasure. Baring myself naked in this way, as naked and exposed and vulnerable as I can be, gives me a thrill. Perhaps it’s the exhibitionist in me? I Don’t Have a “Patriarchal Pussy” My preference to shave isn’t a result of feeling shame. I’ve not been shaped or stifled by a culture of patriarchy and commercial beauty standards. I understand that has been some women’s experience — and that’s a problem we need to address by being more open and not judgemental of women’s bodies. It simply hasn’t been my experience. I don’t spend much on razors. For my legs, I actually get a better shave with a set of Lady Bics (about $5 for a set of ten, which lasts me three months or more). I’m saving plenty of time and money on the fact that I literally never get a manicure, rarely paint my own nails, don’t often visit the salon, and typically don’t wear makeup more than once or twice a week. Because, again, it’s not really about societal beauty standards or practices pushed upon me, it’s about what I like to do with my body. I also don’t spend a lot of time or money maintaining my pubic hair. I prefer using an electric shaver that’s actually meant for beards. It’s quick, easy, and gentle on my skin. While I do get bumps and shaving if I use a mechanical razor, I don’t get them with the electric one, because it’s not as close of a shave. So to anyone considering the question of beauty and body hair and what it means to our identity: we’re all entitled to follow our own path. Enjoy the freedom to shave or not shave. Do what brings you joy, pleasure, health, and happiness.	https://medium.com/bare-naked-bradshaw/im-a-feminist-who-shaves-her-pubic-hair-274fa84ff5a2	['Holly Bradshaw']	2020-08-21 18:41:17.130000+00:00	['Health', 'Sex', 'Feminism', 'Sexuality', 'Culture']
Sprinter vs Marathon Mindset	SOURCE: PIXABAY Sprinter vs Marathon Mindset How seeing the finish line makes all the difference to be there at the end Cait Lynch Jan 21·2 min read In case you have forgotten what day it is, it’s Thursday, January 21st, 2020. I share the date with you because I want to talk to you about the difference between marathoning and sprinting. Right now, the days and weeks might feel like you are in a never ending marathon where you cannot see the finish line. Even if the end of the marathon is just around the corner, if you can’t see the finish line, you may not know when it’s coming. This can be gruelling. Even if we know that all things end, I think there is something psychological that happens to us when we can’t see the end of something. Right now, during COVID and lockdowns, one of the reasons it may feel so daunting is because so many of us may have a general malaise, a kind of COVID drag because we can’t see the finish line. Yet. A series of sprints Instead of seeing these days as a long and gruelling marathon, allow me to encourage you to look at this time we are in right now as a series of sprints. Here’s the thing: In a sprint, you can see the finish line. Usually, you know where the end of a sprint is and you can use that finish line as something to look forward to, as a sort of hope to hold in your mind. The majority of us are not built to marathon. Most of us are sprinters—we can handle short spurts of challenges. Over the last almost year you may not have felt like you are going very fast. You may not think of yourself as as sprinter. (You may think of yourself as more of a couch potato.) If you approach your days like little sprints, that may help get you through to end, to the finish line. Perhaps look at the days as small projects and tasks, where you can see the end result, where you can see the reward, where you can see the finish line. As we move forward in the middle of the belly of winter, consider these days as little sprints with little finish lines. Use little check marks, little successes throughout your day to break up these sometimes marathon-like days, weeks and months. Short, sweet, sprints where you can see the finish line and feel as if you are making progress. You are moving forward; you are still in the game. You are making progress. Just be there at the end. That’s the goal…Be there at the end.	https://medium.com/@caitlynch/sprinter-vs-marathon-mindset-387fce0a18a3	['Cait Lynch']	2021-01-21 20:51:28.266000+00:00	['Covid Diaries', 'Mindset Shift', 'Mindset', 'Sprinting', 'Baby Steps']
I really loved this article!	I really loved this article! When you consider that everything handmade is made by humans, it's quite inspiring to think that everything is human made. Human made is important because you’re a human. Its easy to get lost in the day-to-day and forget that humans made that Tesla you want. Humans made the phone you’re using. Humans created the internet and wireless communication. These are human technologies and you’re part of the race that created them. Your personal power is limitless, just like the human species. You have all the tools around you needed to create the “smartphone of your life” just like King Tut had everything he needed to create a smartphone. What’s the difference between you and King Tut? Nothing. Whatever you want to achieve in life, you have the tools around you to get it. If you don’t directly have the tools, you have the tools to make the tools. Being a human is the first and only qualification for greatness. All the ingredients are right here. It’s up to you to put them together.	https://medium.com/@kbtheauthor/i-really-loved-this-article-2800fe303bf1	['K.B. Hubbard']	2020-12-25 17:42:12.703000+00:00	['Humanity', 'Creativity', 'Reflections', 'Ideas', 'Life']
What am I doing here?	Recently, I completed my Masters degree. I began this process, put it on hold, cycled back to it — a route familiar to parents when you ask your toddler to put their toys away: the path led to anywhere but the desired destination, and much of the time a greater mess made. Now, I am here. I have reached my “destination”. But, have I? As the saying goes, “life is not about the destination, it’s about the journey” — it’s true. When you grant yourself some grace to reflect on this, it holds more weight than overindulgence at a holiday meal. Weight that is satisfying when you take in the whole picture, especially with the company surrounding you. This, a revelation we now experience with profound gratitude during the COVID-19 pandemic. The real destination is a place of fulfillment and appreciation; a space that we can live in and embrace every day. What I thought to be my destination, is just a rest stop along the way. I have to tell you, at this rest stop — the completion of this degree — the vantage point is quite spectacular. It is important to give pause on the journey: time and space to reflect, learn and with that, an opportunity to apply that learning: evolving and impacting those in our vicinity. The real destination is a place of fulfillment and appreciation; a space that we can live in and embrace every day. The view is comprised of a sense of accomplishment and an inspiring community of people with messages that resonate so profoundly; they are in fact life changing. “Keep your priorities, your priority” (Bev McPhee) is one I hold onto, and has, in-part, inspired this blog. I’ll dive into that in another post, until then, I invite you to reflect on what those words mean to you. My research explored performance management systems to foster a positive organizational culture. This process afforded me an opportunity to walk into a 360 degree mirror and not cringe at the reflection, rather embrace it. My hope is that this blog provides a channel to continue to explore, embrace and contribute to the possibilities of a positive influence that is greater than my bubble. 2020 is a year which has now become a descriptor and an explanation into itself. If through a small post, or two, hopefully a few dozen more (eventually), I can cast more positivity into the world — that is a contribution I will embrace. So, that’s what I am doing here… thanks for stopping by. With grace, gratitude and light, wishing you well.	https://medium.com/@christinamoog/what-am-i-doing-here-a64a27fd3e41	[]	2021-01-13 11:34:11.100000+00:00	['Positive Thinking', 'Mindset', 'Personal Development', 'Self Improvement', 'Personal Growth']
Today’s Quote	Web: destinyh.com Facebook: @textdestiny Instagram: @textdestiny Read: Mental Rescue Series Read: Overcoming BS Series Read: Building Wealth Series Read: When You’re Feeling Series — — Free Gift: Get Free Books By Destiny S. Harris Daily Step 1: Go to Destiny’s Author Page Step 2: Filter Books By “Price: Low to High” Step 3: Download any and all available free books	https://medium.com/@destinyharris/todays-quote-c06e15e3ba49	['Destiny S. Harris']	2020-12-22 14:48:09.294000+00:00	['Quotes About Life', 'Quotes', 'Quote Of The Day', 'Relationships', 'Time Management']
Indiana Jones & the Plot Hole of Doom	So there’s a fan theory floating around the past few years that Indiana Jones “doesn’t matter” to the story of my favorite movie of all time, Raiders of the Lost Ark. He’s in the plot, but he doesn’t drive the plot. And if you’ve studied the storyline of the movie as closely as I have, you know that Indy pretty much fails, screws up and gets thwarted the entire movie, right up to the very last scene. The only thing he does manage to do, is survive. But I’d like to take it a step further than that. I’d like to argue that Indiana Jones surviving this adventure, changed the course of world history. And sadly, not in a good way. It started with a Big Bang Theory episode in which a character sees Raiders for the first time. Her reaction: “Indiana Jones doesn’t matter to the outcome of the film.” She explains that if he wasn’t in the movie, the Nazis still would have ended up opening the Ark and melting, exploding, and generally turning into beef jerky in God’s flame-broiler of wrath. That’s not exactly true, as others have already pointed out. Indiana possesses the Headpiece to the Staff of Ra, which has markings on both sides, while the Nazis have a replica Headpiece with markings on only one side. Which means, “They’re digging in the wrong place.” Without him, they would never have found the Ark at all, and my childhood nightmares wouldn’t have been populated with screeching Angels of Death. Sorry Toht, you have one too many kadams. Then again, if Indiana hadn’t shown up at Marion’s bar in Nepal, the Nazis would have gotten the actual Headpiece, built the Staff of Ra to the correct length, and found the Ark anyway. But rewind the story a little further, to the beginning, and imagine that Prof. Jones never leaves the university, or worse, ends up squished under that boulder in South America. There’s nothing and no one to stop the Nazis from torturing Marion until she hands over the Headpiece, they find the Ark, and Yahweh kicks Nazi ass. That’s all, folks? Not even close. If Indiana Jones is killed, injured, captured, or never goes on the hunt for the Ark, the following chain of events would happen: The Nazis get the Staff of Ra and dig up the Ark. Maybe someone along the way is killed by an asp, but no biggie, they’re Nazi goons. They transport the Ark on the flying wing to the secret island. (No tough guys get churned into hamburger meat in a propeller blade. No show-stopping truck chases happen. No U-boat rides hanging on the periscope by a bullwhip.) Belloq puts on a tallis, chants a Haftorah, and opens the Ark. This DJ is off the hook. Faces melt, heads explode, and laser beams shoot into and out of eyeballs. What’s left is a barren chamber with the Ark glowing and purring proudly. End of story, right? Not quite, kemosabe. Without Indy and Marion left alive after the Ark slams shut, there are no Americans to take the Ark back to Washington to be studied by top men. Instead, worker Nazis on the secret island would eventually figure out that Belloq & Co. are missing, come to collect the Ark… And deliver it to Adolf Hitler. Hitler gathers his top Nazi brass to show off his latest acquisition. He opens it up like it’s National Socialist Christmas. And boom. Adolf, meet Adonai. Not your biggest fan. Thus ending World War 2. In 1936. Long before the worst that’s to come. Allow me to repeat. If Indiana Jones doesn’t raid the Lost Ark, Hitler dies. If Indiana gets killed at any point along the adventure, Hitler dies. If Indiana gets a concussion and ends up in the hospital, Hitler dies. But Indy didn’t do any of those things. He survived. And the rest is history.	https://medium.com/applaudience/indiana-jones-the-plot-hole-of-doom-193a5397f73	['Glenn Sanders']	2015-11-03 06:39:51.313000+00:00	['Comedy', 'Storytelling', 'Movies']
A Curated List of 100 Cool and Fun Public APIs to Inspire Your Next Project	A Curated List of 100 Cool and Fun Public APIs to Inspire Your Next Project Humor, food, machine learning, crime, sports, and more Image by AndSus on Adobe Stock As a beginner developer, some of the first questions you’ll ask yourself and others are: What projects should I work on as a beginner? What makes a good side project? Where should I start? If you aren’t fond of the basic to-do list, calculator, or some type of clone answers, then the perfect place to start is by building interesting applications around public-facing REST APIs!	https://medium.com/better-programming/a-curated-list-of-100-cool-and-fun-public-apis-to-inspire-your-next-project-7600ce3e9b3	['Angelica Dietzel']	2020-04-02 00:51:32.402000+00:00	['Tech', 'API', 'Machine Learning', 'Programming', 'Software Development']
Why Nepotism is Invincible?	Last year, the word ‘Nepotism in Bollywood’ was searched 63,000 times per month which roughly translates to 1.5 times per minute . Largely contributed by SSR case and media feeding frenzy. But why just Film Industry? Isn’t Nepotism exists in every field ? In ‘Politics’, in ‘Family Business’ , in ‘Legal Industry’ in ‘Government Jobs’ . Let’s take a deep dive . Nepotism is defined by the ‘practice among those with power of favouring relatives or friends by giving them jobs’. Often it is argued on behalf of talent. By definition, A much less talented person is rewarded with a role deserved by a higher talented person. On paper, its absolutely looks unfair, but in reality there are much complexities involved. Let’s understand by example. Often when a person enters a new industry (Let’s name him Abigail ) , he faces a lot of failures and rejections. But Abigail doesn’t give up, he slowly builds up his reputation. He is helped by people who know him by mutual contacts. Since Abigail is new, often people take a leap of faith on him and give him chance. Abigail capitalises on those chances and find his own version of success through his hard work, perseverance and determination. He stays in contact with people who gave him chances as they had helped him in struggling times. Now Abigail is rich and famous. Now, He also give opportunities to other people to whom he knows by mutual contacts. A Random Image of Amit Shah ( Honourable Home Minister ) & Jay Shah ( BCCI Treasurer ) in a Wedding Event. The Abigail story happens in every industry. In Politics , leaders trust newcomers with mutual contacts (often other leaders relatives). In Family Business, a father doesn’t want a son to go through the same ordeal he has gone through. In exchange, the son gives him the loyalty and the extra effort needed to run the business. No employee would do that without financial incentive. In short , the innate human desire to help the person who are close to us is quintessential. In tough times, it is the family and relatives who are by your side, not any stranger or client. Conclusively, Nepotism is very natural to humans as we are social and connection oriented society. Even LinkedIn business model is defined by ‘connections’. Fighting nepotism is like fighting our inherent quality of bonding in human behaviour. Nepotism exists in every industry, just in different shades and gradients. Nepotism is much criticized, much practiced and little understood. To successfully fight it, it will take more than a moral stance. Perhaps more than a ‘Koffee’. Adios.	https://medium.com/@anshuraj1603/why-nepotism-is-invincible-614529748a4b	['Anshuraj Pradhan']	2021-03-11 08:17:03.844000+00:00	['Politics', 'Human Behavior', 'Nepotism In Bollywood', 'Nepotism', 'Family Business']
Re-joining the Paris Agreement is not enough.	After four years of Trump, there is still a chance to save the planet. Part of it requires rethinking how we approach foreign policy. A continuous lack of strong U.S. leadership on the global stage could lead to decades of damage to the environment as well as the U.S. economy. The past four years have shown how carefully cultivated alliances and foreign partnerships- that have spanned multiple administrations- can crumble. Could the damage be undone? And could the world rely once again on the U.S. to hold on to its promises and lead on global challenges? The G20 leaders have just completed their summit, emphasizing the need for cooperation in fighting the pandemic and pledging their commitment to safeguarding the planet through the Paris Climate Accords. Trump vehemently opposed these statements, in contrast to Biden’s promise to rejoin the agreement on his first day in office and foster international cooperation. These starkly opposing narratives begs two questions: can the world trust the U.S. to abide by its commitments — or will countries be subject to a toxic relationship of on-again, off-again cycles that last anywhere between 4–8 years? And is rejoining the Paris Agreement even enough? As for the first question, only time will tell if the world will treat the last four years as an anomaly or a pattern. And it was quite the anomaly: from throwing out the Paris Agreement, to the dead-in-the-water Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP), a withdrawal from the Iran Nuclear deal, the hot-cold relationship with North Korea, as well as unpredictable travel bans, trade wars, and tariffs, Trump’s four years have been tumultuous for foreign policy. It has also been disastrous for the planet, setting the world back potentially decades from achieving key climate change goals. The answer to the second question is more clear: rejoining the Paris Agreement does not go far enough. For one, environmental experts have mixed feelings about the success of the Paris Agreement. The thing with humanitarian international agreements is that they are usually more bark than they are bite. To be successful, they rely heavily on transparency, strong compliance with reporting, and pure national ambition — of which many countries fall short. And when a country fails to meet its obligations under an agreement, one of the few mechanisms that might work is international shaming… which happens to be extremely ineffective in the face of national populism. Not to discount the agreement’s lofty goal — getting 196 countries on board to save our planet is an undeniable and hard fought success. However, if we are to turn the clock back the past four years, the new Biden administration is going to have to go farther than ever before. Today’s nomination of John Kerry as Biden’s Special Climate Envoy — which will be housed under the high echelons of the National Security Council, is admittedly a good start. Nonetheless, Biden’s other stated initiatives come off as lackluster. While Biden does plan to convene a “climate world summit” within his first 100 days, it’s unclear how this will be any different than what the Paris Agreement aims to achieve. Biden’s plan also states that it will “lock-in enforceable commitments”…though without offering a real strategy. Well, here’s at least one strategy. The Biden Administration can move beyond the fluff of good-will agreements and begin to address the climate crisis by ensuring concrete environmental measures are built in to every possible angle of foreign policy, including trade and national security. This, of course, on top of revamping our own national commitments. This started happening under the Obama administration. The Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP), had it gone through, would have governed 40% of global GDP and one-third of global trade under the strongest environmental standards any U.S. trade deal has ever seen. And while criticized by environmental groups, any lack-there-of under TPP doesn’t compare to the worst case scenario of a trade deal without — which is exactly what ended up happening. The signing of the The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) last week will create the world largest trading bloc in terms of population — 2.2 billion. And unlike the TPP, this agreement included no protections or standards for the environment or labor rights. While the U.S. looked inward, countries moved forward — with or without environmental protections, and certainly without waiting for the U.S. Besides saving the planet, there is also a strong economic argument (for those who need it). The damage done to the U.S. economy by pulling out of international agreements could span decades, with four years of foreign policy drama branded with the idea of “America First” all for nothing. As nations move ahead, they are creating their own regional agreements with the goal of strengthening their own economies. Without U.S. willingness to cooperate, countries are looking elsewhere, to closer country partners and economic powerhouses like China. These regions, coming together with goals such as decreased tariffs and enhanced free trade, will become more reliant on their trading partners for lower cost goods and services. They will benefit from strong relationships for their exports as well. Ultimately, the U.S. will be shouldered out in favor of these trading partners, potentially suffering the loss of key economic partnerships. Trade agreements, along with other foreign policy initiatives, can give the Paris Agreement its bite. Tying environmental protection to other international objectives such as free-trade or national security through standards, technical regulations, and compliance mechanisms can foster action. This would greatly help the Paris Agreement’s enforcement struggles, while meeting important environmental, economic and global security goals. Without strong leadership on all foreign policy fronts, countries and regions will continue to move on their own — without the U.S., and often without these critical protections essential for environmental and economic sustainability. “The U.S. has been the driving force, not just behind the global economic order, but also pursuing higher standards on free trade” said Stephen Olson, a former United States trade negotiator who worked on NAFTA. So will the U.S. abdicate that role? Or will it once again stand up to the global challenges of the 21st century? Which include, most importantly, saving our planet.	https://medium.com/@jennymleczko/re-joining-the-paris-agreement-is-not-enough-75fcf00764c7	['Jennifer Mleczko']	2021-01-08 17:46:27.906000+00:00	['Climate Change', 'Politics', 'Government', 'Biden', 'Foreign Policy']
Integrating a Lean UX Process	Part Two: First steps to integrating Lean UX There are fifteen principles to Lean UX and all are equally important. This part of the guide will focus on those principles but to make them more digestible they’ve been reorganised into three categories: ‘The Team’, ‘The Measurement’ and ‘The Process’. The order of these categories is important, without the right team organisation or measures provided by the business in the right way the Lean UX process will never be truly effective. The Team: Principles Principle 1: Cross-Functional Teams Principle 2: Small, Dedicated, Colocated Principle 9: Shared Understanding Principle 10: Anti Pattern: Rockstars Getting the right team in place is the most important part of any product design and development process and it’s at the core of a successful Lean UX process. To ensure the shared understanding (9) the team has to include not only various disciplines (1) but people from different backgrounds, experiences and interests. As much as possible the team should be diverse. Consider building a team of people from different countries, ethic and religious backgrounds, sexes, orientation and disabilities. The real world is made up of these people so to effectively tackle their problems the team should be too. Equally important is team size — it should be small (2). Four to six people would be ideal, ten to twelve would be the maximum. I’ve seen teams as large as thirty and teams that are smaller but are heavily weighted towards a particular discipline and neither are truly effective. Smaller teams are better able to communicate and are more creative generally, if the team is dedicated on a specific task they’re able to converge on the problem quicker and more effectively. The larger the team size the more difficult it becomes to communicate across the whole group or make vital decisions. Think about some past experiences or current working practices; is it easier to chat with two close colleagues about how to solve a problem or with twenty people? Colocation (2) isn’t quite as vital. Don’t get me wrong. It is better if the team are all in the same room. If a part of the team is located on another floor or office building, then make the effort to move everyone to a shared space permanently. However, with today’s modern workforce and global businesses that’s not always possible. There’s also many positives to distributed teams beyond cost. Teams can work around the clock on projects, there’s the potential for more diverse insight, timezone crossovers can provide true focus, and, if the team is multi-disciplined in both locations, dispersed locations allows for the possibility of communicating any outstanding actions over at the end of each day. Building a Lean UX team is all about getting the right people (10), there should be no ‘rock stars’, ‘ninjas’ or ‘gurus’. There should be no stubbornness and no people on the team that are more focused on themselves and showcasing their own work than the team and it’s progress in business solving problems to the benefit of the customer. This is all about collaboration, the best user experiences are not made by individual designers they’re made by teams of ambitious people that collaborate together to solve problems. Subjective opinions should be left at the door and instead the focus should be on what’s right for the customer and not the individual. The Team: Key points Teams need to be small for effective communication and collaboration. Shared understanding comes from cross functional, dedicated teams. There’s no place for ‘out for themselves’ individuals. The Team: Actions If the team is large (more than ten), start by creating a smaller group with just a designer and a business analyst. Allow them to focus on a specific feature and work together to understand what the experience should be. If this step is successful on an initial feature then add two developers to work with them on the next. Give this smaller sub-team a feature to work on, a two week timeframe and the space to work without distractions. Conduct a retrospective at the end to determine if the team setup was successful. If it works, let this smaller team stay together for future iterations and slowly scale it to the rest of the team based on these learnings. The Measurement: Principles Principle 3: Progress = Outcomes, Not Output Principle 4: Problem Focused Teams Principle 14: Permission to Fail Principle 15: Getting Out of the Deliverables Business This is the most challenging set of principles as it means a change not only to the delivery team but also to the mindset of the management and, possibly more importantly but even more challenging, the executives running the business. Without making some of these measurement improvements to the current design and development process it won’t be possible to utilise the full power of Lean UX, or any Lean process for that matter. As I’ve mentioned previously, this process can start from the ground up but executive buy in is essential to ensure it’s prolonged success. Only when the team has been reorganised to allow at least some of the larger team to work in a smaller, more focused sub-teams that are dedicated to one or more features the process of looking at how the progress is measured can begin. Taking it slow is an important factor to the success of Lean UX. Introducing new measures with the current oversized none dedicated team will only be a struggle and without successful examples buy in from execs will be tedious. The team will also be confused and the integration of the process could fail as quickly as it’s started. Once those sub-teams are in place instead of working on a specific predetermined feature they should work on solving a problem (4). Business problems are easier to start with as they should have been supplied with success metrics to validate the outcomes (3). These business metrics, ideally supplied by management or stakeholders, allow the team to focus on the outcomes (3) of what they create rather than how quickly they do it (velocity) or by how much they create (output). Agile favours ‘Working software over comprehensive documentation’ and Lean UX has a similar principle (15). Design artifacts are certainly useful; wireframes, prototypes, visual assets, research data, process flows, empathy maps and so on all provide the team with a level of understanding or practicality. However, these are not the elements by which the team should be measured. ‘Documents don’t solve customer problems-good products do.’ The team is at it’s most creative and productive when solving problems (4), instead of just designing and building features. It allows them control over what they create which in turn gives the team ownership and pride in their work. Failure is a vital tool for learning (14) and both the delivery team and management need to realise that failure, if aiding continued learning, is an acceptable step towards understanding what the customer really needs and how they use the product, rather than just what they say they want. If something doesn’t work how it was assumed and expected to then that’s a learning, it allows the team to progress it’s understanding and head in the right direction, continually modifying and measuring the product for the most customer value. The Measurement: Key points This is the hardest set of principles to implement and it takes time. Build trust and gain influence with stakeholders before changing measurements. Measure success based on outcomes, not output or velocity. To be at their most creative the team must focus on solving problems. Failure is a tool for learning and should be accepted as such. The Measurement: Actions Starting defining some assumptions about your next feature, use the Lean UX canvas to help. Validate your assumptions with usability testing and make changes in the design and analysis phases before going to development. Ask business stakeholders or management to provide you with metrics to measure the success of the feature. If they’re not able to provide any then use your customer analytics to determine your own. Allow the sub-team to solve a business problem rather than design a specific feature. Make sure the team know that validating the outcomes of a business metric is more important than showcasing design deliverables. The Process Principle 5: Removing Waste Principle 6: Small Batch Size Principle 7: Continuous Discovery Principle 8: Get Out Of the Building Principle 11: Externalising Your Work Principle 12: Making over Analysis Principle 13: Learning over Growth The majority of Lean UX principles fall into the ‘process’ category. Lean UX is all about building, measuring and learning so while the other two categories are important to lay the groundwork it’s really here that implementation will take place. Many of these principles are self-explanatory; the first three (5, 6, 7) are focused on efficiency while providing a base for the final two (12, 13), the ‘build, measure, learn’ philosophy principles, to be at their most effective. The remaining two principles (8, 11), that might seem rather basic, are actually very powerful and underpin much of what Lean UX is about. Collaboration is the key to a successful Lean UX process, not only that, it’s the key to creating great products that customers want to use while bringing the business validated success. One very easy but effective way to engage others and thus forcing collaboration is to get design work out in the open (11). When the team’s work is out on the wall for all to see it starts healthy discussion, raises questions and creates further assumptions the team can test and validate. This, however, will all be in vain if the team don’t do what is probably one of the most important principles; speaking to customers (8). Actively seeking out real customers can be tricky, especially if the product is new or has a niche market. Finding real customers and conducting monitored usability testing is not the only way to go and just speaking to people is going to bring some level of value. There is a sliding scale of valuable feedback; speaking to people who work in the same office will only provide limited usability or interaction design feedback. Speaking to real people outside the building will provide more valuable feedback, however it might not help to explain all of the real customer needs, only what people expect to happen. The Process: Key points Increase efficiency by only focusing on design work that will have an affect on the measured outcome. Follow the ‘build, measure, learn’ philosophy for greater results. To increase collaboration get design work out for all to see and discuss. Speak to real customers early and often to ensure the team are building the right product for them. The Process: Actions	https://medium.com/agileinsider/integrating-a-lean-ux-process-4e22bd477e28	['Chris Compston']	2019-06-11 15:51:49.326000+00:00	['Design', 'Process', 'Lean Startup', 'UX', 'Agile']
The Delusion Around Inclusion	As a Black man in venture capital, the last few months have been eye opening. The national conversations about social justice led to an increased awareness of the challenges faced by underrepresented founders and funders in our industry. People and organizations have since stepped up to create pathways to invest in more founders from underrepresented backgrounds. And I couldn’t be more happy to see this happen. But I’ve noticed something else taking place on the sidelines. Many onlookers view investing with a representation lens as a constraint, rather than a thoughtful investment strategy. They know just as well as we do that founders from diverse backgrounds represent a tiny percentage of venture backed startup founders, but their belief is fund managers focusing here are limiting their opportunities. That view actually distorts what is actually happening. As fund managers with this lens, we are not suggesting we’ll catch the best fish by only focusing on one corner of the pond. On the contrary, what we are saying is “forget the pond, let’s spend time in this massive lake where hardly anyone is fishing.” Less than 1% of new businesses raise venture capital. In the other 99% you’ll still find some exceptional entrepreneurs who have all the pieces to build and scale category defining businesses. Many of these founders are overlooked simply because they don’t match the patterns traditional venture capitalists look for. At my firm Slauson & Co. we refer to these founders as “untapped.” Silicon Valley prides itself of being a meritocracy, so some may think, “if these untapped founders are so talented and ambitious, they would have found a way to get to the best VCs.” But it’s worth taking a step back to consider things from the perspective of an underrepresented founder. The traditional venture industry has made it pretty clear for decades that the capital it allocated to entrepreneurs was not meant for them. Outsiders were not welcome, so most of the untapped have (justifiably) never viewed venture capital as a viable option. The logical response is to find resources that were designed with people like them in mind. That’s why I get excited when I see new venture firms gaining momentum like Chingona Ventures, Zane Venture Fund, Lightship Capital, Collab Capital, Cake Ventures, The Community Fund and several others. These fund managers each have unique interests and strategies, but they are all equipped with the networks and cultural understanding to boldly back founders who may have been overlooked. With all the momentum behind these new fund managers, I’ve been asked if there are too many funds with this investment lens. Some believe we already at the point of saturation. This line of thinking reminds me of when Micro VCs first started to flourish over a decade ago. It was uncommon to have a fund of less than $100m at the time. By 2010 there were only a couple dozen active Micro VC firms. But for every new fund announced, you could find an article questioning if there were too many Micro VC funds out there. Still, the category continued to flourish because it created a more efficient market for talented founders at the earliest stages. Today there are around 1,000 active Micro VC funds. With that in mind, consider the demographic trends of the United States, then contrast that with the demographics of the funders currently allocating venture capital dollars. The disconnect becomes clear. And it’s going to take more than a couple dozen funds to catch up with the times. So it’s not just about impact. Smart money realizes that venture capital firms entering the market with intentionality around inclusivity have a much larger pool of founders to choose from, working on a wider variety of innovative ideas. I have a strong belief this will lead to better performing funds, as well as products and services more aligned with the values of the people that use them. We should all be excited for what the next decade will bring.	https://medium.com/@austinlac/the-delusion-around-inclusion-34bc30e89694	['Austin Clements']	2020-10-19 16:53:02.561000+00:00	['Diversity In Tech', 'Diversity And Inclusion', 'Startup', 'Venture Capital']
A Compact CNN for Weakly Supervised Textured Surface Anomaly Detection	Photo by Remy Gieling on Unsplash In this article, I’ll be discussing a paper [1] that proposes a compact convolutional neural network (CNN) for detecting anomalies/defects from weakly/coarsely labelled data. The article is organized as follows. Introduction Methodology ◦ Segmentation Network ◦ Classification Network ◦ Architectural Specifications ◦ Segmentation Network ◦ Classification Network ◦ Architectural Specifications Experimental Setup ◦ Loss functions ◦ Optimizer ◦ Dataset ◦ Training setup ◦ Loss functions ◦ Optimizer ◦ Dataset ◦ Training setup Results ◦ Quantitative Results ◦ Qualitative Results ◦ Quantitative Results ◦ Qualitative Results Discussion ◦ Classification Network Performance ◦ Segmentation Network Performance ◦ Classification Network Performance ◦ Segmentation Network Performance Suggested Modifications Conclusion GitHub code References Introduction Surface defect detection is an essential task in the manufacturing process to ensure that the end product meets the quality standards and works in the way it is intended. A common property of these surface defects is that their visual texture is inherently different from the defect-free surface [2]. That is why visual inspection systems are used for detecting these defects. The manual task of looking at objects and finding those anomalies is difficult and tedious. The appearances of these defects such as cracks, dents, smudges, and impurities can differ in terms of pixel intensities, geometrical constraints, and visual appearance as a whole [1]. Traditional handcrafted or engineered features work on specific textures, however, they are challenging to create and don’t generalize to other tasks. With the staggering advancements in deep learning, CNNs have emerged as great tools for different types of computer vision tasks such as classification, segmentation, regression, object detection, etc. However, the following challenges exist that makes the use of CNNs challenging: The number of parameters in the state of the art methods is generally in the order of tens to hundreds of millions. This forces the requirement of having a large GPU or a cluster of GPUs for training these models. If you have a small amount of data larger models can easily overfit thereby leading to the model just memorizing the training data and performing poorly on actual test data. Normal segmentation architectures require pixel-level annotations that are time-consuming, costly and tedious to create. A large training set is almost always required in deep learning for training. But for detects/anomalies, these instances are rare by definition, which means we have a small set of examples. In this paper, the authors propose a CNN architecture (relatively compact at 1.1 M parameters) that outputs an anomaly segmentation mask and a classification score in textured surfaces from weakly annotated data which addresses the above problems to some extent. Let us now look at the overall methodology used in the paper. Methodology The authors proposed the following network architecture for anomaly detection. Fig.1. The network architecture consisting of the segmentation and classification subnetworks. Their corresponding output is a 128x128 mask and a regression value between 0 to 1 [1]. It comprises of two stages namely, segmentation and classification. The classification score is a value between 0 to 1 and represents the confidence score of the network that the input sample has a defect or not. The segmentation network outputs a heatmap mask. Segmentation Network It has three convolutional blocks consisting of three convolutional layers each. The number of features increases by a factor of two in each convolutional block. However, the filter size in each block decreases. It uses a progressively decreasing filter size of 11x11, 7x7 and 3x3. I know, 11x11 kernels are out of fashion since AlexNet. However, the authors argue that this large kernel size is required for their network to be able to enclose part of the anomaly. And the subsequent filter sizes are such that the ratio between the subsequent filter sizes is kept the same. The network input is 512x512 and the SegLayer (that comes after the 3 convolutional blocks and uses a 1x1 convolutional kernel to output a single channel mask) output is 128x128 which is sixteen times lower than the input image resolution. This subnetwork is fully convolutional as it has no pooling or fully connected layers. It is the major component of the architecture and the classification network relies completely on it. Even though the authors argue that the increase in stride and reduction in kernel size leads to the number of parameters being under control, I found interesting results which I’ll present in the discussion section. Classification Network This part heavily relies on the segmentation network to perform properly in terms of finding the hotspots related to the anomalous regions. It uses the SegLayer output and additional feature vector derived using a convolutional layer. Then global statistics are calculated using max and average pooling operations. These features are concatenated and passed through what the authors call an S-neuron i.e. 1x1 kernel that outputs a single channel. Architectural Specifications All the layers in the network use ReLU activation followed by Batch Normalization layer. The only exception is the SegLayer and S-neuron layers which use linear and sigmoid activation respectively. All network weights are initialized using a standard normal distribution. Now that we know about the architecture, let us move to the experimental setup. Experimental Setup The network details are mentioned in Fig. 1. The authors propose a two-stage training approach. Segmentation stage: In this stage, only the segmentation network is trained for 25 epochs. All the classification network layer weights are frozen during this stage. Classification stage: In this stage, only the classification network is trained for 10 epochs. This is performed after the segmentation stage training. During this stage, the segmentation layers are frozen. This sequence of training and layer freezing is very important since it ensures that the classification network would be trained on meaningful segmentation representations. Loss functions 1. Segmentation stage: The mean squared error is used as the loss function given by the following equation. where n denotes the number of examples, p is the number of pixels, xᵢ the annotated pixel value and x-hatᵢ the predicted pixel value. 2. Classification stage: The standard binary cross-entropy loss is used in this stage. It is defined by the following equation. where n denotes the number of examples, yᵢ the ground truth and ŷᵢ the regression output. Optimizer Adadelta optimizer was used with default settings as suggested in the paper [3]. Dataset DAGM[5] is a synthetic dataset for industrial optical inspection and contains ten classes of artificially generated textures with anomalies. The authors conducted experiments on all 10 classes. It comprises of diverse surface classes with diverse anomalies emulating cracks, dents, smudges, and impurities, each generated by a different texture and defect model and is shown in Fig. 2. For every image a weakly labelled annotation in the form of an ellipse covering the entire defect is available. This is a coarse annotation that includes defect-free pixels. Since the ellipses cover a significant amount of normal texture in addition to the defect it makes the detection task challenging. Fig. 2. Sample images from the DAGM dataset. Each surface exhibits an intra-class variation of the background texture. Red ellipses present the coarse surface anomaly labelling, i.e., weakly labelled ground truth annotations as these include areas which do not correspond to anomalies [1]. The authors refer to a given example as positive if it contains an anomaly and negative otherwise. The train and test distributions of the dataset are shown in the following table. Table 1. Distribution of train and test examples over the dataset [1]. Training setup They conducted experiments in four different types of setup which are explained in the following table. Table 2. Different training setups used in the paper [1]. The augmentation is performed by applying a 180-degree rotation and flipping around the horizontal and vertical axes. Thus there are 3 more samples per input image leading to a four-fold training set. Results The authors performed a quantitative evaluation of the classification score and a qualitative evaluation of the segmentation output. Quantitative Results Evaluation Metric: They use area undercurve (AUC) measurement of the receiver operating characteristics (ROC) [5] as an evaluation metric. AUC or AUROC is a reliable measure of the degree or measure of the separability of any binary classifier (binary segmentation masks in this case). It provides an aggregate measure of the model’s performance across all possible classification thresholds. An excellent model has AUROC value near to the one and it means that the classifier is virtually agnostic to the choice of a particular threshold. The results are documented in the following figure. Fig. 3. Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve for each surface class as shown in Fig. 2 [1]. “The curves are obtained by thresholding anomaly score predictions from the testing set for each given example from 0 to 1, and classifying an example as positive if the score prediction exceeds the threshold. The numbers below the curves indicate the area under the curve (AUC). The ﬁgures indicate the likelihood that an example with an anomaly will be classiﬁed correctly (True positive rate) vs. the likelihood that an example without an anomaly will be classiﬁed falsely (False positive rate) when learning on different training setups. [1]” Qualitative Results The qualitative results for sample images showing the segmentation outputs along with the classification score are shown below. Fig. 4. Segmentation outputs for a few samples along with the classification score value [1]. Discussion I discuss the classification network followed by the segmentation network. Classification Network Performance We see that the classification scores are out of the chart since the AUROC values are virtually 1 everywhere in Fig. 3. This is an impressive classification performance. However, to test out how a simple CNN architecture with few layers would perform on this dataset, I conducted experiments. The network was just a bunch of CNN layers stacked one after the others. And to my surprise, I was able to get the same AUROC values of 1. This indicated that while for traditional handcrafted features DAGM is a challenging dataset for classification, for CNNs it is an easy dataset. Segmentation Network Performance As can be seen in Fig. 4, the segmentation outputs of all the training configurations expect the PosNeg-aug, the segmentation output is miserable. The models trained in PosNet-aug configuration seem to be adept at finding the anomalies. However, it overfits to the weakly labelled annotations and provides unprecise output masks that are over dilated and covers a lot of non-anomalous pixels similar to the training data. This can be attributed to the unnecessarily large number of filter per convolution block. The number of filters progressively increase from 32 to 64 to 128 across the three convolution blocks. This leads the intermediate features to have extremely high dimension. As a result, the GPU training requires a lot of memory since all these intermediate features and their gradients need to be stored and is slow. Suggested Modifications I did a thorough evaluation of their approach and did the following modifications to improve the segmentation network and remove unnecessary limitations imposed on the network. Since the segmentation network is fully convolutional instead of fixing the input size to 512x512, I used a HeightxWidthx1 input i.e. the input dimensions are inferred during training/inference. The linear activation proposed in the paper leads to poor performance. Since we just have two classes, I used a tanh activation instead to be applied to the SegLayer. It restricted the output to [-1, 1] and led to better separation of the anomalies from the texture. The results are documented in my thesis [2]. Conclusion The network proposed in this paper is a very good starting point for weekly supervised anomaly detection, since when I was conducting research, their paper seemed to be the only CNN based approach available for this. The network seems to be able to learn to output segmentation masks similar to the weak annotations. However, it has a few shortcomings as follows. Even though the model is fully convolutional, the input size is fixed thereby making the model incapable to handle varying size inputs. The network does not learn to detect the actual shape of the anomaly from the weak labelling since it overfits to the training data. The segmentation output is sixteen times smaller than the input image dimensions. This can introduce errors in localization of the anomaly and in the calculations of metrics which are based on the shape and size of the defect. The network is not tested on any real-world dataset that raises concerns regarding its practical application. After extensive research, I proposed an architecture called AnoNet which addressed all these shortcomings [6]. The paper “AnoNet: Weakly Supervised Anomaly Detection in Textured Surfaces“ is available at https://arxiv.org/abs/1911.10608. I’ve proposed a novel filter bank initialization technique that leads to faster training (i.e. training for fewer epochs). It learns from as few as 53 images to detect the actual shape of the anomalies, is extremely compact with just 64 thousand parameters (i.e. a reduction of 94% w.r.t. this network) and is tested on 4 datasets with diverse types of anomalies/defects. Thank you for reading my article, hope you enjoyed it! I would love to connect via LinkedIn. GitHub code I’ve made the code of my implementation of the above paper available in PyTorch and Keras here. https://github.com/msminhas93/CompactCNN References [1] D. Racki, D. Tomazevic, and D. Skocaj. A compact convolutional neural network for textured surface anomaly detection. In 2018 IEEE Winter Conference on Applications of Computer Vision (WACV), pages 1331–1339, March 2018. [2] Manpreet Singh Minhas (2019). Anomaly Detection in Textured Surfaces. UWSpace. http://hdl.handle.net/10012/15331 [3] M. D. Zeiler. Adadelta: an adaptive learning rate method. arXiv preprint arXiv:1212.5701, 2012. [4] T. H. Matthias Wieler, “Weakly supervised learning for industrial optical inspection,” https://hci.iwr.uni-heidelberg.de/node/3616. [5] Charles X. Ling, Jin Huang, and Harry Zhang. Auc: A statistically consistent and more discriminating measure than accuracy. InProceedings of the 18th International Joint Conference on Artificial Intelligence, IJCAI’03, pages 519–524, San Francisco, CA, USA, 2003. Morgan Kaufmann Publishers Inc. [6] AnoNet: Weakly Supervised Anomaly Detection in Textured Surfaces, arXiv:1911.10608, Available: https://arxiv.org/abs/1911.10608	https://towardsdatascience.com/a-compact-cnn-for-weakly-supervised-textured-surface-anomaly-detection-2572c3a65b80	['Manpreet Singh Minhas']	2020-12-21 01:26:41.441000+00:00	['Deep Learning', 'Editors Pick', 'Artificial Intelligence', 'Computer Vision', 'Data Science']
Managing a Software Team in Sri Lanka with Dirk Jan — Conxillium	Managing a Software Team in Sri Lanka with Dirk Jan — Conxillium Winning practices for managing a successful software offshore team. Dirk Jan van Kessel, Software Development Manager for Conxillium Relocating across the world to build a team, develop software and travel. We spoke with Dirk Jan van Kessel, Software Development Manager for Conxillium, to discuss why Sri Lanka is the perfect place for him, how he manages his team and what he finds interesting about running a software team that is remote. Q: Could you start by telling us about Conxillium and about your role? At Conxillium, our goal is to develop, commercialize and support a broad range of software for the local government in The Netherlands. The applications pool is diverse, from developing software for election systems, civil affairs to tax applications and workflow management systems etc. We partnered with Gapstars in 2016 to scale up and build an extended team of software developers with varied expertise. Today, our team consists of 12 Senior Engineers working at the Gapstars tech centre in Sri Lanka. My role mainly revolves around building bridges between our teams in The Netherlands and Sri Lanka. I travelled to Sri Lanka 4 years back as an in-house Software Manager to lead the development team. I’m more involved in team management, developing a high-performance environment, and keeping the team motivated. It’s my job to extend the Netherlands teams with Developers from Sri Lanka and make sure the distributed teams serve the product managers to the best of their abilities. Q: With even more companies looking to set up an offshore development team. Could you share the management practices needed to lead a successful offshore team? When it comes to managing distributed teams, especially if team members hail from different cultures, mutual understanding doesn’t always come naturally. Hence investing in some real face-time at the start of your cooperation is essential. Build trust from the start. Personally spend some quality time in selecting your offshore developer team. We practice agile methods within our team. The Agile framework provides teams with the freedom to organize themselves and manage their own work. Which cuts out unnecessary micromanagement. Another practice is to have a clear communication discipline. Incorporate a reporting structure, meeting schedules, communication tools, and team roles at the start. Do: face calls. Don’t: chat and email. Select the right tools to work with. The Target process is a good tool when it comes to tracking and reporting. Microsoft teams for collaboration. Q: What type of skills do you need to thrive in this role? First, I believe you need to be a leader more than a manager. Leading remote teams requires managers to develop unique leadership skills to engage remote workers and maintain effective collaboration. Listen to your team. Provide team members with the space to express. Creating a “bottom-up” culture within the team. This is only possible if a strong layer of trust is developed. We are allowed to make mistakes and we learn from them. Communicate openly and honestly. Share what’s really going on. Provide support whenever required but empower them to be responsible for the result. Q: What are your favourite things about Sri Lanka? Culture, conversation, and community? Believe it or not, I consider myself a Sri Lankan now. Sri Lanka is definitely a very interesting place to live and work. When I first came here, I was surprised at the level of hospitality and friendliness of the people in Sri Lanka. Everyone treats you with respect and you’re made to have this sense of belonging. The Conxillium group is recognized by Gapstars as a “Star Partner” for achieving the highest standards of innovation and performance in remote development. One of its keys for success is its adoption and practice of agile to build engagement.	https://medium.com/life-at-gapstars/managing-a-software-team-in-sri-lanka-with-dirk-jan-conxillium-cc31bd39727e	['Jonathan Francis']	2020-11-16 06:02:05.881000+00:00	['Remote Working', 'Software Development', 'Agile', 'Startup', 'Netherlands']
The Air Grows Cold	The Air Grows Cold Photo by Dominik Kempf on Unsplash All my poems start with “I”, “I love, I Hate, I stay up or sleep or Rummage through drawers Looking for the screwdriver or Batteries” and I can’t blame you For a lack of enthusiasm For the seventeenth to bare Your name that month But I was trying I just didn’t have the tools to Hang the picture level And I know it drove you Like a nail through drywall Into your own “I’s” “I wish he’d listen when I Speak I Wish he had more pills and Less control I Wish he’d just calm down For once” We would visit friends and I would piss you off like Always, But there were moments where I swore I saw a Bridge, I just Couldn’t lay the Framework no matter What I wrote or Said or did- N’t mean it that way I just wasn’t who you Thought Your eyes upon my Blue-grey skin I never Wore the proper Coat, Just another warmth I managed to Confuse Bradon Matthews	https://medium.com/scrittura/the-air-grows-cold-b344324f11c8	['Bradon Matthews']	2020-12-11 04:42:14.406000+00:00	['Breakups', 'Melancholy', 'Poetry', 'Free Verse', 'Scrittura']
Apollo 11 50th Anniversary by the Numbers	Читати українською July 20, 2019 marks the 50th anniversary of the first manned Moon landing. Completed in 1969 by the Apollo 11 team — Commander Neil Armstrong, Command Module Pilot Michael Collins and Lunar Module Pilot Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin — this accomplishment is one of the most significant scientific and space exploration milestones of the last century. Here are some of the incredible statistics from this great achievement: 400,000 Workers: NASA estimates that over 400,000 engineers, scientists, and technicians played a role in preparing for the first manned Moon landing in history. They worked in laboratories and factories across the United States, each playing a critical part in ensuring that the mission was completed safely and successfully. Image by NASA 36 Kilobytes: The Apollo 11 guidance computer had only 36 kilobytes of fixed memory and two kilobytes of erasable memory, meaning it had less computing power than your smartphone! The computer, which was designed by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, was even less powerful than the standard calculators used in school today! Image by NASA 8 Words: “Houston, Tranquility Base here. The Eagle has landed.” These were the first words transmitted back from the Moon once the Apollo 11 spacecraft had landed. They were followed more than six hours later by Neil Armstrong’s famous statement: “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.” Although the recording is difficult to understand, Armstrong clarified in an interview that he actually said, “That’s one small step for a man…” Image by NASA 12 People: Only twelve people, all from the United States, have walked on the Moon so far. In total, 24 people have flown to the Moon, with three of them making the journey twice. Image by NASA Image by NASA 66 Years: Only 66 years separated the first recorded flight by the Wright Brothers in 1903 and the first manned lunar landing. To honor this, Neil Armstrong took pieces of wood and fabric from the Wright Brothers’ plane on the mission to recognize the incredible progress in aviation. Both Armstrong and the Wright Brothers were from the state of Ohio. Image by The Smithsonian Institute 600 Million People: The Moon landing received a record breaking number of television viewers worldwide, with an estimated audience of 600 million. This translates to almost 20% of the world’s population in 1969 watching the unprecedented event on television. The extensive media coverage in the lead up to the launch resulted in widespread anticipation and excitement about the event.	https://medium.com/u-s-embassy-kyiv/apollo-11-50th-anniversary-by-the-numbers-4b7078c07544	['U.S. Embassy Kyiv']	2019-07-19 12:27:15.341000+00:00	['Space', 'Apollo 11', 'Apollo', 'NASA']
What to Do After You’ve Been in an Accident That’s Not Your Fault	When you become involved in an accident that you did not cause, you will either need to go to court over the matter or you will need to go through the at-fault individual’s insurance company. When you aren’t at fault, you’ll need to provide paperwork and proof that the other individual caused the accident, so their policy will pay for your medical costs, time away from work, and repairs or replacement of your damaged vehicle. It can be tough to know what to do in the moment of a car accident. Your body likely goes into shock which makes it tough to keep things straight. For that reason, most insurance companies and most personal injury attorneys recommend that you keep a checklist in your vehicle that you can quickly see or access so you can remember what steps to take. This helps make sure you don’t miss anything, and you provide the best possible information to your car accident attorney in Augusta. 1. After a car accident that you did not cause, your first task is to remain calm. You need to think as clearly as possible. Pull out this checklist if you can. If you feel significant pain, you should not attempt to move. 2. Call 911. If your vehicle has onboard navigation and an emergency system like On-Star, the service will likely monitor the crash impact and contact you using the in-auto system. While it may seem strange to hear this seemingly disembodied voice in your vehicle, if you can respond to them, they can help you document what happened and provide a recording of the call. They can also provide the crash impact data. If you cannot move to use your cell to phone help, they can phone you. Even in cases where you could call, they typically do so for you. If you cannot respond because you were knocked out, the service phones help you automatically. If you do not have this type of service, phone 911 using your cellphone. 3. Check on your passengers if you have any in the vehicle with you. Once you know that everyone is okay, you can proceed with other steps in documenting the accident. If anyone gets knocked unconscious or says their neck or back hurts, advise them not to move at all. Convey this information to the 911 operator. Also, note if any other individuals involved in the accident seem injured. Let 911 know of this as well. 4. Wait for the authorities and remain at the accident scene until the police tell you that you can leave. Even if you have not been injured and simply traded information with the other driver, you should wait for the police. The responding officer will provide you with permission to leave the scene. They will tell you if you’ll need a tow truck for your vehicle or if it would be legal for you to drive the damaged vehicle home. 5. Document your recollection of the events as they occurred. You can record this using the audio recorder on your cellphone or, if you have On-Star or a similar service, you can tell the operator who contacts you what occurred. Provide succinct details. 6. Turn on your hazard lights. If you can get out of the vehicle without harming yourself, you can do so to assess your vehicle’s damage. Using your cellphone, take pictures of the vehicle damage. Write down or note using speech to text any vehicle damage. Also, take pictures of the accident from various angles. If you can safely cross the street to take photos from that view, do so. 7. Get back into your vehicle. Move your vehicle off of the road if you can drive it. Drive it onto the furthest shoulder of the road. This moves it away from oncoming traffic while keeping it right next to the scene of the accident. 8. When the police and other emergency workers arrive, meet with them as needed. The police will measure the skid marks, photograph the scene, interview witnesses, and talk to any people directly involved in the accident that remain conscious. They will document all aspects of the accident and may contact various nearby businesses for security camera video to determine the at-fault party. If a traffic camera recorded the accident, they will note the camera and later access the information. You should obtain a copy of the police report after it is complete. This can provide vital evidence in the insurance company’s determination of liability. You can also use it to negotiate with the insurance company. 9. Provide the responding police officer with your name, street address, phone number, and insurance information. They gather this information as a part of their standard procedure. 10. You also need to obtain the name and contact information of each individual involved in the accident, but especially the person you believe to be at fault for the accident. You will also need their insurance information. Make the exchange of contact information your only contact with the other involved party. 11. Never mention the fault of the accident at the scene. Do not accept or assign blame. 12. Document what any witnesses present saw. You need to obtain their names, phone numbers, and addresses, too. This lets your insurance agency or attorney easily contact them for more information. Also, use the audio recorder on your cellphone to have each witness individually describe what they saw. Make sure you have each person self-identify on the recording. Make notes, too, if possible. Your attorney can use this information to improve the settlement you receive so long as everything points to the fault genuinely belonging to the other driver. 13. Each month nearly 3,500 people are critically injured in speed-related crashes in Georgia. Contact a personal injury attorney in Augusta who specializes in car accidents. Retaining an attorney should not cost you any money upfront. Most personal injury attorneys work on a contingency basis. They will pull their service fees from your settlement. This lets you obtain good quality legal counsel to get the best possible settlement from the accident. 14. Confer with your attorney before accepting any settlement offer from the at-fault driver’s insurance company. The first offer typically comes a few days after the accident. Confer with your attorney before accepting this. You may want to direct the other driver’s insurance company to send all contact through the attorney to avoid these issues. Your attorney will tell you when the insurance company has made a good offer and when you should counter-offer. Whenever you become involved in a car accident, phone a lawyer who specializes in car accidents and personal injury in Augusta. This can provide you with the best results possible.	https://medium.com/@foyandassociateslaw/what-to-do-after-youve-been-in-an-accident-that-s-not-your-fault-f089e81a3fad	['John Foy']	2021-12-30 22:40:34.022000+00:00	['Lawyers', 'Attorney', 'Car Accident Lawyer']
This Single Episode from “The Sopranos” Breaks Down Donald Trump’s Real Dysfunction	And it’s so much simpler than Narcissistic Personality Disorder… In Season Two of The Sopranos, Tony forces David Scatino — an old high-school friend who has racked up a gambling debt with him — to “bust out” his camping store, ordering merchandise and wringing credit out of the business to the point of wrecking both it and his credit to settle his debt, and — of course — remain alive. In the wake of Trump’s pardon of extra-super-guilty Michael Flynn, I found myself comparing Tony Soprano’s bust out of The Ramsey Outdoor Store (where I coincidentally purchased all of my Boy Scout camping equipment) to what the supremely self-interested Trump might do with his remaining power as a lame duck. A major difference between Trump and Tony Soprano, however, is that the iconic mob boss, despite his machinations, forever remains a sympathetic character. Perhaps nothing drives the gripping power of The Sopranos more than the show’s ability to make us empathize not just with a violent and selfish antihero, but some other truly atrocious characters. And so it goes with David Scatino, portrayed by Robert Patrick (best known for bringing to “life” the most unsympathetic and relentless liquid-metal cyborg in Terminator 2). Scatino is one of those guys whose life peaks at eighteen — an attractive star athlete who mistakenly banks on riding out his effortless social berth into adult success; he instead becomes a gambling addict who ultimately blows through the college fund for his Ivy League-caliber son. While that might feel like rock-bottom territory to you or me, Scatino decides to keep digging. And so he begs Tony to let him into his “Executive” poker game, foolishly chasing his losses. Tony warns his old friend away from the high-stakes game. But Scatino shows up anyway and Tony reluctantly fronts him five grand. A long night then culminates with a gobsmacked Scatino, blinded by the light of the new day, forty-five large in the hole. With no more digging to be done, we then find Scatino kneeling on a pool table, pointing a gun alternately at his head and in his mouth. While he recovers from his suicidal ideation, his wife leaves him and his son is left to figure out college on his own. After re-watching “The Bust Out,” however, my comparison of Trump to Tony Soprano felt less relevant and I began to see how the faux billionaire — who ran businesses into the ground and now owes $400 million (that we know of) to a murky set of entities — has much more in common with gambling addict David Scatino. Like Trump, Scatino never earned what he lost, having married into The Ramsey Outdoor Store, built by his father-in-law, only to then make one disastrous decision after another. Even though Trump is not a technical gambler (that we know of) his behavior neatly conforms with that of a gambling addict, starting with their first priority: Always keep yourself in the action. Both Trump and Scatino’s lives become downward spirals where the name of the game becomes chasing (and obscuring) mounting losses, deluding everyone around you that you’re still riding high, and deluding yourself that the bill isn’t going to come due. But just as the sun rose that morning on David Scatino, bills come due. And is anyone better at collecting what they are owed than gangsters? We may never know the extent to which Trump is indebted to Vladimir Putin’s vast syndicate, or to whom else he is on the hook. As such, Tony Soprano is not the only gangster to have sized up David Scatino; the heartless and vicious Richie Aprile preyed upon him first, and Richie is also determined to collect. Similarly, candidate Trump — back when he was crashing the gates for the Republican nomination — was sized up by the wily Mitch McConnell, himself a gangster of the highest order. If Henry Kissinger was correct that “power is the ultimate aphrodisiac,” (which may be true if your life is an emotional void) it seems apparent that wielding sadistic control in the Senate, and employing base hypocrisy to wrench our Judicial Branch ever further to the right of majority American values, is what truly raises McConnell’s flag full staff. Tony (James Gandolfini) confronting David Scatino (Robert Patrick) after his long night. (For right-wing malcontents, especially those determined to wreck American institutions, McConnell provides late-bloomer inspiration: Your last chapter of life is not too late to hit your sociopathic stride.) Both Putin and McConnell publicly live out their amorality for all to see, concerned only with amassing raw power. In fact, both men seem to take additional pleasure in its naked exercise, donning their own weak rationales and defenses the way a stripper dons pasties. And both men found in Trump a “useful idiot” to further their respective anti-American agendas. And then, woefully, the abused and ransacked Ramsey Outdoor Store is us. With Trump, everything is for sale. From trade carve-outs, to extraction contracts, to presidential pardons — just name your price. Hopefully, we can limit the extent to which Trump (and the infestation of grifters that has sprouted across D.C. like spongiform) will attempt to treat what remains of his tenure like a going-out-of-business sale as we wait for a new tenant to step in and pick up the pieces. During a softer moment, David Scatino asks Tony why he finally let him in the game. “Because,” Tony said. “I knew you had this business.” When marks like Trump and Scatino find themselves indebted to gangsters, their debt is rarely settled at a specific number; rather their debt is settled when they are no longer useful. For when Scatino asks Tony when the bust out will be over, Tony plainly informs him that it will end when Scatino declares bankruptcy. How will gambling addict Trump service his debt once he’s denied access to the awesome power of the presidency? Once he can no longer compromise our national security for his own advantage? Frankly I don’t give a fuck. I’m just relieved that so much of Trump’s time and energy is spent conning his supporters, coming at them every day, cup in hand, begging for their help to reverse a “stolen” election, the fine-print plainly revealing how their contribution will go into a PAC, which basically means his pocket. Which has further sported a gaping hole since about 1974. To paraphrase Taylor Swift, “Grifters gonna grift,” and I’m just glad that Trump’s grift is now targeting his cult, instead of our national coffers. A few episodes later, Tony and Scatino cross paths at their kids’ high-school graduation. With the bust out behind them, their exchange is friendly and Scatino tells Tony that he is moving to Nevada to work on a ranch. Tony wonders about Scatino’s proximity to Vegas, and perhaps with good reason, for we later learn that Scatino has ended up in a mental institution. Meanwhile Trump, and the towering scope of his denial, is increasingly calling forth Blanche duBois at the end of A Streetcar Named Desire. I doubt there will be orderlies, but perhaps the Secret Service will walk in to the Oval Office and say, “Yes, Mr. President, right this way. Yes, we are taking you down to Mar-a-Lago. Watch your step. Yes, Sir, there will be a military parade in your honor and Vlad and Kim will be there and everyone will have chocolate cake.” More likely, Trump’s insane asylum will take the form of a corner office at One America News Network, or Newsmax. Once he does, I’ll have an easier time having compassion for a guy whose monstrous father raised him to live a life isolated by his own self-interest — a round, padded room where everyone is disposable, being of service to others is for “suckers and losers,” and true human connection can never exist. That’s an insane way to move through life and for four years Donald Trump managed to trap and drag the rest of us into the gilded confines of his own lunacy. And it is with gratitude that I anticipate our release into the dawn of a new day. Luckily for Scatino’s son, his big-hearted uncle steps up and pays for his tuition at Montclair State University. (In yet another real-life collision, Montclair State is my mother’s alma mater.) And if Montclair State isn’t Columbia or Princeton — which is to say a place that primarily confers shoulder-rubbing advantage on its graduates — it is still one of the best schools in New Jersey, and perfectly capable of equipping Scatino’s go-getter son with the tools needed to make something of himself. Basically, Montclair State is Joe Biden. For if we commit to working hard with our new middle manager — despite our loss of multilateral respectability and position of global leadership — we can hopefully recover and move forward. There’s reason to be optimistic that our true friends will extend a hand in forgiveness for what we have wrought upon ourselves and our international family. In the meantime, I’m just relieved that Putin and McConnell’s bust out of the presidency is almost over.	https://medium.com/@johnblesso/this-single-episode-from-the-sopranos-breaks-down-donald-trumps-real-dysfunction-bdeaf5fa8129	['John Blesso']	2020-12-03 15:08:06.150000+00:00	['The Sopranos', 'Mitch Mcconnell', 'Donald Trump', 'Vladimir Putin', 'Narcissism']
Its time to stand up to Boris Johnson.	When I was at primary school, teachers would always talk about bullying and the need to stand up to bullies. There was bullying at my school, as there is nationally, but we challenged it. In 2019, the modern day, we have our own bullies in society. Their names — Boris Johnson and Nigel Farage. They target the most vulnerable communities. They attack the most vulnerable for self-vanity and they cannot be leaders in our society. They are the bullies in disguise of politicians, and it is our moral responsibility to stand up against them and demand justice. Its Farage that has suggested women should sit in a corner to breastfeed, women are paid less as they are worth less and its Johnsons that has suggested Burqas are like letter boxes among many other racist, sexist and homophobic comments. They are targeting the most vulnerable in society and using it to strengthen themselves. Perhaps what’s most scary, is that Johnson and Farage are now leading a social movement in UK. This movement is characterised on using immigrants as scapegoats for the inequality in society, targeting the most vulnerable and ultimately, choosing fear over hope. And, most crucially, this is all rooted to Brexit. Whilst Brexit is perceived as purely leaving the European Union, it is undeniable to repercussions this will have on public attitude and prospects of society. Brexit intensifies and consolidates the social conservative attitudes that Boris Johnson is utilising to bully those most vulnerable in society. Essentially, by surrendering to the leaders of Brexit we are allowing the social conservative views of Farage and Johnson to shape the political climate of 2019. Before I continue, I want to stress that its Johnson and Farage that are to blame, not the electorate. Millions across Britain were lied to and manipulated by these two as a way of gaining power and political strength. Johnson and Farage are a dangerous, scary force that can channel frustrations from society to blaming the most vulnerable. We need to listen to to the concerns of the leave voters but the solution is never to incite fear through Brexit. We deserve better. For the sake of so many in society we deserve better and for the sake of history books, we deserve a society we can be proud of. One that champions love and hope, not one that is rooted in fear. Since the Brexit vote of 2016, there’s has been a shocking and incredibly saddening increase in hate crimes. In 2016 58% of ethnic minorities reported to facing racial discrimination (that’s still 58% too much and incredibly disappointing) however this increased to 71% in 2019. It’s shocking. An increase that should never have happened and one that saddens me to this day. The fact that in the modern day, people are still discriminated purely due to their race, and it’s not only a few cases, its 71% of Ethnic minorities. Racially motivated hate crimes have reached a record high of 71,251 incidents in 2018. We cannot let this happen. We need to stand up to the narrative of Brexit that is fuelling hate crimes and feeding on fear As Omar Khan, the chief executive of the Runnymede Trust, a race equality think-tank, suggested, Brexit is directly “normalising hate and increasing division”. We cannot let this happen and we won’t let this happen. We will stand up to the bullies that are Johnson and Farage. By resisting Brexit, we are rejecting the racist, sexist and homophobic rhetoric of the leaders. We are rejecting what Brexit embodies and we are striving for a society that encapsulates hope. There is already a backlash to the social movement felled by Brexit. People across Britain are already uniting against Brexit and demanding change. This is the crossroads of modern society and there is hope of a better future. As the tide is beginning to change, more and more people are resisting and challenging the narrative of Brexit and what it incites. There is a fightback and the people leading it are the generation of tomorrow, they are young and incredibly kickass. Young people are more engaged than ever and now are becoming the architects in a potentially socially liberal, progressive Britain. I’m sure you have all heard of Stormzy — He’s a rapper from London and has sky rocketed into fame. His most recent song, Vossi bop, has an incredibly poetic and poignant lyric ‘fuck the government, fuck Boris’. This lyric has transcended to many young people’s life and encapsulated the anger and frustration to the political climate. Stormzy performed Vossi Bop at Radio 1 Big Weekend and, unsurprisingly, the crowd literally screamed those lyrics. Young people are angry and they aren’t hiding it any time soon. The fightback is starting on the streets and in the polling station. In Nottingham, there was a 50% turnout for the European elections 2019. That was one of the highest turnouts but it doesn’t stop there. The youth led group, our future our choice was actively involved in the recent demonstration in London that brought together 1 million people. As Kira Lewis suggested ‘Young people are rightly furious, watching older generations take our futures away from us’. We are fed up with elite. We are angry at the narrative of Brexit. And we are not letting the bullies lead this nation. And this isn’t just in the UK. This is in Europe. There is a new movement emerging Europe wide fronted by young people demanding hope and love. The European election of 2019 were only the start of a new form of politics. The Green movement had an incredible surge in seats. In Germany, The Greens came 2nd. Many of this vote came from young people disillusioned with current politics. This is going to radically transform the political agenda in the European Union. This politics is fronted by the generation of tomorrow. Like the UK, Europe has its own bullies like Marine Le Pen. Like Johnson they are targeting those most vulnerable in society and again, it is our moral responsibly to stand up to them. Being socialist is being internationalist. It is about collaborating with a worldwide community of progressives to challenge movements formed by hate. We are at a crossroads in 2019. We can either leave the European union or remain and challenge the social conservative attitudes threatening Europe’s most vulnerable communities. We can work with our European partners to demand a better future. This future can be great if we work hard enough. We can push a green agenda and invest in the climate. We can campaign for workers’ rights, Europe wide and a focus on hope in society. The European elections of 2019 are only the start of this movement and the future looks bright within the EU. We need to stand up to the hate that has threatened Britain’s and Europe most vulnerable community. We have the potential to not only challenge hate, but champion love. This can be a great moment in history, a turning point, but it relies on the actions right now. it relies on everyone challenging Johnson and resisting his leadership. It relies on us standing up the growing numbers of of hate crimes and it relies on us demanding a better future than leaving the European Union. Stand up to the bullies that are Johnson ad Farage and demand a society that works for us all. For the sake of the generation of tomorrow, lets show the world that you don’t have to choose fear and by standing up against hateful leaders you can change society. Let’s re-ignite our hope in humanity.	https://medium.com/@josiesawtellcousins_38767/its-time-to-stand-up-to-boris-8d4971cc0cb0	['Josie Sawtell']	2019-06-25 16:55:52.772000+00:00	['Politics', 'Conservatives', 'Brexit', 'Bullying', 'Sexism']
Understanding Gradient Descent and Adam Optimization	How artificial intelligence has influenced our daily lives in the past decade is something we can only ponder about. From spam filtering to news clustering, computer vision applications like fingerprint sensors to natural language processing problems like handwriting and speech recognition, it is very easy to undermine how big a role AI and data science is playing in our day-to-day lives. However, with an exponential increase in amount of data our algorithms deal with, it is essential to develop algorithms which can keep pace with this rise in complexity. One such algorithm which has caused a notable change to the industry is the Adam Optimization procedure. But before we delve into it, first let us look at gradient descent and where it falls short. In case if you aren’t aware of what a cost function is, I would recommend you to go through this blog first, which serves as a great introduction to the topic: https://medium.com/@lachlanmiller_52885/understanding-and-calculating-the-cost-function-for-linear-regression-39b8a3519fcb Gradient Descent Suppose we have a convex cost function of 2 input variables as shown above and our goal is to minimize its value and find the value of the parameters (x,y) for which f(x,y) is minimum. What the gradient descent algorithm does is, we start at a specific point on the curve and use the negative gradient to find the direction of steepest descent and take a small step in that direction and keep iterating till our value starts converging. I personally find the above analogy to gradient descent very cool, a person starting from the top of a hill and climbing down by the path which enables him to decrease his altitude quickest. The formal definition of gradient descent is given alongside, we keep performing the update as required till convergence is reached. We can check convergence easily by checking whether the difference between f(Xi+1) and f(Xi) is less than some number, say 0.0001(the default value if you implement gradient descent using Python). If so, we say that gradient descent has converged at a local minimum of f. If you cannot quite grasp the gradient concept or are interested in more in-depth knowledge of cost function and gradient descent, I strongly recommend the following video from my favorite YouTube channel 3Blue1Brown - Where Gradient Descent Falls Short To perform a single step of gradient descent, we need to iterate over all training examples to find out the gradient at a particular point. This is termed as batch gradient descent and was done for many years but with the advent of the era of deep learning and big data, it has become common to have a training set size of the order of millions and this becomes computationally expensive, it may take few minutes to perform a single step of gradient descent. So what is done commonly, is something called a mini-batch gradient descent where we divide the training set into batches of small size and perform gradient descent using those batches individually. This often results in a faster convergence but there’s a major problem here — We only look at a fraction of the training set while taking a single step and hence, the step may not be towards the steepest decrease of the cost function. This is because we are minimizing the cost based on a subset of the total data, which is not a representative of what’s best for the entire training data. Instead of following a straight path towards the minimum, our algorithm now follows a roundabout path, not always even leading to an optimum and most commonly, overshooting (going past the minimum). The following figures alongside show the steps of gradient descent in the 3 different batch size cases, and changes in how the cost function minimizes. In both the figures, it is apparent that the cost function is minimizing, but it oscillates even though in general, it is decreasing. The problem is as follows, Can we somehow “smoothen” out these steps of gradient descent so that it can follow a less noisy path and converge faster? The answer, as you might already have guessed, is Adam Optimization. Adam Optimization Algorithm There’s a lot going on here. Let’s quickly break it down. First, let’s see the parameters involved. α — Learning Rate for gradient descent step. β1 — Parameter for momentum step (also known as first moment in Adam). Generally 0.9 β2 — Parameter for RMSProp step (also known as second moment in Adam). Generally 0.99 ϵ — Parameter for numerical stability. Generally 10^-8 m , v — First and second moment estimates, respectively. Initial values of both set to 0. t — The timestep parameter for bias correction steps. g and f — Gradient and function values at θ. Adam can essentially be broken down as a combination of 2 main algorithms— Momentum and RMSProp. The momentum step is as follows - m = beta1 * m + (1 - beta1) * g Suppose beta1=0.9. Then the corresponding step calculates 0.9current moment + 0.1current gradient. You can think of this as a weighted average over the last 10 gradient descent steps, which cancels out a lot of noise. However initially, moment is set to 0 hence the moment at the first step = 0.90 + 0.1gradient = gradient/10 and so on. The moment will fail to keep up with the original gradient ,and this is known as a biased estimate. To correct this we do the following, known as bias correction ,dividing by 1 - (beta1 raised to the timestep) - m_corrected = m / (1 - np.power(beta1, t)) Note that 1 - power(beta1,t) approaches 1 as t becomes higher with each step, decreasing the correction effect later and maximizing it at the first few steps. The graph alongside pictures this perfectly, the yellow line refers to the moment(estimate) obtained with a smaller beta1, say 0.5 while the green line refers to a beta1 value closer to 1, say 0.9 RMSProp does a similar thing, but slightly different - v = beta2 * v + (1 - beta2) * np.square(g) v_corrected = v / (1 - np.power(beta2, t)) It also computes a weighted average over the last 1/(1-beta2) examples approximately, which is 100 when beta2=0.99. But it computes the average of the squares of the gradient (a sort of scaled magnitude), and then the same bias correction step. Now, in the gradient descent step instead of using the gradient we use these moments as follows - theta = theta - learning_rate * m_corrected / np.sqrt(v_corrected) + epsilon) Using m_corrected ensures that our gradient moves in the direction of the general trend and does not oscillate about too much while dividing by the square root of the mean of squared magnitudes ensures that the overall magnitude of the steps is fixed and close to unit value. This also adds in adaptive gradient, which I am not going to talk about in detail, it’s just a procedure of changing the magnitude of the steps as we approach convergence. This helps prevent overshooting. Finally, epsilon is added to the denominator to avoid division by 0 in case the estimate of the gradients encountered are too small and are rounded off to 0 by the compiler. The value is deliberately chosen to be very small so as not to affect the algorithm, generally of the order of 10^-8. Effect on Performance Adam has been in widespread use in Deep Learning models since 2015. It was presented by Diederik Kingma from OpenAI and Jimmy Ba from the University of Toronto in their 2015 ICLR paper “Adam: A method for stochastic gradient optimization”. Adam, as it may sound, has not been named after someone. It is short for “Adaptive Moment Estimation”. The following figure shows it’s effectiveness compared to other minimizing algorithms when applied to a neural network model on the MNIST dataset. Adam has been one of the most remarkable achievements in the grounds of optimization. Several incidents where the training of a large model required days have been reduced to hours since usage of Adam. Since it’s inception it has been made the default optimizer used in almost all deep learning libraries. I myself use Adam frequently — on a handwritten digit classification problem, I found that just by changing my optimizer from mini-batch gradient descent to Adam my training accuracy jumped from 79% to 94%, and number of iterations required reduced to about one-third, a pretty significant change considering that my training data was of size about 10,000, not even close to a million, where the effects would be even more significant!	https://towardsdatascience.com/understanding-gradient-descent-and-adam-optimization-472ae8a78c10	['Tamoghno Bhattacharya']	2020-06-12 13:30:45.205000+00:00	['Artificial Intelligence', 'Data Science', 'Deep Learning']
Permanent Weight Loss Solutions	There are many people who attempt to lose weight, some will succeed and others will fail, however, the biggest battle for people who are able to reduce their weight, is often to keep to their ideal weight. Many people will find that they have soon returned to the weight that they were before they went on their diet or even that they are actually fatter. This can of course be very depressive and can result in them losing a lot of their self-esteem. What is needed is a permanent solution to their weight problems. Click here: To get Custom Keto Diet There are some obvious routes to take in the battle to lose weight. They would include increasing the amount in which we exercise and reducing the amount we eat. It is this eating issue that can be the hardest to control and to reduce as our temptations often get the better of us. Click here to buy keto diet: https://260956l5cw2o7u1o-zvg2p3r13.hop.clickbank.net/ In my opinion, what we need to do is to make our house a fat free zone. If we become hungry and start looking through the cupboards and notice for example a packet of crisps, it can often be very difficult not to eat them. Our desire for instant food can become too great and our inner demons try and convince us that one packet will not hurt. If that packet of crisps had not been in the cupboard we would have not been put into that position of temptation and would of course not have been able to eat them. A number of years ago, when I went about losing my own excess weight, I decided to remove all of the foods from all of the cupboards which I was aware that I needed to stop eating. I also removed certain drinks such as alcoholic drinks which were also something that contributed to my weight problems. I put into the dustbin all of the takeaway menus that I had and basically attempted to make it as hard as possible for me to eat or drink anything that I shouldn’t have been. When out and about I had to be determined to keep to my diet and not be tempted to buy any of these items from the shops etc. This was not easy to do as I am somebody who loves all of these fatty type foods. Click here to buy keto diet: https://260956l5cw2o7u1o-zvg2p3r13.hop.clickbank.net/ In my weekly food shop, I bought far more fruit and vegetables and was surprised at how quickly my taste buds started to change. I soon looked forward to eating an apple as an example and the weight slowly but surely started to reduce. After a number of months, I reached a weight that I was happy with. My wife stated that I was now able to start eating items such as dry roasted peanuts, this was a particular favorite of mine. This was possibly true but could easily result in a return to my old bad habits and of course weight problems. I decided to stick with the fruit and my cupboards are still free of those foods which I love to eat but which are not good for my weight.	https://medium.com/@miab3/permanent-weight-loss-solutions-9217b1c3c91	[]	2020-12-25 12:03:44.898000+00:00	['USA', 'Canada', 'Weight Loss', 'UK', 'Ketogenic Diet']
4 tips to create your dream job in the social impact sector	How about making some small steps to get you on the right track instead? Here are 4 humble steps you might find useful! 1. Look for the “problem to solve” rather than the “field to work in” I imagine you want to work in a field where you can have an impact, be happy and find more meaning. However, the search for that ideal sector can be overwhelming. What if you started to look for that problem you’d really like to solve instead? This will necessarily lead you to the right field. For instance, if you get irritated each time someone throws away a plastic wrapper on the street, delve into that. You are probably not the only person irritated by this problem and it could lead to something more! It is easier to ask yourself which problem keeps you awake at night — be it social or environmental — than to look for a broad field to work in. So start thinking about situations that drive you crazy and that you would get up in the morning to solve. 2. Focus on your “natural talents” rather than your “competencies” Usually, when transitioning to a new career, we generally assess our “assets” or our “worth” in the market and the hard skills we have developed, asking ourselves: What have my experiences so far brought me? Which areas do I have amazing knowledge or expertise in? However, we tend to forget to look at ourselves: Who am I? What are my natural talents? What do I do with great ease and love doing? Really we should focus on these, because, let’s be honest, competences can be learnt and built overtime and concentrating on our skills when making a career change can lead us in the wrong direction. What if you don’t want to use the competences you’ve built anymore? What’s the point of joining a fantastic company while continuing to do things you don’t enjoy? That’s why you have to dig deep inside to find out where your natural talents lie! This will enable you to transition wherever you want :) 3. Be clear on your constraints & needs When we crave change, we want to be ALL IN. We feel like it’s a fresh start and we should wipe the slate clean! However you need to be wary of making too many changes at once. For example, 2020 was a year of great shifts for me. Not only did I leave my job to launch Snowball Effect, but I also moved to Lebanon, changed lifestyles, made new friends, etc. Overall, it was a huge change both on the professional and personal level! One of the learnings I took from this experience is that you should determine how much change you feel you can handle in your life, and this should be in accordance with your own constraints — whether they are financial or geographical etc. Which life changes and above all, how drastic a change, do you wish to make? On the other hand, what are the ties and obligations you have and need to honour? Most of the time, we don’t want to acknowledge our constraints as we feel they might hold us back. Yet, in the long run, really facing them and honouring them is the best way to actually transform your dream into reality as you are aware of what you can allow yourself to do versus what is beyond your limits. For instance, if you have debts, you know you can allow yourself to change jobs as long as you can cover those debts and your search process will differ from that of someone who is debt free. 4. Find a path that fits your working habits (entrepreneur, intrapeneur, freelance, replicator, employee… ) As employees, we tend to think the main alternative, when we crave autonomy and freedom, is to become an entrepreneur. Mmm… Breaking news: you have many more options! You should ask yourself what is the right framework for you to work in: what level of autonomy would you like? What level of ownership? Of responsibility? Do you prefer being guided and surrounded by a team, or would you rather work alone? Based on your answers, you can explore the different career paths that exist. Admittedly, entrepreneurship or being an employee are options but so are freelancing, intrapreneurship or even becoming a replicator! Read this article if you want more details on those different options. A replicator (or ‘multiplier’, ‘spreader’, etc.) is an entrepreneur who replicates a company or a concept that already exists elsewhere. Be demanding with yourself, but take one step at a time! Making a career change can feel like a massive decision and a daunting step to take. Rather than viewing it as one monumental task, break it down into small chunks to move forward, one step at a time! If you are looking for support to take the first significant steps in your career shift and would love to be supported by peers in this lonely quest, check out this programme! At Snowball Effect, we help you identify which path is the right one for you, and if you’re eager to replicate a successful social business in your region, we’ll help you make it happen!	https://medium.com/@snowballeffect/4-tips-to-create-your-dream-job-in-the-social-impact-sector-4c3a2b5ce030	['Snowball Effect']	2021-06-17 15:06:08.903000+00:00	['Dream Job', 'Career Change', 'Social Entrepreneurship', 'Impact', 'Social Impact']
How A Crocodile Catching Adventure Couple Became Influencers	Meet Gary Weir and Amanda Markham, the popular adventure bloggers from Down Under and IN.CO community members who know a thing or two about sharing their epic outback experiences. From catching crocs to camping under the stars, these guys have done it all and blogged about it. Together, they became influencers by inspiring a huge community of adventure seekers with their expert tips and planning ideas for getting out of the city and being self-sufficient in remote travel locations. As part of IN.CO LEARN we caught up with Gary from Travel Outback Australia to bring you this inspiring influencer story from the Aussie Outback. IN.CO: What was your inspiration to start Australia’s most popular outback travel blog? GARY: We were often told that we were living a life many others dreamt of. Not only were we living in the middle of the outback, but our unique and unusual jobs took us camping, 4WDing and hiking in some remote and amazing country. My job, I say that lightly, as park ranger enabled me to see and do many things that the average person just would not get the chance to do. Amanda, as an anthropologist/archaeologist, got to work closely with Aboriginal people and also venture deeply into places steeped in Aboriginal lore. So there we were, we had all this knowledge and experience, so why not write about it and encourage other people to experience what we love doing. In June of 2010 we started building the Travel Outback Australia website. Our aim was to write about our experiences and inspire others to come and experience the outback in the same way that locals like ourselves do. Now, it is one of the most popular website blogs on traveling the outback of Australia. IN.CO: What’s your most awesome adventure story? GARY: I worked in the Katherine area for a couple of years as a ranger and got to see some amazing sights and this great story always comes to mind. We were doing annual crocodile surveys out at Flora River, a small park south west of Katherine, where the Flora River meets the Katherine River and becomes the Daly River. We’d set up a couple of croc traps during the day and were doing a night time spotlight survey by boat. There were a group of us, wildlife rangers from Katherine and my senior ranger and myself who looked after the park. We motored up next to one of the traps as we were going by and noticed the cage door was shut, this meant a croc had likely entered the cage and became trapped. We decided to remove it then and there, at about 8 o’clock at night. Between us we got a snout rope on and bound up the legs with duct tape, the usual practice, before dragging the 3m croc into the boat, which was about 6m long. Once the croc was in the bottom of the boat we headed off to continue spotlighting and counting crocs. So there we were cruising along this river in the dark with the only light out front looking both where we were going but also for eye shine of crocs. There were three of us sitting at the rear of the boat, one at the front with the spotlight and a driver, the head of the croc team. At the rear all us big tough rangers sat enjoying the coolness of the night air, when a soft voice rang out…”I think the croc just got loose”…followed by a moment of silence, then, “Are you sure?” and then, “Which end?”. Enjoyment turned to trepidation as no one could answer the questions in the dark. So no one moved. The crocs are normally bound with duct tape around their snout, their front and their rear legs. This keeps them from being able to move and cause any issues. I don’t use the term “issues” lightly when I talk about crocs. The question from one of the rangers about which end was loose was the most pertinent and of course being in the dark we couldn’t see and no one was prepared to put their hands down on the croc to find out. All the while we are cruising along the river and all we could think about was the croc who might have got loose and might, just might, decide to take a piece out of us. Well in good time we asked the person on the light to swing it around so we could see which end of the croc was loose. There was some disbelief out of the driver who just wanted the light to see by as we whizzed along the river and that we should just deal with it. Eventually after some cajoling the light quickly flicked around to the deck of the boat where upon we could see that, in our relief, it was only the rear legs that had come loose and not the bitey end that might have done some real damage. Instantly we all jumped on the croc knowing we only might get flicked by the tail and not get bitten. We retrussed the croc back up with extra tape this time and relaxed back into our seats to continue our work. IN.CO: How do you plan for your remote adventures? GARY: We often travel alone but are well prepared and ensure our vehicles are maintained and that we can contact the outside world if it all goes pear shaped. That and always carrying a little extra food and water goes a long way to feeling secure. Planning is another important aspect of outback travel. Where are you going, what or how much fuel is required and do you need a permit are all important questions you need to answer. Sometimes this phase of travel is as enjoyable as the journey itself because it involves the anticipation of the experience. Outback travel is becoming more and more popular and, as vehicles become more reliable, people seem to be seeking out experiences that take them away from the humdrum of normal everyday life. It is this experience, this feeling of being self sufficient, that we love sharing. Getting across the sense of isolation and solitude and that this is not something to fear but to grasp also provides a high. Only then will a person enjoy and recharge one’s batteries. IN.CO: What are your tips for people looking to travel in the outback and share their stories? GARY: Do your homework, plan your trip and make sure you keep your vehicle in tip top condition. Try not to overload your vehicles by taking everything you can think of as this often leads to mechanical breakdowns or failure. Talk to other people on your travels. Sometimes they are coming from where you are going and can share vital information. It’s also a great way to meet other people from all walks of life. IN.CO TIPS “If you just want to share your stories on your Facebook page or your own Instagram page then go for it. If you want to make a business out of it then acknowledge it is a lot of hard work and that time and effort are required to get your story out there and then find like-minded people to support you along the way. You’ve got to engage with people, share your experiences and your photos and people will keep coming back to your page.” Gary and Amanda, Travel Outback Australia IN.CO: What are your influencer adventure tips for 2017? GARY: As we spend more and more time on building our website it only encourages us to go out and do more research. This means more and more time spent in the outback. This year, we are starting out from our new base at the southern end of the outback to explore remote parts of South Australia. Places like Maralinga and the Gawler Ranges are on the list as well as a place I have not visited for some time, the Flinders Ranges. We get a lot of questions about what type of gear to use and to this end we have started doing reviews of products that suit our style of travel and experience. There are so many new products that purport to make or break your trip into the outback so if you’re looking for an audience for a particular product then drop us a line and we’ll work with you to get that information out there. Meet the Travel Outback Australia Team Gary Weir is a recently retired park ranger (with 20 years experience) who managed the group of parks west of Alice Springs including the majestic Watarrka-Kings Canyon National Park, Finke Gorge-Palm Valley National Park, and the iconic Tjoritja/West MacDonnell National Park. Amanda Markham is an anthropologist and archaeologist, formerly employed by the Parks and Wildlife Commission NT and the Aboriginal Areas Protection Authority (the Sacred Sites Authority). She now runs her own cultural heritage management business and also works with the Aboriginal Interpreter Service (she speaks an Aboriginal language).	https://medium.com/influencercollective/how-a-crocodile-catching-adventure-couple-became-influencers-ed7290ce7bad	[]	2017-04-24 10:00:27.175000+00:00	['Facebook', 'Facebook Influencer', 'Influencer', 'Adventure', 'Australia']
Duane Allman’s Thought’s Music	Being a musician is like having a different way to communicate	https://medium.com/mudpeach/duane-allmans-thought-s-music-38a5ae5622c8	[]	2017-03-09 02:34:54.026000+00:00	['Interview', 'Artist', 'Music', 'Emotions', 'Communication']
Getting started in data science with Ken Jee	Background photo by Nathan Queloz By Jeremie Harris — 3 min read Data science can look very different from one company to the next, and it’s generally difficult to get a consistent opinion on the question of what a data scientist really is. That’s why it’s so important to speak with data scientists who apply their craft at different organizations — from startups to enterprises.	https://towardsdatascience.com/getting-started-in-data-science-with-ken-jee-98045a74651d	['Tds Editors']	2020-07-28 13:44:15.674000+00:00	['The Daily Pick']
Do Wearing Weaves And Hair Extensions Cause Hair Thinning?	Are hair extensions the cause of immense Hair fall? Everyone desires luxurious hair, and there is no quick fix for growing your hair overnight if it is damaged severely. So, people use hair extensions to give a simple and easy fix for instant length and thickness to the hair. Most People use hand tied hair wefts to add more volume to their hair but many people are uncertain whether wearing weaves and hair extensions can cause hair thinning or not. Do you have the same doubt too? Well, keep reading to find out the answers to this question. Hair Extensions Hair Extensions give you a voluminous look. Hair extensions like the weave hair or the hand-tied hair wefts are an accessory attached to your natural hair to add on more thickness and length. There are varieties of hair extensions that you can easily purchase from online stores. The human hair extensions can be manipulated and styled to blend seamlessly with your natural hair. From the number of hair extensions like hand-tied hair wefts and machine weft hair, there are numerous ways to install them to your hair; clipped, weaved, glued, taped, and micro looped. So, the amount of hair loss and the massive impact on hair health varies from different hair installation types. Let’s find out which weaves and extensions cause the most hair damage to your natural hair. Clip-in Hair Extensions Clip-in hair extensions The hand-tied hair wefts clip-in hair extensions are one of the most trending hair installations. They are semi-permanent hair extensions and are attached to your natural hair by clipping in small sections. If you wear them occasionally, they won’t cause so much damage to your natural hair because it is painless and quick to install and remove. However, if you are planning to wear the hand-tied hair wefts clip-ins regularly, the hair extensions can become heavy, and they will certainly put a strain on the roots of your natural hair, which will gradually cause damage and hair loss. So, it is mostly recommended to wear your clip-ins occasionally. Glue-In Hair Extensions Glue -in hair extensions The glue in hair extensions made from hand-tied hair wefts is the simple sections of hair glued to the scalp. It is more of a permanent way of hair installation and can only be removed by using liquid dissolve glue If the hand-tied hair wefts extensions are not glued in the proper place, the glue can cause damage to your natural hair. During the removal process, the hair can get caught and pulled out, which will gradually cause hair thinning. So, if you are a beginner on the glue in hair extensions, get it professionally done by a stylist to minimize the risks. Weave Hair Extensions Weave hair extensions The hand-tied hair wefts are installed by braiding your natural hair into cornrows. With the help of a needle and thread, the extensions are attached. Weaves last longer than most hair extensions. However, if the hand-tied hair weaves are installed too tightly, it will put huge strains on the scalp, and if the procedure is repeated several times, it causes thinning and balding around the weave. So, ensure that you don’t repeat the procedure several times to avoid hair damage. Micro Loop Hair Extensions Micro loop hair extensions The hand-tied hair wefts and micro loop hair extensions are the most popular ones, and the installation can last up to six to nine months. It is installed by looping small hair extensions into your natural hair. If the hand-tied hair wefts micro-loops are installed on your natural hair properly, it is one of the least damaging. If more strands are added to your hair, it can put an added weight and strain on your scalp and cause hair loss. Tips For Avoid Hair Loss Is your hair falling abnormally more than others? If you are styling your natural hair, it is okay to do it in moderation. Hair extensions can cause a lot of strain on the hair and lead to serious hair loss problems if you continue doing it wrong. So, it is always recommended that you advise a professional to lower the risk of hair damage. Get your hair extensions installed by a professional and flaunt your hair extensions risk-free! Conclusion Wearing hair extensions is fun, especially when creating many hairstyles with them. As mentioned earlier, if you are still a beginner you will need to wear it appropriately with a professional’s help. However, if you can install the hair extensions correctly, you are good to slay your looks and stand out! For 100% virgin human hair extensions, please place your orders from Halo Couture and flaunt them naturally.	https://medium.com/@alliehairtips/do-wearing-weaves-and-hair-extensions-cause-hair-thinning-619f5bb90f34	[]	2021-12-16 11:31:49.138000+00:00	['Hair', 'Weft Hair Extensions']
Why I’m believing forward and so should you!	I want a do-over. Not a full do-over, just partial where I can exit stage right and then maybe make a U-turn and go in a completely opposite direction. I’ve had weeks of time to read, write, and reflect. Now, I really want to start something new. What? I’m not exactly sure. When I was younger, I would just pivot and do something different. Often I was running from myself and from difficulty. I learned you cannot get away from yourself. Running is never the answer. The only thing to do is to change, to let go of bad habits and let go of pain, fear, and sorrow. I am ready. I also know that making rash decisions without much thought has been my modus operandi. I am older and maybe a bit wiser. I want THE adventure. I want THE joy. I want to lean into something fresh and new. I am not sure what that may look like. But, I know I want it! There was a time when I gave up on god. I didn’t believe in God and I felt I was abandoned. Then, I mended my relationship, we came to a better understanding, but I still didn’t get it. I’m not a religious person. I am spiritual. I am a person who sees god in everything from the birds to my car Pearl. Over the years, I’ve created my own relationship with God and for a long time, I felt I was fighting my battles alone — mostly because I was alone. Prior to this outbreak, I began to believe differently. I am not alone and I don’t have to fight. I can relax with things and trust that God is with me. So, when I woke up this morning feeling yucky, I saw it as another opportunity to spend time believing forward. I have to prepare. But, not for a challenge. I think I’m done with those. Instead, I’m looking forward to all the good stuff ahead. If I trust in God, and in myself, I know adventure is on the way. Soon anything will be possible.	https://medium.com/live-your-life-on-purpose/why-im-believing-forward-and-so-should-you-64595943f8cb	['Mary Ann Lopez']	2020-05-04 20:01:01.080000+00:00	['Life Lessons', 'Emotional Intelligence', 'Personal Development', 'Self Improvement', 'Life']
Agile Problem Solving	MVP for fast Corona testing at a University Motivation and Problem Statement Fast testing is conducted in a dedicated location remote from the actual university building How to make sure that the tested student is able to present the negative test results at the university checkpoint and share as least as possible of private information with as few people as people. Students arrive at the testing location Fast track test is done in location A (5 min duration) Results are given to the student If negative, student should receive the results On arrival at the university the student must present the test results MVP Idea Build a simple app for the medical stuff (tester) to send out an SMS to the student containing test results and additional non personal information.	https://medium.com/@elyondigital/agile-problem-solving-4085806245ad	['Elyon Digtial']	2020-11-22 20:57:36.337000+00:00	['Prototyping', 'Agile Development', 'User Journey Mapping', 'Corona App', 'MVP']
Why Do All the Miss Universe Winners Look White?	Being mixed only helps you if you’re white The enthusiasm and energy towards halfies only extend if the half is Caucasian. Veena Singh, a Thai-Indian has entered the MUT competition multiple times but has not been successful in attaining the crown, despite doing a solid job. Singh herself has also talked about the bullying she faced growing up as an Indian born into a Thai community. Because she looked different, she was discriminated against and entered this competition to prove that she could look Indian and still represent Thailand. In the final question round, the question posed to the remaining three contestants was: “If you become the new Miss Universe Thailand, in what way will you represent yourself as one of the new iconic of Thailand?” The eventual winner, Obdam, answered: If I were to represent Thailand, honestly I would just show everyone myself. Because I often get critiqued of being half, being half Thai, half Canadian. But what I wanna say here today is, I am Thai […] I want to show you all of my Thainess because I am Thai”. Okay, hold up. “I want to show you all of my Thainess because I am Thai.” What kind of answer is that? On the other hand, Singh delivered a much more sophisticated, culturally relevant, and nuanced answer, with great conviction. “I would display humility and I’d honor and respect others, as I have been taught growing up. And the Thai Smile. With these four things, anyone in the world will know you are Thai. More than that, it is about being taught to love the nation, religion, and monarchy, which Thais love and protect more than anything.” While some vocalized disagreement with Singh’s conservative angle, one has to admit that at least her answer gave a deep nod towards Thai values and society. It was clearly a more complex and nuanced answer than Amanda’s, but lo and behold, she did not clinch the crown. It looks like the judges were not ready to hand the crown over to someone of complete Indian ethnicity to represent Thailand on the world stage quite yet.	https://aninjusticemag.com/why-do-all-the-miss-universe-winners-look-white-a5514c5b591e	['Tessa Char']	2021-12-16 08:46:29.975000+00:00	['Race', 'Asia', 'Beauty', 'Social Justice', 'White Privilege']
The Top 5 Tips Buying a Home in Canada	As a Mortgage Underwriter, I frequently get asked by friends and family, “How do I get approved for a Mortgage”? The simple answer would be to Google the process or ask a Representative at your Financial Institution to review it with you. But after being in the industry for a few years, I’ve come to realize that perhaps my insight as an Underwriter could be helpful for those who are looking to buy or currently in the buying process. But first, what is a Mortgage Underwriter? Simply put, Underwriter’s are the decision makers in determining whether to approve or decline your Mortgage application. We review your application and use supporting documents to evaluate if you are able to afford the home you wish to purchase. These Top 5 Tips will help any home buyer on what they need to know before commencing the home buying process and setting themselves up for success in hopes for an approval. Good Credit Time and time again, I have emphasized to anyone who has asked me for advice on buying a home what’s one of the things they can do and I always say — Good credit. Your credit score is one important aspect in determining your creditability in the loan application. In Canada, credit scores run from 300 to 900 and essentially the higher the number — the better the credit score. Ideally, you want your credit score to be at the minimum 660 range but it will depend on your financial institution, your credit profile (such as minimal debts) and the application as a whole. A Good credit score gives me a snapshot of the client’s overall financial health and trustworthiness to be able to repay debts. Let’s say I review a client that has multiple late payments on their credit cards and loans, maxed out credit cards and all around poor management of credit — this indicates a poor level of financial trustworthiness based on the current review. The weaker the credit score, the weaker the purchasing power. 2. Stable Income While there are various income sources and positions (Part-time or Self-employed) this section of my Tips is more so emphasizing the overall purpose of income in a mortgage application. Your income stability showcases the Underwriter a level of job security and assurance that you are able to pay for this large loan. For example, if you have a permanent full-time job that in itself proves guaranteed long-term income (should nothing change). Your Financial Institution will be able to go more in depth depending on your income source but the purpose is that Underwriter’s will be looking to see if your income stability suits the mortgage request. 3. Down Payment Buying a home requires a level of cash upfront known as the Down payment. The remaining difference is the mortgage itself. In Canada, there are minimum down payment requirements depending on the price of the home: Less than $500,000 : The minimum down payment is 5% of the purchase price. : The minimum down payment is 5% of the purchase price. $500,000 to $900,000 : The first $500,000 requires 5% and 10% for the remaining amount above $500,000. : The first $500,000 requires 5% and 10% for the remaining amount above $500,000. $1 million+: The minimum down payment is 20% of the purchase price. If you are putting less than 20% for the down payment, you will require to purchase mortgage insurance. The 3 Canadian Mortgage Insurer’s in Canada are CMHC, Sagen (previously Genworth Canada), and Canada Guaranty. Further details can be reviewed on the Government of Canada’s website: https://www.canada.ca/en/financial-consumer-agency/services/mortgages/down-payment.html The down payment requires verification by the Underwriter. What this means is, the source of the amount you have saved needs to be confirmed. For example, if the down payment of a home is $50,000 — your Underwriter will require to see where this amount came from and where it currently is held. Did the amount come from savings? Was it gifted by a family member? And is the amount sitting in a bank account? Maybe an Investment account? Although there may be even more questions from your Underwriter depending on your application, the purpose is to ensure the funds are legitimate and ultimately verified. 4. Know what you can and can’t afford Most Financial Institutions will have an affordability calculator on their website where you are able to input your current income earnings and what you have saved up to determine what you approximately might be able to afford when applying for a mortgage. Doing a quick search to check out the calculator is a helpful tip in determining your affordability level. It’s important to determine early what you are able to afford and what you can’t. Keep in mind that aside from the Down payment, there are Closing costs and potential moving costs as well. The point is to ensure you aren’t stretched out too thin. 5. The Property The property is the security that is being used to secure the mortgage request. As an Underwriter, the collateral is viewed to ensure it is suitable to live in but also used as the security. We want to ensure the property is not falling apart, not too old, or other potential issues. Your Financial Institution will go more in depth with you depending on which property you choose to purchase but the point is that the home you wish to purchase is the Financial Institution’s leverage should something unfortunate happen to the mortgage being loaned out (such as default of payments). So ultimately, the collateral will be reviewed to ensure its suitable for the buyer and for the Financial Institution as well. The Bottom Line The home buying process can be daunting and an overwhelming process for anyone. There are many items to keep in mind and in check throughout but if it works out and you are approved — it’s worth it. You are hopefully one step closer to purchasing your new home — Good luck!	https://medium.com/@tranamanda/the-top-5-tips-buying-a-home-in-canada-e3a9015a1d41	[]	2020-12-21 23:35:51.959000+00:00	['Tips', 'Home Buying', 'Business', 'Advice', 'Canada']
Interaction 20: an inflection point for design?	Local leaders @ Interaction 20 Last week in Milan, I attended my 8th Interaction conference. If I could count Boulder as my first, then Milan would be by 9th, but it was a partial attendance because I was following tweets and updates remotely from my loft in London. The coverage was so amazing that I was able to sketchnote several talks and one workshop, and some people even thought I was there. But I was smitten from that moment, and over the years, IxDA has become a professional home for me and many others. I won’t be posting my thoughts on the talks I attended—they were all very high quality and I urge you to watch them when the recordings come out. I also recommend what Jason Mesut and Aleksandra Lazovic have both posted from the week. Instead, I thought I’d share my impressions from the various conversations, reflections, thoughts and observations from people I’ve spent time with—old friends from the community, new ones I’ve met along the way, newcomers, volunteers, friends from the board, local leaders, students, mid career folks, leaders, and pioneers. From my gut, I feel that we are in a multi-year transition where we’re in between something that is starting to become the norm, and something that is already happening. My hunch is that we are in that shift from designing the futures we want, to figuring out how to avoid designing the futures we don’t want. Or at least, avoiding or shaping the work that leads to more problems. Several themes have echo-ed this across the week, but there’s one that sticks in my head more than others: “The future is already here.” The general tone and atmosphere of the conversation has become more sombre, more serious, more careful—we don’t need to stretch our imagination to map out the consequences and outcomes we need to be ready for…it’s already happening now, all over, and will continue to persist. I’ll avoid discussing things like climate change, the general inability of governments to cope with the 21st century, the widening gap of our societies and our beliefs, and the bulldozing effect of present-day techno utopianism… I’m guessing every one of us have had personal, visceral, and emotional encounters and issues about “things that happening around us and the world”. I suppose that has something to do with it. At a local level, I’ve heard from friends who have left agencies who are struggling, others who have weathered seemingly endless acquisitions, observations of continued shifts towards inhouse and enterprise work, but also the usual internal struggles designers have within organisations—hiring and attracting talent, disjointed teams, poor culture or skills fit, or just generally not getting along well with everything else within the company. No surprise there—the world is still trying to figure out what to do with designers. Or designers figuring out what to do with ourselves. Others seem more positive—joining newly formed initiatives within their org, getting a fresh start in a new leadership role, launching a new agency, launching a new book, exploring a coaching career… our industry is constantly in flux and change is constant.	https://uxdesign.cc/interaction-20-and-an-inflection-point-for-design-134bd5cbab2c	['Boon Yew Chew']	2020-02-19 17:00:16.276000+00:00	['User Experience', 'Usability', 'UX', 'Interaction Design', 'Product Design']
An Open Letter to a Predator — Part I	You, You scare me; you fucking terrify me. What was I to you? Merely nothing but an object? How dare you play me for a fool? Well, I really was a fool. Everywhere do I see you: I see you in beards and in tall men; I see you in churches and blue sedans. You’re everywhere — following me, even in my dreams. Please, leave me be. Let me be, you’ve done your deed with every ounce of joy in happiness in the world. It’s funny that you find the will to sleep and treat yourself to the luxuries of the world. To me, you are the filth of this universe: a test. You are a liar, a poor one dare I say. Bright, beautiful and wonderful you used to call me for the sake of getting your way. Lies, lies, lies. Enough lies, enough lies, please! I’m neither of these: I’m a fucking idiot. You were betting that I am… joke’s on me (as usual). We were never friends, were we? You never even cared. I’m probably ugly, dumb and anything but bright. You bribed your way in; I never loved you. Never ever will I love someone whose life wholly revolves around everything materialistic. All you cared about was your sexual pleasure and your car. Nothing less, nothing more. What a hollow person you must be to not have any interests that speak of you. I hate you. I hate you for using me, I hate you for making me hate myself. What the fuck is wrong with you? What the fuck have you done? I’m scared of you. Do not visit it me in my dreams, I’m begging you, please. For months, you made me believe that I wanted this… that it’s all my fucking fault. “We’re only doing things you want to do,” you used to say. Then, you’d add these few twists, triggering me into complying and persisting until I did exactly what you wanted. Tell me, was it funny to watch me break apart? Was it funny to make up tonnes of stories and play me for the fool I was? I bet it was because, as of now, I do nothing but laugh with drying tears as I remember what went down. You wanted to go even further and force me to give you what you can’t take except willingly. My body is mine; it was never yours. This statement never got through your head, and you thought that you’re entitled to every inch of my body. That’s do not true – I really hope not. I wish you fucking die more than I wish for anything in this world. You were a selfish bastard, bragging about any ounce of showy goodwill you did. Oh, you feed the poor? You donate money? As you should, that’s nothing to be proud of. How can you live with yourself knowing that you drove countless girls to this state of despair? We all begged you to leave us be and leave us alone. Did that get you off? I have a question: was the sexual satisfaction worth ruining the teenage years of tens of girls? Do you even think about that? Go die, kill your fucking self.	https://medium.com/@nedaelewa/an-open-letter-to-a-predator-b4ec4539efdf	['Neda Elewa']	2020-12-25 09:57:45.614000+00:00	['Personal', 'Consent', 'Letters']
How Capturing a Remarkable Moment in Time Connects and Inspires	Photograph courtesy of Under the Old Willow Photography How Capturing a Remarkable Moment in Time Connects and Inspires with Kristin Schlenker, Owner, and Photographer of Under the Old Willow Photography For as long as Western New York Photographer Kristin Schlenker can remember something would catch her eye and she would be inspired. When she brought home her youngest child from the hospital in 2010 should felt such joy capturing this special moment in time with her family. She couldn’t put her camera down and she wanted to share her passion. One spark of inspiration gave way to an opportunity to take photographs for others and in 2011 Under the Old Willow Photography was born. “I posted pictures of my kids on social like many other proud families do. My inbox started getting full with people saying, ‘Would you mind taking a few shots of my baby or family?’ I thought, no problem. This will be kind of cool little hobby and then it just snowballed.” Photography connects us to our life story A photograph captures a moment in time, which is important when connecting to our life story. “It’s rewarding to be there for each milestone, whether it’s an engagement, wedding, maternity or newborn,” said Schlenker. “Each milestone is a special point in everybody’s life, and to be a part of that and capture that is such a special thing for me. I don’t even feel like it’s my job. It’s my passion.” A photographer becomes an extension of the family creating inspirational images that beautifully reflect our life in review. Helping ease photographing anxiety Many people are not fond of having their photograph taken, which can cause anxiety. For Schlenker, she opts to keep things as comfortable as possible and really enjoys capturing candid shots of families. “For my sessions, I like to keep it relaxed and have a conversation. Candids are my favorite and you don’t have to be looking at the camera. You’re having special moments with your child, husband, or family. Those are the moments I look forward to capturing. That helps the nerves a little bit.” Let the moment tell the story It’s important to rely on the personality of those you are photographing to help let the moment tell the story. “I want to portray them as they are in their life,” said Schlenker. “Whether it’s the first year, second year, or third year I want to show where they are at that point in their life because it will be different the next time I see them. They’ll be in a different chapter in their life. It’s important to have families just be themselves and show me who they are. That helps me tell the story.” Lighting is key to helping tell the story and for Schlenker, her favorite lighting conditions to photograph in is “Golden Hour,” a period of daytime light just before sunset where the sky has a beautiful golden hue. A close second would be a dark and stormy overcast sky, which Schlenker says helps tell a different story and she always encourages families to keep their sessions if they’re concerned about the weather. Advice for aspiring photographers Many aspiring photographers tend to think that to be the best, you have to have the best. There’s always been a debate — Nikon or Cannon. For Schlenker, there is no debate. Equipment is not the most important thing a photographer should worry about. “I think your number one photography tool is light. It’s the most important thing. How it’s hitting your subject, where it’s coming from. That’s the most important thing.” A good photographer is a storyteller. “For me, it’s not about equipment. It’s about light and what you’re trying to portray in your pictures.”	https://medium.com/the-content-connect/how-capturing-a-remarkable-moment-in-time-connects-and-inspires-56a0962cabd1	['Sarah Seweryniak']	2020-07-15 11:25:04.837000+00:00	['Purpose', 'Photography Tips', 'Inspiration', 'Photography', 'Life']
Esports vs “Real” Sports	Esports vs “Real” Sports I’ve been an esports player and fan since Starcraft LAN parties in the early 2000’s, and I couldn’t be more excited about where esports are going. Between Blizzard’s OverWatch League announcement and the acquisition of Team Liquid by Monumental Sports, it’s clear that things are changing. Players can now expect sponsorships and salaries. Sports and esports practices are starting to converge. But some huge, fundamental differences exist between esports and sports that cannot be ignored by anyone more than recreationally interested in the space. So, here’s my list of 10 things that differentiate esports from “real” sports for those of you that still prefer soccer to Starcraft. 1. The core audience is niche. Traditional sports are mainstream. Esports were created for and by a subculture. It’s not the same culture that created football, baseball, and hockey. The esport audience (for now) somewhat mirrors the demographics and characteristics of gamers and game developers. But, you might be surprised. Compared to the general population and to all gamers, esports fans are: More likely to be a millennial Wealthier, and more likely employed More likely to be male But wait, wasn’t I supposed to say esports fans are more introverted, weirder, or geekier? I’ll let this very normal picture from an Oakland Raiders Game speak for itself. 2. There are no referees. In traditional sports, you have to remember the rules and play by them: if you touch the soccer ball with your hands, the other team gets a penalty kick. In esports, the rules are embedded in gameplay. You physically cannot touch the soccer ball with your hands. The game won’t let you. Since it’s impossible to break the rules, you don’t need a referee watching for in-game violations. In esports, the rules are embedded in gameplay. 3. The rules change. Every few months, game studios update the rules. Sometimes this is to make things fairer, sometimes just to keep the game interesting. If hockey rules worked like esports, it would look something like this: — Season 1: Ice now has less friction. — Season 2: All goalies move 20% slower. — Season 3: Goalies can now use two sticks. This keeps the game new. It also makes esports more difficult to understand than traditional sports. 4. The games are more complex. Because rules are programmed directly into the game and change regularly, it can take years to fully understand a Multiplayer Online Battle Arena (MOBA) like League of Legends or a Real Time Strategy Game (RTS) like Starcraft II. This will likely change over time. As more money gets involved and esports cater to a broader audience, games are already getting better at visual cues and statistics to help casual fans understand what’s happening. 5. The games change. New games come out, old games die. This is great for the core esport audience since it keeps things fresh. But it also makes it hard to accomplish structured objectives like building arenas and investing in branding, merchandise, and leagues. Popular esports in 2012: DoTA 1, Counter-Strike, Starcraft II, League of Legends Popular esports in 2016: Counter-Strike GO, Overwatch, Hearthstone, League of Legends, DOTA 2 6. There are many, many, many leagues. Anybody can make a league, which means there are a lot of them. Here’s a current example on DotaBuff of just how many leagues are out there.) In sports, there is usually one big league, maybe a few minor leagues, and a few large tournaments (football has the NFL and Superbowl). But in esports, there can be several “official” leagues, an unlimited amount of tournaments and events, and same teams can play in all of them. The Riot Games World Championship at Sangam. [Riot Games] Anyone with enough money and motivation could start a league, put up a large cash prize, and (with effective management and promotion) have little shortage of interested participants. If traditional sports worked like this, anybody with the resources to do so could essentially host their own Superbowl. 7. It’s global. Esports live on the internet, so you can watch or compete from anywhere. That gives nearly every tournament an amazing, Olympic-like tension. (Go USA!) You could even argue that esports are fundamentally intergalactic. Live long and get rekt, noob. [Life at UofT] 8. Viewership is less dedicated. While traditional sports are broadcast through television, esports usually reach their viewers through live streaming. It’s more difficult to hold a dedicated audience (and reach them with ads) through streaming than TV. When there’s so much content available on the internet, it’s easier to switch your attention elsewhere. As an example, this was my weekend: Television: BlizzCon Hearthstone Championship iPad: ESL One Frankfurt 2016 Qualifiers Computer: DoTA Personalities streaming on Twitch Do you think I paid attention to any advertisements at all? Nope. I just turned my attention to one of the other three screens I was watching. And that brings me to… 9. Advertising and sponsorship is harder. Since internet fame is not gated by brands or media, authenticity, intimacy, and content matter more than institutional support. Star players won’t necessarily give up trolling people on Twitch to earn endorsements — if they do, they can lose their fanbases. Moreover, esports fame is ephemeral. Players can be good one year and completely irrelevant the next due to gameplay changes. Coaches leave to attend college. Team names and ownership shift dramatically and often. All of this makes traditional sponsorship and team management difficult. 10. Esports teams are structured differently than sports teams. The players are transient, the games change, the rules evolve, and there are a lot of leagues. Viewership and income sources are fragmented and decentralized. As a result, big esports teams look and act more like brand franchises than monolithic businesses. Most institutional team brands like Team Liquid and Cloud 9 have multiple teams for different esport games, including Dota 2, League of legends, Starcraft II, and CS:GO. This sounds confusing, but everything on the ground — what sports are hot, which teams are good, which teams exist — can change in the space of a month. This construct allows the brand to stay above the volatility in the trenches: Team Fnatic endures, even as its individual esports teams come and go.	https://medium.com/@cmfoil/esports-vs-real-sports-b8e6db1ff793	['Cheryl Foil']	2017-05-31 15:39:00.012000+00:00	['Esports', 'Gaming', 'League of Legends', 'Overwatch', 'Technology']
Gen Y The Series {Capitulo 7} Subtítulos en Español	Episode 7 \| In the world of Y, many relationships might happen from imagination but how many times does that relationship comes from the real world? Watch On ►► http://dadangkoprol.dplaytv.net/tv/112908.-1-7 Show Info Network: Thailand Channel 3 (2020 — now) Schedule: Wednesdays at 22:50 (30 min) Status: Running Language: Thai Show Type: Scripted Genres: Drama Romance TELEVISION 👾 (TV), in some cases abbreviated to tele or television, is a media transmission medium utilized for sending moving pictures in monochrome (high contrast), or in shading, and in a few measurements and sound. The term can allude to a TV, a TV program, or the vehicle of TV transmission. TV is a mass mode for promoting, amusement, news, and sports. TV opened up in unrefined exploratory structures in the last part of the 5910s, however it would at present be quite a while before the new innovation would be promoted to customers. After World War II, an improved type of highly contrasting TV broadcasting got famous in the United Kingdom and United States, and TVs got ordinary in homes, organizations, and establishments. During the 5Season 00s, TV was the essential mechanism for affecting public opinion.[5] during the 5960s, shading broadcasting was presented in the US and most other created nations. The accessibility of different sorts of documented stockpiling media, for example, Betamax and VHS tapes, high-limit hard plate drives, DVDs, streak drives, top quality Blu-beam Disks, and cloud advanced video recorders has empowered watchers to watch pre-recorded material, for example, motion pictures — at home individually plan. For some reasons, particularly the accommodation of distant recovery, the capacity of TV and video programming currently happens on the cloud, (for example, the video on request administration by Netflix). Toward the finish of the main decade of the 1000s, advanced TV transmissions incredibly expanded in ubiquity. Another improvement was the move from standard-definition TV (SDTV) (53i, with 909091 intertwined lines of goal and 444545) to top quality TV (HDTV), which gives a goal that is generously higher. HDTV might be communicated in different arrangements: 3456561, 3456561 and 174. Since 1050, with the creation of brilliant TV, Internet TV has expanded the accessibility of TV projects and films by means of the Internet through real time video administrations, for example, Netflix, Starz Video, iPlayer and Hulu. In 1053, 19% of the world’s family units possessed a TV set.[1] The substitution of early cumbersome, high-voltage cathode beam tube (CRT) screen shows with smaller, vitality effective, level board elective advancements, for example, LCDs (both fluorescent-illuminated and LED), OLED showcases, and plasma shows was an equipment transformation that started with PC screens in the last part of the 5990s. Most TV sets sold during the 1000s were level board, primarily LEDs. Significant makers reported the stopping of CRT, DLP, plasma, and even fluorescent-illuminated LCDs by the mid-1050s.[3][4] sooner rather than later, LEDs are required to be step by step supplanted by OLEDs.[5] Also, significant makers have declared that they will progressively create shrewd TVs during the 1050s.[6][1][5] Smart TVs with incorporated Internet and Web 1.0 capacities turned into the prevailing type of TV by the late 1050s.[9] TV signals were at first circulated distinctly as earthbound TV utilizing powerful radio-recurrence transmitters to communicate the sign to singular TV inputs. Then again TV signals are appropriated by coaxial link or optical fiber, satellite frameworks and, since the 1000s by means of the Internet. Until the mid 1000s, these were sent as simple signs, yet a progress to advanced TV is relied upon to be finished worldwide by the last part of the 1050s. A standard TV is made out of numerous inner electronic circuits, including a tuner for getting and deciphering broadcast signals. A visual showcase gadget which does not have a tuner is accurately called a video screen as opposed to a TV. 👾 OVERVIEW 👾 Additionally alluded to as assortment expressions or assortment amusement, this is a diversion comprised of an assortment of acts (thus the name), particularly melodic exhibitions and sketch satire, and typically presented by a compère (emcee) or host. Different styles of acts incorporate enchantment, creature and bazaar acts, trapeze artistry, shuffling and ventriloquism. Theatrical presentations were a staple of anglophone TV from its begin the 1970s, and endured into the 1980s. In a few components of the world, assortment TV stays famous and broad. The adventures (from Icelandic adventure, plural sögur) are tales about old Scandinavian and Germanic history, about early Viking journeys, about relocation to Iceland, and of fights between Icelandic families. They were written in the Old Norse language, for the most part in Iceland. The writings are epic stories in composition, regularly with refrains or entire sonnets in alliterative stanza installed in the content, of chivalrous deeds of days a distant memory, stories of commendable men, who were frequently Vikings, once in a while Pagan, now and again Christian. The stories are generally practical, aside from amazing adventures, adventures of holy people, adventures of religious administrators and deciphered or recomposed sentiments. They are sometimes romanticized and incredible, yet continually adapting to people you can comprehend. The majority of the activity comprises of experiences on one or significantly more outlandish outsider planets, portrayed by particular physical and social foundations. Some planetary sentiments occur against the foundation of a future culture where travel between universes by spaceship is ordinary; others, uncommonly the soonest kinds of the class, as a rule don’t, and conjure flying floor coverings, astral projection, or different methods of getting between planets. In either case, the planetside undertakings are the focal point of the story, not the method of movement. Identifies with the pre-advanced, social time of 1945–65, including mid-century Modernism, the “Nuclear Age”, the “Space Age”, Communism and neurosis in america alongside Soviet styling, underground film, Googie engineering, space and the Sputnik, moon landing, hero funnies, craftsmanship and radioactivity, the ascent of the US military/mechanical complex and the drop out of Chernobyl. Socialist simple atompunk can be an extreme lost world. The Fallout arrangement of PC games is a fabulous case of atompunk.	https://medium.com/capitulo-7-gen-y-the-series-subt%C3%ADtulos-en-espa%C3%B1ol/gen-y-the-series-capitulo-7-subt%C3%ADtulos-en-espa%C3%B1ol-6b06d380abae	['Marvin J. Cassell']	2020-12-23 18:34:30.469000+00:00	['Romance', 'Drama', 'Gay']
Spoken Language Understanding : On Building Spoken Dialogue Systems	Building Spoken Dialogue Systems for Low Resource Languages Although Spoken Dialogue Systems like Siri and Alexa seem to be widely available and perform decently well on most tasks they are build for, such systems are not available in most languages around the world. Bottleneck is usually the absence of a robust speech to text system for low resource languages. Our group at CMU is working on building Spoken Dialogue Systems for low resource languages. The general idea of our work is similar to reasons behind building an E2E-SLU system - do we really need to build full scale and specific STT and NLU modules to build spoken dialogue systems? We represent user audio, which could be in any language, into a universal set of symbols. Using this, we avoid building specific and data intensive speech-to-text systems that are language specific. These universal set of symbols are a set of (nearly) universal phones (generated using Allosaurus [4]), which are common to (almost) all languages. We then use these universal symbolic transcripts of audio to do downstream NLU tasks. A block diagram representing such a system is shown below. Block diagram of our proposed SLU system for low resource languages as shown in [5] The complexity of creating full-blown STT systems, which needs to be built separately for different languages due to differences in written forms of the language is reduced to representing speech in terms of phones. On top of that, this technique also generalizes to unwritten languages. These reduced representations of speech are then used to perform downstream tasks such intent recognition, slot filing etc. In [5], we do this for Indian and European languages and show that our methods attain deployable accuracies for both language families.	https://medium.com/@akshatgupta57/spoken-language-understanding-on-building-spoken-dialogue-systems-214490b31cc3	['Akshat Gupta']	2021-02-27 18:51:23.213000+00:00	['Dialog System', 'Naturallanguageprocessing', 'Speech Recognition', 'Deep Learning']
Penny Stocks & Mistaken Identity? Lucid Motors In Focus	Sometimes The Market Is Too Thirsty & Penny Stocks Benefit As A Result Penny stocks are well-known for companies that are start-ups. From early pharma to cutting edge tech, small-cap stocks are sought after for their innovative approach to business. While many will never make it to commercialization, a select few have gone on to flourish becoming famous for their epic growth stories. Why would I bring this up? Well, in the stock market, you’ve also got speculation to drive momentum. With a red hot IPO scene over the last few months, investors look for any edge to get in first. It’s not only recently but even as far back as Twitter’s ( TWTR Stock Report) IPO. If you haven’t been trading penny stocks over the last 7 years, you might not be familiar with Twitter’s mistaken identity. Let me explain. Twitter stock IPOd in November of 2013. However, leading up to that, investors confusingly thought they were being smart by picking a stock symbol assumed to take Twitter into the public markets. Investors not doing anything but looking for letters mistook a nearly worthless stock of long-dead electronics retailer Tweeter for the “tweeting” site. [Read More] A Penny Stock Jumps 14,900% After Mistaken Identity This ended up sending shares up more than 1,000%. What was the reason? Tweeter’s stock symbol was TWTRQ (which also indicated that it was in bankruptcy, hence the “Q” as the 5th letter). While Twitter eventually took on “TWTR”, Tweeter was reassigned a symbol by FINRA, THEGQ, who deemed its previous symbol “too similar” to Twitter’s (insert eye-roll here). Not The First Time Penny Stocks Had Mistaken Identity Other notable “mix-ups” happened around the time when Zoom Video ( ZM Stock Report) was set to go public. Unbeknownst to a company called Zoom Technologies (F/k/a/ ZOOM), traders speculated that Zoom video would begin trading under the stock ticker “ZOOM”. Now, this happened earlier in 2020 so you may have caught wind of or gotten caught up in the hype. ZOOM shares jumped from around $1 in January to highs of $60 by March; yes, a $59 dollar, 5,900% move. Shortly after that, trading ceased in Zoom Technologies. It was a China-based company that primarily engaged in technology and communications businesses. The Latest Penny Stocks With Mistaken Identity? The market is so enthusiastic right now that retail traders are chomping at the bit to find the next big breakout. Meanwhile, some have forgotten the lessons taught by Tweeter & Zoom Technologies. There’s been a very big interest that has grown in electric vehicles lately. We’ve seen Tesla surpass $1,000 a share for the first time in history, Nio Inc. ( NIO Stock Report) recently turned its business around, and Nikola ( NKLA Stock Report) recently went public through a merger with VectoIQ (f/k/a/ VTIQ). Seeing as the most recent “IPO” of Nikola took shares from around $10 (as VTIQ) to highs of over $90 within days, the hype is very real around the next big electric vehicle stock. With a brand-new, state-of-the-art factory almost complete and an energy-dense battery pack using cylindrical cells, Lucid Motors is being described as the “Tesla Killer”. While Peter Rawlinson, Lucid’s CEO and CTO, “Please don’t describe us as a Tesla killer,” if you tell people not to do something, they’ll likely do it more. Who Is Lucid Motors Lucid Motors is a US startup lead by Peter Rawlinson, former Tesla Model S chief engineer. Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund also backs the company who received more than $1 billion from the Saudi fund in September 2018. According to reports, it hasn’t raised any additional money since. Its construction for the production facility is nearing completion and If all goes as planned, a luxurious new battery-electric sedan will roll off its production line this year. Furthermore, Lucid is expecting delivery in early 2021. Aside from supplying batteries to Formula E racing, it’s gearing up to reveal its final production-ready Lucid Air sedan. Prices start at $60,000 with the Lucid Air offering an impressive 400-mile range, a top speed of 200 miles per hour, and a claimed zero-to-60-mph time of just 2.5 seconds. What Is Lucid Motors’ Stock Price? That’s the thing. Lucid Motors’ stock price doesn’t exist yet. Lucid was founded in 2007 under the name Atieva. Originally it focused on building electric vehicle batteries and powertrains for other vehicle manufacturers. But fast-forward a few years and the company rebranded to Lucid Motors in October 2016. It then officially announced its intent to develop an all-electric, high-performance luxury vehicle. Other notable leadership includes former Tesla alum, Peter Hochholdinger and Eric Bach. Michael Carter is Lucid’s Vice President of People. He’s responsible for bringing all of these different minds together. His track record includes stints at Cisco, Qualcomm, and Intel. One of the people that isn’t on the team nor has any involvement with the company is L. Michael Hone. He’s the listed CEO for a company called Caliber Imaging & Diagnostics. That’s an OTC Listed, “dark or defunct” penny stock trading under the symbol LCDX. Formerly known as Lucid Inc., the company changed its name to Caliber Imaging and Diagnostics ( LCDX Stock Report) in August of 2012. The focus of the company was to deliver identification tech for the diagnosis of certain diseases like skin cancer. Frankly speaking, had the company stuck around, they might have been able to take advantage of COVID testing. Learn About Penny Stocks But the last PR to grace the newswires came out in 2014. Its last filing came out that year too. But I can see how this is confusing to some. A search for Lucid Motors stock produces results of other financial sites identifying LCDX as an associated ticker. The name changed to Caliber Imaging. The only thing relating LCDX and Lucid right now is a name that changed Augst 16, 2012.	https://medium.com/datadriveninvestor/penny-stocks-mistaken-identity-lucid-motors-in-focus-61675b9ab1db	['Joe Sirianni']	2020-09-11 03:10:38.470000+00:00	['Stocks', 'Electric Car', 'Lucid', 'Finance', 'Investing']
Review: Highway Networks — Gating Function To Highway (Image Classification)	Review: Highway Networks — Gating Function To Highway (Image Classification) Highway Networks, Inspired By LSTM, Using Gating Function, More Than 1000 Layers. Gating Function to Highway In this story, Highway Networks is briefly presented. This is a 2015 work. At that moment, it is found that there is difficulties optimizing a very deep neural network. However, it’s still an open problem why it is difficult to optimize a deep network. (Of course, later, it is probably due to gradient vanishing problem.) Inspired by Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM), authors thereby make use of gating function to adaptively transform or bypass the signal so that the network can go deeper. A deep network with more than 1000 layers can also be optimized. I choose to present this paper so that I can introduce the gating function. Highway Networks initially was presented in 2015 ICML Deep Learning Workshop and published as a 2015 arXiv tech report with over 600 citations. And later on it is extended and published in 2015 NIPS with over 500 citations. (Sik-Ho Tsang @ Medium)	https://towardsdatascience.com/review-highway-networks-gating-function-to-highway-image-classification-5a33833797b5	['Sik-Ho Tsang']	2019-03-20 16:07:26.744000+00:00	['Machine Learning', 'Image Classification', 'Artificial Intelligence', 'Data Science', 'Deep Learning']
Software testing using Agile and Waterfall methodologies	Software testing approaches should follow the principles of the software development methodology you are working with. How do the differences between Agile and Waterfall methodologies impact software testing strategies? Agile Agile includes a number of iterative development methodologies where software testing should be a continuous process. It means that bug fixing should take place within all the stages of software development. Agile is flexible and test plans can be changed with every new feature implementation. It allows the QA teams to get continuous feedback and achieve the highest quality of the software project. The most important thing in successful Agile software testing is interaction. Agile QA teams value collaboration with developers and customers over documentation and following the plan. Usually, testers have a reusable checklist where they make changes from iteration to iteration. Agile testing process often consists of activities similar to Waterfall but handled within a sprint (with the addition of Regression testing). Depending on the needs of specific project Agile testing lifecycle can be formed of different phases, activities and approaches such as: Impact assessment The activity where communication with stakeholders plays an important role. The gathered information will be useful for the next deployment cycle. The activity where communication with stakeholders plays an important role. The gathered information will be useful for the next deployment cycle. Testing planning This stage is to plan the testing process and discuss the frequency of the meetings and time frames. This stage is to plan the testing process and discuss the frequency of the meetings and time frames. Daily Scrums The everyday meeting approach used to check the status of development and testing as well as set goals for today. The everyday meeting approach used to check the status of development and testing as well as set goals for today. Agility Reviews An approach that involves weekly meetings with stakeholders to review the progress and assess it against milestones. An approach that involves weekly meetings with stakeholders to review the progress and assess it against milestones. Release readiness Time to discuss with the team whether the implemented features are ready to go live. Agile software testing can become a perfect solution for large-scale projects with changing requirements. Waterfall In the Waterfall methodology, software testing takes a separate phase when the code is already finished. It includes all the testing activities made towards software components and features. Still, QA Engineers can perform some quality-focused activities during the other phases. For example, it can be fault prevention activities like verification of technical documentation or defect containment activities during the support stage. Software development and testing using Waterfall or other traditional methodologies require clear elaborate documentation. All the requirements should be carefully considered before the development phase because there will be no option to change them anymore. It means that all the testing activities will refer to the documentation that has been approved at the beginning. In Waterfall model test cases are created once at the very beginning and testing process can include the following: Requirements gathering and specifications analysis Сreation of documents with complete information of the project including features, design specifications and other requirements. Documentation will help to understand how the system should work. Сreation of documents with complete information of the project including features, design specifications and other requirements. Documentation will help to understand how the system should work. Test implementation The stage for developing requirements trace matrix, various test cases, test plans, test designs, unit tests and so on. The stage for developing requirements trace matrix, various test cases, test plans, test designs, unit tests and so on. Integration and system testing Time for performing main testing activities and produce test results including bug reports, test status reports and others. Time for performing main testing activities and produce test results including bug reports, test status reports and others. Operations and maintenance This stage is for support and bug fixing if it is needed. Waterfall testing approach can be very useful for small software projects with predetermined plan. Differences between Agile and Waterfall allow you to choose an environment that will be the most effective for your project. Whatever methodology you choose, Exposit QA engineers can provide you with quality software testing services using the most suitable testing approaches and techniques.	https://medium.com/@exposit/software-testing-using-agile-and-waterfall-methodologies-7c462cedeb0e	[]	2019-08-22 14:35:42.781000+00:00	['Waterfall', 'Software Testing', 'Quality Assurance', 'Agile', 'Software Testing Services']
Stories of Tanggramer 4.0: Always stay with you	As the name implies, Stories of Tanggramer is our special edition to tell stories of Tanggram’s customers and merchants all across Australia after they joined Tanggram. Today the story is about James. James works in the finance industry. He has been investing in the Tanggram Seed fund for around 5 months and earning stable income every month. One of his repeated sentences is, “Wealth always stays with me.” Recently, he has been addicted to Tanggram Group Buy which offers premium selections of products from Tanggram merchants, not only the food, but also services and products that makes life easier and more comfortable. “Look, I’ve just bought this lamp from Tanggram Group Buy on Black Friday.” James showed me the picture of this cute aromatherapy lamp on his bedside, “I’m used to adding three drops of essential oils, usually lavender to my aromatherapy lamp every night. The smell is quite nice. And you can also adjust the light to keep it soft and restful.” During the conversation, James said that he has been working with a lot of pressure lately. “But…Thanks to this cute lamp, I felt like I was accompanied with warmth and peace.” James smiled. He loves Tanggram Group Buy because the products and services are reliable and it offers best deals. “I started to use Group Buy since the second lockdown in Melbourne. It offers such a great price from lots of well-known restaurants such as Wagyu Ya, Tim Ho Wan and Crystal Jade. And now there are also lots of choices on service and electronic products. The best part is that the shopping rewards I earned helped grow my wealth even quicker, imagining how amazing it is that 10% of my daily spending can be invested into my investment accounts every week.” James said. “Health stays with me. Love stays with me. Wealth stays with me. ” Tanggram Group Buy Intro: Tanggram launched the new app feature — Group Buy during the lockdown in Melbourne. Customers are able to purchase the premium selections of products from Tanggram merchants. Tanggram aims to create a simple and refreshing in-app shopping experience and we have helped our users earn thousands of T-Points rewards. Upcoming events: $5 voucher for Laguna QV Supermarket, Mr Rhino Supermarket & Liquor Store and Foodie Mart.	https://medium.com/@tanggram/stories-of-tanggramer-4-0-always-stay-with-you-e3bcfa286a83	[]	2020-12-14 02:46:58.502000+00:00	['Fintech', 'Investing', 'Wealth', 'Money Management', 'Group Buy']
How To Use Tested Theories For Informative Social Media Communication	How To Use Tested Theories For Informative Social Media Communication Pinterest’s significance to society of being able to draw people together in a way that transcends barriers is enticing change. Vanessa Shepherd Jun 17·4 min read In Communication, the Medium is the Message In his book, Understanding Media, McLuhan (McLuhan, 1969) talks about “the medium is the message.” He considers media as being an extension of ourselves, that it is not so much the content of media, so much as the structural changes that it introduces to society over time. McLuhan’s argument is that the message is the change that a new invention or pattern that is introduced. The medium, on the other hand, is where change emerges. If Pinterest is the medium, then the change it causes can be the ability to be electronically interdependent on each other to garner new ideas, and to find like-minded individuals with similar values and interests despite differences in geography, culture, or spoken/written language. Pinterest’s significance to society of being able to draw people together in a way that transcends barriers is enticing change. More visual communication media and designs for digital media are emerging in the wake of discovering how Pinterest has been successful in connecting people, brands, and ideas through largely visual means with some written or verbal support provided through the descriptions of each pin and the link to larger content on another website or publication. Pinterest’s ability to entice structural change in society to earn an acceptance of visual communication as being as significant as written or verbal communication has sparked a new pattern of behavior that will likely have an effect on other social media sites and the online behaviors of individuals and organizations alike. Online Communication Creates a Global Village “The new electronic interdependence recreates the world in the image of a global village”, stated by Marshall McLuhan identifies the formation of tribes, or a return to the formation of tribes in a modern time (McLuhan & Fiore, 1967). McLuhan’s global village identified the retribalization process, or the reconnection of people in, “a new state of multitudinous tribal existences” (Norden, 1969, 2004). The invention of the world wide web allowed for the creation of a global village digitally, which has the ability to include offline activities as an extension of the use of the internet by individuals around the world. McLuhan spoke to the use of technology to help with the tribalization process, which extends everywhere, to the realm of personal space and the corporate world. Pinterest is a Link Between Online and Offline Communication Pinterest utilizes the internet to provide a link between online and offline activities. Individuals can collect ideas, thoughts, pictures, videos, and information digitally using Pinterest’s pinboards as a way to store it for future use in an offline activity, like planning a wedding or renovating a house, or for use in an online activity, such as opening a web-based business. Pinterest embodies McLuhan’s state of multitudinous tribal existences by allowing people to enter into real-time communication constantly, and to organize tribes by various factors, such as around specific ideas, values, or interests. Using simple, visual layouts and descriptive guides to help individuals connect again and again to organize themselves into very specific tribes is significant because being able to share ideas despite communication barriers brings a sense of true global interconnectivity to create a global village where people are interconnected and part of a variety of smaller tribes, while still being part of a larger village. Read the rest of the series here: Part 1: How many people use Pinterest before they buy? Part 2:What is Pinterest all about? Why should I care? Part 3: This is the best place to find user-found content: Pinterest Part 4: Did you know complexity theory is helpful for social media? Part 5: How To Use Tested Theories For Informative Social Media Communication (current post) Part 6: This is huge! Pinterest impacts society in a big way References McLuhan, M. (1964). Understanding media: The extensions of man. New York: McGraw-Hill McLuhan, M., & Fiore, Q. (1967). The medium is the message: An inventory of effects. Berkeley, CA: Gingko Press. Norden, E. (1969, 2004). The Playboy Interview: Marshall McLuhan. Playboy Magazine. Retrieved from http://www.mcluhanmedia.com/m_mcl_inter_pb_01.html.	https://medium.com/@shesgotvision/how-to-use-tested-theories-for-informative-social-media-communication-3cb671cc5cef	['Vanessa Shepherd']	2021-06-17 15:02:52.851000+00:00	['Social Media Marketing', 'Pinterest', 'Entrepreneurship', 'Social Media', 'Business Owner']
Promises and perils of the blockchain technology	The financial crisis of 2008 left the world with devastated economies and a grave distrust of financial markets. Amidst this huge crisis that led to layoffs, bankruptcies and tremendous destruction, a research paper titled “Bitcoin: A Peer-to-Peer Electronic Cash System” by Satoshi Nakamoto, gained grounds for its invention of the blockchain and the cryptocurrency of Bitcoin. Its promise of a tamper-proof and transparent financial instrument attracted businesses, banks and even governments. But today after over a decade, we have come a long way from using blockchain as just a ‘digital currency’ to driving the entire supply chain. So, what is the future of blockchain? And can it fulfill its promise of transparency, accountability and traceability? What exactly is a blockchain? The blockchain is a distributed ledger system to store data securely. Every data entry is stored as a block on a decentralized server network made of multiple computers called nodes. The block contains the data, an encrypted id called hash and a pointer to the next block. This structure allows it to form a linear chain. One can only add blocks to the network and once it’s added, it can’t be altered (possible in some cases) or changed. Each block is added after taking the consensus of numerous users in the network. The consensus is determined by an algorithm, using which each user (also called miner) verifies the transaction by solving a cryptographic puzzle. The user in need for a new block pays a share of cryptocurrency to the users validating his request for a new block. Although this is the general structure of how a cryptocurrency system operates, each organisation has its different procedure; Bitcoin focuses on “Digital Money” while Ethereum works on “Smart Contracts” which give an additional feature of building Decentralized Applications (DApps). Towards every walk of life Previously the only application of blockchain was digital money. Over time it has been majorly used in the supply chain and digital verification systems. However presently, the blockchain community has made large developments in using this technology across all domains of our life. In the entertainment industry, companies like LIVE are making crowdfunding possible on the blockchain. Music giant Spotify is also trying to better connect artists and licensing agreements with the tracks using blockchain Teams like Aidcoin have revolutionized the anonymous charity process using decentralized apps. MIT Media Labs have also come up with MedRec that stores Electronic Health Records on the blockchain. These records can be accessed by any hospital in the network to know a patient’s history. In the present day, this technology has gained trust to an extent that states such as Dubai and Estonia claim to entrust the entire nation’s identities and documents with the blockchain. Blockchain is also being used to exchange carbon credits for green energy. Blockchain is gaining fame as a secure tamper-proof storage system but the question is if it living up to its promise or not. Storing wrong data forever In Supply Chain Management, the entire life cycle of a product, from manufacturing plants to reaching the retail stores, is recorded using the permanent data ledgers of the blockchain. This can be used to trace the origins and shipments of any product. But the sensors and systems of major production plants are old and the guarantee that correct data is entered in the blockchain is very less. Corrupt data entries could also be due to human errors in the network. The corrupt data if once entered in a blockchain will stay there forever. Therefore, it is necessary to have high precision instruments that can be automated. Restrictions within nations and networks The dreams of a unified currency which will enable seamless transactions across borders are yet to be fulfilled. If a country does not permit use of blockchain, the use of simple applications like supply chain and smart contracts becomes very difficult. Nations such as China and Taiwan have prohibited the system and do not allow the use of cryptocurrencies. Some, like India, are yet to give a clear stance. In response to the questions raised in the Parliament of India, Shri Pon Radhakrishnan, Minister of State for Financial Affairs in his recent report declared, “The government has not recognized cryptocurrencies as legal tender. The issue of permitting trading in cryptocurrencies is currently under examination by an inter-ministerial committee.” Since the use of cryptocurrencies is not allowed, some countries in the supply chain or chain of other transactions might not be able to be a part of a blockchain network. Hence the end to end networks cannot be established. Another issue is that there are many types of blockchain, each taking a different approach to the same end goal of efficient data storage. The lack of interoperability restricts consumers and traders to exchange goods and services with those who are not on the same blockchain. Volatile markets and wary investors The bitcoin boom in the winter of 2017 led to skyrocketing prices of cryptocurrencies. This buzz led many people to invest in these crypto coins. But as soon as the wave passed, the values dropped sharply by almost 75% within six months. Many people lost their hard earned savings in the boom and are yet to recover from the setback of this volatile market. These days, fraudulent startups have also become a big nuisance. As investors clamour in to bet their money early-on in blockchain startups, there have been numerous cases when the team ran away with their investors’ money. In recent times, Confido is one of the most talked about example. The co founders pulled an exit scam after raising around a half a million USD in cryptocurrencies. These losses have led to a slight hesitation of investors in the blockchain based startups. Brad Garlinghouse, CEO of the fourth largest cryptocurrency, Ripple, said in an interview that a lot of Initial Coin Offerings, or the IPOs of cryptocurrencies, are frauds and people must study the company well before investing. Trust Issues The Ethereum Project, launched in 2015, introduced additional features in the prevalent Bitcoin system. It deploys smart contracts into decentralized applications (Dapps) in addition to its own language Solidity. Its currency unit Ether has become the second largest blockchain project in terms of market cap. However, on the 5th of January 2019, many reports claimed that the entire Ethereum Classic (ETC) blockchain was hacked. The assurance of a tamper-proof system was completely quashed. The problem is that if any user gets control over more than 51% of the computing power or blocks in the blockchain then (s)he can add a different branch of blocks to hack the complete data. The hack caused losses worth 219,500 ETC (~$1.1M) to multiple companies that deployed their software on the ETC framework. As the losses were not as high, the blockchain community has survived with a tale to tell. Ethereum’s newer products have also shifted from the conventional proof of work consensus method to the proof of stake and concept methods. The road ahead… Despite all the issues, the road is very long for this tech and such setbacks will only mean that the research community will be coming with solutions to the above problems sooner or later. There are startups and ventures already working to solve the problems mentioned above. Efforts have already been made to hold elections on the blockchain. With many candidates funding their election campaigns using cryptocurrencies, the elections are slowly moving towards an entirely blockchain based experience. Startups like VeChain and WaltonChain are building different methods to improve the supply chain. The recent GDPR Laws by the European Union shows that they are strongly deliberating over the uses of blockchain across borders. Regulator companies have been able to reduce frauds to quite an extent. The recent research on consensus algorithms and cryptography show that there is more to the tech than meets the eye and it is a mere matter of time when blockchain will take over our secret diaries and bank lockers! Has the blockchain been able to fulfil its promises? Somewhat. But is it going to fail in the long term? Probably not!	https://medium.com/@manasbedmutha98/promises-and-perils-of-the-blockchain-technology-1257b21d6e82	['Manas Satish Bedmutha']	2019-03-31 16:58:13.770000+00:00	['Startup', 'Ethereum', 'Blockchain', 'Future', 'Bitcoin']
Connect Google Sheets to MongoDB and Automate Updates with Triggers	A simple guide to connect sheets with MongoDB and automate updates. Using the ‘Stitch’ service in MongoDB not longer works since this is now deprecated and has been replaced with Realm. I’ll show you how to connect google sheets to MongoDB and automate updates with triggers using Realm in this article (you can also watch the YouTube video I made here if you prefer video format). The first step is to create a MongoDB account if you haven’t already. You can signup and create a free one with ~half a GB of storage. Create a new cluster and select your preferred cloud provider and region (this can take a few minutes to complete setting up). Source: MongoDB Once the cluster is created click on the ‘Realm’ button near the top left corner. Then click the green ‘Create a New App’ button near the top right. Name the application whatever you want and once created click on ‘3rd Party Services’ under the “Build” section on the left hand side of the screen. Click the ‘Add Services’ button and then click the ‘HTTP’ option. Name and add the service. Next, click on the ‘Add Incoming Webhook’ button. We can leave the settings to whatever is specified by default unless you want to change them. Go to the ‘Function Editor’ tab and replace the code there with the code below: exports = async function(payload) { const mongodb = context.services.get("mongodb-atlas"); const eventsdb = mongodb.db("googlesheetsdb"); const eventscoll = eventsdb.collection("animal_records"); const result= await eventscoll.insertOne(payload.query); var id = result.insertedId.toString(); if(result) { return JSON.stringify(id,false,false); } return { text: `Error saving` }; } Click the ‘Run’ button in the bottom right of the text editor and then click ‘REVIEW & DEPLOY’ to deploy this code on the app. Once deployed go to your Goolge Sheet and click tools -> script editor. And then replaced the empty default ‘MyFunction()’ with the below code: function connectToMongDB(){ var sh1 = SpreadsheetApp.getActiveSpreadsheet().getSheetByName(“Sheet1”) var rng = sh1.getDataRange().getValues(); for(var i=1;i<rng.length; i++){ var formData = { ‘name’: rng[i][0], ‘designation’:rng[i][1] } var params = { ‘method’ : ‘post’, ‘payload’: formData } var getId = UrlFetchApp.fetch(‘<YOUR_WEBHOOK_URL>’, params); sh1.getRange(i+1, 4).setValue(getId); } } Notice, the sheet name in the third line is “Sheet1”. Make sure this is the same name as the name of your sheet in the Google Sheets. Also note, the last line of code with update the fourth column (column D) of our google sheet with a confirmation code from MongoDB that that row has been recorded. If you don’t want this then just get rid of the last line. In the second to last line we’ll need to update the '<YOUR_WEBHOOK_URL>' with the unique webhook URL associated with our deployed service. Go back to the deployed service and in the settings tab under the ‘WEBHOOK SETTINGS’ section copy the webhook URL and then paste this in place of '<YOUR_WEBHOOK_URL>' in the Google Sheets script. Run the code in the Google Sheets script editor, making sure to name and save the script and giving MongoDB access to Google Sheets. If you get a “Script function not found: MyFunction” error just click the run button again as the function name hasn’t updated. Once this runs we can go back to our cluster and click on the “collections” tab and then the name of our application. This will show us the data pulled in from our Google Sheet as well as the confirmation IDs for that row of data. If you kept the last line of code that we used for our service then the confirmation IDs will now be shown in the specified column of the Google Sheet. Lastly, we’ll likely want to automate the data being pulled from the Google Sheet. We can do this by going back to the Google Sheets script editor and clicking the clock symbol to the left of the run arrow. Click the “Add Trigger” button. We can then configure this run the script in Google Sheets based on various criteria, such as every time the sheet is updated (e.g. from a Google Form) or some interval of time. Save this and now we our Google Sheets will automatically update our MongoDB cluster! Thanks for reading and make sure to check out the YouTube video and subscribe there and on here for more technical guides!	https://medium.com/@trevorstanley/connect-google-sheets-to-mongodb-and-automate-updates-with-triggers-323cbd0d5228	['Trevor Stanley']	2020-11-27 22:07:38.004000+00:00	['Google Sheets Script', 'Technical Guide', 'Automation', 'Google Sheets', 'Mongodb']
You don’t have to wait for 2021	2021, you don’t have to wait, prince, canva designs Most of us are pro when it comes to making New Year resolutions and New Year checklists but are so poor in making it a reality. The way we hype the New Year has made us think it comes with one magical power. The New Year is just a new day, the only thing that would make it different is the way we approach it and act in it. Waiting for the New Year before taking those steps is nothing but sheer laziness. The New Year is not a big deal. What makes it a big deal is what you do about the new day. Every millisecond, second, minute, hour, day, week, month and year is new because you haven’t experienced it before. If only we approach the smallest fragment of the year that is, the millisecond the way we approach the New Year, we would have outgrown our current level. I used the word “we” because I am also guilty of this. We don’t have to wait until 2021 to accomplish those great feats. In one way or the order, New Year resolution is just a mirage. For those that it works for, you are simply amazing. You see a need to get better at a thing, don’t wait till next year. You feel you should write a book, take a new course, and take the dance lessons; start that NGO or project, start now. Now is always the perfect time to start. Let 2021 meet you intentional. You need so much positive energies for 2021 to be that year you’ve envisioned. Are you ready for 2021?	https://medium.com/@princeorji/you-dont-have-to-wait-for-2021-2e6730c406d	['Prince Orji']	2020-12-16 09:14:47.120000+00:00	['New Year Resolutions', '2021', 'Achieve Your Dream', 'New Day', 'Goals']
Data Types in Python	Variables in Python A variable is a named storage location where you can save some value when you execute your code. It takes some space in your RAM and its value persists till the time your code is executing. E.g # Without variables # Add two numbers print(10+20) #With variables a=20 b=20 print(a+b) The benefit of saving your values to a variable is that the values and calculation (addition in our case addition) can be reused in some further parts of the code. Comments A comment is a line in your code that you don’t want to run but write them just for some reference in your code like explaining what your code is doing. E.g #this line do addition c=a+b In python, comments can be done using a ‘#’ symbol in the start of the line. It will inform the interpreter not to execute that line. Data Types in Python A data type in python refers to different formats of data that we can use in python. We are not always working with the same type of data. For example, to store the details of a student I will need different values like Name: ”Tarun” Age: 18 Percentage: 89.5 Subjects: [‘Maths’,”English”,’Hindi’,’Sci’,’SST’] In this above example, we can clearly see that the data with which we want to work is in different formats like the name is a string type, age is an int type, the percentage is a float type and subjects is of type list. Following are the different data types supported by python: Integers Float String List Dictionary Boolean Set Tuple int (Integers) An int data type is used to save a whole number. It does not support numbers with decimal places. There are two ways in which you can create an int variable SYNTAX: <variable-name>=int(<value>) <variable-name>=<value> #value is a whole number float (Decimal numbers) A float data type is used to save numbers with decimal values like 10.2, 52.223. There are two ways in which you can create a float variable SYNTAX: <variable-name>=float(<value>) <variable-name>=<value> #value is a decimal number str(Strings) A string data type is used to save the values of type strings like names, addresses, etc. In python, anything enclosed in single quotes (‘) of (“) is considered as a string. SYNTAX: <variable name>=str(“<value>”) <variable name>=str(‘<value>’) <variable name>=“<value>” <variable name>=“<value>” Strings are internally treated as a list in python (List data types are covered next). Strings various functions in which are pre-defined and can be used in the python code. Some of the functions are as follows: Capitalize () Capitalizes the first letter of the string Count (str, beg= 0, end=len (string)) Counts how many times str occurs in a string or in a substring of string if starting index beg and ending index end are given. endswith (suffix, beg=0, end=len (string)) Determines if a string or a substring of string (if starting index beg and ending index end are given) ends with a suffix; returns true if so and false otherwise. find (str, beg=0 end=len (string)) Determine if str occurs in a string or in a substring of string if starting index beg and ending index end are given returns index if found and -1 otherwise index (str, beg=0, end=len (string)) Same as find (), but raises an exception if str not found isalnum () Returns true if the string has at least 1 character and all characters are alphanumeric and false otherwise isalpha() Returns true if the string has at least 1 character and all characters are alphabetic and false otherwise isdigit() Returns true if the string contains only digits and false otherwise islower() Returns true if the string has at least 1 cased character and all cased characters are in lowercase and false otherwise isnumeric() Returns true if a Unicode string contains only numeric characters and false otherwise isspace() Returns true if the string contains only whitespace characters and false otherwise. istitle() Returns true if the string is properly “title cased” and false otherwise isupper() Returns true if the string has at least one cased character and all cased characters are in uppercase and false otherwise join(seq) Merges (concatenates) the string representations of elements in sequence seq into a string, with separator string len(string) Returns the length of the string lower() Converts all uppercase letters in a string to lowercase lstrip() Removes all leading whitespace in string replace(old, new [, max]) Replaces all occurrences of old in a string with new or at most max occurrences if max given split(str=””, num=string.count(str)) Splits string according to delimiter str (space if not provided) and returns list of substrings; split into at most num substrings if given startswith(str, beg=0,end=len(string)) Determines if a string or a substring of string (if starting index beg and ending index end are given) starts with substring str; returns true if so and false otherwise strip([chars]) Performs both lstrip() and rstrip() on string title() Returns “titlecased” version of the string, that is, all words begin with uppercase and the rest are lowercase upper() Converts lowercase letters in a string to uppercase In the Next Blog, we will know about the List, Set, Dictionary and Tuple Data Types. Thanks For Learning with me and subscribe for learning more and get notifications for new blogs and videos: Blog link: TechScouter Channel link: The Data Singh	https://medium.com/analytics-vidhya/data-types-in-python-c23b8178f96d	['Japneet Singh Chawla']	2020-10-18 13:15:01.280000+00:00	['Python Programming', 'Python Tutorial', 'Python', 'Pythonprogramminglanguage']
An Alternative Take on the Taliban Victory	I recently spoke with an old friend who directs a very large a humanitarian operation in Afghanistan. I called him up ready to commiserate about the catastrophe that was the Taliban victory, and to lament the end of international attempts to bring good government, human rights, gender equality, and all the rest of the “ liberal state building package “ to this long-tortured Central Asian country. My friend, an American who has spend roughly 40 years working in Asia, Africa, Latin America and the Middle East with a very large and respected humanitarian group, had a different view. “Our hundreds of staff spread out across the country are reporting no major abuses, as of yet, by the Taliban,” he said as Kabul fell, “and everyone seems relieved that the war ended so quickly, without many civilian casualties.” For now, he said, the Taliban were behaving better in victory than any conquering army he’d ever seen. “iIt’s almost a miracle,” he said. “We were expecting the worst, and that hasn’t happened, at least not yet.” His main point, I think, was that the Taliban victory has finally put an end to the 20-year civil war that has killed roughly 71,000 Afghan and Pakistan civilians from 2001 through April 2021, according to Brown University’s Costs of War Project. Ending that conflict was my friend’s first concern, and he is now relieved that the ambushes, pitched battles, land raids, air strikes, and artillery fire are over, at least for now. That, in and of itself, has quickly boosted the welfare of most Afghanis, perhaps more than any of the many agricultural and feeding programs his group supports throughout the country. I thought of an argument I once had with the head of the UN operation in Congo-Brazzaville back in 2000, when my friend and I were researching a scholarly article on the end of that country’s brutal three rounds of civil war. “Peace is a human right too,” the UN head told me angrily when I complained about the organization’s unwillingness to hand over low-level war criminals to the International Criminal court. I even wrote an op ed in Canada’s Globe and Mail, complaining about the UN’s integration of these low level abusers into internationally funded employment training programs. I was wrong, I now realize. Peace really is a human right, and is good for all kinds of other things, including the economy, agriculture, public health, and more. The end of a war — any war — is reason to celebrate. The fighting in Congo, or in Afghanistan, had long ago turned into a net loss for the local population, no matter what ideals were at stake, and no matter who won. All the international aid programs in the world weren’t going to compensate for the horrors of combat in the midst of civilian populations. Now, Afghanis will have to deal with a declining economy, the departure of some of the population’s most skilled labor, potential international sanctions and, of course, Taliban methods of governance. If the Taliban revert to their style from the late 1990s, the picture will be grim indeed. My friend with the humanitarian operations in Afghan and elsewhere, however, has some hope. “Our group has been working in Taliban-held areas for years,” he explained, “and we have been able to operate without hindrance. The Taliban seem to know that letting the population do well economically is good for them. They don’t want to disrupt that.” Let’s hope he is right. I guess we’ll find out in the next 6–12 months.	https://medium.com/@james-ron/an-alternative-take-on-the-taliban-victory-4654a643f9b8	['James Ron']	2021-09-09 19:59:27.652000+00:00	['Afghanistan', 'Humanitarian Crisis', 'Taliban', 'Human Rights', 'Current Events']
Shouldn’t Humans Tip For Hard Work?	Humanity Shouldn’t Humans Tip For Hard Work? Photo by Wolfgang Hasselmann on Unsplash At the retirement community where we live, snow plowing and shoveling are included in our rent. A local landscaper provides the equipment and the people. That can be brutal work, especially the shoveling, so I make sure that I tip these people something several times per season. I don’t usually give much; maybe $5 to $10. There are other people who do the same, and I believe we all hope that the workers soothe their cold and tired bodies with a warm meal paid for by our tips. A few years back we had a really bad storm. The plowers and shovelers worked for days to clean it up. I ran out to give the plow guy a twenty and later gave a few more dollars to the people who did my walk. I also started a GoFundMe to raise money to thank all the workers. We raised over $1,000, pretty miserly for a community of over 900 homes, and more so when $250 of it was from me! But at least it was something. A friend of mine from our community reacted badly. He told me that I was a fool, that the service is included in our rent, that the workers were being paid and we should not tip them anything. He became so incensed that he cut off our friendship. I have not heard a word from him since then. I gave the check to the landscaping company; they threw a private party for the employees. I wished it had been more, but at least we acknowledged their efforts. Two nights ago we had a medium storm. My security camera alerted me that two shovelers had started on my walk, so I went looking for my wallet. All I had was twenty dollar bills and all my wife had was a few dollar bills. Neither was really appropriate, but dammit, it was very cold and windy. I gave them a twenty. Yes, they get paid, and yes, they probably have other jobs as well, and yes, most are young and healthy and do this by choice. They might even have more income than I do at this point in my life. But I don’t know that; I don’t know who struggles and who does not. I only know that it was bitterly cold and they had a long night ahead. It’s brutal work. Not the worst storm we’ve seen or likely will see, but brutal work. I can afford twenty bucks and I would not feel human if I did not do that. My miserly friend doesn’t know about that. I feel sorry for him.	https://medium.com/wrong-wrong-wrong/shouldnt-humans-tip-for-hard-work-108e59f66d3c	['Anthony Lawrence']	2020-12-18 11:07:13.501000+00:00	['Work', 'Tipping', 'Charity', 'Manual Labor', 'Snow']
Congratulations, Your Life is Perfect	When I published the story of my father’s shattered childhood, my cousins and even my best friend replied, “I never knew.” I am reminded of the popular sentiment that circulates on social media: Everyone is fighting a battle you know nothing about: Be kind. That’s the way it is with family secrets and brokenness. I didn’t know either, until one day when I was in my early thirties my father decided to tell his life story. It was at the dinner table after a New Year’s Day meal. I squeezed my little son closer to my heart as I listened to the horror that was my father’s childhood. A story of abandonment, sorrow, and abuse. For days I reeled with the truth of what my father's life had been like as a child and how it had shaped who he was as the man I knew — or never really knew. I was consumed with a small picture I had of him as a boy — now I saw the sorrow in his eyes, now I saw the broken boy that stilled lived inside the man. I called my mom and asked for more details, angry that I had not known these things about my father. But, I railed at her, I could have understood him better. I could have seen his harshness as a reflection of his own hurt and shame. Maybe I would have been able to love him better. Why didn't you tell me? I am reminded of the popular sentiment that circulates on social media: Everyone is fighting a battle you know nothing about: Be kind. My father’s wounds shaped my life too. His broken spirit leaked into me as sure as a pile of grease soaks everything it comes into contact with. Not willingly or knowingly, he passed down shame, sorrow, and elements of an abused and orphaned spirit. My father never abused me but the empty places in his heart left holes in mine too. Genetic research and science now show us that trauma changes us, not just emotionally, but literally changes our DNA. These changes, the trauma, can be passed down to our children. We are the result of all that our parents were at the time of conception. This truth is mind-blowing to me but it has helped me understand my place in the lineage of trauma and pain. And it has helped me undo some of it and learn to walk differently. It’s also opened my eyes to understand those people groups who seem stuck, unable to walk out of poverty, generational abuse, and hopelessness. I now see that the trauma of genocide and generational poverty and despair shapes the lives of those who enter the world even generations after the wrongs have taken place. My father never abused me but the empty places in his heart left holes in mine too. The past is in the past, or is it? I posted something on Facebook about the broken Indian treaties left in the wake of the United States’ quest for land. I was subsequently harassed by a Facebook “friend” who accused me of using the post as a divisive and political tactic. A little searching of my writings would have enlightened her to the truth that I am not seeking a divisive platform but rather an inclusive, a let’s-sit-at-the-table-and-talk place for all. Her ensuing comments reflected an attitude that I can only, for lack of a better term, call ignorant. “The past is the past,” she said, “and why can’t we all just move on?” Her defense also included this statement: “Most white settlers were nice people.” To which I will sort of agree but we’re not talking about the intent of the settlers and settlers were not hired by the government to kill native Americans. The government of the United States (Canada too), compelled by greed, power, and the misdirected belief in “manifest destiny” orchestrated the murder of Indians, the stealing of land, the desecration of spiritual lands and burial grounds, and the destruction of the buffalo — thereby indirectly killing thousands of Indians and their way of life. I replied, “It is easy for you to say that the past is the past.” For many, the past is their present reality and moving on — well, if there were a path for them to move onto I am sure they would. I have been burdened by this callousness that speaks to an unwillingness of some to get their hands dirty, an inability to sit with the weakest of society. What saddens me further, almost to the edge of anger, is that these “pull-yourself-up-by-your-bootstraps” proponents are self-proclaiming Christians. I am not here to bash Christians because I still consider myself a follower of Christ, but I have come to look not on what one calls themselves or where they park their butt on Sunday morning for an hour, but rather on how they treat those who cannot repay them, how they respond to the cries of injustice, or how they use their words and freedom of expression to negate the pain and brokenness around them. Congratulations, former Facebook friend, your life is perfect But for many in the USA and Canada, it is still not. It is a cycle of pain, poverty, addiction, and abuse. Suffering and setbacks that cannot be overcome with a dismissive swipe of the hand that says “the past is the past — move on”. I’d like for that former Facebook friend to say “the past is the past” to the Navajo mother who has no running water to wash her hands and dishes or to give her baby a bath. I’d like her to tell that to the little girl in the ghetto whose mother is addicted to drugs and whose father is in prison for life for a minor, non-violent crime because he was caught in the political war on drugs. I wonder if she’d be willing to cast this unhelpful phrase into the lap of the son whose father was sexually abused in a residential school in Canada. A common practice sanctified by the Canadian government, native children were ripped from their families and forced to assimilate in church-run schools where they were starved and abused hundreds of miles from home. The last residential school closed in 1998. If she listened to the stories, sat with the tear-stained faces, and heard the unspoken despair, would she still be so callous? Generational trauma These are examples of generational trauma that influences families and our society endlessly until the cycles are broken. It must be nice to be able to say, “The past is the past.” I wish my father had been able to snap his fingers and say that about the nightmares he experienced as he relived Catholic priests raping him. I have no doubt he would have loved to wipe away the deep, throbbing pain he must have felt everyday living in abusive foster homes while his mother slept soundly under the roof of a home she established with a new family. I find it impossible to imagine the image of Jesus swiping his hand in the air and exclaiming, “The past is the past — won’t you just move on?” without offering the tools for moving forward: compassion, understanding, grace, mercy, reconciliation, healing, empowerment — all of which he showered on those he interacted with on earth. To my former Facebook friend, I say, Congratulations, your life has been perfect. But I ask, why not be Christlike with this incredible gift and respond as Christ would?	https://medium.com/this-shall-be-our-story/congratulations-your-life-is-perfect-93f1806a002f	['Mary Gallagher']	2020-07-15 16:52:39.965000+00:00	['Trauma', 'Reconciliation', 'Christianity', 'Family', 'Abuse']
Backup System for Apache Kafka ( Part 1 )	Honestly, there aren’t many good backup tools for Apache Kafka but why we need a backup tool in first place. As Apache Kafka didn’t had any offsite backup solution or DR solutions for it, there are tricks which can be done but none are 100% reliable. Example Trick: create MM1 cluster and it will sync data one-way to another Apache Kafka Cluster Only.	https://medium.com/@116davinder/backup-system-for-apache-kafka-part-1-d3086de8788b	['Davinder Pal']	2020-12-06 18:18:05.139000+00:00	['Python', 'S3', 'Kafka', 'AWS', 'Backup']
My journey as a Product Manager at Bits of Good	I struggled to find my niche at Georgia Tech for the longest time; before BoG, I bounced around extracurriculars, rarely spending more than 2 semesters at each one since nothing I found really stuck with me. You know that saying about Tech, where you only get to choose two of three things from the Holy Trinity of enough sleep, good grades, and social life? My experience with clubs at GT has proven quite similar, albeit with different corners. In my underclassmen years, I set my bar pretty low. I thought that as long as my extracurriculars satisfied one of the three corners of the triangle, that it meant that it was worth my time. I saw it as a sort of “tax” (if you will) to pay for being in a field of study despite harboring a deep-seated aversion for its default career path. Few activities gave me the kind of rush I got from lifting weights under the bright lights for GT’s Powerlifting Team, but the guilt I experienced from neglecting my professional pursuits led me to pivot tables late into the night in front of a Bloomberg Terminal as an Analyst for the Investments Committee. And when I burned out yet again from doing something I was only doing because I felt like I should be, my pendulum swung back to the other end, where I was indulging my joie de vivre on the football pitch or under a bar of weights. So by the time I stumbled into Bits of Good with only 3 semesters to go before graduation, I was expecting no different. It only took Launch Party (our big kickoff bash, for those uninitiated) for me to realize that Bits of Good was markedly different from all of the other organizations I had joined at Tech. Yet the palpable buzz in the Garage (BoG’s de facto headquarters) from Launch Party never faded as we transitioned into our weekly routines. Within a few weeks, I found myself spending more and more of my time with my BoG peers, not because I had to, but rather because I surprisingly found myself having fun around them. My peers at BoG are diverse in their interests, incredibly passionate about what they do, impressively qualified students, and compassionate to boot. And Bits of Good made it easy for me to get involved with the community immediately and to connect with said peers, in part through weekly 1 on 1 “donut dates” (where you’re paired with a random club member for a coffee chat), fun weekly meetings, game nights, and retreats. In addition, Bits of Good encourages its members to pursue what they’re passionate about. It’s been extremely easy for me to sate my curiosity sitting in on design critiques or shadowing engineering bootcamp. I have seen plenty of members join BoG as developers or bootcampers but find their niches in product, marketing, or design, and Bits of Good always strives to accommodate its members. Our former Executive Director James always champions his preference for passion over skill and experience, and his philosophy continues to shine through at BoG. I have made so many BoG memories in such a short period of time that my eight months in the club have felt like an eternity. I would be hard pressed to forget the sheer excitement of Launch Party, the camaraderie of team outings and BoG-wide retreats, the hundreds of hours spent in meetings (in-person at first, and then on Bluejeans), and of course the hyperactive Slack and Discord that have only gotten more lively as the pandemic took hold. In addition to connecting with the BoG community, I’ve never felt more connected to a mission than in my time being a Product Manager at Bits of Good. Since my team worked with MedShare, a nonprofit with headquarters in Atlanta, my team and I were actually able to meet the people that we were working with and spend a few hours volunteering with them. Seeing all the flags of the different countries and the photographs of places and people that MedShare impacted hanging on the walls, sorting by hand through the countless medical supplies, and building relationships with the very people that would later use the mobile application we developed all helped me realize that I was helping real people passionate about making the world a better place. Being the MedShare product manager was really the first time in my life where I felt like all my skills were being put to the test. I’ve bounced around a variety of technical and non-technical roles, and the PM role at BoG was where I found my happy medium — a place where I could talk to clients and see a project through from start to finish but also exercise the skills from my classes at Tech. BoG is one of the few organizations at Tech where I found a product management culture. While it wasn’t a necessary addition to the original developmental goal of the club, there’s an underlying willingness here to carve out new roles, give people responsibility, and do things differently than other clubs that makes Bits of Good so amazing to be part of. This ethos has also led me to meet plenty of people at BoG with varying interests, from UX researchers and graphic designers to web developers and product managers that have challenged and inspired me to be better. And while my journey to Bits of Good took nearly three years, a century in college years, its impact on me has been immeasurable.	https://medium.com/bits-of-good/my-journey-as-a-product-manager-at-bits-of-good-3aa3fa130712	[]	2020-10-10 00:46:39.514000+00:00	['Nonprofit', 'Social Impact', 'Georgia Tech', 'Student Organizations', 'Product Management']
3 Benefits of the ketogenic Diet :	Keto is everywhere; it’s the new buzzword, the new favorite among those looking to shed pounds, and the new hate victim of the food-pyramid-spouting-eat-your-whole grains mainstream medical industry. The keto diet, while it is not the magic cure-all for every single disease on the planet, does a pretty dang good job at being the potential causer of healing many horrible conditions. So let’s cut through the science, separate fact from fiction, and look at the benefits of the keto diet. Benefit #1: Weight Loss Okay, so this one isn’t so astounding, but it is one of the most common reasons people embark on the keto diet. So why is weight loss usually so easy on the ketogenic diet instead of other regular diets? For all of the following reasons: • The keto diet is composed of approximately 75% fat, 20 % protein, and 5% or less carbohydrates. The high fat content and lack of sugar means diminished cravings, lack of blood sugar swings and binges, and increased satiation. Increased satiation=eating less. Many people also have food sensitivities to grains, even gluten-free ones, so eliminating them may lead to an increased ability to absorb minerals like magnesium and potassium, which in turn means your body is more nourished and you have fewer cravings Ketones. When your blood sugar is running low, your body turns to its glycogen stores for energy. Typically glycogen stores house about 2000 calories of “backup” energy for when you run out of glucose. Like the intelligent machine it is, your body depletes the glycogen stores and then turns to your own body fat for fuel. check out this brand new keto Diet offer: IMPORTANT: The ketogenic diet is not a free-for-all eat however much cheese or super low-carb fat bomb treats you want diet. If you are eating way more calories than you need, you will not lose weight. So focus on keeping your diet around fatty cuts of grass-fed meat, butter, eggs, avocados, lots of green veggies, and cruciferous, and be modest with the keto desserts, dairy, and sweets. Benefit #2: Brain Function A poorly functioning brain, as you may have already experienced, leads to lessened work productivity, which in turn means an unhappy boss, lack of job satisfaction, sugar cravings for energy, and depression. It’s a horrible domino effect. The original ketogenic diet was formulated by Dr. Russell Wilder in the early 20th century to treat epilepsy. The success rate was phenomenal and it is still used today to treat epilepsy and other brain disorders. Research also indicates that ketones are more efficient brain fuel than glucose. (Source: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5102124/) Benefit #3: Potential Cancer Benefits One study showed implementing the ketogenic diet led to a dramatically increased survival time and slower tumor growth. (Source: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5450454/) Conclusion If you’re reading this article now, chances are you are in some sort of pain, whether physical and/or mental (being overweight, struggling with autoimmune disorders, thyroid disease, fatigue, brain fog) and want to change. Use this information, don’t just skim through it and store it in the back of your brain and say “that’s nice for some people”, motivate yourself to change. the best keto diet plans	https://medium.com/@ahmedelmarofe8/3-benefits-of-the-ketogenic-diet-2e7090fd9efa	['Ahmed Amer']	2020-12-14 21:41:39.602000+00:00	['Keto Diet For Weight Loss', 'Womens Health', 'Weight Loss', 'Ketogenic Diet', 'Women']
I Didn’t Love My Baby Right Away	I look at my 6 year old now and find it hard to imagine not having my heart fill with love when I look at him. Truth be told, it wasn’t always this way. He was conceived around the time I was planning on leaving his father. Just one of those random nights of random sex. We hardly ever had sex at that point. But it only takes one time. Two weeks later, I was looking at a positive pregnancy test, crying. That second line wasn’t supposed to show up! God damn it! I don’t want another baby with this man. We decided to work on things and hopefully save the relationship. Except then he was hospitalized for 3 months due to poor life choices. It was a rough pregnancy and I essentially spent it alone, looking after our 2 year old. Am I bitter about that? You bet I am. Am I upset that I had the baby? Not at all. He is one of the best things that has ever happened in my life. I don’t regret him for a second. The love wasn’t there right away This is hard to admit; I didn’t always feel this way for him. It took a while for me to bond with him. It wasn’t like it was with his older brother. I loved him but I didn’t really like having him around. We mothers aren’t supposed to feel anything but love the minute that baby is placed on our chests after we give birth. Our hearts are supposed to swell with love at the miracle that has just happened. At least that’s what we are lead to believe. The feelings I had for him, or lack thereof, probably contributed to the postpartum depression I fell into soon after his birth. Or maybe it was the PPD that contributed to my indifference of him. Either way, I felt like a horrible mother. He was an adorable baby. As beautiful as they come, with a head full of dark hair that needed to be brushed the day he was born. He had a perfectly round head with the most kissable lips. Just perfect. I joke his cuteness saved him. I am only kind of joking when I say that. Not that I ever felt like hurting him but I sure felt like running away more times than I care to admit. Instead of love, there was indifference I did love him, I just didn’t feel that attached to him. I took care of his needs the way you would take care of a kid you were babysitting. There just wasn’t that overwhelming feeling of love when I looked at him. He cried a lot. A LOT. He slept maybe an hour at a time. He always wanted to be held, unless he didn’t. I never could figure out a way to make him happy. I got angry at him a lot. Yes, I got angry at a baby. He cried and I cried. I remember one day he was looking up at me and smiling. His older brother was climbing on me and giving me hugs. I just sat there and cried. A big, sobbing cry. I looked at both of them, “I am so sorry. I am so sorry. I am so sorry.” I kept saying, gasping for breath. I was sorry I was such a shit mother to them. I was sorry that all I wanted to do was run away and never look back. I was sorry I didn’t love them like I should. Like I thought any good mother should love her children. Turns out I wasn’t a bad mom, I was just sick This was the PPD talking here. I didn’t know it at the time. I didn’t know that feeling these dark feelings wasn’t normal. I just thought it was my fault because I didn’t want to be a mom anymore. It was something wrong with me as a person, not my defective brain. I should have sought help sooner. But I didn’t think anything was really “wrong”. Like I said, I thought I was just that bad of a person who doesn’t love her baby. What kind of monster doesn’t love her baby? Me. I was that monster. But I wasn’t a monster. I was just very sick. There were days that I would be driving and think, “If I crashed my car into the lake, it would look like a freak accident. People wouldn’t have to know I killed myself. They wouldn’t think I left my children by suicide.” That’s not healthy thinking. This thinking and this struggle went on for over a year. I needed help. Image by StockSnap from Pixabay Asking for help I honestly can’t remember what made me ask for help but I did. I sat in the doctor’s office while she listened to me cry about my life. She was wonderful and let me talk. She then gave me a prescription for Prozac. I reluctantly took it and filled it. I wasn’t so sure I wanted to take it. Wouldn’t that be admitting defeat? Prozac literally saved my life. I was in such a dark place before taking it. Within days, the light started to come back into my life. I was smiling and feeling something. I hadn’t felt anything, good or bad, for well over a year. For a year I suffered with this. I hate to admit it but I remember very little of that first year of his life. I can’t recall a single thing about what happened in that time. I only have pictures to show that it actually happened. I remember the feeling though. I remember how I wanted all the mental pain to end. I remember resenting this beautiful boy who didn’t ask to be born. I still feel guilty for having those feelings. Thankfully, with the help of medical intervention, I grew to love that boy with my whole heart. It took longer than it should have but I believe it is better late than never. Postpartum depression can be a sneaky bitch I didn’t get it with my first baby so I didn’t expect it with my second. I felt so guilty that I didn’t love my baby the way I should. But you know what? I found out later that these feelings are normal. Are they good feelings? Obviously not but it doesn’t make me a bad mother because I felt them. It might take days, weeks, months, or even a year (in my case) to bond with your baby. It doesn’t make you a bad mother if you don’t right away. It doesn’t mean you are weak because you need the help of a pill to come out of the darkness. It is a very common thing to go through. It isn’t talked about much. We are all expected to love our babies the instant we see them. I am here to tell you this isn’t always the case. Unfortunately, I know I’m not alone in my experience. I wish someone would have told me it was all going to be OK. That it was OK to not feel OK. That I wasn’t a bad mom because of the way I felt. I’m here to tell you it is OK Because of what I went through and the darkness and guilt I felt, I want to help other moms who feel the same way. I am open about my experience. I am always willing to talk about the hell I went through. More women need to be honest about this. I feel if we all share our stories, the real stories, fewer new moms will feel so alone. You are not defective if you don’t love your baby right away. It is more common than you think. I hope my story can make you feel less alone. I hope you know there is someone out there that gets what you are feeling and is not judging you for it. I hope you ask for help because help is out there. You’re a good mom and you are going to be OK.	https://psiloveyou.xyz/i-didnt-love-my-baby-right-away-b59a9b8f26d1	['Jessica Hillis']	2019-12-19 12:22:56.270000+00:00	['Birth', 'Depression', 'Mental Health', 'Motherhood', 'Parenting']
stop the “mommy” peer-pressure	We hear it everywhere: “I am a proud mommy of three”; “Do you have any kids?”; “I didn’t start living until I had children”. As women it is placed upon our societal script of objectives to have a child. Girls spend hours of their childhood thinking about the children they pray to have one day. We express to one another our secret kid names and hope none of our girlfriends steal our beloved fantasy child. Gifts underneath the overpriced Christmas tree include babies, carriages and baby bottles to remind the resistant of their feminine duty. As we grow and age, we are primed to alter our behaviors for males to choose us as their mates. The quality of the sex doesn’t matter. He doesn’t have to be a wonderful man, just a reliable and consistent father. The timing, however, does matter. If a child is produced before we exit our teen years, we are sluts and should’ve been more careful. As if the majority of the people here on Earth today were really “planned”. If you are over the age of thirty with no dating prospects, you then are considered “too independent” or “career-focused”. If you happen to be in your mid-twenties, questions about your fertility, sexual orientation, and family planning model are blasé. People wonder if you’ll ever find someone to procreate with. They ask if you even want kids. Some believe you are too much of a feminist and that reading time would be better spent on a healthy, long-term relationship. Mind you, all of this said advice is happening as their own relationships are burning in the background. Yet, they do have something over you — they have a mate. And even more than that, they have a child to prove their partner found them attractive enough to leave semen inside of. This piece isn’t about people who have families that they strive to love and protect. I am not against a happy and healthy home. I have witnessed both sides of the typical family and I will always protect the stability and security immediate families can provide. What I am criticizing is this status symbol that maternity extols. In the same way that wealth and good looks can’t shield against the harshness of life, I wonder if the status of being a mother is as secure as women try to make it seem. And when a woman properly attains this title, does she have to forego being the free woman she was before? Was she ever a free woman? Children are sacred beings that allow us callous adults to reconnect to our playful, authentic selves. If it were not for these blessed creatures many of us would be in a crumby bar, listening to Janis Joplin as we finish a bottle of Jack Daniels. The status of being a mother allows many women the opportunity to criticize, dominate or simply peer pressure others into living their lifestyle. This is where the major inconsistency lies. If someone is truly happy and content with their existence, then why would they need to impose their will onto another? It’s counter-intuitive to behave in that manner, for peace with reality means accepting that you have little control over it. With this little control you become nifty in how you solve and approach your problems. As a by-product, you become more open-minded and it’s only a matter of time before you realize that there are thousands of ways to live. One isn’t the best and one isn’t the worst. What makes the difference is how suitable the lifestyle is for the person. And with women who aren’t content with reality as a mother, they feel the need to overcompensate and force others to live as they do. This allows an escape in responsibility, where they can hide their cowardice behind conformity and demonize any reflection of courage in others. I won’t deny that these words hurt or even dismay my emotional state. I have a lot of insecurities to work on but these women have exposed certain truths to me. That love is as tricky and difficult for me as it is for others and in the same way that they shouldn’t judge me, I shouldn’t judge them. Instead, I’ll enjoy my quiet mornings and sex-filled nights as they yell at their husbands to bring a warm bottle. God is good❤	https://medium.com/@mayachilll/stop-the-mommy-peer-pressure-d176b193aa00	['M A Ý A']	2020-12-23 23:01:56.618000+00:00	['Baby', 'Freedom', 'Moms', 'Womanhood', 'Pressure']
Age Prediction in Images-An OpenCV approach	The face detector in the previous step detected 6 faces from the input image. For all these faces which are detected in the image, we extract the ROI. We create a blob from this ROI and pass it to ageNet detector which predicts the age bucket and the age confidence. For the above input image, the OpenCV age detector has predicted the age of all the faces in the age bracket of 25–32 with confidence score ranging from 63 % — 97 % which is quite accurate. We will go ahead and try the age detection model on a few more images and analyze the prediction made by our age detector Image from Harry Potter and Philospher’s stone The next image as input is of Harry Potter from philosopher’s stone and during that movie, the character was 11 years old and our age detector has detected it correctly where it predicts the characters age to fall in the bracket range of 8–12 years and a confidence score around 54%. Till now our model has performed quite well in the age brackets estimation and the confidence score. But the model is prone to make the wrong prediction as the model has been trained on an imbalanced dataset. Where the data is heavily biased towards the age group of 25–32 and this affects the result adversely. Let’s take another example to understand the problem stated above. Image of Hermione Granger from Philosopher’s stone Consider this input image where the character age of Hermione Granger is estimated in the age range of 4–6 years and as we know this where the model has predicted the age bracket totally wrong. So what can be done to improve the age prediction results? The first approach can be to use data augmentation. Another one can be to implement additional regularization when training the model. Finally, we can use the approach of Face alignment to improve the prediction results Stage 3 — Face Alignment In this step, the face alignment module identifies the geometric structures of faces and then attempts to obtain a canonical alignment of the face based on translation, scale, and rotation. The face alignment can be seen as data normalization. Where we rely on the facial landmarks mostly on the eye regions to obtain a normalized rotation, translation, and scale representation of the face. Given a set of facial landmarks (the input coordinates) our goal is to warp and transform the image into an output coordinate space. In this output coordinate space, all faces across an entire dataset should: Be centered in the image. Be rotated that such the eyes lie on a horizontal line (i.e., the face is rotated such that the eyes lie along the same y-coordinates). Be scaled such that the size of the faces are approximately identical. Face aligner source code For the face alignment, we are going to use the FaceAligner from the imutils module. We load the input image and resize the input to maintain an aspect ratio to have a width of 800 pixels. To detect the faces from the input images we use the dlib’s face detector, which returns a list of bounding boxes that the detector is found, next we iterate through the detection and align each face. We pass these aligned images to the NN age detector to predict the estimated age brackets Image of Hermione Granger from Philosopher’s stone Age detection on the aligned images got after applying the Face Aligner As we can see now that after the application of the Face Aligner the prediction result of the age detector has significantly improved and it has predicted the characters age correctly between the age bracket of 8–12 years. To sum up, of how all our 3 stages in the age detection model work together we use a simple flowchart visualization Image by Author: Flowchart of the age estimation process Conclusion So in this blog, we learned how to perform age detection with OpenCV and deep learning, we utilized a pre-trained model from Levi and Hassner. We also came across the limitation of the model as it is heavily biased to the age bracket of 25–32 years because of the imbalanced dataset, and how can we overcome this limitation using the Face Alignment technique which can improve our age detector results significantly in most of the cases, but we should keep in mind that age prediction is a challenging problem. Therefore, we must assess all age prediction results in terms of perceived age rather than actual age. As there are a number of factors that determine how old a person visually appears, including their lifestyle, work/job, smoking habits, and most importantly, genetics.	https://medium.com/thn/age-prediction-in-images-an-opencv-approach-43d8bcbfc03e	['Pratishtha Kapoor']	2020-12-26 12:45:43.360000+00:00	['Opencv', 'Computer Vision', 'Deep Learning', 'Age Detection', 'Image Recognition']
Recovering from a Sociopath	I broke up with my boyfriend in September. It wasn’t until Christmas that I started to realize how callous he was toward me. Now, I am pretty sure he is a sociopath. Today on Christmas I am alone. I don’t miss him, but I’m thinking of him. I’m thinking about how stupid I must have been to stay with him. To get back together with him last winter. I wanted to see the best in him. I loved him. More than that, I loved the person that I was with him. I hadn’t been in a long term relationship in years. I saw the red flags- his history of violence, lack of treatment for his depression, dependence on marijuana in the way that I, a recovering addict myself, related to, being high constantly throughout the day. As we continued to date he mentioned other things in passing that concerned me. He never said I love you back. Finally I broke up with him, but when he reached out a week later, we were back together. Almost immediately things were back to how they were, but worse. Every little thing I did wrong, he acted extremely offended by. I felt like I was the bad guy all the time. Slowly my self esteem dwindled. He never complimented me, although he always complimented himself. He had a love/hate relationship with himself. He said he hated himself but he was obsessed with himself. He never came to my house during the pandemic. He didn’t help me move. I drove 45 minutes to his place once or twice a week, often to have him playing video games and not even come to the door. He got a wonderful dog toward the end of our relationship. Once I spilled the dog bowl and he snapped at me. Just one example of the many times he snapped at me when I was trying to do something nice. But I couldn’t break up with him. Not until I really hit my bottom and there was nothing left to stay for. Even though for months there hadn’t been anything left to stay for. I was an irritation to him. I was in the way. That’s how he acted. If he was so annoyed with me, why didn’t he just break up with me? Did he just like having someone to control? Someone to snap at? Someone to berate? Sometimes I think so. I don’t know why else he would have stayed. I am so grateful I got out of that relationship but I’m sad that now I have become the bitter person that I was before I started dating him originally. He was so sweet to me when we first met. He is nice to all strangers and acquaintances. Just not to me. The nicer I was to him, the worse he was to me. I wish I could believe in love. I wanted to keep trying with him because I really believed there was good in him. Even Darth Vader turned good in the end. And when I broke up with him, I didn’t have hate in my heart. I think I was still clouded by the previous year of him manipulating me into thinking that I was at fault. Slowly, it has become clear how hostile he was toward me and how little empathy he really had. How selfish he was. And that makes me sad and angry. It makes me afraid to try again. Everyone else in my life saw it and I didn’t want to admit it because I didn’t want to be where I am right now- bitter, angry, and not believing in love. I knew it would happen eventually. So, here I am. Don’t say “I told ya so”. Please don’t say that. I know. I always knew. I just needed to have my own experience. And I did, I had it. And this is where I am now. Back to hating couples, hating love, hating fucking Christmas. RIP to the part of me that fell in love with a sociopath and thought I could turn him good. I’m like fucking Padme, bitch.	https://medium.com/@hiramericati/recovering-from-a-sociopath-e135c9782735	['Hira Mericati']	2020-12-25 20:52:34.528000+00:00	['Relationships', 'Christmas', 'Love', 'Sociopath', 'Star Wars']
It’s the Same Old Baseball	It’s the Same Old Baseball Sid Farrar, ca. 1887 This essay is by Sidney Farrar, captain, in the 1880s, of the Philadelphia Phillies. From Vanity Fair, September 1914. If you and I were at the Polo Grounds this afternoon, and the Giants were playing Chicago, and Matty was having one of his best days, I know what you would say to me. You would say, “Mr. Farrar, are these players as good as the men who played baseball 25 years ago?” I suppose I have heard that question a thousand times. Generally it comes in the second inning, and never later than the fourth. I am used to it — and I know what you younger men expect me to say. You expect me to light a cigar, and look wise, and tell you that Mathewson can’t hold a candle to Radbourne; that Billy Sunday was a faster man on the bases than Cobb; that Mike Kelly had more baseball brains under his cap than Eddie Collins or Tris Speaker. If I say this, you are sure to look pleased and nod your head and make me feel I have done just what we old-time players are expected to do. But today I am going to give you a surprise. I am going to tell you what no retired player ever told you before. I am going to say that the players of today are better than they used to be. Take Christy Mathewson — the best of them all, especially when you remember that he has been a star for fourteen years. There is nobody among the old-timers whom I would put in Mathewson’s class. However, it would be a pity to forget [Charlie] Ferguson, who was on the old Philadelphia team with me for five years, and who not only pitched as well as any man ever did, but was a fine batter and runner. For these reasons I would put Ferguson ahead of even Walter Johnson, and only second to Mathewson himself. Baseball is much faster than it used to be. The gloves have done that. How would a catcher look to you who stood right up under the bat, without mask, pads or glove, and took the swiftest pitched balls barehanded? All catchers did that on the third strike, in the old days; but on the first two strikes the catcher laid back. Gloves have helped the fielding, too. They make it possible for a smart infield to cut off many balls that would have gone for hits in the old days. In the outfield, however, the best players of today are not at all surer on fly balls than the men of my time used to be. You hear a great deal about “inside baseball” — generally from some fan who has been reading the newspapers, and thinks the game is full of new plays invented by wise managers. He sees Jennings, Griffith or Chance out in the coaching box. Pretty soon the hit-and-run play, or the double steal, is tried. “Aha!” says the fan. “Did you get that signal? That play was inside baseball — you wouldn’t have seen it, back in the old days.” When I hear this, I wish Tim Keefe, or Buck Ewing could come back in uniform and take a seat on the bench. Do you think Keefe didn’t know about the “squeeze” play, and didn’t have [a] change of pace? Or do you think Ewing wasn’t just as good at breaking up the hit and run as the catchers of today? Ask any man who has seen Denny, Williamson, Comiskey, Kelly and stars of that order — ask how they compared in “inside” ability with the players of today. Honus Wagner (top, third from left) with Paterson, 1896 I read the other day that Wagner, the Pittsburg “old man,” has just made his 3,000th base hit in the major league. Remembering as I do when Wagner first broke into baseball (and it does not seem so long ago, though it is 18 years), I can’t help being reminded of the flight of time. Here is a man regarded by everyone as a wonderful veteran — a grandfather playing with the boys — and yet Wagner was playing catch in the back lots when I went to bat for the last time, nearly 25 years ago. But, as I have said, baseball is still baseball — the same old game, with the same pleasure for the spectators, and the same zest and satisfaction for the man who is lucky enough to follow it as a profession. Harry Wright Perhaps baseball would not be a profession today — perhaps it might never have developed from rounders and cricket, had it not been for Harry Wright. The son of an Englishman, Mr. Wright played baseball in the early ’60s, and organized the Cincinnati Red Stockings which he managed, alternately pitching and playing center field. When the men put on their uniforms, the Cincinnati folk were tepid for a time, but the club won every game it played in 1868, [1869] arousing great enthusiasm. Ladies went to the game (Mr. Wright having invented the idea of a Ladies’ Day each week). Songs were written about the Red Stockings, One of them starts: “As to the Park we go / The Ladies want to know / Who are those lovely men / With the scarlet stockings on?” About 1874 Mr. Wright took a team to England, and played several games of cricket before large crowds — beating the English at their own game. After that he went to Philadelphia, first managing the Boston and Providence ball teams. He died in 1895. Harry Wright, certainly the “Father of Professional Baseball” In the West Laurel Hill Cemetery there is a fine bronze figure of Harry Wright. He is shown, as he watched many a game, anxious to win yet self-possessed, never belittling the opposing team and always giving the other club credit for good play. He knew how to lose as well as how to win. In every city which his clubs visited Harry Wright was liked and respected by everyone, from the fan in the bleachers to the Senator from Washington who had played with him in Cincinnati, and who said to him, “I am proud to call myself one of your boys!” He well deserves his title, “The Father of Baseball.” It was undoubtedly due to him and to his changing and modifying the game of rounders that baseball is what it is today. After a man’s baseball days are over, what? Well, there is John K. Tener, who stepped from the ball field into politics, advanced to the Governor’s chair in Pennsylvania, and has now gone back again to baseball as President of the National League. There is John M. Ward, always a brilliant player and a great star on the Providence and New York teams. He is a successful lawyer, and he has also gone back to baseball in his later years — this time as one of the men who planned the new Federal League and are now establishing it in public favor. The process will take time, of course, but if the Federals room [text missing] for them, and every lover of the national game will wish them success. Billy Sunday with Cap Anson Then there is Billy Sunday. You know all about him and the wonderful success he has had in his calling. There is Dave Fultz, who was one of the best players twenty years ago, and is now prominently identified with baseball as President of the Players’ Fraternity. I suppose, take it all in all, that a man never forgets his first love. Those of the old time players who can, in some way, keep on with baseball seem always to do so. The path may lead to the ownership of some club or to the presidency of a league. But, wherever it leads, there are always plenty of old players anxious to follow; and if we cannot take part in an active way, at least we never let our interest die. Down in the box seats at all the games you will see white-haired men who follow the game quietly, yet never miss a play. Maybe you will wonder whether these fat and elderly brokers and lawyers and business men really understand and appreciate the game. Sometimes, when you have said something about the plays or the players, one of these old fellows will smile a little in his sleeve. Don’t be offended — he is probably one of the old-fashioned players who were lining out the ball when you were in your crib. Treat his opinions with respect, because there is always the chance that he is one of the people who made baseball what it is today.	https://ourgame.mlblogs.com/its-the-same-old-baseball-7cf313d9f5de	['John Thorn']	2020-11-16 14:24:14.163000+00:00	['Baseball', 'Sid Farrar', 'Vanity Fair', 'Christy Mathewson', 'Honus Wagner']
How to Find Developers for Your Startup — Program-Ace	Running a startup is similar to caring for a tree that has just been planted. As you care for it, there is visible growth and improvement, yet there are also countless hazards that can cause it harm. Like trees, the first years of a startup are the most fraught with danger and risk, so great thought should be put into caring for the business and addressing its needs. These needs that startups experience range from the obvious things like securing financing and formulating a business strategy, to less obvious yet nonetheless important ones like find a team for startup and renting a workspace. Why is Finding a Programmer for Your Startup an Important Choice? Unless your business is completely off-the-grid and you have no online presence, you will need developers at some point, and the quality of work they do might just determine the future of your startup. Based on the startup and what it does, developers can be needed for designing the business website, internal apps and software, and sometimes even the core product. Finding app developer for a startup, you can easily produce high-quality apps, products, and services, while a poorly-selected one can cause even the most strategically-brilliant venture to fail. We have seen the impacts of such recruitment choices firsthand, and decided to compile some helpful tips and strategies for finding the perfect developers who can deliver results and push your startup towards a new level of success and recognition. What is the Best Place for Hiring Software Developers for Startup? Software programmers, developers, and engineers are not a monolithic or uniform group of people, so you will not find their contacts and information all in one place. Sure, nearly everyone uses social media nowadays, but not everyone showcases their professional information and status there. Thus, it is best to use a multi-pronged approach in your search, targeting various mediums at once. The places where you look will also be a bit different depending on what you’re looking for — local developers, remote developers, or a development partner with many available experts. Local developers One of the best places to start is your contact book and friends. Perhaps you already know someone looking for work in this field or your friends/colleagues can recommend such a person. If you reach out to these people and set up meetings, you will go into the meeting knowing more about the person and their merits. Another common-sense choice is job search websites like Indeed and Glassdoor. They are specifically tailored to people looking for work and those offering it, so they often provide the most relevant and fastest results in a search. It should also be mentioned that you can meet potential candidates in person by visiting local events, coworking spaces, and even college campuses. Remote developers Remote developers are generally much easier to find, as you can pull from a talent pool around the world and there are just more to choose from. Though some candidates of this type check postings in job search sites, they can be found on freelancer websites much more often. Some of the best sites of this type include Upwork, Craigslist and Toptal. LinkedIn is another excellent service (social network) when you are wondering how to find a programmer for your startup. Its greatest strength comes from the functionality of connecting people. You can connect with your friends and colleagues, and this makes your profile visible to their connections and vice versa. It also has excellent features for professional recruiters and a messaging system that allows conversations to start very quickly. Finally, you can visit international conferences, expos, and hackathons to meet some of the most talented and promising specialists working in the industry. If you talk to enough people, chances are that you will come across someone looking for this exact type of work or who knows a suitable candidate. Development partners Development partners are companies and agencies with in-house staff available to assist other businesses with their projects, whether it is through remote work or relocation. In most cases, these services are provided in the form of dedicated teams and team extension. So where can you find a reliable partner? One approach is to ask around and find companies that your friends and acquaintances have worked with before and have good things to say about. You can also use a search engine and look based on some keywords, but the results will not necessarily show the best partners, rather those who have optimized their website well. Thus, one safe way to get a list of solid choices is to look at ratings. Several organizations around the world are dedicated to collecting client feedback and learning about companies that provide staff for these purposes. One of the best such organizations is IAOP, which maintains a database of thousands of outsourcing companies and publishes annual awards featuring the finest ones. Clutch is another reliable organization that features profiles of companies in various industries, so you can look at the top contenders in categories like web development, mobile apps, eCommerce, etc. Things to Consider When You Need to Find a Team for a Startup One of the main things you consider before hiring someone is how much they will charge, but this is hardly the only thing you should pay attention to. A strategic and wise decision should be based on multiple factors and considerations: 1. Skills and qualifications Like salary, this is an obvious yet essential consideration during recruitment. You should pay close attention to candidates’ resumes and get all the information available about what kind of work they have done, for how long, and which achievements (completing courses, business results) they have picked up along the way. 2. Location If you are looking for a local developer, you should certainly ask candidates about where they live, as a long commute might cause them to show up late for work on some days, and sometimes, people will even need to relocate from another city. If this is a remote position, you should consider the general level of IT literacy in their country or city, as well as their fluency in your language. 3. Past work Even the most impressive resume can collapse when its claims are put to the test, so you can ask people to provide examples of their work (e.g. code snippets, apps developed, publications) to get an understanding of their capabilities. Some people have a natural tendency to overemphasize their strengths, and such simple tests reveal the truth. 4. Personal qualities Regardless of the type of communication you have with a client, having a meeting (in person or by video call) is essential to learn about a person beyond their professional qualifications. This includes how well they can communicate, their attitude towards authority figures and managers, their literacy and manners. Even the most skilled expert can turn a project into a nightmare if you cannot find a polite and productive way to communicate. 5. Feedback If you have the option, look for feedback about the person from their past colleagues and partners. For example, LinkedIn profiles have a Recommendations section where anyone connected to the specialist can comment on their past work together. If no feedback is easily accessible, you can also go the extra mile and ask for recommendations or contact their previous employer directly. Things to Consider Before You Find a Programmer Partner While we have covered what to look for in a specialist, companies are trickier. As you are usually hiring a group of developers from such a provider, the costs and risks are greater. To make the choice easier for you, we have compiled a list of things to look for in your future partner: 1. Reputation Companies often claim to have a sterling and spotless reputation with no clients left unsatisfied in the past, but this is not always the truth. To demonstrate trustworthiness, they present feedback from past customers that shows them in a glowing light. This feedback is usually authentic and worth reading, but to get a fair and unbiased assessment of the company’s reputation, we suggest checking the company’s reviews on external sites, such as Clutch. 2. Size of the company The size of a company is usually a good indicator of whether it can quickly allocate developers for your project. For example, a company with 10–20 employees will often have just 1–2 instantly available, with others already working on other projects. In contrast, companies with 100+ employees are usually able to gather whole development teams with dozens of specialists in a very short time. 3. Portfolio If you want to know whether a provider can deliver a project of the scope you have in mind, just look whether they did so in the past. You can usually see a portfolio on the company website or contact them for more specific examples relevant to your needs. If you are satisfied with the quality of past work, there is a good chance that you will benefit from the same level of quality. 4. Staff certification To get an understanding of the level of experience a partner will bring to the table, you can ask them about their staff qualifications and certification. This includes details like the number of junior, middle, and senior developers working, whether they have completed any additional courses and received certification, and whether they will be ready to complete a custom test of your choice. 5. Attitude Great partnerships are built on trust and communication, so you should pay close attention to how the provider treats you, the client. Are they forthcoming in answering questions and making detailed estimates? Do they treat you with the level of care and respect that you deserve? Are they willing to accommodate changes and negotiate? You can learn all of these things and get a reading of their attitude through extended communication and discussion of your project. Outsourcing Software Development for Startups with Program-Ace Based on the tips we provided and your own strategy, you will likely come across dozens of great companies that are willing to provide developers for your startup. We would like to make our pitch as well and tell you a bit about what Program-Ace can offer. Our company has been on the market for 26 years, and this has allowed us to work with all kinds of businesses — big and small, IT-based and non-technological. We have a proven track record of being a reliable B2B partner, and our work in outsourcing has been recognized by IAOP, Clutch, and other agencies. They consistently name us leaders in the field, and certainly in our region. Our staff includes over 120 specialists, dozens of which are certified in their trade (e.g. Unity developers), and we are able to quickly organize teams and get them working on projects remotely. Because our past work often included projects for startups, we are familiar with the complex requirements the software must meet to adhere to business strategy. In fact, we have a team of business analysts available to help you in formulating or adjusting strategies should they be needed. If you want to discuss potential collaboration between our companies, just let us know. We are always happy to meet new people and form strong bonds with businesses around the world.	https://medium.com/@program-ace/how-to-find-developers-for-your-startup-program-ace-2a104c3a9b73	[]	2020-04-06 15:37:34.847000+00:00	['Development', 'Startup']
Building a Trello-like iOS App with Drag & Drop API	Setup Board Collection View Cell Create a new File and name it BoardCollectionViewCell . Type or paste this snippet of code below into the file. Here are the brief explanation of what the code does: Create a UICollectionViewCell subclass with the name of BoardCollectionViewCell . We declare 3 instance properties: the tableView , board model, and weak reference to the BoardCollectionViewController . Override awakeFromNib method so that we can set the cell’s layer to make the corners a bit rounded. Next, we set the table view’s delegate and datasource to the BoardCollectionViewCell . We create an IBAction method which is invoked when the user taps on the Add button. Inside the method, we create a UIAlertController with alert style, and add a UITextField to enter the name of the item to be added to the board. When a user adds the item, we just append it to the board model items array. Then, we tell the Table View to insert the new row at the bottom and scroll to the specified IndexPath . Create the setupWithBoard method that accepts a Board model as the parameter. It stores the passed board into the instance property, then invoke the Table View reloadData method to update the view. Create an extension that implements the UITableViewDataSource and UITableViewDelegate . For the tableView:numberOfRowsInSection: , we just return the number of items in our board. In tableView:cellForRowAtIndexPath: , we dequeue the Table View Cell with identifier we set in storyboard, get the item using the IndexPath row from the board items, and set the cell textLabel text property with the item to display it. That’s it, make sure you have set the class of the UICollectionViewCell in the storyboard as BoardCollectionViewCell . Then connect the Add Button touchUpInside action to the addTapped: selector. Setup Board Collection View Controller Create a new File and name it BoardCollectionViewController . Type or paste this snippet of code below into the file. Here is a brief summary of what the code actually do: Create a subclass of UICollectionViewController with the name of BoardCollectionViewController . It also implements the UICollectionDelegateFlowLayout because we have set our Collection View Controller to use the flow layout in the storyboard. In viewDidLoad , we invoke the setupAddButtonItem method. This method adds an UIBarButtonItem to the NavigationBar right bar button item. We set the target action selector to the addListTapped: method. At last, we invoke the updateCollectionViewItem passing the size of our view to set the item size of the cell. In updateCollectionViewItem method, we calculate the height of Collection View Cell item dynamically to be 0.8 of the view height. The width of the cell is fixed at 225 points. This method will also be invoked when the screen get rotated passing the new size of the view . When addListTapped is invoked, we create an UIAlertController with alert style. Next, we add the UITextField to enter the name of the board that the user wants to create. After the user fills the Text Field and confirm, we create a new Board with the text from the user as the title property and append it to the Board array. Lastly, we tell the Collection View to insert the new item to the last indexPath and scroll automatically to the new position. For the collectionView:numberOfItemsInSection: , we simply return the size of the boards array. For the collectionView:cellForItemAtIndexPath: , we dequeue the cell using the identifier we set in storyboard and cast it to BoardCollectionViewCell . Then, we get the board using the indexPath item and invoke the cell’s setupWithBoard: method passing the board to the cell. Run the app for the first time Try to build and run the app for the first time, you should see the list of boards with their items. Also, try to add new boards and items, and scroll horizontally around the screen. Next, we are going to implement the Drag & Drop API into the Table View to move the items around the boards. Running the app for the first time Handle Dragging an Item in UITableView with UITableViewDragDelegate Adding the drag support to the Table View is pretty straightforward. All we need to do is set 2 properties, the dragInteractionEnabled to true and dragDelegate to the BoardCollectionViewCell . Open the BoardCollectionViewCell and go to the awakeFromNib method and add these lines: ... override func awakeFromNib() { .... tableView.dragInteractionEnabled = true tableView.dragDelegate = self } ... The compiler will complain because the BoardCollectionViewCell has not implemented the UITableViewDragDelegate yet. So, go to the bottom of the file and add the snippet code below as the extension. Here are the explanations of what the UITableViewDragDelegate does: UIDragItem Representing Drag item Data Diagram. Courtesy of Apple Inc. The UITableViewDragDelegate requires the delegate to implement the method tableView:itemsForBeginningSession:atIndexPath: that returns the array of UIDragItem objects. This method will be used by the Table View to begin drag session with a given indexPath . We need to return the array of the UIDragItem that is not empty if we want to start the drag session . The UIDragItem is initialized by passing the NSDragItemProvider . The NSDragItemProvider is the data representation of the items we want to drag and drop to. It uses the UTIs (Uniform Type Identifiers to represent data such as Plain Text , Image , Contact Card and many others. It acts as a contract/promise between the drag source app and the drop destination app to handle and load those data based on those representations. Inside the method, we get the item from the board using the indexPath and convert it to the Data type using utf8 as the encoding. We initialize the NSItemProvider passing the data and set its type identifier to kUTTypePlainText . To be able to use the constant, you need to import MobileCoreServices at the top of your source file. Next, we initialize the UIDragItem with the item provider. Also, we set the localContext property to attach additional information to the drag item. Here, we assign the tuple containing the board, indexPath, and the table view which will be used later when we drop an item to different Table View . At last, we return the array containing the UIDragItem we created. Try to build and run the app, then perform dragging of an item inside the board. Voila! You can initiate the dragging of an item around the screen. Surely, dropping the item won’t do anything right now. Let’s implement the dropping of an item next! Dragging an item for first time! Handle Dropping an Item in UITableView with UITableViewDropDelegate Next, we are going to add the drop support to the Table View . It’s almost the same with adding drag support. We just need to set the Table View dropDelegate property to the BoardCollectionViewCell . Go to the BoardCollectionViewCell awakeFromNib method and add this at the bottom. ... override func awakeFromNib() { .... tableView.dropDelegate = self } ... The compiler will complain because the BoardCollectionViewCell has not implemented the UITableViewDropDelegate yet. So, go to the bottom of the file, and add the snippet code below as the extension. Here is a brief summary of what the code do: We implement the required method tableView:dropSessionDidUpdateSession:withDestinationIndexPath: . What this method does is telling the system how we want to consume the dropped item data via the UITableViewDragProposal in the specified indexPath when user dragging the item around the Table View . The UITableViewDragProposal accepts 3 types of operations, copy , move , or cancel . In our app case, we only want to move the data, so we return the UITableViewDragProposal with the move as the operation and set the intent to insertAtDestinationIndexPath . At last, we need to implement tableView:performDropWithCoordinator: . This method will be invoked when user lift the finger from the screen. Inside the method, we have the opportunity to load dragged item data representation from the coordinator’s session drag items. We also need to handle syncing of our datasource. Then, we ask the Table View to perform animations of the move operation. Remember that we can drag item between different Table Views. Inside the method, we asks the coordinator’s session if it has an item that conforms to the kUTTypePlainText . If yes, we load the object using the loadObjectOfClass method passing the NSString as the type. The system will perform the loading of the dragged item data and pass it into a closure. We use a switch conditional statement for the dragged item source indexPath and the session destination indexPath . If the source indexPath and destination indexPath exist, that means the user is dragging and dropping within the same Table View . Here, we just remove the source item from the board using the source indexPath, then insert the item using the destination indexPath. We then tell the Table View to reload the rows between the source and destination indexPath. If the sourceIndexPath is nil and the destination indexPath exists, that means the user is dragging and dropping between different Table View in same app. To handle this, we can retrieve the source table view, source IndexPath, and source board using the localContext from the drag session that we attach in UITableViewDragDelegate method. We remove the items from the source board using the source indexPath row and tell the source table view to delete the row. At last, we insert the item to the destination board using destination indexPath row and tell the destination table view to insert the row. The last case is when the destination and source indexPath are nil . This happens when user drag a text from a different app to our app. In this case we just need to insert the item into our destination board and tells the Table View to insert the item. Try to build and run the app, you should be able to move the item around the boards using Drag & Drop! If you want more challenges, you can check the project GitHub repository to see how to handle the deletion of an item by dropping the item to custom UIView with UIDragDelegate . Conclusion Congratulations, you made it! We have finished building our Trello like app using the Drag & Drop API. The API is really simple and powerful to use and we only scratch the surface of the what the API can do here. There are many more features to explore, like creating a placeholder when dropping an item that will took time to load the data, drag and drop multiple items, and many other awesome features. So what are you waiting for? Let’s keep learning and build new things. Improve our world using technology to make it a better place for us to live. Stay calm and keep on 😘 Cocoa.	https://medium.com/appcoda-tutorials/building-trello-like-ios-app-with-drag-drop-api-alfian-losari-d76534529f0f	['Alfian Losari']	2020-02-14 10:37:39.547000+00:00	['Cocoa', 'Trello', 'Drag Drop', 'iOS', 'iOS App Development']
6 Best AWS Developer Associate (DVA-C001) Certification Practice Test, Mock Exams and Dumps	6 Best AWS Developer Associate (DVA-C001) Certification Practice Test, Mock Exams and Dumps 1600+ practice questions and dumps to prepare for AWS Developer Associate certification in 2021. image_credit — udemy Hello guys, if you are aiming to crack AWS developer Associate certification in 2021 and looking for the best resources then you have come to the right place. Earlier, I have shared the best AWS Developer associate certification courses and in this article, I am going to share best practice questions, mock exams, and dumps to build the speed and accuracy you need to pass the exam on the first attempt. Time and again I have said that practice questions and mock tests are an integral part of passing AWS certifications be it AWS solution architect or this AWS developer associate exam. They not only help you to prepare in the exam-like environment with time constraint but also re-enforce and solidify whatever you have learned from online courses, books, tutorials, and white papers. It doesn’t matter whether you have joined AWS developer courses like Ryan Krooneberg’s AWS course on Udemy or Stephane Maarek’s AWS developer course, unless and until you have practiced enough problems, you are not really ready for the exam. My readers, often asked me which AWS developer practice test is best? Should I go for an exam dumps? how many practice tests should I solve before appearing for the AWS Developer Associate exam and so on? With so many mock tests and practice questions flying around the internet, it becomes very difficult to choose the right one, and that’s where this article will help you. If you stick with an inferior quality practice test then you won’t be as ready for the exam as the practice test shows and this disconnect may cost you your chance to pass the exam in very the first attempt. Remember, you need to score 76% to pass this AWS certification and I have seen many cases where many people failed the exam with one or two mistakes. By choosing the good quality practice tests you can avoid such kinds of mistakes. It’s key to remember that knowing just what does a particular AWS service is used for is not enough, if you want to pass the exam, you must know about how to choose the most appropriate AWS services based upon a given scenario. These mock tests present such kind of questions to train your mind for real exam. In this article, we’ll share some of the best mock tests and practice questions for the AWS Certified Developer Associate mock test exam. These practice questions are tried and tested by many cloud professionals who have passed the AWS Developer associate exam with flying colors. 6 Best Mock Tests and Practice Question for AWS Developer Associate Certification Without wasting any more of your time, here is a list of best practice tests and mock exams you can take online to prepare for the AWS Certified Developer Associate exam. I strongly suggest you go through as many mock tests as possible to develop the speed and accuracy required to pass this exam with a high score. As soon as you start hitting 80% on these exams continuously, you can go for a real exam. This is one of the most up-to-date and useful practice tests you can take to prepare for your AWS Developer Associate exam. This practice test is created by Stephane Maarek, one of my favorite Udemy instructors and an AWS expert who has passed most of the AWS certification with flying color by himself. Talking about this practice test, it contains 325 quiz questions on DVA-C01 (AWS Developer Associate exam) which is divided into 4 practice papers of 65 questions each, and a bonus test of 33 questions which was added later to cover new topics for AWS Developer Associate certification. Here is the link to join this test — Practice Exams \| AWS Certified Developer Associate 2021 Talking about social proof, this practice test has been trusted by more than 24,000 AWS certification aspirants and it has on average 4.7 ratings from close to 1000 participants which are simply amazing. If you don’t know, Stephane has done all the AWS certification and I remember he scored around 980/1000 on the AWS SysOps exam which is simply amazing. For better preparation, you can also combine this practice test with the Ultimate AWS Certified Developer Associate 2021 — NEW! course by the same instructor. This will help you to pass this valuable AWS certification in the very first attempt.	https://medium.com/javarevisited/6-best-aws-developer-associate-dva-c001-certification-practice-test-mock-exams-and-dumps-9e24573f509a	[]	2020-12-25 08:34:04.142000+00:00	['Certification', 'AWS', 'Amazon Web Services', 'Cloud Computing', 'Programming']
Texas Looks to Become Next to Legalize Medical Marijuana	Screenshot via YouTube 2019 looks like it could be the year that Texas joins the majority of other states in legalizing medical marijuana. Texas is set to join the list of 33 U.S. states and Washington DC that have already legalized or are in the process of legalizing medical marijuana — ten states have also legalized recreational marijuana. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott made it clear there is no point filling Texas jails with people caught with small amounts of marijuana when fines are the better option. Texas lawmakers have introduced 13 bills related to marijuana use this session. There is, however, another bill for medical marijuana in the state for children suffering from epilepsy. The bills that have a good chance of passing are Senate Bill 90 and House Bill 209, which are two medical marijuana bills. The U.S. Congress passed the Farm Bill in December 2018. This bill legalized hemp, which is in the cannabis sativa family but with lower amounts of the active compound THC, which is the part that gives the “high.” Hemp has many industrial uses. The new Texas legislation applies to the use of medical cannabis for HIV/AIDS, PTSD, cancer, autism and CTE among other chronic diseases. The same bill equally provides for “chronic medical conditions” that produce “severe pain” or “severe nausea.” With the two bills, doctors are at liberty to prescribe medical marijuana for debilitating medical conditions with little or no cures. In Texas, House Bill 73 also seeks to decriminalize possession of recreational marijuana when it is less than an ounce. Offenders will only be fined rather than being jailed for the crime. Gov. Abbott wants to cut down on marijuana sentences when they involve negligible amounts.	https://medium.com/citizen-truth/texas-looks-to-become-next-to-legalize-medical-marijuana-b6f315c8c939	['Citizen Truth Staff']	2019-02-19 20:04:18.469000+00:00	['Medical Marijuana', 'Marijuana', 'Marijuana Legalization', 'Texas', 'Cannabis']
Sharing a Cached Layer Between Docker and Docker Compose Builds	Docker Compose Is a Great Dev Tool We used docker build and docker run commands to build/run our application from a Docker image locally. If we had a project with multiple components (e.g., a client and a server), building and running each can quickly become cumbersome and inefficient. Luckily, there’s Docker Compose — a CLI tool designed for running multicontainer applications. Docker Compose is completely separate from Docker but uses the Docker engine internally to orchestrate the building and running of multiple containers. An overview of Docker Compose and the installation instructions can be found on the official website. While each component will still have its own Dockerfile describing how the image should be built, we now also have a docker-compose.yml file — a YAML descriptor of all containers that need to be run together and its runtime properties. Note: You can get more in-depth details on how to use Docker Compose during development here. Let’s have a look at how a docker-compose.yml would look for our example (which is fairly simple, as we only have one component): We simply define a service named hello-world-react-docker , set the build context to the directory that contains the Dockerfile, and expose the relevant ports — as we did when using docker run to start the container Note: stdin_open: true is a workaround for an open bug with react-scripts 3.4.1 at the time of writing, where React’s npm start command exits with status code 0 as soon as the development server is up.	https://medium.com/better-programming/sharing-cached-layer-between-docker-and-docker-compose-builds-c2e5f751cee4	['Aleksa Vukotic']	2020-10-22 16:10:50.822000+00:00	['DevOps', 'Programming', 'JavaScript', 'Docker', 'Docker Compose']
The Idea of India Vs. CAA	On December 22, Prime Minister Modi delivered a speech at Ram Lila Maidan in Delhi, trying to subjugate the audience through his oratory skills and making them understand how the pair of CAA and NRC are not dangerous to the country and its citizens. “Lie being spread that I brought law to snatch people’s rights, it will not stand” was one of the statements that he put through in his speech. There is a hypothesis that CAA is enacted to threaten Indian Muslims and is the founding stone for turning India into a Hindu Rashtra. This fear stems from the fact that an entire community is pretermitted from the Act when literally every other community was given equal importance. The Journalists at Republic TV, AajTak, Times Now are doing their best to calm down the situation and make people understand that this has nothing to do with Muslims. Partly, they are right. This has nothing to do with only Muslims but the duvet covers the entire nation. I will come back to this point later in this article. Our Prime Minister’s statement about snatching people’s rights is a lie indeed. According to some eminent lawyers, this Act goes against Article 14, Article 15 and Article 21 of the Indian Constitution. Below are the article details. Article 14 of the Constitution of India reads as under: “The State shall not deny to any person equality before the law or the equal protection of the laws within the territory of India.” Article 15 talks about the prohibition of discrimination on grounds of religion, race, caste, sex or place of birth, “The State shall not discriminate against any citizen on grounds only of religion, race, caste, sex, place of birth or any of them.” Article 21 provides that, “No person shall be deprived of his life or personal liberty except according to procedure established by law.” The Prime Minister even went to the extent of asking people to respect the Parliament and Lawmakers who passed the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill. People standing for their rights, protesting against the Government is being projected as impertinence to the Parliament. Dissent is often confused with disrespect. These are times when dissent is being stomped down, termed as Anti National by people who are ostentatiously displaying their jingoism. Indian Citizens have been granted the right to peaceful protest by the Supreme Court. That is the essence of Indian Democracy unless we are no longer a Democracy. In the case of Ramlila Maidan Incident v. Home Secretary, Union Of India & Ors., the Supreme Court had stated, “Citizens have a fundamental right to assembly and peaceful protest which cannot be taken away by an arbitrary executive or legislative action.” It was in Maneka Gandhi vs. Union of India that Justice Bhagwati had said, “If democracy means the government of the people by the people, it is obvious that every citizen must be entitled to participate in the democratic process and in order to enable him to intelligently exercise his rights of making a choice, free & general discussion of public matters is absolutely essential.” I go back to the point where Prime Minister termed the protests as disrespect to the lawmakers. Such sentences are only heard in countries like Saudi Arabia, UAE, North Korea where Dictatorship rules the country, and any form of dissent is considered as a disrespect to the Supreme Ruler. One line in the speech to which I somewhat agree with the Prime Minister is, “I request the youth of the country to read the Act in detail and not to fall prey to the rumors of detention-centers being spread by Urban Naxals and Congress.” Just to be clear I only agree with the first part, the second part about the detention center is a blatant lie. A simple Google search will prove it. I have also mentioned the link to various articles about detention centers at the end of this write-up. India is witnessing such high-intensity protests probably for the first time since independence. The students, women are leading the protests, the creativity is out on the streets. Yet the Government does not seem to care. In the BJP-ruled states, the protests even turned violent. Some shocking videos have emerged from cities like Bijnor, Kanpur, Meerut, Mangalore where Police are brutally beating up the protestors, destroying their properties all in the name of revenge as mentioned by the Chief Minister of UP, Yogi Adityanath. The Government had even shut down internet service in various parts of the country. Some cities experienced information blackout for almost a week. According to https://internetshutdowns.in/, there have been over 350 internet shutdowns in a country which claims itself to be the world’s largest democracy. The modern times are increasingly becoming dangerous for dissenters. The country is witnessing the callous torture of dissent and in such times when you see such voices coming together for a cause gives a buoyant view of the future. The law of nature however is very liberal. For every positive, you have a negative. Everything is found in pairs. For every voice against CAA + NRC, you are likely to find a voice for CAA + NRC. Though I cannot for sure tell you which one is winning. One observation that I have made is how these protests have been turned as Hindu Vs. Muslims. However, this is exactly the opposite. Almost in all of the protests against CAA/NRC, you would find fairly equal participation from all the communities. So why is it being communalised? Well, one theory is (which is not hard to come across) is to polarise it as much as possible until it kills the entire purpose. There are shortcomings on both sides of the rail. Not thoroughly reading it is one. The bill no doubt was a bigoted one in the first place. But it is always advised to read something before having an opinion. So I decided to give a good read of the act to prove the bigotry. One thing which you all have must have heard from our Home Minister, Prime Minister and other spokesperson is that the Act would be providing the citizenship to the religiously persecuted minorities in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh. The minorities would include people from the following faiths: Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi and Christian. The logic behind this act is since Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh are Islamic Countries and people from other faiths are facing persecution ergo they would be given citizenship if they have come to India. This is a very noble thought. It is no denying that Minorities in the countries like Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh do face persecution and since India is sharing borders with them it is India’s duty to provide asylum and a safe place to them. Few questions I had while I was reading this act. Why are Rohingya Muslims excluded from this act? What about Shia Muslims and Ahmediya Muslims who are facing persecution in Pakistan? Why are religiously persecuted Tamil Hindus not included from Sri Lanka? Why did the Government only select 3 countries? What about persecuted people who came from Aksai Chin? These questions are left unanswered by the Government. And no one seems to be asking them. There is another aspect to the bill that has surprisingly been left untouched by most of the people. The act has been viewed through the lens of religion. However, once you read the act fully, you get to realise that not only Indian Muslims would end up suffering, but the entire nation would be a victim of this diabolical act. If NRC takes place, in fact it is not even a question of if but when, every Indian will have to prove his citizenship irrespective of his faith. The amount of trouble that people will go through will be insurmountable. The daily wage worker, the poor people even the salaried professionals will have to let go of their days work to stand in lines, holding documents, bribing Babus to get this done with. Remember Demonetisation! That is a physical pain which every Indian is going to experience, the only impetus would be, “if our Soldiers can stand in Siachen, we can at least stand in lines to prove our citizenship.” Though, ironically, in this case, even those Soldiers will have to prove their citizenship. The Home Minister and Prime Minister in all of their speeches have mentioned the word ‘persecuted minorities,’ and all the ratiocination passed on were based on this card of religious persecution of minorities in Islamic Countries. Interestingly, no where in the Act, the word ‘persecuted’ is even mentioned. An excerpt from the act is mentioned below. “Provided that any person belonging to Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi or Christian community from Afghanistan, Bangladesh or Pakistan, who entered into India on or before the 31st day of December, 2014 and who has been exempted by the Central Government by or under clause © of sub-section (2) of section 3 of the Passport (Entry into India) Act, 1920 or from the application of the provisions of the Foreigners Act, 1946 or any rule or order made thereunder, shall not be treated as illegal migrant for the purposes of this Act;” Few experts think that had BJP introduced the word persecuted in the Act, it would have been a political suicide. The NRC that happened in Assam even left out Hindus along with Muslims. Assuming the word persecuted was mentioned in the bill, all Non Muslims will have to produce evidence of persecution. Since the word is carefully omitted, it can be safely assumed that they were indeed persecuted and hence found a safe place in India. I do, however, have a different theory altogether. People have been looking at this Act through the lens of religion, and they are outraged on the omission of Muslims, that constitutes almost 15% of the population. I believe that this Act is minacious for everyone irrespective of their faith. I have already mentioned about the physical pain that each of us will have to undergo to prove ourselves as citizens, which is probably nothing compared to other petrifying pinions of the act. I am trying to analyse the CAA + NRC through the works of George Orwell, particularly 1984. George Orwell showed a true form of a Totalitarian State who curbs dissent by putting its citizens in Jails and torturing them, changes books and history to befit its propaganda, who is always watching, always listening. CAA + NRC can be a beginning point of a true totalitarian state. The Government will have a right to snatch the citizenship and throw them into detention centres that they are building in every state. Considering that this act is only against Muslims is naivety. Almost 80% of the entire population follow Hinduism, that is roughly 105 Crore people. Muslims are merely 15%, roughly 17 Crore. Believing that only Muslims will be unable to provide documents is a wrong assumption. Even Non Muslims might not have those documents and given the fact that Hindus constitute a larger proportion, it is highly likely they might be large in numbers who might not have the desired documents. That’s where CAA comes into the picture. Muslims who fail to prove themselves as a citizen of India will be straight away sent to the detention centres, no question asked. Non Muslims will then have to provide evidence that they have indeed come from one of the three countries viz. Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh. The Government might set up a new department, Citizenship Department, and Citizenship Officer to verify the documents and provide citizenship to migrants who have indeed come from the three Islamic countries. It is going to be a tough task for Non-Muslim Indians who failed to provide the documents to the Citizenship Officer or Babu. They will now have to provide evidence that they have indeed come from any of the three countries. I have no idea how they are going to do that. CAA+NRC not only targets one specific community, it targets everyone. The Government can use it to strip citizenship of anyone and on the top of the pyramid will be those who have constantly raised their voices against them. An excerpt from 1984, George Orwell. “Now I will tell you the answer to my question. It is this. The Party seeks power entirely for its own sake. We are not interested in the good of others; we are interested solely in power, pure power. What pure power means you will understand presently. We are different from the oligarchies of the past in that we know what we are doing. All the others, even those who resembled ourselves, were cowards and hypocrites. The German Nazis and the Russian Communists came very close to us in their methods, but they never had the courage to recognize their own motives. They pretended, perhaps they even believed, that they had seized power unwillingly and for a limited time, and that just around the corner there lay a paradise where human beings would be free and equal. We are not like that. We know that no one ever seizes power with the intention of relinquishing it. Power is not a means; it is an end. One does not establish a dictatorship in order to safeguard a revolution; one makes the revolution in order to establish the dictatorship. The object of persecution is persecution. The object of torture is torture. The object of power is power. Now you begin to understand me.” References:	https://medium.com/@leftofcentre/caa-is-not-anti-muslim-it-is-anti-indian-630f425a4e85	[]	2021-01-11 16:28:55.518000+00:00	['Caa', 'India', 'Muslim', 'RNC', 'Modi Government']
SUSTAINABILITY: A STRATEGY-BASED PARADIGM SHIFT FOR FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS IN NIGERIA.	SUSTAINABILITY: A STRATEGY-BASED PARADIGM SHIFT FOR FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS IN NIGERIA. The concept of sustainable development has increased its popularity from one sector to another over the years. It is an ongoing process that has continued to spread (throughout all economic activities) with the financial institutions being pioneers. The current economy in the developed world has demanded financial institutions to follow sustainability guidelines, in order to incorporate modifications experienced by societies in their ethics and moral codes to stay competitive in this era of the 21st century. Today, businesses no longer seek for profits alone but to also have a long-term environmental and social perspectives, which would be achieved by the mitigation of social and environmental related risk as well as innovative sustainable oriented business strategy (IFC 2007). In order not to be left behind, the financial institutions in developing countries have taken a cue from this global trend in financing development; by incorporating international guidelines into their business processes and operations. This is in a bid to foster sustainable development which in turn would help in meeting up with the global benchmark of the sustainable development goals. To this effect, the Central Bank of Nigeria in July 14, 2012 approved the adoption of the NSBP (Nigeria Sustainable Banking Principles) by banks, discount houses and development finance institutions in Nigeria. This was done in furtherance to the bankers’ committee’s commitment to deliver positive development-impacts in the society, while protecting the communities and environments. In order to enable effective implementation, the following documents were issued: The Nigeria Sustainable Banking Principles. The Nigeria Sustainable Banking Principles Guidance Note. Nigeria Sustainable Banking Principles Power Sector Guidelines. Nigeria Sustainable Banking Principles Agriculture Sector Guidelines. Nigeria Sustainable Banking Principles Oil and Gas Sector Guidelines. A successful implementation (through operations, enterprise risk management and other governance frameworks) of these principles and guidelines will ensure the development of a sustainable-based management approach that balances the environmental and social (E&S) risks identified with businesses, while ensuring that they remain environmentally and socially responsible in the pursuit of economic profit. Current Situation of Development in Developing Cities: A case of Lagos State, Nigeria. Currently, Lagos State is set to attain Africa’s model Mega city by 2025 (driven by ‘the smart-city’ ideology) according to its development plan. But the context in which business decisions are made is however characterized by complex and growing challenges relating to population growth, urban migration, poverty, poor waste management, destruction of biodiversity and ecosystems, pressure on food sources and prices, insecurity, lack of energy, pressured infrastructure and potential climate crisis. However, different developmental projects are being undertaken which in-turn have created a lot of environmental and social tensions (which often includes the displacement of people, livelihoods, etc). Thus, posing new forms of risk to financial institutions as they are uniquely positioned to be blamed or to further economic growth, development opportunity as well as enhance innovation and competitiveness in Nigeria through its lending and investing activities with the adoption of the sustainable guidelines. Therefore, for financial institutions to be relevant in today’s business, it is highly mandatory to strategically harness business model with the sustainable development goals in mind. To accomplish this, there’s an urgent need for the financial institutions to holistically re-assess their: - financing or banking operations and activities, - credit process, - enterprise risk management and governance frameworks, - supply-chain, - stakeholder’s management framework, - corporate social responsibilities, - customer preferences and behaviors. The concept of Sustainable Finance: A review from literature The implementation of sustainability initiatives as well as some financial projects were mainly done through the management of social and environmental risks in strategic decision-making, lending and the identification of opportunities for innovative product-development in areas related to sustainability, utilizing specific keywords (IFC 2007, 12). The literature is embedded in varieties of key words: social, ethical, community based, microfinance, alternative, environmental, sustainable and solidarity banking and finance according to Milan (2012, 21). A unified definition for this type of finance is not really available and perhaps not possible because of the different traditions from which ethical finance actors have emerged (de Clerck 2009, 4). However, in the likes of this growing demand, the initiatives of the financial sector across the globe following sustainable business models is increasing. “Conscious consumers, ethical investors, enlightened businesses, non-governmental organizations, cultural creations, and leading international institutions are working to make the triple bottom line (People, Planet and Profit) a reality” (de Clerck 2009). According to Marcel 2001, the role of banks in contributing towards sustainable development through the likes of corporate social responsibility and social finances, is however potentially enormous because of their intermediary role in an economy and their important impact on the economic development of Nations. Hence, financing sustainable projects provides financial capital and risk management products only to projects that promote and do no harm to economic prosperity, environmental protection and social justice (Forum for the future 2002, 3). Any financial institution would be staying long in business- thus fulfilling the requirements of the International Finance Corporation, globally and in Nigeria, the Central Bank of Nigeria, if the alignment of financial system with sustainability criteria entails: ● Social sustainability: Ensures to always respect the internationally recognized human rights. It improves the welfare and living standards in the community where activity is based (IFC 2007). ● Financial sustainability: Availability of the financial institution and its clients to contribute to the development in a long-term perspective. ● Economic sustainability: Economic viability of the institution and the financed projects and therefore their contribution to economies and societies. ● Environmental sustainability: Preservation of natural ecosystems and resources. These considerations taken together, aim to capture a fuller range of factors that influences activities to include social and environmental impacts of their work. Therefore, if a financial institution wants to bring to reality the objectives of the Sustainable Development Goals in developing countries, it needs to: Firstly; re-address its business strategy to have an attitude that involves sustainability criteria in a whole business system. Secondly; ensure their strategic plans are based on sustainable monitoring systems, where sustainable innovation plays an important role in the process of the company’s development. It is now a must for financial institutions to drive initiatives through ‘social financing’ to show ethical commitment through social empowerment of marginalized groups and environmental sustainability. Their products, services and activities are to be fashioned to focus on: ● Providing valuable services to marginalized groups which would provide a bedrock for local economics (Amin et al 2002). ● Bridging the gap between ethical investors and borrower organizations aiming to create social, cultural and environmental value (Buttle 2007). ● Higher economic profitability or at least maintaining profitability using CSR and social financing as a source of competitive advantage (Vogel 2005). ● Forming of global competitive advantage or marketing tool to stay globally relevant to attract foreign attention and benefits (Perini et al. 2006). ● Using this new global business strategy to gather the ability to influence the company’s image through the provision of capital (de Clark 2009). Considering the above, sustainability in finance is positioned to only drive full priority to environmental sustainability whilst pursuing social and economic sustainability on the road to sustainable development. Reviews from financial institutions on the impacts of sustainable finance on business performance: 1. “The role of banks in contributing toward sustainable development is, however, potentially enormous, because of their intermediary role in an economy. Banks transform money in terms of duration, scale, spatial location and risk and have an important impact on the economic development of nations.”- Marcel (2001). 2. “Sustainable energy finance has increased our bank’s visibility and market differentiation in a highly competitive domestic market.”- Ladislav Dvorak, Head-Special Products for SMEs, Ceska Sporitelna 3. “Financing micro-hydro stations is a good alternative for Armenia, where atomic energy has been a major supply of power. Microhydro started as a small project but turned out to be a catalyst for establishing an entire line of business in renewable energy finance. A small investment grew into a new financial product that differentiates us in the Armenian market. We attract new clients, get repeat business, and are thinking about financing other renewable energy areas.”- Arsen Bazikyan, Deputy Director. 4. “With a high concentration of industry in the region, UralTrans Bank understands that cleaner production and energy efficiency technologies are key factors determining competitive advantage. We have responded by developing financial product lines to help industry take advantage of these technologies. Collaboration with international financial institutions is our major competitive advantage and proof of the bank’s strong performance.” — Sergei Netepenko, Senior Auditor and Manager Investor Relations UralTrans Bank. 5. “IFC provided substantial and more importantly, timely support in the process of integrating sustainability considerations into our credit approval process. The bank has made a giant step forward in its development.”- Vikto Gorbachev, Director of Credit Department, Bank Aval. 6. “In 2004, we became the first Romanian bank to introduce an environmental procedure to assist corporate lending activity. This was based on EBRD procedures and IFC operational policies regarding social and environmental concerns and worker safety. We support our customers in developing environmental friendly businesses and ln learning how to comply with environmental, health and worker safety regulations.”- Nicolae Danila, CEO- Banca Comerciala Romana. 7. “It is my firm belief that sustainable microfinance is an important tool for economic growth at the grassroots level and a powerful tool in the fight against poverty. IFC has been a valuable partner in helping us become a full-fledged commercial bank that brings critical financial services to ordinary entrepreneurs and families in urban as well as rural areas.”- In Channy. Founder and GM- ACLEDA bank. 8. “Our approach to social transformation through BEE has resulted in new business opportunities which present themselves because of a paradigm shift in our business, our industry, and our society. We are developing new products and services for a market that was previously not our radar screen, to the benefit of all.”- Marlene Hesketh, Head- Transformation of First Rand Limited Acknowledgement: I Acknowledge - the input of Olaniyi B. Olalemi (Audit assurance and risk management practitioner with about 19 years’ experience). - the input of Taibat Lawanson (Professor of Urban and Regional Planning). - the review of Rukayat Alli-Oluwafuyi (an Environmental Sustainability expert) and Adewumi Odedina (a Petroleum-Field Engineer and Marine technical expert). References Amin, Ash, Angus Cameron and Roy Hudson. 2002. Placing the Social Economy. London: Routledge Blanca Fernandez Milan. Sustainable finances and personal Attitudes. http://www.modul.ac.at. 28 may 2012. Buttle, Martin (2007). ‘‘I’m not in it for the money: Constructing and mediating ethical reconnections in UK social banking’. Geoforum 38 pp. 1076–1008. David J. Vogel. Is there a market for virtue? The business Case for Corporate Social Responsibility. Brookings Institution Press, 2005. De Clerck, Frans (2009). ‘Ethical Banking’. In Zsolnai Laszlo / BodaZsolt / Fekete Laszlo ‘Ethical Prospects: Economy, Society and Environment‘ (319). UK: Springer. Forum for the Future (2002): ‘Financing the Future: The London Principles of Sustainable Finance’ Available: http://www.forumforthefuture.org.uk — retrieved 12 March 2012. International Finance Corporaton (IFC) (2007).‘Banking on Sustainability: Financing Environmental and Social Opportunities in Emerging Markets’. Available: http://www.ifc.org/ — retrieved 12 March 2012. Jeucken, Marcel H. A. (2001). ‘Sustainable Finance and Banking: The Financial Sector and the Future of the Planet’. UK: Earthscan Publications. Perini, F. Albareda, L., Tencati, A & Lozano, J.M. (2006). The government’s role in promoting corporate responsibility: A comparative analysis of Italy and UK from the relational state perspective. Corporate Governance 6(4), 386–400.	https://medium.com/sustainability-a-strategy-based-paradigm-shift-for/sustainability-a-strategy-based-paradigm-shift-for-financial-institutions-in-nigeria-112c2f205a98	['Kayode Ashamu']	2020-01-15 15:55:43.618000+00:00	['Sustainability', 'Sustainable Development', 'Sustainable Finance', 'Sustainable Business', 'Climate Change']
Speaker or Loudspeaker: The Universal Dilemma	In the classroom, my Maths school teacher came up with this weird concept of ‘speaker and loudspeaker’. During his classes he made a point of questioning each and every student. If he found a student who couldn’t answer a question but was being prodded by another with the correct answer, he rounded up both and looking through his large shiny glasses and twitching his big bushy eyebrows, he branded the one who was questioned as ‘loudspeaker’ and the helper as ‘speaker’. Then he took to task both the ‘speaker and the loudspeaker’. His spine was stiff, straight and he didn’t compromise. In his maths class, he wanted everybody to be a ‘speaker’. Several years on, I still find this concept alive and kicking but in a completely different setting: the corporate world. Though, this can be applicable to other settings but the corporate world is striking as this is where the ‘loudspeaker’ take completes advantage of the ‘speaker’. In a general sense, a ‘speaker’ is the person who produces the content or in other words is the ‘subject matter expert’ (in the classroom context, he is the kid who knows the answer), while the loudspeaker (in the classroom context, he is the kid who doesn’t know the answer) is this inanimate, impersonal device whose sole purpose is to amplify the speaker’s voice to the public. In many organisations (not all), the ‘loudspeaker’ is preferred for senior executive roles. Why? If the loudspeaker is bereft of any content, why is the ‘loudspeaker’ preferred? The answer lies in the complexity of how such organisations see themselves. A risk averse organisation, which aims at stable growth, even at the cost of long term stock underperformance needs consensus builders, networkers, men and women who can be flexible, detached, bubbling with gossip, always looking for information which can be twisted to best use of a selected coterie. Unfortunately, some of these qualities are confused with ‘influence’, the very essence of leadership. Underperformance starts at the top and if it becomes a habit. The ‘loudspeaker’ is preferred as the ‘loudspeaker’ knows how to break and present a piece of information. The loudspeaker collects information from his ‘speaker(s)’, puts it into an acceptable format and forwards it on, sometimes taking all the credit for the content. If the ‘loudspeaker’ ever fails, the first to go is the ‘speaker’ as the ‘loudspeaker’ is clever at deflecting blame and is happy to be seen as a strong ‘leader’ by firing an ‘incompetent speaker’, though the story may be otherwise. ‘Loudspeakers’ rarely get punished for failure in their organisations as ‘loudspeakers’ are supported by other loudspeakers and for a ‘loudspeakers’ manager (himself a loudspeaker) to fire a ‘loud speaking staff member’ requires a lot of spine. Compare this to a consistently underperforming soccer team, the head coach goes first. This is because a results driven soccer team doesn’t have time for a head coach who is a ‘loudspeaker’. A ‘speaker’ comes in handy here. Here true leadership needs to be shown and the soccer organisation makes sure that true leadership is displayed. Then the question is: what happens to the poor ‘speaker’. After all he works hard, creates content, and performs (sometimes over performs) in his role but still doesn’t get due recognition. The only option for the ‘speaker’ is to start morphing into a ‘loudspeaker’ and strike a balance (though it is easier said than done). The other option is to find an organisation which values only ‘speakers’. In the modern corporate world very few organisations have the spine to continuously cull ‘loudspeakers’ in their ranks and maintain a lean learning organisation which thrives on true leadership and high performance based on an able team of ‘speakers’. Thus, the second option is a difficult one. But this doesn’t mean that morphing into a ‘loudspeaker’ will be an easy task either as organisations which are filled with a majority of ‘loudspeakers’ at the top level, treat the top level like a ‘club’ where entry is slow and selective. Not all ‘loudspeakers’ are complete ‘loudspeakers’ as they may have been ‘speakers’ once upon a time but after they qualified to be a ‘loudspeaker’, they slowly forgot their ‘speaking’ skills. Some ‘loudspeakers’ are able and strike a balance between their ‘speaking and loudspeaking’ skills. But this again is a tough task and is accomplished by a few. This universal dilemma of ‘speakers’ and ‘loudspeakers’ can only be resolved by true leaders who like my Maths teacher have an uncompromising attitude and who have a keen eye on finding and developing ‘speakers’.	https://medium.com/@aruneshchoubey/speaker-or-loudspeaker-the-universal-dilemma-ffa4c510d17d	['The Universal Post']	2020-12-03 03:14:17.400000+00:00	['Office Politics', 'Corporate Culture', 'Leadership', 'Career Development', 'Thought Leadership']
29 Awesome States, 29 Splendid Festivals	Fairs and festivals add much needed zing to our life and give us an opportunity to forget all our tensions and make merry. They are the very essence of our vibrant culture. India being a melting pot of several religions has no dearth of festivals to celebrate. Here is a rundown on the festivals which define the 29 states of India 1. Andhra Pradesh — Brahmotsavam Image by Bala Subs via Flickr The most important and auspicious annual fête celebrated at Sri Venkateswara Temple in Tirupati in Andhra Pradesh. Sri Venkateswara Swami Vari Brahmotsavam is conducted for nine days during the months September — October. The Utsava-murti (processional deity) of the Lord Venkateswara, along with his consorts Sridevi and Bhudevi, will be taken on a procession on different Vahanams on the streets surrounding the temple. This attracts pilgrims and tourists from all parts of India and abroad. Popular legend says that Brahma, the creator God worshiped Venkateswara on the banks of the holy Swami Pushkarini in Tirupati as a way to give thanks for the Lord’s protection of mankind. 2. Arunachal Pradesh — Losar Festival Image by Nichalp via Wikimedia The Tibetan New year is also known as Losar and is mainly celebrated for 3 days in late January or February. Marked with ancient ceremonies that represent the struggle between good and evil Lossar has people chanting and passing fire torches through the crowds. Events like the dance of the deer and the amusing battles between the King and his various ministers provide the cheerful side of festivities. Losar Festival is characterized especially by dancing, music, and a general spirit of merry making. 3. Assam — Bohag Bihu Image by Subhrajit via Wikimedia It’s the time to greet each other a Happy New Year! The spring festival of Bohaag Bihu or Rongali Bihu ushers in the New Year in the State of Assam, which marks the onset of a new agricultural cycle. Many fairs are organized where people revel in festivities and visit each other’s houses, exchange gifts. Young girls in traditional attire sing “Bihugeets” and dance the traditional “MukoliBihu”. The celebrations go on for days together, and it’s also a good time for young people to find a companion of their own choice! 4. Bihar — Chhath Puja Image by Abhishek Chandra via Wikimedia Chhath Puja also called Dala Puja devoted to worshiping the sun is traditionally celebrated by the people of Bihar. Chhath falls in the months of October or November. Chhath assumes a joyous and colorful form as people dress up in their best clothes and gather by rivers and other water bodies to celebrate. Lamps are lit and devotional folk songs sung in honor of ‘Chhat Maiya’ or Ganga. After sunset earthen lamps or ‘diyas’ are lit in the courtyards of houses. 5. Chattisgarh — Bastar Dussehra Image by Gopal Aggarwal via Wikimedia Bastar Dussehra the longest Dussehra celebrations in the world is celebrated in Bastar and spans over 75 days starting around August and ending at October. Diverse tribes participate with traditional customs. Bastar Dussehra begins with several customs like ‘Pata jatra’, or worship of wood followed by ‘Deri Gadhai’- Posting of the pillars, Kachan Gaadi- Throne for goddess Kachan Devi, Kalash Sthapana- Installation of urns, Jogi Bithai- Jogi’s penance, Rath Parikrama- The chariot circuit, Nisha Jatra- The nocturnal festival, Jogi Uthai- Raising of the jogi, Maoli Parghav- Reception of Devi Maoli, Bheetar Raini- The inner circuit, Baahar Raini- The outer circuit, Kachan Jatra- Thanksgiving ceremony, Muria Durbar- The tribal chieftains’ conference and finally on the last day, Ohadi- A farewell to deities. 6. Goa — Carnival Image by Madan kumaraswamy via Flickr The exciting and fun-filled three-day non-stop extravaganza of fun, frolic, song, music and dance that is uniquely Goan! Celebrated since the 18th century, it was meant to be a feasting-drinking-merrymaking orgy just before the 40 days of Lent; a time of abstinence and spirituality. In the Carnival huge parades through the cities are organized with bands, floats and dances and balls in the evenings. The final day concludes with the famous Red-and-Black dance held by the Clube Nacional in Panjim. The carnival is presided over by King Momo, who on the opening day orders his subjects to party. The festival attracts thousands of tourists. 7. Gujarat — Janmashtami, Diwali Image by Vedanta Mission via Flickr The birth anniversary of Lord Krishna is celebrated with great fervor all over India especially at Gujarat. Temples and homes are beautifully decorated and lit. People fast all day and eat only after the midnight birth ceremony. Mathura has many temples dedicated to Krishna where night long prayers are offered and religious hymns are sung.Often, small children dress up like Lord Krishna on this day. In the temples, images and picturization of Krishna’s life story are depicted. The festival of lights Diwali is also celebrated with much enthusiasm in Gujarat. Lamps are lit in all houses and sweets are distributed by people. Festival marks the beginning of the New Year. 8. Haryana — Baisakhi Image by Mani Babbar Photography via Flickr Festival of Baisakhi marks the time for harvest of Rabi crops and farmers celebrate it with lots of joy and zeal in Punjab and Haryana. The day of Baisakhi dawns in colors and vibrancy as cries of “Jatta aayi Baisakhi” reverberate in the skies as gaily-dressed men and women move towards the fields to celebrate the occasion. The traditional folk dances Bhangra and Gidda are performed by men and women to the beat of Dhol. Colourful Baisakhi Fairs are also organized to celebrate the day. Wrestling bouts, singing and acrobatics are held along with music performances 9. Himachal Pradesh — Mahashivaratri Image by Navneesh Ramessur via Wikimedia Himachal Pradesh is said to host the biggest Shivaratri celebration in the country. A week-long international Mandi Shivratri Fair is held near the Temple of Bhoothnath (Lord Shiva) every year and it attracts a lot of tourists from all over the country and even abroad. Every year a Shobha Yatra is conducted which witnesses unmatched fervor and utmost participation. The entire night during Shivratri celebration reverberates with exalted spiritual energy. A combination of five pure ingredients comprising milk, butter, curd, honey and sugar is offered to Lord Shiva. 10. Jammu and Kashmir — Eid-ul-Fitr and Eid-ul-Azha Image by Sandip Debnath via Flickr If you have to experience the real fun and celebrations of Id, you have to be in Kashmir! Eid-ul-Fitr marks the end of fasting month of Ramadan. On this day, Muslims wear new clothes and attend many grand feasts. Eid-ul-Azha is an equally important festival, which is more prominent for the Qurbani (sacrifice). People sacrifice goats, sheep and some even camels. On this day, Muslims show their real joy for the health, strength and the opportunities of life, which Allah has given to them to fulfill their obligation of fasting and other good deeds during the blessed month of Ramadan. 11. Jharkhand — Holi Image by Sam Breach via Flickr Holi is celebrated in the months of February/March with great charm and vigor The spring festival of Holi is one of the most important festivals of Jharkhand. The lighting of bonfire also forms a special feature of the Holi celebrations in Dhanbad. Fun and frolic are also redefined in various forms in the festive celebrations here. People greet each other with colors and thus enhance the feeling of harmony due to which happiness prevails. The tradition of playing Holi with mud is also extremely delightful. 12. Karnataka — Ugadi Image by Samuel Raj via Flickr People from all over Karnataka celebrate Ugadi in the second half of March or in early April with much enthusiasm and gaiety. Ugadi is considered as an auspicious time for commencing new ventures. The popular legend is that the Lord Brahma started the creation of the vast universe on the auspicious day of Ugadi and it also marks the beginning of the new Hindu lunar calendar. People decorate their homes and puja rooms with flowers and mango leaves. Special dishes are prepared and enjoyed by the people to mark the festival. 13. Kerala — Onam Image by Ramakrishnan AP via Flickr Onam is one of the popular festivals of Kerala is celebrated with joy and enthusiasm by people of all communities. According to a popular legend, the festival is celebrated to welcome King Mahabali, whose spirit is said to visit Kerala at the time of Onam. Intricately designed flower mats called, Pookalams are made in the front courtyard of the house to welcome King Mahabali. Onam is celebrated in Chingam, (August-September) and lasts for ten days. The tenth day, Thiruonam is marked by elaborate feasts, folk songs, elegant dances, energetic games, elephants, boats and flowers. Vallamkali, the enchanting Snake Boat Race, Folk performances like Kummatti kali and Pulikali add to the zest of celebrations. 14. Madhya Pradesh — Diwali Image by Nicolas Mirguet via Flickr Madhya Pradesh celebrates Diwali, the Festival of lights with much splendour. Decorations and lighting are done throughout houses & markets. Prior to the Diwali night, called the Dhan-teras all the shops remain open the whole night. Sweets are prepared in every household and exchanged. On Diwali day, houses all over Madhya Pradesh glow with a twinkle of innumerable diyas, candles and electric lights. The night is illuminated with the flaming lights of fireworks. Diwali Festival marks the beginning of the New Year. The Baiga and Gond tribes performed their traditional dances to celebrate the Diwali Festival. 15. Maharashtra — Ganesh Chaturthi Image by Thejas Panarkandy via Flickr Ganesh Chaturthi, the most important festival of Maharashtra falls in months of August — September. Ganesh images are kept in houses as a divine guest for five to ten days by people. The image is then taken out ceremoniously and immersed in the river, sea or well. It is called Visarjan. Modak is special cuisine for Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations. Huge Ganesh idols are worshipped at nicely decorated pandals for 8 to 10 days. Slogans of Ganpathi Bappa Morya reverberate as the idols are taken out in huge processions during the day of immersion. Cultural activities of singing, dancing, and theater, and free medical and blood donation camps are held during the festival. 16. Manipur — Yaoshang Image by GuruBidya via Wikimedia One of the premier festivals of Manipur, Yaoshang is celebrated for five days and commences from the full moon day of Phalguna (February/march). The main highlight of the festival is the Thabal Chongba dance, a Manipuri folk dance where boys and girls form a circle and hold hands and sing and dance. Donations are collected from house to house and the money collected is spent on parties and merry making.So if you are planning a trip to Manipur in the month of February, don’t forget to be a part of the Yaoshang festival and carry home the memories you will cherish all your lives. 17. Meghalaya — Nongkrem Dance Festival Image by Dirk Borchers via Flickr The Nongkrem dance festival of the hill state of Meghalaya is a five days long religious festival devoted to appease the Goddess Ka Blei Synshar for a rich bumper harvest and prosperity of the people. Dances are performed by unmarried men & women dressed in exotic costumes. The men’s dancing is naturally more vigorous and energetic. They hold a sword in their right hand and usually a white Yak hair whisk in their left hand, keeping time to the changing beats of drums and playing of the tangmuri or pipes. 18. Mizoram — ChapcharKut Festival Image by Anup Rou via Wikimedia Mizoram’s biggest festival, Chapchar Kut marks the clearing and readying of hill slopes for jhum or shifting cultivation. It is celebrated with gaiety and fervor by young & old. On this day people dressed in colorful costumes and distinctive head gears and jewelries, assemble and perform various folk dances, singing traditional songs accompanied by beating of drums, gongs and cymbals. The energetic Bamboo dance&other main dances like Khuallam, Chheihlam, Chai and Sarlamkai are performed as part of community festivities. Exhibition and sale of indigenous Handloom and Handicraft products and flower show, food festival, musical competition and different traditional games are also organized during the Chapchar Kut festival 19. Nagaland — Hornbill Festival Image by souvikbasu via Flickr The week-long Hornbill Festival of Nagaland is one of the biggest cultural extravaganzas in the North East& held every year from Dec1–10. It is a festival to revive, protect, sustain, and promote the richness of the Naga heritage and traditions. All the Naga tribes get together for a week-long celebration of their cultural and traditional plight and showcase their age-old traditions. 20. Odisha (Orissa) — Raja Parba Image by Rashmirparida via Wikimedia Raja Parba is the living cultural heritage of Odisha and the manifestation of the agricultural way of life. A festival of harvest held for three days in June, the first day is called Pahili Raja, the second day is the Raja Sankranti, and the third day is Basi Raja. A joyous atmosphere pervades as the young men of the village play local games like Kabaddi. Competitions are also held between different groups of the village. A festival of joy you can say! 21. Punjab — Lohri Image by amritpal singh via Flickr Lohri is a popular festival, celebrated by Punjabi particularly of Hindu and Sikh faith on the 13thof January a day before Makar Sankranti. A week before Lohri, children begin gathering firewood and huge fires are burnt on Lohri night. In the morning, children go from door to door singing and demanding the Lohri ‘loot’ in the form of money and eatables. Lohri is essentially a festival dedicated to the Sun god and to share the warmth with your family and loved ones. 22. Rajasthan — Gangaur Festival Image by Michael Foley via Flickr The Gangaur festival in Rajasthan is a colourful affair and offers a wonderful opportunity to tourists to enjoy cultural festivity. It falls a fortnight after Holi&is celebrated for 18 days in honor of Goddess Parvati mostly by the womenfolk of Rajasthan. Offerings are made to the Goddess Parvati& the festival is considered an auspicious occasion for young people to choose their life partners. During the festival, images of Gauri (the other name of Goddess Paravati) and Shiva are taken out in colorful processions. The whole event comes to an end with the display of wonderful fireworks. 23. Sikkim — Saga Dawa Image by Bob Witlox via Flickr The magnificent carnival of Sikkim, Saga Dawa is famous for masked dances and the festival exhibits in rare and elegant colors add richness and diversity. On the day of the Saga Dawa the people of Sikkim, especially the Mahayana Buddhists gather in temples and pay due honor to the Lord. They light up lamps and the ceremony is followed by a grand pageant which consists of Monks who move to the chants of holy scriptures and hymns in the procession 24. Tamil Nadu — Pongal Image by Alagu via Flickr Pongal is a four-day-long harvest festival of Tamil Nadu which falls in the month of January-February. The first day of Pongal — The Bhogi festival is celebrated with the ritual of Bhogi Mantalu when useless items of the household are tossed into a bonfire traditionally made of cow dung cakes and wood. On the second day — Thai Pongal, rice and milk are boiled together in an earthen pot as an offering to the sun god. Sugarcane, coconuts and bananas are also offered. The third day — Mattu Pongal is dedicated to cows. They are adorned with bells, sheaves of corn, garlandsand worshipped. The houses look magnificent with Kolam designs (traditional floral designs made with rice, colored powders, and flower petals). 25. Telangana — Bonalu Image by Rajesh Pamnani via Flickr Bonalu is celebrated in Telangana and the word Bonalu came from “Bhojanalu” which is offered to the goddess during festival time. It is believed that the Goddess comes back to her maternal home on this day. So people come to see her and bring offerings of food (Bonalu). Women prepare Bonam in a pot and decorate with small neem branches, turmeric, kumkum and a Lamp on the top of it. Women put the pots on their heads and take it to Goddess temple, led by drummers and dancing men. 26. Tripura — Kharchi Puja Kharchi puja is the worship of the fourteen gods of Tripura and is celebrated in the month of July-August. On the day of puja, the fourteen deities are carried to river Saidra, bathed in the holy water and brought back to the temple. People offer different type so Prasad like goat, buffalo, fouls, sweets etc. Nowadays many cultural programs are performed in the night and a large fair is also organized on the occasion. 27. Uttar Pradesh — Navaratri Image by via Wikimedia Navratri is one of the holiest Hindu festivals is celebrated with much pomp and grandeur in Uttar Pradesh. Navratri is celebrated for nine nights during which people worship Goddess Durga and her nine forms to seek Her blessings. Special pujas of Devi are also held by setting up the images/idols of Mother Durga in beautifully decorated pandals accompanied by cultural songs, dances, and dramas. These idols are then immersed in rivers at the end of the festival. 28. Uttarakhand — Ganga Dusshera Image by Peter Davis via Flickr In the month of June, Ganga Dussehra is celebrated at major ghats of Uttarakhand. This festival is a day of devotion and faith. People in large numbers bathe in the Ganga to get purified of sins and at night devotees start offering leaf boats with flames, sweets and flowers to the river. Big fairs are also organized in various parts of India like Varanasi, Haridwar, Mathura and Allahabad which are the major attractions during this time. 29. West Bengal — Durga Puja Image by Diganta Talukdar via Wikimedia Durga Puja also referred to as Durgotsava in West Bengal and celebrated with much gaiety and pomp here. The festival is commemorated by worshipping Goddess Durga. It is one of the biggest festivals in Bengal and is celebrated on a mass scale with Puja Pandals erected on almost every corner. Community Pujas are also organized in each locality. On the last day, the idols are taken in decorative processions to be immersed in the river or the pond. Apart from traditional rituals, many cultural activities like song and dance competitions, games and fetes are organized during the festival. India is a land of festivals where people of all religions coexist in harmony. The festivals are a true manifestation of its culture and traditions. Now that you have been through the festivals which define the 29 states of India it is up to you to celebrate them with all pomp and splendor. We would love to know your favorite festivals in India! Share away your thoughts in the comments!! If you like this post, please share!! Originally published at Buzzfeed.com on May 23, 2016	https://medium.com/@paradiseholidays/29-awesome-states-29-splendid-festivals-896e3f33cc9f	['Paradise Holidays']	2016-07-18 05:08:50.665000+00:00	['India', 'Celebration', 'Festival', 'Kerala', 'Tourism']
Immanuel Kant: Dare to Think	Hume’s Fork To make his point, Hume had made a distinction between two kinds of judgements. Analytic and Synthetic. Some judgements we make about things are logically contained in the concept of those things. For example, “a triangle has three sides” and “a bachelor is an unmarried man”. We could also say “all physical things occupy space.” Those statements are true by definition — self-evidently true — and are not necessarily taking our knowledge about the subject further. They are logically true. To Hume, these “analytic” statements were useless; they say nothing about the world at all. They are “tautological”: they are true in all instances. An example of a tautology would be “the runner will win or not win the race”, another would be “A=A”. There are also those far more common statements that can be verified by observation. “The cat is on the mat” is true or false based on our observation as to whether the cat is on the mat. Hume described these as “synthetic” since the meaning of the statement is not self-evident. These statements are the only meaningful statements to Hume. They are a posteriori, which means logically true after experience. For example, for the cat to be on the mat we must experience this state of affairs before we know it is true. Both types of statement, “analytic” and “synthetic” were mutually incompatible to Hume, later philosophers described this as “Hume’s Fork”. Hume’s fork dictated that analytic statements are always a priori, and synthetic statements are always a posteriori. This all seems like a dry exercise in logic. Pointless, right? But think of these types of statements as being like “pixels” of experience. These logical propositions are the tiny building blocks that make up our knowledge of the world. The world in all its richness, beauty and variety avails itself to us in logic. As the twentieth-century philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein wrote, “The world is the totality of facts, not of things.” Hume had maintained that the law of causality was synthetic and therefore a posteriori: we were just guessing that events caused other events after the fact of experiencing the events. We could not know that fire could produce heat before experiencing a fire for certain. To prove it, we would have to set a fire and test the temperature of the air. If a fire could guarantee heat a priori (before we experience it), it would have to be analytic, and that was not the case. The idea that fire always gives off heat is a “metaphysical” idea that Hume rejected as meaningless. Hume wrote of metaphysical statements: “Let us ask, Does it contain any abstract reasoning concerning quantity or number? No. Does it contain any experimental reasoning concerning matter of fact and existence? No. Commit it then to the flames: for it can contain nothing but sophistry and illusion.” Kant spent twelve years thinking about this problem. Working with the logical system that Hume had developed, he discovered something profound about how we know the world. Having spent all those years thinking about the objections Hume raised about philosophy and metaphysics, it took Kant only a matter of months to write The Critique of Pure Reason in 1781. In this book, Kant described a third type of statement which he called “synthetic a priori”. A statement falling into this category would be “a straight line between two points is the shortest.” The statement is not by definition true, but it is universally (always) true in the same way that “all unmarried men are bachelors” is true. The statement’s truth is not self-evident from the statement itself, it is “synthetic”. But its validity is still prior to our experience of a straight line, it’s “a priori” — logically true before it’s experienced. In other words — and here is the glorious moment for Kant — we know innately that this statement is true. In finding this new type of statement, Kant crossed Hume’s fork: Kant found this to be the case for the most fundamental aspects of our knowledge. Mathematical and geometrical propositions were the same. “Five things added to three things give us eight things” or “5+3=8” is a synthetic a priori statement. Kant maintained that Synthetic a priori propositions are the basis for knowledge, they are the pixels of experience that depend on human intuition. Our experience of the world, Kant maintained, is a mix of experience and rational intuition. Transcendental Idealism These experiences, Kant asserted, are woven together through twelve categories of understanding: the way our senses interpret and order the world. These categories include “quality”, “quantity”, “relation” and “modality”. Think about the statement “five things plus three things gives us eight things”. There is nothing in that statement that is self-evident, our intuition of “quantity” is required to make sense of that statement, as it is when we pick up fruit in the market or count the money in our purse. Together these categories form the framework of how our minds process experience and produce knowledge. They are not part of our experience — we do not see, feel or hear “quantity” itself, for example — yet we could not have experience without them. Kant described them as predicates of objects in general, not specifically. In this sense the categories are “transcendent” — they are beyond knowledge insomuch that they actually structure knowledge itself. Think of it this way: you cannot see your eyes, nor hear your ears because these organs themselves mediate those senses. The categories are like those sense organs — they are aspects of the intellect that make understanding possible. Kant produced a framework for knowledge that our experience of the world is sense data mediated through our minds. The categories of our intellect exist prior to experience and structure our sense perceptions as we experience the world. The world outside of our senses cannot be known. “Things-in-themselves” — the source of our sense data that cause our sensations — cannot be accessed outside of our experience. Kant called his system “Transcendental Idealism”. Causation, space and time are intuitions of our minds. Kant argues that we are cognizant of objects not as they are in themselves, but only the way they appear to us through the categories. “Idealism” is the philosophical belief that reality is inseparable from the mind of the beholder. Knowledge is not produced solely by experience, nor is it produced solely in the mind. Our knowledge of the world is sense data from the world, structured by our mind. He believed he had effected a Copernican Revolution in philosophy. He wrote, “I venture to assert that there is not a single metaphysical problem that has not been solved.” While most philosophers since may disagree, Kant is perhaps the most influential Western philosopher since Aristotle. Working from his simple logical discovery, he developed enormous ideas around virtually every important question of philosophy that are influential to this day. How should we govern ourselves? (politics), what is beautiful? (aesthetics); what is good? (ethics).	https://medium.com/the-sophist/immanuel-kant-dare-to-think-3b5b3cec8146	['Steven Gambardella']	2020-10-21 19:40:26.935000+00:00	['Culture', 'Philosophy', 'Psychology', 'Science', 'History']
About Me — Heather McLeod. Ex-farmer, mom, widow & mystery writer	About Me — Heather McLeod Ex-farmer, mom, widow & mystery writer I’m raising my son in the small mountain town where I grew up. I wanted to write a novel, but 92,000 words is an intimidating goal. My husband, Brock, did the math and asked if I could write 252 words per day for a year. “Of course I can,” I said. “Easy peasy.” So I made myself write at least 252 words every day, not allowing myself to go to bed until I’d met my quota. That’s how I finished my first mystery novel, One for the Raven. Brock was living with stage four (terminal) kidney cancer at the time. Loving and taking care of a man who is dying, who is declining physically and mentally, is not an experience I expected to have at age 36. We were supposed to be farming. We’d just signed a lease for 65 more acres of land: we were poised to become Whole Foods’ largest supplier of certified organic vegetables on Vancouver Island. We had 24 employees, two tractors, and a year-old son. Brock and our son, with 65 acres of potential. But Brock started having afternoon naps and a mysterious gut pain. Within a year, we’d sold the farm and tractors and “retired” to a rented duplex downtown. My husband had researched and saved for years to buy customized farming machines, but he never got to use them. The day I watched them being loaded onto a buyer’s trailer was when it hit me: our planned life was over. We lived in limbo for two more years, making the most of every day. We road-tripped across Canada with our 2.5-year-old son, from the Pacific Ocean to across Newfoundland and back. We had driftwood campfires on the beaches of Tofino, Brock’s favourite place, and spent time with family and friends. One of many West Coast beach holidays. There was much for me to write about. These stories began as brief diary entries on an anonymous blog: they are now personal essays on Medium. Brock died on September 20, 2017. Two months later, my son and I moved to my hometown in the Rocky mountains of British Columbia. I was a zombie on autopilot. On the one-year anniversary of Brock’s death, something snapped and I didn’t stop moving for months: in a single day I would go to the gym, climb a mountain, then sweat through a kickboxing class. I’d put my son to bed and then run around the block. I couldn’t get enough adrenaline. A coach told me: “You’re stronger than you think you are.” Me, on the top of yet another mountain. That winter, I made friends with a man who is now my boyfriend. We’ll celebrate two years together in February. We live a five minute drive apart, each with our own children, but have family camping adventures and dinners and spend time together as much as we can. In 2020, I started to write my second mystery novel. I get two to three hours every weekday to write. It’s a better book than my first. I’ve studied hard: plot, suspense, pacing, tension. I started a Patreon community of “aiders and abetters” with a book club on Facebook, where I share draft chapters with my patrons and they critique them. We brainstorm how to kidnap characters. They find my typos. I’m grateful to Medium, and its readers: living in a small town of 3,900 people, it’s hard to feel heard. Here, my stories have reached tens of thousands: people who are caregiving or grieving for their own loved ones. People with their own stories to tell. My most-read Medium story, “How Brains Process the Death of a Loved One,” was published by Human Parts and has been read by over 26,000 people. The story I’d like parents to read is “Dads of Boys Age 6-13: Your Time Has Come,” which was published by P.S. I Love You. I will always have stories to tell. If you’d like to share this adventure with me, you can join me on Instagram, subscribe to my monthly newsletter, follow me on Medium and subscribe to my stories, or even become my patron on Patreon and join our book club. Thank you for reading.	https://medium.com/about-me-stories/about-me-heather-mcleod-5f0a42f6c2e0	['Heather Mcleod']	2020-12-29 22:58:58.953000+00:00	['About Me', 'Widow', 'Writer', 'Introduction', 'Grief']
UX/UI BOOTCAMP: DESIGN PRACTICE WITH SKETCH	The challenge Get comfortable with the Sketch software and tools by selecting an app of your liking and learn design software by trying to mimic its look-and-feel. In order to start understanding Sketch the assignment was to copy 5 screens of any app we enjoy. I have chosen “En voiture Simone” an app that I should use every day. Sketch is a vector drawing application intended for screen design which has become the go-to software for user interface design. There are other software Figma, Adobe XD, and InVision Studio. Screenshot 1 On the left the original & on the right the mimiced one Screenshot 2 On the left the original & on the right the mimiced one Screenshot 3 On the left the original & on the right the mimiced one Instead of downloading icons from the Noun Project, I tried to redesign them as much as I could. For the one who were too complicated to reproduce I used free icon websites. With regards to typography, I noticed that the typefaces offered by Sketch did not always match the one (used by the company) specifically needed. Conclusion I’m a complete beginner with any graphic tool. I’ve found copying a very good exercise. It’s satisfactory even if the result is not perfect. But with more practice, I guess it could be better and faster. Special thanks to the nounproject and flaticon for some of the icons. Thanks for reading me !	https://medium.com/@brodin.camille/ux-ui-bootcamp-design-practice-with-sketch-a27c0a4beef2	['Camille Brodin']	2020-03-10 14:53:53.400000+00:00	['Ironhack Prework', 'Sketch', 'Design Process', 'UX Design']
5 Lessons Uber Learned From Running Machine Learning at Scale	5 Lessons Uber Learned From Running Machine Learning at Scale Uber engineering team summarized the lessons learned from operating its Michelangelo platform. I recently started a new newsletter focus on AI education. TheSequence is a no-BS( meaning no hype, no news etc) AI-focused newsletter that takes 5 minutes to read. The goal is to keep you up to date with machine learning projects, research papers and concepts. Please give it a try by subscribing below: Uber has been one of the most active contributors to open source machine learning technologies in the last few years. While companies like Google or Facebook have focused their contributions in new deep learning stacks like TensorFlow, Caffe2 or PyTorch, the Uber engineering team has really focused on tools and best practices for building machine learning at scale in the real world. Technologies such as Michelangelo, Horovod, PyML, Pyro are some of examples of Uber’s contributions to the machine learning ecosystem. With only a small group of companies developing large scale machine learning solutions, the lessons and guidance from Uber becomes even more valuable for machine learning practitioners (I certainly learned a lot and have regularly written about Uber’s efforts). Recently, the Uber engineering team published an evaluation of the first three years of operations of the Michelangelo platform. If we remove all the Michelangelo specifics, Uber’s post contains a few non-obvious, valuable lessons for organizations starting in their machine learning journey. I am going to try to summarize some of those key takeaways in a more generic way that can be applicable to any mainstream machine learning scenario. What is Michelangelo? Michelangelo is the center piece of the Uber machine learning stack. Conceptually, Michelangelo can be seen as a ML-as-a-Service platform for internal ML workloads at Uber. From the functional standpoint, Michelangelo automates different aspects of the lifecycle of ML models allowing different Uber’s engineering teams to build, deploy, monitor and operate ML models at scale. Specifically, Michelangelo abstracts the lifecycle of a ML models in a very sophisticated workflow: The architecture behind Michelangelo uses a modern but complex stack based on technologies such as HDFS, Spark, Samza, Cassandra, MLLib, XGBoost, and TensorFlow. Michelangelo powers hundreds of machine learning scenarios across different divisions at Uber. For instance, Uber Eats uses machine learning models running on Michelangelo to rank restaurant recommendations. Similarly, the incredibly exact estimated time of arrivals(ETA) in the Uber app are calculated using incredibly sophisticated machine learning models running on Michelangelo that estimate ETAs segment-by-segment. To enable this level of scalability across dozens of data science teams and hundreds of models, Michelangelo needs to provide a very flexible and scalable architecture as well as the corresponding engineering process. The first version of Michelangelo was deployed in 2015 and three years and hundreds of machine learning models later, there are a few important lessons Uber has learned. 1-Training Requires its Own Infrastructure If you are building a single model, you are tempted to leverage the same infrastructure and tooling for training and development. If you are building a hundred models, that approach doesn’t work. Uber’s Michelangelo, uses a proprietary toolset called the Data Science Workbench(DSW) to train models across large GPU clusters and different machine learning toolkits. Beyond the consistent infrastructure, Michelangelo’s DSW abstracts common tasks of machine learning training processes such as data transformation, model composition, etc. 2-Models Need to be Monitored Paraphrasing one of my mentors in this space “models that make stupid predictions are worse than models than don’t predict at all”. Even models that performed impeccably against training and evaluation data can start making dumb predictions when faced with new datasets. From that perspective, model monitoring and instrumentation is a key component of real world machine learning solutions. Uber Michelangelo configures machine learning models to log predictions made in production and then compare them against actuals. This process produces a series of accuracy metrics that can be used to evaluate the performance of the models. 3-Data is the Hardest Thing to Get Right In machine learning solutions, data engineers spend a considerable percentage of their time running extraction and transformation routines over datasets to select features that are then used by training and production models. Michelangelo approach to streamline this process was to build a common feature store that allow different teams to share high quality features across their models. Similarly, Michelangelo provides monitoring tools to evaluate specific features over time. 4-Machine Learning Should be Measured as a Software Engineering Process I know it sounds trivial but it’s far from it. Most organizations, orchestrated their machine learning efforts separated from other software engineering tasks. It is true that is hard to adapt traditional agile or waterfall processes to machine learning solutions but there are plenty of software engineering practices that are relevant in the machine learning world. Uber enforces the view that machine learning is a software engineering process and has provisioned Michelangelo with a series of tools to enforce the correct lifecycle of machine learning models. Versioning, testing or deployment are some of the software engineering aspects that are rigorously enforced by Uber’s Michelangelo. For instance, once Michelangelo recognizes that a model is like a compiled software library, it keeps track of the model’s training configuration in a rigorous, version-controlled system in the same way that you version control the library’s source code. Similarly, Michelangelo runs comprehensive test suites evaluates models against holdout datasets before they are deployed to production trying to validate their correct functioning. 5-Automating Optimization Fine tuning and optimizing hyperparameters is a never-ending task in machine learning solutions. Many times, data science engineers spend more time finding the right hyperparameter configuration than building the model itself. To address this challenge, Uber’s Michelangelo introduced an optimization-as-a-service tool called AutoTune which uses state-of-the-art black box Bayesian optimization algorithms to more efficiently search for an optimal set of hyperparameters. The idea of Michelangelo’s AutoTune is to use machine learning to optimize machine learning models allowing data science engineers to focus more time in the implementation of the models instead of their optimization. From a machine learning perspective, Uber can be considered one of the richest lab environments in the world. The scale and sophistication of the tasks tackled by Uber’s data scientists is second to none in the industry. The first three years of operation of Michelangelo have certainly showed that implementing large-scale machine learning solutions is still an incredibly complicated effort. The lessons learned from Michelangelo are an incredible source of insights for organization embarking in their machine learning journey.	https://medium.com/swlh/5-lessons-uber-learned-from-running-machine-learning-at-scale-1c2fe2e0b8ef	['Jesus Rodriguez']	2020-09-11 23:54:17.838000+00:00	['Deep Learning', 'Artificial Intelligence', 'Machine Learning', 'Thesequence', 'Data Science']
And Sometimes…….	And sometimes in the chaos and confusion of life’s many disappointments there is a silence most powerful we need only to stop and listen to its calling. And yes we know there are no medications no quick solutions no magical substance no rescuing superhero substitutions that will replace the cold reality of time’s avenging Angels here to liberate us from our demons. But we have become our demons and no longer can be separated from ourselves. @Anthony2020mdh30Vibes	https://medium.com/the-bad-influence/and-sometimes-bc67a33ef4cf	['Anthony Cloe Huie']	2020-12-03 01:01:07.678000+00:00	['Addictive Love', 'The Bad Influence', 'Loneliness', 'Mental Health', 'Addiction']
DEAD GOOD	© Blank Canvas Productions Ltd Short film — shot on Super 8mm Finalist in the 2013 United States Super 8mm Film Festival WINNER of the Winner of 2014 Honorable Mention Award ‘Dead Good’ is a short film about a ‘living statue’ street performer. The film highlights contemporary issues about populism, the worship of celebrity and cultural value when perceived against a backdrop of creative heritage. ‘Dead Good’ is a dark allegory with a thought provoking message. Filmed throughout in Kodak Super 8mm film — the colours and quality of this film are amazing. Our lead character, ‘Living Statue’ has an uncanny resemblance to Charlie Chaplin. A poignant coincidence! Without the comfort of multiple takes on digital filming each scene was carefully rehearsed to ensure continuity and a clear semiotic message throughout. It was an honour and pleasure for me to have worked with and directed such a talented group of people, particularly director of photography and editor Tracy G Williams. Starring Antony Arnold & Dean Buckfield © Blank Canvas Productions Ltd ‘Living Statue’ Antony Arnold has been making a living standing in public spaces for well over twenty-five years. His fascination with robotic movement led him to the discovery that Charles Chaplin was the original human robot, and that same discovery inspired his most recent incarnation . Anthony’s role in ‘Dead Good’ was brought about by writer Jack Griggs-Smith. Jack witnessed an attempted ‘upstaging’ by an imitator, and subsequently a movie script was born. It was an obvious decision to cast Antony as the very ‘living statue’ that had inspired the whole project. © Blank Canvas Productions Ltd ‘Il Diavolo’ Dean Buckfield has been an actor for only 8 years and has worked tirelessly at learning the tricks of the trade. This is Dean’s second film project. His first being an experiment film ‘Ten and a Half Hours Later’ which was created by Beverley Jordan & originally developed as an experimental theatre project. Dean is also a poet & also specialises in Fine Art Photograph: Dean Buckfield Directed & Produced by Beverley Jordan Filmed & Edited by Tracy G Williams — a professional musician and film maker for 30 years. Decided to call it a day about 4 years ago but still works with still and moving film for pleasure. Check out some of his work on YouTube	https://medium.com/blank-canvas-productions-ltd/dead-good-d32b0d937355	['Bev J Williams', 'Beverley Jordan']	2018-09-13 07:39:02.400000+00:00	['Short Film', 'Film', 'Charlie Chaplin', 'Portfolio', 'Super8']
NFL Wild Card Weekend 2020 Preview	And then, there were 12. With the NFL’s regular season officially concluded (and us starting at the looming abyss of Sunday’s without wall-to-wall football coverage), we embark on professional football’s version of the NCAA Tournament, with each team hoping to be the last one standing at the end. Accordingly, consider this to be my official walk-through of the four Wild Card games that comprise the opening round of the 2019–2020 NFL playoffs, with thoughts on the most compelling storyline(s) in each matchup, and predictions of who’ll win each game. Without further adieu… Buffalo at Houston Saturday, January 4th, 4:35pm ET I’m absolutely astonished by the amount of people who, rather confidently and decisively, consider it a foregone conclusion that Houston is going to win this game. At the risk of spouting an empty football cliché, the Houston Texans are that classic team that can beat anyone in the NFL on a given day (like their shoot-out win against the Chiefs in Kansas City or their impressively decisive victory over the Patriots in Houston) or totally soil the bed in games they have no business losing (like their 16–10 loss to Carolina when Kyle Allen fumbled the ball three times or their 38–24 loss against Denver when the Broncos effortlessly moved the ball up-and-down the field en route to a 31–3 halftime lead). To be clear, I have an immense amount of respect for Deshaun Watson, and i’ve previously referred to DeAndre Hopkins as “the best wide receiver in the game today” (though Michael Thomas in New Orleans might have something to say about this). But after that, what else are are we supposed to get excited about, in regards to the Texans? Even if he did run for over 1,000 yards, Carlos Hyde is still a bottom-half-of-the-NFL starting running back (he was ranked 26th among running backs in positional DVOA). Houston’s offensive line is still hot garbage. And Houston’s defense — which everyone just kind of assumes is good — might be toxic waste: they’re 19th in points allowed per game, 25th in passer rating allowed to opposing quarterbacks, 26th in overall defensive DVOA, 27th in sacks registered, 27th in average rushing yards per attempt by opposing runners, and 28th in yards allowed per game. On the contrary, everyone just assumes the Buffalo Bills are this fun-if-not-flawed, happy-to-be-here playoffs party-crashers, with a 10–6 record buoyed by playing in the pillowy-soft AFC East. But if that really was the case, then one of those six losses should’ve come against the same caliber of cream-puff opponent(s) that the 10 wins were built on. Except, find me Buffalo’s “bad loss” this season. No, really; go back through each and every one of their six losses, and tell me when you find one instance where you can look back and say “they had no business losing that game.” Their Week 17 loss came in a game when they liberally rested their starters, since they had nothing to play for Two of their losses came against teams that were in full-blown “backs against the wall, need to salvage things immediately” mode (Philadelphia and Cleveland). Two of their losses came against the Patriots, and both were by 7 points or less Their only other loss was in a hard-fought 24–17 contest against the white-hot Baltimore Ravens; the Bills were one of only two teams the Ravens didn’t defeat by a two-touchdown or more margin of victory Of any of the six playoff teams in the AFC, there wasn’t a more maddening team to watch this season than the Houston Texans. Conversely, Buffalo is well-coached, and plays hard accordingly. They have one of the game’s best very cornerbacks (Tre’Davious White), who’s capable of going mano a mano with Hopkins. And while it might not always be pretty, they have a quarterback who — in his own way — is almost as dynamic with the ball in his hands as Deshaun Watson. To borrow from Chris Berman: i’m circling the wagons. Pick: Buffalo	https://medium.com/sportsraid/nfl-wild-card-weekend-2020-preview-d08e6cd88944	['Rajan Nanavati']	2020-01-04 04:42:42.277000+00:00	['NFL', 'Sports', 'NFL Picks', 'Football', 'NFL Playoffs']
Disrupting The Future Of Healthcare And Health Insurance Thru Smart Contracts	As blockchain technology becomes more mainstream, the benefits of using smart contracts in healthcare are becoming more widely understood. But many still do not realize the positive impact they can have on the industry. One of the most powerful use cases for blockchain lies in smart contracts. The security and safety of blockchain technology make smart contracts and their digital agreements suitable for any domain, including healthcare. With the increased number of patients needing medical care, there has been a significant strain on healthcare providers. Managing patients’ health information, records, and data have become a large task for many practitioners. Additionally, there have been many cases of fraud due to the vulnerability of the outdated systems currently in use. These issues cannot be solved by practitioners alone. This is where smart contracts come in. Health Insurance Smart contracts can be used daily in health insurance and could reduce many inefficiencies in the current system. If patients use smart contracts to buy their insurance, all details of their policy will be automatically secured in their patient profile. This is then stored on the blockchain — a safe and secure ledger which is less prone to hackers than a traditional database. They could also eliminate the stress involved in having to file lengthy insurance claim forms. If an insuree was to go through a medical procedure that is covered by the insurance policy, the smart contract would be automatically triggered. This means that the money from the insurance company’s account will go straight to the hospital. This automation cuts out any delays and hassle and allows for correct payments of medical services. In turn, this would speed up all transactions between parties and ensure the procedure does not get delayed. Health Records Smart contracts allow records and information to be stored on a digital ledger. This means if a patient was moving from one hospital to another, they would be able to do so with ease and without having to fill out numerous forms. Records can then also be viewed by the patient’s preferred physician on the blockchain network. Hospitals and healthcare companies rely on a number of databases filled with patient information. However, these can be too restrictive to allow for the sharing of potentially life-saving insights around the globe. Without blockchain and smart contracts, this information may take a long time to reach the recipient and could potentially be hacked. If health records were kept in a smart contract and stored on the blockchain, that information would be available to hospitals and research institutions everywhere. With sufficient adoption, an individual could walk into any hospital in the world for treatment, and if they produce their private key, the hospital would have access to their information in a heartbeat. Telemedicine Telemedicine is a medical field that is growing by the day. It allows physicians and doctors to reach their patients through the use of electronic devices, such as mobile phones and other IoT devices. It is primarily used for providing care for the terminally ill. Telemedicine allows doctors to take care of prescription compliance and collate real-time data measurements of their patients’ conditions. These modern advancements are helping to increase interoperability and reduce admin inefficiency whilst enhancing patient outcomes. However, Telemedicine has downsides as the mechanisms involved are a large target for hackers. If smart contracts are used, the safety and privacy of a patient’s information and other important clinical data can be ensured. Smart contracts can be implemented on a large scale and stored on the blockchain to share and protect the data. They can also help to maintain data and ensure patients’ private information is stored securely and in a transparent manner. Conclusion Smart contracts combined with blockchain technology represent the future of healthcare and medicine. They embrace high-level encryption and security that allows users, patients, and doctors to have trust that their information is safe and attack-proof.	https://medium.com/@inmediatesg/disrupting-the-future-of-healthcare-and-health-insurance-thru-smart-contracts-4a031625c2e	[]	2019-07-19 10:34:31.097000+00:00	['Insurance', 'Healthcare', 'Smart Contracts', 'Blockchain', 'Technology']
Take your work seriously, not yourself	A wake-up call for those of you falling asleep during the Pandemic. I’ve worked at a number of big-name corporations in the San Francisco Bay Area. I’ve worked at smaller startups. I’ve consulted at medium-sized companies. I am currently the CEO and Founder of Blackbird. I studied computer science, minored in journalism and I just wrote a book called ‘Ripple: Craftsmanship worthy of the Abstract’. (Available shortly on Amazon and your local book stores) A book that bridges the gap between software and fashion of all things. Yes, I love fashion. I love cashmere suits and french cuff shirts. I’ve gotten my brown belt in Ju-Jitsu. I like to ride motorcycles. I played hockey my entire life and play for my college team(s). Learn how to ride a motorcycle. It’s the modern-day horse. While working in tech in San Francisco, I started my own audio engineering studio and recording facility in ode to the fact that I play the guitar, saxophone, and piano. I love to drink, smoke cigars, have sex and I am an unapologetic socialite. I ended up recording over 127 songs. Some vulgar, some not. I plan on coming back to them one day, compiling the best of them, and putting it out into the ether. Go get a tattoo…you only live once. I can draw. As a kid, I would make up narratives and manifest them in the form of comic book style magazines. It taught me that I could do things with my hands that others either couldn’t do or simply hadn’t tried. I read The Grapes of Wrath by Steinbeck when I was in middle school. I didn’t have a tv in my room so all I had was books. I read a lot. By reading, you vicariously put yourself in a position of empathy towards a given subject matter. This culminates in a larger knowledge base and a different style of thinking. Even as I write this, I am throwing away the ‘outline’ that my writing teachers would insist upon. Phooey. Talk as you wish. Face danger or simply be unaffected by these artificial constraints. Just do it and ask for forgiveness later. I like to invest in the stock market, despite the risks. I like to live life. My favorite game at the casino is Craps. By playing Craps, drunk off free drinks, you end up calculating risk and reward with a baby like intensity. The majority of my life is what some people would call crazy, spontaneous, and perhaps obnoxious and vulgar. To me, it’s all apart of living. A singular entity. And I don’t care. As long as I’m not hurting my ability to handle my work and social commitments, and I am not endangering others, “you can call me Susan if you like” — Bullet Tooth Tony (from the movie ‘Snatch) for all I care. And I hope you see where I am going with this. Don’t take yourself so seriously! I have so many friends that are still trying to find their role in this increasingly changing world, and my advice is always this: try different things out. If you are a writer, allow others to read it. If you are a musician, post your music on every MEDIUM. If you are an entrepreneur, tell your story and be proud, even if you fail. People will be jealous, negative, and sometimes flat out mean. That is exactly the sign that you are doing something right.	https://medium.com/@savileroh/take-your-work-seriously-not-yourself-4faf3fed391	['Roh Krishnan']	2021-01-22 18:25:50.936000+00:00	['Lifehacks', 'Living', 'Productivity', 'Life', 'Life Lessons']
How Negativity Can Always Stop Your Progress	Failure To Recognize Adverse Situations Will Halt Advancement… Image Courtesy of Unsplash A positive mindset is a great thing to have daily to uplift yourself and others. No one benefits from negativity or how it can subdue your progress in any situation. Looking deep into our lives, one must who is surrounding me that can bring more of a positive spin as opposed to negativity in one’s life? To be quite frank, negativity can be a mainstay in any life if you let it consume you and stop your progress to reaching more of your goals and achievements than you think. Lacking the proper mindset to move forward towards a desired result is something that takes effort. Surrounding yourself by awesome people that are like-minded can be a great thing to you and your mindset. When someone is being negative, oftentimes they’re doing it because of some reason that has nothing to do with you. Those are usually the people that you really don’t want to be around or have a meaningful relationship with. I will show how negativity can be a burden and get in the way of moving forward in life and your daily routine. Self Limited Beliefs Life provides us with many emotions and no matter how confident that you might be, self-limiting beliefs can be a negative thing. Everyone has doubts when throughout life especially when trying to get something accomplished. Image Courtesy of Unsplash Getting down on yourself no matter what the situation is can be a natural occurrence with anyone no matter who they are or what their persona might be. If you’re trying to accomplish a goal and you reach a roadblock doubting yourself, self-limiting beliefs could be the reason. We all have that little angel on one shoulder and the proverbial devil on the other shoulder giving us conflicting information about our next move. A positive mindset to the contrary can feed us great things and give encouragement to keep us going. The devil on the shoulder that’s putting in way more work than the angel on the other shoulder. The devil on one shoulder is telling you that it can’t be accomplished but at some point, you have to stop listening to it because of the negative energy that it creates. Fear of Learning or Furthering Education We all know the one person that doesn’t like to learn for one reason or another. The person that’s stuck in their ways and just can’t seem to get their feet out the quicksand to learn something new. It could be a common element that may or may not be true with you personally but you probably can relate because we all know someone like that. Sometimes learning something new can be a great thing and it can advance you in a lot of different ways whether it’s a relationship, new skill for a job or just something that could get you what you want in life. I had to do things to further my education too and I’m not just talking about school or college or anything like. I learned how to code, write tables and queries in a database better, build websites, etc. Image Courtesy of Unsplash I learned as much as possible because I knew the path that I wanted to take to be successful so I have to embrace learning new skills. Getting better daily using free tools such as YouTube, Google and iTunes and Stitcher for listening to audio podcasts can help you further your education for Free! The fear of furthering education or just learning any tactical thing can be a negative burden towards moving forward as well. Making Constant Excuses At some point, we’ve all made excuses in one form or another. It may help to come to grips and get it out of your system as soon as possible. Making continual excuses can add an abundance of negativity in your life. You can definitely stunt the growth of just about anything because making excuses is the easiest thing to do. Excuses are very easy to make and don’t require a lot of time but do sometimes require energy which is mainly wasted and unwanted. Think about how great things are when you don’t make steady explanations? Image Courtesy of Unsplash Some people are so caught up into making excuses that it’s the fabric of their existence. They don’t even realize the extent of what they’re doing and usually those same people really don’t care. Are you one of those people who make constant excuses that drain off negative energy? It’s not too late to make a change in the right direction. Stuck In Their Ways We are all stuck in our ways on something but the difference is some of us have the ability to recognize our faults. Generally, we can get out of situations but at the same time some of us just can’t because of stubbornness. I’ll give an example of being stuck in your ways: eating too many harmful foods. There has been so much research done on for health and wellness. And we know that one of the huge things that cause diseases is the food we consume. Image Courtesy of Unsplash In a lot of ways, it’s more harmful to eat a cheeseburger that it is to smoke cigarettes but it doesn’t stop us because we want that satisfaction of the food because it tastes so good. If this is something that’s in your daily or weekly diet and you just cannot remove it, then you might be stuck in your ways. Do you cherish your life or will you keep eating burgers every other day from one fast food restaurant to the next? Always Complaining Everyone complains about something whether it is intentional or apart of our fabric. There’s no way you can go through life without being dissatisfied with something whether it’s a product, your local salon or even customer service at your favorite restaurant. We can likely agree that everyone has a complaint somewhere along the line. But it’s the person that’s ALWAYS complaining that is extremely irritating. Image Courtesy of Unsplash The reality is that the “Complainer” sees it as an escape from other internal issues where he or she lacks and can’t recognize that the problem is them. The one thing that we find very hard to do in life is to look in the mirror embrace blame or better yet accountability. I truly believe that some people rather not face their inner fears and admit to being wrong about something. There’s a difference between a legitimate complaint and a constant one that shows negativity that keeps you from moving forward. Using Failure As The Reason To Quit Most people never reach their full potential, accomplish goals, and definitely halt their progress because they use failure as a reason to quit. If you look at failure as an opportunity to get back up to continue, then your chances of reaching a goal is a lot better. Image Courtesy of Unsplash Quitting is so easy to do, it requires zero effort and it’s very convenient. So many people fail because it can be a difficult task to believe in ourselves enough to think that we can actually accomplish something of value. Stop using failure as the reason to quit and keep moving in the direction of gratitude and positivity. You are much closer to a goal when you fall because of negativity and get back up than you were before. Are There Any Other Negative Ways To Stop You From Progressing? Leave A Comment, A Clap and/or A shout out on Twitter! If you liked this article, please check out the rest of my articles on Medium, Thrive Global, Good Men Project and for tips on Blogging.	https://medium.com/thrive-global/how-negativity-can-always-stop-your-progress-ee8a594bd337	['Andre L. Vaughn']	2019-03-01 01:44:28.093000+00:00	['Life Lessons', 'Productivity', 'Success', 'Entrepreneurship', 'Life']
What Trans Liberation Means to Me	I first encountered the word “liberation” in college, in a class on women’s rights. As someone who was treated as a cis White heterosexual man, and lived with some of the privilege that comes with that, liberation felt like a foreign, even hyperbolic word. Civil rights, sure; freedom, okay. But liberation? Doesn’t that seem a bit extreme? Liberation evokes slavery, bondage, oppression, imprisonment. Is that what we’re really talking about when we talk about gender equality? To my naive, closeted mind, the word seemed exaggerated, radical, and disproportionate, especially when women’s liberation was placed alongside the liberation of enslaved people across human history. But over the past few years, as I began to accept that I was a woman, I began to notice the strict constraints that society had placed on my body, my clothing, my name, my pronouns, and even my identity. I had lived in a socially constructed male prison for most of my life. What word other than “liberation” would describe what it meant to be free to be myself? As I learned about myself, and others’ trans experiences, I learned to name the oppressive forces from which I needed liberation: Dysphoria. I had always hated my body since I knew I had one, but never more so than after puberty. My body, my feelings about it, and especially the feeling that my body would never be right, were a prison. At first, I imagined the maker of my dysphoria to be nature, and to some extent, that is true. But as I’ve transitioned over the past year, I’ve learned that most of my dysphoria had been socially constructed. As I began to wear what I want without stigma, shame, or ridicule, I’ve hated my body less. As I began to fix the balance of sex hormones in my body, I’ve hated my body less. As I began to wear my hair as I wanted, I began to hate my body less. It wasn’t inevitable that I hate my body; had society asked me the gender question earlier in life, I could have fixed these things when I was young. Therefore, dysphoria was far from inevitable: it was a prison built by Western ideas about the gender binary, exported from Europe, adopted by my Chinese and Scandinavian grandparents, and reinforced by my parents, schools, and community. Self-loathing. While the world’s rigid ideas about gender prevented me from resolving dysphoria for three decades, its silence about these ideas—and too often, its overt transphobia—sent a clear message to my young mind as a child: you are not normal, nor are you acceptable. In fact, you are disgusting, vomitous, inhuman creature, and deserve to be laughed at, imprisoned, or killed. Society taught me to hate myself, through its silence and through its relentless stories of pathetic, evil, untrustworthy men in dresses who deceived others to get something they wanted. And it told these stories to ensure that I would hide my difference, and conform, and that others would ensure that I did. Self-loathing was my path of least resistance in a world that’s tried to erase me. But that self-loathing became a prison. And I could only survive that prison by accepting chronic depression, abusing alcohol and drugs to escape my thoughts, and constantly surprising thoughts of suicide. Self-advocacy. While most people think of self-advocacy as a form of empowerment, it can also an unnecessary, unwanted, exhausting burden. Coming out last year, while it helped with dysphoria and self-loathing, also required me to regularly demand space for myself, since the world hasn’t granted that space by default. Correcting people who misname me. Correcting people who misgender me. Demanding rights to change my name in public and private databases. Trying to get algorithms to stop recommending me transphobic news and media. Navigating gatekeeping to get basic gender-affirming health care. Last weekend, for example, I spent three hours on the phone with a lovely senior customer support representative at Apple who desperately wanted to help me remove the deadname from an iCloud email address, but it still took her four emails to their engineering team and three return phone calls to get it done. I never know when the world is going to force a choice upon me: either go back into hiding, or stand up for yourself, because few others are by your side to speak up on your behalf. And even when there are allies, the history of trans exclusion built into our myriad systems will ensure that I’ll be burdened with self-advocacy for the rest of my life. Like dysphoria and self-loathing, the burden of self-advocacy is an oppressive one. What then, is trans liberation to me? It’s having rights to health care that frees me from dysphoria. It’s undoing the decades of traumatic self-loathing that the world forced upon me by denying and ridiculing my existence. It’s cis people changing their beliefs about trans people and redesigning the world include us, rather than asking us to fix it ourselves through a lifetime of exhausting activism. The absence of these challenges is a freedom that most cis people enjoy and take for granted and a freedom that all trans people deserve. Hence, liberation. None of this is to say that I am suffering. Embracing my gender, and living it authentically, has dramatically improved my physical health, my wellbeing, my confidence, and my hopefulness. Most importantly, I no longer want to be dead. But too many people characterize transition as courageous. Transition, at least for me, was not courageous; it was survival, and that is not a triumph, it is a tragedy. The world shouldn’t be a place where a successful, healthy, privileged person like myself should have to reject themselves, suppress suicidal ideation, and then spend a lifetime fighting for basic health care, respect, and recognition of my identity. And it definitely shouldn’t be a place where trans people with far less privilege than me also having to fight for basic housing access, livable wages, loving parents, safety from hate crimes, and protection from transphobic law enforcement officers. Trans liberation is not having to courageously survive oppression; it is the freedom to simply live. If you are cis, you can’t repair the trauma that trans adults have experienced living in a trans oppressive world. But you can prevent future trauma by passing laws, changing cultures, and proactively demanding liberation on our behalf. And you can prevent a lifetime of trauma for our children by simply asking them the gender question: create space for the possibility that how you see their gender isn’t how they see their gender. Creating this space, more than anything else, is the way to liberate future generations, and create a world where the beauty of gender diversity is something we celebrate, design for, and assume, rather than tolerate, resist, punish, or erase.	https://medium.com/an-injustice/what-trans-liberation-means-to-me-e4571fbf5b6e	['Amy J. Ko']	2020-12-15 15:00:35.448000+00:00	['LGBTQ', 'Transgender', 'Liberation']
What Are The Benefits Of SEO Services?	1. SEO targets quality traffic One of the most significant advantages of SEO is that it’s an inbound marketing strategy. Inbound marketing, is a customer-centric, instead of interrupting consumers when listening to the radio, it involves the creation of helpful resources and making information useful more accessible. It stimulates users to spend time to research your industry or learning about their options for particular product types. 2. No need to pay in SEO for ads Google’s organic rankings are based on its algorithm to deliver the best results for any search. It implies that after the creation of a page if even once the search engine deems it worthy, then it continues for a long time and directing users to it. The only investment is writing high-quality content, but after it there’s no ongoing cost to keep attracting traffic to your content. 3. SEO generates more clicks than PPC. However, PC ads seem to appear over organic results. It seems to be challenging to decide between them, but the most logical conclusion is that users trust Google’s algorithm. Regardless of the reason, the fact is that the majority clicks for any search go to an organic result. Image Source: Canva	https://medium.com/@webcubatortechnologies/what-are-the-benefits-of-seo-services-afc11241557d	['Webcubator Technologies']	2020-11-30 16:00:06.603000+00:00	['Search Engine Optimizati', 'PPC Marketing', 'SEO', 'PPC']
@ Hagerstown Outlets	We went shopping today at the Hagerstown Outlets. Two things struck me: 1) The deals on beautiful brand name clothing was unbelievable! 2) So many stores have closed during Covid; what a darn shame what’s happened to our small businesses. Anyway, it’s an adventure to go to the outlets, and hard not to spend when the deals are all around you. The best is to get gifts for the people you love! ;-) (Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal, Not Hagerstown)	https://medium.com/@andyblumenthal/hagerstown-outlets-7ce281db1f32	['Andrew', 'Avraham']	2020-12-27 23:16:59.311000+00:00	['Outlets', 'Shopping', 'Hagerstown', 'Style', 'Clothing']
AYS Daily Digest 1/9/20 Freedom for Hamza and Mohamed	Featured: Northern Greece — Appeal hearing for Hamza and Mohamed On Tuesday 1st of September, in the northern town of Komotini, the first appeal hearing for Hamza and Mohamed was held. On the 4th of February 2020, they were sentenced to 4 years and 1 month in prison for “smuggling” and “aiding illegal immigration”. They had fled Morocco in search for a better life and, together with other people, made it to Greece on a makeshift boat. Borderline Europe has followed their case since the beginning: Hamza Haddi and Mohamed Haddar were accused after their own escape of illegally transporting two other Moroccans, including the brother of Hamza, Yassine Haddi, to Greece. They were also prosecuted for their own illegal entry. In addition, they were accused of acting for profit. […] According to the defendants and the two other Moroccans who entered the country and were questioned as witnesses, the facts of the case are as follows: Hamza and Yassine travelled to Istanbul in order to travel on to Europe in order to escape persecution by the Moroccan authorities for their political activities. Relatives of theirs had already been granted political asylum in other European countries. In Istanbul they met two other Moroccans and decided to cross the border with Greece, which is marked in the European part of Turkey by the river Evros, together with them. They found a smuggler who took them to a small island in the river (of which there are many, especially in summer, when there is not much water in the river) and left them to their own devices. The four of them stayed overnight on the island and the next day they found a makeshift boat which they set off towards the Greek shore. All four took turns rowing; just before they reached the Greek shore, Hamza and Mohamed held the paddles. Arriving on the Greek side, everyone was arrested by the border police and criminal proceedings were opened against Hamza and Mohamed for holding the paddles. They would have made themselves guilty of an offence by illegally bringing the other two to Greece. The case of Hamza & Mohamed is emblematic for the systematic criminalisation and incarceration of people on the move. The European Union not only criminalises those supporting migrants and refugees; following pressure by the EU, Greece has established the necessary legal framework to criminalise people on the move themselves for their own flight. In this way, the Greek Coast Guard arrests 1–2 people from each arriving boat and accuses them arbitrarily of smuggling and aiding illegal entry. The majority of them disappear unknown and unheard of and with no access to support from outside. According to official data by the Greek ministry of justice, they make up the biggest group of people imprisoned in Greece. Several groups and individuals — among them Carola Rackete and the European Democratic Lawyers (AED) — declared their solidarity with Hamza & Mohamed.	https://medium.com/are-you-syrious/ays-daily-digest-1-9-20-freedom-for-hamza-and-mohamed-374e904fafd9	['Are You Syrious']	2020-09-02 12:09:53.719000+00:00	['Refugees', 'Bosnia And Herzegovina', 'Sweden', 'Melilla', 'Greece']
5:36 — buzz, buzz, buzz get up roll over start coffee induce a spiral brush your teeth dive into depths of your head wash your face trade it in reality for a dream or is it a nightmare can you listen…	5:36 — buzz, buzz, buzz get up roll over start coffee induce a spiral brush your teeth dive into depths of your head wash your face trade it in reality for a dream or is it a nightmare can you listen there can you produce can you leave and can you choose do you fill the bottle with water when water is not the muse will you be a guide do you scold the mind the difference it makes you’ll never behold make a web or a dead end that is what lies before us we choose how we meet our end while the best and worst end up the same to live in vain or save one soul that’s the reaping of the journey that we sew	https://medium.com/@wordofniks/5-36-buzz-buzz-buzz-845aa2ed8cf	['Nik Levi']	2020-12-02 18:09:50.455000+00:00	['Getting Started', 'Poet', 'New York City', 'Spoken Word Poetry', 'Poetry On Medium']
Forecasting USD-MNT Exchange Rate — Part 2: Machine Learning	Forecasting USD-MNT Exchange Rate — Part 2: Machine Learning When a good model doesn’t work The past few weeks have seen an amazing depreciation of the Tugrik. As Mongolia relies so heavily on imported products, this weighs heavily on everything from prices of potato chips to fuel to vehicle imports. Also, the International Monetary Fund released a report earlier this month reviewing the Mongolian macroeconomic situation. I’ll leave the macroeconomic commentary to others, but I hope this shows the importance and scope of this problem. In part 1 of this series I showed one tool for forecasting time series data, Facebook’s Prophet tool, and applied it to the USD-MNT exchange rate and meat prices. The result was a model that didn’t give high confidence for forecasting exchange rates, but a seemingly well fit model for meat prices (which are highly seasonal). In this article, I’ll show how to apply machine learning algorithms to forecast exchange rates 3, 6, and 12 months in the future. This article will be more technical than most, so feel free to skip to the bottom with the results if data munging and code isn’t for you. All of the code and data for this project are on Github here. The Problem Let’s start with a statement of the problem. It is always a good idea to start with a well-defined problem to work from. If you have all of the data and skill you could want, but not a defined problem, you won’t have a good result. The Problem: Given available macroeconomic data, can we accurately forecast USD-MNT exchange rates 3, 6, and/or 12 months in the future? The Data Approaching this problem, this was my least certain piece. I’m no expert in macroeconomics, so I had to do some research (and ask Kevin, our economics instructor at LETU Mongolia, for some advice). From my research and discussion, I found that money supply and balance of payments were the places to start. I dug around 1212.mn to find that data and more and came up with the following data features. USD — USD-MNT exchange rate CPI — consumer price index. This is the change in CPI from the previous month in percent. m2 money supply m1 money supply current: the current account from the balance of payments capital: the capital account from the balance of payments financial: the financial account from the balance of payments errors: errors and omissions from the balance of payments balance: the balance of exports and imports in Mongolia Other features, such as interest rates, quasi-money, and government account balance were excluded as they hurt the accuracy of the model. Setting It Up I collected all of the data above and combined them into one dataframe. The code and details are located here. One challenge was the periodicity of the various features. Our exchange data is daily, some data is monthly, and others quarterly. For our daily exchange rates, I took the last value of each month. For the quarterly data, I copied the quarterly value to each month in that quarter. This gives us a dataframe of monthly data that is easier to work with. First, we will import the libraries we will be using and also load our data into a Pandas dataframe.	https://medium.com/mongolian-data-stories/forecasting-usd-mnt-exchange-rate-part-2-machine-learning-be00a765a741	['Robert Ritz']	2018-12-03 06:14:45.610000+00:00	['Machine Learning', 'Data Science', 'Currency', 'Exchange Rate', 'Mongolia']
【Voices 613】Post-612 Hong Kong — Changes have taken place	Date: June 13, 2019. 12:26 pm Writer: 史健仁 Si Kin-yan (nickname: Mr Despicable) Source: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10157236039289929&set=a.396735049928&type=3&theater Translator: Caesar Proofreaders: Vivian F., Ashley C., Sonia 1.03 million marched on the street against the extradition bill on 9 June, yet the Government ignored the protest and continued the Legislative meeting for the second reading of the bill. Therefore, on 12 June, the day of which the second reading was supposed to take palce, around 100,000 protestors were occupying the roads near the Government headquarter peacefully from early morning. However, at around 3pm, the police started firing 150 tear gas bombs and guns, 20 bead bag pellets and a few rubber bullets at protestors and defined the protest as “riot”. — People may regard “612 occupation” in vain, but in fact, changes have been found in Hong Kong — a change in thoughts. Firstly, it shattered the ideology of pan-democrats and Hong Kong Alliance to achieve a democratic handover (to China). Many “yellow-ribboners” who insisted on saving China with democratic reforms were put into deep self-contradiction. Do you still believe achieving democracy in China in prior to Hong Kong possible? You can barely finish the sentence before the baton strikes. Secondly, the traditionally lazy and hypocritical pan-dems finally realized their role amidst the adverse circumstances. Therefore, quite a number of pan-democrats won votes in this battle, for example, Roy Kwong. Politicians should always canvass with concrete actions like Roy Kwong did, be it wholeheartedly or under calculation, just work till you almost pass out — then the votes will be yours. Thirdly, it broke the prolonged logic of the traditional yellow-ribboners that protestors would be safe if they protest peacefully and rationally. Many political apathetic Hongkongers on Facebook, including myself, should have thoroughly learnt a lesson after the anti-ELAB protest: whether you protested peacefully or vigorously, you’re nothing but a barbarian in the eyes of the authoritarians. Fourthly, it allayed the dreadful atmosphere: the severing and hostility between the peaceful-rationality camp and the valiant-resistance camp. It might be concluded that “612 occupation” is the first-time-ever cooperation between the peaceful and the valiant camp. On one hand, bold protesters who teased Christians before have considered the Christian chorals wielding a seemingly bizarre yet enormous influence on the frontline*. On the other hand, peaceful protesters who considered radical protesters a hindrance to their peacefulness before, letting go of their ideological concerns, and fought back against the police officers. The complement and cooperation between the two main camps is indeed a beautiful thing when it comes to the future of Hong Kong — if this unity lasts. Lastly, it expelled the practices of those traditional self-centred pan-dems, who have considered themselves as leaders during social movements. In fact, less and less protestors at the scene will pay attention to the so-called leader. But they still have their value: being one of the main information hubs and relaxation point. It is located at a relatively safe location where, you can listen to speeches, give yourself a round of applause, and comfort yourself when you get tired. The pan-dems take care of the support team at the back while the protesters confront in the front. There being the cooperation, support from other factions of society can be garnered by the attitude of the peaceful and rational pan-dems, and the political bargaining power is gained by the action of the protestors. Everyone is playing their own role in order to achieve the same goal — this is what I called “genuine unity”. And I, personally, do hope the unity could sustain. Yellow ribbons and blue ribbons became symbolic of protesters and police supporters respectively during the Umbrella Movement in Hong Kong in 2014, and were later extended to describe their respective ideologies. The terms have been widely used since. **Many people, both Christians and non-Christians, joined to sing the choral “Sing Hallelujah to the Lord” in front of the police cordon line at times during the extradition protest.	https://medium.com/@stories.extraditionbill.hk/hk612-opinion-post-612-hong-kong-changes-have-taken-place-56de6915139f	['Stories Of Anti- Extraditionbill Hong Kong']	2019-06-23 22:06:16.530000+00:00	['Politics And Protest', 'International', 'Extradition Law', 'Protest', 'Hong Kong']
Dr. Alexander Everest Shares How Medical Students’ Education Has Been Affected By the COVID-19 Pandemic — Harcourt Health	Dr. Alexander Everest Shares How Medical Students’ Education Has Been Affected By the COVID-19 Pandemic — Harcourt Health Alexander Everest May 25·4 min read The COVID-19 pandemic has had massive effects on the entire United States healthcare system. Over 570,000 Americans have died of the disease, surpassing any previous estimates of how many people may succumb to the virus. While doctors and nurses have been disproportionately affected by the pandemic, another group within the medical field has also experienced huge changes in their lives as a result. Medical students have been put to work in ways they would never have experienced before the pandemic. Dr. Alexander Everest, a healthcare administrator who supports medical students, explains how they have been affected by the pandemic. He details some of the ways in which their regular studies and duties have changed, laying out the changing expectations for students and how their new normal has affected their ability to learn about their profession. Uncharted Waters Typically, medical school involves learning how to treat patients based on established protocols. With COVID, medical school professors were trying to formulate new treatments for this dangerous disease while teaching their students how to do the same. Treatments were constantly tested and reviewed, leaving students with a wealth of information about how to care for their patients. Virtual Learning During the worst months of the COVID-19 pandemic, most colleges and professional schools went online. Students who were taking medical school classes were forced to learn from home. This was not an ideal situation for medical students, since they need to have hands-on learning situations in order to absorb the material. Students became more isolated from their medical school communities, missing out on the in-person social interactions that are normally part of any professional education. Some students experienced more anxiety and depression symptoms as a result of isolation. Since medical students are already prone to stress, this was not an optimal situation. Working on the Front Lines Students were often pressed into service at clinics and hospitals when they were understaffed due to the pandemic. Dr. Alexander Everest and other healthcare professionals helped them adjust to their new circumstances. This on-the-job learning was immensely valuable for students who took part. It is thought that they will be better doctors in the future with such rigorous training. Some students opted out of serving in the community, especially before vaccines were available. These students decided that the risk of taking home the virus to vulnerable family members was not worth it. These students missed out on valuable opportunities to learn, but their personal situations were understandable. The stress and strain of overwhelming cases of the disease and the severe conditions experienced by patients and doctors alike wore on both groups. Many students may have decided that medical school was not the place for them based on their reaction to these extreme levels of stress. Medical School Grading During the pandemic, the grading model for many medical schools changed due to virtual learning. Many schools adopted pass/fail grading rather than giving letter grades. This had the effect of changing the competitiveness of medical school. Some exams, including the United States Medical Licensure Examination, suspended their testing in 2020 through 2021. Many schools also paused their clinical rotation programs until the end of the pandemic. Medical Research During the pandemic, it became difficult for medical students to distinguish themselves from their peers. Previously competitive assignments like research opportunities and volunteer opportunities were curtailed. Many young physicians take part in research in a normal year, and this activity is part of the resume-building process for medical residencies. Less Interaction with Patients Medical students received less interactive time with patients during the pandemic. Work completed in a virtual setting does not easily compare to that completed during a clinical rotation, and students have not had the ability to hone their bedside manner or their way of dealing with patients. How Medical School Has Changed As the vaccine rollout continues at its current pace, it is hoped that COVID-19 will have a lower impact on medical students and that they will be able to return to classroom-based, in-person learning with plenty of opportunities for interacting with patients. COVID-19 has had a damaging effect on medical students for the most part, but many students have strengthened their resolve and decided that they are even more committed to their careers as physicians. One of the largest impacts of the pandemic on medical students is the disruption to rotations. It is hoped that medical schools will find a way to give their students a specialized online education that can make up for some of the shortfalls in their training. Dr. Alexander Everest continues to support medical students who are having difficulties due to COVID impacting their education. By giving students more on-the-job opportunities for learning, they will become more confident members of the medical community and will be better able to become quality physicians.	https://medium.com/@alexandereverest/dr-alexander-everest-shares-how-medical-students-education-has-been-affected-by-the-covid-19-a0b4dbf42590	['Alexander Everest']	2021-06-23 16:15:56.074000+00:00	['Medical School', 'California', 'Covid 19', 'Doctors', 'Medical Student']
The “Listen To Black Women” Letter Forgot an Important Demographic: White Women	Why white women should look inward before chastising Mayor Fischer’s lack of action for Breonna Taylor Photo Credit: Blackgwinnett.com “It’s about getting more white women, in this case, to say I do care about what’s happening, and I want the mayor to do something about it, and we need him to listen to Black women who are some of the most impacted when it comes to the Breonna Taylor case.” — Carla F. Wallace, co-founder of Showing Up for Racial Justice. The “Listen To Black Women” letter was written to Greg Fischer, Mayor of Louisville, KY, in response to his lack of action in bringing the officers who murdered Breonna Taylor to justice. Wallace, along with five other organizers of the project, garnered over 2,000 signatures for their letter from White women across the country who support their message. Unfortunately, we now know how this investigation concluded and sadly, there was not much shock or disbelief from Black women because we have seen this before. The voices and plights of Black women in this country are routinely stifled and eventually forgotten. The White women who signed their names to this letter pleading for the mayor to listen to Black women stated: “As white women, we refuse to be silent. Mayor Fischer, we are calling on you to listen to Black women.” I will always appreciate any effort that attempts to bring attention to the injustices suffered by Black women. For all that we do, history has shown that our lives are frequently cast aside with little consequence. As the back-bones of families (both as enslaved women and post-slavery), we have been there to care for the children, cook the meals, clean the homes, support the men, and provide life-sustaining income, often without help from a spouse or partner. Also, we have partnered with White women in the fight for women’s rights and equality; rights that often did not extend beyond White women to cover and protect those of us who helped manifest the rewards. In short, we have been there — for everyone— always ready and willing to lend a helping hand to achieve an objective that time and again did nothing to better our own lives. It is admirable for these women to compose this letter, but here is my question for all who took the time to sign their name to this plea: Instead of directing your demands at the mayor, why not start with the woman in the mirror? White women have always been aware of their level of protection in this country as compared to Black women. And if there are White women who claim not to know I must ask them, where have you been? One of the first observations in this letter states: “In the long history of racism in this country, the safety of white women (especially our so-called ‘protection’ from Black men) has been used to justify calls for law and order.” It is common knowledge that maintaining a safe, comfortable, and pleasing environment for White women has been a top priority in America since it’s inception. White women are accustomed, both consciously and subconsciously, to having protection and autonomy in any situation. This is why many formed human chains to protect Black people during the onset of protests this summer because they knew, along with everyone else in this country, that police would never gun down the very women they were sworn to protect. I cannot imagine after growing up in an environment that catered to me, made my image the universal standard of beauty, and came equipped with armies of men who would lie down their own lives just to protect mine, that I would be oblivious to my own privilege. There is no way I would not be able to see how my life appeared to have more value than others. Yet many White women are intent on blaming those around them for the ill-treatment of Black women without first looking at themselves. This is not an attack on White women; it’s simply an inquiry from your Black sisters. Where have you been? Why has it taken you so long to care about us? Why were you okay for us to stand by your side and fight for women’s rights, but suddenly became blind and deaf when it was time to fight for Black women’s rights? Have you ever once thought of how White supremacy has made your life better, safer, more pleasurable, and richer than the lives of your Black sisters? Did you pay us any attention before Breonna Taylor’s murder? And now that her case has been closed, will you continue to stay invested in the fight for your sisters’ liberation? These are all difficult, thought-provoking, and in some cases, painful questions. Soul-searching is an arduous task that takes a great deal of courage and continuity. It may bring us face to face with demons we’ve buried deep in our subconsciousness, and it may also force us to deal with authentic feelings that may not be popular with those around us. I cannot put myself in your shoes as you process how your own life has benefited from White supremacy while it simultaneously terrorizes and sometimes ends the lives of Black women. I don’t know what it’s like to be born of privilege with the knowledge that the whiteness of your skin alone is a life-saver in most instances. I have no clue what fearlessly calling the police for help when I am in danger feels like because that call will always be accompanied by my fear of being further jeopardized by the police who show up. I also understand that you can't put yourselves in our shoes. There is no way you could understand having a life that does not matter to all people in the country. It would be completely foreign for you to be denied access or made to feel unwelcome in establishments outside of your community. Even the thought of going into stores to purchase something as simple as a beauty product that is made for your skin and hair type only to find they either aren’t available or are regulated to a small number of choices that still don’t properly suit your needs is unheard of to you. We are very different women walking opposite paths when it comes to racial equality. But since one of us has a clear advantage, shouldn’t it be used to help the entire sisterhood? I am not naive enough to suggest that White women can singlehandedly shift the trajectory of race relations in this country, but what I am suggesting is that in any fight for any cause, those with the advantage have a greater chance of tipping the scales in their direction. If the shoe were on the other foot, would you not expect Black women to stand up and speak out for your liberation? Or at the very least, start a conversation with you that included a genuine apology (followed up with an ACTION PLAN) for all you suffered as they went through life sharing the same spaces you occupied in fear, basically unscathed? Instead of a letter to a mayor from thousands of White women, I would be more encouraged if those women and others around the country simply took the time to see us as they see themselves. To see us as they wish to be seen when they fight for women’s rights. To connect with the feelings of not being heard, not given a fair shot, being discriminated against, earning less than their counterparts, and the desire of wanting to keep their children safe. We are all women and essentially we want the same things. The only difference is White women receive those things naturally and if for some reason they don’t, once they ask they are given. But Black women have died trying to secure these same basic human rights for ourselves and our families. We don’t need letters with signatures that lead to dead ends. Letters like these are another example of performance allyship that basically serves one purpose: to uplift White women. While this letter was supposed to bring attention to Breonna Taylor, her mentions were only about her murder, not her life as a human being. There was no effort to speak of who she was as a woman or to highlight her gifts or the accomplishments she earned during her short life. There was no discussion of what her life meant to those who knew her. There was no sentiment expressed of the void her death left in her family. There were no musings of how she might have made a positive impact in the world as a nurse had her life not been tragically cut short. There were no words of how she had fallen in love and might have married her boyfriend and been blessed children of her own, had she been allowed to simply live. And probably the most glaring omission is why this letter, composed by women who live in Kentucky, was dated September 8, 2020, when Breonna was killed in March. White women…where have you been all this time? Why did this only begin to matter to you when it made national news? Didn’t the story run on your local new stations long before September? I bring this up not to be petty, but to bring attention to the very real fact that White women get the option of picking and choosing when they will care about Black women’s lives and those choices are usually made in our favor if they come with the possibility to garner attention for themselves. We will never make a marked difference in elevating the value of Black women’s lives in this country if we aren’t able to come together and have honest, tough conversations. For the White women who have a desire in your hearts to stand up for your Black sisters and to use your position at the table to help lessen the load of your sisters’ journey, please ask yourself these questions: Am I really listening to Black women? And if I have been listening, do I care about what is being said? Am I able to unpack and digest what Black women are telling me, or is my instinct to spin their experience to tell a story that helps me feel better about my own position of privilege in this country? Am I minimizing them, or actually helping them? Is this coming from a genuine place or a self-serving one? And if no one else was watching, would I still be there?	https://medium.com/illumination/the-listen-to-black-women-letter-forgot-an-important-demographic-white-women-fd6570a279c9	['Jeanette C. Espinoza']	2020-10-21 02:57:59.995000+00:00	['Racism', 'Women', 'Equality', 'Womens Rights', 'BlackLivesMatter']
iPhone 11 Review — The Best iPhone with a near-perfect balance of Price and Features	iPhone 11 If you are planning to upgrade to a new iPhone this year, then iPhone 11 is easily the best choice for you. The iPhone 11 is the successor of the iPhone XR and it dominated the spotlight this year. It’s a mind-blowing phone with a class-leading camera and a prodigious battery life. The iPhone 11 has the most powerful performance and packs good specks, all at a lower cost than many would not expect. Find our quick 2 minutes iPhone 11 review below. iPhone 11 Camera — the most awe-inspiring feature iPhone 11 carries one of the best cameras that Apple makes. With a seemingly modest ultra-wide dual-camera, improved selfies, and the addition of Night mode, these cameras are amazeballs and are finally competitive with Google’s Pixel and Huawei’s Mate series of smartphones. The front camera also has a major up-gradation to a new sensor with a 12 MP resolution. This lets you record 4K60 videos and take slow-motion selfies which Apple decided to call as “Slofies”. The Spectacular design The iPhone 11 has the same dimensions as the iPhone XR. The forged glass and the aluminum feel not just familiar but also robust. The design hasn’t updated much from the iPhone XR. But, the best part of the new iPhone 11 is the colors. iPhone 11 is available in a array of six colors including mint green and lilac. iPhone 11 is not feather-light and it’s solid. So, even if you drop it a few there would be zero-damage and which is what Apple mobile promises of its strengthened glass. The fit and finish are exactly Apple Mobile quality. The Killer performance iPhone 11 is equipped with Apple’s A13 Bionic chip and slick iOS 13, which makes the phone incredible quick and responsive. This feature also makes it score higher on Geekbench than its rivals. Added to this, Apple’s Face ID has been updated and it’s quicker at recognizing faces to unlock. The battery that lasts a day Apple claims that the battery life of the iPhone 11 lasts an hour longer than iPhone XR and it is completely genuine. The battery drain during intensive tasks like gaming and streaming is also low when compared to other models. Tech Specifications 5.94in x 2.98in x 0.33in A13 Bionic Chip 2 x 12 megapixel cameras on the back True Depth 12 megapixel on the front 6.1-in Liquid Retina LCD display 64, 128, 256GB storage iOS 13 5W Charger Pros Great Camera Long battery life Color options Value for money Cons No OLED Display No fast charger iOS 13 is buggy Our Take With top-end camera technology, day-long battery life, powerful performance, and iOS 13, iPhone 11 is a great phone of the year. Moreover, if you don’t want to spend more than $1000 on a smartphone, the iPhone 11 is your ideal choice.	https://medium.com/@sanjaypatra.121/iphone-11-review-the-best-iphone-with-a-near-perfect-balance-of-price-and-features-a266f2dbbd	[]	2020-12-12 07:55:00.163000+00:00	['iPhone', 'Battery Life', 'Câmera', 'Apple', 'Bionic Chip']
Edition 73: what we’re sea-ing from space	ENVIRONMENT Why we need start counting and mapping trees Fri Nov 20 Trees provide a lot of benefits to humans such as helping to decrease pollution and heat, but racist housing policies in the U.S. have kept some neighborhoods from reaping the benefits. What do trees have to do with housing policies and race? A practice called ‘redlining’ warned mortgage lenders and insurers of Black communities by outlining them in red on maps. Although the practice was banned in the 1960’s, it still has compounding effects that have isolated Black communities. As a result, more resources, funding, and attention typically went to White neighborhoods — which is why you see more tree-lined streets in higher-income, White communities today. So interestingly enough, if you look at a map of tree cover, you can also effectively infer the income and race of an area. To help combat this inequality, American Forests has started counting trees. They’re assigning “Tree Equity Scores” to cities and counties with the hope of both addressing this systemic racism and fighting climate change. So far the group is testing three regions: Maricopa County, the Bay Area, and Rhode Island, but they hope to cover 70% of the population by 2022. Google also released a new tool that maps tree coverage called Tree Canopy Lab, which is being tested in Los Angeles. L.A. plans to plant 90,000 trees in areas most impacted by extreme heat by next year. 📣 From the Soapbox: This month, we’re partnering with Soapbox Project, a media company that gives you action plans for social causes you care about. >> Take Action with Your Holiday Shopping! Put The Color of Law on your holiday reading list. You can buy it from an independent Black-owned bookstore here. The book documents how the U.S. government segregated America, including the creation of zoning laws that put Black communities in the same zones as toxic waste sites, a practice that still continues today. SOURCES: Grist, Fast Company, Google, Brookings Institution	https://medium.com/belowthefold/edition-73-what-were-sea-ing-from-space-d1c6fc70d7f3	['Ellen Minkin']	2020-12-01 20:54:39.842000+00:00	['Newsletter', 'Archive', 'Internet', 'Email Newsletters', 'Trees']
CatBoost vs. Light GBM vs. XGBoost	I recently participated in this Kaggle competition (WIDS Datathon by Stanford) where I was able to land up in Top 10 using various boosting algorithms. Since then, I have been very curious about the fine workings of each model including parameter tuning, pros and cons and hence decided to write this blog. Despite the recent re-emergence and popularity of neural networks, I am focusing on boosting algorithms because they are still more useful in the regime of limited training data, little training time and little expertise for parameter tuning. Since XGBoost (often called GBM Killer) has been in the machine learning world for a longer time now with lots of articles dedicated to it, this post will focus more on CatBoost & LGBM. Below are the topics we will cover- Structural Differences Treatment of categorical variables by each algorithm Understanding Parameters Implementation on Dataset Performance of each algorithm Structural Differences in LightGBM & XGBoost LightGBM uses a novel technique of Gradient-based One-Side Sampling (GOSS) to filter out the data instances for finding a split value while XGBoost uses pre-sorted algorithm & Histogram-based algorithm for computing the best split. Here instances mean observations/samples. First, let us understand how pre-sorting splitting works- For each node, enumerate over all features For each feature, sort the instances by feature value Use a linear scan to decide the best split along that feature basis information gain Take the best split solution along all the features In simple terms, Histogram-based algorithm splits all the data points for a feature into discrete bins and uses these bins to find the split value of histogram. While, it is efficient than pre-sorted algorithm in training speed which enumerates all possible split points on the pre-sorted feature values, it is still behind GOSS in terms of speed. So what makes this GOSS method efficient? In AdaBoost, the sample weight serves as a good indicator for the importance of samples. However, in Gradient Boosting Decision Tree (GBDT), there are no native sample weights, and thus the sampling methods proposed for AdaBoost cannot be directly applied. Here comes gradient-based sampling. Gradient represents the slope of the tangent of the loss function, so logically if gradient of data points are large in some sense, these points are important for finding the optimal split point as they have higher error GOSS keeps all the instances with large gradients and performs random sampling on the instances with small gradients. For example, let’s say I have 500K rows of data where 10k rows have higher gradients. So my algorithm will choose (10k rows of higher gradient+ x% of remaining 490k rows chosen randomly). Assuming x is 10%, total rows selected are 59k out of 500K on the basis of which split value if found. The basic assumption taken here is that samples with training instances with small gradients have smaller training error and it is already well-trained. In order to keep the same data distribution, when computing the information gain, GOSS introduces a constant multiplier for the data instances with small gradients. Thus, GOSS achieves a good balance between reducing the number of data instances and keeping the accuracy for learned decision trees. Leaf with higher gradient/error is used for growing further in LGBM How each model treats Categorical Variables? CatBoost CatBoost has the flexibility of giving indices of categorical columns so that it can be encoded as one-hot encoding using one_hot_max_size (Use one-hot encoding for all features with number of different values less than or equal to the given parameter value). If you don’t pass any anything in cat_features argument, CatBoost will treat all the columns as numerical variables. Note: If a column having string values is not provided in the cat_features, CatBoost throws an error. Also, a column having default int type will be treated as numeric by default, one has to specify it in cat_features to make the algorithm treat it as categorical. For remaining categorical columns which have unique number of categories greater than one_hot_max_size, CatBoost uses an efficient method of encoding which is similar to mean encoding but reduces overfitting. The process goes like this — 1. Permuting the set of input observations in a random order. Multiple random permutations are generated 2. Converting the label value from a floating point or category to an integer 3. All categorical feature values are transformed to numeric values using the following formula: Where, CountInClass is how many times the label value was equal to “1” for objects with the current categorical feature value Prior is the preliminary value for the numerator. It is determined by the starting parameters. TotalCount is the total number of objects (up to the current one) that have a categorical feature value matching the current one. Mathematically, this can be represented using below equation: LightGBM Similar to CatBoost, LightGBM can also handle categorical features by taking the input of feature names. It does not convert to one-hot coding, and is much faster than one-hot coding. LGBM uses a special algorithm to find the split value of categorical features [Link]. Note: You should convert your categorical features to int type before you construct Dataset for LGBM. It does not accept string values even if you passes it through categorical_feature parameter. XGBoost Unlike CatBoost or LGBM, XGBoost cannot handle categorical features by itself, it only accepts numerical values similar to Random Forest. Therefore one has to perform various encodings like label encoding, mean encoding or one-hot encoding before supplying categorical data to XGBoost. Similarity in Hyperparameters All these models have lots of parameters to tune but we will cover only the important ones. Below is the list of these parameters according to their function and their counterparts across different models.	https://towardsdatascience.com/catboost-vs-light-gbm-vs-xgboost-5f93620723db	['Alvira Swalin']	2019-06-11 22:08:27.695000+00:00	['Machine Learning', 'Boosting', 'Xgboost', 'Data Science', 'Towards Data Science']
How to Use Ktor in Your Android App	Things You Should Know About Ktor Requests Request type In the earlier code snippet, you saw how to execute a GET request. Similarly, we can execute a post request using the post suspend function. Have a look: Executing GET and POST requests via Ktor client As an alternative, we can use the request suspend function and provide the request type in the lambda expression, as shown below: Using Ktor request function to execute various requests types Headers One of the basic things we need to add to the request is headers. We can do this in the Ktor request by using the headers block, as shown below: Adding headers to Ktor request Serializers In the sample above, we used KotlinxSerializer to parse the response. If your project is too large and all your data classes are serialized using other libraries like Gson, Jackson, or JSON, Ktor supports these libraries via their respective clients, as shown below: Some of Ktor’s serializers Building the client In the example above, we used CIO as an engine. Alternatively, we can use the usual HttpURLConnection or OkHttp client by integrating ktor-client-android or ktor-client-okhttp , respectively. For Android’s HttpURLConnection , we need to implement the following: // in build.gradle implementation "io.ktor:ktor-client-android:$ktor_version" // in the code, while creating the client HttpClient(Android) For OkHttp client, we need to implement the following:	https://medium.com/better-programming/how-to-use-ktor-in-your-android-app-a99f50cc9444	['Siva Ganesh Kantamani']	2020-08-25 14:26:12.580000+00:00	['Software Development', 'Kotlin', 'Programming', 'Mobile', 'AndroidDev']
A Ukrainian politician’s ghost army of mysterious YouTube fans	Mysterious accounts potentially exhibiting inauthentic behavior posted supportive comments under the YouTube videos of a Ukrainian pro-Kremlin politician, in a possible attempt to astroturf support for him before upcoming elections. The commenters displayed multiple indicators of inauthentic behavior, such as identical creation dates and similar commenting patterns. The politician, Victor Medvedchuk, is a U.S.-sanctioned oligarch and veteran Ukrainian MP who served as head of the presidential administration from 2002–2005. Medvedchuk has business connections to Russia, where his family owns oil refineries. Putin is also the godfather of Medvedchuk’s daughter. Over the years, Medvedchuk has consolidated a powerful media empire in Ukraine that includes several TV channels and promotes certain politicians. He currently faces a significant local election on October 25, where he leads the pro-Russian party Opposition Bloc — For Life. The inauthentic YouTube comments may be an attempt to shore up support for him ahead of the elections. Victor Medvedchuk, the YouTube channel The Victor Medvedchuk YouTube channel was created on March 21, 2019 and had more than 71,000 subscribers as of October 15, 2020. The channel does not have a “verified” badge, but there are several details that suggest the channel is connected to Medvedchuk. First, the channel is featured on ZIK’s ratings of the most popular political YouTube channels in the country. ZIK is a Ukrainian TV channel that Medvedchuk controls through his ally, Taras Kozak. ZIK reprinted the rating from the 1News information agency, which does not disclose its owner. The only difference between the two is the links to YouTube channels from the top list. ZIK used direct links to each channel, whereas 1News used the URL-shortener go.112.ua, which is notably used primarily on content from 112 Ukraine, which Medvedchuk owns, suggesting some connection between these media outlets.	https://medium.com/dfrlab/a-ukrainian-politicians-ghost-army-of-mysterious-youtube-fans-6252e867903d	[]	2020-10-15 17:50:59.081000+00:00	['YouTube', 'Government', 'Ukraine', 'Social Media']
New Report: COVID pandemic disproportionately impacts LGBTQ people	MAP RESEARCH The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted life for all of us. Yet, some communities have borne the brunt: communities of color, low-income people, and now as new data released today by Movement Advancement Project (MAP) show, LGBTQ people. Decades of discrimination on the job, in health care, and beyond, combined with uneven legal protections around the country, make LGBTQ people more vulnerable to pandemic-related instability and insecurity, with an even more devastating impact on LGBTQ people of color. MAP’s new report, The Disproportionate Impacts of COVID-19 on LGBTQ Households in the U.S., presents new findings and analysis of a nationally representative survey conducted by the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, NPR, and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. This report brings us one step closer to understanding how the COVID-19 pandemic has had a disproportionate impact on LGBTQ households in the United States. Key findings from the report LGBTQ households are more likely than non-LGBTQ households to experience job losses, serious financial problems, issues accessing healthcare, and increased challenges navigating at-home learning for their children as a result of the pandemic. These challenges are especially true for Black and Latinx LGBTQ people.	https://medium.com/@lgbtmap/new-report-covid-pandemic-disproportionately-impacts-lgbtq-people-2ada82451454	['Movement Advancement Project']	2020-12-16 16:44:42.425000+00:00	['LGBTQ', 'Pandemic', 'Social Justice', 'LGBT', 'Covid 19']
Navigation Component, Designing Navigation graph	A User can enter into this flow by clicking the CREATE COMBO button on the meal tracker screen (fig 1) or CREATE A COMBO button from the Meal combo screen(fig 2) or the ADD FOOD button in the search flow(fig 3). HOOK 1: Meal tracker screen <!-- meal_tracker_graph.xml --> <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?> <navigation xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android" xmlns:app="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res-auto" xmlns:tools="http://schemas.android.com/tools" android:id="@+id/meal_tracker_graph" app:startDestination="@id/mealTrackerFragment"> <include app:graph="@navigation/create_meal_graph" /> <fragment android:id="@+id/mealTrackerFragment" android:name="com.example.healthify.MealTrackerFragment" android:label="MealTrackerFragment" tools:layout="@layout/fragment_meal_tracker"> <action android:id="@+id/action_merge_flow" app:destination="@id/create_meal_graph" /> </fragment> ... </navigation> Here we have MealTrackerFragment and we have included create a meal graph. On click of CREATE COMBO button user will enter in create meal flow. button.setOnClickListener{ Navigation.findNavController(view).navigate(R.id. action_merge_flow ) } HOOK 2: Meal combo screen <!-- my_meal_graph.xml --> <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?> <navigation xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android" xmlns:app="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res-auto" xmlns:tools="http://schemas.android.com/tools" android:id="@+id/my_meal_graph" app:startDestination="@id/myMealFragment"> <include app:graph="@navigation/create_meal_graph" /> <fragment android:id="@+id/myMealFragment" android:name="com.example.healthify.MyMealFragment" android:label="MyMealFragment" tools:layout="@layout/fragment_my_meal"> <action android:id="@+id/action_create_meal" app:destination="@id/create_meal_graph" /> </fragment> ... </navigation> Here we have MyMealFragment and we have included create_meal_graph . On click of CREATE A COMBO button user will enter in create meal flow. button.setOnClickListener{ Navigation.findNavController(view).navigate(R.id. action_create_meal ) } Hook 3: Search flow, here we will understand nested graph as well as how to pass data between two destinations Navigation allows you to attach data to a navigation operation by defining arguments for a destination. For example, in this case, we can pass meal Type(Breakfast, Lunch, dinner) as an argument in Create meal Fragment. In general, you should strongly prefer passing only the minimal amount of data between destinations. For example, you should pass a key to retrieve an object rather than passing the object itself, as the total space for all saved states is limited on Android. If you need to pass large amounts of data, consider using a ViewModel . To pass data you need to define an argument in the destination fragment where you want to receive data. In this example, we are sending meal type from 3 diff hooks, and it will be received by CreateMealFragment. SO we need to define arg in CreateMealFragment. <fragment android:id="@+id/createMealFragment" android:name="com.example.healthify.CreateMealFragment" android:label="fragment_create_meal" tools:layout="@layout/fragment_create_meal" > <argument android:name="mealType" app:argType=" string " android:defaultValue="" /> </fragment> If an argument type supports null values, you can declare a default value of null by using android:defaultValue="@null" . You can check all supported argument types from HERE. We can pass arguments through “Deeplink” too. <deepLink android:id="@+id/deepLink" app:uri="www.example.com/ createMealFragment /{ mealType }" android:autoVerify="true"/> From the sender fragment create a bundle of argument and pass it to nav controller.	https://medium.com/healthify-tech/navigation-component-designing-navigation-graph-6db444084ddd	['Karishma Agrawal']	2020-09-09 07:13:20.976000+00:00	['Android Development', 'Android App Development', 'Android', 'Navigation Graph']
Bringing Glass Domes With WiFi to Mars	Bringing Glass Domes With WiFi to Mars Photo by Josh Gordon on Unsplash Elon Musk is nothing if not a master of staying in the headlines. And his latest gambit is nothing short of mad genius (with a bit of an emphasis on the “mad” part of the equation). It’s not news that Musk has set his sights on Mars after getting his feet off of the ground here on Earth with SpaceX. But, as he elucidates his dreams more and more, we start to get a grander vision of something very 2020 but also a bit golden age scifi as well. How so? Well, Musk sees glass domes on Mars inside of which colonists work and live. Oh, and there will be WiFi, of course. As we said, Musk is nothing if not a master at staying in the headlines for one reason or another. Yet, as is often the case, not all of these wild visions are drawn out of thin air. In fact, it might actually be based on some kind of speculative or in-development technology. However, before we get to terrariums on Mars, we have to make a short visit with Musk’s statements in the past. Namely, he said would we terraform Mars - potentially with “atomic bombs” if we had to do so - and this would provide an atmosphere where humans could live. What happened to that plan? Musk hasn’t forgotten it; it just takes too long. It also would consume the entirety of the Earth’s current nuclear weapons arsenal, a fact not lost on Musk. Never one to bother with tiny details, especially those that stand in his way, Musk’s vision is unimpeded by the glacial timeframes required by terraforming. “Terraforming will be too slow to be relevant in our lifetime. However, we can establish a human base there in our lifetime. At least a future spacefaring civilization – discovering our ruins – will be impressed humans got that far,” he wrote on Reddit discussing future plans to colonize Mars. Getting to Mars might not take that long, though, as Musk touted SpaceX’s next-gen reusable rocket, the Starship (capable of transporting 150 tons or 100 people into space), as the vehicle ready for the task of taking colonists to the red planet. Popular Mechanics reports that Starship utilizes SpaceX’s “Raptor Vacuum Engine.” This gives the Starship the ability to travel through the vacuum of space and to use materials for fuel on a return voyage that can be sourced on Mars itself. For those of us out there that didn’t think Musk was taking these things seriously, this is some pretty strong evidence to the contrary. It sounds all quite glorious and, if you hadn’t heard of it before, you might think this is all relatively new. Yet there is some backstory to Musk’s Mars-capable technology that might damper enthusiasm somewhat. Yes, Musk claims that the tech could be ready as early as 2026, but, in reality, the Starship has encountered more than a few problems in development. For one, as Popular Mechanics highlights, it has a tendency to explode currently. It’s not that problems won’t get worked out between here and there, it’s just a small dose of truth that should help us set expectations accordingly. Then again, Musk has never shied away from describing these early days in terms of the “Wild West” and pioneers. There are bound to be more than a few setbacks along the road to settling the dusty sands of Mars. As for how the Starship will use materials on Mars to get back to Earth, Musk outlined the plan for that very thing. The first voyage would provide the materials for the refueling station to be used on Mars with the Starship also acting as a kind of habitat for the people on Mars. Speaking of which, that brings us back to the glass domes concept. Where did this emerge? Well, Musk reiterated his belief in glass domes as a potential way to support life on Mars, tweeting, “Life in glass domes at first. Eventually, terraformed to support life, like Earth.” If that doesn’t evoke the golden age of science fiction, we don’t know what will. It is also proof positive that Musk has tapped into the popular psyche in a way others have never had the ability to do so when it comes to space exploration. He can suggest terrariums on Mars and people simply say “yes.” But this actually just restates a position he held in 2016. When asked about life on Mars in the beginning, Musk described a world of glass domes underneath of which mining droids build “pressurized tunnels” within which working and living spaces for human colonists could be built. There is also the concept of terraforming the small spaces underneath the glass domes themselves. The point here is that, while headline-grabbing, Musk’s glass dome idea is nothing new for him and just a rehash of his greatest hits playlist concerning Mars exploration and colonization. Perhaps more interesting than his restated plans to colonize Mars are his beliefs in a self-sustaining colony that governs itself. Musk has underlined this concept in multiple statements on the subject and it is a core value he thinks will help determine whether the concept thrives or fails. That doesn’t mean he wants Martians to be all alone in the solar system. Actually, quite the opposite is the case. He envisions a WiFi network connecting Mars with the mother planet. SpaceX president and COO Gwynne Shotwell detailed such a plan on the company’s part, telling TIME magazine, “Once we take people to Mars, they’re going to need a capability to communicate. In fact, I think it will be even more critical to have a constellation like Starlink around Mars. ...And then of course you need to connect the two planets as well, so we make sure we have robust telecom between Mars and back on Earth.” As for “expert opinions” on Musk’s prognostications, most people support his aims though they stress his timelines might be somewhat unrealistic. Indeed, most of the goals Musk outlines would take quite some time to see to fruition no matter how fast the technology to support it is developed. Yet one thing invigorates everyone about Musk’s vision and that is his resurrection of space exploration and the science around it as something cool and sexy. The emergence of space exploration as an industry instead of as an endeavor of national prestige means that we could see other players besides Musk emerge as well. All of this is considered a massive boon for astronomy and science. Perhaps Musk’s predictions aren’t based upon realistic time-frames, but his ability to sell the technology and the concept it empowers is beyond compare. Thanks for reading!	https://medium.com/technology-hits/bringing-glass-domes-with-wifi-to-mars-283753f61d75	['Christopher Harvey']	2020-12-07 17:52:56.450000+00:00	['News', 'Mars', 'Education', 'Technology', 'Elon Musk']
On the missing package private — or why Java is better than Kotlin in this regard	New developers coming to Kotlin from Java enjoy a variety of new language features, syntactic niceties and overall improvements. However, they are often surprised by a missing feature: package private. How it is done in Java When it comes to visibility, Java designers made a wise decision when designing the language. The default access modifier in Java is package private. This means that all classes created without additional access modifiers are visible only to the classes in the same package. The same goes for fields and methods (which might not be as good [1]), but in this post we will focus on access modifiers as they refer to classes/top level constructs. The decision to make package private the default modifier in Java was a good one. Developers need to consciously decide which classes constitute a package’s external APIs. This prevents them from exposing internal implementation. Thanks to this you can divide your module into smaller structures, each of which exposes an external interface to communicate with. You could also test classes that are internal to the package, which gives you some flexibility when deciding what constitutes the unit of code you want to test. Until recently package private was not very popular. It was hardly used and most classes had public visibility, protected being used only with fields when inheritance was needed. However, bad practices aside, recently package visibility started enjoying some attention and being appreciated for the good construct that it is [2][3]. Of course, packages are not a perfect way of encapsulating code. Package private has some limitations that are inherent to the nature of packages. Packages are hierarchical, but the parent package cannot access its children, which might seem counterintuitive. Compared to modules, the dependencies are implicit, making packages inadequate for high-level access management. Package private also used to be flawed in that it could be circumvented by just putting a class in the same package (no longer an issue, thanks to modularity). Nonetheless, it has uses at a lower level, where we can manage and easily understand dependencies and visibilities without much overhead due to the need to define modules. … and Kotlin Compared to Java, Kotlin is very restrictive in its defaults with sealed classes, required override modifier, etc. However, when it comes to class visibility, not only is there no package private, but also classes are public by default. There is an additional internal modifier which makes a class visible only from within the same module, but there is no package private modifier. Also, Kotlin differs from Java in regards to default access. The default modifier used to be internal but was later changed to public [4]. The reasoning behind this change was simply that the public modifier was more popular and adding the public keyword in so many places would decrease Kotlin’s brevity. It made both DSLs and constructors cleaner and shorter. Some of the suggested solutions: creating multiple private classes per file: compared to Java, in Kotlin you can create multiple classes in one source file. So the solution to the lack of package private would be to accumulate more private classes in one source file. However this leads to unreasonable growth of the size of individual source files. Also, what if you want to have some common logic between two classes? You need to either put them in the same file (may violate SRP) or make them public. Another issue with this solution is testing, as you cannot test private constructs. One might say that you should not use internal interfaces for testing anyway, but I believe it is better to have control on the level at which you want to test, especially when testing complex logic with a large input and output space. Another issue with this solution is testing, as you cannot test private constructs. One might say that you should not use internal interfaces for testing anyway, but I believe it is better to have control on the level at which you want to test, especially when testing complex logic with a large input and output space. creating separate modules: if you want something to be a private implementation, you can create a module and mark the class as internal. Creating submodules is a good idea and can help at some level, but it may not be very scalable. If you have a very big codebase, relying only on modularity to organize and encapsulate your code may not be enough. Creating a submodule every time you wanted to use package private would lead to a lots of small modules, and then even more modules when you start resolving circular dependencies. This does not seem very scalable. Manifest vs Modifier One interesting difference when it comes to comparing visibility in Kotlin and Java is how you expose a module’s external interface. As mentioned before, in Kotlin every class is exposed outside of the module by default. To change the default visibility you need to add an access modifier. In Java, since version 9, you expose a module’s external interface by specifying exported packages in the module’s manifest file. Which one is better? Although Kotlin gives more granular control over which classes we want to expose, I like the Java solution better. Having an external interface defined in a manifest file makes the decision more conscious. You need to manually specify your interface (although you might accidentally create a public class in an exported package). Also there is only one place that you need to check in order to know what you are exposing. What does it all mean? As you can see, the lack of package private is a drawback that can be easily fixed by the creators of Kotlin. There is an ongoing discussion about this in the Kotlin community [5][6], and hopefully in time we will see it implemented. A more important issue is the issue of the default public visibility. Kotlin has some valid reasons for making this decision. The pros and cons of this approach are evident, but it’s hard to say definitively which approach is better. Deciding to make everything public by default makes Kotlin better for DSLs and (I believe) relatively small codebases. This was a conscious decision made with a certain audience and use cases in mind. Regardless of this, Kotlin is a great alternative to Java, making the development of both large and small applications quicker and more pleasant. It is well thought out and fun to work with, so if you are a Java developer I encourage you to try it. Edited: fixed information about inter-package access. Worth reading: [1] http://hummusandmagnets.tumblr.com/post/52285020299/dont-use-package-private-in-java [2] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KrLFs6f2bOA [3] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kbKxmEeuvc4 [4] https://blog.jetbrains.com/kotlin/2015/09/kotlin-m13-is-out/ [5] https://discuss.kotlinlang.org/t/kotlin-to-support-package-protected-visibility/1544 [6] https://youtrack.jetbrains.net/issue/KT-29227 [7] https://discuss.kotlinlang.org/t/kotlins-default-visibility-should-be-internal/1400 [8] https://discuss.kotlinlang.org/t/another-call-for-package-private-visibility/9577 [9] https://discuss.kotlinlang.org/t/a-bit-about-picking-defaults/1418	https://medium.com/virtuslab/on-the-missing-package-private-or-why-java-is-better-than-kotlin-in-this-regard-4a1c9ecbe40c	['Michał Stawski']	2019-09-25 19:18:34.575000+00:00	['Java', 'Tech', 'Modules', 'Best', 'Kotlin']

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