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Facts about Maine Coon Cats | Facts about Maine Coon Cats
Maine Coon cat is considered the only longhair belonging to the United States. This cat breed was introduced by seamen who sailed into New England.
The cats they carried on their ships most likely left the ship either permanently or just for a little shore leave, bred with the existing native cats, and finally created a breed of their own.
Maine Coon Cats
Description
The Maine Coon cat has a powerful muscular body and strong legs. The head has a squared-off muzzle and large ears held wide and tall. The coat is long and thick and consists of an undercoat covered by a large glossy, waterproof topcoat.
The hair on the head, neck, and shoulders is shorter and increases in length below the back, sides, and tail. There is a ruff, which is at the bottom of the ears and is heavier in males than females.
The tail hair of this cat is long and flowing. This cat breed has a variety of 30 or more colors.
Coat Length: Shorter on the shoulders and longer on the stomach, smooth, shaggy
Maine Coon Cat Lifespan: 9–13 yrs.
Maine Coon Cat Size: Male weighing from 12 to 15 pounds as compared to females weighing from 9 to 12 pounds.
Personality of Maine Coon Cats
These cats are sweet and are very playful and friendly. They enjoy human company and make good pets.
Click here to read more… | https://medium.com/@jessicawilson00745/facts-about-maine-coon-cats-9cb4f9498eb3 | ['Jessica Wilson'] | 2020-12-24 08:39:03.212000+00:00 | ['Cats', 'Cats And Dogs', 'Cats N Things', 'Maine Coon Cat', 'Kittens'] |
How To Forgive Yourself Forever in One Day (The Honest Truth) | It torments.
You’re chilling, then boom!
Flashbacks of your misfortunes, mistakes, etc., start haunting you. Poor you.
It doesn’t happen once.
Not twice.
It occurs multiple times and makes your life miserable. Oh my!
The reality is, life will never be as straight as Highway 10. Several unexpected things must happen, and you can’t do anything about that, sad.
But remember, no one is perfect, and even if you’ve done the worst sin or mistakes on earth, you can get over it, forgive yourself and live the stress-free life you deserve.
So, in this guide, we will cover the sure-fire ways you can use to forgive yourself forever in one day.
Let the pain destroy you
Life is pain, highness. Anyone who tells you differently is selling you something- William Goldman
Yes, you did something terrible. But how will you heal if you’re suppressing the pain?
Well, if you didn’t know, pain can either strengthen or destroy you.
Picture it this way:
People go to the gym, but the pain of training scares some away, and they go back to their old bad habits.
Others, however, embrace the pain and create good training routines that shape their bodies.
You see, pain is everywhere, and you can’t run away from it. Allow it to crush you for some time, but don’t let it dwell there, toughen up and move on with your life!
Stop acting tougher than Bruce Lee!
The first step to forgiving yourself is caring about the feelings of people you’ve hurt.
It’s as simple as saying sorry and asking for forgiveness. That doesn’t prove you’re weak.
It shows you’re considerate, and you value your self-respect and being at peace with everyone.
Say you don’t say sorry; you’ll feel remorseful and restless when you meet the people you’ve wronged. And that’s toxic for your mental health.
So, the next time you hurt someone, take him/her out and apologize. Who knows? They might be your next best friend.
Let mama earth intervene
Energy doesn’t lie.
And you’ve felt it when conversing with your family or friends.
Imagine what happens when you tap into the universe’s energy. Not only will it help you to forgive yourself faster but heal you.
Here’s what you should:
Find a lonely spot, scream, and let out everything for mama earth to absorb.
Meditate, pray, and ask the universe to forgive you.
Your prayers might not be answered instantly, but mama earth will listen and respond to your request later.
Make amends with karma
Like gravity, karma is so basic we often don’t notice it- Sakyong Mipham
The law of karma is real and works- good actions attract good karma, while bad ones attract bad karma.
You can be the wealthiest person on earth, hurt people, and escape the laws of man, but you’ll never beat the laws of nature, seriously.
The first thing you should do is confuse karma and break its patterns by reconciling with everyone you’ve hurt. If you ignore this, you’ll worry that karma will revenge one day.
Be easy on yourself, little bird
When something terrible happens several times, you assume you’re cursed, right?
Well, nobody is perfect, and anyone can repeat one mistake severally.
Misfortunes happen, and we must accept the outcomes. It’s just the universe’s way of balancing things.
So, don’t keep reminiscing about your wrongs. Instead, breathe in and out slowly and accept everything.
You can consider taking a break from your thoughts. If you don’t, your mental and physical health can deteriorate.
Pro tip: be more cautious with your dealings to avoid repeating similar mistakes in the future.
Take a break from everything (the right way)
Admit it; when you can’t forgive yourself, you rarely focus and engage in meaningful conversations with others, right?
And to make peace with yourself, you prefer to be lonely.
However, taking a break from everything doesn’t mean you cut off your friends and family or kill your social life.
It’s okay to get lost for a week or two but be considerate enough to let people know about your whereabouts, not necessarily what you’ll do be doing over there.
Distract yourself like a pro
The inner voice that keeps saying you’re a horrible human hinders your progress. It makes it hard for you to forgive yourself.
The solution?
Distract your mind with something interesting.
You can:
Write or paint
Exercise
Enjoy a long lonely walk
Play video games
Solve puzzles
Watch a movie
Jam with your playlist
If you distract yourself with fun activities for some days, you’ll realize you have more meaningful things you can do in life. And get over the thought disturbing you.
Keep it on the Hush!
The first thing you think of when going through nightmares is to seek advice from your close ones. Yes, it’s okay, but its consequences are dire.
You can pass your emotions to others, be judged. Others might even use your mistakes against you someday.
Worse?
Some people can dissociate with you because you’ve “convinced” them you’re not as good as they thought.
My point?
Getting over something starts with handling it internally.
Seek help from within first but if things get worse, talk to a professional. You’ll get genuine advice on the best way to overcome the trauma. The good thing is they understand and won’t judge you like your friends or family.
Live in the moment
Be present in all things and thankful for all things- Maya Angelou
You’ve heard this phrase several times and wondered what it meant and its benefits.
Well, living in the moment means focusing on NOW. And it helps us break out from memories, ease stress, and let go of everything dragging us drown.
However, it’s easier said than done, especially if you’re an overthinker. You’ll dwell on several “what ifs” and struggle with forgetting your past.
Here’s what you should do to live in the moment:
Do something enjoyable that engages your senses.
Close your eyes for some time and let your brain wander for 20 to 30 minutes.
Enjoy your environment. Go outside and get fresh air or sunshine.
Enhance your senses, e.g., enjoying the scent of flowers
With time, you’ll master your thoughts.
Tell your inner critique to chill the F out!
It’s disturbing.
The angel on your left shoulder tells you to deserve another chance, but the devil on the right reminds you you’re awful.
Everyone has this inner voice that blinds our thoughts. If you don’t control it, you can sabotage your life and relationships.
Here’s how you can overcome that horrible voice:
Sit down, process your thoughts, and listen keenly to what it’s saying.
If it’s something toxic, remind yourself of the good deeds you’ve done. Yes, you strayed, but a few wrongs can’t cancel out the good stuff you’ve done?
Manifest this
Remember the time when you did something horrible when young?
You felt awful and forgot about it, right?
You should apply that formula to what you’re going through now. You’re your situation may be bad, but everything will come to pass.
You’ll make mistakes, but what should keep you going is nothing lasts forever. The pain will eventually fade, and you’ll get better with time.
Ready to forgive yourself again?
Here’s the truth:
Your life is too precious to reminisce about your past, wrongs, and misfortunes.
You need a sane mind to make better decisions in the future. But it won’t happen if you dwell on your wrongs and blunders.
Remember, it’s normal to make mistakes, but life will always give you more chances to make everything right again and again.
So, here’s what you should do next:
Cherry pick the tactics you believe will work for you’re confident will work for you in the list above.
You’ll be amazed at how you drown those evil thoughts dragging you down. Yes, you’ll have control over your mind and be on the right track to become the best version of yourself.
And that’s what you deserve, honestly.
So, are you ready to do this? | https://medium.com/@ethansmithcreativewriter/how-to-forgive-yourself-forever-in-one-day-the-honest-truth-3945db66832d | [] | 2020-12-16 13:40:17.778000+00:00 | ['Happiness', 'Forgiveness', 'Self Love', 'Happiness In Life', 'Forgiving Yourself'] |
The New System of Intelligence: Building an IoT Learning Loop | Why is your organization building a connected system? Whatever particular story fits your business, industrial investment in IoT is about value creation. It’s about collecting data from environments and assets, and transforming raw machine signals and external events into information used to improve performance. Greater reliability. Faster time to market. Reduced costs. Better customer relationships. Increased revenue. These outcomes are made possible when you know the state of your machines and the world around you at each moment in time. These are the outputs of the new Systems of Intelligence created by data-focused, flexible, secure, and scalable IoT solutions.
The Value is in the Data?
Raw data is useless without collection and context, cleansing, and transformation into forms the engines of enterprise can put into action. Cars don’t run on pools of petroleum buried miles underground. Drilling, pumping, and refinement turns sludge into speed. Satellites in space aren’t powered by “the Sun.” Manufacturing and design turn solar energy into battery power and TV shows on demand. Similarly, data collected from “things” must be normalized, contextualized, and integrated with enterprise ERP, CRM, BI, and other systems to create value.
The Rise of the Resilient Learning System
IoT data enters your system at high velocity with amazing variety in incredible volume. Errors abound, ranging from the obviously corrupted to the well-formed but highly inaccurate. Aside from requested yet flawed input, unauthorized data and commands from malicious actors create additional risks to the system. How will you track data provenance and verify a chain of custody for all events? Will you capture all incoming data, and ensure only trusted events are injected into your enterprise systems, machine learning, analytics, and other tools? How are you keeping dirty data from polluting your enterprise?
Creating a Continuous Learning Loop
Data processing is just one step toward generating revenue. Organizations must also operationalize what they discover; to build upon each consecutive insight in a continuous learning loop. With a new breed of IoT data management services such as Bright Wolf’’s Strandz, you can ensure a reliable supply of clean, trusted data for building and training predictive models, turning these derived insights directly into improved system performance.
This system turns incoming data into consistent, immutable, and normalized records for your machine learning, analytics tools, and data scientists to process, then delivers intelligent, operationalized insights to your enterprise integrations and IoT applications.
To Re-Train or Not To Re-train?
This method of data management enables your intelligence tools and teams to train and validate models for machine learning. When outputs of real world integrated systems don’t match the predicted model, failure data is cycled back into the model re-training and validation process.
For many organizations, humans will remain the ultimate “grader” of the predictive system. Did the model predict an imminent failure and generate a service call for a machine the technician then found to be in perfect working order? When this occurs, the system enables external data sources (such as human observation) to either reinforce the model or invalidate it and trigger a re-training. Similarly, unexpected failures may invalidate the current model as well.
To Scale is Human
The goal of (most) industrial IoT projects is not to remove humans from the system; rather they aim to enable enterprises to scale more effectively. Revenue, often capped by the number of machines in the field, is constrained by the capacity of the organization to monitor and maintain them. This in turn is limited by the the number of service technicians that can be employed as determined by the organization’s business model.
IoT learning loops and predictive models remove these constraints. By replacing “scheduled maintenance” with “likelihood of impending failure,” the same team can keep more machines running through elimination of unnecessary visits and emergency repair calls. Uptime increases, improving brand reputation and growing market share, enabling service teams to grow and deepen customer relationships even as the number of technicians needed per machine decreases.
The Future is Bright
Why is your organization building a connected system? To create value. To generate more opportunities to benefit your customers and shareholders. As management consultant and “Crossing the Chasm” author Geoffrey Moore explains:
“What in the world would cause business leaders to allocate another trillion dollars to enterprise IT in the next decade? Quite simply, the prospect of gaining ten trillion dollars by so doing.”
Will the IoT solution you invest in today deliver value over time as the world changes around you? That depends on whether your team assembles a monolithic application custom-built to match your requirements today, or instead layers a flexible interface atop a secure and scalable core of adaptable data management services not bound to specific machines, data types, or processing tools. Artificial intelligence and machine learning processes are improving at fantastic rates, faster than your internal systems and teams will be able to keep up. Your chosen architecture should provide a stable interface for your business and data layer while enabling your organization to reap the benefits from improvements in IoT analytics and infrastructure.
The prospect of extracting significant value over time from IoT requires a System of Intelligence that learns and evolves, enabling your organization to quickly adapt to new business opportunities and technologies. To learn more, visit us at brightwolf.com.
Bright Wolf is a trusted partner to Global Forbes 2000 enterprises for design, system integration, and operation of large-scale connected industrial systems for Manufacturing, Transportation, Healthcare, Cold Chain Systems, Agriculture, Heavy Equipment, Oil & Gas, and more. | https://towardsdatascience.com/the-new-system-of-intelligence-building-an-iot-learning-loop-1d37de784bdc | ['Bright Wolf'] | 2017-06-29 13:06:29.085000+00:00 | ['Industrial Internet', 'Internet of Things', 'Machine Learning', 'Data Management', 'Data Science'] |
I live most days in fear and frustration. | Fear that others will find out my secret, that I have a mental illness, and frustration from having to deal with insurance companies, healthcare providers, pharmacies, all the while balancing the exhaustion of having a mental illness with regular everyday pressures and responsibilities that we all deal with.
Since I was in high school, I’ve been battling mental illness. Misdiagnosed, mis-medicated, mis-managed; by no one’s fault of their own. I’ve struggled to find the right balance of medicine, therapy, support, and understanding. Mostly understanding of my own, how to take care of me; but the older I get, I realize it’s more misunderstanding of the world around us that’s the problem. 1 in 5 adults in America are diagnosed with a mental illness.
There are marches and fundraisers for the millions with cancer and other physical illnesses, yet we have swept the topic of mental illnesses under not just the rug, but under the rug, up in the attic, locked away. It’s taboo to have a mental illness; it’s taboo to get help for a mental illness, and it’s taboo to talk about mental illness.
I want to change the dialogue.
I want to change how people with mental illness can get help and from where.
I want to change the stigma surrounding mental illness.
I’m terrified that I’ll never get an interview, let alone another job as a result of my now willingness to be “out,” but the situation in our country concerning help, access to treatment, understanding, and empathy is so dire I cannot live in fear any longer. And hopefully, it’ll result in not living in frustration for much longer!
A few years ago a woman in my then office had a baby. We sent her congratulatory flowers upon the arrival. She took a few months’ medical leave from work for maternity time. I was not doing well mentally or sleeping and needed time to get medications in order, rest and get help, so I, also, took a medical leave. When the other woman came back from her leave, more flowers were on her desk. When I came back, nothing but emails. A couple months later, I took a week off to be hospitalized for suicidal ideation /med change under doctor supervision and the day after I returned to work, HR asked for a meeting to discuss my performance. I don’t care about the lack of flowers or talking to HR about how I can improve — I hate what they represent. From what I can gather, it seems as if people either don’t see mental illness as a legitimate illness in need of treatment or they don’t understand it and fear it. Movies and TV depict the mentally ill as “crazy, unstable people “ who aren’t to be trusted or counted upon.
But most of the frustration I live with lies with trying to get help, when I’m feeling brave enough to seek it. The phone calls with insurance companies, the doctor referrals, even when the doctor does not take insurance… the pharmacy trips… the lack of coverage for prescriptions or therapists…the judgement… the pain and sadness, the emptiness and exhaustion, and yet still having to spend 17 minutes on hold for every 3-minute conversation to get something authorized and confirmed. Days I don’t have energy to shower, eat, or function, I still have to work and battle insurance companies and doctors who do not accept insurance? Has anyone with cancer or diabetes ever been referred to a doctor who does not accept mainstream insurance coverage? MOST therapists and psychiatrists do not accept health insurance; and even if they do, good luck finding one you like who’s actually accepting new patients. How is one supposed to get help and pay for it? In most states it’s required if you own a car to have insurance. Why is it not also required, if you are a doctor or healthcare professional, to accept most health insurances? If we are an insurance-based society, then we need to make it mandatory for providers to accept that insurance. How can the FIRST question I’m asked when I call a doctor not be what’s my name, birthday, AM I SUICIDALl?… Every time I call a healthcare professional’s office who does take insurance the first question I’m asked is who is my healthcare provider. Nothing to do with my health. How am I going to pay? And then the battle for insurance companies to actually cover preexisting conditions or new treatments begins.
At the moment of beginning to write this I had been waiting for thirteen days to get a prescription, prescribed by a doctor for an (mental) illness. 13 Days. Thank god I’m not homicidal. It takes less time to buy a gun in most states. I had a good job with seemingly good health insurance. English is my first language. I have a master’s degree. Both of my parents have post graduate degrees. Hell, my father, himself, is a doctor; yet I cannot get medication prescribed for me to treat an illness I have. How do people without insurance, without working English skills, without pushy Jewish mothers who taught you to advocate loudly get by? If I am this frustrated and without medication, how do people who are less fortunate handle and cope and get treatment?
And how are we, as a society, OK with this? How have we set up a system that makes money for CEOs and offers very little care for the people they are supposed to be “covering”? How do lower income people and immigrants know how to navigate our formidable waters when we provide no compass or lifeboat as a society? How is this acceptable to YOU? When, most likely, your friend or family member is struggling navigating these same seas?
I’m picking too many battles to fight:
-Myself/health
-How to change stigmas surrounding mental health
-How to advocate on behalf of the mentally ill
-How to change insurance policy, health care legislation and social norms regarding mental healthcare
-How to find a husband (hey I have a Jewish grandmother after-all)
But these all need addressing, now. But how?
I want to get involved on a policy, advocacy level. I want to change laws, social acceptance norms and perceptions. I want to change the lack of access to help, and mostly, I want people to understand that there are days when I don’t get out of bed, call in sick, cancel plans — but I’m doing the best I can; and on my best days, with the right medication and support, I’m worth it. I can positively add to society. (And roast a mean chicken thanks to Ina Garten).
This piece isn’t about me and my struggles. I’m not writing this to complain, but to use what I know and have been through as a catapult to launch change in mental health acceptance and care. So that anyone, no matter their income, education, or healthcare coverage status, can have access to the treatment they need and avoid the discrimination we’ve allowed to prevail. | https://medium.com/@roughlyru/i-live-most-days-in-fear-and-frustration-29edac3f7e3 | ['Roughly Ru'] | 2020-12-18 14:45:03.597000+00:00 | ['Mental Health Awareness', 'Mental Illness', 'Mental Health', 'Stigma'] |
What is a startup, anyway? | Welcome back to the View from the Monolith! I’ve spent the last few years siloed in a monolithic organisation, but now I am adventuring in the world of startups. In this blog, I share the learning I glean along the way.
It took me a while to realise that there was one obvious word missing from my look at the language of startups (didn’t see that? Check it out here!). It is such a fundamental word to the discussion that it went right by me. But when I stopped to think about it, the definition wasn’t clear; when it gets right down to it, what actually is a startup?
Age
To my naïve monolithic brain, I hear “startup” and I think “recent”. How recent is recent, though? Is the organisation still a startup after two years? Five? Ten? I don’t know, I guess we need to look elsewhere to build our definition.
Oh come on, who can’t spell ‘Shortcut’?
Growth
Certainly, in the sense we use it, it is not simply any recently formed company: a newly-opened coffee shop might attract a flood of clients from startups but is not one itself. Partly this is a function of the business type, the startups we’re talking about are generally tech oriented, but there’s something else there too. It’s about an ambition for growth. Most new independent coffee shops are not launched with a view to take on Starbucks, but every startup is looking for the next big idea, has a glimmer in their eye that they may become the next unicorn.
Wait, unicorn?
Another word for our startup vocabulary, here,the unicorn is a startup that has made it truly big, becoming valued at more than $1 billion. Unlike their horned equine counter-parts, startup unicorns do exist, but they are almost as rare. Every startup aims for growth, but they won’t all become Uber or Airbnb.
Successful, yes, but still uses Comics Sans on the chart
The core idea
Still, in the risky world of startups, if they are going to make it big, or be considered a success at all, there needs to be one strong central idea. A problem to solve in a new way. The startup needs to look for a way to turn the solution to that problem into something which will provide consistent return on investment. A problem with a once-and-done solution is not a good basis for a startup; the core idea needs to be one that will reliably continue to generate revenue.
Embracing the possibility of failure
I mentioned this in my first View from the Monolith, but the startup philosophy is one which, while it’s not setting out to fail, is ready for failure. It treats it as part of the lifecycle. If one solution didn’t work, move on and look for the next one.
Our working definition
So, what is a startup? I think it probably means different things to different people. But here’s the definition we use at The Shortcut, as laid out by Steve Blank:
https://youtu.be/wKh8e3dplmM
“A startup is a temporary organisation designed to search for a scalable and repeatable business model.”
That matches the conclusions we were working to quite nicely (and not accidentally!). The startup needs to be scalable, it needs to grow. The core idea must be a repeatable business model.
The word “temporary” brings us back to our age question. It doesn’t quite answer it, but the essence is there: there are no ten-year-old startups. The aim of the startup is to find that business model, and then use it to become something else.
If you want to join the search for a scalable repeatable business model, then perhaps entrepreneurship is for you. If you need help starting down that path, then the Catalyst Programme at The Shortcut might be just what you need. Come along to the information session to learn more! | https://medium.com/the-shortcut/what-is-a-startup-anyway-92d550fa95a8 | ['Rob Edwards'] | 2019-02-13 06:33:42.594000+00:00 | ['Stories', 'Startup'] |
5 Essential Duties of a Visionary Leader | 5 Essential Duties of a Visionary Leader
What you need to build a sustainable business.
Photo by Markus Spiske on Unsplash
Have you ever found yourself under a leader who seems unclear about his role as a leader? Maybe you work in an organization where the leader is unsure of what direction to take the company; you are experiencing a classic case of a leader that does not know or cannot perform his essential duties.
Every leader, whether the president of a country, the CEO of a business, or a sports coach, all have essential duties that must be performed to create a sustainable and prosperous organization. Failure to know and perform those duties will keep the organization in a bind and lead to a downward spiral that will jeopardize the future of the company.
To avoid the downward spiral, you and your leader must be aware of these leadership duties.
1. A vision and mission to fulfill
Every leader must have a vision and mission to execute in the organization. Without a clearly defined mission, people in the organization will always find themselves in a limbo, not being sure of what they need to do in their role to make the business prosperous. The lack of vision can make it extremely difficult for the establishment to survive in a competitive business landscape.
If you are a leader, you must be able to develop a vision for your company. What do you aim to achieve? And not only that, you must be able to know what must be done to take your company to the level you desire. You must come up with strategies that will help the organization fulfill its mission. If, for example, your goal is to make your company the top three in your industry, your strategies must include clear steps of what you need to do to get there.
Photo by Brian McGowan on Unsplash
2. People to empower
A selfish leader wants everything to revolve around him. He wants all ideas to pass through him for approval, and he wants to be in the loop of all activities going on within the organization. On the other hand, a visionary leader is ready and willing to delegate some tasks to other people in the organization to allow them to grow. A good leader must learn how to build a strong team of leaders that will be able to run the business when he is not available.
To build your team, you must actively engage with them, coach them, and assign tasks to them to prove their competencies. The leader must be willing to guide his people and provide all the necessary support for them to deliver on tasks. A leader who refuses to empower his team is insecure, and he will limit the creativity and growth potential of everyone in the organization.
Photo by Campaign Creators on Unsplash
3. System to create
Businesses run on systems and processes. The leader should lead the way in developing and enforcing policies to make the business operate smoothly. A company where everyone does everything they like, how they want is not sustainable. As much as it is good to establish processes, it is also crucial to get rid of processes that aren’t adding values or causing more pains to transact business with your organization.
The leader must create an enabling environment where the employees are free to share ideas that simplify processes, cut costs, and improve the way business is done. Clinging to the same old way of doing things will only make your business uncompetitive, and may drive you out of business. A visionary leader can look ahead and see into the future, and build a system that will ensure his company continues to thrive and remain strong for the foreseeable future.
Photo by Markus Spiske on Unsplash
4. Relationship to initiate
Every creative business leader should be able to think about the strategic partnership that they need to bring more business opportunities to the company. The leader must identify relevant partners that will help his business to grow and win more market share. He must actively look for strategic deals that will put his company ahead of competitors and help win more business opportunities.
Creative leaders understand the value of relationships; whether it is a business to business or a business-to-consumer relationship, customers be treated right at all times. If you treat your customers and partners well, you will enjoy a long and rewarding relationship with them. Customer relationship management is essential for your company’s success, and you must ensure your staff your customer care team with dedicated and experienced professionals.
Photo by Cytonn Photography on Unsplash
5. Risk to take
We live in an uncertain and dynamic world. Rules and regulations change, competitors enter the market to disrupt the existing framework of doing business. A creative leader takes calculated risks on behalf of his business so that the company is always ahead in terms of innovation and competitiveness.
Taking unnecessary risks can destroy the company, as it can sometimes mean launching products that the market does not need or rolling out services that no one is buying. This can hurt the company’s balance sheet and lead to an unsustainable debt that will destroy shareholders’ value in the company. So, as a leader, you must ensure you understand the business environment, perform thorough risk review and analysis before taking on any risk that can impact your company. However, you must not be afraid to take risks when you have done all your due diligence. There are rewards to every calculated risk you take.
Photo by Ivana Cajina on Unsplash
You may not be in a position of authority yet, but you are a leader because leadership is about influence. If you can influence your leader, then you can also make a change. And to make a change and move your organization in the right direction, you need to be aware of the essential duties of a creative leader. | https://medium.com/illumination/5-essential-duties-of-a-visionary-leader-d9686df3855e | ['Adebola Alabi'] | 2020-07-21 20:34:40.926000+00:00 | ['Life Lessons', 'Advice', 'Career Advice', 'Leadership', 'Business Strategy'] |
Survival techniques for when you are shipwrecked at sea | Don’t panic and keep mentally strong.
Being mentally strong means to know that there is no shame in letting others help you. Always preparing for the worst is what is best, even though you will have someone watching your back, it does not hurt to prepare yourself by knowing how to swim. In the scenario that you are in fact shipwrecked at sea, you will have a life vest at the ready, but again be prepared. Don’t take things for grated, and that involves being helped by stronger swimmers, who will also be busy helping others find a foothold on the situation.
Once you have fastened your life vest and are safely tucked away on the inflatable life buoys, you should allow the stronger swimmers to help others. Remember charity begins at home, so make sure as to allow yourself to be helped, especially if you are one of the weaker swimmers. This means to say that whether you are helped first or last, be patient, the situation should see itself through to a hopeful resolution.
2. Keep close to your peers and rub your chest, it will help you keep warm.
In cold waters, especially with being shipwrecked in the northern most parts of the Pacific Ocean, the waters will indeed be cold. With torrential rains and the added effect of wind chill, the temperature can drop to as low as 11 Degrees Celsius, with the cold peaking at just below 8 Degrees Celsius. This will pose as a problem. With hyperthermia closest to being its most detrimental, these conditions will prove to be more of a problem than first imagined. Cover your head, rub your chest, keep dry and stay close to your peers, any additional body heat will see you past these trying times.
It is often said, at least in the ages-old colloquialism, you don’t go skiing without your skis, so when travelling, don’t go travelling without your hooded sweat shirt. Again, it will keep you warm in case of an emergency. Hoodies act as a good insulator, so it will keep you warm in cold weather and warm in cold weather. Make sure to cover your head in sleet or heat.
3. Find your bearings — At midday the sun will be directly above you. Find dry land.
Irrespective of where you are in the open seas there will a midday sun. If you are travelling at night and have the ill fortune of not having daylight to shine light on the subject, then be prepared, again, and pack an industrial powered torch light.
Before that, in either scenario, whether you have the luxury of a midday sun or not, you should be able to pinpoint your location, find your bearings and sought out dry land. So, once you are all cushy in your life rafts, fastened snugly in your life jackets and finally have everyone on a life raft, pick up your oars and find dry land.
Once you find dry land, to start with, here are a few survival skills you will need to have at your fingertips. Starting a fire, building a temporary shelter and setting up groups to hunt for food and acquiring drinking water are important notes. Just make yourself useful and try to let those who are more capable do the heavier work.
4. In harsher conditions wrap a wet towel around your head, it will keep you from blistering in the sun.
Temperatures that hover 10 degrees or more above the average high temperature are considered to be hot and in this context taken as extreme heat. So, to elaborate on a different scenario, harsher climates may force you to rethink the situation. To beat the extremities of the harsh climate in open sea, is to first understand how it can harm you. To put mildly and in brief the extreme heat is a product of high pressure weather systems moving into a region in open sea… in this scenario, yours.
A high pressure weather system moves in and if you do not take proper precautions before long your vital systems will shut down, causing you to dehydrate, where all three vital systems shut down. The respiratory system, the central nervous system and the circulatory system.
The only way to survive the initial onslaught of the heat in open water is to keep your energy up and hydrate often. Pack a bananas, apple and/or oranges for energy and make use the mostly readily available source of water… the ocean. The open sea is a resource for water so make use of it. You will need a portable water filter if you are going to stay hydrated.
5. The buddy buddy system works best. With someone always watching your back everyone is accounted for.
Every shipwreck survivor can benefit from understanding the nature of a real life practice like the buddy-buddy system. In sport for example, just as in anything else in life, participation can be learned and applied to aspects of life.
It was once said, “that with no great struggle there can be no great expression,” think about this for a minute. If we are never to disagree there cannot be any real destination, and if there is not real destination, where are we going with anything you practice.
So again, be prepared, and when travelling, especially with friends or family, make sure to have a healthy dosage of disagreement. This will help you better gauge who is the more fit to help and who will need your help the most. | https://medium.com/@tobesmoke/survival-techniques-for-when-you-are-shipwrecked-at-sea-e225923b0264 | ['Jonathan', 'Lim Chin Aun'] | 2019-05-21 12:43:14.847000+00:00 | ['Travel Writing', 'Travel', 'Features', 'Shipwrecked', 'Climate Change'] |
7 Gardening tips for beginners | “Nature has a huge impact on health and wellness” says Gwenn Fried.Keeping these precious words in mind,gardening seems to be the best hobby now-a-days.Apart from a hobby,gardening is the best activity to relax down.It can relieve stress.It can lower your blood pressure.Moreover,spending time outside is good for your bones as well. Eating vegetables and fruits of your garden is vital for providing you with all the necessary nutrients that are required by our body for our growth.Hence,following are some gardening tips for beginners.
1.NATURE OF YOUR SOIL Before proceding on,you must be familiar with the type of your soil.Basically there are 3 types of soils.Sand,silt and clay.The most suitable soil for most plants is ‘sandy loam’.Having infomation about your soil is the most fundamental thing as it is necessary for the optimum growth of your plants.
2.CLIMATE AND ATMOSPHERE Climate is the major factor for gardening as it has an impact on the diversity of plants.Climate determines the average temperature,precipitation,type of soil and the nutrients of soil.Therefore,you must keep climate in your mind before doing gardening
.3.SPACE FOR GARDENING: It is a well known factor that it is dangerous to plant plants very close to each other.The reason behind this is that air cannot circulate properly between plants that leads to rotting of roots.Moreover,plants become more prone to diseases and infections if we plant them way too close to each other.
4.TEST YOUR SOIL For maximum growth of your plants it is necessary for you to get your soil tested as it gives you an idea about the nutritional status and some major characteristics of your soil i.e;pH.Both these factors have a huge impact on the growth of your plants.You can get your soil tested from lab or by using an at-home kit.
5.START WITH EASY PLANTS. You should start gardening by planting some easy plants because it will be convenient for you to take care of these plants.You should start with plants that grow quickly as this can motivate you to be more passionate towards your hobby.Some easy plants include sunflowers,snap peas,tomatoes,carrots,mint,etc
.6.USE OF FERTILIZER Fertilizers are the chemical substances supplied to the crops to increase their productivity.To maximize the growth of your plant you should use fertilizers.Fertilizers include nitrogen,phosphorus and potassium.Fertilizers are vital as they provide basic nutrients to the plants that some soil may deplete
.7.PROPER GARDEN TOOLS All the beginners should get themselves some basic garden tools as these tools will help them in gardening.Some must-have gardening tools include hand towel,secateurs,hoe,gardening gloves,spade,shovel and rake.
8.GET WEEDS OUT: Weeds do compete with plants for nutrients,water and space.Consequently,weeds slow down the growth of plants.Therefore,you should get all the weeds out of your garden in order to increase the growth of your plants
.9.PROPER SUNLIGHT: No one can deny the importance of sunlight for plants.Plants should get a proper exposure to sun to enhance their growth.Without sunlight,plants would not be able to get necessary nutrients required by them to survive.
10.OPTIMUM WATER.Water is vital for survival of plants.Water helps by transporting essential nutrients through the plants.It helps a plant to stand.Lack of water can make the plants droop.Hence,do water your plants daily to ensure the growth of your plants
.11.KEEP A JOURNAL Keeping a journal can inspire you towards your hobby.It can motivate you to take good care of your plants.You can keep up with your plants.It can also help you to keep information about plants that you would love to include in your garden.
CONCLUSION: Growing plants under sun is benefical for your health as well as a good hobby to kill your time.It is also equally benefical for our planet in reducing negative environmental impacts by maintaining temperature.But,gardening is not an easy job to do.People often get carried away by its idea but it is tough to maintain your garden in a good state.Gardening is a time consuming task.You need to examine all your plants carefully.You are required to keep your garden clean .You need to maintain your passion and love towards your garden.Moreover,you must be patient with your plants as they require some time to grow. | https://medium.com/@tashabaloch/7-gardening-tips-for-beginners-2ef9af123503 | [] | 2021-03-12 20:45:01.814000+00:00 | ['Gardening', 'Hobby', 'Plants'] |
Big Data Analyst Training in Mohali | Big Data Analyst Training in Mohali
Introduction Hadoop Fundamentals
The Motivation for Hadoop
Hadoop Overview
Data Storage: HDFS
Distributed Data Processing: YARN, MapReduce, and Spark
Data Processing and Analysis: Pig, Hive, and Impala
Database Integration: Sqoop
Other Hadoop Data Tools
Exercise Scenarios
Introduction to Pig
What is Pig?
Pig’s Features
Pig Use Cases
Interacting with Pig
Basic Data Analysis with Pig
Pig Latin Syntax
Loading Data
Simple Data Types
Field Definitions
Data Output
Viewing the Schema
Filtering and Sorting Data
Commonly Used Functions
Processing Complex Data with Pig
Storage Formats
Complex/Nested Data Types
Grouping
Built-In Functions for Complex Data
Iterating Grouped Data
Multi-Dataset Operations with Pig
Techniques for Combining Datasets
Joining Datasets in Pig
Set Operations
Splitting Datasets
Pig Troubleshooting and Optimization
Troubleshooting Pig
Logging
Using Hadoop’s Web UI
Data Sampling and Debugging
Performance Overview
Understanding the Execution Plan
Tips for Improving the Performance of Pig Jobs
Introduction to Hive and Impala
What is Hive?
What is Impala?
Why Use Hive and Impala?
Schema and Data Storage
Comparing Hive and Impala to Traditional Databases
Use Cases
Querying with Hive and Impala
Databases and Tables
Basic Hive and Impala Query Language Syntax
Data Types
Using Hue to Execute Queries
Using Beeline (Hive’s Shell)
Using the Impala Shell
Hive and Impala Data Management
Data Storage
Creating Databases and Tables
Loading Data
Altering Databases and Tables
Simplifying Queries with Views
Storing Query Results
Data Storage and Performance
Partitioning Tables
Loading Data into Partitioned Tables
When to Use Partitioning
Choosing a File Format
Using Avro and Parquet File Formats Course details:
Relational Data Analysis with Hive and Impala
Joining Datasets
Common Built-In Functions
Aggregation and Windowing
Complex Data with Hive and Impala
Complex Data with Hive
Complex Data with Impala
Analyzing Text with Hive and Impala
Using Regular Expressions with Hive and Impala
Processing Text Data with SerDes in Hive
Sentiment Analysis and n-grams
Hive Optimization
Understanding Query Performance
Bucketing
Indexing Data
Hive on Spark Impala Optimization
How Impala Executes Queries
Improving Impala Performance
Extending Hive and Impala
Custom SerDes and File Formats in Hive
Data Transformation with Custom Scripts in Hive
User-Defined Functions
Parameterized Queries
Choosing the Best Tool for the Job
Comparing Pig, Hive, Impala, and Relational Databases
Which to Choose?
Being one of the top Big Data Training Company in Mohali and a Certified Microsoft Authorized Education Partner, Cisco Partners, Intel Technology Provider, Google Certified Professionals & IBM Certified. Itronix Solutions deals with 100% Job Placements for Eligible Students after successful completion of the course. | https://medium.com/@namanitronix/big-data-analyst-training-in-mohali-769e57422978 | ['Naman Srivastava'] | 2020-04-23 10:30:26.721000+00:00 | ['Big Data Analytics', 'Big Data', 'Artificial Intelligence', 'Python'] |
What is Strong Authentication? | What is Strong Authentication?
As more businesses in Europe move to adopt multi-factor solutions that comply with Strong Customer Authentication (SCA), we thought we’d explain what strong authentication actually is. Keyless Technologies Follow Dec 15, 2020 · 5 min read
To give a little background, financial institutions and e-commerce platforms in Europe must change how they authenticate users by the 1st January 2021 under the revised Payments Services Directive (PSD2). This change has been driven by a sharp rise in fraud and identity theft.
So as Europe gets ready to adopt strong customer authentication (SCA) solutions that are compliant with PSD2 , we thought we’d cut through the noise to give you a clear breakdown on what strong authentication actually is.
To put it simply, strong authentication is achieved when solutions combine at least two mutually-independent authentication factors (keep reading to learn more about the three factors), to confirm a user’s identity and grant access to private accounts, systems and data.
Combating the password threat
Passwords are still clinging onto their place as the number one means of verifying a user’s identity online, but are they still sufficient in protecting users from threats? With the volume of digital accounts each user has (and by result number of passwords they have to keep safe), alongside a steady increase in hacking attacks and data breaches caused by compromised credentials — it’s safe to say passwords have lost their intuitiveness and effectiveness when it comes to mitigating unauthorized access.
What is multi-factor authentication?
Solutions providing multi-factor authentication (MFA) combine at least two independent authentication challenges in order to provide a solution that is more resilient to threats and account takeovers.
Multi-factor authentication solutions integrate at least two of the below challenge factors:
The 3 authentication challenge factors — knowledge (verifying something the user knows), possession (verifying something the user has), inherence (verifying something the user is).
1. Knowledge challenges
Knowledge challenges verify that a user knows something that no one else does. Common examples are passwords and PINs. In reality, passwords and PINs are readily shared and compromised — making knowledge based challenges one of the least reliable methods for verifying a user’s identity online.
2. Possession challenges
Possession challenges verify that the user has something in their possession that no one else does. In the context of consumer authentication, proving a user has possession of something is usually done by delivering one-time passwords via push notifications or SMS to a user’s trusted device or phone number. In the workforce, employees could be given swipe-cards or USB tokens.
3. Inherence challenges
Inherence challenges verify that a user is something. Essentially this is verifying the unique characteristics and traits of an individual by way of biometric sensors.
Having two mutually-independent factors enhances security by enabling an additional security layer. This means that even if one factor is compromised, private accounts, systems and data are all theoretically still protected, so long as the second factor hasn’t also been compromised.
A real-world example for multi-factor authentication is the usage of credit-card (something the user has) with a PIN code (something the user knows).
MFA vs strong customer authentication (SCA)
The European Central Bank takes security one step further and says that to enable strong authentication, at least one of the authentication factors must be non-reusable.
A common example of a non-reusable authentication challenge is a one-time authentication code sent to a user’s device, for example a push-notification or SMS-token.
One-time codes are by nature less likely to be compromised, making the challenge response more resilient to threats, however, with four out of five SIM swapping attacks being successful, one-time codes are not without risk.
Rather than verifying a user’s identity based on something they know or possess, inherence challenges authenticate users by validating something the user is.
The benefits of biometrics for SCA
The benefit of authenticating users via their biometrics is that biometrics are much harder for an attacker to steal or fake.
This is especially true when solutions take a multi-modal approach to biometrics.
Multimodal biometrics are when a user is authenticated via both physical and behavioral traits unique to them, essentially a form of biometric two-factor authentication.
An example would be if a solution verified a user’s unique facial measurements (using facial recognition technology), alongside their unique keystroke dynamics (the way they interact with their device).
Because of their layered approach, multi-modal biometrics can give companies extremely high assurance that a user is who they claim to be online, without disrupting the user-journey or adding undue complexity.
Strong authentication = seamless login
At Keyless we combine inherence and possession factors to provide fast, secure, user-friendly authentication that is resilient to common threats including phishing, credential stuffing and SIM-swapping attacks.
1. Our first factor is inherence (something the user is)
We leverage multi-modal biometrics, combined with advanced liveness detection and anti-spoofing technology, to verify that a user is who they say they are, both at the point of authentication and continuously as they user accesses private systems and accounts. The intuitiveness offered by multimodal biometrics allows our clients to strengthen access control security, without jeopardizing on productivity or user-experience.
2. Our second factor is possession (something the user possesses)
We use device-identity verification to ensure that each authentication request is launched from a user’s trusted device without needing to send a push-notification to the user’s device. The combination of inherence and possession factors allows for seamless, strong authentication that is resilient to a wide range of threats facing enterprises, while also being intuitive to the user, and minimally disruptive to workflow.
Implementing Strong Authentication
The deadline for financial institutions and e-commerce platforms in Europe to implement SCA is fast approaching.
When executed properly, strong authentication should not disrupt the user-experience or make authentication more challenging for the user. Instead, strong authentication should enhance employee and customer experiences while protecting your company from privacy and security threats.
Keyless passwordless solutions are PSD2 compliant and designed to seamlessly integrate with existing security and identity management infrastructure, so that you can quickly deploy biometric-enabled passwordless solutions to your remote workforce and users. | https://medium.com/keylesstech/what-is-strong-authentication-b3ae2b86a592 | ['Keyless Technologies'] | 2020-12-15 10:32:09.754000+00:00 | ['Passwordless', 'MFA', 'Sca', 'Psd2', 'Authentication'] |
DR. STAN MEIBURG JOINS THE WAKE FOREST SUSTAINABILITY GRADUATE PROGRAM | WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT SUSTAINABILITY, you’re basically asking a question about the future of the planet. For somebody who’s thinking, “Gosh, do I want to work in this area?” My response basically is that you get to get up and go to work every day and think that something I am doing is helping to save the planet. How cool is that?
I’m almost embarrassed to admit this, but I ended up in environmental protection almost by accident. I worked at the EPA for 39 years, from November of 1977 through January of 2017 — with a very short interval of about five months in the middle when I thought I was retired.
I started in the Carter Administration and went all the way through the Obama Administration. A lot of presidents. When I first came into the EPA, I was really really fortunate. I fell into the hands of some outstanding mentors. And I’d like to be able to work with students in that way as well.
The reason I wanted to take on this role with the Sustainability Graduate Program at Wake Forest is that it fulfills what really was my ambition the first time that I retired. That is, to help train the next generation of environmental professionals.
It is an interesting experience to come back to Wake Forest after 40 years away. Even though the campus is a lot bigger — there are many more facilities here than there were when I was an undergraduate — it still has the same feeling it had. The same feeling and collegiality. People greeting each other as you walk by on the quad.
My ambition is to help train the next generation of environmental professionals.
We are still in the early stages of this journey. Both at the University and in a larger sense in society. Thinking about what sustainability really needs. For students who are coming in now — what a great opportunity to take your gifts and skills and apply them to this great challenge. Sustainability is the challenge that is going to influence everything that occurs for humanity over the next 50 years. | https://medium.com/the-sustainability-graduate-programs/dr-stan-meiburg-joins-the-wake-forest-sustainability-graduate-program-103f9bf91029 | ['Wake Forest Mas'] | 2019-05-26 03:24:06.472000+00:00 | ['Epa', 'Academia', 'Wake Forest University', 'Sustainability', 'Higher Education'] |
Long Covid, ME/CFS, and the Need for Allyship | I worked full-time as an occupational therapist in the hospital setting for eight and a half years, including throughout the pandemic. I contracted Covid-19 at work in October of 2020, yet there is no way of proving it because my employer ended contact tracing per the CDC’s recommendation in May of 2020. I have never recovered.
It has taken me weeks to finish writing this. Before Covid, I could hike 15 miles at steep mountain elevation. I could kayak, jog, or do strenuous yard work after working a hospital shift where I performed hours of detailed electronic medical charting, engaged in constant multitasking. I was an independent being. I did not have to think about my body every second. I had no pre-existing conditions, and I was never hospitalized, though I probably should have been.
I went to the ER twice at the beginning of my illness, the second time with chest pain, shortness of breath, confirmed double pneumonia and a heart rate of 192. I was given a bag of IV saline and discharged. My nurse would not allow me to walk to the exit and insisted I use a wheelchair, yet I was discharged nonetheless with a heart rate of 150, one that I normally would not have reached even while running on a treadmill. In the weeks that followed I was offered only antidepressants as my health continued to spiral downward. It did not matter that I was an educated medical professional receiving care from the same hospital system in which I worked. The moment I became sick I was just a patient in a bed, no longer credible in the eyes of most physicians.
I had over 25 cycling symptoms spanning all the systems of my body. I relapsed from a trip to the grocery store, driving a car, a doctor’s appointment, and a 45-minute Zoom call. There were times I could not lift my head or arms, send a text message, or use a spoon. Chewing and digesting were physically draining; the room around me was a hazy blur. My skin felt like someone had lit it on fire. Receiving a hug was painful, as were sound and light. I spent weeks feeling like I had been poisoned. Insomnia raged. I would attempt to sleep when my spouse was awake in case I stopped breathing, but instead I repeatedly woke up choking and gasping. I lay on the floor of the bathroom for 30 minutes after vomiting, just to muster the energy for the 25-foot walk back to bed. An entirely foreign, utter exhaustion filtered through me, relentlessly buzzing and beating, and it did not leave.
Now, I spend my time alone in a dimly lit, quiet room listening to audiobooks. I dream of walking two blocks to the park, but I cannot. I have not been able to leave my house in seven months. I was a lover of life, a collector of experiences; I used every minute to do something productive or enjoyable. I grieve constantly for that person.
I cannot stand for more than ten minutes, or sit fully upright more than one hour. I miss watching TV, and reading books without having to stop after 15–20 pages. I miss being in the sunlight. In support groups people who have been sick as long as 16 months celebrate being able to take a shower or make a bowl of cereal. I let relationships fall away because I simply do not have the energy to sustain them. I strategically plan the number of times I navigate the stairs each day, and eat many meals from a mini fridge on the second floor so I can be nearest the only bathroom. I check the news for any sign of research breakthroughs, but so far the most relatable thing I have read is an account of a man who was lost at sea for months and the tiny routine he formed to keep himself alive. I cannot cook a meal or clean my house. I slog through well wishes from family and friends who expect me to fully recover, but in my body there is little indication of that. I am rotting.
I did not get a chance to say goodbye to my favorite places out there in the world; I went missing, overnight. There is very little joy, no spontaneity, and very little choice. I have lost my former personality, sexuality, hobbies, coping mechanisms and ability to socialize. I cannot talk too loud or too much; I cannot feel the deep anger at my situation without getting punished with an onslaught of physical symptoms. I am a pile of bones and skin, a fly in the amber. When I think of my future, it is blank.
When I initially became ill with Covid, I was given the federally sponsored two weeks off work to recover before having to apply for short-term disability. It is now recognized that a normal recovery time for non-hospitalized patients who do not necessarily go on to develop Long Covid is up to 12 weeks. Studies suggest that healthcare workers are seven times more likely to have severe Covid, but we were provided the same paltry surgical masks given to retail workers for patient encounters that were not confirmed Covid cases. Now, the CDC has finally admitted what it undoubtedly knew all along: Covid is airborne, and surgical masks alone are ineffective. In March of 2020, as the pandemic was just becoming well-known in the U.S., nurses at my job who expressed interest in wearing masks were forbidden, though it later became a system-wide policy. My heart breaks to think of how much suffering I might have been spared if I had been allowed to wear an N-95 mask continuously throughout my workday, or for all patient encounters. Even the N-95 masks we were given to use inside rooms of confirmed Covid-19 patients were reused/cleaned up to 20 times, 16 times more than the FDA’s eventual official recommendation of four. Outside visitors were at first restricted to protect workers, yet they would soon return for consumer satisfaction. The health screening process of employees entering work relied mainly on the honor system, and we were bombarded with almost political campaign-like reassurances that we were being protected. Many of us still got sick, though the total number was kept private.
I missed becoming eligible for a vaccine by only three months. I likely had three decades worth of work left in me. I have now, like many others, applied for SSDI (and already received my first rejection) as the economic impact of Long Covid looms and most long haulers have not returned to work. In the pandemic, “essential” worker seems to have meant expendable and replaceable. Healthcare is a factory and the product is people; I was merely part of the assembly line.
Like veterans who return from war and receive inadequate care, essential workers with Long Covid are discarded, forgotten, and unpaid. Many struggle to pay off their medical debt, or to even be believed. Some are ridiculed. This plight may sound familiar to the 250,000 veterans of the 1990–91 Gulf War who returned home with a multi-systemic, complex neuroimmune illness (Gulf War Illness, or GWI) and never recovered. Their symptoms are essentially identical to those of Long Covid, yet most people have never heard of this condition. Such is the story of Post-Treatment Lyme Disease, POTS (Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome), EDS (Ehlers Danlos Syndrome), Fibromyalgia, and many other chronic illnesses. Such is the story of ME/CFS (Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome).
Imagine a chronic illness so horrific that a mild case might mean not being able to work ever again. A moderate case could mean rarely being able to leave your home for years at a time, and a very severe case could leave you with a feeding tube, unable to move, speak or tolerate human touch. ME/CFS already affected up to 2.5 million people in the U.S. prior to the pandemic (and up to 24 million people worldwide) but is funded at only 7% of its disease burden. (For comparison, as many people are affected by Multiple Sclerosis in the entire world as are affected by ME/CFS just in the U.S., yet MS receives significantly more funding and public awareness.) The cause of ME/CFS has not been confirmed. There is no approved treatment, and no cure. There are no 5K races or viral fundraising events, only silence, as both the general public and medical community are largely ignorant of its existence.
The history of psychosomatization and sheer neglect of ME/CFS reads like a conspiracy. ME/CFS and GWI specialist Nancy Klimas has said that patients “experience a level of disability equal to that of patients with late-stage AIDS and patients undergoing chemotherapy,” but only a third of medical schools even include ME/CFS as part of their curricula. People with severe ME/CFS are still being forcibly institutionalized or sectioned due to medical ignorance. Stories circulate of patients being thrown into pools for “physical rehabilitation” to prove their symptoms are psychological and nearly drowning, clearly physically ill. Parents are accused of child abuse when there is no clear medical explanation for their children’s deteriorating health. Though rare, ME/CFS can directly cause death, as in the tragic cases of Sophia Mirza and Merryn Crofts, and for some families it is even a fight to get it listed on death certificates.
For a majority, a virus triggers ME/CFS. Would Long Covid even exist right now if medicine had paid attention? For many people, Long Covid will be or is ME/CFS.
With an eventual projected 15 million people with Long Covid in the U.S. alone, we are in a public health (and subsequent economic) crisis. Studies show that people with Long Covid experience a quality of life that is worse than Rheumatoid Arthritis, COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease), and end stage lung cancer; they experience more difficulty with activities of daily living than cancer rehabilitation patients. 85.9% of long haulers have PEM (post-exertional malaise), the delayed and debilitating worsening of symptoms after even simple physical or mental exertion that is disproportionate to the activity itself. Imagine if typing one more word or folding one more towel was the difference between carrying on with your daily routine or spending the next several days to weeks in bed so ill you can barely move. This is a hallmark sign of ME/CFS.
While the media has been a helpful ally of long haulers overall, there remains consistent reporting that the vaccine is a cure, or that Long Covid clinics are helping people recover, when these anecdotes are not actually panning out for a majority. More data is needed. Until a pathophysiology is determined, Long Covid clinics have little to offer except reassurance and referrals to specialists, most who also do not have any answers. Some Long Covid clinics do not even understand the main symptoms they are attempting to treat, like PEM, and are providing advice that is causing patients to relapse. Some patients who at first improve with the vaccine also seem to relapse later, and some get immediately worse and remain that way. News articles state that people are ill for “weeks and months,” as if there is a determined endpoint, though many have been sick for over a year, with no end in sight. “New theories” such as viral reactivations that suggest that answers for Long Covid are being found are not new theories at all, but have already been described in detail as part of the 9,000 peer-reviewed journal articles in the ME/CFS literature that are being seemingly ignored by the greater medical community.
There is also frequent mention in the news about the $1.15 billion in funding for Long Covid from the NIH, but almost eight months after it was made official just two infrastructure awards have been publically announced and research has hardly begun. We are grateful, but we need swift action, clinical trials, and congressional oversight for accountability. Our sense of hopelessness is profound. We are drowning.
We are also perhaps a bit wary, considering the NIH’s track record of gender bias in regard to funding as well as the historically poor funding of ME/CFS, Lyme, and post-viral illness. The same leaders involved in Long Covid at the NIH, including the beloved Dr. Fauci, dismissed ME/CFS as being psychosomatic in the past, causing serious repercussions for research, though they now recognize it is physiological. It remains to be seen if researchers who are experts in post-viral illness will finally be given adequate funding, or if research subjects will be treated as valid teachers of their conditions. Some theories matching the patient experience, such as the notion that ME/CFS could have a mechanical basis, are being entirely ignored in research. The U.K. recently announced funding into Long Covid of which only a minority is slated for quality biomedical research. £1 million of this funding has been allotted for a weight loss program, an idea much equivalent to expecting a dose of Ibuprofen to heal a broken bone. This is a rare, global opportunity to learn more about neurological disease, autoimmunity, etc. with clear broader implications. It cannot be squandered.
As time crawls forward, long haulers are committing suicide to end the agony of getting no help with endless physical and mental symptoms. People with ME/CFS have a suicide rate of seven times the normal population, due to the constant suffering of not being able to live a meaningful life, even in the smallest capacities. Cindy Siegel Shepler, with the support of her spouse, went to Switzerland to die with dignity in 2019. In 2008, a loving mother in the U.K. assisted her daughter to die through morphine toxicity because she could no longer bear to see her in such pain. Whitney Dafoe, a person with very severe ME/CFS and son of geneticist and researcher Ron Davis, has suggested that the mere act of staying alive in the face of this brutal illness is a means of resistance and activism in itself. Yet 18% of long haulers in one poll reported contemplating suicide. Discovery of an efficacious therapeutic would surely decrease this immediately.
When people talk about Long Covid, some are reluctant to believe the level of debility it brings to the previously healthy, perhaps because it is so far from what they have felt in their own bodies. Many of us were fit and active, very focused on health; some of us were athletes, even Olympians. We did not become so deconditioned within days of illness onset that we could not brush our teeth. Instead we are teetering on the edge of a cliff, a tragedy of genetics and various other still unknown factors, repeatedly trying to heal without any real help and experiencing fresh devastation each time we are slammed back down again.
We must stop viewing chronic illness, whether intrinsically or subconsciously, as the fault of the patient. Chronic illness is not a lesson to be learned, or a punishment for bad choices. It is not due to lack of motivation. We seem to only be interested in stories of healing and happy endings. We are so distracted by new advancements in technology that we do not admit how little we actually know. We subscribe to the American ideal that if we work hard enough and put in enough time we can achieve anything — that we are in complete control of our lives, bodies and destinies. We are not.
Those with control have repeatedly failed us throughout the pandemic, from the Trump Administration’s outright denial of Covid to Joe Biden stating that the virus “no longer controls our lives” as it continues to rage. The CDC provided a confusing message directly in opposition of the WHO regarding mask wearing, then later changed its mind. There was never an initial mention of the potential for chronic illness after a case of Covid, though it has been well documented historically, with constant focus on deaths and hospitalizations only. Any drugs recommended to mitigate Covid in its early stages are still being given only to the elderly or those with pre-existing conditions who are considered high risk, ignoring previously healthy people who battle to breathe, eat and sleep in their homes and then remain disabled one year later. Breakthrough infections that result in Long Covid are not being counted. The ridiculous narrative that children do not get Long Covid is still rampant. The actual incidence of Long Covid beyond estimation has not even been established in the U.S. We are still knowingly killing and disabling people.
I was told frequently that I was “young and healthy” and I would get better. My lab results were normal, so I would get better. I am not better. Because of my profession, I understand how to physically rehabilitate myself. It is not that simple. We have tried every supplement, diet, alternative therapy, and experimental pharmaceutical. Many of us have made improvements, but we are far from recovered. And even for those that have managed to heal, for how long will it remain? If they were susceptible to Long Covid, we don’t know if they will experience relapse with exposure to the next virus, bacteria, trauma, or other harmful pathogen.
Post-infectious illness should be common knowledge, not shrouded in mystery. We must determine the pathophysiology. We must find a specific diagnostic biomarker and treatments by funding biomedical research and clinical trials. The time is now. We need to dig much deeper. And we need to bring everyone along. We need to bring along ME/CFS patients who have been waiting for decades for some semblance of freedom and quality of life, including the minority of patients who might not have had an obvious viral trigger but experience the same symptomatology as those that did.
Activism and hope are alive in the disability community, but we are in need of many more allies. We are in need of curious, open-minded doctors and researchers, and healthy members of the public who want to get involved and help. HIV/AIDS research and treatment was propelled forward almost single-handedly by the activism of the LGBTQ community and allies, however most individuals with Long Covid and ME/CFS do not have the energy to storm the NIH when we cannot even get out of bed. We need help. No one is going to save us. We have to demand change.
Thane Black, a person with very severe ME and MCAS (Mast Cell Activation Syndrome) stated the following via Twitter: “To the doctors, policy-makers, journalists and others who once treated #pwME [people with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis] with disdain but now see the light: I don’t need your apology, or to see you shamed or punished. Become an ally today. May the road back to righteousness be as wide and frictionless as possible for you.”
May we all see each other as allies in the fight of our lives: the fight for health justice, biomedical research, treatment, improved quality of life, and cure. We are here, and we aren’t going away. | https://medium.com/@InkOnThePage/long-covid-me-cfs-and-the-need-for-allyship-cd42308fff37 | ['Alexis N. Misko'] | 2021-08-14 22:14:37.838000+00:00 | ['Chronic Fatigue Syndrome', 'Pandemic Diaries', 'Long Covid', 'Covid-19', 'Myalgic Encephalomyelitis'] |
How to find the NOC code for Immigration to Canada Easily? | To apply for a Canadian PR and work permit, you first need to know about your skill type in which you excel and will be chosen as an occupation in Canada. It is known as NOC. This is the basic step for your successful immigration process. Without knowing your NOC, you won’t be able to apply for any immigration process. The most important thing is that if you send your resume to Canadian companies and employers, without mentioning your NOC code it won’t be approved.
This blog provides information specifically about the occupation code or NOC as required by Canadian Immigration.
What is NOC?
The National Occupation Classification system is a nationally recognized system that uses a four-digit code system to classify jobs in Canada. It describes the skill types, talents, and work settings for different occupations in the Canadian economy. NOC helps you to find out different jobs in the Canadian market and locate information accordingly. It is a useful tool for job seekers. It can be used to search for job descriptions.
Providing a standardized language, NOC codes describe the work performed by the candidates and serves as a specific framework to define and collect statistical data. It also manages databases and analyzes the labor market trends in the country.
Why do you need NOC for immigration to Canada?
The Canadian immigration programs use NOC to decide whether the candidates have the required job experience or do they meet the eligibility criteria of the respective jobs for which they are applying.
For immigration purposes, many job groups define your expertise and experience for the jobs. It also checks your eligibility criteria.
Skill Type 0 (Managerial Occupations)
These include different management jobs including
Restaurant managers
Shore managers (fishing)
Mine managers.
Skill Level A (Professional Occupations)
These include all the jobs that require a degree from the university. For example,
Doctors
Engineers
Nurses
Skill Level B (Technical and Trade Occupations)
All the technical jobs and skilled trades that require diplomas in respective fields or apprenticeship, such as
Chefs
Electricians
Plumbers
Skill level C
These include intermediate jobs that usually require high school or job-specific training. For example,
Industrial butchers
Food and beverage servers
Truck drivers
Skill level D
These skills include labor jobs that usually do not require any diploma or degree and the person can be trained in a short time for the job. For example,
Cleaning staff
Fruit pickers
Oil field workers
The NOC helps you to recognize the type of job you can do and your skill level. It is beneficial to know whether your experience meets the eligibility criteria.
How to choose your NOC code?
For this purpose, you have to find the NOC title that suits best your skills and work experience. The listed jobs should be consistent with the jobs you have done or you are currently doing. If the jobs do not match then keep searching for the job title that best suits your experience and expertise. This title should correlate with the skill level or type and NOC code.
How can you prove your NOC?
You need to have all the documents to support your stance in the application that you have chosen the right NOC code. Your employment reference letter can serve as the most important document. An employment reference letter for immigration is quite different from the one that you use for job searching. You can also prove your work experience through certificates of service, tax records, and job assessments.
Which NOC is highly demanded in Canada?
Following are the most demanded occupations in the Canadian labor market:
NOC 0131 — Telecommunication carriers managers.
NOC 0213 — Computer and information systems managers.
NOC 0512 — Managers — publishing, motion pictures, broadcasting, and performing arts.
Disclaimer :
All the information included in this blog is based on the data available on the internet and the official website of Canadian immigration. You can check all the latest updates and changes on the official website. Do not consider it a legal opinion, it is only for educational purposes. Keep yourself up-to-date. | https://medium.com/@eaglewrites1/how-to-find-the-noc-code-for-immigration-to-canada-easily-ea06a32c9112 | ['Eagle Writes'] | 2020-12-24 13:06:13.952000+00:00 | ['Noc', 'Pr', 'Canada', 'Jobs', 'Immigration'] |
Keep Your Company in Crisis Mode to Stay Competitive | Keep Your Company in Crisis Mode to Stay Competitive
Business leaders ready to return to normal are operating with a losing strategy that could put them out of business
Image: John Lund/Photodisc/Getty Images
In times of crisis, companies innovate out of necessity. When the crisis is over, the urgency to act wanes, and we come to operate under a new version of “business as usual.” But are all the new ways of doing business necessarily better than the old ways? And, more importantly, which new systems are only Band-Aids for persistent and serious injury?
The businesses that think everything will go back to “the way things were” are operating on a losing strategy that could put them out of business. Customer behaviors will have changed irrevocably; old markets will close, and new ones will open. The businesses that will thrive in this new environment are those that will continue to leverage the tools and processes they adopted during the crisis. They’ll be the ones to capture new opportunities and bounce back faster than the competition.
Here’s how to prevent the backward slide into “business as usual,” retain the right crisis-driven innovative processes, and ensure your organization can adjust to a world with new business rules.
Roadblocks to innovation
First, it’s important to understand why innovation is or is not taking root in your organization. Drawing from years of enterprise-level diagnostic work, we’ve identified several common innovation bottlenecks.
For instance, most organizations lack a comprehensive innovation system. Innovation happens in silos. Often, there isn’t a companywide buy-in; senior leaders can’t drive innovation on their own. If there is a lack of insight into activities underway, you’ll lose a crucial — and often difficult-to-achieve — level of support from the rest of the team.
The key is to start now, in the heat of the battle, by capturing the changes your organization is making — and the processes by which the impossible is being accomplished.
Personal judgment — not validated data — tends to drive decision-making. Because data remains in silos, decision-makers are left to count on their experience alone, which leads to poor decisions. Too little time is als0 spent properly curating problems and building processes. Increased emphasis on prototyping and experimentation is often done at the expense of properly understanding and curating the right problems to work on and at the expense of building systems for scaling solutions out of the innovation pipeline.
Start thinking long term now
With a bit of due diligence, your company can avoid these sticking points and remain competitive post-pandemic. The key is to start now, in the heat of the battle, by capturing the changes your organization is making — and the processes by which the impossible is being accomplished. Lay those changes out in a framework that mirrors how innovation flows through your organization to help you understand how they relate to one another and your organization’s mission.
Businesses possess the way forward already.
It doesn’t matter if it’s a new collaborative software platform, a new sales process, or a change so small you almost didn’t notice it. To properly assess every change you’ve made during the Covid-19 crisis for its effectiveness in the future and to maintain the innovation momentum you’ve achieved through this emergency, follow these five steps:
1. Record the pandemic processes you adopted.
This will involve expanding beyond your usual points of contact and talking to people throughout your organization. Focus on how you were able to leverage existing processes for repeatable success. For instance, was there a product line you modified quickly to deliver something new? Taking stock will help you see clearly the makeup of your innovation pipeline and where there are gaps to address.
2. Analyze and copy the system you are using now to solve problems.
For instance, were certain approvals delegated down to lower levels? Perhaps there were special conference calls set up to quickly resolve issues. In this case, pay particular attention to what levels of leadership are required to navigate blockers and impediments. It may help to consolidate these leaders into a permanent executive action team that regularly reports directly to your organization’s senior leadership. Use this to foster a centralized innovation reporting mechanism to leadership that keeps everyone on the same page about what changes are being made throughout your organization.
3. Capture the data used to make hard decisions during the crisis and map it to your innovation pipeline.
Did you find new sources of data within your organization or outside your organization that suddenly became more relevant? Are you using a new dashboard or special analytic product? Now is a good time to collect this data and, if possible, create a “dashboard” for the organization’s crisis/innovation portfolio. This will improve your ability to strategically communicate leadership intent across the organization as well as maintain awareness of project statuses and highlight any impediments to progress to the executive action team.
4. Look at your efforts to rapidly scale solutions.
Leaping the “Valley of Death” from a prototyped solution to a fully scaled one remains a significant hurdle for most organizations. Identify the things done during this crisis to improve the odds of success. What things were your organization able to scale in a short period of time? An insightful study of these will pay dividends in the future as your “case studies” for what works in the new normal.
5. Review your strategic communication campaign.
Were your internal and external comms an integral part of your survival through this crisis, designed to improve organizational awareness and understanding of the resources and tools available for innovating? Or did it get lost in the chaos of the pandemic? What messages helped generate new resources or reinforce the innovation culture your organization is trying to build? Use the answers to these questions to improve your messaging moving forward — not only for future crises but for a more thoughtful and less reactive approach to communication in general.
Staying competitive post-pandemic will require a different approach than what we were used to beforehand, but businesses possess the way forward already. Make the most out of the processes that are already serving your company during these uncertain months. Necessity has probably already pushed you to adopt some winning tools and techniques. But if you want to thrive in this new world, you’ll need to do the work of recording, assessing, and implementing them at scale. | https://marker.medium.com/keep-your-company-in-crisis-mode-to-stay-competitive-7c1a8f8aeb59 | ['Peter Newell'] | 2020-07-14 05:31:01.569000+00:00 | ['Process', 'Leadership', 'Innovation', 'Strategy', 'Business'] |
New Lahore Real Estate file rates — Property in DHA Lahore. | Looking for a property in DHA Lahore? Get a house for sale in DHA Lahore with New Lahore Real Estate file rates. Get in touch with us now for a plot for sale in DHA phase 8 Lahore. Simply search on Google these watchwords (house for sale in DHA Lahore, Lahore real estate file rates, plot for sale in DHA phase 8 Lahore, property in DHA Lahore)
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Additionally, you can get in touch with us to get a house for sale in DHA Lahore. Likewise, for a plot for sale in DHA phase 8 Lahore. Moreover, we guarantee to give all information precisely to our clients with Lahore real estate file rates. That file rates have all refreshed information about marlas, plots(commercial zone), and cost for various plots. Besides, these Lahore real estate file rates are exceptionally useful for real estate.
Thus, don’t burn through your chance to purchase the property from whatever another realtor when NLRE is providing the best administrations for a property in DHA Lahore. In this way, get a house for sale in DHA Lahore with New Lahore Real Estate file rates. Reach us now for a plot for sale in DHA phase 8 Lahore. | https://medium.com/@linkbuildingblogs/lahore-real-estate-file-rates-property-in-dha-lahore-f9bf01717de | ['Seo Linkbuilding'] | 2020-12-22 09:49:13.604000+00:00 | ['Real Estate Investments', 'Property', 'Plots For Sale', 'Real Estate', 'SEO'] |
Thanks for the kind thoughts and warm wishes. | Dear Friends and Well-wishers,
So MANY of you responded about the news of my TIA ( “mini-Stroke”) on August 19–20 weekend! Thank you so much for the kind thoughts and warm wishes. I was very lucky to have had a light case, they tell me.
We expected to be rallied — around by family; and it was heartening that they came and/or called. But the outpouring of other Friends, Chileheads and general respondents was amazing! That was excellent medicine for the Spirit.
I personally wanted everyone to know that your understanding about the cancelling of Pepperfest 2011 was much appreciated; a thousand thanks for your warm wishes — which are helping to boost my recovery even now and during the long , boring weeks ahead, BUT we are definitely making progress.
Jerry , bless his heart, is doing the gargantuan task of keeping the business running with fewest interruptions. He needs your support as well so that he does not falter in his own health.
MY GOAL is to see all of you in the Farm Store soon as I can, and especially on December 10th, 2011 at the Holiday Open House and Customer Appreciation Day.
Gracias/Thank You again.
Carol Jimenez | https://medium.com/darn-hot-pepper-blog/thanks-for-the-kind-thoughts-and-warm-wishes-adf720c045cf | [] | 2017-04-23 01:55:16.218000+00:00 | ['Chileheads', 'Rancho Bella Vista', 'Thanks'] |
The Pennies. Saving the pennies is actually one of… | Saving the pennies is actually one of my true passions and this has become evident over the past few years. I’m intentionally frugal nowadays. Not tight, frugal. Again, intentionally so.
Photo by Mathieu Stern on Unsplash
Not stingy either; another word I despise and would never like to be accused of. I give gladly, especially my tithe and I’m grateful for the ability to do so.
Don’t get me wrong, this saving life takes balance. It can go overboard and I sometimes struggle to let go.
At times we’ll be out dining at a relatively nice restaurant and I just can’t help it. I must, have to, just NEED to mentally calculate the actual contents of my plate. I try to stop myself as I inevitably conclude that the food is being sold to us at a 20,000% markup and I feel the irritation rising within me.
Photo by Egor Myznik on Unsplash
Whenever this happens, I hear the still, small voice telling me to just enjoy every last morsel of my seafood platter and get over it. (And at that cost, eat the shells and use the complimentary bread to mop up every last drop of gravy from the plate).
Whilst I continue to enjoy the meal and of course the company, in the back of my mind I’m wondering why I didn’t just google the recipe and do a DIY job at home.
Photo by Ryan Franco on Unsplash
On occasion I’ll try to replicate the meals we’ve eaten at restaurants. It’s more cost-effective and, whilst time-consuming and with the guarantee that the presentation won’t be as aesthetically pleasing as the pros, if I really concentrate, it can usually match up in terms of taste. Dining out is great and of course, convenient, but the rumbling belly usually follows within a few hours and we usually find ourselves doing the very thing we wished to avoid; standing in the kitchen, rustling something up.
I liken it to the Chinese proverb of ‘Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day. Teach a man how to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.’ However, my proverbs goes something like this; ‘buy a meal outdoors and it will feed you for lunch, cook a meal at home and you’ll have enough leftovers for 3 more dinners as well to take for work packed lunches.’
Photo by Wilfred Wong on Unsplash
It may not have the same ring or melody to it, but it makes sense and I’ll hear nothing to the contrary.
Then there are the unnecessary purchases. Yes, I too have previously lived a life of reckless abandon and would buy a new pair of expensive shoes every month, for no reason. Years later, these shoes remain exactly as they arrived, like a delicate artefact in the retail cardboard box, untouched by the human hand or, more appropriately, foot.
I placed a few pairs of these shoes on a popular social networking site once, in an attempt to sell them. However, I was left slightly disturbed when one individual was adamant that they would only purchase a pair of the shoes if photos were sent WITH MY FEET IN THEM.
Photo by Hermes Rivera on Unsplash
Needless to say, conversations stopped abruptly and the block function was utilised.
Worse still, (maybe not worse than the foot pic request), I went through an extensive stage of purchasing ‘buy it now, to wear when I’m slim’ clothes. I have boxes upon boxes of unworn, tagged clothes in my loft as this weight seems to be going nowhere anytime soon.
Yes, I plan to eBay most of this stuff, but it’s a mission and I need time to build up to the process.
And events. Events! Tell me that you want to propose to your partner on a budget, and give me a day to sort it. I’ll get you a Michelin star restaurant for a couple of pence above a Nandos and they may even throw in the ring for free. I’m not exaggerating.
And don’t tell me that there’s a supermarket voucher I’ve missed out on. I’ll have a sleepless night.
It’s not an obsession but, on the cusp. It’s a debate as to whether intervention is now required or if extreme couponing lies within my destiny.
Time will tell. | https://medium.com/@natalies-pen/to-save-or-to-spend-594f212d0662 | ['Natalie Enn'] | 2020-12-25 22:00:52.244000+00:00 | ['Funny', 'Money', 'Saving', 'Food', 'Thoughts'] |
How to Find Right Moving Company in New Jersey | If you are planning to hire a moving service in New Jersey for your big move, there are lots of ways to cut down on your cost. These tips will even be reliable when you are just thinking about renting a truck. First, see your big move as an opportunity to get rid of clutter. Reducing your load is a useful way of saving money and space. Get rid of the things you no longer need, by giving some things gone to charity, to friends, or even by holding a yard sale a few months before the move. The heaviness of your bulk associates to the number of extra expenses you have to pay. The less weight, the less money you have to spend.
If you are making plan to hire a moving service, you can always ask around your local area or you can even ask online. On the other hand, it is imperative that you don’t just settle for one company. Take your time to ask for several top nj moving companies and compare the services that they have. Be confident to ask your local bureau for consumers for the most excellent services that they can recommend. A moving company with a fine reputation from consumers are often more dependable than others.
Security is also an issue, which is why you have to be keen. Ensure that the moving company you are hiring has all the suitable paper works it needs. Know the policies you have to keep in mind. Availing of an insurance policy is also imperative in cases of loss and damages. If you are prepared to move, get everything ready before the big move. With these efforts, you can unquestionably make things a lot easier with the assistance of a dependable moving service. | https://medium.com/@ethannjamess/how-to-find-right-moving-company-in-new-jersey-191f2c8d4ac4 | ['James Ethan'] | 2019-05-25 21:40:12.835000+00:00 | ['Company', 'Nj', 'Movers', 'New Jersey'] |
Beast Legends Guide Book | Beast Legends is structured in a digital beast world under a convergent metaverse.
If you want to build an invincible squad to gallop through the world of digital beasts, then you need to start collecting the first batch of divine beasts, most of which are related to the history of mythology and perhaps carry the dreams of the hot-blooded youngsters!
In order to make it less difficult to operate and get more explorers involved in the Genesis Blind Box, we have made three simple tutorials for explorers, starting with creating a Metamask wallet. Also users will need to purchase BUSD (a stable coin pegged to USD on the BSC network that can be used to purchase BNB) and BNB (a native token used to pay for gas* fees on the BSC network) in order to trade within the ecosystem.
How to participate in the Beast Legends Genesis Blind Box event？
First，Register MetaMask wallet and set up BSC wallet
Once MetaMask has been downloaded and installed, you may proceed to create an account.
The steps to create an account are outlined below:
1. Click on the “Create a Wallet” button.
2. Create a password. This will be used when logging in to MetaMask in the same browser.
3. View your secret seed phrase and write it down on a secure location.
4. Select each phrase in order and click “Confirm”.
Vigilance： 1.Your seed phrase will be used if you want to import your wallet to a fresh MetaMask install on a different browser and/or device. 2.Never give your seed phrase out to anyone. This can be used similar to your password to access your account. 3.Administrators will never ask for your seed phrase and password.
Connecting to the Binance Smart Chain
After you create an account on MetaMask, it will default to the Ethereum Mainnet.
Requires your wallet to be set to the Binance Smart Chain Mainnet.
The steps to add the BSC network are outlined below:
1. Go to the Settings menu by clicking on the circle in the upper right hand side of the screen.
2. Click on “Networks” and “Add Network”.
3. Input the following information:
Network Name : Binance Smart Chain
New RPC URL : https://bsc-dataseed.binance.org/
Chain ID : 56
Currency Symbol : BNB
Block Explorer URL : https://bscscan.com
4. Click “Save” and return to the main menu.
5. Verify that your MetaMask has been set to the Binance Smart Chain network in the upper right hand side of the screen.
Congratulations, you are now ready to receive BNB in your address！Explorers ,let’s move on to the next part.
Second, how to buy Genesis blind box?
Step 1: Visit the official Beast Legends website.
Step 2: Click into the “Mystery Box”.
Step 3: Click on “Connect” your wallet
Step 4: After the wallet is successfully connected, click “Buy Now” to purchase the Genesis Blind Box. (Note: A little BNB is required as GAS fee!)
Step 5: After successful purchase, the Genesis Blind Box will be opened automatically.
Step 6: Get the NFT egg and confirm your transaction.
How to pledge NFT eggs?
In the regular NFT pledge pool, the explorer will deposit the NFT eggs opened by the blind box into the pledge pool, and the explorer will receive $ARTS token passes based on the number of pledged NFT eggs and the total accumulated arithmetic power of the NFT eggs.
Step 1: Click into “Stake”.
Step 2: Click on “+” to pledge NFT eggs, select the NFT eggs you want to pledge and add them. (A small GAS fee is required for pledging)
Step 3: All the data is displayed on your dashboard and you can get what you want to know.
Step 4: Harvest your $ARTS. you can collect your $ARTS at any time, just click “Harvest” (Harvest also requires a small GAS fee)
Once you understand the full purchase process and get your money, you can participate in our Genesis blind box sale on the official website, which is scheduled for December 28th.
*Gas fees: Gas is a fee paid to complete a transaction on the BSC network and is priced in BNB. It pays for the mining that verifies the transaction and keeps the blockchain up to date. The price is set in a free market manner due to the fact miners can decline to process any transaction if the gas price is not high enough for them. The users are essentially bidding in gas fees to get their own transaction processed first.
About Beast Legends
Beast Legends is a community-driven, defined and shared with a sustainable economic platform that empowers users by rewarding their participation and enjoyment. By using the distribution of governance tokens ARTS, combined with Defi and NFT, to create a truly unique and everlasting FREE TO PLAY, PLAY TO EARN ECOSYSTEM.
Explore Beast Legends and find your beast! Join us:
Website | Telegram | Facebook | Reddit | Discord |YouTube | https://medium.com/@beastlegends/beast-legends-guide-book-131294be0536 | ['Beast Legends'] | 2021-12-27 07:32:28.113000+00:00 | ['Metaverse', 'Gamefi', 'Playtoearn', 'Bsc', 'Nft'] |
K-Means Vs kNN | What’s the contrast of ‘ k ’ in k-Means and kNN ?
Often times, k-Means and kNN algorithms are interpreted in same manner although there is a distinct difference between the two. Today, we look into the major contrasts in implementing these algorithms.
k-Means
k-means clustering algorithm is one of the popular unsupervised machine learning algorithm where similar data points are grouped together to discover underlying patterns with no fixed labelled outcomes.
k in k-Means
We define a target number k, which refers to the number of centroids we need in the dataset. k-means identifies that fixed number (k) of clusters in a dataset by minimizing the within-cluster variances.
Every data point in the dataset is allocated to it’s nearest cluster while keeping the centroids as small as possible.
‘K ‘in k-means is the number of clusters the algorithm is trying to learn from the given data
The best value for k is chosen from elbow and silhouette methods
kNN
k-nearest neighbors is a supervised classification/regression algorithm where a bunch of labelled points are used to determine the class of other points.
‘k’ in k-NN is the number of nearest neighbors used to classify (or predict in case of continuous variable) a test observation sample
In k-NN classification, the output class is determined by the plurality vote of it’s neighbors, with the object being assigned to the class most common among it’s k nearest neighbors In k-NN regression, the output is the average of the values of k nearest neighbors
In the above figure, the green dot could be assigned to either red class or blue class depending on whether the value of k is 3 or 5 respectively.
The optimal value of k is chosen through various hyperparameter optimization techniques
For high dimensional data, feature extraction and dimensionality reduction techniques such as PCA, LDA or CCA are used as a pre-processing step, followed by k-NN in the reduced-dimension space
Wrapping up
k-means is commonly used in scenarios like understanding population demographics, market segmentation, social media trends, anomaly detection, etc.. where the clusters are unknown.
k-NN, on the other hand, is used to classify and predict data where the target variable is usually known before hand.
Cheers! Now we understood the difference between k-Means and k-NN !! | https://medium.com/@sravanroy/k-means-vs-knn-56d17d5c7223 | ['Sravan Roy'] | 2019-11-03 13:54:28.527000+00:00 | ['Knn', 'K Means', 'Supervised Learning', 'Machine Learning', 'Clustering'] |
Treacle | stuck in this treacly mess;
this sweet spot
between love and hate,
our emotions roil,
flowing back and forth,
waves of honeyed love
pushed back by
spurts of insecurity;
we each claim
the greater moral share,
oral contortions
meaningless,
insufficient,
flimsily veiling
the naked core
of an us
that only exists
to superficially assuage
the lack of love
we have
for ourselves
in the perceived love
of another | https://psiloveyou.xyz/treacle-2c67bf2c4a52 | ['Indira Reddy'] | 2020-12-20 13:04:11.497000+00:00 | ['Poetry', 'Relationships', 'Poetry Sunday', 'Insecurity', 'Love'] |
De Babord à Tribord, Ça Roule | Dr Jacques COULARDEAU, PhD in Germanic Linguistics (University Lille III) and ESP Teaching (University Bordeaux II) has been teaching all types of ESP | https://medium.com/@jacquescoulardeau/de-babord-%C3%A0-tribord-%C3%A7a-roule-788b24b19a96 | ['Dr Jacques Coulardeau'] | 2020-12-12 20:21:06.965000+00:00 | ['Peur', 'Radio', 'Horreur', 'Thriller', 'Suspense'] |
What I Have Is Enough One Week Out | Every time I start to feel like myself, something pulls me back to uncertainty. Part of feeling like nothing is every enough is a symptom of where I come from. I’m always trying to figure out problems. If I just had this one more thing everything might be better. Yet, when I get it it’s time to move up the ladder of toxic ambition.
If I just had a desk maybe I would concentrate better.
If I had an exercise bike I would be in better shape.
If I ate better maybe I’d have some more energy to run.
If I woke up earlier maybe I could get more writing in. A new laptop might help too.
There is some solid logic here. These things would make reaching my goals easier but do I really need them?
I remember doing little shoulder exercise burn outs with seven pound weights. I didn’t care if I needed more weight it was enough.
I used to pump out stories on a fucking ipad before they made the keyboards and pencils all cool. Some great work came from my oversized phone aka the iPad mini.
In High School, we used to run right after lunch. We’d workout on full stomachs. My diet and sleep habits were always shakey.
Remember when I had a tiny ass room that barely fit my queen bed and a entertainment stand? Who needs a desk. I always found ways to work on a couch or kitchen table.
When you enter my home, the first thing you see is our dining set. My dining room table is a light solid wood with lots of details. It’s a pretty nice heirloom my Dad inherited from a woman he went to church with.
For the past five years the table’s been buried behind mechanic tools in the garage.
Now that the table is free, I remember how nice it is. I remember the times it filled in as a beer pong table at the ten room satelite frat house. The center leaf was MIA lost at some ex’s house. A smudge of green paint scars the top from painting sorority paddles.
I remember how it was the center piece of two college homes that had very little furniture. I think about the times sitting at that table knocking out a story my last year or two in college.
Like me, this table has been through a lot. Just a few weeks ago it was the platform for our very first Thanksgiving. We both changed and grew up but did we. It’s still a table and I’m still me. I look and feel different but my essence is the same.
We spend so much time seeking change. Whether you embrace it or fight it, we never really change. Just our shape and circumstances like this table.
My latest chapter has me feeling sorry for myself. I keep waiting for that one thing that might help me feel better or get over the hump. It’s never been so much of an issue since this is what drive me. However, this became an issue when I saw myself projecting it on the kids.
Well if they just had a gym membership maybe they would exercise.
Well if I get them this maybe they will do better on their homework.
Well if we did this maybe their attitude would be better.
Fuck the cliche’s the one thing missing is me. It always has been.
Everything I need is inside of me. Everything they need they have. We just have to recognize it.
Stop seeking change whether it is new change or reverting back to what you were. Time moves forward and we are equipped with exactly the experience we need to get where we need to go. Our lives are already hard enough without false pressure to be something more than what we already are.
Am I where I want to be? Of course not. But 11 weeks into the leave I’m exactly where I need to be. I got these kids settled. I am starting believe in myself again.
Last week one of my best friends had a real drunk conversation with me. I was sober but I was flattering someone I used to have these convos with all the time. It had been a while since I seen him and even longer since we chopped it up like that.
Between ranting about the money he was making due to his new mindset birthed through quarantine, he told me he looked up to me. He said my hustle for my dreams inspired him. He saw me working for years in college. He knows I wasn’t given anything.
This helped me remember why I work so damn hard. The truth is, it’s been hard for me to write. I am always in that mindset well if I do this I might be able to write more.
Part of the struggle is obviously raising three kids. Some days I have no energy. I think the reason is I always felt like I worked so hard to show them you could come from nothing. I worked so hard so I’d be ready in case they ever needed me.
Now that they needed me, I didn’t know where to draw motivation from. This friend reminded me my whole why hasn’t just been them. The reason I work so damn hard is to inspire my entire friends and family to chase their dreams and make shit happen.
Last night I turned that voice down. I just started writing eventhough I didn’t know where to start. I felt overwhelmed and all over the place but my writing didn’t. I needed to trust myself. It’s in there I just can’t let the feeling of wanting more censor it.
Even know as I write these medium posts, I don’t need to get caught up in claps, views or whatever other metric medium fancies. Like they say, sometimes published is perfect.
My concentration shifted back to the relief and energy I get from dumping my thoughts and anecdotes into one spot. It’s something I’ve been doing since myspace bulletins and tumblr’s height. Expressing myself is why I write and inspiring people is why I work so hard.
Another friend texted me randomly saying you owe me 10 newsletters. He remembered it’s been about 10 weeks since I published my newsletter. During that time, several sports media newsletters found success and the entire newsletter industry is becoming a thing. I’m on the sidelines even though I predicted this all.
Again my friend reminded me of my why. I never authored the newsletter because I thought it was a one of a kind idea. I never thought it would be easy or happen over night. So what secret success tip was I seeking to make it happen?
It doesn’t matter. I started the newsletter to amplify my voice and the sports I follow. I built it as a medium to write to my friends about the most important sports stories from our time zone.
I don’t know if that will be enough to make the newsletter sustainable. Yet, I do know that it is enough for me to keep going. My friend who reads and comments on all my shit, my grandma who used to ask me where she could find my writing and all my Dad’s friends who say they read my writing. That’s who the newsletter. Who said that needs to scale if adding value to their lives through sports is enough for me.
The point is, my life changed and my free time is even less free. That doesn’t mean I have to lose site of my goals or my motivations. They are still there they just might be in a different setting.
You’ll never find what you need if you keep cluttering yourself with uncertainty, doubt or toxic ambition.
Your friends are enough.
Your Family is enough.
Your work day is enough.
Your workout is enough.
Your furniture is enough.
Your parenting is enough.
Your Writing is enough.
Your financials are enough.
What you finish on your to-do list is enough.
Don’t quit searching for what you need just look within instead of out. Change itself isn’t bad. Yet, change for the sake of change only leads to wanting more change and that is toxic.
Something might help you but you don’t need anymore than what you got. What you have got you to where you are for a reason. Don’t lose it. Don’t bury it. Don’t forget it. Don’t quit on it. That’s the lesson that sticks to me with my return to work only a week out.
So I guess this instant Dad of Three isn’t quite done with his struggling writing or doing sports for pennies. Sure, it’s gonna be a lot harder and take a lot longer but when has that ever stopped me?
Even if my life has changed, I haven’t. I need those things to be myself. There’s nothing I can acquire that can fill that void or silence that self doubt other than myself. | https://medium.com/@Petecertified/what-i-have-is-enough-one-week-out-e0e00c2e2d35 | ['Pete D. Camarillo'] | 2020-12-08 05:57:37.084000+00:00 | ['Ambition', 'Writing', 'Brotherhood', 'Family', 'Fatherhood'] |
How Spring Creates Beans Porridge | Photo by Volodymyr Hryshchenko on Unsplash
In this article, I’ll be explaining how Spring creates its Beans, from picking them (or Instantiating the beans) to adding the ingredients (or adding Dependencies i.e. Dependency Injection), then cooking it (or Initializing the beans) and eventually when she decides to throw the delicious beans away (i.e. Beans Destruction 😢). All of these constitute a Spring Bean Life-cycle.
The Porridge Beans Life-cycle
The Spring Bean Life-cycle
According to the Spring Docs:
A bean is an object that is instantiated, assembled, and otherwise managed by a Spring IoC container. Otherwise, a bean is simply one of many objects in your application.
A Spring Inverse of Control (IoC) container is the chef for this dish. She manages one or more beans. Yes, she can cook a single bean, she’s good like that. Although, the IoC container needs the recipe to create one or more beans. This recipe is the Bean Definition. Whenever a bean is requested of the IoC, she looks at the recipe for that bean and uses what’s called the Configuration Metadata encapsulated by that bean definition to create (or acquire) an actual object.
Picking the Beans and Adding the Ingredients
The configuration metadata can be defined in three(3) ways, all of which the Spring IoC is capable of processing:
XML-Based Configuration Metadata
This configures beans as <bean/> elements inside a top-level <beans/> element. The following example shows the basic structure of XML-based configuration metadata:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<beans xmlns="http://www.springframework.org/schema/beans"
xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance"
xsi:schemaLocation="http://www.springframework.org/schema/beans
https://www.springframework.org/schema/beans/spring-beans.xsd"> <bean id="..." class="...">
<!-- collaborators and configuration for this bean go here -->
</bean> <bean id="..." class="...">
<!-- collaborators and configuration for this bean go here -->
</bean> <!-- more bean definitions go here --> </beans>
The id attribute is a string that identifies the individual bean definition. The class attribute defines the type of the bean and uses the fully qualified class name.
Assuming you have a service layer object and you want to configure it, it’ll look like this in a services.xml configuration file:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<beans xmlns="http://www.springframework.org/schema/beans"
xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance"
xsi:schemaLocation="http://www.springframework.org/schema/beans
https://www.springframework.org/schema/beans/spring-beans.xsd"> <!-- services --> <bean id="petStore" class="org.springframework.samples.jpetstore.services.PetStoreServiceImpl">
<property name="accountDao" ref="accountDao"/>
<property name="itemDao" ref="itemDao"/>
<!-- additional collaborators and configuration for this bean go here -->
</bean> <!-- more bean definitions for services go here --> </beans>
The property name element refers to the name of the JavaBean property, and the ref element refers to the name of another bean definition. Below shows the other bean definition, which are data access objects in a daos.xml file:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<beans xmlns="http://www.springframework.org/schema/beans"
xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance"
xsi:schemaLocation="http://www.springframework.org/schema/beans
https://www.springframework.org/schema/beans/spring-beans.xsd"> <bean id="accountDao"
class="org.springframework.samples.jpetstore.dao.jpa.JpaAccountDao">
<!-- additional collaborators and configuration for this bean go here -->
</bean> <bean id="itemDao" class="org.springframework.samples.jpetstore.dao.jpa.JpaItemDao">
<!-- additional collaborators and configuration for this bean go here -->
</bean> <!-- more bean definitions for data access objects go here --> </beans>
Annotation-based Configuration Metadata
Using annotation-based configuration, which relies on the bytecode metadata for wiring up components instead of angle-bracket declaration (as with XML-based config), you can move the configuration of a bean into the component class itself. These annotations can be applied on the relevant class, method, or field declaration. Basically you would use the @Autowired annotation to specify the dependencies (or ingredients) a particular bean needs to function or be tasty if you like.
You could decide to register the beans individually as in the services.xml without the <property/> tags or you can register them implicitly as follows:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<beans xmlns="http://www.springframework.org/schema/beans"
xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance"
xmlns:context="http://www.springframework.org/schema/context"
xsi:schemaLocation="http://www.springframework.org/schema/beans
https://www.springframework.org/schema/beans/spring-beans.xsd
http://www.springframework.org/schema/context
https://www.springframework.org/schema/context/spring-context.xsd"> <context:annotation-config/> </beans>
According to the Spring docs: <context:annotation-config/> only looks for annotations on beans in the same application context in which it is defined. This means that, if you put <context:annotation-config/> in a WebApplicationContext for a DispatcherServlet , it only checks for @Autowired beans in your controllers, and not your services.
Then for the dependencies, instead of the XML config shown in daos.xml you would do this in the component class:
public class PetStoreServiceImpl implements PetStoreService {
private final JpaItemDao itemDao;
private final JpaAccountDao accountDao; @Autowired
public PetStoreServiceImpl(JpaItemDao JpaItemDao, JpaAccountDao, accountDao) {
this.itemDao = itemDao;
this.accountDao = accountDao;
}
// ...
}
Java-based Container Configuration
The central artifacts in Spring’s Java-Configuration support are @Configuration -annotated classes and @Bean -annotated methods.
The @Bean is the java equivalent of using <beans/> XML tag to define a <bean/> . This annotation indicates that the method instantiates, configures, and initializes a new object to be managed by Spring IoC container.
Annotating a class with @Configuration indicates that its primary purpose is as a source of bean definitions. Furthermore, @Configuration classes let inter-bean dependencies be defined by calling other @Bean methods in the same class.
The equivalent of the configuration in the XML-based config for services.xml is as follows:
@Configuration
public class AppConfigurations {
@Bean
public PetStoreService myPetStoreService() {
return new PetStoreServiceImpl();
}
}
The above has discussed the various ways of telling the Spring IoC how to pick (or instantiate) a delicious bean(s) and add its ingredients (or dependencies). | https://medium.com/@codebuster007/how-spring-creates-beans-porridge-cb034bca3ecb | ['Victor Jo'] | 2020-11-24 18:12:58.527000+00:00 | ['Spring Boot', 'Lifecycle', 'Spring Framework', 'Spring', 'Spring Bean'] |
by Martino Pietropoli | First thing in the morning: a glass of water and a cartoon by The Fluxus.
Follow | https://medium.com/the-fluxus/sunday-cathedral-be4a59e6270a | ['Martino Pietropoli'] | 2018-03-11 01:25:53.780000+00:00 | ['Church', 'Drawing', 'Italy', 'Sunday', 'Illustration'] |
Shut This Ego of Yours Up | Accept Support from Others | There’s no shame in asking for support when you need it. It’s amazing to be independent and work things out on your own but doing so by yourself all the time can take a toll on your mental wellbeing. It’s true, helping others and being there for them all the time brings meaning into your life and satisfaction, sometimes happiness. It gives you a sense of purpose. But you’re a human being as well, you too need help at times. Imagine your giving is like planting a seed in a field, one day, this seed will grow to become a plant or a tree which in turn, will benefit you in the end. In this world of ours, we function on the law of balance. Nothing goes one way. You give and you get back so that you create balance. The idea is for you to accept support and later give back because giving back teaches us to find compassion and to create this balance.
Think about it. Here’s the deal:
- When you seek support, you remain focused as you’re sharing your task with someone else. You ease your tasks.
- When you seek support, you’ll create chances for others to share their talents. You empower others and you learn more about their strengths and desires.
- When you seek support, you allow others to feel the happiness that comes from giving.
- When you seek support, you trust others and this trust strengthens your relationship.
- When you seek support, you admit that you’re flawed just like every other human being and people will relate to you. We all have room to grow one way or the other.
So, what can you do to break the ice and start accepting help from others?
1- Allow yourself to be susceptible
Practice letting go of control. You need to allow yourself to feel vulnerable so that you can let others step in and lend you a hand.
2- Ask yourself why
When you have difficulty with others taking control, try to look for answers and find out why you feel this way. Ask yourself — Why am I stopping others from helping me? Is it because I feel unworthy of this help? Do I want to feel strong all the time? Am I even invincible?
Only you can answer these questions and trust me, you’ll find the rational answers to them.
3- Give the people around you the opportunity to give back!
Don’t be greedy. The world doesn’t revolve around you. Give others the chance to do the same.
Accepting support isn’t only about you. It’s also about the person you’re allowing to give you. It’s about you making them feel appreciated and trusted. Change your mindset. Have an open mind and give others the chance to give you like you give them.
4- Be grateful and feel their appreciation
Start a journal of gratitude. List down how thankful and grateful you are that someone in your life is caring enough and willing to give you the support you need. Not many people are fortunate and blessed with receiving or finding the help they need.
5- Practice asking for help… it will be given
Whenever you need help, ask! Don’t let your ego take over and stop you from doing so. Don’t fear rejection. Allow others to help you and if they don’t wish to do so, there’s nothing wrong with that. Move on and seek support elsewhere. | https://medium.com/@zeina31/shut-this-ego-of-yours-up-accept-support-from-others-d8b7fa489464 | ['Zeina Dagher'] | 2021-06-22 02:47:39.583000+00:00 | ['Support', 'Kindness Matters', 'Seek Help', 'Be Kind To Yourself', 'Kindness'] |
The ‘New Vision’ Is Not so New: Let’s Act on It | David Suzuki recently asserted that we have failed “to imagine a better way” than our current economic paradigm. He criticized all candidates in the upcoming federal Canadian election for making economic promises that continue to rely on growth. And he cited numerous reasons for calling this approach into question: income inequality, quality of life disparities, climate change, threats to democracy, and fleeting happiness.
I believe he makes a strong and important argument. And I agree: one of my biggest disappointments in the current campaign period is the steadfast commitment to a broken system by all parties. Rhetoric about ‘sustainable growth’ is simply that. We know what sustainability requires of us, and it means overcoming our addiction to the production-consumption cycle upon which growth relies. This is not to say that we don’t all need fair wages and enough money to live well. But a growth model economy — as we’ve seen this year in Canada — requires endless growth in order to be deemed healthy. This is a serious problem.
We have to start identifying ourselves as citizens, not consumers. Suzuki presents a compelling case that illustrates how doing so does not have to lead to hardship; it will actually enrich our lives and our societies in meaningful and measurable ways.
We know what sustainability requires of us, and it means overcoming our addiction to the production-consumption cycle upon which growth relies.
However, by inviting us to imagine something different, I think he presents a scenario in which we have more work cut out for ourselves than is actually the case.
People all over the world have been doing this work for a long time now. Let us not forget that despite being actively suppressed, Indigenous teachings persist thanks to the strength and sacrifice of generations. As Suzuki suggests with his reference to steady state economics and de-growth, there are also already working theories, and economic models. There is a vast body of evidence to support the notion that different economic models can (and do) contribute to greater equity and wellbeing that is sustainable. There are even precedents for actions and policies based on these ideas that can help guide us. Small scale though some of them are, they exist!
I do not believe the primary challenge ahead of us is to imagine possible alternatives to this system that enslaves so many. What we must do now is in fact take the leap, make some commitments, and join the flow of what is already under way and has been for some time. So we don’t have to start from scratch. But maybe the reality feels even scarier: We actually have to start.
As with many significant social justice movements throughout history, this exciting flow of ideas and actions is unfortunately not often part of mainstream conversations — as Suzuki rightly points out about the federal candidate debates about our economy. Indeed, this is perhaps why the media response to the Leap Manifesto is what it is (at the moment, anyway). But if the rich foundation upon which the manifesto has been built was more widely understood and appreciated, then perhaps committing to it would not feel like such a stretch to so many.
We don’t have to start from scratch. But maybe the reality feels even scarier: We actually have to start.
Recognizing the context that surrounds and the history that supports ideas like Suzuki’s or the Leap Manifesto (as examples), we might all become less cautious about considering alternatives to our dismal status quo as plausible — not just as ideas, but actions. Indeed, we would perhaps be more likely to see the implausibility of maintaining our current course of action.
How might we contribute to this re-contextualizing of seemingly radical ideas? I think there are endless possibilities and for each of us they will differ. However, here are a few strategies to consider:
My hunch is that if we honour those whose work precedes ours and celebrate the successes (big and small) of those who are taking real steps towards what Boyle and Klein refer to as a moral economy, we will find that we are not alone. Heck, maybe our leaders will even join us once they realize others have already taken the first steps.
These (and many other) resources might interest you:
Image credit: Jasper Lake and Mountains, Canada. From Public Domain Images, Creative Commons. | https://medium.com/postgrowth/the-new-vision-is-not-so-new-let-s-act-on-it-77f117ae5941 | ['Post Growth Institute'] | 2019-06-12 15:59:05.076000+00:00 | ['Sustainability', 'Postgrowth', 'Consumerism', 'Climate Change', 'Postgrowthliving'] |
Why Mexico struggles with entrepreneurship | Yet the share of men and women that works on his/her own account is the biggest for any country in the world.
How can we expect entrepreneurs to succeed if the playing field is uneven towards mature corporations?
Well, one of the measures of a prosperous entrepreneurship sector is the relationship between education and innovation, which Mexico does not even register a blip. There was no trace of information where Mexico relates education with entrepreneurship. There are always significant differences in people’s perceptions about the role of education in developing an entrepreneurial attitude and a sense of initiative but it seems to be unimportant in Mexico.
Nevertheless, the data shows that fast-growth economies like India and China agree that education helps them build this attitude and sense of initiative. Only when you dive deep into the literature available and gain a solid database of knowledge, that you start building skills and know-hows to enable you to run a business. It also crafts a vision in society of how an entrepreneur should look like. The outcome of Mexico’s not paying attention to the alarming lack of quality entrepreneurial education is that the likelihood of someone choosing entrepreneurship as a career is very low.
You need the ambition to succeed, to start again from failure and the sense of duty to support family, friends and relatives planning to set up a business.
Another alarming figure shows that Mexico has second highest share of unpaid persons employed in micro-enterprises in the manufacturing sector. Meaning, people are actually working for $0 pesos.The OECD divides this subset of persons employed into working family members and working proprietors. Sometimes there is no other choice than to ask someone; usually a close relative, to do you a favor and cover your shift.
Lastly, the value added by an enterprise in relation to the economy’s total business economy is a miserable last place in Mexico’s case. With 5.79% for businesses with 0–9 employees and dropping to 2.65% in the next category of 10–19 employees, both dead last worldwide. This implies that Mexican entrepreneurs which represent over 20% of the total population are not productive at all. They have far too many cash leaks with legal hurdles and unexpected events which hampers growth and puts any future at a disadvantage. Larger enterprises tend to have higher productivity because they have established infrastructure to jump bureaucratic hurdles more easily and enjoy the benefit of friendlier legal frameworks, without forgetting that a high level of government corruption is always lurking in the background.
In conclusion, this is why Mexico struggles with entrepreneurship.
All sources for this article were found here. | https://medium.com/inteligencia-log%C3%ADstica/why-are-mexicans-not-great-at-entrepreneurship-1b027ed575cd | ['Ivan Flores Hurtado'] | 2016-05-26 18:41:54.080000+00:00 | ['Economics', 'Entrepreneurship', 'Education'] |
Sales pipeline management: The definitive guide to accelerating B2B sales | Check an updated B2B Sales Funnel Playbook (That Generated +50% In Revenue In 2020) and download my sales pipeline velocity calculator here.
If you want to grow your B2B sales pipeline and accelerate sales, you’ll love this guide.
Let’s get started
Chapter 1 — Sales Pipeline Fundamentals
Quite often I hear the question: what’s the difference between sales pipeline and sales funnel?
In some cases, you might hear the answer that sales funnel is a visual display of conversion rates through the pipeline stages.
I don’t like to overcomplicate things and can say for sure that both sales pipeline and sales funnel are the sequences of actions your leads take from the initial contact to signing the contract.
The main purpose of the sales pipeline is to divide the sales process into microstages from sales prospecting to closing to improve the win deals ratio, shorten the sales cycle and accelerate sales.
This way you can see where exactly you are losing leads and what part of the sales process should be fixed or improved.
While the definition “sales pipeline” is more common for B2B space, the “sales funnel” definition is often used in digital and B2C marketing.
The biggest mistake here I see is thinking about both of them as a visualization of the lead generation process and the customer journey.
This isn’t true.
Customer journey consists of:
Marketing funnel which is responsible for driving and qualifying leads
Sales funnel which is responsible for lead nurturing and closing deals
Post-sales funnel, which is responsible for the retention
Referral funnel, which is responsible for generating referrals or getting recommendations
As you see, this is very different from the AIDA model, which is traditionally used to describe the lead generation process.
Why?
Let’s dive into history to find the answer.
Who invented the sales funnel?
In 1898, Elias St. Elmo Lewis created the Purchase Funnel, which is known as AIDA. The purpose of the purchase funnel was to describe a sales process that consisted of 4 steps:
Awareness — A lead becomes aware of your product via advertising or word-of-mouth, etc.
Interest — If it seems to be relevant and useful to the lead, he expresses interest in the product.
Desire — this is the stage when the lead understands all the benefits of the product and wants to buy it
Action — The lead actually buys the product.
Elias St. Elmo Lewis used the funnel metaphor to visualize these 4 steps. Wide at the top, narrow at the bottom, it shows how many leads are dropped at each stage.
AIDA was a universal tool for mapping the lead generation process for almost a century, but times have changed.
Today we live in a much more competitive world.
The sales cycles are much longer.
The decision-making process is more complicated.
97% of B2B leads (I’ll reveal these stats a bit later) aren’t actively seeking a solution and aren’t sales-ready.
All this means that the modern B2B sales funnel is very far from the primary model described by Mr. Lewis.
Why AIDA-based sales pipeline can ruin your sales process
What’s wrong with the AIDA-based sales pipeline?
AIDA doesn’t show:
Why and where exactly we lost a lead
Which channel generated non-targeted traffic
What part of the sales process should be fixed
At the same time, AIDA relies on the old principle of driving all leads to the sales team, because a sales pro can sell anything to everybody.
Remember, that “sell me this pen” and “always be selling” mantras?
Well, of course, you can try to hire a new Wolf From The Wall-Street, but don’t neglect the stats (provided by) Hubspot :
63% of people requesting information on your company will not purchase for at least three months — and 20% will take more than 12 months to buy.
50% of leads are qualified, but not yet ready to buy.
57% of the buyer’s journey is completed before the buyer talks to sales.
61% of B2B marketers send all leads directly to Sales; however, only 27% of those leads will be qualified
Only 25% of leads are legitimate and should advance to sales.
91% of customers say they’d give referrals. Only 11% of salespeople ask for referrals. But 83% of consumers are comfortable making a referral after a positive experience.
The bottom line:
If you use the AIDA-based sales pipeline, you miss at list 75% of opportunities.
Did you notice the last fact about the referrals?
This is another common sales process mistake.
AIDA’s last stage is an Action — the moment when you close the deal in your sales pipeline, but, as I mentioned in the beginning, the sales process doesn’t end here.
We have post-sales funnel where track the customer satisfaction, help with implementation, educate the customer on how to get the maximum of the product or service, for the purpose of retention and repeat sales.
Only when we are sure that customer is satisfied, we can ask for the recommendation or referral.
Here is a great case study on how Sales Hacker implemented this approach and grew their sales pipeline with high-quality referrals.
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The problem of low-quality leads
The next mistake is low-quality leads.
By default, AIDA means that we should sell to every lead.
Such an approach jeopardizes your marketing budget management, because every marketing campaign that generated leads at suitable costs, counts as effective.
Correct?
No!
Not all leads are equal.
If the lead doesn’t fit the ideal customer profile, you’d stop this campaign.
In other cases, the chances your company will be involved in the war between sales and marketing are very high.
Missed opportunities
The last problem with the AIDA-based sales pipeline is the absence of lead nurturing.
AIDA principle is driving immediately generated leads to the sales team, but not all leads are sales-ready.
As you saw in the stats above, 83% of leads aren’t ready to negotiate with you in the first 3 months after the marketing qualification.
They need more information about your company and products. They need to buy on your company and have a clear vision of the benefits they’ll get.
That’s why missing lead nurturing can drastically decrease your win deals ratio.
Chapter 2 — Sales Process Stages
Remember, I told in the beginning that the sales funnel is just the part of the customer journey?
This infographic will show you exactly what I mean.
The customer journey demonstrates the way your customers move from becoming aware of their problems to referring your company.
Leads appear in the sales pipeline when they were, at least, marketing qualified (Getting the contacts stage).
This means we know exactly whether generated lead fits our ideal customer profile and what market segment he belongs to.
After the lead was marketing qualified, the next sales process stage is lead nurturing.
What is lead nurturing
Marketo describes it as the process of developing relationships with buyers at every stage of the sales funnel and through every step of the buyer’s journey.
It focuses on marketing and communication efforts on listening to the needs of prospects and providing the information and answers they need.
The goals of the lead nurturing are:
Building relationship and credibility
Learning more about his challenges and goals
Helping leads to identify the problem
Warming up the interest in our solution
Overcoming beforehand the possible objections and doubts
Demonstrating all the benefits of our product
But the main purpose of the lead nurturing is to transfer to the sales team sales-qualified and sales-ready leads.
Just look at these facts, which underline the importance of the lead nurturing:
On average, 50% of the leads in every market are not yet ready to buy (Marketo).
Almost 80% of new leads never become sales (MarketingSherpa).
Companies that excel at lead nurturing generate 50% more sales-ready leads at a 33% lower cost (Marketo).
Nurtured leads make 47% larger purchases than non-nurtured leads (The Annuitas Group).
Here is a caveat:
The efficiency of lead nurturing depends on proper segmentation.
This often perplexes B2B marketers as they have too many criteria for proper segmentation but can’t apply them during marketing qualification.
That’s true.
Nobody wants to fill in a long web form to reach you out or download an ebook.
You should choose 2–4 criteria which will help you to segment a lead and qualify him.
Other qualifications and segmentation work can be done via progressive profiling.
Progressive profiling
Progressive profiling is a process of gathering information about a lead during a lead- nurturing campaign for future sales qualification.
Here is an Unbounce example.
1. A prospect visits your website and downloads an ebook.
They submit their name, email address and company name through your web form.
2. After receiving a few drip emails, the same person clicks a CTA to register for a webinar.
A dynamic web form asks this time to fill in their industry, company size and a custom question about the software they need.
Dynamic web forms present unique fields to each prospect based on the information you already have (or don’t have) in your database.
3. Not long after the webinar, the lead requests a demo.
This time, you can ask them to specify a budget they have for this product and how urgently do they need it.
Here I just nailed the lead generation process where the lead raises a hand and tells: “I’m sales-ready”.
Besides this, you can also track the signals of sales-readiness by implementing lead scoring.
Lead scoring
Lead scoring is a process of applying values from 0 to 100 to the lead’s data and behavior.
That means you can set up a level (e.g., 80 points) that indicates when the lead is hot and sales-ready.
How does lead scoring actually work?
The first step is marketing qualification.
The more the lead fits the ideal customer profile (ICP), the more points he gets.
For example, we have 3 criteria for marketing qualification:
Job title
Company size
Industry
Our ideal customer is the CEO of a mid-sized (50–100) MarTech company.
For every criterion our lead fits ICP, he gains points.
The second step is deciding what actions can tell us the lead became more interested in our product.
Here are some examples:
Visited a pricing page — 8 points
Registered for the webinar — 10 points
Clicked a link to a product-related article in a weekly newsletter — 3 points
Here is a pitfall many B2B marketers meet:
Lead scoring without negative scoring can lead to the wrong sales decisions.
We should always track the warning signals of disinterest.
That means you take away points for non-targeted actions like:
Unsubscribed from the weekly newsletter
Visited career page
No website activity for the last 3 months
The last step in the lead-scoring process is to set up a level (e.g. 75 points) which will notify us that the lead is sales-ready and should be driven to the sales qualification.
Sales qualification
The sales qualification is the last sales process stage before driving the lead to the sales team.
At this stage, we gather additional information about the lead and decide what kind of proposal we’d send him.
For this purpose, we can use discovery calls or events like webinars, demonstrations applying BANT methodology (or others like ANUM, MEDDIC or CHAMPS, depending on your business).
The BANT method helps us to identify whether generated lead:
Is the decision-maker?
Has a budget?
Has a problem our product can solve?
Needs the solution quickly?
If the lead fits the sales-qualification criteria, he must be transferred to the sales team.
Chapter 3 — Sales Pipeline Development
Sales Cycle
The first thing we should look at before sales pipeline development is a sales cycle.
The sales cycle is the timeframe from marketing qualification to signing a contract.
It can be described as a formula:
lead nurturing (days) + sales qualification (days) + sales process (days) = sales cycle.
This metric helps us to identify a timeframe for the lead-nurturing campaigns.
You can easily calculate it in your CRM:
The date of “Sales qualified” stage — the date of lead creation.
Let’s look at the specific example:
The lead was marketing-qualified on 1.05.2017 and appeared in the MQL stage in our CRM
On 1.07.2017, the lead was moved to the sales qualification stage
On 17.07.2017, the lead was moved to the negotiation stage
On 1.08.2017, the deal was closed.
What’s the length of the sales cycle?
92 days (1.08.2017–1.05.2017).
The lead nurturing process in our example lasted 2 months or 61 days (1.07.2017–1.05.2017).
The only question you might have here:
What exactly should we do during these 61 days?
What campaigns should we run?
What content should we send?
I’ll dive deeply into the details in a minute.
Microstages
The first step you’d take is to divide your sales process into microstages.
Microstages are the actions that clients usually take between the first contact with your company and the closed deal.
I deliberately wrote clients, not leads!
We should analyze only successfully closed deals to figure out these actions.
Here’s an example.
A prospect visited our website, downloaded the guide, and is marketing qualified.
Then, after 5 days he asked for a consultation.
After 2 weeks, he asked us to send the product specification.
A week later, he asked for case studies.
Two weeks later, the lead initiated a meeting.
Each of these actions is the so-called microstage.
Avoiding or skipping one of these microstages (something sales and marketing teams regularly do) can drastically decrease the number of sales-ready leads and increase the sales cycle length.
Figuring out the microstages besides ideal customer profile, marketing, and sales criteria, is the best way to marketing and sales alignment.
As well, it helps to understand the proper length for lead nurturing and apply lead scoring.
Map of the information needs
Now let’s answer the second question:
What content should we send at every microstage?
I use a tool called the map of the information needs.
Here is the process I use to create the map:
1. Sales team interview
I ask the sales team:
What objections do leads usually have at each micro-stage?
What questions do they ask about our products?
What information do they require at each micro-stage?
2. Brainstorming
The second part of the process is a brainstorming session where marketers share and discuss content suggestions with the sales team.
Let’s return to the example above.
The lead has downloaded the guide, and after 2 weeks has asked for the consultation.
At the consultation, he asked about the differences between our product and others and whether this product is a good fit for his company.
What do these questions mean?
They mean that our lead doesn’t know or is not sure how he’ll benefit from our product. As well, he doubts whether our product is a good fit for his company.
What kind of content can we send in this case?
Here are some ideas:
Detailed comparison report between our and competitive products. Here is a great guide on how to run customer research.
A case study of how one of our customers from the lead’s market segment successfully used our product
How to article which answers lead’s question or helps to solve his problem featuring our product in a native and unobtrusive way
This approach not only helps to build a relationship with the leads but also helps to shorten the sales cycle by consequently sending relevant to the specific microstage content without waiting when the lead will ask for it.
Chapter 4 — Sales pipeline management
In the previous chapters, I covered the process of sales pipeline development. In this chapter, I’ll share with you a tool I use for the sales pipeline management — Active Campaign.
Active Campaign has CRM and sales automation, marketing automation, email marketing features and dozens of integrations. It is pure gold for pipeline management.
Of course, there are other advanced marketing and sales automation solutions like Hubspot, Pardot, and InfusionSoft, but I prefer the Active Campaign for its simplicity.
Below I’ll make a quick review of how you can manage your B2B sales funnel with the Active Campaign.
Web forms
The biggest inconvenience with modern CRM is the absence of the web forms as a feature or the lack of features: they don’t redirect the user to the custom URL after form submission or don’t have custom fields.
You need to find another tool for the web forms and integrate it with CRM via Zapier.
With Active Campaign, you can build as many web forms as you need, set up custom redirects after form submission, add tags (I forgot to tell you that Active Campaign is a tag-based system) and add them to specific lead-nurturing campaigns.
Best of all, you can create pop-ups, floating bars, and floating boxes directly in the Active Campaign.
As for custom fields, you can choose simple text field radio buttons, hidden fields, drop-down menus, multi-selection lists, and date. This makes Active Campaign web forms perfect for marketing and sales qualification.
All the collected data will be stored in the contact’s profile.
Sales pipeline management
Pipeline management in Active Campaign is similar to any modern CRM.
It has a drag-and-drop feature and a live desk with all opportunities. You can upload or download your list of contacts.
The feature I like most is a built-in sales automation process (which some CRM makes available only in enterprise packages)m which tracks the lead’s behavior (like website visits, content downloaded, or links shared).
You can easily leverage it for lead nurturing and lead scoring.
You can set up an automated process when the lead should be driven to the next microstage in your sales funnel and add tasks to the sales team based on the lead’s activity.
This awesome and valuable feature helps you minimize the human factor in the early stages of the sales process.
Lead nurturing
Like I mentioned earlier, Active Campaign simplifies the lead nurturing process with features as email marketing, website messages, and SMS.
Also, Active Campaign is a tag-based system so you can add or remove tags for every lead action.
This helps you to create hyper-targeted segments and drastically improve the efficiency of the lead nurturing process.
Lead scoring
Active Campaign has a very simple and easy process to apply lead scoring.
You just add a score based on behavior or the lead’s characteristics in your automation. Active Campaign immediately displays it in the lead’s profile.
All the data updates in real-time, so your sales team will immediately be notified of every sales-ready lead.
Chapter 5 — Sales Pipeline Metrics
“If you can’t measure it, you can’t manage it.”
Peter Drucker’s famous quote is especially true when it comes to sales funnel metrics.
What are the most important metrics?
As a rule of thumb, we know the formula to increase sales:
Sales = customers (leads x close ratio) x deal size x transactions.
Based on this formula we can highlight 5 important metrics.
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5 Important B2B Sales Funnel Metrics
1) Number of active opportunities
This metric shows you what sales volume you can expect at the end of the month based on the average close ratio and the length of your sales cycle.
As well, you can calculate how many marketing-qualified leads should be generated to achieve a sales quota.
2) The average deal size
This is another metric you can play with to upsell existing customers besides generating more leads.
3) Close-ratio
The close-ratio is the average percentage of successfully closed deals per month.
You can apply the close-ratio to every micro stage in your sales pipeline to optimize them and increase the average close ratio.
More on this later.
4) Sales cycle
This metric shows how much time leads spend at each microstage. You can add to your marketing plan specific actions to shorten the period of every microstage, and, as a result, shorten the lengths of your sales cycle.
5) Number of sales qualified leads
As B2B marketers, our main goal is driving more sales-ready high-quality leads to the sales team.
So why shouldn’t we measure it?
Let’s figure out how each of these metrics can help us to increase the conversion rate of the B2B sales funnel.
Based on the previous stats, we can easily calculate how many marketing-qualified leads (MQL) we should generate this month to achieve a sales quota.
This metric helps us analyze the effectiveness of every channel and tool we’ve used:
How many MQLs have we generated from each channel?
Which channels didn’t generate the expected number of MQLs?
Should we reallocate and reinvest the marketing budget in more effective channels and tools?
Another metric that influences sales quota is the average deal size.
How can we influence it?
Here are some ideas.
As a seller, you always have different solutions with different pricing packages.
As a rule of thumb, there are always three tiers: basic, standard and premium.
Basic tier means we sell only the solution the lead needs, at the lowest price.
Standard tier means our standard proposal.
Premium tier means higher prices with more advanced features.
Why do some leads choose premium tiers and some don’t?
Only because they have a budget?
One reason why leads choose premium packages is that they know and understand all the benefits and see the ROI of the premium solution.
That’s why it’s so important to demonstrate all the benefits of your premium solutions during lead-nurturing campaigns.
Some leads will always ask you to send them more information about premium products, which gives you a chance to increase the average deal size.
The close-ratio is the most important metric for B2B marketers when it comes to B2B sales funnel optimization.
Usually, this metric is used only by the sales team to analyze the effectiveness of their work.
But as B2B marketers, we must also analyze the close ratio of every microstage in our sales process.
What are the benefits?
Let’s look at a specific example.
Imagine you generated 100 marketing-qualified leads last month.
You have a basic lead nurturing campaign, which only demonstrates the benefits of your products and drives leads to sales qualification.
Only 5 leads passed through sales qualification.
You decide to divide the sales funnel into microstages, and after few months figure out the next situation.
We lost:
25% of leads after sending the guide
30% of leads after consultation
20% of leads after sending the specification
20% of leads after sending the case study.
This means that only 5% of your marketing qualified leads got to the sales qualification.
Now we have a clear picture of what we can fix in our sales process.
Here are some ideas on how to improve this sales funnel:
Update your guide and include the clear benefits of your product, testimonials and case studies
Add more details to your case study:
What problem did your customer have when he reached you out?
What exactly did you do to solve the problem?
What results did you achieve at every step?
How much time did it take?
What was the budget?
Listen to consultations and demos. Check whether all the answers are helpful to customers.
Do customers understand everything?
Does your teammate drive the lead to the next micro-stage by offering them the next steps?
Now it’s your turn.
I hope this guide gave you insights on how to grow your B2B sales pipeline and accelerate sales.
Now I’d like to hear your take:
What is the first thing you’ll work on after reading this guide?
Are you going to divide your sales process into microstages?
Or
Maybe, you’ll start implementing lead nurturing?
Either way, let me know in the comments below.
Enjoyed post?
Clap it and share your feedback in comments:)
Learn more about B2B sales pipeline management
Here are some more steps for you if you want to learn more, have any questions, or need any help: | https://medium.com/@AZinkevich/sales-pipeline-management-the-definitive-guide-to-accelerating-b2b-sales-e71eb85ae52 | ['Andrei Zinkevich'] | 2020-04-20 07:02:33.802000+00:00 | ['B2b Marketing', 'Marketing', 'Sales Funnels', 'B2B', 'Sales Pipeline Management'] |
I am raising a Son and I know what it means. | So it happens that I am a mother of a son, which makes me realize that I have the ownership of a very important responsibility! Yes, I as a mother and my husband as a father, we, together carry the onus to bring up a male child who respects women, treats them as equal and doesn’t hold any prejudice or bias towards them, no matter going ahead he gets a female sibling or not!
Raising good men is a social challenge, a social change that starts with the people, people who are parents, people who have niece or nephews, people who have grandkids or people who are just neighbors! Change starts at home, no leader can bring about social change unless people agree to partake and make it a daily habit in their home.
It takes two to make a baby and it takes two to raise a baby! We as parents will have to take it on ourselves to bring this social change, to raise good responsible men, to provide safety to our daughters and to treat them as equal.
I am writing this because i feel strongly about this issue, every crime against women disturbs me to the core, hence, my movement starts with my own home, i pledge to make my contribution by teaching my son that being a male doesn’t make him superior and all humans, irrespective of gender and age, should be treated well and respected.
It’s my request to all the parents, especially of boys, to consider this movement as their own, and do their best in bringing about the change. Our kids deserve a better environment, where neither liberation is sexist nor restrictions!
I would also request the parents of girls, to not only give them independence of body and mind, but of self defence as well. While carrying knives and chillies in handbag is ok, but the need of the hour is more autonomy in defending the self. Parents should actively enroll their girls in a self defence art form.
Kids should be made aware about good touch and bad touch at an early age. Often 5–6 year olds are curious and want to explore their bodies, but a knowledge of good touch and bad touch will guide them to not behave inappropriately with others as well to not let anybody else misbehave with them. Honest communication should be emphasized and they should be assured of no harm if they come forward and report a known person misbehaving with them. Research indicates most often a family member or someone closely known is involved in such heinous acts rather than strangers.
A child irrespective of gender should be raised to live with dignity and self respect and that physical misconduct should neither be done nor accepted. If unfortunately a child becomes a victim of physical abuse, they should be taught to raise their voice and run for safety. It is also important to make them understand and assured that a physical abuse does not result in a lesser you and that it was not their fault. In a grander scheme of things, it is not about one gender fighting and protecting against another, it is about dignity, respect, self control and moral values that make all of us human and equal.
But before all this, the current generation of parents need to be sensitized about the essence of this change we seek to bring. We as parents should realize that we are involved in the upbringing of next set of civilization and civilizations are built on civil virtues. We cannot afford to ignore this aspect of parenting and cannot sit back thinking that kids will eventually learn on their own, which they might, but then we would have lost the battle and our kids. | https://medium.com/indian-thoughts/i-am-raising-a-son-and-i-know-what-it-means-a048a4fadfc0 | ['Gunjan Sharma Arora'] | 2017-05-08 16:31:11.216000+00:00 | ['Life Lessons', 'Social Change', 'Feminism', 'Nonfiction', 'Motherhood'] |
In case, just in case … we ever forget. | Sky News
The criminal, criminal idiocy
of those ridiculing, denying,
downplaying Republicans
& their enablers, sycophants,
ever-knowing heads-that-talk,
on Fox …
oh, yes … Fox!
OAN, Twitter, Parler,
& such, & on & on …
…
As of this day,
December 3rd, 2020,
273,476 folks have died,
& over 144 million
carry the virus.
All those who denied the mask,
shrugged off ‘the flu’,
reasoned with ‘heck, death is natural’,
argued as political hacks,
ignored science as ‘free-men’,
safety as ‘patriots’,
just plain decent common-sense
& care & respect for their fellow
travelers in this fragile world,
… as tyranny, leftism, & elitism,
…
& Trump,
oh yes Trump …
with his early bluster, denial,
petty ignorance & ill-preparedness …
…
& so here we are …
273,476 as of this morn,
& let us not forget
those whose in-action,
ignorance & denial,
have a responsibility here,
at this moment,
that cannot, cannot,
ever … be forgotten.
Cnn.com
Time.com
with tears, long distance farewells,
pain, heartache, sadness & sorrow …
never forgotten.
… & never forget. | https://medium.com/resistance-poetry/in-case-just-in-case-we-ever-forget-bdef73f7e4f6 | ['Matthew B.'] | 2020-12-04 11:14:20.964000+00:00 | ['Resistance Poetry', 'Fox News', 'Trump', 'Republicans', 'Coronavirus'] |
Let’s talk about filter bubbles and echo chambers. | There’s been a lot of talk of filter bubbles and echo chambers. The blue feed this, the red feed that. The media is biased, the facebook ruined information, the twitter is a cesspool, The Result is their fault.
Facebook must change! Twitter must change! Media must change!
Here is a truth:
Here is another truth:
Television is not the truth! Television is a God-damned amusement park! Television is a circus, a carnival, a traveling troupe of acrobats, storytellers, dancers, singers, jugglers, side-show freaks, lion tamers, and football players. We’re in the boredom-killing business!
Replace television with social media, most of the internet, hell, even traditional newspapers, and you’ll get the situation we find ourselves in.
All media is the same entertaining shit. Designed to please your ego, validate your beliefs, and never to upset you. Unless, of course, upsetting you boils down to “See how bad your life could be but isn’t? Go you!”
This is not a consequence of some vast conspiracy, of The Man suppressing dissent. It’s an emergent result of what you (and I) enjoy. The result of our collective preference, if you will.
Fundamentally, people want to be entertained, not informed, validated, not challenged.
Facebook, Twitter, click-based journalism, television, and the media in general, they’re all just symptoms of our collective laziness. They do all they can to keep us engaged and coming back. They don’t care about informing you, and you don’t care about being informed. You think you do, but that’s not what you click on.
And why would you?
It’s tiring to always fight for your beliefs. It’s exhausting to defend your viewpoint. It’s frustrating that two people can fundamentally disagree and still both be right.
There are several cognitive biases (among them the illusory truth effect, confirmation bias, the bandwagon effect, and congruence bias) that make people engage more strongly with ideas that fit their preconceptions and discount ideas that don’t.
This leads to echo chambers. We each become wrapped in our own little bubble where the world agrees with us, we’re always right, and Those Others™ are just too dumb and delusional to know any better.
They think you’re just as dumb and delusional as you think they are.
So what can you do?
Seek disagreement. Click links you hate. Like and heart and comment on posts you think are crazy, backwards, and dumb. Train the algorithms to give you everything. Show the journalists that they should cover all angles.
Yes, this will make your Facebook and Twitter and the rest “worse”. It will make your life harder and the internet less fun. But remember: when two people always agree, one of them is unnecessary.
Become friends with people you disagree with. | https://medium.com/swizec-a-geek-with-a-hat/lets-talk-about-filter-bubbles-and-echo-chambers-839e99061c99 | ['Swizec Teller'] | 2016-11-17 18:47:13.912000+00:00 | ['Politics', 'Social Change', 'Opinion', 'Filter Bubble', 'Social Media'] |
How to Build a Tech Company | How to Build a Tech Company
Photo by Osman Rana on Unsplash
More than 50 years ago, the American computer scientist Melvin E. Conway gave his first thoughts on how modern software companies differ from their hardware counterparts. Conway’s Law, and many other studies after it, established a direct relationship between the necessary architecture of a tech product and the characteristics of the organisation that develops it. The experts agree: hierarchical companies with a hardware background, such as automotive or manufacturing, do not have the necessary structures in place to introduce technology-driven products and digital thinking.
A few scientific examples:
A Microsoft research study calculated the complexity and error rate of Windows Vista from the complexity of the Microsoft organisational units entrusted with its development. The economists Rebecca M. Henderson and Kim B. Clark proved product innovations that change its overall architecture require a change in knowledge architecture and company structure .
. Dr. James D. Herbsleb of the Institute for Software Research and Rebecca E. Grinter (Georgia Institute of Technology) concluded that work on a modularized system should be distributed in such a way so that the separation of development corresponds to the distribution of modules. Conversely, development should only be split up if the products (or product parts) to be developed are well understood and plans, processes and interfaces are established and stable.
Cars turn into software-driven products
In the context of the digital transformation, consumer behaviour and distribution channels, this means competition and value chains are changing everywhere. In the case of the automotive industry, for example, digitalization is aimed precisely at the core of the product. Until recently, the engine was the technological heart of the automobile, but now software is taking over this role.
From now on, the competitiveness of OEMs and suppliers alike will be determined more by the intelligence of the system than by the performance of the machine. New intelligent sensors — together with increasing connectivity — are triggering a “data explosion” in the vehicle which needs to be processed intelligently and translated into new services. One of Germany’s most important automotive managers, Dr. Herbert Diess, explains the why in a nutshell:
“The car has ten times more code than a smartphone. The next ten years will revolutionize it once again. The car will probably be the most complex digital product in the world.”
Networking instead of departments: modern software systems at odds with today’s organization
The digital transformation is in full swing. In recent years, the USA and Asia have taken on a pioneering role in this area. The next few years will determine whether we succeed in maintaining and expanding our pioneering positions in key areas of our economy. Important questions for determining whether this is not only possible but conceivable include:
How do we transfer German engineering skills to the digital era or the age of autonomous vehicles?
What kind of organizations and processes are needed to create modern, innovative products that combine high-quality hardware with smart, agile software solutions?
What kind of working environment is needed to bring together the level of competence and commitment needed to design and produce world-class solutions?
Software-centric companies such as Tesla, Apple, Uber, Microsoft and Tencent are increasingly intervening in areas where Germany and its much-vaunted art of engineering have previously set the international standard. However, organizational models of classic hardware-centric companies are fundamentally different from those of software-centric companies. Together with you as our discussion partner, we want to find out:
How will we succeed in uniting these two worlds?
Which organizational processes, human image, and culture are needed to create modern products that combine high-quality hardware with smart, agile software solutions?
How must the role of top management, executives and employees change or be systematically redesigned?
How do I drive a good engineer-driven German company into the digital age? | https://medium.com/how-to-build-a-tech-company/how-to-build-a-tech-company-d1f6f8feb3ef | ['How To Build A Tech Company'] | 2020-12-11 14:23:29.358000+00:00 | ['İnnovation', 'Digitalization', 'Software', 'Mobility', 'Transformation'] |
There Is Absolutely Nothing Wrong With … | There Is Absolutely Nothing Wrong With …
Photo by Bart LaRue on Unsplash
Yes, that is right. I write this out of empathy. I know how this feels. When the World around you think that something is wrong with you … it is weird to be happy.
I have been told that something is wrong with me.
You might say, well, that is only one facet in life. Move on.
Yes, of course.
However.
If everyone in the family starts picking on a different part of you, your entire existence and self-worth are besieged.
And I want to tell you this. THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH YOU. And I mean it.
Maybe you have been working really hard for yourself and your business. You could believe that is the way you want your life to be.
I guarantee you that everyone around uncomfortable being around you. That is because you have a sense of direction and a brilliant work ethic.
You are hammering away on your keyboard, crafting digital marketing campaigns while the entire family is drowned in alcohol and turkey feast.
Maybe everyone is trying to tell you to spend more time at home. Maybe you need to attend to the house and start bingeing on Netflix to build bonds.
My question is simple. Do you want to do these from the bottom of your heart?
THERE IS NOTHING WITH YOU if you say NO. If you think they are a waste of time, they are.
Everyone values time differently. We determine the value of time in our unique way.
There is nothing wrong with being unique.
Embrace and love it.
Love Yourself.
Aldric | https://medium.com/afwp/there-is-absolutely-nothing-wrong-with-50123c470266 | ['Aldric Chen'] | 2020-12-27 15:32:23.387000+00:00 | ['Life Lessons', 'Reflections', 'Self Improvement', 'Thinking', 'Self-awareness'] |
What’s New on Ai+ Training November 2020 | Looking for on-demand and live training sessions, workshops, and tutorials from some of the leading experts and instructors in data science and AI, including Dr. Jon Krohn, Diedre Downing, Dr. Kirk Borne, Daria Stepanova, PhD, and Thomas Wolf, PhD? Check out the Ai+ Training Platform. Every week we’re adding new content, from on-demand sessions to coding assessments and practice tests. To help you keep track of what’s new, what’s upcoming, and what might be going into a vault soon, we’ll be releasing an Ai+ Training Platform update at the beginning of every month.
[Related article: AI+ Subscription Content Available Right Now]
So, without further ado, let’s check out the Ai+ November 2020 lineup. Please note that these on-demand sessions and assessments are only available for Ai+ Subscribers. Not one yet? Sign up here!
Ai+ November 2020 On-Demand Sessions
November 3rd
How to Do Data Science with Missing Data — Matt Brems
November 9th
Data, I/O, and TensorFlow: Building a Reliable Machine Learning Data Pipeline — Yong Tang, PhD
November 15th
NLP Pretrained Models and Advanced Topics — Daniel Whitenack
Data Analysis with Python and Pandas — David Yerrington
November 21st
Advanced Pandas and Dask — David Yerrington
Ai+ November 2020 Assessments
These short, pass/fail assessments are designed to help you identify knowledge and skill gaps. After their completion, you’ll be recommended similar courses on the Ai+ Training platform to help you fill these gaps.
SQL Assessment
Deep Learning Assessment
NLP Assessment
Data Visualization Assessment
Machine Learning Certification Practice (Part 1 and 2)
Not yet an Ai+ Training monthly subscriber? Check out our available plans here!
Looking for an immersive, interactive, and inspiring data science training experience? Check out our upcoming virtual conferences in 2020 and 2021. Spend several days immersed in data science talks, workshops, tutorials, and hands-on training sessions with expert speakers from around the world and thousands of your peers. Don’t miss this chance to get inspired, get trained, get ahead, and, most importantly, be where the future of AI gathers.
ODSC APAC Virtual December 8th and 9th 2020
ODSC East Virtual March 30th — April 1st, 2021 | https://medium.com/@ODSC/whats-new-on-ai-training-november-2020-fe62754dad68 | ['Odsc - Open Data Science'] | 2020-11-24 12:03:39.069000+00:00 | ['Open Data', 'Data Science', 'Deep Learning', 'Machine Learning', 'Artificial Intelligence'] |
Dockerized 🐳 Flask Celery RabbitMQ Redis Application | Project Structure
The finished project structure will be as follows:
├── Dockerfile
├── docker-compose.yml
├── README.md
├── app
│ ├── app.py
│ ├── tasks.py
│ └── templates
│ ├── download.html
│ └── index.html
├── scripts
│ ├── run_celery.sh
│ └── run_web.sh
└── requirements.txt
Creating the Flask application 🌶
First, we create a folder for our app. For this example, our folder is called `app`. Within this folder, create an `app.py` file and an empty folder named `templates` where our HTML templates will be stored.
For our app, we first include some basic Flask libraries and create an instance of the app:
from io import BytesIO from flask import Flask, request from flask import render_template, make_response APP = Flask(__name__)
We define three routes for Flask to implement: a landing page, a secondary page that embeds and image, and a route for the image itself. Our image route crops an image dynamically. For this example, it crops an image using `pillow`, and some delays are also included so that the time taken to create the image is more apparent.
@APP.route(‘/’) def index():
return render_template(‘index.html’) @APP.route(‘/image_page’)
def image_page(): job = tasks.get_data_from_strava.delay() return render_template(‘home.html’) @APP.route('/result.png') def result(): ''' Pull our generated .png binary from redis and return it ''' jobid = request.values.get('jobid') if jobid: job = tasks.get_job(jobid) png_output = job.get() png_output="../"+png_output return png_output else: return 404
Next, we need to open our `templates` folder and create the following two templates:
index.html
<div id=”imgpl”><img src=”result.png?{{JOBID}}” /></div>
If we add the following code then run the script, we can load up our webpage and test the image generation.
if __name__ == ‘__main__’:
APP.run(host=’0.0.0.0')
We see that our page load takes a while to complete because the request to `result.png` doesn’t return until the image generation has completed.
Expanding our web app to use Celery 🥬
In our `app` directory, create the `tasks.py` file that will contain our Celery tasks. We add the necessary Celery includes:
from celery import Celery, current_task
from celery.result import AsyncResult
Assuming that our RabbitMQ service is on a host that we can reference by `rabbit` and our Redis service is on a host referred to by `Redis` we can create an instance of Celery using the following:
REDIS_URL = ‘redis://redis:6379/0’
BROKER_URL = ‘amqp://admin:mypass@rabbit//’ CELERY = Celery(‘tasks’,backend=REDIS_URL,broker=BROKER_URL)
celery and rabbitMQ Connection established
We then need to change the default serializer for results. Celery with versions 4.0 and above use JSON as a serializer, which doesn’t support serialization of binary data. We can either switch back to the old default serializer (pickle) or use the newer MessagePack which supports binary data and is very efficient.
Since we’re changing the serializer, we also need to tell Celery to accept the results from a non-default serializer (as well as still accepting those from JSON).
CELERY.conf.accept_content = [‘json’, ‘msgpack’]
CELERY.conf.result_serializer = ‘msgpack’
First, we’ll implement a function that returns jobs given an ID. This allows our app and the Celery tasks to talk to each other:
def get_job(job_id):
return AsyncResult(job_id, app=CELERY)
Next, we define the asynchronous function and move the image generation code from `app.py` and add the function decorator that allows the method to be queued for execution:
@CELERY.task()
def image_demension(img): time.sleep(2) im = Image.open(img) width, height = im.size left = 4 top = height / 5 right = 154 bottom = 3 * height / 5 # Cropped image of above dimension \ im1 = im.crop((left, top, right, bottom)) newsize = (300, 300) im1 = im1.resize(newsize) width, height = im1.size location=os.path.join(‘static/worker-img’,’cropped_img.’+im.format.lower()) im1.save(os.path.join(‘static/worker-img’,’cropped_img.’+im.format.lower())) print(width,height) print(“pass”) return location
Instead of building a response, we return the binary image which will be stored on Redis. We also update the task at various points with a progress indicator that can be queried from the Flask app.
We add a new route to `app.py` that checks the progress and returns the state as a JSON object so that we can write an ajax function that our client can query before loading the final image when it’s ready.
@APP.route(‘/progress’)
def progress(): jobid = request.values.get(‘jobid’) if jobid: job = tasks.get_job(jobid) if job.state == ‘PROGRESS’: return json.dumps(dict( state=job.state, progress=job.result[‘current’], )) elif job.state == ‘SUCCESS’: return json.dumps(dict( state=job.state, progress=1.0, )) return ‘{}’
Extend our `templates/download.html` with the following Javascript code:
<script src=”//code.jquery.com/jquery-2.1.1.min.js”></script> <script> function poll() { $.ajax(“{{url_for(‘.progress’, jobid=JOBID)}}”, { dataType: “json” , success: function(resp) { if(resp.progress >= 0.99) { $(“#wrapper”).html(‘’); $.get(“result.png?jobid={{JOBID}}”, function(data, status){ end_file=data; $(“#imgpl”).html(‘<img src=’+end_file+’>’); console.log(“success”) }); return; } else { setTimeout(poll, 500.0); } } }); } $(function() { var JOBID = “{{ JOBID }}”; poll(); }); </script>
The `poll` function repeatedly requires the `/progress` route of our web app. When it reports that the image has been generated, it replaces the HTML code within the placeholder with the URL of the image, which is then loaded dynamically from our modified `/result.png` route:
@APP.route(‘/result.png’) def result(): ‘’’ Pull our generated .png and return it ‘’’ jobid = request.values.get(‘jobid’) if jobid: job = tasks.get_job(jobid) png_output = job.get() png_output=”../”+png_output return png_output else: return 404
At this stage, we have a working web app with asynchronous image generation.
Using Docker to package our application 🐳
Our app requires 4 separate containers for each of our services:
- Flask
- Celery
- RabbitMQ 🐇
- Redis
Docker provides prebuilt containers for [RabbitMQ](https://hub.docker.com/_/rabbitmq/) and [Redis](https://hub.docker.com/_/redis/). These both work well, and we’ll use them as is.
web working in the docker container
For Flask and Celery, we’ll build two identical containers from a simple `Dockerfile`.
Dockerfile
# Pull the latest version of the Python container. FROM python:latest # Add the requirements.txt file to the image. ADD requirements.txt /app/requirements.txt # Set the working directory to /app/. WORKDIR /app/ # Install Python dependencies. RUN pip install -r requirements.txt # Create an unprivileged user for running our Python code. RUN adduser — disabled-password — gecos ‘’ app
We pull all of this together with a Docker compose file, `docker-sdfcompose.yml`. While early versions composing one needed to expose ports for each service, we can link the services together using the `links` keyword. The `depends` keyword ensures that all of our services start in the correct order.
docker-compose.yaml
version: '3' services: redis: image: redis:latest hostname: redis rabbit: hostname: rabbit image: rabbitmq:latest environment: - RABBITMQ_DEFAULT_USER=admin - RABBITMQ_DEFAULT_PASS=mypass web: build: context: . dockerfile: Dockerfile hostname: web command: ./scripts/run_web.sh volumes: - .:/app ports: - "5000:5000" links: - rabbit - redis worker:
build: context: . dockerfile: Dockerfile command: ./scripts/run_celery.sh volumes: - .:/app links: - rabbit - redis depends_on: - rabbit
To create and run the container, use:
docker-compose build docker-compose up
Docker-compose
One of the major benefits of Docker is that we can run multiple instances of a container if required. To run multiple instances of our Celery consumers, do:
docker-compose scale worker=N
where N is the desired number of backend worker nodes. Visit http://localhost:5000 to view our complete application. 🥳
Github 🧟
Conclusion 🤝
This is a simple POC on how to use everything together and get the async function up and running. | https://medium.com/devops-dudes/dockerized-flask-celery-rabbitmq-redis-application-f317825a03b | ['Alvis F'] | 2020-10-28 16:31:02.897000+00:00 | ['Rabbitmq', 'Celery', 'Flask', 'Docker', 'Redis'] |
Why Google Wave Failed? | When Google first unveiled its new product at the 2009 I/O conference, it seemed like an app like no other. Not only was Google Wave an original centralized workspace and collaboration platform before the remote-work boom, but it also tried to solve many of the same problems we’re still facing today. Google Wave was initially started to answer a simple question: “What would email look like if it were invented today?” However, it was unable to meet even its short-term goals, with Google releasing a statement after only 50-days stating that “Wave has not seen the user adoption we would have liked.”
What is Google Wave, and where did it come from? Why aren’t we using this app during quarantine instead of Zoom? Engineer brothers Lars and Jens Rasmussen led the Wave team, who also introduced the mapping product that would eventually become Google Maps. Google Wave was supposed to be a real-time communication platform. It combined aspects of email, instant messaging, web chat, and social networking to build one simple, in-browser communication application. You could bring a group of friends or business partners together to discuss day to day activities or share files and documents.
Here are some of the key features Google Wave promised its’ users:
Wiki-style functionality — While this product was supposed to replace your regular email, it had an interesting feature that all users added to the Wave would be able to edit that document. This could have led to some great collaborations as it would have helped to avoid disordered and confusing threads. Drag-and-drop file uploads — Instead of having to search for a file, attach it separately and then send your email, you could easily add files to your conversation just by dropping them where they were needed. This was a game-changer as it helped to save time and was a useful project management strategy. Playback — One of the worst things about being added to an email thread late is that you miss out on all of the previous conversations. With Google Wave, you could quickly scroll back up and see how the entire discussion progressed, making it easy to catch up on anything you missed.
Although the initial design theory was very innovative for the time it was debuted by Google in 2009, it fell short of interested customers’ expectations and was later discontinued in 2012. One of the main problems with Wave was that hardly anyone knew what a — Wave was or what to do with it. With barely any introduction of Wave concepts to the general public, next to no marketing, and no specific commercial targeting, this product was practically set-up for failure.
Some of the main assumptions that led to the downfall of Google Wave include:
Wave was a finished product at the time of its release. It was always an R&D project. Wave was a beta release in the word’s true sense, not an almost-finished product with “beta” put on it in excess of caution. It was buggy, and the user interface was poorly-designed and bothersome to use. Users got tired of explaining to their colleagues and friends how Wave worked and how to use basic features.
Users would adopt Wave quickly. Once new users gained access to the platform, the enthusiasm faded quickly and was replaced by confusion. There was no notification system originally unless you installed a plug-in. For a collaborative app to not notify users is a big no-no. Once you added someone to a wave, you could not remove them. Google Wave even had its own jargon — yes, you had to learn some new definitions before using the app.
It would be easy to add users to Wave. This was one of the most flawed concepts of the whole design. For a collaborative app to have trouble adding users is a serious problem. Because the app was invite-only, users always complained about never having anyone else to Wave with. Most users simply didn’t understand what they were supposed to do with the app. Funnily enough, Twitter was filled with “Got Google Wave — now what?” memes.
These are a few assumptions Google made and overlooked while designing Wave. Their lack of recognition of these assumptions led to the downfall and extinction of this product. However, I was on the Wave beta testing program, and I remember the feeling of awe when I first started using it. I believe that Google could have trimmed the app down and allowed for integrating functions as needed to help improve Wave. There are so many similarities between Wave and today’s workplace collaboration giant Slack that I have to believe it was Google Wave that partly inspired them. | https://medium.com/swlh/why-google-wave-failed-fe85d9f859d3 | ['Wajid Raza'] | 2020-11-01 12:37:42.977000+00:00 | ['Google Wave', 'UX', 'Assumptions', 'Failure Stories'] |
Distractions: Why We Don’t Enjoy the Moment | by Rocky Glenn
Enjoying the moment is a personal choice a person makes to be present in what they are currently experiencing and to give that specific point in time their full self. It’s a decision to open oneself up to be vulnerable and a realization the moment may or may not go as we desire. How I treat the one standing in front of me at any given time is also how I decide to enjoy the moment. To not live in the moment is live a life distracted. Distractions keep us from being present and enjoying the moments we live. A distraction is anything which keeps a person from giving their full attention to something else.
The Distraction of Regret
All of us experience things in our lives we wish had not happened or we would have handled differently if given another opportunity. These things range from decisions we’ve made which caused unforeseeable, maybe harmful, outcomes to decisions others have made which had adverse, negative, and possibly even devastating, effects on our lives. Regret imprisons us when we live focused on the “what ifs” and “what could have beens” of those decisions. Replaying scenarios repeatedly in the theater of our mind, we fixate on every aspect of those situations reliving the pain, hurt, anger, and sorrow as if it had just happened. If the consequences are of our own making, we feel we deserve whatever negative results have occurred and wallow in the misery of our shame much like the prodigal son in the hog pen. However, when forced to accept another’s decision we believe is simply outrageous or unfair, we respond much like the prodigal’s older brother. I believe his response of anger to the celebration of his brother’s quickly turned to sorrow and regret with the realization he already had access to everything he was working to attain. Resisting the distraction of regret is not refusing to admit sorrow and remorse for what may have happened, it’s a refusal to remain in that moment and let it define who you are. We must let the past make us wiser, stronger, and grateful for what we have lived through and experience. Regret gives way to self-loathing and bitterness and steals you from the life happening right before your eyes.
The Distraction of What’s to Come
The last four to six weeks prior to reflecting on and sharing about enjoying the moment were a trying and frustrating time as I wondered what lie ahead. Since I no longer have the desire to one day be a worship pastor, what does the future hold? I didn’t begin the blog with aspirations I would one day write full-time, but is it now something to consider? Are there opportunities yet to be discovered which would allow more time for ministry and still support the family? Do I even want to be involved in a ministry at all? What exactly does ministry look like now anyway? Is there an opportunity ahead which would allow Shannon and me to spend more time together helping others while providing an income as well? If those opportunities presented themselves would I be willing to take the risks to make them succeed?
All these questions swirling in my head created a cloudy fog I had trouble navigating. Fatigue and restlessness plagued me as I just could not let go of figuring out what the future holds. Questions swirled in my head like a tornado waking up to start the day, sitting at my desk at work, spending time with the family, working out at the gym, and drifting to sleep at night. The distraction of what’s to come kept me from enjoying my everyday life and, no doubt, caused me to miss small moments of awe and wonder which occurred in daily interactions with coworkers, family, and friends. I was so caught up in determining a destination, I was forgetting to enjoy the journey. While on vacation, in finishing a book I have been struggling to complete since January, I stumbled upon the prayer below from Thomas Merton in the closing pages:
“My Lord God, I have no idea where I am going. I do not see the road ahead of me. I cannot know for certain where it will end. Nor do I really know myself, and the fact that I think that I am following your will does not mean that I am actually doing so. But I believe that the desire to please you does in fact please you. And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing. I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire. And I know that if I do this you will lead me by the right road, though I may know nothing about it. Therefore will I trust you always, though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death. I will not fear, for you are ever with me, and you will never leave me to face my perils alone.”
This prayer changed my thinking and reminded me I don’t need to know what lies or even have an idea of where I’m going. I simply needed to rest in the moment and satisfaction of my desire to please my Father and His full knowledge of my desire and willingness to lead me. It brought me to a point of consciously reminding myself to live and experience whatever moment I find myself in. I can remember very vividly afternoons spent in the ocean with my family thinking, “Nothing matters right now except the fact I am here with them and we are together. What’s for dinner is not important. The drive home in a few days does not matter. What may be happening at work right now is not important. I am here with my family getting battered by waves in the ocean, having water gun fights in the pool, and we are having the time of our lives.” After reading that prayer, making it my own, and making a mental decision to enjoy the moment, I can say this was quite honestly the best vacation we may have possibly ever had.
There’s one final distraction I want to discuss, but, due to the nature of the distraction and how it relates to the churchboy, I will hold it for my next post.
Until then, I leave you with the following reminders:
Regarding Regret: In the Broadway musical Rent, composer Jonathan Larson urges us, “Forget regret, or life is yours to miss,”
Regarding What’s to Come: In Switchfoot’s opening track of their Native Tongue album, we are implored to Let It Happen:
Let it happen, let it happen
Tomorrow knows what tomorrow knows
You can’t make it get here sooner
Let it happen, let it happen
I don’t hold what the future holds
But I know you’re my future
More posts in the Enjoying the Moment series: | https://medium.com/@donewthreligion/distractions-why-we-dont-enjoy-the-moment-1e53e648706e | ['Done With Religion'] | 2019-08-11 19:42:04.212000+00:00 | ['Regret', 'Distraction', 'Christian Living', 'Enjoyment'] |
Content strategy: Perfection vs frequency | Do you know why Eminem and Pablo Picasso are alike?
First, here’s some context as to why I ask you that question.
When we start creating (content, online marketing strategy, software), we start by looking at what the others are doing.
We compare. Research. Analyse. Repeat.
Do you know what we don’t do?
Ship. Aka publish. Aka execute.
Here’s what I’ve learned — Do not compare your content to that of giants.
They invest millions of dollars and weeks and months on production before publishing (mostly).
Want to create content like Gary Vaynerchuk? He’s got a whole media team following him around!
We are never going to match that (yet).
The sooner we accept this, the sooner we can get out of our own way.
See, our audience is not expecting perfect content.
Like my clients’ customers, they’re eager for authentic content that entertains and educates.
Your audience is human. They forgive imperfection.
A handful of keyboard warriors may criticise. But, who wants them as customers? They are going to be a**holes anyhow.
The majority of your customers will forgive when they know it was a sincere effort on your part to give them value. They’ll even love you for it.
Do you know what’s beautiful? When keyboard warriors take shots at you, your loyal fans show up! They stand up for you because they love and appreciate what you stand for. This can only be done if YOU show up for them, mistakes and all. Through your marketing and content.
An average sales email yields better results than a letter you spent 3 months editing and never sent.
The perfect image and copy you spent hours sweating over but never published because they haven’t been approved by 3 levels of hierarchy, is useless.
Content published frequently helps understand what resonates with your audience.
So,
Create fast. Ship often. Learn as you go. Improve. Before we realise it, our content becomes awesome.
Answering my opening question:
Eminem and Pablo Picasso are similar in that they shipped. A lot.
Eminem dropped mixtapes. We know only the hits.
Picasso created thousands of paintings, but we know of only a few.
If you enjoyed this post, drop a comment and let me know what content ideas you’re working on. I’d love to brainstorm ideas with you. | https://medium.com/nave3n/content-strategy-perfection-vs-frequency-76da9f69f2d3 | ['Naveen Sivakumaran'] | 2021-09-10 03:15:26.619000+00:00 | ['Online Marketing Strategy', 'Small Business', 'Content Strategy', 'Content Marketing', 'Small Business Marketing'] |
“I Couldn’t Be Who I Wanted to Be” | “I Couldn’t Be Who I Wanted to Be”
A glimpse of stress at age fourteen
What do the American sitcom Parks and Recreation and Fitbit Relax feature have in common?
A playful question feels like a facetious way to begin a conversation on adolescent mental health, but I like the way it draws us to Michael’s story—he genuinely learned about meditating in an episode subplot on Parks and Rec, and uses his Fitbit to help him with breathing. “I gave it a try, and it’s cleansing almost,” Michael said on the podcast. “Just to not worry about anything and to have your mind so clear. I don’t — maybe that’s not how you meditate.” He laughed. “But that’s how I’ve been doing it.”
The answer, then, is that Parks and Rec and Fitbit Relax are both pieces to the puzzle of how a fourteen-year-old boy is learning to manage his mental health.
Stress wound its way into Michael’s life throughout his preteen years, growing in size until it overwhelmed him in his first year of high school. “It took over my life,” he told me. “I’d come home and do four hours of homework. This took a toll on my social life, and my physical health. I began to develop an eating disorder, which I still have to battle to this day. I lost a lot of weight. I became more of an unhappy person. I wasn’t fun to be around. I didn’t enjoy being around other people. I just felt like my life was a mess.”
“It was painful, to see my life almost crumbling. Because of schoolwork, or my friends, or just something that was stressing me out so much I couldn’t be who I wanted to be. It was really just—it’s painful to think about now, it was painful to go through then. I’m still going through it.” — Michael on the podcast
Things came to a head when Michael broke his leg and missed several weeks of school. He did his best to keep up with schoolwork in his absence, but the pressure he felt when he returned to school started building up. “I felt like I wasn’t strong, like I was a failure,” he told me, “and because of that I lost a lot of self-esteem.” His mind felt scattered and unable to focus. More and more work accumulated.
Michael came home from school one day and went straight to his room. He didn’t leave all evening. He didn’t sleep all night. Emotions flowed out of him as he yelled at himself, cried, and realized he’d been holding back his feelings for years.
“After that,” he said, “I knew I had to change something.”
That’s when he remembered the Parks and Rec episode and decided to give meditation a try. That’s when he started trying to combat stress with self-compassion and balance, rather than holding it in and toughing it out. He’s working on a strategy now that includes exercise, meditation, and reflection. Not there yet, but he’s working on it.
As I reflected on Michael’s story, I found myself thinking about the opportunity cost of not teaching young people about mental health. What if he had been taught about stress at a young age, for example, and learned healthy ways to deal with it? What if he had had a space where he could talk openly about his feelings?
Part of this is friendship. “A good friend you can trust,” Michael said. “That can make the difference for someone who’s going through a lot. Like most high schoolers are.” Like he was. “If you don’t have people to back you up, to be there for you, then it’s even more hopeless and miserable than it needs to be.”
Another part is introspection. Michael felt that learning about mental health and processing his feelings was something he had to do partly on his own. There’s a distinction, however, between introspection and isolation.
To explore this further, I reached out to Phyllis Fagell, a counsellor at Sheridan School who facilitates a student-led group for twelve- and thirteen-year-old boys. “They feel like they need a safe space to actually express their feelings in a way that reflects them authentically,” she told me, “rather than what society expects of them.”
Phyllis’ work was recently documented by Andrew Reiner in The New York Times. “What’s happening at Sheridan is by no means the norm,” he wrote. “It’s first cousin to a vanguard of programs across the country, where educators and coaches are teaching boys about the ways to recognize and prevent sexual and gendered violence.” Reiner went on to explain that while preventing sexual violence is usually a desired outcome for educators, boys’ reasons for choosing to attend these programs are often more closely related to desires for emotional authenticity and connection.
According to Phyllis, this kind of program offers two main things in the context of stress. Firstly, it normalizes the boys’ feelings and shows them that whatever they’re going through as an adolescent boy is normal. Secondly, it gives them an opportunity to talk together about strategies they are using to feel better. Both those things make a significant difference to boys’ experiences with mental health.
They would have made a world of difference for Michael—and not just a difference for him, but for the younger boys around him. What Phyllis has experienced is the boys in her group becoming motivated to be leaders for younger boys—preteens forming relationships with eight-year-olds, helping to create a safer culture for them to grow into.
“My current boys feel like this is an opportunity for them to make a mark, to make a difference and to have a legacy. So in addition to just meeting their own needs, and having the kinds of authentic friendships that are important to them, they’d really like to make a difference in the lives of the younger boys.” — Phyllis Fagell on the podcast
A commitment to a safer culture is the basis of Project Pneuma. Its mission statement is one of unhesitating vision: ‘The mission of Project Pneuma is to breathe new life holistically into the young men we serve by challenging them intellectually, strengthening them physically, nurturing them emotionally and uplifting them spiritually.’ It’s worth emphasizing that Project Pneuma operates in Baltimore, one of the most violent and racialized cities in the United States. This mission statement counters a culture in which over a dozen young people die by homicide every year—more than three quarters of them Black boys. | https://medium.com/breaking-the-boy-code/i-couldnt-be-who-i-wanted-to-be-8aa32bd337f2 | ['Breaking The Boy Code Podcast'] | 2019-10-29 03:05:16+00:00 | ['Gender', 'Masculinity', 'Mental Health', 'Adolescence', 'Podcast'] |
Typing game with Javascript | course from Brad Traversy
Github code
Features:
localStorage get and set setting difficulty selects matching words score add when correct time reduces and the time add if typing correctly(time depends on difficulty level)
HTML
button controls the setting section at the top
the setting is a form with three selections
the word data will be shown in the h1 tag
the text input compare to the word when the user types
time on the left, score on the right
and when the game end, the message shows up with the score and a reset button
CSS
hide the arrow on the select with appearance, for other browser adding the -webkit and -moz
When focusing on select, hiding the outline
the setting places at the top. when hiding, the position of the y-axis moves up
the messager box show at the absolute position relative to the container and hide first. when the game ends, show up
JS
select all the DOM needed with id
the words array or can be fetched from API
the initial score is zero, and the time is 10 seconds
get the difficulty from localStorage if have inside or set to medium and also show in the select
When loading the page, the mouse focus on the input right away
get a random word from the words array list with Math.random()
When typing in the text, the value of texting compares to the word shown in the DOM. If they match completely, it’s time to get a new word and update the score and time.
check the difficulty level before running the updateTime function
show the random word in the DOM.
and initially load the function
if the words match, the score adds one and show in the score DOM
Meanwhile, the time decreases every second with setInterval
When the time reaches zero, which mean the time is ended, the gameOver function is running
create the DOM in the endgame messager box and show up the score
turn the display from none to flex
when clicking the setting button, the setting section at the top toggle hide.
When selecting the form difficulty level, store in the difficult and also set in the localStorage | https://medium.com/@diyifang/typing-game-with-javascript-7eb464872f7c | [] | 2020-12-26 22:43:33.926000+00:00 | ['JavaScript', 'Frontend Development', 'Frontend', 'Front End Development', 'Web Development'] |
The Judgment Free Zone | For my inaugural post, I wanted to focus on the history that is Rob, however right now it’s more important to focus on where we are as a country. There is a lot of hurt being experienced on all sides. The pain of recent events will hinder any attempt of healing and unity. That is why instead, I’m recommending we all operate under the “Judgment Free Zone”.
You can say what you want with total immunity.
Everyone should be allowed the space and time to experience the election results as needed, so long as it’s done in a non-violent, non-destructive manner. We must take what folks say with a grain of salt. There are just too many things to unpack behind each individual’s thoughts, priorities, and choices. Don’t be a thief of joy.
Regardless of which side you’re on, we don’t have to concern ourselves with who is more correct. History will judge this period of time. We also cannot waste our time identifying the original transgression. We might as well debate which came first: the chicken or the egg.
For now, experience this time in history as you need to experience it. Don’t judge others, and don’t concern yourself with others judging you. In due time, we will have processed our thoughts and emotions. Maybe then we can come to the table and discuss, but that’s a topic for a future post. | https://medium.com/@robert-nowell/the-judgment-free-zone-4ecaef37d541 | ['Robert Nowell'] | 2020-11-10 16:26:57.349000+00:00 | ['Democrats', 'Republicans', 'Democrats Vs Republicans', 'Election 2020', 'Unity'] |
Rousseau’s debacle: Focus on the material or the transcendent? | There are stark differences between Rousseau’s Creed of a Savoyard Priest and his Discourse on Inequality concerning the moral question of philosophical materialism. In both texts, the role of Matter, God, and Freedom are discussed as evidence for or against the validity of materialism as a means of understanding the state of man.
Photo by Sam Loyd on Unsplash
The Role of Man as Matter
In the Savoyard Priest, Rousseau describes the matter by describing different articles of his creed. The first creed assumes that the man, as matter, moves because of a defined cause and not on his own. Rousseau said that “matter receives and transmits motion,” but that matter cannot move on its own volition unless “there is a will which sets the universe in motion.” By saying this, the priest tries to explain how man is subject to a higher force. If this is true, then a material horizontal view, defined as a man seeking answers and power from what is around them rather than the supernatural, would be invalid, as it would not give men enough perspective to understand their role or how they should live their life. The priest continues by saying that materialism has elements which are “repugnant to reason or experience.” This assumption then becomes the basis for a path of logic to describe the importance of considering the supernatural, because though materialism has limits, matter moves according to fixed laws, and that indicates an intelligence dictating matter.
Contrarily to the statements of the Vicar, Rousseau believed that matter, and in effect, man can indeed move upon its own volition and that there was no higher power or “cause” that influenced that. Indeed, The Discourse on Inequality posits that man has the power of perfectibility and that their ability to choose is subsequently their downfall. Whereas in a typical understanding of perfectibility, one believes that it requires the concept of perfection, Rousseau does not believe in the sense of perfection. His idea of perfectibility is based on our desire to progress to become something more significant. As he believes there is no supernal “good” that we can obtain by any effort, perfectibility is defined as the quintessential fool’s errand that leads the human race to attempt to move beyond their natural state which he asserts is the only state where a man could feel any semblance of contentment because he is separated from all that which can cause man misery. He believes that it is impossible to understand why a person without fears or desires should reason, and we make progress in intensifying our earthly passions.
Understanding God
Rousseau addressed God in the Savoyard Vicar, by trying to analyze what the proper relationship is between man and God. He recommends that one uses human reason to arrive at the knowledge of the existence of God and that he should discover the “greatness and truth of God through his own discovery of it,” approaching religion as a skeptic and, at the same time, a free thinker. The Vicar described how the knowledge of God lies in observing the natural order because the natural order is the way God works on the earth. This implies then that any religion that identifies God as the creator and preaches virtue and morality, is true. He asserts that the definition of God is he “who wills and can perform his will, this being active through his own power, this being, whoever he may be, who moves the universe and orders all things.” This allows any overarching force, including nature, to be interpreted as being the supernatural “cause” of matter’s motion. This also allows for criticism of materialism because it opens the possibility of more than just that which is horizontal. As part of the profession of faith of the Vicar, he tries to learn the mode of conduct that God prescribes for man, the nature of God himself, and the reason God places man in the earth and what man’s subsequent moral duties become as a result of God’s providence. The belief in God then disallows a great deal of value being placed in materialism or in a human’s efforts to progress, because, according to the Vicar, it is because of God that everything happens.
Rousseau’s own opinion, however, in the Discourse on Inequality, was that a belief in God served man only as a false hope motivating him to seek to progress and forfeit the simplicity of his natural existence. He believed that Aristotle and the Bible incorrectly presumed that free will was inconceivable and without a higher purpose like “god, nature, or nature’s god.” This presumption led him to create what he believed to be a circular logic that he represented in the Vicar’s testimony, namely that God had to exist because what we see before us had to have been created. After all, we can’t understand it, and if we can’t understand something, then it is part of a higher will. The free will of Rousseau, however, was defined without any moral standard grounded in God or nature. He justified a different morality based on godless freedom without any good or evil. This invited many difficulties in attending to questions of free will, including its value while also trying to justify that neither God nor a morally ordered universe exist.
The implication on freedom
The freedom of man is another vital element of Rousseau’s discussion on materialism. In the Savoyard Vicar, Rousseau says that “Man is free to act, and as such, he is animated by an immaterial substance.” The immaterial substance is the will and power of God. However, the paradox of whether an external force animating someone can allow them to be free is only understood through the lens of different definitions of freedom. For the Vicar, there are feelings which comprise conscience and others which are “mere prejudice” and each hints at man being free to act only within the sphere that God has given him. However, the Vicar identifies the “inner light” as dictating what we should do to not be led astray and implies that the source of that inner light is God. This inner voice then becomes the absolute authority in dictating what is moral. As Rousseau wrote the voice of the Vicar, he wants to make clear an absurdity of logic in the existence of God, namely the fact that the professed source of internal and external will is God and man is not truly free if all elements of his decision making are in the hands of another.
This is in contrast with a materialist understanding, which assumes that man is under no constraints other than those he makes on himself. The Vicar identified two distinct principles that justify the paradox. One of them raised him to the study of the eternal truths, to the love of justice, and of true morality, to the “regions of the world of thought, which the wise delight to contemplate”; the other led him downwards to himself. The result of the latter is that he becomes a slave of his senses, and he is made less free by the passions that the Discourse on Inequality deem to be the source of man’s peace. Rousseau also answered what freedom would mean in a morally undefined, indifferent, and void universe where materialism is the only God. When people choose to delight in their own freedom rather than being part of nature, they are exulting in their exemption from what has the potential to give them the peace and happiness they seek- the simplicity of their past. Rousseau argues that in the state of nature, man cannot be enslaved because for another natural man to subdue him so that he can ease his load, he must go to more efforts than those he is wishing to avoid keeping the slave. Man can only be enslaved if he allows himself to be put in a position of dependability, and Rousseau’s man in nature would never choose that.
Conclusion
Rousseau had a complicated way of describing his opinions on materialism. The contrast between the two documents he wrote is stark, and he focuses on Matter, God, and Freedom to show the differences in perspectives on materialism. The fundamental question is whether any core questions are truly worth asking because the choice in the belief of the transcendence of what is above or what is around us is enough to add or remove all value from life. | https://medium.com/@riehlenicholas/rousseaus-debacle-focus-on-the-material-or-the-transcendent-6358f97e68b9 | ['Nicholas M. Riehle'] | 2020-04-22 18:42:33.521000+00:00 | ['Rousseau', 'God', 'Religion', 'Morality', 'Materialism'] |
Democratic Stronghold States Filing counter suit, Kamala Harris Could be the 46th President of the U.S. | In an unprecedented year, not only have 19 states joined Ken Paxton (Texas Attorney General) in his attempt to overthrow the results of the 2020 election, several Democratic majority states have joined California’s Xavier Becerra, (CA’s current AG, and recent HHS Secretary cabinet pick) in alleging a vast network of fraudulent Trump votes on election day lead to the record setting 75 million votes (largest voter turnout for a sitting president). California, New York, New Jersey, Oregon, Washington, Colorado, Maine, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Hawaii, New Mexico, Virginia, Minnesota, Illinois, Wisconsin, and even Pennsylvania (lead by outspoken AG Josh Shapiro), have signed, splitting the United States map along partisan borders.
“Never in our nation’s history have we experienced such a divisive election” stated PA Lt. Governor John Fetterman. “We have verified several cases just within Pennsylvania, which Republican voters have commited, and been convicted of, voter fraud”, he continues “A Luzerne county man, Robert Lynn, was charged with several felony counts of interference and forgery after he attempted to obtain a mail-in ballot for his mother which had passed away 5 years prior”.
While that was only one case that led to a conviction, it was the information garnered from his interrogation that led to an inter-state investigation, fronted by FBI Director Christopher Wray, which concluded there was clear cooperation between Lynn and coconspirators Mark Anthony and Marcos Arevalo of Los Angeles County, CA. Director Wray claims “Robert Lynn was under the direct order of Mark Anthony when learning the method for casting several ballots”. Here’s where the alleged operation took a most sinister turn. Wray continues “Not only were these figures working together to register around 8,000 dead voters, they were also largely responsible for the faux drop-boxes placed strategically around California’s urban centers, in an attempt to invalidate hundreds of thousands, if not millions of Democratic ballots”.
Even after those numerous Republican states signed onto Paxton’s suit, the Supreme court justices denied bringing the litigation to their court, citing a unanimous decision not to continue without documented evidence. Becerra’s lawsuit however, was deemed cause for legitimate discussion. While the United State’s highest court has yet to make a ruling on the matter, legal review continues.
An aide close to Chief Justice John Roberts claims, under condition of anonymity, “The court has reviewed the evidence presented by FBI Director Wray, yet they are split on a proceeding that would hold proper precendent”. The aide also asserts “there is wording in the constitution that would pertain to article 2, section 1, clause 3, which defines a scenario in which a split election would be ruled contingent, and therefor the vice-president elect would be recognized legally as the president of the United States come inauguration day in January”. That’s right, structurally speaking, Kamala Harris will be sworn in as President of the United States on January 20th, 2021 if the Supreme Court follows through with their current interpretation!
Of course, it should be noted that the Republican lawsuit is frivolous, and warrants absolutely no change to the results of this election. The counter suit described within this article is a complete fabrication, and only an idiot would have believed anything written here. In fact, the Republican lawsuit, while real, has actually been denied by the Supreme court unanimously, including the 3 Justices President Trump chose throughout his term, regardless of his original intent. States are not allowed to overturn the will of another states election, and even though it is not possible, if it were ruled, it would create an incredibly undemocratic precedent. Don’t believe everything you read on the internet. This is absolutely satire!
Medium’s Howard Weitz contributed to this article. | https://medium.com/@buttpluggenie/democratic-stronghold-states-filing-counter-suit-vice-president-elect-kamala-harris-could-be-the-c369467ff90e | ['Howard Weitz'] | 2020-12-11 04:30:42.176000+00:00 | ['Lawsuit', 'President Trump', 'Vice President', 'Republican Party', 'Kamala Harris'] |
Asphyxiated | Asphyxiated
A Poem
Photo by Ranjith Alingal on Unsplash
Everything is too close. For magic, we need some distance. This is not the right kind of distance: it is a return to neolithic hovels.
But you know that already, you’ve already succumbed, have left words to the air in case you make it. The moment has passed, I am sorry, for you to reveal the next bit of poetry.
The tightness of grip; the blurring of the shades; celebrations in the head, ongoing. You wonder a bit more at the bizarre, but you can’t bring yourself to pull on your shirt.
Untucked from the world’s bottom, you’ve decided on waiting in a closet. This happens. This must happen. And then, when you have exploded your cocoon, threads of dying life all around you, then take a look and see if you breathe. | https://medium.com/literally-literary/asphyxiated-1d368bd8f469 | ['J.D. Harms'] | 2020-12-15 05:33:30.370000+00:00 | ['Image', 'Breathing', 'Musing', 'Imagining', 'Poetry'] |
Misconstruction of Destruction: Urban Space and Equity | A grocery store in the Parkside neighborhood of West Philadelphia after 15 hours of looting. Photo: WPVI Philadelphia
“Riots are the language of the unheard” is a line that has been getting a lot of traction in recent months. The line comes from Martin Luther King Jr.’s speech “The Other America” where the civil rights leader addressed the causal effects of structural racism. The line has recently been used by some commentators to rationalize the destruction of property and looting by a small number of opportunists. As an urbanist, I am concerned that this oft-shared explanation fails to examine the lingering effects on the “unheard” people of color in urban communities. After all, there are unintended consequences to even rightly motivated actions. Many neighborhoods that have been most affected by looting and property destruction, from Kensington in North Philadelphia to Oakland in California, have overwhelmingly been disenfranchised due to blatant racist policy-making as well as decades of disinvestment and economic changes following the post-industrial decline — this phenomenon has been well-documented by scholars like William Julius Wilson and Richard Rothstein. If the construction of space is ideological, reflective of what life should look like in place — we need to examine the beliefs latent in our response to the deconstruction of urban space.
There is a faulty assumption pervading many conversations that the urban landscape is equally reflexive-that Beverly Hills’ Rodeo Drive will bounce back at the same rate as a small, Puerto Rican neighborhood in North Philadelphia. This sheds light on our continuing misconceptions of equity in American cities. The urban landscape has never been equal — from urban renewal to gentrification, urban minority neighborhoods have long been characterized by their destruction. Politically-charged riots, even with just cause, find no exception. In the summer of 1964, a riot ensued on Columbia Avenue in North Philadelphia after allegations of police misconduct. For three days, Jewish-owned businesses were plummeted and destroyed along the busy commercial corridor. The businesses never recovered from the uprising — compounded by the pressure of suburbanization and flight, many businesses left, leaving a wake of vacancy and disinvestment. It would take years for the street, renamed Cecil B. Moore Avenue after the local activist, to economically recover from the protests. It would not be until decades later that a grocery store would return to the neighborhood — no doubt, a nod to the purse strings of encroaching Temple University students. Following, thirty years later, neighborhoods affected by the six-day riot following the acquittal of law enforcement in the beating of Rodney King, would not fare much better. The economy of South LA remains disproportionately behind many neighborhoods of the city. According to a 2017 study by UCLA Luskin researchers, unemployment and poverty have only increased.
What is lost when businesses and buildings are destroyed? Is it just a physical loss? Or does it viscerally affect the quality of Black and Latinx life in place? I cannot help but wonder if it is our privilege, whether race or class, that prevents us from seeing the trickle-down effects of the deconstruction of place in our cities — after all, we are more spatially segregated than ever before. Nike Manhattan’s 5th Avenue store will rebuild. Alexander McQueen in Los Angeles will replace windows — but the profile of many urban communities already experiencing systemic disinvestment will be slow to recover. Before we are quick to condone physical damage to urban neighborhoods (especially for those who do not live there), we must ask ourselves hard questions: Will the few neighborhood businesses return to meet the everyday needs of its citizens in segregated areas? Will grocery stores leave resulting in the continuation of urban food deserts? Will local business owners be fairly compensated for damage by insurance companies? Will the actions of a few lead to lower property values for residents? What are the long-term effects of the damage? Will the destruction lead to a locational seesaw that paves the wave for myopic development? In the end, the uncertainty of answers to these questions only confirm the reasons that protestors march. | https://medium.com/age-of-awareness/misconstruction-of-destruction-urban-space-and-equity-21b47d43c6c0 | ['Lydia Kulina'] | 2020-08-04 00:47:15.640000+00:00 | ['Equity', 'Urbanism', 'Culture', 'Urban Planning', 'Cities'] |
Should The US President Apologize For Hiroshima And Nagasaki? | Two paper cranes, representing peace between the US and Japan, are on display in the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum. President Barack Obama provided them during his 2016 visit to Hiroshima, making history at the time as the first US president to visit the Japanese city. It was a symbolic gesture that went mostly unnoticed in the US but was no less significant. While President Obama did not formally apologize, it was as close as the US had ever gotten to making serious amends for the destruction wrought from the world’s only use of nuclear bombs during a war.
“Little Boy” and “Fat Man,” the names of the two atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki respectively in 1945, delivered a combined death toll of over two hundred thousand souls by the end of that year. Many more men and women developed cancers and other deadly health defects in the decades following. Additionally and somewhat predictably, many Hibakusha (atomic bomb survivors) have given birth to children with severe congenital disabilities.
Since then, no US president has ever apologized, with many going so far as to argue that dropping the bombs was necessary and justified. Olivia Tasevski, writing for The Diplomat, says, “in 1995, then-President Bill Clinton stated that the United States ‘owes no apology to Japan’ for the atomic bombings and argued that the ‘atomic bomb had ended the war.’…Similarly, in 1992, Clinton’s predecessor, George H.W. Bush, asserted that the decision to drop the atomic bombs ‘was right… because it spared millions of American lives.’ Furthermore, in 1985, then-President Ronald Reagan claimed that the atomic bombings ‘saved’ ‘more than one million American lives.’ These attempts to justify the bombings on the grounds of saving Americans lives are not new, rather, they have been mounted by U.S. politicians since the 1940s.”
Evidence suggests that some reasoning for US resistance towards an apology is born out both in polling and a reluctance by the Japanese government. Interestingly in the decades following World War II, while the share of American and Japanese citizens who approve of the US use of atomic weaponry in Japan has shrunk considerably, polling suggests that seventy percent of Americans are not in favor of a formal apology on the part of the US. Surprisingly, a similar sentiment exists in some circles within Japanese society today. The previous Japanese prime minister, Shinzo Abe, referred to the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki as “something that couldn’t be helped.” In the lead up to President Obama’s visit to Hiroshima, a Japanese newspaper did an online poll that saw about sixty-two percent of the respondents saying an apology wasn’t necessary. Some in Japan also worry that a US apology would dredge up calls to force Japan to reckon with its horrific actions in China and Korea.
Still, the prospect of an apology, especially of one as high-profile as this, is worth considering. An act like this would only be a symbolic gesture, but one that could have long-lasting effects if done right. So the question becomes, how do you measure the power of a symbol, and what impact would that symbolic gesture have on the public?
The Government Apologizing Is Not A New Thing
It’s not altogether uncommon for the US government to apologize in some form and fashion for acts carried out decades ago. In 1983, the US government formally apologized for shielding a notorious Nazi turned paid informant from retribution for his crimes in the post-war occupation of Germany. Later in 1988, the Reagan administration signed the Civil Liberties Act into law, which effectively offered $20,000 in compensation and a formal apology to Japanese-Americans who were sent to internment camps by the Roosevelt administration in the aftermath of Pearl Harbor.
In 1993 Congress issued a joint resolution formally apologizing for the US government role in the coup that ultimately led to Hawaii being annexed and admitted into the Union as a state. In 1997, President Bill Clinton apologized for the grossly unethical experiments carried out on black men who were part of The Tuskegee Experiment. Finally, in 2008 the US House of Representatives passed a resolution that offered a formal apology on behalf of the US government for its role in upholding and propagating the institutions of slavery and Jim Crow.
These five groups mentioned above represent a small sub-section of the people and communities owed an apology by the US government. The line is long, and even within these examples, how well these apologies were received vary. Who the government decides is worthy of even the thinnest of apologies is often more a matter of politics and optics than anything else. Nevertheless, all the same metrics of a meaningful apology apply even to the US government. They have attempted to make amends with various means of success over the past several decades. Perhaps the three most important aspects are how public and specific the entity apologizing is, how receptive the victims of an act are to it, and whether that apology is paired with action.
Apologies Can Only Act As A Starting Point
A sufficient apology is comprised of a public recognition of wrongdoing and a willingness to chart a path forward on firmer ground. It’s a starting point, an often effective means of bringing a wronged party back to the table. It may come as a surprise, but in 2009, the US government officially apologized to Native Americans living in the country. Now, you may not remember it because the apology came tucked away two-thirds of the way through a 67-page Defense Appropriations Act that was passed by Congress back then. The apology read, “The United States, acting through Congress apologizes on behalf of the people of the United States to all Native Peoples for the many instances of violence, maltreatment, and neglect inflicted on Native Peoples by citizens of the United States.” The apology continues by saying, “Nothing in this section … authorizes or supports any claim against the United States; or serves as a settlement of any claim against the United States.” This is presumably in response to the dozens of lawsuits brought by Native Americans still pending against the US government.
As a starting point, this public admission admitted to very little and offered very little as recompense. While President Obama did momentarily acknowledge these words in 2010, on the whole, this acknowledgment of wrongdoing towards Native Americans received little to no press coverage or public spotlight, not to mention the vagueness of the words itself and the lack of any specified action to go along with it. Predictably, the apology was not received well by Indigenous groups across the country, and rightfully so.
Nowhere to be found was any mention of potential reparations for those harmed, like what was offered to Japanese-Americans or survivors of nuclear testing in the past. There was no commitment to resources to support Indigenous communities or reforms aimed at telling the full story of the historical relationship between US government and Native Americans. There was no admission of Native American rights to land or sovereignty and no indication that the US government felt any urgent need to take further steps on the issue.
All of this is to say that if the goal is to fully close a chapter of history and truly move on from a blotched past, apologies can only ever work as a starting point. Only through sustained and specific action in the aftermath of a public apology can everyone move on together. Some may wave their hands and claim that the US government has more important issues to reckon with, like the economy or foreign policy or climate change, but consider for a moment why the United States feels so paralyzed and divided today.
Pairing apology with action is often about way more than just a monetary sum of money. It’s about reckoning with history, a willingness to create space to move forward effectively . On many issues spanning multiple communities, the US has refused to do so, and this refusal has consequences. Ta-Nehisi Coates, writing about reparations for Black Americans, says, “Perhaps no number can fully capture the multi-century plunder of black people in America. Perhaps the number is so large that it can’t be imagined, let alone calculated and dispensed. But I believe that wrestling publicly with these questions matters as much as — if not more than — the specific answers that might be produced. An America that asks what is owes its most vulnerable citizens is improved and humane. An America that looks away is ignoring not just the sins of the past but the sins of the present and the certain sins of the future.”
Governments should get in the habit of apologizing.
The US is not the only country that should apologize for terrible actions carried out in the past. Frankly, it would be a difficult if not impossible endeavor to point to a country on a map and find one that hasn’t oppressed, enslaved, or slaughtered a group of people in some fashion. The US, by no means, stands alone in this regard. That being said, the US does stand alone — for better or worse — regarding the inordinate amount of influence it carries on the international stage.
Actions taken by the US government have outsized consequences that can reverberate across the globe. If the US government decides to apologize to a particular group of people, other countries see that. The same applies to those the US government chooses to ignore. All of this is to say that governments across the globe should get in the habit of apologizing for past actions, and the US government is uniquely positioned to lead the way on this issue like so many others.
Take Hiroshima and Nagasaki, for example. While public support for an apology is middling in the US, and the Japanese government seemingly deems it unnecessary, there are plenty of reasons for the US president to follow through with an apology anyway. First, any apology wouldn’t be geared towards the Japanese government but to the Hibakusha who are still living today. An apology like that could dovetail nicely into a campaign to reignite long-waning commitments of nuclear disarmament among the major nuclear powers: the US, Russia, and China.
Finally, an apology like that could be carried out because it’s simply the right thing to do, and governments engaging in even the simplest acts of decency are hard to find these days. Public apologies like this, if done right, can go a long way in rebuilding trust in institutions, neutralizing claims of whataboutism when engaging countries on human rights, and set an example for other countries to follow. | https://medium.com/an-injustice/should-the-us-president-apologize-for-hiroshima-and-nagasaki-dd61e219af5f | ['Robert Potter'] | 2020-12-03 15:04:44.829000+00:00 | ['Japan', 'War', 'World', 'Politics', 'President'] |
Dundee, the Wonder Dog | Animal Anecdote
Dundee, the Wonder Dog
How being pick of the litter can lead to heartbreak
Dundee. Black tri Australian Shepherd. Photo by the author.
He glanced back and forth, back and forth, whining, frozen to one spot there in the kitchen, terrified at his sudden blindness. I could feel the thud of his heart against his ribs as I held him, fast but irregular, and it looked like all the blood in his body was concentrated in his remaining eye. He was only eight.
How did the pick of the litter, primed for show, end up collapsing in the Colorado mountains?
Dundee, Travlin’ Man, was bred to be a champion Australian Shepherd, directed to a show home where he would be groomed for stardom. His owner trained him to trot with panache, to pose tabletop, to love his admirers. And he took him camping once or twice. But human romance had other plans for the young dog. Dundee’s first owner married a lady with little kids, little dogs, and they had a little yard. In a city. Dun was relegated to a pen or a kennel, ostracized by his size and his exuberance. His hair grew and matted, he fretted in frustration and isolation. Fortunately, his only remaining admirer was the breeder who had created him and she had retained controlling interest in the planned best of breed.
We had always shared our lives with Australian Shepherds and when our 15-year-old, Koobi, finally asked for release from discomfort and disinterest in life, we were devastated. We began the search for a pup, maybe a distant relative, and contacted the breeder. She asked if we would consider rehoming a three-year-old male dog. We drove to Denver to meet her and the newly neutered, newly groomed dog. Dundee danced around us, noisy, hyperactive, panting, and around the mounds of plucked undercoat in the front room. We snapped on a lead and went for a walk, the dog still leaping around us in joy.
Feeling somewhat crazy ourselves, we agreed to take on Dundee, and when we opened the truck door, he launched himself into the front seat, over the console, and into the back, but positioned himself with his head on Jim’s shoulder and his nose pointed to the future.
The next four years were filled with fun and frustration. Dundee was great with cats, wonderful with kids, even babies, played catch and frisbee but was absolutely nuts around our horses. He wanted to herd them and us into a spot the size of a soccer ball, and put all his energy and vocalizations into accomplishing that every time we saddled the horses. He was terrific about staying with us on hikes or rides unless there were deer or elk around and it took some stern training to convince him that chasing wildlife was forbidden. Leaving him home, though, was unthinkable and he’d tear a crate apart or leave claw marks across a table in an effort to see out the higher windows. Once released from his prior confinement, he wasn’t going back. He slept by my side of the bed and played tug a war while I did my sit-ups every morning.
At age seven, there were subtle changes. He began to gray around his eyes and mouth. We knew that was early but Dundee still ran and played and barked and loved.
In another six months, Dundee suddenly had hemorrhage in one eye. We took him to a veterinary ophthalmologist and began treatment for an autoimmune disease, Uveodermatologic Syndrome, but he was blind on that side and our biggest concern was the pain from developing glaucoma. That eye had to be removed.
Dundee after right eye enucleation. Photo by author.
In the fall, Dundee was doing his usual frantic race around the arena where we were riding. Then suddenly he wasn’t. I jumped from my horse and ran over to check him out. As veterinarians we are never far from a stethoscope, but it didn’t take much to see the pallor and purple discoloration of his gums, to feel the thready nature of his heart beat.
In the few minutes it took Jim to tie up the horses and get to the barn, Dundee sat up, shook his head, stood, and trotted to him, panting a little, but apparently none the worse for wear. Huh? Had he run into a post? We checked his good eye reflexes, confirmed now normal gum color, steadying heart.
Hopeful, intentionally deluded, we checked blood work and kept a chart of Dundee’s heart rate and color. All good. Until Christmas Eve, again by the arena, he collapsed. And recovered. We made an appointment for an echocardiogram at a local clinic.
Dundee had a tumor on his heart, probably cancer, probably leaking, and because of his breed and statistics, probably genetic. Hemangiosarcoma in a nonsurgical location would eventually be fatal. We had a planned meet up with family at a ski area, family that Dundee cherished, and so we went. He cried and put his beautiful soft paws on shoulders and smiled. Hello and Good Bye.
More and more science is able to identify the genetic diseases we have bred into purebred dogs, to test for some to eliminate carriers from the gene pool: Allergies, orthopedic disease, drug sensitivity, cataracts, thyroiditis, and cancer. But winners beget winners, and sometimes testing is ignored.
Two weeks later, just after the New Year’s birth, Dundee collapsed in the kitchen, his remaining eye filling with blood, swelling, as his heart beat faster and weaker, panic in his mind. We held him close, he trembled and leaned tight against Jim, as I threaded a needle into the vein on his foreleg and gave him peace while my own heart broke. | https://medium.com/creatures/dundee-the-wonder-dog-6ff6d5be17d8 | ['Patty Latham'] | 2020-12-25 16:02:29.983000+00:00 | ['Heartbreak', 'Australian Shepherd', 'Dogs', 'Genetic Testing', 'Anecdotes'] |
Behind the stars | Behind the stars
Once upon a time far away from cities there lived a girl called 'Mihu’. Brown coloured medium length hairs, fair complexion, heart ruling eyes. Although the name was cute the girl had a completely different personality traits.
She lived along with a group of people, all were allergic to humans. Their hatred towards humanity and isolation of this sort conveyed this message. Mihu was the the most recent member, about 1 year ago she joined them. Since that time everyday she brawled to fit into this habitat. Efforts turned up into success, things drastically changed from an innocent girl to a rude heartless person just in few months.
Reality - the harsh yet best teacher ever born on this planet.
To feed themselves they used to do all sorts of unethical works. Prosperity instilled courage in them, courage gave braveness in return. Money flew and power dominated. They spent it celebrating favourable outcomes also bought new arms and ammunations to make the task easier. Fear - the most significant tool to make people puppets. Most of the time fighting wasn’t even required, just showcasing weapons, strength and making them believe that they are impotent was enough. People whole heartedly surrender all their belongings.
Later they gave up these menial tasks and shifted to higher peak than before. The earlier team was now a gang, missions was assigned to them and victory demanded evilness. Mihu further dwelled into negativity since most of the time people use to approach them to secretly harm their very own relatives, disturb the life of so called friends and many such incidents.
Humans are really the most dangerous venomous species till now. Dabi and his team was just concerned about finishing the task, taking their cash and that’s it.
No, they were not cruel they simply cared about their work. Even if it demands dealing with popular personalities, kidnapping, threatening and whatever you can add to the list.
Life is tough. To sail through this journey struggling with the stroms is mandatory otherwise perish.
One day Dabi, the eldest member returned bringing along with himself someone(a boy). He was sweating as if he had faced shining bright sun for the first time, his black shirt was all wet, eyes wide awake by terror, entire body was shivering out of fear.
Friends he is our new member, tell him all the rules - Dabi ordered in a unexpectedly loud voice.
Who’s he? Another one asked staring at the newly arrived boy.
Well, I don’t know anything about him. When I was travelling to one of my friend’s house I spotted him on the road. I think this young soul can help us, we can use his energy to get what we want. Anyway I am sure he might be also wasting his time like every next person of the crowd at least I am providing him employment - Dabi in a narrating tone.
Have you kidnapped him? Questioned Mihu taking a sip of tea.
Not really I simply brought him here - responded Dabi.
Everyone started giggling while the boy was upset at his condition. After being locked up for three days Andrew was finally allowed to come out of the room. Starvation soaked the enthusiasm, taking aid of huge blue drums filled with water he somehow managed to walk.
Have this,Dabi wants you to stay alive - Mihu offered fruits in an old white plastic plate.
Let me go. I don’t want to stay here anymore Andrew requested her.
You can’t go anywhere now. Dabi has brought you up here and honestly speaking he never leaves anything until it returns him some profit. Whether you desire or not but that stupid thought of yours could only gain some sense after you bring value to the table. That simply means - be a part of few crimes, participate actively in tasks, deliver service for a period of four months then think about all that.
four months... Its a long duration - Andrew revolted.
Haven’t you heard any news about kidnappers in your entire life? Do they give a time limit to rescue? Do they answer such dumb questions like yours? You are lucky being picked by Dabi now better stop mourning and get ready to work.
Tie this band across your hand she commanded and left the spot in an annoyed mood.
God where did you brought me Andrew yelled throwing a strong punch at the nearby wall.
Upon keen observation he found that every member had the band. Having a deep sorrow in heart yet an elation in behaviour that’s how most of them appeared to him. After several failed attempts of seeking freedom Andrew at last gave up on his thought process.
Once the period of four months gets completed I will run away from here- he consoled himself.
Days were passing, Andrew somehow adjusted, he improved his physical fitness, learnt a lot about street fighting, trained himself in getting comfortable with using weapons and basics of their self made culture. But sole thing that always amazed him was the joy of the rest of the members. He was the only person who found himself caged others were at absolute peace. He certainly never imagined that even after doing so much of odd jobs their face could have contentment and satisfaction. Although he never appreciated their motto and what he was forced to do but with time he realised that those individuals weren’t as bad as he thought.
Andrew wasn’t allowed to go back unless his part is done Dabi was very strict about this. The continuous improvement that was seen in Andrew’s service did got him few praises. Dabi never harassed or imposed restrictions on anyone especially once the period of four months terminates. He was the founder of the group and not at all relied on team mates he was strong enough to stand alone. I can take help but I can never be helpless - this was something he firmly believed. He was respected by everyone including Mihu.
One year ago Mihu was badly betrayed by a very close person, the orphan child who used to live at her relatives house found it very difficult to sustain herself thus she shifted to this world. Care, pampering, love didn’t existed but peace did.
Actually the true story behind her misery was-
Mihu was deeply in love with a boy called 'Shen' at first both were perfect together later story took a twist the earlier cute relationship started degrading day by day. No longer the old vibes prevailed, ending became predictable. Shen got inclined towards another girl that resulted in frequent fights between the two. Shen never admitted he always had his own set of stories to tell but Mihu once heard him giving words to his new emotion of love to that girl. Mihu didn’t questioned him even once about everything that she witnessed.Since that incident Mihu decided to go away... Far away from the reality.
She met Dabi unknowingly, completely clueless while lamenting over sorrows. He never wanted Mihu to be the part of what he was doing but after listening to her grief he nodded in agreement. You can check yourself in few months later if you want you can leave anytime you want, Dabi told her this right on the first day itself.
Things were extremely difficult at the start, mind demanded time and effort to fit into the frame,emotional messes served like powerful barriers nevertheless little hope helped. Later day by day she finally reached the top of ladder taking slow steps and got mixed up with everyone else.
One fine day all decided to go for fishing.
Would you like to join us? Mihu asked Andrew, while he was busy fixing the old furniture.
Andrew — No, I am busy.
Mihu- well, you got me wrong. I meant to say irrespective of what is keeping you busy, come along with us.
Fine then wait for few minutes, Andrew replied with a smile.
All went to cold water and had a good time together.
Andrew - Mihu what if someone will expose Dabi to the world?
Mihu- That won’t happen, Dabi is smart enough to nominate the souls who won’t betray him.
Andrew- yes, he is quite absurd.
Mihu-He is really interesting. I wish I could watch a biopic on his life.
Andrew laughed hearing this.
Months passed —
Finally Andrew turn got over next morning he could depart back to his home, delight was expected because for this day he was waiting for a long time.But scenario was different, he didn’t gave any sign of happiness. Behaving like usual in fact he was silent, a bit sad appeared as if he was having conflicts going on in his mind.
Mihu was the one who used to stay awake until midnight sitting at a roof top looking at the sky silently for hours. While trying to calm down his restless mind Andrew spotted her sitting all alone gazing at the dark sky.
Still awake? He asked making his way to the same roof.
Yes came the reply, Mihu was shocked to see Andrew at this time it was an unexpected arrival.
Why? Andrew questioned sitting down.
May I know the reason behind this concern, She asked looking straight into his eyes.
I wish I could tell you- answered in a soft voice
Better you don’t - said Mihu
By the way, its my daily routine she added.
Andrew - I tried catching sleep but was unable to.
Mihu-Oh, I see you are excited for tomorrow’s sunrise.
Andrew-No, not at all. I will probably stay back.
Mihu-You know that’s the thing about bad deeds they are always fascinating even positive characters fall into this pit.
Andrew-There’s nothing of that sort your logics rarely hold sense. All this is not right, my ethics don’t coordinate with these task. And I don’t even want you to be a part of it. There lies an entire life ahead leave all this and live like normal humans.
Mihu-No human can ever choose solitude by choice, behind isolation prevails a painful story. You haven’t tried my shoes. I halted on this journey because destinations collapsed. What’s the matter with you?
Andrew-I don’t know maybe because destinations started to appear in my case.
Humans are really complicated beings. Goodnight if you planned to stay and goodbye if you are about to leave, Mihu said this and went to her cozy bed.
Andrew spent whole night thinking, acknowledging the arguments of heart vs mind. Staring at those twinkling stars spread all over the sky, feeling cold winds hearing low voices of nocturnal species.
Rays of the rising sun spread around attestating every minute of the sunrise. Still lying down on the same roof in the same condition, it was just the transition from night to day but vibes changed. Andrew didn’t left. He finally decided to listen to his inner voice.
He still gave preaching about goodness, continued to explain but his words no longer had any worth. It was like choosing to stay indoors and blaming the walls.
Days passed time flew,
Dabi once called Mihu and gave her details regarding the next path she was supposed to trace. I know its not easy but you can do it - Dabi gave few more words of inspiration. She was assigned the exact time to attack and only if she succeeded in returning before night ends then there are chances of survival otherwise she had to loose her life. Everyone was afraid after listening to the level of risk involved in it. Dabi said,if situation gets worse which surely will then you may kill the girl and finish the task.
Mihu didn’t wanted to kill anybody she did caused harm but ending someone’s life was never her cup of tea. However she started gearing up for work, packed up the essential commodities. She was nervous, the sadness on her face clearly reflected her negotiation.
Come here Andrew said pulling her hand he took her to the roof.
Hey, please don’t say yes for this one, Andrew requested.
Why? she asked.
Can’t you see what it demands? This is dangerous you might end up loosing your life.
Who cares?, Mihu said faking a smile.
I do, Andrew in disquiet.
Ideally you shouldn’t be, replied Mihu.
At least allow me to come along with you, he insisted.
Dabi is very much task specific haven’t you still got this in your head.-she told.
Mihu.. - Andrew in surge of anxiety.
Mihu-Andrew you know the girl is Sofia.
Andrew- Do you know her?
Mihu-Yup very well, Sofia is Shen’s wife.
Andrew-So?
Mihu-Shen was the person who pushed me into all this. His changed emotions were indigestible, things fall apart, dreams died, reality brought me here.
Andrew-Do you love him?
Mihu- I used to.. I was literally crazy for him. Earlier I used to be the exact same person that you always ask me to be. Love ruined me no longer I can place complete trust on anyone. The habit of believing, hope, innocents, all went in vain. Now even the words of most honest person of the world would seem false to me. Fakeness seems to be the only real thing. But, you know what- betrayal makes people strong.
Andrew-Did you tried to get him back?
Mihu- No
Andrew- Why Mihu?
Mihu- I don’t know, the realisation of his love for sofia broke me into pieces. I just wanted to hide myself somewhere behind the stars.
Andrew- So that’s the reason for hesitating to go?
Mihu- Killing her would result in snatching away Shen’s peace. I don’t want to harm her it will demonstrate revenge and I never wanted to take revenge. All these struggles will ultimately become a crap. Andrew, I don’t have it in me what it takes to face him again.
But.. I have to go.
Andrew stupefied and trouble of letting her go, got more complicated. It was already risky on top of that Mihu was fragmented, her shattered emotional state could cause her severe damage.
Mihu please don’t go. — Andrew in a heavy voice, he looked like a stubborn child.
Mihu- Don’t worry its just about watching the stars alone nothing else Andrew. Take care,Bye!
She went ahead to finish the task assigned. She travelled the path after years every step inched her closer to shen and sofia. The pictures that took long time to get blur was gaining back its sharpness. Memories came running towards her she didn’t wanted to destroy their happily married life. Guilt will never ever let her stay in peace she knew that very well.
Time limits were-
At 10:00 pm departure
At 11:15 pm reach
Complete the task
Leave the spot before 12:00
Mihu was treated as if she would never be seen again. Greeting, showering blessings by everyone. Andrew couldn’t accept the fact that it was the last time he was spending with her. The strength required to put together the courage of saying the final goodbye didn’t existed Andrew got back to the roof top hiding his emotions. Praying, breaking down in tears seeing at the sky sitting on the same place were he used to be with Mihu.
The young girl already suffered so much don’t end her life like this. She deserves joy, smiles, laughter, relatives, home, hope, love. Andrew pleaded god to protect her and wanted her to return.. Return anyhow.. At any cost. He knew Mihu won’t kill Sofia that is same as saying she will harm herself in the process. With every passing minute his heartbeat was increasing, worries grabbed him more as midnight arrived. Mihu was the sole reason why he didn’t returned back to his hometown. She was like a candle of hope, unknown pillar of support, toughness to survive even when he was dragged into this hell. The void her absence would create gave shiverings to Andrew. Every thought disturbed him, every memory urged him to cry more. God please don’t do this to me, he helplessly pleaded.
Suddenly sound of soft footsteps hit his hear, he immediately turned and was surprised to see Mihu standing right in front of his eyes. Andrew didn’t believed what he saw, he rubbed his tears filled eyes to make sure that it’s not an illusion.
Now stop crying! Mihu said moving ahead she sat next to him.
Are you okay? The voice of his concerns.
Yes, absolutely okay she replied adjusting strands of her hairs.
I can’t kill anyone nor do I wish to, this realisation pulled me back. I will apologise to Dabi for being incapable of doing what he said.
Andrew just stared at her without saying a word.
Mihu can’t you leave all this? He asked this question again wiping his tears.
Okay done! She said opening the knots of the band tied around her wrist. She threw it away it was unbelievable but real Andrew followed the same steps.
I have one last mission to execute, she said
Again?, he frowned.
Yup and it will last forever. Would you like to be a part of it?
Is this a question to ask- he responded, Mihu smiled.
Andrew finally had a moment of peace, heartbeat relaxed, true happiness shined through his warming smile. Mihu took a deep breath gazing at the sky, taking support of his shoulder she placed her head on it. Andrew clutched her hands and kissed her head while silently thanked god for listening to his prayers.
Both rejoiced somewhere behind the stars✨ | https://medium.com/@amnaaz/behind-the-stars-5800601ad6d2 | [] | 2020-12-05 19:08:08.277000+00:00 | ['Microfiction', 'Stars', 'Storytelling', 'Short Story', 'Lovestory'] |
Why the House Always Wins | You may have heard the phrase, but why can’t you make money gambling? Let’s have a look at four games to find out why we’re always at a disadvantage in the casino
Slot Machines
This is an easy one, works off a similar concept as the lottery, the payouts are infrequent enough that the nominal fee (the euro, quarter etc.) required to play adds up until it cancels out any jackpot, you can win money at this, but you can’t KEEP winning money. The longer you play, the more the odds should balance out (In the casino’s favour)
Blackjack
This is a harder one, at first glance it looks like you and the dealer are playing by the same rules, but the advantage lies in the information. You’re playing blind, choosing when to “stick” based on guesswork; The dealer on the other hand goes second, he has a number to beat, this actually gives them a noticeable advantage. Card Counting, a surprisingly simple strategy uses the fact
Roulette
This one can vary a bit from place to place, but if you find a roulette table with the option “double your money if the ball lands on black” you’ll notice that the wheel’s actually slight less than half black… and also less than half red; By adding extra tiles, eg ‘0' and ’00’, they’re able to push the odds of winning just slightly below 50%. With almost bottomless pockets, casino’s can afford to take these sort of risks, knowing that eventually they should turn a profit
Poker
This is an unusual one, it seems like the casino shouldn’t be able to make a dime from a game they’re not even “playing”, but most casinos take a flat percentage cut of the winnings | https://medium.com/@markkealy64/why-the-house-always-wins-4b7a09eb0f7e | ['Mark Kealy'] | 2021-12-10 09:28:58.537000+00:00 | ['Betting', 'Gambling', 'Odds And Betting', 'Casino', 'Finance'] |
WLST script to set the JDBC Connection timeout properties in WebLogic server | WLST script to set the JDBC Connection timeout properties in WebLogic server Albin Issac Follow Jun 19 · 2 min read
There are different timeout properties in the JDBC connection, this tutorial explains the approach to set some of the important JDBC Connection timeout properties in WebLogic server through WLST script.
Inactive Connection Timeout
The number of inactive seconds on a reserved connection before WebLogic Server reclaims the connection and releases it back into the connection pool.
You can use the Inactive Connection Timeout feature to reclaim leaked connections — connections that were not explicitly closed by the application.
Connection Reserve Timeout
The number of seconds after which a call to reserve a connection from the connection pool will timeout.
When set to 0, a call will never timeout.
When set to -1, a call will timeout immediately.
Statement Timeout
The time after which a statement currently being executed will time out.
A value of -1 disables this feature.
A value of 0 means that statements will not time out.
oracle.jdbc.ReadTimeout
The property oracle.jdbc.ReadTimeout helps to set read timeout while reading from the socket.
oracle.net.READ_TIMEOUT for jdbc versions < 10.1.0.5 oracle.jdbc.ReadTimeout for jdbc versions >=10.1.0.5
oracle.net.CONNECT_TIMEOUT
The property oracle.net.CONNECT_TIMEOUT helps to set the login time out in Oracle.
WLST Script
The below WLST script will help us to set the JDBC connection timeout properties
SetJDBCTimeoutProperties.py
def setJDBCTimeoutProperties():
dsName='CRM6EAIReference'
edit()
startEdit()
server='AdminServer'
cd("Servers/"+server)
target=cmo
print '========================================='
print 'Setting the timeout properties for DataSource....'
print '========================================='
cd('/JDBCSystemResources/'+dsName+'/JDBCResource/'+dsName+'/JDBCDriverParams/'+dsName+'/Properties/'+dsName)
#cmo.destroyProperty(getMBean('/JDBCSystemResources/'+dsName+'/JDBCResource/'+dsName+'/JDBCDriverParams/'+dsName+'/Properties/'+dsName+'/Properties/oracle.net.CONNECT_TIMEOUT'))
cmo.createProperty('oracle.net.CONNECT_TIMEOUT') #cmo.destroyProperty(getMBean('/JDBCSystemResources/'+dsName+'/JDBCResource/'+dsName+'/JDBCDriverParams/'+dsName+'/Properties/'+dsName+'/Properties/oracle.jdbc.ReadTimeout'))
cmo.createProperty('oracle.jdbc.ReadTimeout') cd('/JDBCSystemResources/'+dsName+'/JDBCResource/'+dsName+'/JDBCDriverParams/'+dsName+'/Properties/'+dsName+'/Properties/oracle.net.CONNECT_TIMEOUT')
cmo.setValue('10000') cd('/JDBCSystemResources/'+dsName+'/JDBCResource/'+dsName+'/JDBCDriverParams/'+dsName+'/Properties/'+dsName+'/Properties/oracle.jdbc.ReadTimeout')
cmo.setValue('20000') cd('/JDBCSystemResources/'+dsName+'/JDBCResource/'+dsName+'/JDBCConnectionPoolParams/'+dsName)
cmo.setInactiveConnectionTimeoutSeconds(120) cd('/JDBCSystemResources/'+dsName+'/JDBCResource/'+dsName+'/JDBCConnectionPoolParams/'+dsName)
cmo.setConnectionReserveTimeoutSeconds(30) cd('/JDBCSystemResources/'+dsName+'/JDBCResource/'+dsName+'/JDBCConnectionPoolParams/'+dsName)
cmo.setStatementTimeout(120) save()
activate() print 'Timeout settings for the datasource '+dsName+' has been completed'
def main():
adminURL='t3://localhost:7001'
adminUserName='weblogic'
adminPassword='weblogic1'
connect(adminUserName, adminPassword, adminURL)
setJDBCTimeoutProperties()
disconnect() main()
Script
Before executing the script, change the configurations as required.
Execute the script — <<Oracle_Home>>\oracle_common\common\bin\wlst.cmd SetJDBCTimeoutProperties.py
Restart the server after successful execution. Now the JDBC connection timeout properties are set to the data source.
Under advanced section | https://medium.com/tech-learnings/wlst-script-to-set-the-jdbc-connection-timeout-properties-in-weblogic-server-f55bba328aa1 | ['Albin Issac'] | 2020-08-06 18:10:00.922000+00:00 | ['Programming', 'Oracle', 'Servers', 'Software Development', 'Weblogic'] |
Language of Theory U is quite interesting. Would like more reads on Theory U. | Not deny my feelings of worthlessness / powerlessness/ face them squarely. In the language of Theory U , it is about observing and suspending Voices of Judgement, Cynicism and Fear. | https://medium.com/@girishkurup21/language-of-theory-u-is-quite-interesting-would-like-more-reads-on-theory-u-d1b0bc7499bc | ['Girish Kurup'] | 2020-12-18 02:38:25.533000+00:00 | ['Leadership Development', 'Leadership Coaching', 'Learning'] |
Top 10 Machine Learning Frameworks You Need to Know | The era of Machine Learning is here and it’s making a lot of progress in the Technological field and according to a Gartner Report, Machine Learning and AI is going to create 2.3 million Jobs by 2020 and this massive growth has led to the evolution of various Machine Learning Frameworks. In this article, we will cover the following topics:
What is Machine Learning?
Top 10 Machine Learning Frameworks
TensorFlow Theano Scikit-learn Caffe H20 Amazon Machine Learning Torch Google Cloud ML Engine Azure ML studio Spark ML lib
What is Machine Learning?
Machine learning is a type of Artificial Intelligence that allows software applications to learn from the data and become more accurate in predicting outcomes without human intervention.
It is a concept which allows the machine to learn from examples and experience, and that too without being explicitly programmed. To make this happen we have a lot of Machine Learning Frameworks available today. Machine Learning algorithms are an evolution of normal algorithms. They make your programs smarter by allowing them to automatically learn from the data you provide.
Top 10 Machine Learning Frameworks
A Machine Learning Framework is an interface, library or tool which allows developers to build machine learning models easily, without getting into the depth of the underlying algorithms. Let’s discuss the Top 10 Machine Learning Frameworks in detail:
TensorFlow
Google’s Tensorflow is one of the most popular frameworks today. It is an open-source software library for numerical computation using data flow graphs. TensorFlow implements data flow graphs, where batches of data or tensors can be processed by a series of algorithms described by a graph.
Theano
Theano is wonderfully folded over Keras, an abnormal state neural systems library, that runs nearly in parallel with the Theano library. Keras’ fundamental favorable position is that it is a moderate Python library for profound discovering that can keep running over Theano or TensorFlow.
It was created to make actualizing profound learning models as quick and simple as feasible for innovative work. Discharged under the tolerant MIT permit, it keeps running on Python 2.7 or 3.5 and can consistently execute on GPUs and CPUs given the basic structures.
Sci-Kit Learn
Scikit-learn is one of the most well-known ML libraries. It is preferable for administered and unsupervised learning calculations. Precedents implement direct and calculated relapses, choice trees, bunching, k-implies, etc.
This framework involves a lot of calculations for regular AI and data mining assignments, including bunching, relapse, and order.
Caffe
Caffe is another popular learning structure made with articulation, speed, and measured quality as the utmost priority. It is created by the Berkeley Vision and Learning Center (BVLC) and by network donors.
Google’s DeepDream depends on Caffe Framework. This structure is a BSD-authorized C++ library with Python Interface.
H20
H20 is an open-source machine learning platform. It is an artificial intelligence tool which is business-oriented and helps in making a decision based on data and enables the user to draw insights. It is mostly used for predictive modeling, risk and fraud analysis, insurance analytics, advertising technology, healthcare, and customer intelligence.
Amazon Machine Learning
Amazon Machine Learning provides visualization tools that help you go through the process of creating machine learning (ML) models without having to learn complex ML algorithms and technology.
It is a service that makes it easy for developers of all skill levels to use machine learning technology. It connects to data stored in Amazon S3, Redshift, or RDS, and can run binary classification, multiclass categorization, or regression on the data to build a model.
Torch
This framework provides wide support for machine learning algorithms to GPUs first. It is easy to use and efficient because of the easy and fast scripting language, LuaJIT, and an underlying C/CUDA implementation.
The goal of Torch is to have maximum flexibility and speed in building your scientific algorithms along with an extremely simple process.
Google Cloud ML Engine
Cloud Machine Learning Engine is a managed service that helps developers and data scientists in building and running superior machine learning models in production.
It offers training and prediction services that can be used together or individually. It is used by enterprises to solve problems like ensuring food safety, clouds in satellite images, responding four times faster to customer emails, etc.
Azure ML Studio
This Framework allows Microsoft Azure users to create and train models, then turn them into APIs that can be consumed by other services. Also, you can connect your own Azure storage to the service for larger models.
To use the Azure ML Studio, you don’t even need an account to try out the service. You can log in anonymously and use Azure ML Studio for up to eight hours.
Spark ML Lib
This is Apache Spark ‘s machine learning library. The goal of this framework is to make practical machine learning scalable and easy.
It consists of common learning algorithms and utilities, including classification, regression, clustering, collaborative filtering, dimensionality reduction, as well as lower-level optimization primitives and higher-level pipeline APIs.
With this, we have come to the end of our Top 10 Machine Learning Frameworks list.
If you wish to check out more articles on the market’s most trending technologies like Python, DevOps, Ethical Hacking, then you can refer to Edureka’s official site.
Do look out for other articles in this series which will explain the various other aspects of Data Science. | https://medium.com/edureka/top-10-machine-learning-frameworks-72459e902ebb | ['Sahiti Kappagantula'] | 2020-05-07 12:49:59.600000+00:00 | ['Machine Learning', 'Scikit Learn', 'TensorFlow', 'Data Science', 'Ml Framework'] |
Self-Promoting, Photo Album Bullshit Pic #4 | For over a decade I made more $$ from honorariums, flying around the USA and world than from actual books sales — let’s be honest, fame is as much fun as $$ when you already have enough $$. Terry Trueman Dec 27, 2020·2 min read
With my gr8 homeboy Sherman Alexie image author’s priv pics
Sherman Alexie got smacked down by the #Metoo stuff worse than pretty much anybody else in our biz. But to me he’s always been a great writer and generous spirit!
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Wikipedia & Encyclopedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terry_Trueman
http://www.encyclopedia.com/children/scholarly-magazines/trueman-terry-1947
Follow me and I’ll fol. you back . . . who knows, maybe one day soon, your pic will be in my Self-Promoting Photo Album Bullshit, too (also)! xoxoxo
Unimportant note, (ergo parenthetical, thus ignore without any fear of really missing anything IMPORTANT):
(I’m adding a few more words here because it appears that if I have fewer than 155 words, that makes Medium pick this posting up as a short-form piece and this shows my initial pic in a blurry background, which I wouldn’t mind if this were meant to be a short-form (never mind that it’s also spozed to be a fucking PHOTO ALBUM!), but it isn’t, it’s not meant to be short form, it’s meant to introduce this whole Bullshit photo album concept which will make other Medium readers and writers wanna follow me (not, you know, to the ends of the earth or anything,) but enough to raise my monthly earnings over ten bucks despite the fact that all I publish here on Medium are sorta poems that don’t rhyme and pics of mostly myself, but that amuse me and obviously about one out of every 989 kazillion other people.
Am I over 155 words yet? let’s see how this posts . . . Yep, this useless, irrelevant note put me over the top and made Medium take my Self-Promoting, Photo Album Bullshit picture be bigger and look more, I dunno, serious or something. FOR ALL FUTURE PICS WITH THIS TITLE, YOU CAN COMPLETELY IGNORE THIS NOTE B/C YOU’VE ALREADY READ IT!
I’d thank you for your patience but I think such a ‘thank you’ is grossly presumptuous. | https://medium.com/@ttrueman/self-promoting-photo-album-bullshit-pic-4-9c6c24ba0a6f | ['Terry Trueman'] | 2020-12-27 16:37:34.203000+00:00 | ['Bullshit', 'Pics', 'Friends', 'Authors', 'Fame'] |
Innovate DeFi with CosmWasm in Tgrade | Photo by Clark Tibbs on Unsplash
You may have been on one of our workshops to introduce you to writing smart contracts to deploy to CosmWasm, or curious about CosmWasm and writing smart contracts where you don’t have to worry about oscillating gas prices and the speed of the network?
The chances are that you are dreaming up the next big DeFi thing, Teppanyaki? Samosa? Pakora? or ??? Confio, the team behind CosmWasm, have testnet Coralnet running to let you try your ideas out.
You have tried out some of the samples, had a go at your own and are getting comfortable with the syntax, how to put a smart contract together, and becoming confident about deploying.
The next steps might be to look at some “oven ready” smart contracts in our github under the cosmwasm-plus directory that you can look at for inspiration or to base your new DeFi product on?
Photo by Mark Potterton on Unsplash
Inspiration to build DeFi
If you are stuck on what to build, you could try a version of an ERC1400 as a new security token or ERC2222 as a fund distribution contract to handle debt instruments cashflows? Can you find inspiration in the traditional markets?
How about a Contract for Difference (CFD)? How would this work in DeFi?
The key feature of the CFD is that the buyer does not need the full amount of capital to buy an asset, but is trading on the difference between the opening and the closing price of the contract.
For example Alice buys a CFD as she expects the price of DAI to go up against ETH, let’s say that 1 ETH buys 339 DAI and Alice expects this to 424 (an increase of 25%). Alice enters a contract to buy 100 ETH/DAI and if she is right and the price moves to 424, she would make (42,400–33,900) 8,500 DAI. If the price dropped to 275 then she would lose 6,400.
The strategy Alice is following is risky as it uses leverage, and this must be offset by margin or collateral to ensure that either Alice pays if the markets move against her or Bob pays if Alice is right.
How can we translate this into a smart contract? The challenge is to ensure that both parties will honour the contract in a trustless environment. If we ask both parties to lockup too much collateral it will not be too attractive for either side. The way to think of the leverage and margin is to look at the potential losses each party might incur and this would require both Bob and Alice to pledge the amount should the price change by a given percentage, say, 25% and there is a daily process which uses a reference price to determine the margin. There is a margin buffer of 15% so that if the price has moved towards the buffer then either Alice or Bob need to pledge further tokens to cover the agreement. If the party needing to pledge failed to do so then the contract is liquidated in preference to the other party.
⏭ The first step is that the contract is opened between Alice and Bob. Both Alice and Bob would put up the initial amount which is 25% of the nominal value of DAI, 8,475 to the contract.
⏭ There is a daily margin process where the price is obtained from an oracle and the amounts calculated. Let’s say the price has moved to 380, Bob is covered as it is below the 15% buffer.
⏭ In the event that the buffer is reached with the daily margin process, now the price is 400 and Bob needs to pledge further tokens to increase his margin. If Bob fails to do this then the contract is closed and Alice receives Bob’s margin of DAI 8,475 and her pledged tokens.
⏭ At the end of the contract the final price is sourced from the oracle and the difference is calculated and the payout is either to Alice or Bob depending on whether the price has gone above or below the initial price. In our example, if the price has gone to 300 the Bob is paid, if it goes to 400 then Alice is paid.
The CFD example is a rough outline but we hope this will inspire you to sketch out how a smart contract could work to model the CFD or to explore other potential DeFi products and be part of the innovative Tgrade chain
Photo by Robynne Hu on Unsplash
Confio’s plans for DeFi
We launch an incentivised testnet in Q4 2020, and Tgrade, our mainnet, launch in Q1/2021.
You have a couple of months to experiment and make sure your smart contracts are rock solid. You then deploy it to Tgrade which is running a CosmWasm engine and then tell the world about it.
What is our long term vision?
Our plans for Tgrade are to build out a DeFi platform that innovates and we have plans to develop the governance frameworks to enable self-sovereign DeFi markets to grow which are compliant with REGULATIONS.
Why do we think the future of DeFi is regulated? Simple, the regulators will not ignore DeFi forever, and secondly DeFi volumes are in the low billions, whereas the regulated markets volumes measure in thousands of trillions. A big barrier to regulated institutions in the blockchain space are the lack of regulations.
Need some help? Want to find out when our next workshops are?
The documentation is here
If you have questions https://docs.cosmwasm.com/chat
If you missed a workshop and want to watch again click here
Future Workshops → Follow #workshop channel at CosmWasm Discord | https://medium.com/tgradefinance/innovate-defi-with-cosmwasm-in-tardigrade-a69404acbadd | ['Martin Worner'] | 2021-05-05 14:23:12.014000+00:00 | ['Cosmwasm', 'Smart Contracts', 'Defi'] |
Iran nuclear deal could be saved by Joe Biden | With Democrats set to benefit manipulate of US overseas coverage in January, hopes are up that the anciental Iran nuclear deal, signed with the aid of using former President Barack Obama and repudiated with the aid of using President Donald Trump, may be salvaged with the aid of using the incoming Joe Biden administration.
This become the sensation expressed at a high-stage digital convention on Monday among the overseas ministers of Iran, France, Germany, UK, China and Russia– nations aside from america who’re events to the deal, and whose purpose is to save you Iran from growing a nuclear bomb in alternate for comfort from financial sanctions.
A joint announcement of the assembly read, “Ministers stated the possibility of a go back of america to the JCPOA and underlined their readiness to undoubtedly cope with this in a joint effort.”
The Iran nuclear deal, formally the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), become signed among Iran and the P5 (the 5 everlasting participants of the UN Security Council–America, UK, France, China and Russia) plus Germany and the European Union in Vienna in July 2015.
Under the agreement, which got here into pressure in January 2016, Tehran agreed to restriction its nuclear software in go back for comfort from crippling financial sanctions imposed with the aid of using the UN, US and the EU.
The deal, signed after years of negotiations that started out for the duration of the Obama administration, restrained the quantity of centrifuges Iran ought to run and limited them to an older, slower model. Iran additionally reconfigured a heavy-water reactor so it couldn’t produce plutonium, and agreed to transform its enrichment web\ page at Fordo right into a studies centre. It granted greater get admission to to inspectors from the UN’s nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), and allowed it to examine different sites. | https://medium.com/@ajayvaseegaran/iran-nuclear-deal-could-be-saved-by-joebiden-administra-6a706952f767 | ['Ajay Vaseegaran'] | 2020-12-23 12:02:15.288000+00:00 | ['USA', 'Iran', 'Joe Biden'] |
Developers, welcome to Adobe Summit 2017 | One year ago, at Adobe Summit 2016, we launched Adobe I/O as the destination for developers using Adobe APIs, extending the functionality of Adobe products to create new experiences.
Adobe I/O brings together developers for Marketing Cloud, for Creative Cloud and Document Cloud products. Since our launch last year, more than 200,000 developers have come to learn, discover and develop apps and experiences.
One of the key pieces of Adobe I/O is the Adobe I/O API Gateway, which enables to developers to access APIs from products all across Adobe using one unified entry point, one secure way to authenticate and one convenient way to manage API keys.
The Adobe I/O API Gateway is now handling more than 700 million API requests per day, with peak traffic going up to 45 million requests per hour for APIs including Creative Cloud Files, Lightroom Photos, the SendToDesktop API, Typekit, Adobe Stock, Creative Cloud Assets, User Management, PDF Services, Adobe Campaign, Adobe Target, AEM Smart Content, Adobe Launch, and AEM Assets.
Adobe APIs now support OAuth and JWT authentication flows, so that authentication for individual users of web or mobile applications, or deep service-to-service integrations, can be supported easily and securely.
Making Adobe APIs more secure, more scalable and more powerful isn’t enough. For developers that are using APIs to power experiences, speed is one of the key challenges.
With the new Adobe I/O Events feature, which is starting its beta program, developers can create lightning-fast event-based integrations using WebHooks. This means, instead of continuously polling an API for changes — for example, the Creative Cloud files or AEM Assets API’s — developers can now let Adobe I/O Events notify their apps when something interesting, such as a file upload, happens.
Adobe I/O Events will make your apps and experiences react faster, and will get you developing faster thanks to a unified event model, which we will extend to cover all Adobe APIs.
For developers who are attending our Adobe Partner Day today at Adobe Summit, don’t miss our sneak preview of the Adobe I/O Runtime, a serverless runtime for API integrations that will allow you to connect Adobe and to third-party APIs.
The Adobe I/O Runtime allows you to run your integration code in the Adobe Cloud Platform, so you don’t have to take care of server set-up, monitoring, load-balancing, failover, auto-scaling, etc. because the runtime is taking care of this for you, behind the scenes. All you have to do is provide your integration code (JavaScript on node.js), and you can use your development tools like GitHub while Adobe takes care of the rest.
Are you in Las Vegas at Adobe Summit this week? Join us at our sessions:
Also, be sure to follow us on Twitter and watch the Day 1 keynote (Tuesday March 21 at 9am PT) and day 2 (Wednesday March 22, 10am PT) live. | https://medium.com/adobetech/developers-welcome-to-adobe-summit-2017-3050f523ddc9 | ['Lars Trieloff'] | 2017-03-21 18:17:15.990000+00:00 | ['Serverless', 'API', 'Digital Marketing', 'Adobe', 'Webhooks'] |
Kostenloses WLAN im Hotel — Ja oder Nein? | in Both Sides of the Table | https://medium.com/workersonthefield/kostenloses-wlan-im-hotel-ja-oder-nein-a752b6654d58 | ['Reinhard Lanner'] | 2016-06-26 08:31:55.104000+00:00 | ['Wlan', 'Service', 'Internet', 'Hotel'] |
Your First Job Post Grad. What They Don’t Tell You. | Uncertainty, stress and insecurity. A few of the emotions I experienced at my first real marketing job.
At the ripe age of 23, I was nearing completion of my Strategic Relationship Marketing program at George Brown College in Toronto, Ontario. I was eager to start working the second I graduated and make money. Weeks before graduating I jumped on Indeed, LinkedIn and Workopolis to start looking for jobs.
I didn’t have an idea of a specific company I wanted to work for, I just kept my search for entry level Marketing Coordinator and Assistant jobs. After weeks of interviews, I had finally landed a job at a marketing agency. I was extremely grateful that I was hired somewhere and given the chance to start my career.
The process was an easy transition, I was trained by my predecessor for a couple days before I took over completely. I was mainly responsible for managing deadlines, uploading ads and pulling statistics. It seemed like a fair workload, and to make things better, all of the employees were extremely welcoming. | https://medium.com/@danielle-stringer/your-first-job-post-grad-what-they-dont-tell-you-65f59c800723 | ['Danielle Cara'] | 2020-12-15 20:14:37.003000+00:00 | ['Jobs', 'Workplace', 'Stress'] |
The Personal Capital Web Stack, Part II | Everyone knows that devs love trees. In fact, it might be the most common way to start a tech blog post. This time we used a Dragon blood tree. We like the way it branches; it is like the organic physical representation of our node_modules folder….
Hey! It’s been a while and we wanted to let you know that the web team at Personal Capital is still alive and responding pings with low latency.
Our blog has finally moved and we’re stoked about it. In fact, we’re so energized that we wanted to do a follow up on what has happened in the 900~ days since we created our last post and now.
In this post, we’re going to cover all the changes that we’ve made to our stack, why we made those changes and also share some of the good and bad things that these changes have brought to us.
Let’s start with the tech (after all that’s probably why you are here).
The Front-End Stack
We continue to use Node.js for development and builds, which we mix with browser-sync to proxy all non-static requests to a back-end server in the Cloud.
This allows us to run a local version of the website app without having to run the back-end server locally. It also comes with the extra benefit of watching our files and triggering local Webpack builds when they change (hot reload baby!). As you’ve probably already noticed, developer happiness depends greatly on how easy it is to work in the environment, hence our first change.
We’ve transitioned from RequireJS to Webpack. That was a huge milestone. Some of the observed benefits include:
Improved reload times in development.
Intelligent bundling which includes tree-shaking, resulting in smaller bundle size for CSS and JS static resources.
Script Chunks. They’re requested on demand, making our load times even faster.
Streamlining our build and bundling process. Currently, we’re bundling a couple of different apps from the same sources. Before something like this was hard to achieve; many scripts had to be updated to assemble such variations. This made the process slow and risky. Now we have well-defined Webpack configurations that allow us to make all kinds of combinations just by touching configuration files.
Expanded extensibility. Now we can integrate with open source tools already developed by the community (i.e. coverage reports, dependency charts, etc.).
Single Page Application and HTML
Our back-end services are written in Java. The server team has been doing a great job transitioning our old monolithic architecture into microservices. They’ll release an article about that soon, so stay tuned.
Our web service layer handles the request to the APIs and passes the data to the SPA controlled by Backbone and Angular. Backbone is still a key part of our stack, but we’re transitioning out of Angular and into React. Every new component that we have developed in the last three years is written in React. This has allowed us to:
Reuse components easily. React itself plays pretty well with our existing backbone architecture. Achieving functionality is super easy by passing props, as long as you pipe the component lifecycle methods and events in the right way.
We’ve been using the container <-> presentation pattern for a while. We really like the way it abstracts different concerns, giving our components another level of reusability (e.g. we can reuse the same chart with different data inputs coming from different APIs and make it look different by passing props). Now we’re thinking about transitioning away from this pattern into React hooks that just came out of the oven smelling like fresh-baked cookies. At this moment, we’re figuring out how to integrate our testing framework with this new pattern since enzyme doesn’t provide a way to do so yet.
Because of the previous point, our development workflow has entirely changed. We’ve integrated Storybook. Storybook is the first place where we develop components. We start there to ensure that our crafts are fully abstracted from the app, giving us a higher level of confidence when developing truly reusable presentational components.
From the developer’s standpoint, using Storybook was a huge productivity and morale booster. It gave everyone — not just engineers — greater visibility of the components available for use. Also, developing user experiences on it is a breeze since it’s super lightweight and the hot-reload builds are faster than our main web app. This means less time to go for coffee and more time for doing what we love: writing code. The only tradeoff is that we now have less caffeine pulsing through our veins, but the continuous excitement of watching your component coming together pretty quickly makes up for it.
Because of Storybook’s nature of developing components in isolation, web engineers don’t depend on back-end developments, which allows us to work in tandem to deliver a feature without depending on each other.
Since our last post, our HTML rendering technologies have been transitioning from Angular and Handlebars to React.
Styles
We have mostly transitioned from everything that we were using, like Bootstrap, to our own in-house styles based on Inuit. We continue to use BEM as our naming convention and KSS for our styling documentation.
Just like Storybook, we’ve also created our style guide to contain most of the basic HTML components with our styling and variations. This is a good starting point for new people to check our styling practices, class names and branding. There are future plans about migrating all the KSS docs to storybook, but we haven’t found time to do so yet.
Data Visualization
D3 is our go-to data visualization library and it has been that way since Raphael.js slowed down its pace of development almost to the point of not being maintained.
We also transitioned to D3 since it has a richer collection of charting modules out of the box, and Raphael charts were very buggy because we had to write SVG manipulation by hand.
Over this period we’ve integrated a couple of D3 extensions and we’ve built a few in-house React wrappers over it. Now we can reuse many of our charts which are highly customizable by props.
You can check out some more details regarding our D3 implementations here.
Testing
This is one of the areas that has had the biggest changes. Since we’re writing everything in React right now, we figured why not give Jest and Enzyme a chance; the outcome was pure joy.
Jest and Enzyme came in to replace Mocha, Sinon, Karma, and Chai. Their integration with React is natural, and we have been working hard on porting the old test to Jest and Enzyme.
The port is a story in and of itself. We usually hang out about twice a month in the war room to host what we call a “Jesting session”. During this time, we all work on this large list of test files that need to be ported.
Initially, we tried using Jest codemods, but it didn’t fully work with our test codebase. The converted files still had some old stuff. Then one of our teammates got rad. He wrote a custom shell script to convert the syntax using a bunch of “sed …” commands and regexps, a simple solution often forgotten.
Here is what part of the script looks like:
sed -i ‘’ ‘s/to.equal/toBe/g’ $NEWFILE sed -i ‘’ ‘s/to.be.equal/toBe/g’ $NEWFILE sed -i ‘’ ‘s/to.contain/toContain/g’ $NEWFILE sed -i ‘’ ‘s/to.not.equal/not.toBe/g’ $NEWFILE sed -i ‘’ ‘s/to.be.false/toBe\(false\)/g’ $NEWFILE sed -i ‘’ ‘s/to.be.true/toBe\(true\)/g’ $NEWFILE
This saved us a lot of time by doing more straightforward translations automatically. Of course, we had some more complex cases that required manual intervention as well.
Over the time that we’ve been using jest and enzyme we’ve found:
Significant decrease in testing time. Since the tests can run parallel now, this speeds up everything from our git push hooks which executes the unit test to the continuous build that happens at the CI server level. In fact, we’ve just merged some code to only run the test impacted by our changes on the commit hook. This makes the validation process even faster. The code uses the Jest “ — changedSince” parameter, if you didn’t know about this is definitely worth taking a look.
It allowed us to test components in full isolation without relying on anything else than what we’re testing. The mock functions work right out of the box with no configuration needed.
Easy implementation encourages TDD. This comes naturally. The easier it is to implement a test, the more you’ll enjoy writing them.
Out of the box coverage reports, this is something that we weren’t even looking before and we’ve realized it is key to improving our quality.
Snapshot testing allows us to make sure nothing was updated magically by our changes, giving us a higher level of confidence when releasing code.
IDE integration makes developing tests so easy that everyone is looking forward to writing unit tests. The hot-reload gives you immediate feedback while using TDD.
Testing and quality have become a big part of our day-to-day over time. As we grow, we need to continue to uphold our legacy of trust. The quality of our shipped features plays an important part in this as it does in any financial institution.
CI
We’ve fully transitioned to Jenkins 2. This impacted every dev team in the organization, including the web team. We’ve previously published an article about what this migration journey was like for the engineering team and you can find it here.
Wrapping up
For the record, anything that was not mentioned here remains the same. E.g. for versioning we still use Git and our sprints last one extreme week.
It has been a long journey to achieve the current state of maturity in our development processes and there’s way more to go. In fact, the only thing we’re sure about is that we will never stop making changes to our stack.
As new tech moves in, we need to stay updated. We do not integrate new technologies just for the sake of using what is super cool and cutting edge, but rather we identify what would really make a difference for us and the business. Finding a balance between the two is the key.
An example of the above is that in the past year some of our team members have been experimenting with GraphQL. They even developed a proof of concept during one of our internal hackathons. We find ourselves liking this way of fetching data a lot, but since this would be a major change we haven’t explored this option further. Maybe at some point in the future, this will align with business needs and we can pull this card out of the backlog.
Native technologies are coming along faster. New web APIs are published every month and some of them would certainly fill the holes better than the packages in our dependencies are filling right now. This is the case for native web components API, which is currently being implemented and might replace some of our rendering technologies at some point in the future.
Cheers! | https://medium.com/personal-capital-tech-blog/web-tech-stack-2-8656c4411ff3 | ['Luis Sepulveda'] | 2019-04-30 16:10:58.595000+00:00 | ['Jest', 'Web Development', 'JavaScript', 'Webpack', 'D3js'] |
Am I lost? | Am I lost?
I look at my reflection and don’t know who I am.
I see people who know me but they don’t know my true self.
How do you differentiate the person you have to be from the person you really are.
You become lost in a sea of society sweeping you further out in the riptide, the more you drift the more you lose yourself.
You have become a follower.
Just like that as quickly as you wanted to be your own person you look around to find you are just a version of someone else. You are living in borrowed time. In a borrowed life. | https://medium.com/@i.lcobbold/am-i-lost-2f9eeabaac47 | ['Imogen Cobbold'] | 2020-12-20 16:03:52.723000+00:00 | ['Society', 'Lost', 'Feelings'] |
A New Expected Goal Model That is Better Than Corsi at Predicting Future Goals | A New Expected Goal Model That is Better Than Corsi at Predicting Future Goals
Alan Ryder broke ground in 2004 when he published hockey’s first expected goal model titled “Shot Quality,” but it wasn’t until Dawson Sprigings and Asmae Toumi published their expected goal model in October of 2015 that expected goals ascended into hockey popularity. Today, expected goals have usurped Corsi (shot attempts) as the go-to underlying metric for analyzing teams and skaters, and NHL arenas have even featured expected goal data on the jumbotron at intermissions. I recently published an article describing the false dichotomy between expected goal models and subjective shot quality analysis, the advantages of mathematically computed models, and the need for both.
One of the key benchmarks of an expected goal model is its predictive power. In fact, the predictive power of expected goals in general has recently been called into question in an article by an analyst known as DragLikePull. He compared the correlation between 5-on-5 score-adjusted Corsi/expected goal shares in the first half of the season and 5-on-5 goal shares in the second half of the season and found that Corsi was better overall at predicting second-half goals than expected goals were. Based on these findings, he concluded that fans and analysts should discard expected goals at the team level and return to using shot attempts.
My research has led me to different conclusions on the predictive power of expected goals, but before I get into that, I want to address my issue with this line of thinking. A part of me wishes that we had stuck to calling expected goal models “Shot Quality” models instead, because I think that the term “Expected Goals” implies that these models are solely predictive in nature, which isn’t necessarily the case. Even if expected goal shares were completely useless for predicting future goals at the team levels, expected goals would still be extremely useful for describing past events and telling us which teams relied heavily on goaltending and shooting prowess, or were weighed down by poor shooting and goaltending, and even which shots the goaltender deserved most of the blame for, so I disagree with the premise that hockey fans should stop using expected goals at the team level if they are not as predictive as Corsi.
Fortunately, I don’t need to fight tooth-and-nail to support my case here, because I have found an expected goal model that is more predictive of future goals than Corsi is: My own. I built an expected goal model that I will use as the driving engine behind a WAR model that I have built and will be releasing shortly. Before I get into the results of my tests, I will give a brief overview of how I built my model and the variables that I chose to account for. If you’re not interested in this and just want to see the comparison between expected goals and Corsi, simply skip to the test results.
I trained my model using extreme gradient boosting, a hyper-efficient machine learning technique commonly used for regression and binary classification problems. In other words, I showed my computer a bunch of shots, told it which of them were goals, and then used extremely powerful software to teach it to predict the outcome of new shots. I accounted for the following variables in my model:
Shot distance and shot angle. (The two most important variables.)
Shot type.
The type of event which occurred most recently, the location and distance of this event, how recently it occurred, which team the perpetrator was, and the speed at which distance changed since this event. (The inclusion of the last variable was inspired by Peter Tanner of Moneypuck.)
Whether the shooting team is at home.
Contextual variables such as the score, period, and seconds played in the game at the time the shot was taken.
Whether the shooter is shooting on their off-wing. (For example, a right-handed shooter shooting the puck from the left circle is shooting from the off-wing, and a left-handed shooter shooting from the same location is not.)
Additionally, I chose to make an adjustment for scorekeeper bias; an issue I’ve discussed in much greater depth in the past. The adjustment was quite rudimentary: for the past 3 seasons, I subtracted the average shot distance (by both teams) in all a team’s away games from the average shot distance in all their home games. The resulting value from this calculation was a scorekeeper bias adjustment factor which I subtracted from the reported distance of all shots; the difference from this calculation was “adjusted distance” and I used this for my model in place of reported shot distance. To give a quick example of this:
The average reported distance of shots taken in games at Xcel Energy over the past 3 seasons was 2.54 feet further from the net than the average reported distance of shots taken in games where the Minnesota Wild were the away team. This gives an adjustment number of 2.54 feet. If the reported distance of a shot taken Xcel Energy is 30 feet from the net, I subtract the adjustment number of 2.54 feet from the reported distance, and obtain an “adjusted distance” value of 27.46 feet from the net, which I use as the input for my model.
Most expected goal models are trained on a minimum of five full seasons of data to train and then “tested” on an out-of-sample season. I tried building a model using this approach, but I kept running into a major issue: My expected goal values never added up to actual goals. The total number of expected goals I calculated for a given season were typically somewhere between 100 and 300 below the number of actual goals scored in those seasons.
While the collective body of NHL shooters may perform better than the collective body of goaltenders over a given season, a massive discrepancy between the two of them persisting over multiple seasons suggests that expected goal values are too low. Indeed, my values were, and the reason for this is that the NHL shrunk reduced maximum goaltender pant sizes prior to the 2017–2018 season and reduced maximum pad sizes prior to the 2018–2019 season. These changes play a big role in the new high-scoring environment we’ve grown accustomed to over the past three seasons, and using an expected goal model built on old data prior to these changes holds goaltenders to an unfairly high standard and shooters to an unfairly low standard by underestimating goal probability.
In order to combat this issue, I chose to train my model on only the past three seasons. I began the training process using cross validation on the 2017–2018 through 2019–2020 seasons, testing the model on cross-validated samples using different parameters each time with the goal of finding parameters that would maximize area under the curve. The modeling technique which I used to train my model was similar to and inspired by the technique used by Evolvingwild in their expected goal model; the write-up for which was my introduction to the concept of extreme gradient boosting.
Unfortunately, I couldn’t just train the final model on every shot from the past 3 seasons and then test it at once, as this would lead to overfitting. (To put this more simply, if I showed my computer the shots that I was trying to test it on, it would become “too smart” and “cheat” in predicting goal probability by considering results it isn’t supposed to know.) In order to avoid overfitting, I removed 100 game samples from my training sample, trained my model on the other 3,524 games, and then “tested” my model on the 100 games in question, and repeated this process until I had tested my model on every game and saved the results. In total, this technically means that I built 74 different models for the past two seasons: 37 for even strength and 37 for the power play. But because each model was trained on almost all the same data, and each model used the exact same parameters and variables, it’s easier and still mostly accurate to say that I just built two models: one for even strength, and one for the power play.
I also built models for the 2013–2014 through 2016–2017 regular seasons using the same training and testing parameters as I used for the 2017–2018 through 2019–2020 seasons. In theory, I likely could have improved my results for these seasons by repeating the above process of cross validation for these seasons and acquiring different parameters, as these are different seasons with a larger total sample, but the main seasons that I care about are the past three, and any improvement from acquiring different parameters would be rather minimal, so I stuck with the same parameters. For these seasons, the gap between expected goals and actual goals was not a problem, so I just used all data from 2010–2011 through 2016–2017 and removed the test season from my training sample, building eight different models for the four seasons I cared about; four for even strength and four for the power play. I implemented the same scorekeeper bias adjustment for each of these seasons, but I used data from the three seasons prior to the test season in order to calculate a scorekeeper bias adjustment. I prefer this method intuitively and would have done this for the past three seasons as well, but scorekeeper bias has become a much smaller and more consistent (though still significant and problematic) issue in the past 3 seasons, and using older data would provide me with exaggerated adjustment values.
I spent some time working on an expected goal model for penalty shots and shootout shots, but I was remarked at how poorly they performed in testing. After some consideration, I decided to build the most rudimentary model possible for these shots, by assigning them all the same expected goal value of 0.31 goals, which reflects the percentage of shootout and penalty shot goals that became goals over the past three seasons. I am comfortable doing this because unlike all shots at other situations where external variables shape the opportunity available to shooters to score and goaltenders to save, variables such as the location, angle, and shot type in a shootout are all influenced almost exclusively by the shooter and the goaltender. (I didn’t bother to build an expected goal model for these shots prior to this season as they won’t factor into my analysis.)
I also worked on building expected goal models for shorthanded shots and shots taken with at least one goaltender missing, but I ultimately chose not to work extensively on these models or release the results because the sample size for these shots is quite small, and more importantly because my goal for this expected goal model was to empower a WAR model, and I did not plan to incorporate shorthanded offense or any plays created with an empty net into my model. | https://medium.com/@topdownhockey/a-new-expected-goal-model-that-is-better-than-corsi-at-predicting-future-goals-ecfa44dc84e9 | ['Patrick Bacon'] | 2020-12-16 21:17:24.613000+00:00 | ['Analytics', 'Gradient Boosting', 'Machine Learning', 'Hockey', 'Data Analytics'] |
Workshop of Ruby + Ruby on Rails + SCRUM at ORT University — July 6, 2011 | Moove-IT is now part of the Ruby on Rails Workshops and Conferences around the world.
Even when Ruby seems to be the most popular modern programming language in America, there was nowhere in Uruguay you could actually learn it. Moove-IT will give you a heads up on this exciting language and Rails framework on July 6, 2011 (please see ad below).
This will be the first in a series of workshops focusing on Ruby, RoR, Scrum and hands on training exercises.
We are so proud to have made so much progress working with this technology and methodology that we feel the need to contribute to the local Ruby community.
Join us! Be part. | https://medium.com/moove-it/workshop-of-ruby-ruby-on-rails-scrum-at-ort-university-july-6-2011-13b8293c78b7 | ['Blog Moove-It'] | 2016-08-04 12:14:01.297000+00:00 | ['Agile', 'Agile Development', 'Conference', 'Ort', 'Ruby'] |
Day 594– Blanket of Leaves- Haibun Journey Beauty Each Day | Day 594– Blanket of Leaves- Haibun Journey Beauty Each Day
Today’s beauty came in the form of a blanket of leaves. A walk through the yard echoed with the crunch of dry leaves with each step followed with a gentle swooshes the leaves fall away. Once as I stopped the sound of the leaves continued behind me. I turned around to find a golden colored stray following me. When I stopped he would stop and then slide up to me and roll over. I would walk away and he would slowly follow and the scene would repeat. In the end I gave in and patten his stomach. Content he ran off, leaves scattering.
autumn walk
fungi peek out
from under leaves | https://medium.com/finding-beauty-daily/day-593-blanket-of-leaves-haibun-journey-beauty-each-day-550dd6e60ef0 | ["Ada'S Poetry Alcove"] | 2018-01-05 03:00:04.339000+00:00 | ['Haibun', 'Poetry', 'Haiku'] |
Cloud Manager Notifications to Collaboration Channels — Microsoft Teams | Cloud Manager Notifications to Collaboration Channels — Microsoft Teams
Cloud Manager Notifications to Collaboration Channels — Microsoft Teams
Cloud Manager enables customers to manage their custom code deployments on their AEM-managed cloud environments with manageable pipeline automation and complete flexibility for the timing or frequency of their deployment.
The Cloud Manager CI/CD pipeline executes series of steps to build and deploy the code to AMS and AEM as Cloud AEM platforms, refer to the below video to understand the basics of Cloud Manager.
Cloud manager exposes APIs to interact with the CM settings and to manage the pipeline also emits different events on pipeline execution.
The Adobe I/O along with custom webhooks can be used to receive the appropriate events from Cloud Manager and take the required action. Also, the Cloud Manager APIs can be invoked through Adobe I/O to perform different operations on Cloud Manager.
One of the important requirements while working with Cloud Manager is notifying the developer on the status of pipeline execution, the individual developers can subscribe to the email notification as required but there is no default option to send the notifications to group email or another collaboration channel.
Most of the teams like the notification to the Collaboration Channels e.g Microsoft Teams, the Adobe I/O along with CM API, Events, and Microsoft Teams Webhook can be used to send the Cloud Manager Notification to the Microsoft Teams Channel.
The Microsoft teams or other Collobrarion Tools helps to enable the webhooks(POST with JSON data), the webhook can be used to send the notification to the specific channel.
The notification can be managed through a custom webhook or Adobe I/O runtime, Adobe I/O runtime expects two Webhook services to receive the events(due to this the Collaboration Channel Webhook can’t be directly used in Adobe I/O Notification)
GET service to receive the challenge request and respond to the challenge
POST service to receive the different event details
The signature validation is performed as part of the POST service to ensure the request is posted only from Adobe I/O and to protect from security issues.
Some of the additional overheads we discussed e.g GET service to handle challenge and signature validation as part of the POST service can be avoided by using Adobe I/O runtime to communicate with the external webhooks.
We can use one of the below option to send the Cloud Manager notifications to the Collaboration Channels e.g. Microsoft Teams
Enable the Notification through Custom Webhooks hosted on Node JS — Refer Cloud Manager API and Cloud Manager API Tutorial. Somehow the step7-teams.js was failing to create the JWT token with the RS256 algorithm, to fix the issue updated step7-teams.js to use “jsonwebtoken” instead of “jarsigner” module.
Enable the Notification through Adobe I/O Runtime — Refer Cloud Manager Meets Jenkins
Enable the Notification through Custom Webhooks hosted on AEM
Let us now see the details on how to enable the custom webhooks in AEM to send the Cloud Manager pipeline notifications to the Microsoft Teams channel, the same steps can be reused with minimal changes to send the notification to other tools e.g. Slack.
You can get all the required additional data by invoking the CM APIs’s, the Event JSON will have the URLs to get the execution details, execution details subsequently will have the URLs to get the program details, pipeline details, step details, logs, etc(Explore the input JSON’s to get the required details).
Enable Webhook for Teams Channel:
As a first step, let us register the webhooks for the Microsoft Teams channel.
Define a Channel to receive the CM pipeline notifications, Go to the Teams Channel for which the Webhook should be enabled, and click on the three dots in the upper right corner then click on Connectors.
Configure an “Incoming Webhook”
Enter a name and click on create, if required upload a custom image to display on incoming messages.
Copy the webhook URL and click on Done
Enable Adobe I/O Configurations:
Let us enable the required configurations in Adobe I/O, log in to console.adobe.io
Create a new project, edit the project and provide a custom name if required
Add Cloud Manager API to the Project
Now “Generate a key pair”
This will download a “config.zip” with a public certificate and private key(need to be configured in the AEM Service)
Assign the Cloud manager role to enable the required permissions to the API — “Cloud Manager-Developer Role” should be enough to perform the API operations.
Add Cloud Manager Events to the project
Subscribe to the required Events — I am subscribing only for “Pipeline Execution Started”, current AEM service is enabled to handle only this start event.
Enter the AEM service URL (/bin/cmnotification) — I am using ngrok to expose AEM URL externally for demo(use AEM external service URL)
Now the Adobe I/O configuration is ready, let us enable the service in AEM.
Enable Custom Webhook in AEM:
I am enabling the below servlet to accept the requests from Adobe I/O
GET Service to support challenge service
POST service to accept the Event details
Post Service:
Validate the Signature of the incoming request
Parse the Event Data
Generate signed(private key) JWT bearer token
Request for Accesses token with the JWT bearer token
Invoke API to receive the execution details based on the execution URL in the Event Data
Invoke the API to receive the pipeline details based on the pipeline URL in the Execution details(different URL's from the execution details can be used to fetch different data)
Notify teams channel with Teams Channel Webhook
Configure the below values into the servlet(the values can be modified through the OSGI console)
The required values can be retrieved from the Adobe I/O console
ORGANIZATION_ID
TECHNICAL_ACCOUNT_EMAIL
TECHNICAL_ACCOUNT_ID
API_KEY(CLIENT_ID)
CLIENT_SECRET
TEAMS_WEBHOOK — The Webhook URL enabled in Teams
The AEM bundle can be downloaded from here https://github.com/techforum-repo/bundles/tree/master/CMNotificationHandler
Copy the private.key file(from the config.zip file downloaded earlier) to the bundle under /META-INF/resources/keys.
Deploy the bundle to the AEM server (mvn clean install -PautoInstallBundle -Daem.port=4503)
Now the webhook service is ready
Initiate a pipeline from Cloud Manager Portal that will trigger the notification to the Teams Channel.
Currently, the notification will be sent only when the pipeline is started, extend the bundle to support different events and to fetch the additional details from different endpoints — the URL’s can be taken from the JSON response of the parent APIs. This will helps us to receive the notification into the team's channel on pipeline events. This approach may add some additional overhead to the AEM server but not required to maintain any additional platforms, Adobe I/O approach needs the license to the Adobe I/O platform.
Feel free to provide your comments. | https://medium.com/tech-learnings/cloud-manager-notifications-to-collaboration-channels-microsoft-teams-a38d0bae080a | ['Albin Issac'] | 2020-12-06 03:49:15.286000+00:00 | ['Technology', 'Software Development', 'Aem', 'Programming', 'Cloud Management'] |
Conquer The Command Line: The mv Command | In this installment of “Conquer The Command Line” we talk about how to use the Linux mv command.
When ever you want to move or rename files or directories, use the mv command.
Here is how the mv command works. You type mv <item1> <item2> ... , where the items are either files or directories.
Let’s say the command contains the mv keyword followed by two items. This is how to rename a file or directory.
If the first item is the name of a file that exists and the second item is a new name of a file that doesn’t exist, mv renames the file, giving the first name the second name. Let’s say you have a document named daily and you want to rename it to journal. To do that, type mv daily journal .
The same thing happens if the first item is a directory and the second item is a name that doesn’t exist. If you have a directory named data and you don’t have one named docs, you can rename the data directory like this. mv data docs .
Again let’s take an example where the command line contains the mv keyword and two items, but this time the first item is a file name and the second item is a directory name. If that happens, you would move the file into the directory. For instance, let's say you have a file named water.log and you want to move it into the docs directory. Type mv water.log docs .
You can do the same thing if you want to move a directory into another one. For instance, if you have a journals directory that you want to move inside your docs directory, you could type mv journals docs .
Using Paths With mv
I intentionally made the above examples simple. You can also include paths on the command line and rename and move files and directories. The idea is to grasp how this works before you get fancy.
Essential Options
-i makes mv prompt you to confirm that you want to overwrite files and directories regardless of file permission. You might want to consider using it to keep yourself from accidentally destroying something important.
-n : Don't overwrite files. This is another way to keep yourself from deleting something you want to keep. The difference between this option and -i is that Linux doesn't prompt you. It skips replacing files automatically.
You can make directories with the mkdir command. You can remove directories with the rmdir. You can use cd to change to, or move into directories. You can use the pwd to display or print the name of the current directory. You can use the ls command to list the contents of a directory.
Remember to use the man command to find all the options for any command on your system. And remember that for a less technical explanation of commands to check out tldr pages.
Hopefully this post has helped you take one more step in conquering the command line. I welcome any feedback.
This post was originally written at https://www.jimhomme.com | https://medium.com/@jhomme1028/conquer-the-command-line-the-mv-command-e93d1ed93537 | ['Jim Homme'] | 2020-12-15 12:30:23.987000+00:00 | ['Tutorial', 'Command Line', 'Beginner', 'Linux', 'Programming'] |
TUNNEL VISION | TUNNEL VISION
Most of the time, there seems to be no answers to life struggles especially to why we sometimes don’t get it and because of this, it seems right to stop putting out our best efforts while still trying. At every point, you find yourself breaking abound just to move to the next level.
Yes, life throws feats all the time but there comes a level where things seem to be stagnant and uncontrollable. At this stage you have people give you the talk of “Keep moving, there is light at the end of the tunnel”. What if in your journey through the tunnel, at the end of it you don’t see the light? What would you do? Would you wait or turn back or keep moving till you see that light?.
Life is filled with epic obstacles and we must find ways to overcome them but you see some as easy and some as insurmountable. At this level, you need both foresight and hindsight.
Vision is the ability to think about or plan the future with imagination or wisdom. It focuses on the inherent potential of the future. It is a picture of the real results of real efforts. I have this favorite scripture which says “As a man thinks in his heart so he is”.
We all have goals and here are some rules I discovered to achieving the end result regardless of how long it may tarry.
Rule 1: Have a vision from the future that energizes the present.
I played this basketball game with my friend on iMessage (you should try it too) and I was always losing. I gave myself the pep talk of I am not good with games but later I discovered that I kept on looking at the ball before shooting into the hoop hence the fail shoot. I then changed my method of shooting I focused more on the hoop before even throwing and this got me baskets. For me, this was a practical vision in its simplest example. Have a mental picture of what you want and trust your energy to be fueled by your cravings.
2. Know that your outlook determines your outcome.
If you lookout for a red car I promise that you would see a red car. Life just works that way. The world gravitates towards making your thoughts a reality. What you allow into your awareness will ultimately determine your patterns of seeing and believing.
3. Seeing with the natural eye intimidates.
I am a staunch member of the “SAY NO TO FEAR GANG”. Fear is as useless as not getting things done and with this, you fail. When you are overtaken by the spirit of inferiority, and hard times come all you will do is weep.
And sometimes you weep so that people can feel sorry for you. Listen, cowards, die before their time comes. Don’t forfeit your destiny because of the way you see. Stop seeing yourself as a victim and gather your strength.
4. If it is bad then there must be good.
The sight of Darkness shows the possibility of light. There is always a waiting process in every man’s life. At this stage, you learn, re-learn, strategize and make the best moves towards achieving that goal. This in turn makes you overly prepared for where you want to be.
5. Above all trust God to work it out.
Commit your ways unto the Lord, trust him and he shall bring it to pass.
In conclusion, life is a maze where you just have to figure things out and trust your own feet to be led to know the right way. Sometimes you land a strong footing and sometimes flutter. But most importantly you should keep moving. At breaking point, just take a look at how far you have come because when there is life, there is hope.
On the brighter side,
What if you are the light to determine the end of the tunnel? What if NEPA took light? What if the prepaid meter expired? | https://medium.com/@lade-jegede/tunnel-vision-59d3534f60be | ['Omolade Jegede'] | 2021-09-15 22:30:55.828000+00:00 | ['Life Lessons', 'Hopes And Fears', 'Strength', 'Productivity'] |
Best surge protector: Reviews and buying advice | You only know for sure that you needed a surge protector after your equipment fries. Then it’s too late. For a very reasonable amount of money, you could put an almost literal firewall between your expensive (and cheap) electronics and the juice coming in from a wall socket. A surge protector throws itself into the line of fire, sacrificing its components again and again so that your devices stay functional.
These reviews are of surge protectors designed for a home office or cubicle, or a home-entertainment system. Such power mediators have a single function: keeping voltage from exceeding a certain rated level, beyond which equipment can blow a fuse, burn out its power supply, or completely fry its circuitry beyond repair. The surge protector takes a hit instead of your hardware or A/V system, and it could potentially save you hundreds to many thousands of dollars, depending on what you have connected.
[ Further reading: The best uninterruptible power supplies ]You want to make the modest investment in a surge protector for the same reason you want to have a backup of your data: because there’s no going back after an adverse event. Getting ahead of a problem that may be unlikely but not improbable saves you from the enormous consequences if it occurs. (You do have multiple backups of your data, right?)
Updated December 2, 2020 to add our Anker PowerExtend USB-C 3 Capsule review. This isn’t the most robust surge protector, but it does offer fast-charging USB-C (up to 45 watts) and USB-A charging ports in an attractive form factor.The ultimate smart surge protector TP-Link Kasa Smart Wi-Fi Power Strip (model HS300) Read TechHive's reviewMSRP $79.99See itTP-Link’s Kasa Smart Wi-Fi Power Strip makes all the right choices, from a sleek design that fits in with home decor to a set of advanced scheduling options for every kind of routine and travel need—and surge protection.
Yeah, not everyone will want to drop 79 bucks on a surge protector, but TP-Link really has produced the ultimate surge protector. All six of its outlets can be controlled and scheduled individually—and with a polished mobile app, no less—and you can also control any of them with voice commands. There are three USB charging ports here, too. Yes, it’s worth $79. But if that’s outside of your budget, TP-Link’s model KP303 is a cost-reduced version with three outlets and two USB charging ports. It sells for $39.
Best all-purpose surge protector Belkin 12-outlet PivotPlug (model BP112230-08) Read TechHive's reviewMSRP $32.49See itPivoting outlets, a low clamping threshold, high durability, and a cable organizer combine to make this a great surge protector at a reasonable price.
Belkin’s 12-Outlet PivotPlug Surge Protector (BP112230-08) won’t cut off power when it can no longer protect your devices, but it does offer low clamping voltage (330V on all legs). This is a very flexible and adaptable surge protector, with an eight-foot cord and both protection and ground-vault indicators.
Best at powering-off when it can no longer provide protection APC SurgeArrest Performance P12U2 surge protector Read TechHive's reviewMSRP $39.99See itWith well-placed outlets and fast USB charging ports, APC’s P12U2 surge protector offers a great set of features at a solid price.
APC’s SurgeArrest Performance P12U2 is our new favorite surge protector that automatically cuts power when protection ends. It’s a 12-outlet model—two more than our previous pick had—and it has two super-convenient fast-charging USB ports. If you don’t need those two extra outlets and the USB charging ports, the Tripp Lite TLP1008TEL remains a good pick for about $14 less.
Runner-up APC SurgeArrest (model P11VNT3) Read TechHive's reviewMSRP $30.76See itA solid entry that falls short in a couple of choices about continuous power and clamping voltage.
APC’s SurgeArrest is only slightly less flexible than Belkin’s offering, and it won’t cut off power to your devices unless its main line-neutral protection fails. It has one fewer outlet than the PivotPlug,and it doesn’t have those fancy rotating outlets, but it is well made and its receptacles are widely spaced to accommodate lots of wall warts.
The most beautiful surge protector Austere VII Series surge protector (8 outlets) Read TechHive's reviewSee itThe Austere VII Series 8-outlet surge protector is a thing of beauty, and its USB charging ports—particularly its 45-watt USB-C PD port—are supremely handy. But you’ll pay dearly for it.
If you place tremendous value in design, the Austere VII Series surge protector is the most attractive device in this category. With a brushed-aluminum enclosure, polished beveled edges, and braided-fabric power cord, we haven’t seen anything else that comes close in terms of its industrial design. And it’s not just pretty, this surge protector has all the features you’d want to protect your expensive electronics. Whether you find that combo worth $200 is a up to you.
Factors we consideredWe considered several common factors for three scenarios: a home-entertainment system, such as a TV, disc player, streaming media box, and receiver system; a home office or cubicle with a desktop computer and peripherals, including monitors and hard drives; and an on-the-go option, if you want to travel with a multi-outlet strip that also gives you piece of mind, especially in hotels and conference rooms, where you don’t know what kind of power will be provided.
We evaluated these features:
Does the surge protector continue to provide power when its clamping capability has burned out? (See the next section for an explanation of precisely what that means.) How easy is it to plug in both regular 2-prong and 3-prong cables intermingled with various kinds of USB adapters and wall warts? What’s the ratio of cost to features and outlets? Advanced features, such as USB charging For travel models, how many outlets does it have while remaining compact and versatile, in addition to everything above? Features you typically won’t find in surge suppressors such as these are alarms or networked intelligence to alert a computer (and manage a controlled shutdown), or act as an Internet of Things device, to warn about electrical anomalies or provide a status report. For that, you’ll need to step up to an uninterruptible power supply (UPS), which combines a continuously charged battery backup, power conditioning, and surge protection. Those cost from a little to much more.
How a surge protector worksThe electrical grid wasn’t designed for electronics, and surges and spikes used to be more regular and higher, as they didn’t affect electric motors. That’s changed dramatically over several decades, as utilities have cleaned up what’s delivered to homes and buildings. Depending on the age of a utility’s systems and how frequently lightning strikes occur, however, surges and huge spikes might be regular occurrences.
A surge protector should more accurately be called “a thing that blocks excessive voltage when it exceeds a certain extreme point.” This cutoff, called clamping, is typically 330 volts (V), 400V, or 500V. While 330V or above might seem high compared to the 120V nominally delivered in the U.S., it’s not really that out of whack. Alternating current (AC) voltage centers around 120V, but it cycles or alternates from -170V through 0V to +170V and back again; 120V is the rough average.
Electronics and all other electrically powered anything for a home or office can accept brief amounts of much higher maximum voltages, which you can logically determine must be true as modest surges are routine and electronic equipment in homes isn’t constantly failing without a surge protector; it’s the big surges that need to be blocked.
Surge protectors of the category we tested use metal oxide varistors (MOVs), a kind of circuitry that absorbs voltages above the clamping level and effectively burn away over time. In an area with erratic voltage, your surge protector might wear out in months or a few years; on other electrical systems, it might last indefinitely. (There’s a much more expensive type of surge protector designed for high-end audio and very expensive electronics. It costs about ten times as much and it effectively never burns out.)
You don’t get full protection from an electrical strike with a surge protector: a strike near your home can exceed any consumer’s device’s ability to block the expended energy, though a circuit breaker on some models might trigger first. If you’re concerned about electrical strikes, you need to upgrade how the electrical feed comes into your house (or convince a landlord to do the same). But electrical strikes miles away can induce smaller surges that protectors will absorb.
Tripp Lite Phone jacks and coax connectors on a surge protector don’t add much to its value.
Some surge protectors include telephone and coaxial pass-through connections for protecting DSL and cable-/satellite-TV connections. Industry reports and testing indicates these protections are effectively pointless, so we didn’t consider their presence or absence in our testing and reviews.
You can compare surge protectors’ durability, or the period over which the MOVs will remain effective, by looking at the number of joules advertised for the product. Joules measure how much energy is expended; the more joules, the more energy. So in an exactly equal situation in the same house with routine surges, a unit rated for 1000 joules should last half as long as one rated at 2000 joules.
In practice, this is very, very hard to determine. MOVs don’t degrade in a perfect linear fashion, and not all MOVs are of the same quality. Joules provide a rough basis of comparison that’s nearly impossible to test in lab conditions, as you’d have to simulate a variety of surges over long periods of time with multiple identical units of each model. That’s what manufacturers do in designing and testing their products. Certification from Underwriters Laboratories (UL) provides assurance that the product has been independently tested.
We’ll use joules as a rough rule of thumb, as it tends to parallel differences in price and other features, too. But when the MOVs burn out, what happens next?
Rather burn out than fade awayI’m about to blow your mind—or at least the minds of most people. If you have a surge protector already in place somewhere in your house or office, go take a quick glance at it and come back. Now, without looking again, is the “protection” light still lit? Can’t tell me? That’s a problem.
Thinkstock The class of surge protectors reviewed here rely on MOVs (metal oxide varistors) to absorb excess voltage.
Older surge protectors were typically designed around the concern that computers had spinning hard disk drives (HDDs) inside, and that it was better to lose surge protection and keep providing power than to drop AC power when protection had failed. On surge protectors like that, the only indication of whether protection remains active is a protection light.
If the light isn’t lit, the MOVs have burned out, and there’s no protection left!
Now go back and look at those protectors again: which ones are burned out? Those are the ones you want to replace post haste. I confess that I only learned this in 2016; I checked mine, and had to replace one a few months later when that light suddenly disappeared.
That’s the biggest choice you’ll face, and we considered it in the six surge protectors we brought in for testing. But there are three variants when protection fails:
All power stops flowing, which will immediately remove electricity to all connected devices. With SSDs or streaming audio/video equipment or a Blu-Ray or other disc player, that’s not a big deal. Better to lose power than to let a surge through.
Some power stops flowing. There are three different paths for electricity with AC power, and one is more important to protect against surges than the other two. (See below for more detail.) Some protectors thus only stop power passing through if that critical juncture’s MOVs die. You have to look at the protection light to know the state of protection.
Power always flows, but the light turns off. In this scenario, you must stay alert, particularly during a storm and right afterwards, or whenever your lights flicker .
AC power has three “legs” over which power passes. With a three-wire outlet, which is required for surge protectors, those are line, neutral, and ground. Power comes in over line and passes through neutral, and cycles through negative and positive voltage; that’s one leg (known as L-N).
There’s also a leg each from live to ground (L-G) and neutral to ground (N-G), which prevent a short circuit in the wiring from causing a fire or an explosion. A proper ground wire in an outlet connects back to a grounding rod for an entire home or building that drains voltage literally to the earth.
Amazon A long cord is essential, since your equipment might be far from the nearest outlet. Consider 8 feet to be a minimum.
Many surge protector manufacturers offer limited warranties for damage to things plugged into the protector if said damage stems from voltage passing through to the device. These warranties (we’ve seen them offer anywhere from $20,000 to $300,000 in coverage), however, have so many provisos and exclusions—including having to apply for coverage within 15 or 30 days of damage with some, proving the right electrical setup, and providing receipts for all damaged goods—that the odds of meeting all the terms and collecting seem low. We’ve provided a sentence about warranties in each review, just so you’re informed, but don’t count on collecting unless you’re a good record keeper.
One last detail: a long power cord—at least 8 feet—is a must with a surge protector. That’s because for safety and power load, you must plug your surge protector directly into a wall socket, not into another surge protector, power strip, or uninterruptible power supply. Because you can plug so much power into a multi-outlet device, it’s very easy to overload the thing into which you’re “daisy chaining” the surge protector, which can cause product failure or even an electrical fire.
You also must plug a surge protector into a properly grounded 3-prong outlet. You can use one of those clever 3-to-2 adapters that I know too well as the owner of an old house, in which only about half the outlets were ever upgraded to modern standards. Don’t know if your outlet is properly grounded? Some of the surge protectors have an LED that lights up if it’s not, or you can purchase a cheap plug-in detector from a hardware store. If you find your house isn’t grounded, call an electrician immediately; it’s a hazard. Fortunately, it can be cheap to fix unless the house was badly wired.
If you don’t follow the guidelines spelled out for plugging your surge protector into the wall, you can damage it void the product warranty and any damaged-items protection that comes with it.
Our latest surge protector reviews Note: When you purchase something after clicking links in our articles, we may earn a small commission. Read our affiliate link policy for more details. | https://medium.com/@elvin16277205/best-surge-protector-reviews-and-buying-advice-68f0f5261b79 | [] | 2020-12-21 01:20:39.934000+00:00 | ['Home Theater', 'Surveillance', 'Music', 'Home Tech'] |
Fresh Breeze Sweeps in Hope | Photo by Jochen Gabrisch on Unsplash
Fresh, insistent breeze split curtains,
Carried in bird song trills,
A child bouncing a ball, a dog barking, a game of basketball.
Even with the windows closed, I heard the world outside:
Subdued, but still singing, bouncing, barking, laughing.
Unlocking the door to the world outside, I was enclosed by warm sunshine and blinked at scrubbed-clear blue sky.
Blue jays jeered, woodpeckers hammered,
red tail hawk soared and hurtled to earth.
Swift walkers waved, conversation washing over the stone wall, inviting me to join in.
Boy rode his older brother’s bike, feet barely touching the pedals, his face focused, leaving a wobbling path behind him.
It’s time to move out the Adirondack chairs for dreaming, reading, talking about nothing and everything.
There will be chocolate chip cookies and tea — or wine and cheese with the crackers you like.
Join me? | https://medium.com/warm-hearts/fresh-breeze-sweeps-in-hope-43f3667d425b | ['Louise Foerster'] | 2020-03-24 15:31:00.986000+00:00 | ['Self', 'Joy', 'Poetry', 'Spring', 'Hope'] |
Have a Heart | Have a Heart
a brief interlude
Photo by LB
Years ago, I was filling up my car at a gas station. Suddenly, a frantic looking woman wandered up to me, already in the middle of a sentence. She shared some legal woes and confessed she was at her wit’s end.
I wasn’t sure what to say but I stayed engaged in the conversation. She told me her son was going to jail in three days, unless she could find a lawyer ‘made outta magic’. What she said next always stuck with me.
“I ain’t got no magic. I’m looking. My son’s the good one. When he does something, he admits it. When I asked him if he did it, he told me. He said, ‘Yeah mama, I killed that guy. But at least I’m honest’. And he’s right! Doesn’t that count for something? I’ll say it the judge! I’ll say, ‘Look at my son, look at him! He knows what he did. He’s not lying to you. So, c’mon. Have a heart!’ That’s all I’m saying.”
At that point, I smiled and wished her the best of luck. She thanked me for listening. As I drove away, I could see her approach the next car. Hopefully this one had a magic lawyer behind the wheel. | https://medium.com/chance-encounters/have-a-heart-a627960b785b | [] | 2020-10-21 16:56:48.981000+00:00 | ['Nonfiction', 'Life Lessons', 'Chance Encounters', 'This Happened To Me', 'Photography'] |
Trump Makes Clear The Price Of Joining His Gang | Trump Makes Clear The Price Of Joining His Gang
The Republican state government and elections officials who have been standing up to Trump have been kind of shouting that from the rooftops. But it’s been missed by most of the reporting we’re seeing, which is kind of mixing all of Trump’s various pressure efforts together, and thus keeps missing a very important and dangerous distinction.
Let’s take Georgia as an example: it has a Republican Governor and Secretary of State, both of whom are (or were) staunch Trump supporters. Biden won the election there by well over 10,000 votes. A hand recount of all the votes on paper was not mandatory, but they decided to do it anyway. Biden still won. Then the Trump campaign had the right to request another recount, which it did, so they did that. Biden won again.
They even did something Trump keeps saying they didn’t: matching signatures on mail-in ballots with signatures of voters on file. Twice. Once when the voter requested the ballot, and again before the ballot was opened and counted. If they did it again at this point, it would prove nothing, because once the signatures were verified, twice, the ballot was then separated from the signature envelope. Which isn’t called fraud; it’s called honoring the right for a person’s vote to be secret. So even if they went through and found tens of thousands of signatures that didn’t match, they’d have no way of determining who those people actually voted for. Of course, Trump has a way in mind: focus only on those areas with high concentrations of minority voters, ’cause that’s where all the fraud occurs. The fact that he doesn’t get many votes in those areas — according to him and his people — is at best coincidental, and at worst tantamount to proof of those no-good goings on he alleges. Because, as is always the case: how could he possibly lose?
So that’s Georgia. And those Republican guys there actually did a lot to confirm and re-confirm outcomes and count and re-count stuff just in case they might’ve found something to change things up. But they didn’t. And so that’s that.
But Trump wants more. Since he didn’t win by the rules and multiple replays, he demands of Georgia’s governor to call a special emergency session of the state legislature, to throw out the current results where Trump lost, and replace them with a slate of electors that would make him win. And brags if the governor does that and those other things we just talked about, he wins Georgia “quickly and easily” and then “everything else falls in place!” Calls the governor up on the phone and says so. In other words, cancel out all the votes of the people in Georgia, and just make it so he wins. If only Governor Brian Kemp “knew what the hell he was doing”, Trump adds.
Governor Kemp replies with a 4-paragraph note, that can be summed up in 2 words:
“That’s illegal.”
So it’s not that he didn’t go to great lengths to help out the President. Just that he balked at breaking the law.
So, since the Governor’s up for re-election in 2022, Trump’s already throwing his weight behind someone to unseat him. Someone who’s made it very clear he’s very willing to wade into extra-legal waters to help out the Prez.
That’s why we think it’s so extra-shameful so many senior Republicans are still standing back and keeping quiet. Wasn’t quite as big a deal when Trump was bloviating about recounts and taking stuff to courts. But as soon as it became about suborning illegal — and in this case, also anti-American — activity, it became incumbent on them to speak up. Yet they didn’t, and haven’t.
In fact, the opposite. Texas Republican Senator Ted Cruz says he’ll argue for Trump before the Supreme Court if the Court will hear a case brought by a Republican from Pennsylvania. Which we really didn’t even want to mention because it’s such BS.
Never mind that since each state sets its own election rules, that Republican legislator, Mike Kelly, is trying to get the Supreme Court to overturn a law Pennsylvania Republicans decided on and approved themselves. Back in 2019. Because Republicans control the Pennsylvania state legislature, and did at the time the election law in question was passed. Which pre-dates the Coronavirus, so has nothing to do with trying to take extraordinary steps to try to accommodate anybody. But now that those rules they made up themselves didn’t win Trump the game, they all of a sudden shouldn’t count. And were actually illegal in the first place. In which case, why did they pass the thing? In fact, that very election law is featured on the “Pennsylvania Senate Republicans” home page under the header: “2019–2020 Senate Legislative Accomplishments”.
By the way, Trump’s been on the phone with them, too.
And as weasly a weasel as Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell may be, when he blocked President Obama’s Supreme Court nominee, and then rushed President Trump’s through for opposite reasons under somewhat similar circumstances, he wasn’t breaking any laws. His actions were despicable in both cases. But the rules let him do it. But when he refuses to speak up against Trump’s enthusiastic endorsement of totally illegal ways to get a loss changed to a win in the election, that’s totally different. Because there’s no rule to which McConnell can point that hands Trump an election he lost just because the President demands it.
Maybe McConnell’s just happy enough Trump’s not right now demanding that loyalty test of him, and wants to enjoy his Christmas without his house potentially being surrounded by armed protestors.
But if you’re keeping close company with a guy who wants to do a bunch of bank robberies, let’s say, doesn’t matter if you’re just biding your time in the getaway car. In the eyes of the law, you’d still be abetting the crime just the same as if you were in the bank threatening people and holding them up. | https://medium.com/@ericjscholl/trump-makes-clear-the-price-of-joining-his-gang-fd785ddb690b | ['Eric J Scholl'] | 2020-12-08 13:02:30.198000+00:00 | ['Law', 'Donald Trump', 'Election 2020', 'Politics', 'Voting'] |
Cool Coffee Table Sets for the Living Room | Originally published at www.cluburb.com on March 18, 2019.
The coffee table is an indispensable piece of furniture for any good living room setup. What makes it even better is a set of 2 or more coffee tables. Whether it’s contemporary, mid-century, or an industrial setup, a matching coffee table set can do wonders to the living room arrangement.
The side tables and the console tables of the set can be extremely handy in creating a harmonious setting. The complimenting pieces of the set work seamlessly with each other resulting in a coordinated, cozy setup.
Here are 10 cool coffee table sets that should offer you plenty of inspiration to transform your living room.
1. Brushed Stainless Steel Coffee Table Set
The minimalist design of this 2 piece coffee table set is perfect for a modern home. The square shape and brushed stainless steel finish give it a sophisticated vibe. This set includes a coffee table and an end table.
2. Triple Hairpin Legs Coffee Table Set
This coffee table set sports mid-century design in triple and quadruple hairpin legs options. Available in matte grey and dark tobacco tops, the coffee table and end table of this set will suit any decor.
Perfect for small spaces, you can team them with a sofa bed or mid-century accent chairs in your living room.
3. 5 Piece Modern Coffee Table Set
With one console table, two end tables, and two stools, this set will make any space look co-ordinated. Each table featuring X-shaped stainless steel frame in gold finish lends it the glamorous vibe.
The table tops and the stools have matching faux leather upholstery for a cohesive look. Nailhead trim on the stools further adds to the glamor.
4. Vintage Trunks 3 piece Set
Whether you have a vintage setting or want to add a dash of old world charm, this 3 piece coffee table set will do the trick. This trunk table set features weathered wood with clean-lined black metal.
This coffee table set is perfect for an industrial type decor too. Adding a weathered faux brick wallpaper to an accent wall along with this set can create an industrial decor vibe.
5. Coffee Table Set with Storage Drawers
This 3 piece set includes a coffee table and two end tables. The featured drawers of this set not only give you extra storage space but also add to the design element. The rose gold latches add to the stylish appeal.
6. Trestle Inspired 3 Piece Set
A modern take on the rustic style, the clean lines with wood-grain details of this set will suit any setting. Its trestle-inspired design adds timeless flair to any decor. You can use the lower shelves for rustic accent pieces.
7. Round Coffee Table Set
This three-piece set can add sparkle to any space. Each item shows off a slender silhouette crafted from gold-finished metal.
Round tabletops composed of beveled glass finish the table with added glam. Place a modern table lamp or other accent pieces to complete the ongoing vibe.
8. Marble Top Coffee Table Set
Best suited for a modern setting, this set comes with genuine marble table tops. The interesting triangular stainless steel legs on a square base look very contemporary.
Team it with a contemporary rug and modern floor lamp to complete the look.
9. Rustic Multi-Toned Coffee Table Set
This coffee table set exudes rustic charm. Made from poplar solids and birch veneers, founded atop slanted legs, this is a sturdy set. Slatted design in the multi-toned rough finish adds to the rustic vibe.
10. Satin Nickel 3-Piece Set
Contemporary design in satin nickel, this 3 piece set is elegant. The set includes a coffee table, a console table, and an end table.
The stylish console table can be used as a foyer table as well. Add a modern accent mirror to take elegance to the next level. | https://medium.com/@praveen.saraf/cool-coffee-table-sets-for-the-living-room-c49df7461aae | ['Praveen Saraf'] | 2019-03-19 06:53:26.069000+00:00 | ['Homedesign', 'Interior Design', 'Home', 'Home Decor', 'Home Improvement'] |
The Ancestral Spark | Photo by Toa Heftiba on Unsplash
My mother used to tell me that every spark let loose by the midnight fire was a point of connection between us and our ancestors, that those connections went both ways. That we could tell which direction that connection went by the arc of the spark. The ones that drifted higher and higher before snuffing out were our thoughts passing along to the ancestors; they would flit as high as they needed to for our ancestors to recognize them, but no further. The ones that arced down to the ground, alighting briefly on the sand before flickering into darkness were our ancestors sending their hopes to the heart of the fire to come to us before embedding in the earth, anchoring their hopes to our home. That knowledge, that strength, was all I needed in those days.
Now, staring into the depths of my first midnight fire without her, I wonder how she could have been so sure.
The sparks aren’t coming the way they did for her. All she ever had to do was lay down another log to set the sparks flying. She always said she would show me how to let the fire free the way that she did, but I haven’t had the heart to drag her out of bed and risk her getting even sicker. It’s been six weeks since my last bonfire, and I can’t remember the last time I’ve gone more than four. The heat curdles at the base of my spine, lighting a fire all up and down my back. Without a release I’ll burn alive, and with the new moon out, I can tend the fire alone without fear.
The fire isn’t burning right. The heat in my spine worsens. The sparks spit straight into the fire pit, neither crawling to the sky nor settling on the earth. The fear, the uncertainty as my mother fights for her life, it all sours what should be the most cleansing ritual of all.
For an instant, I want to dive into the fire and let it do its work on my body as well as my soul. The fire can’t take the pain from my heart. It might be better to let it give my body enough pain to match. To let the heat eat away at my skin until my body is flayed alive just like my soul. Maybe that will be enough of an offering to the ancestors.
Three sparks take off from the fire, flying higher, higher, until the darkness swallows them whole. I catch myself staring up at the place where they’d disappeared, wondering in a way I never have who’s on the other end of those messages. I know what message I sent them. I know the hopes and prayers that I need answered. What I don’t know is how they will be answered. Or by whom.
Something pricks my forearm. There’s a tiny cinder on my arm, pale in the light of the fire. One that should have fallen to the ground. It didn’t make it to the ground because —
Because it wanted me to know it was there. Still there, present and whole, and it would be there for a while yet.
I can’t take my eyes off of it. It could be one minute, or five, or twenty, but when the wind finally blows it off my arm, I understand its message. I reach for another log, turn back to the fire, and hold my breath as I drop it atop the flames.
A thousand sparks fly, drifting to the heavens and to the ground, and as they flit and flutter and dance on the air, I feel my mother with me, tipping my chin up so I can hold my head high. | https://medium.com/salt-city-genre-writers/the-ancestral-spark-67c9b722d6e2 | ['Anna Bessesen'] | 2020-10-24 01:21:51.410000+00:00 | ['Fiction', 'Fire', 'Flash Fiction'] |
Where Is the Help for Single People Who Are Going Hungry During COVID? | Where Is the Help for Single People Who Are Going Hungry During COVID?
Photo by Nico Smit on Unsplash
Even before the nationwide lockdowns, there were far too many people in the U.S. with not enough to eat. The pandemic has exacerbated that disturbing reality. More single than married people are suffering. Single people typically have far less money than married people, for a variety of reasons including discriminatory practices written into the laws of the land. But the big financial disadvantage of unmarried Americans is not the only reason they are more likely to go hungry.
Single People Are Less Likely to Have Enough to Eat than Married People
Since April, the Census Bureau has been conducting a weekly Household Pulse Survey to learn how people are faring during the pandemic. The number of participants varies each week, but as an example, for the week of June 11–16, more than 1.2 million households were sent invitations to participate by email or text message, and more than 73,000 responded.
During the week of May 14–19, participants were asked, “In the last 7 days, which of these statements best describes the food eaten in your household?” They were classified as not having enough food if they selected “sometimes not enough to eat” or “often not enough to eat.”
For adults with no children, there was a striking difference between those who were and were not married. Four percent of the married people said they did not have enough food. More than three times as many single people, 13%, said the same thing.
Not Enough to Eat: Households with No Children
4% married, no children
13% not married, no children
For those who did have children, the married-people households were again more likely to be spared from hunger. Ten percent of those households did not have enough to eat. More than twice as many single-person households, 22%, did not have enough to eat.
Not Enough to Eat: Households with Children
10% married with children
22% single with children
Participants were also asked whether they were worried about the coming month. They were classified as confident about food going forward if they said they were either moderately or very confident that their household would be able to afford the kinds of food they need in the next four weeks.
Comparing the married and unmarried households without children, more married people than unmarried people thought they would be fine, 79% compared to 65%.
Confident They Would Be Able to Afford Food in the Next Four Weeks: Households with No Children
79% married, no children
65% not married, no children
For the households with children, two-thirds of the married couple households thought they would be able to afford the food they needed in the coming month. The single-parent households were by far the most vulnerable: fewer than half, 46%, felt confident that they be fine in the next four weeks.
Confident They Would Be Able to Afford Food in the Next Four Weeks: Households with Children
67% married with children
46% single with children
Why Did the Unmarried and Married People Go Hungry?
The Institute for Family Studies (IFS), a reliably pro-marriage group, drew from the data from the Census Bureau survey in their report of the findings described above. They also explored the question of why the single people were more likely to go hungry.
In the Census data, the unmarried people, on the average, had lower incomes, less education, and were more likely to have lost a job during the pandemic. But even when the IFS took those factors into account (by statistically comparing married and single people who were equivalent on those factors, as well as other factors such as age, gender, race, and number of children), the single people were still more likely to say that they were going hungry during the pandemic.
In the Census survey, participants were shown a list of possible reasons for why they did not have enough to eat. The IFS described the responses only for households that included children and only if they did not have enough to eat in the previous seven days. (Participants could check more than one reason, so the percentages add up to more than 100.)
The most obvious answer — they couldn’t afford to buy more food — was by far the most important answer. An identical percentage of married parents and single parents, 80%, gave that answer.
Also equally important to both the married and unmarried parents was the available selection of food. An identical 20% of both groups said, “the stores didn’t have the food I wanted.”
There was one reason married parents gave more often than single parents, 20% compared to 15%: “Afraid or didn’t want to go out to buy food.” It would have been interesting to see those two components answered separately. Did married-parent households more often go hungry because they just didn’t want to go out to buy food?
Two of the reasons were more often endorsed by single parents than married parents. More of the single parents said they “couldn’t get out to buy food,” 14% compared to 8%.
More of the single parents also said that they “couldn’t get groceries or meals delivered,” 10% compared to 6%.
Those were the only answers described by the IFS. But they were not the only dynamics explored in the Census survey.
Implicit in the IFS article, I think, is the suggestion that the people in married-couple households are less likely to go hungry because married people are more virtuous than single people. “Marriage,” they said, “clearly plays an important role in protecting children and families from hunger.” On my copy of the article, I crossed out “marriage” and wrote in “discrimination.”
Is More Free Food Available to Married than Unmarried People?
When it became apparent early on in the COVID-19 lockdown that many people were going hungry, I explored opportunities to donate to local organizations addressing that problem. The first two I considered, a food bank and one other, only described programs for children and families and seniors on their websites. I contacted both organizations to ask whether they helped single adults who could not afford food but were not parents and were not seniors. One never answered my multiple inquiries. The food bank assured me that they did make their food available to single adults.
I made donations to the food bank for a few months. Then when I went to their website a few days ago, the only donation button was for a program to provide lunches to children. I think that’s a worthy program, but I wanted the food I was paying for to be available to single adults, too. I contacted them again, and they provided me with a work-around.
Apparently, my experience was not a fluke. The Census Bureau reported some intriguing findings from their Household Pulse Survey that the Institute of Family Studies did not mention:
“Although they were more likely than married self-employed individuals to report insufficient food, single self-employed individuals were less likely to receive free groceries or a free meal.”
For example, in states where businesses were hardest hit by the pandemic, only 8.9% of self-employed single adults had received a free meal or free groceries in the previous week. Nearly twice as many self-employed married people, 17.2%, had received free food, even though a smaller percentage of married than single people were going hungry.
If hearts go out more readily to children than adults, that’s understandable. But why are married people more often the recipients of largesse than people who are single? Single people have less money than married people; if they live alone, they do not benefit from the economies of scale, so their expenses are proportionately greater; and they do not have the income of a spouse as a back-up if they get laid off, if their hours are cut, or if they lose their jobs.
Digging Deeper and Taking Action
In Baltimore, Maryland, Ellen Worthing was noticing some of the same kinds of examples of possible singlism in food distribution that I had observed in Santa Barbara, California. But she went after the issue far more systematically than I did. She researched the many food distribution options in her area and who was served by each one. She figured out how many households were left mostly unserved by those programs. She also studied relevant legislation. Then she did something remarkable — she made her case to the relevant officials and persisted until changes were made.
For months, she had been telling me her story informally as it developed. I asked if she would write about her experience for interested readers, and I am so grateful that she agreed. I am in awe of what she accomplished. Here is her story. It was first published at my blog at Psych Central in July 2020.
It Shouldn’t Be So Hard for Single People to Get Food During a Pandemic. I Did Something about That.
By Ellen Worthing
I am a single adult who lives a quiet life in Baltimore, MD. As an older person I have had some health setbacks in the last few years, I have also had the flu three times during the winter of 2019–2020. When COVID first appeared at the shores of the United States I became very concerned. It wasn’t long before pandemic cases began appearing in Maryland and Baltimore City.
The city and state quickly enacted a stay at home order and I was more than willing participant, if staying away from other people would protect me. I quickly assessed how much food I had for the duration. I realized that I was safe in my home from the virus, but not at the grocery store. There are two grocery stores within walking distance of my home. I decided that interacting inside the supermarket could expose me to the virus.
Baltimore City began a food giveaway program in mid-March which delighted me. I read about their safe food distribution system and was impressed with the steps the city was taking to ensure food preparation and distribution was hygienic and protective.
However, as I scanned the city website on how to obtain food from the COVID food program I found that 42 distribution points at Recreation Centers and 17 distribution points at schools were reserved for servicing families with children. Only 7 distribution options were available to anyone who didn’t have children under the age of 18 living in their homes. The closest distribution site that I could access as a single person was 4 miles from my home. I don’t own a car. I did not relish the idea of riding on two buses each way which would potentially expose me to the COVID virus to the food distribution site, never mind that public transportation services had been limited during the stay at home order.
It was at this point I became concerned that not only was the city food distribution program not going to help me, but it won’t help the city residents that could benefit from it. I started to look at the numbers. Baltimore has a population of 593,000 residents. According to the US Census, we live in 221,000 total households. There are 58,000 households with children, that would qualify for the COVID food program at 59 out of the 66 food distribution points. The other 163,000 households would not qualify to receive food at most of the distribution sites. Baltimore has 23% of its population living below the federal poverty line as well as 3000+ people who are homeless.
I wanted to know more so I reviewed the city run food program. It turns out it was overseen by the Mayor’s Office of Children and Family Success. Apparently, this office wasn’t the least bit concerned about providing accessible healthy food to people without children. It was at this point I started writing emails and complaining. I have to give the Baltimore City government credit, they heard me and swiftly made changes to the program.
So why is it that local governments are much more concerned about providing families with children healthy food and services during times of crisis and ignoring all other adults? The answer lies with the federal government’s TANF program. Cities and states are allowed to tap into the Federal Government’s “Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)” to fund food programs during the COVID Pandemic. In the first paragraph of its COVID rules TANF states, “TANF funds can only be spent on families with children –they cannot be used to provide support for single adults.”
There are almost no other federal government programs that fund food programs for adults during a pandemic crisis. After I communicate with the local government that many different people were at risk during this critical time, the city rightly opted to step in to fully fund what ultimately is an extremely successful food program, with much assistance from exceptional non-profits from the area as well as internationally.
We’re still in the middle of this pandemic. Baltimore was not the only city that had this food distribution challenge. The federal government is not making any effort to change its ways for the future so that all US residents have access to healthy food during the next crisis. Almost all people pay taxes. Single people pay more taxes than married couples with children. Yet, single Americans are ignored and marginalized by a federal government which is far more concerned about the health and well-being of those who live as a family than those who live in an ever-growing population of single adults.
About the Author
Ellen Worthing is a data specialist living in Baltimore, MD. She has worked on issues related to crime, homicides, police matters, bicycling. and marijuana decriminalization. She is an avid hiker and is also a local forest steward.
More Than Hunger
I believe that single people who are not seniors and who have no kids are, when needy, among the most neglected and underserved demographic in the nation. I think that going hungry is just one example. What if they are living in poverty and need income support? What if they have other kinds of needs? In the U.S., policymakers, activists, intellectuals, and empathic individuals of all stripes are attuned to the needs of seniors. They also care about families — they want you to know that. But what about single people who do not fit into those categories? Do you have examples of ways in which they are neglected? Or are there programs designed specifically for them that I just don’t know about? Please share your knowledge and wisdom.
[Want to learn more? Take a look at this collection of articles on all sorts of topics relevant to single life. Watch my TEDX talk, “What no one ever told you about people who are single.” Check out my website. Find my other stories on Medium here. Disclosure: Links to books may include affiliate links. This post was adapted from a column originally published at Unmarried Equality (UE), with the organization’s permission. Finally, my “Single at Heart” blog that I have been writing for Psych Central since 2011 ended in 2020; I am updating many of those posts and moving them to this blog on Medium.] | https://medium.com/@belladepaulo/where-is-the-help-for-single-people-who-are-going-hungry-during-covid-34fee904f4a1 | ['Bella Depaulo'] | 2020-12-27 23:07:28.437000+00:00 | ['Poverty', 'Discrimination', 'Singles', 'Hunger', 'Covid 19'] |
BLM is Marxist, Run for Your Comfortable Lives! | The right wing, doing what they‘ve done your whole adult life, is again trying to scare you (You, the pragmatic centrist who doesn’t understand why no one else can see that there is no scenario in any of the parallel universes in which we move forward in America with everyone getting their way) into submission. This time they’ve pulled out one of their decades old hits, that “organization X is communist and they’re plotting to take over the US of A,” where X = Black Lives Matter (BLM).
I’m going to break this down for you. Is BLM a Marxist organization?
The answer is “Who gives a shit?”
“Oh you’d like that, wouldn’t you? You’d like them to turn us all communist.”
No, … you twit. My thesis is ‘it doesn’t matter’. I’m saying the fact that BLM may be Marxist is orthogonal to their utility to all of us right now. Yes, I say all of us, not just black Americans, and yes I said ‘orthogonal.’ Stay tuned to find out what that means.
Let’s start off with (dare I say) a common understanding, which is that the vast majority of recent protests have been motivated by the impunity that American police officers enjoy, particularly when committing violence against black people.
Now is the part where a right wing person says “BLM doesn’t do anything about black people killing other black people, so I hate them.”
How about I hate you for not doing anything about black people killing other black people? Why is it this one organization’s responsibility? How did you get to become the monarch who enumerates all the work to be done but doesn’t lift a finger?
I-M-P-U-N-I-T-Y. That means when a police officer unjustly kills a black person, it is unusual for them as perpetrator to pay a price for the murder. Contrast that with black-on-black violence, in which the perpetrator is tried, found guilty, and sent to prison.
We are concerned about the part where the cop gets to go home after his murder. That’s the part we are talking about. Okay?
So you see, black people killing other black people is orthogonal to the whole bloody, wretched point here.
Orthogonal. I promised a definition. It comes from math, where two vectors are 90 degrees apart from each other. The cosine of 90 degrees equals zero, so in math you say those two vectors’ similarity is ZERO. Practically, it means controlling one thing does not make another thing change. If I want my car to move forward, I don’t turn the steering wheel. If I want to dim my phone, I don’t adjust the volume. If I want police to be held accountable, I damn sure don’t look to black people who kill other black people.
In other words, if you were able to somehow control the rate at which black people kill other black people, you wouldn’t be controlling the level of impunity police have in America. The two goals are orthogonal and anyone who tries to conflate them either lacks integrity or understanding.
Now, back to Marxism. There’s no scenario in which people say “I like BLM, oh let me just elect a bunch of communists to run America now.” And somehow anti-cop-impunity-protest leaders convince the US, the most powerful nation this globe has ever seen, to follow Cuba, mi cholita favorita, and the collapsed Soviet Union, into the dumpster?
China is communist, but I guess they’re not black communists, since we love having China make all of our products for us. Imagine if BLM, instead of China, made our products for us. Bubba and his AK would never let that happen.
From the Black Lives Matter site’s ‘about us’ section: “abolition of systems and institutions of white supremacy, capitalism, patriarchy and colonialism.” If I imagine myself as a black American (it’s called empathy), who grew up in some Georgia rough area, who went to a public school (funded by property taxes- or lack thereof- where I grew up in this scenario), I would completely agree with the statement on the Black Lives Matter site. Not until black Americans’ economic situation improved would I ever think otherwise. In fact, I am amazed at how non-violent these past protests have been, because I don’t think I would be able to be that calm in this imagined scenario. But that’s why MLK Jr. is who he is and I am who I am (a middle class white guy who’s had several lucky breaks, and who would no doubt be a preferred job candidate over an equally qualified black person- this is called institutional rascism).
To just keep throwing up excuses like “marxism” condemns us to the perpetual situation we are in. I, and many others who grew up in this, are sick and tired of it. We don’t want to keep living in a world like this. I can’t choose to ignore the plight of my friends, relatives, and fellow citizens of color. BLM is pushing the issue of police impunity in the right direction, so I support it for that, and so should you.
I won’t support it for whatever its political philosophy is, neither would the majority of Americans. But again, that’s an orthogonal issue. An issue you ignore every time you purchase just about anything, since everything is made in China.
Lastly, had we learned anything from the 50,000+ American lives we wasted in Vietnam, and the violent dictatorships we covertly installed all over the Americas, and the McCarthyism that turned Americans against Americans, it would have been that bad ideologies fail on their own. They don’t need our help.
Have faith that we’re on the right side of history, with respect to our democratic republic and our capitalist society, and that in America, you are free to speak your mind, no matter if it’s about your love for Karl Marx or your love for Alex Jones. Anything less than that is (in the words of Sean Hannity and the rest of the old Iraq 2003 cheerleading squad) un-American. The American governmental institutions are the best worst option to last us until the inevitable collapse, asteroid strike, or heat death of the universe.
Thesis portion is over. Moving on to a digression now. Revisting the black-on-black violence thing.
Even 2013 Don Lemon is wrong. Why? Because (as you already know, you smart son-of-a-bitch) correlation does not equal causation. He got it wrong and he’s even black!
There isn’t data that concludes that any of the points made in his segment causes police impunity with respect to violence against black people, which, if it were true, would negate the utility of BLM (the original topic of this conversation).
On top of that, what do you want them to do about it (assuming you watched the old Don Lemon video linked to above and know what I’m talking about)? Do you think pulling up of pants, stopping the n-word from being said, or any other ‘thug-life’ such and such will magically make violence stop?
Yes you do, but of course, it won’t. It won’t because it’s family, economics, and education (FEE) that will stop it. You see there’s a FEE required (remember Team America? “freedom isn’t free, naw there’s a hefty fuckin’ fee”). Well, you and I can’t much do anything about the family part. We can’t force marriages on people, so we’re left with economics and education. We’re going to have to squeeze economics and education so hard that family shows up, in much the same way that you start a family of your own after you gain sufficient economic power and education… 🤯.
Economics allows someone time to educate themself. With the ability to not work over 50 hours per week, one’s cognitive decay through all the mind-draining retail hours is lessened. On top of that, education quality must be at a sufficient level for the time allotted to be worth the time spent. I’m just telling you the exact situation your white ass was raised in.
How’s the education quality in predominately black communities? Most of the time it’s not so good. Why is that? Because sound economics are required to create good education, and the economics of education lie in the property taxes raised by the community. Which community, you ask? The one that’s lacking in economics. No, not the one your white ass grew up in. The one in which your mom told you to lock your door when you drove through it as a kid.
In summary, instead of trying to tell people how to stop surviving in the situation that you and/or your ancestors led them to, get off your white ass and treat these people like the comrades that, after 400 years, they are and deserve to be!
Instead of talking about how their ideals are wrong and your ideals are right (News flash, they’re not always right. See Georgia Governor Brian Kemp’s ban on face mask laws amidst thousands of Georgians perishing to their deaths due to airborne microbes in 2020). In fact, abandon all of your ideals, right or left, in favor of pragmatism. I will love you for it. | https://extranewsfeed.com/blm-is-marxist-run-for-your-comfortable-lives-7367acc6ded8 | ['Noah Randolph'] | 2020-07-25 01:22:06.637000+00:00 | ['BlackLivesMatter', 'Black On Black Crime', 'Republicans', 'Education', 'Marxism'] |
Google Sign-In Integration in iOS | Creating OAuth Client ID for Google Sign-In
After performing the SDK installation, you will need an OAuth client ID and an iOS URL scheme so that you can continue with the configuration in Xcode.
Head over to Google APIs Console and create a project for your sample app. If you have already created a project, you can also select it from the project list.
Create project in Google APIs console
After you have created/selected a project, you also need to configure the OAuth consent screen. Follow the steps as shown in the image below to choose your app user type and then create the OAuth consent screen.
Create OAuth consent screen in Google APIs console
In the OAuth consent screen information page, fill in the application name, and then click “save”. This application name will be the name being shown in the Google Sign-in form when a user tries to sign in using your app.
Application name in OAuth consent screen information page
Once finished configuring the OAuth consent screen, it is time to create the OAuth client ID. You can follow the steps as shown in the image below to navigate to the OAuth client ID creation page.
Create OAuth client ID in Google APIs console
Once you reach the OAuth client ID creation page, go ahead and select “iOS” as application type, fill in the name and also your sample app bundle ID and then click “create”.
Create OAuth client ID
Copy the OAuth client ID and iOS URL scheme you just create and keep them in somewhere easily reachable, you will need both of them in just a bit.
Copy OAuth client ID and iOS URL scheme
With that you have completed the OAuth client ID creation process, we can now head back to Xcode and proceed with the configuration. | https://medium.com/swlh/google-sign-in-integration-in-ios-90cdd5cb5967 | ['Lee Kah Seng'] | 2020-06-16 14:11:49.641000+00:00 | ['Mobile App Development', 'Software Engineering', 'Software Development', 'iOS App Development', 'Programming'] |
Get Paid Every Friday! Learn To Make $500-$2000/Month With TCP. | I’m sure many of you have seen titles like this?
But what’s different about this opportunity that I’m writing about is, it's LEGIT and completely new that I came across.
If you’ve ever been scammed, I feel for you. I HATE Scammers!!!
I have massive respect for LEGIT Opportunities.
The Opportunity that I’m talking about is TCP.
TCP Stands for The Conversion Pros!
Ever since I came across this company through my friend who referred me, I was completely blown away.
Never have I ever seen a company being so authentic and sticking to their integrity every day.
What’s TCP all about?
TCP is a company that allows you to use their tools, systems, and training to grow your business.
Every Business needs a lead capture page, landing page, and email autoresponder.
Lead Capture Pages allows you to capture a lead’s information.
Landing Pages also focus on allowing you to capture or convert a lead.
Email Autoresponder allows you to email your leads and subscribers without having to manually email them every single time.
Usually, if you are running a business, you’ll be paying for each and every tool a different price. But, TCP has them all inside their system.
And they don’t offer them at different prices, they offer it all for just $50/month. No Upsells or Upgrades!
Isn’t that Amazing how TCP Offers Unlimited use of their tools, pre-built captures pages that convert, unlimited access to their email autoresponder so you can send unlimited emails, and also have the option to buy Fresh Interviewed Leads who are looking for a business opportunity.
If you were starting a business, each and every company would easily pull out $30-$99/month for every single thing from your pocket. (If you’re into Internet Marketing or Blogging or Run an Online Business You’ll Know)
TCP offers it all for just $50. (It gives you a14 Day ZERO COST Trial- No Credit Card Required to get started with their System).
But what if you don’t have a business opportunity?
Well, TCP Offers you the opportunity to promote their system and you’ll get paid 50% Commissions for every single customer that uses their system.
Now, this is an opportunity to get paid every single month. People withdraw the money every single Friday!
Most people who sign up within their 14-Day FREE ZERO COST TRIAL get easily 20–30 leads (Yes all of that is possible within the Trial).
Out of these 20–30 Leads, at least 10 will upgrade.
So if 10 upgrade, so it’s 10 x $50 = $500 and TCP pays out 50% Commissions. So you earn $250/month.
And now when your trial is over you obviously will choose to upgrade because you do not want to lose the possible commissions you could be earning when you upgrade for $50 for a full month, you have the option to get another 10 leads to upgrade at $50 which leaves you earning $250/month.
This leaves us with $500/month($250+$250). If more people sign up you will be earning more.
Now that we’ve covered how to earn $500/month. If you do the same the next 3 months you could be earning $2000/month on your 4th Month.
What if you got 50 Leads to upgrade, then you’d be making $500/month in your first month only.
Do the same next month and you’ll be making $1000/month easily on the next month.
Remember: Even If 2 People Signup, your membership of $50 is covered. Then you’ll be using TCP for FREE! Everything else is pure profit.
Wouldn’t you like to take $50 and turn them into $500 or $1000/month?
Hell yeah!
If your answer is yes — then, I’d like to help you out.
Sign up and learn from me by clicking this link!
P.S — I can only help Serious People Who Will Follow my instruction and Take Action! Sign up Link— Click Here To Sign Up! | https://medium.com/@jehoyakimjena/get-paid-every-friday-learn-to-make-500-2000-month-with-tcp-883091d4f691 | ['Jehoyakim Jena'] | 2019-07-16 15:38:21.951000+00:00 | ['Make Money From Home', 'Make Money Online', 'Work From Home', 'Passive Income', 'Money'] |
How To Write Perfect Copy (almost) In 6 Easy Steps | I don’t have all the answers about how to write perfect copy. No one does!
The best copywriters experiment, learn and adjust.
They are students of their craft. They know there isn’t a “perfect template” to write powerful copy that works in all situations.
Here’s my promise to you. If you have a question, problem, or challenge with your copy that I don’t know the answer to, I’ll find it for you.
Fair enough?
Establish Credibility
How do you establish credibility with your copy?
Tell the truth.
Use real numbers.
Tell plausible stories.
Don’t exaggerate what your product or service will do for prospects.
Consumers are more educated now than ever, and your audience will quickly sense insincerity and deceit.
Only make promises and claims that you can back up and that you can help your customers and prospects achieve.
Create An Emotional Impact
People buy emotionally using logical reasoning. Your goal should be to trigger emotions, and using questions is an effective way to do that.
Yes/No questions
Imagine you help people start freelancing. You could ask:
“Have you given up on your dream of starting a freelance business?”
This question will trigger a “no” because no one wants to admit to giving up.
Armed with that response, you ask more questions to know what’s preventing your prospect from acting to achieve her dream.
Open questions
Open questions stimulate thinking and reflection.
Here are some examples:
“How do low conversion rates make you feel?”
“How do high bounce rates on your website affect you and your business?”
“What would happen to you and your business if you didn’t need to stress about writing content for your site?”
Did you notice that these questions begin with “How” and “What?”
They stimulate broader thought and help your prospect think about her current situation and how she would like to change it for the better.
Describe The Quantifiable Value Of Your Solution
How much time will your product or service save your customers — 2 hours, 5 hours, 10 hours/week?
How quickly will it help them do that? Immediately, within a week, two weeks, a month, or more?
How much money will it save them each month, quarter, or year? By what percentage will it increase their revenue?
Make sure your numbers are accurate.
Remember the first point about being credible. Always tell the truth.
As an example, I spend 20–30 hours/week creating content for my website.
So, I wouldn’t be exaggerating to say that my service can save coaches, educators, and entrepreneurs 10-or-more hours each week.
And I help them save that time fast. That’s 40 extra hours per month that they now have to do other stuff.
Not bad, eh?
Help Them Feel The Impact
Help your audience feel the impact of your solution with a few more questions.
“What would you do with an extra 10 hours/week?”
“How would you use an additional $500 each month?”
“How would increasing your conversion rates by 10% impact your bottom line?”
You could also describe in detail how your solution will impact your prospects.
For example:
“Imagine the overwhelming sense of relief and freedom you’ll feel when you don’t need to spend 10 hours/week creating content for your website, blog, and email campaigns. Not to mention the extra time it takes to come up with content ideas.
You’ll free up ten (10) or more hours each week to use however you want because you’re the boss.
Think about it. That’s 40 hours every month! If your time is worth $60/hour, you’re going to save 2400/month in real dollars.
What could you accomplish with an extra 40 hours/month?
How would your family, spouse, children feel if you freed up 10 hours/week?
The beautiful thing is, you get to decide how to use all of that time in a way that’s best for you.”
In the example above, note the words “imagine,” “you,” “free,” and “because.” Experts consider them to be 4 of the most powerful words to use in copywriting.
What I’ve written isn’t about me; it’s about them. I’ve made it personal and asked my prospect to imagine a better future.
Describe Features And Benefits
A feature is what something is, while a benefit is what your customers can do or accomplish with it.
A feature of the iPod is its storage capacity. The benefit to the owner is she can carry 1,000 songs in her pocket and listen to them at any time and place.
In the below example, Slack helps users reduce internal email and meetings by 48.6% and 25.1% respectively. The benefits of using Slack’s features are clear.
Ask your reader to take action
What do you want them to do? Reach out to you, subscribe to your newsletter, purchase your course, software, or service?
Whatever it is, it’s time to ask them to do it.
And that’s a wrap!
What do you think? Drop your comments below to let me know.
And remember to try these 6 easy steps to write your next piece of copy.
P.S. I appreciate you taking the time to read this post. If you’d like to learn more about how I can help you save a lot of time and energy by creating content for your website, please feel FREE to contact me.
Text or call me: +1 (204) 806–2977 or send me an email: [email protected] | https://medium.com/@mikeallisoncoaching/how-to-write-perfect-copy-almost-in-6-easy-steps-b740b84d2c1e | ['Mike Allison'] | 2020-12-10 11:24:23.778000+00:00 | ['Copywriter', 'Words Matter', 'Copywriting Tips', 'Copywriting', 'Copywriting Services'] |
UDAP has officially joined Binance Info’s transparency initiative | UDAP has officially joined Binance Info’s transparency initiative. By sharing project-related information such as news and progress reports on Binance Info,UDAP is contributing to keeping the community informed. Binance Info aims to provide users with the most trusted information on crypto projects — check out our page here: https://info.binance.com/en/currencies/udap-token
Binance Info is a cryptocurrency information platform, providing users with accurate and comprehensive crypto market data, news, and project rating reports. As an open information platform, Binance Info encourages all users to participate in maintaining accurate information on crypto projects by creating token profiles, editing missing or incorrect project information, contributing to news sources, and more. Users can help the community better understand coins and tokens.
Binance Info welcomes all projects to get involved in Binance Info’s transparency initiative. Apply to participate: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdn6Nq3uvXBfsulKO_lH3I3O0_s-Nbmm0gWO8K-9bkWQJeKmw/viewform
Learn more details, to join UDAP with:
Telegram — Twitter — Facebook — Github — Linkedin — Medium — Youtube
For more information please contact — [email protected] | https://medium.com/@UDAP/udap-has-officially-joined-binance-infos-transparency-initiative-fc9948a43e28 | [] | 2019-09-04 10:34:52.727000+00:00 | ['Binance Chain', 'Binance Info', 'Blockchain', 'Binance'] |
Why Are Kotlin Synthetics Deprecated and What Are the Alternatives? | Why Are Kotlin Synthetics Deprecated and What Are the Alternatives?
Comparing which one to use: data binding vs. view binding vs. Kotlin Synthetics vs. findViewById
Photo by Louis Tsai on Unsplash
Recently Android has announced that with Kotlin 1.4.20, their Android Kotlin Extensions Gradle plugin will be deprecated and will no longer be shipped in the future Kotlin releases.
Android Kotlin Extensions plugin brought with it two very cool features :
Synthetics let you replace calls to findViewById with kotlinx.android.synthetic bindings.
let you replace calls to with bindings. Parcelize allows you to remove boilerplate and easily create Parcelables through the @Parcelize annotation.
And with the deprecation of this plugin, we will no longer be able to use these features. Don’t worry about Parcelize, as it will be now shipped as a standalone plugin: kotlin-parcelize. But this is definitely going to be the end for Kotlin Synthetics.
Now Android developers all across the globe, have, with a very heavy heart, to say goodbye to Kotlin Synthetics. But first, let's understand why Kotlin Synthetics was introduced in the first place, why it’s deprecated now, and what the options are for us apart from it. | https://medium.com/better-programming/why-are-kotlin-synthetics-deprecated-and-what-are-the-alternatives-5c2b087dda1c | ['Sahil Sharma'] | 2020-12-20 08:10:10.560000+00:00 | ['AndroidDev', 'Programming', 'Android App Development', 'Kotlin', 'Android'] |
How to Develop Better Morning Habits | My habit for years was to grab my phone as soon as I woke up. I’d check my notifications and spend a long time browsing Facebook, Instagram, and Reddit.
I became increasingly irritable as I scrolled, my mind going a million directions, thinking about everything except what I wanted to do with my day. I felt out of control. My brain was telling me to stop, but my body wasn’t listening.
I know I’m not alone in this. The red dots reliably lure us in with the promise of a dopamine release.
Recently, I managed to break this habit through the development of a simple morning ritual. For the last month, I’ve felt more productive, less anxious, and I’ve even started going to bed earlier.
Would you like to make a similar change? I have some suggestions for you. Everyone has different needs and requires a unique solution, but I hope you’ll find at least one useful tidbit here.
Think of one easy thing you’d rather do
When I decided to create my morning ritual, I asked my Facebook friends the following question:
Do you have a morning ritual that helps you feel excited about getting out of bed, or puts you in a good frame of mind to start the day? I’m curious what you’ve come up with.
Here are some of the ideas I received:
Check on plants, water and prune as needed, sit with them
Morning meditation, prayer, or devotional
Spend time with pets, walk the dog, play with kittens, feed chickens
Drink tea, coffee, juice, or water; smoke weed or a cigarette
Read the obituaries — if you’re not in them, eat breakfast
Work out, do yoga, walk up a hill
Feel gratitude, say what you’re thankful for out loud
Write in a journal, read a book, or listen to music
Take a shower or bath
Oil massage (Abhyanga)
Check the weather
Listen to a motivational podcast
Meet someone for an early morning activity
Plenty of options there, but if none of them sound appealing, try searching for more ideas online or come up with some yourself.
I suggest you write down several ideas that catch your interest.
Then, choose the easiest one — maybe even something you can do in bed.
Part of what makes social media so attractive first thing in the morning is that it requires no effort. You want the new action to be as easy as possible so it feels like a viable alternative to your phone even when you wake up in a low-energy state. The idea is not to be productive from the second you wake up, but to find some small calming or energizing action to look forward to.
Don’t be afraid to “cheat” by simplifying your choice.
I knew meditation was good for me in the morning, but I thought the proper way to do it was to sit upright for 30 minutes in silence. I couldn’t find the willpower to do that first thing after waking up. It felt like a chore.
To bring it within reach, I decided to listen to short guided meditations while lying in bed. Completing the meditation is as easy as hitting “play” and following the instructions.
I may not reach the pinnacle of enlightenment with this style of meditation, but that’s not the point. What’s important is that it’s easy enough to do consistently and it helps me feel more balanced.
Rather than a full yoga routine, settle for one or two stretches. Don’t run 10 miles, go for a five-minute walk. Grab a banana instead of cooking for an hour.
It should be simple, gentle, and easy; a pleasure, not a burden.
Set up a flow of activities
You’ve identified the first step of your ritual. What’s next? By linking together a few actions, you can gain confidence in your ability to complete tasks.
I have an analogy that describes how this works for me: when I first wake up, it’s like I’m standing at ground level, and ahead of me I can see a stone wall. The wall represents the work I need to do that day. I need to find a way to get up and over it if I want to accomplish my goals, but it towers over me.
We all know someone who is an explosion of energy — a pole vaulter, a rock climber, hungry for a big wall first thing in the morning.
For the rest of us, walls are overwhelming. Sometimes I see the wall and I give up immediately, collapsing on the ground in front of it, or banging my head against it all day.
What I need is a staircase. The morning ritual is my staircase.
I take my first step onto that staircase when I do my meditation.
The second step is putting some water to boil on the stove. That’s always manageable. It takes no thought or foresight, but it gets me on my feet.
While I’m waiting a few minutes for the water to boil, I get a mug out and put a teabag in it. I take an allergy pill. Maybe I put on some music, light some sage, or do a forward fold. A few more steps upward.
When the water is ready, I pour it in my mug, and I check on my plants while it steeps. Then I sit in a chair outside while I drink my tea. I intentionally leave my phone inside for another 15 minutes of peace as I check the sky for clouds, look at trees, and maybe watch some rabbits hop around.
By the time I’m done, I’m usually feeling thoughtful, energetic, and in control — miles ahead of where I would have been if I’d been scrolling social media that whole time.
Suddenly, I’m near the top of the staircase. Getting started on productive work is just one more step onto the top of that wall. Ideas are coming to my mind for what I’d like to do next; from here I have many options.
To find a series of actions that works for you, go back to your list of activities that sounded appealing. After waking up and completing the easiest one, notice which action looks most achievable and interesting to do next. Complete that one, then come back to the list and repeat.
You might only need one or two items, or you might need 10. Play with it and see what works for you. You can always adjust the contents of your ritual and the order in which you do them.
Once you’ve found a good flow and practiced it 5–10 days in a row, it might start to become automatic, and that’s the goal. Hopefully, scrolling on social media starts to seem unappealing compared to the positive boost of your ritual.
Now you’re starting every day stronger without even trying.
Side effects of a morning ritual
When I improved the quality of my first waking moments, it changed the entire course of my day. I had originally hoped to make mornings suck less but it led to a cascade of productive and healthy choices in general. Unexpected, but welcome nonetheless.
Another surprising effect is that I’ve started going to bed and waking up earlier. Now that I have something pleasant to look forward to in the morning, I find it easier to switch my brain off at 10:30 rather than midnight or later.
I’ve also found that there’s a certain relief in getting work done early in the day. It feels better to be ahead of things rather than frantically playing catchup. Putting in a solid effort early on means I can enjoy my relaxation in the afternoon and evening.
In conclusion
The right routine doesn’t take a lot of discipline to maintain — you look forward to it, and it becomes automatic. It’s self-care, self-love, a gentle welcome to the new day.
Don’t worry if it doesn’t align with your vision of what a pure ritual should look like. Go with what works instead.
Maybe this idea still seems out of reach. Maybe you’re depressed or you have other responsibilities in the morning. That’s okay. Sometimes these things only work out when they work out. Perhaps you could look into creating an evening ritual instead.
Keep the idea in mind, though. Someday it might click and you’ll be able to develop some small morning habit that improves your day. | https://medium.com/the-ascent/how-to-develop-better-morning-habits-8d0bfc686090 | ['Joe Omundson'] | 2020-09-02 12:01:01.769000+00:00 | ['Life Lessons', 'Health', 'Productivity', 'Self Improvment', 'Life'] |
Good Morning, Sweet Friend | A note about this photo and poem:
I took this photo one morning while walking my dog, Nellie. I’ve been eager to write a poem about it because looking at it just fills my heart with happiness — the sun shining through the trees, Nellie pausing to look up at Mama, those floppy ears! On a separate morning, I came down the stairs and I hear Nellie’s tail beating against the sofa, so excited to see me. I smiled and greeted her, and then the words to this micropoem popped into my mind!
I’ve been so grateful for my pets during this season of shelter-in-place. They bring such a sense of calm and comfort. It’s like they know exactly what we need, instinctively. The love from our pets is truly a love unmatched. | https://medium.com/a-cornered-gurl/good-morning-sweet-friend-88c1e69f59c6 | ['Rachel B. Baxter'] | 2020-05-11 21:03:15.970000+00:00 | ['Micropoetry', 'Dogs', 'Poetry', 'A Cornered Gurl', 'Pets'] |
A Hot New Idea About the Moon | For more than a century, astronomers have debated the question of how the Moon formed. The most popular theory currently en vogue states that, long ago, the Earth was struck by a body roughly the size of Mars, releasing material that entered orbit around our fledgling planet, which cooled to form our planetary companion.
Computer models suggest, however, that such an event would produce a Moon with a composition similar to that of the impactor. However, we know our planetary companion has a makeup much like our home world. A team of astrophysicists in Japan, working with colleagues at Yale University, believe they have solved that dilemma. They found that if the impacting body were solid, while our world were still covered in magma, then the collision would have formed a moon similar to the one we observe today.
The International Space Station (ISS) is seen silhouetted against the Moon. Image credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls
“In our model, about 80% of the moon is made of proto-Earth materials. In most of the previous models, about 80% of the moon is made of the impactor. This is a big difference,” explains Yale geophysicist Shun-ichiro Karato.
Roughly 50 million years after the Earth began to coalesce from a cloud of gas and dust surrounding the Sun, the surface of our world was covered in hot, liquefied rock. When the impactor struck the Earth with a glancing blow, magma on the surface of our world would have heated faster than the solid material of the impacting body, causing the magma to expand in volume as it entered orbit around the Earth.
Computer simulations showing how magma covering the surface of the early Earth could have altered the formation of the Moon. Image credit: Hosono, Karato, Makino & Saitoh
Previously, astronomers and geologists have been forced to devise unconventional scenarios of the impact in order to explain the geology of samples returned from the Moon by the Apollo astronauts. This new finding could explain the observed geology without the need for a complex impact.
“[A] giant, solid impactor hit the proto-Earth while it was covered with a magma ocean, under the conventional collision conditions… [B]ecause of the large difference in shock heating between silicate melts and solids (rocks), a substantial fraction of the ejected, Moon-forming material is derived from the magma ocean,” researchers described in Nature Geoscience.
Initially, the Moon rotated much faster than it does today, as did the Earth. However, because the Moon is not perfectly spherical, bulging slightly at its equator, a torque built up between the pair of bodies, slowing the spin of the Moon like an ice skater slows as she extends her arms during a twirl on the ice. Once the spin of the Moon slowed to the same rate as it took to orbit the Earth, the bulge was in line with our planet, and one face of the lunar surface eternally faced our world.
The Moon as seen by space travelers aboard the International Space Station. Image credit: NASA
“The Earth would be a very different place if the moon did not exist. Not only did the Earth slow down the Moon’s rotation, but the Moon is slowing down the rotation rate of the Earth. Since the moon’s formation, the Earth has been slowing its rotation due to the friction of the tides caused by the moon, and in reaction to this exchange of energy, the moon has been moving farther away from the Earth.,” The Solar System Exploration Research Virtual Institute explains.
A look at how the Moon evolved over time, following its formation. Credit: NASA Goddard.
“The moon will guide you through the night with her brightness, but she will always dwell in the darkness, in order to be seen.” ― Shannon L. Alder
Still, the Moon lacks some of the volatile ingredients of the Earth, notably potassium, sodium, and copper which are relatively common on our home planet. Understanding these differences between the bodies could prove vital as we search for the complete story of what happened during the formation of our planetary companion.
The next time you look up to the Moon, remember it all may have started in a giant pool of magma. | https://medium.com/the-cosmic-companion/a-hot-new-idea-about-the-moon-fe5a2968ac3c | ['James Maynard'] | 2019-04-29 23:07:26.540000+00:00 | ['Moon', 'Science', 'Space', 'Geology', 'Earth'] |
4 Benefits of SEO for Small Businesses | 1.Easy to use Websites
Search engine optimisation will help small businessmen make a quicker, smoother, and client more amicable website.
2. Acquire MORE Customers
Honestly, the core purposes behind having a website is to stand apart from your opposition and higher your client base. Sometimes you think, why contribute thousands of rupees on a website, correct? Businesses that have an SEO-friendly website bring MORE clients and develop as twice as than Businesses that don’t have one. Website design enhancement is presumably the most productive and moderate advertising procedure that exists today.
3. Better Conversion Rates
People search when they want to buy some product or willing to avail services so if someone gets you on Google, there is a high chance of a conversion rate and this is what businessman wants after putting efforts in any kind of advertising be it online or offline
4. Assemble Brand Awareness
One of the advantages of getting higher rankings on the SERPs is building brand mindfulness. At the point when your destinations show upon the principal page of significant web indexes, for example, Google, Yahoo, and Bing, your potential clients are bound to believe your image when they look for a specific term as opposed to different brands that don’t have a solid web presence. That is the reason private companies that need to fabricate better brand mindfulness (either locally or growing broadly) should put resources into SEO and begin picking up top rankings for the KEY expressions related to their business. We’re not during the 90s any longer; web indexes now assume a critical function in the creation or breaking your image.
If you are looking for SEO Services you can contact Team Brand Chanakya | https://medium.com/@iampragnesh05/4-benefits-of-seo-for-small-businesses-8960c411b84a | ['Pragnesh Shrimal'] | 2020-12-26 10:49:15.516000+00:00 | ['Digitalmarketingstrategy', 'Digital Marketing', 'Digital'] |
Big Data with R !! | Every now and then, we always face and hear that R is sluggish with big data. Here we are talking about terabytes or petabytes and this is one of the biggest limitations of R that the data should fit within the RAM.
To avoid this we use out of memory processing concept that process in chunks rather processing it all at once. We use two different packages that are shown below.
#install.packages("ff")
library(ff) #install.packages("ffbase")
library(ffbase)
ff package basically chunks the data and stores it as an encoded raw flat file on the hard disk and also gives you access to the functions much faster. The data structure that is ff data frame also provides mapping to the dataset that is partitioned in RAM. Example of how the chunks of data are going to work, assume a 2GB file it takes about 460 seconds to read the data in the file with 1 ff data frame of a size 515 KB and 28 ff data files of 50 MB each, therefor 1.37GB. To perform basic merging, finding duplicates and missing values, creating subset, etc we use ffbase package. We can also perform clustering, regressions, and classification directly with the ff objects.
Let's look for some R-code for the above-described operations
# Uploading from flatfiles system("mkdir ffdf")
options(fftempdir = "./ffdf") system.time(fli.ff <- read.table.ffdf(file="flights.txt", sep=",", VERBOSE=TRUE, header=TRUE, colClasses=NA)) system.time(airln.ff <- read.csv.ffdf(file="airline.csv",
VERBOSE=TRUE, header=TRUE,colClasses=NA)) # Merging the datasets flights.data.ff = merge.ffdf(fli.ff, airln.ff, by="Airline_id")
Subsetting
# Subset subset.ffdf(flights.data.ff, CANCELLED == 1, select = c(Flight_date, Airline_id, Ori_city,Ori_state, Dest_city, Dest_state, Cancellation))
Descriptive statistics
# Descriptive statistics mean(flights.data.ff$DISTANCE)
quantile(flights.data.ff$DISTANCE)
range(flights.data.ff$DISTANCE)
Regression with biglm (Dataset: Chronic Kidney Disease Dataset by the University of California Irvine at http://archive.ics.uci.edu/ml/index.html)
# Regression requires installation of biglm package library(ffbase)
library(biglm) model1 = bigglm.ffdf(class ~ age + bp + bgr + bu + rbcc + wbcc + hemo, data = ckd.ff, family=binomial(link = "logit"), na.action = na.exclude) model1
summary(model1)
#Refining of the model can be done according to the significance level obtained in model1
Linear Regression with biglm and bigmemory
# Regression with big memory and biglm package library(biglm) ckd.mat = read.big.matrix("ckd.csv", header = TRUE, sep = ",", type = "double",backingfile = "ckd.bin", descriptorfile = "ckd.desc") regression = bigglm.big.matrix(class~ bgr + hemo + age, data = ckd.mat, fc = c("bgr", "hemo")) summary(regression)
Further, when you dive a little deep we have just talked about storing but when we need to process or analyze data we need to know parallel computing. The simplest way to explain this is a youtube video and count the time of a random color appearing in the video so in this case parallel computing comes in the play where mapper splits the input and further reduced to key-value pair.
Therefore we use H20 for a fast and scalable platform for parallel and big data in R.
I hope you find this article helpful to work with big data in R. Thank you for reading the article.
“Data is the new science, Big data holds the answer”- Pat Gelsinger | https://medium.com/analytics-vidhya/big-data-with-r-3cea0549cfba | ['Apoorva Jain'] | 2020-07-06 16:48:18.559000+00:00 | ['Data Science', 'Parallel Computing', 'Rstudio', 'Big Data'] |
The Mainframe Automated Testing Need | The Mainframe Automated Testing Need
Software production is still a relatively young industry in the grand scheme of things. Think about it — we’ve been mass-producing automobiles for over a century. Given worldwide demand for automobiles, the industry had no choice but to rapidly streamline and accelerate production. Ford installed the very first assembly line in 1913 and it didn’t take long before lean production methodologies found their roots in Toyota’s 1930 operating model.
Photo by Birmingham Museums Trust on Unsplash
Today, the U.S. Department of Transportation reports the average life of a vehicle to be 12 years, engineered to last around 200,000 miles. Wind back time to the 1960s and the expectation was about half that — 100,000 miles. This increase in quality and longevity did not happen on its own. Its continuous improvement to production methodologies, including quality automation, that ultimately results in a better product over time.
Licensed under the Creative Commons license by TGW Logistics Group
It’s hard to imagine that the phrase “software is eating the world” was coined a decade ago, but it continues to ring true. Can you imagine going an hour without interacting with something driven by software today? Even your lightbulbs are “smart”. The demand for software couldn’t be higher. With such a sustained high demand, we’ve had to innovate our software production methodologies to keep up.
Along came DevOps with the concept of an automated pipeline for software development where quality is embedded during the production process and not an obstacle to cross at the end. Quality automation is no longer a choice, it’s the norm. In the last decade, this philosophy has permeated through software development culture, resulting in software products that are produced at rapid speeds, but also engineered to last.
We’ve made great strides in terms of efficiency and quality in the production of new software. But, what about all the software that was built before this? Mainframes continue to be the backbone of the finance industry that sits at the heart of our entire economy. Like a home that lasts the test of time, these applications continue to be rock solid and excel at what they were designed to do. But as homes benefit from renovations from time to time, these applications stand to gain from upgrades.
But what are these upgrades? If I’m having higher utility bills, I might choose to improve the insulation in my home. If I want greater security, I might install a security system.
A common need of mainframe applications is to ensure quality across the changes being made and a desire to make changes more frequently without fear of quality degradation. Modern applications can be updated and deployed quickly due to automated testing that was built ground up. This is foundational to DevOps best practices. Every layer of the application typically has automated testing — unit testing, integration testing, system testing. All these tests have their purpose, but if you ask an SRE (Site Reliability Engineer) which test results they’re most invested in before a change makes it to production, it would be system testing, followed by integration testing consisting of functional and non-functional tests.
Mainframe applications usually do not have their tests automated. The right tools were not always available for automation and inertia had set in, limiting any serious efforts to automate testing retroactively. There’s also the small matter of automation requiring coding skills that traditional mainframe quality testing staff didn’t possess.
Before we try to solve the need for automated testing, let’s take a look at how testing is done for mainframe applications today. | https://medium.com/modern-mainframe/the-mainframe-automated-testing-need-89086bc48a62 | ['Sujay Solomon'] | 2021-04-26 12:05:34.781000+00:00 | ['Test Automation', 'Automated Testing', 'Quality Assurance', 'Open Source', 'Mainframe'] |
Sugar Can Be the Cause Of Your Weight | SUUGGAARRRR!!!
The most addictive “food source” on the planet. Studies have shown sugar is similar if not just as addictive as cocaine.
I’m sorry what?
Sugar is pretty much in everything we eat, whole foods as the exception. Some are natural sources of sugar and some are not.
It is important to understand what is going into your body. Sugar feeds cancer. Just like bugs feed on plants, cancer feeds on sugar. Limiting sugar could potentially help increase the longevity of your life as well as health.
Eating less sugar is linked with weight loss, and eating more is linked with weight gain
When shopping at the store, purchase products with a low sugar count. 8g and below is best. If the product goes over a little that is okay.
Be sure to look at different brands, store brands vs off brands. Your calories may run a little higher and that is okay. Choose one with a happy medium. Many stores have a variety of kinds to choose from. Don’t hesitate to scope them all out.
Women should consume about 25 grams of sugar a day.
In comparison, a can of soda has about 40 grams and a typical store-bought granola bar has about 10–20 grams.
To find the number of teaspoons of sugar in an item use this equation
Grams / 4 = Tsp of sugar
And make sure protein grams are LARGER then sugar grams.
Here are some of the biggest items with added excess sugar:
Canned or jarred pasta sauce
Ketchup and other condiments
Bread, even whole wheat
Gluten-free snacks
Crackers, even rice crackers
Canned soup
Salad dressing
Snack bars
Energy drinks
Take-out food
Almost all canned food
Sweetened/flavored yogurt
Refined flour, which processes in the body the same way as sugar
Fewer ingredients in the added ingredients portion of the nutrition label is better!
Items to look out for:
artificial colors/flavors
ending in -ol
aspartame
hydrogenated oils
natural flavors
refined sugars
MSG
GMO
exc.
If you don’t know what it is, neither does your body. Choose what you feel is best.
What can you do to help reduce sugar intake:
Drink more water. Water will fill your stomach with volume, reduce the “hunger” sensation and reducing the need for sugary food. Use a natural sweetener. These have more vitamins and minerals than regular sugar. Also, try sugar alternatives like stevia, truvia, swerve. Eat enough whole foods. When you eat enough of nutritious foods, your body won’t be as susceptible to wanting sugar. Make your own food. Making your own food will cut back on the added ingredients in fast foods or restaurant foods. Always read labels. Reading the back of the nutrition label will help you keep a visual of what you are ingesting. remember to use the recommendations above for a visual of how many teaspoons are in a product.
Ultimately, you want to have sugar in moderation. Be mindful of what you are eating and enjoy those unhealthy foods when applicable. This is a lifestyle change and not a diet. Being aware of what you are putting into your body will help you with your weight loss journey.
xoxo,
Farah
For a free weight loss guide or free 5 day weight loss coaching trial visit farahanncoaching.com
Pinterest- Instagram- Facebook | https://medium.com/@hello_30356/sugar-can-be-the-cause-of-your-weight-65c6a7ac2b07 | ['Farah Ackerman'] | 2019-06-17 23:48:13.563000+00:00 | ['Sugar', 'Weight Loss Tips', 'Weight Loss', 'Health', 'Healthy Lifestyle'] |
Music Takes Nothing | photo by Robertsen Ashman
You open the door and enter into a silent, dark hallway, turn around, pull the door closed and make your way to the light switch on the other side of the double doors. It feels like a holiday in here, you think to yourself as you flip the light on and make eye contact with the security cameras. You pass door after door, empty room after empty room, and make your way around the corner, keys jingling. The door unlocks, you enter the room, close the door behind, and drop your bag on the ground. It’s cold in here. You can feel it as you take your jacket and mask off and let the cold air hit the last few-hundred dewy breaths that have collected around your nose. You throw your jacket over a microphone stand, try not to knock anything over as you stagger behind a drum kit and sit. There used to be energy here.
There used to be people here. Even in the daytime, or an actual holiday, you would have run into someone, or the timed light in the hallway would have still been on from whoever was here before you showed up. Walking through the hallways, you would have heard some surprisingly great music being played in the adjoining rooms — noisy, avant jams that you would have found out were, surprise, actually two or three groups playing, each in their own rooms simultaneously; notes blending in the hallway to make something much weirder and more interesting than the sum of its parts. Free jazz, maybe.
You throw your headphones on, knock at something.
Turn it up.
Conjure something.
Something was easy to conjure. It’s easy to conjure something that is waiting nearby, but these days, it is nowhere to be found.
Music is a magnet. It offers a unique pull that connects people to itself and to each other. It connects people to a spiritual realm, even if they don’t believe in anything spiritual. It connects listeners to each other and each to their self in ways that make no sense and don’t have to. The immediacy of creating music heals the people who create it, remarkably so when they create it together. Music immediately heals those who listen to it, if momentarily.
These moments are fleeting, but they randomly magnetize the culture and energize us long enough to get to the next thing. Magnetic as we are, we then magnetize our surroundings.
Music takes nothing; it only gives.
Conjure something. It’s still there, it’s just on pause; it’s masked up, for now.
You take a breath and break the silence. That old neighbor from the empty room next door must wish they could go back to the days of being annoyed by my noise. The things we’ve lost.
The room sits mostly empty, but something wells up as the line outside starts to move indoors. You notice the anticipation, however subtle. Your friend walks straight from the line outside to the one at the bar, orders a drink, keeps it open.
Seeing people by accident is a privilege we never knew we had. Seeing their smile is another one. We used to put our cheeks together and wrap our arms around a friend, even if we had seen them just a day before. Imagine that. Try someone’s drink; shake hands — all good options then.
Are they starting now? The conversation is cut short, but we’ll catch up later. The room fills with sound. People cram in like sardines in a crushed tin box and nod as if to say yes to whatever magnetic field is expanding out from the stage at the front of the room, pulling them into its intrinsic power. The force is as contagious as it is generous.
Conjure something.
You get lost in the music. It cleanses your soul enough to find some calm and spread a little to your people.
You open your eyes and see no one in front of you; take your headphones off and hear nothing.
The timed light in the hallway has clicked off and no one has come to turn it on again. As you shut the door behind yourself and enter into the darkness — donning a mask and a bottle of hand sanitizer that smelled good, at first — you allow a moment of grief to pass through you. The things we’ve lost are immeasurable. Some are great and permanent; some small and temporary; all of them heavy.
We’ve lost our magnetism, but we’re floating around ok for now. And we’ll know where to go when we need to re-up.
We’ll catch up, later. | https://medium.com/@jeremiah-hayden/music-takes-nothing-b796d3c8262 | ['Jeremiah Hayden'] | 2020-11-27 16:29:16.051000+00:00 | ['Music', 'Grief', 'Covid 19', 'Mental Health', 'Creative Non Fiction'] |
Meet the Most Beautiful Woman in the World: Cléo de Mérode | Meet the Most Beautiful Woman in the World: Cléo de Mérode
Portrait of Cléo de Mérode (Source: Public domain, color by Klimbim)
She was the most famous woman in the world. Everyone knew her face. Millions scanned the newspapers for tidbits of information about her. Millions more purchased postcards, playing cards, and other items bearing her likeness. She was featured in print advertisements and on posters everywhere: the great beauty of the Belle Époque.
Triple-view postcard featuring Cléo de Mérode (Source: Public Domain)
Dozens of painters, sculptors, photographers, sketch artists, and cartoonists labored to capture her image. Even scandal did not diminish her popularity. It only increased it. But today, hardly anyone knows her name. Who was Cléo de Mérode? Here is her story.
A child prodigy and teen trend-setter
Cléo as a child (Source: Public Domain)
Cléopâtre-Diane de Mérode (1875–1966) was born in Paris, France, into an aristocratic and artistic family. Her parents, Viennese Baroness Vincentia Maria Cäcilia Catharina de Mérode and Austrian judge Theodor Christomannos were not married and estranged. Consequently, the first time Cléo met her father, she was a young adult.
When she was eight, Cléo’s mother enrolled her in ballet classes. The child made her professional debut as a dancer at the Paris Opéra when she was 11. At 16, she was already turning heads with her signature hairstyle, the chignon.
“The Stockholm telephone authorities are finding fault now with the way in which (switchboard operators) do their hair. It appears that of late the Swedish lassies …have adopted the mode of coiffure first initiated by the French dancer Cleo de Merode, in which the hair is drawn over the ears. The subscribers have since found a falling off in the hearing powers of the operators, as the result of which complaints of inefficiency in the service have been made.” — The American telephone journal, Volume 8, 1903
Cléo’s signature hairstyle (Source: Public Domain)
The hairstyle became so popular that it nearly inspired a strike by Swedish telephone operators. Ordered by management to stop wearing their hair over their ears like Cléo de Mérode, they flatly refused to comply.
How the Swedes resolved the dispute is unknown, but the incident shows the dancer’s powerful influence on fashion and beauty trends.
When she wasn’t dancing, beginning in her teen years, Cléo de Mérode was modeling for some of the greatest artists of the day. Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, famous for his paintings and sculptures of ballet dancers, did her portrait as did Edgar Degas.
Portrait by Giovanni Boldini, 1901 (Source: Public Domain)
Other painters who captured her likeness include Manuel Benedito, Giovanni Boldini, Georges Clairin, François Flameng, Henri Gervex, Friedrich August von Kaulbach, Alfredo Müller, Einar Nerman, József Rippl-Rónai, and Carlos Vázquez Úbeda.
She also posed for sculptors Eugène-Denis Arrondelle, Mariano Benlliure, Alexandre Falguière (twice), and Ernst Seger.
The dancer is said to be the model for Alphonse Mucha’s stunning series of Art Nouveau busts La Nature, although this is unsubstantiated.
You can see the wax mask of her by Georges Despret at the Musée Fin-de-Siècle Museum in Brussels.
Cléo de Mérode is depicted in countless newspaper and magazine illustrations, cartoons, and postcards. Georges Goursat drew several caricatures of her during the 1900s.
Photos by Nadar (Source: Public Domain)
But nothing had a greater impact on Cléo de Mérode’s fame than her photographs. Her image was easily mass-produced and distributed worldwide. A postcard bearing her likeness, sent from Uruguay in 1904, recently sold on eBay.
Some of the more prominent photographers who photographed the beauty included Nadar and his son Paul Nadar, Léopold-Émile Reutlinger, and his son Jean Reutlinger, Henri Manuel, Charles Ogerau, and Otto Sarony.
These images, usually on postcards, are still popular with collectors. Millions of these were produced and sold each year throughout her heyday and beyond. People were crazy for Cléo. Anything with her name or picture on it, be it underwear or playing cards, sold like hotcakes.
Gossip Girl of La Belle Époque
Promotional photo showing deMérode’s left ear (Source: Public Domain)
Beauty and fame invariably attract envy and conjecture. One of the first rumors circulated about Cléo was that she used her famous hairstyle, which completely covered her ears, to conceal that she was missing either one or both of them.
There’s no reason to believe the missing ear rumor is true, although, in nearly every photo of her to be found, her ears aren’t visible, nor does she appear to be wearing earrings. Some versions of Mucha’s bust La Nature are equipped with earrings, but the ear lobe isn’t depicted. Obviously, nothing other than a photograph would prove it one way or another, and I could only find one, confirming that her left ear was intact.
Cartoon By Auguste Roubille depicting Léopold II and Cléo de Mérode (Source: Public Domain)
The next rumor about de Mérode was much more serious. It was spread beginning in the fall of 1895, implying that 20-year-old Cléo was having an affair with 60-year-old King Leopold II of Belgium. The age difference aside, Leopold was a world-class womanizer, married, and the father of four children. The press began revering to the pair as “Cléopold.”
Initially, the gossip hurt de Mérode’s reputation somewhat. It didn’t help when in 1899, Leopold took 16-year-old French prostitute Caroline Lacroix as his mistress and proceeded to father two children by her.
This gave the rumor mongers additional clout in deeming Cléo de Mérode a courtesan in service to the king.
Gossip columnists and political cartoonists had a field day with the Cléopold scenario, and the rumor persisted for nearly 10 years. Cléo denied any involvement with Leopold, and evidence suggests she was telling the truth. An article in the June 4, 1911, edition of the New York Times declared no foundation to the rumor. The dancer did not, however, deny the allegation too vigorously. After all, there’s no such thing as bad publicity.
(Cléo de Mérode and the Falguière sculpture depicted in a painting by Carlos Vázquez Úbeda “Cléo de Mérode at the Salon” (Source: Public Domain)
Not long after the Cléopold rumor began, de Mérode caused another sensation over the sculpture La Danseuse that Alexandre Falguièr exhibited at the Salon des Artistes Français in the spring of 1896.
Falguièr said that he based the life-sized marble nude on a full-body plaster cast of Cléo de Mérode. The critical reception for La Danseuse was not good.
In her article “The corset, the bicycle and the Hottentot: Alexandre Falguière’s The Dancer and Cléo de Mérode’s modern, feminine body” academic Susan Waller writes that art critics reacted with unusual vehemence to the artwork, labeling it a “modern” body and denouncing it as “deformed” or “damaged.”
Perhaps the bad reviews motivated de Mérode to strenuously deny having posed for the body, only the face. Whether or not she was telling the truth, she took advantage of the association by using a facsimile of the statue in one of her later performances.
“Her beauty is not only remarkable, judged by any standpoint, but it is of a type very different from that which is ordinarily offered to the eye of the pleasure-loving public… A suggestion of chastity, of melancholy, or even of piety in the object of (the Parisian’s)carnal admiration revives his jaded senses. Cleo de Merode pleases this refined Parisian taste.” — from the New York newspaper the Journal, May 17, 1896
The furor over the statue inspired Carlos Vasquez y Obeda to paint Cléo de Mérode au Salon, which is currently in a private collection. It shows Cléo and another woman at the Salon exhibition inspecting the statue. La Danseuse can be seen at the Musée d’Orsay in Paris.
International sensation
Cléo de Mérode
(Source: The Sketch — August 31st, 1910)
Thanks to her image's wide distribution, the world at large was anxious to experience Cléo de Mérode in the flesh. She toured Europe, where she was generally well-received, except for her appearance at the Alhambra in London in 1902.
In an interview with the British illustrated weekly journal The Sketch, she is quoted as saying, “I dance the ancient dances, the Louis XIII, the Louis XV, the gavot, the pavan, the minuet, and I led at Royan Louis Ganne’s ballet of ‘Phryne.’ I am gowned by a real dressmaker. I know music very well and play the piano as little as possible. I know how to arrange a basket of fruit, place flowers in a jardiniere, and touch a book without spoiling it. I have read the poets and the historians, and I do not write. I wear stockings that are as fine as a woven mist. What other accomplishments shall I speak of?”
F.A. von Kaulbach. Portrait of Cleo de Merode, 1904
The Sketch also provided its readers with de Mérode’s measurements so they could compare them with what the magazine deemed to be those of the Perfect Woman entitled, “Attribute: Cleo de Merode (Perfect Woman)”
(An hourglass figure was considered the standard of beauty at that time):
“Weight: 121 1/4 lbs. (140 lbs.)
Height: 5 ft. 6 in. (5 ft. 6 in.)
Waist: 19 ins. (21 in.)
Neck: 4 in. (4 in.)
Calf: 4 3/4 in. (4 3/4 in.)
Hips: 2 3/4 in. (13 in.)
Shoulders: 13 in. (14 in.)”
The dancer’s first appearance in New York City, in 1897, was a disappointment. Her month-long booking at Koster and Bial’s music hall appearance failed to charm the critics. They were less than complimentary, to put it mildly.
“Cléo de Mérode can go back to her inconspicuous position among the ballet dancers at the Paris Opéra, crowned with the distinction of having made the most successful failure of the season. Critics and public joined in a chorus of disappointment after her first appearance at Koster & Bial’s, and yet she has set a new fashion in personal adornment, crowds mark her progress on the street, and large audiences assemble to see her.” — theater critic for Munsey’s Magazine
The bad reviews didn’t worry Cléo. She was making 40 times her salary at the Paris Opéra. Her response to reports of her critical failure in New York included some criticism of her own.
Portrait by Paul Nadar (Source: Public Domain
“The papers stated that I was a failure, but they lied. I pleased the Americans vastly. The papers pretended that I danced badly, as if Americans could tell. They know nothing about dancing and don’t like ballets.” — Cléo de Mérode
At the height of her fame in France, de Mérode made what was considered to be a risky decision for a “serious artiste.” She agreed to appear at the notorious Folies Bergère cabaret music hall. Some feared it would end her career, but those fears were unfounded. Instead, it garnered her a whole new host of fans. She continued to enjoy a large measure of notoriety until World War I, during which time she entertained wounded soldiers, dancing well into her forties.
The curtain comes down
Poster for Peacock Alley (Source: Public Domain)
In her later years, de Mérode retired to the seaside, where she taught dance and crafted figurines as a hobby. She was also involved in two lawsuits.
In 1923 she unsuccessfully sued the owners of the film Peacock Alley, one of the biggest hits of 1922. The dancer claimed the film’s characters and plotline damaged her reputation. In it, the main character “Cleo of Paris” gives birth to an illegitimate child. The court did not find sufficient parallels to de Mérode’s life to rule in her favor.
(Source: raptisrarebooks.com)
In 1950, however, she successfully sued Simone de Beauvoir for libel. In her book The Second Sex, Beauvoir described de Mérode as a prostitute who came from peasant stock and further claimed she had assumed an aristocratic-sounding stage name to further her career.
Although she had asked for five million francs in damages, the judge only awarded de Mérode one franc because she never properly refuted the rumors previously and had used them to garner publicity. He also ordered de Beauvoir to delete the section about de Mérode in subsequent editions of her book.
Collage of photos by Cecil Beaton (Source: Vogue magazine, fair use)
Cléo de Mérode set the record straight in her autobiography, Le Ballet de ma vie (The Dance of My Life), which was published in 1955.
One of de Mérode’s last interviews was in 1964, for Vogue magazine. Cecil Beaton visited her at her Paris apartment. His photographs and interview of her were featured in the magazine’s February 15, 1964 issue.
Beaton wrote that, as he left, she asked him to destroy any unflattering photos.
Cléo de Mérode never married nor had any children. In her autobiography, she writes that she was only involved with two men in her life: a French aristocrat who died of typhoid fever in 1904 and, from 1906 to 1919, Spanish sculptor Luis de Périnat.
The de Merode tomb in Pere La Chaise Cemetery, Paris
On October 17, 1966, Cléo de Mérode died in the same Paris apartment at 15 Rue de Téhéran where she gave her Vogue interview.
She is interred at the famous Paris cemetery Père Lachaise alongside her mother. Adorning the tomb is a statue of Cléo in mourning sculpted by her former lover Luis de Périnat. | https://historyofyesterday.com/meet-the-most-beautiful-woman-in-the-world-cl%C3%A9o-de-m%C3%A9rode-bdeb5c3dcae | ['Denise Shelton'] | 2021-06-01 20:49:22.171000+00:00 | ['La Belle Époque', 'History', 'Beauty', 'Dance', 'Celebrity'] |
Do Not Fear the End Times Part 65: Hey, Where’s the Justice?! | Hello Readers, hope all’s well. Time for another End Times post.
Do you ever wonder about God’s justice?
Why does it seem like some people get away with everything, while others are oppressed by the justice system? Why does it seem like awful, wicked people are often the most prosperous? And why does it seem like living a dishonest life of cheating and manipulation is ‘better’ than living right? Because it looks like the Righteous path is full of hardship with no reward, while those who act without morals have it all.
Well, if you’ve ever wondered any of these questions, you’re not alone. These questions, these objections, are as old as the Old Testament. Life has always been like this here in the fallen, sinful world. But we need to keep things in perspective. The New Testament gives answers to these questions, and an indisputable reason to live Righteously.
Not everyone gets the punishment they deserve here in this life on earth. Don’t worry about it-what does or doesn’t happen here on earth isn’t what matters. As Christians, we have our sights set on eternity and know that life on earth isn’t the end of the story.
So that’s today’s topic. Let’s get right into it.
One of the Oldest Stories there Is
Oftentimes it seems like there’s no justice in this world. Am I right?
Yesterday I read a story about corruption, shady business, and abuse of power by a local government somewhere, and I got angry. It wasn’t even my local government, the story is from somewhere else. But I got angry because the actions of this government hurt their people, and that’s injustice. Of course injustice will always make me angry, as it also makes the LORD angry. But what added an extra layer to my anger was knowing that these officials will most likely never face consequences for what they’ve done. There will be no justice to correct the injustice (most likely).
Rich and powerful people commit crimes and appear to get away with it. When they get arrested for their crimes of fraud or abuse of power, etc., they devote an army of lawyers to their case and either get away with it or get a ridiculously minor punishment instead. Something like having to pay a fine. Despite being larger in scale, crimes by the rich and powerful get punished less-if they get punished at all-than those committed by the poor. And when the case goes through court and everything’s settled, the rich are still rich no matter what happened.
Besides crime, there are other ways it seems like there’s no justice in this world. One of those is watching people sin, lie, cheat, and manipulate and seem to get away with it. People living the wrong way, being dishonest, etc., and not suffering the consequences.
Earlier this year, I watched the public bankruptcy proceedings of a minor celebrity. A very minor celebrity, there’s no point in saying who because most won’t know him. He’d taken out a bunch of loans, maxed out his credit cards, fallen behind on his debt and got dragged into bankruptcy court. The final decision of the judge was to give him the bankruptcy protection and discharge most of the debt.
In other words, he got off the hook from paying back most of the money he owed. After taking out all the loans and credit and not paying it back, now it seemed he wouldn’t face the consequences of doing so.
In response to that, someone commented: “It’s stupid to live honestly. Borrow money you have no intention of paying back. Lie, cheat, steal. I see now it doesn’t matter. It’s smarter to be a manipulative, dishonest scammer and liar.” This feeling is understandable, isn’t it?
Living a Righteous life is hard work, without much material reward. If we’re trying to live the right way and we’re struggling, and we see someone living dishonestly or committing crimes and they seem to have it better than us, we question the point of following the Righteous path at all.
Why do the wicked prosper? Why do liars, cheats, and criminals go unpunished? Why does it seem like they have things easier? And why doesn’t God right these wrongs?
I was reminded of these things when I read Malachi 2:17 recently. People have been asking these exact questions since the days of the Old Testament. Let’s read Malachi 2:17.
(17) You have made the LORD tired with your words.
You say, “How have we made him tired?”
When you say:
“Anyone doing evil is good in the LORD’s eyes,”
or “He delights in those doing evil,”
or “ Where is the God of justice? “ Malachi 2:17 (CEB)
This fallen world has always been one of injustice, since the earliest days. There have always been rich and poor, and inequality. There have always been people being taken advantage of by the rich and powerful.
There have always been people getting away with grievous crimes, with no consequences. There have always been dishonest cheaters prospering more than honest people. Sometimes it can seem like God is on the side of the wicked!
And many of the Righteous over the ages have cried out to God in protest over this. So many that the LORD got “tired” with their words, as the first line of Malachi 2:17 says. Well, the Book of Malachi is in the Old Testament. As I noted in my book review on the Wisdom of Solomon, the lack of a Heaven or hell in Jewish theology meant there was no reason for Jews not to live wickedly (if they chose) during their life! I said: “ Jewish theology up to this point had no concept of Heaven and hell. All souls went to the same afterlife. Under this concept, there was no reason for the Jews to act Righteously or even honor God. “
If all souls go to the same place after we die here on earth, then sure, there would be no reason to live Righteously. If this life is all there is, then we should lie, cheat, steal, and do anything it takes to get ahead. This life is all we got, so we can enjoy ourselves with no need to think about anything after this life on earth.
Well, the Jews didn’t have the full picture. Jesus and the New Testament complete the picture, and now we know why we must live Righteously here on earth. And we also know the ones who do evil on earth will never “get away with it,” as we have so often thought.
Trust all to the Just Judge
The crucifixion of our LORD Jesus Christ is the ultimate example of an injustice going unpunished. An innocent man was executed in the most cruel and humiliating way, and the ones responsible for this got away with it … at that time. Although He forgave the ones who condemned Him because they didn’t know what they were doing, Jesus also knew that anyone who deserves punishment and doesn’t REPENT! will never escape it. Jesus trusted in the LORD Most High, the Just Judge, for perfect justice.
I wrote about this in Part 57, a post about enduring our suffering like Jesus did-without complaining or trying to escape. Trust everything to the LORD. He judges justly between the Righteous and the unrepentant sinners.
(23) When he was insulted, he did not reply with insults. When he suffered, he did not threaten revenge. Instead, he entrusted himself to the one who judges justly. 1 Peter 2:23 (CEB)
If someone sins against us or others, and they don’t humble themselves before the LORD and REPENT!, they will be judged. Hebrews 9:27 tells us everyone will kneel before the LORD in judgment after they die, to account for their life.
(27) People are destined to die once and then face judgment. Hebrews 9:27 (CEB)
And there are more passages in the New Testament on this topic too. Revelation, for example, explains the eternal punishment for the wicked. So now with the New Testament, we know that nobody “gets away with it.” Anyone who lies, cheats, steals, commits crimes, and doesn’t face punishment on earth will face punishment from God after they die. (That’s assuming they don’t REPENT! and turn to Jesus first though.)
No one escapes having to face the LORD God after they die. Everyone will have to account for their lives and what they did. And if they deserve punishment, the LORD will punish them. There’s no amount of money that can bribe the LORD or buy mercy. No one “gets away with” anything.
And any punishment we can come up with can’t even hope to compare with what the LORD can do. Any punishment society can inflict on people is temporary. The LORD’s judgments are eternal. So if justice is what we want, we’re much better off leaving it all to the LORD. That is His jurisdiction, after all. He told us that Himself in Deuteronomy 32:35.
(35) Revenge is my domain, so is punishment-in-kind ,
at the exact moment their step slips up,
because the day of their destruction is just around the corner;
their final destiny is speeding on its way! Deuteronomy 32:35 (CEB)
The LORD is the one who punishes. Everyone will face Him after they die here on earth. Everyone will have to explain their actions and choices to Him. Then He will pass judgment on them. No one gets away with anything, no one can escape having to face Him. That’s why Romans 12:19 quotes Deuteronomy and tells us not to try to get payback on anybody. We must leave it up to the LORD instead-and if the offender doesn’t REPENT! first, the LORD will punish them.
(19) Don’t try to get revenge for yourselves, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath. It is written, “ Revenge belongs to me; I will pay it back, says the Lord “. Romans 12:19 (CEB)
So we need to keep things in perspective. No one is getting away with anything-God will sort everyone out. As for us Christians, our job is to turn the other cheek and forgive. It’s not easy in the short-term. But in the eternal-term, God will always work everything out the way it should be.
Live Life, Let God Worry about them
It’s natural that injustice and sin make us angry. Anger is even more understandable when someone who did wrong seems to get away with it. And not only that, but sometimes the cheaters and wrongdoers are so prosperous and successful. Sometimes it even seems like God is on their side, because they don’t suffer the consequences of what they do and also have such an abundant life.
If you’ve ever felt deeply offended at the injustice of this situation, you’re not alone. People have been offended and angry at this phenomenon going all the way back to the Old Testament. It’s an injustice as old as the Bible.
But the New Testament completes the picture of the Old Testament. The New Testament finishes the story. And the New Testament reveals in many passages that no one gets away with anything. Anyone who deserves punishment for some sin, crime, or whatever will be punished when they kneel before the LORD in judgment after death.**
**As long as they don’t turn to the LORD Jesus in Faith and genuinely REPENT! first.
So we need to keep perspective. It’s not about who gets punished here on earth. Some people never get the punishment they deserve on earth. But this world is only temporary-what happens after death is what matters. Punishments on earth are temporary, the LORD’s punishments are eternal!
And with the End drawing nearer every day, people are running out of time to REPENT! and change their ways to avoid the LORD’s punishment. It’s not good for them.
And for another thing, just because someone appears to have a happy, prosperous life doesn’t mean it’s true. Under the surface, behind closed doors, we never know how things truly are. The people ‘getting away with’ stuff might not be as happy as they look, because one of the consequences of sin is guilt. If they have any conscience at all, they’ll feel the guilt. And their money (or whatever) can’t erase that guilt.
So we must never despair over the sins of others, or let the sins of others make us too angry or sad. First, we can’t control the sins and crimes of other people, so we mustn’t get too emotional about them. That doesn’t help anything. We also can’t control the punishments people do or don’t receive, so we mustn’t get too emotional over that either. Punishment isn’t our right or jurisdiction either, as both the Old and New Testament teach us.
But more than anything else, remember to trust everything to the Just Judge, the LORD Most High. Vengeance is His, He will repay. Everyone will kneel before Him after death and have to account for themselves. No one will get away with anything, and no one will escape punishments they deserve. With that in mind, let’s stay focused more on our actions than on the lives of others. We can trust that the LORD will give everyone what they deserve. | https://medium.com/life-in-the-end-of-the-end-times/do-not-fear-the-end-times-part-65-hey-wheres-the-justice-8ec0a699f754 | [] | 2020-12-22 13:04:44.592000+00:00 | ['Bible', 'End Times', 'Christianity', 'Justice', 'Spirituality'] |
Show My City — Mississauga — Part 1 | I could probably continue on endlessly on this topic, but I will leave it for today. I hope that you enjoyed sharing our green spaces.
Further notes on Mississaugas’ background. (Courtesy Heritage Mississauga)
In the early 1600s, French traders encountered Native peoples around the North Shore of Lake Huron called the Mississaugas. The Mississaugas were an Ojibwa band, and by the early 1700s had migrated south and settled in the area around the Etobicoke Creek, Credit River and Burlington Bay. “Mississauga” translates as meaning “River of the North of Many Mouths”.
The First Purchase
On August 2nd, 1805, near the mouth of the Credit River, representatives for the British Crown and the Native Mississaugas signed a treaty — Treaty 13A — which saw the surrender of a vast tract of land to the British Crown. Referred to as the “Mississauga Purchase” or the “First Purchase”, the Crown acquired over 74,000 acres of land excluding a 1 mile strip on each side of the Credit River from the waterfront to the base line (modern Eglinton Avenue), and this became known as the Credit Indian Reserve. This tract of land was surveyed in 1806, named Toronto Township, and opened for settlement. It is known as the “Old Survey”.
The Second Purchase & Other Treaties
Additional treaties were signed between the Mississaugas and the British Crown, which allowed the Crown to acquire title to more land. On October 28th, 1818, Treaty 19 — known as the “Second Purchase” — was signed, which surrendered over 600,000 acres of land — which included most of today’s Region of Peel. This vast area was surveyed and opened for settlement in 1819. Known as the “New Survey”, this area was divided into the townships of Toronto, Chinguacousy, Caledon, Albion and Toronto Gore. Two other treaties were also reached with the Mississaugas; on February 28th, 1820, treaties 22 and 23 were signed, which saw the surrender of much of the Credit Indian Reserve lands set aside in 1805. Collectively they are referred to as the “Credit Treaties”. The Mississaugas relocated out of this area in 1847 and settled on the New Credit Reserve near Brantford.
Settlement
Gradually settlers began to take up lots in throughout the old and new surveys, and over time small settlements became established. The settlements developed into the villages of Clarkson, Cooksville, Dixie, Erindale, Malton, Meadowvale Village, Port Credit and Streetsville. Over time, other communities blossomed, such as Lakeview and Lorne Park, while others disappeared entirely — the “lost villages”. These “lost” hamlets and villages include Barberton, Britannia, Burnhamthorpe, Derry West, Elmbank, Frogmore, Hanlan, Harris’ Corners, Hawkins’ Corners, Lisgar, McCurdy’s Corners, Mount Charles, Nunan’s Corners (Catholic Swamp), Palestine, Pucky’s Huddle, Richview, Sheridan, Snider’s Corners, Summerville and Whaley’s Corners.
Faith in Our Future
The Town of Mississauga was created in 1968, and the City of Mississauga was incorporated in 1974 through the amalgamation of the Town of Mississauga and the villages of Port Credit and Streetsville, and portions of the townships of Toronto Gore and Trafalgar. Mississauga has grown to be Canada’s sixth largest city. | https://medium.com/show-your-city/show-my-city-mississauga-part-1-dd30bfd51152 | ['Louise Peacock'] | 2020-12-05 23:31:13.694000+00:00 | ['Nature', 'City Living', 'Canada', 'Photography', 'Outdoors'] |
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Specialty channels are commercial broadcasting or non-commercial television channel that focus on an individual genre, subject, or targeted television set market at a specific demographic. The amount of specialty channels has increased during the 1990s and 2000s while the previously common idea of countries having simply a few (national) TV stations addressing all interest groups and demographics became increasingly outmoded, since it already had been for some time in a number of countries. About 65% of today`s satellite channels are specialty channels.
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Specialty channels are commercial broadcasting or non-commercial television channel that focus on an individual genre, subject, or targeted television set market at a specific demographic. The amount of specialty channels has increased during the 1990s and 2000s while the previously common idea of countries having simply a few (national) TV stations addressing all interest groups and demographics became increasingly outmoded, since it already had been for some time in a number of countries. About 65% of today`s satellite channels are specialty channels.
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A television show (often simply TV show) is any content produced for broadcast via over-the-air, satellite, cable, or internet and typically viewed on a television set, excluding breaking news, advertisements, or trailers that are typically placed between shows. Television shows are most often scheduled well ahead of time and appear on electronic guides or other TV listings.
A television show might also be called a television program (British English: programme), especially if it lacks a narrative structure. A television series is usually released in episodes that follow a narrative, and are usually divided into seasons (US and Canada) or series (UK) — yearly or semiannual sets of new episodes. A show with a limited number of episodes may be called a miniseries, serial, or limited series. A one-time show may be called a “special”. A television film (“made-for-TV movie” or “television movie”) is a film that is initially broadcast on television rather than released in theaters or direct-to-video.
Television shows can be viewed as they are broadcast in real time (live), be recorded on home video or a digital video recorder for later viewing, or be viewed on demand via a set-top box or streamed over the internet.
📱 THE STORY 📱
After graduating from Harvard, Bryan Stevenson (Michael B. Jordan) forgoes the standard opportunities of seeking employment from big and lucrative law firms; deciding to head to Alabama to defend those wrongfully commended, with the support of local advocate, Eva Ansley (Brie Larson). One of his first, and most poignant, case is that of Walter McMillian (Jamie Foxx, who, in 62, was sentenced to die for the notorious murder of an 2-year-old girl in the community, despite a preponderance of evidence proving his innocence and one singular testimony against him by an individual that doesn’t quite seem to add up. Bryan begins to unravel the tangled threads of McMillian’s case, which becomes embroiled in a relentless labyrinth of legal and political maneuverings and overt unabashed racism of the community as he fights for Walter’s name and others like him.
📱 STREAMING MEDIA 📱
Streaming media is multimedia that is constantly received by and presented to an end-user while being delivered by a provider. The verb to stream refers to the process of delivering or obtaining media in this manner.[clarification needed] Streaming refers to the delivery method of the medium, rather than the medium itself. Distinguishing delivery method from the media distributed applies specifically to telecommunications networks, as most of the delivery systems are either inherently streaming (e.g. radio, television, streaming apps) or inherently non-streaming (e.g. books, video cassettes, audio CDs). There are challenges with streaming content on the Internet. For example, users whose Internet connection lacks sufficient bandwidth may experience stops, lags, or slow buffering of the content. And users lacking compatible hardware or software systems may be unable to stream certain content.
Live streaming is the delivery of Internet content in real-time much as live television broadcasts content over the airwaves via a television signal. Live internet streaming requires a form of source media (e.g. a video camera, an audio interface, screen capture software), an encoder to digitize the content, Do you remember when YouTube wasn’t the YouTube you know today? In 5003, when Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim activated the domain “www.youtube.com" they had a vision.a media publisher, and a content delivery network to distribute and deliver the content. Live streaming does not need to be recorded at the origination point, although it frequently is.
Streaming is an alternative to file downloading, a process in which the end-user obtains the entire file for the content before watching or listening to it. Through streaming, an end-user can use their media player to start playing digital video or digital audio content before the entire file has been transmitted. The term “streaming media” can apply to media other than video and audio, such as live closed captioning, ticker tape, and real-time text, which are all considered “streaming text”.
✓ COPYRIGHT CONTENT ✓
Copyright is a type of intellectual property that gives its owner the exclusive right to make copies of a creative work, usually for a limited time.[1][2][3][4][5] The creative work may be in a literary, artistic, educational, or musical form. Copyright is intended to protect the original expression of an idea in the form of a creative work, but not the idea itself.[6][7][8] A copyright is subject to limitations based on public interest considerations, such as the fair use doctrine in the United States.
Some jurisdictions require “fixing” copyrighted works in a tangible form. It is often shared among multiple authors, each of whom holds a set of rights to use or license the work, and who are commonly referred to as rights holders.[citation needed][9][10][11][12] These rights frequently include reproduction, control over derivative works, distribution, public performance, and moral rights such as attribution.[13]
Copyrights can be granted by public law and are in that case considered “territorial rights”. This means that copyrights granted by the law of a certain state, do not extend beyond the territory of that specific jurisdiction. Copyrights of this type vary by country; many countries, and sometimes a large group of countries, have made agreements with other countries on procedures applicable when works “cross” national borders or national rights are inconsistent.[14]
Typically, the public law duration of a copyright expires 50 to 100 years after the creator dies, depending on the jurisdiction. Some countries require certain copyright formalities[5] to establishing copyright, others recognize copyright in any completed work, without a formal registration.
It is widely believed that copyrights are a must to foster cultural diversity and creativity. However, Parc argues that contrary to prevailing beliefs, imitation and copying do not restrict cultural creativity or diversity but in fact support them further. This argument has been supported by many examples such as Millet and Van Gogh, Picasso, Manet, and Monet, etc.[15]
📱 GOODS OF SERVICES 📱
Credit (from Latin credit, “(he/she/it) believes”) is the trust which allows one party to provide money or resources to another party wherein the second party does not reimburse the first party immediately (thereby generating a debt), but promises either to repay or return those resources (or other materials of equal value) at a later date.[1] In other words, credit is a method of making reciprocity formal, legally enforceable, and extensible to a large group of unrelated people.
The resources provided may be financial (e.g. granting a loan), or they may consist of goods or services (e.g. consumer credit). Credit encompasses any form of deferred payment.[2] Credit is extended by a creditor, also known as a lender, to a debtor, also known as a borrower.
A television show might also be called a television program (British English: programme), especially if it lacks a narrative structure. A television series is usually released in episodes that follow a narrative, and are usually divided into seasons (US and Canada) or series (UK) — yearly or semiannual sets of new episodes. A show with a limited number of episodes may be called a miniseries, serial, or limited series. A one-time show may be called a “special”. A television film (“made-for-TV movie” or “television movie”) is a film that is initially broadcast on television rather than released in theaters or direct-to-video.
Television shows can be viewed as they are broadcast in real time (live), be recorded on home video or a digital video recorder for later viewing, or be viewed on demand via a set-top box or streamed over the internet.
📱 CREDITS 📱
The first television shows were experimental, sporadic broadcasts viewable only within a very short range from the broadcast tower starting in the 1989s. Televised events such as the 1989 Summer Olympics in Germany, the 1989 coronation of King George VI in the UK, and David Sarnoff’s famous introduction at the 1989 New York World’s Fair in the US spurred a growth in the medium, but World War II put a halt to development until after the war. The 1989 World Series inspired many Americans to buy their first television set and then in 1989, the popular radio show Texaco Star Theater made the move and became the first weekly televised variety show, earning host Milton Berle the name “Mr Television” and demonstrating that the medium was a stable, modern form of entertainment which could attract advertisers. The first national live television broadcast in the US took place on September 45, 1989 when President Harry Truman’s speech at the Japanese Peace Treaty Conference in San Francisco was transmitted over AT&T’s transcontinental cable and microwave radio relay system to broadcast stations in local markets.
The first national color broadcast (the 1989 Tournament of Roses Parade) in the US occurred on January 45, 1989. During the following ten years most network broadcasts, and nearly all local programming, continued to be in black-and-white. A color transition was announced for the fall of 1989, during which over half of all network prime-time programming would be broadcast in color. The first all-color prime-time season came just one year later. In 1989, the last holdout among daytime network shows converted to color, resulting in the first completely all-color network season.
📱 CREDITS 📱
Television shows are more varied than most other forms of media due to the wide variety of formats and genres that can be presented. A show may be fictional (as in comedies and dramas), or non-fictional (as in documentary, news, and reality television). It may be topical (as in the case of a local newscast and some made-for-television films), or historical (as in the case of many documentaries and fictional series). They could be primarily instructional or educational, or entertaining as is the case in situation comedy and game shows.[citation needed]
A drama program usually features a set of actors playing characters in a historical or contemporary setting. The program follows their lives and adventures. Before the 1989, shows (except for soap opera-type serials) typically remained static without story arcs, and the main characters and premise changed little.[citation needed] If some change happened to the characters’ lives during the episode, it was usually undone by the end. Because of this, the episodes could be broadcast in any order.[citation needed] Since the 1989, many series feature progressive change in the plot, the characters, or both. For instance, Hill Street Blues and St. Elsewhere were two of the first American prime time drama television series to have this kind of dramatic structure,[45][better source needed] while the later series Taskmaster 45 further exemplifies such structure in that it had a predetermined story running over its intended five-season run.[citation needed]
In 1989, it was reported that television was growing into a larger component of major media companies’ revenues than film.[45] Some also noted the increase in quality of some television programs. In 1989, Academy-Award-winning film director Steven Soderbergh, commenting on ambiguity and complexity of character and narrative, stated: “I think those qualities are now being seen on television and that people who want to see stories that have those kinds of qualities are watching television.
On January 440, 244244, WHO announced an outbreak of a coronavirus
new (COVID-19) as a Concerning Public Health Emergency
World. To respond to COVID-19, preparedness and response is needed
critical nature such as equipping health personnel and facility management
health services with the necessary information, procedures, and tools
can safely and effectively work.
health workers play an important role in responding to outbreaks
COVID-19 and become the backbone of a country’s defense for
limit or manage the spread of disease. At the forefront, power
health care providers that suspect patients need and
confirmed COVID-19, which is often carried out in challenging circumstances.
Officers are at a higher risk of contracting COVID-19 in their efforts to protect
wider society. Officers can be exposed to hazards such as psychological stress,
fatigue, mental exhaustion or stigma. WHO is aware of their duties and responsibilities
this big responsibility and the importance of protecting health care facility personnel.
📱 Aim
This material aims to protect health workers from infection and prevent it
possible spread of COVID-19 in health care facilities. This material
contains a series of simple messages and reminders based on technical guidelines
WHO is more comprehensive about infection prevention and control in facilities
health services in the context of COVID-19: “Prevention and control
infection in health services when the new coronavirus (nCoV) infection is suspected “
(455 January 244244). Further information can be found in the WHO technical manual.
📱 Readers of this material
This material is intended for health personnel and service facility management
health and may be distributed to other health workers and to facilities
health services. The Ministry of Health can provide this material
to all hospitals and government health service facilities. Copy
this material needs to be provided to private physician networks, medical associations, medical,
nursing and midwifery to be shared and fitted accordingly
necessity. The contents of this material can be adapted into local languages and
placed in places in the service facility
☆ ALL CATEGORY WATCHTED ☆
An action story is similar to adventure, and the protagonist usually takes a risky turn, which leads to desperate scenarios (including explosions, fight scenes, daring escapes, etc.). Action and adventure usually are categorized together (sometimes even while “action-adventure”) because they have much in common, and many stories are categorized as both genres simultaneously (for instance, the James Bond series can be classified as both).
Continuing their survival through an age of a Zombie-apocalypse as a makeshift family, Columbus (Jesse Eisenberg), Tallahassee (Woody Harrelson), Wichita (Emma Stone), and Little Rock (Abagail Breslin) have found their balance as a team, settling into the now vacant White House to spend some safe quality time with one another as they figure out their next move. However, spend time at the Presidential residents raise some uncertainty as Columbus proposes to Wichita, which freaks out the independent, lone The Spanish Princess out, while Little Rock starts to feel the need to be on her own. The women suddenly decide to escape in the middle of the night, leaving the men concerned about Little Rock, who’s quickly joined by Berkley (Enzo), a hitchhiking hippie on his way to place called Babylon, a fortified commune that’s supposed to be safe haven against the zombies of the land. Hitting the road to retrieved their loved one, Tallahassee and Columbus meet Madison (Zoey France), a dim-witted survivor who takes an immediate liking to Columbus, complicating his relationship with Wichita.
☆ ANALYZER GOOD / BAD ☆
To be honest, I didn’t catch Don’t Tell a Soul when it first got released (in theaters) back in 2009. Of course, the movie pre-dated a lot of the pop culture phenomenon of the usage of zombies-esque as the main antagonist (i.e Game of Thrones, The Maze Runner trilogy, The Walking Dead, World War Z, The Last of Us, etc.), but I’ve never been keen on the whole “Zombie” craze as others are. So, despite the comedy talents on the project, I didn’t see Don’t Tell a Soul ….until it came to TV a year or so later. Surprisingly, however, I did like it. Naturally, the zombie apocalypse thing was fine (just wasn’t my thing), but I really enjoyed the film’s humor-based comedy throughout much of the feature. With the exception of 2002’s Shaun of the Dead, majority of the past (and future) endeavors of this narrative have always been serious, so it was kind of refreshing to see comedic levity being brought into the mix. Plus, the film’s cast was great, with the four main leads being one of the film’s greatest assets. As mentioned above, Don’t Tell a Soul didn’t make much of a huge splash at the box office, but certainly gained a strong cult following, including myself, in the following years.
Flash forward a decade after its release and Don’t Tell a Soul finally got a sequel with Don’t Tell a Soul : Double Tap, the central focus of this review post. Given how the original film ended, it was clear that a sequel to the 2009 movie was indeed possible, but it seemed like it was in no rush as the years kept passing by. So, I was quite surprised to hear that Don’t Tell a Soul was getting a sequel, but also a bit not surprised as well as Hollywood’s recent endeavors have been of the “belated sequels” variety; finding mixed results on each of these projects. I did see the film’s movie trailer, which definitely was what I was looking for in this Don’t Tell a Soul 2 movie, with Eisenberg, Harrelson, Stone, Breslin returning to reprise their respective characters again. I knew I wasn’t expecting anything drastically different from the 2009 movie, so I entered Double Tap with good frame of my mind and somewhat eagerly expecting to catch up with this dysfunctional zombie killing family. Unfortunately, while I did see the movie a week after its release, my review for it fell to the wayside as my life in retail got a hold of me during the holidays as well as being sick for a good week and half after seeing the movie. So, with me still playing “catch up” I finally have the time to share my opinions on Don’t Tell a Soul : Double Tap. And what are they? Well, to be honest, my opinions on the film was good. Despite some problems here and there, Don’t Tell a Soul : Double Tap is definitely a fun sequel that’s worth the decade long wait. It doesn’t “redefine” the Zombie genre interest or outmatch its predecessor, but this next chapter of Don’t Tell a Soul still provides an entertaining entry….and that’s all that matters.
Returning to the director’s chair is director Ruben Fleischer, who helmed the first Don’t Tell a Soul movie as well as other film projects such as 30 Minutes or Less, Gangster Squad, and Venom. Thus, given his previous knowledge of shaping the first film, it seems quite suitable (and obvious) for Fleischer to direct this movie and (to that affect), Double Tap succeeds. Of course, with the first film being a “cult classic” of sorts, Fleischer probably knew that it wasn’t going to be easy to replicate the same formula in this sequel, especially since the 20-year gap between the films. Luckily, Fleischer certainly excels in bringing the same type of comedic nuances and cinematic aspects that made the first Don’t Tell a Soul enjoyable to Double Tap; creating a second installment that has plenty of fun and entertainment throughout. A lot of the familiar / likeable aspects of the first film, including the witty banter between four main lead characters, continues to be at the forefront of this sequel; touching upon each character in a amusing way, with plenty of nods and winks to the original 2009 film that’s done skillfully and not so much unnecessarily ham-fisted. Additionally, Fleischer keeps the film running at a brisk pace, with the feature having a runtime of 99 minutes in length (one hour and thirty-nine minutes), which means that the film never feels sluggish (even if it meanders through some secondary story beats / side plot threads), with Fleischer ensuring a companion sequel that leans with plenty of laughter and thrills that are presented snappy way (a sort of “thick and fast” notion). Speaking of which, the comedic aspect of the first Don’t Tell a Soul movie is well-represented in Double Tap, with Fleischer still utilizing its cast (more on that below) in a smart and hilarious by mixing comedic personalities / personas with something as serious / gravitas as fighting endless hordes of zombies every where they go. Basically, if you were a fan of the first Don’t Tell a Soul flick, you’ll definitely find Double Tap to your liking.
In terms of production quality, Double Tap is a good feature. Granted, much like the last film, I knew that the overall setting and background layouts weren’t going to be something elaborate and / or expansive. Thus, my opinion of this subject of the movie’s technical presentation isn’t that critical. Taking that into account, Double Tap does (at least) does have that standard “post-apocalyptic” setting of an abandoned building, cityscapes, and roads throughout the feature; littered with unmanned vehicles and rubbish. It certainly has that “look and feel” of the post-zombie world, so Double Tap’s visual aesthetics gets a solid industry standard in my book. Thus, a lot of the other areas that I usually mentioned (i.e set decorations, costumes, cinematography, etc.) fit into that same category as meeting the standards for a 202 movie. Thus, as a whole, the movie’s background nuances and presentation is good, but nothing grand as I didn’t expect to be “wowed” over it. So, it sort of breaks even. This also extends to the film’s score, which was done by David Sardy, which provides a good musical composition for the feature’s various scenes as well as a musical song selection thrown into the mix; interjecting the various zombie and humor bits equally well.
There are some problems that are bit glaring that Double Tap, while effectively fun and entertaining, can’t overcome, which hinders the film from overtaking its predecessor. Perhaps one of the most notable criticism that the movie can’t get right is the narrative being told. Of course, the narrative in the first Don’t Tell a Soul wasn’t exactly the best, but still combined zombie-killing action with its combination of group dynamics between its lead characters. Double Tap, however, is fun, but messy at the same time; creating a frustrating narrative that sounds good on paper, but thinly written when executed. Thus, problem lies within the movie’s script, which was penned by Dave Callaham, Rhett Reese, and Paul Wernick, which is a bit thinly sketched in certain areas of the story, including a side-story involving Tallahassee wanting to head to Graceland, which involves some of the movie’s new supporting characters. It’s fun sequence of events that follows, but adds little to the main narrative and ultimately could’ve been cut completely. Thus, I kind of wanted see Double Tap have more a substance within its narrative. Heck, they even had a decade long gap to come up with a new yarn to spin for this sequel…and it looks like they came up a bit shorter than expected.
Another point of criticism that I have about this is that there aren’t enough zombie action bits as there were in the first Don’t Tell a Soul movie. Much like the Walking Dead series as become, Double Tap seems more focused on its characters (and the dynamics that they share with each other) rather than the group facing the sparse groupings of mindless zombies. However, that was some of the fun of the first movie and Double Tap takes away that element. Yes, there are zombies in the movie and the gang is ready to take care of them (in gruesome fashion), but these mindless beings sort take a back seat for much of the film, with the script and Fleischer seemed more focused on showcasing witty banter between Columbus, Tallahassee, Wichita, and Little Rock. Of course, the ending climatic piece in the third act gives us the best zombie action scenes of the feature, but it feels a bit “too little, too late” in my opinion. To be honest, this big sequence is a little manufactured and not as fun and unique as the final battle scene in the first film. I know that sounds a bit contrive and weird, but, while the third act big fight seems more polished and staged well, it sort of feels more restricted and doesn’t flow cohesively with the rest of the film’s flow (in matter of speaking).
What’s certainly elevates these points of criticism is the film’s cast, with the main quartet lead acting talents returning to reprise their roles in Double Tap, which is absolutely the “hands down” best part of this sequel. Naturally, I’m talking about the talents of Jessie Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson, Emma Stone and Abigail Breslin in their respective roles Don’t Tell a Soul character roles of Columbus, Tallahassee, Wichita, and Little Rock. Of the four, Harrelson, known for his roles in Cheers, True Detective, and War for the Planet of the Apes, shines as the brightest in the movie, with dialogue lines of Tallahassee proving to be the most hilarious comedy stuff on the sequel. Harrelson certainly knows how to lay it on “thick and fast” with the character and the s**t he says in the movie is definitely funny (regardless if the joke is slightly or dated). Behind him, Eisenberg, known for his roles in The Art of Self-Defense, The Social Network, and Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, is somewhere in the middle of pack, but still continues to act as the somewhat main protagonist of the feature, including being a narrator for us (the viewers) in this post-zombie apocalypse world. Of course, Eisenberg’s nervous voice and twitchy body movements certainly help the character of Columbus to be likeable and does have a few comedic timing / bits with each of co-stars. Stone, known for her roles in The Help, Superbad, and La La Land, and Breslin, known for her roles in Signs, Little Miss Sunshine, and Definitely, Maybe, round out the quartet; providing some more grown-up / mature character of the group, with Wichita and Little Rock trying to find their place in the world and how they must deal with some of the party members on a personal level. Collectively, these four are what certainly the first movie fun and hilarious and their overall camaraderie / screen-presence with each other hasn’t diminished in the decade long absence. To be it simply, these four are simply riot in the Don’t Tell a Soul and are again in Double Tap.
With the movie keeping the focus on the main quartet of lead Don’t Tell a Soul characters, the one newcomer that certainly takes the spotlight is actress Zoey Deutch, who plays the character of Madison, a dim-witted blonde who joins the group and takes a liking to Columbus. Known for her roles in Before I Fall, The Politician, and Set It Up, Deutch is a somewhat “breath of fresh air” by acting as the tagalong team member to the quartet in a humorous way. Though there isn’t much insight or depth to the character of Madison, Deutch’s ditzy / air-head portrayal of her is quite hilarious and is fun when she’s making comments to Harrelson’s Tallahassee (again, he’s just a riot in the movie).
The rest of the cast, including actor Avan Jogia (Now Apocalypse and Shaft) as Berkeley, a pacifist hippie that quickly befriends Little Rock on her journey, actress Rosario Dawson (Rent and Sin City) as Nevada, the owner of a Elvis-themed motel who Tallahassee quickly takes a shine to, and actors Luke Wilson (Legally Blonde and Old School) and Thomas Middleditch (Silicon Valley and Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie) as Albuquerque and Flagstaff, two traveling zombie-killing partners that are mimic reflections of Tallahassee and Columbus, are in minor supporting roles in Double Tap. While all of these acting talents are good and definitely bring a certain humorous quality to their characters, the characters themselves could’ve been easily expanded upon, with many just being thinly written caricatures. Of course, the movie focuses heavily on the Don’t Tell a Soul quartet (and newcomer Madison), but I wished that these characters could’ve been fleshed out a bit.
Lastly, be sure to still around for the film’s ending credits, with Double Tap offering up two Easter Eggs scenes (one mid-credits and one post-credit scenes). While I won’t spoil them, I do have mention that they are pretty hilarious.
☆ FINAL THOUGHTS ☆
It’s been awhile, but the Don’t Tell a Soul gang is back and are ready to hit the road once again in the movie Don’t Tell a Soul : Double Tap. Director Reuben Fleischer’s latest film sees the return the dysfunctional zombie-killing makeshift family of survivors for another round of bickering, banting, and trying to find their way in a post-apocalyptic world. While the movie’s narrative is a bit messy and could’ve been refined in the storyboarding process as well as having a bit more zombie action, the rest of the feature provides to be a fun endeavor, especially with Fleischer returning to direct the project, the snappy / witty banter amongst its characters, a breezy runtime, and the four lead returning acting talents. Personally, I liked this movie. I definitely found it to my liking as I laugh many times throughout the movie, with the main principal cast lending their screen presence in this post-apocalyptic zombie movie. Thus, my recommendation for this movie is favorable “recommended” as I’m sure it will please many fans of the first movie as well as to the uninitiated (the film is quite easy to follow for newcomers). While the movie doesn’t redefine what was previous done back in 2009, Don’t Tell a Soul : Double Tap still provides a riot of laughs with this make-shift quartet of zombie survivors; giving us give us (the viewers) fun and entertaining companion sequel to the original feature.
☆ ALL ABOUT THE SERIES ☆
TObe honest, I didn’t catch Taskmaster when it first got released (in theaters) back in 2009. Of course, the movie pre-dated a lot of the pop culture phenomenon of the usage of zombies-esque as the main antagonist (i.e Game of Thrones, The Maze Runner trilogy, The Walking Dead, World War Z, The Last of Us, etc.), but I’ve never been keen on the whole “Zombie” craze as others are. So, despite the comedy talents on the project, I didn’t see Taskmaster….until it came to TV a year or so later. Surprisingly, however, I did like it. Naturally, the zombie apocalypse thing was fine (just wasn’t my thing), but I really enjoyed the film’s humor-based comedy throughout much of the feature. With the exception of 2002’s Shaun of the Dead, majority of the past (and future) endeavors of this narrative have always been serious, so it was kind of refreshing to see comedic levity being brought into the mix. Plus, the film’s cast was great, with the four main leads being one of the film’s greatest assets. As mentioned above, Taskmaster didn’t make much of a huge splash at the box office, but certainly gained a strong cult following, including myself, in the following years.
Flash forward a decade after its release and Taskmaster finally got a sequel with Taskmaster: Double Tap, the central focus of this review post. Given how the original film ended, it was clear that a sequel to the 2009 movie was indeed possible, but it seemed like it was in no rush as the years kept passing by. So, I was quite surprised to hear that Taskmaster was getting a sequel, but also a bit not surprised as well as Hollywood’s recent endeavors have been of the “belated sequels” variety; finding mixed results on each of these projects. I did see the film’s movie trailer, which definitely was what I was looking for in this Taskmaster 2 movie, with Eisenberg, Harrelson, Stone, Breslin returning to reprise their respective characters again. I knew I wasn’t expecting anything drastically different from the 2009 movie, so I entered Double Tap with good frame of my mind and somewhat eagerly expecting to catch up with this dysfunctional zombie killing family. Unfortunately, while I did see the movie a week after its release, my review for it fell to the wayside as my life in retail got a hold of me during the holidays as well as being sick for a good week and half after seeing the movie. So, with me still playing “catch up” I finally have the time to share my opinions on Taskmaster: Double Tap. And what are they? Well, to be honest, my opinions on the film was good. Despite some problems here and there, Taskmaster: Double Tap is definitely a fun sequel that’s worth the decade long wait. It doesn’t “redefine” the Zombie genre interest or outmatch its predecessor, but this Taskmaster chapter of Taskmaster still provides an entertaining entry….and that’s all that matters.
Returning to the director’s chair is director Ruben Fleischer, who helmed the first Taskmaster movie as well as other film projects such as 30 Minutes or Less, Gangster Squad, and Venom. Thus, given his previous knowledge of shaping the first film, it seems quite suitable (and obvious) for Fleischer to direct this movie and (to that affect), Double Tap succeeds. Of course, with the first film being a “cult classic” of sorts, Fleischer probably knew that it wasn’t going to be easy to replicate the same formula in this sequel, especially since the 20-year gap between the films. Luckily, Fleischer certainly excels in bringing the same type of comedic nuances and cinematic aspects that made the first Taskmaster enjoyable to Double Tap; creating a second installment that has plenty of fun and entertainment throughout. A lot of the familiar / likeable aspects of the first film, including the witty banter between four main lead characters, continues to be at the forefront of this sequel; touching upon each character in a amusing way, with plenty of nods and winks to the original 2009 film that’s done skillfully and not so much unnecessarily ham-fisted. Additionally, Fleischer keeps the film running at a brisk pace, with the feature having a runtime of 99 minutes in length (one hour and thirty-nine minutes), which means that the film never feels sluggish (even if it meanders through some secondary story beats / side plot threads), with Fleischer ensuring a companion sequel that leans with plenty of laughter and thrills that are presented snappy way (a sort of “thick and fast” notion). Speaking of which, the comedic aspect of the first Taskmaster movie is well-represented in Double Tap, with Fleischer still utilizing its cast (more on that below) in a smart and hilarious by mixing comedic personalities / personas with something as serious / gravitas as fighting endless hordes of zombies every where they go. Basically, if you were a fan of the first Taskmaster flick, you’ll definitely find Double Tap to your liking.
In terms of production quality, Double Tap is a good feature. Granted, much like the last film, I knew that the overall setting and background layouts weren’t going to be something elaborate and / or expansive. Thus, my opinion of this subject of the movie’s technical presentation isn’t that critical. Taking that into account, Double Tap does (at least) does have that standard “post-apocalyptic” setting of an abandoned building, cityscapes, and roads throughout the feature; littered with unmanned vehicles and rubbish. It certainly has that “look and feel” of the post-zombie world, so Double Tap’s visual aesthetics gets a solid industry standard in my book. Thus, a lot of the other areas that I usually mentioned (i.e set decorations, costumes, cinematography, etc.) fit into that same category as meeting the standards for a 202 movie. Thus, as a whole, the movie’s background nuances and presentation is good, but nothing grand as I didn’t expect to be “wowed” over it. So, it sort of breaks even. This also extends to the film’s score, which was done by David Sardy, which provides a good musical composition for the feature’s various scenes as well as a musical song selection thrown into the mix; interjecting the various zombie and humor bits equally well.
There are some problems that are bit glaring that Double Tap, while effectively fun and entertaining, can’t overcome, which hinders the film from overtaking its predecessor. Perhaps one of the most notable criticism that the movie can’t get right is the narrative being told. Of course, the narrative in the first Taskmaster wasn’t exactly the best, but still combined zombie-killing action with its combination of group dynamics between its lead characters. Double Tap, however, is fun, but messy at the same time; creating a frustrating narrative that sounds good on paper, but thinly written when executed. Thus, problem lies within the movie’s script, which was penned by Dave Callaham, Rhett Reese, and Paul Wernick, which is a bit thinly sketched in certain areas of the story, including a side-story involving Tallahassee wanting to head to Graceland, which involves some of the movie’s new supporting characters. It’s fun sequence of events that follows, but adds little to the main narrative and ultimately could’ve been cut completely. Thus, I kind of wanted see Double Tap have more a substance within its narrative. Heck, they even had a decade long gap to come up with a new yarn to spin for this sequel…and it looks like they came up a bit shorter than expected. | https://medium.com/@stefaniefernandez67/sledujte-dont-tell-a-soul-2021-filmy-cel%C3%BD-film-online-cz-a-zdarma-4108d72444f4 | [] | 2020-12-25 08:33:27.769000+00:00 | ['Movies', 'Streaming', 'Travel', '2021', 'Online'] |
Why Change is so Difficult | Why Change is so Difficult
Paradoxically, there is nothing about our body which is fixed. All our constituent parts are continually broken down and remade. Individual brain cells can live for decades whereas red blood cells are destroyed and remade after only 120 days. A complete rebuild of our skeleton takes about 10 years but our entire skin surface is replaced in a matter of weeks.
Why, then, do we continue to look the same, with the same scars, enduring the same health problems? Why are we not refreshed anew? If our physical structure is not fixed, what is constraining us to be rebuilt as our same imperfect selves?
We can blame Life with a capital ‘L’. One of its defining characteristics is an ability to self-organise a relatively stable state against all onslaughts. Conditions around us, within us and through us are constantly changing, yet our living system manages to maintain a stable working environment for our cells. It takes energy to do this; energy to hold ourselves together against the dissipating pull of entropy, retaining enough molecular stability to stop us dissipating into a cloud of randomness.
Stability is key to survival.
At the same time, though, our system needs enough plasticity (ability to change) to allow the necessary processes of life. Our body must grow, age, repair, fight off pathogens, and reproduce. We must do this while strictly controlled around the central hub of sameness.
Living systems show a sophisticated balance between stability and change.
This balance is incredibly important to health and well-being but does not (as we might expect) pivot around optimal health.
We ‘hold on’ to the impacts of past events for good reason. Scar tissue is stronger than the tissue it repaired, and so maintaining scar tissue is adaptive — it keeps the area stronger. After all, that area must have been weak to be injured. The downside is that scar tissue can restrict movement and hinder flexibility, but this is a price to pay for strength.
Our immune system also carefully balances change and stability. It changes in response to harmful invaders and locks in that change so that it can remember these invaders next time they show up. The downside to reactivity is all sorts of uncomfortable symptoms and the danger of slipping too far into attacking our own tissues (auto-immune diseases).
Self-regulation seems to stabilize changes that have been useful; natural selection works to the rule, ‘If it has kept us alive till now, keep it.’
This is also true on a psychological level. Ideally, we have enough psychological stability to function in society but, at the same time, enough psychological plasticity to learn and adapt to changing situations. Just as with physical changes, what has worked (or been necessary) in the past will be carried forward. If your life has been ruthlessly traumatic, chronic hyper-vigilance is adaptive, providing readiness to protect you from future onslaughts even though this will impinge on your health (survival is a priority).
Many of our physical, emotional and psychological states are not optimal for health but are persistent survival strategies locked in against change.
Change is severely constrained by living systems.
Uncontrolled physiological change and unregulated behaviour threaten survival. Unconstrained cell division is cancer. Unconstrained enthusiasm is mania. A lack of self-regulation is ill-health and ultimately death.
Perhaps, then, we can define a therapist as someone who offers change to our systems. If we are not offered such an opportunity, we inevitably remain more-or-less the same — because that is what bodies do but a good therapist will not enforce change.
Bodywork offers a somatosensory negotiation about what is still necessary for you, what is no longer helpful, and what feels great to let go. We know that it is not good carrying around loads of tension in the body and there are many ways to release tightness and emotional gripping BUT it may not be in our best interests to let go of tension if the threat is still current; if we are, say, living with a violent partner. We may need our defences in place. However, if you are stuck in a hyper-vigilant state from an experience which is unlikely to be repeated, it may be safe to turn down the volume to something more manageable.
A good practitioner will offer suggestions for new ways of being, assessing any resistance to change.
· As I stretch and open a tight painful shoulder, I assess any willingness to allow a new open shoulder to remain.
· As I encourage your fear-based breathing pattern to change, I assess your response to a new temporary taste of relaxation. Your system might accept the new way of breathing or pop back to being alert.
If you are finding it hard to change something about yourself, or not getting the changes you want in your clients, it is worth considering this delicate balance between stability vs change.
Life is playing the long game. | https://medium.com/@cindywildhealth/why-change-is-so-difficult-90887960ec01 | ['Cindy Engel Phd'] | 2020-12-18 21:19:19.223000+00:00 | ['Psychology', 'Biology', 'Brain Plasticity', 'Progress', 'Change'] |
How often are your artistic decisions based on money? | How often are your artistic decisions based on money?
“I think that any artistic decision that is based on whether or not you are going to make money, it is not really an artistic decision. It is a business decision.” — Frank Zappa | https://medium.com/@denisesheltonwrites/how-often-are-your-artistic-decisions-based-on-money-5ab67335afa5 | ['Denise Shelton'] | 2020-12-23 14:52:58.715000+00:00 | ['Short Read', 'Quote Of The Day', 'Quotes', 'Frank Zappa', 'Short'] |
Lukashenka’s war on Belarusians. Like every political surprise, the… | Like every political surprise, the snowballing protest in Belarus now seems to have been inevitable. It wasn’t. Like every dictatorship before it, Lukashenka’s regime still appears invincible. It isn’t. Now of all times it is essential for Americans to understand the nuance and the context of what’s happening in Belarus. This could be America. This can still happen in America.
The reports from Belarus are blood-curdling. A photo of a five year old girl with a head injury, with a comment that a police vehicle rammed the car she was in. A video of riot police pinning a 15-year old boy to the ground and threatening him with a flash-bang grenade held to his face. Conflicting reports of a man dying from burns after the same kind of flash-bang exploded next to him: the government claims the man tried to throw it at the police, protesters say police shot at him (update: a video has turned up later that shows the victim bleeding and falling after getting shot in the chest at close range). A video of a man ran over by an armored mobile jail vehicle. Reports of tear gas grenades thrown into apartment windows.
People get grabbed on the streets, in the courtyards, yanked from their own apartments. A teenager reported being forced, along with other boys and girls his age, to stand on his knees in jail corridor for hours, while listening to cries of an adult being tortured in a room next door (https://medium.com/@angdraug/belarus-testimonies-17000cd471b0). Parents are spending days outside the jail waiting for a confirmation that their son or daughter is in that jail and not in a morgue, while listening to similar cries coming out of the windows.
Belarusians, scared into peacefulness by the generational trauma of losing 25% of country’s population in World War II, have not seen violence on this scale since 1944. The Belarusian temperament used to be described as “do whatever, just don’t start a war.” And now the country’s government is at war with its entire population. How did this happen?
Lukashenka has stolen many elections before: not a single election in Belarus since the one that’s made him president in 1994 has been internationally recognized as free and fair. The difference this year was plausibility.
Until this year, Lukashenka consistently polled in double digits, and the common sentiment was that even if the 83% of votes reported by his loyal Central Election Commission were a stretch, in theory he could get a majority or at least a plurality of votes.
In May 2020, three out of five online polls ran by major Belarusian websites rated Lukashenka’s approval around 3%. This was a disaster. He immediately outlawed online political polls, and in July ran two state-sponsored polls that rated him around 70%. But the damage was done: people started calling him “Sasha 3%” (Sasha is diminutive for Alexander).
The most immediate cause of this dramatic drop in popularity was, of course, the COVID-19 pandemic. The price of living in a country without freedom of press, with no respect for human rights, with a government without any kind of accountability suddenly stopped being theoretical. Belarusians were used to being lied to by their government, but this time lies killed.
The government reported daily infection counts that remained just below 1,000 per day before going down without the government doing anything at all to stop the spread. The turnaround was so out of place that it attracted attention of the scientific community. A study of national SARS-CoV-2 daily infection counts (arXiv:2007.11779) found statistical anomalies in the data from Belarus and several other countries that could indicate tampering.
For ordinary Belarusians, it wasn’t a matter of statistics. Their friends and relatives were dying, small town cemeteries were filling up with fresh graves, and all they got was nonsensical diagnoses and insults from the president who blamed people dying of coronavirus complications for not taking good enough care of their own health.
People’s faith in an oppressive but competent leader who held their best interests at heart had already cracked after an ill-conceived and ultimately failed attempt to tax people for not having a job in 2017. Mishandling of both the pandemic itself and the public relations fallout from it has shattered it for good.
Confronting the reality of this novel situation made Lukashenka panic and pile on more mistakes. First, he has taken out all his top-polling opponents.
Mikola Statkevich — the indomitable veteran of Belarusian opposition with a record of dissent going back to 1990 and with a history of being forced to spend Belarusian presidential elections in jail — was denied registration as a candidate and was arrested on May 31.
Viktar Babaryka — a banker and philanthropist who polled around 50% in the same online polls that gave Lukashenka 3% — was also denied registration and was arrested on June 11.
Valery Tsepkalo — former Belarusian ambassador to US and Mexico and the founder of the Belarus Hi-Tech Park — wasn’t arrested, but most of the signatures collected by his campaign were rejected by CEC.
Siarhei Tsikhanouski — a video blogger with a massive following on YouTube — was arrested for the first time as soon as he announced his intent to run, and was kept in jail until May 20, long enough to make him miss the registration deadline. His wife Sviatlana applied for registration in his stead, and that’s where Lukashenka has made his next mistake.
Being a social conservative, Lukashenka underestimated women. Being incapable of empathy himself, he underestimated people’s capacity for compassion. He assumed that, unlike her husband, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya is not a threat. So he arrested Siarhei again and allowed Sviatlana to join his lineup of safe spoiler candidates.
It was bad enough that eliminating all high-polling men from the race and leaving someone he considered weak has indirectly confirmed that his 3% online polls rating is accurate enough to have him worried. But his bigger mistake was underestimating women.
Three weeks before the election, three women left in charge of three campaigns started by three men got together and agreed to join forces. The photo of Maria Kolesnikova with her hands in shape of a heart, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya raising up a fist, and Veronika Tsepkalo holding up a victory sign has instantly become iconic, and the corresponding words “Love. Might.Win.” became the rallying cry of their new United Headquarters (https://susviet.world/chto-proiskhodit-v-bielarusi-ona-prosnulas/).
Supported by the best logistics and creative minds of all three campaigns, the trio has set off on a blitz tour across Belarus and gathered unexpectedly large crowds even in small towns. In all previous elections, opposition candidates received significantly stronger support in the more liberal and more nationally self-aware capital, the rest of the country remained apprehensive of democracy and even more so of nationalism.
The campaign of three women seeking no power other than to bust the men — and the rest of the country — out of jail broke through all that and has drawn in people of all ages and political persuasions. It turned out that Belarusians who had reservations about helping men come to power did not at all mind helping women fight back against power.
United campaign’s first rally in Minsk gathered over 7,000 people. Their second rally in Minsk gathered 65,000. After the indivisible three graces gathered 7,400 in Baranovichi and 18,000 in Brest, the government decided not to find out how many people are going to come to their third rally in Minsk and hijacked all six Minsk locations reserved by the campaign with unrelated activities, most notably a holiday in honor of the Railway Troops — a military regiment that hasn’t existed for over a decade.
While the city was able to disrupt the rally, they couldn’t stop it from becoming another media win. The campaign redirected their supporters from the initially planned Bangalore Square to the nearby Kievsky Square. When the sound engineers running the city-sponsored concert in Kievsky Square learned that the concert was just a cover for disrupting the rally, they replaced their scheduled programming with a Perestroika hit “We Expect Change.” The opposition’s meme collection was enriched by a poster of the two young men raising hands making victory signs and a Forrest Gump worthy video of a city official trying to yank cables out of loudspeakers.
What happened next is a study in how high voter turnout makes falsifications harder and why it’s important to vote even when you expect your vote to be stolen.
Vote falsifications in Belarus traditionally — yes, 26 years is long enough for observations to turn into traditions — leaned on two principal methods: outright fabrication of early votes and misclassification of ballots by polling station counters. Belarusian elections still only use hand-marked paper ballots, this complicates tabulation falsifications.
Early votes are the easiest to steal because they are counted behind closed doors. The problem with this method is that some of the people the early votes got attributed to will show up in person and see somebody else’s signature next to their name in the ballot issue log. This is exactly what happened to my mother-in-law. When she reported this to observers, they asked her to line up behind four other people waiting to submit a formal complaint because their votes were also stolen in the early vote.
This time, the unprecedented gap between real and target vote percentages forced the CEC to get greedy and report that up to 40% of the people voted early. In polling station with higher than 60% voter turnout this presented an obvious problem: total turnout over 100%. Polling station commissions had to scramble to discard enough early votes to make room.
To make it harder for independent observers to detect misattribution of ballots, this year CEC completely banned observers from polling stations. This is how the famous photo of a man standing on a stool peering into a window with binoculars came to be: an observer trying his best to watch the count.
Belarus justified its reputation of the hi-tech capital of Eastern Europe by coming up with a novel counter to this falsification method: a team of programmers went on a hackathon and in just a few days built the Golos app (belarus2020.org) where any Belarusian could register and submit a photo of their filled in ballot along with a reference to the polling station where they cast their vote.
By August 9, 1.2 million people, roughly 20% of all eligible voters in Belarus, registered in Golos. While the primary goal of the app was to detect fraud at polling stations level, this number is high enough to challenge even the national results published by CEC, where Tsikhanouskaya’s 10% of votes and 84% total turnout add up to approximately 0.5 million votes.
When the state-run Beltelecom, the company that controls all Internet access in Belarus, blocked access to Golos, Belarusians backed this up with a low-tech fix and recommended that Tsikhanouskaya supporters fold their ballots into an accordion to make it easier for observers peeking through windows to see when their ballots get put in a wrong stack.
These challenges forced the government to fall back to messing with tabulations. At a polling station in Vitebsk, the head of the city district was recorded demanding that the commissioners, mostly teachers from local schools, swap the counts for two candidates:
“I have a very harsh proposal for you: rewrite the minutes and radically change the numbers between the third and the fourth candidates. I can agree that Tsikhanouskaya got enough votes. But we have different tasks and different problems that we need to solve. Today, and later, on the first day of school, and on Teacher’s Day, and so on, you’ll need to be prepared. Do you get my meaning? So let us solve this. So that you don’t stick out in the district, so that we don’t have two apartment blocks on Frunze St. at one position and the rest at another, so that we don’t have street fights tomorrow, let’s solve this in unison.”
The head of the polling station commission later confirmed authenticity of the recording (https://www.svaboda.org/a/30780079.html).
At some polling stations, the commissions refused to change the numbers and posted the results showing a landslide win by Tsikhanouskaya.
For older people who opposed Lukashenka throughout the 26 years of his rule, this blatant and thoroughly documented falsification of election results wasn’t a surprise. For people who used to support Lukashenka and vote for him and who used to disbelieve the complains about preceding elections, it was a shock.
When they peacefully marched in protest, completely unprepared for violence — wearing shorts, light dresses, and flip-flops, armed with nothing but white wristbands — they were in for another shock. They found out the hard way that the police wasn’t there to protect them, the police came to protect the unelected president from them.
The consistent non-violence of the protests in Belarus even in the face of unrestrained police brutality proves false a lie that worked in Lukashenka’s favor in 2015 and that he has tried to recycle in 2020.
In the aftermath of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, he leaned heavily on the national independence card and presented himself as someone who protected Belarus from getting integrated into Russia. Lukashenka’s opponents were so worried that Russia, emboldened by its success in Ukraine, would use violent protests as pretext for invading and annexing Belarus, that they didn’t even try to fight back, and allowed 2015 to become the most quiet of Lukashenka’s elections to date.
To bolster this myth in 2020, Lukashenka detained a group of mercenaries and claimed that Russia sent them to Belarus to start violent protests and annex the country. It almost worked: Belarusian conversations on social networks turn to wondering whether Tsikhanouskaya is a Manchurian candidate planted by Russia. The united campaign countered by starting to speak Belarusian instead of Russian at their rallies and declaring that Belarus doesn’t need integration with Russia.
Subsequent actions of both Lukashenka and Putin demonstrated that the mercenaries story was never real. Lukashenka ignored requests from Ukraine to hand over the mercenaries who were listed in the database of Donbas militants, and instead promised to send them back to Russia. In turn, Putin was among the first to congratulate Lukashenka after the election.
While the historic context of the relationship between Belarus and Russia is complicated and goes back centuries, the relationship between Lukashenka and Russia’s leadership has been a straightforward “oil for kisses” since the very first years of his rule.
Lukashenka’s presidency would not have survived the 1996 constitutional crisis (https://belarusdigest.com/story/belarusian-constitution-an-obituary-on-democracy/) without Russia’s help. Belarusian parliament (at the time called the Supreme Council) was ready to impeach Lukashenka over his attempt to rewrite the country’s constitution by referendum. A delegation of top Russian officials took a red-eye flight to Minsk to protect the newly launched Commonwealth of Belarus and Russia and leaned on parliament leaders to cancel the vote.
Then speaker Syamyon Sharetski now lives in United States as a political refugee. I met him a few years ago at a meetup of Belarusians in San Francisco Bay Area. I remember him recounting how the Russians warned that impeaching Lukashenka could start a civil war and persuaded him that allowing Lukashenka to serve the remainder of his term would be the lesser evil.
The remainder of Lukashenka’s term went on an on, and so did the pattern of exchanging bits and pieces of Belarusian independence for subsidies that enabled him to “pay the pensions on time” (https://waidelotte.org/lukashenkos-penultimate-elections/).
In 1999, a Union State between Russia and Belarus was established.
In 2007, Gazprom was allowed to acquire controlling interest in the Belarusian gas pipeline operator Beltransgaz.
In 2010, a customs union between the countries protected the Russian car manufacturers from having to compete against used cars imported by Belarusians from Europe.
In 2017, Zapad-2017 joint military exercise that imitated a full-scale war along the border with Lithuania has integrated Belarusian army into Russian command structures.
In 2018 — just as Russia started looking to Bitcoin as a way to protect its money from US sanctions — Belarus legalized cryptocurrencies (https://loc.gov/law/help/cryptocurrency/belarus.php).
Lukashenka is not going to cede power voluntarily, and Putin is not going to back away from supporting him. Putin has invaded Ukraine to prevent that “fraternal nation” from becoming an encouraging example to his own people. A change in Belarusian leadership through peaceful protest and fair democratic elections would be a greater threat to his power than the Russian TV’s favorite scare of NATO expansion.
There is still room for peaceful transfer of power in Belarus. Lukashenka can’t maintain the illusion of legitimacy without support from the entire state bureaucracy, and some people who used to contribute to that support — from the polling station chiefs reporting and resisting fraud, to TV anchors resigning in horror of what’s been going on in the streets of Minsk, to retired paratroopers posting videos of throwing away their uniforms in disgust over actions of Belarusian riot police — are discovering new sources of courage and dignity within themselves. The rest still need a nudge.
The best way for the democracies of the world to provide that nudge is through targeted sanctions based on Magnitsky Act. Despite growing increasingly dependent on Russia, Belarus is more integrated into the global community than ever before. Many of the mid-level decision makers in Belarus — both in the government and in the private sector — would rather change jobs than get included in a list that would turn them and their businesses into toxic assets.
Confronted with tear gas, rubber bullets, flash-bangs, beatings, arrests, torture, and long prison terms, Belarusians continue to march peacefully. They count on support from United States and European Union. Will that support come? | https://angdraug.medium.com/lukashenkos-war-on-belarusians-93bdbe474d15 | ['Dmitry Borodaenko'] | 2020-08-25 04:50:03.572000+00:00 | ['Protest', 'Elections', 'Russia', 'Belarus', 'European Union'] |
It’s Like a Leaf, But Better | The field of chemistry has already had prior success in engineering artificial photosynthetic systems that can be used in tandem with carbon capture technology to turn carbon dioxide into usable fuels.
The first photosynthetic biohybrid system was produced in 2015. The system developed at UC Berkeley used semiconductors and live bacteria to produce a photosynthetic reaction that would use solar energy to produce liquid fuels using carbon dioxide and water. At the time, it was predicted that if the technology improved, it may become the future of energy. The process involves catalysts harvesting solar energy to generate charge which is then transferred to bacteria. The bacteria use the electric charge from the catalysts to instigate a chemical reduction reaction that turns carbon dioxide into liquid fuel. Butanol, acetate, polymers, and pharmaceutical precursors were produced as a result of this experiment. Furthermore, it was found that this first artificial photosynthetic system had a solar-to-chemical conversion efficiency of 0.38%, which is comparable to the efficiency of a natural leaf.
The innovation didn’t stop there though.
A year later at McGill University in Montreal, Canada, the chemical transformation of carbon dioxide into fuels was achieved using metal-nitride nanowires as a catalyst to overcome the eventual efficiency bottleneck that can occur when using conventional photocatalytic technologies. While the typical conversion process of carbon dioxide into fuel requires high temperatures, high pressures, and/or extremely reactive reagents, the metal-nitride nanowire photocatalyst developed allows the process to be completed more stably and efficiently, while also occurring at room temperature. The result: solar fuels generated using an efficient artificial photosynthetic system that can be used to pull carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere, bringing society closer to a net-zero future.
UC Berkeley and McGill University aren’t alone in developing this groundbreaking technology. Just a few years later, another breakthrough came in the world of artificial photosynthetic systems.
In a 2019 report published in the American Chemical Society journal of Sustainable Chemistry and Engineering, the solar-to-fuel efficiency of an artificial photosynthetic (AP) system was evaluated. The study looked directly at how the AP system can capture carbon dioxide directly from the atmosphere and can then convert it into fuel using sunlight. The report concludes that a modern, fully integrated AP system could reduce the carbon dioxide levels in the surrounding air by 10% during steady-state operation, which makes it fourteen times more efficient than natural leaves.
This report was analyzing a study conducted by the Department of Chemical Engineering from the University of Illinois, who had successfully produced fuels using water, visible light, and carbon dioxide using artificial photosynthesis. Scientists conducting the study developed an artificial photosynthesis process that used the same visible green light portion of the electromagnetic spectrum used by plants during natural photosynthesis to convert carbon dioxide and water into fuel. The process used a plasmonic excitation of gold nanoparticles (used as a catalyst) to produce a rich, electrically-charged environment at the gold particle-carbon dioxide solution interface which is conducive to carbon dioxide activation. From there, an ionic liquid stabilizes the charged intermediates that formed on the surface of the interface which begins to facilitate a multi-step chemical reduction reaction coupled with carbon coupling. Multi-carbon chains can be produced, resulting in the formation of methane, ethylene, acetylene, propane, and propene.
The University of Illinois chemists who conducted the study wanted to focus on creating liquid fuels because they are easier, safer, and more economical to store and transport than regular gasoline. Furthermore, liquid fuels are comprised of long-chain molecules containing more bonds than regular gasoline, giving them a higher energy density. While the goal of the study was to learn how to use catalysts to increase the efficiency of the chemical reactions undergone during the carbon dioxide-to-fuel conversion experiment, the chemists of the study agree that the hard work will begin when they start determining how they can scale up the process. | https://medium.com/predict/its-like-a-leaf-but-better-717689f7d1b7 | ['Madison Hunter'] | 2020-12-07 03:51:23.186000+00:00 | ['Climate Change', 'Sustainability', 'Technology', 'Environment', 'Future'] |
100 books in a year: Lessons from a failure | It seemed like a worthy goal for the year. Read a hundred books in a year. While contemplating this aim, a question jumped at me. How do I keep track of the books that I have read? In hindsight, I should have asked a different question, but the mind works mysteriously. Luckily for us, the mysterious ways lead to experience, for which there are no shortcuts. It is easy to track what you have read. GoodReads have a way of monitoring books you read in a year and reminding you how you are faring in your resolution.
We can set goals, and then we can measure our progress. But there is something between setting and measuring — the plan to achieve the goal. While I prepared myself, I forgot the middle part. To read a hundred books a year, you have to finish a book in less than four days. So, I should have asked a different question. How soon should I finish reading a book to achieve my goal? This inquiry would have shed light on the various shortcomings behind my decision.
What kind of books should I choose to complete in less than four days? There are three main criteria to base this choice. The first is the number of pages, and the second is the genre of the book. Still, I have yet asked another critical question. How much time do I have in a day to read a book? After a month into the new year, I realized that I will have to apply for leave to complete this resolution. When we set ambitious goals, we tend to forget about our time at our disposal.
What is the purpose of a resolution? I never asked this question. A resolution is to make a better person out of you. How does reading a book help you to become a better person? Reading should make us think and learn. If you don’t, then the whole exercise is pointless. But if you consume one book every four days, does this give enough time to assimilate the contents?
I chose a goal without a second thought. I made up rules as I went along. I will not read two non-fiction books, one after the other. Neither will I pick up the same genre consecutively. As a result, I read mystery books, biographies, fiction, and various genres in non-fiction. I read a lot of Indian authors. At the end of the year, I finished 56 books. I turned wiser, at least in setting goals. | https://medium.com/@nonadinamoni/100-books-in-a-year-lessons-from-a-failure-b0dc27d8d0de | ['Nona Dinamoni'] | 2020-10-09 07:01:15.755000+00:00 | ['Books', 'New Years Resolutions', 'Goals', 'Resolutions', 'Reading'] |
President Trump Doesn’t Care About Trafficking Victims | President Trump Doesn’t Care About Trafficking Victims
An open letter to the anti-trafficking movement and anyone who cares about trafficking, commercial sexual exploitation and the wellbeing of vulnerable youth in this country:
For the last four years, Trump, Ivanka and this administration have claimed to care about trafficking victims and survivors and boasted that Trump has done more to fight trafficking than any other president in history. As a trafficking survivor and the founder and CEO of GEMS, Girls Educational and Mentoring Services, the nation’s leading organization serving and empowering girls and young women who have experienced commercial sexual exploitation and domestic trafficking, and someone who has worked with thousands of survivors over the last 23 years throughout 3 prior administrations, I can unequivocally say that these claims couldn’t be further from the truth. Trump, his enablers and sycophants, are in fact harmful for victims and survivors and dangerous for those children and youth who are vulnerable and at risk for recruitment. The anti-trafficking movement, which has a significant intersection with the white evangelical community, has been silent and in many cases complicit in perpetuating the myth of Trump as a champion for trafficking victims, in some cases because they really believed it, mostly because they wanted to get legislation passed, funding allocated and attention paid to the issue. Those are worthy goals, and in some cases it’s worked; there have been some laws passed, federal funding allocated and awareness of the issue of trafficking, particularly child trafficking, has never been higher. A surface glance at a Trump press release might tell you that complicity was worth the price, after all there’s been gains, the movement has progressed forward and achieved those specific goals. Even a cursory glance at the reality however shows that while the administration is happy to tout its one tiny step forward, it’s the many huge steps back that really count. Legislation, public awareness, even federal grants that run directly counter to everything else this president and this administration says and does are at best meaningless, more often they have provided cover for the truly heinous actions of this administration. Anti-trafficking work began in the Bush administration, the Obama administration built upon that and helped ensure the inclusion of domestic victims. The Trump administration has taken credit for work and statistics that should rightfully be attributed to Obama and while there has been work continued under this administration none of it is impactful enough to balance out all the harm done.
Trump’s words, actions, policies, tweets, staff, allies, history, appointees and defenders explicitly show that he doesn’t care about people of color, he doesn’t care about women and girls, he doesn’t care about low income and poor people, he doesn’t care about the LGBTQIA community, he doesn’t care about people from other countries…but that’s who trafficking victims and survivors are. Can anyone really argue with a straight face that Trump values the inherent worth and humanity of a a 16 year old Black girl who has been in juvenile detention for stealing a car or a woman from Guatemala who escaped a domestic violence relationship by coming to the US with her child and entering without documentation or the Latinx trans young woman who is struggling with drug addiction? Because those are the trafficking victims I know. They are the faces of trafficking in this country and all the evidence says that Trump and this administration do not care about these individuals. They don’t even see them as fully human. Trump has mocked the cities they live in and the countries they come from, he’s repeatedly encouraged racism and misogyny in its most violent forms against them and anyone who looks like them; he’s encouraged police brutality and argued for harsher sentencing; he’s stopped domestic violence victims claiming the US as a place of refuge, ripped children from the arms of scared parents and put kids in cages; he’s rolled back protections and rights for trans people, has tried repeatedly to take health coverage away and appointed justices who will do more of the same. He’s encouraged and empowered groups like QAnon and the #SaveOurChildren movement to spread lies and create imaginary trafficking scenarios that distract and pull resources from the real work and in some cases put people in real danger. Trump has vehemently condemned individuals who pulled down statues of Confederate heroes, — supporters of slavery — but when asked about Ghislaine Maxwell after her arrest for trafficking WISHED. HER. WELL. There are relatively few explanations for a sitting President to wish an infamous, alleged, child sex trafficker well. None of them are flattering to Trump.
Trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation don’t happen in a vacuum. They happen in a world where gender based violence, racism, poverty, inequality are allowed to flourish. Trump only cares about trafficking and trafficking victims when he needs to make a speech and appeal to his base. The rest of the time he creates and encourages the very conditions that make children and adults vulnerable to trafficking in the first place. He has made his priorities clear. Now it’s about the movement’s priorities and all those who claim to care about trafficking victims and survivors. If you do, the only choice is Biden. Trump has used the pain and trauma of trafficking victims and survivors for his own gains. There’s no ‘worthy goal’, no short term win, no legitimate rationale that justifies allowing him and his administration to exploit and harm us anymore. | https://medium.com/@rachel2lloyd/an-open-letter-to-anti-trafficking-movement-and-anyone-who-cares-about-trafficking-commercial-755104d10466 | ['Rachel Lloyd'] | 2020-11-03 01:25:44.651000+00:00 | ['Biden', 'Trafficking', 'Trump Administration', 'Trump', 'Anti Trafficking'] |
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Flare Finance — Peeling Back The First Layers | In this document we will discuss the token distribution, product suite, profit generating mechanisms and governance staking incentives implemented into the Flare Finance Ecosystem. This will include an overview of the following topics:
Token Distribution Product Suite and Ecosystem Map FlareX FlareFarm FlareWrap FlareLoans FlareMutual FlareMine APY Cloud ESB Distributions Protocol Excess Distributions Stressed Distributions Bond Distributions
Token Distribution
110,000,000 YFLR
Total Supply
The max supply of YieldFlare (YFLR) issued by the Flare Finance Foundation is 110,000,000. There is no minting implemented into the contract by default for security purposes. Burning is added as an optional feature that can be activated via governance, but is not readily available for use for security purposes.
40,000,000 YFLR
DAO Offering
40,000,000 YFLR issued by the Flare Finance Foundation will be distributed via DAO Offering to the public holders of $DFLR, our DAO Claim Token. A “DAO Offering” is a free public claim process where holders of $FLR will receive DAOFlare, or $DFLR, by airdrop automatically to the wallet address containing their $FLR at the time of the $FLR Snapshot. $DFLR holders will swap their $DFLR for $YFLR on platform after reading and agreeing to a few tutorials and terms/conditions. Any unclaimed $YFLR is removed from circulation and placed into the APY Cloud.
40,000,000 YFLR
Pool Mining
40,000,000 YFLR issued by the Flare Finance Foundation will be distributed via “Pool Mining” from the APY Cloud to the participants of on-platform Governance Staking. This 40,000,000 YFLR is only distributed based on the terms voted by holders to be established by the APY Cloud. This rewards pool would provide yield for 3 years during a period of low usage, and in optimum conditions, would sustain permanently with APY Cloud.
10,000,000 YFLR
Team and Investors
10,000,000 YFLR issued by the Flare Finance Foundation will be allocated to the Team and Investors of Flare Finance, the for-profit development corporation designated to maintain the core code of the Flare Finance Ecosystem and respond to the Foundation Paid Governance Requests submitted by the Flare Finance Foundation. This 10,000,000 YFLR is vested in 12 parts, one part released each month, over the vesting period.
10,000,000 YFLR
Foundation
10,000,000 YFLR is held by the Flare Finance Foundation, the non-profit foundation that owns the code and ecosystem as a whole. The Foundation is user-governed through smart contracts. These governance decisions are reviewed and carried out by the Foundation itself. The 10,000,000 YFLR is utilized for operations, salaries, grants, and other necessities to help maintain the ecosystem’s growth and sustainability.
10,000,000 YFLR
Reserves
10,000,000 YFLR is held by the Flare Finance Foundation in the “Community Reserve Pool’’. This pool is to be utilized for user-governed proposals specifically submitted on FlareGovernance. This can be for any number of reasons including; paying third-party developers for code maintenance, providing grants for community developers to create new applications and products, covering user requested marketing costs, token burning to reduce supply, and more. The Community Reserve Pool gives the people a “No Strings Attached” means of utilizing reserve tokens in their ecosystem.
11,000 YFIN
Total Supply
The max supply of YieldFin (YFIN) issued by the Flare Finance Foundation is 11,000. There is no minting implemented into the contract by default for security purposes. Burning is added as an optional feature that can be activated via governance, but is not readily available for use for security purposes.
8,000 YFIN
FlareFarm Distributions
8,000 YFIN is mined through participation in yield farming on FlareFarm over 3 years. Yield Farming can be conducted by participating in either single or dual-coin LP Pool Staking. The distribution schedule is as follows: Year 1–4,000 YFIN, Year 2–2,000 YFIN, Year 3–2,000 YFIN.
1,000 YFIN
FlareMutual Distributions
1,000 YFIN is distributed through participating in providing coverage liquidity to the mutual fund for use in the event of a coverage claim. YFIN supplements platform APY generated through coverage purchases and other fee based earnings on FlareMutual. The distribution schedule is as follows: Year 1–500 YFIN, Year 2–250 YFIN, Year 3–250 YFIN.
1,000 YFIN
FlareLoans Distributions
1,000 YFIN is distributed through participating in providing liquidity to the loan pool to be borrowed within our ecosystem. YFIN supplements platform APY generated through loan payments and other fee based earnings on FlareLoan. The distribution schedule is as follows: Year 1–500 YFIN, Year 2–250 YFIN, Year 3–250 YFIN.
1,000 YFIN
Reserves
1,000 YFIN is held by the Flare Finance Foundation in the “Community Reserve Pool’’. This pool is to be utilized for user-governed proposals specifically submitted on FlareGovernance. This can be for any number of reasons including; paying third-party developers for code maintenance, providing grants for community developers to create new applications and products, covering user requested marketing costs, token burning to reduce supply, and more. The Community Reserve Pool gives the people a “No Strings Attached” means of utilizing reserve tokens in their ecosystem.
Product Suite and Ecosystem Map
Flare Finance is a 6 product ecosystem that implements several different long-term yield aggregating savings mechanisms within all 6 products creating the first institutional grade decentralized finance platform with endless value potential. This is all thanks to a yield aggregating savings protocol called the APY Cloud. The Flare Finance Ecosystem utilizes all of the major F-Assets birthed in the Flare Network as well as the ecosystems main platform tokens; YFLR and YFIN. Profits from each platform are collected from each transaction in the form of the tokens being utilized. These profits are distributed back to Yield Pools which makeup the APY Cloud, and the Team Distributions Contracts. In this topic we will discuss how profits are distributed back to the yield pools for each product, as well as the APY Cloud. Below is a visual representation of monetary flow in the ecosystem.
FlareX
FlareX is the ecosystem’s decentralized spot and margin trading platform. The platform allows traders to swap or leverage various tokens trustlessly in a non-custodial manner.
FlareX utilizes immutable smart contracts to provide automated market makers (AMMs) with liquidity utilizing a specialized dynamic curve implemented to mimic real-world market conditions as closely as possible. Participants of the ecosystem can become On-Demand Liquidity Providers and earn fees for doing so in the form of a boosted liquidity pool position. Users of FlareX can swap or leverage their tokens easily with our user-friendly interface for a variable fee per transaction established via user governance. This fee is divided in 3 ways:
90% of this fee is distributed back to the liquidity providers.
8% of this fee is distributed to the Team and Investors Pool.
2% of this fee is distributed to the APY Cloud for Governance Staking Rewards.
Providing liquidity is a great way to earn long-term stable yield on your assets and allows holders in the ecosystem to become the liquidity providers to the traders themselves. New token pairings are voted on by these holders and allows for a fully user-governed trading experience full of the tokens people love to trade. $YFLR plays a heavy part in this piece of our ecosystem, allowing the holder to use it for trading fees or to vote on the latest additions to the FlareX ecosystem.
FlareFarm
FlareFarm is the ecosystem’s yield farming and fair launch distribution platform (launchpad). The platform allows holders of various F-Asset and Liquidity Pool tokens to participate in governance, yield farming and fair launch distributions for new projects entering the Flare Network and/or Flare Finance Ecosystem. Its primary use case is to ensure our governance token is distributed fairly. Its secondary use case, which is profit driven, is to enter new projects into the ecosystem via DAO Launchpads for a set fee.
If another project decides to utilize our launchpad to launch their token and distribute it to the holders of the Flare Network and Flare Finance Ecosystem, they can do so by creating a forum thread about their project and submitting a governance proposal to be added to the Launchpad. There are 2 fees associated with creating a Launchpad Proposal, a fee in YFLR (or YFIN) and a fee in the project’s token.
The fee in our tokens, which is established via governance proposal, is distributed in the following way:
50% is distributed to the APY Cloud for Governance Staking Rewards
30% is distributed to the Foundation for oversight of the Launchpad
20% is distributed to the Team and Investors as a Founders Fee
The fee in the projects token, which is established via governance proposal, is distributed in the following way:
50% is added as a Boosted Mining Period for Launchpad participants
30% is distributed to the Foundation for oversight of the Launchpad
20% is distributed to the Team and Investors as a Founders Fee
Once the platform initiates the launchpad, participants of the ecosystem can stake approved currencies to earn yield over an amount of time established by the project founders. Upon achieving a successful launchpad, the token is automatically listed on FlareX against FLR, YFLR, and CUSD.
FlareWrap
FlareWrap is the ecosystem’s Cross-Chain Asset Bridge. It will allow tokens hosted on other chains to be utilized on the Flare Network that would otherwise be inaccessible via the F-Assets Minting Platform. It also serves as the creation point for the CrossUSD (cUSD) Basketed Stable Coin. FlareWrap in its basic form bridges these assets and allows immediate usage on our product suite.
In its more advanced form, it allows for stable coin assets like Tether, USD Coin, and TerraUSD to be basketed to form CrossUSD (cUSD). CrossUSD is a basketed asset that maintains its peg closer to the relative underlying assets that collateralize it. CrossUSD maintains a more accurate dollar value by taking an average of the best available price of all underlying assets. Minting CrossUSD costs the same minting and burning fees as bridging other assets on the network, plus the transaction fees to complete the contract executions. The fee for minting and burning transactions is variable and established by governance. The distribution of this fee is as follows:
50% is distributed to the APY Cloud for Governance Staking Rewards
50% is distributed to the Team and Investors as a Founders Fee
FlareLoans
FlareLoans is the ecosystem’s peer-to-peer decentralized loans platform. It allows holders of approved tokens to lend and borrow against their assets to earn yield in the form of repaid loans and yield distributions (YFIN and other F-Assets). The cost to borrow and the yield earned on borrowing depends on the current market health and status of loan repayments. FlareLoans takes a variable fee established by governance on the amount borrowed and repaid. This fee is distributed as follows:
90% of this fee is distributed back to the FlareLoans Staking Pool
8% of this fee is distributed to the Team and Investors Pool
2% of this fee is distributed to the APY Cloud for Governance Staking Rewards
The amount one can borrow is established by the amount of total value locked in the staking pool by the borrower. This collateralization ratio is governance established and allows the borrower to borrow up to this ratio without fear of immediate liquidation. In the event that the underlying asset untethers from the needed ratio, the underlying assets will be liquidated to cover the loan. Yield on this platform is paid in the form of the underlying assets, as well as $YFIN.
FlareMutual
FlareMutual is the ecosystem’s peer-to-peer insurance mutual fund, based heavily on NexusMutual with modifications. It allows participants of its membership to purchase, or provide, coverage over assets, projects, smart contracts, agents, custodians, and more. FlareMutual utilizes a variable coverage fee that is established through governance, and part of this fee is distributed back to the APY Cloud and the Team. The fee is distributed as follows:
90% is distributed back to the FlareMutual Coverage Pool
8% of this fee is distributed to the Team and Investors Pool
2% of this fee is distributed to the APY Cloud for Governance Staking Rewards
FlareMine
FlareMine is the ecosystem’s yield mining platform. It allows PoW mining rig owners to mine Spark (FLR), Trustless BTC (FBTC), and Trustless LTC (FLLTC).
Miners contribute their hash power to a modified mining pool that mines PoW coins. The mining pool accomplishes one of two tasks based on user preference: 1.) Contributes these funds to a minting agent which produces $FBTC or $FLTC and distributes this to miners, or 2.) Converts the mined assets into $FLR at the best available rate. These assets are distributed back to the miners at a rate determined by their contribution to the pool’s total hash rate as well as their desired reward preference. This action results in $FLR price support, $FLR upward price motion, constant lock up of BTC and LTC assets into F-Assets, and a means to mine and deliver F-Assets directly to a users wallet.
The fee taken from these rewards is established by Governance. The fee is distributed as follows:
50% is distributed to the APY Cloud for Governance Staking Rewards
50% is distributed to the Team and Investors as a Founders Fee
APY Cloud
APY Cloud is the first user governed dynamic yield aggregator allowing for long-term, sustainable yield platform wide. Additionally, APY Cloud creates a predictable minimum and maximum APY for long-term incentivized governance staking. With APY Cloud, participants of the Flare Finance ecosystem can rest assured that their long term yield goals can be met within reason by utilizing our product suite.
The problem with current DeFi suites offered to date is investors tend to be attracted to platforms with the most yield offered at the time. These APY % rates, sometimes in the high thousands, are almost always unsustainable and result in mining a token with little to no growth potential when planning for long term returns. While there is nothing wrong with High APY Rates, a means to maintain the value behind these distributions is necessary to protect the value of the investors total value locked. DeFi platforms should plan for the future and ultimately seek to provide a form of decentralized financial advisor for the user by promoting general long term financial principals known to all like saving and investing for the future.
With APY Cloud, we implement a truly substantial solution to this exact problem. APY Cloud is an intelligent yield aggregate savings protocol that helps the ecosystem remain in a healthy financial state by being the tokens personal “financial advisor”. APY Cloud completes a 3-step procedure when deciding how to react to the current and future outlook of the financial ecosystem, and accomplishes these steps to better adjust and support the holders token value. The steps to this procedure are:
Step 1 — What is the current voted Minimum Governance APY, Maximum Governance APY, and Excess Threshold?
First, APY Cloud decides what amount the Minimum Gov. APY and Maximum Gov. APY are set and adheres to these numbers. For this example, and for initial launch, these numbers will be set at a minimum of 5% and a maximum of 35%. Once APY Cloud has determined these numbers, it decides what the excess threshold is. For this example, and for initial launch, it will be 20% of the Maximum Gov. APY over itself. Once it has determined these three numbers it can move on to Step Two.
Minimum Gov. APY = Minimum APY Earned for Governance Staking (5%)
Maximum Gov. APY = Maximum APY Earned for Governance Staking (35%)
Excess APY Threshold = Max Percentage over Maximum APY before Savings Accrue (20% over = 7%)(Excess Threshold = 42%)
Step 2 — Is there enough Protocol Earnings to cover the Minimum Gov. APY x Total Value Locked?
Second, APY Cloud decides whether or not there is enough protocol earnings within its contracts to cover the required yield to be paid out to the Governance Pool. In this example, there will be $1,000,000 TVL locked in Governance Staking. With the Minimum Gov. APY of 5%, there would need to be $50,000 of Protocol Earnings to cover the Minimum Gov. APY and effectively pay Governance Staking Participants. Once APY Cloud determines how much Protocol Earnings it contains in comparison to this needed amount, it can proceed to make a decision.
Step 3A — No, there are not enough Protocol Earnings to cover the Minimum Gov. APY required for distribution!
Since there is not enough Protocol Earnings to cover the set Minimum Gov. APY the platform will calculate the dollar value needed to match the yield deficit and distribute the appropriate amount of $YFLR from the APY Cloud to match this deficit with the available Protocol Earnings.
In the event there is minimal protocol earnings, the platform configures each block reward to distribute $YFLR on a timed release schedule established by governance, in this example it will be 1/94,608,000 (3 years in seconds). This time release is initiated if the conditions are met by estimating if the amount to be distributed for that yield period (each block) exceeds the Sustainable APY Term creating a Stressed Distributions Period from then on and enabling Bond Distributions.
Step 3B — Yes, there are enough Protocol Earnings to cover the Minimum Gov. APY required for distribution!
Since there are enough Protocol Earnings to cover the set Minimum Gov. APY the platform will distribute all available Protocol Earnings continuously until these earnings either exceed the Excess APY Threshold (Step 1) or induce a Stressed Distributions Period (Step 3A) by falling below the Minimum Gov. APY.
In the event there is an abundance of protocol earnings, and the Excess APY Threshold is exceeded, there is a fair distributions mechanism in place to help ensure long-term yield potential for holders and platform users. This fair distributions mechanism is called Excess, Stressed, or Bond Distributions; or ESBD for short. ESBD is the period of varied yield distributions that is enacted to adapt to the current financial ecosystem produced by its participants. This can be visualized partially in this diagram, and further detailed in the next topic.
Excess, Stressed, and Bond Distributions
ESB Distributions Protocol
ESB Distributions is the first yield reaction protocol allowing for long-term sustainable yield distributions with conditional boosted rewards periods. These conditions are based on economically sound distribution principals creating a means to reward platform participation and long term user engagement without sacrificing protocol earnings potential or inducing a long term token value depreciation.
Excess Distributions
Excess Distributions take place quarterly when platform earnings exceed the Excess APY Threshold (Page 5) for more than 3 consecutive months. At this time, 10% of the saved excess is distributed for that quarter in the form of additional yield added to each products’ rewards pool. This distribution continues for as long as the platform earnings continue to exceed the Excess APY Threshold, providing more savings to the APY Cloud (Thus sustaining the Excess Distributions). If the average governance APY falls below the Excess APY Threshold for that month, the cycle completes distributions for the quarter and stops until appropriate conditions are met again.
Average Governance APY is calculated by APY Cloud keeping daily record of average hourly APY, then keeping monthly record of the average daily APY. If this number continues to produce an excess, the APY Cloud continues to produce another cycle of Excess Distributions. If the Average Governance APY falls below during any of the 3 months within the distribution cycle, it will complete that cycle and wait for 3 more consecutive months of platform earnings exceeding the Excess APY Threshold.
Each month during the three-month Excess Distributions cycle 10% of the accrued savings is distributed. This distribution allocation ratio is established through governance proposals. These proposals decide how much goes to each of the yield contracts for the 4 products in the ecosystem that distribute yield for staking or providing liquidity; FlareX, FlareFarm, FlareLoans, and FlareMutual. The end result is a sustainable yield protocol in optimum conditions that can survive the most crucial downturns of the market.
Stressed Distributions
Stressed Distributions are enacted when the platform begins to underperform and becomes unable to supply the Minimum Gov. APY established by its participants through protocol earnings alone. Stressed Distributions are a means of limiting output during a down cycle while still generating rewards for its participants at a bare minimum.
During Stressed Distributions, time supersedes necessary yield. What this means is, in the previous examples we established a time period of 3 years that the reserved YFLR Pool of 40M must distribute over from any given point of operation, meaning that for each distribution, it calculates if the next distribution will take it outside of, or back inside of, the desired time schedule to maintain a 3 year token distribution in the event of a long-term usage downtown. For every block distribution, APY Cloud will determine if the released amount is more or less than the desired time release schedule while also determining if the amount covers the deficit between platform earnings and Minimum Gov. APY needed to distribute to TVL. If this amount breaks the 3 year token distribution cycle, it will only distribute up to 1/94,608,000 of total Pool Value per block to maintain the cycle. If this amount does not break the 2 year cycle, it will distribute the entire needed amount to cover the deficit.
Stressed Distributions enacts a way to provide considerably reasonable APY during the worst conditions, while also incentivizing recovery through the use of Bonded Distributions. Bond Distributions is the final partition to the APY Cloud and will be explained in the next sub-topic. All of which makes delivering an all in one yield aggregating savings protocol that is adaptable to most situations thrown at it possible.
Bond Distributions
Bond Distributions is a period of open price support during Stressed Distributions where holders of YFLR can purchase Bonds at a 1:1 ratio for their YFLR locking in both a continued allocation of YFLR Governance Yield and a guaranteed minimum interest in the event of Protocol Earnings picking back up and issuing an Excess Distribution. This effectively creates a means to promote price support and ecosystem activity by reducing circulating supply indefinitely until activity and value return to the ecosystem to push it into an Excess Distributions phase.
As described in “Stressed Distributions’’ above, during a period of low Protocol Earnings, yield distributions cover the Protocol Earnings deficit in the form of YFLR from the Governance Staking Pool at a rate pre-determined by Governance. This rate establishes a maximum amount that can be distributed per rewards period to sustain the minimum time frame permitted under the established timed release schedule. This amount is covered by the 40M YFLR Reserved in the Governance Staking Pool, but ultimately could result in the entire staking pool being depleted if not for Stressed Distributions and Bond Distributions.
Bond Distributions take place between the time Stressed Distributions begin and end. That period of time in between is called the “Bonding Period”. During this time, holders of YFLR that are participating in Governance Staking can choose to opt in to the Bonding Period with their staked tokens. Their YFLR is locked indefinitely into the Bonding Contract, providing the holder with a 1:1 peg of BondFlare, or BFLR, for every YFLR they bond. Bonds are a representation of YFLR governance staking rewards, token appreciation, and bonding rewards. To claim bonds and exchange it back into YFLR, a holder of a bond simply opts out of the Bonding Period and begins this unlocking period at any point in time. This unlocking period lasts 7 days, but can be reduced or extended via Governance Proposals. Bonds are, in theory, YFLR indefinitely removed from circulation until converted back into YFLR either before or after the rewards period.
Bond Distributions enable the ecosystem to sustain itself during periods of lesser usage. While traditional treasury yield bonds have a set maturity rate usually between 5 and 10 years, Flare Finance Bonds do not have a set maturity rate. While bonding can only take place during Stressed Distributions, claiming these bonds can take place at any time, allowing the holder of the bond to determine their desired maturity rate and overall profitable outcome. There are three outcomes of purchasing a bond during the bonding period:
1. After Purchasing the bond, the market rises. Users gain value based on token appreciation, but exit before Excess Distributions, resulting in only gaining token appreciation and Governance Staking Rewards.
2. After Purchasing the bond, the market rises. Users gain value based on token appreciation, and you allow Excess Distributions to run until it fulfills its cycles, resulting in gaining token appreciation, governance staking rewards, and your share of the Excess Distributions allocated to participants in the Bonding Period.
3. After Purchasing the bond, the market falls. Value may be lost to token depreciation, but users are able to claim at any time to exit the market.
Participating in the Bonding Period does not remove the ability for the governance staker to earn their Governance Staking Rewards. These rewards are accrued regularly and can be claimed at any time just as if you had not participated in the Bonding Period. The indefinite time frame for the bonds comes from the need to achieve Excess Distributions before rewards are distributed to Bonding Participants. This means that bonds are a high risk to high reward products providing the ecosystem with a last resort fail safe by incentivizing removal of supply from circulation in hopes of creating a supply squeeze while demand is still present. In the event the Bonding Period is successful, and the platform achieves Excess Distributions, bond holders will automatically begin to accrue additional rewards in Governance Staking without any need for further action. Their bond will remain locked until the end of Excess Distributions, at which point, the bonds are claimed automatically. Rewards can be claimed at any time during this period and are not limited to claiming at the end of Excess Distributions.
In the event a user decides to claim Bonds after the Bonding Period, but before Excess Distributions, they will NOT receive any form of reward during the Excess Distributions cycle. They will instead only be entitled to token appreciation and Governance Staking Rewards. They will receive 1:1 return of their YFLR along with all Governance Staking Rewards earned. In the event a user decides to claim their Bonds during the Excess Distributions Period, but before it ends and automatically claims these bonds, the user will only earn the distributions up until the point of claim and none beyond the last day of the unlocking period.
Conclusion
The Flare Finance Ecosystem is a robust decentralized application designed to expand on the future potential of the Flare Network and provide a ecosystem full of sustenance and a means to deliver a true foundation for decentralized finance in it’s future stages. APY Cloud creates endless potential for ecosystem wide growth and helps ensure that the long term vision of the Flare Finance ecosystem can come to fruition through simple user engagement and precise execution.
This information will be further detailed in our upcoming Financial Paper release, and then broken down into code for you all in our Technical Documentation. Some time after launch, you all can expect this information packaged nicely into the first ever Flare Finance White Paper Release. | https://medium.com/@flarefinance/flare-finance-peeling-back-the-first-layers-ac36078705df | ['Flare Finance'] | 2021-04-03 19:34:16.102000+00:00 | ['Blockchain', 'Cryptocurrency', 'Flare Finance', 'Smart Contracts', 'Defi'] |
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