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The Top 10 Skills People Want to Learn in 2019 and How to Learn Them | #7. Photography
Me taking a portrait photo of my wife in Nepal
My definition: Learning to use a camera to take good photos.
Photography is a very broad skill, much like drawing. More and more people are interested in photography due to the rise of smartphones and DLSR technologies. It’s now easier than ever to learn and is a great satisfying skill to both learn and apply.
Sub-skills
Terminology
Framing
The rule of thirds
Composition
Reading the histogram
Types of cameras
Understanding the basics: Shutter Speed, Aperture and ISO
Portrait photography (has many sub-skills)
Landscape photography (has many sub-skills)
Object photography (has many sub-skills)
Action photography (has many sub-skills)
Macro photography
Long Exposure photography
Photo editing in Camera Raw
Photo editing in Photoshop
Photo editing in Lightroom
and many many more!
My story with Photography
I used to not care for photography at all. When I bought my iPhone 6 a few years back, it was the first time I was armed with a good enough camera. I started taking shots and playing around with them on various apps. I started enjoying it.
When I took a trip to Iceland, I decided I should probably step it up if I wanted to take beautiful photos. It turns out the little bit of research I did paid off and I started taking decent photos.
Then I travelled around the world for a year. I took over 15K+ photos on that trip. I got a lot better and people thought I was actually a photographer. So I decided to buy my first DSLR in India and continued the trip with it. I learned a whole lot.
I was later contracted to take professional photos of NGO operations for Sundara and the opening of a new WeWork location in Bangalore, India.
I’m learning portrait photography this month and will be practicing with these beautiful people: Carla Diaz, Diana Jabba, and Kevin Nguyen.
How to learn it?
The best 80/20 I found was to learn about the rule of thirds. You can learn that in less than 5 minutes and instantly, your photography is at least 2x better.
The rule of thirds is one of many framing techniques and it’s worth it to look into the other ones too. Many amateur photos are good but lack proper framing skills. Note that you can and should crop your photos during post-production to frame them better.
Another very important as aspect is to learn proper exposure. Learn what is perfect exposure, what’s underexposed and what’s overexposed. Learn to read the histogram. Learn to use that to your creative advantage.
Both of these things don’t require expensive gear. A DSLR helps for exposure, but you can expose a photo properly with a phone too.
For a month, practice a specific style you’re interested in. I started with landscape. In retrospect, I actually find it to be the hardest one to create photos that stand out.
When ready to purchase a camera, find one that comes with a lens that allows you to shoot the style you’re interested in. You’ll learn that, in most cases, the body doesn’t matter as much as the lens.
I’d suggest learning a new style only once a month. Focusing on one style at a time will give you enough practice to become good enough at it.
Resources
Free
Paid | https://medium.com/skilluped/the-top-10-skills-people-want-to-learn-in-2019-and-how-to-learn-them-a37ce262bcd2 | ['Danny Forest'] | 2019-12-30 00:00:00 | ['Self Improvement', 'Personal Development', 'Education', 'Entrepreneurship', 'Inspiration'] |
Student Spotlight: Building a Life Around Your New Career | Tell me: what were you doing before Bloc?
Account Management for a marketing agency.
Why did you end up taking Bloc?
I started dabbling in code a couple years ago, taking various free online courses. I ended up going on a month-long work-abroad retreat with a group of people (most of them were programmers) and I loved learning from them and seeing how they’ve been able to work remotely and travel. That pretty much sealed the deal for me for wanting to work full-time in web development. A few months later I enrolled in Bloc.
How did taking Bloc impact your career and life?
Bloc has impacted my life in so many ways. The experience was incredibly challenging and emotional but I just kept pushing. It’s so rewarding to have been successful in something I worked so hard to get. This experience makes me want to grow and be better in more facets of my life, not just my career.
In addition, I love the opportunities that come with this experience. Now that I’m in the industry, I can’t wait to keep growing and building a lifestyle around my new career. My only regret is not doing Bloc sooner!
What was your favorite part of the Bloc curriculum?
I had a lot of fun working with Node.
Tell us about your favorite project. What was it and what was your process?
My favorite project was Blocipedia because I enjoyed the flow that came with building out the application from the view to the model. I build this at a point in the course when I was a lot more comfortable with programming and the project turned out to be a lot of fun! | https://medium.com/newsonthebloc/student-spotlight-building-a-life-around-your-new-career-a1a07f80c0ff | ['April Bloc.Io'] | 2018-11-20 16:14:05.346000+00:00 | ['Happy Alumni', 'Programming', 'Web Development'] |
Four (Revised) Questions for Ari David Paul of BlockTower Capital | Paul states “Stellar will announce an acquisition of Adam Ludwin’s Chain sometime in the next 2 weeks. This is not widely known, but at least some funds know.”
Who are these entities?
Stellar:
Stellar is a platform that connects banks, payments systems, and people. It claims to ‘Integrate to move money quickly, reliably, and at almost no cost.’ The Stellar token is XLM. (Paul: “For example, if I thought XLM was a great buy because of the Chain announcement, I would first buy it then tell you.”) XLM is a cryptoasset, but is it a security? This has great significance in the eventual judgement of Ari David Paul.
Details of the Stellar Team, Developers, Board Members, and Advisors.
Adam Ludwin:
CEO at Chain. @adamludwin on Twitter.
Chain:
Chain is a San Francisco based technology company on a mission to enable a smarter and more connected economy.They build cryptographic ledgers that underpin breakthrough financial products and services.
Insider Trading
What is Insider Trading?
From Investopedia:
Insider trading is the buying or selling of a security by someone who has access to material nonpublic information about the security.
Insider trading can be illegal or legal depending on when the insider makes the trade. It is illegal when the material information is still nonpublic.
Illegal insider trading includes tipping others when you have any sort of nonpublic information. Legal insider trading happens when directors of the company purchase or sell shares, but they disclose their transactions legally.
The Martha Stewart Case
Directors of companies are not the only people who have the potential to be convicted of insider trading. In 2003, Martha Stewart was charged by the SEC with obstruction of justice and securities fraud — including insider trading — for her part in the 2001 ImClone case.
Stewart sold 4,000 shares of biopharmaceutical company ImClone Systems based on information received from Peter Bacanovic, a broker at Merrill Lynch. Bacanovic’s tip came after ImClone Systems’ chief executive officer (CEO), Samuel Waksal, sold all his shares of the company. This came around the time ImClone was waiting on the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for a decision on its cancer treatment, Erbitux.
Shortly after these sales, the FDA rejected ImClone’s drug, causing shares to fall 16% in one day. The early sale by Stewart saved her a loss of $45,673. However, the sale was done based on a tip she received about Waksal selling his shares, which was not public information.
After a 2004 case, Stewart was charged with lesser crimes of obstruction of a proceeding, conspiracy, and making false statements to federal investigators. Stewart served five months in a federal corrections facility.
To summarise the chain of events in the Martha Stewart case:
ImClone Systems’ chief executive officer (CEO), Samuel Waksal, sold all his shares of the company when he learned the FDA’s decision. Peter Bacanovic, a broker at Merrill Lynch, tipped this info. to Martha Stewart. She sold. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announces its negative decision on ImClone cancer treatment. Shares crash. Martha prosecuted and imprisoned. Bacanovic imprisoned. Waksal imprisoned.
The question about Paul is whether these events transpired.
Stellar and Chain privately agree terms to an acquisition. This can be expected to be positive news for the XLM price when it is announced. Someone passes this information to Paul. Did Paul buy XLM? Did Blocktower buy XLM? On 5 May 2018 Paul DMs Kazonomics and, totally unsolicited, tips the inside information, to Kazonomics. Kazonomics understands that he has been placed in a dangerous position and blows the whistle. On 20 June 2018 Fortune breaks the news of the acquisition of Chain by Stellar.
Was Ari David Paul Insider Trading?
If Paul had access to insider information about an imminent acquisition of Chain by Stellar and divulged that information to third parties with a view to them buying Stellar XLM, would that be insider trading?
The answer surely depends on two things.
Did Paul have insider information?
Yes. I have searched Google, the websites of Stellar and Chain, Twitter, the Twitter accounts of Stellar, Chain, Adam Ludwin, and Ari Paul, and there is no information about an imminent acquisition of Chain by Stellar until the Fortune story on 20 June 2018.
2. Is Stellar a security?
The whole matter of whether certain cryptoassets are securities or not is the subject of public debate. The SEC seems to have ruled that Bitcoin and Ethereum are not securities.
The jury is still out on Stellar XLM and Ripple XRP, which are tokens of a very similar nature. However the consensus is forming that XRP (and most likely XLM) will be defined as securities. That is bad news for Ari David Paul.
But until that matter is settled, whether XLM is a security, it seems that Ari Paul has a ‘get out of jail’ card.
There was no increase in the price of XLM when Fortune broke the Stellar/Chain story. Is this a possible defence for Paul? It seems not:
Ten [Original] Questions for Ari David Paul of BlockTower Capital
[These questions were written before the news of the Stellar/Chain deal became public on 20 June 2018.] | https://medium.com/hackernoon/ten-questions-for-ari-david-paul-of-blocktower-capital-dcd8d81ef27e | [] | 2018-06-27 07:52:51.163000+00:00 | ['Cryptocurrency', 'Blocktower', 'Blockchain', 'Ari Paul', 'Bitcoin'] |
The Hummingbird | Photo by Hawin Rojas
In late April I spent a week at outdoor camp with my son’s grade seven class. Two hours on the ferry, almost three more by bus. A nervous, cloying energy seemed to emanate from pre-teen pores the whole trip there. Everyone is off to high school next year, and with summer only a few weeks away, the camp very much had the feel of a culmination. An ending. A beginning.
The class was split into four smaller groups. Camp rules mandated that parents could not chaperone their child’s group to ensure that sons or daughters were neither unfairly scrutinized nor inhibited. This struck me as a very good rule. But it meant that although my son and I were technically together at camp for the entire week, we remained, in fact, mostly separate from one another. We moved in different orbits. When his group went rock climbing, mine was off to the zip line (how would my cautious, risk-averse son ever manage the zip line?). When my group was stand up paddle boarding, his group was out for a hike. On it went. In truth, I might have seen less of my son at camp then I did during an average week at home, where our time together is splintered by work and school, activities and sports, adolescent wanderings, sullen moods, and screens, screens, screens.
There were decent stretches of free time every day, but even then I kept my distance, knowing that he would much prefer to revel in airy, unpaved freedom with his friends than sit through confessions with his father. Don’t get me wrong. I wanted to know everything about his time in the kayak, his passage across the trembling high ropes course, every doubt he overcame, every shriek of joy or fear that escaped his lips, every surge of pride he must have felt in meeting some terrific unknown. But I also knew, or perhaps realized, slowly, throughout the week, that he had reached an age where new adventures and experiences, new failures, belong much more to him than they do to me. I knew he was happy. That was enough. It had to be.
The entire class took breakfast, lunch, and dinner together and during meals I found myself craning my neck in search of his table, twisting in my seat, getting up to refill a full cup, all so I could get a glimpse of him. Just take him all in, however briefly. I would see him eating things I had no idea he liked or was willing to try, listening and laughing to stories and jokes that I would never know. I caught in these glimpses a precious, delicate quality that I thought he had mostly sloughed off as he prepares to enter his awkward teenage years. His skin looked pure and applewhite from across the room. My love for him felt absolute and desperate and painful. I wanted to cross the room and take him in my arms and crush him to me. I wanted to tell him that everything will be ok, always, and to not be afraid. And I suppose I wanted him to tell me these same beautiful lies.
For me it was a week outside of — or maybe parallel to — reality. No ochre-stained fascists spewing hatred to the gaping masses, no rising tensions on the Korean peninsula, no lone gunmen on the streets. I spent a week willfully ignoring these realities. I did not take my phone. There were no televisions. No newspapers. The closest the real world came to intruding on my pastoral fantasy was when a guide stopped during a hike and gently fingered a tender green bud that in most years past would already have been a burgeoning leaf. The stubborn snow on the mountain tops confirmed it. It was late April and the weather was all wrong. But the guide didn’t say this and neither did I. She just smiled a thin, confused smile, shook her head, and we carried on.
It was a great week. Two memories loom especially large, the kind of memories that you can feel your mind take the shape and weight of even as they come into being. Sturdy memories that I can already feel pressing into my future selves. The first is a moment of solitude. The class split in half and canoed out in different directions for an overnight excursion in the woods. Cooking on an open fire. Sleeping under tarps. Again, camp protocol meant I wouldn’t be with my son. The guide on our trip encouraged all of us to take a few minutes to find a small piece of land and to sit quietly, alone with our thoughts in the stunning surroundings. I wandered up the rocky beach and sat on a moldering treestump facing the lake. Windworn sticks lay everywhere, bonewhite. Wavelets rippled like raven wings on the iron grey water. To my left and right the undergrowth of the forest was a verdant sea of plankton catching blades of light through the trees.
I heard it before I saw it. The steady, recognizable thrum. I turned away from the water to see a hummingbird anointing clusters of pink petals dangling in the breeze. Four feet away, maybe less. I had not seen the flowers behind me when I had picked my private seat. The hummingbird was there for what felt like a long time, proceeding carefully from bloom to bloom, floating slowly around and through the plant in a deliberate pattern. The complexity of its passage astounded me. It did not return to the same bloom twice but rather blessed each one with humbling attentiveness. I stayed very still but I am sure that it knew I was there. Watching. When it had explored each and every flower, it flew away, and the sound of the breeze and the water and of a robin clucking in the brush somewhere all came rushing back.
A miracle. This was my first coherent thought. For our lives to have converged, even briefly, amidst the vast ruggedness, seemed miraculous. What are the odds? As ridiculous as it might sound, the simple beauty of the encounter momentarily ruined me. I was struck by the tremendous scale of everything around me — mountains, clouds, trees in sway, and I was struck as well by the precision of the little world before me — stones dappled with lichen, the rusty gargle of a crow, blankets of soft moss so green they seemed to be lit by hidden filaments running beneath the earth. I could have wept, though why I cannot say for certain. I felt terribly alone. I missed my son. And I knew, in that moment, that some small part of me would spend the rest of my life missing him. I wished he could have been there with me to see it, even as I knew that his presence would have somehow changed the experience, diminished the strange power of what I saw by stripping it of its solitudinous wonder. It was, in some way I don’t completely understand, a moment for me alone. It had to be.
After its vanishment, I hoped, impossibly, that the hummingbird would make it the three or four kilometres down the water’s edge to the site of my son’s camp, where he alone would be drawn to its steady thrum and he would follow it to some quiet clearing or hollow and see it, fairybright and fragile against the darkening timber, and then he would think of me. But what are the odds?
The second memory is of the return trip. After the long bus ride, the class was waiting in the ferry terminal to begin the last leg home. The children continued to buzz with energy, now giddy with thoughts of reunion and warm showers, home-cooked meals. I sat apart, paging through my book. I looked up at one point and saw my son across the room, his back pressed to a large window framing the ocean and the incoming boat, a thick slab of hard blue sky. He too sat apart, he too sat quietly with a book. I watched him for as long as I could. He didn’t know I was watching, though I suppose I can’t be certain about that. Through the window, needlepoints of sun on water cast him in glimmers prophetic and unreadable.
__________
https://medium.com/conspiracy-of-one
https://twitter.com/jgavinpaul | https://gavinpaul.medium.com/the-hummingbird-50917d8a3186 | ['Gavin Paul'] | 2019-06-14 16:07:30.394000+00:00 | ['Childhood', 'Fatherhood', 'Nature Writing', 'Fathers Day', 'Spring'] |
Developing Levels on a Design Team | “How do I create a clear growth path for my team?” It’s a question I hear all the time from design leaders at startups and agencies.
They often wait so long to set levels that there are no clear paths for top performers, who go elsewhere when they don’t see room for growth. Or, they take a stab at structuring levels but without a framework to build on they blur responsibilities and frustrate their team.
Done poorly, leveling confuses the team, frustrates your top performers, and increases turnover. When done well, leveling sets a foundation for clear roles, fair hiring, and talent retention.
What is leveling?
Leveling defines expectations for an individual’s performance and charts a path for growth on your team. Its purposes include:
Creating a clear and shared language around your discipline. Defining the core responsibilities of each role. Setting clear definitions for great performance. Crafting paths for development.
Once levels exist, they can also be used to:
Create performance-related alignment across cross-functional teams.
Provide a framework for peer feedback based on defined performance rather than personal expectations.
Reduce hiring bias and map compensation to objective criteria instead of tenure, negotiation, or personal feelings.
Levels codify an organization’s values, which is why it’s never too early to start defining them: they shape daily life on your team.
Leveling development tips
Keep levels simple, clear, and flexible to accommodate growth — and before you get started, align with HR on the following principles.
Start early. Codify values and expectations even if your organization isn’t ready to formalize levels. For example, before we had levels at Pinterest, we created a one-page document called “The Three Cs,” (Craft, Collaboration, and Communication), which stated our mission and outlined how these three concepts would help us achieve it. Craft represented “what we create,” so we listed core skill areas and stretch skills. Collaboration and Communication represented “how we create,” and we listed expectations and examples for how to work within the design team and with cross-functional teammates. Taken as a whole, the document explained what we meant when we told designers, “Communication and collaboration are just as important to your success as what you create.”
Codify values and expectations even if your organization isn’t ready to formalize levels. For example, before we had levels at Pinterest, we created a one-page document called “The Three Cs,” (Craft, Collaboration, and Communication), which stated our mission and outlined how these three concepts would help us achieve it. Craft represented “what we create,” so we listed core skill areas and stretch skills. Collaboration and Communication represented “how we create,” and we listed expectations and examples for how to work within the design team and with cross-functional teammates. Taken as a whole, the document explained what we meant when we told designers, “Communication and collaboration are just as important to your success as what you create.” Map levels to compensation bands . This ensures consistent leveling and compensation for new hires (which, as we’ve noted, combats bias). It also enables development paths to be connected to explicit, compensation-related incentives.
. This ensures consistent leveling and compensation for new hires (which, as we’ve noted, combats bias). It also enables development paths to be connected to explicit, compensation-related incentives. Start with a clear framework . Don’t just dive in and start by defining your Level 1 description with a long list of bullet points, because it’s unlikely you’ll be able to clearly define the growth path for each bullet. Instead, make a grid and fill in each section as if you were painting swatches in school. Creating white to red, you’d never start at red and try to lighten it up all the way to white, or vice versa. You’d always start at the ends, paint in the middle, then go back and forth. With leveling, first set the boundaries — your lowest and highest levels — before filling in the details.
. Don’t just dive in and start by defining your Level 1 description with a long list of bullet points, because it’s unlikely you’ll be able to clearly define the growth path for each bullet. Instead, make a grid and fill in each section as if you were painting swatches in school. Creating white to red, you’d never start at red and try to lighten it up all the way to white, or vice versa. You’d always start at the ends, paint in the middle, then go back and forth. With leveling, first set the boundaries — your lowest and highest levels — before filling in the details. Separate levels from titles and roles . Organizations often link levels (which should be neutral, often a numerical approach such as “Level 3”) to titles like “senior designer” or “lead designer” that represent seniority or roles. This creates two problems. First, it assumes that people will move through a role (e.g. “design lead”) in order to progress in the organization. Secondly, it makes it tricky to map to old titles to new levels when the company grows and iterates on levels. Separating roles or titles from your leveling system provides you with the most flexibility and the most clarity to your team.
. Organizations often link levels (which should be neutral, often a numerical approach such as “Level 3”) to titles like “senior designer” or “lead designer” that represent seniority or roles. This creates two problems. First, it assumes that people will move through a role (e.g. “design lead”) in order to progress in the organization. Secondly, it makes it tricky to map to old titles to new levels when the company grows and iterates on levels. Separating roles or titles from your leveling system provides you with the most flexibility and the most clarity to your team. Align levels cross-functionally. Levels on your design team should be comparable to levels in product management and engineering to help ensure consistency in performance. Google’s Aristotle Project found that reliable performance of teammates — as well as structured, clear expectations — are key factors in team effectiveness.
Levels on your design team should be comparable to levels in product management and engineering to help ensure consistency in performance. Google’s Aristotle Project found that reliable performance of teammates — as well as structured, clear expectations — are key factors in team effectiveness. Include expectations of leadership from both managers and individual contributors (ICs). I’ve seen teams decide they don’t expect experienced IC’s to be leaders, and leave everything to managers. That’s a huge missed opportunity to develop your team from the inside. IC’s inherently have a leadership impact on the business and inevitably influence junior designers. Most senior ICs already want to contribute in this way, but it helps to codify it.
I’ve seen teams decide they don’t expect experienced IC’s to be leaders, and leave everything to managers. That’s a huge missed opportunity to develop your team from the inside. IC’s inherently have a leadership impact on the business and inevitably influence junior designers. Most senior ICs already want to contribute in this way, but it helps to codify it. Allow levels to evolve as you grow. Startups always end up iterating on levels. As you hire more designers and expand into more areas, you’ll require more granularity. This means you’ll need to re-level periodically.
Sample design leveling rubric
Here’s a leveling rubric that’s designed to tease out clear growth requirements. Each level is divided into three columns: What, How, and Impact.
There are two paths, one for ICs and one for managers. A designer is eligible to become a manager only when they’ve reached a higher level.
This rubric has five levels for illustration purposes only — rarely would an organization have only five.
The What is about a designer’s craft and ability to deliver high-quality products. It’s broken down by skill areas, such as Product Thinking, Interaction Design, Visual Design, and Production Design.
The How describes the way they bring ideas to fruition. This encompasses how they communicate, collaborate, and influence others in the organization.
The Impact is all about the influence an individual’s work has on the business and their team. For a Level 1, their impact is at the project level: are they having a positive impact and completing their work? Higher levels might influence at the initiative, product, or team level. Even higher levels influence strategy, discipline, the company, and even the industry. This column should include leadership expectations for ICs. | https://medium.com/design-or-be-designed/developing-levels-on-a-design-team-5f8df0e462b8 | ['Mia Blume'] | 2019-06-12 22:21:21.654000+00:00 | ['Management', 'Design', 'Leadership'] |
Gender Equality | This is my view on gender equality as I strongly believe it is a super important issue. When we look at the global movements all around the world, at the epicentre it is gender equality.
My hope is that all women in the world go through life and be given fair chances and not be discriminated. All woman should get an equal opportunity, and I think there is still a lot of work to be done for this to happen.
In my life, I have tried to make sure that gender equality is an issue that in my small way I find a way to level the playing ground.
Businesses succeed because of diverse thinking, and you are not going to get diverse thinking just by having men only in the room, actually, this will just diminish the value of the team.
What I find to be interesting is that when you look at Covid-19 and which countries are doing well, the countries that are managing the covid-19 virus spread are led by women. If you look at Newzealand, Finland, and Germany, compared to most other countries, they managed to deal with the spread of covid-19 better compared to other countries and these are countries led by women.
The issue of gender equality is a societal issue; it is not a conversation that woman should only be having. It is a conversation that affects us all. All of us build the economy, all of us participate in the economy, and therefore all of us should be part of the solution of ensuring equality. In every arena, we should have equality and all of us should be part of that solution.
We are starting to see a series of women leaders in business as well as in the government and I think things can only get better from here. | https://medium.com/@randz-maphaha/gender-equality-aa637fb79af5 | [] | 2020-11-27 06:18:21.962000+00:00 | ['Feminism', 'World', 'Politics', 'Corporate Culture', 'Gender Equality'] |
Dodgers-Giants Game | Jane and Gail dropped by our dorm room. Leandro and I, sitting on our beds talking, looked up to watch the excited ladies make a grand entrance. Jane announced, “I got tickets to the Dodgers-Giants game, you want to go?”
All of the sudden my hearing got a lot better. My ears changed shape, going from round on top to pointed, like Dr. Spock on Star Trek; they lifted high into the air, same as a dog’s when his master calls out, ‘chow time.’ Dodgers-Giants tickets — I’m in!
Leandro didn’t change his expression. Instead he presented the first question, “Sounds good, what’s a Dodgers-Giants game anyway?”
Blonde haired Jane from Los Angeles didn’t need any further prompting and launched into the history of Dodgers baseball and the rivalry with the Giants. “It’s just the best ticket in town. Best rivalry in baseball, Dodgers Giants, can’t beat it. I grew up in LA and we love the Dodgers-Giants game. As a kid it was so hard to get tickets, so this is great. Only thing is, I’ll be watching at Candlestick instead of Dodger Stadium.”
Jane spoke with a hard articulate west coast accent. She enunciated her words with six o’clock newscaster precision. Her friendly nature made her a fun person to be around. She had that sunny southern California ‘love of life’ flair.
Gail stood next to Jane and got a few words in, “We got two extra tickets; we thought of you guys first. Jane’s driving her car, game’s this Saturday, glad you guys are coming along, can’t wait!”
I jumped up off the bed and exclaimed, “I’m in! Got the day off, I’d love to see a game at Candlestick.”
Leandro got caught up in the excitement, “Yeah, I’ll go, never been to a baseball game before.”
Saturday morning Leandro and I climbed into the back seat of Jane’s car. Jane drove, Gail rode shotgun. Jane’s car wasn’t fancy but it was a lot better than my car. My car didn’t exist. I didn’t have one. I didn’t understand why Jane had a car because I knew how much money she made every month, same as me. It’s all spelled out on the public military pay scales, no secrets. I couldn’t understand why anyone living in the dormitory would buy a car on such a low wage, but lots of folks did. I enjoyed riding in the back seat of Jane’s car heading from our home on Mather Air Force Base to Candlestick Park in San Francisco. What a thrill for me to get off base and attend such a ‘big-league’ event.
Before leaving the dormitory, Jane gave a warning, “It’s cold in San Francisco, better bring a jacket or sweater, otherwise you’ll freeze.”
I laughed it off, “C’mon, it’s a hundred and four here in Sacramento, even if it’s twenty degrees cooler in San Fran, that’s still eighty degrees, big deal.
Jane persisted, “You better bring a coat anyway, just in case.”
I blew it off. Leandro, went into his closet and brought out a coat. I thought, ‘He’s humoring her. Why bring a coat, just another thing to carry and leave behind when you don’t use it. I ain’t bringing no coat. I don’t want to keep track of it and I’ll never wear it. This heat is unbearable, it’ll be great if it’s cold in SF, that way I can get a break from this Sacramento searing dry heat.’
Jane wouldn’t let it go, “Sean, I’m telling you, you should bring a coat.”
I gave her my best Clint Eastwood tough guy answer, “Naw, I’ll be fine.”
The four of us walked into the stadium; it reminded me of the first time I walked into Fenway Park for a Red Sox game as a kid. I felt an intense thrill as we transitioned from the dark passageway up into the stadium. My eyes grabbed at the scene, drinking it down in large gulps. I mentally devoured the beautiful landscape before me, the deep green grass; the immaculately groomed base paths; the sacred major league pitchers mound; the outfield fence and the rising rows of seats disappearing in the shadow below the upper deck. I drifted off into a momentary dream picturing myself swinging the bat and connecting with a major league fastball and sending it deep into left field towards its final resting place in the upper deck. The crowd cheered as I ran the bases. I tipped my hat, I waived, blew kisses to the adoring fans. When I arrived at home plate I rounded the bases again, I didn’t want the feeling to end.
“Over here. Right beside first base,” called out Jane as she woke me from my short lived dream. We had great seats. Close enough to the field to feel connected but far enough to see the overall picture. But, I soon discovered our seats offered a serious downside, a downside that would take my attention away from the game.
It didn’t take me long to discover the problem. The upper deck shadow line ran just in front of our seats. I observed the bright shining sun delivering warmth to everyone who had access to it. We didn’t. We had access to shade. In Sacramento, shade is good; in San Francisco, at Candlestick Park, on that day, not so good. I hadn’t been in my seat for five minutes when I witnessed something depressing — Leandro, Jane, and Gail, put on their warm jackets.
Jane let me have it, indirectly, “Wow, it’s colder here than I figured. I knew it would be chilly but this is ridiculous. Summertime in San Francisco, crazy.”
I didn’t want to hear it. I had no warm jacket. I made the fateful decision back in Sacramento not to bring one. Now I’d pay for it. I’d pay for it in frozen goosebumps.
I had too much invested to complain about the cold. If I complained I risked losing face. I suffered with a smile. I rubbed my hands up and down my opposite arms in a bid to generate friction heat. I fidgeted in my chair as a way to get the molecules moving; the blood flowing. I thought, ‘It’s summertime in San Francisco and I’m freezing, how does that work?’
Gail killed me with her compliments, “Wow Sean, you are one tough guy. I’m freezing and I got a coat on. Look at you, no coat, just a tee-shirt and you’re fine. I don’t know how you do it?”
Neither did I.
I don’t remember anything else about the baseball game. The only thing I remember is freezing. The memory is chiseled into my brain. I learned my lesson. To this day, I won’t go to San Francisco unless I’m packing … packing heat … in the form of warm clothes. | https://medium.com/an-idea/dodgers-giants-game-828332e9c0d8 | ['Dave Ives'] | 2020-12-29 11:54:20.599000+00:00 | ['Candlestick Park', 'San Francisco', 'Dodgers', 'Baseball', 'Giants'] |
Dialogue with Fellow Catholic Citizens | The Washington Post recently published an article on the Catholicity of President-Elect Joe Biden. He is a fervent Catholic who attends Mass and receives Communion regularly. Nevertheless, priests have condemned him from the pulpit as a standard bearer of the “party of death.” Some Catholic Bishops have denounced him because of his stance on reproductive rights including access to contraception and abortion. Biden has been quoted as saying: “Reproductive rights are a constitutional right. And, in fact, every woman should have that right.” And many Catholic clerics don’t like that.
American Catholics, according to the Pew research center, are playing major roles in American politics. They comprise a little over a quarter of the national vote and almost a third of the Congress. They split almost 50–50 between the two major parties. Catholics pretty much mirror or embrace the policies and platforms of their party whether or not they are in accord with official teachings of their church. The large majority of Catholics accept the notion that America is a pluralist society with many belief traditions and endorse the right of religious freedom for all citizens. And most want to keep the Church in any official capacity out of electoral and partisan politics.
I was struck by the analysis of the recent election of Biden by Mike Davis who pointed out how many Catholics made abortion a political issue and sought the reelection of Trump even though they disapproved of his policies on immigration, criminal justice, safety-net, and health and of his character as leader of the nation.
Many of us in the Catholic tradition struggle often with the tension between teachings of the Church we hold dear and the responsibilities and principles of citizenship. Indeed, we often always struggle with the teachings of the Church we hold dear and the practices of Catholic churchmen, including Catholic Church officials. But I would invite fellow members of, and all who appreciate, the Catholic tradition, whether Roman, Eastern, Anglican, or other, to a dialogue on whether the right of women to have access to contraception and abortion, is even an issue for Catholics in America or in any country which accepts the freedom of religion and the rule of law.
Would you, fellow citizens in my Catholic tradition, please tell me after I explain my position where my error is? Please can we discuss this rather than have countering bumper stickers saying either “Pro-choice” or “Pro-life” driving away from one another?
My position is this: I oppose abortion. It is a violent termination of life of a fertilized egg or human embryo that is in the process of becoming a human being who is in process of fulfilling their highest capacity. If you are a Catholic, you may believe that the embryo is already a human being. I do not. That is the present position of the Church — though it was not always. But I will not here marshal my arguments as to why the embryo is not a human being. But again, it is the violent termination of a process of becoming a human being.
I oppose violence even as a means to a good end unless it is necessary. In my ethics which, while I admit is aspirational, is based on my understanding of the nature, existence, and potential of humankind from science, philosophy, and theology. In my ethics, violence can never be justified. And it must be reduced whenever possible because violence often breeds more violence. However, it can be judged as necessary for human life and the optimum fulfilment of life and of the human species as a whole. Non-violent action by individuals and communities constitute the realm of freedom. However, violent action constitutes the realm of necessity. And I think our humanity is in process of expanding the realm of freedom and reducing the realm of necessity.
In the case of self-defense or the defense of someone who incapable of defending their self, who is the judge of that necessity? In the case of war who is the judge of the necessity of war? In the case of a person undergoing an operation, who is the judge of that necessity. These are all instances of violence. And the judgment as to whether, when, where, by whom, and how that violence shall be carried out so as to reduce violence. This for me is a task of ethics informed by science.
Abortion belongs to the realm of necessity and must only be waged to promote the realm of freedom. Who makes the decision as to whether an abortion will be performed? Is it the doctor, the spouse, the priest, the social worker, the politician, the state?
Joe Biden, like Tim Kaine, John Kerry, Nancy Pelosi, and other Catholic political leaders never
endorsed abortion and never counselled a woman to have an abortion. They however did make clear their position that the decision as to whether or not to have an abortion belongs solely to the pregnant woman and that services need to be legally available to her to make and effect that decision safely. I agree and refuse to participate in a congregation that makes opposition to reproductive rights a standard for participation.
When I was the director of Catholic Social Services, our social work staff, using the principles of professional social work, never counselled a woman whether or not to have an abortion but provided them the space and tools by which to make that decision. Moreover, counselors helped women so the decision for abortion would no longer be considered necessary thus reducing the number of abortions, through birth control, adoption, infant care, pre-school, motherhood training, nutritional services, and more. We anti-abortionists believe and have evidence that more is accomplished to reduce abortions this way than by state mandates that make it abortion a crime.
The major argument against reproductive rights is that no matter how the embryo was conceived and no matter the consequences of bringing the embryo to birth, the human embryo is a human being and to abort that embryo is the unjust killing of a human being or murder. As I said and would be glad to argue that. However, the only justification Catholics and some other religious congregations give for that derives from reflections on their holy scriptures and dogmas passed by their religious governance leadership that the human soul is given by God at the moment of conception and thus the fertilized egg is by nature a human person. Religions often teach their truths through stories and myths, parables and metaphors. In my years of theology at Jesuit School of Theology and the University of Chicago Divinity School, I learned that to access these truths I should not take the myths and metaphors literally. I learned to examine these expressions of truth for what they were conveying about the potential and guidance of all of us.
My point, however, is not to argue for a more liberal theology that makes religious doctrine more compatible with modern science, with its understanding of language and interpretation, and especially with the findings of anthropology and neuroscience. This effort I have carried out in much of my thinking and writing over my years of teaching, writing, and social action because I value religious and aesthetic contributions to theoretical science, pragmatic politics, and everyday morality.
The point I am arguing is that the dogmas and traditions of religion, though influential to personal morality and character in the private realm, are not pertinent to public law in a polity that affirms the freedom of religion. The freedom of religion implies the freedom of all persons to practice their religion as they desire insofar as it does not interfere with other persons’ freedom to practice their religion or no religion. It implies a way beyond the realm of necessity towards the realm of freedom for humankind. Freedom of religion implies the freedom of persons from religion. The United States of America was the first national government that we know of to have no official state-endorsed religion.
Catholic traditionalists in league with Christian, Jewish, or Muslim conservatives may oppose abortion in their communities based on their understandings of religious dogma and their scriptures. In no way can they be forced to have abortions if they regard abortion as a grave sin. Nor can they prevent others from abortions because of their religious beliefs. If they are against abortion, they should not have one. Or they might want to help others have other options that lessen the necessity of abortion in their decision-making.
When we really understand the values and vision of those who claim to be pro-choice and those who claim to be pro-life, we will understand that these are false alternatives. The choice to follow or spurn the guidelines of the CDC (wear a mask, keep safe distance, wash your hands frequently) is not absolute. It is limited by the health, sickness, and life of those with whom we come in contact during the pandemic. The choice of whether or not to have or to forbid abortion is not absolute either. It is limited by the life, capacity, and long-term benefit of the mother whose body is her property.
We, more liberal Catholics, are encouraged by the social teachings of Pope Francis who asks all Catholics to consider the life of refugees fleeing persecution, of the life of the planet as the natural condition for all human life, of the inequalities produced by our economic systems that threatens the lives of most of our species, of the lives and human dignity of even hardened criminals. This does not diminish his condemnation of abortion in accords with the traditional dogma of the Church.
The condemnation of human activities that are warming the earth, of economic practices that increase inequality, of practices of worker oppression and slavery, of unnecessary acts of violence and suffering and of the increase of the tools of violence that threaten the future of mankind is a call to us individually. Especially it is a call to us as communities, nations, and communities of nations to take action to reduce the conditions of violence, the factors that make violence necessary. How this is to be done is the task of true politics, people, communities, nations gathering together to make choices. Pro-life choices and pro-choice lives.
And so
Tell me why you consider a human embryo a human being before it is born into the fellowship of family and community without resorting to dogmas of religion that are not held universally.
[Does a person need to be an Aristotelian to be a Catholic? (i.e., believe in immutable essences determined by forms applied to matter; the implanting of a form to create a being’s nature.)]
Tell me why you want the state and public law to determine if, when, and where an abortion should be performed over the free choice of the pregnant woman.
Tell me why a person who defends the reproductive rights of women, but still acts to reduce the needs for abortion, cannot be a Catholic.
Tell me why a person who deplores abortion but does not follow the other social justice teachings of the Church canbe a Catholic.
And then let’s carry on a conversation without demonizing each other or anyone else. | https://medium.com/@rolliesmth/dialogue-with-fellow-catholic-citizens-80df97a1a312 | ['Rollie Smith'] | 2020-12-15 04:19:17.162000+00:00 | ['Catholic', 'Ethics', 'Politics', 'Abortion'] |
Twitter Sentiment Analysis | Introduction
In the recent past there has been hike in the usage of twitter as a social media platform where people share opinions about various walks of life. As of May 2020, the average number of tweets sent per minute are around 350,000. In this blog we propose a technique for text sentiment classification using term frequency- in-verse document frequency (TF-IDF) and compare different classification models when trained on different word embedding Word2Vec and pretrained Glove.
Dataset
The dataset used is Sentiment140 dataset with 1.6 million tweets from Sentiment140 dataset with 1.6 million tweets | Kaggle
It contains 1,600,000 tweets extracted using the twitter api . The tweets have been annotated (0 = negative, 1= positive) and they can be used to detect sentiment .
1.6 Million Tweets and corresponding sentiment
Balanced Dataset
Most Positive words found in tweets
Approach 1- Feature extraction by Word2Vec:
Word2Vec creates distributed numerical representations of word features, such as the context of individual words.
Machine Learning Models:
Different machine Learning model is trained on features extracted by the Word2vec. Accuracy of the XGBClassifier was found better than other machine learning model as shown in table below.
Deep Learning Models:
Different Neural Network models trained on the feature extracted by the Word2vec. Accuracy of CNN+ bidirectional LSTM was found to be 0.76, performed better than other classic machine Learning model.
Performance of Model on Wor2Vec Features
Approach 2- Feature extraction by Tf-idf :
Using unigram : The basic feature that was considered was of unigrams that takes one word at a time into account to create feature vector.
Using bigram : A bigram is a sequence of two words. Thus the tf-idf vector is constructed taking two words at a time to create feature vector.
Using unigram and bigram : In this approach both unigrams and bigram are used to construct the tf-idf vector and then the model is trained on this vector.
Comparison between the above variations: Training models on unigram and bigram features together performed better than training on only unigram or bigram feature. Accuracy of SVM and Logistic Regression was 0.79 on test set.
Performance of model using Tf-Idf Features
Approach 3- Feature extraction by pretrained GloVe :
GloVe stands for global vectors for word representation. It is an alternate method to create word embeddings.
Comparison of Model trained on Word2Vec and GloVe word embeddings: Word2Vec performs better than the pretrained GloVe word embedding in the neural network model. CNN + Bi-directional LSTM achieved 0.76 accuracy when Word2Vec feature were extracted.
Performance of model using pretrained GloVe Feature
Comparing accuracies of different models
Model and their Accuracy
Confusion Matrix of SVM model trained on tf-idf unigram and bigram
Baseline model Logistic Regression trained on tf-idf extracted features using ngram as unigram is colored as Brown and bars colored orange are the best model with 0.79 accuracy that was achieved on the tf-idf extracted features when ngram was set to unigram and bigram together.
Conclusion
As this is a classification task so we implemented Linear SVC and Logistic regression, Naïve Bayes, MLP, XGB, and neural network models. The different n-gram implementation of tf-idf vector helped us analyze the differences of unigram, bigram and unigram + bigram approach. Unigram and bigram alone give reasonable accuracies but the unigram + bigram model achieved best accuracy of 79%. The Word2Vec implementation gives better result for neural net-works than the traditional machine learning classifiers like Naïve Bayes and Logistic Regression. Model achieved 76% accuracy in the CNN + bi-LSTM model. Model trained on GloVe word embedding achieved 73% as the maximum accuracy when fed to an LSTM recurrent neural network.
Thus we reach to a conclusion that we see that the unigram + bigram tf-idf implementation on Logistic Regression and SVM performed best among other models we trained. The accuracy attained by the unigram + bigram tf-idf implementation on Logistic Regression and SVM is 79%.
Blog Authors and Their Contributions
Rahul Gupta(linkedin.com/in/rahul-gupta-68700a114): Extracted features using Word2Vec and trained Traditional machine learning model that includes Naïve Bayes, SVM, Logistic Regression, XGBClassifier and MLP. Extracted features using pretrained GloVe and Recurrent Neural Network model trained on these features includes SimpleRNN, LSTM and CNN bi-directional LSTM.
Anjali(linkedin.com/in/anjali-b3169a1ab): Text preprocessing which includes removing user references, converting emoji to respective sentiment, removing any hyperlinks if any. Extracted features using Tf-idf vectorizer and training of Traditional Machine learning model that includes Naïve Bayes, SVM, Logistic Regression, XGBClassifier and MLP.
Under the guidance of
Professor: Tanmoy Chakraborty (linkedin.com/in/tanmoy-chakraborty-89553324) Prof. Website: faculty.iiitd.ac.in/~tanmoy/ Teaching Fellow: Ishita Bajaj Teaching Assistants: Shiv Kumar Gehlot, Vivek Reddy, Pragya Srivastava, Chhavi Jain, Shikha Singh and Nirav Diwan.
References:
[1] Bijoyan Das ,Sarit Chakraborty. An Improved Text Sentiment Classification Model Using TF-IDF and Next Word Negation. Student Member, IEEE.
[2] Md. Rakibul Hasan ,Maisha Maliha, M. Arifuzzaman. Sentiment Analysis with NLP on Twitter Data Computer Communication Chemical Materials and Electronic Engineering (IC4ME2) 2019 International Conference on, pp. 1–4, 2019.
[3] Edilson A. Corrˆea Jr., Vanessa Queiroz Marinho, Leandro Borges dos Santos. NILC-USP at SemEval-2017 Task 4: A Multi-view Ensemble for Twitter Sentiment Analysis Institute of Mathematics and Computer Science University of S ̃ao Paulo (USP)S ̃ao Carlos, S ̃ao Paulo, Brazil.
[4] Juan Ramos. “Using TF-IDF to Determine Word Relevance in Document Queries” pp. 1–4.
[5] Andrew L. Maas, Raymond E, Daly, Peter T. Pham, Dan Huang, Andrew Y. Ng, and Christopher Potts. “Learning word vectors for sentiment”(2011).
[6] Michael Weigand, Alexandra Balahur, BenjaminRoth, Dietrich Klakow, Andres Montoyo.“A Surveyon Role of Negation in Sentiment Analysis” pp 1–9 | https://rahul20065.medium.com/twitter-sentiment-analysis-50b806bd0af7 | ['Rahul Gupta'] | 2020-12-21 10:51:46.334000+00:00 | ['Deep Learning', 'Machine Learning', 'Twitter', 'Twitter Sentiment', 'NLP'] |
Quantum Computers & Tantric Buddhism: Turning Obstacles into Opportunities | All of us have goals. Whether they be far-reaching, short term, professional, personal, or as mundane as getting something to eat. No matter the importance of the pursuit, distinguishing means from ends at the outset is essential. When the ends are clear, and one does not fixate on the means — then immense creativity is possible. Say there’s an apple in front of you, and you’re hungry. The ends are eating the apple, and means include ways of getting there. Obtaining said apple can happen in any number of fashions: you can walk and grab it, ask your friend to give it to way, construct a machine to fetch it for you, and so on. In this toy example, we see that creativity with respect to means is almost always available. However, human ingenuity is truly put to the test when an immense barrier is placed between ourselves and our goal. Even more, trying is that sometimes that barrier is the very means we were employing! This essay will explore two far off disciplines that have transmuted what were once insurmountable barriers into solutions. The parallels we’re about to explore come from vastly different realms, but carry the same message: you can transform hinderances into accelerants.
In both the creation of Quantum Computers, and the essential teachings of Tantric Buddhism, we find powerful examples of incredible scientists and mystics transforming what were once thought of as hinderances to their respective goals, into something that accelerates them towards it.
Instead of shrinking away from barriers, they can be harnessed and transformed to propel you even further.
Let us begin our exploration with quantum computers — and how their birth arose out of the limitations of conventional computing.
Too Small
Since the advent of computing, our capabilities with regard to their manufacturing has increased at an astonishing rate (See Moore’s Law). Computers are getting smaller and faster every year, and transistors are reaching minuscule sizes.The core of the conventional computer is the transistor — a type of switch that either allows, or blocks a current of electricity. Their dual action can be used to create logic gates, which are logical operations such as AND and OR, and this data can then be recorded in the language of binary (0’s and 1's). Because these transistors are either open or closed, there is no ambiguity with regards to their state — either electricity (the flow of electrons) passes through, or it does not. Naturally, the smaller and more densely packed these transistors are — the faster and more efficient your computer becomes. If it weren’t for the puzzling effects of Quantum Mechanics, these transistors could be made forever smaller without a problem. However, when made sufficiently small — an effect known as quantum tunnelling begins to dominate, which effectively allows an electron to teleport to the other side of a barrier. In essence, your primary mechanism of either allowing or stopping the flow of electrons has been thwarted by this effect, since at random, electrons can simply appear on the other side of a closed gate. As such, the laws of quantum physics appear as a hinderance to our ability to create faster and more effective computers. The smaller these transistors become, the more susceptible they are to quantum oddities.
The Reversal: Bits and Qubits
The advent of quantum computing is due to the harnessing of what was once an impassable limitation. Scientists are now using the peculiarities of quantum mechanics to accelerate the progress of computing — bringing it to untold heights. As touched upon earlier, a normal computer uses bits which can hold values of either 0 or 1. As such, if you have 5 bits (each with two possible states) you have 32 possible configurations. Importantly, each of these configurations can only obtain one at a time. Here comes the harnessing: quantum systems (systems of objects where quantum effects dominate over classical ones) can exhibit a behaviour known as superposition.
Expressed best through rough analogy, let us imagine a light switch. It can be either ON or OFF— having two possible states. A = 100%(ON) and B = 100%(OFF). In the quantum world, there exist states corresponding to every possible configuration of ON and OFF. If A is the state, then we could have A = [49%(ON) + 51%(OFF)], or one that is A = [72%(ON) + 28%(OFF)], and so on. The ‘+’ sign represents that these states are combinations of probabilities. An important caveat is that these complex combinations of states are not physically realizable — and you will never see a light switch that is 72% On and 28% Off. When any kind of observation is made, the state collapses into one of the two positions. However, the fact that these states can be modelled in such a way, using this strange mathematical formalism, allows information to be stored.
Leveraging these quantum properties, scientists have figured out how to create a computer that uses Qubits as opposed to Bits. The difference being that these Qubits are objects that can be in a superposition. As such, 5 Qubits in superposition can be in all 32 states simultaneously.
Scaling up the number of Qubits, we see that they are vastly more powerful than regular Bits, in that they not only hold more information, but can be used to execute computations at exponentially faster rates.
A final important note is that a Qubit is not relegated to a specific object — it can be any object small enough that it can be kept in a coherent quantum state (one that exhibits the aforementioned superposition property). These can be photons, electrons, atoms and even as large as molecules. As such, you start walking on a razor’s edge. While the edge is long, in that many different objects can fulfil your needs — it is sharp, in that to develop a system with many entangled particles is an incredibly delicate task.
In closing this section, we can note two important takeaways. The advent of Quantum Computing was accelerated by transforming what was a hinderance in conventional computing. Scientists learned to work with quantum mechanics instead of against it. Secondly, the object of a Qubit is more fluid than that of a conventional Bit — as it defines a class of objects rather than a definite property of something tangible. We will now change gears and turn to Buddhism, where a very similar methodological shift occurred.
The Way of the Elders and the Diamond Vehicle
After his enlightenment at the age of 35, Gautama the Buddha taught disciples until the end of his life. His teachings are collected in what is known as the Sutta Pitaka, the Basket of Discourses. In one such discourse, he clarifies what his teachings are: “It is just the suffering and the cessation of suffering that I proclaim” (SN 22.86). In the discourse immediately following his awakening, he explained that suffering is caused by desire and craving, and that through the cessation of these elements, suffering comes to an end. Naturally, engaging in self-indulgent pleasure is to be avoided, and so are activities that accelerate ones craving and desire. When desire arises in the mind, one is tasked with using penetrative insight in order to understand its true ephemeral and compounded nature. Similarly, highly energetic states such as anger are also not encouraged — but one is again instructed to observe them when they arise, and see into their true nature. Finally, another so-called Basket of Early Buddhist teaching is the Vinaya, the rules of monastic discipline. This is the code of conduct for monks and nuns, and contains hundreds of rules that restrict ones body, voice and mind. Naturally, these restrictions are in place to create a peaceful internal landscape within a practitioner, leading to a mind that is free from desire, hatred and ignorance.
The Reversal: Transmutation of Energy
Many centuries after the Buddha’s enlightenment, Buddhism made its way to Himalayan regions such as Nepal and Tibet, and began to intermingle with the Tantric traditions. Vajrayana, or Tantric Buddhism, emerged from this milieu. In Lama Yeshe’s comprehensive introduction to Tantra, he writes the following.
Instead of viewing pleasure and desire as something to be avoided at all costs, tantra recognizes the powerful energy aroused by our desires to be an indispensable resource for the spiritual path. Because the goal is nothing less than the realization of our highest human potential, tantra seeks to transform every experience — no matter how “unreligious” it may appear — into the path of fulfillment (20)
The deity Hevajra with his consort Nairatmya
Desire is an energetic fact of life. The magnetic pull towards objects, people, and abstract goals is a universal experience. Thinking about your future goals is not inherently wrong, and planning is not bad. But never forget that such goals have been fabricated by you, and that you have made your happiness contingent on their attainment. Our personalities consist of many identities, and many needs that require fulfilling. The need to be loved, to give love, to have power, to appear competent. The mind never stops scheming and creating desires that need fulfilling. And while in the Early Buddhist canon it was minimization of these desirous states that was seen as valuable, the Tantric approach to understanding desire is to dive deeper.
Tantric practitioners do not turn away from disturbing mental states, but they understand and harness them. In his introductory book on Tibetan Buddhism, John Powers gives a wonderful analogy:
A baby or developing child cannot reject any experience or information — it is forced to contend with reality and orient itself accordingly. As such, Tantra does this too.
This is clearly evident in Tantric iconography. In the image above we see two wrathful deities in a form of sexual union. Yet, to stop at this gross level of analysis is to deeply misunderstand Tantra. What does the union of Hevajra and Nairatmya represent? In this case, the two most exalted elements of practice — wisdom and compassion. Turning to the image of Manjushri below, why is there the inclusion of violent imagery (his flaming sword)? This seeming paradox is highlighted in this line by Namkhai Norbu:
“Ordinary people cannot understand: on the one hand we must behave like a monk, and on the other we visualize male and female bodies in sexual union”
Manjushri, the manifestation of Infinite Wisdom
In the case of the flaming sword, the deity Manjushri is using it to cut through ignorance, and cut through our egoic attachments. The anger of Hevajra is anger towards ignorance. His sexual union with his consort is nothing short of the merging between the two fundamental modalities of existence: energetic expression (compassion) and emptiness (wisdom). It is the exemplification of a perfect Buddhist practitioner — one whose actions perpetually benefit sentient beings, and are maximally informed by wisdom.
In Tantric meditation practices, many of these deities, in their wrathful and sometimes outwardly seductive forms are visualized. It is through this visualization (which a future Medium piece will explore) that these often destructive energies are understood, controlled, and transmuted. This is not a hedonistic pursuit, but rather a chance to work with the energies that are naturally present, and channel them towards the goal of awakening.
Arriving at Concurrence
These two stories converge not in their content, but in their methodology. They both utilized apparent hindrances, and transforming them into means. Zooming in, we notice a further similarity in that the more universal quality of the Qubit (it can be any object with quantum properties) is similar to the more universal approach of using naturally present energetic states (ones that we encounter on a daily basis), as opposed to avoiding them. Yet, both stories have a cautionary tale within: tantric paths are widely considered as faster, but also more dangerous. When working with the very energies that one is attempting to overcome, there is ample room for self-delusion and falling into hedonism.
It is much easier to be swept away by desire and lust than to energetically use them. Similarly, quantum weirdness is more likely to thwart computing attempts than ameliorate them.
How can we take these lessons and apply them to our own lives? Well, we see that endlessly contrived attempts at solving problems is a brute force strategy that works, but is not revolutionary. Sometimes, solutions rest not in new iterations, but in total reorientation towards the problem. Where can one find the raw physical or conceptual material for such a change? Perhaps, look at what is currently hindering you. | https://medium.com/curious/quantum-computers-tantric-buddhism-turning-obstacles-into-opportunities-4dace7a7927f | ['Sasha Manu'] | 2020-09-10 04:23:18.236000+00:00 | ['Personal Development', 'Buddhism', 'Spirituality', 'Science', 'Philosophy'] |
Article number 11 | [Funnel Series]
This starts to become hotter and hotter.
Let’s talk about secret number 3, the Value Ladder.
Most of the businesses, having only a product to sell, struggle to find new customers and with the fact of“losing” money with the paid advertising.
The solution is to have a Ladder of products or services of more and more high value and price.
What does this mean?
You need to have a front sale product. That can be a free book or PDF document that will give value and is adequate for what you are selling.
Then the next step of the ladder is to offer a product or service that doesn’t go over the $100.
Then, present another more valuable product or training for a price of no more than $2000.
After that add higher and higher levels of delivery and value — $50,000. Or why not $1 Million?
Later in this Funnel series, I will show the exact funnels that you need to create for each level, for now, the most important is to understand that this is the only way to grow as a company. Otherwise, you will be all the time struggling with how to find new customers.
Second, you don’t need to have all the Value Ladder figured out from the beginning.
One of my Mentors, says, don’t move to higher steps in the Value Ladder until you don’t make at least $1 M in sales.
Why, because when you reach this number (if you are selling a product of $1,000) you will have 1.000 customers. Who will now be “hungry” for more from you?
And you will be in a position of understanding better your Dream Customer, and what they need.
Then if you say that you have this new product that costs $20,000 or $50,000 you will see a dozen of them raising the hand to buy it.
Would you like to have this?
Luis Chester
Funnel Consultant | https://medium.com/@luischester63/article-number-11-ef6d30817ef5 | ['Luis Chester'] | 2020-12-22 16:41:01.891000+00:00 | ['Affiliate Marketing', 'Funnel Builder', 'Network Marketing', 'Online Business', 'Sales'] |
Writers Can Make Money With These Three Untapped, Unique Methods | Writers Can Make Money With These Three Untapped, Unique Methods
Content writing is one of the best ways to earn online, even though there’s an upsurge in the number of writers.
The number of websites has sky-rocketed and quadrupled over time, and with the increasing revenue generated from these sites, it’s not uncommon than the number of writers is also getting high.
Content writing is also the most important media globally and will die only with this world.
Why?
Because it is based on human natural power of expression. All human being make use of voice and voice uses words to express everything they do. So a very common myth that video will take the place of articles is absolutely groundless.
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If you have writing skills or even if you can train yourself to have writing skills you have a Goldmine that you are not looking at. This is the goldmine of online profit margins potential.
However, for beginners it is a tough task unless someone cultivates the virtue of patience.
Hence the reason why I write this story. I haven’t really been a fulltime writer all my career life, but I’ve been around this kitchen to know untapped nooks and crevices any writer can take advantage of.
I’m not going to promise it’s going to be easy though… | https://medium.com/@jlrutkevich/writers-can-make-money-with-these-three-untapped-unique-methods-1a500c8b08bb | ['Junie Rutkevich'] | 2019-04-03 15:20:17.501000+00:00 | ['Medium Partner Program', 'Writing Tips', 'Freelance Writing', 'Make Money Online', 'Earn Money Online'] |
Easily Print DHL Express Return Labels using WooCommerce DHL Express Shipping Plugin — ELEX | DHL provides easy solutions for preparing shipment returns. These return shipment solutions are ideal for retail products, confidential documents, and repair returns. Using the ELEX WooCommerce DHL Express / eCommerce / Paket Shipping Plugin with Print you can easily create return shipments for DHL as well as print return labels.
No matter how good your product or service is, there will be customers who will want to return an order or a part of an order. Handling returns for WooCommerce is tricky as there’s no functionality to generate or print WooCommerce USPS Shipping return labels let alone return labels. Setting up good WooCommerce shipping policies is critical to the success of any WooCommerce site and handling returns is an important part of this process.
For printing DHL return labels for shipments, you need the following:
1. ELEX WooCommerce DHL Express / eCommerce / Paket Shipping Plugin with Print Label to integrate DHL WooCommerce Shipping. Being an Official DHL Partner, the plugin lets you
Access real-time rates from DHL Express, Paket and eCommerce services.
services. Print WooCommmerce DHL shipping and return labels.
Print Commercial invoices and Archive Air Waybills.
Track shipments, Enable Estimated Shipping Dates,
Pack items into custom boxes.
Configure the price of the services using the Price Adjustment fields.
Enable Shipping Insurance
Generate bulk shipments and much more!
2. DHL Credentials: You will need DHL account credentials for the plugin to access DHL servers and data. To get these details you will need to create a DHL account and contact your DHL account manager to get Site ID and Site Password details.
DHL Return Shipment Options:
DHL offers flexible return label options like creating return shipments and return labels for WooCommerce stores. Using DHL services you can prepare and include printed labels in outbound shipments. Moreover, DHL services allow for the printing custom documentation and even return shipment instructions for inclusion in generated shipments.
DHL lets you include the return labels with outbound shipments. These can be tracked using DHL tracking for visibility and control. Printing return labels require a DHL account number. DHL account numbers are not included in return labels to prevent unauthorized usage.
Step 1: Access the Plugin Settings
First, install and activate the plugin. Once it is done the plugin settings can be accessed from WooCommerce>Settings>Shipping>DHL EXpress
You need to fill out the DHL Account Information in the General settings tab of the plugin. This will connect the plugin to your DHL account and allows the plugin to access the DHL API for DHL shipping services and products like Live Rates and Label Generation/Printing.
From the General Settings tab, we can enable or disable Real-time rates. Once enabled, based on the Shipper Address and the destination zip code, the plugin fetches live shipping rates from the DHL servers and you can display them to your customer. Enabling the Shipping label option will let you configure the label generation and printing using the plugin.
You can also enable or disable DHL Shipping insurance from the General Settings. Setting a currency for your DHL shipping is also possible. The plugin pulls the currency your WooCommerce store is configured with currently and conveniently displays the rate of conversion.
2. Rates & Services:
After configuring the general settings, click on Save. In the next step, we will configure the DHL Rates and services for your WooCommerce Store. Proceed to the Rates & Services tab of the plugin settings.
Under the shipping services and Price Adjustment section, you can find all the DHL Express services that you can choose to enable from. The plugin has support for the following DHL shipping services:
DOMESTIC EXPRESS 12:00
B2C
JETLINE
SPRINTLINE
EXPRESS EASY
EXPRESS EASY
EUROPACK
AUTO REVERSALS
BREAKBULK EXPRESS
MEDICAL EXPRESS
EXPRESS WORLDWIDE
EXPRESS 9:00
FREIGHT WORLDWIDE
DOMESTIC ECONOMY SELECT
ECONOMY SELECT
DOMESTIC EXPRESS 9:00
JUMBO BOX
EXPRESS 9:00
EXPRESS 10:30
EXPRESS 10:30
DOMESTIC EXPRESS
DOMESTIC EXPRESS 10:30
EXPRESS WORLDWIDE
MEDICAL EXPRESS
GLOBALMAIL BUSINESS
SAME DAY
EXPRESS 12:00
EXPRESS WORLDWIDE
EUROPACK
ECONOMY SELECT
EXPRESS ENVELOPE
EXPRESS 12:00
Enabling them is as simple as ticking the checkbox next to the shipping service name. The plugin lets you give the DHL shipping service a descriptive name if you wish. This helps customers make better decisions regarding which service is best suited for their product. What’s more, the plugin also lets you adjust the price of the DHL services you enabled. Using the Price Adjustment fields you can increase or decrease the price of the returned DHL shipping rates. This can be done using a percentage or by a flat amount. It’s particularly useful to WooCommerce owners who want to fully configure the rates of DHL services.
From the Rates & Services tab, you can choose to enable the display of only the Cheapest Shipping Rates instead of all returned ones. You can also break down the DHL charges and enable or disable estimated delivery dates for your customers. The plugin also lets you choose the countries that you wish to enable DHL shipping insurance for. Additionally, the plugin features setting up the working days and cut off time for your WooCommerce store. This is factored in during DHL Shipment creation. You can also limit offering DHL shipping based on the destination country. Once done click on Save to proceed to configure Label & Tracking.
3. Label & Tracking
In the Label & Tracking tab, you will find multiple DHL shipping services that you can choose to enable or disable on your WooCommerce Store. These are as follows:
PaperLess Trade
Saturday Delivery
Cash on Delivery
Select default service for Label Generation,
Direct Download of labels and shipping documents
Delivery Signature at Checkout
Print Label for customers
Proforma Invoice
Using the Shipping Label section you can choose the size for printing DHL shipping labels. The plugin also lets you choose the output for your generated shipping labels. You can also choose to include or exclude the price of shipping in the label.
Using the plugin you can give a description of the goods being shipped. This is useful for international shipments. Including your WooCommerce store logo on the label is also possible using the plugin. Additionally, the plugin features support for the Archive Air Waybills and DHL Duty Payment configuration for international shipments.
You can also enable or disable DHL pickups. By requesting a pickup, DHL personnel will come to your store’s physical location to pick the shipments up for shipping, thereby saving you a trip to the DHL office.
You can also choose to enable DHL Tracking on your WooCommerce store as well as configure a DHL Tracking Message to your customers. DHL offers a wide range of Optional Services — from non-standard deliveries and billing options to climate neutral shipping. In this way, we give you the flexibility to choose the service that best fits your needs when using our express delivery services worldwide. Using the plugin you can choose to enable or disable these DHL special services for your WooCommerce Store.
Return DHL Shipping Labels:
Enabling return DHL shipping label generation using the plugin is straightforward. You will find the Return Label section in the Rates & Service section. Using the Enable Return Label checkbox you can enable or disable return label generation and printing. Please note that to generate and print DHL return labels for your orders, you will need to provide a DHL account number for Return Labels.
If the address that you wish the returns be shipped to differs from your Store Adress, you can enable the Return Address not the same as Shipper Address option. This will prompt you to enter the address of the destination for DHL returns using the Return Shipment Address fields.
Generating DHL Return shipments is very easy. Navigate to the orders page of your WooCommerce store. Choose the orders that you wish to generate return shipments for.
You can choose multiple orders as well. Then, using the Bulk Actions dropdown menu, choose to Create DHL Express Return Shipment. This will then use the DHL return account number to signal DHL that the particular order is a return and should be shipped to the return shipping address. Then you can proceed to generate the DHL shipment, configure the packaging and generate the return DHL shipping label. A sample DHL return shipping labels is as follows:
Return Label for DHL Paket Service
If you have enabled return label option while creating a shipment, you’ll receive a return label with shipment label as well. But remember, return labels cannot be generated for international services.
Below screenshot shows a sample return label.
Conclusion:
These are all the steps to be followed to enable DHL services and products on your WooCommerce store. Creating return shipments from your WooCommerce store itself is super easy and will definitely improve the operational efficiency of your store. The ELEX WooCommerce DHL Express / eCommerce / Paket Shipping Plugin with Print Label features seamless DHL integration into WooCommerce. Configuring WooCommerce DHL shipping options and services using the plugin is extremely simple. To try out the features of the plugin you can check out the live demo site, here.
Or you can download and install the ELEX WooCommerce DHL Express / eCommerce / Paket Shipping Plugin with Print Label (Free Version). The free version features:
Access real-time rates from DHL Express service.
Set a custom method title for DHL shipping method.
Option to set the Conversion rate if your store’s currency differs from that of DHL.
Option to show Estimated delivery time for each service in the Checkout page.
Option to show only DHL Account rates.
Option to show breakdown charges in the Checkout page.
Option to enable UTF-8 support.
Option to offer DHL Express shipping service all over the world or to specific countries.
You can download the free version of the plugin from here. | https://medium.com/@dheeraj_68219/easily-print-dhl-express-return-labels-using-woocommerce-dhl-express-shipping-plugin-elex-1a57e7edc751 | ['Dheeraj C'] | 2019-06-17 03:18:00.799000+00:00 | ['Shipping', 'Woocommerce', 'Woocommerce Plugins', 'Logistics', 'Wordpress Plugins'] |
Complete Email Marketing Tool - Free for 30 Days | GetResponse is one of the best Email Marketing Solutions for your Business. It is a powerful email marketing software with professional email templates, easy design tools, and proven deliverability, and it has more than 20 years industry experience. According to the company, over 350,000 individuals and businesses now use the Get Response platform for their email campaigns over 182 countries.
The tagline of GetResponseis the “world’s easiest email marketing software to use.”
Get Response offers plenty of powerful features that have exceeded what most marketers would expect from an email marketing service provider.
There are a lot of unique features that make GetResponse stand out from the competitors.
GetResponse offers a variety of premium email marketing plans. There’s also a so that you can try it for free for 30 days and build an email list of up to 250 subscribers. Yes, this is the great opportunity for beginners to start their Email Building list without spending a penny.
GET RESPONDER’S FEATURES:
1) User Experience:
Coming to the free trial, the free trial plan offers you to try all the tools entirely just like paid members. The user interface is very smooth and very easy to use. You will find every tool organized and in its perfect place. It makes the users quickly get accustomed to the platform.
At the end, you will not find GetResponse difficult to use. You can import contacts, build campaigns, and all that stuff easily. What might be a bit challenging for you is the automation tools usage. But don’t worry, there are plenty of tutorials out there about how to use Get Response and how you can automate your campaigns.
has tools for welcome emails, transaction emails, abandoned cart emails, email newsletters, and other cool stuff. How you want that email, you can change it by using dynamic tools or A/B testing.
2) Autoresponder
GetResponse provides the autoresponder, which automatically sends out messages based on certain factors that are assigned by you. For instance, you can set up the autoresponder to send out Welcome Emails on a specific date or send special promotional emails to subscribers.
3) Built-in Email Editor
As with most email-marketing service providers, also provides an Email Creation Tool. The email creator is able to compose messages from the very beginning or choose from hundreds of pre-designed templates.
Other features that come with the GetResponse Email Editor include the ability to edit HTML code or preview the message before sending, as well as the Spam Checker Tool. Once you’re done creating your email message, you can broadcast the message immediately to selected contacts.
4) A/B Split Testing:
You can use to run a series of tests that will help you send the most effective messages to contacts. This can be achieved through A/B split tests that let you try out different newsletters, subject line variants, email content, time of sending, and many more other factors.
5) Landing Page Creator:
not only provides autoresponder services but also offers the Landing Page Creator Tool. It is a great feature, however, this comes at an extra cost.
The landing page creator is very intuitive as well. It lets users edit page elements with easy-to-use drag-and-drop tools.
GetResponse is flexible with its landing page creator in that you can choose to host your page for free on a GetResponse subdomain or on a different server of your own choosing.
6) RSS To Email
The RSS to email feature automatically sends mails to your blog audience whenever you post a new article or story. It can also boost engagement and conversions when used properly.
7) Email Creation Templates:
The Email Creator comes with more than 500 templates. You can create highly visual impacted emails that are compatible with both mobile and desktop devices.
If you have basic knowledge about HTML, then you can also edit the HTML code to design forms to customize further more.
8) Technical Support:
You can contact GetResponse’s support team by reaching via phone. Alternatively, live chat and email support are available 24/7. If you send messages using the contact form, they also reply to you via email.
Pros And Cons:
Every Email Marketing Service Platform has their own pros and cons, but here are most important things that I cover for Get Response are:
Unlike Campaigner, does not impose email sending limits.
1 month free trial (no credit card required) for a list of up to 250 subscribers.
(no credit card required) for a list of up to 250 subscribers. Import contacts from third-party address books such as Salesforce, Zendesk and Magento.
address books such as Salesforce, Zendesk and Magento. Easy-to-use tracking tool with Google Analytics integration.
with Google Analytics integration. Comprehensive help library with plenty of resources.
Best customer support service .
service Landing page creator , is an additional service that you won’t find in other email service providers.
, is an additional service that you won’t find in other email service providers. Powerful List Management Tools.
Built-in powerful templates
You won’t get any refunds on annual plans upon cancellation.
on annual plans upon cancellation. Landing pages are not free.
Email List for free services is too small comparing to others.
GetResponse provides a bunch of features that can meet both small and large Email Marketing Campaigns. It provides all the Free Email Marketing Automation Tools on your free plans too.
If you want to find out whether this email marketing service provider is worth your money, then sign up for the 30-day free trial. You don’t need to enter any credit card details. If you are satisfied with their services, then you can continue with paid plans. | https://medium.com/@e-learningpath/complete-email-marketing-with-free-tools-e-learning-path-df928903a6c7 | ['Santosh Kumar'] | 2021-01-10 17:05:48.010000+00:00 | ['Email Marketing', 'Email Marketing Software', 'Free Email Marketing', 'Getresponse Review', 'Getresponse'] |
Full HD new movie 2019 :It Chapter Two[Google Drive] | Watch or Download here : http://watch.movie4u.xyz/movie/474350/it-chapter-two
Full HD new movie 2019 :It Chapter Two[Google Drive]
Watch or Download here : http://watch.movie4u.xyz/movie/474350/it-chapter-two
Movie Synopsis:
27 years after overcoming the malevolent supernatural entity Pennywise, the former members of the Losers’ Club, who have grown up and moved away from Derry, are brought back together by a devastating phone call.
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The First Signs of Alcoholic Liver Damage Are Not in the Liver | The First Signs of Alcoholic Liver Damage Are Not in the Liver
Myfather died of alcoholic liver cirrhosis four years ago. It came as a surprise to all of us, even though it was clear he had a severe drinking problem for decades. It was especially surprising to me, as a former nurse and a recovering alcoholic. You would think I’d know more about liver problems and alcohol use than the average person. But the truth is, in the months before his death, I had no idea my father’s liver was struggling at all. Most people know about cirrhosis, but few people know how a liver goes from early damage to end-stage liver cirrhosis.
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The combination of my father’s death and my personal background lit a fire in me to know more. He was admitted to the hospital on June 24, 2016, and he died on July 18. Only 24 days passed between the first sign there was a problem and his subsequent death.
Now, hearing that he was in end-stage cirrhosis didn’t surprise me, given his heavy drinking. What did surprise me was that he’d visited several doctors and specialists in the months before his death, and no one knew his liver was struggling either.
So what happened? Does end-stage liver cirrhosis really sneak up that fast? Were there other signs that would have alerted someone to his failing liver?
As for why the doctors and specialists didn’t know what was happening, that mystery resolved reasonably quickly. The plain truth is that alcoholics rarely divulge the amount and frequency of their drinking to their doctors. This was the case for my dad. He had many health issues that he was trying to solve, but he protected his drinking habit fiercely. So he refused to spill the beans, even when it mattered.
The problem is that liver damage has numerous multifaceted symptoms that are confusing and associated with many other illnesses. Unless a doctor knows that the patient is an alcoholic, they may not know how to interpret what’s happening until it’s too late.
As he was dying, my father told me that he didn’t think to tell the doctors how much he was drinking. He said it was as if he blanked out and “forgot” to mention it. As crazy as that sounds, this strange “forgetting” is a common part of the alcoholic mindset. It may also be due to the metabolic and physical changes of cirrhosis itself.
There are many signs of liver problems, but oddly, none seem to point to the liver at first. And in fact, many of the first signs of liver damage occur in other parts of the body. Knowing these signs may help educate alcoholics and their families if they want to understand their risk of developing liver cirrhosis.
Liver damage has numerous multifaceted symptoms that are confusing and associated with many other illnesses. Unless a doctor knows that the patient is an alcoholic, they may not know how to interpret what’s happening until it’s too late.
Digestive signs
The liver plays a huge part in our digestive process. It filters out all toxins from food as well as helping to break down fats and glucose.
When a liver starts to slow down due to significant damage, it will reduce its digestive work. Instead, it will divert its energy toward vital functions like metabolizing medications and filtering toxins.
This means that symptoms like bloating, nausea, vomiting, gas, and diarrhea will start to increase. Over time, eating becomes more challenging. In the later stages of liver cirrhosis, toxins that can’t be filtered out begin to build in the bloodstream, which causes more nausea.
Cognitive signs
Although confusion and brain fog happen in end-stage liver cirrhosis, they can also be early signs.
The liver is responsible for filtering dangerous substances in the blood. It also helps regulate hormones, blood glucose, and vitamin absorption. In the early stages of liver damage, these processes can be interrupted. Inevitably, this affects our brain and nervous system.
This means that early liver problems can make you feel tired, confused, slow, and foggy. You may have some memory issues as well.
Neuromuscular signs
The liver stores vitamins required for the functioning of many organs and systems in the body — one of them is vitamin B1 or thiamine. A deficiency in this particular vitamin has been documented in many alcoholics with or without liver damage.
Unfortunately, alcohol inhibits the absorption of thiamine in the intestine. Over time, as the liver becomes damaged, it can no longer store thiamine in enough quantities. Thiamine deficiency is responsible for many neurological issues in people with alcoholism.
Symptoms of thiamine deficiency range from mild to severe and include things like: confusion, mental fog, lack of balance, pain and numbness in hands and feet, muscle weakness, rapid heart rate, digestive problems, flushing, and involuntary eye movements.
Thiamine deficiency happens in almost every alcoholic who consumes frequent and large amounts of alcohol. And if thiamine deficiency due to alcoholism is discovered, you can be sure the liver is suffering damage at the same time.
Many of the first signs of liver damage occur in other parts of the body.
Vascular signs
All alcohol consumption can lead to blood vessel dilation, causing flushing in the face and hands. Over time, this can cause damage leading to permanent redness in the face. Although many alcoholics have rosacea or spider-like veins on their faces, this is often benign.
However, spider angiomas are different from rosacea or spiderlike veins. They’re circular and have a central point called a spider nevus that is darker than the rest of the lesion. Spider angiomas are a sign of liver disease and can be present in the early stages. They often progress to more extensive and more numerous lesions.
Spider angiomas are caused by increased estrogen levels in the blood. When the liver becomes damaged, it can’t properly metabolize estrogens, which causes them to build up in the body.
Many women who are pregnant or taking birth control pills may have a few spider angiomas. However, in alcoholic liver disease, these lesions are often more frequent and accompanied by red palms and varicose veins in the esophagus.
These are a few of the main signs of alcoholic liver damage that happen outside of the liver. It’s important to know this because most of us have no idea how the liver functions and how it communicates distress.
The liver itself doesn’t show signs like pain or swelling in the early stages of liver damage. This contrasts with other organs like the heart or stomach, where any damage will emit pain or symptoms directly from these organs.
What happens with liver damage is that its many diverse functions become interrupted, causing symptoms in other parts of the body. This may explain why most people never think they have a problem with their liver.
Unfortunately, patients with alcoholism are rarely educated about these issues. This is because they often don’t reveal their drinking, to begin with. And even if they do, the symptoms are widespread and complex, which makes patient education challenging.
My goal in writing articles like this is to help educate regular people about alcoholic liver disease to understand their health and make better decisions.
It’s hard to say if my father would have changed his drinking habits if he knew more about his vague and complicated symptoms. But I think having proper education would have certainly helped him understand his risks and health problems better. | https://medium.com/@joyroot68855/the-first-signs-of-alcoholic-liver-damage-are-not-in-the-liver-ddcfbb30e521 | [] | 2020-12-17 00:00:47.716000+00:00 | ['Addiction', 'Health', 'Body', 'Alcohol', 'Mental Health'] |
Let’s pretend we’re bunny rabbits | Let’s pretend we’re bunny rabbits
Much has been said of JOJO RABBIT; let’s just say it has its heart in the right place while wanting to have its cake and eat it too
JOJO RABBIT, US/New Zealand 2019, 108 minutes. Starring Roman Griffin Davis, Thomasin McKenzie, Taika Waititi, Rebel Wilson, Alfie Allen, Stephen Merchant, Sam Rockwell and Scarlett Johansson. Directed and written by Taika Waititi, based on the novel CAGING SKIES by Christine Leunens. Fox Searchlight Pictures
“You’re not a Nazi! You’re a ten-year old boy who likes uniforms and wants to belong to a club.” There, in a nutshell, is Jojo Rabbit: the story of a kid who is seduced by evil under false pretenses, and, like Pinocchio as he heads into Toyland, finds out later — much too late — what he signed up for.
Jojo, real name Johannes (Roman Griffin Davis), is an awkward tyke living in a small German town in the final days of WWII; his father is away at war and he and his mother (Scarlett Johansson) grieve for an older sister. And Jojo is a fanatic little Nazi who is excited about joining the Hitler Youth; partly because he has been seduced by the sturm und drang presentation, partly because, being a scrawny type, he wants to be accepted by his peers. It’s a classic schoolboy dilemma — with a political twist.
From the very beginning, Taika Waititi’s film, a loose adaptation of a novel by Christine Leunens, presents itself as a satire —it’s there in the way that the Beatles’ I Want to Hold Your Hand (here presented in its German-language recording) underscores the credits’ archival footage of Nazi rallies, how it shows that Hitler’s rise to power was as confounding as the hysteria that surrounded the Beatles’ rise to stardom. It remains one of history’s greatest mysteries how the Germans allowed themselves to be indoctrinated by “fake news”, rumours and outright lies cleverly packaged by cynical, power-hungry opportunists—a “bread-and-circuses” situation that snowballed into a catastrophe that changed the world.
Obviously, Roberto Benigni’s much-discussed Life is Beautiful comes to mind, but that was less of a satire and more of a humanist comedy set in a concentration camp, the main stage of Hitler’s evil. Jojo Rabbit does not go as far in that sense, preferring to settle for Sacha Baron Cohen-ish post-post-modernism that runs the risk of being too clever and glib for its own good. And while the Kiwi actor/director is definitely aware he’s treading on booby-trapped territory, his engagement with the symbolism and the facade of ideology is certainly justified by its satirical aims, as well as potently amplified by the context in which it is made.
Jojo, in effect, is a split personality who embraces Nazism with that same childish eagerness that any ten-year old would feel, say, in joining a soccer team or the Boy Scouts (and the Hitler Youth he joins in the film does look like a mostly over-ideologised lot of mostly harmless kids out for a lark in the countryside). Though he may look like a true believer, he is also innocent enough to not yet understand the true consequences of his actions, but smart enough to recognise something’s not quite right.
But being aware that a WWII satire is a loaded entity and winking regularly to the viewer doesn’t mean Waititi gets it totally right, and, indeed, he wouldn’t be the first to falter when dealing with such a theme. Jojo Rabbit does conform to some historical truth, and makes it easy to point out how cynicism and fanaticism mingled in the final days of WWII. The local Nazis run the gamut: Sam Rockwell’s weary captain Klenzendorf seems to have been caught in something that overtook him, while Rebel Wilson shows up as a fanatic Aryan valkyrie-maiden (Alfie Allen’s faithful adjutant suggests a homoerotic tension with Rockwell the film never really develops). But these characters are essentially surplus to requirements.
Roman Griffin Davis as Jojo, Taika Waititi as Hitler and Scarlett Johansson as Rosie. Credit: Petr Stuna/Fox Searchlight Pictures
The conceptual coup of the satire lies at first in Waititi’s own presence playing Adolf Hitler, as an imaginary confidant of Jojo who shows up to deliver pep talks and egg him on to greater heights. The actor/director/screenwriter projects “Adolf” as a figure out of The Producers, an insecure cabaret artiste playing at being emperor who slowly becomes more menacing, and has fun with the part. Yet the film’s actual heart, revealed only as it goes on, lies in Jojo’s relationship with both his loving mother, Rosie, whom we suspect is far from being a Nazi supporter and is played with fantastic sensitivity and a touching joie de vivre by Johansson, and the fugitive Jewish teenager he finds hidden in the house.
Elsa (Thomasin McKenzie), the runaway his mother hides in the late sister’s bedroom, develops initially a confrontational relationship with Jojo, in a Calvin/Susie kind of way. But she also turns out to become a surrogate sister, a replacement for the lost Inge (we never really know what happened to her) and the one beacon that will help Jojo move resolutely ahead. And it’s in their slow opening to each other, as Elsa opens Jojo’s eyes and he becomes more and more aware of the cracks in the pavement, that Jojo Rabbit is at its best and most moving — much helped by the pitch-perfect performances of McKenzie and Davis.
Roman Griffin Davis as Jojo and Thomasin McKenzie as Elsa. Credit: Petr Stuna/Fox Searchlight Pictures
Had the film eschewed more of the slapstick tropes —with the would-be Chaplinesque take on the complete blundering idiocy of the Nazis — that beating heart might have been brought to the fore in a way that would do justice to its characters. But Waititi didn’t want to make just another sensitive WWII drama; he wanted to make it relatable to our days of controversy and polarization.
In that sense, Jojo Rabbit is a sort of modern “problem picture”, but despite everyone’s commitment it’s really not bringing anything new to the table: it wants to have its cake and eat it too, be both a biting satire and an uplifting teenage drama, but it lacks the secret sauce that would make it work. Is it Waititi’s merely illustrative direction (though he does have a way with actors), or is it the fact that the film claims a specific historical context only to then reduce it to a very simplistic, two-dimensional story of the Good vs. the Evil Stupid? Or both?
Jojo Rabbit is hardly a dumb movie. It actually has its heart in the right place and knows what it wants to say: that deep down we’re all just ten-year old boys who want to belong to a club. It just doesn’t necessarily find the right way to do it. | https://medium.com/the-flickering-wall/lets-pretend-we-re-bunny-rabbits-1e0540d6edb8 | ['Jorge Mourinha'] | 2020-01-29 09:11:59.607000+00:00 | ['Jojo Rabbit', 'World War II', 'Film', 'Film Reviews', 'Satire'] |
The top question I get when I tell people back home that I’m moving back is, “What are you going… | The top question I get when I tell people back home that I’m moving back is, “What are you going to do when you get here?”. It’s a legitimate question and quite frankly it’s still up in the air. There’s a multitude of gigs that I’ve been doing since the tourism industry died in Seoul. I’ve been building websites, teaching English, coaching startups and helping random inquiries from strangers in different countries about Korea.
One such request was from a YouTuber from the Middle East with 100,000 subscribers. He creates content for the Arabic speaking PUBG community. Interesting niche, but I’m sure it’s lucrative. Recently his ID was banned on the video game for a reason unbeknownst to him. He contacted me through a number of my public profiles and asked me to help him contact the headquarters which is here in Seoul, South Korea.
Easy request, easy money, but not nearly enough to be a living wage to support my wife and 2 kids. I want to be challenged and move up higher up on the value chain. One thing this pandemic experience has taught me is understanding what’s most important to me. As a self-help coach, I’ve been forced to forced to re-examine my core values and write down my own personal mission statement again. In doing so, I realize how much I have changed.
One exercise I teach people to do is write the last chapter of their autobiography where you are at the end of your life. That’s a great one to see where you want, what you want your accomplishments to be and a great compass for you to guide your life right now. In doing so, you extract the hidden values you hold onto that you otherwise might not have known. What I found out about what I want to do was the following:
Community and authentic connection is everything to me. I cherish the people around me and the connections I’ve built with people. So that means above money and fame, I want to create better and intimate connections with the people I already know. I think there is hidden value in all of them that we can uncover if we are clever enough. I would rather have a smaller intimate group who can complement one another’s roles and have a sole purpose together to travel forward together with.
I don’t want to be known as a hard-worker. Hard working is going to the mill and chopping wood all day. It’s a simple task that takes time and energy where you clock out at the end of the day. I want to be thriving in my work and that’s not a question of how hard or easy things can be. Everything I do in my daily life whether I’m eating at dinner table or hacking away at a website, is set to be in alignment with my overall strategic mission. And if that consumes every bit of my day? Well that still wasn’t really hard for me to do then.
I am a Motivator-in-Chief. When I was in the finance industry, I always dreamed about operating my own company. I would read these 10K reports on the fascinating things all these CEOs were out there doing. And then when I entered into the entrepreneurial world, I realized there are so many details that needed to fuel the operations that I would freeze in analysis paralysis. I realize I’m somewhere in between that fascination of what it can be and the realities of the daily grind. You can call it marketing, communicating to people and changing culture. Or you can call it being a motivator to push things to the next level. Ultimately I’m the oil that greases the gears in order to get things running smoother and efficiently.
So as you can see, even though it is a legitimate question, there is so much more that goes into calculating an answer. The honest answer is that I don’t know right now. Originally I thought that I would go back to the States and start a travel agency there helping friends and family with their travel needs. Consult with companies on how I could lower their costs to booking travel for them. But that all now seems like it will be years away until we can figure out what the new normal will be. I’m happy to also lend my client facing services and marketing mind to a high impact company doing great things for society.
The time that I have now until the time it is for me to leave for the States, I will continue to do what I do, but to also make sure I write down every thought that comes to mind through one of my public profiles. | https://medium.com/@fobwannabe/the-top-question-i-get-when-i-tell-people-back-home-that-im-moving-back-is-what-are-you-going-f3922f145b32 | ['Fob Wannabe'] | 2020-12-28 11:21:54.342000+00:00 | ['Planning Ahead', 'Life Lessons', 'Goals', 'Repatriation', 'Coaching'] |
A dream that crossed the whole planet | Connections between people are no longer based on geographical coincidences but on shared interests that defy everything, even the most absurd distances.
The search for organizations that share our vision on the future economy and facilitating access to financial services brought us to relate with talent all over the world, from Brazil to China.
Asia is a region where blockchain technology and the development of the new crypto-economy is taking huge leaps forward every day. The bond between Inbest Network and the ecosystems of cities like Hong Kong goes way beyond software development or business partnerships. It is the shared dream of bringing down the walls that keep people apart and empowering each one to have the best tools at their disposal to pursue their goals what brings together the outermost cities of the planet.
To express this vision and materialize it, we have asked Flor de Pampi, an Argentine artist, to create a unique piece of art that synthesizes the link between both cities. On the one hand, Hong Kong, a massive metropolis with a deep history that made it remain autonomous even under the Chinese government and now the financial center of Asia. On the other hand, Buenos Aires, the epitome of Latin American innovation, full of colors and known for its culture that fosters affection over every other form of communication.
The artist drew the piece in her iPad, using digital illustration software. But once it was finished, she used a traditional transfer technique to bring the design to the board. Once the layout was in place, she painted it with acrylic and markers.
The board that Pampi intervened belonged to professional wakeboarder Rapun, and it traveled more than 18.000 kilometers to get to Hong Kong. To carry a small piece of painted wood all over the world represents a considerable effort. Nowadays material objects, and especially those that carry symbolic meaning, have a particular value. In an era where thousands of developers are trying to shift the way finances work by creating completely digital and abstract platforms for value transfer, this piece of nature is the best way we find to demonstrate a genuine interest in another organization, project or individual.
Inbest Network is not only about developing new technology. Innovating means changing the way people live — no matter where they are. | https://medium.com/inbest-network/a-dream-that-crossed-the-whole-planet-1201dd5fd189 | ['Inbest Helper'] | 2019-04-09 19:44:11.368000+00:00 | ['Buenos Aires', 'Inbest', 'Gift', 'Hong Kong', 'Inbest Network'] |
SECrawl beta: audit for search, with search | Does anyone need yet another website crawler?
There’s no shortage of crawlers out there, and for most people, my web-based SEO crawler, Screaming Frog or URL Profiler is more than enough.
There is a gap though — no two websites are alike, yet we look at the same metrics and cookie-cutter recommendations again and again. Or vast tables of complex text data that Excel was never built to analyse or manipulate.
Introducing SECrawl
SECrawl is a search engine, and an enterprise-level website analysis tool that offers:
Flexibility
Because SECrawl is a search engine, the variety of reports and queries you can perform on the data are only limited by the data itself.
There are over 30 advanced, Google-style search operators which you can combine to provide deep insight into your website’s content and meta data.
The problem with using spreadsheets to analyze website data is that they’re terrible at dealing with arrays and nested data structures. So for the same reason NoSQL databases have become popular for building websites, we need similar flexibility in analysing big data that doesn’t conform to tabular structures.
Speed
SECrawl is built to be fast; both in terms of how quickly it crawls a website, and the speed at which you can start playing with the data.
Another advantage of using a search engine in the back-end is that a lot of hugely complex queries and reports can be completed in less than a second.
Scalability
The technology behind SECrawl is robust, and all has been proven to scale massively.
It has been tested so far with crawling millions of URLs with no significant slow-down in crawl speed or analysis.
Portability
All search result based reports (which means most of them) are directly exportable into an XLSX file.
So if you’re very comfortable in Excel, you can narrow down the big data you want to analyse using SECrawl, then PivotTable to your heart’s content once you’ve got a manageable number of pages to analyse.
Accessibility
Obviously using a web-based solution means you can use the crawler from any web browser.
Content audits
Not only does SECrawl index the content every page it crawls, it also picks up the author and publish time, which allows you to do nifty things such as view your most prolific authors, or see Google N-Gram style charts of your language usage over time.
Language Trends — analyse content published in a Google N-grams style report
By combining advanced search operators, you can also quickly narrow down a dataset of millions of pages to a more focused view.
What next?
SECrawl is still very much in beta, but you can email me for an invite code to try it out for free. | https://medium.com/robhammond/secrawl-beta-audit-for-search-with-search-b6bdffb09b2d | ['Rob Hammond'] | 2016-12-05 15:23:53.778000+00:00 | ['Web Crawler', 'SEO'] |
Why Using an Article Spinner to Create Content for Your Blog or Website a Bad Idea | Why Using an Article Spinner to Create Content for Your Website is a Bad Idea
What is an Article Spinner?
An article spinner — also known as a rewriter tool — paraphrases existing content by replacing random words with synonyms. There are numerous free and paid article spinners online. When you “rewrite” an article with a spinner, you end up with either low-quality content or content that is too similar to the original article. Often times, the new article won’t make sense because replacing words changes the meaning of the original content into something nonsensical.
You Can’t Trick Google
Google has developed a highly-advanced algorithm that can detect poor quality content and plagiarism. Therefore, if you “spin” a poorly written article, Google will penalize your blog or website. However, if you keep too much of the original wording to make the rewritten article more readable, Google will flag the content as plagiarism, which will earn you an SEO penalty. Using an article spinner is considered a “black-hat” SEO tactic by most of the digital marketing community.
You Can’t Fool Your Audience
In addition to not fooling Google, you won’t be able to fool your audience with content produced by an article spinner. Even the most advanced article rewriter tools that are powered by AI are unable to produce unique, high-quality content that most people will enjoy reading. If you don’t produce engaging, valuable content for your audience, you won’t have an audience for very long. Furthermore, your brand will suffer from low-quality content that makes it look bad.
Find an SEO Copywriter
Instead of trying to trick Google and your audience with an article spinner, hire an SEO copywriter to create unique, high-quality, engaging content for your brand.
An SEO copywriter might sound expensive. However, if you damage your brand by publishing low-quality content online, it will be far more costly (in the long run) than hiring a copywriter. Furthermore, a digital marketing professional will be able to craft SEO-friendly messages that focus directly on your target audience. It’s a win-win for your organic search rankings and brand reputation.
Conclusion
In short, if you think that an article spinner could save you time and money by generating free (or low cost) content for your blog or site, think again. An article spinner is unable to rewrite content like a human. Instead, you will end up with poorly written content that is often unreadable and flagged as plagiarism by Google. Your audience will stop visiting your site if the content you publish is bad. Your brand’s online reputation will suffer as well. Therefore, instead of time and/or money on an article spinner, hire a digital marketing professional to create, unique, high-quality, SEO-friendly content for your site. | https://medium.com/@tfawcett/why-using-an-article-spinner-to-create-content-for-your-blog-or-website-a-bad-idea-d590b7636b25 | ['Tommy Fawcett'] | 2021-01-14 11:56:44.310000+00:00 | ['Article Spinner', 'Seo Copywriting', 'Article Spinning', 'Content', 'Content Strategy'] |
A Tale of Two Extremities | Photo by Ivan Bandura on Unsplash
It was the best of times. It was the worst of times. Some called it a modern Renaissance. Others called it a new Gilded Age. There had been no single war with 100 000 or more casualties in decades. Yet, there were more wars being fought than ever before—proxy wars, wars of ideologies, wars on terror, wars of oppression, and wars of misinformation. How did the world get here? Was it doomed to continue its path toward violence, disease, and death? Or was there still hope for change?
A paradoxical Loneliness created by Social Media
Social Media has been one of the most significant trends created by the open Internet. Though I was an early participant and it influenced my entry in the technology field, after coming to Silicon Valley and getting an inside look, I realized the psychological toll it takes on your mind, uninstalled every social media app except Reddit, and never looked back. That was in 2015.
Five years later, conversations around social media and how it has influenced culture are just now gaining steam because of its potential influence on US politics. By giving a platform to every person, it has diluted the average opinion and amplified opinions on the fringes. Before, some crazy white supremacist or an authoritarian government official might read a history book for information about the state of politics. Now, they read social media posts. Furthermore, the algorithms that have been developed for engaging users will reinforce these users’ fringe beliefs. Our innate narcissism is being used by the robots to keep us hooked onto our devices longer.
This is the cycle as it happens on any social media platform. 1) You selectively “like” posts that you agree with. 2) The algorithm, a machine, in an attempt to keep you coming back to the platform, keeps showing you more posts that agree with your view point. 3) This leads to greater engagement on the platform at the cost of ignorance because you are only shown posts that you have been inclined to agree with. You do not know what you do not know. Think about that.
To social media companies, this is no problem at all. Why would they want you to think when you can just mindlessly buy products through their advertising? Free comes at the cost of your attention. Free comes at the cost of your sanity. Free comes at the cost of your creativity and willingness to change.
The Rise of the Uncompromising Idiot
After enough days being caught in the loop above: check media, like posts, find more posts that agree with my view point, write some comments on them, etc. Occasionally, you come across a post that doesn’t agree. You engage. Deep down, you know you’ll regret it but you engage anyways to get a different point of view. After a few messages you realize the discussion isn’t going anywhere because the other person is already set in their point of view and nothing will change their mind.
In response, you become a staunch defender of your own view point. Neither side budges. Out of frustration, you go to a different social media platform and participate in boycotting the first famous person’s message you disagree with. Welcome to cancel culture.
In your mind, you are a perfectly reasonable person because you found many other people on Facebook groups and Twitter channels that agree with you. If so many other people agree with your opinion, you can’t possibly be wrong. Why are there so many uncompromising idiots who don’t see your point of view?!
Nowhere has this behavior been more amplified than during turbulent times. 2020 has been the first global recession in human health and well-being since 2008. Yet the world today seems to be a twisted dystopia compared to before. In 2008, there was a clear person to blame. It was Wall Street. It was bankers and their unbounded greed.
Since the problem was easily identifiable, the people were also more willing to act. The USA elected its first black president by a landslide on the promise of hope and change. Not only was Obama a decent human being and a charismatic leader, the timing of his election was a unified American response against the greed of Wall Street and the careless bankers in the financial industry that had destroyed the livelihoods of billions of people around the world. No other President in modern history embodied so many qualities of the American Dream. The premise that not just all men, but that all people are created equal; by creating a culture of a meritocracy, we can lift the brightest and best among us — regardless of race or economic background — to lead the free world and create a more perfect union.
Yet, it was too good to last. Over the next decade, the American people realized that the institutional, systemic problems within our society cannot be solved by one person. In fact, the real puppeteers are behind the shadows and they come from all directions. With the rise of social media, a new puppeteer entered the picture: the mob.
Keep these uncompromising idiots who make up the mob in mind because this is the first extremity. They make up a small but vocal minority of Internet users.
Social Proof is not Proof — it’s evidence
Social media and its machinery is also designed to show evidence of what is accepted by its users through likes, favorites, shares, and retweets. This evidence leads us to believe that a particular viewpoint is broadly accepted by thousands (or tens of thousands) of people. So it must be true? Not really.
Compared to the population of the world as a whole, a few thousand people is a drop in the bucket. Even 1 million people is less than 0.1% of Internet users. So how do you distinguish between truth and lie? Do you believe your gut and fly by the seat of your pants? Or do you dig deeper? Find a hidden meaning? Rarely does anyone on the Internet (especially on social media) have the time or the inclination to show that the truth is nuanced. There are gray areas, things that are not true 100% of the time but operate according to a rule of thumb — a guesstimate.
This is where the modern education system fails us simply because it was not designed for the Information Age. Separating truth from fiction requires a skill that is not taught to students until college: critical thinking. When writing research papers, the first step a student takes is to research the existing material from credible sources. This first and most important step also happens to be the most difficult because it requires something most of us aren’t used to doing when being constantly bombarded with information — thinking deliberately and objectively.
Measuring Credibility
Aristotle is considered by many to be the father of modern philosophy. Highly respected and revered by people of the ancient world across all religions, he is now known as “The First Teacher” and one of the greatest philosophers because of his influence on Alexander the Great and various branches of ethics, military strategy, public speaking, metaphysics, and religion.
Aristotle laid out three ways that a speaker can persuade his audience and by the same measure, three ways that you can evaluate someone’s message. These three methods are credibility, logic, and emotion: ethos, logos, and pathos.
Ethos is the credibility of the speaker. Unfortunately in the Information Age, people are known to fake their credibility, listing degrees that do not exist and exaggerating their own expertise. While it’s comforting to know that you are listening to an expert, ethos is also about doing what is ethical. Listen to someone who appeals to higher morals, not just someone with an impressive degree. Evaluate the speaker or writer not only by their previous accomplishments but the goodness within their argument because goodness comes before greatness.
Logos is the logical argument made by a speaker or writer. The speaker or writer presents evidence that is connected to the thesis. This evidence can be used to further the argument through inference and conclusions. A reader or listener will evaluate this evidence for consistency and whether it fits the whole of the message that is being conveyed. Highly educated people will often prefer to evaluate a message based on logic and reason. Yet, with the time constraints presented today, most people do not have the time to stop to think and digest the information that they come across.
Pathos is the emotional appeal. Whether positive or negative, a viewer will evaluate a piece of media based on the strength of emotion he or she feels after consuming this media. Whether it’s a sad movie, a funny sketch or a political speech about pride and nationalism. The stronger the emotion, the more persuasive the message. In fact, when used properly and with ill will, pathos will override ethos and logos when delivering a message because it provides the viewer with a new lens to look at the message — a lens of optimism or a lens of rage. This is the most difficult part of crafting a persuasive message but one that polished public speakers are good at.
Which of the above three techniques do you use for evaluating the information you consume? Are you a logical person? Do you trust the opinion of experts? Or do you follow your own emotions and “gut instinct”?
Seekers of Information
Most people form their beliefs by absorbing information through just one of the above methods — ethos, logos, or pathos. A few people use two. Rarely, the occasional super-consumer of information will use all three. Just as the Information Age and social media have led to the rise of the Uncompromising Idiot, they’ve also led to the rise of the Seeker. This Seeker of Information recognizes the value of the smartphone is in the hand of its user. When the entirety of the human condition can be tapped into with just a few fingers, a select few people are bound to be fascinated by it. Not just for the sake of reinforcing their own beliefs, but for the sake of truth because this truth is absolute. It is woven into the fabric of life itself. Sometimes it feels harsh because it has no patience for your opinion. But it is there. Inescapable. It is the Hand of God.
The Seekers make up the other side of the spectrum balancing out the Uncompromising Idiots. These are the knowledge workers that make up the last standing moat of the shrinking middle class. In a world where automation and robots will slowly whittle away at the lower end of blue-collar jobs, the Seekers-to-be use the tools available to them — namely online education, YouTube, skills training, mentors and peer groups — to join the ranks of the knowledge workers. Some choose to go even further.
To become a Seeker is to recognize that the Information Age presents knowledge as an endless quest — that ignorance is not just a trait of the Uncompromising Idiot, but of all of us. The Uncompromising Idiot is not someone outside of us on the Internet, but also within us. So is the Seeker. The greatest adventure of the Information Age, then, is to experience life in its newest and richest forms. To allow for the feeling of emotion (pathos), to allow for being corrected about what is right and wrong (ethos) and to look hard within oneself for the truth of all life and your life (logos). This human condition is inescapable and has been here since the dawn of ancient civilizations. That is the most pressing quest of the Information Age — the discovery of humanity. | https://ythakker.medium.com/a-tale-of-two-extremities-e9403a883964 | ['Yatit Thakker'] | 2020-11-27 23:50:38.930000+00:00 | ['Technology', '2020', 'Psychology', 'Society', 'Philosophy'] |
Rooftop Farming Choices | We humans desire to eat the sun. But it’s too far and too hot. So we hire the plants to do that for us. And when they do their jobs well — we eat them.
Why are farms outside a city ?
What’s abundant outside the city — is fresh air and lots and lots of sun. There are no building shadows — which is perhaps why your backyard farm needs so much fertilizer.
Rooftops of these shadow casting buildings — now that’s a good place to grow some food. It gets plenty of sun and air. And plants love the extra CO2 in the polluted air.
BUT I AM GROWING PLANTS INDOORS !! WHY CAN’T CELERY GROW INDOORS ??
How to start A rooftop Farm ?
To do any farming — we need a nutrient medium. Something that the plant roots will hold onto. And absorb nutrients out of.
Soil and Water are the 2 known mediums today.
Hydroponics and Aquaponics — are both water based farming methods.
Between the 3 — I have found success with Aquaponics.
The planting density is small — thus many plants can be placed together. And because there’s no nutrient solution to prepare — multiple crops can be grown together.
This makes Aquaponics ideal for farming on a rooftop inside the city.
Farming is doing.
Robots aren’t ready to grow our food just yet. We humans grow food for humans. It’s unique to our species for the moment.
What to expect from your rooftop farm?
Expect to experience the magic of mom nature and the gifts she gives.
Expect peace and happiness.
Expect to give your neighbors a chance to experience food like they’ve never tasted before.
Are you an Aquaponics practitioner ? I would love to connect with you and learn more. Please come have a see of my instagram channel — instagram.com/pluckit_/ | https://medium.com/@pluckit/rooftop-farming-choices-1105c1b7a011 | [] | 2020-12-20 01:52:59.525000+00:00 | ['Health', 'Food', 'Agriculture', 'City Living', 'Farming'] |
How to integrate rasa bot with teams using azure portal | Image Source: Spaceo
Integrating rasa chatbot with microsoft teams .We can do it using the microsoft azure portal and the steps required are followed in the article
Azure portal:
In the azure portal click on bot services and then by clicking add button you will be given different options ,go to the bot channel registration and then fill out the details such as the bot handle name, subscription, resource group, pricing tier (F0) and then click on create.
Bot channel registration
Once created go to the resource ,in the settings tab you will find the Microsoft App ID, note it down and then just above the app id there is an option “Manage”,click on that to get your app id password.Create a new client secret and delete the old one.Now copy the password(client secret).
Rasa:
Once we have noted down our microsoft app id and password go to the credentials.yml file and enter the details as below.Once you’re done save it, train the model and run the rasa server.If you want to know more about creating a rasa bot and the commands used click here.
botframework:
app_id: “MICROSOFT_APP_ID”
app_password: “MICROSOFT_APP_PASSWORD”
ngrok:
Here i am using ngrok for tunnelling, you can download ngrok here. Run ngrok on the port that rasa is running for example http 5005 as seen below.
ngrok
note down the https value i.e https://somevalue.ngrok.io
Now go to the setting tab for the resource you created in azure portal and in the Messaging endpoint tab under configuration enter the ngrok https as below:
https://somevalue.ngrok.io/webhooks/botframework/webhook
save it and then go to channels tab and add teams as one of the featured channels after adding the channel to your account click on the get bot embed codes and take the value in quotes such as below and paste it in your browser and the bot will be added to your teams account.
Teams channel integration
Once it is added to your teams account you can test it out. make sure that rasa server and ngrok are running for the bot to give results.
References: | https://medium.com/@nytalks95/how-to-integrate-rasa-bot-with-teams-using-azure-portal-d34faebf323f | [] | 2021-01-13 16:46:00.818000+00:00 | ['Chatbots', 'Bots', 'Azure', 'Rasa', 'Microsoft Bot Framework'] |
How Star Trek: Discovery Helped Me Discuss My Pronouns With My Dad | Adira Tal (Blu del Barrio) and Gray Tal (Ian Alexander)
12/11/20
I am proud to say I come from a Star Trek family. I grew up with two parents who both watched Star Trek on TV, also referred to as TOS. The show was groundbreaking for its bold and progressive representation of race, nationality, and sex. It is more than possible that the first interracial kiss on American television between Captain Kirk and Lieutenant Uhura in the TOS episode “Plato’s Stepchildren” contributed to the evolution of the social consciousness that led to broader social acceptance of interracial couples, like my parents.
Photo circa 1994, on our way to a TNG wrap party. Left to right: reluctant Wesley Crusher, a Tribble, Geordi La Forge, Guinan, and Dr. Beverly Crusher.
My parents continued to follow the misadventures of the crew of the USS Enterprises through a series of feature films throughout the 70’s and 80’s. Star Trek: The Next Generation debuted in 1987, when I was less than two years old, and my parents became regular watchers. Early on, I mostly ignored Star Trek, writing it off as a “people show,” as opposed to my preferred cartoons.
My opinion changed when I went I attended a re-showing 1986’s Star Trek: The Voyage Home (A.K.A. The Whale One) in theaters with my parents in the early 90’s. The Star Trek universe had entered my imagination, and I began to daydream about space travel and faraway worlds. After the conclusion of TNG, my parents dutifully followed the fandom through the 90’s and beyond with the overlapping spin-off series Deep Space Nine (DS9), Voyager (VOY) and Enterprise. The near constant stream of Star Trek series entered my consciousness as if through osmosis.
My appreciation for Star Trek resurfaced in my mid twenties, as I began to build community with others who had grown up with the show’s influence. With the advent of Netflix and other streaming platforms, I had the ability to watch re-watch every series at my leisure. Star Trek served as a respite for the tumult of my twenties. I found Black nerd kinship with Geordi La Forge, and his often jargon-heavy rhetoric. I resonated with the ferocity of the Klingons and was more than a little jealous of Worf’s courtship with Jadzia Dax. I was fascinated by the genderless race, the J’naii, another example of Star Trek taking risks in the name of social justice. I connected with Seven of Nine in her quest towards humanity during a time I felt lost, myself.
Star Trek became a huge part of my life. I began to participate in Sci-Fi conventions, speaking on panels about the social impact of Star Trek. My wedding was heavily Star Trek themed, including com badges, cosplay, and a Bat’leth to cut the cake with. Our wedding DJ was none other than Geordi La Forge himself (thanks @chuckchocolate).
The following year, Star Trek: Discovery debuted and once again, I lost myself in a strange new world. This series came packed with diverse representation with the first openly gay main characters (LTDR Stamets and Dr. Culber) and a lead character looks like me! (Also, can I just say Michelle Yeoh?!)
As is always the case, with progress comes pushback. A small but very vocal community of self-proclaimed Star Trek fans rushed to condemn the show for its diversity and inclusion, with language including, “Star Trek: Feminist Lesbian Edition,” and “white genocide,” in reference to lead character Sonequa Martin-Green. These fans seem to be conveniently ignorant of Star Trek creator, Gene Roddenberry’s (1921–1991) life-long commitment to diversity and inclusion. The dissent was met by writers doubling down on the queer agenda, debuting both a nonbinary and transgender character in season 3.
During season 3, episode 10, Adira Tal shares with Stamets (A.K.A. Gay Space Dad) that they “never felt like a she,” and they want to use they/them pronouns. Without missing a beat, Stamets immediately updates Adira’s pronouns.
Adira Tal (Blu del Barrio) and LTDR Stamets (Anthony Rapp)
Click here for a short clip of Culber and Stamets using Adira’s pronouns 😭
In the moment, my feelings were mixed. I was thrilled to see the inclusion of nonbinary individuals, as I myself identify as nonbinary. I also felt sad, because the delivery gave me the impression that out nonbinary people are as rare in the future as they are today. I also saw an opportunity.
As I have come to identify with they/them pronouns over the last few years, I’ve experienced the struggle of asking others who care about me to accept my pronouns. Rarely have my pronouns been ignored outright — more often I see others struggle to make sense of “they/them” for a singular individual. A year ago, I broached the subject with my dad, who tried his best to compute this new information, but was unable to make the switch. I could see that he wanted to support me, but didn’t know how. Although he tried to hide it, I could feel his fear and sadness.
“I got my girl” — Dad 1985
I grew up hearing the story of how my dad always wanted a girl, and was so proud to hold me that first day in the hospital. It made me think I was selfish, that I was taking someone’s dream away. As a queer, neurodiverse Black person, I was also fearful of taking on yet another marginalized identity. I felt like an imposter for not figuring this out sooner. It took me a really long time to truly accept I am nonbinary simply because I say so, and I want the ones I love to know.
This past Monday was my birthday. My dad called to send his love and after some banter, I asked if he had watched the previous week’s episode of Discovery. He said he had, and I engaged with him about Adira’s pronouns. I reminded him that that is how I identify, too. This time, he responded, “OH, I GET IT!” The simple scene had provided the right representation for him to know how to receive me, even more fully than ever before. He was able to speak about his previous confusion, and connected my experience to other forms of personal truth, liberation, and social justice. It was one of the best gifts I’ve ever received.
Despite a handful of angry fans, this incarnation of Star Trek fits perfectly with Roddenberry’s original vision of not only including and tolerating others who are different, but allowing us to reach new depths of delight and love with those dear to us. | https://medium.com/@mxrian/how-star-trek-discovery-helped-me-discuss-my-pronouns-with-my-dad-2779c244bfe0 | ['Mx Rian'] | 2020-12-12 05:18:20.696000+00:00 | ['Queer', 'Star Trek', 'Coming Out', 'Family', 'Nonbinary'] |
Deep Deterministic Policy Gradient | Reinforce Algorithm
Please note, in the below analyses, the discount factor γ is assumed to be 1 for simplicity. But all the analyses can be easily extended to cases where γ is not 1.
The basic objective in all of Reinforcement Learning (RL) is to maximize the expected total utility Uθ, which is defined as follows [1]:
After doing some Math, it can be shown that Uθ is equal to the expected value of Q(s₀,a₀). And if the initial state distribution is uniform, then it means the goal in RL is to find a policy which maximizes the q-values of all possible states.
Using the definition of expectation, the above equation 1a can be re-written as:
Using Policy gradient method, we can maximize Uθ by first computing its gradient with respect to θ, which (using the Reinforce log likelihood trick [3]) can be derived to be:
One approach to improving the expected total reward is to randomly add noise to the current θ and if it results in better total reward, then we keep it, otherwise we ignore it, and we keep repeating this process. This method is called the random shooting method. There are other more sophisticated methods in the same vein such as the Cross Entropy Method. All these methods fall under the domain of stochastic optimization algorithms. However, while these methods are very simple to implement, they are not efficient and don’t scale well with high dimensional space. A more efficient approach is to change θ in the direction of the gradient using Stochastic Gradient Ascent as follows:
A basic policy gradient algorithm making use of the above gradient is known as the Reinforce algorithm, and here is how it works:
A Basic Reinforce Algorithm:
Start with a random vector θ and repeat the following 3 steps until convergence:
1. Use the policy Pθ(at|st) to collect m trajectories {τ1, τ2, …, τm}, where each trajectory is as defined above.
2. Use these trajectories to compute the Monte-Carlo estimator of the gradient as follows:
Note that the reason why the above estimator is valid is because the trajectories are generated by following the policy being learned, i.e. Pθ(τ) — i.e. it is an on-policy algorithm. Another way to say it is that we sample each of the trajectories in {τ1, τ2, …, τm} from the probability distribution Pθ(τ).
3. Update the weights/parameters of the policy network using the above estimator of the gradient:
The intuition behind the reinforce algorithm is that if the total reward is positive, then all the actions taken in that trajectory are reinforced whereas if the total reward is negative, then all the actions taken in the trajectory are inhibited. Moreover, to be computationally efficient, typically m is set to 1.
While better than stochastic optimization methods, the Reinforce algorithm suffers from a few drawbacks:
1. The gradient estimator is pretty noisy, especially for the case m=1, because a single trajectory maynot be representative of the policy.
2. There is no clear credit assignment. A trajectory may contain many good and bad actions, and whether those actions are reinforced or not depend only on the total reward achieved starting from the initial state.
3. It is very sensitive to the absolute value of the rewards. For example, adding a fixed constant to all the rewards can drastically change the behavior of the algorithm. Such a trivial transformation should have no effect on the optimal policy.
By the definition of the gradient, ∇θUθ points in the direction of the maximum change in Uθ. However, at a fundamental level, the above drawbacks of Reinforce algorithm are due to the fact that the Monte-Carlo estimator of ∇θUθ (i.e. ĝ) has high variance. If we can reduce its variance, then our estimate of gradient (ĝ) will be closer to the true gradient ∇θUθ.
While the Monte-Carlo estimator of the gradient (ĝ) is unbiased, it exhibits high variance. As discussed below, there are a few ways of reducing variance without introducing bias: 1) using causality and 2) using a baseline.
Actor-Critic Algorithm
One way to reduce variance is by taking advantage of causality: ĝ updates all the actions in a trajectory based upon total rewards and not the rewards to go. That is to say, future actions affect past rewards, which is not possible in our causal Universe. So we can make the gradient estimator more realistic by using rewards to go as shown in the below equation.
Note that using the rewards to go instead of the total rewards still results in an unbiased estimator of ∇θUθ because causality is handled in the expectation in Equation 3 using Pθ(τ). Moreover, doing so reduces variance because the rewards to go expression has fewer terms (and thus lower uncertainty) than the total rewards expression.
An important aside to note is that the rewards to go is really an estimate of the the q-value of (st, at). This is because the q-value is defined as follows:
And so, if the trajectory τ is sampled from Pθ(τ), then the single-sample Monte-Carlo estimate of QPθ(st, at) is just:
As shown above, instead of using the Monte-Carlo estimator of the rewards to go as in Equation 7, we can use the Q-value estimator of the rewards to go. As a result, Equation 7 can be re-written as:
If Qhat Pθ(st, at) is modeled using a neural network (parameterized by w), then we get:
Note that because the state-action space can be very high dimensional, it quickly runs into Bellman’s curse of dimensionality; and thus, in most practical situations with complex state-transition dynamics, Qhat Pθ(st, at) is modeled using a neural network based function approximator.
Then Equation 10 can be re-written as:
Whereby, Pθ(at | st) is the actor network that is parameterized by θ and Qhat Pθ(st, at) is the critic network that is parameterized by w. This is essentially what is known as the actor-critic algorithm.
For any visited state-action pair (s,a), the actor network is updated using Equation 6 (utilizing ĝ from Equation 12), and the critic network is typically updated using Temporal-Difference learning (due to its lower variance than Monte-Carlo learning) using the following update equation:
Whereby the weight vector w is updated to reduce the loss L(w), which is defined as:
and using Q-learning (so that the critic is based of off an off-policy algorithm):
and so
whereby
This is the basics of the actor-critic algorithm. While there are many variants of it, as we will see below, this is the basic core of it.
Advantage Actor-Critic Algorithm
In addition to using the rewards to go (due to causality), another approach to minimizing the variance of ĝ is by subtracting out a baseline b that is not dependent on θ or action a — and this combined term is known as the Advantage function. It can be mathematically proved that such a transformation is not only unbiased, but it reduces variance. An intuitive explanation for why it reduces variance is because the term multiplying ∇θlog(Pθ(a|s)) has smaller magnitude, which essentially reduces the variance of the overall expression.
There are many choices for the baseline b, and in theory, the optimal value of b can also be computed. However, in the interest of simplicity and to be intuitive, a commonly used baseline is the q-value averaged over all the actions, i.e. the state-value.
The Advantage function is then written as follows:
The basic idea with using this advantage function is that actions with higher q-value than the average (i.e. state-value) are reinforced where as other actions are inhibited. This makes a lot more intuitive sense than the gradient equation used in the original Reinforce algorithm. And so it’s not totally surprising that Mathematically it results in lower variance. Moreover, now the gradient is no longer dependent on the absolute value of the rewards.
One problem with the above Equation is that, in practice, it is very difficult to compute the above expectation — especially for continuous actions or high dimensional action space. Hence, the state-value function is modeled with a separate neural network that is parameterized by wᵥ as follows:
The advantage function now becomes:
The issue with this advantage function is that it requires two separate neural networks. With some clever re-ordering, we can re-write the Advantage function using a single neural network. However, inorder to do so, let us first re-visit the above analysis. Basically, the ideal Advantage function we would like to have is:
As defined in Equation 8 above, state-action value can be further simplified interms of the state-value function as:
The single-sample Monte-Carlo estimate of QPθ(st, at) as defined in the Equation above is:
And so now we just need to represent the state-value function using a neural network parameterized by wv as follows:
And thus the Advantage function can now be represented using a single neural network parameterized with wᵥ. Note with the above equation for the Advantage function, it is really just the one-step TD error (i.e. TD(0) error). Additionally, it is also possible to represent it using TD(λ) error.
The gradient equation for Advantage Actor Critic is now going to be:
And this is going to be a much better estimator of the expected gradient (Equation 3), i.e. with lower variance and still be unbiased, even for m=1. As a result, the algorithm will learn much faster.
wv is updated as follows:
whereby using one-step TD learning (i.e. TD(0)):
Using the gradient estimator from Equation 29, the weight update from Equation 30, and the remaining steps from the basic Reinforce algorithm results in what is known as the Advantage Actor-Critic algorithm.
To briefly summarize the above discussion, the main downside of the Reinforce algorithm is that the gradient estimator is based upon the Monte-Carlo estimator of the expected total reward from the initial state-action pair — which while has low bias, it has high variance. By using causality and subtracting out a baseline from the Monte-Carlo estimator, we can reduce the variance. The variance is further reduced by using TD estimator of the expected total reward to go instead of Monte-Carlo estimator.
Deterministic Policy Gradient (DPG) Algorithm
For stochastic policies in continuous environments, the actor outputs the mean and variance of a Gaussian distribution. And an action is sampled from this Gaussian distribution. For deterministic actions, while this approach still works as the network will learn to have very low variance, it involves complexity and computational burden that unnecessarily slows down the learning algorithm. To address these short comings, for deterministic actions, we can use what is known as the deterministic policy gradient.
In stochastic case, the policy gradient algorithm integrates over both state and action spaces, whereas in the deterministic case it only integrates over the state space. As a result, computing the deterministic policy gradient can potentially require fewer samples. But in order to fully explore the state space, the basic idea is to choose actions according to a stochastic behavior policy and learn about a deterministic target policy (i.e. needs to be an off-policy algorithm).
DPG is essentially a deterministic version of Actor-Critic algorithm. For a basic DPG algorithm, we have two neural networks, one network (parameterized by θ) is estimating the optimal target policy and the second network (parameterized by w) is estimating the action-value function corresponding to the target policy. The below equations formalize this.
As mentioned above, because the target policy is deterministic, the actor may not explore the state-space very well to find the optimal policy. To address it, we use a behavior policy (b(st)) that is different from the target policy. It is basically the target policy with some additional noise. For simplicity, we will use a Normal distribution as our noise source. But note that this term is like a hyper parameter, and in the below implementation for the Reacher environment, a different noise process is used.
Deterministic Policy Gradient Update:
1. Actor network is updated as follows:
which by chain rule, it becomes:
2. The critic network is updated as follows:
The TD error is given by:
and the weight update is:
To reiterate, in order to properly balance exploration-exploitation tradeoff, while the target policy μ is deterministic, the behavior policy is stochastic. So this is an off-policy version of the DPG algorithm. While stochastic off-policy actor-critic algorithms typically use importance sampling for both the actor and the critic, because the deterministic policy gradient removes expectation over the actions, and given the state transition dynamics are same for both the target and behavior policies as they operate in the same environment, importance sampling ratio is not needed. So we can avoid having to use importance sampling in the actor, and with same reasoning, we avoid using importance sampling in the critic [2]. For those who are wondering, similar reasoning applies as to why we don’t use importance sampling with Q-learning.
Deep Deterministic Policy Gradient (DDPG) Algorithm
DDPG is basically DPG with a few training changes adopted from the DQN architecture.
One challenge when using neural networks for reinforcement learning is that most optimization algorithms assume the samples are independently and identically distributed. Obviously this assumption doesn’t hold true because the samples are generated by exploring sequentially in an environment. Because DDPG is an off policy algorithm, we can use the replay buffer (a finite sized cache) as in DQN to address this issue. At each timestep the actor and critic are updated by sampling a minibatch uniformly from the buffer [2].
For the critic, since the network being updated is also used in calculating the target, this can potentially lead to training instabilities for highly nonlinear function approximators like neural networks. One solution to address this is using a separate target network, as with DQN [2]. Given the target values are determined using both the critic and actor networks, we create a copy of both of these networks and soft update their weights to the respective learned networks. Please refer to my github code for details. | https://medium.com/swlh/policy-gradients-1edbbbc8de6b | ['Amit Patel'] | 2020-12-23 22:52:26.478000+00:00 | ['Machine Learning', 'Reinforcement Learning', 'Artificial Intelligence'] |
Top 100 New Year 2021 Easy Resolutions list | 2021 New Year Resolutions for Happy Life
2021 New Year wishes. Every passing year is a ray of hope for the betterment of an individual. Here is the list of the 100 best resolutions for this new year that are easy and achievable for everyday life.
Reading this list once a day will train your mind and help you to achieve your target.
2021 Top 100 new year resolutions
Feel free to print and paste on your clipboard or even your fridge door for regular memorizing.
1.SMILE
2. Stop judging yourself
3. Let love guide you, not FEAR
4. Listen to yourself
5. Never allow what happened to you before affect how you feel now
6. You have the power to choose the emotions you want to experience
7. There is no conspiracy against you, except for the one created in your mind
8. Meditation
9. Sungazing
10. Stop idolizing celebrities
11. Honor nature
12. Introduce more harmonious tones into your frequency
13. Learn to speak to yourself with love, not hate
14. First thing to do in the morning is to say, Thank you nature
15. Go for a walk every day
16. Start your day with peace, not war
17. There is a message the sun has for you every single day, go and get it
18. Get out of your room, away from artificial lights
19. If you use your phone a lot, put a quartz crystal at the back of your phone
20. Limit how much time you’re on the phone
21. Listen to the sounds of nature
22. Intermediate fasting (autophagy)
23. Have a gratitude journal
24. Hug someone today
25. Surround yourselves in environments that are good for your mind
26. Remember that you are the power and you always will be
27. Eat to live
28. Stop counting yourself out, start counting yourself in
29. Surround yourself with people who make you feel like sunlight
30. Spread other people love
31. Always have unconditional love for yourself
32. Stop quitting
33. Learn a new word every day
34. Read a page of an inspirational book
35. Spend time with friends
36. Learn to say NO
37. Be specific in words
38. Move out of your comfort zone
39. Have 8 glasses of water per day
40. Walk every 45 minutes
41. Use less horn
42. Use vehicle sparingly
43. Eat sprouts every day
44. Prefer organic products
45. Say no to sulfates in products
46. Use recycled products
47. Take a cloth bag for shopping
48. Keep track of all your expenditure daily
49. Plant a tree on birthday
50. No bad words usage
Also, read What the zodiac sign says about your intelligence!
51. Make use of time wisely
52. Breath deep in
53. Remove shoes while eating
54. Use cotton dress at night
55. Walk barefoot on grass
56. Chant OM
57. Close your eyes every 45 minutes while working on the screen
58. Blink more
59. Oil your hair thrice a week
60. Watch your thoughts
61. Keep your hands and feet clean before sleeping
62. Don't avoid 15 min siesta
63. Charge your phone when your battery completely low
64. Follow earth hour
65. Giveaway your old clothes
66. Gift a plant on occasions
67. Prefer cruelty free vegan brands
68. Eat whole grains
69. Minimize water waste
70. Dusting and organize your room daily
71. Organize your wardrobe
72. Plan to visit orphanage regularly
73. Be kind to servers
74. Practise humor in conversations
75. Don't use hot water for hair wash
76. Try to volunteer for NGO
77. Respect mentally challenged people
78. Respect transgenders
79. Don't buy a product because it is tagged cheap
80. Text a friend instead of calling
81. Clean your vehicle for yourself
82. Visit your doctor when needed, no postponing
83. Be normal for hatred comments
84. Buy less plastic
85. Send handwritten letters
86. Avoid negativity
87. Play with a pet
88. Cook for yourself
89. Make your bed every morning
90. Stretch your body
91. Write your thoughts every night
92. Try do-it-yourself methods
93. Try to make natural compost out of the kitchen waste
94. Try herbal alternatives for small ailments
95. Massage your body with coconut oil once a week
96. Take the stairs instead of the lift
97. Spend time with nature
98. Create a memory book
99. Think less
100. Be kind to others
I hope you find this 2021 new year resolutions list useful.
If you are curious about what 2021 brings to you read this astrology horoscope 2021 predictions.
If you want to meet the best astrologer in India and want to know about your 2021 life predictions, click the link.
Let me know what you think I missed here in the comment box below.
Also, don't forget to follow this page for more such interesting content. | https://medium.com/@astrologi/top-100-new-year-2021-easy-resolutions-list-8e219b815936 | [] | 2020-12-25 05:25:11.909000+00:00 | ['New Year', '2021 Resolutions', '2021', 'Resolutions', 'Ideas'] |
That Heart | That Heart
Photo by Jilbert Ebrahimi on Unsplash
that heart
which shatters quietly
but the noise will leave
many cracks.
those people will never be
the same. | https://medium.com/share-the-love/that-heart-89b71db86ea7 | ['Priyanka Srivastava'] | 2020-12-02 08:02:58.333000+00:00 | ['Writing', 'Writers On Writing', 'Poetry', 'Poetry On Medium', 'Sadness'] |
Localcryptos P2P Market Adds Support for Bitcoin Cash | Localcryptos, the noncustodial P2P cryptocurrency market, has added bitcoin cash to its platform. This is the fifth cryptocurrency the platform has taken on for P2P transactions after having rebranded from Localethereum. The market will leverage the OP_CHECKDATASIG opcode, which presents some advantages. Also, users from Maximumhorrors.com Local will be able to migrate their reputation to the Localcryptos platform.
Localcryptos Adds Bitcoin Cash
Localcryptos, one of the leading noncustodial cryptocurrency P2P markets, has added support for bitcoin cash transactions on its platform. Now users can deposit, trade, and withdraw bitcoin cash from the Localcryptos platform. This is the fifth cryptocurrency added to the service after its rebrand from Localethereum. Before, the company added litecoin and dash, after bitcoin and ethereum.
Localcryptos declared that to construct the noncustodial experience for bitcoin cash, it used the OP_CHECKDATASIG opcode, which presents a series of advantages and is only available on the Bitcoin Cash blockchain. Localcryptos stated that while the experience is the same for the end-user:
From a programmer’s perspective, the non-custodial Bitcoin Cash P2SH script is more simplistic and intuitive, and it comes with some advantages.
The escrow contracts in the platform make it impossible for Localcryptos to spend the funds, and they can only retrieve the escrowed funds to the buyer or to the seller in the case of a dispute. Bitcoin Cash is especially useful for noncustodial P2P transactions due to its low tx fees, which rarely cross the one-cent barrier.
if (!window.GrowJs) (function () var s = document.createElement(‘script’); s.async = true; s.type = ‘text/javascript’; s.src = ‘https://bitcoinads.growadvertising.com/adserve/app'; var n = document.getElementsByTagName(“script”)[0]; n.parentNode.insertBefore(s, n); ()); var GrowJs = GrowJs || ; GrowJs.ads = GrowJs.ads || []; GrowJs.ads.push( node: document.currentScript.parentElement, handler: function (node) var banner = GrowJs.createBanner(node, 31, [300, 250], null, []); GrowJs.showBanner(banner.index); );
Maximumhorrors.com Local Closes Its Doors
Maximumhorrors.com Local, a bitcoin cash P2P market, will allow users to migrate their trading history and reputation to Localcryptos before closing its doors. The platform announced it is “passing the torch” to Localcryptos, and will allow the transfer of reputation and trading history, so users of the platform won’t have to start from scratch. Maximumhorrors.com Local didn’t announce the exact date of its closing, but invited users to withdraw their funds from their wallets.
According to the platform, the users will enjoy a better service due to the more diverse and liquid pool of assets that Localcryptos can offer its users. The announcement stressed:
On Localcryptos, you’ll have 40+ ways to pay, all messages are end-to-end encrypted, and trades are facilitated by the same blockchain-powered escrow service.
What do you think about the inclusion of bitcoin cash in the Localcryptos platform? Tell us in the comments section below.
Original post from https://maximumhorrors.com/localcryptos-p2p-market-adds-support-for-bitcoin-cash.html | https://medium.com/@marilynytrevino68/localcryptos-p2p-market-adds-support-for-bitcoin-cash-c8ded910370a | [] | 2021-09-11 06:42:56.879000+00:00 | ['Bitcoin Cash', 'Ethereum', 'Litecoin', 'Cryptocurrency', 'Dash'] |
Modern feeling | Did you find this article interesting?
If you liked it and if you feel like it, leave some claps to help whoever wrote it to pay his Lamborghini Urus.
Thank you! | https://medium.com/the-fluxus/modern-feeling-eba501282be4 | ['Martino Pietropoli'] | 2020-10-20 00:00:50.491000+00:00 | ['Digital', 'Comics', 'Social Media', 'Cartoon', 'Drawing'] |
12 Days of Dogs | 12 Days of Dogs
The Chinese calendar may say it’s the year of the rat, but it looks like 2020 has become the year of the dog instead. Dog adoptions have soared across North America, and in some cases, adoption rates have increased by as much as 85%.
I’ve witnessed this increase first-hand as I began looking for a dog back in June. I found that many of the humane societies and rescues I reached out to were consistently out of dogs or had a backlog of so many applications that they simply could not accept more.
Supply just couldn’t keep up with the demand.
It makes sense — many of us are now working from home and have the extra time to hang out with and train a new companion. I filled out 22 applications before a rescue called me back, and eventually, I got a foster dog. Humbled and inspired by this experience, I wanted to create something special for the holidays this year: I designed a series of logos for rescue dogs that were recently adopted or in foster care.
My criteria for submissions:
Your dog must have a cool nickname
Their photo must somehow match the nickname
Here are the lucky dogs (and parents) who won the rescue dog lottery this year and got their very own custom-designed logo as a holiday gift.
12 Days of Dogs — A Logo Series | https://medium.com/@breakenter/12-days-of-dogs-8429622faa87 | ['Adi Ofir'] | 2020-12-22 15:44:33.136000+00:00 | ['Animals', 'Logo Design', 'Design', 'Branding', 'Dogs'] |
How to Quit Smoking… | After listening to a short conversation and grazing over Allen Carr’s “Easy Way To Quit Smoking” I realized it really is that easy.
Like turning a light switch off or on-you are either ready or not. The first and fourth days are the toughest for me. Once you make it through the first few hours of withdrawel you have a choice to make. End the discomfort, or embrace it totally. If you choose the latter, you will begin to feel better immeditely. If you choose to view yourself as as non smoker, you will be. Actively smell your hands, clothes, car, and home. Enjoy a fresh candle or a clean breeze coming through the window without the cloud of smoke staining the moment.
My simple suggestions have worked for me and a handful of friends, and i hope they help you or a loved one as well!
Start on a Friday. Take the day off and emphasize that your only goal in the entire world (for the next few days at least) is to start a new chapter. I dont care who you are, when you wake up on a workday without having to go in-it still feels like a snowday.
Waking up with the satisfaction of a day off will be a reminder that you deserve better, and you have earned it. This is the ideal tone to set for this journey.
Now, the only two activities for this weekend can be put in two categories: exercise and self care.
Everyone has their own definition of the two and there are no rules here. Living in Northeast Ohio provides the opportunity to bike and hike our many trails through the Cuyahoga Valley National Park system. Fresh air, sweat, and sunshine are the perfect combination to overcome a craving. They are also great reminders that there are fun and rewarding endeavors on the other side of smoking.
Taking a walk, calisthenics, gym time, whatever it might be-exercise is essential.
“Self Care” also has many definitions and can even carry a negative connotation with some people. I have been there and understand how hard it can be to put yourself first. One of the scariest aspects for me was an underlying fear that I would love it, and quit putting everyone else’s needs before mine. That fear came true, and I couldnt be happier. It feels great to help people, but even better when your own affairs are in order first.
My weekend included a lot of meditation via YouTube, reading via Summit County Public Library, and stretching. Hours of stretching. Candles, comfort food, great coffee (one cup-not in the morning), tea, classic film, stupid comedies, loud music, holes punched in walls, lots of Serenity Prayers, contemplation, and observation.
Any other weekend would consist of minimal amounts of the above activities. Overshadowed by bars, and house parties, beers, beers, greasy food, and NetFlix. As much as I do enjoy those things, my underlying fear that they were a great way to avoid facing my problems was showing itself as a reality. My fear that there is a better way for ME to live and that I will have to leave the known and the people and the drinks and the places and the Parliament Lights in order to see what else is out there-that fear was actualized.
I wish I had one of those Medium style articles that baited you with a “4 easy ways…” type headline to make quitting smoking easy. But the truth is you dont want to quit smoking….
You want to start living.
My real advice-you fucking deserve it. Treat this endeavor as if your life depends on it, because it does. | https://medium.com/@TryingAgain/how-to-quit-smoking-254e05c6801b | ['Joseph James'] | 2021-08-23 02:04:01.658000+00:00 | ['Self Care', 'Self', 'Improvement', 'Life', 'Sobriety'] |
Home Camera Security System Columbia SC | 877.740.1411 | Have you heard of Columbia South Carolina? It is a place where you can have the best home security system. It is a state rich in natural beauty and has lots of lovely homes to choose from. If you are planning to buy a home here then it is recommended to hire a home security specialist who will install the camera system for you. He will tell you about the details of the cameras and their uses, so that you get the maximum protection for your money.
Photo by Olena Sergienko on Unsplash
Secure Your Home.
“If you’ve recently moved into a new place or one you already own, you may be wondering about how to secure your home against would-be thieves. There are many ways to protect a home and one of the best is with a home security system. A home security system is basically a complete surveillance system designed from the ground up to protect doors, windows, points of entry, etc.
A home security system is able to detect motion or movement at any point along the perimeter of the property. This includes doors, window panes, and other entrance points. A good home security system will have an array of motion sensors that will trigger the alarm as well as an audible siren, depending on what level of protection you’ve chosen.
Motion detectors are used to detect when someone or something enters a certain area. There are two types of motion detectors, passive infrared (PIR) and ultrasonic. The passive infrared sensor is placed next to doors and windows. When a person or animal walks by these points of entrance, the detector will detect the presence of heat, which is detected by the sensor emitting a frequency in the range of human hearing. If the frequency is detected, the alarm will be triggered.
On the other hand, the ultrasonic motion sensors are placed in windows or doorways near potential intruders’ hiding areas. The frequency of the emitted sound will not be heard by humans, but will be heard by the intruder. By hearing this sound, the intruder will be alerted that their actions are being detected. Depending on the type of home security system you have purchased, you may only need one type of sensor, such as a window sensor. The more sensors you have, the more difficult it will be for intruders to get through your home security system.
Security systems usually include cameras in them. You can choose from a wired or wireless system. A wired system uses cables that connect security cameras to your home phone and computer systems, so that they can monitor the inside of your home. A wireless system operates on radio signals that can easily be transmitted through walls and floors. The best home security systems use the most cutting edge technology in combination with cutting edge accessories to ensure the maximum protection of your home.
Protecting your home is not enough. You must also secure your keys. Make sure you never give out your keys to anybody. Never hide a spare set of keys anywhere in your house. Do not carry a large amount of money or valuables in your pockets, so that if a burglar does get to them, they cannot get access to the money or valuables. Most burglars do not want to wait long enough for your alarm system to trigger, so they will simply move on if they find no sign of an alarm system.”
Reliable Home Security Systems with the Latest Technology.
“The most reliable home security systems are those that incorporate new technology, which is why some home owners neglect installing an alarm system. They feel it is not necessary because they live in a peaceful neighborhood where there is no chance of anyone trying to break into their home and steal their possessions. However, installing an effective home security system can protect your home, your belongings, and your family from intruders who have sophisticated equipment, money, and the know-how to bypass even the most elaborate home security system.
Reliable home security systems come in many different styles and price ranges. Before you choose one for your home, determine how much protection you need from your home alarm system. If you want only minimal protection, consider a wireless home security system, which allows you to monitor only the exterior of your home from a distance. If you want more protection, choose a home security system that includes surveillance cameras and monitoring from a central location, allowing you to protect your entire home from any threats.
To ensure you get the best home security system, find a reputable dealer who has been servicing home security systems for years. You can learn more about the types of home security systems they offer by consulting online, but you should also consider how long the company has been in business. It is always safer to buy from a company that has been around for a while, since this means they are dependable and will be quick to fix any problems with your system if they occur. This way, you can feel confident you are getting the most reliable equipment when you make your purchase.”
Fire and Smoke Monitoring.
“Fire and smoke are among the most dangerous of all household threats and can be deadly quickly if not contained. The threat of fire and smoke can be eliminated from your home with the help of a home security system. A monitoring system consisting of a high-quality alarm with a number of sensors spread out over a large area, each sensor activated when a condition, like fire or smoke, is detected. This is one reason that home alarm systems are so popular, since they are able to alert people in the area to the dangers of fire and smoke with the use of just one, simple-to-manage button.
Fire and smoke alarm systems also come with built-in, automatic emergency response panels. These panels are connected to the monitoring station through a circuit, and once an alarm is triggered, they will open up and alert the monitoring station. Then, authorities, who happen to be on the way, will be alerted and they will arrive quickly. For example, once smoke is detected in the kitchen, the fire alarm will be triggered and a command panel will be displayed on the screen, causing an audible alarm to sound. Of course, it’s important to have a fully-working system in place, which can be done by simply installing the required components.
Fire and smoke monitoring is a relatively recent innovation in home security systems and a lot of companies are still working on improving and fine-tuning the technology. Currently, there are about 20 monitored stations spread across the entire city of Philadelphia. As these fire and smoke sensors continue to improve and become more widely available to the public, home owners will finally have peace of mind knowing that their home and all of its valuables are constantly protected. It’s the future of home security!”
Top 5 home security systems.
“If you are looking for the best home security system providers, the Top 5 Home Security Systems on the Market today is without a doubt: ADT, DSC, Brinks and PacketFinder. There are a lot of imitations out there, however not many of them are as good as the top two. ADT has been around since 1993 and has been helping homeowners in over one hundred plus states with home security monitoring and alarm system installation. ADT offers various home security options like wireless alarms, video monitoring, keypads, touch screens and several other home security devices. ADT guarantees that the systems they install will work no matter what happens.
The Top 5 Home Security Systems on the Market today also includes a great feature — remote access to the monitored system. You can now have full control of your home security system from any internet-connected computer, cell phone or laptop. This gives you a real time look at your security system and allows you to perform any routine maintenance checks without having to get up and go through all of the wires. Many people prefer to use remote monitoring instead of a wired system because it is easier to install and less expensive to run. If you are going with a wired system, however, then remote access is a must.
Another great feature of the Top 5 home security systems on the market today is their monthly monitoring package. These monthly monitoring packages are usually priced competitively compared to other security systems and offer unlimited monitoring while on contract. Many companies offer two-month or three-month contracts for extra peace of mind and a reliable home security system. It may take some time to find the right company to work with but when you do, be sure to read the fine print of your contract and check to make sure you won’t be charged more for exceeding your contract’s warranty. Top 5 home security systems are a great investment for those who want to protect their home and their belongings.”
How much do home security systems cost.
“There are many questions that people who decide to get a home security system want to ask. One of the most important is, how much can it protect my house? Home security systems today are able to protect your home from things like fire, and flooding, as well as protect your family from home intruders. But how much does it cost to have one installed? Well, here is some information about home security systems and their pricing.
When you first decide to get a home security system, you will need to find a local company that will install it for you. Most companies offer free estimates, so it is important to call around to see what they offer. Some companies offer installation at a certain price, while others will give you a quote after the fact for the cost of the home security system itself. When you are calling around, you will also want to ask about any discounts that are available to you, because you may qualify for one.
You will also want to consider how large your home is when you are deciding how much a home security system will cost you. Each company works with a different size, so you will want to decide how much extra it is you can afford to pay for a home alarm system before you choose a company. If you need more than one home security system, you should also consider the cost of each separate one. This will help you make sure that you are getting the best deal possible on the home security system that you need.
While you might not think about it while you are considering a home security system, you will need to check into the warranty that the company offers. Many times, companies will offer you a discount if you sign a longer warranty, because it extends the life of the equipment that it is protecting. If you only want to protect your home for a year or two, this may not be an important factor, but it is something that you should check into before you decide on a home security provider. Remember, it never hurts to ask about a warranty before you make your final decision. The representative that answers the phone will be able to give you information regarding the warranty and the contract that are offered with the home security company.
As you can see, there are many factors to take into account when you are asking how much do home security systems cost. The most important things to consider are whether you have enough money to install one and whether or not you plan on leaving your home for a long period of time. You should also check into the warranty offered with the home security system, because this will help you know that you are getting what you are paying for.
Installing a home security system is a great way to ensure that your home is protected from intrusion and theft. However, you should only choose a company that offers a long warranty and a reasonable installation fee. You should also remember that home security systems cost a lot less than buying a real estate investment property, so you should always make sure that you have looked at all of the details before you make a final decision. If you follow these steps, you should be able to figure out how much do home security systems cost before you ever buy a home!”
Home security camera systems reviews.
“If you’re wondering which home security systems reviews are the most helpful, you should consider the various reasons why people install home security systems in their homes. The advantages of these systems are quite clear. In the prevention of burglary, from the prevention of home invasion or even keeping track of who your children are with, you definitely require a home security system for your house. In general, people install home security systems for one or a combination of the following reasons:
Protection — the first and the foremost reason for installing any security equipment in your home is the need for protection. We all understand that protecting our home from burglary and theft is very important. Most burglars try their best to avoid a home that has a strong and robust home security system installed. They know that no matter what effort they make, sooner or later they will be detected. So even if you’re only using your home security system to prevent theft or burglary, it is best to keep burglars away from your home and property. For this reason, you can never go wrong in securing your home with one of the best home security systems around.
Easy installation — since there are several different home security systems available in the market today, it’s generally a good idea to purchase a system that comes with easy installation instructions. Installing home security cameras on your own is never a good idea. The installation process generally takes some time but is actually not that difficult. Therefore, it’s always a better option to invest in a home security system that comes with installation instructions.
Additional Accessories — apart from the basic security system features, it’s generally a good idea to check out home security system reviews in order to see what additional accessories can be purchased for your system. For instance, most cameras today come with a variety of additional lighting options. This way, you get to improve the security and visibility of your home at all times. You will also find a lot of accessories that let you use your cameras in various ways like ‘point and click’ option. Also, depending upon your preferences, you can have additional security features like motion sensors and even dummy cameras.
Wireless capabilities — wireless surveillance system ensures that you can keep track of what’s happening inside your building with ease. For example, wireless cameras are so easy to install, they require virtually no wires to connect them to the monitoring station. This means, you can keep track of what’s going on inside your home or office at any point of time and from any location. In addition, wireless features also ensure that you can keep track of the security of your property from far off. With this feature, you can spot an intruder long before he/she reaches your house.
Reliable service — nothing helps you protect your home or property better than a premium service. If you find a reputable company online that offers a range of camera surveillance system, you can be sure that you are getting a quality product. Not only will you get a one-time installation fee, but you can also make sure that your system works perfectly for years to come. Moreover, by opting for premium services, you can be assured that you will never be disappointed by your purchase again.”
Call Now- 877.740.1411 | https://medium.com/@homesecuritycamera8777401411/home-camera-security-system-columbia-sc-877-740-1411-ca4afa5b05b7 | ['Home Security Camera'] | 2021-02-23 07:48:15.070000+00:00 | ['Security Services', 'Best Security System', 'Arlo Camera Setup', 'Security Camera'] |
I’m No Longer Trusting My Faith | One day my writing session was distracted by a cry. It was my neighbor’s child. I lack the ability to see through the walls so I couldn’t tell what happened. The only was clear: The child was crying in an unusual way.
I got concerned so I started praying for the child. I asked for peace to surround the little heart and take away anything that was causing the discomfort.
After a few minutes, nothing in the child’s cries changed, and I might have been tempted to think my prayers hadn’t worked.
Luckily, at the time God was teaching me to have faith in Him. I focused my heart on Him and continued to intercede despite getting discouraged by unchanging circumstances.
In the past, I’ve been trying to build my confidence in God and in my own ability to have faith. Most of the time it wasn’t about me trusting God but about my emotional power to expect a certain result.
For years I’ve been used to look at circumstances waiting until they change and approve my faith. Most of the time nothing changed. I felt disqualified and unable to believe. Because of that, most times more often than not, I skipped prayer requests from different groups on my social apps.
Why bother? I can’t do anything. I’ll try using my faith when it’s an emergency or someone close needs help.
We read stories of people who had great faith. Faith that made even Jesus marvel. It’s like they were operating in some kind of superpowers!
I didn’t have this kind of superpower. The kid upstairs continued crying.
“Whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith” (Matthew 21:22, ESV). That familiar verse echoed in my mind. The circumstances didn’t change and I was sure I must not have faith, because “all things are possible for one who believes” (Mark 9:23, ESV).
The key
One revelation turned my understanding of faith right side up. Some of you know how this western faith description blinds believers from the simplicity of faith. Some of you are struggling to believe and can relate to what I'm sharing.
It’s actually so simple that I might overcomplicate in my explanation. But I’ll try my best because it has the power to set you free.
The key is visible in the answer Jesus gives after Peter gets surprised seeing the fig tree completely dead.
And Jesus answered them, “Have faith in God. Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.” (Mark 11:22–24, ESV)
For years, I thought that I need to command the circumstances and not doubt but instead believe that I’ve received it. Only then something will happen. All the responsibility was on me and my ability to stand firm. Everything stands on my strong will to have faith that it will happen.
However, we miss the key sentence. It’s to “have faith in God.” If Jesus didn’t say this my old understanding would be true.
Having faith in God is the key that has to be used to unlock the following verses.
It’s not about having faith in your faith but about having faith in God.
The mountain can move because of God, not because of your faith. Your faith is only a tool for God to do something. It’s not your responsibility to move the mountain. You trust God and He moves the mountain.
If you change “believe” and “faith” to “faith in God,” all becomes clear: Have faith in God. Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but has faith in God that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, have faith in God that you have received it, and it will be yours.
I have exalted my faith higher than I should’ve. It’s not the faith that had to be the main focus. The main focus has to be God.
The freedom of faith in God
It’s no longer me having confidence in my faith. It’s me trusting God. I do not waver because I trust God, His character, and His promises. Mountains can move because the Lord is faithful.
If a mountain moves based on my ability to have faith, I’ll get proud and start telling everyone, “look what my faith did.” Instead, trusting God and after He changes something I will praise Him saying, “Look what my God did for me!”
All things are possible for one who believes in God. That’s so obvious! How can it be otherwise, when we serve God Almighty!
That’s exactly the kind of faith Abraham had:
No unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised. (Romans 4:20–21, ESV)
That’s why after praying for the child I didn’t look to examine myself to check if my faith was strong enough. I looked at God and relied on His faithfulness, knowing that He not only is able but also willing.
Nobody could’ve told me that God didn’t care for the crying child. That gave me the strength to trust Him. After 20 minutes the cry ended. I later heard the child laughing and running. All was well. When the cries ended, I wasn’t surprised as if my prayers made it happen. I was grateful because the Lord did it.
Have faith in God! | https://medium.com/koinonia/im-no-longer-trusting-my-faith-127d5473a0c1 | [] | 2020-12-15 18:42:01.655000+00:00 | ['Faith', 'Jesus', 'Christianity', 'Freedom', 'God'] |
Why DMOs are uniquely positioned to help their communities | Photo by Florence Jones on Unsplash
This is a moment in history that people will remember for a long time. They will remember how their city responded in a time of crisis. DMOs have an opportunity to be a leader as your marketing and communication skills are exactly what is needed now.
Historically, DMOs haven’t been focused on the local audience, but recently there has been a shift in the industry to move from destination marketing to destination management. DMOs are tasked with creating a place where people want to live and visit. The time for you to make that shift is now.
What could that look like for you?
Be a source of information for your community
People are looking for information and ways to support each other right now. Work with your local city officials to get clear, factual information out to your local audience. For example, Visit Baltimore has launched a landing page with the latest information on Coronavirus.
I’ve seen communities come together to raise funds for small businesses, encourage buying gift cards for restaurants or offer to get groceries for the immune-compromised. In Austin, a group of people launched rALLY Austin to bring together local business leaders to create a communication hub for supporters wanting to make a difference in the wake of COVID-19.
Think about how your organization can support or start these initiatives. These actions will help build awareness of your organization with the local community.
Build local business partnerships and ambassadors
Create a network of businesses and local influencers who need your support now and can promote your city in the future. Keep in mind local influencers have very strong followings and also want to keep their audiences informed and engaged during this time. While we don’t know how people will respond, it’s likely that local travel will be favored in the coming months. Start planning how you can roll out a local campaign with these partners.
We are in uncertain times and how we respond matters. Are you ready to kick off a local initiative? Let’s chat about what that could look like for your organization. | https://medium.com/@mandympower/why-dmos-are-uniquely-positioned-to-help-their-communities-a367bde4fa33 | ['Mandy Power'] | 2020-03-18 01:26:46.282000+00:00 | ['Destination Marketing', 'Travel And Tourism', 'Tourism', 'Placemaking', 'Travel Marketing'] |
Items that Weren’t on Display in the Jane Austen Centre in Bath | Items that Weren’t on Display in the Jane Austen Centre in Bath
Maybe my expectations were a little too high
In 2008 I took a pilgrimage to The Land of Crisps and Biscuits, because I’d never crossed an ocean and because my decision making had been unduly influenced by the ridiculous output of British authors.
I’ll admit, I half expected to find Peter Pan perched on the second hand of Big Ben when I arrived in London. My heart continued breaking in incremental segments upon finding that Sherlock Holmes wasn’t sniffing around Baker Street and The Globe Theater was entirely devoid of the physical presence of William Shakespeare. (Apparently he died in 1616? Inexcusable.)
But surely Bath would be different. London is a big, crazy city and can cast a Paris syndrome-like effect when visited by raging book nerds.
I had high hopes for Bath.
Photo of Bath taken by author
Bath is quiet. Stately. Somewhat removed from the sensible sneakers and fanny packs littering the London underground. Lots of tourists are just looking for the Top Ten European Hits and that precludes graceful, little Bath.
Bath wouldn’t let me down.
👀
The place I was most excited to visit was the Jane Austen Centre.
As a fan of the books written by Jane Austen and the 83 bajillion adaptations of those books, I was ready to fully immerse myself in the world of the Regency Period.
Photo by the author’s husband, as the author was too excited to get a clear shot
I was going to wear an empire waist gown, drink a ridiculous amount of gin, stumble into an arranged marriage with a handsome stranger, and maybe die of syphilis.
All the classics.
Ahem.
When we approached the little apartment, my heart was beating quickly. I knew the whole experience was going to be transformative AF.
They were certain to have all the amazing curios I could hope for. But, while there were a lot of very interesting trinkets for me to stare at, the Centre lacked the following items:
The Blood-Soaked Knife Used in Jane Austen’s Murder
People aren’t sure what caused Jane Austen to die at the young age of 41. Scholars argue over whether it was tuberculosis, cancer, or perhaps Addison’s disease that ended her writing career and life.
However, true fans know she was murdered by a jealous contemporary, Maria Edgeworth, who suspected there was only room in English literature for one female author at a time. The blood-soaked knife used to commit the murder should be on display at the Jane Austen Centre, but, sadly, it is not.
The Drawers of Thomas Langlois Lefroy
I mean, come on. Surely Jane had a pair of these tucked away somewhere, even if she had to acquire them through a sneaky, midnight raid on the good gentleman’s underwear drawer. Jane was the sort of strong-minded woman who wouldn’t balk at an adventure.
And Thomas Langlois Lefroy had to be a babe to catch the eye of our favorite lady author.
So show us those drawers!
(A fun fact I learned while researching this article: Many Regency men didn’t even wear drawers! Going commando was a popular and socially acceptable fashion choice for dudes. I’m sure Thomas wore drawers, however. Otherwise this bit wouldn’t work.)
The Severed Head that was the Inspiration for Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein
You might be surprised to read this, but Jane Austen was intimately involved in piecing together several elements for Mary Shelley’s esteemed novel, Frankenstein. While you won’t find this in any of your fancy history books, Jane acted as an occasional mentor for the younger writer and the two of them got up to some dark shit.
Do you think it’s a coincidence that Shelley published Frankenstein exactly one year after Jane died? No, my friend. Shelley knew Jane would be appalled if their experiments became public knowledge, so she waited to publish until Jane shrugged off her mortal coil.
I really wanted to see that severed head.
Photo by author
It often happens with travel that one gets their expectations up too high. I thought all the mysteries of the universe would be laid out before me, in addition to bloody knives and dirty drawers. Unfortunately none of that happened on my trip to Bath.
However it was a very nice city and I did have some delicious tea at the Jane Austen Centre.
So, I guess I’d still recommend taking a visit if you have the time. | https://sarah-lofgren.medium.com/items-that-werent-on-display-in-the-jane-austen-centre-in-bath-5b25fe61b41d | ['Sarah Lofgren'] | 2019-08-01 17:06:05.997000+00:00 | ['Satire', 'Travel', 'Literature', 'Humor', 'Books'] |
Apricot days of Motherhood | Apricot days of Motherhood (Photograph by Dr. Asha Gauri Shankar)
Everybody told me that it would go by fast,
I didn’t believe them
And now that you are one
I do.
I don’t know how in half a blink of an eye
You became a toddler,
And I am no longer supposed to call you a baby or baby you?
But baby, you’ll always be my baby
Even when you are forty and I am eighty,
Baby, you will always be in my heart
Even when your heart will be full of other people.
Your childhood and these days-
When you follow my every action, every word
When I am a celebrity in your universe-
Will hold me, hug me when I am old,
When I’ll no longer be able to see clearly
And hear like I do today,
I will remember these days
When I am your sun.
Baby these days are a gift, a miracle
People complaint about exhaustion, about sleepless nights,
about how they never get to do anything by themselves anymore
But I cherish these days,
Days of exhaustion and self-doubt
These days of such excruciating exhaustion
that sometimes I feel I have lost my mind, lost myself.
Because I realize how numbered these days are, how few.
They will soon be a thing of the past,
You will be out in the wild as you should be
And I really wouldn’t want it otherwise,
But baby these are the very days which I’ll remember
Which will carry me through till the end,
Which will make me say to God-
‘Take me now for my life has been rich’
The seeds in between (Photograph by the author)
These are the days to cherish-
The golden apricot days that are so sweet
That I don’t even mind the seeds in between. | https://medium.com/@indianfitmom/apricot-days-of-motherhood-b78317f976f2 | [] | 2019-02-01 18:26:55.133000+00:00 | ['Motherhood', 'Baby', 'Happiness', 'Poem', 'Life'] |
Dear Citizens of the world, | When a child suffers, our future ripples. When a nation is in turmoil, other nations face uncertainties. When a pandemic hits the world, killing indiscriminately, life as we know it changes forever. As positive as we may all want to be, at the subconscious level, it is a fact that life will never be quite the same again. This is when we need to hold on to each other even tighter, to brave this new unknown future.
“The sudden switch to using digital instruction may have led to suboptimal results if compared to a business as usual in-presence instruction, as teachers, students and schools all had to unexpectedly adjust to a novel situation.“ OECD, 24th September 2020
Many fundamentals of the educational industry have been tested and exposed during this time, from basic infrastructure to core pedagogical processes. On reflection, the core teaching and learning fundamentals have become more important than ever to ensure we navigate this new environment and keep students engaged. The collaboration of Educators, Children and Families is now a key determining factor for a child’s education.
“Students’ attitudes and dispositions are influenced to a great degree by the support they receive from families and teachers and by the role models they are exposed to. Support from families and teachers, including parental emotional support and teacher enthusiasm, are important for the development of positive attitudes towards learning and can ensure that students acquire the attitudes and dispositions that maximises their ability to make the most of online learning opportunities. Yet, some families and teachers may struggle to provide such support — especially during the COVID-19 crisis — because of a lack of time, insufficient digital skills or lack of curricular guidelines.” OECD, 24th September 2020
In this capitalist world, we have grown to accept that there are those who are privileged and those who are disadvantaged. How then do we respond in this new world where the disadvantaged are now even more vulnerable? The numbers in this pool are rising by the day, and we at BeED believe that it is our responsibility to help shore the tide.
Calamities will rage through our world like a firestorm, but like nature, rebirths will happen and life will persevere. We should look forward to the new year without forgetting the past. We need to embrace global communities and reach out to every single soul on their knees to forge ahead into the future. Seek new collaborations, but never forget the sacrifices made by many who are unnoticed and quiet.
At BeED, we will continue to go beyond education and embrace… life. | https://medium.com/@mikec1980/dear-citizens-of-the-world-9eec5947a241 | ['Michael Chian'] | 2020-12-23 05:59:59.422000+00:00 | ['Pedagogy', 'Education Equity', 'Covid 19', 'Education', 'Edtech'] |
Backup your Docker files to Google Drive | So after setting up my docker containers, and mapping the useful configuration files to a central location, I thought it would be handy to automatically back those up.
Sure you can do this manually, but as we all know, manual processes are a sure fire way to make sure it doesn’t get done. So lets take the humans out of this and make this automated.
Whilst I’m sure you could move this process to a docker container, for now, I’m kept it simple and setup the client on the host machine.
Install the client
To get started, download the Gdrive client using this command (this is for the Linux x64 version, others can be found here)…
Then mark the download as executable…
chmod +x gdrive
Next move it somewhere useful…
sudo mv gdrive /bin/
Finally switch to running as root and configure the client…
sudo su
gdrive about
Setup your backup folders on Google Drive
The next part is about setting up your destination folders on google drive, I used the web client and created some new folders to store these backups in.
The reason I created ended up creating folders for each host under weekly but not monthly was due to the way I wanted the backups to be scheduled.
For the monthly backups, I wanted it to create a compressed file with the month & year appended to the file, so you can go back further than the last backup, but for weekly, I just wanted it to overwrite the existing backup each time it ran.
/Backup
/Backup/Monthly
/Backup/Weekly
/Backup/Weekly/Hostname
The gdrive client will need the folder reference for each destination, so you’ll need to look them up and take note of the ID.
gdrive list --order folder -m 200
Setup the backup scripts
Next setup is to setup a simple script to run the backups when you like. Start by creating a home for your scripts, I put mine in the same folder as my container files, therefore it will also be backed up in this process.
sudo mkdir /data/backup
cd /data/backup
Next step is to create the script for the weekly backups, start by creating a black text file in your new backup directory.
sudo nano weekly.sh
The add this content to that file. What this does is pretty simple, it first copies and compresses all the contents of our /data folder into a .tar file stored within the /backup/weekly folder. Then the gdrive client moves that file up to the folder you found earlier from the gdrive list command.
Its moving and then deleting the original because we don’t want to end up backup up the existing backups.
#!/bin/bash
#START
tar -cvjf /backup/weekly/HOSTNAME.tar.bz2 /data/
gdrive sync upload /backup/weekly/ INSERT FOLDER ID HERE
#END
Then do something similar for the monthly script.
sudo nano monthly.sh
But this time we are going to create a file with the year and month in the file name and then upload that so it doesn’t replace the previous monthly backups.
#!/bin/bash
#START
tar -cvjf /backup/monthly/HOSTNAME\ $(date +%Y-%m).tar.bz2 /data/
gdrive upload --parent 0B6yil4SCOYSaMUttbWczcURaRGc /backup/monthly/HOSTNAME\ $(date +%Y-%m).tar.bz2
#END
Set the automation
We are going to enter the world of the cronjob, its a pretty simple procedure to do and opens up a whole world of scheduling that you could use for other tasks in the future. Start by setting execute permissions on those new scripts.
sudo chmod +x /data/backup/weekly.sh
sudo chmod +x /data/backup/monthly.sh
Next switch to run as root, and then open the cronjob setup environment.
sudo su
crontab -e
At the bottom of this text document, add these lines. The first few numbers and stars looks like nonsense, but its actually the timings, running from minutes to years in order (read a much better description here).
I have mine set to run the weekly backup at 4am on the first day of the week, and the monthly backup to run at 6am on the first day of each month.
00 4 * * 1 /bin/bash /data/backup/weekly.sh
00 6 1 * * /bin/bash /data/backup/monthly.sh
If you want to check that its running correctly, you can add these lines that will make the scripts run every minute, you obviously don’t want to keep those in there too long. | https://medium.com/server-guides/backup-your-docker-files-to-google-drive-ae66e53af69b | ['James Tenniswood'] | 2018-05-23 09:25:25.726000+00:00 | ['Ubuntu', 'Docker', 'Backup', 'Cron', 'Automate'] |
State of Origin 2020 Live Streaming Online — Step-by-Step Perfect Guide | State of Origin 2020 Live Streaming Online — Step-by-Step Perfect Guide Xxezzexx ·Nov 11, 2020
Moving on to the second game of State of Origin on 11th November 2020. ANZ Stadium, Sydney will host the match. State of Origin 2020 is finally
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confirmed to happen on November 4th with game 1. Adelaide Oval, Adelaide will host the opening match between NDW and QLD. A complete guide to the State of Origin 2020 online. Check out all channels to watch the event online for free from Australia and other countries. Moving on to the final game of State of Origin 2020. the third game will decide the State of Origin Champions 2020. | https://medium.com/@xxezze1xx/state-of-origin-2020-live-streaming-online-step-by-step-perfect-guide-ccbd1d8d6a14 | [] | 2020-11-11 06:19:14.792000+00:00 | ['News', 'Live'] |
Memories of the Beach | Photo by Zack Minor on Unsplash
The wet sand was warm under his bare feet. He stopped for a moment to look back at his solitary footprints reminiscing that it used to be two sets. A stranger stumbling upon them could see the closeness of the tracks that the two people who left them were holding hands.
A gentle wind blew from the ocean. He imagined it whispering his name. It always spoke in her beautiful voice. Quietly the wind spoke the words he yearned to hear from her; I love you. A sharp pain ripped through his chest. Tears blurred his vision.
He stopped to look out over the ocean. Here was the place where he confessed his undying love for her. She laughed when he stumbled over the words. She kissed him, his heart soared. She loved him.
They came here often for picnics or to be alone together. Here was the one little speck on the whole vast world that was theirs — a secret location containing all their memories.
Memories. He had so many of them, but so many more were slipping. Every day he struggled to remember her smile, her laugh.
He drew a circle in the wet sand with his cane. It was here that he knelt on one knee, placed the ring on her finger, and asked with as much confidence as he could muster to marry him. She couldn’t answer him, only shook her head yes while tears streamed down her lovely cheeks.
The tide rolled up to his feet, washing away his circles in the sand like so many memories easily lost in time. He sighed to himself, so many good memories and some bad.
Carefully he lowered himself down to sit. He became tired easily these days. It wasn’t so long ago that he had run along this beach. Or maybe, it has been long ago. He couldn’t remember the last time he ran on the beach.
The funeral was beautiful. So many people joined him in saying goodbye to her. The brilliant colors of the flowers were a stark contrast to the occasion. Many tears shed in anguish, but some laughter of a funny story shared by all that loved her.
She was loved by many. He loved her most of all, and she loved him.
The sunset was as brilliant as the flowers at her funeral with beautiful red and orange hues. She had loved watching the sunset here.
He was tired now, so tired. He closed his eyes to rest for a bit. He felt he needed to rest more every day.
The breeze caressed his cheek as she did at the hospital. If he kept his eyes closed, he could see her smiling. She was brave that day — more than him.
He whispered, I love you, and she whispered her love back. The gentle kiss on his lips made him smile.
“Come rest with me,” the breeze spoke in her voice.
He smiled, “Yes, my love.”
They walked hand in hand down the beach together once again. | https://medium.com/@nosajhpled/memories-of-the-beach-bd878bf295dd | ['Jason Delph'] | 2019-09-18 12:09:50.322000+00:00 | ['Sad', 'Fiction', 'Love', 'Life', 'Death'] |
Power BI DAX #1: The Magic of CROSSJOIN | Last week I facilitated a training where the participants were staff of Nigeria Bottling Company (makers of Coca-Cola in Nigeria). After my usual prepared practice, we delved into making the types of reports they need. CROSSJOIN is a DAX formula that generates the cartesian product of all the rows in tables inputted into the formula argument. You can go through Microsoft’s official documentation on it at https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/dax/crossjoin-function-dax
One of the reports had a very interesting twist that CROSSJOIN was perfect for. For confidentiality, I won’t tell you the exact situation we had regarding the said report but I have created a simpler and easier to relate with example that I will use to show you the magic of CROSSJOIN.
CASE STUDY
ABC Limited has five branches across Nigeria and sells four products. Each product has same target across all the branches.
You are to generate a new table that will combine these two tables into one — having all four products with assigned targets showing for all the five branches.
So how do we achieve this?
ANSWER: CROSSJOIN
If you want to follow along and recreate this tutorial, just launch Power BI. And under Home menu, click on Enter Data. Copy paste or type in the Branch table data.
Repeat same steps for Product table.
And to the magic step: under Modeling menu, click on New Table and type CrossJoin Table = CROSSJOIN(‘Branch Table’,’Product Table’)
And voila! You are done.
BONUS: What if you needed to do this in Excel?
You will have to use PowerQuery’s Unpivot, and maybe more than once if both tables have more than 2 columns of relevant data.
You can watch the YouTube tutorial: https://youtu.be/A_2GM4Ig24k
Enjoy!
And to join our training class, visit https://www.urbizedge.com/powerbi | https://medium.com/@olafusimichael/power-bi-dax-1-the-magic-of-crossjoin-83028fa7854c | ['Michael Olafusi'] | 2019-04-21 22:24:55.372000+00:00 | ['Microsoft', 'Dax', 'Power Bi'] |
How to Create a Brand Communication Strategy | What is a brand communication strategy and why do you need one?
A brand communication strategy is the process of achieving your objectives through communication. It includes the message: what needs to be said; the medium: using the most appropriate channels to convey the message; and the target: identifying and understanding your key audience.
The importance of brand communication
Whether you’re a start-up or multinational, good communication is essential for any organisation and key to running a successful business. If customers like the way a brand communicates with them, they’re much more likely to purchase its products or services.
The good news? It’s now easier than ever for organisations to communicate with their audiences. Social media channels ensure businesses can have a two-way conversation with their customers in a way that just wasn’t possible twenty years ago. Brands are no longer talking at customers: they’re talking with customers. And every article, blog post, tweet or video is an opportunity to communicate with your customers and build brand loyalty.
So what’s the bad news? There’s a lot of noise and the information streams are never-ending. It’s easy for brands to get lost in the din. And with so many channels of communication available, it’s can be hard to cut through the chatter and reach your audience. Hard but not impossible.
And that’s where a comprehensive brand communication strategy comes in.
With a strategic brand communication plan in place, you have a clear step by step guide as to how to connect with your audience, the key messages to use and how to measure your success.
The 8-step guide to creating a brand communication strategy
1. Define Your Objectives
Before you create any kind of brand communication road map, it’s important to know where you’re heading and what your final destination is. What are your objectives? What is it you want to achieve?
Your objectives should be the foundation of any kind of business planning and may include:
Creating brand awareness
Repositioning the brand
Improving productivity
Improving business reputation
Building brand loyalty
Improving customer service
Creating demand and increasing sales
Improving profitability
Employee attraction and retention
Change management
Staying ahead of the competition
And you need to be SMART about your objectives too. So they must be:
Specific
Measurable
Achievable
Relevant
Time-based
Define your short-term and long-term objectives and ensure your business is always moving towards them.
2. Understand your target audience
The next step is to define and understand your target audience. Audience segmentation used to be simple. Male or female. Occupation. Age. Location. But these days consumer behaviours, working patterns, interests, even devices used, such as smartphones, laptops, and tablets, and how information is consumed, for example, news channels, social media and apps, all play a key role in audience differentiation.
Steps for identifying your target audience:
Understand your customers problems
What problem do you solve for your customers? When you identify what problem it is you’re solving, then you can understand who is most likely to experience these problems.
Create a picture of your target audience
List all the types of customers whose problems you solve. Then look for things they have in common. For example, the age range of your target audience may be wide, but based on your research you discover they’re all likely to have a garden and like animals. The creation of an audience persona will help define your communication style and channels used.
Think about niche audiences
Digital communications enable you to deliver an incredibly personalised experience. A campaign aimed at women golfers over the age of 60, which includes messaging that appeals to that very specific audience, will reap greater rewards than a generic ‘all golfers’, ‘all women’, or ‘everyone over 60’ message.
3. Look at your current Situation
Before you put start planning your comms strategy, it’s vital to take stock of where you are right now and look at how you currently communicate with your target audience. There are numerous tools for analysing your current situation including SWOT which is simple to use and tried and tested.
SWOT looks at strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. So ask:
What are our communication strengths? What are we doing well?
How about our communication weaknesses? What could we be doing better?
What are the opportunities that would make our communications better? Are there different channels we could or should be using?
And are there threats to the way we communicate?
Look at how internal factors affect your business. But also analyse how external factors affect your business too such as the economy, the political landscape or global events like a pandemic.
4. Define your unique selling proposition (USP)
What’s that one thing, or USP, that makes you stand out from the crowd? Ask the question: why would a customer choose our brand, product or service over a competitor’s? It could be the quality of the product, the personality of the brand, the customer service you offer, your corporate social responsibility, or your processes. For example, Dollar Shave Club’s USP is delivering men’s shaving and personalised grooming products directly to your door.
Steps for defining your USP:
Make it unique
This goes without saying. Your USP has to be something that no-one else is offering.
Make it desirable
It has to be something your target audience cares about; something that appeals to a specific audience and satisfies a particular problem they have.
Keep it short and sweet
In an ideal world, your USP should be summarised in one sentence. Can your USP also be used as a headline or strapline? Sometimes. Your USP is a concept but the essence of it should certainly be communicated throughout all your marketing materials.
Avoid fluff and jargon
Your USP should be easy to understand by everyone in the company as well as your customers.
Be specific
Don’t describe a product as time-saving, but spell out how much time it saves. That’s your USP.
Once your USP is established, it should be reflected in some way in all your PR and marketing messaging across all your communication channels, so that it’s instantly recognisable as belonging to your brand.
5. Research Your Competitors
When it comes to communications, it’s important to know what your competitors are up to.
Take a look at how they’re communicating with their audience to fully understand the market and then do something even better that’s fresh and exciting.
Also examine their website and how they communicate with their customers throughout the purchase process. Look at pricing, shipping, returns. Also investigate their ad campaigns, PR activity and social media channels. How are they using social? Is there a channel your competitors aren’t using yet? Would it suit your audience? Are you and your competitors all doing the same thing because that’s what companies in your sector have always done? What would happen if your business did something completely different? Don’t be scared to disrupt the landscape.
And find out what hasn’t worked so well for your competitors, so you can avoid making the same mistakes.
6. Think about your branding
Your branding needs to be consistent across all your marketing materials and touchpoints, and have the same look and feel, if you want to deliver a powerful brand message.
So the colour palette, typeface, logo and tone of voice must be the same across your:
Website
Sales brochures
Social channels
Apps
Ad campaigns
Business cards
In-store promotional materials etc.
Finding the right tone of voice
Your tone of voice should resonate with your audience whether that’s customers or employees.
Have real conversations
As mentioned above, you need to speak with your audience not at your audience. Develop genuine and personal dialogue with your audience that demonstrates your willingness to help or solve a problem.
Be honest
Customers are savvy and know when a brand is being inauthentic or dishonest. Be true to your USP and don’t try to be something you’re not just for the likes. Let your customers know what’s going on even if things have gone wrong. That way, they’re far more likely to trust you.
But your branding isn’t just about colours, fonts and tone of voice though. At a deeper level, your branding is also about your identity as a business and what you stand for. What is your corporate social responsibility position? What do employees say about working for your business? This is also part of your branding and needs to be part of any marketing communications you send out.
7. Identify your channels
Next you need to identify the communication channels you’re going to use to reach your target audience. There’s no point creating TikTok videos if your target audience is retired. But it may be the right channel if you’re targeting Generation Z. It’s important to know and understand all the options available so you can prioritise the channels that are most likely to achieve your objectives.
Whether that’s social media, an ad campaign, PR activity or an in-store promotion, as we’ve seen above, it’s essential to use the same brand voice across all touchpoints.
Communication channels include:
Like any business, it’s likely you’ll use a number of channels to communicate your message.
8. Establish your metrics for measuring success
How will you know if your brand communications strategy is successful?
When putting together your strategy, you need to make sure metrics are in place for evaluating your success and ensuring you’re reaching your key objectives, such as brand awareness or more sales. These successes will be measured differently depending on the channel used. For instance, success on your social media channels will be measured differently to the success of your PR efforts.
Your key metrics may include:
Mentions on different news outlets
Backlinks to your website
Website visits from social media shares
Leads acquired
Conversion rates
Increased customer satisfaction (through reviews, ratings, testimonials)
Telephone or website enquiries
White paper downloads from your website
Comments on your videos or social channels
Increase in subscribers.
Be clear from the outset how you’re going to measure your results. Then closely monitor the data to ensure your communications strategy is working.
Summary: Your brand communication strategy template
Your brand communication strategy summarised.
Define your objectives
Establish where you are as a business and where you want to go.
Target Audience
Use customer insights to identify your target audience and the communication style needed to reach them. Think about what problems you solve for your audience and then create a picture or buyer persona. Also think about niche audiences.
Current Situation
Look at the inner workings of your business and your current communications. What are you doing well? What could be better? Also look at external factors too like the political landscape, the economy and global events like the pandemic.
Define your USP
Uncover what makes your business different. Make your USP unique, desirable, short and sweet, jargon-free and specific.
Research your competitors
Look at the marketing and PR activity of your competitors to see what they’re doing and saying on their website and social media channels. Understand what’s working for them and what isn’t. And then do something that’s even better.
Look at your branding
Ensure your colour palette, typeface, logo and tone of voice are consistent across all your marketing materials and touchpoints.
Identify your communication channels
Look at your target audiences and identify the most appropriate mix of communication channels to use in order to reach that audience.
Measure your success
Ensure you reach your key objectives by putting metrics in place for evaluating the success of your marketing and PR efforts.
Need help putting together a brand communication strategy? Or need advice about communicating your businesses values, products, and services? Get in touch now. | https://medium.com/@prsuperstaruk/how-to-create-a-brand-communication-strategy-3aee08a972c6 | ['Jill Kent Aka Pr Superstar'] | 2020-12-18 06:04:58.536000+00:00 | ['Pr', 'Communications Strategy', 'Branding', 'Public Relations', 'Brand Strategy'] |
The Importance of Imagery on Hotel Websites | The Importance of Imagery on Hotel Websites
How hotel photography can enhance the online customer experience and drive direct bookings
When booking a hotel, there are numerous factors individuals must consider before choosing the right one for them. The type of hotel, price, location, amenities and reviews are all extensively analysed by the user before they make a purchase. In today’s digital world, consumers are willing to scour the web, utilising a range of information sources available to them, including online travel agents, social media and review sites to find the best hotel to suit their needs.
Consumers often perceive the purchase of travel products, such as hotel bookings as risky, as they can only be reviewed upon consumption, unlike a physical product such as a jumper which you can try before you buy. Due to this perceived riskiness and the fact travel products are often priced at a premium, the decision-making process of booking a hotel room is incredibly complex.
The Travel Decision Making Process
The decision making process of booking a hotel room can be broken down into five main parts:
1. Need Recognition
An individual identifies a need/desire to book a hotel room.
2. Information Search
The individual will search through a range of information sources.
3. Evaluation of Alternatives
The individual will evaluate a range of hotels which they have identified from the information search stage based on price, location, reviews, amenities etc.
4. Choice of Product or Service
The individual will choose a hotel room based on what best suits their needs from the evaluation stage.
5. Post Purchase Evaluation
The customer will evaluate their experience during and after their stay at the chosen hotel.
The Importance of Hotel Imagery during the Decision Making Process
The intangibility of the travel and tourism sector, means that consumers rely heavily on images to obtain an idea of what their hotel stay will look like before they purchase. Therefore, it’s vital that hotel brands present a range of high quality photos about their hotel and the amenities it offers. Providing consumers with a range of images allows individuals to create a detailed mental picture of what their experience will be like before they purchase.
‘Our research found that there was a 15% increase in conversion rates when hotels used high-quality images, compared to when hotel brands used low quality or minimal photos on their website’. — Univers Labs
Images on a hotel website play both a functional and emotional role in the decision-making process of booking a hotel. In simple terms, they provide the user with an idea of what the hotel, rooms and amenities are like. On an emotional level, images provide an opportunity to inspire and connect with travellers and their hotel or destination.
Driving direct Hotel Bookings and Away from OTAs
The Ritz Experience Website Photography
Since their introduction in the mid-’90s, online travel agents (OTAs) have gained considerable market share. They are particularly popular amongst consumers because OTAs cover a crucial part of the decision making process. OTAs allow users to evaluate alternatives, offering a range of accommodation options and compare prices on one easy to use platform. The convenience that OTAs offer to users has seized opportunities from hoteliers, prompting users to purchase through OTAs and away from booking directly.
A study conducted by TripAdvisor found that photos have the most significant impact for driving engagement from travellers researching a hotel. Providing high quality images of a hotel and extensive photos of individual rooms, can help hotel brands differentiate themselves from OTAs and encourage users to book directly.
A user experience study conducted by Expedia found that when a hotel website displayed multiple images of the hotel, rooms and amenities, individuals felt positive feelings towards the brand and reassured that the brand was being honest. What’s more, consumers were more likely to purchase if the hotel displayed images of rooms with natural light and views outside. As many hotels offer a range of rooms to guests, it can be tricky for users to determine the most appropriate option for them. Budget hotel chain easyHotel, allows users to browse all of their available rooms, providing them with a visual image of what they are actually booking.
easyHotel Room Options
Going Beyond Imagery with 360 Virtual Tours and Augmented Reality
As the hospitality market becomes increasingly competitive, more and more brands are looking for innovative ways to differentiate themselves from their rivals and drive more direct bookings. Hotel brands such as Crowne Plaza and Holiday Inn have all implemented 360 degree virtual tours, allowing users to get a taste of what the hotels have to offer before purchasing.
Hotels such as Premier Inn Hotels have gone a step further implementing augmented reality into their marketing tactics. Users can direct their smartphone at the wall and they collect information about the hotel amenities and the nearest points of attraction. Hotels applying augmented reality into the consumer buying experience can give customers the idea that they are actually in their hotel room before they arrive, allowing users to ‘try before they buy’.
Conclusion
As the hotel market becomes increasingly competitive, providing images of your hotel and its amenities is no longer enough to persuade travellers to book with you. Your hotel brand must connect with your customers on an emotional level, beautiful imagery can both reassure a traveller of what they’re buying and also inspire them, helping to enhance the online customers booking process and drive direct bookings. The rise of new technologies such as virtual and augmented reality are already creating new opportunities for hoteliers to market their brand and are sure to play an important role within the future of the hospitality industry. | https://medium.com/universlabs/the-importance-of-imagery-on-hotel-websites-de8142f8bdb9 | ['Univers Labs'] | 2019-12-06 11:15:29.038000+00:00 | ['Travel', 'Web Development', 'Hotel Booking', 'Web Design', 'UX Design'] |
A Dynamic Authenticator for Oracle Databases | Developed in Rust, October 2020
In this article, I will describe the Dynamic Authenticator for Oracle databases (Dynamic Authenticator for short), a personal application that I developed using the Rust programming language. The application aims to provide multifactor and passwordless authentication to database administrators (DBAs) and power users using the Oracle database. I should noted that this application is not open source software but a personal project that I made to encourage the use of new technologies at my workplace while highlighting the power of the Rust programming language.
Authentication in Oracle Databases
Traditionally, the Oracle database have provided several methods to externalize operations for authentication and authorization, ranging from LDAP, Kerberos, SSL certificates to Radius authentication, being this last one the most practical to implement due to having an option to prompt users for additional credentials via a challenge interface.
The enablement of Radius authentication in the Oracle database allows communication via Radius protocol with an external system for the purpose of handling authentication and authorization operations.
Radius Authentication
Database authentication under Radius can happen in two ways, synchronous and asynchronous (aka challenge-response). In synchronous mode, a user enters a combination of username and password or passcode (e.g. PIN plus a dynamic number) in the client system, which sends the data to the database server, then the server acting as a Radius client passes the data to an external system for validation. Upon sucessful validation, the external system sends back a confirmation message to the database server which in turn instructs the client system to allows the user to access the database.
In asynchronous mode, a challenge interface prompts the user to enter its username and password in the client system, which sends the data to the database server, then the server acting as a Radius client passes the data to an external system for validation. The external system validates the credentials and sends back a challenge message to the database server which in turn instructs the client system to prompt the user for a challenge (e.g. enter an OTP code). Then, the client system sends the challenge response to the database server which then passes it to the external system for validation. Upon sucessful validation, the external system sends back a confirmation message to the database server which in turn instructs the client system to allows the user to access the database.
Based in the above, the main difference between the two modes is the challenge interface which can be customize to work with multiple authentication factors like smart cards, tokens or security keys. The idea is that third-party vendors can build solutions to aument the login process with multifactor authentication (MFA).
The Evolution of Multifactor Authentication (MFA)
At the begining user authentication was based on “something you know” like a username and password taking part in the login process to access protected resources and applications, then authentication systems added “something you have” like a phone or smart card. Later, as technology progressed “something you are” like a fingerprint or facial recognition was added to the verification process. In today’s highly secure environments we can combine MFA with context-aware information like location, time, risk scores and devices, just to name a few, participating in the authentication process.
Although MFA methods add an extra layer of security, those based on SMS or email notifications aren’t foolproof, techniques like exploitation through social engineering, phishing, man-in-the-middle or replay attacks have proven to be sucessful, making MFA not nearly as effective.
However, new standards like WebAuthn and FIDO2 have given birth to a new category of stronger MFA, one that overcomes the issues associated with traditional MFA methods. FIDO2 eliminates the risks of phishing and all forms of password theft and replay attacks by not sharing cryptographic credentials. In adition, biometric data when used never leaves the user’s device, and because cryptographic keys are unique across every website they cannot be used to track users. Moreover, FIDO2 combines WebAuthn and CTAP to provide a simple interface (JavaScript API) that is supported across all browsers and platforms.
The Rust Programming Language
Rust is an open-source systems programming language that was orginaly designed by Mozilla Research. It’s focused on safety and performance and is an ideal language for embedded and bare-metal development. Furthermore, Rust also happens to solve the challenges associated with dynamic types, garbage collection and memory safety present in many other programming languages making it a solid contender for current software development.
The Rust ecosystem is quite large with production-quality software and first-class citizens, in addition to built-in tools. However, Rust strong type system and emphasis on memory safety make the learning curve difficult but once you pass that level, developers usually fall in love according to Stack Overflow Developer Survey Results, “For the fourth year in a row, Rust is the most loved programming language”.
Being a relatively new language, Rust is not only well suited to create powerful cross-platform tools but also to build distributed online services and powerful web applications.
A Practical Design to Implement MFA in Oracle Databases
The Dynamic Authenticator is a simple but versatile solution for Oracle databases to enable multifactor authentication and externalize user authorization with identity providers.
Once a database server is setup for Radius authentication, login operations can be handle in synchronous or asynchronouse mode, the Dynamic Authenticator leverages the asynhcronous mode to provide a custom challenge interface that is not just faster than the build-in interface but also destined to offer strong MFA capabilities, supporting Yubico OTP, DUO Security, FIDO2 devices and Oracle Mobile Authenticator. Besides, the Dynamic Authenticator complements the Radius authentication with a secure TLS channel to protect challenge responses with the user’s client system.
Figure 1 depicts the overall architecture with the Dynamic Authenticator being in charge of authentication and authorization operations.
Figure 1. Dynamic Authenticator for Oracle Databases — Architecture
In addition to validate credentials and perform MFA during the authentication process, the Dynamic Authenticator can also execute authorization operations at the database level by looking at predefined role mappings on user’s group memberships. Group-Roles mappings (Figure 2) is a feature in the Dynamic Authenticator that can be enabled with all supported identity providers, including Azure AD, Oracle IDCS, LDAP, Active Directory and Oracle Access Manager.
Diving into the internals, the Dynamic Authenticator is built as a statically linked binary in Rust which does not requires special installation or external libraries and being a compact exectubale can be easily distributed to a target server. Asynchronous tasks are handled via Tokio, a Rust library for event-driven, non-blocking I/O operations while persistent data is stored in Rockdb, a high performance embedded database for key-value data. Actix Web and Webauthn-rs are powerful Rust libraries use to facilitate authentication operations via WebAuthn and FIDO2 standards, and Tonic is a gRPC library use for handling client-server communications.
In terms of scalability, the Dynamic Authenticator use Rust direct access to system’s functionality to allows multiple threads bind to the same port to achieve significant throughput and low latency when processing network packets. Additionally, multiple instances can be deployed as a cluster to support a large user base. The Dynamic Authenticator also has a built-in command line interface (CLI) to facilitate startup and shutdown operations, change monitoring levels and manage lifecycle of runtime data.
Figure 2 depicts the Group-Roles mapping feature in the Dynamic Authenticator.
Figure 2. Group-Roles Mapping
The main features in the Dynamic Authenticator can be summarized as follow:
Support most Oracle database versions 11g thru 19c
Support multiple databases per Dynamic Authenticator
Standard MFA support: OAM OTP, Yubico OTP, FIDO2 and DUO
Support Passwordless Authentication, Microsoft’s Windows Hello and Apple’s Touch ID
Integration with Active Directory, LDAP, Oracle Access Manager, Oracle Identity Cloud Service and Azure AD
Support One-to-One or One-to-Many group/DB role mappings
Ephemeral role assignment (valid during session lifetime)
Built-in command line interface
Taking a Quick Tour Around the Dynamic Authenticator
The Dynamic Authenticator supports Yubico devices, so DBAs and power users can use a Yubikey to authenticate with their databases by generating a Yubico OTP each time they are prompted for a challenge. The Dynamic Authenticator validates OTPs against Yubico servers thru a secure channel before a user can access an authorized database.
Figure 3 depicts the challenge-response flow during authentication to an Oracle database.
Figure 3. Using Yubico OTP
Similarly, the Dynamic Authenticator can enforce the use of FIDO2 devices during the login process and when combined with the resident keys feature support passwordless authentication.
Figure 4 depicts the use of Microsoft’s Windows Hello to authenticate using biometrics such as fingerprint recognition.
Figure 4. Using Microsoft’s Windows Hello
Upon successful authentication with a FIDO2 device, a user can access an authorized database as depicted in Figure 5.
Figure 5. Using FIDO2 to access a database
Conclusion
As organizations grow adopting hybrid and multicloud environments to add new business capabilities, security become complex. Finding ways to better protect data is key on preventing cyberattacks and MFA is by far one of the best ways to secure access to applications and resources; after all “any MFA is better than no MFA”.
About the Author
Ricardo Gutierrez is a Lead Security Architect at Oracle with more than 12 years in identity and access management, experience in cloud infrastructure, database, application security and enterprise application integration. In his spare time, Ricardo does research and software development using new technologies and is the creator of the E-Business Suite Asserter (EBS Asserter), a component for SSO bundle with Oracle Identity Cloud Service and the Dynamic Authenticator, an MFA solution for Oracle databases. | https://medium.com/@rgutierrez2004/a-dynamic-authenticator-for-oracle-databases-3c34534b1347 | ['Ricardo Gutierrez'] | 2020-12-25 06:33:36.259000+00:00 | ['MFA', 'Multi Factor Authenti', 'Fido2', 'Authentication', 'Oracle Database'] |
The Moon Comes Home 9 | The Moon Comes Home 9
Author’s own image. Photo by Tony Hitchcock
The sun never insulted her
like the others
but she still hated
his arrogance.
Being near to him
was so painful to her
that she never turned
to look at him.
It was bad enough
that her body had to
revolve around his.
She was certainly
not going to give him
her attention as well.
But… he was hard to ignore.
*see previous. see next. | https://medium.com/illumination/the-moon-comes-home-9-3fc18ada4c16 | ['Yeeve Rayne'] | 2020-12-27 18:31:24.046000+00:00 | ['Poetry', 'Awakening', 'Moon', 'Divine Feminine', 'Fine Art Photography'] |
Mom-on-mom warfare: It’s no longer “Friendly Fire” | Hey ladies, want to know who your real enemy is these days?
Forget our misogynist political leaders, the discriminatory boss who doesn’t understand work/life balance, the unrelentingly unrealistic expectations from “society” to be the best at everything, or the disheartening reality that shorts of insufficient length are back in style. I’m talking about our real adversaries: the psychological assassins who lurk in the park, leveling us with a strategically debilitating stink-eye because our kid just announced to an enraptured audience of their kids that he dropped a “deuce of magnificent proportions” in the port-a-potty.
(Hypothetically speaking.)
That’s right my friends, be on the lookout for “friendly fire,” because your fiercest foes are most likely other moms.
I doubt this is a new development. I’m sure Betty and June sat around their mid-century kitchens slamming their neighbor Carol (along with several vodka gimlets), because her pearls were unpolished, her tuna casserole lukewarm, and her son Jack Junior had a predilection for styling Barbie instead of shooting GI Joe. But at least they had the decency to do it behind her back.
Todays “Moms Criticizing Other Moms” phenomenon has become as subtle as our president elect’s hairline. It’s not all that surprising, as expectations for women have reached exospheric levels. We’re trying to excel at work and home, at being a wife and mother, and all while attempting to pull off skinny jeans (literally and figuratively), hoping to minimize our muffin tops as much as postpartumly possible.
We are unraveling at our incompetently sewn seams.
And don’t forget the insane expectations for our children, who aren’t getting into kindergarten these days if they can’t write their name in Kanji or solve differential equations. Whether or not this pressure is self-imposed is a topic for another day. No matter its origin, it exists and the real tragedy is that moms aren’t banding together to fight it. Instead we’re exacerbating it by turning on one another.
Case in point, I remember reading a hilarious blog a couple of years ago, in which the author chronicled the dreaded end-of-the-school-year grind. She brilliantly captured the weariness that parents start to experience around April, the proverbial 12th round of the school year, and she did it in a way that was honest, introspective, and most importantly, really fucking funny.
As I scrolled down to the comment section to commend her for just that, I was shocked to see a torrent of judgmental and hate-filled responses:
“You’re a terrible mother.”
“I feel sorry for your kids.”
“Perhaps you should spend less time blogging and more time on your children.”
“Maybe you shouldn’t have had so many kids in the first place.”
The level of vitriol that this lighthearted piece generated was disturbing, especially coming from other moms — an audience who should’ve been a slam dunk in terms of empathy and support.
I could understand not relating specifically to what she was describing, as we all have our unique sources of frustration. But that’s just it: we all have sources of frustration. Parenting is one of the most challenging jobs around. It’s almost impossible to make it through the day, much less a drive home from the grocery store, without feeling as though you’ve irreparably damaged your precious progeny because you’re just plain punched out.
Who among us hasn’t looked the other way while daddy took the preschooler on a YouTube journey that started innocently with bouncy house prat falls, transitioned to the world’s most disgusting insects, and ended with an alligator eating its way out of a boa constrictor, all because mommy needed some alone (Twitter) time?
Again, hypothetically speaking.
But here was a parade of moms, renouncing any form of frustration, exhaustion, or insecurity about their own parenting, by vilifying this woman who had the audacity to own hers.
I understand that our proclivity to denigrate others for some inexcusable flaw is a psychological defense to protect us from facing that very insecurity within ourselves. Introspection is time consuming and painful, and thus really, really hard. We’ve calibrated our spotlight of censure to shine outwardly for a reason — because it feels safer to keep our own deficiencies in the dark. Not only does it feel safer, it is safer. This strategy has served us well from an evolutionary standpoint. We’re hard-wired to divert attention away from our vulnerabilities, especially when threatened (never let your enemy see your weakness), and what better way to divert, than to attack?
This is why parenting triggers such fierce criticism. We are threatened by things we can’t control, and despite our most fervent attempts at convincing ourselves of the contrary, another human being — most especially a human child being — is the quintessence of something we can’t control. And so we all become experts on how others should parent. Even those who don’t have children are experts how others should parent. Especially those who don’t have children.
We know exactly what behavioral management technique will work with the tantruming child holding up the checkout line at Target (if only her clueless parent knew what they were doing). It’s the very same technique that won’t come close to working with our own 5-year-old the next time she melts down in the middle of a crowded Chinese restaurant because her Lo Mein looks exactly like those disgusting parasitic worms her daddy showed her on YouTube.
Hypothetically.
So what do we gain by maligning anyone, much less our own teammates?Just because I’ve become a judgmental Jedi toward other moms for their arbitrary missteps, doesn’t mean my inadequacy du jour is going to magically disappear. It won’t make me feel any better.
What will, however, is allowing myself to experience the blissful freedom that comes with not only acknowledging — but celebrating — my abundant failures and fears, both as a mom and as a human. Admitting that I’m a horrible cook, for example. That I served Surf and Turf for dinner last night, featuring Pepperidge Farm goldfish sticking out of a hotdog. That my daughter’s only experience with “Quinoa” is shouting it at top volume while karate-chopping her baby brother in his diapered nether region. That I’ve mastered this parenting thing about as proficiently as my child has mastered removing the contents of his nose in an appropriate manner.
And what do I gain by admitting all of this? Talk about experiencing a relief “of magnificent proportions.”
Raising children means perpetually confronting a category F-5 tornado of irrationality. We can’t do it alone. And, in my opinion, we can’t do it without humor (and hiding out in a storm cellar from time to time). If we can’t laugh at our failures, we‘ll never feel comfortable confronting and ultimately learning from them. And most importantly, we’ll fail to teach our children that it’s okay to fail in the first place.
If we never admit we’re frustrated, or disappointed, or insecure, or afraid, then we’re implicitly communicating to our children that those experiences and emotions don’t exist or shouldn’t exist, or at the very least aren’t okay. And in doing so we fail to give our children permission — or the skills — to laugh at themselves, introducing them to the crippling burden of perfectionism. Perfectionism is the antithesis of self-acceptance — not to mention a real downer on dates.
Self-deprecation rests on the premise that we’re not perfect, and that imperfection is not only okay, it’s necessary, and most importantly — it’s really fucking funny. What a critical lesson to teach our children.
(That and not to empty the contents of one’s nose after helping dice a jalapeño. Goddamned homemade salsa recipe. That’s what I get for embracing my culinary ineptitude.)
Originally published at www.flipcollective.com on June 11, 2013. | https://medium.com/flip-collective/friendly-fire-mom-on-mom-criticism-by-katie-levisay-6d4e8ba08aae | [] | 2016-12-10 05:03:22.540000+00:00 | ['Humor', 'Parenting', 'Psychology'] |
Creating Waves in Immersive Tech: Meet Amy Shakespeare | She leads innovation across the museum sector with her work at Cornwall Museums Partnership and the Immersive Museum Network. From the wAVEs projects connecting England to Sicily to promoting accessibility and diversity through the latest AR, VR, and XR technologies, Amy Shakespeare Innovation Manager at Cornwall Museum Partnerships shares with us her thoughts on integrating new ways of working within the arts and inspiring others with the limitlessness of technology.
Amy, looking back, you have had a professional route that has been woven with innovation and visitor experiences. Can you share a bit about your path into the cultural sector and your current role as Cornwall Museums Partnership’s Innovation Manager?
I completed a degree in History at the University of Exeter, at the Cornwall Campus. I was drawn to the course there as it had modules in Public History — something that wasn’t available elsewhere until postgraduate level. During this time I completed a placement at the National Trust and volunteered at the National Maritime Museum Cornwall. However, when I graduated I decided to go into recruitment consulting. After five miserable months, I quit with nothing lined up — realizing that as nice as it was, money wasn’t my main driver.
Following this, I got a job with the National Trust at Godolphin as Visitor Services Officer, managing the house and collections, marketing, and events. After 11 months I secured a promotion to Senior Visitor Experience Officer managing three sites across the Tin Coast and the visitor experience for West Cornwall countryside. During this role, I started my MA in Heritage and Interpretation with the University of Leicester.
Then, I decided it was time for a change as I wanted to progress my career, and I happened to attend one of Cornwall Museums Partnership’s events where I learnt about their goal to create positive social change with museums. I knew it was something I was keen to be involved with.
I applied to be their first Marketing and Impact Officer, but a few months later was project managing the Cornwall Heritage Awards, and then got the job managing the wAVE Project. During this project (which seeks to create immersive experiences in five museums in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly), we realised that there were lots of research and development opportunities for the charity — specifically around innovating with new and emerging technologies. New projects and collaborations were rapidly coming on-board, so we restructured to create a new Innovation Team, which made me the new Innovation Manager in early 2020.
I describe my specialism as being interpretation in all its forms, so I am particularly interested in how we can innovate to create better and more accessible, decolonised, and inclusive interpretation utilising the potential that immersive technology offers.
During my time at CMP I have completed my MA, winning the Professor Susan Pearce Prize for my dissertation ‘What If We Want To Give It Back? The Potential of Democratising The Repatriation Process in Britain’, and have now started a PhD with the University of Exeter.
Can you share more about Cornwall Museums Partnership and its mission?
Cornwall Museums Partnership is an independent charitable incorporated organisation, formed in 2015 to provide leadership for Cornwall’s museums; to support them, represent them and give them a voice. Our purpose is to create positive social change with museums. We do this through four areas of work:
Commissioning programmes
Brokering partnerships
Delivering training and skills development
Research and development
Also, what exciting projects that have been happening or are in the pipeline?
We’ve got the wAVE immersive experiences launching at museums across Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly in May which is really exciting — two VR, one AR, and two apps.
Through wAVE we’ve developed MuseumLens™ with local tech company Pansensic which is a new way of conducting evaluation through chatbots and data scraping of social media and review sites.
I’ve also been managing a project funded by the Museums Association Esmee Fairbairn Fund and The Space, to enable audiences to explore under-utilised audio archives through voice user interfaces in partnership with tech company Hi9. There are 216 variations of experience that users can access through their smart speakers or smart phones and we’ve been working with Plymouth University’s EPIC Health programme to work with care homes in Cornwall who have smart speakers and can use the experience for reminiscence work with residents.
I also founded the Museums Immersive Network which seeks to further establish the use of immersive technology in the sector through webinars and podcasts. This is a truly international network with over 300 members based all over the world.
We have a few exciting projects in the pipeline and I can’t say too much at this stage what they are, but they build on wAVE and our other projects. We are looking to investigate two main strands of immersive technology; the ability to make our museums more accessible in all senses of the word, and supporting museums with practical tools to decolonise.
wAVE Project
Now, wAVE is an amazing project that brings together heritage, academics, and the latest technology. Can you share more about the premise of wAVE, what is stands for, and the impact you have made so far?
The wAVE (AVE = Augmented and Virtual Experiences) Immersive Experiences in Museums Project is funded by the Coastal Communities Fund. The project brings together Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly’s coastal communities, heritage centres and academic experts to develop new and engaging virtual, augmented and immersive reality experiences within the five participating communities of Bude, Looe, St Agnes, Porthcurno and the Isles of Scilly.
wAVE was developed by Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly Local Enterprise Partnership, Cornwall Museums Partnership, and Falmouth University. It aims to use Cornwall’s distinctive heritage to support digital innovation and economic diversification in five coastal communities by maximising Cornwall’s digital infrastructure, skills, and heritage for the benefit of the local economy.
The county’s distinct history coupled with its growing immersive-tech sector, presented a unique opportunity to position Cornwall at the forefront of the transformative potential of such technology.
wAVE follows three strands:
Digital Revival — Innovative technologies developed with Falmouth University’s research experts — such as VR headsets, HD projection, CGI and more — allows visitors to explore heritage sites, see artefacts in their original settings and meet historical figures in new immersive visitor experiences.
Human-Centred Design — Working with staff, volunteers, and communities to ensure that the experiences meet the needs of their future users.
Impact and Legacy — wAVE will raise the profile of Cornwall’s unique culture and heritage offer. Local communities have been involved in a programme of digital training to allow wider tourism businesses to harness the opportunity presented by immersive technology. Allowing local people to add value to their businesses through future-proofing their offer by differentiating their product, becoming more visible and accessing new virtual experiences to entice new visitors.
You can read about the impact of the project so far by viewing the project’s impact report here.
So, what was the reasoning behind implementing immersive technologies for this project? And what unique benefits do these mediums offer?
The heritage of Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly is extraordinarily rich but is at times under-promoted and inaccessible. wAVE seeks to redress this by bringing together technologists, research experts, creative industries and local community networks to take visitors on an interactive and immersive journey into the past, presenting new opportunities for year-round international and domestic tourism.
In 2018, the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Local Enterprise Partnership published its ’10 Opportunities Strategy’ which set out its priority areas for investment. Their number one priority is the creative industries due to Cornwall’s artistic heritage and a rapidly growing digital sector. Falmouth University is one of the leading creative industries-focused universities in the country. The wAVE project aims to harness these assets, to inspire innovation and raise the region’s profile on a national stage. The two-year project runs until July 2021.
The Local Enterprise Partnership identified Augmented, Virtual, and Mixed Reality, alongside cultural tourism as the key distinctive strength for Cornwall. wAVE’s ambition to create new and innovative visitor experiences helps to deliver the LEP’s strategic vision.
This project also allows us to capitalize on Cornwall’s £132 million investment in superfast broadband to enhance the visitor offer or drive footfall in the shoulder season, appeal to younger audiences and emerging international tourism markets. There is a large opportunity for the museums — there are 25.8 million visitors available to the five museums and the current penetration rate is just under 0.5%.
Cornwall’s distinct maritime history, coupled with its growing immersive-tech sector, leading technical and research expertise at Falmouth University presented a unique opportunity to position Cornwall at the forefront of the transformative potential of such technology
The augmented and mixed reality experiences have been co-developed with the five participating communities to interpret the areas’ diverse cultural heritage in new ways. The aim is to provide enjoyable, contemporary and inclusive virtual experiences which will strengthen the local economies.
This means the experiences are not only very different to each other but also deeply connected with the museums, their collections, and the local area.
What advice would you give to other museums and institutions looking at exploring immersive technology?
It’s a pretty common piece of advice — but don’t start with the technology, start with your collections and your stories. Think about what you want to achieve, utilize a user-centred design process, and if a form of immersive technology is still your conclusion then go for it and ask lots of questions!
Now, you not only have these awe-inspiring projects, but you are also creating waves in educating and sharing best practice with the Museum Immersive Network. Would you mind sharing more about this organization?
The Museums Immersive Network came out of a number of discussions and roundtables I was invited to around immersive technology and museums. I realised that there wasn’t one place where all of these conversations could be captured, and yet it was an emerging part of practice that people were keen to learn more about.
Once I had the idea, I got into conversation with Nicola Henderson from XpoNorth and we decided to partner on the network — to demonstrate leadership from the edge with two rural areas at the forefront in this field.
The network has been established to promote and share best practice, new developments, skills development opportunities, and potential collaborations with immersive technology and museums. We believe that immersive technology offers the potential to interpret our collections and share our stories in new, accessible, and interesting ways.
Museums Immersive Network
What is your vision for Museums Immersive Network?
I hope that the Museums Immersive Network will support the establishment of immersive technology more broadly within the sector and boost confidence in working with tech businesses to create new experiences for our communities, as well as innovating and improving practice in other areas of the sector. I think there is a lot of basic digital skills training for museum teams but there are those who are itching to try new things and move onto the next level. There are also those who want to work with tech companies and universities on these types of projects but are not sure where to start, or lack confidence when it comes to agile working and technical jargon. I hope that the network provides some of this training and CPD to boost confidence and enable collaborations which improve the way we work.
How can partners get involved?
We have a bi-annual webinar which runs roughly at the start and middle of each year and focuses on a specific theme — for example January’s webinar was on immersive tech in museums in a post-COVID world. We also have a podcast ‘Immersively, Museums’ which is about to start up again — you can listen to this wherever you usually get your podcasts, but we are also always on the lookout for guests who want to be on the show. We tackle common questions around immersive tech in museums such as ‘Does immersive tech really attract new audiences?’ and ‘How much longevity do immersive tech installations actually have?’.
You can sign up to the Museums Immersive Network mailing list to get all the latest updates here, or watch the previous MIN webinars on the CMP YouTube channel here.
What are you looking forward to at the Culture Reimagined Summit?
I’m really looking forward to the hands-on workshops on museum storytelling, audience mapping, and innovation from other cultural experts and of course any chance to network with other cultural innovators! | https://medium.com/musemio/creating-waves-in-immersive-tech-meet-amy-shakespeare-fa2257dec431 | ['Kaitlin Fritz'] | 2021-03-18 08:44:45.704000+00:00 | ['AR', 'Cornwall', 'Museums', 'Innovation', 'VR'] |
Like The Weather | Like The Weather
A poem
Paul Klee, Picture Album, Public Domain
.
.
Time, the great bringer
of things,
is suspended
on wings gliding
nowhere
in particular,
cutting through
the bluest
slivers of sky.
Hope is as wayward
as any summer breeze,
it blows wisps
of suspended disbelief
in evil and ignorance,
for a moment
before
it evaporates.
Dark clouds
fill marble corridors,
mahogany chambers,
charged air ignites
the people’s house,
and strikes stark raving mad,
unashamed in the face
of all those who didn’t have
to die just yet.
There’s a storm
trooping through
post offices,
cities and towns,
can’t you hear it rumbling?
Mourning time
strikes every hour,
more lives ended,
dreams thwarted,
promise memorialized
instead of realized.
Meals missed,
hunger sets in
as children wonder
if their parents will live.
Will the autumn winds
blow the wisdom
of five-year olds
who see all
the contours of right
and wrong and decorate
it with sidewalk chalk
in rainbow colors of fair,
loving and kind?
When will
there be blue
skies again?
Reality blows back
in successive gusts
and all I can see
is a dark reign of pain,
a downpouring of hate,
and the horror
that some welcome
this weather.
~
© 2020, A. Breslin. All Rights Reserved | https://medium.com/annapoetics/like-the-weather-1a65c637d1c4 | ['Anna Breslin'] | 2020-08-12 12:43:00.202000+00:00 | ['Poetry', 'Life', 'Politics', 'Love'] |
This Week Was a Turning Point in America’s Collapse | This week was a turning point in the United States. I don’t know if it’s being taken as such, though. Too much has been happening too quickly for too long for people to keep up. That’s the point of all the Trump administration’s outrages and the paroxysms of protest that follow. The transgressions come hard and fast with the purpose of fatiguing the opposition, and, more importantly, normalizing the chaotic state of affairs. Chaos is essential to the expression of megalomania, whether interpersonally or institutionally. Unmoving rigidity isn’t the bedrock of totalitarianism; capriciousness is. The rules are enforced uncompromisingly but against only certain groups — who is in and who is out can change overnight, and the rules themselves can be altered or tossed out entirely on a whim. The uncertainty that results is essential in destabilizing any meaningful resistance. The events of this week and how they have been reported have made it uncomfortably clear that the gaping holes in the corporate media’s resistance to the Trump administration’s dishonesty will continue to yawn. They are complicit. They are collaborating.
During times of instability, people rationally seek to cling to something stable, something that has lasted, something they hope will continue to persevere. That thing for much of America — conservative and liberal — is Whiteness. Don’t fall for the line that it’s only Trump supporters and Fox News viewers that are holding down this fort. The handling of the reporting of the aftermath of a throng of White, MAGA hat-sporting teenage boys from Covington Catholic High School taunting Nathan Phillips, a Native American elder, with tomahawk chops and chants of “Build the wall” was an object lesson in the how the machinery of White supremacy mobilizes to protect itself. The hub at the center of the spokes of the most important wheel of that machinery is White innocence.
Nick Sandmann, the White boy smirking at Phillips in the images that were blasted all over social media has wealthy, connected parents. They hired a Republican-affiliated crisis management firm to draft a statement that told anyone who read it not to believe what they’d seen with their own eyes and heard with their own ears in the videos of the incident (of whatever length) that were posted online. The statement wasn’t picked apart for misrepresentations or elisions. It was taken at face value by some of the most powerful news organizations in the world and reported credulously. This is a serious matter. Random people on Twitter who care about the truth did more due diligence than CNN and NBC. It was on social media that the legacy of racism and homophobia at Covington Catholic was uncovered. It was on social media that images of students at the school in blackface at a basketball game turned up. A teenage girl shared a video of some of the Covington Catholic mob jeering her and her friends, telling them, “It’s not rape if you enjoyed it.” What was the reward for this? An appearance on The Today Show for Sandmann and an invitation for students from the school to visit the White House.
The villainization of a Native elder and the rehabilitation of the Covington Catholic gang is deliberately crafted propaganda. People who want to change the subject are missing the point. This isn’t a distraction; it’s a mission statement. It is a demonstration of who runs things and who will be running things decades from now if they get their way. They are showing us the conveyor belt between the past they long for and the future they wish to create. They are telling us there’s nothing anyone can do about it. They are also telling us that Whiteness is at the core of their project, and it will be defended. It is Whiteness and the instinct to protect it at all costs that’s keeping this project on its legs. Reassuring White people that they’re still number one is the reason The Today Show ran that interview. It’s the reason NBC hired Megyn Kelly. They’re trying to find the right line with this new incarnation of Savannah Guthrie, who disgracefully questioned Nathan Phillips’s military service in her interview with him.
This story is important and should be discussed because of how blatantly dishonest the propaganda was that was spread this week. Calling it gaslighting makes it seem like an interpersonal slight. It is much bigger than that. We were all asked not to believe what we saw and heard. We were lied to. The world should be concerned by who participated in spreading this propaganda and how they went about it. A White boy who racially abused a Native elder was given a platform to spread self-serving misinformation, show pride in his disgraceful actions, and declare that he had “nothing to apologize for.” NBC didn’t stand up to a teenager. His dissembling went unchallenged. His insolence isn’t surprising. Neither was Native Americans being thrown under the bus. We all know who is and isn’t believed in America. We all know who is given the benefit of every last doubt. We’ve all seen the script before, but the stakes are higher now. The United States is two years into the Presidency of a fascist. MAGA is a fascist project. Its goal is to turn the country back into a full-fledged White ethnostate. De jure apartheid is where they want this to go. The reflexive defense of Whiteness we saw this week by “neutral” media should chill the blood of everyone who understands what has happened and what could come next.
The camps for the “undesirables” have already been built. They are already being euphemistically called “facilities” (the ones for small children are “tender age facilities”). Families are already being separated. Some of the detainees are already unaccounted for. Given the reports of sexual abusers among the guards, precious little has been said about the fate of the older girls. In addition, a significant portion of America’s Black population, which was engineered to be an underclass, has already been concentrated into prisons and urban ghettoes. I use that word “concentrated” intentionally. I mean to invoke the weight that comes when you put it next to the word “fascism.” I mean to identify mass incarceration as a form of ethnic cleansing. I mean to get you to consider what might come next. The precursors to genocide are all in place. Those red hats and those goonish kids wearing them aren’t something to brush off. The events they’ve precipitated aren’t an irrelevance. They are signs and portents. What we saw is always a part of the story of how it started: with gangs of thugs wearing emblems of their allegiance (like those red hats) intimidating their targets in the streets free from consequence and egged on by their Dear Leader and the machinery that supports him.
The table is set. They really are fascists. Every horror associated with the ideology is on the menu. Elite American media will never admit “it can happen here” until it’s too late. Covington Catholic should have been a layup, but still, even after all this time, after all that’s happened, they can’t even properly identify racial abuse and stand up to it. Do we really expect them to name “fascism” and challenge it in any meaningful way? What much of the mainstream reporting on the Covington Catholic story demonstrates is that any historical context that challenges White America’s notion of itself as “the good guys” will continue to be swept under the rug, no matter the cost. The “boys will be boys” excuses that stretch into middle age for White men will continue to be served up. Racism will continue to be described as “racially tinged,” or some other responsibility-dodging phraseology will be employed. In these shadows, where all of White America secrets its White privilege, fascism will grow unchecked.
This week isn’t just about Covington Catholic, though. The story happened against a backdrop of a deeper, wider American collapse. The federal government remains shut down, and federal workers are standing in literal bread lines to feed themselves and their families. Some are rationing their medication. Some are being told to return to work without pay or risk being fired. Isn’t this what they told us Communism brings? Is there any other wealthy democracy where it’s an expected tactic for government workers’ wages to be taken hostage and essential services withheld from citizens in games of political brinksmanship? In any of America’s peer nations, would government services as fundamental as food inspection and air traffic control be compromised during a political standoff? All this is happening in service to a wall that will never be built and that wouldn’t be effective if it were. It’s all an empty monument to avoid hurting the feelings of Whiteness, a way of reassuring those that hold it that, yes, you’re still in charge. A hobbled government also ceases to be able to fight back against those who wish to undermine it irreversibly.
That Whiteness that was being defended this week? It is married to fundamentalist capitalism. This week, billionaires are making hysterically out-of-touch defenses of it in Davos, Switzerland, where the ultra-rich gathered to explain to the rest of us why allowing them to continue to hoard their wealth like dragons inures to our benefit. These stories are connected, because that sneering White entitlement we saw from the Covington Catholic students gains much of its power from the fundamentalist capitalism whose Vatican is Davos. Capitalist calculus also drives the kid glove reporting of both stories.
Context. That’s what’s missing. It is deliberately stripped away to prevent shining a light into certain dark corners. I say this week was a turning point, because it has become clear that the news organizations that inform the vast bulk of Americans will never provide them with the context they need to understand the moment we’re living through. They couldn’t muster the backbone to tell a smug, impudent teenager to go to his room and think about what he’d done. That battle has been thoroughly lost.
Missing context makes one of the most important stories that happened this week the Supreme Court upholding the Trump administration’s effective ban on transgender people serving in the military. This follows other policies targeting the trans community, including requiring the gender on passports to match the gender on birth certificates. I’ll leave discussing the intricacies of the outcomes of these policies to trans writers who have the range. However, I would like us all to remember the Institut für Sexualwissenschaft, a private institute for the study of human sexuality that was the foremost repository of scientific research on transgenderism until it was destroyed by arson. Its archives were consumed by the fire. It was burned to the ground by the Nazis.
They know to begin with people on the fringes, with people not enough of us care about, with people society is comfortable throwing away. They never stop where they start. The patterns are repeating themselves clearly. This isn’t subtle. We are being bludgeoned by the similarities. But protecting Whiteness and capital is more important than putting a stop to what’s happening. None of this is a distraction. This isn’t a drill. Something has been unleashed, and it’s something electoral wrangling to return to the status quo can’t address. It’s also something that can’t be pinned solely on Donald Trump. America is being given yet another opportunity to face up to its sins. It’s looking less and less likely that it will, and I fear the outcome could be truly catastrophic. | https://kitanyaharrison.medium.com/this-week-was-a-turning-point-in-americas-collapse-1cec2a2cdc41 | ['Kitanya Harrison'] | 2019-01-24 17:36:53.670000+00:00 | ['Culture', 'Racism', 'Fascism', 'Journalism', 'Media'] |
How to Customize QuickSight Dashboards for User Specific Data | We have been getting a lot of queries on how to customize a single QuickSight dashboard for user specific data. We can accomplish this by filtering the dashboard data with login username using AWS QuickSight’s Row-Level Security. To further explain this use-case, let’s consider the sales department in a company. Every day your team of sales agents contacts a list of potential customers. Now you need a single dashboard that is accessed by all the agents but only displays the list of prospects he or she is assigned to.
Note: This is completely different from filter/controls on QuickSight dashboards. If you have filters/controls/parameters set up with dynamic values being picked up from the dataset, then even that data is filtered with Row-Level security, as the underlying dataset itself is filtered with the login username.
Let’s get on with the show! I have created a hypothetical data set. This dataset has a column named assigned-agent which shall be used for filtering.
Using this dataset, I have created a dashboard that looks like so.
This dashboard is shared with two other IAM users (sales agents).
As we haven’t set up any rules both of them can access whole data.
As you can see ziva could also access whole data and we don’t want that!
Our requirement is something like this:
Creating Data Set Rules for Row-Level Security:
Create a file or a query that contains the data set rules (permissions).
It doesn’t matter what order the fields are in. However, all the fields are case-sensitive. They must exactly match the field names and values.
The structure should look similar to one of the following. You must have at least one field that identifies either users or groups. You can include both, but only one is required, and only one is used at a time. If you are specifying groups, use only Amazon QuickSight groups or Microsoft AD groups.
The following example shows a table with user names.
For SQL:
/* for users*/
select User as UserName, Agent as agent_assigned from permissions_table;
Or if you prefer to use a .csv file:
UserName,agent_assigned
"nick","Nick Howe"
"ziva","Ziva Medalle"
"manager","Nick Howe,Ziva Medalle"
Here agent_assigned is a column in the dataset, and UserName is the same as QuickSight login name.
What we are essentially doing is mapping UserName with the agent_assigned column. Let’s suppose ziva has logged in, only those records with condition agent_assigned = Ziva Medalle are picked up. Same is the case with nick.
But in the case of the manager, we want him to be a superuser, so we added all the agent names ( agent_assigned column values).
Note: If you are using an Athena or an RDS or a Redshift or an S3 CSV file-based dataset, just make sure the output format/structure of those sources matches the above-mentioned formats.
Create Permissions Data Set:
Create a QuickSight dataset with the above data set rules. Go to Manage data, choose New data set, choose source and create accordingly. As mine is a CSV, I have just uploaded it. To make sure that you can easily find it, give it a meaningful name, for example in my case Permissions-prospects-list.
After finishing, Refresh the page as it might not appear in the data sources list while applying it to the dataset.
Creating Row-Level Security:
Choose Permissions, From the list choose the permissions dataset that you have created earlier.
Choose Apply data set.
Once you have applied, you should be seeing the dataset has a new lock symbol on it saying restricted.
That’s it. Now the data is filtered/secured based on username.
Manager’s Account:
Ziva’s Account:
Nick’s Account:
You could also add Users to Groups and have permissions set at the group level. More information here.
I hope it was helpful, any queries drop them in the comments section.
Thanks for the read!
This story is authored by Koushik. Koushik is a software engineer and a keen data science and machine learning enthusiast. | https://medium.com/zenofai/how-to-customize-quicksight-dashboards-for-user-specific-data-dd33ac6f19ec | ['Engineering Zenofai'] | 2019-12-04 11:46:34.298000+00:00 | ['Analytics', 'AWS', 'Big Data', 'Data Science', 'Cloud Computing'] |
An Open Letter to President-elect Biden’s Team Supporting Ending Immigrants’ Torture | Immigration | United States
An Open Letter to President-elect Biden’s Team Supporting Ending Immigrants’ Torture
As adults, we remember what it was like as children, to wait for a parent who’s been delayed or gone, and, as parents, we understand the fear for a child who is missing or in danger Penofgold Follow Dec 21, 2020 · 3 min read
Gabriela’s Plight, by Liz Pawlak. Used with permission of artist
Dear President-elect Joe Biden, Vice President-elect Kamala Harris, Dr. Jill Biden, and Mr. Douglas Emhoff,
Congratulations on the Electoral vote confirming your leadership Mr. President-elect Biden and Madam Vice-President-elect Harris and your families! Your words through TV and video bring comfort and optimism.
We are so relieved to see that your team has a piority to move forward with the complex but blessed task of changing the immigration system and that you care deeply about the families. You bless the country with hope and unity with your plans to help immigrants; your aims were described in the videos “Immigration: Here’s the Deal With Joe Biden”, and the NBC News interview “Joe Biden Outlines Immigration Plan For First 100 Days”.
Madam Vice-President-elect Harris, I was heartened by the news that you met with mothers despairing over the separation from their children at the Otay Mesa Immigration and Detention Facility in San Diego. I appreciate your frankness in general, and in calling the center a prison, and your discernment that the treatment inside the prison was “a crime against humanity”.
I know Dr. Jill Biden that you braved walking through mud and saw the unhospitable conditions of the people living in the tent city at the Matamoros refugee camp in dangerous Tamaulipas, Mexico. With this knowledge, I trust you will be a support in the ways that you can be to these important efforts. And, Mr. Emhoff, I saw in your profile online that care for children is a priority for you. Many minds and hearts of your team know this work of mercy.
As your hearts have been heart-broken by knowing of conditions of immigrant children and parents, mine was too, unexpectedly, from the first time I hesitantly wrote cards to children I didn’t know in detention centers in El Paso. Among the tragedies of the families, there is a child who as a baby was separated from parents who have not been located. Indeed, sources say that 360 children have been lost in the system, and 545 parents. Will you consider alleviating the suffering of separated children as an immediate priority? Pope Francis called family separation “cruelty of the highest form” in a documentary. When you help end this cruelty, a great chorus of peoples and angels will sigh together in chords of assent, relief, and congratulations.
With so much respect, cheering you on, prayers and thanks for your compassion and initiative,
Claudia Susan Gold, mother of a daughter, grandmother, MPH, ACSW
Addendum:
Seven steps for short and long term re-setting immigration
Link to collection of seven stories I wrote about hidden conditions of immigrants
Please click on the articles to the left of the images below
“At the moment of commitment, the entire universe conspires to assist you.” Goethe
Claudia S. Gold is a mother, clinical social worker, and public health educator educated at Columbia University. She headed the HUGS project for sending cards to separated children in three detention centers in El Paso, which was curtailed by the pandemic. She can be reached at [email protected].
Joe Biden and Dr. Jill Biden | https://medium.com/illumination-curated/an-open-letter-to-president-elect-bidens-team-supporting-ending-immigrants-torture-958502016f0e | [] | 2020-12-21 15:49:04.870000+00:00 | ['Illumination Curated', 'Children', 'Human Rights', 'Immigration', 'Diversity'] |
Neblio Development Update 7 (August 27 2018) | Enhancing the NTP1 Token Ecosystem & Upgrading the Neblio Network
We are extremely excited to share all of the new features we have been working hard on over the past weeks. Our top priority has been adding features and enhancements to improve NTP1 Token usability and adoption throughout our entire suite of software solutions, while also upgrading the underlying Neblio Network to dramatically increase its speed and transaction per second throughput.
neblio-Qt & nebliod with NTP1 Support Beta Release (Testnet)
Since the release of Neblio Token Protocol-1, our web wallet, Neblio Orion has been the only way to store, send, and receive NTP1 tokens…until today. We are very excited to release Beta versions of neblio-Qt and nebliod that have full & native support for sending and receiving NTP1 tokens. This update adds new dialogs to neblio-Qt for users and new RPC commands for nebliod aimed at supporting exchange listings of NTP1 tokens.
The new NTP1 Summary tab gives you an overview of your NTP1 tokens and their balances. The Send Tokens tab has a new dialog to choose whether you would like to send NEBL, or one of your NTP1 tokens. You must click the refresh button to the right to populate your NTP1 tokens. On the Transactions tab, right clicking on a transaction and selecting “Transaction Details” will now also show NTP1 details included in that transaction, such as TokenID, amount, etc. If you have issues displaying your NTP1 tokens, you should first clear the NTP1 Token cache. Do this in the wallet settings and then click NTP1 Options.
NTP1 RPC Commands for NTP1 Listing on Exchanges
We have added the following new RPC commands so that Cryptocurrency Exchanges can easily support NTP1 Tokens. If any exchange has a request for a specific command or information returned by a command, please file a GitHub issue or contact us and we will add it ASAP.
createrawntp1transaction [{"txid":txid,"vout":n},...] {address:{tokenid/tokenName:tokenAmount}{address:neblAmount,...}
Create a transaction spending given inputs (array of objects containing transaction id and output number), sending to given address(es).
Returns hex-encoded raw transaction. Note that the transaction is not stored in the wallet or transmitted to the network.
getntp1balances
Returns a list of all NTP1 balances contained in the wallet.
listaddressgroupings
Now also returns NTP1 info for each address.
sendntp1toaddress
sendntp1toaddress <neblioaddress> <amount> <tokenId/tokenName> [comment] [comment-to]
Much of this work was completed over hundreds of hours by the team to solve problems and create solutions for a project that was originally thought to be unfeasible, or impossible. Thanks Sam!
Apart from simply adding NTP1 support to the wallets, this change fully decentralizes the NTP1 protocol, by adding new NTP1 methods of consensus to every node as well as removing a single point of failure for the NTP1 Protocol as the API server that Neblio Orion and Enterprise/Application users rely on, is not used by neblio-Qt & nebliod.
Please download and test this beta release as soon as possible, even if you do not normally run a testnet node/wallet. The more testers and active users we have the quicker we can find bugs and get this release ready for mainnet! Report all issues on GitHub or contact us. You can download here:
https://github.com/NeblioTeam/neblio/releases
If you need testnet NEBL to use with your Beta wallet, or to issue your own NTP1 Token on testnet, you can easily get some via our NTP1 Testnet faucet at the URL below (change the address to your Testnet Address).
Neblio Block Explorer Gets NTP1 Support
NTP1 support is finally live on the Neblio Block Explorer (Testnet)! This allows all to see the movement of NTP1 tokens, address balances, and even a list of all NTP1 tokens issued. This feature further enables Cryptocurrency Exchanges to list NTP1 tokens as they normally require a functional block explorer for token listing.
Currently Available Features:
A new Token Page displays all currently issued tokens, with links for more information regarding individual tokens. Address pages now show NTP1 Token balances, along with NEBL. Transactions that move NTP1 tokens now have a token icon in the ‘Tokens’ column on all pages. Transaction pages now show NTP1 token transaction information for all transactions that move NTP1 tokens.
We’re excited to further refine the block explorer to display token metadata and more NTP1 information, fix bugs in our implementation, and bring this explorer to Mainnet in time for our other Mainnet upgrades!
Announcing Neblio Orion “Token Stacking”
This is a minor, but MUCH requested feature for Neblio Orion that further improves the usability of both Orion and NTP1 tokens overall. Starting today on both testnet and mainnet, Neblio Orion combines all NTP1 token balances into a single entry! For those that do not use Orion often, each individual NTP1 transaction would create a new entry on your NTP1 Tokens page, meaning that you could have multiple entries for a single token such as “TRIF” and to get your total “TRIF” balance you would need to add up all of the entries on the page manually, and also send each entry separately. Whereas today, you will have a single entry for all of your “TRIF” with your total balance, what many users refer to as “stacking”.
While it may seem like a simple change from the outside, combining these entries into a single entry was not a small change due to changes needed to how tokens were selected during spending. We’re committed to continuing to improve the usability of everything related to NTP1. We’re listening, keep the feature requests coming!
Activating The Neblio Network Upgrade (Neblio Tachyon) on Mainnet
We’ve decided on a name for our Network Upgrade: Tachyon
A Tachyon is a hypothetical faster-than-light particle that we think perfectly describes this Network Upgrade for Neblio. We are massively increasing both the network speed and throughput and this name reflects Sam’s physics background who worked very hard to make this upgrade, and the NTP1 upgrades, possible.
After a successful Testnet Activation on August 1st, 2018, we are working to upgrade all of our Neblio & NTP1 software to be compatible with the Neblio Tachyon upgrade. Once we are ready (still planned for late-Q3/Q4), we will schedule the same upgrade for mainnet.
Tachyon Will:
After all of our optimizations, enable an incredible 119.4X increase in transactions-per-second throughput on the Neblio Network.
Increase Neblio’s OP_RETURN maximum size to 4096 bytes to allow for future NTP1 upgrades.
To read more about the Neblio Tachyon Network Upgrade, see our last blog post. | https://medium.com/neblio-blog/neblio-development-update-7-august-27-2018-20b7ea1c1cbf | [] | 2018-08-30 18:47:06.858000+00:00 | ['Ethereum', 'Cryptocurrency', 'Bitcoin', 'Blockchain'] |
Eight Lifestyle Tips to Drop Breast Cancer Risk | Health
Eight Lifestyle Tips to Drop Breast Cancer Risk
Photo by National Cancer Institute on Unsplash
Many factors can influence your risk of getting breast cancer. Of course, some variables are not changeable, including getting older and your family history. However, there are ways you can help lower your risk of breast cancer.
A risk factor is something that raises your probability of getting a disease, such as breast cancer. But having risk factors does not mean that you are certain to get the disease. Some breast cancer risk factors are related to personal behaviors. Today we explore ways you can empower yourself or individuals about whom you care.
Photo by Wil Stewart on Unsplash
Seven Ways to Help Reduce Your Risk
Maintain a healthy weight. Being overweight increases breast cancer risk, particularly after menopause. Here’s one reason why: After menopause, the vast majority of your estrogen comes from fat tissue. Having more fat tissue raises the amount of estrogen your body makes, in turn, lifting your breast cancer risk. Also, being overweight is associated with higher levels of insulin, which also raises risk. Get regular physical activity. Regular exercise can drop your breast cancer risk. The American Cancer Society (ACS) Guidelines for Diet and Physical Activity recommend getting at least 150 to 300 minutes of moderate-intensity or 75 to 150 minutes of vigorous-intensity activity each week. Don’t drink alcohol, or limit it. Women who have one standard drink a day have about a 1.1-times increase in risk compared with non-drinkers, while women who have 2 to 3 drinks a day have about a 1.2-times higher risk than non-drinkers. If you choose to consume alcohol, the ACS recommends that women have no more than one standard drink on any given day. A standard drink is 12 ounces of regular beer, 5 ounces of wine, or 1.5 ounces of hard liquor. Don’t smoke cigarettes. Breastfeed your children, if possible. Combination hormones. If you consider hormones (such as hormone replacement therapy or oral contraceptives), ask your healthcare provider about the risks. The combination of estrogen and progesterone increases breast cancer risk. The combination hormone approach can also increase breast density, rendering it more challenging to find breast cancer on a mammogram. If you choose to use hormone replacement therapy, keep the dose as low as possible, and use it for as short a time as possible. Know your risk. Ask a healthcare provider to help you calculate your own risk. This is especially important if you have a family history of breast or ovarian cancer or inherited genetic changes such as BRCA1 or BRCA2. Get screening as indicated.
Staying healthy throughout your life will lower your risk of developing cancer, and improve your chances of surviving cancer if it occurs.
References | https://medium.com/beingwell/eight-lifestyle-tips-to-drop-breast-cancer-risk-5202c442870a | ['Michael Hunter Md'] | 2020-12-16 12:26:26.165000+00:00 | ['Health', 'Women', 'Cancer', 'Lifestyle', 'Breast Cancer'] |
Uninterruptible power supply buyers guide | An uninterruptible power supply (UPS) offers a simple solution: it’s a battery in a box with enough capacity to run devices plugged in via its AC outlets for minutes to hours, depending on your needs and the mix of hardware. This might let you keep internet service active during an extended power outage, give you the five minutes necessary for your desktop computer with a hard drive to perform an automatic shutdown and avoid lost work (or in a worst case scenario, running disk repair software).
In terms of entertainment, it could give you enough time to save your game after a blackout or—perhaps more importantly—give notice to others in a team-based multiplayer game that you need to exit, so you’re not assessed an early-quit penalty.
A UPS also doubles as a surge protector and aids your equipment and uptime by buoying temporary sags in voltage and other vagaries of electrical power networks, some of which have the potential to damage computer power supplies. For from about $80 to $200 for most systems, a UPS can provide a remarkable amount of peace of mind coupled with additional uptime and less loss.
UPSes aren’t new. They date back decades. But the cost has never been lower and the profusion of options never larger. In this introduction, I help you understand what a UPS can offer, sort out your needs, and make preliminary recommendations for purchase. Later this year, TechHive will offer reviews of UPS models appropriate for home and small offices from which you can make informed choices.
Updated December 7, 2020 to add our Tripp Lite AVR900U uninterruptible power supply review. This otherwise fine product doesn’t earn our strong recommendation because it produces a simulated or stepped sine wave that can cause problems with computers outfitted with active power factor correction (PFC).
[ Further reading: The best surge protectors for your costly electronics ]Uninterruptible is the key wordThe UPS emerged in an era when electronics were fragile and drives were easily thrown off kilter. They were designed to provide continuous—or “uninterruptible”—power to prevent a host of a problems. They were first found in server racks and used with network equipment until the price and format dropped to make them usable with home and small-office equipment.
Amazon This inexpensive AmazonBasics Standby UPS ($80) features 12 surge-protected outlets, but only six of them are also connected to its internal battery for standby power.
Any device you owned that suddenly lost power and had a hard disk inside it might wind up with a corrupted directory or even physical damage from a drive head smashing into another part of the mechanism. Other equipment that loaded its firmware off chips and ran using volatile storage could also wind up losing valuable caches of information and require some time to re-assemble it.
Mentioned in this article Cyberpower CP800AVR UPS See it Hard drives evolved to better manage power failures (and acceleration in laptops), and all portable devices and most new computers moved to movement-free solid state drives (SSDs) that don’t have internal spindles and read/write heads. Embedded devices—from modems and routers to smart devices and DVRs—became more resilient and faster at booting. Most devices sold today have an SSD or flash memory or cards.
It’s still possible if your battery-free desktop computer suddenly loses power that it may be left in a state that leaves a document corrupted, loses a spreadsheet’s latest state, or happens at such an inopportune moment you must recover your drive or reinstall the operating system. Avoiding those possibilities, especially if you regularly encounter minor power issues at home, can save you at least the time of re-creating lost work and potentially the cost of drive-rebuilding software, even if your hardware remains intact.
A more common problem can arise from networking equipment that has modest power requirements. Losing power means losing access to the internet, even when your cable, DSL, or fiber line remains powered or active from the ISP’s physical plant or a neighborhood interconnection point, rather than a transformer on your building or block. A UPS can keep your network up and running while the power company restores the juice, even if that takes hours.
When power cuts out, the UPS’s battery kicks in. It delivers expected amounts over all connected devices until the battery’s power is exhausted. A modern UPS can also signal to a computer a number of factors, including remaining time or trigger a shutdown through built-in software (as with Energy Saver in macOS) or installed software.
CyberPower In the event of a blackout, CyberPower’s software will gracefully shut down a computer while it operates on battery power from its CP800AVR UPS.
One of the key differentiators among UPSes intended for homes and individual devices in an office is battery capacity. You can buy units across a huge range of battery sizes, and the higher-capacity the battery, the longer runtime you will get or more equipment you can support with a single UPS. In some cases, it may make sense to purchase two or more UPSes to cover all the necessary equipment you have, each matched to the right capacity.
Mentioned in this article AmazonBasics Standby UPS 800VA 450W Surge Protector Battery Backup See it Batteries do need to be replaced, although it can be after a very long period. A UPS typically has a light or will use a sound to indicate a battery that needs to be replaced, and it might indicate this via software running on the computer to which it’s connected.
With great power, comes great power conversionUPSes for consumer and small-business purposes come in standby and line interactive versions. Standby units keep their battery ready for on-demand, automatic use, but it’s otherwise on standby, as its name indicates. A line interactive version feeds power through an inverter from the wall to connected devices while also charging the battery. It can condition power, smoothing out highs and lows, and switch over to the battery within a few milliseconds. (Other flavors are much more expensive or intended for critical systems and higher power consumption.)
A few years ago, the price differential was high enough that you had to really balance the need for particular features against cost. Now, you may want to opt for a line interaction UPS because of its advantages, which include less wear and tear of the battery, extending its lifetime. Batteries are relatively expensive to replace, at a good fraction of the original item’s purchase price, so keeping them in fit condition longer reduces your overall cost of ownership.
A UPS isn’t just about providing power when it’s interrupted, though, and that’s another place that a standby and line interactive approach vary.
Glenn Fleishman / IDG APC’s website offers a handy tool that will help you decide which of its UPSes fit your requirements, based on total power draw and how long you’ll need battery power for your components.
These three voltage fluctuations can happen regularly or infrequently on power supplied by your utility:
Surges: Utilities sometimes have brief jumps in electrical power, which can affect electronics, sometimes burning out a power supply or frying the entire device. Surge protection effectively shaves off voltage above a certain safe range. Sags: Your home or office can have a momentary voltage sag when something with a big motor kicks on, like a clothes dryer or a heat pump—sometimes even in an adjacent apartment, house, or building. Undervoltage (“brownouts”): In some cases with high electrical usage across an area, a utility might reduce voltage for an extended period to avoid a total blackout. This can mess with motor-driven industrial and home equipment—many appliances have motors, often driving a compressor, as in a refrigerator or freezer. With electronics, extended undervoltage has the potential damage some power supplies. A standby model typically relies on dealing with excess voltage by having inline metal-oxide varistors (MOVs), just as in standalone surge protectors. These MOVs shift power to ground, but eventually burn out after extensive use. At that point, all the UPS models I checked stop passing power through. (That’s as opposed to most surge protectors, which extinguish a “protected” LED on their front, but continue to pass power.)
For power sags and undervoltage, a standby model will tap the battery. If it happens frequently or in quick succession, your UPS might not be up to the task and provide enough delay that a desktop system or hard drive loses power long enough to halt its operating system or crash.
Mentioned in this article Tripp Lite Smart1500LCDT See it A line interactive UPS continuously feeds power through a conditioner that charges the battery and regulates power. This automatic voltage regulation, known as AVR, can convert voltage as needed to provide clean power to attached outlets without relying on the battery. With a line interactive model, the battery is used only as a last resort.
There’s one final power characteristic of a UPS that can be found in both standby and line interactive models: the smoothness of the alternating current generation produced by the model from the direct current output by its battery. Alternating current reverses its power flow smoothly 60 times each second, and a UPS must simulate that flow, which can be represented as an undulating sine wave.
Tripp Lite The Tripp Lite Smart1500LCDT is a line-interactive UPS, meaning it feeds connected devices conditioned power while it charges its battery at the same time. In the event of a blackout, it will switch to battery power within a few milliseconds.
A UPS might produce a pure sine wave, which adds to cost, or a stairstepped one, in which power shifts more abruptly up and down as it alternates. A rough simulated sine wave can be a showstopper for certain kinds of computer power supplies, which have components that interact poorly with the voltage changes. It could cause premature wear on components or cause them to outright shut down or cause additional damage.
If your device has active power factor correction (PFC) or incorporates fragile or sensitive electronics, especially for audio recording, you likely need a pure sine wave. It’s not always easy to figure out if your device has active PFC; when in doubt, opt for a pure sine wave—the additional cost has come way down.
Even for equipment that isn’t susceptible to power-supply problems, a stepped sine wave can cause a power supply to emit a high-pitched whine when it’s on battery power.
One final UPS feature that may also be helpful: less-expensive models have one or more LEDs to indicate certain status elements, like working from backup power or the internal battery needing to be replaced. Others have an LCD screen (sometimes backlit) that provides a variety of information, sometimes an excessive amount, which may be viewable through software installed on a connected computer.
All UPSes have built-in audible alarms for outages, and some are quite loud.
APC A UPS that puts out a pure sine wave, such as this APC SMC1000, is your best choice if you’re operating sensitive equipment, such as audio-recording gear. An LCD display is also useful for monitoring the UPS’s status.
Determining your UPS needsMost of us have two main scenarios to plan for: keep the network up, and prevent our AC-powered computers from abruptly shutting down. These involve very different choices in hardware and configuration.
One common element between both, however: having enough outlets spaced correctly to plug all your items directly in. Most UPSes feature both battery-backed outlets and surge-protected outlets that aren’t wired into the battery. You need to study quantity and position, as it is strongly recommended you don’t plug a power strip or other extensions into either kind of UPS outlet, as it increases the risk of electrical fire.
That can be particularly tricky if you have large “wall wart” style AC adapters or wider-than-average AC plugs.
Scenario 1: Keep the network up Mentioned in this article APC Smart-UPS C 1000VA (model SMC1000) See it Examine all the devices that make up your network. That may include a broadband modem, a VoIP adapter for phone calls, one or more Wi-Fi routers, one or more ethernet switches, and/or a smart home hub. Because you may have these spread out across your home or office, you might wind up requiring two or more UPSes to keep the network going.
If you have a modem, router, and switch (plus a VoIP adapter if you need it) all in close proximity, you might be able to live without other parts of your networking operating during an outage. It’s also probable that you already have this hardware plugged into a surge protector. (These devices tend to not benefit from a UPS’s sag/undervoltage assistance, as their DC adapters tend to provide power in a larger range of circumstances.)
You might already have a simple battery backup built into or included with one or more pieces of equipment. Many smart home hubs have built-in battery backups. And since government regulators typically require a multi-hour battery backup for VoIP service, your broadband modem or VoIP adapter might include an internal battery for that reason.
To find out the size of UPS you need, check the specs on all your equipment. This is usually molded in plastic in black-on-black 4-point type on the underside of the gear or on a DC converter that you plug directly into a power outlet or that comes in two parts with a block between the adapter to your device and a standard AC outlet cord. The numbers you are looking for are either DC voltage and amperage, like 12 volts and 1.5 amps, or total wattage, like 18 watts.
Add up these quantities, and that can let you use planning tools to find the right unit. For instance, APC offers an extended runtime chart that lists wattage and runtime for each of its units. You can also use a calculator on the site in which you add devices or watts and it provides a guide to which units to purchase and how much time each could operate at that load.
For most combinations of gear and affordable units, you should be able to keep network equipment running for at least an hour entirely on battery power. Spend more or purchase multiple units, and you could boost that to two to eight hours.
Glenn Fleishman / IDG To determine the size of UPS you’ll need, add up the the number of watts that each device will draw. You can find this information on each one’s power supply or AC adapter.
Scenario 2: Bridge power blips and shut down a computerYour goal here is to make sure all your devices that need to continue running have enough power to do so across a short outage and to shut down—preferably automatically—during any outage that lasts more than a few minutes.
There are two separate power issues to consider: the electrical load that devices connected to the UPS’s battery-backed outlets add up to, and the capacity of the internal battery on the UPS, which determines how long power can flow at a given attached load. (The outlets only protected against power surges have a far higher power load limit that computer equipment won’t exceed.)
Start by calculating the total wattage for all the equipment you’re going to connect, just like with network gear. Most hardware will show a single number for watts or a maximum watts consumed; if it only shows amperes (or amps), multiple 120 (for volts) times the amps listed to get watts. In my office, I have an iMac, an external display, a USB hub, and two external hard drives. That adds up to about 250W.
With that number, you can examine the maximum load on a UPS, which is often perplexingly listed using either volt-amperes (VA) and watts or both. Although volts times amps and watts should be equal, UPS manufacturers use a different formula, which is probably a bad idea. Watts on a UPS is volts times amps times power factor, or the efficiency with which a power supply on a computer or other device provides power from its AC input to its components.
AmazonBasics A UPS uses a USB cable to communicate with a connected computer, triggering software on the machine to gracefully short down while operating on battery power.
In practice, you can still add up all your devices in watts, and use that as a gauge to find a UPS that exceeds that amount by some margin: you can’t exceed the UPS load factor with your equipment, or it won’t function. (If a UPS is rated only in VA, multiply that number by a power factor of 0.6 or 60% to get the bottom level in watts.)
With that number in hand, you can then look over the runtime available on models that can support your total load, consulting the figures, charts, or calculators noted above that manufacturers provide to estimate how many minutes you get on battery-only power.
With my iMac set up above of 250W, I have several options in the $100 to $150 range that have a power load maximum far above that number and which can provide five or more minutes of runtime.
It’s also critical to pick a UPS model that includes a USB connection to your desktop computer, along with compatible software for your operating system. While macOS and Windows have built in power-management options that can automatically recognize compatible UPS hardware, you might want additional software to tweak UPS settings (like alarm sounds) or to provide detailed reports and charts on power quality and incidents.
The OS power-management tools and software from UPS makers give you options to create safe, automatic shutdown conditions. You can define a scenario like, “If the outage lasts more than three minutes or if the battery’s power is less than 50 percent, begin an immediate safe shutdown.”
It’s also important to be sure that all your running apps can exit without losing data and not halt the shutdown. For instance, an unsaved Word file might prevent Windows from completing a shutdown. In macOS, the Terminal app refuses to quit by default if there’s an active remote session, but it can be configured to ignore that.
Picking the right UPSWith all that in mind, here’s a checklist to go through in evaluating a UPS:
What kind of time with power during an outage do you require? Long for networked equipment; short for a computer shutdown. How many watts do your equipment consume? Calculate your connected devices’ total power requirements. Do you have frequent or long power sags? Pick line interactive instead of standby. With a computer, does it rely on active PFC? If so, pick a model with a pure sine wave output. How many outlets do you need for power backup? Will all your current plugs fit in the available layout? Do you need to consult the UPS status frequently enough or in detail that an LCD screen or connected software is required? We’re in the process of reviewing several uninterruptible power supplies and will update this stories with links to those reviews as we finish them. Stay tuned.
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/@fany13299804/uninterruptible-power-supply-buyers-guide-392ef896b35d | [] | 2020-12-24 22:12:26.734000+00:00 | ['Services', 'Mobile', 'Security Cameras', 'Surveillance'] |
The Game Plays Out | “Protestors . . .” by Damien Checoury on Unsplash
The Game Plays Out
Planning for the ugly realities
What do we do now? Yet another stage of disgust and desperation has been reached. Nothing remains of previous hope. All that we have is the endless list of lies, corrupt acts, and deteriorating international relations.
Since my last attempt to be positive with what could come from this met with the opinion that it just won’t happen, let’s look at elements of what would be the more likely outcomes. These realities start from political paralysis, structural failure and destruction that the election of Trump represented from the beginning. There is a growing belief that only when this destruction is inescapable will the people who refuse to see anything but propaganda and refuse to hear anything but lies begin to admit the reality of the disaster.
Maybe so. But what will that stage be? How far down does this need to go before the keepers of the illusion, the myth of exceptional nation and the wealth within reach of all, are forced to admit that lie?
The decades of decay and descent into economic and political ignorance, the coddling of billionaires, racism, misogyny and bigotry was allowed because it was only politics. The complete denial of free education, national healthcare, job and income security that the majority of this country has demanded for years is simply the proper action of representatives who only represent the wealthy oligarchy and this is the thieving nature of our government.
The old ranger thirty-five years ago, an actor politician committed to lies and theft, made our government the enemy and sneered at the foolish idea of equality. His message was give us all that you have and we will tell you that you are special. And then you will be happy because we are rich and our leavings will be enough for you. The economic lie failed quickly while wealth has been poured into the pockets of the richest while the leavings have barely increased for the rest.
Since then the rule has been to find those who can be blamed and made to pay. As incomes stagnated and debt has grown a new class of poor has been created that have little of significant value except their lives. The costs of healthcare and daily living have increased tightening the vice. The costs of products that have remained low due to global trade are now threatened by trade wars caused by ignorance and corruption.
To keep the scam going it has became essential to allow the people who bought and swallowed the lies to finally release their hatred. Trump was useful to focus the hate on the weakest part of America, immigrants and people of color.
Hatred was all that was left. Ignorance is wealth. You have no idea why you are poor. We tell you that you are wealthy because we are wealthy. And you have been told that all knowledge and logic are fake and education is a lie. Thirty years of hard work at the same pay but those that matter are vastly wealthier by the year. And your opportunities are gone. Your children will have even less. The thieves, whomever they are, need to be denounced, brutalized, murdered , and deported. Their children must suffer.
The options have been steadily eliminated. Will the migrations to the coasts and then to other countries grow until it cannot be ignored? Will the litany of crimes against Trump and his coterie of stooges be made public in the summer and will public anger explode? The fools represented by the fool in the White House have no understanding of these dangers but his danger is our danger now. And the people who were not fooled by the wild shouting are now very, very worried and they see no way out.
One possible scenario:
Mueller’s list of crimes is reported to the Justice Department and Congress as required but no action is taken. The list of crimes is leaked and the midterm election becomes confused with Republican candidates dropping out and their places being taken by opportunists as public anger and the fear of retribution spreads.
Trump cannot be removed legally, refuses to resign, and the election is a shambles with all races protested and then ignored. The old Congress refuses to act. Coastal states begin to break away. The US ceases to exist and the Trump police state struggles to take control of what is left. Who takes the military?
A second scenario:
All as above but the Mueller report becomes an indictment but Trump pardons his family, stooges, and himself. In reaction the election becomes an overthrow in the face of the crimes committed by Trump and cohort and impeachment is successful in the new House of Representatives. The Senate hearings drag on because there is no clear or ethical majority. The federal government and Supreme Court continue to be crippled.
The economy crashes as the bubble created by the ill conceived tax scam bursts triggered by trade wars and corruption too large to ignore. Prices rise and the lack of assets for the majority of population with the destruction of the safety nets leave more and more without choices. Slow government collapse ensure with thousands crossing the Canadian and Mexican borders to safety and a way to survive. International refugee camps line the Canadian and Mexican borders.
A third scenario:
Trump fires Mueller and the corrupt Congress talks but makes only token gestures of condemnation. The trade wars generate united international action sanctioning the US. This triggers the economic collapse.
The election replaces the House of Representatives and the Senate remains split. Trump expands ICE to handle domestic insurgency and suppress dissidents. The 2020 election returns Trump to power while fighting breaks out on the California, Oregon, Washington newly unified border. Cities break away from states in the south and elsewhere. The nation stumbles into chaos. | https://mike-meyer.medium.com/the-game-plays-out-a74848603967 | ['Mike Meyer'] | 2018-06-02 01:07:32.504000+00:00 | ['Trade', 'Economics', 'International', 'Politics', 'Corruption'] |
Startups take note — Here’s why to use a logo maker for your next brand? | Startups take note — Here’s why to use a logo maker for your next brand? TechGenyz Follow Feb 7, 2020 · 3 min read
Logo makers are not a new concept. The first time I used one to play around with some designs was back in 2004. The process was difficult, frustrating and the results were underwhelming to put it politely. Needless to say, I gave up on the idea of using an online application to design a logo.
Fast forward to 2020 and things have changed significantly. Online design applications have evolved into easy-to-use tools that produce quality designs. There are a number of quality tools out there but my personal favorite is the GraphicSprings logo maker. They offer over 5000 logo graphics and use AI to offer various layouts, color combinations, and previews.
Here are 4 reasons you should use a logo maker for your next branding project.
Selection
The biggest benefit of using a logo maker is that you can play around with thousands of designs. If you hire a graphic design company you will get 5 concepts if you’re lucky. Being able to choose from thousands of graphics allows you to find a design that suits your business perfectly. Here is a mockup I created in under 2 minutes using GraphicSprings:
Cost
Starting out any new venture is costly and time-consuming. To make things even more difficult, most early-stage entrepreneurs are broke and bootstrapping. This means that you have to stretch your budget when setting up your business. Platforms like UpWork give you the option to hire a freelance designer cheaper than ever before but when you’re starting out, even $200 for a logo can be too much. Logo makers have prices starting at $19 which is about as affordable as it gets.
Turnaround
We all know that time is money, and if you’re in the early stages of starting a business, it is unlikely that you want to spend weeks waiting on design revisions and meeting with designers. It is a good idea to take your time when creating a logo but logo makers allow you to have a new brand ready to go in less than 3 minutes. Now that’s fast!
Final Thoughts
Logo makers have improved greatly over the last ten years but that does not mean that these tools are a replacement for a real graphic designer. The logo is only the beginning of your brand. Once your company grows, hiring a designer to help with the overall branding strategy is a good idea. They can help you in expanding your brand into a full presence that conveys a message that speaks to your audience. | https://medium.com/techgenyz/startups-take-note-heres-why-to-use-a-logo-maker-for-your-next-brand-4afdac85f05a | [] | 2020-02-07 08:47:57.948000+00:00 | ['Startup', 'AI', 'Application', 'Graphic Design', 'Logo Design'] |
The End of iTunes | The End of iTunes
Another year, another CES. Which I didn’t go to — I’ve still amazingly never been, and I could not be less sad about that.¹ Anyway, it’s beyond old hat to rag on CES these days. And there was news out of the event that I found interesting this year — and yes, it involved Apple.²
It was actually before the show even kicked off that a rather startling announcement was made: Apple would be releasing an app for a third-party television maker. And that maker would be Samsung. Yes, the company Apple is more likely to be found in a courtroom with.³ And that app is iTunes.
iTunes! The software Apple launched in 2001. And the service they launched in 2003 to kick off the (legal) digital music revolution. This service is now coming to Samsung televisions.
Wait, what?
From the release:
With the new iTunes Movies and TV Shows app on Samsung Smart TVs, Samsung customers can access their existing iTunes library and browse the iTunes Store to buy or rent from a selection of hundreds of thousands of movies and TV episodes — including the largest selection of 4K HDR movies. iTunes Movies and TV Shows will work seamlessly with Samsung’s Smart TV Services, such as Universal Guide, the New Bixby and Search, to create a consistent experience across Samsung’s platform.
The key is what you don’t see: music. In fact, music is only mentioned in the announcement in relation to AirPlay 2 also coming to the devices (and many other televisions, as it turns out). This is all about movies and TV shows, as they very clearly state. Humorously, the release even features a mock-up of a (horrible) “iTunes Movies and TV Shows” icon.⁴
Once again, Apple finds itself in a branding quagmire. Just as the MacBook Air is no longer the thinnest or lightest MacBook (that would confusingly be the MacBook itself). In this case it’s iTunes, hold the tunes.
Look, I get the argument that Apple has clearly gone with in such situations in the past: let’s not over-think it — people know and love the brand we have, so let’s stick with it.
But here, while people certainly know the iTunes brand, I’d argue that it has been a long while since they’ve loved that brand. And that is Apple’s own fault: they haven’t shown the brand love in a long time. Basically since the iPod withered away. iTunes, the software, is now one big, bloated mess.
And so I have to believe that a change is coming. I have no actual inside information here, but this really is common sense: “iTunes Movies and TV Shows” is silly, and we all know a new premium streaming video service from Apple is coming. Therefore, I think this new “iTunes” on Samsung TVs is simply a placeholder — or an “exclusive” PR stunt… “In an industry first…” — until Apple is ready to unveil the video counterpart to Apple Music.
Yes, Apple has up until now put their toe dips in streaming video under the Apple Music brand and product. And yes, this is also ridiculous. But I also believe there’s a reason Apple and Samsung didn’t announce that Apple Music was coming to the televisions. It probably is, but the focus is on the video offerings, which I’m guessing are about to be called something different.
And yes, movies and television currently live on Macs (and PCs) within iTunes. As does Apple Music. This is long overdue for a change — an Apple Music macOS app (a “Marzipan” 2.0 showcase)? And if this happens — again, just a guess based on some obvious signals — I think we may finally get an actual revamp or rethinking of iTunes itself.
That is to say, I think this new iTunes announcement finally signals the end of iTunes as we know it.
Now, Apple may and likely will keep the brand — and product — around. Again, per above, everyone knows it. If you’re not an Apple Music user, it’s the way to manage music on your devices. Hell, on a computer, it’s still the way to manage your devices, period.
This could still be the case going forward. One imagines a stripped-down iTunes legacy product for that functionality specifically. But stripped out of it will be Apple Music and Apple Video (or whatever they call the new streaming service). Maybe the App Store stays, if only so as not to confuse folks with the Mac App Store. Plus, again, in this scenario, iTunes is still how you would manage your iOS devices on a computer.
Less clear is if the ability to buy music and movies still resides inside of iTunes. I could see this happening as that’s a known consumer behavior right now. But it’s also one that is and will continue to dwindle over time. The real wild card is if renting new movies — the one video service Apple currently offers that still makes sense, at least for now — stays in iTunes or goes under Apple Video. I could see it going either way. If it’s the former, maybe there will be this “iTunes” app on Samsung TVs. Even though the name makes no sense.⁵
But again, I suspect the iTunes brand shifts towards the legacy stuff. I think Apple will use this opportunity to finally start obsoleting the iTunes product. Which will be music to all of our ears. | https://500ish.com/the-end-of-itunes-2b69d812d861 | ['M.G. Siegler'] | 2019-01-15 23:39:53.841000+00:00 | ['iTunes', 'CES', 'Apple', 'Samsung', 'Tech'] |
Tracking Loss of Containment in Virtual Agents | Photo by Christian Wiediger on Unsplash
If your enterprise has a virtual agent (chatbot) or is thinking about building one, you will want to understand how the solution can deliver business value. “Containment” is one of the top metrics a conversational solution will be measured against. This term refers to how often the bot is able to resolve a user’s request without escalating to a human agent.
Every successful transaction within a bot can be calculated as cost savings. Business value is often realized once the solution can contain enough transactions to cover the cost of the implementation and ongoing maintenance.
Many solutions are capable of tracking the total number of interactions that escalate to a live agent. However, the reasons for transfer are myriad. Having the ability to drill down into these reasons can aid you in identifying and prioritizing where to spend your improvement efforts.
Case Study
I recently consulted with a Watson Assistant client to help them improve the containment for their virtual agent. Since the bot was already in production, the first step was to audit the dialog flows. We needed to identify which nodes were making the decision to escalate to an agent.
For each node where an escalation decision is made, we assigned one of the categories listed below and added them up. Being a fairly mature solution, this was no small task. The dialog design contained dozens of complex interaction flows. These findings were an eye-opener for the solution’s business sponsor:
Read on for a detailed description, including some mitigation techniques, for each category…
Business Process
These escalation triggers are dictated by the business. Further drill-down behind each of these triggers included:
sensitive topics (as defined by the business)
the conversational interface does not provide an ideal user experience
complex manual processing required
lack of integration with systems required for task automation
lack of automation capability (such as APIs) within integrated systems
Each one should be reviewed for enhancement opportunities. Are there places where you can simplify the steps needed to complete a task? Can you overcome the barriers that are preventing integration with backend systems? Can API’s be implemented to facilitate automation?
Some topics/goals may never be able to be contained. Others are possible, they just take time and resources. These enhancements should be prioritized according to your runtime metrics and the most urgent pain points.
Menu Choice Other
This escalation category was a bit nuanced and may not apply to all use cases. In our use case, it was very closely related to Business Process. For complex (multi-turn) dialog flows, we had a topic confirmation mechanism. (Confirmation meant we were getting the right general intent.) At some point in the flow, the user is presented with drill-down options/subtopics. All options keep the conversation contained except the last one, “Other”. The user is escalated to an agent when they select this option.
In some cases, the wording for these menu options was found to be confusing. Sometimes the instructions were poorly worded. In other scenarios, the menu choices contained jargon that might not be understood by an average user. This could cause users to select “Other” even though a valid answer option is listed among the choices.
In other cases, we discovered options that were deliberately omitted from the original scope. The strategy (which is very common for an MVP) was, “If the problem isn’t ‘x’, ‘y’, or ‘z’, it’s too complex and we just need to escalate for now.” These cases are essentially the same as the Business Process category. This approach is often rooted in the constraints of inefficient/undocumented manual business processes. Fortunately, virtual agent projects tend to drive overall business process maturity. As time goes on, look for opportunities that allow your bot to start taking on more responsibility.
Another cause of hitting this escalation point was simply part of the natural evolution for a conversational solution. You don’t know what you don’t know. But you still have to plan for this eventuality. Review your runtime logs to discover the gaps between what you thought the users would come here for and what they actually want from your bot.
Photo by Suad Kamardeen on Unsplash
Long Utterance
This escalation point was implemented only after the solution had been in production for a while. Though Watson Assistant allows a maximum of 2048 characters as input, some use cases will not come near that. Our runtime logs revealed that extremely long inputs tended to be truly complex or contained multiple, unrelated requests. Since these requests were not essential to (or representative of) the bot’s core purpose, the best user experience was to immediately escalate.
Low Confidence
When the classifier returns low confidence, it will usually provide a message such as, “I’m sorry, I didn’t understand. Please rephrase your question.” It is very common to set a counter for this occurrence and escalate after 2 or 3 retries. High occurrence of escalations in this category comes down to two main causes:
poor training of the model
scope of a model does not match real-world demand
You will need to analyze your runtime logs to determine which is the cause. You may find it is a combination of the two.
This was mentioned above but bears repeating: Review your runtime logs to discover the gaps between what you thought the users would come here for and what they actually want from your bot.
Negative Feedback
#General_Negative_Feedback is a pre-built intent which you can add from the Watson Assistant Content Catalog. It detects utterances that express unfavorable feedback. When a solution escalates due to negative feedback, it is important to find out how often this is happening. If the frequency is high, you will need to review the logs (or perhaps you have survey results available) to find out why so many users are frustrated or unhappy. Some possible causes for user frustration may include:
bot user interface design
poor intent detection
unsatisfactory answers
lack of “human touch”
Review the utterances that trigger this event to find patterns in what is making the users unhappy.
Photo by Andre Hunter on Unsplash
User Requested Agent
Our use case makes a distinction between when a user requested an agent immediately vs. when a user requests an agent after the conversation had completed a few turns. We suspected that users who ask for an agent right away have either had a poor experience with the bot, or they believe that their question is too complicated for a bot. This would be the equivalent of hitting zero/operator right away in a phone menu.
You can leverage this opportunity to collect training data (or perform some basic routing) by responding with something like, “In order to direct you to the right team, please provide a brief statement about what you need.” Review these utterances to find out how often they could have been successfully resolved by the bot.
If the user is requesting an agent after the conversation is underway, you might take a look at the topic/intent that was most recently identified. If a pattern emerges, investigate. This could be poor training or a problematic business/dialog flow.
Either way, the fixes will take place over time, as you continuously improve a bot to gain your users’ confidence.
Photo by Ben White on Unsplash
Runtime Logs: What’s Happening in the Real World?
These categorizations can be applied, in part or in whole, in many other domains and use cases. They help narrow down actionable resolutions. This is only one side of the story, though. Before we could make any judgments or take action, we needed to start collecting data about how often each of these events occurs in production.
Our next sprint was dedicated to tagging the dialog nodes with context variables. A reporting script was implemented to scrape the runtime logs. Then, all we could do was wait for the data to start coming in.
Actionable Insights
The insights gained from this exercise were incredibly valuable. For instance, the “Low Confidence” numbers indicated some problems in our training. The chatbot team immediately got to work on classifier improvements. The model steadily improved and our escalations for this reason were cut in half over the following sprints.
The “Long Utterance” and “Negative Feedback” escalations were relatively low, so we didn’t need to spend much time on these. They just need to be monitored.
We can’t prevent the user from asking for an agent, but we can indirectly influence those categories over time, through improvement in other areas. It takes time to build trust, so we planned to monitor these as well.
The business now had a starting point for prioritizing automation efforts. This data also gave the team some enlightenment on what level of containment should reasonably be expected for this use case. In an ideal world, the majority of escalations would be due to “Business Process”, and we would see that overall volume decrease over time.
Conclusion
Understanding why a chatbot is escalating to your live agents is key to improving your overall solution. Armed with this knowledge, your organization can make data-driven choices about where to invest resources for improvement and enhancement.
If you would like help in building or improving a conversational solution, reach out to IBM Data and AI Expert Labs and Learning.
Special thanks to the reviewer: Andrew Freed | https://medium.com/ibm-watson/tracking-loss-of-containment-in-virtual-agents-dd0d1b7f97a9 | ['Cari Jacobs'] | 2020-03-27 20:55:33.757000+00:00 | ['Virtual Assistant', 'Artificial Intelligence', 'Editorials And Comments', 'Conversational UI', 'Natural Language Processi'] |
List of Online Dating Apps For Teens | Is Your Child Using? | TheWiSpy | Are you seeking effective ways to keep your kids safe from online dating apps?
Being a parent these days is challenging beyond imaginations. New times bring new and even advanced parenting challenges.
Along with raising healthy and happy kids, parents are now dealing with the trouble of their teens becoming cell phone addicts. Mobile phone dependence turns into internet addiction in no time. And the internet is clutching so many things in it, including; both good and bad content.
Dating apps are famous among the younger generation. Obviously, everyone is finding love so desperately that makes one in three people dating online.
The quest to find “the one” has now populated among teenagers.
Let’s discuss the dating trend among teens and discover how parents can save their kids from dating apps.
How to Know if Your Child is Using Online Dating Apps?
The rise of smartphone use has transformed our ways of living. From booking a cab online to shopping from online stores, we have already become dependent on cellular devices.
Now, the act of finding love has also become limited to smartphones.
Yes, you read it right.
Dating websites and applications are booming these days. The reason is a big crowd of youngsters finding their perfect match online.
Before we discuss anything, allow us to put forth dating app usage stats among online users.
Online Dating Stats — Why People Use Online Dating Apps?
In the past, people used to meet at social gatherings, or their friends set up blind dates for them. But now, the trend of online dating has eliminated the element of finding your loved one accidentally.
You must have heard about Tinder or Bumble.
As per a recent survey, 32 million Americans are using online dating apps or websites.
Now, we seek people online with interests similar to ours. It all depends on a single swipe to choose who you want to date.
Here is a quick overview of online dating habits among the young generation.
48% of dating apps users do online dating for fun.
13% of the online dating apps users are looking for a hookup only.
Some people date online to seek a serious relationship.
25% of people share personal details on online dating sites or apps.
1 in 10 people share nude photos, personal contact numbers, and home addresses with their online dates.
57% of online daters are involved in catfishing and online deception. They lie about their appearance, name, marital status, location, etc.
55% of people got threatened by online dating sites or partners.
27% of the online daters use cybersecurity precautions to save their devices and personal details.
16% of the online daters do nothing to protect their privacy.
Now, let’s have a look at famous dating apps for teens so that parents can restrict such apps and webs from their kids’ mobile screens.
7 Famous Online Dating Apps for Teens — An Alarming Sign for Parents:
Parental concerns to create a safer digital environment for kids are authentic. With so many cyber threats revolving around online, parenting has become much more difficult than ever before. There was a time when kids were threatened by social media dangers. But now the situation has become worse with teens getting attracted to dating apps.
Below is a list of the free top 7 famous online dating apps for teens that every parent should know.
Carefully read the descriptions of these teen dating apps and save your children from potential cyber threats.
Tinder:
The Tinder app is famous among teens and adults. Every online user is familiar with the concept of swiping left or right. Tinder app shows you potential daters matching your interests and proximal to your location. Most people use Tinder for hookups. The app is valid for teenagers of 18 years or more, but it has been observed that younger teens can bypass the age restrictions and use the app.
Bumble:
Bumble is also a matchmaking app. This dating app authorizes women to make their first move. Using Bumble, only women are empowered to reach men. Such a feature lures young teenage girls, making them believe that they are the ones who have control over choosing someone for them. Although, it is nothing but a false sense of insecurity. Once a girl reaches her date, the person on the other side can contact her anytime.
MyLOL:
MyLOL is a famous dating platform for teenagers. The service provider claims to provide dating services for teens aging 13 to 19.
Weird? Isn’t it?
MyLOL advertises itself as the best dating app and site from where teenagers can mingle online and start dating. No doubt, such an open gateway can invite cyber threats, including; sexting among teens and many others.
Skout:
As the name indicates, Skout is an online platform where kids can make new friends. Unlike dating apps, Skout is merely a social app for kids to connect with new people. However, the approved age for joining Skout is 13 years, which can alarm parents about the online social activities of their young teens.
MeetMe:
MeetMe is not a matchmaking or dating platform. The app finds people with similar interests to its users and suggests them with new connections. The downfall of this application is that it allows teens as young as the age of 13, to join the platform. Many minors are now using the MeetMe app for dating purposes.
Hot or Not:
The name of this app is a red flag itself. Hot or Not is a frivolous app on which teens rate each other based on appearance. Such an activity of rating others concerning aesthetics develop insecurity and damage the self-esteem of young teens.
Yubo:
The app Yobu is just like Tinder on which teens can swipe left or right to users’ profiles. Yobu also finds potential matches present at nearby localities with similar likes and dislikes. The age limit to use Yobu is 18 years, but younger teens can easily evade the restriction.
Tips for Parents to Save Their Kids from Dating Apps:
Living in today’s digital world, parents can save their kids from using dating apps in either of the two ways;
1- Teach Your Kids Online Etiquettes
2- Control Kids’ Devices
Effective communication between parents and kids, discussing the possible dangers of using dating apps, can help a lot. But, if your child is stubborn and does not listen to you, then there is no other way than using a parental control app.
The Final Words:
The internet evolution and the dependence on mobile devices have opened too many possibilities for teenagers. The use of dating apps among teens is a rising issue nowadays. Parents can now monitor the screens of their teens using apps like TheWiSpy. Using a parental control app, you can keep firm eyes on your teens’ online activities. What do you think is the best way to stop kids from online dating? | https://medium.com/@thewispy/list-of-online-dating-apps-for-teens-is-your-child-using-thewispy-666c4c9d91d | [] | 2020-12-24 12:28:19.488000+00:00 | ['Online', 'Children', 'Teens', 'Apps', 'Dating'] |
Official! The Undoing~ Series: 1 ‘Episode: 5’ —HBO’s | 🌺The Undoing,🌺The Undoing 1X5,🌺The Undoing S1E5,🌺The Undoing S1XE5,🌺The Undoing 1X5,🌺The Undoing S1E5,🌺The Undoing Cast,🌺The Undoing TV’s,🌺The Undoing Season 1,🌺The Undoing Episode 5,🌺The Undoing Watch Online, 🌺The Undoing Season 1 Episode 5, Watch 🌺The Undoing Season 1 Episode 5 Online,🌺The Undoing Eps. 5, 🌺The Undoing Episode 5
🌺Rights of Author/creator🌺
Copyright is a bundle of rights given to the author by the judiciary. As per the Indian Copyright act Section 14 of chapter III and 57 of chapter XI, author has been conferred with some exclusive and special rights; these rights can be divided into 3 categories and as follows;
1. Statutory Rights or Negative rights
Copyright law provides an exclusive legal or statutory right to the original author on his creation of work. It imposes a ‘negative duty’ on others that prohibits from using or getting benefit from the work without the consent of the author.
2. Economic Rights
The economic right provides author to enjoy the financial benefits. The creator can earn royalty by assigning rights to others either fully or partially. As per the international conventions, generally every national copyright statute provides following exclusive rights to the copyright holder.
● Adaption rights
● Distribution rights
● Public performance rights
● Public display of works rights
● Rental rights
● Reproduction rights
● Translation rights
3. Moral Rights.
Copyright law always protects the creator even after the assignment of copyright work to others either fully or partially.
Moral rights grant an author the right to have his name kept on the work forever and protects from any distortion or modification of the work, or other offensive action in relation to the work, which would be damaging to the author’s reputation.
🌺Term of Copyright protection🌺
Normally current copyright doesn’t require any kind of registration for its protection. Once the work created in tangible form, an author automatically gets the copyright on his creation. The term of the copyright protection on different works has described in section 22–29 of chapter V of Indian copyright act. The term of the copyright protection is as mentioned below.
1. The copyright term in respect to published literary, dramatic, musical and artistic works is lifetime of the author plus 60 years from the death of the author. In case of multiple authors the term is 60 years from the death of last author.
2. In case of anonymous and pseudonymous works, the copyright term is 60 years from the date publication.
3. Copyright protection for photographs, cinematograph films, and sound recordings is 60 years from the date of publication.
🌺Conclusion of the material🌺
Though there are many copyright restrictions and issues, the understanding of copyright law and fair use dealings would direct us to use copyrighted content for academic and research purpose in a secure manner. Sufficient level of understanding of copy right problems needs to be conceived during/ before procurement/subscription of any resources. At this point an agreement/contract/terms and conditions between concerned parties on procurement of resources would play a major role in protecting copyright of holders. As a facilitator the librarian regularly needs to educate his users about copyright issues. And this could become one of the important factors that would play a major role in decline in copyright violations among library users. As per the Indian copyright act 1957 it is very clear that neither the publisher nor the facilitator is responsible for any infringement of copyrighted material, but a person who is involved in the activity of infringement is solely held responsible for his act of misconduct. | https://medium.com/@teguh-turangga-tea/official-the-undoing-season-1-episode-5-hbo-s-b7109dddb40c | ['The Undoing'] | 2020-11-23 00:41:07.724000+00:00 | ['Technology', 'Life', 'Startup'] |
They dropped a Bridge on him: The 2020 Auggen Bridge Collapse. | The train involved
One of the main services using the railway is so-called “Combined Traffic”, which are different ways to load containers, trailers or whole trucks onto trains rather than unloading them at the freight yard and moving the cargo over into train cars. One form of this is the “Rolling Road” (“Rollende Landstraße” in German, often abbreviated to “RoLa”), which uses special eight-axle extremely low flatbed cars to carry entire semi trucks along with a sleeper car (usually at the front of the train) for the driver’s to sit/sleep in. This is meant to unclog the roads, especially those over the alps, and also reduce emissions (lots of Diesel trucks vs electronic locomotives).
A BLS-provided rolling road photographed in August 2020.
In 2001 the rolling road service on the connection from Freiburg in Germany via Basel in Switzerland to Novara in Italy (which takes 10 hours for 414km 257mi) was taken over by Ralpin, a Swiss company founded by the SBB Cargo (Switzerland’s national freight railway), Hupac and BLS Cargo (two private rail service providers). On the day of the accident the train was pulled by BLS Cargo’s RE 485 004–6, a four-axle multi-system electric locomotive made by Bombardier under their “Traxx”-line of locomotives. Weighting 85 metric tons these locomotives, made specifically for international freight trains, reach 140kph/87mph and were introduced as early as 1999.
RE 485 004–6, the locomotive involved, photographed in 2014.
Running in it’s usual place behind the locomotive was the sleeper car for the truck drivers, followed by the flatbed cars for the trucks. Due to low demand only 10 trucks used the service that day, meaning only 11 people were on the train including the driver. Far from full capacity, usually the trains carry 20 or more trucks depending on the route. Rolling road trains have recently been considered outdated, bringing drivers and trucks along means a lot of unnecessary weight and length. Critics say that the other forms of combined transport, just carrying the containers or maybe full semi-trailers are more effective. Especially since a lot of shipping providers can find another truck to pick up the trailer at the destination of the train.
The accident
On the 2nd of April 2020 at 7:19pm RE 485 004–6 is pulling it’s half-empty Rola-train out of Freiburg station, scheduled to carry it’s passengers and trucks to Italy while the driver’s get to sleep. At the same time construction workers are at work outside the town of Auggen, preparing an overpass for demolition so it can be rebuilt with enough span to allow 4 rather than two tracks under it. The railway is open, the construction company will only have it blocked once the part stretching above the tracks is taken down the coming weekend. | https://medium.com/@mx-schroeder/they-dropped-a-bridge-on-him-the-2020-auggen-bridge-collapse-a56a6f465e86 | ['Max S'] | 2020-12-28 19:36:04.651000+00:00 | ['Accident', 'Disaster', 'Trains', 'Germany', 'Railways'] |
Greed | original picture
It’s said to be the season
for caring and sharing,
better to give than to receive
is what we want to perceive.
But Santa brings the presents
and that’s what we teach,
too selfish and materialistic
to practice what we preach.
It’s the most expensive gifts
that bring the biggest smiles,
fuck living a simple
moderate lifestyle.
So afraid of rejection
and thirsty for attention,
we’re quick to buy
affection.
What better way to
spread Christmas cheer,
than buying presents you’ll
be paying off for a year?
Money isn’t everything but
we’ve made it such a necessity,
in our capitalistic
driven society! | https://medium.com/resistance-poetry/greed-23c06e8ba6ef | ['Lyndsey Frondarina'] | 2020-12-19 14:26:39.760000+00:00 | ['Resistance Poetry', 'Capitalism', 'Holidays', 'Poetry On Medium', 'Poetry'] |
The Case For Genre Hopping | The Case For Genre Hopping
Photo by Debby Hudson on Unsplash
“Should I stick to one or two subjects?” That is probably the question new writers ask the most. The answer is not as simple as yes or no though. While some experts and seasoned writers do try to boil it down to those two answers.
Why is the question so loaded? The answer is because no two people are alike. There are some rules to writing that should always be followed; the prose should be interesting, every piece should be grammatically correct, sources should be credited. However, as for what a writer should write, no one should answer that for them.
Expertise Or Money
Most veteran writers or publishing insiders will argue that a writer should stick to one or two areas to show expertise. The thought is that by being an expert that will help with sales or pageviews. Many times this theory has been tested and the results have varied.
The issue with writing for one subject is there’s only so much that can be written on it. Even with breaking news or new information coming out, there would still be a lack of material for a writer to sink their teeth into. Would that be a good way to build a career? Perhaps, but it would also limit the amount of money that could be made.
Writers who work in multiple genres are generally more prolific because they have more to write about. Maybe the change for expertise isn’t worth it for some, but others are more interested in writing and learning new things. Also, the ability to make money would be enticing for those who like to genre hop.
Of Interest
Another benefit of genre hopping, especially for someone who had ADHD (like this author), allows them to work on things that might hold their interest. Sometimes they may feel like working on a true crime article and others they may want to work on a political piece. They are free to write what they want and are not bound by one thing.
Writing in one field may be of interest for some writers. Being interested in one genre and becoming an expert could be a goal of theirs. The question then becomes what happens when there’s cross pollination of genres? Celebrities behave badly all the time, hence the rise of gossip blogs. Sometimes they do bad things that are illegal, like murder, and thus true crime meets celebrity gossip. Would someone who writes in one genre be able to handle that story?
They probably could. However, it would lean towards their desired genre instead of blending the two together. Which could alienate some fans of the other genre and create a backlash.
Other Benefits of Genre Hopping
Should writers stick with just one genre? Not necessarily. Every person needs to determine for themselves how to proceed with their careers. Those say write in one or two areas are truly trying to help, they believe it is the best route.
Their advice though won’t work for everyone or for every situation. Using the murdering celebrity example, there are more ways to tell the story than just to tell it like a true crime story. The research involved in writing it would also include looking at more than police reports and court records. Learning to write a celebrity gossip post would help enhance the work of the writer.
There are many pros and cons to genre hopping but the most important thing is what the writer feels best doing. Every author must determine whether to genre hop or stick with one or two subjects. | https://writingcooperative.com/the-case-for-genre-hopping-29e0615a7fee | ['Edward Anderson'] | 2019-09-01 21:36:01.166000+00:00 | ['Genre', 'Writer', 'Writers On Writing', 'Writing', 'Writers Life'] |
Can CBD really help you with back pain? | CBD oil for back pain
Cannabidiol or CBD is an active compound present in the cannabis plant, and is one of the key phytocannabinoids that has gained significant popularity because of its health benefits and absence of psychoactive effects related to tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).
CBD products are available in multiple forms including CBD oils, vapes, gummies, gels, syrups, topical creams and these products have helped people in a range of mental and physical ailments because of their therapeutic benefits. Multiple people have benefitted from them, in chronic and acute diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, sleep disorders, anxiety, depression, inflammation and pain related disorders. The National Institutes of Health Clinical Trials Database highlights that there are currently more than 160 clinical trials involving CBD underway. The FDA and other regulatory bodies, across the globe, have recently approved a CBD based drug (Epidiolex) to treat epilepsy.
CBD has specifically shown clinical and medicinal benefits in reducing chronic and acute pain, with lesser side effects on the body. CBD affects the TRPV1 receptor, glycine receptors, and adenosine receptors, which further help in inhibiting pain. Cannabis can be effective in menstrual cramps, cancer pain, musculoskeletal pain, joint pain and back pain.
Can CBD help with back pain?
Estimates from a UK based study say that nearly one third of the UK population gets affected by lower back pain every year, and of the people affected by back pain, nearly 20% of the people visit a general physician for a consultation about the back pain. This in turn results in around 2.6 million patients seeking out back pain consultations in the UK every year. Back pain further leads to both loss in productivity at work for patients and an increased healthcare burden and costs for the economy. Another UK based study states that around 16% (out of the people who complained of back pain 1 year ago) were unable to work in the subsequent years. Also, the UK spends around £1,632 million as direct cost and £3,440 million as an indirect cost every year for back-pain-related issues. This is a huge economic and physical burden on the UK Healthcare system.8
CBD is evolving as a promising therapeutic agent for the management of back pain. Studies highlight that CBD is beneficial in alleviating one of the main symptoms of chronic back pain, which is inflammation. Cannabidiol is available in multiple forms such as gels and topical creams, which can be utilised as a therapeutic option for treatment of back pain.2
CBD alleviates back pain by combating anxiety, which is believed to be one of the reasons for lifelong or chronic back pain, alleviating inflammation and helping improve relaxation and sleep. CBD can control the sensation of pain and inflammation by engaging with the cannabinoid receptors in the endocannabinoid system (ECS). The ECS contains receptors in the brain and immune system. When these receptors bind with the cannabinoids in CBD, they receive chemical signals to respond in positive ways. These responses can create anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving effects.
A review study, conducted in 2018, evaluated the impact of CBD on the patients suffering from issues of chronic pain, neuropathic pain, cancer pain and fibromyalgia. The study concluded that Cannabidiol is efficacious in the overall treatment of pain and did not observe any negative side effects on the patients.4
Another study conducted specifically on patients with acute and chronic back pain, analyzed 2 patient case reports and assessed the impact of CBD based Body Wellness Cream on patients. The study concluded that the CBD based transdermal cream had a significant symptomatic pain relief for the patients with acute and chronic back pain issues. The study though further emphasised the need of conducting a detailed conclusive research to establish the benefits of CBD in back pain.5
Patient success stories with CBD
The popularity and acceptance of CBD products is growing rapidly and multiple people have now started sharing their CBD pain relief success stories.
LISA A.: Two and a half years ago, Lisa was diagnosed with a number of pain-related problems. She was prescribed pain related medications 4+ days a week and she felt like her body was barely functioning at that point. She felt like giving up. That was when she decided to try CBD oil, in the hope that she might experience minor relief from back pain and other associated pains. However, the results were a complete surprise for her, as within just a couple of weeks, she experienced tremendous relief from all of her pains including back pain, fibromyalgia, bone related pains, and migraines. She could actually reduce the need for her prescription medications by 75%. She truly believes that CBD has improved her quality of life to a large extent.
Matthew J., another patient suffering from chronic pain, started consuming CBD gummies, on a regular basis, to improve his back aches, which were due to Degenerative Disc Disease (DDD), spinal stenosis, and mid back scoliosis. The gummies not only helped him to reduce pain but also helped him to get improved sleep. His muscles were less stiff now and he had considerably lesser pain, due to which he could sleep much more peacefully. He considers CBD gummies as a blessing for him.6
CBD and back pain — conclusion
Nearly 65 million adults globally and every 3rd UK citizen is suffering from back pain related issues. In addition, there is an 80% chance that we would have to deal with a minimum of one episode of chronic back pain in the entire lifetime.8,10 Hence, it is imperative that we look forward to therapeutic pain relief options, which are completely natural and have minimal side effects on the body. CBD is one such option. It has established its therapeutic benefits on back pain related issues and is completely safe as well. CBD also opens up various opportunities for the management of intractable problems of chronic back pain, for which even the primary treatment options are inadequate.9
Sources:
1. https://www.arthritis.org/health-wellness/healthy-living/managing-pain/pain-relief-solutions/cbd-for-arthritis-pain
2. https://www.spine-health.com/treatment/alternative-care/understanding-cbd-cannabidiol-back-pain#:~:text=Research%20indicates%20that%20CBD%20may,lasting%20or%20chronic%20back%20pain&text=Helping%20with%20sleep%20and%20improving%20overall%20state%20of%20relaxation
3. https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/cbd-for-chronic-pain-the-science-doesnt-match-the-marketing-2020092321003
4. https://www.healthline.com/health/cbd-oil-for-pain#chronic-pain-relief
5. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32421842/
6. https://cbdoilusers.com/cbd-oil-success-stories/?__cf_chl_jschl_tk__=7129d5fd9772f2fe76b29ee5dd7bb84464fb6739-1607677077-0-ARDpnIedYrqicsLqGDVpOqL0ViDJ-Ai0Oit8afmIY0RNB4WafNnNPmgp0GxqsXMZbyU8TYm8_N2PtCCnxVY1Wuh5L4Ufs7moeuAKRs3YcP-tjvcS40zmrQUGQAA_Lc_f6WyC-xSpil2KOVk4tIQLQvYWzS3-gRWZFuzSHx3n6sK7F4YfzjnrJdzYT9P-ysCx0xx8zq21MA5mKwYLp8tKrfmxNSy-txopUUe1tITX7lPI9QcpGbsMxHS_yxGxqhY0ZcrLj9ZWANnZMDaUjBvvmMZ8GJp5JvBZbyvk2LjMx0NHhM1wVaqa-_-DbBqoayjmyM5jOgN_1hKFhDWknrChZ9WYP4RjzbzKqlJoPcidKqtERZLdPaZUmV4XhFV6ZeY3_t0sxkdLBliF9H1m57_QGiU
7. https://greatist.com/health/cbd-oil-for-back-pain#cbd-for-back-pain
8. https://www.clevescene.com/scene-and-heard/archives/2020/06/08/the-ultimate-guide-to-cbd-and-seniors-with-joint-and-back-pain
9. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7204604/
10. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK11709/ | https://medium.com/@leafplus/can-cbd-really-help-you-with-back-pain-c812a1f9e062 | ['Leaf'] | 2020-12-22 22:19:19.381000+00:00 | ['Back Pain', 'Pain', 'Cbd Oils', 'Healing', 'Cbd'] |
Robot Patrols Are Just The Beginning | Remember The Future
Robot Patrols Are Just The Beginning
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, public discourse has significantly changed tone and direction. The Overton window has stretched on many issues. Robot law enforcement is one of them. It will be here to stay.
If you want to inform yourself about the robots that will soon be patrolling around the world, look no further than Boston Dynamics’ YouTube channel. Their robots have seen a lot of publicity over the last decade, often paired with commentary linking their act and likeness to a Terminator-like future (FastCompany, New York Post).
Public reception so far did not indicate a great acceptance of the idea of these robots performing important civic duties in everyday life.
All that seems to be changing now, with the public terrified by a global pandemic, human interaction being vilified, and social coherence being of high importance. There are indications that the idea of seeing robots patrol and help to enforce basic regulations is becoming acceptable. Singapore recently made headlines for using Boston Dynamics’ Spot robots in public parks to remind people of social distancing:
And that was only the beginning. We are already seeing a new wave of patrol robots being released into public life:
This raises the obvious question — What is next?
The Overton Window Is Opening
One theory can help us explain what is going on and try to understand where this might lead. It’s called the Overton Window and comes from the realm of political discourse.
The key idea is that at any given point in time, there is a whole scale of stances on a given issue. Those stances can be ordered by how acceptable they are to society — very fringe ideas being “radical,” while the mainstream sits in the middle as “policy” or “popular.”
The Overton Window tells us which ideas are acceptable to society at a given point in time, which can help understand the discourse of the time.
The Overton Window is, of course, not static. New ideas enter the world regularly, and attitudes shift often. Charting political history, as marked by debate and policy, every country has clear changes in their Overton Window over time. Just think of topics such as Universal Basic Income, which has entered as a fringe idea, and is now being trialed in several cities around the world.
Major events have the potential to radically change the shape of the Overton Window for the society living through them. They change how people see reality and what ideas are acceptable. One example would be the expansion of the US government’s powers after 9–11 through the Patriot Act . | https://medium.com/illumination-curated/robot-patrols-are-just-the-beginning-5e43d3224dfa | ['Sebastian Mueller'] | 2020-09-27 08:10:39.069000+00:00 | ['Society', 'Future', 'Robots', 'Ethics', 'Philosophy'] |
Self Love Is the Greatest Self Empowerment | I know what it feels to be frail,
because I wasn’t always strong.
It is very complex to explain self-love,
To find the perfection that we seek.
Just before hugging the light,
I was drowned deep in the darkness,
When my only company was my negativity,
And I hardly knew a way out.
My tears had dried,
and my will was weak,
I was broken to bits,
and had known nothing but the pain.
But soon came the dawn,
I had the thought, sudden,
“What do I want from the world,
If I don’t want myself?”
Since then, the world has changed.
As the courage and strength returned.
My heart began to beat.
With a drop of self-acceptance.
We forget to appreciate love,
until we have been hugged by hate.
We can never find a place of our own
if we self-disown.
If we accept our flaws and stains,
We can use it like armor,
That none can damage and destroy,
And invade our mental kingdom. | https://medium.com/spiritual-secrets/self-love-is-the-greatest-self-empowerment-7df38082e5b5 | ['Darshak Rana'] | 2020-12-06 18:13:05.994000+00:00 | ['Poetry', 'Spirituality', 'Self', 'Weekly Prompts', 'Poetry Sunday'] |
‘My College Girlfriend Thought the ‘Mormon Dick Soak’ Would Preserve Her Virginity’ | Some call it “soaking.”
Others: “Parking,” “marinating” or the “The Provo Float.”
Or my personal favorite: The “dock and talk.”
The definition, however, remains the same every time: When a man inserts his penis inside a woman’s vagina and… that’s it.
No thrusting, no grinding, no climax. Just pop it in, and hold the fuck still.
It’s “like ‘planking’ only your dick is inside of a Mormon,” Urban Dictionary explains.
The maneuver was allegedly popularized at Brigham Young University, a Mormon institution famous for insisting its students abide by church-dictated chastity. As Redditor Easilyremembered explains in the r/exmormon forum, “soaking” is considered by some — including the church — to be a loophole. He remembers the term “insertion without thrusting,” being used freely at a Sunday lesson attended by teenage boys, adult leaders and the bishop.
Sexually frustrated Mormons and evangelical Christians alike have adopted “soaking” as the next best thing to premarital sex. Case in point: TheFilthiestCorndog, whom I met in /r/cringepics, a subreddit featuring “images depicting awkward or embarrassing social interactions.”
In Corndog’s second year of college at a state school in Indiana, he started rounding third base with a religious virgin named Ashley…
I was 21; she was 20. She was Presbyterian, but the attachment to her virginity had more to do with not wanting to displease her father than the religious aspect of it. She had this “purity ring” she wore on her left ring finger from her dad that represented her promise to remain a virgin until she was married. I, on the other hand, wasn’t religious at all. In fact, I probably could’ve been considered an anti-theist back then. I would actively seek out conversation and argument with theists to get them to question their beliefs because I felt religion was that manipulative and harmful.
Her and I would fool around often — dry humping and performing oral sex — but she was adamant about maintaining her virginity. I wasn’t a virgin. I’d had a previous long-term relationship with regular sex and two other partners besides that. We dated for a little more than a year, and our fooling around got progressively more intense until it was both of us naked and I was just rubbing the shaft of my penis up against her clitoris to bring her to orgasm.
The first time we “soaked” we were on the floor of my living room, and she just asked me to put it in but not to move it around. We never referred to it as anything in particular — we just did it. I think if I’d given it a name like “soaking” or “floating” she would’ve been pretty upset. It wasn’t premeditated — she just had a strong desire to have sex and was willing to push the boundaries of her virginity as far as her sensibilities would allow.
There wasn’t anything special about this “maneuver” — we would just lay in the missionary position motionless — but it was hot as hell. All of that buildup and anticipation made it super exciting. Needless to say, it didn’t last long. After maybe 2 minutes of just laying there as motionless as I could, I pulled out and came on her stomach. I don’t think she came.
She most definitely still considered herself a virgin after that, continuing to wear the ring and alluding to it in our private conversations. I don’t know what her rationale was, but she still said that she was going to wait until she was married to have sex.
We did it three or four more times after that. There was always squirming on both of our parts but never any real thrusts. I guess squirming is technically moving, but it’s not like her preacher was reffing the event. I was inside of her; it felt good; and sometimes we would kinda grind involuntarily. It was torturous for both of us, but it was going as far as she could justify going.
No rules were laid out, but she did clench me up and ask me to stop moving if I was getting too wiggly.
What was she was getting out of it?
Probably the same thing I was: It felt good, maybe not as good as full-on sex, but she wouldn’t know that and she was too ashamed/guilty/scared to find out.
The other times certainly seemed more satisfying for her than me, though I’m only making assumptions off of her physical reactions during the act. We didn’t talk about it too much afterward; it was more just something that would happen if we were really getting hot and heavy. Personally, I was mostly just frustrated. My satisfaction was only from the anticipation from the first time we did it; the other times we would always finish with oral or the like.
She cried a few times about it because she felt like she was violating a sacred oath, but still asked me to do it occasionally when we were fooling around.
We only stopped because I broke up with her — in no small part because I was incredibly sexually frustrated. I was still enamored with her; I just wasn’t going to play this pseudo-sex game anymore. Of course, there were other issues, too: I wanted to spend more time with my friends. We’d both get insecure and jealous. Neither of us were ready to settle down.
But the “floating” didn’t help.
I found it a little emasculating as well, though this wasn’t something I fully grasped at the time. I’d always assumed that her desire to keep her virginity would pass, especially because of how far we’d go when fooling around. Once we “floated,” I thought for sure it was only a matter of time until we went the rest of the way. When I started to realize that it may not happen, I began to wonder if there was something wrong with me.
We’d gone so far that, in my mind, I’d already taken her virginity. Why then was she so unwilling to admit that to herself? I began to think she was unwilling to admit the loss of her virginity because I wasn’t the kind of man she wanted to lose it to. That messed with me on a subconscious level and made me resentful. We would talk about it, which was one of the ways I found out that she still solidly considered herself a virgin. She was adamant about maintaining her virginity until she was married and assured me it had nothing to do with my sexual prowess.
Later on, I also realized we never would’ve stayed together even if we’d had sex. I respected her, but I think we both knew after dating for a year, our relationship wasn’t going to end in marriage. We gave it a good go, but we weren’t all that compatible for a long-term relationship. She wasn’t about to marry an atheist, and at that time, I wasn’t about to marry a Christian. Plus, I was pretty hard-headed and liked to argue, and she was pretty hard-headed and liked to argue.
What happened to her purity ring?
I don’t really know.
I do know she still wore it regularly when we broke up. And that she’s married with a daughter now. So it’s probably been replaced with a wedding band.
C. Brian Smith is a staff writer at MEL. He last wrote about the hidden history of glory holes.
More sex before marriage: | https://medium.com/mel-magazine/my-college-girlfriend-thought-the-mormon-dick-soak-would-preserve-her-virginity-427d791754ba | ['C. Brian Smith'] | 2017-07-18 16:15:38.150000+00:00 | ['Sex', 'Mormon', 'Virginity', 'Evangelicals', 'Religion'] |
How My Net Worth went from $8K to $409K in 4 Years | Photo by Sharon McCutcheon on Unsplash
How My Net Worth went from $8K to $409K in 4 Years
I’ll give you the main points along with an explanation if need be.
In 2017, I finally got a desk job after almost a year of job searching. I had about $25K in student loans.
Below are the main factors that attributed to the growth in my net worth:
Living With Parents:
One of the biggest savings, I don’t pay any rent, utilities, and I save a significant amount by not eating out. I do not need to explain much in this section. If I were to live in an expensive city and share it with roommates, a significant portion of my income would be devoted to paying rent and eating outside.
Controlling Variable Expenses:
Okay, so maybe you thought I cheated by staying with parents, the next one is hard for people and I think I have this down to a science. I do not buy many things. The reasons are a combination of me trying to save and invest my money now so I can enjoy the better things in life for the future, as well as because I am happy without the extra “stuff” in my life.
The first computer game I bought was in 2020. I don’t have any game consoles.
I do not own a car. My main methods of transportation are the metro, Uber and friends.
I do travel annually, and admittingly that is one thing I don’t keep costs down.
I like clothing, but I do not buy clothing often. Some shirts I’m still wearing were from high school.
I do go eat out with friends, but I do not eat out everyday.
The first furniture I bought was during 2020. Until then I never bought furniture or small items of whatever you can think of.
I kept my subscriptions low, so far I pay for Netflix, Medium (of course) and my phone plan.
Technology wise, the computer I’m using has been with me since sophomore year of college. Prior to owning an iPhone 12 since 2020, I had been using an iPhone 5.
Loans:
I didn’t own a credit card until 2018. Even with that, I do not overuse it and I do pay off the balance before I get a late fee and before interest accrues.
The biggest debt I have are my student loans, I paid more than the minimum until the loan payments were suspended due to Covid.
Working:
This section needs to be divided into three parts: Working during college years, working when I got my first “career job” and working now during pandemic times.
During college, I had a part time job on the weekends. During the summer break, I would take weekdays on top of my weekend shift. It did not pay much, $14 to $15 an hour. But I did my best to save and invest it.
Because even when I got my desk job, I still kept my part time job until early 2018. After I finished my formal job at 5 PM, I would make my way to the part time job I had since college. My first “career job” I earned $50K, this is including base salary and bonuses. My income increased, I invested more, and kept spending relatively the same.
2020 has undeniably either helped you or hurt you. I am extremely fortunate, and I don’t take this lightly that I kept my job and could work from home. My income continued to increase over the years, and this time I saved even more money, especially not needing to commute.
My income from my job has gradually increased since then, and before 2021 ends, I am on track of earning $80K at least.
Investing:
The most important, if I had just put money away in a savings account, I would have never had the money I have today.
I am a proponent of investing in the stock market, time spent in the market is always better than timing the market. I am mostly a long term investor, trading once in a while. I still have stock positions held since 2014. Investing in large cap and growth stocks, I’ve only begun to invest in small cap tech stocks that I believe will grow exponentially in the future.
Any dividends I receive from my investments I would reinvest, any capital gains I made, I would also reinvest. I was always confident that I would become wealthy, I just did not expect that money can build up this fast, especially if you start investing early.
Mindset and Goal Setting:
The most ephemeral but I would argue the most important. I had the goal to be rich, and the mindset to fuel me. If I were to view this as some journey, I would say it was not a painful one nor was it “hard” per say. No job was too low for me, whatever obstacle I face in my part time or official job I never took it personally. Some days I felt redundant, but in the back of my mind there was the goal I set for myself.
It was the belief that the effort I’m putting into was what soothed me no matter what other people would say intolerable.
With a goal, you wake up with purpose, you are more emotionally resilient because you understand that whatever hits you is just temporary, the end game for financial independence is still there.
My overarching goal is to be financially independent, or maybe “rich” if many people would say in the bluntest manner. Over the years I set myself mini goals; maxing out my Roth IRA, contributing at least $10K into my brokerage, increasing my contribution rate in my employer’s 401K.
What You Need to Take From Reading
It is never too late to change your mindset and to start saving, regardless of what stage in life you are in. You do not need to do all the things I did, but I’m confident that you can take some things out of this article. Like compound investing, the small financial decisions we make are what get us to point A to point B. | https://medium.com/@l.leksang/how-my-net-worth-went-from-8k-to-409k-in-4-years-639518212102 | ['Leo Leksang'] | 2021-08-09 02:29:50.073000+00:00 | ['Financial Freedom', 'Investing', 'Personal Finance'] |
Morocco to Normalize Ties With Israel | Morocco becomes the fourth Middle Eastern nation in the past four months to sign a peace accord with the world’s only Jewish state.
President Donald J. Trump presents a ceremonial key to the White House during a bilateral meeting with Israeli Prime Ministers Benjamin Netanyahu Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2020, in the Oval Office of the White House. (Official White House Photo by Shealah Craighead)
On Thursday, U.S. President Donald Trump announced that yet another country has agreed to normalize diplomatic ties with Israel. The Kingdom of Morocco will be only the sixth predominantly-Muslim Middle Eastern nation to do so.
“Another HISTORIC breakthrough today! Our two GREAT friends Israel and the Kingdom of Morocco have agreed to full diplomatic relations — a massive breakthrough for peace in the Middle East!” President Trump wrote on Twitter.
Morocco is the fourth nation to formalize relations with Israel in the past four months, a tremendous accomplishment for the Trump administration and for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
“This will be a very warm peace. Peace has never- the light of peace on this Hanukkah day has never- shone brighter than today in the Middle East,” said Netanyahu in a statement. The eight-day celebration of Hanukkah began Thursday night, and with it came the news that the Jewish holiday is being openly celebrated in the United Arab Emirates this year for the first time.
As part of the Morocco-Israel agreement, the United States has agreed to recognize Morocco’s long-standing claim over the Western Sahara region, which has been in dispute for decades and is, as yet, not formally recognized by the United Nations as part of Morocco.
“Today, I signed a proclamation recognizing Moroccan sovereignty over the Western Sahara. Morocco’s serious, credible, and realistic autonomy proposal is the ONLY basis for a just and lasting solution for enduring peace and prosperity!” Trump wrote on Twitter.
Trump followed up with another tweet citing Morocco’s recognition of the United States as an independent nation a year after the U.S. declared independence from Britain in 1776, writing, “Morocco recognized the United States in 1777. It is thus fitting we recognize their sovereignty over the Western Sahara.”
The deal comes as a result of negotiations conducted by Trump senior adviser and son-in-law Jared Kushner and chief international negotiator, Avi Berkowitz.
Kushner likened this move to Trump’s recognition of Israel’s sovereignty over the Golan Heights region. Mr. Kushner said this accord “comes on the heels of four years of very, very hard work and very intense diplomacy.”
“It further enhances Israel’s security, while creating opportunities for Morocco and Israel to deepen their economic ties and improve the lives of their people,” Kushner said.
“The team, led by Jared Kushner, has worked on this deal for over a year,” Avi Berkowitz told The Jerusalem Post, adding that he hopes the deal will lead to a warm peace between the two countries.
This latest agreement is the newest addition to Trump’s Middle East legacy and one of his central foreign policy accomplishments. The other countries President Trump has helped Israel broker a deal with are the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Sudan.
Egypt and Jordan, the other two countries who have normalized ties with Israel, both did so decades ago. Egypt formally recognized Israel in 1979; Jordan in 1994.
According to President Trump, Israel and Morocco will be restoring diplomatic ties, reopening liaison offices in Tel Aviv and Rabat, and eventually exchanging embassies and joint overflight rights for the two nations’ respective airline carriers. Morocco and Israel have also agreed to closer economic ties.
Morocco’s King Mohammed VI said President Trump, “reaffirmed his support for Morocco’s serious, credible, and realistic autonomy proposal as the only basis for a just and lasting solution to the dispute over the Western Sahara territory and as such the president recognized Moroccan sovereignty over the entire Western Sahara territory.”
The White House also affirmed that Morocco would “resume diplomatic relations between Morocco and Israel and expand economic and cultural co-operation to advance regional stability”.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hailed the accord as a “historic” normalization agreement with Morocco and anticipated direct flights between the two countries soon.
In a televised address, Netanyahu said the people of Israel and Morocco have had a “warm relationship in the modern period.”
In response to this latest announcement, Sidi Omar, the Polisario Front’s representative to the UN, said the Western Sahara’s “legal status is determined by international law and UN resolutions”.
“US outgoing President has made a proclamation involving Western Sahara whose legal status is determined by international law and #UN resolutions. Yet the move shows that #Morocco’s regime is willing to sell its soul to maintain its illegal occupation of parts of #WesternSahara,” he wrote on Twitter.
After the decision was announced King Mohammed VI told Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas that his “position in support of the Palestinian cause is constant.”
As more of its Middle Eastern neighbors normalize ties with Israel, and with regional powerhouse Saudi Arabia expected to join the Israel accords very soon, the Palestinian Authority’s grip on peace negotiations in the region, which they have stalled for decades, loosens still further.
(Contributing journalist, Allegra Nokaj) (Contributing writer, Brooke Bell) | https://medium.com/@munrkazmir/morocco-to-normalize-ties-with-israel-998b9879e9f6 | ['Dr. Munr Kazmir'] | 2020-12-11 21:19:50.296000+00:00 | ['Trump', 'Middle East', 'Politics', 'World', 'Jewish'] |
‘Wonder Woman 1984’ will be HBO Max’s first 4K title | When we first heard that the new Wonder Woman movie would arrive Christmas Day both on HBO Max and in theaters, our excitement was tinged with disappointment. Why? Because HBO Max is one of the only major streaming video services that doesn’t support 4K playback.
Well, get ready to be happy, because it turns out that those of us watching Wonder Woman 1984 at home will get to stream it in 4K after all.
Wonder Woman director Patty Jenkins announced on Twitter that the long-delayed Wonder Woman 1984 will arrive on HBO Max as the service’s first 4K HDR title, complete with Dolby Vision, HDR10+, and Dolby Atmos support.
[ Further reading: Amazon Prime Video vs Hulu vs Netflix ]HBO Max subscribers will be able to stream the movie in 4K on such devices and set-top boxes as Apple TV 4K, Amazon’s Fire TV Stick 4K, Fire TV Cube and 4K Fire TV Edition smart TVs, Google’s Chromecast Ultra, AT&T TV, and supported Android TV devices, according to a WarnerMedia press release.
Wonder Woman 1984 will be available to all HBO Max users starting on December 25, and unlike some other Hollywood tentpoles that debuted early online—we’re looking at you, Mulan—viewers won’t have to cough up an extra fee. An HBO Max subscription costs $15 a month.
While Wonder Woman 1984 will be the first 4K title to stream on HBO Max, it won’t be the last. WarnerMedia promises to “expand these capabilities to further films and TV series” next year. No word on which HBO Max shows will get the 4K treatment first, although hopefully Game of Thrones (and particularly that infamous “too dark” episode) will be near the top of the list.
The streaming home of popular HBO shows such as Game of Thrones, Big Little Lies, The Sopranos, Euphoria, Lovecraft County, Watchmen, and Last Week Tonight, as well as such syndicated shows as Friends and The Big Bang Theory, HBO Max first launched back in May.
While the streaming service arrived with an impressive arsenal of TV shows and movies, it conspicuously lacked 4K HDR support. Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and Disney+ already offer 4K HDR streaming. Hulu also supports 4K, but not HDR.
HBO Max has also been slow to land on various streaming platforms, with the service only debuting on Amazon Fire TV devices last month following months of tense negotiations between Amazon and WarnerMedia.
HBO Max still isn’t available on Roku, although you can cast HBO Max videos onto Roku devices via AirPlay.
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/@cynthia79754538/wonder-woman-1984-will-be-hbo-max-s-first-4k-title-5d15ddf36181 | [] | 2020-12-25 06:24:15.448000+00:00 | ['Gear', 'Lighting', 'Services', 'Home Tech'] |
Great Scott!!! | I don’t write much publicly. I am often criticized for my grammar. I grew up dyslexic. So writing a piece for the public to see is daunting. Today I read the most beautiful piece of news. I think we all need a little good news here and there, so here is my ray of sunshine.
If you hadn’t heard, Mackenzie Scott and her wonderful super team gave away $6 billion to people and organizations in need.
$6 billion. In less than a year. Let that sink in. This woman could have taken that money and bought anything her heart desired. She could probably buy a small country but instead she chose to help people. Help those who were really in need.
I have worked raising money for charities for a few years now. There is a lot to owning and running a charity. I have seen the red tape and I have also seen a child gifted their last wish. I am thankful for all the different organizations helping others in need. I don’t think we give them enough thought or credit.
I don’t know where you are today Mackenzie, but I hope this article reaches you. Thank you for caring. Thank you for donating. Thank you. Thank you! Because you cared, one person is less hungry. Another has the medical care they so desperately needed. Your gift won’t just make a difference to this generation but to generations to come.
If anything, I hope others will take note. You can give $6 billion or you can give $1. Either way, help take care of your fellow brother or sister. “It’s not a handout but a hand up.” | https://medium.com/@kramerandcompany/great-scott-1252ac2b1cc2 | [] | 2020-12-16 00:34:21.375000+00:00 | ['Mackenzie Scott', 'Mackenzie', 'Donation', 'Scoot', 'Charity'] |
You Want It Darker? | You Want It Darker?
Try Bad Moon Rising or just stick with the Tulsa playlist…
An old sign in Trumpistan…
“Where words leave off, music begins.” ― Heinrich Heine (as quoted in Peter’s Quotations, 1977)
Leonard Cohen’s Estate was “surprised and dismayed” that “Hallelujah” was played at the Republican National Convention in August and suggested that they might have considered approval of “You Want It Darker” instead. And now John Fogerty has joined the long list of musicians who oppose the president’s use of their music.
After “Fortunate Son” was played at a campaign rally in Michigan this week, Fogerty posted a video on Facebook and Instagram saying, “It’s a song I could have written now, and so I find it confusing, I would say, that the president has chosen to use my song for his political rallies when in fact, it seems like he is probably the fortunate son.” Unlike Cohen’s Estate however, Fogerty didn’t suggest an alternative.
While “Bad Moon Rising” seems appropriate…
It’s “Deja Vu (All Over Again)”
“Who’ll Stop the Rain”?
We all know “Mr. Greed”
Wasn’t “Born on the Bayou”
Nor “Run Through The Jungle” “Long As I Can See the Light”
Maybe “Bad Moon Rising”
Is “Down on the Corner”
or “Up Around the Bend”?
“I Saw It on TV”
We shouldn’t dismiss the Tulsa playlist…
Some hard truths in there. So line up the boats, and full-speed ahead! | https://medium.com/k%C3%BChner-kommentar/you-want-it-darker-9bdb5217bb0 | ['Wilhelm Kühner'] | 2020-09-12 20:32:05.315000+00:00 | ['Music', 'White Supremacy', 'Politics', 'Political Satire', 'Covid Diaries'] |
The American Health Care System is Stupid | Despite popular belief, American health care is not the best in the world. Americans spend more per person annually on health care than any developed nation. A big part of the reason is that American Hospitals overcharge patients massively. For example, a neck brace, normally, costs $20, but a hospital will charge $154. An I.V. bag costs less than a dollar, but hospitals charge $137. Unlike most issues in America, this is not the government’s fault. The problem started with something called “the chargemaster”. The chargemaster is a secret document full of insane prices that hospitals use to charge patients whatever they want.
100 years ago, hospital pricing was simple. They would take the cost of providing car and add a little on top in order to make a profit. For example, amputation would cost the hospital $5, so they would charge patients $6.50. After the rise of insurance companies, hospital billing got complicated, in part because the gigantic corporations demanded large discounts. To please the powerful insurance companies, hospitals created really high fake prices and gave the insurance companies discounts on that. And in less than a century, health care prices went from reasonable to nonsensical. They made one Tylenol $37 and three stitches $2,200. These crazy inflated prices are kept in the hospital’s chargemaster.
If someone does not have insurance, they are actually charged the fake prices. Even if someone does have insurance, they can get billed chargemaster prices if they go out-of-network, and anything can be out of network: the hospital they go to, the equipment used to treat them, even the doctors they see. Hospitals make a ton of money overcharging out-of-network patients. Even worse, every hospital has its own chargemaster. For example, a treatment that costs $7,000 at one hospital could cost $100,000 at another. One cannot comparison shop when their dying. Plus, since insurance companies face inflated costs, that could trickle down to the individual in the form of higher premiums.
Hospitals can easily get away with this. The health care industry spends more on lobbying than the oil and defense industry combined. There is nothing one can do about it. Everyone needs to go to the hospital at some point or another. Hospitals have no incentive to change how they do business. And politicians have spent decades arguing over how to pay the bill instead of asking why the bill is so high. Until they do, Americans are stuck with this system. | https://medium.com/@rileylopez/the-american-health-care-system-is-stupid-ab1a201aced4 | ['Riley Lopez'] | 2020-12-17 05:30:20.218000+00:00 | ['America', 'Capitalism', 'Healthcare'] |
Future Leaders Must Be Relentlessly Optimistic Says Bill McDermott, CEO of ServiceNow | Knowledge, communication, humility, and other skills are important for future leaders, but it really all comes down to one mindset: optimism.
That’s according to Bill McDermott, CEO of Service Now. He believes relentless optimism is one of the best attributes a leader can have.
Bill’s journey to leading a major tech company started when he bought the Amityville Country Delicatessen in Long Island when he was 16. That business helped him pay for college and taught him valuable skills about leading a business and managing people.
Today, he is widely considered one of the best leaders in the world. Bill transformed SAP during his tenure as CEO, increasing the market value from $39 billion to a staggering $156 billion. The company has grown to more than 100,000 global employees. In 2019, Bill left SAP and is now CEO of cloud software company ServiceNow.
I was able to talk to Bill for my book, The Future Leader, and greatly appreciated his insights into how the world of work is changing and how leaders need to remain optimistic as they evolve.
Using Technology To Become More Human
Looking towards the future, many people are scared of technology taking over their jobs or making organizations less human, but Bill has a more optimistic approach. He believes leaders need to realize the potential and possibility of using technology to help us become more human.
Bill told me this: “AI and machine learning create so much anxiety, but they also provide incredible opportunity. There can be no fear. We need to be optimistic about the exciting possibilities that result when people and machines work together. Emerging technologies can liberate people from routine and dangerous labor, allowing a shift to higher-value tasks that only humans can do, ultimately making them more effective and happier. In the end, it is a better experience. Machines can’t dream. Only people can.”
Leaders can’t afford to be crippled by fear of AI or new technology. They have to find ways to integrate technology into their existing systems to replace those mundane or repetitive tasks. Every company in every industry has tasks that can be replaced by technology without causing humans to lose their jobs. It actually gives people more room to focus on the uniquely human aspects of their jobs, like creativity or building relationships.
Leaders set the tone for how their employees and organizations think about the future of technology. If a leader is scared or timid, that same attitude will be reflected in employees. But if a leader realizes the potential of technology and finds ways for people and machines to work together like Bill suggests, that positivity and optimism will radiate through the organization. And those are the companies that will lead their industries in the future of work.
“We must remain totally open to the possible,” Bill said. “When you embrace the change and create solutions and processes that address our evolving world and needs, that is a winning formula.”
Leadership is changing. What are the skills and mindsets you need to master in order to lead in the new world of work? According to over 140 of the world’s top CEOs there are 4 mindsets and 5 skills that leaders need to master. Learn what they are and hear directly from these leaders by downloading the PDF here.
Setting An Effective Vision
Aside from technology, one of the other most important parts of a leader’s role is to set the vision. Bill believes leaders owe their people a compelling vision and a clear strategy, without which the people simply work harder and dig a deeper ditch to nowhere.
Vision is what sets the tone and gives employees purpose and meaning in their work. It gives the company something to strive for as a group and creates a more engaged workforce.
“Once the vision is established, you must communicate that vision clearly and often,” Bill said. “The goal is to unleash people to live up to their greatest potential. That most often occurs when people do work they actually love.”
Bill knows a thing or two about vision. In 2015, he took a major fall and lost his left eye. Now facing limited eyesight, Bill knows that vision isn’t just what you can see. It’s the strength, resolve, and passion to keep working towards the future. That’s what leaders need to instill in their organizations with their words and actions.
Bill believes that setting a strong vision leads to cost-savings for a company, but so much more, including more innovation, optimized operations, more personalized customer services, and an enhanced customer experience.
From vision to technology, the most crucial mindset for future leaders is optimism. When leaders have a positive view of the possibilities for the future instead of getting bogged down by negativity, they can find unimaginable growth and progress.
Bill summed it up when he said this: “Never underestimate the power of relentless optimism. Challenges create opportunity. We must think boldly and create the solutions others view as impossible.” | https://medium.com/jacob-morgan/future-leaders-must-be-relentlessly-optimistic-says-bill-mcdermott-ceo-of-servicenow-8fcb98e77026 | ['Jacob Morgan'] | 2020-12-16 10:05:37.167000+00:00 | ['Leadership', 'Future Of Work', 'Humanity', 'Optimism', 'Business Strategy'] |
My experience with OUTBOX | My experience with OUTBOX
my web development path
I am by the names of TRAJAN MUKALAZI, and two years ago i developed a dream of making websites and web apps but did not know how to go over it. I could try on my own to learn and could grasp a few concepts and fail on the others since i had no mentor. It was really a hard time.
Until i saw OUTBOX EDU expired advert on twitter. I hopefully followed for any opportunities and failed to get any until i went to the OUTBOX offices in kampala where i was sent to Jaelle. The first time i talked to Jaelle was really awesoe because i got hope and it never fell back.
I joined EDU learning which has happened for about two weeks and am really grateful. Though there are some challenges with keeping in class in time and a few other things, I am glad for the opportunity and new energies reload everyday to keep it following.
OUTBOX EDU learning paved the way and now i see where am heading in the web development career path. Nothing is pulling me back because i gotta go to new heights everyday. Hardwork and consistence keeps me going everyday and i will get there.
The OUTBOX team is really great one and am glad i was granted an opportunity to reach extra ordinary levels with such a team. They are really passionate about what theu do as they teach and instruct us through the skill up sessions.
The passion they input surely spreads to the learners and i personally never want to miss any skill up session. I believe this PREP VII will yield alot of good to me and it will be really viisible in the near future as long as I believe and keep working at it.
I have been able to find out that web development is not a simple journey for i have experienced alot of frustrations while learning most especially during self learning. There is alot of failing, disappointments, distractions and the urge to quit.
All of these frustrations have been carried away by OUTBOX and i greatly appreciate the push they have given me in improving and learning web development. Though i have focused on only front end development, I am hoping OUTBOX will take me to Full stack development. | https://medium.com/@trajanmukalazi/my-experience-with-outbox-10ac5f8c3cdd | ['Tra Jan'] | 2020-09-06 06:01:51.462000+00:00 | ['Freelancers', 'Full Stack Developer', 'Web Development', 'Backend Development', 'Front End Development'] |
Top 50 Cryptocurrency Medium Bloggers | If you happen to like that article check out our account to find out more about gamification
The Bitcoin Roundup is a definite go to. They have curated the best educational content from bitcoin and cryptocurrency articles on Medium. You know you will be fed the right content on this blog because it’s made by the oldest and largest bitcoin advocacy organization. Check them out to learn even more about Bitcoin.
Hackernoon is one of the most followed Medium blogs in the cryptocurrency world for multiple reasons. You will find yourself getting lost on there beautifully laid out blog page scrolling through amazing content. There content is always updating with different people talking about the latest tech news and more. Don’ hesitate. You will not regret you found this page.
Linda Xie is one of Cryptocurrency’s most influential woman. She has plenty of valuable education for Bitcoin newcomers. If you are new to the cryptocurrency community get moving and read her content for some peace of mind.
Decentralize Today is moving towards decentralization with it’s abundance of content on all aspects of cryptocurrency and bitcoin. They are constantly posting content written by big cryptocurrency names and experts who have a lot to share. Get your daily dose at decentralize.today
One writer you should be following is Daniel Jeffries. He brings you interesting content and shares his insightful opinions on topics in cryptocurrency as well as other articles you won’t be able to turn away from. Start off by reading the article below and see what we are raving about.
Crypto Oracle is a platform for the elite cryptocurrency leaders to share their valuable thoughts to the world. You should find many experts that have written articles on this page that will share new ideas you may not have heard of as well as interesting thoughts on cryptocurrency.
Cryptolinks is somewhere you should find yourself if you’re a real cryptocurrency enthusiast. There platform includes content from all different views in the cryptocurrency world. You can subscribe to their page for updates on must-read articles. You won’t be disappointed with the content they put out as it is curated by a wonderful group of writers and editors.
Featured on Denentralized. Today, Migeul Cuneta focuses on debunking common misconceptions that you may have heard of in the cryptocurrency world. He gives his opinions and insight on what he believes is the future and what will go far in cryptocurrency.
If you are looking for a blogger who writes about basic tutorials and how-to’s when it comes to cryptocurrency and bitcoin Alexandr Nellson is your guy. His content focuses on explaining some of the basics if your just getting starting in investing in cryptocurrency. Check out this simple explanation on how to store Bitcoins and other cryptocurrencies.
Token Economy is a publication platform that issues newsletters including news on cryptocurrency events, news, new technologies, ICO’s, and the overall growing token economy. They are a trust source of information that will inform you on the latest and most exciting news in cryptocurrency.
Looking for a new educational hub focused on the socio-cultural/economic issues related to blockchain technologies, then BlockChannel is your new platform for learning all about it.
As editor of the Bitcoin Tech Talk publication, Jimmy Song is always talking about the latest in Bitcoin tech and more topics that will likely interest you. Check out his article on Bitcoin Gold.
Haseeb Qureshi, a well diversified writer and entrepreneur who has achieved many feats will enlighten you on his Medium account with articles on cryptocurrency. He writes about other interesting things in the tech world through the Free Code Camp publication.
Editor of Token Economy publication (14), Stefano Bernardi makes some of the best content on cryptocurrency to entrepreneurship. Go check out some of his content on his personal page and find his article published in Token Economy for cryptocurrency content.
NewsBTC was made to make your life in the cryptocurrency world easier. They publish articles relating to relevant news in the cryptocurrency market as well as give investment analysis.
If you have not heard of Coinbase for being one of the most popular places to buy and sell digital currency then you will be glad to know them for there blog page. They share stories about Coinbase as well as other interesting cryptocurrency articles.
Although known for creating some of the most secure Blockchain applications for enterprises and users, Ledger can be a great place to read about new technologies and interesting products in the cryptocurrency market.
Bitfinex has become the one of the leading cryptocurrency exchanges in the world. There blog shares stories and updates on there company as well.
The Genesis Mining Journal is a blog from the Genesis Mining company which is one of the most used hashpower providers for Bitcoin and Altcoins. They do a wonderful job updating and explaining the latest news on digital currencies around the world.
A writer on Decentralize.Today, BitcoinBelle or DI$RUPTIV3 is one of the most interesting writers on the subject. Her articles are interesting and fun to read, you won’t be bored. Check her out.
If your looking for some interesting short articles to read, make sure to check out Paxful. Read the article below for an interesting article on the profitability of Bitcoin mining. | https://medium.com/coinmonks/top-50-cryptocurrency-medium-bloggers-cf0e03a0c7fb | [] | 2020-10-16 11:11:23.866000+00:00 | ['Cryptocurrency', 'Trading', 'Bitcoin'] |
Youth Coding and Innovation Club win big in 2020 MakeX Spark Competition | At 2019, we (as YCIC) host the first ever MakeX competition (2019 MakeX Starter Competition NY Open) at USA and Canada, with the unprecedented challenge situation at year of 2020, Youth Coding and Innovation Club continue to promote the MakeX competition, and we participate the online format of MakeX Spark Competition.
MakeX Spark is a creative design competition program for young people aged 6 to 13. It encourages them to get involved in hands-on practice and showcase brilliant projects in all areas of STEM.
Teams need to focus on the theme of each competition, carry out the projects through software programming and hardware construction, and display the projects to others via online. With the features of low entry-level and flexible forms, Spark not only inspires young people’s creativity but also provides them with the opportunity to develop their problem-solving skills and build their confidence through project-based learning.
At the first round of MakeX Spark 2020 competition, six students win prize, and YCIC win the best organization award.
Here it is the list of the students project
Best Demonstration Award
Jonathan Liang, https://planet.mblock.cc/project/387871
Tony Xu, https://planet.mblock.cc/project/387829
Ray Tang, https://planet.mblock.cc/project/386361
Young Designer Award
Anbang Jiang, http://planet.mblock.cc/project/386470
Evan Liu, https://planet.mblock.cc/project/387076
Eric Liu win the Young All-Rounder Award (top 5 in the world)
Eric Liu, https://planet.mblock.cc/project/330137
More details of each project can be found from this youtube video list
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLrZd2ldD_FoyPMUmZglUfsGfyyFr5EXs8 2020
MakeX Spark Competition Award Winning Project (Youth Coding and Innovation Club)
2020 MakeX Spark — Smart Lights Online Awarding Ceremony will be on 29 November 9AM (GTM+8, China Time) via Zoom. 300 spaces available only.
Mark your calendar, join us at awarding ceremony, and the next round is start, we expect to see more excited projects and more innovative mind kids join us, together, we build the innovative future.
For more information about MakeX Spark competition, please send email to [email protected], and follow our Medium channel. | https://medium.com/@youthinnolab/youth-coding-and-innovation-club-win-big-in-2020-makex-spark-competition-4eb6f1460db4 | ['Youth Innovation Lab'] | 2020-11-23 05:38:54.277000+00:00 | ['STEM', 'Makex', 'Youth', 'Competition'] |
Embedded finance shows stronger application | Embedded finance has been seen as a rising trend among internet companies and “expected to be dominant in 2030” (Business Insider). Not only does this bring in new sources of revenue, but also create a more comprehensive and seamless experience for users — B2B and B2C.
Embedded finance refers to non-financial companies that significantly increase or even transform their value propositions through embedding associated financial products and services onto their platforms. - TechinAsia
(Credit: Medici)
In learning about the adoption of this trend, I encountered an interesting use case happening in fintech, and to be specific payment acquiring service:
This week, Stripe has brought to live their Stripe Treasury product — a banking-as-a-service API for Stripe’s partners to allow their customers to create a bank account directly from their own platform. Techcrunch covers a prime example for this service:
For example, Shopify will use Stripe Treasury for Shopify Balance. If a Shopify merchant wants to hold money, pay bills and spend money from their Shopify account, they can open a bank account in Shopify Balance directly. This way, they can skip the traditional bank account. Behind the scenes, Stripe Treasury powers that feature.
In an opposite effort, Revolut — one of the pioneer digital banks — is now stepping into acquiring field. Revolut’s acquiring service allows businesses with existing Revolut bank account to accept payment by creating invoices and sending payment link to their own customers.
With Stripe and Revolut’s new products, businesses can now get rid of all the hassle in reconciliation between their own banking account and payment service providers’ portal. And since the two services converge, I believe payout period can be shortened, increasing liquidity for business. | https://medium.com/fintechonthego/embedded-finance-is-getting-more-intense-9808670dfdfc | ['Mai Nguyen Q'] | 2020-12-13 13:56:43.453000+00:00 | ['Payments', 'Finance', 'Fintech', 'Technology', 'Banking'] |
5 Ways to Improve Emotional Intelligence | As one grows to take on higher responsibilities at workplaces, the ability to work with people and get results through them and along with them becomes critical, not just for management but even for technical roles.
In the last 9–12 months, since Covid-19 has become the biggest global phenomenon, its impact is being felt on almost all aspects of one’s life. The impact on companies and their leaders has also been very significant, testing leaders in ways they would not even have imagined. And in some ways, the impact of Covid has been a leveler — the impact is on companies of all shapes and sizes, all regions of the world, all industry sectors, and all economies of the world!
Be it slowing down in demand, or impact on supply chains, or challenges with keeping the operations going remotely or in mixed mode, or even potentially positive impact of new opportunities that are opening up due to changed circumstances, all companies are dealing with change on multiple dimensions.
Dealing with constant change and unfamiliar circumstances are some of the common causes of stress leaders face. The Covid situation has amplified this and also prolonged the period of impact, with still no possible ways to predict what happens in the immediate, near, and long term.
Under such prolonged unfamiliar and changing circumstances, when one’s mettle is being tested as a leader, what can you do to keep your teams focused, motivated, energized, and aligned with the needs of today while facing a tomorrow that is unpredictable in so many ways?
Research indicates that Emotional intelligence accounts for nearly 90 percent of what sets high performers apart from peers with similar technical skills and knowledge.
And, for leadership roles, emotional intelligence becomes the key differentiator between success and failure. The ability to manage oneself, especially under stressful and ever-changing situations, ability to connect positively with others even during such situations, and continue to help them stay focused and productive are some of the critical capabilities a leader must possess — no matter how great s/he is in other areas.
An inability to be seen as a trusted leader can significantly impact the outcomes of a leader, her team, and her organization.
The 5 elements are being Emotionally Intelligence are:
1. Self-Awareness or Self-Perception
How one sees herself and accepts oneself impacts every experience we have, how we relate to external events, and how we react to them.
What can one do to improve self-awareness? Find out your EQ! Take a self-assessment using a well-regarded EQ framework like EQi2.0 (www.mhs.com/eqi2) or six seconds (www.6seconds.org) or reach out to an emotional intelligence assessor and coach Gowri S Ramani.
Know your strengths, the balance between various elements that go into making you who you are, and first accept it for what it is.
Can you change or improve from there? Absolutely — emotional intelligence can be developed throughout one’s life. Work with a behavioral coach who can take you deeper to understand the reasons behind the current state and how to evolve to something you want to be.
2. Self-Expression or Self-Regulation:
Knowing oneself allows considering how we want to come across to others and that requires regulating our actions, reactions, and communication of feelings and emotions.
Knowing one’s emotions and acknowledging them with the right word, helps us accept what’s happening with us. The association of its name or the right word puts it in perspective and helps us decide consciously how to use the emotion. E.g., if someone’s action is making you angry, the realization makes one pause and think how to use that anger — express it to the person who triggered it, or register that feeling and use it to take focused action, or accept it and bring it up later to the person who triggers it so that it may be received well.
With practice, it’s a skill you can improve upon over time.
3. Interpersonal or connecting with others
How we relate to others and create interpersonal relationships is built upon who we think we are, who we express ourselves as, and what form of the equation we want to have with the other person among other considerations.
For success in any field, the ability to work with others is critical. It is more critical as you take on higher responsibilities and your actions have a bigger impact on a wider scale.
As we engage with other people, the relationship must invoke mutual trust as a foundation for any association to work. For trust to develop, one must come across as authentic and dependable. And for authenticity, one must be in touch with who you are and be comfortable with who they are and be comfortable to connect with others being their true self.
4. Decision making holistically and not just on facts/data
Decision making is making choices with limited information and carrying them through to their logical end. Especially in current circumstances, almost all decisions have a direct or indirect impact on the people one works with and the people that work for you. Making such decisions can be very stressful.
Understand how your emotions and empathy impact your decision making. If you are too empathetic and get weighed down by the potential impact on people, making decisions can become extremely stressful. On the other hand, if you ignore the people affected by and involved in the decision, it can make you an overly rational and insensitive leader. So, find the right balance, knowing your emotions and how they affect you.
5. Stress Management
As a leader, one of the key defining elements is, how does one operate under stress. Do you deny its existence and keep it bottled in until it explodes, or do you accept, acknowledge and deal with it, or do you pass it onto your teams and anyone else you come in contact with? What defines you in stressful situations?
Again, the first step is to acknowledge one is having stress — don’t judge yourself too harshly on whether it is justified or unjustified to feel stressed, or on how less or more stressed you are. Find your own methods to release stress — meditation, mindfulness, physical workout, sleep, music, … there are many ways to release stress — find yours and practice it as soon as you realize stress building. Also, find micro-methods — like deep breathing for 5 counts — that you can adopt even in presence of others.
As a leader under unprecedented and unusual circumstances like now, becoming emotionally aware and emotionally intelligent about who you are and who you want to be is critical. Stay positive, take constructive actions to know yourself better, improve yourself, and support the people around you.
If you’d like to know more about how we can help you with this, pls follow us or contact us. | https://medium.com/@coachlumen/5-ways-to-improve-emotional-intelligence-aa93ecf389d1 | ['Coach Lumen'] | 2020-12-08 06:12:19.893000+00:00 | ['Leadership Skills', 'Emotional Intelligence', 'Self Aware', 'Interpersonal Skills', 'Self Improvement Tips'] |
Using Terraform Modules from AWS S3 Buckets | Modules are used in Terraform to modularize and encapsulate groups of resources in your infrastructure. Using Modules you can write a generic code and reuse it as you need if you are from database background it is similar to using stored procedures.
Terraform provides a various way to use Modules, you can write module and use it from many sources, similar to using files from Shared Drives or services like DropBox and Google Drive.
The module installer supports installation from a number of different source types, as listed below.
Local paths
Terraform Registry
GitHub
Bitbucket
Generic Git, Mercurial repositories
HTTP URLs
S3 buckets
To learn more about Modules check this Terraform documentation link
In this post, we will see how to use Module from S3 buckets
Prerequisites
Create S3 bucket in your AWS account, the bucket could be public or private
Make sure your Terraform user (the account you are using to run terraform CLI) has access to the bucket
Solution
Note: Download the working example from our GitHub repository
Following is the source of the basic module, the module will create an S3 bucket by taking a bucket name as a variable
variable "s3-bucket-name" {
description = "Name of the S3 bucket"
} resource "aws_s3_bucket" "s3-module" {
bucket = "${var.s3-bucket-name}"
acl = "private"
}
Write your module and ZIP all files as one file for example s3-module.zip
Make sure you select all files of your module then zip it, Terraform would not recognize the module if you zip the directory, you might get the following error
Error downloading modules: Error loading modules: module s3-module: No Terraform configuration files found in directory: .terraform/modules/b06e8e34227215983c85107e22cc01
Upload the ZIP file to your S3 bucket
Copy the URL of the Module ZIP file and use it as a source of your Modules as follows
provider "aws" {
region = "us-east-1"
} module "bucket-1" { #Replace the URL with the link of your module source = "s3::https://s3.amazonaws.com/my-terraform-modules/s3-module.zip" s3-bucket-name = "my-bucket-no-1"
}
Execute the following commands to use the modules
$ terraform get $ terraform init $ terraform plan $ terraform apply $ terraform destroy
Hope you find this post useful, please leave a comment for any questions or suggestions.
@IamZeeshanBaig
About DataNext
DataNext Solutions is a US based system integrator, specialized in Cloud, Big Data, DevOps technologies. As a registered AWS partner, our services comprise of any Cloud Migration, Cost optimization, Integration, Security and Managed Services. Click here and Book Free assessment call with our experts today or visit our website www.datanextsolutions.com for more info. | https://medium.com/datanextsolutions/using-terraform-modules-from-aws-s3-buckets-710de6f7750e | ['Zeeshan Baig'] | 2018-10-29 11:01:02.143000+00:00 | ['AWS', 'DevOps', 'Infrastructure', 'Terraform', 'Cloud Computing'] |
Legality and Illegality of Street Art: A Never-Ending Debate | As an art movement, contemporary street art developed from its historical and cultural sister — graffiti. From the late 1960s-1970s, the visual art of streets started to gain traction, while more and more graffiti artists wanted to make their art known to their fellow brothers and the general public.
Over the years, a niche community has grown to become one of the most controversial and yet quite influential phenomena in the contemporary world of art. Today, people keep looking at the conflict that hasn’t been resolved for so many years. The legality and illegality of street art remain to be an open question that has yet to be answered.
Street art is illegal
Graffiti and street art are not the same things, though in some contexts, these terms can be used interchangeably. However, the difference in the definition doesn’t make either somehow more legal. From the very origin of the movement, there were solid reasons to consider street art as an illegal craft.
Street art originated among the Black and Latino neighborhoods in New York City. Back then, art was rather abusive, deviant, and destructive, to say nothing of the fact that someone’s properties were harshly vandalized. With time, things were changing; in fact, the conditions became less draconic when street art took the stage.
Street art is legal
The notion that street art can be legal was appalling for the greater part of the contemporary art world. With the advent of such contemporary street artists as Banksy, Blek le Rat, Shepard Fairey, and Robbo, street art gained widespread popularity.
Plenty of people started supporting different artists, which put the authority in a real spot. Some very restricted amount of street art became legal, while its legality became subject to change. As a result, today, you can either paint murals with permission or put up with the fact that you are illegal.
Will there be a consensus?
Slow and steady, the situation is changing, but will there be a consensus? It’s open to debate. The art community is changing, and — who knows — the perception might change with time as well. | https://medium.com/@300magazine/legality-and-illegality-of-street-art-a-never-ending-debate-d7abb8c2db5a | [] | 2020-12-08 02:17:00.930000+00:00 | ['Graffiti', 'Contemporary Art', 'Street Art', 'Art', 'Painting'] |
2020 — A Loading Screen for the Future | Hello, Internet,
This is Anirudh here.
So a year ago today I made a list of the things I wanted to do before 2020.
And how I was going to spend 2020.
Well, we all know how this year went up until now.
This year for me just felt like being in limbo.
Not too bad, not too good, just existing.
In that list was how I wanted to keep a journal, how I wanted to finish some online courses that I started and some other stuff.
I didn’t really feel like journaling since nothing was going on, So I just made like 4 entries this whole year. As for the courses, I finished them quite early into the lock-in March itself.
There was another thing that I wanted to do consistently, which was my youtube channel. Now to be honest I’ve been posting consistently weekly one video other than taking a break for the month of Jan, august, and September.
It was solely because I wasn’t really getting anywhere.
I would post a video and see like 3 or 4 people clicking on it and just leave.
Like the audience retention charts were bad.
So I knew I was doing something wrong.
But I didn’t want to give up yet, I optimized my old videos with new thumbnails and tags and I saw some results.
Other than that I’ve been pretty alright this year so far.
I stopped giving things meaning if it is irrelevant.
Things are weird this year or may have always been weird and I am just noticing it now being stuck at home.
From the beginning of the year, things just seem to get crazier and crazier, like this is kinda a superhero movie and the stakes keep getting bigger and bigger.
Like literally there is a cyclone outside and with a possibility of one more on the way.
Haha
A lot of people have a problem with staying at home and some people want to stay home. People are scared of getting ill when they go out and others want people to go out and be normal for the economy.
Okay, so who is right?
Well, it’s not that easy to decide.
The first reason for going into lockdown is to flatten the curve, to stop the spread basically.
Well we did that and the rate of spread was reduced for a while, then it raised and reduced.
People are still being affected here and there and some people just want to stay home, stay safe.
On the other hand, some people want things to go back to how it was before, Small shops, startups want customers and a lot of laborers and employees lost their jobs and don’t have anything else to do and on macroscale economics of countries are in jeopardy.
If you do a job remotely from home doesn’t mean everyone else can also do their jobs from their home.
So the financial structure is in danger when you consider income for governments comes in from public transportation and other services.
So we just can not stay in lockdown forever which some people would like to stay that way.
Now the problem is that on one hand, The lockdown stays and we will be safe but the economy of the country gets fragile with time or on the other hand lift restrictions and get the economy to where it was before and risk life in the process.
So as you can see if you have a preconceived judgment, you would have gone like yea this one is clearly better than the other.
But it is not that easy because if the lockdown stays and the economy fails, people will probably suffer from starvation among other things or the lockdown is lifted, the people will regain their financial stability, but risk getting affected.
So there should be balanced as all things should be.
The problem now is that, if the lockdown lifts, then there was no point in having lockdown in the first place.
To be clear I am not speaking on a personal level, just as a group of people.
By being in lockdown, It feels like we just postponed the inevitable.
So I hope now you see that it is not an easy decision to make.
I mean I am neither an economist nor a medical expert.
Just a normal observer or spectator of events that I have no control over.
If you would have asked me last year If things would be like this now, I would have laughed coz it’s just like a movie and probably over thought what I would really do if things happened like this.
A lot of people think that 2021 will be better and that things will go back to normal. But I clearly don’t see that happening.
Schools and colleges aren’t open and are just being conducted online. I am supposed to have class now, but well it is canceled, because of a cyclone.
I see things going back to normal when there is a cure and it’s given to everyone and not just some people. Experts say that it would be harder to distribute the cure than to make it.
It makes sense because everyone has to get one and in a place like India (where I live) the population is a lot. It will be hard to distribute the cure.
Each and every one of those people should be cured.
So you see how I think 2021 isn’t probably going to be normal right?
Not gonna lie, there are already a lot of projects going on to solve this, but it would take around a decade to make it available publicly from what I have read online. Do your own research before believing something online.
So it takes time to make, then test and then another test and test on people and then on some more, and so on.
So it will take some time, could one. two or even five years
But things will get to normal, I hope.
For people saying that this is the new normal, do you really expect that people from now on going to stay six feet apart, wear masks always and always be conscious of what they eat, where they eat, where they travel to like I can go on and on? You get the idea.
I think this is turning into a rant, 1101 words in, This has to come to an end.
I conclude this article by saying that, I think this is not a new normal, I still believe that things will go back to normal or even better than before, because people now know how going out exploring is nice.
I feel like this has been like waiting on a game loading screen like we are going from one level to another and this is just like the loading screen.
I hope the next level is better and the game doesn’t just crash on the loading screen.
If you liked reading then follow me @anirudhisonline.
Follow me on Instagram and let me know what other topics you would like to see me talk about.
Thank you for your time.
I will see you at the next one.
BYE. | https://medium.com/@anirudhisonline/2020-a-loading-screen-for-the-future-4027aabced2 | ['Anirudh Is Online'] | 2020-12-25 16:21:20.445000+00:00 | ['Personal Blog', 'Lockdown', 'Effects Of Covid 19', 'Future', '2021'] |
The Guitarist | The Guitarist
A 100-word story
Whoever said, “the hits just keep on coming,” had never met Jimmy.
At 22, everyone was sure he was the next Dylan. Four years later, the ideas had all dried up, and the money had all slipped away.
He’d put away his old guitar, which had given him so much at first. It had failed him when he needed it most — no hits, not even the start of a tune.
But now, it was all he had left. So he gave it one more try.
And wouldn’t you know it, Jimmy found something special — a hit.
Life’s funny that way. | https://medium.com/tempest-in-under-1000/the-guitarist-dc3b7d4e25 | ['Jl Matthews'] | 2020-08-20 20:01:00.899000+00:00 | ['Short Story', 'Storytelling', 'Fiction', 'Music', 'Microfiction'] |
How to make your communication flexible using Threads | According to Statista, 269 billion emails were sent and received each day worldwide in 2017, and that figure is expected to grow to almost 320 billion daily emails in 2021. Radicati breaks down the daily email traffic into a bit more detail. As of 2018, there were about 124.5 billion business emails sent and received each day. Another report says an average office worker receives 121 emails per day.
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As an employee, if you are expected to act upon these emails, it can come only at the cost of significant time and productivity. Is there a way to reduce the time spent on unproductive communication? The answer to this lies in the four ‘R’s: right person, right message, right time, and the fourth ‘R’ is very important: ‘right context’. When there is a relevant context, there will be less email, chat, etc.
A search engine tries to serve the relevant ad based on your previous search history. A chatbot tries to respond to your query based on your previous chat history. A beacon in a shopping mall tries to give you relevant offers based on your purchase history. Here, in all these cases, history acts as a context. Digital driven businesses are trying to provide smarter and more personalized services by understanding the user context.
Free Business Productivity App | Try now, It’s free!
If you ask Alexa, how is the weather today, you will get a response. But, if you ask Alexa what shoes to wear today, you might not get a proper response. Alexa’s ability to respond is based on her ability to understand the context behind your question. The next big leap of artificial intelligence would greatly depend on the smart devices’ ability to learn and respond to the context.
We, at Clariti, understand that communication can be made more effective, personal, and actionable only if it is based on context. Context is central to everything in Clariti! Whether you are dealing with a work Item (email, chat, social feed), or a Thread (related work items), you are always working in context!
Clariti automatically arranges all the communication in Threads and each Thread relates to some context that is relevant to you. You can arrange the Threads based on the way you choose to organize your work. Let’s take a look at the use case below.
As a salesman, you can organize Threads either based on “Customer” or “Territory”. For example, all the interactions (email, chat, file exchanges, social feeds, etc) that you have had with your customer will be stored under one single Thread. Alternatively, you can arrange all your customers based on territory. Either way, you can maintain the context by grouping all the information under a single Thread.
Similarly, as a marketing manager, you can arrange your threads based on “Marketing Channel” or “Budget year”.
With Clariti, you need not be bound by the rigidity of the system. Thread provides complete flexibility when it comes to organizing your work. There will be no more information silos and you will not be under stress searching for any information. Irrespective of the mode of communication, all your interactions will be automatically arranged and stored in the system. It’s now time to sign up and become more organized. | https://medium.com/@getclariti/how-to-make-your-communication-flexible-using-threads-387f9dec715e | [] | 2020-12-23 12:52:44.185000+00:00 | ['Collaboration', 'Communication', 'Teamwork', 'Business', 'Work'] |
Why you need anger to create fulfilling relationships | Step 1. Learn how to feel anger: Investigate for yourself if it is ok to feel or not. Why not? Who told you? Try it out to be angry for no reason. Scream and hit a cushion. Try to be angry for a reason. What is it that you don’t want? What are you angry about? For me this was a long and pretty random process that started in mosh pits at heavy-metal concerts, where I didn’t even realize I was expressing anger. It was paused while being a non-violent yogi and meditator and continued in Osho inspired therapy groups, where I learned to express anger and somehow use it to say no and set boundaries. There it stopped until I heard the word „Rage Club“ that was magically attracting me and made me start participating in one, just one day later. This opened a new world to me, summing up my previous experience and complementing it with new distinctions, especially that I can also use anger to say yes and to create.
Step 2. Learn how to use your anger and use it to come back to yourself. Start to take back your center, stay centered and in your own energetic bubble. Take back your authority. Learn to be yourself to be able to connect to other people from where you are, without energetically merging with the other person, sacrificing the I for the we. These are all big concepts, each deserving an own article (you can read the linked websites instead). Basically it is about using anger to draw back your energy from others to yourself, getting a sense for your boundaries, also physically and energetically. I’m just starting to do this, so the stories I can share are very limited. One experience I made was that while I was energetically being too focussed on a women I felt confused and cranky (like being needy and not getting this neediness fulfilled). Once I used my anger to pull my energy back to myself I was able to clearly feel my feelings again. In that case it was sadness, helping me to let go.
Step 3. Dare to use your anger with the person you love. Here, the stories of why it is not ok to feel and express anger come in especially strongly. At least for me. My old story is that if I am angry (let alone express it) I will scare away the person I love and love will disappear. And as so many people see anger as a bad thing, it could actually happen that somebody get triggered and leaves. This seems the appropriate point to bring in the distinction about feelings and emotions: Feelings happen in the moment and are a normal reaction to what you experience. Emotions are old unexpressed feelings from the past that get touched (triggered) by similar situations in the present and lead you to react to the past instead to that what is actually happening. For feelings to be constructive forces in relationships make sure you use feelings, not emotions. This also includes becoming conscious of your emotions so you can put them aside and use them for healing the past wounds (preferably in a healing setting and not in your relationship). The experience I’ve made using the feeling of anger was always transformational. I showed what I did not like and ask for what I wanted instead which created something new. Also I have noticed that I am often very grateful for receiving somebody’s conscious anger, because the reveal themselves and also very often it contained very useful information about myself that helped me to grow.
Step 4. Use your anger to make proposals about what you want. That is the next step out of being reactive to being proactive and therefore creative. It is more about finding and communication what you want to create and invite your partner, friend or colleagues to be part of it. Right now I am experimenting to make at least two proposals a day. I need anger for this, because it’s a very clear and direct way of communicating that my conditioning about being nice is not so keen on. Instead of saying to somebody: „well, maybe we could have dinner sometimes“ I say: „I propose to meet for dinner tomorrow at 7 in Jacob’s restaurant. Are you in?“ It requires the other to make a decision. He or she might feel something about it. I might get a no and I might feel something about this, too. Anger helps me to move with clarity anyway. | https://medium.com/@oliverarnold_62582/why-you-need-anger-to-create-fulfilling-relationships-a79ff14651b0 | ['Oliver Arnold'] | 2021-08-20 19:57:05.382000+00:00 | ['Anger', 'Relationships', 'Conscious Feelings'] |
7 Golden Tips For New Online Freelancers | Freelancing is an outstanding way to make money on your own terms and conditions. Every freelancer should know these 7 tips aimed at new freelancers.
The 7 golden tips for freelancers are :
How do freelancers get paid?
Do not start working online without a portfolio.
Create some tutorials.
You should improve your communication skills.
Consider your health.
Go outside freelancing sites and promote your service.
Be patient.
Tip 01 : How do freelancers get paid?
Most people don’t believe that they can make a living through the internet. One of the main reasons is that some payment methods are not supported in their country. For example, PayPal is not available in some third world countries. But there are so many methods to get the payment.
Don’t overthink. If you start working online as a freelancer and start getting orders, you will surely get paid nevertheless your connected your PayPay account or your Bank to the site.
PayPal allows you to get paid online. But if PayPal isn’t available in your country, you can use Payoneer to receive your payments. (Payoneer is available worldwide).
{Click here to continue reading…} | https://medium.com/@ihthishamahmed5/7-golden-tips-for-new-online-freelancers-f73eb4a9302 | ['Ihthisham Ahmed'] | 2021-05-03 14:52:28.786000+00:00 | ['Freelancing', 'Freelancers', 'Fiverr', 'Freelancing Tips', 'Freelancing Career'] |
Boxed Secrets | Inside our minds
Inside our hearts
Inside our bodies
We wrap up little boxes
We tie little bows around the boxes
We store the boxes safely
The little boxes conceal the secrets
We hide from the world
We hide from those we love
We hide from those who love us
We hide from ourselves
Those boxes stack on top of one another
Wedge into the empty spaces
Get smashed against one another
Banged, crushed, cracked
The concealed secrets leak
Into our memories
Into life’s moments
Into our actions
The boxes topple over
The secrets get knocked around
Jostled, bruised, battered
Pushing against who we are
Pulling on who we want to be
Pressing down who we were
Boxes concealing secrets
Create the people we are
Hide the truth of us
Allow us to survive
Boxes concealing secrets
Implode
Our true selves escape
Our inner strength shines
Our flaws are revealed
Boxes of secrets
Hold us hostage
Set us free
Always struggle to remain
Boxes filled with secrets
Ready to give the world
The present concealed within
The truth of who we are
Hidden in
Boxes of secrets
Originally published in the poetry collection, Memory in Silhouette: Poems. | https://tlcooper.medium.com/boxed-secrets-c1d19e840ce3 | ['Tl Cooper'] | 2018-12-31 00:08:45.590000+00:00 | ['Poetry', 'Secrets', 'Love', 'Memories'] |
Difficulties of Natural Language Processing in Machines | For humans, communicating through language is second nature, an indispensable skill that we’ve had since before we can remember. We can all understand, or “process” at least one language without giving it a second thought, so for a computer, which can calculate complex arithmetic in the blink of an eye, it should be a piece of cake. Right?
Turns out, understanding language and its nuances is much more difficult than we give ourselves credit for. Certain innate language processing abilities that humans take for granted are actually very difficult to emulate in machines. One ability that computers struggle with is correctly identifying a set of pronouns as referring to the same or different person or place. Take the characters in Winnie the Pooh, for example. When referring to Christopher Robin, Chris, and Mr. Robin, are we talking about the same person, or perhaps members of the same family? Maybe they aren’t even related at all! Although you may have been able to differentiate the three names via context clues or memories you already had of Winnie the Pooh, it is nearly impossible for computers to make those kinds of inferences.
Another example of something that doesn’t come naturally to machines is what we might call “common sense” such as taking a sentence and interpreting it correctly even though there are several other possible meanings. For example, if you say “take a seat” to your friend, they will understand that you are asking them to sit down; meanwhile, a computer might think that you mean to physically pick up a chair. Or, if you yell at your friend to “duck!” while playing soccer, your friend will understand that he/she needs to take cover from an oncoming soccer ball, whereas a computer might think you are announcing the presence of a certain web-footed creature in a nearby pond.
Getting computers to effectively process language is a challenging problem, and we still have a long way to go before computers can perfectly interpret sarcasm, gendered languages, certain sets of pronouns, and other aspects of language that we see as common sense. Just type a sentence into Google Translate, translate it into another language, and translate it back to see how imperfect modern-day natural language processing is. Progress is certainly being made, however, and this intersectional field of linguistics, computer science, and artificial intelligence will only grow more important in the upcoming decades. | https://medium.com/@gunsalusjacobi/difficulties-of-natural-language-processing-in-machines-c2b8e329540c | ['Jacobi Gunsalus'] | 2020-12-26 23:34:17.766000+00:00 | ['AI', 'Linguistics', 'Language', 'Computer Science', 'NLP'] |
Welcome Malaika Jabali to GEN! | Welcome Malaika Jabali to GEN! Her new column, “Watching the Police” will examine how police reform is playing out in cities across the country. First up, the race for D.A. in Atlanta — where both candidates are cozying up to police unions.
As conditions for the poor and working-class have declined in Atlanta, Black people are asked to celebrate the mere existence of Black elected officials, mirroring the vapid optics of national politics.
Black women are expected to be proud of a Fani Willis, or a Keisha Lance Bottoms, or a Kamala Harris, regardless of their policy record. Striving is inherently good, and “Black excellence” in any form — even if it’s won on the broken backs of our country’s Black working-class masses — is lauded. | https://michellelegro.medium.com/welcome-malaika-jabali-to-gen-231144b62440 | ['Michelle Legro'] | 2020-10-21 13:47:17.962000+00:00 | ['“Watching the Police” ', 'Police', 'Police Brutality', 'Police Reform', 'Justice'] |
NoScope: Scaling Neural Network Queries to the Real-World | Neural networks have expanded the breadth of tasks we can perform and revolutionized the accuracies at which we can achieve them. However, they are computationally expensive and thus make it difficult to perform tasks at volume and scale — a necessity for most real world applications. This article explores one of the various state of the art research that provides system level and architectural optimizations to scale these payloads into real-world applications. In particular, we will be exploring queries over video data, a medium that increasingly needs real-time responses and carries the challenge of large file sizes.
Let’s start with a scenario.
Your company provides traffic analytic services at city intersections and has recently trained a neural network to identify various traffic scenarios such as accidents, stopped cars, red-light violations, etc from security cameras. As your business grows, you deal with and process more footage from more security cameras.
Now, you’re approached by a city to help them track accidents at certain key intersections. What optimizations can we make to identify accidents more efficiently?
NoScope: Optimizing Neural Network Queries over Video at Scale — Kang et al.
NoScope introduces a system for querying videos that can significantly lower the cost of analysis via inference-optimized model search. This system leverages the reference neural network and input video to generate a cascade of models consisting of specialized neural networks and difference detectors. NoScope generates results at the same levels of accuracy, but at almost one-third the original cost.
Architecture
NoScope Architecture
As shown in the upper half of the architecture diagram, NoScope applies the references model to a subset of the target video and generates labeled examples. In our presented scenario, NoScope would identify frames as “accident” or “no accident”.
Next, NoScope trains a specialized model that is much shallower than the reference model. Specialized models forego the generality of a reference model, but offer similar behavior on a specific task. Specialized models at one intersection are unlikely to generalize to other intersections or other queries, but a new specialized model can be generated at each intersection.
Frame differencing
NoScope also generates a difference detector that checks to see whether something new has happened in the frame. Security cameras generally have fixed orientation, so a fixed reference image can be used to determine whether the current frame is empty. If there is no difference between the current frame and reference image, this frame is simply ignored as it is also empty.
If there is a difference between the current frame and the reference image (i.e. the figure above), the current frame is also compared against an earlier frame that we know the label for. If these frames are similar, then the same label is applied without tasking the neural network, otherwise the specialized network is used and the label is stored.
These two points of differencing allow for short-circuit evaluation and NoScope reveals that omitting frames by leveraging historical information can help significantly reduce load.
Evaluation
Accuracy vs speedup achieved by NoScope on various datasets
The authors evaluated multiple datasets on binary classification tasks with a Tesla P100 GPU and 32 Intel Xeon E5–2698 v4 cores in each experiment. Clearly, these results depict that NoScope is able to achieve many orders of magnitude of speedup with none to little loss in accuracy. It also shows that this approach is just as effective between a variety of datasets and target objects.
Conclusion
NoScope helps bridge the gap between deep learning research and real-world applications by making neural networks significantly cost effective. It leverages specialized neural networks and intelligently selects frames to task for neural network evaluation to deliver the same results at about the third of the cost.
Revisiting the scenario. Your traffic analytics business can leverage the techniques presented in NoScope to specialize its neural network for identifying accidents. Using a specialized neural network for each intersection and NoScope’s difference detection, the load from many cameras can become distributed and significantly reduced.
NoScope delivers incredible savings on computation for real-world applications and has inspired more research into bringing powerful neural networks onto compute limited platforms. | https://medium.com/analytics-vidhya/noscope-scaling-neural-network-queries-to-the-real-world-2ddecd25c450 | ['Kaushik Mahorker'] | 2020-08-05 13:56:57.712000+00:00 | ['Machine Learning', 'Deep Learning', 'Research', 'Video Analytics'] |
Building a customized dashboard using SQL Server and Dash. (Part 1: SQL Server) | Step1: Downloading tools.
Database: For the tutorial purpose, we are going to use SQL Express which can be found here.
Tools to access Database: We are going to use Azure Data Studio. I found it to be a relatively simpler tool to use (especially if you are a beginner).
Python3: You can download Python 3.7.6 here.
Now before diving into interaction here are a few tips to set up your database-
Determine the purpose of your Database- You must be aware of the information you are going to record and try to keep the number of tables to a minimum. Always provide primary keys. Avoid Nulls and Redundant data.
Step2: Downloading the pyodbc module.
With the database properly set up its time to install the library through which we are going to communicate with it. Now there are a lot of libraries for various Databases but for SQL Server the most popular is the pyodbc library.
Open the command line (CMD) and type the following command to install the pyodbc library on your system.
Command to install pyodbc
Step3. Creating a connection string.
Connection strings tell pyodbc to which Database you want to connect to and if there are any authentication parameters required for it.
Syntax —
The syntax for a connection string
Now as we are connecting to SQL Server, we won’t change the Driver. We can get the details of Server and Database from Azure data studio as shown below.
Getting details of Database
This changes our connection string to -
Actual connection string.
As you can probably tell we have removed both ‘UID’ (user ID) and ‘PWD’ (password) fields as SQL Express doesn’t require those fields to connect. Also, we added a new field of autocommit. This tells the python code that every change we make to the Database should be committed. If we remove this then we have to send a connection.commit() command every time we make a change.
Step4. Creating cursors and executing a query.
A database cursor can be thought of as a pointer to a specific row within a query result. The pointer can be moved from one row to the next.
Defining Cursor and executing a query.
After creating a connection and defining a cursor we can easily execute any query we like. In the above example, we have used a fetchall() method which allowed us to retrieve all of the rows.
Then with the simple a for-loop, we are able to iterate over each and every row.
Please note that the ‘row’ of datatype ‘pyodbc.Row’, basically acts like a normal list so the individual values can be accessed by indexing.
Also, whenever we are done with a particular Database we must close the connection via command at line #6. | https://medium.com/@ishmeet1995/building-a-customized-dashboard-using-sql-server-and-dash-part-1-f97f5ec87363 | ['Ishmeet Bindra'] | 2020-02-25 11:16:10.677000+00:00 | ['Programming', 'Sql Server', 'Python', 'Dash', 'Uipath'] |
How to create Azure account from Russia? | Photo by ThisisEngineering RAEng on Unsplash
If you want to learn and try Azure, opened a training course and started creating a test account, you will have an unpleasant surprise: if you specify the region “Russia” during registration, you will receive a message that Azure subscriptions are not available in Russia at the moment. Judging by the forums, this message has been on for several months (if not years) now. Fortunately, it is easy to get around.
Disclaimer. Below I describe my experience. You act under your responsibility.
The way to bypass the message is simple. All you have to do is indicate your country is not Russia. Are you surprised? I was a little surprised, too.
To pass the identity verification you need to provide your phone number and credit card number. This is required to prevent some anonymous person will not use “training” resources for their malicious purposes. It turns out that regular Russian phone and credit card will do. My phone and credit card worked.
When asked for address I gave the address of the Apple office in California. I had to google Cupertino’s zip codes, but it was not a difficult task.
Beware: you can’t change the country/region for an existing account later. Microsoft support recommends creating a new account and migrate services to that new account. So during registration, I selected “Germany” as my country and it fits me perfectly.
After all registration steps are done you can use Azure sandbox and other features for testing and experimenting purposes and Microsoft has information for your identification. | https://medium.com/@yuriybelonozhkin/how-to-create-azure-account-from-russia-96f3a784798b | ['Yuriy Belonozhkin'] | 2020-02-20 09:38:03.346000+00:00 | ['Microsoft Azure Training', 'Cloud', 'Learning', 'Lifehack', 'Azure'] |
Esteghlal (Taj) | When it comes to Football in Iran, two clubs have more fans than any other. The blues of Esteghlal — formerly named Taj — are one of them (Persepolis, covered in this series earlier, are the other). In addition to two Asian club championship trophies, Esteghlal have eight Iranian league championships and six cup wins to their name.
Taj in early 70s. Photo from http://takhtejamshidcup.com/
Initially founded as a cycling club in 1945 by an army general, the club was originally called The Cyclists. It soon changed its name to Taj. While the Persian word Taj literally translates to crown in English, the word is also used as a term of endearment and respect.
Despite this, the symbolic association of the crown with the Iranian monarchy meant that the club was forced to change its name after the 1979 revolution. Esteghlal — independence in English — was chosen as the new name. However, to this day many fans still use the Taj in their chants.
Logo
The club’s founding logo was a man on a bicycle, fitting for a cycling club. After the first name change to Taj, the club sported a new logo with 4 interconnected rings (presumably symbolizing their history as a cycling club) and a crown in the middle.
The next name change Esteghlal (independence) had its roots in popular revolutionary slogans, and with it came a new logo that broke with continuity and introduced new elements. This logo was used throughout the 80s, a decade that saw Iran fight a bloody war with Iraq. | https://medium.com/redesigning-iran/esteghlal-taj-18048d6d705 | ['Pendar Yousefi'] | 2018-12-11 00:08:52.426000+00:00 | ['Iran', 'Design', 'Graphic Design', 'Esteghlal', 'Soccer'] |
Rank and Yank | While I was watching a TEDx Talks, I heard the Rank and Yank and researched about it.
I am sure that, it is closely related to you if you are a manager or in HR.
Let me identify;
Rank and Yank is a method that is used by companies or managers to rank the employee’s performance and to terminate their employee’s employment who beneath the determined ranking scale.
It can be deemed two different steps and let me break it down for you;
The first step is Rank , on this step companies compare the employees with each other (Rank) and appoint a ranking level.
, on this step companies compare the employees with each other (Rank) and appoint a ranking level. The second step is Yank, on this step companies identify the employees who beneath the appointed ranking level and terminate their employment.
It is mercilessly, isn’t it?
Why Companies Prefer Rank and Yank? Is it effective?
Most of the companies which use Rank and Yank believe that they could determine and eliminate the employees who have lower performance than others and hire better and talented employees instead of them. From the HR perspective, I can say that Rank and Yank was profitable 30 years ago. However, in these years it is not convenient for the new-shaped business life.
What Should Companies prefer instead of Rank and Yank?
In this century, with globalization, all dynamics have changed in business life and companies have to keep themselves updated and have to be responsive to the new trends if they want to be successful in the upcoming future and acquire talented employees without the Rank and Yank method.
During this long globalization voyage, companies might prefer some different methods that make their voyage easier and more effective. There are myriad methods that can be applied to increase the efficiency of the employees who has low performance in your business. From my perspective, companies can prefer, coaching process, 360-degree feedback, internal-external training, competency-based training during their long voyage.
Regarding all topic, I would like to share 3 keywords;
Consistency,
Transparency,
Sincerity,
It is up to you, how you use these words in your business :)
See you in another article, I wish you all the bests :)
Best Regards. | https://medium.com/@gokhansengul11/rank-and-yank-d7ce32537211 | [] | 2020-12-19 14:08:05.595000+00:00 | ['Talent', 'Employee Engagement', 'Globalization', 'HR', 'Business'] |
In Conversation with RealPort’s Ecosystem: Intelliant, The Pioneers of Data Protection | RealPort’s Data Protection Officer, Pascal Haas
The following interview is a conversation between RealPort’s General Counsel, Sandra Kumhofer, and Pascal Haas of Intelliant, RealPort’s Data Protection Partner. Intelliant is the leading enabler of efficiency-driven and data-appreciative GRC compliance, connecting disruptive protagonists and established market leaders to create a joint future. This a part of our “In Conversation with RealPort” series.
Sandra Kumhofer: Can you please share with us your background and tell us a little about how your expertise applies within RealPort?
Pascal Haas: After completing my studies in economics and business administration, I decided to kick off my career in consulting. There, through a confluence of projects and personal interests, the topic of GRC — governance, risk and compliance — gradually became my main focus.
The protection of personal data plays a significant part in my working activities due to the increased attention to data protection, particularly with the introduction of the GDPR. Our lifeblood is working with exciting and promising FinTech companies, aiming to shape the banking of tomorrow. The real reward is the varied and challenging work that stems from the range of problems that can arise around compliance and security topics in this field.
With RealPort, this environment enables the implementation of pragmatic and flexible approaches to generating solutions. We always advise the fundamental development of interlocking management systems on related topics, such as the interaction of data protection and information security. With RealPort, we have been committed to prioritising both topics, so that the mutual and corresponding processes are implemented and pursued synchronously and with maximum leanness and agility.
How have Intelliant and RealPort been working together? At what stage did the partnership begin?
We have been working with RealPort since the conception phase of the platform. This has enabled us to ensure that both — the processes relating to the product and the development of the organisational and internal structure — have been designed with maximum awareness in dealing with the confidential and personal data of the customers.
In our role as Data Protection Officer, we accompany RealPort as a long-term mandate holder, with the goal of maintaining and improving data protection management and compliance. Here, I naturally work closely with you, Sandra, in your role as General Counsel. Due to the immense management attention and with this concentrated competence and experience in the legal, organisational and tech aspects, I see RealPort as being optimally equipped in data protection. The dynamics resulting from the growth of the product and structures in the coming years will be particularly exciting.
The integrated security management with its consideration of the interlinked topics of information security, data protection, and business continuity, will have to be adapted and further developed accordingly in the teamwork of the RealPort. All in all, I think this engagement and dedication illustrates well, the value that RealPort places on data security — but more importantly, it fosters the trust of investors, employees, supervisory authorities and other stakeholders.
Once we have established our business model within European markets, we plan to expand into additional regional arenas. How will this euro-centric basis impact RealPort and how we position ourself within new markets?
Personally, I see it as a clear advantage. GDPR has become the market standard — other jurisdictions are trying to attain these regulations. The European market is undoubtedly an important one on the global stage, especially in the digital world. RealPort will enter alternative regional markets and you will be able to state that you are aware of the local laws but you are already abiding by GDPR laws, so what more can you implement in the realm of data protection? Everyone wants to reach our European level, so starting here is definitely a benefit.
As an expert in GDPR topics, do you think that GDPR hinders innovation?
In short, I see GDPR as a good thing. Against the background of increasing digitisation and, unfortunately, the resulting cyber-crime, appropriate data protection is the order of the day. Although it takes increased effort to reach the solutions, it is necessary and it benefits everyone involved. Additionally, we are already witnessing the development of regulations that will accompany GDPR and these will make executing the required actions easier. GDPR laws are still in the process of being established and in some cases the authorities still have some decisions to make regarding it.
I do not believe that GDPR hinders innovation, instead it provides a solid structure from the outside. In the end, we are really speaking about keeping employees and customers safe, so it is in our best interest to be conscious of what it is that we are doing. However, this does not mean that we cannot be innovative.
What do you think is particularly special about the RealPort product?
Through working closely with RealPort, I have consistently seen a level of professionalism and determination in their approach to the product. We recognise a clear focus on goals, short decision-making paths and the right priorities set early on with innovative foresight. With the aforementioned management attention, even to rather annoying topics in everyday FinTech, RealPort has laid the foundation for a risk-conscious and professional organisation and has obtained certifications that one would not expect from a start-up in this phase.
This can lead to a significant competitive advantage and facilitate the further development of the organisation in the medium term, should higher regulatory requirements from partner companies or authorities become applicable in the future. With the investment platform created, a market segment is being entered which previously was reserved for established market participants and investment companies. The effort and performance required to overcome these market entry barriers as a startup should not be underestimated and further the positive effect that RealPort will brings should also be appreciated, as they create access to a new category of investors.
We would like to contribute to this important digitisation step by giving investors a feeling of security when using RealPort’s services. Personally, the aspect of sustainable investments is an important one, as I believe that the climate crisis and its associated effects is — despite the pandemic — currently the greatest challenge facing our society. Unfortunately, the financial sector has so far played too passive a role in this. Therefore, it is very welcome that RealPort takes initiative here and thus also represents the unique future viability of sustainable investments.
How do you see the collaboration evolving in the future? What do you, in particular, appreciate about RealPort and its team?
I enjoy working with such a highly motivated and fully committed team and developing such projects, which are characterised by enormous expertise bundled with such a strong product focus. As already mentioned, in my view RealPort set the right management impulses from the very beginning. Since RealPort has completely relied on a multidisciplinary, diverse team with a strong international focus, even a global pandemic could not slow down the project despite the important start-up phase. At this point, the company was already working intensively towards the launch of the investment platform in a completely digital, networked and remote manner on several continents, while maintaining appropriate security measures. | https://medium.com/@realport/in-conversation-with-the-realport-ecosystem-intelliant-the-pioneers-of-data-protection-1554a88b5ff3 | [] | 2021-05-11 13:40:18.328000+00:00 | ['Sustainability', 'Innovation', 'Fintech', 'Data Protection', 'Gdpr'] |
Gradient Descent Algorithm | Title: What is the Gradient Descent Algorithm and its working.
Gradient descent is a type of machine learning algorithm that helps us in optimizing neural networks and many other algorithms. This article ventures into how this algorithm actually works, its types, and its significance in the real world.
A Brief Introduction
Gradient descent is one of the most popular algorithms to perform optimization and by far the most common way to optimize neural networks. At the same time, every state-of-the-art Deep Learning library contains implementations of various algorithms to optimize gradient descent (e.g. lasagne’s, caffe’s, and keras’ documentation).
The reason we’re talking about it here is not merely theoretical. Gradient Descent algorithm is much more than it seems to be. It is used time and again by ML practitioners, Data scientists, and students to optimize their models.
Gradient descent is a way to minimize an objective function parameterized by a model’s parameters by updating the parameters in the opposite direction of the gradient of the objective function w.r.t. to the parameters. The learning rate $alpha$ determines the size of the steps we take to reach a (local) minimum. In other words, we follow the direction of the slope of the surface created by the objective function downhill until we reach a valley.
Now that you’ve gotten a basic insight of the algorithm, let’s dig deep in it in this post. We will define and cover some important aspects like its working, it’s working examples, types and a final conclusion to mould it all.
What is exactly Gradient Descent ?
Answer the question posed by the title of this post directly below this header. This will increase your chances of ranking for the featured snippet on Google for this phrase and provide readers with an immediate answer. Keep the length of this definition — at least in this very basic introduction — between 50 and 60 words.
After the brief definition, dive further into the concept and add more context and explanation if needed.
Gradient descent is an optimization algorithm used to find the values of parameters (coefficients) of a function (f) that minimizes a cost function (cost).
Gradient descent is best used when the parameters cannot be calculated analytically (e.g. using linear algebra) and must be searched for by an optimization algorithm.
Gradient descent is a first-order iterative optimization algorithm for finding a local minimum of a differentiable function. To find a local minimum of a function using gradient descent, we take steps proportional to the negative of the gradient (or approximate gradient) of the function at the current point. But if we instead take steps proportional to the positive of the gradient, we approach a local maximum of that function; the procedure is then known as gradient ascent. Gradient descent was originally proposed by Cauchy in 1847.
Gradient descent is also known as steepest descent; but gradient descent should not be confused with the method of steepest descent for approximating integrals.
Okay but why is it Important?
Provide your readers with a few reasons why they should care about the term or the concept you’re writing about. If this is a consumer-level concept, talk about the implications this could have on their businesses, finances, personal happiness, etc. If you’re writing for an audience of professionals, mention the impact this term or concept has on profit, efficiency, and/or customer satisfaction. To make the most of this section, make sure it includes at least one statistic, quote, or outside reference.
Include at Least One of These Next Three Sections
Gradient descent variants
There are three variants of gradient descent, which differ in how much data we use to compute the gradient of the objective function. Depending on the amount of data, we make a trade-off between the accuracy of the parameter update and the time it takes to perform an update.
Batch Gradient Descent: This is a type of gradient descent which processes all the training examples for each iteration of gradient descent. But if the number of training examples is large, then batch gradient descent is computationally very expensive. Hence if the number of training examples is large, then batch gradient descent is not preferred. Instead, we prefer to use stochastic gradient descent or mini-batch gradient descent. Stochastic Gradient Descent: This is a type of gradient descent which processes 1 training example per iteration. Hence, the parameters are being updated even after one iteration in which only a single example has been processed. Hence this is quite faster than batch gradient descent. But again, when the number of training examples is large, even then it processes only one example which can be additional overhead for the system as the number of iterations will be quite large. Mini Batch gradient descent: This is a type of gradient descent which works faster than both batch gradient descent and stochastic gradient descent. Here b examples where b<m are processed per iteration. So even if the number of training examples is large, it is processed in batches of b training examples in one go. Thus, it works for larger training examples and that too with lesser number of iterations.
Gradient Descent Procedure
The procedure starts off with initial values for the coefficient or coefficients for the function. These could be 0.0 or a small random value.
coefficient = 0.0
The cost of the coefficients is evaluated by plugging them into the function and calculating the cost.
cost = f(coefficient)
or
cost = evaluate(f(coefficient))
The derivative of the cost is calculated. The derivative is a concept from calculus and refers to the slope of the function at a given point. We need to know the slope so that we know the direction (sign) to move the coefficient values in order to get a lower cost on the next iteration.
delta = derivative(cost)
Now that we know from the derivative which direction is downhill, we can now update the coefficient values. A learning rate parameter (alpha) must be specified that controls how much the coefficients can change on each update.
coefficient = coefficient — (alpha * delta)
This process is repeated until the cost of the coefficients (cost) is 0.0 or close enough to zero to be good enough.
You can see how simple gradient descent is. It does require you to know the gradient of your cost function or the function you are optimizing, but besides that, it’s very straightforward. Next we will see the math behind it and how we can use this in machine learning algorithms.
Math Behind it
Suppose we have the following given:
Hypothesis: hθ(x)= θ^Tx=θ0x0+θ1x1+……………+θnxn
Parameters: θ0, θ1, θ2,……..,θn
Cost function: J(θ)=J(θ0, θ1, θ2,……..,θn)
Consider the gradient descent algorithm, which starts with some initial θ, and repeatedly performs the update:
θj := θj − α ∂/∂θj (J(θ))
(This update is simultaneously performed for all values of j = 0,…,n.) Here, α is called the learning rate. This is a very natural algorithm that repeatedly takes a step in the direction of steepest decrease of J.
We’d derived the LMS rule for when there was only a single training example. There are two ways to modify this method for a training set of more than one example. The first is replace it with the following algorithm:
The reader can easily verify that the quantity in the summation in the update rule above is just ∂J(θ)/∂θj (for the original definition of J). So, this is simply gradient descent on the original cost function J. This method looks at every example in the entire training set on every step, and is called batch gradient descent. Note that, while gradient descent can be susceptible to local minima in general, the optimization problem we have posed here for linear regression has only one global, and no other local, optima; thus gradient descent always converges (assuming the learning rate α is not too large) to the global minimum. Indeed, J is a convex quadratic function.
How to Calculate Gradient Descent
Note: This section only applies for posts about math and equations.
Provide a step-by-step explanation and example of how to calculate the rate, point, or number you’re providing a definition for.
**Variables used:**Let m be the number of training examples.Let n be the number of features.
Note: if b == m, then mini batch gradient descent will behave similarly to batch gradient descent.
**Algorithm for batch gradient descent :**Let hθ(x) be the hypothesis for linear regression. Then, the cost function is given by:Let Σ represents the sum of all training examples from i=1 to m.
Jtrain(θ) = (1/2m) Σ( hθ(x(i)) - y(i))2 Repeat {
θj = θj – (learning rate/m) * Σ( hθ(x(i)) - y(i))xj(i)
For every j =0 …n
}
Where xj(i) Represents the jth feature of the ith training example. So if m is very large(e.g. 5 million training samples), then it takes hours or even days to converge to the global minimum.That’s why for large datasets, it is not recommended to use batch gradient descent as it slows down the learning.
Algorithm for stochastic gradient descent:
In this algorithm, we repeatedly run through the training set, and each time we encounter a training example, we update the parameters according to the gradient of the error with respect to that single training example only. This algorithm is called stochastic gradient descent (also incremental gradient descent).
Randomly shuffle the data set so that the parameters can be trained evenly for each type of data.2) As mentioned above, it takes into consideration one example per iteration.
Hence,
Let (x(i),y(i)) be the training example
Cost(θ, (x(i),y(i))) = (1/2) Σ( hθ(x(i)) - y(i))2 Jtrain(θ) = (1/m) Σ Cost(θ, (x(i),y(i))) Repeat { For i=1 to m{ θj = θj – (learning rate) * Σ( hθ(x(i)) - y(i))xj(i)
For every j =0 …n }
}
**Algorithm for mini batch gradient descent:**Say b be the no of examples in one batch, where b < m.Assume b = 10, m = 100;
Note: However we can adjust the batch size. It is generally kept as power of 2. The reason behind it is because some hardware such as GPUs achieve better run time with common batch sizes such as power of 2.
Repeat {
For i=1,11, 21,…..,91 Let Σ be the summation from i to i+9 represented by k. θj = θj – (learning rate/size of (b) ) * Σ( hθ(x(k)) - y(k))xj(k)
For every j =0 …n }
Choosing the best α
For sufficiently small α , J(θ) should decrease on every iteration.
But if α is too small, gradient descent can be slow to converge.
If α is too large, J(θ) may not decrease on every iteration, may not converge.
To choose α, try …..,0.001,0.01,0.1,1,……. etc.
Batch vs Stochastic gradient algorithm
Batch gradient descent has to scan through the entire training set before taking a single step — a costly operation if m is large — stochastic gradient descent can start making progress right away, and continues to make progress with each example it looks at. Often, stochastic gradient descent gets θ “close” to the minimum much faster than batch gradient descent. (Note however that it may never “converge” to the minimum, and the parameters θ will keep oscillating around the minimum of J(θ); but in practice most of the values near the minimum will be reasonably good approximations to the true minimum.) For these reasons, particularly when the training set is large, stochastic gradient descent is often preferred over batch gradient descent.
Some real life examples and intuition
If you feel like it would benefit your readers, list a few examples of the concept you’re explaining in action. You can elevate this section by embedding images, videos, and/or social media posts.
Remember, this post is not a list post — so try to keep this list between three and five examples if you do decide to include it.
Think of a large bowl like what you would eat cereal out of or store fruit in. This bowl is a plot of the cost function (f). A random position on the surface of the bowl is the cost of the current values of the coefficients (cost). The bottom of the bowl is the cost of the best set of coefficients, the minimum of the function. The goal is to continue to try different values for the coefficients, evaluate their cost and select new coefficients that have a slightly better (lower) cost. Repeating this process enough times will lead to the bottom of the bowl and you will know the values of the coefficients that result in the minimum cost.
The basic intuition behind gradient descent can be illustrated by a hypothetical scenario. A person is stuck in the mountains and is trying to get down (i.e. trying to find the global minimum). There is heavy fog such that visibility is extremely low. Therefore, the path down the mountain is not visible, so they must use local information to find the minimum. They can use the method of gradient descent, which involves looking at the steepness of the hill at their current position, then proceeding in the direction with the steepest descent (i.e. downhill). If they were trying to find the top of the mountain (i.e. the maximum), then they would proceed in the direction of steepest ascent (i.e. uphill). Using this method, they would eventually find their way down the mountain or possibly get stuck in some hole (i.e. local minimum or saddle point), like a mountain lake. However, assume also that the steepness of the hill is not immediately obvious with simple observation, but rather it requires a sophisticated instrument to measure, which the person happens to have at the moment. It takes quite some time to measure the steepness of the hill with the instrument, thus they should minimize their use of the instrument if they wanted to get down the mountain before sunset. The difficulty then is choosing the frequency at which they should measure the steepness of the hill so not to go off track. In this analogy, the person represents the algorithm, and the path taken down the mountain represents the sequence of parameter settings that the algorithm will explore. The steepness of the hill represents the slope of the error surface at that point. The instrument used to measure steepness is differentiation (the slope of the error surface can be calculated by taking the derivative of the squared error function at that point). The direction they choose to travel in aligns with the gradient of the error surface at that point. The amount of time they travel before taking another measurement is the learning rate of the algorithm.
Tips and Reminders before practicing it
When breaking down a difficult concept or definition, some readers may still feel overwhelmed and unsure of their ability to address it. Break down a few best practices on how to approach the concept, and/or a few reminders about it. Again, this is not a list post, so keep this short list to three to five pieces of advice.
This section lists some tips and tricks for getting the most out of the gradient descent algorithm for machine learning.
Plot Cost versus Time : Collect and plot the cost values calculated by the algorithm each iteration. The expectation for a well performing gradient descent run is a decrease in cost each iteration. If it does not decrease, try reducing your learning rate.
: Collect and plot the cost values calculated by the algorithm each iteration. The expectation for a well performing gradient descent run is a decrease in cost each iteration. If it does not decrease, try reducing your learning rate. Learning Rate : The learning rate value is a small real value such as 0.1, 0.001 or 0.0001. Try different values for your problem and see which works best.
: The learning rate value is a small real value such as 0.1, 0.001 or 0.0001. Try different values for your problem and see which works best. Rescale Inputs : The algorithm will reach the minimum cost faster if the shape of the cost function is not skewed and distorted. You can achieved this by rescaling all of the input variables (X) to the same range, such as [0, 1] or [-1, 1].
: The algorithm will reach the minimum cost faster if the shape of the cost function is not skewed and distorted. You can achieved this by rescaling all of the input variables (X) to the same range, such as [0, 1] or [-1, 1]. Few Passes : Stochastic gradient descent often does not need more than 1-to-10 passes through the training dataset to converge on good or good enough coefficients.
: Stochastic gradient descent often does not need more than 1-to-10 passes through the training dataset to converge on good or good enough coefficients. Plot Mean Cost: The updates for each training data set instance can result in a noisy plot of cost over time when using stochastic gradient descent. Taking the average over 10, 100, or 1000 updates can give you a better idea of the learning trend for the algorithm.
Convergence trends in different variants of Gradient Descents:
In case of Batch Gradient Descent, the algorithm follows a straight path towards the minimum. If the cost function is convex, then it converges to a global minimum and if the cost function is not convex, then it converges to a local minimum. Here the learning rate is typically held constant.
In case of stochastic gradient Descent and mini-batch gradient descent, the algorithm does not converge but keeps on fluctuating around the global minimum. Therefore in order to make it converge, we have to slowly change the learning rate. However the convergence of Stochastic gradient descent is much noisier as in one iteration, it processes only one training example.
Closing and a final conclusion
Wrap up your amazing new blog post with a great closing. Remind your readers of the key takeaway you want them to walk away with and consider pointing them to other resources you have on your website.
In this post you discovered gradient descent for machine learning. You learned that:
Optimization is a big part of machine learning.
Gradient descent is a simple optimization procedure that you can use with many machine learning algorithms.
Batch gradient descent refers to calculating the derivative from all training data before calculating an update.
Stochastic gradient descent refers to calculating the derivative from each training data instance and calculating the update immediately.
Do you have any questions about gradient descent for machine learning or this post? Leave a comment and ask your question and I will do my best to answer it.
Sources for the above article / Call-to-Action
Last but not least, place a call-to-action at the bottom of your blog post. This should be to a lead-generating piece of content or to a sales-focused landing page for a demo or consultation.
Introduction to Gradient Descent Algorithm (along with variants) in Machine Learning
Gradient Descent For Machine Learning — Machine Learning Mastery | https://medium.com/swlh/gradient-descent-algorithm-3d3ba3823fd4 | ['Garima Singh'] | 2020-08-10 20:09:33.587000+00:00 | ['Machine Learning', 'Gradient Descent', 'Working', 'Artificial Intelligence', 'Neural Networks'] |
Motherlines: A Memoir on Lineage, Loss and Secrets | Motherlines: A Memoir on Lineage, Loss and Secrets
Photo by Ilona Panych on Unsplash
I have my mother’s hands.
My memory of the day this was discovered is vivid; drenched in sunlight, in the midst of eternal-seeming summer holidays. I was fourteen.
My mother and I had weathered the long drive down the Queensland coast with nothing but the glare and the radio for company. As with every visit, we just managed not to miss the sign and the gravel-spattered road that limped off the highway. Lumbering like a wombat for hours over ditches and uneven rises, through clouds of cloying dust, the road finally gave way to a wild and mostly undiscovered coastal landscape.
My aunt and uncle had built a house here over the course of several years, determinedly self-sufficient, with a huge rain-water tank and a power generator. Perched on a peninsula, the view from three balconies was of topaz-blue ocean.
Our secret summer place. Where slowly we adapted, becoming less like city-dwellers and more like the unruly, resilient pandanus palms, sprawling everywhere amongst the scrub; we grew wild, with salt-tinged hair and sun-singed skin.
On this day, my mother and I had followed the kangaroo-trails through spiky spinifex grass to our favourite sunbaking beach. Laid out on our towels, we stretched up our arms and placed our hands palm to palm, middle finger to middle finger, to shield our eyes from the sun. They were a perfect match. Slender, fragile fingers. Nails that were long, strong and oval-shaped. Tanned, fine skin, gleaming tightly over knuckles, and, on the inside of the palms, myriad of deep lines, veined like sycamore leaves.
People had often been startled by the insides of my hands, at the depth and profusion of lines, etched tracings of a life I could not have possibly lived yet. Old-soul hands.
”There are many stories here”, a palm-reader had once said to me, “Many stories”.
If my hands held the imprints of many stories, then so also did my mother’s. I had always been proud of the fact that I was my mother’s confidante. Ever since I was five, it had felt like she shared everything with me; that between my mother and myself, there was no such thing as a story untold.
“You’ll get all of my rings when I die,” she’d said that day on the beach as she turned her face towards mine. As if the similarity of our hands had decided it for her, rather than the fact that I was her first-born, and only, daughter. Reflected in her sunglasses, I could see two tiny replicas of me.
“Don’t say that, Mum.” Secretly, I felt guilty because a greedy part of me wanted those rings.
And I remembered sneaking into her bedroom, an inquisitive five year-old, to open her jewelry box and marvel at the sparkling stones and shiny beaded necklaces coiled inside. There sat my favourite ring, a piece of blue topaz, cut from a clear summer sky and set on a band of gold. Far too large for my tiny finger, the band slid off if I didn’t hold it carefully. When I placed the ring on my middle finger, it felt heavy. Heavy as an untold secret.
Recalling this memory, I dug my toes into the sand as if my feet were shovels, and lifted my legs into the air, letting the cool chunks of sand fall over both of us. Why was she talking about death? The idea seemed ridiculous on such a perfect day.
She must have sensed my mood darken.
“We all have to die sometime”, she said, as she smiled at me.
Although I already knew the details, I asked her to tell me the story of the blue topaz ring, of how my father had given it to her when they were still courting. Our joined hands plaited the sky and my mother’s story into a ribbon of blue above us. A ribbon of story, suspended in the haze of that summer day. | https://medium.com/age-of-empathy/motherlines-a-memoir-on-lineage-loss-and-secrets-3e924734badc | ['Melissa Coffey'] | 2021-01-14 06:45:14.379000+00:00 | ['Nonfiction', 'Memoir', 'Family', 'Self', 'Mothers'] |
Absence | © Alexandru Vasai 2020
It’s the first Christmas without my father-in-law.
Often, his old dog sneaks, with a broken heart, at his master’s grave.
My first poem. | https://medium.com/genius-in-a-bottle/absence-7b0d8af87323 | ['Alexandru Vasai'] | 2020-12-25 14:34:43.192000+00:00 | ['Poetry', 'Dogs', 'Genius In A Bottle', 'Spirituality', 'Christmas'] |
Windows 10 for Maximum Productivity: The Ultimate Guide | Windows 10 for Maximum Productivity: The Ultimate Guide
How to customize your install and choose the best add-ons to reorganize Windows 10 for utmost efficiency Mario Chamorro Jun 4·15 min read
Photo by Tadas Sar on Unsplash.
Windows 10 is great and it has really improved a lot from previous versions. But some default features prioritize ease of use or visual appeal instead of productivity. Luckily, with some improvements, you can get the ultimate Windows 10 productivity machine.
Table of Contents
· Taskbar and Desktop
∘ Reduce the taskbar size for increased working space
∘ Don’t merge elements for moving faster between apps and open files
∘ Don’t use the desktop for file management to avoid chaos
∘ Disable notifications for better focus
∘ Activate clipboard history
∘ Hide Cortana
∘ Other recommendations
· Windows File Explorer
∘ Use Windows Explorer Quick Access to efficiently browse folders and files
∘ Set Downloads as default opening folder to save time
∘ Set “Details view” as default for better file management
∘ Use Windows PowerToys for light-speed file management
∘ Windows Explorer shortcuts you must learn
· Hardware configuration
∘ Increase mouse/trackpad sensitivity for faster work
∘ Disable the FN key to work properly
· Productivity software
∘ DisplayFusion for multi-screen management
∘ Snagit for screenshots
∘ RoamResearch for notes management
∘ Other notes management tools: Evernote, Notion, and OneNote
∘ TextExpander for faster typing
∘ Logitech G-Hub to be productive with your mouse
∘ Ccleaner for Windows maintenance
· Chrome
∘ Set up your bookmarks efficiently
∘ Install productivity extensions
∘ Assign shortcuts to extensions
Taskbar and Desktop
Reduce the taskbar size for increased working space
The taskbar is the small bar usually located at the bottom of the screen where all the active and most used (pinned) apps are shown. It is one of the most important and most used Windows features and it is essential to quickly move between apps, folders, and any content you are using.
Unfortunately, since Windows 7, Microsoft decided that the taskbar should be three times bigger than it should be, and most of the users don’t care to change it or don’t know how to reduce its size. As a consequence, they spend their life with a huge ugly bar that takes about 10%-15% of the limited screen size (even worse for laptops, and even even worse for widescreen laptops) and doesn’t offer any advantage.
Also, with the default XXL taskbar, icons are huge but only one icon per app is shown. This means that, with the standard 5–7 pinned icons and open apps, most of the taskbar will be empty. Totally wasted precious productive space.
To fix that, you must reduce the taskbar size and you will have a little functional and efficient taskbar that only takes about 3% of the screen size, with the remaining 97% of the space for you and your productive active windows. To fix the taskbar:
Right-click in the taskbar > Taskbar settings > Use small buttons
Don’t merge elements so you can move faster between apps and open files
You also want to be able to see all the open files at the same time. To do that:
Right-click in the taskbar > Taskbar settings > Combine buttons: When taskbar is full
This way, the taskbar will be reduced and icons won’t be combined unless there is no more available space (something that rarely happens if you use an external display higher than 24 inches).
You don’t want to combine buttons. If you do so when you have two Windows Explorer windows or two Excel files open at the same time, only one icon will be shown and you will need to first click on the icon, and then locate the file you want to open. Much less efficient than quickly seeing all the open tabs and simply making one click on the desired one.
Don’t use the desktop for file management to avoid chaos
Nothing feels more frustrating and distracting than a messy desktop with thousands of files.
Simply compare this: | https://betterhumans.pub/windows-10-for-maximum-productivity-the-ultimate-guide-e3991672d3be | ['Mario Chamorro'] | 2021-06-04 15:22:49.605000+00:00 | ['Windows 10', 'Self Improvement', 'Software', 'Technology', 'Productivity'] |
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