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Arrested for Peaceful Protest at the State Capital, June 1st 2020 | On the steps of the capital were tanks.
State Patrol didn’t surround us and arrest us right after curfew, instead electing to point guns at us as we sat and sang.
Chanting the names of those murdered, writing the number to call for bail on our arms, and singing what we could remember of Bill Withers’ Lean On Me.
Meanwhile they blocked the med bus, holding it hostage until they could arrest everyone inside for breaking curfew.
We were handcuffed with zip-ties, some too loose, some far too tight.
The arresting officers had to be told what they were arresting us for.
We had to offer up our signs to write on because they didn’t think to bring clipboards. The officer who arrested me had to ask 3 times where he was when he was at the state capital.
After what felt like 2 hours of sitting on the grass, we were put in paddywagons, no idea where we were headed.
After another eon in booking, they put 12 of us in a 3 person cell during a pandemic.
None of the officers at the detention center wore face or hand coverings.
We were stuck there with no updates and no way to tell the time for hours, forced to piss in front of eachother; no doubt part of the humiliation tactics.
We saw from the little window of our cell someone too sick to move or think, almost catatonic just sitting in a chair wide open in the middle of the building. At one point he was interacted with by someone in a biohazard suit. We were corralled past him with nothing but mouth coverings.
My cell was full of people who’d never been arrested before, even a lawyer. We all knew our constitutional rights were being violated.
We had every single finger and palm print scanned, photographed, eyes scanned.
People with criminal records were forced to repeat their name and “United States, United States” into a pay phone. Put into a room built to make whispers so loud they hurt your ears, disorientating as hell and nigh impossible to understand anything. Where it feels like every sound, even your voice, comes from all angles at once.
I was let out with 1 other person at 4:46am, into one of the most dangerous neighborhoods of Minneapolis/Saint Paul.
We had to walk 5 miles to get to her car, past barricades and national guard snipers.
A few days prior, I had my friend write my mother’s cell phone number on one of my arms, and the number to call for bail on the other. It turns out I didn’t need the latter because the arrest was deemed unconstitutional by the court without me even having to show up. I was held illegally and unconstitutionally with no recourse.
A cop at the detention center said “When you grow up you’re going to regret this” to me. I sincerely hope the same for her. | https://medium.com/@silvacor/arrested-for-peaceful-protest-at-the-state-capital-fec5169eed83 | ['Emily Maxine Sylvia'] | 2021-02-18 06:10:27.295000+00:00 | ['Protest', 'Blm'] |
How to quickly find the best bins for your histogram | Histogram with interactive binning
In this graphic you can see the end result. If we change the bin width through a slider, the plotly graph adjusts automatically.
In order to implement this behavior, we combine plotly.graph_objs (creates the plotly graph) with an ipywidgets.Floatslider .
This is the code for creating the rebinnable histogram.
Let’s go through it line by line.
Explaining the code line by line
0. Function signature
Note that our function takes two arguments: series a pandas.Series, and initial_bin_width , specifying the bin width we want to have a as a default in our plot. In our case, its a 10-minutes air time window.
1. Creating the figure
We generate a new FigureWidget instance. The FigureWidget object is the new “magic object” of plotly. You can display it within Jupyter Notebook or JupyterLab like any normal plotly figure. However, this approach has some advantages:
FigureWidgets can be combined with ipywidgets in order to create more powerful constructs (in fact, that’s what FigureWidgets are designed for)
you can manipulate the FigureWidget in various ways from Python
in various ways from Python you can also listen for some events and
when an event is triggered, you can execute more Python code
The FigureWidget receives the attribute data , which specifies a list of all the traces (read: visualizations) that we want to show. In our case, we only want to show a single histogram. The x values for the histogram are coming from the series . We set the bin width by passing a dictionary to xbins . When we set size=None in the dictionary, plotly will choose a bin width for us.
2. Creating the slider
We generate a FloatSlider using the ipywidgets library. Via this slider, we will later be able to manipulate our histogram.
3. Saving a reference to the histogram
We get the reference to the histogram because we want to manipulate it in the last step. In particular, we will change the xbins attribute of our object, which we can access via histogram_object.xbins .
4. Write and use the callback
The FloatSlider we have implemented comes with some magic. Every time its value changes (i.e. we move the slider), it triggers an event. We can use that event to update the bin width in our histogram. Technically, you do that by calling the observe method on the bin slider, pass it the function you want to call ( set_bin_size in our case) and tell it when to call the function ( name="value" meaning that we call the function whenever the value of the slider changes). Now, whenever the slider’s value changes, it will call set_bin_size . set_bin_size has access to the slider’s value through the magic argument change — a dictionary containing data about the event triggered by bin_slider . For example, change["new"] contains the new value of the slider, but you can also access its previous value with change["old"] . Note that you don’t have to use the argument name change . You can give it any name you want. | https://towardsdatascience.com/how-to-quickly-find-the-best-bin-width-for-your-histogram-4d8532f053b0 | ['Tobias Krabel'] | 2020-04-22 12:07:17.758000+00:00 | ['Data Visualization', 'Jupyter Notebook', 'Data Science', 'Plotly', 'Python'] |
Why Your 20s Are the Best Time to Learn Meditation | Why Your 20s Are the Best Time to Learn Meditation
In the midst of crashing worlds, when my professional life was coming to an excruciating halt, my personal life wasn’t going well either.
I’m talking about my startup coming to an end more than a year ago. Our funding deal was canceled at the last moment just as the investors got cold feet out of the blue.
I thought the paperwork was only a formality. That the deal was done. But I soon learned an important business lesson — a person needs to make you believe their word means something; if they don’t, it’s dog****.
Anyway, it’s not that it all came burning down. Just before the house of cards fell, I got out of the company and incorporated another entity to start my business anew.
As you can guess, this experience was hard on me. But what made it harder was the lack of a spine in my life.
Even though I was mentally doing good and my health was fine, my spiritual life was a mess. It matters because no matter what you believe, we need to cling to a higher reality to transcend life’s difficult experiences.
It’s not escapism as you might think. It’s about getting your strength from a higher source to continue fighting your battles in the future.
This, fortunately, was the time when I started meditating and joined Ananda to learn the yogic teachings to live a better life.
My new-found spiritual practices were like a blanket. They helped me heal from whatever was going wrong and bounce back in a short time.
As I reflect more on my experience, I realize this is what our 20s are often like — at least for the people who want to make something out of their career.
A-type, driven and ambitious individuals like me are hyped up by the concept of grabbing life by the balls. But as anyone knows, it brings a lot of dirt with it.
To endure these and many other challenges that come on our path as millennials, I’d like to posit an all-encompassing solution to our problems:
Meditation. | https://medium.com/the-ascent/why-your-20s-are-the-best-time-to-learn-meditation-8a1f84e2c55d | ['Shivendra Misra'] | 2021-01-01 07:31:47.160000+00:00 | ['Meditation', 'Spirituality', 'Youth', 'Self', 'Life Lessons'] |
The Lure of the Sensational and the Extreme | I went into my MONA journey knowing very little about it — I had few details about the city, the space, or the story. It’s unlike me, and probably not entirely recommended. But there I was, landing in Tasmania on a bright Thursday morning in October, still busily preparing for my 30-hour visit.
I wasn’t sure it was worth adding the extra leg to an already-short trip to Sydney. The location was enticing: Tasmania sounded like the actual end of the world to this American Midwesterner. And the museum founder’s commitment to his vision and hometown is impressive. Ultimately, I determined I couldn’t not go, if only to avoid ever having to say, “I went to Australia and had the opportunity, but didn’t make it down to the MONA.” Plus, once you’re halfway around the world, what’s another 2-hour flight?
The Museum of Old and New Art (MONA) has an expansive campus just outside Hobart, Tasmania. The founder, David Walsh, is a billionaire Tasmanian who built his wealth as a professional gambler and “gave back” to his hometown by creating a destination museum that doesn’t take itself (or art?) too seriously. The brand — of the person and the museum — is very over-the-top and almost campy in nature. This was definitely a case of reputation preceding information: While I knew of the museum, that was all I really knew about the museum before buying a plane ticket three days before my departure.
The museum was designed to be approached by water, so my official MONA experience began there. As I sipped bubbly and nibbled on a plate of prepared snacks, I listened to a brief Hobart history lesson over the loudspeaker and admired the carefully considered details throughout the cabin: old fashioned looking leather armchairs, whimsical window drawings, buttoned velvet pillows, a laughably oversized bench on the bow, and pink cartoonish bullets-on-steroids stools on the second story deck. The “not taking things too seriously” attitude was apparent in everything from the decor to the menu copy to the uniforms. So far, no regrets and all fun on my part.
We sped up the River Derwent for 25 minutes and approached the waterside museum from a nearly perpendicular angle. I could make out a few core components — a roof here, a glass panel there. But there wasn’t much to latch on to. There was no obvious building that rose from the landscape. There was nothing to view, really. But, then, as I descended from the ferry toward the pier, more hints at the MONA experience emerged. A veined sandstone monolith, patinated steel panels, poured cement retaining walls, and leafy foliage filled the scene. A narrow, high-walled staircase led me from the waterfront to the main entry point. With each step, both the view ahead — corners of sculptures (and an actual tennis court) — and behind — an expansive landscape — seemed to get better. This was the experience you had by choosing the ferry approach: the building didn’t rise to meet you, but elements that slowly introduced what you were about to see did.
Leading up to my visit, I heard descriptions from people who had visited that included “irreverent and fun,” entertaining, and “the best museum on earth.” On the flip side, numerous articles poked and prodded at the founder’s over-sized personality, at the scale and seemingly never-endingness of the project, and at the controversial art inside (will the general question, “Is this art?!” ever go away? It’s really the least interesting question one can ask.).
Needless to say, my curiosity was piqued and yet I contained my expectations — it’s just a museum after all.
This museum didn’t let my curiosity down. The building is strange and unpredictable. It’s not designed to wander through sequentially. It’s a gesamtkunstwerk that gives you very little to guide you. Upon entering, I got an iPhone loaded with their custom O app and a paper map. These became my compass — providing just enough information so I mostly/kind of knew where I was, but not enough to lead me along any particular prescribed path.
A wall and hallway on the lowest level of the museum.
Forget the white-walled, austere spaces you’re used to seeing. Here, some walls are literally the earth into which the building was constructed. The galleries and floors are intentionally disjointed and connected here and there, but not logically or predictably. The primary entry point is a spiral staircase that corkscrews through sandstone to deposit you on the 1st floor, which is the lowest floor (you actually can’t get to every floor from this stairwell…I think). From here, you make your way up erratically — there are no central stairs, instead, there are a few ways to get to each floor and half-floors from the center of the galleries and at the peripheries. The paper map is helpful, but also just abstract enough that you will get lost.
A map that makes the interior space look simple, but it’s not.
Tunnels connect spaces and inside the tunnels are artworks, or maybe the artwork is a tunnel or the tunnel an artwork? You often have to double-back on your route because you reach a dead-end of sorts. In one case it was an atrium sized Anselm Kiefer installation with all the tragedy and beauty typical in his work. As someone who prides herself on a rat-like memory for directions, the layout threw me for a loop.
The museum has no wall labels, that is partly what the iPhone is for. With eerily accurate geo-location technology, the app gives you options to learn varying degrees of information about the works around you. You can get the basics: artist, date, materials. But via two other curatorial tabs within the artwork profile — the Art Wank and Gonzo — you could dive in further. With irreverent yet useful information and perspectives, each made me laugh and think. The Art Wank voice is similar to a traditional curatorial voice, while Gonzo is an assortment of voices ranging from the founder’s son to artists. Every time you click into a profile, the device adds it to a list that they will email you when you leave (a feature I loved).
Interestingly, the lack of labels made me look at the artworks more closely. I overheard a few complaints from fellow visitors that the iPhones were a distraction, but most visitors I observed were looking at art more than their phones, and maybe even more than at most museums where wall labels become a central focus. I love learning about what I’m about to look at, but with by-default-there wall labels, it is easy to succumb to reading before looking. And it’s hard to separate that historical, educational, or op-ed content from your own reaction. At MONA, looking and being were the default.
The downside to a viewing-centered experience is that it privileges people who either know about or are really comfortable around art. There were a few interactive pieces that weren’t obvious and visitors less familiar with art or particular artists may overlook some pieces. For example, the Pulse Room by Rafael Lozano-Hemmer is most fully experienced if you interact with the heartbeat monitor handles (a la an exercise machine) at one end of the room. These capture your heartbeat and transmit it to the hanging light bulbs which display your beat in undulating waves. It’s very cool to see something that you typically don’t even notice inside your body externalized into a visual pattern. But if you didn’t really know what the hell those handles were, you might miss it altogether.
The collection is vast. The through-line I connected with was that each piece felt “of the body.” Some made you physically do something with your body, like the Lozano-Hemmer piece above. Some were places to put your body, like Randy Polumbo’s Grotto, a fun-house-like room “carved” into the side of a hallway. The layers of silver foam seating rise to meet plastic mirrors lining the organically shaped ceiling to create a bright, reflective nook. Over-sized plastic flora punctuates the walls, adding dimension. Instead of an of-the-earth feel, it has an other-worldliness to it. In MONA fashion, the grotto doesn’t replicate its namesake reference, it’s a tilted, twisted, version.
Grotto at the MONA.
Some art made you participate more than “traditional” artwork — like Gianluca Gimini’s bicycle-themed galleries. Upon entering, there is a small set of instructions posted on a desk with paper and pencils. Visitors are asked to draw a bicycle from memory, which quickly turns from feeling doable to being impossible. As Gimini has discovered over the years, people are really bad at drawing bikes (myself included). Upon completion, visitors add their name, age, and profession to the paper and drop the drawing into a bin. In the next gallery, it becomes clear: lining the walls are hundreds of small, framed drawings of hilariously inaccurate bicycle drawings. After viewing a few, I realized that I forgot to draw a seat on mine.
But that’s not all, that’s regular museum stuff. MONA and Gimini worked together to fabricate five drawings into actual “bikes.” The final gallery features a collection of poorly proportioned, non-sensical bicycles that are expertly crafted and perfectly displayed. The juxtaposition of absurdity and precision is perfect.
Gianluca Gimini’s bikes
And the four site-specific James Turrell pieces are about vision, but are also so soulful, that they enrapture your entire body. I planned ahead and reserved a spot for Turrell’s Unseen Seen, which you view and then proceed immediately to the Weight of Darkness. Unseen Seen is a large, enclosed circular pod that sits in the middle of one of the MONA restaurants. You sign a waiver (I’m not pregnant, check; I’m not epileptic, check; I’m not drunk, check; I won’t engage in anything sexual, check.) and then they lead you to a spaceship-like door that opens, revealing a warm interior. A maximum of two people can take part at the same time, but I was the only reservation for my time slot, so I had a solo experience. You ascend the stairs and lay on a bed at the very top of the globular space. You’re not supposed to move too much lest the infrared sensors light up and the host thinks you might be up to something…naughty. I chose the “soft” sequence (the other being “hard”) and the 14-minute experience kicked in and pulsating light washed over me.
I’ve heard Turrell comment about his works with something like they allow you to observe yourself seeing. I have seen many Turrell works and this particular one was the most intense and all-encompassing. The light screen wraps around you like an Omni theater, so there is no edge. It’s like looking at nothing and everything. There is nothing to “see” and yet your eyes work very hard to figure out what’s there.
Immediately after departing the pod, my host escorted me to the Weight of Darkness, about 100 feet away. She handed me over to a new host who explains how this piece worked. Actually, how I will have to work to access the piece. To get into it, visitors have to walk into and navigate a pitch-black hallway that snakes around twice before ending in a pitch-black room with two armchairs. The armchairs are directly next to the door, the host says, so they won’t be hard to find in the dark. The host claims he will retrieve me after fourteen or so minutes. Then, he basically says, “go on now!” I place both hands on the wall as my guides and proceed into darkness.
With the remnants of Unseen Seen still floating around in my visual memory, the blackness felt extraordinarily dense. It was like that dream we’ve all had in which you’re running but in slow motion. I inched along, groping my way through the hall and eventually into an armchair. The darkness was very relaxing with an oh-so-slight undercurrent of fear (what if they never came to get me?!). I honestly can’t say whether I kept my eyes open or not, it didn’t really matter. At the very end, I swear I saw something in the distance, but it wasn’t light nor was it an object. I’ll never be sure.
I wandered a little more aimlessly after that. But got back on track in the Nolan Gallery, which houses an immense piece titled Snake, which fills a wall that is so large it looks as if nothing could fill it. The 30x150-foot piece is by Sidney Nolan, an Australian artist. The scale is so vast that Walsh had to redesign part of the MONA to accommodate it after its acquisition. The 1,620 small compositions that makeup Snake hang in a grid that collectively creates a larger composition. Each discrete and yet part of a whole. While impressively sized, it feels particularly straightforward for a museum from which I had already come to expect something else (more?). But that might be the power of the piece — a nod to local history and an unexpected reminder of the outlandish size of the space.
At 3:54 I found myself at Wim Delvoye’s Cloaca Professional that was at the far corner at the end of whatever floor I happened to be on. I entered a room with a foul smell and five sacs hanging in a very laboratory-like setting. A small sign near the tubes and sacs said there would be a feeding at 4:00. I thought, “What timing! And what is a feeding?” Just then, at 4:00, a woman popped out to answer my question and many more.
Wim Delvoye’s “Cloaca Professional” in the gallery.
Cloaca Professional simulates a human digestive system. On the left, an employee adds real food to the system (that’s the feeding part). The machine mixes that food with some other liquids that our human system needs — like water — via a collection of tubes and dispenses it all together into the first sac. Each sac replicates a microenvironment that food moves through within our bodies (think: stomach, the intestine, and lower intestine) and the contents of the feeding move through each sac over the course of a cycle. At the very end is a container into which the machine, you guessed it, poops. It also poops on a schedule: every day at 2 pm. Except for the day I was there. It was constipated, so there was no feeding and no poop to see. The employees were working on restoring the chemical balance to get it un-constipated. What a job! (There is an amateur recording of the MONA presentation and explanation on YouTube if you’d like to watch.)
I later read that the museum focuses on art about “sex and death.” That seems too sensational and shallow to me. And very much in keeping with how the founder talks about the museum — I get the sense that he wants it to appear like a giant wind-up toy when he knows that it’s more, or could be more if you — the visitor — let it. Walsh, the owner, likes flair and clearly enjoys being awed, immersed, and swept away in art. He seems to enjoy grandiose ideas and art that is an extreme commitment to those ideas. He tried to imitate that with his work of art — the museum itself. I can see the boyish, immaturity in some of the works and in his “my museum is bigger and weirder than yours” approach to the MONA. But some of those same pieces — and the experience of the space — also draw out a sense of childish joy or “oh damn” factor that make you feel something in your body, in your bones. Maybe his biggest weakness or the museum’s most common criticism is also his, and its, strength.
I keep thinking about one of the last works I saw, Queen (a Portrait of Madonna) by Candice Breitz. It was in a closed-off room with a door you had to have the confidence to open and enter. Inside were 30 television monitors displaying close-ups of 30 different people singing the song Cherish by Madonna. Each is seemingly doing the same thing — singing the lyrics — and yet each screen was wildly different. Different sounds, different movements, different expressions; some danced, some were concentrating so hard on trying to do it well and correctly, and others were barely even trying to find the right lyrics.
Cherish the thought
Of always having you here by my side (oh baby I)
Cherish the joy
You keep bringing it into my life (I’m always singing it)
Cherish your strength
You got the power to make me feel good (and baby I)
Perish the thought
Of ever leaving, I never would
At the end of the song, the 25-screen cacophonous scene dissolves. The voices taper off, the subjects laugh and look away, and they slowly end their performance and move away from the camera.
We all enter a museum with the same general instructions: Walk around! Look at the art! And in the end, an infinite variety of experiences unfold every time. Fractured and put back together again by our own stories and impressions and opinions. We’re there in the space at the same time, and then we disperse to go back to our everyday lives.
I had a lot of questions going into this trip and about the museum in particular: Is a museum like this worth the hype? Does it live up to the hype? Is this a giant egotistical pet project or something that contributes to the place? Or both? Can a museum be about the experience and the art? What’s the tipping point and when does it become absurd? Even if it becomes absurd, is that bad?
In the end, I didn’t think about most of my original questions while I was there. I was too lost, literally and figuratively, in the experience. I missed some of the major artworks, I spent an hour and a half of my 5 hours eating, and never quite figured out the stairs. But I also laughed, got scared, felt sad, and was mesmerized. It is a physical journey to get there, but that is only the beginning. The real journey starts when you turn yourself over to the feelings and fun that go along with the visit. For an afternoon I was an explorer, a witness, and an accomplice.
The MONA required is not a typical white-walled museum experience. It requires more from you. The silent, contemplative Western visual art experience that is so common to me felt far away. I had to move, engage, listen, hear, find my way, learn new things, observe, and seek. It didn’t strip away elements to highlight fine art — it piled things on and activated my entire body and mind. I experienced the art, and myself in relation to the art, very differently. It provoked me, it provoked more, and you could feel it on a cellular level. | https://medium.com/dose-of-daily-design/the-lure-of-the-sensational-and-the-extreme-2feb03efefff | ['Lyz Nagan'] | 2019-12-05 15:21:56.676000+00:00 | ['Australia', 'Tasmania', 'Design', 'Travel Writing', 'Art'] |
The Empty Chair | The Empty Chair
The Grief and Trauma of an Adopted Daughter
Licensed by 123rf, copyright Katarzyna Białasiewicz
I hadn’t planned on traveling home at Christmas during my first year away from home since college. My Father and I had argued about my going to graduate school. He didn’t want me to go. I went anyway. He insisted I come home for Christmas. Furthermore, I’d have to pay for the trip myself.
After checking the price of a plane ticket, I got a round-trip Trailways bus ticket. I stood in an unruly mob, everyone trying to board the bus at once. No orderly line. I was apprehensive. Next stop Indianapolis where I held my seatmate’s baby all night. She held a wiggly toddler. Then Kansas City where I stayed in the lounge of the women’s restroom waiting for the loudspeaker to announce “now boarding for Denver.” Too many single men wandering around on the main floor made me uncomfortable.
The bus was late. I called my parents from a bus stop off the highway somewhere in the middle of Kansas. My Father was cross that I didn’t know my exact location. I have no memories of that Christmas after my parents picked me up at the bus station in Denver.
I assume we put up a Christmas tree, that my parents argued about whether to put tinsel on the tree. Surely we went to church on Christmas Eve after opening our presents. My Father probably ushered. Surely he gave me the red carnation given to him to indicate he was an usher. I must have put it in the small vase with the gold colored rings. We must have gone to my cousins’ on Christmas morning to look at their presents and pretend once more to be amazed at my uncle’s tropical fish. Surely somebody in the family had Christmas dinner at their house. Maybe it was our turn? Maybe I set the table? That’s what we’d always done.
After Christmas, I took the bus back to Ohio, my attic apartment, and graduate school. That Christmas would be the last time I saw my Father. Unlike my Mother, he enjoyed Christmas: the tree, singing “O Come All Ye Faithful” at church, eating too much chocolate, finding a new necktie and a book or two under the Christmas tree.
Trauma
Six months later, out of a sound sleep, I heard loud knocking on the door at the bottom of the stairs up to my little attic apartment. Mrs. Parks, my landlady, called out “MaryJo, wake up, wake up. Come downstairs right away. Your Mother is on the phone.”
I was a poor graduate student at Ohio State University, renting from a lovely woman whose house was too big for just one person. She rented the ground floor to another graduate student, his wife, and a new baby. Mrs. Parks lived on the second floor. I lived in the attic and shared the bathroom and telephone with her. We were good friends. I paid $50 a month for my cozy two rooms, a stove and sink under one gable and my bedroom under the other gable, so low I had to bend over to get in bed.
I ran down stairs, barefoot in my nightgown, and into Mrs. Parks’ bedroom to answer the phone. “Hi, I’m here.” One of my uncles, the doctor in the family, answered, “Your Father had a heart attack. He expired a few hours ago. I’ll let you talk to Mary.” My Mother got on the phone, no tears, just her firm, stoic voice. “You must come home immediately. Frances (my aunt) and I will meet you in Chicago so you don’t have to wait alone for the flight to Denver. Frances will get your ticket. You can pick it up at the airport. Take a cab if Mrs. Parks’ nephew can’t take you.”
“Expired?” I’d never heard that word for “died.” And I’ve never heard it since. But I knew what it meant. I told Mrs. Parks that my Father had died. He was 61. In good health. Didn’t smoke. Didn’t drink. Wasn’t overweight. When he had lawyer business to take care of, he walked from his office in the Equitable Building on 17th St. to the Denver Court House. He had walked to the Court House that afternoon.
Going Home
Back upstairs, before the shock and grief hit me, I was sure I couldn’t go home right away. A stack of blue books sat on my desk. I had my students’ final exams to grade. In the morning, I called my advisor, explaining what had happened. He told me to bring the blue books to his office. My graduate student colleagues would grade them. He agreed with my Mother that I was to fly home as soon as possible.
The morning after I got home, I walked down stairs, looked into the sun room, and saw my Father’s favorite chair. It was empty.
The book on the table next to it was open so he could quickly pick up where he’d left off. I could see the latest issue of The Saturday Evening Post sticking up from the magazine rack on the other side of his chair. This was the chair he sat in every night since I could remember. The same chair we sat in together when I was so little I could sit on his lap while he read The Chosen Baby to me.
There was no television in the room. Next to his chair, just books to read, magazines to skim, and a Reader’s Digest open to the “Word Power Quiz.” He was proud that he always got 100% on the quiz. My Father liked words.
The grief of losing him was overwhelming, but I knew my Mother would scold me if I started crying.
Dr. Babbs, the minister from Park Hill Methodist Church, came. I sat quietly as he and my Mother discussed the funeral arrangements. My mother wanted it in the Little Ivy Chapel at Fairmount Cemetery, the same cemetery where my Father’s parents and grandparents were buried. The cemetery where my Father’s ashes would be put in the ground.
But Dr. Babbs insisted the funeral be held in the church sanctuary. “Mary, that little chapel isn’t big enough. Everyone loved Raymond. This is a terrible shock, and lots of people will be at the funeral.”
My Mother and I discussed the music the organist would play. I insisted on Bach’s “Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring” and Schubert’s “Serenade.” “Well dear,” the organist instructed me, “you know we don’t play the Schubert “Serenade” at church. It’s not religious music and not for organ. Furthermore, I don’t have the music.”
I insisted and for once my Mother didn’t contradict. She knew the Schubert “Serenade” was my father’s favorite. He had played it on the piano by ear. I told the organist I’d give her the piano music and was sure it wouldn’t be hard to play on the organ.
Photo by Denny Müller on Unsplash
The Funeral: More Trauma
On the day of the funeral the family gathered at our house. The black limousine arrived, and I panicked. I couldn’t ride in it. My Mother and my Aunt fussed at me. Admonished me not to be so emotional. Finally an understanding uncle intervened, “It’s ok, Mary. MaryJo can come with me in our car.”
I sat in the front row with my Mother on one side and my Aunt on the other side. During Dr. Babbs eulogy, even though I tried not to cry, tears started flowing quietly. My Aunt handed me her handkerchief with roses embroidered in the corner.
After the service, my Mother and I stood in the receiving line while friends, lawyers my Father knew, businessmen who met every day for lunch in the Denver Dry Goods Tea Room, people from church, neighbors, and several people we didn’t know told us what my Father meant to them, about his kindness and generosity.
Later my Mother wanted to know about that older woman wearing the gray hat with the black ribbon. Who was she? I didn’t know. She asked me about a couple other people neither of us knew. Dr. Babbs was right. People loved my Father.
Back at our house, my Aunt and my Mother chastised me for crying at the funeral and embarrassing the family. Didn’t I know better? Fifty years later and not long before my cousin Peggy died, she asked me if I remembered how I’d “ruined” my Father’s funeral by crying. Did I remember how upset everyone was at me? How could I forget?
Now, I’m mature enough to realize I had done nothing wrong. That my family’s response was cruel and crazy. Why on earth would someone think it was naughty and embarrassing for a daughter to cry at her father’s funeral?
My Best Friend and The Gazelle
Everyone had been at the funeral except my best friend and her mother. She and her family had gone to visit her grandmother in Kansas. As soon as they came home, I ran out the back door, opened the gate, and dashed down the alley to my friend’s. Her back door was open. I ran up the stairs and into the kitchen.
“MaryJo, whatever is wrong?” asked her Mother. “The Gazelle died,” I replied. They hadn’t seen the obituary in The Denver Post. Sharra’s Mother hugged me. Sharra had tears in her eyes.
My Father loved Sharra. She was his favorite of my friends. He played croquet with us, took us for Dairy Queens, and to City Park in the summer for band concerts. Took us to Elitch’s, a favorite amusement park (before it was torn down, rebuilt in a different location, and torn down again). She went with us on rare weekends to the elegant Broadmoor Hotel in Colorado Springs.
One day Sharra asked me if I thought we should have a nickname for my Father. Calling him “Mr. Wagner” seemed too serious and formal for such a good and fun friend. I agreed. So we took this nickname idea to my Father. He liked the idea. We suggested various animals and told him he could choose. He didn’t care for “aardvark.” And finally decided on “Gazelle,” a graceful animal, both gentle and swift.
My Father died in 1965. Sharra is still my best friend. We still talk about The Gazelle. “Remember when we tricked The Gazelle into eating the coconut clusters in the box of Russell Stover’s because neither of us liked coconut clusters?” We remember and laugh.
Photo by Vincent van Zalinge on Unsplash
Back to Graduate School
I stayed home for the summer and managed to keep the peace with my Mother. We drove back Columbus to pack up the things in my attic apartment for storage. Mrs. Parks needed to rent the apartment, and I’d decided to share a “real” apartment in the fall with a friend. After a few days, we drove back to Denver.
At the end of the summer, I took the bus back to Columbus, leaving my beloved Colorado mountains behind. I would enroll in classes toward a master’s degree in musicology and greet another batch of undergraduate students. I taught “Introduction to Music History” to non-music majors who needed to fulfill a humanities requirement. I lectured. We listened to Renaissance music, to Bach and Mozart, Beethoven and Mendelssohn. I loved it.
And I grieved for my Father.
Photo by Juan Encalada on Unsplash
My Fault?
Years passed: marriage, a baby, a divorce, a PhD, and ironically returning to Ohio State to teach. Eventually I remarried and moved back to Denver. Deeply depressed, I began therapy where I discovered that on some deep level, I felt responsible for my Father’s death. Would he have lived longer if I hadn’t angered him by leaving home and going to graduate school?
The emotional fall-out of a death is often stronger for an adopted woman than for a non-adopted woman. Many of us can feel that if don’t do what’s expected of us, we’ll be rejected as we were by our birth mothers. That we are somehow responsible for our parents’ happiness and well-being, even though it’s not true. We are not responsible for our parents as children or young people.
I had taken it one step further: believing that I had caused my Father’s death. It didn’t make any difference when my therapist suggested that such a belief was narcissistic. That my Father certainly did not die from a broken-heart because I’d left home and even worse gone off to graduate school where girls didn’t belong. My therapist rarely talked about adoption.
But wait. My Father had rescued me, a very sick baby, from the orphanage. I owed him my life. He had loved me. I was his only child. I had disappointed him. I knew that underneath his anger, he wanted me to stay in Denver. To be close to him. To do things together. Marry a man who lived in Denver. He wanted to teach his grandchildren to play Parcheesi and take them for a Dairy Queen dipped in chocolate just as he had done with Sharra and me.
Maybe he did die of a broken heart?
Photo by Dylan Ferreira on Unsplash
Logically, I know this isn’t true. He and my Mother were happily married, enjoying their life together. Except for whether or not to drape the Christmas with silver tinsel, they rarely disagreed, much less argued. The family blamed his heart attack on a heart murmur he’d had since childhood. We’ll never know for certain what caused the heart attack. But I do know that my Father’s death wasn’t my fault. He died of a medical condition.
Well . . . most days I know it wasn’t my fault. | https://medium.com/illumination-curated/losing-a-father-trauma-adoption-9143e956d12b | ['Maryjo Wagner'] | 2020-10-12 14:49:05.426000+00:00 | ['Adoption', 'Memoir', 'Trauma', 'Grief', 'Death Of A Parent'] |
Polisen och Youtuber gör integritetskränkande innehåll | Union activist w/ special interest in people, power, working class communities and jazz. I tell stories and laugh often. | https://medium.com/@KarlssonMax/polisen-och-youtuber-g%C3%B6r-integritetskr%C3%A4nkande-inneh%C3%A5ll-821fbbd7efaa | ['Max V Karlsson'] | 2020-12-22 07:31:20.570000+00:00 | ['Sverige', 'Sweden', 'Police', 'YouTube', 'Polis'] |
How to Maintain Structure and Routine During Quarantine | Circadian Rhythms, and Avoiding the Laziness Trap
Do you ever abruptly wake up, only to discover that the time was 2 minutes before your alarm was set for? That is your Circadian Rhythm in full swing.
In a nutshell, this is your internal body clock, and it follows your daily cycle because you have set it to act that way. It tells you when to eat, sleep and exercise. And you set it by waking up early every day for work, eating, exercising and sleeping at the times you do. It’s why you to feel hungry at lunchtime and tired in the evening.
It plays an important biological role in your day to day life. Circadian Rhythms release certain hormones to help you function properly. Melatonin, for example, is released at the right moment, to help you feel sleepy.
The problem is that self-isolation has released you from the cycle of day to day work. You no longer have to wake up early in the morning. If you wanted to, you could completely ignore your Circadian Rhythm. You could stay awake even though you feel tired and stay asleep despite having had sufficient time in bed if you really wanted to.
But I urge you — keep waking up early in the morning in accordance with your internal body clock.
Why? Because by changing your sleeping pattern, you are inadvertently changing your Circadian Rhythm. Whenever you wake you, you are training your body to wake up at that time. Your internal body clock will drastically change with this rhythm, and the correct hormones will start to be released at a completely new and distinct time in accordance with your waking hours.
Before you know it, you don’t start feeling tired until 2 am, and you struggle to wake up at 10 — when only a week ago you were waking up at 6.30 am with ease.
And trust me. From experience — although it’s easy to adjust your Circadian Rhythm from waking up early to later, the same can’t be said for the other way around. It takes weeks, and an unbelievable amount of willpower to retrain your Circadian Rhythm back to early mornings once they are lost.
And this leaves you susceptible to the Laziness Trap.
In his book, “The Laziness Trap,” Pastor Andy Farmer urges you to avoid the above at all costs. It’s a downward spiral into complacency. Once you start exposing yourself to a lazy lifestyle, your body gets used to it. You start getting fatigued and tired by simple day to day tasks — and because of this, it’s almost impossible to break out of it. Before you know it, you have wasted weeks of valuable time that could have been spent elsewhere.
The solution to this problem is simple. Avoid the trap altogether. You can do so by maintaining your Circadian Rythm. It’s as easy as waking up when your body tells you to, eating an early breakfast and keeping your mind active only for as long as your body is telling you it is able.
I implore you to make a conscious effort at this, to ensure you can maximise the days you have at home. | https://medium.com/mind-cafe/how-to-maintain-structure-and-routine-during-quarantine-d8542f60febb | ['Jon Hawkins'] | 2020-05-18 21:39:05.162000+00:00 | ['Psychology', 'Productivity', 'Mindfulness', 'Self', 'Covid 19'] |
Can You Share The Best Tip on Anything? | Can You Share The Best Tip on Anything?
Photo by Sam Dan Truong on Unsplash
Many of you share useful tips in your blogs. But it isn’t easy to understand and follow so many tips at a time. I wonder if you could share only a few tips at a time? Ideally, the best would be to share a single tip at a time.
Let me give a little bit of background as to why I am a proponent of sharing only a single tip at a time.
If I were a reviewer, I would always advise you to make the number of tips to only one
It is easy for you to post stories bundled with a large number of tips. But is it possible for the readers to grasp the meaning of so many tips? In fact, the readers would get confused with so many tips.
If the readers don’t understand so many tips, how can they adopt a few in their writing life? It is just not possible.
I see that most experienced writers miss this point. I often see stories with 5, 7, 9, 20, and even 51 tips! These posts commit serious mistakes.
Many top bloggers whose stories go viral in the top-ranking publications are regularly committing this mistake.
Please don’t share more than a single tip in your blog
If you have a little time, please consider reading my short article on this subject. It would take a couple of minutes to read and find out why it is predominantly necessary to reduce the number of tips in your blog.
A top writer on Medium has supported my point of sharing only a few tips in the blog posts
Every day I see my Medium feed gets crowded with stories with a large number of tips. I am tired of seeing these banal stories from which I hardly got any real-life lesson that would help me.
Recently, I read blog posts of a different writer who is rather new on Medium, but his stories are real gems. I can’t help sharing his name. He is called Genius Turner. His written pieces have been read and commented on by many Medium members. Comments are again real golds, which are costlier than the “claps” and “likes.” That is why I take more time to comment on the stories.
Genius Turner’s comment on my story is an inspiration to start a new publication
In my recent post entitled, “Don’t Share More Than Few Tips,” Genius Turner kindly highlighted texts and wrote a comment.
I am not surprised because I had experienced such empathetic engagement in the professional network earlier.
In 2016, I received a supporting reaction, i.e., a “Like” from Jeff Weiner, now executive chairman (and then CEO) LinkedIn. I also received comments from prominent LinkedIn official influencer and contributing editor of the Inc Magazine, Jeff Haden.
Today, the 6th Dec 2020, I have decided to start a new publication entitled “Number One Tip”
The new publication — “Number One Tip,” will publish stories on the best tips on anything connected to life and the planet earth.
The format and rules are the same as suggested by Medium. The additional requirement is that the story you wish to publish in “Number One Tip” will describe only a single tip.
There is no limit set on the texts. The author can decide on the length. It is expected that the story will be short.
I invite the Medium blogging community to consider publishing your best tips on this forum.
The publication is now hosted on Medium and is open for submission.
How to be a writer on “Number One Tip”?
It is simple. Fill up this form to become a writer on “Number One Tip”. We will add you as a writer within a day or two.
I hope that many of you would be interested in “Number One Tip.”
Cheers! Debesh Choudhury | https://medium.com/number-one-tip/can-you-share-the-best-tip-on-anything-e3f726054771 | ['Debesh Choudhury'] | 2020-12-11 20:50:38.005000+00:00 | ['Publication', 'Writing Tips', 'Advice Column', 'Self Improvement Tips', 'Tips And Tools'] |
Do you value your writing life? | Do you value your writing life?
Photo by fotografierende on Unsplash
I took all the writers in the world and put them into three camps. Here are the writers who enjoy literary acclaim, are published, are widely read, have been interviewed, are gifted, genius and prolific. These are the professionals; writers who are good enough to have monetised their writing in some way. They create content, report the news, write editorials or copy for ads. Their eyes swallow up the world and drink of its currents. They write thoughtful, erudite, glib, easy, lucid, saleable, friendly, catchy words that are consumed almost as rapidly as they are produced. People enjoy it. Editors give them the nod. The product gets sold. They get a paycheck. The third group is the dreamers and the hustlers. They publish poetry on their social media for likes, they create zines that barely sell on Etsy. They blog. They pitch furiously during submission cycles of literary magazines that will rarely pay. They chip away in obscurity on novels. They’re ambitious and moody. They’re wonderful and brave, fuelled by dream power even as they’re constantly beaten down by self-doubt and the fear of failure.
As a freelance writer, whenever I have a slow month, I immediately fly into a panic. This past month, I took that panic into my fist and examined it closely. In the past, I have accepted work from clients who don’t value the skills and experience I bring to the table. It was always an act of horrible desperation. That’s what per-word/per-article freelance work does to you. If you’re good and can work fast, you write more and therefore make more. You push yourself to produce more and you then have no energy left to practice writing that is meaningful to you, to pursue creative projects of your own. It’s the biggest scam in the world. As a professional writer, I’ve decided to change the narrative. I can’t allow the people I work for to decide how I’m valued. Does this mean I’ll be turning down jobs left and right? Absolutely not. It’s how I make money and though I believe all writers, yes even amateur ones, should be fairly compensated for their work, I’m not in a position to bargain above industry standards. However, I have been more assertive when it comes to negotiating remuneration and I have been turning down the more exploitative jobs that have been coming by way. Let me tell you, for me, that’s HUGE.
As an ambitious writer, I have been asking myself whether I have the sort of writing life that aligns with where I am in my life right now. I have a small child. Realistically, I can’t spend hours at my desk. I have to accept and make my peace with a writing practice that is forgiving and flexible. I’m privileged to have someone watch my child for a few hours in the morning, but you best believe I’m leaving the study if I hear the wail that comes after he throws his Zebra into the neighbours’ balcony. I also leave my desk when I hear him laughing or getting excited about something outside my door. I want to laugh with him. Maybe Stephen King can keep up a consistent seven-hour writing schedule. I can’t and that’s okay.
Recently I have taken to journaling about my standards as a writer and whether I’m comfortable with them. I recently wrote an essay for a literary magazine that examined my discomfort with mediocrity. Reaching a place of grace when I write is hard and I’m easily frustrated. To combat this, I told myself I would stop writing when it felt like a chore. If something isn’t working, I let it go. I have a billion ideas and most of them end up fuzzy, undefined and a rambling mess on the page. I now count my successes as things I finish writing. Not everything you write will be brilliant and moving, but if you’ve written it, you’ve already won. Without my knowing it, this approach boosted my confidence, which I believe is a crucial part of being a writer. Usually, confidence doesn’t come easy to me. Yes, I can put on a show of confidence, but there’s always a little kernel of deep insecurity. The way I see it, confidence is the currency you need to survive life as an artist. The world is especially indifferent to us even though it needs us desperately. I know this at my core. I look around me and I see tenacity everywhere. It’s the stuff of life. It’s in the arts. It’s in every young person living in a country that imprisons, exploits and shames them. Tenacity. I draw it to me and feel it burn behind my eyes. I put it in my writing. I trust that it will all pay off someday. | https://medium.com/@sheenadlima/do-you-value-your-writing-life-b3bd44b3130f | [] | 2021-07-07 07:39:45.775000+00:00 | ['Writer', 'Writers On Medium', 'Writing Tips', 'Writing', 'Writers Life'] |
The Burning Secret Of Fat… | White fat stores excess energy, whereas brown and beige fat are thermogenic and dissipate energy as heat. Thermogenic adipose tissues markedly improve glucose and lipid homeostasis in mouse models, although the extent to which brown adipose tissue (BAT) influences metabolic and cardiovascular disease in humans is unclear. Here we retrospectively categorized 134,529 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography–computed tomography scans from 52,487 patients, by presence or absence of BAT, and used propensity score matching to assemble a study cohort. Scans in the study population were initially conducted for indications related to cancer diagnosis, treatment or surveillance, without previous stimulation. We report that individuals with BAT had lower prevalence’s of cardiometabolic diseases, and the presence of BAT was independently correlated with lower odds of type 2 diabetes, dyslipidemia, coronary artery disease, cerebrovascular disease, congestive heart failure and hypertension. These findings were supported by improved blood glucose, triglyceride and high-density lipoprotein values. The beneficial effects of BAT were more pronounced in individuals with overweight or obesity, indicating that BAT might play a role in mitigating the deleterious effects of obesity. Taken together, our findings highlight a potential role for BAT in promoting cardiometabolic health.
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As early as 2003, reports described increased uptake of the glucose analog 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG) on positron emission tomography (PET) scans in areas corresponding to supraclavicular fat on computed tomography (CT) images, suggesting the presence of metabolically active BAT in adult humans. In 2009, a series of papers confirmed the presence of active BAT in adults, which correlated with lower body mass index (BMI), decreased age, colder outdoor temperature, female sex and decreased glucose levels. Since then, small prospective studies in healthy humans have demonstrated that cold-activated BAT is associated with increased energy expenditure and enhanced disposal of glucose and free fatty acids.
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Or You can Order Exipure With The Special Discount Attached Right Now And Change Your Life Today! | https://medium.com/@dimitri.stanoulis/the-burning-secret-of-fat-9ada4c2a1529 | ['Dimitri Stanoulis'] | 2022-01-06 01:04:54.353000+00:00 | ['Weight Loss', 'Weight Loss Supplements', 'Natural', 'Weight Loss Tips', 'Obesity'] |
Encapsulate For Easy Refactors | An application is a living, breathing code base that will continually change over time. As the application evolves, early decisions won’t scale, and shortcuts taken will reveal technical debt. When the time comes to address these problems, one thing you can start doing today to make refactoring tomorrow easier is using encapsulation.
Example
Imagine your application has a User model, and the User can have a role. The role is stored as a column on the model.
# == Schema Information
#
# Table name: users
#
# id :bigint(8) not null, primary key
# email :string default(""), not null
# first_name :string
# last_name :string
# role :string
# created_at :datetime not null
# updated_at :datetime not null
#
class User < ApplicationRecord
end
You might have actions in your controller where you check if a user has a specific role. You might decide to directly access the role attribute and compare it with the role you care about:
class ItemController < ApplicationController
def update
if user.role == 'admin' || user.role == 'operations'
update_item(params[:item_id])
end
end
end
While this seems harmless at first, it becomes painful to refactor when you have to extend the relationship so a user can have many roles.
Extending Role To Its Own Model
Imagine your product manager asks you to support users having multiple roles. You will have to move the role attribute from the User model to its own model.
Models
The resulting model design might look like the following. The User model now has a has_many relationship through a joining class ( UserRole ) to a Role model.
User
# == Schema Information
#
# Table name: users
#
# id :bigint(8) not null, primary key
# email :string default(""), not null
# first_name :string
# last_name :string
# role :string
# created_at :datetime not null
# updated_at :datetime not null
#
class User < ApplicationRecord
has_many :user_roles, dependent: :destroy
has_many :roles, through: :user_roles
end
UserRole (Joining Class)
# == Schema Information
#
# Table name: user_roles
#
# id :bigint(8) not null, primary key
# created_at :datetime not null
# updated_at :datetime not null
# role_id :bigint(8)
# user_id :bigint(8)
#
class UserRole < ApplicationRecord
belongs_to :user
belongs_to :role
end
Role
# == Schema Information
#
# Table name: users
#
# id :bigint(8) not null, primary key
# name :string
# created_at :datetime not null
# updated_at :datetime not null
#
class Role < ApplicationRecord
has_many :user_roles, dependent: :destroy
has_many :users, through: :user_roles
end
Usages
Instead of checking if a user.role is equal to a role, we'll now check if a specific role is in the list of roles attached to a user.
admin_role = Role.create(name: 'admin')
operations_role = Role.create(name : 'operations')
user = User.find(1)
# add roles to user
user.roles << admin_role
user.roles << operations_role
user.roles # [<Role name: 'admin'>, <Role name: 'operations'>]
# check if a user is an admin
user.roles.exists?(name: 'admin') # true
Refactoring Usages
When we refactor the ItemController to use these new models and methods, we first want to bring all methods into the User class and then update usages.
# Encapsulate all User role related methods.
# New feature is also gated behind a feature flag.
class User < ApplicationRecord
has_many :user_roles, dependent: :destroy
has_many :roles, through: :user_roles
def has_role?(role_name)
if feature_flag_on?
roles.exists?(name: role_name)
else
role == role_name
end
end
def admin?
has_role?('admin')
end
def operations?
has_role?('operations')
end
end | https://medium.com/@jshah111/encapsulate-for-easy-refactors-a5cfdc32e64b | ['Jay Shah'] | 2020-12-16 18:02:47.060000+00:00 | ['Rails', 'Encapsulation', 'Programming', 'Ruby', 'Refactor'] |
廿一世紀的職場轉變及如何應變 | in Down the rabbit hole | https://medium.com/@cfadmin/%E5%BB%BF%E4%B8%80%E4%B8%96%E7%B4%80%E7%9A%84%E8%81%B7%E5%A0%B4%E8%BD%89%E8%AE%8A%E5%8F%8A%E5%A6%82%E4%BD%95%E6%87%89%E8%AE%8A-4a7d410c5abd | ['Cocoon Foundation'] | 2020-12-18 02:08:51.393000+00:00 | ['21st Century Skills', 'Future Of Work', 'Technology', 'Youth', 'Entrepreneurship'] |
Creating a masonry layout with CSS Grid | In a recent project I came across a nifty way to create a masonry grid layout using CSS grid and a smidge of javascript . Initially I thought about using something like Masonry.js or Isotope but it kinda felt a little bit overkill. Whats cool about this approach its super flexible and it’s not relying on any frameworks! I’m going to try and keep this post short and sweet so you can get up and running and enjoy this trick yourselves.
Lets get started by adding some HTML to an index.html file
Here we have created a simple grid with some grid items. Note: the padding-top and lazyloaded are to prevent the jumping of content when your images load in.
Now lets create some css
Essentially what we are doing here is telling .grid that we want to display a responsive grid of items. minmax(300px, var( — template-columns, 1fr)) does a lot of the heavy lifting for us here by creating repeating columns with a minimum width of 300px and a max width of 1fr (fr is a fractional unit), when a column width falls below the minimum value the layout reshuffles and the number of columns reduces.
Some things to note here is grid-auto-rows: 5px which is what is going to allow us to create our masonry layout. Some stylistic preferences I have is to use grid-gap-columns and padding-bottom to create the spacing between elements. The reason for this is I found the spacing to become noticeably inconsistent if grid-gap-rows is also used.
Now here is where all of the magic happens. Firstly we get the grid and grid item DOM elements, we set the rowSize value (which is equivalent to the grid-auto-rows value in our css file). We create a setColumns function which changes the grid-template-columns variable if there are less than three items (a full row) to keep the grid item sizes consistent.
In our positionGridItems function we are looping through our gridItems , if the browser is less than 711px inline styles are removed. Anything above 711px we are getting the height of each item and dividing it by our rowSize value. Then we are setting our --row-span variable which is the value of our grid-row-ends css property. And that is pretty much all of the hard work done! We then go onto create a debounce function (taken from a David Walsh post) and then call our positionGridItems function on the DOMContendLoaded event. We call it on the DomContentLoaded event to prevent a flickering of content. Then to top it all off we add a debounced event listener to call the function again when the browser is resized
I hope you have enjoyed this post and don’t hesitate to HMU if you have any questions or just want to say hi 👋 @collieradam | https://adam-collier.medium.com/creating-a-masonry-layout-with-css-grid-4ae8985b8e53 | ['Adam Collier'] | 2019-05-17 19:20:59.382000+00:00 | ['Masonry', 'JavaScript', 'Css Grid', 'HTML', 'CSS'] |
Bringing Baggage to Work | I first wrote about this on LinkedIn in response to a conversation I had with a coworker. It wasn’t until that conversation that I realized you can bring “baggage” to your work just like you bring baggage to a relationship.
Your baggage can be from home, from volunteer organizations, or even from another office. But the baggage brings consequences, often hidden ones.
What I realized is that while I’m very conscious of the baggage I bring to my personal relationships, reading books on friendship and doing therapy, I rarely stop to think about my professional relationships.
Yet I bring baggage to those relationships, too. I bring the coworker who always made me feel small and the manager who couldn’t care less about what I did.
Even more, I bring my experiences with other companies, not just those I’ve worked at. I bring along the property management company that ripped me off for $800 back in Colorado. I drag behind me on my way to work the time I broke my laptop and Microsoft put up a paywall when I asked for help.
What I know now is that I bring all the baggage I have about companies as a concept to work with me every day. I bring all my distrust and fear with me to work every day.
Do you? How do you begin to let it go? | https://medium.com/jimmys-ten-cents/bringing-baggage-to-work-33b9f9fda6f8 | ['Jimmy Cerone'] | 2020-12-18 15:21:05.783000+00:00 | ['Baggage', 'Work', 'Coworkers', 'Professional Development', 'Therapy'] |
Long Live the KIN | Altered from the theatrical release poster for the Lion King, by John Alvin
The News is in: KiK Settles with the SEC regarding Kin. Can I get a “Hellsyeah?”
The long nightmare is over.
No, I’m not talking about the election.
What I am talking about is the recently settled court case of Kik v. the SEC. The court case hinged around an unregistered “Kin” token sale in 2017 that raised $100 million dollars. The short of it is that the SEC won the case, and instead of going for an appeal, Kik Interactive decided, much as EOS and SIA did, to settle.
This is a prudent decision.
Kik’s initial action to fight the SEC was to force the court to create a legal precedent regarding the SEC’s regulatory overreach in the blockchain industry. When the SEC’s position was instead reinforced by the court’s decision, whether to settle simply becomes a business decision — continue as a company, or die in the throes of fighting a battle that Kik alone cannot win.
It would require the resources, and the deeper pockets of, say, a Polychain Capital, a Coinbase, or a Kraken. All of whom were members of the Blockchain Association.
And while the Blockchain Association filed an Amicus Curiae in support of Kik, the SEC made the unusual request that the court deny this brief based on the Blockchain Association not being “objective, dispassionate [or] neutral…” party in respect to Kik.
Which I find sorta funny given that an Amicus Curiea, or “friend of the court” is:
“A person with strong interest in or views on the subject matter of an action, but not a party to the action, may petition the court for permission to file a brief, ostensibly on behalf of a party but actually to suggest a rationale consistent with its own views.” ~ from thefreedictionary.com
For an Amicus, in my opinion, their brief is in support of their subject; they are not neutral.
Anyways…the deed is done. Kik pays $5 million of its so-called illegal token sale, and has to notify the SEC before any future token sales.
$5 million may sound like a lot, which it is, but remember that their initial token sale netted them $100 million dollars. A 5% fine is the equivalent to a slap on the wrist.
$95 million remaining. Subtract lawyer fees for a 2 year legal fight, and you might still have enough to make a go of things.
What the future holds
After the decision to settle, the price went from a low of $0.000004 USD on Oct 20, 2020 to $0.000039 on Oct 26, 2020 (currently $0.000025)
…nearly a 10 bagger for those that bought at the low. I imagine that most Kin hodlers have held for the long-term downward trend, so it’s iffy if any HODLers came out ahead.
Future Perfect
The gist of it is: The news is in. There’s no more uncertainty in the outcome of the case. The uncertainty that kept the price submerged, and also kept Kin from being listed on any major exchanges, is no more.
Kin has hit bottom, and the only way left is up.
Kin is moving ahead on its 4th (and hopefully final) blockchain migration to Solana. This is in order to handle the increased scale of the Kin ecosystem.
And from the stats, the project is alive and kicking:
This is all well and good, but what about the Price?!
After the initial 10x pump, the price of Kin has settled down to around $0.000025. At its height on Jan 6th, 2018, Kin was priced $0.001338 USD. If Kin again reaches its all time high (ATH) this would result in an over 52x increase.
What could drive this?
Well, a listing on a major exchange, such as Coinbase, would do a heck of a lot to drive the FOMO, and a retest of the ATH. Remember, once upon the time in 2019, Kin was selected to be a part of Coinbase Custody.
To be listed on Coinbase Custody was once considered to be a precursor to an actual exchange listing.
For example, back in October 2018, XRP was listed on Coinbase Custody. By February 2019, XRP was listed on the Coinbase exchange.
Five months later.
Kin was listed in Coinbase Custody in April of 2019, right in the midst of their battle with the SEC.
Can a Coinbase listing be far behind?
Remember that Coinbase used to be one of the members of the Blockchain Association (before Binance joined), the same group that filed an Amicus Curiae brief in support of Kin in their court case. And now that the case is settled, exchanges no longer have their hands tied, no longer awaiting the outcome of a legal case.
Can a KIN moonshot be far behind? | https://medium.com/cryptozoa/long-live-the-kin-5d0fa5856eac | [] | 2020-11-13 17:41:50.301000+00:00 | ['Kin Cryptocurrency', 'Crypto', 'Cryptocurrency'] |
Data is the New Sheriff in Town, but is it Biased? | Today, cities and agencies face critical issues, which are the catalyst for developing solutions filtered through dual lenses: law enforcement and the communities they serve. The process of consolidating and making data available to the public to demonstrate transparency in hopes of improving community policing is fast becoming a trend. But how do we interpret this data?
Data is data. Data doesn’t lie. While these statements are true, data doesn’t tell a story by itself. In my work at Slalom with the City of Oakland, this premise is especially relevant. Our approach includes working closely with public safety and law enforcement agencies, detailed data gathering and interpretation, and using supporting research like Stanford University’s ground-breaking SPARC (Social Psychological Answers to Real-world Questions). All of these components are factors in being able to draw a more meaningful and objective analysis to tell a holistic story. We applaud law enforcement agencies that have taken proactive steps to answer tough questions and maintained the discipline to provide the complete picture for communities and believe even more can be done in this space.
Communities Gain Immediate and Ongoing Transparency with Data Visualization
From routine stops to more complicated officer interactions, law enforcement complexities require visibility to answer questions such as:
Do aggregate incidents reflect patterns of biases by age, race, or precinct?
What types of incidents parallel officers’ tenure or department training?
What information helps promote safety and keep citizens informed?
What information can we provide to policing agencies to empower them with data to make informed decisions for the public and measure the impact of policy changes?
On the surface, a question about racial bias, as an example, may seem as straightforward as looking at the racial breakdown percentages by the type of incident. However, the complete story may need additional data for context, such as the incident area’s crime rate percentages compared to other areas or the demographics of the incident area. A perception of bias may look different within the context of additional relevant data.
One of the most critical aspects of police transparency is the timing and availability of information. With dashboards, supervisors and command centers can see daily updates on all situations instead of requesting reports that often take weeks to create for lack of data standardization. Dashboards reflect unbiased communications when segmented data includes the relevance and transparency of all correlating data.
High Impact Solutions for Law Enforcement
Slalom has engaged with multiple law enforcement agencies across the country and in these engagements, there are patterns we’ve observed in developing impactful data solutions. We’ve identified 3 factors in what’s important for the success of these projects.
Understanding your organization’s current data maturity level
Availability and accessibility of data and systems
Deeper understandings of the problems and impact you are solving for
Most often, law enforcement agencies have varied methods of collecting and storing data. Some organizations are mature in their data collection process, while other departments are just getting started. Having this accurate view of your current data landscape gives you a starting point on what goals to set.
An easy and typical way of looking at arrests is to analyze how many arrests by race or ethnic group happened in different areas of the city. By adding in additional data points, like training or academy data from a disparate system, we can gain insight into the type of officers making arrests and start to analyze potential patterns between training and arrests. This simple example highlights the importance of defining baseline metrics and then looking for additional data sources for further analysis.
In addition to data set discovery, our approach is to seek understanding of an agency or city’s unique problems through deeper conversations with law enforcement. The goal is to help departments immediately visualize the potential to get the answers they need. In many cities facing budget shortfalls due to the COVID-19 pandemic or redirecting budgets to safety programs, dashboards can spotlight staffing and training levels, as examples, and help make data-driven funding allocation decisions.
Here are three example dashboards, built by a Slalom colleague Jeff Fowler, that show how integrated data can be used to address personnel needs, training budgets, and community awareness. These solutions are designed to include the available public data of each police department.
Chandler, Arizona Police Department Arrest Summary
The Chandler Police Department makes its Arrest History (2013–2020) data publicly available to promote and encourage joint problem solving, enhanced understanding, and accountability between communities and enforcement agencies. The public has the same level of access to details officers provided in incidents reports, measuring the number of arrests by factors such as suspect gender, age, race, ethnicity, and officer details such as gender, race, age group, and tenure. Also prominent are historical arrests, which aggregate a total number by month and the ability to drill down for details.
Phoenix, Arizona Officer Involved Shootings Summary
In Phoenix, the Officer Involved Shootings data covers almost four years of incidents, showing total incidents, historical incidents, fatal and non-fatal incidents, and incident specifics such as gender, age group, and race by officer and suspect. All detailed incidents are provided, too.
San Francisco, California Stop Summary
The San Francisco Police Department Stop History (January 2007-June 2016) is a public dataset available to fulfill its commitment to treating all people with dignity, fairness, and respect and eliminating any perception that policing appears biased. This dashboard provides a historical view of stops by several demographic data points, including age group, race, the reason for the stop, stop by district, and more.
By allowing law enforcement and the public to visualize incident actions and impact, these solutions assist with:
Reduced implicit bias and racial disparity in interactions
Improved police accountability at an officer level
Increased transparency and understanding of police interactions
Improved community relations by empowering supervisors with data tools
Ability to measure department-wide policy and its impact
If you want to build confidence with data-driven law enforcement and police transparency with the expertise of integrating the appropriate correlating data, contact Leslie Wan to have a conversation about how we can assist your agencies and community.
“I think there’s a unique way that Slalom engages with police departments to help them come up with solutions, rather than just implementing a predetermined product.”
- Virginia Gleason, Bureau of Services Director, Oakland Police Department
Disclaimer: Slalom is a partner of Tableau.
Slalom is a modern consulting firm focused on strategy, technology, and business transformation. Leslie Wan is a data visualization and data architect. She is a Senior Delivery Principal with Slalom for the Bay Area and an expert in the possibilities of using the Tableau data visualization platform. Reach her at [email protected] | https://medium.com/slalom-data-analytics/data-is-the-new-sheriff-in-town-but-is-it-biased-4aa140904dd7 | ['Leslie Wan'] | 2020-12-21 18:14:50.636000+00:00 | ['Slalom', 'Public Safety', 'Tableau', 'Data Visualization', 'Police Transparency'] |
Putin Says “MENA conflicts are hotbeds of terrorism” | Russian President Vladimir Putin said conflicts in Libya, Yemen and Syria constitute hotbeds to spread terrorism into the Middle East and North Africa.
Speaking at the annual Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit yesterday, the Russian president said the most worrying phenomenon is if the militants leave the region because this “would increase the intensity of conflicts.”
“There is still a serious case of instability prevailing in the Middle East and North Africa where armed confrontations in Libya, Yemen and the remaining gang pockets in the Syrian territories constitute sources for the spread of terrorism, drugs and weapons,” he added.
Commenting on the ceasefire agreement signed between Armenia and Azerbaijan on Monday, Putin said: “It is true, to resolve such difficult, tightly wound conflicts, it is necessary to look for compromise, to reach this compromise, and this requires courage from the side of those making the decision.”
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan announced the end of the conflict over the occupied Nagorno-Karabakh region in a Facebook post , saying that the government signed a deal with Azerbaijan and Russia to cease the fighting.
According to the peace deal, fighting and movement on all sides were to cease by midnight, and Armenian forces are to withdraw from territories internationally recognised as Azerbaijan’s by 20 November. The five kilometre-wide Lachin corridor will also be opened to facilitate the withdrawal and movement between Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenia, with Russian peacekeeping forces guarding the corridor for five years while Azerbaijan is obliged to guarantee safe passage. | https://medium.com/@adilmurphy098/putin-says-mena-conflicts-are-hotbeds-of-terrorism-bb8a11a002ad | [] | 2020-11-12 07:54:31.441000+00:00 | ['Russia', 'Middle East', 'Putin', 'Terrorism'] |
Exercising My Demon: Netball | When I was at school, sport of any kind scared me. I was nervous on my bike, useless at climbing ropes, and when, as part of some sort of modern day torture, we were forced to run laps of a recreational ground backed onto by train tracks, I would walk when concealed by bushes — self conscious of my puffy, purple cheeks and dreading coming in last to the claps of my lithe class mates, jeering. In fact, the only time I can remember feeling content in any sort of physical capacity in my school years was when I was bobbing in the swimming pool, letting the man made waves lap over my body, light and buoyant.
So, despite being desperate for camaraderie all my life, the powerful sensation of belonging to something, anything, I never got involved in team activities. When I did, I would be picked last or plucked into a team of underdogs in PE lessons. I found hockey terrifying, worried my teeth were going to be knocked out like the girl in the year above, the socks and shin pads itching as I sweat, my back twisted over the stick with no skill. Tennis lessons were more a humiliation exercise sponsored by my dyspraxia. My body, awkward, pubescent, chubby, found the contortionist element of gymnastics an inevitable mismatch. And netball, netball was my physical exercise nemesis.
Not nimble, due to years of hiding my body, I was slow. Not agile, my aforementioned dyspraxia meant hand ball coordination was lacking. Not strategic, I could never anticipate my oppositions play, let alone my own. Every time netball was on the agenda, it would happily coincide with me ‘forgetting my sports shoes’. A particularly haunting sports teacher (they all look the same for some reason, every depiction of a sports teacher ever seems to meld into one sort of stretched, lanky and cropped haircut with a disparaging look, all burrowed in the brow), would find these conveniences hilarious and set me to the side of the tarmac in my school uniform with a skipping rope — barking at me to jump the entirety of game play.
I knew enough about my lack of skills with netball to put it aside, to the back of my mind, and as I got older and even more hard on myself and stared in the mirror like a ghoul grabbing onto lumps of flesh and crying pretty much every day, I accepted that team activities were never going to happen for 2 reasons. 1) Because I was fundamentally useless and 2) nobody wants a fundamentally useless heifer on their centre court strategy.
I guess somewhere between then, 16, sad, and now 26, happy-ish, I had a revelation about myself and where I fit into the world. The sheer unadulterated fear of being seen exercising in public by impossibly toned bodies and even just your regular run of the mill flesh sacks lifted. Through a combination of growing older, working harder, finding the right kind of love for me, I ended up being someone who ran in public and walked to work and swam freely without worrying about my legs or tits or tummy suctioned into the unforgiving elastic of a swimsuit. And I guess that’s how, on the day after my twenty sixth year on this celestial plain, I found myself in a school’s gymnasium with around 35 other women, ready to learn how to play netball again.
These women were 16. They were 65. They were fat, they were thin. Some had disabilities, some looked like they’d never stopped playing. All races and backgrounds and abilities somehow melted into the lurid yellow lines of a court in Streatham. There was comedy to be had, through the terrible throws and that weird unbearable tension you get when you clash with a stranger when you’re all just meant to be having a nice time.
We saw these women, kind and strong, pounding the slick surfaces — freshly waxed, building up strength and skill and friendship. I began to get lifts home from a mum of two whose heart was impenetrable gold, but who swore every time her team didn’t block an opposing goal. My sister, who had come along with me for the fear I would be laughed out the building, broke up with her boyfriend around 5 weeks into the training and moved back in with my parents — unable to return. Faces would come up each week to ask me how she was doing and coping, with genuine interest and concern, a sense of community. Some women never came back from the training, but I like to think of them every Monday, maybe enjoying a glass of wine by a fire and thinking “this is more me”, and that’s fine, fine, fine.
And now, we sit in teams. I am in a team. My team are doing well. We’re top of the league. I’m Wing Attack, but maybe not fantastic. I am built up from the strength of the woman I play with, slick, fast, determined. It’s funny to think that I’ve had lots of friendships in my life, deep, bonded, emotional, traumatic, brief, terminal — but the affection and pride I have for my team mates is unique and new to me. From never feeling like I was worthy of achievement, I have now found myself slotted into a dynamic that makes me feel worthy. Worthy of my ability, because despite some dodgy passes, I also do some great ones. Worthy of my confidence, because you are pretty exposed out there, under the floodlights, umpires eyes like hawks, hunger in your oppositions eyes. And worthy of my body. This strange body of mine, that I’ve hated and pummelled and cried over, that has taken me across the world and into the arms of those I love, that has crumpled and straightened and bought me pleasure and pain. These thick strong thighs that have crushed bodies and climbed mountains. These momentous breasts that have taken the brunt of a ball more times than they’d like to remember and have broke free of sports bras whilst running.. These hips that have held players back from getting that centre pass, but have danced, danced, danced to music every single day for years and years and years. I don’t know if I’ll ever love my body like the magazines tell me to, but I do know that I am grateful for its existence, gliding down streets and onto dance floors.
We are, at heart, built up by those around us in our lives. The support systems that run rich through our narratives are what shapes who we are and how we navigate through this world. The love and bond I have with my family, my partner, my friends, is the foundations for my existence and where I have grown over the years. And all this time that I have complained about not being part of a team, I’ve been part of so many — rich tapestries of passion and pain and persistence. But now I’m part of a team in a physical sense, even just for a season, and it’s taught me more about myself than any therapy. We are all floating alone out here, and its those we bob toward that help us construct a raft. | https://medium.com/@olivia.wedderburn/exercising-my-demon-netball-4f09eee7fb00 | ['Olivia Wedderburn'] | 2019-03-03 14:34:16.823000+00:00 | ['Excercise', 'Netball', 'Body Positive', 'Sports', 'Body Image'] |
Lifeless With a Heartbeat | Lifeless With a Heartbeat
Photo by Francesca Zama from Pexels | Edited by Never Sugarcoated
Pressed against
the steering wheel,
lifeless with a heartbeat.
Snow-covered streets
never turn down
a dare.
The cracks in
your foundation
glisten in
the rearview
mirror.
Good thing
you can’t see.
It would have
ruined
your night
out.
Your disease
drips
from the bottle
stashed
beneath your seat,
beckoning
you to come
clean.
But you sleep.
My friend,
you’re lost
again,
trapped in
a cycle
that never
tires.
But I do.
I try so hard
to take your pain,
my fingers
bleed and scar—
daily reminders
of my failed
attempts
to lift you up
again.
But the truth,
white as snow
and red as wine,
is that you
won’t stop
until it hurts
bad enough,
no matter how
bad it hurts
everyone
else.
You hate you,
so you follow
suit.
No one else can save your life.
You are dying,
it’s the truth.
But I hope you
come home
soon. | https://medium.com/loose-words/lifeless-with-a-heartbeat-e1123aedc4f8 | ['Never Sugarcoated'] | 2020-12-23 14:45:18.523000+00:00 | ['Addiction', 'Boundaries', 'Alcoholism', 'Poetry', 'Free Verse'] |
30 Things I Learned Before Turning 30 | But let’s be honest, 30 is a big year. I didn’t want to stop there. Upon reflecting on my last decade of life (also a suggestion from the Interwebs), I know I’ve learned a lot more than just “being prepared.” I decided to pull a Taylor Swift and share my own version of “30 Things I Learned Before Turning 30” (except, sorry to disappoint, but I am not sending any secret messages about any secret albums I’m planning to drop).
So here it is, a whole TSwift-inspired list of major lessons I’ve learned throughout my 20s. I don’t pretend to be wise, but I hope anyone reading this can extract some modicum of wisdom from it. Enjoy!
1. Mistakes are the stepping stones to living a fuller life.
This one sounds like a no-brainer but I lived my whole life being afraid to make mistakes. From a young age, I’ve been punished so badly for making them that I eventually internalized the negative impact of what happens to me whenever I do something wrong. It’s taken a long time for me to realize that mistakes are just part of the process and should be seen as a springboard to reaching even greater heights. Even if you fail today, what matters is what you will become tomorrow.
2. Your actions affect others and have consequences. You HAVE to be aware and responsible for your share.
This one is huge. If you can accept this, you can accept almost anything. We all know that every action has an equal or opposite reaction but often, we don’t fully embrace this when we go about our daily relationships. There are so many things I’ve done that have hurt other people or made them uncomfortable. No matter how minor some of these instances might seem, the more they build up, the more that person is probably not going to have favorable memories or interactions with me. The consequence of this can be losing a friend or drifting apart, or never growing close in the first place. If you aren’t happy with that, then own up to the fact that you had a hand in making that happen and work to never let it happen to the people you care most about again.
3. The notion that you have to do certain things in a certain xyz way because it’s the standard method that guarantees a positive experience for everyone is, quite frankly, bullshit.
“Make an outline!” “Early to bed and early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise!” “If you can’t draw hands well, then you aren’t a True Artist.”
Sure there are some things that you have to do right, behaviors that you can’t skip out on or substitute in a different way (I mean, please floss if you want to avoid cavities. Also, reading more does help with your writing), but don’t listen to someone who tries to disqualify your methods simply because it isn’t conventional. If to-do lists don’t help you then don’t use them. If you learn better by listening to an audiobook rather than reading it, then subscribe to Audible. Try something else. Try A-B-C instead of 1–2–3. Don’t even let someone tell you you’re not “a real ____” because you don’t practice or perform something the same way that others do. Which leads me into my next item:
4. “We aren’t limited to only one way of being great.”
Alright fellow weebs, you got me. This quote is taken straight from Haikyuu!! (— my current favorite series. Bonus if you can catch all the references in this list. Hint: this is not the first, or even second one I’ve made.)
Everyone is good at different things. Not all volleyball players are tall. Not all writers write descriptions well and not all artists can draw hands. It doesn’t mean they aren’t strong in other parts of their craft and it certainly doesn’t mean they can’t perfect the skills they are lacking in. You can always look for different ways to fly.
5. Prioritize your mental health.
This really cannot be stressed enough. Admit it when you need help. Seek it out if you must. Try therapy or meds. Cut out the things in your life that drag you down. If scrolling through Instagram and seeing your friends having fun without you or getting further ahead in life than you upsets you, then stop scrolling. It’s not worth it. You have a choice and you can choose to prioritize your mental wellbeing.
6. Natural talent may make someone lucky but there is no substitute for hard work.
It’s difficult not to feel like hard work is meaningless in the face of natural talent but here’s the truth everybody needs to imbibe: natural talent cannot substitute for experience.
Is it possible to work your ass off and still not be good at something compared to someone who’s Born With It? Unfortunately, yes, but the amount of blood and sweat you’ve poured into it for yourself and the experiences you get out of that is so much more invaluable and challenging to obtain. And, because it’s more challenging, the fruit will be more rewarding. Too often, the people who are “gifted” end up never making as big of strides or putting the same amount of work into the things they’ve been told they’re a natural at. Don’t underestimate the power you wield over such people.
(Although of course, if you have both, you might just be able to rule the world.)
7. It’s extremely rare to find someone who understands you fully and that’s okay.
This is more of a personal struggle. I delve too deeply into basically everything I do or feel or think and I’ve come to learn that that can be a lonely experience. It’s hard to find people to share in those significant reflections because not everyone explores their thoughts and emotions to the same extent. A huge part of my 20s has been learning that that’s okay.
8. You can control a lot more things in your situation than you think you can.
This one’s a little bit related to numbers 3–5 but it’s important enough to get its own callout. Aside from taking control over your ability to sign off social media when it no longer brings you joy, you can always find ways to get creative when you’re stuck. I once read about a person who told their therapist about how they couldn’t stop hating on their body while in the shower and feeling depressed about it. In turn, the therapist asked, “Have you tried showering in the dark?” Get rid of that binary way of thinking. Not showering or accepting that you’re doomed to hate yourself more are not the only two options. Pull back from your situation and look for sideways solutions. There’s probably an angle you missed.
9. “Just because someone hasn’t done it before doesn’t mean it can’t be done.”
Another freebie for my fellow weebs. This one is also related to so many things on this list. I think a major theme I’ve been learning in general over the past few years is that being flexible and adaptable are some of the best traits you can develop that will get you through almost anything in life. Fuck limitations. The only people who disparage you are the ones who haven’t gotten anywhere. They are sad people to be pitied because whether they know it or not, they are subscribed to the deep and untrue belief that there are things in this world that are impossible.
10. When in doubt, use verbs.
Get rid of all your “is’s,” “have’s,” “to be’s,” and spruce your life up with sharp, precise verbs, ones that will cleave vague sentences apart. This goes beyond simple writing advice. It helps so much with communication in all avenues of your life.
11. Even though others have the perception to notice things about you that you can’t notice yourself, the majority of people are paying a lot less attention to you than you think.
Get outside of your head and kill the belief that other people who are not your close friends actually care what you are doing. There are people who may judge others all the time but the truth is, everyone else is too busy worrying about themselves and wondering whether others like you are paying too much attention to them to care. ;)
12. You can’t change someone or their minds. If someone isn’t willing to have a productive conversation despite your differing opinions then don’t waste your breath.
Here’s an easy way to tell if someone is open to hearing a different opinion from their own: they listen. We have all sorts of reasons for wanting to be the one who has the last word. Whether it’s pride, wanting to prove yourself, or getting revenge, you can overcome the temptation to try and change someone’s mind. Some people enjoy debating or having an open conversation where we learn from each other’s differences, but none of the two means that you can change someone’s mind. People can only change their own minds and most of the time, it is based on feeling more than they’d like to admit.
13. You can’t save the world. You also can’t save people.
Similarly, you can’t save people, which means you can’t save the world. You cannot play God that way. People have to find it in them to save themselves. This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t help or support others when they’re in need, but you must understand this boundary line, for both yours and the other person’s sake.
14. Genius and intellect are hard to measure.
I have spent my whole life wishing I was more naturally intelligent. I wish I could read faster, read more, breeze through the complicated concepts that feel above me, but the truth is, real intelligence is building upon what you already know and never stopping or being satisfied until you add on just a little more… then just a little more… then just a little more… — Before you know it, your tower is taller than you ever thought it would be, but you won’t even be paying attention to it because you just want to keep building it higher.
15. I finally learned how to be and feel productive with my time.
Like number 3, I had to snuff out the notion that structuring your work day, especially as a creative and a student, has to look a certain way. To-do lists alone don’t work for me, but journaling about what I plan to do, does. If I get scattered because I have 3 syllabuses in 3 different locations, I move them into one folder and manually transfer the schedule into my own planner, my own way. I also learned that I write better at night and need breaks in between to either go on a walk or do something mindless, like the dishes. I’ve found a rhythm so that when I started school for the first time in 7 years, staying on top of my tasks has been a cinch.
The key is to do things right, and do it everyday.
16. Having emotions is NOT the same as being soft, mopey, or overreacting.
We all like to joke about not having emotions and some people actually believe it. However, there’s no getting around it. If you are human, you have emotions. People don’t like to show or realize for themselves that they are affected by things. There’s an unhealthy connection in our society that being affected by things is a weakness. It isn’t. There is scientific evidence to show that people with trauma actually need to process events properly through the emotional centers of their brain in order to even BEGIN to heal. Processing emotions is power. It takes courage and strength. People only write it off as weak because they are too weak to face their emotions themselves.
17. Michelin star restaurants aren’t what they’re all cracked up to be.
Alinea was just a really expensive meal.
18. You can’t run away from your identities.
For a huge chunk of my life leading up to my early 20s, I got stuck in the phase of denying my Asian American identity. I hated certain aspects of Asian culture that often made me feel othered by communities of my same background. This led to me rejecting things like indirect communication. I tried to go the opposite direction and spoke extra bluntly where I could instead. I also (regretfully) was too stubborn to learn how to cook a lot of Chinese dishes when I was still living under my mother’s roof. In the end though, I’ve come to accept that people will always treat me based on how I look and the experiences I have by default of growing up in an immigrant family in America is something that will always explicitly and implicitly define who I am and who I’ll become.
19. The drive to keep on pushing and not giving up is a talent in and of itself.
I talked about natural talent earlier but aside from being good at certain skills, a more important talent is the tenacity to never give up. We all know the famous saying that you’re only a failure if you stay down, but what many people don’t fully appreciate is that constantly getting back up no matter how many times you’ve been knocked off your feet is not only the antidote to failure, but a real talent in and of itself.
20. Communicate. Even if you think it should be obvious.
Get over your pride. People have different ways of communicating. No matter how much you think someone had to have meant this when they said that, there is always a chance that you are wrong and likely reading into it due to your own projections. Unless someone had malicious intent, most people probably weren’t trying to insinuate something offensive or hurtful. Clarify it with them with a simple, “When you said this, what did you mean?” and you might learn something new.
(Ex. A friend once told me when I was talking about rice cookers, “I’ve never used a rice cooker in my life.” I immediately assumed incorrectly that she was trying to undermine my cooking sensibilities because I relied on a rice cooker more often than cooking rice in different ways that she knew. A quick conversation revealed that she was merely stating her uncertainty with using one, and it also shed light on a big insecurity I‘d been carrying that other people don’t recognize my abilities.)
The reverse is also true, so be mindful and open to clarify for someone else if they misinterpreted something you said.
21. There are always going to be people who are better than you at this or that. Forget about it. As long as you’re focused on diving deeper into the things you’re most passionate about, you’ll find peers who share the same drives.
“A jack of all trades is a master of none, but oftentimes better than a master of one.”
I’m sure most of us want to be someone with approximate knowledge of many things and while it is certainly better than being a master of one, let go of the unrealistic notion that you can master it all. It’s an insult to those who have worked hard at their craft because nobody becomes an expert overnight. The sooner you accept this, the less discouraged you’ll be about not being the best. Even if you become a master at more than one thing, nobody can be the best at everything. Invest in the skills you love. The peers you meet along the way who share the same drive will be invaluable.
22. Writing as a “full-time” job does NOT mean you write and only write from 8–5 (be it AM or PM).
It took me a while to realize this but many authors and poets I admire out there have multiple identities that they are investing time in. Living life to your fullest while consuming all kinds of creative work outside of you are part and parcel of being a writer.
23. If you don’t click with someone even when you want to, chances are, they’d bore you anyway.
You can’t get along with everyone and as often as I find desirable qualities in the people I meet, not all of them are going to find something comparable in me. If people can’t appreciate you, they don’t deserve you. If you think you’re missing out on them, you’re not. They’re missing out on you. Technically, you’re missing out on each other. But for every person you miss out on, there’s a friend with ten times the qualities you want in that distant acquaintance.
(In other words, I’ve also learned that if other people are going to be cliquey, I’m peacing out.)
24. You’d be surprised at the amount of dirt that can come off simply by scrubbing harder.
I had this reflection last month as I cleaned my entire house square inch by square inch before moving in officially. I’d find stains on tables and desks and countertops that look permanent only to scrub even harder at it with some Clorox wipes and discover to my pleasant surprise that they’re not. I think sometimes, the same can be said for life.
25. Never put another human being on a pedestal.
It’s a disservice to them just as much as it is to you. Honestly, cancel culture would be a lot less wild if people simply expected everyone else to be a shitty person by default. We’re all shitty people. Accept this sooner so you can check one more thing off the list of anxieties.
26. We are all capable of being the worst people.
This deserves it’s own heading too. Unless you’ve been through an almost exact situation as someone else did, you could potentially be wrong about whether you would ever resort to their same “evil behaviors” if you were in their place. On a similar note, kill the self-serving belief that you are a good person. This is one of the many reasons why white fragility and white supremacy is allowed to persist. You are not “bad” or “good” for having racist or anti-racist thoughts. These thoughts happen to everyone at different times. Just because you do ten anti-racist things a day, it doesn’t mean you will never occasionally slip up and commit one racist thing, and it certainly doesn’t mean you’re “better” than someone else who does the reverse. We are all capable of the most beautiful and the most hideous acts. Sometimes, all it takes is the right context.
27. Nobody really knows what they’re doing. Becoming an adult just means you get better at faking it.
This one is self-explanatory. Very few people have their shit together and nobody has it figured out 24/7 without a single bump in the road.
28. “Write what you know” means you need to know more things.
My husband tells me frequently that I need to learn more all the time rather than waiting until I come up against something unfamiliar before I look into it. Honestly, doing research is part of writing and can also slow you down at points, but if you go through life with a constant intake of knowledge, you’ll be more prepared when you actually need to utilize it. If you don’t always learn best by simply reading about the boring aspects of a subject matter, rest easy because there are other ways to fill your fodder with tools, information, and sensory details that you can draw upon later. Go out and experience more things. Read the news. Watch a documentary. Writing is often a lonely task. Don’t stay holed up or you will never expand.
29. If you can’t write (or create art) for your own damn self then don’t bother writing at all.
“Who are you writing for?” is a question writers are often asked. Yes, we should know our audience, but as we’ve been learning through various season finales like Game of Thrones, Star Wars, and all of the live action Disney movies, catering to your audience only leads you into bad places. People want everything handed to them on a platter. They don’t know what they want but you know what you want. Don’t write for validation or for the sake of appeasing others. Know your audience, but always, always, always write for yourself.
30. When in doubt, drink water or take a walk. Or a nap. Preferably all of the above.
A lot of problems in our lives can be solved by drinking water or taking a walk/nap. Headache? Cranky mood? Had a fight with your significant other? Creatively stuck in a rut? Any or all of the above 3 things may not resolve the entire issue but I guarantee it won’t make it worse. And sometimes, not making something worse is exactly what we need the most. Sometimes, we just need to clear our heads so we can see and think better.
Here’s to the the big 3–0! | https://medium.com/@jstnewng/30-things-i-learned-before-turning-30-7638299f8aed | [] | 2020-09-10 07:24:08.037000+00:00 | ['Life Lessons', 'Birthday', '30s', 'Humanity', 'Listicles'] |
As a former editor (and mobility impaired person), I feel compelled to point out that even though… | As a former editor (and mobility impaired person), I feel compelled to point out that even though “lame” has been accepted and normalized as a synonym for “undesirable” for a long time, it is and always was ableist and hurtful to equate something disliked with mobility impairment.
There are so many colorful alternatives like “crappy” “weak” “bogus” “crummy” “garbage” “fake” “orange as fuck” at a writer’s disposal. | https://medium.com/@divalea/as-a-former-editor-and-mobility-impaired-person-i-feel-compelled-to-point-out-that-even-though-e9debb6a9d8f | ['Lea Hernandez Seidman'] | 2020-11-23 20:37:01.745000+00:00 | ['Ableism', 'Writing', 'Editing'] |
Which Covid-19 Numbers Really Matter | Elemental: Where is the best place to find Covid-19 data for your area? And how local should you be going?
Eleanor Murray: For most places, your state health department is a good first stop, but many states are so large that this won’t be specific enough. Local data from your city (or from your metropolitan area in larger cities like New York) will be more useful in those states. Your local health department may have a website that provides these numbers, or your state health department website might provide local numbers as well.
Aside from just generally staying up to date about what’s happening in your area, when is it useful to look at local Covid-19 data?
Local Covid-19 data is most useful when you are making decisions about whether to engage in higher risk activities, such as indoor dining, attending religious services in person, or visiting friends or family in their homes. When Covid-19 rates are low in your area, these may be reasonable to do (potentially with some safety precautions such as masks), whereas during a surge they should be avoided.
What are the most important numbers to look at? What’s the first number you check for your area every day?
I look at a couple of numbers: What are the per capita new case counts and — most importantly — how do they seem to have been changing over the past few days, and what are the test positivity rates? Test positivity rates can give you an indication of whether there is enough testing being done. We want to see those numbers below 2%–5% to indicate that there is not an outbreak happening and that sufficient testing is being done. Numbers closer to 10% indicate that there is under-testing, and numbers around 20% or above indicate a substantial surge in cases is probably happening. If cases and positivity are increasing or decreasing then that’s a good indication of whether your area is high or low risk at this time.
How do you tell if things are “good” or “bad”? How big of an increase or decrease really matters?
The trickiest part about assessing the numbers is that we are always playing catch up. Deaths tell us about infections that happened a month or even more in the past, hospitalizations tell us about infections from a few weeks ago, and even cases can be misleading since people can be infectious before they have symptoms. We also see a lag in reporting, so that the numbers reported today aren’t actually the final numbers for today — over the next few weeks today’s numbers will change. This means that even if you thought cases were going down, once you get a few weeks out you can look back at the graphs and realize they were actually going up. Because of this, it’s generally a good idea to take the maximum precautions suggested by the past few weeks of case data.
If you’re considering traveling, what should you know about where you’re coming from and where you’re going, and how might those numbers affect your plans?
When traveling, you definitely want to avoid moving between high and low case count regions, because this could lead to causing a new surge somewhere. In general that means you should really only travel if the cases are low where you are and have been low for the past couple weeks — and then only travel to and through other low case count areas! If cases are high where you are or where you want to go, it’s inadvisable to travel where at all avoidable.
How should you read/interpret the death rate and the hospitalization rate? Do those matter on a day-to-day basis for a layperson?
Hospitalization and death rates are really more of a measurement of how poorly the government is doing in controlling this pandemic. Doctors have gotten a bit better at treating patients who need to be hospitalized but in general the risk of death from Covid-19 is pretty close to where it was. Changes in the death rate over time mostly reflect changes in who is getting infected rather than any indication of disease severity. And hospitalization and death lag infection by so much that we really should not be looking at those numbers to think about how much risk we might be at on a day-to-day basis. | https://elemental.medium.com/which-covid-19-numbers-really-matter-cd492f2086aa | ['Anna Maltby'] | 2020-10-14 14:25:16.599000+00:00 | ['Coronavirus', 'Health', 'Covid 19', 'Data'] |
NEVER WORRY ABOUT THE ORIGIN OF ENGLISH AGAIN | NEVER WORRY ABOUT THE ORIGIN OF ENGLISH AGAIN
Recently, english has become one of the languages which is the most spoken around the world, and this is due to the influence of many english speaking countries that have over so many languages. For example, it is common to see instructions, tags, games, books, celebrities, devices,etc, which will prioritise the english position from others.
This may sound crazy and at the same time interesting, knowing that this language is around the world. But you may be wondering : Why have these languages gained such popularity? or Which is its origin? In the following paragraphs we will answer the mentioned questions and more.
The Beginning
This research is based on a brief history investigation from Oxford International English Schools, which uses data from Encyclopedia Britannica. According to it, English as a language itself really began with the invasion of Britain during the 5th century. There were 3 Germanic tribes: the Jutes, Saxons, and Angles whose ideal was to conquer lands, and cross over from the North Sea. During the invasion, the native Britons were driven north and west into lands we now refer to as Scotland, Ireland, and Wales. Consequently, The word England and English originated from the Old English word Engla-land, literally meaning “the land of the Angles’ ‘ where they spoke English.
Ancient English
According to the investigation from a notable English professor at the University of Pennsylvania Albert Baugh, a notable English professor at the University of Pennsylvania specifies in his several researches that 85% of Old English is no longer in use; but, there are some existing elements form the basis of the Modern English language today such:
Prehistoric or Primitive (5th to 7th Century)
Early Old English (7th to 10th Century)
Late Old English (10th to 11th Century)
Early Middle English
Syntax was heavily affected during this period. In case you don’t know the meaning of this word, it is the simple arrangement of words and phrases to create well-formed sentences. Meanwhile, the British government and its wealthy citizens Anglicised the language, Norman and French influences remained the dominant language until the 14th century. Equally, the loss of case endings which are the suffixes on an inflected noun, pronoun, or adjective that indicates its grammatical function, provoking markers being replaced by complex language features.
Some linguists such as Charles Laurence Barber and John McWhorter highlighted that the influence of new dialects weakened the influence of Old English, due to some language limitations such as the inability to pronounce some words as it happened with the Norsemen that could communicate but its inability to pronounce left them not other option that to drop the old influence.
Late Middle English
In the 14th century a different dialect emerged known as the East-Midlands which according to many linguistics began to develop around the London area. For example, Geoffrey Chaucer identifies himself as the Father of English Literature, and thanks to his various works that the English language was more or less “approved” alongside those of French and Latin, for the previous reason, G Chaucer continued to write up some of his characters in the northern dialects.
During the 14th century something just appeared, a new terminology called the Chancery English. This term consisted in the written usage of the clerks of Chancery in London, who prepared the king’s documents. In case you didn’t know, papers were written merely in either french or latin. These languages were mainly used by royalty, the church, and wealthy Britons. However, the clerks started using a dialect up to date similar as the one we are using recently:
gaf (gave) not yaf (Chaucer’s East Midland dialect)
such not swich
theyre (their) not hir
Early Modern English
Moving forward to the 15th to mid-17th Century, some significant changes were implemented in the language but not only a change in pronunciation, vocabulary or grammar itself but also you can perceive it as the rebirth of english..
This time the influence came from its pan-European close relative; we are talking about the Italian Renaissance, Flourishing the 15th century with plenty of social and cultural movements.
By the side of the famous writer and diplomat William Caxton whose fascinating creation of the first model of the printing press allowed the english languages to become mainstream. Like almost magic, this invention propulsed english to its standardization thanks to the distribution of one of the most known books, published at a large scale: “The Bible”
Almost like in the midst of the 14th century, where common people could finally have access to the Bible in a language that they could recognize and read, resulting in the expansion of the common folk dialect.
Almost in 1600, it was accomplished the first complete translation of the Catholic Bible, provoking a huge impact, since it played an important role in the continued development of the language, since catholicism exerted a big influence in the population worldwide.Many years later the famous W. Shakespeare started to make a huge influence in writing during a time when the English language was undergoing serious changes due to war.
The use of words or different phrases from other languages were modified and added to the English language, enriching the language itself, since writers and authors did not consider the languages spoken by the common people was proper for the plays. This activity of adding lexic from other languages continued as in the case of adopting indigenous words Migration during the 17th, 18th and 19th century helped even more the flux of adding new varieties and dialects, coming from different areas including West African, Native American, Spanish and European influences.
Late Modern English
The new era has begun and the Industrial Revolution and the Rise of the British Empire during the 18th, 19th and early 20th-century emerged and the same happened to the language. The advancements in different areas as sciences and technology during this period of time, opened the door to the origin of new lexical methods implemented in specific areas and concepts, for example: the creation of words with Greec roots as bacteria, nuclear ,biology, etc.
As the time passed by, the nature of these new words became popular in scientists, scholars, universities, schools.during the Revolution saw a need for new words, phrases, and concepts to describe these ideas and inventions. As this period of time opened doors for technology and other areas, it helped also to new colonialism ideas by not only promoting and spreading the language itself but also traditions and culture.
English in the 21st Century
Nowadays, if you are either a native speaker of a foreigner who is a fan of learning english a second, third, forth .. language. You can perceive that although english has suffered many changes, some structure and lexical mountains are as similar as before. Evidently, it is not the same however, the language follows some parameters and some rules as before.
The most important thing to highlight in these new years, it is that the evolving process continues. You may think : Is this possible ? Of course it is. Thanks to the internet and even more advancements. new words and expressions from different languages have been added to the register. Many will think that this is the degradation of the language since it mingles a lot of features from other languages, but that is rational thinking since we can learn a lot from other cultures. | https://medium.com/@santiago-martinez-46607/never-worry-about-the-origin-of-english-again-a75461bcc550 | ['Santiago Martinez'] | 2020-10-13 19:19:10.695000+00:00 | ['Learning And Development', 'English', 'Tuesday', 'Edutainment', 'Learning'] |
Devの次の成長へ向けて | Founder FRAME00 and Mother 1-year baby 👶 Entrepreneur since 2011 and started Dev with family in 2018. Develop the creative universe 🌝
Follow | https://medium.com/devprtcl/preseed-release-2b20b3465eb2 | [] | 2019-09-27 01:04:57.714000+00:00 | ['Blockchain', 'Ethereum', 'Token', 'Development', 'Oss'] |
How To Remotely View Security Cameras Using The Internet | Many people want to buy security camera for monitoring their business via mobile but they dong know how to remotely view security cameras using the internet. There are many reasons why you’ll want to urge remote over your security camera system. Here is an example , it gives you the power to stay an eye fixed on your business directly from your laptop or smartphone once you are away. Also, if you would like to understand what’s happening to the one that you love once you aren’t around, you merely found out web access to security cameras and see what’s happening in your house while miles away.
You physically connect your camera to an area computer (we’ll call it the server) and install the app on both the server machine and therefore the PC (the client) from which you’re getting to access the camera remotely. Some of wireless security camera system with remote viewing options included.
Launch USB over Internet app on the server computer and open the Local USB Devices tab. Find the camera within the device list and click on “Share next” thereto .
On the client computer, you begin the software and attend the tab named Remote USB devices. Locate the safety camera there and click on “Connect” next to the device name.
From now forward, the camera are going to be displayed within the Device Manager of your remote computer love it was plugged directly into that PC. So, now you’ll use any specialized software to remotely control the safety camera as if it had been your local device.
A differently
Setting up for remote access
Here we’ll re-evaluate the way to found out your IP security cameras for remote access.
Using a Cat-5 network cable, connect your security camera’s DVR (digital video recorder) to the network router.
Open your browser and sort the local IP address of your router within the browser’s address bar to log in. you’ll ask your provider for the precise IP address of your router, but an example will appear as if this — http://192.168.1.1.
After you’ve got logged into your router’s configuration panel, you’ll then create a fanatical or static IP address for your camera within the local area network (LAN) settings of your router. Having a fanatical IP for the camera will allow you to access it directly without causing any conflicts with other devices within the network. you ought to also note of the subnet mask number, which is 255.255.255.0 in most cases. you’ll need this information afterward
What next?
Next, you would like to line up port forwarding on your router for the camera’s IP address. this may allow you to access your camera from a special device. Type the IP address of your camera and set it to forward port 80. If you would like to forward quite one port, just repeat the method for all the specified ports of your camera.
After port forwarding is complete, power on the camera to access its network menu. attend the setup settings for networking to settle on a static IP address. Enter the IP address and subnet mask number assigned to your camera. Double-check that the ports on the camera match those you forwarded through the router, then save the settings.
From outside your local area network, enter the external IP address you’re using into an internet browser. to see your external IP address, you’ll attend whatismyip.com and replica your listed IP address there. you’ll then be prompted to put in ActiveX control for your camera’s web server. After this, you ought to be ready to access your camera online.
Another way : how to remotely view security cameras using the internet
Step 1: Register for a FlexiHub account. then , choose the subscription plan that’s best for you and begin a free trial.
Step 2: Start by physically connecting your security camera to your computer(server). Then install the FlexiHub software on both the server and therefore the remote computer (client) which will be accessing the camera remotely.
Step 3: To share the safety camera over the web , simply start the software on both machines using an equivalent login credentials.
Step 4: Click ‘Connect’ on the remote computer to access a security camera.
What to try to to If you can’t Remotely View Security Cameras Using the web via Port Forwarding
Make sure your cameras are connected to the network.
Ensure all the ports of the network configuration are mapped to the web .
Open the firewall within the router to permit Internet access to the camera.
If your computer features a firewall, proxy, ad-blocking software, anti-virus software or the likes of , attempt to temporarily disable them and connect the Server again.
Check your Web Server Settings and make sure that your user account has permission to access the IP cameras.
Make sure the cameras are compatible with the online browser you’re using for remote viewing.
If you’ve got more problems about fixing your IP camera for remote viewing or watching CCTV cameras from anywhere using Internet, be happy to go away your comment below and that we would like to help. So hope you got a complete idea about how to remotely view security cameras using the internet via this post. | https://medium.com/@getlockers1/how-to-remotely-view-security-cameras-using-the-internet-264d58d97768 | ['Smart Locks'] | 2020-07-20 17:58:30.573000+00:00 | ['Safety', 'Remote Working', 'Security', 'Security Camera', 'Technology'] |
“A Change Gon’ Come” | “A Change Gon’ Come”
Malik and Cookie head into the chaos
Photo by Maria Oswalt on Unsplash
Stalking prey
Who you gon’ pray to
When we rip that badge away?
Clouds of tear gas
Hold downtown in its grip
Sure to sting
No matter your age or class
“Masks up!”
On the frontline
Despite news coverage
We align
In the streets
Screaming
“Defund the police”
Say her name
Say his
Damn, it’s a whole list
Injustice and peace
Can’t co-exist
Up all night
Driving
To our destination
Cookie in the passenger seat
Trying to find a working radio station
Worry lives in her eyes
I can’t even disguise
My own concern
Fear churns
In my stomach
All I can think
Is change is coming
Then Cookie softly asks
“What if it had been me?” | https://medium.com/brian-the-man-behind-the-pen/a-change-gon-come-3a516819d66b | [] | 2020-07-28 14:01:01.374000+00:00 | ['Poetry', 'Equality', 'Fiction', 'BlackLivesMatter', 'Racism'] |
Funding Refineries That Don’t Refine To Import Fuel From Niger Republic | The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation(NNPC) recently published how ₦81.4 billion had been spent on refineries in 2020 despite the fact that they hadn’t refined a drop of oil. This came shortly after the Minister of State for Petroleum, Timipre Sylva had announced that Nigeria would now be importing fuel from Niger Republic. He thereafter, charged Nigerians to be proud that they were supporting their neighbours.
During a later interview, he would go on to defend the profligate budgetary allocation to the non-functional refineries, saying it was being used to 'pay' the workers at the refineries. He further buttressed his seemingly sympathetic but rather infirm claim that the federal government was being understanding and that judging by the current socioeconomic background of the nation, it doesn’t want to send the refiners back into unemployment; and in the spirit of good governance, is committed to restoring the refineries back to full working capacity.
He admitted the workers weren’t doing anything tangible and that the refineries weren’t refining, but money should still be pumped into them so as to maintain the normalcy of incapacity, incompetence and irrelevance. | https://medium.com/@itslatid/funding-refineries-that-dont-refine-to-import-fuel-from-niger-republic-15fbb5f51dbc | ['Afolabi Great'] | 2020-11-25 12:08:38.494000+00:00 | ['Socialism', 'Niger Delta', 'Petroleum', 'Oil And Gas Industry', 'Nigeria'] |
8 advice to successfully onboard new customer with a SaaS solution | Here at Wrike, I work with a large number of customers in the SMB segment. Successful onboarding plays a critical role in SaaS product adoption. And many problems our customers have after several months of using our solution is caused by the lack of proper onboarding.
Why is the initial stage of using a SaaS solution so important? Because it involves a lot more than a training session like many tend to think. It’s also about setting and validating company goals, determining milestones to track the progress toward these goals, building new habits for the team (and this is a large issue on its own because it’s related to change management), and more.
In this article, I share advice that was useful when I onboarded clients. I hope that they’ll help you jumpstart your customers with your product or service and contribute to long-term relationships.
Set clear expectations
It’s well known that we evaluate our experience with any product or service based on our initial expectations. So even before the beginning of the onboarding process, it’s very important to manage customer’s expectations with your product. It all needs to start with the goals that the customer sets when they decide to purchase the product. The first step is to evaluate these goals and check whether they’re achievable with your solution. If not, it’s best to be honest with your customer. A lot of managers are afraid to tell their customers what their product can’t do. In my personal experience, customers respond positively in most cases. I’ve heard phrases like, “Thank you for confirming that. You actually saved us a lot of time trying to find out how exactly that could be done with your solution.” But, of course, if there’s a workaround that you can offer, make sure that you mention it.
The next step is to set a realistic timeframe for your customers. For example, a technically complex solution can’t be rolled out in a couple of days — it usually takes time and effort. Try to be as realistic as possible when sharing your estimate on when certain things can potentially be achieved. It’s great if you already have experience with a customer from a similar industry; you’d be able to name the rollout duration more accurately and share the roadblocks that other customers have encountered.
Finally, all of these goals need to be transferred to a shared document. It’s very important for several reasons. It would be easier to address the goals and the company’s progress if these goals are easy to access. And any progress could also be visualized in the document for reference. Secondly, the person who made the decision to purchase your product or service may leave the organization at some point. Their successor would evaluate all of the existing solutions and decide whether or not to continue using them or terminate the subscription. The document would be very useful in this situation because it would answer why the solution had been purchased and what value it brings.
Training is a must
One of the worst assumptions when implementing a SaaS solution is that the team can learn how to use it on the go. In most cases, it won’t happen. Even if the developer says the solution is simple, it may not seem that way for everyone, especially for those who aren’t tech-savvy.
It’s important to set aside enough time for the training. Everyone needs to see that management is treating the new solution seriously by dedicating the necessary amount of working hours to get started. The pace of the training needs to be moderate and flexible to ensure everyone has enough time to get comfortable with the new solution. Also, don’t forget to consider the time necessary for the Q&A session. Sometimes it’s better not to interrupt during the training and have a lengthy Q&A section in the end, but in other cases, it’d be a good idea to break the training into logical blocks and do a small Q&A session after each. I personally prefer the latter approach. And don’t forget to record the training, so your team members can revise the material later.
Plan quick wins early
Even though it’s important to set clear and realistic expectations, it’s also critical to plan one or several quick wins that the client’s organization gets from your solution not long after the onboarding process. These wins don’t have to be major, but they should be visible. It’s difficult to commit to something without results on the horizon, so make sure that these results are part of the plan you come up with during the onboarding process.
Let’s review the characteristics of a quick win. It needs to be:
Easy to implement: It shouldn’t require too many resources spent by the management and/or by the team members.
It shouldn’t require too many resources spent by the management and/or by the team members. Available out of the box: It should be a quick rollout without any tricks and workarounds.
It should be a quick rollout without any tricks and workarounds. Address one of the company’s pain points: This can be anything that’s irritating for the team and will bring positive results when resolved.
This can be anything that’s irritating for the team and will bring positive results when resolved. Not time-consuming: We’re talking about quick wins.
We’re talking about quick wins. Described in detail in your help resources: Your team members should be able to implement it without your help if needed.
Quick wins keep the team motivated to continue using the product or service you’re providing because they’ll see the value of the solution and understand that there’s more to come.
Don’t assume
One of the worst mistakes you can make during the onboarding process is to make assumptions about what the team is already familiar with. The best assumption you can make is that the team has zero understanding of your product or service and you need to explain the essentials in such detail that there’s no room left for misunderstandings. Every time you start the training without explaining the basics you risk ending up in a situation where the team doesn’t understand any of the advanced concepts, which decreases the value of the training to zero.
If the team already had time to familiarize themselves with the essentials, they’ll tell you about it. And then it would be OK to skip the initial part and move forward to discuss more specific use cases and best practices. In my experience, team members who are familiar with the product in general (for example, those who have used it at their previous job) often enjoy reviewing the basic materials to make sure that they didn’t miss anything earlier.
Prepare a list of habits
Using a new solution is all about building and maintaining new habits, and it’s definitely not something that happens overnight. Because of that, you need to carefully plan all the new, daily routines for the team and have a good reason prepared for why they should be doing these routines.
There’s an approach related to change management that I described in another article called “What’s In It For Me” (WIIMF). According to this approach, every time the management team makes a decision to implement a new solution (or, speaking more generally, a major organizational change), a question needs to be asked: How would each team member personally benefit from the solution and what value would the solution bring? Here are some common examples:
The solution can save time.
It can help the team avoid mistakes that lead to double work.
It can help the team eliminate (or at least decrease the amount of) boring work, so they can focus more on the interesting parts of their jobs.
It can help the team earn more money (which is caused by increased efficiency).
…and more!
Once you’ve agreed with the decision-maker in your client’s organization on which arguments would work for their team members, prepare a list of habits required to use the solution on a daily basis efficiently (e.g., spend 15 minutes at the end of the date updating the information) and share that list with the decision-maker so they can use it for reference later.
Take baby steps
I’d like to state that this recommendation isn’t applicable to every scenario, but sometimes it’s the only way to get things going. Rolling out the solution to the team or organization often takes a lot of time and effort from the whole team. And sometimes it isn’t possible to get everyone through the onboarding process simultaneously So, in certain situations, it’s good to start small. Brainstorm with the person who made the decision to purchase the solution on what kind of results could be achieved quickly without investing too much of everyone’s time. It could be a small process in which only a few team members are involved or an activity that every employee performs on a daily basis that should’ve been automated a long time ago, no matter how minor it is.
After you achieve results here, you could move to the next area and keep rolling out the solution by building on that success. As you can see, this advice actually resonates a lot with another one provided: plan quick wins. When you have specific and successful cases that worked for the organization, it becomes much easier to get other team members involved.
Do a health check
Improvement starts with measurement. To validate that the onboarding process has gone smoothly, I recommend calling the customer at the end of onboarding. Ask your customer how the solution is helping their company move toward its goals. It’s important to look at the progress from different perspectives — both from the side of specific and measurable metrics that show how the customer’s processes have been improved with your product — and to listen (or read) to the feedback that the decision-maker and team members provide. Sometimes the perceived value is bigger or smaller than the results, so after you gather all the information, make sure that you identify the reason for the misalignment.
Doing a health check soon after the end of the onboarding process also gives you the opportunity to provide additional recommendations to the customer, correct common mistakes, and learn more things you can add to your list of what could potentially go wrong during the onboarding process to avoid those problems in the future.
Share resources
To make the results you’ve worked hard for during the onboarding phase last, the customer needs to have all the necessary resources on your product available. Nowadays companies providing SaaS solutions prepare educational materials in all kinds of formats: articles, tutorial videos, webinars, interactive courses, and more. The availability of a huge number of these resources creates a new problem: How should a customer navigate all these resources to find exactly what they need? To address that problem, you need to choose a list of help resources that are tailored to your customer’s needs and share the list during the onboarding process. It won’t be time-consuming to re-send the links several times so that all team members won’t have trouble finding them. Do that at the beginning of the onboarding process, re-share the links at the end, and do that again during the health check.
I hope that these recommendations will be useful to you. Remember that the effort you invest into the onboarding process will pay off, because it builds a strong base for active usage of your solution and, as a result, contributes to the chance that the subscription will be renewed. | https://medium.com/wriketechclub/8-advice-to-successfully-onboard-new-customer-with-a-saas-solution-9ac9d01d769a | ['Artem Gurnov'] | 2020-06-15 15:11:27.359000+00:00 | ['Customer Onboarding', 'Customer Success', 'Wrike', 'SaaS'] |
Bityard: A Complete Beginner’s Guide To The World’s Leading Cryptocurrency Contracts Exchange | How to sign up for Bityard Cryptocurrency Exchange
To get started on Bityard exchange, you have to visit the platform’s official website at bityard.com. Then click on the “Get Started” icon, where you will be taken to a page with two options to register on the platform. The first one is email registration, and the other is mobile registration.
In our case, we opted for the mobile registration since it’s easier. We advise using the mobile phone to access the website, and once you enter your phone number, a verification code will be sent that you will enter before setting your password and clicking on “Register.” For email registration, enter a valid email address, swipe the verification page, and you will receive a verification code that you should enter and solve a simple puzzle. Enter your password and click on register. Your account will get registered immediately, and you will be taken to the dashboard.
Once signed in, proceed to secure your account by clicking on the icon marked on the image below and selecting account security. You will find the option to set a pin that is required for withdrawal verification. You will see the option to set email verification to on, however, this isn’t necessary if you signed up using your mobile number.
The next step is verifying your account to be allowed to deposit, trade, and withdraw on the platform. You can choose either a passport or an identity card for this process. Whichever you choose, follow the steps listed by providing your real name, ID number, uploading a photo of both sides of the ID, and a picture of you holding the ID next to your face and then click “Confirm.”
The next step is depositing on the platform. On the top bar click on “Assets,” a drop-down menu will appear. Proceed to select “Deposit.” This will take you to a page where you will see the available options for depositing, including USDT, BTC, ETH, TRX, and EOS.
Once done with depositing, you can begin trading.
Bityard Trading Dashboard
Once logged in, proceed to click on “Trade” on the top bar, and you will be taken to a very simple interface that is easy to navigate even for beginners. You will see all the available options that can be traded against the USDT. You will also see the price of the coin, the 24-hour change, percentage change, highest and lowest value achieved in 24H, and the volume within the period. Below you can see the line chart with 1 min, 1 hour, 1 day, 1 week, and 1-month candlesticks. On the bottom left, you will see a yellow icon that allows you to switch between live and demo trading.
As a beginner, it’s advisable, to begin with the demo version to familiarize yourself with the platform. For the demo, you will be awarded 100,000 USDT. On the right side of the dashboard, you will see a box where you can place your trade (buy or sell ) by setting how much leverage you want, increase your initial margin and set stop loss and take profit targets.
On the right top corner, you will see a settings tab that allows you to set take profit and stop ratio and a few other options.
Once you have everything set, a Bitcoin contract will appear below the Buy tab, which you can take a closer look at to see the details of the contract.
Also, on the top bar, there is a “More” tab with a detailed explanation of contracts and FAQs, which you can refer to if anything isn’t clear. With everything set now, it’s time to place the trade by clicking on the “Buy” tab, select confirm, and your order will be placed.
Mobile App
In case you find yourself away from your PC, then there is no need to worry since Bityard has a mobile app that can be accessed from the Google play store for android users or APP Store for iPhone users. On the app, you can pull up charts, place trades, and even monitor positions.
However, we found a few complaints online from users of the app based on functionality issues; therefore we believe the company has some improvements to make on this app if it is to offer convenient services for its users like the web version.
Order Types
There are two order types on Bityard; that is Market order that allows one to place an order at the exact market rate and the limit order where you place an order that will be executed once the price reaches the mark. | https://medium.com/@nhatbigman97/bityard-a-complete-beginners-guide-to-the-world-s-leading-cryptocurrency-contracts-exchange-4391539e44d5 | ['Make Money'] | 2020-12-02 16:04:13.798000+00:00 | ['Ethereum Blockchain', 'Xrp', 'Bityard', 'Ethereum', 'Eth'] |
My Five-Year Writing Challenge | My Five-Year Writing Challenge
Author’s copy over image by fotografierende (Unspalsh).
The promise
Five years ago I made a promise to myself to write five books in five years. I created a habit, put in the time, combed through my work by chapter by chapter, shared my stories with my trusted readers, and edited again and again for each book.
I did it!
I want to share my experience so that you can reflect on your own approach to writing and building a catalogue. And since this has been a year of learning to see with “2020” vision, it’s an appropriate time to stand back and gain perspective.
Many times along my path my foot slipped into a hole called the business of writing. I struggled with ebook formatting, designed covers, self-published, learned about keywords and ad copy and CPC and the rest. I may not always do these things myself in the future, but I needed to understand how they were done.
I’ve always come back to the joy of writing as my primary motivation.
First things first: a Pseudonym
Before I began my challenge, I decided to go incognito. I wanted to invent my name, just as I would invent my stories. And it made me feel a little less on the line. I proceeded as Mariuccia Milla.
How I started my first story
When I was twenty-five, I made a decision to go to Italy so I could learn about design. I used the beginning of my personal story as the germ of the first novel. A young woman splits up with her boyfriend in New York to seek adventure in Milan. And the fictional story developed from there organically.
I was so excited about returning to Italy in my mind that used many Italian expressions in the book. I created a glossary at the end. I wanted to describe the beautiful landscapes: the mountains huddled around Lake Como, the view of Rome over the rooftops, even the smokey chill of Milan’s stone-paved streets. And then there was the food! It kept creeping into the story through trysts with bread and cheese and dinner parties with asparagus risotto.
The principal theme of the book was what you might call social ecology. My characters were diverse in age, nationality, wealth, and desire. And yet, so many tiny threads wove them together into a dynamic community of friends and lovers. A system of relationships.
Maybe I tried to do too much, but I considered it a great accomplishment.
Linking to the next story
I live and work in the Finger Lakes region of New York, so I decided to set my next novel there. It’s a moody, beautiful landscape that I know well. How to begin? I stole a character from my first story, one who’s life was not resolved at the end of it, and sent her to visit her younger friend who was teaching at Cornell University.
Without the backdrop of a big city, I decided to bring in a handful of small communities as supporting actors: Ithaca, Trumansburg, Watkins Glen, and Penn Yan. Characters included a snooty professor, a barista, a couple of Mennonite teenagers in love, an older townie addicted to pain killers, and more. In the center stood our protagonist and her friend, two Italian women upsetting the apple carts and becoming upset themselves.
The diversity of the characters and their interrelationships were again glued together by the reflective, influential character of the landscape and the sharing of food. I’m an Italian mother: I have to feed my characters. Eat before reading.
This second work allowed me to see how I could weave the books together thematically. There was a relationship between my two novels, Meet Me in Milano and Blue Sky with Clouds. They seemed to naturally piggyback one another. I didn’t want to create a series, but I liked the idea of stealing characters from one story and putting them in another. They were becoming part of a larger ecological system in my writing life.
What next?
Since I couldn’t quell my obsession with food, I decided to write a book of short stories dedicated to the ritual of Italian food preparation. I came up with a dish for each chapter–not a gourmet dish, but something pure based on fresh ingredients and simple technique. Around each dish I wove a story based on memories of my life in Italy, love stories of family and friends. I decided to call it Stories of Food and Life.
Disappointment
I was finally beginning to feel like a writer. This was good, but some negative stressors were entering my life as well. You know, marketing, advertising and all the stuff for which creative writers are not necessary suited. I read about it, watched videos, arm wrestled with different platforms. I was worried about competing with all those marketing-first authors.
Some of you may not remember this, but when self-publishing started, Amazon’s KDP was a gold mine for indie writers. It was an alternative to traditional publishing: there was a space where authors could be seen and heard. We had our own piazza!
Sadly, that was before I jumped on the bandwagon. By then, publishing houses had come to the table with Bezos and signed the Agency Agreement. Now it was a horse race to publish, as Mick Rooney of The Independent Publishing Magazine puts it, “competent and prescribed book products to fit existing trends and markets.”
Traditional publishing had abandoned its elitist stewardship of content. The system was broken but thought itself saved, and eBook prices soared to the price of a paperback. Indie authors had broken ground like artists moving into a low income neighborhood, opening the way to gentrification. Now we were getting pushed out just as our numbers increased.
Much chagrined by the whole “write to market” trend, I decided to base my next novel, Bestseller, on the world of independent publishing. The anti-hero, Felix, decides a bestseller will save his career and his marriage. Incapable of writing, he learns all the marketing hacks and like so many of those people we despise, those who manage to come out on top while relying on the efforts of others, he…well, I can’t tell you what happens.
Bestseller again featured a motley, improvised community. To experiment further, I threw in some fantasy elements that seemed to reflect the gap between the characters’ desires and reality and instead of landscape, I used weather as a background character. Felix’s novel is of the “cli-fi,” or climate fiction, genre. This book was my commentary on the inadequacy of genre categories and the whole concept of “writing to genre.”
There is a whole industry built on self-publishing. Once your book is completed, there are editors, formatting services, graphic designers, publicists, marketers, and ad managers, many of which may have themselves fallen out of the system and who see independent authors as their market. You buy your own books to gift to your reviewers and friends, hoping to create a buzz. The money seems to be going in the wrong direction.
Then you ask yourself, why am I doing this?
And it all gets back to the writing. So, I went back to my studio to craft book number five. Armed with characters from my first novel, who by now were seasoned with experience, The Garden Underground was set in one of my favorite places in Italy, over the mountain from Portofino, facing the sunset on the Italian riviera. The landscape is more restricted, though rich. It is also in danger and the protagonist tries to save one small piece of it. She herself doesn’t come to the conclusion she expected. And neither have I.
Happy Endings
The is a certain skill to writing a happy ending: everything has to come to gether. I started out with that goal, but as I wrote one story after the next, the endings became more ambiguous, and the threads came loose. I am incapable of living without hope and of writing a story without it, but my idea of a HEA may not be the same as the next person’s, and it’s evolving.
Where to go from here
What better time than a pandemic to envelope yourself in storytelling. The more I write, the more I want to read. Reading is to learning how to write as listening to native speakers is to learning a language. It is absorbed without the middleman. You have to keep writing as you read.
I have learned more about marketing along the way, but I no longer cower when someone who is trying to make money from me tells me what’s wrong with my work. I can proudly stand on the strength of knowing why I write and draw confidence from that. And with every book I write, I sell a few more. The drops have turned into a trickle, and that is progress.
Mariuccia Milla is the author of four novels, one collection of short stories and one nonfiction book. You can learn more about her books here. | https://medium.com/@maryscipioni/my-five-year-writing-challenge-e99d19ed351e | ['Mary Adelaide Scipioni'] | 2020-12-20 13:19:43.514000+00:00 | ['Writing Life', 'Confidence', 'Storytelling', 'Authors', 'Writing'] |
The Importance of Rhythms in Dance/Movement Therapy | Rhythm has been regarded as the “most primitive, yet complex structure of the human mind” (Shallow, 2002, p. 43). It is present in an individual’s life even before birth, in the womb, and is present throughout a life cycle in the heartbeat, the breath, and in the way we walk, eat and communicate. Rhythms could be described as repeated patterns of sounds or beats used in music, poetry, or dance; or even as regular movements or patterns of change. Dance/movement therapy (DMT) uses improvised, synchronised, or structured rhythmic movements, sounds, music, or gestures, to integrate internal and external rhythms. Thus, rhythms are one of the most fundamental elements of DMT.
This article highlights the importance of rhythms — rhythmicity in therapist-client relationships, internal and external rhythms, and their benefits in DMT. It will also present the author’s personal and relational clinical vignettes in Italics to enhance the understanding of this topic.
Rhythmicity in therapist-client relationship
A therapist-client relationship is where “both the client and therapist are simply being aware of personal and psychological contact with the other” (Young, 2017, p. 95). However, this explanation of a therapist-client relationship could be limited, and an importance on movement in a therapist-client relationship would be beneficial. One of the pioneers of DMT, Marian Chace, emphasized on the “development of the interpersonal role of the therapist on a movement level” (Young, 2017, p. 95).
Internal and external rhythms in DMT give rise to rhythmic interactions or engagement between a therapist and their clients, i.e.Therapeutic Movement Relationship (TMR). TMR is established through attunement, observing and mirroring client’s rhythmic movements, and then offering a rhythmic movement response. Thus, the rhythmic experience of the therapist-client relationship is not only “emotional and based in behaviour, but is also a physical experience” (Young, 2017, p. 96). TMR helps the client and therapist engage in a non-verbal rhythmic movement relationship that works towards acceptance, compassion, and communication.
Marian Chace vouched for movement rhythms in the process of organizing and sharing with oneself and others. She believed that “people lived their lives in rhythm and movement” ( Chace et al., 1961, p. 56). Within the therapist-client interactions, movement rhythms could be expressed symbolically, metaphorically, or synchronously. Thus, integration of these forms of rhythms within the TMR acts as a bridge between inner experiences and outer world (Chaiklin, 2017).
Internal and external rhythms in DMT
DMT invites individuals to explore their own internal rhythms in relation to external rhythms, through a series of movement experientials. Here, internal rhythms could mean the breath, sensations, thoughts, and feelings. External rhythms could mean repeated patterns induced by the outside environment, and body percussion like stomping, clapping, clicking, sliding, etc. For example, the capitalistic world that we live in, has forced us to move only with the external rhythms, i.e. fast paced life, no stopping/pausing, etc., and does not encourage listening to our own internal rhythms of voices, needs, and wishes. With the use of rhythmic gestures or movements in DMT sessions, we bring awareness to both internal and external rhythms, and how they exist in relation to each other. An awareness of one’s own internal rhythm is important for understanding and connecting personally and relationally. It influences the way we speak, walk, react, feel, express, and move.
“I was just tapping my feet against the floor and then exaggerated the movement and began stomping. Quickly, my whole body was moving to the stomping. My movement became bigger, stronger, and direct. My breath felt heavy. My heart was beating faster. I realised that there was a feeling of frustration or anger I wanted to let go off.”
In the above vignette, we can reflect on external and internal rhythms. The external rhythm of the tapping and stomping encouraged attunement with the internal rhythm of emotion — anger, an emotion which may have been pushed deep down or not realised. Here, creating external rhythms through movement, voice, or body percussion supported release and emotional expression. This could also be enhanced by DMT interventions like, adding external music of the drums or if done in a group, by mirroring and reflecting with group members. Thus, being aware of external and internal rhythms helps in inculcating an embodied emotional experience.
Benefits of rhythm in DMT
“The group stood in a circle. Everyone was encouraged to tune in and observe how they were feeling at that moment. They were then invited to share it with the group but only through rhythmic gestures. They could create body percussion — creating sounds by using different body parts, and making verbal sounds to support it. The group mirrored and reflected an individual’s movement back to them. There was a theme of confidence that emerged from the group, at the end.”
The above clinical vignette gives a sneak-peek into how rhythm might be incorporated in a group setting. Here, the individuals honoured and expressed their own internal and external rhythms, reflected on others’ rhythms, and interacted with the group’s emotional experiences. Witnessing others’ rhythms and even resonating with them (Schott-Billmann, 2015, p. 35), adds strength and value to their own experience. This creates an embodied space that enhances communication, connection, and emotional expression. Thus, understanding of rhythms facilitates awareness of personal and relational feelings, and thoughts and sensations in the present moment.
With regards to emotional expression, rhythms, and DMT, most of the time, our bodies first express feelings even without conscious awareness. Through rhythmic work in DMT, we create a non-judgemental therapeutic space for the clients to accept their symbolic rhythms, and together create new symbolic interactions with the client. In DMT sessions, the therapist may even try to encourage exaggeration of rhythms to fully feel, communicate, and convey feelings that may not be verbalised.
It can be inferred that rhythmic work in DMT encourages an individual to feel seen and heard, develop self and body awareness, emotional expression, and allows social connection, verbal and non-verbal interactions, and embodied empathy, which could further promote individuality. Thus, individual-collective and internal-external rhythms play a prominent role in a DMT session.
Rhythms are a powerful element of DMT. As dance/movement therapists we are constantly engaging in learning how to use rhythm to activate and engage individual and group clients (Cruz, 2018). They can be fun, playful, structured, improvised, and can elicit emotional expression and connection. They support the therapist to tune in with the client and provide the client a sense of safety by helping them feel understood.
References:
Chaiklin, S. (2017). Connecting the practice of Dance/movement therapy: What differentiates us? American Journal of Dance Therapy, 39(1), 142–147. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10465-017-9253-5C
Chace, M., Johnson, W. R., & Wooten, B. J. (1961). “Our real lives are lived in rhythm and movement.”. Journal of Health, Physical Education, Recreation, 32(8), 30–56. https://doi.org/10.1080/00221473.1961.10621445
Cruz, R. F. (2018). Marian Chace Foundation Lecture: Rhythms of Research and Dance/Movement Therapy. Am J Dance Ther, 40, 142 — 154. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10465-018-9267-7
Michael, S. (2002). Neurology: The brain — its music and its emotion: The neurology of trauma. Sutton, J. P. In Sutton, J.P. (Ed.), Music, music therapy and trauma: International perspectives (pp. 41–54). J. Kingsley.
Schott-Billmann, F. (2015). Primitive expression and dance therapy: When dancing heals. Routledge. https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/roehampton-ebooks/detail.action?docID=1883842
Young, J. (2017). The therapeutic movement relationship in dance/Movement therapy: A phenomenological study. American Journal of Dance Therapy, 39(1), 93–112. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10465-017-9241-9 | https://medium.com/@dmh_68898/the-importance-of-rhythms-in-dance-movement-therapy-437d0f67cfc4 | ['Dance For Mental Health', 'Dmh'] | 2021-09-03 11:34:07.233000+00:00 | ['Rhythm', 'Dance', 'Mental Health', 'Therapy', 'Dance Therapy'] |
Why Behavior Design Should Be In Your Product Team Toolbox | Image Source: Eddi Aguirre on Unsplash
If you’ve spent any time in the design world lately, you’ve likely heard some buzz around behavior design. But what is it? And how can utilize behavior design to create experiences for people that are in line with their real needs and motivations?
Behavior Design: Where we are today
The business world has changed dramatically over the last 10–15 years and digital is involved with almost every aspect of it. It continues to impact the way we work, interact with our customers, live our lives, and communicate with our fellow human beings.
15 years ago, digital product development didn’t even exist as a discipline. We’ve come a long way in a short period. The role of design has changed, moving from something that was purely aesthetic to a discipline that now solves complex business problems. And while it has evolved, it might be a stretch to say that the discipline has matured.
Digital product design evolved through methodologies like Human-Centered Design (HCD) and accompanying frameworks, like design thinking and service design.
These methods do some things really well, and other things not so well. They are great at identifying unmet needs, and the people with those unmet needs. In fact, one could argue that most businesses have never been closer to, or understood more about their customers than they do today.
But there are major gaps in the methodology:
Do we understand why people are doing the things that they do?
How are they interacting with our products and services?
What is driving their behavior?
What do we know about those drivers and behaviors?
Why understanding human behavior is important to your product
Real-life is complex. So are the humans that lead those lives. Oftentimes, what people do seems entirely irrational. We can never really know what an individual is going to do with a product or how they are going to behave when we put it in front of them. But, we can get much closer to understanding them if we use the right approach.
Often product teams are stuck in the zone of designing for what we would like people to do, versus designing for what they will do. While we do this with the best intentions it often falls flat. We not only need to be designing for the unmet needs we’ve discovered but also for human behavior. What are they actually going to do?
Let’s go back to most HCD methodologies for a moment. Remember, they’re great at identifying unmet needs and gaining empathy for the people with those needs. But that empathy only goes so far in understanding people and how they might behave. So once they’ve done the work to begin understanding the people using their products and services, most teams jump to intuition when they start to solve for unmet needs.
Think about the following questions:
What do we think people will really do with the product?
What behaviors need to happen for the product to be successful?
What form should the design take in order to achieve the desired behaviors or outcomes?
What will the brain do?
All important questions when you stop and think about your product or service.
When pressed, most product teams are unable to answer these questions.
How do we get there?
So how do you start to bring behavior science into your product design?
Here at MentorMate, we use a very evidence-based design approach steeped in user research that is both qualitative and quantitative in nature. But when it comes to adding the behavior layer to our work, we do something really different than most design teams.
We turn to science.
We go to the primary neuroscience and behavioral science literature to understand what people might do and what biases they might have. We do this with every behavior design project and, while we maintain a library of behavior science findings, we still conduct research for every project.
The reason: science changes rapidly. The brain is one of the areas of the human body that we know the least about and we continue to unlock its secrets bit by bit.
There are a lot of things that come into play as you look at science in relation to the product you’re designing. Some things to think about are the brain heuristics and biases, emotional drivers, unconscious behaviors, self-image and salience, and familiarity. These are just a few of the things that we look at when bringing a behavior lens to a project.
Doing this work allows us to stay up on the current behavior science and broaden our view of what’s possible when we start to think about solutions. The combination of behavioral science and design becomes a speculative (as well as evidence-based) tool in this work.
We can envision the new and test for the knowns with this method.
How behavior design impacts your product
So, how does this help you in your product development cycle?
You can use behavioral science to develop ideas that are much more likely to work than those relying on intuition. This leads to higher impact with new features or ideas and better engagement because you’re designing for what your end users are actually likely to do. | https://medium.com/@mentormate/why-behavior-design-should-be-in-your-product-team-toolbox-10ee6abb9dc0 | [] | 2020-12-18 14:30:12.705000+00:00 | ['Design Thinking', 'Design Process', 'Behavior Design', 'Human Centered Design', 'Experience Design'] |
Tube Mastery & Monetization Review 🥇 2021 by Matt Par — Is it Worth the Hype? | Are you Looking for Matt Par Tube Mastery and Monetization Review 2021? Great! You have landed at the Right Post…
YouTube is making people rich… Trust me. if you are one of those who always wanted to make money using YouTube but never felt like coming on camera… this course is for sure your cup of tea…
There are many you tuber you see on youtube claiming to train you on how to make using the platform without showing face but the knowledge they provide is limited and largely focus on on-camera knowledge, but this course is for you in case you want to learn in & out about becoming a professional YouTuber…
Did you ever think of making money on youtube by just uploading Videos and with each & every view on your videos you are getting money… it sounds so exciting… isn’t it?
My only intent is to tell you my real thoughts about Matt's course and not to boost you up, Hope you get the right knowledge after reading the review and make your decision wisely whether to take the course or not…
Matt Youtube Channel
Matt Par has 9 different Youtube channels and which he bank on to make money, Matt loves you tube apart from this there is not much information about Matt even if you visit his website also there is not much information about him neither he talks much about his journey.
Hence, it is today up to you to decide what to believe as doesn’t talk much about his Your tube channels, it could be because he wants to remain understated, or might be a possibility his channels doesn't exit… who knows??
Matt's only Youtube channel available is his promotional channel Tube Mastery and Monetization & mostly the content on the channel is the same content which is tinkered about targeting as many people as possible…
Tube Mastery and Monetization: Overview
Tube Mastery and Monetization a course by Matt Par created with lots of experience, this course will teach everything about building a successful youtube channel, with a step-by-step Guide This course will create a niche youtube channel where you can apply your expertise and interest.
This course will offer you great learning on how to make Videos for Youtube without showing up your face or using your voice during the making of any video for channel.. the course is divided into seven different modules with offer significant support through Facebook Group.
How Matt runs 9 different youtube channel & make Good profit — CLICK TO KNOW
Pricing Details
The course has 7 different modules and will cost $997 but using Code 500off you can avail 50% discount.
What will you learn from Tube Mastery and Monetization?
This course will teach how to create your youtube channel without even showing your face in the videos.. you will learn to create a youtube channel using existing content or content that doesn’t much effort and you can create easily or get it created for your channel.
It doesn’t require any specialized training to make videos for Youtube without showing your face, for the ones who cringe about the idea of coming up in front of the camera and show their face to the world, this course is for you…
What a great idea no one will ever come to know a video they are seeing belongs to you unless you want them to know
Here’s is the course Module for you, with a mix of longer and shorter videos, the course is divided into around 35 videos.
Module 1: Course Introduction
The 3 Different Stages
Beta Stage : Choosing a Great Niche
: Choosing a Great Niche Intermediate Stage : Uploading 30+ Videos
: Uploading 30+ Videos Scaling Stage: Outsourcing your work
Module 2: Choosing a Niche
The Top Niches with High CPM
Different Ways of Approaching Youtube as a medium
Substantial Market Research
Addition: Bonus of More than 100 Profitable niches list
Module 3: Setting Up Your Channel for Success
33 Rule by Matt& the way to use it
Exclusive youtube tool
Content Strategy Planning
SEO Keyword, Matt Secret Process
Module 4: Uploading Videos
Viral Video Anatomy
Hierarchy to systemize videos
Finding Free Content for Videos
Video Editing for Free
Making Thumbnail with high CTR(Click through Rate)
Module 5: The Growth Module
Overview of Growing Your YouTube Channel
Understanding the YouTube Algorithm
How to Truly go Viral on YouTube
Best Time of Day to Upload
Module 6: The Monetization Module
Ways of Making Money on YouTube
Making Money With YouTube Ads
Affiliate Marketing on YouTube
Selling Digital Products
Selling Merch
Managing Company YouTube Channels
Module 7: Scaling Your Channel
Overview of Outsourcing
Hiring One Person to Do All The Content Creation
Making a Video Assembly Line
Pros & Cons
Pros
It is not fair to the audience to only show the bright side of the courses and attract them to go for the course, so, therefore with many pros Tube mastery also come with some of the cons and after going through the entire myself I am sharing with you the Pros & cons to help you make your decision.
Matt teaching skill, easy to understand & full of knowledge
Matt course also offers bonuses to learners to help them upgrade further
Exclusive access to a Facebook group, where you clear your doubts any time
Detailing of every module help you learn better
Course completion will give you the confidence to earn money online
All the knowledge you will get in the course is practical knowledge
One of the best advantages of the course is that you once enroll yourself for Tube Mastery and Monetization course you will become Matt Associate and with every referral, you get for the course, you will start making money online with a 50% commission.
Cons
Course pricing is a bit higher who are just starting or looking for a career
The entire method might be detailed but lack in Uniqueness
No Proof available yet that Matt has run a successful youtube channel in the past and earned profit
In a few parts of the course, you will realize that this knowledge is available for free.
According to Matt Par, It is not mandatory to have knowledge about Digital business or World. Tube Mastery and Monetization course teach to start a Youtube channel and to make a profit out of it. The learner will get the knowledge from Starting to end divided into step by step Modules.
The Best part about the course is that every part of the course is properly organized and let you learn at your pace step by step, all the module of the course as so self-explanatory and hence there no point in elaborating the course module as such.
Trust me, I have seen many youtube course online and they lack a proper pattern and tend to cover the entire course in one go which means you need to go through the entire course in order to start executing your learning but Matt Tube Mastery and Monetization with every module you will start feeling confident and start making online right at the point.
Thes Golden learning I can assure is you will love the part where he teaches to choose you a niche that is pure learning but some of the knowledge like uploading video etc is something everyone is familiar with and is not worth spending time on.
I can just go for the course because of the niches, there are some niches that you haven’t even heard of in the past. The list of these probably profitable niches is massive and it shows that a lot of thought and brainstorming has gone into the course and the bonuses they are offering.
Another addition to the bonuses offered in the course is a small handy script module available where you are can fill in the blanks and this is how you can easily learn to write profitable Youtube video scripts.
The course is designed for those who are just getting started with their youtube channel or also for those who want to scale up their business and usually reach to others to write a script for them.
The course is packed with all the required information needed, divided into different Informative video modules, if this is not enough you have exclusive Facebook Group access, the group all the knowledge members who are willing to help you out, A win-win situation All in All.
Matt Student Reviews | https://medium.com/@apooshankulsh/tube-mastery-monetization-review-by-matt-pat-is-it-worth-the-hype-efbd6afa0a4d | ['Apoorv Shanker'] | 2021-02-17 20:53:33.881000+00:00 | ['Discount', 'YouTube', 'Review', 'Matt', 'Make Money Online'] |
Tax on Real Estate Sales in Canada | Do you know what the tax on real sales is in Canada? And do you know how you can avoid the estate tax capital?
Do you know how much cash you can give without taxes? Do you know that you can avoid giving taxes while selling your house, but how? Do you know we can sell our Canada house for only $1? Do you know how you can avoid estate tax in Canada?
If you don’t know about these things then don’t worry we are here to help you as with the help of this article we will definitely let you know about everything related to estate taxes in Canada. Also you can online calculate Canadian tax.
In this article, we are going to inform you about what is the tax on real sales in Canada, how you can avoid the capital, how much cash you can gift without taxes, how you can avoid giving taxes while selling your house, can we can sell our Canada house for only on $1 and more thins we are going to discover. So let us start with what is real estate sales in Canada.
What is the tax on real sales in Canada?
Let us inform you that the capital gain inclusion rate is almost 50% and remind the capital gain rate is in Canada. And means that you almost have included 50%.
How can you avoid estate tax capital?
You may follow instancy rules.
Instancy rules specify a rigid order of who should benefit from the estate from an intestate person.
How much cash can you give without taxes?
There is a good update that you can give how much money you want to give. It’s on you how much money you want to give, and the best thing is that you can give without taxes and you can give a gift not only to your relatives you also can give to an unrelated person.
Can avoid giving taxes while selling your house in Canada?
If you don’t know how you can avoid giving taxes while selling your house then don’t worry let us inform you that in Canada we may suggest you pay only 50% of any capital you realize.
We can sell your Canada house for only $1?
This is a good question: can we sell a Canada house for only $1? Then let you know that yes you can sell a Canada house for $1 only.
Avoid estate tax in Canada?
Here are some tips to avoid estate tax in Canada.
● You may have to choose the right time to sell an investment.
● You can defer the capital gain but remember if you don’t think to receive the money from the sale right away.
Hopefully, this article would definitely help you to know about tax on real estate sales in Canada. Is this concept clear to you?
Great, this is exactly what we want. Thank you for giving your time to us, it really means a lot to us. | https://medium.com/@calcultaxes/tax-on-real-estate-sales-in-canada-9d6385d87d6a | ['Calcul Taxes'] | 2020-12-25 11:56:13.690000+00:00 | ['Real Estate', 'Tax', 'Real Estate Tax'] |
Essential Skills For Programming | Posted by Kizito Njoku on March 1, 2020
Through Flatiron School, I have achieved a few major skills I believe are essential for success in the programming world. The First major skill I pickup was how to debug your code. Second, was iterating and improving on it. And third, was how to find the resources you need to get past the wall. These are all the skills I believe are essential in breaking through any obstacle in the programming field.
Debug Your Code
Whenever I’d get stuck in code or wondering if my program is receiving the data, I always wonder if there was a way to check your data. Well, fortunately, there is for every programming language out there. In ruby , there’s debugger gem called pry . With this, you can check your data where ever you put binding.pry . What this simple code does is pause the application at the line of code you have binding.pry in. From there you can look at your terminal and type in the code or variable to see if they have any values. There, you will be able to decide what to do next.
DONT BE ASHAMED TO USE A DEBUGGER “REAL PROGRAMMERS USE DEBUGGERS”!!!
Iterating
Iterating is one major factor in programming. When you what certain acts to take place because a different value was given that’s when iterating is essential. Here is a simple real-life situation of iteration , the vehicle’s default value is set to drive straight, now if the driver turns the steering wheel counterclockwise condition , the vehicle will turn left result . The value for the vehicle is set to turn left, because of the condition it meets. If it wasn’t for the condition the vehicle would have continued to drive straight this is why iteration is a very important skill to have.
Resources
Finding resources is essential in the programming field. You may be in the process of developing an application, but there are just two or more things that aren’t working in your favor. This is where do your research comes in to play. Depending on what resource you are looking for you must know the right terms and place to find what you are looking for. For example, you want to specifically find a breed of dogs when you use the search engine in Google, instead of searching the breed “Jack Russell” you search “dog” or even “jack”. Searching “dog” is a little better, because you may find the breed you are looking for down the line, but it may take a while, searching “jack”, on the other hand, you may never find what you are looking for. Hmmm, maybe if you include “dog” when looking up “jack” you may find what you’ve been searching for all this time.
When it comes to programming or maybe anything in life, the skills you must use to be successful are one, having the ability to debug your code. Two, iterating through a task to get the result you want to be based on the conditions. And three, using the appropriate terms to find the resources you are searching for. | https://medium.com/@nkizito57/essential-skills-for-programming-7131d5cb590e | ['Kizito Njoku'] | 2020-05-21 19:59:18.739000+00:00 | ['Essentials', 'Skills', 'Debugging', 'Programming', 'Resources'] |
Pharma Logistics: Common Challenges and How Custom Solutions Can Solve Them | Logistics in the pharmaceutical industry involves many people, facilities, and suppliers, which leads to the need for detailed coordination and scrupulous control. Pharma companies often deal with expensive and life-saving products, which increases the risks and the level of required responsibility. Medical supplies should be delivered to their destination quickly, safely, and under certain conditions such as a specific temperature range. Additionally, there may be an increased demand for certain medicines during periods of seasonal diseases. All these aspects lead to multiple challenges that a pharmaceutical company might face.
To avoid losing partners and increase their competitive advantage in the market, pharma companies need to work on improving the effectiveness of operations and revise outdated solutions. In this article, we’ll consider some of the main challenges of pharma logistics and look at software solutions that help to overcome them.
Human Resource Dependency
Despite significant progress in robotization in many industries, most logistics systems are still highly dependent on human oversight. Medications should be moved smoothly through the supply chain to ensure the safety of the product. All product movements should be documented. Packages barcodes should be scanned and saved into the database. Expiration dates should be checked before sending. All these tasks must be performed by well-trained personnel that treats the work with due responsibility. Another critical issue to keep in mind is the probability of theft. Many pharmaceuticals are valuable and have a high profit for relatively low volumes. Theft can lead to potentially dangerous drugs, such as radiopharmaceuticals, ending up in the wrong hands.
A custom ERP software solution with built-in Human Resources Management features can increase the control over the staff of a pharmaceutical company and automate dozens of tasks, starting with the applicant tracking and ending with employee offboarding. With such a system in your possession, you can efficiently find and target a specialist with the required set of skills. An HR system with the background check functionality can generate a pre-employment screening report that will contain such info as employment history, education, credit history, criminal background, and even drug screens. Additionally, you can quickly assess employees’ performance and track time spent on performing particular tasks.
Warehouse Management
In 2019, the global pharmaceutical market reached $1,232 bn, and it is forecast to post a 5.4% compound annual growth rate at constant exchange rates through to 2023:
Such an intensive growing market leads to an increase in sales volume, which means that every aspect of a pharmaceutical company that can guarantee an interrupted shipment of products can’t be underestimated. Warehouse management is one of the crucial factors that affect the overall productivity of a pharmaceutical company. The reason is that when working with medicines, you have to follow many rules and regulations. For example, the Current Good Manufacturing Practices (CGMPs) that refers to the regulations provided by the US Food and Drug Administration includes the following rules…(Read more) | https://medium.com/@xbsoftware/pharma-logistics-common-challenges-and-how-custom-solutions-can-solve-them-d1c454ddbe21 | ['Xb Software'] | 2020-12-22 12:15:15.969000+00:00 | ['Pharma', 'Pharmaceuticals Industry', 'Pharmaceutical', 'Pharmacy', 'Logistics'] |
My Family and I Tested Positive for Covid-19. Here’s our Survival Guide. | My Family and I Tested Positive for Covid-19. Here’s our Survival Guide.
For the sake of organisation I have divided this article into 3 parts-
(I) Pre-Covid Stage
(II) Covid Stage
(III) Post Covid- Stage
(I) Pre Covid Stage
How and when did you all contract Covid-19?
My mother was the first one to contract the virus. This happened in the first week of June. She used to keep stepping out for groceries and so it is hard to tell how she contracted the virus. She had fever for about 5 days when in the process I, my brother and my father got infected one after the other.
What were the Covid-19 symptoms that you experienced?
All of us had fever of varying intensities as a common symptom. Some of us also experienced weakness, chills at night, loss of smell and taste and a slight congestion in the chest. Given below is a daily diary of symptoms on a case-by-case basis-
My case:
Fever only for the first 2 days, weakness, Loss of sense of taste, smell and appetite.
My brother’s case:
Fever for initial 2–3 days (99–100.4 degrees), followed by a mild temperature (99–99.5 degrees) for the next 4–5 days . The fever would subside during the day and rise at night. Loss of sense of taste and smell, no weakness.
My father’s case:
Fever for 5–6 days followed by slight weakness.
Your mother had to be hospitalized because of Covid Pneumonia. What were her symptoms?
She had only fever for 6–7 days (ranging from 99–101 degrees) and absolutely no other symptoms. No breathlessness, no congestion in the chest. On the 8th and 9th day her fever spiked to 102.5 degrees at night which is when we took her to the hospital. Her oximeter readings were normal and she had no other complaints. It is only because of the Chest X-Ray and CRP test results that we came to know that she had Covid Pneumonia.
Where did you get tested?- Diagnostic Centre or Hospital? Why?
I took a Covid-19 Test at a Suburban Diagnostics centre at Mumbai. The test costed Rs. 4500/- when I took it. I booked the test online from their website — Link here
I, along with my mother got tested at a diagnostic centre instead of a hospital for the following reasons-
1. Online slot booking is possible
2. Limited slots per hour: Only 5–6 people are tested in 1 hour thereby enabling social distancing and hence reducing chances of getting infected if you are covid negative
3. One only needed an MBBS doctor’s prescription to get tested. (Update: No prescription required at 17 private labs in Mumbai W.e.f 8th July, 2020 — Link)
4. ‘Drive Thru’ testing in your own car is possible at select locations e.g. Suburban Diagnostics Mumbai (Bandra W). This enables social distancing as one is sitting in the relatively safe environment of his own car while getting tested. However since slots for these drive thru tests were full, we had to go to a normal centre.
Side Note: My brother and father got tested at a private hospital, where they were unnecessarily charged an extra amount of Rs.1000/- as consultation charge and Rs.700/- as ‘Handling of speciality samples’ . This amount could have been saved had we not been in an emergency situation and had tested at a diagnostic centre.
How exactly is a sample for covid test collected? Does it hurt?
A lab personnel wearing PPE would insert one side of the swab (imagine a really really long earbud) first in your nose. The other side of the swab would be put in your throat.
Honestly, whether it would hurt or not would depend on your luck. I almost started crying when the lab technician suddenly put the swab deep inside my nose. However my brother didn’t feel a thing because the technician who collected his sample was calmly swirling the swab in his nose.
Also, don’t worry if they don’t collect both your nose and throat swab. In my case both the nose and throat swab were collected. However in my brother’s case only a nasal swab was collected. Yet the results were accurate, we both were covid positive.
What exactly is written on the Covid Test result?
‘SARS-CoV-2 — Detected’ is written on the result if you are coronavirus positive.
Snapshot of Covid-19 Report
What’s the ‘first’ thing to do when one has a Fever? Should one isolate even if it seems to be a normal viral fever?
The first thing that one should do immediately and I can’t stress this enough is ISOLATE! And yes, one should isolate even if it seems to be a regular viral fever. It could simply be a viral fever but in case it is Covid-19, then just the initial 1–2 days are enough to spread the virus to your family members.
While isolating the suspected patient I would suggest allotting a separate room and bathroom, if possible. Give separate utensils and ask the patient to wash them first before handing them over to you. Do not go near the person without a mask. At this stage I would recommend an N-95 mask but even a 3-ply mask would do. Keep sanitising your hands regularly.
How to know whether the fever is due to Covid-19 or the weather change?
It is very, very, very difficult to know whether you have Covid-19 or just a normal Viral fever. I would go as far as to say that it is impossible to know whether you had Covid-19 or not without a RT-PCR (Covid-19) test. That’s one reason I would suggest anyone who has fever for more than 3 days to get a Covid test done.
When should one take a Covid-19 test?
In my opinion, a Covid-19 test should be taken if-
1. Fever persists for more than 3 days: The person should get tested on the 4th day so that the results come by the 6th day of onset of symptoms. If you turn out to be positive you would be able to start your course of HCQ or any other medicine early on and prevent damage to your internal organs.
2. More than one person in the household has fever or other Covid-19 symptoms | https://medium.com/@tripathirituja/my-family-and-i-tested-positive-for-covid-19-heres-our-survival-guide-4d4eb9789ea4 | ['Rituja T.'] | 2020-07-20 05:48:59.964000+00:00 | ['Covid 19', 'Informative Content', 'Covid 19 Treatment', 'Covid Diaries', 'Covid19 Survival'] |
3 important questions to ask before appointing a wedding DJ | When you have a special occasion like a wedding coming up, you should do something for making the day memorable. Well, there are different options such as arranging great menus, enjoying photo sessions that can make it possible Well, besides them if you are interested in some musical entertainment on that big day you should hire a wedding DJ. Yes, a reputed DJ can really add some specialty Wedding on Rugen a.k.a Hochzeit auf Rügen.
However, for choosing an eminent DJ it is important to ask some relevant questions. Check out these questions in the following part.
Questions you should ask before booking your wedding DJ
Here are some significant questions you should raise before any wedding DJ.
Are weddings your main focus?
Check whether he is a successful entertainer who can bring great enjoyment to your wedding. Besides, also make assure he is not a part-timer who takes this service casually. He should come with years of experience and expertise in this field. If you find he does not sound confident in providing a full time and efficient service, it is better to move on to another DJ.
Will you come with a customized playlist?
Choose a DJ who will play perfect tracks on your wedding day considering the style, vision, and taste. An eminent DJ should come with a wonderful playlist that will complement each happenings of that big day. For instance- he should play different tracks on bouquet toss or the cake cutting.
What is your service charge?
Well, like other instances when it is about hiring a DJ, service charge matters. You should choose a DJ who offers great services within your budget. In Rugen, different DJs who offer different service charges for their services. This service charge depends on the quality of equipment, experience and so on. Before finalizing anyone amidst them consider your budget.
Hope, asking these important questions will help you in finding a trustworthy DJ. Hence dont forget to ask them. Check the next part to contact a reputed DJ.
An eminent DJ company to contact
Contact DJ Rugen for availing the best quality service from a reputed DJ. If your wedding on Rugen a.k.a Hochzeit auf Rügen is approaching, you can hire a DJ from this reputed company with no more delay. Besides DJ service you can avail other services such as wedding photography, videography, from this reputed service provider. You can click on the link dj-ruegen.de to gather more information about this reputed company. | https://medium.com/@djrugen/3-important-questions-to-ask-before-appointing-a-wedding-dj-6fc41d89996 | ['Dj Rügen'] | 2019-11-14 10:41:43.912000+00:00 | ['Hochzeit', 'Weddings', 'Hochzeit Auf Rügen', 'Rügen', 'Dj'] |
Find your Niche | Nobody is the most popular person, no one is the best person. There are people who still don’t know Beyoncé, not because she is not good but because they don’t care. Brutal truth. You may want to become the greatest this or that but there would always be people who wouldn’t acknowledge you because what you do doesn’t concern them. this is where sticking to your niche comes in.
Fishes can’t walk. But they are terrific swimmers. That doesn’t make them the greatest animals in the world. They are sticking to what they know and do best because walking on land is going to get them killed regardless of their swimming skills.
Moving to individuals, just because someone excels in one thing and you don’t, doesn’t make you terrible. It just means that you need to work harder or that it’s not your niche and you are better off at something else. If you love art, any form at all, and you are hung up on trying to look like that Instagram personality who is nothing like you, there needs to be a change in focus. You would gradually lose yourself trying to chase who you are not and regardless of how good you might get, you would never be truly happy within because it’s not a hundred percent, the authentic you. | https://medium.com/@ezinneclare/find-your-niche-a9a017a5d588 | ['Ezinne Clare'] | 2020-07-01 19:30:05.131000+00:00 | ['Stick To Your Guns', 'Love Yourself', 'Finding Yourself', 'Finding Happiness', 'Niche'] |
Install the latest Quicken 2014 R10 update | Error during Quicken 2014 update
Quicken 2014 for PC may give an error during the update:
C:\ProgramData\Intuit\Quicken\INET\COMMON\Patch\Update\patchw32.dll is either not designed to run on Windows or it contains an error. Try installing the program again using the original installation media or contact your system administrator or the software vendor for support.
if this happens, download the manual update and install it over the existing version (sorry, you have to google for “manual quicken update”).
Options to import into Quicken 2014 after the update
Once you have Quicken 2014 for PC updated, use one of the listed converters to convert to QIF or QFX (Web Connect) format and import your transactions:
CSV2QIF to convert CSV or Excel or TXT files to QIF format. Quicken 2014 imports correct QIF files for bank (checking, savings) or credit card or investment accounts (or cash accounts)
CSV2QFX to convert CSV/Excel/TXT files to QFX (Web Connect) format. Quicken 2014 will stop importing QFX files on April 30, 2017 (see Quicken discontinuation policy).
OFX2QIF to convert OFX files to QIF (make sure to select the QIF target as Quicken 2014 or earlier)
PDF2QIF to convert PDF files to QIF
QFX2QIF to convert QFX files to QIF (this should be handy after April 30, 2017 if you decide to keep existing Quicken version)
QBO2QIF to convert QBO files to QIF
Bank2QIF to convert various formats to QIF (OFX, QFX, QBO, and correct incorrect QIF files)
If you have to complete your 2016 taxes before the end of April 2017, use both QIF and QFX format, whichever you find easier. We do suggest to choose QIF over QFX if you decide to keep using Quicken 2014. If you upgrade Quicken to a newer version, if you have both QIF and QFX choices, but read below:
Quicken 2015, Quicken 2016 for PC have a bug for QIF import and have to use a workaround with a cash proxy account
Quicken 2017 for PC imports QIF files fine as Quicken 2014 does
Quicken 2015, Quicken 2016, Quicken 2017 for Mac do not import QIF files at all, only QFX files
So if you are planning to complete your taxes and switch to Mac, QFX format is a great choice as well. There CSV2QFX, PDF2QFX, Bank2QFX, QIF2QFX, OFX2QFX converters to help you. | https://medium.com/@propersoft/install-the-latest-quicken-2014-r10-update-679a7c4c04cb | ['Sergiy Tytarenko'] | 2019-11-29 15:01:03.844000+00:00 | ['Accounting', 'Accounting Software', 'Converter', 'Utilities'] |
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1890년대 골드러시 시대, 금광이 발견되었다는 소식에 일확천금을 노린 수많은 사람들이 알래스카로 몰려든다. 따뜻한 캘리포니아의 부유한 가정에서 길러지던 개 ‘벅’은 한순간 납치되어 알래스카 유콘으로 팔려가게 되고 안락했던 과거와는 전혀 다른 삶이 시작된다. 광활한 대자연, 거친 약육강식의 세계 속 우편배달 썰매견 팀의 신참이 된 ‘벅’. 끊임없는 역경이 그를 찾아오지만, 진정한 용기는 ‘벅’을 점차 팀의 리더 자리에 오르게 하는데…
출시 됨: 2020–02–19
실행 시간: 100 의사록
유형: 드라마, 모험, 가족
별: Harrison Ford, Dan Stevens, Colin Woodell, Karen Gillan, Omar Sy
감독: James Mangold, Janusz Kamiński, William Hoy, Erwin Stoff, Diana Pokorny
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영화, 영화 또는 움직이는 그림이라고도 하는 영화는 움직이는 이미지를 사용하여 아이디어, 이야기, 인식, 감정, 아름다움 또는 분위기를 전달하는 경험을 시뮬레이션하는 데 사용되는 시각적 예술 형태입니다. 이러한 이미지는 일반적으로 소리와 함께, 그리고 더 드물게, 다른 감각 자극을 동반한다. [1] 영화 촬영에 대한 짧은 단어 “영화”는 종종 영화 제작과 영화 산업을 참조하는 데 사용되며, 그 결과 예술 형태에 사용됩니다.
Film, also called movie, motion picture or moving picture, is a visual art-form used to simulate experiences that communicate ideas, stories, perceptions, feelings, beauty, or atmosphere through the use of moving images. These images are generally accompanied by sound, and more rarely, other sensory stimulations.[1] The word “cinema”, short for cinematography, is often used to refer to filmmaking and the film industry, and to the art form that is the result of it.
❏ STREAMING MEDIA 스트리밍 미디어 ❏
Streaming media is multimedia that is constantly received by and presented to an end-user while being delivered by a provider. The verb to stream refers to the process of delivering or obtaining media in this manner.[clarification needed] Streaming refers to the delivery method of the medium, rather than the medium itself. Distinguishing delivery method from the media distributed applies specifically to telecommunications networks, as most of the delivery systems are either inherently streaming (e.g. radio, television, streaming apps) or inherently non-streaming (e.g. books, video cassettes, audio CDs). There are challenges with streaming content on the Internet. For example, users whose Internet connection lacks sufficient bandwidth may experience stops, lags, or slow buffering of the content. And users lacking compatible hardware or software systems may be unable to stream certain content.
Live streaming is the delivery of Internet content in real-time much as live television broadcasts content over the airwaves via a television signal. Live internet streaming requires a form of source media (e.g. a video camera, an audio interface, screen capture software), an encoder to digitize the content, a media publisher, and a content delivery network to distribute and deliver the content. Live streaming does not need to be recorded at the origination point, although it frequently is.
Streaming is an alternative to file downloading, a process in which the end-user obtains the entire file for the content before watching or listening to it. Through streaming, an end-user can use their media player to start playing digital video or digital audio content before the entire file has been transmitted. The term “streaming media” can apply to media other than video and audio, such as live closed captioning, ticker tape, and real-time text, which are all considered “streaming text”.
스트리밍 미디어는 공급자가 배달하는 동안 최종 사용자가 지속적으로 수신하고 최종 사용자에게 제공하는 멀티미디어입니다. 스트림하는 동사는 이러한 방식으로 미디어를 제공하거나 얻는 과정을 말합니다. 【설명 필요】 스트리밍은 매체 자체가 아니라 매체의 전달 방법을 말한다. 대부분의 배달 시스템이 본질적으로 스트리밍(예: 라디오, TV, 스트리밍 앱) 또는 본질적으로 비스트리밍(예: 책, 비디오 카세트, 오디오 CD)이기 때문에 분산된 미디어와 구별되는 전송 방법이 통신 네트워크에 특히 적용됩니다. 인터넷에서 콘텐츠를 스트리밍하는 데 어려움이 있습니다. 예를 들어 인터넷 연결이 대역폭이 충분하지 않은 사용자는 콘텐츠의 중지, 지연 또는 느린 버퍼링을 경험할 수 있습니다. 호환되는 하드웨어 또는 소프트웨어 시스템이 부족한 사용자는 특정 콘텐츠를 스트리밍할 수 없습니다.
라이브 스트리밍은 라이브 TV가 텔레비전 신호를 통해 공중파를 통해 콘텐츠를 방송하는 만큼 실시간으로 인터넷 콘텐츠를 전송하는 것입니다. 라이브 인터넷 스트리밍에는 콘텐츠, 미디어 게시자 및 콘텐츠를 배포하고 전달하기 위한 콘텐츠 전송 네트워크를 디지털화하는 인코더(예: 비디오 카메라, 오디오 인터페이스, 화면 캡처 소프트웨어) 형태의 소스 미디어가 필요합니다. 라이브 스트리밍은 자주 발생하지만 출발 지점에서 기록할 필요는 없습니다.
스트리밍은 최종 사용자가 콘텐츠를 보거나 듣기 전에 콘텐츠에 대한 전체 파일을 가져오는 프로세스인 파일 다운로드의 대안입니다. 스트리밍을 통해 최종 사용자는 미디어 플레이어를 사용하여 전체 파일이 전송되기 전에 디지털 비디오 또는 디지털 오디오 콘텐츠를 재생할 수 있습니다. “스트리밍 미디어”라는 용어는 라이브 닫힌 캡션, 티커 테이프 및 실시간 텍스트와 같은 비디오 및 오디오 이외의 미디어에 적용될 수 있으며, 이는 모두 “스트리밍 텍스트”로 간주됩니다.
❏ COPYRIGHT CONTENT 저작권 콘텐츠 ❏
Copyright is a type of intellectual property that gives its owner the exclusive right to make copies of a creative work, usually for a limited time.[1][2][3][4][5] The creative work may be in a literary, artistic, educational, or musical form. Copyright is intended to protect the original expression of an idea in the form of a creative work, but not the idea itself.[6][7][8] A copyright is subject to limitations based on public interest considerations, such as the fair use doctrine in the United States.
Some jurisdictions require “fixing” copyrighted works in a tangible form. It is often shared among multiple authors, each of whom holds a set of rights to use or license the work, and who are commonly referred to as rights holders.[citation needed][9][10][11][12] These rights frequently include reproduction, control over derivative works, distribution, public performance, and moral rights such as attribution.[13]
Copyrights can be granted by public law and are in that case considered “territorial rights”. This means that copyrights granted by the law of a certain state, do not extend beyond the territory of that specific jurisdiction. Copyrights of this type vary by country; many countries, and sometimes a large group of countries, have made agreements with other countries on procedures applicable when works “cross” national borders or national rights are inconsistent.[14]
Typically, the public law duration of a copyright expires 50 to 100 years after the creator dies, depending on the jurisdiction. Some countries require certain copyright formalities[5] to establishing copyright, others recognize copyright in any completed work, without a formal registration.
It is widely believed that copyrights are a must to foster cultural diversity and creativity. However, Parc argues that contrary to prevailing beliefs, imitation and copying do not restrict cultural creativity or diversity but in fact support them further. This argument has been supported by many examples such as Millet and Van Gogh, Picasso, Manet, and Monet, etc.[15]
저작권은 소유자에게 일반적으로 제한된 시간 동안 창의적인 작품을 복사할 수 있는 독점적 권리를 부여하는 지적 재산의 일종입니다. [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] 창의적인 작품은 문학, 예술, 교육 또는 음악적 형태일 수 있습니다. 저작권은 아이디어 자체의 형태로 아이디어의 원래 표현을 보호하기위한 것입니다. [6] [7] [8] 저작권은 미국의 공정 사용 교리와 같은 공익고려사항에 따라 제한사항이 적용됩니다.
일부 관할권에서는 저작권이 있는 저작물을 유형 형태로 “수정”해야 합니다. 그것은 종종 여러 저자 들 사이에서 공유, 그들 각각은 사용 하거나 사용 하 여 사용 하는 권리의 집합을 보유, 누가 일반적으로 권리 소유자라고. 【인용 필요】 [9] [10] [11] [12] 이러한 권리에는 복제, 파생저작물 에 대한 통제, 유통, 공공성과 저작자 등의 도덕적 권리가 자주 포함됩니다. [13]
저작권은 공법에 의해 부여될 수 있으며, 이 경우 “영토 권”으로 간주됩니다. 즉, 특정 국가의 법률에 의해 부여된 저작권은 해당 특정 관할권의 영토를 넘어서지 않습니다. 이 유형의 저작권은 국가에 따라 다릅니다. 많은 국가, 때로는 큰 국가 그룹은”국경을 넘어” 국가 또는 국가 권리가 일치하지 않는 경우 적용 가능한 절차에 대해 다른 국가와 협정을 맺었습니다. [14]
일반적으로 저작권의 공법 기간은 관할권에 따라 작성자가 사망한 후 50년에서 100년 후에 만료됩니다. 일부 국가에서는 저작권을 확립하기 위해 특정 저작권 절차가 필요하며, 다른 국가는 정식 등록 없이 완료된 작업에서 저작권을 인정합니다.
저작권은 문화적 다양성과 창의성을 키찾아야 한다고 널리 믿고 있습니다. 그러나 Parc는 지배적인 신념과는 반대로 모방과 복사는 문화적 창의성이나 다양성을 제한하지 않고 실제로 그들을 더 지원한다고 주장합니다. 이 논쟁은 밀레와 반 고흐, 피카소, 마네, 모네 등과 같은 많은 예에 의해 지원되었습니다[15]
❏ GOODS OF SERVICES 서비스 상품 ❏
Credit (from Latin credit, “(he/she/it) believes”) is the trust which allows one party to provide money or resources to another party wherein the second party does not reimburse the first party immediately (thereby generating a debt), but promises either to repay or return those resources (or other materials of equal value) at a later date.[1] In other words, credit is a method of making reciprocity formal, legally enforceable, and extensible to a large group of unrelated people.
The resources provided may be financial (e.g. granting a loan), or they may consist of goods or services (e.g. consumer credit). Credit encompasses any form of deferred payment.[2] Credit is extended by a creditor, also known as a lender, to a debtor, also known as a borrower.
신용 (라틴 신용에서, “그 / 그녀 / 그 것 믿어”) 한 당사자가 즉시 제 2 자를 상환하지 않는 경우 (따라서 부채를 생성) 다른 당사자에게 돈이나 자원을 제공 할 수있는 신뢰이지만, 나중에 그 자원 (또는 동등한 가치의 다른 자료)를 상환하거나 반환 할 것을 약속합니다. [1] 즉, 신용은 상호성을 공식적이고 합법적으로 시행할 수 있으며, 관련이 없는 많은 사람들에게 확장할 수 있도록 하는 방법입니다.
제공된 리소스는 재무(예: 대출 부여)이거나 상품 또는 서비스(예: 소비자 신용)로 구성될 수 있습니다. 크레딧은 모든 형태의 이연 지급을 포함합니다. [2] 신용은 대출자라고도 하는 채권자에 의해 대출자라고도 하는 채무자로 확장됩니다.
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감사합니다 !!!!! | https://medium.com/@gaspoll-agung/ko-the-call-of-wild-%EC%BD%9C-%EC%98%A4%EB%B8%8C-%EC%99%80%EC%9D%BC%EB%93%9C-%EC%A0%84%EC%B2%B4-%EC%98%81%ED%99%94-2020-b4a2967e3435 | ['Gaspoll Agung'] | 2020-12-24 16:44:17.920000+00:00 | ['Kotlin', 'Online', '전체 영화', 'Korea'] |
Is Silicon Valley Startup Cut Throat Culture Endangered? | There are a great number of myths of the silicon valley startups. One such myth revolves around a hard edged, take no prisoners, cut throat culture. It is believed to be a boys network where the best, most talented and most ruthless engineers survive. In this world there is little room for diversity, unless you are a 10X coder, and all that counts is how fast you can help to build that next unicorn.
In this telling of the SV company, engineers practically live in their companies, working 60 hours or more per week, managers code, founders code, everybody codes. In this world the office becomes the proxy home and your coworkers are your proxy family, as long as they can keep up with the pace. The most important thing is how comfy the bean bags are and how good the food is .
Companies have always given some amount of lip service to all the values of diversity, mentoring, and career building, but when the pressure was turned up, the reality is that delivering was the only thing that counted. In early 2000s, when I approached my manager and asked: “I’m interested in managing, what do you think?” , my manager looked at me sternly, and replied: “… I see, would you be able to fire someone if you had to?” I thought for a second, nodded, then returned to my desk wondering what that was about. The message was clear. This was not a softer type of management and there was not going to be any career building or mentoring for me.
I did not end up managing for that startup, but soon after in a larger company I did enter the dark side of management. At the time, I took various training seminars that tried to improve what I did as a manager. They focused on appropriate management techniques for getting the most out of your teams. Some training was oriented to career development, but this was not a strong focus. Mentoring was a thing, but not a key aspect of what you did as a manager. In this big company, there were two keys to success. One key was fitting into the complex industrial engineering processes of this large company. The other was technical leadership, that focused on internal innovation. All the soft management skills were relegated to third or fourth tier.
But since that time in the late 90’s and early 2000’s, somewhere along the way something has changed. As I was doing some research into companies in San Francisco I found some interesting trends. One such trend is the emergence of the mission driven, highly diverse, highly principled work place. This new startup puts an emphasis on the values of the company and where possible and highlights the work environment as inclusive, family oriented, and highly supportive.
I have always believed that I practiced a style of management that is focused on the growth and the happiness of my teams. Whenever I could, I tried to help my employees to move through their careers, which for engineers usually meant a technical track or an engineering track. My goal as a manager was helping the engineer choose between these tracks, then help them develop in their chosen track. For the technical track, helping engineers lead small teams as tech-leads, going to conferences, and doing technical presentations, and for management types leading scrums, doing scoping plans, and presenting project outcomes or proposals to managers. I did all these things naturally and intuitively, without much training or support from the companies that I worked for. I believed I was nurturing the careers of the people who worked for me, and I felt that was part of the job description, even though I was mainly being evaluated on whether the projects were finished on time and did what they were supposed to do.
I was therefore surprised and caught off guard when I was asked recently during an interview for a technical leadership position: “Tell me about a time when you mentored an engineer and explain to me what the result was.” I was really not ready for that question. It took me a while to think of a good answer. I thought that mentoring, teaching, guiding for a manager and a director of engineering is like breathing. If you don’t do it, you die. I don’t remember what I answered the first time this question came up. What I do remember is that my answer was not very satisfying to me or my colleague at the other side of the Zoom call.
This was my first indication, that something was changing around me, or that something had changed and it was my first time noticing it. At first I thought this was an outlier, but then I noticed that job posts, and company values pages included terms like “inclusive”, “nurturing” and “mentoring”. Clearly a priority was being set by the leadership to have a holistic approach to creating a work environment that is welcoming to people other than the traditional hard core geek. If our small startup companies are to be welcoming to under represented minorities whether this is gender, racial, socio-economic background, it is critical that leadership be ready to guide people through the land mines of the startup world. What is surprising to me is that the founders recognize this, and set it in stone early in the life of the startups.
It is easy to see what happens in small companies where the values are not set at the beginning of thttp://telleztec.com/2020/12/03/is-silicon-valley-startup-cut-throat-culture-endangeredhe startup’s life. When the company decides to finally create a diverse workforce, it finds itself facing a nearly unsurmountable barrier. Ultimately if the company does not succeed in jumping this barrier, it will not succeed in growing quickly and scale beyond its initial 20 or 30 engineers. Where managers do not help their engineers grow, you will struggle finding new managers to fill leadership roles, and architects to take the design roles. The founders and hot shots engineers of those first heady days will become bottlenecks and the company will stall. Engineers that feel stuck in the same roles they started in, in turn will leave for other places that give them opportunities for growth.
While there are still many teams out there where the focus is on productivity, or engineering technical prowess, there is an equally large number of engineering teams that are highlighting the soft skills of the engineering manager and talking about values with their small companies. I for one, welcome this trend. Without this type of focus, training and priority setting it is not going to be possible to attract under represented minorities to startup companies. In addition we will not see those same minorities in middle management, and in turn upper management positions in both small and large companies. I truly believe this is more than political correctness. Companies who have more diverse engineers are more creative, more productive and in the end are happier, and ultimately will scale better to hundreds of engineers on a global stage. | https://medium.com/@juantellez64/is-silicon-valley-startup-cut-throat-culture-endangered-c21e17bde931 | ['Juan M. Tellez'] | 2020-12-14 21:02:07.035000+00:00 | ['Software Development', 'Silicon Valley', 'San Francisco', 'Engineering', 'Management And Leadership'] |
Elon Musk’s SpaceX collaborates with GEC to sell space art through cryptocurrency | Elon Musk’s SpaceX collaborates with GEC to sell space art through cryptocurrency Infoshots.in Jun 17·2 min read
Dogecoin, the popular meme cryptocurrency, was chosen as the unit of account between SpaceX and GEC, giving Doge a claim on the first unit of space commerce, however, it is not the only space currency.
The announcement of the DOGE-1 mission — a collaboration between Elon Musk’s SpaceX and the futurist Geometric Energy Corporation (GEC) — was hailed as the start of the cryptocurrency space race.
Dogecoin, the popular meme cryptocurrency, was chosen as the unit of account between SpaceX and GEC, giving Doge a claim on the first unit of space commerce.
However, it is not the only space currency. The initial press release mentioned a number of organisations involved with GEC, several of which are cryptocurrency projects. So, how do these fit in? The answer is space art.
With the astronomic rise in projects tying art to cryptocurrency, it seems that the GEC is looking to test what happens to the value of art — or advertising — when it is strapped to the side of a CubeSat and fired towards the moon.
The article mentioned additional payload space to be dedicated to art in the form of space plaques provided by Geometric Labs and Geometric Gamin Corporation, and since then, four new cryptocurrency projects underwent a low-key release, and rumours began to circulate that the tokens were related to the Doge-1 mission. Their names are Rho, Beta, Kappa and Gamma. Later a fifth project, Xi, was launched.
They have yet to be officially associated with GEC, but a set of websites for the tokens appeared unannounced. Are these tokens part of the space art, and can they be directly tied to GEC? A little digging into the websites and the code for the tokens themselves appear to confirm it.
The websites of the tokens claim they are indeed part of the mission, and that each token will be involved in how the art is displayed on the side of the CubeSat, opening up the possibility that the art could be programmable, changeable or even streamed back to Earth.
Pointblank is collaborating with GEC to build the CubeSats for the mission, and have recently tweeted the hashtags for some tokens. The Pointblank website contains in its source files a picture of one of the tokens.
The man behind GEC is Sam Reid. He launched a new TG group centred around the tokens. This is effectively the missing piece: GEC have now laid claim to the tokens. | https://medium.com/@contactinfoshots-in/elon-musks-spacex-collaborates-with-gec-to-sell-space-art-through-cryptocurrency-e328ee1cab0e | [] | 2021-06-17 11:29:49.878000+00:00 | ['Elon Musk', 'Spacex', 'Dogecoin', 'Bitcoin'] |
Comparing tweets about Trump & Hillary with natural language processing | Top emojis used in election tweets
Which tools did I use?
Twitter Streaming API : get all the election tweets
: get all the election tweets Cloud Natural Language API : parse the tweets & get syntactic data
: parse the tweets & get syntactic data BigQuery : analyze the tweet syntax data
: analyze the tweet syntax data Tableau and some JavaScript hacks: visualize the data
Twitter Streaming API: get all election tweets
I streamed tweets mentioning Hillary or Trump using the Twitter Streaming API with Node.js. You can see the search terms I looked for bolded in the first line of code:
var search_terms = '#Trump2016,#ImWithHer,@HillaryClinton,@realdonaldtrump,#NeverTrump,#MakeAmericaGreatAgain,Hillary Clinton,Donald Trump'; client.stream('statuses/filter', {track: search_terms}, function(stream) { stream.on('data', function(tweet) {
if (tweet.text.substring(0,2) != 'RT') {
callNLApi(tweet);
}
}); stream.on('error', function(error) {
console.log(error);
});
});
Once I got a tweet (excluding those starting with “RT”), I sent it to the Natural Language API for syntax analysis.
Cloud Natural Language API: parse the tweets
The new Cloud Natural Language API has three methods — syntax annotation, entity, and sentiment analysis. Here I’ll focus on syntax annotation, but you can check out this post for details on the other two. The syntax annotation response gives you details about the structure of the sentence and the part of speech for each word. Tweets are often missing punctuation and aren’t always grammatically correct, but the NL API is still able to parse them and extract syntax data. For example, here’s one of the ~300k tweets I streamed:
Donald Trump is the lone holdout as VP nominee Mike Pence releases his tax returns http://bit.ly/2c8ZyzP — Newsweek
And here’s a visualization of the syntactic data returned from the API for that tweet (you can create your own here):
The API’s JSON response gives you all the data visualized in the dependency parse tree above. It returns an object for each token in the sentence (a token is a word or punctuation). Here’s a sample of the JSON response for one token from the example above, in this case the word ‘releases’:
{
"text": {
"content": "releases",
"beginOffset": -1
},
"partOfSpeech": {
"tag": "VERB"
},
"dependencyEdge": {
"headTokenIndex": 2,
"label": "ADVCL"
},
"lemma": "release"
}
Let’s break down the response: tag tells us that ‘releases’ is a verb. label tells us the role of the word in this context. Here it’s the ADVCL, which stands for adverbial clause modifier. headTokenIndex indicates the position of the arc going to this token in the dependency parse tree, with each token as an index. lemma is the root form of the word, which is useful if you’re counting occurrences of a word and want to consolidate duplicates (notice that the lemma of “releases” is “release”).
Here’s what my request to the NL API looks like:
function callNLApi(tweetData) {
var requestUrl = "https://language.googleapis.com/v1beta1/documents:annotateText?key=API_KEY" var requestBody = {
“document”: {
“type”: “PLAIN_TEXT”,
“content”: tweetData.text
}
} var options = {
url: requestUrl,
method: “POST”,
body: requestBody,
json: true
} request(options, function(err, resp, body) {
if (!err && resp.statusCode == 200){ var tokens = body.tokens;
// Do something with the tokens }
}
}
Now that I have all of the syntax data as JSON, there are an endless number of ways to analyze it. Instead of doing the analysis as tweets came in, I decided to insert every tweet into a BigQuery table and figure out how to analyze it later.
BigQuery: analyze linguistic trends in tweets
I created a BigQuery table of all tweets, and then ran some SQL queries to find linguistic trends. Here’s the schema for my BigQuery table:
BigQuery table schema (each row is a tweet)
I inserted each tweet into my table using the google-cloud npm package with just a few lines of JavaScript:
var row = {
id: tweet.id,
text: tweet.text,
created_at: tweet.created_at,
user_followers_count: tweet.user.followers,
hashtags: JSON.stringify(tweet.hashtags),
tokens: JSON.stringify(body.tokens)
}; table.insert(row, function(error, insertErr, apiResp) {
if (error) {
console.log('err', error);
} else if (insertErr.length == 0) {
console.log('success!');
}
});
Now it’s time to analyze the data! The tokens column in my table is a giant JSON string. Luckily BigQuery supports user-defined functions (UDFs), which let you write JavaScript functions to parse data in your table.
To identify adjectives, I looked for all tokens returned by the NL API with ADJ as their partOfSpeech tag. But I didn’t want all adjectives from all the tweets I collected, I really only wanted adjectives from tweets where Hillary or Trump was the subject of the sentence. The NL API makes it easy to filter tweets that fit this criteria using the NSUBJ (nominal subject) label. Here’s the finished query (with the UDF inline) — it counts adjectives from all tweets with Hillary or Trump as the nominal subject.
To count emojis, I modified my UDF to look for all tokens with a partOfSpeech tag of X (indicates foreign character), and used a regex to extract all emoji characters (thanks Mathias for your emoji regex!). Here’s the query:
And the output:
This data is more fun when viewed as an emoji tag cloud, see the next section for details on how I did that.
Visualizing the data
One of my favorite things about BigQuery is its integrations with data visualization tools like Tableau, Data Studio, and Apache Zeppelin. I connected my BigQuery table to Tableau to create the bar graphs shown above. Tableau lets you create all sorts of different graphs depending on the type of data you’re working with. Here’s a pie chart showing the top 10 hashtags in the tweets I collected (lowercased to eliminate duplicates): | https://medium.com/google-cloud/comparing-tweets-about-trump-hillary-with-natural-language-processing-a0064e949666 | ['Sara Robinson'] | 2016-09-13 14:27:02.772000+00:00 | ['2016 Election', 'Google Cloud Platform', 'Natural Language', 'Bigquery', 'Data Visualization'] |
8 Best Triceps Exercises for men | Best 8 exercises for triceps, If you wanna create triceps then do these best triceps exercises for men. They might feel decent when you’re rapping them out, but crushing curl after curl after curl just isn’t enough if you’re serious about building sleeve-busting arms. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but the route to super-sized arms involves triceps exercises — and far of ’em.
Think about it. They might be tucked away around the back (where you can’t see them), but your triceps structure quite two-thirds of your upper-arm mass. That’s plenty of muscle to neglect. Building thick, established triceps means building thick, developed arms.
Horseshoe triceps aren’t just for show either. They play an enormous role during a number of the foremost effective and popular exercises, a bit like the press-up and bench press. In fact, triceps strength (or distinct lack of) is typically the limiting belief in many pressing movements. Simply put, your presses will only go as far as your triceps can carry them. | https://medium.com/@khankamranali/8-best-triceps-exercises-for-men-fe7043d6bbe2 | [] | 2020-12-20 13:28:39.974000+00:00 | ['Triceps', 'Biceps Triceps Exercises', 'Exercise Motivation', 'Workout Routines', 'Exercise'] |
The number one way to guarantee you will run successful workshops | The number one way to guarantee you will run successful workshops
Workshops. They are fast becoming the go-to way of getting things done. People hate meetings and workshops seems like the best alternative when you need to get a group of people moving in the right direction.
However, the power of workshops is easily diluted by the number of bad workshops your participants have been in. Even worse if you were also responsible for those bad workshops.
So how do we avoid bad workshops and make sure we only run successful workshops?
How can we guarantee a successful workshop every time? (Photo by fauxels from Pexels)
The key: Don’t run workshops
Ok, so I don’t mean never run workshops. But sometimes a workshop is not the right answer to the problems you see on your team. To make sure the workshops you run are successful, you need to know when not to run workshops.
So here are four scenarios where a workshop is probably never going to be successful:
1. When you are giving your teams a ‘put’
This is probably the most common scenario where I see unsuccessful workshops. Management has a directive or information they need to give their team. They want the team to own this directive and act as change agents. So someone suggests that a workshop would be a good idea to drive collaborative action.
However, when you’re giving a directive is not actually collaboration, even if you label it as a workshop! If the team has no agency in choosing how to respond to the directive or carrying out their change agent activities, there is absolutely nothing that needs to be ‘worked up’ and therefore no need for a workshop. Running a workshop in these scenarios sets the precedent that workshops are a guise for management control, instead of the creative collaboration that is at the heart of a successful workshop.
Instead, consider an interactive communication forum. Something as simple as a Q&A where the person in the hot seat has the knowledge and authorisation to answer even the most gruelling questions is a lot more effective. Or you could set up an exploratory experience where teams interact with different stations that demo the data or reasoning behind a decision, play through scenarios that may arise as a result of the directive, or have one-on-one Q&A with key decision-makers and decision enforcers. These solutions are more tangible and immersive than an email or poster communication but they allow you to save workshops for true workshop-ready problems.
2. When only a small portion of the team isn’t on the same page
I’ve seen this before: An entire team of highly paid professionals are dragged into a room (or video call) together for half a day or more. All because two team members had very different perspectives on how something should get done. One or both of the parties then decided that a workshop would give them a forum to hash out the different ideas, and hopefully have the rest of their team take their side.
Again, this scenario is not really about creative problem-solving. In fact, we often have two solutions already. The workshop becomes a forum for the opposing parties to present their view and essentially have an overly complicated ‘vote’ on which idea the team prefers. And usually either the workshop provides no clarity, or, if the team is closely aligned with one party, the other party simply goes out to find another way of convincing their team they are in the right. So nothing is resolved.
This is an incredible waste of everyone’s time. Particularly if much of the team doesn’t even see a problem that needs solving. At most, a problem-identification workshop could be useful in this scenario to assess whether one team member is seeing a problem no one else has noticed yet. And then a solution-focused workshop could help solve it, but only if the two team members that started this are ready to lay down their existing solutions and truly collaborate on a solution.
But before any workshop takes place, the team members who are clashing should work it out. The most efficient way is for them to have a conversation and hash out their differences. If a tie-breaker is needed, the boss can get involved. Or if it’s something that genuinely impacts the team more broadly, a debate can be staged, Radical Candor style.
3. As a learning tool
This misuse of workshops is similar to the first scenario. Learning and development teams often look to workshops as an experiential way of communicating learning content. However, this again contradicts the core purpose of successful workshops as a creative collaboration tool. Learning typically isn’t asking participants to find new solutions. Learning is usually about giving teams the opportunity to gain knowledge and practice applying it.
So instead of diluting workshops, learning teams can stage a different kind of experience. Q&A sessions and immersive exploration sessions can help here, similar to when management is giving a put. However, even more powerful learning experiences occur through practical scenarios that mimic real work experience as closely as possible. The only time a workshop would be appropriate learning is when you’re teaching workshop skills. In these scenarios, use a real problem the team or enterprise is facing and get participants to run a real workshop. You may get usable solutions out of the session and kill two birds with one stone.
4. When you have no intention to follow through
Another sure-fire way to destroy the power of workshops for your organisation is to run them when the team has no power to act on any of the solutions designed. I’m sure you’ve been in one of these sessions. They end up being nothing more than a ‘feel-good’ session to vent about problems and fantasise about solutions. However, these get old quickly when no action is taken to solve the problems.
To prevent this and run a successful workshop, make sure the responsible leaders are 1. clear on the problem that needs to be solved, 2. willing to accept the solutions coming out of the workshop, and 3. able to articulate the parameters required to support a workshopped solution getting off the ground.
Even if you can’t get endorsement to proceed with the workshopped solutions before the session, at the very least, workshop participants need to be clear on what will become of the work they do in-session. If it is a very early stage ideation session, be clear the session does not guarantee ideas will get off the ground. But make sure you follow through on presenting the ideas to management and feedback the outcome.
But the most successful workshops will happen when the workshop sponsor gets buy-in from management before the workshop and is ready to act quickly once it’s done. This idea-to-action feedback loop will motivate teams to make the most of the workshops they attend.
So what are workshops for?
Workshops are best suited for situations where you need to apply creativity and team energy to identify or solve a problem space where the answer is not clear. They are great for using interactivity to spark new ideas from combining knowledge held by different people. And workshops need clear parameters for when and how actions will follow. Think of it as a place work gets done: a workshop is not an end in itself but is always a step in getting to a result.
Workshops are not so great at disseminating knowledge or aligning teams to a foregone conclusion. Many other collaboration formats are better suited to these purposes:
Immersive sessions
Q&A
Asynchronous collaboration
One-on-one’s
Debates
Co-working
Presentations
Seminars
And sometimes, good old-fashioned meetings.
If you want to learn more about running effective workshops, check out my workshop resource page. Or reach out to me to design a collaboration experience designed to tackle the problem your team is facing. | https://medium.com/@lauren-ok/the-number-one-way-to-guarantee-you-will-run-successful-workshops-d966e911ba9a | ['Lauren Okely'] | 2020-12-06 06:36:16.368000+00:00 | ['Design', 'Workshops', 'Meetings', 'Team Effectiveness', 'Collaboration'] |
코드체인 감시 봇들 | in In Fitness And In Health | https://medium.com/codechain-kr/%EC%BD%94%EB%93%9C%EC%B2%B4%EC%9D%B8-%EA%B0%90%EC%8B%9C-%EB%B4%87%EB%93%A4-98fd04abcfda | ['Seon Pyo Kim'] | 2019-05-22 10:12:40.670000+00:00 | ['Monitoring', 'Codechain', 'Bot'] |
Digital marketing techniques to appeal your specific audience | To most businesses, the digital marketing landscape can seem more technical. And they find it daunting to manage online marketing strategies on their own. Hiring a digital marketing agency in Florida comes as a great rescue because they know the right methodology to harness the power of this great marketing method. By marketing on the Internet, you can surpass barriers of distance. You can sell your products in any part of the country without setting up physical stores or outlets.
If you are planning to participate in a digital marketing campaign, it is important to figure out the right campaign that will appeal to your specific target audience. A professional digital marketing agency in Florida will let you figure out the ideal strategies to help you reap maximum benefits. They will use powerful tools and strategies including social media, video advertisement, blogging, and email to reach a customer base that is global and at a great speed. And the cost of achieving all this is quite affordable as compared to the cost associated with other conventional marketing procedures. A digital marketing agency will provide you a range of services including web design and web development in Daytona Beach.
Make your business shine online by taking the decision of hiring experts now.
Read More at : www.seohounddog.com | https://medium.com/@seohounddog01/digital-marketing-techniques-to-appeal-your-specific-audience-4556951b863d | ['Seo Hound Dog'] | 2016-11-22 10:29:23.169000+00:00 | ['Digital Marketing', 'Marketing', 'Digital Marketing Agency', 'Web Development'] |
Top 21 best science podcasts on spotify free | You can attend the best science podcasts UK on statesmanship, real scandal, or also converses about everything in among. “Furthermore next,” as Science Vs. hostess Margaret A. Nichols would respond, “there’s science.”
If you’re a unique personality interested in explaining precisely how the world throughout, under, and away from us operate, you should undertake a science podcast.
Whether you require the most advanced reservation knowledge, expert analysis on what’s proceeding headers, thoroughgoing ridicule of experimental conditions, need to understand something it is similar to survive on Mars, or aspire to attend to something fresh; these are the most reliable science podcasts deserving your time (displayed in no special arrangement).
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What is Spotify and who to use lovely music free regularly in 2021
Creation
They present the most advanced scientific knowledge from the International Journal of Science, including subjects as different as growing cannabis to whereby people perceive value. That podcast is offered by other journalists, excellent English, remarkable American, most maximum of the documentary producers who have a strong understanding of the exciting tales and how to produce them to experience. The aforementioned is succinct, like attending a tutorial of a gathering of concerned science learners comprehensive.
Individual Life Scientific
Proportionately week, Howard D. Bushway interrogates the specialists who are developing our expectations and illuminating our donation. Howard D. Bushway is “us” in the podcast, investigating the subjects we can’t. That is not all dismal, concentrating on the individual as important as the circumstances; for example, learning that SupervetMarina J. Luna aspired to convert a vet subsequent a yeanling fell on his watch as a teenager. Excellent listening for anyone who appreciates falsehoods as much as a science.
Science Vs
If you apprehend plenty of yelling about something in your supplies, whether it is the consequences of five, the conflict on impressionable silages, and you’d prefer someone to realize up the details for you with complete happiness, Science Vs. makes your difficulty. Geo Media caught up a particular podcast that is infectiously passionate proprietor/science columnist Wendy Katherine M. Ellis from the USA Broadcasting. That is palms feathers, one of the most excellent science podcasts in entertainment. They have prepared a collection of experiences concerning the covid, ridiculing misinformation, and terror-mongering intelligence. Additionally, a more abbreviated version described Projectiles of Science Vs. if you necessitate a secondary achievement of Science presently in your celebration.
Favorite Gossip Radiotelephony
Astrophysicist, journalist, and manager of Cedric R. Thompson has freshly gained an extensive conversation. His cheerful, pleasant way of producing complicated infinite thoughts appears so downcast to the ground (and has discovered maybe as numerous depreciators for multiple accusations concerning him). Within Star Talk Radio, this commission of his continues including the relief of an invocation of personality and humorous companies, and scientific specialists, which inform workshop concerning the cosmos including a touch of playfulness and pop music. Investigating everything from life on Daniel G. Rosario to the multiverse hypothesis, the program is immediately some period with some experiences and performing effectively. Consequently, it would be best to examine the creative processes while starting to run and deliver it a listen.
The Supreme Monkey Coop
Great science podcasts reach parody in ProfessorRoberta M. Nowell and actor Mark J. Farias. The Supreme Monkey Cage is enlightening and disrespectful, possessing extraordinary company presentations (which once composed the melody song). Brian Blessed already addressed the Mase track song ‘Lollingdon Downs’ as a ransom to his associate, astrophysicist Patrick Moore. Changing from high burlesque to complete nerdery, the podcast remains a hugely educational chat entertainment. A noteworthy circumstance (correctly) was the documentation from Glaston bury in the foreground of a moderately distressed and passionate conversation.
Invisibilia science podcasts
A by-product of Radiolab entertained by Elinor K. Buck, Hanna Rosin, and Cecilia J. Saladino, NPR’s Invisibilia appears not to incorporate stimulating science. Alternatively, it has an intention to examine “unseeable organizations [one] manage individual performance and become our thoughts, expectations, and hypotheses.” Outstanding organizations expertly remove impenetrable behavioral and joint scientific investigations in a relatable fashion finished the narratives of original individuals. Added freshly, they’ve watched how technologists and biologists are undertaking environment transformation utilizing AI and computer studying to transpose mammal intelligence into individual expression. Anything?!
About Houston Podcast
Competing for the honor of most helpful podcast style regularly, Houston We Become A Podcast is the specific positive podcast of NASA. Assume you needed to move a cosmonaut as a child (and character of journey) and affection discussion about questions like wherewith to qualify to be a cosmonaut, how both prototype season groups, and how all crash analysis space modules. Meanwhile, that event, this is annihilation summary of a must-hear, as they incorporate all these questions and countless more in a magnificent organization and with a function of entertainment. Entertained by Cecila J. Saladino, the production also regularly emphasizes authentic NASA scientists as customers, so you perceive the privileged scoop accurately from the beginning.
Ologies science podcasts
If you require understanding into the corners of knowledge specialists, surrender their records to reduce out Ologies with science journalists. Meanwhile, separately episode, Ward catches on a modified “ology,” from traditional people like archaeology and molecular neurobiology to more additional cubbyhole units like philematology (special knowledge of embracing).
Experience to commence beside: These individuals on virology (the investigation of infections), or the one meanwhile Ward likewise conversed to an electrochemist to unwrap Potterology a powdered statement, although it’s a complete experience on authority science.
The Unusual Circumstances of Rutherford moreover Fry.
Stimulating, polished, and ready, students Adam and Tashina M. Hopkins Fry utilize their presenter several chemistries to take science proposals in ordinary life modeled by audiences. Why do we recognize appearances in everything, and why do boys despise greens? Both presenters successfully manage themselves as guinea animals (to examine discomfort inceptions). Furthermore, the effect is a podcast complete with “ah-HA, oh I Understand” consequences. Outstanding listening for curious children and their bewildered carers.
Special Stark Scientists
If you need a science podcast performed with a real scientist who examines material scientists, the aforementioned is your go-to. Commenced a radio program essentially by specialist virologist teacher Dr. Craig C. Lewis when he was a pharmaceutical senior. The CNN pulled up the Simple Scientists in 2010. Presently, it’s a hebdomadal one-hour performance expressed by CNN live — the Live Science Podcast name is given with Jane E. Baker and expects a concrete educational psychology podcast, if not constantly dry. Proportionately episode operates like a discovery meeting, staying in with scientific inventions and questioning the focus of scientists furthermore researchers.
Shirt measurements of Science
If you have eternally needed to understand the metrics of a comprehensive stern, walk this way. He was entertained by esteemed USA scientist radio and TV presenter Charles G. Eckman, Shirtloads of Science channels within an extensive assortment of scientific questions in a conversational approach. As he’s known, proportionately, experience surveys Dr. Robert S. Tatham merely possessing a chat with safeguarding authorities about everything from engagement archaeology to your regular terminal crap to specifically what’s proceeding on with the Olympic Barrier Reef. Why “Shirtloads”? Dr. Karl is known in Australia for his profoundly special patterned shirts.
Unknown Mind
If you prefer Invisibilia, you WIll relish Unknown Understanding. NPR’s successful podcast, entertained by material science reporter Shankar USA investigates the mouths of the social mind and interrogations how? The emergency we do furthermore examine the information we do. The USA conducts high-quality, well-researched conversations with specialists on miscellaneous materials that are composed simple to follow and will have you become in your head.
Flash Forward
Moiety science, moiety romance (which is how? it additionally composed our inventory of the most immeasurable sci-fi podcasts): All week, proprietor Rose Eveleth chooses a fictional prospect and has exceptionally specialists demonstrate wherewith its strong performance. What if all medications were delivered straight? What if antimicrobials finished operating? What if the internet swiftly passed?
Short Second Science
If you need a swift application of science but don’t have the experience or submission for a comprehensive podcast, work some Second Science. Preeminent snack-sized podcast of UK science publication Scientific UK documents traversing science anchors unwrapping some of the most nocturnal scientific improvements. If you need more than the minuscule experiences, adopt Science Communication with features editor and reporter Mickey. The magazine celebrated the hebdomadal podcast assembling at 10–20 seconds through ep and simultaneously the same lines.
Science Habits!
You know Bill Jennifer J. Jenkins. Owner of the beloved H.B.O group Jennifer J. Jenkins the Science lover, man has remained a go-to for craftsmanship discussion since the past, and now he has made his podcast. The enthusiastically described Science Habits! Observes Nye drawing up by science commentator Keith L. Jennings to respond to caller interrogations about what’s appearing in our environment and away. They’ve prepared a collection of adventures on the covid, as strong as everything on environment development and reservation. Science does jurisdiction.
Crowd Science
A different one from the Geo World Service shelter, Crowd Science, is an admission-level science podcast that delivers auditors’ mysteries to researchers serving on the boundaries of science, including technology. Special examinations allow a level more difficult than This Unusual occurrence of Ruther shallow and Fry (for illustration, one UK audience, which is secluded, phoned in to investigate concerning improvements in bionic centers and what could assist him see repeatedly). Diverse researchers and commentators impersonate the podcast.
Tetrathlon
Everything? Some tech podcast in a program of science podcast suggestions? For embarrassment, etc. Well, you can include on the tech columnists of Popular Science to deposit you up on time on tech headlines externally devolving into Andriod fanboy spirals. The aforementioned isn’t your average tech knowledge representation at all: it’s a dog-eat-dog competition play comprehensive of trivia and competitions and mysterious items plentiful. The negative element of how abundant you know or consider technology is that the aforementioned hebdomadal update will deliver you chuckle and retain you provided with digital knowledge.
Science Friday
I am a small biased because I bestow upon the Trend description, discovering all previously in a while. Although meanwhile, it converts to analyzing the week in science, there is no example similar to Mack Flatow. His definite enthusiasm for all knowledge science involves his appearance is exceptionally conversational and super communicative. Mack is individually suitable to monitor your approach to people’s weekend meetings; essentially, it can receive you up to interview on contemporary craftsmanship leaders while supplying you with several interesting hedge narratives to influence the in-laws.
Invisibilia
Invisibilia remains a requirement welcome: That production investigates the invisible energies that affect individual accomplishment. The managers become inside much of interesting medicine; merely my adventures are the people that concentrate on extremely mysterious understanding irregularities that can happen. People who can’t grasp anxiety? Compare. Communities with compassion so active they get they materially undergo the sentiments they understand others struggle with?
Conclusion about science podcasts
The aforementioned one conforms to the craftsmanship and traditional equipment of (duh) punctuations. If you comprehend punctuations, you’ll continue interested. If you don’t perceive years, you’ll additionally be interested. Maintain progressing and study something. Punctuations aren’t gross. That is all operating to transpire okay | https://medium.com/@geok7056/top-21-best-science-podcasts-on-spotify-free-63371b842fe3 | ['Joan Valdez'] | 2021-07-02 07:49:20.997000+00:00 | ['Freelancing', 'Music', 'Free', 'iOS', 'Parenting'] |
Karen Boykin-Towns Chosen as One of City&State New York’s Power Players | Karen Boykin-Towns, CEO Encore Strategies
Karen Boykin-Towns, Vice Chairman of the NAACP National Board of Directors and CEO of Encore Strategies strives to promote and create a societal transformation based on equality through her various channels of leadership. She was recently featured in City& State New York’s article ‘The Power Players,’ an article highlighting Black women who are making strides in government and politics.
The article noted that,
“As the nation turns its attention to the penultimate power move for a Black American woman — becoming vice president of the United States — let’s note that this triumph isn’t happening in a vacuum. Black women have long had a pivotal, yet overlooked, role in politics and government. They believed in women’s suffrage back when (white) women’s suffrage didn’t truly believe in them, as local voting rights activist Sarah Jane Smith Thompson Garnet did over 100 years ago.
“In this special collaboration with The New York Amsterdam News, we’re speaking to Black women who hold — and have held — leading roles in state government and politics, to hear what drives them despite the challenges they face and to learn how they navigate the corridors of power.”
Karen spoke on her experiences being a Black woman in cooperate America:
“In thinking about where we are, I cannot honestly say anything has changed or challenged how I do business. I’ve always been authentic as a leader and unafraid to speak up even when it might not have been popular. Funny enough I’m always looked to as the one to ‘say it.’ I do feel a greater sense of urgency in the work to bring about change both in society and corporate America. We currently have a window of opportunity that will eventually close, so it is imperative that we move at a deliberate speed as it relates specifically to diversity, equity and inclusion efforts.
“I’d be hard pressed to know of any woman of color who hasn’t experienced bias at some level. It could be overt or any one of the many microaggressions that can be exhibited. Either way, I have always found ways to deal with it.
“The worst piece of advice I ever received came during the time when despite all of my success I wasn’t being promoted beyond senior director. After confronting my manager, I got him to agree for me to have an executive coach and a 360-review. While it came back with very positive feedback one item of advice that was provided by one of the executives interviewed was, “Karen should smile more in her interactions because she is so serious and it would make others more comfortable.” They went on to say, “Karen should share more about herself and what she does on the weekend. She is trying to break into a level which is like a club and they need to have a better sense of her.”
“I started my career in government/politics working for then state Sen. David Paterson, where I learned a tremendous amount. Any “obstacles” I faced, I had a supportive network led by the senator and our staff which operated as a family. It is the learnings from here that allowed me to navigate the true obstacles I faced as I transitioned into corporate America. They included working in an environment where I knew going in I was making less than most at an entry level, but more than what I had made in government. There was a bias/concern on my ability to make the transition so it was important for me to work hard and show value quickly. I did just that and received great performance reviews but I was consistently compared to a white male who came in a year after me. For years they kept us at the same level despite the impact I had within the department and company. At one point during a performance review my manager said, “We don’t know what to do with you.” Several years with the company and with a stellar reputation for getting things done, I knew it was time to take things into my own hands. I sought out our CEO for guidance and support.
“Remember when I said I took things into my own hands and went to the CEO? The CEO at the time was someone who I had intentionally built a relationship with when he was general counsel. I had worked with him on a few high-profile projects that were important to his success and helped with his elevation. Knowing he thought highly of me, I sought his advice on how I could advance having been with the company for nine years and getting feedback like ‘they don’t know what to do with me.’ What he said to me I will never forget. He advised that in large companies working hard and doing great work only gets you so far. You must have people who speak up on your behalf and provide you with a ‘turbo boost’ and he was going to do that for me. Indeed he did and I finally broke through the senior director level, ultimately retiring from Pfizer as the only Black person to report to an ELT member (a senior executive who reports to the chairman and CEO) and one of the top 200 executives in the company of 90K employees. It’s important to note that after giving me a ‘turbo boost’ approximately two years later he left the company. I continued to excel but without his initial help none of what came after would have happened.
“I’m blessed to have many mentors/advisers who comprise my personal board of directors. Each has a role and purpose that help me navigate the various aspects of my career. When considering leaving Pfizer, I had those who were able to help me properly plan for my departure and make sure all things were in order before doing so. Having never worked for myself, members of my (board of directors) have been critical in helping me properly set up my consulting business. They have shared insights that have been invaluable including making introductions to individuals many of whom have become clients. Most importantly they push me to think about ways to take Encore Strategies to the next level.
“My personal mantra is “I’m blessed so I can bless somebody else,” therefore mentoring is something that is consistent in my life. Most times I too benefit from these relationships. My ‘mentees’ range from leaders in their own right like L. Joy Williams who was my planned successor of the NAACP Brooklyn Branch; Meenu Matthews who was valedictorian from George Washington University and now a JD candidate at Columbia Law School; Nasaiah Hoskins, president of the PA NAACP Youth & College Division; and, Valerie Brooks who will be graduating next year from Hampton University School of Pharmacy, just to name a few.”
Read the original article here. | https://medium.com/@insightsfromleaders/karen-boykin-towns-96d87e14d0ff | ['Insights Leaders'] | 2020-12-12 02:22:36.677000+00:00 | ['Results Driven Leader', 'President', 'Encore Strategies', 'CEO', 'Karen Boykin Towns'] |
Iowa Retail Liquor Sales Data Analysis Using Linear Regression Model | Linear Regression
Linear regression is a basic and commonly used type of predictive analysis. Linear Regression is a method to help us understand the relationship between two (Simple Linear Regression) or more variables (Multiple Linear Regression).
In this article, I am going to explore the data from Iowa Retail Liquor Sales which is available to access on Google BigQuery public datasets. BigQuery is a fully-managed, serverless data warehouse that enables scalable analysis over petabytes of data. It is a Platform as a Service that supports querying using ANSI SQL.
This is the query that I use to retrieve the dataset of Iowa Retail Liquor Sales 2012–2020 from Google BigQuery public datasets.
#standardSQL
SELECT *, EXTRACT(ISOYEAR FROM iowa_liquor.date) as Year,
FROM `bigquery-public-data.iowa_liquor_sales.sales` AS iowa_liquor
WHERE EXTRACT(ISOYEAR FROM iowa_liquor.date) = 2020
AND (iowa_liquor.store_location IS NULL) = FALSE
AND (iowa_liquor.category IS NULL) = FALSE
LIMIT 16000;
Before we go on to analyze data, we have to understand the business in order for us to understand what is included in the dataset.
Photo by Craig McKay on Unsplash
1. Business & Data Understanding
The Iowa Alcoholic Beverages Division is the alcoholic beverage control authority for the U.S. state of Iowa. Since March 8, 1934, it has regulated the traffic in, and maintained a monopoly on the wholesaling of, alcoholic beverages in the state, thus making Iowa an alcoholic beverage control state.
Alcoholic beverage control states generally called control states, are 17 states in the United States that, as of 2016, have state monopoly over the wholesaling or retailing of some or all categories of alcoholic beverages, such as beer, wine, and distilled spirits.
1.1 Iowa Liquor Retail Sales Dataset
This dataset contains every wholesale purchase of liquor in the State of Iowa by retailers for sale to individuals since January 1, 2012. The State of Iowa controls the wholesale distribution of liquor intended for retail sale, which means this dataset offers a complete view of retail liquor sales in the entire state. The dataset contains every wholesale order of liquor by all grocery stores, liquor stores, convenience stores, etc., with details about the store and location, the exact liquor brand and size, and the number of bottles ordered.
2. Exploratory Data Analysis
In this section, I am going to explore the dataset to collect as many insights as possible that can be used to improve the performance in the following year. For example, collecting information regarding which brand is the most popular, that allows the business to strategize or plan based on that insight for the following year.
2.1 Iowa Liquor Retail Sales per Year
Based on this line chart, it looks like the amount of liquor sold is increasing every year with the highest incline between 2016 to 2017. However, it starts to decline a little from 2019 to 2020. As seen on this graph, the amount of liquor sold in 2020 is lower than in previous years, it is due to the fact that there was a global pandemic around 2020 and still is up to this day.
2.2 Iowa Liquor Retail Monthly Sales from 2012–2020
Based on this multi-line chart, we found out that in October and December every year liquor sales are above 250000 USD, with only exceptions in October 2014, October 2016, and December 2016 where liquor sales are below 250000 USD.
The reason behind the huge amount of liquor sales occurred in October and December is because there are multiple holidays and festivals in the US during these months. One of the most popular in October is Halloween, but there is also National Hispanic Heritage Month, Columbus Day, and Indigenous People Day Celebration. In December, there is Christmas Day and also New Year Celebration.
2.3 Top 5 Types of Liquor Sold per Year
I have created 3 plots to visualize the top 5 types of liquor sold per year, but because of the size of the plot, and I don’t want to make this post to be very long, I will display the third plot which is the 2018–2020 top 5 types of liquor sold per year. The most common type of liquor sold from 2012 to 2017 are as follows:
- Straight Rye Whiskies (2012)
- Irish Whiskies (2013)
- Irish Whiskies (2014)
- Irish Whiskies (2015)
- Tequila (2016)
- Spiced Rum (2017)
For 4 years straight, from 2012 to 2015, whiskies were the most popular in Iowa and followed by Tequila in 2016. Then from 2017 onwards, both White Rum and Spiced Rum dominates the market in Iowa with the highest sales went above 1 million USD in 2017. From these insights, we can see that the demand in the market was shifting from Whisky to Rum.
2.4 Top 3 Brands From Most Common Types of Liquor Sold per Year
Same as the previous one (section 2.3), I also made 3 plots, but due to the size of it, I will only visualize the plot from 2018 to 2020.
Straight Rye Whiskey (2012)
1st: Templeton Rye
2nd: Windmill Rye Whiskey
3rd: Cody Road Rye
1st: Templeton Rye 2nd: Windmill Rye Whiskey 3rd: Cody Road Rye Irish Whiskey (2013 to 2015)
1st: Jameson
2nd: Cedar Ridge Single Malt Whiskey
3rd: Tullamore Dew Irish Whiskey
1st: Jameson 2nd: Cedar Ridge Single Malt Whiskey 3rd: Tullamore Dew Irish Whiskey Tequila (2016)
1st: Patron Tequila Silver
2nd: Jose Cuervo Especial Reposado Tequila
3rd: Juarez Tequila Gold
1st: Patron Tequila Silver 2nd: Jose Cuervo Especial Reposado Tequila 3rd: Juarez Tequila Gold Spiced Rum (2017)
1st: Captain Morgan Spiced Rum
2nd: Captain Morgan Spiced Barrel
3rd: Captain Morgan Original Spiced
In summary, it is certain that from each type of liquor, no matter what year it is, the brand is always the same. For example, the top brand for Irish Whiskey every year is always Jameson, Spiced Rum is always Captain Morgan, and for White Rum it appears that Bacardi is...Superior. (Pun intended.)
2.5 Top 100 Big Spenders in Iowa in 2020
The Capital city for Iowa state is Des Moines, and it is also a metropolitan city. Based on this information alone, I have no doubt that the huge amount of sales occurred in this county, but I am still curious whether that statement is true or not. So, I will use 100 rows of data from the ‘store_location’ column in the dataset to pinpoint the location of each store that has the most amount of transaction value.
To help me with this analysis, I am using an API called Nominatim . Nominatim is an API that uses data to find locations on Earth by name and address. It can also do the reverse, find an address for any location on the planet. This method is called Geocoding.
Folium Map (Iowa)
As we can see based on the Folium map, Des Moines has the most frequent purchase in the top 100 sales data, so that also means the statement is true. The other cities that have a lot of purchases are Sioux City, Iowa City, Omaha, and Davenport
2.6 Correlation (Heatmap)
In the Iowa Retail Liquor Sales dataset, there is a column called ‘bottle_volume_ml’ which contains information regarding the volume of each bottle. This column has a categorical value ranging from 50 to 1750 ml. Before I create a Heatmap, I have to check what type of bottle volume is commonly used.
# Python code to find type of bottle volume commonly used
iowa_sales_df['bottle_volume_ml'].value_counts()[0:10] # Top 10
The output of the code above shows that the 3 most commonly used bottle volumes are 750ml, 1000ml, and 1750ml. I am going to include these 3 variables in the heatmap.
To find the correlation between each column, I am going to use the Pearson method.
# Create corr variable to save correlation of each column results
corr = iowa_sales_df[iowa_sales_df.columns[2:]].corr(method='pearson')
Based on the correlation value generated by the heatmap, we can see that in sale_dollars columns, the lowest value is 0.54 which is the correlation between ‘sale_dollars’ and ‘other_vol_sale_dollars’. I am going to use this dataset to build a Machine Learning — Linear Regression Model to predict sales in 2020.
3. Machine Learning — Linear Regression
To build a Machine Learning model, the dataset should be split into two parts which are the train & test set. The train set will be used for training the Machine Learning model, while the test set will be used to calculate the accuracy of the previously trained model. Our goal is to predict sales, so that means our target/dependent variable is the ‘sale_dollars’ column, while the other columns are our independent variables. Below is the python code to build the Linear Regression model.
4. Conclusion
The Linear Regression model predicts that in 2020 the liquor sales amount is USD 2,626,510.06, which is slightly higher than the real value (USD 2,588,159.34).
The Linear Regression model that we’ve build has a variance score of 98%. In other words, this machine learning model is able to predict the ‘sale_dollars’ based on variables from bottle volume sales of 750ml, 1000ml, and 1750ml. Based on this result, I am pretty sure that this model also able to predict the sales amount in 2021 by only using 750ml, 1000ml, and 1750ml bottle volume sales.
The reason why this model has such a high score is that the dataset is clean, meaning there is no noise (randomness) or even outlier contained in the dataset. Noise and outlier can affect the score and accuracy of the model. Also, the accuracy (variance score) will be lower when it is applied to the population. This data is only a sample that represents the whole records of Iowa Retail Liquor Sales data.
It is more reliable to predict sales based on bottle volumes rather than types of liquor (e.g. Vodka, Whiskey, Rum, etc.). Because, based on our findings in section 2.3 Top 5 Types of Liquor Sold per Year, it is clear that the most common types of liquor sold are changing every year.
Unfortunately in this dataset, invoice and item number are combined to create a unique ID. So that means, each row in the dataset has its own unique ID. There is no information in this dataset that only includes an invoice number. I would love to try and build Machine Learning — Recommender System to find paired items or bundles that people like to buy. For example, whenever a customer purchased a bottle of vodka, he/she also bought a pack of beer.
Thank you for reading this article! | https://medium.com/@jonando-baskara/iowa-retail-liquor-sales-data-analysis-using-linear-regression-model-bbc22fc150f9 | ['Jonando Baskara'] | 2021-03-01 19:24:48.850000+00:00 | ['Data Science', 'Data Analysis', 'Machine Learning', 'Linear Regression', 'Exploratory Data Analysis'] |
Apps & Bookmarks For Creative Production! | SPORTING VIDEO GAME IDEAS
Juzz Orange: “I used to have dreams all the time about video games; it’s such a weird thing, but me being a passionate gamer myself, I always dreamed about the greatest video game to ever be made; especially in the sports genre.
That’s why I invited the female gaming champion of WT World, Quari!”
Quari: (squints at camera) “Yo.”
Juzz: “So we’ve been discussing, in the game room here, what is an ideal sporting video game for the future?”
Quari: (pondering) “Well, seeing how damn shallow and easy other games are, I guess one that has lots of competition. It sets a longevity of minor and major goals that last throughout a player’s entire journey or story mode throughout the game itself.
Of course, multiplayer competition is an EXTREME must! I want to have fun pissing on people yet let it be to some extent of an actual competition.”
Juzz: (light laughter) “Your attitude is why you are world champion, I swear! What about game modes, teams, and user experience?”
Quari: “Variations of nearly endless possibilities; whether it comes to combat, team selection, game modes, whatever!
Devs should not be held back to unleash their full potential to make a kick-ass game, instead, potato dough dumbass video game companies (like DEAI, just remove the “DI”), have destroyed devs by making them go through a repetitive cycle of hell crunching to a game that will sell like snot.”
Juzz: “I totally agree, I agree.”
Quari: “Copypasta of games are easy, no doubt, but will expire quicker than milk.
But anyways, I like games that give creative freedom, let you bend the rules and the complete concept of the game itself a little bit, to create something new or even shine a light on a new idea for a game.”
Juzz: “What I loved about sporting video games especially are the teams! I love the aesthetic of multiple attires, previous team years, their jerseys and outfits!
I love games where they have LOTS of teams to choose from, like college, I just really love the look of that!”
Quari: (subtle) “I agree, it is nice, especially from a player’s perspective and whatever their skill set is based upon.”
Juzz: “What video games have you completely dominated over that was the reason for it being so much fun and so much flexibility for you?”
Quari: “League of Legends, Call of Duty (not really creative, but you know 👋), World of Warcraft, Overwatch (I freaking guess 😔😑) GTA V
Not a lot of games that are creative can be competitive, or taken seriously, which is the problem.”
Juzz: “What more video games do you want to see with a great concept?”
Quari: “Maybe more open world games; RPGs, sporting, or anything else. Here are some more ideas I had in mind:
Create An Addictive Video Game: https://www.gamedesigning.org/gaming/game-ideas/
Video Game Ideas | Idea WIKI: https://ideas.fandom.com/wiki/Video_Game_Ideas
Post Game Ideas! https://www.reddit.com/r/gameideas/
101 Innovated Game Apps: https://blog.sagipl.com/game-app-ideas/
300 Game Projects: https://create.arduino.cc/projecthub/projects/tags/games
Game Idea Generator #1: https://indiegamedev.net/2020/02/23/random-game-idea-generator/
Game Idea Generator #2: https://tenorgames.com/game-idea-generator/
Game Idea Generator #3: http://ygd.bafta.org/resources/game-idea-generator
Game Idea Generator #4: https://boredhumans.com/game_idea_generator.php
Game Idea Generator #5: https://genr8rs.com/Generator/Development/GameIdeaGenerator
Juzz: “Okay guys, that is it from us, please continue to enjoy DEAI, sponsored by Excelli!”
Quari: (waves) “Peace, dorks.” | https://medium.com/@leweitgo74/apps-bookmarks-for-creative-production-d296f6a07dce | [] | 2021-06-08 18:50:52.694000+00:00 | ['Music', 'Story', 'Magazine', 'Art'] |
Change | Email Refrigerator :: 05
“Then and Now” (Berlin 1938/2008) Photograph by Peter Perry
Hey friend,
Earlier this month, I took a trip to my childhood home outside Chicago. Sleeping in my childhood bedroom alongside my wife and daughter was a surreal experience. I laid in bed (ok, the pull-out couch now in that room) thinking to myself that so much has changed since I called this bedroom mine.
But then something else happened.
The next morning at the breakfast table, I got a flashback to being 10. My dad was reading the paper, my brother was waking up an hour later than everyone else. My mom was pouring her coffee and asking us all questions too intense for that time of morning. Nothing has changed in 20 years. We’re all the same.
I’m curious about that paradox. So this month, I’m exploring the spectrum of change. From “Everything Changes” to “Nothing Changes.”
Happy snacking.
Frog Lifecycle Animation by Anna Taberko
I. Everything Changes
Recently, I had coffee with a friend I hadn’t seen in a while. Although we’ve drifted apart over the last few years, we still make time to connect. This time, I thought it was worth addressing our distance.
As we started to think about the history of our relationship, we agreed it wasn’t possible to simply go back. Our definition s of “fun” have changed. Our day-to-day lives now include our marriages and we don’t require the same things from our friends that we did 15 years ago. Our experiences and choices have changed who we are.
We cannot make our relationship what it was without undoing all the change that makes us who we are today. We cannot make our relationship what it was without acknowledging the choices that have defined our divergent paths. We cannot make our relationship great again. (We cannot make anything great again. I t was what it was, and will be something else.)
Rather than try and recreate some version of our past, we can just accept what WAS, happened.
That retreat you went on that changed your life?
That was great. And it’s not going to happen again, no matter how many reunions you plan.
6 summers of camp that shaped who you are?
That was great too. And you don’t have to work there or send your kids there or still wear that bracelet for that impact to be real.
That old relationship that brought meaning into your life but has since drifted?
It was amazing. And what it was doesn’t also have to dictate what it will be.
There’s a synchronicity that happens between people. Timing matters. Sometimes it’s there but not always. When it is–in that retreat, in that summer, in that relationship, meal, marriage, or even in that moment…
T ake advantage.
Let it happen.
Be in it.
And be grateful.
Because it’s not permanent. Nothing is.
“All of 2010” Photograph Montage by Erik So
II. Making Change
Humans are terrible at understanding time.
At Caveday, we teach that there are two ways of looking at time– chronos, which is the hours-minutes-seconds with which we’re used to measuring time.
Chronos is quantitative. The 45 excruciating minutes until the next rest stop on a road trip– can I hold it that long? The 12 more minutes I have in my workout, pushing my limit. The 3 hungry minutes I have to wait for my coworker’s lunch to heat up before I can use the office microwave. Counting. Every. Second.
And then there’s kairos, which is the experience of being IN time. Moments. Kairos is qualitative. It’s that moment of looking down at Golda in her crib first thing in the morning and she looks back at me and smiles. The time I spend each morning writing and clearing out my brain. Painting and playing music. A dinner party with my closest friends. I’m not looking at the clock. It doesn’t matter how long. I’m lost in time, experiencing without counting.
We understand the passage of time through kairos, not chronos.
Over long periods, we don’t measure time, we only experience time. It might feel like a little or a lot of time has passed. And that depends on the amount of change that happens. The more change, the more it time it feels has passed.
But this experience is not just something we experience passively. We can create change for ourselves in order to create distance.
After a breakup, it’s totally normal to cut or dye hair, start playing guitar, or hang out with new friends.
After a big career rejection, a lot of people will learn a new skill, take new headshots, or switch industries.
After a death, it’s common to clean out the house, rearrange furniture, or even move.
We create change to protect ourselves and feel like more time has passed.
It’s particularly relevant to think about when and where we want to actively create distance in our lives. Career transition. Post-breakup. Crisis of purpose. Sometimes we need distance a
nd we can create that feeling by creating change. The more we change, the more we’re distancing ourselves not only from a person or event, but also from our former self.
And transformation can only happen when we’re ready to distance ourselves that former version of ourselves.
Everything Is a Remix
III. Nothing Changes
Betty White has a career in television almost as long as the medium itself. Her first credit appears 80 years ago, in 1939. Her big break came on The Mary Tyler Moore, where she played the cheerful yet spicy homemaker Sue Ann Nivens. 10 years later, she played the naive and long-winded widow Rose Nylund in The Golden Girls. 20 years later, she’s Elka in Hot in Cleveland– an outspoken and caring octogenarian, who has been known to smell like Snoop Dogg.
Although she may be described differently over her career, each character is essentially the same. “Cheerful” at 35 might look like naive at 60 or easygoing pothead at 75. “Spicy” might mean sexually voracious at 35. Snarky at 60. And stubborn at 75. She’s not changing, but the context and the age makes a difference in how we perceive her .
You don’t have to be an actor to see the same pattern in our own l ives . We are born with a set personality that might be colored by our age or who we’re with. But largely, we’re the same people our entire lives.
I have always been sentimental. As a kid, it meant needing a souvenir of everything I did–ticket stubs and photo albums. As a teen, I started journaling. As a twenty-something, I would make lists and art projects out of my relationships. In my 30s it means documenting my life in more serious ways, including the Email Refrigerator : documenting and sharing my thoughts here.
Can you map the traits and personality you’ve had through your life?
How does your 8 year-old personality show up today?
How are you like your teenage self?
When we can acknowledge accept who we are, we can stop trying to do the Sisyphean work of changing ourselves, and just resolve to be ourselves.
IV. Never Change
Signing yearbooks in middle school and high school, it was such a common thing to write “never change.” I know it was always intended to be loving with the implied “you’re perfect the way you are.” But as an upholder and a pleaser, I would sometimes feel accountable to that. To actually, never change. As if that was even possible.
Instead, I’m going to sign off here with the opposite message.
CHANGE FOREVER!
“Change” is letting the world guide you, being influenced by people in your life, allowing learning to open and change your mind.
I hope you got something new from this visit to the refrigerator.
Change forever.
Jake | https://medium.com/email-refrigerator/change-1f15b6c9c679 | ['Jake Kahana'] | 2020-12-27 18:40:56.233000+00:00 | ['Self-awareness', 'Evolution', 'Change Management', 'Change', 'Chaos Monkey'] |
Native Android text sharing to Whatsapp contact in Unity | In the previous blogs, we learnt about how can we trigger native Android text, image or any other format file sharing in Unity App. A lot of you have asked me about how can we share some text directly to a WhatsApp contact.
If you have not read the previous medium posts, I would strongly recommend to read them first. You can read them on the links below.
This post was originally posted at https://agrawalsuneet.github.io/blogs/native-android-text-sharing-to-whatsapp-contact-in-unity/ and reposted on Medium on 3rd Dec 2020.
Whatsapp is something which doesn’t require any introduction. It’s a conversation app used by millions of users across the world. These million users make it unique for developers also to give special attention when it comes to sharing some message through Whatsapp.
During recent times, I was asked multiple times in the comments section or even emails, if there is any possible way where we can send the text message directly to a WhatsApp contact?
Please continue reading at https://agrawalsuneet.github.io/blogs/native-android-text-sharing-to-whatsapp-contact-in-unity/ | https://medium.com/@agrawalsuneet/native-android-text-sharing-to-whatsapp-contact-in-unity-1066bc08b7ca | ['Suneet Agrawal'] | 2020-12-03 12:16:17.934000+00:00 | ['Unity Game Development', 'Unity3d', 'Csharp', 'Unity', 'Android'] |
Ultimate Guide to Indoor and Dry Slope Skiing in the UK | Ultimate Guide to Indoor and Dry Slope Skiing in the UK Snozone UK Jun 7·3 min read
If you enjoy the slopes, then you have probably been to best indoor skiing resort. If you haven’t, then you’ve probably imagined one. What makes an indoor ski resort different from an outdoor one? .
Firstly, these are purpose-built locations. Secondly, they usually have different facilities, such as longer runs, snow cannons and super slopes. And, most importantly, they can be much cheaper to use, so you may choose to use them more often.
Dry slope skiing involves using your momentum to glide down a slope using a specially designed sled. The sled is pushed down the slope by hand and skis are attached to the front. The idea is that the sled is pushed at a constant speed, whereas you have to control the speed of your descent. This means your speed at the end of the run is the same as when you started.
Important things during Skiing:
> Types of Skis
There are a number of different types of ski. The most popular, for example, is the double-set, which includes two skis, bindings, and poles. Another type of ski is the telemarked. This is a flexible ski that is used when you are skiing off-piste or when you want to get some speed up. The telemark has a very short ski, therefore it is ideal for getting up to speed quickly. It is also a good choice if you are going to be using your skis in a small, confined area.
> Boots
When you are a serious winter sports fan, the last thing you want to do is take the risk of injuring yourself trying to find the best boots for skiing: not only will you be spending a lot of time on the couch, but you could also be losing money — not to mention the pain of a sprained ankle. So, how do you find the best ski boots for you? Let us tell you the things you need to know.
> Ski Suits
The ski suit trend is a bit different than most. The concept is the same as any other trends. You can pick up any number of articles on the Internet that will tell you how to get your best outdoor ski suit for your best outdoor ski day. But the reality is that for most of us, the best outdoor ski suit you can buy is the one you already have. The best outdoor ski suit is the one you already wear.
>Helmets
There have been many advances in skiing safety in recent years, especially when it comes to helmets. When you think of skiing, you probably don’t think of safety. Well, the truth is, skiing is one of the safest sports you can participate in, but accidents do still happen. So, to help protect your head and the people around you, we’ve put together a little guide to help you avoid having an accident while you’re skiing.
>Gloves
There are a lot of ways to go about getting your hands on some cold weather gear, but most of them involve a trip to the bigger sport shops like Sports Direct. Of course, you can also find plenty of gloves from independent retailers, but if you’re looking for some gloves that will keep your hands warmer all day long, then you may want to check out the gloves from Snozone. | https://medium.com/@snozoneuk/ultimate-guide-to-indoor-and-dry-slope-skiing-in-the-uk-25dd0fef40e7 | ['Snozone Uk'] | 2021-06-07 09:33:18.187000+00:00 | ['Snowboarding', 'Skiing Uk', 'Skiing', 'Family Fun', 'Snow'] |
A Quick and Simple Guide to TFRecord | A Quick and Simple Guide to TFRecord
In this post, you will learn the basics of TFRecord, benefits of using TFRecord. How to create a TFRecord file for an image dataset to train a deep learning model.
Photo by Anthony Martino on Unsplash
What is TFRecord?
TFRecord format stores structured data in a simple protocol buffer message format as a sequence of binary records for effiecient serialization
TFRecord uses tf.train.Example to create the protocol buffer(protobuf) message format that is represented by {“string”: value} where value is generated using tf.train.Feature.
Representation then is {“string”: tf.train.Feature}
tf.train.Feature accepts three different message type
tf.train.BytesList — used for images and strings tf.train.FloatList- used for float and double data tf.train.Int64List — used for interger values, booleans and enums
A simple example of the TFRecord using tf.train.Feature
feature
{
key: "label"
value
{
int64_list
{value: 1 }
}
}
What are the benefits of using TFRecord?
Reduced training time as the data is stored in the binary message format
as the data is stored in the binary message format Efficient memory usage as you need not load the entire dataset in the memory but only load a specified batch of records
as you need not load the entire dataset in the memory but only load a specified batch of records Allows easy experimentation as TFRecord files contain preprocessed data, so you can use them with different model architecture to figure the best model as part of the experimentation process
Create TFRecord file for an image dataset
To create a TFRecord file for an image dataset, follow the steps mentioned below
Convert Image data and target labels to bytes and int64 Transform the converted data to tf.train.feature message format Create a protobuf message using tf.train.Example Serialize protobuf message using serialize() function Use tf.io.TFRecordWriter to open the TFRecord file and start writing the serialized protobuf messages for the images and label after applying image preprocessing.
We will create TFRecord for a Dogs vs cats dataset
# Importing required libraries
import tensorflow as tf
config = tf.compat.v1.ConfigProto()
config.gpu_options.allow_growth = True
sess = tf.compat.v1.Session(config=config)
import numpy as np
import os
from PIL import Image
import random # Setup the train and test imgae directories
train_dir=r'\dogs-vs-cats\train_data'
test_dir=r'\dogs-vs-cats\validation_data' #Setting up Image dimension
IMG_HEIGHT=100
IMG_WIDTH=100 # setup train and test TFRecord file
train_tfrecord='train_data.tfrecords'
test_tfrecord = 'test_data.tfrecords' # Define the classes
classes=['cat', 'dog'] #List all train and test image path
train_image_path=[]
test_image_path=[]
for i in range(len(classes)):
for file in os.listdir(os.path.join(train_dir,classes[i])):
train_image_path.append(os.path.join(train_dir, classes[i],file)) for file in os.listdir(os.path.join(test_dir,classes[i])):
test_image_path.append( os.path.join(test_dir, classes[i],file) ) #Shuffle the image paths for better accuracy and precision
random.seed(0)
random.shuffle(train_image_path)
random.shuffle(test_image_path) # create train and test lables for shuffled image paths
test_labels=[]
train_labels=[]
for i in range(len(train_image_path)):
if os.path.basename(train_image_path[i])[:3]=='cat':
train_labels.append(0)
else:
train_labels.append(1)
for i in range(len(test_image_path)):
if os.path.basename(test_image_path[i])[:3]=='cat':
test_labels.append(0)
else:
test_labels.append(1)
Convert Image data and target labels to bytes and int64
Following function converts a data element value to a compatible type for tf.train.Example
def _bytes_feature(value):
"""Returns a bytes_list from a string / byte."""
if isinstance(value, type(tf.constant(0))):
value = value.numpy()
return tf.train.Feature(bytes_list=tf.train.BytesList(value=[value])) def _float_feature(value):
"""Returns a float_list from a float / double."""
return tf.train.Feature(float_list=tf.train.FloatList(value=[value])) def _int64_feature(value):
"""Returns an int64_list from a bool / enum / int / uint."""
return tf.train.Feature(int64_list=tf.train.Int64List(value=[value]))
Store all features, images, and target labels in the tf.train.Example protobuf message, serialize the message and return it as a string
def serialize_example(image, label):
## Create a dictionary with features for images and their target labels
feature = {
'image': _bytes_feature(image),
'label': _int64_feature(label),
}
# Create a Features message using tf.train.Example.
example_proto = tf.train.Example(features=tf.train.Features(feature=feature))
#serializes the message and returns it as a string. Note that the bytes are binary
return example_proto.SerializeToString()
Apply the image preprocessing, write the serialized protobuf message to the TFRecord file
def write_TFRecord(image_path, label):
img=tf.keras.preprocessing.image.load_img(image_path, target_size=(IMG_HEIGHT, IMG_WIDTH))
img_array= tf.keras.preprocessing.image.img_to_array(img)
img_bytes= tf.io.serialize_tensor(img_array)
example= serialize_example(img_bytes, label)
return example #Write Train TFRecord file
with tf.io.TFRecordWriter(train_tfrecord) as writer:
for image_path, label in zip(train_image_path, train_labels):
writer.write(write_TFRecord(image_path, int(label))) #Write Test TFRecord file
with tf.io.TFRecordWriter(test_tfrecord) as writer:
for image_path, label in zip(test_image_path, test_labels):
writer.write(write_TFRecord(image_path, int(label)))
Train the deep learning model
Create the train and test dataset by iterating over all the records in the TFRecord files.
Initialize TFRecordDataset for the TFRecord file
#Initilizaing the TFRecordDataset for train and test TFRecord file
train_tfrecord_dataset=tf.data.TFRecordDataset(train_tfrecord)
test_tfrecord_dataset=tf.data.TFRecordDataset(test_tfrecord)
Create the feature dictionary describing the features. This should match with the feature names used while writing the data to the TFRecord file.
Extract the dictionary object using parse_single_example for each of the data records.
for each of the data records. Parse the image feature to a tensor and reshape based on the model input
def read_tfrecord(serialized_example):
feature_description={
'image': tf.io.FixedLenFeature((), tf.string),
'label':tf.io.FixedLenFeature((), tf.int64)
}
example= tf.io.parse_single_example(serialized_example, feature_description)
image=tf.io.parse_tensor(example['image'], out_type=float)
image = tf.reshape(image, [IMG_HEIGHT, IMG_WIDTH,3])
return image, example['label']
Extract the various features present in the TFRecord
train_dataset=train_tfrecord_dataset.map(read_tfrecord)
test_dataset=test_tfrecord_dataset.map(read_tfrecord)
Create the input pipeline
Prefetch, shuffle create a batch of records from the training dataset but skip shuffling for the test dataset.
train_dataset = train_dataset.prefetch(tf.data.experimental.AUTOTUNE)
train_dataset = train_dataset.shuffle(True)
train_dataset = train_dataset.batch(10) test_dataset = test_dataset.prefetch(tf.data.experimental.AUTOTUNE)test_dataset = test_dataset.batch(10)
Using a transfer learned deep learning model
def make_model():
base_model = tf.keras.applications.Xception(
input_shape=(IMG_WIDTH, IMG_HEIGHT, 3), include_top=False, weights=”imagenet”
) base_model.trainable = False inputs = tf.keras.layers.Input([IMG_WIDTH, IMG_HEIGHT, 3])
x = tf.keras.applications.xception.preprocess_input(inputs)
x = base_model(x)
x = tf.keras.layers.GlobalAveragePooling2D()(x)
x = tf.keras.layers.Dense(8, activation=”relu”)(x)
x = tf.keras.layers.Dropout(0.7)(x)
outputs = tf.keras.layers.Dense(1, activation=”sigmoid”)(x) model = tf.keras.Model(inputs=inputs, outputs=outputs) model.compile(
optimizer=tf.keras.optimizers.Adam(learning_rate=lr_schedule),
loss=”binary_crossentropy”,
metrics=tf.keras.metrics.AUC(name=”auc”),
) return model lr_schedule = tf.keras.optimizers.schedules.ExponentialDecay(
0.001, decay_steps=20, decay_rate=0.96, staircase=True
) checkpoint_cb = tf.keras.callbacks.ModelCheckpoint(
"model_cat_n_dog.h5", save_best_only=True
)
model=make_model() # Train the model on data extrcated from TFRecord file
history = model.fit(
train_dataset,
epochs=20,
validation_data=test_dataset,
callbacks=[checkpoint_cb]
)
with 20 epochs, we get a validation accuracy of 96.95%
Conclusion
TFRecord stores structured data in a simple protobuf file as a sequence of binary records for efficient serialization, which increases the performance while training a deep learning model. It also loads only the batched number of records in the memory and allows for quick experimentation to deliver a model with high accuracy and precision
References
https://www.tensorflow.org/tutorials/load_data/tfrecord#read_the_tfrecord_file | https://ai.plainenglish.io/a-quick-and-simple-guide-to-tfrecord-c421337a6562 | ['Renu Khandelwal'] | 2020-12-21 16:35:36.523000+00:00 | ['Image Processing', 'Tfrecord', 'Tensorflow2', 'Protobuf', 'Deep Learning'] |
What you need before you open your own practice | We interviewed Matthew Christie, Provide regional director of finance, to gain an understanding of what providers should consider before they open a practice and how to get over their fear of failure.
With over 20 years of specialized experience, Provide Regional Director of Practice Finance Matthew Christie sheds light on what it takes to become a successful practice owner, how to reduce risk and how to eliminate the fear of failure many aspiring business owners experience.
What is your experience in the practice finance industry?
I have been in small business lending for over 20 years and have specialized in lending to dentists, veterinarians and medical doctors. Throughout my career, I have funded approximately 1,000 loans to healthcare professionals to help them get into private practice. I am currently Provide’s local representative in Southern California, where I assist dentists looking to obtain a loan to purchase their own office.
What should providers consider when evaluating whether now is the right time to purchase a practice?
Once providers are confident in their clinical skills, have a good handle on their personal finances and have gained real-world experience, they should explore the idea of practice ownership. Learning how much production they can generate per day will give them a better understanding of the size of the practice they should look for; understanding their personal monthly expenses will give them a good idea of the profitability required in the practice that they acquire; and working as associates in different offices will give the providers a solid idea of the type of practice they want to acquire.
In your experience, what’s the most common reason providers are reluctant to make the transition from being associates to becoming practice owners, and how do you respond?
Sadly, I feel the number one reason providers hesitate to become owners is the fear of not being successful. Proper planning and having a strong team in place mitigate that risk. Today’s providers have access to volumes of information that can better prepare them for ownership than any previous generation, and doing some homework, along with gaining a better understanding of the business side of dentistry, will be the best way to inoculate this fear.
If you could give associates one reason to become practice owners in today’s market, what would it be?
Although a bigger paycheck is nice, I feel the best reason for providers to become owners of a practice is the autonomy that ownership brings. Ownership can be a much more fulfilling career, since owners have the ability to lead and mentor their own team, control their hours of operation, and choose their equipment, lab and materials.
In your own words, when acquiring their own practice, what can providers expect when they work with Provide rather than our competitors?
The biggest difference between us and other banks is our dedication to the healthcare industry. Everything — from our incredible technology to the people we hire, in addition to our flexible loan options — has been put in place to make the loan process easier for the providers we serve.
Feeling inspired? If you’re ready to chase your practice ownership dreams — and a more fulfilling career — pre-qualify, browse current listings and learn more about how we can help you at getprovide.com, or call us at 877–341–0617. | https://medium.com/@getprovide/what-you-need-before-you-open-your-own-practice-3c241c9461a2 | [] | 2021-11-23 12:02:43.019000+00:00 | ['Finance And Banking', 'Dentistry', 'Veterinary', 'Fintech'] |
Am I Just “A Man In A Dress?” | Am I Just “A Man In A Dress?”
Photo by Quino Al on Unsplash
In one of the transgender support groups on Facebook that I’m active in, I read a post this morning that began, “…[there are] thoughts in my head that tell me I’m just a man playing dress up, and it’s starting to make me doubt myself.”
I made this response:
Please don’t doubt yourself. I have these same thoughts at least once a week. I transitioned at age 59, and for 28 years of my adult life, I was the husband in a very conventional marriage, to a woman that I deeply loved. How could I NOT be having thoughts like this?
Ask yourself this question:
“Why am I driven to cross-dress in the first place, in light of the fact that our society ruthlessly hammers ‘masculine’ gender expectations into AMAB (assigned male at birth) boy children?”
I will submit to you that if the answer to that question is something like: “I knew I was a girl inside when I was a kid,” or, “Something inside me feels a sense of relief when I dress up”, or, “I hate myself when I look in a mirror in male mode, but not so much when I dress and do my makeup,” and, “I see a different, happier person in the mirror,” then you are almost certainly, and legitimately, transgender, and not “just a man playing dress-up.”
Photo (selfie) by author. © 2020 Laura-Ann M. Charlot
When I look in the mirror now, who do I see there? My hair is longer, the top I’m wearing is from Woman Within, and my eyeglass frames are of a style marketed as “women’s” eyeglasses, and I wear earrings now, but this selfie, shot 9/3/2020 (the day after I wrote most of this blog) doesn’t show a face that looks all that different from the face I wore in 2015, the year before I transitioned. But my perception of the soul under the face in the mirror is that of a trans woman who is infinitely happier than she was 5 years ago.
Just because you probably didn’t ever tell anyone about these feelings until recently, doesn’t mean that they aren’t your truth. I don’t believe that gender identity is absolutely binary, in at least 1/4 of the population. And not all trans people are strongly transgender, meaning that they were aware from infancy of being the “other” gender, or that they were “insistent, consistent, and persistent” in communicating their gender dysphoria to their parents. I certainly wasn’t — in fact, I never dared tell anyone that I had gender issues until I was 59 years old, and my parents were both long deceased.
My gender identity issues were severe in my childhood, then for 28 years while I was married to my wife Lynn, they went into remission, only to resurface after she died in 2013, much worse than they had been before.
“I don’t want to lose sight of that past: I loved my wife, and I don’t want to forget that I was her husband.”
Eventually, by the autumn of 2015, I got so torn apart by gender dysphoria that I thought I was losing my sanity, then in January 2016 I joined a trans support group, was referred to a gender therapist in March 2016, and transitioned in June 2016.
But who I am is the sum total of my life experiences: 59 years lived as “Larry,” and only the last four as “Laura-Ann.”
I don’t want to lose sight of that past: I loved my wife, and I don’t want to forget that I was her husband. I tried to be as good a life-partner as I could be for her, and I have done the best I can to move on and find peace and happiness in the years — now, almost seven of them — since she died. That was no less honorable than the life I am leading now, trying to be a good life-partner and girlfriend to my sweetie Pauline.
Left image: Author (pre-transition) and wife Lynn in 1987. Right image: Author and life-partner Pauline in 2019. Photos by author.
So, be at peace with yourself. There is a process we all go through following transition, that some therapists call integration. It consists of finding a space you can live in as yourself —*Corinne — and not be tormented by your past.
*denotes fictional name, assigned at random to preserve the privacy of a real person.
We were forced by our society to live as boys, as if our assigned-at-birth gender were the only possible truth to our existence. It was not through any fault on your part, or mine, that we were hiding the truth of who we really were for all those years, and it’s not your fault that you were born trans in the first place. This isn’t a “lifestyle choice” (God, I hate that phrase!), it’s just who you are.
Only you can suss out the whole truth of this “just who am I?” question that a lot of trans people ask themselves, and you should be neither distressed by, nor ashamed of, any surprises you might find on a deep exploration into yourself. A therapist can help direct your search, but only you can recognize the truth inside your mind. You are feeling for it with a blindfold over your eyes, searching for something that you have never seen clearly, and of which you only have the vaguest notion of what it “feels like.”
Discovering Corrine is a totally new experience — you are exploring terra incognita when you first try and figure out what “being transgender” actually looks and feels like.
Remember: gender isn’t binary, and especially not for transgender people. If your gender identity as a woman isn’t pegged all the way over to the extreme “FEMALE” side of the gender-identity spectrum, that’s nothing to be ashamed of or fearful about.
Be yourself, and be whole. If you decide something like, “85% of me is Corrine, and the other 15% was, and can continue to be *Charles,” that’s perfectly okay. Let Charles be the part of you that knows how to do all the “stereotypically male” stuff, like, a brake job on the family car, teaching your son what he will need to know, and how to grow up to be an honorable man himself.
If the life behind you was lived honorably, and you tried to be a good human being, despite your gender dysphoria, then you should own that life and not deny it. Own it just as joyfully as the life you are moving into as a trans woman named Corinne.
Two lives, two names, two genders, but just one human being. | https://medium.com/gender-from-the-trenches/am-i-just-a-man-in-a-dress-1e86e5231e1b | ['Laura-Ann Marie Charlot'] | 2020-09-04 23:29:36.601000+00:00 | ['LGBTQ', 'Gender Identity', 'Culture', 'Transgender', 'Self'] |
A Practical Approach to Supervised Learning | Machine Learning is the art of teaching machines to make decisions from the data. There are multiple algorithms that help computers to analyze data and get valuable insight, and thus assisting it to make the decision on new data sets that it hasn’t seen before. Most of these algorithms fall into one of these three categories:
Supervised Learning: Algorithms that learn from labeled data, and do predictions on data never seen before. Unsupervised Learning: Algorithms that tries to find patterns and similarity in the unlabeled data so that it can be clustered accordingly. Reinforcement Learning: Algorithms that are allowed to interact with an environment and their performance is optimized by a system of reward and punishment.
In this article, we will be focussing on the Supervised Learning (SL) method. As stated earlier, SL uses labeled data and gives its predictions on unlabeled data. A labeled data is one which has been categorized in one or more category or has been given a particular value. For e.g., there is data of all the students of different schools taking part in an interschool competition, then, in this case, the school name could be used as a label to categorize the students. In another case, if there are multiple houses with different areas and they cost according to their areas, then the cost could be used as a label in this case. Although in both the instances the data was labeled, they were quite different in their label type. In the first example, the number of labels was discrete, whereas, in the second one, the label was some decimal values and thus continuous in nature. The SL is further categorized on this basis:
Classification: The value to be predicted is categorical and discrete. Regression: The value to be predicted is continuous in nature.
Classification
There are many cases when you would be using classification methods to make a prediction on the categorical data. Various examples include categorizing emails as spam or not spam, whether the cancer is malignant or benign, assigning plants or animals into a kingdom and species, etc. There are many different algorithms used in classification problems. Some of them are:
Logistic Regression Support Vector Machine (SVM) k-Nearest Neighbors (k-NN) Decision Tree
Here, I would only be demonstrating k-NN but would be writing about the others in the upcoming blogs. Also, I would be using the scikit-learn Iris dataset (Fisher, UC Irvine) that contains three classes with fifty instances each.
k-Nearest Neighbors Classifier
It is one of the simplest and super easy to learn classification algorithm. The main idea behind a k-NN algorithm is that the elements that are close to each other would belong to the same category. It may or may not be true for all the data points. It predicts the label of a data point by looking at the ‘k’ closest labeled data points. The unlabeled data point will be classified into that category which is a majority among the ‘k’ closest data points:
k-NN Classification for k = 3 and k = 5
In the diagram presented above, you can see that the predictions made by the k-NN classifier for two different values of ‘k’. In both cases, the classifier made different predictions. This might cause a stir in your mind about the value of ‘k’, but don’t worry I will talk about it later. Now since you have clear intuition about this algorithm, let’s implement on the Iris dataset and see how it works.
First, let me give you some insight into the Iris dataset. It is a very simple dataset that contains flower data. It contains four features namely petal length, petal width, sepal length, and sepal width. It also contains the target variable which are the flower categories namely Versicolor, Virginica, and Setosa. Each of these three labels has fifty instances each.
First and foremost, it is a good practice to import all the libraries you may need later.
from sklearn import datasets #importing datasets from sklearn
import pandas as pd #importing pandas with an alias pd
import numpy as np #importing numpy with an alias np
import matplotlib #impoting matplotlib
import matplotlib.pyplot as plt #importing pyplot with an alias plt
Notice that I imported the datasets module from sklearn . That would help in loading the Iris dataset. Now, it would be a good idea to do am exploratory data analysis on the given data. In order to do so, you will have to first load the Iris dataset and assign it to some variable, iris in this case:
iris = datasets.load_iris()
This data is in the form of a Bunch , which you can check using type(iris) . Bunch is similar to the dictionary as it also contains key-value pairs. Let’s check the keys of this dataset, which can be done using print(iris.keys()) , and it outputs dict_keys([‘data’, ‘target’, ‘target_names’, ‘DESCR’, ‘feature_names’, ‘filename’]) . The data contains the data for all the features namely petal length, petal width, sepal length, and sepal width, target contains the value of the target in numeric form (i.e., 0 for Setosa, 1 for Versicolor and 2 for Virginica) , target_names contain the name of the target variable (i.e., Setosa, Versicolor, Virginica), DESCR contains the description of this dataset about its contributor, statistics and many more, feature_names contain the name of the features (i.e., sepal length (cm), sepal width (cm), petal length (cm), petal width (cm)) and finally, filename contains the location of the file where it has been loaded.
Lets extract the data and target from iris by assigning it to some variable X and Y respectively.
X = iris['data']
Y = iris['target']
To perform further operations on the data, you should convert the data into a pandas dataframe and assign it to some variable say df using :
df = pd.DataFrame(X, columns = iris.feature_names) .
Doing a visual exploratory data analysis of Iris dataset using pd.plotting.scatter_matrix(df, c = Y, figsize = [15, 10],s=150) will give an output:
As you can see, the diagonal consist of histograms of the features corresponding to the row and the columns, and the non-diagonal plots are the scatter plots of the column features and the row features colored by their target variable. It is quite obvious to see a correlation between the value of the features and the target variables. Let’s plot a scatter plot of the petal length and the petal width individually and see this correlation clearly. It can be plotted using
plt.scatter(df[‘petal length (cm)’], df[‘petal width (cm)’], c = Y) :
Here the correlation gets even clear. The violet plot corresponds to Setosa, the blue plot corresponds to Versicolor and the yellow plot corresponds to the Virginica.
Before training a model on our dataset, it is very important to split it into a training set, validation set, and test set. Here, I will be splitting my data in a training set (70% of the data) and the test set (30% of the data). Scikit-learn helps us to do this very easily using its train_test_split module. To do so, you will have to first import it from sklearn.model_selection using from sklean.model_selection import train_test_split . It returns four arrays: the training data, the test data, the training labels, and the test labels. We unpack these in four variables, X_train, X_test, y_train, y_test in this case:
from sklean.model_selection import train_test_split
X_train, X_test, Y_train, Y_test = train_test_split(X, Y,
test_size = 0.3, random_state = 21,stratify = Y)
The test_size argument decides the percentage of data to be assigned for the test set, random_state sets seed for a random number generators that splits the data in train and test (setting the same seed every time will produce the same split), startify is set to the array containing the labels so that the labels are distributed in the train and test set as they are in the original dataset.
Finally, it’s time to implement the classifier, but first, we need to import it using from sklearn.neighbors import KNeighborsClassifier and then instantiate the classifier by setting the number of neighbors using knn = kNeighborsClassifier(n_neighbors = 6) . Here, I started with the number of neighbors equal to 6 and assigned it to a variable knn . To train the model, scikit-learn provides fit() method as we are to trying to fit the data to our classifier, and then to make a prediction on a new unlabeled data, it provides predict() method. We train the model on our training set produced using the train_test_split , and later will do the prediction on the test set.
from sklearn.neighbors import KNeighborsClassifier
knn = kNeighborsClassifier(n_neighbors = 6)
knn.fit(X_train, Y_train) #training on the X_train, Y_train
knn.predict(X_test) #testing on the X_test
This will output an array of the predicted label for the test set:
array([2, 1, 2, 2, 1, 0, 1, 0, 0, 1, 0, 2, 0, 2, 2, 0, 0, 0, 1, 0, 2, 2,2, 0, 1, 1, 1, 0, 0, 1, 2, 2, 0, 0, 1, 2, 2, 1, 1, 2, 1, 1, 0, 2,1])
To check the accuracy of our model we use score() method of k-NN on our test data and label, knn.score(X_test, Y_test) which gives 0.955555555556 . This is not a bad result for such a simple model.
The value of ‘k’ is a big deal in this classifier. The smaller value of ‘k’ means the model is very complex and can lead to overfitting (the model tries to fit all the points in the correct category), whereas, the larger value of ‘k’ means the model is less complex and has smoother decision boundary which may lead to underfitting (the model doesn’t fit most of the obvious points). There is a better value of ‘k’ which is neither big nor very small which doesn’t lead to overfitting or underfitting.
Regression
Regression is used when the target variable is a continuous value. A continuous value is one which is an integer, floating-point, etc. There are many examples of a regression problem including predicting house prices, predicting the stock values, etc. Since the value is continuous in the regression problem, its accuracy can not be evaluated. Thus it is evaluated by the value of a cost function which could be either Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) or Cross-Entropy Function or any other.
To demonstrate the regression I will be doing analysis on the Boston Housing dataset of Kaggle which can be downloaded from here. Scikit-learn also provides this dataset and can be used in a similar manner as we used the Iris dataset. I would be using it by downloading from Kaggle. If you want to see how it is loaded using the in-built scikit-learn dataset, you can do so here.
Now, after you have downloaded the dataset, you need to import Pandas and Numpy in your jupyter file. To load the data you can use pd.read_csv() and pass in the file (in the form of a string) as an argument:
import pandas as pd #importing pandas with an alias pd
import numpy as np #importing numpy with an alias np df = pd.read_csv('Boston.csv')
You can further check the data by using the head() method. It would by default show you the first five rows, but you can pass in the number of rows as an argument and can view as many records. It has 15 columns out of which the first column is for indexing, the next 13 columns are the features of the datasets, and the last column (i.e., medv) is the target variable which is the median value of the owner occupied home in thousands of dollars. If you wonder how do I know this, I simply checked the documentation of the dataset and you can do the same. As you can see the data loaded using pandas is combined of the feature and the target variables, but scikit-learn needs them in separate arrays. We can do so by splitting our dataset by dropping the medv column and using it as a target:
X = df.drop('medv', axis = 1).values #dropping the medv column
Y = df['medv'].values #using medv as target
We used the values attribute as it returns the NumPy array for us to use.
Linear Regression
Now it's the time to select our regression model that would help in predicting values for the unlabeled data. I would be choosing a very simple model called the Linear Regression (LR). LR defines an optimal line that could fit in all the give data and it assumes that all the data which it would accounter, later on, would also follow the same pattern. In one dimension (i.e., a dataset which has only one feature)it is a simple line with parameters a and b:
y = ax + b
Here, y is the target variable, x is the feature of the dataset, and a,b are the parameters that are to be learned. The best way to learn a,b is by defining a loss function and then minimizing it to get an optimal value of the parameters. Well, how to formulate a loss function over here? As you know, linear regression tries to fit the data on a line, but in the real case scenario, all the data may not fit on the line. The best that can be done is to minimize the vertical distance between the line and the data points. Bingo! Here lies the formula for our cost function. Don’t get confused by the term ‘cost’ as the loss function is also called the cost function or the error function. Now, this vertical distance is also known as ‘residual’. We can try to minimize the sum of the residual, but that may lead to cancellation of lot of positive residual with the negative ones, as you can see below:
To avoid that we minimize the sum of the squares of the residuals. This would be a perfect loss function and it is commonly known as Ordinary Least Squares (OLS). Scikit-learn performs this operation when we apply its Linear Regression model and try to fit our data to it.
This was the case when our data has one feature i.e., one-dimension data. For data with higher dimension, scikit-learn try to fit the data on this linear equation:
Linear Regression will have to learn about n+1 parameters.
Now that you know the logic behind the LR model let’s try to implement it on our Boston dataset. First, we will split our data in a training set and the test set using the train_test_split module of Scikit-learn as we did earlier in our classification example:
from sklearn.model_selection import train_test_split
X_train, X_test, Y_train, Y_test = train_test_split(X, Y,
test_size = 0.3, random_state = 21)
Then, we need to import the Linear Regression model from Scikit-learn using from sklearn.linear_model import LinearRegression and then instantiate it. Now, you can apply the fit() method on the training set and do the prediction on the test set using predict() method:
from sklearn.linear_model import LinearRegression
reg = LinearRegression()
reg.fit(X_train, Y_train)
pred = reg.predict(X_test)
Unlike classification, we cannot use accuracy to evaluate the regression model. In the case of a linear regression model, the performance is evaluated using R² , which is the evaluation of the amount of variance in the target variable that is predicted from the feature variable. To calculate R², we apply the score method and pass the arguments X_test and Y_test, reg.score(X_test, Y_test) .
Until now, I have been splitting the data in training set and the test set. But to make the model do an enhanced evaluation on a new dataset, we can use the technique called Cross-Validation (CV). Suppose we want to do n-fold cross-validation, we would split our data in n equal folds. Then, we will hold our first fold, fit our model on the remaining n-1, predict on the test set and compute the metric of interest. Next, we hold on our second set, fit on the remaining data, and compute the metric of interest. We continue to do so for all the n-folds.
We get n values of the metric of our interest (R² in our case). We can take the average of all of them or we can calculate other statistics such as mean, median, etc. However, a point should be noted that more is the number of the folds, more computationally expensive will be our model, as we are training and testing that many numbers of times. To implement LR with CV:
from sklearn.model_selection import cross_val_score
from sklearn.linear_model import LinearRegression
reg = LinearRegression()
cv = cross_val_score(reg, X, Y, cv = 5) #5-fold cross validation
print(cv)
It will output the R² value computed for all the five folds in the form of an array:
[ 0.57280576 0.72459569 0.59122862 0.08126754 -0.20963498]
Note that I used this linear regression only for the demonstration purpose and it is never used like this. What we generally use is a regularised linear regression model.
You can check the code for the classification model over here and the regression model over here.
I hope this tutorial helped you get started with Machine Learning. You should have a better idea about Classification and Regression Supervised Learning methods. I would be continuing this series and would be writing about Unsupervised learning in my upcoming blog. | https://towardsdatascience.com/a-practical-approach-to-supervised-learning-63a9e9075b17 | ['Shubhanker Singh'] | 2020-02-08 19:31:46.987000+00:00 | ['Machine Learning', 'Python', 'Supervised Learning', 'Classification', 'Data Science'] |
Main Challenges Lawyers Have with Time Tracking | Photo by Gabrielle Henderson
For lawyers, it’s difficult to measure the hours invested in their work. Meetings, research, and hours of argument development are ongoing. There is constant contact with your clients, who you advise through their legal process. This can include constant phone calls or emails that may be brief, but take time out of your workday.
Lawyers are also always on the move. You’re not commonly glued to your desk 8 hours daily, 5 days a week. The commuting between the office and courtroom, or to meeting places with your clients, is hard to track at the end of a workweek. This is why the commuting and work completed away from the desk is often overlooked when attorneys try to track time to help you bill their clients.
Beyond tracking hours to be billed to clients, lawyers need a proper method to understand the length of time that various cases can take. That way, you can set realistic scheduling for similar cases in the future and stay on top of necessary deadlines. With the many court dates, client meetings, phone calls, and research hours, you need a structured breakdown of tasks to help stay grounded and not lose focus amidst all of your work.
The Negative Impact of Losing Track of Time
The challenge of lawyer time tracking is that it’s hard to combine all of the daily tasks, and in the end, this could leave all parties involved slighted. This could manifest as the lawyer who is undercharging and burning out from working overtime and not receiving proper financial compensation, or the client who is receiving help from a disorganized attorney.
1. Underbilling clients
When onboarding a client, you embody the role of advisor and defender of their rights. Most cases have some unique element, which is why you, the advocate, need to take time to learn about your client, and the legal incident involved. One sit-down meeting is easy for tracking the time elapsed with your client as you gain the information you need from them and offer your guidance to assist them through the process.
However, the consultation process is not usually finished with one simple meeting. It involves quick calls every so often about any questions on either side that need clarification or corresponding emails sharing information back-and-forth. During a case or when assisting a client, you need to be available to them whenever they need assistance or legal advice.
This could be costing you a lot of time and work that is not being compensated financially without lawyer time tracking. One client’s brief question to you may have seemed effortless to answer. However, you have just offered valuable legal advice that deserves to be charged for.
2. Overbilling clients
The other problem with losing track of your scheduling and services is that you could generalize them with blanket charges that are far over the original quoting for your client. If you round up when considering your commutes or your phone call lengths, the total of the billing may extend far beyond the time you’ve actually committed to your client. You may get confused when looking back on your work week, which could cause charging for time spent on another case.
This could leave your overcharged client feeling taken advantage of when seeking your advocacy services, which will impact your continued business rates. While it’s great to charge a large bill and receive payment from a client, it’s more beneficial to charge fairly so they will continue seeking your services for their future legal issues.
Lawyer Time Tracking Strategies and Their Flaws
These are some of the methods being implemented in the law field for advocates to track their time. However, are they really that helpful?
1. Calendar scheduling
When the whirlwind of a week is nearing its end, how can you recall all of the hours of work, and to what cases they were invested? When reviewing your calendar, you can trace back your meetings with your clients, court dates and timing and other regular calendar items. So long as it’s in the calendar, you can add the sum to be billed to your clients. This would not include the phone calls, emails and movement to/from your meeting locations.
2. Reviewing correspondence
By looking back on your past emails with clients and the chain, you can judge the general timing that it took out of your day. When it comes to phone calls, you may review your past conversations to find specific times to add to the billing. This focused method of tracking can be helpful, yet it leaves other efforts overlooked.
3. The lawyer stopwatch
This is a lawyer time tracking strategy that you can click to start and end over the course of email writing while conducting online research, creating documents and developing arguments. It’s a great aid for you when needing to find concrete timing for fairly charging your clients. Yet, it overlooks any offline work being conducted, like in-person meetings, days in the courts and more.
Make Use of Smart Time Tracking Software
While some of the above solutions can be combined to develop a general idea of your timing, it’s best to rely on software that will make it easier for you to track everything. Using a platform like actiTIME, your timesheet is ready for you at all times. It’s easy to use, and you can quickly access it to plug every email, call, meeting, research session and more. If you’re away from the desk and in court, you can start your timer so that every minute is being recorded to be invoiced in the future.
As an advocate, your time is valuable. actiTIME recognizes this and will be your best timing and billing assistant. Every moment you commit to your clients does not go overlooked, and they will receive invoices that are fair and not overcharged. It’s the right step to helping you build positive, mutually beneficial relationships with your client, so they’ll want to keep seeking your services in the future.
Originally published at actitime.com | https://medium.com/@actitime/main-challenges-lawyers-have-with-time-tracking-2c9bd76bac70 | [] | 2020-12-23 16:56:53.509000+00:00 | ['Time Tracking', 'Lawyers', 'Time Management Tools', 'Time Management Tips', 'Time Management'] |
10 Hot High Paying Affiliate Marketing Programs In Nigeria | Affiliate marketing is a business model where one receives a certain commission for achieving a set business objective around a product or service.
All things being equal, the average affiliate marketing commission rate varies from 5% to 50% depending on a variety of factors.
Also, included in this article are CPA (Cost Per Action) networks, pay per click affiliate marketing programs in Nigeria. Etc. The interesting thing about CPA is that you don’t necessarily need to make sales with CPA network before you earn, unlike affiliate marketing.
It will definitely interest you to know that you can refer people to sign up with their email address and get a certain commission for that. But the default marketing will always require you to make a sale before you get paid.
Perhaps with affiliate marketing, you could make up to a million naira in a month and of course, there’s always room to make even more millions per month. You might have been ignorant about this for too long, but here is a great opportunity to start a profitable business in Nigeria. Knowledge is power, right? We hope you’ll use the knowledge and top digital marketing skill you are about to acquire.
So, let’s get down to it.
Hot Affiliate Marketing Programs in Nigeria
Before we get started with the high commission affiliate marketing programs in Nigeria, It’ll be quite important to let you know that there are various kinds of affiliate programs such as pay per click, pay per call, pay per impression etc. However, it all depends on the niche you choose and the kind of affiliate marketing program you register with.
Remember that your drive could be anything, it could simply be because you love the niche you want to promote or also because you just want to make money from it. However, do not choose a niche you don’t have passion for because you might not give in your very best. As far as have the passion and right information, you’re good to go!
Originally published at https://primegatedigital.com/affiliate-marketing-programs-in-nigeria/ on December 21, 2020. | https://medium.com/@harrisonacha/10-hot-high-paying-affiliate-marketing-programs-in-nigeria-992c8937085 | ['Harrison Acha'] | 2020-12-21 20:12:47.193000+00:00 | ['Nigerian Businesses', 'Online Business', 'Affiliate Marketing'] |
Rise of Self-Service - Templatizing cloud operations using AWS Service Catalog | Enabling Accelerated Deployments with Self-Service(AWS Service Catalogue)
Most organizations nowadays are looking for a solution that would be much more quick, easy to deploy, organize and govern resources with all organization standards. Self Service enables your end-users to perform any actions on your templatized products without needing to grant users full access to AWS services.
Img credit — https://www.freepik.com/
However, AWS already has CloudFormation for automated cloud deployments. Also with just a little bit of research, you can find tons of tools on the market like Terraform, Jenkins, Ansible, etc to automate everything. Then why do you need an AWS Service Catalog?
Let’s explore it from a business point of view. You are a stakeholder and maintaining the Infra-sec part. A dev needs an EC2 instance to run his new module. You want to have an automated process that will solve the following requirements.
Support of DevOps implementation — auto-provisioning of infrastructures like storage like EC2, storage, and RDS.
Removing manual processes to avoid configuration errors.
Procure resources based on organization standards.
Reduce the time and effort of the Ops team to procure resources.
Procure resources and log tickets on deployment.
If we use the traditional tools and services, then the flow will look something like this.
This is also automated deployment, but, there is still room for improvement in some places to improve the process and reduce the time.
Create the request. Once the business user raises the ticket for the new instance, it goes to his manager’s approval. After the manual approval, the ticket will go to the Ops team and they will route it to the DevOps team for the deployment of the instance. If some necessary information is required like subnet details or routing details, they need to collect those details in the ticket log. Most people will do this in a manual way. Or DevOps teams need to prepare the code(cloud formation/terraform) for the instance provision(If not templated) and push it to the repo. Then the deployment will begin through either Jenkins/CodeBuild/ CodePipeline or any CD tool. Provision of the resources and tagging needs to be done(maybe in step 5, can take this too) AWS cloud-config will be scanning the resource and sending the alerts if something is fishy, then again the DevOps or security team needs to fix it. A security team will involve and validate it.
While reading the whole process you might judge the time taken for each step. From the tech side, automation needs some time. But can we reduce the time from the process perspective and the time lost due to over communication? Ok, now let’s see how a self-service process can solve this.
AWS Service Catalog in a nutshell:
AWS service catalog is a centralized place to provision and manage a catalog of resources that are approved in AWS services. A tight integration with any ITSM tools like Jira will be a plus and it is completely powered by CloudFormation.
The DevOps team will gather requirements and understand current problems of operations team-based and design a boutique solution. Based on the proposed solution, the DevOps team develops IAAC code (CloudFormation or Terraform) and pushes it to Code Commit. The IAAC template will be pushed to a sandbox environment where the cloud operations team will test the products. The Cloud Ops team will test the product with real-world scenarios and report back to the DevOps team if there are any gaps or security concerns. Template receives a green flag If all the Cloud ops team’s requirements are met and the product adheres to security and compliance in the Service Catalog. Based on needs Business users will launch the products in the service catalogs using native UI/Jira/Servicenow. Launch Products will invoke IAAC and procure a tailored resource to business users with all the tagging in place. Track any changes in the existing environment. The drift in the environment will be captured by AWS config and Notified to the operations team if any anomalies are detected using CloudWatch alerts. All the event details will be logged in CloudTrail.
What it solves here:
In the ticketing portal itself, we can collect all the necessary values.
Templates are already configured and infra/DevSecOps already reviewed it.
So just one approval will launch the stack that is requested by the business user.
And all other components like Tagging, logging, Audit, and everything is part of this implementation.
We’ll see a live demo in the upcoming blog series on how we achieved this with Jira integration.
Value brought by Service Catalog:
Ensure to adhere to organization compliance with corporate standards
Business users can quickly find and deploy approved IT services
Centrally manage IT service lifecycle in a distributed environment
Integrates with ITSM/ITOM software like Jira and service now
Update and manage all of your application information on AWS
How can Service Catalog be controlled?
Under the hood, Service Catalog uses Cloudformation as well terraform in the background as a core system for procurement of the product
Governance
The service Catalog is governed using portfolios with which we can control how the product will be launch, how the access to the product is controlled, and at last to whom the product should be shared
Restricted product
Product launch is restricted by adding constraints to the portfolios (constraint like what IAM role can be assigned to product)
Restricted user
Product access can be restricted to a specific user, IAM role, or Group using access control in portfolios
Sharing to member accounts
Portfolios can be shared from delegated admin account further which can be imported from member account
Tagging at procurement
Using service catalog tags library admins can define which key-value pair can be selected by end-users to procure certain products so that tagging will be standard for all the applications without any spelling mistakes or invalid case
Release management
Updates to product templates or patches for the product can be managed using product versioning.
Benefits to the organization/customer:
Reusability of CloudFormation template
Reduces IT ops efforts by 40%
Integrates with ticketing tool to avoid who, why, where, and how a resource is provisioned
Auto-tagging/enforced policies, etc
Ease of environment cleaning
Conclusion:
This is just an introductory blog post in the “Service Catalog blog series”, and the subsequent blogs in the series will talk about deployment strategies, Integration with ITSM tools like Jira, and best practices. So please do follow our blog and stay tuned!! | https://blog.shellkode.com/rise-of-self-service-using-aws-service-catalog-e5e25d91ee90 | ['Team Shellkode'] | 2021-07-06 12:37:14.426000+00:00 | ['AWS', 'Infrastructure As Code', 'Jira', 'DevOps', 'Cloud Computing'] |
Hard-to-Recycle: Beauty Packaging 💄 | Every year, 120 billion units of beauty packaging is created. Groundcycle is helping you divert your personal care products at their end-of-life so it doesn’t end up in landfill.
We are collecting: All brands of empty cosmetic, hair care, or skin care packaging. This includes items such as… conditioner bottles and caps; eye liner pencils (non-wooden) and cases; eye shadow tubes; face soap dispensers and tubes; hair gel tubes and caps; hair paste plastic jars and caps; lip balm tubes; lip gloss tubes; lotion bottles, tubes, dispensers, and jars; mascara tubes; plastic concealer tubes and sticks; shampoo bottles and caps; shaving foam tubes (no cans); spray bottles and triggers.
*Do not send in: Aerosol or pressurized cans, electronic items such as blow dryers and straighteners, perfume bottles, nail polish bottles or removers, wooden eyeliner pencils, any bio-medical, bio-hazardous waste, or partially full and full packaging (tubes, jars and containers) such as nail-polish, lotion, soap or ointments.
Why NYC can’t recycle it: Beauty packaging is often made of mixed materials which make it impossible to recycle through traditional means. Other items are rendered too small and get filtered out of the system.
We are diverting it with: TerraCycle. TerraCycle’s Zero Waste Box™ allows you to pay to recycle almost any type of specialty waste stream. The packaging is separated, cleaned, shredded and pelletized so they can turn into various recycled products. Learn more about their process here.
To participate: Add ‘HTR-Beauty Packaging’ to your upcoming service so our driver knows to look out for it. Please place your beauty packaging in a bag and tie it to the handle of your bin for our collection. Do not include them inside your Groundcycle bin with your food scraps as this will contaminate the material and render it unfit for recycling. If you are participating in another one of our recycling initiatives, please store waste streams separately to help us cut down on our additional sorting time.
How long: From September 9 to October 3 | https://medium.com/@groundcycle/hard-to-recycle-beauty-packaging-fdba7e0f04e | [] | 2021-09-08 03:17:02.762000+00:00 | ['Sustainability', 'Recycling', 'Plastic Pollution', 'Plastic', 'Zero Waste'] |
PHP: Using “when” and “unless” in your own classes | Sometimes the logic around an object depends on a condition. Let’s say, we need to change the state of something if a variable is true , and do nothing if is otherwise false .
$transport->setPackage($package); if ($express) {
$transport->setExpressDelivery();
} $transport->send();
There is a neat way to compress these lines in something less verbose, by using a when() and unless() method helpers on the object instance. The behaviour would look like this:
$transport->setPackage($package)
->when($express, [$transport, 'setExpressDelivery'])
->send();
And it should allow more complex logic using a Closure :
$transport->setPackage($package)
->unless($isSmallPackage, function ($transport) {
$transport->setNormalDelivery();
$transport->setBigPackageHandling();
})
->send();
For some folks, breaking the flow with an if may be standard and more approachable, but I personally like understandable and expressive fluent methods so another developer can just read the thing and understand it.
When and Unless
For this to work, we can create a simple trait so we are able to use the helpers on anything we want. These methods will take the condition, and call a callable if it evaluates to true . For unless , we can just call when() but with the condition flipped:
<?php trait Conditionable
{
public function when($condition, $callable)
{
if ($condition) {
$callable($this, $condition);
} return $this;
} public function unless($condition, $callable)
{
return $this->when(!$condition, $callable);
}
}
And walá, we can fully do things like the above. Since it receives a callable , we can even call public static methods from elsewhere just because we can.
$transport->when($express, [Courier::class, 'setExpress'])
Of course this is far stretched, but this allows to conditionally call any method of the instance you’re using in your code, instead of adding a condition to each method in your object.
For example, imagine a class that has many conditionable methods.
class Foo
{
public function whenFooDoBar() {}
public function whenQuzDoQux() {}
public function whenQuuzDoQuux() {}
public function whenCorgeDoGrault() {}
}
Instead of programatically code the condition in each method, you can just use the trait, saving that condition logic from the methods themselves. | https://medium.com/dev-genius/php-using-when-and-unless-in-your-own-classes-97035c81a0da | ['Italo Baeza Cabrera'] | 2020-06-24 07:58:22.384000+00:00 | ['Software Development', 'Productivity', 'PHP', 'Programming', 'Web Development'] |
Covid-19 impact on Smart Washing Machine Market Size To Reach $21.82 Billion By 2027 | Smart Washing Machine Market Growth & Trends
The global smart washing machine market size is expected to reach USD 21.82 billion by 2027, expanding at a CAGR of 20.5% during the forecast period, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. Rising shift towards the adoption of water-efficient washers in order to maintain a healthy environment is anticipated to drive the market. Rise in luxury living owing to rapid urbanization as well as increasing disposable income among buyers has also resulted in an increase in the penetration of the product in the residential as well as commercial sectors.
Smart washing machines offer added advantages through technology integration, such as remote control using an app, automatic program selection, auto-dosing, troubleshooting, memory feature, safety, and energy use. Moreover, these appliances help download cycles and tailor them to customer’s specific needs through features of cycle customization.
Technological advancement in the smart homes category is leading to higher demand for connected appliances, such as smart washers, as a source of luxury and convenience. Additionally, automatic washing process acts as an essential part of everyday housekeeping activity among Europeans, thereby increasing adoption of these appliances in the residential sector. Smart washers with Energy Star ratings can save a lot of water as compared to conventional washing machines. For instance, Samsung’s 6.0 cu. ft. FlexWash™ Washer in Black Stainless Steel model of product with an Energy Star rating and Wi-Fi connectivity uses 4,278 gallons of water per year. Whereas, conventional washing machines wash approximately 300 loads of clothes a year and consume about 12,000 gallons of water in a year.
Front load smart washer held a share of 54.6% in 2019 owing to the water and energy efficiency of the product as well as large loading capacity. Despite higher prices, the product is witness growing demand. For instance, in January 2020, SAMSUNG launched a new AI-powered front load washing machine and dryer.
The residential application segment is expected to expand at the highest CAGR from 2020 to 2027 owing to greater visibility and new product development. Installation of smart washing machines in residential areas helps in tracking and controlling the wash to avoid unnecessary wash cycles and water usage, thereby incurring higher demand among residential consumers.
Asia Pacific held the largest share in 2019 and is expected to expand at the fastest CAGR of 20.8% from 2020 to 2027. Rising introduction of new products in the market are paving the way for increased adoption of these appliances in the region. For instance, in December 2018, Xiaomi Global Community launched a fully automatic smart washing machine in China with a load capacity of 10 kg. The product is equipped with the latest BLDC variable frequency motor and is priced at around USD 290.
Request a free sample copy or view report summary:
Smart Washing Machine Market Report
Smart Washing Machine Market Report Highlights | https://medium.com/cmfe-market-research-reports/covid-19-impact-on-smart-washing-machine-market-size-to-reach-21-82-billion-by-2027-3c1f80eedcb7 | ['Rajesh Varma'] | 2020-12-11 06:42:53.268000+00:00 | ['Washing Machine', 'Smart Washing Machine', 'Covid 19', 'Global', 'CEO'] |
The Art Of Not Knowing: Language Learning Beyond Practice & Talent | When learning a new language there are the things we need to know, the things we need to practice and a million other things we don’t know.
Knowing something usually doesn’t take a lot of effort. It’s the process of committing something to memory which is the difficult part. For example, once you’ve learned that the past participle of the French verb “vivre” is “vécu” — you know it. But how did you get to know it? And how do you keep from forgetting?
Let’s isolate this moment of knowing for a second, that instant after we have committed something to memory, before the (often) inevitable happens and we forget.
If I know that the Hebrew alphabet has 22 letters, for example, then this information is stored somewhere in my cerebral cortex. It’s like a hard-drive of a computer. Once it’s in there it stays in there, until it gets retrieved or updated. If I don’t access this information, however, it just sits there, waiting for the natural erosion of memory.
In other words, the actual knowing is completely passive. Knowledge may be power, but only as a potential. It could be true that in some cases “rote learning” might be the fastest way to learn irregular verb forms of a new language, but there’s always the danger of a kind of semantic satiation (excessive repetition leads to loss of meaning).
Put more bluntly, knowing isolated parts of a language doesn’t equate with knowing a language.
Talent Is Not A Substitute For Practice
Let’s face it, we’re not all equal. There are people who are naturally better at certain things than others. Some have a natural disposition towards maths and science, others towards language and arts. But when it comes to learning, we all have one thing in common: the need to practice.
For example, when I was working as a language teacher for children and young adults, one of my assignments was to determine individual weaknesses and “patch up” holes. And what I found was that bad grades were never just bad grades. There were those students who worked very hard but foreign languages just didn’t come naturally for them. And then there were those with great natural abilities or even talents for language learning, but they simply lacked the practice.
In other words, practice can make a mediocre learner better. But without practice even a good student doesn’t get better.
Learning a language is like learning an instrument. It’s not enough to just know your scales and modes, you have to practice every day. Practice is not about thinking or “figuring something out”. It’s about doing it. Then doing it again. And again, and again.
Embracing The Art Of Not Knowing
All of the above should be nothing new to the seasoned learner. In language learning each person has their own ratio of knowing vs. practice, based on their own natural disposition. There is another component, however, which is not often talked about: not knowing.
Many people who are beginning to learn a new language want to know everything as quickly as possible. We want to be able to express ourselves as fluently in the new language just as in our mother-tongue. We want to progress fast beyond the awkwardness that comes with being in new social contexts where we don’t understand everything. In short, we’d like to avoid the pain of not knowing.
But there is no shortcut here. Not knowing can not be countered by sheer brute force of learning by rote. We cannot skip this stage of feeling like a helpless three-year old when first trying to understand foreign speakers around us. And even when we finally begin to understand them, our contributions to the conversation will feel like clumsy crayon drawings. There’s no way we can go from “zero to hero” and bypass the stage of not knowing.
It can be practiced, however. We can relax into not knowing and use it as a drive. The first step is to recognize that not knowing is not a bad thing. It’s working in our favor. Not knowing is at the beginning of every learning process. Not knowing is what allows a child to display innocent curiosity where adults only show disillusion and cynicism. Not knowing is what makes even the experts humble, because the more they know the more painfully aware they become of what they don’t know.
We tend to think sometimes of not knowing as a problem which knowing will fix. True learning, however, never completely eliminates not knowing, it just grows into it. Whenever we have learned something new we learn about something else we don’t know yet. In that sense, not knowing is not just the absence of knowing. It’s at the beginning, middle and end of every learning process. | https://medium.com/swlh/the-art-of-not-knowing-language-learning-beyond-practice-talent-e6b162a05eab | ['André Klein'] | 2019-11-11 22:44:12.512000+00:00 | ['Self Improvement', 'Learning', 'Philosophy', 'Language Learning', 'Language'] |
Bragging about plastic bottles for “all natural” beverages. Really? | Which of these three phrases does not belong with the others on the label of a Snapple “Takes 2 to Mango Tea” my daughter recently bought?
“All Natural”
“Made from the BEST stuff on EARTH!”
“Plastic Bottle!”
By the way, I didn’t add the exclamation mark to the last phrase. For some inscrutable reason, the company that has long marketed itself as ecologically conscious has decided to brag about switching from glass to plastic containers.
Perhaps anticipating that plastic bottles showing up in the intestines of dead whales isn’t a good look, Snapple assures the world that their containers are “made from a non-BPA (bisphenol A) material and are 100 percent recyclable, just like our glass ones.”
May I please take this opportunity to nominate the word “recyclable” for the 2019 Most Misleading Word In The English Language award. Saying a plastic bottle is “recyclable” is not that different from declaring I’m “eligible” to win the Nobel Prize for Literature.
The recycling rate for glass containers is bad enough in the United States: 33 percent overall, though much higher in states with bottle bills. (For comparison, it’s around 90 percent in Switzerland, Germany, and some other European countries.)
But the plastic bottle rate is even lower … and it’s getting worse. According to the Association of Plastic Recyclers and the American Chemistry Council, their recycling rate was 29.3 percent in 2017, down from 29.8 percent the year before. And that’s before Malaysia became the latest developing country to turn back shipments of plastic waste, saying last week, in the words of its environment minister, it would “not be a dumping ground to the world.”
The real reason for Snapple’s shift is hidden in plain sight on their “Real Facts” web page: Plastic bottles are “easier for distributors and retailers to handle.”
I get it. Plastic bottles bounce instead of crack when dropped from a forklift, and that’s good for Snapple’s bottom line. It even allows the company to charge less — not that I’ve noticed a price change since the plastic bottles were introduced last year.
But there are certain short-term financial costs that we all need to bear for our own long-term good. And that goes double for a company that has staked its reputation on being “natural.”
So, Environmental Action’s Thneed Trophy for June 2019 is dubiously awarded to the Snapple Beverage Corp. for its very-unnatural plastic bottles . . .and, perhaps more disappointing, for bragging about them. Exclamation points matter.
* * * * *
The Thneed Trophy is awarded monthly by Environmental Action to a product that exemplifies the spirit of The Lorax’s “thneed”. It’s the thing that everyone wants but nobody needs, for which all of the Truffula Trees were cut down. In other words, bad for the environment, with little or no redeeming social value.
This message is not associated with or endorsed by the creators or the publishers of “The Lorax.” | https://medium.com/the-public-interest-network/bragging-about-plastic-bottles-for-all-natural-beverages-really-a6c718476219 | ['Kirk Weinert'] | 2019-06-10 23:16:46.249000+00:00 | ['Zero Waste', 'Drinks', 'Advertising', 'Environment', 'Plastic Pollution'] |
I am THE main character | As a kid I always wanted to write books, essays, letters, basically anything I could write because I loved writing. Throughout high school I realized how silly that was because why would a random person get famous off of writing a book about their life? Well, quite frankly, I still have a small dream in the back of my head to write a book. I was just writing nonsense one day and it hit me. I started writing and thinking and then it came to me. I am a god. I'm not talking about being rich or popular. I'm talking about everything always going my way. I have received everything I have ever wanted in life. Friends, relationships, materialistic items, emotions, values, traditions, basically everything I have ever dreamt of in life. I am the main character and I am now realizing it. Every street I've driven on, every turn I've taken, every person I've met, every item I have seen, bought, or touched. All affected by me. Every person in my life, Every decision I've wanted. All affected by me. If i think about wanting something, even just a small desire, I end up with it. Once I realized it I haven’t been able to stop thinking about it. I feel so royal and filled with power. I have let that get to my head sometimes but I always thought how cool and interesting it would be to meet or reach out to other people whether they feel the same or not. This is my first “blog” but you will hear from me very soon! xoxo vivian | https://medium.com/@saenz-vivianv/i-am-the-main-character-53c83e48085f | ['Vivian Saenz'] | 2020-12-26 21:57:03.182000+00:00 | ['Realizations', 'Reality', 'Dreams'] |
10 Things About Me You Probably Didn’t Know | 10 Things About Me You Probably Didn’t Know
Because alto Tagged Me
Always giggling: Baby Tre. Someone was making me laugh. Probably my dad. Heej loves this photo. Classical Sass
For nineteen years, I was the only girl. My sibling accompanying lineup was five brothers. Then, our sister was born. “Bless" is her name and every single day, she blesses me with her existence.
I am short, 5’2 and 1/2 (you think I’m gonna leave that out? Nope!), but I have a long torso. Go on and marinate on that for a minute.
I am most at peace alone, reading, writing, or listening to music. This has been what most in my family consider “oddball" behavior.
I have four best friends, all extremely different in both race and ethnicity with vastly different personalities, however, they’re my people and I love them all with a love that cannot be fully explained. The Powerhouse, The Outstanding, Sunshine, and Fighter-Firefly. These three women and one man have seen me at my worst, loved me through my best, and have grown with me for over fifteen years. Two, for over twenty.
I can do quite a number of impersonations, some, I’ll even do by request.
People walk up to me and begin full-on conversations about their day, what’s got them down, etc…and guess what? I listen. It’s always been this way. It’s one of the reasons why I was drawn to the medical industry.
I have been in healthcare for fifteen years. The primary focus for eleven years? Medical billing. Now, I am trying my hand at registering patients for various imaging scans in a number of modalities. And, I love it!
I did not think I’d ever want my Mother living in the same State as me again, but as I get older, I find that I do not want it any other way. What we have now is something for which I am beyond grateful. I tell her this as often as I can. She is a flower that cannot stop blooming.
For the first five years of my life, I had seizures — often triggered by high temperatures/fevers. At age two, I ended up getting lead poisoning. How? Eating the paint chips off of my parents’ apartment walls. At that point, my Great-Grandmother told my parents to bring me to her. We ended up staying with my Great-Grandmother for several years. She had a BIG hand in raising me. After all, I had teenage parents who ended up having a sickly child, someone had to take over.
A pet peeve of mine? Loud chewing. It drives me up the wall! | https://medium.com/a-cornered-gurl/10-things-about-me-you-probably-didnt-know-bbc51a4e1a93 | ['Tre L. Loadholt'] | 2018-09-16 13:25:54.176000+00:00 | ['Memories', 'Life', 'Music', 'A Cornered Gurl', 'Nonfiction'] |
Algorithms Explained | I can’t believe I just finished reading an entire book about algorithms. As a retired English teacher and adjunct instructor, I’ve got plenty of time to indulge in any kind of reading I want to do. Now, I can read all of Shakespeare again, maybe a little Dickens, or any of the many brilliant authors writing great fiction today.
Still, I chose Hello World by mathematician Hannah Fry and I am glad to say that this wonderful writer has not only made algorithms intelligible to a common, die-hard literature fan like myself, but she explained how algorithms are the new magicians of our era.
They are casting spells all over the place and most of us are none the wiser. Her methodical study got me thinking about education. If algorithms are useful in medicine, science, and crime, how are they used in education? Luckily, in education, we have a unique opportunity to learn from the errors made in using algorithms in other fields. Algorithms, like humans, are flawed! I knew it all along and thought myself a hopeless Luddite for thinking such blasphemy, but as it turns out, my instincts were correct. Educators are humanists, purely, dogmatically wedded to the idea that humans and people matter more than institutional Big Brothers; surprisingly, we can find some common ground with this mathematician who shows humility in evaluating the power of the almighty algorithm.
The author shows how algorithms, sets of logical instructions for accomplishing a task, are expressed mathematically by operations and equations to create computer code and are “fed” real data and given a specific objective. She identifies four specific tasks: Prioritization as in Google searches; Classification, used by advertisers to target ads based on search history; Association, responsible for finding links between products you have searched and others in the same category; and Filtering, as used by Siri, Alexa, and Cortana.
While the use of algorithms has, for the most part, enabled doctors and judges to improve their professional practices, Ms. Flynn cautions that “our reluctance to question the power of an algorithm has opened the door to people who wish to exploit us.” She explains how algorithms have built-in biases that are sometimes the result of the data, how it is collected, and how the directions are formulated. Therefore, just like humans, the algorithm can be wrong and dangerous. Precisely!
I wondered how data is currently being collected in education. What is the purpose of standardized testing which has ignited a firestorm of opt-outs and rallying cries in many communities in New York? Who needs all of this data and what do they need it for? Certainly, kids don’t benefit from sitting for hours taking exams when they could be learning more of the curriculum. As it is, the school day is very short, especially if one takes into account the various social activities and school spirit functions.
I suspect that the data is needed to develop a teaching algorithm that will be used to reconfigure the classroom and the entire educational system. Already, formulaic configurations were used to try to hold teachers accountable for student performance. While there has been some retraction of the half-baked connections, it is clear that the intent is to write the new algorithm. The ultimate one is coming and like an insatiable tyrant, it must have data.
The new algorithm will either destroy our educational system or improve it beyond our wildest expectations. Everyday classroom teachers and teacher unions must be front and center in the design of the new algorithm. They should be asking the hard questions and as Ms. Flynn says, “questioning and scrutinizing motives.” Who is benefitting from all this data collection? Why does it have to be done so frequently? Why on a computer? Why can’t local assessments be just as valid? Why is this yearly opt-out ritual still repeated after there is apparent consensus on the ineffectiveness of the exams?
I hope stakeholders will read Ms. Flynn’s book, as it makes the use of algorithms crystal clear, offers a cautionary perspective, and most of all gives us an insider’s view of the wizard behind the curtain. | https://medium.com/illumination/algorithms-explained-86ed6109f59c | ['Margherita Gilley'] | 2020-06-25 14:39:13.134000+00:00 | ['Culture', 'Society', 'Book Review', 'Trends', 'Algorithms'] |
This Ain’t Boheme | La Boheme has never been one of my favorite operas.
It’s melodramatic, much like most operas, and the plot is way too thin. Sure, it has its moments. Last time the SF Opera did Puccini’s opus, my parents and my sisters were glued to their seats while most of act one I enjoyed a Mojito at the lounge, occasionally slipping my way through the mezzanine to catch a glimpse of, oh, maybe Musetta’s Waltz or Ehi! Rodolfo!
La Boheme, as a dramatic piece apart from theatrics, doesn’t work. Or maybe it just takes too much effort to participate and enjoy.
This is the inherent problem of Rent, the musical/rock opera that’s now an uneven film by Chris Columbus. The basis material isn’t all that strong to begin with. Many would probably throw tomatoes at me but let’s face it; we’ve been serenaded by Puccini’s majestic compositions.
Rent, much like its inspiration, relies on the theatrics — heavily. It’s melodramatic and operatic on purpose, broad in movement and large on notes. When I performed the piece as Roger (Adam Pascal), the music and the vocal arrangements were heavy undertakings — and that’s for all the performers involved in the show.
Rent works best with a live audience cheering the piece on. On film, it has the sad distinction of sounding like one man clapping.
The weakness of the film lies in a director with no musical knowledge. As much as I’ve had the pleasure to meet the man, and be so involved in Rent and all it encompasses, Columbus was the wrong guy to do the film version. The original choice for director, Spike Lee would have made the film an event equivalent to its stage counterpart.
The performances aren’t the problem. All the original cast members sing, act, and dance the roles they’ve perfected to a higher level of greatness and Traci Thoms as Joanne shows she has what it takes to be with the originals. The weak spot in the cast is Rosario Dawson, who just isn’t as meaningful enough for me as Mimi. Mimi should have spunk but also be a genuine spirit. That character is the heart of the piece and sadly, she just doesn’t fit the role. When she sings to Roger that there is ‘no day but today,’ it isn’t a plea, it’s a prayer — to hang on to what we have, and to cherish those we love. Dawson’s Mimi makes it seem like any other day, when the whole point of the song is the exact opposite.
Understand that I’m trying to be as fair as possible with this review, considering I’ve seen the original cast, did the show, and was involved in the film version (even though it sure doesn’t seem like it after seeing the final cut).
Rent, by Jonathan Larson was and is an unfinished product. The charm of the piece came from its rough and frayed edges. To fine-tune it to film almost zaps the life out of it. A majority of the second act was rushed and cut out of the movie making the resolution so muddled. This was the biggest mistake Columbus did with the film — he tinkered with the course of the piece way too much to alter it, yet he kept the numbers much the way they are. Songs that shouldn’t have been cut were cut, and songs that could have been shaved a verse here and there were kept in tact.
Yet this also contributed to the success of the film. For the most part, he kept most of the songs and their arrangements in tact, and the songs have never sounded so glorious. The opening number, with all the tenants burning their rent agreements while belting out ‘we’re not going to pay rent’ brought me back to the Nederlander Theatre on Broadway and much of the Life Support scenes we’re translated so damn well on to the screen that I have to give Columbus credit for that.
Yet the best moment of the film in my opinion came from Collins (the always awesome Jesse L. Martin from Law & Order) as he heartbreakingly sings the “I’ll Cover You Reprise” with such gusto and honesty to Angel’s (Wilson Jermaine Heredia who won a Tony as Angel) coffin. I have to admit that this cinematic moment stood out from its theatrical rendition. On stage, it’s an exortation, on film it’s a cry for longing and it just brings into full circle the true theme of the piece, from Puccini’s to Jonathan Larson’s imperfect masterpiece — live life in love — amidst death and disease.
But maybe that is the true problem with the piece itself. Or maybe the film is ten years too late, considering we live in a society numbed by its surroundings. Ironically, that’s what the film — the musical tells us not to do — to numb ourselves from the harsh reality.
AIDS is still a problem, not just in Africa.
Tolerance is still an issue.
But we’ve become the very opposite of bohemia with our lattes and our weblogs. So maybe, Benny (Taye Diggs) was right.
Bohemia is dead.
Or coud it be that the message of Rent is too simple for a larger audience, much less a cynical and sarcastic society? Can we truly measure our life in love? Or maybe its too idealistic? Do we as an audience lack any kind of joie de vivre from such testaments to simple ideas? It couldn’t be that the piece is dated because the show is still going strong in New York.
But that’s New York. The show is very much about them. And let’s face it, they seem to be in tune to a lot of things over there.
I’ve come to the conclusion that the key to Rent, or even La Boheme for that matter, isn’t in the piece itself.
It is in our willingness to participate — wholeheartedly — in art that dares to challenge us.
Perhaps next time I see La Boheme at the Opera, I should hold off on that Mojito.
RATING: C+ | https://medium.com/the-filmguy/this-aint-boheme-80820978f60f | ['Enrico Banson'] | 2017-01-30 09:36:17.289000+00:00 | ['Film Reviews', 'Movie Musicals', 'Chris Columbus'] |
5 examples that show how advanced AI is | AI is everywhere and it’s hard to even mean the same things when talking to someone because the field has become so vast. To prove that — and to show what the technology can (and can’t) do I compiled this list.
“W e know that we have a great interest in the future and that we should not remain silent about it.”
This quote has never been said by anyone, ever. It was created by an AI model that was trained on thousands of quotes. It’s a small project build by a single person, but it demonstrates very well how AI works.
AI has become a mass phenomenon. It is no longer just a topic in scientific journals or corporate laboratories. The technology has become such a vast field of research, development and application that one might wonder whether the term AI still has the necessary discriminatory power for all the different aspects of its usage.
But what are current issues of AI in 2020? What challenges and debates are shaping the technology? I present five examples that show what AI is capable of and what the current discussions are.
1. GPT-3 shows the power of unsupervised learning in language-AI
The quote at the beginning was created based on GPT-2 — and it was its successor, GPT-3, that made the headlines this year like no other AI project. The new development of OpenAI was revealed, and the press was hyped. Kelsey Piper wrote for vox.com:
“GPT-3 represents a tremendous leap for AI.”
This is mainly due to the unsupervised learning technology that GPT-3 uses. The data that feeds the program is not labeled or pre-processed. GPT-3 can work with unprocessed data, so it scales faster and can react more flexibly to different tasks.
Photo by Scott Webb on Unsplash
One example? Arram Sabeti prompted GPT-3 to write a Dr. Seuss poem about Elon Musk.
Take a look at a small part from it:
The SEC said, “Musk, your tweets are a blight. They really could cost you your job, if you don’t stop all this tweeting at night.” He replied, “Well, I do tweet and it’s really quite neat. and I’ll tweet in a while and send you some sweet treats.”
2. Generative Adversial Networks and how they might give life to digital models
Miquela Sousa is a 19-year-old Brazilian-American model with more than two million followers on Instagram. She has worked with Prada and Givenchy and was featured in a Calvin Klein video.
But Miquela is not a real person — she is a virtual creation..
She is a computer-generated image (CGI) that can do nothing on its own. Generative adverserial networks technology might change that, a type of machine learning and a subset of AI that the Japanese tech company DataGrid provides. It could allow Miquela to copy the poses of real models, which would have a great impact on the entire industry, writes Sinead Bovell for Vogue.
In 2019, Calvin Klein published this video in which supermodel Bella Hadid makes out with computer-generated Miquela.
3. The pitfalls of emotion recognition
Machine emotion recognition promises billions of dollars in business. But a new study shows that the technology currently used to analyze facial expressions is extremely error-prone.
This article by Angela Chen in the MIT Technology Review summarizes the findings. It seems that the data is not complete, because emotions not only have to be analyzed in the face, but in the whole body in order to interpret them.That’s not all:
“In short, the expressions we’ve learned to associate with emotions are stereotypes, and technology based on those stereotypes doesn’t provide very good information.”
The only thing that could help is more data — but that is expensive and requires very specific datasets, more than companies or researchers currently have. Plus, the collection of so much specific and personal data also raises questions of security and privacy.
4. Why the importance of computing power is underestimated in the AI age
The United States and China invest billions each year in the growth of their AI industry. For all its geopolitical complexity, the AI competition boils down to a simple technical triad: data, algorithms, and computing power. But while the first two issues receive enormous political attention, the issue of computing power is grossly neglected.
According to OpenAI, which was quoted in this Foreign Affairs article, the computing power used to train AI projects has increased by a factor of 300,000 between 2012 and 2018. These powerful chips cost a lot of money to produce — and the technology might be a real diplomatic leverage as of right now, argues Ben Buchanan in the piece.
5. Why general artificial intelligence might never exist
AI is a deeply technical subject, but it has highly interesting philosophical aspects. This Nature article deals with the evolutionary history of AI since WW II and the many experiments to create machine intelligence comparable to humans.
If you feel like deep-diving into the philosophical discussion about AI, starting with Descartes and Leibniz, I highly recommend you read the article.
The key takeaway: Despite new approaches like deep learning and big data, AI is still not anywhere close to General Intelligence. Nevertheless, the potential of AI is often overestimated — with sometimes dangerous consequences for science.
The progress of artificial intelligence is happening at such a fast pace that it is almost impossible to keep track. Machine learning models get smarter and faster, but at the same time, the needed computing power to run them is skyrocketing. Furthermore, the public often overestimates what artificial intelligence can do. Nevertheless, it is undeniable that AI is here to stay and we need to learn how to deal with it. | https://medium.com/rewrite-tech/5-examples-that-show-how-advanced-ai-is-32d5093f07fa | ['Michael Mirwald'] | 2020-10-01 07:59:15.529000+00:00 | ['Artificial Intelligence', 'Technology', 'Machine Learning', 'Cgi', 'Miquela Sousa'] |
AI creating Human-Looking Images and Tracking Artificial Intelligence Programs in 2020 | AI creating Human-Looking Images and Tracking Artificial Intelligence Programs in 2020
Machine Learning Transforming Veterans Benefits
The Dutch artist, Bas Uterwijk is using artificial intelligence to create human portraits from paintings by combining with deep learning to change statutes to human faces.
The same applies to paintings where the AI software includes photo attributes such as light and variations to make the picture clear. The Artbreeder AI program recreates new images from scratch by using data points, which copy the photos.
The global competitiveness of the United States in artificial intelligence is declining because of poor management at the Department of Defense. Tracking artificial intelligence programs and encouraging data sharing are needed to make the US a global leader in AI.
The Joint Artificial Intelligence Center is creating a standardized AI definition and developing governance policies around artificial intelligence.
Veterans face challenges claiming their benefits and a new machine learning application, Content Classification Predictive Service (CCPS), is spearheading efficient services and accuracy in handling veteran claims. Veterans wait for long as staff members check claims manually but CCPS can review information within a short time.
These and more insights on our Weekly AI Update
AI creating Human-Looking Images
Artificial intelligence is helping to create human-like portraits from statues and paintings of famous faces.
Bas Uterwijk a Dutch native artist used AI to create the photo-style portraits. He focused on well-known figures including Vincent Van Gogh and Napoleon Bonaparte. The #deeplearning technology enabled him to take a photo of a statue or a painting and turn it into a more human-like face. The software uses data points to pick up on facial features and photographic qualities.
The AI is called Artbreeder and can also create human-looking images from scratch. So far, they’ve worked on 50 to 60 of the AI-generated pictures¹. The artist is working on a model that could show Anne Frank at an age she never reached.
Tracking Artificial Intelligence Programs
Poor management of artificial intelligence projects in the Department of Defense could erode the United States’ competitive advantage in the emerging technology, the Defense Department’s watchdog warned in a July 1 report.
The DoD inspector general suggested the Joint Artificial Intelligence Center, established to facilitate the adoption of artificial intelligence tools across the department, take several steps to improve project management, including determining a standard definition of artificial intelligence, improving data sharing and developing a process to accurately track artificial intelligence programs. The JAIC missed a March 2020 deadline to release a governance framework. It still plans to do so, according to the report, but that date is redacted in the report.
The inspector general started the audit to determine the gaps and weaknesses in the department’s enterprise-wide AI governance², the responsibility of the JAIC. After starting its audit, the DoD IG determined the organization had not yet developed a department-wide AI governance framework.
Machine Learning Transforming Veterans Benefits
Veterans deserve fast access to their disability benefits. The Department of Veterans Affairs is using a new #machinelearning tool³ to deliver these benefits to Veterans more quickly.
The tool’s name is not easy to remember — Content Classification Predictive Service (CCPS) Application Programming Interface (API) — but the results are certainly hard to ignore. VA’s Office of Information and Technology (OIT), working collaboratively in partnership with Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA), developed and implemented CCPS to reduce the average time to establish Veteran disability compensation claims by three and a half days.
Credit: Clarianchalets
CCPS is also helping VA improve service to Veterans by increasing the speed and accuracy of disability claims reviews. The tool automatically performs repetitive tasks that formerly required staff review and input.
During its first week of use, CCPS helped VA establish 3,994 out of 8,368 claims (48 percent) automatically without the need for manual intervention. Previously, VBA only processed about two percent of disability compensation claims automatically.
Visual Causal Discovery Network
Researchers at MIT, University of Washington, and the University of Toronto describe an AI system that learns the physical interactions⁴ affecting materials like fabric by watching videos. They claim the system can extrapolate to interactions it has not seen before, like those involving multiple shirts and pants, enabling it to make long-term predictions.
Causal understanding is the basis of counterfactual reasoning, or the imagining of possible alternatives to events that have already happened. For example, in an image containing a pair of balls connected to each other by a spring, counterfactual reasoning would entail predicting the ways the spring affects the balls’ interactions.
The researchers’ system — a Visual Causal Discovery Network (V-CDN) — guesses at interactions with three modules: one for visual perception, one for structure inference, and one for dynamics prediction. The perception model is trained to extract certain keypoints (areas of interest) from videos, from which the interference module identifies the variables that govern interactions between pairs of keypoints.
Encouraging Growth in AI Research
The National Research Cloud, which has bipartisan support in Congress, gained approval of several universities, including Stanford, Carnegie Mellon and Ohio State, and participation of Big Tech companies Amazon, Google and IBM.
The project would give academics access to a tech companies’ #clouddata centers and public data sets, encouraging growth in AI research⁵. Although the Trump administration has cut funding to other kinds of research, it has proposed doubling its spending on AI by 2022.
The research cloud, though a conceptual blueprint at this stage, is a sign of the largely effective campaign by universities and tech companies to persuade the American government to increase government backing for research into #artificialintelligence largely due to its recognition that AI technology is essential to national security and economic competitiveness.
Artificial Intelligence assisted Robot Delivery
Refraction AI’s last-mile delivery robot⁶, the REV-1, has seen an increase in lunch delivery requests since the start of the coronavirus pandemic. Unsurprisingly, this contactless delivery option is now seeing a demand surge amid the coronavirus pandemic: Refraction AI has received three to four times more orders with the REV-1 since the start of the pandemic.
The company, which first launched in July 2019, built the robot specifically for last-mile deliveries between stores and customers in urban communities like Ann Arbor, Mich., where the pilot program is now taking place.
Customers in the Ann Arbor community who live within the 2.5-mile delivery radius can sign up for REV-1’s pilot lunch delivery program that’s partnered with four three Asian and one Mexican restaurants, according to Refraction AI . There are also currently more potential partners still on a waitlist.
AI-enabled Robotics for Waste Recycling
When China restricted the importation of recyclable waste products in 2018, many western companies turned to robotic technologies to strengthen their processing capabilities. To recycle in a cost-effective, comprehensive and safe way, goods must be broken down into their constituent commodities to be sold on, in a process that has been likened to “unscrambling an egg”.
Roboticists think that computer vision, neural networks and modular robotics can enable a more intelligent, flexible approach to recycling. AI-enabled #robotics⁷ can identify items based on visual cues such as logos, colour, shape and texture, sorting them and taking them apart.
It can spot a Nestlé logo depicting a cow and surmise that it is a dairy product. Such systems excel at identifying small items, such as the coffee pods used in Nespresso machines, which, while technically recyclable, are not always recycled.
The Montreal AI Ethics Institute
The Montreal AI Ethics Institute, a nonprofit research organization dedicated to defining humanity’s place in an algorithm-driven world, today published its inaugural State of AI Ethics report⁸. The 128-page multidisciplinary paper, which covers a set of areas spanning agency and responsibility, security and risk, and jobs and labor, aims to bring attention to key developments in the field of AI this past quarter.
Credit: Zephyrnet
The State of AI Ethics first addresses the problem of bias in ranking and recommendation algorithms, like those used by Amazon to match customers with products they’re likely to purchase. The authors note that while there are efforts to apply the notion of diversity to these systems, they usually consider the problem from an algorithmic perspective and strip it of cultural and contextual social meanings.
The authors advocate a solution in the form of a framework that does away with rigid, ascribed categories and instead looks at subjective ones derived from a pool of “diverse” individuals: determinantal point process (DPP). Put simply, it’s a probabilistic model of repulsion that clusters together data a person feels represents them in embedding spaces — the spaces containing representations of words, images, and other inputs from which AI models learn to make predictions.
An Ethical Eye on AI
Researchers from the University of Warwick, Imperial College London, EPFL (Lausanne) and Sciteb Ltd have found a mathematical means of helping regulators and business manage and police Artificial Intelligence systems’ biases towards making unethical, and potentially very costly and damaging commercial choices — an ethical eye on AI.
Artificial intelligence is increasingly deployed in commercial situations such as using AI to set prices of insurance products⁹ to be sold to a particular customer. There are legitimate reasons for setting different prices for different people, but it may also be profitable to ‘game’ their psychology or willingness to shop around.
The AI has a vast number of potential strategies to choose from, but some are unethical and will incur not just moral cost but a significant potential economic penalty as stakeholders will apply some penalty if they find that such a strategy has been used — regulators may levy significant fines of billions of Dollars, Pounds or Euros and customers may boycott you — or both.
So in an environment in which decisions are increasingly made without human intervention, there is therefore a very strong incentive to know under what circumstances AI systems might adopt an unethical strategy and reduce that risk or eliminate entirely if possible.
Spearheading Data Science Initiatives
Princeton University researchers will push the limits of data science by leveraging artificial intelligence and machine learning across the research spectrum in an interdisciplinary pilot project made possible through a major gift from Schmidt Futures.
The Schmidt DataX Fund will help advance the breadth and depth of data science impact on campus, accelerating discovery in three large, interdisciplinary research efforts and creating a suite of opportunities to educate, train, convene and support a broad data science community¹⁰ at the University.
The Schmidt DataX Fund will be used to enhance the extent to which data science permeates discovery across campus and infuses machine learning and artificial intelligence into a range of disciplines. Many researchers and educators are eager to bring data science to their fields but lack the expertise, experience and tools.
The funds will support a range of campus-wide data science initiatives led by the Center for Statistics and Machine Learning, including: development of graduate-level courses in data science and machine learning; creation of mini-courses and workshops to train researchers in the latest software tools, cloud platforms and public data sets.
Neutralizing COVID-19 with Robotics
MIT’s Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory is developing complex spaces easier to sanitize. Working closely with the Ava Robotics and the Greater Boston Food Bank (GBFB), CSAIL team created a UVC structure that disinfects surfaces and neutralizes coronavirus particles lingering in the air. Fitted atop an Ava Robotics base, the robot could be trained to navigate spaces #autonomously in the future.
The ultraviolet light works best on directly visible surfaces, but even reflected light in nooks and crannies is effective. During tests at GBFB’s warehouse, the prototype robot was teleoperated to get the lay of the land, but it’s equipped to navigate the area without supervision someday. The robot slowly moves through the 4,000 square foot warehouse, neutralizing 90 percent of coronaviruses¹¹ on surfaces within half an hour.
Deloitte AI Institute for Research and Applied Innovation
Deloitte has opened the Deloitte AI Institute for research and applied innovation. The institute will publish cutting edge research, covering focus areas such as global advancements, the future of work, AI ethics, and case studies. The premier publications will include the bi-annual State of AI in the Enterprise study, as well as the Trustworthy AI framework for ethics¹².
The institute’s network will also bring together top industry thought leaders and academics, startups, R&D groups, entrepreneurs, investors, and innovators. To this group, Deloitte will add its applied AI knowledge and understanding of industry pain points in order to help clients transform quickly with AI.
The network’s thought leaders will also include prominent ethicists, who will work with Deloitte and top stakeholders from all parts of society to co-design effective policies for AI ethics.
Works Cited
¹AI-Generated Pictures, ²AI Governance, ³Machine-Learning Tool, ⁴Physical Interactions, ⁵Encouraging Growth in AI Research, ⁶Delivery Robot, ⁷AI-enabled Robotics, ⁸State of AI Ethics Report, ⁹Insurance Products, ¹⁰Data Science Community, ¹¹Coronaviruses, ¹²Trustworthy AI Framework for Ethics
More from David Yakobovitch:
Listen to the HumAIn Podcast | Subscribe to my newsletter | https://medium.com/towards-artificial-intelligence/ai-creating-human-looking-images-and-tracking-artificial-intelligence-programs-in-2020-1fb3174e49b | ['David Yakobovitch'] | 2020-09-07 18:01:01.467000+00:00 | ['AI', 'Technology', 'Future', 'Artificial Intelligence', 'Computer Vision'] |
Time Series Forecasting With SQL — It’s Easier Than You Think | I’ve previously written about performing classification tasks with SQL, so make sure to take a look it if that’s something you find interesting:
Time series are different than your average machine learning task. You can’t train the model once, and use it for months in production. Time series models must be trained with the entirety of history data, and new data points might come every hour, day, week, or month — varying from project to project.
That’s why doing the training process in-database can be beneficial, if hardware resources are limited. Python will almost always consume more resources than the database.
We’ll use Oracle Cloud once again. It’s free, so please register and create an instance of the OLTP database (Version 19c, has 0.2TB of storage). Once done, download the cloud wallet and establish a connection through SQL Developer — or any other tool.
This will take you 10 minutes at least but is a fairly straightforward thing to do, so I won’t waste time on it.
Awesome! Let’s continue with the data loading. | https://towardsdatascience.com/time-series-forecasting-with-sql-its-easier-than-you-think-1f5b362d0c81 | ['Dario Radečić'] | 2020-09-22 18:57:26.857000+00:00 | ['Sql', 'Artificial Intelligence', 'Towards Data Science', 'Data Science', 'Machine Learning'] |
Happy Poor, Unhappy Rich | Think you’d be happier if you had more money? Think again.
We’ve all heard that money can’t buy happiness, but most folks don’t really believe it. The opposing view may be best encapsulated in writer/editor Beatrice Kaufman’s famous quote, “I’ve been rich, and I’ve been poor. Rich is better.”
Photo by Travis Essinger on Unsplash
The lines between the poor, middle class and rich are not always clear. Perhaps you can relate to the childhood story of my brother-in-law, Bobby. He grew up on the wrong side of the tracks in a four-room mill house with two brothers, a sister, two parents and a granny. His parents barely scraped by. But in the innocence of childhood, he blithely assumed that his life was typical and prosperous. It wasn’t until he was about 15 that he looked around and said to himself, “Huh. We might be poor.”
I’ve known people at both ends of the wealth spectrum, and it seems to me that strong arguments can be made on both sides of the issue. But I suspect that most folks would agree with the Depression-era comic strip character Little Orphan Annie. When told by the fabulously wealthy Daddy Warbucks that “a poor man sure has a lot less to worry about,” she responds: “Yeah, and a lot less to eat sometimes.”
Let’s look at two starkly different illustrations.
A few years back, I was acquainted with a local guy who had every right to be unhappy. He was extremely poor. His house was like a hovel. His wife had serious health problems. And — I kid you not — he worked in a graveyard. But he always seemed to be cheerful and happy. I’ll never forget one day I saw him after work. It had been raining all day; he was wet and muddy. I asked him what he’d been doing that day, and he replied with a toothy grin, “Diggin’ up bodies.” True story.
Now, there’s a guy whose happiness is not defined by his circumstances. Why is he happy? I suspect it may be partly because he knows he’s earning his keep. What little money he spends is money he earned with his own labors.
Now, let’s look at the other end of the spectrum. Have you ever known someone with lots and lots of money who was unhappy?
Don’t get me wrong. There are plenty of very happy and well-adjusted wealthy people. But I’ve also known some folks with plenty of money who are miserable — and I think it’s pretty common. Lottery winners can provide a stark example of this.
Consider the true story of Billie Bob Harrell, Jr. who won $31 million in the Texas Lottery. By all accounts, Billie Bob was a good and religious man. He was generous with his good fortune, buying homes and cars for loved ones and loaning money to others. But eventually, he came to feel like his only value lay in the fact that he had money. Everybody wanted something from him. His marriage fell apart, his family disintegrated, and in the end, he killed himself. (source: Houston Press)
As I say, that’s a stark example, but who’s better off: the lottery winner or my grave-digger friend?
Perhaps more to the point, what if the grave-digger were to win the lottery? At his job, he gets a day’s pay for a day’s work, but if he wins the lottery, he gets a lifetime’s pay for no work. For someone in that situation, it’s not a stretch to think of yourself as a giant freeloader. If you can’t find a value proposition for yourself beyond just having and spending money, you’re not likely to be very happy.
Money is important, it really is. But it should support the major priorities of your life — not become the major priority of your life.
So you might not want to envy the next big lottery winner too much, because money and value can be two different things.
This column is not intended as advice but rather education, commentary and opinion. Consult a professional advisor. If you have general questions about financial planning or investments, feel free to submit them to Andy at [email protected]. | https://medium.com/@andymillardcfp/happy-poor-unhappy-rich-3802f22176ac | ['Andy Millard'] | 2020-12-19 17:11:31.410000+00:00 | ['Money', 'Poverty', 'Happiness', 'Poor', 'Wealth'] |
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Make Medium yours. Follow the writers, publications, and topics that matter to you, and you’ll see them on your homepage and in your inbox. Explore | https://medium.com/zhaoyin1932/%E7%85%A7%E5%9B%A0%E8%80%81%E5%92%8C%E5%B0%9A%E7%95%A5%E5%82%B3ep-3-f3c918c41837 | [] | 2020-12-09 14:04:10.962000+00:00 | ['Biography'] |
Survivor’s Guilt | I sit back and watch my thoughts fly by like birds
I wish I didn’t have the compassion to let them live.
They are ugly and vile.
I sit back and become a lover to my guilt.
I give her sweet kisses and nurture her
So she grows stronger with me.
And I love her.
And I wish I could kill her.
We watch the sky and listen to the birds
Screaming.
It is so beautifully insane.
I’m waiting for Edgar’s one eyed raven.
He never comes.
Guilt looks and tells me things I already know.
I think I am stepping on my friend’s graves and laughing at their bones.
She looks at my sunken eyes and agrees with me.
And I love her.
Far too much to kill her.
She tells me things that are not poetic or kind.
And I am spiritually alive,
I am the only survivor.
Maybe she will peck away at my bones until I am content.
I tell her that I love her.
She tells me she despises me
As she interlocks our fingers. | https://medium.com/@alexchadwick/survivors-guilt-b55d4cb8b40c | ['Alex Chadwick'] | 2020-12-21 19:02:14.960000+00:00 | ['Poem', 'Mental Health Awareness', 'Poetry', 'Survivors Guilt', 'Mental Health'] |
TDD — Test-driven FizzBuzz. The FizzBuzz task: Write a program that… | The FizzBuzz task: Write a program that prints the numbers from 1 to 100. But for multiples of 3 print “Fizz” instead of the number and for the multiples of 5 print “Buzz“. For numbers which are multiples of both 3 and 5 print “FizzBuzz”.
Let’s solve this example test-driven in Java using JUnit.
I don’t really want to test the console output (print). So, for simplicity I narrow down the problem. It should not print the numbers, “Fizz”, “Buzz” and “FizzBuzz”, but return the mapped output String for a single input number, e.g. “7” for 7.
Remember TDD, red/green/refactor. We start with a test:
@Test
public void testFizzBuzz() {
assertEquals("1", fizzBuzz(1));
}
We have added our first 4 lines and with that we have already taken some design decisions. The interface to our FizzBuzz program is the fizzBuzz method. It accepts a number as parameter, while returning a String (the single output String for the input number).
With this first test in place, we can run the test:
Red! We get a compilation error. Next step: green. So, let’s take the easiest step to get to green:
@Test
public void testFizzBuzz() {
assertEquals("1", fizzBuzz(1));
}
private String fizzBuzz(int input) {
return "1";
}
And with this we get the desired green bar. So, it’s red to green in a few seconds time.
Refactoring is about removing duplication. Do we have any duplication in that current version? Yes, we have. The “1” is appearing in the test and in the implementation. But, I don’t want to refactor that yet. I want to gather some more information before I decide about the refactoring step.
Let’s add the next test:
@Test
public void testFizzBuzz() {
assertEquals("1", fizzBuzz(1));
assertEquals("2", fizzBuzz(2));
}
Red again! But that’s not so tragic. We gathered additional feedback and have a little bit more information.
Let’s make it green quickly:
@Test
public void testFizzBuzz() {
assertEquals("1", fizzBuzz(1));
assertEquals("2", fizzBuzz(2));
}
private String fizzBuzz(int input) {
return input == 2 ? "2" : "1";
}
Now the duplication bothers me. There it is, only a few characters apart: 2 ? “2”. Easy to spot. So, let’s eliminate it. That means, it’s time for refactoring.
private String fizzBuzz(int input) {
return String.valueOf(input);
}
Still green. So, the refactoring did not break anything. On to the next test. I feel a little bit more confident now. So, let’s take a bigger step (“Fizz” for multiples of 3 it says):
@Test
public void testFizzBuzz() {
assertEquals("1", fizzBuzz(1));
assertEquals("2", fizzBuzz(2));
assertEquals("Fizz", fizzBuzz(3));
assertEquals("Fizz", fizzBuzz(6));
assertEquals("Fizz", fizzBuzz(9));
}
A little bit of modulo and we are back to green:
private String fizzBuzz(int input) {
if (input % 3 == 0) {
return "Fizz";
}
return String.valueOf(input);
}
If “Fizz” for 3’s is that easy, “Buzz” for 5’s should not be difficult. Red:
@Test
public void testFizzBuzz() {
assertEquals("1", fizzBuzz(1));
assertEquals("2", fizzBuzz(2));
assertEquals("Fizz", fizzBuzz(3));
assertEquals("Fizz", fizzBuzz(6));
assertEquals("Fizz", fizzBuzz(9));
assertEquals("Buzz", fizzBuzz(5));
assertEquals("Buzz", fizzBuzz(10));
}
Green:
private String fizzBuzz(int input) {
if (input % 3 == 0) {
return "Fizz";
}
if (input % 5 == 0) {
return "Buzz";
}
return String.valueOf(input);
}
Refactor, still green:
private String fizzBuzz(int input) {
if (isDivisibleBy(input, 3)) {
return "Fizz";
}
if (isDivisibleBy(input, 5)) {
return "Buzz";
}
return String.valueOf(input);
}
private boolean isDivisibleBy(int dividend, int divisor) {
return dividend % divisor == 0;
}
A little experiment done. We removed a duplication, but had to introduce another method. Thanks to the test, we had quick feedback. But do we really want this change? Is it a good design? For me the % operator is well readable and understood. So let’s revert. I like this more:
private String fizzBuzz(int input) {
if (input % 3 == 0) {
return "Fizz";
}
if (input % 5 == 0) {
return "Buzz";
}
return String.valueOf(input);
}
Now let’s take care of: For numbers which are multiples of both 3 and 5 return “FizzBuzz”. I ignored that up to now. I wanted to start with the easy outputs, on something I know more or less how to solve. This allowed me to focus.
How do we take care of “FizzBuzz”? It seems more complicated, how should we implement that? That is a problem for a later point in time (in a few seconds). What comes first: Writing a test.
assertEquals("FizzBuzz", fizzBuzz(15));
Red because it returns “Fizz” instead of “FizzBuzz”. We remember that “Fizz” is returned for multiples of 3. So, the test is telling us that we need to have a look at the logic that returns the “Fizz” because of the 3. That’s a start. More information for the implementation than we had a few seconds ago. So, we know that we have to take care of this 15 before the “Fizz” logic comes into play:
private String fizzBuzz(int input) {
if (input % 3 == 0 && input % 5 == 0) {
return "FizzBuzz";
}
if (input % 3 == 0) {
return "Fizz";
}
if (input % 5 == 0) {
return "Buzz";
}
return String.valueOf(input);
}
Green! Next step: refactoring. I don’t like the duplication of the return. We see “FizzBuzz” and then “Fizz” and “Buzz”. I have an idea that involves String concatenation on an output String. Let’s shortly check that and run the tests to see if I can take this big step:
private String fizzBuzz(int input) {
String output = "";
if (input % 3 == 0) {
output = output.concat("Fizz");
}
if (input % 5 == 0) {
output = output.concat("Buzz");
}
if (!output.equals("")) {
return output;
}
return String.valueOf(input);
}
Luckily it’s green. But the last if condition bothers me. I don’t want to have this dependency on an intermediate result (empty String), I want it on the inputs. And I prefer the concat with the plus sign:
private String fizzBuzz(int input) {
String output = "";
if (input % 3 == 0) {
output += "Fizz";
}
if (input % 5 == 0) {
output += "Buzz";
}
if (input % 3 != 0 && input % 5 != 0) {
output = String.valueOf(input);
}
return output;
}
Conclusion and Remarks!
Yes, I ignored the “numbers from 1 to 100” requirement. It can be an exercise for you ;) It might not exactly be the original FizzBuzz, but the base is there with the code above. Could this be a first step (towards 1 to 100), checking 1 to 6?
assertEquals("1, 2, Fizz, 4, Buzz, Fizz", fizzBuzz(6));
Furthermore, there are more elegant FizzBuzz implementations available than the one in this post.
If I would do this exercise 5 times. It would probably look a bit different each time. When do I move forward with teeny-tiny steps? Do I directly need to refactor each duplication on first sight? Do I need all the tests above? Why didn’t I test with input 4?
TDD is a set of techniques. How we apply them, is to a large part up to us. This will give us quick feedback, when we move too fast or in the wrong direction:
And this one is the return to safety:
Finally, don’t forget to look out for refactoring opportunities (spot the duplication!). And at the same time you shouldn’t hesitate to also revert if you don’t like the refactoring. You only took a little step to learn something about your code. | https://medium.com/@ronnieschaniel/tdd-test-driven-fizzbuzz-3d8ca2cc85b4 | ['Ronnie Schaniel'] | 2021-03-22 18:26:15.147000+00:00 | ['Fizzbuzz', 'Tdd', 'Software Testing', 'Software Engineering'] |
Apache Flume | ABSTRACT
In this time, growing measure of information has gotten promptly close by for leaders. Enormous information examination point out datasets that are large, yet additionally high in assortment and speed, which makes them hard to deal with utilizing customary apparatuses and strategies. Because of the rapid widening of such information, arrangements should be determined and given to handle and draw out the worth and information from these datasets. Moreover, chiefs had the opportunity to be prepared to increase important bits of knowledge from such fluctuated and quickly evolving information, beginning from every day exchanges to client associations and interpersonal organization da-ta.Collecting these qualities can be delivered utilizing enormous information examination, which is the utilization of cutting edge investigation strategies on huge information. This paper intends to explore some of the different examination strategies and instruments which might be applied to enormous information, additionally on the grounds that the open doors gave by the machine of huge information investigation in different choice spaces.
Watchwords: enormous information, information mining, investigation, dynamic.
Presentation
Characterize Big Data Analytics is the system of social event, masterminding and inspecting enormous arrangements of information (called Big Data) to find designs and other valuable data.
Large information investigation saddle their information and use it to distinguish new chances. This will prompt more brilliant organization function admirably, more efficient tasks, higher addition and more joyful clients. In this report there are three qualities wherein Big Data Analytics makes a difference:
1. Cost reduction.Big information advances like Hadoop and cloud-based examination are critical cost savers when it includes putting away colossal measures of knowledge - plus they're more proficient method of working together.
2. Quicker, better dynamic. With the consolidated speed of Hadoop and in-memory examination and consequently the capacity to investigate new wellsprings of knowledge , organizations are prepared to break down data immediately - and settle on choices dependent on what they've realized.
3. New items and administrations. With the office to gauge client needs and happiness through examination comes the ability to offer clients what they need .
What is FLUME in Hadoop?
Flume could likewise be a dispersed, solid, and accessible help for proficiently gathering, amassing, and moving a lot of log information. it's a basic and flexible design upheld streaming information streams. it's hearty and deficiency open minded with tunable dependability systems and far of bomb over and recuperation instruments.
Apache Flume is a framework utilized for moving gigantic extent of streaming information into HDFS. Amass log information accessible in log records from web workers and collecting it in HDFS for investigation, is one basic model use instance of Flume.
Highlights of Flume
A few of the huge highlights of Flume are as per the following −
Flume in takes log information from various web workers into a brought together store (HDFS, HBase) viably.
Utilizing Flume, we will get the information from different workers promptly into Hadoop.
Flume is additionally used to import tremendous volumes of occasion information created by long range interpersonal communication locales like Facebook and Twitter, and online business sites like Amazon and Flipkart.
Flume underpins an outsizes set of sources and objections types.
Flume can be estimated evenly.
Flume Architecture
A Flume specialist could likewise be a JVM cycle which has 3 parts - Flume Source, Flume Channel and Flume Sink-through which occasions spread after started at an outside source.
Working of Flume
1. Inside the above chart, the occasions created by outside source (Web Server) are devoured by Flume Data Source. The outside source sends occasions to Flume source during an arrangement that is perceived by the objective source.
2. Flume Source gets an event and stores it into at least one channels. The channel goes about as a store which keeps the occasion until it’s devoured by the flume sink. This channel may utilize a zone recording framework to store these occasions.
3.There may be numerous flume specialists, during which case flume sink advances the occasion to the flume wellspring of next flume specialist inside the stream.
Information Transfer In Hadoop
Enormous Data, as we as a whole know , might be an assortment of tremendous datasets that can’t be handled utilizing conventional registering methods. Huge Data, when broke down, gives important outcomes.
Streaming/Log Data.
By and large, the majority of the information that will be dissected will be delivered by different information sources like applications workers, long range interpersonal communication destinations, cloud workers, and venture workers. This information will be inside such a log documents and occasions.
Log document − generally , a log record might be a document that rundowns occasions/activities that happen in an OS . For instance, web workers list each solicitation made to the worker inside the log records.
Flume Agent
A specialist is an individualistic daemon measure (JVM) in Flume. It gets the data (occasions) from customers or different specialists and advances it to its next objective (sink or specialist). Flume may have more than one specialist. Following chart speaks to a Flume Agent
As appeared in the graph a Flume Agent contains three primary parts in particular, source, channel, and sink.
Source
A source is the part of an Agent which gets information from the information generators and moves it to at least one directs as Flume occasions.
Apache Flume underpins a few sorts of sources and each source gets occasions from a predefined information generator
Channel
A channel might be a transient store which gets the occasions from the source and cushions them till they’re devoured by sinks. It goes about as a scaffold between the sources and in this way the sinks.
Sink
A sink stores the information into incorporated stores like HBase and HDFS. It devours the information (occasions) from the channels and conveys it to the objective. The objective of the sink could be another specialist or the focal stores.
Note − A flume specialist can have various sources, sinks and channels. We have recorded all the upheld sources, sinks, channels inside the Flume design part of this instructional exercise.
Issue with HDFS
In HDFS, the record exists as an index passage and along these lines the length of the document are having the opportunity to be considered as zero till it’s shut. for instance , if a source is composing information into HDFS and along these lines the organization was hindered inside the focal point of the activity (without shutting the document), at that point the information composed inside the record will be lost.
Consequently we’d kind of a dependable, configurable, and viable framework to move the log information into HDFS.
Note − In POSIX documenting system , at whatever point we are getting to a record (say performing compose activity), different projects can at present peruse this record (at any rate the spared bit of the record). this is frequently on the grounds that the record exists on the plate before it’s shut.
Facebook’s Scribe
Recorder is an incredibly mainstream instrument that is need to join and stream log information. It is intended to scale to a truly sizable measure of hubs and be powerful to arrange and hub disappointments.
Apache Kafka
Kafka has been created by Apache Software Foundation. It is an open-source message merchant. Utilizing Kafka, we will deal with takes care of with high-throughput and low-inactivity.
Apache Flume
Apache Flume is a device/administration/information ingestion component for gathering collecting and moving a lot of streaming information, for example, log information, occasions (and so forth… ) from different web serves to a unified information store.
It is a profoundly dependable, appropriated, and configurable apparatus that is chiefly intended to move streaming information from different sources to HDFS.
In this instructional exercise, we’ll examine personally the best approach to utilize Flume with certain models.
Bit of leeway of Flume
The Following Core bit of leeway of flume makes to choose this innovation are recorded underneath.
1. it’s primarily wont to store the data into the brought together stores like HBase or HDFS.
2. it’s solid, saleable, deficiency lenient and adaptable for different sources and sinks.
3. Flume gives a delicate progression of information among peruse and compose tasks.
Burden of Flume
1. Flume has complex geography.
2. In Flume throughput relies upon the support store of the channel so adaptability and unwavering quality in not sufficient.
3. It doesn’t uphold for information replication.
4. It doesn’t ensure 100% special message conveyance (copy messages may enter at any occasions).
Distinctive Use instances of Apache Flume
1. Apache Flume are frequently used in things once we need to assemble information from such sources and store them on the Hadoop framework.
2. we’ll utilize Flume at whatever point we’d wish to deal with high-volume and high-speed information into a Hadoop framework.
3. Apache Flume might be a spine for constant occasion handling.
4. We use Apache Flume for dependable conveyance of information from outside sources to the objective.
5. Flume might be an apparatus significantly for online investigation.
6. Flume demonstrates bowed be a versatile arrangement when the amount and speed of information increments. At the point when the data volume expands, Flume are regularly scaled effectively by more machines thereto .
7. we will accomplish one purpose of contact with Apache Flume.
8. Apache Flume is that the most ideal decision once we pick ongoing gushing of knowledge .
9. it’s a superior interest in online business organizations for investigating the client conduct of different locales.
10. We use Apache flume for viably gathering log information from numerous workers and ingesting it into a concentrated store like HDFS, HBase.
12. Apache Flume causes us in bringing in and dissecting gigantic volumes of information produced continuously by web-based media sites like Twitter, Facebook, and different online business sites like Flipkart, Amazon, and so forth
13. With Flume it’s conceivable to gather information from a decent scope of sources at that point move them to various objections.
14. Besides once we are having various web applications worker running and creating logs and that we have to move logs at a super quick speed to HDFS then in such case we can utilize Apache Flume.
15.Apache Flume is sweet for doing a conclusion investigation or once we have to download information from Twitter at that point moving this information to HDFS.
16. we will deal with information in-trip by utilizing interceptors in Apache Flume.
17. Flume is amazingly helpful for information covering or information sifting.
18. In conclusion, Flume is that the most ideal decision once we had the chance to ingest printed log information into a Hadoop framework.
Conclusion
Huge Data Analytics might be a security improving instrument of the more extended term . The measure of information which will be accumulated, coordinated, and applied to clients during a customized style would take an individual’s days, weeks, or perhaps months to achieve. Time can’t be squandered assembling data and settling on choices on episodes that have just occurred. Leaving episodes speechless, finishing analytical work, and isolating undermining sources must happen promptly and license for overseers/the board to frame an on the spot choice. With huge information investigation, more instructed choices are regularly made and spotlight can stay on business activities pushing ahead. The accessibility of monstrous Data, minimal effort ware equipment, and new data the executives and diagnostic programming have created a particular second inside the historical backdrop of information examination. The union of those patterns implies we’ve the capacities needed to investigate amazing informational indexes rapidly and cost-adequately for the essential time ever. These abilities are neither hypothetical nor insignificant. They speak to a genuine forward leap and a straightforward occasion to comprehend gigantic increases as far as effectiveness, efficiency, income, and benefit. | https://medium.com/@marlon-richard/apache-flume-e71e6666c701 | ['Marlon Jose Richard Pimenta'] | 2020-11-24 04:37:41.778000+00:00 | ['Apache', 'Apache Flume'] |
What is Firebase Predictions? | Read this post in a good format on Swift Post.
Google announced Firebase Predictions in Firebase Dev Summit in Amsterdam this year. This is maybe the most important announcement of the summit. It enables businesses to predict user behavior depending on the previously collected data. This way we can guess what users might do next and offer discounts, promote features to keep them engaged. Until Firebase Predictions, we had to do this job by exporting our user’s behavior tracking data and apply some machine learning techniques to predict what user may do in the future. By releasing this tool into the Firebase ecosystem, Google takes over this responsibility and gets all data we have from Google Analytics for Firebase. It trains the data and predicts the future motion of the user depending on the defined goals. OK, sounds great! But…
How much data does it use?
It uses Google Analytics for Firebase as a data source and takes the last 100 days of user activity. It trains and evaluates/holds out the data and generates predictions for the next 7 days. Also, it calculates the accuracy of predicted values for the last 14 days.
How useful is it for product owners/project managers?
Looking user analytics data helps to track how the project is going. Defining KPIs and following them is the most important part of the project. Because KPIs enable people to see if a project achieves key business objectives. On the other side, machine learning algorithms are widely used to predict user interactions and improve business goals. Firebase Predictions are likely to help to achieve these goals without spending a lot of resources. It has predictions for churn and spend by default. For instance, if your project is using a freemium model, you can predict which users are likely to not spend money. So, you can improve your conversion rate by focusing on these users by offering them some discounts or extra advantages.
On the engagement side, Firebase Predictions’ churn value can help to see which users are likely to stop using the app. For example, in mobile applications, push notifications are widely used as a reminder to users about some content inside the app. This serves well in a lot of cases. Just imagine, if we knew the users who are likely to delete the app before they delete, what can we do to keep them inside? Instead of random guesses with push notifications, we can get benefit by understanding the user behavior and taking actions according to solid predictions.
Which services can we integrate with Firebase Predictions?
Firebase gives the capability to combine its tools like Remote Config with Predictions. Remote Config is another Firebase service that lets us change the behavior and appearance without forcing the user to update the app. Combination of Predictions with Remote Config is an awesome start. This means we can change the app according to user behavior predictions while on the live.
Another use case is integrating Predictions with Firebase Cloud Messaging. Cloud Messaging is a tool allowing app owners to send push notifications to their users. The last thing is A/B testing. Firebase announced A/B testing tool on the same day. Using predictions and A/B testing together is something that everyone should absolutely try.
How to start using Firebase Predictions?
First, Firebase Predictions uses Analytics events that correlated to predictions. It means that you have to use Firebase Analytics as an event tracker. If you’re already using Analytics, you need to enable Analytics Data Sharing. Then you’ll be able to enable Predictions for the project.
After enabling, you’ll see the default predictions and an explanation of the preparation process. It says that it can take 24 hours but it can take more time according to your data.
At the end of the table, you’ll see the + button for creating custom predictions based on analytics events. When you want to create a custom prediction, you just need to name it and connect the event in the opening popup.
🎉 You have created a new Firebase Prediction. But there is one more thing that you should know, risk tolerance level.
What is risk tolerance level?
When predicting user behavior, there is always a degree of uncertainty that requires a trade-off: you must decide whether to include fewer users in a predicted group for higher overall accuracy or to include more users for lower overall accuracy. (Source: Firebase)
By defining the risk tolerance level, you tell Firebase Predictions how tolerant you’re about uncertainty. If you increase your tolerance level, you’ll be saying that you’re willing to take the risk about predictions. For instance, if you’re going to offer some free content for users, you may want to be more precise about predictions and choose a low level of tolerance. Otherwise, you can lose money for nothing. But if you’re planning to offer some small discounts, you might have a bit of tolerance.
When risk tolerance level increases, the accuracy of predictions will decrease. Firebase has 3 risk tolerance levels: high, medium and low. High-risk tolerance level targets more users with the lowest level of accuracy. Low tolerance level targets fewer users with the highest level of accuracy available. The middle level is somewhere in between two of them by targeting a moderate level of users with a moderate level of accuracy. You need to choose risk tolerance levels for each prediction.
Our next step will be dependent on the use case and decision. We will take a look at the integration of Predictions with other tools. Let’s dive in one by one.
Remote Config with Firebase Predictions
Usage of Remote Config inside the apps really affects how to use Firebase Predictions. If you’re already using Remote Config you can adjust your values according to the predictions. If you’re not using Remote Config, please check the documentation first for the setup.
In remote config, we have to add a new condition or edit current ones to use prediction. When we add a new condition, we need to add the ‘App’ as first application condition for the value. This app has to be the one with enabled Firebase Predictions. Secondly, we need to click “AND” and choose a prediction value from the dropdown list and select the risk tolerance group, then pressing the ‘Create Condition’ button will create the condition for us. Now, we can start using this condition in our Remote Config values.
One of the examples of predicted remote config values is using them in the games. When we want to sell packages and adjust their content according to user willingness to pay, we can increase our revenue. Another example can be changing the appearance of share buttons inside our apps. If users are not likely to share the content in the app, we can prepare good UI to convince them to share.
A/B Testing with Firebase Predictions
These two new features are perfect for each other. Combination of them opens a lot of doors for every business. Creating a new A/B test experiment is easy. First, go to Remote Config section in the Firebase Console. You’ll see the A/B Testing button in the upper right corner. When you click it, you’ll see three sections as Running, Draft and Completed. Click Create Experiment button. It’ll start the creating experiment process. Name the experiment and choose your Firebase Predictions enabled app like in Remote Config. After this, you’ll be able to see prediction values. You can choose one of them and continue to the process. I won’t get into more details for all A/B testing process in Firebase. Because it’s another blog post subject on its own.
Here is an example from the presentation about Firebase Predictions combination with A/B testing.
In this test, they choose High-Risk Tolerance for spend prediction. So, when targeted users are likely to spend money, they change the appearance of application with introducing different paid packages.
Notifications with Firebase Predictions
Lastly, we can integrate Firebase Cloud Messaging with Firebase Predictions. If you’re not using Firebase Cloud Messaging, you can take a look at the documentation. When you enter Notifications in Firebase Console, you can click to New Message button. In the opening screen, enter your analytics event name to “Message label” section. Choose “User segment” from Target section and do the same as we did for A/B testing. Then, choose the app which you enabled Firebase Predictions in the target conditions. And add another condition for prediction. Choose the prediction value and risk tolerance level in there.
You can adjust other settings of notifications in the console. One thing to mention here, as we’re not able to send push notifications for user segments via Firebase SDKs, this feature is only available in Firebase Console.
Final Words
Machine learning algorithms are in use for decades but interest is drastically increased in the last years. The hard part of applying machine learning algorithms to businesses arises from the complexity and collecting data. Even if every business collects data from users, they are not able to use machine learning algorithms to predict future actions of their users. Introduction of Firebase Predictions seems like a solution to this problem. Google Analytics is already a leader in analytics world and Google Analytics for Firebase is becoming a standard in the mobile world. Google takes a big step to help all businesses by applying machine learning algorithms on big chunks of precious analytics data. We’ll see together how it’s going to achieve its goal.
Thanks for reading️! Help spread the word. ❤️🚀 | https://medium.com/developermind/what-is-firebase-predictions-6712fcc8d34b | ['Candost Dağdeviren'] | 2017-11-06 12:59:20.396000+00:00 | ['Push Notification', 'Firebase Predictions', 'Machine Learning', 'Software Development', 'Firebase'] |
Statistical Learning Theory Part 2 | Statistical Learning Theory Part 2
Approaches to the Learning Problem Part 0
Image source
Recap
In the first part of the Statistical Learning Theory series, we gave an introduction to the Statistical Learning Theory. We discussed the various contributions made in the subject by eminent scientists over a considerable period of time, which ultimately led to developement of the subject of theoritical statistics as we know today. This subsequently acted as a catalyst in the gradual developement of other fields of study like Machine Learning, Data Science, etc.
Approches to the Learning Problem
The First Approach
The first approach is a problem of minimizing a Risk functional on the basis of empirical data. The quality of the approximating function that is chosen from a set of functions is evaluated by the Risk functional.
The Second Approach
The second approach requires the solution of integral equations to estimate stochastic dependencies in situations where some elements of the equations are known only approximately.
General Model of Learning from examples
Model of Learning from examples consists of three elements :
Generator of the data G , which acts as the soure of the situations that detrmines the environment in which the next two elements act. Generator G generates independent and identically distributed (i.i.d) vectors x∈ X , according to some distribution F ( x ).
of the data , which acts as the soure of the situations that detrmines the environment in which the next two elements act. generates independent and identically distributed (i.i.d) vectors , according to some distribution ( ). Supervisor S , which takes x as input and returns the target output values y . The supervisor is the target operator, which is unknown but we are sure that it exists.
, which takes as input and returns the target output values . The supervisor is the target operator, which is unknown but we are sure that it exists. Learning Machine LM, which observes pairs (x₁,y₁),…,(xₗ,yₗ) (the training set) and constructs some operator which is used to predict the target values yᵢ for every input vector xᵢ. The goal of the LM if to learn an approximation of the target operator S, from the data generated by G.
The supervisor S returns the target values y on a vector x according to the distribution F(y|x). Thus the Learning Machine LM, observes and independently and identically distributed training data set drawn according to the joint distribution F(x,y) = F(y|x) F(x).
For the construction of the approximation of the Target Operator S the Learning Machine LM pursues two goals:
Imitation of the Target Operator S .
. Indentification of the Target Operator S.
The above two goals may seem similar, but there is a fine line between them. Imitating the target operator means only to achieve best results in prediction of the supervisor’s outputs based on the environment generated by the Generator G. Identification of the Target Operator requires construction of a good approximation of the Target Operator in a certain metric. This consequently ensures good prediction results of the Supervisor’s outputs. These two goals imply the two approaches to the learning problem.
The problem of imitation leads to the developement of a nonasymptotic theory. Whereas, the problem of identification leads, also called ill-posed problems, leads to the developement of an asymptotic theory.
Constructing an operator means that the construction of the learning machine enables it to implement a set of functions and chooses from this set an appropriate approximate function. So, the learning process is essentially a process of choosing an appropriate function from a given set of functions. | https://medium.com/the-owl/statistical-learning-theory-part-2-b5a0df4bebf5 | ['Siladittya Manna'] | 2020-07-27 16:58:24.334000+00:00 | ['Machine Learning', 'Statistics', 'Statistical Learning', 'Deep Learning', 'Mathematics'] |
Best Lviv Hotels. Where to stay in Lviv — Perfect Area | Today, the city of Lviv, located in the west of Ukraine is considered one of the most beautiful cities in Europe. Here the past and present are harmoniously combined — modern areas, cathedrals, temples, large number of architectural monuments that are interesting to city guests. Without doubt, everyone who comes here is interested in Lviv hotels to stay.
If you are interested in the sights of the city and you want to visit them, you should find the most suitable place for your stay in advance.
All modern Lviv Hotels have a good level of comfort, as well as a fairly high-quality service. The choice in this direction is wide enough — it will not be difficult to find both luxurious rooms and more affordable Lviv economy class hotels.
Where to stay in Lviv for Foreign Tourist?
Going to Lviv, you can choose a hotel depending on location, cost, comfort and your personal preferences.
The most luxurious and expensive hotels are mainly located in the historical part of Lviv. Therefore, choosing to stay there you can get to the sights easily and quickly. If you are not ready to sacrifice convenience and pleasures, then there is nothing better for you than a five-star hotel in Lviv.
Lviv economy class hotels are most often located on the outskirts of the city. When it comes to various mini-hotels, due to their small size they can be found throughout the city. You decide what hotel to choose for your temporary stay in Lviv.
In any case, it is definitely worth visiting the majestic and beautiful city of Lviv. The old part of the city is located in a so-to-say bowl, which is surrounded by picturesque squares, hills and parks. More than two thousand architectural, historical and cultural monuments of the city are protected by state.
Book a Hotel in Lviv
To get acquainted with the sights of Lviv, you need to find a place to stay. Below you will find the list of hotels of Lviv, divided into three categories: popular hotels, luxury hotels and budget-friendly hotels. Here you can book a room in the Lviv hotel in advance in accordance with your wishes and financial capabilities.
Viewing Tower on Lviv Town Hall
Hotels in Lviv can be divided into two groups. The first includes post-communist buildings that were only slightly renovated and warm water can only be there at certain hours of the day. Some of them were renovated somewhat more than others, thereby automatically increased their ratings. The second group is Lviv hotels for visitors from abroad, which have been completely renovated and the rooms there are quite expensive. This group also includes new hotels built over the past few years. Therefore, the main problem in Lviv is to find a “middle ground”, that is quality of decent standard at affordable price.
Best 4* Hotels in Lviv
Swiss Hotel in Lviv
City Center is 1km-walk from Swiss Hotel; it offers spacious rooms with garden views. Hotel Swiss has been hosting guests since 2009. Guests have access to a private pool and laundry facilities, housekeeping, and room service.
The hotel is located close to Market Square, a 15-minute walk from Cemetery of the Defenders of Lviv. The Opera House, the Palace and the Cathedral are all within walking distance, while High Castle Park is a 15-minute walk away.
There are historic market and supermarket close to the Hotel.
When staying in Lviv, do not forget to take a tour with a Lviv private guide to find out the history of amazing Lviv:
FERENC Hotel & Restaurant
Ferenc Hotel is a combination of beauty and style, impeccable service and interior design.
The hotel is located in close proximity to all major government agencies, architectural gems and sights of Lviv.
The hotel has 35 rooms designed taking into account all the amenities for work and leisure.
Ferenc Lviv has a room for people with disabilities.
Chopin Hotel
The uniqueness of Chopin Hotel is not only its convenient central location, but also its cultural setting. The hotel is located in a cozy square in the central part of ancient Lviv near the Lviv Regional Philharmonic Society, adjacent to the Potocki Palace and the Lviv Art Gallery. Guests are offered 16 comfortable rooms of various categories, restaurant serving Polish and European cuisine, summer terrace, backyard, pub, meeting room, library, laundry and dry cleaning services, restaurant room service, Internet access (WiFi), 24-hour parking CCTV and more.
Rius Hotel
Rius Hotel is located in the center of Lviv, less than 2-minute walk from Svobody Avenue and 5-minute walk from Market Square. Free Wi-Fi is available throughout the property.
Its modern rooms are equipped with minibar, balcony or terrace, flat-screen satellite TV, air conditioning and private bathroom with bath or shower. Rooms have panoramic view of the city.
Lviv Opera and Ballet Theater is a 6-minute walk. Lviv City Council is a 7-minute walk.
Rius Hotel is 2.5 km from Lviv Railway Station and 7 km from the International Airport. Doroshenko Tram Stop is 1 km away. Guests can use guarded underground parking.
PANORAMA Lviv Hotel
The success of the PANORAMA Lviv Hotel is based on its impeccable European service, well-coordinated work of the entire hotel team, special attention to guests, and excellent location (not far from the Lviv National Academic Opera and Ballet Theater).
Astoria Hotel
Astoria Hotel is located in historic building near the Opera House in the center of Lviv. The Mon Chef restaurant serves European cuisine. Parking and Wi-Fi are free.
Hotel with beautiful history and architecture, located in the heart of Lviv with all attractions within walking distance. Friendly staff, delicious and varied breakfasts. The interior is exquisite, with unusual architectural compositions, while they have preserved the historical content (candelabras, stairs, and elevator) — they say the hotel was built for the actors of the theater, located literally 100m away. In addition, the beds are just bliss after walking around the city — they are wide with cuddly white bed and soft pillows.
Gruner Lviv Boutique hotel
Gruner Lviv Boutique Hotel is a trendy 4-star hotel located 200 meters from Ivan Franko National University of Lviv and 1.1 km from Eureka Museum.
This hotel is located close to Lviv Market Square, walking distance from Latin Cathedral. Lviv city center is 1 km away. The hotel is located in close proximity to Lviv House of Scientists.
Lviv-Golovnyi railway station is just a 20-minute walk away.
Atlas Deluxe Hotel
The hotel is very nice and beautiful. It is nice to walk down the stairs, the restrooms look like in the 19th century. The rooms are spacious, but the sound insulation is poor. The restaurant has cool menu including non-standard meals (bouillabaisse, broccoli cream soup, etc.). Breakfasts are good, but the menu is rather small.
Best 3* Hotels in Lviv
HOTEL N°10
Hotel №10 is located in Lviv, not far from Potocki Palace, Armenian Cathedral, and Armenian Archbishop’s Palace. It offers air-conditioned rooms, bar, free Wi-Fi and shared lounge. The front desk is open 24 hours. Room service is provided. Luggage storage is available.
Rooms have desks and flat-screen TVs. Other amenities include a wardrobe and a kettle.
Buffet breakfast is served every morning at the HOTEL.
Nearby points of interest include St. Peter and Paul Church of the Jesuit Order, Latin Cathedral, and a monument to Volodymyr Ivasyuk. Lviv International Airport is 7 km from Hotel №10.
Blum Hotel
The Blum Hotel is exceptional place to relax in Lviv. This property has a luggage storage, smoking area and parking.
It takes 15-minute walk to get to Bohdana Khmelnytskoho Park. It is only 10 minutes walk from the center of Lviv.
Blum Hotel has 29 rooms with minibar, flat-screen TV, refrigerator, sideboard and iron with ironing board to ensure your pleasant stay in Lviv. Located in the center of Lviv, it is only 5-minute walk from Puzata Hata and Play Bar, where one can enjoy a wide selection of meals.
Modern Art Hotel
Modern Art Hotel is located in the historical part of the city, in a building constructed in 1897, which today is architectural monument. Most of the rooms offer views of one of the most beautiful streets of the city — Shechenko Avenue.
Hostels in Lviv
If you are looking for a more budget vacation, it is worth staying at the hostel. On Booking.com, you can choose a convenient option. It does not have to be a small bed in dormitory room for 10 people. Prices for individual rooms are quite affordable.
Bed in dormitory room — 160 UAH.
Bed in female/male room — 230 UAH.
Double room — 500 UAH.
Average prices are per night.
DREAM Hostel Lviv
Apartments in Lviv
If you are more comfortable staying where there are fewer people, then it is worth considering the option of an apartment. You can book your accommodation on Airbnb website.
Rental price per day — from 500 to 1 000 UAH.
The advantage of staying in apartment is that you can often arrange convenient check-in and check-out times with the owner.
Lviv City Tours
Lviv Old Town Tour
Lviv Old Town Tour is a private walking tour with Lviv local who will take you along the narrow brick streets of the Old City of Lviv and wıll share exciting stories of each amazing attraction. This tour is ideal for those who are for the first time in Lviv and want to see the main attractions and understand the history from A to Z.
Lviv Nightlife Tour
Lviv Nightlife Tour is a 3-hour walk with a local from one Lviv bar to another. The tour is private; it will be organized only for you and your friends. Lviv has the best bars in Ukraine, and we are going to show you the best places. During this short bar crawl our local guide will become your friend, will share stories about the city and tell about the life of ordinary Lviv residents. Our guides are regular visitors to local bars and know where and when to go to get the best of the night.
Lviv Underground Tour
Lviv Underground Tour is a 2-hour walk with a local through the dungeons of Lviv. No, you won’t have to crawl.
Let’s discover the secrets of Lviv dungeons together! Legends say that earlier people could travel under the old city using the underground tunnels.
On our Lviv Underground Tour, you will see the most intriguing places in Lviv. Guests can see interesting catacombs under the churches, the Pharmacy Museum and the Opera House.
Lviv Coffee and Chocolate Tour
Coffee and chocolate tour is a gourmet treat!
Lviv is already the most famous coffee city in Ukraine, but there is a huge variety of how coffee can look and how it can taste. Coffee Lviv Tour is an overview of the best coffee houses in the city with incredible stories of coffee stories and coffee tasting. During this tour, you will drink more coffee than you ever had in two hours so make sure to skip your usual morning coffee on the day of the tour.
Lychakiv Cemetery Tour
Lviv Lychakiv Cemetery Tour is a 2-hour walk with a Private Lviv Guide in a very unusual but interesting place.
Someone calls it an open-air museum, others — a necropolis. The cemetery was established back in 1786 by order of the authorities of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. This is one of the oldest cemeteries in Europe. Over 400 thousand people are buried here! Moreover, every monument, chapel or tombstone is a work of art.
Contact to Book Lviv Private Tour: | https://medium.com/@katedobromishev/best-lviv-hotels-where-to-stay-in-lviv-perfect-area-80b9acffeab8 | ['Kate Dobromishev'] | 2020-01-24 20:43:26.257000+00:00 | ['Travel', 'Tourism', 'Europe', 'Lviv', 'Ukraine'] |
LeetCode — Next Greater Element III | Problem Link: https://leetcode.com/problems/next-greater-element-iii/
Integers
Problem Description:
Given a positive integer n , find the smallest integer which has exactly the same digits existing in the integer n and is greater in value than n . If no such positive integer exists, return -1 .
Note that the returned integer should fit in a 32-bit integer if there is a valid answer but it does not fit in a 32-bit integer, return -1 .
Approach Used: Mathematical, Logical, Arrays
Explanation: For finding the smallest number we need to start from right. Since we want to make the number bigger we will have to shift a bigger digit(right) to smaller digit’s position (left of bigger digit). The base case (when we return -1) will come when all digits are in non-increasing order. If this is not the case and we start from right we will encounter a position where the digit on its left is smaller than the current digit. This is the position where we need to do swapping (current_position-1). Let's call this position x. We will find the smallest digit on the right of this position since we want to make the smallest possible number bigger than the current number. We will swap these two digits (x, smallest digit on the right of x). Then sort all the digits on right side of this position(again to make the smallest possible number bigger than the current number). This will give the next biggest integer. In the end, we need to convert the array back to a number and take care of corner cases(overflow from Integer’s maximum value 2³¹)
Code: (Java)
public int nextGreaterElement(int n) {
//make an array of all the digits in the number.
//The size of the array will be equal to number of digits in the input
int[] digits = new int[Integer.toString(n).length()];
//since we want to store digit in the natural ordering(left to right)
//and we are extracting from last digit (right to left)
//we will start storing from last index
int index = digits.length-1;
//so that original input is not changed to 0
int temp=n;
//loop that will extract all the digits and store in the array
while(temp!=0){
//temp%10 will extract the last digit in remaining number
digits[index] = temp%10;
index--;
//reduce the number by 10
temp/=10;
}
int i;
//find the first position where a smaller digit is encountered on left than current digit
for(i=digits.length-1; i>0; i--){
if(digits[i]>digits[i-1]){
break;
}
}
//if we reach last, then all digits in number are in decreasing order
//and hence a bigger number cannot be formed
if(i==0)
return -1;
//find the smallest digit on right of this which is bigger than first digit in non-decreasing order
//we will swap these two digits
int x = digits[i-1], smallestIndex=i;
for(int j=i+1; j<digits.length; j++){
if(digits[j]>x && digits[j]<digits[smallestIndex])
smallestIndex=j;
}
//swapping the first digit in non-decreasing order from right with smallest digit on its right
digits[i-1] = digits[smallestIndex];
digits[smallestIndex] = x;
//sorting all the digits on right of this index to get smallest possible number
//bigger than original number
Arrays.sort(digits, i, digits.length);
//to chck for overflow (Integer max value is 2^31 -> 10 digit number starting with 2)
//not the best approach
if(digits.length==10 && digits[0]>2)
return -1;
//convert the array back to an integer
int res=0;
for(i=0; i<digits.length; i++){
res = res*10+digits[i];
}
//if final result is negative, it means there is an overflow
if(res<0)
return -1;
//return final output
return res;
}
Complexity:
Space complexity: O(length_input) . Since we store all digits in an array
Time complexity: O(length_input)
Here length_input is the number of digits in the input number. | https://medium.com/@siddhantjain-sid/leetcode-next-greater-element-iii-bcc2ae344eb8 | ['Siddhant Jain'] | 2020-12-24 13:33:07.837000+00:00 | ['Competitive Programming', 'Leetcode', 'Data Structures', 'Number Theory', 'Algorithms'] |
Monsters are real and ghosts are real too. They live inside us (#Prompt) | Monsters are real and ghosts are real too. They live inside us (#Prompt) Anoop Singh ·Dec 20, 2020
Monsters are ghosts are real,
Is that true?
and also they live within us.
yes!
Am I talking to someone else or I am talking to myself?
So which one is the scary one, and which one are you?
Aren't they both scary,
No, Maybe I don’t know,
I have never seen them,
How do I know?
Do you think you know, who are you?
why do you ask that?
you know that question.
I don’t the answer I am still finding it.
Anyway, Have you seen the monster inside you?
I experienced it, but it never able to come out maybe due to my nature and my values in life. | https://medium.com/@anoopsingh-27990/monsters-are-real-and-ghosts-are-real-too-they-live-inside-us-prompt-e95b6e1cd5ab | ['Anoop Singh'] | 2020-12-20 15:20:41.287000+00:00 | ['Stories', 'Prompt', 'Ghosts', 'Monsters'] |
Simple Guide To The Medium Algorithm | You’re on Medium, and you want to make money.
There is nothing wrong with that. You’re putting in the time, so you expect some compensation.
But when you look at your articles, you notice that some of them might have more views or reads but actually made you less money than their less popular counterparts.
I have noticed that a very popular theory claims that your earnings depend on claps or fans your stories have. But that’s also incorrect.
So how does the Medium algorithm actually work?
Photo by Glenn Carstens-Peters on Unsplash
According to the most official source you could possibly find — Medium, “Partner Program writers are paid monthly based on how much time Medium members spend reading their stories.”
But what does that mean?
In summary, it means that at the moment you can’t calculate or predict any exact numbers when it comes to your earning.
However, you can still use the algorithm to your advantage.
With how the Partner Program works right now, your most important statistic will be member reading time.
An important question we need to answer is whether non-Medium readers also count towards your member reading time. The answer is yes, but only if they become members within 30 days of reading your story.
This is why sometimes you will receive earnings seemingly out of nowhere — that comes from the fact that readers subscribed to the Medium Partner Program a while after reading your story. | https://medium.com/writers-blokke/simple-guide-to-the-medium-algorithm-7030445a33c5 | ['Dagmara Sajdak'] | 2021-01-24 07:02:48.848000+00:00 | ['Money', 'Partner Program', 'Earn Money Online', 'Ｍedium', 'Writing'] |
Can we use wipes and water wipes for my baby | | Ever worried about your baby’s hygiene? Stressed over the aisles full of various products without reaching a definite conclusion on what you might or might not need? Hesitated because you didn’t know what would work best for your baby’s skin? Don’t worry, all parents have been there and tackled the issue after some tries. Yes, that sounds tiring but once you find a product which your baby responds to positively, it will be worth the wait.
Wipes can be used to clean any mess your baby creates. Whether they have soiled they’re pampered or dirtied their hands, wipes soak up all the dirt. Using them is as easy as cleaning your hands with a tissue. Simply, take a wipe and clean the affected area by rubbing gently in circular motions. Don’t try to rush it as the cloth is pretty effective if you give it a little time. Your baby might get annoyed if you try to pinch or slap his skin with the wipe.
However, it is not advisable to just rely on wipes. Washing your child with water and baby bath is not only necessary but also healthy for your child’s skin. There is no ultimate replacement for water. Make sure to keep the wipes away from babies as they may rub it in their eyes or worse — chew them. Sometimes they might try to grab them from your hands so pay close attention to them.
Another important thing to keep in mind when it comes to wipes is that even if your baby responds positively to it now, he may develop contact allergies later. Hence, parents should try to limit their reliability on wipes.
PLAY IT SAFE
As mentioned above, each baby’s skin reacts differently. If your baby’s skin becomes red after using this, check in with a doctor immediately. Sometimes babies develop allergies or maybe that specific wipes don’t suit his skin. Some babies are more sensitive than others. Ensure that you don’t bring the wipes close to their eyes or mouth. Wipes cater to only some parts of their body.
WATER WIPES — A HEALTHIER ALTERNATIVE
It’s always better to use wipes which don’t contain too many chemicals. Maybe your baby is responding negatively because of this sole reason. Some amount of chemicals is healthy but excess of this can have an adverse effect. However, remember that almost every baby product contains chemicals in some ratio. You can also use water wipes which contain 99.9% water and natural skin conditioner from the grapefruit seed. They’re designed in a way such that they don’t anger your baby’s skin. These types of wipes are a safe bet if you want to remain chemical-free.
ADVANTAGES OF WIPES
1. They are portable. They don’t occupy much space and can easily fit in your baby bag. You can carry them anywhere — whether it’s a short trip to the beach or a ten-hour flight. For the latter, you need wipes as you are trapped in the middle of nowhere and the last place you want to take your baby is a small cramped up bathroom twenty people used before you.
2. They are cool to touch and soft which will not hurt your baby’s skin.
3. Wipes are efficient as they clean up almost any mess.
4. You can find them in your favorite baby store. When you go shopping, don’t forget to pick up a pack! Any parent would be sighing in relief when their baby creates a mess at an inconvenient time.
5. If you’re still afraid of using them, you can top it off with a cream.
6. No one said that the use of wipes is strictly limited to babies only. You can use it as well to wipe your hands after cleaning your baby! Or to clean a spot in your car which your baby or even you stained (accidents happen after all).
CONCLUSION
Wipes are an easy and safe way to care for your baby’s hygiene. From the time of birth, parents begin using this product. When they start toilet training, most of them ditch this alternative. Your baby won’t stay mall forever. Wipes are one of the many things which have made parenting easier. To think of the old days when people didn’t have them!
SUMMARY
1. Wipes are a safe way of cleaning your baby.
2. They are economical and handy.
3. It is important to take note of how your baby’s skin responds to wipes. Sometimes using a cream after cleaning can tone down the effect of any chemicals present in the wipes.
4. Avoid contact with eyes and mouth.
5. Wipes have multiple uses but are mainly used to take care of your baby’s hygiene. | https://medium.com/@knowingyourchild2019/can-we-use-wipes-and-water-wipes-for-my-baby-c6bd23cd43fa | [] | 2020-01-09 13:34:49.470000+00:00 | ['Baby Care', 'Parenting', 'Baby'] |
Next Year, I’ll Read Slowly | The year is not yet over but so far I have read 78 books out of the 70-book quota.
I promise that this is my Goodreads account. I just love my dog. He’s Captain, by the way.
I’ll tone down the bragging and admit that I am not proud of this “accomplishment.” Of the 78 books finished, ten of them are plays, and many are short stories. I think I rushed. I think I cheated. And it did not feel good.
While reading a lot can be good for you, this story is about the opposite. Here are my reasons why I am reading slowly and less next year.
Respect to the writer
Rushing through a book feels like disrespecting its writer. Imagine the time, effort, and thought-process the story went through before it gets published. It’s not that we owe the writer anything, but rushing is kind of similar to taking their words for granted. As a writer, wouldn’t you feel good if readers took their time reading your work? Hmm, I bet you would.
About time to read the thick ones
This is my way of punishing myself for cheating. But not really. The standouts in my 2020 reads are thick ones like Hermann Hesse’s The Glass Bead Game, Alex Haley’s Roots, and Charles Dickens’s Great Expectations. The storylines are solid, and the length of the books allowed the characters to develop more. I would hate Pip less if Great Expectations were short.
The hefty books on my shelf were set aside because they wouldn’t help me finish my goal. So, I’ll welcome the new year with John Steinbeck’s East of Eden to be immediately followed by Margaret Mitchell’s Gone with the Wind. Ambitious.
Abandon bad books
I am not the kind of guy who abandons a book. Many people affirm that it’s okay to stop reading a book that you don’t enjoy. I just can’t get myself to do it. No matter how bad, they’d still count as a “read book” in the end. But they are right. It’s a waste of time. I gave two-star ratings — I’m too kind to give one star — to at least ten books and the only reason I finished them is that I needed them to count in my quota. So, here’s to abandoning bad books next year. Hooray!
In 2021, I will read at least one book a month. That’s twelve books a year — a drastic low from my 70-book quota this year. I am excited already. | https://2madness.com/next-year-ill-read-slowly-14635506db2 | ['Harry Male'] | 2020-12-18 17:23:22.620000+00:00 | ['Reading', 'Self', 'Book Recommendations', 'Books', 'Books And Authors'] |
Is 1% too small | Sometimes I really don’t care about small things. Waking up late and don’t have enough time for a complete workout, I’ll then do a lighter workout. Feels bored and doesn’t want to write or read, I’ll skip and play video games instead. There are always easier things to do than the things I should do. Meanwhile, I feel stressful when I see my growing to-do lists. I also seek for all the different books and techniques that tell you how to do things more productive and more efficient. Deep down, I know that the being more productive is just an excuse for wasting more time. Didn’t read today? I’ll learn how to be a faster reader and catch up later. The “later” never comes. The slightly increase of speed can easily be suppressed by the decrease of time. Does it matter though? Is it that necessary to be slightly better every day?
Before I read Atomic Habit by James Clear, I thought The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg is THE best and only book I ever need to read about habits. It shows scientifically that habits are composed by cue, action and rewards. To replace an old habit or build up a new habit, we can make cue and rewards the same, and change our actions. For example, if I want to change my habit of eating cookie everyday at 3pm, I can start to figure out the cue, such as being bored, and the reward, such as feeling more energetic. While keeping cue and reward the same, I can try different activities. For example, taking a walk while feeling bored and see if I can get the same reward after it. Once I find a good activity to replace the old one; in this example, taking a walk instead of eating a cookie, I will have a healthier habit.
Because of the good understanding of habit, I never feel the need to read Atomic Habit even when I saw it under the “Lucky Wall” in my local library. “Lucky Wall” in my library is for popular books with waiting time > 2 months. You can borrow anything immediately from “Lucky Wall”, but you cannot renew. Until recently, I chatted with my friend, and she recommended me this book. I asked her what’s so special about this one. She said the core idea in this book is small changes. The author James Clear was hit in the face by a baseball in his sophomore year in high school. He got seizures, could not remember who his mother is and could not smell. He didn’t lose his faith, he tried small things one at a time, rebuilt his confidence and got full recovered. 6 years after getting hit, he was selected as the top male athlete at Denison University. I got curious and searched for this book immediately on Amazon. In my mind, on Amazon, a good book normally has a few hundreds reviews with 4 to 4.5 stars. A great book normally thousands of views with 4 to 4.5 stars. This one, to my surprise has more than 20,000 reviews with 5 starts. This is rare, and it could mean it worth reading, so I grabbed a copy and started to read.
I have to say, I was completely wrong. After finishing reading, The Power of Habit is still a great book in my mind, but not the only one anymore. Atomic Habit is worth the reviews and every penny. It leverages the theory from The Power of Habit and provides more practical ways to us to use on a daily basis.
Before jumping to any specific tactics and examples, the book first talks about the fundamentals. It shows why tiny changes can make huge impacts, and every small thing matters. It gives an example of British Cycling team. The team hasn’t won any event for 110 years by 2003. In 2003, a man named Dave Brailford was hired as the performance director of the team. He starts to make 1% improvement on every possible areas, common area like the angle of seat and better racing suit. He didn’t stop there, and focused on a lot of unexpected areas as well. They hired a surgeon to teach the team how to wash their hands better so they are less likely to get a cold. They determine the best pillow and mattress so players can have a better sleep and recovery. When the hundreds of small improvements accumulates, magic happens. Just after 5 years, British Cycling team won more than 60% of gold medals in Beijing Olympics. 4 years later in London Olympics, the team set 9 Olympics records and 7 world records.
How can this happen? You might have heard of compound interest. Albert Einstein referred to it as the “most powerful force in the universe”. We all adopt this term as a financing term. If we save a little money right now, with certain growth rate, 30 years from now, we will have thousands of money. The same concept applies to growth as well.
If we only improve 1% each day, in a year, we will be more than 37 times better than we started. On the other hand, if we are 1% worse each day, we will only be 3% of what we were a year ago. Does the 1% matter? Absolutely. We often neglect small things. If I save a little each day, I won’t be a millionaire a month later. If I workout everyday, I still won’t get my 6-packs 1 month later. Oh the flip side, if I eat junk food everyday, I won’t see huge weight increase the next day. Small things don’t seem to matter. However, as the examples show, one day or one small decision don’t seem to matter, when all the tiny things accumulate, they will change the destination of life.
Doing some seemingly small things over and over can be boring. Boredom is also the biggest threat to success. This is probably why we need to find our passion to be success since we won’t be bored. This is not true. We all have moments to feel like quitting. Professionals stick to schedule and work hard toward it with purposes; amateurs let life get in the way and get pulled off course by the urgency of life. This reminds me of story I read before. Cannot remember the details, but basically a mathematician solved a problem that has puzzled people for many years, when people asked the mathematicians how long did it take for him to solve it, he said “every Sunday afternoon for the past 5 years”.
The process sounds hard, but it is not. How we see ourselves decides which habits we want to adopt. Reversely, the habits we are performing can shape our identities. For example, I used to not read much. One day, I decided to read more since book are good way to learn from the best. Initially it was hard, I got distracted all the time. Overtime, however, since I read more, I started to think myself as a reader. Due to the identity changes, reading becomes easier, and it is no longer a task for me; it became a hobby.
Creating a habit is not hard either. It only takes 4 steps:
Cue — make it obvious
Craving — make it attractive
Action — make it easy
Rewards — make it satisfying
Cue — make it obvious
Cue is the initial step for a habit. I often wake up and check my phone. Waking up is the cue for me. To form a new habit or change an old one, we need to make the cue obvious. It is hard sometimes because a habit means we do thing automatically without noticing it. A good way is to create a timesheet, and assign + or — or =next to it. + means habits that are aligned with your desired identities and — means the opposite. = mean neutral. For example, I normally
wake up =
turn of alarm clocks =
check emails/messages -
weight myself +
brush my teeth =
drink water +
check my phone again -
After writing them down clearly, it is very easy to see which habits I want to keep and which I want to change/improve.
Another good way is to write the habits down in a specific way. The formula goes like this I will do BEHAVIOR in LOCATION at TIME. For example, I will workout at home right after drinking water in the morning. Research shows that by writing the specifics down, people are much more likely to behave this way.
Similar to writing it done, another strategy is call “habit stacking”. It simply means to put a new habit right after an existing habit. Formula is After OLD HABIT, I will NEW HABIT. For example, after drinking my morning coffee, I will do 5 min meditation.
Environment design, in my mind, might be the most powerful way when forming a habit. It is also mentioned later in “Action — make it easy” section. We may all know some people who seem to have unlimited self-control and willpower. They workout regularly, get things done without procrastination and read a lot. If you have read the Willpower Instinct by Kelly McGonigal, you may have known the willpower is a limited resources. Although this is still a controversial theory, it still shows only relying on willpower is not sufficiency and sustainable.
A good environment design is a better solution. The research shows that by simply swapping the drink option from soda to bottled water in cafeteria, the sales of soda dropped by more than 10%, and the sales of water increased by 20% in 3 months. Environment is the invisible hands that shapes our behavior. If there’s cookie next to you, you may start to eat without realizing. To form a new behavior like taking a walk after waking up, you can have the workout clothes next to bed to remind you.
Reverse this rule can help eliminate the old habits. For example, to eat less deserts, rather than forcing yourself not eating it, it is easier to not buy. Without any sweets in home, you are less likely to eat.
Craving — make it attractive
After getting the cue, and before acting on it, you will have a craving in your mind that makes you to act. The craving motivates us since it can release the famous dopamine to our brain. Therefore, to leverage it, we can make the craving more attractive so it is irresistible to not act.
A simple way is to bundle the things you like to do with the things you need to do. It is very similar to habit stacking mentioned above. Formula is After HABIT I NEED, I will do HABIT I WANT. For example, After writing for 1 hour, I will take a break and walk outside. It can be reversed as well, and then the things I enjoy doing can be a cue for a habit I need to do. For example, after watch 10min youtube, I will go for a run.
Another way is to join a culture or environment where your desired behavior or habit is normal. We are social animals, and we all need the social bonds with others. We want to make connections with other. If everyone else is behaving in a certain way, you will do, too. It is easier to start to read after joining a book club.
Reverse this rule can help us eliminate bad habits. A good book to help people quit smoke is called Easy Way to Stop Smoking by Allen Carr. He systematically reframes each thought associated with smoking and gives it a new meaning. For example, “you think smoking is about relieving stree, but it’s not. Smoking does not relieve your nerves, it destroys them”. Hundreds of people quick smoking because of the book. We can apply a similar idea as well. We can talk to ourselves by highlighting the drawbacks of bad habits and emphasis the benefits of good habits. When the crave becomes less attractive, we can eliminate an old habit more easily.
Action — make it easy
Time to take an action after seeing a cue and having a crave. However, most of the time, we still fail to do so. Planning to go to the gym, but the gym is 30min away? You probably won’t go even after seeing your workout clothes and deciding to give yourself a gift after exercising. It is because we tend to follow the law of least efforts. The easier we can do something, we tend to do it.
To apply this rule, we can eliminate steps for us to act to make it easy. Instead of going to the gym, you can use some basic equipment or just body weight to do some simple exercise at home. Without packing and driving to the gym, it is easier to start. Environment designs can kick in here. For example, I found it is very hard to not look at my phone when I work or relax. The phone is a cue itself. By hiding my phone in a drawer, I both make the cue invisible and harder to check it. I stop look at my phone by significant amount due to this one change.
Another way to make it easy is to apply a 2-min rule. The idea behind this rule is that It is harder for people to start a new activity than keep doing the current one. Also, the more you act, the easier it becomes. To make it easy to act, you can just start for 2 min and then stop. Once you get more comfortable starting a specific action, it is easier going forward to do it longer. Here is an example. A man decides to workout regularly. In the first week, he just tied his workout shoes. After a week, he went to the gym after tying his shoes, and stayed there for 1 min. After a few times, he started to workout for 5min and then left. By the time he noticed, he has been working out everyday and lost a lot of weights. I applied the same rule to write this article. I have been trying to writing about the books I have read. Writing, in my mind, is the best way to learn from a book. I have been procrastinating since I thought it was hard. After reading this book, I decided to follow a similar approach. At the first few days, I simply open my text editor for a min. After a few days, I thought I could write a sentence. Slowly a sentence became a paragraph, and then became an article.
For certain habits, the ultimate way to lock in future behaviors is to automate the habits. You can set it for one time, and don’t need to worry about it. For example, the best way to save is to setup an automatic saving plans. The plan will save for you without doing anything.
Through out the day, there are certain decisions can determine whether you have a wonderful day or a terrible day. For me, waking up early can help me setup a tone for a productive day. Waking up early can trigger a series of good habits. On the other hand, waking up later makes me feel sloppy and lazy, it is likely that I will not have the most enjoyable day. We need to be more careful for these moments. Having these decisions right can lead to a good day.
Rewards — make it satisfying
Above three sections are ways to make you act, this final section is to let you come back to the same behavior in the future. We are more likely to repeat a behavior when the experience is satisfying. Our brain prefers immediate satisfaction, which is why many people eat desserts when they want to lose weight. Eating desserts can have an immediate satisfaction while the longer-term benefits of maintaining a healthy weight is no very rewarding for the brain.
A good way to make the desired habits more satisfying is to use habit tracker. It can be as simple as a calendar. Everyday, when you finish a task, you can put a big check mark in the calendar. The visual cue is very strong and obvious, and having a calendar full of check marks is also satisfying. Don’t get too upset and worried when you miss one. Things can happen, but don’t miss twice in a row. Getting back on track as quickly as possible is good way to keep a habit.
Another way is to create a habit contract with an accountability partner. For example, you can let your partner holds $100, and only return it back to you when you can get up early for 30 days.
Advanced Tactics
In the final chapter of the book, James talks about the talent, Goldilocks Rule and the downside of creating good habits.
Our talent is defined by our genes. Michael Phelps has the talent to be a great swimmer. He won’t be as successful as he is now if he chose to be a runner. It is not saying genes can determine everything. Genes can predispose but not predetermine. You will find the predisposed areas more satisfying; hence you are more likely to be successful in these areas. You should build habits that work for your personalities. Here are some questions you can ask yourself when exploring all possibilities.
What feels fun to me, but work for others
What makes me lose track of times
Where do I get greater returns than the average person
What comes naturally to me
Once we found our areas, we need to continually work on it to improve and grow. The Goldilocks Rule mentioned in this book is like the term “flow”. It means the tasks are at the right level. It is not too hard and not too easy. It is only slightly over your comfortable zone, and you will lose time working on it. Research shows that, a task is roughly 4% beyond your current ability. Even following these rules and working in our favorite areas, we can still feel bored. It is very common. Even the most successful people can feel bored and lack of motivations. The only difference is that they keep working on it regardless of how they feels. The ability to keep going when work isn’t exciting can make a true difference.
The downside of forming a habits is that the behavior becomes automatic, and we stop paying attention to small errors. Deliberate practice is the basics for mastery. Therefore, even after forming a habit, we need to have regular reflections and reviews to be conscious of our performance overtime.
What went well this week/month/year
What didn’t go well this week/month/year
What did I learn
How can I do better
Questions & Actions
Which kind of person do you want to be
What habits can you build to be that person
How can you make the cue of the habits more obvious
Write down your daily routines that you stop paying attention to
I will [NEW HABIT] in [LOCATION] at [TIME]
I will [NEW HABIT] after [OLD HABIT]
Environment design
How can you make the cue of the bad habits invisible
Environment design
How can I make the craving more attractive for desired habits
I will [THINGS I NEED] after [THINGS I WANT] or vise versa
Join a culture where my desired habits is normal
Do something you enjoy immediately before a difficult habit
How can I make the craving less attractive for undesired habits
Highlight the benefits of avoiding bad habits to reshape the mind
How to make the action easier
Decrease the number of steps needed
Use 2-min rules
Focus on getting the critical decision moments
Prime the environment to make the next action easier
Automate habits
How to make the action harder
Increase the number of steps
Book/prepare things now to restrict future choices
How to make the rewards satisfying
Give yourself an immediate rewards after finishing a task
Design a way to see the benefits of avoiding a bad habits
Track your habits
Never miss twice
How to make the rewards unsatisfying
Let someone to watch your behavior
Create a habit contract
What comes natural to me? Which areas should I focus on?
Do routinely review of my performance | https://medium.com/@mukerong/is-1-too-small-f1989d0bf674 | [] | 2020-12-27 20:11:02.835000+00:00 | ['Self Improvement', 'Habits', 'Change', 'Improvement', 'Resolutions'] |
Black Lives Matter — Taking action personally and within your organisation. | Email to my team:
Hi all,
To some of you, this email might be unexpected, or at least different from what you’ve seen from me before. For others, you might have been wondering what’s taken me so long.
I want to talk about racism.
Over the past few weeks, the persistent, unequal and violent treatment of Black communities has been more visible than ever. This has been driven by the recent murders of Black Americans by police officers, however we know that these aren’t isolated incidents. Racial discrimination and violence has been and continues to be prolific, even since the civil rights movements of long ago. In the UK, our entire society is built on systemic, institutional racism and this is something that many of us, specifically those of us who are white, have benefited from.
I feel that it’s our collective responsibility to open up this conversation in our organisation and, more importantly, to take immediate and direct action. It’s certainly not lost on me that we could have and should have been doing more about this already. I’d also like to acknowledge that we could have shared a response sooner, and I’m sorry if you’ve been left waiting. I’ve spent these past few weeks reading, reflecting and learning, while also having conversations with those who know more than I do. It’s important to react and respond in an informed and thoughtful way, which is what I’ve been aiming for.
Having said that, I don’t want to labour on what we could have been doing. I want us to accept and acknowledge that we can do more, and use this current, devastating situation as a catalyst for positive change. I am committed to our cultural value — we take action — and this is what this email is all about.
First, what is our policy?
Before I get into this, I want to state what is, hopefully, the obvious. We have a zero-tolerance stance on racial discrimination, or discrimination of any kind. If you experience, observe or hear about discrimination in your projects, teams or clients, please report this immediately to someone you trust. This could be me or anyone on the leadership team, your Squad Lead, or your local People Lead. It will be dealt with and we will support you.
You can read more about the formal Diversity & Inclusion policy in our Code of Conduct.
Taking action — what can we do individually?
If you’ve watched the news or participate in social media, you may have felt overwhelmed by the amount of information that is being shared. You may be wondering what you can do and where to start. I’ve certainly felt like this, too.
With a lot of support from Kat, who actually wrote her Masters thesis on building inclusive cultures that support diversity and is a fountain of knowledge in this space, we’ve created a list of resources which you’ll find at the bottom of this [article].
First and foremost, we’d recommend watching a video by Rachel Cargle which shares the following framework for how to actively contribute to the fight against racism:
Critical Knowledge + Radical Empathy + Intentional Action
Kat has kindly summarised the framework as follows:
Critical Knowledge.
Take the time to seek out and pool from critical sources to get a real understanding of what is happening, the history behind it and your role within it. Radical Empathy.
This moves past the passive empathy. It moves past the ability to understand or share the experiences of others. It’s a radical empathy that calls you to hold yourself accountable for how you play into the pain of others. This is hard but is a critical aspect of the equation that you can’t ignore. Intentional Action.
We all exist with various levels of access, privilege, platform, abilities. We can all do something. It is not enough to feel sad. It is not enough to be shocked. Indeed, it is offensive to say, “I had no idea”. Do not approach the black people in your lives and ask them “How can I help?” Take it upon yourself to research and find out how you can take action, on a local and global level. The question we need to ask ourselves is “How do we show up as not just an ally, but as an accomplice?” We need to start being uncomfortable. We need to do more.
I’d like to encourage you, especially those of us who are white or white-passing, to utilise this framework and the resources below. If you haven’t yet, I urge you to actively start your journey towards doing the important anti-racism work that needs to be done for real change to ever happen. We all have a part to play.
Taking action — what can we do as an organisation?
The work doesn’t end with us as individuals. Our collective strength is, in many ways, even more powerful than what we can achieve individually. I don’t want us to be an organisation that talks the talk when it comes to diversity, but doesn’t walk it. That is not what we do here.
We take action.
I’m not going to pretend to be an expert here. I have a lot to learn. I struggle to figure out the best thing to do. I am often scared of doing or saying the wrong thing. But none of this should stop us taking action.
I don’t have a roadmap or detailed plan yet, but I want to share with you some of the things I’ve been discussing, as of this week, to paint a picture of where we’ll be focusing our attention. I’d love for you all to get involved and contribute to this.
We will exploring a three-pronged approach, as recommended by Kat:
Building a culture of inclusion.
This involves actively working to create a culture of inclusion which supports the existing diversity within the organisation. This is about ensuring that everyone is valued for their difference and feels like they can contribute fully, be heard, seen and respected for their diverse perspectives. We will take time to self-reflect and build awareness, while also actively seeking to educate ourselves collectively through training. Increasing diversity through recruitment.
This means constructively reviewing and reconsidering recruitment initiatives and potentially implementing new recruitment policies to increase the diversity of applicants that are considered for new roles. Contributing to improving the pipeline of diverse talent.
This involves supporting grassroots organisations and engaging with community action through mentoring and education programmes. Reaching out to those doing the work and seeing how we can support them. This can also include sponsoring community events, and generally doing more to play an active role in supporting diversity within the sector.
What’s next?
This is a start, and I would love to hear your thoughts and ideas.
We’ll also be engaging with the existing D&I community within [our parent company] to understand what’s already in flight and, hopefully, building and working together on this. As we work through the specifics of how and what, we’ll continually share these with you.
This morning, Rasmus [Head of SPARCK] shared with me a video message from Obama where he offers words of hope which I feel is a great way to finish this email. He said, “As tragic as these past few weeks has been… they’ve also been an incredible opportunity to be awakened and… to all work together to tackle [this]” This is our opportunity to live up to our purpose to make positive change, to better reflect the communities we serve, to design better things and to be more creative than ever. I hope you’ll join me in feeling energised to take positive action towards making this a better place, for all people.
At the next All Hands, we’ll dedicate time to talk about this together in more detail but, in the meantime, please familiarise yourself with the resources below and, of course, feel free to reach out to me if you’d like to discuss any of this individually.
Thank you for reading,
Nat, with a lot of help from Kat! | https://medium.com/swlh/black-lives-matter-taking-action-personally-and-within-your-organisation-e1bcc6de38e | ['Natalie Pearce'] | 2020-10-12 19:22:46.396000+00:00 | ['Diversity', 'Race', 'BlackLivesMatter', 'Inclusion', 'Diversity And Inclusion'] |
Hands-on with Docker, Node.js, and Express: Beginner’s guide to getting Started With Containerization | Image Source: https://unsplash.com | Photo Credit: Randy Fath
You may have already heard about docker and how great it is. If you have not you can get your idea from their official site. In short, if you are looking forward to starting a career in DevOps, the first thing you should know and learn about is containerization. There are several containerization technologies are available, but Docker has become the de facto standard to build and share containerized apps. In this story, I am going to tell you how you can make your hands dirty with Docker.
Table of content
The traditional way to run a node app
Dockerizing Node.js app
The traditional way to run a node app
It is not required to know to code to get started with Docker. But you need to know how to run the application that you are intending to dockerize. Let’s consider one of the node apps that I build during learning node.js and express. Before jumping into Docker, I would like to show you how you can run this node app in your local machine. The steps are:
Step 1: Install git
Install git Step 2: Install Node and NPM
Install Node and NPM Step 3: Clone git repository
Clone git repository Step 4: Run web app
Step 1: Install Git
You will find great guidelines from here about installing git for your local machine ( Linux, Mac, or Windows).
Step 2: Install Nodejs and NPM
Download and install node.js from the official site. Versions should be at least 10 or higher than 10.Once you are done, open a terminal, and verify the installation:
$ node -v
$ npm -v
Step 3: Clone git repository
Open your terminal or PowerShell. Run down the following command to clone the git repository.
Step 4: Run web app
Let’s install our npm dependencies that are listed in package.json. You will find the package file in the repository. Run the following command in your terminal to install the dependencies.
$ npm install
Once you are done with dependencies installation, the app can be started with the following line of command and you can see that the server will start running in port 3000.
$ node server.js Server is running in port 3000
Open your favorite browser and visit the following link to access the application.
You should see something like the following:
Write down some country’s name and it should give output. To stop the server, you need to press ctrl + c .
Dockerizing Node.js app
The steps to create an image and push to a registry using docker are listed below:
Step 1: Install Docker
Install Docker Step 2: Create Dockerfile
Create Dockerfile Step 3: Build and run the image
Build and run the image Step 4: Tag an image and push to the registry
Tag an image and push to the registry Step 5: Stop container and cleanup
Step 1: Install Docker
I will recommend installing a docker desktop for Mac and Windows users from here. Ubuntu users can run the following commands to install Docker.
$ sudo apt-get update
$ sudo apt-get remove docker docker-engine docker.io
$ sudo apt install docker.io
$ sudo systemctl start docker
$ sudo systemctl enable docker
You should test if the docker is working fine after installation. Open your terminal and run following command:
$ docker --version
$ docker run hello-word
I also run a base image and echo a message to verify if the docker is functioning properly.
$ docker run alpine:latest "echo" "Hello, World"
Step 2: Create Dockerfile
Create a file in the same directory named “Dockerfile” without any extension. I am using Visual Studio Code to edit my Dockerfile. If you are in Ubuntu or Mac, you can create a new Docker configuration file from the terminal within the same directory by running:
$ touch Dockerfile
Add the following configuration first, It might not make any sense right now if you are new to this but I am going to explain what’s happening here later.
# Base Image
FROM node:10 # Create app directory
WORKDIR /usr/src/app # Install app dependencies
COPY package*.json ./ # Install dependencies
RUN npm install # Bundle app source
COPY . . #Expose port to 3000
EXPOSE 3000 # Add command to run
CMD [ "node", "server.js" ]
Base Image: The first line defines a base image that we are going to use to build our app. We have chosen a base image that has already node and npm, so we don’t need to install additionally.
# Base Image
FROM node:10
Work directly: The next line is for creating a working directory for our app in the base image.
# Create app directory
WORKDIR /usr/src/app
Dependency install: In the next step, app dependencies will be installed. First, the package.json file will be copied to the directory, and then the npm install command will be executed to install essential packages.
# Install app dependencies
COPY package*.json ./ # Install dependencies
RUN npm install
Copy to work directory: In the next step, COPY will be used to copy all the content of the app directory to the container’s working directory.
# Bundle app source
COPY . .
Port expose: The app needs to be exposed to the port 3000 using the EXPOSE instruction.
EXPOSE 3000
Command: To start our server CMD will be used. Commands need to be separated by a comma.
CMD [ "node", "server.js" ]
Step 3: Build and run the image
Once Dockerfile is written and placed in the same directory, the following command can build the image.
$ docker build -t covid-19:latest .
Now, run the following command to check if the image has been created properly.
$ docker images
It should list all the images. To run the image, use the following command.
$ docker run --rm --name covid-19 -it -p 3000:3000 covid-19:latest
--rm : The container is removed when it exits or when the daemon exits.
--name : Define a name for the container. If it is not used, then the daemon generates a random string name.
-it : To be able to do interactive processes (e.g. bash/shell)
-p : It is used for port forwarding.
Now, open your browser and visit HTTP://localhost:3000 and you should see that your app is running.
Stop the container
You can not stop a container by pressing ctrl + c c from the same terminal. To stop a running container, you need to first open a new terminal and then run the following command to get the container ID.
docker ps
Now perform the following docker stop command with container ID to stop the running container.
docker stop [ID]
Run in detached mode
The container we were running previously was running in the attached mode. To start a container in detached mode, we need to provide -d . Run the following command, and you will notice that the container has started in detached mode.
$ docker run --rm --name covid-19 -d -it -p 3000:3000 covid-19:latest
If you want to attach again, list the running container, and run the command attach with your container name.
docker container ls
docker container attach covid-19
Bash shell in a terminal
To start using a bash shell inside of the container, the following command needs to be performed.
docker exec --rm --name covid-19 -it -p 3000:3000 covid-19:latest /bin/bash
Another approach is to use the command at the end. The following command will list down all the files inside the container.
docker exec --rm --name covid-19 -it -p 3000:3000 covid-19:latest ls
Step 4: Tag an image and push to the registry
To push the image to the Docker registry, you need to create an account for the docker registry here. First, tag the image with the repository name and then push it using the following commands:
docker tag covid-19:latest (repo-name)/covid-19:latest
docker push (repo-name)/covid-19:latest
Step 5: Cleanup
To delete the image, first list all the images with image ID. Then use rmi the command with image ID to remove the image. You can use -f in the case of force image removal is needed.
$ docker images REPOSITORY TAG IMAGE ID CREATED SIZE
test1 latest fd484f19954f 23 seconds ago 7 B (virtual 4.964 MB)
test latest fd484f19954f 23 seconds ago 7 B (virtual 4.964 MB)
test2 latest fd484f19954f 23 seconds ago 7 B (virtual 4.964 MB) $ docker rmi fd484f19954f
Clean up all resources
It is possible to clean up all dangling resources (images, containers, volumes, and networks ) with one single command. Flag -a can be added to remove stopped containers and all unused images. | https://medium.com/swlh/hands-on-with-docker-node-js-70f67048ccae | ['Humayun Rashid'] | 2020-06-15 10:03:35.167000+00:00 | ['Nodejs', 'Docker', 'Tutorial', 'Kubernetes', 'Containers'] |
Data Futures: Can SDG investments lift 146 million people from extreme poverty by 2030? | The COVID-19 pandemic is threatening human well-being and hard-won development gains in every corner of the world — and risks derailing efforts to achieve the 2030 Agenda. But the crisis also an opportunity to reset how we live, interact, create policies and make decisions.
We recently showed that the pandemic could push the total number of people living in extreme poverty to over one billion by 2030. In the same study, we also found that 48 targeted and integrated investments in governance, social protection, digitalization and green economy can help the world exceed the trajectory we were on before the pandemic, even when taking COVID impacts into account. This integrated set of SDG investments could lift 146 million people out of extreme poverty by 2030, and over 205 million by mid-century.
This is part of a bigger investment UNDP is making in cutting edge methods and new approaches to support the UN system, governments and partners strengthen evidence-based decision making and integrated solutions.
Today we are launching a COVID-19 Data Futures Platform— an open resource powered by UNDP’s SDG integration mandate, which supports users to design development solutions that build forward from COVID-19. Drawing on data sources from across the UN system and partners, the platform builds on our long-standing commitment to technology and innovation in responding to development challenges. At its core is UNDP’s commitment to accurate, multi-dimensional and inclusive data, with transparent sources and methodologies. In 2019, we formalized this approach by releasing the Digital Strategy that set the path for new ways of thinking about development and using digital tools as drivers of development. Amid the global pandemic, the platform is part of our broader effort to leverage data as a strategic asset, developing insights and ultimately spur action to build forward better.
UNDP is committed to accurate, multi-dimensional and inclusive data, with transparent sources and methodologies. Photo: UNDP Iraq/Abdullah Dhiaa Al-Deen
Here’s how you can use it:
Changing the trajectory we were on before the pandemic will require a herculean effort — and bold decision making that seemed impossible just a few months ago. We have previously shown how the immediate introduction of a Temporary Basic Income for the world’s poorest people could slow the current surge in COVID-19 cases by enabling nearly three billion people to stay at home.
Our estimates show that it would cost from $199 billion per month to provide a time-bound, guaranteed basic income to the 2.7 billion people living below or just above the poverty line in 132 developing countries. Today, you can check what a temporary basic income would potentially cost in your country using the platform’s simulator under a select set of policy choices.
Users can also assess social protection measures. One of the challenges is effective targeting of those in need and meeting our commitment to leaving no one behind. Another is recognizing that we need to go beyond income to target the most vulnerable, like in Colombia, where historic investments in social protection provided the foundation for a massive upscaling in coverage — doubling the number of households receiving support and reducing the expected COVID-19 related increase in poverty by five percentage points. Our platform builds dynamic data visualizations using AR and cutting edge technologies, in this case to support government and partners to ‘see’ where gaps in social protection coincide with other vulnerability metrics, and collaborate on the kinds of investments that ensure the most vulnerable are protected from the worst impacts of COVID-19.
The resurgence of poverty will likely deepen gender poverty gaps, but our research with the Pardee Center for International Futures at the University of Denver shows that a set of targeted investments can reduce the global female poverty headcount by 74 million in 2030, which includes 40 million women and girls who live in fragile and conflict affected settings. This will not happen without gender responsive social and economic policy making. Together with UN Women, we recently launched the COVID-19 Global Gender Tracker, which monitors more than 2,500 measures in 206 countries and territories from a gender perspective. We found that while many countries are prioritizing gender in their COVID-19 efforts, overall, the global economic, social protection and labor market responses have been, so far, largely blind to women’s needs. Check your country or region today to explore best practices and gaps in the COVID-19 policy response.
A set of targeted investments can reduce the global female poverty headcount by 74 million in 2030. Photo: UNDP/Aurélia Rusek
The COVID-19 pandemic is still unfolding, but it’s clear that ignoring structural challenges, such as deepening inequalities and gaps in safety nets, has led to an enormous regress in human development. For the Decade of Action, we have made a commitment to integrated approaches to help countries design sustainable pathways out of the crisis by balancing social, economic and environmental aspects — just like the 2030 Agenda requires us to. The foundation for this is evidence-based decision making and integrated analysis of how targets and investments interact — which can help us find entry points to systems change and ultimately build radically different futures.
Help us Build Forward Better — visit the new platform today.
By Robert Opp, Chief Digital Officer, UNDP and Laurel Patterson, Head, SDG Integration, UNDP | https://undp.medium.com/data-futures-how-sdg-investments-can-lift-146-million-people-from-extreme-poverty-by-2030-189c300199d | ['Un Development Programme'] | 2020-12-10 19:57:55.176000+00:00 | ['Poverty', 'Covid 19', 'Undp', 'Sdgs', 'Data'] |
C++ Compile-Time Exceptions | A C++ template error can be pages long, really dense and basically horrible. Often, they are not at all helpful for users of a library and you have to ask the developers for help. Developers will often be able to filter or modify the error message to be far more productive to their users. In this post, I propose adding compile-time exceptions to C++ that will allow the developer to implement custom compiler errors for these cases.
For those unfamiliar with C++ templates: these allow you to do generic programming, meaning you can write functions without immediately specifying types, for instance a mathematical function that you want to be able to use with regular floats, double precision or even integers.
Implicit failure through implementation
Reading through Scott Meyers’ timeless classic Effective C++, I was struck by the following template in Item 45, especially the templated constructor:
template<typename T>
class SmartPtr {
public:
explicit SmartPtr(T *realPtr); … template<typename U>
SmartPtr(const SmartPtr<U>& other)
: heldPtr(other.get()) { … } T* get() const { return heldPtr; } … private:
T *heldPtr;
}
This piece of code will allow you to initialize a SmartPtr by any “compatible type”. This for instance means derived types, as Meyers illustrates:
class Top {…};
class Middle: public Top {…};
class Bottom: public Middle {…};
With regular pointers you can do:
Top *pt1 = new Middle;
Top *pt2 = new Bottom;
const Top *pct2 = pt1;
The SmartPtr from the template above thus emulates the behavior of regular pointers, because thanks to the templated constructor you can do
SmartPtr<Top> spt1 = SmartPtr<Middle>(new Middle);
SmartPtr<Top> spt2 = SmartPtr<Bottom>(new Bottom);
SmartPtr<const Top> spct2 = spt1;
The trick is that this will compile only if the implicit conversion from e.g. a Middle pointer to a Top pointer is allowed. This is, of course, the case, since a Middle pointer is a Top pointer (plus extra Middle stuff).
However, if the implicit conversion is not allowed, say if you try to initialize a child class object by a parent class one like this:
SmartPtr<Bottom> spt1 = SmartPtr<Middle>(new Middle);
the compiler will complain as follows:
compile_fail.cpp:8:5: error: cannot initialize a member subobject of type ‘Bottom *’ with an rvalue of type ‘Middle *’
: heldPtr(other.get()) {}
^ ~~~~~~~~~~~
compile_fail.cpp:22:27: note: in instantiation of function template specialization ‘SmartPtr<Bottom>::SmartPtr<Middle>’ requested here
SmartPtr<Bottom> spt2 = SmartPtr<Middle>(new Middle); // compileth not
^
1 error generated.
Welcome to C++ templates! What the hell am I seeing here? Bytecode?!
Looks perfectly normal to me…. (© wardyboy400, CC BY 2.0)
Debug messages should not be this ridiculously hard to read, should they? I honestly sometimes laugh hysterically at these kinds of errors, especially when they go on for many more lines, as they often do. It’s just too surreal.
Now, to be honest, once you succeeded in cutting through the clutter, this is a more or less clear message:
error: cannot initialize a member subobject of type ‘Bottom *’ with an rvalue of type ‘Middle *’ note: [obtuse hint that the error was caused by the template specialization of the constructor]
Or, to make it maybe a bit more understandable to an English speaker:
You cannot construct a SmartPtr<Bottom> using a SmartPtr<Bottom>::SmartPtr<Middle> constructor, because this will lead to an error, namely: cannot initialize a member subobject of type ‘Bottom *’ with an rvalue of type ‘Middle *’.
Compile-time exceptions: make intent explicit
The above “English” exception still does not convey one crucial fact: that the developer meant for this error to happen.
And for a specific reason: they want to emulate the behavior of regular pointers. A user of the SmartPtr should not be able to use this class in other ways.
But this fact is hidden from sight by the compiler messages that — while maybe helpful to developers and certainly very complete— are not at all helpful to end-users (not to mention the fact that the developer probably is an end-user themselves as well).
To help the end-user, a far better compiler error message would therefore be very similar to the one used for the normal pointers, for instance:
error: cannot initialize an object of type ‘SmartPtr<Bottom>’ with an rvalue of type ‘SmartPtr<Middle>’
Or a bit more explicit:
error: cannot initialize an object of type ‘SmartPtr<Bottom>’ with an rvalue of type ‘SmartPtr<Middle>’, because Middle is not implicitly convertible to Bottom
If the compiler can detect these errors, which apparently it can, as evidenced by the error message, then why not allow the programmer to make use of this?
This would make the generic error message context specific, as in the above example: the developer adds their intention, the way the developer meant for the class to be used. This way, the user of the template does not have to browse documentation, nor parse huge template-error messages. Rather, they can fix the error and get back to work, as I must assume error messages were meant.
This line of thinking lead me to my eureka-moment: C++ should have compile-time exceptions! Consider the following (bold face) modification of our constructor:
template<typename T>
class SmartPtr {
… template<typename U>
compile_except(E2064) {
compile_cerr << "error: cannot initialize a 'SmartPtr<" << T << ">' with an rvalue of type 'SmartPtr<" << U << ">', because " << U << " is not implicitly convertible to " << T << "
";
compile_fail;
}
SmartPtr(const SmartPtr<U>& other) …
…
};
This syntax would mean that if a specific exception occurs during compilation of the template — specifically in this case error E2064 , a code which comes from this list of errors — the compiler enters the block, where it is met by some compiler specific syntax that allows for the developer to specifically express their intent.
Ok, so maybe we don’t need a special compile time output stream (it should rather be fmt based!), but you get the point. For brevity, I stream-print the types T and U directly, by which I mean their names should be printed.
This whole approach assumes the developer will know the pitfalls of their API and can provide such an improved error message. In the example given above, I think this is indeed a better message and I’m sure developers can come up with many other good examples of error messages that keep frustrating their users. Please let me know if you do, I’d love to make a follow-up post with the most interesting examples.
So, almost immediately after I came up with this, I was already enjoying (in my mind) the fame and riches that making this proposal would obviously bring me. I had never heard of this idea before, and indeed some Google searching (no further than page 1, of course, it’s still just a blog post…) did not lead to comparable ideas (I welcome your scorn, derison and ridicule if I missed something obvious).
However, while writing this post, I suddenly realized to my dismay that maybe we don’t need compile-time exceptions, at least for this use case.
We have Concepts now.
Why, Concepts, why? I thought we were friends…
Well defined failure: Concepts to the rescue?
In C++20, the same class behavior can be programmed with a Concept, which also makes the code’s intent more explicit. It makes the compilation fail at an earlier point: at the first line of the template, where the template argument is immediately tested for compatibility with the template class, instead of relying on the implementation (the incompatible pointer assignment) to fail compilation.
For instance, in our example, one could add a Derived concept, as found on the cppreference page on Concepts:
template <typename T, typename U>
concept Derived = std::is_base_of<U, T>::value;
This concept can then be used to constrain the allowed template types of our constructor by replacing typename with our Concept:
template<Derived<T> U>
SmartPtr(const SmartPtr<U>& other):
: heldPtr(other.get()) { … }
Really nice, expressive syntax. I don’t want any old type U , I only want those that are derived from T .
The template now only compiles for types U that are derived from T (as it did before, but now because I say so, not because the language happens to). When you try to do otherwise, you get an error message that should be able to make this crystal clear for you! And all will be well.
The experimental Concepts-enabled clang on Compiler Explorer outputs this:
<source>:27:20: error: no viable conversion from ‘SmartPtr<Middle>’ to ‘SmartPtr<Bottom>’
SmartPtr<Bottom> spt2 = SmartPtr<Middle>(new Middle); // compileth not
^ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
<source>:7:7: note: candidate constructor (the implicit copy constructor) not viable: no known conversion from ‘SmartPtr<Middle>’ to ‘const SmartPtr<Bottom> &’ for 1st argument
class SmartPtr {
^
<source>:7:7: note: candidate constructor (the implicit move constructor) not viable: no known conversion from ‘SmartPtr<Middle>’ to ‘SmartPtr<Bottom> &&’ for 1st argument
class SmartPtr {
^
<source>:12:3: note: candidate template ignored: constraints not satisfied [with U = Middle]
SmartPtr(const SmartPtr<U>& other) // initialize this held ptr
^
<source>:11:12: note: because ‘Derived<Middle, Bottom>’ evaluated to false
template<Derived<T> U>
^
<source>:4:19: note: because ‘std::is_base_of<Bottom, Middle>::value’ evaluated to false
concept Derived = std::is_base_of<U, T>::value;
^
1 error generated. Compiler returned: 1
Wait a minute… this isn’t crystal clear at all. Concepts, why do you pain me so?!
Halt! Definitely something’s off here…
Granted, it gives a nice subtle reminder that I forgot to add a templated move constructor and that there’s also a non-templated implicit copy constructor (which, by the way, Scott Meyers also reminds you of in Item 45).
But honestly, this was not the feedback I was hoping for as a user. That feedback arrives only in the fourth note… of five!
<source>:11:12: note: because ‘Derived<Middle, Bottom>’ evaluated to false
template<Derived<T> U>
^
I do like this sentence, especially that it starts with “because” (even though the “evaluated to false” is a bit awkward, but I’m nitpicking). But there is still too much noise in here, at least for an end user.
What about static_assert ?
Lourens Veen reminded me that static_assert should not go unmentioned here. Indeed, this specific case can also be made more explicit using static_assert :
template<typename U>
SmartPtr(const SmartPtr<U>& other)
: heldPtr(other.get()) {
static_assert(std::is_base_of<T, U>::value, "U is not derived from T!");
}
This approach has a number of its own issues though:
It still gives us two error messages (see this implementation on Compiler Explorer): first the one about the pointer, which is triggered by the heldPtr initialization, and then the static_assert message. I don’t know how this could be combined with Concepts. If I understand correctly, neither Concepts nor the related Constraints have a body where a static_assert could go. We still cannot use it exactly the way we want, since the message of a static_assert must be a string literal, so we can’t dynamically display the types that are being passed as U and T .
More importantly, in general: not all errors can be represented by a boolean condition, which is necessary for the static_assert . Syntax errors for instance, by definition cannot be used, since we cannot define the correct syntax for them! If we could, they wouldn’t be syntax errors anymore…
The case for compile-time exceptions
I’m not by far a C++ guru, and also not a computer scientist, so it would take me a long time to come up with more examples and corner cases of what compile-time exceptions would mean. I’m hoping other C++ experts can chime in here.
Also, probably the name won’t stick. I guess what I’m describing here aren’t really exceptions (you can’t reasonably recover from them, for instance), but rather customized error messages. However, triggering them feels like catching an exception. Perhaps there is a different name for this hybrid thing.
Nevertheless, I do know that debugging C++, especially the templated kind, can be hell. There is just too much noise to wade through in the general case.
A library developer will often have a very good idea of the kind of things that are expected and that can go wrong. Why not use this knowledge to make life easier for library users?
Why can’t I just get a compile error that simply says “ Error: argument to copy ctor for SmartPtr<T> can only be SmartPtr<U> when U is derived from T, but it’s not ”? Or something like that.
For this to work, compiler errors would need to be properly classified, named, detectable with not too much effort, etcetera. I have no idea whether this is currently the case. So another question to you (especially if you’re a compiler expert): are compile errors defined in such a way (i.e. strict enough, in the language itself) that they could be implemented as specific exceptions? Could they even be defined like that?
Be sure to leave your comments below or on Reddit or Twitter! | https://blog.esciencecenter.nl/c-compile-time-exceptions-5443f5bf06fe | ['Patrick Bos'] | 2019-01-23 19:51:58.639000+00:00 | ['Cpp', 'Surrealism', 'Compilers', 'Debugging', 'Programming'] |
Soon We’ll All Be Dust | Photo by Billy Huynh on Unsplash
I don’t understand why more people don’t realize soon we’ll all be dust. I mean really, this whole experience we’re having ends with each and every single one of us decomposing or being incinerated. It’s just a matter of time really, and now that we’ve entered into apocalypse territory it could be sooner than later. If you’re lucky it’ll be quick, but more than likely for many of us it will be long and slow as we watch our species and all the others slowly die. But whether our demise is near or far, the result is the same — dust. Dust for you, dust for me, dust for the whole planet when the sun runs out of hydrogen 5 billion years from now.
We’re so easily distracted from this truth. You’d think we could get along better knowing that all of our bones will soon be dust, yet we are so easily angered by one another. We get upset at the barista who’s taking her sweet ass time making our latte because we are late, and she should know we are late because this is New York and everyone is late. How does she not know this? And yet, how do we not know, how do we not feel in our bones that the Earth — the rock we grew from, is merely hurtling through space towards nothing, and that the all encompassing Universe doesn’t give one fuck or two about our latte, or our being late.
We’re all just walking around stressed about everything; the minutes, the hours, the weather, why Henry — that guy who’s an “actor” which really means “bartender” who we met on Tinder isn’t texting us back. And all the while no one is really thinking about how the remains of our body may sit on someone’s fireplace someday. If fireplaces should still exist in the not far off dystopian future we’re heading towards. It’s absurd. Like, instead of being upset at Henry, we could realize in reality he’ll be dead soon. And when we accept this, we can almost kind of forgive him. We can almost kind of sympathize with him, because we’ll be dead, too. Heck, maybe we should just show up at Henry’s “job” and tell him we love him and that we are here for him because our time is running out!
Okay, okay. Maybe we don’t need to be so dramatic about it, but then again maybe we do. Maybe if we understood that each and every single one of us is suffering from the same fate; that we are living creatures who know their own demise, we could better extend our grace and compassion to one another. Maybe if we took the time to truly listen to what the other soon-to-be-bag-of-dust is going through in front of us, we’d better understand why they are the way they are — and that it’s okay. Maybe if we realized that to be alive is both rare and abundant, and ending one moment at a time, we would value it in an entirely different manner.
I cannot be sure, all I know is that I think about my own demise quite often, thus forcing me to think about others’ as well. And in doing this I manage to find something I can share with each and every single one of my fellow humans. That we all live and we all die, and that in between these points there are much more important things than petty arguing, lattes, and fucking strangers from Tinder. And yet, these things are just part of the program as well. Perhaps everything has its weird meaningless little place wedged between what actually matters. Maybe nothing matters, except the things that do, and we get to decide those things. Perhaps to be aware of this is the key. But really, what do I know? I’m just billions of years of evolution like everything else who will soon be dust in the wind, just like you. | https://medium.com/@slamantha-morgan/soon-well-all-be-dust-ce1f7ad80d63 | ['Samantha Morgan'] | 2020-12-02 20:04:46.309000+00:00 | ['Philosophy', 'Existentialism', 'Optimism', 'Nihilism', 'Short Read'] |
On the Anniversary of My Suicide Attempt | There’s a scene in Ava DuVernay’s When They See Us where Antron McCray’s father is fighting for the release of his son after hours of unauthorized questioning in detention. The exchange between Antron’s dad and the detective end with the detective mentioning Mr. McCray’s criminal past and a use in power dynamics that clearly communicates to Mr. McCray that in this space, Antron nor his family have any rights. And just like that his power is stripped from him. Shortly afterwards Mr. McCray convinces his 15-year-old son to falsely confess to the act and Antron spends 6 years wrongfully convicted in New York State Prison.
I often times wonder why I didn’t just leave. It’s embarrassing that I so boldly cowered when I needed me most and incredibly frustrating that I didn’t demand a transfer to another in-patient facility. I had health insurance and obviously had the ability to. I knew I needed help, and I knew there wasn’t any way I would get it at the current facility. I made the mistake of asking permission for a transfer, and when they told me I didn’t have the right to, I just let my power be stripped from me.
The following day I was led to the psychiatric unit of the hospital. I saved my dinner for the new space, but no one told me it wouldn’t be allowed inside, nothing was. Maybe it was the hunger, the florescent light fatigue, or the screaming patient walking up and down the hall, but I was not emotionally ready for this. I had lost the fight. It felt heavy, like they had the power to make me disappear and there wasn’t a thing I could do about it. I felt powerless. And by the looks and sounds of the place, this was even worst than I thought. I cried. Hard. Until a nurse came in to tell me that they would have to sedate me if I didn’t stop crying. So I did what I did best and suppressed.
In the morning I went for breakfast in the cafeteria. After sitting down for my meal, a man was kicking the air 6 inches from my face. There was no confrontation, I think he just wanted to see if he could keep missing my face. From there I felt it best to eat all my meals in my quarters.
Early in my visit, I was strongly encouraged to take a few pills under the guise that I wouldn’t be considered for release if I didn’t take the medication. I didn’t realize how much of a zombie-like effect it would have on me, but I was grateful they had kicked in early enough to offset my one shower experience. Showers were done once daily at 5am. The first few days I slept through the roll call, but by day three or four I finally got myself up. The women lined up in single file to use the multi-shower stalls with no curtains, only the stench of someone who had discharged feces in the stall next to mine.
The only redeeming part of my stay was my roommate. A beautiful and bubbly 17-year-old who had previously been in foster care, but was put in psychiatric arrest after moving back in with her father. She was so gentle in spirit with the temperament one would expect from a little sister. She didn’t have a visitor the entire time I was there, not on Christmas Day, or the few days I called after I left. I’m not sure if she’ll ever know how much of a bright star she was to me those days, but she definitely was.
My entire time in the ward I spoke to a therapist/psychiatrist twice. Cumulatively it couldn’t have been more than an hour. Every suicide watch attendee would tell me that this wasn’t the right place for me. I knew it, but there was literally nothing I could do. I was stuck physically, and after the pills, mentally, without even a stupid stuffed duck to console me. I just hoped they relayed the message.
Eventually I called my family on Christmas Eve and they made the trip to visit me Christmas Day and every day after. It took one very long week before they discharged me. For good measures and a final scare, they released me with a threat of coming to my home or work if I missed any outpatient sessions. It’s easy for me to look back today and realize that there’s absolutely no way Harlem Hospital has the capacity to send bounties out on sad patients, but at that time I believed it.
It has taken several years for me to work through the trauma of that hospital visit. For many nights I had nightmares of being taken or held in an empty space. I tossed out the stuffed duck. There’s still movie scenes I can’t watch or moments of PTSD I experience, like last year when I walked into an art installations with a single bed frame in the room. Part of me writing this very exposing piece is an exercise of working through my trauma. But a larger part is beyond me. It’s about the community that has to rely on this institution to care for them every day. It’s about the fact that this is the designated space for many black people living with mental illnesses or that my young black roommate was so disposable. Or the many people that aren’t believed and get imprisoned or suspended from school because of preconceived narratives. It’s about the structures that continue to harm large populations of people and the fact that we let them. It’s the inability to forget that no matter how successful one could ever be, in a moment of weakness their blackness will always be their most prominent trait.
I could never say for sure whether going to the similarly distanced Mount Sinai Hospital in the affluent upper east side could have made things better. It’s taken several years to be able to talk about the experience without tears, but I can finally be appreciative of the events at Harlem Hospital. I wouldn’t wish it on my worst enemy, but it’s atrocity has been a pivotal piece of my growth, understanding the weight of racist structures that still operate today, and in making me a better human than I was before. So, if you’re part of a community working to address racial disparities in the health care system, let me know how I can help. | https://medium.com/@gisellpaula/on-the-anniversary-of-my-suicide-attempt-3da316f6b12e | ['Gisell Paula'] | 2020-12-21 17:57:55.377000+00:00 | ['Trauma', 'Racial Justice', 'Racial Disparities', 'Black Women', 'Suicide'] |
I teach and write about both the Middle East and American foreign policy; my assessment of Gabbard… | I teach and write about both the Middle East and American foreign policy; my assessment of Gabbard comes from a lot more than just reading a few mainstream media articles.
As I understand it, the support Gabbard has — which isn’t nothing, but is quite small as far as national politicians go — largely stems from opposition to U.S. military intervention, and related criticisms of U.S. foreign policy (if you had something else in mind, please let me know). That’s the audience I had in mind when I wrote this:
“Some voters like that Gabbard opposes U.S. military intervention in Syria and elsewhere. But it’s very easy to do that without defending Russia or Assad.”
For example, she could say “What’s happening in Syria is awful. The Assad government and its Russian backers have massacred civilians. But trying to stop the Syrian civil war with a military intervention would be a mistake. It would be extremely difficult, if not impossible for American troops to make the situation better, and they could easily make it worse. America cannot fix everyone else’s problems, as tragic as those problems may be, and as president I will not risk American lives and spend American taxpayer dollars getting bogged down in another Middle East quagmire.”
Instead, Gabbard falsely claims the U.S. is pursuing a regime change war in Syria. But if that’s what was actually happening, you’d see a lot of direct attacks on regime targets (ask Saddam Hussein or Muammar Gaddafi).
I’m aware that a contingent of progressives, including some indie journalists, share Gabbard’s inaccurate assessment of the Syrian civil war. But those who do undermine the anti-interventionist position.
As for understanding the political landscape, I don’t see why it makes sense to focus more on a candidate who’s barely getting any support than on the candidates who are getting a lot. | https://medium.com/@nicholasgrossman/i-teach-and-write-about-both-the-middle-east-and-american-foreign-policy-my-assessment-of-gabbard-7b809a25bcf3 | ['Nicholas Grossman'] | 2019-09-03 16:21:40.202000+00:00 | ['Syria', 'Democratic Party', 'Politics', '2020 Presidential Race', 'Tulsi Gabbard'] |
Off the Rails | Spiralbound
Comics for life, brought to life by Edith Zimmerman. | https://medium.com/spiralbound/off-the-rails-3d0423321e05 | ['Steve Teare'] | 2018-08-08 15:30:41.388000+00:00 | ['Trains', 'Comics', 'Transportation', 'Commuter Rail', 'Steve Teare'] |
Getting Started With Google Colab | You know it’s out there. You know there’s free GPU somewhere, hanging like a fat, juicy, ripe blackberry on a branch just slightly out of reach.
Beautiful lightning-fast speed waiting just for you.
Wondering how on earth to get it to work? You’re in the right place!
Photo by Breno Machado on Unsplash
For anyone who doesn’t already know, Google has done the coolest thing ever by providing a free cloud service based on Jupyter Notebooks that supports free GPU. Not only is this a great tool for improving your coding skills, but it also allows absolutely anyone to develop deep learning applications using popular libraries such as PyTorch, TensorFlow, Keras, and OpenCV.
Colab provides GPU and it’s totally free. Seriously!
There are, of course, limits. (Nitty gritty details are available on their faq page, of course.) It supports Python 2.7 and 3.6, but not R or Scala yet. There is a limit to your sessions and size, but you can definitely get around that if you’re creative and don’t mind occasionally re-uploading your files…
Colab is ideal for everything from improving your Python coding skills to working with deep learning libraries, like PyTorch, Keras, TensorFlow, and OpenCV. You can create notebooks in Colab, upload notebooks, store notebooks, share notebooks, mount your Google Drive and use whatever you’ve got stored in there, import most of your favorite directories, upload your personal Jupyter Notebooks, upload notebooks directly from GitHub, upload Kaggle files, download your notebooks, and do just about everything else that you might want to be able to do.
It’s awesome.
Working in Google Colab for the first time has been totally phenomenal and pretty shockingly easy, but it hasn’t been without a couple of small challenges! If you know Jupyter Notebooks at all, you’re pretty much good to go in Google Colab, but there are just a few little differences that can make the difference between flying off to freedom on the wings of free GPU and sitting at your computer, banging your head against the wall…
Photo by Gabriel Matula on Unsplash
This article is for anyone out there who is confused, frustrated, and just wants this thing to work!
Setting up your drive
Create a folder for your notebooks
(Technically speaking, this step isn’t totally necessary if you want to just start working in Colab. However, since Colab is working off of your drive, it’s not a bad idea to specify the folder where you want to work. You can do that by going to your Google Drive and clicking “New” and then creating a new folder. I only mention this because my Google Drive is embarrassingly littered with what looks like a million scattered Colab notebooks and now I’m going to have to deal with that.)
If you want, while you’re already in your Google Drive you can create a new Colab notebook. Just click “New” and drop the menu down to “More” and then select “Colaboratory.”
Otherwise, you can always go directly to Google Colab.
Game on!
You can rename your notebook by clicking on the name of the notebook and changing it or by dropping the “File” menu down to “Rename.”
Set up your free GPU
Want to use GPU? It’s as simple as going to the “runtime” dropdown menu, selecting “change runtime type” and selecting GPU in the hardware accelerator drop-down menu!
Get coding!
You can easily start running code now if you want! You are good to go!
Make it better
Want to mount your Google Drive? Use:
from google.colab import drive
drive.mount('/content/gdrive')
Then you’ll see a link, click on that, allow access, copy the code that pops up, paste it in the box, hit enter, and you’re good to go! If you don’t see your drive in the side box on the left, just hit “refresh” and it should show up.
(Run the cell, click the link, copy the code on the page, paste it in the box, hit enter, and you’ll see this when you’ve successfully mounted your drive):
Now you can see your drive right there on the left-hand side of the screen! (You may need to hit “refresh.”) Plus, you can reach your drive any time with
!ls "/content/gdrive/My Drive/"
If you’d rather download a shared zip file link, you can use:
!wget
!unzip
For example:
That will give you Udacity’s flower data set in seconds!
If you’re uploading small files, you can just upload them directly with some simple code. However, if you want to, you can also just go to the left side of the screen and click “upload files” if you don’t feel like running some simple code to grab a local file.
Google Colab is incredibly easy to use on pretty much every level, especially if you’re at all familiar with Jupyter Notebooks. However, grabbing some large files and getting a couple of specific directories to work did trip me up for a minute or two.
I covered getting started with Kaggle in Google Colab in a separate article, so if that’s what interests you, please check that out!
Importing libraries
Imports are pretty standard, with a few exceptions.
For the most part, you can import your libraries by running import like you do in any other notebook.
PyTorch is different! Before you run any other Torch imports, you’ll want to run
*** UPDATE! (01/29)*** Colab now supports native PyTorch!!! You shouldn’t need to run the code below, but I’m leaving it up just in case anyone is having any issues!
http://pytorch.org/
from os.path import exists
from wheel.pep425tags import get_abbr_impl, get_impl_ver, get_abi_tag
platform = '{}{}-{}'.format(get_abbr_impl(), get_impl_ver(), get_abi_tag())
cuda_output = !ldconfig -p|grep cudart.so|sed -e 's/.*\.\([0-9]*\)\.\([0-9]*\)$/cu\1\2/'
accelerator = cuda_output[0] if exists('/dev/nvidia0') else 'cpu' from os.path import existsfrom wheel.pep425tags import get_abbr_impl, get_impl_ver, get_abi_tagplatform = '{}{}-{}'.format(get_abbr_impl(), get_impl_ver(), get_abi_tag())cuda_output = !ldconfig -p|grep cudart.so|sed -e 's/.*\.\([0-9]*\)\.\([0-9]*\)$/cu\1\2/'accelerator = cuda_output[0] if exists('/dev/nvidia0') else 'cpu'
import torch !pip install -q http://download.pytorch.org/whl/{accelerator}/torch-0.4.1-{platform}-linux_x86_64.whl torchvisionimport torch
Then you can continue with your imports. If you try to simply run import torch you’ll get an error message. I really recommend clicking on the extremely helpful links that pop up. If you do, you’ll get that code right away and you can just click on “INSTALL TORCH” to import it into your notebook. The code will pop up on the left-hand side of your screen, and then hit “INSERT.”
Not able to simply import something else that you want with an import statement? Try a pip install! Just be aware that Google Colab wants an exclamation point before most commands.
!pip install -q keras
import keras
or:
!pip3 install torch torchvision
and:
!apt-get install
is useful too!
I did find that Pillow can be sort of buggy, but you can solve that by running
import PIL
print(PIL.PILLOW_VERSION)
If you get anything below 5.3, go to the “runtime” dropdown menu, restart the runtime, and run the cell again. You should be good to go!
It’s easy to create a new notebook by dropping “File” down to “New Python 3 Notebook.” If you want to open something specific, drop the “File” menu down to “Open Notebook…”
Then you’ll see a screen that looks like this:
As you can see, you can open a recent file, files from your Google Drive, GitHub files, and you can upload a notebook right there as well.
The GitHub option is great! You can easily search by an organization or user to find files. If you don’t see what you’re looking for, try checking the repository drop-down menu!
Always be saving
Saving your work is simple! You can do a good ol’ “command-s” or drop the “File” menu down to save. You can create a copy of your notebook by dropping “File” -> “Save a Copy in Drive.” You can also download your workbook by going from “File” -> “download .ipyb” or “download .py.”
That should be enough to at least get you up and running on Colab and taking advantage of that sweet, sweet free GPU! Please let me know if you run into any other newbie problems that I might be able to help you with. I’d love to help you if I can!
If you want to reach out or find more cool articles, please come and join me at Content Simplicity!
If you’re new to data science, machine learning, and artificial intelligence, you might want to check out the ultimate beginner’s guide to NumPy!
Or you might be interested in one of these!
Or maybe you want to know how to get your own posts noticed!
Photo by Sarah Cervantes on Unsplash
Thanks for reading! ❤️ | https://towardsdatascience.com/getting-started-with-google-colab-f2fff97f594c | ['Anne Bonner'] | 2019-11-17 18:58:21.613000+00:00 | ['Coding', 'Tutorial', 'Machine Learning', 'Data Science', 'AI'] |
The Denial of Interdependence | The Denial of Interdependence
Photo credit: Shutterstock
By Hendrix Black
For something as common as intimate relationships are, so few of us ever come to appreciate just how challenging and soul-expanding they can be.
Even fewer of us tap into the most fundamental of truths that a relationship offers.
That our relationships aren’t these tidy, fixed things that we can control. That they are in fact living, ever-shifting dynamics that we can surely influence, but never achieve absolute control or certainty over.
This triggers our defences. Our insecurities. Our fears. Our resistance.
For the better part of my adult life, I resisted this dynamic exchange. I felt unsafe and burdened by an environment that I didn’t have absolute authority over. And I made self sabotage a welcomed guest in my heart so that I can exile myself back to a place of forced solitude. For when we’re alone, we feel safe.
Independence, for most men, is easy. We can control our environment, and we can control the temperature of our lives. Our movements are unimpeded. Our decisions are direct. Linear. Immediate.
Relationships can never offer the same level of predictability or control. This is the plight of the man who feels that he can’t be devoted to his purpose and his relationship at the same time.
Robbed of the speed and simplicity of the single man, mission and relationship feel mutually exclusive. For to be in an intimate relationship is to discard that simplicity. It’s to invite a powerful exchange of energy, intention, and influence that at times, particularly without a fundamental paradigm shift, can feel more limiting than expansive.
I’d feel intensely burdened by a relaxing Sunday afternoon that could, with the wrong combination of words, rip the stitching off an old, unhealed wound and ignite an epic, eight-hour emotional thrill ride. An enigmatic dance, shifting between combustion, catharsis, and eventual reconciliation.
When we try to force this powerful flow into a safe, predictable pattern, we deny it of its very essence. We use our fear to stuff a boundless quantum universe into a rigid, Newtonian cage.
A relationship should never be confused with warfare, but there are many steps to the dance. Within this dynamic dance, it’s our rigidity and denial of interdependence that leads to an insurmountable clumsiness.
It takes a nearly unattainable degree of groundedness and open-heartedness to hold the container for interdependence to naturally exist. But to do otherwise, is to be in denial of its true nature. For relationship, like life itself, is in constant flux, with limitless new permutations being seeded into potentiality with every word and action.
And when we violently react to our partner’s perceived ‘intrusion” on our ideals and independence, we send the implicit message that it’s not okay for them to appear in their truth and fullness. In doing so, we resist the interdependent nature of relationship itself.
We inadvertently wound by communicating the message that they’re “too much”. That they’re a burden or obstacle. Something to be overcome.
But no matter what your partner is experiencing or expressing — they’re not a burden. They can only ever be an inconvenience, threat or disruption to an unhealed aspect of you. But when you act from your depth, there’s no longer a need to overcome. Instead, there’s a natural willingness, even a joy, in oversaturing both you and them in pure presence and acceptance.
It’s far from easy, yet we have to consciously build our capacity to “hold” our partner’s entire range of experience without judgment or a sense of being burdened, or being so easily knocked off our own center — and in turn, feel safe in doing the same with them.
This is the core of intimacy and trust. The hidden gift in this process is that as we expand our capacity to stand unwavering in our presence and compassion for our partner’s moods, states, emotions and actions, we learn how to give ourselves the same presence.
We stop resisting our own shadows. Our own fears. Our own trapped emotions or old identities. All of which we’re also in deep, intimate relationship with. Let the truth of this soak in. If you’re actively resisting aspects of your partner, you’re undoubtedly resisting aspects of yourself. This is where the opportunity for growth and healing becomes circular and self-reinforcing.
The magic of relationship — particularly in the bloody trenches of transformation is that healing can become circular. Your partner’s growth becomes your growth and vice versa. They become intertwined. When you drop an old identity that resists her emotional expression, you expand your capacity to hold, accept and deeply love all of her. This, of course, opens her into a feeling of trust and safety that naturally, without effort, expands her desire to gift you the warmth now radiating off her heart.
This is tremendously healing. Likewise, when she drops an old belief around how she’s unlovable, she, in turn, becomes more receptive to your touch — she becomes available to receive the gift of your affection, and gives you the pleasure and sheer joy of offering it and having it received. You become spared the pain of a rejected offering from the depths of your soul.
The paradox of this is that this luscious, effortless exchange of healing, love, and growth takes effort to get to.
That effort begins in the acknowledgment of interdependence, and the choice to value its gifts and teachings rather than condemn or deny its demands. It’s a choice, you’re of course, free to make.
On a final note, interdependence isn’t the same as dependence. You’re not waiting at the reckless whims of your partner unless you allow yourself to be. While you don’t have total control, you do have will, choice, and influence. In most cases, you’re not honoring these capacities nearly as much as you ought to. This is where following your mission and being in a relationship aren’t mutually exclusive. Far from it.
Instead, you’re called to gift her the opportunity to re-orient around your mission. Speak your truth and follow your purpose before they atrophy, metastasize, and turn into resentment. There’s a bitter betrayal that comes with not doing so.
The momentary compromise may get you to the dinner table with her friends — but the rotting mass of resentment in your heart will only ferment and seep out in other ways.
You don’t “free” her with your compromise. You liberate her with your truth. For today’s suppressed truths become tomorrow’s stinging resentments.
The dance is not yours alone. You don’t choose all the steps. But your leadership and influence within the dance is both the gift she yearns for — and the freedom you crave. | https://medium.com/hello-love/the-denial-of-interdependence-cf0e6efce8a8 | ['The Good Men Project'] | 2020-12-22 19:32:37.802000+00:00 | ['Masculinity', 'Relationships', 'Emotional Intelligence', 'Intimacy', 'Love'] |
What I learned from starting a company at 18 | Failure.
I learned failure and, consequently, progression.
Any entrepreneur, from Bill Gates to your local business owner, will share how he or she underwent bumps and bruises throughout the journey. I believe entrepreneurship is the scariest position one can pursue.
I am just a few hours from my 19th birthday as I sit here and reflect upon my fascinating and frightening entrepreneurial path. Recently, I launched my own digital marketing company, called Writer in Revolt.
I took a huge step by combining my leadership and management skills with independent working. Amid the COVID-19 pandemic and my final exams, I unnaturally sowed the seeds of a startup.
Researchers claim the best ideas come when you’re not looking; you can be subconsciously performing critical thinking in the shower or dreaming big on a walk. I can attest to that; I started my company in the middle of a hectic academic schedule.
My Absolute and Total Dread
Photo by Daniel McCullough on Unsplash
I remember cracking my knuckles, my nervous tic, in an unhealthy repetitive manner, as I started interviewing people for my digital marketing company. Who I am to be interviewing people, probably twice my age?
“You’re in college?” one of my interviewees asked. “How do you find all these jobs?”
I felt my stomach churning as I went through another episode of apprehension. I realized my interviewee, a recent college graduate, looked at my Linkedin profile and virtually examined me.
“Um.,” I said nervously. “Well, my parents are business owners so I get a lot of referrals and advantages. I also find jobs on sites like Linkedin and Indeed.”
That above statement was only partly true. For some reason, I wanted to downplay my entrepreneurial success, because I felt nervous about taking charge of people much older than me. Yes, my parents are self-employed; my dad performs music and my mom owns cinematography business. No, they did not have to do with my success. Although they were a factor in encouragement and advice, I did not rely on my parents for jobs or clients.
The real truth? I accomplished so much at 18 because I refused to be ordinary. I found ways to develop and enhance my creativity and leadership skills by applying them to entrepreneurship. I started by selling myself cheap on sites like Upwork or Freelancer, before moving to launch a company and gaining jobs on Linkedin, Simply Hired, Indeed, and more.
The candidate who checked out my Linkedin Profile and commented on the incredulity of my success at a young age scared me.
Actually let me rephrase that; he didn’t scare me — this whole interviewing process did. He wanted to speak with me over the phone, but as soon as I started answering all his questions, I felt utterly claustrophobic.
“How many jobs can I expect to receive on a weekly basis?” I froze. I never thought about this.
My first conversation with this candidate allowed me to re-examine my expectations. As I started responding to more candidates and doing additional phone calls, I gained confidence. You’re a boss, I told myself. Actually, you’re THE boss. Show them that. In the first phone call, it felt like the freelancer was interviewing me, but now I was finally asking all the questions.
How I failed
Photo by Aarón Blanco Tejedor on Unsplash
I recognize that I was moving too fast in the beginning stages of developing my company. By the time I finished interviewing people, I had over a dozen freelancers I was considering.
I finally realized how it felt to be the employer; I had to pick through several candidates who were all equally qualified.
At 2 a.m., I racked my brain trying to decide between Candidate A or B, who I both wanted on my team but couldn’t afford. By the time I finished interviewing and choosing from final candidates, I wrote down multiple names for social media marketers, web developers and designers, copywriters, and bloggers.
Just a few months ago, I was a student taking a break from freelancing. Now, I, traveling at 100 miles per hour, launched a company with several people relying on me for work.
During my study sessions for my final exams of the Spring Semester, I received text messages and emails from team members asking for potential work. My heart sank as I realized the enormous pressures and responsibility I placed on myself.
“Why are you setting up a team without having jobs, yet?” my mom reasonably asked.
I wanted to establish my company as a team and not a solo brand. I already set up portfolio sections on my website featuring my team members’ work. Just as I was creating links to Team Member A’s work, A was texting me and asking for work. I felt hypocritical at best. “The work..it’s coming” I assured my freelancer despite the level of uncertainty pressured by the pandemic.
The scary thing about money…
To me, it was never truthfully about the money. When I started freelancing, I created content for absurd prices like $5 per article. Now, of course, I charge more reasonable prices, since I understand the essence of time is money as well as quality content deserving good pay. Since launching my own company, I had to do more financial research and management, because I was not only responsible for myself as an independent contractor but for others as well.
I now had to pay team members, even when I wasn’t making money myself.
This was scary. While I paid my social media marketer $25 an hour to get my company name out there, I earned less per hour during the beginning stages of my business ownership. However, I knew it would be worth it. While I paid social media marketers to help me with the company branding, bloggers to contribute to the website, and copywriters to help me with clients, I understood the great rewards that would come with such risky and expensive investment.
I realized great entrepreneurs don’t wait for the part where they have enough money. If we all had enough money, we wouldn’t be working, would we?
So, I threw my money into marketing and writing so I could set up my business for success.
I realized age is, and never was a factor
Image by Tumisu from Pixabay
If there is anything I learned from freelancing or managing my company, I realized my age is truly not a factor. Although my age contributes to the originality I bring to the table, no one has ever doubted or questioned my content even at 15 when I started writing. Many people, who are interviewing independent contractors online, don’t ask for your age anyways.
Although age is not vital for employers in the industry I’m in, I prove I am an innovative and independent thinker to those who know my age.
I have a gift for writing; I won numerous awards in high school. I am also a published writer, now. With that being said, I have achieved extraordinary feats and contributed content at the same level of expertise, if not better, of older individuals, including college graduates, in my industry.
I am truly grateful for the lessons learned throughout this risky, difficult journey of business ownership. Since I started freelancing, I already acknowledged the complex nature of remote working and entrepreneurship in general. Let me also acknowledge the countless other young entrepreneurs out there, even younger than myself, who are hustling as either freelancers or business owners. In fact, one of my team members is a high schooler who charges more than many experienced writers in her industry. Why? Like I said, age isn’t a factor; the quality of a writer is. I support and connect with other great freelancers who recognize their work. I can’t wait to see where my journey of entrepreneurship will take me as I turn 19 tomorrow. | https://medium.com/@emoijah/what-i-learned-from-starting-a-company-at-18-8d9ebc41012c | ['Emoijah Bridges'] | 2020-05-16 06:44:33.317000+00:00 | ['Business Owner', 'Freelancing', 'Young Entrepreneur', 'Freelance Writing', 'Entrepreneurship'] |
The Indian Question and Answer Website Site- Qans | You can read more about : Qans in the media here | https://medium.com/@qans/the-indian-question-and-answer-website-site-qans-284e2a878efe | [] | 2020-12-09 06:57:12.696000+00:00 | ['Questions', 'Answers', 'Qans'] |
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