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My new roommate | in In Fitness And In Health | https://medium.com/novan/my-new-roommate-6ee9fc6445b8 | ['Novan Adrian'] | 2018-06-10 17:56:25.418000+00:00 | ['Thoughts'] |
What are the 5 Crucial Pieces of Advice for Starting Your Own Charity in Asia? | In February 2020, I launched my personal project named “CHANGE Education Fund” to support creative educational activities for under-resourced children primarily in Malaysia and also other countries in Southeast Asia.
Starting this project took a lot of thinking, reflecting, and actions for me over the past few years.
I am now truly delighted and grateful that I am able to finally make my ideas into reality, no matter how small it might be in the beginning.
The reason why it took me a long time to start the first few steps was my lack of knowledge and guidance. So, I am here to share my thoughts and experiences so that people with similar interests can be inspired to take action to make a step forward.
I intend for my writing to be beneficial for you if you are:
Interested in charity / nonprofit / grant-making in the field of education in Asia.
Interested in starting your own nonprofit/charity in Asia, but not knowing how.
Curious about what your life might look like once you start your own nonprofit/charity in Asia.
Wanting to find meaningful work that you can devote yourself to.
I will try to be practical, true to the facts, and clear.
Now, let’s move on to today’s topic;
What are the 5 crucial pieces of advice for starting your own charity?
There are the 5 useful pieces of advice that I received from my mentors.
I follow them and I am doing alright so far. Some of it I received from my mentor several years ago, and some of them were mentioned in some meetings last month. I think all of these are very true and useful. So here they are.
1. Starting a charity takes money.
Starting a charity takes money.
This is absolutely true. Charity means you are giving out something. Either cash money, such as donation or grant, or other resources such as time, goods such as food, books, diapers, etc.
One of my mentors, who started a nonprofit based in Ubud, Bali, particularly emphasized out “Yes, starting something like my venture needs money.”
Of course, the vision and mission of your activity must to be nicely framed, but that alone cannot run activities and programs. You need to face this reality from the very beginning so that you can develop a practical financial plan to make your programs sustainable.
2. You should put your own money. Otherwise, you cannot generate trust.
At first, I thought people starting a nonprofit begin with fundraising. However, my mentor said “Put your own money first”.
What I think is quite interesting is the latter part: “Otherwise, you cannot generate trust”.
People will see that you are putting your own money for charitable activities and think “Oh this person is serious, she/he is putting her/his own money”.
Similarly, my mentor also continued “Don’t receive salary from your charity (at least in the starting phase)”.
This means you need your own system to sustain your livelihood as well.
3. If you seek advice, ask those who are a) already doing it, and b) successful.
Seek for advice from people who are successfully doing what you want to do.
This seems very self-evident, but I noticed that some people seek advice to people who a) haven’t done it by him/herself, or b)haven’t been successful.
Obviously, the advice from such people would not be useful as they have not experienced it themselves.
I myself asked for advice from a few people I know, all of them who are in the field, have some experience, and are successful even at different levels.
If you are wondering where you can get good advice, think of people who are doing it and are successful. If you cannot think of anyone, try looking for one through the internet and network.
4. Make it come to life on a VERY small scale, within three months from now.
If you are not sure what to do and how to do, just actually putting it into reality can make you realize many things.
You will see whether you really wanted to do it, or you just liked the idea of doing it. These two are definitely two different things and will affect your motivation for your charity, so putting your plan into reality will make you realize how you truly feel. So it’s better to put it in action and see what comes next.
5. Share your thoughts and actions by writing a blog. (Or Medium posts!)
Writing and sharing your thoughts, stories and efforts behind the scenes will attract attention from those who are interested in the field. Your “inside out” can inspire others, which will in turn inspire you back.
This one is just being experimented! This is why I started posting on Medium! | https://medium.com/@aigoto/what-are-the-5-crucial-advices-for-starting-your-own-charity-in-asia-c3adeb0361f4 | ['Ai Goto'] | 2021-03-19 06:33:34.872000+00:00 | ['Charity', 'Foundation', 'Nonprofit', 'Startup', 'Southeast Asia'] |
The Secret to Stop Fighting: A Simple Science-Backed Formula | Step 1. I feel ________
Make statements that start with “I” instead of “You” to avoid blame.
Do this: I feel very nervous and abandoned when I’m home alone not knowing where my family is. Not this: You’re always late for dinner and you never think about anyone but yourself.
Step2. …about _____________
Describe what is happening objectively and non-judgmentally. Don’t offer your evaluation of what you think is going on for the other person
Do this: I’m the only one in the house and it’s 6:30, the time we usually have dinner. Not this: You are selfish and careless, so wrapped up in your own world that it doesn’t even matter to you what time you come home…it could be midnight as far as you’re concerned.
Step 3. I appreciate ________________
Give appreciations. Noticing what people are doing right is always the best way to go. Take the time to search your brain for a time when the person did or is doing something right related to this issue
Do this: I know how hard they’ve been pushing you at work and I really appreciate all you put up with to provide for the family. Not this: You don’t get a gold star for having a job.
Step 4. I need (or request) ___________________
Talk clearly about what you need in positive terms. Express what you want specifically and explicitly, clarifying what you do want rather than what you don’t want
Do this: I’d really appreciate it if you could try to remember to call me by 5:00 to let me know what time you’ll be home Not this: I do not want to be married to someone who thinks it’s perfectly acceptable to leave me home alone waiting while dinner gets cold without even a phone call
Put it all together and it sounds like this:
I feel very nervous and abandoned when I’m home alone not knowing where my family is. I’m the only one in the house and it’s 6:30, the time we usually have dinner. I know how hard they’ve been pushing you at work and I really appreciate all you put up with to provide for the family. I’d really appreciate it if you could try to remember to call me by 5:00 to let me know what time you’ll be home.
Remember to be polite. Treat the person you are talking to as someone worthy of basic manners, using phrases such as “please” and “I would appreciate it if…” Challenge your belief that this person “always or never” does the thing in question.
Here are some other examples that can show you how to tailor this formula into your own words. It works with children and bosses too:
I feel frustrated when I see the caulking in the bathroom hasn’t been finished yet. I know you have a bunch of projects on your to-do list and it’s a really messy, annoying job. I need to come up with a plan for when and how it is going to be finished.
(to a child) Buddy, that drumming on the table is giving me a headache, I know it’s fun to whack things with spoons but can you do it in the playroom, please?
I was a little annoyed that there wasn’t any milk for my coffee this morning. I know how fast it disappears in our house. Can you please text me when you finish the milk so I can pick it up on my way home from work?
5 Common Mistakes You Might Be Making While Using this Formula
1. Don’t sound like a robot. Remember it is called “gentle startup” for a reason. Find the softness in your voice, show it on your face and maybe grab a hand or rub a shoulder if appropriate. If there has been a lot of fighting between you, neutrality can be interpreted as sarcasm even if you don’t mean it to be.
2. Do not pause after step 2, or your partner will jump in and respond before you get a chance to express your appreciations which are the most important part of this formula.
3. Nasty prepositions: As soon as we say I feel like…, or I feel as if…, I feel that…, we are no longer talking about our feelings. We pretend we are talking about our feelings when they are actually opinions or judgments.
4. Don’t go global. People respond better to a discussion about a single episode than to a personality critique. “I’m worried that you are an alcoholic.” will be harder to hear than “I was really worried about you last night when I saw how sick you were from drinking…”
5. Edit all caveats. “I appreciate that you’re a great dad” is perfect with a period at the end of the sentence. The appreciation becomes lost if you say, “I appreciate that you’re a great dad when you’re actually home”.
The Four Predictors of Divorce
Congratulations on your commitment to improving your communication skills by reading this article. According to Dr. John Gottman’s research, criticism is one of the four predictors of divorce and relationship unhappiness, so mastering this formula could significantly impact your life.
The other 3 are Defensiveness, Stonewalling, and Contempt. Improving these 4 core communication skills will help you manage your conflict effectively so that you spend less time arguing and more time having fun!.
Thanks for reading my article,
Laura
*Resources
All of the advice and research referenced in this article is based on the evidence-based Gottman Method of Couples Therapy which is grounded in 40 years of researching over 3,000 couples. | https://medium.com/writers-blokke/the-secret-to-stop-fighting-lies-in-this-simple-science-backed-formula-48aeaf1f2b58 | ['Laura Silverstein'] | 2020-12-21 20:34:51.670000+00:00 | ['Relationships Love Dating', 'Communication', 'Relationships', 'Life', 'Conflict Resolution'] |
Mormon, Stoic, Taoist — Notes on Effortless Action | The Stoics taught that the difference between peace and suffering is learning to distinguish between what is and is not in your control — a state of mind called apatheia.
Apatheia is like archery: you can control the type of bow and arrow you use, your form and stance, time and setting — but then you have to let the arrow fly. You’ve made your preparations, but once the arrow is loosed, you don’t decide what happens next. A crosswind might divert it; your target may fall over; an animal might leap in the way — none of which is up to us. What belongs to us, our task, is to prepare the shot. From there, whatever happens, happens.
This Stoic mentality reminds me of wu wei, or “effortless action,” in Taoism. Wu wei lets nature flow like water, and joins that flow, against our tendency to freeze up and become rigid, unbending, immovable — much like ice or stone. We often work despite nature, not with it; we say we know better, so wu wei requires trust. It’s the trust of laying back in water and letting it buoy you; of a cat falling from a tree and loosening up rather than tensing — and landing on its feet as a result. In Taoism, wu wei answers ”thusness.” “Why are things as they are?” “Because they are, thus and so— now what?” Let them be, let yourself be — and everything accomplishes itself of its own accord.
I often find myself saying in moments of passing stress or frustration something that might sound a bit quaint: How would I do this differently if I were water? The sentiment is enough, I think: force nothing, flow with everything; either way, things tend to work out the way they do — no other way. That’s the thought of Lao Tzu and the Tao Te Ching: the Tao forces nothing but is the space within which all this occurs, making room for everything, neither dividing nor ruling — only holding, like the empty inside of a vase, and the air that fills it. Like the present moment in which all this occurs thus and so.
I’m tempted to say Mormonism has a touch of this wu wei in it. D&C 88 describes the earth as following the same “celestial law” as the gods, which is to say that the earth “filleth the measure of its creation” (88:25) — it flows as thus and so it is. Many Taoists might like that verse, seeing nature and her effortless action as the prime model for us, the ones who can’t stop suffering under our efforts. Perhaps that’s the essence of grace: to stop trying; to let be. To flow over it like water over a stone; to let your feet leave the floor as when you let the water carry you; to loosen up and let nature flow as she does like a cat falling from a tree, always landing on its feet. | https://medium.com/interfaith-now/mormon-stoic-taoist-notes-on-effortless-action-8e7e80acf379 | ['Nathan Smith'] | 2019-09-22 00:42:57.631000+00:00 | ['Mormon', 'Philosophy', 'Taoism', 'Stoicism', 'Religion'] |
Please where can I see free #science conferences or events. I’m not just a scientist but I strongly believe that impossibility is nothing. If we don’t enhance our thinking, nothing much will happen… | Please where can I see free #science conferences or events. I’m not just a scientist but I strongly believe that impossibility is nothing. If we don’t enhance our thinking, nothing much will happen in this #world 🌎 | https://medium.com/@chybike234/please-where-can-i-see-free-science-conferences-or-events-179c69444253 | ['Chibuike Michael Anueyiagu'] | 2020-12-19 20:20:21.814000+00:00 | ['Antigravity', 'Climate Change', 'Physics', 'Technology', 'Science'] |
Informedness and Markedness | Informedness and Markedness
Alternatives to Recall and Precision as Evaluation Measures
In a recent effort, instead of using recall and precision, we used informedness and markedness to measure the ability of security analysis tools to detect vulnerabilities in Android apps. Here is my simplified view of these measures.
Preliminaries
We are interested in evaluating the goodness of a system M in correctly identifying positive and negative examples from a set of examples.
We start with a set of examples (objects) of which some are labelled as positive while the rest are labelled as negative. We refer to the examples labelled as positive as real positives (RP) and examples labelled as negative as real negatives (RN).
After S has been used to identify the examples as positive or negative, we refer to the examples identified (predicted) as positive as predicted positives (PP) and examples identified as negative as predicted negatives (PN).
Further, we refer to positive examples that are identified as positive by M as true positives (TP), positive examples that are identified as negative by M as false negatives (FN), negative examples that are identified as positive by M as false positives (FP), and negative examples that are identified as negative by M as true negatives (TN).
When we abuse the acronyms to denote the number of examples of specific kinds, they are related pictorially as shown below.
Pictorial depiction of relation between various quantities.
The above terms are related as follows: PP = TP + FP, PN = FN + TN, RP = TP + FN, and RN = FP + TN.
Recall and Precision
Recall is a measure of M’s ability to identify positives as positives, i.e., Recall = TP / RP. In other words, given a positive example, how certain are we that S will identify the example as positive.
Precision is a measure of trustworthiness of positive predictions by M, i.e., Precision = TP / PP. In other words, when S makes a positive prediction, how certain are we the prediction is correct.
Observe that both recall and precision pretty much ignore negatives. To understand why this matters, consider two cases.
To understand the implication of this, consider three cases.
Evaluated with example set E1 consisting of RP=100 and RN=10, M1 yields TP=90, FN=10, and FP=10. Evaluated with example set E2 consisting of RP=100 and RN=100, M2 yields TP=90, FN=10, and FP=10. Evaluated with example set E3 consisting of RP=1000 and RN=100, M2 yields TP=900, FN=100, and FP=10.
In cases 1 and 2, recall and precision are 90/100=0.9. This suggests M1 and M2 perform equally well. However, this is not true because there is no evidence that M1 is able to identify negatives as negatives (TN=0 for M1). Further, the evidence about M2’s ability to identify negatives as negatives (TN=90 for M2) is not considered.
Both recall and precision ignored the ability of techniques to handle negatives.
In case 3 where the proportion of real positives and real negatives has changed, while recall is unchanged (900/1000=0.9), precision jumps to 900/910=.98.
All other things being unchanged, precision is affected by the prevalence of (real) positives in the example set.
Further, observe that the trustworthiness of M2's negative predictions (TN/PN) dropped from 90/100=0.9 to 90/190=0.47 from E2 to E3.
Precision did not detect the change in the trustworthiness of negative predictions.
An obvious solution to address the above issue is to consider both positive and negative examples and predictions.
Informedness and Markedness
In “Evaluation: From Precision, Recall and F-Factor to ROC, Informedness, Markedness & Correlation”, Powers made the above observations about the above aspects of recall and precision and proposed the use of informedness and markedness as unbiased variants of recall and precision. Following are the simplified definitions (aka my interpretation) of these terms.
Informedness is a measure of how informed system M is about positives and negatives, i.e., Informedness = TP/RP - FP/RN. Markedness is a measure of trustworthiness of positive and negative predictions by system M, i.e., Markedness = TP/PP - FN/PN.
In the above definitions, observe that
Informedness considers both real positives and real negatives. Likewise, Markedness considers both predicted positives and predicted negatives. Informedness is counterpart of recall and markedness is the counterpart of precision. While the values of recall and precision range from 0 thru +1 (both inclusive), the values of informedness and markedness range from -1 thru +1 (both inclusive).
As for the interpretation of values of informedness and markedness,
Magnitude of the Absolute Value: For informedness, it is a measure of how informed is M about positives and negatives. Higher the absolute value, higher the informedness. A value of 1 implies M is fully informed about positives and negatives.
For markedness, it is a measure of how trustworthy are M’s prediction. Higher the absolute value, higher the trust. A value of 1 implies M’s verdicts can be fully trusted. Polarity: For informedness, positive polarity implies M is informed to correctly identify positives and negatives while negative polarity implies M is informed to incorrectly identify positives and negatives.
For markedness, positive polarity implies the trust is associated with M’s predictions being correct while negative polarity implies the trust is associated with M’s predictions being incorrect.
So, informedness of +1 implies every positive will be identified as positive (TP=RP) and every negative will be identified as negative (FP=0) while informedness of -1 implies every positive will be incorrectly identified as negative (TP=0) and every negative will be incorrectly identified as positive (FP=RN).
Similarly, markedness of +1 implies every positive prediction (TP=PP) and negative prediction (FN=0) will be correct while markedness of -1 implies every positive prediction (TP=0) and negative prediction (FN=PN) will be incorrect.
Observe that an informed yet incorrect system can be easily flipped to be an informed and correct system (to the same extent as it was incorrect). Similarly, a marked yet incorrect system can be easily flipped to be an marked and correct system (to the same extent as it was incorrect). Consequently, in terms of these measures, a bad system is one with measures that are close to 0, i.e., it is no better than chance.
What about the Previous Cases?
In case 1, both informedness and markedness are is 90/100 – 10/10 = -0.1. While M1 is well informed about positives (90 TPs out of 100 RPs), it is misinformed about negatives (10 FPs out of 10 RNs). Likewise, while M1’s positive predictions can be well trusted (90 TPs out of 100 PPs), M1’s negative predictions cannot be trusted (10 FNs out of 10 PNs). Hence, M1’s combined behavior when considering the examples and the predictions is very close to random but worse as it errs a little more often than it is correct. This is well captured by -0.1 measures.
In case 2, both informedness and markedness are 90/100 – 10/100 = 0.8. Since M2 performs equally well on both positives and negatives present in a balanced example set, the values of these measures are intuitive.
In case of 3, informedness is 900/1000 – 10/100 = 0.8 while markedness is 900/910 – 100/190 = 0.46. Like recall, informedness is unaffected by the change in the prevalence of real positives. However, unlike precision, markedness decreases to reflect the drop (change) in trustworthiness of M2’s negative predictions.
Clearly, it is obvious that informedness and markedness are sensitive to how techniques handle negatives.
Summary
Since recall and precision are dependent only on TP, FP, FN, RP, and PP, they are unaffected by changes to TN, RN, and PN. In comparison, since informedness and markedness are dependent on all of these numbers, they are sensitive to any change to (the proportions of) these numbers. Hence, when both positives and negatives are of interest, informedness and markedness are more informative evaluation measures.
References
P.S.: If you find any errors in this post, then please leave a comment. | https://rvprasad.medium.com/informedness-and-markedness-20e3f54d63bc | ['Venkatesh-Prasad Ranganath'] | 2018-10-03 21:44:55.516000+00:00 | ['Machine Learning', 'Data Science', 'Metrics', 'Evaluation', 'Statistics'] |
5 Golden Rules for Productive Operations of the Company | Here are the top 5 golden rules that are intended for you if you are looking for the ways to enhance the productivity of your company by means of better operations.
Preparation and planning:
As a company has to perform day and night, it is important to make a schedule so that the company works accordingly. If a company lacks a schedule, it will be lacking what needs to be done and what must be added or deleted.
This shows the significance of the planning and preparation section. His will help he op administration as well as the employees ha are working 9 to 5 to have better understanding of what they must be doing around the clock. This will also help in streamlining all the operations and better management of time will to success.
Let your employees know about their performance:
As people are hired for your company, they have certain emotional link with the company and it will be strengthened if they are appraised for their performance. In addition to it, all the employees must be treated equally. This means that people working in day shifts and in the night shifts must be treated equally. This will enhance their morale and they will perform better to get the positive feedback from your side.
Proper management is the key:
Managing things and operations is a tough task and it is the only thing that will help you throughout your journey. You must recognize that your employees are humans and that they can be active for some hours. To finish their fatigue, you must try on something like little nap breaks etc. to keep them active.
Security:
If your company is located in a secure environment, people will feel safe to work with you. In opposite case, they will feel threatened and insecure all the time which will affect their performance. Finally, you need to think about security. You must take security measures to make your employees feel safe and secure all the time.
Business Operations and your control:
Never let things get out of your control. Normally, people give all the operations in the hands of top management and suffer afterwards as they are informed only about the developments and are not giving the reality check. You must be controlling your business and making needed changes in it. | https://medium.com/@isammansour/5-golden-rules-for-productive-operations-of-the-company-49b126da6be0 | ['Isam Mansour'] | 2020-05-20 19:29:53.192000+00:00 | ['Isam Mansour', 'Company', 'Isam Mansour Montreal', 'Isam Mansour Canada'] |
Why? | Hi Everyone,
This is going to be a difficult post for me as I want to dive deeper into my background, why I’ve started this journey, my challenges I’m facing, and where I’m at right now. (Perhaps some of you can relate)
I was Born in 1969 (Gen X) and raised in Connecticut. I would call our family a “ hard-working middle-class” family as my parents always had multiple jobs to put food on the table and to provide for our family. I always had a strong belief in God but never really took action on it through church until I was much older.
Growing up, I recall always being outside. Either, hiking miles to the nearest river to swim, or biking all over town to play with my friends, to riding my motocross motorcycle in the woods behind our house. Regardless of where I was outside, my queue to come home was the sun starting to set and seeing the street lights on our street beginning to turn on.
I was not the most motivated kid growing up and where I always had the “potential”, doing enough “just to get by”. I was lucky that I made it into College, which was Central Connecticut State University, and after 4 and a half years, finally graduated in 1992 with a BS in Computer Science.
After college, I always had one or more jobs, got married, had two amazing kids but always struggled financially, and living paycheck to paycheck.
I didn’t understand how money or credit worked, was lured into the trap of borrowing money at high-interest rates, and quickly sank into the trap of credit card debt. I wound up paying so much of my monthly income just to make the minimum payments that I felt like I was slowly drowning.
As the stresses of life increased (lack of money, lack of time to make more money, kids growing up) so did the strain on our marriage. We tried years of counseling but in the end, we were divorced. It was very difficult not only for us but for our kids as well. It was (and still can be) a very difficult time for our whole family.
Then, when I didn’t think my stress could go any higher, a few major life events happened. First, I lost my mother at a relatively young age due to heart issues. A few months after, my Dad decided to move down to Florida to be closer to my brother, then a few months later I lost my consulting job and was unemployed for 6 months. I would up having to cash in, the retirement savings I had leftover (From the divorce) just to try and survive.
bam……It was like being stuck in a pit, with no light, no way out, no idea what to do or how I was going to make it through the next day. The fear and depression were a real, and tangible beast living with me every day.
This was a very dark time for me, and when I also started to learn that credit card and loan companies are NOT anyone’s friend. Just when you need help the most, they turn into sharks, trying to nibble off any piece of you they can get. I was now over my head and the sharks were constantly nipping at my heels.
My emotional state was a mess. The fear of not being able to pay child-support and losing the joint custody of my kids, feeling of failure, fear of not being able to buy food or gas for my car. Being depressed, feeling abandoned, on my own, and not wanting to get out of bed. All this happening in the cold and dark winter time in Connecticut, which can already be a difficult time for most people.
Then, just when I was giving up hope, some amazing things happened to me. First I met, who is now, my amazing wife. Second, I found a wonderful, Christian-based Church, and third I found the means to start my financial transformation and get out of the shark-infested waters.
My Financial transformation all started with a talk with one of the church pastors, who I informed of my financial issues and who then guided me to the first step of growing wealth; “get out of debt”
Through that process, I learned how to set up a realistic budget, learned how to stop spending my money on unwanted items, and learned how to start saving money. I was finally getting my bills in order and paying down the credit debt. I now had a spear to poke at the sharks and they were receding.
At the same time, my relationship with God grew as did my spirituality. I joined my church’s worship team as one of the drummers and still blessed to be able to do this today. (we’re all online now so I’ll share a link in a future post)
My confidence was also growing and the fear was losing its grip on me as I could once again take care of my family and see the light!
(For anyone that’s interested in this first step, how to get out of debt, I will dedicate part of this series just to that topic.
During this time I also found an amazing job (and still there today) and my day-to-day finances are now ok, but looking towards retirement, I’m starting to feel that same fear creep back into the pit of my stomach.
So here I am, 51 (almost 52), finally have my finances in order, but the next challenge is how do I retire happy, and still be able to take care of my family and loved ones? The pain of not having enough money is slowly creeping back into my life but this time, I’m proactively doing something about it!
I’ve started an online company and learning to grow my business! It’s an amazing adventure but also very confusing.
This blog will continue to discuss what I’ve been doing over the last few months since I started, but also discuss the challenges and successes that I have.
I pray and hope this blog finds those that it can be of service to, as well as my Facebook and TikTok pages below.
I feel there is a lot of “unrealistic” messages out there, everyone trying to “get rich quick” and that is NOT the way it goes.
Yes, a few people can get lucky, but for most of us, it’s hard work and perseverance. It’s putting ourselves out there and trying something new, scary, and different.
Even with the true offers that are out there, it can be very confusing, so I’m working on an offer to not only guide fellow like-minded people on the right path but also to help them with each step!
This blog will be my real journey, in hopes I can help others as I go. Come join the adventure!
Peace and God Bless
Scott | https://medium.com/@hawkeyemarketing/why-ae68192312e0 | ['Scott Leonard'] | 2020-12-24 22:49:09.575000+00:00 | ['Money', 'Mmo', 'Christianity', 'Entrepreneur', 'Business'] |
Part 2: Goal-setting and Manifesting | 2021 is almost here. After reflecting on 2020, now what?
In my last post, I talked about how you can go about reflecting on this past year. After taking a long, honest look at what this year has been like, the next stage of this process is to start brainstorming and putting down different goals that you want to work on in the different areas of your life.
This can seem kind of overwhelming since you may not know where to even start. Some people might be more organised and already know what their goals are and start listing them in order and by category. If you're like me and your brain is all over the place, it’s perfectly fine! I’ll share my process with you and hopefully, this might help you.
Photo by Green Chameleon on Unsplash
I’ve been trying to work on having better habits and forming routines that I can stick to and are better for me. So, I started asking myself questions like:
What does my ideal work/week-day morning look like? What about after work?My evenings?
How do I want to spend my weekends?
What do I want to work on in these different areas: emotional, spiritual, mental, creativity, physical/health, career?
What do I want out of my relationships and what/how to I want to give? Whether it be with family, friends, or others.
Do I have a bucket list of things I want to do? Things that will make me happy? Despite the uncertainty of travel plans, as we all have found, there are other ways you can explore your world and try new things — in whatever small way.
Photo by Jess Bailey on Unsplash
Of course, I’m no expert. I’m just sharing what I do or am doing currently. Maybe you have some better questions or techniques or can find other guides online. The important thing is to get thinking, reflecting and writing. All the best! | https://medium.com/@aleeshasuleman/part-2-goal-setting-and-manifesting-cfaa9ec2d372 | ['Aleesha Suleman'] | 2020-12-24 08:37:36.720000+00:00 | ['2020', '2021', 'Goals', 'Journal', 'Self'] |
When Quitting Isn’t Really Quitting | I am eight years old and afraid of everything, including: large spiders, honey bees, okra, Gregorian chants, fat Turkish ladies, cemeteries, ghosts, train tracks, old people, reptiles, heights, the Fraggle Rock muppets, creaky stairs, nighttime, the BFG, and death. I’m deathly afraid of dying.
I’m enrolled in a kiddie swimming class, which I attend every week, very reluctantly — because I’m afraid of water, too. I’m also not too crazy about my teacher who makes me do stuff I’d rather not do, unnatural stuff like tread water and float on my back. In regular school, I’m learning about Jacques Cousteau and his various underwater adventures, and when my dad quips that maybe I’ll become a famous marine explorer too, he and my mom double over with laughter.
I don’t find it so funny.
One day, my swimming teacher announces we’ll learn to dive. She makes us scale this ladder to the top of Mt. Kilimanjaro and I watch my fearless classmates cheerfully launch themselves off the summit, plummeting to their certain deaths. I have a clear memory of being up there in my Speedo, my knobby knees chattering, my hair in a wet, heavy braid against my back. I remember trembling at the edge of that diving board, and shouting down at my teacher that I “can’t do it, no way, no how.”
“Yes you can do it, Hilal! You have to do it. You don’t have a choice.”
Oh, but I do have a choice and that is to squat at the end of the board — white knuckled, my toes curling over the edge — and cry, the older boys in the water below, pointing up at me and laughing, the people behind me in line, complaining about the hold-up. This is a choice, too, and it’s the one I make that day.
It’ll be years before I get anywhere near a diving board again.
No one likes a quitter, that’s what they say, isn’t it? Well, no one likes a scaredy cat, either. This is what I’ve been thinking about lately: about fear, and failure; about the times where we take the leap, and others when we don’t.
We all fail. It sucks royally, but that’s how it is. There are risks we take, with our hearts, with our money: entrepreneurial risks, creative ones, and sometimes they just don’t work out. I fail regularly. I’ve written about this here before, about how I have four failed “novel” manuscripts sitting in my closet. They make me sad if I think about them, so I try not to think about them. I think experts call this “coping.” Sometimes they spell it: d-e-n-i-a-l. Either way, I guess.
The first sucky story I wrote didn’t just disappoint me, it nearly ruined me. I had my hopes pinned so firmly to this thing, but no matter how I tried to tell the story, how I tried to fix it, bandage it up, it refused to become something worthwhile, refused to be resuscitated. It was dead on arrival, and there was nothing to be done but sit in the shame, the sadness, the boiling rage of my nonsuccess.
These days, I don’t get nearly so bent out of shape about failure. I have come to realize the part of me that feels shame at the thought of falling short isn’t me at all. It’s my ego. Remembering that helps.
Maybe you can relate. If you’ve made something, tried to love someone, launched a thing, and it didn’t pan out the way you hoped, you know how important it is to forgive yourself for it. That’s step one. Forgive, then let it go. Something I enjoy doing is writing it down on a piece of paper, and setting fire to it like a pyro, holding it over the kitchen sink for as long as I can, letting go a split second before my fingers burn. I like watching the flame eat up my words, as if making my failure vanish. It gives me permission to start again, with a clean slate. An open heart.
It reminds me that whatever I’m attempting and stumbling over, it’s temporary, and not so serious. Nothing is that serious. I shouldn’t ever be doing something for the success, the applause, for the acceptance that will come with it. I should do it to do it. For the experience. I should do it so that I might grow into someone better.
“Beautiful things of any kind are beautiful in themselves and sufficient to themselves,” writes Marcus Aurelius in Book Four of Meditations. “Praise is extraneous. The object of praise remains what it was — no better and no worse. This applies, I think, even to ‘beautiful’ things in ordinary life — physical objects, artworks. Does anything genuinely beautiful need supplementing?”
If we do things just to do them, create with an eye not on the congratulations or the fat check or contract we’ll get at the finish line, but on the sense of communion with inspiration, with artistry, even with divinity itself, that we experience along the way, then we’ll be better for it. Happier. More playful and true. When we let go of the expectations we have for ourselves, and focus instead on the work in front of us, there is a tranquility we can achieve. We become less distracted, our hearts less heavy, our pens lighter.
I was watching this thing on Truman Capote the other day, about how he never got a rejection letter in his life. Not even one. That’s very unusual. Some people are charmed like that I suppose, but most of us are not. For most of us, there will be rejection, and plenty of it. Rejection is a vital part of life. It’s actually a good thing. It’s a sign that you’re trying, launching yourself off Mt. Kilimanjaro instead of just sitting the whole thing out.
Today is Damien Chazelle’s 32nd birthday. He’s the guy who wrote and directed La La Land. He’ll probably get an Oscar for doing so, or at least a nomination. He told reporters last year that he didn’t always want to be a writer. Growing up, it was all about music until he understood the limits of his talent. “I realized one day,” he said to Vanity Fair, “I was never going to be good enough as a jazz musician.” That’s when he started writing. He took his creative drive and repurposed it, channeled it differently. He adapted. He didn’t give up completely on creating, he just tried something new.
And so can we. If there’s a lesson to Damien’s story, I think that’s it. It’s that we can always choose to do something else.
Maybe I won’t be adding another bad manuscript to the pile in the closet. Maybe I’m no so good at writing novels. Maybe the next thing I create will look very different. I have no idea what it will look like, but instead of being scared of the not-knowing, I’m actually…excited. And that’s a great place to be. It’s freeing. Exhilirating. It’s looking down at the water and having your sense of curiosity override your fear.
Matthew McConaughey was talking to a reporter at Playboy last year — a magazine I obviously only read for the excellent articles. “People bring up the romantic comedy years as though I’m another person, another actor,” he said. “It was the same car, same engine, same me. I just shifted to another gear.”
I think we all have it in us to shift. It’s when we forget that, when we get too attached to some fixed outcome, some idea of who we are “supposed” to be in the world, what we “ought to be doing,” that we suffer. I don’t want to suffer in my writing anymore. There’s no need for it. I want to trust fiercely, as I sail into the deep unknown, diving into the pool of creative possibility, that what’s down there will not only catch me but it will, with ease and magic and great, great knowing, finally release me as well. | https://medium.com/future-of-work/when-quitting-isnt-really-quitting-9fb5efeb082b | ['Hilal Isler'] | 2018-08-22 16:29:38.876000+00:00 | ['Creativity', 'Life Lessons', 'Self Improvement', 'Entrepreneurship', 'Writing'] |
Greer County, 1888 | This map of Greer County, located between the north and south forks of the Red River and encompassing over 1.6 million acres, was drafted two years after its organization in 1886. Unlike most other county maps in the GLO collection, this map does not show individual land grants. Instead, half of the county was appropriated for public school funding and the other half for payment of the state’s debt, as depicted by the alternating grid pattern.[1] Another notable feature of this map is that it depicts a Texas county that no longer exists, and, technically, never did. Here’s the abbreviated story of Greer County, Texas — now a part of Oklahoma.
Charles P. Scrivener, Greer County, Austin: Texas General Land Office, 1888, Map #4709, Map Collection, Archives and Records Program, Texas General Land Office, Austin, TX.
Compiled by GLO draftsman Charles Scrivener in 1888, this was the last map of Greer County produced by the Land Office. The locations of several post offices are shown on the map, mostly along the county’s boundaries, and geographical features are noted. Straddling the western boundary between Greer and Childress counties, there is a notation for an “Initial monument as established by United States Engineers.” This marker was placed during the joint boundary commission surveys conducted between 1872–75.[2] At the time of the map’s completion, the county was home to an estimated five thousand residents and over sixty thousand head of cattle.[3] The value of this land to both Texas and the United States for settlement and agriculture resulted in a legal dispute that lasted for over fifty years and significantly involved the GLO and several land commissioners. | https://medium.com/save-texas-history/greer-county-1888-b8a9e051949f | ['Texas General Land Office'] | 2020-06-04 15:33:09.859000+00:00 | ['History', 'Maps', 'Texas', 'Oklahoma'] |
Perspective Matters — How to See Problem From All Angles | I believe the wisest thing you could do as an adult, is to keep non-reactive traits, and analyzing every problem you had from a different perspective.
Well, it’s easier to said than done, everyone agrees. But, allow me to share a realization I had a few days ago.
Recently, a close friend of mine will go to Japan next week, to pursue his Master’s degree. Our group of friends planned a farewell party, and we all come to had fun (also to send my friend off).
In a usual gathering, when it’s your closest friend, you’ll likely talk about life, problems, relationship, or anything that crossed your mind recently.
So, yeah, actually a lot had occurred to me in these past two weeks.
My younger sisters had cancer surgery. And top of that, she got into a car accident, recently.
I have a relationship problem (prefer to not talk about it in public),
And on top of that, I still had an awful amount of debt inherited from my parents.
To be honest, I don’t slightly feel remorse or depressed, I just felt platonic, flat, and even I was shocked at how I tell these stories to my friends without feeling down or any tremor in my sound.
One of my friends suddenly said, “Are you cursed?” she said with a concerned tone.
To them, it’s a super hard problem to deal with, not your typical day to day problem. And of course, it would felt like I had super bad luck having all these problems occurred in a super short timeframe.
So I asked myself, do I really had bad luck? Do I sound like I had a ton of bad luck? Because almost all of my friends agree that I did.
My friend's word crept into my mind. Realizing how much trouble I got into (without really counting it), makes me believe that I’m really cursed, or I did do some big unredeemable sins, for a split second.
But then, I realize something.
Of course, my friend would think that I had a series of bad luck, or I did cursed because they only know the bad event that happens to me in these past two weeks, right?
They wouldn’t know the uncountable blessings I had this month, because I didn’t tell them, so it’s no brainer that they would think like that.
So I started listing all the good things that happened to me.
Yes, my sister did have cancer surgery, but now she (finger crossed), doesn’t have to do chemotherapy. It’s a blessing.
Yes, my sister did get into a car accident, but she survived and unharmed, imagine the worst that could happen. Another blessing.
Yes, I have a lot of debt, but because of it, I start building a series of good habit and starting another business to make the most of twenties (instead of chill out, slacking off), to pay of my debt in time. Another blessing in disguise.
Yes, I might have a relationship problem, but it makes me realize how I value myself and my partner. Still a blessing.
Realizing all this makes me happy. Wow, I’m awfully blessed.
The point is not about trying to be 100% positive all the time, like a hopeless idiot. On the contrary, that kind of thinking is dangerous. When you’re hyper-optimist, you’ll bound to meet a certain wall so tall, that you’ll fall and get depressed because you spent almost all your life thinking that, 100% positive will get you somewhere.
But one thing to do is to keep thing’s platonic, be more observant to yourself, and know which button to push (pessimist or optimist).
The biggest question remain would be: How I Could Stay Observant?
The answer would be, always keep three perspectives when you’re looking at one problem/dilemma.
The first perspective; is how’re you feeling when a particular problem occurs to you, and what’s your immediate solution/action/reaction? What are things that only you realized that others (your friend/peer) might not?
The second perspective; is how your friend would react when they heard a particular problem that happened to you?
The third perspective; how a stranger would react, a narrator's perspective when they heard the problem that happened to you?
By allowing yourself to experience these three perspectives, you would become more observant, calm, and hopefully wise to take action that will resolve the problems.
Confused? Let’s take an example;
Your first business failed and you’re depressed since you build it from the ground up.
First perspective; you would feel angry, depressed, and confused about what to do next. But you realized that finally, you found something you passionate about. Second perspective; your friend think that maybe your target market wasn’t right, or that it was a very competitive business ecosystem. They would come up with solutions that maybe you already had in mind. They might even tell you either to build another business or just give it up and try working with someone else first. Third perspective; It was bound to happen since it was your first business, and you had no knowledge about finance, marketing, etc. They might sympathize or even pity you.
Combine these three and try to take the best of each, to put the best narrative that fits you, (in an optimist-realistic way), now you get:
You were starting your own business, with no knowledge in finance or marketing, it was inevitable that you would fail. You were angry, depressed, and lost a load of money, and it’s okay to feel that way. On top of that, you realized your target market wasn’t right. In the end, you also learned a lot of yourself and passionate about.
Now that you acknowledge all these perspectives into one objective narrative, it’s up to you to weigh any solutions available.
Yes, you can keep going on, redoing and improving your first business into a better one.
And yes, you can also quit it, get a job to learn how a company would operate.
Remember, this is life, there was no right or wrong, both options are hard. So choose your hard.
And when you met another problem down the road, remember, to come back to this page. I’ll be waiting.
23/Nov/2020
Still in debt, but will clear it in no time.
Didi Cyril | https://medium.com/@frieronymus/perspective-matters-how-to-see-problem-from-all-angles-de6d6a184f35 | ['Friedrich H'] | 2020-11-23 16:13:47.835000+00:00 | ['Self-awareness', 'Productivity', 'Self Improvement', 'Personal Development', 'Debt'] |
A Review of The Tao of Pooh by Benjamin Hoff | The Tao of Pooh by Benjamin Hoff is a quirky, fun, and enjoyable way of explaining complex philosophical principles through the use of what is originally a children’s story. Although not intentional by any foundational thinkers of Taoism, quite a few parallels present themselves in any Winnie the Pooh story. Benjamin Hoff, the author, cites a number of stories, whether that be the time Eeyore got stuck in the river or the time that Owl’s house was blown over. In every story, there is a lesson to be drawn on and applied with Taoist thinking, with every lesson leading back to Pooh and the philosophy that he unwittingly practices every day. For Pooh, most of life revolves around the moment to moment interactions that he experiences, with nearly nothing being extensively planned out. Sure, as in the case of Pooh giving a gift to Eeyore on his birthday showed, Pooh does think ahead in the relative near future. However, when hunger takes over and the honey is eaten, it is simply an acceptance of what has happened and a change to what is now the current situation. No matter what the circumstances are at hand, Pooh will find a way to exist within them.
To borrow directly from the description of the book as found on Amazon, it is described as; “While Eeyore frets, and Piglet hesitates, and Rabbit calculates, and Owl pontificates, Pooh just is”. I borrow directly from the description as I believe nothing can better suit what the function of the book is. Throughout the various ideas described in the books, an emphasis is always on Pooh simply being there. His philosophy in the world is the exact personification (as personified as a cartoon bear can be) of Taoism in action.
The complexities of Taoism is not lost in the story, however, as often Pooh or any other character will not understand something in the same way the reader is not either. However, Benjamin Hoff ensures that the reader does not feel alone. It is not important to understand the intricacies of the uncarved block or to know how Taoism would handle every day modern stresses. A few very simple lessons can be learned from The Tao of Pooh that needn’t be complicated by any more questions on the topic. | https://medium.com/@blakewallace/the-tao-of-pooh-9bddb4bf49a4 | ['Blake Wallace'] | 2020-12-19 23:04:32.690000+00:00 | ['Taoism', 'Self Improvement', 'Book Recommendations', 'Books', 'Book Review'] |
Managing Your Security Product in the Cloud, Like a Spartan | The famous movie “300” tells the story of king Leonidas and his 300 Spartan warriors — who withstood a monumental attack by the Persian empire during the battle of Thermopylae, even though they were significantly outnumbered. Despite the fact king Leonidas did not know much about enterprise-grade security, there are multiple decisions that he had made as a leader that would have made him a spectacular CISO, which avoids the “on-premise” battlefield in favor of the cloud.
When we first started brainstorming on the next-gen architecture concepts of Hysolate, one of the key building blocks was already clear to us — Hysolate must be fully managed from the cloud. No on-premise deployments, not an on-premise application or an on-premise appliance.
At the dawn of its days, the Hysolate management platform was solely an on-premise product. As we continued to grow, we were surprised to learn that many “conservative” companies, such as banks and other financial institutions, refused to have an on-premise deployment. Instead, they requested a fully managed SaaS version of our product — resulting in us maintaining multiple flavors of our management product. Apart from the overhead consideration, we took into account the advantages that our SaaS offering had in terms of security, manageability, and supportability — and encouraged customers to use it.
In this post, we’ll touch on three reasons you should seriously consider adopting cloud-managed IT products — especially for your security products.
Your on-premise products rely on open-source software
One of the famous tactics that allowed Leonidas and the out-numbered Spartans to block the Persian attack in the Battle of Thermopylae — was forcing the Persians to fight in a narrow pass — “The Hot Gates”, where their large numbers would not count. The Spartans tried to reduce the attack surface, so they could handle the attack more effectively. Leonidas knew that the Spartan attack strategy was based on their flawless battle structure — and did all that he could to make sure his counter attack had no vulnerabilities. If Leonidas were a CISO, he would strive to minimize the time it takes to patch vulnerabilities that threaten his organization.
As the open-source ecosystem continues to expand, enterprise products rely on open-source packages more and more. While the utilization of open-source software allows companies to develop better products faster, these products rely on hundreds of open-source packages, with each of them recursively dependent on many more, resulting in thousands of open-source packages bundled together into the product — even for the smallest software products out there.
Unsurprisingly, the number of disclosed open-source software vulnerabilities is on the rise as well. According to the annual report published by WhiteSource earlier this year, over 6,000 vulnerabilities were disclosed in 2019, up from just over 4,000 in 2018. The upside is that 85% of these vulnerabilities already have an available fix upon their disclosure. For SaaS products — these vulnerabilities can be monitored and delivered instantaneously with automatic tracking and patch management, while for on-premise products — your management product remains exposed for weeks or months from disclosure at best, or years at worst.
In the early days of Hysolate, we encountered some customers that preferred the on-premise variant of our management product. By choosing on-premise, these customers decided that they are responsible for upgrading their management server. But how quickly can a large organization upgrade all of their management products? By nature, on-premise products releases are less frequent than SaaS products, while the upgrade operation itself requires some form of manual labour, and often involves more than one employee in the organization. In practice, many IT systems in the organization end-up not being upgraded at all, unless some issue pops up.
Best Practices for a Vulnerability-free Management Product
To minimize the exposure window, you want to automate the upgrade process of your management product, leaving zero need for manual interaction of any employee in your organization. At Hysolate, this is the path we chose, while embracing the best security practices to ensure that our 3rd party packages are up to date, and patch them as soon as a vulnerability is disclosed. Here are some of the things you can do to create a vulnerability-free management product:
Embrace an automatic vulnerability scanner as part of your development process . There are essentially two ways that a new third party vulnerability can be disclosed in your product — either a new vulnerability is disclosed in an older dependency that you already use, or a developer adds a new, already-vulnerable dependency to your product. Both scenarios can be avoided by adding an automatic vulnerability scanner to your development process. In Hysolate’s case, we use an automated npm audit scan, as the 3rd parties in our Management Service are JavaScript packages.
. There are essentially two ways that a new third party vulnerability can be disclosed in your product — either a new vulnerability is disclosed in an older dependency that you already use, or a developer adds a new, already-vulnerable dependency to your product. Both scenarios can be avoided by adding an automatic vulnerability scanner to your development process. In Hysolate’s case, we use an automated npm audit scan, as the 3rd parties in our Management Service are JavaScript packages. Consider using a paid vulnerability scanning tool. If you’re using multiple types of packages in your project, or developing in multiple programming languages, you should definitely consider using a scanning tool such as WhiteSource, Synopsis, or Snyk. These tools often claim to have larger vulnerability databases and dedicated security research teams, but can often provide additional capabilities such as static code analysis.
If you’re using multiple types of packages in your project, or developing in multiple programming languages, you should definitely consider using a scanning tool such as WhiteSource, Synopsis, or Snyk. These tools often claim to have larger vulnerability databases and dedicated security research teams, but can often provide additional capabilities such as static code analysis. If you’re using a private GitHub repository — enable GitHub’s alerts for vulnerable dependencies. If you already embraced one of the recommendations mentioned above, you should already be covered. The only reason I recommend to enable this one as well — is the fact that it’s so easy. Within three mouse clicks, you will have GitHub scanning your dependencies for you. Note that public GitHub repositories have this feature enabled by default, but if your code is hosted in a private repository — then this tip becomes relevant.
You have a great security team, but you are not Amazon
Large cloud providers have Data Security as one of their main business goals — or as Leonidas would say — this is their profession, this is what they do. Even with an incredible, well-trained security team in your organization — the scale and budgets are simply not the same. The top cloud providers — such as Amazon AWS or Microsoft Azure, spend tremendous amounts of money, annually, on monitoring and improving their security stance. Their servers, platforms, and applications are proactively managed and protected by multiple teams of certified security experts.
These cloud providers maintain a cloud infrastructure that has a much larger magnitude than any single organization’s on-premise infrastructure. Their security tools, visibility, and practices are the heart of their business — and push them to be at the forefront of the security field.
If it’s on-premise, and we’ve got COVID-19, is it really on-premise?
In the new COVID-19 reality, even the most conservative organizations were forced to further open up their security-perimeter, allowing employees to access on-premise organizational assets from home — using either organizational laptops, or even worse — connecting from their own personal devices. Many organizations let their employees access their network via VPN, while having very little control over the end devices and home networks that are connecting to their network. The assumption that the security perimeter will protect your organizational crown jewels, is now more questionable than ever.
This is one of the main reasons why we came up with the new concept of IWaaS (Isolate Workspace as a Service). One of our primary use cases is to enable customers to deploy a sterile, isolated virtual environment on their employees’ personal devices — so that work-related activities are isolated from personal activities.
Summary (choose your battlefield)
In the early days of cloud computing, SaaS products were hastily rejected by large organizations because of security concerns. With mature cloud providers, and the way software development has changed in the past decade, it is now clearer than ever — cloud services can provide not only better service, but also better security.
To conclude, here is one last quote from our favorite Spartan:
The great leaders of ancient times knew that you should always choose your battlefield. While the battlefields have changed, great leaders have stayed the same. | https://medium.com/@alonkollmann/managing-your-security-product-in-the-cloud-like-a-spartan-8e89fba7c8f1 | ['Alon Kollmann'] | 2020-12-17 17:20:59.926000+00:00 | ['Infosec', 'Cybersecurity', 'Cloud', 'SaaS', 'Cloud Security'] |
Hong Kong ‘Milkshake Murderer’ Served Her Husband Drug-Laced Milkshakes | Hong Kong ‘Milkshake Murderer’ Served Her Husband Drug-Laced Milkshakes
And then bludgeoned him to death
Hong Kong ‘milkshake murderer’ Nancy Kissel. Photo Source.
By midnight on November 6, 2003, Hong Kong police were investigating a storage room at the posh Parkview apartments complex. They spotted a suspiciously hefty rolled carpet tied with string and bound with adhesive tape. When the police unrolled it, they found what they expected — a dead body. The police knew immediately that the victim had been dead quite a while; the smell emanating from the decomposing body was too strong to be a recent death.
The police’s investigation had been prompted by calls from David Noh, a vice president in Merrill Lynch’s Hong Kong office. He reported his colleague and close friend, Robert Kissel, had been missing for four days.
Within hours of Noh’s call, police went to Robert Kissel’s apartment for investigation. They interviewed Robert’s wife, Nancy Kissel. They asked her about her husband’s whereabouts and had an inquiry into a police report she had filed that morning. In her report, she stated that her husband had beaten her over the past weekend.
Later that evening, the police interviewed the apartment’s maintenance staff and learned that Nancy Kissel had called the management office the day before and requested a carpet moved to her storeroom. The staff said that it was unusually heavy and that it had taken a team of four workmen to move it. Nancy Kissel had said nothing about the storage room, thus the police became suspicious and immediately applied for a search warrant to enter the storage room.
Two hours after Robert Kissel’s body being found, police arrested Nancy Kissel and she was charged with murdering her husband.
Robert Kissel, the victim of his wife. Photo Source.
Road to Becoming a Financial Elite
Nancy and Robert Kissel began dating in 1987 and were married in 1989. While Robert was studying full-time master’s degree in finance from New York University, Nancy, who holds a bachelor’s degree in business and a Masters in design, worked three part-time catering jobs to support him. This highly educated and refined lady deviated from her own career goals to help her husband further his ambitions.
Robert’s wishes came true. He got a job in Goldman Sachs Group Inc. and was assigned to the Hong Kong office. Then in 2000, he hopped to Merrill Lynch, where he was promoted to managing director and head of the investment bank’s Global Principal Investments Division for Asia-Pacific.
The Kissels lived in the Hong Kong exclusive community where they enjoyed the luxury American lifestyles. Despite their wealth, the Kissels were not living in bliss, Robert was on-call to company 24/7 and Nancy was lonely at heart.
Spying Wife’s Personal Email
In 2003, the SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome) which was similar to today’s COVID epidemic, had struck Hong Kong. While Ms. Kissel and the children had been evacuated to the US, her workaholic husband stayed on for his jobs. They decided to take their children to the family’s vacation home near Stratton Mountain, Vermont.
As the epidemic worsened, it was uncertain when it would be safe to return to Hong Kong. Nancy ordered a home theatre system, figuring that she and her children would be staying at the vacation house for an indefinite duration. The man who sold the equipment sent his brother, Michael Del Priore, to install it for them.
Michael Del Priore, a young and well-built TV repairman who lived in a trailer park in Vermont, kept in touch with Nancy after completing the installation. They talked in depth and Nancy confided in him about her troubles. Their friendship soon turned into romance, and Nancy later admitted to having sex with him three times in her Vermont house.
By the end of the summer, the SARS epidemic had subsided, and Nancy returned to Hong Kong with her children. She kept close contact with Del Priore, calling him frequently. Robert suspected his wife was cheating on him, so he hired a private investigator and installed spy software which monitored her Internet use and copied all her emails to him.
“It’s really hard to talk to you on the phone, but you have to know that I think about you constantly, not being able to talk to you really drives me crazy. Honey, I love you.”
“I love you when you call my name. It makes me melt.”
More and more love messages between the adulterers were disclosed, and some were even erotic, such as discussing sex positions.
It cut Mr. Kissel to the heart that he couldn’t take it anymore. He consulted with his lawyer about divorce and child custody. However, he ignored the legal advice and maintained his will in which he left an estate estimated at USD $18 million to his wife.
The Homemade Pink Milkshake
Forensic tests found traces of four sedative drugs in Robert Kissel’s stomach. Prosecutors said Ms. Kissel had drugged her husband with a spiked strawberry milkshake, before cracking his skull with a heavy statuette.
The Kissels’ neighbor, Andrew Tanzer, testified he had a visit to Kissels’ apartment with his 7-year-old daughter for a play date on November 2, 2003. He was chit-chatting with Mr. Kissel. Meanwhile, the Kissels’ 6-year-old daughter brought out two glasses of homemade strawberry milkshake, one for Tanzer and the other for her father. Tanzer became drowsy and then unconscious after being home at 4 pm. He described the milkshake as “reddish in color, strawberry flavoring…. heavy, sweet, thickened, tasting of bananas and crushed cookies.” Nancy Kissel told Tanzer that it was “a secret recipe” and that the color was to match the spirit of Halloween that had just passed.
Mrs. Kissel was accused of drugging her husband with the pink milkshake spiked with sedatives to render him defenceless, then beating him to death. The prosecutors suggested that she was motivated by a fear of divorce and a desire to secure life insurance payments.
However, Nancy Kissel, who pleaded not guilty to murder charges, told a very different story in court.
Forced Anal Sex for Years of Humiliation
Nancy Kissel’s defence team argued that she was the victim of her violent husband. According to her testimony, her marriage had been deteriorating due to her husband’s growing dependency on cocaine and alcohol. As he became successful in his career, he became more and more physically and emotionally abusive.
With the birth of the first child, Nancy began to gain weight and her breasts sagged. Robert didn’t find her attractive anymore, and he developed a fetish for anal sex. Nancy believed that her husband no longer wanted to see her face during sex. Whenever she refused his demands, he would beat her and force entry on her. His violent penetration often caused her bleeding. This took serious tolls on both her physical and mental health.
“He made me feel like a whore …… I was no longer being like a wife or mother and all that was left between us was sexual violence and a money deal the next morning!”
Nancy Kissel had admitted manslaughter but denied deliberately killing her husband. On the night of November 2, Robert Kissel told her that he had filed for divorce. When she questioned her husband, he was irritated and threatened her with a baseball bat. “I’m going to kill you, bitch!” The couple struggled fiercely, and just then, in her defence, she smashed his head with the metal statuette.
The Verdict
What undermined the defendant’s credibility was her claim that she could not recall what happened in the days following her husband’s death. With respect to all the events between November 2 and 7, she offered similar replies: “I don’t remember” or “I have no recollection”, though a surveillance camera at her apartment building captured her carrying a large object wrapped in a carpet out of the building after her husband’s death.
After a marathon three-month trial, the jury of five men and two women decided on her guilt unanimously. On September 1, 2005, Nancy Kissel was sentenced to life imprisonment. She appealed her conviction, her lawyer arguing that the prosecution had used improper evidence, including hearsay. Besides, there were problems with the original jury instructions. Nancy pleaded her case before Hong Kong’s Court of Final Appeal. The court allowed the appeal and ordered a retrial.
On March 25, 2011, after months of the retrial, the jury of seven women and two men unanimously found Nancy Kissel guilty of murder and she was again sentenced to life in prison. When she heard the verdict, she looked dazed and her body shook back and forth.
“I have finally fallen into the black hole, a hole so deep that I truly believe I am worthless. I have lost my soul!”
This was written in Nancy’s diary three months before she killed her husband. Unless she was so deliberate that she used the diary as a tool to defend herself in the future court, she had no readers here, only herself, and what she said was from the bottom of her heart.
She had been the most vulnerable woman, but also the most dangerous one. | https://medium.com/memoirsfromhistory/hong-kong-milkshake-murderer-served-her-husband-drug-laced-milkshake-f72d6c8e00b | ['Adam Novak'] | 2020-12-25 05:01:47.606000+00:00 | ['True Crime', 'Drugs', 'Alcohol', 'Crime', 'Hong Kong'] |
In The Garden | How well do we know ourselves now? How well do we understand the very vessels we woke up in? Isn’t that odd, to be housed in a container and to not even know how that container is programmed and of what exactly it is made? We possess minds that somehow transcend the very brains that produce them. These minds are ethereal and fluid, ever-evolving, comprised of ideas, concepts, beliefs and opinions, yet we manipulate matter, seemingly at will. There is a vast disconnect somewhere between our consciousness and the consciousness that comprises the rest of our reality. But what if there wasn’t? What if the boundary between the two was artificial, erected not by us and not by nature but by forces designed to keep us in a state of separation from our Source, the blazing sun of light and love that unites all of creation in spirit? We think we end at our skin, but we know our thoughts and feelings resonate beyond us. So who are we and what are we doing here? I used to think, up until very recently, that human life on Earth was a game for the spirit to play for the sake of its edification. And this view may still be valid if you are viewing our circumstances from a certain enlightened perspective. But when you are actually inside of the game and not outside looking in, then it hardly resembles a game at all. It looks very much like war. There is nothing light and silly about it. It is deadly serious. We’re dying here. And what are we dying for? For a chance to participate fully in our own lives. For a chance to express God’s will. For a chance to will ourselves into heaven. For a chance to enable our children’s survival. Earth can be an inhospitable place for those who dream dreams that take them outside their prison walls. Dissent is frowned upon. And I’m not talking about dissenting from cultural standards and norms, I’m talking about dissenting from the average notion of what it is to be human and how we should operate in a system that seeks to silence its most vocal critics. I say ‘enough’ to the bullying, threatening and intimidation. We won’t stand for it any longer. We want to know how we got here, and eventually this line of inquiry is going to lead us back to you.
There are times when I feel like I’m waging war against the world. I rage against angels and demons alike. The difference is the angels are still there for me after I’ve spilled my last drop of invective. The demons just want to kill me. But I’m not so stubborn and thickheaded to think I could possibly win a battle against superior firepower, and I’m not arrogant or courageous enough to embrace the full consequences of martyrdom. I just get tired of the torture. And it is torture. You can slap any designation on it you like, intent does not matter, what matters is the victim’s interpretation of your actions. If it feels like torture then no matter who you are or what you are trying to accomplish it’s torture. You can call it a test. You can call it treatment. You can call it an all out offensive against the demon that lays claim on my soul. Makes no difference what pretext you give yourself if, because of your actions, a person is suffering for an extended period of time. I should care more, I think. If I loved myself I think I’d be more upset. But torture is my thing. I get up and laugh it off. All in good fun. They say I’m insane. I’m not. I know full well what I’m doing even when it appears like I’ve lost the plot. Oh, the plot. What was it again? Angry, selfish, vindictive, trolling alcoholic fallen angel partially possessed by a demon commits suicide and then tries to redeem himself by awakening to the truth of this world with the help of true angels? That about sums it up, doesn’t it? Roaring good read. Or so I’m told.
I don’t actually feel like writing right now. That’s not true. I always feel like writing. I hate that human business gets in the way. I hate that I’ve been up for two weeks straight and that I’ve collapsed three times over the past week from sheer exhaustion. I know they want to tame me, to shatter my ego and break the last of my resistance to their guidance and their love, but what I am being put through is more than anyone could bear. My computer is in my bedroom. To get here to write this article I had to climb the stairs. I almost turned around before I got halfway up. That’s how tired I am. I can’t smoke a whole cigarette because my legs will give out on me before I’m finished. My guides tell me the usual: learn how to admit defeat, know when you’re beaten etc. etc. This is what adults do. This is what warriors do. This is what team players do. We don’t want vigilantes or lone wolves. We want comrades in arms. I’m sorry but you caught me at the wrong time. You caught me right in the middle of making a point. I said you’d have to kill me first. Kiss me or kill me. And I meant it. I could leave satisfied now. I’ve done a lot of good work. I wouldn’t be happy about leaving though. In fact, I’d probably wander the halls of my house as a lost spirit mourning his unfinished business, but if there is any measure of peace in death then I would very much like to have it. No. No. No. No peace. There would be no peace. I am in it to win it. I can feel my two halves wrestling with one another, the one who wants to quit and the one who wants to go forever. I am going to honor the part of me that most closely aligns with my values. I value life. I value strength. I value resilience. I value relentlessness. I value faith. All these things tell me to stick around for a while. And I’ve been told by people I trust that it isn’t always like this. There is light at the end of the tunnel. It’s just hurt so much for so long that I’m not surprised that I am finally buckling under the weight.
It’s Christmas Eve. It’s my favorite night of the year. The atmosphere and the anticipation get me every time. I’m officially sober for Christmas Eve. Considering how my last two Christmases went this is a major accomplishment and I don’t take it lightly. I’ve fought hard to stay off the booze. I wanted to be present. I wanted to be healthy. I’m not healthy, but I am here and I am grateful. This was both the most horrific and the most satisfying year of my life. I didn’t know you could achieve satisfaction in hell. They don’t make hell like they used to. But it’s very hard, because now when I lie down on the couch and close my eyes I hear the banter of my family in the kitchen and I know beyond the shadow of a doubt that they are all sleepwalkers, living their small cartoon lives and that I have gone past the point of no return. That is not to diminish them. They are my family and I love them all. But they’re conditioned and programmed and running off scripts.
Here we are now, in the Garden of Gethsemane, contemplating our crucifixion. I thought at first that this was going to be the Garden of Eden, that unblemished paradise of perfect innocence and communion with God. I hate to see innocence corrupted. I hate to see it sold out and destroyed. I hate to see it judged. I hate that it does know enough to feel bad for itself. I thought I was entering a world of dogs, and I got a world of wolves. So now I pray to a distant God for forgiveness and strength as I prepare to sacrifice my life for my sorrow. God, do you feel me now? Do you hear my screams echoing throughout the cosmos? I don’t feel you within me. I woke up from my coma in a world you abandoned. We are in ruins. Our civilization is on the precipice of disaster. How many billions of us must rise and fall before we reach the mountaintop?
I had to climb the stairs again. I very nearly collapsed. I’m living on the knife’s edge. Lie down, you might say. I can’t. I’ve been poisoned. This is my time to make the best of my situation while I can. Jesus wept in the garden. I am surely no Jesus but I have an inkling of what it must have felt like to prepare to put yourself at the mercy of the cruel dregs of humanity. I don’t know his strength. I don’t know his commitment. I don’t know his wisdom. I don’t know his divinity. But I know his suffering. I empathize with it. Most of us would prefer not to know the time and manner of our demise, so we could live out the pleasant fiction that it will never come to pass. Jesus knew. Jesus knew that he would be tortured for days. And he was young. He was younger than I am. He probably thought he could do more if given the chance. That’s how I feel. I just want to be given the opportunity to serve. Let me help you.
The two gardens. Eden and Gethsemane. What is different about them? In Eden we took our lives, in Gethsemane we gave them away. We are powerful, us humans. We can move mountains. Let us never again dismiss the notion that we have the ability to drastically alter our fortunes through our love and our tenacity and our ingenuity. There are forces out there that watch us hungrily, that have no respect for us, that prey on us in our sleep. We can thwart them. They were present in the gardens, guiding the hand of fate. But it was ultimately we who made the choice to know sin, it was we who made the choice to give our lives in atonement for that sin. We all die with crosses on our backs. That is the price and privilege of being human.
It’s not clear to me where I go from here. I know for a fact that I can’t ever go back to sleep. I know for a fact that I would very much like to get some regular, old-fashioned sleep before I lose my ability to function. They say they won’t be able to keep me up much longer. And then what? What else can they possibly do to me, or for me? How much closer can I come to death without actually dying? It’s interesting that the angels hold me up as an example of both what it means to give all, and what happens when you’re too proud and stubborn to admit defeat. I don’t know, I guess I appeal to a wider fanbase than I originally thought. The worst thing about going a significant amount of time without sleeping? Not being able to dream. I live for my dreams. Wakefulness is insanity. Or maybe it’s the world that is insane. I can’t say for certain.
There may come a point when I can’t distinguish my undreamt dreams from reality. Maybe I’ll have visual and auditory hallucinations. Maybe I’ll become less inhibited and more impulsive. Maybe I’ll have more difficulty regulating my emotions. Maybe I’ll finally, at long last, be too damned tired to write. My guides told me to be prepared to go for a ride. A roller coaster ride in the depths of the darkest night of the soul ever witnessed by a modern-ish audience. They say to surrender and to resist nothing. I am here to learn my lessons and those will be learned even if my back is broken and my spirit is crushed in the process. But I don’t much care for your curriculum. This is when every single ascended master plays bad cop with me and tries to act like they are the one that is finally going to bring me to heel. ‘You got away with that nonsense in the past, but not in my classroom pal.’ Yes, understood. I am justifiably awe-struck and intimidated by your commanding presence. I know I’m the class clown and that you, you, won’t tolerate any foolishness. That’s too bad. I love foolishness. I live for wise fools. You say this is to test your ‘blank’. But I’ve already been tested. Is my strength still in doubt? Are you out of the loop? Are you just tuning in? Do you need an update? And, like I’ve said before, love is true. Love doesn’t test. Love doesn’t make it hard to love God. But maybe I’m living in a glass house with a handful of stones.
I have done everything a person can do. I’ve been put through the toughest training in the world. The magnitude of the suffering I’ve endured is staggering. Test me? How dare you. I’m taking your test papers and I’m lightning them on fire and I’m throwing them in the waste basket. It’s a big ocean. I’m sure you could find someone who is more amenable to your ultimatums. You certainly could find someone sweeter. Dumber too, probably, if that’s your thing. I appreciate all you have done for me, but I have had about all I can stomach of the tests. I’m over hearing something about test takers. We should be diligent and dutiful and keep our heads down and put in the work. But the nature of my particular skillset means that I transfer my thoughts into sentences and then I share those sentences with the wider world. I’m an artist. Is that not what you wanted? You knew I was going to bring the heat down on you. You knew I was going to think out loud. The only way I can square this with myself is to remind myself that I’m also here to teach lessons and if you learn me then you get a very special prize indeed. My undying commitment to God’s work on Earth. Is class in session now? I hope we can build each other up instead of constantly breaking each other down. Let’s be friends. And I apologize for being a jerk, I’m under extreme duress.
Peaches and cream, peaches and cream. If I knew that anyone was getting hurt because of my refusal to surrender I would surrender in a heartbeat. But since I seem to be taking the brunt of things I am prepared to go until the end. Isn’t it cute that I’ve concocted this little crusade for myself? The man who stood up to the gods. I should be taking this more seriously. When I’m overtired I get giddy. I was raised up by the grace and mercy of the angels, rescued from the dustbin of history, drained of all my thoughts, memories and ideas and put through five years of hell and I still feel I am no closer to understanding the truth of me than when I first ventured off into the dark wood. There are memories that have been taken from me and never returned, from this life and lives previous. I’ve been made to gain a massive amount of weight in an attempt to squeeze the demon out. This has significantly decreased my quality of life. My self esteem was already in the toilet. Now it’s been flushed down the pipes. I have no freedom of movement. I sit here typing and I can feel my adipose tissue suffocating me. This wrong should be rectified. I’ve been big before. My mother thought that on some level it was purposeful. That I gained the weight to shield myself from the world. If so this is yet another layer of separation between me and other people while I wander through the desert. It makes me feel like I could die at any moment. Which I could.
So many answers to my questions lie in a past that I have no conscious access to. I am affected by it, I feel it, but I don’t know it. If I could finally place my identity into a cosmic context would I be dangerously destabilized? Would it jeopardize the lesson plan? Would I break out into fits of hysterical laughter? Is it knowledge that can’t be given, only earned? Will the floodgates open once I start knocking on the right doors? I just want the truth, no matter how monstrous. I can only infer the truth from the quality of this life. In this life I’ve been burning off my negative karma and that has required me to be brutalized in the worst ways imaginable. This doesn’t happen to gentle people. This doesn’t happen to sweet souls. This happens to the murderers and the thugs and the bullies. They call me a Nazi. Was I really? That would certainly explain a lot.
We’re on the clock now. Time is running out on this quest to capture something truly original before the lights go out on the stage forever. I’m running out of original ideas, or original ways to spin existing ones. I think I have the right to be more bitter than I am. There is still something wide-eyed and childlike in me and I am very protective of him. He didn’t sign up for this. He didn’t deserve this. I should have been able to rescue him from the 3D agents and the hidden hands. He’s hurt badly, and I don’t think he realizes this fact. His eyes still light up at the sight of candy or his favorite Christmas ornament. He still has affection for this world, because even after all he’s been through he trusts that the good guys win, the bad guys lose, and God takes care of all those who believe in His benevolence. This child is my child. He is me and I love him to death. I look to my young nephew who is already exhibiting signs of anxiety and paranoia. He’s a sensitive soul and if there isn’t an early intervention the world is going to eat him alive. I don’t want him to have to go through what I’ve been through. I want him to flourish. He had a traumatic upbringing, bouncing from one town to the next, one father figure to the next. He doesn’t feel safe in his own skin. For him the world is a dark and dangerous place. This is exactly who they hunt. The sharks smell blood in the water.
How much of the world is objective truth, verifiable by extradimensional observers, and how much of it is subjective? In other words, how real is this illusion? The observers would say that they see units of consciousness having a mutually agreed upon experience of a certain section of reality. We say that we use our brains to imperfectly process external stimuli in order to create a relationship between solid matter and our own flexible consciousness. Who would be right? Is there an answer? Are we right, from our perspective? I can’t begin to go down this rabbit hole. I wouldn’t be able to find my way home for Christmas morning.
Riddles in the dark. We are perpetually interacting with forces we cannot see and could not explain. If someone were to suddenly turn on the lights for us we would mostly likely run away shrieking in terror, but there would be nowhere to run to. I thought it was a bad dream. It’s really not. Wait till we wake you up, they say. There is more to life than gloomy ruminations and dreary explorations of the human condition. Is there? Not for me. I want to know how us. Why us. What sin did we commit that was so grave that we deserved to become someone else’s food? Maybe it has nothing to do with ‘deserve’. Maybe it was just another crime of opportunity, the strong imposing their will on the weak. We, as a species, made a pact with the devil.
What I get most discouraged about is having to accept that I am living in their world. There is not going to be any grand overthrow of evil. Yes, the forces of light are here. Yes, more people are awakening than ever before. Timelines are being restored or rolled up. Soul fragments are being retrieved. DNA is being repaired. Lowly reprobates like me are being a given a shot at salvation. These are all good things, but does this mean we are on the verge of reclaiming this planet for the Christos-Sophia? No. For that we’ll have to be very patient indeed. And we might be on the wrong timeline. The darkest timeline. This may have all the trappings of a civilized world while actually existing inside of a black hole hell realm. Sometimes that’s what it feels like and I despair. I wanted this life, right here, to mean something. I didn’t want to feel foolish for seeing beauty in nature. Maybe this is my binary thinking limiting me from seeing the whole picture in all its complexity and nuance. There are things to take satisfaction and joy in. There is nothing wrong with stopping to smell the flowers. What is wrong is forgetting you are a sleeping slave, and that all your emotions, negative and positive, get sent up the food chain so that the devils in 4D may feast upon you. That’s a jarring notion, isn’t it? No less true, for that.
And here I am, at the end of all things, trying to decide how badly I want to survive. It’s exactly 13 minutes away from Christmas as I type this. Does this mean this content is not evergreen? I think it could still be appreciated out of season. It wasn’t very festive. I am here to tell you the truth as I know it. I could get into graphic details of what I’ve seen, heard and felt, but I will spare you. Just know that what I do I do for the love of the person next to me. My friend, we deserve better than this raw deal. We are extraordinary, exceptional creatures and we deserve to know the truth about our origins and about the current state of humanity in relation to the forces that have trapped us in this grand illusion of life. We’ll get there. We are not alone in this fight. And with that I wish you happy holidays and I hope to speak again soon.
Be well,
Timothy | https://medium.com/grab-a-slice/in-the-garden-a43502ff8fca | ["Timothy O'Neill"] | 2020-12-26 12:35:47.717000+00:00 | ['Life Lessons', 'Reflections', 'Mental Health', 'Holidays', 'Spirituality'] |
The Ultimate Guide to Acing Coding Interviews for Data Scientists | The Ultimate Guide to Acing Coding Interviews for Data Scientists
Written by Emma Ding and Rob Wang
Photo by Christopher Gower on Unsplash
Introduction
Data science (DS) is a relatively new profession compared to other types of roles in the tech industry, such as software engineering and product management. Initially, DS interviews had a limited coding component, including only SQL or applied data manipulation sessions using Python or R. In recent years, however, DS interviews have shown an increased emphasis on computer science (CS) fundamentals (data structures, algorithms, and programming best practices).
For someone looking to enter the data science profession, this trend towards more CS in interviews can be daunting. In this post, we hope to increase your understanding of the coding interview and teach you how to prepare for it. We will categorize different coding questions and provide tips to crack them so that you can have a stellar interview. You can reach out to us here if you think we might be able to make your journey easier in any way!
Before you start reading, if you are a video person, feel free to check out this YouTube video for an abbreviated version of this post.
Table of Contents
Why are Coding Questions Asked in DS Interviews?
What exactly is a coding interview? We use the phrase “coding interview” to refer to any technical session that involves coding in any programming language other than a query language like SQL. In today’s market, you can expect a coding interview with just about any data science job.
Why? Coding is an essential part of your DS careers. Here are three reasons:
DS is a technical subject. The bulk of a data science job involves collecting, cleaning, and processing data into usable formats. Therefore, to get work done, basic programming proficiency is a must.
Lots of real-world data science projects are highly collaborative, involving multiple stakeholders. Data scientists who are equipped with stronger fundamental CS skills will find it easier to work closely with engineers and other partners.
In many companies, data scientists are responsible for shipping production code, such as data pipelines and machine learning models. Strong programming skills are essential for projects of this type.
To sum up, strong coding skills are necessary to perform well in many data science positions. If you cannot show that you possess those skills in the coding interview, you will not get the job.
Roles That are Likely to Have Coding Interviews
Of course, the level of coding required does differ depending on the position. Check this YouTube video if you’re interested in learning the differences between various DS roles. If you are looking for a data scientist role that falls into any of the categories below, the chances of encountering a coding interview are very high:
Data scientist roles with a heavy machine learning (ML) or modeling emphasis : For these kinds of roles, candidates are expected to work independently or closely with engineers to productionize machine learning, statistical, or optimization models. Such roles, though titled “data scientist”, are more similar to “machine learning engineer” or “research scientist” roles. A few examples of such jobs are Core Data Science at Facebook, Data Scientist — Algorithms at Airbnb and Lyft, etc.
: For these kinds of roles, candidates are expected to work independently or closely with engineers to productionize machine learning, statistical, or optimization models. Such roles, though titled “data scientist”, are more similar to “machine learning engineer” or “research scientist” roles. A few examples of such jobs are Core Data Science at Facebook, Data Scientist — Algorithms at Airbnb and Lyft, etc. Companies in which data scientists are part of an engineering org : For such positions, there is a general expectation that every data scientist possesses sufficient programming proficiency. Robinhood’s data scientist position is an example of this kind of role.
: For such positions, there is a general expectation that every data scientist possesses sufficient programming proficiency. Robinhood’s data scientist position is an example of this kind of role. Data scientist roles at small to medium-sized tech companies: The environment in such companies tends to be fast-paced, and data scientists may wear multiple hats. In particular, they are required to demonstrate full-stack skills to get things done quickly and efficiently.
In contrast, if you are interviewing for a DS role with a Product Analytics emphasis, there is a lower likelihood of encountering coding questions. Interviews for these roles do not often go beyond evaluating SQL proficiency, but general programming may still be tested from time to time. Candidates who do not possess a basic level of coding knowledge can be easily caught off guard during the interview and may fail to move forward in the process. Do not let that be you! Make sure you are prepared. You can start your preparation by learning what to expect with a coding interview.
When to Expect a Coding Interview?
Photo by Maranda Vandergriff on Unsplash
A coding interview can appear during the technical phone screen (TPS), onsite, or both. There could even be multiple rounds of coding interviews during the onsite portion, depending on the coding proficiency expected. In general, you should expect coding interviews in at least one stage of an overall DS interview loop.
During the TPS, the delivery of the coding interview will typically be through online integrated development environments (IDEs) such as CoderPad, HackerRank, and CodeSignal. During onsite sessions, either an online IDE or a whiteboard can be used. In the current remote interview environment, the former is used by default.
The length of a coding session ranges from 45 minutes to 1 hour and it usually involves one or more questions. The choice of language is typically flexible, but most candidates will choose Python for its simplicity.
Different Categories of Coding Interviews
Based on our experiences interviewing with dozens of large and medium-sized companies, such as Airbnb, Amazon, Facebook, Intuit, Lyft, Robinhood, Slack, Snapchat, Square, Stitch Fix, Twitter, Upstart, and more, we have categorized coding questions into the following four types.
Basic Data Structures
This type of question aims at evaluating candidates’ proficiency in introductory CS fundamentals. These fundamental topics can include, but are not limited to:
Data Structures: Arrays, Hashmaps/Dictionary, Heaps, Sets, Stack/Queues, Strings, and Tree/Binary Tree.
Algorithms: Binary Search, Recursion, Sorting, and Dynamic Programming.
Some additional topics such as Linked Lists and Graphs (Depth First Search or Breadth-First Search) are less likely to occur during this type of interview.
Typically, multiple questions will be asked about a single scenario, ranging from simple to hard. Each question may cover a unique data structure or algorithm. Here is an example of a classic problem that revolves around finding the median of a list of numbers:
Part 1: Find the median using any method. Candidates can use a built-in sorting function and simply return the median after sorting.
Part 2: The interviewer now asks for a more optimized version of finding the median. In this setting, knowledge of common algorithms, such as quickselect, will come in handy.
Part 3: Finally, the question is changed to a “streaming” version of computing medians, meaning that the data comes in an online fashion rather than as a fixed list of numbers. In this case, the candidate would likely resort to the use of heaps (slightly more challenging).
This type of question may also appear as an applied business problem. For such questions, the candidate is expected to code up a solution to a hypothetical applied problem, which is usually related to the company’s business model. These questions are easy to medium in the level of difficulty (based on the categorization of Leetcode). The key here is to understand the business scenario and exact requirements before coding.
Mathematics and Statistics
These questions will require undergraduate-level mathematics and statistics knowledge in addition to coding capability. A few most commonly asked concepts include:
Simulation: Monte Carlo simulations, weighted sampling, simulating Markov chains, etc.
Prime Numbers / Divisibility: Calculations involving divisibility of natural numbers, Euclidean algorithm for computing the greatest common divisor of two natural numbers, etc.
Some common questions include:
Estimating the value of Pi using simulation.
Enumerating all prime numbers up to a given natural number N.
Simulating a multinomial distribution using uniform random numbers.
Machine Learning Algorithms
Photo by Hitesh Choudhary on Unsplash
This type of question involves coding up a basic ML algorithm from scratch. Besides general coding ability, the interviewer will also be able to evaluate candidates’ applied machine learning knowledge. You will need to be familiar with common families of machine learning models to answer these questions.
Here is a list of the most common model families that appear frequently during coding interviews:
Other model families, such as Support Vector Machines, Gradient Boosting Trees, and Naive Bayes are less likely to occur. You also are not likely to be required to code up a deep learning algorithm from scratch.
Data Manipulation
This type of question is not as common as the other types. They ask candidates to carry out data processing and transformations without using SQL or any data analysis library such as pandas. Instead, candidates are only allowed to use a programming language of choice to solve the problems. Some common examples include:
Representing two datasets as dictionaries, and joining them together on some given key values.
Given a dictionary of dictionaries representing a JSON blob, doing some basic parsing to extract particular entries.
Writing a function that is similar to the “spread” or “gather” functions in R’s tidyr package, and testing it using a dataset.
Calculating a 30-day rolling profit.
Parsing event logs and returning the count of unique strings by day/month/year.
Knowing that you can expect these four types of questions will help you to prepare systematically. In the next section, we will share some tips on how exactly to do that.
How to Prepare?
Photo by Green Chameleon on Unsplash
This list of types of questions may appear daunting at the first glance, but don’t be discouraged or overwhelmed! If you have a good grasp of basic CS knowledge and machine learning algorithms, and you take the time to prepare (which we will show you how to do in this section), then you will be able to ace the coding interview.
To prepare for different categories of coding questions, we recommend the following strategies:
Brush up on the Basics:
For each of the four major question themes outlined above, begin by reviewing the fundamentals. These descriptions can be found in various online sources as well as books. Specifically:
Categorize Questions:
Once you feel relatively at home with the basics, expand the scope of your review to include a larger set of commonly encountered problems. You can find these on Leetcode, GeeksForGeeks, and GlassDoor. You can save the problem statements in an organized manner, ideally grouped by theme using tools such as Notion or Jupyter notebooks. For each of the topics, practice a lot of easy questions and a few medium ones. Taking the time to create a categorized collection of coding problems will not only benefit your current job search, but it will also prove helpful for future job searches.
Compare Multiple Solutions:
Relying on rote memorization will not be sufficient for acing the interview. To achieve a more comprehensive understanding, we recommend coming up with multiple solutions to the same problem and comparing the strengths and weaknesses (e.g. run-time/storage complexities) of the different approaches.
Explain to Others:
To reinforce understanding, explain your solutions/approaches to a non-technical person using plain English. A higher-level understanding of the common problem approaches often has greater value than detailed implementation and can be especially helpful for adapting existing knowledge to new and unfamiliar settings.
Mock Interviews:
Work with a peer to do a mock interview, or conduct it by yourself. You can use an online coding platform, such as Leetcode, to solve real interview questions in a limited time window.
Employ these preparation techniques, and you will go into your interview not only with more knowledge but also with more confidence!
How You Are Evaluated?
There are 4 major qualities you want to convey during your interview.
Logical Reasoning:
The interviewer wishes to see candidates make logical connections between the information provided and the ultimate answer. You should therefore describe clearly what is needed for the computation and how you would write the code to solve the problem, before diving into the actual coding.
Communication:
The effectiveness of your communication matters significantly. Before coding, clearly communicate your thought process. If the interviewer asks questions at any point during the interview, you need to be able to explain the reasoning of your assumptions and choices.
Code Quality and Best Practices:
The interviewer will also evaluate your overall code quality. While the standard expectations in a DS interview would not be as high as those in a software engineering interview, candidates should still focus on several aspects:
Whether the code is executable without any syntax error.
Cleanliness and conciseness.
Whether the solution is optimized in terms of run-time/storage efficiency.
General coding best practice, e.g. modularity, handling of edge cases, naming conventions, etc.
Proficiency:
Just as with software engineering coding interviews, for DS coding interviews, it is reasonable to expect multi-part questions and sometimes multiple questions. In other words, speed is also important. Being able to solve more questions within a limited amount of time is a signal of overall proficiency.
Tips to Ace Coding Interviews
Photo by Joshua Earle on Unsplash
Before the interview, it is worth clarifying with recruiters what kinds of coding questions will be asked, as well as the approximate difficulty level. Lots of data science interviews do not require heavy programming, but that does not mean interviewers will not expect basic coding proficiency at your fingertips. Always ask your recruiter what to expect. If you make incorrect assumptions on the types of questions that can appear during interviews, you may end up preparing inadequately.
During the interview, use these tips to answer coding questions effectively.
Before diving into coding : Clarify the question and its underlying assumptions. Communication is key. A candidate who needed some help along the way but communicated clearly can be even better than a candidate who breezed through the question. Also, explain the overall approach to the interviewer before you begin the actual implementation.
: Clarify the question and its underlying assumptions. Communication is key. A candidate who needed some help along the way but communicated clearly can be even better than a candidate who breezed through the question. Also, explain the overall approach to the interviewer before you begin the actual implementation. When writing code : Start with a naive brute force solution, and optimize it later. Think out loud. Say what you think might (or might not) work. You may soon realize something does work, or a modified version of it does. When stuck for more than several minutes on a particular part, it is okay to ask the interviewer for a moderate hint.
: Start with a naive brute force solution, and optimize it later. Think out loud. Say what you think might (or might not) work. You may soon realize something does work, or a modified version of it does. When stuck for more than several minutes on a particular part, it is okay to ask the interviewer for a moderate hint. After the coding is done: If test cases are not provided, you should propose several normal cases and edge cases. Walk through your solution out loud with an example input. This will help you find bugs and clear up any confusion that your interviewer might have about what you are doing.
Final Thoughts
Coding interviews, like other technical interviews, require systematic and effective preparation. Hopefully, our article has given you some insights into both what to expect in a coding interview for DS related positions and how to prepare for them. Remember: Enhancing your coding skills will be extremely rewarding not only for landing your dream job, but also for excelling in the job! | https://towardsdatascience.com/the-ultimate-guide-to-acing-coding-interviews-for-data-scientists-d45c99d6bddc | ['Emma Ding'] | 2021-09-07 21:14:09.326000+00:00 | ['Editors Pick', 'Cracking Coding Interview', 'Data Science Interview', 'Data Science Job', 'Coding Interviews'] |
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Information is everywhere and yet many women still don’t truly understand how our bodies work and specifically, how our lower genital tract works. Dr Anita Mitra, AKA The Gynae Geek, believes that we can only be empowered about our health when we have accurate information. This book will be that source.This book takes you from your first period to the onset of menopause and explains everything along the way. From straightforward information about whether the pill is safe, which diet is best for PCOS, what an abnormal smear actually means, if heavy periods are a sign of cancer, right through to extraordinary tales from the Clinic. This straight to the heart, sharp shooting guide will become the go-to reference book for all young women seeking answers about reproductive health as well as a way to dispel the swathe of misinformation that’s out there.Dr Anita Mitra shares her personal experiences with stress and anxiety and her learnings about how the gynaecological health of women can be influenced by lifestyle choices.
Books are a valuable source of knowledge that affects society in different ways. Whether you are reading a masterpiece by an award-winning author or narrating a bedtime story to children, the significance of books cannot be overemphasized.
Human beings need to learn and stay informed, which are crucial needs that books can fulfill. They are also essential for entertainment and enable individuals to develop wholesome mindsets throughout their lives.
“Millions of books have been published over the years and they continue to be an integral aspect of people’s lives around the globe.
From making it easier to understand different aspects of life to serve as worthwhile companions that take you through challenging times, books have proven to be precious commodities.
Books are essential in a variety of ways that go beyond enriching your mind or entertaining you. They have stood the test of time as reliable references for centuries. They stimulate your senses and promote good mental health. Other benefits include enhancing your vocabulary, allowing you to travel through words, and inspiring positivity through motivational literature.
While the internet and television are useful in their own ways, nothing can compare to a great book. Books ignite your imagination, give you new ideas, challenge your perspectives, provide solutions, and share wisdom. At every stage of your existence, you can find a relevant book that will add value to your personal and professional life.
Books are filled with knowledge and they teach you valuable lessons about life. They give you insight into how to navigate aspects of fear, love, challenges, and virtually every part of life. Books have been in existence since time immemorial and they hold secrets of the past while providing a glimpse of the cultures of previous civilizations.
A book has the power to change or reinforce how you feel about your surroundings. It is a therapeutic resource that can equip you with the tools you need to stay on track and maintain a good attitude. Whether you want to learn a new language or delve into the intrigues of nature, there is a book for every situation.
There are numerous reasons why books are important. Reading books is a popular hobby as people around the world rely on them for relief and entertainment. Books contain records of history and are used to spread vital information. Reading books helps to improve your communication skills and learn new things. It can be useful for easing anxiety among students and professionals.
Other reasons that highlight how important books are in their positive impact on intelligence, writing abilities, and analytical skills. Books give people a great way to escape into another dimension. They are packed with endless possibilities for adventure and experiences that would be difficult to access in reality.
It is essential for people to strive to include books in their daily lives aside from using them for academic or professional purposes. They aid emotional and mental growth, boost confidence, and sharpen your memory. It is natural for people to be curious and want to learn more, which is why books are still significant today.
Books are a valuable source of knowledge that affects society in different ways. Whether you are reading a masterpiece by an award-winning author or narrating a bedtime story to children, the significance of books cannot be overemphasized.
Human beings need to learn and stay informed, which are crucial needs that books can fulfill. They are also essential for entertainment and enable individuals to develop wholesome mindsets throughout their lives.
“ | https://medium.com/@huwobogo/download-http-co-readingbooks-host-book-000830517x-69505dccb201 | [] | 2021-12-13 02:34:02.267000+00:00 | ['Download', 'Reading', 'Book', 'Read', 'eBook'] |
Rethinking Political Involvement: Part 2 | Photo by Thomas Kelley on Unsplash
In a previous blog, I wrote about the dangers of Christians in America becoming involved in the political process. While it is important for all of us to consider the dangers of becoming too entangled in the events of the world around us, it is not enough to simply say what we should not do. We also need to formulate an answer for what we should be doing. Politics are a huge part of American culture, and disregarding this fact will do us no good. However, while it is important to understand the common political issues of the day, we should also understand that traditional political solutions have rarely furthered the kingdom of God. Our ultimate goal should the salvation of men to the glory of God, and focusing on political goals will often hinder us in our ultimate goal. Because I do not believe that Christians should be disengaged with the world, I want to discuss a few ways that Christians in American can have an influence in our country without being politically involved. Furthermore, I want to consider what our response should be when political ideas need to be addressed within the church.
I’ll start by sharing again what I feel are the three main dangers that Christians face when becoming involved in politics. First, a focus on political issues inevitably means that we will not focus as much on other issues that have more eternal value. Second, it is extremely tempting for Christians to compromise on their values as they support various political figures and causes. Finally, political involvement often makes it much more difficult for Christians to reach unbelievers around them. However, while political involvement is certainly very dangerous for a Christian, I believe that there are healthy ways to engage with the issues our country faces today without becoming directly involved in the political process.
As Christians relate to their government, one of the most important things they can do is pray for their leaders. In I Timothy 2, Paul urges Christians to pray for all people, especially the government. It is interesting to note that the leaders of this time were the idolatrous Romans. It is even more interesting to note the reason that Paul gives for why we should pray. “I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way (ESV).” Paul states that our prayers for those around us should lead us to live quiet and peaceful lives. I’ll let you speculate for yourself on what it means to “lead a peaceful and quiet life,” but it is obvious that praying for our leaders is included in that lifestyle.
In addition to praying for our leaders, Romans 13:1–2 also commands us to respect our leaders. Personally, this is a commandment is difficult for me. I don’t enjoy speaking respectfully about leaders who, in my estimation, have not earned my respect. While it may be difficult to respect corrupt or immoral leaders, the instruction in Scripture leaves us with no room for argument. Nero, the leader of Rome, was a monstrously evil ruler, and yet Paul expected the Christians in Rome to respect him. While the most recent leaders of the United States have been far from perfect, none of them have been as evil as Nero. As Christians in America, we have every reason to show respect to our government and speak well of them in every way we truthfully can.
Beyond having the right attitude toward our government, we, as Christian citizens, have a responsibility to engage with those around us. Building relationships with people who are similar to us is important, but we are also called to reach out to people who are more difficult to love and understand. In Luke 6, Jesus challenged his audience on this issue: “If you love those who love you, what benefit is that to you? And if you do good to those who do good to you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners do the same…. But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great (Luke 6:32–35, ESV).” It is important to show Christ’s love to all people around us, including those who have significant cultural, religious, or political differences from us. Without compromising the truth of Scripture, we need to build bridges to those who would not ordinarily accept our love. Unfortunately, Christians are often known for judging others who disagree with them, both in areas of religion and politics.
An example of this can be found in an incident that occurred at Liberty University in 2015. Liberty, one of the largest Christian colleges in the United States, is led by Jerry Falwell Jr., a well-known voice in evangelical circles. In an address to the student body, Falwell referenced a recent mass shooting, then told the students, “If some of those people in that community center had what I have in my back pocket right now… I’ve always thought that if more good people had concealed carry permits, then we could end those Muslims before they walked in and killed them. I just wanted to take this opportunity to encourage all of you to get your permit… Let’s teach them a lesson if they ever show up here.” Falwell’s remarks produced enthusiastic cheers from his audience, but generated a mix of opinions from other Christians across the country.
Falwell’s statement is an excellent example of how Christians can build walls between themselves and unbelievers by expressing themselves politically. Instead of speaking of how Christians should live peaceably and love those around them, Falwell focused on the political issues of gun rights and immigration/minority groups. This message did nothing to build a bridge for Christians to reach to their Muslims neighbors. Rather, it sent a message of judgment and superiority. The issues that Falwell was addressing are complicated, and it is healthy to have conversations about how to deal with gun violence and radicalized Islam. However, the tone and nature of Falwell’s speech were far more political, rather than Biblical, in nature.
In an interesting contrast to Falwell’s ultra-political approach, another Christian leader, Shane Claiborne, has offered a distinctly differ approach. In both his writings and his lifestyle, Claiborne emphasizes nonviolence, loving one’s enemies, and helping the poor. While he encourages some political involvement, he stresses that Christ and his kingdom, not politics, should be our primary focus. As he stated in an interview, “Our goal is to seek first the kingdom of God… We get some pretty good glimpses of what that looks like from the gospels: the poor are blessed and the rich are sent away empty, the mighty are cast from their thrones, the lowly are lifted, the peacemakers and the meek are blessed, and the proud-hearted are scattered (Luke 1:51–53).”
Let me clarify that I do not agree with many things that Claiborne believes. However, I am inspired by his message of using Christ’s love to break down barriers that have often existed between religions, cultures, and political ideologies. Our lifestyle, not our voting record, is what matters most to Christ. The value of political involvement can be debated, but there is no debate that our testimony of Christ’s love must never be sacrificed at the alter of political activism. The kingdom of God, not immigration laws or the tax rate, must be our focus.
And by the way, what did the interaction between Jerry Falwell and Shane Claiborne look like? The two leaders had had a record of clashing over opposing viewpoints, when Claiborne sent a friendly letter to Falwell, asking him for permission to come to Liberty University and pray together. Falwell’s responded by sending this message: “You have been restricted from all properties owned and operated by Liberty University and Thomas Road Baptist church… Should you violate this restriction, you will be arrested for trespassing.” This savage response to an innocent request is simply an example of the different approaches of Falwell and Claiborne to dealing with conflict.
That leaves one more significant question to answer. How should Christians speak about political issues, when these conversations do inevitably arise? I don’t blame anyone for having personal opinions about political issues, but it is important to speak about these opinions in healthy ways. As I discussed earlier, it is important not to unnecessarily offend people by sharing our political opinions. As we look at political issues of our day, we need to very carefully align our viewpoints with Scripture, not our favorite political party. The principles of Scripture need to guide every area of our lives, including our political beliefs. Often, we will find that the teachings of Scripture do not really fit into any political ideology. Because of this, it is important not to pledge our allegiance to a political party, or even our country. As believers, our unmoving allegiance must be to Christ, and Him alone.
My journey in understanding how Christians should view political issues and political involvement has been a journey. I can assure you I would not have written an article like this seven years ago. I don’t have all the answers today, which is why I invite feedback; I am always eager to learn truth that others have learned on their journeys. My desire is for Christians in America to refocus on the principles of Scripture, committed to following Christ at all costs.
Sources.
Falwell, Jerry Jr. “Response to Shane Claiborne. 2018.
Campolo, T., Clainborne, S. “A Dialogue on Politics.” 2012.
Falwell, Jerry Jr. Weekly Address. Liberty University. | https://medium.com/christian-perspectives-society-and-life/rethinking-political-involvement-part-2-5a7174d9bf92 | ['Jacob Zimmerman'] | 2019-10-28 23:49:13.922000+00:00 | ['Christianity', 'Jerry Falwell Jr', 'Politics', 'Liberty', 'Evangelical'] |
How to kill insider trading in the crypto-world? | 1. The cold hard truth about crypto-currencies and the free access to information
It should be granted I’m not challenging that the crypto-world has everything to be better than the traditional stock market, however when it comes to getting full access to the information, we have progress to make in order to leave this semi-public/semi-private current state and reach the fully transparent stage we are claiming.
So why are we in a semi-public state?
A. Communities are not for the greater good
For those of you who have followed the ICO madness, you must have noticed the need to register to Slack, Telegram, Discord or whatever other group management platform in order to get the latest information and find about the exact process to register for any ICO.
While this is a great way to build and engage a community in the first place, this trend also makes it very difficult to get the latest news about how a given project is doing. Below is a screenshot of my telegram account,
as you can see, buzzing through all these different threads doesn’t make it easy to extract the most valuable information and make the right decision. Just imagine that all my fellow IBBC.io members are going through the same hassle on the cryptos they are monitoring…
One of the key features we can recognize to the traditional stock markets is its mandatory disclosure of key informations for the market (eg: SEC). This leads to the ability for the average Joe to simply go to website like Nasdaq.com to get the latest news about the companies he wants to look after.
B. Unregulated private markets are not for the greater good
Unregulated markets like Poloniex, Kraken, Binance, GDX, etc. have greatly helped democratize the crypto-currencies and make the overall market grow, however they are managed in a very private and centralized kind of way. Given the huge impact they can have on the coin prices — coins often see+20% on the day they are introduced on the largest platforms — we should have more transparency on how they decide which coins to list/delist (see Poloniex possible Insider Trading**).
Additionally, recent DDOS attacks on Poloniex & Kraken have also raised some flags regarding the ability of these platforms to properly protect their customers. More transparency on how exactly these security issues are mitigated would be more than welcome in order to let the average Joe decide on which platform he wants to put its savings.
2. How can we structure our crypto-world to be more transparent and safe for the average Joe?
We need to build a one-stop shop for information we will all agree to share on. Let’s call it crypto-for-joe for the sake of this article . If we were to make the analogy with the traditional stock exchange world, any crypto-news from the different tradable crypto-currencies should lead to a crypto-“press release” that would be posted on crypto-for-joe.com. Question is: what should be the features of such a media?
Decentralized (what else could it be…) : You don’t want any centralized entity to be able to control what is being posted/displayed on the website
: You don’t want any centralized entity to be able to control what is being posted/displayed on the website Real-time: Any update from any crypto should not be disclosed without being posted on crypto-for-joe.com at the same time
Any update from any crypto should not be disclosed without being posted on crypto-for-joe.com at the same time Standardized: Every “press release” should follow a given format — the least would be: {Date, Token_name, Type_of_update: [Business (eg: new partnership signed with X), Tech (new release with feature X and Y) eg, Team (eg: New member joining the team), Other (eg: Event next Tuesday)), Title, Description]
Every “press release” should follow a given format — the least would be: {Date, Token_name, Type_of_update: [Business (eg: new partnership signed with X), Tech (new release with feature X and Y) eg, Team (eg: New member joining the team), Other (eg: Event next Tuesday)), Title, Description] Multi-channel: All users should be able to access the information from crypto-for-joe.com using their favorite channel whether it is web, app or API call
3. How could it be implemented?
My limited technical knowledge will definitely prevent me from giving an exhaustive view of all possible solutions but here is a few ideas I have in mind:
Bot, bot, bot : Develop a cfj_bot available on every platform (Telegram, Slack, Discord etc…) that will be able to interpret every message being posted by the moderators of such a platform as it will be formatted according to the cfj.com standards
: Develop a cfj_bot available on every platform (Telegram, Slack, Discord etc…) that will be able to interpret every message being posted by the moderators of such a platform as it will be formatted according to the cfj.com standards Integration with all VCS tool: Whenever a new version is pushed to master, commit should respect the cfj standards and a notification should be pushed to cfj.com
Conclusion:
One of the main challenge we are facing in the crypto-world right now is extending our audience and shifting from a geek-oriented product to a mainstream one. To do so, we need to promote ease-of-use and trust in the new world we’re building. Transparency will be key here and we need not to repeat the mistakes that were made in the “old” centralized world.
The recent Nobel Prize Richard Thaler encompasses these thoughts in a much better fashion with the following tweet:
Bonus: What does Dilbert says? | https://medium.com/ibbc-io/how-to-avoid-insider-trading-in-the-crypto-world-a6df3a50f5f | ['Yacine Achiakh'] | 2017-10-20 19:16:16.931000+00:00 | ['Blockchain', 'Cryptocurrency', 'Ibbc', 'Knowledge'] |
6 Different Ways To Make Money With NFT | 1. Design your own NFTs
Photo by Neven Krcmarek on Unsplash
The common way to make money with NFTs is to create your own NFT. And then sell it in any marketplace.
Creating NFT does not mean making artwork. NFT could be music, book, poet, or domain name, to name a few. Though, Art is the most common NFT type.
Making NFT art is not exclusive to talented artists. We all know how to draw, and you don’t have to make the Mona Lisa NFT in order to make a profit. You can easily design pixel art like CryptoPunks and make thousand of dollars.
There are many tools you can use to design NFT art. If you want to make an NFT image, you can use Canva, Pixilart, Photoshop, or Illustrator.
After you make your NFT, It’s time to list it for sale. OpenSea is the most popular marketplace to sell your NFT. And the process for listing your NFT is straightforward.
If you have great designing skills, you can design arts for people who want to make NFT but can’t design it by themselves. These days, many people ask how to make an NFT, you can DM them and offer your help.
2. Generate NFT avatars
from Ben
You may have seen many Collections that have around 10,000 NFTs. Those collections are called NFT avatars collections. each avatar collection has a base image, and all 10,000 images contain the common properties of that base image.
For a designer to make NFT avatars, he must first design different layers with multiple traits for each layer:
Design square, circle, and triangle face images for the face’s layer.
Design soft, curly, and coiled hair images for the hair’s layer.
Design black, white, and sand skin images for the skin’s layer.
After that, the designer will need somebody to combine unique traits together to create 10,000 images. That somebody could be you.
There are many people on Fiverr offering to do this work. Here is one, for example, asking $875 to generate 10,000 NFTs.
Of course, these people don’t do that manually. Instead, they use software to generate 10,000 images in a matter of minutes.
NFT-Generator is a great software that you can buy onetime for $250, and start offering your service for $500 per 10,000 NFTs.
3. Market other people NFTs
Photo by Adem AY on Unsplash
Whether you are in NFT or another industry, marketing is the most difficult part you will face. And we have seen many artists make beautiful art, but they struggle with marketing.
Marketing NFT needs a lot of experiments and practice. However, when you learn the process, you can repeat it with any new NFT project.
In the beginning, you can target solo NFT artists. Just search on Instagram and Twitter for everyone who uses NFT hashtag and has less than 100 followers. Then you can DM him if he wants assistant in marketing his NFT.
After you land a client, you can start promoting his Collection on every social media by cold messaging every person who is related to the Crypto world.
You can also start building your brand on social media as a marketing agency. Gain followers by sharing useful content about NFT. Later on, you can promote your client’s art on them.
4. Deploy NFT to a blockchain
When an artist finishes designing NFTs, he will probably need a blockchain developer to deploy those NFTs to a blockchain.
I said probably because some artists have just one or two NFTs and they can deploy them easily in a marketplace like OpenSea. But if they have a 10,000 NFTs collection, they definitely need a developer to automate the process.
Being a blockchain developer is easy if you have some experience in coding, especially JavaScript. Yet, you have to spend time learning blockchain terms.
Many blockchains support NFT. Although I suggest you go with Ethereum, many other blockchains have started to gain popularity. To name a few:
Zilliqa
Flow
Tezos
Solana
Cardano
5. NFTs airdrop
Many new NFT projects do NFT airdrop to increase their community. That means they randomly giveaway some NFTs for free.
Of course, this method depends on luck. But there are hundreds of NFT projects that show up every week, and if you follow all of them, the chances to win the airdrop will be very high.
Twitter and Discord are the best social media for NFT projects. You can search on them about #NFT and you will find a lot of accounts and communities. Just search for the ones that have not done their giveaway yet and follow them.
6. Mint NFTs
If you missed the airdrop, you can look for some NFT projects to mint. Minting is the process of creating a crypto collectible or digital asset on the Ethereum blockchain from a digital file.
Projects with more than 1000 NFTs often offer minting NFTs on their website. You can search for a project that has great potential and community.
A project will determine the price for minting an NFT, called floor price. After you mint NFTs, you can list them for sale in any marketplace for a price higher than the floor price.
Minting NFTs is profitable. But you should search for the right projects to mint. Some of them are just scams. | https://bootcamp.uxdesign.cc/6-different-ways-to-make-money-with-nft-aa08321d0f44 | ['Osman Bashir'] | 2021-12-30 11:24:21.582000+00:00 | ['Nft', 'Nft Collectibles', 'Blockchain', 'Design', 'Art'] |
Packet Purgatory (Part 1) | School bus picture I took while on Bus Duty at my school.
I used to be an inspirational teacher. While in graduate school, I was also teaching PK-12 at the time. I was in a cohort with some wonderful ladies. We took night, summer, and weekend courses. Some of us also had additional jobs. Mine was in the cosmetics department at Macys at the Clinique counter. We encouraged one another and would all chip in together to order pizza for our late night classes. We learned from some really innovative professors. Some of them were at our campus and some were professors that we followed online to stretch our thinking with regard to digital media.
I was fortunate to be one of the teacher/grad students who was able to study at the University of London and Barcelona for a TransAtlantic Study Abroad Program. There I met other amazing teachers from all over the world who we pushing the limits with technology in their classrooms. This was a program for cultivating International Leaders in Education Technology.
I share what I did in my classroom. I taught middle school special education English & Language Arts. My students and I created a classroom blog. This was a pilot study for me. At the time, I noticed that many of the girls in my class did not speak up around the boys. As such, I geared the blog for supporting the social emotional needs of girls. When I saw the impact of the change in my classroom and my students being able to find their voice more and use it, I was inspired.
Like today, when I started teaching special education in 2003, often special needs classrooms do not have adequate books or supplies. Fast forward 17 years to 2020, I am teaching special education in a rural agricultural community in Northern California. We do have some curriculum in my classroom. However, I was told my students are not allowed to write in their workbooks because we will use them year after year. I made due and taught the best way I know how. Teachers who speak up with often not be rehired back and I don’t have tenure. Therefore, I learned to somewhat mute my professional teacher voice along time ago. I still have yet to earn tenure in California.
We have been on shelter-in-place for a month now. Before the shelter-in-place, my husband and I visited friends and jokingly did footshake greetings. We saw the movie The Invisible Man. We ordered Beer and Milkshakes at the concession stand. The theater was near empty in Mountain View. We joked that we could each take a spot at each corner of the theater. We were cautious, mindful, and tried to keep a good sense of humor about the unknown. We weren’t sure if this was going to affect California at the time. We worried about our elderly loved ones who were in other states.
My husband commutes to Silicon Valley for work. San Francisco was the first city to shelter-in-place. Santa Clara County was next. I was thankful when I heard that he did not have to go back to the city and could do his work remotely. About his last day in the city before the shutdown, he said it was like a ghost town. He ordered pizza and the restaurant tables were blocked. He was able to support a community restaurant and take it to go.
I was back home 2 hours commuting distance, preparing my lessons for the next week. I still had to go back to school. | https://medium.com/@mybooknook7/packet-purgatory-part-1-fcaf237fbd3e | ['Waiting For The Short Bus'] | 2020-04-20 02:39:20.214000+00:00 | ['Special Education', 'Covid 19', 'Coronavirus', 'Covid Diaries'] |
What I’ve Learned After Publishing 250 Clickbait-Looking Headlines | Photo by Mael BALLAND on Unsplash
I’m a unicorn around here. I write clickbait headlines.
I’m not a unicorn because I write clickbait headlines — a ton of mediocre writers and wannabe’s use clickbait headlines.
No — I’m a unicorn because my clickbait headlines come with great articles.
I’ve been writing for over three years. In that time, I’ve gained millions of views and gotten nearly 100,000 email subscribers. Every week, I get comments from my readers saying how much my content has helped them, how much they’ve appreciated my work.
I know lots of writers who don’t like my work. I’ve seen webinars and trainings where people literally point to my profile as an example of how not to write articles. Editors have booted me off their publication because they don’t think my work is “authentic” enough.
Years later, I’m still breaking records each month for how many views I get, how many subscribers join my list, and how much money I make each month. Years later, these same writers and editors are either still getting no views, or stopped writing altogether.
After writing over 250 articles with clickbait-type headlines, I’ve learned a valuable lesson:
You should write more clickbait headlines.
You just better back it up with some amazing, incredible content that truly helps people.
Dare People To Click On Your Stuff
There’s a fun little story I like to tell that goes like this:
Years ago, I was a no-name blogger with no readers, followers, or money. I had a silly little website called StuffGradsLike.com where I wrote about post-college life, trying to help other graduates like me navigate through life.
No one ever read my crappy blog. Looking back, I don’t blame them. But one afternoon, I received an email from WordPress: someone had left a comment on an article I wrote!
A comment? Someone cared enough to actually write me a comment?? I was ecstatic. No one ever left comments.
But my heart was dunked into a bucket of ice water when I read it:
“This is the worst article I have ever read.”
I remember my forehead getting really hot. Beads of sweat started breaking out all on my forehead and under my armpits and down my chest. I was having a major physiological reaction to some blunt criticism.
I swore I’d never get a comment like that again.
I spent the next couple years publishing blog posts with one major underlying goal: don’t offend anyone. I ran all my posts through a filter in my mind: No one could ever criticize this, right?
The result: no one left any more mean comments. Hooray!
The reason? My blog posts were so bad, no one, not even trolls, cared enough to crap on me. Somehow, even less people read my stuff. By trying to please everyone, my content became the most boring, bland, useless content you could find online.
Now, I get hundreds of thousands of readers every month. I’ve learned a valuable lesson when it comes to writing online:
Write headlines so compelling, people have to click on it. Dare them to ignore you.
To be sure, you can overdo this. If you ever use phrases like “doctors hate this” or “one weird trick” or “hot singles in your area” I immediately know you are a subpar writer who’s relying on true spam to make money.
But most writers, afraid of looking like these hacks, shy away from writing headlines that sound too clickbait-y. But they’re falling into the same trap I did for years: they’re acting out of fear, out of being labeled a phony. They’re letting their critics call the shots.
Eventually, I said screw my critics. I’m going to write some really damn great content. So I did. But in order to get people to actually read it, I had to have excellent, world-class headlines. I had to study the psychology of sales and clickbait; I had to learn how to write headlines people actually clicked.
My reward is a 50 to 60 percent read-rate (the percentage of readers who actually finish my articles after clicking on it), which is extremely high for online content.
My reward is gaining tens of thousands of loyal email subscribers who constantly tell me they love my work.
My reward is finally feeling like a real “writer,” and not just some guy with a blog.
Dare people to click on your stuff. Make it hard for them to keep scrolling.
Facts Tell, Stories Sell
In his book, The Art and Business of Online Writing, Nicolas Cole (author with over 100 million views) described how he became the #1 writer on the entire Quora platform, a popular question/answer site.
“The most popular answers, the ones with the most views, upvotes, and comments, weren’t ‘answers,’ as much as they were stories. And the people with the most followers weren’t celebrities, but natural-born storytellers.”
If you want to be a famous, highly-paid, professional writer someday, you don’t have to be a celebrity. You don’t even have to have all the answers. You just have to understand that facts tell, but stories sell.
Unless you’re a literal statistician writing an academic essay, people don’t really care about your numbers and statistics — they care about you. Can you help them? Entertain them? Make them laugh, cry, or think? Can they relate to you? Can you help them understand themselves more?
This is the essence of truly great writing, and it’s one of the most fundamental mistakes bad writers make. Sure, they might talk about themselves, but they aren’t telling stories. No one cares about your opinions on politics or social issues. They care whether you can help them or not.
You help people through your stories. If you can tell better stories than your competitors, you’re going to get more readers.
You can tell better stories if you know who you are and what your struggles are.
Are you a total amateur, documenting the difficulties of your journey?
Are you a veteran, instructing others on mistakes to avoid?
Are you a sage who’s made 10,000 mistakes and has finally found enlightenment?
Who are you? And why should we care?
If you can’t answer those questions, you won’t be a successful writer.
Facts tell. But stories sell.
You might not think you’re selling anything — a product, a service, an online course.
But every time you publish something on the internet, you’re selling you. And if you don’t know how to sell, you’re never getting anywhere.
I Read a Horrible eBook the Other Day
The other day, I bought two eBooks from a popular men’s lifestyle blog. One was about building charisma and the other was about developing resilience.
I read the one about charisma, and I couldn’t believe how bad it was.
It was the most bland, boring, cookie-cutter, cliché book I’ve read in a long time. Just truly bad. It was like the author just wrote every piece of traditional advice he’d ever heard about being charismatic (“Smile more! Do the Superman pose before a job interview! Look people in the eye!”), dumped it into a PDF, and slapped a price tag on it.
Now, I don’t really mind reading bad books here and there. I think they’re excellent lessons in writing, and what not to do. Once you realize you can learn something from everyone, you get a billion teachers overnight.
The reason the eBook was so bad was because it was empty. It was hollow, lifeless. It had no stories, just trite common-sense sayings about confidence and overcoming adversity. Anyone could’ve written that.
Great writing teaches those same clichés through stories. The psychology here is extremely important: if you can’t get people to relate with you, it doesn’t matter if you wrote a textbook detailing exactly how to make a million dollars. There are many textbooks in your local library that tell you that. But they’re bland, dry texts that no one wants to read. So no one does. Even though they could literally learn how to make a million dollars.
Never underestimate how lazy your readers are. That’s not an insult — they just don’t have time to sift through a ton of stuff to find the gold. They need to be interested and immediately relate to you. If they get bored, they’re gone. And people get bored very easily if there are no stories.
In Conclusion
After writing over 250 clickbait-type headlines, I’ve learned:
You can’t be afraid to sell.
The reason I can write headlines like mine and still get a ton of readers is because I always back it up with great content. I’m not afraid of writing those clickbait headlines because I know I can back it up. If a reader clicks on my article, they’re gonna get rewarded.
I’m always looking for new angles and new ways to write headlines people can’t help but click on. If I’m spending so much damn time writing great content, it’d be irresponsible of me to not ensure people read it as much as possible.
A lot of writers are afraid to walk this line. They think they need to be pure, untainted Hemingway’s and Woolf’s and Faulkner’s, because “real writers don’t sell.” That’s B.S. The best writers sell the most. As Robert Kiyosaki once quipped, “It’s not ‘best-author,’ it’s ‘best-selling-author.”
If you spend a ton of time writing truly great content, it’s your duty to ensure as many people read it as possible. That means studying headlines, and learning how to craft headlines that dare people to ignore you.
Even if they look a bit like clickbait. | https://medium.com/publishous/what-ive-learned-after-publishing-250-clickbait-headlines-61edd02f54ab | ['Anthony Moore'] | 2020-09-12 16:33:36.559000+00:00 | ['Headlines', 'Anthony Moore', 'Business', 'Writing', 'Writing Tips'] |
Hauntingly Beautiful: The Dead Lakes in Gulf County, Florida | Hello dear friends.
I’ve missed you; have you missed me? Not so much? That’s okay, just lie to me. Entertain me. Pretend that you’ve missed me so horribly that you just can’t bare it. Okay, that might be a little much; but come on. It’s been a while.
In fact, it’s pretty much been a whole season. But I know you haven’t actually missed me; summertime, after all, is made for having fun outdoors. For soaking up all of the sunshine, sitting around campfires, and drinking cold beer on hot days. It’s for camping with friends, lying under the stars, and mostly surviving on food that is cooked on a grill or over a fire.
So if you haven’t missed me, I don’t blame you. It just means that you’ve been busy enjoying summer, and that makes me happy.
That said, I don’t know where summer went. Seriously.
I didn’t cook anything over an open fire, I did NOT go camping… hell, I didn’t even get a sunburn! Not that that’s a bad thing. I mean, it’s good to stay safe in the sun, but I feel like not getting a single sunburn says that I simply didn’t spend enough time outside. I didn’t even have to wash grass stains out of my clothes, or clean tree sap off of my hands. What has the world come to?
I have five days left until autumn. I better get working on my summer, eh?
In all honesty, it’s been quite the busy summer {busy with non-summer fun related things}. Perhaps instead of longing to enjoy those last few days of sunshine, I should embrace fall and look forward to those crisp, cool, autumn days.
That, or I could just spend my time day dreaming about sunny skies and clear blue water; sandy beaches and creamy grits; colourful seashells and beautiful birds…
Yeah, that sounds a little more likely.
Enter: the Dead Lakes in Gulf County, Florida.
The lakes, located in Wewahitchka {known simply as “Wewa” to the locals. Say it with me now: “Weeeeeeee-wahhhhh”}, are like something out of a fairy tale.
White Tulepo trees {remember when I went to the Tulepo Honey farm?}grow along the banks of the lakes, while long-ago cut tree trunks peek out of the dark water. The water was quite high when I visited, making for a slightly less dramatic scene, but it was still unlike anything I’d ever seen.
Now, I am determined to visit the lakes during the fall or winter: when the water is low, when the sky is dark, and the fog rolls in, creating a haunting environment that my camera and I can spend hours with.
As you can see, however, this place is stunning, regardless of the time of year. There are magnolia, bald cypress, and longleaf pine trees lining the edge of the water. There is soft, hanging moss that blows gently in the wind, and alligators slyly slinking around underwater. I couldn’t even cook this place up in my imagination; it’s somewhere I long to visit again soon, somewhere I hope to visit often.
Plan to be in the Gulf County area? Get in touch with the fantastic folks at Off the Map Expeditions. They’ll take you around the Dead Lakes, and give you a nice history and environmental science lesson while they’re at it. | https://medium.com/global-dish/hauntingly-beautiful-the-dead-lakes-in-gulf-county-florida-3f4b9a27e3d | ['Stephanie Arsenault'] | 2016-10-13 19:47:47.911000+00:00 | ['Tasty Travels', 'Gulf County', 'Nature', 'Florida', 'Dead Lakes'] |
Stop Limit Order Contest | Update: The contest has ended.
The most-awaited feature — Stop Limit — is now available for TRX/USDT! The markets are going crazy, so how about we make it more interesting to use Stop Limit?
We’re giving away ₹25,000 worth Tron (10,525 TRX) as bounty!
We ran a poll, and it looks like you’re all set for a Stop Limit contest! But there’s a fun twist to it, so if you enjoy reading and predicting the market movement, you’re going to love it. 😎
How to participate
You can participate by simply placing a Stop Limit order in the TRX/USDT market.
Eligibility criteria
All Stop Limit orders placed after 1:50 pm IST, 29th May 2019 qualify for the contest.
Now, here comes the twist. Your Stop Limit order should trigger and execute only after 15 minutes.
Example: Let’s say, the current TRX price is 0.03318 USDT, and you have a feeling that the price will go up very soon. So, you place a Stop Limit sell order @ 0.03826 USDT right now. Your Stop Limit order should trigger and execute any time after 15 minutes for you to be eligible for the contest.
Important: Your Stop Limit order should trigger and execute only after 15 minutes.
Basically, there’s no deadline as to when your Stop Limit order should trigger, i.e., it can trigger and execute in 20 minutes, 30 minutes, or even 3 hours.
The first 5 people whose Stop Limit orders trigger and execute after 15 minutes will win 2,105 TRX (worth ₹5,000) each!
Ready? Pay close attention to the markets, and place your Stop Limit orders smartly because only the first 5 people will win! 💪
We’ll end the contest as soon as we have the first 5 winners. We’ll announce winners on Twitter, so follow our announcements by clicking here.
Go go go! 🚀 | https://medium.com/wazirx/stop-limit-order-contest-ddbea9cf82d5 | ['Wazirx Bitcoin Exchange'] | 2019-05-29 13:32:12.564000+00:00 | ['Cryptocurrency Investment', 'Contests', 'Tron', 'Crypto', 'Crypto Trading'] |
These outdoor smart home security cameras are a must for your home | Your home should be a safe haven. But if you sometimes feel fearful alone indoors or skeptical about leaving your property unattended, a smart home security camera can offer repose. Discover our top picks in today’s Daily Digest.
That feeling of safety is priceless, and we have just the gadgets that can combat feelings of fear at home: outdoor smart home security cameras. Designed to monitor happenings surrounding your property, smart cameras detect suspicious movement and alert you of the activity. It’s like having a personal security guard keep tabs on your land 24/7, and we guarantee that you’ll sleep easier at night with one installed.
Related: The best Alexa gadgets to buy in 2021
But these products’ purpose isn’t solely to combat fear; they’re also convenient for communicating with guests at the door without in-person interaction. Some luxury models include Alexa Greetings to leave a scheduled message for a delivery person when you’re not home. Feel more settled in your home with our selection of smart home security cameras to act as your eyes and ears.
1. The Nooie Smart Cam Doorbell features intelligent human detection and an antitheft locking mechanism. It’s one of our favorite outdoor smart home security cameras for peace of mind indoors.
Upgrade your home’s security with the Nooie Smart Cam Doorbell. Use it for both convenience and peace of mind at home. It provides two-way audio to communicate with guests and delivery people. It also includes Live View, allowing you to see who’s at your door in real time. Moreover, it uses smart technology to detect humans from objects, minimizing unwanted notifications to your phone.
Order this smart doorbell for $149.99.
2. Weatherproof and wire-free, the Swann Xtreem is a smart home camera with a 6-month battery life and a 110-degree FOV.
Allow the Swann Xtreem to be another pair of eyes watching over your property when you’re on vacation. It boasts a generous 1080p resolution camera to produce high-quality footage. In fact, you can even see footage clearly in the dark up to 26 feet with the powerful infrared night vision.
Purchase this smart security camera for $179.99.
3. Designed with a 180-degree FOV, the Arlo Essential gives full coverage. It even works with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant.
See more at your front door with the Arlo Essential. Featuring Object Detection, it recognizes the difference between a person and an object to reduce nuisance notifications. Additionally, with Intelligent Alerts, you can quickly contact emergency services via the app if you encounter suspicious or dangerous activity.
Purchase this smart camera for $179.99.
4. The WUUK Smart Antitheft Doorbell features a voice gender modifier to make children and women feel more secure when home alone.
Don’t fear communicating with someone at the door when you have the WUUK Smart Antitheft Doorbell. Its unique voice modifier changes the tone of your voice to hide your identity. Moreover, its adjustable motion sensors alert you when it detects motion, helping to protect your home right from your smartphone.
Order this gadget from Amazon for $89.99.
5. Featuring ultrabright LEDs, the Ring Floodlight Cam Wired Pro emits 2,000 lumens of brightness, so you can see anyone outside.
Additionally, the Ring Floodlight Cam Wired Pro features 1,080p HDR video resolution and color night vision for superb quality day and night. It also includes 3D Motion Detection and Bird’s Eye View features for maximum protection and convenience. And, with dual-band Wi-Fi connectivity and a weather-resistant design, it gives you years of use.
Order this smart security camera for $249.99.
6. Warn off intruders with the Wyze Cam v3. It features a siren and an IP65 waterproof rating for security and durability.
Capture moments outdoors and indoors with the Wyze Cam v3. This security camera features 1,080p resolution to provide clear footage during the day and night. In fact, it delivers colored night vision. Additionally, the Starlight ISP reduces noise from low-light conditions for clear visibility at all times.
Purchase this outdoor camera for $35.98.
7. Keep tabs on all your doors, windows, and hallways with the Kangaroo Motion + Entry Sensor. It’s a security device that provides flexible and customizable home monitoring for peace of mind.
Choose to monitor just motion or opening and closing of doors and windows with the Kangaroo Motion + Entry Sensor. It’s also designed to prevent false alarms when you’re at home. Moreover, this device detects motion up to 20 feet away and offers 110-degree FOV motion sensing. It even includes a built-in pet rejection feature for animals.
Purchase this home security device for $29.99.
8. The Ring Video Doorbell Pro 2 provides Head-to-Toe HD+ Video, 3D Motion Detection, and built-in Alexa Greetings.
Keep all the convenience and safety features you need with the Ring Video Doorbell Pro 2. This smart home gadget ensures you never miss an important moment with Head-to-Toe HD+ Video in 1,536p. Also, you can receive an aerial view of your yard to observe motion from a new perspective.
Order this smart doorbell for $249.99.
9. Answer the door from anywhere with the Ring Video Doorbell Wired. It includes the brand’s HD Video and Two-Way Talk features.
Take some of the stress out of your day with the Ring Video Doorbell Wired. This smart doorbell provides advanced motion detection and sends real-time alerts to your smartphone, Alexa device, or Ring Charm. Moreover, you can adjust motion settings to filter out motion on a busy street.
Purchase this Ring doorbell for $59.99.
10. Experience high-quality 4K video with the Arlo Ultra 2 Spotlight Security Camera. It lets you zoom in on objects with immense clarity.
Finally, the Arlo Ultra 2 Spotlight Security Camera delivers an ultra-wide viewing angle, six-month battery life, and noise-canceling two-way audio. You can even see clearly in the dark with color night vision. Furthermore, this smart camera works with Apple HomeKit, Amazon Alexa, and Google Assistant for convenient operation.
Order this Arlo camera for a reduced price of $249.99.
Make a house feel like a home with these outdoor smart home security cameras. They’re invaluable to you and your family’s safety and mental wellbeing. What are your go-to security gadgets? Let us know in the comments.
Want more tech news, reviews, and guides from Gadget Flow? Follow us on Apple News, Google News, Feedly, and Flipboard. If you use Flipboard, you should definitely check out our Curated Stories. We publish three new stories every day, so make sure to follow us to stay updated!
The Gadget Flow Daily Digest highlights and explores the latest in tech trends to keep you informed. Want it straight to your inbox? Subscribe ➜ | https://medium.com/the-gadget-flow/these-outdoor-smart-home-security-cameras-are-a-must-for-your-home-1f3242c41111 | ['Gadget Flow'] | 2021-07-14 18:27:43.244000+00:00 | ['Tech', 'Technology', 'Security Camera', 'Gadgets', 'Smart Home'] |
How Maecenas solves art investment challenges | There’s an eye-opening account of the current state of the art investment scene in a recent article by Bloomberg.
Called ‘Billionaire’s Secrets on How to Make a Bundle in Art’, published at the beginning of May, it goes a long way to highlighting some of the returns that leading investors have been able to make in the art market.
One auction they highlight, which took place at Sotheby’s, New York on 14 May, concerned Irish horse breeder John Magnier and his Amedeo Modigliani painting Nu couché (sur le côté gauche). The 1917 oil painting of nude, reclining lady was bought by Magnier in 2003 for $26.9 million.
The painting sold for $157.2 million, which was a record for Sotheby’s in New York, and acts as one very public example of how fine art investment has brought enormous returns for investors.
What if you don’t have the resources or connections of a John Magnier, though?
Access to art as an asset class should be more democratic
Investing in art, according to information from Artprice.com as highlighted in the Bloomberg article, has delivered average annual returns of 8.9 percent since 2000. From a financial and cultural perspective, the right art investment can certainly hold its own when compared against other more traditional avenues.
There are certain barriers to entry within the existing structure of the art market though, which Bloomberg goes on to highlight. They say it’s “opaque, unregulated and sometimes extremely illiquid”, point out the high commissions that gallery owners and auction houses can charge. There can also be issues surrounding provenance.
Adviser in modern and contemporary art Wendy Goldsmith says to Bloomberg: “In the art market there are no rules, that’s why it is such a minefield and why it has such opportunities.”
Changing tastes can also impact the art market, with Goldsmith adding that the world is full of warehouses of art that have depreciated as much as 90 percent. Again, what if you don’t have the background of an art investor of the likes of, say, John Magnier?
Access to art as an asset class shouldn’t be so complicated
Those issues only scratch the surface of the art market; an industry that has effectively stayed the same for centuries. We’ve outlined the points mentioned here by Bloomberg as well as many other challenges facing the market in our briefing documents.
We firmly believe that we can help to solve those problems by modernising and democratising the market through Maecenas and our platform’s blockchain technology. Through Maecenas, accredited investors can be part of a global, connected art community that gives them the chance to own fractional digital interests in investment grade art through our ART token cryptocurrency.
As well as making art as an asset class more accessible, the very nature of the Maecenas platform and blockchain technology can make the art market fairer, far more transparent, help to better value artworks, combat issues surrounding provenance and much more besides.
The global art community deserves to be more open and transparent. We believe the Maecenas platform can do that. Download our briefing documents to find out more. | https://medium.com/maecenas/how-maecenas-solves-art-investment-challenges-b70205da13ee | [] | 2018-08-29 08:59:44.082000+00:00 | ['Crypto', 'Art', 'Bitcoin', 'Investment', 'Finance'] |
Let’s double down on measuring what we treasure | By Jon Kapp
Early in my career, a mentor said to me, “we measure what we treasure, and we treasure what we measure.”
It was a simple play on words, a chicken-or-egg sort-of-statement, but the message resonated. At that moment, early in the MDG era, we realized that simply counting girls in and out of school was nowhere near enough. We needed to understand the whole child. Therefore, gender mattered, but there was so much more. Was she a teenage girl from a village who spoke a language other than the national language? Did she have special needs that required action to facilitate learning? Was she actually learning? Was she a citizen? Had her mother finished school? Did her family live above or below the poverty level? And, and, and. We needed measures — well beyond the superficial — for what we treasure.
Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash
At the heart of we treasure what we measure, is a case for doubling and tripling our efforts to ensure no one is left behind in development data.
That we seek data and consider all dimensions and combinations of dimensions of the human condition to ensure that realities of everyone are brought into the light through data and treasured. And in doing so, perhaps there is hope for inclusion and equity in the realization of the broad goals for sustainable development. | https://medium.com/data-values/lets-double-down-on-measuring-what-we-treasure-58e06fe5b660 | ['Al Kags'] | 2021-06-17 14:04:42.578000+00:00 | ['Sdgs', 'Datavalue', 'Data', 'Data4sdgs'] |
My Long Covid recovery story: narrated through a few pictures | Photo by Hipkicks on Unsplash
On 11 March 2020, the World Health Organisation officially declared Covid-19 (hereafter I’m just going to call it Covid) a pandemic — and we’re fast approaching the anniversary of this event.
For me personally as well, it is soon going to be one whole year that I have dealt with the impact of falling prey to this strange new illness (that still baffles the medical community and researchers around the world) caused by a tiny new virus.
Most of my friends and well-wishers have been aware of the multiple cycles of “recovery followed by relapse” that I have gone through in this one year and have been with me through this journey, supporting me and encouraging me with the constant reminder that it might take time but things will get better.
Now that I am finally beginning to see the light at the end of this long tunnel, I would like to share the story of the journey I have been through. However, instead of going into all the different aspects of the impact of the illness, I would like to illustrate this by drilling down to one specific statistic — my daily step count.
Most folks that have met and interacted with me during the past few years would have very likely gotten to recognise very soon that I had a passion (bordering on, dare I say, an almost “unhealthy” obsession) for monitoring my fitness and daily activity levels. My fascination (ok, ok — obsession) with my daily step count would surely have appeared excessive to some, but I hope you will indulge me now by looking at the narrative it presents here.
Just a quick background on the activities and the apps
While I had picked up outdoor running during my stint in Singapore (running along miles of beach on the East Coast was quite enjoyable), I was able to continue with it after my move to London (with access to parks and all varieties of running trails through Hampstead Heath). The running activity transitioned into walking, a few years ago, but the Apps I have been using for a long time (Runkeeper, Pedometer, Strava and the Apple Health App on iPhone and Watch) have continued to keep me focussed on keeping track of my activity levels on a daily basis.
With this background, I would like to share my daily activity stats — Before Covid, through the extended Long Covid stages, leading up to now (hopefully) the final stages of Recovery.
Here we go
Before Covid:
Daily Average step count — 2019
By my reckoning, 2019 was a reasonably good year — with the daily average step count through the whole year at 12,300 steps. There was a dip in March, April when I had not been able to walk much, but I picked up after that and had a strong finish to the year, averaging over 14.5 k steps daily in December.
The year 2020 started off well, with January seeing nearly 15 k steps daily. This picked up further in February:
Daily Average step count — Feb 2020
I was quite pleased at getting to a daily average in excess of 18 k steps a day in February and wanted to keep it going. Then this happened.
Covid strikes:
Daily Average step count — March 2020
After having completed a 10 km walk on 17th March, I was unable to get out of bed on 18th March — being struck with extreme fatigue and bodyache.
I’m not going to delve into any details about the symptoms and the treatment (or lack of it) I received in the immediate aftermath. I didn’t know for sure then whether I had come down with Covid (it was confirmed months later, when I took an antibody test) and the healthcare system was too overwhelmed dealing with a sudden tide of cases in the UK.
I was advised I would recover within a couple of weeks with some rest. And so I believed.
My first “recovery”:
Daily Average step count — April 2020
As I started feeling a little better after a couple of weeks, I attempted to resume my daily walking activity — was able to increase it gradually, until it crashed! I understood I may have tried to get active too soon and needed to give the body some more time to recover. So I decided to take rest for some more time and resume when I was fully recovered.
My second “recovery”:
Daily Average step count — May 2020
Unfortunately, as I attempted to start walking again there was another crash. The pattern repeated. After this I was not able to undertake sustained physical activity (suffering from fatigue and bodyaches each time I attempted it) for the next 7–8 months.
2020 at a glance:
Daily Average step count — 2020
Signs of recovery in 2021, finally (hopefully this will last):
Daily Average step count — Jan 2021
January started off on a reasonable note, as I was able to make attempts at walking outdoors again — starting out with 15 minutes, covering about 1 km in that time. I was gradually able to increase this to 30 minutes of walking a day.
And there’s a significant uptick in February…
Daily Average step count — Feb 2021
As you can see from the above image, things seem to have finally turned around this February — I have been able to resume walking on a daily basis. The two days of shortfall towards the start of the month represents days that I had gone to the hospital for some extensive tests (quite exhausting in themselves) and I did not have the energy to go for a walk on those two days.
To be clear — on those days where I have stepped out for longer walks, I have needed to balance it out by taking adequate rest. However, thankfully I have not been struck down with the kind of fatigue and aches I used to experience regularly whenever I previously attempted any physical activity.
In the last 12 months I have gone through multiple cycles of thinking “I’ve recovered”, only to come crashing down suddenly — so this time I’m just allowing myself to feel cautiously optimistic, hopeful that this time it lasts.
The month of February has brought a series of highs:
Walked 4 km in freezing weather
It felt good, to be able to persevere despite the adverse weather. Reminded me of what it was like, in my Before Covid walking days.
Walked 6 km for the first time
Able to sustain for longer walking distance — feeling good!
Walked 8 km for the first time
Really picking up on distance and pace. Just keep walking.
Though I realise I still have a long way to go, when I compare the above to my pre-Covid activity levels:
This was in March 2020, just before I fell ill
Continuous activity streak measurement:
At the end of February 2021, I have gotten to a 23 day streak with more than 10 k steps a day.
Started 6th Feb
Managed 10 k steps every day till 28th Feb (and hope to continue tomorrow)
To get the significance of the above, note that prior to this the last time I was able to walk 10 k steps in a single day was all the way back in August 2020.
10 k steps in a day — August 2020
Since March 2020, the longest uninterrupted 10 k steps a day streak was in April 2020 (when I managed a streak of 8 days) so this 23 day streak really feels like an achievement.
Of course there’s still a long way to go, to pick up where I had left off last March:
250 days of 10 k steps a day
I am sure I will get there again, one day — even if there are some more interruptions along the way and my current walking streak gets halted.
#Hope2021 👍
I hope this write-up is able to help at least one other person that may be suffering from the after-effects of Covid, by highlighting through this graphical journey that there is hope for a recovery — even if it takes very long to get there.
In case you know anyone that might be faced with such a challenge in the aftermath of Covid, please do share this article with them.
(#Hope2021 — credit: Rohit Lal) | https://medium.com/@shishirvyas/my-long-covid-recovery-story-narrated-through-a-few-pictures-c5bd39fafb2d | ['Shishir Vyas'] | 2021-03-01 02:30:33.454000+00:00 | ['Long Covid', 'Running', 'Health', 'Walking', 'Recovery'] |
confession | Written by
#Writer — #Haiku #poetry & #love #poems — Big feelings and emotions packed into seventeen tiny syllables of mystery and adventure one Haiku at a time - | https://haikulovebites.medium.com/confession-beb509d19917 | ['Haiku Love Bites'] | 2019-08-27 17:14:16.466000+00:00 | ['Spirituality', 'Relationships', 'Life', 'Love', 'Haiku'] |
1.5M Euro Fresh Capital for our Vision of Revolutionizing Private Trading with a Platform for Trading Bots | To become the go-to for automated trading, we are investing into proprietary machine learning tools for our bot creators. Now we are happy to announce the closing of a funding round with local and international investors. Read the press release here.
VIENNA, October 07, 2020 — Bots are becoming more and more visible in our everyday lives, be that when you ask your phone for the weather or order your shopping online — bots are behind the scenes making it possible. The idea is that bots simulate our behavior and that they do it in a way that is intelligent and quick. Trality is now making these robotic advantages available to any private investor and trader. The platform allows users to create their own trading bots and they can allow those bots to trade on their behalf. With the help of a successful funding round, Trality is taking things to the next level. By the end of the year they are expected to grow to a team of ten.
“Bot trading is the logical next step in private investing. Our users benefit from algorithms that act intelligently, impartially and fully autonomously. With Trality, we offer a smarter alternative to manually investing and without the high entry costs.” Moritz Putzhammer, Co-founder of Trality.
State-of-the-art tools for bot developers
Trality is currently aimed at traders who want the greatest flexibility when developing crypto bots with cutting-edge technology. In order to attract the smartest bot creators, the Viennese fintech is working on special functionality that allows traders to create automated trading strategies simply using preset commands or using code. Trality does not trade cryptocurrencies itself but rather, it allows users to connect their bots to a growing list of leading partner exchanges including Binance, Coinbase, Kraken or Bitpanda.
“Our power users are mostly hobby quants or data scientists who, unlike banks or hedge funds, do not have thousands of euros to spend on expensive trading tools that help them stay profitable when trading. Over the coming months though, our target group will grow significantly to include a broader range of tech-savvy users — such as those who are looking for a more innovative way to invest,” says the 33-year-old founder. Specifically, Trality wants to target less-experienced users with the help of a ‘marketplace’. This marketplace would allow users to simply rent bots from developers with a couple of clicks on their smartphone, the bots can then be deployed straight away with no setup required.
Investors from Germany and Austria
All the signs are pointing to growth for the young startup. In this first investment round, they brought in angel investments from Austria and the German blockchain accelerator Blockrocket as well as getting the German fintech VC tokentus on board, too. Combined with the Covid-19 Startup Fund from the Austria Wirtschaftservice (AWS), Trality was able to raise over 800,000 euro to realize its vision. Trality also recently sealed a grant from the Austrian Research Promotion Agency (FFG). “With a total of over 1.5 million euro from the investments, AWS and FFG, we can continue to grow and expand,” said Putzhammer. In the long run Trality is also planning on using the broad networks and institutional know-how of its investors to expand into traditional asset classes.
Education, R&D and Machine Learning (ML)
For the development team, one of the main focus points is the integration of artificial intelligence into the product. “A big part of the funding will be directed into research and development so that developers can train and prepare their bots for even the most difficult market conditions using machine learning,” Putzhammer said. “We want to encourage the creativity of our bot creators instead of restricting users to ready-made models”. With the help of educational elements, Trality will make it easy for aspiring bot creators to get started with automated trading. | https://medium.com/trality/fresh-capital-for-trality-f68ba4a4f16c | ['Igor Chernysh'] | 2020-12-21 14:06:36.609000+00:00 | ['Press Release', 'Fundraising', 'Algorithmic Trading', 'Machine Learning', 'Crypto Trading Tools'] |
The Best Travel Apps and Flight Status Apps. | Travel Apps That Make Airport An Actual Joy
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For all the frequent travelers, an airport is a place that matters the most to them. An airport is just not rushing to the doors or listening to songs if the flight is delayed. Reading novels, magazines are a great company to kill time at the airport. But to make sure your wait is worth it and an airport can be an actual joy, we got something really interesting here.
Dig into the blog and get to know these 7 crazy yet quirky Travel apps that simply make an Airport an actual joy. Read on now, download the Best flight apps after reading and thank us later.
1. Google Translate
Though google translate is not a pure Travel apps, but it really helps when in a new destination. When you are in a different place with a different language, it comes to your rescue. Just to make sure what the signs and instructions at the airport indicated, just surf google translate and it gets super easy for you to understand and know what the sign means.
2. Grab
For all the food lovers, Grab is the only known food app that should be there always. Have a look at what to have, and place your order. Grab is a really famous travel apps and at the same time is also known to serve the best delectable dishes and make the airport an actual joy while searching for food and then ordering it.
3. Next Flight
Next Flight is one mostly used Travel apps. There are many times when the person is late for the flight or miss the flight or any reason. In case, you miss your flight, this app will help you out. As the name suggests, Next Flight will help you with all the next flights available to your destination.
4. My Radar
No matter what the destination is or where you are going, you can always have a weather check about the destination. My Radar is a very useful Travel apps and Best flight app that simply makes the airport joy as many people are busy checking out the temperature. It allows you to plan your vacation accordingly.
Recommended Reads: Tips For Booking Cheap Flights
5. My TSA
The long security lines can be avoided now that gives you the potential to save your time and energy with The Travel Apps. If you have My TSA application, half of your time is saved there and then. This travel apps gives intel on TSA wait time and tells you which TSA lines are the shortest and fastest at the different airports. Best flight app also lets you aware of what all things should be there in your carry on, what all you can take through the security check and what not to pack.
6. Service
Service is an app that simply eases out everything for you and makes Airport real easy and convenient for you. Not many of you know this, if a flight is delayed or canceled, often you get compensated. If your flight is delayed, canceled or even if you miss out on your luggage, there is a hassle-free solution to it if you the Service and Travel apps. They take responsibility and make sure to deal with your problems themselves. Also, in case of canceled flights, they automatically file your compensation on your behalf.
7. Airline’s App
Whatever airline you are traveling, it is always suggested to have its specific travel apps on your phone. This allows you to get complete knowledge of the airline and know about their policies and status. travel apps would also help you to know about your flight status, scanning boarding passes, flight information, upgrading on the seat and the list goes on. | https://medium.com/@sajidflightsbank/the-best-travel-apps-and-flight-status-apps-cb140358fd72 | ['Sajid Flightsbank'] | 2019-11-18 12:50:05.386000+00:00 | ['Travel', 'Best Travel Apps', 'Travel Tips', 'Flight Tracker App', 'Flight Status App'] |
ECOS Views: what do experts say about cryptocurrency and blockchain this week? | Head of CryptoQuant Ki Young Ju expects Bitcoin to rise in price in mid-July. He wrote this on his Twitter account. The growth may happen because of the outflow of coins from exchanges. This has already happened before — in August 2017 and in December 2018.
“BUY #BTC when whales send bitcoins out of the exchange. The BULL market usually starts four months after the exchange average withdrawal hits year-high. According to the latest data, the #BTC BULL market is likely to start in mid-July. According to the latest data, the #BTC BULL market is likely to start in mid-July,” — Ju suggested.
He is supported by head of Galaxy Digital Mike Novogratz. During the interview with CNBC, Mike said that he would be surprised if the price of the coin does not exceed the level of $10,000 in the near future.
“When this happens, the next goal will be $14,000, and in the long term — $20,000,” — Mike added.
Cryptopotato portal analyst Yuval Gov also claims that after Bitcoin overcomes the resistance line of $9,800, cryptocurrency will grow to $10,500. Most experts share his view.
“What is happening on the cryptocurrency market today is similar to the beginning of the long-term growth phase that started in 2016,” said Michael van de Poppe, the analyst of the Amsterdam Stock Exchange.
An interesting opinion was also expressed by CEO of Mediashares Gene Massey in the interview for ECOS YouTube - channel. He said that it’s still possible to earn on Bitcoin mining today.
“Bitcoin mining can be very profitable. The price of Bitcoin has to be high enough to make it profitable. If Bitcoin price goes down to $3000, it’s not profitable to mine Bitcoin” — he said.
Let us recall, that now Bitcoin is trading at $9103, according to Bitstamp.
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Instagram — https://www.instagram.com/ecos_mining | https://medium.com/@ecosmining/ecos-views-what-do-experts-say-about-crypto-and-blockchain-this-week-e40124957295 | ['Ecos M'] | 2020-07-03 13:38:23.970000+00:00 | ['CEO', 'Experts Articles', 'Crowdfunding', 'Bitcoin Mining', 'Btc'] |
How does debt snowball work? — Bright Money | Debt snowball
Debt snowball
The debt snowball is a debt-reduction method that always prioritizes paying off the debt with the smallest balance. When a card is paid off, apply its minimum payment to your payment on the next-smallest balance.
Paying off multiple credit cards can get complex, juggling due dates, minimum dues and cards with high interest rates. Using a solid, proven strategy can pay off cards and simplify your monthly payments.
The two most popular strategies are the “snowball” and the “avalanche,” and both can be effective at keeping you on track.
The debt snowball method is the simpler method, so let’s look at how it works.
How does debt snowball work?
The snowball method is simple and straightforward: each month, you’ll pay off the card (or the loan) with the lowest balance — regardless of interest rate.
When a card is paid off, you’ll apply its minimum payment to your payment on the next-smallest balance.
It’s called the “snowball” because you gain momentum as you pay off each card, both in the payments you’ll roll over and in the confidence you’ll gain seeing your debts cleared, one after another.
How long should debt snowball take?
Good question! But the answer is tricky.
The amount of time it takes for the debt snowball method to pay off your debts… depends on the size of your debts. The method is designed to be easy, to keep you on track and to pay off cards one by one.
Here’s how it works step by step:
Step 1: Make a list of your debts, arranging from lowest balance to the largest. Don’t bother with the interest rate. Look only at your balances.
Step 2: Make the minimum payment due on all your debts — except for the debt with the lowest balance.
Step 3: Pay as much as you can afford on the debt with the lowest balance.
Step 4: Month by month, repeat until the lowest balance is paid.
Step 5: Once the debt with the lowest balance is paid off, apply the same method to the next-lowest balance — adding the minimum payment of the card you’ve just paid off.
For a lot of people, it’s thrilling — watching debt after debt get paid off and cleared.
How long this method takes depends on your lowest balance and what you can afford to pay against month by month.
How do I calculate my debt snowball payments?
Let’s look at an example to see how the debt-snowball method works. In this scenario, Jill has the following debts:
* $23,000 student loan at 5.28% interest rate
* $9,400 total credit card debt at 16.99% annual percentage rate (APR)
* $7,500 car loan at 5.27% interest rate
In this example, using the snowball method, Jill would begin by paying the minimum due on all three debts — and pay more on the car loan, because it has the lowest balance.
Jill also budgeted a generous amount for debt snowball payments — $3,000 every month. So she’d pay off the car loan and her credit card debt in about a year, leaving her with more funds to pay off her student loan within the following year.
But because the snowball method doesn’t prioritize debts with higher interest, she’ll end up paying more in interest charges than if she used the debt-avalanche method, the other popular debt-reduction strategy.
How can Bright help with credit cards?
Bright can pay off your cards faster — and save you money on interest charges. Bright uses its own patented system of A.I. and data science to analyze your finances and, following your monthly goals, makes payments for you, always optimized to lower your interest charges. Bright works automatically too, so you don’t have to worry about sticking to a debt-reduction strategy.
If you don’t have it yet, download the Bright app from the App Store or Google Play. Connect your checking account and your cards, set a monthly goal, and Bright gets to work. Bright also makes every payment on time, so you also never pay another late fee.
Recommended Readings:
Understanding Millennials and Money
The Benefits of Living Debt Free
Originally published at https://www.brightmoney.co. | https://medium.com/financial-planning-advice/how-does-debt-snowball-work-bright-money-d79ec8857996 | ['Bright Money'] | 2021-12-25 04:31:13.598000+00:00 | ['Debt', 'Bright Money', 'Financial Planning', 'Personal Finance', 'Fintech'] |
Why Do Men Love Breasts So Much? | Babe, have you ever wondered why breasts are so powerful and mesmerising? People around the world love them. But what’s the big deal?
We’ve seen the most disciplined men fall to their knees in awe. Not to mention magazines and calendars. It’s no secret that they make money using this part of the female anatomy. And with things like Instagram’s “no nipple” rule, the taboo and excitement is further fuelled. So what is it about breasts that’s so appealing?
Well, I did the research. Turns out, there’s an actual scientific reason.
Why Do Men Love Breasts So Much?
Anthropologist, Owen Lovejoy, has a theory. He believes that women have breasts to promote pair bonding. This is also why men have prominent penises, according to Lovejoy.
Another reason why men love breasts, according to Lovejoy, is because they are a signal of youth. It led men to believe that a woman was a good mate. Think about puberty, for example. During this time, an adolescent girl’s breasts begin to grow as she becomes ready to bare children.
And that elusive hourglass figure? Yep, men enjoy feasting their eyes on this kind of body shape. Why? Because it too symbolises fertility.
Interestingly, women with bigger breasts may be more fertile. This is because they have higher levels of estradiol in the middle of their cycle. And this hormone has the potential to increase fertility.
With this, men tend to love big breasts because it means a higher chance of becoming pregnant.
Some men also believe that big breasts equal a woman who is well-fed and ready to have a healthy pregnancy.
Breasts: Does Size Matter?
Speaking of breast size, does it really matter? A survey of 52,227 adults gives us a bit of insight. This study showed that 56 percent of men were happy with their partner’s breasts. It also showed that only 30 percent of women were satisfied with their own breasts.
Interestingly, this is also a trend with men and the size of their penis. Women are often satisfied with their partner’s penis while men feel it could be bigger.
Let’s circle back to breast size. It turns out that women in different phases of life have different concerns. As per the survey, many younger women believe their breasts are too small. Older women however tend to worry about their breasts sagging.
But, instead of lying down defeated, countless women take action. From plastic surgery to padded bras, women work hard to create breasts that they’re satisfied with. Inevitably however, it appears that breast size and shape isn’t all that important for many men.
Breasts: From Nourishment to Sexualisation
Let’s jump back to breasts as a sign of fertility. If you really think about it, the main function of breasts is to feed offspring, right? And during feeding, the hormone oxytocin is released. This hormone encourages bonding and feelings of safety and happiness. But how could something so innocent be sexualised?
Well, professor of psychiatry, Larry Young, has a theory. He says that the bonding between mother and child is translated to bonding in general. Men’s brains have been hardwired to see breasts as a means of bonding in general. The result? Babies and men love breasts!
And so, when a woman’s nipples are stimulated, by whomever, oxytocin gets to work. What does this mean for men who enjoy nipple play? A woman who’s filled with happiness and uninterrupted attention on him. This makes the man appear even more desirable. Basically, winning the lottery for a man.
But when is the switch made? When do boys start to see breasts in a sexual way as opposed to a source of nourishment?
According to Young:
“Evolution has selected for this brain organisation in men that makes them attracted to the breasts in a sexual context, because the outcome is that it activates the female bonding circuit, making women feel more bonded with him. It’s a behaviour that males have evolved in order to stimulate the female’s maternal bonding circuitry.”
Basically, a boy does not simply wake up one day with a sexual fascination for breasts. It’s more of an evolutionary unconscious pattern of thought.
Breasts: The New Butt?
Let’s look at a different perspective. Evolutionary psychologist, Jeanne Bovet, argued that the butt and thighs are the number one sign of fertility. And biological anthropologist, Bobbi S. Low, has a theory on this.
She believes that the butt has “evolved in the context of females competing for the attention and parental commitment of powerful resource-controlling males.”
This idea, according to sexologist Alfred Kind, has changed over time. He believes that breasts have similar properties to one’s buttocks. For example, they both store fat.
Interestingly, Kind argues that the obsession has moved from a woman’s butt to their breasts. He says this began when humans started having face-to-face sex. (It’s said that early humans would have doggy-style sex.)
Breasts: A Naughty Taboo
Evolution aside, there’s another reason why men love breasts so much. As I mentioned earlier, they’re a taboo! In many cultures, there’s a belief that a woman’s nipples are considered nudity. And this makes them even more attractive and sometimes fetishized.
A woman showing her breasts in public is naughty. It’s something that should be kept under wraps. Take Miley’s pasties and Janet Jackson’s “wardrobe malfunction” in 2004, for example. These acts are scandalous. They’ve created an even bigger buzz and near obsession for breasts.
Bringing this topic to a close, I thought I’d end on a lighter note…
Top Five “Free the Nipple” Wins
To end the stigma and taboo surrounding breasts, many celebs have decided to “free the nipple”. Here are the top five occasions.
1. Kendall Jenner
In a gorgeous sheer white dress, Kendall Jenner proudly showed off her breasts. The event? A screening of “Girls of the Sun” in 2018.
2. Rhianna
In 2014, Rihanna stood boldly in a crystal-like dress without a bra. Peering through? Her breasts and nipples. Erotic, yet tasteful.
3. Miley Cyrus
Miley rarely disappoints when it comes to pushing the boundary. And this was no different in a 2019 photoshoot for Vanity Fair. In it, she rocked a chain-link top, exposing her breasts.
4. Anne Hathaway
Talented actress, Anne Hathaway kept things cool and classy in 2003. For “The School of Rock” premiere, she wore a sheer dress and a beautiful smile.
5. Nicole Kidman
Oozing style, in 2014 Nicole Kidman wore a see-through white dress with embroidery. She attended the CMA Awards in Nashville, Tennessee, and looked fabulous doing so. | https://medium.com/sexography/why-do-men-love-breasts-a98e3d4b1049 | ['Hakima T A N T R I K A'] | 2020-12-24 00:27:03.359000+00:00 | ['Health', 'Relationships', 'Sexuality', 'Breasts', 'Men'] |
Supervised learning problems, statistical thinking, and other banal concerns | Image by author
The supervised learning problems generally fall into three categories: binary classification, multiclass classification, and the last, regression problems.
With binary classification, there are only two possible outcomes, generally, yes or no. With multiclass classification, the result can have an infinity of possible categories, always more than two. Unlike binary and multiclass classification, regression problems tend to have a continuous solution. This last group of problems looks for trends instead of trying to classify the outcome into different groups.
Let’s explain better the differences between these three categories with some examples. The binary classification is used to solve problems where the answer can be one of two values, for instance, whether a photo has a dog: yes or not. But if the idea is to answer the dog’s breed, then it is a multiclass classification problem where each breed is a class. However, if the answer sought is the dog’s age, which is a continuous value between 0 and usually near 12, then it is a regression problem.
In the three cases presented above, a large number of images train the model. In the first case, the training photos have a “is a dog” or “is not a dog” label. In the second case, they have Beagle, Dalmatian, Poodle, Bulldog, Chihuahua, or any other breed as a label. In the last case, the dog’s age will be the label used in the images.
After knowing the type of problems that can be solved by machine learning, it remains to be answered how. There are several types of algorithms, some more suitable than others to answer specific questions. Selecting the most appropriate algorithm to solve a problem is not an easy task. It depends on the type of situation, the data we have access to, and the amount of them, the training power, but above all, the model’s generalization capacity trained in a limited number of data to predict the outcome of a new event.
“All generalizations are false, including this one.”
Mark Twain
Very similar types of machine learning algorithms can solve the three previously mentioned supervised categories of learning problems. Let’s check some of these algorithms using some examples again.
Decision tree
The decision tree algorithm is one of the most used Machine Learning algorithms for classification problems. It is a user-friendly algorithm. With it, it is possible to show how the machine makes predictions by creating a graphical tree, thus becoming easy to understand.
Starting with the tree’s root node, a specific feature is tested in each tree’s node. Depending on the outcome, it follows different branches on the tree, trying new nodes where other features are tested until reaching a terminal node. The outcome of this terminal node is the prediction result of the model.
Let’s understand how this works using an imaginary loan approval example. It is possible to create a dataset using historical data. As the target of our prediction is used the loan status. Credit History, Income, and Loan Amount will be our Features.
Decision tree sample data
On the first node of the tree, it checks the customer credit history. In our example, we have four customers with good credit history, two of them with a target equal to “No” and another two with a target equal to “Yes.”
Then, it checks the customer’s income. There are two customers with good credit history and high income in our sample data, and these two customers have the target labeled as “Yes.”
Finally, it used the requested loan amount. Based on our data, the tree should consider high provability to approve loans to customers with good credit history, high income, and that request a big amount of credit.
Loan approval decision tree. Image by author
The feature importance and the subsequent order to test the tree features on each node is decided based on the Gini Impurity or Gain Information criteria. These two criteria identify the degree of uncertainty for each feature. When building the tree, the model must first test the resources with the greatest gain of information (i.e., least uncertainty). This dependence between the data uncertainty and the tree structure is a disadvantage of this algorithm since a small change in the data can affect the tree structure.
Random Forest
The Random Forest Algorithm uses the output of multiple Decision Trees, randomly created, to generate the model’s final result. Each tree is made with a random subset of features and data, and subsequently with a different structure. In the end, this algorithm combines the output of each decision tree to generate the final result.
The process used to combine the multiple individual tree outputs to get a final result is called Ensemble Learning. Ensemble Learning assumes that the results obtained from consulting a diverse group of models are likely to be better than the results obtained from a single model. The point here is how the result of the several models can generate a single final output. There are several techniques for it. The most simples ones are considered the most frequent result (i.e., most voted) or the average between the several results.
Random Forest. Image by author
k-Nearest Neighbor
A common supervised machine learning algorithm for multiclass classification is k-Nearest Neighbor. This algorithm assumes that similar things are near to each other. The idea is to compare the distances between the new element that we want to predict and the known elements. Each element represents a point in a multidimensional space, where each element’s feature is a spatial dimension. Euclidean distance or Manhattan distance determined how near is the new element from its neighbors. In the end, elements of the same class should have the shortest distance between them. Considering the class to which belong to the k elements nearest to the new element, we can deduce which class the new element belongs. Minimizing the distance is a crucial part of this algorithm. The closer you are to your nearest neighbors, the more likely you are to be accurate.
k-Nearest Neighbor. Image by author
The algorithm has the disadvantage of requiring an enormous calculation power since, for each new sample, it is necessary to iterate with the training data again. However, recommendation systems widely use this algorithm.
Naive Bayes
Another family of supervised learning models is the Naive Bayes family of classifiers. This algorithm is based on Bayes’ theorem, which is mostly used for binary or multiclass classification. It’s called naive because it has as a basis the assumption that all features are independent of another. In practice, this is not often the case because features are usually somewhat correlated. Since the statistics of each feature are calculated independently, learning a Naive Bayes classifier can be very fast. However, the penalty for this efficiency is that the prediction performance of Naive Bayes can be a bit worse than other more sophisticated algorithms.
This algorithm uses the independent probability that each feature belongs to a class without considering other features to predict the model’s result. Let’s illustrate this using our imaginary loan approval example, considering only the “Income” feature:
Income data sample
First, it is necessary to get the frequency table:
Frequency table
Using the frequency table, get the “Likelihood of Evidence” of the “Income” feature:
Likelihood table
With this training data, it can be concluded that, for eight denied loans, five have “Low” income. In other words, the likelihood probability of customers with “Low” income has a loan denied is 5/8 = 0.625. The notation of this is:
P(“Income” = “Low” | “Loan Status” = “No”).
Likewise, from twelve requested loans, eight were denied, and six have low income, resulting in:
P(“Income” | “Loan Status” = “No”) = 8/12 = 0.667.
P(“Income” = “Low”) = 6/12 = 0.50.
Applying Bayes’ theorem, we can calculate the probability of having the loan denied when the customer has a low income:
Bayes’ theorem application
This results in a probability of 0.8375 of having the loan denied.
Similarly, the probability of the remaining feature components can be calculated for the different outcome classes. Finally, the class that gets the highest probability will be the predicted class.
Regression
Machine learning uses several types of regression algorithms. Among them are: Linear Regression, Logistic Regression, and Polynomial Regression.
Linear Regression uses a linear function to describe the relationship between the outcome and its inputs. An input value X associated with an output value Y can be represented using a point in a Cartesian coordinate system. In this way, a set of points in the plane represents a significant number of occurrences. Linear Regression consists in finding the straight line that best fits with this set of points. The best-fit line is called the regression line.
Linear regression. Image Image by author
Predicting the value Y using a value of X is just a matter of applying the linear equation of the identified regression line:
Where m is the slope of the identified line, and b is the value of Y when X is equal to zero (i.e., the point where the line cuts the Y-axis).
But what is meant by “best-fitting line”? Firstly, it is necessary to measure the difference between the observed point and the predicted value (i.e., the point in the line).
Difference between the predicted value and the real one. Image by author
Secondly, the square of the difference between the predicted value and the real one is calculated for each point. Finally, the average of this value is inferred, resulting in an indicator called Mean Squared Error. The most used criterion to find the best-fitting line is the line that has the minimum Mean Squared Error.
However, it is not always possible to find a straight line that follows most points. Sometimes the line that best fits is a curve that results from an nth degree polynomial. In these cases, the Polynomial Regression algorithm is applied, transforming the equation of the line to:
Now imagine that instead of having a single feature X, there are two features: X and Z. In this case, the line becomes a surface, and the goal becomes to identify the surface that best fits all points in a three-dimensional space.
Three-dimensional space. Image by author
Logistic Regression differs from the previous by having a categorical variable as its output, instead of a continuous value. The output of this algorithm is the probability of the sample belonging to one class versus another.
Logistic Regression. Image by author
Similar to Linear Regression, a line’s equation describes the relationship between features and output. However, in this case, the result to get is the probability of the equation result belonging to a specific class. The way to evaluate this probability is by using a logistic equation that returns a value between 0 and 1. A Logistic equation is an S-shaped curve called a “sigmoid curve.” This curve is represented using the following equation:
Where y is the output of the linear function, and y0 is the value of the sigmoid’s midpoint. | https://medium.com/@cgrodrigues/supervised-learning-problems-statistical-thinking-and-other-banal-concerns-788a5a4faa49 | ['Carlos Rodrigues'] | 2020-12-02 11:15:41.981000+00:00 | ['Decision Tree', 'Linear Regression', 'Machine Learning Ai', 'Naive Bayes', 'K Nearest Neighbors'] |
You were always enough | The world can be a brutal place and as a result we’ve become so afraid of being happy as we are. Advertising tells us we are not enough. We should be slimmer, have the best new gadgets, wear the best clothes, spend time with our families, keep active, be improving our relationships, have a great job and if that’s not enough pressure to be getting on with, try finding some time to squeeze some self-love in there. But how can we possibly begin to like or love ourselves if everywhere we look we are being told we are not enough.
We see that person who always seems to be smiling, talking positively and seems to have their life together. We begin to think that “they’ve obviously never experienced much difficulty” or perhaps they are pretending to be happy. Yes maybe they are putting on a front. But why should this matter to us? This matters because, although we might not want to admit this to ourselves, it’s acting as a mirror of the unhappiness we have in our own lives. We judge others in areas that we most harshly judge ourselves.
So how can we stop judging others and start to improve our own happiness?
When we return to ourselves. When we become concerned for our actions, behaviour and feelings more than what we think we should be doing or comparing to others. Returning to ourselves is not about learning to be better (or any other desired trait). It’s quite the opposite, it’s an unlearning process. We start to notice that happiness can’t be bought, our waist size doesn’t equate our worth and the flashy car we can’t afford won’t fix the empty feelings we have within. We begin to recognise all the areas that society and the media have negatively impacted us and how it has taken us so far away from who we truly are.
Suddenly that beach holiday advert seems so appealing. Have you ever stopped to wonder why?Because we live lives that we want to escape from. As a society we are addicted, we are consuming, we are being stimulated everywhere, and connected even more on a technological level, while in the process disconnecting more than we ever have done from ourselves and others. But what do I know?
I experienced a devastating trauma at just 19 and it shattered me for quite some time, but in amongst the rebuilding of trust, courage and love for life again, I found an inner strength and love for my individuality. I began to recognise all the ways I was losing myself to fit in with others, seeking approval and follow society’s materialistic demands. In that individuality there is an endless amount of power. We are not bound so much by the societal pressures, or material gains but instead find joy in listening to what we truly want from life and have the courage to say yes, because we know we are and have always been enough.
At first this is daunting and so is taking action. People start to wonder things like why you are disconnected, why you have started to say no to things that you used to say yes to, you seem different, they judge the changes that they wouldn’t implement in their own lives often at the limit of their understanding or fears they might have.
But what I can assure you of, is that you are not alone on this journey. The more you step into your power and begin doing what you truly love, the more you meet other badasses along the way slaying self-love and authenticity, and they will be cheering you on.
As for those you leave behind, well aren’t they better left there?
Clare McCauley | https://medium.com/@claremccauley123/you-were-always-enough-c06741135585 | [] | 2020-01-14 23:13:10.883000+00:00 | ['Life', 'Authenticity', 'Self Love', 'Mindfulness'] |
Fraudulent activity | In the spotlight of this week: co-founders of Centra Tech are sentenced to jail, Brian Kelly has launced a new crypto ETF and JPMorgan is interested in digital assets.
The three co-founders of Centra Tech Sorhab Sharma, Raymond Trapani, and Robert Farkas were found guilty of fraud and sentenced to jail
The possibility of using cryptocurrency debit cards in the future is an enticing possibility, interesting many people both inside and outside the crypto community. The founders of the Centra Tech, a startup company, tried to create such cards. They promised to create a means by which crypto investors could pay by using digital assets in everyday marketplaces, however the founders weren’t able to finish what they started. The three co-founders of the company were accused of defrauding investors to the tune of $60 million and now face 65 years in prison each.
The prosecutor’s office claims that during the ICO, the co-founders sold unregulated securities in the form of CTR tokens. Сentra Tech deceived investors, claiming that the company had already signed partner agreements with large corporations. The project’s whitepaper outlined a planned cooperation with Visa, Mastercard and Bancorp.
The total amount of investments into Centra Tech was estimated to be about $60 million, which is not a small sum of money. This project put a lot of effort into campaigning, even having Centra Tech’s croudsale publicly supported on Instagram by Floyd Mayweather and DJ Khaled. Now the conversation has moved on from the ICO to this trial. The prosecutor’s office is calling for Sorab, Raimonda and Roberta to face 65 years of imprisonment and pay an undetermined penalty.
Brian Kelly, the founder of BKCM, an investment company specializing in cryptocurrencies, has launched a new crypto: ETF
The American finance company REX Shares plans to start an exchange investment fund (ETF) for companies using blockchain technology.
According to the head of REX Shares, Greg King, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission rejected the company’s application to start a bitcoin-ETF, so they have instead created a blockchain-ETF which is planned to start within a week.
Brian Kelly, a financial analyst and the founder of the cryptocurrency hedge fund, BKCM, will become the active managing director of the new blockchain-ETF.
Earlier in May, Brian Kelly said that when large players from Wall Street, such as the NYSE and Goldman Sachs, begin accepting Bitcoin, it could serve as a catalyst for rapid growth of the digital asset market in the short and medium term.
JP Morgan starts to look into crypto space despite its CEO’s previous comments
According to Daniel Pinto, the co-president of JPMorgan Chase, the bank holding, whose top managers had earlier spoken quite negatively of digital currencies, is now interested in digital assets.
He stated that the technology is likely to play a role in the promotion of the financial system.
We are looking into that space. I have no doubt that in one way or another, the technology will play a role. – Denial Pinto, Co-President at JPMorgan Chase & Co.
He also noted that J. P. Morgan is considering the possibility of working with Bitcoin futures to meet their clients’ needs.
If we need to clear futures of bitcoin, can we do it? Yes. Have we done it? No. – Denial Pinto, Co-President at JPMorgan Chase & Co.
Earlier Jamie Dimon, the CEO of JPMorgan Chase, called all Bitcoin investors ‘stupid’ and promised to dismiss any employee engaged in Bitcoin operations.
One more time we see that big negative words in past could turn just the opposite in the future. | https://medium.com/finrazorcom/fraudulent-activity-7dc9ee19d77b | ['Finrazor Team'] | 2018-08-02 14:03:59.157000+00:00 | ['Fintech', 'Blockchain', 'Cryptocurrency', 'Crypto', 'Bitcoin'] |
The Handshake Browser Reference Client | The Handshake Browser Reference Client
Introducing “HandyBrowser” 🤝
To the Handshake Community,
📥 Download Now
It’s been a fun journey over the last ~2yrs helping get Handshake ready for mainnet. We helped the network launch Handshake in February with just HSD, and no HNSD light client as the network bootstrapped itself. Mining took center stage the first 140 days as we helped ensure the ecosystem was prepared for diverse participants with HandyMiner (built over a year+); and since then mining has matured into FPGAs and ASICS, as 5+ competing clients emerged as well. A truly decentralized mining launch.
For the next 140+ days, we’re now focusing on adoption and usage. With that comes HandyBrowser, a reference client for the community to build on top of. This is a pivotal moment for Handshake, much like the advent of Web3 Browsers with Cipher Browser (which my friends and I sold to Coinbase; and it is now Coinbase Wallet, their HD non-custodial wallet), users can now easily access the New Internet (powered by Handshake), with the lowest barrier to entry possible.
With HandyBrowser, the community now maintains full control of this implementation and what it will eventually offer. We wish to work alongside everyone to get the features we need so it can stand as a POC for Brave/Chrome/Opera and other major browsers. This also does a lot of the heavy lifting for a future mobile browser port if anyone is working in that direction.
How HandyBrowser Works
HandyBrowser (aka “Handy”) is using node-webkit nw.js under the hood. Nw.js packages the latest chromium with the latest node.js and allows us granular security, html and many other features. Since we did not want users to manually have to modify system level configurations and run HNSD/HNS resolvers locally themselves, we rely on Docker. Docker allows us to create a lightweight linux virtual machine that installs HNS resolvers, and is pre-configured to use the HNS resolver.
We simply proxy all web traffic from the Chromium browser into the Docker machine which resolves via HSD and returns content! Docker generates a self-signed certificate on container creation which allows the user to proxy https traffic to the browser. During installation Docker runs a one-time install process, after that it won’t need to be run again, and you’ll be able to start browsing/resolving names immediately (even as the HSD fullnodes syncs in Docker).
Fig 1: Diagram showing how HandyBrowser (nw.js) communicates with the dockerized HSD container which holds the fullnode and recursive resolver that is used behind the scenes for the browser.
The Why
Why Nw.js over Electron? The lead-dev of this project has used Nw.js extensively in enterprise-class application for many years and knows the inside/outs of every piece of the framework. In addition, the window manager (urlbar) we wrote needed to control all windows (tabs) created within the application and IPC is not fun. Nw.js allowed us more flexibility for the task of building a web-browser while offering the security we needed: No browser windows have access to Node.js, just the window manager. More reasons here, including: "Even better, you can run Chrome Apps/extensions using NW.js".
(Fun Fact: Brave was written in Electron, before they moved to Muon, and then later onto Chromium. With NW.js and Chromium, we have a modern stack that is forward-compatible with current major browsers and the Handshake protocol itself, which is also written in Node.js.)
The official HandyBrowser (“Handy”) logo.
HandyBrowser v0.1.0 Launch Features
Imports Bookmarks locally from Google Chrome.
Bookmark Manager and Bookmarks Bar (with default bookmarks to get new users started in the ecosystem).
Network map for Handshake nodes; allows browser users to see the network grow globally as new browser users come online.
Custom “HNS Lock” that changes color between White [HNS]/Dark Grey[DNS]/Green [DNSSEC+HNS] to notate how you’re connecting over DNS.
Video playback support, enjoy YouTube and Netflix.
Donate modal for the HandyBrowser team.
Use the HandyBrowser Docker container as a proxy for your mainstream browser to resolve Handshake Names. After starting HandyBrowser, set your mainstream browser proxy to localhost:5301
UI indicators for the Docker HSD node syncing status, and option for nuking the docker image in the event of any weird beta edge cases.
Fig 2: Comparison of Handshake DNS versus the legacy DNS. Notice the reduction in hops and requests when HNS is both your recursive and authoritative resolver.
Time for the New Internet
We’re excited for the community to get started, and we expect there to be discussion around the project, and likely technical questions and concerns on how to get started.
Please post relevant feedback on the HandyBrowser Github by creating a new issue, or if you wish to make an improvement, submit a PR directly to the project.
If you wish to discuss the browser with us in the community, you can reach out to us directly in our HandshakeTalk Telegram channel.
— The HandyBrowser Team (Alex, McKie, & Thomas) | https://medium.com/blockchannel/the-handshake-browser-reference-client-ae2686a9c03c | [] | 2020-06-22 21:59:51.781000+00:00 | ['DNS', 'Handybrowser', 'Handshake', 'Blockchain', 'Browsers'] |
Do We Really Need Feminism Anymore?: Is Feminism Becoming More Social Than It Is Political? (Is feminist theory still relevant in today’s world?)- Awarded 1st Class | Do We Really Need Feminism Anymore?: Is Feminism Becoming More Social Than It Is Political? (Is feminist theory still relevant in today’s world?)- Awarded 1st Class Tamyra Selvarajan Dec 11, 2020·9 min read
30 years ago, the conversation of gender equality and feminism would have been some form of locker room joke with men ridiculing the idea of a ‘career woman’. People would have said that the feminist movement was nothing but diminishing women’s roles in the home due to the pursuit of a career and the extirpation of femininity through women being encouraged to wear suits (Gibbs, 2001) but now with people in this day and age, carrying protest signs with snarky feminist tag-lines and more and more people attempting to integrate gender into the conversation and with this essay, the writer will give a critical comparison of the waves of feminism and whether feminism is becoming more of a social movement than a political movement.
Society has made us view the social idea of Herrschaft, theorized by Max Weber which is the theory of dominance and submission and the phallic domination of men over women (Millet,1970). The term domination is associated with masculinity while the submission is associated with femininity and while gender is merely a social construct, men have seized this and choose to reap the benefits that this‘ inherent dominance’ and with the conditioning of children under the patriarchal rule to make men seem superior to women, making our society characterized by gender hierarchies. As Kate Millet wrote in her work, Sexual politics, she defines the inequalities of women to men into three characteristics; temperament, role and status(Millet,1970). According to her, the differences in temperament between genders have been placed by society and have been a hindrance for women who are trying to develop a life of their own (Millet,1970) APPROACHES TO GLOBAL POLITICS 3 as for role, a woman and a man’s role has already been socially defined as well as the importance of a man’s likes, dislikes and career is made more important than a woman’s (Millet,1970) and for status, this is defined by the patriarchy as no matter what a woman’s economic status is, she is always going to be valued less than a man (Millet,1970)
First-wave feminism was focused on women’s suffrage, the promotion of equal contract, property rights for women as well as opposing chattel marriage(Brunell and Burkett,2019 ) However, the first wave lacked inclusivity. People tend to cite figures such as Emmaline Pankhurst, Olympe de Gouge and Mary Wollstonecraft as the grandmothers of the first-wave feminist movement but the origins of feminism date back to the ancient Romans where women protested against the laws set by Marcus Porcius Cato to repel laws against women purchasing expensive goods (Augustyn,2017). While most countries, particularly countries in the West are liberated from the clutches of the patriarchy through the woman’s right to speak their minds through women’s marches in countries such as the US and UK yet first-wave feminism has failed women in many countries such as Pakistan where violence against women such as rape, acid attacks and domestic violence are a serious problem and there is an estimate of about 1000 “honour killings” every year (HRW,2018). Women ought to have representatives, instead of being arbitrarily governed without any direct share allowed them in the deliberations of government. (Wollstonecraft) Despite Wollstonecraft writing that women have the right to express themselves politically since governance affects them as well, women in patriarchal societies such as Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Kenya have minimal rights when it comes to participating in public elections due to the patriarchal dominance which is evident in such societies, but alas, progress is made particularly in Saudi Arabia where in 2015, a royal decree was made by King Abdullah where women could not only vote but could also stand as candidates where 978 women registered as candidates while 130,000 women could vote for the first time (BBC,2015) which is big progress from women being treated as “fully dependent” on a man for everything. “Change is a big word but the election is the way to make sure we are really represented.” (Al-Rashed,2015) APPROACHES TO GLOBAL POLITICS 4 Comparing Saudi Arabia with the UK where women could express their rights freely. The UK which earned the right to vote in 1918, Saudi Arabia is nowhere near the progress that the UK has made, Saudi Arabia still has a strong patriarchal influence as women still cannot work with men (BBC,2015). So feminism is relevant to secure the rights of women in many developing countries.
The Personal is Political was the tagline of the second-wave as Second wavers worked to outlaw marital rape, build shelters for women fleeing rape and domestic violence, and fought for reproductive freedom for a woman to be able to make the choice for her reproductive status without interference.(Brunell and Burkett,2019 ) while black women also wanted to fight not just for the right to contraception and abortions, but also to stop the forced sterilisation of people of colour and people with disabilities. With second-wave feminism, it saw the rise of prominent figures such as Gloria Steinem who not only fought for the core tenets of feminism but she also addressed systemic issues such as racial disparities amongst women and the involvement of queer women in the fight for equality (Steinem2018). Feminism in the West also challenged the ever-popular Playboy Mansion and with Gloria Steinem’s expose, A Bunny’s Tail , it propelled the woman’s sexual liberation movement even further in which the article depicts Steinem’s own account of what it was truly like to be a part of Hefner’s so-called claim of “the Emancipation Proclamation of the sexual revolution” in which the cost was the exploitation of women (Steinem,2018). In the fight for bodily autonomy, the case of Roe vs Wade which overturned the many existing state and US government laws heavily controlled a woman’s right to seek an abortion without government control.
The feminist movement also had racial disparities in which while white women are addressing systemic racism in the fight towards equality, the experiences of black women tended to be side-lined into the ‘black female experience’ (hooks, 1981, pg 6) and notably, black women not only had to face the challenges of being dominated by the white patriarchy but also by the black patriarchy due to women, even in the Black panther party tended to be side-lined and oppressed by the black males demands for submission because to them, the great could not take precedence over male pain (hooks,1981,pg 6). In developing countries such as Malaysia which is ranked 104 out of 153 countries in the world for gender equality (Economist,2020) as Malaysia’s sexual laws are very patriarchal and chauvinistic as there is no law against marital rape and child marriage is also very common in Malaysia as girls can get married at 16 unlike boys who can only get married at 18 (Economist,2020) and in Malaysia, women can be charged for sexual assault but not with rape. Not only that, the cases of domestic abuse are on the rise in Malaysia as 1,986 cases of domestic violence have been reported in Malaysia during the 1st COVID 19 lockdown in April (WOA,2020). With the patriarchal norms that are rooted in many societies, primarily in Malaysia as ministers tend to defend sexist behaviour which is rooted from the netizens themselves, with rape as well as the possession of child porn being justified especially in the recent case of the 25-year old preacher who is accused of rape in which one netizen stated that the girls most probably enjoyed being raped by him because of his good looks but they only sought to complain when he (the preacher) raped other women as well (Velusamy,2020). The second wave of feminism is relevant in developing countries such as Malaysia to give women the autonomy that is written in their rights as free and independent citizens.
Unlike the First and Second Waves of Feminism, the Third and Fourth Waves of Feminism tended to focus on issues such as sexual harassment, equal pay in the workplace and bringing queer women and transgender women into the feminist conversation. Third-wave feminism started with Anita Hill’s 1991 testimony of sexual harassment against a supreme court nominee, which brought forth the issue of sexual harassment, specifically of black women, to global attention (Brunell,2019). While third-wave feminism brought about great media attention, that was all it was.. a stunt for the media. With the aesthetics of punk women such as Courtney Love and Kathleen Hanna, with their coloured hair, unshaved armpits and gothic and androgynous clothes which protested the misogynists during the 80s who thought of feminists as unhappy, hairy and shrill women (Grady,2018). Despite the claims of third-wave feminism being more inclusive to all races yet the voice of third-wave feminists of the West did not echo to the developing countries who were and are still stagnant. Feminists of the third-wave also had nothing to claim as their own unlike first-wave feminism which has the success of suffrage in their belt and the second-wave claiming the success of Roe vs Wade, the third-wave feminism is deemed as irrelevant in the political sphere but culturally, it brought about a shift in the misogynistic cultural norms.
Fourth-wave feminism brought about the advocation of gender equality in a more online sphere with campaigns such as HeForShe and the #METOO and the Time’s Up movement as well as body shaming, rape culture, and heteronormative gender norms. When the UN made the ‘hunky’ Venezuelan actor, journalist and activist Édgar Ramírez , the ambassador for the HeforShe campaign, the conversations of toxic masculinity were brought up especially when he talked about how men are suppressed and tend to not show any form of emotions (Revesz,2016). While fourth wave feminism does tackle many of the problems faced in our society, it is nothing but a social movement which highlights the capitalist privilege of using technology to fight and advocate for their rights in the Western world (RÖK JÓNS,2013) and fourth-wave feminism is also a marketable, profit-making ideology due to the idea of intersectionality being used to market many feminine products such as Calvin Klein and Dove.
So, is feminism becoming more of a social movement than a political movement? We can define a social movement as a collective movement which is loosely organized but it is a sustained campaign in support of a social goal, typically either the implementation or the prevention of a change in society’s values (Turner,2020) while a political movement, usually defined as a collective attempt by a group of people to change government policy or social values (Rochon T,1990). While the first and second waves of feminism promoted a sense of collectivity to achieve a common cause which altered legislation and achieved some part of the UN sustainable goal of gender equality in the western world, in the developing world, however, many countries are still stagnant at the second-wave or worse, many societies are still patriarchal-dependent. Third-wave and fourth-wave feminism have become more or less like the ‘Mean-Girls’ of feminism where it has become a competitive system of always competing for a “one-up” in terms of knowledge and these groups of feminists tend to ridicule those who pertain less knowledge than others, or who share other non-discriminatory opinions (Simpkins,2014) which has in a way turned feminism into a more social movement than a political one since feminism is no longer something that is fought in government but instead subject of feminism which once was something so political but instead it is just reduced to something that is debated on social media.
So, is feminism relevant? It is as many countries around the world, primarily countries in the developing world still depend on feminism due to the massive gender disparities in those countries. WEF’s Gender Gap Report shows the years it will take to close the gender gap in the area of political empowerment & the overall global gender gap and even though the gap has lessened because the female representation has increased since 2018 (WEF,2018), but it will still take 94.5 years until we reach global gender parity (WEF,2020). With the waves of feminism, it is definitely a form of feminism which practices inclusion and discrimination as the narrative of other feminists such as Marxist feminists, queer feminists and ecofeminists are ignored which makes people lose faith in feminism but if we focus on the core tenets and truly step into the prism of intersectionality, feminism can be made relevant again. | https://medium.com/@lightwoodking/do-we-really-need-feminism-anymore-9e611422e679 | ['Tamyra Selvarajan'] | 2021-02-18 05:25:41.295000+00:00 | ['Feminism', 'Protest', 'Politics'] |
“ Developing A Growth Mindset”: | ‘AMAL TOTKAY’
Today I am Going to discuss what Growth Mind set is? & also how to be set and improve Mind!
I will be share 5 tips with you how can we grow our mindset.
Always Learning New things
How did We find the 5 tips?
Let me tell you about How did find these 5 Tips;
So I have found these tips are helpful. I can explain…,I’m glad to know that how can we improve ourselves in the least time? Besides, how can we improve our lives by learning things? Amal Is providing me these opportunities and knowledge.
2. What are their takeaways?
See around yourself and do observe every day Think about it what you are? Can you make any changes!, Sometimes it’s good to hurt yourself
It gives humans an idea of their limitations.
See everywhere
3. What were their favorite tips?
MY fav tips
All tips was good but when comes to choose favorite, I am choosing “Self Talk”. because when you begin to know yourself , So you can do anything on your own ,you can go to any extent, because your consciousness and unconsciousness is with you
4. What have they started implementing already?
I have started Self Talking I talk to myself before I go to bed, How was my day, what did I do wrong, how could I do better, I learned something new or not? what should I do in the coming days?
Do again and again
5. What can they do to develop a Growth Mindset beginning from today?
For Growth Mindset what we do is that There will always be situations in life that seem like trials and disappointments, eventually you can learn to reframe them into positive experiences that can help you to grow. This will take time, be patient with yourself.
GM vs FM
That’s the thing about books. They let you travel without moving your feet.
Some books to help you develop your mindset.
Mindset the Psychology of Success The Compound Effect
3. The Slight Edge
4. The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People | https://medium.com/@waleed-ali175/developing-a-growth-mindset-1920b66c6158 | ['Waleed Ali'] | 2020-12-25 21:46:39.823000+00:00 | ['Growth Mindset', 'Helpful Tips', 'Amal Fellowship', 'Amal Academy', 'Openmined'] |
Financial Capitalism: The Endgame | “The establishment are afraid of facing the consequences of a real change in the system”, argues Friedrich. “The banks have betrayed all of us…. They manipulated interest rates, for example. Everybody who bought a house with credit was suffering. Then, the politician’s we elected bailed out the banks with our taxes. And we thought the politicians are here for us….The banks are still here. Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan, the European Central Bank — they’re all still here. Nothing happened. And then, since 2008, the people lost trust in the media as well.”
So it’s a historical loss of trust all over the place.
The authors argue that it’s not just the holy trinity — banks, politicians and media — who are to blame. They also point a finger at the public’s inability to take personal responsibility.
“Change always comes from the people. We are more than them. And if we’re not taking the step forward and change something nothing will change”
Friedrich also adds, “That’s why we say we the people have to create the change right now. The monetary system failed. It’s bankrupt. We have to change it. Let’s think about a new monetary system…. We have to create the change. And if not creating it there will be a lot of damage. That’s what we all have to face right now.”
Hijacked
Friedrich and Weik posit that big opportunities predicated on a system that prioritises people above profit could emerge from the chaos of the next crash. Aligned with Marx, the authors note how the productive capacities capitalism has engendered over the centuries has greatly benefited humanity while recognising that, over recent decades, capitalism has been hijacked by a form of cronyism — its extreme variant — neoliberalism:
“If you make a bad economical decision as a private person or as a business owner, that’s it, you’re out of business. But if you are a bank no problem at all….The United Kingdom sells bonds to finance the whole system. So who’s buying the bonds? The answer is hedge funds, insurance companies, banks and now, central banks.”
This kind of crony capitalism exists in what Friedrich acknowledges is a context in which politicians tell the public that they have got record employment and everybody’s better off. “But nobody tells them that more and more people are doing two or three jobs within low and stagnating wage sectors”, says Friedrich.
He continues:
“There is a problem in the monetary system. And if the currency collapses the people have to pay for it, not the government….In 2001 we established a currency monetary union in Europe with the euro. It was just not going to work. It’s madness to put strong economies like Germany with weak economies like Italy or Greece in one currency. For Germany the Euro is too cheap which is why the country is exporting so many goods and so they can’t even get into the market. It’s like it’s too expensive. Meanwhile, Germany is getting stronger while the weaker nations are getting weaker. This then opens the door for reactionary political leaders. And so the cycle continues.”
The Endgame
While in Argentina during the crisis in 2001, Friedrich first realized that in the event of an economic crisis and currency collapse, it’s the public who are forced to pay. The economist understood that there are only three possibilities to delete the debts in the system — inflation, devaluation of the currency and war. In each case, it’s the people who are forced to pay.
What are the likely consequences of the end game — the biggest bubble in human history?
According to Weik:
“The morning after the end game we can solve the crisis, if we are smart. …But if it is postponed, there will be an implosion of the markets globally on something like the scale of 1929, maybe even worse.
So we have to rethink how to restart the system from scratch….Otherwise there would be a big bang and then it’s getting really nasty and much more expensive.”
Friedrich proffers a slightly different perspective:
“We need a new currency system — a new monetary fund. If the people don’t take control of the system, the alternative digital system could be like ‘1984’, it will be horrible. It’s why we have to get power back to the people. Solutions will likely be utilized through artificial intelligence controlled by people for the benefit of people. We explain this in our books and videos.”
Watch the full episode now | https://medium.com/@renegadeinc/financial-capitalism-the-endgame-7aa15da591cc | ['Renegade Inc.'] | 2021-03-29 08:01:19.137000+00:00 | ['Reform', 'Neoliberalism', 'Debt', 'Capitalism', 'Financial Crisis'] |
A Successful Online Business — How to Start One | With regards to the subject of beginning another online business, most business people imagine that experimentation is the best approach yet this isn’t so. Various experienced financial specialists can give you subtleties concerning what went directly during their endeavor into the universe of new businesses, and what turned out badly. In view of these appraisals, there are sure blends of practices that, whenever done right, can bring about beginning an effective business. This is what most online entrepreneurs depend on.
Examining the Market
These days, the market is to some degree comparative across the world so it doesn’t require some investment for a specific need to go worldwide. That is the reason you’ll have to investigate your market for deficiencies before you can think about an item and survey whether it has an unfulfilled interest on the lookout. Scour the web to discover answers to your inquiries.
Examine normal online discussions like Quora and Reddit for individuals’ inquiries concerning the accessibility of specific help and item to tackle a specific issue. Search for watchwords that have a high number of inquiries however many less important outcomes. This will be a sign of a market that needs more arrangements.
Obviously, you will have a couple of rivals in the field so it’s ideal to look at their showcasing systems and items before you begin chipping away at your own variants. This will help you make something imaginative that increases the value of the buyer.
Post-Good Content
Is it true that you are stressed over how you’ll persuade clients through an online deals call? This is what you need to clarify so they proceed with the whole cycle, up until the last buy.
Give headings that arouse shopper curiosity
Address the issue that your image can settle
Guarantee your unwavering quality by giving subtleties of your experience and the individuals in your group
Give tributes of upbeat clients
Make a decent offer
Furnish them with assurance so they feel consoled
Make it a matter of earnestness so they can’t won’t
Make the deal
While strolling your client through the site, ensure that you’re zeroing in on their need and how you’re causing them.
Convey a Proper Website
For a business that works exclusively on the web, a site fills in as a base camp and you sure as hell can’t settle on the nature of yours. Take it from internet selling experts, most retail marks keep their sites genuinely basic; they realize that they have under 15 seconds to catch customer consideration, which implies a more modest systematic yours has under 10. So recall:
No crazy tones or text styles; clear, dull text styles on white functions admirably enough
Make it easy to explore to and from pages
Handle customer consideration on each page with fascinating pictures and recordings
Gather email delivers from visiting traffic to give reports on deals
Abbreviate the number of snaps it takes to affirm an exchange; one to add card subtleties and one to affirm
Advance it for cell phones
Web index Help
Working a business online necessitates that you be on an acceptable footing with the web crawlers, particularly the ruling force, Google. Utilizing a PPC (pay per click) plan to promote your new business is compelling at drawing more traffic towards your site. This will work a lot speedier than trusting that natural traffic will stream in.
Publicizing through Google AdWords’ Network Display techniques gives the advantage of your image’s pennants being up inside only hours. In addition, using such a framework offers the advantage of allowing you to test how compelling different watchwords are for driving more traffic.
Whenever you’ve figured out which catchphrases work best, you would then be able to fuse them into your notices, online media posts, and above all, your site. This will help your rankings on SERPs.
Be a Leading Authority in Your Niche
Besides being your kind of revenue, the web fills in as the populace’s biggest wellspring of real data in a hundred unique structures. In the event that you appeal to individuals searching for data, and not simply the individuals who set out to make a buy, you wind up building footing among a bigger gathering of individuals.
Thus, bait in data searchers by giving your ability to put together articles with respect to various sites. You can make different types of substances, for example, recordings, infographics, and pictures that make certain to have an effect on perusers who may wind up making a buy later on. On each useful piece, add the alternative for them to impart it to their companions.
Be dynamic on the very stages where your intended interest group poses inquiries identifying with your field, and respond to them. All things considered, in addition, engaging than a CEO who effectively responds to inquiries on the web?
Influence Email Marketing
At the point when you give visiting traffic the alternative to present their email addresses, you get an important rundown of potential clients who have made the ways for their inboxes for you. Basically, it shows that they have built up an interest in your image, are eager to frame a drawn-out relationship with your image.
People who visit your site and leave their email address are fundamentally allowing you to get in touch with them. They are expected clients and email advertising is the most ideal approach to development with leads.
Upgrade Customer Loyalty
Clients search for esteem any place they go and that is the thing that you need to offer. It’s very conceivable that over a fourth of individuals who made a buy from your site would do it again in the event that you reach them again with a decent arrangement.
The principal deal you make is the most critical but at the same time, it’s costly. Henceforth, you’ll need to offer them related things that work out in a good way for their buy and send redeemable coupons to guarantee that they return. On the off chance that you reward them with motivations to purchase once more, your clients make certain to be faithful to your image.
Despite the fact that the online-world is confronted paced and dynamic, it isn’t the situation for business sectors and organizations that are working through the web. The fundamental parts of beginning productive online business areas yet equivalent to previously. | https://medium.com/@abahfrankie/a-successful-online-business-how-to-start-one-12093a676ea2 | ['Frank Abah'] | 2020-12-16 20:04:02.365000+00:00 | ['Online Marketing', 'Make Money Online', 'Digital Marketing', 'Online Business'] |
Should You Accept Equity As Compensation? A Beginner’s Guide | By Michael Solomon, 10x Management Co-Founder
Startups often lure in star employees with the promise of equity. Why? A lot of startups are short on cash but can issue shares at will and have equity to hand out.
I recently helped a client negotiate his full-time employment agreement with a newly funded startup doing exactly that: providing equity in lieu of higher compensation. We normally deal in freelancers, but increasingly we are being asked to lend our negotiating skills for full-time employment contracts. In the words of our client, “the agent is emotionally detached from the negotiation, and so can provide much more rational advice and action than I could on my own.”
In this particular case, we had already worked with this gentleman for years, and it was my pleasure to help.
The company was a newly funded startup, and the basic terms of the deal he was offered were perfectly acceptable:
Salary was ~35% below his market rate as a chief technology officer (CTO).
The low salary was being offset with a reasonable chunk of equity.
When I dug deeper into the structure of the deal and the kind of equity being offered, I was concerned.
First, I discovered that the company was not offering equity but rather options to purchase equity.
Second, the options being offered were in a different class of equity than the founders.
Third, the terms on the option plan required that the employee exercise their options within 60 days of leaving the company. So my client would have to purchase equity without knowing if the company will be successful and if the equity will have any value.
We were not okay with these terms, and we offered three solutions:
The company pays for the options to be purchased, saving the employee the cost of exercising and de-risking them. The company lends the money for the options to be purchased until they can be liquidated. The company extends the option period for 10 years (instead of 60 days) so the employee doesn’t have to exercise his option until there is a clear value for them.
The company rejected all three solutions. Even when presented with practical research, we ran into a wall. When you are dealing with a hardball negotiation and facing unfavorable terms, it is crucial that you — the wouldbe employee — take charge and either walk away or bring in an agent to help. It is easy to think that stock options won’t matter in the long run, but why then take a lower salary in the first place? Why take a lower salary for a lottery ticket if you can’t win with the ticket?
With my help, we eventually reached an agreeable compromise. The company agreed to a 5 year exercise period. In other words, once our client eventually leaves this employer, the client will have five years to decide whether to exercise the options. This makes accepting a lower salary more logical.
Regardless, the company’s initial reluctance to compromise signaled poorly to our side. At best it signaled a culture of rigidity; at worse, it implied employees are meant to be exploited. Who wants to work in an environment like that?
Your employees are the key to your success and finding good ones is very hard. When you finally find someone with the right skills and the right culture fit, you should work to bring them in feeling good and committed to your mission. If you make a mistake, you have recourse.
Smart entrepreneurs know that finding good employees is not possible without fair, clear, and mutually beneficial deals. They should not take advantage of wouldbe employees with shady deals and convoluted contracts. If you feel like you’re being taken for a ride, consult an expert or seek outside help. Ask around about other comparative deals. You might be amazed at how much you learn.
At 10x Management, we work with smart entrepreneurs who wish to prioritize both speed and quality via best-in-class freelancers. They don’t rush hiring decisions (4–8 months for many W2 searches) because they know hiring is too important to shortcut. So they engage freelancers to move quickly while running a good parallel hiring process to get the right full-time employees. None of that is possible without fair, clear mutually beneficial deals. The cash components of those deals typically are easy to follow — the equity, not so much.
Michael Solomon is an established entrepreneur and the founder of 10x Management, a prominent tech talent agency. He remains a sought-after voice in the business technology world and makes frequent appearances on Bloomberg Television, MSNBC, and BBC. Michael’s sharp eye for business has helped 10x Management revolutionize the technology sphere. | https://medium.com/10x-management/should-you-accept-equity-as-compensation-a-beginners-guide-9e317e16aa1d | ['Michael Solomon'] | 2018-05-03 17:45:31.700000+00:00 | ['Hiring', 'Job Hunting', 'Equity', 'Venture Capital', 'Startup'] |
Actually, It’s NOT all About the Present Moment | Is the whole ‘present moment’ thing 𝙣𝙤𝙩 working for you? Keep reading.
In Spiritual circles + the mindfulness movement you’ve probably heard phrases along the lines of:
“Just be in the present.”
“The only time is now.”
“All of your worries + fears are because of the past and future.”
NOW there is Truth to these statements AND when these phrases have been shared with me I’ve also felt an energy of judgement, shaming, superiority and dismissiveness. I can see usually the person who was sharing with me was trying to help me by reminding me of this Truth AND there was a complete lack of compassion around my humanness and my experience. Have you experienced that too?
Here’s what I’ve discovered around this teaching:
It’s not ONLY about the present moment as we’ve been sold. It’s very much about the present 𝘼𝙉𝘿 the past 𝘼𝙉𝘿 the future. That is our gift as humans. We consciously evolve through reflecting + dreaming. The past & future cultivate our awareness so we can choose differently in the present moment to align with our Soul + Source.
TWO STEPS TO USE YOUR PAST + FUTURE to unlock your most expansive self yet:
1️⃣Suffering from ruminating on the past? ASK: what is the lesson here? What can I learn from this experience? What is my role in this scenario? Is there a pattern? How do I want to handle a similar situation in the future?
2️⃣Lacking hope + excitement towards the future? Schedule time ( SERIOUSLY — block off 10 minutes today ) and daydream. What are your dreams, desires + fears for the next day? month? 3 years? What brings fire into your heart?
We consciously evolve through presently being NOT in the present moment. Ya feel?
x Serena
@serenavamoroso | https://medium.com/@serenavamoroso/actually-its-not-all-about-the-present-moment-9283faac371b | ['Serena V Amoroso'] | 2020-12-20 16:26:47.652000+00:00 | ['Meditation', 'Spirituality', 'Mindset', 'Therapy', 'Mindfulness'] |
Ditching my MacBook Pro on Business Trips for an iPad Pro+Raspberry Pi | The Steps
Setup Raspberry Pi Connecting over USB-C Install Python, Jupyter notebooks, and other stuff Preparing an exFAT external drive (optional) Play!
Setting up the Raspberry Pi 🥧
To get started I bought my Raspberry Pi (version 4) on Amazon along with an microSD card, USB-C cable, and nice minimal aluminum enclosure. I also bought a USB-C hub so I could connect the Raspberry Pi to my iPad and charge at the same time. Setup was pretty easy, I just connected the microSD to my desktop computer, downloaded the Raspberry Pi Imager, and used it to choose the Raspberry Pi OS Lite image (since I didn’t need a full desktop).
After the card was setup, I went ahead and remounted it on my desktop. This gave me access to the /boot partition. I used the guide from Ben Hardill to setup networking over the USB-C port on the Raspberry Pi. I needed to do two key things to make this work: 1) create an empty file named “ssh” in the boot partition (this ensures that ssh is active on boot) and 2) when I put the card in the Raspberry Pi and booted for the first time, I made sure I plugged in ethernet so I’d have a way to reach the Raspberry Pi. By connecting the ethernet port to my network, I was able to ssh to the Raspberry Pi to complete the setup in Ben’s guide. That allowed me to continue the configuration using the raspi-config as well. For example, I setup WiFi so the Raspberry Pi will connect to my home wifi when available (I just have to plug it into any USB-C charger and I can use it without a direct connection to my iPad). I also changed the default password too, something that’s important since it’s now on my wifi network. I didn’t have a micro HDMI to HDMI cable available so being able to do all of this configuration over an SSH connection was great!
raspi-config
Connecting Over USB-C
At this point all the setup was done and I shutdown the Raspberry Pi (sudo poweroff) and unplugged it from ethernet. I then plugged in my USB-C hub to my iPad, connected it to power and the Raspberry Pi over it’s USB-C cable, and it promptly booted. You can see in Tech Craft’s video it shows up as a Ethernet device:
The USB-C ethernet config in the iPad’s System Settings
So my iPad has an IP address of 10.55.0.5 on this self-contained network. You can probably see where this is going, I can now ssh to Raspberry Pi using this network (if you’re connecing over wifi you’re going to need to figure out what IP address it gets from your home network, most routers let you see the devices on the network, look for “raspberry”). I use Blink, an absolutely fantastic SSH client for iOS. Totally worth the price, I can’t recommend it enough!
So the moment of truth, I open up Blink and type:
blink> ssh [email protected]
And I’m in!
Installing Stuff
At this point I’ve got a working Raspberry Pi happily connected to my iPad! This is where Tech Craft and Ben’s instructions leave me and I pick up with my own configuration.
Mosh
The first thing I really love to install on a new Linux box/VM is Mosh. This nifty little tool works on top of SSH and ensures flakey connections are stable and can be automatically reconnected if they drop. It’s super robust, you can put your iPad to sleep and, hours later, resume the connection automatically to your remote VM/Linux host. Really nifty! Of course, it’s not really required here since I’m connecting over a USB-C cable. But still, why not! On my Raspberry Pi:
pi@raspberrypi:~ $ sudo apt install mosh
To test this, here’s how I connected via Mosh instead of ssh from my Blink session:
blink> mosh [email protected]
Now I can put my iPad to sleep when I need to and when I switch back to Blink my connection is automatically restored.
Git, Python3, and Jupyter Notebooks
These days I don’t really code in large, shared projects. Really I do light prototyping, hacking, some shell and Python scripts, and Jupyter Notebooks mainly. So my development needs on my Rapsberry Pi are very modest.
I’ll start with Git, Python, some Python libraries, and some dev tools. I mosh’d to my Raspberry Pi and used apt to install:
pi@raspberrypi:~ $ sudo apt install git tmux python3-numpy python3-pandas python3-sklearn python3-matplotlib python3-seaborn python3-jupyter-core python3-pip python3-notebook jupyter
Conda
On my desktop I use Anaconda (and the bundled conda command) to setup distinct Python environments for every script I work with. This really helps compartmentalize things in case a given script has different requirements than another project. But it doesn’t exactly look well supported on the Raspberry Pi. Seems like there’s miniconda, which looks like it was last updated in 2015, and berryconda, which is no longer being updated. Still, I went ahead and installed miniconda, I found Data Addict’s guide extremely useful here.
pi@raspberrypi:~ $ wget http://repo.continuum.io/miniconda/Miniconda3-latest-Linux-armv7l.sh pi@raspberrypi:~ $ sudo md5sum Miniconda3-latest-Linux-armv7l.sh # this should be a01cbe45755d576c2bb9833859cf9fd7 pi@raspberrypi:~ $ sudo /bin/bash Miniconda3-latest-Linux-armv7l.sh
The miniconda installer will ask where you want to install conda to, like Data Addict’s guide, I used /home/pi/miniconda3. I then made sure the bin directory was added to the pi user’s path and that the miniconda directory was owned by pi:
pi@raspberrypi:~ $ sudo chown -R pi:pi miniconda3
pi@raspberrypi:~ $ echo 'export PATH="/home/pi/miniconda3/bin:$PATH"' >> /home/pi/.bashrc
So this provides Python 3.4.3 but to get 3.5 and 3.6 I had to use berryconda (again, this makes me nervous since it’s no longer maintained):
pi@raspberrypi:~ $ conda config --add channels rpi
Anyway, I’m now able to create a self-contained conda environment and use that for Python script development:
pi@raspberrypi:~ $ conda create --name py366 python=3.6.6
And to activate the environment I do:
pi@raspberrypi:~ $ source activate py366
I can go crazy at this point and install whatever I want with pip, ensuring I’m not going to break another Python dependency for another tool or script.
Docker
No development environment would be complete without Docker. Again, I’m following the guide by Data Addict which uses the install script from Docker Inc.
pi@raspberrypi:~ $ curl -fsSL get.docker.com -o get-docker.sh && sh get-docker.sh
pi@raspberrypi:~ $ sudo usermod -aG docker pi
I had to reboot after the usermod command above to get everything to work. I was then able to run the following command which showed everything was working correctly:
pi@raspberrypi:~ $ docker run hello-world
Preparing an exFAT external drive
I had a SanDisk USB-C hard drive and I wanted to format this as exFAT so I could use it on Linux, Windows, and MacOS. I needed to install the exFAT utils to get this to work, see this tutorial from PyMyLifeUp:
pi@raspberrypi:~ $ sudo apt-get install exfat-fuse exfat-utils
I then looked for the device the Raspberry Pi used for the hard drive when I plugged it into the USB port on the Pi.
pi@raspberrypi:~ $ lsblk
NAME MAJ:MIN RM SIZE RO TYPE MOUNTPOINT
sda 8:0 0 1.8T 0 disk
└─sda1 8:1 0 1.8T 0 part
mmcblk0 179:0 0 366.8G 0 disk
├─mmcblk0p1 179:1 0 256M 0 part /boot
└─mmcblk0p2 179:2 0 366.6G 0 part /
And from that info I was able to format the hard drive:
pi@raspberrypi:~ $ sudo mkfs.exfat /dev/sda1
mkexfatfs 1.3.0
Creating... done.
Flushing... done.
File system created successfully.
It should be automatically mounted when plugged in but, if it’s not, the tutorial above has instructions on mounting and also adding to the /etc/fstab file that allows you to easily mount in the future. Key command is ‘sudo blkid’ to get the drive’s ID which you can then put in an fstab line like this one (replace the UUID with what you got from blkid):
UUID="0E13-5B5D" /media/exfat exfat defaults,uid=1000,gid=1000,nofail,noauto 0 0
And then I just mounted using the command:
pi@raspberrypi:~ $ sudo mount /media/exfat
Play!
At this point, I can finally try out my little development environment. I’m going to spin up a Jupyter Notebook server and run a basic notebook that’s used in several tutorials online.
pi@raspberrypi:~ $ jupyter notebook --ip 10.55.0.1
This will print a URL to connect to, I then opened http://10.55.0.1:8888… using the URL that was printed and was able to use Jupyter Notebook to create a new notebook. I then used code snippets from an online tutorial to test out the various libraries I installed earlier. Unfortunately, I can’t seem to find the link to this tutorial but you can see below I was able to run through it and things like matplotlib and numpy worked as expected! | https://medium.com/@briandoconnor/ditching-my-macbook-pro-on-business-trips-for-an-ipad-pro-raspberry-pi-79988b5dc78d | ["Brian O'Connor"] | 2020-12-27 04:29:26.752000+00:00 | ['iPad', 'Linux', 'Bioinformatics', 'Science', 'Raspberry Pi'] |
8 Types of Sampling Techniques | 8 Types of Sampling Techniques
Image from Author
Sampling is the process of selecting a subset(a predetermined number of observations) from a larger population. It’s a pretty common technique wherein, we run experiments and draw conclusions about the population, without the need of having to study the entire population. In this blog, we will go through two types of sampling methods:
Probability Sampling —Here we choose a sample based on the theory of probability. Non-Probability Sampling — Here we choose a sample based on non-random criteria, and not every member of the population has a chance of being included.
Random Sampling
Under Random sampling, every element of the population has an equal probability of getting selected. Below fig. shows the pictorial view of the same — All the points collectively represent the entire population wherein every point has an equal chance of getting selected.
Random Sampling
You can implement it using python as shown below —
import random population = 100
data = range(population) print(random.sample(data,5))
> 4, 19, 82, 45, 41
Stratified Sampling
Under stratified sampling, we group the entire population into subpopulations by some common property. For example — Class labels in a typical ML classification task. We then randomly sample from those groups individually, such that the groups are still maintained in the same ratio as they were in the entire population. Below fig. shows a pictorial view of the same — We have two groups with a count ratio of x and 4x based on the colour, we randomly sample from yellow and green sets separately and represent the final set in the same ratio of these groups.
Stratified Sampling
You can implement it very easily using python sklearn lib. as shown below —
from sklearn.model_selection import train_test_split
stratified_sample, _ = train_test_split(population, test_size=0.9, stratify=population[['label']])
print (stratified_sample)
You can also implement it without the lib., read this.
Cluster Sampling
In Cluster sampling, we divide the entire population into subgroups, wherein, each of those subgroups has similar characteristics to that of the population when considered in totality. Also, instead of sampling individuals, we randomly select the entire subgroups. As can be seen in the below fig. that we had 4 clusters with similar properties (size and shape), we randomly select two clusters and treat them as samples.
Cluster Sampling
Real-Life example — Class of 120 students divided into groups of 12 for a common class project. Clustering parameters like (Designation, Class, Topic) are all similar over here as well.
You can implement it using python as shown below —
import numpy as np clusters=5
pop_size = 100
sample_clusters=2 #assigning cluster ids sequentially from 1 to 5 on gap of 20
cluster_ids = np.repeat([range(1,clusters+1)], pop_size/clusters) cluster_to_select = random.sample(set(cluster_ids), sample_clusters) indexes = [i for i, x in enumerate(cluster_ids) if x in cluster_to_select] cluster_associated_elements = [el for idx, el in enumerate(range(1, 101)) if idx in indexes] print (cluster_associated_elements)
Systematic Sampling
Systematic sampling is about sampling items from the population at regular predefined intervals(basically fixed and periodic intervals). For example — Every 5th element, 21st element and so on. This sampling method tends to be more effective than the vanilla random sampling method in general. Below fig. shows a pictorial view of the same — We sample every 9th and 7th element in order and then repeat this pattern.
Systematic Sampling
You can implement it using python as shown below —
population = 100
step = 5 sample = [element for element in range(1, population, step)]
print (sample)
Multistage sampling
Under Multistage sampling, we stack multiple sampling methods one after the other. For example, at the first stage, cluster sampling can be used to choose clusters from the population and then we can perform random sampling to choose elements from each cluster to form the final set. Below fig. shows a pictorial view of the same —
Multi-stage Sampling
You can implement it using python as shown below — | https://towardsdatascience.com/8-types-of-sampling-techniques-b21adcdd2124 | ['Prakhar Mishra'] | 2021-06-10 16:58:27.758000+00:00 | ['Statistics', 'Python', 'Data Science', 'Probability', 'Machine Learning'] |
👀Huobi x CoinMarketCal👀A Coin To Keep An Eye On! | CoinMarketCal has selected ATOM as the coin to keep an eye on this week!
🔹What is (Cosmos) ATOM?
The Cosmos (ATOM) is a cryptocurrency that is positioning itself as a decentralized network of independent blockchains that operate on the basis of Byzantine fault tolerance algorithms (BFT). Tendermint BFT is a byzantine fault-tolerant consensus engine that powers Cosmos Proof-of-Stake. These blockchains interact with each other through the Cosmos network, called the “Internet of blockchains.” Cosmos Hub is the first blockchain launched in Cosmos, and its main task is to interconnect other blockchains in the ecosystem. Tokens can be safely and quickly transferred from one blockchain to another within the Cosmos Hub.
ATOM | USDT 1D Oct 4th 20:20 EDT
📅Event: On Oct 5th Cosmos had an AMA with @chjango about Cosmos with @kyle_vbc.
📈Analysis
After a meteoric 245% rise in July alone, ATOM has almost fully retraced and could form a reversal.
The bullish trendline, consolidation area, and 62% fib retracement converge near a former price inefficiency near $4.256. This level provided support — and also provided the base to what many traders may view as a potential inverse head and shoulders pattern reversal.
Bulls might take positions in the current area or on a pullback toward the previous week’s low. Targets include a previous week’s high and probable resistance levels up to $6.978.
Bears could enter near the bearish trendline and a previous week’s high near $5.596. Targets range from the previous weekly low down to price inefficiency near $4.304.
🔹Trade ATOM on Huobi
👀Follow Us On Twitter @HuobiGlobal + @CoinMarketCal
👀www.huobi.com; coinmarketcal.com
Risk Reminder:
1. Trading in digital assets comes with high risks due to huge price fluctuations. Users should be fully aware of the risks associated with digital asset trading and make prudent trading decisions.
2. Huobi Global’s announcements and information do not constitute investment advice, and Huobi will not bear responsibility or provide compensation for direct or indirect losses arising from trading decisions whilst relying on this information. | https://medium.com/huobi-global/huobi-x-coinmarketcal-a-coin-to-keep-an-eye-on-ca0e367f39a1 | ['Huobi Global'] | 2020-10-06 03:19:04.888000+00:00 | ['Huobi', 'Buyatom', 'Coinmarketcal', 'Cryptocurrency', 'Cosmos'] |
Handwritten Digit Recognition on MNIST dataset | In this Blog, I will explain basic digit recognition using Logistic Regression as well as LinearSVC. But note that there are many classification algorithms( SGD, SVM, RandomForest, etc) which can be trained on this dataset including deep learning algorithms (CNN).
Let’s understand from basic and analyse the accuracy of both method.
MNIST Dataset
What is MNIST?
MNIST is a dataset of 70,000 images of digit handwritten by high school students and employees of the US Census Bureau. All images are labelled with the respective digit they represent. MNIST is the hello world of machine learning.
There are 70,000 images and each image has 784 (28*28) features. Each image is 28*28 pixels, and each feature simply represents one pixel’s intensity from 0 (white) to 255 (black).
28*28=784 pixels [ 1 D array ]
Step:1 Import Dataset
One thing I want to share is while importing MNIST dataset, I have faced one error shown in below image. This happen because as time change some method will also change. So I solved it by typing fetch_openml(‘mnist_784’)
Error while Load Dataset
Successfully Load Data
Step: 2 Analyse the Data
Here, Data is 1D array which size is 784.
Data [70,000 1D array]
Label is in object format. So, for build predictions of digit, we have to convert it into integer format.
Label of Each Image
Shape:
Step: 3 Let’s plot one 1D array on plot.
I have taken 2600th image of dataset.
Note that → Here, interpolation=’nearest’ simply displays an image without trying to interpolate between pixels if the display resolution is not the same as the image resolution. It will result an image in which pixels are displayed as a square of multiple pixels.
There is no relation between interpolation=’nearest’ and the grayscale image being displayed in color. By default imshow uses the jet colormap to display an image. If you want it to be displayed in greyscale, call the gray() method to select the gray colormap.
Label of 2600th image is ‘9’ and we can also see clearly.
Step: 4 Split the Dataset in train and test
Case: 1 By LinearSVC()
Let’s consider first 5000 images because if I train my model on 70,000 images then it will be very time consuming. You can try shuffle the Data for better accuracy of model.
Since there are 10 digits (0–9), we need a multi-class classifier. The Linear SVM that comes with sklearn can perform multi-class classification.
Prediction of Data
As we can see that the svc estimator has learned correctly. It is able to recognize the handwritten digits, interpreting correctly all nine digits of the validation set.
Case: 2 Create a 9 detector model using Logisctic regression
[ choose_one_digit=2600]
We can conclude that predicted value for this image nine is true.
Step: 5 Calculate Accuracy of both model
a is calculation of linearSVC and b is calculation of Logistic regression.
Output:
Accuracy of LinearSVC
Accuracy of Logistic regression for 9 digit
Conclusion: Average Accuracy of LinearSCV= 0.82,Average Accuracy of Logistic Regression= 0.93
GithHub Link with description : digit_recognition_mnistdata.ipynb
I am thankful to mentors at suvenconsultants for providing awesome problem statements and giving many of us a Coding Internship Exprience. Thank you Suvenconsultants. | https://medium.com/@ishika-tailor/handwritten-digit-recognition-on-mnist-dataset-61b8d6a884b8 | ['Ishika Tailor'] | 2020-10-11 11:34:35.669000+00:00 | ['Logistic Regression', 'Data Science', 'Machine Learning', 'Digit Recognition'] |
Don’t ditch your pandemic pivots. | Don’t ditch your pandemic pivots.
Photo by Henrik Dønnestad on Unsplash
The observations I’ve stated in this article were made from within the coffee industry and will not apply to all industries, but even if you’re in a different industry, you should still find some takeaways from this article.
Though we can’t quite see the end of this pandemic, with multiple vaccines being rolled out worldwide, there is a bright light at the end of the tunnel, and it might not be long before we return to our pre-pandemic ways of life.
Worldwide restrictions and lockdowns have forced many businesses to explore additional sales channels or change the way they operate entirely. Although it’s been stressful for many (to say the least), and unfortunately meant the death of business for others, for many of those that were able to adapt their operations and embrace the change, their pivots have kept them afloat. Not only has it kept them afloat, but many have experienced a growth in audience, and sales. So why has the pandemic slaughtered some businesses, and blessed others? I found this a particularly interesting question, considering the customer demand within the (coffee) industry has remained relatively unchanged. After pondering this on/off for the past few months, my thoughts let me to one word, and one word only.
Accessibility.
The varying range of restrictions we’ve all faced, forced us to find ways of making our businesses more accessible to our customers. For the majority, this meant taking things online and offering a varying array of delivery/collection options. It makes sense, right? Our customers can’t get to us like they used to (or at least not as easily), so we have to go to them.
Of course, this is no revelation. It’s pretty obvious we won’t make sales if our audience can’t get to us. That’s why no one opens a coffee shop at the bottom of the ocean (though that’d be cool). So, here’s the headline. Why does it take a pandemic for us to think about accessibility?
The majority of us have one way to serve our customers, and we just sort of expect that to be enough. This matter isn’t just about being accessible to those that fill the stereotype of disability, this is about being accessible to everyone. We all have different needs and abilities, some of these even change over time. One week we may be able to go physically into a store and get what we want, and the next week we may not have the time, the confidence, geographical or physical ability. The truth is, there are too many reasons why someone may not be able to be your customer today, even if they desperately want to be.
When we do reach the other side of this awful pandemic, it’s highly likely that more of your customers/potential customers than ever before, will be struggling with their mental health. The changes you make to your business, by thinking carefully about how to be accessible to everyone, can genuinely be the helping hand that someone needs to lift them out of the darkness. At the very least, you’ll create a space where people feel like they’re welcome. A place where people feel like they’re seen, and accepted as they are, regardless of their current, or life-long levels of ability.
I urge you to keep your “pandemic pivots”, your collection services, online stores, digital queues, and spacious counters, because COVID-19 and government restrictions aren’t the only reasons restricting someone’s ability to be a customer of yours. | https://medium.com/opening-the-cupboard/dont-ditch-your-pandemic-pivots-5a1e972f0157 | ['James William'] | 2020-12-28 20:06:47.841000+00:00 | ['Coffee', 'Connection', 'Accessibility', 'Mental Health', 'Pandemic'] |
The Case For Vivun Inc. | Silicon Valley is overlooking a multi-billion dollar opportunity.
While the general public is enthralled with consumer-centric applications, Enterprise Software companies remain the real workhorse of the Valley. They focus on:
Using new tech to automate existing business processes. Think SAP moving logistics from paper to computers, then to the cloud. Making day to day tasks easier. We’d all rather get a contract through Docusign than a fax machine. Changing the way departments work together. Like it or not, Slack has become ubiquitous with workplace collaboration and communication.
The most successful players do all three.
Over the last decade, I’ve seen the inner workings of thousands of companies from Series A startups to Fortune 100 enterprises. A silent truth remains pervasive across all industries and geographies; Sales is never satisfied with Product.
It should be no surprise that this friction exists. Sales and Product departments have different priorities, are held to different KPI’s, and have different budgets. Sales is trying to close business today while Product is trying to build for the next five years.
Transforming the way Sales and Product teams work together is an opportunity to address all three major Enterprise Software value strategies. Tens of millions of Sales (Account Executives, Account Managers, Presales Engineers, etc.) and Product professionals feel the friction regardless of company size.
Now, imagine a newly hired sales rep who wakes up to a pipeline of the best opportunities to work or prospects to call based on the capabilities included in the latest product release.
Envision a company who makes all product build decisions collaboratively, based on data — not tenure, not “gut feel” — to meet corporate objectives with conviction.
Visualize sales and product organizations working toward common revenue objectives with the ability to measure the financial impact of every product release.
Companies who can transform the way their sales and product teams work together can simply grow faster than their peers. They will build the right products at the right time; support more quota carrying sales reps with the same budget; and make it easier to find revenue by focusing on the right opportunities.
So why hasn’t this been done?
As with any Enterprise Software solution, it needs a clearly defined owner. But who is the logical owner of the critical connection between Sales and Product? The answer is Presales; and they’re underutilized in your organization.
The perception is that Presales delivers product demonstrations. But Presales can do more. They are experts in the product and are on every sales call. They are in the best position to understand market needs and scrutinize the sales forecast. They are frequently understaffed and can use automation to support more quota carrying sales reps.
We created Vivun Inc. because we believe all companies can be transformed by changing the way departments work together to get jobs done. We’re launching our first product, Hero by Vivun, with a simple mission: Transform the way product and sales teams work together to ignite growth for any company.
The Presales team is the owner of Hero; with Sales, Product, Account Management, and Executive Leadership as additional beneficiaries.
Hero by Vivun is the nexus of Product and Sales. These are the critical capabilities:
Provide an intuitive way to capture the needs of customers to make build decisions with conviction, backed by data
Quantify the quality of sales opportunities using algorithms based on the only data set to capture product to prospect fit
Measure the impact of every product release on revenue
Discover and serve up relevant sales opportunities based on product releases
Automate Presales operations to support more quota capacity with less headcount
Our novel approach combines the world of Sales from a CRM like Salesforce.com to the world of Product from a PLM like Jira by Atlassian.
We want to transform how Product and Sales work together. Do you?
Get started today at https://vivun.co/pricing | https://medium.com/@matt.darrow/the-case-for-vivun-inc-a724b72a7fe2 | ['Matt Darrow'] | 2019-02-01 19:55:42.702000+00:00 | ['Sales', 'Software', 'Presales', 'Salesforce', 'Product Management'] |
DUCAP Methodology | Possibly Nigeria’s solution to persistent project failure and abandonment
Bridge to nowhere. Source: Stears Business
Project Abandonment in Nigeria
It is a sad feature that the Nigerian project landscape is littered with about 56,000 failed or abandoned projects. All were commissioned by various Nigerian administrations as far back as 1962 to present day. One prominent issue is that administrations are not held accountable for project completion or abandonment. New administrations initiate new projects without consideration of the pending or ongoing projects.
From railroads to steel mills, highways to airports and many more, these abandoned projects all have a combined estimated value of about 17 Trillion Naira and projection of more than 30 years duration required to complete them. This figure is incredibly more than the Nigerian Federal Government budget for 2 years!
It is more disheartening that majority of these projects if completed, would be done at costs exceeding several times the initial budget and even when completed, the projects would be obsolete by the delivery time. Such a colossal waste can not be sustained while the country is burdened by unemployment, wide-spread poverty and underdevelopment.
It is often argued that organized corruption in government, interference and forceful takeover are some of the major reasons for this ugly trend. However research carried out by the Chartered Institute of Project Managers of Nigeria (CIPMN) has shown that while corruption plays a role, a more significant factor for project failure and abandonment in Nigeria is the lack of, and non-adherence to proven project management methodology during the initiation, planning, execution and monitoring of the project. Even in cases where project management methodology is applied, these methodology are not well suited for the uniqueness of the Nigerian project environment.
CIPMN Mandate
CIPMN among other things, is saddled with the responsibility of supervising, regulating, training and licensing all project management practitioners operating in Nigeria, and most importantly, prohibit non-CIPMN certified members from being appointed to head any project management team of any organization in Nigeria both in the private and public sector. To be able to do this, CIPMN will periodically organize and train project managers and project team members on relevant project management methodology with respect to the clime.
What is Project Management and Project Management Methodology?
Project management in simple terms is a critical practice that applies knowledge of process, skills, tools, deliverables, and techniques to project activities to ensure a solid path to project success by meeting goals and requirements. While a project management methodology is essentially a set of guiding principles and processes for managing a project.
There are lots of project management types, but 7 primary ones that are used the most often are;
Waterfall Project Management. Agile Project Management. Scrum Project Management. Kanban Project Management. Lean Project Management. Six Sigma Project Management. PRINCE2 Project Management.
These methodologies have been proven to be successful in delivering projects worldwide. However, some elements of these methodologies are not well suited for the Nigerian environment.
After years of research in the background, the Chartered Institute of Project Managers of Nigeria (CIPMN), taking into consideration the uniqueness of the Nigerian social, cultural, political and religious diversity produced a project management methodology called DUCAP (Delivering Unified Controlled Agile Projects). DUCAP was officially unveiled on the 3rd of December 2020 by the Governing Council of CIPMN after years of research, development and consultation by industry experts, academics, government agencies, private sector stakeholders and the governing council of CIPMN.
Why DUCAP?
DUCAP holds the promising vision that the application of its unique project management methodology will ensure that the Nigerian projects landscape will begin to witness a new light of project success and delivery.
Although DUCAP is still in its infancy, the robustness of the methodology lies in the incorporation and recognition of the peculiarities of Nigeria such as the sociocultural, religious, political and multi- ethnic diversity into project planning, the consideration of local content framework, the introduction of a project sustainability plan, project justification and project vision as critical aspects that have to be justified as feasible, to warrant project approval in the first instance. It is not just foreign-knowledge based, but a product of thousands of man hours of research by Nigerian professionals designed for Nigeria specifically.
DUCAP methodology is a modification of the agile methodology- where each project life cycle is composed of several iterations or incremental steps towards the completion of a entire project.
Iterative approach in project management is often preferred by Project Managers as it promotes velocity and adaptability. Thus the major benefit of iteration is that you can adjust as you go along rather than following a linear path.
One of the aims of DUCAP’s agile and segmentation approach is to release benefits or deliverables before the entire project is completed, representing a total overhaul of the way projects are delivered in Nigeria.
It is hoped that adherence to DUCAP methodology, backed by its enabling legislature will usher in a new era of successful projects delivery particularly in Nigeria and Africa in general. If all government projects are planned, managed and executed by DUCAP-practicing and CIPMN-certified project managers, the future of project delivery in Nigeria is expected to have a positive outlook.
The challenge and focus is now on CIPMN to deliver on its promises and get DUCAP’s guiding principles to be implemented and operational as soon as possible on future projects in Nigeria. This could just be the much needed turn around the country needs to forestall project abandonment and failure. | https://medium.com/@inemistephen/ducap-methodology-616907501feb | ['Inemi Stephen'] | 2020-12-19 08:42:21.009000+00:00 | ['Nigeria', 'Planning', 'Underdevelopment', 'Economics', 'Project Management'] |
8 Ways to Handle your Picky Eaters 🍉 | Picky eaters are the most common traits that toddlers have. Especially when they are starting to develop their taste. They become choosy and try to skip eating time. Sometimes they come up with unreasonable explanations or tantrums for not eating.
If your baby loves carrots one day but pushes them away from the next, or if you find yourself begging your little one to eat, you’re not alone.
Research shows that about 20% of parents say their 2- to 5-year-olds are picky eaters. Most will eventually outgrow it, but what’s a parent to do in the meantime?
Here are some tips that can help you get through the picky eater stage.
1. Serve them a variety of different foods: Who doesn’t like to eat a different variety every day. And same goes for our kids. They need some variation like different colors, shapes, aroma, texture, etc. so that they don’t get bored of eating the same food.
2. Serve new food at least 10–15 times: We often get disappointed when our kids don’t want to try a new food or make their decision even without seeing what you’re serving to them. But don’t lose hope because research shows that children need to be offered a new food as many as 10–15 times before they will eat it.
3. Serve Mix food: To make your picky eaters fall for new food, you must try to identify healthy foods your child loves and mix them often throughout the week. We are sure they will love ❤️ it.
4. Stick to Mealtime: Try to serve meals and snacks at about the same times every day. Because it will help you in setting expectations in front of kids and they will be well prepared for the mealtime. You can also provide milk or juice with the food, but offer water between meals and snacks.
5. Serve Healthy Dips: Being a parent we always strive for a perfect healthy meal for our kids. Sometimes our kids demand unhealthy food like french fries, Pizza, etc. But if that’s the case, then don’t need to worry, you can still make it a healthy one. Use healthy dips such as yogurt, hummus, apple dips, or low-fat salad dressings along with it to encourage children to eat fruits, vegetables, and meats.
6. Don’t make food a Reward: Giving sweets, chips, or junk food as a reward often leads to overeating. Sometimes kids take this privilege to eat when they’re not hungry to reward themselves.
7. Start with a Small Portion: Don’t jump into introducing new food to your kids. Because if you do that then chances are they might start making excuses. So, better to introduce a new food in small portions just like in the form of dip, smoothies, or side dishes.
Young children often touch or smell new foods, and might even put tiny bits in their mouths and then take them back out again. Your child might need repeated exposure to a new food before he or she takes the first bite.
8. Try with Smoothies: You can try giving fruit or veggies that your kids don’t like into the form of smoothies. We are sure they will not even realize that they have eaten it. 😊 | https://medium.com/@themollycoddle/8-ways-to-handle-your-picky-eaters-a77e78420988 | ['The Molly Coddle'] | 2021-03-11 17:02:14.026000+00:00 | ['Toddlers', 'Kids Food', 'Toddler Tantrums', 'Parenting Advice', 'Parenting'] |
Thank you. I still think of us as the young women we were. | I’m so sorry for your loss, for then and now.
I’m so sorry for your loss, for then and now. | https://medium.com/@tonicrowewriter/thank-you-i-still-think-of-us-as-the-young-women-we-were-75289e047cd0 | ['Toni Crowe'] | 2020-12-08 18:23:36.235000+00:00 | ['Friendship', 'Women', 'Courage', 'Death', 'Love'] |
All Work and No Play | While summer vacation has drawn to a close, most people haven’t even taken anytime off. The Time magazine article, “Save the American Vacation” states that only 87% of full-time workers get paid vacation and only 34% of part-time employees. Workers feel worn out from all their work, but won’t take vacations in fear of seaming lazy or getting behind on projects. Workers should get more paid vacation days in America because it increases worker happiness and productivity and because other countries are showing the benefits of time off.
One of the main reasons American workers don’t take as much time off as they should is because they are afraid of losing promotions due to being seen as lazy. The down side to this is workers are overworking themselves. This overworking just leads to lower quality work, which is detrimental to the employee and the company. If companies encouraged more vacation days, workers would be more inclined to take these days allowing for the companies workers to recharge and produce better work after they come back. As the article states, even when employees take vacations, 61% still do some type of work during their vacation. Companies should be encouraging employees to take vacation days to disconnect from work to keep their workers performing their best.
American workers are suffering the most because many of their european counterparts are already adopting this philosophy of more vacations. Switzerland, Luxembourg, and Norway all guaranteed at least 28 paid days off compared to Americas average of 16 paid days off, which isn’t even guaranteed to all employees. These increased days off also correlate to the fact that these three countries are the top ranking for worker productivity. These statistics show that there isn’t a disadvantage to America adopting this vacation policy.
Compared to European countries, America falls way behind in offering paid vacation day. Having more of these vacation days will help build a more productive workforce by allowing employees to take time to recharge without fearing what’s waiting for them when they come back to their jobs. This practice of vacation days has become a standard across Europe, and it should become a standard in America too. It will help lead to a more productive, happier, and high quality producing workforce, which will help America grow their economy even faster. | https://medium.com/@emmahelen6/all-work-and-no-play-b51922466f54 | ['Emma George'] | 2019-10-14 14:44:56.536000+00:00 | ['Work Life Balance', 'Vacation', 'Work', 'America'] |
10 reasons why New Jersey is the best place to live | 10 reasons why New Jersey is the best place to live
1. New Jersey’s natural beauty is unmatched.
Did you know that New Jersey is one of the most topographically diverse states in the nation? We are blessed with everything from mountainous terrain to the sandy beaches of the Shore. New Jerseyans have their pick of outdoor fun and that diversity is not only inspiring to enjoy, but inspiring to defend. With such natural beauty, we need to do all we can to defend it against rising temperatures, pollution, and natural disasters.
2. Pizza here isn’t just a meal, it’s a lifestyle.
You can’t go wrong with a slice from New Jersey. We are the United States capital of pizza, and there’s no changing our minds on that fact. From a simple slice of plain to all the works, the Garden State knows how to make a pie. And if we’re being honest, no other state even comes close.
3. From Sinatra to Springsteen — talented New Jerseyans are aplenty.
It’s no secret that New Jersey is the birthplace of some of the greatest of all time. Musicians, visual artists, thinkers, and scientists — you name it, so many have made a mark on our culture and have called the Garden State home. From comedians and actors like Danny DeVito to talented musicians and businesswomen like Halsey, it’s clear that New Jersey is a place where stars are born.
4. Getting around? We’ve got it down.
NJ TRANSIT is legendary for so many reasons. And now, with historic investments from Governor Phil Murphy, it’s only going to get better. People across the Garden State have been relying on NJ TRANSIT for nearly 40 years, and the Northeast Corridor for even longer than that! The way New Jerseyans’ travel to and from work, get-togethers, vacation spots (via the Garden State Parkway — what’s your exit?), sporting events, and more will only become safer and more reliable. Being proud of our infrastructure and public transit is just another reason to be proud of being from New Jersey.
5. Our diversity is our strength.
New Jersey is one of the most diverse states in the nation — top five in fact! Many of us have the pleasure of living in neighborhoods that are filled with foods from all over the world, minority-owned small businesses, engaged faith groups, and local leaders that reflect the makeup of New Jersey. Gone are the days when our local government was made up of just the wealthy and well-connected. Governor Murphy often says, “Our diversity is our strength,” and we couldn’t agree more. When the experiences of people from different livelihoods, backgrounds, faiths, and cultures are put together, we learn from each other and create opportunities where we all can thrive.
6. A+ schools full of A+ students and teachers.
Not to brag, but New Jersey’s public school system is no joke. Year after year, New Jersey claims some of the best schools and best school districts in the country. Governor Phil Murphy knows that our students are the future, and that’s why he’s made funding education a top priority. Starting from pre-K all the way to college, he is working to make education not only more affordable but accessible for all. Our young people deserve to be prepared with not only book smarts, but also life skills that will propel them into the future.
7. Pumping our own gas? No way, no how.
It might seem trivial to some, but we take great pride in not pumping our own gas. All that New Jerseyans have to do is pop the tank, say “filler up, regular,” kick back, and relax. You could even use this time to go inside and grab a coffee or a snack. In New Jersey, we’re unique, and this is definitely one way that’s true. But don’t worry if you’re not from here, you’ll catch on quick.
8. We’re a state full of firsts.
North Carolina might be first in flight, but are they first in baseball or drive-in movies? I didn’t think so. Hoboken boasts the location of the first-ever recorded game of baseball in 1846, and what’s more American than baseball? The first drive-in movie was held in Camden County in 1933. In fact, New Jersey is considered the birthplace of the motion picture industry. Thomas Edison (long-time New Jersey resident, btw!), invented his version of the motion picture as well as the phonograph right here in the Garden State. The first blueberry was even cultivated here! This brings us to our next point…
9. Blueberries as big as your thumb!
New Jersey has some of the best produce in the country. Hands down. We are the blueberry capital of the United States and have some of the best tomatoes, cranberries, corn, bell peppers, eggplants, and apples on the market (and that’s not even the whole list!) In fact, New Jersey is home to over 9,000 farms — bet you didn’t know that!
10. We’re moving forward.
With all of the above in consideration, it’s clear that New Jersey is one of the best states to not only live, but also raise a family. Here, you can experience diversity, culture, great food, great transit, and overall, a great life. But there’s still more work to be done. That’s why we’re counting on people like Phil Murphy, Sheila Oliver, and New Jersey Democrats across the state to keep moving us forward. We have so much to be thankful for, but we have to defend it against those who only want to divide us and take us backward. We need to make our state stronger and fairer for everyone so that we all can enjoy the greatest parts of being from New Jersey. | https://medium.com/stronger-fairer-forward/10-reasons-why-new-jersey-is-the-best-place-to-live-369111607e15 | ['Nj Forward'] | 2021-09-05 22:16:15.149000+00:00 | ['New Jersey', 'Pizza', 'Baseball', 'Phil Murphy'] |
Bitcoin, When Moon? | Evidently, the above section highlights our previous updates on the market with a solid track record. But what’s ahead for Bitcoin? Is the chart running out of steam, or are bulls just now waking up?
Technicals
The Short Squeeze we’ve been publishing about is underway and is in the early stages. We’re currently eyeing a resistance of $7290 on BTC. This is a crucial gap-fill, on spot exchange VPVR and CME futures.
We expect the Cryptocurrency to settle between $7,295 and $7,351 in the next 48 hours or sooner, depending on trading volume, which we’ll cover in the next section. | https://medium.com/coin-observatory/bitcoin-when-moon-7ccaf88eec9a | ['Coin Observatory'] | 2018-08-29 22:36:13.162000+00:00 | ['Cryptocurrency', 'Bitcoin', 'Investment'] |
How to Make Stunning Line Charts in R: A Complete Guide with ggplot2 | Make your first line chart
R has a gapminder package you can download. It contains data on life expectancy, population, and GDP between 1952 and 2007. It’s a time-series dataset, which is excellent for line-based visualizations.
Here’s how to load it (and other libraries):
library(dplyr)
library(ggplot2)
library(gapminder)
head(gapminder)
Calling the head() function outputs the first six rows of the dataset. Here’s how they look:
Image 1 — Head of Gapminder dataset (image by author)
R’s widely used package for data visualization is ggplot2 . It’s based on the layering principle. The first layer represents the data, and after that comes a visualization layer (or layers). These two are mandatory for any chart type, and line charts are no exception. You’ll learn how to add additional layers later.
Your first chart will show the population over time for the United States. Columns year and pop are placed on X-axis and Y-axis, respectively:
usa <- gapminder %>%
filter(continent == "Americas", country == "United States")
ggplot(usa, aes(x = year, y = pop)) +
geom_line()
Here’s the corresponding visualization:
Image 2 — Population growth over time in the United States (image by author)
The visualization is informative but as ugly as they come. The following sections will show you how to tweak the visuals. | https://towardsdatascience.com/how-to-make-stunning-line-charts-in-r-a-complete-guide-with-ggplot2-91e5a607ea46 | ['Dario Radečić'] | 2020-12-16 14:48:52.004000+00:00 | ['Data Visualization', 'Ggplot2', 'Towards Data Science', 'R', 'Data Science'] |
Machine Learning Player v1.1 is out! | Hello! Today we are pleased to announce the second release of our Machine Learning Player. As you may already know, ML Player can be used for visualizing the output of machine learning models.
Here are the features that we have added:
ML Player can now be run on Windows, macOS, and Ubuntu (previously, ML Player was exclusive to Ubuntu).
ML Player now supports Object Detection models that return bounding boxes.
You can specify the processing rate: for example, if the processing rate is 1, then every frame is sent to a model. If the processing rate equals 100, then only every 100th frame is sent to a model. If you run ML Player on CPU, it can be useful for increasing FPS.
Fig 1. ML Player on Windows
We have also fixed a couple of bugs, one of them occurred when a user was in the Camera mode.
The slider was fixed as well: navigation was made more precise.
Fig 2. ML Player on macOS
Let’s look closer at bounding boxes. A bounding box is a rectangle that indicates an object in a frame. Bounding boxes are often used for object detection in Machine Learning.
Fig 3. Object Detection in ML Player
There are ML Player demos for all the technologies that we develop. You can download and try them yourself! Here’s the link.
Fig 4. Object Detection in ML Player (2)
If you read our previous article, you should know about plugins. To create a plugin for a model that returns bounding boxes, you need to add a couple of structures to the header file.
struct FrameImage
{
uint8_t *data;
uint64_t frameNumber;
int width;
int height;
int bytesPerLine;
int format;
};
/// required only for plugins that have "return_type": "bounding_boxes"
struct BoundingBox
{
char *className;
float score;
int x1; /// top-left x
int y1; /// top-left y
int x2; /// bottom-right x
int y2; /// bottom-right y
};
/// required only for plugins that have "return_type": "bounding_boxes"
struct BoundingBoxArray
{
int size; /// the size of the array
BoundingBox *boxes;
};
extern "C"
{
PLUGIN_EXPORT void *processFrame(FrameImage *frame); /// frame processing
PLUGIN_EXPORT void release(); /// deallocate resources here
}
Then, just implement the processFrame function that returns a pointer to BoundingBoxArray containing all the bounding boxes for the current frame. You can find more information and examples in the documentation on ML Player.
We hope you found this article interesting! You can download ML Player here. Contact us if you have any questions. See you soon! | https://medium.com/deelvin-machine-learning/machine-learning-player-v1-1-is-out-1e9b1469c144 | ['Viktor Shwartskop'] | 2020-11-17 13:01:09.785000+00:00 | ['Ml Player', 'Machine Learning', 'Object Detection'] |
What foods should you eat more of during pregnancy? · Dr Dad | What foods should you eat more of during pregnancy? · Dr Dad Parenthood May 9·2 min read
Pregnancy cravings call in for some quick snacks but it is beneficial if pregnant women can make that snack healthy not only for the babies but also for them. This guide has been created by gathering all the benefits of different foods that are essential to maintain a healthy pregnancy. Pregnancy requires certain types of nutrition more compared to normal times. Foods such as proteins, vitamins and minerals, and even healthy fats are a must to enhance the growth of your baby. Here are few foods rich in protein and other nutrients which you should consume more.
Protein helps in the effective growth of fetal tissues such as the brain among others.
Protein is a rich source of iron and helps to reduce fatigue, weakness, and even mood swings
You can find meat, chicken, eggs, beans, tofu, and pulses to be rich sources of protein.
Calcium is known to regulate body fluids, enhance muscle and nerve functions, reduces blood clotting, and helps in building babies’ bones and teeth.
Milk and its products, almonds, tofu, eggs, oranges, and even white beans are calcium-rich foods.
It is known to reduce the risks of neural tube defects and incorporate folic acid into the diet.
Green leafy vegetables are very beneficial for pregnant women.
Fruits improve vision and immunity along with boosting tissue development in babies.
Fruits with vitamin C help to boost collagen formation in connective tissues.
Conclusion
Consuming a healthy diet rich in protein, carbohydrates, calcium, vitamins, and different minerals is essential to have a steady and healthy development of the unborn baby.
Related Tags
What to eat while pregnant, Pregnancy superfoods, Fruits not to eat during pregnancy, Foods to avoid during pregnancy, Indian foods to avoid during pregnancy, Pregnancy diet chart month by month, Foods to eat when the pregnant first trimester | https://medium.com/@parenthood7/what-foods-should-you-eat-more-of-during-pregnancy-dr-dad-810811b905f | [] | 2021-06-21 07:31:38.383000+00:00 | ['Parenting', 'Baby', 'Kids', 'Children', 'Parents'] |
Planning for a Home Halloween Party | Punctuality: Guests will always be late. Wishful thinking to have them all arrive on time or even at about the same time. Everyone thinks they are the only one late.
It’s part of the job of the host to be ready early even if no one shows up when the witching hour strikes. We sat in our costumes for almost 2 hours before the first family showed up. They will come in waves so be ready to play host to just one family as well as all the families. Children lives on their own schedule so some families will need to leave much earlier than anticipated. If there are anything like games or group pictures which needs everyone’s presence, take care of it when you can and don’t wait till when the party is officially supposed to end.
Entertainment: It was so much fun researching and planning the games. You will not use most of it though because things don’t pan out like the way you imagined or things just didn’t work out. Improvise!
Unless all the kids are in the exact same age group, it will be almost impossible to find everything entertaining for all the kids at the same time. Don’t expect the older ones to lead the ways, they are their to enjoy themselves and not help babysit. Tying a Jack-o-Lantern Piñata to the tree and having the kids wack at it one by one was the highlight of the games. From the waiting to the anticipation to finally someone blasting open all the goodies inside and onto the floor, it’s the one thing the kids will be talking about for the rest of the night.
Food and drinks: You will over buy on food and drink.
Buy half of whatever you think is needed and this goes for everything from drinks, to snacks to pizza. We had left overs for about 3 days, so if everyone brought half of whatever they bring and we bought half of all the juice, drinks and junk food, it would be perfect. Kids are picky about their candy. I saw the kids sitting in the living room trading candy they got from the piñata. To my surprise, they didn’t want the more expensive candy from Costco and opt for the ones we got a Walmart.
Decorations ideas: are not as easy as it seems when you find a great idea online. Test it out first and have buffer to change up on your original plans. | https://medium.com/@iamvhl/planning-a-home-halloween-party-950ad8c3fb14 | ['Vito Leung'] | 2020-11-14 11:25:01.251000+00:00 | ['Halloween', 'Halloween Decorations', 'Host Party', 'Toddlers', 'Halloween Parties'] |
Four Survival Horror Games I Want Under My Christmas Tree | Four Survival Horror Games I Want Under My Christmas Tree
You should only play these with the lights on
Survival horror games are the best way to experience true fear. Unlike movies, television, or music, survival horror puts you in the shoes of the hero, aka the victim. Need to run away? Nobody else is going to grab that controller. Are you afraid to open the door? Either uninstall or open that door.
Horror games cut both ways. Once you pick one up during a sale it may sit in your library for years to come. Every now and then, however, you get brave enough to turn off the lights, put on a good pair of headphones, and get ready to rock.
Let’s talk about four horror games you should only play with the lights on (unless you’re braver than me).
1. Darkwood
If you like your horror games leaning more on the atmospheric side and less on the jump scares, then look no further than Darkwood. It’s a top-down horror survival game that immerses you in a surreal uncanny environment that’s reminiscent of Silent Hill.
What separates Darkwood from other contemporary survival horror games is its difficulty. Once you make out an enemy through the low-lying noxious fog, you’re already done for.
If you’re a true psychopath you’ll turn the game onto its hardest difficulty where you’ll then encounter a brutal permadeath system.
2. The Evil Within Series
I was hesitant to jump into the Evil Within Series. It comes from the mind behind Resident Evil, Shinji Mikami. Yet it looked pretty samey compared to other survival horrors.
I’m so happy that I was wrong.
The first Evil Within is terrifying. It puts you in a flow state where if you don’t make the right moves you die. Furthermore, it has the ugliest, most sickening creatures ever designed in a game. The Keeper alone (while a clear Pyramid Head homage) is horrendous — in a good way.
Also, the story is a severe mind-meld. It was written by a psychopath for sure. And the second game is just as good if not better.
3. Visage
Modern horror games have all been influenced by one legendary demo: Kojima’s Silent Hills (widely known as P.T.). It’s the best horror game that never was. Yet it still managed to push the boundaries of the genre with its ultra-realistic psychological horror.
SadSquare Studio’s Visage is built on the foundation of Silent Hills, but it does enough to distinguish itself as a terrifying horror game. It feels like the spiritual successor to Silent Hills and is another game that will make you turn on the night-light before you go to bed.
4. Amnesia: The Dark Descent
Amnesia: The Dark Descent is the most terrifying game ever created. And like the revolutionary Silent Hills, this game influenced everything. From building the YouTube careers of Felix Arvid Ulf Kjellberg, better known as PewDiePie, to impacting the genre of survival horror forever.
But back to what really matters: The piss-your-pants horror.
Amnesia is unique, or at least it was at the time before inviting legions of copy-cats, as it’s built on running away and hiding. The monster is so disturbing that your character cannot even look at it for too long or you die.
Plus it has a water mission that still makes me panic as if someone is about to grab me through the screen. Frictional Games had some success before Amnesia, but this game put them on the map for good.
These are four of my favorite survival horror games. Each goes for an incredibly low price around holiday sales (some under $5), so you should keep them all on your radar.
Even if they sit in your library for years to come, you’ll always have some fantastic options for a horror-packed weekend. | https://medium.com/super-jump/four-survival-horror-games-i-want-under-my-christmas-tree-f99dcf98cfd0 | ['Isaiah Mccall'] | 2020-12-10 09:49:57.503000+00:00 | ['Gaming', 'Horror', 'Features', 'Survival Horror', 'Videogames'] |
Why Do They Like it So Much? | 2020_Election_Civil_Unrest
Why does Trump’s base, and the elected Republican officials who are catering to them and their still all-powerful vote, actually seem to like what he’s doing — to somehow enjoy the sacking of their nation — the vandalizing of their vaunted ‘democracy,’ even if (in the case of elected Republican officials) it means their own recent re-elections are cast into doubt, delegitimized and invalidated, along with all the other People’s choices?
In the case of the base: They don’t understand. They don’t know that their as yet all-powerful vote is in the breach, is endangered, and on the brink of being lost forever in a civil disaster and ideological coup — the death of democracy in America. And they don’t care. They only want to land some punches. They are moral “deplorables.” And — morally, ethically, civilly, compassionately, humanely, responsibly and cognitively — they are the ‘lost.’
In the case of the elected Republican representatives: They are so cynical, it is questionable if they even signify as more that cyphers at this point. They knew each and every one of the 60-odd fallacious law suits were absurd, and doomed to fail, but they lusted to sign-on to gain the support, and avoid the violence, abuse and dismissal, of that sad and deluded base.
Because they know it’s a cult — one of their own making — having cultivated it for decades of propagandizing and gerrymandering as ignorant, uneducated, misled, hopped up on fear-based delusion and evangelical hysteria, high on fear and loathing of the ‘Other’ — and they’re afraid of it.
This beast is way, way worse, more malignant, more vast in its import and scope — and more terrifying — than Frankenstein’s monstrous creation. | https://medium.com/@yewtree2/why-do-they-like-it-so-much-50860e550beb | ['Yvonne Owens'] | 2020-12-13 00:25:50.161000+00:00 | ['Propaganda', 'Trump', '2020', 'Civil Rights', 'Republican Party'] |
14 Ways to Protect Your Computer from Viruses | 14 Ways to Protect Your Computer from Viruses Data-Guard365 Follow Feb 9 · 9 min read
Computer viruses are deadly. They often spread without any apparent contact and can be a nuisance, or even worse, fatal to your computer. Individuals who create these viruses, estimated at 10–15 new ones a day, are the electronic version of terrorists. Their goal is to inflict havoc and destruction on as many people as possible by disabling, stealing, damaging, or destroying computer and information resources. Often, they have no specific target in mind, so no one is safe. If you access the internet, share files or your computer with others, or load anything from diskettes, CDs, or DVDs onto your computer, you are vulnerable to viruses.
Fortunately, there are good guys working just as hard as the hackers to develop cures for viruses as quickly as they send them off into cyberspace. And there are many things you can do to keep your computer from catching viruses in the first place.
Defining Viruses:
A virus is a small computer program that can copy and spread itself from one computer to another, with or without the help of the user. However, viruses typically do more than just be fruitful and multiply, which is bad enough in itself because it hogs system resources. Anything else viruses are programmed to do, from displaying annoying messages to destroying files, is called their payload. Often, they cannot deliver their payload until an unsuspecting user does something to make the virus execute its programmed function. This could be as simple as clicking on an innocent looking file attachment with the .exe (executable) extension.
Catching a Virus:
Most viruses are spread through e-mail attachments because it’s the easiest way to do it. Although Macintosh, Unix, and Linux systems can catch viruses, hackers are particularly keen on exploiting the security weaknesses in anything Microsoft, particularly Microsoft Outlook and Outlook Express. Because of the popularity of this software, hackers get maximum bang for their buck, and they probably get some satisfaction from continually reminding Microsoft that being big doesn’t mean you’re perfect.
Solution 1: Anti-virus Software
Your first line of defense is to install anti-virus software. To be extra safe, also install firewall software, which is now included in some anti-virus packages. This software can scan all your drives for viruses and neutralize them. Here are some features to consider when evaluating anti-virus software.
– Compatibility with your operating system — Make sure the software works with your system, particularly if you are using an older operating system like Windows 98.
– Firewall software — If it’s not included, find out if it’s available. If you must, buy it from another vendor.
– Automatic background protection — This means your software will constantly scan behind the scenes for infections and neutralize them as they appear. This provides some peace of mind.
– Automatic, frequent updates — Because new viruses appear every day, you’ll want regular updates. It’s even better if they occur automatically when you connect to the internet. If automatic updating isn’t included, you’ll have to check the vendor’s website and download updates yourself. This is vitally important, because you will not be protected from new viruses if your software is out of date.
– Disaster recovery — Software with a recovery utility to help you get your system back to normal after a virus attack is always good to have.
– ICSA certification — The International Computer Security Association has standards for the detection rates of anti-virus software. Make sure your software has the ICSA certification.
– Technical support — It’s a good idea to select a package that offers free technical support, either online or through a toll-free number. If you’re ever felled by a virus, you may need it. Some anti-virus software vendors are Symantec Corporation (Norton AntiVirus), McAfee Corporation (McAfee VirusScan), Trend Micro Inc. (PC-cillin), and Zone Labs Inc. (Zone Alarm Suite).
Solution 2: The Virus Scan
If you receive a particularly juicy attachment that you’re dying to open, save it on your Windows desktop and run your anti-virus software on it first. To do this, click once gently on the file on your desktop … don’t open it … then right click and choose Scan with (Name of Anti-Virus Software) to activate a virus scan.
If it’s infected, your anti-virus software may neutralize it, or at least tell you the attachment is too dangerous to open. On the other hand, don’t feel guilty if the very thought of saving a potentially damaging file anywhere on your system is enough to quell your eagerness to open it and make you delete it immediately.
Solution 3: Delete first, ask questions later.
When in doubt about the origin of an e-mail, the best thing to do is delete it without previewing or opening it. However, some viruses, such as Klez, propagate by fishing in people’s address books and sending themselves from any contact they find to another random contact. You can spread a virus just by having people in your address book, even if you don’t e-mail them anything. They’ll receive it from someone else in your address book, which really makes life confusing. Because of the proliferation of porn on the internet, e-mail viruses often tempt victims by using sexual filenames, such as nudes.exe. Don’t fall for it.
Solution 4: Beware of virus hoaxes
E-mails warning you about viruses are almost always hoaxes. You may be tempted to believe them because you typically receive them from well-meaning friends, who received them from friends, etc. These e-mails themselves usually aren’t viruses, but some have fallen into the hands of hackers who loaded them with viruses and forwarded them merrily on their way as a sick joke.
The proliferation of e-mails about virus hoaxes can become nearly as bad as a real virus. Think about it, if you obey an e-mail that tells you to forward it to everyone in your address book, and they do it, and this goes on long enough, you could bring the internet to its knees. If you ever want to verify a virus warning, your anti-virus vendor may have a list of hoaxes on its website. It’s in the business of providing the fixes, so it will know which viruses are real.
Solution 5: Beware of filename extensions
The extension of a filename is the three characters that come after the dot. Windows now defaults to hiding filename extensions, but it isn’t a good idea. Just being able to see a suspicious extension and deleting the file before opening it can save you from a virus infection.
To see filename extensions in all your directory listings, on the Windows XP desktop, click Start button | Control Panels | Folder Options | View Tab. Clear the check box for Hide extensions of known file types. Click Apply | OK. System files will still be hidden, but you’ll be able to see extensions for all the files you need to be concerned with. Viruses often live on files with these extensions — .vbs, .shs, .pif, .Ink — and they are almost never legitimately used for attachments.
Solution 6: Disable the .shs extension
One dangerous extension you can easily disable is .shs. Windows won’t recognize it and will alert you before attempting to open an .shs file. The extension is usually just used for “scrap object” files created in Word and Excel when you highlight text and drag it to the desktop for pasting into other documents. If this isn’t something you ever do, or you have Word and Excel 2000 or later, which allow you to have 12 items on the Clipboard, click the Start button | Control Panel | Folder Options | File Types tab. Under Registered file types, scroll down and highlight the SHS extension. Click Delete | Yes | Apply | OK.
Solution 7: Dealing with double extensions
When you turn on your extensions in Windows, you’ll be able to detect viruses that piggy-back themselves onto innocent looking files with a double extension, such as happybirthday.doc.exe. NEVER trust a file with a double extension — it goes against Nature.
Solution 8: Beware of unknown .exe files
A virus is a program that must be executed to do its dirty work, so it may have an .exe extension. Unfortunately, this is the same extension used by legitimate program files. So, don’t panic if you find files named Word.exe or Excel.exe on your system — they’re your Microsoft software. Just don’t EVER open any file with an .exe extension if you don’t know what the file’s purpose is.
Solution 9: Watch out for icons
Viruses in attachment files have been known to assume the shape of familiar looking icons of text or picture files, like the wolf in the hen house. If you receive an unexpected attachment, don’t open it without first running it through your anti-virus software.
Solution 10: Don’t download from public newgroups
What better place for a hacker to lurk and stick his virus than in the middle of a crowd? Sooner or later, someone’s bound to download it and get the virus going. Don’t download files and programs from newsgroups or bulletin boards, or open attachments sent from strangers in chatrooms (“Let’s exchange pictures!”) without first scanning with your anti-virus software.
Solution 11: Avoid bootleg software
This may seem like a no brainer, but sometimes that tiny price tag on a popular but expensive package can be too good to resist. Resist it! Likewise, be careful about accepting application software from others. You don’t know where it’s been, and what may have started out as a perfectly clean package could have become infected during installation on someone else’s infected computer.
Solution 12: Protect macros in MS Word, Excel, and PowerPoint
A common type of virus uses macros. Macros are sets of stored commands that users can save as shortcuts to perform long functions in just a few keystrokes. A macro virus may perform such mischief as changing file types from text files or spreadsheets into templates, locking up keyboards, and deleting files. Word, Excel, and PowerPoint come with macro virus protection. To make sure yours is activated, open each application, then click Tools menu | Macro | Security. On the Security Level tab, make sure Medium or High is selected. Click OK. If you are already infected with a macro virus, you may find that the steps of this procedure are unavailable because the virus has disabled them. In that event, run a virus scan on your system to see if your anti-virus software can kill the virus.
Solution 13: Use passwords
If you share your computer, it’s a good idea to assign everyone a password. Passwords should be a combination of letters and numbers no less than eight characters long, and preferably nonsensical. Never write passwords and stick them anywhere near the computer. To assign passwords in Windows XP, click the Start button | Control Panel | User Accounts. Follow the prompts to assign/change passwords.
Solution 14: Update application software
Microsoft constantly issues patches for the security holes in its operating system and applications software. however, don’t be lulled into complacency if you have Windows Update automatically checking things for you. Update checks for patches to repair bugs in the operating system, not for security problems.
To get the latest security hotfixes (as Microsoft calls them), visit www.microsoft.com and look for hotfixes for all your Microsoft software, particularly Outlook and Outlook Express.
Microsoft also has a free downloadable package called Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer (MBSA) that scans your system for missing hotfixes. It works with Windows 2000 and XP Home and Professional only. It doesn’t support Windows 95, 98, or ME.
To download the MBSA, go to the TechNet section of the Microsoft Website. Be warned that the information is written in techie language, so you may find it daunting.
In Conclusion:
Now that you know some ways for avoiding and dealing with viruses, let’s wrap things up with some solution you’ve probably heard before but have ignored.
– Back up your files regularly — If a virus crashes your system, you’ll feel much better if you’ve got backup copies of all your important files. Make the backup copies on a media that’s separate from the computer, such as on diskettes, CDs, or zip disks. Scan them for viruses before you put them away to make sure they aren’t infected. If they are, they’ll do you no good if you ever must use them because they will just transmit the virus right back onto your computer.
– Make a boot disk — Create an emergency boot diskette before you have a problem so you can start your computer after a serious security problem to make a boot diskette with Windows XP, put a blank floppy disk in the drive. Open My Computer, then right click the floppy drive. Click Format. Under Format options, click Create an MS-DOS startup disk. Click Start. Keep the disk in a safe place. With luck, you’ll never need to use it.
– Turn off your computer — DSL and cable connections that are “always on” may be convenient, but you should always turn off your computer when it’s not in use. Hackers can’t get to a machine that’s powered off.
==> Discover how Data Guard 365 can protect your organization from malware by taking our 5-point Value Assessment
Christian John Sales, Marketing Manager, Data-Guard 365
Data-Guard 365 is a MSSP firm headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana, with offices in Chicago, Atlanta, and other strategic locations across the globe. The company is a one-of-a-kind business partner whose people, processes, and technology provide armored cybersecurity for a price point that pays for itself.
www.Data-Guard365.com / (317) 967–6767 / [email protected] | https://medium.com/dataguard365/14-ways-to-protect-your-computer-from-viruses-a697906d3279 | [] | 2021-02-09 16:04:59.241000+00:00 | ['Solutions', 'Virus', 'Cybersecurity', 'Cyberattack', 'Data Guard 365'] |
Making Change on the Company’s Dime: EverCheck Unveils New VTO Benefit | Being a great place to work takes work. That’s why it’s best practice to evaluate what you feel makes your company unique and see where there’s room to grow. Over the years, EverCheck has implemented important employee benefits policies like fully paid parental leave, subsidized fitness memberships and organic produce delivery, and more. Evolving your company to continue being someplace that people want to be is a journey.
This year, EverCheck’s rolling out a brand-new policy: Volunteer Time Off (VTO). When our leadership began considering what new benefits made the most sense for FY 2020, it became obvious — our team was already taking personal time to support local causes that mean the most to them.
Our Boulder team, for instance, has volunteered with Isabell Farm planting and harvesting crops, and our Jacksonville Beach team coordinates beach cleanups to keep our office’s backyard free of cigarette butts and seance remnants (true story). What’s important to our team is obvious — spending time giving back. And even for those team members who aren’t familiar with volunteering, this new benefit encourages them to experience the fulfillment that comes with helping and being present in the community.
EverCheck’s new VTO policy gives employees 16 fully-paid hours per year to volunteer their time to the causes that mean the most to them. Our team can become a Big Brother/Big Sister, volunteer with Habitat for Humanity, serve on a nonprofit board, and so much more. With EverCheck’s new VTO policy, giving back no longer means giving up valued personal time or time outside of work.
“Volunteer opportunities are intended to connect our employees with the communities in which we all live — whether that community exists on a local level or is part of a global effort — while also demonstrating our company’s core values.” - Bonnie Cobb, Human Resources Manager at EverCheck
For more information on EverCheck’s benefits and what it’s like to work here, visit evercheck.com/jobs. | https://medium.com/evercheck/making-change-on-the-companys-dime-evercheck-unveils-new-vto-benefit-57838240fde8 | ['Caroline Johnson'] | 2020-01-24 20:03:54.162000+00:00 | ['Volunteering', 'Giving Back', 'Work Culture', 'Employee Benefits', 'Volunteer'] |
The Remarkable True Story of Joan of Arc | The Remarkable True Story of Joan of Arc
Joan of Arc depicted in a 15th-century illustration (Public domain)
There are some stories in history so fantastical that they have been relegated to the status of myth. The events of these stories seem so unlikely, so outlandish, and so perfect that the mind automatically writes them off as tales. Yet, some of these stories are true. Some of this history requires no embellishment to be legendary.
The story of Joan of Arc is one such example.
Many people have heard the name, some may know what she did in her short time on Earth but many still do not know the full story of one of the most fabled figures from history.
A prophetic birth
Joan of Arc was born on an uncertain day in the year 1412 in northeastern France. Her family was peasantry and she was likely born in a mountain village located in the Vosges range. At the time of her birth, there were numerous well-known prophecies circulating throughout the French countryside that spoke of a maiden who would rise out of Lorraine and save the kingdom.
These prophecies were eerie in their eventual accuracy regarding the woman who would eventually bring about the end of the Hundred Years’ War and establish the new French king. The prophecy read:
“She would be dressed in armor, carrying a sword and riding a white stallion.”
Later, during one of her trials, Joan was asked:
“Was it not said that France would be ruined through a woman and afterwards restored by a virgin?”
This line is referring to Isabella of France who kicked off the Hundred Years’ War by claiming the French throne for her son. This act plunged the continent into a devastating phase of war which put the French on their heels. From Isabella’s destruction, Joan of Arc was born under prophecy, to be the maiden who would eventually save the kingdom.
And she did.
Visions of greatness
A 19th-century painting of Joan of Arc being visited by angels (Public domain)
In the year 1425CE, Joan claimed to have received visions from God. At the time, she was a 13-year-old peasant girl living in the countryside of northeast France. By all accounts, up to this point, she had led a completely unremarkable life.
That changed when she fell to the ground and was visited by numerous figures who spoke to her. She claimed later in her life that Saint Catherine, Saint Michael, and Saint Margaret all visited her when she was tending to her father’s garden.
These religious figures allegedly gave her a directive to drive the English from France and see that the dauphin (the French heir) was crowned the true king of France at the historical site at Reims.
The problem was, at the time of her visions, Reims was securely under English control and was deep inside enemy territory. God had not given her an easy task.
It is possible that Joan knew of the prophecies that spoke of a young maid from Lorraine who would rise to save the kingdom. Other modern experts have speculated that she could have suffered from some sort of psychosis, but there is no consensus on the matter.
Whatever the cause, true visions or not, it drove Joan to take action which would change the course of history.
Rise to prominence
Joan had her visions in 1425CE but she did not begin her mission until 1428CE. The circumstances surrounding her delay and the exact moment she decided to set out from her homestead are not clear. What is known is that Joan appeared at a local garrison office in 1428CE.
Joan of Arc appears alone and asks the captain of the guard, Robert de Baudricourt, to take her to the dauphin. Naturally, her request was laughed off and she was told to go home. However, Joan was confident that she had been given a direct order from God to proceed with her mission and was not to be dissuaded.
Joan supposedly used an ancient art to convince the captain to heed her request: public shaming.
The Ancient History Encyclopedia describes the event writing:
“Joan shamed him by addressing him loudly in public in a harangue on his lack of faith and refusal to believe God had sent her to liberate France.”
The tactic worked and she was escorted to Chinon where the dauphin was residing.
The dauphin of France, Charles VII, welcomed Joan and reportedly tested her in order to appraise the truth of her divine claims. Some stories have it that Charles VII disguised himself as a courtier and Joan saw through the deception immediately. One story says the Holy Spirit descended upon her and revealed her to be the subject of the prophecy regarding the Maiden of Lorraine. Other more mundane accounts claim simply say that Charles VII tested the vigor of her faith to ensure that she was not a heretic, English spy, or sorceress.
Whatever the case, Charles VII found Joan of Arc to be authentic and despite being a simple peasant girl with no military experience she was given a set of armor and sent to the front.
Siege of Orleans
The siege of Orleans (Gallica Digital Library)
Joan arrived at Orleans at dusk on April 29th, 1429 to much fanfare. The soldiers had been notified of her coming and were prepared to welcome her with open arms. After the tests of faith given by Charles VII, Joan had been given the royal blessing. The average French soldiers and commoners had now firmly attributed the old prophecies to Joan and a new religious fervor was sweeping through the country.
At the time of her arrival, Orleans had been under siege for six months. Thousands had died on both sides and many feared that the siege would continue to drag out for a much greater period of time.
Orleans was an important stronghold on the frontier between English controlled France and the French heartland. If Orleans could be cracked, the way would be open for further advances by the English towards Chinon, where Charles VII resided, and eventually the rest of the French heartlands.
The besieged French forces had been on the ropes since a crushing military defeat in 1415CE. A loss at Orleans would have been a decisive, if not final, blow to the French army and morale.
A depiction of the situation at Orleans. (Milo Thatch / CC BY-SA 4.0)
Joan’s arrival in the city immediately lifted the spirits of everyone and plans were redrawn to attempt to break out of the siege. Even though the situation had been gridlocked for months, the French were now prepared to give the siege one final push.
And it worked.
A mere nine days after Joan had arrived on the scene, the French broke out of the city and retook the English controlled fortifications along the banks of the river.
The English were forced to retreat and Orleans was once again in the hands of the French. The victory was seen as nothing short of miraculous as Joan’s appearance on the scene turned the tide of battle seemingly overnight.
Afterward, she was paraded through the city where she spoke her message about retaking the historic city of Reims from the English.
The siege of Orleans was lifted on May 8, 1429. The march to Reims began on June 29, less than two months after their victory.
The French had bought into Joan’s mission and vision and were prepared to launch a military campaign at her behest.
Otherworldly success
Coronation of Charles VII at Reims (Gallica Digital Library)
After the victory at Orleans, French success against the English would reach new heights. Despite being bogged down for nearly two decades with little to show for it, the French were about the cleave their way through the northern part of the country.
The new campaign started on June 29, 1429, and proceeded with remarkable speed. Galvanized by the presence of Joan of Arc, the French forces swelled with new volunteers and soldiers. With a speed and ferocity that could only be attributed to divine right, the French marched from Orleans and won battle after battle.
Troyes capitulated. Then Paris followed suit. Soon, the army was marching on Reims itself with very few losses. At the behest of the dauphin and the archbishop of Reims, the city gates were thrown open without a fight and the king entered the city with Joan of Arc.
On July 17, 1429, Charles VII was crowned as the king of France in Reims fulfilling Joan’s vision, a feat which was seen as unthinkable at the beginning of the year.
A mere three months after the lifting of the siege at Orleans, the king was crowned and reigning from Reims and the English were on the run for the first time in decades. None of this would have been possible without the influence and mystique of Joan of Arc, who rode with the army throughout this campaign.
The end of Joan
Joan burned at the stake. (Herman Stilke / Public domain)
With her mission concluded Joan continued to fight with the French as they skirmished with England and her allies in the countryside surrounding Reims. Unfortunately, in 1430 C.E., she was captured in an ambush and given over to the English at Rouen.
It was a stunning victory for the English. With France’s muse in their possession, the English devised a plan to end Joan’s mission and her religious influence on the war effort.
In a bid to discredit her movement, which had been giving France so much success, English priests branded her a heretic and put her on trial for crimes against God and the church.
The trial was long and vigorous. Joan was questioned repeatedly by religious scholars, church officials, and philosophers who did their utmost to discredit her and catch her in blasphemy or heresy. Despite her defending herself quite well for many weeks, she was eventually found guilty and was ordered to be executed.
The trial was well documented and presents a fascinating account of Joan’s life, her mission, and her motivations. The entirety of the surviving records can be read here.
On May 30, 1431, Joan was burned at the stake in Rouen. In order to ensure that she was well and truly dead it was said that her corpse was burned twice more and reduced completely to ash which was then thrown into the river in order to prevent her body from becoming a shrine.
At the time of her death, Joan was merely 19 years old. Her spirited vision and legendary status would propel the French to ultimate victory in the Hundred Years’ War which would finally conclude in 1453CE.
She changed the tide of the war with her appearance on the scene and has been remembered ever since.
A peasant girl who claimed to have seen visions of greatness from God arose to prominence out of nowhere, was given an audience with the ruler of France, and then was embedded in an army which, from that point, seemed as though it could not lose. Then captured by her enemies, Joan proclaims the truth of her divine mission and refuses to recant before being burned at the stake for her success.
It sounds like something out of legend or of fantasy writing but it is history.
Though she was only alive for 19 short years and was only active for a brief chaotic period of 1429 C.E., her legacy is truly massive. The effect on history by the actions of one young lady is astounding.
She was later canonized by the Catholic church and is now considered a saint and patron of France.
References | https://historyofyesterday.com/the-remarkable-true-story-of-joan-of-arc-483c429132fb | ['Grant Piper'] | 2020-12-11 12:02:34.891000+00:00 | ['France', 'History', 'People', 'Military', 'War'] |
Richard Sherman is Introducing the NFL to Bitcoin and other Cryptocurrencies | Richard Sherman, the All-Pro cornerback for the San Francisco 49ers, found himself sidelined with an injury during the Seahawks’ (Sherman’s former team) 2017 playoff run. It was the first time in his career that he was unable to play all 16 games in the regular season including the postseason.
But the injury may have come as a blessing in disguise because Sherman needed to find something to do while he occupied his time outside of rehabbing his injuries. He decided to look at investing in cryptocurrencies.
“I’ve begun to work hard to stimulate myself mentally by educating myself on how blockchain and cryptocurrencies are bringing unprecedented change to the world,” Sherman wrote in a blog post from January 2018. “This world isn’t new to me, I first got involved with cryptos over five years ago and began accepting bitcoin long before people were campaigning for Amazon to allow virtual currencies as a payment method.”
Sherman, a 2010 Stanford graduate with a degree in communication, has made over $20,000 in crypto trading per Time.com.
In 2014, Sherman allowed customers who purchased merchandise off his website to pay in crypto or fiat currencies. Sherman made a mistake by selling the cryptocurrencies he earned in 2014, by converting them to cash. And he knew he missed out on a golden opportunity when Bitcoin rose to $20,000 in 2017.
More recently, Sherman became a spokesperson for Coinhood, a cryptocurrency exchange with zero transaction fees. An issue Sherman urged people in the crypto sector to address.
“One of the biggest issues crypto faces today are the expensive fees that weigh on traders when exchanging currencies,” Sherman said. “The popular trading platform, Coinbase, charges around 4% of fees on most transactions. While 4% doesn’t seem astronomical, at the current price of $14,699 for one bitcoin, we are talking a nasty surcharge of $587.”
It won’t be long before professional athletes in all sports start to ask for cryptocurrency as a form of payment, and even before that, we may see teams adopt Smart Contract technology to replace paper contracts.
“The NFL has done a great job of opening its doors,” Sherman said about the league bringing in financial experts to speak with players. “That is how a lot of players are getting their information and becoming educated on the subject of money management.”
Now more players in the NFL, including those found in the same locker room as Sherman, are talking about investing in digital currencies and other blockchain-powered ICOs.
“Especially the way bitcoin boomed from nothing to … $19,000 at one point, that really caught the eye of a lot of people,” Sherman told CNBC. “Ever since then it has been a common conversation for a lot of us.”
And now Sherman — who has invested in Bitcoin, Litecoin, and Etherum — has an off-the-field goal for this year to become an expert in the crypto sector, as he’ll try to avoid not missing out on the next big rise in the crypto marketplace.
“During my time off the field, I have learned that our increasingly digital world is evolving into something that many cannot comprehend,” Sherman added in his blog. “I am excited to see the rise of a new next-generation cryptocurrency and see what 2018 has in store for Bitcoin, Ripple, ETC, etc.
“My biggest 2018 goal is to become an expert in the crypto and blockchain space and I expect big growth from it all.” | https://medium.com/instant-sponsor/richard-sherman-is-introducing-nfl-to-bitcoin-and-other-cryptocurrencies-1c7fe4f7ccd4 | ['Mike Murphy'] | 2018-08-03 18:04:10.009000+00:00 | ['Crypto', 'Sports', 'Blockchain', 'Cryptocurrency', 'Bitcoin'] |
Clean code — Name matters. A good naming convention is one of the… | 1. Give your names intentions
Name of class, function, variable should inform why was created, what do and how is used. If you need to add a comment above your variable you probably didn’t precise your intentions enough. Choosing the right name is a good investment so take your time. Asking your colleagues for help is a good idea. Remember you are not the only one who will be working with this code.
Bad:
public int $f_cnt; // friends count
Good:
public int $friendsCount;
Variable name f_cnt don’t inform us strictly what kind of information keeps inside. We have to guess or dig deeper into code to find the information we are looking for.
Bad:
public function process(array $u, $a = 18): array
{
$results = [];
foreach ($u as $i) {
if ($i['a'] >= $a) {
$results[] = $i['id'];
}
}
return $results;
}
As you see this code isn’t complicated. It has only one array iteration and one conditional statement but can you deduce what this code does? The problem here is not code complexity but its secretiveness. Names of variables, array keys, and function properties are hiding important information from us. Let’s see at refactored code.
Good:
public function getAdultUsersIds(array $usersList, $adultAge = 18): array
{
$adultUsersIds = [];
foreach ($usersList as $user) {
if ($user['age'] >= $adultAge) {
$adultUsersIds[] = $user['id'];
}
}
return $adultUsersIds;
}
Better immediately. We can now deduce what method does just by reading the name. | https://medium.com/marcin-worwa/clean-code-name-matters-6368f8e385bd | ['Marcin Worwa'] | 2020-12-09 19:39:27.149000+00:00 | ['Clean Code', 'Software Development', 'Technology', 'PHP', 'Programming'] |
UAV: Scan Whole Bridge Lengths And Nose Into Hard-To-Reach Cracks | Engineers are experimenting with a replacement technology to stop infrastructure disaster. That’s why Minnesota, a land of the many lakes and a few 20,000 bridges, started drone experiments. At the fractional cost of traditional inspection methods, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAN) can scan whole bridge lengths and nose into hard-to-reach cracks. Drones are announced in bridge inspection because the next big thing.
Drones became an integral tool to save lots of time and money and to report on project progress. Drones can snap thousands of high-resolution images near aging trusses, piers, and bearings. Special software then stitches these images into 3D models which will be examined on computers by engineers; one click on alittle detail can call up a photograph library stretching back in time — a useful reference for timing the deterioration rate of a structure. Capacity and technology in these devices have advanced rapidly over the past five years, and therefore the industry is testing their value and exploring the way to best use drones in specific applications. Furthermore, as more automation and safety features come on board, costs for drones and related services drop significantly.
The associated costs and dangers still remain a challenge no matter the tactic wont to perform the work. AWPs and snoopers are likely to need lane closures, and therefore the equipment itself is dear to take care of and operate, while ropes need a high level of coaching and expertise for safe use.
A two-phase MnDOT/Collins scientific research started with these issues in mind, which is currently in its second phase. This study’s final objective is to spot the bridges where UAV inspection could provide the close details necessary for a radical , reliable and cost-effective inspection.
The team is currently working with another UAV, the senseFly albris (formerly called eXom), for phase-II. this is often specifically designed for work on high-detail inspection. Researchers chose this technique to re-inspect various sorts of bridges, including bridges with very confined spaces, like culverts and box girders, and to use the thermal camera of the albris to conduct deck delamination assessments.
In recent years, drone technology has come an extended way, with companies like senseFly dedicating research and development to developing drones that are specifically designed for such work. Current FAA regulations hamper the adoption of UAVs for bridge safety inspections because the time needed to get approvals is substantial and price prohibitive. However, the proposed FAA rules are set to get rid of many or all of those barriers within the hopefully near future for widespread adoption
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Construction Business Review | twitter | https://medium.com/@construction-business-review/uav-scan-whole-bridge-lengths-and-nose-into-hard-to-reach-cracks-5576d225782f | ['Constructionbusiness Review'] | 2020-11-18 12:55:21.569000+00:00 | ['Drones', 'Uav', 'Technology', 'Construction', 'Technews'] |
Is the U.S. Headed Toward an Eviction Crisis? | As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to batter the U.S. economy with an unprecedented surge in unemployment, many American families are facing a new threat to their livelihood: eviction. This looming reality adds new and urgent questions about the fate of our economy: How many American families will face eviction without additional financial assistance after the federal CARES Act Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) expires on July 31, and where will these evictions be geographically concentrated?
To help answer these critical questions, we assessed rental risk by analyzing unemployment claims, housing costs, and underlying social vulnerability at the national, state, and local levels, using the UrbanFootprint Recovery Insights Platform.
The results are staggering. Across the country, nearly 7 million households could face eviction without government financial assistance. These are heavily rent-burdened households that have likely experienced job loss as a result of the COVID-19 crisis. This level of displacement would be unparalleled in U.S. history and carries the potential to destabilize communities for years to come.
Closing this rent gap will cost between $16.2 and $31.8 billion over six months. This gap, while a pressing issue in every state, is distributed unevenly across the nation’s diverse housing markets and driven by a confluence of job loss and high relative rental housing costs.
Where is COVID-related rental risk concentrated?
Of the 120 million households in the United States, 43.1 million are renters. Even before the crisis, 20.1 million (47%) of these renter households were rent-burdened, and 10.1 million (23%) were severely burdened, defined as those spending 50% or more of their income on monthly rent. A severely rent-burdened household is unlikely to have the ability to save for an economic shock like prolonged job loss or a health problem.
Unemployment has disproportionately impacted rent-burdened households in the US, which are two times more likely than the average renter to experience job loss. Honing in on the 3.4 to 6.7 million rent-burdened households that have experienced job loss as a result of the COVID-19 crisis, we see risk spread across the country. In general, the states and counties with the biggest rent gap tend to have large populations, high housing costs and high income inequality. | https://medium.com/urbanfootprint/is-the-u-s-headed-toward-an-eviction-crisis-c9f8622ed64 | ['Joe Distefano'] | 2020-06-26 20:38:51.404000+00:00 | ['Housing', 'Covid 19', 'Mapping', 'Urban Planning', 'Economy'] |
Do researchers in Asia and the West differ in their perceptions of work-related stress? | By Sneha Kulkarni
Photo by ahmad gunnaivi on Unsplash
Research culture is key to research excellence. A positive research culture encourages researchers to perform better and facilitates open dialog about the challenges they face. Globally, however, research culture is often described as inherently competitive, stressful, and hierarchical. Chasing research excellence has led long working hours and work pressure to gain unquestioned acceptance. While this is discernible in research culture around the world, wouldn’t it be interesting to take a closer look at the research culture in Asia?
Recently, Cactus Communications released a comprehensive report of the largest and most diverse survey on mental health in academia. It represents the views of 13,000 survey respondents from over 160 countries, and over half of these respondents were from Asia. Therefore, the report offers unique insights into the differences in the research culture in English-speaking countries and South and East Asian countries.
How often do researchers discuss work-related stress with people at work?
An interesting finding that came through was that over 50% of the entire respondent pool felt appreciated by their peers and their organization. Despite this, nearly half of them stated that they would refrain from discussing their work-related stress with relevant people at their organization. In particular, 47% researchers from Japan said they would avoid doing so. The reason stated by a majority of researchers in Asia was their belief that although their peers may empathize with their problems, they would not be in a position to provide solutions. This hints at the need for organizations to treat work stress as a genuine issue and help researchers better manage their work-life balance.
How many work hours do researchers put in weekly?
Diving deep into the work life of researchers, it came to light that nearly one-thirds (31%) of the respondents worked more than 50 hours a week. Some even reported working over 60 hours per week. While long working hours is not uncommon for researchers, respondents from Asia were most likely to work the longest hours. Among this group, 43% of East Asian researches stated they work more than 50 hours per week. While the exact reasons behind this may be several, it may be a reflection of the cultural norms around putting in more hours of work.
What kind of support do researchers have?
Having a good work-life balance is vital for researchers to maintain their productivity and avoid burnout. Institutions can play an important role in supporting researchers by creating policies to help researchers manage their workload. Notably, a large number of researchers in Asia stated that the institutional policies were inadequate. In fact, nearly half of the Asian respondents (47%) reported inadequate resources, compared to researchers in Australia/Oceania (31%) and Europe (36%). More than half of these respondents also reported working over 60 hours a week and felt overwhelmed fairly often.
How do researchers perceive their work environments and respond to work-related stress?
Of all the respondents, 38% reported feeling overwhelmed by their situation at work fairly or very often within the month before taking the survey. Notably, lower proportions of Asian respondents reported feeling overwhelmed frequently, with the percentage being only 25% for Japan. Despite the lack of institutional policies, long working hours, and lack of resources to seek help with stress management, only 37% researchers in Asia agreed to the statement “I am unhappy about the overall culture in academia” as compared to 70% respondents in English-speaking countries.
However, Asian respondents were also least likely to seek professional help for work-related issues and most likely to say that they believe they should manage work-related pressures on their own. Possibly, cultural norms are at play with regard to how researchers in Asia perceive their work environments, what their attitude toward mental wellbeing is, and how/when they decide to seek professional help.
The way forward for creating a positive research culture in Asia
While discussions around mental health among researchers have been on the rise, they are mostly happening in whispers. There is a need to acknowledge the problems researchers are facing and make conscious changes to create a healthy and supportive research culture, particularly in some Asian countries. Going beyond cultural constrictions and encouraging open discussions around mental health will lay the foundation for a nurturing atmosphere where researchers can strive for excellence without compromising their wellbeing.
For more such interesting insights, you can download the full CACTUS Mental Health Survey Report 2020 here. | https://medium.com/researcher-life/do-researchers-in-asia-and-the-west-differ-in-their-perceptions-of-work-related-stress-673a93f4487a | [] | 2020-12-08 14:22:02.813000+00:00 | ['Mental Health', 'Academia', 'Mental Health In Academia'] |
Why the Internet Should Not Be Treated As A Public Utility | In an era when the digital divide is more apparent than ever, many are weighing the pros and cons of offering internet access as a public utility. Public utilities such as water, gas, and electricity typically have a monopolistic power over the service that they offer, which means that the internet as a public utility would likely face regulations and the rates be dependent on that company’s discretion. The United States’ infrastructure for public utilities is already outdated and the nature of these services does not fit the nature of the internet. Given the business structure of other public utility companies, it would be a mistake to offer internet access as a public utility because it would eliminate healthy competition between internet companies and the nationally cohesive coverage, which is essential to the growth of technology, the freedom of internet usage and keeping rates down.
The digital divide is described by Campbell, Martin and Fabos (2017) as the contrast between those who are able to afford internet service and the accompanying technology such as phones and computers, and those who are not able to afford to buy a computer or pay for internet services. The divide is growing rapidly as the digital age progresses, and “39% of rural Americans” do not have access to broadband internet, which introduces one of the main arguments in favor of having internet as a public utility: inability to get service from the nation’s leading internet providers (1). Campbell, Martin and Fabos expect the amount of Americans who use smartphones to go from 55% to 77% by the year 2020. The internet is an essential part of searching for jobs, communicating with others, scheduling appointments, and other important duties, it’s very important that equal access to the internet is made a priority.
The internet is a resource that should be accessible to everybody in one way shape or form, but in the same way that one has to pay the water or electricity bill, the internet can still be accessible to the general public without being a centrally owned and monopolized utility. Making the internet a public utility, in the way that there would be one provider per designated area, would only hurt consumers in the long run because it would eliminate the competition that is necessary for technology and for economics. According to Larry Downes, “food, clothing and shelter” are examples of “essentials” and much like the internet, individuals need these items but they are not considered a public utility. As of right now, the majority of American households are able to choose between one of at least three internet providers, and limiting this to just one would be a “dangerously poor fit” (2). The ability of most people to pay for their own internet just like they pay for clothing and shelter is enough to terminate the need for it to be a public utility.
The competition that exists between internet providers is essential to the internet industry and making it a public utility would eliminate this healthy competition. Too often, public utility companies do not have any reason to innovate because of their monopolization and lack of competition, which would put a halt on innovation regarding the internet (2). In addition, public utilities do not go out of their way to please consumers as do competing internet providers. The approach that the US government is currently taking is the best solution: regulating the internet providers’ abilities to control the consumers’ use of the networks, such as not allowing providers to control the speed of certain cites in order to promote one business or the other (3). The regulation of internet providers is a more effective way of providing equal access to the internet than is making the internet a public utility and monopolizing it in specific areas.
Classifying the Internet as a public utility and operating it in a similar fashion as water and electricity would not only be expensive for taxpayers, but it would call for unnecessary restraints on consumers’ use of the internet. According to the National Cable and Telecommunications Association, regulating the internet would only take away the government’s incentive for innovation of the internet, and it would become a neglected, stagnant utility such as the outdated infrastructure that water, electricity, and gas currently operate from (4). It would take over $3 trillion to repair America’s infrastructure for the current utilities, meaning that adding the internet to the list would only be placing it into an already outdated and broken system (2). The quality of service can be expected to decrease if the internet were to accompany local utilities such as electricity, something that Americans often find themselves inconvenienced with already (2).
While it is important for citizens to have access to the internet, it should not be considered a public utility such as water, electricity or natural gas because the system that is already in place is the best fit for the nature of the internet. The regulations that would be placed on the internet would undermine the purpose of it. The FCC currently monitors the power of internet providers such as Verizon and AT&T to make sure that equal rights are given to customers, such as equal speed on every website and protection of their private information. Monopolizing the internet industry would damage it because the competition that goes on between internet providers is necessary for the innovation of internet technology and the economy. Introducing the internet to the United States’ outdated utility infrastructure would be regrettable because of the nature of the internet’s consumers and the nature of the network. While the internet is necessary to perform many important tasks such as job searching, researching, and communicating with others, it should be considered a necessity much like clothing and shelter.
References | https://medium.com/@tiani1999/why-the-internet-should-not-be-treated-as-a-public-utility-9659f4f79772 | ['Tiani Christian'] | 2020-05-14 14:36:25.014000+00:00 | ['Consumerism', 'Internet', 'Public Health', 'Public Policy', 'United States'] |
WHY BEING WHO YOU ARE CAN MAKE YOU MORE CONFIDENT | Image credit — Pinterest
In a famous episode from F.R.I.E.N.D.S, Chandler is trapped in an ATM vestibule with a supermodel during a power failure. While he tries to woo her repeatedly, the voice in his head keeps reprimanding him, telling him how idiotic he is or how he loathes himself.
This is exactly what happens when we feel under-confident. We become extremely self-conscious of ourselves. There is a constant negative commentary going on in our heads about how stupid or reckless or poor or ugly we are.
And what do we do? We buy into every word of it.
The great Indian philosopher, Jiddu Krishnamurti, once said that man, instead of dealing with a fact, always creates a non-fact opposite, and then spends his time trying to attain it. And so in our quest for confidence, instead of trying to deal with the negative commentary, we try to replace it with its opposite.
We talk about having faith in our abilities. Or telling ourselves how great we are doing, when we’re actually not. The whole facade is extremely fragile. And the moment your guard is down or the mind catches hold of a small chink in your armor, your fake confidence comes crashing down.
Real confidence is not substituting a negative commentary with positive commentary in your head and filling it with more noise. It is about being at peace with whatever your mind throws at you and not buying into it. Not fighting it. Not resisting it. Not reacting to it. Real confidence comes from caring more about the intention and the outcomes you want to achieve, rather than about yourself. And having the courage to own up to your weaknesses and be truly authentic in your flaws, instead of trying to project a perfect image of you that is not. | https://medium.com/@TsheringLhamu/why-being-who-you-are-can-make-you-more-confident-44f4b47ae153 | ['Tshering Lhamu'] | 2019-01-11 03:50:55.916000+00:00 | ['Love Yourself', 'Beyourself', 'Self Help', 'Authenticity', 'Self Esteem'] |
hey, you: don’t count 2020 as a loss | Bowman Bay at Deception Pass State Park (Washington)
Oh, boy. I think going into 2020, we all had our sights set on adventure, accomplishments and “going big or going home.” I know the feeling, because I was right there with you.
When the ball dropped at midnight on January 1st, 2020, I remember sitting on my friend’s couch, already in my pjs, drinking very expensive champagne that I honestly couldn’t even tell you the name of, and thinking, “This is going to be my year.”
It was the perfect start.
2020 kicked off with a bang. First think I did was buy an overpriced cold brew and take a Pure Barre Reform class. “I’m killing it already.”
But for real, after four years of subletting, crashing on couches, roommates that were less than ideal, twin beds and mice, I finally signed a lease on an apartment in my dream neighborhood in Manhattan. I’ve always loved the Upper West Side, and now I fully stand by “Upper West Side, Best Side.” I mean, come on, could see the express train from my bedroom window, and was pumped that I could get into Midtown in a jiffy for all of the auditions that I was going to crush.
Okay, so auditions weren’t going so hot. It’s hard. There are so many artists in small radius, and just when you think you’re unique, you find yourself in a stuffy room with 12 other 5'3 brunettes with bangs, singing the same repertoire as you, whose best color was also olive green.
But I was used to this. I had tricks up my sleeve for how I could win the hearts of these casting directors and agents. After years of thinking about it, I finally got up the courage to do my one-woman show. I sent postcards and emails to every casting office in the city; annoying, probably, but you can’t blame a girl for the hustle. Crass, humorous and of course about being single in NYC, Here For the Right Reasons: Applying For The Bachelor debuted at the West End Lounge on February 13th (yes Galentines day!) to a house oversold by 50%, with a team of incredible talent and support. It was everything and more. I found my voice and confidence I didn’t know I had. LFG, 2020.
“A cabaret that follows one woman’s journey to be THE ONE. A show that celebrates love, dating and the crazies of finding yourself in a world that is just…crazy.”
Opportunities were piling up: Trainings, trips, artistic work, you name it.
Short lived…
On March 11th, I lost job #1. On March 12th, the arts indusrty shutdown. On March 15th, I lost job #2 AND #3. Not a good time to be a freelancer. I set an alarm for 7:30am every morning to sit on hold with Unemployment. I memorized the prompts and could basically do it in my sleep. “What next?” I thought. I found myself in a large apartment, alone, with zero drive to do anything. I didn’t pick up a piece of music or an instrument for weeks. I got more sleep in seven days than I had in the last year. I obsessed over finishing puzzles and spot cleaning every inch of the apartment. I gained weight, my bangs grew so long I couldn’t see and I finally learned how to paint my nails with my non-dominant hand. I envied and cursed those that ran away to picturesque family mountain homes or had a significant other to lean on and quarantine with. Well, this sucks.
Naivety got the best of me, because I truly didn’t think we would still be here nearly nine months later. Sleep, bake bread, Zoom workout class, FaceTime, more sleep, more FaceTime, too much bread, rinse, lather, repeat.
so what am I trying to get at here?
It’s easy to count this year as a loss, but I have to give 2020 credit for helping me realize that I wasn’t truly living into my values and that I used being busy to mask my unhappiness. Believe it or not, there was joy to be found in the pile of shit that was 2020.
An empty Times Square, if you can believe it. April 2020.
Honestly, some of the most amazing things happened: I stood by two friends as their Maid of Honor on their wedding days, my childhood best friend found out she’s having twins, my best gal from college bought a house with the man she loves, I got the medical diagnosis that now helps me understand my body better than ever, I purchased my first pair of hiking boots and traded my city life for the mountains, I blocked out Imposter Syndrome and applied for four Master’s programs in a field outside of performing that genuinely interests me, I learned to live in solitude minimally and peacefully, I embraced that there is no such thing as failure, only a change of mindset, and I am currently throwing darts at the map to see where I should go next. Okay, the last one is terrifying, but exciting.
Looming uncertainty, yes. But also, overwhelming possibility.
Get at it; what a gift.
My high school best friend’s wedding in Jacksonville, FL.
My best city gal’s wedding in Murial’s Inlet, SC.
I’m going to be an Auntie to TWO sweet babies!
Looking forward to what 2021 will bring. It’s honestly all a crapshoot, but part of the journey.
Mount Erie, Anacortes, WA.
Lake 22, Snoqualamie National Forest
Choose faith over fear. I’m lucky to see another year rounding the bend.
You are, too. | https://medium.com/@kaylactomas/hey-you-dont-count-2020-as-a-loss-bbe6bcbe436c | ['Kayla Tomas'] | 2020-12-14 20:14:46.072000+00:00 | ['Positive Thinking', '2020', 'Change', 'Adventure', 'Perspective'] |
Best Behringer MS40 Digital Studio Monitors (40 Watts) | Best Behringer MS40 Digital Studio Monitors (40 Watts)
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The Behringer MS40 Digital Studio Monitors (40 Watts) is certainly that and will be a great buy. For this price, the Behringer MS40 Digital Studio Monitors (40 Watts) is highly recommended and is a popular choice with lots of people.
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Buy Behringer MS40 Digital Studio Monitors (40 Watts) is a post from: Musical Instruments | https://medium.com/musical-instruments/best-behringer-ms40-digital-studio-monitors-40-watts-2e1a19b33a8d | ['Michael Henderson'] | 2018-09-13 13:11:14.588000+00:00 | ['Recording', 'Behringer', 'Studio Monitors'] |
The Invention of Christmas: Was Jesus Really Born on December 25th, 0 A.D.? | The Invention of Christmas: Was Jesus Really Born on December 25th, 0 A.D.?
Christmas.
Christos-mass.
The messiah-king feast.
As a child I believed, like most good church-goers, that Jesus was born on December 25th, 0 A.D. This date is 100% inaccurate, for two reasons:
It can’t be 0 A.D., because the Roman numeral system had no concept of the number zero. It can’t be the 25th, because we no longer use the Julian calendar.
This we know for certain:
Hardly any researcher believes Jesus was born on December 25th anymore. Unfortunately, hardly any researcher agrees on an alternate date. And let me tell you, there are quite a few options out there. I’m almost ashamed to admit how many days I’ve happily gotten lost in theories and counter-theories, in star charts and historic timelines and prophecies and Jewish ceremonial calendars.
The amount of research on the subject is absolutely staggering.
People occasionally take things to the extreme, “definitively” stating not only the year and day but the very hour and minute that our Christ was born. (If you’d really like your head to spin, take a gander at the conspiracy-theory-level connections between the Great Pyramid of Giza, September 29, and the prophecy about Egypt in Isaiah 19:19–20.)
I’m actually quite reticent to even write this section of the book, for fear that it will send readers spiraling down a glorious research hole that will waste countless hours of human life. Will you promise not to do as I’ve done? It’s like getting a tattoo or researching your family’s ancestry — once you start, it never stops. Ever. Luckily for me, the birth of Jesus is a course of study I could happily waste my entire life on.
And I’m not the only one.
The Christmas Conundrum has occupied many of our greatest minds, from Clement and Augustine to Kepler and Newton. Christians have been trying to figure out the exact birth date of Jesus since at least the second century. At least eight specific dates over six different months were proposed, with December 25th being one of the last. The first person to discuss the discussion — but not issue his own opinion — was Clement of Alexandria (who lived from 150–215 AD and favored a May 20th birthday for Jesus). He stated in his famous c.194 AD work The Stromata (which, rather delightfully, means the patchwork): “There are those who have determined not only the year of our Lord’s birth, but also the day… they say that it took place in the twenty-eighth year of Augustus [ruling Egypt], and in the twenty-fifth day of Pachon… Others say that He was born on the twenty-fourth or twenty-fifth of Pharmuthi.” While we definitely don’t want to fall down the rabbit hole that is Egyptian calendaring, this puts the birth of the Christ somewhere around April 9th or March 9–10, 3 BC, respectively.
Photo by Karolina Grabowska
Christmas, because… Easter?
Interestingly, the initial motivation for figuring out the Christ’s birthday had nothing to do with inventing Christmas, and everything to do with ironing out the liturgical calendar in time for Easter. The reality is that the first person to even assert a December 25th birth date was Hippolytus of Rome, about 170 years after the death of Jesus.
Sometime around 202 AD, Hippolytus wrote a commentary on the book of Daniel in which he said, “For the first advent of our Lord in the flesh, when he was born in Bethlehem, eight days before the kalends of January, the 4th day of the week, while Augustus was in his forty-second year, but from Adam five thousand and five hundred years.” So, according to Hippolytus, Jesus was born on Wednesday, December 25th, between 2–4 BC.
This is a strange conclusion, considering that his mentor, Irenaeus of Lyon, wrote these words over twenty years earlier: “Our Lord was born about the 41st year of the reign of Augustus.” The early church father Tertullian agreed with Irenaeus that it was during Augustus’s 41st year, but even that isn’t very helpful because no one knows which accession system or nation’s calendar they’re all referring to. Christian traveler-historian Julius Africanus pegs the birth of the Christ at 3 BC, while the ascetic Origen Adamantius reverts to 4 BC. Eusebius of Caesarea believed Jesus was born 28 years after the death of Antony and Cleopatra, so 3 BC. Note that none of these early church leaders, besides Hippolytus, mention December 25th.
Indeed, early Christians simply didn’t celebrate our Christ’s birth on December 25th. Neither Irenaeus nor Tertullian includes Christmas in their lists of Christian festivals. Origen suggests the Acts 2 church didn’t celebrate Christmas at all, because first-century Christians believed only pagans celebrated birthdays: “Of all the holy people in the Scriptures, no one is recorded to have kept a feast or held a great banquet on his birthday. It is only sinners who make great rejoicings over the day on which they were born into this world below.” Why would Jesus be the sudden exception?
Happy belated birthday.
In truth, Christians in the West didn’t start celebrating Jesus’s birth on December 25th until three hundred years after his death. The oldest reference to an annual feast day — the first hard evidence of a December 25th Christmas celebration — doesn’t appear until the publication of Roman calligraphist Furius Dionysius Filocalus’s Chronograph of 354: Eighth day before the kalends of January. Birth of Christ in Bethlehem of Judea. He mentions elsewhere in the almanac that Jesus was born in 1 AD.
So, we know for sure that Christians in Rome were celebrating Christmas at some point between 336–354 AD, with the first official December 25th Christmas likely being held in Rome in 353 or 354 AD, likely at the direction of Pope Liberius.
It was a wonderfully convenient date for the Catholic church — December 25th did, after all, have several pagan connections that needed stamping out.
There are modern skeptics who believe early Christians deviously chose December 25th to transform a pagan holiday, in the same way they turned Lupercalia into Valentine’s Day and the Gaelic festival Samhain into Halloween. The December 25th holiday in question was Emperor Aurelian’s annual party for the Roman god Sol Invictus (the “Unconquered Sun”) starting in 274 AD, following Saturnalia, the week-plus festival leading up to it. Aurelian chose December 25th, believing it to be the date each year when the days began to lengthen as sunlight increases. Spring was on the way — the sun was “born again.” (December 25th originally marked the end of the northern hemisphere’s winter solstice in the Julian calendar. With our new calendar, it’s now typically Dec 21st or 22nd). The sun cult lasted for hundreds of years — in fact, there’s still a mosaic of Sol Invictus in the Vatican Necropolis.
But skeptics shouldn’t get too excited, because it’s just as likely that the exact opposite is true: Christians picked December 25th more than seventy years before Aurelian tried to shove Christmas aside, in the same way that a previous emperor, Hadrian, ordered a temple to Venus erected over Golgotha. Either way, the church won out in the end and transformed Sun Day back into the birthday of the Son of God.
December 25th gained more acceptance after Emperor Constantine declared Christmas a permanent celebration in 379 AD, and gained its biggest boost when Pope Sixtus III celebrated the first Christ Mass on December 25th, 435 AD. But these don’t in any way prove that Jesus was actually born on December 25th. The great abolitionist Frederick Douglass celebrated his birthday on February 14th because he didn’t know his actual birthdate — and we don’t even know if Valentine was real.
So what is the most likely date of Jesus’s birth?
Needless to say, I don’t have the page count to get into it — literally dozens of books have been written on the topic — but we can hone it down to a roughly four-year window through a process of elimination.
There is a ton of data to consider. Perhaps the biggest indicator is “who was ruling where at the time?” Matthew and Luke agree Jesus was born during the reign of Herod. Luke says Augustus was Caesar at the time, and Quirinius was governor of Syria. It would be similar to saying “Carlita Black was born during the reign of Queen Elizabeth, while Barack Obama was President, and John Carney was Governor of Delaware.” Incredibly, that one sentence narrows Carlita’s birthday window to just three days.
It’s not nearly so easy with Augustus, Quirinius, and Herod. We know when the first two lived and ruled and died, but scholars don’t agree at all on Herod’s death date, and the gospel writers don’t mention which of the three Herod’s they’re referring to. There’s also serious speculation that Luke may have confused which census took place around Jesus’s birth, so Quirinius might not even matter to our equation.
Seeing stars
Then there’s the Star of Bethlehem. Matthew reports that some sort of cosmic event convinced a bunch of astrologers from the Orient to travel all the way to Bethlehem. It must have been quite the light show. So what was this celestial event? A conjunction of planets? A comet? A supernova? Astronomers are, perhaps unsurprisingly, split on the issue.
Let’s start with planets lining up. In 1603, German astronomer Johannes Kepler observed the conjunction of Saturn and Jupiter and in 1614 he published space math that suggested something similar must have happened in 7 BC. He believed the Star of Bethlehem was actually a nova sent by God to tip off the Magi, saying rather stiffly: “I do not doubt but that God would have condescended to cater to the credulity of the Chaldeans.”
Some today think Kepler’s calculations were off by a gap of several moonwidths, while others think there was probably a conjunction of the planets in the constellation Pisces. Here’s the text from a Babylonian tablet which you can see in the British Museum: “Month VII, the 1st of which will follow the 30th of the previous month. Jupiter and Saturn in Pisces, Venus in Scorpio, Mars in Sagittarius. On the 2nd, equinox.” That’s right- a triple conjunction. According to one theory, this could have been a very big deal: “To the wise men this would have indicated that a Messiah (Venus) was to be born among the Jews (long associated by astrologers with Saturn) with intense persecution (Mars, the symbol of war and opposition; this would be Herod’s reaction).”
This wasn’t the only planetary conjunction in the lead-up to Jesus’s conception. In 6 BC, the moon eclipsed Jupiter in Aries, which, according to one Rutgers astronomer, was considered a very big deal because Jupiter at the time was a regal “star” that conferred kingship, doubly so when the moon was present. In 3–2 BC, there were seven more planetary conjunctions, which was the ancient astrological equivalent of all your favorite bands dropping an album on the same day and then performing in your living room.
Up next we have comets.
Halley’s Comet is perhaps the most famous comet in the world and is often associated with the Star of Bethlehem. Though Edmond Halley didn’t actually discover it — astronomers have been making note of it in both the East and West since at least 240 BC — Halley did punch the math and determined it is visible from Earth every 75 years or so. Working backward, we land at a date of 12 BC, meaning it’s almost certainly not what sent the Magi on their journey west. Plus, comets were generally seen as bad omens at the time.
How about a supernova? I love exploding stars just as much as the next guy, and a British astronomer at the Royal Greenwich Observatory thinks maybe this is the best explanation for the Star of Bethlehem. By his team’s calculations, Chinese astronomers of the Han dynasty would have seen a star exploding for more than seventy days in the spring of 5 BC, potentially with zero recorded movement. Indeed, ancient Chinese astronomers recorded exactly that, and a Korean chronicle seems to back it up as well. Did a dying star point the way to a living Savior?
I won’t get into zodiac symbols and double occultation, but if all this astronomy and astrology seems weird and horoscopey, that’s okay — even the early church voiced their squeamish discomfort with the idea of manmade symbolism leading the wise men to Bethlehem. There’s just no way to reasonably square it. Needless to say, there was a ton of super-cool star stuff just prior to the time of Jesus’s conception and birth, and clearly something spectacular convinced a band of professional stargazers to travel across much of the known world to meet this baby king of the Jews. Unfortunately, despite the dearth of astrological data, it only narrows our window to a five-ish year range, and does nothing to cement Jesus’s day and date.
We’ve broadly covered political regimes and a whackload of astrological data, so let’s move on to Jewish customs and traditions.
Tertullian, around the year 200, claimed 14 Nisan (the day of Jesus’s death on the Jewish lunar calendar) would equal March 25th in the Roman equivalent. So if Jesus died on March 25th, add nine months and, voila, you’ve got December 25th. This is all based on the concept of Integral Age, an ancient and somewhat nutty Jewish belief that great prophets died on the same day as their conception or birth. I personally think this is utter nonsense. But early Christians, deeply influenced by Jewish culture, picked March 25th for their Feast of the Annunciation, with an added nine months bringing us to December 25th. This was enough to convince many of the early church fathers, including Augustine.
Like many others, I’m skeptical that Jesus was born on December 25th.
Folks have made arguments that shepherds and their flocks didn’t hang around outdoors at that frigid time of year. No one watched their flocks by night in December. Harvest was well past — there would be nothing for the animals to eat — and they usually brought their flocks into barns by October. People also doubt that the Romans would have scheduled a tax census for the most inclement time of year. December temperatures in Bethlehem can drop below freezing, and arctic thermals and electric blankets weren’t exactly available with one-day shipping. Scholars have also argued it would have been nearly impossible for super-pregnant Mary to travel seventy-something miles through hills averaging 3,000 feet above sea level in the depths of winter, especially with precipitation making many roads impassable.
These are all interesting points, but the most intriguing has to do with Jesus’s cousin, John the baptizer. Luke says that John’s father, Zacharias, served as a priest in the course of Abijah. All the way back in 1 Chronicles we learn that priests were split into 24 courses, and each course served in the Temple for one week, twice each year, from sabbath to sabbath. If you backdate the math, it appears that John was conceived in Elizabeth around June 24, 5 BC. If Mary visited her six months later — in late December 5 BC — and found out she was pregnant, there’s no way she could give birth at Christmas unless she somehow held Jesus in the womb for a full year. What if Jesus was conceived around December 25th, but was actually born on September 29th in 4 BC?
The practical and political math potentially makes sense. It’s more likely that the shepherds would still be tending their flocks by night. It definitely makes more sense for a Roman census and the possibility of a pregnancy pilgrimage. It certainly doesn’t conflict with the astrological data, and it seems to jive with the Jewish priestly traditions. It’s downright delicious from a symbolic perspective; Jesus entered the world to atone for our sins, and September 29 4 BC in the Jewish calendar may have been Yom Kippur, Judaism’s holiest date — the day of atonement.
Let’s suspend disbelief and pretend for a moment that Jesus was conceived on December 25th and born September 29th. If this were truly the case, how in the world did we mix it up for so long?
Perhaps we just screwed up our theology of the Incarnation.
If that’s the case, then perhaps our birthdate confusion is simply a clash between Roman and Jewish worldviews, of Eastern and Western thought. For Romans, the day of conception mattered more than the date of birth. In some parts of the East even to this day, our birthday derives from our date of conception, not our date of birth. If we believe life begins at conception, then Jesus may have “appeared in the flesh” as a zygote on December 25th, though he wouldn’t take his first breath for another nine months.
This, of course, brings us to Michaelmas.
“Michael-what?” Evangelicals ask. In Luke 2:9, our doctor friend tells us that an “angel of the Lord” (commonly thought to be Michael the Archangel from Daniel and the Revelation) visits a bunch of shepherds and announces the birth of Jesus: “I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.”
Take a lucky guess at which day Catholics and Anglicans celebrate Michaelmas.
…
September 29th.
And here’s the really strange thing: No one knows when or why Christians started celebrating Michael’s announcement on this particular day. We do know that Christians have been celebrating Michaelmas since at least the fourth century, and that the word “Michaelmas” means “Michael sent.” The feast of Michael may very well have started as a mass commemorating the heavenly host sending shepherds the announcement of Jesus’s physical birth. At the very least, we can all agree it seems quite strange to celebrate the announcement of the day of the Christ’s birth at a completely different time of year than the day it happened. If you declared your wedding vows on July 12th, and got married on July 12th, it would be strange to celebrate your anniversary every year in mid-October, wouldn’t it?
Here’s another interesting coincidence:
According to one calculation, September 29 4 BC was the start of the epic weeklong Feast of Tabernacles, a kind of annual thanksgiving harvest celebration where all the pre-exile people of Israel dwelled in tent-like booths called tabernacles.
When the Apostle John pens his gospel, he starts with a wild, evocative, esoteric eighteen-verse prologue that includes the phrase: “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory of the monogene who came from the Father.” What’s weird is that John doesn’t use the usual Greek word for “dwell” (κατοικέω) here. Instead, he uses the word ἐσκήνωσεν… tabernacle.
What if Jesus was conceived and “begotten of the Holy Ghost” (Matthew 1:18) on December 25th, and then born and “tabernacled with us” (John 1:14) on September 29th? What if, on December 25th, we celebrate not only Jesus’s true birth-day into the world, but more so His incarnation? What if Michaelmas is actually Christmas, and the two are one and the same?
Heaven only knows.
We have a lot of data to work with, but not quite enough to peg an exact D.O.B for the long-form birth certificate. If I was a betting man (which I am), I’d put my money on September 29, 4 BC. If I had to hedge my bet, I’d go with September 29, 2 BC. But too much is unknown to gamble anything more than a poutine and root beer on these interesting possibilities. I could easily write a strong counter-argument to either of these dates, and every other date proposed in the history of this particular boy’s birthday. What we know for absolute certain is that Jesus wasn’t born on December 25th, 0 BC.
Will we ever know Jesus’s birthday for sure?
Unless someone discovers a verifiable trove of ancient census documents or the right Bethlehemic barn rental agreement, probably not. For now, I agree with the wisdom of researcher Melda Eberle: “We can safely conclude Christ was born from 5 to 2 BC and most likely in the autumn. Anything more dogmatic than this would make us vulnerable to spiritual attack.”
Thankfully, the birth date of Jesus was of absolutely zero concern to the authors of the New Testament. There are more important fish to beer-batter and deep-fry. The gospel writers place much higher importance on theology than chronology, and so should we. Whether Jesus was born or conceived on December 25th, when we celebrate Christ-mass we celebrate the fact that the light of life really has entered the world. | https://medium.com/common-faith/was-jesus-really-born-on-december-25th-0-a-d-d080fd61bba7 | ['Common Faith'] | 2020-12-21 11:49:48.599000+00:00 | ['History', 'Christmas', 'Jesus', 'Christianity', 'Christian'] |
No, You Don’t Need to Write Everyday | Just to be clear, I’m not saying that writing every day is a bad thing, what I’m saying is do what is sustainable, at whatever pace that works, for you. Whatever motivates you to write consistently and intentionally for weeks, months, years; instead of feeling success at your fingertips while burning yourself to the ground in the process. Do whatever makes you write better, and hopefully, forever. And no, you don’t have to be miserable to be an artist. Be happier and healthier than that, your work, your body, and your mind will appreciate it.
Let me be real with you, there are days I could hardly get to the shower, let alone sit down (or up?) and write 500 words. On those days, I could feel my anxiety so physically like an invisible rock clinging against my chest. Sometimes, it grows legs and moves up to my throat, preventing me from raising my already-stifled voice. On those days, I don’t write despite the unbearable fear of me not working, not producing, not doing enough, not being enough. Because deep down, I know I write better when I’m well-rested; when ideas flow from my mind onto the computer’s screen without me having to think too hard about it.
Have you done something and later you exclaim with pride and excitement mixed with a little of confusion “I did that!?”?. That’s where you want to be, not grinding your words onto the page like a chore; which way of creating is gonna make you miserable at the end of the process.
So you know what? Binge that TV show. Finish the books that have been collecting dust on your slightly messy desk. Go out. Drink a cup of tea. Go hiking. Go to the gym. Go to the woods. Don’t forget to take naps because naps are the best! Do whatever you need to cope as the kids say, and keep yourself healthy, mentally and physically. Self-care is your first and foremost responsibility, cliche as it sounds. If your creative career takes a bit longer to take off, that’s okay. Because when you’re not happy, what’s the point of success? Success is the high you feel for 2 minutes (maybe a little more, or a little less, perhaps it’ll last for days if you’re lucky but eventually it’ll fade) after you achieve the very thing you’ve been trying to reach for years. Then there you are, alone yet again with your miserable self after the high subsides.
Do you want to be happy with your success, or do you want to feel dead inside because you have nothing left to give? It’s your choice to make. | https://medium.com/swlh/no-you-dont-need-to-write-everyday-4d6b721a4dd | [] | 2020-04-14 02:25:55.732000+00:00 | ['Creativity', 'Mental Health', 'Productivity', 'Freelancing', 'Writing'] |
3 ideas to remember your inner resilience in moments of challenge | Find the courage to keep showing up…especially when you really don’t feel like it.
It’s been a challenging year. It’s challenged us in different ways. How have you responded in these times of stress?
It’s easy to project our feelings of anger and frustration. If we haven’t experienced intense emotions like this before, then it can be tricky to understand what it feels like and/or know what to do with it.
Some people don’t want to deal with negative emotions and would rather them just go away. Others prefer to deal with it so that they can get to the root cause.
I’ve encountered certain situations recently where I was met with unexplained frustration and anger by a Customer Service Representative. It triggered previous negative emotions that I thought I had worked through. The other person was in an emotionally heightened situation of fear which translated into anger, I could feel those negative emotions intensely. I did my best to communicate the facts and without the emotion and I have to admit, it still triggered something within. It took courage for me to speak my truth in the midst of anger. It was apparent that the other person didn’t want to listen, as I kept repeating myself and felt defeated at times. I knew that I had to speak up for myself, even if the other person’s reaction was not ideal.
When someone else is visibly angry, it’s easy to react and spiral down. It takes continuous practice to remember that the situation isn’t personal and to remember that perhaps, there is something else going on internally within the other person. I know that it’s easier said than done in moments of intense challenges. All we can do is keep trying and working on ourselves to get a little better every time.
I had to keep reminding myself to stay as calm as possible and breathe. It’s definitely work-in-progress. Some times are better than others and I have to keep reminding myself that I am human. I know that in my heart, I did the best that I could do in that situation; so I have to keep reminding myself that it’s ok. | https://medium.datadriveninvestor.com/3-ideas-to-remember-your-inner-resilience-in-moments-of-challenge-9bdcc867c95b | [] | 2021-03-22 23:39:40.922000+00:00 | ['Resilience', 'Pandemic', 'Courage', 'Mindset', 'Anger'] |
Why Everyone (But Especially Men) Should be Watching SortedFood | Like most people during this period of extreme anxiety and extreme boredom, I turned to the internet to find some sort of soothing distraction to pass the time. One day, that brilliant YouTube algorithm, knowing that I have a love for cooking shows and British sports, suggested the channel SortedFoods. I thought, “Alright, I’ll just see what this is about,” and the next thing I knew, I had binged probably five hours of content. As I soon found out, that was barely scratching the surface of their extensive 10-year catalogue.
My own personal enthusiasm for the show aside, I began thinking seriously about why I felt this show resonated with me during this time, and why I found myself recommending it to every single person I have met since I started watching in May (which let’s be honest, during this pandemic, is like five people). In particular, I was constantly suggesting it to men.
Here’s why:
1) You’ll learn to cook. Seriously. Unlike many cooking shows, this one is made with the average person (or “normal” as they call it) in mind. The mythology around this show is that the leader of the group, chef Ben Eberall, and his three childhood friends (Barry, Mike, and Jamie) came home from their different universities and went to the pub. The three “normals” admitted to their friend Ben that they did not know the basic life skill of cooking, and thus the idea of the show was born: Though some recipes are more complex than others, the general take away is that anyone can learn to cook like a chef. There’s even an entire series on “mid-week meals” or food that can you just throw together at home in less than thirty minutes or so.
We know that in a heterosexual couple, even when both partners work, most housework and household management fall on the woman because women are trained from an early age to do those things, and men are not. The mid-week meal app, which can help you plan and execute the grocery shopping, the easy to cook recipes, and Ben’s dedication to teaching you to clean as you go, will greatly lessen the load on your partner/wife/girlfriend and lead to a somewhat more even distribution of household work. This means more time for the two of you to spend together and a generally more equitable relationship. Plus, you will be able to impress her with some dishes that look much more difficult than they really are.
2) You’ll save money. Everyone knows that cooking at home is less expensive than ordering out, and for many of us, cooking at home or microwave meals are really the only options at the moment. Their mid-week meal app can help you make sure you’re only buying the ingredients you need, and many of the recipes are things I would never even have considered making at home, like Indian curries or sushi. They even have a series where they blind taste-test expensive vs inexpensive ingredients, which can help you decide what is actually worth spending that dollar or two more on and when to just buy the cheap option.
3) You’ll be healthier. This is not to say that every dish on this show is healthy. Both Ben and the other chef, James Currie, are classically-French trained at UCB and clearly love their butter and dairy. But there are also plenty of vegan, paleo, and gluten-free recipes, and even an entire cookbook dedicated to celebrating vegetables. Plus, look at James’s arms. Clearly, he’s doing something right.
One of my favorite types of episodes is when they learn about food, such as what’s the difference between GMO and plant-breeding. They speak to experts about how food is grown and produced, cutting through a lot of the internet nonsense and allowing you to make the best choices about your health. Plus, learning about food is fun!
4) You’ll find #squadgoals. And this is actually the #1 reason I would recommend SortedFood to men. As someone who writes and teaches about masculinity, particularly toxic masculinity, I’m often asked, “What does healthy masculinity look like?” This is a fair question, as there are very few examples of healthy masculinity in our media and everyday lives. Suicide rates for men are much higher than for women, in part because they are not taught emotional intelligence, expected to eschew vulnerability, and told that they are valued because of what they achieve and not the depths of their personal connections.
While I obviously do not know any of these men in real life, the friendships as presented on SortedFood exemplify healthy masculinity. Don’t worry, masculinity is still there! Competition plays a key role in many episodes — including fun but embarrassing punishments, sarcasm and insults are thrown around (though often accompanied by “sorry” when someone feel that they have crossed a line), and “Benuendos” and dad jokes abound. But it’s also very clear that all five of these men care for each other very much, support one another when there is frustration or failure, and though we don’t see it on the camera, I imagine they are equally supportive of one another during difficult periods outside of the show.
They also all have their own types of masculinity, from Jamie — who in my opinion has the most typical “American” masculinity, with a love of beef and bourbon — to Ben, who was literally described as a quiche, to Barry, who loves fashion and the latest trends. Masculinity can and is more than one thing, and men can and should be supportive of all of the wonderful variations.
So there it is — my argument for why everyone, but especially men, should be watching SortedFood. There will never be enough representations of healthy masculinity in the world, but this food show is a great start.
Plus, who doesn’t love to eat? | https://medium.com/@apribyl22/why-everyone-but-especially-men-should-be-watching-sortedfood-99ed11b5ef35 | ['Ashley Pribyl'] | 2020-12-16 02:30:22.199000+00:00 | ['YouTube', 'Friendship', 'Masculinity', 'Cooking', 'Sortedfood'] |
Unicorns Unite | 100 unicorn founders back Firstminute Capital
Firstminute Capital has announced its second early stage-venture fund of $111m, and impressively has become the first venture to be backed by over 100 founders of unicorn-status companies.
Firstminute was founded in 2016 by Brent Hoberman CBE, (who also founded startups lastminute.com and made.com,) alongside Spencer Crawley. Firstminute is headquartered in London and has a team of 18 based across London, Stockholm, and Berlin, and now is looking to open an office in LA in 2022. Despite its London HQ, Firstminute has been backed by global tech leaders, which speaks to the huge potential and growth of European startups.
This week, Firstminute closed its second seed fund of $160m, giving it £211 million in assets under management, thanks to investors from founders of companies such as Farfetch, Babylon, and Checkout.com.
22 founders of businesses valued at $10bn+ have invested in this second Firstminute fund. High-profile global tech players have invested too; such as Google’s Eric Schmidt.
The 100 unicorn founders backing Firstminute Capital coincides with huge investments in European startups. A record $41bn was invested in 2020, compared to $27bn in 2018. The past year has been revolutionary for European startups, with German grocery delivery platform Gorillas breaking the record for the fastest European startup to reach unicorn status.
More and more European VCs are claiming successful founders as LPs. Founders are then able to invest in an asset that has historically been not available to individual investors. Founder LPs are also highly beneficial, as they can be a point of contact for new deals and can help navigate the tech ecosystem. This being said, this large amount of early investors in European VC is certainly an unusual success.
Founder Brent Hoberman announced: ‘European technology is reaching escape velocity, and it’s fantastic to enable so many global serial entrepreneurs to give their experience to the next generation: we have over 70 unicorn founders joining us on this journey so far, and more to come as we approach final close. Seed venture investing is attracting ever higher quality backers which will help more founders succeed.’
Ilkka Paananen, the co-founder and CEO of Supercell, commented on the 100 unicorn founder backing Firstminute Capital, stating that this speaks to both the confidence in Firstminute, and the European tech ecosystem as a whole.
RIT Capital Partners has made an unprecedented move in the European venture capital scene by becoming Firstminute’s anchor investor in their fund. RIT Capital Partners have previously invested in leading US funds such as Sequoia, Benchmark, Thrive, and Iconiq. American LPs are finding UK VC funds increasingly attractive and they are viewed as an entry point for investment in Europe.
Who is investing?
So, who is investing? Firstminute says half of the current portfolio companies are headquartered in the U.K., and the remaining half is shared between continental Europe and North America. Two-thirds of the portfolio businesses are B2B and one-third is B2C.
The investors
The following are founders and/or executives of companies that have joined the fund. | https://medium.com/@splento/unicorns-unite-2e75bd2bb48a | ['Lana Tsiupko'] | 2021-06-17 11:55:11.542000+00:00 | ['Investors', 'Investment', 'Founders', 'Invest', 'Backer'] |
U.S. University Is Making Headway on the Problem of Bitcoin Scalability | Northwestern University, Illinois, and bloXroute Labs have been developing a scalability solution for Bitcoin and other mainstream blockchains
A team of researchers at Northwestern University, Illinois, is making headway against one of the biggest problems facing the Bitcoin network: scalability. The team is working alongside bloXroute Labs, an innovative company that looks to provide a solution to the scalability issue facing many blockchains without compromising the decentralized nature of their networks.
We are scaling at 100 times better than what bitcoin is doing now / Sarit Markovich, Clinical Associate Professor of Strategy at Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University
BloXroute Labs and the Northwestern University (NU) team are taking a refreshing approach to solving scalability. Traditionally, blocks are mined on the Bitcoin network, and then broadcast through a peer-to-peer relay until the entire network has received the new block. This process is cumbersome, as network participants must wait until all members have received the block before the network can move forward with verifying the set of transactions. NU is working around this “scalability bottleneck” by compressing blocks, allowing the network to send smaller sized chunks of data, while still maintaining the same amount of information.
While the bloXroute whitepaper explains the proposed scalability solution in full, one key concept from the whitepaper can help us understand what the team is trying to do. Essentially, bloXroute looks to semi-centralize a blockchain by creating an ecosystem where a trusted set of independent servers propagates blocks throughout the network. This is similar to the existing centralized blockchains of projects like Ripple, but reversed, thus maintaining the decentralized and trustless nature of the blockchain.
While centralized systems place trust in a subset of nodes to enable scalability, bloXroute enables scalability by using a small set of servers which place trust in the entire network instead. The system utilizes a Blockchain Distribution Network (BDN) to enable scaling, yet nodes need not place any trust in the BDN. Instead, the BDN blindly serves the nodes, without knowledge of the blocks it propagates, their origin, or their destination. / bloXroute whitepaper
The bloXroute solution is exciting in that it could help solve the scalability issues of not only Bitcoin but of other mainstream blockchains as well. Scalability is one of the biggest hurdles facing crypto-adoption, and if a solution such as bloXroute can help bring cryptocurrency networks on-par with those of central banks, many believe we would see a mass-movement towards decentralized currencies.
Disclaimer: information contained herein is provided without considering your personal circumstances, therefore should not be construed as financial advice, investment recommendation or an offer of, or solicitation for, any transactions in cryptocurrencies. | https://medium.com/bitrates-news/u-s-university-is-making-headway-on-the-problem-of-bitcoin-scalability-869f0a46d8f | [] | 2018-08-19 06:52:59.852000+00:00 | ['Blockchain', 'University', 'Bitcoin', 'Scalability'] |
Evaluation: Driving Toward Impact While Encouraging Learning and Flexibility | A funder’s role in evaluation, reporting and metrics is a delicate balance between value add versus distraction. Consider the following advice points to ensure that you are holding your grantee/investee accountable to greater impact without taking them off track.
Image by Kurt Bouda from Pixabay
1. Measure with milestones.
Measure organizations’ progress and results against a few key milestones as opposed to a more granular list of specific activities. See the Mulago Foundation’s suggestions on specific and quantitative milestones across the areas of delivery, organizational capacity, and impact.
2. Align KPIs and reporting requirements to the metrics that hold social enterprises accountable to their clients/beneficiaries.
Many SEs prioritize data that holds them accountable to you, as a funder. Work with social enterprises to understand what KPIs would best hold them accountable to their clients — ensuring that client voice is captured in that process — and hold them accountable to those metrics
3. Value contribution as much as attribution.
When scaling through partnerships or systems change, success will be beyond the contributions of one entity alone, yet funder requirements can sometimes create perverse incentives for enterprises to maintain ownership in order to claim direct attribution for impacts achieved. So, funders should seek to understand and reward contribution to allow social enterprises to minimize the credit they seek and empower others to sustain the change.
4. Acknowledge the trade-off between long-term sustainability, impact, and reach.
Scaling through partners — such as government — is often appealing due to increased reach and speed. However, achieving this reach may result in other tradeoffs — such as decreased impact per unit. Discuss this with grantees/investees to avoid surprises, and develop metrics to determine acceptable levels of tradeoff.
5. Reconsider the types of data you value and require.
The Equitable Evaluation Initiative describes this challenge best: “Certain kinds of data and evidence have come to be viewed with value and legitimacy in philanthropy. Many foundation boards have come to expect simple quantitative dashboards, and those with particular academic backgrounds often value experimental research designs regardless of their fit to the situation. The field has come to treat with suspicion what is often called ’self-reported data’ and to dismiss even systematically collected and analyzed qualitative data as merely ’stories.’” Consider the types of data you value from the enterprises in your portfolio — why it is so — and how you can prioritize both quantitative and qualitative data that allow for different voices to be represented.
6. Adopt or develop a set of principles on equitable evaluation.
There are several emerging standards that can be adopted by funders as a baseline to ensure evaluation efforts — by you and your portfolio enterprises — are equitable. The Skoll Foundation is exploring the equitable evaluation principles to inform how measuring and evaluating impact can “advance progress towards equity; answer critical questions about how historical and structural decisions have contributed to the social change being addressed; and foster community participation in defining success and shaping how evaluation happens.” Other standards include the Responsible Data framework.
7. Seek out — and be open to — multiple storylines to explain data.
Funders can play a role in encouraging organizations to seek out storylines to explain the data that challenge existing organizational narratives about what works and why. If you and your portfolio organizations are open to such inquiry, it could result in significant improvements — but also means that you must be open to such pivots as needed. This also means ensuring that your funding will allow for such data- driven changes.
8. Help organizations keep their data lean and simple so that it can be scalable.
The collection and analysis of an organization’s core data must be simple and repeatable to allow for scale. The addition of too many additional reporting metrics from external stakeholders, including funders, can burden the data collection process and undermine the ability for strategic data to help power scale. Before asking for additional data, ask yourself the three questions that social enterprise Harambee Youth Employment Accelerator uses before adding new metrics:
Why are we tracking that? What behavior will it drive internally? Does it keep the client/beneficiary at the center?
Some funders, including the Skoll Foundation, do not require grantees to report on a set of common measures because that would not truly capture the impact of each unique organization. Instead, the Skoll Foundation allows grantees to define their own metrics of success which they regularly report to the foundation. This approach is similar to the “bring your own lunch” approach described within MIT D-Lab’s “The Metrics Café.”
9. Align critical levers for systems change with data points to track and measure them.
FSG’s six conditions of systems changes (policies, practices, resource flows, relationships & connections, power dynamics, and mental models), as described in “The Water of Systems Change,” provide a helpful framework for organizations and funders to map metrics. Work with organizations to identify the metrics that best align with the short-term and long-term change they are seeking.
10. Look for shorter-term signals of systems change.
As the Skoll Foundation’s Liz Diebold and Anna Zimmerman Jin shared in a devex article, “Systems change takes many years, but we look for shorter-term signals to spot it. For example, successful replication of a solution by government, the private sector, or civil society; leveraging a network of actors to achieve common impact goals; or contributing to changes in policies governing an ecosystem.” | https://medium.com/scaling-pathways/keep-an-eye-on-accountability-while-allowing-investees-to-drive-to-impact-at-scale-b1136b7f9bd2 | ['Case At Duke'] | 2021-01-14 16:28:04.535000+00:00 | ['Equity', 'Social Enterprise', 'Funders', 'Scaling Pathways', 'Systems Change'] |
How to talk to your child about how they were born. | Children are curious beings. They are learning about the world around them by exploring, discovering and asking lots of questions. Finding answers to their questions helps them process the how, where, what, when and why about things around them.
Very often children can shock, surprise or completely throw us off balance with their questions or observations. “ Mummy how was I born?”. “ Dad how did I come out of Mummy’s tummy?”. These questions can perturb any parent. Some parents try to avoid the question altogether as it seems overwhelming to explain this to kids. Others spin stories like a fairy dropped you from heaven or God left you on our bed one night. Some others don’t know what to mention and what to leave out and it seems easier avoiding the subject altogether.
Sayali Gadkari, an Indian physiotherapist at American Hospital, UAE was asked, “Aai (meaning mother in Marathi) how did I come out of your stomach?” by her 2 year old son when he was shown his mother’s pictures taken during her pregnancy. She told him, “ Doctor had to help you come out. When you came out, you started crying but when you saw me you kept staring at me. From that day till today I love you so much.” Her 2 year old son hugged her and said “ Yes Aai I also love you from that day.” She believes in keeping it real without divulging too many details.
Veni Venkat, an entrepreneur and mother of a 6 year old girl from Mumbai was caught unaware when her daughter asked her how she was born. She told her that she prayed a lot for a child and then God blessed her and a baby began growing in her tummy. After enjoying a 9 month vacation in her tummy, the magician doctor released her into this world like a movie release. Her daughter was convinced and she didn’t need to get into any more details.
My daughter also shocks me quite often with her observations. Few months back, she popped the question, “How was I born?”. I was caught off-guard even though I had read about tackling situations like these. I stayed calm and told her “ After mommy and daddy got married, God blessed us with you. For 9 months you were inside my tummy. You could hear all our voices. Our hearts got connected with each other and stay connected even today. Everything mommy ate, reached you through the cord that connected both of us.” Her eyes completely lit up as I explained the details to her. “I could not take medicines even if I was feeling sick as those medicines were very strong for you.” “ What was I doing in there?”, Samaira asked. I told her, “ You would kick me sometimes, roll around and do all kinds of stunts. Slowly you started growing big and one day you couldn’t fit in mommy’s tummy. Daddy took mommy to the hospital and doctor gave mommy anaesthesia so mommy wouldn’t feel the pain.” “What is anaesthesia mommy?” Samaira asked. I explained to her that there were two types of anaesthesia local and general (well those were the only types I knew). When general is given, we don’t know what’s happening, we go to sleep. But when local is given only that area becomes numb and does not pain anymore. However we are still awake. “Then doctor cut open mommy’s stomach and got you out.” ( Since I had a caesarean delivery I was trying to be as honest and age appropriate as I could be). I didn’t get into any of the reproductive details because she was too young for it. Till date she loves this story and wants to hear it over and over again. She also keeps telling everyone that our hearts are connected.
I know this isn’t over. The same question will be asked over and over again as she understands more of the world and begins to understand her own body better. It isn’t going to be easy to answer her even then but I will try to be as close to the truth and as factual as possible.
Annette Raposo, Child Counsellor in the UAE says, “ If your child comes up and asks you how he or she was born, the first thing would be to understand what they know or have heard. Depending on their age, they all have some idea about it. It’s important to be honest. You can say something like when parents love each other, they decide to have a baby. Make sure to include words like ‘grown ups’, ‘parents’, ‘womb’. Be comfortable when you talk about it. Do not show any discomfort. Keep it age appropriate. A 4 year old can be told that babies come from a special place in mamma’s tummy while a 10 year old can be told more details. At all times make your child comfortable so that he or she can walk upto you at any time and ask whatever questions or doubts they have. They should know you are their safe place not a teacher or a judge.”
Here are a few tips for parents tackling this for the first time, so that you can be better prepared.
The question “Where do babies come from?” isn’t about sex Don’t avoid the question Try to stay calm and not transfer your fears to your kid Avoid creating a story that has no connection to reality You could start with probing to understand what they know about it. “Oh that’s an interesting question. How do you think you were born?” Once you understand what they know about the subject, it’s easier to understand where they are coming from and how to answer them. There is always an age appropriate explanation that you can create without giving them too many details that would scare or disturb them. It’s easier to explain this to younger kids than older ones. There are a few books that you could take help from which keep it simple and explain these concepts honestly and easily. 1 When You Were Inside Mommy, by Joanna Cole, 2 What to Expect When Mommy’s Having a Baby by Heidi Murkoff, 3 You Were Born on Your Very First Birthday by Linda Walvoord Girard, 4 A Child Is Born by Lennart and Lars Hamberger Nilsson
If you’ve experienced this situation and have had some success or failure at it, I’d love to hear from you.
#expatmom # expatmomindubai #keepitreal #howiwasborn #parentsasfriends #expatparenting #parenting #parentsalwayslearning #samiarastories | https://medium.com/@blossommenezes/how-to-talk-to-your-child-about-how-they-were-born-4d230c9858c8 | ['Blossom Menezes'] | 2020-12-19 15:01:36.043000+00:00 | ['Parenting Tips', 'Parenthood', 'Parenting Advice', 'Parents', 'Parenting'] |
How To Be Productive & Manage Your Time As A Freelancer | Published By Nick Tubis:
Watch Video Tutorial Here
Transcript:
Today’s episode is all about productivity and how you can become as productive as possible as a freelancer. A lot of freelancers struggle in the beginning with managing their time. Because they’re used to working 9–5 jobs, where they’ve had to be at the office. But now when they become their own boss, they’re not really sure what to do or how to organize their time.
I’m going to breakdown a strategy that I use that helps me 10x my productivity and that helps get me way more done.
What I do is I pre-plan my day the day before. And I base my day based on my biorythms and you should to. So for me I’m a morning person, and like to start working around 6AM but I go to bed early. I know a lot of successful freelancers who sleep in and work until 2AM.
It doesn’t matter as long as you pre plan your days. So what you want to do is at the end of the day get out a pen and piece of paper and schedule your day in 90 minute chunks.
So this could 8AM-9:30Am Apply for 5 jobs. 9AM-10:30M work on client project. With 15 minute to 30 minute breaks in between. This gets your mind thinking and visualizing about the day ahead and allows you to get way more done.
One other pro tip. I learned this from a freelancer who has a lot of clients and has made millions on Upwork. If you can give yourself 2 hours during the workday for unplanned tasks. As a business owner there are always things that come up unexpectadly.
By doing this it will help you prepare for anything that is thrown your way. Now besides planning your day ahead I also plan my week on Sunday’s. I really like doing this because it helps you strategize on the goals you want to accomplish not just daily to do items.
If you want to do this too, what you can do is get out a pen and paper and draw a big t on a piece of paper that has 4 quadrants. Three of those quadrants are for your 3 big goals for the year with an exact deadline on them. I’ve found adding deadlines to your goals makes them a lot more real, and puts the pressure on you to act. Kind of like when you’re in school and you have a project due.
One of your goals could be a wealth goal like making a certain amount of money per month. One of your other goals could be a health goal. Like for me its getting to 170 lbs. And another goal could be for your relationship or another area for your life. Than underneeth each goal you plug in all of the tasks that you need to do to make that goal happen. Then you just execute.
If you would like to learn more about how to become productive as a freelancer check out our freelancer client acquisition system online training program at the link below. Thanks for tuning in and I will see you on the next episode. | https://medium.com/@NickTubis/how-to-be-productive-manage-your-time-as-a-freelancer-358d06e3d004 | ['Nick Tubis'] | 2020-02-21 23:39:48.180000+00:00 | ['Motivation', 'Time Management', 'Digital Nomad', 'Freelance', 'Digital Marketing'] |
Chrome Cast App for Business & Social Utility | You’ve interested in screen-share from iOS to Chromecast TV and now it’s here! Watching your favorite games and broadcasters on your TV just got a whole lot easier.
We recommend these apps:
1. TVCast for Chromecast is an application that allows you to float your media literally all over your house. It’s compatible with most current game systems, Roku, Chromecast, mobile devices, tablets, and more. That means you’ll be able to cast your photos, TV shows, movies, and music to virtually any WiFi-connected device in your home.
Cast From Multiple Devices, Any Time
One of the coolest features of TVCast is its multi-sender functionality. Any iOS devices that are connected to your Wi-Fi turns into a remote control for your TV. This means that while you’re casting from an iPhone, your content can be air-dropped to an Android TV.
It also comes with cloud support. That allows you can cast things from your Google Drive and other platforms to your Chromecast. It’s one of the must-have Chromecast apps. You can download it for free to check it out before forking out for the premium version. Launch it here.
Stream anything from your iOS device to the TV
TVCast enhances your TV experience and lets you enjoy the show on your big screen. You can experience the feeling of being at the movie theater, music concern at your home without hanging out. Stream any photos and turn them into a slideshow for special occasions as b’day party, anniversary,…
Don’t worry, Beginners!
The application is rated by most users as very-easy-to-use. The interface is super clean and nice. Moreover, there is a troubleshooting page that you can search for every instruction you need. If you encountered any problems while using the app, you can contact the support team at [email protected], and they will try to help you out ASAP.
To learn more about using TVCast for the first time, go here.
2. Screen Mirroring: You can use the Screen Mirroring app to cast your most favorable family things such as wedding anniversary, your baby’s first steps to various types of Smart TV like Samsung TV, LG TV, Roku TV,… in realtime.
Screen Mirroring is the right app you need for presenting in business meetings. The casting function for photos, videos, and webcasting is not only suitable for your work but also for your family entertainment. Learn more: https://apple.co/2J7cfb9 | https://medium.com/@maplelabsco/chrome-cast-app-for-business-social-utility-820ae86f7722 | ['Maple Labs'] | 2020-07-16 09:49:36.637000+00:00 | ['Chromecast', 'Google', 'Streaming', 'Apps', 'Apple'] |
A Tale of Five Python SSH Libraries | In Suzieq, we needed to select a python library to fetch data from network devices (and servers) via SSH. This led us to a search for and evaluation of five SSH libraries. which I thought were the most suitable for the task at hand.
Requirements
We had a fairly simple list of requirements from the SSH libraries:
Good performance
Scalable
Python 3 support
Support the common authentication and connection models used in the majority of enterprises for connecting to network devices.
Lets now examine the effects of these requirements.
Asyncio
Network operation lends itself well to asynchronous operation. In Python 3, especially starting with python 3.5, asynchronous programming became easy. In subsequent releases, all the way upto python 3.7, the readbaility and ease of use of the async mode only got better and many new libraries sprang up that did asynchronous versions of the common use cases such as REST and SSH. There’s even a Python async library for SNMP.
To those who may not know the difference, asynchronous mode enables concurrency, which is not the same as parallel execution. A simple to understand model for understanding this difference is that concurrency is useful even with a single core while parallel execution inherently relies on multiple cores. To explain this with more words, any task has two pieces in its execution: CPU and I/O. When a task is executing I/O, its typically waiting for a long time for the IO to complete and fetch the results. Think of disk reads or network communication as examples of waiting for I/O. While the task is waiting, other tasks can be scheduled to execute. Any application that can take advantage of this waiting to work on other things is said to support concurrency. In case of parallel execution, the task is broken up into multiple individual pieces and each piece executes simultaneously on multiple cores. An example of a task that lends itself to parallelizing is performing a common operation on multiple elements in a list.
On the basis of this explanation, it’s hopefully clearer that concurrency is far more critical and natural with network I/O and benefits networking code independently of whether the task can be parallelized. For example, you can use a pool of processes to parallelize rendering of a template while at the same time using a pool of threads for pushing the template to different network devices.
Given that Suzieq will be polling many network devices, an async library version is preferred over the non-async version to provide both good performance and for scaling.
Authentication and Connection Method Support
Connecting to network devices in enterprises and most organizations (except hyperscalars who have the ability to put together a good public key infrastructure to use certificate-based authentication), requires support for at least the following features:
Ignoring Host Key Files
Supporting Private Key FIles instead of password, including private key file with passphrase
Support communicating via a jump host
Support ssh config files
Support using ssh-agent
Any python library we used in Suzieq needed to support for these libraries.
SSH and Network Devices
Networking devices are notorious for not behaving like proper shells when you use SSH to connect to them. Kirk Byers, the author of netmiko, wrote a nice post about why he created the Netmiko library. He explains some of these problems.
The primary problem has to do with how configuration commands work with network devices. Network device shells are contextual, especially so for configuration. For example, if you want to issue a command to assign an IP address to an interface. You need to first issue a command “configure”, followed by “interface Ethernet 1/1” (assuming Ethernet 1/1 is the interface you want to assign the IP address to), followed by “ip address 192.168.1.1”. Issuing three independent commands will not work nor will issuing the three separated by “;” as network device shells are modal. So, it would be very helpful for an SSH library intending to support communicating with network devices to help with this.
Fortunately, Suzieq never uses any configuration command. All its commands are so called “show” commands. Because of this, communicating with network devices for Suzieq is no different than communicating with any Linux server or Linux NOS such as Cumulus or SONIC(I don’t know if SONIC’s shell functions only as a traditional network device shell or it can act like a Linux shell). As a consequence, we can ignore requiring the SSH library used within Suzieq from needing to support context-driven configuration commands.
The Contenders
The first contender is Netmiko. Netmiko also comes with the ability to parse the command output and return it as a structured output via the popular command parsing library, textfsm. Netmiko is used in the popular NAPALM network device access library. netmiko itself is based off of paramiko, the next contender. Paramiko is what popular tools such as Ansible use. The third contender, ssh2-python, is a library that I ran into because it billed itself as being very fast and the basis for a fast parallel SSH client library, parallel-ssh (remember note about parallelism and concurrency above). The fourth contender is asyncssh, an asynchronous full-featured SSH implementation of SSH. The final contender is a relative newcomer called scrapli. Scrapli is not itself an SSH library, but a wrapper around paramiko, asyncssh and ssh2 SSH libraries. It provides both a synchronous and an asynchronous version of SSH connection to network devices. However, unlike asyncssh which doesn’t provide any additional support for network devices, scrapli tries to make it easy to connect to the network devices and issue configuration commands. We’ll be using the scrpali wrapper around asyncssh in the tests below. However, scrapli doesn’t provide any support for connecting to anything Linux-y like Cumulus and SONIC(??) or servers; it also supports far fewer devices than Netmiko supports, at the time of this writing.
All five libraries satisfy all the SSH functionality desired by Suzieq. Here is a table to compare the different libraries and their features:
Benchmarking Setup
I spun up a number of topologies using Vagrant. The simulations had different NOS such as Arista’s EOS, Cisco’s NXOS, Cumulus Linux, and JunOS. If the number of the hosts tested varies across the NOS, its because of whatever simulation I had ready to spin up. This allowed me to verify that changing the NOS didn’t affect the test results. I ran the benchmark test from my laptop, a Lenovo Yoga with i7–8550U CPU and 16GB RAM and SSD. The simulations, except for Junos, ran on a different machine, an Intel NUC with an i7–8550U processor with 64GB RAM and an SSD. The network connectivity between my laptop and the NUC was wireless. The simulation using Junos ran on my laptop as well because of the IP addressing of Virtualbox (the addressing is only exposed on the local machine by default). JunOS VM is available on virtualbox only and I could not make it work on libvirt, unlike the other NOS. I used python 3.7.5.
I verified that the overall timing values were not affected if I shifted the order in which the different libraries were run i.e. I sometimes ran asyncssh first, netmiko second and so on while at other times I ran paramiko first, ssh2 second and so on.
Netmiko has a lot more possible parameters to configure to ensure that I was doing an apples to apples comparison between the SSH performance of the various libraries. For example, I verified if setting the NOS type specifically in the connection parameters versus asking netmiko to autodetect made a difference. I didn’t test this option against all NOS, but against NXOS version 9.3.4, setting it to autodetect consistently performed better and so I left that parameter to autodetect in all the tests. Similarly, I set the use_textfsm parameter in command execution to False to ensure that the timings were not affected by any additional parsing that the library was performing after the data was obtained.
I ran what I think is a simple, common command in each case for the NOS, “show version” (for classical NOS) and “uname -a” for Cumulus and Linux servers. The code that I used for benchmarking is available via this github gist.
Benchmarking with timeit
Python comes with a module timeit that’s supported with the base Python distribution. I used it to get the execution times for each of the four libraries. I measured a single host execution time as well as a multi-host execution time. While it is possible to write more complex code to do thread management myself, I first chose to ignore this model and execute the comamands in as simple a fashion as possible using the library. In benchmarking methodology, its generally accepted practice to execute multiple runs of the command and average out the execution time across all those times. I used a repeat count of 3 and 10 to obtain the timings because of the time to execute a command, though most benchmarking methodologies typically employ much larger numbers. I noticed however that the times were consistently slower with 10 repeats vs 3 repeats.
The Results
Here are some of the outputs of running the test:
$ python ssh_timeit.py nxos 10
Running single host timing for simulation: nxos
SINGLE HOST RUN(Avg of 10 runs)
— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — -
asyncssh: 5.310472506971564
scrapli: 14.621411228028592
ssh2: 7.677067372016609
paramiko: 11.580183147045318
netmiko: 27.1105942610302 Running multi-host timing for simulation: nxos, 4 hosts
MULTI HOST RUN(Avg of 10 runs)
— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —
asyncssh: 9.257326865044888
scrapli: 17.880212849995587
ssh2: 32.365094934997614
paramiko: 39.12168894999195
netmiko: 91.02830006496515
For 10 hosts, I used only 3 repeats because 10 repeats seemed to stress my server too much. The numbers are with Cumulus, and so no scrapli values:
$ python ssh_timeit.py cumulus 3
Running single host timing for simulation: cumulus
SINGLE HOST RUN(Avg of 3 runs)
— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — -
asyncssh: 0.6976866699988022
scrapli: -1
ssh2: 0.7593440869823098
paramiko: 0.9228836600086652
netmiko: 4.598790391988587 Running multi-host timing for simulation: cumulus, 10 hosts
MULTI HOST RUN(Avg of 3 runs)
— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —
asyncssh: 4.895733051002026
scrapli: -1
ssh2: 31.351762487960514
paramiko: 28.609976636013016
netmiko: 64.02421957900515
And one more with Junos:
$ python ssh_timeit.py junos 10
Running single host timing for simulation: junos
SINGLE HOST RUN(Avg of 10 runs)
— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — -
asyncssh: 1.6286625529755838
scrapli: 1.9315025190007873
ssh2: 1.5417965339729562
paramiko: 1.6812862670049071
netmiko: 12.91307156701805
Running multi-host timing for simulation: junos, 2 hosts
MULTI HOST RUN(Avg of 10 runs)
— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —
asyncssh: 1.9371595539851114
scrapli: 2.3284904189640656
ssh2: 3.1178728850209154
paramiko: 3.258504494035151
netmiko: 25.267352762049995
A few things jump out at these outputs:
The single host performace across the four libraries, asyncssh, scrapli, libssh2 and paramiko, are roughly equivalent. If I run the test enough times, I can make any one of them best the others, with the exception that Scrapli never bested asyncssh.
Netmiko is consistently the slowest
In the case of multihost performance, asyncssh always beats out the others, by a fairly wide margin, at least 15x faster than the slowest.
The results are summarized in this table below (note the slower times with 10 repeats vs 3 repeats):
Concurrency with Synchronous IO
So, you may wonder, how do people deal with multiple hosts using libraries other than asyncssh. The answer is that programmers have to build their own version of concurrency by either using threads or processes. Ansible uses processes, if I remember correctly. Here is a link to a post that shows how such a code might be written (I just randomly picked an entry from the search result). Python’s asyncio library uses multi-threading by default, not multi-processing, though you can write code to adapt it to use multiprocessing. I don’t want to do thread management if I can help it. The more I can rely on well-tested code, the more I can focus on my tool’s value add and also focus on testing what’s essential.
Code Readability
This brings me to another criterion in helping us decide on which library did we wanted to use in Suzieq. How simple and easy to read is the code. First up are the best answers in my opinion, asyncssh and netmiko. Here they are:
Both are fairly easy to follow and hide all sorts of low level details from the code. asyncssh has the equivalent of netmiko’s dev_connect variable model that you can use instead of passing the parameters in the call to connect as we’ve done. Paramiko is fairly equivalent, if not as terse as asyncssh. Scrapli follows netmiko’s model except that it doesn’t have the autodetect mode, and so its code looks like this:
Next up is ssh2-python (this is taken from ssh2-python’s examples):
This is far less elegant than the first two, exposing sockets, sessions and channels. While one could argue that all this code could be tucked away in a routine and made to look as elegant as asyncssh or netmiko, I’m inherently lazy. I don’t want to do work that I don’t want to, unless there’s a real strong motivation to do it.
Summary
The main takeaways from these results are:
async versions far outstrip their synchronous equivalents when it comes to performance
Before the advent of Scrapli, it was difficult for network operators to use asynchronous SSH libraries
Network devices make it far more difficult to work with compared to Linux-y NOS because what they offer is not a programmable shell.
While this is not a professional benchmarking article, I hope it helped the readers appreciate what a serious difference asyncio makes in performance. Networking tools can get a good leg up in performance and staying simple by moving their libraries to the async versions.
Asyncssh is the python ssh library used in Suzieq. Its successfully connected to Juniper MX, Juniper QFX, Cisco’s 9K, Cumulus, Arista and SONIC machines without a problem. We use textfsm internally on the gathered data, if structured output is not available. Given our requirements, this was the best choice. Our choice was validated even more by how helpful the maintainer of asyncssh, Ron Frederick is. I needed help with figuring something out, and he sent me an excellent, detailed and thoughtful response. What more could a developer or user ask for? | https://medium.com/the-elegant-network/a-tale-of-five-python-ssh-libraries-19cb8b72c914 | ['Dinesh Dutt'] | 2020-09-08 12:50:40.256000+00:00 | ['Data Center', 'Infrastructure', 'Python', 'Infrastructure As Code', 'Networking'] |
Packaging Guidelines for your International Courier | Packaging Guidelines for your International Courier
So you’re planning to send a courier internationally? Vega Express provides a range of cost-effective service options for you to choose from whether you’re shipping to the USA, Canada, or Australia. We will get your package where it needs to go.
Let’s say you have some important documents you need to expedite to your business partner in Canada or maybe you’re planning to send an application for a college in the USA.
With the help of Vega Express, you can be assured that your parcel will reach your destination within 2–4 business days.
Well, some exceptions apply.
For Example, You have this box of home-made sweets.
You want to send these home-made sweets to your son in Australia from Bangalore. The parcel needs to arrive before his birthday which is two weeks from now.
You could use a free flat rate box from your local post office and ship using Standard Courier service. The parcel will be delivered in about six to ten business days.
Oh wait, but what if the birthday is next week?
Using Standard Courier service to deliver your parcel can delay the package delivery. To ensure that the sweets reach your destination quickly, you can use the International Priority Courier express.
The International Priority Courier Express ensures that the parcel reaches the destination in three to five business days.
But the customers need to keep in mind that the International Priority Express costs a little extra as compared to the Standard service.Check out our Rate calculator to find the estimated cost for shipping your parcel.
Once you’ve selected the right parcel service, the customers have an option to opt for additional international shipping insurance or extra services as required.
After selecting the shipping options, make sure you follow certain guidelines.
Ensure that you’ve checked the restricted items list for the destination country to make sure you are not sending any prohibited items Make sure you meet the size and weight limits for your international shipment You need to label your package with the appropriate address, postage, and customs information. You can assist with guaranteeing that your courier shows up securely and on time Utilize an unbending box with folds unblemished
How to Pack Your Parcel
If you’ve ever sent a package that ends up looking like this…
You should try a few of these tips the next time you’re shipping your parcel.
Choosing the Right Box
Selecting the right size, strength, and shape of your shipping parcel is a key to successful courier. It’s a good idea to select a box that is slightly larger than the content you’re putting into it.
If the box is too small, it can get overstuffed, forcing the box to bend, tear, or break open. Whereas if it’s too big, your content can shift and shake inside the box as it’s transported, possibly damaging your goods.
Bubble Wrap your Package
Stress from outside the box can cause it to collapse or crush. That’s why it’s important to reinforce the box from within. The content you place inside might provide some natural reinforcement, but you don’t want your content to bare the brunt of the load. You want to stuff bubble wrap, crumpled paper or other soft absorbent materials along the bottom, sides and top of the box.
Seal the Package
Reinforce the box from the outside, by properly closing the box and adding packing tape along the folds and edges. Ensure that you reinforce the bottom, so heavy items don’t fall through. When adding tape, be careful not to mask any labels.
If the parcel is fragile or you feel it may sustain damage during shipping, the package can be double boxed.
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Benches/Bed Pt. 3, Day 9 | We then used a router to create a channel in the inner edge of all the frames. Wood panels will then be inserted into the grooves, much like in your typical cabinetry.
We cut down 3/16" 4'x8' plywood to sizes that could be accommodated in the channels:
Assembly steps: | https://medium.com/@the-magno-mobile/benches-bed-pt-3-day-9-9b62b27a428c | ['The Magno-Mobile'] | 2020-12-12 04:29:03.670000+00:00 | ['DIY', 'Conversion Van', 'Vanlife', 'Campervan', 'Projects'] |
Build a blog with React, Strapi and Apollo | This tutorial will show you how to build a blog using React for the frontend, Apollo for requesting the Strapi API and Strapi as the backend. This post is written by Maxime Castres, Growth Hacker at Strapi.
If you are familiar with our blog you must have seen that we’ve released a series of tutorials on how to make blogs using Strapi with a lot of frontend frameworks: Gatsby Old, Gatsby new, Next.js, Vue, Nuxt or Angular.
This one if for React developers who wants to build a simple blog with Strapi!
Webinar
We made a webinar on February 20 where I did this tutorial live on Livestorm
Starter
You may want to directly try the result of this tutorial. Well, we made a starter out of it so give it a try!
Deploy the backend
To deploy this Strapi instance you’ll need:
Once you have created these accounts you can deploy your instance by clicking on this button
Deploy the frontend
Netlify
To deploy this Strapi instance you’ll need:
A Netlify account for free
Once you have created your account you can deploy your instance by clicking on this button.
Select a repository name and fill the API_URL with your Strapi instance on Heroku (eg: https://your-app.herokuapp.com) without the trailing slash
Goal
The goal here is to be able to create a blog website using Strapi as the backend, React for the frontend, and Apollo for requesting the Strapi API with GraphQL.
The source code is available on GitHub.
Prerequisites
This tutorial uses Strapi v3.0.0-beta.18.3.
You need to have node v.12 installed and that’s all.
Setup
Create a blog-strapi folder and get inside!
mkdir blog-strapi && cd blog-strapi
Back-end setup
That’s the easiest part, as since beta.9 Strapi has an excellent package create strapi-app that allows you to create a Strapi project in seconds without needing to install Strapi globally so let’s try it out.
Note: for this tutorial, we will use yarn as your package manager.
yarn create strapi-app backend --quickstart --no-run .
This single command line will create all you need for your back-end. Make sure to add the --no-run flag as it will prevent your app from automatically starting the server because SPOILER ALERT: we need to install some awesome Strapi plugins.
Now that you know that we need to install some plugins to enhance your app, let’s install one of our most popular ones: the graphql plugin.
yarn strapi install graphql
Once the installation is completed, you can finally start your Strapi server strapi dev and create your first Administrator.
Don’t forget that Strapi is running on http://localhost:1337
Nice! Now that Strapi is ready, you are going to create your Next.JS application.
Front-end setup
The easiest part has been completed, let’s get our hands dirty developing our blog!
React setup
Create a React frontend server by running the following command:
yarn create react-app frontend
Once the installation is completed, you can start your front-end app to make sure everything went ok.
cd frontend
yarn dev
Front-end structure
You are going to give a better structure to your React application! But first, let’s install react-router-dom
Install react-router-dom by running the following command:
yarn add react-router-dom
Remove everything inside your src folder
folder Create an index.js file containing the following code:
import React from "react";
import ReactDOM from "react-dom";
import App from "./containers/App";
import { BrowserRouter as Router } from "react-router-dom"; ReactDOM.render(
<Router>
<App />
</Router>,
document.getElementById("root")
);
What you are doing here is to wrap your App inside Router . But what/where is your App ?
Well we’re going to create a containers folder that will contain your App
Create a containers/App folder and a index.js file inside containing the following code:
import React from "react"; function App() {
return <div className="App" />;
} export default App;
To make your blog look pretty, we will use a popular CSS framework for styling: UiKit and Apollo to query Strapi with GraphQL.
UIkit setup
Add the following line in your public/index.html in order to use UIkit from their CDN
...
<title>React App</title>
<link
rel="stylesheet"
href="https://fonts.googleapis.com/css?family=Staatliches"
/>
<link
rel="stylesheet"
href="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/[email protected]/dist/css/uikit.min.css"
/> <script src="https://cdnjs.cloudflare.com/ajax/libs/uikit/3.2.0/js/uikit.min.js"></script>
<script src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/[email protected]/dist/js/uikit-icons.min.js"></script>
<script src="https://cdnjs.cloudflare.com/ajax/libs/uikit/3.2.0/js/uikit.js"></script>
...
Create an ./src/index.css file containing the following style:
a {
text-decoration: none;
} h1 {
font-family: Staatliches;
font-size: 120px;
} #category {
font-family: Staatliches;
font-weight: 500;
} #title {
letter-spacing: 0.4px;
font-size: 22px;
font-size: 1.375rem;
line-height: 1.13636;
} #banner {
margin: 20px;
height: 800px;
} #editor {
font-size: 16px;
font-size: 1rem;
line-height: 1.75;
} .uk-navbar-container {
background: #fff !important;
font-family: Staatliches;
} img:hover {
opacity: 1;
transition: opacity 0.25s cubic-bezier(0.39, 0.575, 0.565, 1);
}
Please don’t force me to explain you some css!
Apollo setup
Install all the necessary dependencies for apollo by running the following command
yarn add apollo-boost @apollo/react-hooks graphql react-apollo
Create a ./src/utils/apolloClient.js file containing the following code:
import { ApolloClient } from "apollo-client";
import { InMemoryCache } from "apollo-cache-inmemory";
import { HttpLink } from "apollo-link-http"; const cache = new InMemoryCache();
const link = new HttpLink({
uri: `${process.env.REACT_APP_BACKEND_URL}/graphql`
});
const client = new ApolloClient({
cache,
link
}); export default client;
Oh-oh! It looks like you don’t have any REACT_APP_BACKEND_URL environment variable yet!
Create a .env file in the root of your application containing the following line:
REACT_APP_BACKEND_URL="http://localhost:1337"
Note: You want Apollo to point to this address http://localhost:1337/graphql . That's the one where you'll be able to fetch your data from your Strapi server.
Wrap your App/index.js inside the ApolloProvider and import your index.css file:
import React from "react";
import ReactDOM from "react-dom";
import { ApolloProvider } from "react-apollo";
import App from "./containers/App";
import client from "./utils/apolloClient";
import { BrowserRouter as Router } from "react-router-dom";
import "./index.css"; ReactDOM.render(
<Router>
<ApolloProvider client={client}>
<App />
</ApolloProvider>
</Router>,
document.getElementById("root")
);
Awesome! Your app should be ready now! You should have a blank page if everything went ok.
Designing the data structure
Finally! We are now going to create the data structure of our article by creating an Article content type.
Dive in your Strapi admin panel and click on the Content Type Builder link in the sidebar.
link in the sidebar. Click on Create new content-type and call it article .
Now you’ll be asked to create all the fields for your content-type:
Create the following ones:
title with type Text (required)
with type content with type Rich Text (required)
with type image with type Media (Single image) and (required)
with type published_at with type Date (required)
Press Save! Here you go, your first content type has been created. Now you may want to create your first article, but we have one thing to do before that: Grant access to the article content type.
Click on the Settings then Roles & Permission and click on the public role.
then and click on the role. Check the article find and findone routes and save.
Awesome! You should be ready to create your first article right now and fetch it on the GraphQL Playground.
Now, create your first article!
Here’s an example:
Great! Now you may want to reach the moment when you can actually fetch your articles through the API!
Go to http://localhost:1337/articles.
Isn’t that cool! You can also play with the GraphQL Playground.
Create categories
You may want to assign a category to your article (news, trends, opinion). You are going to do this by creating another content type in Strapi.
Create a category content type with the following field
content type with the following field name with type Text
Press save!
Create a new field in the Article content type which is a Relation Category has many Articles
in the content type which is a Click on the Settings then Roles & Permission and click on the public role. And check the category find and findone routes and save.
Now you’ll be able to select a category for your article in the right sidebox.
Now that we are good with Strapi let’s work on the frontend part!
Create the Query component
You are going to use Apollo to fetch your data from different pages. We don’t want you to rewrite the same code every time in your pages. This is why you are going to write a Query component that will be reusable!
Create a ./src/components/Query/index.js file containing the following code:
import React from "react";
import { useQuery } from "@apollo/react-hooks"; const Query = ({ children, query, id }) => {
const { data, loading, error } = useQuery(query, {
variables: { id: id }
}); if (loading) return <p>Loading...</p>;
if (error) return <p>Error: {JSON.stringify(error)}</p>;
return children({ data });
}; export default Query;
We are using the useQuery hook to call your Strapi server at this address http://localhost:1337/graphql . We are sending an id if it exists (it will be necessary when you'll want to fetch just one article).
If the request is successful, you will return the child component with the retrieved data as prop.
Let’s try it out by creating your navbar that will fetch all our categories but first let’s create the GraphQL query
Create a ./src/queries/category/categories.js file containing the following code:
import gql from "graphql-tag"; const CATEGORIES_QUERY = gql`
query Categories {
categories {
id
name
}
}
`; export default CATEGORIES_QUERY;
Let’s use this query to display your categories inside your navbar
Create a ./src/components/Nav/index.js file containing the following code:
import React from "react";
import Query from "../Query";
import { Link } from "react-router-dom"; import CATEGORIES_QUERY from "../../queries/category/categories"; const Nav = () => {
return (
<div>
<Query query={CATEGORIES_QUERY} id={null}>
{({ data: { categories } }) => {
return (
<div>
<nav className="uk-navbar-container" data-uk-navbar>
<div className="uk-navbar-left">
<ul className="uk-navbar-nav">
<li>
<Link to="/">Strapi Blog</Link>
</li>
</ul>
</div> <div className="uk-navbar-right">
<ul className="uk-navbar-nav">
{categories.map((category, i) => {
return (
<li key={category.id}>
<Link
to={`/category/${category.id}`}
className="uk-link-reset"
>
{category.name}
</Link>
</li>
);
})}
</ul>
</div>
</nav>
</div>
);
}}
</Query>
</div>
);
}; export default Nav;
Since we want our Nav to be in every page of our application we are going to use it inside our App container
Import and declare your Nav component inside your containers/App/index.js
import React from "react";
import Nav from "../../components/Nav"; function App() {
return (
<div className="App">
<Nav />
</div>
);
} export default App;
Great! You should now be able to see your brand new navbar containing your categories. But the links are not working right now. We’ll work on this later in the tutorial, don’t worry.
Note: The current code is not suited to display a lot of categories as you may encounter a UI issue. Since this blog post is supposed to be short, you could improve the code by adding a lazy load or something like that.
Create the Articles containers
This container will wrap a component that will display all your articles
Create a containers/Articles/index.js file containing the following code:
import React from "react";
import Articles from "../../components/Articles";
import Query from "../../components/Query";
import ARTICLES_QUERY from "../../queries/article/articles"; const Home = () => {
return (
<div>
<div className="uk-section">
<div className="uk-container uk-container-large">
<h1>Strapi blog</h1>
<Query query={ARTICLES_QUERY}>
{({ data: { articles } }) => {
return <Articles articles={articles} />;
}}
</Query>
</div>
</div>
</div>
);
}; export default Home;
Let’s write the query that fetches all your articles
Create a ./src/queries/articles/articles.js file containing the following code:
import gql from "graphql-tag"; const ARTICLES_QUERY = gql`
query Articles {
articles {
id
title
category {
id
name
}
image {
url
}
}
}
`; export default ARTICLES_QUERY;
Now we need to create an Articles component that will display all of your articles and a Card component that will display each of your articles:
Create a components/Articles/index.js file containing the following:
import React from "react";
import Card from "../Card"; const Articles = ({ articles }) => {
const leftArticlesCount = Math.ceil(articles.length / 5);
const leftArticles = articles.slice(0, leftArticlesCount);
const rightArticles = articles.slice(leftArticlesCount, articles.length); return (
<div>
<div className="uk-child-width-1-2" data-uk-grid>
<div>
{leftArticles.map((article, i) => {
return <Card article={article} key={`article__${article.id}`} />;
})}
</div>
<div>
<div className="uk-child-width-1-2@m uk-grid-match" data-uk-grid>
{rightArticles.map((article, i) => {
return <Card article={article} key={`article__${article.id}`} />;
})}
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
);
}; export default Articles;
Create a components/Card/index.js file containing the following code:
import React from "react";
import { Link } from "react-router-dom"; const Card = ({ article }) => {
const imageUrl =
process.env.NODE_ENV !== "development"
? article.image.url
: process.env.REACT_APP_BACKEND_URL + article.image.url;
return (
<Link to={`/article/${article.id}`} className="uk-link-reset">
<div className="uk-card uk-card-muted">
<div className="uk-card-media-top">
<img
src={imageUrl}
alt={article.image.url}
height="100"
/>
</div>
<div className="uk-card-body">
<p id="category" className="uk-text-uppercase">
{article.category.name}
</p>
<p id="title" className="uk-text-large">
{article.title}
</p>
</div>
</div>
</Link>
);
}; export default Card;
Everything is ready, we just need to import the Articles container inside the App container.
Import and declare your Articles container inside your containers/App/index.js :
import React from "react"; import Articles from "../Articles";
import Nav from "../../components/Nav"; function App() {
return (
<div className="App">
<Nav />
<Articles />
</div>
);
} export default App;
Create the Article container
You can see that if you click on the article, there is nothing. Let’s create the article container together! But first, you’ll need two packages:
Install react-moment and react-markdown by running the following command:
yarn add react-moment react-markdown moment
react-moment will give you the ability to display the publication date of your article, and react-markdown will be used to display the content of your article in markdown.
Create a ./containers/Article/index.js file containing the following:
import React from "react";
import { useParams } from "react-router";
import Query from "../../components/Query";
import ReactMarkdown from "react-markdown";
import Moment from "react-moment"; import ARTICLE_QUERY from "../../queries/article/article"; const Article = () => {
let { id } = useParams();
return (
<Query query={ARTICLE_QUERY} id={id}>
{({ data: { article } }) => {
const imageUrl =
process.env.NODE_ENV !== "development"
? article.image.url
: process.env.REACT_APP_BACKEND_URL + article.image.url;
return (
<div>
<div
id="banner"
className="uk-height-medium uk-flex uk-flex-center uk-flex-middle uk-background-cover uk-light uk-padding uk-margin"
data-src={imageUrl}
data-srcset={imageUrl}
data-uk-img
>
<h1>{article.title}</h1>
</div> <div className="uk-section">
<div className="uk-container uk-container-small">
<ReactMarkdown source={article.content} />
<p>
<Moment format="MMM Do YYYY">{article.published_at}</Moment>
</p>
</div>
</div>
</div>
);
}}
</Query>
);
}; export default Article;
Let’s write the query for just one article now!
Create a ./src/queries/article/article.js containing the following code:
import gql from "graphql-tag"; const ARTICLE_QUERY = gql`
query Articles($id: ID!) {
article(id: $id) {
id
title
content
image {
url
}
category {
id
name
}
published_at
}
}
`; export default ARTICLE_QUERY;
Article page is ready, we just need to add this new Article container inside the App container. You are going to use the Switch and Route components from react-router-dom in order to establish a routing system for your article page
Import and declare your Article container inside your containers/App/index.js :
import React from "react"; import { Switch, Route } from "react-router-dom"; import Nav from "../../components/Nav";
import Articles from "../Articles";
import Article from "../Article"; function App() {
return (
<div className="App">
<Nav />
<Switch>
<Route path="/" component={Articles} exact />
<Route path="/article/:id" component={Article} exact />
</Switch>
</div>
);
} export default App;
Great! You should be able to get your article now!
Categories
You may want to separate your article depending on the categories! Let’s create a page for each category then:
Create a ./containers/Category/index.js file containing the following:
import React from "react";
import { useParams } from "react-router";
import Articles from "../../components/Articles";
import Query from "../../components/Query";
import CATEGORY_ARTICLES_QUERY from "../../queries/category/articles"; const Category = () => {
let { id } = useParams(); return (
<Query query={CATEGORY_ARTICLES_QUERY} id={id}>
{({ data: { category } }) => {
return (
<div>
<div className="uk-section">
<div className="uk-container uk-container-large">
<h1>{category.name}</h1>
<Articles articles={category.articles} />
</div>
</div>
</div>
);
}}
</Query>
);
}; export default Category;
Create a ./src/queries/category/articles.js file containing the following:
import gql from 'graphql-tag'; const CATEGORY_ARTICLES_QUERY = gql`
query Category($id: ID!){
category(id: $id) {
name
articles {
id
title
content
image {
url
}
category {
id
name
}
}
}
}
`; export default CATEGORY_ARTICLES_QUERY;
Category page is ready, we just need to add this new container inside the App container.
Import and declare your Category container inside your containers/App/index.js :
import React from "react"; import { Switch, Route } from "react-router-dom"; import Nav from "../../components/Nav";
import Articles from "../Articles";
import Article from "../Article";
import Category from "../Category"; function App() {
return (
<div className="App">
<Nav />
<Switch>
<Route path="/" component={Articles} exact />
<Route path="/article/:id" component={Article} exact />
<Route path="/category/:id" component={Category} exact />
</Switch>
</div>
);
} export default App;
Awesome! You can list articles depending on the selected category now.
Conclusion
Huge congrats, you successfully achieved this tutorial. I hope you enjoyed it!
Still hungry?
Feel free to add additional features, adapt this project to your own needs, and give your feedback in the comment section below.
If you want to deploy your application, check our documentation.
Write for the community
Contribute and collaborate on educational content for the Strapi Community https://strapi.io/write-for-the-community
Can’t wait to see your contribution!
One last thing, we are trying to make the best possible tutorials for you, help us in this mission by answering this short survey https://strapisolutions.typeform.com/to/bwXvhA?channel=xxxxx | https://medium.com/strapi/building-a-blog-using-strapi-react-and-apollo-44ce4ada1b8d | [] | 2020-12-21 14:38:04.586000+00:00 | ['CMS', 'Frontend', 'Development', 'React', 'Web Development'] |
For Advent: Me and Mrs. Jones | The Jones’ old house looks on at our empty curb — and raked leaves
Now that my editor-turned-Episcopal-priest husband has retired from our parish and serves in interim assignments, I no longer teach Sunday School. But the liturgical seasons beat out my year anyway. This week marks Advent, four weeks at the beginning of the church year when we wait for the coming of the baby on Christmas.
What happened to me during my own baby-waiting, aka pregnancy, happens to many of us during Advent, especially Advent 2020, when the books of Isaiah and Matthew, the Hebrew Bible and New Testament, come at us on the nose, talkin’ bout “the people who walk in darkness.” We here on earth open up to those who are coming — and those who have left.
This morning, Black Friday, as it’s been called in Philadelphia since I can remember, has opened up parking spaces on our street. Post-gentrification neighbors have not stayed home safely, but have driven somewhere to play COVID-roulette. So my husband has dashed out to sweep the gutter, to keep leaves from compacting into dog-urine-peat that stinks its way into our front doors when we open them happily in Springtime.
As I hear his rhythmic sweeping, my Advent mind delivers up a smiling, actually, a laughing, face from across the street, gone since 2013, but that I still look for at times like this. Mrs. Jones would have opened the door and cheered Bob on, laughing a blessing: on clean curbs and windows and marble steps; children riding the Philly sidewalks; and local church people going to the Apostolic retirement village on the corner to deliver meals and keep house for the elderly of her Church of the Lord Jesus Christ of the Apostolic Faith, just up the street.
For years, I’d meet Mrs. Edith Jones, a few blocks from home, hauling more bags from our local market than it was humanly possible to carry. I’d offer to help; she’d say no, thank you, then accept, and I’d lay hold of one after another of the double plastic bags that might as well have been filled with rocks. Then she’d tell me the occasion: someone at church had gotten sick and couldn’t make luncheon, so she’d help out; some nice young couple was getting married and hadn’t ordered enough food — Oh, Lord!; a grandchild’s birthday was coming.
It’s always something!
She said it not as complaint, but complex benediction. My Episcopal liturgy urges us to “delight” in God’s will. And if it were God’s will that Mrs. Jones must single-handedly schlep 50 pounds of groceries and fry 20 pounds of chicken by nightfall, well, she would delight in that!
She’d laugh as we’d walk the few blocks home. She had a great laugh; it would start as a tiny giggle. Sometimes she covered her mouth, although not when she was carrying enough chicken wings to feed the multitude. Then, it progressed, through a silent, lips-pressed head shaking to full-out guffaws with ribs rocking and eyes crinkled nearly to closed. I cannot remember what we said, but we’d laugh so hard we’d have to put down her John Henry bags to throw our heads back, right there, and laugh into the sunshiney sliver of Kater Street sky.
Often we laughed at the impossible job of parenting. Mrs. Jones was one of the first older women who told me honestly — it was in the kitchen, naturally, while my child and her grandchild, best friends, were whooping it up, up, up and down the stairs — that sometimes you simply do not have what it takes to give each child what he or she needs at this moment.
(“Brina! Brina! Stop that running! They’re not going to stop, Ms. Lorene, are they?”
(“No, Ma’am. Not unless I go get my daughter and carry her out of here.”)
I felt as if I hadn’t been doing so hot myself right about then, and I asked her, since she’d had six children, each one a perfectly unique temperament, whether she’d ever felt inadequate to this most important of life’s tasks. She told me, not in answer, but as an anecdote to keep me company, about a time when she’d sent her little daughter Doris to church with family members, while she stayed home to finish some church work and promised to come, soonest. But Doris had made noise in church, lots of it, so someone took her out. Then she made even more noise coming home from church, two blocks away. This was not a one-off.
“They’d come out the church, and if you had our front door open down here, you could hear her all the way from the next block. I’m telling you. The next block, Ms. Lorene!”
“Not from up by 22nd Street, Mrs. Jones? She couldn’t’ve been more than, what, five? You couldn’t have heard her right from church!”
“Yes you could! Yes you could! You could hear that girl all the way! That’s why they called her Hollerin’ Doris! She’d get going, and, what could you do? She hollered.”
What could you do, indeed? Mrs. Jones indicated that you could love each one exactly as he or she was to the best of your ability. You could ask God to help you — and keep asking. She told me this with perfect respect and seriousness. Not like: Get your Episcopal-whatever theology correct and pray like I do; but with faithful and motherly comfort: Do your best, love the whacky, glorious, difficult, miracle children given you, and when you fall short, which you will do every day, God knows, pray to do better; pray to grow in ways that will attune you to their needs; and then pray for them to thrive past your errors.
Mrs. Edith Jones
Pray without ceasing. Pray because evil and weakness thrives everywhere, prowling like a lion seeking whom he can devour. Pray because God is God, bigger and more mysterious than our small minds and our stubborn divisions. Pray because how else can we carry the load? Pray because it frees our minds and hearts for love — and laughter.
Mrs. Jones laughs through the darkness of Advent 2020, reminding me that light begins a long way off and shines into the future. | https://medium.com/@lorenecary/for-advent-me-and-mrs-jones-a4171a6c0879 | ['Lorene Cary'] | 2020-12-04 20:07:07.715000+00:00 | ['BlackLivesMatter', 'Parenting', 'Christianity', 'Prayer', 'Advent'] |
Fields of Fallow | Shadows of stillness in the aftermath of dedicated branches,
grey forms of willows shedding light into salvation,
foundations dried as concrete where blue lakes become,
blades of grass have shriveled underneath lightning superb,
it is this constellation that dander skies hide from humanity,
it is this dark metaphor that consumes.
Reflections of trumpeters, orchestrating finer sounds,
stillness in fields of lavender as jasmine fills molecular structures,
being is the comfort that leaves a trajectory of past tense,
thereby filling empty cups, golden hues, similar flesh.
Temptation remains to lie in open fields where souls will meet,
strangers become lovers, darkness remains in shadows of formulations,
when light enters crevices of imperfection,
thereby, allowing us room to crave touch,
while torches burn the last remnants of dried turnips
and beauty remains in parched fields of disarmament. | https://medium.com/dead-poets-society/fields-of-fallow-a042042b22cc | ['Anna Rozwadowska'] | 2020-11-17 04:09:37.237000+00:00 | ['Darkness', 'Light', 'Dead Poets Live', 'Poetry', 'Life'] |
PTSD The Battle Within | PTSD The Battle Within
When I wake in the morning, I do not know what is in store for me. Will I have the strength to be productive, feel no emotions, or need to retreat from the world. Each day is a fresh start. I force myself to understand this with each new day.
It does not have to be like the one before or the one before that. Nor the same as so many days, hundreds of days, that I have survived.
Seven years ago, I experienced a critical incident that I do not understand or comprehend why it even happened or why I was allowed to survive. I know that it is the luck of the draw, one inch this way or quarter-inch that way, and I would not be here writing today.
I am thankful for each day that I have, no matter how much of a struggle to get through it. I know that not all days will not all be the same, and it will not always be like this.
I continue the fight within myself. There is no option to lose. I need to win this battle, for my mother, wife, and children, but most importantly for myself. If you look at me, if you see me somewhere, you will have no idea of the battle within unless you have been through something like I have. Sometimes I can see someone and know that they have the struggle within. I do not understand why and do not know if I am seen the same way.
I continue the fight within myself. There is no option to lose. I need to win this battle, for my mother, wife, and children, but most importantly for myself.
If you look at me, if you see me somewhere, you will have no idea of the battle within unless you have been through something like I have. Sometimes I can see someone and know that they have the struggle within. I do not understand why and do not know if I am seen the same way.
My physical wounds healed after ten months.
The damage within has continued to recover for seven years, and the healing is not always there. The setbacks are more numerous than the successes. I struggle on, hoping on hope, knowing there is a path to recovery. Each day that shines like a fresh new life fuels my hope and faith that one day each day that I wake up to shines the same way. I do not need to escape. I need to find peace, the person I was, and hold on to that person. The wounds and cause are so much deeper than I ever imagined.
I will succeed.
I will win the battle within myself.
There is no choice, no different path; it is my battle to bear. No matter how much help is offered or received, the battle is solely mine — a silent war, unseen by anyone but me. | https://medium.com/@b49erfan/ptsd-the-battle-within-4ecf3943eb52 | ['R. Scott'] | 2020-10-11 22:03:20.259000+00:00 | ['Healing', 'Ptsd Recovery', 'Personal', 'Ptsd Awareness', 'PTSD'] |
Ministry Of Railways Job 2020 | Pakistan's number one online job site which connects talent with opportunity | https://medium.com/@4466154/ministry-of-railways-job-2020-a6b47d368545 | ['Tasleem Shah'] | 2020-12-27 22:38:21.479000+00:00 | ['SEO', 'Movies', 'Blog', 'Blogging', 'Blogger'] |
Atrangi Re Full Movie Leaked Download Available on TamilRockers and Telegram Channels | Atrangi Re Full Movie Leaked Download Available on TamilRockers and Telegram Channels Iamvishalumar Dec 24, 2021·2 min read
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This films has starcast of Akshay Kumar, Sara Ali Khan, And South Star Dhanush. This film south version name is Kalyanam. Music is Given by AR Rahman. This Film will be relesed on disney+hotstar on 24 December 2021 in hindi and tamil.
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Atrangi Re Movie ko kayi sari sites pe leak kr diya gya hai. Kayi Sari sites ne Atrangi re movie ko 1080p,720p,480p me leaked kr diya hain. Yadi Appko Atrangi Re Movie Download Krna hai to, google Pe jake search Kijiye aako kayi sari websites mil jayengi. Lekin aisa krna gair kannuni hain. Hum Appko kisi bhi tarah se pirated movie dekhne ke liye prerit niii kr rhe. Ye post bas suchna ke liye hain. Kisi Bhi tarah se Pirated Movie Dekhna ya bechna gair kannuni hain. | https://medium.com/@iamvishalumar30/atrangi-re-full-movie-leaked-download-available-on-tamilrockers-and-telegram-channels-d604236fd95c | [] | 2021-12-24 09:38:54.591000+00:00 | ['Bollywood', 'Movie Review', 'Atrangi Re', 'Movies To Watch', 'Movies'] |
The Lost Art of Questioning | The ability to ask questions is the greatest resource in learning the truth.
-Carl Jung
Ever since I can remember I have been curious. I’ve always sought to find the truth in its most raw form. For me, questioning has become a natural part of my life, but at times it’s difficult to ask the right questions. It could be your lack insight into a subject matter, an interpersonal communication barrier, or just plain old ignorance. Regardless of that said block, a dilemma arises when you lose the ability to ask questions.
Asking questions is the process in which we engage with said person or data with the intent to learn or to gather clarity on a subject. Unfortunately, at a young age we were pestered to not ask questions. For example, most people know that kid that never stopped asking questions. The ones who always ask why is the earth round, who said I can’t do that, or why not? The inquisitive nature of a child is boundless, but in today’s world most kids are not raised and or educated in a system that caters to their skills and intuitive traits, but attempts to mold and tame them to a certain “standard”.
Do you remember the young you? The kid version that had limitless energy, laugher and imagination. The kid who asked questions, craved learning and saw possibility? That kid version of you was told no, it was told to fit in, it was told to do what others did. We are heard creatures, so we casually do what others do. This inherently is not a bad thing, but we can often lose our sense of self and begin to cater to the world around us. We begin to stop asking questions out of fear of ridicule and begin to just trust the data that comes down the chain of hierarchy.
Now I don't believe all kids loose that sense of wonder, as I know a lot of people who love asking questions and have developed the faculties to think for themselves and discern data. But, sadly I would say most of the world hasn’t come to this realization. Now in regards to trusting the data we are told from our hierarchy, have you ever played the game where you tell someone a phrase and then have them pass it along to 8 or 9 other people until it comes back to you? Then you get to laugh when the phrase comes back with extra words or an additional story line attached to it. It’s human nature to error, so just imagine that all of the data and standards we are being told are simply misconceptions of misconceptions. Data flowing from one level beginning as one subject and ending as another.
This is the reason why it is important to ask questions. This is the god given reason that we have the ability to discern right from wrong, truth from false and so on. Yet, if we do not use and or hone these abilities or we shut them down out of fear, how can we really trust anything we hear?
The ability to question is incredibly important in today’s world. Now more than ever, with the access to infinite data via smartphones, laptops and high speed internets we are exposed to an undeniably large amount of false information. I personally believe that false information is used to distract and confuse people. But, if your not a conspiring skeptic like I, don’t take my word for it. Just remember that to be human is to error, if you make mistakes then people who make the media you consume also do. If that is the case, and you do not know how to discern information once again can you trust what you hear?
Humans have become lazy. Not just physically, but mentally.
We create tech to think less about menial subjects, which is actually very similar to the way the our subconscious mind works with habits. It habitulaizes actions to conserve energy for the brain and body to use elsewhere. It’s not inherently bad, but what it does is open us up to use energy on more difficult tasks. This is the reason I enjoy tech, I see it for its productivity value. The thing we need to watch out far is when instead of using the tool for said task, that the tool begins to use us for someone else's said task or agenda. (Social media apps like Facebook / Instagram as an example.)
Final Thoughts
If we wish to solve major problems and advance as a race we must know how to cut through the noise. We cannot simply trust all of the data and begin to pawn off our primal human functions to machines, or media giants. These functions are gifts and if we forget how to use them, we will lose them. That scares me about the future, a time where humans forget the faculties that make them human in the first place.
If you would like to add anything into this article, please comment below. If you’d like to talk and have a real conversation, please email me at the contact information below.
Email: [email protected]
Sincerely,
Skylar | https://medium.com/@skylarisa/the-lost-art-of-questioning-dd74990d7436 | ['Skylar Lysaker'] | 2020-12-03 14:02:21.980000+00:00 | ['Questions', 'Problem Solving', 'Humanity', 'Psychology', 'Mindset'] |
Using Machine Learning to Identify Customer Segments | Project Overview and Problem Statement
Identifying customer segments is an important and popular application in business and data science, in which being able to identify possible consumers can help corporates use their resources more effectively when making marketing decisions.
The goal of this project is to identify customer segments that can be used as targeted marketing groups for a mail-order company based in Germany. The main hypothesis of this project is that overrepresented clusters in the customer dataset would indicate the core user base of the mail-order company, and the general population with the same characteristics of those within the overrepresented cluster can be targeted as possible consumers.
Data Understanding
There are four main datasets associated with this project:
Udacity_AZDIAS_Subset.csv: Demographics data for the general population of Germany; 891211 persons (rows) x 85 features (columns).
Udacity_CUSTOMERS_Subset.csv: Demographics data for customers of a mail-order company; 191652 persons (rows) x 85 features (columns).
Data_Dictionary.md: Detailed information file about the features in the provided datasets.
AZDIAS_Feature_Summary.csv: Summary of feature attributes for demographics data; 85 features (rows) x 4 columns
Each row of the demographics files represents a single person, but also includes information outside of individuals, including information about their household, building, and neighborhood. I used this information to cluster the general population into groups with similar demographic properties.
Data Preparation
Assessing Missing Data by Converting Missing Value Codes to NaNs
I started the process of data preparation by converting the missing value codes to NaNs in the actual dataset. The codes for missing or unknown values were obtained from the document of detailed information on the features. After converting all the missing or unknown values in the dataset to NaN, I wanted to work on identifying the pattern of missing values in the dataset. First, I wanted to find how much missing data is present in each column, so I worked on finding the outliers columns, which are columns that are in different proportions in terms of values that are missing.
Investigating patterns in the amount of missing data in each column
After visualizing the distribution of missing value, we can see that there are some features with missing data more than most of the attributes in the dataset. For this dataset, it seems that the outliers are the features that have above 200,000 missing data.
Based on the observation above, I made the decision of removing the following columns: ‘AGER_TYP’, ‘GEBURTSJAHR’, ‘TITEL_KZ’, ‘ALTER_HH’, ‘KK_KUNDENTYP’, and ‘KBA05_BAUMAX’, as they had above 200,000 missing data.
Second, I wanted to assess the missing values in each row:
After visualizing the distribution of missing values in each row, I found the number of rows with many missing values to be 93,154 or 10.45 % of all data, I sat the threshold to be 30.
After dividing the data into two subsets, one for data points that are above 30 missing values, and a second subset for points below the threshold, I decided to visualize the distributions of non-missing features between the data with many missing values and the data with few or no missing values. I selected 5 columns to plot the comparison.
From the analysis above, I came to the conclusion that the distribution of data with many missing values is very different from data with few or no missing values, meaning that the data could be special and should be kept for now.
Selecting and Re-Encoding Features
Since the unsupervised learning techniques to be used will only work on data that is encoded numerically, I had to make a few encoding changes or additional assumptions to be able to make progress.
Re-encode binary categoricals that have non-numerical values.
Drop Multi-level categoricals from the dataset.
Re-engineer mixed-type features by constructing new variables.
Feature Transformation
Applying Feature Scaling
Before I apply dimensionality reduction techniques to the data, I needed to perform feature scaling so that the principal component vectors are not influenced by the natural differences in scale for features. So I used imputer to deal with NaN values by replacing them with the median value and then applied scalar transformation to normalize all the values in the dataset.
Performing Dimensionality Reduction
On the scaled data, I applied principal component analysis, which is a dimensionality reduction technique, in order to find the vectors of maximal variance in the data.
From the analysis above, looking at the variance explained by each component, I found that 95% of the variability appeared in the first 50 components, thus, I decided to select only the top 50 components for PCA.
Interpreting Principal Components
I wanted to further investigate the components by checking out the weight of each variable on the first few components. So I mapped each weight to their corresponding feature name, then sorted the features according to the weight. The most interesting features for each principal component, then, were those at the beginning and end of the sorted list as they represent the positive and negative correlation with the component respectively.
Component 1
Positive
PLZ8_ANTG3 (Number of 6–10 family houses in the PLZ8 region). CAMEO_INTL_2015_Wealth (Wealth and financial status of households) EWDICHTE (Density of households per square kilometer) ORTSGR_KLS9 (Size of community) FINANZ_SPARER (Financial typology)
Negative
KBA05_GBZ (Number of buildings in the microcell) KBA05_ANTG1 (Number of 1–2 family houses in the microcell) PLZ8_ANTG1 (Number of 1–2 family houses in the PLZ8 region) MOBI_REGIO (Movement patterns) FINANZ_MINIMALIST (Financial typology)
From the graph, we can conclude that component 1 is correlated with the wealth and financial status of a household, in addition to the size of house and family number. We can also assume that component 1 has negative correlations with financial saving habits.
Component 2
Positive
ALTERSKATEGORIE_GROB (Estimated age based on given name analysis) FINANZ_VORSORGER (Financial typology) SEMIO_ERL (Personality typology) SEMIO_LUST (Personality typology) RETOURTYP_BK_S (Return type)
Negative
SEMIO_PFLICHT (Personality typology) FINANZ_UNAUFFAELLIGER (Financial typology) FINANZ_SPARER (Financial typology) SEMIO_REL (Personality typology) PRAEGENDE_JUGENDJAHRE_decade (Dominating decade of person’s youth)
For component 2, we can see that age, personality traits and financial behaviors are correlated with Component 2, as it seems that financial behaviors such as purchase return type and financial prevention behaviors have a positive relationship with our component.
Component 3
Positive
SEMIO_VERT (Personality typology) SEMIO_SOZ (Personality typology) SEMIO_KULT (Personality typology) SEMIO_FAM (Personality typology) PLZ8_ANTG4 (Number of 10+ family houses in the PLZ8 region)
Negative
SEMIO_ERL (Personality typology) SEMIO_KRIT (Personality typology) SEMIO_DOM (Personality typology) ANREDE_KZ (Gender) SEMIO_KAEM (Personality typology)
For component 3, we can see that the personality traits have a big influence on component 3, as it appears on both the positive and negative side of the graph.
Clustering Using K-Means
K-means algorithm is an unsupervised machine learning algorithm that identifies the number of centroids and then allocates every data point to the nearest cluster while keeping the centroids as small as possible. To determine the optimal number of clusters into which the data may be clustered, I used the elbow method. However, from the analysis above it, appeared that there is no clear elbow, so I decided to go with 20 clusters as that was where it seemed to decrease endlessly.
Comparing Customer Data to Demographics Data
Finally, I applied all the previous steps on the customer dataset to compare the results with the general population. I wanted to find which cluster or clusters are overrepresented and underrepresented in the customer dataset compared to the general population. I did that by selecting one overrepresented cluster and one underrepresented cluster and found the main characteristics of the people within each group.
From the analysis above, we can see that cluster 1 is overrepresented in the customer data, the main characteristics of the mail-order company customers are as follow:
Estimated age based on given name analysis is between 30–45 years old (ALTERSKATEGORIE_GROB = 2.394718).
Gender is male (ANREDE_KZ = 1.574314)
A person whose minimalist habits are high (FINANZ_MINIMALIST = 2.890335)
Also from the previous analysis, we can see that cluster 8 is underrepresented in the customer data, the main characteristics of the customers are as follow:
Estimated age based on given name analysis is younger than 30 years old (ALTERSKATEGORIE_GROB = 1.882568).
Gender is male (ANREDE_KZ = 1.928417)
A person whose minimalist habits are very high (FINANZ_MINIMALIST = 1.093893)
Conclusion
In this project, I applied unsupervised learning techniques to identify segments of the population that form the core customer base for a mail-order sales company in Germany. These segments can then be used by Arvato to direct marketing campaigns towards audiences that will have the highest expected rate of returns.
I found this project to be interesting as it contains real data in which it has many areas that can be further explored. Additionally, I found data exploration and wrangling to be quite challenging but reflective of real-life data science applications. | https://medium.com/@fatima.alghamdi/using-machine-learning-to-identify-customer-segments-3038ede11f77 | [] | 2020-02-21 03:59:48.757000+00:00 | ['Unsupervised Learning', 'Machine Learning', 'Data Science', 'Customer Segmentation'] |
OSPF Introduction | Fundamental concept
OSPF is a routing protocol which stands for Open Shortest Path First. OSPF is a link state routing protocol which means routing decisions are made depending upon the speed of the link. Higher the bandwidth higher will be the link priority. It is an interior gateway protocol (IGP) which operates within an autonomous system (AS). OSPF version 2 was introduced in 1998 for IPV4 routing. For IPV6, OSPF vesrion3 was introduced in 2008. It is an open standard or vendor independent.
OSPF has largely replaced RIP (Routing information Protocol) in networking paradigm simply because of its fast convergence, security, classless inter-domain routing and the fact the it takes the routing decision based on link state (bandwidth) which is more sensible than what RIP does (based on HOP count). The best path determined by RIP in terms of less hop count may not be best from OSPF if the bandwidth cost of an alternative path is less even if the hop count is greater.
Using OSPF, a router that learns of a change to a routing table and immediately multicasts the information to all other OSPF hosts in the network so that they can also update their routing table information. Unlike RIP, which requires routers to send the entire routing table to neighbors every 30 seconds, OSPF sends only the part that has changed and only when a change has taken place.
OSPF is classless routing protocol whereas RIP is a classful routing protocol. That means RIP considers 10.10.10.0/24 as 10.0.0.0 network.
How OSPF works
OSPF works by generating LSA (link state advertisement) sharing with neighboring routers. LSA are maintained in LSDB (link state database) and contains information such as:
• Router id of the router.
• Network that the router is aware of
• Cost of the path it knows
Before initiating LSA sharing, routers must form neighbors. Once routers are neighbors, they start comparing their LSA by sending DBD (Database Description) packet. DBD gives the overview of LSA that the neighboring router has maintained in its database. Once a router gets the overview of the LSA from its neighbor, it sends a request message in the form of LSR (link state request) to that neighbor. As a reply the neighboring router sends an update in the form of LSU (Link state update). The router updates its LSDB after getting the LSU from its neighbor. | https://medium.com/@saragam/ospf-introduction-17724e4e6d6a | ['Saragam Subedi'] | 2020-12-22 11:01:17.762000+00:00 | ['Ospf', 'Routing', 'Networking'] |
Sunwing Airlines Live Person Customer Service Number 2021 | Sunwing Airlines Live Person Customer Service Number 2021
How do I talk to a person who live on Sunwing Airlines?
Sunwing Airlines is a Canadian low-cost airline that operates in 73 destinations in Mexico, the United States, the Caribbean, South America, and Central America. Founded and started its operations, the Sunwing Travel Group subsidiary offers regular and charter services from Canada. It is also critical in providing seasonal flight services from more than 30 local Canadian gateways. Sunwing has a fleet of 26 and is led by Mark Williams. Today we will know the answer to the question: how do I speak to a person who live at Sunwing Airlines?
Sunwing Airlines Live Person Customer Service Number 2021
What is Sunwing Airlines' customer service?
Sunwing Airlines, depending on its great helpline team, is dedicated to providing world-class customer service to aspiring domestic and international travel. The helpline, which is known for its high professionalism and quick responses, is led by adequately trained helpline professionals. It has introduced multiple channels to deliver the services. All of these channels are well managed and have a perfect track record in serving passengers. You can get information on the things listed by talking to the helpline officials.
What are the services provided by Sunwing Airlines in person?
Flight availability In-flight shopping and entertainment policies Club and lounge policy Ticket reservation policy and process Airline food, drink and specialty dishes policies Airline transported luggage and personal items policies Special offers of discounts and discounts Flight expenses in different destinations. Seat arrangement change policy. Airline policies for children and physical disabilities. Scheduled flight status.
How to start a conversation with Sunwing Airlines Live Person?
You must be wondering how I speak to a live person at Sunwing Airlines. Well, there are two genuine ways: dialing the helpdesk number and generating a chat request. You can dial the official Sunwing helpline number or you can send a chat request to the chat support department. Both options are highly reliable and run by trained people. Sunwing experts are taking less time to answer the questions and solve the problems that aspiring travelers face.
How do I contact my Sunwing representative?
You can contact your Sunwing representative through the Sunwing app. A 24-hour contact number is also included in your electronic documents. If you are traveling to one of our destinations in the US or within Canada, please contact us toll-free at 1–888–588–2434 Monday through Friday. 8:30 am to 9:00 pm, Saturdays and Sundays from 8:00 are to 8:00 pm (all times shown are Eastern Standard Time or Eastern Daylight Time). Please do not wait until you return home to voice your concerns as this does not provide us with an opportunity to make things right for you while on vacation.
Sunwing Flight Reservation Number: Call 1 800–304–4381
A Canadian low-cost airline based in the Etobicoke district of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, Sunwing Airlines is a subsidiary of Sunwing Travel Group. It is well known for its scheduled and charter services from Canada and the United States to destinations within the United States, Mexico, the Caribbean, Central America, and South America.
Keeping demand in mind, the airline offers domestic services throughout Canada and European cities during the summer months. In Canada, it operates from Toronto Pearson International Airport and Montréal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport. Seasonally, the demand for airline tickets to local Canadian gateways increases, Sunwing Airlines serves those destinations.
However, if travelers have a problem, the toll-free number 1 877 SUNWING (786–9464) to speak to the customer service team is available 24 hours a day.
Below are general details about Sunwing Airlines:
Headquarters — Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Destinations — 73
Fleet size — 19
Hubs — Montreal International Airport — Pierre Elliott Trudeau, Toronto
Pearson International Airport
Website –sunwing.ca
Helpline number: 1888 SUNWING (588–2434)
Services offered by Sunwing Airlines
With Sunwing Airlines, if you plan to travel in a group of 10 or more, you can get incredible deals and special group prices and benefits. Not just vacation packages, there are a plethora of options for many exclusive promotional services and value-added offers such as a reduced deposit to just $ 150 per person, private group check-in at many airports, in-flight group block seating, Trained group sales who can help you find wedding specialists, pre-booked and custom resort excursions, private transfers, numerous group resorts, etc.
Sunwing Flights ticket reservation number
Sunwing Airlines Customer Service is a team of highly trained professionals who can guide you and provide resolution to any type of travel-related problem. Even for general information about Sunwing Airlines, you can dial the customer service team toll-free at 1 888 SUNWING (588–2434). Online email support is also available for people who want to write and discuss. In addition, the online chat support service provides immediate help. | https://medium.com/@sunwing-airlines/sunwing-airlines-live-person-customer-service-number-2021-29c23597c782 | ['Sunwing Airlines'] | 2021-03-19 06:57:34.819000+00:00 | ['Sunwing Airlines', 'Support', 'Number', 'Customer Service', 'Live Person'] |
How to Improve the Education of 1 Million Kids | By: Christi Ham
In today’s increasingly mobile society, it’s not unusual for a family member to be required to move two or three times during a career. When that happens, it creates numerous challenges for any children in the family. They have to make new friends, adapt to a new school and, perhaps most challenging, quickly figure out where they stand in the school’s curriculum.
Now, if the parent is a member of the U.S. Armed Forces, that challenge is multiplied by a factor of two or three. The typical military child will move six to nine times during a 13-year K-12 career. This makes the challenges more frequent and daunting.
To assist the 1 million children of military families who attend public schools in the United States, we need to take steps that ensure these students have the same opportunity to achieve as their non-military counterparts.
As a military spouse and educator, I’ve seen this problem up close and personally.
A nomadic lifestyle is a fact of life in the military. During my husband’s 38-year period of service in the U.S. Army, we moved 26 times. In the middle of this, I raised two children at bases across the United States and overseas.
During this time, my first choice for my kids when in the United States was to put them in a public school. But after doing my homework, I found that the schools around some U.S. military bases were not always up to my family’s standards. As a result, we searched for alternatives. In our case, we looked to the region’s Catholic schools.
In some cases, even the alternatives aren’t good enough for some. I know of several cases where a field grade officer either resigned his position or refused an assignment over the quality of schools near a specific base.
Our kids faced one other challenge as we moved. Sometimes, because the courses didn’t match up, they found they were ahead of their new friends, education-wise. They could coast and weren’t really learning. At other times, they found themselves behind. This required them to work extra hard just to catch up to their peers.
Military families have more than enough to worry about — without being concerned whether the standards at their new public schools vary from the last community and state where they were posted.
As we put a cap on the Month of the Military Child, there are two solutions out there that deserve support.
The first is continued support for high, consistent standards and specifically, the Common Core State Standards.
Developed by governors and state education chiefs and voluntarily adopted by 43 states, Common Core State Standards are academic benchmarks that a student must master at each grade level to be on track to graduate from high school ready for college or a career.
The standards have also been adopted by the Department of Defense’s Education Activity, which manages K-12 education standards at 171 DoD schools in the United States and around the world.
These Common Core standards are simply academic benchmarks that encourage teachers and school districts to continue to design their own curricula. They deserve our continued support.
Second, we need to continue to push our schools to improve.
When Gen. Ray Odierno was Army chief of staff, he said that the performance of schools near a base was a top concern and would be an important consideration in any future installation changes or base realignments.
What this means is that bases surrounded by poor schools could be on the chopping block when the Army makes its next round of base closings. Given the importance of bases to local economies, the threat of closure is a powerful incentive to improve schools.
This plan needs to be adopted not just by the current Army leadership but that of the entire U.S. military.
Supporting these two priorities are why groups such as Military Families for High Standards were created.
Created for military families by military families, our organization looks to push solutions that will ensure our military families have access to the best education possible.
Given the challenges military children face, it is the least we can do. | https://medium.com/inside-sources/how-to-improve-the-education-of-1-million-kids-insidesources-206b91f668af | ['Insidesources Editors'] | 2016-06-15 18:02:57.516000+00:00 | ['Education', 'Education Reform'] |
Build A Movie Recommender Using C# and ML.NET Machine Learning | I will build a machine learning model that reads in each user ID, movie ID, and rating, and then predicts the ratings each user would give for every movie in the dataset.
So that gives me a list of movies and ratings for every user. To recommend a movie, all I need to do is sort the list by rating and report the top 5.
Let’s get started. Here’s how to set up a new console project in NET Core:
$ dotnet new console -o Recommender
$ cd Recommender
Next, I need to install the ML.NET base package and the recommender extensions:
$ dotnet add package Microsoft.ML
$ dotnet add package Microsoft.ML.Recommender
Now I’m ready to add some classes. I’ll need one to hold a movie rating, and one to hold my model’s predictions.
I will modify the Program.cs file like this:
The MovieRating class holds one single movie rating. Note how each field is adorned with a Column attribute that tell the CSV data loading code which column to import data from.
I’m also declaring an MovieRatingPrediction class which will hold a single movie rating prediction.
Now I’m going to load the training data in memory:
This code uses the method LoadFromTextFile to load the CSV data directly into memory. The class field annotations tell the method how to store the loaded data in the MovieRating class.
Now I’m ready to start building the machine learning model:
Machine learning models in ML.NET are built with pipelines, which are sequences of data-loading, transformation, and learning components.
My pipeline has the following components:
MapValueToKey which reads the userId column and builds a dictionary of unique ID values. It then produces an output column called userIdEncoded containing an encoding for each ID. This step converts the IDs to numbers that the model can work with.
which reads the userId column and builds a dictionary of unique ID values. It then produces an output column called userIdEncoded containing an encoding for each ID. This step converts the IDs to numbers that the model can work with. Another MapValueToKey which reads the movieId column, encodes it, and stores the encodings in output column called movieIdEncoded.
which reads the movieId column, encodes it, and stores the encodings in output column called movieIdEncoded. A MatrixFactorization component that performs matrix factorization on the encoded ID columns and the ratings. This step calculates the movie rating predictions for every user and movie.
With the pipeline fully assembled, I can train the model with a call to Fit(…).
I now have a fully- trained model. So now I need to load some validation data, predict the rating for each user and movie, and calculate the accuracy metrics of my model:
This code uses the Transform(…) method to make predictions for every user and movie in the test dataset.
The Evaluate(…) method compares these predictions to the actual area values and automatically calculates three metrics for me:
Rms : this is the root mean square error or RMSE value. It’s the go-to metric in the field of machine learning to evaluate models and rate their accuracy. RMSE represents the length of a vector in n-dimensional space, made up of the error in each individual prediction.
: this is the root mean square error or RMSE value. It’s the go-to metric in the field of machine learning to evaluate models and rate their accuracy. RMSE represents the length of a vector in n-dimensional space, made up of the error in each individual prediction. L1 : this is the mean absolute prediction error, expressed as a rating.
: this is the mean absolute prediction error, expressed as a rating. L2: this is the mean square prediction error, or MSE value. Note that RMSE and MSE are related: RMSE is just the square root of MSE.
To wrap up, let’s use the model to make a prediction.
I’m going to focus on a specific user, let’s say user number 6, and check if he or she likes the James Bond movie ‘GoldenEye’.
Here’s how to make the prediction:
I use the CreatePredictionEngine method to set up a prediction engine. The two type arguments are the input data class and the class to hold the prediction. And once my prediction engine is set up, I can simply call Predict(…) to make a single prediction on a MovieRating instance.
Let’s do one more thing and predict the top-5 favorite movies for this user:
This code uses a static helper class Movies to enumerate over every movie ID. It creates predictions for user 6 and every possible movie, sorts them by score in descending order, and takes the top 5 results.
Here’s the partial source of the helper class:
There’s a Movie class that represents a single movie. The static helper class Movies has an All property with a list of all movies, and a Get method to lookup a single movie by ID value.
With the code all done, it’s time to check the predictions. Here’s the code running in the Visual Studio Code debugger on my Mac: | https://medium.com/machinelearningadvantage/build-a-movie-recommender-using-c-and-ml-net-machine-learning-d6175ae13bc9 | ['Mark Farragher'] | 2019-11-19 15:05:06.663000+00:00 | ['Machine Learning', 'Artificial Intelligence', 'Deep Learning', 'Data Science', 'Programming'] |
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