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TM’s algorithmically-arranged design for Fedrigoni 365/2021 means no two books are the same	Each year, leading paper manufacturer and London-based studio invite UK-based designers, illustrators and photographers to contribute to the spectacle that is Fedrigoni 365 — an annual calendar that thrives on a sense of community. Usually filled with 365 contributors in reference to the book’s primary function, 2021’s editions are instead permeated with just shy of 1000 individual designs, inspired by a desire to be as inclusive as possible amid the COVID-19 pandemic. How can 1000 designs fit into 365 days you may ask — with the solution lying in Fedrigoni’s range of digital papers and intelligent five-colour printing from Ricoh’s Pro C7200X machine. As a result, each 461-page OTA-bound book within the 4000 copy print run is entirely unique — from cover-to-cover. To cater for such variability, and had to present contributors with an even more constrained brief than previous years. Instead of a specific date, every creative was assigned a number from 1–31 and one of a multitude of seed words to act as an inspirational starting point. Three hundred and sixty-five of the resulting designs were then algorithmically compiled from the overall pool of submissions into each book, with no fixed running order or preferences applied. For each of Fedrigoni 365’s four editions, have faced the challenged of defining a new and exciting visual concept. “The paper always comes first,” Creative Director Danny McNeil explains, adding that they are “always spoilt for choice in that department.” Fedrigoni 365/2021 takes advantage of three of Fedrigoni’s digital papers, with the smooth yet tactile Freelife Vellum used for the inside pages, the glossy Splendorlux used for the gradient-filled covers, and the translucent Golden Star K providing the finishing touch as the dust jacket. In keeping with the individual theme set by the book’s inside pages, each cover utilises two different gradient meshes randomly placed together with generative code. The result of neon and CMYK inks, the colours are unquestionably electric on top of their glossy base. The dust jackets act as the final piece of the puzzle, displaying the entire range of contributors’ names but, in another unprecedented twist, only highlighting those found within the specific book in question. McNeil explains that the production of each book as its own unique entity “simply wouldn’t have happened” without Ricoh’s expertise and enthusiasm. Inspired by the creative challenge posed to them, Ricoh came on board during the early stages of the project as its print and technology partner, in doing so being instrumental in a production that McNeil describes as “not commercially viable at all” due to its sizeable digitally-printed run. Fedrigoni 365/2021 is availably to purchase exclusively from Counter-Print, with all profits donated to the Teenage Cancer Trust. — Purchase via Counter-Print fedrigoni365.com	https://medium.com/@thebrandidentity/tms-algorithmically-arranged-design-for-fedrigoni-365-2021-means-no-two-books-are-the-same-5019d3b45607	['The Brand Identity']	2020-12-03 22:39:26.927000+00:00	['Typography', 'Books', 'Design', 'Colors', 'Graphic Design']
Is It Too Soon to Consider Genome Sequencing for Newborns?	Parents and clinicians have their own ideas about newborn genome sequencing. By Robert C. Green The procedure is the same for nearly every baby born in the United States: in the first 24 hours after birth, before going home from the hospital, a nurse pricks the newborn’s heel, collecting a few drops of blood on a piece of filter paper. The tiny blood samples go to a state laboratory, which performs a series of biochemical tests and informs the child’s pediatrician of any abnormal results which can then be confirmed through additional testing. While there are many initial false positives, the vulnerable infants with these conditions are rarely missed. Newborn screening covers more than 30 conditions, all of which have the potential to permanently damage the infant without early intervention. Newborn screening is inexpensive and informs parents only about conditions that are urgent and actionable. The risks are low and the rewards are high, so it has become a requirement in every state and every industrialized country. With newborn screening as the model, many have asked why we are not eager to screen infants more comprehensively with genome sequencing. Instead of 30–50 rare conditions, we could screen newborns for several thousand genetic conditions. Even if symptoms of these diseases might not appear until later in childhood or even adulthood, or might never appear at all, isn’t more information a good thing? If it were this straightforward, we would probably already see widespread genome sequencing of newborns. Although genome sequencing shows great promise, medical professionals are taking a cautious approach, discouraging genome sequencing of healthy children. Much of the caution stems from concerns about how families might respond to the results and questions about the true utility of this information at the newborn stage. The BabySeq Project, a randomized clinical trial with more than 300 participating families (parents with newborn babies), is examining how to integrate genomics safely and effectively into pediatric medicine, beginning with newborn sequencing. Half of the participating families receive the standard newborn genetic screening along with a family history report; the other half receive those same reports plus a comprehensive genome sequencing report for the newborn. BabySeq follows parents and clinicians through this process, and the data gathered along the way has given researchers a lot to work with. For example, one paper (published in Pediatrics, January 2019) focuses on a case in which genome sequencing uncovered an adult-onset cancer predisposition variant in a newborn, raising immediate implications for the baby’s parent who was carrying the same variant — and for whom this information may now be life-saving. (We’ll unpack this case in a future post.) Another paper, also just published in Pediatrics, dives into surveys of the parents and clinicians involved in BabySeq to better understand their attitudes toward newborn genome sequencing. Although previous studies found that parents had a theoretical interest in obtaining genomic sequencing for their newborn, this paper breaks new ground in examining the responses of parents faced with the prospect of actually receiving that information. Questioning these parents uncovered some interesting results. On balance, parents and clinicians were both fairly optimistic about newborn genome sequencing, but parents had a significantly sunnier view. Only 35 percent of parents saw significant risks associated with genome sequencing, compared with 70 percent of clinicians, and parents saw more potential benefits as well. There is a caveat to these results, in that we were surveying parents who had already chosen to participate in BabySeq; it stands to reason that they would have generally positive views of newborn genome sequencing. Perhaps the more compelling information is why parents and clinicians saw risks or benefits. In the surveys’ open-ended responses about risks of genome sequencing, parents and clinicians both expressed concerns about psychological distress related to difficult or uncertain results. Clinicians were more likely to raise concerns about returning results for adult-onset conditions, unnecessary parental stress over health problems that might never actually occur, and the possibility of future discrimination against the child on the basis of their genomic information. On the other hand, parents mentioned a broader range of benefits than clinicians. Both parents and clinicians saw potential health benefits of genome sequencing, such as the ability to search for more conditions compared to standard newborn screening and the ability to predict a child’s future disease risks. Parents went further, though, seeing benefits in family planning, preparing for the child’s future, and knowledge just for the sake of knowing. Those potential benefits fall outside of traditional definitions of clinical utility, which means they are less likely to be considered in the professional guidelines that steer adoption of practices like genome sequencing. This brings us into a debate that may be central to the near future of genome sequencing, not only for newborns but for ostensibly healthy adults as well: how to define the utility of genomic technologies. How much weight, if any, should patients’ perceptions carry? If they think genomic information will have utility, should that count for something, even if clinicians and researchers have their doubts? Should the idea of “clinical utility” be expanded beyond information that directly affects medical care, perhaps including perceived quality of life impacts for patients? These are the very questions that the BabySeq Project is designed to answer, and we will continue reporting on the results as they are analyzed and published. Robert C. Green, M.D., M.P.H., is a medical geneticist and physician-scientist who directs the G2P Research Program in translational genomics and health outcomes in the Division of Genetics at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, the Broad Institute and Harvard Medical School. Follow him on Twitter at @RobertCGreen.	https://medium.com/@genomes2people/is-it-too-soon-to-consider-genome-sequencing-for-newborns-924e29c0845f	[]	2019-03-19 14:18:37.663000+00:00	['Newborn', 'Health', 'Genomics', 'Pediatrics', 'Parenting']
TOP MBA COLLEGES IN INDIA 2021	One of the most important decisions that one should make is the choice of the right college. The reputation, brand value, infrastructure all have to be considered while looking for the best college. The placement is another key factor which attracts more applicants. Also, while looking for a good college look the atmosphere and the area. Prefer cool and calm climate more. If you are exposed to a high temperature that brings a great negative impact on your studies. As you are applying for the Post Graduation course you have given more importance and concentration on your MBA subjects. An area of high temperature and the busy city will definitely ruin your goal. Because without a proper concentration in the class it's really hard to understand the subjects. The faculty and their qualifications have to be considered too. They are going to train and coach you as a professional so while checking and collecting information regarding college search how efficient are the faculty. You can get it from the alumni too. The accreditation is another prime factor. Out of 3500 Business schools, about 1000 are accredited. The value and advantage of the accredited organisation are it add more worth to your resume and open the great chance of getting a job in a reputed organisation. The accreditation is given on the basis of the quality education provided by the colleges. So, in order to gain good training as a professional always prefer accredited Business schools so that they help you in getting quality training. It also makes the employer confident enough to recruit from accredited institutions. The infrastructure of the college demands a lot in you. but it's not like having the five-star facility. Keep in mind one thing you need a good infrastructure Business Scholl, not a resort to enjoy. So, look for the basic requirements which all are essential for you like a good library, modern computer lab, hostel, gym, mess, playground, classroom with technological advancements etc. Scholarships help a student in getting out from the burden of the MBA cost to an extent. For meritorious students, it’s a great opportunity to support the family because by getting scholarships there may reduction in the fess up to certain amounts. Look for the international exposure that the college has. It's really important to have international collaborations in the present era. Students should have the expose global and international exposure. The students will gain insight on foreign policies and increase the appreciating behaviour towards the cultural difference. Campus life is one of the factors with great importance and link with student’s life. The instilling of versatility into a student’s character can be done by having a good campus life. For that one has to look at the student’s community, their profiles, work experiences and background. A good MBA institute will always look to bring a healthy mix of people. The students are from different backgrounds and that brings the chance of social interaction in students’ life. The social interaction helps in enhancing the overall academic experience and in developing social skills, which all benefit you in building a good career. Campus life should need a lot of extracurricular activities and programmes. MBA is not about sitting in a classroom and studying the textbooks. The students have to take up responsibility and host certain programmes in the college. So, by leading the managements events one is getting certain managerial skills within them. That means an institute should provide give both academic and non-academics in equal importance to a management student. By giving high-quality training in academics, it helps in the learning process so that it turns them to brighter students. Also, campus life provides the opportunity to bring out and develop all the talents required in dealing successfully in future professional life. So, all these basic qualities will be included in the Top MBA colleges in India. These colleges listed as Top MBA colleges because of certain qualities they possess. If you are in search of TOP MBA colleges with BEST TRAINING AND OTHER FACILITIES. Look the list given below. INDIAN INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT, AHMEDABAD INDIAN INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT, BANGALORE INDIAN INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT, CALCUTTA INDIAN INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT, LUCKNOW INDIAN INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT, INDORE INDIAN INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT, KOZHIKODE RAJAGIRI BUSINESS SCHOOL MARIAN INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT INDIAN INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT, AHMEDABAD Indian Institute of Management also known as IIM A, was established in the year 1961. It is ranked 1 by NIRF. It is an autonomous and public institution. The location is in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. IIM Ahmedabad accepts CAT and GMAT exams. Rank: Rank 1 for MBA by NIRF- national Rank 2 for IIMs by Outlook- national Rank 61 by financial times Global MBA ranking- International Rank 58 by Financial Times Executive Education Ranking- International FEES: 23 Lakhs CUT OFF: 80 Placements: Accenture, HSBC, Amazon, Citi Bank, Barclays, Aditya Birla Group, P&G, TATA  Nokia ITC HUL Nestle Amazon Coca- Cola KPMG KRAFT PEPSICO INDIAN INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT, BANGALORE It is the TOP MBA graduate Business School in Asia. It was established in the year 1973. It’s a public and autonomous institution. It is located in the Bannerghatta road, Bangalore. Accredited by EQUIS. Rank: Ranked 2 by NIRF in the top 100 Colleges in India Fees: 23 Lakhs Cut off: 85 Placements: The Boston Consulting Group Bain and Company Accenture Strategy Amazon Kearney McKinsey & Company PwC Technology Microsoft IDC American Express Aditya Birla Group Goldman Sachs AB InBev GEP Consulting KPMG Bharti Airtel Vedanta TCS INDIAN INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT, CALCUTTA IIM Calcutta was established in the year 1961. It was established under the IIM legacy. It is considered as one of the best Business School in India for management education. It is having private ownership. It has the following accreditation: AACSB AMBA EQUIS It accepts CAT and GMAT for MBA. RANK: Ranked 3 for IIMs by Outlook Ranked 2 for MBA by Business Today Ranked 2 for MBA by BW Business World Ranked 3 for MBA by Composite Rank Ranked 5 for MBA by Economic Times Ranked 2 for Executive MBA by Business Today FEES: 22.5 Lakhs CUT OFF: 90 PLACEMENTS: Mahindra & Mahindra, Tata Administrative Service (TAS), Vedanta, Aditya Birla Group, Reliance Industries, True North Hindustan Unilever ICICI BANK KPMG FLIPKART Uber Microsoft Amazon Kotak Johnson and Johnson RPG KEARNEY etc. INDIAN INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT, LUCKNOW IIM was established in the year 1984. It is situated in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh. IIM Lucknow is recognised as the institution of excellence by the Ministry of HRD, Government of India. It is the mentor institute for IIM in Jammu, Rohtak and Kashipur. It has the following accreditations AACSB, AMBA RANK: Ranked 5 for MBA by Outlook Ranked 3 for MBA by The Week Ranked 3 for MBA by BW Business World Ranked 4 for IIMs by NIRF Ranked 5 for MBA by Composite Rank Ranked 8 for MBA by Economic Times CUT OFF: 90 FEES: 19 Lakhs Placements: Accenture, Amazon,  American Express,  Asian Paints,  Axis Capital, Colgate Palmolive, Deloitte, Ernst and Young,  Flipkart, Goldman Sachs, ICICI Bank, Investec, ITC Uber, etc. INDIAN INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT, INDORE Indian Institute of Management was established in the year 1996. It is a public and autonomous institution. It is located in Indore, Madhya Pradesh. The college accepts CAT, GMAT. IIM Indore has the following memberships and accreditations: AACSB, AMBA, EMFD, EQUIS. RANK: Ranked 4 for IIMs by Outlook Ranked 7 for MBA by NIRF Ranked 5 for IIMs by NIRF Ranked 5 for MBA by Business Today Ranked 6 for MBA by Composite Rank Ranked 6 for MBA by The Week Ranked 9 for MBA by BW Business World Ranked 18 for MBA by Economic Times Ranked 7 for Executive MBA by Business Today FEES: 16 Lakhs CUT OFF: 90 PLACEMENTS: Accenture, ACG, Amazon,  Cipla, Asian Paints, Capgemini, Deloitte, EY, Flipkart,  HP IBM etc. INDIAN INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT, KOZHIKODE Indian Institute of Management also known as IIMK. It was established in the year 1996. It accepts CAT/GMAT/GRE. It is an autonomous institution. RANK: Ranked 6 out of 100 top Management colleges in India (NIRF). Ranked 6 out of 30 best MBA colleges of India by Outlook-India ICARE. FEES:17.5 Lakhs CUT OFF: 90 PLACEMENTS Amazon AXIS BANK Deloitte Cognizant Asian Paints KPMG TCS Flipkart ICICI BANK EY NESTLE TATA CRISIL Cognizant ITC BOSCH Airtel etc. RAJAGIRI BUSINESS SCHOOL RBS located in Kochi, Kerala. Rajagiri Business School is an autonomous institution. Rajagiri Business School was established in 2008. The exact location of the business school is at Rajagiri valley at Kakkanad which is close to the IT hub of Kochi, Info park. It has 36 faculties. RANK: Ranked 76 out of top 100 MBA colleges in India by NIRF FEES: 6 Lakhs Cut off: CAT exam: 50 percentiles CMAT: 60 percentiles KERALA KMAT: 108 marks MAT: 500 composite score PLACEMENTS: BATA AXIS BANK ADITYA BIRLA GODREJ NESTLE ICICI BANK KPMG TCS AMAZON BYJUS HDFC HUL ITC SOUTH INDIAN BANK BOSCH AIRTEL etc. MARIAN INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT Marian International Institute of Management, also known as MIIM was established in 2011. It is located in Kuttikkanam, Idukki. MIIM is the only college in Kerala under Mahatma Gandhi university having NBA accreditation. MIIM is owned by Kanjirapally diocese. FEES: 4.64 LAKHS CUTOFF: 15% in KMAT, CMAT, and CAT. PLACEMENTS: WIPRO JIO HDFC BANK KPMG ITC ICICI BANK SBI Mutual Funds Logezy IDBI Federal Byjus IndusInd Bank Oyo EME ESAF etc. MARIAN INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT, KUTTIKKANAM Marian International Institute of Management, also known as MIIM. One of the TOP MBA colleges in India and Kerala. MIIM offers specialisations in Human Resource, Marketing, Operations, Finance. International Business and Information Technology. MIIM offers a fully residential program. MIIM has 15 faculties in total. College is having world-class infrastructure. Good internship opportunities, and placement records. MIIM has excellent placements in reputed organisations. By having dual specialisation opportunity students are mould themselves for multi-industry. To add more value to your future and career you need good training. The excellent training can be given by top colleges with adequate facility and resources. Also read, MBA Admission Started for 2021 Batch — MIIM — Leading MBA College in Kerala — Apply Now MBA at MIIM –Why you should consider MIIM to do the MBA How to prepare yourself financially for business school How to market yourself to an MBA admission interview panel How an MBA can help you prepare for an uncertain future Everything You Need to Know About Education Loan for MBA in India This is the Best Time to Get an MBA Degree: Here’s How to Guarantee Selection in a B-School MBA College in Kerala with the Best Placements Best MBA college with a beautiful climate BEST MBA COLLEGE IN KERALA BASED ON PLACEMENTS 10 Top MBA colleges in Kerala How to research business school and MBA course Top MBA Colleges in South India Top MBA Colleges in India	https://medium.com/@bibin-xavier/top-mba-colleges-in-india-2021-d2b96d8b9aac	['Bibin Xavier']	2020-12-23 13:25:47.651000+00:00	['Mba Colleges In India', 'College', 'Top Mba Colleges In India', 'Mba']
80s TV Sitcom Theme Songs	by Sheldon Rocha Leal I was brought up in the 1980s and as a child of the “decade of excess” I was brought up in front of a television set. In the time I spent in front of the TV I watched many shows, especially sitcoms. Sitcoms were a “thing” in the 1980s and at the time the theme on many of these shows was families and the altering role of these entities in modern society. As a musician I was always fascinated by the music of these shows. Although I was drawn to the theme music of many of my favorite shows, the ones that stuck with me were songs that contained vocals and these were usually contained in sitcoms. Shows like “Dallas”, “Murder She Wrote”, “Dynasty”, “The A-Team”, “MacGyver”, “Knight Rider”, “Magnum PI” and “Airworlf” all had very recognizable theme songs, but none of them contained vocals and as a vocalist, singing is what interested me most. I therefore decided to focus my energies in this article on those shows that contained theme songs with vocals, songs that could possibly chart on the single’s chart as stand alone hits. In this article I am going to focus on 10 of my favorite 1980s sitcoms and their theme songs. The journey to research this article was very nostalgic for me and brought back many memories and I hope that it takes you all on a similar journey. So without further ado here we go…my favorite sitcom themes from the 1980s: Golden Girls (1985–1992) The Golden Girls was an unlikely television hit sitcom. The show is about 4 elderly ladies who decide to live together in a house in Miami and all their shenanigans. The show is only one of three sitcoms in history in which all the main characters have been awarded Emmy Awards. I remember waiting weekly for the theme song to play so that the new episode could be aired. To this day “Thank You For Being A Friend” is one of my all time favorite television show theme songs. The song was originally written and performed by Andrew Gold. Andrew Gold was a songwriter, producer and multi-instrumentalist who attained relative success in the 1970s and 80s. The version used for the TV series, however, was performed by Cynthia Fee. Andrew Gold was better known as a composer, session musician and arranger and even produced and arranged Linda Ronstadt’s No1 single “It’s No Good”. He went on to work with major recording talent like Cher, Trisha Yearwood, Celine Dion, Art Garfunkel, Wynonna Judd, The Eagles, Roy Orbison, Carly Simon, Neil Young, Bonnie Raitt and Bette Midler. “Thank You For Being A Friend” was originally released in 1978 and is featured on Andrew Gold’s third solo album “All This And Heaven Too”. The song peaked at No25 on the Billboard Hot 100. Perfect Strangers (1986–1993) The show is about a Mediterranean man (from what sounds like a Greek island) who moves in with his distant cousin in Chicago and documents their tempestuous relationship. The gap in culture and language made for many hilarious situations, which made the show a hit in the 1980s and early 1990s. The theme song, “Nothing’s Gonna Stop Me Now”, was written by Jesse Frederick and Bennett Salvay. The songwriting team also wrote the themes for “Full House”, “Step By Step” and “Family Matters”, which was a spin-off of “Perfect Strangers”. Although the song never attained chart success it has become a cult classic and was even used on an episode of “The Leftovers” (season 2) and “Master of None”. The lead vocalist on the song is David Pomeranz. David is a composer, singer and lyricist and his songs have been performed by some of the music industry’s biggest talent, including Donna Summer, Bette Midler, Missy Elliott, The Carpenters, Cliff Richard, Barry Manilow and Freddie Mercury. His songs have accumulated 22 platinum certifications and 18 gold records. Between 1971 and 2012 he also released 11 studio albums. He is also known for work he completed on various musical theatre projects. Growing Pains (1985–1992) The show is about the Seaver family who live in Long Island, New York. The dad, Dr Seaver, is a psychiatrist and the mom is a reporter, who has decided to go back to work, leaving the dad to take care of the three children, and later 4. The show features Alan Thicke (Robin Thicke’s dad), Kirk Cameron and a young Leonard Di Caprio who plays a homeless child adopted by the family. The theme song for the show is entitled “As Long As We’ve Got Each Other” originally performed by B.J. Thomas in season 1, in season 2, 3, 5 and part of 7 Jennifer Warnes was added as a duet partner, in season 4 Jennifer Warnes was replaced by Dusty Springfield and in season 6 and part of 7 it was performed by an acapella group consisting of Joe Chemay, Jim Hass, Jon Joyce and George Merrill. B.J. Thomas is better known for his 1969 hit “Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head” from the movie “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid”. The song was composed by John Bettis and Steve Dorff. John Bettis composed “Human Nature” for Michael Jackson, “When You Tell Me That You Love Me” for Diana Ross, “One Moment In Time” for Whitney Houston and “Crazy For You” for Madonna. He was inducted into the Songwriters’ Hall of Fame in 2011. Steven Dorff is better known for songs he has written in the Country music world, having written for George Strait, Clay Walker and Kenny Rogers. He was inducted into the Songwriters’ Hall of Fame in 2018. The song peaked at No5 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart in 1989. Family Ties (1982–1989) The show is set in a suburb in Columbus, Ohio and revolves around a family headed up by two hippy, baby boomer parents, their three teenage children and their dichotomous relationships. The eldest son Alex Keaton (played by Michael J Fox) is a wannabe billionaire, the middle daughter is a typical fashion conscious teen and the youngest daughter is a tomboy. Michael won 3 Emmy Awards and a Golden Globe for his portrayal of Alex Keaton on the show. The show’s theme is entitled “Without Us” and was written by Jeff Barry and Tom Scott. Jeff also wrote the themes for the sitcoms “One Day At A Time” and “The Jeffersons”. Besides for writing television sitcom themes he also wrote some major hit singles, including: “River Deep Mountain High”, “Chapel of Love” and “Leader of the Pack”. Tom Scott, on the other hand, was a key member of The Blues Brothers and a session saxophonist, who played on recordings for Carole King, Ringo Starr, Michael Jackson, Quincy Jones, Paul McCartney, Pink Floyd, Rod Stewart, Whitney Houston, amongst others, and released 24 albums on which he was the band leader. The song was written in 1982 and was originally performed by Dennis Tufano and Mindy Sterling for the 10 episodes of season 1 and for the rest of the show’s run it was performed by the legendary Johnny Mathis and Deniece Williams. The song never attained any chart success but was a fan favorite and an iconic piece of music. Who’s The Boss (1984–1992) The show follows the trials and tribulations of a single mom, her mom, child and relationship with her widower housekeeper and his daughter and is set in Fairfield, Connecticut. The show’s main stars were Tony Danza (Tony Micelli), Judith Light (Angela Bower), Katherine Helmond (Mona Robinson), Danny Pintauro (Jonathan Bower) and Alyssa Milano (Samantha Micelli). It was very popular with critics and viewers alike and landed up winning a Golden Globe and Emmy Award. Alyssa Milano landed up pursing a recording career and acted on “Melrose Place”, “Charmed” and “My Name Is Earl”. Judith Light later acted on “Ugly Betty” and the remake of “Dallas”, whilst Tony Danza has previously attained success on the sitcom “Taxi” and Katherine Helmond on “Soap”. Danny Pintauro acted in a few shows, but was never able to replicate the success he had on the show. The theme song is entitled “Brand New Life” and was co-written by the series producers and creators, Martin Cohan and Blake Hunter and musicians Larry Carlton and Robert Kraft. The song was performed by different vocalists over the years: Larry Weiss (1984–1986); Steve Wariner (1986–1989) and Jonathan Wolff (1989–1992). Larry Weiss is famous for having written “Rhinestone Cowboy”, Steve Wariner is a well known country singer who has attained 10 No1 hit singles on the US country charts and Jonathan Wolff is a well known US composer, who has written music for various TV shows including “Will & Grace”. “Brand New Life” is probably one of the most recognizable TV sitcom theme songs in history and I love the Folk/Pop sound of the track, which echoes the setting of the location of the show. Cheers (1982–1993) The show is about a group of locals that meet and socialize at their local pub, Cheers, in Boston, Massachusetts. The show was almost cancelled after its first season because of low ratings, but went on to become a historically significant piece of television history. In the 11 years that it ran it won 28 Primetime Emmy Awards and spun off another significant television programme, “Frasier”, which ran between 1993–2004. Key actors on the show included: Ted Danson; Shelley Long; Kelsey Grammer; Woody Harrelson; Kirstie Alley and Rhea Pearlman. The theme song “Where Everybody Knows Your Name” was written by Gary Portnoy and Judy Hart Angelo and performed by Portnoy. Gary also went on to write the theme songs for “Mr Belvedere” and “Punky Brewster”. Judy, originally a music publisher, started writing music with Gary after meeting a Broadway producer who was looking for someone to compose music for a show. “Where Everybody Knows Your Name” was written for the show after Judy submitted an unrelated song to a group of TV producers who were looking for a theme song for a sitcom on which they were working. After reworking and resubmitting various songs to the producers, “Where Everybody Knows Your Name” was born. The song was released in 1983 and peaked at No83 USA/No58 UK and was nominated for an Emmy Award. Designing Women (1986–1993) The show focuses on the relationship between 4 Southern ladies and one guy working at an interior design firm in Atlanta, Georgia, Sugarbaker & Associates. It ran for 7 seasons and in that time it won various awards including an Emmy award. The show’s main home facade is actually the Arkansas Governor’s Mansion. Designing Women made Delta Burke, Annie Potts, Jean Smart and Dixie Carter household names. Although the show had a mixed reception in its initial season it slowly became a TV favorite. The show was a victory for women in Hollywood, proving that a series that featured a predominantly all-female cast could be a success, just like the Golden Girls before it. The theme song for the show was a cover of a song written by Hoagy Carmichael and Stuart Gorrell, “Georgia On My Mind”, and in this instance performed by the legendary blues man Ray Charles. The legend even appears performing the song in the opening credits of the series. Ray Charles originally released the song in 1960 and at the time it peaked at No1 in the USA. I remember getting excited to watch the show just to watch Ray Charles perform this classic number, but I soon realized that it requires some skill to perform “Georgia on my Mind”. Full House (1987–1995) The show revolves around a widower who works as a television sports anchor, who co-opts his brother in law (a rock musician) and best friend (a comedian) to assist him in raising his three daughters after the passing of his wife. Set in San Francisco, California, the show made John Stamos and the Olson twins household names. Although the show was a fan favorite, it was slated by critics. As a result of its cult status a sequel series, “A Fuller House”, was commissioned by Netflix and premiered in 2016. It is currently on its 4th season. The show’s theme song “Everywhere You Look” was written by Jesse Frederick, Bennett Salvay and Jeff Franklin (the show’s creator). Jesse Frederick is the vocalist on the track and his smokey, Rod Stewartesque vocals add to the songs uplifting feeling. Jesse Frederick and Bennett Salvay are also known for having written the theme songs for “Perfect Strangers”, “Step By Step” and “Family Matters”. It is speculated that Jesse Frederick inspired the creation of the show’s rock musician character played by John Stamos, who also happens to be called Jesse. Married With Children (1987–1997) The show is set in Chicago and revolves around Al Bundy and his dysfunctional family, almost like a mainstream version of “The Adams Family”. The show ran for 11 seasons and is considered one of the greatest sitcoms of all time. It is also the longest running live-action sitcom in Fox history (the channel on which it was broadcast) and was nominated for 7 Golden Globes. The show made Ed O’Neill (Al Bundy), Katey Sagal (Peggy Bundy) and Christina Applegate (Kelly Bundy) household names. Katey Sagal went on to voice the character of Leela on Futurama, which ran for 7 seasons and Ed O’Neill played Jay Pritchett on “Modern Family” which has to date run for 10 seasons. The theme song for the show was a cover of a Frank Sinatra song that was featured on another TV show entitled “Our Town” released in 1955, which went on to win an Emmy Award in 1956 for Best Musical Contribution. The same recording of “Love and Marriage” written by Sammy Cahn and Jimmy van Heusen was used as the theme for “Married With Children” in 1987. I love that such an old song was revived for the TV show and it’s lush arrangement completely compliments the theme of the sitcom. Amen (1986–1991) The show revolves around a widower deacon, Ernest Frye (played by Sherman Hemsley), of the First Community Church of Philadelphia, his congregation and the dynamic between the characters. The show was part of a roster of all-black cast shows promoted by NBC in the 1980s and early 1990s. Shows like “The Cosby Show”, “The Fresh Prince of Bel Air”, “227” and “A Different World”. The show received generally good ratings and was eventually syndicated, which resulted in its continued run into the 21st century. The theme song for the show was written by Andraé Crouch a gospel music legend, equivalent to Quincy Jones in the Pop world. His forté was the arrangement and composition of music for Gospel choirs. If an artist wanted a Gospel sound on their tracks in the 1980s and 1990s they went to Andraé Crouch. He went on to collaborate with artists like Elton John & Little Richard (“The Power”), Madonna (“Like A Prayer”) and Michael Jackson (“Man In The Mirror”) at this time. The theme song for the show is entitled “Shine On Me” and was performed by Gospel recording artist Vanessa Bell Armstrong. This song introduced me to the world of Gospel music and made me want to explore the genre in greater depth. The journey through all of these songs and shows has been immensely gratifying and brought back so many wonderful childhood memories. The one thing I noted about the songs included in these shows is that they generally followed a Folk/Pop audio aesthetic. The use of this Folk aesthetic could have been purposefully engineered by the producers and creators of these shows as the genre usually encapsulates the sentiments of the “volk” (people). This would elicit in the viewer certain familial and homey emotions which the shows, at the time, were often trying to encourage and evoke. Since the 1980s the theme of sitcoms has changed as the zeitgeist has altered and clearly the mood and feeling of the era will never be replicated. But at least we are left with the sounds and images that transport us to that era in our historical evolution, which have resulted in the society we are today.	https://medium.com/@shelrochaleal/80s-tv-sitcom-theme-songs-bbbbdd841f11	['Sheldon Rocha Leal']	2019-09-24 10:15:42.988000+00:00	['Pop Music History', 'TV Series', 'Nostalgia', 'Songs', 'Music']
Don’t Overdo It: Take It Slow To Avoid Pain	Don’t overdo it to avoid pain. Why do we feel pain in our muscles after a strenuous workout? According to the Hartford Courant, it could just be our body’s way of protecting us. “It’s actually your body pushing back, a condition that physicians and physical therapists call delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS). The scientific explanation of it is rather long and involves such things as lactic acid build-up and proton transfers. What’s important to know… is that its purpose seems to be getting you to stop doing whatever it is that you’re doing long enough for your body to repair the damage you’ve already done.” Says one physical therapist, “Soreness can be a good thing.” Sore muscles that are felt within a day or so after strenuous activities “are a sign that the strain of heavy lifting or stretching caused microscopic mayhem in the cellular compartments that make up each muscle fiber. White blood cells, nutrients and a host of biochemical agents flood the injury site. Inflammation at the site triggers a biochemical landslide of sorts that wakes up the nervous system’s pain sensors.” If DOMS should strike, “one should gently stretch and continue to exercise lightly through the soreness,” says the physical therapist. “The key is to use a progressive program.” That’s exactly what SimpleTherapy is — a progressive, adapting program that will start easy and build up gradually over time, as you advance in readiness. Take a look at the range of SimpleTherapy pain recovery programs available for your needs.	https://medium.com/simpletherapy/dont-overdo-it-take-it-slow-to-avoid-pain-1c79c87cce77	['Arpit Khemka']	2016-09-01 04:32:46.519000+00:00	['Soreness', 'Heavy Lifting', 'Pain Recovery', 'Inflammation', 'Physical Therapy']
Sparks Interview — Andromeda: As a Native of the Blockchain World, I Had Been Anticipating to Be Tokenized, Part 2	Read Part 1 here. Part 1. About Andromeda (Continuation) Matataki has exchange too, does it have any link with the decentralized exchange that you have encountered? I have to open my own exchange. — Li Xiaolai Yes, the current liquid protocol used by Instant-Matataki’s exchange is in line with the evolution of Kyubey.network. In fact, the design of Kyubey exchange originated from a contract we developed called eosotcbackup. As the name suggests, it is actually an open order book. We found that many EOS project launchers would not immediately go online to the exchange after issuing tokens, or have their own ad-hoc transaction logic. However, at this point, these tokens have already begun to flow in the private sector, and have their own prices. Bitcoin Exchange Guide.com Even if the transfer interface of these tokens is officially closed, people will still think of various ways to conduct transactions, such as seller directly authorizing the account containing the token to the buyer’s private key. This kind of flow is what we call OTC. There is usually a group leader who acts as a guarantor and charges a certain handling fee from it. This is very similar to the period when people were playing altcoins at the end of 2014 and the beginning of 2015. At that time, there would be cases of guarantors running away from time to time. I was wondering if I could develop a decentralized guarantee system to solve this problem once and for all? Now, I find that I hold much more development tools in my hands compared to the past…… The first version of the EOS OTC exchange contract took only one night to develop and was deployed to the main network. With the help of many friends, the “product” was officially launched on the second day. In the first version of the exchange, there are only orders, but no matching function. The matching of orders requires the users to operate on their own. The common scenario is after the two parties to the transaction have communicated the price on WeChat, they will respectively put up and take up the order on the exchange. It’s such a simple long-tail trading scenario that is unimaginable to develop on Ethereum. The fee and latency are simply too high. However, in EOS, users can easily use our products for free. As the rate of the EOS CPU is very unstable, coupled with the product scale expansion, therefore in order to keep our Dapp available all the time, we have to buy more EOS in the market to mortgage CPU sufficiently. Then came a new issue: some traders put up some symbols on the exchange, but they issued cheap “counterfeit tokens “ with different contracts. Some users saw these low-cost “counterfeit tokens”, and out of the fear of losing out (FOMO), they chose to buy them without checking the name of the contract carefully. As a result, some of our early users bought these “counterfeit tokens” and after realizing it, they came to us to “protect their rights”. Although this is not a contract bug, considering that we didn’t explicitly warn users of the risk of counterfeit tokens in the design of our UI / UX, it had misled them to a certain extent. Therefore, we “compensated” the losses of these users. Finance Magnates.com Hence, we lost money on this version of the exchange, but considering that it accumulated enough popularity at the beginning of its launch, we decided to focus on the development and improve it. We added a white list mechanism in the contract allowing the operators to review it, thereby completely eliminating the misleading situation of “counterfeit tokens”. At the same time, we added a matchmaking engine in the contract, because EOS integrates boost’s multi_index map, which can flexibly perform a binary search in the case of multiple keywords and optimize the time complexity. Hence, we can achieve a similar level of experience as other semi-centralized exchanges. In order to give users a better interaction experience, we also redesigned the UI / UX. As for the earliest version of the exchange, it will be preserved by us under “protection mode”. Since it does not need the administrator to edit the white list, it is more Serverless, and more in line with our definition of Public Good. Later, of course, it’s the story of the bleak period for cryptocurrency prices, and we were struggling on the borderline. During the same period, many semi-centralized exchanges on EOS began to seek transformation. Our code has since been lying quietly in GitHub until a few days ago, an EOS developer from a foreign community came to ask about our exchange, how to set up and some questions about the contract. I was very excited about this, and I was actually looking forward to giving it a new life. At present, the design of the fan token mainly comes from our reflection on the exchange project. Looking back at the agreement of the decentralized exchange, there is still some immaturity in its design. The biggest flaw is that Bancor’s liquid protocol is not compatible with the order listing system. The other problem is that the trading mechanism that we have previously designed is still too complex. Almost in the same period with the development of our products, I noticed that a decentralized exchange has also been launched on Ethereum. The mechanism of this decentralized exchange comes from a proposal by Vitalik on Reddit three years ago — “can we build a decentralized exchange by building a market prediction method?” This exchange is called Uniswap. If I had to redesign it now, I would have chosen Uniswap. As for decentralized exchanges, in addition to the abovementioned form of automatic market making, there is also the thin order book form, which both have their pros and cons. I am not an expert in this aspect. For details, please refer to the guest sharing during DeFi.WTF last held in DevCon, Osaka, 2.2 Tom Schmidt @ 0x — Evolution of Exchange Architecture of DEXes. Of course, other than the flaws mentioned above on the protocol level, I think the bigger problem is that there are too few users in this market segment. Originally, programming related collaboration is nearly the most advanced form of generalized collaboration, which requires professional knowledge and a lot of communication. Thus, the evaluation system is also difficult to carry out automatically. Then again, there are fewer programmers developing Dapp, even fewer of them are developing it on a specific public chain, and much less know how to design the Dapp model correctly. In hindsight, I may have just designed a product for my own use. Building for crypto influencers. This is another common trap for crypto startups. In most industries, if you build a product that influencers will love, millions of other customers will follow. But crypto is a weird space — the preferences of crypto influencers are very unrepresentative of crypto customers. — Haseeb Qureshi, Dragonfly Research, So you want to build a crypto startup? There is a greater world outside of Ethereum and blockchain. Could you explain more about the design of fan tokens? Liquid Protocol Comparing Bancor and Uniswap, the latter has won for many reasons. First of all, Uniswap will not be rent-seek by Bancor tokens (previously, Bancor operators contacted us to help our EOS tokens be listed on Bancor’s exchange, of course, the cost is 5000 USDT). The more fatal reason is that Bancor’s liquidity is dead, while the liquidity of the Uniswap protocol is flexible enough to dynamically adjust with the market changes. Lastly, the premise of Bancor protocol — assuming cw is a constant value, seems unreasonable. All of these reasons will lead to Bancor’s anchored tokens to lack decoupling mechanisms. I have also explained this in my article in Dapp Review: Re-examining Bancor’s algorithm and why cw is a failed design. I still remember when I just opened the Vyper contract, which has less than 200 lines with Uniswap core, I was immediately attracted by its grace. Uniswap’s protocol was minimalist and really achieved what Philip Stark defined as Less is more. In short, compared with the Bancor protocol that we have used before, the Bounding Curve of the Uniswap protocol has nothing to do with cw. It is an inverse proportional function, and there is no BNT to rent in the system. The core mechanism is that the liquidity of Uniswap is dynamic and provided by users. This feature meets my requirements perfectly for AMMS (Automated Market Makers) — it should be smart, generous, and grow with the growth of the token itself. Further, its liquidity can be transferred externally, and live in harmony with the external environment — and the purpose of these designs is so that it can leave the cradle of the reserve system and realize decoupling. For the decoupling experiment, we can refer to the article that X-Order published — Ponzi Structure and Law of Expansion. Why Ethereum private chain? This question can be answered in two parts. First, why do we choose to return to Ethereum? First of all, Ethereum is the most politically correct choice. Moreover, we can also make the most use of its infrastructure by developing with Ethereum. For example, the protocol of Uniswap can be directly used by forking, and Etherscan can also be directly used to trace each transaction record. In addition, Ethereum itself is also in the process of rapid changes and updates. Last month, at the Ethereum Developer Conference held in Osaka, we saw many surprising new features, such as the significant performance improvement brought by the use of Plasma, zk-rollup and optimal rollup. These allowed us to see the infinite possibility of Ethereum in the future. Blocksplain.com Choosing the private chain is a necessary trade-off that we have to make after researching on the current challenges that other Dapps are facing, and the current situation that our own products are in. At the end of Felix Feng’s slide, ‘Story of DeFi, How it Started, Where It Stands Now, DeFi Definition Revisited’, it summarizes the four problems that the DeFi industry currently faces, and I think it will be the same when promoting it to the Dapp field. One, the bottleneck of increasing the number of users Two, myths of capturing value Three, unverified decentralizing routes Four, potential risks relating to smart contracts Point one is the easiest to be understood and it is the most critical point. As mentioned above, most blockchain users are speculative users. Solving the customer acquisition problem is something that every industry practitioner must face. The most effective solution is to create some sort of new value, or redistribute the misplaced value, so as to meet the needs of a certain user whose demand was not well met. This is what we often call the discovery of a Killer Dapp. Monetization and payment are one of them, but we need more. The other way is to make some auxiliary facilities, among which MyKey is the most representative. It is a system that supports multi-chain autonomous identities and has gained a lot of growth at present. The second is the most complex problem to consider when designing Dapps. Currently, there does not exist a mature methodology in the market. Some relatively failed examples are the Raiden network and the Bancor network on Ethereum, which is generally considered to not doing a good job in capturing value. On the other hand, MakerDao is an example of successful value capturing. MakerDao has established a meaningful market structure, met the demand of a stock market just in time and closed the business loop. Therefore, it stands out from the rest. Hackernoon.com Point three is closely related to point two. As a Dapp developer, the features you are expected to meet by default are Opensource, Serverless and Forkable. Before you are forked by others, how to capture enough value, form enough network effect to create barriers, and effectively managing the chain in this process are also the aspects we have to think carefully about. We don’t need to talk much about the fourth point. Probably every Dapp developer is required to pay some tuition fees. Even Gavin Wood paid nearly 500,000 ether as tuition fees for a silly mistake. Choosing private chains can effectively provide a buffer for solving the abovementioned problems, and it can also help us save the user’s transaction fee. After all, considering the product form, our product is supported by numerous small payments.	https://medium.com/@xorder/sparks-interview-andromeda-as-a-native-of-the-blockchain-world-i-had-been-anticipating-to-be-890c11beab99	[]	2020-03-01 11:55:50.526000+00:00	['Eos', 'Uniswap', 'Dapps', 'Bancor', 'Ethereum']
XRP Utility Fork Supported on Bitkub	Bitkub.com is a new generation digital asset and cryptocurrency exchange platform that offers advanced cryptocurrency exchange services Follow	https://medium.com/bitkub/xrp-utility-fork-supported-on-bitkub-b9076ae0c1fb	[]	2020-11-23 13:04:39.536000+00:00	['Xrp', 'Ethereum', 'Bitcoin', 'Hardfork', 'Bitkub']
How Could You Create A Successful Trading Strategy That Works?	How To Develop A Successful Trading Strategy Anyone who knows anything about stock trading or day trading has heard the term ‘trading strategy.’ A trading strategy is a simple concept — it’s basically the road map that a trader follows while trading the markets. A trading strategy is governed by a set of rules that do not deviate for anything other than market action. Faithfully following a sound trading strategy will provide you with your greatest weapon against your worst enemy — your emotions. With a trading strategy, you’ll know exactly when to buy and when to sell, regardless of what the market does or what your emotions are telling you. About Day Trading Strategies Every profitable trader will tell you that the key to trading success is an effective, reliable trading strategy. You, as a trader, need to identify a winning system, implement it, and have the discipline to stick to it. Though it would be possible for you to develop a unique trading strategy, it probably wouldn’t be that practical. The best — and most efficient — approach would be to adopt an existing strategy, one which has been used by other traders in the industry and which has already proven to be successful. Just remember, whether the strategy you’re using is your own or someone else’s, it is critical that you have a thorough understanding of it, especially its entry and exit signals. Do not fall prey to the pitfalls of following untested trading “advice,” especially the free advice available in numerous trading forums and chat rooms. Advice that you receive in these types of venues is likely to be opinion rather than fact, and in the market, opinions are not worth anything. What you NEED is a proven and effective trading strategy, one that will work in any market, under any market condition. Because of this need for solid strategies, more and more traders are looking for trading success through technical approaches to the markets. One of these approaches is Welles Wilder’s RSI indicator. The general idea behind using the RSI is to buy when the RSI crosses above 30 and to sell when the RSI crosses below 70. As you can see, these rules are clearly defined and don’t leave much room for interpretation. This is EXACTLY what you want from a trading strategy. In trading, you’ll need to make big decisions in mere seconds. There’s simply no time to rethink, or try to interpret the unknown signals and information that come your way. Following a set of simple, easy-to-understand rules — and having a trading strategy that regulates all of your signals and indicators efficiently — is the major key to trading success.	https://medium.com/@zarkitome2/how-could-you-create-a-successful-trading-strategy-that-works-8c22de275dca	['Zarki Mathew']	2020-12-13 18:13:04.170000+00:00	['Trading', 'Forex Trading', 'Forex', 'Stocks', 'Trading Ideas']
Bad News: Why we need more informative news, and how we get there	So far, we’ve seen how profit-driven news sort of worked, but mostly failed, and how state-owned media has worked a bit better, but is unable to dig underneath stories to provide better news. But both the market and the government could still have an important role to play in changing news for the better. Let’s look first at the non-government stuff, because it’s a lot less wonk-ish. Over the last decade, two big shifts have taken place in the media industry. New media organisations, dedicated to exploiting the growing demand for news, have been established, with Vox and Tortoise standing as two fairly good examples. At the same time, the rise of social media has allowed more and more journalists and commentators to become freelance or self-employed, creating content of all forms directly for their audience, not for corporate executives. These two shifts coincide somewhat: Vox would not be as successful without YouTube, for example. But they are distinct, and both provide an insight into the future of market-driven news. There’s every reason to believe that the demand for a different kind of news is going to keep rising throughout the 2020s, as our world becomes more interconnected and hundreds of millions more people are lifted into the global middle class. This demand is ready to exploit for already-established alternative news organisations, as well as completely new, perhaps fantastically innovative and resourceful organisations. But we might observe that this alternative industry growth is probably restricted to those with easy access to tech, with fewer hours to work, and with more money. The challenge will be trying to make this kind of news more widespread, and it’s not clear that this is a challenge which alternative organisations can easily meet. It’s a challenge to which self-employed journalists, exploiting social media, could well rise to, though. We all know about dis- and misinformation, how it has spread on social media, and how social media exacerbates polarisation through echo chambers. But the flip-side of these content platforms is that they make it easier for authoritative, intelligent communicators to forge a career in an industry that would’ve either corporatised them or chewed them up and spat them out just a decade or so ago. Social media and open platforms for content have already allowed thousands of great journalists to go it alone and make enough money to sustain themselves and fund their work. This site is a great example, but the truth is that no one company will ever have a monopoly on self-employed journalists because audiences which shift from platform to platform and follow those they trust wherever they go. The profit motives are not eliminated this way. But it does allow good journalists and reporters to have a different option, and a way of making money without the need for everything they do to go through the corporate filter. The news at the moment is pretty horrible at anything other than surface-level reporting and clickbait. But we are seeing shifting dynamics in the industry, and there may be a way forward even within the profit-driven world. But governments can also have an important role to play. Clearly, state-run and funded media is not the way to go: it is simply too constrained to provide the kind of quality news that we want. But there might be a mixed approach — something in between nationalised media and private media. This could take on a range of forms. The more laissez-faire approach would be to simply subsidise and help to expand new organisations which are dedicated to a new brand of news, though this would obviously be open to pretty significant manipulation for political purposes. Still, though, it might be a way around the state-owned media problem of constant accusations of bias. A requirement for organisations accepting taxpayer funds would naturally be a non-profit business model, and so these organisations might be able to avoid the constant danger of drifting away from the original aims by removing the profit motives but still taking mostly private revenue. Equally, the government could establish a part-state-funded organisation, where the other part comes from investors and subscribers, though you might think this is more likely to be a worst-of-both-worlds rather than a best-of-both. It’s not completely clear that either of these proposals would work in practice. But they’d be relatively cheap to try out, and if the government wants to deal with the problems that the news industry faces, then they would certainly be worth a shot.	https://extranewsfeed.com/bad-news-why-we-need-more-informative-news-and-how-we-get-there-c3ebb949f9c5	['Dave Olsen']	2020-12-02 17:32:12.960000+00:00	['News', 'Social Media', 'Media Criticism', 'Politics', 'Media']
Advances in Stem Cell Therapy in Case of Diabetes Mellitus ,	Advances in Stem Cell Therapy in Case of Diabetes Mellitus , Stemmedicaindia Feb 23·2 min read Definition : Diabetes is defined as inability of body to produce or to respond /utilize insulin resulting abnormal metabolism of carbohydrates which increase blood glucose level . in case of type 2 diabetes mellitus insulin production by beta cells of Pancreas is normal but muscles are incompetent to use that insulin against glucose. Which Stem cells are used for Type 2 Diabetes : Autologous Stem Cell Therapy (from Patient body ): Bone Marrow & Adipose /Fat Stem Cells ,Venous Blood Platelet rich Plasma. Allogeneic Stem Cell Therapy : Umbilical Cord tissue Mesenchymal Stem Cells. how shall procedure done : Bone marrow Harvest: 100ml Bone marrow harvested from iliac crest under local anesthesia & intravenous Sedation. Processing of Stem Cells : by minimal manipulation both bone marrow & blood PRP processed . Re administration : systemic & local. Intravenously, into Pancreatic or hepatic artery, Subcutaneously.. Type 2 Diabetes Pathophysiology. Clinical Trial Data : Clinical Trials Publications Worldwide.	https://medium.com/@stemmedicaindia/advances-in-stem-cell-therapy-in-case-of-diabetes-mellitus-3d55f5964aa3	[]	2021-02-23 05:23:47.553000+00:00	['Stem Cell Research', 'Diabetes', 'Medical', 'STEM', 'Sugar']
A Whole Life Approach to Writing	A Whole Life Approach to Writing How to contain, capture and corral creative inspiration That loving feeling One of my personal mantras as it relates to writing is I write because I love it. It is on my profile, it shows up in a poem here and an essay there, and it is totally un-unique. Yep, you read that right — un-unique. Even though a deep passion for writing pulses through my veins, I know I am not the special bearer of creative desires. A love for communicating through the written word is the universal soul beat of wordsmiths across the globe. It is a creative energy all true writers feel. Sometimes. Oh no, you may be thinking about now, not another article on how to keep pressing on when feelings of inspiration are nowhere to be found! Fear not, I will not be giving any tips on how to discipline yourself through the dry spells and persevere through the grueling hours of tedium. Although, if you need that kind of thing, there are many good resources out there. The bookends of the whole life approach I would like to take a different approach — a whole life approach to keeping that love of writing alive. First, a little personal background may be in order, to frame what I will be addressing and set the stage for what I will not be. I remember the early days of my own writing passion when, as far back as first grade, I discovered that creative writing assignments were not work, but fun. It is the memory of times alone in my room, however, when an overwhelming desire to write a story would fall upon me, that I remember most. I would sit down, with my wide-ruled notebook paper and #2 pencil, and start to sketch out the characters and conversations that were a part of my make-believe world. It was exhilarating! Until it wasn’t. I would get about 2 or 3 chapters in, the enthusiasm would wane, and the story would end up somewhere in my room, probably in the triangular space behind my catty-corner dresser that served as my fort. I kept waiting for that feeling to come back so I could finish my creation, but alas. I also recall the first time I discovered that I could produce a finished product by sheer discipline with no feeling of inspiration whatsoever. It was my senior year of high school, when I had to write a literary analysis paper for my English class. It was one of those papers where you have to back up your thesis with sub-points supported by quotations from the book, and I had likely not even read the whole book. Somehow, I miraculously produced a worthy paper. But what was eye-opening to me at the time was that I could write something I was proud of without feeling like writing or even caring about the topic I was writing about. In the end, however, the exercise did produce several feelings: a sense of accomplishment, a boost in confidence and the satisfaction of self-discipline. These little snapshots represent what I like to think of as two very important bookends of a writer’s life: we need times of both deep inspirational creativity and structured discipline if we are going to bring our ideas to fruition. We have only to look at nature for an example of how beauty, spontaneity, order, and structure are intermingled throughout the created world. Those ordinary moments But what about all of the other moments of everyday life? The times when seedling thoughts lie dormant, when our little ant army lives march along as we do our duties, or when inner and outer storms rage leaving no time for structured planning, let alone space for contemplation and inspiration? The truth is that, for most of us, even those who write for a living, these non-writing times represent the majority of our existence. Eating and sleeping alone can take up close to half of every 24-hour period. If we want to stay healthy and maintain relationships with other human beings, that adds in a few more hours a day, and I could go on and on. Trust me, I am a scheduler, and I have parsed my life carefully over the years in an effort to understand where all the time goes. As a writing lover, I need to remember that writing is a whole life experience and includes much more than the moments I sit down to write, whether from major inspiration or necessary discipline. Between these times are the ordinary moments, the everyday occurrences that are easily lost, but worthy of guarding and gleaning. I find that most of my inspiration comes either directly or indirectly through normal life experiences—when I am brushing my teeth, shuttling kids around, sweeping the floor or having a conversation with family and friends. It is in these very times that the little fireflies of creativity float across the landscape of my mind. It is also at these very times that those same fireflies will flutter and flicker right back out into the void of night if I don’t (humanely, of course) contain, capture and corral them. If I don’t want them to disappear, I need to safeguard them until I can release their illuminating sparks into my writing. Containing, capturing and corralling creativity. These alliterative categories are not perfectly clear-cut, but instead of trying to squeeze creativity into a mold, I am satisfied that the overlap is further proof of the whole life nature of the writing process. Following is how I seek to hold on to the brief flashes of my fireflies. Contain the emotions Ah, those sometimes pleasant, sometimes painful, often unwieldy emotions. How to contain them when their definition is unclear, their nature so fleeting and life moves on leaving us with only an undefined memory? We know what words to use to tell — confusion, anger, love — but how do we hold on to the moment — contain it — so that we show the emotion in our writing? I recently found myself in a situation where I felt extremely agitated. At the time, I probably felt any number of emotions — sadness, anger, confusion and eventually peace. See, I just told you how I felt, but, while I’m sure you can relate, it probably didn’t stir up any emotion in you. As I was processing my emotions and trying to calm myself, I felt the urge to write, but I wasn’t at a place of clarity to do so and it wasn’t really the right time. Instead, I decided to contain the emotions within the framework of my experience. I wrote stream of consciousness notes — with no care for spelling, structure, flow — into my phone, intermingling sights, sounds, feelings and thoughts into one long rambling string. Afterwards, every time I read those notes, I recalled the incident vividly and eventually shaped the experience into a poem. Capture the senses We are constantly using our senses. They are the physical intake valves through which we relate to the world around us. They not only enable us to experience pleasure and pain, but they can stir up emotions and trigger deep thinking. Hence, the difficulty in placing them in a completely separate category. For my current purposes, I am making a distinction that I find helpful. When I think of capturing the senses, I am less concerned with trying to identify what I am feeling and more concerned with making sure that the fleeting revelations my senses bring to mind do not escape. Here is an example. One of the things I love to do is go for country drives. They expand my view, help me take deep breaths, pull me out of my stress pits. But why? It is because, as I am driving along, I see broad open spaces, beautiful contrasting colors, surprising vistas around the bend. I need to capture those. Or what about the other senses? I find that smells and sounds often bring with them wafts and echoes of nostalgia. The smell of my grandparents’ home or the distant sound of a train whistle remind me of what it felt like to be a child — not only remind me, but carry me back in time. The taste of macadamia nut crusted mahi mahi takes me to a romantic open-air dinner on the edge of the Pacific Ocean. The touch of my grandson’s little lips on my cheek brings with it both today’s new joys and yesterday’s memories of young motherhood. Whenever I am in a situation where my senses bring refreshment to my soul, clarity to my thinking or reminders of past situations, I try to capture them by recording them in short phrases that will jog my sensory memories when I decide to use them in a story or poem or perhaps even a non-fiction piece. Corral the concepts Whether out of the clear blue sky or triggered by one of the above two items, I have days where a concept races through my mind, and I think, “I need to write about that!” It could be something based on a very simple observation of a daily frustration like, “Why is there always a mismatch between plastic storage containers and lids?” Or it could be a quick glance in the mirror that triggers thoughts on the mysteries of aging, “how can I still feel so young on the inside while the outside insists on growing old?” Recently, not on a country drive, but on a suburban drive along a winding back road, I was provided a real-life illustration of a concept I think of often — perspective. After having driven this 3-mile stretch several times from one direction — on my way home from somewhere — I now approached it from the opposite direction — on my way to that somewhere — and was struck by the unfamiliarity of it all. I was aware of new scenery I had never noticed, and instead of being confident about the speed I should take as I rounded a curve, I was cautious and apprehensive, not knowing what would be around the bend and unsure of how much further I needed to drive to get to the end. It felt like a completely different road. Perspective. Knowing there was a life lesson in there, I corralled the concept by recording it with a sentence or two and stored it away in my computer Incubator folder. That folder contains documents entitled Miscellaneous Ideas (so original!) and Quirky and Fleeting Thoughts (that’s better!) as well as individual documents for ideas I have spent time expounding on a bit more extensively. Concluding encouragement My goal in sharing these things is not to provide methods, but to encourage all writers, including myself, to keep our love of writing alive even in times when we are not experiencing light bulb illuminations or when we are unable to carve out intentional time for writing. By recognizing that our lives are full of inspirational moments just waiting to be contained, captured and corralled, we have the opportunity to dot the landscape of our everyday moments with fireflies, keeping our own creative lights burning, while waiting for the perfect time to release our new and glowing creations into the world. So what fireflies have flown across your creative landscape today? I know you’ve seen some. Now just take a few moments to contain, capture or corral them. Meanwhile, I need to go take care of a few of my own.	https://medium.com/literally-literary/a-whole-life-approach-to-writing-a082ff5abcbf	['Valori Maresco']	2020-04-12 03:03:42.493000+00:00	['Creativity', 'Writing Tips', 'Writing Life', 'Essay', 'Writing']
STEM WOMAN CRUSH: ANETH DAVID	My intrinsic passion for science and research keeps me driven for a large part. But when this is not enough, I have found out that focusing on the larger picture is motivating. — Aneth David The SWIS Africa team has been following Aneth’s Instagram handle and how she has been engaging her followers about her journey as a Biotechnologist. We were inspired by the great things she’s doing in the STEM space. We arranged an interview with her to learn more about her journey so far as a biotechnologist and use her story to inspire other women in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. SWIS Africa: Kindly give us a brief autobiography of yourself? Aneth: I am an early career research scientist and an academician in the field of agricultural biotechnology at University of Dar es Salaam. I am currently training as a PhD student at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), investigating plant-soil microbiome-insects interactions by using maize “push-pull” farming system as a model. My research focuses on promoting sustainable food production using beneficial soil microorganisms. Outside work and school (or as an extension thereof), I engage with science and equality related initiatives. Regarding science advocacy, I am an eLife ambassador and the inaugural Next Einstein Forum (NEF) science ambassador for Tanzania. Also, I co-founded Tanzania Society of Human Genetics, while I am still part of the executive committee. I enjoy mentoring and inspiring young people in science and technology, especially young girls. I use different platforms for this purpose including social media, blogging (http://www.anethdavd.wordpress.com) as well as capacity building activities like workshops and trainings. When I’m not in the lab I read a lot, travel and share inspiring knowledge. I have a strong passion for science as well as diversity and inclusion in science/academia. Aneth David speaking during a meeting of African scientists, Next Einstein Forum Community of Scientists (NEF-CoS), Kigali, Rwanda SWIS Africa: What drives your passion to share your scientific journey online? Aneth: Online platforms are very effective in getting stories to a wide audience beyond obvious limits like distance and time. I share my scientific journey to show young women and girls that it is possible to succeed in science, to become an actual scientist. I like the idea that I can be a role model to these young people and hopefully inspire them to choose science career paths or find the resilience to stay in one. SWIS Africa: How easy has it been managing your work and social life in a balance? Aneth: It’s not easy, its is one of those issues that one learns as they go. I find that planning weekly schedules (as a reflection of clear short and long term personal and career goals) very helpful in managing the balance. I usually make one schedule with both work and personal activities. I also be sure to schedule (leave) time for myself (hobbies, rest, etc) and family because if I don’t factor these in, it is easy to get overwhelmed. It is not perfect but it works. Aneth David observing an experiment on the effect of Desmodium spp. on maize infestation of Striga weed at the International Centre for Insect Physiology and Ecology (ICIPE), Mbita, Kenya SWIS Africa: Will you ever for any reason agree that science is not a “woman-thing”? Aneth: No SWIS Africa: Has there been any humiliating or tears-driven moment in your course all because you are a woman-in-the-science-world? Aneth: So far there hasn’t been major life-shattering events for me as a woman in science, its the attitudes of colleagues or other people that can be disheartening. I am often judged as a woman and not as a scientist, this may have serious consequences on access to opportunities when people with such mindset hold influential positions. I frequently get told that I don’t behave like a woman while in professional contexts but a male counterpart would rarely be judged by their “maleness”. Or when people value my career as a negative aspect to my personal life relative to finding a partner and starting marriage life. SWIS Africa: Can you tell us briefly about your job or course? Aneth: As an academician my main roles involve teaching, research and consultancy in the areas of agricultural biotechnology and bioinformatics. As a PhD student, I now spend most of my time doing data analysis and writing manuscripts as I am in the final year of my PhD. Aneth David during a field experiments visit at the International Centre for Insect Physiology and Ecology (ICIPE), Mbita, Kenya SWIS Africa: What is your boost for going on with this passion-driven scientific adventure? Aneth: My intrinsic passion for science and research keeps me driven for a large past. But when this is not enough, I have found out that focusing on the larger picture motivating. Keeping the target goal in mind helps me in setting off short-term pain. SWIS Africa: It has been a wonderful experience having you; before you go, what will be your words for that girl out there still left in the darkness of her thoughts and decisions of whether to pursue her scientific career or just let go off it? Aneth: I would like her to know that anyone can be a scientist regardless of their gender. I wish to inspire in them the kind of self-confidence that will help them to keep moving despite challenges that they will encounter. I strongly advise young girls and women aspiring to careers in science to first, have role models they look up to for inspiration. This goes a long way to instilling a positive mindset especially when they can relate to these role models, such as people of the same ethnicity, gender or nationality. Second, they should always strive to learn more about their options. Asking for advice from qualified sources and personal efforts to find more knowledge will help them make informed decision. The internet has made online resources widely available to many people, as well as widening the pool of potential mentors and role models. They should use them fruitfully. SWIS Africa: Thank you very much, Aneth, for your time. We wish you success in your career. If you want to learn more about Aneth and her work, kindly follow her on social media: Instagram: @anethdavidd Linkedin: Aneth David SWIS Africa is an initiative focused on celebrating and shaping women in STEM in Africa. You can learn more about us by clicking this link.	https://medium.com/@stemwomenafrica/stem-woman-crush-aneth-david-c227f5e41e02	['Shaping Women In Stem Africa', 'Swis Africa']	2020-11-17 21:20:07.076000+00:00	['Women in STEM', 'Women', 'Biotechnology', 'Science', 'STEM']
Please Don’t Move to Our Beautiful Mountain Town	Lock the Doors, Zip Up the State Lines, and Throw Away the Key Not long after I made my move to Colorado, I began hearing people talk about not “Californicating Colorado.” While insulting to those from that gorgeous state, I know precisely what they meant. Because it’s happened. The I-25 is now one long conga line of malls, and cheaply made rubber-stamp tract housing, and more tract housing, and more malls, and and and. Just like the I-5. The intense pressure on our limited water supply is horrendous — especially given our lengthy droughts, increasingly less snow, and the need to water all those lawns in what is effectively plains desert. City folks bring the city with them, along with their aggressive driving habits that kill cyclists, lack of mountain manners, and tendency to start wildfires. People from greener states don’t understand. Colorado is slowly becoming Arizona. Water rationing is real, and it will never go away. Snow is becoming increasingly rare. It’s making skiers unhappy, but far worse, it’s making water scarce for our booming population. The once-overflowing Colorado River, a lifeblood for so many, is no longer fed by huge annual snows. Colorado can no longer afford to keep desert golf courses green in Palm Springs. Massive fires — not just from lightning — are a way of life now, which has driven up home insurances rates by an unprecedented percentage ($577, the third-highest jump in the nation). A lot of that is because of human error — meaning wildfires — as well as climate change, affecting the number of tornadoes. We never used to get tornadoes in our cities nestled against the front range. Now, they are more common. A huge chunk of Colorado is plains, just like Kansas’ “Tornado Alley.” Not right along the front range. That, along with far more machine-produced snow to keep the skiers coming, is just the beginning. Years ago, there was a spate of license plates that identified people as Natives. Soon, copycats made Semi-Natives, Transplants, and the rest to mock the trend. Native-born Coloradans wanted to state their superiority over those who had just moved here. Then, as now, those who moved to the area settled in and they most certainly didn’t want anyone else to, which would make it too crowded. Lock ’em out. I have mine, but you can’t come share it with me. This is our paradise, stay out. In other words, we want the idea of a gated community applied to our state, our great little town. And of course, our nation. Hence, the wall. Asheville is just one more charming mountain town experiencing an historical boom. Americans, with good reason, want to escape big city life and capture something closer to nature. They want a better community, places with old-growth forests to play in that haven’t been paved over for yet another Walmart or TJ Maxx. You can’t blame them. Right now, I’m contemplating the same thing, for the same reasons. After nearly fifty years in Denver, I don’t want to live here anymore. It’s too busy, too crowded. While some folks love the sophistication that comes with a happening urban scene, that’s not why I came here. I’m tired of struggling to find a single place to ride a horse that isn’t overwhelmed with cyclists, runners, and hikers. I’m tired of riding a horse where people in the nearby park fly illegal drones over my head, terrifying my animal (and those with four-year-old girls on them), because they just want to see what happens. We Bring Our Baggage With Us The ranches were here hundreds of years before the suburbanites. That’s the fundamental problem. City folks bring the city with them, along with their aggressive driving habits that kill cyclists, lack of mountain manners, and tendency to start wildfires. This is the case with every lovely hamlet that has an established way of life, be it an isolated fishing town or a Maine village in the deep woods. When folks come in from elsewhere, they bring “elsewhere” with them. Suddenly, the town is nothing like it used to be. Those of us who liked it the way it was either get angry or move. Many of us have moved to Panama City or Ecuador. We’ve fundamentally changed those places for the locals — who often resent us — in precisely the same way. Territorial Imperative People have every right to move where they want. Neither the Asheville woman nor I have any right to tell anyone not to move to “our” state. We all believe we have the right to live where we hope to have a better life. There are lots of places in the world that do not want to be taken over. But that’s what we do: We tend to want to take over. The territorial imperative is universal. We all feel it when, suddenly, a place we love is fundamentally and irrevocably changed. How do you think the Native Americans felt when we marched them off their lands? How do you think folks in San Francisco feel now that prices there (and sinking properties) have changed what was once the “City of Love” to the City of How Are We Going to Afford Rent? There are lots of places in the world that do not want to be taken over. But that’s what we do: We tend to want to take over. We have a hard time acclimatizing, learning a new language, becoming a part of the existing community. This is true all over the world. It’s Not Just Here The 2015 Paris Agreement saw leaders from all over the world gather to discuss efforts to reduce global warming. The gathering included many heads of state of island nations, who are affected the most by these environmental changes. For example, the Solomon Islands are losing land steadily due to rising seas from melting glacial ice. The tiny nation of Kiribati will also soon be underwater. In the not-too-distant future, rising sea levels will force the wholesale relocation of millions.	https://medium.com/s/story/dont-move-here-we-don-t-want-you-566448c6e3ee	['Julia E Hubbel']	2019-07-20 13:24:18.443000+00:00	['Politics', 'Life', 'Climate Change', 'World', 'Environment']
Blockchain PR Tips Crypto Startups Must Know	Launching a successful blockchain PR campaign is no easy feat — especially for a blockchain startup with few contacts. However, the process is far from impossible and doesn’t always have to be a battle. In this guide, we’ll be walking you through everything you need to know about blockchain PR. We’ll touch upon things to consider before launching your first campaign, as well as a wealth of tips to incorporate along the way. By the end of this article, you’ll be a blockchain PR master. Let’s get right into it! What is PR? PR, which stands for Public Relations, is how a company or individual manages their social presence in the world. It often pertains specifically to how a company manages their presence in the media. In the modern age, digital PR has taken over the world. Almost every company (and every single company that’s on the right path) will have thought about their online presence and will be putting time into managing their public perceptions. What is Blockchain PR? Blockchain PR is an extension of traditional PR that focuses directly on blockchain industries. Blockchain companies may be launching IDOs or similar cryptocurrencies, or may just be an extension of blockchain combined with another industry. Whatever your personal blockchain startup is, you’ll have to develop an effective PR strategy. Unfortunately, the rules and regulations for blockchain aren’t the same as many traditional industries, so you’ll have to adapt your blockchain PR campaign strategy. What is the difference between Blockchain PR and traditional PR? The central difference between these two forms of PR is the strategies and techniques involved in both. For example, ICOs are notoriously more difficult to market due to the past history of scams, meaning a primary objective of blockchain PR is about building trust. Typical companies are perceived more trustworthy than blockchain companies, which is why blockchain has to place such emphasis on being transparent and building trust. Considering that 46% of ICOs launched in 2017 failed, it’s no wonder that the learning curve for blockchain PR is so steep. Trust is a terribly hard thing to win. Additionally, the channels that blockchain PR target are often very different to traditional PR. Their social channels will relate mainly to sites like Reddit and Steemit, which have a larger community involved in blockchain. The central difference comes down to how the PR campaign is managed and through which channels it is directed. What to consider before starting a blockchain PR campaign Before you dive right in to starting your very own blockchain PR campaign, you should take a second to make sure you’ve considered all the necessary steps before launching. Try working your way down this budget, asking if you’ve set: Budget Time Frame Goals Measuring System Checkpoints By ensuring that you’ve got all of the above in place, you’re more likely to have a successful blockchain PR campaign. That’s because you’ll be making your campaign measurable, ensuring that you can frequently check-in and see if you’re on the right track. Let’s break down these requirements a little more. Budget Before you begin a blockchain PR campaign, even before you begin setting goals for that campaign, you need to set a budget. A budget will allow you to more accurately set goals for your campaign, as well as giving you a rough idea of how much your campaign is going to cost you. When setting a budget, you want to consider aspects like: How long will you be running the campaign for? The scale and size of your campaign? The purpose of your campaign. By running these ideas, you’ll be able to more accurately generate a budget that works for you. In a traditional PR campaign, the IDC reports the following percentages of your budget going to different locations. IDC Report Considering that you’re focusing on Blockchain PR, not traditional forms of PR, these numbers will be slightly different. However, the pie chart gives you a good foundation. Start planning around these aspects, taking into account the various different streams that you’re going to have to cover. Time Frame Without a defined time frame, setting goals becomes incredibly difficult. For example, if your goal is to generate 100 new leads and you hit that, you may be overjoyed. The ‘may’ in this example comes from the fact that time frame is obviously very important to determining if this is a success. If you hit 100 new leads in one week, then it looks like things are going great. However, if you hit 100 new leads over one year, then you might not have the same feelings of joy. Before starting any blockchain PR campaign, it’s a good idea to set a clear time frame. You should have a rough idea of how long you want to launch the campaign for, and how long you’re going to keep it running. Goals Goals are the heart and soul of blockchain PR. Without clearly defined goals, which encompass timeframes, you’ll never know if you’re on the right pathway. Before launching your blockchain PR campaign, you should develop a range of specific goals. The key to creating solid goals is to make sure they follow the S.M.A.R.T practice. In summary, a S.M.A.R.T goal ensures that your goal is written in terms that are easy to follow and specific enough to make it black or white if you’ve hit it or not. Of course, these goals need to have a sense of time integrated into them. As stated above, there is no point in developing a goal without a time limit — the limit is what allows you to know if you’re on track to achieving the goal or not! Measuring System If you’ve set S.M.A.R.T goals, then one of the key ways to actually know if you’re on track to hitting those goals is to ensure that they are measurable. Something like social media following count is a very easy example here. As it is a solid number, you’ll be able to very easily see it rise over time. If your goals are S.M.A.R.T, then you’ll be able to measure them. When it comes to the success of your blockchain PR campaigns, there are several possible methods of tracking them. Are you running advertisements? If so, the platform you’re using to run the ads will most likely offer some form of analytics software, allowing you to track your metrics over time. Alternatively, you’ll be able to track digital analytics by using platforms like: MediaToolKit — A social platform that allows you to track your company mentions and relevant news around your business. Mention — Another social listening platform which allows you to track your interactions and mentions. Google Analytics/Console — Connect your business and website to see traffic and other useful insights. These three are just the beginning, there are plenty of media tools out there that you can use to track your blockchain PR progress and success. Whatever tool you use, make sure it is fully set up and integrated into your campaign before you start running the project. You want to make sure you have all the analytics possible so that you can change and adapt your campaign as it goes along. Checkpoints The final thing to focus on before you launch is to set up checkpoints. At these checkpoints, whether it be every two weeks or every month, you’ll want to check on the progress of your campaign. You can do this by comparing your monitoring software against your goals. Are you currently on track to hit or exceed your goals? If that’s the case, then you’ve done a fantastic job with your campaign and you should continue what you’re doing. However, if it looks like you’re going to be falling short, then it would be better to reconfigure your campaign. You can use analytics to see which elements of your campaign are currently running the best. Once you’ve found these, you’ll then be able to focus more attention on those channels and projects. The channels that don’t seem to be working for you can either be pulled away from, or recognized. Here, you can use the power of A/B testing to efficiently see which of two campaigns is getting better feedback. Out of the two above examples, B, the variation, receives better feedback — so therefore, the company would proceed with B. The business could then run B against a new variation, C, to see which is better. This, combined with analytics, is a powerful way of positively refining your campaign as it goes along. Once you’ve ticked off these 5 things, you’ll be well on your way to a successful blockchain PR campaign. Budget Time Frame Goals Measuring System Checkpoints Blockchain PR Tips Once your blockchain startup has their PR campaign up and running, you should constantly keep refining it to improve your numbers. There are a range of core concerns that you should keep in mind, making sure to include these in your campaign. The earlier you incorporate the following things, the better. Take a look at these 7 blockchain PR tips for a successful campaign: Be Transparent Use the right channels Content SEO Outreach Brand Identity Transparency One of the central differences between blockchain PR and traditional PR is the need to create a transparent and trustworthy brand. Although blockchain is actually much safer than many typical industries due to its unalterable record keeping, it has a history of being connected with scams. For example, in the late 2010s, there were a series of scams that shook the blockchain industry. Reuters has reported that the amount of money stolen (in the form of cryptocurrency investments) rose by 400% in 2018. The total amount was reported by CipherTrace (a cyber security company) as valuing around $1.7 billion USD. This incredible number saw an immediate reaction, with sites like Facebook deciding to ban all promotional materials of cryptocurrency on their platforms. The number was considerably higher than past years, with the following graph demonstrating a 3.6x shift in the amount stolen. Due to this, many people completely most their faith in anything to do with blockchain. That’s why, as a blockchain startup, you need to make sure a large portion of your PR goes towards establishing yourself as a reputable company. Instead of focusing on selling your products and gaining investors, you should first put down roots in the community, making sure that people trust you. Trust and a solid foundation built on transparency will pay in dividends in the future. Use the Right Channels Following on from the aforementioned Facebook bans of 2018, the channels that blockchain industries began to use to promote their companies shifted radically. Instead of traditional platforms, a blockchain PR campaign will focus on sites like: Reddit Steemit Pocket and more! These, although not traditionally used within PR, have a wealth of crypto and blockchain communities to focus on. Just take a look at the search numbers for Cryptocurrency on Reddit. There are entire communities devoted to discussing the latest developments in the community. This truly is just the beginning, with these sites all holding valuable places in which you can share updated about your PR campaign. Be sure to use the right channels when launching your blockchain PR campaign. They’re not always the traditional channels that come to mind! Content As a blockchain startup, you won’t be known within the community. Very few people will be familiar with your brand and even fewer will be invested. Although it may seem counterproductive, the content you produce should focus on bringing useful advice and guidance to your community, rather than just pushing to get more investors. Structure your content around what people are currently searching for within your community. You can even use social sites like Reddit to see what’s currently trending. Alternatively, you can find keywords to write about by using Google Keyword Planner. On Keyword Planner, you’ll be able to type in your niche’s keyword — blockchain — and get a range of keywords and longtails that are associated with this niche. This will show you what sort of things people are searching for. By writing articles about those things, you’ll be able to provide actual value to your community. Over time, as more people come across your articles, you’ll be establishing yourself as a reputable brand. This goes hand in hand with transparency. If you’re continually providing free content on your site that your users enjoy, they’ll be more likely to invest when the time comes. Always focus on content first — above everything! Great, useful content is the heart of any blockchain PR campaign. SEO Search Engine Optimization is the process of editing your content to make sure that Google, and other search engines, can read and then rank your content. A post with great SEO has a higher probability that it will make it to the first page of Google. Considering that over 71% of traffic comes from the first page of Google, you should do everything possible to rise through the ranks of your chosen keywords until you hit that first page. The closer you become, the more likely you are to increase the traffic you get to your website. Although SEO is a vast topic, we’ve included a SEO strategy pathway that you can follow, allowing you to hit all of the necessary points of the process. Within your blockchain PR campaigns, you should make SEO a priority. Outreach As an extension of SEO comes off-page SEO, which mainly focuses on outreach on your website. This is the process of contacting other sites in order to build up backlinks. Most commonly, this will come through Guest Posting on other websites. One way you can do this is to use Google’s quotation marks to directly search for opportunities. Take a look at the following example: By using quotation marks, you’ll be able to only get results that contain the terms you’ve typed in. Here are the results for the above search: Consider changing “Bitcoin” to anything to do with blockchain, like: Blockchain Cryptocurrency Blockchain Technology Crypto These will allow you to find opportunities for guest posting. You may be wondering, what’s the point of creating content for other sites? The main reason to guest post is to accumulate backlinks to your own website. This is a vital part of blockchain PR, and when done well, can seriously boost the impact of a campaign. A backlink is when one website links back to your website, thus telling Google that you’re a reliable source. The amount of backlinks a site has from other reputable websites is a large portion of how Google decides where to rank a website on their search pages. Take a look at this study by GuerrillaBuzz which shows the correlation between the amount of backlinks that a blockchain startup received and the amount of money their IDO was able to raise. As you can see, the more backlinks that a website managed to source, the more total funds they eventually raised. This correlation further demonstrates the importance of outreach as a stage of your blockchain PR. You should never overlook the importance of outreach and off-page SEO! Brand Identity The final aspect of your blockchain PR campaign that you should always try and consider is building a strong brand identity. Without needing to read your brand’s name, a person should be able to recognize your logo, colors, and more. Developing your personal brand is something central to PR, making sure that you are recognizable and noticeable in any online context. Be sure to perfect your logo, color scheme, and more before you start publishing content. Everything should be cohesive across your site and all of your external marketing. Take a look at this article on how to develop your brand’s identity by Studio1. If you manage to consider all of the above aspects when running your blockchain PR campaign, you’ll be well on your way to having a fantastic launch. Should I Hire a Blockchain PR Agency? If the above lists of steps and requirements seems overwhelming to you, or it’s just simply the first time you’re launching a blockchain PR campaign and want a little help, then we recommend you contract a blockchain PR agency. If they have case studies of their previous work, then you’ll know that they have sufficient experience that they can then apply to your own campaign. What’s more, a campaign manager makes things much easier as if you have any doubts or concerns, you’ll simply be able to reach out to them. Be sure to factor in the agency into your budget. In fact, in your opening call with a PR agency, you should discuss things like: Budget Expectations Time limits Styles of operation Knowing and agreeing on these things will make sure that you’re on the same page as your blockchain PR agency, making the whole process much easier. Final Thoughts If you’re a blockchain startup that’s looking to launch their blockchain PR campaign, then this article has all the tips you need for a successful launch. You’ll be able to run initial checks before you begin, as well as using our pointers to check in on its progress throughout your journey. Although blockchain PR is a complex topic, as a startup, it’s something you should put energy into mastering. By following this article, you’ll be a blockchain PR pro in no time. Best of luck!	https://blog.startupstash.com/blockchain-pr-tips-ab953dc4836b	['Rob Vardy']	2021-11-28 10:29:45.739000+00:00	['Marketing', 'Cryptocurrency', 'Blockchain', 'Public Relations', 'Blockchain Pr']
Using Poetry to Fight for Social Justice	Building a Career around Beautiful Words and Transformative Thought Audre Lorde was a queer woman of color. She grew up in America with immigrant parents. Through these circumstances, Audre learned early on in life what it was like to be an outsider. She experienced triple oppression, being a woman, a lesbian, and black. Through all of this struggle, Audre was still able to achieve more than most. She dedicated her life, career, and creative talents to confronting injustices of homophobia, racism, sexism, and classism in the United States and abroad. While she achieved much, Audre’s life was never a straight path. After studying for a year at the National University of Mexico, Lorde returned to New York City and graduated from Hunter College in 1959. After undergraduate graduation, Lorde took a job as a librarian and began her graduate program at Columbia University. In 1961, Lorde graduated from Columbia with a master’s degree in library science. Obtaining this degree led her into teaching in the late 1960s. She was not only a college lecturer, but took the time to put on workshops addressing the civil rights issues of the time. A photo of Audre Lorde. — Image courtesy of WikiMedia Commons Audre worked as a college professor in the United States from the late 1960s until the early 1980s. While she was working as a professor of English at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, she fought to create a black studies department at the school. This was just one of many social justice issues that Lorde fought for during her career. After fighting for social justice and equality in the United States for most of her life, Audre found herself in Europe in 1984. At the age of 50, Audre Lorde started a visiting professorship in West Berlin at the Free University of Berlin. Here she came together with a group of black women activists and helped to give rise to the black movement in Germany. Lorde’s work, words, and mentorship helped to increase the awareness of intersectionality across racial and ethnic lines in Germany. After making a mark in Germany, Lorde spent the remainder of her life traveling back and forth between the continental U.S. and the Virgin Islands. Regardless of where Lorde resided, she never let up on confronting issues regarding civil rights, homophobia, feminism, or racism. She was an outspoken leader and relentless champion of equality during her short 58 years on this Earth.	https://medium.com/chaos-and-art/using-poetry-to-fight-for-social-justice-d6ffda2e13ae	['Danielle Gibson']	2020-10-20 21:21:14.442000+00:00	['Poem', 'Writing', 'History', 'Poet', 'Poetry']
Math Class	Hi, it’s Rox. In case it isn’t obvious, I’d like to give a little context for this poem. It’s about a boy audibly rating the attractiveness of female school-mates in math class. Little moments of misogyny like this occurred every day in my experience of middle school. I hope that it’s getting a little bit better for future generations after the #MeToo movement.	https://medium.com/scrittura/math-class-332598a99fb7	['Rowen Veratome']	2020-12-10 17:58:59.638000+00:00	['Numbers', 'Resistance Poetry', 'Sexism', 'Micropoetry', 'Poetry']
An intro to Redux and how state is updated in a Redux application	Photo by Fabian Grohs on Unsplash I started learning Redux a few days back and it was an overwhelming concept for me at the start. After polishing my skills in ReactJS by making a personal book reading application, I headed towards Redux to learn more about it. Today, I’m going to share a few core Redux concepts without using any view library (React or Angular). This is a kind of a personal note for future reference but it can help others as well. Let’s dig in together! What is Redux? Redux is an open-source library to improve the predictability of the state in a JavaScript application. It is an independent library. It is commonly used with other libraries like React and Angular for better state management of the application. Redux was created by Dan Abramov in 2015 to handle complex state management in an efficient way. When an application grows larger it becomes harder to manage the state and debug for issues. It becomes a challenge to track when and where the state is changed and where the changes need to be reflected. Sometimes a user input triggers some API call which updates some model. That model in turn updates some state or maybe the other model and so on. In such a situation it becomes grinding to track the state changes. It happens mainly because there is no defined rule to update a state and state can be changed from anywhere inside the application. Redux tries to solve this issue by providing a few simple rules to update the state to keep it predictable. Those rules are the building blocks of Redux. Redux Store: As we discussed earlier, the main purpose of Redux is to provide predictable state management in our applications. Redux achieves this by having a single source of truth, that is a single state tree. The state tree is a simple JavaScript object which holds the whole state of our application. There are only a few ways to interact with the state. And this makes it easy for us to debug or track our state. We now have only one main state which occupies the whole state of the application located at a single location. Any changes made into the state tree are reflected in the whole application because this is the only source of data for the app. And, this is the first fundamental principle of Redux. Rule #1 — Single source of truth The state of your whole application is stored in an object tree within a single store. — Official docs The ways you can interact with a state tree are: Getting the state Listening to the changes in the state Updating the state A store is a single unit that holds the state tree and the methods to interact with the state tree. There is no other way to interact with a state inside the store except through these given methods. Let’s talk about the methods a store gives us to interact with the state. getState() — Returns the current state of the application. dispatch(action) — The only way to update a state is by dispatching an action and dispatch(action) serves the purpose. We will talk more in detail in a bit. serves the purpose. We will talk more in detail in a bit. subscribe(listener) — The purpose of this method is to listen for the state changes. Every time a state is changed, it will be called and will return the updated state. replaceReducer(nextReducer) — Replaces the reducer currently used by the store to calculate the state. Now when we have a store which contains a state tree and a few ways to interact with the state, how can we update application state? Updating state in the application: The only way to update a state is to dispatch an action. This is the 2nd rule. An action is a plain JavaScript object to keep track of the specific event taking place in the application. What makes it special is a ‘type’ property which is a necessary part of it. { type: "ADD_BOOK_TO_THE_CART" } The main purpose of this property is to let Redux know about the event taking place. This type should be descriptive about the action. Along with the ‘type’ property, it can have other information about the event taking place. Actions can have as much information as you want. It is a good practice to provide less and necessary information — preferably an id or any unique identifier wherever possible. Here we have an action to add a book to the cart. An action Once we define our action we pass it to the dispatcher. store.dispatch() is a function provided by the library which accepts an action to perform an action against the state. Redux restricts updating the state to this method only. This strict way of updating the state ensures that the state can not be changed directly either by view or any network callback. The only way to update a state is by defining the action and then dispatching it. Remember that actions are plain JavaScript objects. Actions can be logged, serialized, and replayed for debugging purposes. We now have a store, a state, and an action in our app to perform some tasks against the state. Now we need a way to use these actions to actually do the update. This can be done by using a pure function and this is rule #3. Magic happens here. We need a simple pure function, which, as a parameter, takes the current state of the application and an action to perform on the state, and then returns the updated state. These functions are called reducers. A simple reducer function These are called reducers because they take the collection of values, reduce it to an updated state and then return it. Since reducers are pure functions they do not mutate the original state. Instead, they return the updated state in a new object. Our application can have one or more than one reducer. Each reducer can have a relevant state to perform specific tasks. Since reducers are pure functions, they should have the following attributes: Given the same input, it should return the same output every time — No mutation is allowed. No side effects — No API call data change from an external source. The process. If we connect the dots, Redux is a library which has a store that contains a state tree and a few methods to interact with the state. The only way to update a state inside a store is to dispatch an action and define a reducer function to perform tasks based on the given actions. Once dispatched, the action goes inside the reducer functions which performs the tasks and return the updated state to the store. This is what Redux is all about.	https://medium.com/free-code-camp/an-intro-to-redux-and-how-state-is-updated-in-a-redux-application-839c8334d1b1	['Syeda Aimen Batool']	2019-05-09 21:35:07.467000+00:00	['React', 'Coding', 'Tech', 'Programming', 'Redux']
Trading	NEW YORK ( WALL STREET) It is a need to earn a fascinating amount of money from world careers. The most skillful profession is trading concerning the bulk amount of money according to the market. Here are different types of trading that result in different kinds of money in return as a net profit. Trading meaning It means to buy & sell products under the same platform for the consumer of business self-care. The trading companies deal with different kinds of sticky products that maintain as stock on social media. Trading itself is a business that contains small businesses to startups for beginners. What is Trading business? Trading companies run businesses related to different types of products as stock to exchange them in the market. This stock exchange preferred it as a business. The trading business is equally profitable & loss to acquire if you take the risk. Trading definition Trading is the most common manipulate the function of buying & selling in market services. Working as a trader is a little bit riskier than anything else because of market fluctuations in seconds. It requires a passionate body & skillful mind to perform well in trading to choose it as a career. Mostly recommendation of day trading for beginners is preferred to develop an interest to choose the right profession. Learn Trading The best way to learn trading is to do practice sit in the market. It takes 4 to 5 years for a trading expert. Bind yourself with daily motivational online classes for a time to learn trading. It helps in guiding & inspiring your inner skillful person to achieve the best trades in the future. You will be an expert in trading according to the time you will give to yourself to improve your creative skills. Day trading for beginners Day trading uses to sell & buy the instruments of finance at the same time. It requires a skillful mind to have a big profit in the pocket. Here are the most systematic techniques & use against day trading for beginners. Cut losses with limited orders. Set the timer. Start from small. Realistic about the goal. Keep knowledge as a push Point. Stay consistent. Obey the rules you made. Trading essentials Trading stocks is a bit different from investing something into the market & it has separate trading essentials. A successful trader always focuses on short-term growth for the long-term trading essentials. Here are different trading essentials books & are trying to define the best strategies to get along trading essentials. Trading essentials include discipline & a bulk amount of money & hide in the trading book the essential of trading. Trading at home You can learn and work as a trader during sitting at your home safely. It includes trading emas, belajar trading, and trading Saham for online services. How to start day trading with little money? Get small at the required time to start day trading with 100$ as a beginner in the market. You have to make a financial plan for further assessment. Choose a stock that could be related to your psychology and bind yourself with the plains. Give yourself time to create a better mindset that would be ready for trading fundamentals in the future. The best movement for beginners is to avoid the stocks that are penny.	https://medium.com/@danuushah220/trading-1b1438342077	['Daniel Fb']	2021-09-11 11:23:56.145000+00:00	['Trade', 'Trading', 'Billionairelifesyle', 'Trading Ideas', 'Business']
Beware! Pathogenic Biodiversity in Human	Today, for whatever reason, many different types of diseases have occurred. For example, the evolution of existing diseases, the reproductive severity of diseases, and the negligence or lack of good education about the dangers of biodiversity. So, let’s start learning. First, the meaning of “biodiversity” is the difference of both external and internal characteristics regardless of whether they are the same organism or not but the keyword is that is in a different ecosystem. Biodiversity can be divided into 3 levels; genetic diversity, species diversity, and ecological diversity. Although it’s so difficult that we can’t classify. That’s why the biologists created “taxonomy.” Pathogenic Biodiversity In Human Now, we will explain in detail that the disease-causing biodiversity in human viruses is abiotic that affects our lives. It’s only a genome covered by a protein called “capsid” or by lipid called “envelope.” Most viruses are transmitted in several ways. Horizontal (human to human) or Vertical (mothet to their children) For example Caution!! COVID-19 (coronavirus disease starting in 2019) is a pandemic that lasted a long time Coronavirus enters the body through the respiratory system. From the nose to the lungs. When the virus enters the human body. It may bind to enzymes in respiratory cells and may circulate in the blood in different parts of the body. Symptoms are fever, dry cough, or fatigue. How to prevent the spread of COVID-19 Wash your hands frequently with soap and water or use a hand sanitizer with 70% alcohol (This causes proteins in bacteria to precipitate or destroy cell walls/membranes.) Wear a hygienic mask. (prevent for the respiratory system) Have a social distancing. (nearly 1–2 meters) Zoonosis (animal to human) Bitten by an insect such as malaria, carried by some types of Anopheles mosquitoes From animal feces, such as Diarriea caused by bacteria, especially in dogs and cats.Psittacosis caused by birds.Hendra caused by hoofs. Avian influenza is a plague caused by poultry. If it is very serious, the disease can be transmitted to people. Streptococcus suis is a Gram-positive bacteria. Bacterial cells appear in pairs, or because long cables of different sizes can cause disease in piglets. It has affected the business industry. It also affects the health of people who have been infected. Finally, I would like to tell you that our study of the treatment of our fellow animals is like we have saved the lives of our fellow human beings. Thank you for viewing this blog and stay safe. Information from: Fundamental of Medical Viology, Biology book by supanut Avain Influenza Zoonosis Streptococcus suis How to prevent COVID-19 consultant: Ohm_makase	https://medium.com/skdw16-1/beware-pathogenic-biodiversity-in-human-89ac25a10306	[]	2021-06-13 11:40:09.610000+00:00	['Biology', 'Health', 'Virus', 'Biodiversity', 'Disease']
What is the difference between private, personal, and collective property?	This is a topic that leads to a lot of confusion because of the way that private property is discussed in capitalist society. What is private property? Private property is anything which is owned and profited off of by someone other than the people who work on it. Private businesses fall into this category. The business owners make money simply by owning the business, even if they are not involved with its operations in any way. The workers do not have control over what they create nor any profits they generate. What is personal property? Personal property is simply the stuff that you use and own. Your car, house, toothbrush, computer and furniture are all examples of personal property. Socialists and communists do not want to abolish this. What is collective property? Collective property can take many forms and consists of stuff that is owned collectively either through workers or the greater community. Worker owned cooperatives are an example of collective property. In such cooperatives, the workers of a business own it together. Decisions are made by the workers and they reap the profits of their own work. Another option is state ownership, provided that the state is democratic in nature. In this situation, many socialists believe that the people own the property together through the state. Examples of this would include state owned parks and state owned industries, such as single payer healthcare. Other forms of collective property include union ownership (syndicalism) and community ownership (the community owns the property together without the need for a state). Socialists generally prefer some combination of these forms of collective property depending on their individual leanings. Why do socialists want to abolish private property? Socialists reject the idea that workers or the community should have the majority of what they make taken away. Private property allows an individual to profit regardless of whether they contribute to a given property in any meaningful way. Socialists object to this concept on a fundamental level. Additionally, socialists believe that every person, by virtue of existing, deserves access to the basic necessities of life particular to them. In this sense, when socialists talk about “seizing the means of production”, they mean abolishing private property, ranging from private land (owned by landlords) to private businesses (owned by the capitalist class). In many societies, before capitalists and feudalists seized control of the means of production, nobody owned it and workers kept what they had produced collectively. We wish to move to a system where people are not exploited by a small group of others who own everything and where resources are distributed based on need, rather than greed. All leftists, including anarchists, communists, and other socialists, wish to abolish private property in favor of some combination of personal and collective property. This is a modified article based on this post we previously used.	https://medium.com/@thegaymotherland/what-is-the-difference-between-private-personal-and-collective-property-a902eb6918dc	['The Gay Motherland']	2021-07-14 01:44:02.027000+00:00	['Private Property', 'Communism', 'Socialism', 'Personal Property', 'Anarchism']
What does success look like for you?: Setting the right goals for the right reasons	What does success look like for you?: Setting the right goals for the right reasons How asking this question helps me come up with goals and resolutions that stick, and why I’m measuring business success in beach trips. Starlings murmuring over the burned remains of Brighton’s West Pier at sunset. A few weeks ago, we were dreamers: making resolutions, setting goals, planning in brand new notebooks, glowing with ambition and hope for how we could be better, do more, have more. But now it’s late January. The notebook’s curled at the corners. Hope and ambition’s soured. The dream’s dead. At least that’s how it always was for me. This year, I wanted it to be different. Last year was a year of big changes; I quit my job and went freelance in an effort to get more fulfilment from work. As I did so, I realised something about the way I’ve always approached setting my resolutions and goal. Starting my business, I thought my aim should be to grow to a certain level of revenue, work with big prestigious clients, win awards, praise and accolades. It sounded right, but something about it didn’t feel right. There’s a question I always ask clients at the start of a project: ‘What does success look like for you?’ I ask them to imagine they’re at the end of the work and they feel great about how it went. Then I ask them to tell me what they’re picturing: what happened/didn’t happen, what do they see and feel? I realised that I’d never done that myself. So I did. I realised that revenue, big clients, awards, weren’t part of the picture. That was bullshit and vanity. It was how I wanted things to look from the outside, not what I care about and how things feel on the inside. I saw those goals weren’t hopes or ambitions; they were sticks to beat myself with. They were born from negativity: I’m not enough; I don’t do enough; I don’t have enough. To me, success look like this: this: Work hard, but not to a level where I’m burning out. Do things that absorb me and make time fly. Work with organisations/on projects where the values match my own Spend a significant part of my time taking photos. So instead of resolutions and a business plan, I’ve set myself some alternative OKRs (objectives and key results). They are: Objective: Be proud of the work I do. Key Result: How many projects was I happy to put my name on? Key Result: How many projects did some kind of good for someone? (Good ≠ making a rich person richer.) Key Results: How many times did I turn down work that wasn’t a good fit? 2. Objective: Be creative and deepen my skills. Key Result: How many photos/blog posts/whatevers did I take/write/make? Key Result: How many times did I get into flow? Key Result: How often was I challenged to learn something new? 3. I will have time for things that aren’t work. Key Result: How many times did I watch the starlings/swim in the sea/go for a hike/see a loved one/cook/do yoga? Key Result: How many books did I read? (Books ≠ business books.) Key Result: How many days off did I take? I’m taking them seriously: keeping track of them through daily/weekly records in my diary and in my end of project reviews. There’s a sacrifice to this too, and it’s financial. If I work less and turn down projects, I’m not going to earn as much. Thanks to the economic privilege I, I can make this work provided I cut my spending. Not everyone has this opportunity, so I want to acknowledge it. Changing how I think about success is a process. I have moments (daily!) where I think I’m on the wrong course, because I’m not earning enough money, power or respect. I see a peer get a promotion, a pay rise, praise, buy a house, and I think ‘That’s amazing. You should be doing that, why aren’t you doing that?!’. When that happens, I go back to the question: ‘What does success look like for me?’. And I remember how good it feels to leave my desk at 3pm on a Monday and spend an hour on the beach watching starlings dance over the pier.	https://la-pope.medium.com/what-does-success-look-like-for-you-67f35af08bbf	['Lauren Pope']	2019-01-21 13:51:33.078000+00:00	['Creativity', 'Personal Growth', 'Goals', 'Work Life Balance', 'Work']
When You Get Kicked from Behind	Today most everyone is in a position of leadership. If one does not lead an organization, one presides over a team or a focus group. Even if one is not the designated leader, one still contributes. And most importantly, one needs to listen. Leadership articles, books, and presentations abound. Nothing is wrong with being a leader, especially a good leader. An old proverb claims we have too many cooks in the kitchen. I don’t think so. If they excel at cooking and communicate well, an excellent dinner will result. A superb leader knows how to take the heat. But again, communication is the key and, most notably, the ability to listen. Unfortunately, most of us came across an executive whose ability to listen suffered at some point in our career. Workaholics suffer from horrendous listening skills. Often young leaders with little coaching or a good mentor demonstrate poor listening skills too. Poor leaders do not know whom they are leading. A significant reason one does not his people is that he does not listen effectively. What’s worse, often, the manager does not even know why. I worked for a struggling company whose CEO possessed dreadful listening skills. When another individual attempted to speak, the distressed CEO interrupted with constant, “Yup, yup, yup” or no kidding.” When being part of the group discussion or presentation, I could see that my failing leader was not listening at all. His mind was racing to find and think what he would say when he got the floor back. Often he gained time to speak by interrupting, attacking, and berating the other speaker. The struggling leader gets attacked, usually from behind. Respect is lost, productivity suffers, and more time goes wasted on attempts to undermine the wrongful leader. Bishop Fulton J. Sheen, a renowned Roman Catholic Bishop, wrote, “When you are getting kicked from the rear, it means you are in front.” It is time for the failing leader to know that not only is he or she getting kicked from behind, but why. How does one accomplish that? It starts by becoming an excellent listener. Healthcare providers demand that they take continuing education courses to maintain their professional licenses. All those in the financial arena, too, governing boards require more education. Then so do attorneys, engineers, Then as leaders, we fill our plates with management skills, organizational development education, personnel laws, and finally even regulations for required certification in dealing with assaults and attacks on your place of employment. But the skill overlooked by organizations and businesses is teaching their colleagues how to listen. Listening is a skill and one that requires constant refining. Many authors wrote entire books on the art of listening, so a short article cannot cover it all. Here are some pointers to begin developing one’s listening skills: 1. Start asking questions. You will gain much insight into your team members if you ask questions and note their answers. 2. The renowned teacher on speaking, Dale Carnegie, advises leaders to take an interest in others. A respected leader can bestow no greater compliment upon another than a sincere interest in the feelings, likes, and desires of a fellow human being 3. Observe your need to talk. If you feel the need to speak often and too much, you hinder effective communication. You know the adage: we receive one mouth and two ears. We are to listen twice as much as we talk. 4. Remember this. The more you talk, the less you listen. And the more you talk, the fewer others will listen. You can only hold one’s attention for a short period. Take time to stop talking and ask for questions and thoughts. Make today the great day to begin the self-study of learning to be a better listener. Be assured there is always something new to be discovered. Successful leaders and entrepreneurs are effective listeners. Stimulating the stream of information coming to you makes you a better leader, a much better entrepreneur, and a more beloved colleague.	https://medium.com/@bradgphilbrick/when-you-get-kicked-from-behind-a5d0a47649f6	['Brad G. Philbrick']	2020-12-03 11:23:26.086000+00:00	['Business Development', 'Business Relationships', 'Listening Skills', 'Respect', 'Organizational Culture']
Getting started with Robot Framework + Selenium for automation testing (5) — Data driven testing with self defined library	As you may be aware of, it’s always a good idea to separate actual test data and test steps from test script to achieve data driven testing, therefore we can keep “robot framework” in a data file and load it during execution. There are several types of file we may take into account: “.csv”, “.xls”, “.xlsx”, “.properties” and etc. For instance, test data “robot framework” can be written into a .csv file like this: We can create “TestData.csv” with the above setup in our project directory: What we are going to do now is to use file reading functionality to load the test data. However, file reading functionality is not included in either built-in library or selenium library, which means we have to write it. Python allows us to create self defined libraries to cater for our needs, and these libraries can also be imported into Robot Framework. Let’s do so! First, create a python file called “DataDriven.py” under the “path_to_python/Lib”, and write the following code:	https://medium.com/@inventive-peng-zhang/robot-framework-selenium-for-automation-testing-4-data-driven-testing-with-self-defined-cba305d20f88	['Peng Zhang']	2021-01-01 05:19:58.956000+00:00	['Robot Framework', 'Software Testing', 'Automation Testing Tool', 'Test Automation Framework', 'Test Automation']
Basic Steps When Cleaning a Data Set Using Pandas	Basic Steps When Cleaning a Data Set Using Pandas Helpful tips to make data cleaning a breeze There are a few things in this world that will never happen: you will never find a straight line in nature, you will never run a 2-minute mile, and you will never work with a data set that has been perfectly cleaned. Missing values, incorrect data types, and redundant columns can be a time consuming blocker for a budding data scientists project. My instructor at Flatiron School was fond of saying that when building your own data set, “80% of your time will be spent cleaning and performing EDA (exploratory data analyst)”. Hopefully this post can help solve some common issues that many data scientists have when just starting out. Importing Data and Inspecting First Few Elements Let’s start with a simple example and show how you can clean a data set thoroughly with just a few lines of code. The .csv file and code for this blog post can be found on my GitHub at the link below: https://github.com/will4865/Data-Cleaning-Pandas We’ll start off by importing the pandas library and loading the data set into a pandas dataframe and inspecting the first 5 rows using the pd.head() method. import pandas as pd df = pd.read_csv('tn.movie_budgets') df.head() We now have a data frame with 6 columns (id, release_date, movie, production_budget, domestic_gross, worldwide_gross). Let’s take a look at how many rows are in the dataframe and what data type each column is. We can do this by using the pd.info() method. df.info() Dropping Unnecessary Columns Looks like 5 out of the 6 columns are listed as non-null object (usually string format) and the id column is listed as an integer column. Let’s go ahead and drop the id column since it seems unnecessary for our purposes today. We can use the pd.drop() method and pass the parameters columns and the name of the column to drop. We also set the inplace parameter to True so that the method saves the new version of the dataframe over the old one. df.drop(columns = ['id'], inplace = True) Changing String Format to Date Format Next up, we have the release_date column which is right now classified as a string datatype. It would be helpful to convert this column to a data type where we could sort the rows from newest to oldest to assist our EDA. The pd.to_datetime() method is a handy way to do that. In order to show the difference, let’s add a new column to this dataframe where we can see the converted datetime format. The pd.to_datetime() method will automatically parse the column to pass through it and convert it into the new datetime format. df['datetime_format'] = pd.to_datetime(df['release_date']) Now that we have this new column added, we can use the pd.sort_values() method to sort the entire data frame from newest release date to oldest. In order to do this we must pass in the column we wish to sort on, and set the ascending parameter to False so that the dataframe will be sorted from newest release date to oldest. df.sort_values('datetime_format', ascending = False) Looks good! Let’s drop the original release_date column and reorder the datetime_format column to the front. df = df[['datetime_format', 'movie', 'production_budget', 'domestic_gross', 'worldwide_gross']] df.head() Using For Loop to Clean Multiple Columns at Once Now let’s take a look at the last 3 columns of the dataframe: production_budget, domestic_gross, worldwide_gross. We know from using the pd.info() method earlier in the article that these columns are listed as string data type. If we want to be able to visualize this numeric data down the line, it will need to be converted to numeric values. Before we can do this though, we will need to remove $ and ‘,’ from every value in these columns. We can accomplish this using a for loop. A for loop will iterate through every element of a list or series and make adjustments based on the function you use in the for loop. In this instance, we want to remove the dollar sign and comma for all 5,782 rows in this dataframe. Let’s start with the dollar sign. We will start by defining a list in Python of the columns that we want to clean and then write a for loop that will iterate through all the rows we defined and remove the $ using the .replace() method. This method requires the first value to be a tuple where the first element of the tuple is what is to be removed and the second element is what will replace it. cols_to_clean = ['production_budget', 'domestic_gross', 'worldwide_gross'] for col in cols_to_clean: df[col] = df[col].map(lambda x: x.replace('$','')) Looks like it worked great! Let’s move on to the commas. As we saw in a previous example, some of the numeric values in the last 3 columns were just the number 0. We we write a similar loop like the one above once the for loop gets to an element without a comma, it will throw up an error. We will need to include some if statements that will check to make sure the comma occurs in each element before it uses the .replace() method. Using list comprehension with an if/else statement makes the code cleaner. for col in cols_to_clean: df[col] = [x.replace(',', '') if ',' in x else x for x in df[col]] Lastly, we can use the same for loop structure to convert all three columns to int64 format. Running the pd.info() method again will show us our updated column data types. for col in cols_to_clean: df[col] = df[col].astype('int') df.info() Now that we have our columns in the proper format, we can use the pd.describe() method to explore their distributions and some basic measures of central tendency. df.describe() There are many, many more steps and possible variables when it comes to data cleaning, but hopefully this has been a good start on your data cleaning journey.	https://medium.com/the-innovation/basic-steps-when-cleaning-a-data-set-using-pandas-3576e716173d	['Will Newton']	2020-08-03 18:45:58.348000+00:00	['Pandas Dataframe', 'Pandas', 'Data Cleaning', 'Bootcamp', 'Data Science']
Title Search Jobs \| Title Examiner jobs	Dear Candidate, Greeting for the day! We are Hiring for the jobs for the position of Title Examiner freelancers who can support perform COS search product remotely within 10/27 . Product requirement would be discussed in the chat. Title background mandatory. Interested candidates can share your resume to [email protected] or Apply now https://bit.ly/38mw7Dk Job Description We are in immediate need of freelancers who can support perform COS search product remotely within 10/27 . Product requirement would be discussed in the chat. Per file Rs 75 would be paid	https://medium.com/@searchtitle409/title-search-jobs-title-examiner-jobs-c6065c3a149	[]	2020-12-21 07:33:30.179000+00:00	['Jobs To Be Done', 'Jobs', 'Freelance', 'Hiring', 'Freelancers']
Best Web Hosting Providers (Comparison)	Choosing domain name and the best web hosting provider is the first step when you plan to build a website. With a large selection of high-quality web hosting providers, there cannot be a perfect service for all your personal or business needs. What you need will differ from what other individuals or businesses need, and choosing the best web hosting provider depends entirely on your personal or business needs such as the type of hosting, the price of the hosting package, the amount of disk space, ease of installation, guarantee and customer support. Best Web Hosting Providers Comparison ProviderPriceUptimeTop Features $2.95/month99.98%Free Domain & SSL Certificate, 50GB SSD Storage, WordPress Integration, 30 Day Money Back Guarantee $10/month99.99%Free Migration & SSL Certificate, Unlimited Application Instalation, Auto Healing, 3 Day Free Trial $2.75/month99.97%Free Domain & SSL Certificate, Free Migration, One Click WordPress Installation, 45 Day Money Back Guarantee $2.50/month99.99%Free Migration & SSL Certificate, Price Lock Guarantee, 30 Day Money Back Guarantee $2.99/month99.99%Free Migration, 100GB SSD Storage, Free Attractive Themes, Free Automated Backups, 30 Day Money Back Guarantee $30/month99.99%Free Migration & SSL Certificate, Managed WordPress Hosting, 30 Day Money Back Guarantee €2.99/month99.96%Unlimited Bandwidth, 30GB SSD Storage, One Click WordPress Installation, 30 Day Money Back Guarantee $1.44/month99.95%Free Migration & SSL Certificate, 20GB SSD Storage, 30 Day Money Back Guarantee Trending Namecheap Domain Transfer: Comparison and How to Transfer Domain from Godaddy to Namecheap How to Check Nofollow and Dofollow Backlinks Basic Managed WordPress Websites GoDaddy Only $2.99 Pros and Cons This uptime data is taken from pingdom.com for the period August — September 2021 with an average uptime result of above 99.90%, and all of these best web hosting providers have 24/7 Customer Support services so you don’t have to worry when there are problems operating your website. The following is a review of a web hosting provider, starting from: Bluehost Founded in 2013, BlueHost is based in Utah (USA) and has more than 2 million customers worldwide. Bluehost is a web hosting provider recommended by WordPress, provides a free domain for 1 year and is suitable for those of you who are learning to start creating a personal or business website. Basic Web Hosting Plans: Price: $2.95/month Term: 36 month 1 Website — unlimited for $5.45 50 GB SSD Storage — unlimited for $5.45 Custom Themes 24/7 Customer Support Website Builder Available WordPress Integration Drag and Drop Functionality Free Domain — 1 year Free CDN Included Free SSL Certificate Cloudways Cloudways is a web hosting provider that is a pioneer in the use of the cloud. Founded in 2011, based in Malta and is widely used by business websites that have high traffic. Standard Web Hosting Plans: Price: $10/month Including 1GB RAM, 1 Core Processor, 25GB Storage, 1TB Bandwidth 24/7/365 Support Free SSL CDN Add-ons Free Migration Unlimited Application Installation Team Management Dedicated Firewalls 24/7 Real-time Monitoring Automated Backups Staging Environment Optimized With Advanced Cache Auto Healing Regular Security Patching HTTP/2 Enabled Servers SSH and SFTP Access 3. Hostgator Founded in 2002 and still part of the Endurance International Group, Hostgator has a track record of explosive growth and was among the 25 fastest growing companies in 2008. Hatchling Web Hosting Plans: Price: $2.75/month Websites: Single — unlimited for $5.25/month Free 1 year domain registration One-click WordPress Installs Free HostGator Website Builder Free website & domain transfers Unmetered bandwidth & disk space 45-day money back guarantee Free SSL certificate $150 Google Ads spend match credit $100 Microsoft Advertising credit Free e-mail Free MySQL transfer & script transfer 4. Interserver Founded in 1999, InterServer is a New Jersey-based hosting provider that has been growing for over 20 years. Known as a budget friendly hosting provider, InterServer specializes in various types of web hosting including shared hosting, VPS, dedicated servers and cloud hosting. Standard Web Hosting Plans: Price: $2.50/month Unlimited Storage Space Unlimited Data Transfer Weekly Backups Unlimited FTP Accounts Cloud Apps SSD Caching Servers Raid-10 Storage Speed Optimization Ultra Fast Web Server Cloud Linux OS 10GB Cisco Network Free CloudFlare CDN Free Migration 30 Day Guarantee Price Lock Guarantee 5. A2 Hosting Founded in 2001 called Inquinet, then rebranded in 2003 to become A2 Hosting and have servers in Michigan, Amsterdam and Singapore. Startup Web Hosting Plans: Price: 2.99/month Term: 36 months 1 Website — unlimited for $5.99 100GB SSD Storage — unlimited for $5.99 Free & Easy Site Migration Money-Back Guarantee Unlimited Email Accounts Unlimited Transfers 24/7 Phone, Live Chat Easy cPanel Free SSL Certificate Free Website Builder Website Staging Choice of Data Center Location 6. Kinsta Founded in 2013, Kinsta offers managed WordPress hosting with the speed and scalability you expect from cloud-based hosting. It is one of the fastest growing WordPress hosting in Europe and America supported by the premium Google Cloud network. Starting Web Hosting Plans: Price: $30/month 1 WordPress install 25,000 visits 10 GB disk space Free SSL, CDN and Staging Free Migrations 7. Godaddy GoDaddy Inc. is a domain registration and web hosting provider founded in 1997 in Baltimore, Maryland. They use their own data center for web hosting with locations in Singapore, Amsterdam, Ashburn, Mesa and Los Angeles. Economy Web Hosting Plans: Price: €2.99/month Term: 36 months 1 website — unlimited for €4.99 30GB storage — unlimited for €4.99 1 database Unmetered bandwidth Free 1-click WordPress installation 8. Namecheap Founded in 2000, Namecheap has grown to become a professional domain and web hosting provider that is trusted by website owners around the world. Stellar Web Hosting Plans: Price: $1.44/month Term: 24 months Domain Name 3 Websites — unlimited for $2.44 20GB SSD — unlimited for $2.44 Free CDN Unmetered bandwidth Free website builder Domain name and privacy protection Free automatic SSL installation Free Supersonic CDN 30-day money-back guarantee Free in <24 hours website migration Conclusion The reviews of the best web hosting providers above are presented for your needs, choosing shared hosting with standard packages and affordable prices is the right first step when starting to create a new website. As the website progresses to a larger scale, it will certainly be easier to migrate to a more advanced hosting package. Find a detailed review of the advantages and disadvantages of each web hosting provider on the page: WordPress Hosting.	https://medium.com/@genpromo/best-web-hosting-providers-comparison-e95df6869be8	[]	2021-12-22 23:37:36.114000+00:00	['Shared Hosting', 'Web Hosting Provider', 'Web Hosting']
Why I Am Never Retiring	Do We Really Want to Stop Working? To me, retirement conjures up images of cruising around in a Hawaiian shirt, shifting between knitting projects, poker tournaments with friends, and hours upon hours of daytime TV. That might be fun for a week — maybe two. But just farting around like that for fifteen to twenty years? Not my idea of a good time. In all seriousness, though, I understand craving freedom from the daily grind — especially years and years of it. But when we finally escape the routine of working for a paycheck, what comes next? Well, hopefully, lots of time and ample health for pursuing our hobbies. Or taking vacations to places we’ve been dying to see for years. Or visiting friends and family more often. Or doing volunteer work. You know — the kinds of things that give our lives meaning that we don’t always have enough time to do in our busy, workaday lives. But consider also what you get from working and having an occupation. What does your career give you? Maybe it’s a sense of purpose or fulfillment — or, if the work itself isn’t anything special, you’ve probably at least made some friends or found a sense of community among the people you work with. For the sake of argument, let’s say you work with a bunch of insufferable jerks at a job you despise. You may be literally counting the days until you’re done. But your job still lends structure to your day and provides a concrete thing for you to get up and do in the morning. That in itself can be valuable. When you stop working, you give all of that up. Your days will be wide open, and you’ll need to create the structure that your work once gave you. The whole way of life that you’ve been used to will disappear — and it’ll take some time for you to adapt. Having an occupation also engages and strengthens the neural networks in our brain and nervous system. There’s research showing that when we stop working, we lose many of the neural connections that we aren’t using anymore, and our cognitive functions start to deteriorate. We might be able to slow this decline by choosing meaningful activities to replace our work — but the key is that we need to stay engaged with something, or else we start to waste away. Other studies have shown that we are happiest when we have a few free hours each day — no more or less than that. Having too little free time can lead us down the road to burnout, but having too much free time is just as detrimental to our well-being. Personally, I don’t see myself wanting to stop working. Admittedly, I’m lucky to be able to say that I do get purpose and fulfillment from my work. But even if I didn’t, I still think I’d want to have odd jobs as a senior citizen so that I’d have something to get out of the house and do — an outlet for my time and energy. Or maybe I’d try my hand at a different kind of business. Maybe I’d open a little breakfast diner and serve up greasy eggs and hash browns to my patrons as I chat them up and refill their coffees. Who knows? I don’t know what I’d do. But I wouldn’t do nothing. The thought of having nothing to do, nothing to strive for, and nowhere to be depresses me beyond words.	https://medium.com/curious/why-i-am-never-retiring-597fdae2d12	['Amber Carlson']	2020-12-24 22:47:22.674000+00:00	['Life', 'Wellness', 'Psychology', 'Life Lessons', 'Retirement']
Three HIDDEN Positive Financial Effects of Quitting Drinking	“Experience is simply the name we give our mistakes.” — Oscar Wilde “You can’t put a price tag on experiences, Kenny,” said Mike, as he took a drink from his bourbon. “Perhaps, ”but…” I paused, as drank my club soda, thinking about the money I had spent on “experiences” in the past. Mike was trying to make the argument that the money I was saving on not drinking was really a price I was paying for not experiencing various things in life. While I could see some truth in this, for me the large amounts of money that I’ve spent over the years drinking was exorbitant, and I wasn’t sure if the “experiences” that I’ve had because of it were worth the lack of funds currently in my bank account. My wife and I talk about it all the time. Over the past two years that we’ve both become alcohol-conscious, it’s not only the actual cost of buying the alcohol that has been so beneficial to our financial wealth but also the slew of the ancillary cost that most people just don’t think about that has had the biggest positive effect on our financial well being. It’s surprising how these “little” things have made such a big difference. Here are the main ones… Uber/Lyft rides This was the one that my wife and I really didn’t think about initially when we quit drinking, but the costs have added up tremendously. For us, when we would go out, we would easily spend anywhere from $50–100 per night on alcohol. Add this to the pre-game purchases of Moscato and Ciroc Raspberry vodka, and our weekly alcohol bill could easily be anywhere between $200–400 per week, depending on how many times we decided to go out that week. This cost was clear to us, and we quickly recognized the issue with this immediately. Where we really started to see the true saving with alcohol, however, was in the lack of needing to pay extra to get to and from places any more. Since we knew we were going to be drinking a lot each time we went out, we would take rideshare apps everywhere we went. We had to fall into the category of top 10% of users due to the number of times we would use it each week. We would take numerous Uber or Lyft rides, traveling from spot to spot to find the most happening location to “keep the party going.” There would be times in which we would take 3–5 ubers in one night just because we were so focused on finding the spot with the most people to maximize our fun. This would easily add $50–100 on the night, or $100–300 on the week. Late Night Eating Decisions Once we got home and were thoroughly sloshed, there was no way that we would be in the mood to cook anything. We all know when we’re drunk and need to get something into our body fast, very few things sound more appetizing than greasy fast food. However, it can be a bit tricky to get the Uber or Lyft driver to swing by your favorite fast-food restaurant, so the next best choice would probably be to use your favorite delivery app. These apps know that there is a tremendous increase in people's willingness to pay for food the later the night progresses, so many times, I didn’t even blink when I saw that $10 delivery fee. The second part of this is that our drunken eyes were often hungrier than our proverbial bellies, and this would lead to us ordering copious amounts of food that we would inevitably not even come close to finishing that night. And the last, and perhaps the most embarrassing part, are the numerous times we ordered food and passed out together in the bed before the food even arrived, never even getting the chance to partake in all of that greasy goodness. This could easily result in a $30–50 extra each night we went out (2–3 times per week), so this could total anywhere from $80-$150 per week, if not more. Dumb Sh*t You Do When You’re Drunk Lastly, this is the one that really took the cake for me. As someone who likes to “go big or go home,” I have had the propensity to have some pretty “big” nights out drinking. Some of these have turned into some of the most exciting nights of my life in which I did some things that you would see in movies, while others have resulted in me being put in the back of a cop car and driven off to the local state police precinct. Due to alcohol’s effects on your decision-making skills, there could be times in which you could do or say something that could turn a great, fun night into one that could negatively change your life forever. And while I would like to say that the amazing positive experiences were exciting enough to make up for the negative consequences, having gone through both, I can tell you they were not. Some of these decisions have led to financial deficits of more than $10,000 and could’ve been way worse financially had I not be able to afford a good enough lawyer to lessen the damage in the long run. Therefore, as I think about all of this and respond to Mike’s statement, “You can’t put a price tag on experience,” I can honestly respond with, “Perhaps, but I got a good idea of the estimate.” Thanks so much for reading. If you enjoyed reading, learned anything interesting, or know anyone who should read this, please feel free to recommend or write a response. I’m always excited to hear from others and learn. If interested in learning about how alcohol affects your life and ways to quit/moderate, please feel free to follow my Medium publication, AINYF, and/or join my newsletter group below for information and updates. Also, if looking for a social group that can help with your journey for alcohol-consciousness, please check out my mate, Janet Gourand’s World Without Wine, where she has a lot of great content to help. Thanks for reading again, as always, and remember… You never lose the battle until you stop fighting…	https://medium.com/ainyf-alcohol-is-not-your-friend/three-hidden-positive-financial-effects-of-quitting-drinking-60bc583e4d7d	['Ken M. Middleton']	2020-11-21 12:12:42.448000+00:00	['Life', 'Personal Development', 'Addiction', 'Life Lessons']
Helping Communities in Northern Mozambique Find Refuge From Violence	Since 2017, ongoing fighting in northern Mozambique has forced nearly 700,000 people to flee their homes in search of safety. Over the last year, the violence has skyrocketed to unprecedented levels, fueled by attacks from armed groups — quadrupling the number of internally displaced persons, especially in Mozambique’s Cabo Delgado Province. Now, humanitarian groups are scrambling to meet rapidly growing needs. John Grabowski Shelter, in particular, has become a priority. The vast majority of people are living in cramped quarters with generous host families whose meager resources are quickly depleting. Others are staying in overcrowded temporary camps that often lack clean water, adequate hygiene facilities, and measures to ensure their safety. A few weeks ago, I traveled to the town of Marupa in southern Cabo Delgado where our partners Catholic Relief Services and Caritas are bolstering efforts to house displaced families. Marupa is a small town in southern Cabo Delgado, hosting nearly 700 families who have been displaced due to armed conflict. Map credit: Josh Rostek/ USAID The Government of Mozambique recently established a resettlement site on the edge of town where nearly 700 families are living in newly constructed adobe huts. Many had travelled more than 200 miles across dangerous roads patrolled by armed groups to reach Marupa and were living in tents or public buildings, such as schools, for several months before the site’s development. Even though they now had shelter, most of these new residents had limited sources of food and income and few material possessions to start rebuilding their lives. Some families traveled more than 200 miles to reach Marupa, where the Government of Mozambique set up a resettlement site. Photo credit: John Grabowki / USAID At the resettlement site, I worked with CRS and Caritas to help distribute relief supplies provided by USAID’s Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance, including tarps, blankets, water containers, and kitchen supplies to families in need. Extra precautions were taken because of COVID-19, such as requiring people to maintain a safe distance while waiting, installing handwashing stations near distribution points, and conducting awareness-raising sessions on COVID-19 prevention measures.	https://medium.com/@usaidsaveslives/helping-communities-in-northern-mozambique-find-refuge-from-violence-f92eeb8738d	['Usaid Saves Lives']	2021-03-26 13:07:43.462000+00:00	['Africa', 'Mozambique', 'Usaid', 'Disaster Response', 'Humanitarian']
Christmas Food for Dogs: Ideas for Fun, Easy, Hassle-free Doggie Christmas Treats	Wow! Christmas is right around the corner, which means that we’re almost through with 2020! Can you believe that there are less than two weeks until 2020 is over?! This year’s Christmas may not be like others due to our current situation, but that doesn’t mean you, your family, and your doggo cannot enjoy a nice at-home Christmas celebration with delicious Christmas treats. You can even get creative and have some fun making Christmas dog treats that should not take long, at all. You and your doggo will both be smiling from ear to ear from these Christmas treat ideas. Here are 2 easy Christmas treats to make for your dog! Hard or Soft gingerbread cookies Run run run, as fast as you can, to get started making these staple, easy Christmas cookies for your doggo. Gingerbread cookies are a staple at every Christmas gathering, and anyone can make them! What you’ll need: 1 cup of molasses 4 tablespoons of honey 1 cup of water ½ cup of vegetable oil 6 cups of flour 2 teaspoons of baking soda 1 teaspoon of cinnamon 1 teaspoon of ground cloves 2 tablespoons of fresh, chopped ginger (you can opt to use 1 teaspoon of dried powder ginger instead, if you’d like) Steps: -Preheat oven to 350°F. -Take two bowls(one medium, and one large) and mix the molasses, honey, water, and oil in the medium bowl. Use the large bowl for the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ground cloves, and ginger. -Slowly add the dry ingredients(whatever’s in the large bowl) into the medium bowl with the wet ingredients. Make sure to mix well. -If you’ve mixed thoroughly, you should end up with a dough like mixture. You will take that mixture and divide it into 4 balls. Then you will take those balls, wrap them with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 3–5 hours or freeze for 1–2 hours. -When the dough is cold enough, go ahead and roll the dough out. Note: the thicker you make the dough, the longer it will take to cook. -After rolling the dough, you now get to have fun and cut it into gingerbread men(or women) shapes. -You can now bake the cookies for 20–25 minutes, until they turn brown. You can test one cookie to gauge how crunchy it is. If you prefer soft gingerbread cookies, you can take them out of the oven, but if you prefer them more crunchy, then bake them longer. And…the cookies are done! As the gingerbread man would say, “You can’t catch me, I made the cut for one of the best Christmas cookies on the Internet!” Candy cane cookies You may not be able to give your actual candy to your dog, but that doesn’t mean you can’t make fun, candy cane shaped dog biscuits for him! This is another easy Christmas treat recipe, and it’ll make your dog think “real candy canes who?” for sure! What you’ll need: 2 cups of all purpose flour 1 beaten egg 1/2 cup of warm water 1 vegetable bouillon cube 1 teaspoon of baking soda ½ teaspoon of salt ½ teaspoon of peppermint extract Beet juice Steps: -Preheat the oven to 350°F. -Dissolve the bouillon cube into the warm water. -Mix all ingredients into a mixing bowl until the result is a soft dough. Then, you separate the dough into two separate, but equal pieces. -Pour the beet juice and ½ a cup of flour over one of the pieces and knead until all color is worked in. Add additional flour if the dough is still sticky. -Then, take the dough and cut it into smaller pieces and shape them into “strings” like you would see on a typical candy cane. -Twist one string of each color together and shape it into a candy cane. -Bake for 15 minutes, or until it turns golden brown. -Let it cool. Once cooled, store them in an airtight container until giving them to your doggo and putting a smile on his face! Disclaimer: As much as we want our doggos to enjoy these Christmas treats, health comes first! If your dog has health issues or if you have any concerns about your dog’s nutrition, consult with the veterinarian or dog nutritionist for appropriate portion sizes before feeding these treats. Want to learn more about dog training, dog behavior and dog nutrition? Check out Pawsitive app to actually put theory into practice and start applying all this knowledge. The Pawsitive app helps dog parents raise happy, healthy dogs by providing community and professional support. We connect you to other dog parents and professionals. We are building a supportive dog parent community and we are better than dog social media! Stay accountable for completing wellness milestones with your dog and other dog parents, dog moms, and dog dads.	https://medium.com/@pawsitiveapp/christmas-food-for-dogs-ideas-for-fun-easy-hassle-free-doggie-christmas-treats-44ff68e4bfef	['Team Pawsitive']	2020-12-25 05:36:18.187000+00:00	['Christmas', 'Dog Treats', 'Dog Food', 'Christmas Cookies', 'Dogs']
A Trip into Test Driven Development	Test Driven Development (or TDD) is the methodology of writing tests first. More specifically, it follows this pattern: Write a failing test Write only enough code to make the test pass Repeat Read more here. I’m a strong believer in the value of unit tests. However, until recently, I’d never attempted this approach. My general development pattern is: Write source code Add unit tests Revise source code to address errors Refactor to clean up code My Project Adhere to Test Driven Development principles to build Tic-Tac-Toe A Disclaimer The remainder of this story takes a more technical focus. If you’re interested in learning more about the topic first, consider this post on Test Driven Development I wrote for a wider audience. Technical Details Project Tech Stack Language: JavaScript (Node.js) Test Framework: Jest Test Coverage Reporter: Coveralls Package Manager: Yarn Bundler: webpack Source Control: GitHub Continuous Integration (CI): GitHub Actions Web Host: Heroku Results Practicing Test Driven Development was challenging. I caught myself wanting to clean up source code, then recalling I first needed a failing test. However, the methodology was valuable. It caught a bug in my board data structure. Originally, I’d used this line to create a nested array: board = new Array(boardSize).fill(Array(boardSize).fill(null)); As some may notice, this misuse of Array.fill adds the same inner array to to the outer three times. I fixed this by using a for loop to fill the outer array: for (let column = 0; column < boardSize; column++) { board[column] = new Array(boardSize).fill(null); } My tests provided confidence in my algorithm to check for a win. I was able to confidently refine my checkForWin function by testing a comprehensive range of cases. Building the game as a web app made lightweight UI testing difficult. My solution was to programmatically generate the UI via document.createElement. I structured my view.js module to return references to HTMLElements and wrote assertions against their properties (example test). I decoupled this logic from adding elements to the page: which occurs in index.js via document.appendChild. Overall, using Test Driven Development made my source code more concise. The entire application is under 400 lines of JavaScript. For future projects, I’ll consider a hybrid approach: writing enough tests to define API contracts, then refining my code. Stray Thoughts	https://medium.com/@isaiahmann/a-trip-into-test-driven-development-af9b1d512ce6	['Isaiah Mann']	2020-02-22 16:21:41.911000+00:00	['JavaScript', 'Testing', 'Nodejs', 'Jest', 'Tdd']
The MetaCert Protocol White Paper: Token Mechanics	The MetaCert Protocol White Paper: Token Mechanics This section covers Token mechanics, validation fees, Token use, and an improved brand verification process. Download a PDF version of the White Paper Contents Clicking on each heading will take you that section’s medium post. 1. Index 2. Introduction 3. The MetaCert Protocol 4. Token Mechanics 5. MetaCert’s Prior and Related Work 6. Design Goals 7. Solution: The MetaCert Protocol 8. Future Work 9. Token Sale Breakdown (This section is not in the PDF) Token Mechanics Staking for URI Claims Submitters and Validators stake the Token to claim submissions and validations of a URI belonging in a certain category. The number of URIs that a staking amount can claim varies depending on parameters such as the category, link query traffic, and possibly metrics related to reputation. Staked Tokens can be challenged and lost if submissions and validations are overturned. The stakers may earn future revenues on the claimed URIs by successfully identifying, submitting or validating the URIs. They are also entitled to a portion of the URI query fees paid to access the information that they discover. Stakers can only revenues earn based on their own directed efforts and the market’s demand for those efforts. The fee amount will depend on a number of factors such as the importance of the submissions and validations, time-value of information, and ease of validation. Information about URIs become stale over time and so should the amount of fees collected by purveyors of older information compared to newer information. Additionally, the network collects a marginal fee to sustain its perpetuation and for improvements, but does not seek to earn a profit. Because a Submitter or Validator can claim a limited number of URIs proportional to their staked amount, the time-value of money creates an economic incentive to pick the best, highest trafficked links for submission and validation. This serves to ensure data quality on the network and prevent market congestion in which URI submissions are brute-forced and the network becomes relatively useless. The primary determinant is the size of the participant’s stake, the amount of effort expended by the participant, and the selection of the categories and URIs on which to expend these efforts. Validation Fees Tokens are rewarded on a sliding scale based on the complexity and importance of the information being submitted and validated. For URIs that are more difficult and time consuming to identify, review and validate, such as a phishing website, users will earn more Tokens. Similarly, time consuming verification efforts such as verifying ownership of a resource like a domain name, bot, app, or API, will be rewarded with a greater amount of Tokens. Owners of resources will have the option to place Token bounty incentives so that Submitters and Validators are rewarded for their participation. This creates a signalling mechanism in which URI owners may request the scrutiny of the network’s Validators for certain relevant checks. Diverse validations across ownership, domain names, and site content will start scarce and become comprehensive over time, possibly supplanting Extended Validation certificates in both usefulfuness and trustworthiness while extending verification beyond domain name ownership. In the future, the number of Tokens awarded to participants will be determined by the utility of the category. For example, a URI that is categorized as sports may earn each participant less than a phishing submission due to phishing being more difficult and time consuming to detect compared to sports content. Phishing also requires anti-phishing experts to validate submissions whereas URI submissions for sports wouldn’t require an expert in sports to validate it. It may require multiple people who meet a combined reputation score where their category experience isn’t a prerequisite. URIs that require validation will be randomly divided amongst all validating participants to prevent coordinated groups from carrying out centralized voting bias. Furthermore, Submitters and Validators will start with a low reputation score, allowing them to participate with a small number of submissions and validations. As their reputation score increases, the number of URIs they can submit or validate in a given timeframe will increase. For example, new participants will be restricted to 5 URIs per day. Improved Brand Verification Process We are designing a new and improved verification process for registered users or assignees of Internet resources, such as a domain names, IP addresses, bots, applications, crypto wallet addresses, and social media accounts. This will help protect brands on the Internet from impersonators damaging their brand. We believe this new verification process can be more economical, transparent and accessible for any user and also address the challenges of Extended Validation certificates. Brands will pay in Tokens to submit their domain names and social media accounts to be verified. Protocol participants will then verify the integrity of this information. Once a brand’s submissions have been verified as true, the information will be stored on the blockchain. How Tokens Can Be Used The following are a few example use cases demonstrating how Tokens are earned and spent by participants in the Protocol. Example: Paying for Services Utilizing the Protocol The most natural use case for the Tokens is the ability for individuals and companies to use them to pay for a variety of security products and services that incorporate the Protocol. Existing products offered by MetaCert will be the first to utilize the Tokens as a payment method with other companies looking to do the same for their own integrations. In addition to paying for products and services, users will be in a unique position to earn Tokens by submitting and validating URIs on the Protocol. Their participation not only serves as a way to help protect themselves as well as others, but also gives them an opportunity to earn and spend Tokens for these products. Example: Community-Driven Child Protection Jackie has two children, Adrian age 7 and Sophia age 12, so she uses parental control software to prevent them from stumbling upon adult content on the Internet. Jackie is also an active participant in our network and submits and validates adult content that her children might inadvertently access. For her efforts, Jackie is rewarded in Tokens which may be used to pay for the parental control software that protects her children or sold to other parents who might wish to pay for the same software themselves. Example: Payment For Validation By Resource Owners An individual, group, or company owns Internet resources. They turn to our verification platform to ensure users are not lead astray when attempting to access these legitimate resources. To fund the validation on the Protocol, resource owners pay Tokens. In turn, Validators who participate in verifying that resource are rewarded with a share from the owner’s Token payment. 1. Index 2. Introduction 3. The MetaCert Protocol 4. Token Mechanics 5. MetaCert’s Prior and Related Work 6. Design Goals 7. Solution: The MetaCert Protocol 8. Future Work 9. Token Sale Breakdown (This section is not in the PDF)	https://medium.com/metacert/metacert-whitepaper-token-mechanics-2de36ebaa2b6	['Paul Walsh']	2018-06-17 17:44:25.115000+00:00	['Cryptocurrency', 'Blockchain', 'Security', 'Cybersecurity', 'Bitcoin']
My, my. You have spoken the truth.	My, my. You have spoken the truth. It is shameful that the children of addicts have the stigma attached to them. I came up hard but was lucky that my parents never used. Bad treatment for children is not deserved. For sure, you are making me look at my own behavior and not tolerate it from others. thank you for this insightful article. I will do better at helping.	https://medium.com/@tonicrowewriter/my-my-you-have-spoken-the-truth-52b1ed3186dc	['Toni Crowe']	2020-12-08 20:44:08.528000+00:00	['Life', 'Poverty', 'Drug Addiction', 'Children', 'America']
Create High Availability Architecture with AWS CLI	AWS -11 Create High Availability Architecture with AWS CLI We are going to create the above architecture using AWS CLI. Let’s discuss architecture and how we are going to do it? 🔶The architecture includes- ◼️ Launch EC2 instance ◼ Create EBS volume ◼Mount EBS volume to EC2 instance ◼Create an S3 bucket ◼Upload static objects such as images, videos, or documents in the S3 bucket ◼Create a content delivery network (CDN) using aws CloudFront distribution for S3 bucket ◼️️ Configure instance as the webserver ◼Place CloudFront URL in an application for security and low latency ◼Deploy source code on EC2 instance webserver. The final goal is to achieve all these tasks using AWS CLI without going to the website and manual clicks. If you are very new to AWS CLI, I would like you to check out the basic introduction to AWS CLI Action Mode 🔥 I am assuming that you have created an IAM user that has EC2, CloudFront, and IAM access and configured AWS CLI. Create Key Pair To create keypair we have to use the ec2 service of AWS. by using $ aws ec2 help you will see all the subcommands under ec2. To create a key pair and save it in the proper format(.pem), use the below command. Note: Windows users use PowerShell for the above commands. To activate PowerShell on normal cmd. Enter $ PowerShell command. OR Win + R and enter PowerShell to open Powershell. Create a Security Group You may want to create a security group in a specific VPC. For that, we need a vpc id. Let’s find the VPC id using AWS CLI. the above command will return the list of VPC’s and tags associated with VPC. copy the vpc id you want to create SG in and save it somewhere. Now let's create a security group. Don't forget to edit the command according to your need. You can change your name, description, and vpc id. Create security group rules we want to add rules to the security group that we have created above. If you copy-paste the security group id then skip the below command... Let's find the security group name and id. the above command will give you a list of security group names and ids. copy the id that we want to add a new rule and paste it in the below command. the above command will create a new rule for ssh.. you can always customize as per your need... you know that right? You can check more examples of multiple rules here... Check that rule added successfully or not using describe subcommand. Create a new instance You may want to launch an instance in a specific availability zone. let’s see with AZ are available in the region you specified while configuring. We want to attach one more EBSvolume to our instance and for that, both should in the same availability zone. Fix your availability zone for that. AWS CLI has very well described documentation for ec2.. let's take the help of that. It will give more examples and necessary information. You always need something different than I used here.. so go and use $ aws ec2 help To launch an instance we need ami id of the image that we want to launch.. $ aws ec2 describe-images I have used the key pair and security group that we have created above. I choose the ap-south-1a availability zone and amazon Linux ami to launch this instance. You can do much more customization to this command. Check this aws Documentation.(open) copy instance id and save it somewhere.. we will see later where we need.	https://medium.com/@developer-shubham-rasal/create-high-availability-architecture-with-aws-cli-shubham-rasal-7236c75417ad	['Shubham Rasal']	2020-12-10 20:08:39.985000+00:00	['Deployment', 'Aws Ec2', 'Cloud Computing', 'AWS', 'Web Development']
Indie Holiday Songs for a Quieter Winter	As this year’s holiday season rolls around, the select restaurants, storefronts, and mall centers that have remained open during the covid pandemic are eager to tune into the festivities, playing classics like Michael Bublé and Mariah Carey over their sound systems. But to steer away from this mainstream track, this list will hopefully provide you with a handful of songs to freshen your queue. This mix of originals and cover songs range from cozy, singer-songwriter to full band arrangements, though I’ve tried my best to keep them within the broader category of indie music. You can find the full Spotify playlist of the following songs here.	https://medium.com/@elie-ziehl/indie-holiday-songs-for-a-quieter-winter-956e82d9288	['Élie Ziehl']	2020-12-24 12:13:39.056000+00:00	['Holidays', 'Christmas', 'Recommendations', 'Lists', 'Music']
Android NFC Apps Made Easy. Near-field communication looks like it…	What is it? 🤷‍♂️ Near-field communication (NFC) is a set of communication protocols that enable two electronic devices, one of which is usually a portable device such as a smartphone, to establish communication by bringing them within 4 cm (11⁄2 in) of each other. NFC allows you to share small payloads of data between an NFC tag and a device, or between two devices. Tags can range in complexity. Simple tags offer just read and write semantics, sometimes with one-time-programmable areas to make the card read-only. More complex tags offer math operations and have cryptographic hardware to authenticate access to a sector. The most sophisticated tags contain operating environments, allowing complex interactions with code executing on the tag. The data stored in the tag can also be written in a variety of formats, but many of the Android framework APIs are based around an NFC Forum standard called NDEF (NFC Data Exchange Format). Benefits 🙌 Eas y network access and data sharing — NFC makes the process of connecting devices easy and intuitive. There’s no lengthy handshaking or data entry requirements. Just tap and go. — NFC makes the process of connecting devices easy and intuitive. There’s no lengthy handshaking or data entry requirements. Just tap and go. User control with expressed intent — NFC offers a simple, intuitive means of indicating the user’s intent to initiate action. A quick tap makes it clear. — NFC offers a simple, intuitive means of indicating the user’s intent to initiate action. A quick tap makes it clear. Data security at multiple levels — Wide-open networks allow opportunities for hackers. NFC counters with built-in features that limit opportunities for eavesdropping, and easy-to-deploy options for additional protections to match each use case. — Wide-open networks allow opportunities for hackers. NFC counters with built-in features that limit opportunities for eavesdropping, and easy-to-deploy options for additional protections to match each use case. The ability to connect the unconnected — NFC solves the problem of unpowered objects that lack network access. By embedding NFC tags in unpowered, unconnected objects, you can add intelligence anywhere. With a tap of an NFC-enabled device, it can open a URL and provide access to online information. How does NFC work? 🤷‍♀️ The tech involved is deceptively simple: evolved from radio frequency identification (RFID) tech, an NFC chip operates as one part of a wireless link. Once it’s activated by another chip, small amounts of data between the two devices can be transferred when held a few centimeters from each other. No pairing code is necessary to link up and because it uses chips that run on very low amounts of power (or passively, using even less), it’s much more power-efficient than other wireless communication types. At its core, NFC works to identify us by our enabled cards and devices (and by extension, our bank accounts and other personal info.) Vulnerability and security 🔐 The magic of NFC occurs in the free and open-air, so it’s easy to get wrapped up in the idea that your data can be nabbed by anyone who tries to intercept. It can really happen, but it doesn’t have to happen to you. Let’s first tackle this scary issue with the point that NFC chips in your cards or phones can’t be skimmed unless they are within mere centimeters of a potential thief. That’s just the way the technology works. We don’t know about you, but there aren’t that many things that get close to us. There are conmen out there who try to ruin it for everyone with NFC skimming apps that rip your personal information, including your address and account details. But they are having an increasingly tough time with that goal, as apps like Apple Pay and Android Pay are implementing some clever safeguards to protect users. NFC Powered Devices 📶 Devices with NFC simultaneously support three main modes of operation: Reader/writer mode, allowing the NFC device to read and/or write passive NFC tags and stickers. P2P mode, allowing the NFC device to exchange data with other NFC peers; this operation mode is used by Android Beam. Card emulation mode, allowing the NFC device itself to act as an NFC card. The emulated NFC card can then be accessed by an external NFC reader, such as an NFC point-of-sale terminal. Does my device have NFC? 😐 Use this link below, and search for your device to find if you are NFC enabled. Android Studio Application 🔨 With NFC gradually becoming a necessary technology nowadays, I decided to test out the reliability of NFC devices, so I tried to implement a simple Android application that will use the mobile devices NFC chip and will read other NFC powered devices. Luckily I found an amazing developer develedio 🙏 and his repository at LINK . After importing the ed_NFC_Example project into your Android Studio, you can compile, transfer and run the application on an android mobile device. Below I will be explaining how to compile the ed_NFC_Example project onto your Android mobile device or onto a Virtual Device. 1️⃣˙ Compile to an Android Device ☎️ These project files, allowed me to use an application that consistently scans for surrounding NFC users and extract the data from those clients. The NFC client ID’s that are scanned are stored within the dumpTagData class. This is where I was able to use the ID from the device that was read, and compare it to a (known) already stored NFC tag. private String dumpTagData(Parcelable p) { StringBuilder sb = new StringBuilder(); Tag tag = (Tag) p; byte[] id = tag.getId(); // 25555636771 = Andrei's NFC Card if (getDec(id) == 25555636771L) { //do something } } This allowed me to identify the known card as my own // 25555636771 = Andrei’s NFC Card . The possibilities this creates are endless, being given the capability of reading a device and verifying if that device is registered or not can be very beneficial security-wise. 🔐 2️⃣˙ Compile on Virtual Device 💻 The project files as-is are not ready to be compiled on a virtual machine since it will not have the NFC chip and it will throw errors. But I did find a workaround with: @Override protected void onResume() { super.onResume(); Log.d("onResume", "1"); //mTextView.setText("onResume:"); // creating pending intent: PendingIntent pendingIntent = PendingIntent.getActivity(this, 0, new Intent(this, getClass()).addFlags(Intent.FLAG_ACTIVITY_SINGLE_TOP), 0); // creating intent receiver for NFC events: IntentFilter filter = new IntentFilter(); filter.addAction(NfcAdapter.ACTION_TAG_DISCOVERED); filter.addAction(NfcAdapter.ACTION_NDEF_DISCOVERED); filter.addAction(NfcAdapter.ACTION_TECH_DISCOVERED); // enabling foreground dispatch for getting intent from NFC event: NfcAdapter nfcAdapter = NfcAdapter.getDefaultAdapter(this); nfcAdapter.enableForegroundDispatch(this, pendingIntent, new IntentFilter[]{filter}, this.techList); } This initializes the NFC adapter that transfers the data read from the chip to the application. By commenting out: // NfcAdapter nfcAdapter = NfcAdapter.getDefaultAdapter(this); // nfcAdapter.enableForegroundDispatch(this, pendingIntent, new IntentFilter[]{filter}, this.techList); } You can compile and run the application on a virtual machine. ⚠️Note this project within a virtual environment is only for testing visuals and other functions implemented, this will NOT allow any NFC functions.⚠️	https://medium.com/coding-in-simple-english/android-nfc-made-easy-b99721bfb88f	['Andrei Elekes']	2019-11-11 14:33:04.996000+00:00	['Android', 'Java', 'Programming', 'Coding', 'Development']
We are not afraid	These national disasters represent very real threats to the safety of millions of Americans in just three of our fifty states. There are, no doubt, countless more across the country, to say nothing of Coronavirus-19, which has, as of this writing, claimed the lives of almost 100,000 Americans in less than four months. Fires, floods, and hurricanes are tangible. We can see them and feel their effects directly on our communities. If you or someone you know has contracted COVID-19, the disease is clearly tangible as well. But if you haven’t, to some, the actions we’ve taken to slow the spread and flatten the curve seem like a massive overreaction. I don’t feel that way, myself, but I understand why some might. America’s economy has disintegrated, with more than 38 million Americans out of work since March — the most economically vulnerable among us, women and people of color especially, are bearing the brunt of this collapse. Many people, most of whom are trying to do their best and follow the advice of public health officials, are in a state of panic, continuing to shelter-in-place, with some hoarding toilet paper and groceries, angry at others who have decided they’re sick of lockdowns and want to return to some semblance of normalcy. For anybody who’s not an epidemiologist, the science can feel muddy. You can find numbers and people with microphones and unlimited air time that will confirm your preferred narrative and help you justify your actions, whether you want to show up to your local Costco without a mask or go to your statehouse armed to the teeth with assault rifles. A flood of bots on Twitter and other social media push misinformation and conspiracy theories that a portion of the populace and the President are all too willing to give legitimacy to, assuming it makes people feel afraid or angry or justifies the taking or keeping of power. In fact, this week, the President of the United States threatened to withhold federal aid to the state of Michigan — in the middle of a pandemic and a natural disaster — because the state is sending applications for absentee ballots to every citizen of the state, claiming that vote-by-mail causes massive fraud. There is no real basis for that claim, and this mob-inspired retaliation against voters in Michigan really has no precedent in modern times. While in a previous era, under almost any other president, vote-by-mail may have been seen as a necessary step to ensure normal levels of voter turnout and public health during a pandemic, under this administration, it has become a flash point in the debate about whether or not COVID-19 is really a threat. It has become partisan and about control — the President of the United States has declared that COVID-19 is yet another conspiracy against him and against the Republican Party, despite the fact that this is a global pandemic, and that there is no clear partisan advantage when voters have the option to vote via absentee ballot or in-person. This is a politics of pain. This is about making us afraid. I know this because I grew up in a post-9/11 America. I grew up in an America that has been intensely afraid. One that’s continued to hash out its centuries-long struggle between isolation and engagement, individual liberty and the common good, all against the backdrop of rapid, global technological advancement and massive economic upheaval, with populist leaders stoking social unrest, making racism okay again. A brilliant, innovative America that’s continued to do good in the world, of course, but one that’s simultaneously on a bender, looking for a fight. This fighting spirit has served America well in the past but, like any strength, if you overuse it it can become a weakness. With hurricanes, fires, floods, disinformation, increased polarization, and a pandemic, we’ve found ourselves in a compounding, defining moment. I understand why some people are afraid and angry. But in this moment, the most American thing we could possibly do is to reject fear and make this our mantra: we are not afraid. We are not afraid of each other — we’re going to work together. We are not afraid of disinformation — we’re going to find the truth. We are not afraid of this virus — we’re going to confront it smartly and safely. We are not afraid of natural disasters — we’re going to prepare. We are not afraid of our government — we’re going to vote.	https://medium.com/split-ticket/we-are-not-afraid-a9886b8c39a4	['Nathan Ryan']	2020-05-21 15:45:02.930000+00:00	['Politics', 'America']
Colendi 宣布加入企业以太坊联盟	in In Fitness And In Health	https://medium.com/colendi-%E4%B8%AD%E6%96%87%E5%8D%9A%E5%AE%A2/colendi-%E5%AE%A3%E5%B8%83%E5%8A%A0%E5%85%A5%E4%BC%81%E4%B8%9A%E4%BB%A5%E5%A4%AA%E5%9D%8A%E8%81%94%E7%9B%9F-fa5a51157559	[]	2018-09-13 14:25:00.666000+00:00	['加密货币', '以太坊', '区块链', '比特币', '金融科技']
Travel In 2021	Coronavirus has devastated the world, and not just in the short-term. The entire world completely locked itself down and closed their borders to visitors. Travelling industry took the biggest hit of all the time. As the time have moved on, we have seen some countries re open and then return to lockdown. The things do start to return to “new normal”, travel, especially international travel, will look very diverse. Here are the top few guidelines. Domestic travel has begun but international travel is still under radar. 1. Testing is the new Passport - Certificate of immunity will play the role of passport. Passengers might have to submit proof of good health. Arrival will be declined if you have a certificate of immunity. 2. Mask is new normal - Mask will be the one of the essential item to check in the list. We will most likely see “desirable” travel masks worn by celebrities. Along with mask, hand sanitizer is a must. 3. Localization of travel – Travelling within the country will open first. Domestic travel will gain popularity among the travelers. Restrictions on international travel will boost the local travel. 4. Less is more – Post pandemic, lesser the crowd more safer the place. Waiting in long queues will simply not be viable option. Safety should be paramount.	https://medium.com/@anchal-kaushil/travel-in-2021-3a652772f746	['Anchal Kaushil']	2021-05-05 17:56:01.556000+00:00	['Travel Tips', 'Covid 19', 'Travel']
The wrong way to scale up Cassandra DB when secondary indexes are in place	The wrong way to scale up Cassandra DB when secondary indexes are in place Marcus Cavalcanti Sep 24, 2019·6 min read Cassandra is my favorite (not managed) database for many reasons: it doesn’t have a single point of failure (SPoF), supports multi-region, good for read and write ops, flexible about read and write consistency levels, scales linearly and not too complex to manage for day-to-day operations. Like every database, you should use Cassandra based on your data access patterns, so if you need a flexible database for ad-hoc queries or adaptable enough for constantly database model changes, you should consider other options. Cassandra is a column-oriented DB and it’s really powerful when you have your data queries already defined. Datastax, the company that supports Cassandra, recommends you should start by designing your queries and then your data model in Cassandra. Despite the fact of your columnar structure, Cassandra support many data structures as a column(s) type, such as Maps. Cassandra basic structure Cassandra is a primary key database, which means your data is persisted and organized around a cluster based on the hash value (the partition key) of the primary key. For tables that have more than one PK, Cassandra considers only the first part of the PK as it’s partition key. See more about composite keys here. To be more clear, let’s get back to one of the most important characteristics of a Cassandra DB: it’s architecture and the fact that it does not have a SPoF. A Cassandra cluster is composed by nodes (3 or more) and those nodes together composes a ring of nodes: A Cassandra cluster with six nodes (n6) Each node on a Cassandra's cluster works "independently", but different nodes could store the same data accordingly the replication factor (RF) configuration configured for the cluster. To know where (which node) your data is persisted, Cassandra uses the hash value (token) calculated through a consistent hash function using the PK column of a given table. When you run a query, the coordinator node (normally the closest one of your application instances) will look for what nodes in a ring have your data, in that way if one node is down for some reason, another node could serve your data (RF ≥2). That's the magic about a masterless approach, where every node in a ring is equal in terms of read and writes. This concept about PK and the replication factor is very important to understand about how to scale your Cassandra cluster when your application is under high load conditions. Secondary Indexes Cassandra has also the concept of secondary indexes. In relational databases, you could have many indexes in a given table, the cost of have a secondary index is associated with write operations, not for read operations. In Cassandra this is not true. Secondary indexes in Cassandra could be useful and tempting when your data model changed and you need to query based on a new column. In that way, with a secondary index, you could run a query like that: SELECT * FROM my_table WHERE SECONDARY_INDEX = ‘value’; The problem about using a Secondary Index Imagine the scenario: you are in a Blackfriday/CyberMonday and your Cassandra cluster is suffering from peak events and you need to add more nodes to scale your database, balancing better your traffic and… surviving. Fine, right? Normally, it is a normal situation in a highly scalable application. But what about if your application is running queries using a secondary index? Yeah, you got the point. Remember when I said that Cassandra distributes data in a ring using the partition key? This is already happening, but the problem is when you introduce a secondary index in your query. Secondary indexes are NOT A PART of a partition key, and Cassandra knows about where your data are living through the partition key. When you run a query that uses this kind of index, what Cassandra does is looking for each node in your ring trying to satisfy your query. Real Scenario During a Blackfriday, our applications were with high loads. Many and many customers wanting to benefit from the huge discounts provided by a Blackfriday event. We took a look at our APM and all the analysis led us to our persistence, in this case a Cassandra DB. We got long periods of latency, but not for every request, just for some. Trying to keep things back to the normal state again, our first maneuver was to add more nodes to our Cassandra cluster. We added and we're still suffering from latency issues. The question was: why is this still happening? We were wrong. It was a simplistic conclusion and we didn't take care for one very important detail: this behaviour was happening not in all requests, but in some of them. If you thought about the secondary index, bingo! That was exactly the problem. Adding nodes would never solve the problem, because the problem was not related to all the queries arriving in the database, the problem was in some and those were the real ones degrading the database performance. It was totally a Pareto thing. Detailing the issue and how we mitigate it At one moment before the Blackfriday event, we needed to change our data model. We regionalised our application and the customer's region started to be an important thing for us, we needed to query data based on a product OR region. Looking back and connecting the dots, we could realize that we were very precious about the implementation as we wanted to reflect this new behaviour not only in the API Layer (new query param), but also in the way that we accessed the data in Cassandra. And why were we so precious? Because even considering that our query time didn't increase that much, we did the change. That implementation not only increased our query time by using a secondary index, but also generated more issues according we scaled up Cassandra’s infrastructure. As we added more nodes in our cluster, meant more nodes to look up to find the data, thus the issue was increasing exponentially. To mitigate the issue, what we did was take back the number of nodes that we had previously and increased the replication factor for the majority of our nodes in the cluster. We also changed our read consistency level to be less consistent. We were using *QUORUM and instead we changed to ONE. This helped us to lower the load in nodes. As we froze our applications days before the event, we knew that we didn't have new data (write operations) and the data would be consistent in their current state. The days after and the DB model solution As a part of the final solution, we needed to (re)think about our database model and roll back the changes that we did as a mitigation path during the event. Before the event we were using the product ID (PID)as the partition key, which was a good decision, since the PID has good attributes to be a PK due to its nature about being a sequential number (high cardinality), and in that way spreading the data evenly around the cluster. About the new field “region”, we leverage Cassandra collections data type and used a Map for each region as a column in our product table. Secondary Indexes are always a bad idea? The short answer is no. Explaining a bit better, there are two kinds of indexes in Cassandra: local and global indexes. A local index as the name says is a kind of index that exists only locally, that means in a node. When you create a secondary index, Cassandra creates a new (hidden) table where the secondary becomes a primary key in this table. The visibility of this new table is in terms of a node, not a ring (cluster). That's the case of secondary indexes. On the other hand, a global index has ring visibility through it's partition key, so Cassandra knows where you data is in a ring through that partition key. Secondary indexes could be an alternative, when you have in a query both: primary and secondary indexes. In that case, Cassandra knows where your data resides (which node) through the partition key and then looks up the local table in the node that refers to the (local) secondary indexes. There are also some other nuances about secondary indexes that are very well explained here, but the best practice is to avoid them by denormalizing your data model.	https://medium.com/@marcus.cavalcanti/the-wrong-way-to-scale-cassandra-db-when-secondary-indexes-are-in-place-a5064fb22496	['Marcus Cavalcanti']	2020-05-06 14:29:41.092000+00:00	['Scalability', 'High Availability', 'NoSQL', 'Cassandra', 'Database']
What Industries Need — AI only?. Is really AI a bane or boon for…	Is really AI a bane or boon for industries and what it means when it comes to reaping the benefits or paying the penalties of utilizing such disruptive technologies stand alone. Photo by Sepp Rutz on Unsplash Typical problems that we encounter across industries are predictive maintenance, enhancing user experience, proactive alerting, cost optimizations, accuracy of predictions, reduction of false operating scenarios, availability of resources (input supply included), establishing effectiveness and sustaining that for control systems, maintaining robust performance under process drifts and changes, slowing down the ageing of components, manpower optimization, enhanced penetrations and application of disruptive technologies (AI/ML), increasing degree of virtualization, forced outage reductions etc. There are all kinds of data available from sources as IOT, texts, voice, video, behaviors, environments. These data sources could be structured, unstructured, pixel, written, unwritten, logs etc. Assuming that problems listed above are primarily applicable for all industries but BFSI (cost beats all though!), let’s take one example and discuss if AI only solution works best or there are limitations and boundaries that we can draw. Automotive: Degree of autonomous is challenge dealt today using AI/ML, this problem requires modeling of user behavior and create millions of such behavioral scenarios, yes, Bayesian Belief network or multi-layered deep learning or CNN, adaptive learning models work in tandem here to create highly complex model and solutions, but is this possible to account for all combinations of human thoughts and emotions? If someone has COVID-19, driving to hospital or from hospital, think of his/her mindset, can AI model be trained to counter behavioral issues due to such pandemic scenarios? Thus limitations of AI only approach and solution are evident here. If AI alone handles , then question comes when do I retrain the models, how do I ensure accuracy consistently of these models. Thus AI training and accuracy sustenance requires physics based simulations of system that constantly will act as retraining data and course correction standards. Aerospace: Recent accident of Air India “Vande Bharat” flight, that skid on Kozhikode table top airport, what role AI could have played all alone? Can AI in this scenario be able to avert the accident? It was Pilot who acted sensibly that he emptied most of the fuel to prevent the fire, he attempted landing twice. Most likely anti-skid, forced auto-landing system that ensures exact touchdown point and AI in ensemble could be good solution to address such scenarios, but AI alone would fail as physics and characteristics of aircraft, conditions and degradation of components and devices and sentiments of passengers inside needs to be modeled to have complete foolproof solutions. Here again complete end-2-end simulators needs to feed the data for retraining and re-computations of AI models, also simulators should provide maintenance factor to AI models in terms of bias and variance accounting. Amount of data required (read as relevant data!) to train AI models and despite that having sufficient supervised labels is huge challenge! IT: This industry is revolving around logs, metrics, dashboards, data management, monitoring tools, cloud, migrations, speed, bandwidth, volume, solution architecture, protocols, data acquisitions etc. Challenges aplenty, AIOPs are roped in to address multi-dimensional challenges but obvious drawbacks are fundamentally same as other industries, those are do we have sufficient failure or anomaly labels to have anomaly detection models? impact radius model accurate enough to capture all the ripples with limited relevant data? continuous SME involvement not needed? dependency on ticket data isn’t too high? ChatOps, ChatBots are as effective as person who trained them! Thus to create effective AI system SME/domain knowledge is needed and that needs to be fed cognitively into AIOPs system. I shall touch upon other industries in my next blog. Questions we should ask while applying AI in an industrial ecosystem are: Do I have right problem to solve? Do I have enough data to create AI framework and train the models Do I have right infrastructure to deploy and operationalise the models Do I understand what ROIs I can reap out of AI solutions? Photo by Joshua Sortino on Unsplash Conclusion : AI alone with no domain is bound to fail as evident from various experiments (pl read autonomous!). AI is very effective and disruptive technology but it has been there 10–15 years back in more linearity form with finite domains, in the form of golden searches and likes of gradient optimization techniques. Processing technologies have evolved and thus AI model computations are being addressed but when it comes to accuracy and robust outcomes, domain, physics, ecosystem behavior, characteristics, knowledge of controllable and uncontrollable factors are key! In my view bring forth and push forward “SCIENCE” part in “DATA SCIENCE”!	https://medium.com/@ridhesh.pt/what-industries-need-ai-only-6a9c85060268	['Awadesh Kumar']	2020-08-08 17:18:24.231000+00:00	['Automotive', 'Data Science', 'Infrastructure', 'Artificial Intelligence', 'Aerospace']
Can You Really Make Money on News Break?	Can You Really Make Money on News Break? The News Break difference that makes it a revelation Photo: Roman Kraft on unsplash Lately, a couple of my beloved friends/fellow writers have noticed that (once again) I’ve been strangely absent from Medium. Taking lengthy breaks from the platform is always a good indicator that I’ve discovered something new and exciting, and am instead dedicating my time to pursuing this new interest. Yes friends, this has indeed happened. Except unlike with times gone by, the interest I’ve discovered isn’t something unique to me and my situation, I’m merely following the current that has carried many other writers in this new direction. As you already know from reading the title, I’m talking about News Break. Scam? News Break is the news aggregate service we all thought was a scam a month ago. Some of us received emails inviting us to join their new creator program, others of us (including me) did not. Some of those that were invited were turned off by the minimum payment promise of $1,000 each month, because of how fake that sounded. I actually discovered it from a post I deleted from the Medium-focused Facebook group I help moderate. Someone had posted a referral code to the page, which is strictly against the rules, but it did pique my curiosity. I assumed that this kind of new platform would probably be catnip for the types of writers that are drawn to Medium, so I searched ‘News Break’ in Medium and was greeted with a treasure trove of results. The enlightening accounts of everyone’s positive experiences gave me the confidence I needed to apply for the program. I figured that it’s free, so I don’t have anything to lose by giving it a try. Photo: Matthieu Stern via unsplash What does it offer The News Break Creator Program hasn’t been around long enough for anyone to get paid yet, so we won’t know for another week whether or not this program is absolutely, without a doubt, legitimate. (Payment is sent on the 15th of each month for royalties earned during the previous month). But the regular aggregate site that existed before the program has been around for 5 years, and was started by a former executive at Yahoo. So we can assume that News Break probably isn’t selling snake oil. Instead, the site features breaking news and informative articles pulled from all over the web, and has made a lot of money doing so. But now they’re ready to invest a lot of that money into producing original content. That’s right, just like Netflix before them, they’re splashing money all over the internet looking for creators to produce new content just for them. Here’s what they’re offering; They’re willing to pay a minimum of $1,000 per month for writers who will commit to contributing 3 articles per week. I see it as a twist on a conventional advance for novelists. Writers will need to sign a contract to that effect, although the contract states that either parties can cancel at any time. Contracts are really turning off some writers, which I understand. Another interesting element is that the site won’t offer contracts to just anyone, you’ll need to apply and be accepted first. I received my acceptance about 2 weeks after applying. Right now we’re in an early adoption period, so for three months, writing 3 articles per week is the only condition to receive the minimum payment. After three months however, writers will also need a minimum of 500 followers and a viewership of 500 unique readers on each article. While on Medium this would be a near-impossible ask, I’ve personally found that attracting views is a lot easier on News Break. The Difference Since joining the site three days ago, I’ve uploaded 24 articles onto the site. Here are my dashboard stats so far. Screenshot from News Break These stats are actually lower than my real numbers because the dashboard only updates about every 24 hours, which the company claims they’ll improve. The whole platform on the creation end feels like Wordpress did 10 years ago, or blogger did 15 years ago. It’s very basic, and there’s no app for creators. But it’s exciting to be part of something while the paint is still drying. I appreciate being a part of something while it’s still in its infancy and before it gains all the bells and whistles, and drops all the perks. Remember when Medium used to pay bonuses for quality writing? Infancy is a wonderful thing. News Break welcomes previously published work, so I’ve boosted my presence on the site by uploading a bunch of my existing articles that have fleshed out my profile and made me more visible. It turned out to be a smart move, because I’m now well on my way to achieving the follower and viewership requirements, even though I won’t be obliged to until February. Dumping dozens of articles at once onto Medium would be social suicide for this site. It’s far better to upload slowly and regularly, while interacting with all of your readers. News Break feels like a numbers game, where you really need to be present in a big way to be noticed at all. Writers are complaining that they’ve gained 30 followers over two weeks while publishing on a Medium-style schedule. Those writers may have to get a lot more aggressive or risk being lost by the algorithm. Audience Interaction After scanning the hundreds of comments I’ve received, I’ve definitely gained the impression that there are a lot more people on News Break than on Medium. I’ve also gained the strong impression that these are the same people who watch and comment on YouTube videos, because these comments are (for the most part) vile or crazy. For more than a year, I’ve stayed in the relative safety and comfort of Medium. During my time on Medium, I’ve received lots of harsh comments on a couple of my stories. But they all felt like comments written by people who read a lot, and had a strong opinion one way or another. On News Break, I’m getting random racist comments mixed with jokes mixed with others asking about bran muffin recipes. It’s a mess of loud conversation and crazy accusations. While for the most part these comments go down some dark holes, they also make the site feel alive and well trafficked. I’m someone that writes with the hope of exposure, and on News Break I’ve received in three days the amount of views I’d normally get on Medium in a week. That might not sound like a huge difference, but I’ve been a writer on Medium for over a year and a half and have amassed hundreds of stories. I’ve uploaded just over two dozen articles onto News Break and in three days my stats are (by my standards) exploding. The Real Consideration The most important reason News Break works for me lines up with the exact reason Medium has stopped working for me in recent weeks. Once upon a time, my views on Medium were from paid members about 90% of the time. Lately, I’d estimate that roughly 5% of my views are from paid Medium members. There are a lot of factors contributing to this. One factor might be that I’m not producing content that Medium readers care about anymore, another is that I’m producing work that shows up well in a Google search. Unfortunately, it has meant that while my viewership hasn’t decreased, my royalty payments have sharply decreased. My payment for last month was the first that I’ve ever felt was unacceptable for my stats, so News Break is coming at the perfect moment for me in my journey. So I’m not going to quit Medium, but I’m also not going to take it as seriously as I have in the past. I’m going to stop checking my royalty payments, and instead only write for Medium whenever inspiration dictates. I’ll also continue running Money Clip, but won’t check daily as I have before. This may mean that stories will be published a bit slower than they have historically. I won’t be following a schedule, or submitting to outside publications. Instead, all my effort will be going into News Break, which is the platform that best suits my goals and priorities in this moment. Since I’m someone that attracts attention from people who seem disinterested in subscriptions, I’ll be writing articles that aim at attracting attention from everyone, and will enjoy that fact that every read (no-matter where they’re from) counts as a monetised view. Think of the potential when taking away the paywall that prevents so much royalty income. I’ve always said that I’d prefer ads over a lower income stream, and now that’s what I’ve got. I understand that some writers feel that News Break is too crass, and not artistic enough for your personal brand of expression, and I respect that. I agree that not everything is right for a site like News Break, which is why I’ll continue to contribute to Medium sometimes. But for the most part, News Break is exactly my style, and I’ll be giving it all I’ve got. I’ll check back in once I’ve received my first royalty payment in January to confirm once and for all whether or not this is legit.	https://medium.com/money-clip/can-you-really-make-money-on-news-break-b2a45a3a74fa	['Jordan Fraser']	2020-12-07 09:28:10.189000+00:00	['Money', 'Success', 'Writing', 'Finance', 'Entrepreneurship']
Be A Master Of Two Subjects	In a world of 7 billion, competition is fierce and often unshakeable. Fifty years ago, a run-of-the-mill college degree would guarantee you employment, a solid pay, and a decent lifetime career. Nowadays, it’s not uncommon to hear people with doctorate degrees sustain a minimal-wage job. Some argue that they’d rather have it that way anyway, which may hold some truth, but there’s no denying the fact that today’s technology holds a large promise for the future of mankind. It’s easier than ever to learn a new subject these days, with an overflowing index of references and resources roaming freely on the internet. Consequently, that means that the battle to the top will be fiercer than ever. Education is no longer the limiting factor, a matter that’s now easily accessible to a lot of people, and some even free for all. The problem of education distribution has long been fixed by the advent of internet, and with it, comes a new problem. We’re all eating from the same plate. And then line up to wash our utensils in the same sink. Mediocre will not get you anywhere these days. Following the crowd will not make you stand out. Being ‘good’ puts you on par with 50% of the world. It just doesn’t cut it. You’re a whisper in a sea of cries. One way to get around this problem is specialisation. Specialisation helps you stand out from the crowd by being a better field player. There’s a steep curve to get you there, but once you’re at the top, you get amply rewarded for your efforts. In 2019, the average cardiologist in the United States earns $430,000, while the average family doctor — the US equivalent of a general practitioner — earns $231,000. In the IT department, a help-desk technician earns around $17 an hour, while specialisation in cyber security, on average, sees that number rise sizeably to $34. According to a 2016 study by Poets & Quants, MBA graduates made close to twice as much as others based on the field entered. This isn’t surprising. Specialisation gives an edge to the people who are smarter, stronger, better. It’s like sifting through a batch of apples and selecting only the ripest and plumpest to later be labelled ‘Premium’. Specialists are harder to come by. Their improved knowledge and aptitude in the field is handsomely compensated for this — as reflected by their salary statistics. But the road to being a specialist does not come equal to everyone. Competition is tougher on the higher ends of the spectrum as you’re wrestling with less people, and the skills become significantly harder to master. And there’s more to that. Financial capital and social stature often have a fair share of voice in deciding if one breaks through to the field’s top 1%. Whether we like it or not, the meddling hands of politics makes it easier for privileged people to survive the climb and make it to the summit. It’s a journey that’s often plagued with injustice and crookedness. That leaves the rest of us are left struggling to our own devices, stuck in the maze. Sometimes we’re even sold the lie of making it if only we “tried harder”. I’m not suggesting that it’s an impossible feat, but society gives an unfair advantage to some and handicaps others. Master two specific things instead At some point in our lives, we’ve probably seen Ken Jeong busting an inappropriate joke or two in his numerous comedic skits. He’s mostly famous for playing Mr. Chow in the The Hangover trilogy and Señor Chang in the ridiculously comical American sit-com Community, for which his most iconic memes were born. Oh and did I mention he is also a licensed medical practitioner in California. Ken Jeong may not be the best actor in the world, nor is his practice the most visited in the US, but he certainly passes all general metrics of success. He’s just one example of many, but his tale is highly inspiring and adaptable to all. Being great at two things puts you at an interesting spot, especially if those two things are uniquely different from each other. For one, you carve yourself a unique niche that not a lot of people are in, and that alone automatically makes you stand out. Imagine an associate chef who works in an average Louisiana crab-shack. To break into the scene, she could specialise in a certain culinary focus. She would need to move to a larger city, which poses great risks on its own, and then take an advanced course or work under a Michelin-stared top dog for some years, and then perhaps open her own restaurant. Or, that chef could learn and master a second craft. Something like photography for instance, and then start an online page where she shares her culinary journey through her expressive snapshots. That secondary skill is something she can take with her anywhere she goes. There’s not a lot of chefs who are also masters of photography. By being good at both, she has eliminated a large chunk of her competition, which could streamline her journey to the top. A lawyer could start taking up a course in writing and start blogging about his novel ideas, build up an audience, and turn his work into a book. Or it could be a financial analyst with video editing, public speaker with sports, professional coder with digital marketing. The best part (arguably) is that some of these auxiliary goals can double as hobbies as well, which makes work feel less like vocation, and more like vacation. Some common threads I see with these secondary focuses include photography, videography, writing, coding, graphic design, and digital marketing. But the list does not end there. At the end of the day, there are always more than two ways to climb your way to the top and succeed. There’s always the super-specialist’s route, which I think is a lot like the hardcore training before a Mt Everest hike. But if you so happen to be competent in flying helicopters, like Dr. Chris, a NY-based interventional radiologist who also flies helicopters in his pastime, you can (quite literally) get to the summit still with less of the complicated groundwork.	https://medium.com/the-post-grad-survival-guide/be-a-master-of-two-subjects-320b6192b828	['Jonathan Adrian']	2020-05-18 12:15:13.080000+00:00	['Self Improvement', 'Work', 'Personal Development', 'Productivity', 'Business']
What if we tried listening to each other?	Nobody listens to anyone else anymore. Perhaps we never have. In the midst of a polarized election season, perhaps you’ve noticed? We’re all on a side, and the thing about taking a side is that there’s always an other side — a them. And one of the central aspects of aligning yourself with a side is defining who you are against. Identifying and vilifying those on the other side is Group Identity 101. Perhaps even better than you know who you are or who you’re with, you know who you’re against. You’ll even find that who you’re with can be flexible, because what has come to matter most is who you’re against. And they’re just the. fucking. worst. The last thing any of us would ever admit is that we’re just like them. Uh uh, no way. We’re not like that. We have lists of adjectives meant to explain all the ways we’re not like them. They’re racist, misogynistic, hateful, ignorant, stupid. They’re arrogant, elitist, smug, condescending. They lack empathy; they think they’re so superior. They lack basic human decency. And you are not like them. But the last thing you’ll do is listen to them. I don’t need to demonstrate that this is the case, or prove that it’s true, because you already know it to be true. You know it because it’s what happens to you. It’s your own experience; you live it. Whoever is your them, or whoever has made you theirs — they don’t actually listen to you. Every time you’ve ever tried to talk to them has reinforced this experience. Nobody is listening to anyone else. But I don’t just mean them — I mean you. Because that’s their experience too. That’s the part you’re trying not to notice — that you’re doing the same to them. Once you’ve finished giving all your rationalizations for why that’s not true, why you’re different (i.e., better), you can confirm it simply by asking them. You don’t really need to, because if you honestly examine your own rhetoric, you’ll find plenty of places where you have actually argued that you are justified in not listening to them — perhaps even that you are justified in discarding them altogether. But if that’s too difficult, try just asking them. If you do, you’ll discover it’s one thing they and you can thoroughly agree on: Nobody on any side feels like anyone in the other camp takes even half a moment to actually, genuinely listen to them. This is our common ground. I’m not usually one to quote Jesus anymore — I was raised a conservative evangelical Christian but today I’m an atheist, and not the kind that thinks that Jesus guy was pretty cool, just not the religion they built around him. But something he got right is the idea that loving your friends and those like you isn’t all that impressive. The same can be said about empathy. If you can’t find empathy for people who see or experience the world differently than you, or who find themselves on different sides of certain issues than you, what you have isn’t empathy. It’s just another flavor of tribalism. And if you can’t listen to those you disagree with — I mean fully suspend judgment and really listen — then you’re nowhere close to empathy. Here’s a hint to get you started: If your reaction to things they say is to argue why they’re wrong or to dismiss their experience, rather than asking why they think/feel that way, that’s not listening and it’s quite far from empathy. You’re still judging. And if you think that listening and empathizing to those on the other side of the issues you care about most is at best an exercise in futility, because they’re wholly rotten and there is nothing of value or validity to listen to or empathize with — if you have discarded an entire group of people as rotten, worthless, and disposable… Well then you’re just like them.	https://medium.com/the-new-standard/what-if-we-tried-listening-to-each-other-365f40e08b72	['Josh Tucker']	2020-12-16 19:56:43.971000+00:00	['Democrats', 'Republican Party', 'Society', 'Trump', 'Politics']
Dear White Men: Your Defense of Whiteness is Astounding	Dear White Men: Your Defense of Whiteness is Astounding Photo by Hannah Busing on Unsplash In August of 2019, I wrote an article titled, “Things White People Need to Stop Saying,” where I outlined culturally insensitive things that white people say like, “spirit animal”, “reverse racism,” and “the n-word”. This piece, despite never being chosen for further distribution, has amassed over 15k views, and because of that I often get responses from, mainly white men, about how racist my article is. Spoiler alert, white dudes: you cannot be racist against white people. Prejudice, sure. Racist, no sir. There’s a huge difference. Recently, a man named Jason commented that my article was “racist and divisive,” but when I asked him what was racist about my article he went off on a tangent of nonsense: my article was racist, against him, as a white man who wants to be able to say whatever he wants despite the possibility of offending others. For example, in my article, I explained that the phrase, “sis” is more than a blood bond for Black women, “These terms describe more than a blood bond; they describe kinship, pain, shared values, cultural norms, histories, suffering, and experiences,” experiences that white people do not share. Jason was upset, “What will I call my sister?!” he chimed. Now, despite a white man complaining that he can no longer call his sister “sis” being kind of hilariously ridiculous, there is a larger issue at hand with these comments which is this: white men will become defensive of anything they deem as an attack against whiteness. Even simply being called white is offensive to them, I recently saw a response from a white man on an article directed towards white people that said, “White? Is that all we are to you.” Yes, David, that is what you are. Being offended at being called white is a real tell-tale sign that white people have always been oppressors, and now that they are being bothered for the first time, they’re really losing their minds. Calling a Black person Black is not offensive. Calling an Asian person Asian is not offensive. Calling a white person white is not offensive. I could go on, but you get the point, the only group that is offended by being called what they are is white people because they have never been grouped together as minority groups have been. America is a caste system that as been around as long as America has existed, we are all boiled down to our race in order to distinguish where we fit in and what privileges we are afforded. White people have either chosen to be ignorant to this fact or are privileged enough to actually be ignorant. I often see the argument from white men in regards to articles like this that say, “If you switched this around to any other race it would be offensive,” which, yes Chad, you are right, that would be offensive, that would be considered racism. However, as I said before, you cannot be racist against white people. Reverse racism does not exist because it ignores the fundamental question of who holds more power and who affords more privileges because of the color of their skin. Reverse racism completely ignores the systemic aspects of racism like underfunding primarily Black schools, the rate of incarcerated Black people in America, being pulled over because of the color of your skin, etc. Reverse racism is something white people say in order to feel oppressed. However, white people are not oppressed, they have never been oppressed, and I often hear that argued as well, by primarily white men. The argument I hear when I say that white people are not oppressed is this one, “But what about the Jews,” to which I feel the need to explain to you that not all Jews are white, we come in all colors from Black Jews to some Ashkenazi European Jews. Also, anti-semitism is not about Black or White, one of the primary reasons Jews are persecuted in America is that we can “assimilate” into white culture. However, as Emma Green states, for The Atlantic, “They [anti-semites] make it clear that Jews are not included in their vision of a perfect, white, ethno-state.” Thus, we can all understand that reverse racism does not exist. White people are not oppressed. And, becoming defensive of anything deemed as an attack on whiteness is, indeed, racist. In Caste, by Isabel Wilkerson, she explains, “The price of privilege is the moral duty to act when one sees another person treated unfairly. And the least that a person in the dominant caste can do is not make the pain any worse.” This excerpt is one of the reasons why I find these arguments so infuriating, I see them every single day, I see white people calling Black people racist for simply talking about racism and it is fundamentally wrong. “The least that a person in the dominant caste can do is not make the pain any worse,” there has to be at least some semblance of a realization of how much pain you are inflicting on others when you make these statements or when you argue or try to explain back to us what we already know. How can you be better? If you’ve read this far and you are one of these people I can only assume that you want to be better and for you, please read these last paragraphs carefully. And, if you are white, and you know somebody that needs to hear these words, it is your responsibility to tell them, not the responsibility of BIPOC to educate or explain anything to white men that consistently oppress them. First and foremost, please stop. You are choosing to take up space, you are choosing to make these comments, you are choosing to be ignorant of the fact that you are ignorant. Your ignorance is your own and you are responsible for your ignorance, you have every single ability to not make these comments, to be better, and to educate yourself. Speaking of education, please read these books: I am not going to overwhelm you with books because there are so many others to read, but start here, begin by educating yourself, and go from there. Understand that your words hold power and meaning, what you may think as a quick quip could potentially truly harm somebody. Also, please be aware that if you are offended by being called white, if you are offended at white people being lumped into a group, if you are offended by anything attacking white people, chances are you are racist. Being called racist feels like the worst attack that can be said, but you are racist, every white person benefits from systemic racism, it is your job to actively be anti-racist, and making comments like these just reaffirms your white fragility and white supremacy. Lastly, listen. Truly listen to others, read these pieces, and listen, soak the words in, and let them sit with you before choosing to respond. Listening and learning how to be better is your responsibility. Educating yourself, understanding your privilege, listening, and learning from the experiences of others is your responsibility. Changing your perspective is a difficult task but it is very much possible. With effort, diligence, and an open mind I believe that people can be better. Understanding humanity, learning about history, and bettering yourself is something that we should all be doing on a daily basis. By starting here, you can take steps forward to do and be better.	https://aninjusticemag.com/dear-white-men-your-defense-of-whiteness-is-astounding-6eafabcbdb35	['Alexandra Tsuneta']	2020-12-01 20:42:36.920000+00:00	['White Privilege', 'Equality', 'White Supremacy', 'BlackLivesMatter', 'Advice']
L2 Applications On Algorand: How to Make Your Own Coin	THE IDEA I often get asked this question: WELL-MEANING FRIEND OR RELATIVE: Oh, Evan, you work in the cryptocurrencies industry? Oh-ho, are you making your own coin, when is EvanCoin coming, oh-ho? ME: Ha-ha, oh, it’s not like that [blah blah blah] Eventually I got fed up, now I answer: ME: (suddenly intense) It will be coming very shortly and it will be built on Algorand. This surprises people, but it really is that easy to build your own layer two application on Algorand! (A layer two application on Algorand will typically consist of an application that manipulates data using Algorand transaction’s note fields. This is as opposed to layer one code, the code that lives in the protocol itself.) Today, I will show you a demo I made using the Algorand go SDK: examplecoin . The examplecoin demo lets you build your own personal coin on top of Algorand! In this demo I will initialize EvanCoin on the Algorand blockchain, and transfer some EvanCoin from one account to another. Checking out the Algorand developer documentation might help you follow along, too. THE APPLICATION You can find examplecoin on my GitHub. It allows a developer to initialize an example coin on the Algorand blockchain, and tabulate the current balances of any example coin on that chain, so long as the coin’s master key is known. To do this, the examplecoin application uses the Note field of Algorand transactions. It places base64 encoded data in the note field, and uses Algorand’s account management to make sure the notes come from the correct accounts. The initialization of an examplecoin is a base64 blob placed in a transaction, as is the transfer of an examplecoin . Maybe it’s easier to explain with an example. Here are the examplecoin structs, which are barely more than “who’s sending to whom, and how much?”. You can then take these structs and convert them into byte arrays, suitable for a transaction’s note field: You can see more on the full GitHub repo. The idea is that you can then read in these byte arrays and get the NoteField structs back using msgpack.Decode . Algorand layer two is very flexible, so I want to rephrase and restate what we are doing here: we are taking arbitrary data structures and posting them to the Algorand blockchain, reading back these data structures later, and using that to inform new data operations. This means that you, as an app developer, can build any application you like on top of Algorand. The blockchain is providing you with verifiable secure storage. This also means that, if this application were handling sensitive or private data, we would have to handle the fact that the data is being posted to the public chain. But we don’t have to care, because this is my own personal examplecoin , EvanCoin. Let’s go make some coin and move it around. EXAMPLE USAGE Below is a snippet that produces the blob for initializing an examplecoin and transferring examplecoin to another account. The coinKey variable is the address determining the master of the examplecoin : you could sort of consider it analogous to an ERC20 contract address. The receiverKey is the account receiving the examplecoin . Since this demonstration is just for me, and I intend to keep all EvanCoin to myself (everyone keeps asking me for EvanCoin, too bad, they can’t have any), I’ll just create uint64(100) coins, and transfer half to another account I control. Here’s the snippet for that: I’ve omitted some things, such as imports. Running the above code, I get the following output blobs: initNote looks like gqFpgaZzdXBwbHlkpHR5cGWhaQ== transferNote looks like gqF0g6ZBbW91bnQyq2Rlc3RpbmF0aW9u2TozUTdKWDNUWVNNRjJNQlBZWjJHTTRHRjNQWFdMNFozNDIzNURHVExRQ1BVUFAzSTY0RldWTFozWTM0pnNvdXJjZdk6NUFRVTNTU05MVEVOTzQ0UFBLQ0ZHRUREVFNCUE5FQURLNFVFWEZEVFFMUVJPUjM3Q0JZN1ZDRktEVaR0eXBloXQ= Now that we have these notes, we can post them to the chain. The SDK lets you transact easily. The go doc documentation for the SDK can explain more about transacting. Here, we’re going to focus on the Note field, where we can place our data. We will place the initNotesBytes64 blob in the Note field. (It’s important to know that the examplecoin demo will only inspect transactions that are to or from the master coinKey address. So, here both to and from are set to the coinKey address. Just one of the two matching would be sufficient when reading data back later, though.) The go doc can tell you more about building and signing transactions. Nice! The initialization blob has been posted. Now let’s transfer some EvanCoin. To do so, we do exactly the same as above, but this time using the transferNotesBytes64 blob, building it into a transaction and sending it to the network. (We could have also used the goal commandline utility to post these notes: something like goal clerk send --amount 1 --noteb64 gqFpgaZzdXBwbHlkpHR5cGWhaQ== --from 5AQU3SSNLTENO44PPKCFGEDDTSBPNEADK4UEXFDTQLQROR37CBY7VCFKDU --to 5AQU3SSNLTENO44PPKCFGEDDTSBPNEADK4UEXFDTQLQROR37CBY7VCFKDU . For this article, though, we’ll stay within go .) Success! Our transactions have been submitted. (I’m running this against my own private test network, created using goal , so I don’t have to worry about the fee market, or wait for transaction confirmation: I know my transactions will be included in the next ~5 second block. If I wanted to explicitly wait for transaction confirmation, I could use the SDK to query whether the transaction is pending or confirmed.) I’ll run the examplecoin utility to tabulate the results. (I have omitted this step, but I also noted which the round range in which the transactions were confirmed, using algodClient ’s Status() call, so I know both transactions got posted between rounds 500 and 550. To make things run faster, examplecoin uses this info to inform the utility which blocks to look at.) $ algorand-l2-examplecoin -verbose=false -coinkey=5AQU3SSNLTENO44PPKCFGEDDTSBPNEADK4UEXFDTQLQROR37CBY7VCFKDU -firstround=500 lastround=550 Wrote results into results.csv $ cat results.csv 5AQU3SSNLTENO44PPKCFGEDDTSBPNEADK4UEXFDTQLQROR37CBY7VCFKDU,50 3Q7JX3TYSMF2MBPYZ2GM4GF3PXWL4Z34235DGTLQCPUPP3I64FWVLZ3Y34,50 Success! I have 50 EvanCoin in one account and 50 EvanCoin in another account. 😎 GOTCHAS AND BRAINSTORMING In this demo I assume the examplecoin utility will be used by very few users (just me) to manage very few accounts, so there’s a few scalability issues: using a csv rather than a database, for example, or trying to hold everyone’s running balance in memory as the results are tabulated. utility will be used by very few users (just me) to manage very few accounts, so there’s a few scalability issues: using a rather than a database, for example, or trying to hold everyone’s running balance in memory as the results are tabulated. Currently the utility starts from scratch every time you run it, and overwrites the output file entirely. One could change it to use a preexisting output, and just scan along the chain from where it left off. Since the utility needs to read every single block in a potentially large range of blocks, it needs to be run on a machine with an Algorand archival node or relay, so that the blocks that the utility needs are never pruned. I have not audited any of this code for correctness or security, as it’s a quick toy demonstration. I wonder if someone can steal my precious EvanCoin? 😱 I mentioned briefly that this functionality is sort of analogous to named fungible tokens, similar (kind of) to ERC-20 . With some changes, one could probably tweak things to work like nonfungible tokens (NFTs). . With some changes, one could probably tweak things to work like nonfungible tokens (NFTs). Code and data can be one and the same thing, can’t it? Can you picture a system that puts code on the chain as encoded data, executes it, and puts new code on the chain in response? A self-amending program? 🤔 THE END Thanks, everyone, I hope this little demo helped or educated you in some way. We’re all in this together! 🎉	https://medium.com/algorand/l2-applications-on-algorand-make-your-own-coin-6d62c5d5578d	['Evan Richard']	2019-05-10 17:57:37.953000+00:00	['Cryptocurrency', 'Developers', 'Blockchain', 'Algorand', 'From Our Team']
JavaScript Frameworks —	The 3 most popular front-end web development frameworks As a software developer newbie, I’ve often battle with the question “which language should I learn? Which framework should I be familiar with?” Being fresh out of a bootcamp where JavaScript and React were the core topics of the curriculum. Technology is ever-evolving; I can’t help but wonder about other JavaScript frameworks and how they compare to each other. So, in this article, I have decided to compile a list of the most popular front-end JS frameworks that I have seen while researching. Javascript is an object-oriented and prototype-based programming language that are functional and imperative. Javascript is used both on the client-side and server-side. JS Frameworks are a collection of libraries that contributes already written JS code that can be used for standard programming features and tasks. It allows you to create web applications efficiently and quickly (in other words, by using frameworks, you don’t have to build everything from scratch). Frameworks are also free and open-source! React.js Coming in at №1, React is the most prominent JS framework since it was launched by Facebook in 2003. It has become highly popular because of its simplicity and flexibility by allowing developers to create reusable UI components. Reusable components are code blocks that can be classified as either classes or functions. Each component represents a specific part of a page such as a button, a list, a form, etc. In terms of syntax, most developers agree that React is the easiest to learn if you know JavaScript. React is actually a library that is especially popular when it comes to front-end web development. Aside from Facebook, business giants like AirBnB, Paypal, Instagram, and Netflix (to name a few) use React. Reusable components Efficient performance due to virtual DOM Strongly preferred for Single Page Applications Angular Coming in №2 is Angular. Some will debate that Angular may be more popular and in-demand than React. Founded in 2009 and backed by Google, Angular is an open-source front-end web framework that allows JS to bind with HTML and CSS. The latest version of Angular was released last year, in 2020 that is based on TypeScript. Angular allows developers to create native and web applications for mobile and desktop. Just like React, Angular also uses component-based structure. This allows developers to manipulate, and reuse the components as needed. Aside from Google, other tech giants that use Angular are Microsoft, YouTube, and Samsung Has built-in dependency injection that enables developers to build, comprehend and evaluate applications One-way data binding — allows singular behavior for the app and minimizes risks of possible errors Designed to develop a Single Page Application Vue.js Coming in at №3, Vue is another open-source, progressive JS framework for developing a creative User Interface(UI). The integration with Vue in projects using other JS libraries is made easier because it is developed to be adaptable. One of the strengths of Vue is its command-line-interface (CLI). It provides plugins and presets that quickly scaffold a new project via Vue create, or instantly prototype new ideas via Vue serve. In addition, the framework supports declarative rendering and uses Shadow DOM that makes for lightning-fast page loading. Companies that use Vue are PlayStation, Nintendo, Adobe, and Google’s Career Platform.	https://medium.com/@mtphm/javascript-frameworks-16bd70a63632	['Mai Pham']	2021-06-06 18:51:21.390000+00:00	['React', 'Vue', 'Framework', 'Angular', 'JavaScript']
Consensus Algorithm in Blockchain	Blockchain is decentralized ledger that is used to record transactions across many computers(nodes) on a network. Blockchain ledgers are immutable, tamper proof and append only which means that its transaction cannot be edited or deleted. How It Works Users of blockchain network sends requests which are known as transaction to the network. This transaction is then broadcasted to other nodes and each nodes will store the broadcasted transaction into their transaction pool, also known as mempool. A miner collects these transaction and put them in a container called blocks which will then be added to the chain on the network. A block on the chain extends a previous block and they are connected together using a property called previous Block hash which is the hash of the previous block. Tampering with a block in a single node will require re-calculation of the cryptographic hash of the remaining blocks in the chain and those block must be broadcasted to the other nodes before the next block is being generated, else the computation is wasted. State Machine Replication (Consensus) Consensus is the ability for nodes in a distributed systems to collectively agree on a decision to perform an action on the network. Problem Statement Back in the early days of distributed computing, there exist a problem called Byzantine General problem which simply means the process of executing a particular operations at the same time to get same output in a distributed system. Lets take this below image for example How do an army general pass messages to all other army generals to attack the castle at the same time knowing fully that if some generals didn't get the message and fails to attack at the said time will result into loss of battle. The above problem in blockchain simply means that how do we pass a message to all the node to update the copy of the ledger on their node at a given time so that all the node on the network will have an up to date ledger. Solution Byzantine Fault Tolerance Byzantine Fault Tolerance is the feature of distributed system for nodes to reach consensus even when some nodes in the network fails to respond, faulty or act maliciously. There has been different solution designed to tackle this issue which has all work well based on what you are trying to implement. We will look into some of those consensus mechanism to see how they works. 1. Proof Of Work Proof of work is one of the oldest algorithm built originally to deter denial of service attack, spamming and other malicious activities. It requires the user to find a nonce by continuously using cryptographic hash function to hash a piece of data until a result that match a target is found. Satoshi Nakamoto uses the proof of work algorithm in the bitcoin network which task miners to search for a nonce that when it is added to the block header will generate an hash with leading zeros that is more than or equal to a given target. Ethereum which is also a popular blockchain network uses the proof of work algorithm which allows the miner to find a nonce such when it is added to the block header, It will return a number lesser than or equal to a given target. Nodes on the network search for this nonce and immediately it is found, the proposed block will be sent to other nodes on the network to validate and the blocks get added to the chain. The miner gets the block reward and the transaction fees for the block. Pros It offers full Decentralization. Finality is low to achieve because there is a probability of forks and re-org. There is 100% liveliness, which means your network will not halt at any given time. Requires 51% of the network hashrate to launch an attach which is hard to achieve. Cons 1. It requires a lot of electricity to run a mining machine. 2. Miners becomes too powerful and they can censor a particular transaction from entering a block. 3. Doesn’t offer inclusiveness. 4. Low throughput. Few chain implementing this consensus are Bitcoin, Ethereum, ZCash, LiteCoin 2. Proof of Stake Due to the issues faced by the proof of work algorithm concerning the unnecessary wastage of electricity resources, there has been different effort to create new consensus algorithm that will be better and use less resources compare to proof of work. Proof of stake is a consensus mechanism which requires a miner(forger) to stake a some amount of native token which will be locked for a number of period. If the forger get selected for that epoch, he gets to create block which will be broadcasted to other validator nodes for validation. With this solution, the electricity resources has been removed and replaced with the native token which also works. Pros Low energy consumption. Requires 51% of the total token staked to launch an attack which will be very hard to come by. Cons Network will halt if there are not enough validators. Makes forger more richer and allow easier censorship of a transaction. Doesn’t offer inclusiveness. Increase risk of fork. Low throughput Example of chains implementing Proof of stake are ReddCoin, Ethereum(casper), NavCoin 3. Hybrid Pow/Pos Hybrid consensus is a type of consensus that allow both proof of work and proof of stake nodes to work hand in hand to create and validate blocks respectively before adding them to the chain. Pow miners uses their hardware to create the block while the pos miner uses their stake to validate the blocks and profit for the blocks are shared in between them. Pros Provide Inclusiveness Guarantee High finality of transaction Fork resistance. Makes censorship harder in the network. Requires 51% each of the total staked token & hash power to launch an attack Cons Low throughput Waste of electricity from the pow miners Examples of chain implementing hybrid consensus are MemCoin2, Decred, Gulden 4. DPOS (Dedicated Proof Of Stake) This is similar to Proof of stake with its major different being the fact that there are fix number of block producer which are elected by all token holders. Those block producer handles block creation and also store the full state of the block chain. Pros There is higher throughput because it requires lesser validators Less energy use. High finality Cons It is also seen as some sort of centralization by limiting the number of people who can act as a validator. Required voting participation from token holders by making sure that token holder voted for the right and stable node to become delegates so that it wont cause harm the network. 5. PBFT (Pratical Byzantine Fault tolerance) Nodes in the pBFT network are in orderly sequence and one node acts as the leader for the specific epoch PBFT models goals is to make sure that at least 66% of all the nodes in the network are good nodes and less than 1/3 nodes are malicious. The higher number of nodes joining a pbft network, the lesser the chance of malicious node rising up to 1/3 percent Pros Instant finality. Fork Resistance. Less energy consumption Cons Works well in a small grouped sized due to the number of communications going back and forth between the nodes. Example of chains using this consensus are : Hyperledger, Zilliqa 6. DBFT (Delegated Byzantine Fault Tolerance) This is a similar consensus mechanism with the PBFT and also the implementation of DBFT is based on PBFT with its only different being that there are elected delegates to participate in block creation and validation just like as it is in DPOS. Pros Instant finality. Fork Resistance. Less energy consumption. High throughput. Cons Less Decentralized because there are limited number of nodes that can become a delegates. Example of chains using this consensus are : NEO, Binance. Consensus Mechanism Market Share Consensus Mechanism Comparison Below is a tabular comparison of the major consensus mechanism against some of the features available to choose from.	https://medium.com/hackernoon/consensus-algorithm-in-blockchain-947a40d51219	['Sodimu Segun Michael']	2019-06-28 17:53:25.485000+00:00	['P2p', 'Consensus Algorithm', 'Distributed Systems', 'Blockchain', 'Distributed Ledgers']
The ascent of customer-centric ‘Digital Hidden Champions’ in Germany’s SME sector	How the German Mittelstand flourishes in the age of Manufacturing 4.0 German companies lke Siemens or Bosch are famous worldwide. But the mid-sized sector has also generated numerous global leaders, attracting foreign investors, especially from China (see previous article). Those firms emerged because of digital networking in industrial production, an era widely dubbed as Manufacturing 4.0 (“Industrie 4.0”). Innovative firms leading in the old economy, have an advantage digitalising its machines and automation technology and offering digital services. Especially in niches like engineering, automotive, electrical engineering, medical technology, those SMEs are the backbone of Germany’s economy. Digital hidden champions relentlessly focus on their customers. Leading in their industry, they know the market and its customer’s value chain inside out. They think practical and put the customers’s requirements first. Giants like Amazon or Alibaba might dominate the B2C sphere, but in the complex B2B (niche) sector entry barriers are higher and deep industry knowledge is focal. Where engineering and software technology converge, German ‘digital hidden champions’ prevail.¹ B2C customers might not be put off by Amazon delivery delays by a few hours/a day, whereas in f.e. B2B intra-logistics are precisely defined and time-sensitive to ensure a smooth production run.² The principal key success factor for Digital German Hidden Champions has been “customer focus”, a trait inherited from the pre-Digital age. — Hermann Simon (Simon Kucher & Partners) Let’s unveil three hidden champions from three different sectors that all thrive in the digital age through impeccable customer-centricity: (1) TeamViewer— Software Back in 2005, being the owner of a software company himself, TeamViewer founder Tilo Rossmanith, did not want to travel to clients on-site to showcase software. Since there was no comparable solution on the market, he decided to develop one. Thanks to software by TeamViewer it is now possible to access another PC, a notebook, tablet or smartphone. Teamviewer solves a relevant problem for B2B customers. Industry 4.0 applications like e.g. external access to machines or smartglasses, promise a great future for the company that is already a leader in this area. TeamViewer has an installed base of 1.5bn€ devices, generating a whopping 100M€ net income on 160M€ revenues, that’s an a profit margin of 62%. In 2014, the firm exited for ca. 1bn USD to private equity firm Permira, making it one of few German Mittelstand unicorns. (2) EOS — 3D printers Bavarian-based firm EOS (Electro-Optical Systems) produces 3D printers, tapping a wide range of B2B applications: aircraft turbines, miniature components for computers or dental bridges for doctors. The lis of applications permeates the B2C space, too, with heels for shoes or jewellery. Due to shorter product cycles and more demanding customers, the application possibilities of 3D printing are now increasingly diverse. Where complexity and individuality converge, EOS thrives. It is now the world leader in high-end solutions in additive manufacturing. EOS has an installed base of >2,000 machines (value ca. 1M€ each) worldwide⁴. Take a look at one of their use cases in the video below: EOS’ laser-sintering process for e-Manufacturing The success story doesn’t go unnoticed. Consultancy Simon-Kucher & Partners named EOS a “Hidden Champion” already in the mid-2000s. These firms are characterized by high growth, innvattion and globalisation. In 2019, EOS was awarded the presitgious IKOM award by the Bavarian Industry Association VBW. Its goal is to promote the awareness of regional hidden champions for university students to curb the labor shortage in those technical jobs (see previous article). The company implements many best practices to attract high-skilled workers. First, new joiners start off with a „Welcome Day“, a primer on EOS’ strategies, processes and technologies; a great way to network cross-functionally. Second, every employee is assigned to a “Buddy”, i.e. an experienced mentor within EOS. Third, employees can choose from a wide range of in-house trainings to stay up-to-date with industry trends.⁵ (3) Schunk — Robotic hands In todays’ digital age, hardly any single car is produced without the help of robots. Its ‘hands’, the grippers, weld, assemble and paint the vehicles at speed and with great precision. Heilbronn-based manufacturer Schunk’s deep customer knowledge is reflected in its broad product portfolio: They have more than 4,000 robotic hands in their programme. Still, the firm does not stop innovating. It spends an above-industry average 7.9 % of its revenue on R&D (Hidden champion avg: 7.2%)⁶. In 2016, Schunk presented a new gripper designed to ensure safe collaboration between humans AND robots (Figure 1).Customers include all of the leading auto brands.⁷ Schunk’s CEO, Henrik Schunk summarises the firm’s approach to customer-centricity⁸: Schunk is taking on the perspective of its customers to guarantee a tailor-made product offering and holistic service package: To care for customers means to first understand what they need.“ (Henrik Schunk, Schunk CEO)	https://medium.com/@glawoggermarc1/the-ascent-of-digital-hidden-champions-in-german-s-sme-sector-7506d24b6b21	['Marc Glawogger']	2020-01-19 17:17:39.695000+00:00	['Digital', 'Manufacturing', 'B2B', 'Smart Manufacturing', 'Sme']
How I learned to live with Cognitive Dissonance	How I learned to live with Cognitive Dissonance An idea on how you could Photo by Aarón Blanco Tejedor on Unsplash Cognitive dissonance has me in a spin, two opposing thoughts. I question who’s going to win. So I let logic and reason slowly creep in, and bingo, one of them is subdued. Oh no, but what’s that now knocking at my door? It’s anxiety and anguish returning from their tour. Their gifts unwelcome fill my headspace, so I call out for calmness and serenity to take their place. It takes a long time for them to arrive but first comes acceptance, and gradually I begin to thrive. So the next time cognitive dissonance has me in its grips, I am going to bypass logic and reason, just for kicks.	https://medium.com/lit-up/how-i-learned-to-live-with-cognitive-dissonance-ff8951f4baf2	['Jesse Wilson']	2019-01-06 18:48:41.991000+00:00	['Self Improvement', 'Mental Health', 'Poetry', 'Life Lessons', 'Psychology']
My solar revolution	Today is a great day where I start something new and start something scary. Happy Birthday to me! 🦁🦄 Past few weeks have been extremely intense, eye opening and have started to revolutionize my inner world. I parted ways with someone who made me feel loved in way I have never experienced love before. The pain of losing that connection started leading me to new people in my life who started showing me parts of myself that I lost and I needed to reconnect with. Although I was going through hell of a heartbreak, it still felt like the universe was on my side, helping me, supporting me and healing me. For years I had been dealing with myself being emotionally unavailable and I didn't even know I had become that person until Vashishta said it out loud to me. He said ..”Harsha you don’t show emotions and hide yourself “, I went from wtf are you talking about to oh shit he is right! Vashishta nudging me, pushing me and working on me and Vashita- my soul sister, my ride or die inspiring me to be myself, love myself and accept myself everyday is the reason a new Harsha is coming to life today. With this level of unconditional support and love that I have received, I have been able to build some more new and meaningful connections. One of the most inspirational and realest connections I have built is with Rahul Dada. I have barely known Rahul Dada for a few weeks but he gives me his time, love, support & trust so easily and so unconditionally. His personality and journey is teaching me how to live each moment to the fullest and as authentically as possible.So, I called him today to seek his blessing for my birthday and I asked him to give me one advice that I must follow this year. He said.. Harsha start writing at least two articles a week for the next 365 days on medium. I said ok but I am scared as hell to do this and he said this is exactly why you should do this. So.. Here I am publishing my first article while embracing my vulnerability fully. Also, his love for Pallavi vahini is what makes me believe in love again. It’s been such a reassurance to know love exists and love will find me one day when I am ready. But until love finds me, I am going to find myself. I am going to accept myself & my emotions fully. I am going brave vulnerability and going to ask for help when I need it. I am going to stay open to all possibilities. I am going to forgive myself for not knowing better. I am going to love myself and others unconditionally. I am going to keep seeking inspiration from all these wonderful people that I have met in my journey of self revolution — Vashu, Rahul Dada, Vashishta, Himanshu, Ashna, Deepa, Jasmeet, Juhi & my baby sister Tanu. I love you all so much and thank you for being a part of my journey.	https://medium.com/@harshamyvybe/my-solar-revolution-293249590029	[]	2021-09-06 11:52:45.177000+00:00	['Friendship', 'Birthday', 'Love', 'Self Love Courage', 'Connection']
Musonius Rufus — I: There is no need of giving many proofs for one problem	Musonius Rufus — I: There is no need of giving many proofs for one problem Massimo Pigliucci Follow Jan 1 · 4 min read [image: “She had quite a long argument with the Lory.” Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, WikiMedia; this is essay #260 in my Patreon/Medium series] With this post I am beginning a limited series of commentaries on Musonius Rufus’ lectures. Musonius was one of the most prominent Stoics in first century Rome and the teacher of Epictetus. He apparently did not write anything down, and we owe his transcribed lectures to one of his students, a certain Lucius. For this series I am using the classic 1947 translation by Cora E. Lutz, published by Yale University Press and reissued in 2020 with the title That One Should Disdain Hardships. Lecture I concerns how we should teach philosophy or, more generally, how we should comport ourselves when it comes to the arguments in support of this or that conclusion. Musonius’ advice here, therefore, is very generally applicable. His main point is that we shouldn’t waste time coming up with more arguments, or more complex arguments, than is needed to make a point. That’s because we are not in the business of academics, cultivating intellectual pursuits for their own sake, but rather in the business of practical philosophers, where arguments are aimed at making people’s lives better. Deploying a standard analogy with medicine, Musonius says: “Just as the physician who prescribes many drugs for his patients deserves less praise than the one who succeeds in helping them with a few, so the philosopher who teaches his pupils with the use of many proofs is less effective than the one who leads them to the desired goal with few. … Those who require proofs at every point, even where the matter is perfectly clear, or demand to have demonstrated at length things which could be explained briefly are completely inept and dull-witted.” Case in point. Recently a relative of mine asked me for information about the relative effectiveness of different anti-covid measures enacted by governments around the globe. So I directed him to this summary I put together, based on recent technical literature. He wasn’t satisfied. He wanted to check out the experimental methods and statistical analyses of the original papers. This even though I know for a fact that he lacks the technical know-how to actually understand such papers. “Inept and dull-witted,” Musonius would have said. (I didn’t, I just gave him the papers and let him deal with them.) Musonius provides a couple of specific examples of what he means. Here is one, aimed at establishing a standard point of Stoic doctrine: “Take for example the proposition that pleasure is not a good. At first sight we do not recognize it as true, since in fact pleasure appeals to us as a good. But starting from the generally accepted premise that every good is desirable and adding to it a second equally accepted that some pleasures are not desirable, we succeed in proving that pleasure is not a good: that is, we prove the unknown or unrecognized by means of the known or recognized.” This is an anti-hedonist argument, which, once formalized, goes like this: Premise 1: Everything that is good is therefore desirable Premise 2: Some pleasures are not desirable Conclusion 1: Therefore, some pleasures are not good Conclusion 2: By extension, pleasure is not a [unqualified] good Conclusion 1 definitely follows logically from the two premises, that is, the argument is valid. The two premises are also unquestionably true, so the argument is sound. Conclusion 2, that pleasure is not an unqualified good, follows from the notion — accepted by all Hellenistic philosophers — that the term “good” should be applied only to things that are always good, like virtue. If something is sometimes good and sometimes not, like pleasure, then it is preferred or dispreferred, depending on the specific circumstances. The basic point of the lecture, that we should aim at a small number of good arguments and not engage in argument for its own sake, comes with a qualification. Some people will require more convincing than others: “Consider that some people are quicker of wit and others duller, that some are reared in better environments, others in worse; those of the latter class being inferior in character and native disposition will require more proofs and more diligent attention to be led to master the teachings in question and to be molded by them.” Teach the students you have, not the ones you would like to have. Musonius here is recognizing that natural propensities and circumstances together will make some people better reasoners and quicker learners than others. If we find ourselves confronted with individuals who require more work, then we need to put in more work. This means you need to pay attention, whenever you engage in conversation, and gauge the level of background knowledge and understanding of your interlocutor, so that you can tune your arguments for the appropriate, most efficacious level. Musonius concludes with an important warning for wannabe teachers of philosophy: practice what you preach, or your efforts will be in vain. We read:	https://massimopigliucci.medium.com/musonius-rufus-i-there-is-no-need-of-giving-many-proofs-for-one-problem-3d19b54d275b	['Massimo Pigliucci']	2021-01-04 08:59:17.898000+00:00	['Stoicism', 'Musonius Rufus', 'Philosophy']
Postpartum depression	Postpartum depression We hear these words and never really think about it until it happens to us. Postpartum depression is a very real thing. During my pregnancy my doctor talked to me about this because I suffer from depression and anxiety without the added stress of childbirth and hormones. After my son was born my doctor told my husband the signs to look for. He wouldn’t release us from the hospital until he was sure we both knew what to look for. Sure enough 9 days later my husband finds me sitting in our son’s room rocking him while I cried. When asked what was wrong I told my husband our baby is 9 days old and I’m not sure how it’s been that long. The next several weeks were very hard on me. I would cry for no reason. I didn’t feel like myself. I felt like a horrible mom. I had no idea what I was doing. But I did know I wanted sleep and to curl up in a ball and never leave my bed. Just let me sit here and cry. At 13 weeks old I had to leave my son to return to work. I didn’t feel at all ready for that. I cried the 30 mins to work that day. I cried while I pumped. It was a hard time. I just wanted to go home and hold my baby. Now I’m sure most mothers have that feeling but for me it was like the end of the world. I cried for the weeks leading up to it too. To make matters worse my milk supply dropped after I returned to work. He was drinking more milk while I was at work than what I was bringing home. This killed me. We were already supplementing formula for a few feedings a day because our son didn’t gain weight as fast as he should and I barely produced enough. (Even if I did pump for all those feedings missed). We put way too much pressure on breastfeeding moms. But that’s a post for another day. Day after day I had to fight to find my new norm. I wasn’t who I was before baby. And I wasnt what I thought I would/should be. I lost my identity. You go from being an individual to being mommy. To make matters worse it’s not even your kid calling you mommy, It’s your husband and family and friends. That’s what hurts the most is you start to feel like even to the people who knew you before that the only thing you are is the mommy to this new person. Now postpartum depression is hard and it’s not something that will magically go away. My husband saw the signs and knew he needed to act or things would get worse. He called my sisters and demanded they steal me for a few hours. Get me out of the house for awhile. My first time leaving my son.. 😬 it’s scary to do but it’s needed so you can be yourself for a few. I survived it took time and finding my new self and my new norm. But guess what baby number two and postpartum can very likely come back. It’s even more likely to happen if you already had it before. My second pregnancy my anxiety and depression were worse than before. I wasn’t happy in my job. I was sick all the time. I was miserable. I started having trouble driving because of my anxiety. Started having panic attacks because I was sure I was going to give birth to my baby at work. Had to fight for my rights at work. It’s 2021 and there are laws that protect pregnant woman. But some companies don’t seem to give a flying f*#%. I had to remind people over and over again that I needed to be able to sit down. It was always a fight well you can’t sit there or there or there or right now. And don’t feel sick because if you aren’t actively looking busy you will get in trouble. Oh and now when you are in your 8–9th month you can’t sit in a chair for a couple mins to stop feeling dizzy. You have to sit on a bar stool at a computer staying busy. Or you have to clock out for an unpaid break. (Oh and the break room is up a flight of stairs.) 😡. It’s 80+ degrees outside. I’m a human furnace. I have dizzy spells. I get hot flashes. I’m drowning myself with water. And they wanted to have problems. When I told them I would need a place to pump when I returned I was told the public family bathroom. Federal law states that can’t be a companies only option for nursing mothers. After that I was told an electrical room. That’s better than the bathroom I guess but still not really the calming environment you need when pumping. Can you imagine knowing that’s what you are returning to after your unpaid leave? You may take 12 weeks but your bank account is not going to allow that. I knew my leave was going to be stressful and full of anxiety or postpartum depression because I would be returning to a job that did not support me or my needs while I was pregnant. What’s going to happen when my baby is sick or has a check up? What’s going to happen if my babysitter is sick? Are they going to understand? This blog has gotten off topic. So to get back on track. Being a new mom is hard. Even for us moms that have done it before. This newborn is different than the one(s) before. I suffered from postpartum depression with my son. I cried because he was a day older. I cried because I felt like I was alone. I cried because I wasn’t the same person I was before having a child. I cried because I couldn’t fit into my pre pregnancy clothes. See the pattern? I cried and cried. As time went on and I figured out how to handle my new life And cried less. This time around I don’t feel like I did last time. I don’t cry as much. Does that mean I don’t have postpartum depression? Not necessarily. I don’t feel like I’m my own person. Between Ethan wanting my attention and Eliza needing me for food and comfort and sleep. By the end of the day I feel pulled in so many directions and I’m mentally preparing for another long night with colicky Eliza. I feel lost. But not everyday. Some days I feel so happy and blessed by my wonderful husband and by the joy having kids can be. Watching Ethan love on his baby sister 😍. Today I’m sitting her trying to relax and have some time for me. While my ears still hear everything and fight the urge to go to my babies. I know I need this time. So new moms take that time. Be selfish sometimes. You are still a human that needs to do things you did before having kids. Take care of yourself. Because you can’t be expected to take care of others while you ignore yourself. If you are feeling the blues talk to someone! (I’m here if you want to talk). Friends and family of those with new babies know the signs of postpartum depression. Step up and help that new family if you can. Don’t ignore that new mom that just needs a break. We might look like we have it all together and like we are supermom but at the end of the day we might be crying ourselves to sleep. Give us that break so we can break down for a few minutes before drying our tears and coming back to be the superhero our kids think we are.	https://medium.com/@libertybell2011/postpartum-depression-ed67140393cb	['The Mama']	2021-08-01 03:27:21.743000+00:00	['Newborn', 'Postpartum Anxiety', 'Postpartum Depression', 'Family', 'Moms']
Tracking Parliament with Machine Learning: Part 3 — Introducing Parlawatch!	Tracking Parliament with Machine Learning: Part 3 — Introducing Parlawatch! Alphabyte’s Parlawatch, now available in beta mode, automatically generates a short 3-minute summary to keep you updated with proceedings at Canada’s House of Commons Lyndon Chan Follow Dec 10, 2020 · 4 min read Ever tried to keep updated with parliamentary proceedings in Canada but felt overwhelmed by the sheer volume of content? Or tried browsing your favourite news source but failed to find any mention of what happened today? If so, Alphabyte’s Parlawatch is the tool for you! Whether you are an ordinary citizen or a political analyst/journalist, Parlawatch gives you an easily navigable interface to each day’s Question Period in the Canadian House of Commons. This article will go over why it’s needed and what it is currently capable of. The tool is currently under development, so expect to see some changes in the look and feel over time, but the functionality will remain. This article is the third of our parliamentary project series. For more information, check out our first and second articles. Contents Background Methodology Features Don’t be a stranger Background Question Period is the daily 45-minute period in the Canadian House of Commons where the Members of Parliament (MPs) have the opportunity to ask policy-related questions to the government. Time is allotted according to the number of seats held by each party and questions are always answered by the Prime Minister, their Ministers, or their representatives. For opposition parliamentarians, Question Period is an opportunity to hold the government to account for their policies and ask for clarification, and for governing parliamentarians to highlight the positive contribution by their government. Forty-five minutes per day might not seem like a lot of time to stay informed on Parliament (although sittings were far less frequent in the initial months of COVID-19). But add it up over time and it becomes a significant commitment. Missed yesterday’s sitting? Well, you now have to catch up on 90 minutes of proceedings. The average Canadian already spends little time every day watching news broadcasting: only 24 minutes for English speakers outside of Quebec and 28 minutes for French speakers in Quebec. Consider the regular partisan attacks and delaying tactics … and you have a good idea of why Canadians need a concise, objective summary of what is happening every day. Methodology Fortunately, as we covered in an earlier article, the Canadian government publishes a transcribed and well-annotated digital record of what is said in parliament every day. At Alphabyte Research Lab, we scrape the day’s Question Period proceedings as soon as they are available online, apply our machine learning models in the backend, and push our summaries to our website. This way, instead of watching a 45-minute video every day, Parlawatch has you covered with a 3-minute concise summary! At a high level, Parlawatch currently operates by: Loading the Question Period structured transcripts Grouping the Question Period interventions into Question/Answer scenes Applying a model to summarize each Question/Answer scene Grouping the scenes by party and day Applying a second model to summarize the proceedings of each party per day Features So … what can you do with Parlawatch right now? Browsing today’s daily report With the beta, you can currently filter the proceedings summaries by Parliamentary session and day. As you might know, the Parliament of Canada sits in discrete sessions which usually begin after an election or a cabinet shuffle and end with a prorogation or another election. Exploring daily reports from historic parliamentary sessions and sittings Another feature we have is sharing to social media. If you would like to publicize or comment on the day’s proceedings with your friends and family, we have integrated sharing to LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter. Sharing the latest Parlawatch report with friends on social media Don’t be a stranger This is just the beta of Parlawatch and we have plenty of updates lined up (with beautiful visualizations, and in-depth text analysis) so stay tuned for the next release. If you are a journalist or political analyst interested in using this tool, or an engineer or researcher interested in helping us improve/build up Parlawatch, feel free to reach out to us by LinkedIn or email ([email protected])!	https://medium.com/alphabyte-research-lab/tracking-parliament-with-machine-learning-part-3-introducing-parlawatch-d78e9a9b2298	['Lyndon Chan']	2020-12-10 19:12:46.245000+00:00	['Ai For Good', 'Open Government', 'Open Data', 'Cdnpoli', 'NLP']
How to message anyone on Opensea	Opensea is a marketplace without options to contact each other. This is highly unusual and surprising to new users (and even savvy crypto users). All popular marketplaces have accustomed us to convenient messaging systems to contact sellers and buyers in a tap. eBay, Upwork, Airbnb. Without this option, the transaction velocity and trust would be different. Opensea does not have such a system because it (and other NFT marketplaces) is not based on accounts — usually based on emails — but on wallet addresses. How you do send an email to a wallet address? Some projects like upcoming xmtp promise they will bring that up and maybe Opensea will actually build it. But for now there is no solution. How would you reach me if i was not public Well there is one and it is native to that system Why would you need to message anyone on Opensea? To exchange with the creator before a transaction To obtain further details on his “proof of work” To resolve a conflict if a mistake was made on a transaction you may want to thank the seller/the buyer To approach someone who owns/squats the ENS of your trademark. (we just did this with ZenGo) How can you message anyone on Opensea? Technically you cannot but this is an elegant hack in a few simple steps: create an NFT message Create an image that contains the message you want to send with a way to be contacted back “Hey I need to talk to you, DM me on twitter on @ whatever” Mint that image on your opensea account. Your image is now an NFT Transfer it for free (gift it) to the account you wish to contact The image with the message will show in his gallery Watch the magic how to transfer any NFT to any wallet address Limits you have no guarantee he will see it or even answer. Opensea has a notification system but not for received NFTs only for sells/buys It’s not free. You will have to pay a gas fee to transfer the NFT to the address. This could open the gate to NFT spam. That said this is limited by gas cost to transfer the NFT Personal story Last week I was in a situation where I missed the bid on a private sale and someone took it by mistake. The creator mistakenly made it public instead of private. He came up with that idea above which i thought was genius. It even earned us a viral tweet which ended up on Bloomberg. And the idea still seems to resonate with many in need of a solution This week we realized someone squatted our ENS for ZenGo (ZenGo.eth). We could not find the registrant but we did send him a message to return it. We will see if that works Taking it one step further Someone can make a product out of this. Here is the product requirements create a web service called NFTinbox (or whatever you want) Textbox for your message to type + field of point of contact NFTinbox transforms that into a highly readable and impactful visual image with options of colors and backgrounds connect with your wallet enter the wallet address you want to transfer it too pay the fee NFTinbox is handling all the transfer To build it you need to consider a simple form a text to image conversion with a few image templates to chose from a wallet connect integration an integration with opensea APIs A smart contract to handle the transfer of the NFT NFTinbox Someone will have fun making this and will even make money on it.	https://medium.com/@ourielohayon/how-to-message-anyone-on-opensea-ffb5d6a4041c	['Ouriel Ohayon']	2021-09-05 07:36:42.122000+00:00	['Nft', 'Opensea', 'Messaging']
The Brutal Seriousness of Brendan Gleeson’s Trump in “The Comey Rule”	Showtime Americans have become downright exhausted of this president. The endless drama of the last five years of American life, Trump’s dogged, relentless obsession to be at the center of every conversation every person is having every single day, is a wave that appears to have crested in the last week. Politico reporter Tim Alberta captured it well: It’s impossible to quantify how tired Americans are of this presidency. … They feel trapped inside a reality TV show and are powerless to change the channel. They want a break, even if they don’t want a new program. … weary of their social media feeds and kitchen table conversations being dominated by Trump, voters may resent that he turned a sympathetic situation into yet another showcase of administrative incompetence and self-celebrating bravado. Alberta is breaking down Trump’s political prospects, but that’s less interesting, particularly now that it increasingly looks like he may be toast. Trump, especially in what appears to be his final stages in office, resembles less a president than an aging and desperate starlet who once enraptured audiences but now performs on his own private stage, for only himself. Unfortunately, that stage is the Oval Office, which is making all of us feel less like American citizens than inmates locked inside the asylum with him: It’s an Escape Room with a desperate madman who will not … stop … talking. This is a difficult sensation to describe, not just because Trump has already been so omnipresent for five years but because he’s so inherently, viscerally ridiculous. We know he’s dangerous, we know how many people he has hurt, we know how incompetent his administration has been, but it’s still difficult to wrap your mind around all of it because he’s such a cartoon. The hair, the skin, the obvious lack of curiosity about anything outside of himself, the constant bullshittery … he’s so difficult to take seriously as a human being that it’s impossible to imagine anyone taking him seriously as a boss. Who would follow this preening, pouting lout? As often happens, it requires the arts to illuminate our reality. And I don’t think I’ve ever understood Trump better — or, specifically, what it’s like to have to deal with Trump better — than I did after watching “The Comey Rule,” the two-part series that debuted on Showtime last week. The series itself is … fine. It’s talky and occasionally a bit obvious, but writer-director Billy Ray has a sharp, focused wit (his Shattered Glass is one of the best movies about journalism ever) and its heart, or more specifically its outrage, is in the right place. Part One is entirely about James Comey’s anguish, ably played with self-righteous stiffness by Jeff Daniels, of running the FBI during the cursed 2016 presidential race; Donald Trump is often spoken of, but never seen. It’s in Part Two that Trump takes over. And it’s Brendan Gleeson who has the goods. Gleeson has long been one of our most respected actors. He’s most widely known for playing “Mad-Eye Moody” in the Harry Potter movies, though among film nerds, he’s probably most beloved for In Bruges and 28 Days Later. (He’s also pretty wonderful in Paddington 2 as a character named “Knuckles McGinty.”) He often plays gruff, imposing men, usually with soft hearts underneath. There is always a light of intelligence in his eyes, a deep inner life that’s hidden but evident. What’s most remarkable about his Trump, though, is that he has shut off that light. He has superficial physical similarities to Trump, but he is not doing an impression. What he does is use actorly technique to find the soul underneath his character only to discover that … there’s nothing there. Gleeson’s Trump is just a loud, braying, utterly insufferable and completely unstoppable force of nature, a man driven by only one thing: His need to dominate and humiliate. Gleeson does not explore the reasons behind this: There are no soliloquies as he stares out the window and laments his unforgiving father and miserable childhood. His Trump is simply a bull whose superpower is caring not one single whit about anything but himself. The whole second half of the film consists of normal, sane people of every political persuasion running into him and being utterly flabbergasted by the fact that this person could possibly exist, let alone be the leader of the free world. Gleeson plays him with the instincts of a wild animal. It would seem impossible, but Gleeson and Ray, by framing Trump as someone other people have to deal with—rather than a person we all just sit and stare at every day—have shed light on a man I would have thought no more light could be shed on. Gleeson makes Trump make sense. He is not driven by ideology, or lust, or greed, or money. All he wants to do is destroy and devour everything in his path. The performance reminded me, in a strange way, of Heath Ledger as The Joker. Trump’s Gleeson doesn’t want anything: He just wants to see what happens when the world burns. There’s no plan. There is no second level: There’s barely a first level. The mistake many other actors, most notably Alec Baldwin, have made with Trump is that they’ve tried to make him funny, or to ridicule him. I understand the impulse: He’s a completely absurd human being. But there is nothing funny about Gleeson’s Trump. He’s just a wrecking ball to everything that’s in his path, and plenty that isn’t. Why does he do it? Gleeson and Ray argue that the why doesn’t matter much. All that matters is that he does it. It’s the rest of us who have to deal with the ramifications of him, who have to clean up the wreckage he leaves in his wake. Every character in “The Comey Rule” tries to figure out how to navigate around him, to not be dragged under by him, to survive him. Every one of them fails. We all now know the feeling. Will Leitch will be writing multiple pieces a week for Medium. He lives in Athens, Georgia, with his family, and is the author of five books, including the upcoming novel “How Lucky,” released by Harper next May. He also writes a free weekly newsletter that you might enjoy.	https://williamfleitch.medium.com/the-brutal-seriousness-of-brendan-gleesons-trump-in-the-comey-rule-b0177e173b9f	['Will Leitch']	2020-10-08 02:04:12.960000+00:00	['Jeff Daniels', 'Donald Trump', 'Heath Ledger', 'The Comey Rule', 'Brendan Gleeson']
How to Approach a Medium Writer and Don’t Offend in the Process	WRITING How to Approach a Medium Writer and Don’t Offend in the Process Photo by Emile Perron on Unsplash You are about to leave a private note, send a message, or interact with a writer here in Medium. Please show respect. How do you show respect? You have to show that you mean what you say. You have to transmit that you dedicated a reasonable amount of time and effort to write your message. You need to show that you know what you are talking about, and more vital that you care about what the other person cares about. Please, I beg you, do not use a template message that fits anyone. That is such a disrespectful and evil act. Your message tries to appeal to what is essential for the other person, but you really don’t care. At that moment, you are playing with feelings. That is horrible, and I am sure you are not a horrible person, my dear. How did I come to think about this issue? Last week, I read the article “What Happens When You Actually DM a ‘DM to Collab’ Instagram Scammer” by Zulie Rane, where she tells with utmost details and patience how she dealt with spam brands that were reaching her. I feel empathy when she says she felt flattered and thought she did it, to feel then embarrassed at the realization these people were playing with her dreams and feelings. Some days ago, I received the next message: Screenshot of my Private Notes I might be exaggerating or might be too sensitive, but the first four letters are offensive. Why? Because it is a lie. At first, I felt happy. Someone read my first post and loved it! Then I thought, let see what does this person loved about my writing. Nothing. It is clearly a message redacted to copy and paste here and there and everywhere. Engineered to make the writer feel happy and propel him to do what you want with the emotion as gas. Cheap evil manipulation. After the previous drama, maybe the guy who sent me the message is right in a pragmatic way in the context of his goals. Maybe after one hundred copy and paste, he gets 70 persons to do what he wants, making his platform grow and eventually increase his revenue. With more dollars in the bank account, then, who cares about sensitive people?	https://medium.com/@jeguzman/how-to-approach-a-medium-writer-and-dont-offend-in-the-process-61b81e308713	['J.E. Guzman']	2020-12-06 01:04:35.151000+00:00	['Writing', 'Approach', 'Writers On Medium', 'Networking', 'Manipulation']
PWiC New England Chapter Launched	On June 6th 2020, we officially kicked off PWiC New England Chapter. Though the kick off meeting was held online due to Covid-19, it didn’t dampen our spirits of starting something meaningful for Pakistani women in the New England Area. Attendees included professional women from the fields of Program Management, Data Science, Software development and Biotechnology. It was also very encouraging to see students from PhD Programs and high schools (looking to pursue STEM) join our event. The event was launched by me, Saadia Khilji, as the Chapter Lead for New England. I provided an overview of PWiC, its leadership team, and its mission to connect, learn and grow together. I shared my career progression — from a developer, systems analyst to an Assistant Vice President in a financial services firm. Being a minority in the workplace is never easy and for me it came with many challenges, as I lacked the support of an affinity group. These challenges instilled a desire in me to initiate the PWiC chapter in New England area so that others can benefit from what I was missing earlier in my career. Sharing our journey The session was quite interactive. Saima Rahi, New England Chapter Growth Lead, talked about her passion for helping other Pakistani women enter STEM. Saima has been providing resume guidance to many fresh college graduates. Shahina Rahman, our Learning Lead, discussed her transition from a home maker to an Application Manager, which could not have been possible without her family’s support. Key themes Other attendees also shared their corporate journeys and brainstormed some of the goals for PWiC New England Chapter. The following themes emerged: Provide mentoring to women who want to break the glass ceiling Offer networking opportunities in the New England Area Provide guidance to Pakistani-American women pursuing STEM degrees in the US Create an active list of IT employers in the area What’s Next? As we expand our chapter further, we plan to host a variety of events for women in IT from Connecticut, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Vermont, Maine and New Hampshire. Our chapter also plans to host a panel with the senior executives in the near future. We also hope to provide career counseling and resume building services. If you are interested in joining, please email [email protected]. Looking forward to an exciting 2020! About the author Saadia E Khilji Saadia Khilji is a successful technology leader with experience in leading high performing IT teams. She currently works as Head of Data Integrations at a leading financial services company in Massachusetts.Throughout the years, Saadia has gained experience in multiple areas — digital transformation, robotics and Machine Learning operationalization to name a few. She holds a passion for learning new technologies and transforming teams towards success by delivering what is most valuable for the organization. A big advocate of diversity and inclusion, Saadia has held leadership positions in multiple employee resource groups that support growth of women in technology and minority groups at the workplace. She is also the chapter lead for Pakistani Women in Computing New England Chapter. Saadia has also been a speaker in multiple panels where she has openly shared her career journey and coaches others in leadership philosophy based on trust and team empowerment.	https://medium.com/pwic/launching-pwic-new-chapter-whats-ahead-72a867fdb0dc	['Saadia Khilji']	2020-06-29 00:41:28.169000+00:00	['New England', 'Pwic', 'Women In Tech']
Beyond the Rainbow: LGBTQI+ Designers Define Pride at Microsoft	Why is this initiative important to you? Aleksey Fedorov (AF), He/Him/They/Them: I grew up in Russia, where being gay is almost impossible. I’m hoping that through the Pride campaign we can reach LGBTQI+ people and allies around the world to share our support and show how together we can make a more equal world for all. Ana Arriola (AA), She /Her /They /Them: Rachel Elizabeth Cragle says it best representing our Queer People of Color communities: “We cannot overcome what we ignore.” As a Latinx queer lesbian womxn of trans and nonbinary experience, I ensure we take a genuinely intersectional holistic approach to lean in and lift us all up for future generations to follow. I spend my personal time advocating for and educating people on policies with others both inside and outside of Microsoft. As a public spokesperson on AI/AGI and intersectionality with a social-justice point of view, I do this by celebrating our future generation, the Alphas. As a mother of three Alphas, they inspire and remind me daily of how much more our generations of today need to be more like them. Sven Seger (SS), He/Him: I came out in the late 1980s with the AIDS epidemic as a backdrop. You not only came out for yourself, but also for the people around you who had AIDS and only had a short amount of time left. We took action back then on many fronts, and the times have changed for the better. I am proud of Microsoft for supporting us in using the Pride celebration as a reminder of the fact that it takes action to drive progress. Adam Krett (AK), He/Him: Growing up, my only exposure to the LGBTQI+ community was the things I saw in the news, movies, or the slurs thrown around by friends and classmates. As I began to make friends with and work with the great people in this community, I realized how much I didn’t know or was wrong based on stereotypes. While I am very proud that Microsoft is a champion for equality, I am especially happy to share my learnings with my daughters. Providing a view into an inclusive world is something I value greatly and hope they can champion in their own lives. Image description: The official Microsoft Pride 2019 anthem video. How is your team taking action with the design of these Pride-inspired products? Elliot Hsu (EH), He/Him: Fifty years after Stonewall, actions still count louder than words. For us, one of the actions is to design products with and for the LGBTQI+ community that gives visibility to groups that have often been erased and neglected. We partnered with our LGBTQI+ employees to do just that. AK: From an overall brand perspective, we really focused on ensuring the campaign represented our values and commitment to diversity and inclusion. We wanted the voices of our employees to shine through every moment. The heritage of Stonewall, the parade buttons, voices of our employees, and underpinnings of taking action for equality became the fabric of the message.	https://medium.com/microsoft-design/beyond-the-rainbow-lgbtqi-designers-define-pride-at-microsoft-24e0c00a9fb9	['Joline Tang']	2019-08-22 17:08:50.820000+00:00	['Design', 'Pride', 'Creators', 'Microsoft', 'Equality']
Turning Date Night into a Mini-Adventure in San Francisco	Like many San Franciscans, I don’t own a car. I bike, walk, and take public transportation or Lyft almost everywhere. Typically, this means I end up staying within a mile radius of my house (the Mission, Castro, and Noe Valley) even though I know the city has so much more to offer. So one night, after a flurry of referrals that landed me 13 Lyft ride credits that were all expiring within a month, Jon and I decided to pop our Mission date bubble and venture out to all the areas of San Francisco that we never go out in. When Friday night rolled around, we left our Mission home for the ultimate San Francisco date night, powered by a series of Lyft rides. Stop One: Drinks and Appetizers at Two Sisters Bar and Books in Hayes Valley Our first stop was in neighboring Hayes Valley at Two Sisters Bar and Books for a couple of cocktails and an appetizer to start off the night. Though on the pricier side, they do have a solid happy hour deal and a cozy, bookish vibe that the bibliophile in me couldn’t resist. The bar was started, as the name suggests, by two sisters who were inspired by “an incredible bookstore in Krakow; a quintessential coffee-house in Vienna; [and] a neighborhood bar in Paris.” Once we entered, it all made sense. Unfortunately, we arrived a little too late for happy hour (whoops!) and at 7 on a Friday, all of the seats were already taken by a hip-yet-artsy crowd. Still, the ambiance was as promised, so we settled in to a corner in the back, ordered up a couple of cocktails, pickles, and chicken wings. The low lighting and patterned wallpaper felt romantic and the cocktails were delicious. Like many of the neighboring bars and restaurants in Hayes, it had a decidedly European (and non-Mission) feel to it. “Man, the bartenders here are just so… nice,” Jon said as he put down his empty glass and I took out my phone to call our second ride of the night. Stop Two: Dinner at Shanghai Dumpling King in Outer Richmond If you like Chinese food, San Francisco has a lot of great and authentic options, several of which are in the Richmond. It’s a far trek for Mission-dwelers who are happy to have the cultishly famous Mission Chinese as their go to, but worth it if you’re craving one thing in particular: soup dumplings. I’d never had one before (ever!) so, in the spirit of trying new things, we headed to Shanghai Dumpling King for our main course. Ironically, we caught a ride with an SFU college student who lived in the area and was saving money to teach English in Shanghai after the semester ended. Jon chatted about the semester he spent studying there. Call it a sign if you want, I’ll let it be a “mood builder”. After a conversation filled, twenty minute drive, we arrived at Shanghai Dumpling King and joined the line of dumpling fans to get a table. “It’s a 15 minute wait,” the server told us — an unusually short wait time for a popular San Francisco dinner spot. Even better, the line moved fast and efficiently, and before we were even seated the server asked us for our order. Jon took charge and ordered in Chinese. “What did you get?” I asked. “Soup dumplings… and something else. I have no idea what I ordered, but the guy recommended them so I just said yes.” He said. We’d figure out later that he had ordered a classic Shanghai style pork dumpling (more than fine by me!) The food came fast. I giggled as Jon taught me how to properly pick up a soup dumpling, bite off the top, and pour sauce into it. Within 10 minutes, we’d hungrily gobbled down a dozen and a half dumplings and were ready to move on to stop three before it closed. Stop Three: After Dinner Drinks at Cliff House at Ocean Beach Which brings us to a San Francisco classic: drinks at the Cliff House, a former amusement park, now restaurant and bar, that overlooks the Pacific Ocean on — you guessed it — a cliff. We normally pass it on long bike rides but since it’s so far away never considered it as a potential spot to grab a drink at. Unlike our first two stops of the night, we didn’t go there for the food and drinks per say, but rather its reputation for being a San Francisco landmark and its view of the Pacific. Even with the sun long ago set, we could see the dark waves crashing onto the shore below our window side table. Full of dumplings, we sat and sipped a glass of Merlot while a jazz band set up stage. Jon began looking up the history of the Cliff House online. “It’s the same guy who owned Sutro Baths,” Jon said. I tried to imagine how it must have looked and felt to be here back in its original form. Not long after, the band began playing old 20s classics, further solidifying the old-timey atmosphere of the place. I felt a world away from home. We felt even more remote when, after finishing our Merlots, we realized we were so far away from other people that it would take a full 10 minutes for our driver to arrive. It was time to start heading back in the direction of the Mission. Stop Four: A Scenic View (sort of) at Twin Peaks However, we didn’t exactly choose a less remote part of town. Before rounding off our impromptu culinary tour of San Francisco with dessert, we wanted to try and catch a glimpse of the city at night. “Where ya headed?” our driver asked. “Twin Peaks,” we said and got in. Quickly, we had abandoned the flat expanse of the ocean for a steep ascent up to the second tallest hill in San Francisco (quite a title in this city). Neither of us had been there at night before and had high hopes of looking out over a glistening, nighttime, cityscape. However, as we got to the top a heavy fog kept our driver from seeing too far in front of him and us from seeing what would have otherwise been a beautiful view of the city (damn you, Karl!) Nevertheless, we had made it so we dutifully stepped out, shivered for a minute while staring into haze of lights we could see before getting back in the car. “Where to now?” Our driver asked. “Foreign Cinema, in the Mission.” We said. Stop Five: Dessert at Foreign Cinema in Mission Of course, however stuck in our little neighborhood we may get, there’s still so much to explore just around our house, so many places we’ve yet to try that are right around the corner. For me at least, one of these places was Foreign Cinema, a bar / restaurant known for the giant movie screen backdrop that plays old and foreign films while diners eat and chat. We ordered our final round of drinks and a cheese plate for dessert. “The food here isn’t that good,” Jon said. (To be fair, Foreign Cinema’s ratings are good, I’ve still never eaten anything there, and Jon has unusually high standards — so, if you’re a Foreign Cinema fan… or employee… I apologize.) “Well, I guess you can’t mess up a cheese plate, right?” I said. Food quality aside, I liked the space. Tables are set up in a backyard garden to the backdrop of its large movie screen. Heat lamps keep the outdoor patio warm on cool San Francisco nights while strings of lights give the space a truly warm and welcoming air. It was a refreshing place to end the night. Stop Six: Home. Feeling tired, tipsy, and a little lazy, we called our final Lyft to take us the final mile home… and sleep. It’s now been a few months since our little adventure, and it’s still one of my favorite memories of San Francisco so far. This is mainly because it was one of the few times I dedicated to trying to see as much of it as possible in a short amount of time. I was exploring my city as I would any other new city in the world. Travel doesn’t always have to take us to some faraway, exotic place. Sometimes, it just means driving a few miles down the road to a new bar, or restaurant, or lookout point. As long as you’re open to discovering it, there’s so much to explore in your city. And if you don’t already have it, sign up for Lyft now, grab a couple of free rides, and let me know how you used them to see something or somewhere new! Photo credits: Christian Arballo	https://medium.com/beatnomad/how-lyft-inspired-my-most-creative-date-night-in-san-francisco-23ffc0415771	['Jessie Beck']	2017-01-29 18:40:56.192000+00:00	['Travel', 'San Francisco', 'Short Story', 'Food', 'Lyft']
Taraxa Weekly Update: Week 52.	Taraxa Weekly Update: Week 52. Working through the Christmas festivities! Our team doesn’t stop even in the merriest of times, with more optimizations and refactorings on Taraxa public network. Consensus and PBFT. Reviewed the code on the RPC call thread pool and refactored the logging. Implemented a test for retrieving data from DB. Fixed the unit test for VDF computing time cost. EVM transaction layer. Added an additional storage overhead (optional) to speed up the transactions by enabling the execution engine to read and write trie values from/to separate plain key/value tables. Check out our updated Ledger Roadmap and follow GitHub to be in the loop of our latest!	https://medium.com/taraxa-project/taraxa-weekly-update-week-52-910f3dab6a2a	['Olya Green']	2020-12-29 13:13:42.649000+00:00	['Taraxa Weekly Tech Update']
GUI programming with Rust	Rust is a systems programming language, that describes itself as a ‘safe, concurrent, practical language’. Because Rust supports cross compilation since its early stages and provides a platform agnostic standard library, it seems to be a perfect fit to develop native, high-performant graphical desktop applications. I therefore set out to explore the realms of GUI development with Rust to gain an increased understanding of its quirks and evaluate its readiness for being used in our projects. Getting a feeling for Rust So, before I go over how to build a GUI with Rust, let’s quickly iterate over some aspects of the language, that make it pleasant to work with. So, what makes Rust cool and why should I use it for that project? Null … or rather the lack thereof. In safe rust there is no null-pointer. This is done by the following: If you allocate a resource (e.g. a String), you need to fill it with a value (this is called RAII). But what to do if the content is not known yet? Rust provides an Option type, an enum either containing Some(...) or None . So is null just renamed to None ? Fortunately not. To use the contents of an Option you need to explicitly handle the case that it is None , for example by using a match statement, providing an alternative content or using .unwrap() . Using .unwrap() means, that you allow your code to panic (rust-slang for a more-or-less controlled crash) at this point. This is (obviously) bad practice, easily discoverable by static analysis (aka. grep in this case) and a deliberate action, that forces you to be aware that this can go wrong at that place. Built-in safety One of the main goals of the language is safety. This is achieved by using a combinations of multiple concepts, such as the ownership system, lifetimes and explicit mutability. With this, rust does not only ensure safety at compile time but also makes it easy to create clean, well-behaved code and hard(er) to create an unmaintainable mess. If you are starting out with rust, have a look at the ownership system, since it is an integral component of the language and is the enabler for most the nice features. In combination with the already mentioned RAII paradigm, the ownership system can prevent nullpointers and dangling pointers, just to name two representatives of a whole zoo of nasty problems. Since those concepts are covered in depth in other places (e.g. here if you like the official docs, here if you like animated stick figures and here if you are interested in the internals and don’t mind wrapping your head around some pointers) and require some time and thinking to understand, let’s have a look at two other things here: immutable references and iterators, since they play together nicely. Consider the following snippet: The function parameters a and b are of type &str , meaning an immutable reference to a string slice, the borrowed form of a string in rust. Since I used & instead of &mut , the reference to the String is immutable, assuring you that if you hand the reference to some code, the contents of the String won’t be changed. On the other side, when declaring the function like this, you ensure that you are not going to edit the strings, making it way easier to reason about the code. Doing this is not new, Ada( although with a bit weird syntax), allows the same reasoning on method parameters ( in and out parameters, have a look at this if you are interested) but in rust the borrowing system also expands to all references, enabling the enforcement of the famous borrowing-rules. In the sample above, I further make use of the iterators of rust: .chars() giving access to an iterator over (utf8) characters of a string. When zipped together, two iterators form another iterator of tuples, denoted by the (x, y) notation. Since they are a feature of the language, one can avoid constructs like Pair<A,B> and thanks to type inference, one doesn’t even has to specify the types, since they are clear to the compiler. In the above, when iterating over the read-only string slices, one does not even has to think about problems like a ConcurrentModificationException, known from the Java world, since the compiler would complain if we tried to modify the contents of our strings. Multithreading, Iterators (again) and pattern matching Since I do not want the UI to block while saving a potentially large image, I designed the application to run a special Thread responsible for generating previews and saving the resulting images. In hindsight this turned out to be quite unnecessary since the image crate is so fast, there is no noticeable delay when saving reasonably sized images. None-the less it shows how easy it is to use multithreading in rust: Let’s walk through the above code step by step: To facilitate inter-thread communication, there is an mpsc channel, allowing the UI to send messages from the tx (transmitter) to the rx (receiver). Then a new thread is spawned, passing it a closure with a capture environment. That thread then declares its local state consisting of the lines variable. It then iterates over all elements received by the channel, calling the code starting in L14 with the received request in req . The code then matches the req variable to several possible types representing the different kinds of requests that are then executed. Rust makes it hard to have shared state, pushing you towards separating your state into the threads it belongs and letting them communicate over channels. By doing so, the compiler eliminates race conditions, lost-updates and deadlocks already at compile time and makes it way easier to reason about the code. If you want or need to have shared state, first reason if you can’t solve it with channels, think if your plan might be a bad idea (I often realized this in hindsight) and only then have a look at the Mutex. An alternative to using the pattern-matching above, would be using Traits. Tests Testing is an integral requirement for reliable software. Therefore it is understandable that rust makes it easy for developers to write several kinds of tests, reducing the burden of getting yourself to write them. Integration-tests are located in a separated directory tree, while unit tests can be written directly at the end of a file. Consider the following example: This test ensures that the resulting preview image has the desired dimensions. Since the generate_preview function is private (lacking the pub keyword), it makes sense to test its functionality in the same place as from where it can be used. Inconveniences What bothers me so far with rust are the verbose signatures for some functions, just have a look at this behemoth: This handler is responsible to handle an EventMotion within a GTK-Component ( Fixed ) in relation to a the background dimensions of type (u32,u32) , select the TextArea that the user has clicked-on (defined by the text_idx variable) from a Vector behind a mutable reference (since I want to be able to move the text are and therefore need to have mutable access). Part of this clumsy-ness is due to the fact that gtk-rs takes ownership of the handler-closures and one therefore needs to pass references to it, that it can take ownership of. Used technology Selecting the right tools — Photo by NeONBRAND on Unsplash To start developing with Rust, one needs to set up the development environment, thanks to rustup, this works without much hassle. Once rustup is installed you can select the desired toolchains and components, e.g. rust-doc to have the documentation available offline and rust-src to download the sources of the standard libraries. To create a GUI application, there are several libraries (in rust slang, ‘crates’) available. Thanks to the active and open Rust community, there exist sites like this or this one that aggregate information about libraries and resources to a specific topic. If you need to search for a specific library, crates.io is your place-to-go, providing search, categories and all sorts of information about available crates. In search of a GUI-library, I took a quick look at the ecosystem, below you can find a quick line-up of available solutions for low-level and high-level approaches. For cross-plattform GUI-development there are several options available, like ‘gtk-rs’ providing bindings to GTK3+ or ‘conrod’, a low-level library directly interfacing with OpenGL or comparable technologies like Vulkan. A layer above, there is ‘relm’, a library based on gtk-rs . At the time writing, it was not in a mature enough state to support some widgets I thought might be needed. I decided to use gtk-rs since it is a mature library and provides a reasonable layer of abstraction for our use case, thereby hopefully providing a sweet spot between stability and ease of use. Unfortunately, since the gtk-rs library is a wrapper around a C/C++ library, the generated bindings are not necessarily very rust-y and one will most likely encounter some weird-looking code, that would have been prevented with a higher-level abstraction. To handle the image rendering, the awesome (and conveniently named) ‘image’ crate does all the heavy lifting for us, while ‘rust-type’ provides handy font-rasterization. Using gtk-rs The crate gtk-rs is a wrapper around the official GTK3+ libraries. This means, that it creates Rust functions that are layered on top of the C functions provided by the libraries via the Foreign Function Interface (FFI) of Rust. This enables us to use safe Rust types and functions, while gtk-rs encapsulates the inherently unsafe FFI ones (since Rust cannot guarantee for the safety of external C++ code). With this setup, one can reuse the GTK libraries without modification but that also means, that they need to be available at compile- or run-time, depending on the generated executable. Not only has there to be some GTK library be available, it is required that the gtk and gtkrs libraries are ABI-compatible for the desired architecture and platform. GTK provides us with a handy tool ‘glade’ that allows us to design GUIs in a graphical manner and save the specification in an XML file. That XML file can then be used by gtk-rs to create the whole UI, providing an elegant way to define the layout and properties of widgets in a way that is programming language agnostic. A minimal example application, loading the UI definition from glade and doing something when a button is pressed, can look like this: The comments in the example above explain all the important parts, just remember to call show_all() on the window, otherwise your UI will be empty. Inconvenient clones To connect our Rust code to the UI, I subscribe to events generated by GTK and tell the library to execute one of our closures, for example like this: Subscribe to the ‘clicked’ event of some button However, if I want to manipulate widgets from within the closure, e.g. for changing the size of the displayed preview depending on the image selected in the file chooser dialog, I need to take ownership of the reference to the window reference (this is partly due to the influences of the used C++ library). Closures in Rust are all-or-nothing regarding moves, meaning one can either take ownership of all the used references or of none. This leads to pretty ugly cloning of Rc<RefCell<...>> types for each closure and variable, so one can make use of another nice feature of Rust: macros. In the code sample below, clone! is a macro invocation (as denoted by the exclamation mark), that clones the supplied references (lines and window) for this closure. This non-idiomatic code is necessary due to the library design of GTK, since I only interface with it via FFI and therefore have to adhere to their paradigms, that have not been designed with Rust in mind. We move `lines` and `window` here but clone the references in the ‘clone!’ macro Coding with gtk-rs and Rust feels a bit alien for the first few hours. Some functions are not quite well documented in the Rust crate but have to be looked up in the gtk libs, that the Rust functions wrap. But since gtk-rs is open-source, one is free to create PRs improving the docs. For example, did you know that you can (or need to) enable certain types of events like scrolling per input device in GTK? After a few hours however, it feels quite natural to subscribe to the events of the UI and handle them in functions. Bridge between the “systems” — Photo by Domenico Loia on Unsplash Cross Compilation Since I developed the application on a linux installation, running it on linux was a breeze: cargo build --release creates an executable that can be copied somewhere and you can directly execute it. However, because the application should run on different architectures (e.g. ARM) or other operating systems, a bit more work is required. Compiling for Windows One option to create a windows executable would be to install the toolchain on a windows machine and build the application there. Since my Windows VM wasn’t that performant, I refrained from compiling it in there. This is even more noticeable, when you think of compiling to ARM on a RaspberryPi, which would take ages. So to create windows binaries nonetheless, Rust comes with pretty nice support for crosscompilation. Rust needs to have the toolchain for the target system installed, consisting of a triple {arch}-{vendor}-{sys}-{abi} e.g. x86_64-unknown-linux-musl to use the musl ABIs instead of the default gcc ones (note that libraries compatible to the chosen ABIs must be present on the system). So to compile for windows, the mingw toolchain can be installed: aurman -S mingw-w64-gcc-base for the toolchain and rustup target add x86_64-pc-windows-gnu for the corresponding Rust target. As mentioned above, the GTK libs need to be available for the ABI, on Archlinux they can be installed with aurman -S mingw-w64-gtk3 (and all of the dependencies). There is a nice tutorial available on the gtk-rs website. Please note that Rust applications also have a dependency to a recent glib. So you can copy the resulting executable from one Linux machine to another but be aware that there might be problems on ancient machines with old glib versions. The final executable can, depending on the platform, can be augmented with fancy things like icons. Limitations I encountered some limitations however, for us mostly regarding the tooling around Rust. Closed source crates The problem here is two-fold: cargo is expecting the source code for the crates your program is depending on, so it can compile it (thereby ruling out the problem of having libraries with non-matching architectures or versions installed). The other is, that you cannot simply distribute the resulting binary as a library for others to link against, since Rust does not (yet?) have stable ABIs in its libraries. A current work-around is exporting C interfaces from Rust and calling them (wrapped in unsafe code) from the other program. Although this seems to be a problem, it is understandable that the Rust community, backed by Mozilla, does not focus on expanding closed-source code capabilities whilst they advocate for free and open-source software. Alternative registries Recent examples of npm and gems, the crates.io equivalents for JavaScript and Ruby, have shown that there is a certain risk inherent when pulling code from the internet via package managers, that has transitive dependencies to several other code bases. It may therefore be desirable to have alternative registries available in cargo, that can be self-hosted and curated based on the own guidelines and policies. There exists a PR for this exact desire. IDE One of the mayor drawbacks I faced when developing with Rust, coming from Java, was the availability of IDEs. Although there exists a multitude of tools and integrations in that direction, the integrations are not as mature as in the java ecosystem yet. There exists a nice plugin for IntelliJ that supports extensive refactoring capabilities for Rust like `extract method` which is greatly helpful when figuring out the types of your functions. The plugin however, does not support debugging and breaks code completion when there are multiple modules involved. VSCode is supporting debugging but does not have the nice refactoring functionality of IntelliJ. Which one (or both) you want to use, depends on your use-case and need for an integrated debugger. Note that (mainly thanks to the safety of the Rust language) I did not need to use a debugger once for this project. If you dislike using a heavy IDE, you are free to use the RLS with a plugin from your favorite editor, for example with vim, if you can tolerate a bit of tinkering. For debugging you can user GDB or LLDB directly if you feel limited by the IDE support here. I expect to see further improvements in the near future in this area, since Rust experiences a growing adaption in various industry sectors. A prominent example is dropbox, they use rust in parts of their file-storage solution. An other success-story is npm, using rust for speeding up their registry. Conclusion Now, after writing the prototype, is Rust ready for being used as a programming language for native GUI applications? Well, basically yes, but it is not always fun to figure out how things are supposed to work. Here it is worth noting, that the Rust community is extremely helpful and nice, you can join some IRC channel and ask even the most basic questions and there will be someone happy to help you out. Perhaps the state of GUI development will improve when crates like azul mature to a point where they provide feature-rich, stable versions and thereby remove the dependency to native libraries like gtk-rs requires, greatly simplifying the development process and providing a ‘purer’ Rust development experience. Perhaps have a look at this writeup to get an overview of alternatives to the used gtk-rs and fee free to contribute to some project, if you are interested in this topic. However, if you already have a desktop application written in Rust, you can easily implement new features in rust and integrate that parts in your existing application, gradually increasing the components written in Rust. Our endeavor to to explore the readiness of Rust shall not end with GUI development. In a future post, I am going to explore how easily one can create a highly performant web-service written in Rust, profiting from the safety of the language.	https://medium.com/digitalfrontiers/gui-programming-with-rust-c71fe4051b1a	['Marco Amann']	2020-05-25 07:48:27.963000+00:00	['Rust', 'Gtk', 'Programming', 'Prototype']
Aphrodite stormed inside Helios’ temple like a vicious whirlwind — her face was red, her fists were…	Aphrodite stormed inside Helios’ temple like a vicious whirlwind — her face was red, her fists were curled tightly on her sides as she walked with heavy, echoing steps towards the sun god. The blatant anger was almost frightening… if the Titan considered the goddess a threat. As she was, she was no different from a kitten lashing out. “You! You told Hephaestus of my affair with Ares!” she accused with indignation. Helios’ face became blank with disinterest. “And so?” he asked, leaning his cheek on a fist, his fingers drumming on the arm of his throne. Honestly, Aphrodite was not only cruel, but she was a nuisance as well. She did not deserve to have faithful and caring Hephaestus for a husband. His nonchalant attitude rubbed Aphrodite the wrong way and made her downright furious. She stomped her foot and pointed at him imperiously. “I curse you, Helios! For this humiliation, you will suffer a broken heart!” she yelled with a promise. Helios rolled his eyes and waved at her dismissively as if he was shooing an errant child. “I am above your influence. I may have a few dalliances, but I will never fall in love. Now, if you are finished, you are dismissed. The door is behind you.” Aphrodite snorted with disdain and strutted out of his temple, her chin held high. She never understood the contempt most beings have with love. It was a power passed down onto her by primordial Eros. No one was above its influence. And the nerve of that titan to treat her as insignificant! She was the daughter of Uranus! By the Fates, she was born before he was even conceived. “Never underestimate the power of love,” she growled quietly to no one and everyone at the same time. Especially when used in spite. 888 The sun had just set in a small meadow in Hellas. A beautiful, flaxen-haired nymph sat alone as she plucked a few flowers — the finishing touches. Anticipation seized Clytie’s heart as she hastened to complete her flower wreath. Her thoughts were full of prayers that her beloved would like her measly tribute. The sound of light footsteps approaching from behind temporarily froze her expert fingers from picking a small and delicate violet flower. The noise of grass shifting halted, and the sensation of familiar and soothing warmth caressed her back. There was only one person she knew that possessed such warmth, and just knowing who was behind her filled her with indescribable joy. She continued plucking her dainty little flower and weaved it in the flower crown as if she was never interrupted in the first place. “How was your day, my love?” she asked without turning around. “It was dreadful. All I could think about was returning to you,” a velvety voice answered softly. The nymph smiled. Clytie’s lover’s voice alone made her feel like melting. And of course, he must already know that he was all she could think about as well. “Is that bouquet for me, Clytie?” She straightened her flower crown a little more and brushed her hair away from her eyes as she slowly stood up and turned around. She had to make a conscious effort not to gasp even the slightest at the sight of her lover. She mentally cursed herself. She should be used to his face by now, but somehow he never ceased to take her breath away. He was, in a word, brilliant, but even that word failed to describe the beauty that was Helios. She ceremoniously placed the crown on her head. She replied, “Maybe, maybe not,” in a playful manner, her smile turning into a mischievous smirk. “Oh?” he sighed disappointedly like a kicked puppy and pouted. “I thought that was for me. They’re beautiful.” Of course, he knew they were for him. He knew everything that happened under the sun. He watched her make that flower crown for him throughout the day. She was quite picky about which daisy had the right shade of orange and green that would complement his hair and eyes. He snickered from his place in the heavens at her fastidiousness. Clytie cleared her throat significantly as she flipped her hair over her shoulder. “Just them?” Helios arched an eyebrow, a sparkle glimmering through his amber eyes. “Uh-huh. Just them.” Clytie caught the playful light and secretly delighted in it. She patted one of the flowers on her crown, careful not to ruffle her arrangement. “Well, I never thought the day would come when I would be jealous of a bunch of flowers,” she said, sighing dramatically. She took two steps forward and ran a finger from his high cheekbones down to his chin. “Again, are you sure it’s just the flowers?” He gulped, his throat bobbing up and down. His mouth suddenly felt dry as something akin to anticipation settled on the bottom of his belly. “Maybe, maybe not,” he repeated, teasing Clytie’s back. Clytie chuckled and shook her head. She removed the wreath from her hair and placed them on his crown. “Well, you know what? I think they’re more beautiful on a Titan. And since you’re the nearest Titan here, I guess you have the honor of wearing it. There,” she finished, fixing his luminous red-orange hair. She couldn’t help but take the opportunity to brush her fingertips along his face a little. Oh, how she worshipped this god. “Be happy. Now you look as beautiful as a queen!” She grinned innocently. Helios gaped in mortification. “Excuse me?” She laughed as she took a few steps back and curtsied. “Your royal majesty, Queen Helios of the Flower Kingdom.” Finally, Helios laughed and sashayed around, his hips swaying. “Well then, aren’t I lucky? I can just see Selene and Eos dying of envy of my beauty. I think the flower crown does me justice. What do you think?” He tossed his hair back and joggled his shoulders in a slightly flirtatious manner. “They complement your colors as I predicted Your Majesty.” Clytie chuckled as she continued the charade. “Really? Well then, as queen, I need to order my servants around, shouldn’t I? And since you’re the nearest nymph around, I think you’d make a very convincing peasant.” Now it was Clytie’s turn to feel mortified. She placed her hands on her hips. “Excuse me?” Helios ignored her. “Servants exist to be ordered around. Well then, my first order would be… hmm… ah!” He snapped his fingers. “I order you to please me.” “Of course, Your Majesty. Your wish is my command,” Clytie replied reverently as she bowed. She approached him with a seductive look in her eyes. Helios waited excitedly as he thought about what she would do. But instead of something sexy like he imagined, she held out her hands toward him and asked, “May I ask the queen for a dance?” The provocative expression was gone from her face. He felt his face fall again. “A dance?” he asked as he cocked his head to the side. “Oh? Has the sun god, who watches from his steeds in the heavens and sees all, never seen a nymphean dance before?” Clytie smiled, her tone dripping with a challenge. “Don’t be ridiculous, Clytie. Of course, I’ve seen a nymphean dance!” he replied, crossing his arms over his chest indignantly. “Then take my hands,” she ordered, impatiently waving her outstretched hands at him. She grinned widely when Helios tentatively placed his hands in hers. As if the meadow understood their intent, something magical occurred. The quiet music of nature began playing, and Clytie began to sing and vocalize along with the music that was intrinsic to all nymphs. Helios was as clumsy as a fawn learning how to walk in the beginning. His steps were uncoordinated, and he kept tripping and stepping on his and Clytie’s feet. He winced and blushed with embarrassment whenever he made a mistake. His eyes never strayed from their feet while he studied her movements carefully. Clytie shook her head and raised Helios’ chin without breaking her song and smiled. Helios nodded and tried not to look down anymore. Eventually, with Clytie’s guidance, Helios learned that there were no steps to study. It was just pure movement along with the beat of the music. So with a shrug, he moved carelessly and just enjoyed the dance the way he had seen nymphs enjoy it. They laughed as they spun each other around as though drunk in happiness. It was magical and utterly mesmerizing. Clytie was so comfortable in his presence, bantering with him, sharing her interests with him as if he was a peer and not a Titan god. It was so easy to fall in love with her, and he enjoyed her company very much. Her grin, her laugh, her elegant movements were infectious, and it lightened his heart to just be with her. With one last spin, the music ended with a soft note. Clytie found herself wrapped in Helios’ arms, her face stopping a few inches from his. They were both smiling and a little breathless from dancing and laughing. Helios leaned and whispered in her ear, “Thank you for the flowers.” A pleasant shiver ran down Clytie’s spine. “Just the flowers?” she asked quietly, her eyes searching his. “Thank you for teaching me how to dance, as well. That was a first for me, and I had a lot of fun,” he continued, running a thumb across her flushed cheek. “Don’t ever believe that these flowers on my head are more beautiful than you. You are the most beautiful, most fragrant, most delicate flower of them all.” He beamed. She shook her head and smiled. “Thank you,” she whispered back. After a small pause, she continued, “Helios… do you love me?” “More than anything,” he replied immediately, but his smile stopped reaching his eyes. It became more like a polite smile instead. The difference was almost unnoticeable, imperceptible to those who did not pay attention to his little mannerisms, but Clytie noticed. It wasn’t always like that with him. His smile before she asked her question was as pure as the first rays of dawn. It was almost as if he was like a mimosa leaf recoiling from her touch. The more she memorized him, the more she noticed his feelings about her. She knew his heart wasn’t hers yet, but it never stopped her from trying to win him anyway. She had no idea why he chose her. Perhaps she was a passing fancy, but the Fates decreed that they meet anyway. By design or by accident, their paths had crossed. She wouldn’t squander this gift. For whatever reason, he chose her and won her almost laughably easily. She knew she should be wary about gods and their fickle love. Her sisters and friends had suffered in the hands of gods through their sweet nothings. These stories had been passed down from nymph to nymph. Nymphs learned to worship and serve gods as it was their duty but also secretly fear them. In fact, with all the warnings about, she should be ashamed of herself for not being prudent enough with her heart. However, if Clytie weighed her fears against the happiness she felt with him, she could never find it in herself to be ashamed of how she fell in love, hard and fast. “I love you. I love you more than my life. I love you very, very much,” she declared, her voice thick with emotion. She knew he could see everything under the sun. Can you see it? Can you see my heart, my love? It was a fact, a truth. He will forever be the reason she smiled. He was the only reason her days shone more brightly than before. He brought color into her life and filled her heart with so many warm feelings, and she never wanted to lose them. He was her sun. Helios hesitated for half a second before answering, “And I, you.” He leaned forward and took her lips in his, giving her a searing kiss. Whenever he would kiss her like that, Clytie could feel her knees buckle under her as she melted in his arms. Her heart pleaded for these moments to last forever. 888 It was another typical day after a night of pleasure with Clytie. He kept the flower wreath inside his temple in a particular container where he put all of her gifts. Sometimes, if he had time for himself, he would take out this box and look at all the gifts she had given him. He had given her a gift in return like a magical box that captured the rays of the sun and turned them into golden dust. When thrown in the air, the sand would glow and flutter about like fireflies and eventually fall on the floor like snowflakes. Clytie loved that dust. The smile on his face remained long after his sister Eos had finished preparing the heavens for his arrival. He watched his lover from his lofty height. Clytie was among her sisters laughing, playing, and dancing like they did last night. She would turn to him from time to time and wave her hand in greeting as she always did (though he doubted she could see him from such a distance). The longing in her eyes was unmistakable. Her declarations of love, though sincere, never failed to perturb him. He was a god who saw all. He knew what tragedies befell gods who loved nymphs and vice versa. And then there was the convenient curse of his aunt, Cronus’ little sister — that shameless goddess who liked to pretend she’s younger than Zeus by sleeping with his son, Ares. But with how immaturely she acted, she might as well have been younger than Ares. Saddled with the curse of an impending broken heart, he was reluctant to admit his real feelings or be sincere with Clytie. Cowardly as it was, he was unwilling to tell her of his fears. Even though he wanted to share her love, in the end, she could never be anything but one of his dalliances. A future with her was but a fool’s dream. He sighed sadly. He tore his eyes away from Hellas, from the nymph he felt too unworthy to look at. They landed on Persia. It was there that he saw her — the Persian princess, Leukothoe. She was not doing anything in particular that would possibly catch his attention. She was just sitting on a marble slab, enjoying the sun while her servants fanned her with shimmering peacock feathers. Her white, immaculate robes almost glowed, contrasting with her hair that was as black as night. Her dark brown eyes were equally beautiful, glittering like gems. That woman could not be a mortal. She must be a goddess — a goddess more beautiful than beauty herself. He felt his heart skip a beat at her sight. Every thought was purged from his mind, wiped clean as if nothing else mattered. In that one telling moment, Leukothoe was the world. In that one telling moment, even his sun’s rays could not compare to her wonder. Was this what both mortals and immortals called love at first sight? 888 It was well after midnight, but Clytie still waited alone on the meadow. Helios was never usually this late. If he ever were tardy, he would send a message like a brief sparkle in the sky just before sunset, or he would tell her in person even for a few minutes. He never just let her keep waiting. At first, Clytie was impatient, but as the hours passed, she became angry. And then after a few more hours, she became worried. After reasoning with herself, worry gave way to anxiety. Finally, her fear turned to loneliness. Clytie sat with her knees, curled close to her chest. She absently plucked the grass under her restless hands, her chin resting between her knees. Did he forget about her? She shook her head and looked down on the ornate little gold box in front of her feet. It looked like a miniature treasure chest, and indeed it contained such a treasure. It was full of the golden sand that took her a month to collect. After a couple of experiments, she found that she got the most beautiful dust during sunrise and sunset. If she opened her box during noon, it would have been filled in no time, but the quality of light was bright and harsh, unlike the subtle and gentle light of dawn and dusk. She promised Helios that she would use the dust only during special occasions even though he assured her that she could use it anytime. Well, today was a special day for her, and it took her a while, but she gathered enough dust to scatter on the trees and grass. It would have made the meadow glitter with thousands of little stars. It would have been utterly picturesque. She sighed. Well, it wasn’t as if this day was such a waste. Her closest sisters and friends came and played with her and gave her gifts of pearls and carefully strung shells. Even her mother and father gave her more than a few minutes of their time. One would think that just because they had three thousand daughters, they would have forgotten someone like her. She wanted to open the box with him. It was her dearest wish to dance again with him, which was why she slyly taught him how last night, but this time with song and amidst the pretty lights she had prepared. She has never heard him sing, and that was her next personal challenge. Actually, just the knowledge that she was the one who taught him how to dance was enough to make her blush in delight. But apparently, her dance partner was nowhere to be found. Was it too arrogant a wish perhaps that it could not be granted by the Fates? She shook her head and waited some more. Perhaps he is just late, she reasoned to herself for the hundredth time. It was a reason that held only up until Selene was almost setting, and Nyx was about to give way to Eos. She sighed again. He was not coming after all. She looked down and caressed the box lid lovingly. Perhaps some other time then. She flopped down on the grass tiredly and covered her eyes to catch some sleep. She missed Helios that day more than ever, but what could she do? Helios didn’t appear. She tried not to let the heavy feeling in her heart, the aching loneliness, bother her too much. Besides, it wasn’t her first birthday, and it certainly wouldn’t be her last. 888 Helios stopped seeing Clytie altogether. Dawn became a little bit earlier and dusk a little bit later in his efforts to see Leukothoe a little bit longer. He was utterly fascinated and enchanted by the Persian princess. She was kind to her servants, generous to her subjects, and beloved by everyone. She was pure and beautiful both inside and out, and he could only helplessly fall in love with her even further. His passion for the princess soon could not be denied (not that he would). It affected the beams of the sun, causing it to shine brighter and hotter, which created a drought in some parts of Gaia. Gaia did not like gods neglecting their duties. Gods could indulge in women, drink, and with as much hedonism as they wanted as long as they performed right. This rule was even stricter on Titans than on Olympians because Titans carry more responsibilities that affect her than Olympians, whose concern revolves mostly around mortals. And she certainly was not happy about Helios’ negligence. On the dead of night, the powerful goddess dropped by the sun god’s temple. “What is the meaning of this, Helios?” she demanded like the grand matron that she was; her voice cold and contemptuous. Usually, Gaia’s presence meant bad, bad news. Even potentially fatal news. “You should know better than to allow an insignificant mortal to affect your godly obligations. It is not the season of drought, and this winter is too warm, which means that this coming summer would be too hot, and there would be too many typhoons and twisters! Are you proving to be incompetent?” Immediately, the sun god jumped from his throne and dropped on one knee, one arm across his chest, and his head bowed in deference. “Forgive me, great goddess. It would not be repeated again.” Gaia glared icily at Helios for a full minute, filling the younger deity with more dread than he had ever experienced in his life. “If you want that Persian woman, then take her and be done with it,” she said quietly, with an almost deadly calm. “But if you stray from your duties once more, I will have your head, and Apollo will find himself driving the sun chariot a thousand years too early.” She stated her threat as if it were a fact. Perhaps it was a fact. Gaia could prophesy after all. What would happen if he was not needed anymore? Would he end up in Tartarus like the other Titans? The thought sent shivers of cold fear down the sun god’s spine. Helios gulped nervously and whispered, “Yes, great goddess.” If there was someone more feared than Tartarus himself, that would be Gaia. Everyone knew she was not above murder to achieve what she wanted. “What was that?” “Yes, Great Mother Gaia!” he repeated, this time with more conviction and just as sincere. The last thing he needed was her thinking he was rebellious or worse, sarcastic. “Good,” she said, disappearing in a flurry of leaves. After a few moments of silence, a new intruder made herself known. “Tsk, tsk, tsk. You got a visit from the goddess of godly death?” a sweet, feminine voice said from behind him. “What a bad omen. You might really disappear soon, Helios. And I would almost feel sorry for you, but I’m not. Don’t worry. You won’t be missed much.” Helios glared toward the goddess with long blond locks that gave her the epithet ‘golden.’ It was none other than the goddess of impossible beauty whose only flaw was everything save her looks. “Rotten Aphrodite,” he spat with controlled fury as if her name was a curse itself. It probably should. “So how is it? Do you like my gifts?” she asked with mock innocence, pointedly ignoring his name-calling. She wouldn’t be reduced to childish things like name-calling. She had more dignity than that, which was more than she could say about Helios. “By my standards, I think I’ve been very generous.” “What do you mean, gifts?” Helios repeated suspiciously. Ever since the ‘net incident,’ Aphrodite harbored extreme dislike bordering on hate for the Titan. She was, for better or for worse, his enemy. “Oops, I think I said too much. Like Mother Gaia said — if you want the Persian woman, go and take her. Instead of watching her from afar like an awkward, adolescent virgin,” she said, waving her hand before she disappeared. Helios glared at the spot where the offensive goddess disappeared. Fine. They want proof that he could get rid of his Persian obsession? He’ll give them proof. But he would be careful about this. He would never be manipulated by Aphrodite of all creatures! 888 Clytie slept every night on the meadow. At first, she would be up until the wee hours of the morning waiting for Helios. Eventually, after a couple of moons of not seeing even a shadow of the god’s persona, she stopped keeping vigil. Without her Sun, she slept instead, reliving the memories he left with her in her dreams. Suddenly a soft sound of footsteps coming from behind woke her from her slumber. She bolted upright, her back towards the visitor, as she wiped her tear-stained cheeks and fixed her unruly hair. She knew she was barely presentable, but she did her best to preen anyway. “Helio-” she started as she whirled around only to be primarily disappointed when it wasn’t the sun god. Instead, it was an unknown goddess. She knew the visitor was a goddess because she had an ethereal aura unique to those of higher power. “Oh, I meant, uh, um, hello! I’m sorry, my lady. I must have startled you,” she apologized, bowing slightly. “It’s quite alright, Clytie. By the way, I’m Aphrodite. I hope we could get along well!” the goddess said, giving her a once-over and dismissing her as a non-threat. “Oh, um, please, I am not worthy of being your acquaintance, golden goddess,” Clytie replied quickly. She heard a lot about Aphrodite from the other nymphs. She remembered two guidelines when dealing with this particular goddess. First, never contest her beauty, and second, always compliment her in every sentence lest she becomes offended. Aphrodite looked around before she let her gaze fall on the nymph significantly. “Are you still waiting for him?” They both knew who she was talking about. “I-” She had wanted to say no. She wanted to say that she still had a little bit of dignity and pride left. But if she was going, to be honest, she was like a flower wilting without her sun. She missed Helios. She missed his smile, his laugh, his playful and sometimes impossible attitude, his clumsiness, his stubbornness, his way of making her laugh. She missed him dearly like she missed breath itself. Every day without him was like a day with another part of her dying. “Yes, O golden goddess,” she answered despondently. “Oh, you poor dear,” Aphrodite cooed, enveloping her in a warm embrace. “Your sorrowing heart has summoned me, the goddess of love. If you want, I have a way for you to see him, but he can’t see you. Would you like that?” Clytie already saw Helios every day. Every day, without fail, she would wave and call for him, praying that he had a beautiful day. At some point, she realized that she had been honestly forgotten, but that didn’t stop her from acting foolishly. Perhaps it was because she knew he could see all and maybe because she hoped he saw her, even in a passing glance. That was all she could receive for now, but she knew deep down it wasn’t enough. She wanted to feel his arms around her and his lips molding against her again. She would be contented to stay by his side even if he didn’t want to sleep with her anymore. What hurts the most was being treated like a stranger. “I want to see him and talk to him. I want him to know that I still exist, but I think I’ve been erased from his mind now. I don’t think I ever held his heart, but… I was hoping our shared memories would have been enough to make him visit from time to time…” she replied slowly, her voice wavering towards the end. Aphrodite wiped the tears in her eyes. “Oh, my dear, your love is so pure. I want to reward it. I shall let you see Helios. Come with me.” She took the nymph by the hand and led her away from the meadow. “Where are we going, merciful goddess?” Clytie asked as she struggled to keep up with Aphrodite’s strides. The golden goddess smiled and replied, “To the nearest looking glass.” The nearest looking glass happened to be a small placid pond. It was mirror-like. It even reflected the moon entirely as if there was another realm just below the water’s surface. Aphrodite knelt down on the edge of the water and pulled the nymph beside her. “Show me Helios,” Aphrodite whispered, waving her hand above the water. Almost immediately, the water rippled, and the scenery reflected on it changed. In showed two Persian women — a beautiful older woman and a younger woman that shared some of the older woman’s facial features. They seemed like a mother-daughter pair. As the image cleared some more, it became more apparent that they were inside a bedroom. Perhaps it was the daughter’s bedroom by the looks of the trinkets in the room. “Where is Helios?” Clytie asked the goddess as she searched for the god in the picture. She was confused as to why she was being shown a mortal household. “I-I don’t know, my dear. The mirror is supposed to show me Helios. And the mirror never fails,” she replied, reaching for the nymph’s hand. “I have a bad feeling about this.” “You maids, withdraw. I have a secret that I wish to share with my daughter. Please respect a mother’s wish to privacy,” the older woman ordered, and the maids and servants obediently retreated. “What is this secret, mother?” the young, ornately dressed, dark-haired beauty asked. She took off her heavy necklace and moved her neck about, releasing the tense muscles. She then reached for the comb and began to smooth her hair. “The secret?” Her mother smiled knowingly. “I am he who measured the long year, who sees all things, by whom the earth sees all things, the eye of all the world. In truth, you please me well.” As the mother said her piece, her visage slowly melted away, revealing none other than the sun god in all his luminous glory. The girl dropped her comb. “Helios!” Clytie cried, reaching for the water, but Aphrodite caught her wrist and silently shook her head. While Clytie was overcome with joy, Princess Leukothoe was overcome with fear and dread. She stood up and whirled around. “You- You are a god!” she whispered, her voice trembling as she took a couple of steps back. She tripped on her chair and landed hard on her backside. “I- I did not… I’m sorry.” She shifted to prostrate properly with her forehead flush against the floor. “P-Please forgive me, my lord. Thi-this servant is unworthy of your a-a-affections. Pl-please, my lord.” “But you please me,” he answered teasingly, taking a lock of the princess’ hair and bringing it to his lips. Clytie recognized the slight change in intonation. It was teasing that hid something akin to anger. Helios was angry at something. “Will you deny this god?” The princess froze. Deny a god? How could a mortal deny a god? If she displeased him, would the sun suddenly stop shining? Would her land be punished with drought? Would her country suffer because she denied this god? She… she needed to give whatever it was the god wanted, and it happened to be her. And there was only one thing she could give him — her bed. In Persia, an unmarried woman who was not a virgin was sentenced to death. If they were lucky, they were instead traded into slavery. The world was merciless towards slaves. Animals were treated better than slaves. In other words, Helios wanted her life. Bitter tears began to cloud the princess’ vision. The weak had no power against the strong in the mortal world. How much more in the realm of gods and mortals? For the safety of her kingdom and everyone who lived in it, she raised her head determinedly. “Be it done unto me according to your will. Your whims are my command, and your wishes are my law,” Princess Leukothoe replied like a martyr facing the noose. Helios smiled sadly at her tearful consent and remained unaware of how his words were perceived as a threat; before he took what he thought was freely given. 888 Clytie threw a stone on the water, stood up, and ran as if the very wind chased her heels. She ignored Aphrodite’s call. She ignored the sounds coming from the pond. She ran until she ended up on the beach. Only when she dived into the water did she let herself cry. She continued to swim until she found an underwater cave dark where she could hide from the sun. She didn’t want to think about him. She didn’t want to believe that Helios was no different from the gods who were the subject of nymphean horror stories. Her sisters saw her enter the cave asked what was wrong. What drove her into hiding? They were all intrigued and curious, but she didn’t want to talk to anyone. She remained in the dark where no ray of light could burn and scorch her. She tried to keep her memories with him sacred. But no matter what she did, she couldn’t purge the sights and sounds from the cursed pond. Left without reprieve from the haunting images, she wept. “Clytie?” someone called her name softly. “Please leave me be,” she answered weakly, her head buried in her arms. She was sitting near the cave wall, curled up like a ball. “Clytie, it’s me, Delphin,” the visitor whispered as if coaxing a clam to open. “I don’t know if I can do anything to help you, but if you need someone trustworthy to confide in, I will listen.” Clytie finally looked up and faced the concerned look of the prince of dolphins, Poseidon’s faithful right-hand. If he was here, then it was most likely that her issue has become a big deal in the underwater. She didn’t mean for her to be everyone’s concern. She just wanted time and space to sort her feelings out. “I,” she started before she clutched her chest. “I hurt here. It’s beating, yet I don’t think it is. It’s so painful. I-I don’t know what’s happening to me.” Her tears began flowing anew. She knew what was happening to her. She was dying. “Clytie…” “It’s hard to breathe, my lord,” she rasped as she began to sob. “My heart feels as if a claw has its grasp around it, preventing it from beating normally.” “When did this begin, Clytie?” Delphin asked, slowly sitting down beside her as if any sudden movements would send the nymph bolting towards the other direction. “H-Helios,” she began, her voice breaking and stuttering uncontrollably through the sobs. “I w-wanted to-to see h-him. I-I saw h-him sle-sleep-ping with a P-Persian pr-princess.” Something happened when she admitted the fact. It was as if the memory became more of a reality than a dark nightmare. Suddenly she couldn’t stop herself from wailing as if the world had started crashing down on her. Delphin wordlessly embraced the sorrowful nymph, tears falling from the prince’s eyes as well. Why was it always the nymphs who suffered when gods got around? A horrified nymph stood at the cave’s entrance. The unknown nymph slowly let her hand fall from her open mouth, and at once, she swam away. Wait until the others heard about this. 888 If one wanted godly hearsay, one needed to look no further than the nymphs. And if gossip and Hermes had a race, the scandal would win by leaps, bounds, and leagues. Eventually, word reached the Persian king Orchamus about his daughter’s loss of virginity. Repulsed, he immediately confronted his daughter about it. “Father, my loving Father, please listen,” Leukothoe cried miserably as terror began to consume her. “I-It wasn’t my fault. I was forced into it and…” “Silence!” Orchamus roared, slapping his indecent daughter hard. Leukothoe fell on the floor, her trembling hand reaching for her cheek, which she could feel was bruising by the second. She was never hit by her father before, and frankly, it left her in a state of shock. “I’ve heard enough. You are not my daughter anymore. You betrayed me. You betrayed your kingdom! Even if you had to die, you should have protected your integrity until the end! That is the pride of a royal! The pride of a woman!” As if those words were not enough to shake the foundation of her life, the king continued, “You disappoint me, Leukothoe.” Leukothoe didn’t think twice as she crawled and grabbed the hem of her father’s robe with violently shaking hands, kissing it in reverence. “Father, please, please forgive me! Please forgive this daughter of yours!” The king merely took a step back, making himself out of reach. “Don’t touch me. You are filthy. Prepare to face judgment tomorrow,” he said coldly as he turned around and walked away, literally and figuratively abandoning her. Leukothoe looked towards her mother, Eurynome. Her mother wept as she took her in her arms. “Oh, my baby! My baby!” “Mama! Mama, please!” Leukothoe begged desperately, her full, searching and tearful eyes betraying her fear. “Please, mama, save me! Save me! Don’t let me die!” she wailed in anguish. “I don’t want to die! Please, mama! Don’t let me die!” “Shh, shh,” Eurynome hushed even as she trembled in fear herself. “It’s going to be alright. Listen to me.” She locked her daughter’s gaze to meet her own, giving her the courage she didn’t feel. “It’s going to be alright.” “Oh, mama!” she sobbed harder as she held her mother tightly. “I did it for the kingdom! I did it for all of you!” 888 Come the next day, Leukothoe was summoned at court. There her father passed his severe judgment. Without even looking at the filthy, indecent peasant who was once his flesh and blood, he waved his hand and ordered her to be executed. Leukothoe cried in terrified agony and despair as she was dragged to her place of execution. At the same time, her mother wailed, screamed, and begged until her throat was raw for Orchamus to reconsider. But the king could not be moved. Leukothoe was thrown inside a deep pit before a massive pile of sand and dirt was poured over her. Her sentence was to be buried alive. “No! No! No!” Helios cried and dropped from his chariot to the earth as he tried to claw the dirt away. But his hands merely passed through the soil as if he were a ghost. He wasn’t corporeal, and he couldn’t become corporeal because the sun was still up in the sky. He was on duty, and as a Titan god on duty, he could not interact with the mortal realm. They were essentially living in two separate planes of existence, just like how ghosts could walk through solid walls. Instead, he tried his best to guide the buried princess to the exit with his light. If he couldn’t move the sand away, then at least he should be able to help her climb out of the pit herself. “I’m sorry, Leukothoe! I’m so, so sorry! Leukothoe! Can you hear me?! I am here! I’m right here! I won’t let you die!” Out of options and out of desperation, Helios prayed to the most fearful goddess. “Mother Gaia! Please have mercy on her. She is innocent, and I am the criminal! Take me instead! I offer anything! Everything! Just please let her live!” The earth shifted as a column of sand grew from the ground. The sand took the form of the goddess Gaia. She took one look at the situation and replied in her recognizably feminine yet incredibly gravelly voice, “Helios, your chariot is still in the sky. Get back on it.” “Mother Gaia, I love her! I would do anything for her. I only ask that you move your earth away so that she may breathe,” Helios begged, kneeling. “This is none of my business. Get back on your chariot. I won’t ask again.” Helios lowered himself further to fully prostrate before the goddess. “Merciful mother, ple-” But he was cut short when he heard the sound of the earth shifting behind him. He thought Gaia had saved her, but to his ultimate horror, he saw that the ground was firm as if it had never been dug in the first place. He slowly turned his eyes towards the fearsome monster that was the mother of all. “You…you crushed her?” he whispered disbelievingly. “Now, there is no longer a cause for your delay,” she replied coldly as she became one with the ground again. 888 When nightfall came, Helios did not waste time and dug her out. He carefully arranged her cold and lifeless body on the ground. “No, you can’t die,” Helios whispered as he tried to warm her with his power. He was trying to resurrect her. “It’s all my fault. You can’t die because of me. I’m not like the others. I don’t take life for granted. Please, Leukothoe, please. I beg of you, please live.” “Lord Helios,” a cold voice called. It was the type of cold brought forth by emptiness rather than apathy like that of Orchamus and Gaia. Once he looked up, he understood why. “Lord Thanatos,” he nodded towards the god of death. “Please hold on for a little while. Your services won’t be needed shortly.” “Lord Helios,” Thanatos called again. “Wait. Hold on. Just-just let me figure out a way to make her heart beat again,” he said matter-of-factly as he moved his hand toward her heart, giving it all of his godly power. “Perhaps she needs ambrosia.” He knew it was forbidden for mortals to even touch the divine drink, but at this point, he was willing to break every law. “Lord Helios,” the death god tolled, his voice like the echo of a bell’s dying sound. “Atropos has already cut her thread. I am here for her soul.” The way he said it made it more final. Leukothoe had died through his actions. Now he was directly responsible for a mortal’s death. He felt dirty. As if he could see himself becoming tainted black by the blood of an innocent. How could he? He was a monster, just like the rest of the other gods. He was just as cruel, petty, and unbelievably selfish. For the first time in his long immortal life, Helios became acquainted with the feeling of self-loathing. He slowly took his hands away from the corpse of the princess he once loved and let them fall listlessly by his side as if he had become a corpse. Thanatos nodded and knelt before him, his hand replacing the spot where Helios had tirelessly tried to resuscitate her. Slowly, he extracted her soul — a beautiful, ethereal butterfly that glowed and shimmered like a sunbeam reflected on a water’s surface. “She’s beautiful. She was a pure soul,” Helios whispered, wiping the tears from his eyes. “It was her soul that attracted me in the first place, not her beauty. I fell in love with who she was. I grew even more in love, the more I got to know her. And now she’s gone because of me and my selfish actions.” He let out an anguished cry as he fell on top of Leukothoe’s corpse, gently lifting her and cradling her to his chest. Thanatos spared the god a glance as his small gesture of condolence before he opened the gate of the underworld and escorted the soul. This one was a mortal beloved by a Titan and was worthy of having the Primordial death god’s escort rather than the god of thieves. 888 Though it took her more than a couple of moons, Clytie had finally sorted out all of her feelings. She was finally alright with letting Helios go with the mortal woman. She was fine with having him happy with someone else. She was fine with that as long as he was happy. A nymph was below a Titan’s attention anyway, and she knew that she could never hold Helios’ heart now that he knew where it belonged. She rose from the ocean and returned to the meadow. It was nearly twilight, so she retrieved her hidden box of golden sand. She smiled as she managed to catch the last rays of sunset. A few minutes after the sun had set, she heard it — the familiar footfalls of her beloved. In her shock, she dropped the box, spilling all of its contents. Perhaps because Helios was near that the sand, which should have remained sand, began to glow and float like the fireflies of summer. Clytie turned around with the brightest smile on her face. “Helios!” And this time, it was really him. He was there, standing right in front of her just like before. She ran towards him, her arms encasing him a tight embrace. But the Titan did not return the gesture. “I missed you. I missed you so, so much! Please let me stay with you. It doesn’t matter if you love someone else. That is alright with me as long as I can see you smile. I was miserable without you, so please, just please let me stay by your side. Please?” There was a small moment of complete silence before Helios asked in the most hollow voice Clytie has ever heard, “Was it you? Was it you who breathed that I had an affair with Leukothoe, the Persian princess?” “Helios?” she whispered hesitantly as she broke the embrace. There was something wrong with her beloved. Something dreadfully wrong and dark. “Helios, what’s the matter?” The Titan laid his hands on her shoulder and slowly pried her from him some more. “Was it you? Did you tell anyone in the underwater that I had an affair with Leukothoe?” Clytie stared at him wordlessly. He was… frightening. His amber eyes, which usually held warmth and cheer, was now turbulent with violence and hatred. “Answer me!” he yelled, making her flinch and tremble. “I-I told Delphin,” she replied quietly. “I see. For once, Aphrodite was not lying,” he murmured, turning around. “From now on, I don’t want to have anything to do with you.” “Helios? I-” “You no longer have the right to call me by name. You shall refer to me as ‘My Lord.’ Do you understand?” She shook her head. “I- I don’t…” “You are no longer my friend, as well. From this moment forth, I sever all my ties with you,” Helios added as he passed by her and disappeared. Clytie whirled around and found herself alone on the meadow amidst the dancing lights left behind by Helios’ magic. “I don’t understand at all!” she screamed at him. “Come back here! I said I was already fine with you and that woman together!” After five minutes of screaming, miraculously managing not to curse Helios or call him names, she finally gave up and fell on the ground. “Please come back,” she whispered hoarsely as if a lump was stuck on the back of her throat. She buried her face in her hands. “I’m fine. I’m fine! I’m fine with just being something, let alone someone. Make me an accessory for all I care, but please, please don’t make me a stranger. I just want to be with you.” She screamed his name into the night. 888 Helios had successfully managed to pointedly ignore Clytie. Throughout the days, he managed to not even glance at the meadow where he knew she would be waiting. Persephone was well into the spring and was about to enter summer. He had done his obligations as was proper, but this time with a little more detachment to the things that he saw. It was as if a shadow that no amount of light could drive away had settled in the depths of his being. If he had learned anything through Leukothoe’s death, it was to never underestimate Aphrodite. Now he wholeheartedly believed that love could build strong relationships like Nyx and Erebus or Oceanus and Tethys, but it could also utterly destroy. Like how it destroyed him. It was another typical day, and he was about to enter his palace for his much-deserved rest. Imagine his surprise when he found Poseidon with Delphin waiting on his front door. “I’m sorry about this, Helios, but Delphin would like to speak with you,” Poseidon said sheepishly, scratching his jaw and noticeably looking at anywhere but him. Helios let his gaze drop on the small god and smiled pleasantly. “Alright. What can I do for you, dolphin prince?” “You have ignored her. Even in her dying breath, you ignored her,” Delphin began darkly, his fists curling on his side until his knuckles turned white. “I’m sorry. I don’t seem to be following,” Helios asked, tilting his head to the side. “Do you see nymphs as animals? Creatures with the shape of a woman but no different from dogs, which mortals keep as pets?” Delphin growled, his voice rising with every word. “Do you think they can’t feel?! Do you think they’re creatures no different from pebbles, which you can kick around after you’re done using it?!” “I have no idea who you’re talking about,” Helios replied agitatedly, his mood turning sour. “Clytie! I’m talking about Clytie! The one you used and discarded like she was more worthless than dung!” he yelled. “I can’t believe you, Helios. I thought you were different. And now, because of you, she is dead.” And now, because of you, she is dead. His breath left him as though he had been punched. Those were the words that he had tormented himself with ever since Leukothoe died. He couldn’t believe he was being accused of murdering another one. “Wh-what do you mean?” Poseidon gently pulled Delphin back. He could see his assistant was borderline snapping if the redness on his neck and cheeks were anything to note. If he snapped, there was a high chance that he would attack Helios. He had seen it happen once, and he would never wish for it to happen to someone else, especially not to a Titan. Poseidon cleared his throat and began to explain. “Clytie passed away recently. From what I heard, you accused her of spreading the rumor about you and the Persian princess. According to Delphin, he had been her only confidant. I know for a fact that Delphin is not a tattletale. If he were, I’d be in Tartarus right now. I did an internal investigation and traced the rumor to another nymph who eavesdropped on Clytie’s confession. She was the one who spread the rumors, not Clytie. When we rushed to Clytie to deliver the news, we found her already dying. She called for you, but you did not answer. I offered to call you, but she adamantly refused, telling me that it was a matter between the two of you. Before she died, she wrote you a message in case you didn’t come as she feared.” “She loved you, unconditionally, you bastard!” Delphin growled angrily from behind Poseidon. “Don’t you know that today is her birthday too?! She wanted to open that-that stupid box, but she couldn’t because you weren’t there!” “Delphin!” Poseidon chided. Instead of continuing his tirade, Delphin continued to glare at the sun god. “I don’t understand… How did she even find out about Leukothoe and me?” Helios muttered as he staggered backward. It was the question he realized he should have asked himself a long time ago. Delphin bit his lip. It was one of the secrets entrusted to him, but he thought that this one needed to be known. “Aphrodite,” he answered quietly. “Aphrodite…” Helios whispered as he fell on his knees. Poseidon was immediately on his side while Delphin simply stood and watched with blatant judgment in his eyes. Suddenly Helios remembered her words. Do you like my gifts? That he loved Leukothoe and that Clytie loved him, she called it gifts. It was her all along. This was her revenge for him tattling on Hephaestus about her and Ares. He would have laughed, but he was much too horrified. This was beyond cruel. This was evil and wicked. He couldn’t remember being this broken since his son Phaethon died. He stared beyond the horizon with his unseeing eyes. Even though he boasted that he could see all, he never saw Aphrodite’s cunning plan until it had come into fruition. He had been so unbelievably foolish. Still, even though he knew this was all orchestrated by one goddess, he wanted to die from the shame, guilt, and pain that ate at his heart. “What was Clytie’s last message?” he asked, his glazed eyes never shifting from the darkness of the night. His world was suddenly so very dark and bleak. “This,” Poseidon replied, pulling a small roll of parchment. Helios blinked the tears in his eyes as he took the missive and read it. Written in a small, delicate script, it said: Come dance with me under the shower of your lights, my Queen of Flowers. I love you. Waiting on the meadow, Clytie Helios swallowed as a sob escaped his lips. Clytie was always there. She always waited for him. Did he love her? Yes. Yes, he did. But he was fearful of admitting it, afraid that Aphrodite’s curse had been about her. How wrong he was. “I-I never even…” I never even told her, ‘I love you.’ And now she would never hear it no matter how much he admitted it. “I-I didn’t even get to say thank you or goodbye, or I’m sorry…” He had amassed a lot of regrets in such a short amount of time, but perhaps this one was one of his greatest regrets. He couldn’t believe how painful it was to have so many regrets. It haunted his heart and mind with a thousand ‘what ifs,’ and he didn’t have an answer for any of them. With a shared look, both Poseidon and Delphin retreated into their realm. They left the Titan to his immense and unrelenting grief. 888 On the meadow where a nymph and a sun god met one fateful day, a small plant with gorgeous violet flowers bloomed. In the morning, it followed the sun religiously, and at night, it closed its petals as it waited for her beloved to ride the sky again. On this fateful night, its closed petals were illuminated by the thousands upon thousands of glittering little stars that had fallen on earth. On the base of the flower was a carefully preserved flower wreath of orange and green daisies and an open treasure box. In the treasure box was a small letter that said in a beautiful and elegant script: I love you too. From your beloved.	https://medium.com/@zqisyax/aphrodite-stormed-inside-helios-temple-like-a-vicious-whirlwind-her-face-was-red-her-fists-were-267fe96593cc	[]	2020-12-27 18:05:37.540000+00:00	['Greek', 'Gods', 'Myth']
I Had A Threesome And It Was Awkward AF	You can learn a lot about yourself and the world around you by making shitty choices. As much as everybody worries about fucking up… it can actually be pretty damn good for you. Betting on the wrong pony, throwing caution to the wind--I don’t want to minimize the reality that some bad choices can, um, kill you. But the ones that don’t can help you grow. For someone who’s had a lot of sadness in her life, it might seem strange that I don’t have many regrets. I’d like to think that’s because I tend to learn something relevant from most of my "mistakes." Honestly, a threesome isn’t an inherently bad choice. Yours could be, if it led to something like… murder. I once watched an episode of Forensic Files where that’s exactly what happened. To call that ménage à trois a bad idea is an understatement. I had a threesome once, and it was definitely with the wrong people for the wrong reasons. But it also didn't lead to anything terrible or even too dramatic. It was honestly awkward AF, but I learned a lot from the experience. I used to hate being single. In the winter of 2014, I was a new mom grappling with singleness. My fiance ended our relationship early in my pregnancy and quickly wound up living with a new woman after kicking me out of the apartment we shared. I was spectacularly broken back then and I didn’t know how to escape the toxic blurred lines that remained between me and my ex. He broke my heart, but he also treated me like dirt. And I let him. Despite our breakup, I still loved him and he still fucked around with me because of that. During the pregnancy, he went so far as to suggest that we become fuck buddies on the down low. He wanted me to agree to have threesomes (without telling his girlfriend, of course.) And he wanted me to insist upon delivering our daughter by cesarean, since he was worried my pussy wouldn't be tight after a vaginal birth. I hated the fact that I didn't know how to turn off my feelings for a man who treated me like trash. I felt unable to maintain any boundaries with him, so I made a real effort to meet somebody new mainly because I wanted to get over my ex. Through the magic of online dating, I met Ian. On paper, we were a good fit. He was a single dad who had his daughter every other week, he was intelligent and a little nerdy. The attraction was there. It’s not often that I enjoy sexting someone new. It’s not often that I find myself attracted to anyone new. But Ian ticked a ton of boxes, and I wanted to get over my ex. Of course, the problem with Ian was that he was unequivocally a jerk. I knew it every time he made plans and then canceled them with me. When I was on my way to meet him. And I knew he just wanted to use me for sex, despite saying he wanted an actual relationship. The worst part was that he wanted it to be easy and convenient for him--and he wasn't honest about that. Ian didn’t care about the fact that I was a single mom and that every time he canceled on me last minute, it was a pretty big deal to find childcare all over again. In those days, I had a hard time letting go of a relationship in any stage if I felt attracted to and invested in the person. I knew the “smart” thing was to quit indulging him, but I decided to stick it all out because I needed to prove to myself that I could get past my ex. Even my fantasies are awkward. Having sex with someone new felt like an important milestone after the hell I’d been through with my daughter’s dad. I was afraid that I couldn't even enjoy sex again. Somewhere in our texting/sexting, it came out that I was breastfeeding, and Ian had a lot of curiosity about that. Personally, I don’t have any problem separating the non-sexual function of breasts from any sexual purpose in the bedroom, and I really don't understand the squeamishness some people have about breast play with a nursing mom. When it came out that he not only wanted to know what it was like to be with a breastfeeding woman, but he also wanted to have a threesome, I went ahead and agreed. He had a female friend with a generic name like Jenny, who thought my pictures were cute. I didn’t have any persuasion one way or another about her pictures, but I did want an environment to explore sex with a woman. Something about it being with a stranger seemed better and more low key. To be honest, I have never been sexually attracted to any specific woman, but I have long been turned on by the idea of it. The only type of porn I watch is lesbian porn. And whenever I engage in solo sex, if there isn’t a particular man I like, you can bet I’m fantasizing about having sex with a woman. Not just that, but I imagine having a woman school me in bed. Of course, I recognize that there's angst in the lesbian and even bisexual communities about hereto women who are bicurious. It's easy for the queer woman to feel used while the hetero one behaves selfishly. I've never wanted to do that to anyone, which gave me another reason to try a low-key threesome. Merry Christmas to me? I waited until Christmastime when my daughter’s dad was visiting to go ahead and make plans with Ian and Jenny. Amazingly, he never canceled those plans. My ex dropped me off at Ian’s apartment and agreed to care for our infant that night. At nearly 9 months old, our daughter went through a happy period where she slept all night without needing to nurse. At Ian’s, he and I spent time with each other before his friend arrived. We watched Futurama, ate pizza, drank wine, and began making out. Pretty quickly into the makeout session, he asked me to suck his dick. After a large but internal eye-roll, I complied, got him off, and we dry humped until his friend arrived. She was perfectly nice, though I felt no actual attraction--just curiosity about what would happen and I wondered whether or not she would want to go through with it all. The three of us spent some time together on the couch. It was hard for me to not feel a little weird about being the newcomer. Or about Ian taking turns kissing us and moaning with his hands down both of our shirts. I mean, the dude was in heaven and it all felt pretty damn harem-y. Like the two girls were only there to please him. Some uncertainty diminished when his friend suddenly shot up off the couch and said, “Okay, who wants to get into bed?” We all shuffled over to his bed and the next few minutes were a blur. I don’t remember taking off our clothes, although I know I was scared. Because I have lipedema, I’m always hesitant to reveal my body to somebody new. I never know what they will think about my unusually large legs. But nobody said anything about my shape. Definitely, the worst part about the whole thing was that I felt like an outsider. The two friends were obviously already routine fuck buddies and had lots of inside jokes. They chatted and made plans for future weeks and for the most part, I felt excluded, like I was a novelty item to them. I also wondered if Jenny was hoping to become more than fuck buddies with Ian, but I figured it wasn’t my business. Awkward is an art for me. I don’t want to describe the sex as terrible, or hint to it being among my worst experiences in the world. Honestly? It wasn’t great, but I think a lot of that was simply due to me being unable to relax. There was definitely an awkwardness about what to do when Ian was fucking Jenny, and honestly, he was on the large size. Between his size and my nerves, I don’t think he was able to penetrate me. I also didn’t cum. At the time, I was really embarrassed about that, but now that I’m older and more experienced, I realize it didn’t even matter. We were all there for the experience, and the foreplay was really the best part anyway. There was one point where he went down on me, and it was all so rough and clumsy that all I could think was, “Oh God, make it stop.” But I was too embarrassed to say anything. I eventually just pushed him away so we could move onto something else. I kissed a girl and I kinda liked it. At least, I think I liked it. It was definitely weird, and I had a lot of guilt from my upbringing telling me it was wrong. It was different being on the other side and doing the things that have traditionally been done to me. I fingered her until she got off, and I felt her nipples beneath my tongue. It was different, because it was never about passion or intimacy. It was more about mere mechanics and getting the damn experience. To be fair, it was probably the only time I could separate my emotions from a sex act. When I think about the threesome now, it genuinely doesn't bother me that I wasn't attracted to Jenny or that there were no emotions between us. It was like scratching a deep itch we both had, and I get turned on just thinking about it. If it happened these days, I have to admit I'd probably be much more into it and have fewer inhibitions. But the best part for me by far was the breast play. User DominantSoul64 from FetLife once wrote about how getting breast play right was, in fact, getting the “keys to the kingdom.” I have to agree. If I’m a little bit on the fence about having penetrative sex because I’m simply tired or not in the right headspace, having my breasts get plenty of attention and foreplay is one way to get me into the mood. So how can I say it? It was fun having a man and a woman drink my breast milk simultaneously. They were both surprised that it tasted sweet like vanilla milk. And I was happy to feel sexual and desirable after so much shit with my ex. Here’s where it devolved into a sitcom. I’m not the greatest sleeper and I typically have a hard time sleeping in new places. After the threesome grew weary, I couldn’t seem to fall asleep while the other two snored, so I snuck out at 4 or 5am. My ex picked me up and a few hours later we were at a used bookstore because I had decided to sell my enormous manga collection since it was Christmastime and I didn’t have a job. I needed the money. To my horror, while we waited for the employees to price my books, I saw Ian browsing the history titles. That’s him, I hissed to my ex. I was suddenly very sheepish about sneaking out of his apartment and unsure if I should say hello. I didn’t know if he’d seen me. The whole thing was cringe-worthy, but I opted to say hi and hoped I didn't look like a stalker--with my baby, baby daddy, and manga all in tow just hours after what was basically a one night stand. Ian was surprised I had left and said he wished I had stayed. But I didn't regret leaving that awkward bed when I couldn't sleep. We said goodbye and never saw each other again. Ian did occasionally text me whenever he felt horny and wanted a hookup, but I never obliged. It turned out that even though I didn't know exactly what I wanted or needed back then, having that threesome did what I needed it to do. It showed me that I could still be a sexual being, but more than that, it confirmed that I wanted better. Like a partner who respected my limited time as a single mom. This story is... hard. Some stories are so taboo, it’s hard to even know where to begin. This has been one of those tales, and I’ve grappled with the question of how to approach the story for far too long. Threesomes are taboo for multiple reasons. For one thing, our culture is so strongly positioned for monogamy. But we know that plenty of people still get off on the idea of a threesome. Yet the idea of regular people (not celebrities, and not perfectly beautiful) having a threesome is too tough an idea for many folks to swallow. Plus, the former evangelical in me is still ashamed for certain people to find out. The realist in me knows that plenty of people will be grossed out. And the sex-positive champion in me questions why I ought to feel embarrassed at all. In my heart, I think the real cause of my embarrassment over having a threesome isn’t solely hinged upon the spiritual shame of my background, but the reality that I had a threesome for the "wrong reasons." I had a threesome because I was lonely and miserable in my role as a new mom with no partner. I had a threesome in an effort to help me try to get over my ex. And I had a threesome with a dude who really didn't respect me that way I would like. For the record, I am not against casual sex. I am not judging or condemning anybody who engages in casual sex. That said, casual sex is usually a poor choice for me as a demisexual who seeks an emotional connection before a physical one. But remember what I said about bad choices? Sometimes they're pretty damn good for you, and this one was. It helped me feel more comfortable with my sexuality, and these days, I no longer do things because I feel pressured by men or by shame. These days, I know how to talk about what I want because of such "bad choices." And that's a pretty big fucking win--even coming from a fuck-up.	https://medium.com/awkwardly-honest/i-had-a-threesome-and-it-was-awkward-af-b2b35c57a80c	['Shannon Ashley']	2019-03-17 17:54:41.086000+00:00	['Culture', 'Sex', 'Life Lessons', 'Motherhood', 'Dating']
100 Things You Should Know About People: #99 — Well Practiced Skills Don’t Require Conscious Attention	[caption id=”attachment_2217" align=”alignleft” width=”248" caption=”Guthrie Weinschenk Playing Violin”] [/caption] I have two grown children. The entire time they were growing up they took Suzuki method music lessons. My son studied violin, and my daughter studied piano. After attending one of my daughter’s piano recitals, I asked her what she was thinking about while she was performing the piano sonata piece (from memory, no music in front of her). Was she thinking about the dynamics of the music? When to get louder or softer? About particular notes or passages that were coming up? Speed or tempo? She looked at me in confusion. “Thinking?”, she said, “I’m not thinking about anything. I’m just watching my fingers play the song.” It was my turn to be confused. I turned to my son and said, “Is that how you play the violin in a recital? Are you thinking?” “No, of course I’m not thinking, he answered. I’m watching my fingers play the violin too.” Muscle memory — The Suzuki method of music instruction (and perhaps other methods too, it’s the only one I’m really familiar with) requires students to intensely practice particular skills on their instrument. In a Suzuki recital students usually do not have music in front of them. All the pieces (and quite complicated pieces) are memorized. This requires that particular passages and songs be practiced over and over. A term that is used in music instruction is “muscle memory”. The piece is practiced so often, that the muscles remember how to play it on its own, without thinking involved. Automatic execution? — If a skill is practiced so well that it is automatic, then it can be performed with a minimum of conscious attention. If it is really automatic then it almost allows multi-tasking. I say almost because multi-tasking doesn’t really exist. Too many automatic steps can lead to error — Have you ever been using a software application that requires you to go through a series of steps in order to delete an item? You have to click on the item you’re your mouse, then click on the delete key, then a window pops up and you have to click on the “Yes” button to confirm. You need to do about 25 of these, so you position your fingers on the mouse and keyboard in an optimal way and start pressing and clicking. Before too long your fingers have taken over, and you aren’t even thinking about what you are doing. It’s very easy in this type of situation to accidently keep deleting past where you were supposed to. What do you think? Are there tasks you do automatically?	https://medium.com/theteamw/100-things-you-should-know-about-people-99-well-practiced-skills-dont-require-conscious-attention-88b8aeb1d61a	['The Team W']	2016-09-21 22:11:55.344000+00:00	['Memory', 'Muscle Memory', 'Errors', 'Music', 'Attention']
Deep Learning for Air Quality Prediction	Deep Learning As we all know air pollution is one of the major problems in urban cities, where particulate matter is the most dangerous part of air pollution which affects humans than any other substance. Time Series Forecasting to predict air quality using Deep Learning with Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) Neural Network. First, let's talk about what's called by LSTM and the theory of it. Recurrent Neural Networks Traditional neural networks can’t do this, and it seems like a major shortcoming. For example, imagine you want to classify what kind of event is happening at every point in a movie. It’s unclear how a traditional neural network could use its reasoning about previous events in the film to inform later ones. Recurrent neural networks address this issue. They are networks with loops in them, allowing information to persist. LSTM Networks Long Short Term Memory networks — usually just called “LSTMs” — are a special kind of RNN, capable of learning long-term dependencies.LSTMs are explicitly designed to avoid the long-term dependency problem. All recurrent neural networks have the form of a chain of repeating modules of the neural networks. In standard RNNs, this repeating module will have a very simple structure, such as a single tanh layer. repeating module in an LSTM contains four interacting layers. In the above diagram, yellow boxes denote the neural network layer, Pink circle denote Pointwise Operation, and arrows mention the Transfer, copy . Each line carries an entire vector, from the output of one node to the inputs of others. The pink circles represent pointwise operations, like vector addition, while the yellow boxes are learned neural network layers. Lines merging denote concatenation, while a line forking denotes its content being copied and the copies going to different locations. The key to LSTMs is the cell state, the horizontal line running through the top of the diagram. The cell state is kind of like a conveyor belt. It runs straight down the entire chain, with only some minor linear interactions. It’s very easy for information to just flow along with it unchanged. The LSTM does have the ability to remove or add information to the cell state, carefully regulated by structures called gates. Gates are a way to optionally let information through. They are composed out of a sigmoid neural net layer and a pointwise multiplication operation. The sigmoid layer outputs numbers between zero and one, describing how much of each component should be let through. A value of zero means “let nothing through,” while a value of one means “let everything through!” An LSTM has three of these gates, to protect and control the cell state.	https://medium.com/analytics-vidhya/deep-learning-for-air-quality-prediction-b451e2936290	['Ashan Lakmal']	2020-10-15 12:35:22.274000+00:00	['Python', 'Predictions', 'Deep Learning', 'Lstm']
Apache Spark-3.0 Sneek peak	Apache Spark has remained strong over the years and now is coming back with one of its major releases with its ongoing goal of Unified Analytics to blend both Batch and Streaming world into one. Let’s see some of the features of it. Improved Optimizer and Catalog Delta Lake (Acid Transactions) + Linux Foundation Koalas: Bringing spark scale to Pandas Python Upgrade Deep Learning Kubernetes Scala Version upgrade Graph API — Graph and Cypher Script. GPU Support and along with Project Hydrogen Java Upgrade Yarn Upgrade Binary Files Improved Optimizer and Catalog: i) Pluggable Data Catalog: (DataSourceV2) Pluggable catalog integration Improved pushdown Unified APIs for streaming and batch eg: df.writeTo(“catalog.db.table”).overwrite($”year” === “2019”) ii) Adaptive Query Execution Make better optimization decisions during query execution eg: It interprets the size of the table and automatically changes from Sort Merge Join into a Broadcast join and so on.. if one of the tables is small Dynamic Partition Pruning speeds up expensive joins Based on the dimension table(Small table) filter query fact table(Large table) will also be filtered making the joins easier and optimal Delta-Lake: Delta Lake has been open-sourced for quite some time and has gained its popularity, given its ease of implementation and up-gradation with any existing Spark Applications. I believe, this is a next-generation of Data Lake, which helps overcome Data Swamp as well as the limitations of Lambda and Kappa Architecture. Now with Linux foundation backing up this program will step-up a notch. Here are some of the features which help us move one step closer towards Unified Analytics. ACID transactions Schema enforcement Scalable metadata handling Time Travel Note: More details related to DeltaLake will be updated once I resume on my upcoming daily posts soon — ( Follow me or the hashtag #jayReddy meanwhile) Koalas: Bringing spark scale to Pandas: Koalas have been released recently and it is a big add-on for Python developers both for Data Engineers as well as Data Scientists for its similarities between DataFrames and Pandas. Now they can scale up from a single node environment to the distributed environment without having to learn Spark Dataframes separately. Integrated into Python data science ecosystem. e,g: numpy, matpotlib 60% of the DataFrame / Series API 60% of the DataFrameGroupBy 15% of the Index / MultiIndex API 80% if the plot functions 90% of Multi-Index Columns Python Upgrade: Python is expected to completely move out from Version 2 to Version 3. Deep Learning: Request GPUs in RDD operations. i.e, you can specify how many GPUs to use per task in an RDD operation, e.g., for DL training and inference. YARN+Docker support to launch my Spark application with GPU resources. So you can easily define the DL environment in your Dockerfile. Kubernetes: Host clusters via Kubernetes are the next big thing it could be on-premise or cloud. The ease of deployment, management and the spin-up time is going to be far exceeding compared to the time taken by other orchestrating containers such as Mesos and Docker Swarm. Spark-submit with mutating webhook confs to modify pods at runtime Auto-discovery of GPU resources GPU isolation at the executor pod level spark-submit with pod template Specify the number of GPUs to use for a task (RDD stage, Pandas UDF) Kubernetes orchestrates containers and supports some container runtimes including Docker. Spark (version 2.3+) ships with a docker file that can be used for this purpose and customized to specific application needs. Scala Version upgrade: Scala 2.12 Graph API — Graph and Cypher Script: Spark Graph Api has a new add-on. A graph along with Property Graph and Cypher Script. Cypher query execution, query result handling, and Property Graph storing / loading. The idea behind having a separate module for the API is to allow multiple implementations of a Cypher query engine. Graph query will have its own Catalysts & it will follow a similar principle as SparkSQL. GPU Support along with Project Hydrogen: NVIDIA has the best GPU and it has by far surpassed any other vendors. Spark 3.0 best works with this. (NVIDIA RTX — 2080) is something to watch out for. Listing GPU Resources Auto discover GPU GPU Allocation to a Job and Fall-back GPU For Pandas UDF GPU Utilisation and Monitoring supporting heterogeneous GPU (AMD, Intel, Nvidia) Java Upgrade: With every new JDK version release from the Java community, we can see it moving one-step closer towards functional programming. The release of the Java-8 version was the beginning of it, starting from Lambda Expressions. Here’s an example of a variable declaration: Prior to Java 10 version: String text = "HelloO Java 9"; From Java 10 and higher versions: var text = "HelloO Java 10 or Java 11"; Yarn Upgrade: GPU scheduling support Auto-discovery of GPU GPU isolation at a process level Here’s the configuration setup to support GPU’s from Spark or Yarn 3 version onwards GPU scheduling In resource-types.xml configuration> <property> <name>yarn.resource-types</name> <value>yarn.io/gpu</value> </property> </configuration> In yarn-site.xml <property> <name>yarn.nodemanager.resource-plugins</name> <value>yarn.io/gpu</value> </property> Binary Files: Another file format added to support unstructured data. you can use it load images, videos and so on…. The limitation is that it cannot perform a write operation. val df = spark.read.format(BINARY_FILE).load("Path") Now that you know a glimpse of the next major Spark release, you can check out the Spark 3.0 preview version. If you liked this article, then you can check out my article on Note: Delta-Lake and Koalas can either be part of Spark-3.0 or remain as a separate entity as part of Databricks.	https://towardsdatascience.com/apache-spark-3-0-sneek-peak-284da5ad4166	['Jayvardhan Reddy']	2019-11-25 04:03:05.397000+00:00	['Big Data', 'Artificial Intelligence', 'Data Engineering', 'Data Science', 'Apache Spark']
The Urban-Rural Divide is More Complex Than You Might Think	The Urban-Rural Divide is More Complex Than You Might Think This is a final Data Story Project for COMM318: Stories From Data taught by Dr. Matt O’Donnell. On November 3rd 2020, I was anxiously sitting at the edge of my seat, chewing my nails while blasting the livestream of the voting results on YouTube. I had piles of work to do but my roommate and I resorted to baking brownies and doing crafts, attempting to ease our mind over the narrow margins between blue and red. As a news analyzer pulled up each state and their different county percentage breakdowns, I had begun to notice a slight pattern — each state had small specks of pure blue, slowly bleeding out into a vast red sea. Each visualization had the major urban cities superimposed on the map, and they happen to sit right on top of those blue specks: a county level inspection of this year’s election map reveals densely populated liberal epicenters surrounded by large swaths of sparsely-inhabited conservatism. A GeoJSON visualization I created of the voting turnout for Pennsylvania, a close swing state, for the 2020 Presidential Election. Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Allentown, and Erie are the top 4 most inhabited cities in Pennsylvania. Biden ended up beating out Trump with 1.2% more votes. Source: Kaggle & PennShare OpenData In 2016, Hillary Clinton won just 15 percent of the land area of the U.S., but she led Donald Trump by more than 2 million popular votes. National Level Further research led me to the concept coined “The Urban-Rural Divide,” which is the exact phenomenon I saw displayed — this clear realization was slightly jolting yet so obvious at the same time. As someone who has never really dug deep into politics, I wanted to further prove this to myself through analysis of data! I found a vast amount of survey data from a new UChicago Harris/AP-NORC Poll conducted in January 2019. The poll asked over 1,010 adults aged 18 and older nationwide their opinions on political topics ranging from the economy to traits they’d like in a candidate, and also recorded their demographics, notably if they lived in an urban, suburban, or rural area. A majority of urban residents identify as Democrats, while a majority of rural residents identify as Republicans. Graph by Adel Wu. Source: AP-NORC The plot to the left shows an association between Residential type and political party leaning: The percentage of Democrats drops significantly as you go from urban to rural, while the percentage of Republicans follow the opposite pattern. Studies have also shown that suburbanites with urban-living experience are significantly more liberal in their political attitudes than those who have lived their whole lives in either suburban or rural communities. It was clear from the map that counties containing major urban cities were very blue, but was it the case that the further you were from one, the more likely republican you were? What happens in between? Philadelphia In order to investigate this question, I wanted to focus back in on the state of Pennsylvania, as it was a swing state and is also the state I go to school in. I wanted to find a possible association between the distance between each county and urban city, and how many people vote Democratic in that county. The definition of an urban city can vary, so I decided to pick the Top 5 most populous cities in PA, which were Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Allentown, Erie, and Reading. I also defined a county’s “location” to be the center of the area geometrically, which is called the centroid. I took the centroids of all 65 counties in Pennsylvania, and plotted their smallest distance from the 5 chosen cities against the percentage of Democratic voters in their county. With a line of best fit (which best expresses the relationship between those points), a smooth downward sloping pattern appears: The graph shows a negatively sloped relationship between the two, meaning that the further away you get from a large city, the less likely you are a Democratic voter. Graph by Adel Wu. Source: AP-NORC & Wikipedia Looking closer at two of the most rightmost points on this plot, they represent Fulton and Potter county. When you place them on the map, the gradient becomes more clear visually as you see the colors change as you get closer to Pittsburgh and Erie.	https://medium.com/@adelwu/the-urban-rural-divide-is-more-complex-than-you-might-think-26d200980d0e	['Adel Wu']	2020-12-23 00:09:08.362000+00:00	['Data Visualization', 'Python3', 'Election 2020', 'Pandas', 'Politics']
21 Tips to Write Good Technical Articles	The Tips Don’t start writing anywhere and everywhere Before you start writing, establish a few places where you can do serious writing without any distractions (your desk in the study, your bedroom, at the garden, etc.). Once you establish the place, make it sacred. Nothing else should be done out there. Prepare a writing chart for the week ahead mentioning the datess and times at which you’ll write These charts need to track a minimum of three things: (1) time spent writing, (2) pages completed, and (3) the percentage of planned writing completed. These charts provide the motivation and feedback you need for your writing journey. Steal like an artist Yes, there’s no such thing as a new-minted, original idea. And stealing like an artist means reading others’ articles and identifying topics where you can bring your own perspective and treatment based on your unique experience. The best time to get ideas is when you’re at your groggiest (half asleep, just waking up, etc.) Studies have proved that our focus broadens when our minds are at a suboptimal level, allowing us to create more connections, as we’re open and in a free-flowing mode. On the other hand, the best time to write is when your creative cells are at their extreme peak and when you’re having your best focus (mornings, evenings, or whatever time works for you) Just write in the free-flow mode without any interruptions in order to achieve maximum productivity. Combine ideas to find new ways to connect existing themes For example, take a piece of paper, and write some suggestions in some categories. Programming (e.g., senior programmer, junior programmer, polyglot programmer) Relationships (e.g., casual, long-time, long-distance) Software-development techniques (Agile, Kanban, etc.) Now pick up any two items, and write a story. For example, you can write the story about two senior programmers using Agile, or you can write about a polyglot junior programmer. One of the easiest methods to write technical articles is by using the Carpenter method Select the ideas. Breakdown/outline your intended article into paragraphs (opening. middle and closing). String the ideas within the outline to create the first rough draft. Tackle one paragraph at a time, and polish it further. Read and edit the whole flow, and tighten the final piece into a nicely flowing article. Remember the key message in this style is to let go of perfection. The first draft is imperfect, and that’s perfectly OK. The final output is your masterpiece, your chef-d’œuvre, and only that is important. The problem statement should be clear and should be delivered by the second paragraph — at the latest Yes, many authors neglect to write a clear problem statement, leaving the readers scratching their heads figuring out what the writer is trying is tell them in the article. The key is to have a clear, concise, and well-articulated problem statement before the solution. Use the inverted-pyramid concept to structure your solution in such a way that the reader stays interested The concept is as follows: Summarize the most important point, the lede. Reveal the direction the article is headed. Flesh out the story with further details added to pique the reader’s curiosity. Don’t use jargon When I say not to use jargon, I’m not advocating leaving out necessary technical terms, but I’m saying it is to ensure the language is as clear as possible. For example, a hardcore technical term like the modulator valve control ring can be referred to simply: “Tighten the modulator valve control ring securely.” This is preferable to adding complexity like, “Apply sufficient torque to the modulator valve control ring to ensure that the control ring assembly is securely attached to the terminal.” Don’t use a long word when a short one is available If writers use pretentious words when other simpler words would convey the same meaning, they risk alienating the reader. Strike out as many words as possible The journalist Harold Evans once famously invited readers to consider which words written on a market signpost can be deleted without altering the meaning. The words were “FRESH FISH SOLD HERE.” Evans said all of the words can be deleted, as fish needs to be fresh and sold. So the signpost itself is a waste of money. The idea is to delete and delete and delete ruthlessly until nothing can be deleted any further without altering the meaning. Good writing is simple In fact, the hallmark of good writing is it can be expressed in a way that reasonably intelligent people can understand. If that’s not happening, it just means the writer hasn’t taken enough pain to present it succinctly. Always boil down a sentence to its simplest form, and keep doing it until it can’t be simplified any further. Pacing is the key to reader engagement When it comes to the flow of your article, what matters most is that the pace you’ve chosen remains consistent as the article progresses. A consistent pace (slow, fast, meandering, etc.) keeps the reader engaged and interested until the end. Package your writing in small chunks Human-memory buffers are notoriously short and can’t contain more than 15 words at a time. This puts a constraint on the reader’s understanding, and by the time a reader completes a really long sentence, their buffer gets depleted and they lose track. That’s why breaking your copy into small, concise, and meaningful sentences is required to pass the message across succinctly. Speak the language of the audience For example, a post you write on LinkedIn for senior-level software professionals will read very differently from a post you write on Facebook for school children. Not only do these two groups of people have different challenges, but their language, their taglines, and the lingo they use to speak about their needs also differ considerably. You need to research your audience to know the kind of language they speak and tailor your article accordingly. Be very careful when using tables and charts, as sometimes they contain unnecessary information that diverts the reader from your article Use these artifacts only when they’re really required, and the reader needs to go through them to understand the gist. Avoid if not required. The closing paragraph should contain both a summary and a conclusion, both of which are very important in technical articles The summary section gives the gist of your article and gives your reader a flash-card type of takeaway. The conclusion, on the other hand, is the place where the author can conclude the journey of the problem, starting from the introduction right until the final resolution. This is also the place where authors can highlight any unresolved issues or even next steps (a sequel to the article maybe?). Acknowledgments and references are often overlooked You may have gotten help from somebody to strengthen your article or maybe you referred to a book in your research for the article. While a separate section might not be required, it’s always a good practice to be gracious in acknowledging help if taken. Pay attention to food A proper food balance is important for maintaining healthy nutrition for the mind and body. And recent studies published in the Public Health Journal have also proved it takes less than 30 minutes to go from a sugar rush to a full-on sugar crash, which means we get more tired than energized thanks to sugar consumption. The key is moderation. Eating moderately means listening to your body and thereby helping your mind to perform to its full potential. Charge yourself into a better writer. Lastly, don’t push yourself too hard Writing needn’t be as strenuous as running a triathlon. Just write for 30 minutes to one hour, and then go about your day. Then on the following day, push yourself a bit harder. Build your writing muscle, one ligament at a time. Not a wasted word. Not a wasted effort. This is the key to being a productive and creative writer.	https://medium.com/better-programming/21-tips-to-write-good-technical-articles-486aa400c44b	['Mythili The Dreamer']	2020-07-01 03:35:19.977000+00:00	['Startup', 'Technology', 'Software Engineering', 'Programming', 'Writing']
Hello, Medium !! (And The case I’m working on.)	My first story of Medium!! Hello!! I’m Virtual Youtuber “Yuki Takeda”! In Medium, I want to talk about a somewhat unusual case that I’m involved in. This is not talked about on the blog or on Twitter, etc.,but it’s a definite truth. If I write about it on Twitter or my blog, my identity might be exposed and I might get banished from the site. Oh, we’re on linkedin and facebook in English! (So if you have any promising information, please let us know!) Photo by freestocks on Unsplash Well. Do you know about the “Taiwan 228 Incident”? Photo by Museums Victoria on Unsplash These are events that are not in the textbooks of my native Japan, and (presumably) have not survived in Chinese documents. But they really do exist. These are events that relate to all of Taiwan, Yonaguni Island in Japan, and to China at the time. It happened on February 28, 1947. After seizing Taiwan from the Japanese, the Kuomintang regime used the pretext of putting down a rebellion, and killed scores of people across Taiwan, in the name of The “February 28 Incident”. Among the tens of thousands of alleged victims were Okinawan officials who had remained in Taiwan and were “foreign Some Okinawans have yet to be certified as victims of the disaster. (As of July 2020, one case has been admitted.) Our struggle continues!! Photo by 傅甬华 on Unsplash I am tired of making this long, so I would like to write another article about the details of the Taiwan 228 Incident and what I actually experienced in Taiwan and the tragedy that happened to my great-grandfather. Thank you for your interest!	https://medium.com/@caelum0922/hello-medium-and-the-case-im-working-on-e54b9b80613f	['Yuki Takeda']	2020-07-08 06:57:57.336000+00:00	['Foreign', 'Vtuber', 'Taiwan', 'YouTuber', 'Japanese']
The King of Pirates, and the Biggest Pirate Heist in History	There were a lot of downsides to being a 17th-century pirate. Never mind the severely unhygienic coworkers and cramped living conditions. If you were caught, you were usually tortured and killed in ways that made a stint in Guantanamo look like a weekend in Ibiza. So what was the upside of the pirating life? Sometimes you got away with it, loaded with tons of filthy lucre. Take Henry Every, for instance. A lack of primary sources means that many of the details of his life are guesswork, but we do know that he seized a ship (the Fancy, which is a spectacular name for a giant craft bristling with guns), assembled a pirate crew, and sailed into the Indian Ocean, where in 1695 he attacked a convoy that included the Ganj-i-sawai, an enormous treasure ship owned by the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb, ruler of virtually the entire Indian subcontinent. The attack was so audacious that it nearly vaporized England’s relationship with the emperor, who threatened to flatten the outposts of the East India Company in retaliation. It resulted in a manhunt for Every that spanned oceans —and ended in a way that perhaps nobody expected. Every Man for Himself Henry Every (also known as Avery, in some accounts, or even Evory) was born near Devon in 1659, although other, arguably more questionable sources cite a different date. As a young man, he became a sailor with the Royal Navy, which at that time was part of a “Grand Alliance” against an expansionist France. After leaving the Navy, Every spent a few years as a slave trader. He then ended up on the Charles II, as part of a privateer convoy headed for the Spanish West Indies. Before the expedition could put so much as a single cannonball through the hull of a French ship, it stalled in a port in northern Spain. The sailors, unpaid for months, decided to take matters into their own hands. Every not only participated in the mutiny, but quickly rose to lead it. It’s a short skip from privateering to outright piracy. Every convinced his new crew that their fortunes lay far to the east. The Charles II, now renamed Fancy, headed for the Indian Ocean. The Raid The Mughal emperor’s fleet made the annual pilgrimage to Mecca, which rendered its route predictable; its ships carried not only Muslim pilgrims, but also treasure and immense amounts of tradable goods. Upon reaching the Mandeb Strait, which connects the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden, Every teamed up with five other pirate captains in the area —it would mean dividing any loot among more people, but he probably figured that the additional men and cannons were necessary. Nearly five hundred pirates would go up against the 25 ships of the Mughal fleet, which included the massive escort ship Fateh Muhammed. The fleet was sighted, and the pirates gave chase over five days. The Fateh Muhammed, overtaken first, put up startlingly little resistance for a 600-ton craft with a full complement of guns; the pirates stripped out its treasure and resumed pursuit of the big prize: Ganj-i-sawai. Three pirate ships, including the Fancy, closed within range and opened fire, severing the Ganj-i-sawai’s mainmast (i.e., the principal mast, which you need if you want to sail anywhere). The Mughal ship boasted four hundred troops in addition to dozens of cannons, which might have kept the pirates at bay —until one of the Ganj-i-sawai’s artillery pieces unexpectedly exploded, spreading chaos belowdecks and changing the calculus of battle. Every’s pirates swarmed aboard the wounded vessel, kicking off a three-hour battle. In disarray, leaderless, the troops onboard surrendered. What happened next was a storm of looting, rape, and murder. “It is certain the Pyrates, which these People affirm were all English, did do very barbarously by the People of the Ganj-i-sawai and Abdul Gofor’s Ship, to make them confess where their Money was,” the governor of Bombay, Sir John Gayer, wrote in a letter that year. The pirates’ takings included 500,000 gold and silver pieces, as well as ivory and precious stones—an incalculable amount of wealth, and perhaps the biggest pirate haul of all time. Every took his time pillaging the Ganj-i-sawai. “After having remained engaged for a week, in searching for plunder, stripping the men of their clothes and dishonoring the old and young women, they left the ship and its passengers to their fate,” wrote the Indian historian Khafi Khan. “Some of the women getting an opportunity, threw themselves into the sea to save their honor while others committed suicide using knives and daggers.” The battered Ganj-i-sawai limped home to Surat. Emperor Aurangzeb, enraged, threatened the East India Company (and by extension, all British trade in India). The Company promised to pay reparations, which seriously affected its bottom line. As news of the raid spread, the authorities in England decided that Every and his crew would need to suffer a most gruesome death for what they had done. The Manhunt While leaders around the world yelled at each other, Avery and crew headed for Madagascar and then the Bahamas. Upon reaching the Caribbean, they tried to pass as slavers, but too many things didn’t quite add up: why would slavers have a fortune in ivory and gold onboard? And why was Fancy so battle-damaged? With the authorities closing in, Every and his crew decided to split up. Some fled to the American colonies, while others kept sailing around the West Indies. Those who escaped had enough loot to last multiple lifetimes; but twenty-four were captured, and six hung after a perfunctory trial (there’s even a PDF of the trial transcript online). Every, already a legend, managed to disappear into the night, eluding the noose. The Robber Robbed? Four centuries ago, it was a lot easier to disappear: no cameras, no Internet, no digital surveillance, no passports or driver’s licenses backed by databases, no credit cards or emails to leave a trail. You could sail into a new port, or ride to a new town, and call yourself by a new name; so long as you kept your story straight, and nobody from your old life showed up, you could adopt a whole new persona. It must have been difficult for Every, the world’s most wanted fugitive, to pull off that kind of disappearing act; and yet he managed to do so. Although the historical record is somewhat sketchy with regard to his life’s details, it’s clear he was a ruthless man capable of both fastidious planning and improvisation in the moment. There are several different versions of Every’s fate. One of the most prominent ones, which we’ll call the “Moral Ending,” comes from Daniel Defoe’s well-known but factually questionable “A General History of Pyrates.” In Defoe’s telling, Every made it to Ireland, but was too afraid to sell the diamonds he stole from the Ganj-i-sawai. He moved to Bideford, near where he was born, and entrusted his money and possessions to a group of merchants who promised to protect him —for a fee. According to Defoe, what happened next was perhaps inevitable: In some Time his little Money was spent, yet he heard nothing from his Merchants; he writ to them often, and after much Importunity they sent him a small Supply, but scarce sufficient to pay his Debts: In fine, the Supplies they sent him from Time to Time, were so small, that they were not sufficient to give him Bread, nor could he get that little, without a great deal of Trouble and Importunity, wherefore being weary of his Life, he went privately to Bristol, to speak to the Merchants himself, where instead of Money he met a most shocking Repulse, for when he desired them to come to an Account with him, they silenced him by threatening to discover him… Every, trapped, supposedly fled back to Ireland, where he met his fate: Whether he was frightened by these Menaces, or had seen some Body else he thought knew him, is not known; but he went immediately over to Ireland, and from thence sollicited his Merchants very hard for a Supply, but to no Purpose, for he was even reduced to beggary: In this Extremity he was resolved to return and cast himself upon them, let the Consequence be what it would. He put himself on Board a trading Vessel, and work’d his Passage over to Plymouth, from whence he travelled on Foot to Biddiford, where he had been but a few Days before he fell sick and died; not being worth as much as would buy him a Coffin. “The robber robbed” has a nice ring to it, but many things about Defoe’s narrative don’t make much sense. Considering the enormous reward for Every, why didn’t anyone turn him in, especially a bunch of merchants who clearly wanted to exploit him? And after a life at sea, why would Every suddenly remain so resolutely land-bound? Other narratives place a retired Every back in Madagascar, ruling over a pirate haven of some sort; or in the New World, under a new name. In any case, the man disappeared —and within a few years of his disappearance, he had transformed from flesh to fiction, his life retold (and exaggerated) in books, plays, and spoken narrative. He had beaten the harsh odds of the pirate’s life, and gotten away with it.	https://nkolakowski.medium.com/the-king-of-pirates-and-the-biggest-pirate-heist-in-history-69d7bde45285	['Nick Kolakowski']	2018-06-15 02:24:00.479000+00:00	['Pirates', 'History', 'Money', 'Crime', 'England']
You Must Keep Moving	I know it seems long But you must remain strong And keep moving Things go wrong It is part of the journey It is part of the plan And you must keep moving Each step you take pushes you closer So, keep moving Sometimes you cry And at times you wonder why Trust and know through it all you must keep moving Others won’t understand They can’t see the plan And that’s okay No matter what they say You keep moving Keep moving and it won’t be long Keep moving and you will remain strong Keep moving and you will see You will end up exactly where you’re supposed to be So, keep moving	https://medium.com/illumination/you-must-keep-moving-53ab48f4b478	['Sharon Brandon']	2020-11-22 16:01:19.563000+00:00	['Self-awareness', 'Spiritual Tree', 'Illumination', 'Poetry', 'Spiritual Secrets']
The Elephant in the Zoom	Rescue holiday cheer by organizing a remote White Elephant gift exchange using a group video call and this collaborative Figma file. If you love your friends, coworkers, and/or family but also believe in Public Health, you’ll probably be celebrating at a distance this year. Here’s a fun way to bring the joy of gift giving, receiving, and stealing to your family FaceTime or team Zoom. What’s so great about this White Elephant: Instead of the pressure of finding the perfect gift for one person, you buy a gift that could go to anyone in your group. Instead of getting stuck with a boring gift you don’t really want, you have the chance to steal someone else’s gift, which is fun. Anyone can get any gift, and the unwrapping gets more exciting as the party goes on. This version is remote, so no one gets sick. You can procrastinate and pick a gift at the very last minute. You don’t have to worry about presents getting delivered in time, since they are ordered and shipped after the party. The White Elephant distributes value more efficiently than assigned gifts, since a boring gift like socks is more likely to end up with a person who actually wants socks. This frees you up to pick weirder gifts with a greater expectation that they’ll actually be appreciated. Powered by Figma The secret to making this work is Figma, a design tool built for collaboration. Everyone can log in with Google (so you don’t have to sign up for anything), and you can see each other’s names on their cursors while they move around the document. Most importantly, you can paste in an image that nobody will see until it’s revealed! Hannah didn’t actually buy an Apple Watch, the gift was a new watch band. As the organizer, you’ll have to set up a Figma file for your party to use. If Figma is new to you, you can duplicate my file here, in the Figma Community. The template includes the rules and some empty boxes you can copy and name after each person you’re inviting. Include the Figma link in your invitation. It’s also a good idea to review the rules and share them out, since there are many variations out there. Remote White Elephant Participant Rules Before the party, shop online for a gift to give. Take a screenshot of the gift and copy it to your clipboard. Pro tip: on a Mac you can (⌘+control+shift+4) to copy an area of the screen right to your clipboard. In your group’s Figma file, find the an empty box with your name on it. Select the colored square and paste (⌘+V) the screenshot you copied into the square. No one can see it until the wrapping paper layer is deleted. Pro tip: find a fun wrapping paper pattern and paste it on the white square. Once the party starts, you’ll need to establish an order. Hit T to type and enter your name, and then work as a group to sort them alphabetically. This is the order in which you’ll pick presents, and a fine way to mark a present once it’s yours. The first person will pick a gift to unwrap by deleting the wrapping paper layer, revealing the gift, and dragging their name onto the gift to claim it. Standard White Elephant rules apply. The next person can steal any unwrapped gift by putting their name on it, or open a new one. Each gift can only be stolen once in a single round, and after a gift has been stolen three times total, it can’t be stolen any more. Once the unwrapping, stealing, recrimination, and glee is over, everyone goes to order the gift they contributed and has it shipped to its new recipient. Pro tip: after all the action, ask everyone to edit the name they typed in Step 4 to include their address, to save a little time. Happy Holidays! If you try this, I’d love to see it! Share a screenshot with me on twitter. A special thank-you to my in-laws, who tried this out for the first time, and to Dave Pell, who suggested a punny title to a stranger on the internet. If you read the news and appreciate a clever title, sign up for his daily newsletter, NextDraft.	https://medium.com/@jringenberg/the-elephant-in-the-zoom-4833fc85d25c	['Joe Ringenberg']	2020-12-03 15:07:19.988000+00:00	['Figma', 'White Elephant', 'Holiday Party Ideas', 'Remote Work', 'Event Planning']
Stalked by Fears: Will Virtual Reality Be the Answer We Need?	©anolkil Clink, clink, clink, the sound was relentless as the bullets hit the outer skin of the armored vehicle. Boom! A roadside bomb had exploded, and everyone inside the vehicle was thrown out into a bloody pile of bodies and body parts. Moans filled the air, and smoke rose as the flames began to envelop everything in sight. The terror and the fear that came with it drove the memory ever deeper into the brain of the person who had been at the wheel. All of it was a vivid memory that refused to be forgotten by anyone involved in the tragedy. Many would suffer from prolonged anxiety disorders as a result. Sense memories are components of the anxiety disorder known as Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). On their return home, military servicemen and women would have these persistent disruptions of reality and their emotions. Nightmares came in volcanic succession and made the night a time of renewed fear; the horror never stopped. AK-47 bullets were being fired. Sudden flashbacks stopped them on the street where some fell to a crouching position. Frantically, one might yell for help. “Medic, medic!” Everyone would stare, not knowing whether to run or call 911 for help. It was lifechanging and disabling. A return to their former life or self seemed impossible. Often, suicide was an answer. Therapy and Virtual Reality Virtual reality (VR) recreates the environment in a controlled therapeutic setting using a virtual set, eyewear, software, and hand-held objects. The scene is “real” in every sense of the word except it’s not real. Immersing an individual into a reconstructed virtual environment by computer programs and digital screens on a headset was first invented in 1968 by Ivan Sutherland at MIT. Sutherland explained how the term and the software came to be in a video. Since that time, the potential for this form of digital reality-based programming has blossomed from games to therapy as it found additional utility in mental health care. Anxiety was a prime target. Virtual reality as a therapeutic intervention for anxiety disorders has incorporated powerful techniques research has shown to be highly effective. The original technique, developed by Joseph Wolpe in 1958, is known as systematic desensitization or reciprocal inhibition and was effective in treating “war neurosis.” The theory is that it isn’t possible to experience fear and relaxation at the same time, and a three-step technique was developed based on this model. The steps include learning methods of relaxation, establishing a hierarchy of fears, and then gradual exposure to the fear stimulus. In this way, both physical and mental abilities can be brought to bear during the therapeutic exercise. Photo by XR Expo on Unsplash As an innovative technique, virtual reality may be used in several fear-provoking situations. However, some individuals may not be able to utilize it. Anyone who has experienced either feelings of dizziness, known as cybersickness, seizure disorder, or some heart disorders, might not be candidates for the therapy. A gradual introduction to the virtual environment may decrease the cybersickness. A few other individuals might also not be candidates, and these include persons with migraine headaches. Individuals prone to psychosis or a personality disorder where they might confuse the virtual world with reality might also be excluded. The future is bright, however, and more individuals will be brought under the VR umbrella of therapies. VR and Autism What rivets the attention of an individual with autism so completely that they cannot pull themselves away from it? This is the question that Matt Clark, a father of an autistic son, wanted to answer. His response to his own question led to his development of a virtual reality exhibition at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. The exhibit, one of many in other museums, seeks to re-create the perceptual world of an autistic boy, but it isn’t without its detractors. As Clark stated, his 15-year-old son “can’t talk; his behaviors are extremely challenging.” Therefore, how can we expect him to express himself to assist us in understanding? For Clark, several artists with autism and for family members who have autistic relatives, it’s a beginning. The use of the virtual environment can now open a new type of dialog to put people into the shoes of someone with autism for the first time. How can they do that? Consider the fact that autism is a disorder often with severe extremes of sensory overloads of sight, sound, and movement. Their world is often unknowable and they struggle to understand it themselves. Once they leave their homes or schools, it can be frightening even in a space we find comfortable; a shopping mall. One attempt to recreate the world of autism was a video produced by The Guardian newspaper in the UK. Watching it provides only a bit of the true experience, but it is worth the effort. Where can VR be utilized for persons with autism? Job interviews would have been extremely stressful and unproductive without virtual reality. Vocational counseling training programs that involve interview situations can go anywhere from gentle to more aggressive; something with which any job applicant must contend. Sharpening interview skills in learning how to handle each situation in a virtual environment is the most practical and one of heightened learning. But learning about getting a job isn’t the only place these individuals need to understand and practice their responses Classroom settings also are challenging when speaking before a group. Public speaking even in this closed space more threatening than it would be to any other student. A series of different environments can be envisioned here, too, so that the autistic child can feel less anxious and more prepared for what is to come. VR programs can be both tolerant and forgiving as few teachers might be to a student with a disability of this type. The Future Promise of VR Clinicians and researchers see an optimistic future for the expansion of virtual reality programs for the treatment not only of anxiety disorders such as PTSD and specific phobias. Improvements in technology and initial cost for equipment make VR more readily available. Persons with disabilities or autistic disorders will learn appropriate skills and to diminish their fears. Unique tasks for the programs not explicitly intended for disorders offer hope for enhancing feelings of self-efficacy and cognitive enhancement to deal with dysfunctional beliefs. The experiences provided virtually can create opportunities for positive outcomes in other environments. VR can also enhance learning or to integrate learning into new situations. The challenge lies in the creativity of both the programmers and those who can envision new opportunities in which to involve this technology.	https://medium.com/datadriveninvestor/stalked-by-fears-will-virtual-reality-be-the-answer-we-need-d581f70ff648	['Dr. Patricia Farrell']	2020-08-04 16:23:24.623000+00:00	['Autism', 'Virtual Reality', 'Programming', 'Computers', 'Life']
How Do You Handle Conflict At Work? 5 Simple Rules.	You may have heard that one popular type of job interview questions is called behavioral questions. They are intended to give interviewer an idea of how you, as a candidate, would behave in a situation quite typical to a workplace, so don’t be surprised if you are asked behavioral questions in a job interview — trust me, you would be willing to know the same things about your candidate should you be the one hiring. How do you handle conflict at work? is one of such questions. If you think the best answer is to say that you are not a confrontational person and you manage to get along with everyone without conflicts, then you probably either haven’t really been involved with people in a workplace, or you are not completely honest, or you lack the trait of self-awareness. Conflicts do happen all the time, and they are not necessarily bad as such. It’s how we resolve them what matters. Traits to demonstrate Ideally, your answer should reveal to the interviewer if you have any (or all) of the following traits: Self-awareness. People who possess this trait are capable of viewing themselves from an outside perspective and honestly assessing their own behavior and motives. People who possess this trait are capable of viewing themselves from an outside perspective and honestly assessing their own behavior and motives. Analytical skills. These skills allow you to analyze the situation, to quickly assess the facts and reasons, to separate facts from emotions, and to draw conclusions and “lessons learned”. These skills allow you to analyze the situation, to quickly assess the facts and reasons, to separate facts from emotions, and to draw conclusions and “lessons learned”. Emotional intelligence. This has been a hot subject in recent years (in case you are interested to learn more about EI, I recommend to check out Travis Bradberry). In relation to the workplace, the presence of this trait translates into the ability to understand motives behind your own behavior as well as those of other people, to the extent of being able to mitigate, predict and facilitate progress towards solutions. This has been a hot subject in recent years (in case you are interested to learn more about EI, I recommend to check out Travis Bradberry). In relation to the workplace, the presence of this trait translates into the ability to understand motives behind your own behavior as well as those of other people, to the extent of being able to mitigate, predict and facilitate progress towards solutions. Integrity. With regard to the workplace, I would say integrity means having certain values and abiding by them. For example, one good friend of mine is always polite, and no matter how hot the conversation may become on the other side of the table, she would always try her best to keep calm and never interrupt the other party. The world would be so much more pleasant place to live if everyone held to this value! With regard to the workplace, I would say integrity means having certain values and abiding by them. For example, one good friend of mine is always polite, and no matter how hot the conversation may become on the other side of the table, she would always try her best to keep calm and never interrupt the other party. The world would be so much more pleasant place to live if everyone held to this value! Adaptability. Are you capable of listening intensely to your counterpart, to quickly assess their reasoning and the situation overall, and to adjust your opinion and approach based on what you see? Adaptability is extremely important in the current workplace and I suggest you invest more time to learn about it and to make sure you know how to be and present yourself as adaptable. Read this article from HBR if you are interested to learn more about this subject. Are you capable of listening intensely to your counterpart, to quickly assess their reasoning and the situation overall, and to adjust your opinion and approach based on what you see? Adaptability is extremely important in the current workplace and I suggest you invest more time to learn about it and to make sure you know how to be and present yourself as adaptable. Read this article from HBR if you are interested to learn more about this subject. Persuasiveness. If you are certain of your point of view, how capable are you of persuading others, of winning them over? Persuasiveness is a sign of leadership abilities which are also very important in the workplace, regardless of your role. If you are certain of your point of view, how capable are you of persuading others, of winning them over? Persuasiveness is a sign of leadership abilities which are also very important in the workplace, regardless of your role. Approach, or Methodology. A mature person will most likely have a particular methodology to conflict resolution, even if a sub-conscious kind of it. I assure you that having defined your own approach really helps to handle conflicts. Of course, you don’t just list all the above qualities in your answer. The best way to demonstrate them is proof, and most often an example (a story) from your real experience will serve as proof just fine. Be concise and relevant with your answer, and do not ramble. Methodology to conflict resolution Now, speaking of methodology, I personally think that every conflict results from wrong expectations and wrong expectations are a consequence of lack of wisdom. So, the best way to prevent conflicts is to grow in wisdom and try to see the world for what it is. (I am thankful to Mr. Simon for being here for me whenever I need a portion of practical wisdom!) But what if you are not there yet, or if there are other parties in the conflict that lack wisdom, and the conflict still happens? These 5 simple rules should help you stay in control and steer the situation towards your desired outcome. Rule: separate the problem (or situation) from emotions. Negative emotions serve as fuel for conflict, and they do not serve you (or anyone) any good at all, never. They can even impact your health. You are wiser than that, right? In addition, be aware that most people are weak. Instead of facing a problem (and the person who, in their view, is causing the problem) and finding and implementing a solution and living happily ever after, they prefer to hide behind walls and silos, to build negativity, to complain, whine and sabotage. Why? Maybe this is the only way how they are used to experience life in its fullest?… But we don’t know the reasons for sure, so let’s not speculate about them and proceed to rule #2. Just remember: conflict does not get resolved at the emotional level, so you should never be involved in a conflict emotionally. Rule: separate people from their behaviors. Be compassionate and emphatic to people but firm about the values you hold and the desired outcome (if you are sure this is indeed the best one). Try to understand each personality involved in the conflict; try to see them as just a person, notwithstanding their professional role in the organization. What do they care about? Why? What obstacles do they experience? What is the reason behind their current (misbehavior? What could be the real solution to their problem? Dig deep. Rule: be patient. People’s attitudes are often caused by their own negative experiences that have nothing to do with you. Sometimes it will take a while for them to let off steam. They may even throw all that accumulated negativity on you if you happened to be the trigger. Be patient, they will calm down if you don’t add fuel to the fire and let them vent. Rule: establish the framework. After letting them calm down, when you see they are open to continue the conversation, enforce a framework consisting of the following rules: - constructive criticism: “you can only complain about someone or something if you have a workable solution to offer. Otherwise, this is called beating the air and we are already past that stage.” - 50/10 allocation: “if you really, REALLY need to engage into emotions, let’s allocate some 10 minutes at the end of our conversation to anything you may want to say to me, however emotional it may be. But the first 50 minutes of the hour should only include facts and proposed solutions. And maybe constructive criticism.” This should be enough to lead to the solution. One last step is to establish rule #5 for handling controversial topics going forward: Rule: structured discussions. whenever you feel the imminence of a new conflict, proactively have all involved parties in one room for a structured, constructive discussion. Lead the agenda, but let everyone have their say. Time each speaker so that everyone in the room has an equal amount of time to speak. If anyone tries to revive the negatives, do not buy into it and focus on discussing the desired outcome and ways or steps to achieve it. If necessary, remind people of the 50/10 rule. You may notice that, strikingly, some people subconsciously hold the last 10 minutes more dear than the first 50, but when they start seeing the results, they will be positively surprised and will start enjoying new behaviors themselves. Try this approach! It may be not so easy to switch to it from your usual mode, but it definitely will bring fruit. Try it, even if just as an experiment, and you will not only see the positive outcome to a particular conflict; you will find yourself — and the group of people you lead — on the path of healing and harmony, which will make your workplace so much nicer place to operate in. Originally published at https://mrsimon.ai.	https://medium.com/@natalielihacova/how-do-you-handle-conflict-at-work-5-simple-rules-23cb83cd4700	['Natalie Lihacova']	2020-03-03 00:56:37.468000+00:00	['Career Advice', 'Interview Tips', 'Interview Questions', 'Interviewing', 'Conflict Resolution']
Does the thought really count?	Does the thought really count? I’ve been living life all wrong. Whenever I mess something up, flake out on plans or give up on something before it’s done I always used to justify my actions because I had good intentions. As it turns out though, no one cares about your intentions. I learned that pretty quick after starting a commission based sales job, let me tell ya. When someone pays $7500 to order a bedroom suite and sectional and you tell them you can get it here next Tuesday, they expect it to be here next Tuesday. End of story. If it ends up getting pushed back by six to eight weeks, they aren’t going to care how much the situation is stressing YOU out or how many other customers have stuff on backorder, or the fact that we’re in the middle of a pandemic and timeframes can change on a day-to-day basis. What matters to them is they literally have handed you $7500 on agreement that their furniture will be here on the day promised to them. And that’s understandable! Your intentions don’t matter if you can’t deliver It’s sure nice of you to want to do good by someone; you have a kind heart. Awesome. If you wanna be successful though, you’re gonna have to work on the whole delivery part because nobody cares if you were trying to be nice while coming across as an asshole. Or cancelling plans or breaking promises or other agreements. I learned this simple little trick from a retail veteran and to my surprise it hasn’t only helped keep my customers happy, but also it has boosted the quality and depth of my personal life and relationships. The unexpected thing is that it has helped me significantly with picking investments! There are so many projects out there with next level economics and huge, game-changing goals. And they pump based on speculation and then inevitably fail and dump due to lack of delivery nine times out of ten. It’s the tried and true projects with real partnerships, big trusted names and clear use cases — stuff that has been tested, audited and can demonstrate a real working product. The stuff that can actually deliver, in less words. Anyway, this mantra can be applied to almost anything in business and personal life, and I encourage you all to use it ✌	https://medium.com/@nick0tine/does-the-thought-really-count-b0e9eb0eb5b5	[]	2020-12-27 00:12:25.902000+00:00	['Opinion', 'Crypto', 'Advice', 'Intentions', 'Business']
1 a.m. Concert	Awake at 1 a.m. Headphones inserted Floating on thoughts filled with music My lyrics differ though I pray you do lie awake for me You… in the distance Feeling drunk while sober l approach a door your subconscious cracked open You don’t realize you’re ready for visitors You weren't expecting me I’ll be gentle Existing on a higher frequency than others, it seems there lives another who shares my gift(curse) My curiosity is aroused A blush forms on my cheeks An inexorable longing takes over I lay back, drifting off… A flurry of music and images Tides of unexpected calm cover me Rocking me Protecting me from afar	https://medium.com/poetry-under-cover/1-a-m-concert-4e20db4e2813	['Jenny N Olson']	2019-10-04 20:07:52.383000+00:00	['Thoughts And Feelings', 'Heartbreak', 'Relationships', 'Poetry', 'Life']
Four questions you should ask before visualizing your data	Hmm, something looks fishy here. These numbers aren’t adding up! A picture is worth a thousand words — at least, that’s how the old saying goes. But how many numbers is a picture worth? Perhaps that’s a more interesting question given the amount of charts and graphs created every day. We need to distill all the data available to us through charts and visualizations to convey a clear message. It’s the message the inspires action to change the world — or your organization. Why is data visualization so important? It helps you and your audience see insights that weren’t obvious before. You can present information intuitively to individuals who don’t need to know how to interpret raw data. It can capture the attention of your audience and make your viewpoint stand out. While many data visualizations can be incredibly useful, visualizing data incorrectly can be disastrous. In Edward Tufte’s book, Visual Explanations, Tufte explains how a bad visualization did not convey crucial information about the danger of cold temperatures on O-rings that ultimately caused the Challenger Shuttle to explode. This visualization doesn’t convey the dangers of low temperatures The chart above was the original NASA visualization — hard to figure out what these scientists were trying to tell their colleagues, right? They were showing the damage to the O-rings and the temperature is associated with each launch, but we don’t inherently see the correlation between the two. There is also a lot of chartjunk, as Tufte refers to it, which pulls our attention away from the actually data and focuses it on the pictures of the rockets. Another fatal flaw in this chart is the order of the rockets — rather than showing it by temperature, it shows it by launch date. This only helps mask the dangers of launches in cold temperatures. Tufte’s re-visualization of the same data (below) eliminates all the noise and shows the most important elements of the data: temperature vs. O-ring damage. Now we can see the dangers of launch more clearly with the dotted curve and clearly labeled axes. Now this chart is much clearer about the projected dangers of launching the shuttle in cold temperatures. The axes are clearly defined, the trend is marked in red, and the title outlines the purpose of the chart. Out of the 13 charts that were prepared before the launch, none of them conveyed the risks clearly to the decision-makers. Of course, not everything is this extreme — most visualizations that aren’t well thought-out might convey the wrong idea or erroneous data without endangering lives. If you’re looking to capture attention and drive your insights forward, here are four questions to ask as you visualize your data. Who is your audience? Knowing the prior knowledge of your audience is a key component of creating a good visualization. Make sure you think about what the viewers already know about the subject you’re presenting and adjust your visualization accordingly. What is the message you need to convey? This should be your guiding light throughout the creation of your visualization. First, focus on the variables you need to visualize in order to get your message across — make those variables the focus of your graph. What relationship do they have and what type of chart should you use for that? Interactive charts are very engaging for individuals, but does it make sense for a group presentation if it can only display bits of information at a time? The format comes into play when you tackle the next question. What data should you display? More data does not always equal better data. Use your judgment to determine what data points and categories are most important to convey your message. Use the data to determine what type of visualization makes the most sense — make sure that it clearly shows the relationship between the variables that are most important to your message. Keep it clean and visually appealing for maximum impact. Is this visualization intuitive? If your audience cannot understand your graph within the first 30 seconds it is displayed, you need to rework your chart. Keep to conventions that people understand so they don’t have to work hard to get your message. As long as these questions are driving your visualization, you will create a chart that not only conveys your message, but also remains memorable in the minds of your audience. Want to learn how to create interactive visualizations in just a few hours? We teach that!	https://medium.com/the-data-experience/four-questions-you-should-ask-before-visualizing-your-data-cd20a302eb65	['Data Society']	2015-12-23 16:55:34.176000+00:00	['Data Visualization', 'Design', 'Data Science']
A War of Economics: Armenia and Azerbaijan	If you’ve never really studied wars or politics and largely relied on common news sources for all the information, it’s likely that you’ve never really understood how most of the world works. Things are not what they seem and they’re more often than not portrayed differently by different entities. Flag of Azerbaijan Flag of Armenia Who Are They? Armenia and Azerbaijan are a part of what is called the South Caucasus region between Europe and Asia. Azerbaijan has an estimated population of 10 million, while Armenia has a little over 2.9 million. The region was part of the Russian Empire and then part of the USSR. They became independent after the USSR’s downfall. After that, they’ve had skirmishes on the border that have killed some 30,000 people since 1988 on both sides while there are around 350 casualties in the current conflict so far. The Players, The Pawns It is imperative to understand that in today’s world, there are never just two powers colliding, rather, there are complete blocs that are in the power struggle. Armenia and Azerbaijan are the pawns in this case. The power behind Armenia is Russia which maintains its bases in Armenia while having a military pact as well. Azerbaijan on the other hand is being heavily supported by Turkey and the European powers in general. Don’t Drag Religion Into This Let’s clear something up. This was not a religious war. This war may have sparked because of ethnic differences but both Armenia and Azerbaijan are secular countries and even though Azerbaijan has 96% of its population supposedly Muslim, they hardly qualify for that. Islam has only affected the culture of the country and not much more than that. So this is definitely not a Muslim vs. Christian dispute. I saw many Muslims on social media giving their support to Azerbaijan because it’s a Muslim country but when they learn that Azerbaijan maintains close trade relations with Israel, I’m sure their views won’t stay the same. And the fact that Turkey has shown tremendous support to Azerbaijan is because they see Azerbaijanis as their ethnic brothers as they are believed to be of common descent. But that’s not the only reason why Turkey has joined the game. Oil, Gas and the Caspian Sea Oil and gas account for around 80 percent of Azerbaijan’s goods exports and a staggering 37 percent of total GDP. Any short-term gap won’t affect the European market but Any cut in gas exports would be more serious for Georgia and Turkey, especially if it came during the peak mid-winter demand, and more so if the coming winter proves to be a cold one. And that’s one of the reasons why Armenia has been targetting Azerbaijan's existing pipelines near the Nagorno-Karabakh region. Azerbaijan’s two main pipelines, the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline (BTC) and the South Caucasus gas pipeline (SCP) both pass through an area dubbed the “Ganja Gap”. Pipeline routes — eurasianet.org Azerbaijan will, later this year, commission the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) through Greece, Albania, and the Adriatic to Italy, where it will feed into European pipeline networks. The line is a part of the 2,500 miles, U.S.-backed, Southern Gasoline Hall, which took around $40 billion to construct. TAP is the final segment of the “Southern Gas Corridor,” a route the EU has planned for almost two decades to tap into the massive reserves of the Caspian Sea. Initially, the TAP will carry 10 billion cubic metres to Europe with most of it going to Italy. Additional investment in the pipeline can lead to an increase to between 20 billion-25 billion cubic metres to Italy after 2025. The Terrifying Russians It’s no secret that Europeans have always been terrified of Russia and they’re always trying to get an advantage over Moscow. This is another example of that. Turkey is advocating Europe against Russia in this seemingly small dispute. Here’s some context; Europe fulfills 40% of its gas and oil needs from Russia but with the commission of TAP, it will go down by a staggering 5%. Russia has often used its export as a bargaining chip and kept much of East Europe under its wing. Turkey, however, has created alternatives to Russian resources in recent times and has broken free of its influence. And this is why Russia is backing Armenia and this is why Armenia is targetting Azerbaijan’s pipelines. Obviously, this isn’t been said outright but most of us can read between the lines. Vladimir Putin — caspiannews.com Turkey, The Savior In the Muslim world, Turkey is the only country (Apart from Iran) with influence in global politics and we clearly saw its involvement in the Middle East. That might be because it is a member of NATO and will undoubtedly have support from the West as well (as long as it doesn’t deviate from their agenda). Erdogan sees this as another opportunity to cement its position against Russia. According to Reuters; Turkey’s exports, of drones, rocket launchers, and other military equipment to Azerbaijan have risen six-fold this year. It reached up to $77.1 million. And Azerbaijan has also purchased arms from Israel, Russia (surprised?), and other countries. Turkey also joined Azerbaijan for a two-week military exercise boasting its armored vehicles, artillery, and mortars. It was called an annual exercise, but the signal was apparent. Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (2016) — www.therahnuma.com There are three reasons why Turkey would enter the fray. First; Turkey has a strong ethnic kinship with Azerbaijan and because of its past with Armenia, Turkey would obviously side with Azerbaijan. Second; Azerbaijan’s major gas export is important to Turkey. The export money Azerbaijan gets from the gas exports comes back to Turkey through weapons purchases. Third; Turkey wants to play a greater role in the region, even if that comes at the expense of Russia. And this is very clear from Ankara’s aggressive foreign policy. Erdogan even criticized the European powers for agreeing to the peace treaty too easily and on the other hand, he was accused, by France, of sending Syrian mercenaries into the conflict zone. The NATO members remain very tense with Erdogan’s vast ambitions. What Now? Azerbaijanis rejoice — www.bbc.com Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Russia have signed an agreement to end the military conflict over the disputed enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh. The peace deal, which was signed by Russian President Vladimir Putin, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, and Armenia’s Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, took effect on Tuesday, 10th October. In the meantime, Russian peacekeepers are deployed in the disputed territory. While the people of Azerbaijan are rejoicing, Armenians on the other hand, had protests around government buildings, including the parliament, but the anger slowly dissipated. The actual people of the disputed zone are thankful for the ceasefire considering the damage that had been done. For now, there is peace. It might seem like the whole issue of the gas pipelines isn’t too significant now but there is only so much that they can tell the public. I’m sure there have been negotiations behind closed doors and only time will tell what they were. Photo by Roman Kraft on Unsplash Learn to Consume Mark Twain said “If you don’t read the newspaper, you’re uninformed. If you read the newspaper, you’re misinformed.” Here’s what we can take away from all this. Truth is a rare commodity in today’s age and it’s our job to search for it, or at least not believe the lies. The media today is very biased and bound to brainwash populations through propaganda. It might sound too scary to be true but it’s happening. A few other examples exist where a conflict is portrayed as religious when it is actually political. Take Israel. The Muslim extremists portray the Jews as devilish and inherently evil (they might be but we can’t be racists) when religious discrimination is absolutely forbidden in Islam. What this does is cloud the real issue at hand; the illegal occupation of Palestinian territory. Yes, we must stand for our Palestinian brothers but not only because they are Muslims but because they are being oppressed, and so our fight is against oppression and not the Jews. Another example of this would be the Shia-Sunni animosity that largely exists between Iran and Arab countries, majorly Saudia Arabia. The sectarianism is just an excuse. Saudia Arabia, along with Israel, acts as a buffer for the US against Iran because Iran might be the only country that doesn’t hesitate when it comes to staring the United States in the eye. It is a major threat to the US in the Middle East. The animosity is a facade and the truth is, as you can see, much different. To counter the lies, the baises, learn to research topics in detail and don’t believe the first thing you hear. Government-funded outlets will give different news and similarly news will also vary by country. What you can do is, read all of them, and try to understand the bigger picture. By no means does that mean that you must have an opinion about it; learn to remain neutral about things that you don’t understand. Learn to be passive in a world where havoc reigns supreme.	https://medium.com/@fateh-tipu2000/a-war-of-economics-armenia-and-azerbaijan-2094d2f3e22b	['Fateh Ali Aamir']	2020-11-26 15:57:49.280000+00:00	['European Union', 'Russia', 'Economics', 'War', 'Turkey']
025: Turning Tables // PARODY SONG	Request my best booth by the door. All that I make is on this floor. There are three in your party, this booth seats four. You say no problem, there’ll be one more. PRE-CHORUS I can’t keep up with your stalling tactics, Please just order something and then leave. CHORUS So, I wont let you take over my best seat while you just hang out, Please figure out what to eat I can give you everything you order but please make it fast. I’m turning tables. x2 You haven’t even looked at your menu. How bout some drinks, How does that sound? I served a hundred guests, before you. But as long as you sit, no, this isn’t a campground! PRE-CHORUS I can’t keep up with your stalling tactics You paid your check, so please leave. CHORUS So, I wont let you take over my best seat while you just hang out, how long does it take to eat i can give you everything you order but please make it fast. I’m turning tables. x2 BRIDGE Next time order grub hub, checking on you gives me chub rub, You’ve been here hours, close to three. Next time, order grub hub, checking on you gives me chub rub, theres a bench, across the street. CHORUS So, I wont let you take over my best seat while you just argue over Which desserts to eat I can give you everything you order It’s time to say goodbye I’m turning tables. x2	https://medium.com/@makeyourdamnbed/025-turning-tables-parody-song-573a739f27c2	['Make Your Damn Bed']	2019-02-01 15:01:01.955000+00:00	['Restaurant Business', 'Song', 'Adele', 'Comedy', 'Parody']
Consciousness is a Form of Life, #1.	By Robert Hanna “The Sower,” by Vincent Van Gogh (1888/1889) * TABLE OF CONTENTS I. Introduction II. Conscious-Mind-is-a-Form-of-Life 1: Solving The Mind-Body Problem III. Dynamic Systems Theory and The Dynamic World Picture IV. Conscious-Mind-is-a-Form-of-Life 2: Solving The Free Will Problem V. Dynamic Emergence, Life, and Consciousness VI. Conclusion * This installment contains sections I and II. But you can also download or read a .pdf of the complete version of this essay HERE. *** Consciousness is a Form of Life The useful function of philosophy is to promote the most general systematization of civilized thought. There is a constant reaction between specialism and common sense. It is the part of the special sciences to modify common sense. Philosophy is the welding of imagination and common sense into a restraint on specialists, and also into an enlargement of their imaginations. By providing the generic notions philosophy should make it easier to to conceive the infinite variety of specific instances which rest unrealized in the womb of nature.[i] I. Introduction In my opinion, in order to understand the nature of conscious mind in general and rational human conscious mind in particular, we need radically to re-think what Alfred North Whitehead so aptly called our concept of nature itself,[ii] radically re-conceiving nature as inherently processual and purposive, running from The Big Bang Singularity forward to organismic life, and then on to conscious mind in general and to rational human conscious mind in particular, which in turn entails including radically re-conceiving the mind-body relation, free agency, and emergence. In a nutshell, my thesis is that there’s a single, unbroken metaphysical continuity between The Big Bang Singularity, organismic life, and conscious mind.[iii] For convenience and simplicity’s sake, I’ll call this the conscious-mind-is-a-form-of-life thesis, aka the CMFL thesis. II. Conscious-Mind-is-a-Form-of-Life 1: Solving The Mind-Body Problem The metaphysics of the mind-body relation that directly answers to the CMFL thesis is that the mental-physical relation is a two-way necessary complementarity, that is, a mental-to-physical and physical-to-mental necessary equivalence that captures the manifest essence of minded animals like us. In short, as Michelle Maiese and I put it more than a decade ago,[iv] minded animals like us are essentially embodied minds: hence we call this “the essential embodiment theory,” or EET. In a nutshell, EET says that the conscious minds of animals are necessarily and completely embodied in those animals, and, more specifically, that the conscious mind of an animal is the global dynamic immanent structure of the living organismic body of that very animal, a structure that inherently activates and guides the animal’s causally efficacious biological powers — or as Aristotle puts it in his own terminology: “the soul (anima) is the first actuality of a natural body that has life potentially.”[v] Hence EET is committed to a dynamicist, organicist, and processualist version of neo-Aristotelian hylomorphism about the mind-body relation.[vi] Consciousness, in turn, is subjective experience, which is to say that it inherently involves a self that’s egocentrically-centered in orientable space and unidirectional time (= subjectivity), and also that this self enacts or engages in mental acts, states, or processes of various kinds (= experience), and furthermore consciousness has two basic modes: (i) pre-reflective or non-self-conscious consciousness, which, in being naturally directed towards cognitive or intentional targets other than itself, is immanently reflexive, or aware of itself egocentrically and internally, without implicitly or explicitly forming judgments or propositional thoughts about itself, and (ii) reflective consciousness, or self-consciousness, which, in being naturally directed towards, or about, itself AS a cognitive or intentional target, is transcendently reflexive, or aware of itself allocentrically and externally, by implicitly or explicitly forming judgments or propositional thoughts about itself. More simply put, pre-reflective or non-self-consciousness consciousness is just being a conscious mind that’s directed towards other animals or things; whereas reflective or self-conscious consciousness is thinking about itself AS a conscious mind that’s ALSO directed towards other animals or things. EET is a specially restricted version of “dual-aspectism.” For other dual aspect theories, one can compare and contrast Spinoza’s theological monism (in The Ethics), Russell’s neutral monism (in The Analysis of Mind and The Analysis of Matter), or Whitehead’s universal panexperientialist organicism (in Process and Reality). Unlike Whitehead’s universal panexperientialist organicism, however, EET does not say that everything, everywhere in the world is somehow minded, as an intrinsic nonrelational property of that thing, from the fundamental level up. For that would mean, for example, that even Dale’s Pale Ale and the cans that contain it are somehow minded, as an intrinsic nonrelational properties of those things, which is clearly an excessively strong metaphysical thesis. Nevertheless EET does, in a specially restricted way, share some of the metaphysical benefits of panpsychism — namely, that in all and only suitably complex kinds of organismic living creatures and their life-processes, causally efficacious mental and physical properties are related by two-way necessary complementarity. Or in other words: all and only everything in the world that is the right kind of organismic living creature and its life-process, is minded. So EET is a specially restricted version of psycho-organicism. More specifically, however, EET says (i) that minds like ours are necessarily and completely embodied, (ii) that minds like ours are complex global dynamic structures of our living organismic bodies, i.e., forms of life, (iii) that minds like ours are therefore inherently alive, (iv) that minds like ours are therefore inherently causally efficacious, just like all forms of organismic life, and (v) that minds like ours emerge over time and in space in all and only certain kinds of living organisms, i.e., minded animals. Furthermore, if by autonomy we mean a capacity for self-determination in the broadest possible sense, then we can also distinguish between (v1) the autonomy of proto-consciousness, a minimal and relatively self-less endogenous sensibility possessed by all living organisms, all the way down to unicellular organisms, (v2) the autonomy of pre-reflective consciousness, an egocentric and immanently self-aware, self-locating sensibility possessed by all minded animals, and (v3) the autonomy of self-consciousness, a further and specifically rational conscious capacity to represent oneself by means of concepts and judgments, which requires and indeed presupposes that we’re also able to think propositionally, speak richly-structured natural languages, and engage in logical reasoning.[vii] Now in addition to self-consciousness, obviously rational human minded animals like us are also inherently capable of (i) consciousness, that is, subjective experience (as defined above), but also (ii) intentionality, that is, directedness to all kinds of things as their cognitive, desiderative, emotional, etc., targets. These capacities for consciousness and intentionality are also shared with minded animals in many other species, but self-evidently manifest themselves in minds like ours, via our further capacity for specifically rational consciousness, intentionality, and self-consciousness, not only as per Descartes’s Cogito, “I think, therefore I am,” but also, and even more fundamentally, via our capacity for essentially embodied affective and emotional consciousness, intentionality, and self-consciousness, as per what Maiese and I call the Essentially Embodied Cogito, “I desire, therefore I am.”[viii] In any case, the two fundamental problems in classical philosophy of mind are these: The mind-body problem: what accounts for the existence and specific character of conscious, intentional minds like ours in a physical world? The problem of mental causation: what accounts for the causal efficacy and causal relevance of conscious, intentional minds like ours in a physical world? Correspondingly, here are eight reasons why EET, when foregrounded against the backdrop of the CMFL thesis of a single, unbroken metaphysical continuity running from The Big Bang Singularity to organismic life, to conscious, intentional minded animals, to self-conscious rational human minded animals like us, not only dissolves the classical mind-body problem and the problem of mental causation, but also finally solves them, in the sense that the EET + CMFL combination presents a new and arguably true view of the mind-body relation against the backdrop of a radically revised conception of nature. First, EET fully avoids reducing the mental to the physical, aka reductive physicalism. Reductive physicalism, presenting itself via the sheep’s clothing of the mind-body identity theory or the logical supervenience of the mental on the physical, de facto simply eliminates the mental. But what could be more epistemically primitive than our subjective experience of ourselves as conscious, intentional minds, and correspondingly, what then could be more metaphysically and ontologically primitive than the fact of the mental quâ mental? Second, EET fully avoids making the mental naturally or nomologically supervenient on the physical, aka non-reductive physicalism. Reductive physicalism entails epiphenomenalism, hence it robs the mental of all its efficacious causal power. It is no solution to say that, from a non-reductive physicalist point of view, the mental can still have “causal relevance”: on the contrary, the mental has got to have efficacious causal powers, not merely an important informational bearing on causal processes. Third, EET fully avoids reducing the physical to the mental, aka subjective idealism. Subjective idealism makes nature’s existence radically dependent on the existence of individual minds. It is highly implausible to hold that physical nature came into existence only after there were any minded animals. For, since animals are parts of physical nature, it would follow that animals came into existence only after there were minded animals. And it is equally highly implausible to hold that if all individual minds were to perish, physical nature would go out of existence too. For in that case, since all animals die, and in most cases after animals die, their corpses continue to exist for a while, it would follow that necessarily, the last minded animal would have no corpse. Fourth, EET fully avoids making the mental and the physical either essentially or even logically independent of one another, as per either Cartesian “interactionist substance dualism” or Cartesian “property dualism.” Any form of Cartesian dualism makes it impossible to explain how the mental and the physical causally interact without appealing to some sort of metaphysical mystery: for example, Descartes’s God, Leibniz’s divine pre-established harmony, an ectoplasmic medium, etc., etc. And any form of Cartesian dualism also entails the metaphysical impossibility that subjective experiences could exist without embodiment. Fifth, EET fully avoids over-restricting mentality to the brain, i.e, it fully avoids the error of “the brain-bounded mind.”[ix] Sixth, EET fully avoids over-extending the mental beyond the living animal body, i.e., it avoids the error of “the extended mind.”[x] Seventh, EET provides adequate metaphysical foundations for a robust metaphysics of free agency,[xi] as I’ll briefly spell that out in section IV. Eighth, and perhaps most importantly, building on the sixth and seventh points, EET is an approach to the mind-body problem, including the problem of mental causation, that is perfectly scaled to the nature, scope, and limits of our “human, all too human” existence in a thoroughly nonideal natural and social world. Brain-boundedness falls short of the human condition: it makes us much less than we manifestly are. The extended mind exceeds the human condition: it makes us more than we manifestly are. Only the essential embodiment of the mind adequately captures and reflects the human condition: it tells us exactly what we manifestly are. For I just am my minded animal body and its “human, all too human” life, for better or worse. In short, EET answers perfectly to Socrates’s Delphic-Oracle-inspired thesis that an ultimate aim of philosophy is to “know thyself.” NOTES [i] Whitehead, Process and Reality: An Essay in Cosmology, p. 17. [ii] Whitehead, The Concept of Nature. [iii] See also Torday, Miller Jr, and Hanna, “Singularity, Life, and Mind: New Wave Organicism.” [iv] See Hanna and Maiese, Embodied Minds in Action. [v] Aristotle, De Anima, II.i.412a22. [vi] Hanna and Maiese, Embodied Minds in Action, esp. chs. 1–2 and 6–8. [vii] See Hanna, Rationality and Logic, ch. 4. [viii] Hanna and Maiese, Embodied Minds in Action, p. 21. [ix] See Hanna, “Minding the Body.” [x] See Clark and Chalmers, “The Extended Mind”; and Gallagher, “The Overextended Mind.” [xi] See also, e.g., Hanna, Deep Freedom and Real Persons: A Study in Metaphysics (THE RATIONAL HUMAN CONDITION, Vol. 2). BIBLIOGRAPHY Clark, A. and Chalmers, D. “The Extended Mind.” Analysis 58 (1998): 7–19. Gallagher, S. “The Overextended Mind.” Versus: Quaderni di studi semiotici (2011): 55–66. Hanna, R. Deep Freedom and Real Persons: A Study in Metaphysics (THE RATIONAL HUMAN CONDITION, Vol. 2). New York: Nova Science, 2018. Hanna, R. “Minding the Body.” Philosophical Topics 39 (2011): 15–40. Hanna, R. Rationality and Logic. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press, 2006. Hanna, R. and Maiese, M. Embodied Minds in Action. Oxford: Oxford Univ. Press, 2009. Torday, J.S., Miller Jr, W.B., and Hanna, R., “Singularity, Life, and Mind: New Wave Organicism.” In Torday and Miller Jr, The Singularity of Nature. Cambridge: Royal Chemistry Society, 2020. Ch. 20. Whitehead, A.N. The Concept of Nature. Cambridge: Cambridge Univ. Press, 1971/1920. Whitehead, A.N. Process and Reality: An Essay in Cosmology. Corrected edn., New York: The Free Press, 1978/1929. AGAINST PROFESSIONAL PHILOSOPHY REDUX 506 Mr Nemo, W, X, Y, & Z, Monday 21 December 2020 Against Professional Philosophy is a sub-project of the online mega-project Philosophy Without Borders, which is home-based on Patreon here. Please consider becoming a patron!	https://medium.com/@bobhannahbob1/consciousness-is-a-form-of-life-1-ed33431fa983	['Mr Nemo']	2020-12-24 16:21:22.323000+00:00	['Mind', 'Life', 'Consciousness', 'Philosophy Of Mind', 'Free Will']
except one	there’s a place location unrevealed as is the singularity of a consciousness cast on the sea in commutations of shade no one acquainted except one there’s a someone disparate from them coincidentally analogous a divergent veneer with no one aware except one the changes in me are difficult to see sans proper appraisal penurious in delivery an invisible existence with complementary adjustments congruous fissures fractious splinters visions fraught consciousness caught between reality and anarchy no particle revealed except one the person i project the mask that i wear a dichotomous identity a camouflage, concealment, containment of truth distanced from my i which can never be no vision revealed except one the representation of analogy the futility of actuality the fragility of foundations the fissures of rejections twisting their perception their cant of my can’t as boisterous and inconceivable as perpetual and inevitable as time immemorial no soul apprehends the truth of that bend except one	https://medium.com/literally-literary/except-one-e50a78c4b7da	[]	2020-01-29 21:48:05.876000+00:00	['Poetry', 'Awareness', 'New Life', 'New Year', 'Self Identity']
Drug And Gene Delivery Systems Market Worth $786.9 Billion By 2025	The global drug and gene delivery systems market is expected to reach USD 786.9 Billion by 2025, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. Rising investment by the market players to develop innovative drug delivery systems to cater to the demand by the patients as well as to increase the bioavailability at minimum quantity of active pharmaceutical ingredient is driving the market growth. Additionally, increasing focus on R&D of gene delivery systems owing to the high growth potential of gene therapy for the treatment of a wide range of diseases is expected to fuel the market growth in the future. Drug delivery systems are in a constant evolution along with the changing preference by the patient. For instance, initially, hormone replacement therapy was widely prescribed in the form of pills, whereas, it is now available in the form of prefilled syringes, patches, vaginal rings, gel, and sprays. The principal purpose of development of different forms of delivery systems is to increase the ease of use. Factors such as aesthetics of the delivery systems, price, and amount of API are also considered while designing the drug delivery system. Click the link below: https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/drug-gene-delivery-devices-market Further key findings from the study suggest:	https://medium.com/@marketnewsreports/drug-and-gene-delivery-systems-market-8e73cbc144d0	['Gaurav Shah']	2020-10-13 07:24:08.601000+00:00	['Japan', 'Mexico', 'Brazil', 'USA', 'Pharmaceutical']
Machine Glazed Paper Market — Players Focusing on Product Differentiation for Gaining Competitive Edge	Machine Glazed Paper Market — Players Focusing on Product Differentiation for Gaining Competitive Edge Shilpa Dec 30, 2021·2 min read In its recent report, Future Market Insights (FMI) projects that worldwide market revenue for machine glazed papers will grow at 4.5% CAGR over forecast period, 2020–2030. During the forecast period, revenue will grow about 1.6X, says the report. “With concerns about hygiene and food safety gaining priority, sustainability has taken back seat. That said, sustainability will remain key market-shaping trend, offering strong competitive advantages for resourceful packaging converters. Manufacturers must, thus, redefine sustainability alongside hygiene and consumer safety concerns,” says analyst at FMI. Get Sample of the report : https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-7900 COVID-19 Impact Food & beverage industry accounts for significant portion of global machine glazed paper market. With COVID-19 pandemic raging across continents, food & beverages companies are taking serious hit due to reduced consumption of food products as well as disrupted supply chains, thus, affecting the demand for machine glazed papers. Key Segment Basis Weight Up to 40 GSM 41 to 70 GSM 71 to 100 GSM Above 100 GSM Paper Type Tissue Paper Kraft Paper Request Special Price : https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/request-special-price/rep-gb-7900 Grade Unbleached Bleached Application Bags & Pouches Sacks Wraps In addition, the public health crisis has resulted in partial operation of leading food restaurant chains worldwide. Normal restaurant functioning have shrieked across the globe, and many businesses have been compelled to pivot their offerings in order to sustain. Competitive Intelligence Global machine glazed paper market is highly fragmented, with leading manufacturers accounting for nearly a fourth of overall revenue. Market players are banking on mergers & acquisitions in an effort to expand their regional footprint and thus, gain competitive edge. For instance, Nippon Paper Industries Co. Ltd. has acquired Orora Limited — a paperboard manufacturer in order to penetrate into corrugated paperboard manufacturing business in Oceania. Further, the company has acquired 70% share of TS Plastics Sdn — Malaysia-based flexible packaging company. Smurfit Kappa Group has entered into collaboration with HVC and Bluemats to initiate first full beverage carton recycling plant in the Netherlands. Request Report Methodology : https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/askus/rep-gb-7900 Key Highlights Market revenue pool will expand nearly 1.6X during 2020–2030 Machine glazed papers with basis weight 71 to 100 GSM to account for leading share, around 45% Demand for kraft papers will remain high over following decade Unbleached grade machine glazed papers to capture around 70% revenue share Sacks and bags & pouches will remain key application areas through 2030 Download the complimentary copy of ‘Global Packaging Ebook’ from our MarketNgage platform About us : Future Market Insights (FMI), is an ESOMAR-certified market research and consulting market research company. FMI is a leading provider of market intelligence and consulting services, serving clients in over 150 countries; its market research reports and industry analysis help businesses navigate challenges and make critical decisions with confidence and clarity amidst breakneck competition.	https://medium.com/@shilpa_7061/machine-glazed-paper-market-players-focusing-on-product-differentiation-for-gaining-competitive-56f46cac3f98	[]	2021-12-30 09:33:36.701000+00:00	['Paper Market', 'Research Reports', 'Market Research Reports', 'Machine Glazed']
Concurrent programming with Vector: Sharing Vector’s charger	In my previous article on the theme of concurrent programming with Vector, we illustrated the concepts of preemptive multitasking, cooperative multitasking and multiprocessing using the Vector robots. In this article, we will build on those concepts and examine how a basic synchronization primitive, the lock, can be used to allow two Vectors to share a common charger. (Background: Vector is a battery powered autonomous robot. Whenever the battery voltage runs low, Vector needs to return to its charger in order to rev up its batteries. Vector is programmed to be able to automatically return to its charger when required… however, the same doesn’t work with two robots are sharing the same charger). The Challenge I have two Vector robots, but only one charger (I bought the second Vector as a stand alone unit on eBay). If left alone outside the charger, one of the two Vector’s would get to the charger first, and sit on it, while the other Vector dies out. So the intent of this exercise is to figure out a way by which the two Vector’s can cooperatively share the charger. This project can be both fun as well as a great learning resource on how robots can be programmed to share resources. While we work out the solution, you can reference the complete code on my github. The Solution The heart of the problem lies in that the charger must be shared by the two robots in a mutually exclusive fashion: meaning that when one Vector is given permission to charge, it must get exclusive ownership of the charger, so that the two Vectors don’t land up colliding while trying to drive up the charger at the same time. When the charging is complete, the same Vector needs to drive off the charger and release ownership of the charger. In computer science, a lock is used to define this concept of mutual exclusion and guard the resource (in this case a charger) against any possible concurrent access. Here is a code snippet illustrating how a lock can be used to provide mutual exclusion to a charger. with await lock: await returnToCharger(robot) chargerOccupied = True print ("Charger occupied by robot %d" %id) time.sleep(120) await driveOffCharger(robot) chargerOccupied = False The set of instructions that a lock is protecting is known as a critical section. In this case, the critical section comprises of instructing the Vector to return to the charger, charge itself for 120 seconds, and drive off the charger. It is important to remember that only one Vector (the one who successfully acquires the lock) can execute the instructions in the critical section. Once the lock has been acquired, it must be released after the instructions in the critical section are complete, before the lock can be acquired again by another Vector. This the critical section must be so defined to protect any access to a shared resource, in this case, the charger. Because only one entity can grab the lock at one time, equally important it is to ensure that the critical section is compact and contains no extra instructions that do not require exclusive access to the resource. The next question is when should the lock be acquired. In our case, the answer to this is pretty simple, the lock needs to be acquired when one of the Vector’s feel the need to get charged. Here is the code. async def worker(robot, id, lock): """Connect to the robots and run """ print ("Starting worker for robot %d" %id) if not checkIfChargeRequired(robot): await driveOffCharger(robot) else: with await lock: await returnToCharger(robot) chargerOccupied = True print ("Charger occupied by robot %d" %id) time.sleep(120) await driveOffCharger(robot) chargerOccupied = False In this code, we define a worker which is responsible to check if the robot needs charging, and if so attempt to grab the lock so that it can access the critical section of moving to the charger and charging up. The final part is firing the workers which will check on the two Vector robots, and the same can be easily done by the following code. while True: await asyncio.wait([worker(robot1, 1, lock), worker(robot2, 2, lock)]) time.sleep(30) In this piece, we fire up two workers (one for each robot) every 30 seconds. These workers check on the state of the robot and try to charge the robot if the battery voltage is running low. Results We monitor the battery voltage of both robots. When the robot sits on the charger, the battery voltage increases, while the voltage drains as soon as Vector drives away from the charger. The following figure shows a plot of the measured voltage for a 10 minute duration. Observe that when Vector 2 (orange curve) is charging, Vector 1 is draining. And vice-versa. And here is an interesting video that shows you how this code plays out in practice… Video of two Vector robots sharing the same charger Hope you found this code fun and useful. Once again, you can access it here. It is always invaluable to have others try out this code. Also, if you have any thoughts or suggestions, please do leave it below. Claps definitely help too. Please follow my publication: “Programming Robots” for more interesting tips. I also have an online course to teach AI with the help of Vector available at: http://robotics.thinkific.com I will feel honored to have you as a student.	https://medium.com/programming-robots/concurrent-programming-with-vector-sharing-vectors-charger-b7a18e86dffb	[]	2021-01-03 09:01:48.620000+00:00	['Robotics', 'Concurrent Programming', 'Python']
What the Heck Is a Micro-Influencer Anyway?	What the Heck Is a Micro-Influencer Anyway? Photo by Andrea Piacquadio from Pexels A flash of light blinded your sight for a second. When the fog cleared, you were alone in a fancy office. The Starbucks logo was staring back at you. Under the logo, a small text said Instagram Advertising Unit. The place? New York. The time? When lockdowns and restrictions stopped. Your goal? Resurrect $ales after a heavy pandemical blow. Let’s imagine further. You heard three discontinuous knocks on the door. A young man entered, smiled, and stood in front of you. “So, boss, are we doing that micro-influencer thing you told me about yesterday?” said the youngster. “You promised you’d explain how and why we should root for them in our next campaign.” What the heck is a micro-influencer, and who is this guy anyway? your inner voice asked before your actual voice replied: “Sure thing, Paul. Let me grab my iced Americano downstairs first. It’ll take five minutes — be right back!” As you headed to the elevator, you knew you had only five minutes to figure this out. So you did what you do best in emergencies. Okay, Google, what’s a micro-influencer, and what should I know about them?	https://bettermarketing.pub/what-the-heck-is-a-micro-influencer-anyway-d95964da4f3d	['Nabil Alouani']	2020-12-15 16:43:36.974000+00:00	['Instagram', 'Business', 'Influencer Marketing', 'Social Media', 'Marketing']
What They Don’t Tell You About Working from Home	Many of us consider getting away from the workplace a vacation. The farther away, the better! So when we’re faced with a pandemic that requires us to work from home, it can initially seem like an enormous silver lining. No more frustrating train commutes, waiting in line at Starbucks, or freezing to death in your office. No more long stares from your creepy coworker or awkward small talk with that colleague who’s about three generations away from you. Most importantly, no more suits or pantyhose. However, the challenges of working from home arise just as quickly as the novelty fades, and you find yourself itching for human companionship, the normalcy of your cubicle, and even the crappy coffee in the break room. Change is hard, and productivity is even harder when you’re working from the place that’s supposed to be relaxing. Here are the most common challenges in working from home and how to address them. Inability to Focus When you’re at home working, you enable your working mode, but you’re surrounded by triggers of other things you could be doing. You can’t help but notice that lingering pile of laundry or pile of dusty photographs waiting to be framed and hung up. It’s easy to ignore these things when you’re vegging after work, but when you’re working from home, it’s near impossible. Next thing you know, you’re knee-deep reorganizing your closet rather than getting your work done. Here’s What to Do: Use the Pomodoro method. This approach to work entails working in 25- to 30-minute blasts of deep focus, called Pomodoros. Defining a set time in which to work is a great psychological trick to keep yourself on task. Tell yourself that you will work on the task at hand — and only that — for the entire Pomodoro. Then, you’ll get a 5-minute break! In your 5-minute break, you can put the laundry away, check Facebook, hang a picture, whatever you need to do. When you come back to work, you’ll feel refreshed and ready to tackle the next Pomodoro. Create a dedicated workspace. As great as it sounds to work from your couch in your PJs, it’s (gasp!) not conducive to your productivity. Once again, psychology is at play. Your brain strongly associates your physical environment with your mental state. Just like you associate that remote island location with rest and relaxation, you associate your office with work. And that means wearing proper clothing and being in a work environment. You can approximate that at home by developing a dedicated work space. Don’t have a home office? Take over a corner of the dining table, set up a card table in the garage, whatever it takes to have a place where you can feel like you’ve gotten away from home. Then, get ready for work just like you would if you were leaving the house. These rituals can help you get into the mindset to work. You can skip the suit and pantyhose, but at least change out of your PJs. Loneliness Who’d have ever imagined that you’d miss your annoying coworkers? Turns out that we humans are very social creatures, which makes this pandemic extremely distressing. Combine your general anxiety about Covid-19 with the shock of working from home, and you might face increased stress or even depression. Here’s What to Do: Keep in touch. A free platform like Slack or Brief can help you and your team keep in touch. If you were already using Slack, great! It’s a great way to keep in touch when working remotely. When you’re at the workplace, you’re typically chatting with people who work nearby and saying hello in the hallways, and gossiping at the water cooler. All that goes away with remote work. Use Slack or your preferred messaging app to set up a daily check-in to help fill those gaps. You’ll feel less lonely, and therefore be more productive. Avoid social media. I don’t advise hopping on Facebook every few minutes in any situation, but especially not when you’re working remotely. Research has suggested that checking social media can amplify the effects of loneliness, perhaps because you’re seeing content from outside your regular social circles. And now, bad news fills our feeds. Prioritize conversations with family, friends, and coworkers, and set designated times to check social media. That has the bonus effect of promoting your productivity. Overworking Working from home can actually boost productivity by eliminating certain work-related stresses and distractions. Not to mention that you save time on your commute. However, as we discussed above, you might find yourself distracted by chores, home projects, or, yes, certain streaming services. Assuming that you’ve followed the above steps, you might find yourself facing an unexpected challenge: working too hard and too long. It’s easier than you might think to pull longer hours when working remotely. Unfortunately, that way leads to burnout, not to mention potential trouble with your boss. The limited ability to supervise hours is a major reason that many workplaces haven’t implemented remote work. With the virus making its round, their hand was forced. Make it easy on them by not incurring overtime or otherwise working over your normal hours. Here’s What to Do: Set working hours and stick to them, just like you were at work. It’s important to maintain normalcy in your routine. Imagine that you are psychologically “leaving the office,” even if that office is less than 50 feet away. Set a firm start and end time for yourself. If you regularly pulled extra nights, that’s something to start fixing now that you work remotely. I recommend using your phone’s reminder app to tell you when to start and stop working hours. Go ahead and schedule a lunch break in addition to your Pomodoro breaks. Then, shut off all work-related stuff. If possible, keep separate devices for work and personal projects. If that’s not an option, log out of your work email, Slack, and any other apps so that you’re not sucked back in. If you lack the willpower to shut off work stuff, use app-blocking software that kicks in certain times of day. I recommend RescueTime.	https://medium.com/big-top-business/what-they-dont-tell-you-about-working-from-home-69bf87e090b6	['Rachel Wayne']	2020-03-15 22:30:18.904000+00:00	['Work', 'Remote Working', 'Work Life Balance', 'Workplace', 'Remote Work']
Update: 2019 Award Season Screenplay Downloads — 2 New Scripts, 14 Total	It’s that time of year again when studios and production companies make available PDFs of movie scripts for award season. As in years past, I will be tracking the year’s movie scripts as links become available. Current total of 2019 scripts for download: 14. Newly added scripts: (2) Booksmart, Rocketman. After The Wedding (Sony Pictures Classics) Booksmart (United Artists) Downton Abbey (Focus Features) The Farewell (A24) Frankie (Sony Pictures Classics) Harriet (Focus Features) A Hidden Life (Fox Searchlight) Hustlers (STX Films) The Lighthouse (A24) Pain and Glory (Sony Pictures Classics) Rocketman (Paramount) The Song of Names (Sony Pictures Classics) Uncut Gems (A24) — link removed temporarily Us (Universal Pictures) Waves (A24) You should download the scripts ASAP because these links have a way of disappearing. To access 100+ movie scripts made available by studios and production companies since 2009, go here. Reading movie screenplays is absolutely critical to your development as a screenwriter. Along with watching movies and writing pages, it is a fundamental practice you should put into place. Make it a goal to read at least one movie script per week. Where can you go to get access to many of the top movie scripts from 2019? Right here! THESE SCRIPTS ARE FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY! NOTE: Our annual Go Into The Story Script Read and Analysis series will begin in January 2020. If a 2019 movie script becomes available and you would like to read it and provide a scene-by-scene breakdown, let me know. This is a great tradition and provides a major benefit to the online screenwriting community. Go Into The Story Script Reading & Analysis Series Movie Script Scene-By-Scene Breakdowns Priya Gopal has volunteered to do a scene-by-scene breakdown for the movie script Hustlers. Savanah Mears has volunteered to handle Waves. Thanks, Priya and Savanah! UPDATE: Andrew Semancik has volunteered to do Booksmart and Nikhil Kamkolkar has volunteered to do After the Wedding. Thanks, Andrew and Nikhil!	https://gointothestory.blcklst.com/update-2019-award-season-screenplay-downloads-2-new-scripts-14-total-8a4e1df44bb0	['Scott Myers']	2019-11-25 21:59:04.806000+00:00	['Writing', 'Hollywood', 'Movies', 'Screenwriting', 'Screenplay']
Trip to Kuching: Reflection on Expressing Love	Being My Dad’s Replacement Last time my mom went to Kuching for a routine medical checkup, she went without my dad. I was in his stead. He said, “You never been there before, right? It’s better for you to go instead. I can go next time.” We tried to convince him the other way around. He can have a routine medical checkup, while I mostly will wander around cluelessly around the hospital area. However, he insisted not to go. So, I went together with the fixed group: my mom, my grandma, my aunt, and uncle. That’s my second trip abroad using land transportation, and my first trip abroad using private land transportation. My uncle drove his car alone for a roughly 12-hour trip, a long trip through Trans Kalimantan Road to our neighboring country, Malaysia. As you see from the previous group composition, I was the only millennial in the group. Everyone in this group goes for the same goal, a medical checkup. I already imagined how it’ll turn out on my way. There was no end to the conversation during the trip. Yet I barely talk to everyone because they speak in a different language I don’t completely understand. No problem. I understand it’s tiring to translate your mother language to another who can’t understand it all along the long trip, so I didn’t ask many questions. It doesn’t really matter, though. I got my gadget and is a person used to my own companion. Me: Chinese in cover only I thought I can converse normally with strangers once I arrived in Malaysia. I was wrong. Most Chinese there speak in Chinese and Teo Chew (the language the whole group capable of speaking with me as the exception). My facial feature screams I’m Chinese but I can’t speak both languages. Thus, making me feel uncomfortable speaking in English. Being the only oddball in the group, I often replied with an awkward smile whenever they tried to speak in Chinese and Teo Chew with me. Or I would try to speak in broken Malay (since Indonesian and Malay have a similar vocabulary with a different use). I didn’t speak English until I caught Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) on the 3rd day. Yes, I caught IBS, thanks to staying up late when everyone else wired to sleep and wake up early. I only slept for roughly 3–4 hours. I finally used English to find meds at the nearest pharmacy. The pharmacist (she looks Chinese) was changing her language from Chinese to Teo Chew and Malay to English with ease while trying to figure out what language I could speak comfortably. How happy I’m finally can speak fluently. However, the fact hit me. Most professionals there can speak those languages. Making them at least quadrilingual. I was like, “Bye-bye, my self-esteem.” SOUVENIRS: the common way to say you care We finished all the checkup procedures on the third day. We changed our destination from Timberland Medical Center to shopping malls to buy souvenirs. Most women I know enjoy shopping. I do, too. When my family is looking for clothing, I usually go to these options: Book / stationery store Pharmacy Electronic and gadget (especially related to the sound system or hearing gear) Upon entering the mall, we split up. I immediately walked my way to the nearest pharmacy and spent my time there while my mom browsed the clothing store. I’m the person who won’t buy souvenirs for other people other than me unless asked to do so, or I’m sure enough what they want/like. Other than that, I consider it to be troublesome. My mom is the opposite of me. She browses souvenirs while thinking about other family members. She’s the one who reminded me to get something for my dad from the pharmacy. “At least get something for him as a way saying you care and remember him during this trip. He kinda sent you here anyway,” my mom said. To be honest, I have no idea what I should get for my dad. Lets breakdown the options: Food and drinks, mostly those with preservatives or are sweet, what my parents avoid. Cross that. Medicine or vitamins, they already got enough from the doctor. Clothing, my taste and theirs are different. Plus, most of the time they say I have bad taste. So it’s also out of the option. Electronics, out of my budget. Books, they don’t like books. I ended up following my mom’s suggestion to get him another supplement. While my mom got him some pants and t-shirts. I remember her enthusiasm when she was stating what kind of t-shirt my dad likes and how picky he is in choosing one. I assumed my mom knew my dad best, so there’s no problem getting him that. The Pain of Expressing Love Turned out, my dad doesn’t like it. He said it bluntly to my mom said that it’s bad and a waste of money. His tone was cold with a hint of contempt. No “thank you”, at all. I was eating together with my mom when he said it while walking passing the dining room. I wasn’t the target, yet I felt how painful those words were. The room became silent. With a sad and disappointed tone, my mom broke the silence. She told me if someone is so ungrateful like my dad, no one would be happy to give him anything. I silently listen and suggested for next time don’t get him anything unless he said he wants it. I reflected on that case and found out I’m often in my mom’s shoes. But only inside my mind. Because most of the time I won’t even try in the risk's face of getting hurt by disapproval. I want to express my love by giving a present. By nature, I like a surprise better than getting something after asking directly what they want. Thus, I prefer not asking for a souvenir/present unless I want it badly. For me, the thoughts that matter. I’m delighted by how and why you get something for me more than what you get for me. The story and chronology until you decided the goods for me is what I consider “thinking” about me. And that’s what I do and expect when I get someone something as souvenirs or present. I believe my mom share this common side with me, so hearing what my dad said hurt a lot. I also can imagine why my dad gives such a response. I don’t like people wasting money on things I don’t like. I only dislike how he said it to my mom. I once bought cosmetics and perfume for my mom and she didn’t like it, too. She reminded me to not buy her random perfume or any cosmetics as souvenirs or present because it’s a personal good I rarely sure what she likes and good with. Letting me know that condition reduces the risk of me wasting money on good she won’t use with understanding. I think my dad could do the same, too. Conclusion: The Meds for the Pain of Expressing Love I reflected on why I suggested my mom not get him anything. Behind that suggestion, there is fear of rejection. I believe we face that fear each time we try to express our love to significant others. But the different languages of love cause us to misunderstand and misunderstood. The pain inflicts us with fear, making us think, “It’s better not to try rather than experiencing heartache.” Not trying is the same as avoiding the problem. It may be an instant solution but not healthy in the long run. Especially in a relationship, it’ll flock together with another small problem. Each party stops communicating with each other and prefers second-guessing. Trust between them rust. And before they know it, the damage already massive. The relationship is beyond salvation. I believe love and pain always come hand in hand. It’s inevitable. However, with proper communication, we can avoid unnecessary pain. Or make it more bearable.	https://medium.com/@clarafelicia0911/trip-to-kuching-reflection-on-expressing-love-3a91db37d091	['Clara Felicia']	2019-09-01 14:21:47.357000+00:00	['Personal', 'Reflections', 'Life Lessons', 'Journaling']
What is CPC in advertising: Cost per Click formula and calculation	What is CPC in advertising: Cost per Click formula and calculation How to get the most out of CPC advertising campaigns On average, companies spend 7–10% of their income on advertising, particularly CPC advertising. If you set up your ad campaign correctly, it can attract a large number of leads in a short period. What is CPC (Cost per Click), and how to calculate it? CPC (cost per click) is a type of paid advertising where an advertiser pays for an ad click made by a user. Calculation formula: CPC = ad cost/number of clicks CPC-based ads: If you’re an advertiser, you pay for every click on your ad on another website that guides visitors to your website. For example, you place an ad banner on a popular website or run an ad on a search engine and social networks. How does CPC advertising work? There are two main models of CPC advertising: a fixed price per click and a price per click based on bidding. In a fixed-rate model, the advertiser and publisher negotiate a fixed price for each click in advance. The most popular form is the price per click based on the bid. With this model, the advertiser sets the maximum price for a click he can afford. The higher your bid and the quality score of your landing page are, the more likely your ads will be shown to the audience. By the way, the average click cost varies by industry and type of business, as it depends on the competition. For example, for companies that promote a product in law, insurance, or financial services, a click costs more because of the competition in these niches. Each time an ad is shown, the system starts an internal auction and displays ads that have passed quality control and have a sufficiently higher bid. Then your ad is displayed each time a user enters a keyword that matches your predefined keyword list. You don’t pay every time an ad is shown, only when the user clicks your ad. If you prefer to use a banner CPC ad, the principle remains the same. Your ad is displayed, but you only pay when the user clicks on it. It’s an excellent way for companies to control their advertising budget and evaluate the reaction to their advertising campaigns. How to get the most out of CPC and PPC advertising Increasing the efficiency of a PPC campaign leads to: CTR growth; Lowering of price per click (PPC); ROAS growth. How can you increase the efficiency of PPC? To reduce the price per click for your ads campaign, you should try to: 1. Make your ads relevant to your campaign and switch to manual bids. It helps you prioritize keywords that convert better. 2. Use remarketing and segmented lists.Keep those users who have already clicked on your ad. They become interested in your product, and with the help of remarketing, you can bring them directly to the purchase. 3. For maximum coverage, you should adjust bids based on location, devices, time periods.Every PPC advertiser focuses on lowering the price per click and increasing the number of people who view the ad, click on it, visit the landing page and convert — and you also have to track everything. Analyze, identify, and focus on what works best. You should add UTM tags to your ad links and set up cost data import to see campaign information from different advertising services in Google Analytics reports. After that, you can measure the effectiveness of different advertising channels by comparing their clicks, impressions, costs, CTR, CPC, and ROAS. Image courtesy of the author Also you can try cost data import from 15 advertising systems, including Facebook, Instagram, AdRoll, Trafmag, Bing Ads, Twitter Ads, Sklik, Outbrain, Yahoo Gemini, Hotline. The article is originally published on OWOX BI blog	https://medium.com/swlh/what-is-cpc-in-advertising-cost-per-click-formula-and-calculation-26d5d78d045a	['Maryna Sharapa']	2020-05-26 13:00:35.213000+00:00	['Marketing', 'Advertising', 'CPC', 'Campaign']
What is Ensemble Machine Learning? — using stories and pictures	“Storytelling is the most powerful way to put ideas into the world.” -Robert Mckee In this article, using small stories, I will try to explain the concepts of ensemble machine learning. In recent times, I haven’t found any Kaggle competition-winning solution which doesn’t have ensemble machine learning. So, it might be a good way to understand the basic concepts of ensemble machine learning using some examples. Ensemble machine learning Suppose you want to buy a house. To understand if this is the perfect house for you or not, you will ask questions to your friends who have bought a house, real-estate brokers, neighbors, colleagues, and your parents. You will give weights to each of the answers and try to arrive at the final answer to your question. Exactly, this is ensemble learning. Ensemble machine learning is an art to create a model by merging different categories of learners together, to obtain better prediction and stability. Naive Ensemble machine learning techniques are: Max voting — Based on the previous example, if you have asked 10 people about the house and 7 people told not to buy the house. Your answer is not to buy the house based on max voting. Averaging — If each of these people gives the probability that you should buy this house or not (Like your parents say that this house will be 70% suitable for you), you take an average of all these probabilities and take the decision to buy the house. Weighted averaging — Suppose, you have a trust issue and you trust more your parents and close friends than any other. You give some higher weights(suppose 60%) to the probabilities given by these people and lower weights(40%) to others. Then you will take the weighted average and take the final probability. Advance Ensemble machine learning techniques are: Bagging — Also known as Bootstrap Aggregating. I have a set of multi-colored balls in my bag. I asked a kid to pick 5 balls. Then again, I put the balls back and asked the kid to pick 5 balls again and again. This repetitive task is known as Bootstrapping or sampling with replacement. “Bootstrapping is any test or metric that uses random sampling with replacement, and falls under the broader class of resampling methods.” -Wikipedia Now, based on every 5 balls drawn, I will find the probability of a white ball. Suppose, I get 2 white balls out of 5, then I have a probability of 2/5 i.e. 40% and if I get 0 white balls out of 5, then I have a probability of 0/5 i.e. 0%. In the end, I will take the average probability of all the time the ball is drawn and conclude what is the probability of getting a white ball getting drawn from the bag? So basically, I am creating a small model out of each sample of balls withdrawn and then the balls are put back. In the end, I combined the predictions of each of the models to obtain the final solution — probability. This is bagging. ML version of bagging: From the original dataset, randomly multiple samples are generated with replacement A weak learner (a base model like a decision tree) is created on each of these subsets, such that all these weak learners are independent of each other and run in parallel Finally, combine the predictions obtained from each of these weak learners to create a prediction for the strong learner(final bagging model) One of the most popular examples of bagging is Random Forest Advantage: a. Less Overfitting — Many weak learners aggregated typically outperform a single learner over the entire set, and has less overfit b. Stable — Removes variance in high-variance low-bias data sets c. Faster — Can be performed in parallel, as each separate bootstrap can be processed on its own before combination Disadvantage: a. Expensive — computationally it will be expensive if the data set is quite big b. Bias — In a data set with high bias, bagging will also carry high bias into its aggregate c. Complex — Loss of interpretability of a model. 2. Boosting One day, I thought why not cook food on your own. So, I cooked food. But I found I have added extra salt. So, it was not tasty. The next time when I cooked, I put lesser salt. But I found it was too spicy. So, the next time when I cooked I put in adequate spice and salt, but the food got burnt. So, the next time when I cooked, I put adequate spice and salt with food getting cooked at low flame and I was watchful. Finally, I cooked tasty food. At the inception, I was a weak learner. But I keep on learning from my own mistakes and in the end, I became a strong learner. ML version In boosting, the weak learner (decision tree) with a relatively high bias are built sequentially such that each subsequent weak learner aims to reduce the errors (mistakes) of the previous learner. Each learner learns from its predecessors and updates the residual errors. Hence, the learner that grows next in the sequence will learn from an updated version of the residuals. Each of these weak learners contributes some vital information for prediction, enabling the boosting technique to produce a strong learner by effectively combining these weak learners. The final strong learner brings down both the bias and the variance. There are two types of boosting: A. Weight based Boosting Steps: i. A sample dataset is taken to train the model with a weak learner. For example, I have three independent variables X1, X2, and X3, and the dependent variable Y which I have to predict. ii. We get the following result based on the weak learner prediction. Then we calculate the absolute error from the prediction. Every algorithm like AdaBoost and LogitBoost. Here just for reference purposes, I have taken weight to highlight that higher weight is given to the row, which is having a higher error. iii. Again a weak learn model is created to predict Y, by giving the weight of miss-classification. So, the model will try to learn from the previous model that it will create lessor error where weight is high and we get a better model each time. B. Residual based Boosting i. Step i. is the same as above. We will train our random sampled data with a weak learner. ii. In this case we will obtain errors in each row from misclassification iii. Based on the error as my dependent variable, now I am predicting using another weak learner with the same independent variables. iv. Now, my new boosted model will be weak learner 1 + weak learner 2 with prediction would be the normalized sum of both the model You can see that it is learning so fast and has reduced the bias(error) significantly. This is just an example of a residual-based boosting algorithm. In a real scenario, every residual-based algorithm has its own way to reduce bias. Some examples of residual-based algorithms are a. XGBoost b. LightGBM c. CatBoost d. GBM 3. Stacking This time I want to learn batting techniques in cricket. But, I know different good batsmen who play cricket near to my place. When I asked the players, they told me one batsman is good at playing leg glance, while one other batsman is good at playing hook and pull and one other batsman is good at playing sweep and drive shot. Rather than focus on learning from a single batsman, I tried to learn from each batsman their specialist shots. Indeed it has helped me to become a really good batsman than all these batsmen at the end. This is stacking. Learning good quality from each of the batsmen and stack to give the best result. ML Version What is different about this ensemble technique as compared to bagging and boosting? Unlike bagging, in stacking, the models are typically different (e.g. not all decision trees) and fit on the same dataset (e.g. instead of samples of the training dataset). Unlike boosting, in stacking, a single model is used to learn how to best combine the predictions from the contributing models (e.g. instead of a sequence of models that correct the predictions of prior models). What is stacking exactly? Wolpert in 1992, introduced this term stacking to the data science world. “Stacking” is a technique in which the predictions of a collection of models are given as inputs to a second-level learning algorithm. This second-level algorithm is trained to combine the model predictions optimally to form a final set of predictions.” Steps involved: Take the training data set and create k fold splits. In our example, let’s take it 5 fold. 5 fold stacking 2. Based on the K-1 fold training by the first of three algorithms (we can take more or less than 3 algorithms for training) algorithms, we will predict Kth fold training data. 3 algorithms can be SVM, KNN, and Random Forest. The point is unlike boosting and bagging, it is not necessary to use Decision trees only. SVM prediction on 5th Fold data 3. We will repeat K-1 times step 2. It means we will take another K-1 fold for training and predict the Kth fold using the first algorithm(SVM). 4. Now, since the first model is trained, we will predict the validation dataset C. Prediction value of SVM 5. We will repeat steps 2 to 4 for each of the remaining algorithms to obtain the predictions. Predictions from each of the algorithms for both training and validation data set 6. Now, we will train the B dataset using the predictions obtained from each of the algorithms, and based on this training we will predict the C dataset. In this way, we perform stacking. Let’s move towards the last ensemble technique. 4. Blending The story of blending is the same as stacking. Here also, I will learn from different batsmen to become a better batsman. What is then the difference between stacking and blending? It follows the same approach as stacking but uses only a holdout (validation) set from the train set to make predictions. In other words, unlike stacking, the predictions are made on the holdout set only. The holdout set and the predictions are used to build a model that is run on the test set. Steps involved: Take the training data set, validation set(generally 10–30% of training dataset), and test dataset. We will perform training using several algorithms (can be decision tree or SVM or Random Forest or any other) on the training dataset. Based on the above training, predict the validation dataset and test dataset by all the algorithms Based on the prediction of step 3 as input, train the output of the validation dataset, and predict the test dataset. Is it confusing? Yes!!! then follow the pictorial explanation: Blending: First step I am going to train dataset(A) using 3 algorithms (Algo_1(SVM), Algo_2(Random Forest), and Algo_3(KNN). Based on the training, I have got the model parameters. Blending: Second Step Now based on the above training, I am going to predict validation dataset(B) and test dataset(C) using the three algorithms. We can see above the prediction result of three algorithms for both datasets B and C. The next step would be to use these predictions as input. I am going to again train dataset B based on the three algorithms' prediction. Based on this training, I am going to predict dataset C. Important point Stacking and Blending are relevant when the prediction made by the different algorithms or the errors of the predictions are uncorrelated to each other. Just simple example was my learning (batting technique). I used different batsmen with different expertise, not the same expertise. Summary This article is about ensemble machine learning, bagging, boosting, stacking, and blending. Using stories and pictures, complex algorithms like boosting and bagging are explained in a lucid manner. In this article, you have learned: What is ensemble machine learning? What are different types of ensemble machine learning — both naive and advanced? You have got details about each ensemble machine learning techniques Hope you have liked this article. Please clap for encouraging me to write more such articles, and please do share this article if you find it is helpful to your friends or colleagues. Reference:	https://abhinav-iitkgp2.medium.com/what-is-ensemble-machine-learning-using-stories-and-pictures-d949e4649a0f	['Abhinav Srivastava']	2020-12-19 11:05:34.672000+00:00	['Data Analysis', 'Stories', 'Artificial Intelligence', 'Data Science', 'Machine Learning']
GitHubコードから読み解く！DecisionTreeClassifier@scikit-learnの各種オプション解説	はじめに最も直感的な機械学習のアルゴリズムとして、「決定木」が存在します。 Random ForestやBoostingといったアンサンブル手法の基礎アルゴリズムになります。決定木の学習アルゴリズム比較的分かりやすいアルゴリズムで学習されるのが、決定木です。アルゴリズムの全容は、以下となります。【決定木の学習アルゴリズム】 ① ランダムにデータ項目値を選択 ② ランダムな閾値を選択 ③ ②の閾値境界によるデータ分類の具合から、不純度を計算 ④ 任意回数だけ③を繰返した中から、最も不純度を低くした①②の組合せを決定木条件として採用 ⑤ ④で選定した条件にて分かれた2つのデータセットに対して、①〜⑤を繰返すアルゴリズムを経て、仕上がった決定木イメージが、例えば以下となります。コンピューターの計算力をフル活用して、試行錯誤をひたすら繰返す強引な手法です。初歩的な機械学習手法であるモンテカルロ手法の応用という感じです。一意な解析解を求めるような機械学習アルゴリズムを除けば、機械学習全般が試行錯誤による最適化を実現するものですが、決定木は特に試行錯誤感が強いです。つまり、random seedによって、結果が大きく変わる形です。その為、精度を安定させるために、Random Forestのような、決定木を沢山作って投票形式で予測を行うような、発送の工夫が生まれるのかと思われます。 DecisionTreeClassifier@scikit-learnについて決定木の学習アルゴリズムをフォローしているライブラリは様々存在し、scikit-learnもその1つです。尚、scikit-learnの決定木は以下の特徴を持ちます。【scikit-learn決定木の特徴】 ① 木構造に関しては、CARTアルゴリズムのみを採用、C4.5等のアルゴリズムは現時点で非採用 ② 学習用の入力データは数値のみが許され、カテゴリカル値などを用いた学習は実施不可 ③ 精度向上に向けた細かいパラメータチューニングが可能であり、それがRandom ForestやBoostingなどにも継承される特徴の詳細については、以下リンクを参照下さい。 DecisionTreeClassifier@scikit-learnのオプション指定について DecisionTreeClassifier@scikit-learnの学習は、ソースを見て見る限り、以下アルゴリズムにより実現されているようです。【決定木の学習アルゴリズム】 ① ランダムにデータ項目値を選択 ② ランダムな閾値を選択 ③ ②の閾値境界によるデータ分類の具合から、不純度を計算 ④ 任意回数だけ③を繰返した中から、精度向上に向けたオプション指定条件を満たしつつ、最も不純度を低くした①②の組合せを決定木条件として採用 ⑤ ④で選定した条件にて分かれた2つのデータセットに対して、①〜⑤を繰返す以上。基本的な決定木のアルゴリズムに、「精度向上に向けたオプション指定条件を満たしつつ、」という文言を追加しました。 DecisionTreeClassifier@scikit-learnには、精度向上のためのオプションが以下の種類だけ存在します。【精度向上に向けたオプション各種】 ① criterion ② splitter ③ max_depth ④ min_samples_split ⑤ min_samples_leaf ⑥ min_weight_fraction_leaf ⑦ max_features ⑧ max_leaf_nodes ⑨ min_impurity_decrease ⑩ class_weight 以上です。沢山ありますね。これより以降、これらオプションの意味について、説明をしていきます。また、精度貢献に対するHot度合を、🌶から🌶🌶🌶で表現します。笑 ① criterion（Hot度：🌶）「criterion」オプションは、不純度計算に用いる式の指定です。不純度は、値が小さいほど、データセット内でのクラス属性がワンパターンであることを示します。決定木の条件分岐は、不純度を下げるべく設けていくものです。データが綺麗に分割できた場合、不純度はZEROとなります。 scikit-learnにて用意されている「criterion」の指定値は、以下2パターンです。 ⑴ criterion = ‘gini’ ⑵ criterion = ‘entropy’ それぞれの式は以下です。式中の「n」はクラス属性数です。「p(cᵢ)」は、参照データ群のクラス属性が「cᵢ」である可能性を示しています。或いは、クラス属性「cᵢ」の割合です。例えば、100人分のデータ群があり、男性「c₁」が30人、女性「c₂」が70人という内訳であると、「p(c₁) = 0.3」「p(c₂) = 0.7」となります。その際の不純度は、以下となります。 Gini = 1 – {p(c₁)² + p(c₂)²} = 1 − {0.3² + 0.7²} = 0.42 Entropy = { – p(c₁) log₂ p(c₁)} + { – p(c₂) log₂ p(c₂)} = { – 0.3 × log₂ 0.3}+{ – 0.7 × log₂ 0.7} = 0.88 尚、クラス属性数が2である場合には、GiniとEntropyのグラフは以下となります。 2つの不純度指標は、概ね同じ形をしていますね。左右対称ですので、横軸を「p(c₁)」から「p(c₂)」に切り替えても、グラフの形状は変わりません。上記グラフの描画コードも一応載せます。 p = np.arange(101) / 100 eps = 1e-10 g = 1 - (p2 + (1 - p)2) e = (-(p+eps) * np.log2(p+eps)) + (-(1-p+eps) * np.log2(1-p+eps)) fig = plt.figure(figsize=(6,4),dpi=100) # plt.plot(p, g, label='Gini', linewidth=3) plt.plot(p, e, label='Entropy', linewidth=3) plt.xlabel('p(c_1) = 1-p(c_2)') plt.ylabel('impurity') plt.rcParams["font.size"] = 12 plt.grid(True) plt.legend(loc='lower center') 私の感覚では、「criterion」がGiniだろうが、Entropyだろうが、あまり精度への影響はありません。 default設定のGiniを使っておけば良いかと思います。以下、検証コードにて、Gini、Entropyによる決定木を比較します。（先ず、データ準備） # import lib import numpy as np import matplotlib.pyplot as plt import graphviz import pydotplus as pdp import matplotlib.gridspec as gridspec from sklearn.datasets import load_breast_cancer from sklearn.tree import DecisionTreeClassifier, export_graphviz from sklearn.ensemble import RandomForestClassifier from sklearn.model_selection import train_test_split from IPython.display import Image, display_png # data load data = load_breast_cancer() X = data.data y = data.target X_title = data.feature_names print('np.shape(X) = [%d, %d]' % np.shape(X)) print('np.shape(y) = [%d]' % np.shape(y)) print('len(X_title) = [%d]' % len(X_title)) print('np.unique(y) = %s' % np.unique(y)) # preparation... np.random.seed(0) X_train, X_test, y_train, y_test = train_test_split(X, y, test_size=0.7, random_state=0) file_name = './tree_visualization.png' （パラメータの異なる決定木作成） # -------------------------------------------------- # at 1st, no option model = DecisionTreeClassifier(random_state = 0) model.fit(X_train, y_train) print("acc of test data = %.3f" % model.score(X_test, y_test)) # visualize tree dot_data = export_graphviz(decision_tree = model, out_file = None, max_depth = None, feature_names = X_title, class_names = None, label = 'all', filled = True, leaves_parallel = False, impurity = True, node_ids = True, proportion = True, rotate = False, rounded = True, special_characters = True) graph = pdp.graph_from_dot_data(dot_data) graph.write_png(file_name) display_png(Image(file_name)) # -------------------------------------------------- # at 2nd, set option model = DecisionTreeClassifier(criterion = 'entropy', random_state = 0) model.fit(X_train, y_train) print("acc of test data = %.3f" % model.score(X_test, y_test)) # visualize tree file_name = "./tree_visualization.png" dot_data = export_graphviz(decision_tree = model, out_file = None, max_depth = None, feature_names = X_title, class_names = None, label = 'all', filled = True, leaves_parallel = False, impurity = True, node_ids = True, proportion = True, rotate = False, rounded = True, special_characters = True) graph = pdp.graph_from_dot_data(dot_data) graph.write_png(file_name) display_png(Image(file_name)) （criterion = ‘gini’ [default] ）（criterion = ‘entropy’） ② splitter（Hot度：🌶🌶）「splitter」は、条件探索アルゴリズムを選択するオプションです。分岐条件を探索する際に、どう探索するかの方法を設定します。設定できるのは、以下の2パターンになります。 ⑴ splitter = ‘best’ ⑵ splitter = ‘random’ 条件探索方法「best」は、概ね全項目、全閾値を試すという、文字通りbestな方法です。「概ね」を付けたのは、「max_features」というパラメータ値が1でない場合には、そのパラメータの制御によって、全項目探索を行わない為です。（※詳細は、以降の「⑦ max_features」にて説明します。）条件探索方法bestの特徴として、隈なく探索を行なっている為に、都度の学習結果（分岐条件）が似通うという特徴があります。この辺りはBagging適用する場合に、結構議論になるポイントかと思いますが、RandomForestClassifier、ExtraTreesClassifierにおいては、splitterの指定は出来ず、必ず条件探索方法bestが採用されています。ただし、それらクラスにおける「max_features」のdefault値が1でない為に、上手くensembleが実現されているようです。条件探索方法「random」は、DecisionTreeClassifierを直接使用する時だけ、選択できるオプションとなります。この条件探索方法は、文字通り、分岐条件となる項目と閾値をrandomに探索するものです。特徴として、random探索に付き、決定木構造が深くなりやすい点があります。以下、検証コードにて、条件探索方法の異なる決定木を比較します。 # -------------------------------------------------- # at 1st, no option model = DecisionTreeClassifier(random_state = 0) model.fit(X_train, y_train) print("acc of test data = %.3f" % model.score(X_test, y_test)) # visualize tree dot_data = export_graphviz(decision_tree = model, out_file = None, max_depth = None, feature_names = X_title, class_names = None, label = 'all', filled = True, leaves_parallel = False, impurity = True, node_ids = True, proportion = True, rotate = False, rounded = True, special_characters = True) graph = pdp.graph_from_dot_data(dot_data) graph.write_png(file_name) display_png(Image(file_name)) # -------------------------------------------------- # at 2nd, set option model = DecisionTreeClassifier(splitter = 'random', random_state = 0) model.fit(X_train, y_train) print("acc of test data = %.3f" % model.score(X_test, y_test)) # visualize tree file_name = "./tree_visualization.png" dot_data = export_graphviz(decision_tree = model, out_file = None, max_depth = None, feature_names = X_title, class_names = None, label = 'all', filled = True, leaves_parallel = False, impurity = True, node_ids = True, proportion = True, rotate = False, rounded = True, special_characters = True) graph = pdp.graph_from_dot_data(dot_data) graph.write_png(file_name) display_png(Image(file_name)) （splitter = ‘best’ [default] ）（splitter = ‘random’） ③ max_depth（Hot度：🌶🌶🌶）「max_depth」は決定木構造の深さを調整するパラメータです。木が過度の深く作られ、過学習を引き起こしている場合は、このパラメータにて、正則化が実現できます。 default設定はNoneとなっており、「限界を設けない」という意味。深さ指定は、int値を引数に与えてあげれば実現してくれます。以下、検証コードにて、深さ指定の異なる決定木を比較します。 # -------------------------------------------------- # at 1st, no option model = DecisionTreeClassifier(random_state = 0) model.fit(X_train, y_train) print("acc of test data = %.3f" % model.score(X_test, y_test)) # visualize tree dot_data = export_graphviz(decision_tree = model, out_file = None, max_depth = None, feature_names = X_title, class_names = None, label = 'all', filled = True, leaves_parallel = False, impurity = True, node_ids = True, proportion = True, rotate = False, rounded = True, special_characters = True) graph = pdp.graph_from_dot_data(dot_data) graph.write_png(file_name) display_png(Image(file_name)) # -------------------------------------------------- # at 2nd, set option model = DecisionTreeClassifier(max_depth = 2, random_state = 0) model.fit(X_train, y_train) print("acc of test data = %.3f" % model.score(X_test, y_test)) # visualize tree file_name = "./tree_visualization.png" dot_data = export_graphviz(decision_tree = model, out_file = None, max_depth = None, feature_names = X_title, class_names = None, label = 'all', filled = True, leaves_parallel = False, impurity = True, node_ids = True, proportion = True, rotate = False, rounded = True, special_characters = True) graph = pdp.graph_from_dot_data(dot_data) graph.write_png(file_name) display_png(Image(file_name)) （max_depth = None [default] ）（max_depth = 2） ④ min_samples_split（Hot度：🌶🌶）「min_samples_split」は、分岐条件を作成する条件として、分岐元のデータ数として、最低限必要な数を指定するものです。よって、このパラメータ値以上のデータ数を持たない分岐先は、それ以上の条件分岐がされず、葉となります。細かすぎる条件分岐は、ノイズへの過敏反応であり、テストデータには通用しなそうである、という発想です。パラメータ値には、int値を与えるとデータ絶対数にて制御を、float値を与えると全データ数に対する割合にて制御をしてくれます。 default値は、int値2です。以下、検証コードにて、深さ指定の異なる決定木を比較します。 # -------------------------------------------------- # at 1st, no option model = DecisionTreeClassifier(random_state = 0) model.fit(X_train, y_train) print("acc of test data = %.3f" % model.score(X_test, y_test)) # visualize tree dot_data = export_graphviz(decision_tree = model, out_file = None, max_depth = None, feature_names = X_title, class_names = None, label = 'all', filled = True, leaves_parallel = False, impurity = True, node_ids = True, proportion = True, rotate = False, rounded = True, special_characters = True) graph = pdp.graph_from_dot_data(dot_data) graph.write_png(file_name) display_png(Image(file_name)) # -------------------------------------------------- # at 2nd, set option model = DecisionTreeClassifier(min_samples_split = 0.1, random_state = 0) model.fit(X_train, y_train) print("acc of test data = %.3f" % model.score(X_test, y_test)) # visualize tree file_name = "./tree_visualization.png" dot_data = export_graphviz(decision_tree = model, out_file = None, max_depth = None, feature_names = X_title, class_names = None, label = 'all', filled = True, leaves_parallel = False, impurity = True, node_ids = True, proportion = True, rotate = False, rounded = True, special_characters = True) graph = pdp.graph_from_dot_data(dot_data) graph.write_png(file_name) display_png(Image(file_name)) （min_samples_split = 2 [default] ）（min_samples_split = 0.1） ⑤ min_samples_leaf（Hot度：🌶🌶）「min_samples_leaf」は、分岐条件を作成する条件として、分岐先へのデータ数として、最低限必要な数を指定するものです。よって、このパラメータ値以上のデータ数を持たない分岐先は、作られないこととなります。細かすぎる条件分岐は、ノイズへの過敏反応であり、テストデータには通用しなそうである、という発想です。パラメータ値には、int値を与えるとデータ絶対数にて制御を、float値を与えると全データ数に対する割合にて制御をしてくれます。 default値は、int値1です。尚、このパラメータは「min_sample_split」と非常に概念が似ています。が、概念的には、min_sample_leafの方が強いです。というのも、min_samples_splitは、分割前の状態で明らかにニッチな過学習条件が作られる場合にだけ有効である為です。一方、min_sample_leafは、例えば、急に予想外的に作成されるニッチな条件に対しても反応できる強さがあります。その意味での推奨は、min_samples_splitよりも、min_sample_leafで制御する方が、旨味が多いかと思います。（※ここ、実は知り合いからの受け売りです😅）以下、検証コードにて、min_sample_leaf指定の異なる決定木を比較します。 # -------------------------------------------------- # at 1st, no option model = DecisionTreeClassifier(random_state = 0) model.fit(X_train, y_train) print("acc of test data = %.3f" % model.score(X_test, y_test)) # visualize tree dot_data = export_graphviz(decision_tree = model, out_file = None, max_depth = None, feature_names = X_title, class_names = None, label = 'all', filled = True, leaves_parallel = False, impurity = True, node_ids = True, proportion = True, rotate = False, rounded = True, special_characters = True, precision = 10) graph = pdp.graph_from_dot_data(dot_data) graph.write_png(file_name) display_png(Image(file_name)) # -------------------------------------------------- # at 2nd, set option model = DecisionTreeClassifier(min_samples_split = 0.1, random_state = 0) model.fit(X_train, y_train) print("acc of test data = %.3f" % model.score(X_test, y_test)) # visualize tree file_name = "./tree_visualization.png" dot_data = export_graphviz(decision_tree = model, out_file = None, max_depth = None, feature_names = X_title, class_names = None, label = 'all', filled = True, leaves_parallel = False, impurity = True, node_ids = True, proportion = True, rotate = False, rounded = True, special_characters = True, precision = 10) graph = pdp.graph_from_dot_data(dot_data) graph.write_png(file_name) display_png(Image(file_name)) （min_samples_leaf = 2 [default] ）（min_samples_leaf = 0.1） ⑥ min_weight_fraction_leaf（Hot度：🌶）「min_weight_fraction_leaf」は、「sample_weight」を考慮した上での「min_samples_leaf」です。「sample_weight」については、別途記事を書いていますので、そちらを参照ください。要するには、データ1つ1つに対して振られている重みがあれば、その総和でもって、条件分岐の生成を抑制する形です。最低限でも、指定した値以上のweight総和が無いといけない訳です。パラメータ値には、float値を与えると全データ数に対する割合にて制御をしてくれます。 default値は、ZEROです。以下、検証コードにて、min_weight_fraction_leaf指定の異なる決定木を比較します。尚、以下は、sample_weightを設定していない例ですので、min_sample_leafで同じ値を設定した時と、結果が合致します。 # -------------------------------------------------- # at 1st, no option model = DecisionTreeClassifier(random_state = 0) model.fit(X_train, y_train) print("acc of test data = %.3f" % model.score(X_test, y_test)) # visualize tree dot_data = export_graphviz(decision_tree = model, out_file = None, max_depth = None, feature_names = X_title, class_names = None, label = 'all', filled = True, leaves_parallel = False, impurity = True, node_ids = True, proportion = True, rotate = False, rounded = True, special_characters = True, precision = 10) graph = pdp.graph_from_dot_data(dot_data) graph.write_png(file_name) display_png(Image(file_name)) # -------------------------------------------------- # at 2nd, set option model = DecisionTreeClassifier(min_weight_fraction_leaf = 0.1, random_state = 0) model.fit(X_train, y_train) print("acc of test data = %.3f" % model.score(X_test, y_test)) # visualize tree file_name = "./tree_visualization.png" dot_data = export_graphviz(decision_tree = model, out_file = None, max_depth = None, feature_names = X_title, class_names = None, label = 'all', filled = True, leaves_parallel = False, impurity = True, node_ids = True, proportion = True, rotate = False, rounded = True, special_characters = True, precision = 10) graph = pdp.graph_from_dot_data(dot_data) graph.write_png(file_name) display_png(Image(file_name)) （min_weight_fraction_leaf = 0.0 [default] ）（min_weight_fraction_leaf = 0.1） ⑦ max_features（Hot度：🌶🌶）「max_features」は、条件探索を行う際に、説明変数の項目を最大で幾つ参照しに行くかという指定です。パラメータ指定方法は幾つか存在します。 default設定は、Noneです。 Noneを設定すると、説明変数項目の数が設定されます。つまり、全項目を参照するという指定です。 int値での設定は、説明変数項目の最大参照数を絶対数で制御します。 float値での設定は、説明変数項目数に対する割合にて、説明変数項目の最大参照数を制御します。文字列でも以下パターンの設定が可能です。 ⑴ max_features = ‘auto’ ⑵ max_features = ‘sqrt’ ⑶ max_features = 'log2' 説明変数項目の数をDとした場合、「sqrt」指定は、max_featuresに「√D」が設定されます。「D=100」ならば、「√D=10」です。「log2」指定は、「log₂(D)」が設定されます。「D=32」ならば、「log₂(D)=5」です。「auto」指定は、基本的に「sqrt」指定と同様なようです。 DecisionTreeClassifier、RandomForestClassifier、ExtraTreesClassifier、GradientBoostClassifier等において、そのようでした。 scikit-learn推奨の方法が、設定されている感覚かと思います。尚、DecisionTreeClassifierのmax_featuresのdefault値はNone（全項目参照指定）ですが、その他ensemble系のアルゴリズムのdefault値は「auto」でした。 RandomForestなどは特に、各決定木が全項目参照していたら、似通った決定木ができてしまいensemble効果が薄れるので、default設定値に納得です。以下、検証コードにて、max_features指定の異なる決定木を比較します。 # -------------------------------------------------- # at 1st, no option model = DecisionTreeClassifier(random_state = 0) model.fit(X_train, y_train) print("acc of test data = %.3f" % model.score(X_test, y_test)) # visualize tree dot_data = export_graphviz(decision_tree = model, out_file = None, max_depth = None, feature_names = X_title, class_names = None, label = 'all', filled = True, leaves_parallel = False, impurity = True, node_ids = True, proportion = True, rotate = False, rounded = True, special_characters = True, precision = 10) graph = pdp.graph_from_dot_data(dot_data) graph.write_png(file_name) display_png(Image(file_name)) # -------------------------------------------------- # at 2nd, set option model = DecisionTreeClassifier(max_features = 'sqrt', random_state = 0) model.fit(X_train, y_train) print("acc of test data = %.3f" % model.score(X_test, y_test)) # visualize tree file_name = "./tree_visualization.png" dot_data = export_graphviz(decision_tree = model, out_file = None, max_depth = None, feature_names = X_title, class_names = None, label = 'all', filled = True, leaves_parallel = False, impurity = True, node_ids = True, proportion = True, rotate = False, rounded = True, special_characters = True, precision = 10) graph = pdp.graph_from_dot_data(dot_data) graph.write_png(file_name) display_png(Image(file_name)) （max_features = None [default] ）（max_features = ‘sqrt’） ⑧ max_leaf_nodes（Hot度：🌶🌶🌶）「max_leaf_nodes」は、最終的に出来上がる決定木の葉の数を、設定値以下に制御するパラメータです。別パラメータの「max_depth」と深く関連します。 scikit-learnの決定木可視化において、分岐元や分岐先は総じてnodeと表現されます。 nodeの内、分岐元となっていないnode、つまりそれ以降の条件分岐がされていないnodeのことを決定木の「葉」と呼びます。 nodeが「葉」となる場合は2つあり、完全に分岐し切ってしまった場合（下記の「node #3」や、「node #6」）と、オプション指定によってなどがそうです。木の深さ2の時点で葉となっています。「node #2」や「node #5」は、まだ分岐しきれていない為、max_depthを3以上に設定すれば、その下に新しい分岐先が生まれることになります。ですので、これらはオプション指定のコントロールによって、葉となっているnodeとなります。 max_leaf_nodesは、決定木の深さでなく、葉の数で決定木構造のサイズをコントロールするオプション指定です。例えば、max_leaf_nodesを4に設定すると、決定木構造は以下のようになります。葉で指定した場合は、不純度が高い葉から順に手当をしていくという特徴があります。ここでいう「不純度」は、上記図上の「gini × samples」のことです。この値が大きい葉から順に、条件分岐を追加していきます。以下、順々にmax_leaf_nodesを増やしていった場合も載せます。（max_leaf_nodes = 2）（max_leaf_nodes = 3）（max_leaf_nodes = 4）（max_leaf_nodes = 5）（max_leaf_nodes = 6）という感じです。決定木系のアルゴリズムでパラメータチューニングをする際には、max_depthでチューニングする人が多いですが、個人的には、より分けづらいデータにフォーカスするmax_leaf_nodesでのチューニングの方が、筋が良いのではないかと思っています。パラメータ値には、int値を与えるとnodeの絶対数にて制御をしてくれます。 Noneを与えると、制限なしにnodeを作成していきます。 default値は、Noneです。以下、検証コードにて、max_features指定の異なる決定木を比較します。 # -------------------------------------------------- # at 1st, no option model = DecisionTreeClassifier(random_state = 0) model.fit(X_train, y_train) print("acc of test data = %.3f" % model.score(X_test, y_test)) # visualize tree dot_data = export_graphviz(decision_tree = model, out_file = None, max_depth = None, feature_names = X_title, class_names = None, label = 'all', filled = True, leaves_parallel = False, impurity = True, node_ids = True, proportion = True, rotate = False, rounded = True, special_characters = True, precision = 10) graph = pdp.graph_from_dot_data(dot_data) graph.write_png(file_name) display_png(Image(file_name)) # -------------------------------------------------- # at 2nd, set option model = DecisionTreeClassifier(max_leaf_nodes = 8, random_state = 0) model.fit(X_train, y_train) print("acc of test data = %.3f" % model.score(X_test, y_test)) # visualize tree file_name = "./tree_visualization.png" dot_data = export_graphviz(decision_tree = model, out_file = None, max_depth = None, feature_names = X_title, class_names = None, label = 'all', filled = True, leaves_parallel = False, impurity = True, node_ids = True, proportion = True, rotate = False, rounded = True, special_characters = True, precision = 10) graph = pdp.graph_from_dot_data(dot_data) graph.write_png(file_name) display_png(Image(file_name)) （max_leaf_nodes = None [default] ）（max_leaf_nodes = 8） ⑨ min_impurity_decrease（Hot度：🌶🌶）「min_impurity_decrease」は、分岐元から分岐先に分かつ際に、あまりimpurityが下がらないようならば、その分岐を抑制するためのオプション指定です。パラメータ値には、float値にて、条件分岐をするために最低限必要なimpurity低下を設定します。尚、default値はZERO、制限なしとなります。 impurity低下度合については、以下「不純度減少方程式」にて求めます。この算出値と、min_impurity_decreaseの値とを比較します。ここで、「N」は全データの絶対数、または全データの割合「100%」です。大事なのは各種比率ですので、「N」は絶対数で統一するか、割合で統一するかのどちらでも同じ結果が得られます。以下、図を使いながら、割合にて説明します。「N_t」は、分岐条件元でのデータ数割合です。例えば、「node #2」を分岐条件元と捉えれば「56.5%」です。「N_t_R」は、分岐条件先でのデータ数割合です。例えば、「node #4」を分岐条件元と捉えれば「1.2%」です。「N_t_L」は、分岐条件先でのデータ数割合です。例えば、「node #3」を分岐条件先と捉えれば「55.3%」です。「impurity」は、分岐条件元での不純度です。例えば、「node #2」を分岐条件元と捉えれば「0.020616…」です。「right_impurity」は、分岐条件先での不純度です。例えば、「node #4」を分岐条件先と捉えれば「0.5」です。「left_impurity」は、分岐条件先での不純度です。例えば、「node #3」を分岐条件先と捉えれば「0.0」です。式に当てはめて計算してみると、凡そ… 「56.5 / 100 * (0.021 - 1.2 / 56.5 * 0.5 - 55.3 / 56.5 * 0.0) ≒ 0.0057」となります。要するには、「データ数×impurity」の低下が大きい条件分岐ほど、決定木精度向上への貢献が高く、逆に、「データ数×impurity」の低下が非常に小さい条件分岐は、学習データへの過学習の疑い強く、汎用性低かろう、という仮説の下、考えられたパラメータという訳です。尚、上記「データ数」については、「sample_weight」が設定されている場合、「重み付きデータ数」となります。以下、検証コードにて、min_impurity_decrease指定の異なる決定木を比較します。 # -------------------------------------------------- # at 1st, no option model = DecisionTreeClassifier(random_state = 0) model.fit(X_train, y_train) print("acc of test data = %.3f" % model.score(X_test, y_test)) # visualize tree dot_data = export_graphviz(decision_tree = model, out_file = None, max_depth = None, feature_names = X_title, class_names = None, label = 'all', filled = True, leaves_parallel = False, impurity = True, node_ids = True, proportion = True, rotate = False, rounded = True, special_characters = True, precision = 10) graph = pdp.graph_from_dot_data(dot_data) graph.write_png(file_name) display_png(Image(file_name)) # -------------------------------------------------- # at 2nd, set option model = DecisionTreeClassifier(min_impurity_decrease = 0.01, random_state = 0) model.fit(X_train, y_train) print("acc of test data = %.3f" % model.score(X_test, y_test)) # visualize tree file_name = "./tree_visualization.png" dot_data = export_graphviz(decision_tree = model, out_file = None, max_depth = None, feature_names = X_title, class_names = None, label = 'all', filled = True, leaves_parallel = False, impurity = True, node_ids = True, proportion = True, rotate = False, rounded = True, special_characters = True, precision = 10) graph = pdp.graph_from_dot_data(dot_data) graph.write_png(file_name) display_png(Image(file_name)) （min_impurity_decrease = None [default] ）（min_impurity_decrease = 0.006） ⑩ class_weight（Hot度：🌶🌶🌶）「class_weight」は、クラスラベルに対して重みを設定するオプションです。例えば、2クラス識別問題であれば、パラメータは以下の2パターンで設定します。 ⑴ class_weight = {0:0.5, 1:1} ⑵ class_weight = 'balanced' そもそも、なぜこのようなオプションがあるのか、理由を説明します。そのために、今一度、不純度の計算式を見直しましょう。不純度は、決定木の分岐条件を選定する際に、参考とする指標です。この指標を軸に、不純度をより低下させる条件を探索し、決定技条件を採用します。また、クラス属性数が2である場合には、GiniとEntropyのグラフは以下となります。 Giniで言えば、最大値が0.5です。それは、データ群のクラス別データ数が、ちょうど半々の状態です。つまり、「1 - (1 / 2)² - (1 / 2)² = 0.5」という状態で、これが一番不純だということです。最も不純でない状態は、データ群に片側クラスしか存在しない状態です。決定木の学習としては、不純度を参考にしながら、葉の不純度がなるべく小さくなることを目指します。そんな不純度指標ですが、実は不均衡データにおいては、上手く機能しないという問題があります。尚、当該不純度指標に限らず、機械学習全般に言えることですが、機械学習は基本的に、別クラスのデータは同数が存在する前提となっています。例えば、2クラス属性データが100個あれば、クラス1のデータが50個、クラス2のデータも50個という想定です。データ割合「50%：50%」ですねしかし、仮に、2クラス属性データが100,000個存在した中で、クラス1のデータが99,500個、クラス2のデータが500個だった場合はGini係数が上手く機能せず、クラス2のデータが軽視されるような結果となってしまいます。データ割合は「99.5%：0.5%」です。これは、決定木にて条件分岐をする前の状態で、全てのデータをクラス1と予測すれば、「99.5%」の正解率が発揮できる、ということになります。そして、上記の軽視問題を解決するのが、class_weight問題です。「class_weight = ‘balanced’」です。これは、Gini係数での評価を行う際に、多数クラスデータの「sample_weight」を軽く、少数クラスデータの「sample_weight」を重くすることで、あたかもデータ割合「50%：50%」で学習しているような、公平な不純度評価をしてくれる、というものです。 class_weightの算出方法は以下です。ここで、「n_samples」は全てのデータ数のことです。「n_classes」は、クラス数。「np.bitcount(y)」は、各クラス別のデータ数です。前述のデータ割合「99.5%：0.5%」の場合… ① クラス1のclass_weight：「100000 / (2 × 99500) = 0.50251…」 ② クラス2のclass_weight：「100000 / (2 × 500) = 100」となります。尚、「（① × クラス1データ数）＋（② × クラス2データ数）＝全データ数」となります。「(0.50251… × 99500) + (100 × 500) = 100000」という感じです。「sample_weight」を適用しない場合、全てのデータに「weight=1」が振られる為、そのケースと「sample_weight × データ数」の総和にて合致する形です。それでは、実際に「class_weight = ‘balanced’」を適用してみます。（データ準備） # import lib import numpy as np import matplotlib.pyplot as plt import graphviz import pydotplus as pdp import matplotlib.gridspec as gridspec from sklearn import metrics from sklearn.metrics import accuracy_score from sklearn.datasets import load_breast_cancer from sklearn.tree import DecisionTreeClassifier, export_graphviz from sklearn.ensemble import RandomForestClassifier from sklearn.model_selection import train_test_split from IPython.display import Image, display_png # prepare data np.random.seed(0) N = 100000 N_pos = 500 X = np.random.normal(0, 1, [(N - N_pos), 2]) + np.array([5, 5]) X = np.concatenate([X, np.random.normal(0, 1, [N_pos, 2]) + np.array([8, 5])], axis=0) y = np.zeros(len(X)) y[-N_pos:] = 1 print('np.shape(X) = [%d, %d]' % np.shape(X)) print('np.shape(y) = [%d]' % np.shape(y)) print('len(X_title) = [%d]' % len(X_title)) print('np.unique(y) = %s' % np.unique(y)) print('np.sum(y == 0) = %s' % np.sum(y == 0)) print('np.sum(y == 1) = %s' % np.sum(y == 1)) # import lib import numpy as np import matplotlib.pyplot as plt import graphviz import pydotplus as pdp import matplotlib.gridspec as gridspec from sklearn import metrics from sklearn.metrics import accuracy_score from sklearn.datasets import load_breast_cancer from sklearn.tree import DecisionTreeClassifier, export_graphviz from sklearn.ensemble import RandomForestClassifier from sklearn.model_selection import train_test_split from IPython.display import Image, display_png # prepare data np.random.seed(0) N = 100000 N_pos = 500 X = np.random.normal(0, 1, [(N - N_pos), 2]) + np.array([5, 5]) X = np.concatenate([X, np.random.normal(0, 1, [N_pos, 2]) + np.array([8, 5])], axis=0) y = np.zeros(len(X)) y[-N_pos:] = 1 print('np.shape(X) = [%d, %d]' % np.shape(X)) print('np.shape(y) = [%d]' % np.shape(y)) print('len(X_title) = [%d]' % len(X_title)) print('np.unique(y) = %s' % np.unique(y)) print('np.sum(y == 0) = %s' % np.sum(y == 0)) print('np.sum(y == 1) = %s' % np.sum(y == 1)) # fig = plt.figure(figsize=(12,8),dpi=100) gs = gridspec.GridSpec(9,9) plt.subplot(gs[:6, :6]) plt.scatter(X[(y == 0), 0], X[(y == 0), 1], alpha=0.5) plt.scatter(X[(y == 1), 0], X[(y == 1), 1], alpha=0.5) plt.title('principal component') plt.xlabel('X_1') plt.ylabel('X_2') plt.rcParams["font.size"] = 12 plt.grid(True) # plot histogram plt.subplot(gs[-2:, :6]) plt.hist(X[(y == 0), 0], alpha=0.5, bins=20, density=True) plt.hist(X[(y == 1), 0], alpha=0.5, bins=20, density=True) plt.xlabel('X_1') plt.rcParams["font.size"] = 12 plt.grid(True) plt.subplot(gs[:6, -2:]) plt.hist(X[(y == 0), 1], alpha=0.5, bins=20, density=True, orientation="horizontal") plt.hist(X[(y == 1), 1], alpha=0.5, bins=20, density=True, orientation="horizontal") plt.xlabel('X_2') plt.gca().invert_xaxis() plt.rcParams["font.size"] = 12 plt.grid(True) plt.show() # preparation... file_name = "./tree_visualization.png" 2次元データで、データ数割合は「99.5%：0.5%」です。ヒストグラムは、クラス別の頻度割合になります。次に、「class_weight = None [default]」と、「class_weight = ‘balanced’」とでの決定木学習ケースを比較します。 (学習コード) # -------------------------------------------------- # at 1st, no option model = DecisionTreeClassifier(max_leaf_nodes = 6, random_state = 0) model.fit(X, y) # measure fpr, tpr, _ = metrics.roc_curve(y, model.predict_proba(X).T[1]) auc = metrics.auc(fpr, tpr) # plot orc plt.plot(fpr, tpr, label=('ROC@class_weight=None (AUC = %.2f)' % auc), alpha=0.3, linewidth=5) plt.legend() plt.title('ROC curve') plt.xlabel('False Positive Rate') plt.ylabel('True Positive Rate') plt.grid(True) plt.show # visualize tree dot_data = export_graphviz(decision_tree = model, out_file = None, max_depth = None, feature_names = ['X_1', 'X_2'], class_names = None, label = 'all', filled = True, leaves_parallel = False, impurity = True, node_ids = True, proportion = True, rotate = False, rounded = True, special_characters = True) graph = pdp.graph_from_dot_data(dot_data) graph.write_png(file_name) display_png(Image(file_name)) # -------------------------------------------------- # at 2nd, set option model = DecisionTreeClassifier(max_leaf_nodes = 6, class_weight = 'balanced', random_state = 0) model.fit(X, y) # measure fpr, tpr, _ = metrics.roc_curve(y, model.predict_proba(X).T[1]) auc = metrics.auc(fpr, tpr) # plot orc plt.plot(fpr, tpr, label=('ROC@class_weight=\'balanced\' (AUC = %.2f)' % auc), alpha=0.3, linewidth=5) plt.legend() plt.title('ROC curve') plt.xlabel('False Positive Rate') plt.ylabel('True Positive Rate') plt.grid(True) plt.show # visualize tree file_name = "./tree_visualization.png" dot_data = export_graphviz(decision_tree = model, out_file = None, max_depth = None, feature_names = ['X_1', 'X_2'], class_names = None, label = 'all', filled = True, leaves_parallel = False, impurity = True, node_ids = True, proportion = True, rotate = False, rounded = True, special_characters = True) graph = pdp.graph_from_dot_data(dot_data) graph.write_png(file_name) display_png(Image(file_name)) (作成された決定木@class_weight = None [default] ) (作成された決定木@class_weight = ‘balanced’) (ROC比較) 決定木上のvalueの値を見てもらうと、class_weightオプションが適用されていることが、直感的に捉えられると思います。 ROCカーブ、AUCにおいては、class_weightオプションを適用した場合の方が、良好であることが確認できます。おわりに以上で、DecisionTreeClassifier@scikit-learnのオプション指定について、説明を終えます。様々な種類が存在し、様々な正則化アプローチ等が可能な、なんとも有り難いツールです。また、これがRandomForestやBoostingにも共通するので、一度覚えてしまえば、知識として重宝します。 P.S. この記事を書くキッカケを与えてくれた、かつ、当該記事を仕上げるに当たって多大なる貢献をしてくれたO氏に感謝します。🙇‍♂️ 重ねて、記事のブラッシュアップに貢献してれたS氏に感謝します。️️🙇‍♂️️️	https://medium.com/micin-developers/decipher-github-dt-op-2c97aa362561	['Taketo Kimura']	2020-07-11 06:13:22.739000+00:00	['Machine Learning', 'Details', 'Decision Tree', 'Scikit Learn', 'Parameter']
Why did we build UC’s Central Communication Platform: Raven?	Why did we build UC’s Central Communication Platform: Raven? Effective communication in this era of e-commerce is key to cementing relationships with customers. Its content, being delivered and at the right time is very important. As the organization grows, it starts using different types of communications including SMS, WhatsApp, Email, Notification and IVR. And with increasing scale it onboards different vendors. By this time, you generally abstract out the vendors and implementation logic by providing channel-wise services. We did the same at UC as described in the diagram below: Figure 1: Architecture of the First Version of the Communication Platform The first version (legacy) of the communication platform at UC had a very simple responsibility, to take the content to be sent (SMS/Email/etc) and the sender’s details (Phone number/Email id/etc) and trigger the communication. Although it was simple and served us well, as we scaled with more use cases and more services, we ran into some limitations: Limitations with Control & being developer/PM friendly: Content: The content/text of the communications were managed by the calling services. Whenever the content of communication needed to be changed by a PM/business-owner, it required the service deployment by a dev. Thus adding a dependency on devs and hogging their bandwidth for a not-so-engineering task which included testing as well for a slight change. Type of communication: Often we wanted to change the communication from SMS to notification or email to save cost or to reduce noise. Or trigger both or multiple types of transactional communication (for example payment confirmation). This required a lot of change in the business logic of calling service. Configurability and logic: Often for the same trigger (For eg: booking confirmation), we needed to send different content or/and types of communication to different countries. There were cases when we needed to trigger fallbacks like if the user hasn’t opted for WhatsApp or notification wasn’t delivered in time, send a fallback SMS. These things were again maintained at the calling service. Figure 2: Sample code showing configuration & trigger logic on different conditions in one of the services. Limitations with Scale & Resiliency: Delivery: It was an API based service, so if the service was down or APIs took more time, we lost important communication. Or the calling services had to implement retry mechanisms and fallbacks to ensure the delivery. They also had to implement circuit-breakers in case the API started taking more time to ensure they don’t get impacted (cascading effect) by it. Priority: There was no way the system could distinguish between high and low priority communications. If it was busy delivering the low priority ones, the high priority ones were either failing or getting delivered late. Cost: If there was a burst of communication (because of marketing or retention campaigns), this service scaled accordingly leading to higher infra costs. While these could have been delivered in a staggered way without scaling the servers. Raven: The Central Communication Platform of UC Rather than solving these limitations one by one in the existing service, we re-architected the service which is now able to handle these limitations along with giving us enormous other benefits and opportunity to add numerous new features. Presenting Raven(start clapping :D). Why the name you ask? Ravens (black crows) were used for a highly reliable communication mechanism in ancient mythical times, sounds cool, right? :) Figure 3: Raven’s High Level Architecture We abstracted out a lot of common logic from across the services and put them in Raven itself and provided a user-friendly dashboard for PMs from where a campaign can be created/edited by them having different types of communications (SMS/Email/Push/WhatsApp). Raven backend is now Kafka backed async service. Handling Control issues & making it developer/PM friendly: Figure 4: Dashboard from where PMs can change the parameterised content. Content: Now, the PMs have no need to rely on the devs to change the content or enable/disable a communication removing the need for deployment of calling service. They are able to do all this from Raven’s dashboard(fig.4). Type of communication: From the above panel, it’s evident that PM can configure any combination of types of communications whenever they want, without having to involve devs. Also, since it’s on the dashboard it’s always visible what types of communication are being triggered to anyone who is working/going-to-work on it. Configurability and logic: Now for the same trigger the calling services do not need to write different logic for different content. Using the dashboard they are able to create different variants. For eg: if we want to send SMS & push notifications to our Indian users, but only push notifications to our Australian users. It can be easily done from Raven’s dashboard (fig.5). Figure 5: Along with fig.4 this is a variant set for Australia, sending only push notifications for the same trigger. Handling Scale & Resiliency issues: Delivery: Since Raven is an async service. So even if the service goes down, the queue will hold the subsequent communication packets until the service is up and running. This might add to the delay, but ensures that all communications get delivered. Being async also made sure that there’s no cascading effect on calling services even if Raven slows down. Priority: There are 3 priority-queues for different priority (High/Medium/Low) communications. So that the low ones (marketing campaigns) don’t impact the delivery of high ones (transactional campaigns). Also, with different consumption rates on these queues, it makes sure that there is minimal delay in sending high priority communications. Cost: Even if we get a burst of marketing communication, we don’t need to scale servers proportional to the load as the communication packets are held by queues and a slight delay in these communication is fine. Numerous other advantages of Raven We build Raven, not just to eliminate the previous limitations but to add many more functionalities: A/B Experimentation(Empowering PMs): We integrated Raven with our user-service to retrieve all the relevant information like country/city/category/etc for a user, using which a lot of A/B experimentations can be configured through the dashboard for different use cases, having different content for different types of communications for the same trigger. For eg: Sending different SMSes for different categories for a successful booking. Or adding a video call link to an email for an online category when a professional is assigned(fig.5). We integrated Raven with our user-service to retrieve all the relevant information like country/city/category/etc for a user, using which a lot of A/B experimentations can be configured through the dashboard for different use cases, having different content for different types of communications for the same trigger. For eg: Sending different SMSes for different categories for a successful booking. Or adding a video call link to an email for an online category when a professional is assigned(fig.5). Empowering Developers: Dev’s life has become very simple now. All they have to do is send the parameters (fig.4) in their payload and the rest is taken care of by Raven. No more logic for A/B experiments, countries, users or anything. No more maintaining different content for different scenarios. This also removed a lot of boilerplate code from a lot of services. See the difference between fig.2 and fig.4. Figure 6: Look at the code difference from fig.2 for the same scenario. User Personalisation and Guardrails: Since all communication flows through Raven, we can make it personalized for our users. Also, we can configure per user per campaign limit and overall per user limit to avoid any bombardment to users because of bugs in calling services. Also, from fig.7 we have user_type and validity to make sure communication meant for our partners is not triggered to customers or communication meant for Halloween is not triggered after 31st October. Figure 7: Team tagging, priority of communication, validity fields on the dashboard. Parameterised Campaigns and support for default Parameters : The content of the communication contains parameters to be sent by calling service(fig.8). Few default parameters like customer_name, pro_name, etc are populated by Raven itself, so the calling service need not worry about populating it on its own by being dependent on other services. : The content of the communication contains parameters to be sent by calling service(fig.8). Few default parameters like customer_name, pro_name, etc are populated by Raven itself, so the calling service need not worry about populating it on its own by being dependent on other services. Functions: Raven has multiple inbuilt function support for eg: url shortening, standard date formatting, etc for different types of communications(fig.8). This has many benefits like reducing the size of URL reduces SMS size thus reducing the cost. Figure 8: shortUrl & smsDateFormat is used to shorten urls and date for our online services. Localisation for Free : Integrated with Groot service ( UC’s central translation platform ) , Raven provides free translation from the dashboard without devs/PMs worrying about it. : Integrated with UC’s central translation platform , Raven provides free translation from the dashboard without devs/PMs worrying about it. Send a test campaign: While creating the campaign, PMs can simply do “Send a test Campaign”. This ensures that the content is manually verified before making it live for production and can be tested without the involvement of devs of the calling service. Figure 9: A localised test notification sent using “Send a test” functionality. Internal feedback on Raven This has been a game changer and over a period of time because of how developer and PM friendly it is, it has been adopted widely. It has reduced the code massively while giving autonomy to PMs. Some screenshots of love: Reaction after hell lot of boiler code was removed for existing communications. Reaction when you see something so amazing!! Kanav, SVP @ UC, drove us to build Raven. What next: I’ll soon share the tech aspect of Raven, will discuss design in depth and how we have reduced payload size and API time while handling more traffic. The team behind Raven	https://medium.com/uc-engineering/why-did-we-build-ucs-central-communication-platform-raven-5782544ad02d	['Uc Blogger']	2020-12-17 06:06:13.314000+00:00	['Platform', 'Nodejs', 'Communication', 'Kafka']
A Step-by-Step Guide to Building Event-Driven Microservices With RabbitMQ	Step-by-Step Guide Here is TekLoon’s Dev Rule No 1: Always start with the easiest part. The easy entry will allow you to complete the first task and gain the confidence to face the upcoming challenges. Step 1: TimerService development Let’s start by creating our TimerService: Code for TimerService. View full code here Let’s look at what we did here. We: Created a connection to our RabbitMQ server. Created a channel Created a direct, non-durable ‘quote’ exchange Published the message to the exchange during each interval (60 seconds) This code fulfills the purpose of TimerService. Step 2: QuoteService development Let’s continue with our QuoteService development. The main function of this service is able to scrape a motivational quote from the Internet when it receives a message from the RabbitMQ queue. First, create a consumer and listen for the event sent by TimerService. Let’s make it very simple; when we receive the message we call the scrapQuoteOfTheDay() function: Next, we proceed to scrape the quote from the Internet: I’m getting my quotes from wisdomquotes.coms and writing them to a JSON file. Pretty straight forward right? Now that we have our business logic in place, let’s make an HTML page to display the quotes that have been scrapped. After doing some research, the simplest way to dynamically render the HTML in ExpressJS is by using the template engine Pug. Let me show you how I did it: This is the UI that will be created based on the index.pug template. You can get the full source code for QuoteService here. Step 3: Express Server settings for QuoteService In order for QuoteService able to listen to RabbitMQ queue, we would have to do some setup during our server initialization. Besides, there is also rendering the quotes HTML based on the index.pug template we have created in step two. Aside from booting up the web server, this configuration also fulfills the following purpose: Renders the index.pug template (line 17) template (line 17) Listens to RabbitMQ queue (line 23) Step 4: Run and test It !!! Let’s run our project and test it locally. Ultimately, you can get my full source code from Github. Let’s boot our QuoteService component. Go to QuoteService folder and do npm run start Boot up our TimerService component by going to the TimerService folder and running npm run start Below are screenshots for you if you run it successfully: TimerService publishes two events to the RabbitMQ exchange QuoteService is able to consume two events listening to the RabbitMQ queue	https://medium.com/better-programming/a-step-by-step-guide-to-building-event-driven-microservices-with-rabbitmq-deeb85b3031c	['Tek Loon']	2019-08-15 16:01:54.319000+00:00	['Microservices', 'Nodejs', 'Programming', 'JavaScript', 'Rabbitmq']
Redux Thunk — When my Function it’s called?	While I was in an interview about my Raffle project, I’ve got a very interesting question that made me research a little more about middlewares. Raffle project was a Ruby on Rails API for backend and React JS for frontend app. In one of my components, I had the following code: A simple mapDispatchToProps function, that was helping me to dispatch the newPost action, which was a fetch request the backend to create a new record. My interviewer asked me something that blocked me for a couple of minutes. When the function newPost() it’s called? I was a bit confused as it looks pretty obvious, as this function was a callback for an onClick event. So my first answer was: “When the onClick event gets triggered.” That was not the expected answer so we followed the Redux flow to see where the actual work it’s happening. onClick event it’s triggered {this.props.newPost} , this callback comes from newPost: (post) => dispatch(newPost(post)); No work yet, as we are just dispatching a newPost action that I was talking earlier. Without Thunk, the work will happen in the action but now, after the fetch, we are again dispatching something, this time, an object {type: "CREATE_POST", payload: result} . So where the work happens, as we are always returning plain objects? The answer is that Thunk executes the code for us, that is why it’s called a middleware, being the bridge between the app and Redux. It was confusing then, but now after realising that my code is only passing pieces of code and not actually running it, it’s making sense. I can only be very grateful to my interviewer as I could go deeper into this and learned something new.	https://medium.com/@antonzaharia/redux-thunk-when-my-function-its-called-adf17c6c54aa	['Zaharia Anton']	2020-12-18 21:14:38.296000+00:00	['Redux Thunk', 'Redux', 'JavaScript', 'Rails', 'React']
Her Remains Were Found Floating in a Canal Inside a Suitcase	Rebeca Peña’s dream was to see herself on the big screen. “I’m going to be an actress” she would tell her mother, Juana Peña. According to Rebeca’s family, the 26-year-old was ambitious and dedicated — she was determined to make a name for herself. Unfortunately, the young hard-working single mother’s life would be cut short. It was April 11, 2001, at 2:15 in the morning and Rebeca had just finished filming. She was playing an extra in Will Smith’s movie ‘Ali.’ A witness claimed to see Rebecca walking towards the direction of her vehicle upon leaving the set. Juana tried to call her daughter the next morning but it was left unanswered. Rebeca’s mother along with her father Rafael and her brother Jorge found it odd when they didn’t hear from Rebeca for the next few days considering they were quite a tight-knit family who kept in touch regularly. A missing persons report was filed and authorities immediately began an investigation. Rebeca’s white Honda Civic was found parked right outside of her apartment building, but Rebeca was nowhere to be found. Rebecca’s family immediately pointed the finger at Rebeca’s ex-boyfriend and the father of her three-year-old daughter, Berkley Calvin Curtis Jr. Rebeca and Berkley in an undated photo. Source. It would be an understatement to say Rebeca and Berkley’s relationship was destructive and volatile. Berkley was abusive and would try to control Rebeca’s every move. After seven years of enduring the toxic relationship, Rebeca left Berkley and moved out, but he began to stalk and harrass her. Rebeca quickly filed a restraining order and a domestic violence suit against him. In the suit, Rebeca testified Berkley had threatened to kill her multiple times during the course of their relationship, even keeping a gun in their apartment to intimidate her. Rebeca’s family told authorities she had confided in them many times she was terrified of Berkley who was abusive towards her, and she feared for her life. Rebecca and Berkley’s old neighbours in Maryland corroborated her family's claims, reporting they would often hear heated arguments coming from the couple's unit. According to them, Berkley’s fits of rage and profanity-laden screams directed at Rebeca were a regular occurrence. Five days after Rebeca went missing, on April 16, 2001, three young men came across a suitcase floating in the Biscayne Canal and phoned 911. When the authorities opened the suitcase, they found Rebeca’s heavily decomposed remains inside with two 25 lb weights on top. One of the pockets in the suitcase contained a magazine. A label on the cover showed it was addressed and shipped to an apartment in Maryland — the same one Berkley used to share with Rebeca, where neighbours reported hearing the couples’ fights. Rebeca’s own previous testimony combined with the statements from her family members and old neighbours led investigators to look at Berkley as the main and only suspect. Berkley immediately acquired an attorney. Meanwhile, authorities retained a warrant to Berkely’s home where they found the same type of weights contained in the suitcase. Investigators theorized Berkley had killed Rebeca in her apartment when she arrived home on April 11, stashed her body in the suitcase and then dumped it in the canal with weights so it would sink. Unfortunately, Rebeca’s remains were so badly decomposed, a cause of death could not be determined. Although Berkley had a motive, he had an alibi. When investigators interviewed his current girlfriend, she claimed Berkley was with her at their home during the time Rebeca went missing, with the exception of only twenty minutes when he went to a store nearby. Due to Berkley’s girlfriend's statement, prosecutors were forced to drop any charges against him. The case went cold until 2014 when Berkley’s girlfriend was interviewed again regarding the day Rebecca went missing. This time, there was a slight difference in her statement, that would reignite the entire investigation. She stated that on the night Rebeca went missing, Berkley had left their home for a few hours, not twenty minutes as she had originally said. This new information completely eviscerated Berkley of an alibi. According to investigators, the new timeline could have easily placed Berkley at the scene of the crime as they had originally thought. In addition, investigators found text messages from Berkley to a female friend in which he wrote he could, “kill someone again.” Rebeca’s sister also told investigators of an incident in 1998 where Berkley choked the mother of his child and the police were called to the home. After almost two decades, investigators finally had a solid case against Berkley. He had a violent history against Rebeca, no alibi and an undeniable motive. Rebeca. Photo source. On December 15, 2020, Berkley, now 46-years-old, was arrested and charged with second-degree murder for the death of his ex-girlfriend Rebeca Peña. After nearly two decades, Rebeca’s father Rafael finally received the call that his daughter’s killer had been arrested, “With this news of the arrest of this person, the pain will be less because justice has been served. I tell everyone, enjoy life with your children, and forgive them because you don’t know what may happen one day.” Sources: Daily Mail UK, CBS Miami, CBS 12, The Daily Beast, Miami Herald	https://medium.com/chameleon/her-remains-were-found-floating-in-a-canal-inside-a-suitcase-3db7b177000	['Fatim Hemraj']	2020-12-27 19:07:05.909000+00:00	['Domestic Violence', 'True Crime', 'Crime', 'Murder', 'History']
Creating EOS account via TokenPocket with Smart Contract	Hi guys and welcome to another lovely day, some few days back I received a message from a user not been able to create an EOS account. Now unlike BTC, ETH, and other altcoins, creating EOS account is a little bit different as users need CPU, NET, and RAM to make the account active and functioning, and to achieve this it requires a cost which can be paid by a company, 3rd parties or a friend who already have an EOS based account. TokenPocket offers different types of ways one can create an EOS based account with the help of a friend and also by themselves. One of the most common ways is paid creation, this requires an activation code which can be bought with the use of WeChat or via PayPal but the problem is the hassle or rather the fact that some countries don’t readily offer the above services and others who have this have a hard time setting this up and thus other forms of account creation is required. The next process I would recommend is the smart contract Smart Contract As the name says, it’s a smart contract which is carried out automatically when the required data is present. The data, in this case, is an address and a memo which are both generated when you initiate an account creation via this option. Getting Started Download and install TokenPocket wallet if you don’t have it installed prior to now TokenPocket is available on both IOS and Android respectively, simply search on AppStore or Google Play depending on your device preference. You can also download TokenPocket from its official website here https://www.tokenpocket.pro/en/ Launch TokenPocket app from your menu Select the EOS blockchain from the provided options The option to create or import an account becomes available As a new user, you will need to create a new account and for that reason, you have to select account creation Select the smart contract option and a new menu comes up Fill in the appropriate information using your provided data, for the username you can make use of random if you don’t have one. Backup the generated private key properly to somewhere safe as this gives you access to your account after account creation Click on next, an EOS address, and a memo will be generated alongside the required amount of EOS to pay. Payment does not generally mean it must be from another EOS main-net account You can make payment literally from any platform provided the option to add memo is available as this is required Send the required amount of EOS to the generated address and memo If all is completed you should have access to your account but to verify if the account is active you can search the name on https://bloks.io/ If the account is active, a result will be shown to you. Remember after making the transfer, the EOS is used for staking CPU, NET, and to purchase RAM CPU and NET can be un-staked and with regards to RAM, this can be sold back to get your initial EOS worth. Unlike CPU and NET, the price of RAM fluctuates, so it might be in your favor or not. That is all for today, till some other time stay safe	https://medium.com/@otemzi/creating-eos-account-via-tokenpocket-with-smart-contract-698bd36d330e	['Oteme Eghele']	2020-11-11 21:03:11.094000+00:00	['Cpu', 'Eos', 'Tokenpocket', 'Net', 'Ram']
Encrypting Virtual Machine	This is the continuation of Azure Learning Series. In this section, we will cover encryption of virtual machines. Having said that, let’s get started. File in azure storage account are by default encrypted using secure storage encryption. But, once you able to see storage with .vhd account, that is not encrypted. You can use bitlocker in order to encrypt virtual disk within azure. Cryptography key for this is going to be stored in azure key vault. Therefore, first thing we need to create is key vault from market place in azure. While creating make sure to check the checkbox against virtual machine encryption. I checked all here. We have created our key vault. Keep in mind that inorder to encrypt VM, your key-vault and VM should be in same region. Now, let’s go ahead and click on the key link as shown on the left menu. You can see above, that encryption is not enabled. To enable encryption on this disk, we can either do it with UI or with powershell. Let’s do it with UI option with the name Encryption It may get encrypted or you may get error as well. In-case you get error, try with powershell script as well. For that, I will open cloud shell embedded in azure portal itself like shown below. In case, if you are configuring powershell for the first time, you need to mount storage for that as well like shown below. If For quick reference, you can use this doc https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-machines/linux/disk-encryption-cli-quickstart as well. I have modified the command with my key-vault and resource group. az vm encryption enable -g “az300″ -name “azvmdemo” -disk-encryption-keyvault “rahul-Key-Vault” - In order to get the confirmation, execute az vm show -name “azvmdemo” -g “az300″. — This should show “EncryptionOperation”: “EnableEncryption” as well. With this, we have completed VM encryption module. Thanks, Rahul Sahay Happy Coding	https://medium.com/@rahulsahay19/encrypting-virtual-machine-6cc2623c69ae	['Rahul Sahay']	2020-02-07 05:46:41.749000+00:00	['Encryption', 'Cloud Computing', 'Rahul Sahay', 'Azure', 'Virtual Machine']
Who are you?	Man, know thyself. How do you see yourself? What relationship do you have with yourself? Do you love the way you look or behave? Are you in agreement with your goals and values? Are you confident to tell your story? Do you like the actions you take? What do you honestly think of your habit? How often do you stop to have a conversation with yourself? I realized that I know about the people in my life because I spend time communicating with them. We exchange ideas, argue and interact about various subjects. In the course of this interaction, we learn about each other and we begin to see things from each other’s perspective. However, we get so busy communicating with our external world that we forget to relate with the universe within us. It may sound weird but having conversations with yourself, helps you become more aware of who you are. . Sitting still to meditate and observe your thoughts gives you a glimpse of that person within you who no one sees. The more time you spend with yourself, the more you understand your value system. Imagine having a best friend that you dont spend time with. Over time, you gradually begin to forget about them. Even if you dont forget, they will start to evolve into another personality and you would be left behind. It is exactly the same thing with the relationship you have with yourself. When you are not in agreement with yourself, you begin to criticize your every action. This is not a pleasant place to be (I know because I have been there, or maybe im still there). Being on the same page with yourself gives you the mindset to conquer the world around you. You become your very own motivator and this mindset sets you up to overcome life's obstacles. A man that knows himself can hardly be deceived.	https://medium.com/@dianaufuah/who-are-you-2c14353f9192	['Diana Ufuah']	2020-12-24 21:11:34.984000+00:00	['Life', 'Meditation', 'Truth', 'Myself', 'Poetry']
Wash rinse repeat!!! — Otherwise Learn, forget, relearn(html, css, JavaScript)	Just hang me out to dry I recently had the biggest brainfart of my life so I figured it’s time to take a refresher course of some of the basics. I recently came across a post from new developer that was very honest about the learning cycle of what web developers go through on a regular basis(I hope I don’t botch this but here goes): 1st — Learn HTML 2nd — Learn CSS 3rd — Learn JavaScript 4th — Forget HTML 5th — Forget CSS 6th — Forget JavaScript 7th — Relearn HTML 8th — Relearn CSS 9th — Relearn JavaScript etc… That pretty much sums up this post lol so I figured a refresher is in order because I’m hitting my turn in the lifecycle of what I realized is a never ending stream of Was Rinse Repeat :). Udemy is currently running a holiday sale on said courses for web development for anybody that’s a new customer so I’m taking (another) plunge. So I guess that this is only part one of this new series of endeavors. Thanks as always for those that read my posts as I’ll keep these going for as long as I can(I may switch over to video posting in the future but this is good for now). Cheers and Happy Holidays to all(Happy New year as well!!!)	https://medium.com/@sethstarr/wash-rinse-repeat-otherwise-learn-forget-relearn-html-css-javascript-a13fbfd673d9	['Seth Starr']	2020-12-27 19:28:21.205000+00:00	['Codingbootcamp', 'CSS', 'JavaScript', 'HTML', 'Flatiron School']

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