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The Legend of Tawhiri the Heart Thief: Part 12
Something echoed in through the walls of the grotto. A shrill sound, not the drumming of the waves against the cliff walls. Tawhiri kicked against the still water, pushing himself against the wall and placing his ear to the crack. There it was. But it was not so shrill now. It was vibrant and multifaceted. Like wind and waves and the cry of birds all wrapped together into a dancing song. That’s what it was. It was singing! Tawhiri let his hands rest on the wall as he listened. Somewhere on the far side of it, in the depths of the ocean, something was singing. It was mournful in some ways, tugging at his heart and dragging it deeper. But in some moments it seemed to separate and leap into the sky like a dolphin. Perhaps it actually was just some sort of whale or dolphin. But Tawhiri had heard whale songs before, and these were different. They were close, but there was a language to it. The song trailed off, leaving only the dull crash of the waves again. Tawhiri frowned and sank back. The water offered no interference, and he settled into the sand, under the watchful eyes of the eel. He dug his hand into the sand and hit something hard. Not just hard, sharp. It was unnatural, that was easy enough to tell with just one touch. This was not a creation of the ocean. Tawhiri gripped it and dislodged it from its resting place. It was some sort of rock. There were a few barnacles on it, and a reddish tint, but other than that it was flat and dark with an edge as sharp as broken obsidian. Tawhiri gripped the stone close to him and kicked off the sand, fighting against the current. He had been down a long time, and he wanted to see this oddity in the light of the sun. His heart sunk deeper as he rose higher. The current played in his hair and tugged at his lap-lap, as if pleading with him to stay. The touch of the air on his skin chaffed as he burst through the surface again. His skin already thirsted for the cool touch of the water again. Ignoring the strange emotion, Tawhiri grabbed onto the rocky wall beside him and held up his discovery for inspection. It was not very different from an ax-head, but no ax head Tawhiri had ever seen had such straight lines. It didn’t seem like it was made of stone, either. Only obsidian could create such sharp lines, but this was not obsidian Obsidian was much more difficult to shape than this. And any other stone would have been worn and pocked from the groping current and the abrasive salt. Shrugging, Tawhiri found a crack in the rock and wedged the strange object in, so it couldn’t be washed away. He’d take it out again later. For now, the ocean was calling.
https://medium.com/@jepurrazzi/the-legend-of-tawhiri-the-heart-thief-part-12-203605a1d392
['J.E. Purrazzi']
2019-06-17 02:25:54.406000+00:00
['Oceans', 'Pacific Ocean', 'Writing', 'Fantasy', 'Fiction']
K-means clustering on the San Francisco Air Traffic open dataset
Cluster analysis has become one of the most important methods in Data Analysis, Machine Learning and Data Science. The general idea of clustering is to divide a set of objects with various features into groups, called clusters. There are many algorithms used for clustering nowadays, but I am going to reveal the powerful and the simplest one, named K-means clustering. Photo by Leon Liu Table of contents Getting familiar with the dataset The History and the intuition of the algorithm Elbow method or how to find the best number of clusters Clustering validation: Silhouette analysis Additional resources Getting familiar with the dataset Today we are going to apply the full power of cluster analysis on the dataset provided by San Francisco Open Data, a monthly statistics by Airlines in San Francisco International Airport. For our work we will use Python and its libraries: matplotlib(seaborn), pandas, scikit-learn and numpy. So let’s begin our journey into the clustering!!! Firstly, as the in every Data Science task we have to get acquainted with the data we are working with. df = pd.read_csv("Datasets/Air_Traffic_Passenger_Statistics.csv") df.head() First 5 lines of the dataset (Image by author) As we can see there are multiple columns in our dataset, but for cluster analysis we will use Operating Airline, Geo Region, Passenger Count and Flights held by each airline. So firstly to determine potential outliers and get some insights about our data, let’s make some plots using Python data visualization library Seaborn. plt.figure(figsize = (15,15)) sns.countplot(x = "Operating Airline", palette = "Set3",data = df) plt.xticks(rotation = 90) plt.ylabel("Number of fights held") plt.show() Image by author From the frequency plot of the Airlines we can see that there are some examples with an amount of flights held bigger than the others. These are United Airlines and Unites Airlines — Pre 07/01/2013. So these airlines are our potential outliers. The reason why we are trying to find and eliminate outliers will be explained later. Let’s see the frequency plot of Countries that hold flights. plt.figure(figsize = (15,15)) sns.countplot(x = "GEO Region", palette = "Set3",data = df) plt.xticks(rotation = 90) plt.ylabel("Number of fights held") plt.show() Image by author As we can see the USA is the leader among the countries, that is because our outliers Airlines(United Airlines and Unites Airlines — Pre 07/01/2013) are the American ones. We can obviously see that either Countries or Airlines can be separated into some groups (or clusters) by the amount of flights they held. The History and the intuition of the algorithm K — means clustering is one of the most popular clustering algorithms nowadays. It was created in the 1950’s by Hugo Steinhaus. The main idea of the algorithm is to divide a set of points X in n-dimensional space into the groups with centroids C, in such a way that the objective function (the MSE of the points and corresponding centroids) is minimized. The objective function for K-means Clustering(source Wikipedia) Let’s see how it can be achieved by looking at the algorithm: Firstly the centroids are initialized randomly. The second step is to repeat until convergence (the centroids haven’t changed from the previous iteration) two steps: To find for each point in the X the closest centroid and to add this point to a cluster To calculate the new centroids for each cluster, taking the mean in values in every dimension So as this algorithms is working with distances it is very sensitive to outliers, that’s why before doing cluster analysis we have to identify outliers and remove them from the dataset. In order to find outliers more accurately, we will build the scatter plot. airline_count = df["Operating Airline"].value_counts() airline_count.sort_index(inplace=True) passenger_count = df.groupby("Operating Airline").sum()["Passenger Count"] passenger_count.sort_index(inplace=True) from sklearn.preprocessing import scale x = airline_count.values y = passenger_count.values plt.figure(figsize = (10,10)) plt.scatter(x, y) plt.xlabel("Flights held") plt.ylabel("Passengers") for i, txt in enumerate(airline_count.index.values): a = plt.gca() plt.annotate(txt, (x[i], y[i])) plt.show() Scatter plot based on Passenger Count and Flights held (Image by author) We can see that most of the airlines are grouped together in the bottom left part of the plot, some are above them, and our 2 outliers United Airlines and Unites Airlines — Pre 07/01/2013. So let’s get rid of them. df_1 = airline_count + passenger_count df_1.sort_values(ascending = False, inplace = True) outliers = df_1.head(2).index.values airline_count = airline_count.drop(outliers) airline_count.sort_index(inplace=True) passenger_count = passenger_count.drop(outliers) passenger_count.sort_index(inplace = True) x = airline_count.values y = passenger_count.values We have prepared our dataset for clustering. However the question is how to determine the “best” number of clusters to use. In order to figure this out we will apply the “Elbow method”. Elbow method or how to find the best number of clusters As we have already discussed, we are trying to minimize the objective function. It is clear that the more centroids we have the less is the value of the objective function.Moreover, it will become 0 — global minimum, when all points are centroids for themselves, but such variant is not for us, we will try to have some trade-off between number of clusters and the value of the objective function.In order to do this, let’s make plot of dependence of objective function value based on the number of clusters. from sklearn.cluster import KMeans X = np.array(list(zip(x,y))) inertias = [] for k in range(2, 10): kmeans = KMeans(n_clusters=k) kmeans.fit(X) inertias.append(kmeans.inertia_) plt.plot(range(2,10), inertias, "o-g") plt.xlabel("Number of clusters") plt.ylabel("Inertia") plt.show() Image by author Our task is to find such number of clusters after which the objective function is decreasing not so fast or in analogy with human arm: if we imagine the plot as the human’s arm then the optimal number of clusters will be the point of the elbow. In out case the optimal number of clusters is 6. So now we are ready to do cluster analysis on our dataset. kmeans = KMeans(n_clusters=6) kmeans.fit(X) y_kmeans = kmeans.predict(X) plt.figure(figsize = (15,15)) plt.xlabel("Flights held") plt.ylabel("Passengers") plt.scatter(X[:, 0], X[:, 1], c=y_kmeans, s=300, cmap='Set1') for i, txt in enumerate(airline_count.index.values): plt.annotate(txt, (X[i,0], X[i,1]), size = 7) plt.show() Image by author Now we have done the clustering of our data and we have make some assumptions and predictions based on the results. We can see that American Airlines and SkyWest airlines hold many flights and transport many people, so we can infer that maybe this airlines have planes with bigger capacity or people use these airlines more than other. Cluster analysis allows you to get many insights about your data. Now it’s important for us to validate the results of our clustering (to see how good the partition is), for this we will use Silhouette analysis. Clustering validation: Silhouette analysis In order to understand the main feature of such a type of validation we have to find out what a silhouette coefficient is. From Wikipedia For each point in our dataset we can calculate a silhouette coefficient using the formula above but there are some unclear things about what a(i) and b(i) is. So let’s understand the meaning of a(i) parameter. From Wikipedia For each point we can calculate a(i) - the average of distances between current point i and i’s cluster neighbors point denoted as j (either i or j should correspond to the same cluster). Now, let’s understand what b(i) parameter means. From Wikipedia For each point we can calculate b(i) - a minimum values of distances between current point i and points j that are not from the same cluster as i. Using parameters described above we can calculate the silhouette coefficient for each point in the dataset. Silhouette score takes values in range [-1;1]. When the value of coefficient is 1 this means that this point is really close to it’s cluster and not to the other,analogically -1 is the worst case. It’s always useful to make a silhouette plot. Let’s figure out what does it look like. In silhouette plot we draw a silhouette coefficient for every point grouped into clusters and sorted inside them. Looking at the plot we can tell how good is our classification: if the width of all “bars” if the same and every point inside a cluster has the silhouette coefficient bigger than the global average, such classification can be called good, otherwise we can’t tell that it’s absolutely perfect, but we can make some trade-offs due to the data we are working with. So now let’s make silhouette plot for our clustering (code is based on the example from scikit-learn documentation on Silhouette analysis). from sklearn.metrics import silhouette_samples, silhouette_score import matplotlib.cm as cm n_clusters = 6 plt.figure(figsize = (10,10)) plt.gca().set_xlim([-0.1,1]) plt.gca().set_ylim([0, len(X) + (n_clusters + 1) * 10]) clusterer = KMeans(n_clusters=n_clusters, random_state=10) labels = clusterer.fit_predict(X) print("The average silhouette_score is :{}".format(silhouette_score(X, labels))) sample_silhouette_values = silhouette_samples(X, labels) y_lower = 10 for i in range(n_clusters): ith_cluster_silhouette_values = \ sample_silhouette_values[labels == i] ith_cluster_silhouette_values.sort() size_cluster_i = ith_cluster_silhouette_values.shape[0] y_upper = y_lower + size_cluster_i color = cm.nipy_spectral(float(i) / n_clusters) plt.gca().fill_betweenx(np.arange(y_lower, y_upper), 0, ith_cluster_silhouette_values, facecolor=color, edgecolor=color, alpha=0.7) plt.gca().text(-0.05, y_lower + 0.5 * size_cluster_i, str(i)) y_lower = y_upper + 10 plt.gca().axvline(x=silhouette_score(X, labels), color="red", linestyle="--", label = "Avg silhouette score") plt.title("The silhouette plot") plt.xlabel("The silhouette coefficient values") plt.ylabel("Cluster label") plt.legend() plt.show() Silhouette plot for clusters (Image by author) As we can see clusters are not of the same size and not all clusters are made of points that have a silhouette coefficient bigger than the global average, but looking at our data, that is distributed in a bit strange way (see the scatter plot) we can conclude that this clustering has shown good results. Thanks you a lot for reading, hope you enjoyed the great power of cluster analysis!!! Additional resources
https://towardsdatascience.com/k-means-clustering-on-the-san-francisco-air-traffic-open-dataset-ee1f43968498
['Denys Mytnyk']
2020-11-21 18:26:04.768000+00:00
['Data Science', 'Cluster Analysis', 'Data Visualisation', 'Clustering', 'Python']
Initial Coin Offerings — 4 Important Factors to Consider Before Investing
Source: commentphotos.com 1. THE PRODUCT AND THE PROBLEM IT IS SOLVING When looking at the main idea behind an ICO project there is a few questions every reasonably circumspect investor should ask themselves. Is blockchain really necessary to achieve such a goal? Is this thing going to be relevant 5 years from now? Many founders tend to use buzzwords such as blockchain and decentralization to lure in inexperienced backers with the promise of something grandiose whereas in reality the project does not have much real-life use. Consider the following, Long Island Iced Tea Corp. (yes, you guessed correct — an ICE TEA company) changed its name to Long Blockchain Corp. and saw its stock rise with as much as 289% after the announcement. Weird, innit? Please don’t get me wrong though, both blockchain and ice tea are amazing, but such a sudden spike in share value is virtually unheard of, especially when attributed to a simple name change. In other projects, the problem being solved is simply too small or non-existent. While some try to make online purchase of high quality sand possible, others clearly underline the uselessness of their token and still manage to raise more than $150,000 with the slogan ‘The world’s first 100% honest Ethereum ICO. No value, no security, and no product. Just me, spending your money.’ Think forward and pay attention to a project’s scalability — if it sounds useless it probably is. *Most of the time There is also the ICOs without any product whatsoever — no MVP, no Beta, not even an Alpha. The absence of a prototype of any kind is a huge red flag and definitely a negative sign of a team’s ability to pull off their plan. On the same note, similar projects without a real value proposition tend to overspend on marketing. Digital advertising here comes in abundance and mechanics such as the use of bots and influencers are used regularly to try and attract investors. Remember — if the product is good there won’t be too much need for marketing anyways so stay away from carefully orchestrated PR campaigns and fishy ads. Source: instagram Sure he can box, but not too sure if I would trust Mayweather here… 2. TEAM & COMMUNITY Every self-respected ICO project has a detailed list of its team on their webpage — that includes a clear description of the partners, advisors and developers associated therewith. Make sure to do a background check of every team member that is included — Google them with the aim of finding the skeletons in their closets, check out their previous experience and background on LinkedIn and so on. If there is someone distinguishable (e.g. Vitalik Buterin listed as advisor), try and contact the person to see if their involvement is authentic rather than a mere PR stunt. Compliance is another focal stress point when it comes to token sales. The inclusion of a legal team with relevant experience in securities law and corporate governance is always a big plus. Try to also find out if the main team is working full-time, if the coin launch is just a side hustle for a crucial team member it might be wise to back off. Further identify if there is any venture capitalist involvement. In the crypto sphere, VC-backing is commonly considered as a stamp of approval. The community dimension of an ICO is one of the most important, yet often neglected, points when considering an investment. Wide social media coverage and engagement on platforms such as Reddit, Telegram and BitcoinTalk is hardly always a good sign. It is often the case for ample token communities to be purely focused on the process of claiming coins and recruiting backers, resulting in neglect towards constructive discussion about the product itself. Such a scenario can give you a clear idea on where founders’ priorities lie. *sniffs the Ponzi-smelling air* 3. WEBSITE, WHITEPAPER AND CODE Although it can easily be used as a bamboozling trick, a trendy website is always a must for any good ICO. The devil is in the detail and examining every corner of a company website is surely a must for every potential ICO backer. If they couldn’t even make a WOW website, what makes you think they’ll be able to pull anything else off? A Whitepaper’s main goal is to correct any information asymmetries between issuers and buyers. Good whitepapers are sensible, easy to read and not overflowed with technical details. If the team is business and tech savvy, they should be able to provide a description of their product that anyone can understand. Some projects even develop two separate Whitepapers — a technical one and a ‘normal’ one. This is a clear sign of the team’s commitment to adequately present their idea to the public. Information on applicable law and liability concerns should be made available as well. Small specifics like these make up a great Whitepaper and positively enhance investors’ trust. Source: giphy.com As for evaluating the code behind a project, it is best to read the issuer’s open-source depository on GitHub and check whether it has been audited. I get it, not every one of us is able to code, but you’ve got to have a number-cruncher somewhere in your friend base, right? Well, it is not the end of the world if you don’t. Checking GitHub activity levels and the frequency of updates can give you a good idea on how committed the team is and how much work they actually put in developing their solution on a day-to-day basis. 4. FINANCIALS Thought we won’t be mentioning money, didn’t you? The wait is over! There are quite a few things to consider here. First of all it is important for the ICO to have a clearly defined fundraising cap. For example, some issuers have a minimum cap of $5 million and a maximum cap of $50 million. There is an enormous difference between the two numbers just shouting the word incompetence right at your face. A good team should be able to provide a rough estimation of their projected expenses. Second, there should be a clear fund allocation structure. You should know what your money is being spent on, right? A disproportionate reward to the team at the expense of reduced spending on product and business development is a huge red flag. Most ICOs have a bonus system in place to reward earlier backers. A 50% discount on tokens for a week, followed by a 25% discount the week after may raise some eyebrows about the value of one’s investment. By no means are bonus systems a red flag by themselves, but be cautious not to hop on the train too late. Lastly, there are issuers who prefer to reserve an X amount of tokens to a particular investor. In an ideal crowdfunding setting, businesses will try to diversify their investor portfolio as much as possible. Allocating a fixed amount to a specific investor could potentially pave the way towards possible monopolistic market behavior and token price manipulation. In a market defined by volatility, such external adverse changes are anything but welcome.
https://medium.com/watson-law/initial-coin-offerings-4-important-factors-to-consider-before-investing-84795a205c2b
['Watson Law']
2018-07-05 07:07:20.118000+00:00
['Entrepreneurship', 'Business', 'ICO', 'Cryptocurrency', 'Blockchain']
Exploring Compilation from TypeScript to WebAssembly
Twelve weeks ago, three of us — interns on the Web Platform team — set out to build a compiler from TypeScript to WebAssembly. WebAssembly is a size and load-time-efficient binary format suitable for compilation to the web, with the potential to provide huge performance benefits for web applications. (We found this explanation of WebAssembly useful.) Before this, none of us had ever written TypeScript or even heard of WebAssembly, and we didn’t know much about compilers either. With that in mind, to say the project goal was ambitious was an understatement. We started with the basics: building a working mental model of a compiler and abstracting out any details we didn’t really need to know. We read the WebAssembly documentation, tried compiling and running WebAssembly with wasmFiddle, and wrote some simple TypeScript programs. At first, we developed on a prototype compiler on a fork of the official TypeScript compiler. This is when we hit our first major challenge: once we implemented a few basic features (bitwise operations, binary expressions), we realized that the type system in TypeScript was fundamentally incompatible with the four native numeric types in WebAssembly. We made the decision to assume that number always referred to a float64, because we didn’t want to deviate from TypeScript too much. However, that meant we couldn’t handle wasm operations that could only be done with an int type (remainder, for example) without losing efficiency. We set the issue aside, and instead worked towards emitting the appropriate wasm bytecode for an if statement. In implementing if statements, we found a new set of challenges that required that we understand more about the structure of the wasm bytecode itself. We started by going through the abstract syntax tree generated by the TypeScript compiler [1], and then mapping that to emit if and else instructions, but we could not figure out how to evaluate a condition and deal with opcode immediates properly. We took a look at the output from wasmFiddle [2] for an if statement and noticed that they were using blocks and break-if opcodes to create the structure. We realized that the two approaches were essentially equivalent, but the blocks were easier for us to keep track of. [1] Part of the AST typescript generates for an if statement [2] Bytecode output from wasmFiddle: highlighted section is the main function which contains if, else if, and else statements We still weren’t able to figure out exactly what to emit, so we tried modifying the wasm bytecode by hand to see if we could get an example if statement to produce the result we expected. This led to a whole slew of additional problems, namely that we needed to also modify the length arguments in the bytecode for each section. We weren’t able to identify that this was the issue right away, but tracking it down meant we were looking at the opcodes individually and learning what section they belonged to, which operations required opcode immediates, and which parts were actually just ASCII encoded characters. Once we had this foundational understanding of wasm, it became much easier to identify the mistakes we were making previously with how to emit opcodes and their immediates. Soon after making that progress with if statements, we found two open source projects that were attempting to compile a subset or variation of TypeScript to WebAssembly: AssemblyScript and TurboScript. Given what we had learned from our prototype compiler, we liked that AssemblyScript was new and had still had room for us to contribute. It also leveraged the TypeScript compiler, which we had come to be familiar with. Thus, we reached out to AssemblyScript. The main contributor, Daniel Wirtz, was very open to collaborate and accept pull requests from us. We spent some time experimenting with AssemblyScript, encountering a fair number of build issues and discovering features that we didn’t realize had already been implemented (strings or classes) and features that we expected to work, but didn’t (arrays and floats). We opened several issues along the way, which was new to us as this was the first big open-source project any of us had contributed to. We were soon ready to contribute a feature: compiling array-list initializations in TypeScript to WebAssembly. The AssemblyScript compiler needed to use malloc and memset to set a section of WebAssembly’s linear memory for the array, and then emit the opcodes to set the capacity and the size of the array in memory and then the elements of the array at set intervals of 4 or 8 based on the size of the type. Once we had started contributing to AssemblyScript and the compiler features, frontend, and testing infrastructure began to mature, we needed to identify what was working well and what could be improved. We then wrote a few demo programs and compiled them to wasm with AssemblyScript, but to our dismay found that the wasm was slower than the JavaScript. Furthermore, we found that writing a compelling demo with a basic compiler was complicated, and that we were missing a lot of features, such as library functions. It was particularly challenging to make fair comparisons between JS and WebAssembly, and to update the UI of the demos as each program did its computation, since both are single-threaded. We used web workers to solve this, which was something we hadn’t done before. We then started doing some detective work to figure out why we were seeing a slowdown in WebAssembly. The first step we took was to look at the code we were compiling, and break that into parts. We had implemented a sudoku solver that did a lot of computation, but it was also creating and iterating through large arrays and making a lot of function calls. We started compiling small programs that did each of these tasks individually and saw that while computation was much quicker (as we had expected), array access, tail recursion, and function calls were quite slow. For example, the iterative calculation of Fibonacci run 5x faster, yet an array traversal of 4000 elements run 4x slower. We realized we were missing some optimizations that pipelines like Emscripten + binaryen took advantage of. We then created a set of tests based on the Sunspider benchmarks that we could compile with AssemblyScript and Emscripten + binaryen, and wrote them in JavaScript, AssemblyScript-friendly TypeScript, and C. We were very limited on the benchmarks we could write since they needed to be compatible with both compilers, yet we managed to obtain significant results. We then compared the performance to identify in what tasks AssemblyScript was still slow. Over the course of this project, we learned to test early and constantly, and to never take a feature for granted- the complexity in something even as fundamental as an if statement can be very tricky to debug in WebAssembly. We also learned that making a compiler is a lot easier if you leverage powerful existing tools. We had the privilege of utilizing the incredible work Daniel Wirtz did in building AssemblyScript, as well as the work done by the TypeScript team here at Microsoft, and all the people who worked on binaryen. The overhead to maintain a backend or build a parser would have prevented us from accomplishing as much as we did if we hadn’t embraced the existing open-source tools in the TypeScript and binaryen compiler infrastructure. Apurva Raman, Ignacio Ramirez Piriz, and Sanat Sharma
https://medium.com/web-on-the-edge/exploring-compilation-from-typescript-to-webassembly-f846d6befc12
['Apurva Raman']
2017-09-18 17:09:47.248000+00:00
['JavaScript']
Understanding Simple Regression in One Story
If you remember this equation y = mx + c (also expressed as Y = bX + a), then here’s a story to help you understand it even more; especially in terms of real world scenario. At the end, you may find it even more enjoyable and convenient to explain this important mathematical expression to your friends, family, kids, and even the general public. For the benefit of doubt, regression is a mathematical equation that helps us understand how a change in one thing (the independent variable) leads to a change in another (dependent variable). Let’s assume you live in a city where taxi rides are metered. Did you know that the moment you enter a taxi, you’re charged a fixed fee of about $2–5? It means that if the car didn’t move and you end the trip (by deciding not to proceed), you must pay $2. This fixed fee is the constant, c, in y = mx + c. Now that we’ve got this out of the way; let’s say you decide to proceed with the journey, you taxi app has a rate that calculated at $ per km. The rate is the “m” in y = mx + c, while the total distance of the ride is x. However, the actual rate calculate is more complex than this but at least you get the idea of how regression. Hope this was helpful?
https://medium.com/@chuqdennis/understanding-simple-regression-in-one-story-d4f342bc65ce
['Eze']
2020-12-04 22:22:48.410000+00:00
['Math', 'Regression']
Release Planning Advice
Use a Release Burndown Chart to Track Progress The release burndown chart is a simple yet powerful tool to track and forecast the progress for a release. Despite its usefulness, experience tells me that many Scrum product owners don’t use the burndown. But creating the chart is simple. Start by asking the development team to estimate the total amount of the product backlog items that should be part of the release. Rough, high-level estimates are sufficient. Then draw a coordinate system that takes into account time, captured as sprints, and effort in the product backlog, which might be expressed as story points. The first data point is the estimated effort before any development has taken place. To arrive at the next data point, determine the remaining effort in the product backlog at the end of the first sprint. Then draw a line through the two points. This line is called the burndown. It shows the rate at which the effort in the product backlog is consumed. It is influenced by two factors: changes in the product backlog and velocity, which is the development team’s ability to make progress. Extending the burndown line to the horizontal axis allows you to forecast when the development effort is likely to finish, or if you are likely to reach the release goal and deliver all relevant product backlog items at a specific date. The release burndown chart above shows two lines. The solid line is the actual burndown. It documents the progress to date and the effort remaining. The dotted one is the forecasted progress based on the burndown experienced so far. Notice that the burndown in the second sprint is flat. This might be caused by new items being added to the product backlog or the dev team revising estimates. To achieve a forecast that is as accurate as possible, try the following three tips: Base your forecast on a trend rather than a single sprint. This usually requires you to run two to three sprints before you can create the first forecast for a release. Consider how representative the burndown of the past sprints is for the remaining sprints. In the example shown above, the second sprint has a flat burndown. This might be due to more items being added to the product backlog based on the first sprint review meeting or the dev team re-estimating items. To get the forecast right, it would be worth considering how likely it is that another flat burndown will occur again and to which extent you should account for it. If you decided that it was highly unlikely to reoccur, your forecast in the sample chart above would probably be steeper. Make sure that you prioritise the product backlog by risk, particularly in the early sprints. This makes it more likely that the backlog changes in the first few sprints and then starts to stabilise. This makes forecasting the remainder of the development effort easier and results in a more accurate forecast. If the forecast shows that you are off-track, that the burndown is slower than anticipated, then determine the causes. For example, the development team might lack some crucial skills, the team might be too small, a technology might not work as expected, you might have been too optimistic, or the initial estimates might have been wrong. Once you’ve identified the main cause, decide how to respond. The prioritisation of goal, time, and cost recommended above will help you with this. Note that if you have to push out the release date or make a bigger change to the goal of the release, this may have an impact on your product roadmap and require you to adjust it.
https://romanpichler.medium.com/release-planning-advice-2eed1dfb06c5
['Roman Pichler']
2020-01-07 09:36:44.424000+00:00
['Product Manager', 'Product Management', 'Release Management', 'Product Owner', 'Agile']
Money or Time?
Money or Time? Which one do you think is more important in your life? How do you weigh them on your very own balance scale? Please decide before reading any further. Lee Jing Jenn Follow Dec 26, 2020 · 6 min read Photo by Heather Zabriskie on Unsplash There is one saying, if you can solve any problems using money, never use your time. Do you agree? I bet most of us will say yes, of course! But here is the reality, most of us are not born wealthy nor own enough money yet. If you are rich, of course, that is a totally different story, to begin with. Let us face this, most of us will be aiming to save and accumulate our money instead of spending money to solve many of our problems purely because of the state of reality we are in. I always think that time is more valuable than money purely because time represents life and it is irreversible, whereas money is a reproducible resource. What if we are still considered relatively young, and time is on our side? Will you focus on making and accumulating more money? Or will you spend more quality time doing things that you love but none of them is about making more money? After all, you only live once, so which will you choose? Some of us may argue that it very much depends on which stage of our current life is. To put this into perspective, let say if we are in our twenties to forties, working hard to make a living, either employed or owned businesses. This is a pretty common scenario in most of our life right now. In this case, do you agree that having more money means having more freedom in life? In another word, we can spend more time accompanying families, kids, or even doing things that we love like traveling, etc without worry. Spending our youth to accumulate enough wealth to enjoy when we get older and less productive seems to be the way to go. Wait a minute, but how much wealth do you think is enough? Let us imagine this for a moment, if we spend most of our time accumulating enough wealth into our forties and fifties, just to enjoy after, what do you think will possibly happen? Perhaps, your children will say, sorry dad or mum, I do not need your companion anymore, I can fly on my own. Maybe you wanted to pursue your passion, but your passion is long gone when you grow older due to the accumulated fatigue, or maybe you are already burnt out after working hard for so many years and you just want to rest. Therefore, what is the deciding factor of having enough wealth? Is it our age, our health, or the number in our bank account?
https://medium.com/fellowship-writers/money-or-time-aace46444ec7
['Lee Jing Jenn']
2021-01-01 16:09:52.082000+00:00
['Time', 'Money', 'Time Freedom', 'Financial Freedom', 'Time Value']
How to Do Cocos-BCX MainNet Token Mapping?
Attention Please identify the official designated mapping address of Cocos-BCX:0xAC1E002563E0945ad8F1c193171e3ce2617B269e DO NOT send your ERC20 tokens from exchanges to the above address! Please beware of fraudulent websites and impersonating social media accounts. This mapping can be done in two ways currently: Bitpie Wallet for mobile users Mapping and MetaMask Extension Mapping for PC users . Exchange Mapping will be available soon. It is highly recommended that you use a safe ERC20 address to swap. The mapping ratio is 1:1, i.e. 1 ERC20 COCOS = 1 MainNet COCOS Please beware that a transcation hash can only be mapped once. It takes some time to complete the entire mapping, so do not repeat the operation. Please beware that all mapping applications on the day will be processed in batches at 6 pm every day. Bitpie Wallet Mapping for Mobile Users Transfer ERC20 COCOS to the official designated mapping address of Cocos-BCX(0xAC1E002563E0945ad8F1c193171e3ce2617B269e) Please make sure to confirm the official mapping address multiple times. 2. When you submit the mapping, you need to enter transcation hash(ID). So click on the transcations record to copy transcation Hash. 3. When you submit the mapping, you need to have a COCOS MainNet account. If you do not have a MainNet account, you can also register directly with Bitpie Wallet. 4. Bitpie Wallet registration process: Select wallet system COCOS (Cocos-BCX) and create COCOS MainNet account following to rules. 5. After you get transcation hash and Go to the mapping DApp( https://cocosmap.cocosbcx.net), click “Submit Mapping”, fill in transaction hash and mainnet account and confirm signature. 6. After the transfer is successful and the 12 blocks are confirmed, the transcation hash and MainNet account information obtained by the above transcation are signed, and then wait for the same amount of MainNet COCOS to arrive. 7. Enter the MainNet account for query. 8. If your phone is iOS, please download bitpie pro version. The above is a detailed guide on the MainNet COCOS mapping for mobile users, which has been released on the official website and official social channels. Users who hold ERC20 COCOS should arrange the time reasonably and choose to map the currently circulating ERC20 COCOS to the MainNet COCOS through official and third party tools.
https://medium.com/bitpie/how-to-do-cocos-bcx-mainnet-token-mapping-cc169cd40d30
['Bitpie Wallet']
2020-04-08 14:04:17.837000+00:00
['Blochchain', 'Bitpie', 'Games', 'Cocos Bcx', 'Mapping']
Time Series Analysis on Stock Market Forecasting(ARIMA & Prophet)
Photo by joseph on Unsplash What is Time Series? Time series is a set of observations or data points taken at specified time usually at equal intervals and it’s used to predict the future values based on the previous observed values. In time series there must be one variable, that is Time. Time series are very frequently plotted via line charts.Time series are used in statistics, stock market forecasting, signal processing, pattern recognition, weather forecasting, earthquake prediction, astronomy, and largely in any domain of applied science and engineering which involves the measurements should be in equal intervals like a day, a week, a month and a year. Components of Time Series Analysis: 1.Trend 2.Seasonality 3.Irregularity 4.Cyclic Here it deals with the technical analysis part. The real time data has be taken from ‘Yahoo Finance’ (you can find historical data for various stocks here) and for this project dataset of ‘Amazon Inc’ has been taken. The data is recorded on 1st of every month from 2007 to March 2018. The dataset has 143 observation and 7 attributes. The profit or loss calculation is usually determined by the closing price of a stock; hence we will consider the closing price as the target variable. Here date is set as the index value. ARIMA Model: The ARIMA model is a form of Regression analysis. An ARIMA model can be better understood by looking into its individual components: Auto regression (AR), Integrated (I) and Moving Averages (MA). In AR model, Partial Auto Correlation Function(PACF) graph is used to find P value and in MA model, Auto Correlation Function(ACF) graph to find q value. Integration Function is used to find the d value. ie, the differentiation What is Stationarity? Time series is said to be stationary if its statistical properties such as mean, variance remain constant over time. A model that shows stationarity is one that shows there is constancy to the data. Most economic and market data show trends, so the purpose of differencing is to remove any trends or seasonal structures. If not Stationary, It has to perform transformations on the data to make it Stationary. For check stationarity it have: Rolling Statistics Dickey-Fuller test Movement of data(Clossing stock): It shows an Upward trend so, the data is not stationary. Now we go with rolling mean and rolling standard deviation. Rolling Mean and Standard deviation: To check stationarity with rolling statistics and Dickey-Fuller test(ADCF) as below: The above mean value is increasing with the data and in the ADCF test the p-value is greater than 0.05. so, data is not stationary. Log value of the data: Here mean is moving along with time but quite far better from the previous one. Subtract Moving Average from LogScale: Here we are subtracting the moving average value from the log scale value. After that we are removing the Nan values(null) from the data. The data does not show any trend here and the p-value is comparatively less as 0.003 and the critical values and test statistics are almost equal to determine the data is stationary. Subtract Weighted Average from LogScale: Here weighted average mean has been calculated using evm() function. Then the weighted average has subtracted from the log scale value. P-value shows less than 0.05, and the test statistics and critical values are almost equal to determine stationarity. Shifting the data: Here using the shift() function to shifting all the values. Here it has taken lag of 1, so here shifting values by one; that means the differentiation value will be 1. From the diagram it says that there is no trend in data so the null hypothesis is rejected and the data is stationary now. Seasonal trend, Trend Line and Residuals in the data: It shows the components of time series, trend line shows an upward trend From the seasonality graph shows the yearly seasonality of the data. Residuals are the irregularity in the data, that it didn’t have any shape in it. Auto correlation and Partial Auto-Correlation Functions: the values has been taken when the line first cuts the 0. The ACF graph is drawn to determine the q value and the PACF graph is drawn to determine the p value. From the above graphs it can be see that the value of p is 2 and the value of q is 2 respectively. Now these values have to be substituted in the ARIMA model to get the predictions. Plotting ARIMA model: The ARIMA model captures the movement of data correctly. Residual Sum Of Squares(RSS) should be less as possible. The RSS value has been less as compared to AR and MA models. Here the p value as 2, d value as 2 and q value as 2. Future Forecasting: From the above graph it says that the price of Amazon stock price will be increase for the future upto 2021. Here forecasting the closing stock price for three years from 2019 to 2021. The confidence level means that the predicted line will not be fall beyond that interval. Prophet Prophet is a procedure for forecasting time series data based on an additive model where non-linear trends are fit with yearly, monthly and weekly seasonality effects. Prophet is robust to missing data and shifts in the trend, and typically handles outliers well. Prophet model is developed by facebook and it is fast, accurate and fully automatic. we have to install fbprophet library in the command prompt to work with prophet. The input to Prophet is always a dataframe with two columns: ‘ds’ and ‘y’. The ‘ds’ (datestamp) column should be of a format expected by Pandas, ideally YYYY-MM-DD for a date or YYYY-MM-DD HH:MM:SS for a timestamp. The ‘y’ column must be numeric, and represents the measurement has to forecast. The ‘predict’ method will assign each row in future a predicted value which it names ‘yhat’. Forecasted values: Model.predict() function helps to calculate the future stock price. Yhat:- is the target variable that means it’s the closing stock price. Yhat_lower:- is the confidence level where the predicted value which does not fall beyond this lowest limit. Yhat_upper:- is the confidence level where the predicted value which does not go beyond this highest limit. Future Forecasting: Here from the graph it says that the forecasted value shows an upward trend. Black dots represent the distribution of data from 2007 to 2018. Thick blue line is the forecasted line up to 2021 and the light shaded line is the confidence level. Trend, Yearly and Weekly Seasonality: Trend line shows an upward trend up to 2021. In weekly seasonality, the closing price has been much more in Wednesday’s, because Sunday is a holiday and avoid holidays. In monthly wise seasonality it shows during February and October has the highest stock price for Amazon Inc. End of the blog. Enjoy every moment of learning…. Thank you all..!
https://medium.com/@josephabraham9996/time-series-analysis-on-stock-market-forecasting-arima-prophet-2b60cacf604
['Joseph Azhikannickel']
2019-12-04 10:43:33.459000+00:00
['Auto Arima', 'Time Series Analysis', 'Data Science', 'Stock Market Forecasting', 'Stock Market Prediction']
Am I Losing my Grip on Reality?
Standing at the bus stop in Paris, I spot a large vehicle from the corner of my eye and nearly flag it down. This is how you signal to the driver you want him to pick you up when you’re standing at a stop used for several routes. I start raising my arm before noticing my mistake: It isn’t a bus but a garbage truck. Bar for the fact both vehicles are bigger than a car, this is where the similarity ends. Granted, I slept only two hours last night but the moment gives me serious pause for thought as it isn’t accompanied by nausea or tingles. Earlier this year, I nearly collapsed several times due to exhaustion and the symptoms were random and debilitating. Today, my brain played a trick on me without prior warning, a sure sign that I desperately need to rest before something goes badly wrong. “Cool, another dinner party story for dark days,” I thought before I grabbed my phone and messaged my stepmom to share. There isn’t a day when she doesn’t need cheering up so the sooner, the better. And then I got on with the rest of my journey to Paris-Nord where I boarded a train to Amsterdam, amped up on two extra strong cappuccinos. European high speed trains offer Wi-Fi so I use travel time to work and I had set myself the modest goal to stay awake until Brussels, i.e. one hour. At that point, things got even weirder, too weird to even contemplate taking a nap.
https://asingularstory.medium.com/am-i-losing-my-grip-on-reality-571481cd4a34
['A Singular Story']
2020-04-12 18:33:35.710000+00:00
['Life Lessons', 'Freelancing', 'Self', 'Love', 'Mental Health']
Void
Void One of the things that I have experienced repeatedly this year is the kindness of strangers, largely in response to content that I have put out into what I previously would have thought of as the void. David Whyte wrote, “Put down the weight of your aloneness and ease into the conversation.” I have. And it works. You have. And you know what I know. As we get close to the end of 2020 I have commenced my annual practice of reflection. I have tried a lot of different strategies and the one that I currently utilize is thinking about the five best things of this year and being honest about the five worst things of the year too. Then I decide with that information on three things I commit to doing in 2021 and three things I commit to not doing. I like structure, repetition, ritual. Baseera Khan creates psychedelic prayer rugs. When installed in an exhibition space they can be used by anyone for any spiritual practice from prayer to meditation and others. The contemporary imagery feels personal and inclusive, open to creating a broad community of strangers.
https://medium.com/@heidizuckerman/void-334e24ea04eb
['Heidi Zuckerman']
2020-12-26 17:01:37.914000+00:00
['Connection', 'Life', 'Wisdom', 'Love', 'Art']
Halloween Day Celebrations in School
“There is magic in the night when the pumpkins glow by midnight.” ‘Spooktober’ is the word describing the month of October. 31st October is widely celebrated as Halloween, where the little children go around the neighbourhood, yelling “Trick or Treat!!” The darkest secrets behind the history of this spooky festival are better left unsaid unless you’re fierce to unveil them…. Started as the ‘day of the dead’ in the United States of America, Halloween is now celebrated worldwide, just for fun. Children and adults equally enjoy the tradition of pumpkin carving and indulge in spooky decorations. You’ll need Spider webs, werewolves, ghosts, and scary pumpkin for the décor, some candies for the kids, and a whole set of Halloween movie marathons, and you’re ready for Halloween. HALLOWEEN AROUND THE WORLD Halloween is still widely celebrated today in a number of countries around the globe. In countries like Ireland, Canada and the United States, halloween customs include costume dress up and parties, trick-or-treating, scary pranks, and games. More or less very similar activities are done elsewhere in the world. In Mexico and other Latin American countries, they celebrate the Day of the Dead, also known as ‘Día de Los Muertos’. It honors deceased loved ones and ancestors of the family. In England, it is not known as Halloween, rather the festival famous as ‘Guy Fawkes Day’, which falls on November 5, and is celebrated with bonfires and fireworks. The Hungry Ghost Festival is celebrated throughout Hong Kong and China for a whole month, starting from the seventh day of the seventh month in the lunar calendar. Halloween is thought to have developed from the Celtic occasion Samhain; the Celtic New Years’ Eve celebrated on October 31. It is as yet celebrated in parts of the UK, for example, Scotland, just as parts of Ireland, and includes fortune-telling and lighting campfires. Zaduszki — the Polish word for All Souls’ Day — is commended on November 1. Families place lamps, wreaths, and little endowments on the graves of their family members in a serious festival. As mentioned above, there are different ways of celebrating the same festival. Faridabad Schools are at par when it comes to Halloween celebrations. Modern School in Faridabad celebrates Halloween with a full spirit (pun intended) and encourages students to indulge in fun activities. It is the Top School in Faridabad having celebrated the festival online this year, through the virtual platform. All the students of the kindergarten wing dressed up as cute, little fairies, ghosts, witches, spiders, and other scary characters. A full feisty ramp walk was like the cherry on top. One of the Top Schools in Faridabad, Modern school recognizes the importance of celebration and introduction of international festivals. The school believes that children will incorporate and understand the significance of festivals all around the globe. This adds up to the teaching methodology, that children will grow up to respect the customs and traditions of different cultures. Moreover, parents also enjoy dressing up with their children, and bond more with them in such activities. Children are more likely to enjoy it with great zeal and enthusiasm. As such festivals aren’t widely recognized or celebrated in India, it is a new venture as a school to promote such a connection between Indian students in collaboration with the western, international students. Halloween, the spooky traditional English Holiday is a great deal for school as well as college students who celebrate this day with full zeal, and enthusiasm. The day’s not far when we might even see children go trick or treating in our own societies
https://medium.com/@vineetaagarwal/halloween-day-celebrations-in-school-427a2ad4a43
['Vineeta Agarwal']
2020-11-05 10:35:31.180000+00:00
['Best Schools In Faridabad', 'Halloween', 'Halloween Costumes', 'School In Faridabad', 'Top School In Faridabad']
My First Anal Sex With a Guy I Met Online.
I met him online and we’d been chatting for a while and eventually I plucked the courage to come to his flat. He was much older than me, sexy though. So we sat and chatted and then he was beside me and we kissed, only quickly, but he was a good kisser and all the time he was reassuring me as he could see I was a bit nervous. But I kinda liked him and he soon was moving his hand up my top! I remember I had just a loose silk satin cami on under my top and so it wasn’t hard for him to find my nipples and wow I’m terrible when it comes to guys playing with me. I do get turned on very fast and I couldn’t help it and he was quiet but controlling and I was trying not to but I was soon taking my top and jeans off and we kissed and he was really turning me on and could tell I liked it when he touched my breasts and it just happened! I wanted to please him but as I was led to the bed and he made me climb onto it. He was behind me and was still pulling at my nipples and I fell forward, bent over in front of him. He must have taken this as a sign I wanted him because he pulled my pants and was kissing and carressing me and then fingering me. I was so so horny at that moment. I let him finger my butthole and it made me shiver, physically shiver! I started moaning and could not stop and became really desperate and could tell he was putting a condom on. I did want him so much and wanted to be fucked. So when I felt him move and then come directly behind me and finger my butthole again, I knew what was going to happen and yet I was so scared and wanted to say no but it happened so quickly, he was in me! At first all I could feel was pain and then slowly as he was pulling out but again pushing upwards, I felt my butthole relax as he touched my breasts again, my bottom gave way and he was in me! He just kept himself there as he could tell it was my first time and I was really finding it hard but then as he moved in me I felt all of him, like he was a part of me, filling me totally and wow! It felt so good! I was head down and started to feel my orgasm rise almost immediately and it just started but stayed there rising slowly as he fucked me deeper and deeper, slowly but rhythmically and my head spinning. I just got to the point where I was starting to moan really deeply and suddenly I was cumming! I came so hard, it was the best orgasm I ever had. Soon, he started moaning too. I could tell he was about to cum too. Then I felt his warm sticky cum in my butthole as he spilled it deep inside. Moments later, we felt so relaxed looking into each other after releasing our burning passions.
https://medium.com/lusty-stuff/my-first-anal-sex-with-a-guy-i-met-online-3a5dbfc8ce5e
['K. Love']
2020-08-22 16:13:38.011000+00:00
['Short Story', 'Love', 'Sex', 'Sexuality', 'Romance']
McKinney City Council hears recommendations for Confederate statue without deciding to relocate or not
Originally written October 30, 2020 Close to two dozen McKinney residents sit socially distanced at McKinney City Hall as Justin Beller (standing in the middle) uses his 15 minutes to present his findings and recommendations to the city council (in the back of the room) as to why the statue of Throckmorton should be removed on October 20, 2020. Masks were required in the building but speakers could remove them as they spoke at the podium. After months of research and discussion about whether to relocate a city statue of a Confederate soldier or leave it as is, the Throckmorton Ad Hoc Advisory Board presented two sets of findings and recommendations arguing for each outcome to the McKinney City Council on Tuesday. Board members Justin Beller and Nathan White offered two opinions as to what to do with the statue of James Webb Throckmorton, a Confederate general who later became a Texas governor. Beller recommended the statue, now outside the downtown McKinney Performing Arts Center, be relocated to the Collin County History Museum. White said it should instead be left alone, possibly with an added historical marker to add context to Throckmorton’s life. The council refrained from making a decision in order to give both council members and residents time to process the presented research. Beller said the statue was a tribute to white supremacy and an attempt to redeem the Confederacy, as Throckmorton was among the state legislators who opposed the 13th and 14th Amendments. Throckmorton also helped pass the Black Codes that denied the rights of freed African Americans in areas such as voting and interracial marriage, according to Beller’s compiled research. “(Relocation) provides protection to the statue as an object but also to our community and the division it has created and the potential it has to create,” Beller said. “It is a way to better understand our history. While we recognize that the Throckmorton monument is an object and relocating it doesn’t solve any problems in and of itself, I hope that just like the placement of the monument carried intent, the relocation of it does as well.” White said the statue itself doesn’t suggest a connection to the Confederacy, as Throckmorton is not depicted in a military uniform and the statue’s text doesn’t refer to the Confederacy. He said Throckmorton had reasons beyond the Civil War to be honored with a statue such as his multiple terms in government and his service in the military. “History is replete with examples of imperfect heroes,” White said. “Removing the statue significantly diminishes the city’s own embracing of its history. We firmly believe that the statue should remain where it has stood for over 100 years: a slight tribute to the patriot and statesman from his fellow citizens and admirers.” The statue depicts the former governor in civilian clothing while he points to the sky with one hand and holds a piece of parchment with the other. There are currently over 1,700 former and current monuments or markers for Confederate soldiers in the U.S., according to the Southern Poverty Law Center. The statue of James W. Throckmorton stands next to the McKinney Performing Arts Center in Downtown McKinney on Oct. 24, 2020. White said the public input survey conducted by the advisory board found the majority of over 2,000 respondents were also in favor of leaving the statue as it was, although council member La’Shadion Shemwell pointed out that the online survey was not scientific and could have been taken by anyone in the world. McKinney resident Tamara Johnson said the glorification of Confederate soldiers and racists not only distorts American history but erases the heritage of enslaved Africans and their descendants, as important Black Americans such as Sojourner Truth and Booker T. Washington rarely get the same recognition as people such as Robert E. Lee. “Forgetting is a voluntary decision to no longer grasp something, not to destroy it,” Johnson said. “People today don’t literally remember the Civil War. Neither can they literally forget it. Sometimes communities decide that previously beloved narratives of the past have become divisive and deserve to be set aside. Asking Confederate advocates to forget in the name of a greater good does not mean asking them to erase the past. It means inviting them to the work of truth and reconciliation.” Shemwell said he was frustrated with Tuesday’s meeting, as an earlier draft of the meeting agenda indicated the council would take action on the statue while the most updated draft said it would only receive and consider the presentations, a change of which Shemwell wasn’t notified. He said this change was part of mayor George Fuller and the city council’s efforts to delay action on the statue until the recall election for Shemwell took place. Fuller was one of over 3,000 signatures members of the community had collected to remove Shemwell from office after he proposed declaring a “Black State of Emergency” due to the killings of Black Americans by police, according to The Dallas Morning News. “This meeting is a sham,” Shemwell said. “You have all the information you need. What you are trying to do is kick this can down the road so that the only Black city council member on here is no longer on here when you cast your vote.” Fuller, who was calling from a separate room at McKinney City Hall due to his possible exposure to COVID-19, said his putting the statue on the meeting agenda was due to a high school student notifying him about the statue’s background and not the recall election against Shemwell. He said drafts of the meeting agendas almost always change before being finalized and that the city council needed time to digest the information presented to them on Tuesday before making a final decision. “My mind has been open throughout this entire process,” Fuller said. “Don’t even begin to presume what my position is or what my decision is.”
https://medium.com/@graysengolter/mckinney-city-council-hears-recommendations-for-confederate-statue-without-deciding-to-relocate-or-5b50b1a00c9d
['Graysen Golter']
2020-12-09 20:22:52.542000+00:00
['Articles', 'Journalism', 'Mckinney', 'Texas', 'Graysen Golter']
Cambios en el programa de mentoring de Adalab y por qué vas a querer formar parte de él.
Learn more. Medium is an open platform where 170 million readers come to find insightful and dynamic thinking. Here, expert and undiscovered voices alike dive into the heart of any topic and bring new ideas to the surface. Learn more Make Medium yours. Follow the writers, publications, and topics that matter to you, and you’ll see them on your homepage and in your inbox. Explore
https://medium.com/adalab/cambios-en-el-programa-de-mentoring-de-adalab-y-por-qu%C3%A9-vas-a-querer-formar-parte-de-%C3%A9l-d2b882037ab7
[]
2020-11-27 10:51:57.818000+00:00
['Adalab', 'Programming', 'Frontend', 'Mentoring', 'Web Development']
Coding challenges — is it worth it?
Companies today uses third party platform for coding challenges. Leetcode style questions, if you know what I mean. I understand that companies started to adopt this tech because it makes hiring easier. It has the built-in IDE, compiler where in you can select your choice of programming language, tests are executed when you run the app. All in one place. The applicant just need to put their name and email and start the coding challenge straight away. I have experience using this kind of platform. A company invited me for a coding challenge and it turned out to be 1.5 hours of speed coding. It didn’t feel like a test for quality. It feels like “How much can you code within 10 minutes?” rather than “What’s the best way to answer this question?”. And the platform keeps reminding you that you have 3, 2, 1 minutes left. (LOL). And it automatically submits the form after that. So now my question is, is this a good assessment of real-world developer capability? Let me know what you think.
https://medium.com/@rmlevangelio/coding-challenges-is-it-worth-it-6e934623395e
['Remiel Evangelio']
2020-12-06 05:00:20.356000+00:00
['Frontend', 'Programming', 'Interview Preparation', 'Coding Challenge']
10 years old and Throwing the race
a year before I thought it was a good idea to throw races As I sat on the bench, with the other kids that competed and lost. I looked up — grinning ear to ear because I did something great. I was proud of myself for letting my friend Lisa win against me when we raced. She did not want to race me because I was fast- — fastest runner in the school. When our gym teacher Mr.Ross picked us two, to race against each other-She started crying -pouting and visibly-shaking. I took note of that. So when our gym teacher lined us up- in front of a gym filled with students- yelling, “ on your mark — get set — go!”. I knew she would not be able to beat me — so I decided to “ accidently” trip on my untied shoe lace-stayed down on the ground long enough for her to pass me and win the race. When she won- she threw her hands up in the air and yelled, “ yes!!”. She walked over to the winners bench. I also said, “ Yes!!” walked over to “ the O-U-T” bench. I was smiling — ear to ear, thinking about how I demonstrated good sportsmanship. The thought in my head was was disrupted by a loud whistle blowing! My gym teacher Mr. Ross said something to the class in a low voice — and they all sat down on the gym floor- quietly. As he preceded to walk in my direction, I looked around to see if anyone behind me was doing something that would cause me to get in trouble. He approached the bench where I was sitting, then asked me to stand up. I had a smile on my face- but butterflies in my stomach. I said,” Yes Mr. Ross?” He then asked me what was I doing? I thought to myself — is that a trick question. Did he not see that I was sitting on the bench — . In a low but firm voice — he said, “ look at me Maisha”. I looked up and he said, “ Why did you throw your race and let Lisa win?”. I responded, “ she was crying and I am her friend-that’s good sportsmanship!”. (smiling with pride) Mr. Ross looked at me and said, “ I know you were being nice- but the reason why I NEVER want you to throw a race again — is because, In this society you will be expected to do that — for the rest of your life”. First off , you are an excellent athlete, you are always prepared for gym-win or loose-rain or shine -you are dressed and you show up. Everyone does not have to like gym the same way, including Lisa. She is never prepared to play she wears jeans — and you know — jeans are not allowed in my gym class! She wears them anyway. Now, although she is required to play — she is not entitled to win. Maisha — I need you to look me in my eyes, and listen to what I am about to say next. I never — ever want you to throw a race again, to make anyone feel better about themselves. Not you — because due to unfair rules in society — you are expected to take yourself out of the game- the game of success. Expected to throw races continuously for 10, 20,30 years — for the rest of your life. Without being told directly — you did exactly what you were expected to do-setting others up to win-by taking yourself out. This is called playing small. Although we just finished the unit on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr and the Civil Rights Movement; that was only a little piece of what you are going to need to know to navigate through this society that is designed to accommodate white children who — cry when they do not get their way. A society that is designed for you to — move out the way and let others succeed. I cannot change society — but I can give you a heads up! It is wrong and unfair in every way. If I ever made you feel less important, in anyway — in gym or in any other class that I teach; I apologize. You are gifted — and I will not say that I treat everyone the same. Clearly you got the wrong message — thinking that it was a good idea to “loose on purpose”. This is the last time I ever want to see you lose a race — — — -throw a race so someone else could win. That is not your job!!!You must see that now! You will be cheating yourself and the people who will one day need to hear your message— simply because you took yourself out of the race…to accommodate someone else’s tears. Are we clear on this ? I nodded my head yes. He then gestured for me to follow him as we walked over to where he stood at the head of the gym class. He blew his whistle once — a short and quick blow. He then announced to the class that he had something to say- Everyone was focused on Mr. Ross He told the class that I WON the race and — that I lost on purpose — - since I thought that was the right thing to do! He exclaimed that if I practiced throwing races now — that I will continue to throw races — -way into my 30 and 40’s … The class gasped — because that was old — — way old, 40 is ancient! He turned to me and said, “ these are your classmates — you are a leader, amongst leaders — you don’t get to take yourself out of the race- that is not your life’s purpose. I need you to commit to yourself and your classmates that you will never “play small again- to accommodate anyone…” So — — I looked at every single face one by one and took a very deep breathe. I replied, “ I commit to NEVER playing small again- losing on purpose, ever! ALL OF A SUDDEN a thunderous roar of cheers echoed throughout the cafeteria …YEEEEAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!! I took it all in — -I owned it! My teacher gestured for me to sit with the group- with the rest of the runners. When I looked up — — — — — Lisa was at her favorite -table with her friends chatting away— I guess that’s her thing – well this is mine…………… The End The story above is a Metastory-A perfect 10 -version of an actual story — “memory” . Your mind is greatly impacted by the beliefs you made in your youth — it’s crucial that you begin to clear up the stories that do not serve your success. It was a necessary story for my own money making journey because I could not figure out why wealth kept evading me. Mental Blockers are very tricky and they can hide behind others things- kind of like a green pepper — which I need for my salad and its hidden behind a box of cereal-in the wrong aisle…So you have to actively seek them out , when your own behavior — habits, are not aligned the way you know they should be. Improve your MIND SET by Identifying Blockers — The right Mindset is crucial when you are starting your business. Maisha Sapp Woodley CEO/ Founder Black Core strategies contact me lets talk.. [email protected] contact me https://www.linkedin.com/in/blackcorestrategies/
https://medium.com/@blackcoreconsulting/10-years-old-and-throwing-the-race-1a17e881196f
['Black Core- Utopia For Black Entrepreneurs']
2020-12-25 00:57:32.674000+00:00
['Entrepreneurship', 'Black Business Owners', 'Transformation', 'Mindset Coaching']
The Duality of Disability Experience: I think I had an identity crisis.
I was in my second year of my Fine Art Degree when I stumbled upon this thing called “Disability Politics.” It was like a slap in the face, a wakeup call, a thump in the gut; I literally gasped, eyes wide open. Having lived with a disability my whole life I had grown up in an extreme non-disabled bubble. Other than the odd visit to my orthopaedic doctor, prosthetist and occupational therapist as a child I had had no interaction with the disabled world whatsoever. I had attended mainstream schools. Non of my school friends had disabilities. No-one else in my family at that point had a disability. It wasn’t until I stepped into the Paralympic world that I realised there were others like me. It was revelatory. My life had been very “disability sterile” you might say. I hadn’t identified as disabled because I had only seen my self in the able bodied people around me. A state of being that contributed to the growing ableist narrative in my head. Disability wasn’t me. Disability was over there, somewhere, where it had no relevancy to my life. My teen years were split between the so called “able-bodied” world and the disabled world. It was like I had two personas. There was “able-bodied” me, trying to get by at school, hanging with friends, having pool parties over summer and sleepovers where we used ouija boards to contact the spirits (true story that!). In this persona I didn’t even think of myself as disabled, even though I would struggle to keep up with my friends in everything. Even though I would have to take days out from school to go to my specialist or the prosthetist or the occupational therapist. I felt comfortable and accepted in the “able-bodied” world. And at the same time I felt misunderstood on so many levels. Then there was disabled me, living in the surreal world of elite sport and the Paralympics. An alternative universe, so to speak, it was a world where all of my friends had a disability. We were all the same, through our collective drive to succeed, yet different in beautiful and remarkable ways. While in the disabled world I felt like I was at home. These were my people, not despite of, but because of our differences. Life long bonds were made with these people. And when I retired from sport it was the sudden wrench from these people that affected and upset me the most. I never understood why I felt this duality until I discovered disability politics at uni. Disability is my identity, the able-bodied world is my reality, and there is an uncomfortable disconnect between them that has to be addressed if we are ever going to get disability fully included and accepted in this world.
https://medium.com/age-of-awareness/the-duality-of-disability-experience-i-think-i-had-an-identity-crisis-4d6ea8afa2ed
['Elizabeth Wright']
2020-03-28 23:16:31.309000+00:00
['Disability', 'Life Lessons', 'Life', 'Self', 'Identity']
Announcing publications with Twitter images
Announcing a paper with a Twitter image is eye-catching and saves time. It is also an excellent way to start a Paper Thread. an image for a new publication in a special issue I’ve been experimenting with new ways to disseminate publications from the Extended Evolutionary Synthesis (@EES_Update) project on Twitter (background: I’m their communications officer and am also a researcher in the area). I’ve found that creating an image template dedicated to publication announcements is eye-catching and saves time. So far, I’ve developed two types of images for the EES. Blog posts: Special issue journal articles: This is what they look like in a tweet: The hope is that once our audience is used to the graphic types typically used in our channel, they might be able to associate a Gestaltian global “look” with a type of announcement. Using Twitter images might be a good alternative to screeenshots of abstracts or the first page of papers. While these screenshots shout “I am a paper!” it is not attractive and the abstracts are hard to read on a small screen. Perhaps a compromise would be “abstract images.” I’ll give that a try next week! To create a twitter image for a paper, all I have to do is to put the key information into a formatted template on Powerpoint and then export the slide into a PNG file. I’ll explain how I set up a template soon, but first, I’d like to tell you how I got to this point, “recipe website” style.
https://medium.com/philosophy-of-science-communication/announcing-publications-with-twitter-images-39ba16872cca
['Lynn Chiu']
2019-11-12 16:36:51.073000+00:00
['Science', 'Science Communication', 'Twitter', 'Scicomm', 'Social Media']
Losing Weight
Food Assistance and Food System Resources Nutrition for Health It’s natural for anyone trying to lose weight to want to lose it very quickly. But people who lose weight gradually and steadily (about 1 to 2 pounds per week) are more successful at keeping weight off. Healthy weight loss isn’t just about a “diet” or “program”. It’s about an ongoing lifestyle that includes long-term changes in daily eating and exercise habits. Once you’ve achieved a healthy weight, rely on healthy eating and physical activity to help you keep the weight off over the long term. Losing weight is not easy, and it takes commitment. But if you’re ready to get started, we’ve got a step-by-step guide to help get you on the road to weight loss and better health. Even a modest weight loss of 5 to 10 percent of your total body weight is likely to produce health benefits, such as improvements in blood pressure, blood cholesterol, and blood sugars. For example, if you weigh 200 pounds, a 5 percent weight loss equals 10 pounds, bringing your weight down to 190 pounds. While this weight may still be in the “overweight” or “obese” range, this modest weight loss can decrease your risk factors for chronic diseases related to obesity. So even if the overall goal seems large, see it as a journey rather than just a final destination. You’ll learn new eating and physical activity habits that will help you live a healthier lifestyle. These habits may help you maintain your weight loss over time. For example, the National Weight Control Registryexternal icon noted that study participants who maintained a significant weight loss reported improvements in physical health as well as energy levels, physical mobility, general mood, and self-confidence. Disclaimer: This particular article has an affiliate link for an enjoyable reading.
https://medium.com/@evans1-2/losing-weight-97416b059077
['Evans Boateng']
2021-12-18 09:29:17.407000+00:00
['Weight Loss', 'Wellness', 'Wellbeing', 'Weightloss Foods', 'Weight Loss Tips']
Behind Unheard Prayers
An explanation why God hasn’t grant your wishes yet As a human we can’t do everything on our own, we’re not able to control everything as we wanted. That’s why we pray. But sometimes not all prayers are answered. You pray for a longer time, you pray more for the thing you wanted, and as the time goes by, your wish doesn’t come true. You keep praying for years but you don’t see any change and it leads you to frustration. And you feel so upset about it. When you feel so upset and mad because your prayers feel like unheard and unanswered. Remember, that god doesn’t owe you anything, and when you ask for anything to god you have to be patient. If you can ask politely someone to do the favor, then do the same thing when you ask to god. Actually, God has no obligation to answer your prayers but since god is the most merciful then he will answer all our prayers in 3 ways, he will answer your prayer as soon as possible, your prayer will be answered but not today, or he listened to your prayers but he will give you something better than you asked. Because god knows what the best for you. You Only Pray for the Best Thing You Know We have to admit it, sometimes when we pray, we’re not actually praying. We’re demanding something from god, we wish for our wishes to be granted no matter the situation. And if god doesn’t grant our wishes then we stopped praying and taking conclusion that’s no point in praying because it makes no difference. And in the most frustrating times, where faith is weakened, we start doubting about god existence. And quietly whispering if god really exists why he never answer all of our prayers. Illustration of a man praying (Sc: arabiaweather.com) In desperation times, when one of our prayers unanswered, when we lost our faith. We like to pretend that God never answers all of our prayers. But take a look at what we have today, all we have today is a manifestation of our granted prayers in the past. We used to pray for the prosperity we have now, we used to pray for the job we have now, we used to pray for the university we already graduated from. And at some point in life, we deserve something better than we asked and we feel unworthy to deserve all of that. When you deserve something more than your expectation that’s the proof that God will give you something better in the future when he does not grant your wish today. Sometimes when we pray, we feel what we asked is already the best and we don’t want another thing besides that. Actually, you only wish for “the best thing you know”, not “the best thing for you”. And the most importantly, there’s lot of things out there better than what you wished but you just don’t know it yet since what you consider the best thing is only limited to the only thing you know, on the other side there’s a lot of things you don’t know and things you haven’t discovered. To make it simple, the analogy is like shopping in the mall. When I was kid my parents taught me about a trick to shop at mall. The rule is simple, take a look at the whole mall, don’t buy anything until you see inside the whole mall. Then when you already discover every single store in mall, buy the best thing you saw. And avoid to buy the first nice thing you see because there’s lot of possibilities you will meet better stuff or similar stuff with better price in the next store. The same thing in life, you might find better-paying job when you just accept a job. And you feel a little regret in your heart why i didn’t wait for a longer time for a better opportunity. That’s the reason why you have to accept it when God doesn’t grant your wish today because tomorrow you might find a better opportunity and it might be yours. God Talk to You Through Experience Usually, we pray to get what we want and to avoid the harm. In short, we pray for good things and happiness. But sometimes we don’t get that and we ended up in a horrible situation. And sometimes we grieving if we trapped in a bad situation. We feel so stressed until we can’t see the light. All we see is bad things. And you refuse to see it from another perspective. From positive perspective. But actually in the practice when your prayers are not answered today, when you have to face a horrible thing, when you fail, the truth is god wants to teach you a lesson. if you can see the situation from a different perspective, if you keep being positive and see it from positive perspective. then you will find the lesson, you will find the reason why this happened, you can take the lesson and you learned something. The lesson that you take from that experience will be crucial for the rest of your life. Sometimes god teaches you lesson instead of grant your wishes. Because some lesson better understood if we experience it, and we will remember the lesson if we learned it the hard way. A man told me once that heartbreak, failure, being disappointed is a part of climbing a ladder of life and you will pass it at some point No matter how hard you try to avoid that in the end you will experience that. You can’t appreciate a good thing if you have never been in a hard situation. And somehow all of that helps you grow. Hardship Shaped You If you pray to god it means right now you’re working over something, and the output is only two, Is that you’re going to win or lose. When your prayer isn’t granted today you consider it as a loss. But losing is not totally bad for you. Because losing or failure makes you learn, it makes you evaluate, it makes you spot your weakness, it taught you what it takes to earn big things. Either I win or I learn but I never lose When God doesn’t grant your wish today, he just wants to put you in a situation that makes you learn. God puts you on this hardship because it’s good for you. Hardship makes you fight until your last breath and it makes you realize your potential. In the end, hardship is going to make you wiser, stronger, and improved as a person. Without you realize, actually Hardships is good for you and someday you’ll be thankful about this hardship because you learned a lot from this, and it gave you experience to handle anything that happens in your life. “Hardships often prepare ordinary people for an extraordinary destiny.” — C.S. Lewis In the other side, the nonexistent of hardship is bad for you, it doesnt make you grow, it makes you unprepared for big things. Because big things also come with big problems too. If u get used to overcome the problems then the next time you face another problem life then it’s not a big deal for you. Because you already know how to handle it. “A smooth sea never made a skilled sailor.” ― Franklin D. Roosevelt A proof of why the nonexistent of threat and easy life is bad for us is let’s take a look at the dodo bird case. Dodo bird is a mauritius endemic flightless bird and it already extinct in 1681. The story about how this bird went extinct is an interesting case because back to million years ago this bird can fly. For that many years those birds living an easy life without a challenge on this island. They live on this island without its predator and source of food is limitless, they can eat fruits fallen from tree easily, they live effortlessly on that island. That’s why they lost its ability to fly and to run because they never use their wings and their legs to run for a million years. Until first man arrives in Mauritius island in 1500’s CE and hunt dodo bird to eat. Dodo can’t escape from its first predator that’s why that bird went extinct for about 100 years since its first interaction with human. Dodo skeleton cast and model based on modern research, at Oxford University Museum of Natural History (Sc: Wikipedia) According to a french naturalist, Jean Baptiste Lamarck. When environments changed, every living organisms had to change their behavior to survive. If they began to use an organ more than they had in the past, it would increase in its lifetime. Take an example to a girrafe, back then giraffe’s neck was shorter but a girrafe used to stretch its neck for leaves and it makes the neck longer over time. Meanwhile, organs that organisms stopped using would shrink, that’s why dodo bird has little wings because they never use it. Giraffe evolution according to Lamarck It also happens with people, people who often overcome the challenge in life can solve any kind of challenge. But people who never face a problem will never be able to handle a single challenge given to them. And those who able to solve the problem will go far in life while others who are not able to solve the problem are not going anywhere in life. > Conclusion In conclusion, God will grant your wishes. when God doesn’t grant your wish today, he will grant your wishes tomorrow or he will give you something better in the future. But today it’s time for you to learn. Because some things are meant to be earned not given. and by the time you already learned, God will let you have it.
https://medium.com/@senopatidiinan/behind-unheard-prayers-948366ca5c87
['Senopati Diinan']
2020-12-23 04:54:37.600000+00:00
['Challenge', 'Prayer', 'Hope', 'Failure', 'Islam']
Public Relations giving added mileage to the blooming industry
PR agency in Delhi plays an important role in the growth of businesses. Public Relation plays an instrumental role in taking a business to new heights. Even when well-managed companies are left to themselves, they fail to manage the public perception in the absence of a PR agency. PR agency first develops the strategy and then moves forward with different tactics to achieve the same. Hence, for brands to be seen in a positive light, they need to hire a PR agency to ensure their image perception in the long run. Thus, the need for PR has been realized more than ever before. This has given rise to the sudden bloom of top PR agency in recent years. Irrespective of the industry, any brand or client can seek the service of PR. PR agency effectively communicates the brand message to its target group. It is the public relations that portray the organization’s story in a mesmerizing way. Not just this, it establishes the client as the industry leader by adding to their credibility. This is done by taking leverage of trending topics, critical issues to create a speaking opportunity for them. Incidentally, the visibility of the business is established which further helps in retaining a great relationship with the target audience as well as investors. PR aids the companies in not just surviving but also helps them thrive against the competitive industry. The brand enjoys a good rapport with the media, and the public appreciates their status as thought leaders who give insights on important events. Therefore, companies are largely seeking services from top PR agencies. As the PR industry is expanding, below is a list of sectors that are instrumental in driving the growth of Public Relations in India. Startups Today, as compared to a decade ago, the environment for the startup is very promising. With the help of impressive ideas, a huge number of entrepreneurs are coming into existence. But even though championing an enticing business model, grabbing the attention of investors and ingenious portrayal before the public is not an easy task. Therefore, to ignite their imagination, PR agencies come into the scene. The PR agency voices how their product or service is unique. Itis the efforts of PR that highlights their disruptive power. The image perception before the public and investors is created by PR. also creates opportunities to enhance the visibility of the brand or client. Ultimately leading to an increase in the probability of recall value before the venture capitalists, who are always on the lookout for investments. Therefore, the brand-building lies in the hands of the PR as a positive impression needs to be created to gain faith which eventually leads the company to grow. Finance companies along with Fin-tech provisions In the past five years, the financial services industry has not just expanded in banking, financial services, and insurance, but have also diversified in the fields of sale systems, digital wallets, digital payments, and cashless transactions. Many have also ventured into cryptocurrency, making SAASplatforms a part of the sector. With so many developments going on in the industry, the sector has now become increasingly sophisticated than ever before. Moreover, being central to the modern economy, the financial sector has great potential of giving a boost to the country’s economy. But in the process, the need for PR service becomes very essential as the company needs to highlight its offerings. They can showcase the vision, mission, and how their services are of help to the target audience. The responsibility of creating confidence amongst the public is taken care of by the PR agency. Securing the interests of the public, ensuring them that their money is in safe hands, is the work of the PR. Education Education is the next industry, brimming with great potential to drive the economy. With the coming in of technology, even this sector has proved to be disruptive. Itis gradually making a shift from the traditional notebook memorization method to technology-based learning. But it is very difficult to break the age-old pattern of education running for centuries. Many have come up with techniques to make learning productive and enjoyable at the same time. PR aids in shaping public opinion. A PR company can articulate the education company's vision and ensure it reaches the right audience. With the intervention of the PR, the target audience can be acquainted with the pedagogic tools of making learning more fun, effective, and valuable for society. InformationTechnology InformationTechnology is has seen quite a natural growth in recent years. Eventually, at the time of COVID- many software companies have seen much rise. Technology is the future and consumer technology is the new in-thing in the market. Having said that many people are still not aware of the new technology. For example-IoT. The full form of IoT is the internet of things. Many people are not aware of the internet of things. They even don’t understand the concept of smart homes for an example. Hence, it becomes crucial for companies that are playing in the segment to create awareness about the innovative products in the market. PR agency in Delhi plays a tremendous role in the same. Healthcare Due to the pandemic, one segment that has seen growth more than any segment isHealthcare. At this time, healthcare is an emerging market and going to see growth in the future as well. Everyone is afraid of COVID-19 right now and people are doing unnecessary buying as well. Many companies launched new products to boost immunity as it is the only way to fight with this virus. To take the advantage of this opportunity many companies hire PR agencies to establish communication with the target audience. A recent example is the Patanjali. they did really good PR around coronal a product that only boosts the immunity. Communication played a great role in establishing companies as a market leader. To bring about a change in the mind-set, such PR services are much needed. Accepting the new modes of learning is difficult for the public and PR helps in creating increased awareness amongst the audience. the activity is also way too cost-effective for the brands. As many brands are looking to cut the cost and become lean due to the bad market condition, the PR agency can help them cater to the same problems. But before hiring a PR agency one needs to be careful as many agencies promise a lot but never delivers. You can read our blogs to know more about hiring an agency for your brand. The role of the Best PR agency is defined but mind you, they change their roles according to the need of the hour as well. So to not face problems in the future, always try to go for an agency with versatility. Don’t go to the agency that has limited services. Because with rapidly changing times, the agency should be capable to adapt and move accordingly. Last but not the least, Public relations gives you wings to fly. A good PR campaign can turn things around and place you on the top. But don’t forget a bad PR can also become harmful and nasty. All the very best! Source:- http://twenty7inc.in/public-relations-giving-added-mileage-to-the-blooming-industry/
https://medium.com/@seo2wenty7/public-relations-giving-added-mileage-to-the-blooming-industry-c3cdf6990907
[]
2020-10-13 11:07:23.663000+00:00
['Startup', 'Pr Agency In Delhi', 'Public Relations', 'Pr Agency']
Speed is a feature: Introducing Fwumious Wabbit
We are announcing open source release of Fwumious Wabbit, an extremely fast implementation of Logistic Regression and Field-Aware Factorization Machines written in Rust. At Outbrain we are invested in fast on-line machine learning at a massive scale. We don’t update our models once a day or even once an hour, we update them every few minutes. This means we need very fast and efficient model research, training and serving. We’ve evaluated many options and concluded that Vowpal Wabbit is the most efficient tool out there in terms of cpu cycles. To the best of our knowledge this used to be the fastest online learning you could get. Today we are introducing Fwumious Wabbit — a machine learning tool for logistic regression and FFM that is partly compatible with Vowpal Wabbit. Fwumious Wabbit’s main feature is simply speed. Here’s the comparison to Vowpal Wabbit on a synthetic dataset. Also in our tests Tensorflow on the CPU was an order of magnitude slower than Fwumious.
https://medium.com/@andraztori/speed-is-a-feature-introducing-fwumious-wabbit-1cc9573ea7be
['Andraz Tori']
2020-11-18 10:56:20.396000+00:00
['Factorization Machine', 'Logistic Regression', 'Automl', 'Data Science', 'Machine Learning']
How to Overcome 5 Remote Work Challenges
How to Overcome 5 Remote Work Challenges Never take your laptop to your bed Photo by Mimi Thian on Unsplash Remote work is one of the hottest topics today, it is not only good for lowering huge office costs but also bringing ease to businesses. Thanks to technological improvements, remote work is now commonly used by companies and freelancers. According to FlexJobs remote work increased 400% over the last 10 years. Working from home will save both employee and employer time. Thanks to remote work, people have more time for themselves instead of spending time going to work and back home. It also provides you with the flexibility that you can choose the place to work, even during travel. When an employee doesn’t feel good, giving the opportunity to work from home stops the spread of illness. Remote work is the best way to increase the limit so that you can get more customers and top talents worldwide without moving to other countries. Challenges Since it has many benefits, there are also some difficulties to overcome. Distraction Making your nest a workplace can be a bit confusing. But you should always separate them. You can make a plan that you are not checking Instagram or Twitter within working hours. Or not watching your favorite Turkish serial. Remember, just because you can, doesn’t mean you should. Another solution can be setting up a dedicated workplace. If you have a possibility, you can make a corner workplace where you are doing only what you do in the office. Miscommunication Thanks to some tools (below listed), miscommunication is not a very big problem today. Maybe not as often as in the office but you can still have a connection with colleagues. Some messaging tools can provide instant support but the weekly or daily team meetings can be very helpful for workflow and motivation. Overworking While working from home it is easy to forget the time, because whatever you do, you are still at home. I usually set the time for the beginning and end of my workday, to track time, so I know when I am actually done. And don’t forget to take breaks. People around Unless you are living alone, there is another challenge. Family, housemates, or even pets. You need to make it clear when you are working and when you are not. Being at home doesn’t mean you are available. Let others know the timing that you are planning for your daily tasks, and when you are finishing, but never skip the time that you need to spend with your family. Motivation It is actually one of the biggest problems of humanity. Not only while working or studying, but even while practicing your hobbies. For me working from the place where I sleep was a bit difficult in the beginning. Like for distraction (the difference is lack of motivation is a long-term challenge), you need to separate work and home first. During my remote work journey, I found 3 ways that you might want to apply, too:
https://medium.com/datadriveninvestor/how-to-overcome-5-remote-work-challenges-c6531b637563
['Harun Güneş']
2020-07-31 18:17:07.704000+00:00
['Problem Solving', 'Work', 'Business', 'Motivation', 'Technology']
Trading Competition won 1,000 BNB
FinanceX is a cryptocurrency exchange providing users with a convenient, reliable and secure platform with a specific focus on providing fiat-coin trading pairs Follow
https://medium.com/financex/trading-competition-won-1-000-bnb-c374dacf205f
[]
2019-05-27 03:32:20.616000+00:00
['Financex', 'Bitcoin', 'Blockchain', 'Competition', 'Bnb']
How Life Can Exist Beyond Our Own
It is simply ignorant and close minded to think that life out in the universe does not exist and that we are the only living organisms in this ever expanding universe. Think of the Virgo Supercluster — or any cosmic supercluster, a group of tens and thousands to trillions of galaxies. Is it too crazy to say that there are at least a few — if not tens of thousands of civilizations in those very galaxies? The answer is no, thanks to the Drake equation which uses mathematics to theorize that there are thousands of civilizations beyond our own. Laniakea Supercluster consisting of billions and billions of galaxies. It’s common to think that alien life must have water, oxygen, and carbon (carbon based life forms such as our very own) to be able to exist. There are many organisms that live on this Earth that adapt to its environment. These organisms are tiny bacteria or multi-cellular organisms that reproduce without, or, an absence of oxygen. Think of tardigrades, a small microorganism that resembles that of a bear or, well… an eight-legged pig. These organisms do not need light, air, or the warmth that humans generally need. One experiment showed that tardigrades can survive exposure in the vacuum of space, which a human would normally not survive. This little specimen proves that life beyond our own does not truly need oxygen, water, or carbon to just exist. What’s to say that these so called “extra-terrestrials” thrive off of methane, drink fire, or are intelligent sea-dwelling creatures that live deep in their ocean of liquid mercury? Alien life does not have to resemble that of a bipedal humanoid; alien life could simply be micro-organisms, tiny bacteria, or they could simply be single-celled organisms made of inorganic material. Alien life could mean a multitude of things — that they can be intelligent, pre-historic, dead but have proof of their existence, micro-organisms, single-celled, exactly like us, or — bear with me — that we simply cannot see them because they exist in another dimension or because they’re not visible to the naked eye. There is no doubt in my mind that they are out there and one day, we’ll stumble upon them accidentally or on purpose. More recently, we discovered that Venus has phosphine in its atmosphere. Phosphine is mainly a compound that only life on Earth should be able to produce, or at least organic in the sense. Interestingly, we discovered not just small traces of the compound in our neighborly planet’s atmosphere, but we found a lot of it. This could be produced by something we just have no clue or explanation of, but I believe this is just basically saying we may or may NOT have found evidence of alien life, but it’s really close. Rendering of a tardigrade, New Scientist. Many people seem to believe that the existence of aliens, or extraterrestrials, cannot exist simply because there’s just not enough sufficient evidence to prove their existence and because extraterrestrials seem to have never visited Earth. I’m no conspiracy theorist with a big tin-foil hat and I’m not saying they have or have not visited, but the story of the tic tac UFO is probably one of the most convincing UFO story to date — in which you’ll have to listen to the 30 minute account of the story yourself. I’m not saying the UFO is of extraterrestrial origins, but we just have no proof of what it is, where it came from, and its qualities. Many people do not realize the scope of the universe — that it is still expanding rapidly even after the theorized Big Bang and that there are tens of thousands and, maybe even millions of habitable planets beyond our solar system (discovered by the Kepler Spacecraft). It is important to acknowledge that humans simply cannot be the only living organism in this almost infinite universe. Somewhere out there, aliens — whether they’re intelligent extraterrestrials or not — exist simply because of the size of our universe, the number of habitable planets that have been discovered, and the simple mathematics behind their existence. Life exists because mathematically, it is very likely that humans aren’t the only lifeforms. The Drake Equation is a mathematical formula — or theoretical formula — that proposes the number of intelligent extraterrestrials and civilizations beyond the solar system and in the Milky Way galaxy. In the article “Anthropology and the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence,” Steven J. Dick states that “the ‘Drake Equation’ was proposed as a way of estimating the number of communicative civilizations in our Milky Way.” The Drake Equation is simply: N = Ns · fp · ne · fl · fi · fc · fL, which basically formulates the number of planets that are suitable for life, the number of stars that can sustain life, and the number of civilizations with technology that can emit detectable signals (such as a radio or satellite signal). The universe is big (essentially infinite) and our local galaxy — the Milky Way — is mind bogglingly gigantic with a radius of 52,000 light years — that’s a lot in freedom units. Even at that size, the Milky Way is actually one of the smaller galaxies. Galaxies are a collection of stars, solar systems, planets, asteroids, comets, black holes, neutron stars (collapsed stars) and so forth. An average galaxy is a thousand to a hundred thousand light years across; a light year means that it would take a beam of light to reach one end of the galaxy to the other in a few centuries or millenniums — depending on the size of the galaxy. Light is fast, 186,282 miles per second exactly, but imagine light crossing a galaxy and reaching the end in roughly thousands of years — this puts a perspective on the distance and size of a galaxy. The Drake Equation only formulates and proposes the number of communicative extraterrestrials in the local galaxy, the Milky Way; now that you know the true distance and size of a galaxy, you can simply say that there could be hundreds, if not thousands of extraterrestrial life in our own backyard and beyond. The equation still proves that there are thousands of habitable planets that lay within the goldilocks zone (like the Earth) that can potentially harbor alien life. Again, however; life does not need to be in the goldilocks zone, that’s just a basis for life to exist rather than harsh environments. The Earth is composed of the same elements found elsewhere in space; habitable planets are very likely to share the same elements that are composed of what is known on Earth. Carbon based alien life would fundamentally be our distant relative, considering they’re made of the same stuff we’re made of. Our beautiful neighbor, the Andromeda Galaxy The Kepler Space Program — and the Spacecraft — has identified many potential habitable planets in our galaxy that are suitable for life (humans) and potentially for extraterrestrials. Many planets found by Kepler have been a potential candidate for life — or habitable; as said in, “Other Earths and Life in the Universe,” Geoffrey Marcy writes, “As of January 2011 more than 400 exoplanets have been discovered. But in February 2011 the NASA Kepler team announced more than 800 strong candidate planets.” Habitable planet means that it is habitable for humans — that it is suitable for humans to live, breathe, and possibly eat. However, the ‘habitable planets’ do not account for potential extraterrestrial life-forms. That is, that maybe these life-forms do not need the same elements of ‘life’ as we know it. Maybe these life-forms/extraterrestrials do not need oxygen to survive, water, or even food for energy as we’ve stated before. One could assume that the life-forms on these potential ‘habitable planets’ could breathe methane or breathe sulfur dioxide to use as energy. The possibilities are endless — depending on how these life-forms may have adapted and evolved on a potentially habitable planet. Even though Kepler may have found these potentially ‘habitable planets’ does not mean that non-habitable planets cannot support other lifeforms/extraterrestrials; non-habitable planets just means that it cannot support the life of a human, not explicitly an extraterrestrial. Earth has its own alien-like creatures that have adapted to such extreme and bizarre environments which proves the point that extraterrestrials may not need the same conditions as humans do to exist. For example, creatures like the giant squid, fangtooth fish, and the deep-sea angler all have one thing in common — they all live in the deepest and darkest depths of the ocean that have pressures crushing humans in an instant. These creatures are able to live in these harsh, almost alien-like environments. In fact, the depths that these creatures live in are so deep that even light can never reach it. Again, this is great proof that extraterrestrials can live on non-habitable planets. A great point is that maybe these extraterrestrials may find that Earth is not even habitable for them; maybe Earth is too harsh of an environment for these life-forms — it can go both ways, like how in War of the Worlds, the aliens all succumbed to an Earth based bacteria during their invasion of Earth. Many people wonder: if extraterrestrials do really exist out there in the cosmos, then how come humans have not seen them and how come there’s basically no evidence of their existence? This leaves a problem that Steven J. Dick argues, “Anthropology and the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence,” where the author writes, “the idea that if the galaxy was full of intelligence, given the billion-year timescales involved, any long-lived advanced intelligence should have colonized the galaxy and should have arrived on Earth by now — yet we do not see them.” The problem with the existence of intergalactic intelligent extraterrestrials is that if their technology is so advanced, how come they haven’t visited Earth? Advanced civilizations would need many resources… which means that extraterrestrials would need to traverse across the galaxy to harvest resources off planets, asteroids, comets, moons, and the energy from many stars, like Dyson spheres/swarms. Maybe life is so rare that humans really are the only organisms that exist in the known universe. This is known as Fermi’s Paradox — a question that simply asks; where are all the alien civilizations if the Drake Equation formulates that there are hundreds, if not thousands of alien civilizations in the Milky Way Galaxy? No credible person would ever say, “Yes, aliens do exist and they have obviously visited Earth because they simply can,” because there is no significant evidence of their existence. If they have visited us puny humans, then our own civilization would have known about their existence thousands of years ago and there would be no argument about the existence of extraterrestrials whatsoever. But that is simply not the case, humans will forever stay divided about the existence of alien life until an alien life contacts Earth or we discover them. Personally, I’d rather live in that timeline than this where we have no clue whether aliens exist or not. To counteract Fermi’s Paradox, one must examine the Fermi Paradox in detail. In Fermi’s Paradox, it states that; if there are alien civilizations in our galaxy, how come they haven’t reached or contacted Earth? The simple solution to that paradox is another theory — The Great Filter. The Great Filter is a theory which proposes that if a technological civilization gets too advanced, then that civilization will get wiped out; a civilization getting wiped out means that war, natural disasters (volcanoes, tsunamis, asteroids), artificial intelligence, and so forth will prohibit an extraterrestrial civilization to be able to contact Earth. Life beyond in the unknown is inevitable; the universe should be teeming with life and, humans are the first examples of life and destruction. Another great way to solve Fermi’s Paradox is that these extraterrestrial civilizations have not reached the capacity to traverse the cosmos. What if these extraterrestrial civilizations are currently in their own ancient times — that these lifeforms are barely starting in their journey to traverse the cosmos? These civilizations must have technological limitations to travel through the Milky Way and as stated above, the Milky Way is hundreds of thousands of light years across. Traversing through the Milky Way can take thousands of years even at the speed of light. Maybe these life-forms are literally just micro-organisms, little bacteria, simple organisms, or single-celled life-forms; life can be viewed differently for many people, depending on what one defines life as — a tree, flowers, humans, cells, AI, and so forth. Another proposition that can solve Fermi’s Paradox is that extraterrestrials are simply just dead — that they’re long gone, but have existed hundreds to tens of thousands of years ago. Even looking up at the sky and seeing red-shifted celestial objects, or stars that have been long gone, it’s just simply because light travels so long against the expansive universe and time. This could be the sad reality, but it can also be said that aliens have existed, but simply died out long ago. It’s easy to imagine another civilization out in the cosmos, especially since the size of an average galaxy (thousands of light years across) multiplied to hundreds and thousands of times to form the universe which is a collection of galaxies, stars, planets, asteroids, comets, molecules, atoms, etc. In regards to the Drake Equation, the Kepler Space Program and many other scientific papers, explanations, theories, and even paradoxes — have all helped prove that out there, in the expansive and almost infinite universe, extraterrestrials exist (humans, for example). Mathematically, at least one other civilization or one other extraterrestrial organism must exist; the building blocks of life came from space, meaning that humans are literally descendants of the cosmos and that these building blocks of life exists everywhere else in the universe. The goal is to reach for the cosmos; maybe it’s our time to contact extraterrestrials, “Mankind is headed for the stars. That is our credo. Our descendants will one day live throughout the solar system and eventually seek to colonize other star systems and possibly interstellar space itself. Immense problems — technical, economic, political and social — must be solved for human life to spread through space.” One must realize that if humanity were to contact an intelligent extraterrestrial, then our fundamental understanding of life and how life evolves/adapts will be changed forever — expanded and enlightened. Our view of the world would significantly and fundamentally change, or it might not and people will make memes about the discovery of alien life. It’s crucial to believe that alien life, whether intelligent or not, exists, because solving the argument about whether they do exist or not will most notably shift our understanding about life and how to correctly (and cautiously) approach these extraterrestrials. Once humans contact extraterrestrials, the question that many people ask — “Are we alone?” –will finally be answered.
https://medium.com/@hanselpierredoan/how-life-can-exist-beyond-our-own-by-hansel-pierre-doan-f333089f7007
['Hansel Pierre Doan']
2020-10-16 07:27:41.923000+00:00
['Universe', 'Aliens', 'Life', 'Science', 'Space']
iOS 程式設計初心者
Learn more. Medium is an open platform where 170 million readers come to find insightful and dynamic thinking. Here, expert and undiscovered voices alike dive into the heart of any topic and bring new ideas to the surface. Learn more Make Medium yours. Follow the writers, publications, and topics that matter to you, and you’ll see them on your homepage and in your inbox. Explore
https://medium.com/%E5%BD%BC%E5%BE%97%E6%BD%98%E7%9A%84-swift-ios-app-%E9%96%8B%E7%99%BC%E6%95%99%E5%AE%A4/ios-%E7%A8%8B%E5%BC%8F%E8%A8%AD%E8%A8%88%E5%88%9D%E5%BF%83%E8%80%85-a6ebaa6afb1f
['Jean You']
2021-03-06 05:45:52.877000+00:00
['iOS App Development']
Laura Krifka’s Wickedly Deviant The Game of Patience
at Luis De Jesus (through October 26) Reviewed by Lita Barrie Laura Krifka enjoys doing things she is not supposed to do. Having absorbed the tenets of neoclassical painting, she bypasses high-minded seriousness by adding a candy-coated veneer of hyper-artificiality adopted from 1950s MGM musicals to the domestic decor of private scenes she undercuts with a deviant sexual subtext recalling David Lynch’s Twin Peaks. This irresistible mix of dexterity, decor, decorum and deviance makes viewing her paintings a guilty pleasure — rather like sneaking into a peep show or secretly spying on neighbor’s forbidden acts. We can view the conventions of art, cinema and domestic life through a bemused female gaze with no-holds-barred on taking delight in human foibles. Krifka belongs to a new wave of young female figurative painters who are trending because they are pushing figurative painting forward by rewriting the dominant narrative from a non-binary point of view. There is a lot of buzz around the way this technologically savvy generation is invigorating figuration with more contemporary cultural references. Krifka is on the cutting edge of this trend because her distinctive painting style is both historically grounded and current. Although she has impressive painting chops, she refuses to take herself too seriously, which makes her wry humor all-the-more infectious. Krifka developed an affection for taboo subjects after her nice Christian family discovered a collection of amateur pornography made in secret by her uncle, who was a professional photographer. She was intrigued by how different the porn models looked posing in the domestic decor of rooms with patterned wallpaper. Krifka draws on her knowledge of abstraction and Josef Albers color theory to design witty geometric wallpapers that provide psychological clues and a sense of familiarity with characters in domestic settings. Piggyback The Game of Patience is her first solo exhibition at Luis de Jesus, and the title references a game of solitaire. It is also, not coincidentally, the title of a Balthus painting, which signals her intent to stage an intervention in the history of the voyeuristic gaze. But the title also suggests the labor intensive way Krifka caringly crafts her paintings, making it a personal rebellion against a sped-up culture. These meticulous paintings can take up to six months to complete from the time she begins to draw and photograph her life models. She makes white clay figurines based on her drawings and paints and arranges them in dioramas, made in light boxes using tissue paper for the domestic decor. Kifka photographs these dioramas from different perspectives before she plays with the images on photoshop to create a three dimensional effect in two dimensions, which is the hallmark of her distinctive cinematic canvases. By combining different camera perspectives she recreates the “sense of omniscience” she loved in Stanley Kubrich’s films. Krifka also draws on the way David Lynch uses light and color to create a strange otherworldly sense of weirdness. Copy Cat Krifka treats photoshop as a leaping off point where unexpected accidents occur. She values “the gap between source material and what gets made because this gap is where the magic can happen and weirdness comes out.” Although Krifka’s paintings involve careful planning and ideation, they never look pre-meditated or contrived because she gives herself room for “the gift of spontaneity and chance,” and then runs with it. Her painting process is a patient game which the viewer also enjoys as a game of deciphering visual references, clues, double entendres and innuendos. Piggyback mimics the feminine tropes of the “sobbing women” in MGM’s Academy Award-winning musical, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers. The three women are actually the same model with blonde, brunette and red wigs because these hair colors are a favorite cliche in classic musicals. The redheaded figure on the floor turns her head to the side, mimicking a trope used for feminine submission. The sexual innuendo in Krifka’s title refers to the shadows which appear to ride from behind the two female figures on the bed. And dare we not miss the bedpost thrusting firmly, bulbously upward between the short-haired brunette’s legs, whose left heel finds itself nicely in place. The breast shapes along the geometric wallpaper aptly droop, and a Josef Albers print is reversed in a mirror reflection. Krifka incorporates multiple light sources to shine different perspectives on the “feminine masquerade,” which Joan Riviere theorized as a performance. French feminist philosopher, Luce Irigaray, advocated mimicry as a feminist strategy in which women “assume the feminine role deliberately…to convert a form of subordination into an affirmation, and thus to begin to thwart it” (This Sex Which is Not One). Krifka stages a mischievous mime as an intervention in Copy Cat to subvert Balthus’ scandalous paintings of naked pre-pubescent girls in erotic poses with cats — which have been reviled by feminists for romanticizing the sexualization of female children. Krifka undermines Balthus’ pedophiliac fantasies by posing a self-contained adult woman sitting upright in a chair beside sketchbooks filled with her cat drawings. Unlike Balthus’ passively reclining nudes with legs spread open for the taking, Krifka’s nude takes control of her own sexuality by holding her knee close to her torso, revealing but mere glimpse of a most unladylike, unruly pubic hair poking through her pink panties. A partial clock in the background suggests that women are frozen in time until they invent their own fantasies instead of impersonating the roles they are assigned in male fantasies. In Woman Drying Herself, Krifka takes another obsession in male art history with the cleanliness of vulnerable girls. This work is another play on distorting reflections which create different stages of time. The girl stepping out of the doorway appears to have an additional arm reflected behind her inside the bathroom. The fish wallpaper is an impolite reference to the lurid joke about women’s fishy smell. A red reflection from her towel suggests a menstrual flow, she calls her “fuck you to Degas.” Blue Bowls Twin Pucker Krifka approaches taboo subjects in the most genteel way. In Twin Pucker, she builds visual rhymes from a scene of twins juicing cut lemons in a sun filled room. The lemon juice spilt on the table runs beneath the male twin’s exposed buttocks as an innuendo to anal sex. Blue Bowls is a sneaky view of a naked young man who seems to be masturbating while watching a clothed woman — perhaps his mother? — changing a light bulb. These paintings put the viewer in the disconcerting yet altogether inviting position of the peeping Tom, with absolutely no fourth wall to separate us from the scene. In other paintings, Krifka reverses the balance of power in voyeurism by taking the role a female spy on private male scenes. Gemini is based on her real life fascination spying on her young male neighbors, who she often sees drinking beer in a bromance which is filled with male bravado which has homo-erotic undertones. In Between Us, Krifka’s image appears in a mirror reflection behind a young colored man who could either be looking back at her or looking at us. In Lions, a young boy sits at a table with a towel wrapped around his waist sucking his thumb as if it were a dildo, while a gazing through the glazed window is another young boy, hand deepening into his pants, either watches him or us looking at him. Between Us The Dream is a more autobiographical portrait of Krifka’s naked torso with egg wallpaper in the background, referencing not-so-subtly female fertility and mirroring on-behind the shape of her wide-open, toothless mouth, which is a hollow space shaped perfectly for an egg. This work challenges the Freudian fallacy that anatomy is destiny and more so reveals the conflicting, if not tiresome feelings about choosing one’s own path. Krifka’s mischievous exhibition uses ventriloquy as much as mimicry to intervene in the male domain of voyeurism. We are never quite sure whether we are the viewer or the viewed because her subjects often appear to looking back at us from a window or the frame. Female models can be dressed as men, as male and female twins, and the same women can play multiple roles of many women wearing differing wigs. Nothing is ever just one thing in Krifka’s polite world filled with impolite improprieties. This exhibition might be read as a wickedly funny feminist spoof on the conceits of high art viewed from the “other side” of the mirror of linear masculine, logic where roles can and will be reversed. The Dream Lions
https://cvonhassett.medium.com/laura-krifkas-wickedly-deviant-the-game-of-patience-bb9a3344080
['Riot Material']
2019-10-17 23:06:12.967000+00:00
['Sexuality', 'Art', 'Review', 'Artist', 'Painting']
Vagabond
Adrift on the prairie ocean I search for place I search for mountain I search for view But I no longer search for home That is within me Instead I long for movement I want to see mountains from all sides I want a journey Each day a new place I want to lose myself In immensity and distance I want to be a traveler A vagabond A stranger in a strange land I want to have wheels I want to see and feel And touch I want to be both present And far away I have decided to return To my endless journey That had been interrupted When I stopped moving With that decision made It will be so I will pack lightly And release my mooring
https://whitefeather9.medium.com/vagabond-3e4676135095
['White Feather']
2019-10-06 22:25:59.285000+00:00
['Travel', 'Spirituality', 'Life', 'Poetry', 'Adventure']
Studio-job.com: a never-ending scrolling art and design universe
Studio-job.com: a never-ending scrolling art and design universe Original publication date: Jan 17, 2019 Dutch branding agency Build in Amsterdam, specialising in e-commerce, has developed, together with the Dutch art and design collective Studio Job, a ‘scroll for your life’ website, showcasing and selling Studio Job’s art and design pieces. A great case of Dutch digital design helping art and design objects look even cooler. Background The Dutch art and design collective Studio Job was founded in 1998 to create once-in-a-lifetime art and design objects, combining traditional and modern techniques. Studio Job’s founding members Job Smeets and Nynke Tynagel are seen as one of the most influential design teams of the moment. They design both individual art objects as well as mass-produced design products. They have collaborated with major brands, including Swarovski, Land Rover, Alessi, and set up a joint-brand with Italian designers Seletti, called BLOW. Studio Job asked Build in Amsterdam to develop a platform, representative of their iconic style, but giving a clear and accessible overview of everything they do, appealing to their wide audience: from art collectors to Instagram-fans. Strategy By working closely with Studio Job — organising several creative sessions as well as a detailed stock-taking exercise of their work, Build in Amsterdam created a striking e-commerce platform, never losing sight of the collective’s mission and their incredible wealth of work. The agency succeeded to communicate all of this without visitors getting lost. They developed a never-ending scrolling web page through Studio Job’s universe of art and design. A web page where everyone can take all of this in, at their own pace. Process All content of the website flows from the scrolling home page. Everything has been built around this, with the menu acting as a giant filter to access anything that has been highlighted on the main page — a very smart search bar. Every filter has been carefully chosen, designed and animated, in close collaboration with Studio Job. Again, to never lose sight of what Studio Job represents and creates: playful once-in-a-lifetime objects. Therefore, the menu/search filter has become more than just a search engine. Visitors are joining in Studio Job’s fun, their way of thinking. Searching for content on their website becomes like playing a game. The agency’s biggest challenge was to translate this mood, this incredibly creative universe, into a functional online shop, without creating confusion. Their solution was to create a Mondrian-style grid, separating each piece of art, enabling each object to stand out. Ensuring that the content would not slow down the functionality and, therefore, reduce the appeal of the site, Build in Amsterdam separated the front-end and content management system (CMS). By doing so, they could use React JavaScript, an innovative user interface-technology, for both the front-end of the website as well as on the server, whilst the client is using Wordpress and its e-commerce plugin, Woocommerce, both incredibly easy to use. Without doing this, the website would have been almost three times slower. Outcome Even though studio-job.com has only been launched recently, it has already won numerous awards, including an SOTD at Awwwards and the FWA. The site has also been nominated for the Awwwards’ E-commerce Site of the Year. This case study was brought to you by the Dutch Digital Design collective.
https://medium.com/@DutchDigital/studio-job-com-a-never-ending-scrolling-art-and-design-universe-f8b6ae7c7163
['Dutch Digital Design']
2020-12-16 10:31:04.305000+00:00
['Design', 'Creative', 'Marketing', 'Agency', 'Digital']
Can Breast Implants Cause Low Milk Supply?
Breast implants can impact milk supply, but they do not have to. Much of this depends on surgical options such as implant incision location and implant placement. Breast implant incision options include: Areolar — around the nipple in the darker skin of the areola Inframammary — underneath the breast in the crease where breast and chest meet Transaxillary — in the folds of the armpit A fourth option, TUBA, can be made in the bellybutton. This incision, however, severely limits a surgeon’s ability to place implants with precision and is not typically used. For women who may choose to breastfeed in the future, an inframammary or Transaxillary incision will be best. These eliminate the risk of damage to nerves in the nipple that trigger the neurohormonal reflex, which is essential for the production and release of breast milk. Breast implant placement options include: Subglandular — in between breast tissue and the muscles in the chest Dual Plane — Partially above and partially below the muscles in the chest Submuscular — entirely below the muscles in the chest For women who may choose to breastfeed in the future, submuscular placement is a better choice. Subglandular placement can impact the milk ducts, slowing or reducing both supply and flow of breastmilk. Implants placed underneath chest muscles will not impact the ducts or glands and should not affect a woman’s ability to breastfeed. What Causes Low Milk Supply? There are a number of factors that can cause low milk supply in breastfeeding mothers. Some concern the breasts themselves and the infant’s ability to latch successfully. Some are related to other physical issues including thyroid disorders and diabetes. Others may be a result of lifestyle choices such as alcohol or tobacco use; others still may be the result of medications such as antihistamines. There are several techniques that can be used to boost milk supply, though at-home remedies are not successful for every mother. If you are struggling with low milk supply, it can be helpful to work with a board-certified lactation specialist who can assess your specific situation and provide you with individualized support and services. Will Breastfeeding Impact My Breast Augmentation Results? Breastfeeding itself will not impact your breast augmentation results. Pregnancy, on the other hand, very well may. During pregnancy, the breasts change in both size and shape. Some of these changes will self-resolve — either through breastfeeding or once the baby is weened — but others, such as excess skin and asymmetry, may be permanent. If you have undergone breast augmentation prior to becoming pregnant, it is possible that you will need revision surgery — perhaps with breast lift — to restore your bust to its pre-pregnancy appearance. For this reason, many women choose to forego breast surgery until they have made the decision to not have (or to not have more) children. This is not a decision that anyone else can make for you. It is something best decided by you and your plastic surgeon. While several practical considerations must be taken into account, it is ultimately up to you to determine when it might be the right time for a procedure. Breast and Body Surgery Following Pregnancy Pregnancy changes the body in several ways. Common physical changes include a loss of volume and lift in the breasts, accumulations of fat in the abdomen, hips, and waist, a separation of abdominal muscles (diastasis recti), excess and loose skin in the midsection, and stubborn fat deposits throughout the body. It is possible to address many of the changes brought about by pregnancy with a healthy diet and consistent exercise routine, but these efforts are not always fully successful at addressing excess skin and fat — and even the most progressive exercises and healthy diets cannot restore the breasts to their original appearance. To address these issues, some women choose to undergo mommy makeover surgery after they have finished having children. Mommy makeover surgery focuses on the areas most impacted by pregnancy and is customized to meet the individual needs of each mother, but there are some procedures that are commonly included in this technique, such as: Breast Lift to address ptosis (sagging) and nipple displacement to address ptosis (sagging) and nipple displacement Breast Augmentation to restore volume and symmetry to the chest to restore volume and symmetry to the chest Liposuction to remove stubborn fat deposits from legs, hips, back, arms, and neck to remove stubborn fat deposits from legs, hips, back, arms, and neck Abdominoplasty to reattach separated abdominal muscles, draw the waist in, and remove excess skin from the belly Depending on the needs and desires of the individual, a mommy makeover may also include facial rejuvenation, nonsurgical skincare treatments, and vaginal rejuvenation. When is the Right Time for Plastic Surgery? To learn when it will be best for you to undergo any plastic surgery procedure, meet with a board-certified plastic surgeon and have an honest conversation. Be open about your future plans, your willingness to change your lifestyle, and other personal issues that can have an impact on the duration of your results — and be willing to accept frank information about your candidacy and the types of results you can realistically expect. The right time to have plastic surgery is not the same for every person (nor are surgical options always the best choice), making it important that you choose to discuss your options with a reputable, trusted, and experienced plastic surgeon. It is always okay to get more than one opinion, just be sure you are only working with surgeons who have obtained board-certification. You can find a board-certified plastic surgeon by visiting the Certification Matters website maintained by the American Board of Medical Specialties. Opting to have plastic surgery is an individual choice. Working with a well-reviewed and qualified plastic surgeon can help ensure the choice you are making is right for your needs now and into the future.
https://medium.com/@batessteven/can-breast-implants-cause-low-milk-supply-df3dcf7ecd5b
['Dr. Steven Bates']
2019-08-27 12:42:24.889000+00:00
['Board Certification', 'Mommy Makeover', 'Breast Augmentation', 'Breast Implants', 'Breastfeeding']
9 Quotes That Makes My Life To Become Meaningful
9 Quotes That Makes My Life To Become Meaningful A meaningful life is not what you accidentally stumble upon, it's something you build into your life. Abdulkadir Follow Dec 23, 2020 · 5 min read photo by Joshua Earle on unsplash Its bedrock is built on so many factors such as experiences, beliefs, and core values. The people you walk with, things you cherish, and things you are willing to let go define who you are. You need to rebuild the meaning in your life and need something to fight for. The power to build a meaningful life is in you, you just need to find a way to create one for yourself. carefully read these quote as they serve as an eye-opener and guide to you: 1. “How long are you going to wait before you demand the best for yourself?” ― Epictetus People often set a time when they want to start chasing their dream life like I will start when it's next year January, which they eventually will still set another goal when the initial set time elapses. Procrastination kills dreams and wastes our time without knowing the time is waiting for us. The best time to start chasing your dream life is right now. 2. “A man is a success if he gets up in the morning and goes to bed at night, and in between does what he wants to do.” ― Bob Dylan. To become successful we need to wake up in the morning and strive towards achieving our goals. For success to be yours, you need to be able to achieve your daily goals. This is essential to your success in life as a day passes and each goal is achieved, it shows you are a step closer to your bigger goal. 3. “It never ceases to amaze me: we all love ourselves more than other people but care more about their opinion than our own.” ― Marcus Aurelius We often said we love ourselves, but we let other people opinion gets into our head and let them decide for us. most people tend to please other people first because of what they might say about us instead of pleasing ourselves first. It's time you look inwardly and see what pleases your life and do it in the right way, I didn’t mean to be self-centered and neglect other people's words, but to value what you want as well. 4. “Don’t hate the game. Love the game, cause you’re in it, mate. Own the game.” ― Guy Ritchie people pay attention to life. Dealing with life like a game makes it fun. The round of life has differing levels of trouble, however, on the off chance that you assume liability for all that you do and go about as the expert of your realm, at that point you’ll, in effect, own your life. Try not to allow others to pick your identity, entice you with common pleasures, or disclose to you that you’re adequately not perfect. Wager on yourself without fail and play the game like a hero. 5. “If you are not falling down occasionally, you are just coasting.” ― Kevin Kelly If you want to make it, you need to be out of your comfort zone. pain is part of life. and it's what we pass through to be successful in life, if you are not ready to fall then you will never learn how to rise. Success comes with struggles and dedication and it comes with challenges you must be ready to face to be successful in life. 6. “Instead of wondering when your next vacation is, maybe you should set up a life you don’t need to escape from.” ― Seth Godin Humans always want to look for happiness and better life somewhere, planning for a vacation, trips, and tourism. Why not create happiness and a better life in your place. You can’t escape the reality of being sad by going on vacation. A better solution is to design the life you’ve always dreamed of and lay a single brick each day until you’ve built it. This may take time, but in the end, it will be worth it. 7. “Besides the noble art of getting things done, there is the noble art of leaving things undone. The wisdom of life consists in the elimination of non-essentials.” ― Lin Yutang Not all things need to be done, we have committed ourselves to so many tasks that take our time, we can’t please everyone. In the process of commitment to achieve our goals, there are things we need to leave undone as this will hinder the main goals if we want to get all things done. 8. “When you feel overwhelmed or unfocused, what do you do? Memento mori — “remember that you have to die.” All of this will go to nothing.” ― Ryan Holiday When things get tough, what do you do? do you give up or you keep pushing. Know that the tough time will surely elapse and things will be back your way. Don't be discouraged to face the time, because after every hardship it's the ease that follows. 9.“You will never be happy if you continue to search for what happiness consists of. You will never live if you are looking for the meaning of life.” ― Albert Camus. Happiness isn’t something you find. It’s something you create and do. Happiness, much like hopelessness, is a decision. Would you like to realize why individuals are testy, negative, and have a terrible mentality? It’s simpler to be sad than it is to be happy, and it’s simpler to continue looking than it is to decide now that you will see things in different way. It’s harder to assume the best about individuals or grin when you’re not feeling your best. Like a propensity, however, it gets simpler with time. So stop searching for happiness, create it and you will forever be happy. Your happiness is in you, just let it out and you will see the world in its beautiful color. Which of the above quotes really touch you in the core part of your heart? let me know in the comment below.
https://medium.com/illumination/9-quotes-that-makes-my-life-to-be-meaningful-451f3560c4e
[]
2020-12-23 09:20:25.947000+00:00
['Life', 'Quotes', 'Achievement', 'Meaningful Life', 'Success']
I read 50 books this year. Here’s what I learned.
There is no self-development advice less contentious than “read lots of books.” Dense, voluminous reading is a Silicon Valley-inhereted self development hack — Warren Buffett reportedly reads 500 pages a day, Bill Gates reads 50 books per year, and a young Elon Musk apparently read 10 hours a day. Blinkist has turned this obsession in to a business model, essentially claiming to be able to distil ideas in to simple propositions which can be transmitted in less time than it takes for an UberEats delivery to arrive. I don’t feel any wiser having read a great deal this year. Elon Musk, reading ten hours a day, still feels it appropriate to call people paedophiles and make transphobic jokes over twitter. So — what gives? Does reading work? If I learned one thing from all my reading this year, it’s that my mind is not a computer. It doesn’t download, store, and retrieve information like a server in cold storage. It certainly doesn’t transfer information in one go. If we want to get benefits from reading, we have to learn how to read like human beings rather than like computers. So, how do human beings read? We can answer this question by looking for edge cases where reading is actually effective in promoting personal transformation. We can ask: Where and with who do we see evidence of deep learning as a result of engagement with texts and stories? The answer, of course, is in religious practice. Buddhists not only read but meditate on Sutras through a specified process which involves multiple readings and cultivated psychological states. Aboriginal Australians, though not a written culture, maintained their stories through intergenerational processes connected to place, kin and meaning making — they also enacted their stories multimodally through movement and song. Christians read basically the same book over and over, and often spend hours discussing a single passage. They also have specific people who help them implement the book’s lessons in real life. Reading works best when it is relevant to and applied within and through a shared lifeworld, repeated across time and enacted across different mediums, and done with cultivated attention and awareness. Christians called it Lectio Divina, but Deep Reading will do for secular purposes. You can think of Deep Reading as trying to read through a book, rather than simply read a book. Books are lenses on to which we can see our own lives and communities differently. I was partly right with the old chair and the timeboxing, but otherwise I spent a year playing in the shallows. No wonder that I don’t remember that the main theme of The Memory Police — which I read just three months ago — was about the importance of books for maintaining our history and memory. My goal next year — read fewer books more deeply.
https://medium.com/@adendate/i-read-50-books-this-year-heres-what-i-learned-cb2928331ecd
['Aden Date']
2020-12-22 08:30:52.835000+00:00
['Self Development', 'Productivity', 'Reading', 'Books']
Is there a reading app that I can customize and upload books I like?
If you are an individual business, producing eBooks or collecting free ebooks for your users then Suusoft’s Ebook app is the solution for you. It is easy to extend and bring many conveniences to users. Ebook app will display books by category, by category, by criteria so that users can easily view books and search their books. Each book is managed by chapters ( if you want). Not only reads the popular pdf format, but the app template can also be opened in epub. Highlights: - Interface in the modern style, nice layout, convenient layout. With the home screen now full of information about the famous app. - Read eBooks with multiple file formats like pdf, epub - Fast performance - Easily expand and customize easily with less time Platform: IOS, Android About Suusoft- The company that develops this application. SUUSOFT is a Mobile and Web application development company with a team of professionals dedicated to servingour customers across diverse industries using the bests tate-of-the-art systems and technology since 2017.We engage with a massive endeavour to invent and develop best-in-class web and mobile applications supported in all major platforms like Android, iPhone.
https://medium.com/@suusoft/is-there-a-reading-app-that-i-can-customize-and-upload-books-i-like-d56f5ed4d93a
[]
2020-12-04 04:04:55.009000+00:00
['Ebook Application', 'App Development', 'Mobile Apps']
El Bebe
And Job 34 said “Who appointed him over the earth? Who put him in charge of the world?’ Several thousand years later we have “El Bebe” https://www.instagram.com/p/CIY95MNjwuW/ and we wonder why climate change is happening? lol It is adorable though. ❤
https://medium.com/@voicing-freedom/el-bebe-bccf16e7a33b
['Voicing Freedom']
2020-12-26 21:24:29.017000+00:00
['Animals', 'Laugh', 'Humor', 'Facts', 'Funny']
Sketchnotes for Conferences: How to Stay Awake and Engaged
Picture yourself in a drinking-from-a-firehose situation, like the first day of a four-day conference. You want to get the most out of the event (and your entrance fee), but you have some long days ahead of you, and you’re maybe a little jet-lagged. What do you see yourself doing next? Pulling out a notebook and pen and toiling to record every single detail? Doodling on a napkin to keep yourself entertained? Focusing on the speakers’ words, only to get distracted partway through? No matter which option you picked, you’re not alone. All three methods are fraught with challenges, like fatigue, lack of focus, and hand cramps. So you might want to consider one more option: sketchnotes for conferences. Sketchnotes combine art and writing into a product that helps you pay attention, and in doing so helps you learn. If you want to get more out of your notes, read on! What Are Sketchnotes? Why Sketchnote? Sketchnotes are what they sound like; they’re notes that use pictures. People seem to like looking at sketchnotes, and because they attract the eye, they are a great source of LinkedIn clout. Beyond that, sketchnotes are a great learning tool! Taking sketchnotes requires more translation of information than traditional notes do: what you hear becomes a concept, which you have to recreate on the page as a combination of words and pictures. The moment when you decide to turn “goal” into an arrow with a target, or to draw “network” as interconnected circles and lines, is where you reinforce your memory. Here are some examples of sketchnote styles made by me and by other people! Regardless of topic, sketchnotes use similar techniques to convey information. The sketchnotes above share many elements: large titles, illustrations, diagrams, drawings of people, and even some colors. The layout helps your eye jump to different parts of the subject. Anything considered important is called out with colored highlights or arrows or with a different lettering style. Each page makes you want to look closer to learn more. Example of Marisa’s neuroscience notes from college The same can’t be said of regular notes. Regular notes — handwritten, bullet-pointed, linear — are boring. All the text is the same size, with maybe a few variations due to underlining and capitalizing. This monotony makes traditional notes more difficult to scan for information. It’s easy to take these kinds of notes — it’s what many of us grew up with. But these notes tend to be transcriptions instead of highlights, which not only tires out your hand, but also doesn’t involve as much mental processing. Not having to mentally process what you’re writing might sound like an upside, but you’re more than a transcription machine — you’re someone who wants to learn something. Surely we can do better. How Do I Listen? Sketchnotes start with listening. I know this seems like an article about how to draw, but it’s really an article about how to pay attention to stuff in the world and extract valuable nuggets of information. To do that, we’ll detour and talk about how to dissect a talk, and how that helps you sketchnote. When a speaker titles their talk, they’re making a promise to you about what you’ll learn from them. Every pithy quote, every title slide, every transition, every diagram should help reinforce that promise. The speaker wants you to learn and remember certain things, which they’ll hopefully call out for you, so that you can record and remember them. Title slides can become section headers, transitions become arrows, pithy quotes are embellished, diagrams are recorded. Remember that you’re not carbon-copying someone’s words, you’re just pulling out the parts that you want to remember. (A good speaker will make it easy to take good sketchnotes, because sketchnotes are all about the big picture.) Speaking of the big picture, some things don’t translate well into images. Sometimes you’ll need to use bullet points to capture details, especially with things like anecdotes and in-depth explanations. For the things that do translate, it’s worth spending time ruminating on which objects you think should represent certain concepts. For example, it’s both easy and cliche to represent machine learning as a brain with some circuit-y lines. A laptop computer is a frequent stand-in for technology. Smiley faces usually mean “happy” or “good.” These kinds of concept-to-image sketchnote methods exist everywhere in the world; copying is totally allowed! What’s My Style? Should you choose to use sketchnotes, make them work for you. There’s no need to change your handwriting or your art style just to make your notes more attractive. If you’re taking notes, that’s something you’re already doing for yourself, so keep doing that! Capture what’s meaningful to you in a way that’s comfortable for you. Make your sketchnote style yours. In the spirit of sticking with what you’re comfortable with, try to resist the temptation to go out and buy fancy new pens or an expensive notebook just so you can take notes. If that’s what motivates you, go for it, but know that it’s not really necessary or productive to have expensive equipment. The best pen is the one you have with you, and the best notebook is the one you have on hand! Whether that’s a pad of post-its and a pen from your bank, or the newest model of iPad and an Apple Pencil, use what’s available. It’s faster to draw things if you don’t think about them too hard, and you gotta go fast to keep up with speakers! I’m a notorious overthinker, so I’d like to liberate you from the burden of overthinking. There’s a whole world of practices around the easiest ways to draw people, visual vocabulary, and hand-drawn typography. The two keys here are simplicity and familiarity. Exploring your art style not only helps you take notes faster, but also helps you establish a connection with your notes. If you want to add some differentiation to your headers, give cursive a shot, or try all-caps. If you’re a stick figure aficionado or a star people stan, go right ahead. Making your notes yours is the key to taking better notes, and sketchnoting is one way of doing that. Sketchnotes let you inject your own personality and priorities into your notes. Conclusion The next time you’re at a conference and you feel pressure to do something to justify your attendance, give sketchnotes a try. By using sketchnotes for conferences, you create something that you can take more pride in and are more interested in coming back to. In addition, sketchnotes help you to do more processing of information by taking in a presenter’s words, extracting their key ideas, and translating those ideas back into images. Learning is good for your brain, and so are sketchnotes! Have you ever tried sketchnoting? How did it go? Let me know in the comments!
https://medium.com/workday-design/sketchnotes-for-conferences-how-to-stay-awake-and-engaged-5651333d31d6
['Workday Design']
2020-01-09 17:01:01.262000+00:00
['Sketchnote', 'Conference Notes', 'Sketching', 'Drawing', 'Conference Engagement']
Important Facts You Need to Know About Your Body, Protein, and Weight Loss
I have an eighteen-year-old son who has lost over seventy pounds in the last nine months. He’s become quite obsessive about nutrition and workouts and looking at him, I completely understand his compulsion. He’s like a different person, both on the inside and out. He has more confidence and his habits and disposition have completely changed for the better. To keep his weight loss going, he reads up on just about everything related to food and how it affects his body’s abilities to let go of fat and build muscle. As a result of his extensive research, his conversations with me now typically revolve around these subjects. And although Call of Duty is still one of his favorite topics, there is one word that has taken over his vocabulary: protein. He knows that I am also a bit obsessive over my weight, and every day, I am browbeaten for my eating habits (or lack thereof). I wake up in the morning and have a cup of coffee, but the rest of the day? Nothing. Until about five o clock. I tell my son that no calories mean no weight gain, right? His response to this statement is a vehement no. And the truth is that my “semi-starvation diet” has not been working for me, and the pounds are creeping up rather than running away. So I decided to do some research and from what I’ve read, there is a bit of magic in this word protein. Here what I found out. Protein suppresses your appetite There are two main hormones that determine your feelings of hunger: ghrelin and leptin. Web MD summarizes these two hormones in their relationship to appetite. They state: “Leptin is a hormone, made by fat cells, that decreases your appetite. Ghrelin is a hormone that increases appetite, and also plays a role in body weight.” I did numerous studies on whether or not eating a high protein diet affected these two hormones, and the studies I read indicated that not only did it have an effect on body weight, it had a significant one. Men’s Journal cites research by the Society for Endocrinology to help explain protein’s power to influence these two hormones. For example, eating a high protein diet causes a chemical reaction in the body whose by-product is phenylalanine, a type of amino acid, and scientific research on this chemical has shown that it significantly reduces appetite by increasing the production of leptin. The article details a study where rats were given phenylalanine over the span of a week. The findings were that “after a single dose of phenylalanine, the rodents experienced a decrease in their typical food intake, increased levels of the hunger-curbing hormone GLP-1, and diminished levels of appetite-spiking ghrelin.” Another study published in the National Library of Medicine found that participants who ate a higher protein diet “spontaneously ate 400 fewer calories each day, despite having no restrictions on the rest of their diet.” This doesn’t change the fact that some individuals feel they can only praise the benefits of high protein intake if eating these foods is in conjunction with the lowering of carbohydrate intake, an idea perpetuated in diet trends such as the Keto diet. However, information published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition reports a study whose findings were that an increase in dietary protein “resulted in rapid losses of weight and body fat” with “no reduction in dietary carbohydrate content.” The researchers’ beliefs were that this “favorable change in body composition was due to a sustained decrease in appetite [brought on by a high protein diet].” Protein boosts your metabolism An article written by two members of the Department of Internal Medicine at Yale University School of Medicine explains the effects of eating more protein in its connection to the process of thermogenesis. Thermogenesis is the amount of energy expended by the body when it processes nutrients through the digestion of food. Their extensive research studies and corresponding statistical analysis indicated that “high protein diets can favorably alter the energy balance equation” and “increase the thermic effect.” In other words, your body expends more heat and energy digesting proteins than it does with other foods, thus increasing your body’s overall ability to consistently burn more calories. Their conclusion? The “enhanced satiety [that comes with eating protein]allows for decreased food intake while an increased thermic effect allows for greater calorie output.” Simple ways to get more protein in your diet A simple online search will provide you with numerous lists of high protein foods, but here are some of the ones I found appearing most often. Meats lean chicken breast, pork, or beef turkey fish eggs Dairy cheese milk yogurt Vegetables lima beans broccoli asparagus lentils brussels sprouts pinto beans green peas sweet corn collard greens spinach sweet potatoes cauliflower Nuts and Seeds pumpkin seeds sunflower seeds peanuts almonds pistachios cashews Snacks beef sticks cottage cheese an apple with peanut butter protein bars string cheese fruit and nut snack bars granola The bottom line: The research is definitely in, and adding more protein to your diet seems to be an easy way to help keep the pounds off. However, remember that calories and fat content matter too, so a careful look at those numbers is essential as well. The bottom line is that you deserve to have a body that gives you energy, keeps you healthy, and helps you look the way you want it to. Protein is important, but as with everything in life, a special balance is required for optimal success. Planning ahead and having easy access to these foods will help you make better choices, and when you combine this strategy with things such as added movement, proper sleep, and acts of self-care to help you manage your emotions, you’ll look and feel more fabulous. Some added inspiration? The holiday season is approaching and though a mask may hide your face, everyone will get to see the beautiful changes you’ve made in your body. And the most important person who’ll marvel at your body will be you.
https://medium.com/live-your-life-on-purpose/important-facts-you-need-to-know-about-your-body-protein-and-weight-loss-ea22015a1014
['Dawn Bevier']
2020-11-16 13:03:13.110000+00:00
['Self Improvement', 'Weight Loss', 'Health', 'Weight', 'Nutrition']
An Antidote to Imposter Syndrome
Despite the assumptions of others, I’m not particularly confident much of the time. This shouldn’t be a big surprise. Most humans suffer from a sense of unworthiness, or ‘imposter-syndrome’ — worried we aren’t as put together as people think we are and we will be found out at any moment. Imposter-syndrome rears its head often in the days leading up to me teaching a course on how to use Buddhist practice in the work of social restoration (as if Buddhist practice is anything but socially restorative). I struggle a lot with fear that the whole thing will be a flop, or someone in the group will derail the conversation and I’ll not be able to bring folks back to the focus of the work. Such fears are perfect for practice. When we meet our edges is right where you could say “the rubber hits the road” for anyone engaged in working with their minds. There’s so much anxiety connected to ‘what if’ because of the resistance we have to the possibility of things not going our way. Accepting that yes, sometimes something won’t go our way, can be the perfect antidote. I’ve used this approach with many things, particularly heavy, painful possibilities like: ‘What if my cat dies?’ What if she does? One day she will. And it will hurt. It will be devastating. It will be painful and sad and heartbreaking. And I will live. Just as I have lived through grief before and learned to adjust to a new normal absent of the physical presence of someone I love. Knowing I can work with a ‘what if’ like my cat dying, makes it a lot less difficult to sit with something like: ‘What if I can’t answer something someone asks during a class I’m teaching?’ I don’t know every possible answer, and I don’t need to. I also don’t need to pretend I have a response to something when I don’t. This is a trap that’s easy to fall into when we’re sitting in the teacher’s chair. We think we have to have a response and it needs to sound really wise or savvy. But no one is an expert in everything. We just need to know our own mind and practice and share that with clarity and skill. Owning my mind is something I’ve been working on for years, almost the entire decade I’ve considered myself a dharma practitioner. But it’s only recently that I’ve been able to dig into it a little more and see the fruition of all my effort. Listening to Reverend angel Kyodo williams has been a significant help for this practice. In a talk they gave for the Meditation in the City podcast, they say: “You don’t get to have your own mind. You only have the collective mind.” This is referring to cultural influences on how we think and the impact socialisation has on our implicit biases. Our mind is not free of outside influences. Our opinions, thoughts, ideas and perspectives are shaped by the world in which we live. Another teaching Reverend angel gives often is that you are responsible for your own mind; other people’s minds are not your business. This sounds like it conflicts with the first teaching, but what they are saying is we are influenced by collective ideas, and it’s our job to work with how those influences impact us as an individual. We can change our own mind — we can’t change anyone else’s. This was something I’ve understood on an intellectual level for a very long time but only took to heart (and gut) in the last year. It is common to believe, if other people just changed their behaviour, things would get better. I did this a lot with past partners. I would listen to a talk or read something in a book and think if my partner had this information they would change! For the better! So I’d share the thing, prepared for it to blow their mind. Instead, I would be met with disdain, annoyance, and oftentimes anger. I didn’t get why they were so upset when I was just trying to help. This is not to say we shouldn’t share things we think others will benefit from, but anything we share should be offered without expectations. To prepare for teaching for the first time — to a mixed audience of folks from very different backgrounds and experiences — I realised taking this to heart was essential. I work with my mind every single day and I can speak to my experience, but how I work with my mind is up to me and how another works with their mind is up to them. As long as I remember that my mind is my responsibility, and I’m not responsible for the minds of anyone else in the room, imposter-syndrome can’t get in my way. I don’t have to change anyone’s mind, or figure out how they should apply the teachings to their life. That is their business and responsibility, not mine. My responsibility is to show up authentically and share my practice in good faith, as an offering folks can use as they want to, if they want to. From this mindset confidence blossoms because I’m not trying to prove anything to anyone. I trust in my practice. I trust in it because I see the results of it. If someone else doesn’t trust in my practice, no big deal. There is no need to convince anyone of the validity or depth of my practice. I let it speak for itself and invite others to judge it on their own merit, according to what works for them.
https://medium.com/kaitlynschatch/an-antidote-to-imposter-syndrome-229342ffbe2f
['Kaitlyn S. C. Hatch']
2020-03-04 22:02:41.666000+00:00
['Buddhism', 'Dharma', 'Imposter Syndrome', 'Personal Responsibility']
Two Gay College Brothers Lose Each Other
Two Gay College Brothers Lose Each Other Lemor Zellermayer/Upsplash.com My high school frat brother Freddie Yoder asked me to join him for rush parties as soon as we registered for college. I probably would have skipped them if he hadn’t. He wanted free beer, but he had a specific fraternity in mind. His sister was the Teke Sweetheart and had dated the president since high school. I figured if I wanted a college social life, Freddie was the way in. The fraternities were stereotyped. The Lambda Chi Alphas were the nerdy good students, Phi Kappa Theta were the cool guys, Theta Xi the gross-out gang, and Sigma Alpha Mu was for Jewish students. TKE were jocks and so the least likely fit for me. I quietly aspired to PKT but made no effort because I knew Freddie would get me in TKE. The TKE rush party at Luigi’s Pizza Parlor boasted a table of gleaming athletic trophies. There were no fraternity houses because all the members were commuters living at home. Frat President Alan Lichtenwalter stood at one end of the trophy display in creased slacks, buttoned-down shirt, and a fraternity pin with a tiny gavel signifying his rank. Freddy introduced us. Alan was friendly and gracious, but that night I had no inkling how close we would become. After flipping through the fraternity photo album with him, we had a couple of beers, and then Freddy and I moved on to other parties. I checked off only Teke on my rush ballot the following week because Freddy assured me he had let them know we were a package deal. Sure enough, we were soon officially pledged. Each member selected a pledge to be his “little brother.” Alan, as president, had first choice. He chose Freddy, whom he considered a family obligation, but he also chose me. While I did not attach much significance to having a big brother, especially since I was not fond of my own, Alan took an interest in me. He gave me a list of members’ names, their majors, and the names of their girlfriends so I could learn these as a sign of respect and of my seriousness about joining the fraternity. He schooled me on their peculiarities so I could stay out of trouble. He offered the same guidance to Freddy who was less concerned about it all. He was an average guy who got along with others easily. I, on the other hand, was used to being an outcast. Alan and I formed a bond that would grow over time. He persuaded me to keep my mouth shut and not say the first ironic, sarcastic, or disrespectful thing that popped into my head. While I did not care for several older members who seemed of an entirely different generation, I did come to like others and formed friendships that have endured. Alan laughingly referred to me as “High School Harry,” meaning I needed to grow up. I was regularly at Alan’s house, met his welcoming family, and became a sort of mascot. If Alan was somewhere, I was not too far away even though he was three years older. We dressed alike, shared the same dream of law school and a lucrative career, and both wanted luxury cars with “power windows,” which became our inside joke. The striking thing about Alan was that he absolutely accepted me and genuinely liked me as I was. When I was with him, nothing was wrong with me, a remarkable and unaccustomed experience I failed to fully appreciate. With everyone else, I felt defective, sensing they wanted me to be more “regular.” Not with Alan. He didn’t care that my parents were divorced or my mother was a glorified secretary. He didn’t like sports any more than I did. He didn’t mind that I was not religious even though his family was. And he did not mind I was usually broke. He never made fun of me for anything and seemed interested in what I thought. With him, I was at home in the world. He could always count on me for help with the fraternity projects he constantly made happen, from a magnificent rush display he called The Castle, planned, built, and hand-antiqued in cherry and gray including a striped awning in the center over the trophies, to each year’s homecoming float, which always won first prize. All Alan had to do to correct me was to stare at me with pursed lips, hands-on-hips, his left eyebrow sharply raised, and sternly speak a drawn-out “Larrreee!” followed by his signature chuckle. I would have followed him anywhere. We double-dated occasionally, Alan always with Ann. We had fun, though she was too serious for my taste. In fairness, she was working more than full time to save for their wedding. Marriage and children were on her mind, and she seemed already there while the rest of us focused on the next crawfish boil. As we grew closer, we began to smoke the same brand of cigarettes. Then we both bought tasseled Weejuns because penny loafers were suddenly out. Soon, one of my tassels on one shoe fell off. Alan helped me retrace my steps all over campus looking for it with no luck. He then suggested I cut one of the two tassels on the good shoe leaving one tassel per shoe to match. When I protested, he got a scissors and cut off one of the tassels on each of his own nearly new shoes and announced we were starting a new fad. Sure enough a few other brothers followed and Alan named it “Teke Style.” Surely no one had a better friend. Alan was creative, confident, and competent. He was a history major who always got As and expected me to do well. He knew the university deans and administrators and was Teke’s representative on the Inter-Fraternity Council. He didn’t have an envious, jealous, or mean bone in his body. I thought he would be a great success someday, perhaps as a lawyer or corporate leader. I did not think I would succeed in the world nearly as well as he would. My time with Alan was limited. He was a senior when I pledged so we would have only one year together. He planned to marry Ann after graduation and go on to law school. The Vietnam War changed everything. He would be classified 1-A after graduation, become an infantry second lieutenant and cannon fodder for the Viet Cong. So he deferred graduation by changing his major, buying an additional year. As his delayed graduation approached and the war’s body count rose, his father managed to get him into the Navy submarine service, the only available safe option. Then, just before Alan’s graduation, he broke his engagement with Ann. I was shocked because Alan was nothing if not reliable. This did not sound like him at all. When I called to find out what had happened, he wearily explained that he could not in good conscience marry and then go off to war. He had struggled and concluded it just was not fair to Ann. He asked her to postpone the wedding, a suggestion that angered her after all the saving and planning. She would not budge and neither would he. As far as she was concerned, if the wedding was off, they were too. Alan stood his ground and that was the abrupt end of their long relationship. I was getting ready to go to Detroit for the summer with Bruce. His father had just been transferred by Ford, so Bruce was going home for the summer to a place he’d never been. He asked me to come along for an “adventure.” I needed to spend some time with Alan before I left. The recent gay business with Will Higgins was unfinished. I was troubled by my sexual attraction that day in his apartment. I had fought this demon for years, and things seemed to have gotten worse. No matter how many girls I had sex with or how much I enjoyed it, I was simply not like regular guys. This troubled and frightened me. I felt Alan was somehow like me, that maybe we were both struggling with a peculiar physical attraction to men that was destructive and led nowhere. I cannot say why I thought that. Alan had given me no cause. No gossip flew around like with Will. I wanted to talk to Alan about it but didn’t know how. One day we were riding down Elysian Fields in his parents’ burgundy Impala, the air-conditioned cabin filled with our Tareyton cigarette smoke. I was trembling with anxiety. Time was running out. It was now or not at all. I remembered a party where the older members of TKE had wanted to throw me into a swimming pool for reasons I never understood. When I refused to resist and shouted “Fine! Just get it over with!” they were deflated. I had taken all of the fun out of it. Then a thuggish member I disliked intensely said, “Of course! He’s Alan Lichtenwalter Jr.” I understood that as an insult to both of us, a message that neither of us was a regular guy. He might as well have called us queers. The memory reminded me of how much we had in common. Alan was kind and decent. I knew I could trust him, yet no words came, nor could I imagine any that would serve. I wanted to suggest we were struggling with the same defect, wordlessly, like a mime. I needed to know there was someone else like me in the world. I thought if I had even one person to share my private hell, I could go on and live an ordinary life. I considered reaching for his crotch, but this was not about sex and I did not want to send the wrong signal. I loved Alan, though I would not have put it that way. I was not sexually attracted to him. He was my beloved big brother, a man unlike any in my life. As we breezed down the avenue, I metaphorically leapt of the cliff by grabbing his wrist and pulling his hand toward my crotch. As bizarre as that sounds, in the moment, it seemed the only way to make him see me. Alan resisted. I could feel the strength in his arm as he pulled back like we were arm wrestling. I could see confusion and fear in his eyes. I let go and nearly wept with relief, but I had to explain what had just happened. I let out a long breath and confessed I thought about men even though I didn’t want to. I told him I felt so alone and didn’t know how to deal with it. I said, “I thought you might understand.” Alan stared straight ahead at the street. Then he said with a stern voice and precise words, “We must not speak about this … not ever.” That told me all I needed to know and maybe all I could take. We were the same; we both had to pretend otherwise and go on as the world demanded, as if even this precious moment had not happened. We did not exist, because we were not allowed to exist. We could not just be, nor could we speak of who we were, not if we were to survive. The world offered us no place unless we worked to resemble others. So we moved wordlessly on. Alan went off to war, and I went back to believing I was mostly straight with an insubstantial dash of gay. Over the summer in Michigan with Bruce, I reconnected with my high school sweetheart, Julie Guten, leading to our marriage after my college graduation. Alan went to Connecticut for submarine training and, while there, mailed me the Woodstock flyer. Two years later, Alan was discharged in Hawaii and remained for graduate school in art history. During my first year of law school, he came home to visit his family and attended a party Julie and I hosted. When I asked, “What happened to law school?” he explained, “I served my country for two years in a tin can under the ocean. Now I can study whatever I want on the GI Bill. I will love every minute of it!” Eventually, I stopped hearing from him. I thought to contact his parents for his address, but the pressures of a new law career, soon followed by children, were such that I never did so. I kept thinking he would call me when he came home to visit, but that never happened.
https://medium.com/prismnpen/two-gay-college-brothers-lose-each-other-ea8a5a6b8696
['Laurence Best']
2021-05-15 18:12:57.459000+00:00
['Coming Of Age', 'Family', 'Coming Out', 'LGBTQ', 'Creative Non Fiction']
Blogger to Author Part 11: The Conclusion
In the military, every few years there is a change of command. The current leader is replaced with a brand new leader. This change of command is typically accompanied by a long ceremony to mark the occasion where the entire audience, made up of the hundreds if not thousands of military members, bakes in the sun while the old commander gives a long-winded speech as their farewell and the new commander does the same but in the form of an introduction. These high ranking men and women certainly deserve this time and attention, but that doesn’t take away from the fact that these are typically boring events that people are forced to sit through. This was not the case for Captain Michael Abrashoff, Commander of the USS Benfold, during his farewell speech. He successfully turned around the worst ship in the Navy into the top performing ship through his leadership which he describes his book It’s Your Ship: Management Techniques from the Best Damn Ship in the Navy. If there was anyone deserving of everyone’s time and attention to give a lengthy farewell speech during the change of command ceremony, it was him. However, he decided to do the exact opposite. He realized he had already left his mark during his time on the USS Benfold. His farewell speech consisted of five words: “You know how I feel.” I keep this in mind when I write conclusions for my books. I keep them short and to the point. One to two pages max. What more is there needed to be said? The reader has already gotten through the real meat of the book. The conclusion is merely a napkin to wipe your mouth with and nothing more. You may like a long conclusion and that’s perfectly fine. For me, I like to accomplish the following in as few words as possible: Congratulate them on making it to the end of the book. Not many people finish the books that they start. 2. Summarize a few highlights from the book in a sentence or two. 3. Give one last call to action whatever that may be. That’s it! Your assignment: draft your conclusion, say what you NEED to say (not necessarily everything you WANT to say), and call it done. Comment on any questions you have below. More to come. Stay Tuned. **fist bump** — Cody P.S. I have 66 days until my first paycheck from this blog. For those who don’t know, I’ve created this blog from scratch with no email list and no following to show others how they can make money from their blog even if they are just starting out. I’m blogging almost every day for three months and 30 days after that I expect to see my first royalty paycheck from turning my best content into a book. Join me on the journey and I’ll show you how to do it, too. P.S.S. To recap the ground we’ve covered so far:
https://medium.com/@allencodysmith/blogger-to-author-part-11-the-conclusion-5a7451655de
['Cody Smith']
2019-07-10 16:50:39.188000+00:00
['Blogging Tips', 'Blog', 'Authors', 'Blogging', 'Writing']
It is whole mystery how we falling in sleep and dreaming, how the dreams creating and coming out.
It is whole mystery how we falling in sleep and dreaming, how the dreams creating and coming out. Why we move or reacting strange during the sleep. Also that we have many phase of sleep, how we reacting on weather or near by pearson who is near us in bed. It is big science, our brain is huge unrevealed story wtich hiding many many secrets, like a universe.
https://medium.com/@vukas68/it-is-whole-mystery-how-we-falling-in-sleep-and-dreaming-how-the-dreams-creating-and-coming-out-e391f0ce8279
[]
2020-12-26 10:08:44.939000+00:00
['Sleep', 'Brain']
Voting Reforms to Increase Confidence
It’s widely reported that confidence in America’s election process is diminishing. Many feel their vote doesn’t matter or believe the candidate they prefer has no chance, and therefore their vote would be wasted, so they may not vote at all. Nearly 45% did not cast a ballot in 2016. Even with 2020 having the highest turnout in a century, projections are still just 65% turnout, remaining behind other developed nations. Additionally, many who voted didn’t like either candidate, but just voted for who they feared least. Despite warnings from early Presidents to avoid two-party politics, Americans have been conditioned to believe we only get two options. It’s created a bitter divide, along with apathy among those who don’t fit with either major party. More options are needed to fuel meaningful conversations, collaboration, and ensure all Americans can be represented. Why should 240 million Americans be expected to fit into one of two categories? How can we resolve this so that all Americans can be represented, know their voice matters, and their vote counts? Three changes that would help: ranked choice voting, blockchain technology, and splitting electoral votes. Ranked choice voting (aka instant runoff), allows voters to rank candidates in the order they’d choose them. If four candidates run, each voter ranks them 1–4. Then, first-choice votes are counted. If any candidate received over 50%, that candidate wins. If not, the candidate who received the fewest votes is eliminated, and the second choice of each voter who had chosen the eliminated candidate is counted instead. If a candidate now has over 50%, it’s over. If not, another candidate is eliminated, and the next choice is counted for voters who had that candidate. The process continues until a candidate receives a majority. This system allows voters to vote their conscience, knowing that if their 1st choice doesn’t do well, their vote can still make a difference. It also eliminates the need for run-off elections like we’re seeing in Georgia. Learn more here: https://www.fairvote.org/rcv#where_is_ranked_choice_voting_used Blockchain is a fast-growing technology that could be used to record, verify, and count votes securely. It could provide security controls, like matching voters against a registration database, confirming eligibility, and ensuring they only vote once, helping to alleviate fraud potential. It could also provide voters a way to track their vote, while still ensuring anonymity through encryption. Blockchain works by storing data in sequenced blocks, which are copied onto many decentralized ledgers, making manipulation of the data nearly impossible, since it would have to be manipulated in every single ledger. Learn more here: https://www.investopedia.com/terms/b/blockchain.asp Finally, votes would be more meaningful if we didn’t have winner-take-all electoral systems. States should instead divide their electoral votes based on Congressional districts like Maine & Nebraska, with the final two electoral votes going to the statewide winner. This helps ensure that rural & urban areas alike are represented in the final electoral tally, giving voters more incentive to participate. Please join me in writing our Representatives and Secretary of State to consider these improvements. Please follow my blog for more posts. https://lifelibertyandeternity.wordpress.com/blog/
https://medium.com/@compassionatelibertarian/voting-reforms-to-increase-confidence-2b99acb3431c
['Savannah Epperson']
2020-12-14 01:25:44.248000+00:00
['Ranked Choice Voting', 'Voting Reform', 'Politics', 'Blockchain', 'Voting']
At school today I learnt a lot Of hard and complex words.
At school today I learnt a lot Of hard and complex words. Like Math and Science, and literature, Will sit with me at lunch. I pass my tests I’m pretty nice Yet still don’t understand Why I’m the constant victim of their cold and cruel words. I try my best to act so tough but it’s like they also know as soon as I walk out the door, I’ll go and cry at home.
https://medium.com/literally-literary/at-school-today-i-learnt-a-lot-of-hard-and-complex-words-bbe2783e69da
[]
2017-10-16 14:01:33.460000+00:00
['Poetry', 'Hurt', 'Literally Literary', 'Sad', 'Bullying']
Saudade
Learn more. Medium is an open platform where 170 million readers come to find insightful and dynamic thinking. Here, expert and undiscovered voices alike dive into the heart of any topic and bring new ideas to the surface. Learn more Make Medium yours. Follow the writers, publications, and topics that matter to you, and you’ll see them on your homepage and in your inbox. Explore
https://medium.com/afwp/saudade-c330a0156e37
['Louis Dennis']
2020-12-25 15:32:32.152000+00:00
['2020', 'Loss', 'Christmas', 'Haiku', 'Grief']
Wuhan Virus Delta Variant
Wuhan Virus Delta Variant The #WuhanVirus #DeltaVariant has now spread to more than 80 countries. The world is struggling to control it whereas the variant meanwhile is mutating very fastly. So, what we have now is called the #DeltaPlus variant. It has already spread to at least 9 countries. Our next report tells you, “Why the world needs to watch out for this one?” Mutations have supercharged the virus, the delta variant drove India’s deadly second wave, now this mutation has taken a drastic form called The Delta Plus and is spreading tremendously. Reports say, “Its earlier sample has been traced back to Europe”. In India, the Delta Plus variant has been detected in at least 3 states and it is believed to be more infectious; there is no indication yet if it’s deadlier than the other variants, but experts are already worried about it because this variant could trigger the next wave of cases worldwide. Reports say, “ Around 200 cases of the Delta Plus variant have been detected across the world and the variant has been found in at least 9 countries which includes The UK, Portugal, Switzerland, Poland, Japan, Nepal, China, and Russia”. In India alone, 30 cases of the Delta Plus variant have been detected and the Indian Government has termed Delta Plus as a variant of interest. Scientists are still studying if this variant can escape the immunity of vaccines because there is a reason to believe that the Delta Plus is resistant to monoclonal antibody cocktails due to its quick genome-sequencing mutations. There is a treatment method where patients are injected with artificially manufactured proteins that prevent the virus from attacking the body, called vaccines. If dangerous mutations were not enough, new findings into the long-term impact of Wuhan virus infections have sparked fresh concerns to the scientists in UK who have been trying to understand the effect of the Wuhan virus on the brain. They have found that even a mild infection could lead to substantial loss of Gray-matter in the brain. British researchers examined brain MRIs of patients before and after they got infected and most of them had mild to moderate symptoms of infection. Their MRI suggested brain damage in areas that help us detect smell and taste like cognitive function and memory formation. Not everyone will suffer brain damage from the Wuhan virus, but the study shows the possibility can’t be ruled-out and with new mutations, the risk of long-term illness remains in a growing situation.
https://medium.com/@askaditya/wuhan-virus-delta-variant-d08a3c0a9b71
['Aditya Tandon']
2021-07-10 14:51:24.392000+00:00
['Delta', 'Variant', 'Covid 19', 'Wuhan Flu', 'Virus']
Certified Divorce Coach Susan Korb Bernstein: “5 Things You Need to Know to Survive and Thrive During and After A Divorce”
Ilyssa Panitz: What drew you to this line of work? Susan Korb Bernstein: I was a schoolteacher, administrator, and college professor until I had my first child in 2004. I then wanted a flexible schedule, so I became an educational consultant. In 2014, I transitioned from educational consultant to becoming a divorce consultant. It was then I learned about and obtained my Certified Divorce Coaching certificate. Both professions make a direct and positive difference in people’s lives! Ilyssa Panitz: You have quite the back story in terms of trying to get divorced, so much so, it was featured on national television. Susan Korb Bernstein: I would love to share it, but because there is a civil case pending in the court system my attorney says to wait until after. Ilyssa Panitz: Of course. Given your unfortunate past, do you feel you are able to bring empathy/compassion to the table when you are helping clients going through a divorce? Susan Korb Bernstein: Absolutely. Many of my clients have high conflict divorces and utilize my coaching skills. I take them from crisis to calm so they can sleep at night know everything will be okay! Ilyssa Panitz: What are some key words you use to help clients see the light at the end of the tunnel and empower themselves? Susan Korb Bernstein: My clients become empowered in our sessions by seeing there is more than one option, having a plan and knowing they can overcome the obstacles in their way of achieving their goals with my guidance and support. Ilyssa Panitz: Why is it important for people to always check in with themselves while they are going through a divorce? Susan Korb Bernstein: Self-care and healing are vital to focusing forward to make a divorce as smooth as possible. As a coach, I help my clients think about what they really want for themselves and their children. It is extremely important to not make rash decisions and really think through how their actions will affect the outcome of the case and their future. Ilyssa Panitz: Why is it crucial for people to speak to a therapist or coach while they are going through a divorce? Susan Korb Bernstein: Divorce puts people into a crisis state even if they are the ones initiating it-it takes a team to get through it smoothly. Attorneys and mediators help with the legal aspect, financial advisors ensure the numbers are accurate, therapists make sure the past is not repeated and coaches get the person unstuck and moving forward with action plans. Ilyssa Panitz: What will they discover about themselves? Susan Bernstein: Everyone discovers something about themselves they thought they lost or never knew they had in the first place! Ilyssa Panitz: Why does divorce bring unwanted stress? Susan Korb Bernstein: Any change is stressful, and divorce is a change that hits your core. Family as well as finances, thus creates a double whammy. Ilyssa Panitz: Is depression common? Susan Korb Bernstein: Of course. There are many stages someone goes through in divorce and situational depression is extremely common. Ilyssa Panitz: Which is the stage people get stuck in the longest? Susan Korb Bernstein: Every person is different because every situation is unique. When the individual is ready to and wants to get unstuck and have the resources to help them thorough it, they will move forward much quicker. Ilyssa Panitz: Why does the person who asked for the divorce blame themself for ending the marriage? Susan Korb Bernstein: Each case is unique, but no one gets married thinking their marriage will end in divorce, so it is natural to question how much of a role you played in the marriage ending. Ilyssa Panitz: Divorce has a downside, but there can be an upside as well. Can you please explain what the benefits are? Susan Korb Bernstein: The benefits of divorce are numerous and endless! The freedom people feel when getting out of a toxic relationship, have limitless possibilities! Ilyssa Panitz: What are 5 things someone needs to know to survive and thrive during and after a divorce? Susan Korb Bernstein: Five things to know “during” a divorce to survive and thrive are: One: It will be done at some point so a new chapter in your life can be started. Two: Try to take the high road and stay classy so when you look back in five-years you are proud of how you handled the situation Three: If children are involved go out of your way to make them feel loved, important, special, heard, and even spoiled plus find them the resources they need such as a counselor they can talk to. Four: You are not alone-there are support groups and professionals whom, can help with everything and anything you need ranging in price from free to expensive-take advantage of all these resources you can Five: Self-care is vital-it gives you the energy to keep going and get to where you want to be. And, if I may add, 5 things someone needs to know to survive and thrive “after” a divorce they are: One: It does get better, but nothing and no one is perfect-there will be setbacks, but keep pushing forward and overall, you will be much happier than before. Two: Your children will be okay and at some point, even acknowledge that they can tell how happy you are now! Three: That you will find someone who was where you were, and you will now be the one to support them. Four: If and when you are ready for a new relationship it will happen, and you will understand why your old one was not meant to be. Five: There are worse things in life than divorce and you got through it and will now take that success to build on other goals and you will become unstoppable in anything you set your mind too!
https://medium.com/authority-magazine/certified-divorce-coach-susan-korb-bernstein-5-things-you-need-to-know-to-survive-and-thrive-2f156c29b81f
['Ilyssa Panitz']
2020-12-18 16:06:09.218000+00:00
['Women', 'Divorce', 'Self Improvement', 'Wellness']
Thoughts on Uyghur Muslims oppression
The Human rights issue in Xinjiang has recently surfaced into the global media. The Chinese government has secretly oppressed the Uyghurs, aboriginal to the Chinese province of Xinjiang, through a series of political indoctrination and imprisoning as an attempt to assimilate the Uyghurs into Hans’ way of life. As a direct response to the Chinese government’s cultural oppression of Uyghurs’ way of life, several separatists groups like the East Turkestan Islamic Movement or ETIM were formed. The purpose of this entry is to discuss and analyze the causes of the Separatist movements and their connection with the Chinese government’s oppression through three significant aspects: Anti-Uyghur cultural measures imposed by the Chinese government, increasing paranoia on anti-terrorism acts, and the introduction of re-education camps. The Chinese government inclines to assimilate minorities’ culture and to replace them with the Han culture. It is first demonstrated by China’s oppression on Tibetans from 1949 to early 2000s (Walker, 2016). According to the report released by Friends of Tibet, a non-profit organization that focuses on Human Rights issue in Tibet, after Chinese government violates the peace treaty signed between The Tibetan government and Chinese government, approximately 1.2 million Tibetans has lost their life under the occupation of the Chinese government (FoT 1994). Uyghur Muslims are facing a similar future. As they are still at the early stage of the oppression, Uyghurs lived in the state of Xinjiang are forbidden to practice their culture, language, religion, and any traditions that are not approved by the Chinese government. Reported by Human Rights Watch (2018), authorities restrict the Uyghurs to the state-approved patriotic set of ideas and social norms; one example is their banned of baby names that have a religious meaning or Islamic implication because they are “impure” and is against the indoctrination of the country. Those who do not obey are subject to criminal trials or inhuman treatments convicted under the labels of “separatism, terrorism, and extremism.” These examples of cultural purging create inhibited fear and anger among the Uyghurs population, forming separatist groups is one of the more direct ways a portion of the Uyghurs population demonstrated in order to win back control of the cultural aspect of their life. Unlawful trials also present to be a part of the cultural issue, as revealed by the case of Uyghur economist and famous separatist Ilham Tohti in September 2014. He was sentenced to life in prison for “separatism” and without any substantial shreds of evidence was sent to prison (HRW, 2018). Cases of imprisoning highly vocalize member representing the Uyghur society like that of Ilham Tohti’s case is another contributing factor to the separatist movement in Xinjiang, as these members are the one that is raising awareness and developing actionable plans, they usually are regarded very highly in the Uyghur society. Their imprisoning only raise more awareness and discontent, which ultimately leads to more separatism actions. On top of indoctrination, the Chinese government also put in the effort to condemned Uyghurs’ images by broadcasting propaganda messages around China that justify their military operation by linking terrorism to supposedly violent separatist groups like ETIM. The propaganda creates hostility towards the Uyghurs population that allows the rest of the Chinese population to hate on the Uyghurs and to justify the persecution. (Kadeer, 2017). “Anti-terrorism measures” create constant fear into the heart of Uyghurs people as the government treats them as terrorists without any human rights (HRW 2018). An example will be the target profiling of “Muslim men who grow a long beard or woman in a black Abaya [robe-like dress]” for random searches as part of anti-terrorism attempt (Benbo, 2019). It connects to the Separatism movement as the target profiling is specifically conduct on the term for religious persecution as the government focus on Uyghurs with generic Muslim appearances that belong to a part of Uyghurs culture that the Separatists treasured. China’s anti-terrorism attempt also extends to the everyday life aspects of the Uyghurs living in Xinjiang, including their privacy. Examples of the common occurrence are instilling checkout counter in Uyghurs communities with iron bars cage to prevent “terrorism” and the surveillance power from encouraged neighbor spying (Bendo, 2019). The privacy intrusion from neighbors and the anti-terrorism measurements has to transform Xinjiang into a police state which further moves people into the idea of Separatism as a way to regain control of their livelihood. In order to efficiently assimilate the entire Uyghurs population, the Chinese government constructed numbers of “re-education camp” that are purposed to teach the Uyghurs Mandarin and to instill the Communist government’s value into their mind. Each camp is designed to hold more than 100,000 detainees (Sudworth, 2018). To the Uyghurs who value their cultural heritage very highly, the blunt action of imprisoning assimilation from the Chinese government is ruthless and unethical. After experiencing the horrific situation in the camps, including examples like solitary confinement and physical punishments such as intentional starving (HRW, 2018), many released Uyghurs are inspired to join the Separatism movement. In conclusion, the Separatism movement in Xinjiang is a result of the Chinese government’s blatant cultural assimilation, condemnation of the entire Uyghur population, and political/cultural indoctrination that involves unfair imprisoning of many Uyghurs. Despite the activists’ efforts to successfully create global awareness of the oppression, not many actionable plans have been proposed. Direct solutions proposed by Human Rights Watch (2018) such as, “sending peacekeeping force from the UN to guard the region” and indirect solution such as “raising awareness in the US to ultimately make the Counterterrorism Law consistent with international law to prevent injustice” (HRW, 2018), are some examples of solutions being evaluate at this current moment. However, if the situation in Xinjiang is getting out of control, the UN should interfere as it is a worldly recognized peacekeeping force. They will be the only suitable candidate, in this matter, to carry out the eradication of human rights issue that currently resides at Xinjiang area and to restore peace and security among the oppressed Uyghurs Muslims.
https://medium.com/@chic3/thoughts-on-uyghur-muslims-oppression-104ad84977d0
['Samuel Chiang']
2019-11-15 14:40:03.066000+00:00
['Muslim', 'China', 'Oppression', 'Uyghur']
Financing your future vacation home
Vacation rental homes are spiking in popularity and for good reason. A recent HomeAway survey showed that 70% of vacation rental homeowners could pay at least half the mortgage on their vacation home from the rental income it generates. For owners who work with professional property managers, the cash flow benefits may be even greater. Owning a vacation home can be rewarding as you have an income-generating asset and a place that you can enjoy some downtime. Full-service vacation rental management companies like RIATERRA handle all the work so you don’t have to, making income generation a seamless process. A guide for getting started Financing a vacation home requires a slightly different approach than financing a primary residence, and working with a lender who specializes in second homes can be greatly beneficial. There are a few vacation home financing options available that can make your dream a practical reality. Lending options Home Equity Line of Credit (HELOC) For most homeowners, opening a HELOC on your primary residence may be your best option for financing a vacation home. A HELOC is a loan based on the current equity within a home. Some homeowners are able to access up to 90% of their current home’s value when they choose to open a HELOC. A HELOC is dependent on the amount of equity available from your primary home. You can pay for the entire home if you have the equity to match it. If the dollar amount doesn’t equal the full cost of the new home, the line of credit can be used for a down payment. Taking out a HELOC means you won’t have to refinance the mortgage on your current home. The new loan isn’t attached to (and doesn’t affect) the first mortgage in any way, but your interest rate will vary depending on the type of HELOC you choose. Cash-out refinance for primary residence Refinancing your primary home and cashing out on the equity might also be worth exploring. A cash-out refinance is where you convert some of your home equity into cash, establishing a new mortgage for your primary residence. In some cases, you can use a conventional loan to borrow up to 80% of the value of your current home. Your new primary mortgage will depend on your credit score and your debt-to-income ratio, so make sure to discuss your refinancing options with a specialized lender. If your primary home’s mortgage payment increases significantly, you want to be sure you can afford the new second home payment, along with any additional fees, taxes, insurance, and more on both homes. Investment property loan An investment property loan is for homes that are intended to be income-generating properties. Typically, interest rates on investment loans are half a point higher than those on conventional loans. A good credit score, usually above 650, is needed and will help with the overall terms of the loan. Typically, you’ll need to put 20% down on this type of loan. A low debt-to-income ratio is also important. Most lenders will require your total debt to be at 45% of your monthly income or lower. Note: If you’re buying an investment property for the purpose of short-term rentals, the future rental income will most likely not count toward your gross income for that calculation. Finally, have some cash on hand. A good rule of thumb is to have enough cash to cover two to six months of rent on both your primary and secondary residences just in case you lose your job. Conventional loan A final option to consider for financing a vacation home is a conventional loan. This is a tempting option, as conventional loans generally have lower interest rates than investment loans. A conventional loan is a loan that falls under the Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac guidelines and has a fixed or variable rate with a set term. In most cases, your second home must be 50 or more miles away from your primary residence — otherwise, it will be classified as an investment property and is not eligible for financing through a conventional loan. You can put as little as 10% down on a second home, but you will need to have a minimum credit score of 680. When considering a conventional loan, it’s worth comparing both adjustable-rate mortgages (ARMs) and fixed-rate mortgages. Many lenders will want you to take out an investment loan. Others may be comfortable with allowing a conventional loan if you’re uncertain of your long-term plans. In either case, we recommend transparency from the start. Next steps Complete our Prospective Buyer Form to talk to a professional who is knowledgeable about vacation rentals and can provide you with helpful tools to make data-driven decisions. Find a lender offering the loan you want. Work with the loan officer to explore your options. Make sure you get the full picture of the costs for any financing — a rate and payment based on your situation. And if you’re looking at opening up your home to (paying) guests to help finance the property, research your property management options. Companies like RIATERRA can make renting seamless and rewarding, allowing you to earn money without any hassle. Let’s get you started. Complete our Prospective Buyer Form to get started today.
https://medium.com/riaterra/financing-your-future-vacation-home-39120e602d93
['Riaterra Marketing Team']
2021-07-06 22:56:57.515000+00:00
['Real Estate', 'Vacation Rental', 'Real Estate Investments']
Should you rent from Getaround, Turo, Zipcar, or Enterprise?
The ease of avoiding car ownership is easier than ever. With the average cost of car ownership hovering around $800 per month in major cities, using public transportation, Uber, and scooters makes sense on a number of dimensions. Increasingly, city dwellers have the option of supplementing these with car sharing for quick trips to the grocery store or a weekend getaway using peer-to-peer car sharing platforms like Getaround and Turo. Likewise, companies like Zipcar have sought to make cars available in every neighborhood and college campus. The landscape for car sharing (and car rentals) is changing rapidly and each company changes its pricing schemes and incentives fairly often, but I set out to identify the most cost effective options in Chicago, Washington DC, and San Francisco. In short, Getaround typically provides consumers the best value, with Turo following closely behind. If you prefer gas included, Zipcar may be your best option, but the cost of gas doesn’t make up for the difference in cost. If you want additional peace of mind with premium insurance protection for a higher price, Turo is your best bet, but tracking down an available car and accessing it can be the most difficult of the four services. There are several other factors that might impact your decisions, but the analysis below focuses primarily on price. Getaround provides the most straight-forward pricing on both its website and app, showing you the total cost of your rental with no surprise fees as you check out. The company recently offered incentives to encourage owners to follow a standard pricing pattern, so there is a fair level of consistency between cars of equal value, although prices vary depending on the hour and day. A compact sedan (Nissan Versa, Toyota Corolla, or Ford Focus) was typically priced at just under $5.00 per hour for a two-hour trip and approximately $43 for a full-weekday trip. A weekend trip costs about $85. In many neighborhoods in Chicago, DC, and San Francisco, Getaround consistently has cars within a 5–10 minute walk. Turo’s pricing scheme is the most complex and difficult to both understand and navigate, but the total prices for trips are only a few bucks more than Getaround. Turo advertises prices set by owners, which can vary wildly even between the same make and model of car. Once you checkout, Turo will charge separately for insurance and a trip fee that also varies greatly. On a Ford Focus priced at $29 per day (one of the lowest in the city), standard protection adds an additional $11.60 and a required trip fee adds an additional $6.75 for a total of $47.35 per day and $94.70 for a weekend trip (this owner prices weekdays and weekend the same, but many increase rates for the weekend). Switching to Turo’s minimum protection or declining insurance altogether would lower the daily price to $43 or $35.75 per day. Premium insurance (with a $0 deductible) brings the total to $58.95. Zipcar is likely the most well-recognized car sharing brand and unlike Getaround and Turo, is not peer-to-peer. Comparing on prices is complicated by the fact that Zipcar rentals include the cost of gas, but the pricing differences are large enough to easily rank in order of total costs. An hourly ZipCar rental will typically start at $10; however in most Chicago, DC, and San Francisco neighborhoods, typical sedans (Volkswagon Golf, Toyota Corolla, or Ford Focus) start at $13.25 per hour. On a two hour trip, you’re likely to use about a gallon of gas, so for comparison to other platforms, you can subtract a few bucks from the rental; however, the overall price easily outpaces Getaround for a short-duration trip. On a weekend trip where you may use a full tank of gas, the cost of that gas (within Zipcar’s allotted 360 miles) would not cover the difference between either Getaround or Turo’s pricing with ZipCar coming in at around $200 for that trip compared to $85 or $95 for Getaround and Turo. Enterprise’s website is fairly easy to navigate and to quickly review various options and prices. A weekday trip in late August in Chicago runs at about $47, while a weekend trip will run you $132 making Getaround or Turo the obvious choice for the weekend trip. Experienced car renters know that at many airports and times of the year, you can access substantially lower prices from Enterprise and other car rental agencies, so there are certainly times when this will be your cheapest option. On the other hand, prices can skyrocket to a much greater degree than they typically do on car sharing services. Here’s the full results for a search in Chicago spanning 10 am–12 pm on an upcoming Wednesday, a full weekday (10 am — 10 am the following day) and a weekend trip (10 am Saturday — 10 pm Sunday). For those under 25, additional fees are also added. The focus is on economy sedans with many other options available across platforms and companies. Getaround Ford Focus: $4.96/hr; $43.26 weekday; $86.28 weekend. Insurance with $1000 deductible is automatically included. Getaround is currently offering $40 off your first trip as well. Turo Ford Focus: no hourly rates; $47.85 weekday; $94.70 weekend Secondary insurance with $500 deductible (standard option) with options to decrease or increase protection levels Zipcar Ford Focus: $13.25/hr; $100.25 weekday; $200.50 weekend Gas and insurance with a $1000 deductible automatically included Enterprise Compact Car: 22.16/hr; $47.95 weekday; $132.26 weekend Gas and insurance not included; some people can cover insurance with their credit cards. Full disclosure — I share my cars on Getaround and Turo and receive a referral bonus if you rent through Getaround using the links here.
https://medium.com/@mattwilliams0095/should-you-rent-from-getaround-turo-zipcar-or-enterprise-ad16b5dc5e03
['Matt Williams']
2019-08-23 16:15:16.351000+00:00
['Car Rental', 'Mobility', 'Car Sharing', 'Sharing Economy']
The Concept of Minimalism
The Concept of Minimalism Is it a dark passionate to have many possessions? Or should we call it a highly consumerism manner which persuades us to afford more than we need? Recently, I’ve asked those kind of questions after watching "Minimalism: A Documentary About the Important Things" which focuses minimalist movement promoted by two friends Joshua and Ryan. Their story starts with an excessive consumerism after they went from over-stressed lives that drove them the madness of buying everything they don’t need and that was the breaking point. The manner of these two men is to buy everything they wish as if they needed that physical supplies and it is likewise the artist Micheal Landy who also examined the stages of consumerism and decided to destroy all his possessions in a work he called "Break Down".(To have deeper information you can visit: https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2021/jan/27/like-witnessing-my-own-funeral-michael-landy-shredding-everything-owned-yba-break-down) Landy catalogued separate items he had and held an exhebition in an empty department store. After all those steps, he destroyed everything he’d ever owned, right down to his last sock, his passport and even his beloved car. Nowadays the manner of consumerism in the world has grown enormously. Nevertheless, there are some people (like Landy, Ryan, Joshua) who try to get through the process of minimalism and the concept of minimalism gained popularity. What is the concept of minimalism and why do people apply this concept to their lives radically? Minimalism is a simple living concept which emphasizes "simplicity, clarity and singleness". As people apply it to their lives, it can be said that there are no single set of rules because the process should be personal and unique. The central notion to focus on is identifying the things we most value and then removing everything that distracts us from them. It aims to gain the feeling of freedom by letting go of the things that don’t bring value to our lives. Individuals and groups in favour of consumerism may believe that buying is happiness but the concept of minimalism is worth giving a try. Thinking how many possessions we own and which ones we really need can be a good start in the concept of minimalism. Imagine you are allowed to keep only three of your possessions, which would you choose? I challenge you to remove the things you don’t need and see how your life will change.
https://medium.com/@begummkaratas/the-concept-of-minimalism-2bb9177e2188
[]
2021-03-24 13:22:22.541000+00:00
['Michael Landy', 'Minimalism', 'Consumerism']
Chat Translator for WhatsApp & Instagram for Android users
Text to speech software can bring tremendous advantages to your workflow. Imagine being able to listen to a document instead of reading it so that you can multitask. You can just load the document into your phone and listen to it while running your errands. Auditory learners who retain more information by listening rather than reading will also find text-to-speech software useful. Text to speech is a good way to listen to a document or text while you are cooking or doing something else. On this note, we tested some of the text-to-speech apps on the market, and want to offer some good ones to help you listen to any document such as web pages, emails, PDFs, and other files. Text to Speech apps has been making reading and transcribing texts very easy. It is changing the way we handle texts. We no longer have to type to get words written, and we can now have words read aloud to us in whatever voice we want. The truth is, not only has text to a speech made reading easier, but it has also impacted our educational system positively. The text-to-speech apps have been very helpful to people with learning disabilities, this app is a form of assistive technology that makes learning very easy. One of the best things about these apps is that they highlight words as they read aloud, making it easier for the kids to see text and hear simultaneously. Natural and human-like voices can read any file format effortlessly. We have rounded up the best apps of 2021 in this article. We will review each one, talk about the key features to look out for in text-to-speech software. Translate voice to text Voice Translator Speak and Translate speak & translate : is a free android app and you can also use it to learn and understand a language while communicating, in this speak and translate app. when you select your language, your voice will be translated and produce results in the native language selected by you with this voice to voice translator app. translate voice to text apps, that provides continuous and unlimited speech recognition. Translating voice to text is the easiest way to type your voice message to text, text messages to voice, and also get a picture text to translate. You can also create long notes dictations essays, posts, reports. You can also share your notes using your favorite app. text to speech translation is a text to voice converter app that translates text to voice, converts to audio files, and also provides online editing functions. It can extract text from a real-time recording or upload audio files with high accuracy and speed. The main feature of this application is translating the camera captures the current translation and detects automatically which languages are being used to write and speak. Chat Translator /: this app is a free all language voice typing translator app for android Mobile phones. The function of this app is to let you speak and type or voice typing anything in your native language selected within the app on a mobile phone and it will convert the phrase into your desired languages like a voice translator using speech to text translation feature. You can simply click the button and the app will start listening to your voice for any language translation. The purpose of making speeches and translating all language voice translator app for android is to make ease for those people who are interested to learn different languages and those who are mostly traveling around the world so this app will help them to speak and type or voice typing in their native language and they will get results in their desired language. You can also listen to your desired language by pressing the pronounce button which is actually a text to speech voices feature so that you can speak as well and teach yourself using the text speech voice feature. We have added multiple features to make it more interactive and interesting speakers and translate all languages voice translator, few of them are listed below please have a look. Speak and Translate /: voice typing with a translator is specially designed for fast speak and translate purposes. This voice translator fulfills all your translation needs. Besides of voice to voice translation, you can also type and translate which can help you to translate from any language into your desired language. Simply we can say by voice and you can do any kind of translation, either it’s text input or voice input. Speak and translate is basically working as a conversation translator, where two persons can talk in different languages on the same device. Do verbal translation by just tapping on mics of different languages. This is not a simple voice translator but a complete solution of voice to voice translation. One person talks and the second person gets translated voice of that language, then the second person talks and the first person gets translated audio. It might be served as an interpreter. Installed the apps and enjoy them. we hope you will get satisfied by using these apps.
https://medium.com/@digitalmarketer00/chat-translator-for-whatsapp-instagram-for-android-users-204010ed4994
['Abdul Malik']
2021-12-23 06:05:51.809000+00:00
['Apps', 'Chat', 'WhatsApp']
How should bots speak to humans?
BotSpeak database — 1 human, 200+ bots, 892 bot dialogs TL;DR —Designing great bot dialog is tough but crucial to increase engagement. We talked to over 200 Facebook Messenger bots to extract conversation dialogs for your reference: BotSpeak. Evaluating the output from bots, we adopted a pure data approach for lexical improvements and anecdotal advice on better presentation of the bot conversations. How do you feel about conversations with bots so far? Are they engaging, disappointing or interesting? For bot makers, there are lots of challenges in crafting more engaging bots. Among others, these two are the most obvious and painful: Challenge 1: Getting inspiration for how to build your bot based on how others built theirs. You can’t just search for bots based on the meta details in conversations, because there isn’t such a database. Challenge 2: Ensuring that the bot dialog is great and captivating. Other than what you know/think your audience will like, there’s no easy way to see best practices across a wide range of bots. As you can imagine, it’s pretty hard to get to know other bots that well unless you spend lots of time talking to bots, and have your Messenger inbox entirely flooded with bot conversations. So, in order to tackle these two problems head-on, we talked to 200+ bots for research, and documented the conversations. We called this project BotSpeak, and we present all the conversations we had on BotSpeak in a searchable table format for you, so you don’t have to, yourself. Enjoy the 🎁! You can contribute to BotSpeak database by inputting your bot’s conversations of up to 8 outputs here: https://goo.gl/forms/TFy2UTEdSAFS3ZzN2 Bot selection We chose bots based on their popularity, based on total views of the bot on Botlist. Other than top bots by views, we also selected bots across a range of categories to ensure that most of the major types of bots are represented in this study. This ensures that the sample is not only comprehensive across categories, but also filtered by popularity; the assumption is that popular bots have more chance to develop best practices over time. Bot category classification is taken from Botlist for each bot we tested As you can see, “Personal” bots are heavily represented due to the proportion of popular bots that are classified as such. Methodology Every research begins with scoping down a right methodology. In order to do this right, we came up with a bunch of parameters which we feel would be really useful to analyze. The starting point of the study was based on textual data from our conversations with bots. To get the most meaningful data, we engaged the bots in conversation, pressed buttons to receive output for record and analysis, and went through every bot experience in general. Collection of data As there are no publicly available sources of data for bot conversations, we started out by using the collection of bots on Facebook Messenger indexed on Botlist (great database and resource for discovering the best bots across all platforms). Knowing that we might be talking to over 200 bots and Facebook might classify the activity as suspicious, we created a new account to talk to the bots. After going through about 20 conversations, we realized that Facebook has blocked my account from sending new messages to bots. Hence, I used that as a cue to 1) start recording the conversations, 2) deactivate the account, 3) create a new account to talk to new bots. For this exercise, we had to create about 10 new accounts and deactivated as many. (Sorry Facebook, but it probably took no notice to this small blip in user churn anyway.) One of the accounts which we spun up to test bots and shut down after 8 accounts created for bot testing under — Brian, Doug, Connor, Mathew, Al, Wayne to name a few In recording the conversations, we ignored the cards, images and media that the bot was displaying in the analysis records to focus on the text. The reason we approached it in this manner is because we felt that the creatives are unique to brands and bot developers should use brand- or use case- appropriate visuals. Plus, it would complicate the recording on a Google Sheet table! However, we did note some general comments on creative presentation and you can read about this later on. As much as possible, we tried not to use too much free-form/natural language to allow the bots to provide us with the ideal experience as defined by the developer. Being harsh to bots is definitely not part of this exercise for recording and discovering best practices; but, in our own experience, some people are mean to bots. Analysis of data After the data was collected and organized in a table structure, we began analyzing the conversations in bulk with text analysis tools. We visualized the data for anyone to be able to use and access on BotSpeak. There are filters for names and categories, which you can use as terms to search for what you need. Since categories were set by the developer (or Botlist posters), we chose not to reclassify the bots despite some cases where categories were not representative of the bot. BotSpeak database of bot conversations logged Limitations — There are many well-designed bots with multiple paths and possibilities. Due to time constraints, we did not do a full audit of all paths and may have missed some of them. In the future, we hope to dedicate more resources to obtain more complete “Bot maps”. This limitation is especially so for story bots, as scripts can go up to 2500 dialog outputs and so we have limited them to ~8 outputs. (Besides, you should try them yourself, most of them are pretty fun.) For the purpose of this study, we felt that the number of conversations and data collection was sufficient to form a robust initial representation set for use. Areas of improvement: Lexical/Semantics Based on all the conversations with bots we’ve analyzed, here are some semantics-related improvements we feel could significantly improve bot experiences. Each of these points are also marked with the total observed instances across bots. A. Take note of extra words / Modifier phrases / Grammaticality (347 instances) E.g.: “Red sunglasses are very trending, would you like to see some?” — can be edited to be: “Red sunglasses are trending, want to see some?” B. Avoid rambling starts (44 instances) E.g.: “To become a wiser human being by reading the secrets posted by my friends, please tap once on the menu button shown below and select READ A SECRET” — can be edited to be: “Become a wiser by reading secrets from friends by tapping READ A SECRET below” C. Use emojis for engagement (119 instances) E.g.: “Sorry, didn’t get it” — can be edited to be: “Sorry, didn’t get it 😕” D. Consider using active voice instead of passive voice (89 instances) E.g.: “You have been matched to Colin.” — can be edited to be: “I’ve matched you to Colin.” E. Replace rare/complex words with simple words (146 instances) E.g.: “The least agonizing itinerary flies from SJC to HNL.” — can be edited to be: “The least painful itinerary flies from SJC to HNL.” Areas of improvement: Presentation The visual cues of a bot are just as important as the script and functionality. The bots that we talked to had some areas where they could improve in terms of visual hierarchy, contrast, and appropriateness. (These are our observations, and not part of the Botspeak database.) A. Use buttons where you can to aid users People enjoy doing easy things over hard things. Hence, buttons can (and usually is) the preferred mode for people interacting with bots. Instead of the hassle of typing common requests like “Yes” or “What else can you do”, you can just press a button. It’s also easier to lead users down the experience, constrained by the buttons shown. B. Take advantage of the Messenger platform’s functionality Options like quick replies and logins can be used to enhance the ease of using the bot. Wherever it’s possible to simplify choices to just a few clickable options, you should do that. If there’s a potential of streamlining the experience with customer details through login, you may want to try it. There are lots of other functionalities you can choose to use, so explore and make full use of them, where it makes sense. C. Use attractive menu images Many bots are heavily dependent on their menus, and this means that most users will end up seeing the menu about 30–50% of the time. Hence, menu images should be representative of your bot (and the company or product it represents), and made to be as attractive as possible. D. Send interesting images as part of your responses It can be really interesting for users when you send creative visuals as an attachment together with bot responses. You can even use gifs as part of your quick replies, adding small points of delight within your bot. Poncho is a good source of inspiration for delightful visuals E. Make sure you have a welcome message Only 70% of bots we tried included a welcome message. What happened to everyone else? With bots still a relatively new interface for the majority of (non-tech, non-startup) users, it’s important to present the bot and its functionality clearly, so users are properly guided through the experience and achieve success in what they were trying to do. Having a good, well-crafted welcome message sets your bot users up with the right expectations, so they know what not to expect from the bot, preventing disappointment or perceived failures. Main takeaways Testing is crucial: You’ll need to test and continuously improve the bot scripts based on feedback from your users. Lots of bots are not designed to handle common edge cases, such as users swearing at bots (more common than we’d like to think) and common backstory questions like “Who made you?” Cross-category learnings are applicable: A database like BotSpeak is useful for developers designing bot dialogs as there are many common use cases, and lots of things can be applied from other bots. For example, a productivity bot can easily learn a few tricks from a social bot in scripting fun experiences. People like simplicity & familiarity: The best bots are designed with users in mind, and with bots supposed to be the user-friendly and easy conversational interface it is, stick to easy and familiar words. The most used words by bots are visualized below (after removing stop words): Word cloud of non-common words most used by the 200+ bots — fashioned as R2D2 How to use BotSpeak You can leverage the knowledge we’ve gathered on Botspeak to filter by categories or the bots that you want to reference. With this, you can look at examples of how other bots have been scripted and what their various output options are. You can use this as a guide for your own bot planning process. Also, a simple CMD+F (Ctrl+F for windows) can get you a search by actual dialog words—for example, I looked for “book” and found the ShelfJoy bot delivering hand-curated book suggestions. Searching by name of bot on BotSpeak Future work How should bots behave? Options: Mimic human behavior (e.g. delays in conversation, having a name, being funny, using active voice) or being a more command-line experience (i.e. instant response, organization/product name identity, using formal tone/words). From the BotSpeak database, one can find that out of the 200 bots, about 10% of the bots told users their name. Other platforms We want to continue updating the database with additions from contributors, as well as adding other platform bots in the future. One obvious platform that we wish to figure out how to test is Slack. Given that a free team may not be best way to do so, we’ll have to find a creative (but still reasonable) methodology to use. Perhaps the extension of the project could be used by Slack as a way to advise users how the bot flows should look like. Comprehensive data on flows Interaction steps for this project is limited by the amount of time we spent with each bot. Some bots have over 100 programed interactions as part of a story, while others are focused on a search experience that ends when user demands are fulfilled. Over time, we will get a better idea how to craft the ideal experience for each category with data. All a-bot the future We are definitely only beginning to test and learn from different use cases of bots across multiple verticals. There are lots of other examples that you can see on BotSpeak, so go ahead and explore them yourself. With a database like this, which we hope you’ll add to, we can all start developing a sense of what would work best for bot-human interactions. Keep improving your bots and if you like BotSpeak, share the link (and this piece) with your users and friends! Shoutout to Joseph Tyler (Linguist), Erik Nilsen (Bot developer), Ben Tossell (Botlist), Philippe Dionne (Dialog Analytics) for reviewing this post and tool! P.s. We also have another resource for building an enterprise chatbot strategy, which you can find here: https://keyreply.com/#ebook Post was first posted on the KeyReply blog by the same people behind Digest.AI! https://keyreply.com/blog/How-should-bots-speak-to-humans/
https://medium.com/keyreply/how-should-bots-speak-to-humans-2b5d6d344521
['Spencer Yang']
2016-11-11 03:34:01.576000+00:00
['Bots', 'Messaging', 'NLP', 'Facebook Messenger']
Some Problem Solving in JavaScript.
Cover Photo JavaScript variable : JavaScript more then used variable like var, let, const etc. variable name declarer also time first letter used is lowercase , and more then used declarer variable name letter +digit or lowercase + some uppercase latter. Foot to Inch: We know 1 foot = 12 inch. When we are convert foot to inch . Then we are apply foot * inch. like 1*12. and inch to foot foot/inch like 120/12. foot to inch and inch to foot Some information coming soon…….
https://medium.com/@rashidul-191cse-gub/some-problem-in-javascript-9754cbbfc621
['Md Rashidul Islam']
2020-11-07 17:23:00.822000+00:00
['Js', 'JavaScript', 'Javascript Development']
Signs you have low self worth and how to tackle them
At some point, most of us have had phases of low self-esteem, we just can’t shake the feeling that you suck and you are less than everyone. That will seriously affect your mental health and your productivity. Read about which behaviors show that you have low self-worth and how you can tackle them to lead a confident life. You don’t trust your own opinions or decisions. Constantly over thinking. Can’t stand up for yourself and prioritizing other’s needs over yours. Can’t hold boundaries or not have any. Being overly critical about yourself. It’s easy to brush these off and live in denial, but low self -esteem have damaging long term effects, such as being in abusive relationships, not speaking up in class or work meetings. Recognising and acceptance is an important step to grow confidence. Here are a few ways you can build your self-worth Seek professional help: Having low self-worth can be caused by past trauma such as bullying, strict parenting styles, etc. To tackle that you need to start from the beginning. seeking out professional help will help you come terms with your experiences. Think before you say “yes”. If someone asks you for help, think, and don’t say yes as an obligation or need for validation. Exercise, yoga, meditation These are the most effective ways to improve your mental health, as it increases our serotonin levels. Don’t compare yourself to others. Be aware that you are not them and they are you. comparing is futile. Make a list of priorities or goals. Try to work towards your goal every day and if other’s needs, demands, and requests are in the way of your goals, don’t get derailed by them Establish boundaries Everyone has boundaries within relationships, you should too if you are in a situation where the other person crosses your boundaries, let them know about it. Fortunately, self-esteem isn’t set in stone. It takes time and practice to maintain it but you can build yourself and develop respect, appreciation, and unconditional love for yourself. It’s important to note that this does not make you selfish or self-absorbed and you are looking out for yourself.
https://medium.com/@selffirst/signs-you-have-low-self-worth-and-how-to-tackle-them-ea7fcd85a94e
['Self First']
2020-12-27 06:59:55.839000+00:00
['Improvement', 'Self Care', 'Self Worth', 'Self Love']
On wine. A Tragedy
I’m a wine insider. I’ve met, or known, most of the big names in wine today; and from time to time, have had the honor to collaborate with them. I run a large-ish conference about wine communications. I’ve judged in wine competitions, consulted wineries on marketing strategies, blogged about wine for 10+ years and drank many wines that I can’t afford. I offer this as context. Wine is pretty cool. Not only does it taste nice and help to lubricate conversations, but there is also a mystique about it. People want to know wine so that they seem more cultured. Wines are given a status in restaurant often above the food and definitely the cocktails and beers. Wine is seen as something to figure out. Here’s a secret: there is nothing to figure out. In the wine industry, one of the biggest goals of most new start-ups and innovative retailer campaigns is a misguided effort to help the un-educated consumer to find better wines for them, the right wine for them. In other words, we in the industry are worried that the consumer is stressing over finding the right wine. I have a lot of friends who are not in the wine industry. They drink wine every day and they like it. They don’t always know what they are drinking necessarily. Usually they have no clue about any back story to the wine. Often they think the grape name is the region, or visa-versa, but they drink the wine, laugh with friends and have a good time. Shocking, I know. When I show up for dinner they immediately ask me, “Ryan is this wine good?” Looking for validation for their random choice. To me this is where I have the most shame about the industry I work in. This person who, when I’m not in the room, opens a wine and enjoys it for what it is panics the minute an expert enters, hoping to not be admonished for their choice. They have been taught that there is a correct answer to the question: is this wine good. The wine industry has taught a generation of wine drinkers that there is a right answer. That there is a possibility to get wine wrong. Shame on us. I like cars. I know almost nothing about cars. I can’t fix one thing wrong with my car other than maybe a stain on the seat or a flat tire if I was in an emergency. But I still love cars. I don’t really know any make or model numbers. I can’t tell you who owns which brands. I have no clue how the industry works internally. But I still love to rent a car and drive down a scenic road. Guess what, when I meet someone who knows a lot about cars, I never ask them if I liked the right one. I never ask if I was really enjoying that drive or if I was being misled. I don’t really care. I just enjoy it and that is it. Here’s the truth about wine. You may be just like me and cars. Someone who wants to drink something fruity and fresh on a terrace in summer or rich and red with your steak at night. Who should care what you’re drinking? Only you should! Quaff away, slurp if you want. Hell use a straw and mix it with 7up for all I care. Are you smiling when you do it? Are your friends laughing with you? Great. You did it right. And hey, if you are that intellectual type who loves stories, facts and figures. A person who is out to discover something new and exciting and try to understand different facets of the same wine, geek out to your hearts content. Argue volatile acidity levels and vintage ratings. Drink by dates may be gospel to you, so have fun with it. Want to take a class, sure why not. Go deep. Immerse yourself. I just ask one thing of you… Please do not assume that your new found knowledge is somehow absolute. Don’t assume that your finely honed palate is better than anothers. Definitely do not assume that your ideal wine is everyone’s ideal wine. It isn’t. We all have very different palates, cultural histories, childhood memories and favorite meals. We are not the same. There is no perfect wine. There is no right wine. The more we make consumers afraid that they picked the wrong wine, the more we are doing a shitty job of selling wine overall. Consumers need confidence that their preferences are normal, not that they have yet to learn, that they could somehow make a mistake. Today wine consumers do not need help finding new wines. Wineries need help finding new consumers. Instead of admitting their failure as sales people, the wineries have succeeded in convincing the consumers that they are doing something wrong. This is the greatest tragedy in the wine industry today.
https://artplusmarketing.com/on-wine-a-tragedy-c6296b7968b1
['Ryan Opaz']
2016-07-13 22:26:14.623000+00:00
['Favorites', 'Wine', 'Sales']
Updates and Stories You May Have Missed
Updates and Stories You May Have Missed Photo by Jon Tyson on Unsplash Oh, hey there, dear friends! Introspection, Exposition is finally starting up its newsletter, so welcome to the very first edition. Our Writers First, we’d like to give a big shout-out to all of our writers, both those who have published with us and those whose stories have yet to go up. George Randall, BraveLittleTaylor, Jamaal Ameer, Ugly Coyote, Cameron Craig, Introspective You, Quy Ma, Fatim Hemraj, and Armando Almase, we love you all, and we look forward to reading more of your stories. We’ve recently changed our process for adding new writers, so if you’d like to write for us, give that article a read. In case you missed them, here are some… September Stories In case you missed them, here are some stories published in September that are well worth the read. Joys and Fears in Being a Dad: Wait, I have feelings? An Addict’s Life and Death On Motherless Mothering Being a ‘Helpful’ Kid: What young carers really need instead of praise. Am I a Man? Divorce Won’t Traumatize the Kids: The marriage will. I’ve Always Kind of Hoped for the Apocalypse: Just a little bit. Headaches Are Coming Between Me and My Writing: I’m trying not to let them. To See Our Recommendations For the Month of October… Keep an eye out for our next newsletter! Our Followers To all of our followers, thank you for reading and engaging. This community doesn’t exist without you, and we’re so glad you’re here! Darrin Atkins, R. Rangan PhD, Janna Scott, Ylva Woulfe, Amanda Clark-Rudolph, Muhammad Nasrullah Khan, Richard Gordon, Georgia Begnaud, Rochelle Silva, Jacqueline Jax, Angela Volkov, Ana Ryan, sarah warden, Cullen Dano, Kathryn Staublin, Saad bahazaq, Angel Macias, Shabaira Junaid, Pam Suchman, Teagan Bothun, Nick Archer, Elle C., Alina Happy Hansen, Vincent Pisano, Aimée Gramblin, Bethany Papworth, Marissa Opal Moore, Jennifer MacDonald, Kapil Goel, Sylvia Emokpae, Gioacchino Difazio, Joanne Reed, Elisa Álvarez, Matthew Hyatt, Amanda D., Mădălina Cătălin, Aaron Meacham, Fatimah Alayafi, Jayntajoy, Crln, JM Miana, Rory Cockshaw, Lucy The Eggcademic (she/her), Pato Montalvo, Lara Starcevich, Ph.D., Marta Macedo, Dr Jeff Livingston, S M Mamunur Rahman, and Alan Villarreal. (So many names on this list are fantastic writers, and I hope you’ll check out their work.) Happy Writing and Happy Reading! And if you celebrate Thanksgiving this week, enjoy some good food and stay safe! Much love, Elan Cassandra and Shain Slepian
https://medium.com/introspection-exposition/updates-and-stories-you-may-have-missed-8215343c2d2e
['Elan Cassandra']
2020-11-25 20:39:59.790000+00:00
['Publication', 'Writers', 'Updates', 'Readers', 'Newsletter']
Crown Development Update 07.07.2020
Crown Development Update 07.07.2020 New biweekly format to bring you the latest Crown Platform news fresh news for a hot summer In this edition of the Crown development update we bring you the latest news on the NFT Framework, Bitcore, Crown-Electrum and GitLab CI/CD integration tools. Last week we skipped the development meeting and we have moved it to a biweekly rhythm. It adapts better to our current progress and brings more consistent and digested updates. NFT Framework Code lead Ashot has continued debugging logs and has located the main issue we have been experiencing lately, which materialises in some nodes freezing on a certain blockheight before new NFT data is written to the chain. This issue is due to inconsistency between blocks / nftoken databases and can be solved levelling out the amount of information contained in each of them before syncing to the network. In order to improve user experience, Ashot is also going to integrate a new -reindex / -resync option starting on the first NFT block instead of at block 0 so that the process will be much faster and easier to complete by affected users. These fixes are estimated to take 1–2 weeks and will be released in a non-mandatory update. Crown-Electrum Community developer Ahmedbodi has been working on a new version of the popular lightweight Electrum client. Testing is advanced and Trezor compatibility has been confirmed, although there are still some bugs to iron out when importing previous CRW Trezor key paths. Once everything is working smoothly, the new version will be officially released. Bitcore / Insight APIs Developer Zhanzhenzhen has kept up the work on Bitcore and is now integrating the nfproto APIs. Bitcore will be a key piece to develop on the NFT Framework and will be mainly ued to interact with through the Insight APIs. If you are a developer or an entrepreneur looking to use these featuers, feel free to give feedback on the specs you would like them to include. GitLab Infrastructure and CI / CDs The infrastructure team is working on the GitLab environment to integrate Electrum to the official Crown Platform repositories and be able to make these processes easier in future. If you want to help out with Docker or have a high level of Python knowledge, feel free to reach out and give a hand. A Wordpress plugin to create protocols Recently, contributor Defunctec released a wordpress plugin to create Crown Platform NF-Protocols. It is available on Github: NFTRegSign methods Defuncted has also provided a short and understandable explanation of the NFTRegSign modalities available when creating a new NF-Protocol: 1 (SelfSign) Imagine being the owner of the protocol but anyone can make a token using this protocol. Someone with enough Crown to sign a NFT transaction can use this protocol to create tokens from their wallet, even though they’re not the protocol owner. 2 (SignByCreator) Owner makes a protocol and only the owners addresses can be used to create tokens. Unlike “SelfSign” only the owner of the protocol can use addresses associated with the protocol wallet, a user for example cannot use their own addresses. 3 (SignPayer) This allows an outside address to be used to own a NFT but the NFT must be created via the protocol owners wallet. Eg, You own a website, create a protocol with SignPayer. You can then allow users to enter their address as the NFT owner to create and own tokens using your protocol. Heartbeat Protocol The heartbeat NF-Protocol has been created by walkjivefly to keep historical data on Masternode and Systemnode coutns. The tokens issued by this protocol every 6 hours can be called upon to visualize historical data on MN/SN counts and can be used by anyone wanting to leverage this information. That is all for now on the development front. You are invited to join us on Discord if you want to keep track of everything else that is going on. Thank you for supporting the Crown Platform project!
https://medium.com/crownplatform/crown-development-update-07-07-2020-b9a6e2a54f56
['J. Herranz']
2020-07-07 19:52:55.238000+00:00
['Blockchain', 'Masternodes', 'Nft', 'Development', 'Cryptocurrency']
Concurrent GenServer in Elixir
Well, let’s make an experiment. First, I need a naive implementation of the GenServer that just does fake work. The responsibility of the Worker is to process “expensive” jobs. For the purposes of this experiment, each job will be 1 second long. Then, let’s prepare a module that will schedule jobs to make a probe. The Scheduler will run N jobs simultaneously, spawning supervised Tasks for each of them. Ok, let’s wrap it up and take a measurement. iex(1)> {:ok, pid} = Worker.start_link {:ok, #PID<0.123.0>} iex(2)> :timer.tc(fn -> Scheduler.start_jobs(pid, 100) end) {100104309, :ok} It took ~100.14 seconds to process 100 jobs. It means that every job has been processed one by one, synchronously. That actually is the answer I was looking for. Badly used GenServer can be a bottleneck. Are we able to change this state of affairs? Well, there is one solution… It’s called GenServer.reply/2. From documentation: Replies to a client. This function can be used to explicitly send a reply to a client that called call/3 or multi_call/4 when the reply cannot be specified in the return value of handle_call/3 . Sounds reasonable, huh? I will now rebuild the implementation of the handle_call method so that it uses GenServer.reply/2. After receiving the call :process_job request, I spawn a new linked process to execute the job and then call GenServer.reply(from, result) to return the reply back. Importantly, the reply is returned from this spawned process, not from the GenServer’s one. Let’s check how it works. iex(1)> {:ok, pid} = ConcurrentWorker.start_link {:ok, #PID<0.233.0>} iex(2)> :timer.tc(fn -> Scheduler.start_jobs(pid, 100) end) {1003401, :ok} It works! The ConcurrentWorker has processed 100 jobs in ~1.003 seconds asynchronously. Thus, this very simple trick is able to increase GenServer’s throughput significantly. Of course, this kind of optimization is worth only in specific cases. It won’t work for operations that mutate the state of GenServer. It seems to be a nice pattern for read operations. Elixir: v1.11.3 Erlang/OTP: 23
https://medium.com/@kacperperzankowski/concurrent-genserver-in-elixir-6eae3b4225f2
['Kacper Perzankowski']
2021-04-25 20:44:58.697000+00:00
['Genserver', 'Concurrency', 'Iex', 'Elixir']
How to be a real man???
Men are difficult, they must have the appearance of a man 01. A man must have a man’s look, sharp, painful, do not squirm and don't be foolishly 02. a man should know how to protect women and respect women, especially the latter, do not force her to do things she does not want, do not beat women, whether she has hurt you or cheated you. 03. a man should be a man of his word, if you can’t do it, just say no to it. 04. a man can not handsome, but must have poise, to have cultivation, to have substance, to have the bottom. 05. a man doesn't need to learn a lots, but should have their own skills, no matter what, you always have to support the family. 06. a man should have their own goals and pursuits, people also on this life, the sky above the head are the same, you can fail, but can not resign themselves to mediocrity. 07. a man to have a sense of responsibility, whether it is to the cause or to the family, whether it is to parents, wives and children or friends and brothers, to take up their responsibilities, selfish and self-interested is not a good man, shirking the escape is not a man! 08. A man should also be tough, society is mixed, full of crises and temptations, will power is not strong enough, it is easy to be defeated and beaten. A casual will be defeated and broken people, everything else can not be talked about, and do not need to talk about. 09. A man should learn to make money, never think that saving money can make a fortune, money is earned, not saved …… 10. A man to be diligent and bold, the truth that the road to heaven is a cliché, and they feel that the right thing to do to try to do. 11. A man to be calm and cool, calm, is the sign of a man distinguished from a boy, and calm, you can maximize the advantages, reduce risk, but also make you appear more mature a man, do not get used to explaining. Do it is done, whether good or bad success or failure, are their own do, explain this thing is the most useless, you want to go in the first place! Furthermore, sometimes, silence is indeed gold. 12. A man is the trust of the family, is a man should do their duty to fight for his family. 13. A man should complete two things in his life: to complete the dream, to achieve the ideal. 14. A man’s inner content is far better than the appearance, do not because of their own appearance or height excessive worry and inferiority. 15. A man should have a mountain-like backbone, withstand the trials and tribulations, can withstand the blow, as long as life is still alive, everything can come back.
https://medium.com/@getbetterlife/how-to-be-a-real-man-75a397edc25
['Life Lover']
2020-12-18 14:59:24.035000+00:00
['Relationships', 'Goals', 'Standards', 'Family', 'Men']
Why Brexit Has Always Been About Dividing Society
How will life change? The EU represents cooperation. It is a symbol of a common agreement, united by shared values and ideas. Britain has severed that vision, the tragedy of the matter is that breaking away from Europe works to breed hate, division and fear. Rather than making life better, Brexit will create a more divided country. With division comes increased racism and xenophobia. And where hatred wins, it provides racists and nationalists with the fuel to stoke the fires. You see, they tell one another, the foreigners are the problem after all. A divided country is exactly what the Conservatives want. They want people disliking one another. Because hatred of one another means people are so focused on the differences in society, they never stop to think that actually, the real problem is the structure of the system itself. They do so to distract you. To make you believe your problems aren’t the result of a system designed to maintain the status quo, and ensure a wealthy elite remains wealthy. Your problems aren’t a consequence of the system that doesn’t care about you, oh no. Your problems are the result of other people who are exactly like you. Other people who have the same hopes, motivations, and dreams for a better life. It’s not just Britain suffering from too many foreigners coming into their country. Europe is seeing a rise in nationalism with lots of politicians focusing on foreigners as the cause of social ills. It seems the plague of foreigners, is affecting every country, at the same time. If only the foreigners’ would stay put then everything will be okay in life. The fact foreigners are blamed everywhere for social problems shows that social problems such as poverty are an effect of the system. Politicians are hardly going to blame the system that provides them legitimacy as the cause of peoples suffering. And they’re hardly going to point the finger of blame at themselves, are they? So will Britain winning back it’s sovereignty make it great again? No. If we did want to make Britain great, surely we should be encouraging unity, inclusion and solidarity? What we have is an imperialist crusade, which is a symbol of division, intolerance, and hatred. The greatest tragedy of all is that hate has won through, and we will all be worse off as a result.
https://medium.com/illumination/why-brexit-has-always-been-about-dividing-society-6d6ee3196afb
['Paul Abela']
2020-12-27 08:56:57.846000+00:00
['Brexit', 'Government', 'Politics', 'Society', 'Racism']
Workflow ของการใช้ git ภายในทีม
in Both Sides of the Table
https://medium.com/siamhtml/workflow-%E0%B8%82%E0%B8%AD%E0%B8%87%E0%B8%81%E0%B8%B2%E0%B8%A3%E0%B9%83%E0%B8%8A%E0%B9%89-git-%E0%B8%A0%E0%B8%B2%E0%B8%A2%E0%B9%83%E0%B8%99%E0%B8%97%E0%B8%B5%E0%B8%A1-4f72cd2edad5
['Suranart Niamcome']
2017-10-24 05:22:32.517000+00:00
['Coding', 'Highlight', 'Git', 'Workflow']
11 reasons why CIOs should not allow VPN access into OT network
I just came back from conference where I got the opportunity to speak to many CIOs and Cyber Security leaders from REIT (Real Estate Investment Trust) space. Everyone agreed that managing vendor access into BMS network is a pain point and security is a big issue. CIOs want visibility and tighter control on who accesses their BMS network. We all have heard horror stories such as how hackers broke-in via HVAC company at Target. VPN is one of the most widely used tool underneath remote access applications such as GoToMyPC, LogMeIn, VNC Server etc for providing access into the building network but there was a debate whether VPN provides enough visibility and control required for securing OT network. Vendor access into BMS/IIoT network is key for maintaining, updating firmware and software, troubleshooting and fixing issues, accessing data for analytics, tracking and optimizing usage of BMS/IIoT network. Out of all the methods of provide access to vendors and contractors, VPN has been considered to be the safest method by many IT/OT teams. VPNs were great a decade ago but not anymore. Many public hacks have shown VPNs to be source of compromising the network. Here are 11 reasons why VPN are not as safe as they sound: External Security Threats: 1Inviting external users into VPNs makes host network vulnerable to credential theft and lateral movement. How would you protect your VPN network from lost or stolen password, compromised accounts, reused passwords on hacked websites? 2Poorly configured VPNs credentials are known to invite malicious users and compromising the network. In the famous “Ashley Madison” hack, when interviewer asked hacker group known as The Impact Team about the security, the hackers told interviewer “Bad. Nobody was watching. No security. Only thing was segmented network. You could use Pass1234 from the internet to VPN to root on all servers.” Malicious Insider Threat 3 VPNs alone do not prevent malicious insiders who might try snoop around once they are inside the network. They further require additional expensive security systems to control the access of the users. 4 VPNs provide secure connectivity over the public network, but they do not provide visibility into what activities vendors and third-party contractors are doing in the network. 5 VPNs do not limit vendors to their own BMS or IIoT device unless separate access control is implemented. Additional software and hardware investment is required to limit the access. Considering Building teams don’t have expertise, they have to depend on IT teams for configuring and managing on a continuous basis. Management challenges 6 Enforcing your organization IT security policies on vendor’s computer is almost impossible and rarely implemented, this makes your OT and IT network susceptible to all the vulnerabilities that your vendor’s machine has. You cannot enforce security measures such as phishing link detection, anti-virus and other security measures on vendor’s and third-party contractor’s workstation. Connecting them into your network via VPN is risky and malwares can easily spread to OT/IT network from infected machines. 7 Dependency on IT teams for all OT remote access: Building Management teams usually don’t have IT/Security expert to maintain VPNs along with other safeguards and avoid any misconfiguration. They usually depend on IT and Security teams to configure VPNs as new vendors are invited/disinvited. 8 VPNs are management nightmare for IT teams as BMS network scales to multiple buildings and large number of IIoT devices. It is quite common scenario where vendor’s VPN access aren’t removed even after BMS/IIoT devices were decommissioned (eg. building was sold). In such scenarios, though VPN access is no longer required for those BMS vendors, but the configuration is stays active. Over the time, VPN configurations become a mess and it becomes really hard to figure out who has the access in the network and who isn’t. 9 Extending Two factor authentication for VPN access to vendors and contractors is expensive and usually not done. 10 When vendors are provided with VPN credentials, these credentials usually remain active for long time, this allows vendors to come and go in the building network without any tracking or control, thus exposing building network to credential compromise and lateral movement. 11 Vendors need to install VPN client on their machine, which is not always possible or convenient. Version control and running supported versions across vendors becomes painful over the time. So, even though inviting vendors to access BMS through VPN seems like a safest bet, it is actually risky and may put OT and IT network at risk.
https://medium.com/@vikasarya/11-reasons-why-cios-should-not-allow-vpn-access-into-ot-network-b4303009c262
['Vikas Arya']
2019-01-02 22:42:52.790000+00:00
['Smart Buildings', 'Digital Transformation', 'Iot Security', 'IoT', 'VPN']
🔥 4 Fun Facts About Your Medium Profile ✍️
🔥 4 Fun Facts About Your Medium Profile ✍️ Did you know you can use an animated GIF for your profile image on Medium? Let’s start a trend 🤩 1 — You can use GIFs for your profile image Medium will accept an animated GIF for your profile image, reminiscent of Harry Potter’s moving newspapers. I made one with my webcam using: 2 — You can put links in your profile Any links in your Medium profile will be clickable from your profile page. Since you only have 160 characters, I’d leave off the “www” to save space. Remember you only have 80 characters for readers on the mobile app: 3 — You can use emojis in your profile and your username I’m an ESL student — emoji as a second language. 😂🤣 Use them to improve your profile! I get all my emojis with the Awesome Emojis tool: 4 — You can change your Medium username It’s free to change your Medium username. Note that your old profile URL will not redirect to the new URL, but all your posts will still work fine. I hoped you enjoyed these fun tips! 🔥👏👍😎👑
https://medium.com/derek-develops/4-fun-facts-about-your-medium-profile-%EF%B8%8F-a7c63802d8a3
['Dr. Derek Austin']
2020-07-22 14:41:01.318000+00:00
['Marketing', 'Writing', 'Blogging', 'Medium', 'Writing Tips']
Tired yet of too much winning? Electoral College Vote is Coming Dec. 14th
By Danny Leeds If you like winning, this is your chance to do it, over and over and over… Never before has a presidential candidate won his election so many times. Never before has a loser found so many ridiculous ways to avoid conceding to the winner. Of course, it is the very fact that a loser has brazenly lied and fabricated nonsense reasons and accusations to contest at every opportunity that has created the possibility for Biden to win, again and again. First, Joe Biden won what appeared to be a relatively narrow victory on election day with enough confirmed electoral votes, along with a lead in enough other states to create an impossibility for Trump to get to 270, the margin of votes needed to prevail. Next Biden was declared winner in states which had held back in declaring a projected winner. Then the re-counts, court challenges and and final tallies commenced. Pennsylvania gave him a win. That was a big win and he became President-elect. Then the Georgia re-count was another time to celebrate his victory. And Arizona, a state he flipped for the first time since 1996, and before that a Republican won there since 1948. So, get ready everyone, on December 14th there will be another win for Joe Biden. Tired of winning yet? In the end Biden will have, barring any absolutely and totally unlikely changes, 306 electoral votes. “A landslide” according to Trump when it was his exact winning number. Of course he did not get more than 80 million popular votes, or vanquish his opponent by more than 6 million. That’s only another unique and first in all history — big big win for Biden. Trump lost the popular vote by 2.9 million votes in 2016. So far, 54 of his 306 Electoral College votes and Trump 73 of his 232 votes have been officially certified by a total of 16 states. They have awarded President-elect Joe Biden 54 of his 306 Electoral College votes, and Trump has been awarded 73 of his 232 votes. Florida is the only one of the four most populous states that has, as of yet, already been certified. Early in December there’s a deadline for the other large ones: California, Texas and New York. None of them are at all in doubt, of course. Talk of “faithless electors” being put into action by Trump is becoming les and less likely by the day. Not 100% off the table but around 99.9999% not gonna happen. I wonder if Trump is tired of losing yet? Gas-up the private jet. Moscow’s waiting. Electoral College meets on Dec. 14, and all states must be certified before that, while any challenges to the results must have been resolved by Dec. 8. Subscribe to our newsletter for all the latest updates directly to your inBox. Find books on Politics, Sustainable Energy, Racial Equality & Justice and many other topics at our sister site: Cherrybooks on Bookshop.org Enjoy Lynxotic at Apple News on your iPhone, iPad or Mac. Lynxotic may receive a small commission based on any purchases made by following links from this page.
https://medium.com/@lynxotic/tired-yet-of-too-much-winning-electoral-college-vote-is-coming-dec-14th-50871cf8e896
[]
2020-12-01 21:21:18.723000+00:00
['Electoral College', 'Biden', 'Trump', '2020', 'President']
Tips for building a quality app with Firebase
Tips for building a quality app with Firebase This article is based on Google’s Apps, Games, & Insights podcast episode featuring Maria Neumayer, Staff Software Engineer at Deliveroo alongside Shobhit Chugh, Product Manager at Firebase. Over the last few years, users’ expectations of apps have increased. First impressions count. An app that crashes, hangs, or drains battery life, probably has a competitor that provides the same features but with a much, much better experience. To meet these expectations and keep ahead of the competition, developers are investing more into their apps’ usability and technical capabilities. In this article, I’ll take you through some of the things Deliveroo does to ensure our app is always at its best. What is app quality? Before I get to the tips, let’s take a look at what makes up app quality. App quality is a holistic view of the customer experience: from interacting with the app’s functionality — can people perform the task they came to do quickly and easily? — through to the presence of technical issues — does the app crash or freezes, are there performance issues, is it slow to load? All these things make up app quality. Source: Deliveroo Tip 1: Test and test again Testing is one of the critical steps we take in ensuring our app is stable. Start with the basics, test your code with unit, integration, and UI tests. Use your team and others in your organization to test internally before you roll out. Consider involving your community in closed or open tests. There are the tools to support code testing in Android Studio and the Google Play Console, such as internal, closed, and open testing. Firebase also includes tools to enable testing, such as Firebase Test Lab. Tip 2: Use feature flags Firebase remote config can enable you to integrate feature flags into our workflow, which helps with app quality: When you roll out a new release and find out a feature isn’t functioning as intended, you use the feature flag to disable that functionality, avoiding the need to roll back the entire release. When you use feature flags to roll out multiple versions of an update by enabling or disabling features based on devices. This helps to perform rollout tests to determine which set of features works best on different devices and decide which features are distributed to all users. Tip 3: Setup release readiness metrics It can often be challenging to figure out when a build is ready for release. Using various Firebase tools, such as App Distribution, Crashlytics, and Performance Monitoring, we can easily share our app’s pre-release versions to the team for internal testing. We also get in-depth crash and performance reports that give us the confidence to launch the app. Deliveroo went from 99.35% crash-free sessions to >99.7% by using Crashlytics to identify, fix bugs, and monitor releases. Tip 4: Automate your release Don’t rely on manually executed release steps; get everything into scripts as soon as possible. At Deliveroo, automation includes lint checks as part of continuous integration (CI) to ensure the translated strings are in the right format. We also run a release script to create a tag on GitHub, which triggers the release build on CI and uploads the build to the play store. Switching to automated scripts led to a significant decrease in time to market for the Deliveroo team. Tip 5: Set your rollout thresholds in advance Once Deliveroo starts the rollout, we don’t want to be figuring out on the fly whether a particular metric means we should halt or abandon the release. We set up a baseline for the maximum acceptable crash rate. Should the crash rate exceed this maximum, we focus the development team on finding and fixing the issue. We use the Firebase Crashlytics velocity alert for quicker alerts for releases that are just rolling out. This feature means we can get alerts from the beginning of rollout, rather than a few hours later when enough users are on the release. Therefore, it’s important to set your benchmark thresholds for critical metrics. You can then be proactive in fixing any app stability issues whenever your critical metrics near the threshold. Tip 6: Use stage rollouts When rolling out an update, use stage rollouts in the Play Console. With a staged rollout, your update is delivered to a subset of your users. If the feature performs well with your subset of users, you can increase the number of users receiving the update. Alternatively, if the feature doesn’t behave as intended, you can halt the rollout to fix the problem or abandon the rollout completely. This approach helps keep the number of users affected by unexpected issues to a minimum. Tip 7: Set up alert notifications Make use of alert notifications to bring issues to your attention as soon as they occur. For example, Firebase Crashlytics velocity alerts can notify your team when an issue is causing an urgent problem in your app. You can also use notification preferences in the Play Console to set up an email alert for when your app gets a one-star rating. Deliveroo exports data to BigQuery and imports it into an internal tool to set up the alerts needed to find out how well a release is going. For example, during the rollout, because we can group errors, we can dig into the data in BigQuery to see what is happening and how many users are affected. Tip 8: Use custom logs and keys in Crashlytics One of the common rollout challenges is the “it works on my machine” phenomenon. Your app can be installed on hundreds of different device types, with many different configurations on each device type. As a result, developers can spend a lot of time unsuccessfully trying to reproduce crashes because they can’t figure out the configuration that caused the crash. Crashlytics helps capture the configuration of the device, the user’s actions, and the state of the app. When an issue arises, using custom logs and keys in Crashlytics makes it easier to reproduce a crash and know which events led to the crash. Tip 9: Review and monitor user feedback. Monitor user ratings and reviews as they are a great way of keeping on top of things. Deliveroo monitors how orders are delivered and if their customers are happy. While this is outside the app development process, it provides feedback to the development team. Another approach is to use an analytical tool to check how many users are using key features. If the use of a feature suddenly drops, there could be an issue. Check out the Android Developer guide on how to Browse and reply to app reviews to positively engage with users for more advice on engaging with users through reviews. Conclusion Users’ expectations have increased, and many companies are investing more into their app’s usability and technical capabilities to help keep users engaged. Firebase and Google Play app quality tools have helped make our app best in class and ensure people get the most out of our service. Find out more Learn more about integrating Firebase and Google Play app quality tools into your release workflow from the How to increase app quality with Firebase and Google Play blog post. Hear Shobhit Chugh and Maria Neumayer talk to Google about building quality apps on episode 13 of the Apps, Games, & Insights podcast. Look out for upcoming articles from other episodes in our podcast series. What do you think? Do you have thoughts on building quality apps? Let us know in the comments below or tweet using #AskPlayDev and we’ll reply from @GooglePlayDev, where we regularly share news and tips on how to be successful on Google Play.
https://medium.com/googleplaydev/tips-for-building-a-quality-app-with-firebase-dd21cbbb7b99
['Maria Neumayer']
2021-01-21 18:35:57.787000+00:00
['Firebase', 'Android App Development', 'Google Play', 'Android Developers', 'Featured']
AI: Rational Agents and Operating Environments
AI: Rational Agents and Operating Environments Introduction In our previous blog on understanding the basic AI concepts, we touched upon the creation of Rational Agents. Concept of rationality can be applied to wide variety of agents under any environments. In AI, these agents should be reasonably intelligent. The AI, much touted about today is a lot of smoke without fire. The goal is to create an Intelligent Agent which can behave reasonably well in an environment guided by constrained rationality. Agent in an Environment A Rational agent is any piece of software, hardware or a combination of the two which can interact with the environment with actuators after perceiving the environment with sensors. For example, consider the case of this Vacuum cleaner as a Rational agent. It has the environment as the floor which it is trying to clean. It has sensors like Camera’s or dirt sensors which try to sense the environment. It has the brushes and the suction pumps as actuators which take action. Percept is the agent’s perceptual inputs at any given point of time. The action that the agent takes on the basis of the perceptual input is defined by the agent function. Hence before an agent is put into the environment, a Percept sequence and the corresponding actions are fed into the agent. This allows it to take action on the basis of the inputs. An example would be something like a table Percept Sequence Action Area1 Dirty Clean Area1 Clean Move to Area2 Area2 Clean Move to Area1 Area2 Dirty Clean Based on the input (percept), the vacuum cleaner would either keep moving between Area1 and Area2 or perform a clean operation. This is a simplistic example but more complexity could be built in with the environmental factors. For example, depending on the amount of dirt, the cleaning could be a power clean or a regular clean. This would further result in introducing a sensor which could calculate the amount of dirt and so on. This percept sequence is not only fed into the agent before it starts but it can also be learned as the agent encounters newer percepts. The agent’s initial configuration could reflect some prior knowledge of the environment, but as the agent gains experience this may be modified and augmented. This is achieved through reinforcement learning or other learning techniques. The idea is that the agents much suited for the AI world are the ones which have immense computing power at their disposal and are making non trivial decisions. If you look at the earlier post, they need to learn, form perceptions and correlations and then act rationally as intelligent agents. Rational Behavior For the rational agent that we have defined above, though it would clean the floor but it would needlessly oscillate between the two areas. Thus it is not the most performant agent. May be after a few checking cycles, if both Area1 and Area2 are clean then it should just goto sleep for some time. The sleep time could exponentially increase if the next time again there is no dirt. So the idea is that we define a performance measure which would define the criteria of success. The success would also have the costs (penalties associated with it). For example Action Points Moving from one area to another -5 Suction noise -2 Cleaning 20 Others X Now for the agent to perform effectively, it would be guided by the above penalty scores. For example, it is moves recklessly between the areas, it loses 5 points every time so it has to be prudent of its movement. Whenever it cleans, apart from gaining 20 points, it loses 2 points so it has to make sure that it cleans when the dirt is beyond the defined threshold. Similarly there could be other penalty point associated. The performance measure has to be well defined as well. For example in this case it might be the Average cleanliness of areas over time. Hence the agent would try to keep the area clean with the minimum penalties. Hence, in essence, the rational behavior depend on • The performance measure which defines the criteria of success. • The agent’s prior knowledge of the environment. • The actions that the agent can perform. • The agent’s percept sequence realized and learned to date. Thus, the idea would be to optimize the agent on the basis of the success criteria and the associated penalties such that it maximizes its performance. Knoldus is a team of engineers who build high performance AI systems using functional programming. We have 5 offices across 4 geographies and would be happy to assist you in making your business more competitive with technology. Give us a shout and we will be happy to share how we are designing enterprise AI programs for our customers. Have a splendid New Year 2020
https://medium.com/knoldus/ai-rational-agents-and-operating-environments-2bef1e3c3738
['Knoldus Inc.']
2020-01-10 04:54:09.111000+00:00
['Agents']
Developer Options in Android
Every Android developer begins their journey by enabling USB debugging from the Developer options page but sometimes less curious ones miss out on the many useful features available on this page. let’s explore some of these really useful debugging features in this article. Layout Inspector I’m sure most are already using this to see the layout dimensions of their views and containers and it’s one of the most useful features that has been for me as well. As you can see in this picture the size of every TextView, Image or Containers that you have is drawn with pinkish lines. Simulate Display cutout With this option, you can mimic the screen shape of different camera positions on devices i.e in the Middle, Right or tall options. We may not be using it in everyday apps of ours it’s mostly needed when you create a full-screen page (including status bar)then you have to be careful what part of your app isn’t behind any camera cutout. Minimum Width Every Android UI needs to be tested on multiple devices of different shapes and sizes to ensure quality. From size i mean resolutions e.g. 360x480, 720x1080 etc. Usually, we do this testing by installing our app on all available devices to us. Now if you think about it. It’s a quite tiring and redundant process. With this option available now we can mimic the resolution of different devices just by entering width value. On Android 10 it’s named as Smallest width. Don’t Keep Activities If you want to simulate how your app behaves when activity is killed when your app goes into the background then you can do that forcefully using this setting. Enable this and see if your ViewModels are preserving screen state on recreation or not. Similarly, you can also restrict no. of background processes using Background process limit(I hardly use it though) This setting shows a bar graph comprised of different colors that represent different steps of screen rendering for example measure, draw, input handling, sync upload, etc… Ideally, while you’re using your app it shouldn’t cross the horizontal green line more than it should. This green line represents a 16ms timeline so if your bar graph continuously goes above threshold means several of your frames are dropping. Check the below link for more details. Strict mode is a developer tool that detects accidental read/write on Disk on Main Thread or network operations on Main Thread. By enabling this you’ll get Logs as warnings in Logcat which you can use to fix such behaviors. Alternatively, you can also enable it programmatically for detail check below link. Animator duration scale/Transition animation scale With this, you can slowly change duration for any animation in your device so if you’re working on any animation and can’t decide right duration value then experiment using this setting. Night Mode If you’re building the app with Dark mode support than you can enable/disable night mode from this option. Although in most devices this option is also available in Notification tiles. My UI is flat but still, it’s taking a lot of time in a draw. Has this ever happened to you? If yes then there is a possibility that you’re doing overdraw unintentionally. Overdraw occurs when your app draws same pixel multiple times. Why does this happen to suppose you have set a background color value for a view and also a color value for that view’s parent so when your screen is drawn all the overlapping areas b/w child view and it’s parent view will be drawn at least drawn twice which can cause slow rendering. Enable this setting and find such irregularities in your app and fix them asap check the below link for details. Below I’m mentioning some other settings that I want you guys to try out yourself and trust me you’ll find it useful someday if not today.
https://medium.com/mindorks/developer-options-in-android-dfa94fe6c501
['Bal Sikandar']
2020-01-18 17:29:19.570000+00:00
['Developer Tools', 'Android', 'Developer Options', 'Debugging', 'AndroidDev']
The need for using mobile peachfolio app
Season greetings and a prosperous new year to you all! I welcome you a very profitable project, in this article i will briefly focus on the features of the mobile app, how to purchase the token. But going further i will explain little bit about the project to get clue and clear vision of the platform. What is peachfolio? Peachfolio is a crypto currency app that renders functioned as all-in-one app which connects users to monitor and keep track of their currencies though the sampling of the mobile application. Presently peachfolio is built and configured under Binance Smart Chain (BSC), which would be very easy for individual to purchase their token without incurring much significant gas fee. Peachfolio app also support another blockchain via multiple currencies can be watched and keep tracking. The platform stores secure user privacy, this means you have the power to transfer, withdraw your own funds without the enablement of any third party or any Government authority to make transactions. There is no restrictions for any users, inasmuch as you have an internet access you would able to track, watch and monitor your currencies while driving or travelling globally. What Next? Peachfolio APP currently listed on Google platform and also iOs Store. This is for a reason of choice which various users can download and keep track of their currencies LIVE! To download app Google playstore click here To download app iOs Store click here. Furthermore, the Peachfolio APP also enable’s you to instantly swap your token to a preferred currencies that is currently supported by the app. Key Features. Portfolio tracking Get wallet-level analysis comprises the profit and loss of your holdings over time, major trading statistics, total reflections earned, and many more. Advanced technical tools analysis Take a look at the multiple charts at a glance, market caps, detailed transaction history, analysis on holders and volumes, and whale watching tools. Advanced alerts Customize advanced alerts that go above and beyond simple configurations of price or % change. For more features click here Guess what? You required to acquire some $PCHF token to synchronized with the Peachfolio mobile app. For additional detailing click here. Great news! Peachfolio token $PCHF is currently listed on Coinmarketcap, where you could keep track and monitor price changes and total trading volume of the day. How purchase $PCHF token. Presently $PCHF token can be purchased on pancakeswap and below i will clearly give you some steps on how to purchase your token peacefully without stress. Visit the pancakeswap, make sure to connect your wallet if you are using web. 2. Make sure to have enough BNB to foot the charge fee and the buying., Input the amount of PCHF you wanna purchase and click on the swap For more information, please visit the website. I will drop some link to get connected with the team members and project owner. there will be a telegram group where you could easily contact the team for help and assistance. clap and comment, share the article. Website| Whitepaper |Twitter| Telegram | POA | User: Rigmoney $PCHF #Peachfolio #MakingDeFiSmarter #DeFi #BSC #Eth
https://medium.com/@rigmoney19/the-need-for-using-mobile-peachfolio-app-a1576516101b
[]
2021-12-28 17:54:54.661000+00:00
['Polygon', 'Kucoin', 'Blockchain', 'Ethereum', 'Bsc']
[Thank you for reminding me that] Black Lives Matter
My heart has been breaking, this heart of mine that is never fully healed before a fresh onslaught, over White America and what it is doing to the children of the people it stole and enslaved to produce its prosperity. (Fuck America. Fuck Whiteness. Fuck them to hell.) The articulation of Black pain, American Black pain, is inescapable. Even for those who prefer to pretend that they deserve what they get, it is inescapable. And at times like this, even as I grieve with and for them, I wonder about how they manage to force the world that creates their pain to confront itself, over and over and over again. I wonder about their history of resistance, of bearing witness, of taking their blood and painting the streets with it to force even those in denial to see how carelessly it is shed. I think about their insistence on the validity and value of their lives in the face of powerful narratives to the contrary. And I wonder; why do we not do the same here? What are the things that stand in our way? Because I am pretty sure that the lives of those who fall in our streets, in Lagos and Enugu and Borno, matter too. Is it that we do not have an enemy as easily named as theirs? Is it that we do not have the same long memory as them? Is it that we ourselves do not really have faith in the value of the lives of those who are killed and violated by the many failures of ‘God’ and the Nigerian State? My heart breaks for Philando and Trayvon, Sandra and Rekia, Islan and Keisha, Aiyana and Tamir. I know their names. I know their faces. I know (some of) their stories. Every time another one is yanked roughly from this world, I am reminded that their lives mattered. And all of their names may not be said with the same fervour, but they are being said. They are counted. They are lifted up before the eyes of the watching world as if to say: “On your watch, their blood was spilled and spat on. On your watch. What will you do about it?” Meanwhile Awa, Maryam, Rhoda, Rikatu, Esther, Saraya, Magret and Maimuna are still missing. And they are only eight of 250+ girls whose first names a few of us might know. Thousands others live, are violated and die in obscurity. The toll that Boko Haram takes on human life is captured as little more than numbers, statistics, an infographic on Reuters; but perhaps I ought to be thankful that those who are killed at least get counted more or less one by one. The maimed and displaced are relegated to the realm of estimates; foggy numerical concepts that only infrequently take shape on our social media in the form of photos of emaciated mothers and children with outstretched arms and plastic buckets to eat from. But what about the rest? The invisible dead? The invisible murdered? The deaths by unpaid Resident Doctors’ strikes, unregulated public transport, bad roads, adulterated kerosene; bodies, corpses, ‘remains’ that we rarely have names or faces for. These too are human beings, stomped into freshly-dug earth by power-drunk police who beat and torture incarcerated people/streetwalkers/teenagers passing a joint — or those who happen to be all three and then some. We die, you know. Everyday. Like chickens at Christmas in countries where people can still afford chicken at Christmas. It wearies the soul, all of this. There is so much violence, so much hatred, so much disregard for life. Why is anyone’s humanity negotiable? And why do we not question our knowledge of the names of our cousins who were stolen from us generations ago, when we do not know the names of our siblings at home? I grieve over America, I do, but it makes me wonder about all of the grieving I could be — should be? — doing for Nigeria too. And still, in all of this, I feel like I have no right to any of this grief or sorrow. Here I am, typing this lengthy wail on my computer that cost more than the university education most Nigerians will never get, using internet services most Nigerians will never have, talking about things I will likely never see or experience. But my personal proximity to these things is a non-issue, isn’t it, because the fact that they’re happening to other people doesn’t mean I am safe. I am privileged, yes, but I am not safe. I am still (a woman) living in a country that doesn’t work, that will kill me in a millisecond and go on ticking after my death like the lunatic lovechild of a slowly dying grandfather clock and a time-bomb. Personal safety is an illusion when death and destruction dance as wildly and as publicly as they do here. But Black Lives Matter. Black Lives must Matter. All of them. Everywhere. The reason we can’t escape the fact that Black Lives Matter in America is this thing African Americans did and are doing: organising. They rally and rise, and of course it is not perfect, but it is working. We know their names. We know their faces. We know their enemy. They think about it, write about it, sing and rap about it, create around it. They use the power of the collective. They recognise a common struggle. They stand together and raise their voices in a unified cry. And it is working, slowly but surely. This is not because they are the same, or believe the same things, or come from the same blood. They have a shared history, yes, but so do we. Nigerians spend so much time focusing on the things that divide us that we forget that we have commonalities. We are so hell-bent on finger-pointing that we cannot hold anyone accountable. We are content to suffer a horrible fate until we can get enough power to improve our own lives. And we are so invested in our illusions of personal safety that we chug along, adapting, cursing at the more powerful (and thus, arguably, less likely to die), reminding ourselves; e go beta. We no wan die. We no wan quench. Mama dey for house. Papa dey for house. I’m tired o. My heart aches. Hopelessness sits on it, right next to great sorrow. I don’t have any answers but at least, I go ax my question. We all agree that Black Lives Matter when African-Americans raise their voices in defence of their own. But we dey here, black as all fuck, and we just dey die anyhow. Anyhow anyhow. E tire me, I no fit lie you. E tire me. Ndi Kato says it so well in this speech. “If Nigerian lives don’t matter, what is Nigeria?” Help me answer.
https://medium.com/thsppl/thank-you-for-reminding-me-that-black-lives-matter-94c407db475
['Olutimehin Adegbeye']
2020-04-02 21:33:03.203000+00:00
['Politics And Protest', 'BlackLivesMatter', 'Boko Haram', 'Africa', 'Racism']
National Doctor’s Day 2020 : Someone’s hope, Someone’s hero.
India celebrates National Doctor’s Day every year on July 1 to honor the doctors for their selfless service. https://thetrendyfeed.com/national-doctors-day-2020-someones-hope-someones-hero/ The medical professionals are treated as God in our country because on earth they are the ones who give life to humans. Today we are celebrating National Doctor’s Day 2020 to pay our tributes to the healthcare professionals for their relentless service. These doctors and medical healthcare professionals are in true sense someone’s hope and someone’s hero. “The presence of the doctor is the beginning of the cure”. We celebrate this day in India to appreciate the significant role and responsibilities of a doctor. Doctors are the real life heroes and we are proud of our real life heroes. The TrendyFeed Significance of Doctor’s Day. The National Doctor’s Day in India is celebrated in the memory of Dr. Bidhan Chandra Roy. Dr. BC Roy was a famous physician, a renowned educationist and a freedom fighter. Dr. Roy was also the second chief minister of West Bengal. https://thetrendyfeed.com/national-doctors-day-2020-someones-hope-someones-hero/ We celebrate National Doctor’s Day on July 1 as on this day Dr. Bidhan Chandra Roy was born in the year 1882. And on the same day i.e on July 1 he died in the year 1962 aged 80 years. The first National Doctor’s Day was launched by the government of India in the year 1991. Therefore we celebrate this day as a tribute to Dr. Roy for his contribution to the healthcare sector. To perpetuate his memory the Medical Council of India created Dr. BC Roy National Award Fund in 1962. Dr. Roy was also honoured with India’s highest civilian award “Bharat Ratna” on February 4, 1961. Read the full article about National Doctors Day. https://thetrendyfeed.com/national-doctors-day-2020-someones-hope-someones-hero/ Source thetrendyfeed.com
https://medium.com/@thetrendyfeed/national-doctors-day-2020-someone-s-hope-someone-s-hero-4aa38ff9a463
['The Trendyfeed']
2020-07-01 08:21:15.414000+00:00
['Heathcare', 'Corona', 'Doctors', 'National Doctors Day', 'Health']
Guide For Fixing Javascript Cross Browser Compatibility
Out of all major web technologies, there is no other technology as vilified for cross browser compatibility as JavaScript. But even after striding advancements in pure HTML and CSS, you it’s true that you cannot easily build webapps or websites without it. In our previous post last week, we delved in detail on cross browser compatibility issues faced in HTML and CSS. So far we have looked into basics of Browser Compatibility and how you can ensure that your website/web application is cross browser compatible. Extending the same post last week, in this article, we look into common cross browser compatibility issues web developer face in using JavaScript. We will also look into methodologies to fix the issues. But before we get started with the actual topic of discussion, it is important that we look into the basics and evolution of JavaScript. So far we have looked into basics of Cross Browser Compatibility and how you can ensure that your website/web application is cross-browser compatible. We also looked into some mechanisms of fixing CSS and HTML cross-compatibility issues. In this article, we look into cross-browser compatibility issues with JavaScript and methodologies to fix the issues. Before we get started with the actual topic of discussion, it is important that we look into the basics and evolution of JavaScript. Deep diving into JavaScript There have been rapid changes in web development since the last decade and along with the emergence of different kinds of devices — desktop, mobiles, tablets, etc. There has also been an increase in the number of web browsers used for surfing the internet. This poses different set of challenges for designers and developers since different browsers could interpret CSS and HTML code in a different manner. The reason behind is that every browser has a unique rendering engine, responsible for rendering web elements in a way that is different than other. CSS HTML & JavaScript are 3 layers of progressive enhancement. Progressive Enhancement is a technique of creating cross browser compatible web design wherein the highest priority while developing is keeping the core web page content, while the other complex add-ons and features remain secondary. When JavaScript was introduced in the 1990’s, there were major cross-browser compatibility issues since every browser development companies had their own way of script implementation and this was primarily done to gain market dominance. Though such issues do not occur now, handling cross-browser compatibility issues with JavaScript can still cause nightmare for developers. Problems with JavaScript code majorly occur when developers come with features in web pages that do not support old browsers, usage of incorrect DOCTYPEs, or incomplete/incorrect implementation of browser sniffing code. Unless a standard mechanism of processing JavaScript (or other scripting languages) is implemented, cross-browser compatible issues with JavaScript would continue to persist. Let’s look into these cross-browser compatibility issues with JavaScript and learn a bit about the mechanisms on fixing them. Common JavaScript Problems Before we look into cross-browser compatibility issues with JavaScript, it is important that we look at some of the common JavaScript problems. It is assumed that you are already aware about JavaScript and have prior implementation experience with JavaScript. Memory Leaks is one of the common problems faced by developers. Memory Leak simply means that memory that was previously being used by the application is no longer being used. However, due to some reason (e.g. incorrect handling of global variables, out of DOM references, etc.); the allocated memory is not returned back to the ‘free’ pool of memory. Some of the common reasons for memory leaks are incorrect handling of global variables and out of DOM references. ‘Profiling Tools for Chrome’ can be used for memory profiling as well as identifying memory leaks. Below is a sample snapshot of Chrome Memory Profiling in action. JavaScript executes the code in the order in which it appears in the document. Hence it becomes important to reference code only when it is loaded . In case you are referencing code before it is loaded, the code would result in an error. . In case you are referencing code before it is loaded, the code would result in an error. Unlike other languages, no error is thrown in case you pass ‘incorrect number of parameters’ to a function in JavaScript. In case those parameters are optional, your code would be executed without any problem. It might result in problems when those parameters are used in the function and not using them can alter the functionality. It is recommended to have uniform naming conventions so that identifying such problems becomes easy. to a function in JavaScript. In case those parameters are optional, your code would be executed without any problem. It might result in problems when those parameters are used in the function and not using them can alter the functionality. It is recommended to have uniform naming conventions so that identifying such problems becomes easy. Equality Operators are basic in JavaScript, but they have to be used with precision. There is a difference between ‘assignment/equals operator’ (==) and ‘strict equals operator’ (===). These are mainly used in conditional statements and accidently using (==) instead of (===) can cause functionality issues. Thorough code-walkthrough needs to be carried out in order to look into such silly, yet costly mistakes. are basic in JavaScript, but they have to be used with precision. There is a difference between ‘assignment/equals operator’ (==) and ‘strict equals operator’ (===). These are mainly used in conditional statements and accidently using (==) instead of (===) can cause functionality issues. Thorough code-walkthrough needs to be carried out in order to look into such silly, yet costly mistakes. Variables are used as per their scope (local and global). Ensure that you use consistent naming conventions for different types of variables so that it is easier to maintain the code. Ensure that your source code does not have any syntax issues . are used as per their scope (local and global). Ensure that you use consistent naming conventions for different types of variables so that it is easier to maintain the code. Ensure that your source code does not have any . Adding DOM Element in JavaScript is considered to be a costly operation. The primary reason it is being used is because JavaScript makes it easy to implement DOM. In some cases, you would need to add DOM elements consecutively, but doing so is not a good practice. In such a scenario, you could instead use document fragments as it has superior efficiency and performance. in JavaScript is considered to be a costly operation. The primary reason it is being used is because JavaScript makes it easy to implement DOM. In some cases, you would need to add DOM elements consecutively, but doing so is not a good practice. In such a scenario, you could instead use document fragments as it has superior efficiency and performance. The starting index in JavaScript Arrays is 0 and not 1. If you intend to create an array of 10 elements, you should declare an array with index as 9 (array elements 0..9) and not 10 (array elements 0..10). Referencing out of bound array elements would result in errors. is 0 and not 1. If you intend to create an array of 10 elements, you should declare an array with index as 9 (array elements 0..9) and not 10 (array elements 0..10). Referencing out of bound array elements would result in errors. Implementing a time-consuming task in a synchronous operation could slow down the performance of your webpage/web application. Ensure that you move that logic to an asynchronous operation so it does not hog the CPU. Since the operation is asynchronous in nature, you have to be careful while using variables used in that operation since they might not be reflecting the latest value (as the async operation execution might still be in progress). Developers are advised to use the Promise object that returns the status (success/failure) of the completion of an async operation. A sample code with Promise is shown below Incorrect usage of ‘functions inside loops’ thereby resulting in breakage of functionality. Common cross-browser JavaScript Problems So far we have looked into some of the Basic JavaScript problems; let’s have a look at some of the mechanisms to solve those problems: Library Usage Similar to the jQuery library about which we discussed earlier, there are many libraries (native and third-party) that might not be supported on many versions of browsers. Before using the library, it is recommended that you do a thorough analysis about the library (in terms of browser support, feature support, etc.). You should also check the ‘development history’ of the library as it shouldn’t happen that there are very few updates to the library and once you use the library, there are no updates to it! Using User Agents And Browser Sniffing Every browser has a user-agent string which identifies the browser that the user has used in order to access your website/web application. Developers use browser sniffing code in order to tweak the UI/UX/functionalities based on the browser being used by the user. Some of the common user-agent strings are mentioned below. Developer can use navigator.userAgent.indexOf(‘user-agent’) where user-agent is the user-agent string (mentioned in the table above). Below is a snapshot of a code where developer can come up with functionalities based on the type of browser. Feature Detection For Modern JavaScript Features JavaScript is not considered as permissive as HTML and CSS when it comes to handling errors & unrecognized features. JavaScript would definitely signal an error when it comes across a wrongly used syntax/missing brace/semicolon/some other issue. There are many new features that are implemented under the ECMAScript 6 (ES6)/ECMAScript Next standards and many old browsers would not support those features. For example, the ‘Promise Object’ that we discussed earlier would not work on the old version of the browsers. ‘Typed Arrays’ is another example. ‘Arrow Functions’ was a very useful feature that was introduced in ES6 and it provides a concise manner for writing functions in JavaScript. It is not bound to its own this object i.e. the context inside the Arrow Function is statically defined. Modern JavaScript developers use this feature heavily, but it is also not supported on old browsers/old versions of browsers like IE, Firefox, Chrome, etc. The Safari browser does not support ‘Arrow Functions’. So, how do you avoid the JavaScript functionality is seamless on older browsers as well? The solution is to verify whether the feature being used is supported on old browsers. You can verify the same using an online resource like caniuse; simply key-in the feature name and it would indicate the version of browsers where the feature is supported. For example, below is the case for ‘Arrow Functions’. Entries in Red Color implies that the ‘feature is not supported. Based on the target audience, you should provide support for all the latest browsers and some older versions of browsers (depending on your initial market study). You can check out these web analytics tools that would help you understand your customers in a better way. You can also opt for ‘conditional execution’ so that there is always a ‘fallback mechanism’ in case the user is using old browser. There are many old versions of browsers that do not support WebRTC (Video conferencing), Maps API, etc. In the below example, we are using the Geolocation API; the geolocation property of the Navigator object is used for that purpose. If the browser does not support Maps API, the user is given an option to use Static Maps (as a fallback option). There are many JavaScript libraries that a developer has to simply import in order to use its functionalities. The good part about the usage is that the developer no longer has to code everything from scratch since the library already supports those functionalities. JavaScript Transpiling In case you want to provide support for the old browsers, but do not want to use browser sniffing, feature detection, etc.; a handy option that is available is called ‘Transpiling’. In simple terms, Transpiling helps in converting JavaScript code that might be using the latest ES6/ECMAScript features to a JavaScript code that can work on the older browsers. You can use a popular JavaScript Transpiling tool like Babel where you simply enter the latest JavaScript code on the ‘left’ and it outputs the transpiled code on the ‘right’. Polyfills Similar to third party libraries that enhance the functionalities and reduce the development time, Polyfills also consist of third party JavaScript files that you can use in your project. However, what makes Polyfills different from Libraries is that Polyfills are capable of providing the functionalities that does not exist at all. For example, you can use a Polyfill to support WebRTC/Promise/other ES6 based features by simply using the equivalent Polyfill for that feature. You can have a look at this list which has details about the Polyfill equivalent for JavaScript features. Let’s have a look at an example. Shown below is a code snippet where we have used a Polyfill to support the startsWith feature that was introduced in ES6. Solving Common JavaScript Problems JavaScript Debugger Breakpoints are commonly used for debugging purpose and when a ‘breakpoint’ is hit, the execution is halted and developer can have a look at various details like call stack, watch variables, memory info, etc. JavaScript has a keyword called ‘Debugger’ and when the keyword is encountered; the execution of the JavaScript code is halted. This is similar to inserting a breakpoint in the code. var x = 6 * 5; debugger; /* Logic here */ var x = 6 * 5; debugger; /* Logic here */ Alternately, you could also use the traditional debugging method of using ‘JavaScript Console’ in Chrome to debug the code. The JavaScript console can be loaded using the option Tools->JavaScript Console. Browser Developer Tools Browser Developer Tools can be used for removal warnings & errors in the JavaScript code. It is also useful for debugging the code since developers can insert Breakpoints at specific locations in the code. In case you are using the Chrome or Firefox, just right click in the window after ‘Loading the code’ and click on ‘Inspect Element’. Browser Developer Tool also has the ‘Debugger tab’ where the developer can insert breakpoints, check the callstack, add variables to watch window, etc. Below is the snapshot of the Developer Tool of the Firefox browser. Developers can also use the Console API for printing logs during the development phase. It is recommended that different kinds of console logs are used for different purposes. For example, console.log() can be used for debugging, console.assert() in case you want to issue an assert and console.error() can be used in error scenarios. Code Editor Plugins There are many editors that have in-built as well as downloadable linter plugins that can be used to correct the warnings & errors in your JavaScript code. Atom is a popular Open Source IDE that has plugins for linting code. Developers can install lint, jslint, and linter-jshint plugins to lint source code. They issue warnings & errors that are present in the code in a separate panel at the bottom of the development window. Below is the snapshot of Atom IDE where it is displaying the warnings in the source code. Atom IDE can be downloaded from here. Linters Linters are used to ensure that code is of better quality, properly aligned, and there are no errors in the code. Just like Linters used for HTML & CSS code, Linters for JavaScript are also instrumental in maintaining code-quality, irrespective of the size of your JavaScript code. Linters can be customized to different levels of error/warning reporting. Some of the widely-used Linters for JavaScript are JSHint and ESLint. Solving General JavaScript Issues Apart from the JavaScript issues that we have discussed so far, there are many general issues that developers need to address. Some of the common generic problems are: Incorrect casing/spelling being used for variables, function names , etc. Many experienced developers accidently make use of built-in functions with wrong casing/spelling. For example, you might use getElementByClassName() instead of getElementsByClassName(). , etc. Many experienced developers accidently make use of built-in functions with wrong casing/spelling. For example, you might use getElementByClassName() instead of getElementsByClassName(). While performing a code-review, the reviewer should make that there is no code after return statement since that code is redundant (or non reachable). since that code is redundant (or non reachable). Object notation is different from normal assignment and you need to check whether the member names of the object are separated by comma (,) & member names are separated from their values by colon (:). is different from normal assignment and you need to check whether the member names of the object are separated by comma (,) & member names are separated from their values by colon (:). Though this is a very basic practice, check whether the semicolon (;) is being used at the right place. Best Practices For JavaScript Some of the best practices for JavaScript are below: Always have declarations at the top. Follow proper naming conventions for variables, functions, etc. Use ‘comments’ consistently throughout the code. Declare the local variables using the var keyword. Always initialize variables. Do not declare String, Number, or Boolean objects. Always have ‘default case’ in switch.. case statements. Have a close look at usage of == and === operators. Ensure that they are being used in the right place. Place scripts at the bottom of the page. Javascript Framework For Overcoming Cross Browser Compatibility Issues It is a known fact that there would be cross browser compatibility issues for your web app or website, irrespective of the size or complexity of the app/website. As we have seen from the points mentioned above, the cross-browser compatibility issue magnifies when JavaScript is being used. But that doesn’t mean that you could avoid using JavaScript! There exists multiple JS frameworks that facilitates development of cross browser compatible websites. Some of the most renowned ones are: React JS Angular JS Vue JS Ionic Ember JS These frameworks help to solves the problem of cross-browser compatibility for JavaScript. They also help developers to create a single-page application that is compatible across different browsers (Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Safari, etc.). Related Posts 1. Angularjs: A Developer’s First Choice. 2. Write Browser Compatible JavaScript Code using BabelJS. 3. Debugging Memory Leaks in JavaScript. 4. Progressive Enhancement and Cross Browser Compatibility. 5. Web Analytics Tools to Help You Understand Your Users. Originally published at LambdaTest Originally Written by Harshit Paul
https://sarahelson81.medium.com/guide-for-fixing-javascript-cross-browser-compatibility-5bdb1059b12e
['Sarah Elson']
2019-05-17 13:11:02.967000+00:00
['Json', 'JavaScript', 'Debugging', 'Browsers', 'Web Development']
Goodbye 8-point grid, hello 4-point grid?
Goodbye 8-point grid, hello 4-point grid? 4-point-grid — Width & Height With the rise of tech, many graphic designers are making the switch or have already made the switch to UX/UI Design. I studied Art Direction, so I’m more than familiar with baseline grids in Graphic Design. When I started doing UI Design about six years ago, I wasn’t following any specific guidelines. I was mostly looking at other apps and websites for what kind of spacing they used but soon found out that everyone was doing it differently. I saw all sorts of numbers. Margins / paddings of 12px, 13px, 15px, 20px,… It didn’t seem very important back then. A few years ago, I read about the 8-Point Grid and the two methods, “soft grid” and “hard grid” on Spec.fm written by Bryn Jackson. As someone who is extremely detail-oriented, this was heaven on earth for me. I started applying the 8-Point Grid in all my designs, and I would get annoyed if others didn’t follow this method. But soon, I discovered that it limited me in quite a few cases, definitely in enterprise software or for interfaces with a lot of copy, text fields, hyperlinks, tables and buttons. I started changing it to a 4-Point Grid without really researching anything about it. But fortunately, I found out that I wasn’t the only one out there using this 4-Point Grid: Ok, but what is the 8-Point Grid? The basic principle is that everything is a multiple of 8 (8, 16, 24, 32, 40, 48,…80,…96,…). It’s the spacing between all of your elements. For example, your input field has a height of 48 px, and the space between the other input field would be 16px. An example of an 8-point-grid spacing system for a sign-in screen. Ok, but why exactly 4-Point over 8-Point? It gives you more granularity, read more options. Instead of choosing between 8 or 16, you could go for 12. Think about icon sizes, the spacing between elements, the horizontal spacing between text and an icon,… Better typography. I used to align my text to a baseline grid of 8 and always had the issue that the text on multiple lines was too tight or too big. Now I align my text to a baseline grid of 4 with a line-height multiple of 4. I highly recommend the good line-height tool made by Fran Pérez for this. I will try to illustrate this with a few examples: An example of 14px font-size with 16px line-height An example of 14px font-size with 20px line-height An example of 14px font-size with 24px line-height I think a line-height of 20px is perfect in this case. The example of 16px line-height is too tight, and the one with 24px line-height is just a bit too big for my taste. Without a 4-Point-Grid, you would have to choose between the first and the last example. Below you will find the spacing I have used for the 2nd example: An example of 14px font-size with 20px line-height As you can see, I align the bounding box to the grid and not the baseline of my text because this is how my text will be implemented in CSS. And yes, I know many designers would align the text to the baseline grid rather than the bounding box for optical margin reasons. Can I break the grid? The below example shows you some numbers that are not multiples of 4. The 14px text with a line-height of 20px inside the table row results in a spacing of 10px on top and at the bottom of the text. We could make the height of our table row 44px as in the second example, but you would have the same ‘issue’ with the checkmark icon that results in a spacing of 14px at the top and 14px at the bottom. In both examples, it’s totally fine to break the grid. An example of a table row with 14px font-size with 20px line-height An example of 18px font-size with 24px line-height “Type can be placed outside of the 4dp grid when it’s centered within a component, such as a button or list item. When placed outside of the grid but centered within a component, text can still appear vertically center-aligned.” — Google Material Design Conclusion Constraints are normal, and sometimes needed but don’t we want fewer constraints as designers? A 4-Point Grid will give you much more flexibility in your UI work. You’ll be surprised how many times you will use 12px instead of 8px or 16px as a spacing value.
https://uxdesign.cc/goodbye-8-point-grid-hello-4-point-grid-1aa7f2159051
['Dries De Schepper']
2021-06-22 22:51:45.171000+00:00
['UI', 'Design', 'Typography', 'Product Design', 'Sketch']
Sing Sing Dewy’s and Survival
“Our life is not so much threatened as our perception.” - Emerson, Experience First Freeze by Andrea Fitzpatrick Mama was born in Colorado and mostly grew up with her drunk, womanizing father, who moved around the country working on oil rigs. Mama was given the responsibility of caring for two younger brothers and cooking for them and her dad. Mama tried finding her way after surviving the split of her parents and her siblings growing up. Later as an adult, Mama, a free spirit, worked in the rock quarries of Arizona beside her brothers and Dad. Slim, curved, mischievous, she wore her long dark hair parted down the middle, pulled back from her face in two waist-long braids. Mama might have looked like butter poured into her jeans, but she was as tomboy as a girl could get. In her mid-twenties, she fell in love with my biological father. Theirs was a relationship of fire, two strong-willed, souls, loving, and warring, until my father turned to another’s arms. Mama, her heart in tatters, left my father. At the urging of her father, my Mama went back and tried to make it work. At the age of twenty-six, Mama conceived me. She gave birth to me approximately two weeks early, in a small-town clinic, little more than a doctor’s office in Williams, Arizona. She spent the better part of a day and night in active labor trying to have me. Near the end of her strength, her doctor fearing for her life, used forceps, to pull me battered, black and blue into the world. My Mama describes her first sight of me thus; a black-haired, torpedo head, bruised from head to toe, with big forcep indents across my head. She could see the forceps had nearly put out my eye. When I hear Mama tell of her first sight of me, there’s love in her words. My father, terrified of the prospect of being a father, had said to my mother, “Get rid of it!” while I was still in the womb. My Mama, horrified had told him — “Go to hell!” One year later Mama gave birth to my little brother, shortly before my Mama and father parted ways. I inherited more siblings when my Mama married the man I call Dad. I remember my Mama holding my hand, walking down a hard-packed Arizona dirt road. We saw a dust cloud, Mama shaded her eyes to see, and crouched pointing to a brown Jeep barreling up the road and said, “You see that, babycakes? That’s your new Daddy.” To this day, it is the man in the beat-up, black hat I call Dad. He took us away from society, high into the Panhandle Mountains of Idaho. ˄☼˄ I was four, and the cold world of white surrounding me was strange compared to the swelling heat of an Arizona sun. On the ride to the cabin I would come to think of as home, four of us were crammed on a snowmobile seat too small to hold us. I kept falling off the back, my legs pushed wide to fit behind Mama. My young muscles ached from the position. I lost count of how many times I fell off. In the growing darkness, I was too tired to hold onto Mama’s coat sides, with my cold crimped fingers slippery in mittens. I fell off again, and Mama noticed white spots on my cheeks — frostbite. So they put me in the front in an effort to hide me from the wind chill, my face near a gasoline-spitting carburetor spewing fumes into my frozen face. My new Dad’s knees kept knocking my back and shoulders, shoving me face-first closer to the whining, screaming engine, as he worked to control the over-loaded snowmobile. Inhaling fumes and scared, I tried to keep my face from being knocked into the carburetor. This was my introduction to the mountain I came to love. Dad cut firewood for a living, saving money to pay a lease on twenty acres of land. I don’t know exactly when the mountain and I began to commune; it was a subtle movement that became a part of me. It didn’t start that way. Our first winter was rough and cold. Seven of us lived in a small one-story, two-room log cabin with no permanent foundation. They put up a single sheetrock wall down the middle of the back room. My little brother and I slept on old yellowed cushions in bedrolls right under the step that led to the partitioned bedrooms. There were no doors but the one leading outside. Mama learned to hunt and butcher wild game, and to can and dry foods on an old screen hung from the ridge logs of our cabin. She sewed heavy quilts out of bags of rags and stuffed them with cast-off forest service white sleeping bags, to keep out the chill seeping through cracks. I still have mine. Dad dug up topsoil thick with thread-fine tree roots, mixed it with water, and threw handfuls of this kind of mud into the outside cracks in the wall, a homemade chinking to keep out the wind. They mixed flour, salt, and warm water and used the creamy colored, sticky dough, for inside chinking. The snow piled high. Personal hygiene was bathing in an old stainless steel washtub with wash water from melted snow, heated on a cast iron cook stovetop. I remember standing near the fifty-gallon barrel wood stove in a threadbare towel, shivering to get warm. There was a wash-stand near the door for hands and faces. Many mornings I had to break the thin shell of ice on the wash basin’s water to wash. We were snowed in for eight to nine months; the only way to leave the mountain in winter was to walk or snowmobile out the thirty-seven miles by road. Snow six feet high at the front door was normal at our seven thousand foot elevation. The mountain was a world apart from the Arizona dust. Mama scrubbed our clothes by hand in the same washtub we bathed in. Dad shoveled deep canyons through the snow to the woodpile and chopped wood, bringing in wheelbarrows full to heat the cabin. Mama learned to use pressure cookers and cooked for five males, herself, and her daughter. The lighting was diesel poured into kerosene lamps. The seasons came and went and the strangeness wore off into a new way of living. Mama took us with her, wild harvesting herbs and food, horsemint, stinging nettle, shaggy man, and puffball mushrooms. Stinging nettles were easy to identify at a young age for their serrated leaves and the fact they stung. Horsemint was easier than water mint to identify, because in most of the mint family, the stems tend to be square and often a mix of maroon-red and green in color. Water mint however, was pale green, with rounded stems and unlike other mints didn’t boast serrated leaves. Mint tea was for pleasure and to soothe upset stomachs. Mama forbade us to harvest mushrooms alone, saying they were dangerous if identified wrong. Late summer and autumn were hectic. It was during this time that we harvested huckleberries and myrtle berries up high, and red myrtle berry pancakes were a treat then. We took day trips to the lower elevations and harvested from old abandoned homesteads and rogue fruit trees all up and down the Salmon River’s edge. There were bing cherries, pie cherries, chokecherries, apricots, apples, pears, crabapples, currents, serviceberries, thimbleberries, raspberries, and gooseberries. Some years we got black walnuts still in their layers of black-brown husk and shells from an old black walnut tree. My parents traded firewood to some people living at the lower elevations, for the garden produce they grew. Mama and I spent long hot days in July, August, and September prepping and cooking bushels and buckets full of fruit on the old wood cook-stovetop. We made jams, jellies, and fruit all canned and poured hot into quart and pint jars fresh from a hot bath. We made pies and cut slices of fruit, carefully laying them on a screen to dry hanging between the ridge logs. We lived by the seasons. When hunting-season came, the focus moved from fruit to pursuing big game and grouse. We’d get tags and license for deer, elk, and bear. I learned early how to field-dress deer and grouse, bring them home to soak in salt water. We canned most of the meat harvested. We hand ground burger and cut stew meat. Mama and Dad would make 20–40 pound bags of smoked jerky, especially when two people got their elk. Learning to harvest from the landscape also meant I learned to read and know the land: its rhythms and the movements of plants and creatures within that landscape. Summer on the mountain lasted only three to four months. Hot days were 80 degrees. I learned to know when the snow was coming by the feeling in the air. I loved our roof-shaking spring rainstorms that would drench the mountain so hard the water ran off the eaves in great splashes, moving deep beds of pine needles from under trees downslope. Despite the richness in subsistence living, and the knowledge it imparted, my early years were lonely and chaotic. My inherited older brothers had trouble welcoming us, and reacted by putting me and my younger brother down into a mining hole with sheer sides six feet deep, then leaving us unable to climb out, afraid of the ground crumbling beneath our feet. As a child my survival instincts were strong, and they bade me read others moods — avoid the young adult and adult fights when they erupted around me. Loyalty to family and their perceptions, no matter what — was an expected absolute. As a young child, I had no defense from the perceptions projected onto me from my new family. I came to believe their perceptions like they were my own. For example: when I was five, and knocking winter ice out of our kitty’s water-cans to fill them with fresh water, my older brother asked me “why are you doing that?” I cocked my head, answering, “Because, I love them.” He shot me a sideways glance and then said tersely, “I don’t know why, nobody loves you!” I believed him. His perception of my worth and lovability became my own, because survival meant fitting in. ˄☼˄ I remember my six year old turning seven-year clearly. In early spring, I said something to my Mama while she was chopping wood that stopped her cold. I vividly remember her eyes turning sharp and deep green. Abruptly and completely angry, she stared at me and asked “What did you say?” Terrified by the rage I’d never seen in my mother’s eyes, I couldn’t initially answer. When I finally did, she told me to stay outside and rigidly turned, walking down into the cabin where my Dad was. The ensuing events were more painful than a gauntlet could ever hope to be. “You lying little greaser!” my nine years older step brother, Stephen spat at me vehemently. I was just six. I didn’t yet know what a greaser was, but his tone hit me like a physical slap. I had accidently out-ed him without naming him and now my mother was furious and yelling at our Dad in the cabin that, “It had to stop!” The “It” in question was the fact someone was molesting me. The thing my mother didn’t know was “It” was happening not only with Stephen. He was just the second; our oldest brother Thomas had beat him to the punch just weeks after we first moved onto the mountain when I was four years old. Now at six years old I had said something that had alerted my mother to the situation. I was frightened that I was in trouble, as Thomas and Stephen had each assured me that if I told — I’d get into trouble. I never wanted to go and do as they demanded. So I didn’t understand why would I get into trouble? Young and vulnerable, I believed their projected opinion. I felt it was all, my fault, my responsibility. Regardless of her reassuring words, I felt my Mama’s extreme anger was with me. Rather than with the truth of the circumstance, that slipped right under her nose, harming her only daughter in a way she could never repair. My small, quiet subsistence-based life in the forest became a warzone. My young self couldn’t reconcile the family’s violent tempers and accusations with the quiet way each older brother had individually done things. I remember kneeling naked, choking, and after Stephen would spit in his hands to wipe my face clean, hand me pine needles to chew on and spit out, while he smoothed my mussed hair. He’d dress me tidy, not allowing me to do it myself and take me home. His low voiced commands didn’t fit the loud ferocity voiced in the denials and accusations. Despite the natural environment being the backdrop to such abuse, I didn’t associate natural places with my molestation. Instead, natural places were always the balm that soothed me. There was real comfort resting against the burnt-orange sticker-soft, sun-warmed pine needle bed, under a tree completely alone. ˄☼˄ Early in my life, when I was almost one years old I first became aware of my little brother’s existence in my mother’s tummy, and became protector of him. Having a high palate, and a stutter that escalated with fear, he later became an easy target for our older brothers. In many ways my love for him was my salvation and entrapment. In the painful circumstances, I had someone other than myself to think of, and I also felt the extra weight of trying to shield him. When we were very young in early spring, we would go digging and snacking on Spring Beauty bulbs, a kind of wild sweet potato tasting bulb. Our second favorites were Fritillaria bulbs, rich, and buttery tasting, if a bit gritty. My little brother could not pronounce the “PR” sound and so Spring beauties got dubbed “sing sing dewys” in honor of him. My little brother and I went picking fireweed, known to some as miner’s lettuce. We’d put salad dressing, a sprinkle of garlic powder, some cheese, and the leaves on a slice of mama’s homemade bread and have a green rich, snappy tasting sandwich. I hiked with my Mama, hunting for large half-rotten down and dead Douglas fir trees, looking for pitch wood for winter. A dry dead wood extremely rich in tree sap (resin), it helped start a fire and heat it up faster, especially when the weather was damp and wet and fires unwilling to burn. We wild-harvested shiny-leaved Kinnikinnick, to hang and dry for winter, a plant very good for bladder infections and cleaning out the urinary tract. At least half our food supply came from harvesting from the landscape. Woven into sustainable practices was the knowledge of what to harvest, when, where, and how. The mountain and its surrounding area were rich in place based meaning. Red Sand Springs, Dutch Oven, Horse Fly Springs, Dead Man’s Corner, the corner where Thomas got his Elk, and more. Each place name held within the name a whole history of the area; it named for us, as well as the name itself denoting some characteristic of the place. We all knew, for example, Red Sand Springs was a series of small springs that ran only part of the year, and in late summer we could find puffball mushrooms and wild strawberries in the area. The springs were rich in red-colored sand. Dutch Oven is a place where a forest fire swept through, leaving a large area of blackened landscape and burn behind it. From a distance the place looks like a cast-iron Dutch oven, and during hunting season elk liked to rut and hang out in the area. In my early childhood, the air on the mountain had a crystalline quality that allowed me to see mountains for as far as my eyes could see. This changed. By the time I left home at eighteen, there was a haze blocking the furthest mountaintops from view. Sadly, half the mountainside’s lower forest was logged off. Where once rich stands of mixed old growth forest supported the mountainside, a rough view of skinned up trees, saplings, and rejects from the logging industry stood raggedly, tenaciously surviving. The elk that used to haunt the area moved when there was no longer cover for them to hide in. Many of the huckleberry patches us and the black bears harvested from in the area were decimated, others scarred and battered, survived but didn’t produce for many years. The altered habitat is an area still recovering. ˄☼˄ There is a survivor’s instinct in almost every species including humankind. Too often this instinct runs on the barbaric side. Our basic survival instinct becomes barbaric when not tempered by wisdom. When that happens, we damage and destroy each other and the incredible ecosystems we live in. Despite the familial abuse and my family’s ignorance of the effects of their harmful actions, the one thing my broken family saw clearly was the importance of living landscape. It wasn’t about whether one would leave footprints — it is impossible not to. But rather, what kind of prints were the best to leave behind? To this day, I cannot articulate completely how I survived. I cannot begin to express the terrible things I’ve witnessed, felt, and tried my best to prevent. Truth is, while these memories deeply shape the person I am today, I share them to point to something larger. If I convey only the terrible parts, I do myself and my damaged family a deeper injustice than if I’d said nothing at all. What is it that allows humankind to barrel ahead not seeing the damage they do to each other and to the environment? My family could not fathom the abuse they inflicted, in fact they could not perceive it as abuse. Beyond the molestation, I initially had a difficult time recognizing the abuse as an adult. As a young child I so thoroughly internalized their perceptions of me as weak, unintelligent, and inept that my perceptions of who I was were skewed. Those perceptions limited my ability to act in the world as an adult and this threatened my survival. I was deeply afraid of trying anything new, especially if it asked scholastic focus; I believed their projected perceptions. I believed I was weak and stupid. Abuse limits our ability to trust others, and narrows our perceptions, and a similar thing happens with environmental abuse and damage. The difference is adults have a choice about what perceptions they give power to. Whereas, in a family young children don’t have a choice. In the adult world people can choose their perceptions. The extreme loyalty perceptions can engender demonstrates how loyalties to perceptions impair our ability to perceive the inherent interconnectivity of the world. Just as my family couldn’t see how fundamental and deeply damaging much of its actions were to me, we often do not see how much damage we do to the non-human world. When we only see one part of a picture, we lose the richness of its meaning. The same relates to land and place. When a family perceives an interloper the survivor’s instinct reacts; it does not see the interloper may be like them, might be intrinsically linked to them — or that to harm that perceived interloper is to continue to harm themselves. The instinctual protective side sees one thing — threat or opportunity. This way of seeing the world wreaks havoc in familial situations and in the natural environments. The struggles of my childhood and the work of healing lend a depth to my perceptions that I would not trade, hard-won though they are. Perhaps such deep struggles awaken us all to our ignorance.
https://andreaafitzpatrick7.medium.com/sing-sing-dewys-and-survival-39ea2b51530b
['Andrea A. Fitzpatrick']
2020-03-31 14:28:52.137000+00:00
['Environmental Issues', 'Family Trauma']
Thoughts of a mild child: -#1- ALL ABOUT TUESDAYS…
Thoughts of a mild child: -#1- ALL ABOUT TUESDAYS… I have a math test tomorrow and I am obviously not excited, actually I have all of my least favorite classes tomorrow(technically today by now). I think it’s such an unfortunate coincidence that I can have all the best classes in one day and have to go through chaos the next day because they are all the worst classes. One lucky thing about the “chaos” days is that they are shorter days with only three classes while other days I have four classes and the fact that “chaos” days are always on Tuesdays and Fridays, so that I have Wednesdays and weekends to look forward to. To be honest Tuesdays have always been my least favorite days even without this schedule and I do not find myself to be a superstitious person but Tuesdays just do not seem to like me. A few things that added up to my statement, that I do not get along well with Tuesdays, is that in freshman year when we had marching band practices we would have multiple instructors. In the marching band we have maybe six-ish instructors and we would switch and work with different instructors each week (of course for the band we only use maybe three of the instructors because the other instructors specialize in guard and percussion). On Tuesday practices however we had this particular instructor that is, let’s just say not my favorite because he is scarier and stricter (but then again everyone is seen like that as a freshman). But this particular instructor would ALWAYS call on me. A more specific memory was when we were doing a new blocking exercise and all the people that this instructor put in the block so far were all former members who were experienced and he needed one more person in this block. Guess who he picks, and yes there were plenty more sophomores, juniors, and seniors. But yes as you guessed he picked me. It was simply the most terrifying experience in my life and I was blessed that I did not fall on my face while doing that marching exercise. To add onto my hatred of Tuesdays is that in these practices not only would I get called on the most for who knows what reason (maybe because the instructor liked the color blue on my shirt? I still do not know why to this day) but he would always pick on the clarinet section and yell at us the most. I think I can speak for my whole section that we did not enjoy it but at least we had some critiques, after all all of his marching bands that he instructed were always successful. Also this specific instructor had some very strange rules, he was very particular with where our eyes were when we were sitting down listening to his lectures. I remember having to wear a bunch of sunscreen facing the sun and him constantly nagging at all of us to stare up at him, as you can imagine that is difficult with the heat and sun in our eyes, personally I felt like the more I tried to stare up at him the more my eyes were about to shut close and black out. That was all for those Tuesday practices not my favorite memories from freshman year/ marching band but it definitely helped me grow and learn which I am grateful for. I just find it funny that Tuesday is still my least favorite day to this day, a year later on online school. If we were in physical school at this very moment I would have quite the “perfectly balanced” schedule. I would have a favorite class then my not so favorite class and switch on and off until the end of the day. But in online school I have to deal with hours of math, spanish, and whap all in one day, which is only three classes but it feels like decades when they are not your favorite subjects. So yes that is why I hate tuesdays but the only thing that helps me tolerate tuesday is because wednesday comes next. Another topic, but I am very curious if I would survive sophomore year if we were in physical school because as far as I can tell I can barely hold onto seven classes with some spare time for normal life. While in contrast last year I was able to do my six classes, achieve all As and have time for life as well as multiple different clubs and extracurriculars. Sometimes I just wonder if I lost some sort of magical powers or my guardian angel just decided to walk away for a year long vacation to Venice Italy or something. It seems as if my luck potion ran out after June and from July till now there has just been a long river of failed attempts. I may not have failing grades but compared to last year, 2020 grades are the downgrade. I will admit I was lazy in September but I eventually started to pick up the pace in October. At first it looked like things were going well, but oh no no no I can work for months with all 100s in every assignment and I mess up one assignment and then my grade went to a B and I do not know why I even signed up for an ap class, one of the worst decisions ever because I have learned nothing important except for the fact that I can write gibberish very very fast. It feels like the climb of a steep hill of assignments and you are climbing which is good, but it feels like every good assignment bumps you up by 0.01cm while when you get one bad assignment you roll back down the hill by a mile and it takes a million years to get back where you started. Furthermore I wonder why humans create all this torture for ourselves and why create a system of misery that drains the youth out of the young and other times I just turn and look to my dog and wish I could be him for just a few days to walk away from this chaotic complicated human life. But then I remember that being educated is important and the only reason I can enjoy the things I enjoy is because someone else had to put in the dirty work of learning and studying to create it. I wouldn’t be able to enjoy books if the author did not decide to go through the process of studying literature and english, I wouldn’t even be able to read a book if some teacher didn’t decide to go to college to get their degree to be able to teach me, and the list goes on but a lot of the time when I am not looking at the big picture, school is just a daily cycle of misery for me and all of my friends. My mom tells me to stop finding the “why” to everything because she thinks that habit will eventually drive me crazy and maybe she is right and I should just look at things simply instead of in depth and scrutinizing every event. But when I do look at the big picture everything feels pointless, I mean think about it we are all living on a floating rock, nearly the size of a speck of dust compared to the universe but yet us- the speck of dust, contains so much misery and for what reason. This brings us back to over analyzing everything and how we should be grateful for the systems we have developed today that make everyday life convenient. After writing this I think I have come to my conclusion to not think about anything anymore and “just do it” after all if I keep questioning why I have to use the formula sin (3π/2 — A) = — cos A & cos (3π/2 — A) = — sin A on problem number 53 I would have just wasted more valuable time.
https://medium.com/@cadencechrysanthemumjane/thoughts-of-a-mild-child-1-all-about-tuesdays-148b65d2ded6
['Cadence Chrysanthemum Jane']
2020-12-18 10:26:18.286000+00:00
['School Life', 'High School', 'Teens And Social Media', 'Tuesday', 'Childhood']
“Pachyderm,” by Sherman Alexie
by Mark Bibbins, Editor Sheldon decided he was an elephant. Everywhere he went, he wore a gray t-shirt, gray sweat pants, and gray basketball shoes. He also carried a brass trumpet that he’d painted white. Sometimes he used that trumpet as a tusk. Then he’d use it as the other tusk. Sometimes he played that brass trumpet and pretended it was an elephant trumpet. Every other day, Sheldon charged around the reservation like he was a bull elephant in musth. Musth being a state of epic sexual arousal. Sheldon would stand in the middle of intersections and charge at cars. Once, Sheldon head-butted a Toyota Camry so hard that he knocked himself out. Sheldon’s mother, Agnes, was driving that Camry. Agnes did not believe she was an elephant nor did she believe she was the mother of an elephant. And Agnes didn’t believe that Sheldon fully believed he was an elephant until he knocked himself out on the hood of the Camry. In Africa, poachers kill elephants, saw off the tusks, and leave the rest of the elephant to rot. Ivory is coveted. Nobody covets Sheldon’s trumpet, not as a trumpet or tusk. On those days when Sheldon was not a bull elephant, he was a cow elephant. A cow elephant mourning the death of her baby. In Africa, elephants will return again and again to the dead body of a beloved elephant. Then, for years afterward, the mournful elephants will return to the dead elephant’s cairn of bones. They will lift and caress the dead elephant’s ribs. By touch, they remember. Sheldon’s twin brother died in the first Iraq War. 1991. His name was Pete. Sheldon and Pete’s parents were not the kind to give their twins names that rhymed. In Iraq, an Improvised Explosive Device had pulverized Pete’s legs, genitals, ribcage, and spine. Sheldon could not serve in the military because he was blind in his right eye. In 1980, when they were eight, and sword fighting with tree branches, Pete had accidentally stabbed Sheldon in the eye. When they were children, Sheldon and Pete often played war. They never once pretended to be killed by an Improvised Explosive Device. Only now, in this new era, do children pretend to be killed by Improvised Explosive Devices. Pete was buried in a white coffin. It wasn’t made of ivory. At the gravesite, Sheldon scooped up a handful of dirt. He was supposed to toss the dirt onto his brother’s coffin, as the other mourners had done. But Sheldon kept the dirt in his hand. He made a fist around the dirt and would not let it go. He believed that his brother’s soul was contained within that dirt. And if he let go of that dirt, his brother’s soul would be lost forever. You cannot carry a handful of dirt for any significant amount of time. And dirt, being clever, will escape through your fingers. So Sheldon taped his right hand shut. For months, he did everything with his left hand. Then, one night, his right hand began to itch. It burned. Sheldon didn’t want to take off the tape. He didn’t want to lose the dirt. His brother’s soul. But the itch and burn were too powerful. Sheldon scissored the tape off his right hand. His fingers were locked in place from disuse. So he used the fingers of his left hand to pry open the fingers of his right hand. The dirt was gone. Except for a few grains that had embedded themselves into his palm. Using those grains of dirt, Sheldon wanted to build a time machine that would take him and his brother back into the egg cell they once shared. Until he became an elephant, Sheldon referred to his left hand as “my hand” and to his right hand as “my brother’s hand.” Sheldon’s father, Arnold, was paraplegic. His wheelchair was alive with eagle feathers and beads and otter pelts. In Vietnam, in 1971, Arnold’s lower spine was shattered by a sniper’s bullet. Above the wound, he was a fancy dancer. Below the wound, he was not. His wife became pregnant with Sheldon and Pete while Arnold was away at war. Biologically speaking, the twins were not Arnold’s. Biologically speaking, Arnold was a different Arnold than he’d been before. But, without ever acknowledging the truth, Arnold raised the boys as if they shared his biology. Above the wound, Arnold is a good man. Below the wound, he is also a good man. Sometimes, out of love for Sheldon and Sheldon’s grief, Arnold pretended that his wheelchair was an elephant. And that he was a clown riding the elephant. A circus can be an elephant, another elephant, and a clown. The question should be, “How many circuses can fit inside one clown?” There is no such thing as the Elephant Graveyard. That mythical place where all elephants go to die. That place doesn’t exist. But the ghosts of elephants do wear clown makeup. And they all gather in the same place. Inside Sheldon’s ribcage. Sheldon’s heart is a clown car filled with circus elephants. When elephants mourn, they will walk circles around a dead elephant’s body. Elephants weep. Jesus wept. Sheldon’s mother, Agnes, wonders if Jesus has something to do with her son’s elephant delusions. Maybe God is an elephant. Sheldon’s father, Arnold, believes that God is a blue whale. Some scientists believe that elephants used to be whales. Sheldon, in his elephant brain, believes that God is an Improvised Explosive Device. Pete, the dead twin, was not made of ivory. But he is coveted. If Jesus can come back to life then why can’t all of us come back to life? Aristotle believed that elephants surpassed all other animals in wit and mind. Nobody ever said that Jesus was funny. Then, one day, Sheldon remembered he was not an elephant. Instead he decided that Pete was an elephant who had gone to war. An elephant who died saving his clan and herd. An elephant killed by poachers. Sheldon decided that God was a poacher. Sheldon decided his prayers would become threats. Fuck you, God, fuck you. Sheldon wept. Then he picked up his trumpet and blew an endless, harrowing note. Sherman Alexie’s collection, Blasphemy: New and Selected Stories, will be published by Grove Press this October. He lives with his family in Seattle. Would you like more poems? We hide them all here for you. You may contact the editor at [email protected].
https://medium.com/the-awl/pachyderm-by-sherman-alexie-3783493d8edd
['The Awl']
2016-05-13 15:36:51.332000+00:00
['Poetry', 'The Poetry Section', 'Poems']
Hushed: A Horror Story in Pieces
Though the time and place had been decided upon for nearly a month, complications ensued early the morning of the incident when Tom received a text from his sister-in-law: Tom, I’m coming out Saturday night. Will you and Annette be around? The first thought that entered his afflicted mind must have been something like: Damn it. I may have to make myself available a few more hours. Offending my brother’s widow is out of the question. I know because for breakfast I was sitting alone at the adjoining table in a Greek restaurant — whose name I’ll spare until later to protect their reputation as none of this was their fault — where I overheard the wife say, “I like this new you. You’re so quiet. I’ll never get used to it!” And here I am worried about offending someone, Tom thought. Not worth the stress. I have enough to deal with here and regardless, I’ll be hushed within 24. I recognized him straight away. I knew his face. Handsome devil in person; marvelous head of hair for a man of his age. Though we did not know each other personally, I had seen enough interviews with the man to last me a lifetime. Something in him snapped. Precisely when I cannot be certain, but those veins in his neck were already blue and prominent when he checked his phone. There was something about him, though, at that moment, like a snake coiled and ready to strike, and I watched him as he forced a smile and responded. ‘Nah, I’m just four days coffee sober,” he said. “Caffeine withdrawal.” “Well I like it,” his wife repeated. His relationship with his sister-in-law had long been cool. Cool veering on the positive. She looked up to him, and his late brother loved him. But we’ll delve further into the details of that sordid tragedy later. For now, Tom was clearly a threat, to either himself or his wife, or both, and as the restaurant patrons enjoyed their meals I could not take my eyes off the man who threatened to be tomorrow’s front-page news. And then some.
https://medium.com/writing-for-your-life/hushed-a196b57f3af5
['Joel Eisenberg']
2020-04-27 16:17:32.464000+00:00
['Horror', 'Fiction', 'Short Fiction', 'Crime Fiction', 'Fiction Writing']
“Bringing music to the inner city and to the homeless”
“Bringing music to the inner city and to the homeless” Hello I’m fundraising for musicians to get a midi controller, microphone, and laptop computer, and to get myself into a position where I can continue to create music for more streaming sites. eventually starting a community around music creation and getting artists like myself onto music streaming sites I’ve gotten myself as far as SoundCloud and am in the process of getting on all major music download and streaming sites, but to qualify I need to pay fees to get verified and to get my music monetized. Now I pay annual fees for music creator apps and would love to have MIDI controllers, preferably a mini 25 key MIDI controller with drum pads, and midi controller for recording audio. All I have now is my iPod touch and iPad mini alongside with apps that offer digital synthesizers but I can only go so far, I’ve been approached by music promoters who are now showcasing my music I have on SoundCloud for free. I go by two artist names on SoundCloud Emoji Mike, and Flock Of Another please consider me for donation as I will grow into a public service offered to inner city kids and the homeless as I live next door to the youth shelters, homeless shelters, rehab and detox centres, as well as safe injection sites and the public service buildings churches and charitable organizations they all go to during the day for food, shelter, and services and is a social gathering for all. who use these services daily I would like to eventually be in a position to offer a Mobile recording experience to the people there. I’ve in the past used many of these services myself, and if I get funded for MIDI controllers, microphone and laptop computer I would have a fully functional mobile recording studio, the education in how to use them. I now have a close connection to people in need by both living experience and living next to the social services places they all hang out at, and I know many of them personally and believe they would benefit in the music creating experience and connecting to something like music is good for mental well-being and is a therapy I need. I now am in an assisted living building and have a lot of free time I’m unable to work and the only thing I’ve recently found that brings me joy is creating, producing, promoting music and am able to go into communities where drugs violence and poverty is a large social issue, music is a way to get out or to positively express yourself and put your time towards, and is the one thing I can bring to a community packaged in a way that is genuine unique, and not a service that is in my city’s inner city. If you fund me you will also be funding a mobile recording studio that I believe will bring inner city people together and focus on something rewarding and positive and has a possibility in my hands to grow into endless possibilities, and fill in some of the gaps in my city. there is a link below if you want to listen to the music I’ve recorded with just my iPod and iPad with little experience, all and self taught in music. I also have a music promotion page on Facebook called “Music Creators,edm, hip hop,” please go fund me & feel free to share this story with your friends and family thank you
https://medium.com/@michaeltolman/bringing-music-to-the-inner-city-and-to-the-homeless-a20c7362f5e
['Michael Tolman']
2021-01-01 12:03:30.928000+00:00
['Gofundme Heroes', 'Homeless']
Blockchain is Poised to Change Financial Services, Here’s Why
The hype surrounding blockchain technology is ever-present no matter what the industry and the type of company it is involved in (regardless whether it is a corporation or a start-up). Amid all the excitement, it might be difficult for entrepreneurs and investors to determine what blockchain means for their businesses and investments, especially in the financial sector. Blockchain is poised to create an environment where financial services must adapt and evolve, with several factors driving this evolution: Unalterable Data Data that is uploaded to blockchain cannot be altered without leaving a clear trail. Every block of the blockchain is assigned a date and time stamp, and blocks cannot be altered after being added to the blockchain. Consensus Verification For any information to be added to the blockchain network, there needs to be a consensus among members to approve this information. Information is verified by either via proof of ownership protocols or completion of algorithmic puzzles. Real-time availability Having information available in real-time, after being approved by members of the network and encrypted, is one of the most business-ready applications of blockchain. This combination or encryption, consensus validation and confirmation, and delivery of data in real-time represent a leap forward in data analysis. This makes blockchain based investments highly favorable for international investors, given that it is highly safe and transparent. There are several areas where further adoption of blockchain will facilitate the development of a more strategic finance industry. Continuous attestation With the encryption, consensus validation and timestamp security embedded on the blockchain, auditors have the ability to examine 100% of transactions. With data verified on a continuous basis, auditors can assist in data security policies, generate insights and link data to the decision making process. Real-time settlement of exchanges Even the most sophisticated mobile transactions that appear to settle immediately might actually take days or even weeks. Leveraging the blockchain platform with data instantly available to all participants would substantially boost efficiency and savings. However, it could also threaten the traditional role of intermediaries. While this eliminates some duties, it also opens the door to higher-level functions as opposed to the simple verification of identities. 3Smart contracts Some of the most inconvenient aspects of today’s business landscape are related to contract execution and resolution. Integrating contractual terms on the blockchain would expedite contract execution and reduce the need for intermediaries. Banks can automate loan agreements and terms of payment using blockchain. The traditional way of investment is permanently going to change as smart contracts become the mainstream norm. This will enable companies to cross borders and avoid lengthy amounts of bureaucracy, all the while gathering enough funds to make the world a better place. KiWi New Energy aims to revolutionize the way people invest in green energy by making solar investment easy for everyone. Unlike conventional solar energy companies, who look for large investors, we crowdsource solar projects. The income of investors will be distributed through our brand new cryptocurrency, the KIWI Token; this helps us cross borders, as well as help participants avoid lengthy bureaucracy. Our highly lucrative solar projects are ideal for investors who want to make the world a cleaner and better place. To learn more about us and our investment opportunities, click here. Follow us on Twitter, or like us on Facebook.
https://medium.com/kiwi-new-energy/blockchain-is-poised-to-change-financial-services-heres-why-43476b625a94
['Irene Sun']
2018-03-20 00:11:16.592000+00:00
['Investment', 'Blockchain', 'Solar Energy', 'Ethereum', 'Bitcoin']
Alliance strategy of the U.S.
Since Mr. Joe Biden was elected as the next U.S. president, America’s allies have been expecting that the U.S. will strengthen its leadership again by supporting the existing alliance system. Some experts argue that President Joe Biden should strike a deal with America’s democratic allies to establish a more robust network against China. We need to focus on the word “democratic” because that word implies the possibility of “value alliance.” President Joe Biden also pledged to restore America’s moral leadership by hosting a global Summit for Democracy during his election campaign. It is crucial to rebuild the alliance system disrupted during the term of his predecessor. However, the emphasis on morality could be dangerous by reducing room for negotiation with competitors such as China and Russia. The concept of democracy-alliance involves tying allies based on identity. This kind of identity politics is highly likely to define rivals as enemies or threats to the alliance’s values, thus considering a compromise with those competitors as an act of betrayal. As the possibility of cooperating with rivals decreases, the alliance system would gradually lose flexibility over time. This change undermines not only the international stability but also America’s national interests. Today countries are closely interconnected. After China joined the WTO, China has become one of the most important trading partners of the U.S. and its allies. Moreover, in the era of the 4th industrial revolution, tech companies are forming a close collaboration with foreign partners regardless of the alliance system. The cold war between the U.S. and the Soviet Union was relatively stable because it separated the communist and capitalist world. However, now the interests of countries are intertwined in a complicated way. Under this situation, the value-based alliance system will damage both sides by making it difficult to cooperate in areas where collaboration is essential such as curbing global warming, health, and technology. That is why allies should unite based on the national interests of each member rather than values. Focus on gains will also reduce unnecessary conflicts within the alliance. The U.S. and its allies still share a lot of interests in broad areas like security, climate change, trade, and the digital economy. Instead of appealing to partners’ moral emotions, the U.S. would have to persuade them with substantial gains by using its leading position in the global economy and defense system.
https://medium.com/@clinamenv/alliance-470ff4c12b10
[]
2020-12-08 20:11:31.307000+00:00
['Politics', 'Alliances', 'Foreign Policy']
How I Learned To Be Okay With Feeling Sad
Honestly speaking, it’s not easy. And it does not happen overnight. It takes you months and in my case even years of crying and not being able to accept your feelings. Sometimes, you feel so helpless that you just cannot do anything about what happened in your life and sometimes even what keeps happening everyday. Because that is just not in anyone’s hands. No one can do anything for you. And worst part is that, even you can’t do anything for yourself. Neither can you change anything about your life, nor how you feel about all this. Accepting one’s feelings is the hardest thing ever Talking about myself here, I still cannot say that I COMPLETELY accept my feelings. Because that would be a lie. But what I think and feel is that at least now I don’t owe myself an explanation for being sad. I don’t bother to think that what is hurting me this time, because there is not one thing, there are a lot of reasons of me being this way. And there’s literally nothing that I can do about it. So I compelled myself to believe this that yes, this is the way you feel and this is the way you are supposed to feel because nothing in your life is the way it should be or could have been. This is how I learned to normalise being sad. And now that I have accepted my sadness due to a lot of reasons, I never question anyone for being sad. Yes I do ask them the reasons but I never question them because there is a lot that can happen in someone’s life. Accept yourself the way you are
https://medium.com/@eishakay/how-i-learned-to-be-okay-with-feeling-sad-82c1a66ac0f7
['Eisha Kamran']
2020-12-06 19:39:53.913000+00:00
['Acceptance', 'Feelings', 'Sadness']
The Real Well-wishers of Kashmir
Today morning as I was rushing through to get to my office, in the brief movements of relief while on the metro, looking at the crowed of befittingly dressed women, men young and old going through their daily morning chores to reach their offices, I somehow was stuck on the concept of “anthropocentrism” and how we perceive our reality emanating from ourselves with us at the center of all that is happening either to us or around us. How we evaluate, process, make decisions (be it rational or even irrational), act and go about our lives on the daily basis with ourselves at the very center of our universe. And yet at the same time most of us are so invested in the spiral or the web of life we seldom understand our own deep rooted conscious or even subconscious instinctual impulses, inherited and accumulated over the years or even generations and their bearing on the way we think, act and lead our lives. In the flight of such thought I realized we kashmiris in this sense are radically anthropocentric or more precisely ethnocentric as a community (and I being a kashmiri myself am no exception). We almost take it as a fact that the world revolves around us on its own volition and in this regard at least the immediate world has not given us any less reason to believe in it. Tripping on this trail of thought obviously led me to think about the history and the narrative around the Kashmir. And in all this cacophony of us and them, with or without I started thinking who the real well wishers of Kashmir are? No one can deny that such people exist. Almost every one who thinks and talks Kashmir regardless of leanings, understanding or agenda at least considers her/himself as a well wisher of Kashmir and Kashmiri people if not the whole of erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir. So complying with my old canny habit of making checklists I started making a mental list of attributes of a person who could be taken as a true well-wisher of Kashmir based on my understandings and engagement with the place, people and the issue over the years and here it goes: Doesn’t stereotype or romanticize Kashmir and Kashmiris be it positive or negative, social, political, religious, ethnic or cultural. We are utterly humans as flawed and as good as anyone else (I myself may be guilty of this). A part of what has happened and is happening is our mistake and the other part is of circumstances and external forces which were not in our control to begin with. Neither underplays nor exaggerates the flawed governmental policy in Kashmir be it those of the centre or those of the state government over the years. Plus there must be in such person an acknowledgment of the political corruption of our leaders regardless of them being from any political party or leaning or them being from centre, state’s mainstream or the separatist. Neither underplays nor exaggerates the wrong doings of security forces in Kashmir. Kashmir has been conflict ridden for around three decades now. There have been instances of excesses by security forces, which are documented. Need less to say these excess could have been avoided and they does raises question mark. And as a well-wisher, I would strongly support the call for Justice and reconciliation to untarnish the credibility and image of the security forces in Kashmir. Acknowledges the communal nature of the Azaadi movement. “Aazaadi” is generally taken to be a progressive term meaning liberty and freedom but in Kashmir the term has its roots in communal two-nation theory, majoritarian religious fundamentalism and ethnic exclusivity as opposed to the tenets of actual concept of liberty. Anyone not acknowledging this fact is either cognitively dissonant, biased or has some agenda. Isn’t apologetic for the wrong doings of Islamic terrorist and their communal underground and over-ground supporters. The narrative around Kashmir is filled with questioning the atrocities of security forces and wrong governmental policies (and rightly so when such questions are credible) but not much is ever said or questioned about atrocities caused by the gun toting terrorists and their support group towards their fellow kashmiris itself. The recent incident of the murder of an innocent shopkeeper in Parimpora, Srinagar who defied the shut-down (bandh) call of the militants, probably just to make an honest dignified income instead of living on alms. Is completely against the gun culture, wants and works for peace, prosperity and welfare of every group in the state. Any one who knows even a bit about kashmir knows how the arrival of gun and gun-culture has rendered generations after generations to complete waste. “Those who live by gun, die by gun” and yet there are instances where such gun-toting individuals are eulogized, treated as martyrs and portrayed as heroes. Any one doing that could never be a well-wisher of Kashmir. Acknowledges the general religious fundamentalism, patriarchy, misogyny in the Kashmiri society and the othering of any one who talks and condemns it. Religious fundamentalism, patriarchy, misogyny are some of the general traits of South Asian countries but in regards to Kashmir this acknowledgement become more important because such issues get overshadowed by the conflict and anyone raising such issue is castigated, ridiculed and often silenced. Acknowledges the plight of the religious and other minorities in Kashmir. First of all to state that there is no state minority commission in Jammu and Kashmir. Apart from that the fate of Kashmiri Pandits, Sikhs and other religious minorities over the decades is no secret tale. Moreover the intra-religious oppression ensued by the Shia-Sunni tension or the anti-Ahamdies xenophobia also exist. In the same context the discrimination faced by the member of Valmiki community and the refugees of west-Pakistan living almost disenfranchised in the state for decades needs to be highlighted. It is Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh for them not just Kashmir. Any true well wisher would obviously acknowledge in addition to Kashmiris, the plight of the non-kashmiris in the erstwhile state. there ought to be an acknowledgement of the years of skewed discrimination suffered by the people of non-kashmiri region and community in the erstwhile state. Doesn’t peddle conspiracy theories or get into comparison of miseries in order to support their agenda or narrative. Conspiracy theories, misinformation and fake news entered Kashmir way before they became main-stream world over. I wonder if there’s a land more fertile for conspiracy theories than Kashmir. There is a conspiracy theory for every thing from the surveillance chip in the led bulbs distributed by the government to the famous “Jagmohan Conspiracy theory” of Kashmiri Pandit exodus. In addition there’s a knack for comparison of miseries from all the sides, as in who suffered more and it is either used as a tool of whataboutry or to denigrate other’s suffering. Hasn’t and Isn’t looking to do Politics or make a career over the dead-bodies of either Kashmiris or the security forces personnel. Kashmir right from the start of conflict was treated as a big boiling pot and it was in the interests of many to keep the pot boiling because it attracted money and luxuries for such individuals from all sides. For others if it wasn’t money, it was something else-political brownies, news-reports, books, academic careers etc. A self sustaining ecosystem originated, survives and thrives on what some call “a conflict economy” of Kashmir. If there is no problem in Kashmir, there would be no money, no funding, no intellectual or academic exposure, no burning news. I think that’s enough tripping on Kashmir for the day and its obvious that the list is non-exhaustive and is not be considered as a final judgement. Here, I’d, as a well-wisher of Kashmir like to conclude this with a few lines of a poem I wrote many years ago. “All I dream of; Kashmir; white snow; hot kangri; dark Kehva; bright saffron. All I dream of; Kashmir, red chinar of autumn, yellow mustard of springs, a pinch-sweet happiness warm peace, no bitterness.”
https://medium.com/@ieshanvm/the-real-well-wishers-of-kashmir-6db13c7e8600
['Ieshan Vinay Misri']
2019-09-04 11:14:47.312000+00:00
['Jammu And Kashmir', 'Propaganda', 'Article 370', 'Pakistan', 'Kashmir']
Different Types of “ing” Words — and Which Ones to Avoid
Different Types of “ing” Words — and Which Ones to Avoid Photo by Taras Makarenko from Pexels In my post “Beyond Active vs. Passive Voice,” I provided a number of tips for tightening up your writing, including shifting from the passive to the active voice when possible. This means to simply make sure the subject of a sentence precedes the object as in “John drove the car” instead of “The car was driven by John.” Since the passive voice often sounds a bit clunky, it’s usually easy to avoid. I also suggested avoiding using words that end in “ing,” which I admit I’ve always thought indicated a passive style of writing. As Edward Robson, PhD has pointed out to me, though, “ing” words “are seldom passive voice, which usually ends in -ed, as in ‘the bicycle was pedaled.’” He added that “ing” words “can be gerunds, participles, or progressive verb forms,” at which point my brain pretty much shut down. So I thought it made sense to look further into “ing” words and what they’re all about. Gerunds Turns out “ing” words are gerunds when they act like nouns as in “I like walking, jumping, and singing.” Simply put, a gerund is made up of a verb (walk, jump, sing) and “ing,” but it’s only a gerund when it acts like a noun. These types of “ing” words do not slow down the pace of your writing. In the example above, “like” is very active, and “I like walking” is just as direct as “I like to walk.” Participles Participles are a bit more complicated, and discussions of the different types of participles make my eyes cross. Luckily, “ing” words create only one type of participle: present participles. Simply put, “ing” words are present participles when they act like an adjective (as in “the running water”) or indicate verb tense (as in “She was running to the store”). While “ing” words that act like adjectives won’t usually slow down your writing, “ing” words that indicate verb tense — and are preceded by a “to be” verb, such as “was” in “She was running” — can slow down your writing. Turns out they also create the progressive verb form Ed mentioned. Luckily, it’s easy to make such statements more direct by deleting both the “to be” verb and the “ing” word, as in “She ran” instead of “She was running.” “To be” verbs In both my first example of this post (“The car was driven by John”) and my latest (“She was running”), the “to be” verb “was” would be deleted in the tighter versions (“John drove the car” and “She ran”). Writers are often told to avoid “to be” verbs, and luckily there are only eight to worry about: am, is, are, was, were, be, being, been. Three of them are literally forms of “be,” and the other five are easy to memorize: am, is, are, was, were. When a “to be” verb precedes an “ing” word in a sentence, it’s fair to consider revising that sentence. One other thing Ed Robson mentioned is that “there are no simple, categorical rules…to make one’s writing more effective.” So even though some “ing” words can sound a bit passive, they still have their place. My best advice then, is to determine which “ing” words successfully do the heavy lifting in each piece you write and replace the rest when possible. As always, your readers will thank you.
https://writingcooperative.com/different-types-of-ing-words-and-which-ones-to-avoid-1502a24d4cf3
['Karen Degroot Carter']
2021-04-20 15:49:47.009000+00:00
['Writing Well', 'Editing', 'Grammar', 'Improvement', 'Writing']
Review: The Gold Coast Lounge is a Fantastic African Film Noir
In recent years, a number of filmmakers telling stories inspired by Hollywood’s filmmaking but rooted in African culture have emerged. Pascal Aka’s The Gold Coast Lounge — which screened at the 2019 African International Film Festival (AFRIFF) — works the trend, embedding a Ghanian crime story within the film noir style of 1940s Hollywood. It adds an authentic Africanness to the dreamy mysteriousness of classic noir. Its dialogue is in Ghanaian languages, the music combines classical African jazz with highlife, and it pursues a theme of colonialism and black power. The story is set in the heart of Accra. A crime family has three weeks to clean up their act before the inauguration of a crime-intolerant government. The family is headed by the revered John Donkor (Adjetey Anang), a man who has just returned from prison for crimes related to drug trafficking and prostitution. He wants to end all illegal activities and reform the popular Gold Coast Lounge. When John is mysteriously poisoned, his most trusted soldier and legal heir to his empire, Daniel (Alphonse Menyo), takes control of the business, the lounge, and John’s woman — the sultry Naa Adorley (Raquel Ammah). Adorley is an enchanting songstress and the new face of the lounge. She has a history with Daniel, they were childhood sweethearts, and although his boss now beds her, Daniel still wants her. Before his demise, John warns Daniel. “I see the way you look at her,” he says, “don’t eat that which isn’t meant for you.” As the new boss, Daniel brings creative, pro-black ideas but he is naïve and there is his obsession with Naa Adorley. Gold Coast Lounge embraces the film noir aesthetics with its luscious black and white picture, created by the terrific combination of Isreal De-like’s cinematography and Prince Ibam’s lighting. The film noir stock characters are present: Daniel is the flawed protagonist; John is the suave crime boss; Naa Adorley is the femme fatale. For a director doing a lot of his own technical work — acting, editing, music composition, and writing — Aka does a fine job getting excellent performances from his actors. Menyo owns an intense presence onscreen. Anang is impeccably charming. Towards the end, the story descends into chaos as more of its mysteries are unraveled. But Aka manages to bring the many moving parts into an explosive but coherent conclusion. It might not as smooth as is possible, but The Gold Coast Lounge works.
https://medium.com/@DanielOkechukwu1/review-the-gold-coast-lounge-is-a-fantastic-african-film-noir-989f616f39af
['Daniel Okechukwu']
2019-11-15 16:56:01.528000+00:00
['Cinema', 'Movies', 'African Cinema', 'Film', 'Film Noir']
2D Barcode Reader Market Worth $8.6 Billion By 2025
The global 2D barcode reader market size is expected to reach USD 8.60 billion by 2025, registering a CAGR of 4.7% over the forecast period, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. The market is expected to grow as incumbents of industries, such as retail, transportation & logistics, warehousing, and e-commerce, continue to adopt various tools to increase the operational efficiency of their business operations. Initiatives being undertaken by businesses to develop innovative strategies and adopt strategic methods and tools to gain a competitive edge in the marketplace also bode well for the growth of the market. A barcode reader is emerging as one of the solutions that can potentially help businesses in ensuring lean operations and improving productivity. As a result, manufacturers operating in the market are responding to the situation by focusing on the development of innovative technologies for enhancing the barcode reading capabilities and offering numerous benefits to several end-use industries. The development of 2-Dimensional (2D) barcode scanners has particularly helped in solving several problems and challenges, such as having the capability to scan 2D barcodes while also ensuring the backward compatibility to scan 1-Dimensional (1D) barcodes. A 2D barcode reader has assumed a pivotal role in increasing the operational efficiency of businesses. Owing to advantages such as higher accuracy, higher scanning speed, reduction in clerical cost, and improvement in customer service, the 2D barcode reader has cemented its position as a prominent tool for streamlining internal and external operations. Apart from being compact and flexible, the reader can also turn out to be an economical solution with a payback period of just 3–6 months. It is particularly getting vital for the industrial sector as a result. The adoption of barcode technology as an automatic identification/scanning system has helped significantly in reducing human errors. A typical error rate for human data entry is estimated at around 1 error per 300 characters typed. However, the error rate of a barcode reader is estimated at 1 error per 35 trillion characters. Thus, from accelerating the checkout process in the retail industry to tracking inventories in warehouses, barcode scanners have eventually proliferated into a myriad of business operations. These scanners can not only help businesses in conserving their resources but in optimizing the data entry process, improving real-time visibility of the products, and enhancing the productivity of employees. However, the proliferation of mobile barcode Software Development Kits (SDKs) is anticipated to hinder the growth of the market. Organizations with low-volume operations are particularly preferring smartphones over scanners for barcodes to reduce their operational costs. The adoption of Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) policies is also anticipated to encourage the adoption of barcode scanning apps over readers. In other words, any growth in the usage of smartphones for scanning barcodes can potentially take a toll on the demand for dedicated 2D barcode readers. Click the link below: https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/2d-barcode-reader-market Further key findings from the study suggest:
https://medium.com/@marketnewsreports/2d-barcode-reader-market-33bc0bb5e021
['Gaurav Shah']
2020-12-16 07:56:57.418000+00:00
['Ecommerce', 'Retail', 'Sensors', 'Logistics', 'Control']
Libertarian Quotes of the Week 7
"However sugarcoated and ambiguous, every form of authoritarianism must start with a belief in some group’s greater right to power, whether that right is justified by sex, race, class, religion or all four. However far it may expand, the progression inevitably rests on unequal power and airtight roles within the family.” Gloria Steinem •1934– “Good intentions will always be pleaded for every assumption of authority. It is hardly too strong to say that the Constitution was made to guard the people against the dangers of good intentions. There are men in all ages who mean to govern well, but they mean to govern. They promise to be good masters, but they mean to be masters.” Daniel Webster •1782–1852 “Racism is the lowest, most crudely primitive form of collectivism. It is the notion of ascribing moral, social or political significance to a man’s genetic lineage — the notion that a man’s intellectual and characterological traits are produced and transmitted by his internal body chemistry. Which means, in practice, that a man is to be judged, not by his own character and actions, but by the characters and actions of a collective of ancestors.” Ayn Rand • 1905–1982 H.L. Mencken “The trouble with fighting for human freedom is that one spends most of one’s time defending scoundrels. For it is against scoundrels that oppressive laws are first aimed, and oppression must be stopped at the beginning if it is to be stopped at all.” H.L. Mencken • 1880–1956 By virtue of exchange, one man’s prosperity is beneficial to all others. Frédéric Bastiat • 1801–1850 Where there is one common all-overriding end there is no room for any general morals or rules… Where a few specific ends dominate the whole of society, it is inevitable that occasionally cruelty may become a duty, that acts which revolt all our feeling, such as the shooting of hostages or the killing of the old or sick, should be treated as mere matters of expediency, that the compulsory uprooting and transportation of hundreds of thousands should become an instrument of policy approved by almost everybody except the victims, or that suggestions like that of a ‘conscription of woman for breeding purposes’ can be seriously contemplated. There is always in the eyes of the collectivist a greater goal which these acts serve and which to him justifies them because the pursuit of the common end of society can know no limits in any rights or values of any individual.” F.A. Hayek • 1899–1992 “The welfare of the people in particular has always been the alibi of tyrants, and it provides the further advantage of giving the servants of tyranny a good conscience.” Albert Camus • 1913–1960 “When Government has a monopoly of all production and all distribution, as many Governments have, it can not permit any economic activity that competes with it. This means that it can not permit any new use of productive energy, for the new always competes with the old and destroys it. Men who build railroads destroy stage coach lines.” Rose Wilder Lane • 1886–1968 “To make laws that man cannot, and will not obey, serves to bring all law into contempt.” Elizabeth Cady Stanton • 1815–1902 “There is no telling to what extremes of cruelty and ruthlessness a man will go when he is freed from the fears, hesitations, doubts and the vague stirrings of decency that go with individual judgement. When we lose our individual independence in the corporateness of a mass movement, we find a new freedom — freedom to hate, bully, lie, torture, murder and betray without shame and remorse. Herein undoubtedly lies part of the attractiveness of a mass movement.” Eric Hoffer •1898–1983 “No nation was ever ruined by trade, even seemingly the most disadvantageous.” Benjamin Franklin •1706–1790 “The contest for ages has been to rescue liberty from the grasp of executive power.” Daniel Webster •1782–1852 Steve Biko “Conformities are called for much more eagerly today than yesterday; loyalties are tested far more severely; sceptics, liberals, individuals with a taste for private life and their own inner standards of behaviour, if they do not care to identify themselves with an organised movement, are objects of fear or derision and targets for persecution for either side, execrated or despised by all the embattled parties in the great ideological wars of our time……In the world today, individual stupidity and wickedness are forgiven far more easily than failure to be identified with a recognised party or attitude, [or failure] to achieve an approved political or economic or intellectual status.” Isaiah Berlin 1909–1997 “The most potent weapon in the hand of the oppressor is the mind of the oppressed.” Steve Biko 1946–1977 I sincerely hope you didn’t find any quotes as disturbing as did the Facebook Politburo, who shut down our page for 30 days for violating unspecified community standards. Facebook’s policies mean we are posting quotes here weekly instead of there daily. Also follow our daily comments at Twitter. If you are looking for discounted libertarian books visit our Freeminds website. SUPPORT THIS PAGE AT PATREON Your support to fund these columns is important, visit our page at Patreon. Our only support for this work is your donations via Patreon — even $1 a month adds up. Please consider signing up to make a monthly donation, but you can also make one time donations.
https://medium.com/the-radical-center/libertarian-quotes-of-the-week-7-b61bd4b5301d
['James Peron']
2021-03-18 17:41:14.966000+00:00
['Quotes']
Cypress vs Selenium vs Playwright vs Puppeteer speed comparison
Our recent speed comparison of major headless browser automation tools, namely Puppeteer, Playwright and WebDriverIO with DevTools and Selenium, received a very positive response. The single most common ask from our readers was that we follow up by including Cypress in our benchmark. In this article, we are doing just that — with some precautions. Note: In case you haven’t read our first benchmark, we recommend going through it as it contains important information on the hows and whys of our testing which we have decided not to duplicate in this second article. Table of content Why compare these automation tools? Aside from the sheer curiosity about which was fastest in end-to-end scenarios, we at Checkly wanted to inform our future choices with regards to browser automation tools for synthetic monitoring and testing, and we wanted to do that through data-backed comparisons. Before we add Cypress to the mix, we need to consider the following key differences to be able to contextualise the results we will get. Laser focus on testing Contrary to the tools mentioned above, Cypress is not a general-purpose browser automation tool, but rather focuses on automating end-to-end browser tests. This narrower scope enables it to excel in areas of the automated testing domain where other, more general-purpose tools have historically struggled. In the author’s opinion, the most evident example of this is Cypress’ unmatched E2E script development and debugging experience. It is important to note that this kind of qualitative characteristic cannot be highlighted in a speed benchmark such as the one you are reading right now. The goal of this benchmark is to answer the question “how fast does it run?” and not “which tool is the best all around?” Local testing flow As mentioned on the official documentation, while Cypress can be used to test live/production websites, its actual focus is on testing your application locally as it is being developed. Production vs local, from https://cypress.io This benchmark is set up for running against live environments (Checkly itself is used for production monitoring), and therefore will test Cypress on this use case only, exposing a partial picture of its performance. Methodology, or how we ran the benchmark Note: If this is the first time reading this blog, we recommend taking a look at the full version of our methodology writeup from our previous benchmark, as it is important to better understand the results. Once again, we gathered data from 1000 successful sequential executions of the same script. To keep things consistent, we kept our guidelines and technical setup identical to our previous benchmark, with the exception of two added packages: [email protected] and [email protected] . Cypress was run using the cypress run command, and all scenarios have been executed without any kind of video recording or screenshot taking. The results Below you can see the aggregate results for our benchmark. For the first two scenarios, we kept the results for from our previous benchmark and added fresh data for Cypress. The last scenario is based entirely on new executions. You can find the full data sets, along with the scripts we used, in our GitHub repository. Scenario 1: Single end-to-end test against a static website Our first benchmark ran against our demo website, which is: Built with Vue.js. Hosted on Heroku. Practically static, with very little data actually fetched from the backend. This first scenario will be a short login procedure. Having a total expected execution time of just a few seconds, this test is run to clearly highlight potential differences in startup speed between the tools. Our demo website login scenario running The aggregate results are as follows: Benchmark results for our demo website login scenario While no large startup time difference had been revealed in our first benchmark, here Cypress seems to exhibit a markedly longer startup time compared to the other tools. Cypress’ own reported execution time, ~3s in the case of this test, implies ~7s needed until the test can start running. Ordering execution time data points from larger to smaller, we can more clearly see the separation between the different tools: Execution time across runs for our demo website login scenario (in logarithmic scale) This kind of very short scenario is where the difference in startup time will be felt the most; on average, Cypress is close to 3x slower than WebDriverIO+Selenium, the slowest tool in this test, and more than 4x slower than Puppeteer, the fastest tool in this comparison. Our next scenario has a longer overall execution time, therefore we expected the above ratios to decrease. Scenario 2: Single end-to-end test against a production web app Our second benchmark ran against our own product, app.checklyhq.com, a full-blown web application which sports: A Vue.js frontend. Heroku hosting. A backend which heavily leverages AWS. Dense data exchange between backend and frontend, animations, third party apps and most of the components you expect from a production web app. The second scenario is a longer E2E test which: Logs in to app.checklyhq.com. Creates an API check. Deletes the check. Our longer check creation scenario on Checkly The aggregate results are as follows: Benchmark results for our check creation scenario As we can see, the separation between Cypress and the rest of the tools remains. It is also consistent with our previous finding about the startup time: on average, it seems to be ~7s slower than WebDriverIO on this test, too. The relative result is indeed closer compared to our previous scenario: here Cypress is, on average, not even 2x slower than the fastest tool (now Playwright), whereas before it had been 4x slower. Execution time across runs for our check creation scenario (in logarithmic scale) So far, we had only executed single-scenario tests. This is where our previous benchmark stopped. This kind of setup surfaced interesting information, but did not cover the very frequent case where multiple tests are run in a row, as part of a suite. We were particularly interested in seeing if Cypress would regain ground when running multiple tests sequentially, so we produced a new dataset for Cypress and all the tools previously included. That makes up our third scenario. Scenario 3: Test suite against a production web app Our suite included our check creation scenario, just seen in the last section, and two brand new E2E scripts, both going through login, asset creation (respectively alert channels and snippets), and deleting them afterwards. For Puppeteer and Playwright, we executed suites using Jest. For all other frameworks, we used the built-in features they already came with. Our suite scenario on Checkly The aggregate results are as follows: Benchmark results for our suite scenario We can see that the difference between Cypress and the other tools is now considerably lower, with the mean execution time over 1000 executions being just ~3% slower compared to WebDriverIO+Selenium (the slowest tool in this run), and ~23% slower compared to Playwright (the fastest). The smaller spread is also visible on our comparative chart… Execution time across runs for our suite scenario (in logarithmic scale) …where excluding the values above 50s allows us to “zoom in” and better see the small difference between Cypress and WebDriverIO: Execution time across runs for our suite scenario (in logarithmic scale, magnified) An interesting if secondary observation is that WebDriverIO running the DevTools automation protocol seems to consistently exhibit a higher degree of variability in its execution timings. The only scenario in which this did not seem to be the case was the first one, when we were running a very short test against a static site. In the case of our test suite run, the green peak in our first chart is highlighting this finding. Have doubts about the results? Run your own benchmark! You can use our benchmarking scripts shared above. Unconvinced about the setup? Feel free to submit a PR to help make this a better comparison. Conclusion It is time to summarise mean execution timings for our scenarios side by side. Mean execution timings comparison across scenarios The final performance ranking is as follows: Final rankings for our three scenarios In conclusion, our second benchmark showed the following findings: Cypress exhibits a longer startup time compared to the other tools listed so far. This weighs down short execution scenarios, while it shows less in longer ones. compared to the other tools listed so far. This weighs down short execution scenarios, while it shows less in longer ones. Cypress seems to be approximating Selenium speed in longer suites , which are the norm in E2E testing. It remains to be seen whether very long-running suites could see Cypress climb up the ranking. , which are the norm in E2E testing. It remains to be seen whether very long-running suites could see Cypress climb up the ranking. Puppeteer’s advantage over Playwright in short tests does not translate to longer executions. Playwright tops the ranking for real-world scenarios. Playwright and Puppeteer show consistently faster execution times across all three scenarios. Across real-world scenarios, Playwright showed the highest consistence (lowest variability) in execution time, closely followed by Cypress. Takeaways Be mindful of Cypress’ sweet spot: local testing is what will enable to use it to its fullest potential. It will still perform well with live websites, but might not be the fastest option. Cypress’ high startup time might interfere with high-frequency synthetic monitoring scenarios, but is not likely to make a real difference in the context of classic E2E testing builds. Playwright currently seems like the obvious choice for synthetic monitoring of live web applications. If you are reading this article to help inform your choice of an automation tool, make sure you integrate any takeaways with considerations relative to your own use case. Speed is important, but ease of script development and maintenance, stability, feature set and so on need to be considered as well, and the best way to assess those is to try out the tools with your own hands. If you have comments, suggestions or ideas for benchmarks you would find helpful, please reach out to us on Twitter at @ChecklyHQ, or email the author at [email protected]. Stay tuned for further automation benchmarks. banner image: “Moonlight Revelry at Dozo Sagami”. Kitagawa Utamaro, 18th/19th century, Japan. Source
https://medium.com/@rag0g/cypress-vs-selenium-vs-playwright-vs-puppeteer-speed-comparison-73fd057c2ae9
['Giovanni Rago']
2021-03-04 13:01:03.483000+00:00
['Selenium', 'Testing', 'Test Automation', 'Performance', 'Cypress']
Best Flower Arrangement Gifts on International Daughters Day2021
The international Daughter’s day falls on the 27th of September this year on the fourth Sunday of September. A daughter is always someone special a caregiver someone who helps in every manner is it either monetarily or by just being present when required the most. So as a parent it is their primary duty to take care of their daughters to the best of their ability on this special day and shower them with all the love and affection possible. As said in a previous article there are various ways in which international Daughter’s day could be celebrated which I am not elaborating on. Another way in which it could be celebrated is by creating a flower arrangement for daughters on International Daughter’s day. Flower arrangement is arranging the flowers in such a manner that enhances the beauty of the flowers. Choice flowers have lined up their best flower arrangements for daughters on International Daughter’s day. Here are some of their choicest picks. Peach & Pink : Peach & Pink is a combination of roses with peach and pink roses. It’s a bouquet and with the usual wrappings that come along with a bouquet. It is one of the best flower arrangements for daughters on International Daughter’s day, not only due to its low price but also the fact that there is a mega sale with prices slashed from the low 41 USD to 36 USD. Comes in three variants shown, deluxe and premium, and a simple and detectable flower arrangement suitable for your daughter Divine feminine Every daughter is a diva in her own way. The divine feminine is one of the best flower arrangements for daughters to bring out the diva in them on this International Daughter’s day. It’s a bouquet of pink flowers with a dash of spray roses and special green fillers. The prices have come down this mega sale from 95 USD to 88 USD and come in two variants shown and premium. The premium version is for 122 USD and is a bigger version of the shown one. Always in my heart An assortment of flowers and fillers, this flower combination is for a range of occasions including father’s Day and graduation day. This flower combination is used to express one's feelings when words fall short. Comes only in the shown variant and the price drop is of a good 9USD from 58USD to 49USD. Baby girl This assortment of pink Oriental Lillies is another of the best flower arrangements for daughters on International Daughter’s day. A daughter however old she might grow she will always remain a baby girl and this flower is just a reminder from her father to her daughter that it signifies innocence and beauty. Comes in three variants shown, deluxe and premium. Comes beautifully arranged in a glass vase. Also mega sale price drop from 68USD to 54USD. A beautiful flower arrangement all in all. Forever Fabulous Another from the stables of choice flowers, one of the best flower arrangements for daughters on International Daughter’s day. This combination of Rose and Lilly signifies pure love. Rose on its own symbolizes love and Lilly symbolizes purity. So this combination signifies pure and true love. Princess One of the favorite choice from choice flowers is one of the best flower arrangements for daughters on International Daughter’s day. Has colour pink as a theme with pink roses, gerbera, and pink lilies. Pink signifies love and is wound up wrapped attractively. It's a good reminder to a father to a daughter that she will always remain a princess in their life. An all-occasion flower with a price starting at 74USD. Pink Rose & Chocolate combo A combination of red and pink roses along with asparagus Ferrero Rocher Chocolates. One of the better flower arrangements for daughters on International Daughter’s day. It comes in a premium variant.
https://medium.com/@vibemaker/best-flower-arrangement-gifts-on-international-daughters-day2021-d38421d84073
['Ameer M M']
2021-01-21 07:53:34.239000+00:00
['Dubai', 'Daughters', 'Daughters Day', 'Abu Dhabi', 'Flowers']
I’m Uneducated — Can I Call Myself a Writer?
I’m Uneducated — Can I Call Myself a Writer? Or am I a total fraud that invalidates writers with qualifications? Photo by Ivan Aleksic on Unsplash My future was full of promise until mental illness struck. I was seventeen and studying A Levels with a plan to go to University. Then one day I wasn’t me anymore. In hindsight, it had been building up for a while. But at the time it felt like it had come from nowhere. I couldn’t function. I couldn’t leave the house. I couldn’t wash. I couldn’t eat. My life was about what I couldn’t do rather than what I could do. Despite how ill I became, I never lost hope that I would study again. Education was my key out of my situation. I was unhappy at home. I had a dysfunctional family. Dreaming of the day when I would finally be free kept me going. I attempted to re-enter the world of education multiple times after my relapse. But I couldn’t cope. I was forced to admit to myself that educational institutions were too much for me. I felt overwhelmed by the social politics, commuting, and deadlines. I grieved for the girl who was able to retain vast quantities of information. I could barely remember anything anymore. No matter how hard I tried, things wouldn’t sink in. I was suffering from depression and anxiety. I understand now there is evidence to prove that depression and anxiety impact memory. But at the time I assumed it was my fault. I wasn’t clever enough. I was a failure. I decided to study at degree level from home. I applied to The Open University and began studying Health and Social Care. I felt valid. Finally, I could say I was getting a degree. Since the disruption to my education, I felt like I was lagging behind everyone else. When you have lost years of your life to mental illness, you are constantly playing a game of catch up. In the time you were spending bedridden and barely functioning, everyone else was living their life. But now I was studying again. Finally, I was catching up with everyone else. Maybe one day I would be valid. I got to the point last year where I started questioning why I was doing this degree. Who was I doing it for? Because I wasn’t doing it for me. I took a break from studying due to having a baby. It was the right decision and although I plan to recommence my studies, I am plagued by the thought that I’m still not educated. I can’t list any qualifications on my profile like other writers can. I can’t join in with others when they reminisce about their university days. If I do finish this degree, it won’t even be writing-related. I am hesitant to call myself a writer. If anyone refers to me as a writer I cringe and try to refute their claim. “But you do write! That makes you a writer!” All my life I believed that academic achievements would set me free. And when the opportunity was taken from me, I felt trapped. And I have been feeling trapped ever since. Maybe it’s not the lack of qualifications that make me feel inferior. Maybe what is keeping me trapped is the way I devalue the unique qualifications I do have. Does my life experience overcoming trauma, dealing with mental illness, caring for people, and working in the mental health sector count for anything? To some people, it doesn’t count. But they are not my people. For too long I have let societal expectations dictate how I feel about myself. I’ve done a lot of things with my life that I can be proud of. I survived a serious mental illness. I rebuilt my life. After many failed attempts, I had the courage to study again. I gave birth to a beautiful daughter. I go to work every day to help people who are suffering from mental illness. Never in my wildest dreams did I think that I would be well enough to help other people. Maybe I haven’t missed out on anything. But am I missing out on enjoying my successes because I’m insecure about my level of education? I think it’s time to set myself free. I am a writer. Because I write. I don’t have letters after my name. But I’m still valid. My qualifications are unique. I went through a lot to gain this knowledge. It would be a disservice to the struggles of my younger self if I dismiss how important they are. Maybe one day I will get a degree. Maybe I won’t. Either way, I will still write. And that’s what makes me a writer.
https://medium.com/brave-inspired/im-uneducated-can-i-call-myself-a-writer-f340684ca4d
['Laura Fox']
2020-04-27 13:39:01.078000+00:00
['Mental Health', 'Writing', 'This Happened To Me', 'Education', 'Life Lessons']
I cry for you Argentina!
For the eight time, Argentina is likely to fall into a debt crisis. The expropriation of energy company YPF Repsol by former president Cristina Fernández Kirchner in 2012, seen by The Economist Argentina is likely to default on its foreign debt and needs to restructure its $110 billion debt. The first of Argentinian defaults came in 1827, just 11 years after its independence. The most recent default before the current one came in 2014. In between, there were six others of varying size and form. This time Argentinian authorities succumbed to the same temptation that tripped up their predecessors. They built short-term foreign-currency debt to reduce their interest charges and the budget deficit. In other words, they borrowed from other countries to ensure they could pay back their previous loans and cover Argentina’s public expenses. Debt implies repayment, some day At a time when some “modern monetary theory” economists want to make us believe that public debt can be unlimited, the disequilibrium between assets and liabilities, as well as between revenues and debt repayment reminds us that excess leads to crisis. The once high expectations in the government of Argentina’s president Mauricio Macri have fallen. The probable future president, Alberto Fernandez has a running mate: the voracious former president Cristina Fernández de Kirchner. The two go way back: Alberto Fernandez served as Chief of Staff under Fernández de Kirchner’s presidency. This duo threatens to upend Argentina again, commented the Economist. This, combined with the news how Argentina’s public finance is in the red, the market collapsed with investors selling their Argentina peso assets and foreign currency financing at a virtual standstill. Argentina’s GDP dropped 2.6% and its inflation increased to 157%: there is no forgiveness. Macri’s economics. Source: The Economist, link In 2018 president Macri signed the largest bailout in the history of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), worth $56 billion. The goal of this loan program was to restore investor confidence by imposing tighter monetary and fiscal policies. Difficult as this is, like saw before in Greece, these austerity measures reduced economic output, and thereby weakened investor confidence even further. The IMF plan didn’t work as hoped. The problem is more complex than the economics of failing governments: the looting of ruling families is characterizing Argentina, together with the expropriation of oil assets by a few lucky ones. All this takes place in a context that lacks transparency and political accountability. In short, the measures announced by the President have not been evenly applied: Argentina cannot cope with disciplined fiscal policy. The crisis of confidence Why would banks lend to a country that never respects its own commitments? We cannot ignore that debt restructurings are a difficult exercise, since the owners represent a vast array of debt owners. As banks agreed on a restructuring for Argentina in 2016, hedge fund hawk brought the country to US courts. With the 2016 restructuring, the Elliot hedge fund blackmailed the country. This is a lesson for the future. (The Elliott fund made $2 billion dollars on that settlement.) New rules were eventually established to avoid the corruption by holders of less than 10% of a sovereign debt in restructuring. The International Capital Market Association edited new rules that are now widely applied and will make the restructuring less subject to the blackmail of a few bondholders. Yes, despite new rules, the public sector, generally led by the IMF, carefully avoids having to take a haircut on the debt. It leaves it to the private sector. As we saw in Greece, the banks took a hit of € 200 billion. The IMF, and the European Central Bank did not suffer. Having been involved in each of the three crises, I still wonder how, after the difficulties of the restructuring last year, banks would ever trust the country again in the near future. According to the Institute of International Finance, the debt to GDP of Argentina went from 56 to 82%. About 75% of the increase has a foreign exchange component. The peso has dropped making foreign debt more expensive and reducing the foreign exchange reserves to $50 billion. As a result of the situation, the Argentine government imposed foreign exchange restriction for purchases of foreign currency to protect its reserve. Can the IIF Principles become enforceable? The Institute of International Finance’s “Principles for Stable Capital Flows and Fair Debt Restructuring” have been adopted on a voluntary basis by most countries… until they get in trouble. There are a dozen countries from Africa, Asia and Latin America who are currently in sovereign financial trouble. A higher risk for public sector lenders could make them hesitate to provide the necessary financing, but it might also create a stronger discipline since they will have “a skin in the game”. The problem is that the $57 billion IMF loan is not going into the real economy, to the people. The loan is going to pay the debt that Argentina already owes to global bankers and investors, including the ‘vulture capitalist’ hedge funds, who were welcomed by president Macri in 2015 when he took office. The debate is only starting; and should be about the democratic dimension of public finance: how it affects the country as a whole. Nothing prohibits public sector financial institutions to take their share of the losses rather than imposing the entire sacrifice to the private sector. A zest of ethics might be welcome here!
https://medium.com/@gugeux/i-cry-for-you-argentina-f5c61b855043
['Georges Ugeux']
2019-09-14 16:36:04.106000+00:00
['Argentina', 'Public Relations', 'Finance', 'Politics', 'Economics']
Know the simple steps to tackle the homework for kids
The battle of homework is the most common and oldest battle for students. It makes every student tired and stresses due to their daily routine. During the school-age, it is almost very common for every student to do homework on a daily basis. For most of the students, it is one of the most boring things to do due to their on-going schedule. However, Homework is one of the most significant things that develop the student’s knowledge. It also brings a great opportunity for the student to learn and develop themselves with new things. Therefore, it is the responsibility of both parents and teachers to provide the best guidance during the homework completion. In this blog, we will discuss some of the 5 easy steps to tackle the homework for kids. Create proper planning & schedule Planning is one of the biggest things that bring a lot of opportunities for aspirant’s success. Hence, it is always important to execute proper planning before the initiation of any goals and objectives. Proper planning or schedule brings different ideas, creativity, and process for the particular goals and objectives of the students. Hence, proper planning and schedule are very important in terms of completing homework for their kids. Several CBSE affiliated schools in Howrah provide the best planning and schedule to the students that can easily tackle the homework and other curriculum activities for personal growth and development. Provide sufficient space for study Every person needs the proper amount of space for doing their job in their own way. Similarly, a student also needs an amount of space for their best study and achievement. The cause of interference could damage the study with distraction, limitation, and much more offence. Hence, it is the responsibility of the parents to provide a limited amount of space during the study and also provide a special study room for the best result. Avoid social networking while the study All Social networking Such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, and many more gaming apps distract the student during the study. Hence, it is important for the student to understand that maximum access to social networking could impact their examination result. Therefore, they need to be in control while accessing all these social networking. Similarly, for the child excess use of mobile phones and gaming could also impact their studies, growth, and development. Therefore, let them use everything but in a limited period of time. Every CBSE school in Howrah always maintains discipline inside the school premises and strictly not allowed to access any mobiles during the study. Eat healthy food Getting healthy food is one of the best things that bring energy into the body of your child. By having healthy and proper nutrient food, you can bring the best changes in your child’s life. The healthy food will make them fit and energetic enough to unloose their body. It also makes your child happy by doing several things. It is one of the best ways to tackle the problem of doing homework. Fixed your timing for daily homework Our children might have so many works to do during their daily lives. Hence, we need to figure out all their works and make the best timing for their daily homework. As we discussed above that planning and schedule are very important and also playing a crucial role in developing our child. Therefore, fixing timing for the student could also be very crucial while developing the child. It also helps in segregating multiple works at a time suppose Reading, coaching, playing, eating, and other works. Some of the list of CBSE school in Howrah initiates and provide proper guidance on the development of their child. Hence, these are some of the important 5 easy steps to tackle the homework for kids. Homework is a very important thing in our child’s life that can bring thousands of knowledge and opportunities together. All these steps that are mentioned above are giving the best result in tackling the problems of homework for the kids. However, the guidance of the school and its teacher influence also giving the best opportunity to develop and understand the valuation of Homework. Get school admission in Howrah that has the best resources and development for your child’s future. Originally published at https://sudhirmemorialinstituteliluah.com on December 24, 2020.
https://medium.com/@sudhirmemoriall/know-the-simple-steps-to-tackle-the-homework-for-kids-cd292df66fe4
['Sudhir Memorial Institute']
2020-12-24 06:35:00.015000+00:00
['Child Skill Development', 'Cbse School', 'Students', 'English Medium School', 'Homework']
A beginning. One of the most difficult parts of a…
Courtesy of Kun fotografi, pexels.com One of the most difficult parts of a journey is to take the first step. I’ve for a long time had the idea to start writing. Putting words to paper is relaxing. But beginning a new project usually needs some small effort mentally, to get over the obstacles of the mind. But I thought to myself a minute ago: “Why postpone something you can do now to the distant future? Will I have anymore time on my hands some day in a distant tomorrow? Most likely not. I woke up early today and have time before work to either swipe tiktok or do something constructive. Enjoying other people’s content is not wrong, but if you have the ability to create! Then why not create. Someone might enjoy your content and some might not. In any case you have the pleasure to know, that your creation has had an impact. So now I have begun. And most likely will continue. We will see. Was this a spur of emotion, or an act rising from the depths of my soul? I now have an account. I now can create.
https://medium.com/@randonmyname/to-begin-3770cf0a9401
[]
2020-04-22 18:53:54.400000+00:00
['Thoughts', 'First Post', 'Beginner', 'Thoughts And Feelings', 'Beginning']
A Volunteer Business : PostgreSQL
Today, I will introduce PostgreSQL, The first part of my article series that will consist of three parts. Due to the low number of Turkish resources about PostgreSQL, I will prepare my series in both Turkish and English. If you want to read my article in Turkish, you can click the LINK. In this first article, I will write the topics “What is PostgreSQL, What are its features, what are the advantages / disadvantages of this query language?” PostgreSQL Logo PostgreSQL is an open source and completely free object relational database system. The story of the birth of PostgreSQL begins in 1986. Born in 1986 at the University of California at Berkeley as part of the POSTGRES project, PostgreSQL has been continuing its development for nearly 30 years. The most important change in terms of database in PostgreSQL, which has been introduced many versions before, occurred in the 1996 version of PostQUEL when it switched to SQL. Thus, the PostQUEL database system has been revised with its current name “PostgreSQL”. PostgreSQL is one of the most widely accepted database management systems in the industry today. Because it offers users the advantages of successful data architecture, data accuracy, powerful feature set, open source. PostgreSQL is supported by many major operating systems such as UNIX, Linux, MacOS and Windows. As an open source PostgreSQL, has been developed independently since 1996 and only with the efforts of volunteers. PostgreSQL is not developed by any institution or organization. Donations and collected aids are the only source of income so far, which makes PostgreSQL independent and free software.
https://medium.com/@esinsyilmaz/a-volunteer-business-postgresql-e3c6a51d1d0c
['Esin Seçil Yilmaz']
2020-05-21 21:27:19.498000+00:00
['Data', 'Postgresql', 'Rdms', 'Database']
I Know I Shouldn’t get Worked up Over a Meme
There is a reality where visionary billionaire Elon Musk is satisfied with his money, and fame, and place in history as a commercial spaceflight and electric car pioneer. In that reality, he is content, or as content as a driven captain of industry can be. But welcome to our little slice of the multiverse, a place where our version of Elon Musk spends his valuable time tweeting memes that mock people who aren’t billionaires or celebrities or particularly powerful, really. Yesterday the dude who could potentially get humanity to Mars tweeted out a meme to his 40.8 million followers mocking people who put their pronouns in their social media bio. The meme features a crude drawing of a British redcoat wearing a hat that says “I love to oppress” against a painting of the American Revolution. The soldier is wiping blood on his face. The caption above the image reads, “When you put he/him in ur bio.” I know I shouldn’t get worked up over a meme, they’re basically bumper stickers. And this one is… muddled. But the underlying message is clear: it is okay to hate people who just want a little public respect. Elon is telling his faithful that being asked to be nice is oppression. That a person who tells you who they are should be despised. This is horseshit, but these are the times we live in. Heterosexual, cisgender men, a ruling caste who clearly dominate politics and business and culture, are and some kid standing up for who they are is the enemy. I have trans and non-binary friends. I like them. They want me to refer to them by their pronouns**. She or he or they. I’m not a hero because I use their pronouns. It’s literally the very least I can do. A sweatless effort. Easy peasy. I accept my friends so of course, I say things that make them feel secure and happy. If I can make a rando feel that way, then wouldn’t I? I’ve been a gratuitous asshole before but it’s not my preferred state of being, you know? Men should be kind. It’s difficult but worth it. Look, I have misgendered someone before. I apologized and did my best not to make that mistake again. It was not a big deal. None of this is a big deal. Unless you insist that it’s a big deal. There is no greater sign of a comfortable life than a person obsessed with someone else’s gender. It never occurred to me until right now that I don’t put my pronouns in my bio. But I guess I have to do it now because it pisses off so many dudes who will break if they have to be polite to another person. Like, they’ll shatter if they even read what someone would like you to call them. Unbelievable. Sometimes I think of masculinity as a floating bedsheet worn by a ghost. Pull the cover off quickly and there’s nothing underneath, except screams. So, scream. But do it into a pillow, not on social media. Also, gender is a bedsheet. I don’t want to censor Elon Musk. I think SpaceX is an incredible company. Same with Tesla. I don’t think the dude should be canceled, but for fuck’s sake get a hobby that doesn’t hurt other people. Like, drive to one of your hangars and stare at a rocket; they’re amazing. Can someone introduce Elon to baking? It boggles my mind that a person who is changing society for the better doesn’t have better things to do than bully people from the safety of one of his mansions. It depresses me that the man who could potentially get humanity to Mars is a toxic nerd who needs the cheap dopamine rush of trolling people who just don’t deserve it online. But, like, I absolutely think Musk should be allowed to speak his mind, even if he has the mind of a spoiled brat. Musk reminds me of Orson Welles’s brilliant co-creation with Herman J. Mankiewicz, Charles Foster Kane, the main character in Welles’s spectacular feature film debut about the emptiness of capitalism, Citizen Kane. In that movie, our anti-hero is a modern-day emperor who has everything, except love. Maybe if Kane had a Twitter account, he could have found it. Right now, Elon Musk is finding love online. He is in a co-dependent relationship with a legion of extremely online men who are not rich and famous. He is loved by a legion of mostly men who are not rich and famous who harass strangers on his behalf. I have been warned that any criticism of Musk will invite passionate defenders. Welcome, I guess? Your dude is going to be fine no matter what I write. His anti-pronoun tweet was a familiar dance with his fans where the attention is like a glass of warm milk before bed. But in order to get that attention he has tweet something casually cruel. It’s a vicious cycle. I wish I lived in a reality where Elon Musk was happy with his accomplishments because, friends, tweeting out a shitty meme meant to make other human beings feel bad is not an accomplishment. **I had used the term “preferred pronouns” and someone in the comments politely pointed out that is incorrect because pronouns aren’t about preference — you are who you are, it’s not really a choice. Anyway, I got that wrong and corrected it and that’s okay because now I know better now. Isn’t that nice? And I can already tell I’m going to get comments like “my pronouns are helicopter” or something like that, written by funny people who know, deep down, they’re on the dipshit side of history but can’t manage their fear. Okay, so now I’m going to write directly to my dudes. Look, I’m a cis straight man too and I don’t understand what it’s like to be anyone other than a cis straight man and guess what, I like being who I am. Wanting to be seen for who you are shouldn’t inspire rage, it’s weird. My dudes, stop. ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !
https://medium.com/@yoshiro2amine-harrac/i-know-i-shouldnt-get-worked-up-over-a-meme-b1391c2a8c42
['Yoshiro Amine Harrac']
2020-12-16 15:57:38.723000+00:00
['Politics', 'Tweet', 'Gender']
How to config Git first time in the machine
I think you know what is Git & GitHub. Git serves a big role in any developer’s life. There is the first step of usage of Git and GitHub. There are some basic steps which are given below:- Get a GitHub account. account. Download and install git . . Set up git with your user name and email. Open a terminal/shell and type: $ git config --global user.name "Your name here" $ git config --global user.email "[email protected]" “Your name here” means which name you want to show in contributor. “[email protected]” means which email is registered on GitHub. Note:- (Don’t type the $ ; that just indicates that you’re doing this at the command line.) This will enable colored output in the terminal $ git config --global color.ui true That’s it for this time! I hope you enjoyed this post. As always, I welcome questions, notes, comments and requests for posts on topics you’d like to read. See you next time! Happy Coding !!!!!
https://medium.com/@rajputankit22/how-to-config-git-first-time-in-the-machine-3896e93731c1
['Ankit Kumar Rajpoot']
2020-12-20 09:53:21.101000+00:00
['Configuration', 'Local', 'PC', 'Github', 'Git']
As an artist I desperately want to do something against current madness.
As an artist I desperately want to do something against current madness. So yesterday I decided to dedicate all my creativity from now on to celebrating freedom, self determination, togetherness, openness, independence, choice. Faces without masks, hands holding, hugs, crowds, rituals, festivals… Join me if you want the life ever go back to normal.
https://medium.com/@linandara/as-an-artist-i-desperately-want-to-do-something-against-current-madness-13ad1242a310
['Alexandra Cook']
2020-12-21 20:06:52.134000+00:00
['Relationships', 'Independence', 'Freedom', 'Togetherness', 'Self Determination']
Is It Time We Forget React and Jump on the Svelte Bandwagon?
Is It Time We Forget React and Jump on the Svelte Bandwagon? A true battle of the titans (can Svelte be considered a titan yet?) Photo by Jaime Spaniol on Unsplash Every year, State of Javascript comes out with the results of a survey exploring the current landscape of JavaScript. They cover everything from front-end frameworks to the back end to mobile and desktop to testing to even top resources. All JavaScript related, of course. If you love web development using JavaScript, I highly recommend reading through it if you haven’t. But one of the most interesting takeaways for me was the emergence of a front-end framework called Svelte. In the overall rankings for the top front-end frameworks (based on awareness, interest, and satisfaction), Svelte appeared at number two. Just behind React and in front of well-established frameworks like Vue.js, Preact, Angular, and Ember. These results were a bit shocking for me as Svelte is relatively new, both in age and paradigm. State of JavaScript Front-End Framework Rankings I know many of you will argue that both React and Svelte are libraries. I did not create the survey, so don’t shoot the messenger! I pulled down the sample template from Svelte and built a little “Hello World” project. Side-by-side of React (left) and Svelte (right) on startup While it was easy to get up and running, there will be a learning curve coming from a React background. Is this something I should be spending my valuable time on? Or is this more JavaScript-burnout-bait? Let’s dig in to find out!
https://medium.com/better-programming/is-it-time-we-forget-react-and-jump-on-the-svelte-bandwagon-4848bb5d0839
['Ryan Gleason']
2020-02-18 01:06:18.852000+00:00
['JavaScript', 'Svelte', 'Programming', 'Web Development', 'React']
How can start you blogging.
1.What’s is blogging A blog is similar to dairy or journal, except that is a online. A person usually chooses to Create a blog so that he can express his options or ideas regarding various things. And ge used to upli either written or visual content onto his blog This acting of maintaining a blog or putting up various kinds of content onto one’s blog is known as blogging,. This person who puts upsuch content us called a blogger. It was coined by jorn barger, one of the first bloggers in the world. Blogging gained popularity during the late nineties with the enarences of website that madt it very easy for people to create and maintain blogs. 3.Blogging is fame through the writing. Blogging is a great way for people to ensure that their thought and views point, one reach out the other. Many bloggers have gained recognition and fane through the writing on their blogs. Mainstream publication are not generally easy, but one can always put up article one ones blog and it will mist likely be viewed at least by few readers. Blogging is also highly interactive as it will allow you to get feedback on your writing by mean if comment from viewers. You can also reply to these comments. 4.Stay alert to write blogs However, there are downsides to blogging also some blogger’s trend to write irresponsible or provocative statement, upload unverified information that it is often misleading , and even spread rumours about other people. Certain other’s are so addicated to blogging that is often they constantly updated, their blogs even when they don’t have anything substantial to say. They ends up posting random details which are unlikely to intrest anyone. Some additcts spend hours together reading other people posts and constantly check how many views their own posts.https://paidforarticles.com/member/articles/437018/edit iss The word blog is a short form of web log. It was coined by Jorn Barger, one of the first bloggers in the world. Blogging gained popularity during the late nineties with the emergence of websites that made it very easy for people to create and maintain blogs. Blogging is a great way for people to ensure that their thoughts and viewpoints reach out to others. Many bloggers have gained recognition and fame through the writings on their blogs. Mainstream publications are not generally easy, but lanks with one can always put up articles on one’s blog and it will most likely be viewed at least by few readers. Blogging is also highly interactive as it allows you to get feedback on your writing by means of comments from viewers. You can alsohttps://paidforarticles.com/member/articles/437018/edit reply to these comments. However, there are downsides to blogging also. Some bloggers tend to write irresponsible or provocative statements, upload unverified information that is often misleading, and even spread rumours about other people. Certain others are so addicted to blogging that they constantly update their blog even when they don’t have anything substantial to say. They end up posting random details which are unlikely to interest anyone. Some addicts spend hours together reading ler: It is important to avoid falling into this addiction trap. For this, each person needs to dedicate a set period of time other people’s posts, and constantly check how many visitors have viewed their own posts. maximum of two hours a day) to blogging after which he or she has to make a conscious effort to move away blogging activities. https://paidforarticles.com/member/articles/438781/edit
https://medium.com/@ayank031712/how-can-start-you-blogging-fe3e1c6c4840
[]
2021-08-23 08:23:04.131000+00:00
['Blogging Tips', 'Blogging', 'Blogging For Business', 'Blogging Competition']
A Horse Named Legs Got Stuck in a Ditch
A Horse Named Legs Got Stuck in a Ditch He walked out several hours later with the help of a backhoe, a few park rangers, the local vet, and two Animal Control officers K Ann Follow Dec 25, 2020 · 4 min read Photo by Mat Reding on Unsplash When I showed up to work one hot July morning, I had no idea I would be spending the day outside in the sun, helping to rescue a horse that fell into a ditch. My office is next to a natural area with miles of trails for hiking and equestrian use. It’s a popular place for people to bring their horses out to ride for the day. Just before 10 a.m., a couple ladies knocked on the door to the office. I answered, and they said someone had flagged them down a few miles up the road. A lady had been riding a horse, thinking she was on the official trail when she was actually following a game trail that was most likely used by deer and coyotes. The trail came too close to the edge of a drainage ditch and the bank gave way. The horse and rider fell down into the ditch. The rider was not injured, but the horse was stuck with its legs underneath so it couldn’t stand up. The rider soon realized the horse was really stuck, so she walked over to the main road to ask for help. She thought she needed a couple strong men to give the horse a boost so it could stand up and walk out of the ditch. I asked a couple of our guys to go with me to help the horse. It wasn’t long before we all realized he needed more help than we could give him. The horse had worn himself out already, trying to force his way out of the ditch and he was dehydrated from the hot sun. We called the vet and Animal Control for help with the horse. Maintenance staff and volunteers from the local park came out with a backhoe and (thankfully) a few bottles of water. The vet gave the horse several bags of IV fluid and buckets of fresh water to drink. The other volunteers sprayed the horse down with bottles of rubbing alcohol. The vet explained that the alcohol evaporates quickly and it was cooling the horse down faster than spraying it with water would have. In the meantime, the men operating the backhoe smoothed out a ramp so the horse could walk out easily, if we could get him back on his feet. The owner of the horse kept asking me if I thought he even had a chance, and if not, she would have him put down right there. We could use the backhoe to dig him a grave. I kept assuring her that the horse would be fine, while on the inside I was praying that the horse did actually have a chance to live and that he would walk away on his own four legs. I tried really hard to assure her over and over that her horse would be able to walk out by himself. Legs being pulled from the ditch with the backhoe. Photo provided by the author. Five hours passed before the vet decided the horse’s legs probably didn’t have any feeling, like if you sit on your foot for too long and it restricts the blood flow. Everyone got together and put two tow straps under the horse (not around his belly because that would hurt him) and they ended up lifting him out of the ditch with the backhoe and laying him on the ground. Volunteers began massaging his legs and moving them around to get some blood moving. The poor horse tried several times to stand up and the vet had almost decided he wouldn’t be able to get out on his own and had given up the will to live. They kept massaging his legs, but he only had so many chances left that day. After at least half an hour of this treatment, and again with the help of the backhoe, the horse stood up on his own. Once he stood up, I realized why his owner had named him Legs. This was the tallest horse I’d ever seen. We all thought, “no wonder he couldn’t stand up in the ditch.” Those long skinny legs were tucked under that horse the whole time! Seconds after Legs stood up, he started to pee. It went on forever. His owner made a joke that that was what finally made him stand up — his bladder was full! All that IV fluid and those buckets of drinking water had caught up with him and he had no choice but to stand up and GO. Somehow, Legs was not injured from his fall. His backside was scraped up a little and he was bleeding, but they were minor scratches. After a few shaky steps, he allowed himself to be led away from the trails and into the waiting horse trailer.
https://medium.com/illumination/a-horse-named-legs-got-stuck-in-a-ditch-36cce692ca04
['K Ann']
2020-12-25 14:48:35.695000+00:00
['Horseback Riding', 'Teamwork', 'Park Ranger', 'Equestrian', 'Horses']
My journey to gamedev world. (part 1)
It was a friday in August 2019, the work at Blackraken Design was relatively slow and lunch-time was almost up, my brother and partner Rod enters the office, walks to my desk with a smile and tells me we have an interesting meeting with one of our best clients, lets go!. I hate driving, specially at lunch time in downtown Monterrey, Mexico, things tend to get pretty chaotic, but luckily Rod doesn’t seems to mind it much so we hop on his car and get on our way, the meeting is at a ramen restaurant not too far away. During the ride my brother tells me that Andrés (our client) has some kind of business proposal for us that he wants to discuss, by the time we get to the place my curiosity is almost palpable. Andrés is already there, we exchange greetings, sit at the table and do some small talk while we browse the menu and place our orders with the waitress, not long after, we start talking about what brought us all here. Andrés is a firm believer that one’s income should not depend on a single source: the more diverse your income roots, the better, and right now our incomes depended from just one source: for Rod and me it was Blackraken Design, for Andrés it was his job at an international company, and that needed to change. On that meeting I learned that they were working on starting together a new business of DIY modern furniture that was extremely easy to assemble without the need of any tools: Rod would input his knowledge on design, materials, processes and the intangible lessons about being an entrepreneur in México, while Andrés would be in charge of financial planning, administration and business smarts so … where did I fit in all this? As it happens they would need to outsource all things related to graphic design, and there was a golden opportunity that had presented itself: The international company’s local branch in which Andrés worked was thinking on outsourcing most of their graphic design requirements and Andrés was in charge of the selection process. What they proposed was totally outside of any expectations I had on the way to the meeting: I was to create a company that would meet the needs of both businesses, and it had to be done ASAP or the opportunity window would disappear. I felt the familiar fluttering in the stomach that comes when you have to make critical decisions that alter your future in unplanned ways. Think about it but don’t sit on it too long, he said, should you accept you need to move quickly. The meeting was over soon after, we took a picture to commemorate the occasion: Andrés, my brother Rod and myself on that day. I had always dreamt that one day I would create video game but I had never seen a clear path that would take me closer to that dream, until that very moment. That was the opportunity I had been waiting for: the chance to start a company as the sole owner so that I could take it anywhere I wanted, no partner meetings, no joint decisions, no convincing others. Doing graphic design projects for this two companies would ensure I had a regular income as long as I could keep up with the work, the rest of the time I would be able to focus the company resources on making video games, how hard could it be? even the required skills for making both things were similar enough, or so I though. Before I got into bed that night I was convinced, I could do this! The world is for the bold, the ones who take risks, every worthy decision is preceded with this feeling of fear and resistance to change, so that’s how I know I must go forward with this… that was my mindset and what I told myself, after all if I didn’t take the chance then, when? I was 34, no significant other, no kids, my plan of getting a place for myself could wait a little longer, no pressing responsibilities other than Blackraken. I falled asleep feeling excited for the future. The next morning I told my brother I was in, I had a plan: I would hire a graphic designer, sub-rent the storage room next to the kitchen, commission a desk from the spare materials in Blackraken’s workshop, get a computer and start working, I would take care of my responsibilities as head of the design department in Blackraken during the day and supervise and work as needed on the new company in the afternoon, after all both were in the same place, no need to commute anywhere. The following weeks I started the legal paperwork with Hacienda (Mexican IRS), opened the business bank account, decided on the name, commissioned the logo ( I didn’t created it myself because I consider it would be biased, like a psychiatrist treating himself) and prepared the storage room to become an office space: Chronograph Office renovation I interviewed ten candidates for the position, could only afford to hire one person and I was making sure that besides their skills as graphic designers they were interested in doing videogames and were good illustrators, after some time I found the right person for the job, all that was left was to get paid, Andrés had accepted the quotation I sent him, he had offered a four month contract paid in advance, we would have to take a crash course in the company’s policies, regulations, product image guidelines and brand rules. The new business bank account was not ready to receive any payments yet, so the only solution was to get paid through Blackraken, which in turn would outsource the work to Chronograph (my new company), I would lose Blackraken’s utility margin but it was the only way. The payment got trough and the crash course was already scheduled, my designer and I would take it and start working in November, which was two weeks from now. Then, the worst thing that could happen, happened: Andrés was laid off, rendering all plans of Chronograph working with the international company extremely unlikely. Te be continued…
https://medium.com/@rick-dev/my-journey-to-gamedev-world-part-1-3313e1be2bf7
['Ricardo Bojorquez']
2020-11-24 23:18:19.501000+00:00
['Game Development', 'Indiedev', 'Startup Life', 'Entrepreneurship', 'Videogames']
10 Typical parental errors that parents make intentionally
10 Typical parental errors that parents make intentionally Today I will introduce you the 10 Typical parental errors that parents make intentionally. So keep reading the article till the end: 1. Panic: Many parents become scared about their babies and become very watchful. This can put pressure on parents and make them live in a nightmare instead of spending the best moments of raising the newborn. 2. Crying: As a parent, you do not like your child crying because we associate it with something very negative. Although the baby has clean and not hungry diapers, crying can happen. 3. Food: There is a perception that babies can not cope through a night without breast milk. Which is wrong! Both infants and mothers can sleep through the night without the baby getting breast milk. 4. Vomiting: It may be difficult to see if the baby just gasps or not. Vomiting is not usually a problem as long as your baby seems okay. 5. Fever: For the first three months, parents need to react quickly if the child has a fever. That is why they need to check him continuously. 6. Car seat: It is important that your baby seat is installed well enough or asks for help from people who know how to do it. 10 Typical parental errors that parents make intentionally 7. Teeth: It is never too early to start looking after children’s oral hygiene. Children should not have milk in bed when their teeth have come out due to the risk of getting holes. Use a wet cloth to massage the baby’s gums and start brushing the baby’s teeth within a year. 8. Marriage: When all the attention goes to the little newcomer in the family, many may overlook caring for their relationship or marriage. I consider this point among the most important Parenting Errors. 9. Argument: Arguing too much (or too little) in front of a child is not healthy. However, parents should also not ignore their angry feelings, as it can lead to more family breakups — which is not good for the couple or the child. 10. Sources: Many people today get their ideas about parenting through books and on the Internet, but it may be a good idea to make sure of every information from doctors or Parenting coordinators. That was all about the 10 parenting errors that parents make intentionally. Don’t be shy and add new points in the comment section to complete the list above. Thank you.
https://medium.com/@sosteachers/10-typical-parental-errors-that-parents-make-intentionally-cb8a0463e8a4
['Sos Teachers']
2020-07-08 12:56:37.637000+00:00
['Education', 'Baby', 'Children', 'Parenting', 'Kids']