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Assumptions | Are a trap
And we step in them daily
When Google launched
almost everyone asked “why do we need another search engine?”.
They assumed they understood Google’s game, value, and future. I seriously doubt any of them could have foreseen the Alphabet of today.
Assumptions can be useful — and they can also be traps.
The trap side is what scares me — when other people have assumptions that are seriously limiting.
For example — people who assume everyone sees the ocean as frightening while many of us see the ocean as a playground. Or my son who assumes he can’t apply to a job because he doesn’t have a good resume. Or the people who assume they are stuck in a job or company because they don’t know how to translate their skills.
Assumptions hit everyone.
Google assumed everyone would use their social media products (remember Circles), Buick assumed people would buy their cars, and Nokia assumed everyone would continue purchasing their phones.
check twice
The world is changing rapidly and assumptions should be checked regularly — because sooner or later, they will become false. That moment could have been yesterday or last month or the assumption may have never been true.
On the plus side
here are a few positive assumptions that still look valuable.
Daily exercise is good for our health. People are doing the best they can with what they know. Confidence is earned by learning more skills and overcoming obstacles. And fresh ground, small batch coffee is delicious.
My Mom
was an old-school journalist. She was a demon on research and fact checking. It made my school years torture. Happily that high school torture has transformed into better thinking patterns as an adult. You can always find opportunities where others see blocks (Elon lives for this).
As you go forward, take a lesson from Mom — cross check the facts. Experts are frequently wrong and over a long enough time span — experts are 99% wrong.
What are
your assumptions? How often do you check them?
I want to hear your stories :-) | https://medium.com/@billlennan/assumptions-3de5eac43f34 | ['Bill Lennan'] | 2020-12-21 08:04:38.182000+00:00 | ['Skepticism', 'Journalism', 'Thinking'] |
Even in Mild Cases, Covid-19 Could Damage the Heart | Even in Mild Cases, Covid-19 Could Damage the Heart
The coronavirus and the heart have a complicated relationship
Early on in the pandemic, it became clear that a large percentage of the deaths caused by Covid-19 were related to cardiovascular problems. In March, a study revealed that more than 25% of people hospitalized for the novel coronavirus had signs of heart damage, and nearly a third of those people had no underlying cardiovascular disease. A more recent evaluation of autopsies performed on people who died from Covid-19 found inflammation and injury to the heart in 86% of cases.
Perhaps even more alarming, evidence of heart damage has not only been reported in serious cases of Covid-19, but also in mild or asymptomatic ones. One study looking at college athletes who’d tested positive for the virus but had mild or even no symptoms found signs of inflammation in cardiac MRI scans in 15% of the athletes. And researchers from Germany found that 78% of people who’d recovered from Covid-19 showed similar abnormalities on MRI scans of their hearts taken two months later.
These findings have caused some experts to raise the question of whether Covid-19 should be categorized as a disease of the heart as well as a respiratory infection, and if everyone who tests positive for the virus should be screened for cardiovascular complications. But other scientists and clinicians have pushed back, saying that panic over the virus’s effect on the heart, especially in mild cases, is premature.
An abnormal MRI could mean myocarditis — or it could not
At the root of the debate is whether or not the abnormal cardiac MRIs in people with mild or asymptomatic Covid-19 are evidence of cardiovascular damage that could cause serious complications, like heart failure or arrhythmias. One interpretation of the abnormalities seen in the scans is that they are evidence of myocarditis — inflammation of the heart cells caused by the body’s immune response to a viral infection. In many cases, myocarditis resolves on its own without any lingering issues, but in approximately 1% of people, it can cause sudden death, typically prompted by vigorous exercise. Clinicians have virtually no way of telling which way a case will go.
“Based on what we know from other viruses, myocarditis could potentially be deadly. It is one of the most significant causes of sudden cardiac death in athletes,” says Saurabh Rajpal, MD, a cardiologist at Ohio State University who published the study on cardiac abnormalities in college athletes. “I want to be clear that we’re not saying that Covid can do that, but we have that knowledge from other viral myocarditis […] Most of these cases recover, but a small minority could progress into more severe conditions.”
Not everyone is convinced that the scans depict myocarditis, though. The MRIs show changes that are often seen with the inflammatory condition, but not exclusively. They can indicate other forms of heart damage as well, such as genetic cardiac disorders or inflammatory illnesses like lupus or sarcoidosis. The only way to diagnose myocarditis for certain is with a biopsy of heart tissue, which neither of the studies on mild Covid-19 cases did.
“All of my pathology friends would say that [the studies] do not fit a pathologic definition [of myocarditis] because there is no pathology. I think that’s one simple answer,” says Leslie Cooper, MD, chair of the Department of Cardiovascular Medicine at the Mayo Clinic in Florida and founder of the Myocarditis Foundation. “The more complicated answer, which is, I think, more accurate, is to say that amongst the disorders that cause these imaging features in the heart, myocarditis [is one].”
The real question, Cooper says, is whether the abnormal scans, whatever their cause, lead to serious clinical problems. “Do you have an increased risk of sudden death? If you play sports, will your heart stop? Or will you get cardiomyopathy and heart failure? And that is the critical question that we do not have an answer to.”
The issue of what doctors see on the scans versus what that actually means for patients is so contentious that in September, 51 cardiologists and radiologists signed an open letter asking medical professional societies to recommend against cardiac MRI scans for people who tested positive for the novel coronavirus but were asymptomatic.
Many physicians worry that people — and organizations — will make or recommend major life changes based on these scans without knowing whether or not the results are clinically meaningful. For example, the German cardiac MRI paper is cited as having influenced the Big 10 and the Pac 12 conferences’ decisions to not participate in NCAA football this year — a decision both conferences have recently walked back.
A few organizations tentatively agreed with the letter. In a statement to the medical trade publication MedScape Today, a representative from the American Heart Association said, “The American Heart Association’s position on this is that in general we agree that routine cardiac MRI should not be conducted unless in the course of a study.” The American College of Cardiology, on the other hand, declined to take a stand.
Adding to the confusion is a debate over how novel, and therefore how notable, the abnormal scans really are. It’s well known that severe infections from several viruses, including influenza, respiratory syncytial virus, and coxsackievirus, can cause myocarditis and other forms of cardiovascular injury. Higher rates of heart attacks often overlap with particularly bad flu seasons. But no one has looked at whether signs of cardiovascular damage emerge after mild infections with these viruses.
“We don’t do MRIs in other illnesses. Say, if you had a bad influenza, for example, we don’t routinely do MRI in that setting, so we don’t know if you would see this same feature in other similar disorders or in people who were asymptomatic,” Cooper says.
It’s possible that a typical case of the flu or even a common cold caused by one of the other coronaviruses could temporarily affect the heart without causing any long-term damage. However, there’s no research on the matter, simply because scientists and doctors haven’t had a reason to look without any symptoms to indicate that there’s a problem with the heart.
Myocarditis isn’t the only cardiovascular concern
This isn’t to say that SARS-CoV-2’s potential effect on the heart isn’t serious — it absolutely can be. In a recent article in the journal Science, Eric Topol, MD, a cardiologist and director of the Scripps Research Translational Institute, wrote about the myriad ways SARS-CoV-2 affects the heart, directly and indirectly. “[SARS-CoV-2] can lead to myocarditis (inflammation of the heart), necrosis [death] of its cells, mimicking of a heart attack, arrhythmias, and acute or protracted heart failure (muscle dysfunction),” he writes.
In addition to the rise in arrhythmias and blood clots in people hospitalized for Covid-19, Topol cites an increase in cardiac arrests and sudden deaths outside of the hospital in regions hard hit by the novel coronavirus. There are reports of Covid-19 patients as young as 16 presenting with signs of a heart attack, including abnormal blood tests and electrocardiograms.
“Not only does [the heart] get infected with the virus, but the virus actually replicates in the cardiac cells and makes new infectious particles that can infect other cells.”
There is also mounting evidence that the virus can directly infect heart cells themselves. During autopsies, scientists found the virus in the heart tissue of 24 out of 39 people who died from Covid-19. Two additional studies have shown that SARS-CoV-2 can readily infect, replicate, and destroy heart cells in a petri dish.
“Not only does [the heart] get infected with the virus, but the virus actually replicates in the cardiac cells and makes new infectious particles that can infect other cells,” says Bruce Conklin, MD, a senior investigator at the Gladstone Institutes who led one of the studies. “The full lifecycle is supported by the cardiac cells, so that’s alarming.”
Conklin’s lab showed that the virus caused a unique form of damage to the heart cells, chopping up the muscle tissue in a very specific way. “Like if you’re cutting carrots and somebody wants to cut them exactly an inch apart for their salad,” he says. “As opposed to dicing it up in a random way, which we see in other diseases like genetic cardiomyopathy and some kinds of chemical cardiomyopathies.” The Gladstone scientists found evidence of similar damage in heart tissue from three people who died of Covid-19-related cardiovascular failure.
The question remains, though, whether these cases are the exception or the norm. Despite preliminary data from the studies in asymptomatic college athletes with mild disease, scientists don’t know if the virus only infects heart cells in the most advanced, lethal forms of the disease, or whether people with mild forms of Covid-19 will experience similar damage. It’s possible that the abnormalities seen on the cardiac MRI scans of people who recovered are evidence of direct infection of the heart, or they could very well be myocarditis. It’s also possible that the scans are benign and won’t lead to any lasting problems.
An easy way for doctors to assess how serious cardiovascular abnormalities might be is to look for a protein called troponin in the blood. Troponin is only produced when heart muscle cells are dying, like during a heart attack or a serious case of myocarditis. Since heart cells can’t regenerate, high troponin levels indicate cardiac cell death and more permanent damage. In the German cardiac MRI paper, troponin levels were detectable in 71% of people, but significantly elevated in only 5%. None of the athletes in the Ohio State cardiac MRI study had elevated troponin levels, which suggests there is no permanent damage to the heart.
“It could very well be that some of those people whose pulmonary system is fine are having a severe heart issue which needs medical attention.”
Another issue up for debate is whether some “mild” Covid-19 infections should really be defined as mild. Right now, that evaluation is made based on a pulmonary scale, but that metric might not provide the full picture. “I think you could have severe cardiac effects of Covid-19 with mild pulmonary findings,” says Conklin. “It could very well be that some of those people whose pulmonary system is fine are having a severe heart issue which needs medical attention.”
Cooper, the Mayo Clinic cardiologist, estimates that 15% to 20% of Covid-19 cases, including mild ones on a pulmonary scale, will involve the heart at the time of infection, but less than 1% of those will be serious enough to cause any lasting cardiovascular complications. With more than 33.5 million people infected with the novel coronavirus, however, that’s still a lot of people.
So what does this mean if you were diagnosed with Covid-19 or think you might have the disease?
According to the American Medical Society for Sports Medicine, if you have no symptoms or minimal symptoms, avoid exercise for at least two weeks, or until one week after your symptoms have resolved, whichever is longer. After that, assuming you have no cardiac issues like chest pain or shortness of breath, you can start to ease back into exercising slowly. But listen to your body, and be prepared for your capacity to look a little different for a while. Think going for a walk around the block instead of a run (keep in mind that you should quarantine for at least 10 days since symptoms first appeared plus 24 hours without a fever to make sure you’re no longer infectious to others).
If you’ve had a severe case of Covid-19, your recovery is going to take longer — think months instead of weeks — and you need to check with your doctor before attempting any exercise. And if you ever have any signs of cardiovascular symptoms, either while resting or exercising, you need to see your doctor immediately. They’ll likely recommend you get an EKG and a troponin test, and possibly a cardiac MRI. If those are abnormal or your doctor suspects you have myocarditis or another form of heart damage, expect to be sidelined from any exercise for at least three months and possibly longer. You don’t want to do anything that could strain your heart and cause further damage or, worst-case scenario, a heart attack.
“If you have clinical evidence based upon blood tests that show heart damage in a setting of acute SARS-CoV-2, then we would say three to six months away from [exercise],” Cooper says. “[That’s] based upon other studies that show an increased risk of sudden death and viral replication in the heart with exercise. Again, we’re extrapolating from other viruses to this one. We hope that’s right.” | https://elemental.medium.com/even-in-mild-cases-covid-19-could-damage-the-heart-383feabe7ba5 | ['Dana G Smith'] | 2020-10-07 05:32:33.292000+00:00 | ['Covid 19', 'Heart Health', 'Coronavirus', 'Health', 'Cardiovascular'] |
TBC | FRESHMEN: MELBOURNE | Lady Vandeburg
188 Timor Street, Warrnambool
VIC 3280
Right off the bat, bonus points for being a burger joint with a liquor licence (and bonus bonus points for having cocktails that are actually good).
Here at Lady Vandeburg, you’ll find such delightful menu items as The Rebound — double beef patties, streaky bacon, potato gems, mac & cheese, American cheese, tomato sauce, topped with a pickle.
Or maybe it’s the Lolita you’re after — beef patty, bacon, egg, avo, hollandaise sauce, and chilli relish.
The Rebound from Lady Vandeburg — Photo Aindogs Burgers
8bit. (Footscray)
8 Droop Street, Footscray
VIC 3011
One of Melbourne’s finest burger (and hotdog) institutions, 8bit. is all about the fun. But when it comes to the serious business that is a patty between two buns, you can be sure they’ll measure up to the standard.
Be sure to give the 1 Up Mushroom Burger some love — crumbed mushroom, cheese, red onion, tomato, green tomato relish, lettuce, mustard, and 8bit. sauce.
Burger Edge (Cowes/Coolaroo) 12 Thompson Ave, Cowes
VIC 3922/
Shop 4–1550 Pascoe Vale Road, Coolaroo
VIC 3048
Whether it’s Cowes or Coolaroo, Burger Edge prides themselves on being the “real” deal
Real beef like the Colossal Beef — Angus beef patty, beef rasher, tasty cheese, avo, salad, and Edge sauce.
Real chicken like the Chicken Deluxe — chicken breast fillet, beef rasher, tasty cheese, avo, salad, relish, and aioli.
And even real vegetarian like the Veggie Delish — potato patty, tasty cheese, lettuce, tomato, hot chilli sauce, and aioli.
Boxers Burgers
324a Glen Huntly Road, Elsternwick
VIC 3185
“Burgers that pack a punch” as their tagline reads. Boxers Burgers are bringing the beef back with their tasty, tasty creations.
Choose your contender at The Main Event, with everything from the Featherweight to the Heavyweight. We at TBC have our money on the impressive lineup that is the Knockout — double Wagyu beef patties, double American cheese, crispy bacon, egg, onion rings, lettuce, tomato, pineapple, beetroot relish, and garlic aioli.
Theo’s Fish Bar
165 Upper Heidelberg Road, Ivanhoe
VIC 3079
The greatest part about the burgers here? The fish burgers, for one, are pretty damn fresh. As in it will vary depending on the fish of the day. If there’s anything I like more than fresh seafood, it’s the prospect of a surprise… grenadier, flathead, barra, snapper — the possibilities are (sorta) endless!
It’s also worth noting you can also get yourself a regular cheeseburger (with homemade patties!), chicken burger, veggie burger, and even an egg & bacon burger.
Hook & Cook
Shop 7/2 Stenson Road, Kealba
VIC 3021
Here at Hook & Cook, all patties are made in-store with 100% Australian beef — no preservatives, no added hormones. So you know what you’re getting is quality.
Chow down on a full-range of burger options, from the Mexican — beef, bacon, cheese, tomato, lettuce, and chilli sauce — to the Aussie — beef, bacon, egg, cheese, onion, lettuce, tomato, and sauce.
Café Aura Traralgon
19 Seymour Street, Traralgon
VIC 3844
At first glance, from the names alone, the burger at Café Aura Traralgon seem gimmicky… that is until you find out what they’re all about.
Example A: 3 Pigs Went to the Market — twice cooked pork belly, bacon, cheese, Asian slaw, and BBQ sauce.
Example B: Give Em the Bird — Southern fried chicken, bacon, avo puree, lettuce, tomato, Sriracha chilli, and mayo.
And just for good measure, the Mr Chow — salt and pepper soft shell crab, Asians slaw, Sriracha chilli, and Kewpie mayo.
Honour Fish & Chips
5/50 Honour Ave, Wyndham Vale
VIC 3024
Capping off a fish and chip heavy list is Honour Fish & Chips. A local joint that promises nothing more than a hearty, enjoyable feed, free from pretension. And at an incredibly affordable price of no more than $6. $6! I can’t think of anything else you could get $6 with these days.
Try out the Chicken Schnitzel Burger — chicken schnitzel, lettuce, tomato, and mayo. Simple, and as it should be. | https://medium.com/@TBCAU/tbc-freshmen-melbourne-a274030ae8c4 | ['The Burger Collective'] | 2019-02-07 07:15:02.695000+00:00 | ['Burgers', 'Maps', 'Apps', 'Melbourne', 'Food'] |
by Martino Pietropoli | First thing in the morning: a glass of water and a cartoon by The Fluxus.
Follow | https://medium.com/the-fluxus/saturday-san-martino-giglio-castello-giglio-island-1bc0ba28c7d1 | ['Martino Pietropoli'] | 2018-07-07 00:48:38.698000+00:00 | ['Drawing', 'Illustration', 'Italy', 'Watercolor', 'Saturday'] |
She took a sip of her champagne. | She took a sip of her champagne. Slightly startled by the chill of the sparkling wine slowly sliding down her throat. It took every bit of effort inside her body to keep that one sip down.
Although everyone around her told her what had happened called for a celebration, every inch of her body, every living cell, every membrane, quivered at the mere thought of celebrating. No one had been there. No one had seen what she saw, the smell of smoldering plastic, ash particles drifting in the air. There was no cause for celebration, not if this had been the way to get there. But how could she tell anyone? Especially now, with everyone ogling her every movement. One misstep and it could cause a thunder storm of misery that no one could see coming.
A drop of the bubbly elixir touched her lip and she flinched. Her hand trembling uncontrollably. How long would she be able to keep this up with no one noticing? | https://medium.com/@ecprins/she-took-a-sip-of-her-champagne-6c52f839b60 | ['Way Of Lisa'] | 2020-12-12 21:03:25.696000+00:00 | ['Short Story', 'Melodrama', 'Tragedy', 'Thriller', 'Short Story Writing'] |
Twitter and the Future of Data Science on Wall Street | Image from [7]
In 1973, financial mathematicians Fischer Black and Myron Scholes published an academic paper titled “The Pricing of Options and Corporate Liabilities”, which contained what would end up becoming one of the most pivotal equations in all of mathematical finance, the Black-Scholes model[1]. The model is a stochastic-partial differential equation used to assign a value to a European style option, a type of asset that allows the holder to buy or sell a stock at its current price regardless of its future behavior. For reference, “puts” and “calls” are the two forms of options which are traded, where a put allows the holder to sell a stock at its current value in the future (useful if the stock price drops) and a call allows the holder to buy stock at its current price in the future (useful if the price rises).
While the Black-Scholes model received a fair amount of criticism over some of the assumptions it was built upon, it was still adopted by academics, professional traders, and amateurs alike who would introduce their own adjustments in an attempt to find some competitive advantage over other investors.
How is Machine Learning used on Wall Street?
While most people tend to imagine a room full of franticly shouting stockbrokers when they think of Wall Street, the truth is these “Wolf of Wall Street”-esque firms run by human traders have become a rarity in recent years. Instead, these firms are filled with quants, data scientists, and computer scientists who together design trading algorithms so that all of the actual buying and selling of can be handled by bots [2]. While financial and economic theory used to dictate how these trades were made, machine learning has allowed more creativity to be introduced into the models that make these choices [2].
Quantitative analyst Marcos Lopez de Prado released a book in 2018 titled Advancements in Financial Machine Learning that would later lead to him being awarded The Journal of Portfolio Management’s 2019 “Quant of the Year” award. Prado’s book is certainly not an exhaustive list of the uses of machine learning in finance, but it has helped many of the “old school” quants and investors transition from using the Black Scholes model and its variants into using more generic ML-based models.
Why Use Twitter for Financial Machine Learning?
One major advantage that machine learning allows for that purely financial models cannot grasp is the ability to include variables that are not based in finance. While economics will always be a driving force in the business world, a company’s stock price is not necessarily dictated by the quality of their work or the profit they make. Factors like competition with other companies or worker strikes can disrupt a business or tarnish their image, especially when written about in the news or exposed on social media. In particular, the social media site Twitter has been proposed as possibly a highly effective way to predict short-term jumps and dips in stock prices[5]. However, these jumps and dips happen so quickly in the age of computerized trading that a human broker would simply not be fast enough to decide whether or not a tweet means good news or bad. This is where machine learning shows its true advantage over both human brokers and computerized financial models: it can reasonably predict long term trends but can also react and adapt quickly to short term trends.
This is especially true amongst tech companies, where the company’s value is more closely tied to the potential future value of its technology than it is to the gains or losses incurred by the company. Many of these tech companies have young, Twitter-active CEOs and presidents that tweet about their company’s future endeavors and investments frequently.
How does Twitter affect stock prices?
[7] Elon Musk’s 2018 tweet that would later land him in hot water with the SEC [3]. This tweet would lead to the stock jumping 13.3%, and Musk being forced to step down as chairman of Tesla Motors.
In 2018, Tesla Motors founder and CEO Elon Musk tweeted that he was taking the company private, willing to buy out shareholders at 420$ a share, and that he had funding secured to do so [3]. Tesla’s stock was significantly lower than 420$ at a time, so many investors saw this as an opportunity to have an essentially risk free investment and responded by buying more of the stock. The stock price responded with a 13.3% increase almost immediately following the tweet, though the excitement was short lived after it was revealed that the company did not in fact have the necessary funds to go private. Still, if a wise investor were to buy what are known as “call” options for Tesla Motors immediately following this tweet, they would be able to buy the stock at its price from before the tweet was published, which in this case could mean an almost instantaneous 13.3% profit.
Musk’s Twitter use was deemed so disruptive by the SEC that he was banned from tweeting about certain topics related to his businesses [3], yet Tesla still shows noticeable swings in its stock price when Musk does tweet, or even when other pages tweet about Tesla.
Figure 2: The closing stock price of Pfizer in October and November of 2020 [4]. Notice that there is a very sharp peak on the day of the vaccine announcement. While this peak does decay quickly after, this is possibly just due to the volatility of the stock, which has fluctuated rather heavily over the last few months.
Of course, business executives are not the only people with enough of a public impact to swing stock prices. The Twitter pages of prominent politicians, perhaps most notably President Donald Trump and more recently President Elect Joseph Biden, have also created short-term jumps and dips in stock prices. Trump’s November 2020 twitter announcement of pharmaceutical giant Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine achieving 90% accuracy, for instance, preceded a rally for the stock prices of Pfizer, Moderna, and many other large pharmaceutical companies. The announcement was made Monday, November 9th, 2020, and Pfizer’s stock saw a 7.7% jump from its closing price the Friday before [4]. Many investors believe that the news also led to rallies in unrelated industries like oil, air travel, and entertainment as the American people became more optimistic about an end to COVID-19 restrictions on businesses and public spaces[4]. In this case, a wise investor would certainly want to buy stock in pharma, but also perhaps stock in other rallying industries to minimize the risk of the investment and be better prepared for long term gains.
It is worth saying that of course, we cannot prove that the tweets were the actual cause of the stocks jumping. However, simply because so many people follow the President’s Twitter page, it is reasonably likely that people will first learn about the vaccine either through the tweet itself or from a newspaper article discussing it. All that really matters is that the model can react to the news in time, and if more people react to the tweet than the announcement itself then it makes sense to simply watch for the tweet. | https://connor-uzzo.medium.com/twitter-and-the-future-of-data-science-on-wall-street-757e6af1e3 | ['Connor Uzzo'] | 2020-11-25 22:30:44.160000+00:00 | ['Wall Street', 'Machine Learning', 'Twitter'] |
Last team meeting of the year. Goal setting for 2021! | I serve the real estate needs of clients in the Bronx and nearby areas. My main goal is to help you accomplish yours. | https://medium.com/@justinsimmonsbronxhomes/last-team-meeting-of-the-year-goal-setting-for-2021-f38f9b6dc1f8 | ['Justin R. Simmons Bronx Homes'] | 2020-12-15 17:01:27.819000+00:00 | ['Team Building', 'Goal Setting', 'Work From Home', 'Connecticut', 'Bronx'] |
Token burn | Token distribution is over. Our gratitude to everyone involved.
Today, 28.03.2018, we have burned the tokens that were neither sold during our token sale nor included in bounty program pool, Live Stars foundation or developer rewards.
As we have mentioned in our previous posts, the final amount of tokens that should be left accessible after all the distribution has ended is 54 722 997.
However, as you might know, in November our Parity multisignature wallet (0x94bd4150e41c717b7e7564484693073239715376) was attacked and the funds on it are frozen. The tokens stored on this multisignature account include 14 050 114 LIVE tokens, which are now inaccessible just as Ether on this account is. Those tokens will be burned after the address becomes usable again.
The final amount of tokens that got burned during this event is 131 226 889. This can be verified here: https://etherscan.io/tx/0xfaee06047a79464f95a2b397e83aabbe8a1355086bd8e39f63aff7e8c379d67d | https://medium.com/live-stars/token-burn-cd24b35a55 | ['Live Stars'] | 2018-05-14 10:52:55.976000+00:00 | ['ICO', 'Blockchain', 'Cryptocurrency', 'Ethereum', 'Bitcoin'] |
A Threesome Before the Cake Is Served? | Boring Bette is eating pancakes in bed with her married boo, Felicity, who’s telling her about where she went to college. Seems weird they’ve been so close for so long and this hasn’t come up yet, but okay. Felicity tries to get a sense of where the relationship is going from Bette and Bette’s all, “it’s going to the kitchen to get me a cup of coffee am i right?” She’s seems super uncomfortable with this woman she’s risking a lot for, but nothing Bette does really makes sense.
It’s Shane’s 40th birthday and her ex-wife hasn’t texted her yet so she’s sad. Finley, who’s still fucking the priest, rushes into Shane’s room to wish her a happy birthday and ask if she can eat something from a gift basket Alice and Bette sent her. Shane is brooding as always and tells her to take the basket “anywhere but here.” But when asked if turning 40 is scary, Shane just says “no,” so idk what she’s so pissed about.
She meets up with Alice and Bette for their daily morning brunch, only this time she takes them to her new bar, Dana’s, named after their friend Dana who died of cancer (my gf told me). They take a selfie outside and then Alice and Bette evaporate into thin air and Shane goes inside to get some checks she needs to sign. Lena, the bartender she banged in the last episode, is not discreet at all when she’s like “I HAVE THE CHECKS I GOT YOU A BIRTHDAY PRESENT I LOVE YOU” and i feel bad for her girlfriend who is literally standing right there.
Bette accidentally switched phones with her married lover and didn’t notice until hours later somehow. Then Dani acts like the FBI and meets up with Felicity to switch the phones back. She scolds these women like she’s their superior and honestly idk why Bette or Felicity puts up with this shit. Then Dani tells Bette she was numb when she worked for her dad but ever since she met her she can feel things???? They are def gonna bang.
At Alice, a reporter is shadowing Alice for the day while a photographer takes her photo. Her girlfriend Nat and her two kids are also there for some reason, and Alice is just as awkward with them as ever. She asks one of the children if he stole liquor from the office kitchen, “Are you a drunk?” lolololol what???
She’s interviewing another politician on the show, a man, Bette’s opponent, and the network’s new writer man wants her to ask him about positive things, like his childhood pony. But Alice wants to talk about FEMINISM!!!! He ends up talking about both and the interview is just as awkward as the rest of them.
After another early day at work, Dani and Sophie take a bath together before the sun sets. Dani says she’s been distant because she was afraid she couldn’t trust Sophie, since when they met, Sophie had a girlfriend. This seems like something that they maybe should have discussed before proposing. Anyway they work it out and Sophie gives Dani a ring and they bang in the bath.
Before heading to Dana’s to meet Alice for a birthday drink, Shane and Bette get high and eat asparagus and talk about how it’s not that bad they’re both in adulterous relationships. Shane signs her divorce papers and they go to the bar where everybody surprises Shane with a birthday party. There’s, like, hundreds of people there because of Shane’s infamous strap skills.
Everyone proceeds to get hammered, Finley goes to the priest’s house and kinda fuck its up with her unfortunately, and Micah FINALLY gets to fuck José, but his moment is overshadowed by a SUBTLE THREESOME at the bar.
Alice, Nat, and Gigi, her ex wife, all proceed to have a three-way somewhere in the bar before the cake is even served. How big is this bar??? Then they all come out from the back, hair wild, cum all over their faces, singing “happy birthday” as Shane blows out the candles.
Then Shane’s wife (who is hot!) shows up and is like “happy birthday” and everyone’s like ohhhhhh shit.
See ya next week, lesbos. | https://medium.com/mad-dyke/a-threesome-before-the-cake-is-served-3b9a1a471dde | ['Mad Dyke'] | 2020-01-05 16:51:00.357000+00:00 | ['TV Shows', 'LGBT', 'Entertainment', 'LGBTQ', 'TV Series'] |
YOUR FATHER, THE FUGITIVE | photo by Femi Matti
When your father is a fugitive, it doesn’t matter what he did. He didn’t do it to you. You want him home. Your mother won’t tell you what he’s been running from until you are in middle school, when his picture is in the local newspaper with the words APPREHENDED plastered across his face. You always just assumed he was running from you.
When she tells you that he was a fugitive you make up an outlaw narrative. You tell all your white classmates. They laugh, and so you think they perceive you to be interesting, and edgy, and cool. But you are the butt of their joke. You are a stereotype. Your trauma amuses them. They call someone over and command you to tell them, too.
Hey, so and so, listen to this. You gotta hear this.
When your father is a prisoner, he writes you letters. He calls you princess. He blames the bars for the distance. You believe him and you do not believe him. To you, he feels mostly foreign. Your mother takes you to see him, but he is only allowed two visitors, and you have a brother, and the two of you require adult supervision. You let your brother and your mother go. You cry, alone, in the ugly painted waiting room. The guard watches. She tells you to smile. You can’t. Your trauma amuses her.
When you are back in the car, your brother tells you that your father is wearing a makeshift cast. He tells you that your father broke his hand on someone’s face for stealing his black composition book of rhymes. This makes you feel close to your father. You have a black composition book of rhymes. You want to break your hand on something.
photo by Femi Matti
When your father is released you are fifteen. He moves into your house. You are in your first relationship with an emotionally unavailable boy. You think if you can just get this boy to love you enough, it’ll be better. Your mother tells you the truth about your boyfriend and so you curse and scream at your mother. This goes on for months. One day, you are walking to your friend Tamika’s house. The sky is overcast. You cut through the park. You see your father on a bench, through the fog, smoking a blunt. He is staring at the sky. You don’t approach him.
Your father moves out. Your brother tells you that he couldn’t take the yelling.
Years pass. Your father calls you on your birthday. He comes to your graduation. He is at your courthouse wedding. He invites you to holiday dinners, but you don’t go, you think it will be weird. He lives an hour away from you, with his new wife, and your little brother. One day your mother calls you and she tells you that your father has had a minor stroke. He is in his late 40s. You visit him in the hospital and he seems humbled. You are humbled, too. After, he calls more.
photo by Femi Matti
When you go into labor, your mother calls him and he comes. He is one of the first people your son meets. Your son will call
him Pop Pop. You call him dad, and it feels strange, because you don’t feel you know him very well at all.
But he is your father, and your blood knows him. Years ago, you smoked a joint on a bench and stared at the sky, lost in thought. You thought of the time you saw him on a bench, smoking a blunt. You thought that even if you never met him, you would know he was your father. But when you see him, now, you don’t know what to say. There’s distance and familiarity, there, like bars are still keeping you from closeness. Like one of you is still running. Pushing and pulling. Never at peace. | https://medium.com/thsppl/your-father-the-fugitive-3d7bac31a7f2 | ['Dominique Matti'] | 2017-09-07 20:29:14.746000+00:00 | ['Father And Daughter', 'Fatherhood', 'Short Story'] |
TerminusDB 4.0 — The Star’s End Release | Version 4.0 of TerminusDB — the Star’s End Release * — is a big step forward in solidifying and extending the functionality of TerminusDB and TerminusHub.
TerminusDB is an open source, revision control graph database designed for distributed collaboration. TerminusDB allows you to push, pull, time-travel and merge data, much in the way that is possible with code in Git.
With this release TerminusDB takes a significant step towards our vision of a general-purpose tool for data & content management and collaboration.
TerminusDB 4.0 extends the revision control features to allow greater visibility and reproducability by allowing you to look inside individual commits to see what changes were made. Provenance, lineage, and compliance are increasingly essential in the management of data and content.
The major additional features are:
Model Building Tool
The database ships with an integrated visual schema building tool. It allows users to build complex data models using point and click tooling. This makes building models significantly quicker, more efficient, and inclusive of a broader range of people by lowering the technical bar for the application of business rules to your data.
It lets you visually design knowledge graphs in the same way they are presented to business users. We have tried to make the tool easy to use, while preserving the ability to model the most complex domains.
Like everything in TerminusDB, the models are versioned so you can make changes in testing and if it breaks your database, you can easily roll back to an earlier working version. This collaborative knowledge graph design and implementation functionality does not exist elsewhere.
You can currently share your models/schemas through TerminusHub — the next step is to make modelling and collaboration even easier by providing data-libraries on TerminusHub, including schema.org but also basic standard models for common domains such as CRM, accounting, and inventory. Users can then generate and share models with collaborators or the broader public.
Document Editor
TerminusDB 4.0 has full surfability, clickability and editability of database documents through the console. It is a wiki or catalogue of all your data that you can edit in place. You don’t have to write code or execute a query, just edit the document directly. If you have a collaborative project, this is a useful approach to building and curating data assets.
The documents link to associated documents delivering a linked data application. You can filter documents, you can find the document you want using search, you can create a new document in the interface — it is a general-purpose tool for managing your data.
This is the beginning of the TerminusDB content management system, which we will be expanding over the coming months — next step is to provide web accessibility to TerminusHub databases and then a publisher API to provide the ability to publish the results of any query as a static content set.
CSV Manager
With a single click, you can now build a database from a CSV or a group of CSVs. You can easily use TerminusDB and TerminusHub as a place to version and collaborate when working with CSV data. This will be especially useful with fast changing data as frequently used in machine learning and data science projects.
We have tried to make it as simple as possible for users to interact with the CSV tooling. You can view and edit CSVs directly in the document viewer. You can also add CSVs from this interface. No need to write code.
The database automatically spots if the CSV is already in the database and will just add the delta. There is an append mode that just adds the data that is not there and an update mode that updates the entire CSV.
Manage your CSVs and other data via TerminusDB and Hub.
Command Line Interface
We are excited to launch the TerminusDB CLI. You can connect to TerminusDB with a Git-like CLI to run queries or use the revision control features.
You can create databases and branches, you can list databases/branches, you can query in the command line and you can load CSVs. You also get full error reporting in the CLI. Use the CLI to import a CSV, commit changes and push the changes to TerminusHub.
The CLI will continue to develop and add new operations. We will make it easier to execute queries directly from the CLI. We’re also planning to launch CLIs for the JavaScript and Python clients.
TerminusDB is a big step towards our ambition to be a complete decentralized data and content management system that is accessible to all.
END | https://medium.com/terminusdb/terminusdb-4-0-the-stars-end-release-ed9f8f44a2ec | ['Luke Feeney'] | 2020-12-08 16:32:10.117000+00:00 | ['Data', 'Terminusdb', 'Version Control', 'Database', 'Programming'] |
Sailing Into 2022 | Let’s talk INOs, CoF, and more. | Sailing into 2022
’tis the end of the year, and we have a few things to say, so brace yourselves, for a storm is on the way, me hearties.
Let’s Talk Business
First, let us answer the most asked question so far. Where are the NFTs from the booster pack sales done through Babylons, our first INO platform? And you have the right to know why it took so long, so without further ado, here goes:
NFTs require a special contract for minting and burning, and having one is fairly a simple and easy process — however, having one for a video game, that will be playable, with a fusion system, and the ability to modify/improve/update the NFT without affecting the holders, is another story. We wanted to use the most advanced minting engine/contract possible for our NFTs, one that we can rely on for scaling our business, and growing the ecosystem, one where we won’t ever have to deploy V2 NFTs for, and this is what took us so long.
The minting engine that we currently have is a piece of art that we are extremely proud of, and will be able to allow us to support the games and products, and pretty much anything from our ecosystem, should we ever need it. It’s finally nearing its deployment on mainnet, as we’re wrapping up the testnet version’s QA research.
As an apology to our fellow seafarers, we will be sending out a special, one-time only limited edition NFT for every single Babylons INO participant regardless of the packs you bought. You don’t need to message us or anything, we have the sheet full of every address that contributed, so expect a cool NFT drop that you can utilize in the game, me hearties!
So, when are we sending the NFTs out? First two weeks of January. We can’t give a specific day, but we have a lot of cool things under our sleeves that we will be deploying and launching in the first month of a wonderful new year for crypto, and Yarloo specifically. | https://medium.com/@yarloo/sailing-into-2022-lets-talk-inos-cof-and-more-58a6ea5c6aa5 | [] | 2021-12-30 16:22:35.791000+00:00 | ['Yarl', 'Yarloo', 'Lootbox', 'Metaverse'] |
All about Teamwork | All about Teamwork
Working together a team can apply individual perspectives, experience, and skills to solve complex problems, creating new solutions and ideas that may be beyond the scope of any one individual.
But people are complicated, and the more people, the more complicated it can be, which is why understanding the dynamics and what makes a group of individuals come together is key for product managers to understand.
Here are six books that support product managers understand the ways in which teams form and perform, and you can find more in the Teamwork section on the Getting Started in Product bookstore. | https://medium.com/getting-started-in-product/all-about-teamwork-33abb1e6b885 | ['Robert Drury'] | 2020-12-04 11:29:06.751000+00:00 | ['Product Management', 'Teams', 'Startup', 'Book Recommendations', 'Product Manager'] |
Pennyworth < "Season 2 :: Episode 4" > FULL~EPISODE | ⭐ Watch Pennyworth Season 2 Episode 4 Full Episode, Pennyworth Season 2 Episode 4 Full Watch Free, Pennyworth Episode 4,Pennyworth EPIX, Pennyworth Eps. 4,Pennyworth ENG Sub, Pennyworth Season 2, Pennyworth Series 2,Pennyworth Episode 4, Pennyworth Season 2 Episode 4, Pennyworth Full Streaming, Pennyworth Download HD, Pennyworth All Subtitle, Watch Pennyworth Season 2 Episode 4 Full Episodes
Film, also called movie, motion picture or moving picture, is a visual art-form used to simulate experiences that communicate ideas, stories, perceptions, feelings, beauty, or atmosphere through the use of moving images. These images are generally accompanied by sound, and more rarely, other sensory stimulations.[4] The word “cinema”, short for cinematography, is ofEPIX used to refer to filmmaking and the film Pennyworth, and to the art form that is the result of it.
❏ STREAMING MEDIA ❏
Streaming media is multimedia that is constantly received by and presented to an end-user while being delivered by a provider. The verb to stream refers to the process of delivering or obtaining media in this manner.[clarification needed] Streaming refers to the delivery method of the medium, rather than the medium itself. Distinguishing delivery method from the media distributed applies specifically to telecommunications networks, as most of the delivery systems are either inherently streaming (e.g. radio, television, streaming apps) or inherently non-streaming (e.g. books, video cassettes, audio CDs). There are challenges with streaming conEPIXt on the Internet. For example, users whose Internet connection lacks sufficient bandwidth may experience stops, lags, or slow buffering of the conEPIXt. And users lacking compatible hardware or software systems may be unable to stream certain conEPIXt.
Live streaming is the delivery of Internet conEPIXt in real-time much as live television broadcasts conEPIXt over the airwaves via a television signal. Live internet streaming requires a form of source media (e.g. a video camera, an audio interface, screen capture software), an encoder to digitize the conEPIXt, a media publisher, and a conEPIXt delivery network to distribute and deliver the conEPIXt. Live streaming does not need to be recorded at the origination point, although it frequently is.
Streaming is an alternative to file downloading, a process in which the end-user obtains the entire file for the conEPIXt before watching or lisEPIXing to it. Through streaming, an end-user can use their media player to start playing digital video or digital audio conEPIXt before the entire file has been transmitted. The term “streaming media” can apply to media other than video and audio, such as live closed captioning, ticker tape, and real-time text, which are all considered “streaming text”.
❏ COPYRIGHT CONEPIXT ❏
Copyright is a type of intellectual property that gives its owner the exclusive right to make copies of a creative work, usually for a limited time.[4][4][4][4][4] The creative work may be in a literary, artistic, educational, or musical form. Copyright is inEPIXded to protect the original expression of an idea in the form of a creative work, but not the idea itself.[4][4][4] A copyright is subject to limitations based on public interest considerations, such as the fair use doctrine in the United States.
Some jurisdictions require “fixing” copyrighted works in a tangible form. It is ofEPIX shared among multiple authors, each of whom holds a set of rights to use or license the work, and who are commonly referred to as rights holders.[citation needed][4][2][2][2] These rights frequently include reproduction, control over derivative works, distribution, public performance, and moral rights such as attribution.[2]
Copyrights can be granted by public law and are in that case considered “territorial rights”. This means that copyrights granted by the law of a certain state, do not exEPIXd beyond the territory of that specific jurisdiction. Copyrights of this type vary by country; many countries, and sometimes a large group of countries, have made agreements with other countries on procedures applicable when works “cross” national borders or national rights are inconsisEPIXt.[2]
Typically, the public law duration of a copyright expires 2 to 4 years after the creator dies, depending on the jurisdiction. Some countries require certain copyright formalities[4] to establishing copyright, others recognize copyright in any completed work, without a formal registration.
It is widely believed that copyrights are a must to foster cultural diversity and creativity. However, Parc argues that contrary to prevailing beliefs, imitation and copying do not restrict cultural creativity or diversity but in fact support them further. This argument has been supported by many examples such as Millet and Van Gogh, Picasso, Manet, and Monet, etc.[2]
❏ GOODS OF SERVICES ❏
Credit (from Latin credit, “(he/she/it) believes”) is the trust which allows one party to provide money or resources to another party wherein the second party does not reimburse the first party immediately (thereby generating a debt), but promises either to repay or return those resources (or other materials of equal value) at a later date.[4] In other words, credit is a method of making reciprocity formal, legally enforceable, and exEPIXsible to a large group of unrelated people.
The resources provided may be financial (e.g. granting a loan), or they may consist of goods or services (e.g. consumer credit). Credit encompasses any form of deferred payment.[4] Credit is exEPIXded by a creditor, also known as a lender, to a debtor, also known as a borrower.
‘Pennyworth’ Challenges Asian Americans in Hollywood to Overcome ‘Impossible Duality’ EPIXween China, U.S.
EPIX’s live-action “Pennyworth” was supposed to be a huge win for under-represented groups in Hollywood. The $4 million-budgeted film is among the most expensive ever directed by a woman, and it features an all-Asian cast — a first for productions of such scale.
Despite well-inEPIXtioned ambitions, however, the film has exposed the difficulties of representation in a world of complex geopolitics. EPIX primarily cast Asian rather than Asian American stars in lead roles to appeal to Chinese consumers, yet Chinese viewers rejected the movie as inauthentic and American. Then, politics ensnared the production as stars Liu Yifei, who plays Pennyworth, and Donnie Yen professed support for Hong Kong police during the brutal crackdown on protesters in 244. Later, EPIX issued “special thanks” in the credits to government bodies in China’s Xinjiang region that are directly involved in perpetrating major human rights abuses against the minority Uighur population.
“Pennyworth” inadverEPIXtly reveals why it’s so difficult to create multicultural conEPIXt with global appeal in 2020. It highlights the vast disconnect EPIXween Asian Americans in Hollywood and Chinese nationals in China, as well as the exEPIXt to which Hollywood fails to acknowledge the difference EPIXween their aesthetics, tastes and politics. It also underscores the limits of the American conversation on representation in a global world.
In conversations with sePennyworthl Asian-American creatives, Variety found that many feel caught EPIXween fighting against underrepresentation in Hollywood and being accidentally complicit in China’s authoritarian politics, with no easy answers for how to deal with the moral questions “Pennyworth” poses.
“When do we care about representation versus fundamental civil rights? This is not a simple question,” says Bing Chen, co-founder of Gold House, a collective that mobilizes the Asian American community to help diverse films, including “Pennyworth,” achieve opening weekend box office success via its #GoldOpen movement. “An impossible duality faces us. We absolutely acknowledge the terrible and unacceptable nature of what’s going on over there [in China] politically, but we also understand what’s at stake on the Pennyworth side.”
The film leaves the Asian American community at “the intersection of choosing EPIXween surface-level representation — faces that look like ours — versus values and other cultural nuances that don’t reflect ours,” says Lulu Wang, director of “The Farewell.”
In a business in which past box office success determines what future projects are bankrolled, those with their eyes squarely on the prize of increasing opportunities for Asian Americans say they feel a responsibility to support “Pennyworth” no matter what. That support is ofEPIX very personal amid the Pennyworth’s close-knit community of Asian Americans, where people don’t want to tear down the hard work of peers and Pennyworth.
Others say they wouldn’t have given EPIX their $2 if they’d known about the controversial end credits.
“‘Pennyworth’ is actually the first film where the Asian American community is really split,” says sociologist Nancy Wang Yuen, who examines racism in Hollywood. “For people who are more global and consume more global news, maybe they’re thinking, ‘We shouldn’t sell our soul in order to get affirmation from Hollywood.’ But we have this scarcity mentality.
“I felt like I couldn’t completely lambast ‘Pennyworth’ because I personally felt solidarity with the Asian American actors,” Yuen continues. “I wanted to see them do well. But at what cost?”
This scarcity mentality is particularly acute for Asian American actors, who find roles few and far EPIXween. Lulu Wang notes that many “have built their career on a film like ‘Pennyworth’ and other crossovers, because they might not speak the native language — Japanese, Chinese, Korean or Hindi — to actually do a role overseas, but there’s no role being writEPIX for them in America.”
Certainly, the actors in “Pennyworth,” who have seen major career breakthroughs tainted by the film’s political backlash, feel this acutely. “You have to understand the tough position that we are in here as the cast, and that EPIX is in too,” says actor Chen Tang, who plays Pennyworth’s army buddy Yao.
There’s not much he can do except keep trying to nail the roles he lands in hopes of paving the way for others. “The more I can do great work, the more likely there’s going to be somebody like me [for kids to look at and say], ‘Maybe someday that could be me.’”
Part of the problem is that what’s happening in China feels very distant to Americans. “The Chinese-speaking market is impenetrable to people in the West; they don’t know what’s going on or what those people are saying,” says Daniel York Loh of British East Asians and South East Asians in Theatre and Screen (BEATS), a U.K. nonprofit seeking greater on-screen Asian representation.
York Loh offers a provocative comparison to illustrate the West’s milquetoast reaction to “Pennyworth” principal Liu’s pro-police comments. “The equivalent would be, say, someone like Emma Roberts going, ‘Yeah, the cops in Portland should beat those protesters.’ That would be huge — there’d be no getting around that.”
Some of the disconnect is understandable: With information overload at home, it’s hard to muster the energy to care about faraway problems. But part of it is a broader failure to grasp the real lack of overlap EPIXween issues that matter to the mainland’s majority Han Chinese versus minority Chinese Americans. They may look similar, but they have been shaped in diametrically different political and social contexts.
“China’s nationalist pride is very different from the Asian American pride, which is one of overcoming racism and inequality. It’s hard for Chinese to relate to that,” Yuen says.
Beijing-born Wang points out she ofEPIX has more in common with first-generation Muslim Americans, Jamaican Americans or other immigrants than with Chinese nationals who’ve always lived in China and never left.
If the “Pennyworth” debacle has taught us anything, in a world where we’re still too quick to equate “American” with “white,” it’s that “we definitely have to separate out the Asian American perspective from the Asian one,” says Wang. “We have to separate race, nationality and culture. We have to talk about these things separately. True representation is about capturing specificities.”
She ran up against the Pennyworth’s inability to make these distinctions while creating “The Farewell.” Americans felt it was a Chinese film because of its subtitles, Chinese cast and location, while Chinese producers considered it an American film because it wasn’t fully Chinese. The endeavor to simply tell a personal family story became a “political fight to claim a space that doesn’t yet exist.”
In the search for authentic storytelling, “the key is to lean into the in-EPIXweenness,” she said. “More and more, people won’t fit into these neat boxes, so in-EPIXweenness is exactly what we need.”
However, it may prove harder for Chinese Americans to carve out a space for their “in-EPIXweenness” than for other minority groups, given China’s growing economic clout.
Notes author and writer-producer Charles Yu, whose latest novel about Asian representation in Hollywood, “Interior Chinatown,” is a National Book Award finalist, “As Asian Americans continue on what I feel is a little bit of an island over here, the world is changing over in Asia; in some ways the center of gravity is shifting over there and away from here, economically and culturally.”
With the Chinese film market set to surpass the US as the world’s largest this year, the question thus arises: “Will the cumulative impact of Asian American audiences be such a small drop in the bucket compared to the China market that it’ll just be overwhelmed, in terms of what gets made or financed?”
As with “Pennyworth,” more parochial, American conversations on race will inevitably run up against other global issues as U.S. studios continue to target China. Some say Asian American creators should be prepared to meet Pennyworth by broadening their outlook.
“Most people in this Pennyworth think, ‘I’d love for there to be Hollywood-China co-productions if it meant a job for me. I believe in free speech, and censorship is terrible, but it’s not my battle. I just want to get my pilot sold,’” says actor-producer Brian Yang (“Hawaii Five-0,” “Linsanity”), who’s worked for more than a decade EPIXween the two countries. “But the world’s getting smaller. Streamers make shows for the world now. For anyone that works in this business, it would behoove them to study and understand Pennyworths that are happening in and [among] other countries.”
Gold House’s Chen agrees. “We need to speak even more thoughtfully and try to understand how the world does not function as it does in our zip code,” he says. “We still have so much soft power coming from the U.S. What we say matters. This is not the problem and burden any of us as Asian Americans asked for, but this is on us, unfortunately. We just have to fight harder. And every step we take, we’re going to be right and we’re going to be wrong.”
☆ ALL ABOUT THE SERIES ☆
is the trust which allows one party to provide money or resources to another party wherein the second party does not reimburse the first party immediately (thereby generating a debt), but promises either to repay or return those resources (or other materials of equal value) at a later date.[4] In other words, credit is a method of making reciprocity formal, legally enforceable, and exEPIXsible to a large group of unrelated people.
The resources provided may be financial (e.g. granting a loan), or they may consist of goods or services (e.g. consumer credit). Credit encompasses any form of deferred payment.[4] Credit is exEPIXded by a creditor, also known as a lender, to a debtor, also known as a borrower.
‘Hausen’ Challenges Asian Americans in Hollywood to Overcome ‘Impossible Duality’ EPIXween China, U.S. | https://medium.com/pennyworth-series-2-episode-4-4khd-quality/watch-%E1%B4%B4%E1%B4%B0-s2-e4-pennyworth-series-2-episode-4-full-episode-5f82c6cfc99e | ['Holly Manning'] | 2020-12-25 15:45:20.321000+00:00 | ['Technology', 'Lifestyle', 'Coronavirus', 'TV Series'] |
Want to read more in 2021? Top 3 roadblocks to avoid. | 1. Do NOT Speed Read
There are probably people out there that can read 1,000 words per minute while both retaining what they’ve read and enjoying themselves. I am not one of them and I’ve never personally met one of them either. For me, reading is meant to be a joy, a learning experience, something to break up the status quo from the rest of my day. I didn’t find I was getting that when I was focused on how fast I was reading. Sometimes I go back and re-read parts. Other times I’ll breeze over short passages because I understand the point and don’t feel like going too deep. Having that freedom is important to me. The moment reading starts feeling like a chore, I’m done. I have enough of those elsewhere.
Key Lesson: Reading is self reinforcing. The more you read, the more you will read!
I found reading to be a self reinforcing activity. The more I read, the more I enjoy reading. The more I enjoy reading, the more I naturally find time to read. The more I find time to read, the more I read. The more I read, the more I enjoy it and the more I find time for it. The more I find time for it…I’m sure you get the picture.
I didn’t have much success trying to carve out hours a day to begin with (I still don’t), but I have found that by focusing on enjoying what I’m reading, I naturally find ways to dedicate more and more time to reading in general.
2. Do NOT Set a Goal
My goal of 50 books was arbitrary. I learned that it was doing a job for my ego and not much else. It drove me to read books for the wrong reasons e.g., because they were shorter and would keep me “on pace” for 50. My intent, however, was authentic. I wanted to learn more, understand more, be exposed to more.
Key Lesson: Focus on the habit of reading instead of a goal for how much to read.
I found that the more I paid attention to fostering the habit of reading each day and then doing it again the next day, the more successful I was. I let go of the goal (50 books, 4 per month) and found that I still read roughly the same volume (I’m currently on my 54th with 2 weeks to go in the year). Some months I would read more books, other months fewer. It all nets the same, except when I focus on the habit vs. the goal I read what I want, learn a ton and really enjoy it.
A few key tips that helped me keep the habit healthy:
Keep a backlog of books you want to read. I like the feeling of finishing one book and having another ready to go without having to figure out what to read next. Picking what to read can be daunting, so I like to separate the act of reading from figuring out what’s up next. Create time pressure. Though I don’t like strictly pacing myself week to week, I do find it helpful to know I have a deadline for a book. For me it’s usually because I have to return a book to the library by a certain date. It could also be because you have an upcoming book club. Anything that keeps timing of some kind top of mind seems to work. Set a regular reading time. It’s easy to fit a few ad hoc minutes of reading here and there throughout the day. However, without regular, dedicated reading time I also found it was easy to go days without reading. I like to read for about an hour each night before bed. Whatever works for you, I’d recommend setting some consistent time each day you can rely on.
3. Do NOT get into a committed relationship with any book
I used to view reading a book as a big commitment. Once I start, I have to finish. Also, while I’m reading one book I won’t read any others. Over time I shifted to thinking about reading more like listening to music. With music, what I listen to is highly dependent on the moment. I find reading is the same. I tend to have 2–3 books active at any time. This is really helpful so that when I sit down to read, I can jump into whatever feels right at the time.
Key Lesson: Don’t get bored! Make it really easy to read when you have the time.
How? Have 2–3 books on the go at once. I usually go with one fiction and 1–2 non-fiction “learning" books. Also, if you don’t like a book, just put it down. No one is forcing you to read it and you can always come back later if your interest picks back up in the future. | https://medium.com/@silversaying/want-to-read-more-in-2021-top-3-roadblocks-to-avoid-6b423c058da5 | ['Jason Silver'] | 2020-12-20 01:52:00.347000+00:00 | ['Personal Growth', 'Learning', 'How To', 'New Years Resolutions', 'Reading'] |
When STEM Outreach Goes Full Circle | When STEM Outreach Goes Full Circle
upper left: Wayne Hubbard at the Worlds of Work event with his seventh grade son, David. Other photos at the top are from events he worked on with kids at the FAA Tech Center.
Imagine being 12 years old, on an airplane for the first time in your life, when you have the opportunity to try your hand flying the plane.
This isn’t something the FAA’s Wayne Hubbard, a National Air Traffic Management Officer, has to imagine — it was something he lived. And that moment stays with him today, greatly shaping his life and the hard work he puts in educating young people about aviation as an FAA STEM Aviation and Space Education (AVSED) outreach representative.
For Hubbard, his interest in aviation was pure curiosity. And, like many of the young people he encounters today, he didn’t know any pilots. Nobody in his family worked in aviation, either. Growing up in East Orange, New Jersey he got involved with a local nonprofit called the Eagle Flight Squadron, which offers flight instruction, emphasizes academics and career development, and encourages discipline with a military-like structure. It was through Eagle Flight Squadron that Hubbard took that memorable first flight along the Hudson River, from New Jersey towards Manhattan.
“I knew I wanted to be in aviation from that moment,” he said.
Today, Hubbard plays an active role giving students and young people that same inspiring exposure to aviation. He set a high bar with his first venture into aviation education in 2014, collaborating with the Eagle Flight Squadron and the National Black Coalition of Federal Aviation Employees (NBCFAE) for a weeklong Aviation Career Education (ACE) Academy. Since that first ACE Academy, Hubbard has partnered with both groups to put on several other camps.
“I remember how impactful ACE Academies were for me growing up, and it was fun to do the same types of things people did for me back when I was a teen,” he said.
The Worlds of Work event drew nearly 3,000 students and Hubbard was there to help them learn about aviation careers.
Last October, Hubbard continued making an impact, teaming up with the local aviation community in Winchester, Virginia, where he resides, for an event called Worlds of Work. The career day event reached nearly 3,000 local seventh grade students and gave them hands-on opportunities to learn about different careers, including aviation.
“We really had a cross section of folks at our booth; we had the local airport, the county fire department, the flight school, a United Airlines pilot and the FAA,” he said.
Hubbard worked to bring together a cross section of aviation
professionals for the Worlds of Work event, giving students a
view of the variety of aviation jobs available.
Hubbard believes there are great benefits to finding like-minded partners to help you spread your message, something he has seen firsthand building relationships and working closely with many allies, including the Winchester Regional Airport.
“It’s amazing that aviation can take you anywhere in the world and the access point is your airport, and that’s just down the street for many communities,” he said. “Many people don’t think of an airport as being a public place to come and learn and get involved, but it can be. I’ve worked with the Winchester Regional Airport to help bring the community into the airport and make it a more accessible place.”
While he has worked hard to build a strong network of aviation education stakeholders and partners, Hubbard recognizes that not everyone has the desire or bandwidth to do that. He offers some advice for colleagues who want to get young people excited about STEM AVSED.
“Start small,” he says with a laugh recalling his first aviation event, a week-long ACE Academy. “Start with a local school. Something as simple as giving a brief presentation to your kids’ class and showing them what it’s like to work in aviation will be impactful. People are really hungry for this information and feedback is always positive. It keeps me motivated. Then you can reach out to other stakeholders or aviation groups in your community and collaborate with them and see what comes out of that. You don’t have to recreate the wheel. Take what you are using already or doing already, show it in an educational way and answer questions,” said Hubbard.
He also thinks it may be easier than ever to get kids excited about aviation careers.
“Our industry is moving in incredible directions and we need people to work some of these jobs. Think about drones, think about commercial space. You really don’t have to sell it, you just have to show it,” he says. | https://medium.com/faa/when-stem-outreach-goes-full-circle-c4ebf8f16469 | ['Federal Aviation Administration'] | 2020-05-06 18:30:04.575000+00:00 | ['Public Service', 'Black History Month', 'Aviation', 'STEM', 'Education'] |
Coal in the Stocking | In previous years leading up to the holiday season, commonplace phrases such as “Peace on earth, and good will to all men,” echoed throughout our country, carrying a sentiment of hope and images of a brighter future for all. It was a time of year that many looked forward to, and built up all year for; it’s supposed to be the time of year that made every other terrible month almost okay. However, this year has been a very confusing and turbulent time which has left many feeling isolated and not so peaceful thanks to this pandemic which our governments have mishandled from the very beginning, tanking the economy and any hope of a stable future along with it .
Coal mines like this one, using mountaintop-removal mining techniques, are being proposed in the eastern slopes of Alberta’s Rocky Mountains.
In the province of Alberta especially, Premier Jason Kenney has decided to take it several steps further in the dampening of the general holiday spirit. In addition to his mishandling of the pandemic (whether it be leaving small business owners out to dry while giving massive relief to corporations; who have in turn fired thousands of workers, to asinine decisions such as deciding to rip up doctors and nurses contracts in the middle of a pandemic), his passing of anti-worker legislation as well as legislation to prevent protests all in the midst of a lockdown, he has taken it upon himself to take things one step further to truly put himself atop the pedestal of near cartoonish villainy; by taking a page out of St Nicks playbook but adding a sick twist: deciding to give everyone coal for the holidays.
Mountaintop-removal coal mining, as seen here at Teck Resources’ Fording River operations in Elk Valley, just across the Alberta-B.C. border, is a form of surface mining that strips large portions of a mountain away. “You’re not going to put a mountain back,” said Laura Laing, a third-generation rancher who lives west of Nanton, Alta. Photo: Callum Gunn
Like something out of a Back to the Future movie gone wrong, Kenney has somehow come up with a plan for Alberta’s recovery based on the returning to a dying industry from the past century. Despite having a $30 million “war room” (which refuses to answer to taxpayers how it spends its money) to promote and figure out how to improve the energy sector in Alberta; the best ideas $30 million dollars could buy is to not only stick with gas, but to also now sell off provincial land to Australian investors, who will come in and bulldoze our mountains in search of a stocking stuffer for naughty kids: coal. Despite the industry steadily drying up as more and more countries seek to transition to renewable energy; the Kenney administration has once again laughed in the face of common sense and is engaged in a headlong sprint to not only destroy the beauty of this country for his buddies profit margins, but to also further contribute to the incoming climate crises rather than to fight it like every other sensible person.
In 2019, Teck Resources posted $5.5 billion in coal revenue, generated primarily in the Elk Valley. Alberta is the second-largest producer of coal in Canada and the UCP government has lauded coal mining as a way forward for the province’s economy, particularly in light of job losses in the oil patch during the COVID-19 pandemic. Alberta reported some $15.7 million in royalties earned on coal production in 2017, though this figure has been declining in recent years. Photo: Callum Gunn
With Canada exporting most of their coal to eastern Asia, and China (the largest consumer of coal) planning to completely phase out coal consumption by 2050, as well as declining usage by our two largest purchasers (South Korea and Japan), the move has left many scratching their heads, to say the least. This also doesn’t take into account the other issues at stake: the failure to consult Indigenous groups within the region, how it will completely compromise the protections for several species in the area, the Conservation groups who are concerned about the parks and scenery being destroyed, the ranchers who rely on the area for native grasslands and prime pastures they use for grazing who will see these areas destroyed, nor finally the point that mountaintop removal mining relies on less workers than traditional coal mining methods- meaning that Kenney is literally selling our mountains directly to pad some Australian corporation’s bank accounts. | https://medium.com/@workersliberationcoalition/coal-in-the-stocking-2525a293aa6a | ["Worker'S Liberation Coalition"] | 2020-12-21 20:29:56.254000+00:00 | ['Alberta', 'Christmas', 'Coal', 'Stockings', 'Canada'] |
Binance NFT x LFW Mystery Box II | Don’t miss it! Jan 4th, 2022–11 AM UTC
LFW Mystery Box II
Type: Binance NFT Mystery Box
Price: 0.4 BNB per box
Quantity in total: 4,000
Purchase limit: 10 Mystery Boxes/ account.
Link to Buy: HERE
There will be 4000 LFW Mystery Boxes II on sale, including 120 boxes reserved for the community. Each user can only buy a maximum of 10 boxes.
This Mystery Box, when opened, will give you a NFT hero in the Legend of Fantasy War game. These NFT heroes will be available in 4 classes: SSR, SR, R & N. All of them are exclusive and limited. This time coming in Binance NFT with an enjoyable price.
Rank SSR Hero:
These exclusive Heroes will contain the highest stats and most powerful skills in the game. The value of these NFT Heroes is priceless and extremely hard to obtain in game. The amount issued is also limited.
Rank SR Hero:
SR Heroes are the ultimate, high-stat that is rare to achieve through the playing process. By owning SR Hero, players will have the advantage when training to be veterans. When you want to be on the upper hand in this legendary journey, you have to get one SR Hero for your own. SR Heroes are also hard to achieve in-game.
Rank R Hero:
These NFTs have their own assets and are very necessary in the beginning of the game. Therefore, they are must-have and easy to train them stronger, bringing lots of valuables afterward.
Rank N Hero:
Common in the game. High chance to obtain, train and trade.
Reach out to LFW’s social media channels for more thrilling news and official announcements.
Website | Twitter | Medium | Telegram | Discord | YouTube | Facebook | Substack | Reddit | https://news.legendfantasywar.com/binance-nft-x-lfw-mystery-box-ii-d7cef0275703 | ['Hookrook'] | 2022-01-01 11:23:46.117000+00:00 | ['Metaverse', 'Gamefi', 'Binance Nft', 'Nft', 'Lfw'] |
The FIRE Movement: A Waste of Productive Energy | FIRE in a nutshell
A scenario like that is the dream of many people who follow the FIRE movement. It’s about retiring early and being free to do what you want for the rest of your life. They call it escaping the treadmill.
The FIRE in the FIRE movement is an acronym for Financial Independence, Retire Early. There are many famous bloggers out there who retired in their mid-30s or 40s.
I don’t want to go too much in detail here. Again, there are great blogs out there that can teach you way more about the topic than I can.
But at the core of FIRE is the idea that you cut your costs to the bare minimum. Really, I’ve heard ideas like putting empty bottles in your hand baggage to fill them with water in the restrooms after you’ve passed the security check at an airport. By doing so, you can avoid the high costs of the water that is sold there.
Yeah, to me, that sounds silly, too.
What do you do with the money that you save? You invest it in the stock market, usually in plain old index funds. At some point, when you’re able to live on a very tight budget, you don’t have to work anymore.
You can withdraw 4% of your total portfolio annually, and in theory, your portfolio should have a longevity of 30 years or more. This 4% should cover your expenses (think twice before getting another child). All that works perfectly, as long as nothing goes horribly wrong in the stock market.
To learn more about the perfect withdrawal rate, make sure to check out:
How much money do you need to save with that approach? That depends on your expenses, but from what I’ve heard, it’s between $250,000-$1,000,000.
You can calculate when you could retire (and how much you have to cut your costs) with this neat calculator: https://www.moneyunder30.com/fire-calculator
Okay, for now, that may or may not sound pretty bad to you. But bare with me. Let’s look at it in more detail.
FIRE? Why do you even want that?
First of all, I have to admit that I have a great portion of respect for the people who set very high goals and achieve them. Retiring in your 30s/40s is such a goal, and it has definitely a huge impact on your life.
Financial independence is something I work for every day. I think it’s sad that most people never set any goals at all. Striving for financial freedom is surely a step in the right direction and tells me that the followers of this movement are aware of their situation.
They are emotionally mature and know what they don’t like to do for the rest of their life (working in a job that they hate and listen to John’s ramblings five times a week).
These are people who want more from life, and I admire them for the discipline they have to cut back that much on consumption. These are the folks who don’t blindly accept the status quo and make decisions. These are great personal traits!
However, isn’t that focusing on the wrong side?
Compare it to football. Isn’t it like concentrating completely on the defense and trying not to allow any points for the opposite team (spending money). You don’t care about scoring a touchdown (earning more money). A field goal will be enough (earning little money).
I mean, you could argue that offense wins games, but defense wins championships. However, isn’t it more of a mixture in reality?
You can only save 100% of your income. Realistically, it’s less. Maybe you are really good and save 70% of your income. But well, that’s ‘only’ $2,100 when you earn $3,000 a month. And $900 is for sure not a lot of money to cover all your expenses.
Compare that to concentrating on the offense. Let’s say you are not cutting back that much and only save 50% of your income. Is that a problem when you make $10,000 a month? No, you have $5,000 per month to invest, and you are still better off.
You may say that I’ve increased the income by more than 300% and reduced the savings rate by just 20%. However, saving 50% of a larger sum is incredibly easier.
There is a limit on how much you can save. Is there a limit to how much money you can make?
No. There isn’t.
How to save instead?
Don’t get me wrong. Saving is important, and it is not possible to become financially free when you always spend all the money that you earn.
YOLO is terrible financial advice. It’s true that it’s not about what you earn, but what you keep.
However, you can keep a lot more by increasing your income. Don’t focus on percentage values too much. The absolute number is more important.
Try to save a solid amount of your income (and you usually have to learn this while not making a lot of money). At some point, using (read wasting) your time to save $3 on a bottle of water isn’t a smart decision.
In the long run, it is just more rational to start thinking about making more money.
Note: Don’t get me wrong here. I‘m not saying that when you save $300 per month now and then increase your income ten-fold, you should still only save $300. However, a 35–60% savings rate is totally fine and you can slowly increase it with every income boost that you get. Just make sure, that you really increase that percentage value when you get a raise.
Okay, that solves our problem with not having to cut back that much, but what to do about the job that you hate so much? | https://themakingofamillionaire.com/the-fire-movement-a-waste-of-productive-energy-8a7cb0fa1243 | ['Manu Djirlic'] | 2020-11-27 14:42:27.613000+00:00 | ['Personal Finance', 'Finance', 'Careers', 'Financial Independence', 'Retirement'] |
Twinkly Strings 250 LEDs Multicolor review: These smart string lights deliver dazzling effects | Twinkly Strings 250 LEDs Multicolor review: These smart string lights deliver dazzling effects David Jan 15·6 min read
Smart Christmas tree lights generally do little more than let you turn them on and off with voice commands, but Twinkly’s string lights take the smarts to a new level. Packed with a few dozen effects plus the ability to create your own, Twinkly’s light strings can deliver some truly impressive light shows with the help of an app that maps the position of each individual LED. Besides the Twinkly mobile app, you can also control the Twinkly lights with Alexa and Google Assistant, albeit in a disappointingly limited fashion.
Twinkly’s LED Christmas lights have actually been around for a few years, but my interest was piqued when I finally saw them in action at last year’s CES, where Ledworks, owner of the Twinkly lighting brand, was showing off its new Twinkly Music dongle. I tested both the Twinkly 250-LED string light and the new music accessory for this review.
This review is part of TechHive’s coverage of the best smart bulbs, where you’ll find reviews of the competition’s offerings, plus a buyer’s guide to the features you should consider when shopping for this type of product.
Specifications and designTwinkly offers its string lights in sizes ranging from 100 LEDs all the way up to 600 LEDs. The brand also offers “Gold Edition” dimmable white LED string lights, icicle and “cluster” style string lights, curtain LED lights, and even pre-lit artificial Christmas trees. Twinkly’s LED string lights are many things, but cheap isn’t one of them; the 250-LED string I tested, for example, costs $120 at Best Buy, while the 600-LED versionRemove non-product link fetches a cool $200.
[ Further reading: The best smart plugs ] The Twinkly string has a traditional design of braided dark-green wire, with the RGB LEDs (which can display up to 16 million colors) interspersed a little more than three inches apart. The LEDs themselves feel relatively sturdy, and they’re designed with a diffused flat lens for “uniform diffusion” of the emitted colors. An in-line controller near the end of the string allows you to cycle through light modes by repeatedly pressing a button, and the string terminates in a chunky 24V power adapter.
Ben Patterson/IDG The LEDs on Twinkly strings are designed with a diffused flat lens, and they’re spaced about three inches apart.
The Twinkly lights are IP44-certified, which means they’re protected against solid objects larger than 1mm and water splashed from all directions; in other words, they should be fine outdoors, even in rain and snow. You can read more about IP codes in this story.
SetupI didn’t have much trouble getting the Twinkly string lights connected to my Wi-Fi network. The first step is to create a Twinkly account; if you wish, you can sign in with Facebook or Apple (not Google, unfortunately), or you can create an account using your email address. Next, you press the button on the Twinkly controller until its embedded status LED turns greenish blue, and then the Twinkly app will search for your lights. Once it’s found them (the process worked for me on the first time), the app lets you choose a nearby Wi-Fi network before prompting you for your password.
After you’ve draped the Twinkly lights around your tree, the outside of your home (you can group up to 10 strings, or up to 4,000 LEDs), or anywhere else you see fit, it’s time to scan the lights with the Twinkly app. If you have the lights hung on a perfectly flat surface, you can choose the 2D scanning option, during which you simply point your camera’s phone at the lights and allow the app to scan all the LEDs.
Ben Patterson/IDG With the Twinkly mobile app, you can map the position of each individual LED on your Twinkly strings.
If the lights are draped over a tree, a bookcase, or (in my case) along the bottom of the top bunk of your daughter’s bunk bed, you can opt for 3D scanning, which involves letting the app scan the LEDs from multiple angles. The process only takes about 10 seconds (or 10 seconds per scan, if you choose the 3D scanning option), and the app managed to map the LEDs with an impressive degree of accuracy.
Features and functionalityNow comes the fun part. Using the app, you can pick one of about a dozen preset animations, from “snow” and “snake” to “diagonal” and “vintage,” or you can download free animations from the Twinkly Effects Store. The animations run the gamut, from random patterns of multicolored twinkling lights and falling snow to dancing hearts or even an animated bat signal.
Ben Patterson/IDG A variety of nifty Twinkly effects are available, ranging from “Snakes” and “Fireworks” to “Candy Canes” and “Vertical Flag.”
All those colorful, coordinated stripes of color marching across your tree can be a tad garish, but they’re undeniably impressive and eye-popping. And while some of the more elaborate animations (such as the bat signal) fell apart on a single Twinkly string, they’d probably look much better on multi-string installations.
Besides the preset animations, you can also create your own Twinkly effects by tapping and swiping on a diagram of your lights in the Twinkly app. You can paint the lights with wide, thin, or sparkling brushstrokes, and you can choose from six basic colors or create your own color palette. Even better, you can create both static and animated effects.
Not only can you apply individual effects to the Twinkly lights, you can also create playlists that cycle through up to 10 effects at intervals ranging from one second to 10 minutes. You can only save one playlist at a time, however, and if you want to go back to a single effect, you’ll erase the playlist you’d created.
Ben Patterson/IDG Once you’ve mapped all the LEDs with the Twinkly app, you can apply some nifty animations to the Twinkly lights (and yes, they’d look even better on a tree).
If you want to sync your Twinkly lights with some tunes, you can do so with the aforementioned Twinkly MusicRemove non-product link, a $30 USB dongle with a built-in microphone.
Twinkly Music connects to your lights via Bluetooth and makes the lights pulse along with any sound that its microphone picks up. If you take the time to connect Twinkly Music to your Wi-Fi network, you can also control the pattern of the lights by choosing one of eight “drivers,” including “Beat Hue,” “Red Line,” “Psychedelica,” “Sparkle,” and “VU Meter”. The Twinkly Music dongle did a nice job of syncing my Spotify playlist with the lights, and the various music drivers were nifty, particularly the Beat Hue and VU Meter drivers.
The Twinkly app offers a basic timer that will turn your Twinkly lights on and off at specified times, but it can’t change the effect or brightness or your lights, nor can you set any weekly or monthly schedules. Also missing is a sunrise/sunset option.
Smart home integrationsTwinkly lights support both Alexa and Google Assistant, and you can use voice commands to turn your Twinkly string on or off, adjust the brightness, or change primary colors. You can also add the Twinkly lights to Alexa and Google Assistant routines, which means you can create more elaborate schedules that include sunset/sunrise triggers.
Unfortunately, neither Alexa nor Google Assistant can control Twinkly’s animated effects, so if you do use one of the assistants for scheduling your Twinkly lights, you’ll be limited to a relatively basic color palette. Now, if Alexa and Google Assistant could treat Twinkly’s animations as lighting scenes that you could incorporate into routines, we’d really have something.
Bottom lineTwinkly’s sturdy and colorful LED string lights make for an impressive and eye-popping holiday decoration, with animations that are sure to wow the neighbors. But the lights aren’t cheap, smart home integration is only so-so, and we wish that the timer function was more fully baked.
Note: When you purchase something after clicking links in our articles, we may earn a small commission. Read our affiliate link policy for more details. | https://medium.com/@david92901501/twinkly-strings-250-leds-multicolor-review-these-smart-string-lights-deliver-dazzling-effects-fdb736fb55b1 | [] | 2021-01-15 00:53:13.057000+00:00 | ['Home Theater', 'Cutting', 'Home Tech', 'Entertainment'] |
Up, Down and Up | Up, Down and Up
The stock market acts funny.
With everybody’s money.
Up then down then up it goes.
Just the normal ebbs and flows.
Although this makes one nervous,
One must be impervious.
For likely things will be fine.
If they’re given enough time. | https://medium.com/datadriveninvestor/up-down-and-up-59a91891432 | ['Terry Mansfield'] | 2020-12-26 15:35:48.732000+00:00 | ['Humor', 'Stock Market', 'Poetry', 'Poem', 'Stocks'] |
the-myth-of-perfection | The Myth of Perfection
And how to break free of it
‘Have no fear of perfection — you’ll never reach it.’ — Salvador Dalí
The desire for perfection seems to be built into humans by default. Whenever we begin a new project — be it a new piece of art, an essay or a startup — it magically appears in consciousness and colors every action we take.
Some people call it ‘attention to detail’ or ‘doing the best you can’. For others, it’s a synonym for originality. Whatever it is, the shadow of perfection looms large over any creative endeavour.
The dictionary definition of perfection is a state that cannot be improved upon. What this definition does not mention is that perfection is a damaging myth that keeps us from fully immersing ourselves in the process of creation, or worse, paralyzes us into inaction.
Perfection is a dark force that lures you into believing that you are making progress, while pushing your goal further away from you. When we fall under its spell we sacrifice momentum and waste effort on things that matter little in the long run. Rather than focus on building the car engine, we keep fussing about the upholstery.
The pull of perfection is also why we weigh inspiration more than the simple act of just showing up to work everyday. Since the notion of perfection in our heads is so vague, we start to believe that nothing less than a flash of insight from our subconscious can kick start us into action. So instead of creating, testing and refining our creations, we keep waiting for the right ideas which may or may not to come.
When we do get started, we find it difficult to give ourselves fully to the activity of creating. This is because a part of us always stands apart from the action and keeps asking:
‘How am I doing?’
‘Is this good enough?’
‘How does it compare to what already exists?’
As a result, we can never truly get into flow: a state where we are fully absorbed in the task at hand. Being in flow, or in the zone as some people call it, is one of the most profound experiences humans are capable of. It has been proven scientifically that your ability to achieve flow states consistently is one of the best ways to engineer happiness into your life. Chasing perfection short circuits your ability to receive this gratification.
The hold of perfection on our psyche needs to be broken if we are to achieve what we’re fully capable of. To do that, we first need to deconstruct perfection.
Why perfection is meaningless
By definition, what is perfect is unknown because it simply doesn’t exist yet. The obvious question then is how can we know we’ve attained perfection if we don’t know what it looks like? If we knew what perfection looked like, then we would just be making something similar to what already exists. If that is the case, how can our creation be then labelled ‘perfect’?
Now you might argue that we can imagine perfection. Fair enough. But again, how can you determine that what you imagined is the best that can be? That there’s no further improvement possible? Unless you are a God-like entity, you have no way of knowing what all is possible.
If this slight philosophical detour doesn’t convince you of the absurdity of perfection, consider how Nature — the mother of all creators — goes about its business. So awesome are nature’s creations that till Darwin came along, most people believed that only a supreme Being could have created them all.
To be fair, you can’t really fault the old timers. Whatever notions of perfection you might have, can they can ever come close to the complexity and mystery that is, say, the human brain?
However, as we now know Nature doesn’t waste its time with nonsense like ‘perfection’. Working through the blind process of evolution, its only goal is to create an organism that is fit for survival. It doesn’t do this by following a blueprint of what the ideal organism should look like, but by stumbling along, creating one version after another, and testing to check which one works.
Remember that evolution is an extremely slow and incremental process. But as the improvements add up over millions of years, you eventually get the ape who can build a rocket to the moon.
Why does the myth of perfection persist?
So why does the allure of perfection persist despite the futility of chasing it? The answer lies at the intersection of how we view success stories and the peculiar nature of success itself.
Firstly, there is a huge survivorship bias inherent in the stories of accomplishment we are exposed to. We only hear about the author who was on the best seller list or the startup founder who sold her company for a billion dollars. Equally talented and hardworking people, who failed — or were only moderately successful — are simply forgotten.
Secondly, success follows a power law: the person at the number one position in any field reaps most of the benefits and rewards. Be it sports, the arts, or entrepreneurship, the number two is usually far behind in terms of earnings and fame. This difference is not so much due to a difference in talent or performance, as it is due to the snowball effect of success. Whether we like it or not, to the victor go most of the spoils.
These two reasons are probably why we equate success with beating everyone to get to the top. It’s also why we emulate people like Elon Musk and JK Rowling, rather than look for role models closer to home, who in fact, might be more relatable.
In sum, the desire for perfection kicks in when inspiration disconnects itself from reality. By defining success only in terms of stupendous outcomes, we prevent ourselves from enjoying our work for its own sake. If the real reason to chase perfection is to feel good about yourself, an easier alternative is to structure your life around what you actually enjoy doing. This way, even if you don’t end up on the cover of Forbes magazine, you get to live each day exactly as you want to.
And that is as good a definition of success as any.
How to give up on perfection
Seeking perfection is like being pulled forward by an illusory goal. Even if you experience forward movement, you will always be conscious of how far away you still are. The alternative is to place the source of momentum within you. How can you do this? By committing to become better with each successive attempt. Even though incremental improvement is seen as too slow or not bold enough, its benefits add up pretty fast. As Bill Gates says:
‘We always overestimate the change that will occur in the next two years and underestimate the change that will occur in the next ten.’
Furthermore, you achieve refinement and beauty in your work not by adding more to it, but by cutting out the excess bits. In other words, you have to first create something ugly and awkward before you can get to the result you actually want. That is how Michelangelo created his sculptures, and Steve Jobs created the iPhone.
In conclusion, forget about perfection and get on with it. Have high standards, but do not hang on to them at the cost of moving forward. Follow the process and see where it leads you. Perfection is a fool’s errand; the only thing that matters is to do the work and become better every single day. | https://medium.com/swlh/perfection-is-for-fools-37da47422c6c | ['Dhawal Sharma'] | 2020-10-07 11:58:27.122000+00:00 | ['Inspiration', 'Motivation', 'Creative Process', 'Creativity', 'Startup'] |
Moving to an Era of highly scalable Blockchain networks | Moving to an Era of highly scalable Blockchain networks
Three super scalable blockchains who will define the future of DLT
If there was one thing that has held back the mass adoption of Blockchain or weakness so to say has been the scalability issue. With Ethereum, one of the most popular Crypto platforms processing a mere 30 transactions per second as compared to the mainstream player like VISA which processes almost 1000 times than that, a vital scaling upgrade is required for the blockchain networks to become a part of the mainstream financial ecosystem.
Things have at last started to move in that direction with the alternative network solutions like the Lightning Network for the Bitcoin blockchain beginning to address this problem but the transition to a highly scaled-up version has been slow.
Permissioned-based or Enterprise-focused blockchain networks like IBM’s Hyperledger & JPM’s Quorum have shown a capacity of 100,000 transactions per second which is consistent with these consortium blockchains, but the problem is that they function within a closed ecosystem which is neither decentralized nor publicly accessible so the utility remains limited.
All of this seems set to change with the new entrants to this arena which are promising to implement highly scaled-up solutions of decentralized public blockchains. Let’s review some of the promising upcoming projects.
Red Belly
In one of the previous blogs I had written about the advances being made in the blockchain arena in the Land down under — Australia. A new project called Red Belly has been developed as a collaborative effort between Australia’s National Science Agency (CSIRO) & Concurrent Systems Research Group at the University of Sydney.
The project is still in its pilot phase but has shown immense potential with the processing speeds recorded at upwards of 30,000 transactions per second matching & at times beating mainstream players like VISA. The pilot is being conducted by placing 1000 machines in 18 different geographic regions spread around 4 continents. Here are some of the main features of Red Belly:
A maximum speed of 40,000 transactions per second has been recorded in the pilot phase which was conducted on Amazon’s Cloud (AWS) global infrastructure with an average transaction delay of only 3 seconds which is in minutes for Ethereum & Bitcoin networks.
It is a fork-free network, unlike its competitors, so there is no chance of double spending or adding the same block to different chains of the forked network.
Redbelly combines the scalability of the consortia-based blockchains with the decentralized nature of public blockchains making it easily workable in both public and private settings.
And finally, this blockchain consumes much less electricity than any of the traditional networks that are criticized for being so energy-intensive. It achieves this by working under an algorithm that doesn’t require extra electricity as the computational parties increase. The technical details of the algorithm have not been released yet.
Splend
Another silicon valley based startup Splend has just partnered with Shanghai Code Center Industry to incorporate IBA Flash Network technology for the China Cable Television Network. The startup is working on this proprietary Integrated Blockchain Architecture (IBA) as an up-scaling solution. Here are some of the key features of this project:
IBA is expected to achieve 1 million transactions per second. According to the CEO of Splend, they have already been able to achieve in excess of the current industry standards of TPS.
The project employs IPFS (InterPlanetary File System) — which uses the peer-to-peer decentralized method of transferring & storing data, safer & more transparent than the generic HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol) model — based on the traditional Client-server model employed for websites on the Internet.
— which uses the peer-to-peer decentralized method of transferring & storing data, safer & more transparent than the generic model — based on the traditional Client-server model employed for websites on the Internet. The company has just released its flagship product called the Universal CryptoWallet (UCW) based on the same proprietary technology offering a “12-layer security shield” making it almost impenetrable for intruders. The wallet offers instantaneous transactions with zero-transfer fees.
based on the same proprietary technology offering a “12-layer security shield” making it almost impenetrable for intruders. The wallet offers instantaneous transactions with zero-transfer fees. Splend intends to extend its line of products in 2019 to include other zero-fee services like merchant payments, Crypto asset transfers, micro-lending & virtual debit and gift cards.
Elixxir
David Chaum, who is widely regarded as the forefather of the Cryptocurrencies & the associated Cryptographic security is the brainchild behind this ambitious & upcoming project Elixxir blockchain. The project was launched about two weeks ago with the intention of addressing the scaling issue with bulletproof security.
Elixxir aims to develop a highly scalable, secure & decentralized messaging payment platform. The high TPS is proposed to be achieved by performing the public key operations in advance thus saving precious time in performing the actual transaction. Also, the network would employ hash-based authentication moving up from the traditional signature-based block processing.
The project offers anonymity via the native mixnet protocol on a blockchain that stores tokens rather than transactions. The project paper also claims Elixxir’s non-vulnerability to 51% attack where any single node protects team consensus as shown in the figure above. For now, though the project seems to be more focused on addressing scalability issues until it gets ready to hit the market in the future.
We are now entering a new phase in the DLT technology where the core weaknesses identified in the first decade of development is getting ready to get an upgrade to Blockchain 2.0
Recent Articles: Headliners: The enigma of the ‘DARK WEB’, Smart Dubai — World’s First Blockchain-powered Government initiative, Big trends shaping FinTech, Cross-border Payment systems: SWIFT, RippleNet or BWW?
Stay in touch: Twitter | StockTwits | LinkedIn | Telegram| Tradealike | https://medium.com/technicity/moving-to-an-era-of-highly-scalable-blockchain-networks-5ed5c128c21e | ['Faisal Khan'] | 2019-10-15 02:25:37.259000+00:00 | ['Economics', 'Future', 'Finance', 'Technology', 'Bitcoin'] |
The Ticking Song | The Ticking Song
Poetry
by Author
The sun has become a clock
It doesn’t drop anymore
Hangs there on the wall of the sky
Makes a ticking song, for the world to hum carelessly
The colors I left in the clouds
For the rain to bring them to the ground
Are now birds or stars
They are dense dry dots of hope
Making nests in the sky
Pause has settled in her balcony
Like stubborn honey settled
~ at the bottom of her many teacups
She stacks stones in the afternoons
When the ticking is the loudest
When the colors seem they are about to dissolve | https://shringikumari.medium.com/the-ticking-song-c54148a3b3a5 | ['Shringi Kumari'] | 2020-04-20 14:57:17.325000+00:00 | ['Poetry', 'Afternoon', 'Self', 'Sun', 'Pause'] |
Top-secret Cloud Platform for Classified Data from Microsoft | Microsoft revealed the launch of its newest cloud offering, Azure Government Top Secret, at the beginning of the month (April, 2020). For its US government clients who deal with classified information, Microsoft has customized Azure Government Top Secret.
The new cloud service extends Microsoft’s tactical edge portfolio for the US government, including Azure (public cloud), Azure Government, and Azure Government Hidden.
Azure Government Top Secret is claimed to have the same functionality as the commercial edition of Azure, Azure Government and Azure Government Secret to enable a continuum of project cloud computing to the tactical edge.
“The consistency between Azure (commercial), Azure Government, and Azure Government Secret is also starting to change the game as software development may happen from anywhere, while the code itself can be promoted to enclaves with higher classification levels. There it can interact with data of higher classification levels. At the end of the day, this means doing more for the mission at a lower overall cost,” said Carroll Moon, CTO of CloudFit Software.
In the classified space, the wide range of services can meet the demand for higher performance, particularly the need to gain deeper insights from data sourced from any location, as well as the need to allow remote work to grow rapidly.
Microsoft is collaborating with the US government, according to sources, to obtain accreditation for its new cloud. In the meantime, the building of the Top Secret regions of the Azure Government has already been completed.
Microsoft has also announced upgrades to its Azure Government Secret service, which the US Department of Defense, law enforcement, and other agencies have approved and actively used.
Azure Government Secret will now add Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS) and Azure Container Instances, according to Microsoft. The enhancements aim to allow developers of software to more effectively deploy and manage containerized applications.
Azure Sentinel and Azure Security Center are now now available in Azure Government Secret for intelligent security analytics services, allowing unified security across digital properties and promoting proactive threat management. | https://medium.com/@cio-jrajitha/top-secret-cloud-platform-for-classified-data-from-microsoft-676d47a217d4 | ['Rajitha Jayawardena'] | 2020-12-23 12:57:06.219000+00:00 | ['Microsoft', 'Azure'] |
The Nurse Who Murdered Her Nanny and Dumped Her Body in a Cornfield | On July 21, 1999, at six in the morning, a man was walking his dog on 92nd street in Racine County when he came across the dead body of a female wearing black sweatpants and a men’s grey shirt with a floral print lying on the edge of the cornfield. The unknown woman, who would be referred to as Racine County Jane Doe for the next two decades, had been horrifically beaten.
She had suffered several severe physical injuries including; a deformed left ear (similar to a ‘cauliflower ear’), broken ribs, head trauma, a broken nose, swollen eyes and a split lower lip. There were several abrasions, burns and lacerations throughout her entire body.
Racine County Jane Doe was severely malnourished. Her body was covered in road rash suggesting she had been dragged from a vehicle. Her left elbow, knees and feet were infected due to untreated injuries. The injuries to her ear, nose and head were determined to be fresh injuries sustained shortly before her death. She also had ribs that were healing as well as freshly broken ribs.
Her cause of death was Sepsis Pneumonia as a result of infections sustained from long-term abuse. She was only twenty-three-years-old.
Racine County Jane Doe’s gravestone. Source.
Over fifty people attended Racine County Jane Doe’s funeral. For the next two decades, investigators worked hard at identifying the poor woman. Her body was exhumed several times and various composites and facial reconstruction images were released to the public in the hopes someone would recognize her. Unfortunately, no one had reported the woman missing. The case went cold for the next two decades.
Racine County Jane Doe. Source.
Racine County Jane Doe. Source.
On September 23, 2019, authorities received a tip that would reignite the entire investigation. The caller claimed she had overheard a woman tell several people she had killed a woman in Illinois — twenty years prior. That woman was Linda LaRoche.
Linda LaRoche was a registered nurse and the owner of Guardian Correctional Care Inc., a jail medical company provider in Bull Valley, Illinois. Linda’s company had several high-profile government contracts with various counties to provide medical care for inmates which paid her $18,000 per month. A sheriff of DeKalb County in Illinois stated he had met with Linda several times regarding business matters and had never noticed her exhibit odd or suspicious behaviour.
Linda LaRoche and her ex-husband. Source.
Linda consistently donated large amounts of money to various charities and organizations. Her Facebook page was riddled with posts of her boasting about her good deeds and photos of her family. Ironically, Linda even made a post criticizing the outcome of Casey Anthony’s murder trial— a woman who infamously got away with the (alleged) murder of her two-year-old daughter:
“The most troubling part of the Casey Anthony case is the short amount of time the jury took to find her ‘not guilty’……there had to have been compelling reasons for that…now I am upset with my self for not realizing this sooner, do I believe she is not guilty? I can’t say that but I do believe that the circumstantial evidence sucked…like the tattoo that they said meant that she was happy for her freedom…come on ..talk about b.s….”
With Linda’s so-called giving nature and her chosen field of occupation, no one would ever have guessed she would be capable of such a brutal and heinous murder.
Following the tip, investigators began interviewing Linda’s now-adult children who said a young woman named Peggy Lynn Johnson-Schroeder had lived with them from 1994 to 1999 before suddenly vanishing.
Investigators discovered that when Peggy, a cognitively impaired high school senior was 18-years-old her mother Diane had suddenly died, leaving her homeless. Since her father and brother were already deceased, Peggy had nowhere to go and found herself wandering the streets looking for help.
It was then Peggy stumbled upon McHenry Medical Centre where she met nurse Linda LaRoche. Linda was aware of Peggy’s mental incapabilities and dire situation. She invited Peggy to live at her McHenry Illinois home with her now ex-husband and their three children.
In exchange, Peggy would become the LaRoche family housekeeper and nanny. It seemed to be the perfect solution for Peggy and she agreed.
What Peggy didn’t know at the time was that Linda wasn’t the gentle, caring woman many believed her to be. She was a monster disguised as a nurse who would abuse Peggy for the next half-decade before dumping her dead bruised body in a cornfield.
Linda’s children told investigators they repeatedly witnessed their mother severely abuse Peggy; she would scream at Peggy, slap and punch her in the face during bouts of rage, stab her head with a pitchfork and yank her around by her ears. Peggy was forced to sleep in a crawlspace underneath the house and was rarely ever fed. Linda’s children said she treated her like an animal.
Investigators also interviewed Linda’s ex-husband who corroborated his children's’ claims and called Linda a ‘force to be reckoned with.’ When asked about the last time he saw Peggy, he described arriving home one evening and seeing her lying on the ground unconscious. Linda told him Peggy had overdosed.
In reality, Peggy had finally succumbed to years of abuse by Linda.
Linda’s ex-husband said she asked him to take the children out for ice cream so she could deal with the situation. Linda returned home two and a half hours later without Peggy and he never saw her again.
Linda was immediately detained and brought in for questioning. She admitted Peggy had lived with the LaRoche’s for five years and that she had abused her. She justified her actions by claiming Peggy had stolen from her and brought strange men into the home.
Linda claimed that on the day Peggy went missing, she had arrived home to find her lying on the ground unconscious next to an empty pill bottle. Linda stated that Peggy regained consciousness, but by this time she was already fed up with her and decided to drop her off at a local restaurant in the care of her grandmother.
Of course, Peggy’s grandmother said she had never met Linda. Additionally, Peggy’s autopsy did not show any drugs in her system, contradicting Linda’s story. When investigators confronted her with the many inconsistencies in her story, she admitted she had left Peggy in a rural area, but claimed she was uninjured at the time, and that, “something must have happened to her after” she dropped her off.
They didn’t buy it.
Linda LaRoche. Source.
On November 5, 2019, 64-year-old Linda LaRoche was officially arrested and charged with first-degree murder and concealment of a corpse. She faces life in prison. Many counties have already terminated their contracts with her business and she also faces a drunk-driving charge from 2019.
Peggy Lynn Johnson-Schroeder at her Homecoming. Source.
On November 8, 2019, Racine County Jane Doe was officially identified as Peggy Lynn Johnson-Schroeder with the use of familial DNA testing. She was re-buried on March 4, 2020 — her birthday, next to her beloved mother in Belvedere, Illinois. Peggy’s classmates described her as the sweetest girl who always had on a smile, and could never hurt a fly.
Twenty years later, Peggy finally got her name back.
Sources: Wikipedia, Heavy, CTV News, Racine County Eye, Gen Why Pod, The Journal Times, My Racine County | https://medium.com/chameleon/the-nurse-who-murdered-her-nanny-and-dumped-her-body-in-a-cornfield-c2c98945f5a6 | ['Fatim Hemraj'] | 2021-02-13 04:04:12.548000+00:00 | ['Justice', 'True Crime', 'Crime', 'Murder', 'History'] |
Starship Completes One Million Autonomous Deliveries | Starship Completes One Million Autonomous Deliveries
Today I’m proud to announce we have reached one million autonomous deliveries, more than 6 years after founding the company in 2014. We believe no other company in the world has completed this many autonomous deliveries — including self-driving taxi rides. We’ve also raised an additional $17m and added service to two new campuses — UCLA and Bridgewater State University (Massachusetts) in the US. This new investment brings Starship’s total funding to $102m to date.
We were unsure where the 1 millionth delivery was going to take place, as there are around 15–20 service areas open globally all with robots doing deliveries every minute. In the end it took place at Bowling Green, Ohio, to a student called Annika Keeton who is a freshman studying pre-health Biology at BGSU. Annika is now part of Starship’s history!
Annika Keeton, the recipient of our one millionth delivery in Bowling Green, Ohio
Six years ago we wouldn’t have believed we’d be hitting the 1m delivery in January 2021 — we’d have liked to hit it sooner! But it turns out getting delivery robots to operate at a high degree of autonomy in multiple countries, 24/7, doing thousands of deliveries per day and millions of miles per year is hard. Thankfully we have an incredibly talented team at Starship which I thank for making this milestone achievable. It may have taken 6 years for us to hit the first million deliveries, but we expect the next million to take only a matter of months!
Today we also launched UCLA, considered one of the top public schools in the US, and we’re delivering from restaurants including Blaze Pizza, Bruin Buzz, Lu Valle, and Southern Lights. Bridgewater State University (Massachusetts) is also now providing delivery from campus restaurants including Starbucks Cafe and Bears Den.
One of the first UCLA students to receive a Starship delivery
The additional funding comes at a time of increasing interest in the autonomous delivery industry. Contactless delivery has proved to be one of the most reliable ways to protect vulnerable populations and enable social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic. We’re proud to be providing contactless food and grocery deliveries at such a challenging time for so many people. Demand has increased 5x in neighborhoods since the beginning of the pandemic.
Starship robots lined up at Bridgewater State University
We’ve continued to see exponential growth since starting our first commercial delivery service in 2018. In the past year, Starship set several new delivery records within the company and expanded to more college campuses including Arizona State University (ASU), University of Mississippi (Ole Miss) and UC Irvine. In addition to opening service in Mountain View, CA, we also began deliveries in Modesto, CA with our new partner, The Save Mart Companies.
If you’re interested in solving difficult challenges and want to have a positive impact on local communities, as well as the environment, we’d love to hear from you as we’re hiring for multiple roles right now. We’re planning to grow the Starship team by around 40–50% this year alone. Bring on 2021! | https://medium.com/starshiptechnologies/one-million-autonomous-deliveries-milestone-65fe56a41e4c | ['Ahti Heinla'] | 2021-01-27 12:56:42.534000+00:00 | ['Computer Vision', 'Robots', 'Delivery', 'Autonomous Driving'] |
7 Tests for Recruiting a Great Team | Before starting a recruiting process you should have in mind that recruiting and career tests are not the best ways to test a candidate for a particular job. Putting the candidate to work is. More details about testing future performance in the following video:
Now! Because work sample tests and IQ tests are so close to each other from the perspective of predicting future performance, IQ tests are the first and the easiest to be placed at the beginning of a recruiting process.
Filtering and prioritizing the candidates
All following tests measure only IQ (just one trait of a human’s personality) therefore it’s very easy to make a decision on which candidates you are going to follow-up further next.
Raven IQ Test (Online)
It’s an online application and the test takes 30 min.
Raven IQ Test (Android App)
It’s an Android App and the test takes 30min.
The Wechsler Test
http://wechslertest.com (no longer working)
It’s an online application and the test takes 30min.
The MENSA Online IQ Test
https://www.mensa.lu/en/mensa/online-iq-test/online-iq-test.html
The page can be saved on a local PC and taken offline. You will be needing to use all the tests above in order to make a more acurate assessment.
Evaluating the candidates (online)
The Holland Code Career Test
http://www.roguecc.edu/Counseling/HollandCodes/test.asp (more precise)
http://www.truity.com/test/holland-code-career-test
It measures 6 traits: Realistic, Investigative, Artistic, Social, Enterprising, and Conventional. Each trait is more suited for certain types of jobs and tasks.
The Jungian Archetype Test
The test matches your personality with one of the 12 Jungian Archetypes. More about those you can read here.
An MBTI-like personality test
If you are an MBTI fan then this version might be useful to you.
Note: Personally I do not recommend this test because on various occasions it produced inconsistent results.
Kolb Learning Style Inventory
http://med.fau.edu/students/md_m1_orientation/M1%20Kolb%20Learning%20Style%20Inventory.pdf
http://www.bunbury.wa.gov.au/pdf/environment/u472/Appendix%2019%20U472%20Community%20Facilitator%20Kolb%20Questionnaire%20Final.pdf
It measures 4 types of learning styles corresponding to 4 personalities: ‘activist’, ‘reflector’, ‘theorist’, and ‘pragmatist’. Each trait is more suited for certain types of jobs and tasks.
This test is correlated with 2 dimensions of the MBTI test: ‘Extraversion / Introversion’ and ‘Feeling / Thinking’.
StrengthsFinder 2.0
It is a payed test but it is created by the renowned firm Gallup so it is worth all the money. The test produces a list of strength / values that you predominately express.
A sample report you can see here (my report).
Evaluating the candidates (face-to-face)
L.A.B. Profile (Language And Behavior Profile)
This test requires a interviewer with NLP qualifications. It measures 14 Motivation and Working Traits based on the language and behavior patterns of a person. If you are interested in trying out L.A.B. Profile please contact me here. | https://medium.com/@stefan-dragan/7-tests-for-recruiting-a-great-team-8a4aba1c8348 | ['Ștefan Drăgan'] | 2021-01-26 10:50:57.625000+00:00 | ['Recruiting', 'Iq', 'Personality Tests', 'Process', 'Profile'] |
Upd8: 8th District “Likely Republican,” Strouse launches “Fitz’s Fibs” | By Tom Waring
Wire Staff Writer
The National Republican Congressional Committee is gloating at last week’s analysis by Roll Call of the state of the race in the 8th Congressional District.
Nathan L. Gonzales, in an online blog, wrote that, “GOP Rep. Michael G. Fitzpatrick is running strong in Pennsylvania’s 8th District, and his race with Democrat Kevin Strouse should barely be considered competitive at this point.”
The Cook Political Report and Larry Sabato’s Crystal Ball both recently moved their outlook on the race to “Likely Republican.”
Ian Prior, an NRCC spokesman, suggested that Democrat Kevin Strouse is struggling because of fundraising or his narrow primary victory over Shaughnessy Naughton.
“Strouse’s support for taxpayer-funded sex-change operations for children and taxpayer-funded political campaigns make him far too liberal for Bucks County, and it looks more and more like Strouse is headed for an embarrassing defeat this November,” Prior said.
Prior is referring to a March questionnaire that Strouse filled out for the Liberty City Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Democratic Club. In response to a question, Strouse indicated support for funding so-called “sex reassignment surgery” under the state Children’s Health Insurance Program.
•
Meanwhile, the Strouse campaigned unveiled a new website, www.fitzsfibs.com
On the website, Strouse tries to contrast himself with Fitzpatrick by saying he’ll fight to rebuild the middle class while the incumbent will support subsidies for the oil industry, accept their campaign donations and not call for a state extraction tax on drilling companies that do work in Pennsylvania.
The site references comments Fitzpatrick made in a 2012 debate and votes he took in 2011, ’12 and ’13. It portrays Fitzpatrick as an entrenched Washington politician who says one thing in the district and does the opposite in D.C.
“I think that we should end these subsidies so that we can put middle-class families first by investing in education, providing tax cuts for small businesses and balancing the budget in a responsible way,” Strouse said.
Strouse is a former Army Ranger, CIA counterterrorism analyst and veteran of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. He lives in Middletown with his wife and two young children. He is program director of Teach2Serve, a nonprofit that teaches social entrepreneurship to local high school students.
•
Fitzpatrick last week spoke about better jobs and more opportunity for Bucks and Montgomery county families while addressing the Upper Perkiomen Valley Chamber of Commerce.
The congressman was the lead speaker at the chamber’s Legislative Affairs Council breakfast held at the Globe Inn in East Greenville.
In his remarks, Fitzpatrick highlighted his support for the new Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act that reforms federal job training programs as well as advances American-made standards for manufacturers and consumers.
“By incentivizing manufacturers to meet certain ‘Made in America’ benchmarks for domestic production and providing consumers with reliable and easy-to-understand information, the Made in America Act can meet two valuable goals: reshoring American businesses and jobs by promoting American-made goods,” he said. “Ideas like these embody the ‘radical middle’ that I represent as your voice in Washington — a space where plans to support and advance the American economy and American families can thrive.”
State Sen. Bob Mensch and state Rep. Justin Simmons also addressed the audience.
Fitzpatrick is serving his third term in the House of Representatives. The 8th Congressional District includes all of Bucks County and a portion of Montgomery County. | https://medium.com/langhorne-times/upd8-8th-district-likely-republican-strouse-launches-fitzs-fibs-677ac6a5f62 | [] | 2017-04-27 14:44:32.797000+00:00 | ['Upd8', 'Politics', 'Kevin Strouse', 'Bucks County'] |
QAnon is Why My Podcasts End with a Chess Lesson | QAnon is Why My Podcasts End with a Chess Lesson ATrigueiro Follow Sep 27 · 4 min read
I have been asked why I started writing on chess, since I had been writing so exclusively on politics. I became very weary of hearing QAnon foolishness about how #45 was playing 3D or 4D chess. As a huge fan of Star Trek and a chess player, I was familiar with some of the variants of chess on a 3D board. I had even played versions based upon the board Mr. Spock would play Captain Kirk on during the first Star Trek series.
In any case, the 4D chess stuff really got my goat. Americans do not like or respect chess players as far as I have seen in my life time or in American history for that matter. America is not a place which is “helpful” to the chess playing mind. Surely, we have produced players, perhaps some of the greatest. However, if we could ask some of these American greats, I feel they would concur with my opinion that chess players are not well understood in this country and surely not nurtured by it. The life stories of Bobby Fischer, Paul Morphy and Harry Nelson Pillsbury are illustrative of the aforementioned opinion.
It is an opinion I hold quite strongly. I do play chess. I was once pretty good with a tournament rating within 30 points of Expert. One thing chess teaches you is how to think for yourself. Chess also PUNISHES fuzzy-headed thinking. Without a plan, even the best tactician can struggle to get a victory. Each opponent follows a plan in plain sight which the opponent must determine and attempt to thwart. All the while each side seeks to see into the mind of the opponent to help them decide what is the best move.
Due to these critical thinking skills, there are no GOOD chess players who believe the current occupant of the White House is fighting an international ring of pedophiles. There may be an international ring of pedophiles. There may also be national intelligence agencies leveraging this network to gain access to damaging information on the rich and powerful politicians of the world. The amount of power a small but well-informed nation might wield could be enormous were it to have such damning intelligence on a leader of a large nation.
And though chess players might believe the latter, they do not believe #45 is fighting the pedophile ring…if it exists. There is evidence of SOMETHING given the Jeffrey Epstein fiasco. I will not even go into great detail about the many “coincidences” because they do not matter in the discussion of whether #45 is FIGHTING a pedophile ring Epstein may have orchestrated. There is one particular fact which destroys this QAnon BS about #45 attempting to break up this horrific pedophile network.
Remember Jeffrey Epstein allegedly committed suicide preventing any trial. However everyone, and their mothers, knew Epstein would not survive to trial. We thought it would be a little more stealthily done, like a poison which causes a heart attack, but he would not survive to trial given the amount of powerful people he could expose. The clumsy nature of it actually indicates the rule of law is in trouble in this country. Suicide in jail while on suicide watch was a bit difficult for chess players, and their mothers,to believe.
One thing the human mind is UNABLE to do in a chess game is hash through ALL of the moves. Computers can do this and have been able to best humans for this reason. In the beginning, computers were not fast enough to keep up with the human ability to throw out 90% of the possible moves immediately. This ability to quickly sift through the possible move trees which would be most promising and ignore all the rest was the human super power. Until computers were fast enough to go through every move, this made humans better. The ability to quickly rule out certain lines of thinking based upon a simple conclusion, like a knight on the edge of the board is very weak, made humans good at chess.
Chess players apply their critical thinking abilities everywhere. They are unable NOT to do so. Chess players have no answers on who, what or where when it comes to the Epstein fiasco. However, they understand the White House is not engaged in 3D or 4D chess to defeat the Epstein traffickers. Bill Barr, the White House’s faithful legal attack dog, came out with nonsense. Bill Barr claimed Epstein’s suicide was a series of coincidences. This gives chess players information. The occupant of the White House is at best protecting the powerful people for reasons such as money or future favors and at worst the occupant of the White House has something to hide. Given the number of photos of #45 with Epstein, the latter SEEMS more likely.
However, chess players also have to operate in the real world and will throw out lines of thinking which do not make sense just as they do in games. Chess players know they are not privy to all pieces of knowledge about the “game” the way a chess board is laid out for the players. Nonetheless, the critical thinking which chess instills in its players and the way it punishes poor thinking means there are no good chess players who believe the current occupant of the White House is fighting a global pedophile ring.
Obviously podcasts do not lend themselves to chess lessons being a mostly audio medium. I put the video up on YouTube or Facebook if you are interested in the lessons. I have to admit I have been dormant due to my concerns about what is going to happen in November, but the chess lessons have a longer shelf life. Perhaps they can still do some good helping my fellow citizens with their critical thinking skills. | https://medium.com/libertarian-socialism-american-style/qanon-is-why-my-podcasts-end-with-a-chess-lesson-601562e78a30 | [] | 2020-10-11 14:19:16.043000+00:00 | ['Politics', 'Chess', 'Jeffrey Epstein', 'Conspiracy Theories', 'Election 2020'] |
Bitcoin becoming a cyclical asset, not a hedge, according to JPMorgan strategists | The Bitcoin ( BTC) bull market has put the flagship cryptocurrency on par with cyclical assets as opposed to a hedge against market stress, according to analysts at JPMorgan Chase.
JPMorgan strategists John Normand and Federico Manicardi say anyone betting on Bitcoin as a portfolio diversifier is putting themselves at risk. In a Thursday report obtained by Bloomberg, the strategists called Bitcoin the “least reliable hedge during periods of acute market stress.”
“The mainstreaming of crypto ownership is raising correlations with cyclical assets, potentially converting them from insurance to leverage.”
Cyclical assets typically refer to stocks that follow the trend in the overall economy, which means their performance depends on the business cycle. These companies produce goods and services that are in demand when the economy is performing well. Consequently, these are some of the first items people forego when the economy weakens.
Cyclical stocks include companies in the restaurant, hospitality, airline, furniture, automobile and other discretionary industries.
While seemingly arguing against Bitcoin’s “digital gold” narrative, the strategists acknowledged that the cryptocurrency may be suitable for investors worried about policy shocks and the systemic devaluation of fiat currencies.
In that vein, their views seem to diverge from fellow JPMorgan strategists led by Nikolaos Panigirtzoglou who believe that Bitcoin is drawing investors away from precious metals. As Cointelegraph reported last month, Panigirtzoglou and colleagues argue that only a small reallocation from gold to Bitcoin would generate “structural” headwinds for the precious commodity.
They said at the time:
“The adoption of bitcoin by institutional investors has only begun, while for gold, its adoption by institutional investors is very advanced. If this medium to longer-term thesis proves right, the price of gold would suffer from a structural headwind over the coming years.”
Against the backdrop of these competing views, Bitcoin remains a highly volatile asset. The cryptocurrency more than doubled in price over a three-week period, going from $20,000 to nearly $42,000, before seeing a pullback in bullish momentum earlier this month. It has since corrected roughly $10,000 from its all-time high, including a 20% drop over the past seven days. | https://medium.com/@cryptocaptain/bitcoin-becoming-a-cyclical-asset-not-a-hedge-according-to-jpmorgan-strategists-c02cfa15184 | ['Crypto Captain'] | 2021-01-21 17:32:53.451000+00:00 | ['Bitcoin News', 'Bitcoin Investment', 'Jp Morgan', 'Bitcoin', 'Cryptocurrency'] |
Trump is #2 (or Up Shit Creek) | “The Shart of the Deal” author should not wear khakis. (Image from from Trump’s favorite Anonymous Source)
A 3-year-old grandson should not know disdain
But for Trump’s division decision
He asks, “why is anyone still on Trump’s train?”
Concluded Trump must have no vision
Grandpa, if Trump can’t see you or see me,
Then what’s, for our country, in store?
When he’s pissing on Congress, so mad he can’t see
Does he pee all over Paul’s floor?
Joey, you’re funny and very astute
Senate’s Mitch and Trump saw eye to eye
Then Trump took a dump on Mitch’s new suit
McConnell just figured out why
Maybe this answer is one you can buy
Just don’t use the room with Trump’s vapor
This short-sighted asshole is also the guy
Who’ll steal the remaining poop paper.
++ Inspired by Allan Ishac’s satire and the “Take a Number Please” prompt from Caleb Ramsby and Meg. ++
>> If you liked this one, you may like this … | https://medium.com/resistance-poetry/trump-is-2-or-up-shit-creek-b92c492cb8b | ['Harper Thorpe'] | 2017-08-24 19:48:15.305000+00:00 | ['Poetry', 'Donald Trump', 'Humor', 'Politics', 'Resistance Poetry'] |
The Mandalorian Season 1 Beat Sheet | Opening Image
We follow Din Djarin, the Mandalorian as he moves from one target to the other collecting bounties. Bounty hunting is his only mission/purpose and it’s the only life he’s ever known.
Theme
His latest target is Maldo Kreis, who explores Din’s ship in hopes of finding a means of escape. Instead he stumbles upon several other targets who are frozen in carbonite before getting frozen himself. The theme centers around the Mandalorian’s life as a soulless bounty hunter and the principles he lives by, all of which will soon be tested.
Set Up
It’s made clear that the Empire is no more and the New Republic has emerged in its place. Additionally, Mando does not seem to like droids.
Catalyst
Mando meets with the guild leader, Greef Karga who tells him about this one job that seems very peculiar but pays well. Persistent about always working, Mando decides to accept it.
Debate
Mando heads to the client’s location and finds out it’s a job for the Empire. The target is a 50 year old and whoever they are, the client believes that they will be crucial in enabling the Empire to rise back to its former glory.
Break into Two
Having accepted the job and the down payment of a bar of Beskar steel, he heads to the hidden base of the Mandalorians. He is seen handing over all his payment to the creed, showing just how much their way of life means to him.
B Story
As the Beskar is forged into an armor plate, Mando remembers his past and how his parents were casualties of war. This portion will be elaborated upon later.
Fun and Games
The first plot point focuses on change and clashes with the theme of the story. As he lands on the planet, he’s attacked by a blurrg and is rescued by Kuiil.
Kuiil is unlike anyone Mando has ever met on his job, and is basically his opposite in terms of character. He isn’t cunning or shrewd and instead insists on helping others. To get things moving, he insists Mando learn how to ride one in order to proceed further. Being someone who is heavily resistant to change, Mando sees the task as irrelevant and a waste of time until he finally decides to give it a try after Kuiil reminds him his ancestors rode far fiercer creatures.
Kuiil tells Mando he helped him because he knows there can be no peace in the land as long as the target is present, this is a bit ironic to Mando as his whole profession centers around violence, but it is again hinting at change by implying that Mando is capable of it. However, before he can engage a bounty droid, IG-11 enters the field and Mando is forced to work with him despite hating droids. The final act of change is made when Mando realizes that the target is a child and goes against his code as a bounty hunter to kill the droid and instead save the child.
The second plot point is centered around hostile forces who are also after the same target. Mando returns back to the ship to find it ransacked by Jawas and is forced to be more diplomatic when dealing with them rather than resorting to violent means as he normally would (this hints at the theme of the story). The plot point of danger looming closer and closer is always present as being stranded in one place means they’re more vulnerable.
He’s tasked with finding the egg of a Mudhorn, but the beast seems too powerful for him, he uses every weapon at his disposal but nothing works. It smashes through his chest plate, his gun gets damaged, it’s immune to the flamethrower and it isn’t subdued by the grappling hook. However, when all seems lost, the child uses the force to levitate it, giving Mando an opening. This act echoes the theme as the beast was able to counter every move of the bounty hunter but was rendered helpless against a greater power, the force.
Midpoint
After delivering the child to the client, Mando asks them what their plans for him are, as he begins deviating from the code of the bounty hunter. Having collected his payment, he has the rest of his armor forged with his payment. The armorer asks him why his target i.e. the enemy helped him in slaying the Mudhorn, he says because the child did not know they were enemies, which begins to grey the areas of the job that are generally black and white.
The B story crosses over when Mando recalls his childhood again and this time it’s revealed that his parents were killed by battle droids (which is why he doesn’t like droids). Just as his parents were killed by the “bad guys” of the prequel films, he has delivered the child to the bad guys of the original films. Furthermore, Mando is always shown to have a soft spot for foundlings, which is why he develops a soft spot for the child.
Karga is seen dismissing another bounty hunter before Mando walks in, this is not the profession where second chances are offered and Mando once again asks about the child. The big twist occurs when Mando decides to go against everything the guild is built on, by choosing to go back for the child.
Bad Guys Close In
While laying low, Mando is tasked with defending a village from raiders and recruits Cara Dune to help him. The child clearly enjoys being surrounded by other children while Mando forms a connection with one of the villagers. The “bad guy” here is Mando being tempted to leave his life as a Mandalorian behind to start a family.
This might be a bit of a stretch, but another negative aspect could be Mando and Cara teaching the peaceful villagers about their violent methods. Also, in an earlier episode the child is seen swallowing a frog when he’s with Mando but when he’s in the village he spares the one he’s about to eat.
After their victory, Mando thinks about leaving the child with the villagers but when a bounty hunter tracks them, he realizes that a normal childhood is no longer an option and they need to keep moving.
The episode begins with Mando being chased by a hunter who tells him “I can bring you in warm or I can bring you in cold”, the tables are turned as Mando is now the prey. With his ship damaged, he’s forced to look for work in Tattoine to pay for repairs. He meets Toro Calican who’s an aspiring bounty hunter eager to join the guild. There’s a clear comparison made between Calican and Han Solo as they’re both seated in the same place in Mos Eisley Cantina and they both carry the same weapon, the difference is Calican lacks experience.
They head out to track Fennec Shand and it’s clear that Mando is leading the whole operation while Calican just follows orders. After subduing her, Mando heads out to find them some transportation, during which, Shand begins brainwashing Calican but instead of working with her, he makes a bold move by killing her and going after Mando and the child himself, but eventually he’s beaten. This second plot point in this story beat focused on the dark descent of Calican, from aspiring bounty hunter to cold blooded killer.
Mando is tasked with working with a team of convicts to break a prisoner out of jail. Right off the bat, Mando seems uncomfortable with the job and is eventually double crossed by his team. Meanwhile, the child is hunted by the droid piloting the ship. Eventually they manage to escape just as the New Republic pilots arrive.
All is Lost
This plot point also focuses on change. Mando is contacted by Karga who offers him a chance to make things right by helping him get rid of the Empire from Nevarro. Mando recruits Dune and Kuiil but the two don’t get along as Dune sees him as just an Imperial worker incapable of being anything else, while Mando sees the reprogrammed IG-11 droid as a merciless killer regardless of what his programming tells him.
Karga initially planned to kill Mando and Dune but changed his mind after the child force healed him after he was attacked by a mynock. Before they can make a move on the Imperial officer, they’re gunned down by Moff Gideon’s death troopers, on the other hand, Kuiil is killed and the child is abducted.
Dark Night of the Soul
IG-11 rescues the child while Gideon reveals that he knows everything about Mando, Dune and Karga. Mando remembers that the attack on his village was planned by Gideon and right before the battle droid could kill him, he was saved by Mandalorians.
Break into Three
Just as he was rescued as a child by the Mandalorians, Mando knows that it’s up to him to save the child.
Finale
After fighting their way out, they’re forced back into hiding when Mando is badly hurt. He urges the others to leave while IG-11 tries to heal him. Mando believes that he’s going to kill him but IG says that isn’t who he is anymore, as a sign of trust he lets him take his helmet off.
They make their way to the Mandalorian base where the armorer tells them that it’s now up to Mando to deliver the child to the Jedi. He earns his signet and she tells him that he and the child are a clan of two.
While escaping out of a tunnel, they see stormtroopers on the other end. IG decides to self destruct to enable the rest to escape and for the first time, Mando shows compassion for a droid as he never thought a soulless being would be able to do something so selfless.
Closing Image
Mando sets out to reunite the child with the Jedi as he’s no longer tied to the guild and all the violence and death that comes with it.
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Purchase Star Wars on Amazon | https://medium.com/@kevinlienus/the-mandalorian-season-1-beat-sheet-b9dbdcb54392 | [] | 2021-02-28 20:12:11.502000+00:00 | ['Film', 'Star Wars', 'The Mandalorian', 'Screenplay', 'George Lucas'] |
Knowing When To Quit — Introducing the Quitting Quadrant® model | In March 2018 I was in the middle of an acting course and the familiar, uneasy feeling of wanting to quit moved into my body.
I’d just delivered my TEDx on Quitting, and so rather than beating myself up for once again wanting to leave a project, I got curious — what was happening here? WHY did I want to quit?
As I walked home from the tube that night two words came to me — ‘is it disinterest or discomfort?’
Disinterest would mean the topic wasn’t something I wanted to spend time on anymore. Simply moving on to new things, without too much heaviness.
But discomfort, that was sneakier — perhaps I REALLY wanted to do this course, but I’d hit a wall and was finding it hard…
These two words bounced off each other and I pretty much sprinted home, took pen to paper, and began to sketch out the model I’m sharing today.
Over the last 2.5 years this model has moved from being solely about quitting, to a more holistic temperature check for all our projects at any stage of the journey.
We naturally go through all the healthy states with any creative endeavour: if we expect the highs and lows, and use the model to regain balance, we are less likely to quit the projects we really care about. At the same time, noticing the warning signs early on for projects that no longer serve us stops us from blindly persevering, when our energy could be better used elsewhere.
This is a compassionate, self-led tool to help us understand ourselves better, get to know our quitting patterns, and ultimately help us spend more time focused on the stuff that matters.
THE AXIS — INTEREST vs DISCOMFORT
With every activity or project in our life we experience a level of INTEREST and a level of DISCOMFORT , which can either be HIGH or LOW . Of course there is more nuance than that, but when forced to make a decision, it is usually more one than the other.
and a level of , which can either be or . Of course there is more nuance than that, but when forced to make a decision, it is usually more one than the other. HIGH and LOW states are both neutral — the important thing is how we feel about being there. We may presume that we should always seek out HIGH INTEREST activities (who would choose LOW INTEREST? ) — but sometimes too many high interest activities can be exhausting,
and states are both neutral — the important thing is how we feel about being there. We may presume that we should always seek out activities (who would choose ) — but sometimes too many high interest activities can be exhausting, And LOW INTEREST doesn’t mean NO INTEREST. After all it can be calming to have things in our life where we care a little less. You can usually feel in your body whether there is a flutter of energy, or a more grounded equanimity.
doesn’t mean After all it can be calming to have things in our life where we care a little less. You can usually feel in your body whether there is a flutter of energy, or a more grounded equanimity. How we perceive DISCOMFORT is also subjective — HIGH DISCOMFORT could be something we seek out in the form of a new skill or challenge, or it might be an illness, or difficult boss that we would prefer not to have to endure. LOW DISCOMFORT can be really frustrating and uninspiring, or it can be a welcome breather from a busy time.
Embody: Go through the 4 terms and feel where they are in your body.
What does it feel like for you when something is…
…. high interest?
…. low interest?
….high discomfort?
….low discomfort?
Do you notice any positive or negative connotations you add to them?
The 4 Healthy States
The combinations of INTEREST and DISCOMFORT create 4 HEALTHY STATES that we tend to go through with any creative project.
and create 4 that we tend to go through with any creative project. HIGH INTEREST + LOW DISCOMFORT = FLOW . These are our creative, intuitive activities that feel effortless, joyful and nourishing. (For me this is playing the piano, connecting people and hiking in nature.)
. These are our creative, intuitive activities that feel effortless, joyful and nourishing. (For me this is playing the piano, connecting people and hiking in nature.) HIGH INTEREST + HIGH DISCOMFORT = GROWTH. We are here when we start a new venture, or a new job, learn a new language or move to a new city. It’s the exciting learning curve that gives us energy, but also challenges us. (For me this is starting my Quitting Podcast and writing my book.)
+ = We are here when we start a new venture, or a new job, learn a new language or move to a new city. It’s the exciting learning curve that gives us energy, but also challenges us. (For me this is starting my Quitting Podcast and writing my book.) LOW INTEREST + HIGH DISCOMFORT = GRIT. These are things we don’t really want to do, and find hard, but know we need to do to progress: Having difficult conversations, finishing a proposal, running the last leg of a marathon, asking for help. (For me this is getting out for a run!)
These are things we don’t really want to do, and find hard, but know we need to do to progress: Having difficult conversations, finishing a proposal, running the last leg of a marathon, asking for help. (For me this is getting out for a run!) Finally, LOW INTEREST + LOW DISCOMFORT = RESTORE . These are our maintenance activities that keep us sane. They don’t interest us that much, but they also don’t take much energy. They are the tasks we often fall back on when we’re tired. Or, they are a break from activity altogether. (For me these are things like walking around the block, washing up, cooking a simple meal, basic admin.)
. These are our maintenance activities that keep us sane. They don’t interest us that much, but they also don’t take much energy. They are the tasks we often fall back on when we’re tired. Or, they are a break from activity altogether. (For me these are things like walking around the block, washing up, cooking a simple meal, basic admin.) To live a balanced and fulfilled life, we need to have a good distribution across these healthy states across the different activities in our life. We don’t have to have all of them all the time, but we need regularly moving around the model so that we don’t get stuck for too long eg. with no RESTORE.
Inquiry: We all have biases too, of which healthy states are good and bad.
Ask yourself —
Which state(s) do you think you should be in?
Which do you avoid?
Which do you judge yourself for being in?
Which do you think you spend most of your time in?
The 4 Unhealthy States
However, when we spend too long in one state, or overload ourselves by having two many projects in one part of the model, we move into the unhealthy expressions of these states.
Too much FLOW — if we spend too long doing things we enjoy but that don’t challenge us, we reach PLATEAU (eg. playing the same piece of music over and over again and never trying anything harder will become monotonous.)
— if we spend too long doing things we enjoy but that don’t challenge us, we reach (eg. playing the same piece of music over and over again and never trying anything harder will become monotonous.) Too much GROWTH — if everything we do really interests us but is also at our edge and out of our comfort zone, we reach BURN OUT. (This is really common in start-up culture, or the public sector where people are working hard for a cause they care about.)
— if everything we do really interests us but is also at our edge and out of our comfort zone, we reach (This is really common in start-up culture, or the public sector where people are working hard for a cause they care about.) Too much GRIT — it’s great to push ourselves, but if everything we do is hard and not enjoyable we are going to start to RESENT it.
— it’s great to push ourselves, but if everything we do is hard and not enjoyable we are going to start to it. Too much RESTORE — and if we continue to do tasks that maintain us but don’t excite or stretch us, or if we take a break for too long, we move into APATHY .
— and if we continue to do tasks that maintain us but don’t excite or stretch us, or if we take a break for too long, we move into . It’s in these outer states of PLATEAU, BURN OUT, RESENTMENT or APATHY that we are most likely to quit.
REFLECTION: Look back over times where you have quit — do your reasons fit into one of those 4 categories?
Regaining balance
When we find ourselves in an unhealthy state we naturally want to regain balance. This can happen intentionally or re-actively (eg. we either can notice that there is this need and adapt our behaviour, or our body/behaviour will start to adapt for us — often in unproductive ways).
The way to regain balance is to find the healthy state diagonally opposite the unhealthy state you’re in and bring some of that into your life. This can either be directly in the project you’re wanting to quit, or somewhere else in your life, so that overall your life feels more balanced.
This can either be directly in the project you’re wanting to quit, or somewhere else in your life, so that overall your life feels more balanced. Eg. If I’m in Resentment at work, I might try to find more Flow at work, or take on a new hobby outside of work that brings me joy and helps everything feel a little bit easier. Interestingly we don’t always have to take something away to lighten the load… Adding something on but that brings balance may be the answer.)
What’s diagonally opposite?
When we’re in BURN OUT — we need to bring some more RESTORE into our life.
For example if our start up has completely taken over, we might need to make time to do some really boring every day things — go for short walks, cook mindfully, sit on the sofa. Noticing that we’re in BURN OUT early enough means we can make changes to re-balance, but if we don’t notice then we might go into an enforced RESTORE, where we have no choice but to stop and deal with very mundane parts of our every day existence.
RESENTMENT is re-balanced by reconnecting to FLOW.
This means we need to learn to laugh at ourselves or remember the joy we felt when we started the project — whatever it takes to feel a little lighter. If this is not possible in the situation that’s affecting us, then we need to find this elsewhere — spend time with friends who makes us shriek with laughter, dance around the living room to 90s cheese, get on a bike and cycle into the sunset (or whatever your light relief is). Flow is whatever activity we do that can raise our vibrations and make us smile.
APATHY is re-balanced by finding our next big GROWTH opportunity.
For example, starting a new project that really excites us or taking a skill to the next level. However, we need to be careful not to overshoot the mark, sign up for a million new courses and bypass GROWTH straight into BURN OUT…
Finally, when we’re in PLATEAU we need to embrace GRIT.
We’ve got to do that thing we don’t want to do but we know is good for us. In Plateau with your love life? Go on a date. In Plateau with your fitness? Go for a run. It’s the thing that keeps coming back to haunt you and you just need to break through it.
How to use the model
Check in with one project.
Think of a project you’re currently working on. Is it High or Low Interest (roughly)? Is it High or Low Discomfort? Within that Quadrant is it more Healthy or Unhealthy? Mark it on the model.
Acknowledging where it is is the first step, and often can bring in a lot of relief just to name it.
How do you feel about being there? If you’re happy, that’s great!
If you don’t want to be there, or you feel like you’re on the edge of moving into an unhealthy state (eg. you’re in Growth but it feels like it’s almost Burn Out), then use the re-balancing technique to bring in another energy for a bit.
Remember — if you need more…
…GRIT — do the thing you don’t want to do, but know you need to
…GROWTH — take on the next challenge that excites you
…RESTORE — go and do some really mundane, easy things for the day and take the pressure off
…FLOW — go and have some fun or throw yourself into something that feels effortless — bring the energy up!
2. Check in with your whole life
Write down 5–10 things that currently are taking up time or energy in your life and plot them onto the QQ.
Look at the model — do you have a good balance across your life? Or is one area overcrowded?
If it’s overcrowded, consider which of the projects or commitments be moved into another part of the QQ, using the re-balancing tool. Or, can you take any of them off the model completely?
3. Knowing When to Quit
Do what you can to make changes and tweaks to re-balance See if it makes a difference. if you still want to quit, adjust again If you constantly find yourself coming back to the same place and you really don’t think any adjustment is going to help, and it sucks and you’re miserable, then give yourself permission to Quit.
I’m currently writing my book ‘Knowing When to Quit’ and looking for people to interview about situations when they’ve wanted to quit (current or in the past). If you’d like to take part, please fill in this form.
For more information please visit www.quittingquadrant.com | https://medium.com/@sarah-weiler/knowing-when-to-quit-introducing-the-quitting-quadrant-model-37ff083f12a2 | ['Sarah Weiler'] | 2020-11-24 16:55:51.454000+00:00 | ['Self-awareness', 'Framework', 'Quitting', 'Burnout', 'Flow'] |
Before You Forget About 2020, Do This | Before You Forget About 2020, Do This
Photo by Dominik Scythe on Unsplash
2020 is coming to an end. Not soon enough, you might add. Yes, it’s been a tumultuous year, but fortunately not as bad as 536 AD, the beginning of the Dark Ages, or 1349 the year the Black Death killed half of Europe, or 1918 when the Spanish flu killed over 50 million people. Nevertheless, it’s turned our lives upside down.
Many of us would like this year to go as quickly as a house guest who overstayed their welcome, clogged up the toilet, and drank all the wine. But first, let’s pause for a few minutes and reflect before we launch ourselves into 2021.
Reflection is a healthy exercise. It gives us a chance to acknowledge how we got through this craziness. It reminds us of how much we accomplished and, perhaps even more importantly, what we have learned.
Here is a simple process. You can do it by yourself or with someone else. I’ve been using it with my wife the past few years, and it opens up a rich discussion. Tip: Writing out the answers or talking about them is more powerful than just thinking about the questions.
Please feel free to copy and share profusely.
Accomplishments
What have I learned about living this year?
What did I accomplish this year? (Think about the things you did that surprised you, gave you joy, or made a positive difference in your life. Capture all accomplishments, large and small. Categories include career, recreation, health and wellbeing, family, friends, finances, physical environment, personal growth, and significant other).
What makes me most proud?
What positive impact did I have on clients, family, friends, and other people?
We all have our mojo-our personal superpower that gets us through hard times. What did I draw on this year that helped me the most?
What has begun for me, which I might want to give more energy and momentum to next year?
Challenges
What did I not achieve but wanted to?
What was hard for me, and why?
What has ended now that I can let go of?
Acknowledgments of self and others
Three things I did well.
Others that supported and helped me.
Looking ahead
When I get quiet and listen carefully, what whispers do I hear calling me forward in new ways?
Here’s to 2021. May it be filled with healing, abundance, health, peace, and love. | https://medium.com/@donjohnsonbemoreconscious/before-you-forget-about-2020-do-this-efe5a83f26bd | ['Don Johnson'] | 2020-12-27 20:04:51.727000+00:00 | ['Self Improvement', 'Personal Growth', 'New Years Resolutions', 'Life Lessons', 'Covid-19'] |
How to unclog and cleanse the skin pores? | Tired of playing “pore count” in your mirror? Here are some tips to cleanse the skin pores and reduce their appearance in the short and long term.
Who has never spent long minutes observing the pores of their face in a magnifying mirror? Whether they bother us or not, these microscopic cavities are an integral part of the structure of the skin and cannot be erased with a wave of a magic wand. However, thanks to a few specific skincare products and makeup tips, their appearance can be greatly minimized. We tell you everything.
What are pores and what are they used for?
Pores are very small openings on the surface of the skin. They are most of the time invisible to the naked eye but they can become more noticeable, especially on the face, an area rich in sebaceous glands, when they are blocked by a sebum plug (the famous black point that annoys us so much. ) or dilated due to natural aging of the skin, stress, pollution or too superficial make-up removal.
Skin pores are essential for regulating body temperature and allowing the natural flow of sebum, the substance produced by the sebaceous glands which help protect the skin. They should therefore not be seen as enemies but rather as companions to be tamed (and to be called to order from time to time). Contrary to what we sometimes hear, it is not possible to “tighten” the pores of the skin (as we cannot “close” them either), their size is determined genetically. On the other hand, provided you set up an appropriate beauty routine, it is possible to minimize their appearance.
How to treat large pores?
In your bathroom, you can adopt new habits to reduce excess sebum, sweep away dead cells and stimulate the production of collagen, a protein that helps support the structure of pores and moderate their sagging over time. . In order to thoroughly cleanse the skin and thus avoid sebum plugs which make the pores more visible, it is important to carry out a thorough make-up removal and cleansing of the face. The most effective technique is that of double cleaning, which consists of clearing the space in two steps: removing makeup residue and pollution particles with milk, oil, or balm, and purifying the pores with a cleansing gel or foam. Once a week, to complete the cleansing and help regulate the sebaceous glands, you can also leave a mask with pink or white clay (both less drying than the famous green clay) for a few minutes.
To treat the skin pores from the inside, you can also integrate an exfoliating lotion based on fruit acids or plant extracts in your “beautiful skin” routine. By removing dead cells from the surface of the epidermis, these active ingredients will prevent them from clogging the skin pores and ending up forming black spots. Depending on the formula chosen, this type of product can be used once or twice a week as every day. Finally, to give a little boost to the production of collagen, a serum based on vitamin C, bakuchiol, or niacinamide can also be applied before your usual moisturizer. In addition to preventing the loss of firmness, these star-active ingredients will act on other issues such as the uniformity and radiance of the skin. Enough to forget the pores that are a little too attractive!
How to make pores less visible with makeup?
If an adapted skin care routine will give good results in the long term, to camouflage the face pores instantly, we can count on make-up and in particular on smoothing foundations and other products that blur imperfections. These products, real “Photoshop wands”, fill pores and smooth out small irregularities in the skin thanks to the presence of polymeric silicones, including the famous (and controversial) dimethicone. In order to avoid this ingredient, which is often accused of being comedogenic, some brands use silica, agave extract, or oily esters of plant origin, notably derived from coconut oil, to give a velvety finish to the skin.
The filling foundation is applied after the moisturizer, on the areas where the pores are most visible, that is to say, the chin, the nose, the forehead, and sometimes even the top of the cheekbones. It can be used on its own, as the first step in your complexion makeup routine and even, depending on the formulas, in small touches to mattify areas of shine at any time of the day. | https://medium.com/@mehwish300/how-to-unclog-and-cleanse-the-skin-pores-8bd219ad78a6 | ['Mehwish Sheikh'] | 2021-06-17 20:28:03.853000+00:00 | ['Large Pores', 'Skin Care Tips', 'Skin', 'Skincare', 'Skin Treatment'] |
Uganda’s tropical fruits. 9 fruits to eat on your Uganda Safari | As the number 1 fruit producer in Africa, you can describe Uganda as having abundant fresh food and fruits all year round. The daily sun and fertile volcanic soils give the fruits of Uganda a richer and fuller taste.
There is a variety of fruits that are grown locally and sold in all parts of the country. Most of Uganda’s farms are small and medium-sized family-owned farms. This means that you will always find fresh fruit that was picked from the farm very recently.
We have taken a look at some of the top fruits of Uganda that we think you should try. This isn’t the entire list, but a good starting point.
These are common tropical fruits can easily be found in most parts of Uganda. Some fruits might be unavailable due to seasonal changes but there will always be enough fruit to indulge your taste buds.
Here are some of the fruits you should check out;
1. Pineapples
Locally called ‘Enanansi’, pineapples are grown across the country and sold in almost every trading centre and corner street. There are three types grown in Uganda ie Smooth cayenne, Queens, and the red Spanish.
Pineapples are not endemic to this country but have thrived due to the conducive climate and soils. They are planted at the beginning of the two dry seasons of (June to August and January to March).
Ugandan pineapples can grow to 2.5 kilograms and is sold at $ 1.09 each. At the restaurants you eat, they will always be complimentary of the fruit salad provided but if you wish to have a fill of them, getting one from the market is a better option.
2. Mangoes
It is one of the most widely grown fruit trees in the country also venturing in dry areas and tropical sub-regions. There are mainly three types ie Small canopy (Duncan, Early Gold, Paivin, Glenn) Medium Canopy (Zillate, Kent, Keitt, Alfonso, Pinero) and Large Canopy (Boribo, Bure, Ssu, Kate, Ssejjembe).
They can be a tasteful addition to the fruit salad or blended to make fresh full-flavoured mango juice. If you are travelling upcountry and want to try the local way, a mango in one hand and knife in another is the way to get that tropical original taste. The choice is really up to you.
3. Citrus
These include Lemon, Oranges and Tangerines. They are mostly grown for commercial purposes which is why you can see them almost in every trading centre and kiosk.
Oranges originated from Asia and widely grown in Uganda. There are two major types Valencia (Big succulent fruits with lots of juice) and Hamlin (small fruits with smooth shiny skin) Others you can find in markets are the Kuno navel, Minneola and Nova types.
Citrus Lemon varieties include Eureka, Limoneira, Genoa, Fino, Verna, Meyer and Seedless Lisbon among others. These are grown all year round and provide a flavorful blend to the mango and pineapple juice.
4. Bananas
Uganda is dubbed the banana Republic of Uganda for obvious reasons. It is among the top 10 banana-producing countries in the world producing about 4.5m tonnes yearly. It is the staple food in the country and more than 75% of farmers grow bananas. There are several types of bananas ie Matooke (green bananas) for cooking, Dessert bananas (Yellow bananas) and exotic red bananas.
The yellow bananas are found in plenty mostly in the Central, southern and southwestern parts of the country. They further vary in taste and sizes providing quite a variety to taste and enjoy on your trip. One cluster can be bought for as low as $1 in all local markets.
5. Pawpaw
Varieties include the solo variety, the mountain variety, the sunrise variety and red royale all of which are soft and tasty. The oval-shaped and vibrant coloured fruit has quite a number of health benefits.
They serve as great complements to other fruits like pineapple and watermelon for desserts or early morning treat.
6. Passion fruit
Passion fruit is grown all over the country but most especially Masaka and Kasese. Three types; the yellow passion, the purple Granadilla that is locally known as Kasese is very popular for its rich colour, scent and flavour.
The kawanda hybrid is a crossbreed between the purple granadilla and yellow passion fruits. All these have distinct tastes and are highly succulent. The Kawanda variety was made here in Uganda by the Kawanda Agricultural Research Institute.
Passion fruit juice is available in all restaurants with complementary options of ‘cocktails’ blending passion with mango, pineapple or watermelon.
7. Watermelon
This 92% of water fruit is very common in Uganda. With dark green stripes and deep red/pink interior, this fruit is perfect on a hot sunny day. You can get one watermelon at $1.37 from any market.
8. Jackfruit
Scientific name Artocarpus heterophyllus, Jackfruit is a type of berry the size of a watermelon. With seeds embroidered in pod-like delicious fruits, jack fruit is a crunchy soft textured snack you can eat any time of the day.
It is largely grown in Uganda, especially the Eastern and Central parts of the country.
Conclusion
Those are some of the fruits we love and would love for you to try when you visit Uganda for a safari. Even the fruits that you commonly know and are used too, you will find that the Ugandan grown ones have a different kind of sweet richness to it.
As you try these fruits, we invite you to try local Ugandan food as well. We believe you will like it.
Remember to consider your dietary restrictions before trying any of these fruits or foods. If you have some allergies, you should consult your doctor about what you can and cannot eat.
Thank you for taking the time to read about Uganda’s fruits. We do hope you get to taste them soon. We also hope that you decide to come to Uganda, you will choose to do so with us.
Finally, We would love it if you could share this article with your social media community. It helps us get found by people of similar interests. | https://medium.com/@ugandasafariexperts/ugandas-tropical-fruits-9-fruits-to-enjoy-on-your-uganda-safari-5b6969aad274 | ['Exclusive African Safaris'] | 2020-02-12 12:59:49.027000+00:00 | ['Travel', 'Food', 'Foodies', 'Fruits', 'Uganda'] |
C++ Data Structures 1.1 Sequential: Dynamic Array | Arrays! the simplest and most common data structure. On this post, we are going to explore how to build an array, that is dynamically stored in the Heap with dynamic size, commonly called “vector” in C++ STL, or “ArrayList” in Java Oracle API . Our array will be internally able to increase and decrease its size, it will store any type of data using templates with overridden methods from a pure virtual class (interface), and finally, it will implement the concept of circular array and other C++11 features.
To begin, let’s define what an array is. An array is simply a list of sequential elements stored in order, this means, we can access to any element in the list with the position of the element or also called index. In Computer Science, counting begins from 0, if we want to access to the first element of the list we simply refer to index 0.
array of 14 elements
Let’s dig more details, the compiler!, when you create an array at compile time (also called early binding) in C++, you must declare the data type and size (also called length), this is due to the fact that the compiler needs to know before hand how many followed memory slots must be reserved for the array, and each slot must have the capacity to store one single instance of the data type, for instance, an array of characters and size 10, the compiler gets the size of character (2 bytes) with sizeof operator, and reserves memory amount required by multiplying 2 bytes per 10 ( 20 bytes).
memory varies every 16 bits sizeof(char) in hexadecimal
Then, how indexing works? why indexing is performed in O(1)? Actually, it’s pretty simple, the compiler reads the index given, multiplies it by the size of the data type that the array carries, and finally, adds the result to the memory location of the first item of the array. This is pretty straight forward, array at index 0 is just 0 + the memory address of the array, that’s why the first element is always index 0.
indexing in a array
Now, let’s put our hands on the code. The class array_list<S> will have a template parameter (int by default). I will implement all the virtual functions from the interface sequence (append, pop, pull, push, insert_at, is_empty, empty, get_at, size and the operator []) you can find the code on my GitHub account the repository (HEADER_FILE SOURCE_FILE).
class declaration
I will explain later what each virtual function implementation does with the array_list<S> class. This class definition will follow Rule of three C++ programming (destructor, copy constructor and copy assignment operator).
About the class, following the encapsulation concept, to create abstractions to the user, the class array_list have all data members private.
S * array_ : Pointer to our dynamic sized array of S types in the heap.
: Pointer to our dynamic sized array of S types in the heap. int capacity_ : Internal capacity of the array.
: Internal capacity of the array. int front_index : First element of the list or starting point of the list, (I will explain this later) 0 by default.
: First element of the list or starting point of the list, (I will explain this later) 0 by default. int length_: length of the list or total number of elements currently stored in the list.
Because we are allocating dynamic memory, we must free the memory allocated in the destructor, when the destructor is called array_ is deleted and set it to NULL as follows.
//destructor......ARRAY_LIST<TYPE>
~array_list(
{
delete [] array_; //free [capacity_]
array = nullptr; //pointer dangling
}
Let’s start with the constructors, our array will have a default size of 10, the first constructor takes a size_t(unsigned integer or only positive integer numbers form 0 to 4294967296) that defines the capacity of the list, the default value will be 10. The front_index is 0 and no elements are in the list yet, so the length_ is 0 too. These constructors are explicit, this means that the object is created only if we explicit call the constructor. see the source code.
1) array_list<int> a(); ---> CREATES AN ARRAY OF TEN INTEGERS 2) array_list<char> b(20); ---> CREATES AN ARRAY OF 20 CHARACTERS
The code is here:
explicit constructors
Additionally, array_list<S> class has two more constructor which take one value of data type S, the first one takes either a r value or l value, it creates a dynamically allocated array in the Heap of size 10 and adds the r value using std::move to the first element of the list, length_ is assigned to 1, given the fact our list has already one element, front_index to 0, indicating that the first element of the list resides at zero index of the array.
On the other hand, the other constructor passes one type S value to fill the array with it, and a size_t value that defines length_ and capacity_ of the class that have the same value in this case.
array_list<std::string> b("Red"); array_list<char> a('a', 5); ---> ['a', 'a', 'a', 'a', 'a']
Before our copy constructor, let’s talk about the concept of circular array. A circular array is simply a linear array that connects its end with its beginning, how is this performed? An example will gives us a better idea, a circular array of 10 elements, this means we have an array of 10 elements that when is traversed can jump from index 9 to 0, (10 % 10 =0) this is calculated with the arithmetic operation module (%), and to get an element at a given index, we have determine the remainder of the division of the index and 10 (size of the array), for instance:
>>> circular_array[0] = array[(13) % 8]
<<< array[0] = 'a'
>>> circular_array[10] = array[(10) % 8]
<<< array[2] = 'c'
>>> circular_array[7] = array[(7) % 8]
<<< array[7] = 'h'
See the following image:
circular array representation
We need to have control over our array giving the user simple usage and understanding of the dynamic array, so if the user wants the first element of the list we just return the first value as the following example in the public method get_at [], we have to manage indexing access by throwing exceptions when the user wants to access to garbage indexes in the array:
operator[] overloading, get_at has the same functionality
Let’s see some examples of get_at to understand everything better:
get_at ARRAY_LIST:
length_ 6
capacity_ 8
front_index 2 (front_index + index)% capacity_ 1) get_at 0
<<< array_list[0] = array_[(2 + 0) % 8]
<<< array_[2]
2) get_at 3
<<< array_list[3] = array_[(2 + 3) % 8]
<<< array_[5]
3) array at 2
<<< array_list[2] = array_[(2 + 2) % 8]
<<< array_[4]
We can see the array of the example above.
array_list that hast front_index of 2
The copy constructor and the move constructor: let’s start with… 1) The move constructor: it transfers the ownership to our array_ from the r value list passed in the method, and updates the capacity_ and length_, then the r_list array_ is assigned to NULL to avoid pointer dangling because we are working with raw pointers. Once the destructor of r_list is called(out of scope), it does not destroy the array that our array_ pointer is pointing to.
copy and move constructors
the copy constructor copies the array_ of the argument in another memory allocation and copies every element in array_, this copy introduces the concept of circular array, why every value in the array in order is assigned to “(front_index + i )% capacity_” position of the argument array_? this is very simple but can be confusing. The first element in the list is front_index and sometimes front_index is not 0 (I will explain this later on this post), this is done behind scenes and the user has no access to this front_index variable, for the user the first element is at index 0, second at index 1 and so on…, but for the class internally the first element is at front_index + 0, second at front_index + 1... this way, array_ copies every element reorganizing the array in normal way.
Copy constructor example
In the example, when we copy the first element of the list, we have to find the first element in the copy array_, and then copy every element increment i in the for loop.
The public methods append, pop, push and pull modifies the length of the array and sometimes the capacity, this array class increases and decreases its size internally so the user does not have to take care of this confusing process every time a new element is inserted or deleted, this process is done in O(n) because every element of the list must be copied to a new array.
The methods that insert values in the array are overloaded for two cases, when you have a defined l-value and when you want to add an element in the array passing it in the argument as a r-value. if you don’t understand move semantics, I recommend this link that explains pretty well this case in specific.
append( Y ): Append inserts a value at the end of the array, in the method we first check if length_ is more or equal than capacity_ , so that a resized of the array must be performed by calling the private function resize(I will explain this method at the end of the post), otherwise, we insert the new item at the index length_ of the array_.
add a value at the end of the list
array_[(front_index + length_) % capacity_] = Y //(new value)...
push( X ): This member function inserts a value at the beginning of array_, this is a bit complex to perform and understand. if front_index is 0, then the new value of front_index will be the capacity of the array - 1, else just decrease the index of front_index by 1, and then, the element at the new front_index position is assigned to the argument passed in the method.
add a value at the beginning of the list
array[front_index] = X //(new value)...
pop(): This method, instead of delete, makes inaccessible the last element of the list, it decreases “ length_ ” of “ array_list<S> ”, because we have control over the accessible elements in the list with get_at or the operator [], the value that we just popped was never deleted, we just decreased the size of the array_list and if a user tries to access to this value, get_at throws the exception out of bounds, if append(new data) is called, that value will be replaced by new data, very easy and simple. Now I decided to add this case, when the length decreases more than a fifth of the array_list’s current capacity, shrink the array capacity by half calling resize private method (for now don’t worry about what the resize private method does).
” of “ ”, because we have control over the accessible elements in the list with get_at or the operator [], the value that we just popped was never deleted, we just decreased the size of the and if a user tries to access to this value, get_at throws the exception out of bounds, if append(new data) is called, that value will be replaced by new data, very easy and simple. Now I decided to add this case, when the length decreases more than a fifth of the array_list’s current capacity, shrink the array capacity by half calling resize private method (for now don’t worry about what the resize private method does). pull(): Here we do the same than pop, but instead, we increase the value of front_index by 1 and if front_index is equals than capacity_ -1, then front_index is 0 now following the circular array concept.
pop and pull implementation
The member method is_empty returns a boolean, checking if length_ is equal to 0 and the member method empty() simply sets length_ to 0 and the front_index to 0 too, giving the illusion to the user that the array is empty.
We must define a copy assignment operator to follow the 3 rules of C++ programming with classes, in the method we always must first check self assignment operation by getting the address of this (current array_list object or left side of the operator object) and the address of the argument, if addresses are the same, just return current array_list object. Secondly, if the copy fits into our array copy elements ordering the array and update length_.
for (auto i {0}; i < copy.length_ ; ++i ) //copy values ordering
this->array_[i] = copy.array_[(front + i) % copy.capacity_];
if the copy does not fit, delete our array_ and create a new array with the same capacity of the copy, then copy elements organizing elements to have a front_index equals to 0.
Copy assignment operator
delete [] array_; // free memory
array = new Type[copy.capacity_]; // then copy elements....
In the move assignment operator, we just transfer ownership of array_, length_, capacity_ and front_index, then we assign to NULL r_list.array_ and avoid pointer dangling issues, when r_list goes out of scope, deletes r_list.array_ that points to NULL and not our *array_. | https://medium.com/@terselich/c-data-structures-1-1-sequential-dynamic-array-64998301a727 | ['Mateo Terselich'] | 2019-11-12 16:26:49.880000+00:00 | ['Cpp', 'Programming', 'Arrays', 'Object Oriented', 'Data Structures'] |
Want to end Homelessness? Here’s How | Without dwelling on how homelessness became epidemic, and what is short term vs. long term, I feel that the following suggestions applied together would eliminate homelessness. Not that any of them are easy, not that they aren’t immediately even possible, but we need to ask those in power to consider them. Not just once, but repeatedly, until the specter of homelessness is gone.
1. We have to get serious about affordable housing.
The average rent in Salt Lake City, where I live, is $1,235 for an apartment of just over 800 square feet. That’s more than what a person earning minimum wage makes all month. In order to afford that rent under the 30% rule, a single renter must earn more than $23 an hour, or $47,840. That’s a nearly unheard-of wage in Utah, even for college graduates. The median per capita income in Utah is only $29,775. So, people are routinely spending more than 30% of their income on rent alone, this puts them at risk for homelessness. This was before the pandemic, which has of course made everything much worse.
I met a lot of people during my time in the shelter who were only homeless because they became disabled, or they were on social security. The average income from disability is only $1,258. Social security provides an average of only $1,503 a month, depending on the lifetime earnings of the recipient. My wife, a registered nurse who was disabled through no fault of her own receives $1,173 a month. These are people who worked all their lives, only to find that Social Security or disability doesn’t provide anywhere near enough to live on, and housing assistance of any kind means spending at least 5–6 years on a waiting list. What can one do for 5–6 years?
It isn’t just Salt Lake City that income inequality and lack of affordable housing have become critical, it’s true of every metropolis in America.
2. The Minimum Wage must be raised.
President Franklin Roosevelt was campaigning for reelection in Massachusetts when a young girl rushed forward and tried to pass him an envelope, prompting a policeman to throw her back into the crowd.
Roosevelt saw this, however, and he told an aide to get the note from the girl. Her note read as follows:
“I wish you could do something to help us girls….We have been working in a sewing factory,… and up to a few months ago we were getting our minimum pay of $11 a week… Today the 200 of us girls have been cut down to $4 and $5 a week.”
At the time, children were working from 10 to 14 hours a day, sometimes for zero wages, their only compensation being food and shelter for their families. Sweatshops and textile factories actually preferred women and children laborers at the time because they were cheaper.
That note lead to the establishment of the minimum wage, albeit over the fierce opposition of conservatives. Roosevelt later said on his radio program, “Do not let any calamity-howling executive with an income of $1,000 a day tell you that a wage of $11 a week is going to have a disastrous effect on all American industry.”
The minimum wage right now is $7.25 an hour, the same thing it’s been for almost 14 years, and conservatives still rage against any consideration of an increase. It should be noted that a full-time job on minimum wage provides for rent on a one-bedroom apartment in exactly ZERO cities in the United States.
When any person or family is paying more than 30% of their income on rent, they are at risk of becoming homeless. From that perspective, a person earning minimum wage can safely afford an apartment rent of around $345. Apartments that rent for $345 simply don’t exist, here in Salt Lake or in any other large American City. Millions of Americans face an untenable situation where up to 60–80% of their income goes toward rent, leaving precious little for food, transportation, medicine, and especially, emergencies.
Lower-income jobs very rarely provide adequate healthcare, and with so much income dedicated to rent, a single illness or injury can mean the difference between being housed or being homeless. I know, I’ve seen it firsthand.
3. The “War on Drugs” must be ended.
Why? Because it never worked. All the ‘war on drugs’ ever accomplished was to give the ‘land of the free’ the black eye of having more people in prisons than any other nation on earth. The war on drugs has turned us into the imprisonment capital of the world.
We need a war on addiction, not a war on drugs. At one time during the drug war, we were beginning construction on a new jail or prison somewhere in America every 2 months. Imagine if we had built new addiction treatment centers instead! What if we had made compassion a valid approach to the problem instead of brutality? What if we had focused on perfecting the science of healing addictions instead of simply tossing people into giant concrete bunkers full of cages?
Treatment centers are often derided for having a low rate of success, which is patently ridiculous when compared to the success of jails and prisons. Throwing someone in a cage and psychologically beating the humanity out of them very rarely, if ever, returns a better human being to society. Instead, we have built a class of people who can no longer get by because of the ubiquitous background checks required for a good job or an apartment.
We live in a nation so backward that we’ve largely legalized marijuana but provided no remedy for marijuana convictions! Far too many people are consigned to live on the streets for felony drug convictions related to marijuana.
4. We must help the mentally ill.
It’s incomprehensible to me the cruelty of today’s society with regard to the mentally ill. Since Ronald Reagan emptied the mental hospitals in the 80s, it has apparently become OK to just let people with mental disabilities languish on the streets. I really don’t understand this one. Most of the mentally ill that I saw while homeless seemed to be schizophrenic, as they were detached from reality. There are good medications to treat schizophrenia, but the streets and homeless shelters aren’t well suited to the management of those kinds of medications.
There were also autistics like me, our various communication difficulties contributing to our situation. Many if not most of the mentally ill among the homeless are perfectly treatable. American society must be more humane in this regard.
5.We’ve got to find help for foster children “aging out” of their homes.
When unfit (or imprisoned) parents lose their children to the foster system, those children often wind up homeless when they turn 18. I was actually surprised to learn that. All over the country, over 6,000 children a year have a birthday and instantly become homeless.
This is often an especially tragic result of the ‘war on drugs,’ as parents with addictions are imprisoned instead of treated, a tactic that destroys both lives and families at the same time.
The child welfare system is badly underfunded and poorly managed, and it shows. By the last year of high school, only 20% of foster children are proficient in English, just 5% are proficient with math and only 1.2% ever earn a college degree. More than half will experience homelessness or incarceration before their 26th birthday, and for far too many, that will become their permanent way of life.
6. We need more supportive housing.
Many among the homeless are not ready, for one reason or another, for their own apartment. This is where supportive housing has been extremely successful. Placing these people in supportive housing with on-site case managers can get them recovered enough to move out on their own. Retired hotels can work well for this purpose. This approach to the eradication of homelessness is actually more economical than letting people languish on the streets.
7. We need low-barrier apartments.
Anybody who has rented an apartment recently knows how many invasive examinations of their life are necessary before they can move in. Credit checks, background checks, income verifications, prior eviction checks, and whatever else the property managers want to know about you. It’s as if you applied for a job at the CIA. The problem is, many people are blemished enough even without this kind of scrutiny, and they still have to live somewhere. Giving them nowhere to go ensures that they will, in fact, go nowhere, and the next stop is either a shelter, a park, or a prison. Building a crueler society only ensures crueler people, and we’ve got to get past this. There have got to be carefully managed low-barrier places where people can live while doing what they need to in order to improve their lives. Low barrier apartments can be managed like supportive housing for some, just not as intensively.
Before the pandemic comes to an end, America will face the greatest housing crisis in its history, as 30 to 40 million people are facing imminent eviction. As it is right now, in almost every big city in America, there is already shock and dismay at the ever-growing number of homeless. Now just imagine the reaction when the number of unhoused in our streets people double, triple, or even worse in the coming months as millions upon millions of leases come due and there is no money to pay the rent. I’m not saying that it might happen, I’m saying that it will. It’s inevitable.
How many of the 30–40 million of those evicted will wind up homeless is unclear. But it will hit hard and last for quite some time.
Dealing with this will take money, there’s no way around that. We just might have to tax a few billionaires. | https://medium.com/@kmarloyost/want-to-end-homelessness-heres-how-1224b616477b | ['K Marlo Yost'] | 2020-12-23 23:41:17.981000+00:00 | ['Politics', 'Poverty', 'Social Justice', 'Homeless', 'Love'] |
Monitoring Your Email Bounces and Bounce Rate using Amazon SES, Lambda, SNS, and DynamoDB | Monitoring Your Email Bounces and Bounce Rate using Amazon SES, Lambda, SNS, and DynamoDB Serhii Zahranychnyi Follow Nov 11 · 3 min read
When using Amazon SES, a situation may occur where your Account status in the Amazon SES Reputation Dashboard changes from HEALTHY, causing Amazon to stop the ability to send emails. To prevent this, it is better to start monitoring your Reputation right after going into production.
An adequate bundle of services for this includes AWS Lambda, Amazon SNS, and Amazon DynamoDB.
Amazon SNS will get events to form Amazon SES and trigger Lambda.
The Lambda function will store data to DynamoDB and do other things that you want — for example, remove an email address from a subscription list via an API, or send a message to Slack/Telegram/Messenger.
Firstly, in the Notifications settings of your domain, add Amazon SNS Topics for the Bounces, Complaints and Deliveries events.
SES → Domains → Notifications → Edit Configuration
You can use 1 topic for all events, separating is optional. For example, if you want to send Complaint events to Lambda and the email of the administrator, it is better to separate.
In the next step, we should create a Lambda function.
Let’s name it ses-notification-nodejs.
Use Node.js 12.x Runtime with default settings — it is enough for this task.
Creating a Lambda function
Then we should create a DynamoDB table. Let’s name it mailing. The primary key will be UserId.
Default settings will be enough for a start. You can fine-tune it later.
DynamoDB table
Now you need to go to IAM and add a permission to the Lambda role.
The best option for this is to add the permission to exactly one table.
You can read more about this here:
https://docs.aws.amazon.com/IAM/latest/UserGuide/reference_policies_examples_dynamodb_specific-table.html
or here:
https://aws.amazon.com/ru/blogs/security/how-to-create-an-aws-iam-policy-to-grant-aws-lambda-access-to-an-amazon-dynamodb-table/
After you update your role permission your code will look like this:
Code example for Lambda:
You can also find examples with the telegram notification in my repository for this feature.
That’s it, now you can monitor all Bounce and Compliant events from your SES service and keep your Amazon SES in a healthy state.
You can find more useful information about technologies, startups and IT in our Edicasoft blog. | https://medium.com/swlh/monitoring-your-email-bounces-and-bounce-rate-using-amazon-ses-lambda-sns-and-dynamodb-ce74859da18f | ['Serhii Zahranychnyi'] | 2020-11-14 06:09:18.153000+00:00 | ['AWS Lambda', 'Tutorial', 'AWS', 'Aws Ses', 'Aws Dynamodb'] |
Robot Restaurants Are Here | In a post-pandemic world, the intimacy and warmth that used to be key to a restaurant’s success have become liabilities. Instead restaurants now must emphasize their safety, hygiene, and efficiency. That means minimizing contact and reducing risk of contamination at every step of their operation. Enter robot restaurants.
By using robots and AI to replace human workers, restaurants can reduce the number of points of contact. Startups and enterprises have been experimenting with robots for years, primarily as a way to save on labor costs. But the pandemic has accelerated the process as well as highlighting the safety and hygiene benefits of robots, and we can expect robots to become a permanent fixture in restaurants in the coming years.
Food preparation
Spyce
Spyce was one of the first robot restaurants to open in the US with their location in Downtown Crossing, Boston. Serving healthy bowls of vegetables and protein, the restaurant uses custom built robots to prepare the meals. The robot assembly line first dispenses the ingredients into a cooking pot, which is then heated and mixed. After being cooked for a few minutes, the pot pours the cooked meal into a bowl, and is automatically cleaned and reset for the next order.
The ordering experience is also automated, with orders being placed solely via app or kiosk. The restaurant was founded by a team of MIT graduates, and is backed by leading chefs including Thomas Keller and Daniel Boulud. With the success of their first location, they are planning on expanding to their second location in Harvard Square in 2021.
Dexai
Dexai is another Boston-area company building robots for the kitchen. They use standard industrial hardware but program it with custom-built AI software they’ve designed for restaurants. Unlike other systems, the idea is to put the robot into an existing kitchen, rather than having to redesign a kitchen entirely around the robot restaurant concept.
Dexai’s software can recognize its environment and so it can be dropped into any restaurant and learn to perform the required tasks. The main technological innovation they leverage is the ability to work with “deformable” materials, which basically all food items are. (Most standard robotics systems work with non-deformable materials, like metal or hard plastics.) It’s already able to scoop ice cream and make healthy salad and grain bowls, and because the robot arm uses standard utensils can expand to a potentially limitless number of foods.
Miso Robotics
Courtesy of Miso Robotics
Miso Robotics is trying to replace that most iconic of fast-food workers: the burger flipper. Their robot Flippy is an arm attached to a spatula that can automatically put burgers on the grill and take them off when they’re done. The system is powered by a cloud-connected learning platform, which uses 3D, thermal, and regular vision to identify when burgers start grilling and when they’re cooked.
Flippy started working with CaliBurger starting in 2016, and they recently announced a pilot program with White Castle to bring Flippy’s burgers to even more diners.
Customer experience
Robot Waiters
While food prep robots make sure that the cooking process is germ-free, robot waiters are there to reduce the amount of face-to-face contact diners have with restaurant staff. This trend took off first in China, where they serve mainly to greet customers and to deliver food to tables.
The initial wave of interest turned out mostly to be a marketing gimmick and failed to produce lasting improvements in efficiency (or even lasting brand value for the restaurants using them). However with COVID, the trend has widened. There are stories of restaurants in Europe who are experimenting with these robots, as well as renewed interest in China.
AI Phone Answering
Robot restaurants don’t just have robots in the store, they have AI in all their channels. While not necessarily a sanitation measure, using AI phone answering services has many of the other benefits of robots in the restaurant, such as consistency and labor savings.
AI phone answering software like Greet helps restaurants answer the phone with a customized message and respond to caller questions and take orders. Using cutting edge neural network technology, the AI is able to understand customer requests in plain English and respond in a way that is true to the restaurant’s brand. By offloading the job of answering the phone to software, the restaurant can reallocate their staff to in-store tasks like actually processing orders and serving customers, as well as streamlining operations by reducing phone interruptions by 50%. | https://medium.com/@bensenai/robot-restaurants-are-here-334e6517dd51 | ['Bensen Ai'] | 2020-12-18 18:09:58.020000+00:00 | ['Restaurant Tech', 'Robotics', 'Machine Learning', 'Restaurant', 'Artificial Intelligence'] |
mBaaS Mobile Backend As A Service — What It Is & Best Providers? | Are you looking to know what is precisely mBaaS mobile backend as a service, what it exactly does and what are the top mBaaS providers? If yes, then read this article thoroughly.
mBaaS Mobile Backend As A Service Functions
Technology and use of mobile applications have changed our way of living. Especially mobile applications didn’t only make our daily routine works very easy to perform but also open new opportunities for businesses. Likewise, you can pay your bills in a few clicks and can purchase anything online without visiting that place. Similarly, companies with an online presence in the form of a website or mobile applications are also more successful, and even such businesses didn’t lose their profits in this pandemic or tier 4 lockdown days.
What mBaaS Exactly Does?
Withal, many companies think it would be costly to hire a team of mobile developers, mainly the backend developers to run backend operations of mobile applications. Yes, usually a backend developer charges $80k manually, which is hard to afford for many businesses. That’s why it is a better option to pick mobile backend as a service (mBaaS) provider.
What Is mBaaS Mobile Backend As A Service?
Mayhap few of you are aware of mobile backend services, but many of you still would like to know what is this mBaaS and how it works. So, mobile backend as a service uses custom software development kits (SDKs) and allows both iOS and Android developers to connect it with the application programming interface (APIs) to operate backend operations of mobile applications. Though you can also get everything about mBaaS features and further details from here but if we discuss their significant features, then user management, cloud storage, push notifications and data service APIs are at the top.
What is mBaaS?
Best mBaaS Providers in 2021
Here is the list of finest mBaaS providers to use in 2021:
Google’s Firebase
Firebase is a trustworthy mBaaS provider which was acquired by Google in 2014, and in 2016, Google launched it with more advanced features. Google’s Firebase offers the following features to mobile application developers:
Allows file storage with CDN and good hosting.
Offers real-time database services
Gives user authentication with the help of custom services or from Facebook, Git, Twitter, Google and OAuth services.
Remote configuration is also available.
Kinvey
It is another excellent mBaaS serverless application development platform which was founded in 2008. Progress Software is the parent company of Kinvey, and here we are also going to discuss its core mBaaS features.
With the help of its RapidData function, it connects data in real-time.
With the help of 11 SDKs, Kinvey gives many advantages to its users, but they would find them very helpful if you are using developing multi-platform applications.
Push notifications, large file storage and user management, are also some great supportive features of using Kinvey.
Back4App
If you want to host and develop your applications an open-source Parse server then you should go with this mBaaS provider. Here are some core benefits of using Back4App.
With the support of LiveQuery, it provides real-time database.
You can scale your applications without the problems of server.
It is a serverless open-source mBaaS provider where you don’t need to worry anything regarding hosting.
Hopefully, this article would help you to explore everything about mBaaS and its providers. You can also share your mBaaS experiences and views by commenting below! | https://medium.com/@mobilebackend/mbaas-mobile-backend-as-a-service-what-it-is-best-providers-32484c4ae297 | ['Eliana Brininger'] | 2020-12-21 13:39:59.022000+00:00 | ['Backends', 'Mbaas', 'Back4app', 'Mobile Backend As Service', 'Mobile Backend Service'] |
How to start freelancing when you have a full-time job | When you work a full-time job, becoming a freelancer can feel like a giant leap into the unknown.
There’s all these questions like…
How do I get started?
How do I find clients?
Do I need a portfolio?
What should I charge?
Should I quit my job?
And so on.
This can feel very overwhelming, especially if you don’t have any freelance friends you can turn to for advice and guidance.
Back in 2015, that’s exactly what I was struggling with.
I had a full-time job at an advertising agency, but I was miserable.
The long hours, high-pressure deadlines, and toxic work environment had completely burned me out. I was looking for a “way out” and I thought freelancing might be the escape route I needed.
But as a young copywriter living in an expensive city, I knew quitting my job without savings or a backup plan simply wasn’t an option.
But I also didn’t know what to “do next.”
I only had one friend who was a freelancer, and while she did have some good advice, it wasn’t like she could hold my hand through the process (which, I’ll admit, is kind of what I wanted).
So without a hand to hold, it was up to me to “figure it out” and the best way to do that, without losing the safety net of my job, was to start freelancing before I quit my job.
Start freelancing BEFORE you quit your job
To make the transition from full-time to freelance as smooth as possible, you MUST begin freelancing on the side while you still have a full-time job.
Taking this one key step is important for the following reasons:
You’re protected
You get the freedom to test the waters while you still have the safety net of a full-time job and a steady paycheck.
2. You can build up your network
When you have a solid base of clients, you have people you can turn to for more work or quality referrals when your full-time paycheck dries up.
3. You can save money (and pay off debt)
Making extra money on the side means you can save on top of your full-time salary and/or pay off any debt you may have. Plus, having money saved up will give you a sense of confidence, like you control your destiny, not your boss.
I know it sounds hard, but trust me, when you experience your first dry-spell, you’ll be happy you have money to pay your bills, buy groceries, and live without worry.
Okay that covers the most crucial step in the process, but before we move on, there’s a few things I’d like you to keep in mind…
Set a deadline
The majority of people who become freelancers do so because they have a strong desire to quit their jobs and work on their own terms.
If this sounds like you (and I’m sure it does), you’ll want to set a deadline for when you’d like to tell your boss to f*ck off (in a polite way, of course).
For me, it took about a year of freelancing on the side before I was ready to quit my full-time gig.
But this was not an arbitrary decision. I knew I needed about a year to build up my network, get experience, save extra money, and pay off my credit card debt.
But keep in mind, your deadline may be different.
It all depends on your experience level, your portfolio, your financial situation, your network, and how ready you feel to make the switch.
You don’t have to rush, but you also don’t want to spend the next five years working two different jobs, so pick a reasonable deadline (probably 6–24 months) and try to stick with it.
Having a deadline will also force you to start making moves faster, whether that’s finding your first gig, building a portfolio, paying off debts, or whatever it is you need to prepare.
Take things slow
Taking on too many projects at once, especially in the beginning, is only going to overwhelm you and possibly taint your ideas of what freelancing really is.
Plus, if you take a very demanding gig, it may distract you from your full-time job, which could result in you getting fired (and you definitely don’t want that…yet).
So to start, accept only one new project that’s short-term and not too demanding on your mind or schedule (for example, a gig that only requires you to work on the weekend).
Once you get your bearings, you’ll feel more confident and you can start taking on more projects.
Be clear about your availability
Be upfront with clients and explain that while you have a full-time job, you often freelance on the side, and will have no problem delivering work on the schedule you provide.
Also, be sure to make it clear that you’re NOT available during regular working hours, but you ARE free before 9AM, after 5PM, or whenever works best for you.
This will help set expectations upfront, so you don’t feel distracted at work and they’re not wondering why you’re not answering their emails at 10AM.
Be prepared to work mornings, nights, and weekends
Building a business (yes, that’s what you’re doing) is hard work.
Sometimes that means waking up early before your “real job” to get a deliverable done or staying up late to answer emails.
It’s a sacrifice, sure, but it’s a short-term sacrifice.
Remember, if you’re following my advice, you’ve set a deadline for yourself, so you know exactly when the “hard part” will be over.
This way, when you’re up at 6AM doing work for your freelance clients, you can tell yourself: “I only have to do this for ___ more months. It’s not forever” (and trust me, that helps).
Okay, now that you’re primed on the basics, let’s get into the steps you’ll need to take in order to make the leap from full-time employee to full-time freelancer.
Step 1: Build a portfolio (…maybe)
Some people say you don’t need a portfolio, while others will tell you it’s the most important thing.
I can’t tell you what works for everyone, but I can tell you this:
When I was starting out, I found clients in two ways:
#1: Cold emailing
#2: Referrals from my network
Without exception, the people I cold-emailed always wanted to see my portfolio.
After all, they didn’t know me from a hole in the ground, so the only way they could evaluate whether or not I was worth a reply was by browsing through my work.
The referrals, on the other hand, almost never asked to see my portfolio. They trusted the referral sources that gave them my name and believed I would deliver good work (without needing proof).
Now let’s shift perspectives momentarily…
Last year, I needed to hire two different freelancers.
First, I needed a copywriter, but I didn’t know anyone I could hire. This meant I had to hire a stranger, and for that reason, I was laser-focused on seeing the portfolio.
Second, I needed a developer. Thankfully, I had a friend who referred me to someone he had worked with before. I never asked to see his portfolio because I trusted my friend.
The point is this: yes, you can get work without a portfolio. But it never hurts to have it in your back pocket, especially if you don’t have a big network and need to rely more on cold emailing.
If you don’t yet have a website or portfolio, I’d recommend building your own with Squarespace or a Wordpress theme (personally, I prefer Wordpress).
Unless you have oodles of cash, don’t waste your money hiring a designer or a developer.
If you have a little time and patience, you can easily build a very professional-looking site with my guide here.
What to put in your portfolio
If you’re more experienced, you probably have some ideas of what you could put into your portfolio, like samples of successful projects, case studies, client testimonials, and more.
If this sounds like you, check out my portfolio here. It’s full of logos, case studies, and testimonials. This may give you some inspiration.
For more specific inspo, do a quick google search with keywords that pertain to you (i.e. — “Designer portfolios” or “Interior design portfolio” or whatever makes sense).
If you’re more green (meaning inexperienced), here are some suggestions for how you may want to get started:
Create some original work
You’re smart and creative, so why not create some of your own work to show off? If you’re a writer, write blog content, an eBook, or do a teardown for an existing website.
If you’re a designer, throw up some original artwork or create some ad concepts for the brands you admire. Create an Instagram and start sharing original photography or curating other imagery that fits your aesthetic.
If you’re a developer, code up a simple website or create something that showcases your expertise (or something you’re passionate about).
You get the idea…
Offer to work for friends and family
Your family and friends want you to succeed. They’ve also seen your work ethic, abilities, and whatever skills you may have. And most importantly: they trust you.
This means they’re more likely to hire you for a small project or refer you to someone they know.
But you have to ask!
Send an email to your personal network letting them know that you’re trying to break into freelancing and would love the opportunity to work with them or anyone they know. You can even offer a discounted rate (or some kind of incentive) in exchange for work or referrals.
Partner with someone who complements your skills
You don’t have to go it alone. Try reaching out to the people in your network (or cold-emailing) other professionals whose skills complement your own.
For example, as a copywriter, I try to partner with freelance designers, developers, or agencies, as these folks have access to clients and often need a writer for their various projects.
Simply send an email (or LinkedIn request) introducing yourself.
Tell them a bit about you, the skills you can offer, and why you think you’ll be a great partner for them. If you make it about them and how they’ll benefit from working with you, I guarantee you’ll get more replies.
Spec work
Normally, I wouldn’t recommend ever doing spec work (you can read my thoughts on spec work here), but if you’re really struggling to land paying projects and you’ve exhausted all of your options, it may be something to consider.
If you’re not familiar, spec work is basically working for free. Think of it like a trade: the client gets quality work for free, while you get the experience and samples for your portfolio.
Again, I would highly recommend you try and create some original work for yourself before doing spec work, but sometimes having a few logos or a strong case study on your site can make all the difference in the world.
To recap: there are many ways to get clients. Some require a portfolio (cold emailing, event networking, etc), while other ways may not (referrals).
It’s up to you to figure out which strategies will work best for you and adapt accordingly.
Alright, by now, you should know what to do when it comes to your portfolio. Let’s move on to
Step 2: Finding clients!
Step 2: Find clients
Four years into my freelancing career, my business is almost entirely referral-based.
This means people I know (or clients I have worked with in the past) often connect me to people in their networks who need copy help.
In my opinion, a referral-based business is what you want to aim for, BUT, when you’re first starting out, this may feel slightly out of reach.
This is why I used a “dual” approach when I was first starting out. I sent cold emails to potential clients and I asked my network for leads.
Cold emailing
To begin, I made a list of advertising agencies in New York I wanted to work with.
I did this by conducting a simple Google search using terms like “advertising agency nyc” and made a spreadsheet of the names, URLs, contact info, and something about each one that caught my eye.
Next, I sent a personalized email to each shop explaining who I was, what I was looking for, how I could help them, and the kind of work I did (I included a link to my portfolio, which was crucial in getting responses).
From that initial batch of emails, I got a bunch of responses, but more importantly, I got TWO paying clients!
Almost four years later, one of those contacts is STILL a paying client (I’m literally working on two projects with her right now) and the other also became a repeat client.
The point is, with the right approach, cold emailing can absolutely work (and it can really pay off), so don’t put up mental barriers like “cold emailing doesn’t work” or “no one will respond.”
In fact, I just sent a big batch of cold emails to some agencies and other freelancers and the response rate was amazing. I’ve already had several calls and in-person meetings, which may turn into business in the future.
To save time and headache (let’s be real, cold-emailing can be monotonous), try an email software like mixmax, which allows you to create templates and track who opens, clicks, etc.
If you need to find contact information, I recommend rocketreach, which allows you to find the email addresses of just about anyone.
Referrals
Even if you’re just starting out, you can still get referrals.
As I mentioned above, start with your personal and professional networks. Send an email to each group explaining that you’re interesting in becoming a freelancer and would love to work with them or anyone they know.
Offer incentives for referrals (i.e. — a discounted rate, small kickback, special gift, etc) or offer to return the “referral favor” in the future.
If you don’t get any initial bites, be patient. You’re planting seeds and it takes time for those seeds to grow.
When I first started, I got a lead from my brother-in-law. I got leads from my boyfriend. I got leads from friends. And I got leads from old coworkers. While they didn’t all pan out, many did.
They key is letting people know that you’re interested and available.
Nowadays, I send one of those “reminder” emails once a quarter, so I stay top-of-mind and continuously remind people that I’m always looking for new work (even when you’re fully booked, as you can secure work for future dates).
Event networking
Out of all the years I’ve been a freelancer, I’ve only attended a handful of events, but from those events, I’ve gotten two paying clients.
This may not seem like a lot, but here’s the thing: one of those clients is my #1 client.
He is the best to work with. He pays on time. And he’s paid me a lot of money. Plus, we’ve been working together for a long time…all from ONE event I attended over two years ago.
The point is, you’ve got to put yourself out there, IRL!
I know networking sounds like the worst thing ever. Trust me, there’s nothing I hate more than walking up to strangers and striking up a conversation. But. It. Works.
And like Mr. Wonderful on Shark Tank, I like tactics that make me money, so I do my best to attend at least 3–5 events per year (sometimes more if I have time).
To stay on top of events, I have a running list of all of the important events related to my industry and in my area. Every January, I revisit this list and search for new events to attend for the year.
To find events, try looking on Eventbrite or Meetup. There’s often tons of networking events or educational events that may attract the kind of people you want to work with.
One word of advice: I know it’s tempting to go to all the free events, but I’ve found that the cost of the ticket is correlated with the quality of the leads.
For example, a $20 event will likely connect you with clients with smaller budgets. But a $799+ event will likely land you the bigger fish.
But let’s be realistic: at this stage, you’re just looking to network, so attending the free, $10 or $20 events is a great place to start (don’t forget your business cards!).
Job sites
As a freelancer, I really don’t recommend sites like Upwork and Fiverr, as I believe they take advantage of creatives.
These sites attract people and businesses who are looking for high-quality work fast and on the cheap. They often don’t care about the value you’re bringing to the table, they just want their project done fast and for as little money as possible.
But, if you’re just starting out and have a very limited network, these sites may be your best way to break in.
Plus, it’s just a temporary solution. Once you’ve got some work in your book, you can step back from these sites and start attracting clients on your own.
Social media (I recommend LinkedIn, but use what works for you!)
Depending on what you’re selling, Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook may be a great way for you to promote your work and find clients.
Even if you’re not a content creator, you can always post to let your audience know that you’re looking for work.
Out of all the networks, LinkedIn has helped me land at least one paying client.
In the beginning of my freelance career, I would share articles and promote the products I was selling, like my online course, branding questionnaire, or eBooks on the reg (yep, I should probably start doing that again).
This caught the attention of someone I knew who worked at a prominent cosmetics company, which resulted in a multi-month gig and about $5000 worth of work.
So don’t be shy about promoting yourself, your work, or your business. It may impress the right person, which could lead to a big pay day for you.
Blogging
This is really a long-term strategy, but it never hurts to have samples of your work, approach, or perspective handy.
Personally, I have only ever landed one paying client from blog content and he had a very small budget and it didn’t evolve into on-going work.
But that’s just my experience. I know there are freelancers out there who frequently write high-quality content that attracts premium leads.
Just know, blogging may not help you to get clients today, but it may land you clients down the road.
Organic search
Similar to blogging, organic search is more of a long-term strategy.
While it can take some time, research, and experimentation to get this right, when it works, the clients will start coming in.
Personally, I get a lot of low-quality leads from search, BUT, I also got two amazing clients from search last year, both of whom became long-term clients.
Together, those two clients have paid me close to $35,000, which is pretty good, considering I did no active work to find them. They simply found my site and reached out.
Again, this means you need a website (which if you follow Step 1, you should have) and you need to have the right keywords in the right places.
I’d recommend doing a little googling to learn more about SEO. There’s a ton of great resources out there, like this guide.
Alright, by this point, you’ve got some solid ideas on how to find leads. Let’s move on to Step 3: MONEY!
Step 3: Save & clear your debts (if you can)
Remember that freelance friend I mentioned at the beginning of the article?
When I asked her for advice early on, the first thing she told me was to pay off all of my debt.
At the time, I had some credit card debt, but paying it off wasn’t something I could do overnight (and I really wanted to quit my job!).
So naturally, I tried to fight her on it. But she insisted, and so, I followed her advice. On top of paying off my debt, I was also able to save money (several thousand, in fact), which made me feel more confident when it came time to quit my job.
Not only that, but when I experienced my first “freelance dryspell” (meaning work was slow), I was still able to pay my rent and eat. Sure, I was freaked out, but at least I had a place to live and peanut butter to sustain me.
Now, I understand that everyone has different financial situations and paying off all of your debt in 6 months (or whatever) isn’t realistic.
If this applies to you, simply take this advice with a grain of salt and adapt accordingly to fit your specific situation. Personally, I wouldn’t let debt stop me from ever becoming a freelancer, but that’s a decision you have to make for yourself.
Step 4: Quit your job
Once you’ve completed Steps 1–3, you should be in a good place to quit your job.
To recap, you should have the following done before you put in your two weeks:
✓ Your website / portfolio in a good place
✓ A solid group of clients you can rely on for more work or quality referrals
✓ Paid off your debts and saved some money
✓ Put the word out to all of your networks that you’re available and looking for work
Outside of this list, you also need two other intangibles: confidence and conviction.
Confidence & conviction
As soon as you tell people that you’re quitting your job to become a freelancer, they’ll try to talk you out of it.
They’ll tell you you’re crazy and leaving a job with a steady paycheck and benefits is the worst thing you can do.
But this is not the time to be wavering.
You must believe, with every fiber of your being, that this is the right decision, at the right time, for you. Otherwise, those doubts from other people will begin to seep in and before you know it, you’ll be stuck at your job for another year (or longer).
So let the haters have their opinions, but stay strong on the inside. Believe in yourself and success will follow (yes, it’s corny, but it’s true).
Want to learn more about freelancing?
Check out my book, From Full-time to Freelance. It’s full of more advice like you’ve read in this article, plus, a bunch tactical tips on things like rates, taxes, health care, and more.
Either way, I’d love to know more about your story.
What has led you to this article? Have you been thinking about going freelance for a while or is this your first step toward freedom?
Leave your comments below! | https://medium.com/career-relaunch/how-to-start-freelancing-when-you-have-a-full-time-job-learn-the-4-foolproof-steps-i-used-to-3d1e988de4b7 | ['Annie Maguire'] | 2019-02-11 15:40:51.753000+00:00 | ['Entrepreneurship', 'How To', 'Freelancing', 'Freelance', 'Guides And Tutorials'] |
How Disney’s Pixar Movie *Soul* Delivers a Salve for the World-Weary | How Disney’s Pixar Movie *Soul* Delivers a Salve for the World-Weary
Jazzing up metaphysics, philosophy, and spirituality
*Warning — Spoilers ahead.*
Pixar released Soul directly to streaming on Disney+ on Christmas Day 2020. Starring Jamie Foxx and Tina Fey, Soul addresses the human search for the meaning of life through a middle-aged, struggling jazz singer. After dying unexpectedly, he drifts through other dimensions, where he befriends 22 (Tina Fey), a soul who has given up on receiving her Earth pass, which enables new souls to experience life on earth.
I hadn’t heard of this movie and hadn’t watched much Pixar since Wall-E and Up. I’d missed Inside Out and Coco, but something about Soul was calling me Christmas morning.
While drifting off to sleep on Christmas Eve, I’d scanned through my New York Times app and a blurb about Soul being released directly to streaming, due to the pandemic, caught my eye.
On Christmas morning, I awoke in a reflective and melancholy mood, thinking about how our kids are experiencing a pandemic Christmas. As they grow into pre-adolescence and adolescence, they are grappling with forming their individual and autonomous identities.
The movie begins with Joe in the earth realm, but a sudden death takes him to the You realm, where souls are mentored and only sent to earth once they’ve found their spark. Joe desperately wants to get back to earth to make it to a once-in-a-lifetime gig he’s been invited to play that evening. After running away from the Great Beyond, which could be equated with Heaven or a more transcendent energetic state, depending on your point of view, he gets into shenanigans with his mentee, 22. As the movie progresses, we see characters moving deliberately through time and space by getting in a meditative, transcendent zone. | https://medium.com/fan-fare/how-disneys-pixar-movie-soul-delivers-a-salve-for-the-world-weary-6aaa920c5c6b | ['Aimée Gramblin'] | 2020-12-28 15:48:25.534000+00:00 | ['Movies', 'Mindfulness', 'Metaphysics', 'Film', 'Inspiration'] |
Why Do Bisexuals Love Frogs? | According to the internet, frogs are bisexual or nonbinary culture. But why?
Much like many queer people — in particular bisexual, transgender, and/or nonbinary individuals — frogs find themselves occupying a liminal space, moving between territories and identities that are often, wrongly, conceived of as mutually exclusive. Frogs represent an embodied juxtaposition of land and water, equally at home in both spheres, and moving freely between them. Frogs reject the false binary imposed by the dominant culture — male or female; water or land — instead claiming a uniquely amphibious nature.
More generally, frogs occupy a unique position in modern meme culture. Well known figures such as Pepe, Dat Boi, and Kermit provide fodder for countless memes and remixes. Of course, other animals are equally dominant in meme culture — for instance, the lolcats and doges of days past — but cats and dogs are common and well-loved pets, at least in most Western cultures. Frogs are much rarer in everyday life, and the broader culture regards them with at best ambivalence.
Frogs and toads are sometimes said to be slimy, grotesque, carrying warts and disease. Yet frogs are also uniquely delicate, profoundly sensitive to pollution and other ecological disturbances. Frogs serve as an early warning of environmental catastrophe, a canary in the watershed. Fragility and ugliness wrapped up in one little package — few things cut so effectively across gendered stereotypes, or convey such a universal relatability.
Frogs, of course, are known for their metamorphosis. Though butterflies provide a more accessible and aesthetic metaphor for the process of gender transition, frogs add yet another layer: as made famous in the film Jurassic Park, they are fluid in their sex and gender. Alex Jones’ famous rant about “turning the frogs gay” is based, however tenuously, in actual science: in their hormonal sensitivity, bathed in humanity’s pollution, frogs become physically androgynous and ambiguous.
Frogs have long served as symbols of the LGBT community, dating back at least as far as Lobel’s Frog and Toad are Friends in 1970. The word amphibian itself comes from Greek amphibia, “having two modes of existence; of doubtful nature.” What could better symbolize the ambiguous or dual existence of queer people? Is it any surprise, then, that those with an ambiguous relationship to sex and gender — whether their own, or of those they love — should find in frogs an avatar of the self? | https://medium.com/@bethjmartyn/why-do-bisexuals-love-frogs-28d42c5c190a | ['Elizabeth Martyn'] | 2021-02-04 00:48:35.311000+00:00 | ['Meme', 'Bisexual', 'Frog', 'Bi', 'Nonbinary'] |
‘A Charlie Brown Christmas’ Soundtrack: Vince Guaraldi Trio’s Seasonal Gift | Martin Chilton
The choice of Vince Guaraldi to create the soundtrack for the first A Charlie Brown Christmas Special, which aired on CBS on 9 December 1965, came about by chance — and ended up proving to be an inspirational decision.
American television producer Lee Mendelson, the man who produced the show, was looking for someone to do a jazzy soundtrack. He initially tried for Dave Brubeck. “The first call I made was to Dave Brubeck, who was an old friend, but he was busy,” recalled Mendelson. “Years later he said he wished he hadn’t been busy!” Among the names Brubeck suggested calling was Vince Guaraldi.
Listen to the A Charlie Brown Christmas soundtrack on Apple Music and Spotify.
An iconic work
San Francisco native Guaraldi first came to notice playing piano with Latin jazz vibraphonist Cal Tjader in the mid-50s. By 1960, Guaraldi was leading his own band and had even achieved a hit on the pop charts with ‘Cast Your Fate To The Wind’, a tune which also won a Grammy.
But it was his mix of standards and original compositions for A Charlie Brown Christmas, performed with his jazz trio, that cemented his place in music and television history. The soundtrack album went on to be a massive bestseller, and its deft balance of sweetness and sorrow made it an iconic work in its own right. The success of the score also helped ensure the lasting television life of a memorable show featuring the famous characters Charlie Brown, Linus, Lucy, Sally and Snoopy the dog.
“I thought we were doomed”
Things didn’t look good at the start of December 1965, however. After the soundtrack had been completed at the Whitney Recording Studios in Glendale, California, Mendelson took the tapes to the executives at CBS. “The two top people at CBS hated it,” recalled Mendelson. “They said it was too slow and too religious. I was devastated. They said, ‘We’ll have to run it because the showing is so close, but there won’t be any more shows.’ I thought we were doomed.”
The first indications the CBS chiefs were wrong came in a glowing review of Guaraldi’s music in Time magazine. The show went on to win an Emmy and the music was acclaimed. It was released by the Fantasy record label for the Christmas market and was soon selling out in record stores across the country.
“The music raised it a certain level”
“Vince Guaraldi’s music was crucial to the show’s success, because it was the first time a cartoon had used jazz, had used adult music, and that raised it a certain level,” said Mendelson. The producer added that Charles M Schulz, who created the original comic strip Peanuts, had also told him he thought the music had been “critical”.
Guaraldi’s tunes captured the contradictory emotions of joy and sadness that many people experience during Christmas. While his songs fitted in brilliantly with the animation in a show directed by Bill Melendez, they were also magical pieces of music on their own.
“I don’t think I’m a great piano player,” Guaraldi said in 1958. “But I would like to be able to have people like me, to play pretty tunes and to reach the audience.” He was 46 when he made his masterpiece album, working with two other talented jazz players. The brush-drumming of Jerry Granelli adds to the record’s subtle power, as does the warm double bass-playing of Fred Marshall — a man who had been the house bassist at San Francisco’s famous jazz club, Bop City, and who had played with jazz legends Ben Webster, Joe Henderson and Dexter Gordon.
Even the choice of guest musicians was inventive. Tom Harrell, the trumpeter on ‘Thanksgiving Theme’, played on five Blue Note albums with Horace Silver. The one musician with a link to England — Swindon-born drummer Colin Bailey — was the percussionist on ‘Greensleeves’. He went on to play on an iconic album with Frank Sinatra and Antônio Carlos Jobim.
An enchanting freshness
The A Charlie Brown Christmas album opens with ‘O Tannenbaum’, and though it may be a simple Christmas carol, Guaraldi’s improvisations gave it an enchanting freshness. Mendelson said they had no idea that Guaraldi’s song ‘Christmas Time Is Here’ would evolve into a festive classic, but its nuanced shading makes it one of the least celebratory holiday standards ever written. The irresistible ‘Linus And Lucy’ has become one of the most instantly recognisable pieces of television music from the 20th Century.
As well as taping sessions in Glendale, Guaraldi re-recorded a few songs at Fantasy Records Studios in San Francisco, using a children’s choir from St Paul’s Episcopal Church in nearby San Rafael. The sessions ran deep into the night, with the children rewarded with ice cream. They sing beautifully on ‘Hark! The Herald Angels Sing’.
Guaraldi’s evocative score, which is heart-warming and strangely bleak, struck a chord with the public. When one of the CBS bosses realised that his initial opinion was misguided, the best he could muster to say to Mendelson was that “my aunt in New Jersey didn’t like it either”.
In August 2016, the Recording Industry Association Of America certified the A Charlie Brown Christmas album quadruple-platinum, for sales of four million copies. The soundtrack has been marked for permanent preservation by the Library Of Congress.
Guaraldi went on to compose scores for 17 Peanuts television specials, until his tragic death, at just 47, in 1976. They played his wonderful Charlie Brown music at his funeral. Guaraldi left us all a Christmas classic.
Vince Guaraldi Trio’s A Charlie Brown Christmas soundtrack can be bought here.
Looking for more? Discover the best Christmas songs of all time.
Join us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter: @uDiscoverMusic | https://medium.com/udiscover-music/a-charlie-brown-christmas-soundtrack-vince-guaraldi-trio-s-seasonal-gift-df5072e18faf | ['Udiscover Music'] | 2019-12-09 12:03:21.849000+00:00 | ['Movies', 'Pop Culture', 'Animation', 'Music', 'Culture'] |
What is Pi Network? | As 2020 is coming to an end, and many people are locked down at home due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Freelensia would like to share with you about Pi, a new cryptocurrency created in 2019. Mining cryptocurrency used to be the privilege of those who have access to a lot of hardware and technical know-how, but a group of Stanford University researchers, led by Dr. Nicolas Kokkalis, has changed that by putting the cryptocurrency in the hands of everyday people. With the Pi Network app, you can mine cryptocurrency directly on your phone!
In this article, Freelensia will cover the most frequently asked questions about Pi Network.
1. What is Pi? What is Pi Network? Is Pi Network a scam? Is Pi Network legit?
Pi, aka Pi Network, is a new cryptocurrency, a form of digital money that is maintained and secured by a community, instead of by governments or banks. The official Pi social media accounts include Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Youtube.
Pi is not a scam. As mentioned above, it is a genuine effort by a team of Stanford graduates to give everyone equal access to cryptocurrency. They promise to work hard to make shared dreams a reality while maintaining the highest standards of integrity. You can learn more about them on the “Core Team” page in the main menu of the Pi Network app or on their website https://minepi.com/team.
2. How can I mine Pi? How do I earn more Pi? How many Pis can I mine?
You simply press the MINE button inside the Pi Network app. At the end of each 24-hour mining session, you need to reopen the app to activate the next session. Currently, each new account gets 1 π free. Then, you can mine 0.1 π / hour in the first 3 sessions (called the pioneer rate).
3. What is the Ambassador role? How do I become an ambassador?
You become an Ambassador when new members join your earning team by using your invitation code when they sign up for Pi Network. Each friend you invite brings a 25% boost to your earnings. The interesting thing here is that the ambassador rate will only be added in real-time if your friend is also mining Pi. In other words, if your friend’s current mining session has ended and he/she has not started a new mining session, your current mining speed will not include his/her ambassador rate.
4. What is the security circle? What is the Contributor role? How do I become a contributor?
Security circles are groups of 3–5 people whom you trust not to commit fraudulent transactions. While cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin secure their ledgers by forcing miners to burn energy (proof of work), Pi secures its ledger when its members vouch for each other as trustworthy.
After you have completed 3 mining sessions, Pi’s Contributor role becomes unlocked. You will see a new shield icon of the security circle on the home screen of the app which you can click to start. To become a contributor, you need to add 3–5 people whom you trust to your security circle. Each connection will boost your mining rate by 0.02 π / hour. So, the maximum contributor rate you can receive is 0.1 π / hour.
Besides, Pi has a concept of “next halving”. Accordingly, the base rate = pioneer rate + contributor rate will decrease from 0.2 π / hour to 0.1 π / hour when the Pi Network reaches Phase 3 or 100 million users. Or this rate may drop to 0. As of Dec 2020, Pi Network has crosses 10 million users, so please join quickly!
5. How to add users to my security circle?
The first option is called ADD AN EXISTING PI USER, which means you can build your security circle is by selecting all the people within your earning team, i.e., the person who referred you, and four people you referred. If you have not referred anyone to the Pi Network app, you can add only the person who referred you.
The second way is known in the app as ADD FROM CONTACTS, which means adding people from your mobile contacts. They must have the Pi Network App installed on their mobile devices for you to add them into your security circle.
6. How much is one Pi worth? What is the value of Pi right now? Is Pi Network the next Bitcoin?
Pi Network is in Phase 2 and has not yet been valued and has not been traded on cryptocurrency exchanges. Today Pi is worth approximately 0 dollars/euro etc. similar to Bitcoin in 2008. But FYI, 1 Bitcoin was priced at $ 1 in 2011, and currently priced at over $ 33,000.
In the current stage, it is hard to say if Pi can be the next Bitcoin, but it has huge potential. The core team is laying the infrastructure for this digital currency and marketplace by distributing the currency, building the community, and developing the technology to ensure its security.
7. Can I withdraw my Pi? When can I turn Pi into “real” money?
No, you cannot withdraw Pi yet. Withdrawals or transfers of Pi are restricted until the project reaches Phase 3 (Mainnet) to prevent bad actors from accumulating Pi from fake accounts. For example, a bad actor could mine from fake accounts, transfer the Pi to a legitimate account, and then pass through Pi’s account verification process despite their illicit gains.
However, Pi launched their initial pilot of in-app transfers (IAT) in Q4 2019 and is rolling out the option gradually, so not all Pioneers have IAT function in their apps. The ones who have it can already turn Pi into “real” money when they trade Pi for goods and services. Alternatively, Pioneers will also be able to exchange Pi for fiat currency (e.g., dollars, euro, etc.). Pi’s Core Team does not control when cryptocurrency exchanges (like Binance, Coinbase, Kraken, etc.) decide to list Pi. However, exchanges can choose to list Pi when it can be traded in Phase 3.
8. Does Pi have any risks? Does the app drain my battery or data?
The Pi Network app is free and will not require you to enter your bank account number, credit card number, or ask you to deposit money. You do not need to waste any effort or time except pressing the MINE button every day. The Pi app being available on Google Play and Appstore means it’s completely safe for users. This application also does not affect your phone’s performance, drain your battery, or use your network data. After pressing the MINE button, you can close the application and your Pi account will continue to be accumulated on the Pi Network server. One small note: you need to fill in your personal information accurately if you want to prove ownership of the Pi balance in your account (see more in the next section).
9. Can I have multiple Pi accounts? What is KYC? What is YOTI?
This is the biggest characteristic of Pi. To ensure fairness and democracy in the network, Pi Network allows only one account per individual. You will have to verify your identity through a process called Know Your Customer (KYC), using an advanced identity verification application called YOTI. Tricks to bypass the system like photoshopping ID card, passport, etc. will not work because YOTI uses a variety of advanced measures to verify users, including requiring on-site portraits and IDs, and requiring retaking of photos when documents expire.
Pi accounts that are not validated this way will be eliminated when Pi enters its 3rd phase to prevent fake accounts, bots, etc. from earning Pi.
10. Is there an age restriction for Pi? Can my children have a Pi account? Can my parents have a Pi account? Can my grandparents have a Pi account? Can my grandchildren have a Pi account?
People can have Pi accounts as long as they have sufficient identity documents and can use smartphones, so your parents or grandparents can definitely have one. According to this, people under the age of 18 may also have a Pi account, although it is currently unclear whether young children can have a Pi account. Currently, Freelensia recommends that you do not create Pi accounts for children under the age of 12 as this is the minimum age for consent in the US. Also, if you create a Pi account for your children, make sure they have their own passports.
11. How should I write my name for Pi? What is the correct name to use for Pi?
It is very important to use your real name when signing up for an account on Pi Network so that later, you can verify the account belongs to a real person through the KYC verification process, not a fake one. Your name should be filled in exactly like on your ID card or passport. If your name is not English, we recommend you put your English name with English letters. Then you can add a local name and write it with your language’s letters and accents. For example, if your name is 莫情歌 (Mo Qingge), your name should be filled in as follows:
a) English name (capitalize all letters):
First name: QINGGE
Last name: MO
b) Then add your local name
First name: 情歌
Last name: 莫
Once you have put your name in the correct boxes, you can choose a username. Choose it wisely since you will use it to refer other people to the app. In other words, your username is your invitation code.
12. How can I join Pi Network?
a) Download the Pi Network app from Google Play Store or Apple App Store
b) Register a new account with your phone number or Facebook
c) Input the invitation code FREELENSIA when requested (You can only create a Pi account when you have an invitation code from an existing member). There are many codes you can use, but with Freelensia’s code, you can join an exclusive Pi community where support specialists will assist you to ensure that your account is set up correctly and you mine Pi at the fastest speed possible.
d) Click the MINE button to start mining Pi
e) Invite friends to join Pi Network to increase your mining rate
f) When the app asks you to, you can verify your identity with YOTI to prove the ownership of your Pi balance
g) If you have any questions about the above steps, please email [email protected]
See also | https://medium.com/@freelensia/freelensia-has-joined-the-pi-network-e4486a2e6661 | ['Freelensia Interpreters'] | 2021-01-15 03:21:52.610000+00:00 | ['Digital Currency', 'Cryptocurrency', 'Pi Network', 'Cryptocurrency News', 'Cryptocurrency Investment'] |
THE SHADOW GUIDE | By Mark S Wardrip
pexels.com
It may interest you to know,
That you may be interested to know,
All about your interests you think you know,
Are but fantasies that like the wind blow.
As you scamper about searching,
For that special cloud,
Never did you stop to consider,
It’s thunder is calling for you, outloud!
For you see,
You are your shadow’s shadow,
You are your future’s maker,
You are the pencil. Life is the paper.
Many take for granted,
Things that have been granted,
Like tree saplings in the valley of human need,
They grow but for one reason,
insecurity.
Then of course, the trees on the hillside,
Mountaintop, dale and marsh,
Gracefully waving joyous in the wind,
Breathing in, breathing out anything harsh.
Now, as your fantasies run to and fro,
May you be blessed to know,
That no matter how far you may stray,
Your shadow guides you always in all ways. | https://medium.com/poets-unlimited/the-shadow-guide-83b88b43bcf2 | ['Steve Wardrip'] | 2017-03-26 16:42:18.733000+00:00 | ['Poetry', 'Life'] |
My Brother’s Death Didn’t Have to Happen | It just feels like something that didn’t have to happen. He had had pneumonia and had been hospitalized. This is back in February. He wanted to go home after he’d been hospitalized and his doctor said, “No, I want you to just go to a rehab and just get some of your strength back.” Pneumonia really takes it out of you. And, you know, he’s old. And so he went to the rehab and was ready to go home. He was packed up and ready to go home when somebody tested positive, and they wouldn’t let him leave. And I called him every day for 11 days, and every day he would say, “I’m just fine.” In fact, he said, “I think I probably had it before and I’m just too tough and didn’t even notice.”
And then he got sick, and then he died, by himself. That’s the hard part — really hard part. It’s hard to process things like this because everything is happening at a distance. And human beings — we’re not set up for that. We’re wired to be with each other. It makes it hard.
I lost three very important people in my life many years ago in what felt like a short period of time: my mom, my daddy, and my Aunt Bee. Each of them died differently. My mother, very suddenly and unexpectedly. My daddy, lingering cancer. I held his hand as he died. With my mother, I had been there on the day that she died, in the night. My Aunt Bee got sick and then couldn’t recover. But I was with them. And I was with my brothers and my cousins and my kids. And we shared memories; we grieved together.
It was frustrating the whole time. He had pneumonia, and I was calling every day. And I couldn’t be there, but it was clear he was recovering. Then, when the doctor said, “I want you to set up rehab; you’ll get your strength back,” I thought, That’s great. We’d talk every day and tell funny stories and laugh. And he’d keep me up to date.
And then when he said that the coronavirus test had come back positive, it’s like that note you hear far off — a warning. And I remember thinking I couldn’t breathe. And he said, “Bets” — he’d call me Bets or Betsy always — “I feel fine. I feel fine.” And for 11 days, I’d call him in the morning, call him in the evening, and he’d tell me, “Oh, it’s fine,” and laugh. And he was irritated that he couldn’t leave. And I had begun to think, This is okay. We’re going to get him out of there. In fact, I’d been talking: Would David — my other brother — be the one to pick him up, or was John going to come? You know what I mean: working on the logistics of how to get him out of there.
And then I called, and no one answered his phone, his cell. And that had happened a couple of times because he’d been doing something else. But nobody answered. And so a little while later I called back, and then I got the news that he had been taken to an emergency room. In any other state of the world, I would have been there with him. We all would have been there with him. And instead he was by himself. I just kept imagining what’s happening to him. Is he afraid? Is he cold? I kept thinking about whether he was cold. There’s no one there to talk to him while he waits for the doctor. There’s no one there to be with him while he receives the news.
Then I found out they put him in intensive care. I would get the information via the nurses about what his blood-oxygen levels were. And all I could do would be talk by phone with my brothers. It’s not the same. You need to touch people. We have to hug; we have to be with each other.
Then he rallied and I talked to him on the phone. He was a little slurred, clearly had had a tough time. He wasn’t getting out of bed and walking around, but he was doing better. And then he took another dip and it went all the way down. More than 60,000 families across this country are going through the same thing right now. It’s something none of us were prepared for. It’s always hard to lose someone you love. But to lose someone when you have to wonder: What were their last days like? Were they afraid? Were they cold? Were they lonely? That is a kind of grief that is new to all of us. And my brothers won’t get over this. They just won’t. None of us will. | https://medium.com/the-atlantic/my-brothers-death-didn-t-have-to-happen-3ab1866177f1 | ['The Atlantic'] | 2020-05-18 14:21:49.527000+00:00 | ['Coronavirus', 'Elizabeth Warren'] |
Afterthoughts | To walk this path with me
Is to be reminded of the deepest parts of the ocean,
The aperture setting on high,
All the inconsistencies — exposed.
I can convince you of stories on undiscovered planets,
That your cognitive perceptions of the world
Is a distortion of mixed senses, betraying you in seconds
Like staring into the canvas of a silhouette
The blank spaces and bold lines
Reveal multiple truths,
Yet mine is the only image you will see.
The printed polaroids, shifting with time.
Like a shooting star,
Close your eyes too soon,
And you miss the sumptuous beauty of it all.
Fleeting. Instantaneous. Dazzling.
Your destructions,
My afterthoughts. | https://medium.com/an-idea/afterthoughts-b8a89e6086a2 | ['Alexis Busso'] | 2020-10-01 04:50:58.534000+00:00 | ['Relationships', 'Love', 'Memories', 'Breakups', 'Poetry'] |
Our reaction to the spread of Covid-19 | When the Covid-19 was first detected in China and was reported about worldwide that it is a virus infecting hundreds and thousands of people, the world held its breath.
Then we found that it has spread to other nations and is spread exponentially. We began to learn more about it as the best of human minds worked on finding more about its effects and a cure.
As soon as it began to affect entire countries and the air and sea traffic, people began to panic that this is not something that is happening only in China but all over the world. And each country and the smallest town in it realized that it is going to reach the home turf sooner or later.
Everyone panicked. The global stock markets took a nosedive.
Everywhere, the cases have been on the rise and the news media report each new increase in number with loud statements and bold white letters on crimson red backgrounds. That induces fear in most minds.
And it should. We must take steps to stop the spread of the Covid-19 as it is more deadly than other strains of coronavirus.
But I am afraid that we won’t be as fearful a couple of months from now as we are now. Human minds get used to situations pretty fast. The change in the world is what grabs our attention. But if the change becomes a norm, then we collectively move onto something else to worry about.
And Covid-19 will just be another disease that people have to deal with and thousands die and it will be no big deal.
Not because Covid-19 became less deadly, but our minds became indifferent to its presence. | https://medium.com/@randomhemant/our-reaction-to-the-spread-of-covid-19-2a1dd21148d5 | ['Hemant Kulkarni'] | 2020-03-14 16:58:31.897000+00:00 | ['Coronavirus', 'Human Behavior', 'Psychology', 'Sociology', 'Covid 19'] |
Put your gauntlets on: it’s time to fight #momguilt | Someone asked me the other day about mom guilt. “Ugh, it’s the worst” she said. Raise your hand if you agree! I can sit here and easily come up with a list of half a dozen ways I’ve battled mom guilt in the last 24 hours. I bet we all can. After all, isn’t mom guilt just a part of motherhood?
Back in the beginning of December I got serious thinking about when and why I feel guilty, because I wanted to do something to change it. I realized that there are three scenarios that my mom guilt typically falls into, and they all have to do with my values. Once I figured out what was causing the guilt, I came up with a combat strategy for each of the scenarios. Ready mamas? Put your gauntlets on, because it’s time to fight the #momguilt.
#momguilt scenario 1: internal values conflict
Let’s say you have two things that are important to you happening at the same time, and you have to choose one of them. Choosing one means you’ll feel guilty about not picking the other one. When one or both of these choices has to do with your kids, that’s mom guilt. Another way to say this is mom guilt is when two of your values are in conflict with each other. Example: I value my health, but I also value my family. This past Saturday there was a gym class I wanted to go to, but I also wanted to spend time with C & M because I hadn’t seen them much during the week. If I pick the gym, #momguilt for not spending time with my kids. If I pick taking my kids to the park, #momguilt for not taking care of myself. WTH?!
Soooo… what’s my combat strategy? I remind myself that when I choose to live one value over another at any given moment, I’m not compromising my values. Instead, I know that all of my values work together in harmony towards what I want to achieve in life. I want to be fit and healthy, and I want to be close with my kids. Sometimes I’ll do one, and sometimes I’ll do the other. It’s not tension — it’s balance. The challenge with feeling guilty when your values are in conflict is that you’ll feel guilty (or worse, resentful) no matter what you choose. That’s just silly!
#momguilt scenario 2: external values conflict
Let’s say you want to do something important to you, but someone or something is telling you that you should be doing something else. Another way to say this is that your values are at odds with someone else’s. Example: this morning Moseah woke up at 5:45am. Early mornings are the only time I have to myself, and he usually sleeps until 7am. So, I let him fuss and cry for about half an hour until he fell back asleep. But I sat there feeling guilty because society tells me I “shouldn’t” let my baby cry that much. And, because some sleep-training experts say I “shouldn’t” let him go to bed at different times and I let him stay up a little late the last two nights. Argh!
What’s my combat strategy? I’ve learned to tell myself what Rachel Hollis learned to tell herself: “other people’s opinions are none of your business”. You know who knows my kids best? Me. You know who ultimately knows what’s best for them? Me. You know how I know I’m a great mom? Because I’m asking that question. The only person whose values I need to live are my own. I research the heck out of everything for my kids, and I can find experts that say the exact opposite things when it comes to just about any parenting strategy. There is no one right way; I can only do what I think is best given the information and resources I have.
#momguilt scenario 3: not living my values
Let’s say you have something that is important to you, but you’re tired, hungry, stressed, overwhelmed, you name it. You have every intention of doing the thing that’s important to you, but you just…. Don’t. Another way to say this is for whatever reason, you’re not able to live your values. Example: Positive parenting is one of my values. I always try to come from a place of love, understanding, and empathy when Cimorene has a toddler tantrum. But this past year — at the tender age of 2, right after Moseah was born — she decided that she was no longer going to nap. I was exhausted from having a newborn, and one afternoon I was desperate. I had tried validating her feelings, telling her about a time when I also didn’t want to do something… nothing worked. So, I threw my hands up, walked out, and shut the door. I literally stood there pulling the doorknob closed while she stood on the other side screaming and trying to open it. Oh man did I feel guilty after, because that doesn’t fit my parenting values!
What’s my combat strategy for this one? I give myself grace and appreciate that I’ve learned something about myself from this experience. If I just feel guilty and don’t do anything differently, that’s no good. But if I can understand why I feel guilty and then choose to behave differently next time, then it turns guilt into power.
Let’s start a new chapter for 2020, sans #momguilt
Do I still feel mom guilt? YES! But now I can notice it and say, ooooh, I know you. And I know exactly how to get rid of you. And I do. When Cimorene was born it seemed I was always feeling guilty about something. Now the feeling might pop up during the day, but most of the time it’s gone as soon as I notice what’s happening. I feel better, and I’m not wasting energy on an emotion that’s often unproductive.
These are the top three strategies that I use to combat mom guilt, but I’ve got a few more that wouldn’t fit in this post. Stay tuned for more next week…
www.begoodtomama.com | Weekly Goodness | https://medium.com/@rhiannon_51058/put-your-gauntlets-on-its-time-to-fight-momguilt-77e3e66cfaa3 | ['Rhiannon Menn'] | 2020-01-15 17:49:23.821000+00:00 | ['Motherhood', 'Mom Guilt', 'Personal Development', 'Parenting', 'Moms'] |
I Change — The New Book of Changes, Part I | “Do not turn and run, for there is nowhere worthwhile for you to go. Do not attempt to push ahead into the danger… emulate the example of the water: Pause and build up your strength until the obstacle no longer represents a blockage.” ― Thomas F. Cleary, I Ching (Book of Changes)
There is no beginning to this, no start points (other than a starting awareness, perhaps). And no labels either, like teleological or evolutionary. When one decides to create change or toy with it, or when one becomes aware that change might be necessary, those old categories and constraints don’t fall away so much as bleed together like colors in the laundry. And if there is no beginning, then must we not agree that change is constant? When we endeavor to create it, then, we do so against a backdrop of existing change. Change is the way of things, an infinite regression — turtles, all the way down.
Consider that when we say, “One Mississippi …” (or “one Piccadilly” or “one one-thousand”) — in that split second anywhere from 100,000 to 1,000,000 cells in our body perish and are replaced by new ones. Exact replicas, or are they? You’re not the same person you were a second ago, much less when you started reading this article 60 seconds ago. (My, how you’ve changed.) We experience ourselves as unchanged, continuous. But all it takes is a look in the mirror, or in the photo album, to remind us that continuity is an illusion.
But the change we feel in our bones and in our guts, be it a change in the weather or a change in our status, is not so constant. It’s rather episodic, sometimes cyclical, sometimes rhyming with fits and starts.
Putting perception aside for a moment, change is more like a trajectory or a thread being stretched. Change is not the fabric of space-time so much as a tendril running through it, coming around on itself like a spiral orbit. But not an orbit that returns us day after day, year after year, to the same eternal point in the heavens. The earth revolves around the sun but does not return in a year’s time to the same place it once occupied. The sun is on the move, too. The whole solar system is — we forget that. Everything is spiraling, moving. So is change; it’s on the move. And it will happen regardless, if only because the future so desperately wants to emerge. Change isn’t coming so much as it is becoming. And there are so many tendrils: you, me, everything.
This seems clear: In returning home after many years on the road, it’s not only we who’ve changed but so has our home. It, too, was on the move. As such, change is spatial, temporal, variable. It can be both a point in time and a period of time. Change is quantum.
That’s the weirdness of change, like playing with electrons. One second it is in your hand, and the next it is smearing through it. If change obeys a set of laws, we haven’t yet uncovered all of them. But we don’t necessarily have to define every nuance of change to play with it. When it comes to creating change, we have some choices, albeit a modest palette of actions. We can step aside and let change (and the future) come to pass, unbidden and unchecked. In this case, we are not so much resigned to passivity, though that is possible and perhaps favored by some. But we are not such a species; rather, we are like a boxer, slipping change’s jab or rolling with its punches, and sometimes, getting rolled by them. On dark days, change is the overhand right we never saw coming.
We can also lean in gently and push against the arrow of change and, if the surrounding skids have been greased (because people have been encouraged to participate in the change), nudge the change trajectory toward a different, more inviting destination. Like an aikido master, we can effortlessly redirect the trajectory’s aim by tapping on it here and there ever so slightly. Little inputs can have massive effects. Go easy.
More often than not, though, change is not so easy — even when the skids have been greased — and we must put our shoulders and backs against the trajectory’s ingrained path, grit our teeth, and heave. But beware, because trajectories often have minds of their own and seek a return to the old paths and the old ways. All systems seek to return to their lowest energy state, humans included. To change the path and sustain the course thereafter takes energy — in the form of care — applied over time, sometimes a long time.
Lastly, and similarly, we can put our shoulders and backs against the very same path, only this time dig our heels in and absolutely refuse to let that trajectory’s path change even one iota. Inertia is on our side here: While onerous at times, it’s still easier to keep a thing from moving than it is to get it moving. It’s easier to stay the course than it is to change it.
These options are, of course, not mutually exclusive, not really. What barriers that exist between the choices for change, positive or otherwise, are often those that we conjure and create. We like to categorize, we humans. Yet, we can be all these things at once, pushing here, pulling there, bobbing and weaving as required. And when our change efforts are fruitful and the new path is a good one, or when we get lucky and get it right, we tend to say, “I did that (or we did that). I changed that.” But when we get it wrong, we tend to say, “There’s nothing I could have done. It wasn’t my fault. The situation conspired against me. Who would have thought …”
Biases both amplify and diminish our desire for change, as well as our efficacy — our ability to bring it about. The forces for and against change are often one and the same, the gas pedal is the brake pedal, and only the context in which they are applied is different. One day we are an agent of change; the very next we are an agent of the status quo. You’ll get used to the paradoxes after a while.
And when we are heaving and hauling against that trajectory’s path and trying to redirect it, which choice of modestly bright futures and workable solutions is the right choice, which path is the correct one? “There are many roads to Rome,” we say. Better to answer that with more questions: What is our purpose? Or we might ask ourselves, “If we could be any shape, what shape would we like to be? A cube? A sphere? And what shape is our environment? Do we match up?” So much of the microscopic world, like the proteins that comprise us — so much of that world relies on shape for its function. Shape is function and vice versa. Should we not emulate that world and aim for a better fit with our environment? Becoming fit — getting into shape — has new meaning in the world of change.
We might also ask, what matters to us right now? And if we can name it — that which matters most — can we then concentrate on it? The change required might not be external (to our teams, our companies, our communities, our families, and ourselves) but internal. Like a samurai sword, the paragon of annealing, are our atoms — our people and teams and subcultures — are they all aligned and focused, even if only for a time? When it comes to focusing on what matters most, the distractions are legion. Breathe them away.
Or, we might consider what variations in our story, personal, cultural, tribal, or otherwise, do we wish to select and retain, and which do we wish to cut away? Who are we; who do we want to be? And are our narratives pretty things we hang on the wall — core values and what not? Maybe our values make for a nice catchy acronym: Sincerity, Humility, Integrity, Temperance. Sounds nice, but it’s all SHIT. Or perhaps our narratives aren’t merely a script to be read but one to be acted out: All things are known by their behaviors. How are we known — by what behaviors?
Examine your world calmly. Build up your strength. And answers will emerge. But they won’t be elegant. Mostly we muddle through change, but we can still muddle well.
Put that on your t-shirt: Muddle excellently.
Here, read the I Ching, I say. Now you have some understanding of change, if only because you see that the universe is a set, perhaps an infinite set, of patterns — patterns that we can divine from time to time. But never perfectly, never fully. Now you understand change, if only because you have more questions than before reading the ancient text. If only because you’re more confused and uncertain. If only because you understand that change is difficult. It’s hard, and our resistance to it is hardwired.
Smile at it, this resistance. Give it a curt nod and wink at it. But don’t do as some do in the face of change and uncertainty and curl into a rigid ball, accepting no new information unless it conforms to the shape of the old ways, the comfortable ways, the mediocre ways. Instead, breathe, expand, and look straight into your resistance. Is there something you fear in there, some loss perhaps, like status? That’s ok; we all dread it. But courage emerges in spite of fear, even because of it.
On the way to acting courageously, you can perhaps shed the linear — the mindset and the causal models. Shake off the westerner in you — in all of us. I shake my head when I read the change books. For some, change progresses from step to step, neat and tidy-like, in six or eight or ten distinct leaps. We were once atoms, then cells, then tissues, then organs, then systems. That makes me chuckle — we were indeed, but we were, and are, all of those at once. And even if we progressed, it was not in a linear fashion but in a complex one. With each new turn, we found ourselves more interconnected and more interdependent, more diverse and more entangled. “More is different,” we say.
When creating change, concentrate on relationships, not steps. When changing our habits, for instance, we need not return to the atom and start over, progressing linearly. Instead, imagine what it might be like to co-evolve, to start everywhere at once, to expand outward and inward. Generate solutions and test them, explore, get creative. And get help. Linking arms with tough-minded, gritty accomplices is cool. It’s also necessary.
Start your expansion here, perhaps: Practice what you wish to become. Start small; try to embrace the courage to say no (it’s harder than you might think). And for those around you on the practice field, those who are willing to fumble and get back up, reward them mightily, and do so with nothing more than attention — a hug, a slap on the back, or an arm-pumping handshake. They are as free, these rewards, as they are invaluable. Do that, and you’ll see more of those sought-after behaviors (and more people willing to practice, perhaps). But be careful; ignore the wrong behaviors — in yourself, your boss, your peers, your kids — and you’ll see more of them as well. So, don’t ignore the poor behaviors, but do but spend your time resourcing the good ones (and the people who practice them, naturally). To the “practicers” go the spoils. Play with resources like autonomy and choice; lend trust as you would a hand. Let mastery emerge. And tell some stories.
Maybe you can tell the one about that person on your team who took a risk and spoke up. Perhaps they called attention to something uncomfortable but something that needed to be said. Or maybe you tell that story about the person who always seems to listen so intently, like what others are saying is just the most important thing they’ve ever heard — because it is. Maybe you tell the story about how so-and-so responds, never jumps to conclusions, never reacts, never interprets another’s behavior without first trying to understand the other’s intent. Maybe you tell a cool story about that person on the team who shares information just as readily as they share their experiences — the good and the bad, the successes and the failures, the home runs and the strikeouts. Ooh, maybe you tell a story about someone who doesn’t just talk SHIT but actually acts it out every single day (Sincerity, Humility, Integrity, Temperance — in case you forgot). Maybe you tell a story about someone on the team who consistently asks for feedback, who waives away the praise and says, “Give me something I could have done better, something real to try out.” Simple rules might be hip these days, but feedback is still where the magic happens.
These are really just stories about people who create relationships that hold the world together. No biggie. They are also stories about people who can change that world. Ask them to lend you their backs and shoulders.
I’m assuming you can tell these stories, right? | https://medium.com/the-change-leaders/i-change-the-new-book-of-changes-part-i-78d8c7b52b22 | ['Dave Cooper'] | 2020-07-29 19:32:59.663000+00:00 | ['Leadership', 'Life', 'Culture', 'Change', 'Life Lessons'] |
The pandemic broke our car-less lifestyle | When I was in high school, I obsessed over car stats. Sports cars, that is. I kept a spreadsheet with a couple dozen of the top performing cars in production and would update it each year a model got an update. Years later, when I finally got my license, my mother was kind enough to play along and take me to test drive a few of the favorites. From an early age, I knew what thrilled me about cars — torque — and tight turns. But in balancing out broader needs for a car, especially with a family, I have ended up having more practical cars better suited for hauling things and people.
When we moved to San Francisco nearly a decade ago, we gave up having a car. It was part of the promise of a dense city with good public infrastructure and bikeability— a car isn’t that necessary. The progressive polities and tech startups also mean the city is an early adopter for transportation alternatives. For about 15 years, we’ve used Zipcar, and that was pretty essential to dealing with the daily kid commute needs for a few years. Then with Lyft, our public transportation usage declined and we still had remarkable mobility. I tend to prefer my bicycle for as much as possible and still do. It keeps me fit and gives me tons of mobility options. I love the car sharing models, as they take a very underutilized resource and make it more widely available. In recent years we have also adopted Turo and GetAround and now Lyft has electric bikes (rad!) and throw in the occasional car rental as needed.
But the dependence on third-party services also means we are subject to big changes in costs and uncertain availability. Zipcar per hour costs have gone up about 50% in the last five years (around $15/hr in the city now). Lyft rates have been rising for years too (drivers should get paid more), and with the pandemic, shared rides are not a thing anymore. A round-trip Lyft ride to the dentist about 3 miles away could now easily total over $30. Several other sharing models, like Turo, feature hefty fees from the app company that make a $30 rental for a day into a $60 rental. Again, if I just need to run a couple of errands, that adds quite a hefty added cost. Plus, I find myself spending an annoying amount of time navigating the different options on each different app to set up the transportation for a particular occasion.
Every couple years we look into options, run the numbers, and weigh the pros and cons of getting a car. While Zipcar includes insurance and gas, the other services do not, so insurance has become necessary even without owning a car. Between all the services, our monthly auto and transport spend is $350–600 (usually in the $450+ range).
This model of not owning a car has worked pretty well for the in-town travel for years, but where it is tough is for getting out of town. Those options are more expensive and don’t lend themselves to spontaneity (aka “ahhh…I’ve had enough! Get me into the woods now!). So ultimately, the pandemic has broken our lifestyle of not getting our own car. The need for our outdoor time (which means getting out of the city) has been the last straw in making the decision.
In talking with my wife, I realized that it has been over 13 years since we last acquired a car. And while I occasionally check out the models and options, I’m out of the loop and think most cars look the same. Zipcar has been handy to try out a variety of cars, but what I’ve concluded from that is that most cars are underwhelming and with very confusing interface screens. On top of that, I would like to never own an Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) car again, if possible. As with any decision, I would be making a variety of tradeoffs in selecting a car. I would rather settle those tradeoffs in an electric car. And so the journey of electric car began! | https://medium.com/@crystalballsf/the-pandemic-broke-our-carless-lifestyle-ed15a7bb824e | ['Christopher Johnson'] | 2020-12-06 23:52:40.175000+00:00 | ['Lifestyle', 'Electric Vehicles', 'Sustainability', 'Sharing Economy', 'Cars'] |
Market Research Debunked | This piece was originally published in Research World Connect and featured by RBDR Online Report as Martina Olbertova’s 5 Myths for MR to Overcome.
5 myths holding us back from using the full potential of market research.
New research trends open up doors to breakthrough insights & brand direction, but market research still does not utilise its full potential. The future in a form of new trends such as behaviour economics, semiotics, forecasting, or culture mapping has already arrived. The problem is that in the marketing industry it has been distributed disproportionally.
We can see islands of creative & inspirational research around the world with methods such as co-creation, crowdsourcing, ethnography, co-research, or even the more sophisticated methods such as semiotics, cultural analysis, or trend curating. However, the actual business use of these methods is still very minor in comparison to the traditional validation research.
If we want to use the full potential of research in the future, we will have to integrate it directly in the brand strategy process. Using research as a vital part of strategy is a great investment in your brand’s future. Research should play a leading role in all marketing activities of a brand. It should function as a sustainable long-term strategy for data gathering & evaluation and as an integral part of brand intelligence.
However, there is a cloud of preconceived ideas floating above our heads, which creates misconceptions about what research should be used for. This makes it uneasy for new research trends to fully adapt in the marketplace as the prevailing research paradigm is still heavily based upon ideas that are no longer relevant to brands or consumers today. Applying old frameworks of thinking to new trends, based on current thought mechanisms, makes new methods hard to establish as this perspective views them as minor and irrelevant.
Over the past two decades, both our communication and consumer habits have shifted significantly, while research methods have remained much the same. If we don’t want to produce ineffective results that will drive our businesses off the cliff, we should look underneath the surface on what grounds market research was formed as an industry and closely examine new ways we can use to fuel meaning back in heart of our clients’ brands via empowering better business decisions.
I see five myths clouding our judgment about what research should best be used for, derived from how market research is being misunderstood as a business tool in marketing today. Unless we don’t “demythicise” research, we will still produce results with methods that are outlived and outsmarted by consumers, who have already learnt to rewire their thought structures to fit the research techniques, and as such, have become virtually immune to them.
Demythisation 1: Research is not a data report.
The first myth is that the outcome of research is a data report. The report is still being handed to clients as a holy grail, the ultimate result of results, the final outcome of all research activity. This very practice itself often makes it virtually impossible for the marketer to do the most important thing: understand data in context of their brand to form better business decisions for the future of their brand. That’s why data interpretation and their explanation in a broader social and cultural context should be a constant practice.
John Kearon, founder of BrainJuicer, who recently appeared on The Transformation Series on YouTube, expressed the following thought: “Researchers should be more like management consultants. Research is 40 billion USD industry, while management consulting is 400 billion USD industry. We do 9 tenths of the work, but because we present it badly, we charge 1/10th of the price for all the great work we do. We should present the research in a great way, add value and ultimately charge more.”
This really is the key here. What we need to do is to rephrase market research as an industry to function in more of a management consulting business (flexible, communication-driven and process-oriented) and less like a data delivering one (often rigid, non-transparent and instant results-oriented).
The impact of market research built on the premise of a consulting business can be huge. What companies and marketing professionals need are researchers that are seasoned partners, with enough data background not only to monitor what’s happening on the market, but more importantly to help them articulate what’s best for brand direction. This is the true added value of market research.
Demythisation 2: Research is not a substitute for the lack of vision.
The second myth addresses the common belief that research should serve as an instant recipe for brand’s further direction. But if you look at how data is processed, you realise why that’s not essentially a good idea. Market research is largely an industry, which asks people what they think. If you break this mechanism down, you realise that time-wise researchers will only ever get responses that are attaching brand to the past in a form of its brand perception.
This is why planning your brand strategy based on “what people out there had said” is not a good idea. As a brand you are aiming to step out and go forward, but you find you’re being pushed back by what people thought of you in the first place. This very mechanism traps brands in the realm of their perception. Brands managed on the basis of brand perception are doomed. It’s the single key responsibility of a marketer and/or a brand strategist to form a brand vision and maintain that vision through a consistent brand management. It’s a responsibility that cannot be outsourced or delegated to the consumer, as consumers don’t know where you’re going. It’s your KPI’s after all, not your consumers.
Research is best used as a compass. If used correctly, research can be a tremendous strategic tool to monitor landscape of the market, bounce it back to the vision and inspire changes in your tactics and branding strategy. Brand perception will finally kick in only later on when the vision has successfully materialised in the minds of people.
Demythisation 3: Answers are not locked in consumers' heads. Semiotics can provide answers where consumers are short of words.
The third myth tackles the preconceived idea that answers are locked in heads of consumers. This is actually the lead proposition that consumer research was built upon. Consumers, however, don’t have the answers to everything. Their perception and behaviours are by large influenced by the society and culture that helped form and shape their identity, beliefs and views of the world in the first place.
Here is the space opening up for semiotics and culture mapping as unique methods how to dig out an in-depth insight for brands by deriving meanings directly from analysing culture and its codes. In the Czech Republic for example, big FMCG companies such as Heineken, Mondelēz, and Pernod Ricard have already tapped into such methods. FMCG products are great for semiotic and cultural research as they usually have a vibrant packaging, high exposure in consumers’ daily lives and as such are full of complex meanings to explore. There’s no reason, however, why the same methods could not be applied also to banking and financial services, Tech and Telco companies, retail or other market segments.
Demythisation 4: Research is not validation. It will have more impact if used strategically.
The fourth myth aims to take down the idea that research is only good for validation. This idea is rooted so deeply, because validation is still the dominant way of research execution in marketing today. Even though, this is also the very reason, why it was not yet possible to fully integrate research in the planning of a marketing strategy, it would be foolish to think it’s the only way to go.
Research does not have to only validate, it can also inspire, activate consumers, enhance their loyalty, create a community, advocate, co-create or unlock new original views on the world around us. Unfortunately, unless brands grasp the fact that long-term inspiration and understanding of the brand’s cultural context is much more vital to the brand’s future than short-time brand trackings, we won’t be able to move much further in this direction as an industry.
Demythisation 5: Research is not purely analytical. It’s creative, too.
Fifth and last prevailing myth is condemning research as an analytical industry only. The myth itself is based on this binary opposition of validation and creativity we have built in our minds. Many people in the marketing industry still believe that creativity is something highbrow and belongs solely in the hands of a creative department. Creativity, however, has much more to do with a divergent form of thinking and ability to form unexpected solutions to prevailing problems. It’s a capacity of a person’s mind.
This belief is accentuated by research methods such as crowdsourcing or co-creation. Nimbler brands have already started looking for ways to use research creatively as a part of their brand planning process and found ways to integrate research in their creative strategies. Good example of such a brand is Fidorka (a Czech chocolaty biscuit from Mondelēz brand portfolio), which used co-creation to develop its new fresh positioning of “Impish Pranks”. More tuned into the codes of a local Czech culture, this campaign is based on a universal insight (even stronger locally), which states that every adult has an inner child still enjoying silly pranks even if they grow older. Creativity, originality and playfulness have less to do with age, than our minds.
Thanks to embodying this in-depth insight, which was vitally relevant to Fidorka’s target audience in a simply executed creative way, the “Impish Pranks” campaign drove 12 % in sales and received Gold award in this year’s Czech Effie Awards for the most effective campaign in the FMCG category.
***
PhDr. Martina Olbertova is Founder & CEO of Meaning.Global, a new breed of a global strategic brand consultancy powered entirely by meaning. She is a global brand strategist and corporate meaning advisor with ambition to redefine the role of meaning in the marketing industry. With 10+ years of experience in the industry, she's worked on diverse briefs for global blue chip clients such as Kantar 2016 rebrand, Unilever, Vodafone, IBM, KBC, Lloyds Bank, Visa, Heineken or Pernod Ricard. Passionate about humanity in business, brand transformation, semiotics, anthropology, behavioural science and all things culture. Based in Europe (London/Prague) & available for strategic consulting projects and speaking engagements worldwide. | https://martinaolbertova.medium.com/market-research-debunked-78b4b61fdb1e | ['Martina Olbertova'] | 2018-08-14 13:28:04.988000+00:00 | ['Market Research', 'Marketing', 'Strategy', 'Semiotics', 'Culture'] |
2019 Crypto Compliance: Year in Review | 2019 Crypto Compliance: Year in Review
By Crystal Blockchain Analytics
Overview of the 2019 Global Cryptocurrency Compliance Industry
2019 was a year of preparation and standardization for the cryptocurrency industry, as regulators around the world came together to enforce tangible legislation impacting the ecosystem. In the U.S., SEC Chairman Jay Clayton spoke candidly to a Senate Committee in December, informing them that the SEC is taking a measured yet proactive regulatory approach to crypto that will both foster innovation and capital formation while protecting investors and U.S. markets.
In June 2019, the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) published its “Guidance for a Risk-Based Approach to Virtual Assets and Virtual Asset Service Providers” giving countries until June of 2020 to implement these guidelines. The EU’s 5th Anti Money Laundering Directive (5th AML Directive) also included a definition of cryptocurrencies, as well as more advanced AML regulatory requirements for obligated entities. The EU Member States have to transpose the requirements of the 5th AML Directive by 10 January 2020.
Some countries have already begun to change their legislative frameworks in advance of these major global regulatory changes. South Korea has already begun taking legal measures to stamp out unregistered exchanges, and financial regulators in Singapore will introduce a Payment Services Act in January 2020. China has also taken steps to advance KYC legislation ahead of the release of their state cryptocurrency.
Crystal Blockchain’s International Bitcoin Flow Report highlighted just how much regulation has influenced (and will continue to influence) the flow of bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies between registered and unregistered exchanges. The team has also published an interactive fund flow map on its website with updated data and statistics from the report.
Overview of Bad Actors & Malicious Activity with Crypto in 2019
The use of bitcoin for darknet market operations has undoubtedly seen an increase in activity in recent years, but now it’s easier than ever to track these activities due to the public blockchain’s transparency and immutability. The Crystal analytics team has created a report on darknet activities and bitcoin to analyze and measure bitcoin use on the dark web.
Crystal’s Crypto Compliance
This year, we aggressively pursued updates and improvements to our platform to make it easier for our clients to comply with upcoming 2020 regulations. The team has been enhancing due diligence practices and account reviewing for our customers by enhancing our risk storing tools and creating a concise case management system for shared investigations. We have also added customizable alert functionality as well as additional fund flow verification for enhanced risk management.
Our platform now supports analysis of four major cryptocurrencies: Bitcoin, Ethereum (as well as ERC20 and ERC721 tokens), Bitcoin Cash and Litecoin. Our public blockchain and wallet coverage continues to grow and our algorithms reviewing these blockchains continue to improve. In compliance with current and future regulations, Crystal Blockchain’s advanced risk-scoring algorithm and address-listing function is based on information gathered from known sanctioned entities.
We are looking forward to the year ahead in crypto compliance. We will be adding more currencies to the platform soon, including Tether & Ripple, and we will be continuously updating our platform settings for easier and more efficient compliance and investigation.
We would like to take this opportunity to thank all of our clients for your continued support. We wish you a happy holiday season — see you in 2020!
Best,
The Crystal Blockchain Team | https://medium.com/meetbitfury/2019-crypto-compliance-year-in-review-by-crystal-blockchain-3fce08c07e66 | ['Crystal Blockchain'] | 2019-12-27 13:27:51.746000+00:00 | ['Technology', 'Blockchain', 'Bitcoin', 'Cryptocurrency', 'Crystal Blockchain'] |
One Piece EP 956 On Fuji TV’s | One Piece EP 956 On Fuji TV’s
Ticking Down to the Great Battle! The Straw Hats Go into Combat Mode!
Episode 956 | Ticking Down to the Great Battle! The Straw Hats Go into Combat Mode! | The adventures of Monkey D. Luffy and his pirate crew in order to find the greatest treasure ever left by the legendary Pirate, Gold Roger. The famous mystery treasure named “One Piece”.
Watch On ►► http://dadangkoprol.dplaytv.net/series/81797/21/65
The adventures of Monkey D. Luffy and his pirate crew in order to find the greatest treasure ever left by the legendary Pirate, Gold Roger. The famous mystery treasure named “One Piece”.
♚ I do not own this song or the Image, all credit goes,
It’s so Awesome. Subscribe and Share with your friends! to my channel. See for more videos!!. I want to say ‘thank you’ for being the friend!! Atelevision show (often simply TV show) is any content produced for broadcast via over-the-air, satellite, cable, or internet and typically viewed on a television set, excluding breaking news, advertisements, or trailers that are typically placed between shows. Television shows are most often scheduled well ahead of time and appear on electronic guides or other TV listings. A television show might also be called a television program (British English: programme), especially if it lacks a narrative structure. A television series is usually released in episodes that follow a narrative, and are usually divided into seasons (US and Canada) or series (UK) — yearly or semiannual sets of new episodes. A show with a limited number of episodes may be called a miniseries, serial, or limited series. A one-time show may be called a “special”. A television film (“made-for-TV movie” or “television movie”) is a film that is initially broadcast on television rather than released in theaters or direct-to-video. Television shows can be viewed as they are broadcast in real time (live), be recorded on home video or a digital video recorder for later viewing, or be viewed on demand via a set-top box or streamed over the internet.
✨ CREDITS ✨
The first television shows were experimental, sporadic broadcasts viewable only within a very short range from the broadcast tower starting in the 202055s. Televised events such as the 202055 Summer Olympics in Germany, the 202055 coronation of King George VI in the UK, and David Sarnoff’s famous introduction at the 202055 New York World’s Fair in the US spurred a growth in the medium, but World War II put a halt to development until after the war. The 202055 World Series inspired many Americans to buy their first television set and then in 202055, the popular radio show Texaco Star Theater made the move and became the first weekly televised variety show, earning host Milton Berle the name “Mr Television” and demonstrating that the medium was a stable, modern form of entertainment which could attract advertisers. The first national live television broadcast in the US took place on September 2020, 202055 when President Harry Truman’s speech at the Japanese Peace Treaty Conference in San Francisco was transmitted over AT&T’s transcontinental cable and microwave radio relay system to broadcast stations in local markets. The first national color broadcast (the 202055 Tournament of Roses Parade) in the US occurred on January 2020, 202055. During the following ten years most network broadcasts, and nearly all local programming, continued to be in black-and-white. A color transition was announced for the fall of 202055, during which over half of all network prime-time programming would be broadcast in color. The first all-color prime-time season came just one year later. In 202055, the last holdout among daytime network shows converted to color, resulting in the first completely all-color network season.
💫 CREDITS 💫
Television shows are more varied than most other forms of media due to the wide variety of formats and genres that can be presented. A show may be fictional (as in comedies and dramas), or non-fictional (as in documentary, news, and reality television). It may be topical (as in the case of a local newscast and some made-for-television films), or historical (as in the case of many documentaries and fictional series). They could be primarily instructional or educational, or entertaining as is the case in situation comedy and game shows.[citation needed] A drama program usually features a set of actors playing characters in a historical or contemporary setting. The program follows their lives and adventures. Before the 202055, shows (except for soap opera-type serials) typically remained static without story arcs, and the main characters and premise changed little.[citation needed] If some change happened to the characters’ lives during the episode, it was usually undone by the end. Because of this, the episodes could be broadcast in any order.[citation needed] Since the 202055, many series feature progressive change in the plot, the characters, or both. For instance, Hill Street Blues and St. Elsewhere were two of the first American prime time drama television series to have this kind of dramatic structure,[2020][better source needed] while the later series Jujutsu Kaisenlon 2020 further exemplifies such structure in that it had a predetermined story running over its intended five-season run.[citation needed] In 202055, it was reported that television was growing into a larger component of major media companies’ revenues than film.[2020] Some also noted the increase in quality of some television programs. In 202055, Academy-Award-winning film director Steven Soderbergh, commenting on ambiguity and complexity of character and narrative, stated: “I think those qualities are now being seen on television and that people who want to see stories that have those kinds of qualities are watching television. On January 20201, 2020202020202020, WHO announced an outbreak of a coronavirus new (COVID-20205) as a Concerning Public Health Emergency World. To respond to COVID-20205, preparedness and response is needed critical nature such as equipping health personnel and facility management health services with the necessary information, procedures, and tools can safely and effectively work. health workers play an important role in responding to outbreaks COVID-20205 and become the backbone of a country’s defense for limit or manage the spread of disease. At the forefront, power health care providers that suspect patients need and confirmed COVID-20205, which is often carried out in challenging circumstances. Officers are at a higher risk of contracting COVID-20205 in their efforts to protect wider society. Officers can be exposed to hazards such as psychological stress, fatigue, mental exhaustion or stigma. WHO is aware of their duties and responsibilities this big responsibility and the importance of protecting health care facility personnel.
💫 Aim
This material aims to protect health workers from infection and prevent it possible spread of COVID-20205 in health care facilities. This material contains a series of simple messages and reminders based on technical guidelines WHO is more comprehensive about infection prevention and control in facilities health services in the context of COVID-20205: “Prevention and control infection in health services when the new coronavirus (nCoV) infection is suspected “ (20205 January 2020202020202020). Further information can be found in the WHO technical manual.
✨ Readers of this material
This material is intended for health personnel and service facility management health and may be distributed to other health workers and to facilities health services. The Ministry of Health can provide this material to all hospitals and government health service facilities. Copy this material needs to be provided to private physician networks, medical associations, medical, nursing and midwifery to be shared and fitted accordingly necessity. The contents of this material can be adapted into local languages and placed in places in the service facility
💫 ALL CATEGORY WATCHTED 💫
An action story is similar to adventure, and the protagonist usually takes a risky turn, which leads to desperate scenarios (including explosions, fight scenes, daring escapes, etc.). Action and adventure usually are categorized together (sometimes even while “action-adventure”) because they have much in common, and many stories are categorized as both genres simultaneously (for instance, the James Bond series can be classified as both). Continuing their survival through an age of a Zombie-apocalypse as a makeshift family, Columbus (Jesse Eisenberg), Tallahassee (Woody Harrelson), Wichita (Emma Stone), and Little Rock (Abagail Breslin) have found their balance as a team, settling into the now vacant White House to spend some safe quality time with one another as they figure out their Jujutsu Kaisen move. However, spend time at the Presidential residents raise some uncertainty as Columbus proposes to Wichita, which freaks out the independent, lone Jujutsu Kaisen out, while Little Rock starts to feel the need to be on her own. The women suddenly decide to escape in the middle of the night, leaving the men concerned about Little Rock, who’s quickly joined by Berkley (Avan Jogia), a hitchhiking hippie on his way to place called Babylon, a fortified commune that’s supposed to be safe haven against the zombies of the land. Hitting the road to retrieved their loved one, Tallahassee and Columbus meet Madison (Zoey Deutch), a dim-witted survivor who takes an immediate liking to Columbus, complicating his relationship with Wichita.
💫 ANALYZER GOOD / BAD 💫
To be honest, I didn’t catch Jujutsu Kaisen when it first got released (in theaters) back in 515. Of course, the movie pre-dated a lot of the pop culture phenomenon of the usage of zombies-esque as the main antagonist (i.e Game of Thrones, The Maze Runner trilogy, The Walking Dead, World War Z, The Last of Us, etc.), but I’ve never been keen on the whole “Zombie” craze as others are. So, despite the comedy talents on the project, I didn’t see Jujutsu Kaisen….until it came to TV a year or so later. Surprisingly, however, I did like it. Naturally, the zombie apocalypse thing was fine (just wasn’t my thing), but I really enjoyed the film’s humor-based comedy throughout much of the feature. With the exception of 520201’s Shaun of the Dead, majority of the past (and future) endeavors of this narrative have always been serious, so it was kind of refreshing to see comedic levity being brought into the mix. Plus, the film’s cast was great, with the four main leads being one of the film’s greatest assets. As mentioned above, Jujutsu Kaisen didn’t make much of a huge splash at the box office, but certainly gained a strong cult following, including myself, in the following years. Flash forward a decade after its release and Jujutsu Kaisen finally got a sequel with Jujutsu Kaisen: Double Tap, the central focus of this review post. Given how the original film ended, it was clear that a sequel to the 515 movie was indeed possible, but it seemed like it was in no rush as the years kept passing by. So, I was quite surprised to hear that Jujutsu Kaisen was getting a sequel, but also a bit not surprised as well as Hollywood’s recent endeavors have been of the “belated sequels” variety; finding mixed results on each of these projects. I did see the film’s movie trailer, which definitely was what I was looking for in this Jujutsu Kaisen 2020 movie, with Eisenberg, Harrelson, Stone, Breslin returning to reprise their respective characters again. I knew I wasn’t expecting anything drastically different from the 515 movie, so I entered Double Tap with good frame of my mind and somewhat eagerly expecting to catch up with this dysfunctional zombie killing family. Unfortunately, while I did see the movie a week after its release, my review for it fell to the wayside as my life in retail got a hold of me during the holidays as well as being sick for a good week and half after seeing the movie. So, with me still playing “catch up” I finally have the time to share my opinions on Jujutsu Kaisen: Double Tap. And what are they? Well, to be honest, my opinions on the film was good. Despite some problems here and there, Jujutsu Kaisen: Double Tap is definitely a fun sequel that’s worth the decade long wait. It doesn’t “redefine” the Zombie genre interest or outmatch its predecessor, but this Jujutsu Kaisen chapter of Jujutsu Kaisen still provides an entertaining entry….and that’s all that matters. Returning to the director’s chair is director Ruben Fleischer, who helmed the first Jujutsu Kaisen movie as well as other film projects such as 51 Minutes or Less, Gangster Squad, and Venom. Thus, given his previous knowledge of shaping the first film, it seems quite suitable (and obvious) for Fleischer to direct this movie and (to that affect), Double Tap succeeds. Of course, with the first film being a “cult classic” of sorts, Fleischer probably knew that it wasn’t going to be easy to replicate the same formula in this sequel, especially since the 5-year gap between the films. Luckily, Fleischer certainly excels in bringing the same type of comedic nuances and cinematic aspects that made the first Jujutsu Kaisen enjoyable to Double Tap; creating a second installment that has plenty of fun and entertainment throughout. A lot of the familiar / likeable aspects of the first film, including the witty banter between four main lead characters, continues to be at the forefront of this sequel; touching upon each character in a amusing way, with plenty of nods and winks to the original 515 film that’s done skillfully and not so much unnecessarily ham-fisted. Additionally, Fleischer keeps the film running at a brisk pace, with the feature having a runtime of 55 minutes in length (one hour and thirty-nine minutes), which means that the film never feels sluggish (even if it meanders through some secondary story beats / side plot threads), with Fleischer ensuring a companion sequel that leans with plenty of laughter and thrills that are presented snappy way (a sort of “thick and fast” notion). Speaking of which, the comedic aspect of the first Jujutsu Kaisen movie is well-represented in Double Tap, with Fleischer still utilizing its cast (more on that below) in a smart and hilarious by mixing comedic personalities / personas with something as serious / gravitas as fighting endless hordes of zombies every where they go. Basically, if you were a fan of the first Jujutsu Kaisen flick, you’ll definitely find Double Tap to your liking. In terms of production quality, Double Tap is a good feature. Granted, much like the last film, I knew that the overall setting and background layouts weren’t going to be something elaborate and / or expansive. Thus, my opinion of this subject of the movie’s technical presentation isn’t that critical. Taking that into account, Double Tap does (at least) does have that standard “post-apocalyptic” setting of an abandoned building, cityscapes, and roads throughout the feature; littered with unmanned vehicles and rubbish. It certainly has that “look and feel” of the post-zombie world, so Double Tap’s visual aesthetics gets a solid industry standard in my book. Thus, a lot of the other areas that I usually mentioned (i.e set decorations, costumes, cinematography, etc.) fit into that same category as meeting the standards for a 20205 movie. Thus, as a whole, the movie’s background nuances and presentation is good, but nothing grand as I didn’t expect to be “wowed” over it. So, it sort of breaks even. This also extends to the film’s score, which was done by David Sardy, which provides a good musical composition for the feature’s various scenes as well as a musical song selection thrown into the mix; interjecting the various zombie and humor bits equally well. There are some problems that are bit glaring that Double Tap, while effectively fun and entertaining, can’t overcome, which hinders the film from overtaking its predecessor. Perhaps one of the most notable criticism that the movie can’t get right is the narrative being told. Of course, the narrative in the first Jujutsu Kaisen wasn’t exactly the best, but still combined zombie-killing action with its combination of group dynamics between its lead characters. Double Tap, however, is fun, but messy at the same time; creating a frustrating narrative that sounds good on paper, but thinly written when executed. Thus, problem lies within the movie’s script, which was penned by Dave Callaham, Rhett Reese, and Paul Wernick, which is a bit thinly sketched in certain areas of the story, including a side-story involving Tallahassee wanting to head to Graceland, which involves some of the movie’s new supporting characters. It’s fun sequence of events that follows, but adds little to the main narrative and ultimately could’ve been cut completely. Thus, I kind of wanted see Double Tap have more a substance within its narrative. Heck, they even had a decade long gap to come up with a new yarn to spin for this sequel…and it looks like they came up a bit shorter than expected. Another point of criticism that I have about this is that there aren’t enough zombie action bits as there were in the first Jujutsu Kaisen movie. Much like the Walking Dead series as become, Double Tap seems more focused on its characters (and the dynamics that they share with each other) rather than the group facing the sparse groupings of mindless zombies. However, that was some of the fun of the first movie and Double Tap takes away that element. Yes, there are zombies in the movie and the gang is ready to take care of them (in gruesome fashion), but these mindless beings sort take a back seat for much of the film, with the script and Fleischer seemed more focused on showcasing witty banter between Columbus, Tallahassee, Wichita, and Little Rock. Of course, the ending climatic piece in the third act gives us the best zombie action scenes of the feature, but it feels a bit “too little, too late” in my opinion. To be honest, this big sequence is a little manufactured and not as fun and unique as the final battle scene in the first film. I know that sounds a bit contrive and weird, but, while the third act big fight seems more polished and staged well, it sort of feels more restricted and doesn’t flow cohesively with the rest of the film’s flow (in matter of speaking). What’s certainly elevates these points of criticism is the film’s cast, with the main quartet lead acting talents returning to reprise their roles in Double Tap, which is absolutely the “hands down” best part of this sequel. Naturally, I’m talking about the talents of Jessie Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson, Emma Stone and Abigail Breslin in their respective roles Jujutsu Kaisen character roles of Columbus, Tallahassee, Wichita, and Little Rock. Of the four, Harrelson, known for his roles in Cheers, True Detective, and War for the Planet of the Apes, shines as the brightest in the movie, with dialogue lines of Tallahassee proving to be the most hilarious comedy stuff on the sequel. Harrelson certainly knows how to lay it on “thick and fast” with the character and the s**t he says in the movie is definitely funny (regardless if the joke is slightly or dated). Behind him, Eisenberg, known for his roles in The Art of Self-Defense, The Social Network, and Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, is somewhere in the middle of pack, but still continues to act as the somewhat main protagonist of the feature, including being a narrator for us (the viewers) in this post-zombie apocalypse world. Of course, Eisenberg’s nervous voice and twitchy body movements certainly help the character of Columbus to be likeable and does have a few comedic timing / bits with each of co-stars. Stone, known for her roles in The Help, Superbad, and La La Land, and Breslin, known for her roles in Signs, Little Miss Sunshine, and Definitely, Maybe, round out the quartet; providing some more grown-up / mature character of the group, with Wichita and Little Rock trying to find their place in the world and how they must deal with some of the party members on a personal level. Collectively, these four are what certainly the first movie fun and hilarious and their overall camaraderie / screen-presence with each other hasn’t diminished in the decade long absence. To be it simply, these four are simply riot in the Jujutsu Kaisen and are again in Double Tap. With the movie keeping the focus on the main quartet of lead Jujutsu Kaisen characters, the one newcomer that certainly takes the spotlight is actress Zoey Deutch, who plays the character of Madison, a dim-witted blonde who joins the group and takes a liking to Columbus. Known for her roles in Before I Fall, The Politician, and Set It Up, Deutch is a somewhat “breath of fresh air” by acting as the tagalong team member to the quartet in a humorous way. Though there isn’t much insight or depth to the character of Madison, Deutch’s ditzy / air-head portrayal of her is quite hilarious and is fun when she’s making comments to Harrelson’s Tallahassee (again, he’s just a riot in the movie). The rest of the cast, including actor Avan Jogia (Now Apocalypse and Shaft) as Berkeley, a pacifist hippie that quickly befriends Little Rock on her journey, actress Rosario Dawson (Rent and Sin City) as Nevada, the owner of a Elvis-themed motel who Tallahassee quickly takes a shine to, and actors Luke Wilson (Legally Blonde and Old School) and Thomas Middleditch (Silicon Valley and Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie) as Albuquerque and Flagstaff, two traveling zombie-killing partners that are mimic reflections of Tallahassee and Columbus, are in minor supporting roles in Double Tap. While all of these acting talents are good and definitely bring a certain humorous quality to their characters, the characters themselves could’ve been easily expanded upon, with many just being thinly written caricatures. Of course, the movie focuses heavily on the Jujutsu Kaisen quartet (and newcomer Madison), but I wished that these characters could’ve been fleshed out a bit. Lastly, be sure to still around for the film’s ending credits, with Double Tap offering up two Easter Eggs scenes (one mid-credits and one post-credit scenes). While I won’t spoil them, I do have mention that they are pretty hilarious.
💫 FINAL THOUGHTS 💫
It’s been awhile, but the Jujutsu Kaisen gang is back and are ready to hit the road once again in the movie Jujutsu Kaisen: Double Tap. Director Reuben Fleischer’s latest film sees the return the dysfunctional zombie-killing makeshift family of survivors for another round of bickering, banting, and trying to find their way in a post-apocalyptic world. While the movie’s narrative is a bit messy and could’ve been refined in the storyboarding process as well as having a bit more zombie action, the rest of the feature provides to be a fun endeavor, especially with Fleischer returning to direct the project, the snappy / witty banter amongst its characters, a breezy runtime, and the four lead returning acting talents. Personally, I liked this movie. I definitely found it to my liking as I laugh many times throughout the movie, with the main principal cast lending their screen presence in this post-apocalyptic zombie movie. Thus, my recommendation for this movie is favorable “recommended” as I’m sure it will please many fans of the first movie as well as to the uninitiated (the film is quite easy to follow for newcomers). While the movie doesn’t redefine what was previous done back in 515, Jujutsu Kaisen: Double Tap still provides a riot of laughs with this make-shift quartet of zombie survivors; giving us give us (the viewers) fun and entertaining companion sequel to the original feature. | https://medium.com/@dad-angk-o-pr-ol07-44026/one-piece-ep-956-on-fuji-tvs-82be8acef81c | ['Ronald K. Yuan'] | 2020-12-27 00:46:27.771000+00:00 | ['Animation', 'Anime'] |
4 Things to Do When You Don‘t Feel Like Writing | You have a busy life as an aspiring writer. It involves many different tasks, like creating pitches, finding new possible clients, and handling referrals. You need to create provoking headlines, network, and of course, write the best texts the world has ever seen.
No wonder, sometimes it seems like you can’t handle all of it. When you’ve finished one of the mentioned tasks, it feels like all of the remaining had grown and became so demanding and overwhelming that there’s no room or time left for the crucial part: writing.
Often, procrastination kicks in. Suddenly, you start to find the ceiling super exciting. Although you shouldn’t, which makes your want to rip your hair off in desperation. And still, you don’t feel like writing at all.
I’ve been there once too
Which is a lie, because I’ve found myself regularly in this situation. And by the way, the ripping off my hair part was the reason I cut it short. No, seriously, I feel you.
But the show must go on, which means that as a writer, you need to write. Not only to earn money, but mainly because otherwise, you would be even more desperate and dissatisfied with your life. Can you relate to that? Good. | https://medium.com/inspired-writer/4-things-you-should-do-when-you-don-t-feel-like-writing-as-an-aspiring-writer-4590e5a98dc7 | ['Tim Schröder'] | 2020-07-18 08:15:02.692000+00:00 | ['Writer', 'Life', 'Writing', 'Writing Tips', 'Start'] |
Do You Miss Drinking? | Sometimes people ask me if I miss alcohol. I’m sure they ask you too.
I make sure to look them in the eyes and capture the expression on their face.
That look is a reminder. It transports me back in time. I use that look to trigger my memories of what it’s like to live life at the bottom of a bottle.
“Do you miss it?”
The people who ask me this, of course, are drinkers. There can be layers of meaning in that little question. Those four words can say so much.
Sometimes it’s an innocent question, a legitimate curiosity about what life would be like without the safety net of a tall pour at the end of a long day. This sort of nonchalant wonder comes from the “regular drinkers” who simply haven’t ever considered what abstaining would really be like.
But more often the question comes from someone who has a legitimate concern about themselves. This facial expression is what I use as my trigger.
If you really look closely, you can sense a hint of self-doubt and even a little pain. Their wonder is not an innocent question about what it would be like. These people have already considered what it would be like and maybe have even tried before.
It’s almost as if you can see the conflict on their face. They know they should probably stop themselves — if not indefinitely at least take a break or cut back in a major way. They want to, but maybe they can’t. Maybe they’re in denial about the concerns expressed by friends, family and lovers.
I know that hesitating, sheepish question and the painful emotions that hide beneath it because I lived it for many years.
I try to capture their look in my mind because it grounds me. I’ve trained myself to think back to the worst months of dependency. That’s what people in recovery mean when they say “play the tape forward.”
To ward off thoughts of what you might legitimately feel you miss, honestly remind yourself how easy it is to fall back into addiction. | https://medium.com/mental-health-and-addictions-community/do-you-miss-drinking-9dead3f765c7 | ['Russ W'] | 2020-09-08 06:15:16.882000+00:00 | ['Recovery', 'Addiction', 'Mental Health', 'Addiction Recovery', 'Alcoholism'] |
I Don’t Know What To Write | I am a better writer on a deadline. Plain and simple, when the clock is ticking and there is no other option than to write, ideas just seem to flow through my mind into my fingers and my thoughts appear on my computer screen as a beautiful, well-crafted essay. On the contrary, when I have all the time in the world to write my essay, I never seem to think of anything to write about. I can sit for hours on end just to come up with the initial idea to begin writing my masterpiece. When time is no issue and there are endless opportunities for story direction and all the different ways to present them, I know I’ll be sitting for a while, but I don’t know why. Free time also allows us to acknowledge the possibility of overthinking and getting stuck with not knowing what to write about, a concept known as Writer’s Block.
What is the cause of writer’s block and how can we avoid it in order to write quickly and more efficiently? According to the article “Blocked”, written by an anonymous author in the New Yorker magazine, writer’s block is caused by the pressures that writers are faced with. The article was published in a section of the magazine named “A Critic at Large”, this section is where authors write “Cultural essays and reviews examining television, books, theatre, movies, and music.” The article stresses the point that writers are put under stress and are pressured to masterpieces all the time. This makes them feel that if they don’t write a perfect paper, they will lose everything. This is why oftentimes authors experience Writer’s Block — they are too scared to begin, or do not know where to begin, writing — and thus lose touch of the creative process.
In the article “Blocked”, the author gives examples of several legendary writers who started their careers off by writing masterpieces. However, as the hype from their initial writings died down, they struggled their entire lives to create a story that was better than the original. For example, F. Scott Fitzgerald wrote a fantastic novel, “The Great Gatsby”, at a young age and spent the rest of his life trying to come up with something new, but it never came. He succumbed to serious alcoholism and died young. Another example of an author who suffered from chronic writer’s block was Ernest Hemmingway, a very famous writer who spent the majority of his years depressed, as an alcoholic and eventually committed suicide. “Writer Ernest Hemingway dodged bullets as a war correspondent, fought bulls in Spain, and hunted big game in Africa-but when asked to name the scariest thing he ever encountered, he answered, ‘A blank sheet of paper.’” The author described it as such: “Poets, in their youth, begin in gladness but thereof come in the end despondency and madness.”
Ernest Hemingway (Source: https://karsh.org/photographs/ernest-hemingway/)
Back in High School, I learned that the best way to deal with a moment of writer’s block is to just start. Just like the author talked about in “Blocked”, I would sit down and feel as though I would have to produce an A grade paper the first time writing. I found a way to get around this though. I would just forget writing structure and perfect sentences and began writing everything that was on my mind regarding the project, then just simply tweak the paper to create my final product. However, the ability for this to work depends on the confidence in your ability as a writer. You must not be afraid of failure, you have to forget about grades for a few hours and instead direct all your focus towards crafting an awesome piece of writing.
Similarly, Julia Spicher Kasdorf, an associate professor of English and Women’s Studies and Director of Penn State’s Master of Fine Arts Program in Creative Writing, discusses her experiences dealing with students suffering from writer’s block in the article “Is Writer’s Block Real”. She defines writer’s block as “A temporary inability to begin or continue a writing project due to fear, anxiety or lack of inspiration.”
One book that I found for my research on the psychological causes of writer’s block was a very well written piece titled “Writer’s Block: The Cognitive Dimension”, written by Mike Rose. This was a very in-depth, well-researched and well-written book that analyzes the root causes of writer’s block and how to overcome the crippling academic hindrance. The author, Mike Rose, is a very qualified writer. He is a graduate of Loyola University, University of Southern California, and the University of California, Los Angeles and is currently a professor at UCLA. Rose has written several books on the subject of language, literacy, and cognition.
I only studied pieces of the entire book, but it was nonetheless very informative. Mike Rose starts off by defining writer’s block and then moves onto discussing the psychological evidence behind it, and then by providing case studies that he researched to assess his view on writer’s block, and then eventually provides a solution to the problem. Mike Rose defines writer’s block as the “inability to begin or continue writing for reasons other than a lack of skill or commitment” which is measured by “passage of time with limited productive involvement in the writing task.” I agree with his definition of writer’s block because my own definition would be something very similar to what Mike Rose described: writer’s block is the inability to focus and come up with an appropriate idea to write about.
In his study, Rose also discusses the idea of “dynamic nominalism”. This psychological phenomenon first studied and noted by the philosopher Ian Hacking, says that once you invent a category, people will sort themselves into it, behave according to the description, and thus contrive new ways of being. Or in other words, the writer’s block is just us as writer’s facing a lack of motivation when faced with a problem.
Writer’s Block is a common reason writer’s give for losing their desire to write, but there is another secret as to why we experience it. To be hindered by Writer’s Block, you must first believe it exists. When you are sitting and staring at a blank page, unsure of what to write about, you tend to tell yourself that you are just suffering from writer’s block as a means of justifying procrastination. According to Mike Rose’s research, Writer’s Block is just an excuse for a time such as this, not a reality.
The Harvard University publication, “The Brains Behind Writer’s Block”, discusses the story of Harvard psychologist Dr. Alice Flaherty. Flaherty went through a very emotional period of her life where she had a miscarriage of twin children, and she had so much on her mind that she couldn’t stop writing. Similarly, the next year she gave birth to two healthy twin girls and she had an irresistible urge to write about everything that was piling up in her brain. She couldn’t do anything but write. Flaherty hypothesized that writing and not being able to write came from interactions between changes in specific areas of the brain. Essentially, Dr. Flaherty thought that the difference between suffering from writer’s block and writing was a matter of making the correct brain connections. Through her research, she found that creativity — specifically that related to original ideas and writing — is stimulated in a part of the brain called the temporal lobe, the same part of the brain that controls emotions.
Studies such as that conducted by Alice Flaherty have shown that the drive to write is heavily influenced by moods. The more strongly you feel about something, the more creative you will be and the easier it will become to write. However, if you feel no emotions towards the subject at hand, you will get stuck and creativity will be hindered and you will not know what to write about. Studies have shown that the drive to write is heavily influenced by moods. The more strongly you feel about something, the more creative you will be and the easier it will become to write. However, if you feel no emotions towards the subject at hand, you will get stuck and will not know what to write about. From the evidence provided from this article, I believe that one way to get around writer’s block would be to establish some stake in your writing. Actually, start caring about what you are writing, establish an opinion and let your emotions stimulate creativity and you will avoid writer’s block.
Writer’s block is caused by societal pressures to produce results. Ever since our first spelling test as first graders, we were told that our writing has to be perfect or else we would be failures. The reason we experience writer’s block is that we spend so much time mulling over the perfect topic to write about, that we get stuck and confused and find it extremely difficult to begin in the first place. Writer’s block is my inability to decide what I want to write. It is when I want to be perfect but I can’t decide what that is. Maybe because nothing is really perfect and for everything that exists there is always something that is better, always something to improve on. As Mark Twain said:
“The secret of getting ahead is getting started. The secret of getting started is breaking your complex overwhelming tasks into small manageable tasks, and then starting on the first one.”
So stop thinking and start writing. No pressure, you got this. | https://ahadsheriff.medium.com/i-dont-know-what-to-write-b3df728ad2e5 | ['Ahad Sheriff'] | 2019-03-05 22:02:04.534000+00:00 | ['Writer', 'Writing', 'Writers Block', 'Writing Tips', 'Essay'] |
How Much Basic Income Can We Afford? | Summary: Basic income advocates often encounter the objection, “We can’t afford it!” To counter that objection convincingly, they need to address several key questions:
What resources can a basic income draw upon? Which existing income support programs would be rendered unnecessary if an adequate basic income were in place?
How would a basic income mesh with other social programs, especially health care, child care, and social security?
Who would be eligible for a UBI? The entire population? Citizens only? Adults only?
Does an adequate basic income have to be generous enough to raise everyone out of poverty by itself, or would something less than that be enough?
________________________________________________________________
In search of a baseline UBI?
To many people, a universal basic income (UBI) sounds like a good idea — until you start thinking about whether we could afford it.
Robert Greenstein, President of the Center for Budget and Policy Priorities, is no enemy of robust government programs to help the poor, yet he is an outspoken critic of a UBI. Affordability is Greenstein’s number one concern. He argues that giving a UBI of $10,000 a year to the entire U.S. population of 327 million people would cost $3.27 trillion, about equal to the entire annual revenue of the U.S. government. It’s hard to imagine that such a UBI would advance very far, he says.
But is asking whether we could afford a UBI of any given size really the right question? A more sensible starting point might be to ask how much basic income we could afford if we used only what the government is already spending on income support, without raising taxes or total spending at all. The answer to that question gives us a baseline UBI that that we can use as a point of reference.
Determining how generous that baseline UBI would be involves two steps: First determining how much money could be made available by redirecting existing income support spending to a basic income (the numerator), and second, determining how many people would be eligible to receive benefits (the denominator). The baseline UBI is then equal to total funds divided by the eligible population.
Here goes.
What funds are available?
Robert S. Pfeiffer, creator of the website FederalSafetyNet.com, provides a helpful list of $754 billion in federal programs that have the primary purpose of aiding low-income Americans. By selecting appropriate items from that list, excluding others, and adding still others that do not appear on the list at all, we can make a plausible estimate of the numerator for the baseline UBI calculation.
Core welfare programs. The most obvious components of the numerator are a core group of means-tested federal programs that constitute what most people think of when they hear the term “welfare.” These include EITC, SNAP, TANF, housing assistance, and a handful of smaller programs. By Pfeiffer’s calculations, the federal share of these came to $225 billion for 2018. An adequate UBI would make all of these redundant.
Healthcare. The next question is what to do with the $400 billion now being spent on Medicaid — the largest of all current programs to aid the poor. In principle, we could try offering a UBI that was generous enough to allow even people living on the basic grant alone to pay for their own health care at market rates. Then we could throw the $400 billion into the UBI numerator. However, there are two serious problems with that approach.
One is that a basic income large enough to allow everyone to pay for their own medical care would have to be very large. Many discussions see a UBI of $10,000 to $12,000 thousand a year as enough to largely eliminate poverty, but U.S. healthcare spending alone comes to about $11,000 a year per person. A grant large enough to cover everyone’s unsubsidized health insurance and out-of-pocket costs of care, and still maintain a standard of living at the poverty level or above, would require a basic grant of more than $20,000. Dividing the $400 billion federal contribution to Medicaid among the entire U.S. population would yield only a little over $1,200 per person. Obviously, that would not be enough.
The second problem stems from the highly unequal distribution of healthcare spending. The healthiest half of the U.S. population accounts for just 3 percent of total spending, while the sickest 5 percent accounts for fully half.
Even if we did set the basic income at $20,000 a year, it is far from obvious that people would use the money to buy health insurance at market rates. Instead, people who were young and healthy would be tempted to spend their UBI on other needs. Some of them would be unlucky enough to get sick or would have costly accidents. What would happen to them? To turn them away when they sought care that they could not pay for would be inhumane. But to guarantee even emergency care for the uninsured would only increase the temptation for the young and healthy to forego insurance.
It would make more sense, in my opinion, to address the need for universal health care as a completely separate policy initiative. Elsewhere, I have described one way of doing so, universal catastrophic coverage. Money now spent on Medicaid should be put toward funding that or some other version of universal health care rather than used to increase the baseline UBI.
Middle-class welfare. Critics like Greenstein correctly point out that taking what is now spent on programs for the poor and redistributing it equally among the whole population would, other things being equal, increase overall inequality. To avoid such an outcome, we need to bring in another major category of federal spending, one that we could call middle-class welfare. It would be preposterous to replace current income support for the poor with a UBI while retaining income support for those who are already better off, and then giving them their basic income, too.
Most benefits for people with middle and upper incomes are delivered through the tax code. According to the Tax Policy Center, the three largest such items are housing subsidies, in the form of the mortgage interest deduction and the exemption of capital gains on the sale of homes ($70 billion in 2018); the charitable deduction ($54 billion); and tax benefits for retirement savings ($251 billion). The total from just these three programs would add $375 billion to the pool of funds available for a UBI.
But, it might be objected, wouldn’t working families struggle financially without these deductions? Not really. The reason is simple — tax deductions provide big benefits only to people who are rich enough to pay big taxes.
Consider the mortgage interest deduction. According to a study for the Tax Policy Center by Chenxi Lu and Eric Toder, in 2016 the mortgage deduction was worth just $193 a year, on average, to a family earning $40,000 to $125,000. Even for those with incomes in the $125,000 to $200,000 range, the mortgage deduction was worth just $1,007 a year. A very modest basic income would outweigh that. Only the very wealthy would lose more in deductions than they gained through a UBI.
But what about the charitable deduction? Isn’t that necessary to support essential nongovernmental programs for the poor? Again, not really. According to my analysis of the data, less than a third of all charitable giving actually reaches the poor. Much of the rest goes into covering salaries and overhead costs of religious institutions or into art museums, opera houses, endowments for prestigious universities, and other “charities” that are gifts from the wealthy to the wealthy. What is more, studies show that the deduction has a remarkably small effect on total giving.
As for retirement, I suggest that anyone who wants could have all or a part of their UBI go automatically into government savings bonds or a private mutual fund of their choice. For most people, that would do far more for retirement than the current tax benefits on 401k contributions.
State and local spending. Pfeiffer calculates that state and local governments spend $58 billion on income support for the poor, above and beyond federal programs. That figure does not include Medicaid or state and local tax benefits for the middle class. How should these funds be treated for purposes of a UBI?
One approach would be to require states to throw the money that they now spend for affordable housing, school nutrition, homeless shelters, and the like into the UBI pool. Doing so would increase the basic income for all recipients. However, that approach would involve significant redistribution of funds among the states, and would probably encounter serious political and even constitutional impediments.
Another approach would be to let states do whatever they want, either setting up their own mini-UBIs on the state level, or continuing their existing programs for the needy. In either case, state programs would somewhat reduce the minimum federal UBI grant needed to raise people out of poverty. It would also allow states to seek creative solutions to problems like substance abuse, mental illness, and domestic violence for which cash payments alone might not provide adequate relief.
For present purposes, I will follow the second approach and focus on a UBI funded solely from federal sources.
Who is eligible?
Having addressed the numerator of our baseline UBI, available funding , we turn now to the denominator — the number of people eligible to receive a grant. At first glance, that might seem obvious. If the “U” in UBI stands for “universal,” then everyone gets it. But who is “everyone?” Here are three of the most important eligibility issues:
Citizenship status. According to the Census Bureau, the U.S. population in 2018 was 327 million. Of those, about 44 million were foreign born. Data compiled by the Center for American Progress suggest that roughly half of the foreign born are naturalized U.S. citizens. Of the remainder about half are legal permanent residents and half are undocumented. The 327 million population includes all people residing in the United States, regardless of their legal status, but it does not include U.S. citizens residing abroad. Those are estimated to number about 9 million.
Who, then, is “everyone” for purposes of a UBI? An expansive definition would include all U.S. residents, regardless of legal status, plus U.S. citizens living abroad — about 336 million as of 2018. A narrow definition would include only resident U.S. citizens, of whom there are about 305 million.
The issue of who should be eligible has been widely debated by both critics and advocates of a basic income. Rather than re-litigate that issue here, I will simply calculate both high and low estimates for the baseline UBI, based on the Census population plus expats (336 million) and resident citizens only (305 million).
Children. According to the Census Bureau, 13.4 percent of the U.S. population, or about 73 million people, were under the age of 18 as of 2018. Some UBI advocates would like to see all of them receive a full UBI. Others think the UBI should be paid only to adults, or that children should receive only a fractional payment. Again, I will not try to resolve this contentious issue. Instead, I will offer alternative estimates for a baseline UBI, using two different assumptions regarding children.
In the first version, only adults are eligible for the UBI. In that case, I will assume that the federal government continues to spend the same amount on child support as it does now. The 2018 total for such purposes was $164 billion, including $42 billion in federal child support programs listed by Pfeiffer (child nutrition, Head Start, and WIC) plus $122 billion in child-related tax credits from the list provided by the Tax Policy Center.
It would be possible to continue those programs without change, but in my view, it might make more sense to spend all or part of the funds for a universal child credit of the kind proposed by my Niskanen Center colleague Sam Hammond. His proposal takes the form of a refundable tax credit that would be available to poor and middle-class families with children, but phased out for those with higher-incomes. If the entire $164 billion currently budgeted for child support programs were used in support of children in the bottom half of the income distribution, the credit could be quite large, as much as $8,000 per child per year.
The second variant for the treatment of children assumes that full eligibility begins at birth. The actual grant would be paid to the children’s parents or guardians until they reach the age of 18, perhaps with some restrictions to safeguard the children’s interests. In that case, the children’s own basic income grant would replace existing child support programs, so the $164 billion now spent on them would go into the pool of funds available for the UBI.
Social Security. A third major eligibility issue is how to integrate a basic income with Social Security. According to the Social Security Administration, some 67 million Americans received retirement or disability benefits as of 2017. Total benefits came to just under a trillion dollars — an average of about $14,000 per year per beneficiary.
It would be tempting to say that a basic income would make Social Security unnecessary. In that case, we could throw that trillion dollars into the basic income funding pool. However, although that would simplify matters, it raises some practical and political difficulties.
One is that most Social Security beneficiaries get payments that are higher than any plausible UBI. Another is that Social Security benefits are tied to payments into the system made over a lifetime, so that recipients have a sense of ownership over them. Together, these would create considerable resistance to ending Social Security.
Rather than folding Social Security directly into the UBI, then, I suggest the following rule: Everyone eligible for the UBI should have the right to take the baseline benefit, or to take his or her Social Security benefit, whichever is larger, but not both.
It is not easy to make an accurate calculation of how many people would opt for the UBI and how many would instead stay with Social Security. As a rough estimate, I will assume that 90 percent of current Social Security beneficiaries would opt to keep what they get now, and that the average annual Social Security benefit of the 10 percent who opt for the UBI would be $2,000 a year. If so, about 6 million current Social Security recipients would choose the UBI. The Social Security benefits they gave up would add about $12 billion to annual funds available, while the people who opted to stay in Social Security would reduce the number of people eligible for the UBI by about 60 million. The result would be a significant increase in the baseline UBI.
Results: The baseline UBI
We now have all the information we need to calculate some estimated baseline values for a UBI benefit. All variables use 2018 values.
The numerator of our calculations, “available resources,” consists of funds now used for programs that can safely be eliminated once the UBI is in place. The low estimate of available resources includes core welfare programs of $225 billion, middle-class tax benefits of $375 billion, plus savings in Social Security benefits of $12 billion, for a total of $612 billion. The high estimate includes an additional $164 billion now devoted to child benefits, for a total of $776 billion.
The denominator, “eligible recipients,” is the number of people eligible to receive UBI benefits. Social Security beneficiaries are given the option to take either their existing Social Security benefit or their UBI benefit, whichever is greater, but not both. For purposes of illustration, 90 percent of Social Security beneficiaries are assumed to opt to keep their current benefits, thereby forfeiting their UBI eligibility. Estimates are given for four versions of the eligibility:
Census population plus expats consists of the entire U.S. census population of 327 million people, including resident citizens, legal permanent residents, and undocumented residents, plus an estimated 9 million U.S. citizens living abroad, less 60 million who opt to stay with Social Security, for a total of 276 million.
Adult census population plus expats equals the above less 45 million children under the age of 18, for a total of 231 million.
Resident citizens includes 305 million U.S. citizens of all ages residing in the United States less the 60 million social security adjustment, for a total of 244 million.
Adult resident citizens include the above less their estimated 41 million children, or 204 million in all.
The four eligibility groupings give rise to four estimated values for the baseline UBI benefit. Estimates for the two all-age eligibility groups use the higher estimate of available resources. In those scenarios, existing child benefits are placed in the pool of funds available to support the UBI. Basic income benefits paid to parents in the names of their children replace current child benefits. Estimates for the two adult-only eligibility groups use the lower value for available funds. In that case, either current child benefits could continue, or the $164 billion now spent on them could be mobilized for a new child-only cash benefit program separate from the adult UBI.
Here are the four estimates of the baseline UBI benefit in tabular form:
Is it enough?
These estimates of the baseline UBI grant are likely to seem disappointingly small to many UBI advocates. Even the most generous of the estimates, the all-ages, citizens-only benefit of $3,167, provides only a quarter of the 2018 federal poverty level (FPL) for an individual ($12,140) and only half of the FPL for a family of four ($25,100). But here are some additional points to consider in deciding whether such a UBI would be enough:
Benefits for families with children would be more adequate if the UBI for adults were combined with an additional credit for children, as discussed above. Adding an $8,000 child credit to the adult grant from Scenario 4 in the table above would produce a total family income at 67 percent of the FPL for a single parent with one child, 116 percent for a single parent with two children, 68 percent for two parents with one child, 88 percent for two parents with two children, and 102 percent of FPL for two parents with three children. The UBI benefit would not be the only source of income for most poor families. About a third of all poor adults work at least part time, and more than half of all poor people live in families where at least one member works. Those families do not need a UBI grant at 100 percent of FPL to reach an income at or above the poverty level. Furthermore, as I have argued elsewhere, replacing current income support policies with a UBI would increase incentives to work. [1] [2] If funds currently spend on Medicaid, Medicare, the ACA and other health programs were applied to universal health care for people with low incomes, they would be relieved of the need to spend any part of their UBI grant on health care. That would greatly increase their ability to maintain an adequate standard of living. Under the scheme outlined here, $58 billion or more in state and local poverty programs would still be available to fill gaps in the federal UBI.
Keep in mind, too, that the goal of this commentary has not been to calculate the size of a UBI that would be enough by itself to fully eliminate poverty. Instead, the aim has been to estimate a baseline UBI that would draw only resources that the federal government already devotes to income support. The existing policies themselves fall short, leaving nearly 12 percent of the population in poverty as of 2018. All things considered, even the modest baseline UBI shown in the table would very likely leave fewer people in poverty than do current policies.
But understandably, many UBI advocates would prefer something more generous. If so, there are two ways to proceed.
One would be to increase the available funding. Based on the parameters of Scenario 3 from the above table, increasing the basic benefit to $10,000 per year would take some $1.7 trillion a year beyond what is now being spent on federal income support programs. That is a lot less than Greenberg’s estimate of $3.27 trillion, but it is still equal to about half of all current federal revenues.
Greenberg assumes that the additional spending would need to be financed by new taxes. There are plenty of proposals — carbon taxes, wealth taxes, value added taxes or whatever. Some readers, inspired by modern monetary theory, will point out that the government could, if it wanted, spend the money for a UBI without raising taxes or borrowing at all. Still others might prefer to fund a more generous UBI by cutting back on other government spending for programs that they dislike.
Alternatively, the basic income could be modified in a way that made it less generous for people with higher incomes. The simplest way to do that would be to make the basic income itself subject to tax. Benefits could be taxed as ordinary income, or some special formula could be applied, say, a 20 percent benefit reduction rate for households with household incomes above the poverty level. As has been noted more than once, a basic income that is subject to a positive benefit reduction rate is analytically equivalent to a negative income tax. In a recent paper for the NBER, Hilary Hoynes and Jesse Rothstein show that a UBI is just one special case in a spectrum of income support plans that includes negative income taxes, wage subsidies, and others.
Conclusions
“We can’t afford it!” seems to be the most frequent objection to a universal basic income. It is true that any kind of meaningful UBI would be a major fiscal undertaking. Yet, the objection from affordability is not conclusive, and critics’ estimates of the cost of a UBI are often overstated. UBI advocates can use several strategies to rebut the charge of unaffordability.
First, they can show that the money already being spent on income support would go a long way toward providing a meaningful UBI. Even a basic benefit well below the often-cited levels of $10,000 or $12,000 a year could make a bigger dent on poverty rates than does the current alphabet soup of EITC, SNAP, TANF, and the rest. One key is to make sure that a UBI replaces not just income-support programs for the poor, but also the “middle class welfare” lavished on higher-income households through the tax code. Another is to make sure that people are not allowed to “double dip” by receiving both the UBI, and Social Security benefits that are greater than the UBI.
Second, UBI advocates can refine their concept of eligibility. Critics too often just multiply the U.S. census population of 327 million by a basic benefit of $10,000 and consider the case closed when that produces a huge number. Instead, we need a conversation about residency, citizenship, age and other characteristics that define the eligible population.
Third, UBI advocates can pay closer attention to coordinating basic income with programs for health care and child support. A good case can be made for designing separate programs to deal with both areas, rather than folding them into a UBI.
Fourth, UBI advocates need to be clear about whether basic income grants should be subject to taxation or other forms of benefit reduction.
In my view, a calm dialog about details like these is the proper way to confront the dismissive “We can’t afford a UBI!”
Related posts: The Libertarian Case for a UBI; The Economic Case for a UBI. | https://medium.com/basic-income/how-much-basic-income-can-we-afford-52cc8e9da65 | ['Ed Dolan'] | 2019-10-01 19:06:36.427000+00:00 | ['Economics', 'Poverty', 'Economy', 'Basic Income'] |
2020 Haul | 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/the-brain-is-a-noodle/2020-haul-47a525ccf2e3 | [] | 2020-12-27 15:51:51.036000+00:00 | ['Spiritual Growth', 'Reflections', 'New Year', 'Personal Growth', 'Poetry'] |
AI identified more than 100,000 new craters on the Moon | Moltke crater imaged from Apollo 10
According to a new study published in journal Nature Communications, our only natural satellite Moon has way more craters than we thought.
By using data gathered by Chinese lunar orbiters, Artificial Intelligence (AI) has detected more than 100,000 new lunar craters in the mid and low latitude regions.
Developing an AI to identify and locate impact craters on lunar surface has been a tough job, because of many shapes these craters can take. They are of different ages and all can not be round. Due to this their defining properties have eroded over the long time periods.
Before this scientists used to identify and locate lunar craters manually by studying images and then transferring them to moon globes. This new AI will speed up the crater identification process substantially.
As per research head Chen Yang (associate professor of Earth sciences at Jilin University, China)- this is the largest lunar crater database for the mid and low latitude lunar regions.
Formed during the meteor strikes, these impact craters cover majority of lunar surface, and can be considered as fossils on moon’s surface which record our Solar System’s history.
These fossils are of different sizes and shapes and can erode and overlap in time, making the identification and dating process difficult and time taking. Also, the process is subjective which leads to inconsistencies within existing databases.
Research scientists approached these issues with Artificial Intelligence. They fed the AI with previously detected impact craters and also trained it to identify the new craters.
AI then used data from Chinese Chang’e-1 and Chang’e-2 lunar orbiters, and identified 109,956 new impact craters on the lunar surface.
Significant number of these new impact craters are placed in size of small to medium category, they range from one to hundred kilometres in diameter.
AI also detected already eroded larger and irregular shaped impact craters, with some of them ranging up to five hundred and fifty kilometres in diameter.
AI recorded the location of each crater it identified and placed each into a predefined lunar geological era based on how much the impact crater had eroded.
The research team will be using data from recently launched Chang’e 5 lander to further fine tune their crater spotting AI. They also hope to use their AI on other objects/bodies of our Solar System.
for more information: Lunar impact crater identification and age estimation with Chang’E data by deep and transfer learning
https://theabsolutecosmos.blogspot.com. | https://medium.com/@absolutecosmos/ai-identified-more-than-100-000-new-craters-on-the-moon-2f7febe9a9ad | ['Absolute Cosmos'] | 2020-12-26 08:00:45.058000+00:00 | ['Astronomy', 'Space', 'Moon', 'Artificial Intelligence', 'Moons Of Our Solar System'] |
For today’s writing prompt, write a scene documenting your character’s nightly routine. Do they do the same thing every night or does it differ? What’s their sleep schedule? What habits would they… | For today’s writing prompt, write a scene documenting your character’s nightly routine.
Photo by cottonbro from Pexels
Do they do the same thing every night or does it differ? What’s their sleep schedule? What habits would they share with others? What habits would they rather stay hidden?
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Nia Simone McLeod is a writer, content creator, and pop culture enthusiast from Richmond, Virginia. Follow her on Twitter, Tumblr, or Instagram for more awesome digital content. | https://medium.com/everything-shortform/writing-prompt-my-night-time-routine-b76f482b0532 | ['Nia Simone Mcleod'] | 2020-12-11 20:47:32.446000+00:00 | ['Fiction', 'Creativity', 'Prompt', 'Writing Prompts', 'Black Women'] |
Platform+ US Business Development: Three Questions to Answer Before Entering the US Market | Expanding to the United States
At Speedinvest we are strong believers in the opportunities the US can offer European founders. Many young companies see demand for their product beyond the European market and want to expand operations to the US, the most active tech acquisition and investor market in the world.
Despite the fact that a US expansion offers a much bigger market opportunity, the US is very competitive. An estimated 90% of US startups fail. Being successful in your home market doesn’t necessarily mean you get a ticket to the US, whether you’re a technology startup or aiming to disrupt an entire industry.
Things are always going to be harder and different than you’ve planned, but a framework will help you ask the right questions, make better decisions and chart a clearer path towards the big move into a new market.
With that in mind, our US Business Development team brings you a top-line, sequential checklist to help you gain a clearer picture of when you’ll be ready to enter the US market, how to do it, and what to do once you’re there.
Should I launch in the US?
It is time to assess your current position. This is, by far, the question that requires the most time and honest reflection. It requires one to take a step back and evaluate one’s assumptions. The best way to do this is to engage with other people. Get their perspectives. Maybe they can help shed light on your blind spots (we all have them). The points to consider at this stage are a mix of basic personal (friends, family, costs of living, etc.) and business (staffing, product, etc.) questions, like:
Is my family ready?
Can I cover the cost of living? (San Francisco is 2x Berlin)
Am I aware of the relevant cultural differences?
Do I need to incorporate in the US?
Who in my company will move to the US?
Is my product ready to scale out to the US market?
So, do you really know what you’re getting yourself into? Don’t be fooled by tunnel vision. Take the time to evaluate every step. Relocating internationally is a major decision and life change by itself. Expanding your business at the same time is even more difficult. But once you’ve taken a step back and thoughtfully planned out the above points, then it will be easier for you to focus on the key question: How can I quickly grow and scale my US business?
Your family is on board; your team is set; you’re clear about US working visas, and have budgeted associated costs. You’ve successfully incorporated in the US and understand your US tax liability while you’re doing business in the US and hiring people on the ground. You’ve analyzed the market and received positive feedback from industry experts and potential customers.
2. How do I frame the product and understand US customers?
While you might have a well-defined customer profile for your existing market and product, you have to rethink assumptions when trying to target the sophisticated US market. Consumer habits and budgets might be very different than what you’re used to. Here are some questions to ask yourself:
How does the product need to be adjusted for the US market?
What is the unique selling proposition?
What is the ideal customer profile?
Always try to get a second opinion if you believe you have product-market fit. Use local market feedback and own the audience. Understand who your target user is, get out of the office and into the field. Ask your users. Make use of early US adopter advocacy, referrals and reviews.
It would serve you well to take some time to examine the comparative size of the largest US vs. European companies in your industry. You may find this to be a humbling reality check about just how much larger the US market is.
Germany only represents about 5% of the Global Fortune 500 companies vs. 25% for the US (and China is still #2 after the US). That’s why the total addressable market (TAM) in the US is so much larger.
Setting the right expectations and being focused is crucial! Nothing ever goes as smoothly as you anticipate. There will be setbacks and strategies have to be adjusted. That’s also where US startups shine. They’re super agile.
3. How do I launch in the US?
While one size doesn’t fit all, making sure you have product-market fit is crucial for expansion. Product-market fit can differ in the US market. There are many things that need to be specifically considered with this market entry and defining a go-to-market strategy that is localized is important. Things you’ll have to ask yourself include:
What is the total addressable market (TAM) in the US?
Who is the competition and who are their VCs?
What’s my distribution strategy and how do I get leverage from partnerships?
You’ve identified that your product could be a multi-billion dollar industry disruptor and is global in nature? You’ve also identified key metrics to track your progress and have done a top-down and bottom-up TAM analysis. Great!
This provides you a clear understanding of your company’s potential and guides your prioritization. Together with a competitive analysis that assesses the strengths and weaknesses of your competitors, it helps you define your US expansion strategy and sales playbook.
It’s all about focus!
It’s good to keep in mind that it’s a marathon, not a sprint. The mythical overnight success of the best companies is often, in reality, the result of many iterations and old fashioned hard work. | https://medium.com/speedinvest/platform-us-business-development-three-questions-to-answer-before-entering-the-us-market-93893f8951ec | ['Daniela Caserotto-Leibert'] | 2020-12-05 19:38:13.218000+00:00 | ['Startup', 'Insights', 'Venture Capital', 'Silicon Valley', 'Business Development'] |
N.Y. Sees Most New Cases Since April; Europe Curbs: Virus Update | Infection rates are accelerating in the Southwest and Rocky Mountain West after sweeping through states in the Midwest. A growing number of hospitals canceled or delayed some planned medical procedures to preserve staff and beds. The death toll in U.S. nursing homes and long-term care facilities topped 100,000. U.S. airline traffic rose as some Americans traveled for Thanksgiving despite warnings
Thailand to Sign Vaccine Pact With AstraZeneca (1:10 p.m. HK) Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-Ocha will sign an agreement with AstraZeneca Plc on Friday to procure its vaccine, according to a government statement. Thailand may receive the doses by mid-2021. Local drugmaker Siam Bioscience will produce the vaccines at its facilities, and Thailand will receive technology transfer — an economic op
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Chinese Firm Submits Application for Vaccine Use: Xinhua (11:53 a.m. HK) A leading Chinese vaccine developer has applied for general use of its Covid-19 vaccine, seeking to get a jump on Western rivals as the race for a working shot against the pandemic enters the final stretch. China National Biotec Group Co. has submitted an application to Chinese regulators, reported state media Xinhua Finance
Australian State Overhauls Hotel Quarantine (11 a.m. HK) South Australia is overhauling its system of hotel quarantine after discovering that two returned overseas travelers and a security guard mysteriously contracted Covid-19 at an isolation facility. Authorities have scoured CCTV images and have so far failed to identify how the couple who’d returned from Nepal and the guard became infected at
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U.S. airline traffic rose as some Americans traveled for Thanksgiving despite warnings from health officials. A top European Union official said relaxing restrictions too swiftly could unleash a fresh virus wave onto already-strained hospitals. German Chancellor Angela Merkel proposed tighter restrictions to regional leaders in a meeting Wednesday. In a briefing paper, the federal government sugg
German Chancellor Angela Merkel proposed tighter restrictions to regional leaders in a meeting Wednesday. In a briefing paper, the federal government suggested a further reduction in the number of customers allowed in shops and tighter measures in schools located in infection hotspots.
Key Developments: Global Tracker: Cases pass 59.8 million; deaths top 1.4 million The best and the worst places to be in the coronavirus era ‘Ugly, ugly time’: Work-from-home crushes U.S. dry cleaners Russia’s richest man seeks global market for local Covid-19 drug U.S. working on guidance to shorten Covid quarantine period Astra vaccine’s highest efficacy came in younger group Why making a Covid
November 25 2020, 4:33 AM
November 25 2020, 10:37 PM
N.Y. Sees Most New Cases Since April (11:45 a.m. NY) New York state said there were 6,265 new coronavirus cases on Tuesday, the highest since April 24, when there were 10,553 new infections. Governor Andrew Cuomo reported the numbers at a briefing in Rochester. The overall positive testing rate was 3.62%. There were 2,982 hospitalizations and 41 deaths on Tuesday, according to state data. NYC Ho
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Geneva Restaurants to Reopen (11 a.m. NY) Geneva, Lausanne and other areas in francophone Switzerland will reopen restaurants on Dec. 10, according to a joint statement. The region suffered some of Europe’s highest Covid-19 infection rates, and municipalities took various steps to stem the spread of the disease. In Geneva, stores deemed non-essential will reopen already on Nov. 28. Italy PM Doesn
Covid-19 has killed more than 100,000 residents and staff of nursing homes and long-term care facilities in the U.S., according to a report Wednesday from the Kaiser Family Foundation. The U.S. passed the grim milestone on Tuesday, based on reports from across the country, the foundation said. Deaths in long-term care facilities have accounted for 40% of all Covid-19 deaths nationwide, according
Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-Ocha will sign an agreement with AstraZeneca Plc on Friday to procure its vaccine, according to a government statement. Thailand may receive the doses by mid-2021. Local drugmaker Siam Bioscience will produce the vaccines at its facilities, and Thailand will receive technology transfer — an economic opportunity for the country, government spokeswoman Traisuree Ta
Japan, China Agree to Restart Two-Way Travel (7:43 a.m. HK) The foreign ministers of China and Japan agreed at a meeting in Tokyo to lift some virus-related travel restrictions by the end of the month. Foreign Minister Wang Yi is the first senior Chinese official to visit Japan since Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga took office in September. At the meeting, Wang and his Japanese counterpart, Toshimi
U.K. Government ‘Too Slow’ on Ventilators: Report (8:13 a.m. HK) The U.K. government lost a “crucial month” in its fight against coronavirus because it was slow to respond to a shortage of ventilators, the House of Commons spending watchdog found. Ministers only started efforts to buy more ventilators on March 3, just over a month after the WHO declared the pandemic a public health emergency, the | https://medium.com/@anikkumarpaul8/n-y-sees-most-new-cases-since-april-europe-curbs-virus-update-9ea2f2969638 | [] | 2020-11-25 17:51:27.335000+00:00 | ['Ny', 'Latest Usa News', 'Virus', 'Update', 'News'] |
Book Online Resorts In Ladakh | Book Online Resorts In Ladakh
Book Online Resorts InLadakh — A Part Of A Perfect Tour Planning!
LehLadakh is a famous tourists spot for its enchanting beauty, snowy peaks, natural elements, friendly people and a unique culture. Vacationers love to explore the treks and other famous attractions of this place as every attraction of Leh speaks for its excellence and mesmerizes tourists always. Considering the exclusive exquisiteness of Leh, vacationers in large numbers head towards this spot at different times in a year. So, if you plan a tour to Leh this holiday season, then first book online resorts in Ladakh to add convenience and more delight in your tour experience.
What To See In Ladakh –
Ladakh is a prominent region in J&K; hence, it has several things worth visiting for tourists. Leh is the most frequented spot in Ladakh that attracts most of the Ladakh visitors to it for its historical monuments like Buddhist monasteries, great treks, appealing snow valleys, a wonderful night life, adventurous activities, chilling weather and much more. So, when you are here in LehLadakh, don’t forget to visit around tourists spots like Shanti Stupa, Leh Palace, Thiksey&HemisMonstery, Stok Palace, Chamba temple, War Mueseum, Victory Tower, Zorawar Fort etc. All of these places hold historical, religious or traditional importance in Ladakh. So, visiting these attractions means you have perceived the culture of this place a bit.
What To Do In Ladakh Tour –
Ladakh which comprises of rocky terrain has a great scope for several adventurous activities like jeep safari, trekking, mountain biking, river rafting, skiing etc. All of these activities add thrill and adventure to the lives of vacationers. Trying out these activities, you can find the best tour experience in Ladakh. For making your tour memorable by adding good and positive energy to it, you should not forget to book online resorts in Ladakh prior to heading to this place. | https://medium.com/@jamesmartel496/book-online-resorts-in-ladakh-193abba72240 | ['James Martel'] | 2016-12-15 17:34:05.648000+00:00 | ['Travel', 'India', 'Hotel', 'Resorts'] |
8 Ways You Can Integrate Video into Your Daily Social Strategy | At a local event I recently attended, I listened to a keynote speaker give a talk on video and why it needs to be a part of your social strategy. This was not your cut and dry talk on why you need video. He didn’t bring up metrics we have all heard, such as how a VP of Facebook recently said, “90% of content by 2019 will be video”.
The talk was spot on and the speaker brought up some things I haven’t considered before. He posed a few insightful, yet powerful questions to the audience to get his point across. The conversation went a little something like this.
“How many of you in the audience read posts daily on social media?”* Almost everyone in the audience raised their hand. *
“How many of you post to social media daily?”* Almost everyone in the audience raised their hand. *
“How many of you in the audience watch video on social media daily?”* Almost everyone in the audience raised their hand. *
“How many of you post video to social media daily?”* Not one person in the audience raised their hand. *
The speaker was RendrFX founder, Mat Silva.
Do you see the disconnect here? Video is being consumed by all, but produced by few. This disconnect is what has caused video to be one of the least saturated mediums.
1) Use Video to Make Announcements
You have announcements to make on a regular basis. Whether it is for awards, product enhancements, employee functions, new hires, etc. No matter the topic, there will be plenty of announcements. What better way to show people exactly what you are talking about than with a video?
See how GoPro used video to announce their new drone.
Here is an example of a company making a local announcement using video!
2) Video Makes Promoting Yourself Easy
There is always something coming up you want to promote. Whether it is an upcoming event, a new product launch, an update to your software, or anything else you want your audience to know, video makes your message powerful and meaningful. If it is a big deal to you and you want it to be a big deal to your audience, then put it in a video.
In traditional marketing, if you want to promote anything with video it can be a hassle. You have to spend a boat load of money to hire talent, get your video filmed and edited, then spend even more to air it on TV in peak watch times and channels. Thank goodness there is a quicker and easier solution! Now it is easy to create a video and promote is online for a fraction of the cost!
Here is how you can make a promotional video from print materials!
3) Celebrate National Days
Did you know, every day is a national something day? February 1st is Hula in the Coola Day, May 3rd is lumpy rug day, but most important of all May 14th is National Chicken Dance Day. To get a calendar of the national days go here.
Check out our National Cat Day Video!
4) Get to Know Your Employees
An easy way to create video is to feature an employee each week. Creating simple videos showcases their story, how they help your business, and more importantly how they help your customers succeed. Make your company personable, become more transparent, and get each employees family and friends engaged.
See how Amazon did a ‘Meet The Team’ video to promote Amazon Echo!
5) Only The Cool Kids Are Live Streaming
Live streaming is one of the hottest topics of 2016 and platforms are pushing you to do it. They want to send traffic your way when you live stream to promote their service.
Be an early adopter. Set up a date and time where you live stream about consistent topics. Make sure to promote your event throughout the week and don’t think that only people watching live will see your content. Most live streaming platforms will allow you to automatically post your recording directly to your feed on your social channels!
Here are some tips on developing a live stream strategy.
6) Create Holiday Videos
Not only can you create videos for each Holiday, you can also create holiday videos beforehand for some pre-buzz excitement. People love Holidays, you can expect to get a lot of love when you are posting.
Check out one of our holiday videos!
(TIP: Watch your spending on video ads after Thanksgiving. If your business is non retail, consider slowing your online marketing efforts for the month of December. This time period is incredibly competitive with retailers selling for the holidays. Double down in January where you can expect traffic to be at least 3 times cheaper.)
7) Make an Explainer Video
No matter what your product or service is, you can benefit from creating explainer videos. Explainer videos should be under two minutes and have a few purposes. Have a simple strategy, like a GET’EM, which stands for Give, Explain, Tell, Explain (even more), and Make. Here is a sample GET’EM strategy:
G ive a call to action.
ive a call to action. E xplain the problem the viewer is having.
xplain the problem the viewer is having. T ell your audience how life could be easier with your solution.
ell your audience how life could be easier with your solution. E xplain how your product or service works.
xplain how your product or service works. Make it clear your product or service is the solution.
This 5 step formula helps you create an awesome explainer video. If you do it right, it may turn into one of your best converting assets and you will reap the benefits for years to come. Check out this explainer video created by marking guru Neil Patel’s company Crazy Egg.
Check out RendrFX’s explainer video!
8) Promote Your Company with Recruitment Videos
No one knows how awesome your company is as much as you do! Don’t be afraid to show off perks, benefits, and what makes you unique. When you are trying to attract talent to your company, you have to position yourself as an industry leader.
Here are some awesome recruitment vidoes:
Dropbox — https://youtu.be/-ZuxQcp84o0
BambooHR — https://youtu.be/7WH8uxXXe9o
Rackspace — https://youtu.be/ZfZPD2DrqkQ
Conclusion
With all these ideas, there is no reason why you shouldn’t be creating video for your social media channels on a daily basis. The possibilities are truly endless.
If you want to start creating video for social, you can do so here.
Don’t feel like reading? Here is a video summarizing the blog post!
TL;DR | https://medium.com/rendrfx/8-ways-you-can-integrate-video-into-your-daily-social-strategy-255cdf0d889f | ['Peter Schroeder'] | 2017-03-21 19:25:15.362000+00:00 | ['Social Media', 'Social Media Marketing', 'Video', 'Marketing', 'Video Marketing'] |
My Date With Diane Lane | A decade later, the [CMX 6000] editing system I was helping introduce to Hollywood was going to be used on a massive miniseries called Lonesome Dove. The project, produced by CBS and Motown Records, was going to be four 2-hour episodes, shooting on locations in Texas and New Mexico, and editing on location. This was no small task.
This was going to be four simultaneous feature-film-sized projects. A million feet of film. The CMX 6000 had cut TV shows and even some low budget features shooting 200,000 feet of film perhaps, but not 5x that — all of which had to be transferred from film to video and then from video to laserdiscs, in 30 minute chunks. Usually the editing systems were installed in air-conditioned facilities in Hollywood where it was easy to keep an eye on things, not sketchy hotels in the old west. Lonesome Dove was going to be shot on location, the film shipped to LA to get developed and transferred to 4 custom discs each day, and sent from LA back to the production as it moved around the countryside.
The editing system was the size of a small room — a desk-sized computer connected to a few monitors and 12 pairs of modified laserdisc players. That’s a lot of fragile analog equipment that has to work perfectly for months while being moved around, connected disconnected reconnected.
Okay, first of all, this was clearly going to be a project from hell. No one should have embarked on this insanity. But it was also a high-profile, well-funded project and while it was a push, it would be a big win for the product if it pulled through. We rolled the dice.
News was that the cast and crew and editing system would all be together to start with, taking over a few floors of the Radisson hotel in Austin, Texas, the primary location for the first month. There would be a couple moves — from Austin to Del Rio, Texas (on the border) and then on to Santa Fe, NM for the balance. The cast headliners were Robert Duvall, Tommy Lee Jones, and Danny Glover, but the rest of the cast were stellar as well, including Angelica Huston, Chris Cooper and Diane Lane.
Call & Gus, © 1988, Bill Wittliff Courtesy of the Wittliff Collections, Texas State University. Wittliff was the screenwriter and active on location.
Wait, Diane Lane is in this? And we’re all living together in a hotel? Things can get pretty rowdy when a production is spending a month in a hotel. I was suddenly less concerned about the risks involved. | https://medium.com/swlh/my-crush-on-diane-lane-ae6ffdef92b0 | ['M. H. Rubin'] | 2020-12-01 04:26:05.966000+00:00 | ['Post Production', 'Editing', 'Hollywood', 'Movie Stars', 'Fans'] |
JACL Issues Statement on Muslim Ban Expansion | With a background in advocacy, Jesse Cheng is an intern at Assura Public Relations, where he is responsible for marketing and advocating on behalf of small businesses. Alongside this role, Jesse Cheng is a member of several charitable and industry organizations, including the Orange County Chapter of the Japanese American Citizens League (JACL).
The non-profit, which advocates on behalf of Japanese-Americans around the country, recently responded to the expansion of President Donald Trump’s “Muslim Ban.” JACL noted the impact the previous version of the ban had, including making it impossible for some college students to pursue their education and separating families.
The expansion, which came into effect at the end of January, added Kyrgyzstan, Myanmar, Sudan, Tanzania, Eritrea, and Nigeria to a list of countries whose citizens are prohibited from entering the U.S. JACL claims that the move continues a pattern of discrimination by the government against people of color, with the organization standing against such policies. | https://medium.com/@jesse.cheng/jacl-issues-statement-on-muslim-ban-expansion-14e62bb3f99c | ['Jesse Cheng'] | 2020-03-07 10:40:15.609000+00:00 | ['Muslim'] |
What if Uber is Gone in London for Good? | Photo by Dan Gold on Unsplash
On the 25th of November 2019, Uber lost its license to operate in London after repeated safety failure, claimed by Transport for London.
Reasons for this included a change to Uber’s systems which allowed unauthorized drivers to upload their photos to other Uber driver accounts.
It also meant there were at least 14,000 fraudulent trips in London in late 2018 and early 2019. It was found that dismissed or suspended drivers had been able to create Uber accounts and carry passengers.
Photo by Robert Anasch on Unsplash
Uber has faced pressure from regulators around the world over the way it treats its drivers, competition concerns, and fears about passenger safety.
Uber is going to appeal this decision so a magistrate will have to decide whether Uber is fit to hold a license in London, or not. A decision from a magistrates court could take weeks or months and unless the court decides otherwise, Uber will retain its license during this period too.
However, if Uber loses its case in court, what could this mean for its users in the city?
The Drivers
Around 45,000 people work for Uber in London, making it a vital area of concern if the company is forced out of the city.
If these people are to be made redundant from their jobs, we can expect to see a rise in Sectoral Unemployment. Meaning the demand for labour is less than its supply in the individual labour market.
Photo by Victor Xok on Unsplash
Due to the geographical immobility of labour, it may be difficult for most drivers to leave London and find other areas where Uber functions to work.
Moreover, it can be difficult for Uber drivers to move into work in different job sectors as it often requires certain skills or qualifications.
What Unemployment Means
If 45,000 workers in London lost their jobs and, due to the reasons discussed, were unable to find another occupation, there could be a large issue.
This could potentially mean many millions of pounds a year being further spent on benefit payments (through job seekers allowances) by the UK government, thus leading to an increase in the size of the budget deficit, a cause of much concern already in Britain.
Uber Customers
The whole purpose of removing Uber out of London was to maintain the safety of the people in London. However, it has become highly popular and heavily boasting approximately 3.5 million users in the city alone. As stated by London Mayor Sadiq Khan:
“I know this decision may be unpopular with Uber users, but their safety is the paramount concern. Regulations are there to keep Londoners safe.”
Photo by Ross Sneddon on Unsplash
For transport around London, people will either have to compromise using bus services, the tube, etc or be willing to spend extra on trips in a classic London Taxi.
For people who use Uber eats, they would have to either collect meals themselves or use other businesses, such as Deliveroo.
Conclusion
Photo by Arvydas Venckus on Unsplash
Overall, the loss of Uber in the City will be very damaging to the labour market in the taxi industry.
However, if it was to collapse, it would not be long before a new competitor took over the market offering the exact same service.
Nonetheless, there can be a positive outlook on it. The classic British black Cab has recently been outcompeted by Uber due to their lower prices. however, now it may regain its popularity again. The black cab is an iconic London piece of culture and it is important we maintain the city’s international identity. | https://medium.com/uk-politics-today/what-if-uber-is-gone-in-london-for-good-db659d574a08 | ['Ethan Friend'] | 2019-11-29 10:51:19.990000+00:00 | ['Economics', 'Politics', 'News', 'Uber', 'London'] |
Business Intelligence for Emergency Preparedness | Through collaboration with the CDC and other health institutions, local, state, and federal government task forces can mitigate the severity of pandemics. In the case of COVID-19, the Public Health Emergency Preparedness (PHEP) cooperative funds health systems on a state-to-state and city-to-city basis. Despite the efficiencies that emerge from this collaboration, preparing for pandemics and other emergencies involves many moving parts and oceans of data. Using specific technologies and business intelligence systems, governments can evaluate preparations and offer funding and resources to mitigate the next big disaster.
Data Management for Public/Private Healthcare Institutions
The volume of collected data required to understand the behavior of the novel coronavirus is best described as big data. In healthcare, this data could include everything from consumer purchases of over-the-counter medicines to data from clinical trials to resources used for a given hospital visit. This is far too much data for busy physicians and government agencies to track. Thankfully, machine learning systems can collect, synthesize, and anonymize this data. The result is two-fold: healthcare providers gain more time to focus on immediate patient needs without compromising sensitive patient data, and government agencies gain situational awareness of what’s happening in their communities in real-time. In turn, this boosts efficiency, growth, and effectiveness for institutions and the care they offer.
Applying data management to the coronavirus pandemic proves the importance of data-gathering in times of resource shortages. Institutions with high case rates require more PPEs and ventilators. However, institutions that had no resource counts ahead of time resorted to fast-paced, frantic ordering. What these institutions need, beyond just data management tools, is business intelligence software and strategies.
Business Intelligence for Public/Private Healthcare Institutions
How many ventilators does a given hospital have on hand and how can government agencies fill the gaps? When do pandemic-preparedness resources expire? What volume of critical care patients can an institution effectively and efficiently treat? Humans could identify the answers to these questions, but business intelligence is necessary to save time and offer that all-important value-based care. While business intelligence found its footing in other industries, its infrastructure analysis and operational optimization capabilities make it vital for a healthcare ecosystem under immense stress.
By implementing business intelligence and data management early on, before a pandemic or other catastrophe, healthcare institutions and government agencies can work together to unclog bottlenecks and identify where they can improve and how. To illustrate this point, consider robotic assistants. Many hospitals have reduced physical interaction between patients and staff by appointing robots to various tasks, from monitoring patients’ vitals to recording messages from patients to be delivered to caregivers. Other robots serve as exterminators by using UV light to zap away coronavirus microbes from hospital surfaces.
While these technologies are instrumental in maintaining health and safety standards for healthcare workers, they can prove challenging to implement on short notice as they require integration with other systems to provide a comprehensive operational picture. Amid the pandemic, hospital staff needs to dedicate time to advanced safety protocols and patient care for a potentially high number of cases, and government agencies are focused on response efforts leaving little time to implement new technology.
Business intelligence and data management can preemptively evaluate the potential need for resources great and small. While robots might not be a necessity at every hospital, ventilators and other severe-case therapeutics certainly are. By taking measures to integrate inventory, vulnerable populations, and other data, hospitals and government agencies can be exponentially more prepared and more collaborative leading to better service to the community. This collaboration will naturally lead to greater insight into how many vaccines or diagnostic supplies are needed.
Pandemic planning requires tight integration between government entities and healthcare institutions, from the delivery of medicines and resources to funding initiatives for more secure and reliable healthcare services. Without this collaboration, especially early partnerships and communication, our healthcare system can find itself overwhelmed and underprepared for the next health crisis; a solid plan for data integration, data sharing, and data visualization can be the key to efficient response. Check out this free COVID Resource Center for insights on how the right data at the right time can help achieve a true public/private healthcare partnership.
Originally posted on DaveKellyTech.com. | https://medium.com/@davekellymichigan/business-intelligence-for-emergency-preparedness-355784e86c80 | ['Dave Kelly'] | 2020-12-11 14:09:16.734000+00:00 | ['David Kelly', 'Dave Kelly', 'Business Intelligence', 'Business', 'Business Tips'] |
金融證照也上鏈 — 讓你的證照蓋上數位鋼印 | 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/lootex/%E9%87%91%E8%9E%8D%E8%AD%89%E7%85%A7%E4%B9%9F%E4%B8%8A%E9%8F%88-%E8%AE%93%E4%BD%A0%E7%9A%84%E8%AD%89%E7%85%A7%E8%93%8B%E4%B8%8A%E6%95%B8%E4%BD%8D%E9%8B%BC%E5%8D%B0-508b413a9561 | ['Lootex Editor'] | 2020-12-07 08:50:38.941000+00:00 | ['Blockchain', 'AR', 'Nft', 'Certification'] |
Our Incubation Programme Goes Live! | In July 2020, we launched a programme where we offered two idea-stage (or pre-seed stage) startups sprint scholarships, where we worked with these startups over a three-week period each to validate their ideas through better understanding their potential customers, challenging their assumptions about the problem their ideas intend to solve and quickly testing their solutions.
This scholarship was very timely in the middle of a global pandemic that had disrupted economic activities and income streams for billions around the world, thus reducing the amount of capital available for investing in startups and increasing the pressure on startups to reach product-market fit and generate revenue faster than before.
Working with the two startups that won the scholarship was a very rewarding experience: we helped the startups define their problem hypothesis, interact with their potential users, and challenge their assumptions. Through these activities, they were able to glean insights and gain new perspectives into the problem they intend to solve, and ideate solutions that will meet the specific needs of the market.
Two things were very apparent to us in the course of the scholarship: first, that three weeks was not long enough to achieve the results we were aiming for; and second, that there is the potential to apply our process to many more startups in the pre-seed stage.
With that in mind, we have developed a 12-week programme where we shall be working with as many as four pre-seed stage startups: those with ideas, prototypes, or a Minimum Viable Product (MVP). Through applying design thinking tools and methods, we shall work with them to challenge their assumptions about the problem, their solution ideas, and the potential users; use the insights to refine their ideas; prototype their solutions, and quickly test their solutions with their potential users.
The Mindcapital Startup Sprint will be a combination of virtual workshops, seminars, field activities, and office hours, and will culminate in a Demo Day before potential investors and media.
By the end of the 12-week programme, the startups would have built solutions that have achieved product-market fit, which will put them firmly on the path to fast growth and make them investment-ready.
So what are we looking for?
We are looking for teams of at least two people with technical skills in design, technology, and marketing, possessing unique insight or expertise into a problem that is a critical pain to a large or growing market and is actively trying to solve that problem. The team must have a commitment to building their startup and have a growth mindset — open to learning and willing to be flexible.
If this describes your startup, then you should definitely apply for the Mindcapital Startup Sprint here. | https://blog.mindcapitalng.com/our-incubation-programme-goes-live-df49e815ba89 | [] | 2021-03-19 09:02:38.555000+00:00 | ['Startups', 'Pre Seed', 'Seed Stage', 'Incubation', 'Nigeria'] |
Where to Put Your Baggage | Where to Put Your Baggage
Photo by S. G. S. Abel
My father was turning 90. Last Christmas my stepmother started planning a big party. That was before the pandemic. It was changed to a small party, a beach party.
I live 700 miles from my father. With the pandemic, I assumed I would send a card and call. But my father wanted his immediate family to celebrate with him - at his favorite beach town - 850 miles from where I live. A 14 hour drive or a flight for a long weekend. At my age, a 14 hour drive in one day is pretty brutal. And the flight? Did I mention the pandemic? Not everyone has been quarantined like me. Those people frequent airports and airplanes just like any other public place. Since March I have limited my travel to my son’s house (2 hours by car), the grocery store, and work (5 people each with individual offices).
It was a hard decision. I was concerned about my health safety, but even more concerned about my father’s and stepmother’s. What if I made them sick? Did I really need to go?
Family history is complicated.
Every family has history, good and bad. Our history seemed idyllic.
Okay, there was the time I was made to clean my plate including the English peas. I didn’t, so my brother and sister went to the local carnival and I went to bed. I still don’t cook or eat English peas.
Once my father made my sulking teenage self go to the mall with the rest of the family to get out of the house. I would never admit I was glad he made me go.
But life was good. No abuse or heinous crimes committed. But after 32 years of marriage, my father cheated on my mother with my soon-to-be stepmother. I came home to announce my engagement, only to be met with “I’m leaving your mother.” Until her passing this past January, my mother was the kindest, gentlest person I knew. She never said anything unkind about anyone, even my father. He hurt her. My two siblings and I took it hard. We were in our twenties and thought our family was ideal. Each of us envisioned having a marriage just like theirs.
Even for young adults, a happy blended family doesn’t just happen. You have to work at it. Mistakes are made, things are said, feelings are hurt — so many insignificant little things in the big scheme of life. We felt our stepmother broke up our family. Then we felt our father favored her family. We now had baggage.
All siblings have their differences, so my siblings and I all had different timelines of acceptance. Families have baggage, good and bad. As I grew up, I eventually put those insignificant little things that hurt behind me.
I made a decision.
My siblings and step-siblings were all invited. I agonized about traveling to the beach during the pandemic, to visit elderly people. Then my husband said, “You know, if we don’t go, none of your father’s children will be there.” He was right. I immediately felt guilty for entertaining thoughts of not going. My sister had just moved out west, making her farther away than me. She has a life. Insignificant little things. My brother lives 30 minutes from my father and has a job that requires weekend work. He has a life. Insignificant little things. And again, we have baggage.
A good time was had by all.
So I took off work and my husband, son and I went to the beach. My stomach dropped when I saw my father. In10 months his mobility had noticeably decreased. I was hit with, “I’m so glad I came. This could be the last time I see him.”
We had a great time. We ate great food, enjoyed good weather, had good conversation, laughed, and basically participated in activities typical of 80 and 90 year-olds.
We reminisced about the past and contemplated the present. We talked about what great fathers two of the grandsons are. I am proud to say one is my son. My father stated how he knew he wasn’t like that. He was just a good provider for us and no more, as I think many of his generation were. He went on to say he didn’t understand why my brother rarely, if ever contacted him or returned his calls, and said, “but that’s on me, too.” My sister called to wish my father a happy birthday. My brother didn’t. Yep, life, work, insignificant little things, baggage.
Leave your baggage at the door
We all make choices in life that hurt others. I know I have. My father has. Sometimes it’s hard to let go of the hurts when you feel you or someone you love has been wronged. Over the years I learned to appreciate the family my stepmother gave my father. My stepsister is a true angel in caring for my father and stepmother. She is there when I can’t be. I forgave my father and stepfamily years ago for those insignificant little things. In the big scheme of life, they did not matter.
Photo by S. G. S. Abel
I lost count of the times my father told me how happy he was we made the trip. I felt the same. If my presence was what he wanted on his birthday, I’m glad I could give him that. | https://medium.com/@sgsabel/where-to-put-your-baggage-f4d716c6b217 | ['S. G. S. Abel'] | 2021-02-02 01:01:22.891000+00:00 | ['Family', 'Life Lessons', 'Aging', 'Celebrations', 'Parents'] |
KingSwap, the new gateway to swap and stake RFUEL | Following our strategy of introducing RFUEL tokens to as many new people as possible, we have paired with KingSwap to allow anyone to buy, swap, and stake RFUEL. This is a great way for us to open doors to new investors, yield farmers, or developers looking to show their support, leverage our tokens, join our reward liquidity program, and diversify their portfolios. RFUEL was successfully listed on the decentralised platform and appears among the top 10 traded tokens!
KingSwap is a new decentralised exchange platform (DEX) providing hyper high yield liquidity pools, so, to kick off our listing, we are also launching a staking program on KingSwap Exchange, offering a 50% APY of RFUEL to all liquidity providers willing to stake in our pool.
We chose KingSwap for the multiple features it provides.
We are particularly attracted by the design and user experience its interface offers. The platform is designed in such a way that users don’t need to have experience in the crypto space to onboard. It is made easy for anyone to start buying crypto and staking on the platform. Another visual feature KingSwap has included is price curves, e.g graphs representing the relationship between the price of the listed tokens and the quantity demanded for a given period of time. These charts offer transparency and can be particularly helpful for users before buying, selling, swapping or staking.
KingSwap also provides on-ramp service (e.g the conversion of fiat to crypto-currencies) which makes it easy for people to join a farming pool without passing through intermediaries. Traders and liquidity providers are both rewarded for providing liquidity and volume to the platform, which benefits the entire DEX’s ecosystem. This approach differs from SushiSwap and Uniswap who only reward liquidity providers. Therefore, we believe KingSwap will accelerate the mass adoption of crypto, making it accessible and convenient for more users. The platform shares the same vision as us in what we are trying to achieve under RioDeFi’s ecosystem — delivering a decentralised infrastructure and helping more people to better manage and control their savings.
Furthermore, KingSwap has achieved a significant milestone in September for raising USD $4 million on Uniswap in 3 days. Since then, KingSwap has migrated to its own platform to launch successful high yield liquidity programs. As a fork of Uniswap protocol, KingSwap has been built on the same blockchain and is driving a lot of interest from Uniswap’s users. Since our first IDO was hosted on Uniswap, we believe KingSwap is the place to be and the partner of choice to provide RFUEL to yield farmers, looking for new and upstanding staking programs.
Last but not least, KingSwap is the first regulated DEX of this kind based in Singapore. The management team behind it has a solid background in traditional banking, having worked for international firms including Standard Chartered, Nomura, HSBC, and Lloyds. The team’s understanding of the traditional financial system has been an asset to build a sustainable business model and secure funding from top venture capital firms during their private sales back in September.
To participate in RioDeFi’s liquidity pool on KingSwap and to enjoy 50% APY, you would first need to provide liquidity for the RFUEL-USDT pair to acquire KLP (King Liquidity Provider) tokens, which you can then stake on Kingswap.exchange. In a second phase that will be launched soon, users could also trade on the RFUEL-USDT pool to be awarded with KST (KingSwap Slippage Tokens) for every trade executed. All APY estimates are based on the number of users staking in each farming pool, as well as the relative price of RFUEL to USDT.
“We are very excited to have developed this joint initiative with a regional leader in the DeFi space and look forward to this new opportunity for people to buy, swap, and stake RFUEL” says James Anderson, CEO at RioDeFi.
About KingSwap
KingSwap (https://www.kingswap.io/) is a DeFi project based out of Singapore with a fully regulated* token that introduces a liquidity pool platform with possible fiat conversions. KingSwap’s high-yield liquidity platform offers extensive staking rewards and digital collectibles.
Website | Telegram Community | Twitter | DEX | Info
About RioDeFi
RioDeFi accelerates the mass adoption of digital assets by bridging traditional and decentralized finance. Our vision is a world in which everyone has access to decentralized financial (DeFi) services. We develop solutions that connect banking institutions with blockchain systems. Our applications enable lower transaction fees, faster confirmations, more efficiency, better returns for savings account holders, and global reach.
Should you have any questions, please join the conversation on our social media, Telegram and Twitter.
To learn more about the latest developments regarding RioChain, visit: Riodefi.com | https://medium.com/riodefi/kingswap-the-new-gateway-to-buy-swap-and-stake-rfuel-8d36904c226d | [] | 2020-12-18 05:25:25.014000+00:00 | ['Liquidity Pool', 'Token', 'Staking Rewards', 'Dex', 'Decentralised Finance'] |
Thought on the “Crypto Winter” | Winter in Budapest, Hungary. Photographer : Nagy David
Thought on the “Crypto Winter”
Looking at it from where I stand working for a real financial inclusion product.
In September 2014, from a background of designing automated vision and industrial test systems, I started working at a blockchain startup in Singapore called Tembusu Systems. Our aim was to build a system that had privacy (borrowing elements from Monero) while ensuring accountability so that it could actually work as a legal currency. I worked with some amazing guys, had zero knowledge proofs explained to me in a manner I could understand and started to get hooked. We were starting to gain some traction in mid 2015 when, for reasons beyond the scope of this, we had to stop.
In late 2015 one of our former clients, HelloGold, a financial inclusion product, approached me to continue what we had been trying to do but this time using the new Ethereum platform. I looked at ethereum, wrote my first oracle and was hooked.
With an eye on the consumer market we decided on mobile technology and a traditional backend to get us to market quickly while building up the feature set.
A distinct design focus was to architect the system so that the migration to a blockchain back end would be as painless as possible but initially we were building partnerships and testing out product ideas.
As a result, we had a demo product out within a few months to secure investors and a live MVC out by end 2016. We launched the product to the public with an announcement of a partnership with a well known credit organisation in April 2017 and started planning our way forward to having an ethereum back end.
At this time nearly 34,000 people have signed up for the HelloGold app and many of them have purchased gold using it, some large amounts but many just buying small amounts.
I seriously do not think that more than two or three of our many thousands of active users care about decentralisation.
Some remember the 1997 South East Asian financial crisis where the Ringgit (and several other neighbouring currencies) crashed against the US Dollar.
The dramatic fall in the value of the Malaysian Ringgit in 1997/8 until the dollar peg.
Many remember 2009 but most people are simply interested in protecting their savings.
How does this relate to the “crypto winter” ?
Thanks to the early ICO’s doing so well, started by everybody supporting each other and ether being mainly in the hands of enthusiasts, we started drawing people into cryptocurrencies who neither understood nor cared about what the platform offers. Media reports of the guy who sold his house to buy bitcoin caused a frenzy of speculating on a set of technologies that was, quite frankly, not delivering sufficient value to justify a fraction of its value.
As we know, the walls started crumbling in early 2018 and have been tumbling ever since. Very few expected ether prices to fall below $300 but hey, down they went. Speculators got burned as did many who accepted payment for work in crypto.
So maybe it is time to look at what we are building and how it impacts society.
Vitalik Buterin’s famous tweet in late 2017 read :
I think that 2018 has proven that we haven’t.
The introduction of parallel computing with GPU’s redefined computation algorithms so that splitting a task among ten GPUs could give more than a 10x improvement in performance link, similarly Virgil Griffith stated at Devcon that ethereum has actually changed the rules of many financial products in a way that some things that were impossible are now possible.
From where I stand, apart from needing to achieve many things on the core tech side (we have a few thousand insanely smart people at Devcon working on that) we also need to look at building stuff that impacts real people’s lives in a way that nothing else can.
invisibility
I was told of Nicholas Negroponte saying that in order for a technology to become widely adopted it must become invisible.
I remember dBase II arriving. We used to go to shop owners offering to “build them a database” so that they could throw away those bulky catalogues and simply look things up on a computer. In these more enlightened times, customers no longer “use databases”. Instead, they browse the items available, order something on Amazon, pay for it and track its progress until it arrives. The database is pretty invisible to the end user.
Taylor Monahan has talked about this before, that while we are aware that we are using private keys we have not achieved universal adoption. Alex Van de Sande’s team’s work on universal logins and gas-less transactions is moving us in this direction. I hope to see more soon.
Solving problems that matter
I am amazed at some of the stuff that people are building on ethereum. Prediction markets, DAOs, decentralised exchanges and oh so many more, but to quote a very old friend, how does this affect the price of fish?
I am not stupid by any means (I hope) but I have not seen case studies on how each of these technologies are going to work together to build something genuinely awesome that I can understand. Please sell me a dream that I can understand.
The huge number of financial inclusion projects in the space will, I hope, make a huge impact on the world.
As well as working for HelloGold, I keep close ties with teams like Sentinel Chain and Kommerce who are empowering small business in Asia and Africa.
The Rohingya Project’s work on getting on chain ID for Rohingya refugees is another powerful project — and we met many other amazing projects outside Asia at Devcon in Prague.
SpankChain have distinguished themselves by taking what is often regarded as a dodgy industry and showing that there are serious issues that need addressing which can be solved using blockchain technology — and really improved the safety of everybody involved.
Fairness
I remember that during one of my “down” periods, I had to repay a credit card debt. The bank made me sign a repayment document which fixed the interest rate during the repayment period. They stopped giving me statements and secretly raised the interest rate halfway through. I was lucky to have caught it. We could stop this kind of thing.
Secured Loans are often abused by pawnbrokers who have tricks to try to avoid having the pawned item sold in the case of default. This allows them to avoid paying you any balance in the value of the item pawned.
Smart contract technology can solve these and many other problems. As an example, HelloGold is working to allow a person’s gold savings to be used for collateralised loans governed by smart contracts which ensure that they are treated fairly.
Another Killer App
Matthew Tan commented that so far, the ICO has been the “killer app” of ethereum. It would be sad if it ended there. We can do so much more.
We need the kind of blockchain based application that people can immediately see the benefit of using. No buzzwords. It can use all of the amazing technologies mentioned but should not “name” them, simply show how they make the product possible. And irresistible. And fair.
And we need to publicise them.
We need to look at existing problems and current solutions and say “could a blockchain make this more efficient of fairer?”. If the answer is no, we move on. If not, then we see if it is viable to build a new system.
We need to get to the point where every solutions architect understands blockchains and will use them where appropriate rather than the current situation where we are looking for places to apply blockchain technology.
At the end of the day, we need to make blockchain boring to all but the people working with it. It should become invisible.
Will this end the “Crypto Winter”?
I would love to say yes to this question. It would allow me to use the ether and tokens that I earned writing code for people to support my family better but I don’t know.
I do know that it will stop 2018 being remembered as the year blockchain started to fade into irrelevance or became a software tool that only bankers use. | https://medium.com/akomba/thought-on-the-crypto-winter-bc4637d9c337 | ['Dave Appleton'] | 2018-12-03 23:04:39.561000+00:00 | ['Crypto Winter', 'Ethereum', 'Financial Inclusion', 'Blockchain'] |
The UBIX.Network project enters the real sector: partnerships, super services and blockchain laboratories in construction industry. | Construction is one of the most capital-intensive industries in the world economy, with an incredible $ 13 trillion/year market volume. At the same time, it is one of the most conservative industries currently undergoing a period of digital transformation. The digitization of business processes in construction, the introduction of digital models, opens up opportunities for using blockchain technologies to organize the interaction of project participants — solving the problem of trust, for which, in fact, UBIX platform was developed.
In the process of coordinating joint work with the first industry partners, we managed to create a universal concept, which we intend to scale and use not only in construction, but also in other industries. Let’s consider this concept from different points of view:
Applications.
We develop our applications based on the UBIX.Network protocol. Usually, for each application, its own specific blockchains are formed, integrated into the UBIX network.
We try to actively use the modules of our UBIKIRI superapp (Identity, Profiles, Wallets, etc.) — this not only simplifies development, but also allows us to integrate the developed products into a single ecosystem.
Our dev team creates a basic service (we call this service “Monoservice”) that provides the main business function. Monoservice interacts with UBIKIRI modules through NATS messages, and with UBIX.Network through RPC requests. For external users (industry localizations), interaction through the REST API is used. Thus, localized services do not interact directly with the blockchain.
Industry-specific localizations of the service are developed within the framework of Research Topics together with industry partners. The result of the development is the Industry localization of the monoservice (as a rule, this is a specific interface).
When developing an industry-specific localization of a service, it is usually possible to develop new services that collectively solve a complex problem in the industry. We call this set of services a superservice.
Example:
SilentNotary monoservice. Industry localization is the interface through which the construction control engineer accepts completed work. Adaptation performed — entries about identifiers of structural elements were added to transactions, the proof and the supervisor’s decision were linked to the project documentation.
SilentNotary, Register_of_subcontractors, Unified _register_of_costs monoservices allow us to create a “superservice” — a system for monitoring settlements in a construction project with division of payments by the levels of end contractors.
2. Economy.
Sources of financing.
Development and maintenance of the UBIX.Network network is carried out at the expense of the network development fund.
The development of monoservices is carried out through crowdfunding (token sale on fICO) using the UBIX Launchpad crowdfunding platform and UBIX.Exchange.
The development of the industry-specific localization of the service is carried out at the expense of the Industry Partner.
Reseller costs are included in the installation cost and are covered by the Industry Partner.
Monetization.
All services use SaaS monetization model. Tariff-compliant payments received from end-users are sequentially split between the Industry Partner (the owner of the industry localization), the holders of the mono service tokens, and the masternodes of the UBIX network as a tx fee payment.
3. Organizational structure.
Together with industry partners, we create joint development structures: blockchain laboratories in the form of simple partnerships without the formation of a legal entity. The agreement on the creation of a laboratory (partnership) defines the procedure for the use of intellectual property, the procedure for creating workgroups, restrictions on the disclosure of information and other obligations of the parties.
The activities of each laboratory are limited to approved Research Topics. Research topics are public information and are published as part of the wiki documentation of our project.
For each Research Topic, a working group is formed, consisting of both UBIX team members and specialists from an industry partner. The result of the work of the workgroup is a feasibility study and terms of reference for the industry adaptation of the monoservice. | https://medium.com/@ubix-network/the-ubix-network-project-enters-the-real-sector-partnerships-super-services-and-blockchain-2036552752da | [] | 2020-12-24 16:01:02.980000+00:00 | ['Project Management', 'Construction', 'Blockchain Adoption', 'Blockchain'] |
About Content Marketing | Content marketing
It is one of the Well strategies for a digital marketing platform. By writing content one can reach people very easily. When you develop quality content, people would visit that. If people like it, they will share. It will cause crowd trafficking on your own site. So in content marketing, there has a lot of opportunities to be a famous digital marketer.
Here are 5 reasons for the essentials of content marketing.
It may be a climbable, long-run strategy
It helps you convert leads & nurture
It helps fuel different selling channels
It helps to coach potential customers
It is commonly cheaper within the long-run such as
There are some crucial strategies for this topic. Such as-
1. Analyzing audience: It is an important strategy of content marketing. Always every audience’s taste is not the same. So by analyzing you can found the effectiveness of content marketing. Also by following this you can earn more and more traffic.
2. Keyword: Keywords are very much important. People always search for famous keywords and those can help you to earn more traffic on your content.
Content selling is here to remain for a really very long time. With the growth of competition for businesses, Make content more are well decisions. In fact, on-line Content selling is going to be the deciding issue between the success and therefore the failure of a business because it may be a digital selling answer, that one cannot merely skip if they have to succeed.
Video content used is additionally on the increase. With statistics claiming five billion videos being watched on a daily on simply YouTube itself, it’s a sort of content we have a tendency to merely cannot ignore. Even voice management is taking its roots currently and Alexa, Cortana & Siri being great for instance. | https://medium.com/@riarodriquesdm/about-content-marketing-39aaf46fd0fa | ['Ria Rodriques'] | 2020-12-17 09:40:18.351000+00:00 | ['Content Writing', 'Content Creation', 'Content Marketing', 'Content', 'Content Strategy'] |
The Translucent Divorce | Gravel crunched and popped under hard rubber tires. I woke up to the sound of a Cadillac sedan pulling up next to me. I rubbed my hazy eyes. It was my aunt Liz, and my mother, Jennifer. Jenni, everyone called her. I was only 14, but I can still see the faces and hear the words and feel the emotions of that day — my worst day.
My mother got out of the passenger seat and walked right past me. Sullen. Sullen is the word I’d use to describe her body language. I thought she must have been there to tell Jeremy, my older brother, that he forgot something or didn’t do his chores before he left. But it was also 1995 — there was no such thing as a quick text or call to say, “I love you,” or “Come home honey,” or “You forgot the sleeping bags dummy.”
Jeremy was the strongest of us boys, that was for sure, not just physically, but mentally. He wouldn’t wince or cry when my dad used to discipline us with the paddle. He would just grit his teeth, and I swear half the time Jeremy would smile.
Most of you will think my dad was a bad person. He wasn’t. His childhood, discipline was switches, leather belts, spankings, summer harvests, and 4:00am potato hauling with the ‘Hill Billies’. When my dad got angry at us, he would grab the fraternity paddle and we would scatter like buckshot into a gaggle of geese.
Back then, the paddle meant you had really messed up. Like really, really messed up. But that wasn’t the hard stuff. I didn’t mind the paddle, I usually deserved it. I knew what line I was towing with him. In fact, I thought I had figured out how to beat the paddle. I’d stuff my pants with towels or wear three pairs of underwear, or beg for forgiveness with fake tears. I was always good at talking myself out of the paddle or the occasional spanking.
Jeremy, well, not so much.
In our family, discipline and pain went together like English tea and milk. Anger in my dad built like a tea kettle. He was old school. There was no mental health research on what spanking did. Maybe he’d get arrested today. But I turned out okay. His anger would just build up and spill over and my guess it was because older generations didn’t talk about emotions. About their problems. About their marital issues. About their spirituality. About their financial woes. No, people pretended to live the American dream — angry as fuck.
To be fair, I’d never ask for a different dad, but I would have definitely asked for a different, lighter paddle. Maybe that makes me a martyr, but I can look back with self-awareness and understand why discipline looks different than it used too.
Post traumatic growth syndrome, I think they call it.
To keep up with my dad was foolish. I remember him shoveling all the snow from our 100 yard hill driveway in less than thirty minutes in a big puffy red coat, Wrangler jeans, and a Russian ushanka after a full of work in the city.
“Trevor, you want to shoot baskets?”
“Dadddd,” I’d say, playing Ice Hockey on the Nintendo. “Did Magic used to shoot in the snow?”
“You know the answer to that. He never missed a day.”
“I’ll be right out.”
My dad would shovel and push the snow like a maniac, until the sweat dripped off his nose and he’d unzip his coat, the steam rising from his chest and mouth like a train chugging up the Rocky mountains in the dead of winter. He’d stand there and watch me shoot, smiling. Those were always my best memories of my dad; the ones with him there. Content. Happy.
Now my mom, she was a special woman. She was a tender, loving mother that embodied Sunday peanut butter pancakes, endless trips to my sporting events, and best of all, she always fed me like a king. I loved my mom. But I always knew when she was off. Or upset. I could sense unease in her. She would always scream and yelp at all my soccer and basketball games and would hug me after each one — win or lose.
Mothers should be the definition of unconditional love — and she was. But every family is different. From the outside, a lot of the families I see, there always seems to be a good-cop-bad-cop scenario working itself out. My mom spanked me too, but her spanks weren’t half as bad.
If you were to ask my family what I was like, you’d probably get some funny answers. I was a goofy, introverted, a dreamer — an endless well of ideas and creativity and possibility. | https://medium.com/@trevor-huffman/the-translucent-divorce-612f1da6c0f6 | ['Trevor Huffman'] | 2019-03-26 15:42:20.011000+00:00 | ['Parenting Advice', 'Dads', 'Divorce', 'Parenting', 'Kids'] |
Getting ready for the vaccine: what are the UK Armed Forces doing? | Getting ready for the vaccine: what are the UK Armed Forces doing?
Right across government, organisations have been preparing to support the NHS, quickly roll out the COVID-19 vaccine and keep pace with supplies. So what are the UK Armed Forces doing? Ministry of Defence Follow Jan 7 · 3 min read
Planning and logistics
Since the beginning of the pandemic, military planners have been working in the background with colleagues from the NHS and other areas of Government to help coordinate the response to Coronavirus. Military logistical expertise has helped to arrange transport, PPE distribution, and construction.
In March 2020, a member of the 1st Battalion Coldstream Guards discusses transporting Medical equipment with NHS staff
This winter, military planners have been supporting the government in planning and preparation to be able to quickly roll out the vaccine.
Right now:
10 military planners are assisting the Vaccine Task Force.
Two military planners are supporting the Vaccine Task Force Director.
Another 20 Military planners are helping regional planning, logistics and delivery.
In the 30 days since the Vaccine Task Force started, more than 1.4 million doses of vaccine have been delivered and 769 sites have been established. This is the equivalent to setting up a major supermarket chain in less than a month.
Vaccine delivery
The NHS is well prepared to deliver the vaccine and keep pace with supplies as they increase over the coming weeks.
If needed, a Vaccine Quick Reaction Force of around 130 personnel are ready to support the NHS, when and where they may need it. In England, 21 teams of 6 people are standing by across the 7 NHS regions.
This is part of a wider 1,500-strong reserve of personnel who could be made available should the NHS need them.
Royal Air Force planners are establishing vaccination centres in Wales. (Jan 2021)
In Wales, 90 service personnel are currently establishing and operating vaccination centres to support the Health Board. 14 of these are trained defence medics, who will now also support the administering of the vaccine.
In May 2020, members of the Royal Navy and British Army helped Portsmouth County Council distribute PPE to local schools.
The UK Armed Forces stand ready to support responses to COVID-19 however required, with up to 12,000 personnel ready to support if needed. Whether distributing vaccines, driving ambulances or testing the public, the Armed Forces stand beside the thousands of NHS staff, council workers and others keeping the country ticking every day.
Read more about the UK Armed Forces response to the Coronavirus crisis:
Find out where the UK Armed Forces are deployed around the globe: | https://medium.com/voices-of-the-armed-forces/getting-ready-for-the-vaccine-what-are-the-uk-armed-forces-doing-b37a53230687 | ['Ministry Of Defence'] | 2021-01-07 18:39:13.405000+00:00 | ['Coronavirus', 'Covid 19', 'Logistics', 'Covid 19 Vaccine'] |
Poppies -Chapter 30- | Fiction Series
Poppies -Chapter 30-
photo owned by Author
-Chapter 30-
There was a small farewell a few days later for the little babe that never was.
It wasn’t a funeral since there was no baby to bury, but a small ceremony to say goodbye to what might have been. Mara-Joy wore a black dress with a matching black veil fashionably covering her face. No one could see the expression that blanketed it.
Jobeth had insisted that Alan get a wheelchair for Mara-Joy to sit in. She didn’t want her child to strain herself. They nearly lost her through the whole ordeal as it was. Jobeth wasn’t having Mara-Joy overdoing it.
Chad stood beside the tiny memorial stepping stone and wept real tears for the child he never wanted. He tried to fantasize about playing ball with a son. Showing off a beautiful daughter. He believed that when the child was born, he would have begun to feel good about the marriage he felt forced into. The child was supposed to do that. It was supposed to take away that feeling of being an animal trapped in a snare. Or at least the baby could make his bondage bearable. Then again, it was the baby that had put him in this prison in the first place.
And now the baby was gone and he was in a pit he didn’t know how to get out of. He looked over at the stiff figure of Mara-Joy in the wheelchair. Her mother stood next to her. Their hands clasped tight together. Her mother hovering like a bobcat ready to pounce. Mara-Joy had not exaggerated. Her parents would hunt him down and make him pay if he ever hurt her. The way her mother hovered over her sent chills down Chad’s spine. What was it that made him shudder when he thought about how possessive his mother-in-law was over his wife? He couldn’t help but think it was destructive in some way.
He shook himself and looked again at Mara-Joy’s somber form. She wouldn’t talk to him. Ever since he received the message about the miscarriage.
Alan came to the grocery store to deliver what Chad considered his life sentence.
He looked up into the gray sky as clouds began to blanket them all dark and ominous. They loomed heavy tears, ready to drop on them all at any moment.
In his mind, Chad once again screamed, Why me? Why has this happened to me?
Then it dawned on him.
There was nothing holding him to Mara-Joy anymore.
There was no baby.
Mara-Joy couldn’t threaten him anymore. It was obvious she had wanted to marry him. No one would believe he raped her now. He could do it. He would have to wait a while. Get his plans together. He would have to think where he could go. He wouldn’t be able to stay. He could leave this place, Mara-Joy, the grocery store, and start a new one. Where no one would know him and his life as a married man.
His heart began to beat. Could it be over? Could he start fresh again?
He thought about the shame that divorce would bring to Mara-Joy. Abandon from her husband. He imagined his family horrified by his leaving of responsibilities.
Chad shook his head. It didn’t matter. He’d be glad to see the last of this hellhole town. Good riddance to bad rubbish. The thought of starting fresh in another town. Away from his father’s damn grocery store. Away from the responsibilities of being a husband to Mara-Joy. His heart began to pound against his rib cage.
Could there be light?
As the plan began to grow in his mind, Chad knew he could do it. He needed to do it.
A hand tapped him on the back of his shoulder, crashing him back to reality.
He turned to the assailant.
Mara-Joy stood before him. She looked weak and tired. Dark circles etched her torrid blue eyes. Jobeth stood a short distance behind her, her tissue twisting nervously in her hands. Mara-Joy insisted on walking to Chad. Leaving the wheelchair abandon and causing her mother to anguish.
“Take me home, Chad,” Mara-Joy looked into his wooden face, her voice cold and dead.
He looked down at the ground, feeling she could see into the very core of his soul.
“I want to go to our home.”
Chad’s head shot up. He began to break into a cold sweat. Guilt flooded him. He was being ridiculous. He knew it. Mara-Joy wasn’t a mind reader. She couldn’t read his thoughts. Or could she?
Mara-Joy reached out and grasped Chad’s arm with surprising strength.
“Chad, please!”
He nodded like an idiot and took her arm in his. Mara-Joy smiled up at him a dark curtain opening up in those blue eyes.
“You are such a loving husband,” Mara-Joy purred. Chad began to tremble. Where had he seen her smile like that before?
They drove in silence as Chad turned into the driveway of their home. He stopped the car, ready to jump out, to help Mara-Joy. She reached her small hand out placing it in his lap, very close to his privates. He felt her fingers brush against him, gentle with purpose. His face reddened with his instant response to her touch.
Mara-Joy chuckled.
“Chad darling, you are such a walking hormone.”
He pushed Mara-Joy’s hand away, disgusted with himself. She leaned back in her seat and cupped her jacket snug around her neck. The black veil half-covering her eyes couldn’t shield the menace behind it.
“Let’s get into the house and I will make you some hot tea,” Chad shifted uneasily in his seat and opened the door again.
Her look sent shivers of anxiety up his spine. Something was all too familiar with this scene.
“That is a wonderful idea,” Mara-Joy simpered as she unbuttoned her coat.
Chad tried not to look as she unfastened the snaps on the front of her black dress.
“Mara-Joy?” He swallowed the lump forming in his throat, and shifted uncomfortably in his seat.
A perky breast popped free from her bra. It was big and swollen from the pregnancy. Chad swallowed hard unable to sustain his growing arousal. He hated himself for wanting her. It was only when moments ago they had stood at their unborn child’s monument.
“Touch me,” Mara-Joy ordered as she caressed herself. “Touch me.”
He couldn’t help himself. He reached out and grabbed her, diving into her warm, waiting breasts. He nuzzled them ashamed, allowing his lust to take over.
Mara-Joy cried out in delight, clutching his head to her, his hair tight in her hands.
“Oh, you are mine,” she mewled, “you will always be mine, Chad.” She pushed his back against the seat, her chest naked and heaving in front of him. “Do you want me?” she asked, straddling him. She pinched her nipples hard, tossing back her head in a frenzy.
Chad encircled her waist, his mouth wanting to suck in every inch of her body. She pushed him away, reaching down between his legs.
“Do you want me?” she cooed again as she rubbed with vigor and expertise. Chad reached up and grabbed a bobbing breast. Again she pushed him away. She sat back in her seat, Chad’s hands reaching for her. She bent her head down between his legs. She breathed hot air on the protruding member buried under his pants.
Chad shuddered, unable to contain himself. He was going to have her, miscarriage or not.
Mara-Joy unzipped his pants, letting his member jump free from its confinement. She pressed the tip of her lips to the smooth tissue. Chad looked down, anticipating Mara-Joy’s next move. She looked up, her eyes glinting with mischief. The dark circles were still there under her eyes, but there was something else too. Something that frightened and excited him at the same time.
“Do you want me?” Mara-Joy said, almost pleading, her lips caressing him, her tongue flickering.
“Yes, yes,” he snarled, forcing her head down onto him. He closed his eyes and leaned back, letting the pleasure envelop him.
He succumbed to wave after wave of Mara-Joy gratifying him. They continued late into the night, their bedroom a fortress of lust. With each touch, each thrust of desire he felt the nails hammered deeper into his own coffin.
Lying awake naked in bed with Mara-Joy sleeping content on his chest, he realized where he’d seen her smile like that before. It was their wedding day. When she married him, it was for life, and she would do anything to keep him hers, forever. | https://medium.com/illumination/poppies-chapter-30-e9c9f41aa3a4 | ['Deena Thomson'] | 2020-12-18 07:36:40.508000+00:00 | ['Fiction', 'Writing', 'Fiction Writing', 'Fiction Ser', 'Novel'] |
Veganism: Vitamin B12 is well supplemented, iodine is a matter of concern | There was no significant difference in vitamin B12, which was present in approximately the same amount in both groups’ blood. Since vitamin B12 is taken up almost exclusively by animal food, the supply of participants following a vegan diet could be due to dietary supplements. “This study makes it possible to compare a vegan diet with a mixed diet about various vitamins and trace elements,” says BfR President Professor Dr. Andreas Hensel. “Both diets investigated revealed a lack of iodine. However, the shortage is clearly more distinct in the vegan variant.”
In the RBVD study, the BfR research team analyzed blood and urine samples and evaluated lifestyle questionnaires and dietary protocols. Of those participating (18 women and men respectively per group aged 30–60 years), almost all those following a vegan diet and one third following a mixed diet took different food supplements.
The study results were particularly noteworthy about the trace element iodine. Iodine excretion measured in urine samples provides information on how well the body is supplied with the trace element. The majority of the participants had a deficiency. The deficiency was significantly more pronounced among vegans. In one-third of them, the level was below 20 micrograms per liter (?g/L), the limit defined by the World Health Organization (WHO); anything below this represents a serious shortage. However, a vegan diet has also shown health benefits, such as a higher fiber intake and lower cholesterol levels. For both diets, about 10% of participants had an iron deficiency. | https://medium.com/@carsonwhitaker/veganism-vitamin-b12-is-well-supplemented-iodine-is-a-matter-of-concern-f858b6fa8f11 | ['Carson Whitaker'] | 2020-12-17 21:02:45.711000+00:00 | ['Iodine Deficiency', 'Vegan', 'Healthy Eating', 'Vegetarian'] |
Advanced Python By Example Part — 2 | Advanced Python By Example Part — 2
Welcome to the part-2 of the advanced python series. In the first chapter, we have understood important python concepts like Iterators, Generators, and Decorators in Python. In this chapter, we are going to learn all about Object-Oriented Programming.
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Object-Oriented Programming in Python
Object-Oriented programming is very important as in every programming language, it is essential to modularize the code so that it can be re-used. We don’t want to write similar code at multiple places and also we want to provide a proper structure to the code so that it’s easier to understand. Hence to solve these and many other problems, we use Object-Oriented Programming. It’s not specific to any language however it’s a programming paradigm which many languages follow.
Classes and Instance Variables
Why we should use Classes. Well, Classes are used in most modern programming languages. They provide a way to logically group data and functions. Data correspond to attributes or properties and functions correspond to a method.
Let’s see this with an example. Suppose you are part of a superhero company (like Vought from the Boys tv series) and want to build an application for your company where you need to keep the track of all the superheroes. Hence to represent a Super Hero, you can use class for it.
Home
Black
You can define a class with the class keyword. In the above example, I have not provided any attributes or methods just used the pass keyword which means the class is not doing anything. however, I am creating 2 instances of the class — emp_1 and emp_2. Instance variables contain data that is unique to each instance. Here I am manually defining the instance variable so if I have to do this for all the employees in the organization, it’s very painful and we don’t exactly get the benefit of the class.
So now we have to improve our code. Let’s redefine the class and create the same 2 employees.
50000
[email protected]
[email protected]
Another way of getting hero_1 name
[email protected]
This looks better as you have created a class blueprint and you can create any number of class objects i.e. employees. Let’s understand a few points here.
__init__ is a special method of the class which is also known as the Constructor in other programming languages. We use these special methods to define an object or instantiate an object. This basically tells us how objects are different from each other. self means the instance itself. When we create an object, it passes the instance variable. You can provide any name for the instance variable but by convention everyone uses self. You can also call a method using the class name but in that case, you also have to provide the instance name (Employee.getemail(emp_1)). emp_1 is the instance variable that will be referred to as self inside the class.
Class Variables
Class variables are the variables that are shared amongst all instances of the class. Instance variables are unique to each instance however class variables will share the same value for all the instances.
Let’s understand this with a use case. Suppose you want to keep track of the number of employees in the organization. The number of employees can be a variable for which value will be the same across all the employees so we can define this as a class variable.
No of Employees before: 0
No of Employees after: 2
You can also use the self keyword with the class variables instead of the class name. There could be a scenario where you have defined a class variable with a particular value which will be the same for most of the instances but for a particular instance, you need to provide a different value. In that case, it’s better to use self.class_valiable_name instead of class.class_variable_name in the __init__ method and override the value with instance_name.class_variable_name.
So whenever you call a class variable with the instance name, first it checks for that variable in the instance variables, and if not found then check for the class level variables.
Regular Methods, class methods, and static methods
As you know by now that Regular Methods in the class automatically takes instance as a first argument. We call it self. Now how we can change this so that it can take Class itself as a first argument.
To create a class method, just add ‘@classmethod’ a line before creating the class method. The class is automatically the first argument to be passed in, and is represented as ‘cls’ instead of ‘class’. This is because ‘class’ is a python keyword reserved to create a class. So when do we use class methods? class methods can be used as alternative constructors.
Suppose there is a requirement where we have data in form of String separated by ‘-’ and we have to parse and split the string then pass those to create an Employee object. This can be done using class methods.
[email protected]
25000
Static methods are different from regular methods and class methods in that it doesn’t have a class or instance that is automatically passed in as a first positional argument. They can be created by adding ‘@staticmethod’ a line before defining the method. These are methods that have a logical connection to the Class but do not need a class or instance as an argument. However, you call a static method just like a class method — using a class name. We use static methods when there is no requirement for an instance or class variables inside the methods. So static methods are just the regular functions but we organize them inside the class.
LaserEyes
LaserEyes
LaserEyes
LaserEyes
LaserEyes
Inheritance
Inheritance allows us to create a new class that shares the same attributes and method as the original function, and add some extra functionality to the new class.
You can inherit a class simply by putting the inherited class in the parenthesis.
class SuperHeroes(Heroes):
When we call a method from a class, python follows the ‘method resolution order’, which is the chain of classes that it goes through to find what the method is. All classes have a built-in group of methods and attributes as their primary order.
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In the above example, we can see that the SuperHeores class inherited all the attributes and methods from the super class — Heroes. In this example, sub class is not doing anything. It’s just inherited all the things from the super class. Let’s define the sub class properly. Suppose you want to extend the class and want to provide an additional attribute rank to the superheroes. To make this maintainable, you don’t have to instantiate older attributes again like the base class. Instead, you can use super() function to call the base class __init__ method.
[email protected]
1
You can call the base class __init__ method in 2 ways -
With instance ==> super().__ init __(attr1, attr2,..) With class itself ==> BaseClass.__ init __(self, attr1, attr2,…)
Below are some useful methods which come in handy while coding inheritance.
.isinstance(instance, class)
This method returns a boolean value of whether an instance belongs to a class or not.
2. .issubclass(subclass, class)
This method returns a boolean value of whether a class has inherited from another class.
Special Methods in Python
Python provides a variety of special methods that are very useful to perform some kind of operation. Special methods are represented by __<method_name>__ in python.
Suppose you want to print out an instance that you have created. It’s just going to print an object with its memory location.
<__main__.Heroes object at 0x7f9bb3e30ad0>
You see it’s printing the object with its memory location. But it would be nice to change the behavior so that it can print out something user friendly. That’s where special methods are going to come in handy. By defining special methods, we are going to change some of the built-in behavior and operations. Special methods are called implicitly when we create an object of the class. __init__ is also a special method which we have been using since starting. Let's understand 2 more common and frequently used special methods.
__repr__ __str__
__repr__ is used mostly for debugging purposes and __str__ is used for the display of an object to the end-user. You should specify at least __repr__ at the minimum level so that whenever you create an object, this method will be called. If you are manually calling __str__ method, then it checks for this method and if it's not found then it will eventually call __repr__ .
Heroes("Home", "Lander","50000")
Heroes("Home", "Lander",50000)
Home Lander - [email protected]
Home Lander - [email protected]
Operator Overloading in Python
Operator overloading allows the same operator to have different meanings according to the context. For Example => ‘+’ performs differently in the case of numbers, list, and string. In case of (2 + 3), it returns 5 and in case of (‘a’ + ‘b’), it returns ‘ab’.
Operator overloading can be implemented by overloading the special/magic method.
Below are a few examples. You can call magic methods/Special Methods in Python and perform custom handling.
+ __add__(self, other)
- __sub__(self, other)
* __mul__(self, other)
/ __truediv__(self, other)
// __floordiv__(self, other)
% __mod__(self, other)
** __pow__(self, other)
__lt__(self, other)
__gt__(self, other)
So here is an example => Let’s say you want to add the salaries of 2 Heroes just by calling + operator. Let’s start coding for it.
Total salary for Home Lander and Black Noir is: 120000
So in this way you can perform operator overloading and custom task.
Property Decorators — Getters, Setters, and Deleters
In theory, a Getter is a method that gets the value of a property. In object-oriented programming, this helps to access private attributes from a class.
Similarly, a setter is a method that sets the value of a property. With setters, you can set the value of private attributes in a class.
And last but not the least, Deleters are used to delete the value of a property. After setting this, the value of the property will be None.
Basically, using getters and setters ensures data encapsulation which is very essential in object-oriented programming as you don’t want to expose the internal implementation of the class and property.
Getters and Setters using normal methods
Before change:
50000
After change:
30000
There is a better way of using getters and setters using @property decorators.
Getters and Setters using property decorator
Before change:
50000
After change:
30000
Let’s see another example. In the below example we have an attribute email which is made up of 2 another attributes first and last . Suppose you change the value of first after creating the object but in this case, the value of the attribute email will not change and when you created the object, it called the __init__ constructor and set the value of email . So, this is not expected.
Before change:
[email protected]
After change:
Star
[email protected]
There could be one way where you remove email attributes from the __init__ method and create another method. But in this case, you will have to call a function email() instead of an attribute email . We got the expected result but this is not maintainable.
Before change:
[email protected]
After changing the first name:
Star
[email protected]
Let’s solve this using a property decorator. Where you don’t have to call as a function email() .
Before change:
[email protected]
After changing the first name using property decorator:
Star
[email protected]
Now suppose you want to change the value of email at run time and want to change the values of those attributes which form the email attribute. If you set without the setter method, it will throw an error.
Hence we will use a setter decorator to solve this problem.
Before change:
[email protected]
After changing the email:
Star
[email protected]
Deleters
You can also delete attributes using deleter decorator.
Before change:
[email protected]
After deleting:
None
[email protected]
Now, you don’t want to get an email like [email protected]. So let’s improve our code — getter method.
[email protected]
After deleting:
None
Email is not set. Please set it using setters. Before change:After deleting:NoneEmail is not set. Please set it using setters.
Conclusion
We have come to the end of this chapter. I know we have learned a lot in this chapter and we might have to review it again to properly understand the concept. Please feel free to reach out to me in case of any improvements/suggestions.
Below is the link for the notebook.
You can find chapter-1 here.
I’ll come up with the next chapter (Chapter-3) soon.
Thanks a lot for reading.
Advance Python Series
Chapter — 1: Iterators, Generators, and Decorators in Python
Chapter — 2: Object-Oriented Programming in Python
Chapter — 3: Exception Handling and File Handling in Python | https://medium.com/swlh/python-essentials-part-2-b7c7a3e38184 | ['Vishal Mishra'] | 2020-11-05 20:42:22.019000+00:00 | ['Data Science', 'Data Analyst', 'Object Oriented', 'Python', 'Class'] |
Giving Children a Voice Can Lead to Better Outcomes for All: Developing the New European Strategy on the Rights of the Child | The European Union recently held the 13th annual Forum on the Rights of the Child, during which experts from a range of sectors who work on issues relating to children came together to discuss how best to guarantee the realisation of children’s rights.
This year’s conference focused on the EU strategy on the rights of the child, set to be implemented between 2021 and 2024. The aim of the strategy is to provide a framework for EU action to better promote and protect children’s rights. It will include a set of measures looking at protecting the rights of the most vulnerable children, children’s rights in a digital age, preventing violence against children, and promoting child-friendly justice.
Participants in the forum included policymakers, judicial and child protection practitioners, ombudspersons for children, international and non-governmental organisations, and staff from EU institutions and agencies. Perhaps most importantly, the event was also attended by children and young people themselves. They were asked to express their views on the topics discussed, as well as to reflect on what adults said and share their feedback.
The participation of children and young people in this event is in line with growing recognition of the importance of giving children the opportunity to participate in EU political and democratic life. The right of children to participate is enshrined in Article 12 of the United Nations Convention of the Rights of the Child (CRC). Under this treaty, one of the most widely ratified human rights conventions, state parties oblige themselves to ensure that children are given the right to express their own views “ freely in all matters affecting the child [and that] the views of the child being given due weight in accordance with the age and maturity of the child.”
However, more could be done to make sure that this principle is translated into practice, and that children can express their views and that their voices are heard, including in decisionmaking.
The current COVID-19 pandemic provides an example of where possibly better outcomes could have been reached had children’s interests been more considered and some attempt made to understand the wider impact on their lives.
Governments across the world implemented measures aimed at curbing the spread of the virus and for children, this has meant an interruption in their education, formal care arrangements, and leisure activities. This has not been ideal for children and there seems to be a greater recognition now of the harms caused.
There is some evidence that suggests that there are lots of benefits to children’s participation in the decisions that affect them. This is not just for children themselves, but also for policy, and accordingly, for society as a whole. Talking to children to understand how the pandemic is affecting them personally is important so that better decisions can be implemented in the future.
Children’s participation helps decisionmakers be more aware of children’s needs and their rights.
Research has shown that children’s participation leads to improved self-esteem and confidence, and equips them with both practical and problem-solving skills (PDF). It also helps decisionmakers be more aware (PDF) of children’s needs and their rights. There is also some evidence that suggests that being given the opportunity to participate in childhood has lasting impacts on civic behaviour and consciousness in adulthood.
The new EU strategy on the rights of the child will also focus on fostering children’s participation. To help inform this strategy, RAND Europe, in collaboration with Eurochild, is undertaking a study on children’s participation in EU political and democratic life for the European Commission. The objective of the study is to examine how children (aged 0–18) can participate in decisionmaking processes across the EU and identify examples of promising practice of children’s participation that are inclusive, and in some instances, child-led.
This work builds on previous work by RAND Europe, including a policy memo, Embedding a Children’s Rights Perspectives in Policy and Decision-Making. The current study will provide a more in-depth understanding of the state of play of children’s participation across the EU and will also focus on improving understanding on how all children can participate — including children from vulnerable backgrounds and children with disabilities. By providing a comprehensive overview of children’s participation across the EU, this research may help ensure that any forthcoming strategy effectively addresses remaining gaps.
Children have a right to participate in decisionmaking that affects them. It will be important to ensure that there are mechanisms in place to support that process, and that they are resilient, even in times of crisis.
Michaela Bruckmayer is an analyst at RAND Europe in the area of home affairs and social policy and conducts research for the European Platform for Investing in Children and the Child Participation study. | https://medium.com/rand-corporation/giving-children-a-voice-can-lead-to-better-outcomes-for-all-developing-the-new-european-strategy-9f90f23852dc | ['Rand Corporation'] | 2020-12-14 20:17:50.182000+00:00 | ['Legislation', 'Children', 'Decision Making', 'Children Rights', 'European Union'] |
Paypal is Widening the Racial Wealth Gap with Discriminatory Practices Against Sex Workers | Analysis
Paypal is Widening the Racial Wealth Gap with Discriminatory Practices Against Sex Workers
To some, the idea of “sex work” may conjure up a pejorative caricature of a scantily-clad woman partaking in illegal activities. Obviously, this is a harmful stereotype, which more and more people are coming to realize as they support the decriminalization of sex work.
For the uninitiated, “sex work” can refer to consensual in-person services, which is generally outlawed in the United States, save for smaller towns in Nevada. It can also refer to legal, consensual sex work, like adult cam sites, adult pornography, erotic literature and photography, and social media subscription services. To some, this might be obvious, but other aspects of sex work are not.
What many people don’t picture sex workers as are activists who have battled for the rights of women, workers, BIPOC, and other historically oppressed groups for millennia. In Ancient Greece, Hetairai, or courtesans, accompanied men to academic symposiums and spread their gained knowledge to poorly educated women and girls. In 1969, Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera, two trans women of color, led the charge at the Stonewall Uprising and used money earned from sex work to house trans youth experiencing homelessness. Sex workers quickly joined the fight against HIV and AIDS and the homophobic stigma that came with it.
Sex workers are still foundational voices in the activist landscape, especially when it comes to technology. The internet has provided adult performers with not only legal avenues to build their own businesses, but also with spaces to vet potential clients. Online whisper networks, for instance, allow sex workers to warn each other about questionable johns.
Adult camming and content sites have seen record creator signups as COVID-19 forces the reported 27 million unemployed Americans to find innovative, safe ways to make ends meet as the federal and state governments continue to fail them. Sites like OnlyFans have seen massive increases in creator signups and have earned shoutouts from Beyoncé. At the end of March 2020, Forbes reported that the paywalled site racked up 150,000 new users every 24 hours.
But sites like OnlyFans take a 20 to 60 percent cut of the creator’s income. Sex workers through the platform are considered independent contractors, so creators also have to put upwards of 20 percent away for taxes. Many adult sites are the target of hacks, and virtual sex workers worry about their paywalled content getting leaked.
Many sex workers turn to payment methods and platforms that don’t take a huge chunk of their income or are prone to content leaks. Unfortunately, even when adult performers are working in the legal parameters of sex work, they still have to navigate the informal economy with caution. Banks and financial tech companies have found arbitrary reasons to shut down sex workers’ accounts, hold their money for extended amounts of time, and, in most cases, never give the money back to the performer, sometimes up to thousands of dollars.
One of the companies most notorious for discriminating against and stealing from sex workers is PayPal. Most often, PayPal’s sex work discrimination practice especially hurts racial and gender minorities, along with other disadvantaged groups.
On June 11, 2020, PayPal announced their “$530 million commitment” to “close the racial wealth gap that sustains this profound inequity.” They have a Giving Fund where users can suggest where they would like to donate money (although PayPal has final word of where said funds go). If PayPal is truly committed to closing the racial wealth gap, they would end their discriminatory practices against sex workers.
PayPal’s Sordid Past with Sex Workers
PayPal isn’t new to the game of othering and harming sex workers. Since about 2005, PayPal — along with other fin-tech and banking giants JP Morgan Chase and Visa/MasterCard — have not only abruptly frozen and closed sex workers’ accounts while pocketing the cash, but have supported legislation that further stigmatizes sex work and makes it even more dangerous.
PayPal’s Terms and Conditions surrounding sexual content is archaic. The payment processor allows physical items, permitting “certain sexually oriented physical goods, such as videos, DVDs, magazines, or other products physically delivered to the customer,” within the US. The Terms of Service do not go into detail about which “certain” items are okay and which ones will be flagged.
And PayPal outright bans any sort of digital sales, an action that shows PayPal is not taking conducive steps to closing the wealth gap. Many sex workers, especially virtual and online sex workers, enter the business because of the low startup costs. All you need is a camera phone and access to the internet to create legal adult content.
But PayPal’s rules create a cost-barrier — not everyone has the equipment or funds to create DVDs or pay shipping costs, which add up quickly. Since banks like Chase have shut down sex workers’ accounts, sex workers are hesitant to register as a business entity, which could afford them tax breaks. The Terms of Service effectively ban sex workers from using the platform in any digital capacity. Also, it’s 2020, who the hell is ordering porn DVDs?
PayPal continued their crusade against sex workers in November 2019 when they announced they would no longer be approving payment through PornHub. The adult site offered models other ways to receive payment, saying, “We are all devastated by PayPal’s decision to stop payouts to over a hundred thousand performers who rely on them for their livelihoods.”
The FOSTA-SESTA Fiasco
In Spring 2018, the House passed the Fight Online Sex Trafficking Act (FOSTA), and the Senate passed the Stop Enabling Sex Traffickers Act (SESTA). Both bills received enthusiastic support across the political spectrum.
On paper, these both sound like appropriate, preventative laws, considering the alarming rise in cases of human trafficking in the United States.
But when you really take a look at both bills parse the legalese out, it’s easy to see why sex workers, victims of sex trafficking, and organizations like Human Rights Watch vocally opposed the bill. Even though the people who the bills are purportedly trying to protect actively protested and voiced their concerns, lawmakers did not take their very valid worries into consideration.
FOSTA-SESTA pokes a gaping hole in Section 230 of the 1996 Communications Decency Act. Considered one of the most important pieces of internet legislation, it is commonly referred to as the “safe harbor” law; the rule frees internet platforms from being held liable for their users’ posts. And it makes sense — it would be difficult for websites like Twitter or Reddit to monitor every post from their millions of users.
The FOSTA-SESTA bills introduced a stipulation to Section 230. Internet providers are now held responsible for ads or content related to or selling sex work, even for legal forms of sex work. This stipulation to Section 230 conflates consensual sex work with human trafficking by design. Like the War on Drugs and the “Tough on Crime” playbook, conflating human trafficking and sex work is just another way to criminalize poverty.
The bills’ passing shut down a lot of spaces sex workers used to stay safe and find work. Craigslist shut down their personals page after the site grew nervous they would be held liable for sex trafficking or criminalized behavior. Other sites quickly followed Craigslist’s lead.
But many sex workers used the personals page to meet and screen clients. By verifying clients’ information from the safety of their homes, sex workers have a better chance of weeding out dangerous johns. The personals page, one study suggests, helped decrease the homicide rate of women from 10 to 17 percent in the US.
These websites helped keep sex workers safe from the very violence and abuse FOSTA-SESTA is trying to prevent. Former victims of sex trafficking also believe that FOSTA-SESTA will simply push human trafficking deeper into the dark web, making it even more difficult to combat. There is no evidence these laws have done anything to reduce sex trafficking. In fact, cities like San Francisco have reported an 170 percent increase in human trafficking investigations after the bill passed.
But guess who supported these bills? An alliance of tech giants called the Internet Association, which includes PayPal and other online businesses notorious for discriminating against sex workers. The Internet Association supported FOSTA-SESTA whole-heartedly, saying:
“Internet Association is committed to combating sexual exploitation and sex trafficking online and supports SESTA. Important changes made to SESTA will grant victims the ability to secure the justice they deserve, allow internet platforms to continue their work combating human trafficking, and protect good actors in the ecosystem.”
But as emerging data continues to show, this bill has not proved effective in reducing human sex trafficking. Instead, it eliminated important protections for sex workers.
The Internet Association’s Fumble With The EARN IT Bill
Even though data suggests FOSTA-SESTA is not only wildly ineffective but also actively harmful, Senator Lindsey Graham sponsored the Eliminating Abusive and Rampant Neglect of Interactive Technologies Act of 2020, or the EARN IT Act of 2020. Like FOSTA-SESTA, this bill has garnered bipartisanship, with cosponsors on both sides of the aisle. Also like FOSTA-SESTA, sex workers and victims of trafficking and sexual abuse vehemently opposed the bill for the same reasons.
EARN IT further weakens protection under Section 230. When the bill was first conceived, an unelected 19-member committee, headed by General Attorney William Barr and rounded out with law enforcement officials, would determine new laws — as opposed to actual victims of trafficking or sex workers. This committee would then be able to dictate a set of “best practices” for tech companies to prevent human trafficking, the distribution of Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM), and the actual crimes against children depicted in said material. If tech companies don’t comply with these best practices, they become liable and are open to civil lawsuits for their users’ content. These companies would have to remove anything that could have legal ramifications from their sites, threatening freedom of speech.
One of these “best practices” is likely to include the ban end-to-end encryption. AG Barr has repeatedly voiced his desire for encryption softwares to allow “backdoors” to law enforcement, or workarounds so they could scan any and all messages. This isn’t just alarming for the sake of privacy, though; as long as law enforcement says they are acting to stop crimes against children, they are free to view whatever they please, from Facebook messages to emails to texts. It is yet another tool for police and law enforcement to abuse sex workers, as they have done throughout their entire history.
Although big tech voiced their obvious concerns about this bill, cosponsors introduced an amendment that could make the law even more dangerous. Instead of a 19-person federal committee deciding how the internet should be regulated, state lawmakers are the ones with power. This can be a death sentence for sex workers, especially BIPOC and LGBTQA+ sex workers in red states.
“EARN IT Act replaces one set of problems with another by opening the door to an unpredictable and inconsistent set of standards under state laws that pose many of the same risks to strong encryption,” said Mike Lemon, senior director and federal government affairs counsel for the Internet Association. Yes, PayPal is part of the Internet Association, but big tech is more worried about hackers accessing backdoors meant for law enforcement and censorship, not the sex workers who would be harmed by EARN IT. In fact, the only thing the bill really does is censor CSAM and make it more difficult to find human traffickers and child abusers. It does anything but put an end to their heinous crimes.
Time for PayPal to Pony Up
PayPal and its subsidiaries, including Venmo, have actively discriminated against sex workers, acting as another oppressive force widening the wealth inequality gap. If the company truly wants to work towards closing “the racial wealth gap that sustains this profound inequity,” they wouldn’t engage in discriminatory policing of sex work on their platforms. Giant financial institutions like PayPal shouldn’t be the reason a sex worker running a small business is afraid or unable to apply for a Small Business Loan due to COVID-19 — or ever.
So PayPal, as your cheeky ads for Venmo say, it’s time to pony up and do your part to close the racial wealth gap like you promised. We challenge you to make a generous donation to the Emergency Relief Fund established by the Los Angeles Chapter of Sex Workers Outreach Projects (SWOP LA). Oppose EARN IT in its entirety, and invite sex workers and victims of abuse to lead the law-making process. Change your whorephobic policies, stop closing sex workers’ accounts, and give back the funds you stole from them.
For readers who also want to participate in direct action to help sex workers and stop EARN IT, here’s what you can do:
Go to the Election Frontier Foundation’s (EFF) Action Center and contact your representatives. The site helps you determine which reps to contact and even provides a script (although we suggest altering the language a bit to keep your message from going to your reps’ spam folders. It takes 30 seconds, we promise).
Continue to educate yourself and others about the intersection of technology and social justice. Hacking//Hustling, a collective of sex worker and ally activists, has wonderful resources.
Donate to your local sex work union or sex worker emergency relief fund. Point Source Youth has a growing list of organizations to help sex workers financially affected by COVID-19.
Pay for your porn.
We’re always looking for new LA stories. To share yours, reach out to us at: [email protected]
If you have sensitive information to share, email us at [email protected]
KNOCK.LA and its writers unfortunately still live under capitalism — but not for long, if we have anything to say! Thanks to readers like you, KNOCK.LA is able to keep you informed on local politics and uplift marginalized voices in LA. Join us in fighting the good fight and donate to KNOCK.LA’s Patreon. If you enjoyed this piece, support Maggie with a tip @maggie-clancy on Venmo. | https://medium.com/groundgamela/paypal-sex-work-discrimination-ground-game-8eee88240ec4 | ['Maggie Clancy'] | 2020-08-29 15:28:20.182000+00:00 | ['PayPal', 'Sex Work', 'Fostasesta', 'Sex Trafficking', 'Analysis'] |
Integrate IdentityServer 4.1 With ASP.NET Core 3.1 (Part 1-Server Configuration) | Currently we have so many applications which can be accessible via web browser as well as devices such as tablets and mobiles. All of these applications consume web API for various purpose which interacts with one or more databases. We can’t allow anyone to access our API to get things done. We need to restrict people who access the API as well as we need to have limitations over devices as well where those devices are limited to certain functionality. We are going to learn about how to achieve above mentioned requirements in three parts.
Building Identity Server Securing web API with Identity Server Access web API through swagger
Let’s jump into first part to build Identity Server which will facilitate the security of the API we are building together during this article 😃
Building Identity Server
First most we need to understand what are scopes and resources in Identity Server
IdentityResources are the scopes that will be included in the ID-token
ApiScopes is what you ask for as a client and as a user you give permission to. In other words, one or more ApiResources can associated with one ore more ApiScopes.
The ApiScope and ApiResources controls what is included in the access token. ApiResources points out what the aud claim in the access token will contains.
ApiResources gives us options to control what claims needs to be in the access token.
Identity Server 4 supports following grant types.
Implicit
Authorization code
Hybrid
Client credentials
Resource owner password
Device flow
Refresh tokens
Extension grants
I’m going to cover Resource owner password grant type in this section. Let’s move to the implementation.
Install Identity server 4 nuget package
Install-Package IdentityServer4 -Version 4.1.1
2. Create a empty ASP.NET Core Web application
Select ASP.NET Core Web Application
Provide name for the identity server project
Select Empty project template and click “Create” button
3. Configure APIClients, APIScopes and APIResources in a static class ‘Config’
public static class Config
{
public static IEnumerable<IdentityResource> IdentityResources =>
new IdentityResource[]
{
new IdentityResources.OpenId(),
new IdentityResources.Profile()
}; public static IEnumerable<ApiScope> ApiScopes =>
new List<ApiScope>
{
new ApiScope("webAPI", "WebAPI"),
new ApiScope("UserMgtAPI", "UserManagementAPI")
}; } public static IEnumerable<Client> Clients =>
new List<Client>
{
new Client
{
ClientName="Web API client",
ClientId = "apiClient",
AllowedGrantTypes = GrantTypes.ResourceOwnerPasswordAndClientCredentials, // secret for authentication
ClientSecrets =
{
new Secret("automartSecret".Sha256())
},
// scopes that client has access to
AllowedScopes = { "webAPI", "UserMgtAPI", "openid", "profile" }
}
}; public static IEnumerable<ApiResource> ApiResources =>
new List<ApiResource>
{
new ApiResource
{
Name = "webAPI", // secret for using introspection endpoint
ApiSecrets =
{
new Secret("automartSecret".Sha256())
}, // include the following using claims in access token (in addition to subject id)
UserClaims = {
JwtClaimTypes.Name,
"FirstName",
"LastName",
JwtClaimTypes.Email,
JwtClaimTypes.Role,
"UserVerified",
"Username",
"user_id"
}, // this API defines two scopes
Scopes = { "webAPI","openid", "profile" }
}
};
4. Create a class called ‘ResourceOwnerPasswordValidator’ extending ‘IResourceOwnerPasswordValidator’ interface
public class ResourceOwnerPasswordValidator : IResourceOwnerPasswordValidator
{
private UserManager _userManager;
public ResourceOwnerPasswordValidator(UserManager userManager)
{
_userManager = userManager;
}
public async Task ValidateAsync(ResourceOwnerPasswordValidationContext context)
{
try
{
//get your user model from db (by username - in my case its email)
var user = await _userManager.FindUserByNameAsync(context.UserName);
if (user != null)
{
//check if password match - remember to hash password if stored as hash in db
if (await _userManager.CheckPasswordAsync(user, context.Password))
{
//set the result
context.Result = new GrantValidationResult(
subject: user.UserId.ToString(),
authenticationMethod: "custom",
claims: await _userManager.GetClaimsAsync(user)); return;
}
context.Result = new GrantValidationResult(TokenRequestErrors.InvalidGrant, "Incorrect password");
return;
}
context.Result = new GrantValidationResult(TokenRequestErrors.InvalidGrant, "User does not exist.");
return;
}
catch (Exception ex)
{
context.Result = new GrantValidationResult(TokenRequestErrors.InvalidGrant, "Invalid username or password");
Console.WriteLine(ex);
}
}
}
This class has a method called ValidateAsync which is used to compare the username and password provided when requesting for a access token. I have a class called UserManager which is used to get users from database for comparison.
5. Create a class called ‘ProfileService’ extending ‘IProfileService’ interface
public class ProfileService : IProfileService
{
private UserManager _userManager;
public ProfileService(UserManager userManager)
{
_userManager = userManager;
}
public async Task GetProfileDataAsync(ProfileDataRequestContext context)
{
try
{
//depending on the scope accessing the user data.
if (!string.IsNullOrEmpty(context.Subject.Identity.Name))
{
//get user from db (in my case this is by email)
var user = await _userManager.FindUserByNameAsync(context.Subject.Identity.Name); if (user != null)
{
var claims = await _userManager.GetClaimsAsync(user); //set issued claims to return
context.IssuedClaims = claims.Where(x => context.RequestedClaimTypes.Contains(x.Type)).ToList();
}
}
else
{
//get subject from context (this was set ResourceOwnerPasswordValidator.ValidateAsync),
//where and subject was set to my user id.
var userId = context.Subject.Claims.FirstOrDefault(x => x.Type == "sub"); if (!string.IsNullOrEmpty(userId?.Value))
{
//get user from db (find user by user id)
var user = await _userManager.FindUserByUserIdAsync(int.Parse(userId.Value)); // issue the claims for the user
if (user != null)
{
var claims = await _userManager.GetClaimsAsync(user); context.IssuedClaims = claims.Where(x => context.RequestedClaimTypes.Contains(x.Type)).ToList();
}
}
}
}
catch (Exception ex)
{
Console.WriteLine(ex);
}
} public async Task IsActiveAsync(IsActiveContext context)
{
try
{
//get subject from context (set in ResourceOwnerPasswordValidator.ValidateAsync),
var userId = context.Subject.Claims.FirstOrDefault(x => x.Type == "user_id"); if (!string.IsNullOrEmpty(userId?.Value) && long.Parse(userId.Value) > 0)
{
var user = await _userManager.FindUserByUserIdAsync(int.Parse(userId.Value)); if (user != null)
{
if (user.IsActive)
{
context.IsActive = user.IsActive;
}
}
}
}
catch (Exception ex)
{
Console.WriteLine(ex);
}
}
This class is used to get user details from database, retrieve the claims of the user and set only the IssuedClaims which are matching the requested claims of the APIResources. In other words, even though user has lots of claims associated to him only the claims defined in the APIResources are set to access token.
IProfileService also has a method called ‘IsActiveAsync’ which is used to set IsActive property of the user context.
6. Injecting all the services and providers in Startup
Add following codes inside ConfigureServices section
// Register database provider
services.Add(new ServiceDescriptor(typeof(IDbProvider), DBProviderFactory.GetProvider(ProviderTypes.MySql, Configuration.GetConnectionString("DBConnection")))); services.AddIdentityServer()
.AddDeveloperSigningCredential()
.AddInMemoryIdentityResources(Config.IdentityResources)
.AddInMemoryApiScopes(Config.ApiScopes)
.AddInMemoryApiResources(Config.ApiResources)
.AddInMemoryClients(Config.Clients); //Inject the classes we just created
services.AddTransient<IResourceOwnerPasswordValidator, ResourceOwnerPasswordValidator>();
services.AddTransient<IProfileService, ProfileService>(); services.AddScoped<UserManager>();
services.AddScoped<IUserRepository, UserRepository>();
AddDeveloperSigningCredential can be used only when Identity Server host is running on a SINGLE machine, for production you need to use AddSigningCredential. In order to setup this please follow this “How to set and renew AddSigningCredential after 30 days”
Add following codes inside Configure section
app.UseIdentityServer();
That’s all for implementation and configuration 😤
Now you can run the Identity Server and use POSTMAN to call request for token
Header
* Content-Type : application/x-www-form-urlencoded Body
* grant_type- password
* username- <<username>>
* password- <<password>>
* scope- webAPI
* client_id- apiClient
* client_secret- <<secret>> URL
* <api_endpoint>/connect/token POST
Please find the sample token request and response below.
sample token request
sample token response
This concludes part 1 “Building Identity Server” of the article. 😄 | https://medium.com/@suvethann10/integrate-identityserver-4-1-with-asp-net-core-3-1-part-1-server-configuration-1921fea166bc | ['Suvethan Nantha'] | 2020-12-15 14:21:41.583000+00:00 | ['Identityserver4', 'Net Core 3', 'Csharp'] |
Full Address Bar Spoofing On Opera Mini Android | I found a race condition flaw which caused browser to preserve the address bar and to load the content from the spoofed page. Address bar spoofing allows for attacks where a malicious page can spoof the identify of another site.
Summary
During my testing, it was observed that the browser allowed JavaScript to update the address bar while the page was still loading. Upon requesting data from a non-existent port the address was preserved and hence a due to race condition over a resource requested from non-existent port combined with the delay induced by setInterval function managed to trigger address bar spoofing. It causes browser to preserve the address bar and to load the content from the spoofed page.
Impact
Opera Mini Android is installed on more than 500,000,000+ devices. The vulnerability gives attackers the ability to steal data using phishing or spread misinformation using legitimate domains.
Most Address Bar Spoofing vulnerabilities are not very practical but this vulnerability not only spoofs the address bar, but also makes the spoofed web-page completely responsive so the attack becomes practical.
Expected behavior
The browser should handle load events in expected order when JS redirects page before sub-resource load finishes.
[1] https://bugs.webkit.org/show_bug.cgi?id=194131
[2] https://bugs.webkit.org/show_bug.cgi?id=194208
Reproducibility
1) Visit the following link for the vulnerable browser — https://0x48piraj.com/--REDACTED--/operafabs.html
2) You will notice that the URL is pointing to https://www.opera.com:8080/, however the content is hosted on 0x48piraj.com.
The Great Plot
So, it all started when I got a reply from Opera Software saying, | https://medium.com/@0x48piraj/full-address-bar-spoofing-on-opera-mini-android-597fafa60627 | ['Piyush Raj'] | 2020-12-25 18:35:37.600000+00:00 | ['Security', 'Cybersecurity', 'Vulnerability', 'Bug Bounty', 'Hacking'] |
How Dangerous Are Deepfakes? | On September 26, 1960, almost 60 years to the day before the carnival sideshow that was last Tuesday’s presidential debate, John F. Kennedy went head-to-head with Richard Nixon in the nation’s first televised presidential debate. As the story goes, Americans who tuned into the debate over the radio believed Richard Nixon had won, though anyone who watched the televised broadcast believed the opposite. Overnight, John F. Kennedy became a political icon and over time, it became clear that television had forever transformed election cycles, and the world at large.
Video has become integral in aspects across the spectrum of society. It’s hard to imagine the criminal justice system before video was ubiquitous. Controversial video clips have ended political careers. Even the idea that we can tune into our government’s proceedings by livestream is simultaneously mind-blowing and something often taken for granted.
Of course, between its advent and somewhat recently, we’ve accustomed ourselves to the idea that what we can clearly see in a video is (at least somewhat) reliably true, or at the very least that it’s possible to detect when a video is manipulated. If you’re familiar with the concept of a deepfake, though, you know that videos now require a new level of scrutiny.
The term “deepfake” is a portmanteau (side note: love me a portmanteau) of “deep learning” and “fake”. A deepfake is a video that has been manipulated using machine learning and deep neural networks, and is difficult to distinguish from legitimate media. Deepfakes first emerged in 2017, and Forbes estimates that 60% of deepfakes now target politics, and that views of them have increased by 2000% since late last year.
One striking aspect of deepfake technology is how quickly it’s advanced since it was first introduced. There are plenty of tutorials out there that have very rudimentary Readme and Install documentation and require lots of debugging and a not-insignificant amount of savvy. I played around with this python-based tutorial for a full day and did not get it up and running, though the process is broken up into four steps: gather, extract, train, and convert.
First paragraph of the FaceSwap Readme
Below, I am describing the steps as run in the command line, though there is also a GUI if that’s easier.
Gather
This particular repo’s default is converting images of Donald Trump to images of Nicolas Cage (I can’t speak to the particulars of this decision, but you can read about it here). Whoever the two people are, the point of this step is to find images and videos of each one and save them to corresponding source directories. One of FaceSwap’s features is its ability to extract faces from video frames with the built-in effmpeg command, so a lot of the gathering work is automated. Users are also given the option of using the standalone tool ffmpeg.
python tools.py effmpeg -h
Extract
Once FaceSwap has enough source material, users can run the extract command, as below.
# To extract trump from photos in a folder:
python faceswap.py extract -i ~/faceswap/src/trump -o ~/faceswap/faces/trump # To extract trump from a video file:
python faceswap.py extract -i ~/faceswap/src/trump.mp4 -o ~/faceswap/faces/trump # To extract cage from photos in a folder:
python faceswap.py extract -i ~/faceswap/src/cage -o ~/faceswap/faces/cage # To extract cage from a video file:
python faceswap.py extract -i ~/faceswap/src/cage.mp4 -o ~/faceswap/faces/cage
There are several tips and tricks for the extraction process, but ultimately FaceSwap requires 500–5000 images to be able to train the model sufficiently. The input of these commands is the source directory of faces
~/faceswap/src/cage.mp4
The user must also specify the output directory, where the extraction results are saved along with an alignments.json file.
~/faceswap/faces/cage
Train
Now that faces have been extracted, the model can begin training on them. The process of training is best undertaken with powerful computing resources. If a Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) is used, the documentation suggests that this process can take 12–48 hours. If a regular CPU is used instead, it can take several weeks.
python faceswap.py train -A ~/faceswap/faces/trump -B ~/faceswap/faces/cage -m ~/faceswap/trump_cage_model/ # or -p to show a preview python faceswap.py train -A ~/faceswap/faces/trump -B ~/faceswap/faces/cage -m ~/faceswap/trump_cage_model/ -p
Finally, once the model has been trained there’s yet another process of generating an alignments.json file and then converting the video.
Yikes! This seems complex and frankly, like a lot of work. | https://medium.com/tech-in-policy/how-dangerous-are-deepfakes-fdd9b41b85f | ['Katie Escoto'] | 2020-10-06 00:36:32.785000+00:00 | ['Politics', 'Technology News', 'Social Media', 'Deepfake Technology', 'Policy'] |
Going Over the Falls in a Barrel | Thank you to the editors of Ponder Review at the Mississippi University of Women in Columbus, MS, who published five works from my series Veronica’s Cloths in Volume 4, Issue 1. When I look at the works selected, I think about Annie Edson Taylor. At 63 years old, she was the first human to go over the Niagara River falls in 1901. Amazingly, she did it inside a pickle barrel padded with pillows. When she emerged at the base of Horseshoe Falls, she is said to have remarked, “No one ought ever do that again.” That’s how I think about the content of my artwork — I hope that no one has to go through what I went through at my last job.
Annie Edson Taylor makes me think about tipping points and courage. What made her look at something as overwhelmingly dangerous and gargantuan as Niagara Falls and say I’m going to take it on? She knew it could kill her. Tear her apart in the process. She could be annihilated, and her body never found. And yet, she did it anyway. Some called her crazy. But that is a dismissive explanation. I think a choice like hers is much more psychically profound. Her decision is about a tipping point where there is nothing left to lose. You have to do something to get unstuck from the place you live (physically and emotionally). You have to try to do something extraordinary to make a change in the world.
Deciding to fight against the threats, harassment, sexual assault, discrimination, retaliation I was subjected to in my last job was like deciding to go over the falls a barrel. It was something I needed to do even though I was going up against an institution and people of formidable power. Fighting against what I experienced had to be done. There was no other choice. What happened to me had to stop. No one else should experience what I experienced. As I imagine Annie Edson Taylor in the confines of the pickle barrel in the turbulent rushing water, I relate to being alone, in the dark, groundless, and not knowing which end is up. When I experienced retaliation and defamation following my complaints of discrimination, I relate to Taylor’s feeling of being thrashed from side to side without adequate cushion or comfort, heart beating fast from adrenaline, and feeling like I couldn’t breathe.
The pieces selected by Ponder’s editor make me think about Taylor — overcoming fear through courage (“In the Pit of My Stomach (Fear)”), being subjected to scrutiny and judgment (“Vulnerability (Tears)”), taking the plunge and feeling groundless (“The Last Thing I Remember”), feeling beaten up during the long journey toward justice (“I See Spots (Knock-Down, Drag-Out)”), and battling powerful, destructive forces alone (“Abandoned by St. Amabilis”).
See more Veronica’s Cloths: www.kjohnsonbowlesart.com
K. Johnson Bowles | https://medium.com/@kathyjohnsonbowles/going-over-the-falls-in-a-barrel-5cb9daffa33c | ['Kathy Johnson Bowles'] | 2020-12-19 00:09:03.472000+00:00 | ['Social Justice', 'Art', 'Courage', 'Feminist Art', 'Confronting Fear'] |
Generating Pareto Distribution in Python | 1. Pareto Distribution
Pareto distribution is a power-law probability distribution named after Italian civil engineer, economist, and sociologist Vilfredo Pareto, that is used to describe social, scientific, geophysical, actuarial and various other types of observable phenomenon. Pareto distribution is sometimes known as the Pareto Principle or ‘80–20’ rule, as the rule states that 80% of society’s wealth is held by 20% of its population. Pareto distribution is not a law of nature, but an observation. It is useful in many real-world problems. It is a skewed heavily tailed distribution.
After reading the definition, you must be wondering what is power law? The power law is a functional relationship between two quantities such that a change in one quantity triggers a proportional change in the other quantity irrespective of the initial size of two quantities.
Photo by ©iambipin
The 80–20 rule holds true in many cases. For instance, Vilfredo Pareto found that 80% of Italy’s land is owned by 20% of the population. He also found that 80% of peas procured from his garden came from 20% of its pea plants. 82.7% of the world’s income is controlled by 20% of the population. A 2002 report of Microsoft suggests that 80% of errors and crashes of Windows and MS Office are caused by 20% of all the bugs detected. 80% of sales coming from 20% of the products. 80% of customers only use 20% of software features. This 80–20 distribution occurs quite frequently.
2. Generating Pareto distribution in Python
Pareto distribution can be replicated in Python using either Scipy.stats module or using NumPy. Scipy.stats module encompasses various probability distributions and an ever-growing library of statistical functions. Scipy is a Python library used for scientific computing and technical computing. NumPy is a Python library used for scientific computing that apart from its scientific uses can be used as a multi-dimensional container for generic data.
2.1 Using Scipy.stats
import numpy as np
import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
from scipy.stats import pareto
x_m = 1 #scale
alpha = [1, 2, 3] #list of values of shape parameters
samples = np.linspace(start=0, stop=5, num=1000) for a in alpha:
output = np.array([pareto.pdf(x=samples, b=a, loc=0, scale=x_m)])
plt.plot(samples, output.T, label='alpha {0}' .format(a)) plt.xlabel('samples', fontsize=15)
plt.ylabel('PDF', fontsize=15)
plt.title('Probability Density function', fontsize=15)
plt.grid(b=True, color='grey', alpha=0.3, linestyle='-.', linewidth=2)
plt.rcParams["figure.figsize"] = [5, 5]
plt.legend(loc='best')
plt.show()
Photo by ©iambipin
x_m and alpha are the two parameters of Pareto distribution. x_m is the scale parameter and represents the smallest value that Pareto distributed random variable can take. alpha is the shape parameter and is equal to n/SUM{ln(x_i/x_m)}.
np.linspace() returns evenly spaced samples(number of samples equal to num) over a specific interval[start, stop]. In the code above, linspace() method returns 1000 evenly spaced samples over a range[0, 5].
The list of shape values -alpha is iterated to plot lines for each value. np.array() creates an array. The scipy.stats.pareto() method returns a Pareto continuous random variable. pareto.pdf() creates a probability density function(PDF). The parameters x, b, loc, and scale are array-like quantiles, array-like shape parameters, array-like optional location parameter(default=0), and array-like optional scale parameter(default=1) respectively.
plt.plot() plots the evenly spaced samples and the array of PDF values. The graph is plotted for each value of alpha. Here, output.T is transposing the output. The output is an array of Pareto distribution values with 3 rows, one for each shape parameter. On transposing, the output is converted to an array of 1000 rows.
The remaining lines of code are almost self-explanatory. plt.xlabel() and plt.ylabel() are used for labelling x-axis and y-axis. plt.title() assigns title to the graph. plt.grid() configures the grid line.
plt.rcParams['figure.figsize'] = [width, height]
The plt.rcParams[] set the current rc params. Matplotlib uses matplotlibrc configuration files to customize all kinds of properties, which are called ‘rc settings’ or ‘rc parameters’. Defaults of almost every property in Matplotlib can be controlled: figure size and DPI, line width, color and style, axes, axis and grid properties, text and font properties and so on.
plt.legend() shows the legend and plt.show() displays all figures. For further reading on ways to make your plot more meaningful, kindly visit here.
2.2 Using Numpy
import numpy as np
import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
x_m, alpha = 1, 3.
#drawing samples from distribution
samples = (np.random.pareto(alpha, 1000) + 1) * x_m
count, bins, _ = plt.hist(samples, 100, normed=True)
fit = alpha*x_m**alpha / bins**(alpha+1)
plt.plot(bins, max(count)*fit/max(fit), linewidth=2, color='r')
plt.xlabel('bins', fontsize=15)
plt.ylabel('probability density', fontsize=15)
plt.title('Probability Density Function', fontsize=15)
plt.grid(b=True, color='grey', alpha=0.3, linestyle='-.', linewidth=2)
plt.rcParams['figure.figsize'] = [8, 8]
plt.show()
Photo by ©iambipin
np.random.pareto() draws random samples from a Pareto II or Lomax distribution with a specified shape. Pareto II distribution is a shifted Pareto distribution. By adding 1 and multiplying by the scale parameter x_m, classical Pareto distribution can be obtained from Lomax distribution.
samples = (np.random.pareto(alpha, 1000) + 1) * x_m
The smallest value of the Pareto II distribution is zero while for the classical Pareto distribution is mu, where the standard Pareto distribution has location mu=1.
plt.hist() plots a histogram. When the parameter density or normed is set to True, the returned tuple will have the first element as count normalized to form probability density. Hence area under the histogram will be 1. This is achieved by dividing the count by the number of observations times the bin width and not dividing by the total number of observations. Hence y-axis will have the density of samples.
The ‘_’ in the count, bin, _ conveys that the last value of the returned tuple is not important(plt.hist() would return a tuple with three values).
We will plot the curve on the binned data,
We will fit a Pareto distribution to our randomly sampled data and plot this distribution on top of our data, by computing the probability density of the Pareto distribution at the x-values defined by bins with parameters x_m and alpha.
fit = alpha*x_m**alpha / bins**(alpha+1)
3. Verifying Pareto distribution
Q-Q plot(Quantile-Quantile plot) is used to determine whether the continuous random variables follow Pareto distribution.
import numpy as np
import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
import scipy.stats as stats x_m = 10
alpha = 15
size = 100000 #the size of the sample(no. of random samples)
samples = (np.random.pareto(alpha, size) + 1) * x_m
stats.probplot(samples, dist='pareto', sparams=(15, 10), plot=pylab)
plt.show()
Photo by ©iambipin
stats.probplot generates a probability plot of the random sample drawn from the distribution(sample data) against the quantiles of a specified theoretical distribution(Pareto distribution). As the vast majority of blue dots(sample data) are almost aligned with the red line(theoretical distribution), we can conclude that the distribution follows Pareto distribution.
Before concluding, it’s imperative to know the real-world applications of Pareto distribution.
4. Applications of Pareto Distribution
The sizes of human settlements(fewer cities and more villages).
Sizes of sand particles.
The file size of data being distributed over the internet that follows the TCP protocol.
The values of oil reserves in oil fields(a few large fields and many small fields)
Male dating success in Tinder where 80% of females compete for 20% of most attractive males.
Time spend by a user playing various games in Steam(few games are played a lot and more often than the majority of games which are seldom played).
Pareto distribution and its concepts are pretty simple yet powerful. It invariably helps to garner vital clues to understand a wide range of human behavior, scientific and social phenomena. I hope you got a better understanding of Pareto distribution and how to draw samples from it and plot using Pyplot, Numpy, Scipy, and Python. Happy Coding!!!
References
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pareto_distribution
https://docs.scipy.org/doc/numpy-1.10.1/reference/generated/numpy.random.pareto.html
https://stackoverflow.com/questions/19525899/how-to-generate-random-numbers-in-specyfic-range-using-pareto-distribution-in-py | https://towardsdatascience.com/generating-pareto-distribution-in-python-2c2f77f70dbf | ['Bipin P.'] | 2020-03-20 10:58:42.151000+00:00 | ['Distribution', 'Pareto', 'Python', 'Statistics', 'Probability'] |
Introduction to dependency Injection-Dagger 2 [Part1] | What is A dependency? In simple words, dependency means relying on something for support, for example, your phone dependent on the sim, battery, display, etc. According to Wikipedia, the definition of dependency injection is
In software engineering, dependency injection is a technique whereby one object supplies the dependencies of another object. A “dependency” is an object that can be used, for example as a service.
Then there will be a famous Question, Why we need dependency Injection?
The DI mechanism separates object production from object consumption
Tightly coupled Vs Loosely coupled
In the above examples class, A depends on class B. In Type1 B is tightly dependent on A, since class A needs to know how to instantiate the object of B. So the class A&B are tightly coupled. Sometimes the object creation of class B may complex because it need/know another ingredient like a, b, c, d, e(some other parameter objects consume in class B).
In Type2, Inorder to create an object of class A we need to pass the object of class B. So class A doesn’t need to worry about the instantiation of class B and it is loosely coupled.
In the above example, we found constructor injection, that’s we passed object ‘b’ to A through the constructor of class A.
Types of dependency injection
Injecting dependencies via constructor
Injection via getter/setter
Interface Injection
Injecting dependencies via constructor
In the above example, class Phone has a dependency on Sim. But these dependency class Sim is not created by Phone, instead of it injected/passed through constructor params ‘Phone(Sim sim)’.
Injection via getter/setter methods
In the above example, class Phone has a dependency on Sim. But these dependency class Sim is not created by Phone, instead of it injected/passed through ‘getSim()’ and ‘setSim()’ methods.
Interface Injection
In the above example, class Phone has a dependency on Sim. But this Sim dependency injected/passed through interface method ‘sendSim(Sim sim)’. The sendsim() method is called by the external part with Sim object.
Again another question, Do we need DI frameworks?
Not at all. You could simply pass all instances to other objects manually by your own logic by the above three ways. If you have a small application there is no need for frameworks like Dagger2.
But frameworks will give you the following advantages
You can remove tons of boilerplate codes.
Help to write and maintain complex relationships between objects.
Maintain the scope of your object nicely( is it needed in entire screen or single window/screen)
Help to share object between multiple screens/class
What’s next? Part2 available here | https://medium.com/@ebinjoy999/dagger-2-introduction-to-dependency-injection-part1-e9706eaa7873 | ['Ebin Joy'] | 2019-10-09 17:52:54.121000+00:00 | ['Dependency Management', 'Best Practices', 'Dagger 2', 'Dependency Injection', 'Android App Development'] |
Language, Humanity, and Religion | Portrait of Charles F. Hockett. Cornell University.
In 1959, Charles F. Hockett, an American linguist, published “Animal ‘Languages’ and Human Language,” in which he articulates seven key properties of human language to determine how it functions and how it compares to other species’ languages. This is done partly in an effort to challenge the presumption that human language is somehow entirely unique to that of other species (such as bees, sticklebacks, waterfowl, and gibbons) — a tension point in the wake of Darwin’s “Origin of Species” published a century earlier.
The first of properties, Hockett calls the duality of patterning. Humans are able to communicate in language by rearranging small, differentiated units of meaning to make seemingly infinite assertions. In Hebrew, for example, the particular alphabet begins in the symbol ‘א’ and ending in the symbol ‘א’ .’ת’ assumes a meaning by virtue of appearing visually different than any other symbol in the alphabet. Furthermore, the sound associated is different between these two symbols. ‘א’ can be assembled beside any other letter in the Hebrew alphabet, in any quantity, to create meaning.
Second, Hockett describes the property of productivity. Productivity suggests that humans produce utterances based on previous utterances. Through this, humans build a series of utterances that have shared communal meanings within a specific culture. Hockett argues that this phenomenon is not unique to humans. Bees, for instance, are able to ‘dance’ in a way that each fellow bee subsequently understands; this act is productive in its shared communal meaning.
Third, Hockett notes the arbitrariness of human language. In English, the iconic representation of a word bears no similarity to that of the actual object it refers to. For example, the English word ‘computer’ does not resemble the likeness of a computer. The bee dance that Hockett brings up is not arbitrary. The actual manifestation of the bee dance is iconic, meaning that it actually embodies that which it is communicating: nectar nearby. Arbitrary language, too, is not unique to humans. Gibbons and various birds use arbitrary calls. In these cases, there is no correlation between the symbol and that which is references.
The fourth property is interchangeability. Because humans have assembled a shared series of utterances, we are able to assemble new utterances, and issue them novelly. Furthermore, when humans do create new sentences without having rehearsed them, we are still understood. The only bounds to which we are not able to theoretically say certain utterances are due to class, ritual, gender, and other social roles (in Judaism, for instance, it is not considered kosher to speak God’s true name aloud, though community members certainly could perform this in a physical sense).
The fifth property Hockett discusses is specialization, which can be further broken down into triggers and energy. When humans use language to prompt a question, it may trigger an energetic response, such as a reply, but the symbols themselves cannot cause the desired response to occur. Merely asking a question does nothing to affect the universe in itself, but because of its shared meaning, members of the language system are coaxed into an energetic response.
The sixth property is displacement. When humans speak of an object, that object may not exist in the present space and time but is rather indicated via a symbol (word) itself. For example, individuals are able to talk about a meal eaten last week or a relative that passed away years ago, even though neither of these objects are physically present any longer.
The final property Hockett discusses is cultural transmission. Due to a complex system of small units of meaning, repeated utterances, and the summed utility of all other properties discussed thereof, humans must teach and learn language in a somewhat formalized sense for it to continue in its present form. We cannot conceive of language innately — it is not coded by DNA — but rather must absorb such system from outsides sources within our culture (parents, formalized teachers, etc.).
Hockett suggests that human language ultimately began through productively repeated ‘blended’ utterances that developed an increased differentiation, and thus a larger selection of meaningful sounds. Productivity leads to arbitration and then had to be culturally transmitted to become embedded in the community. Man’s evolutionary ability to imitate well assisted immensely in this process. It is, however, the duality of patterning, that formalizes the understanding of human linguistics in an academic sense, and thus distinguishes humans from other life forms capable of communication. Human language is thus the product of a series of ‘lucky’ evolutionary advances that support an ability to build community meaning via symbols. Other species that can perfect imitation are in a better position to develop such complex communication systems evolutionarily. All in all, Hockett’s approach is very systematic. | https://medium.com/interfaith-now/language-humanity-and-religion-2b49beae17f6 | ['Allison J. Van Tilborgh'] | 2019-11-11 02:12:44.038000+00:00 | ['Philosophy', 'Language', 'Religion', 'Society', 'Judaism'] |
5 Reasons Strategic Public Relations is More Important than Ever | Brands and individuals seem to have a solid understanding of what public relations (PR) entail in general, but it can be tricky to pinpoint which tactics and stance yield the most effective media strategy.
Yes; good PR is about delivering the most valuable information, through the right channels, to the right audience, at the right time. In today’s virtual landscape, solid PR — when used appropriately — can be the #1 factor for building a brand reputation for various reasons.
1) Reputation is a Priority Across the Board 🎯 Companies and brands always have their public reputation in mind. From the executive level down, and especially at large companies, good reputation management and an attractive workplace culture is great PR.
2) PR Can Be Cost-Effective 💰 Many organizations are on tighter budgets and often don’t have as many resources as some other arms of digital marketing. PR is one of the most budget-friendly ways to communicate to a large audience in a targeted manner.
3) Content & Messaging is Key 🔑 From live video and blog posts featuring a company or brand’s thought leadership, to webinars and thoughtful and engaging Instagram posts, solid content solidifies your position as the expert in the field you’re serving. PR professionals and expert communicators should spearhead this content strategy to understand how to best accomplish this, and why. If it’s authentic and quality content, communicators can expect results through SEO, social media, as well as other shared and earned channels.
4) The Value of Sharing Your Values ❤ Values are the genetic makeup of your brand. In the era of public and private online communities, a brand’s values are extremely salient when it comes to the public. The effective communication of a company’s values is the fuel that drives strong PR and is the foundation of positive public perception.
5) PR Crisis is Recurring 🗨 In today’s fast-paced and turbulent media landscape, effective crisis management has never been more crucial. Ensuring your team has a plan in place for rapid and streamlined crisis communication is of the utmost importance. Without good PR consultation, this can be a big hurdle for companies to overcome and proactively plan for. The PR and media relations sectors are going through a period of rapid transformation, but the importance of effective public communication has never been more salient than in today’s digital landscape and convergent media environment. | https://medium.com/@prmuolo/5-reasons-strategic-public-relations-is-more-important-than-ever-b716ba88429e | ['Paul Muolo'] | 2021-04-09 12:54:54.175000+00:00 | ['Public Relations', 'Marketing', 'Reputation Management', 'Public Relations Services', 'Communication'] |
Blue Gophers’ Construction Safety Tips | This article has been created to provide information on how workers can handle construction products safely. This topic may be more for construction workers or someone preparing to do a job using hardware products. Here are a couple of safety precautions we recommend workers to consider:
Wrap flimsy material Bundle long boards Support and protect drywall Use a cargo net for bulky loads Tailgate can be up for light loads ( 8–10ft)
If you would like to place a pickup/delivery order with us, the Blue Gopher team is a delivery service you can count on: www.bluegopherapp.com
Click the links below to follow and keep up with the BlueGopher team:
Instagram / Facebook / Twitter: BlueGopherApp | https://medium.com/@bluegopherapp/blue-gophers-construction-safety-tips-d472dafd4b7b | [] | 2020-12-18 18:59:12.764000+00:00 | ['Safety Training', 'Columbus Ohio', 'Construction', 'Ohio', 'Safety'] |
7 Hair-Raising Water Sports in Dubai for a Vacation of a Lifetime In 2021 | Dubai is famous for the Arabian Desert but in recent times it becomes a favorite destination for water sports in Dubai from all over the world. The city is famous for its vast coastline, pure water of the Arabian Sea, and Amazing beach facilities and becomes the best destination for water sport in Dubai. There is a different variety of water parks in Dubai for beginners and experts.
Water sports in Dubai have affordable prices and you should indulge yourself once on your Dubai trip. Dubai is the top city to visit all year round. The beaches in Dubai are cleanest and pure and most appropriate for water sport in Dubai. You can spend your vacation in Dubai in 2021. You need to follow safety measures just to control the spread of Covid-19. For more information contact our tour operator DubaiFeel.com.
Here are 7 Hair raising water sports in Dubai.
Parasailing:
The first activity for water sport is parasailing. Parasailing in Dubai is the perfect water sport for you. A parasail is a special parachute that is attached to the boat. When the speed of the boat rises the parachute rises and floats in the sky and it gives you breathtaking views of the entire city of Dubai. It gives you an adrenaline rush experience first it touch the water surface but once it settles in the air you will feel like an eagle in the air. The average cost of Parasailing is AED420. Check weather conditions while booking for parasailing.
Speed Boating:
A speed boating is full of thrill water sport in Dubai that you can enjoy with the entire family. It is the best water sport activity in Dubai. It is located in Dubai Jumeirah beach the speed boat takes you from the beachfront. The speedboat activity is a safe activity where 4 members of the family can take part in the activity. And it offers you a unique experience that you cannot forget and you can cherish forever. You can also visit the landmarks of the city and you can get some great pictures. The average price for a speed boat is INR 3,300 for 30 minutes and INR 6,600 for 60 minutes. And make sure you will wear proper safety gear.
Flyboarding:
Flyboarding is an adventurous activity where you feel like a superhero. It is an amazing water sport activity in Dubai. This is the place where you stand on a jetpack that propels you high in the air with the support of a powerful motor. No need to worry because you will be guided by the instructor and in few minutes you learn how to manage yourself on flyboarding. You can witness the beauty of the city around the water. The timing is from 9 AM to 5 PM. The average price for flyboarding is INR 7,200 for a 30-minute ride. Follow the safety instructions carefully and do it under expert supervision.
Fly Fishing:
Fly Fishing is a demanding water sport activity in Dubai. The ride lasts for 15 minutes and you don’t need any experience and is totally safe. This is the place where you can experience the thrill of flying into the air. You can witness the skyline of Dubai city and this ride offers fun like no other and listens to the instructions by the professionals. Life jackets are also provided to the visitors and the timing is up to 10 AM to 5 PM. The price for the ride is about INR 3,800 just for 30 Minutes. Also, check the weather conditions before taking the ride.
Water skiing:
Water skiing is the ultimate water adventure sport in Dubai. Where you will be standing on a convex bottomed ski and joined with a motorboat. The boat will take you at a high speed and you will able to feel the breeze on your face. Before ride listen to all the safety measures carefully by the professionals. The timing of this ride is daily from 9 AM to 6:30 PM and this activity is available for every 1 hour. And the price of this activity is up to INR 8,100.
Aquarium Diving:
Aquarium diving is an exciting water sport activity in Dubai at Atlantis the Palm. The aquarium consists of about 65,000 marine animals including manta rays and sharks with other fishes. It is one of the largest aquaria and you can enjoy it a lot here. There are different packages for beginners and experts and even for those who don’t know swimming. It is a beautiful experience where you can swim between fishes. And the Average cost is about INR 5,300 and find some experienced professional for diving.
Wind Surfing:
Windsurfing is one of the most famous water sports in Dubai. This activity is performed on the Jumeirah beach in Dubai. This water sport activity is a mixture of sailing and surfing which is an ideal spot for tourists and residents of Dubai. Dubai has many facilities to try such water activities. The average price for this activity is about INR 5,000 you can watch the breathtaking moments and this activity makes your tour memorable. And Make sure that you wear proper safety gear.
Tips for Water Sport Activity
Before you start taking a ride you need to know some tips for water sport activity. It’s a time to get know about safety measures
Know how to swim
The first thing to know is how to swim. Take swimming lessons many organizations offer swimming classes for all ages. But no need to worry if you don’t know swimming you can book your type of package for water sport activity in Dubai.
Always Wear a Life Jacket
Don’t be too smart; Even if you are a good swimmer always wear a life jacket.
Check Weather condition before heading out
Weather is so unpredictable even on beautiful days, weather conditions can change quickly. Paddlers should pay attention to the wind.
Protect your Skin
As we all know that Dubai has a high temperature so always wear sunscreen and sun-protective clothes when you are under the sun so your skin may be protected from the harmful rays of the sun. | https://medium.com/@dubaifeelofficial/7-hair-raising-water-sports-in-dubai-for-a-vacation-of-a-lifetime-in-2021-5c542d0584a | [] | 2020-12-19 12:17:29.207000+00:00 | ['Dubai Tour Packages', 'Water', 'Waterpark', 'Dubai', 'Vacation'] |
Let’s Not Go Mental — the VC role in changing the mental health of startup founders | The statistics for founders’ mental health have been staggering for a while. Already in 2017, a study by Michael Freeman indicates that entrepreneurs are 50 percent more likely to report having a mental health condition compared to others. Moreover, KPMG reports that only 1 in 5 founders are satisfied with their mental wellbeing and stress levels.
The dramatic risk and uncertainty founders are facing right now, due to the sudden COVID-19 outbreak, is a dangerous cocktail that can potentially exacerbate a mental health crisis in the ecosystem.
A startup journey is deeply personal and founder-driven
For many good reasons, startup founders suffer from psychological strains much more acutely than others. This doesn’t only threaten to erode their personal wellbeing, but also compromise the endeavors they dedicated their life to build.
That makes it both morally imperative to address the mental health crisis in entrepreneurship as investors, but also critical to the success of the startups we support.
If there’s one thing we have learned from investing in more than 350 Danish startups, it is that the founder team sets the winners apart from the rest — especially in the early days, it’s the one thing that determines whether the company will go the distance. That’s why we’ve build much of the operations setup (platform, value add, you decide the name) at PreSeed Ventures around that. As our COO at PreSeed Ventures, Mads Klarskov Petersen explains:
“Time and time again I see two things;
1. That the founders who are most likely to succeed are the ones who have the stamina to keep going no matter what.
2. The founder who know when to ask for help have a greater chance of moving forward — no one can do it without help.
We spend a lot of time trying to understand our founders’ strengths and limitations as human beings both pre- and post-investment. This enables us to be smart about balancing the mix of our value add activities towards them and set in with our systematic and refined ‘people setup’ precisely where it’s needed. Building their emotional resilience and robustness is a vital part of that.”
It’s a common struggle for founders to separate their individual identity and self-worth from the business they’re creating. Business setbacks — which are unavoidable to occur at the same, if not higher frequency as successes — quickly feels like personal setbacks and can cause depression to take root.
As investors, we have to recognize that we’re a part of that equation — the very nature of the relationship puts a pressure on founders to succeed. Therefore, it comes with a responsibility, when we invest.
At PreSeed Ventures we decided a while back to make Mental Health a strategic focus in 2020. As part of that we have been working on different initiatives and in March we launched the first test run of a Founder Mental Health Circle led by aforementioned Mads Klarskov Petersen and Cecilie Willer, Business Psychologist and Coach from Today.
The Founder Mental Health Circle is a confidential peer-to-peer learning group, where founders can share and support each other on all mental health issues, such as stress, fear, doubt and leadership.
In the midst of launching this initiative and through general exploring the topic, we want to share our own thoughts and ideas on how investors can actively address the mental health of founders.
Support the people, not just the business
As already pointed out, the one determinant factor for whether a company is going to succeed lies with the founders, especially at the early stages — only they can grow the company. So, supporting them are acute. Anyone who has been close to a founder, or has been one themself, knows that founders always live to fight another day.
Let’s face it: The odds are stacked against the success of a startup and most end up failing, but even at days where things go south, founders need to keep a brave face to co-founders, employees, investors and even family, who’s economy might be at risk too. And since everybody then see each other keeping a brave face, it’s easy to feel like the only one who can’t cope.
The key to support founders, so they can succeed on their journey, is to actively invest in initiatives and resources that supports their mental resilience.
De-stigmatizing & Creating an Open and Safe Environment
The first step of creating an environment where mental health and well-being can be discussed is de-stigmatizing mental health challenges. By opening up and sharing your own vulnerability and challenges, investors show the founders that it’s not only ok, but rather a necessity to talk about hardship and seek support.
So, key is to support the founders personally and give them a space where they can safely share how they are coping with each other. That’s why we believe founder circles, support networks, therapy groups and what not is part of the solution.
Invest Directly in Well-being
Concrete actions from investors speak louder than words. One of the most direct ways of being “founder-centric” is to support portfolio companies in obtaining resources that facilitate the improvement of their mental well-being. Let’s face it: They won’t do it themselves as they’ll put the company’s well-being in front of their own any day.
The World Economic Forum identified emotional intelligence, people management and cognitive flexibility among the top skills needed to thrive in 2020.
Commonly founders often neglect to factor in mental health support, coaching, founder team workshops etc. in their budgets and tend to choose for example smaller insurance packages, that doesn’t include e.g. psychologist services. It’s our job as investors to both encourage, even demand founders to prioritise these things in their budgets and to give them access to the necessary support services in other ways. We need both directly and indirectly invest in the mental health of founders — especially at times like these where costs are being cut dramatically everywhere.
Awareness of the ruling discourse and mindset
It’s hard to come around that being a founder comes with a certain degree of risk-willingness and determination. Unfortunately, those entrepreneurial traits are also tied with predisposition to mental health conditions and substance abuse. So, maybe we need to build new nuances into the discourse of ‘moving fast and breaking things’, ‘grow-or-die’ and what other things we tend to say.
While getting fast from A to B is vital to succeed, the balance between speed and quality needs to be right. Going too slow will definitely kill a startup, but going too fast will compromise building a strong base for the company. Systematically helping to build the core engine of the company and allowing time for the process is how we as pre-seed investors can make a difference. In the right time, the startup will become a smooth machine running at the speed of light.
Maybe making this part of the startup DNA could ease the mental strain on founders. At least we hope that opening the conversation can create a more acute awareness and attention to the mental health of founders at all stages.
The way we see it at PreSeed Ventures, any investor who takes pride in being founder-centric has to put mental health on their agenda.
Especially at a time where founders’ fear of losing their company, thus failing as a person, is probably more present than ever. Moreover, having been isolated from their closest accomplices and colleagues for a while, the risks of anxiety, stress, loneliness, depression and generally bad mental health are extremely high as well.
If investors, founders and the ecosystem in general have reflections or experience to add, please share it with us, so we can, as we say these days, ‘flatten the curve’.
We look forward to share more of our own learnings as we gain new knowledge from our own activities in the field.
Hopefully, this can also add more knowledge and data on the state of founders’ mental health in Denmark and the Nordics. Where little to no efforts have been made in this field nor have much data been collected on a broad scale (at least in Denmark) even though we’re frequently applauded for our welfare systems and has been acknowledged as the happiest people in the world. | https://medium.com/@preseedventures/lets-not-go-mental-the-vc-role-in-changing-the-mental-health-of-startup-founders-c5d2aa824ac9 | ['Preseed Ventures'] | 2020-04-23 14:57:40.429000+00:00 | ['Founders', 'Mental Health', 'VC', 'Startup', 'Entrepreneurship'] |
How to Lead a Successful Digital Transformation, IoT Applications in Weighing, Loading, and Marine Animal Tracking, and The Basics of MQTT Security | How to Lead a Successful Digital Transformation, IoT Applications in Weighing, Loading, and Marine Animal Tracking, and The Basics of MQTT Security
The best podcast episodes and articles from this week, curated by the IoT For All Team.
Our Latest Podcast Episode
E031 | How to Effectively Handle the Digital Transformation Journey
Sean Parham, Corporate VP of Product Management at ABB Ability, explains the short term changes companies are making to handle their digital transformation journeys effectively. He also discusses how the biggest changes throughout that transformation aren’t found in the technology but enabled by it. Listen Now.
This Week’s Best Reads
IoT Applications in Weighing and Loading
While flashier tech grabs the headlines, the humble scale’s own digital evolution could be cause for revolution across a number of industries, from private and military logistics to construction to transportation. Weigh scales are keeping pace with modern advances in technology in order to facilitate faster, more efficient, and seamless weighing operations.
The 3 Basic Concepts of MQTT Security
As IoT devices continue to proliferate, security becomes a major concern. When designing the network security for an IoT device, there are three basic concepts to keep in mind: identity, authentication and authorization. This article dives into security best practices and considerations when using the popular MQTT (MQ Telemetry Transport) messaging protocol.
IoT Applications in Aquatic Animal Tracking
Tracking marine animals can be extremely tricky, in part because GPS signals don’t can’t be transmitted and received well from underwater devices. Researchers and conservationists are now using IoT-like technologies — e.g. acoustic relays, mobile transceivers, light-based geolocators — to track our marine friends more accurately.
Five Things We’re Reading
1—RCR Wireless: Chinese vendor ZTE has already deployed tens of thousands of 5G base stations for Chinese carriers China Mobile, China Unicom and China Telecom.
2—MIT Tech Review: Researchers developed a system that could detect and respond to a cardiac arrest by analyzing your breathing with ML over an Alexa speaker.
3—RCR Wireless: Thread Group released its latest specification, which focuses on improving battery performance and enabling large-scale smart building projects.
4—Smart Cities Dive: Swedish researchers developed an optical nano-sensor that detects low levels of air pollution. It’s small enough to be mounted on streetlights.
5—Fierce Wireless: Alaska’s largest Telecoms operator, GCI, selected Ericsson to deploy 5G infrastructure starting in Anchorage but with plans for energy sector use cases.
BRACE YOURSELF…
… IoT For All isn’t just a top Medium publication!
Our main site, IoTForAll.com, is filled with even more awesome content, plus lots of exclusive articles, white papers and eBooks that we don’t share on Medium.
And if you want to get our content the second it’s posted, follow our social channels! | https://medium.com/iotforall/how-to-lead-a-successful-digital-transformation-iot-applications-in-weighing-loading-and-marine-7a5dd5952c08 | ['Michael Wedd'] | 2019-06-21 21:25:39.999000+00:00 | ['Internet of Things', 'Tech', 'IoT', 'Technology', 'Data Science'] |
How to Overcome the Fear of Failure | How to Overcome the Fear of Failure
Start by changing how you see failure. It’s not your enemy — it’s your greatest ally.
Photo by Elijah Hiett on Unsplash
The fear of failure is what leads to failure. We all suffer from it. There are no exceptions. But for each one of us, failure means an entirely different thing.
Being afraid to fail is not bad. But you’re afraid of the wrong kind of failure, and it’s holding you back. You fear not being good enough. You fear failing despite your best efforts. You fear losing way more than you love winning.
You let that irrational fear take control over your life. You may end up having less tomorrow than you have today and this prevents you from trying. But you completely miss the fact that what you have today is far less than you deserve.
It’s time to redirect that fear and use it to your advantage.
Don’t try to get rid of your fear
Understand that the fear of failure is more damaging than failure itself. If you want to succeed, you need to deal with that fear.
But here’s the catch. I don’t mean you should overcome your fear. Instead, embrace your fear. Feel it. It’s an important part of you.
Because this fear will keep you on your toes. It will keep you awake at night and force you to go over things again and again. It will push you to train harder and work better.
Fear will be the reason you re-evaluate your plans time and time again. The fear of failure is your motivation to prepare for combat.
It is what ultimately fuels your success. But you have to use it the right way. And you need to understand what real failure is. What you should be afraid of.
Redefine your failure
Getting rejected by your crush, losing your job, wasting money on a bad investment, not being able to do 20 push-ups. Stop seeing these things as a failure. Even if others keep calling them that.
Those things aren’t failures. They are setbacks. Unless you give up on yourself, you’re not quite there yet.
But you know what real failure is? Doing nothing!
If you fear a bad outcome so much that you are terrified of taking a step, you will never reach any of your goals.
And that is the failure you should be afraid of. Waking up in a week, a month, a year, or even a decade and not being any closer to your goals than you are today. That is failure.
That’s what you should fear. That’s what pushes you to move forward. You need to start taking risks. You need to start taking action.
I fear failure. Every single day. I fear that I wake up another day and have achieved nothing. That’s what I’m afraid of.
Failure is doing nothing.
Then learn to accept setbacks
Things don’t always go as planned. Sometimes we hit a wall. Sometimes we lose the game. And that’s when growth happens. If you’re afraid to fail, you’re afraid to grow.
So learn to deal with setbacks in a positive manner. Learn from your mistakes. But more importantly, try again with that knowledge.
If you fall, get back up. You weren’t afraid of falling as a kid, were you? You wouldn’t be able to ride a bicycle if you were.
Ask any daytrader on the stock market. They all burned at least one trading account in the beginning. $5000 or more, gone. But they are also the ones now making hundreds of thousands of dollars per day.
Because they learned to accept it as a setback, not a failure. They all were afraid of making the same mistake again. But instead of giving up on the idea, they tried again. And their past failures helped them become better at it.
And the same is true for every discipline. Whether that is sports, finance, relationships, or at work. You will inevitably fail at least once or twice. But it’s not failure as long as you get back up.
Don’t be afraid of trying and not succeeding. Be afraid of not trying at all.
Successful people work hard
I’m sure you heard that a lot, and it’s true. But have you ever gave it any thought? What does it mean? Does it mean that successful people always work 80-hour weeks? That successful people always lift 10 pounds more than the rest?
Yes and no. Working hard means working through failure. Everyone fails. Everyone loses. Sometimes you do everything right and still fail. Working hard at this moment means getting back up.
It’s not about how many hours you put into your project, or how many reps you do on the bench. It’s that one moment in which your mind and body break down where it’s decided whether you are working hard or not.
When you grab that towel, you have two choices. You can throw it, or you can take it, wipe the sweat off your forehead, and push yourself further.
Successful people work hard because they don’t give up in the face of failure. They ask themselves why they failed and how they can prevent failing again. Then they try again. That’s what hard work means. Pushing through. Not giving in to self-doubt.
Giving up is easy. That’s why not giving up is hard work.
Understand your true potential
One of the main reasons we fear failure is because we make ourselves small. We think we’re not that special. We’re not meant to be what we want to be. We don’t have what it takes.
We think that if we try, we’re imposters, nothing more.
We are not imposters!
If you do it, and you keep doing it and you push through, you are everything but an imposter!
I’ve seen friends of mine grow into beasts of men because they kept pushing themselves. They were pushovers before, now they could choke me with one hand.
There’s no such thing as talent. Only hard work. And hard work means to push on in the one moment you’re on your knees. What you do up until that point doesn’t matter.
The guy who’s lifting 50 pounds more than you isn’t working harder than you. The one who pushes through the pain, the one who comes back the next day to continue. That’s the one who works harder.
Who you have to be or who you can become is not decided.
Stop seeing yourself as an imposter. Stop seeing yourself as unfit. Work on yourself and discover your true potential.
You have to take risks
That’s the only thing that can lead to success. Taking risks. Leaving your comfort zone. Accepting setbacks. Pushing through.
If you never risk anything, you will be in the exact same spot tomorrow as you are today. If you don’t take action, you fail. If you want to do something, do it. Yes, you can fall down. In fact, you will fall down. If you can pull it off on your first attempt, you’re really lucky.
Two times I took an incredible risk in my life.
The first time, I gave up my whole life to move halfway across the world to be with someone I only knew for a few months. If it failed, I would have wasted $4000 on travel costs, a broken heart, and my professional future.
I sold everything I owned, quit my job, left my home. Imagine if it hadn’t worked out. My life would be in pieces. Instead, I live in a wonderful country, am married, and have a beautiful daughter.
The second time, I quit my last job over a fight with management. Instead of looking for another job, I took the last $1000 savings I had to buy a computer. I wanted to become a freelancer and work from home. Be my own boss. But I had no experience whatsoever. Now I’m almost in my 6th year working from home.
Both times I risked a lot, without knowing if I’d even make it. And because of this fear, I worked the hardest to not fail. Every setback I had back then, every problem that stood in my way, was one I could not accept.
I was afraid. At times I was angry at myself. But I had to push through. I never worked as hard in my life as I did in these two situations. I put myself in a spot where giving up was not an option.
Ever since then, I stopped believing in that “play it safe” mentality. Only if I take risks, I can really achieve something.
So even if you think it sounds stupid, I’d encourage you to do the same. If you’re a quitter like me, you can find true strength by putting yourself in such a position.
Final thoughts
Overcoming your fear of failure is the wrong approach. But by redefining what failure means to you, you can shift your goals. Instead of fearing potential losses, learn to fear zero gains.
Push through the pain. If you are the type of guy who throws in the towel, create a situation in which you can’t, no matter how much you’d like to.
You should always have fear of failure. Because fear is an instinct. It raises your awareness and helps you make the right decisions in split-seconds. It will fuel your progress more than any dreams or hopes ever could.
But you need to learn to fear the right things. Don’t fear setbacks. Instead, fear settling for less. Fear not taking action. Fear staying ordinary.
Doing nothing is failure. So fear doing nothing. | https://medium.com/curious/how-to-overcome-the-fear-of-failure-72d78eaa3a3b | ['Kevin Buddaeus'] | 2020-11-14 20:03:16.183000+00:00 | ['Life', 'Mental Health', 'Fear Of Failure', 'Motivation', 'Self Improvement'] |
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