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The Single Best Piece Of Life Advice For Anyone In Their 20s | Give up short-term gains for long-term payoffs.
Most young people I know (and keep in mind, I’m only 27) want something now instead of something better later.
There was a study done that sums up the lesson here pretty well, called the Marshmallow Test.
Basically, they gave kids a marshmallow and told them if they waited ~15 minutes and didn’t eat it, they’d get a second marshmallow later.
What they found was that the kids who were able to resist the urge to eat the first marshmallow (showing signs of self-control and discipline at a very young age) went on to have more successful and enjoyable lives and careers.
Reason being: great things in life require patience. And short-term rewards (like marshmellows) often seem great in the moment, but end up being unhealthy and short lived.
Whenever I hear someone talking about their work, career, or where they want to go in life, I often ask them what they’re currently doing to move themselves one step closer to where they want to be.
The vast majority point to chasing short-term rewards — and that’s the problem.
Something a lot of people don’t know about me is how much work I end up doing for free.
I’m at a point in my career where I literally don’t have to go out and sell — I wake up to more opportunities than I have time for in my inbox.
Because of my personal brand online as a writer, an hour of my time is expensive — and I charge accordingly.
And yet, still, I do free work.
And I do it because I see those as opportunities to sacrifice the short-term gain (a few hundred or even few thousand dollars) for the longer-term payoff.
An introduction to someone more valuable.
A bigger, more profitable project.
A reduction of risk (I do something new and outside my comfortable for free, so that if things go well, it leads to something bigger — and if things don’t go well, no money was exchanged and so expectations are lower)
Nurturing a relationship I know can’t be measured accurately in dollars.
Trades of service
Etc.
For 4 years after I graduated college with a degree in creative writing, I worked for free. I didn’t charge for anything.
And the reason was, by not charging I could find opportunities faster (who doesn’t love free work?) and I could shorten my learning curve because I could fail faster. When money is involved, expectations are set. When money isn’t involved, people set lower expectations, which allows you more freedom to try new things and grow.
I didn’t charge.
Didn’t charge.
Didn’t charge.
Meanwhile…
I stacked work under my belt. And failed. And learned. And gained credibility for myself as a writer, and the work I did.
I recently stopped by my college, where I studied creative writing. I was meeting with an old teacher of mine, when I saw another teacher in the hallway.
“Hey Cole! I’m teaching a class right now — you should come by and share with my students what you’ve learned, now that you’re a successful writer and all.”
I walked into the class and took a seat at the front.
“Cole, what’s 1 piece of advice for becoming a full-time writer?” he said. “Write for free,” I said.
The classroom fell silent — and my teacher interrupted with, “Well, not free. I think what he means is…”.
I cut him off.
“Nope. Free. 0 dollars. Do it all for free, until you’ve gained the credibility you need,” I said.
Everybody looked at me like I was crazy. But I was telling the truth.
For 4 years, I wrote for free.
In the process, I became a 3x Top Writer. A Top 30 columnist for Inc Magazine. A ghostwriter to 20+ different CEOs and executives. And a writer on the Internet with a personal brand and tens of millions of views on my content.
The moment I started charging for my time as a writer, I skipped the whole $20 per article phase.
I was charging $150 per article out the gate. And then $200. And then $300.
The highest I’ve charged yet to ghostwrite an article is $1,000.
And the reasons I am able to do that are:
I learned hard lessons in the trenches (with no risk — because I was working for free)
I got hundreds of hours of practice under my belt.
I had built credibility by the people I had written for, and my own writing having been republished everywhere on the Internet (generating tens of millions of views)
Or, put more simply…
I gave up short-term rewards for the longer-term payoff. | https://medium.com/the-ascent/the-single-best-piece-of-life-advice-for-anyone-in-their-20s-e5b3da460077 | ['Nicolas Cole'] | 2020-10-05 18:31:26.972000+00:00 | ['Twenty Something', 'Life Lessons', 'Life', 'Life Hacking', 'Advice'] |
First Mega Project Blog. We are a team of three members, Saddam… | This blog sheds light upon our Mega Project and all its details. The ever-increasing learning crisis for underprivileged students is one of the greatest challenges in our country. Therefore, we have decided to dedicate all our efforts and work on this issue for our mega project.
We are a team of three members, Saddam Rafiq, Kashmala Nizam, and Samreen Ameen. The strategy for selecting a proper topic for this mega project was that we merged all the ideas of our team members and made it into a single topic. Our idea is to give proper guidance and quality assistance to underprivileged students.
Problem Statement
The said problem is mainly related to those students who belong to the underprivileged society. Most of these students do not have the opportunity to get tuition, and especially in this current situation of COVID 19, many students need help with their money education.
Our Vision and Mission
Our vision is to provide quality assistance and guidance to the students of the government-oriented schools; these services will not only help them in academics, but also be beneficial for their daily life, and help them in setting their goals for the future. Our mission is to give proper guidance, quality assistance, career counseling, extracurricular activities, and more to the students by conducting physical classes. We hope that this will give them a fair chance in competing with others, understand themselves better, make a good income, and develop their careers as they desire.
TCF School — Solution for those kids
The Challenges
In current times, when the novel Coronavirus has caused massive economic and financial loss, choosing school timings that suit each of our schedules and choosing a school itself with students were tough challenges.
Since most educational institutions are closed due to the Corona risk that prevails, we had very limited options. Even if we found a school that agreed, looking for students who were genuinely interested and motivated to attend our sessions was another significant obstacle.
Another hassle was to align our schedules and work around them to fully dedicate ourselves to this great cause of mental awareness. Moreover, we struggled to develop good strategies that would effectively get our message across to our audience in a limited number of sessions.
Our Strategy
Our strategy is to first find a proper place for our megaproject implementation. Next, we plan to look for genuinely deserving underprivileged students and convince them to join our session. Moreover, we want to come up with engaging material aimed towards guiding and counseling the maximum number of students within a few sessions.
We took the initiative some weeks ago and went to the TCF School. We talked to the school’s management about our megaproject and managed to impress them with our ideas. They agreed and told us they will inform us soon after the winter vacation was over and when classes resumed.
Miss. Almas, the Academic Coordinator at TCF, appreciated us and ensured to support us by talking to the higher management about our project. She also agreed to provide us with a classroom for our classes after the school timings.
Business Canvas
Business Canvas Model
Action Plan
Firstly, we have to divide tasks fairly between all the team members and make a list for the next two weeks’ plans.
Next, we plan to get in contact with the alif-Laila organization and discuss our ideas. We plan to craft engaging and interesting lectures that will spread awareness for 7th-grade students and higher regarding counseling, assisting, and mental health issues.
Now that the lockdown is over, we hope to take two sessions per week.
Days Scheduling of Each Member
The Activities
We plan to include several activities to make this as enjoyable as possible. Some of the activities are the following:
● Interactive questions
● Helping students solve their homework
● Helping students understand and appropriately deal with problems causing them severe stress
● Career counseling
● The motivation for completing general tasks and goals
● Helping each of them understand others better
Conclusion
My team and I are waiting for the educational institutions to open and gain permission from the school management to begin working on our plans. We are all highly motivated and hope to put our plans into practice soon. | https://medium.com/@saddamrafiq90/this-blog-sheds-light-upon-our-mega-project-and-all-its-details-3a15bd87a7bd | ['Saddam Rafiq'] | 2021-01-24 17:39:51.663000+00:00 | ['Help', 'Schools', 'Kids', 'Education', 'Social'] |
Progressive Delivery: Not Everything is an Experiment | Why are users different?
This is one of my favorite graphs. It is from a study by Blackrock Technologies on innovation. I find it useful in explaining the gap between digital natives and the digital cautious.
This graph shows an interesting trend for folks born before 1950. The key takeaway I see is that we measure adoption of technology in decades. The next inflection point is around 1990, from that point forward we measure adoption in months.
This adoption rate correlates to how comfortable folks are with new technologies, and the amount urgency to incorporate new things.
Trying to change this behavior is a losing proposition. Instead, we need to find ways to accommodate different rates of change.
I have a hypothesis that I’ve been working on since leaving VMware in 2014. I refer to this as the “Daughter : Mother-in-law challenge.”
I have a 12 year old daughter and a local mother-in-law. I love them both 💖 , and have the honor and privilege of serving as tech support for both of them.
Daughter
At one end of the spectrum is my daughter; a true digital native. You can hand her any technology and she will figure it out in 3.2 seconds. She’ll find all the advanced features and determine if it meets her needs. If it does not, she has no hesitation of tossing it aside and finding something new.
She is growing up in a world where the internet is always on. And whatever you need to do, “there’s an app for that.” She accepts constant change as a sign of a good application experience. She sees this as a sign of active development and is always excited for the newest features. You can change the UX out from under her, while she is in the middle of a workflow, and she’ll just continue on.
Bottom line: she values features over stability.
This is my daughter replacing the screen on her ipod touch.
Mother-in-law
At the other end of the spectrum is my mother-in-law; for her technology is a tool. She is not a luddite — she has been a statistical programmer for almost 30 years, but she wants her software to be more like her hammer.
This hammer used to belong to her father. She keeps it in a drawer in her kitchen. Whenever she has a task that requires a hammer, she knows where to find it. It always looks the same, feels the same and works the same. It is static and unchanging.
If you so much as change the color of a button, you’ll destroy her productivity for a week. I’ll also get a support call.
Bottom line: she values consistency over new functionality.
Mother-in-laws workstation (note: passwords have been crossed out)
Speed as a Habit
The digitally fluent want to be consuming the latest and greatest features as soon as they are ready. They tolerate change easily, and value new functionality over stability of experience.
The digitally cautious folks prefer their applications stay the same and never change. They fear change and value consistency and predictability over features.
There are also a bunch of folks between these two extremes.
In the next 5–7 years we are going to reach a tipping point. These two personas are going to be sitting in the same companies, on the same teams, asked to complete the same tasks. For application builders there will be the need to provide for both personas. Developers will need to deliver new features at different rates to different cohorts.
Continuous Delivery (CD) is an awesome model for my daughter’s persona. Constantly pushing innovation and gaining the benefits of added application or service stability. But, for my mother-in-law’s persona, this is a nightmare.
In the summer of 2018 I started talking with James Governor about this challenge. He suggested the term “Progressive Delivery” and I immediately agreed. The mental framing of progression fit better than the previous model of continuous.
Progressive Delivery
This is not saying that continuous delivery is bad or needs to be replaced with something entirely different and new. Instead, this is taking advantage of an industry best practice in software development… iteration. We are making some slight iterations to continuous delivery to make it a better model for more companies.
The two key concepts that we are highlighting in progressive delivery that really were not there in continuous delivery were:
Release progression — progressively increasing the number of users that are able to see (and are impacted by) new features (e.g. Stage 1: visible to developers only; Stage 2: visible to developers and beta users; Stage 3: visible to more users; Stage n: visible to everyone)
— progressively increasing the number of users that are able to see (and are impacted by) new features (e.g. Stage 1: visible to developers only; Stage 2: visible to developers and beta users; Stage 3: visible to more users; Stage n: visible to everyone) Delegation — progressively delegating the control of the feature to the owner that is most closely responsible for the outcome. (e.g. Stage 1: Release owner = dev. Stage 2: Release owner = PM; Stage 3: Release owner = Marketing; Stage n: Release owner = Customer Success)
Cadence of your users
Release progression was part of the continuous delivery lifecycle, it was discussed in the context of experimentation, smaller changes, A/B testing, etc. However, it was still with the focus on separating deployment and release. The Idea being that you would enable your developers to deploy whenever they wanted. Then you would be able to release to your users when the code or feature was ready. With progressive delivery there is a minor change; we still want developers to deploy whenever they want. But we want to think of release as more granular and controllable.
Just like my daughter and Nana have the desire for different change rates to their applications, companies need the flexibility to control the cadence and the cohorts that are exposed to new features and code. This requires progressively releasing to users that are ready for your changes. Another great byproduct of this is the elimination of risk associated with software delivery by testing changes in production (or TIP).
Who makes the change?
Delegation is something that’s really interesting when you start to think about the other changes that are occurring in our workplaces. More and more companies are dependent upon software for greater and greater aspects of their business. More and more roles within those companies require their users, or employees, to actually interact with software. With that, we need to start thinking about how do we start to have a delegation model that makes sense. How do we allow the individual that’s closest to the business outcome, to be able to impart the needed changes?
If you think about it from the context of developers, you want your developers to be able to focus on building things. If your developers are spending time responding to change requests for who can access new features, they are spending less time building them. This is also a disservice to your business owner (Sales, Support, Customer Success, etc.) who needs to wait for a developer, instead of imparting the change directly.
Not only Nana
As I’ve worked with teams to adopt progressive delivery in their organizations, I’ve realized this challenge goes beyond age or digital fluency. Driving this need at large companies are existing process, regulations, compliance standards, and training requirements.
Even if individuals want to move fast, they may need a more progressive approach.
Know your users
Some are ready to use the latest technology to solve every challenge they encounter. For example when my daughter got a Rubik’s cube she was more inclined to build a robot to solve the puzzle than to figure out how to solve it herself. Like I said, “there’s an app for that.”
Daughter with the Rubik's cube-solving robot she built and programmed
Some prefer to have their technology only change when they are ready. For example, my mother-in-law would prefer to have her software update at the same pace as the seasons; at most four times a year.
Mother-in-laws flowers. She would like her software to change at the same pace… about once a season.
As an industry we need to help manage this transition period. We have the tools to offer this flexibility to our users. We just need to start using them. | https://medium.com/launchdarkly/not-everything-is-an-experiment-fbadb50dfda | ['Adam Zimman'] | 2020-10-15 23:59:04.807000+00:00 | ['Continuous Delivery', 'SaaS', 'Progressive Delivery', 'DevOps'] |
An LGBTQ Response to Christians | Stop having sex with men
I’m an LGBTQ advocate and activist. Because I write a lot about gender and sexual minorities, I get a fair amount of feedback, much of it positive. But not all of it.
Every day of my life, Christians email me or message me to call me a sinner and tell me I’m going to hell unless I accept their faith; unless I repent and stop having sex with men. Almost invariably, those same Christians also morally condemn transgender people.
For example, yesterday morning a Christian commented on one of my articles to assert that I indulge in “sexual sin.” He filled several paragraphs with self-described “dialogue” about how I have to accept a blood sacrifice. I have to appreciate that his God loves me so much that he died in agony to save me. Etc.
Any attempt at dialogue that begins with accusations of sinfulness or disorder is broken dialogue. Any discourse that fails to recognize our moral worth is broken discourse.
Then he told me that he’s not a homophobe. I snorted when I read that. His premise is homophobia incarnate, and his arguments facilitate more homophobia — even systemic, institutional bigotry.
My interlocutor’s entire “discourse” was based on the premise that I’m sinful, broken, and require saving. I could barely finish reading his correspondence, so insulting and infuriating I found it.
I answered him in a few short lines, trying to help him understand the gravity of his insults by returning them in kind. Essentially, I told him to go reproduce with himself.
LGBTQ people are sick and tired of “reasonable” condemnation
We’re sick and tired of people feeling free to proclaim that we’re broken, sinful, in need of healing, or requiring salvation. Can you imagine the public reaction if Christians tried the same discourse about interracial marriage or integrated schools? Oh, the uproar that would ensue!
Still, people counseled me this morning to “moderate my tone”
I can’t do that, not and look myself in the mirror. Not and retain any sense of dignity. I’m constantly disappointed when the public urges me to tolerate homophobic bigotry — when I know for a fact that would join me in shouting down racist bigotry.
A letter to a Christian leader
Not so many months ago, I replied publicly to a Roman Catholic auxiliary bishop who messaged to ask me to tone down the rhetoric and make room for respectful dialogue about LGBTQ issues. My reply to him applies equally to evangelical Christians and to any religious leaders who morally condemn LGBTQ people.
This is what I told the bishop— | https://medium.com/james-finn/an-lgbtq-response-to-christians-6e362111c205 | ['James Finn'] | 2019-10-06 10:01:01.194000+00:00 | ['Christianity', 'Equality', 'Morality', 'LGBTQ', 'Religion'] |
Interest Taxonomy: A knowledge graph management system for content understanding at Pinterest | Interest Taxonomy: A knowledge graph management system for content understanding at Pinterest Pinterest Engineering Follow Jan 10 · 8 min read
Song Cui and Dhananjay Shrouty | Software Engineers, Content Knowledge
Interest Taxonomy at Pinterest
We recently began rolling out the beta version of Pinterest Trends, a new tool that gives a view of the top U.S. search terms on Pinterest within the past 12 months, and a look into when search terms peak for a better understanding of how content performs on the platform. Because people come to Pinterest to plan, we have unique insight into emerging trends, which is why we also publish an annual Pinterest 100 report (the most recent one released last month) to show what’s to come in 2020.
We’re able to gather these insights because Pinterest is fundamentally a different kind of platform where over 320 million people from around the world come to save ideas and plan — from the everyday like figuring out what to wear to work, to life stages big and small, like purchasing a new home or deciding where to travel. More than 200 billion ideas have been saved to over 4 billion boards to-date on the platform, providing insights into emerging trends and early signals into consumer behavior and evolving tastes.
But in order to understand trends as they’re happening, we need to understand the content Pinners are searching, and the categories the Pins are associated with. To do that, we’ve built a taxonomy-based knowledge management system that enables content understanding in a highly efficient way.
Taxonomy is a methodology that classifies entities and defines the hierarchical relationship among them. It’s widely used as a knowledge management system in the industry, and has proven success in improving the accuracy of the machine learning models in search, user-behavior modeling, and classification tasks.
At Pinterest, we use a taxonomy to organize popular topics and entities (which we call “interests”) and curate nodes for ads targeting. These interests are grouped together in a hierarchy parent-child tree structure, with each child as a subclass of its single parent. The top level taxonomy nodes define the broad verticals, such as “Women’s Fashion” and “DIY and Crafts” that capture the general interests associated with Pins across Pinterest. We have children nodes up to 11 levels that capture more granular topics.
Interest Taxonomy Structure Example
Example use cases
The Interest Taxonomy has many different use cases in business, product and production signals in engineering. In this blog, we just share four use cases.
Ads Manager
Ads manager is the main interface for advertisers. To assist Pinterest advertisers, some Interest Taxonomy nodes are available for pick up as shown below:
Ads Manager
The Interest Taxonomy is used in interest based targeting to help advertisers reach the right audience based on Pinterest’s unique understanding of Pinners’ interests, taste, and what they’re planning.
To see their Ads campaign performance by interests, advertisers can select the ‘interests targeting’ breakdown at the Ads Group or Promoted Pin level. This granularity is available for the ‘delivery’, ‘performance’ or ‘custom’ reports.
Ads Manager Performance Metrics
Mapping Pins to Interest Taxonomy
We built Pin2Interest (P2I), a scalable machine learning system for content classification, to map our corpus of 200B+ Pins to our interest taxonomy. The results from P2I are used to generate personalized recommendations and create ranking features for other machine learning models. P2I is in production and has many consumers such as home feed ranking and Ads targeting.
P2I leverages both text and visual inputs such as annotations, visual embeddings, and board names. It uses Natural Language Processing (NLP) techniques such as lexical expansion and embedding similarities to map the inputs of every single image to a list of taxonomy nodes as prediction candidates. Then, a search relevance model is used to predict and rank the matching score between the image and every single taxonomy node. A sample P2I output is shown below, including the most relevant interest prediction with a score for the image.
P2I Model Prediction Example
The taxonomy hierarchy information is also used as P2I ranking information. More than 99% of the Pins can be mapped to at least one taxonomy node. The granularity and quality of the taxonomy is critical for the P2I accuracy. If the content of the image belongs to a very particular topic and the taxonomy does not have a similar node to cover this topic, P2I will map this image to a node with a different context and prediction accuracy drops.
P2I and the Interest Taxonomy provide critical insight in content understanding. For example, we can monitor the number of images per every taxonomy node and this metric tells us the topic trending and declining in Pinterest content.
Mapping users to Interest Taxonomy
The Interest Taxonomy is also leveraged in an ML system to infer users’ interests. The system is called user2interest. One of the most important input signals to the ML system is user engaged Pins and corresponding interest labels of those pins output from Pin2Interest (mentioned in the previous section).
The user interest signal is widely used at Pinterest for Ads targeting and organic recommendations, and it can also provide insights on the Interest Taxonomy from user perspective. For example, we can compute statistics such as the number of users per taxonomy node to inform our advertisers of Pinners’ overall interest shifts.
Mapping queries to Interest Taxonomy
Query2Interest (Q2I) maps short text queries to the taxonomy nodes. This signal leverages Pintext, a multitask text embedding system in Pinterest to compute the similarity score between the short text and taxonomy nodes. It groups queries with similar categories and meanings to the taxonomy nodes. Q2I is in production and used in various Ads and organic surfaces. Mapping queries to the Interest Taxonomy helps Pinterest understand the users’ intent so we can serve relevant results to them.
Q2I Model Prediction Example
Creating and maintaining Interest Taxonomy
The taxonomy curation process contains the following two important components: 1) data modeling into RDF graphWebProtégé visualization and curation; 2) Engineering workflow to facilitate incremental changes in the taxonomy. We will introduce the details below.
RDF data modeling, WebProtégé visualization and curation
For modeling the data in the taxonomy, we use RDF (Resource Description Framework) triples to generate graphs which can then be used for the curation as well. We use open source tool WebProtégé for visualization and human curation of the taxonomy which facilitates us creating a high quality taxonomy by collaborative curation. The RDF data model we use is depicted below:
RDF Data Model Example
The figure below shows the data modeling in WebProtégé that we use for collaborative curation.
Data Modeling in Protege
From RDF to production DB
The engineering workflows take the RDF graphs (in XML format) as the input and generate the relational DB tables for downstream consumption. For every iteration of the taxonomy development, we develop/extend on the taxonomy which was developed from the previous iteration. Therefore we follow an incremental way of taxonomy generation and development. When we create a new version of the taxonomy we consistently perform and support operations like adding a new node, renaming an existing node, deleting a node and merging two or more nodes into one in order to develop a taxonomy which is of high quality and relevant to the content present at Pinterest. We have developed heuristic rules for all the situations which require node changes (such as node renaming, node merging and node deletion).
Updating Interest Taxonomy
Pinterest Taxonomy aims to capture the most important and timely topics from Pinterest content. Active topics used in various products such as topic feed and shopping are all covered by our taxonomy. These terms are mined from popular annotations used in Pins, board names, and top search queries.
When we want to add a new topic to the existing Taxonomy, we first send out the candidate terms to teams like content safety and legal for review. Then, we rely on a neural network based ML algorithm to predict the likelihood of the existing nodes as the parent of the candidate term. The predicted parents are reviewed manually. After that, the new nodes are added to the current Taxonomy in WebProtégé by our Taxonomists. The whole process is depicted as below:
Taxonomy Generation and Update Workflow
The key assumption made by the NTE model is that at least one affine projection exists, such that once a new term’s (e.g., “litecoin”) embedding is transformed using this matrix. The transformed embeddings nearest neighbor is its parent, e.g., “Cryptocurrency”. Thus the key is to learn the transformation matrix. For simplicity, the new term is represented as q (query) and the potential parent is represented as p (parent) in the following model diagram:
Algorithm for Taxonomy Parent Finding
The loss is then computed as the sum of two components. The first component encourages the query projection p to be similar to its true parent’s embedding ep. The second component encourages the query projection to be dissimilar from m “negatively sampled” parents, denoted by -p or p’. The overall loss for each query-parent pair (q,p) is:
We collect positive labels from the existing taxonomy hierarchy and use negative samples for training the model. The model is used in production for several large scale taxonomy expansion projects. Final human review is still needed because the taxonomy is exposed externally for advertisers so we need very high quality data.
Internationalization
To support Pinterest international expansion, Pinterest taxonomy is translated into 17 languages for 20 countries and will continue to expand to new markets. The English Taxonomy serves as the ground truth for all international versions.
Looking ahead
Moving forward, we’re excited to keep evolving how we capture and understand trends in a more timely and systematic manner. Our Interest Taxonomy and downstream signals (e.g. P2I, U2I, B2I, Q2I) will be updated regularly and automatically. In the coming future, we will also be working towards building up new types of relationships among entities automatically in our taxonomy and associate attributes (link). If you’re interested in learning more about what our Knowledge Engineering team and other teams do, and how to join us, check out our careers page.
Acknowledgement
We want to thank everyone who has contributed to this project: our EM Rui Li, Yunsong Guo; our PM Troy Ma, Miwa Takaki; our engineers Yimeng Zhang, Emaad Ahmed Manzoor (intern), International team Helene Labriet-Gross, Evelyn Obamos, Francesca Di Marco, CatherineRose Mountain, Serena Perfetto and the Stanford Protege team. Also special thanks to Bo Zhao, Jinyu Xie, Rui Huang for their thoughtful suggestions. | https://medium.com/pinterest-engineering/interest-taxonomy-a-knowledge-graph-management-system-for-content-understanding-at-pinterest-a6ae75c203fd | ['Pinterest Engineering'] | 2020-01-10 14:08:07.025000+00:00 | ['Machine Learning', 'Pinterest', 'Knowledge Graph'] |
Now I know what your probably thinking… what’s more to know about a teen?. There’s plenty of things to know about a teen , but how about a teen who is wise beyond there years?. Your everyday teen… | Hi, this is my first post on my page @ItzJazzyTalks. I want to mostly be on here to give people insight , on what it’s like in the mind of this young teen and possibly many other teens.
This post is brief ,I wanted to introduce myself and hopefully gather ideas on what to share. If there’s anything particular you’d like to hear me talk about , please follow for more . | https://medium.com/@jazzytoudle05/behind-the-eyes-of-a-teen-5eeb6413f80e | [] | 2020-12-24 09:20:38.277000+00:00 | ['Teens', 'Beginning Writer', 'Youngadult'] |
The Abandoned Dreams | The Abandoned Dreams
Photo by Allison Wopata on Unsplash
Just because I let you visit me
through my words doesn’t mean
that you need to turn the pages
my words are those dreams
which I abandon quietly.
I never asked you to pick them
let them rest, they will be buried
one day, don’t pluck the flowers.
let them bloom. | https://medium.com/genius-in-a-bottle/the-abandoned-dreams-bd8669275360 | ['Priyanka Srivastava'] | 2020-12-10 14:35:56.853000+00:00 | ['Writing', 'Words', 'Poetry', 'Writing Life', 'Dreams'] |
Sound in the Adult Film Industry | I am an Adult Film Director and Cinematographer.
I created this “Boom Operator Training Guide” to outline and provide some knowledge on what it would be like to be a Boom Operator on the set of a new site we’re launching. We’re focusing on a deep storyline and great cinematography and sound. I did all the research myself a month before production, and bought/pieced together an entire sound package.
Sound is just as important as camera when you’re trying to tell a compelling story. Our focus on this new brand is to level up our production quality and it’s extremely important that the sound quality get addressed. During my career on adult film productions, the best you get is a shotgun mic on a boom stand and/or a mini shotgun on the camera. Hey, we at least know to put a wind-shield on if we’re outside!
Needless to say, I had some research to do! After I gathered the technology and basic knowledge needed to pull this off, I did sound operations on a few sets to get the hang of it. Now we’re giving our production assistant the opportunity to step up for the role. To get them started, I created this fun little guide.
I want to share this because, well, I spent time on it! It’s not perfect, and I am by no means a sound expert. I just hope this could serve as an interesting starting point for learning more about how other studios capture sound.
Boom Operator Training Guide
Welcome to Boom Operator Training for the Adult Film Industry
The adult film world is an interesting place to be! While still holding up to production industry standards, adult film sets are much smaller and the crew usually needs to be extremely diverse problem solvers. This quick guide is meant to teach the basic fundamentals of being a Boom Operator in this setting. This position usually serves as an assistant to the Production Sound Mixer. On an adult film set these roles may be combined or limited depending on set, location, or production standards.
*Always ask what your specific responsibilities are for each shoot. You are an integral part of the team and it’s better safe than sorry. Some things can not be “fixed in post”.*
Overall job responsibilities/expectations include…
You guessed it! — Holding a boom pole with a microphone attached at the end and following talent at appropriate distance. Reading script and writing notes on when LOUD/QUIET interactions are had. Also, noting and preparing when foley (recorded sound effects, i.e leaves crackling under footsteps) are needed. Formatting SD card/USB drive for Sound Recorder. Charging/handling batteries and maintaining various auxiliary equipment (i.e cords and transmitters). Wearing headphones and satchel with field recorder/wireless transmitters for a long period of time. Adjusting levels/gain if sound begins to clip. Don’t worry too much about this at first. Just get close enough to capture the sound! Pressing RECORD/STOP when production begins and ends a take. Recording room tone (ambient location sound only). Pausing/stopping a take if unintended noise is heard.
Now that you have an idea of the tasks and processes ahead. Let’s get into the nitty gritty! Remember, much of this information in basic knowledge needed to successfully operate as a Boom Mic Operator and is not intended to be a comprehensive guide to Production Sound Mixing. There are certain technical aspects and lingo that may need to be researched further in order to develop your sound recording skills.
The Basic Tools and Explanations
Pickup patterns
Microphone — device that takes sound waves and converts them into electrical signals. This information is then amplified, transmitted, and/ or recorded.
Easy enough right? We all know what a mic is! But… did you know there are specific TYPES of microphones with different pickup patterns? These are technically called polar patterns and they are categorized by HOW (which direction) the microphone receives sound waves. They all have different use cases and while you’re starting out your Production Sound Mixer will choose which microphone to use for each application. It is your responsibility to know how to hold and operate each device we use based on it’s pickup pattern. Below is an example of the three main basic polar patterns. Here are links to a couple articles to learn more. Link One. Link Two
Image Source
A simple explanation for the purpose of this guide is:
A basic cardioid pattern is “unidirectional” meaning it “mostly” picks up sound coming from one direction. Which is in front and slightly to the side of the microphone. This result is clear and crisp sound wherever it is pointing towards and is the most favorable microphone used in heavy dialogue scenes. It doesn’t pick up sound from behind the microphone, which greatly reduces reverb(sound bouncing of walls/echo) and typical production sounds. Requires concise handling! There are different versions of these types of mics with tighter or wider focus pickup patterns, some even pickup a little behind. You will need to learn the others eventually(follow links provided). Most importantly, listen carefully and test your location to see how the sound travels based on the direction you’re pointing the mic. We WILL be using a type of cardioid mic on set and outdoors. Common names for different types of cardioid mics are simply cardioid, mini-shotgun(hypercardioid), and shotgun(supercardioid).
A figure eight pattern is picking up sound directly in front of and behind the mic. With careful positioning, this type of pickup pattern can isolate sound in front/back better than any other mic. These mics are really only used for things like podcasts or face-to-face duets(?). We will NOT be using this pickup pattern on a film set. Now you can cross this one off the list!
An omnidirectional pattern is picking up sound from ALL directions. This pickup pattern is found on the lavalier/lapel microphones. These are the small clip-on microphones you see on reality TV. Handy for tight spaces! We will use these mics and wireless transmitters often throughout production.
Positioning
BAM! Now you know there are different types of mics if you didn’t already. Let’s get on to mic positioning and what to do while holding the boom pole on set.
A few important things to keep in mind while handling a microphone, especially a professional quality one, is how GREAT it is at picking up sound and all the ways this can be affected. Depending on the shoot of course, you’re going to want to dial into certain sounds, or the complete absence of sound. Positioning of the mic and yourself on set is a surprisingly important task. You may need to quickly change positions or flick your wrist to point the mic at opposite talent. These movements, along with your clothes, jewelry, and equipment you’re wearing, can all create small vibrations and noises the mic WILL pick up if not used properly. Pay attention to these nuances and be light as a feather and watch all surroundings! Definitely no phone, rings or scratchy wool sweaters should be wornon set.
As general rule of thumb:
“4 inches: If you are about 4 inches away from your cardioid microphone it will produce a warm and intimate sound. The minimal distance you can have between a cardioid microphone and your mouth is 4 inches. Anything less will negatively affect your recording. (i.e feedback loops, popping sounds, too much bass, etc)
12 inches: 12 inches distance between you and the mic will give you an airy and open sound. This recording will appear to be very bright.
In most cases going for 6–8 inches will yield you good results. If you are still unsure in your ability to pick up on these nuances, going for more distance rather than less is advisable, so your recording will not be ruined by overly heavy bass.”
ULTIMATE TIP for Positioning using a boom pole- These distancing are ideal but holding a boom pole and dancing around camera operators, director, talent, props, lighting equipment, etc can be difficult! Your main goal is usually to maintain the closest distance possible while avoiding your mic(or body) being seen by cameras. If you know you’re not going to be able to get close enough to get great sound for a certain take, you may need to change mics, or use the field recorder to turn up gain. Worse case (more work) is to record the same lines separate from the take and do a voice over.
Now, you already know your mic’s pickup pattern and you’ve studied the script. You should know the vibe/tone that the director and sound mixer are looking for and how to place the mic accordingly. When in doubt ASK! You are all a TEAM! Before beginning a sequence you will probably do a couple dry runs of the scene called rehearsal (not recording but listening through your field recorder and tracing movements). After a few rounds of practicing you should be confident enough to start a real take.
During your blocking, test out a few different positions while holding the pole. Find the one that feels best for the time it would take to finish the sequence. Watch out for shadows casted by you or your boom pole. This is a major fail that will most certainly ruin a take. If you notice this happen, speak up and it can be shot again! While you’re a VERY important part of the crew, you want to be basically invisible while everyone’s rolling. Here’s a little list from a video that will help you keep track of a few things regarding position.
Point mic at sound source from the correct/best possible distance. If you hear a lot of reverb/echo/hollow type sounds, you’re too far. If you hear heavy bass, scratchy sounds, you’re too close. Don’t be in the way! You should be watching your shadows on the set and if possible check one of the camera screens every now and again. Don’t rely on them telling you that you dipped into frame! Ask them what lens they’re using to get an idea of their FOV to get the best distance from talent. Wear Black/Low profile clothing and comfy socks(bring extra?) you don’t mind getting messy! Listen hard-intently! Watch out and keep an ear open for equipment, cables, clothes and jewelry that are touching the pole. Swinging the pole too quickly will create a wind sound and even hitting a rough pillow can sound like you hit a wall. A good portion of the job is thinking about, and controlling things like these. — The boom pole I use has an XLR cable running inside and if you swing it too quickly or have to run, sometimes you can hear it move inside. Get comfortable(as possible). Things like how you hold the pole and forgetting to take your headphones off for a little bit can make you uncomfortable by the end of the day.
Sound Recorder and other equipment
A sound recorder is the device that records your sound and allows you to adjust levels and gain(along with many other settings). As a boom operator you shouldn’t have to mix multiple channels at once but you should definitely know how to switch between them, arm for recording and label inputs correctly! On an adult film set you use a portable field recorder with 3 channels input(microphones/transmitters). A few things that separate one field sound recorder from another is, the amount of channels, the quality of the preamplifier, and how many bits can be recorded. An important quality of high end production devices are their ability to block electrical and radio frequencies that degrade the quality of the sound. As a boom operator you would be responsible for the field recorder, XLR and AUX cables, wireless transmitters and receivers, microphones, batteries, memory card, headphones, clips/tape, mic windscreens(deadcats/socks), boom pole and stands during all of production. All device settings will basically be setup already.
Now you have the knowledge needed to get started at least! All it’s going to take is some hands on training with the equipment and you’re well on your way to learning a new film production skill! | https://medium.com/@majorleomedia/sound-in-the-adult-film-industry-2ea0fc9d7de6 | [] | 2020-12-14 01:44:51.814000+00:00 | ['Sound', 'Skills', 'Film'] |
Introductory | Introductory
Honestly I find writing to be quite the tedious task however usually it’s a skill most people want my therapist wants me to have a more creative outlook on things and to “document my feelings” most of my writings will have poor grammar and punctuation however this will not stop
me from documenting my feelings and enjoying whatever I want to write because sometimes it’s fun and other times not so much. | https://medium.com/@airbear0982/introductory-175704e89ef6 | [] | 2020-12-18 22:09:33.507000+00:00 | ['Introduction'] |
The Real Danger of the Coronavirus | Italy is locked down. But there’s a greater danger facing us all.
Image courtesy of Pixabay
I am sitting here in our apartment in Florence, Tuscany feeling both scared and defiant. The normally bustling street is quiet. After an extraordinary few weeks which has profoundly shocked Italy, the world is catching up. The news everywhere is dominated by the potential impact of Coronavirus.
Over the past weeks, the mood has shifted many times. The government and health officials initially attempted a calm and reassuring stance, realising that panic and misinformation could have catastrophic effects on the national psyche.
Fear of an epidemic is as old as mankind itself
In the first week, the country’s president, Sergio Mattarella, called for the “irrational and motiveless fear” to stop.
The Italian Society of Psychiatrists (SIP) issued guidelines on how to cope with “Coronavirus stress and anxiety.”
Enrico Zanalda, president of the society talked of the “violent impact” on daily life. Fear of the virus has caused “the cancellation or postponement of thousands of small but important events in people’s lives from birthdays to baptisms.”
“Fear of an epidemic is as old as mankind itself. In this case its effect is amplified by incomplete, even false information which has caused public confidence in our institutions to collapse.”
Wise words.
On the early hours of March 10 things took a dramatic twist. Italy is now in total lockdown to try and contain the spread of Coronavirus. People are being told to stay at home and that “there is no red zone, just Italy”.
Schools and universities throughout Italy are closed and public gatherings, funerals and weddings are banned throughout the country.
All religious gatherings have been stopped, although churches can have their doors open for private prayer.
Only food shops and pharmacies are open, plus a few other exceptions, but most shops are closed.
Travel between towns is allowed only if essential and you have to show a form giving the reasons for your trip.
Many are praising the Prime Minister’s “brave decision”. I don’t think he had a choice, with media and political pressure, and the alarming rise in cases in the north.
But to me, it also sends the message that fear now rules and calm seems a lifetime away.
The sick man of Europe
Italy was the first European country to announce the death of a national from Coronavirus. It’s now the most affected country after the USA and the death rate has surpassed China. No-one knows exactly why yet, although I have a theory I have written about here, which has since been vindicated by research published on April 20.
Venice carnival was cancelled because of the Coronavirus outbreak. Image courtesy of Pixabay
Travel plans are now in tatters for millions. Most airlines have suspended flights to Italy. Those currently visiting for work or social reasons should have no trouble leaving, in theory, but there are many cancelled flights and they may face checks or self-quarantine for 14 days when they arrive at their destination.
The Figures Today
These figures are from the Ministry of Health website and I update them after the daily 18:00 press conference.
As of 14 May there have been 223,096 positive tests. Of those 31,368 have died and 115,288 have recovered. Twenty-one regions plus Vatican City are affected.
Tuscany, where I live, has got 9859 confirmed cases of the virus.
The majority of positive cases do not need hospital care and are in self isolation at their homes.
Knock-On Effect
In this iconic city of Florence, so reliant on tourism, businesses are reeling.
Hotels are empty. They say the effect on the economy is worse than 9/11. I can believe it.
Everyone, from the restaurants, designer shops and five-star hotels to tour guides, wedding planners and villas in the hinterland, has been affected.
My husband is the chaplain of St. Mark’s Anglican church in Florence. There is now no public worship allowed, but he is keeping the doors open at the usual times for private prayer. If ever there was a time when a vicar is needed, this is it.
He has written some special prayers for people afraid of the coronavirus. You can find them here.
The city of Florence is noticeably empty. Picture: Fiona Cameron Lister
The sense of fear and uncertainty is greater every day. Students from American universities were the first to leave. British universities followed suit. Florence is now empty.
Everyone is afraid. And that is the key.
The Real Virus
One thing has become chillingly clear over the last surreal weeks: the power of fear is a far greater threat than any virus.
There has been a panic-led reaction from governments seemingly caught on the back foot who have no excuse for lack of preparation. Organisations such as the World Bank have been campaigning for a planned response for years, saying “We know that it is only a matter of time before the next pandemic hits us.”
Their 2017 report says: “For far too long, our approach to pandemics has been one of panic and neglect: throwing money and resources at the problem when a serious outbreak occurs; then neglecting to fund preparedness when the news headlines move on. The result has been too many lives lost, too much damage to human livelihoods.”(From Panic and Neglect to Investing in Health Security — World Bank International Working Group on Financing Preparedness, 2017)
For the media, whose life-blood is a dramatic story with minute-by-minute developments, the coronavirus is a gift.
There are special programmes on Covid-19. Outside testing centres, journalists deliver their reports with masks on. The papers show alarming pictures of patients in intensive care.
Meanwhile abroad, headlines like those in the UK Daily Mail screaming: JAIL FOR REFUSING QUARANTINE closely followed by “over-70s face four month lockdown.”
For the trollers commenting on this piece and saying “don’t read those kind of papers then” — I don’t. Millions do.
I just got a message from a friend in the UK who is a strong independent lady over 80. She had read the above and wrote: “I can’t cope with being inside for four months, Fiona, I will definitely be mentally and physically ill by that time. I am panicking about what on earth is happening here.I think the worse thing for the immune system is fear and stress and that is what people are being put through.”
Is that really what we want? To terrify people?
Theories abound on the Internet. Is it a plot to cut population numbers? A massive deception to distract us from some other problem they don’t want us to know about? Did the virus originate in a lab near the Wuhan fish market? Is there something big they’re not telling us? Are we all doomed?
This is where mass hysteria can so easily take hold.
The greatest fear is that of the unknown. It is a primal terror that can make neighbour turn on neighbour, can make us racist, selfish and irrational.
It doesn’t take much to start a panic and we are teetering on the brink.
That is what I am really afraid of. That this situation and its exaggerated, apocalyptic reporting has now become a self-fulfilling prophesy.
We already know that a rumour, say about a possible water shortage, can cause a stampede on bottled water which in turn results in a real crisis.
All over the world there are pictures of people clearing supermarket shelves in preparation for a lockdown.
It doesn’t take much to start a panic and we are teetering on the brink.
Getting Things in Perspective
What we are lacking at the moment, I think, is some kind of context for the numbers.
In an attempt to gain more understanding, I looked up the statistics for influenza in Italy. They are a revelation.
At this moment there are over 500,000 people in bed with flu (“normal” flu, not Coronavirus). The average death rate from flu-related illness over the last five years is 8000 a year.
The devastating flu epidemic of 2016/2017 in Italy resulted in 24,981 excess deaths, according to a study published in the International Journal of Infectious diseases in August 2019.
If you want to know more about context, I have written more about the statistics here.
I know this is not like normal flu. I have read the stats like everyone else. I understand that in a worst case scenario public health systems will be overwhelmed. The north of Italy has a nightmare situation at the moment to prove exactly that point.
I am in lockdown, following the rules, and only going out to buy food. My husband has stayed in Florence while I am now at our home an hour away, on my own. So don’t tell me about the need to socially isolate. I am living it now. I understand the logic.
We all understand that there is danger in underestimating a threat.
But there is danger in overestimating one too.
If we published hour-by-hour figures of flu deaths and it was our only topic of conversation, we would soon have public hysteria.
I am advocating a realistic, calm assessment of the current situation, carefully navigating that fragile area between fact and emotion.
Most people unlucky enough to be affected by the virus will recover.
Italy has an ageing population. The average age of those who have died is 79.5 years according to the Ministry of Health, who also stated that over 99% had at least one pre-existing health condition. This is tragic for the families. I am in no way minimizing how awful it is to lose someone of whatever age.
However, it is significant in terms of fatalities for a disease.
Most people unlucky enough to be affected by the virus will recover.
I’m not a doctor, but from what I have read, if you have a strong immune system, you will probably be fine.
If you wash your hands regularly and take sensible precautions, you should minimise any risk of catching the virus.
Mind Games
What is not being discussed much is the effect of fear on our bodies and minds.
People can literally scare themselves to death. Fear and worry suppress the immune system by flooding us with various hormones, including cortisol and adrenaline.
The mind and immune system are in a delicate balance. Stress, whether chronic or sudden, can make us ill or kill us.
The Coronavirus will definitely affect you if you succumb to fear. Writing this, I know it has already affected me. I have a little knot in my solar plexus. I woke up at 3 am this morning thinking about it.
This has to stop. I need to take control of my brain and not indulge in obsessive scanning of the internet or other fear-inducing activity.
I know the immune system is strengthened by healthy eating, exercise and laughter. So I am going to take positive action:
I resolve to watch a comedy programme rather than Sky News.
I will change the subject if people start engaging in gossip or anxiety-based rumours.
I will eat well and sleep as long as I can.
I will walk for half an hour each day.
I will try to remember that Italy’s population is 60.48 million, and that I should get things in perspective.
Since I wrote this article, I have been accused (in the comments below) of being “a danger to the public”, “stupid”, “reckless” and an “idiot” just because I am urging people to stay calm and not waste the only time you have (the present moment) in obsessive worry.
People have pasted statistics and links to prove their argument, missing the whole point of what I am saying. I am not a “Coronavirus denier”. I am saying that frightening people, especially the vulnerable ones we are trying so hard to protect, is not a good approach.
Ultimately, we will not really be able to do much about the outcome of the Coronavirus.
We can do something about the other, far more dangerous and contagious one. The virus of fear.
It’s time to take back control.
Thank you for reading this. You might enjoy next article: Don’t Expect Science to Make You Feel Better.
To cheer yourself up read Coronavirus Fightback — Italians Sing from Balconies!
To see an exemplary way to talk to people calmly about Coronavirus, I suggest you watch Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong’s broadcast to the nation on March 12. | https://fcameronlister.medium.com/the-real-danger-of-the-coronavirus-b3e3ee98a07b | ['Fiona Cameron Lister'] | 2020-05-15 08:31:38.514000+00:00 | ['Italy', 'Life Lessons', 'Health', 'Self', 'Psychology'] |
SOCIETY!. | SOCIETY!.
When we look at the world, when we look at society, what do we see? Do we see a positive environment that we would want future generations to grow up in? Whether you want to have kids or not, adopting, ivf, having your own children. Whatever it may be, is this how we want to shape the next of the human race? Do we want to look back and see how we formed a strong, intelligent generation? Or do we wanna look back n regret not changing the world for the better?
Hi, I’m Taylor, and I’m going to talk about the future of the human race.
2020 had been a rough year. In March we had a global pandemic arise, social distancing, lock down, loss of loved ones, homes, jobs, and so much more. Now here in December, waiting for the new year, anxious and hoping for a better start, we wait. Looking back on this year, we have had more than just a pandemic, riots, fighting for justice, equality, and peace. In 2020, why don’t we have that? Why are there still racists out there? Why is hating someone for the way they were born still being taught and instilled in children. Children who grow to not know any better. Why are there parents turning their children into monsters who hate people, based off of ethnicity, heritage, culture, genetics? Honestly, that what racism boils down to. Racism may not always be about the color of a persons skin. It’s because they are different. Different from how you are raised. Different because they don’t look like you. Bringing it to this point shows one thing. Acceptance. It’s what children aren’t being taught. If we were to teach our children, hey, not being perfect is okay, not looking like you is okay, different cultures are okay. By saying that they are okay, I do not mean to imply that there is a problem in anyway shape or form. However, to show and to teach that not everyone is exactly like you and to accept and respect that, is what needs to be done. Now I don’t Want to try and tell anyone how to raise their children, but it is common sense to teach that different is okay. As well as race and ethnicity, LGBTQIA+. People are born. Some people brains are different, and that is okay. Some men like men some women like women. Some non- binary like non-binary. Whatever the case it is okay. I’m no way shape or form is a lesbian relationship or a gay relationship hurting anyone. It’s simply the twisted moral that have been taught for years, and for no apparent reason. If we learn to accept and love others no matter what, earth and the World around us will be ,ore peaceful. We can change everyone, but we can start by changing ourselves. By doing so, we can show others how to love, how to care, and last but least how to accept and respect. Because the golden rule do unto other as you would have them do to you, you should treat everyone with love, respect, and equality. | https://medium.com/@twitt7692/society-d196e5bda185 | ['Taylor Witt'] | 2020-12-26 02:16:39.230000+00:00 | ['Racism', 'Equality', 'Society', 'Justice', 'Lgbtqia'] |
I Wish I Had My Husband’s White Privilege | Living with someone who has more privilege than you is a strange experience. No one can tell you otherwise. I am a black woman, and my husband is a white man. Every day of my life, I get to see his privilege up close, and I’ll be honest, sometimes it triggers a host of different feelings and emotions in me — ranging from sadness to outrage to downright resentment.
It’s difficult for me to understand why the world treats us so differently. I mean, aren’t we both human beings with the same needs for respect and acceptance? But no, society doesn’t see us that way. For society, he is powerful, and I am not.
As a black woman, I am invisible
Take, for example, a few months ago, we decided to build a pergola in our garden. I called up a number of companies and explained our needs and budget. One company said they would need to come by to evaluate the terrain.
When I opened the door to the sales representative, he looked up at me in surprise and asked to see the homeowner. For him, it was inconceivable that I could possibly own my home. He was convinced I was the housekeeper or the nanny. He came into the house, did a few measurements in the garden, hardly spoke to me, left, and never sent me an offer.
My white husband is always taken seriously
Seeing no progress, a few months later, my husband called the same company and randomly fell upon the same sales representative. However, this time, the experience was completely different. They met, the sales representative explained the challenges we would face in building a pergola so close to the boundary of our property with that of our neighbors. My husband received a proposal a few days later.
So while I was completely disregarded as a black woman, my husband was taken seriously and services were delivered to him. It was simply incredible.
I experience microaggressions, my husband never does
Another example comes to our children’s health. My son suffered from several ear infections when he was younger. The childcare personnel would usually call me first whenever he started running a fever. When he was very sick, I would head to the emergency room immediately. Here again, I would experience microaggressions that my husband would never encounter.
On one of these hospital visits, a nurse once started asking me questions about the history of my son’s health. For example, was he born at term, did I breastfeed him, when did he walk for the first time, when did he speak?
I wasn’t trusted to know about my son’s health
These milestones were important to me and I knew the answers to all of them by heart, but the nurse continuously turned to my husband for the answers to these questions instead of taking my word for it. And when she finally listened to me, she turned to him for validation of my answers. It was though I was invisible, as though I didn’t exist.
And there are countless other incidents like these. For example, on our wedding anniversary, I booked a lovely hotel in the Swiss Alps. I had alerted the hotel that I was surprising my husband and that I would settle all bills related to our stay.
They weren’t used to a black woman paying the bills
Yet, time and time again, the personnel would hand him over invoices to sign. I complained to the reception about this and they clearly confessed that they weren’t used to a black woman taking on the entire costs of a stay in their establishment.
I think where my white husband’s privilege works me up the most, is when I see the ease at which he navigates through a white world. Everyone listens to him and is at his beck and call. Its as though he has special superpowers. When he demands a service, nowhere in his mind does he ever think that he will not receive it.
Most people just disregard me completely
For me, it’s a 1 in 2 chance that I will get a service that I have paid sometimes even heftily for. Most times, people just disregard me completely. It’s as though I am a lesser human being. These experiences are emotionally challenging and increasingly difficult to cope with and accept.
Whenever my husband has a job interview, he focuses on preparing himself mentally for the experience. I also prepare myself mentally, but I also have to keep in mind that maybe the interviewer might take issue with my color and might not give me a fair chance at getting the job.
Because he has privilege, he is less stressed
So yes, the night before the interview, I’ll have a lot more stress than my husband ever will. The simple fact that he is less stressed is yet another example of the all too pervasive privilege that he has.
So yes, I sometimes feel a little envious of his privilege because it gives him a much easier life than mine. He doesn’t always have to fight for things, to systematically challenge racist and biased thinking and behaviors, or to ask over and over again to get a service that he is entitled to. He immediately commands attention and respect, while I experience the opposite.
Our children point out how differently we are treated
At one stage in my life, I had decided to ignore the differences in the way we were treated, but today I can no longer do so because our children point out these differences and comment frequently about them. They ask me how I feel, so I can no longer pretend to not see them.
And I must admit that I sometimes ask my husband to take my children to the doctor, optician, or football game because I know that with their dad, they will be treated better. Some of his white privilege rubs off on them and they get a positive experience. Because people don’t treat me with respect, or acknowledge me, when my children are with me, they encounter more negative experiences than when they are with their father. I resent the fact that because of his white privilege, they get to have more positive experiences with him than with me.
The world will have to change, it doesn’t have a choice
But as I look at the world, I am convinced that things will have to change. By the year 2050, 80 percent of the people on the planet will be some shade of brown. In that type of world, racism which is at the heart of white privilege will no longer be able to thrive. Of course, we still have a lot of work to do to unlearn racism and bias — but I strongly believe the winds of change are blowing, and the wheels of change are turning. Change is galloping forward with force and determination. It cannot and will not be stopped.
Thanks for reading my perspective. | https://medium.com/illumination-curated/i-wish-i-had-my-husbands-white-privilege-11d848e735b7 | ['Rebecca Stevens A.'] | 2020-09-14 08:49:52.549000+00:00 | ['Equality', 'BlackLivesMatter', 'Self', 'Race', 'Relationships'] |
SHADES OF BEING SOULFUL✨ | Soul is the nature, Soul is the beauty..
Loving yourself is the utmost duty. | https://medium.com/@rumanaganiyani/shades-of-being-soulful-ecbaae76239f | ['Rumana Ganiyani'] | 2020-12-24 12:07:29.107000+00:00 | ['Insecurity', 'Soul', 'Dreams', 'Love Yourself', 'Beauty'] |
The Literature of Racism | The nine most essential writings on racism in America
Photo by Josh Hild on Unsplash
It is a sad, scary, demoralizing, dehumanizing, and troubling time in America. Yet again, the country is forced to look at itself and see its history of racism in the dark light of the current ugliness. Understanding it is difficult, yet in another way it is not. America’s past is littered with the markers of prejudice and hatred. And it has never been more clearly addressed than in art, and especially through literature.
Below you’ll find what might be the nine best and most honest writings on racism in the United States by some of our greatest authors and thinkers. There are other works with strong, clear, and important messages, but these are the elite stories of America’s most appalling personality flaw. | https://medium.com/the-writer-shed/the-literature-of-racism-718fe57ed66d | ['David W. Berner'] | 2020-06-01 18:05:44.735000+00:00 | ['George Floyd', 'America', 'Literature', 'Raceinamerica', 'Race'] |
Manga Rock Shuts Down Due to Piracy and Starts MR Comics | Manga Rock Shuts Down Due to Piracy and Starts MR Comics Limarc Ambalina Follow May 10 · 2 min read
While, I was looking for places I could suggest my readers to read the Your Name manga online, I came upon one of the most famous manga sites and manga apps in the world, Manga Rock. Unfortunately, the company has closed down. Manga Rock online and the Manga Rock APK on the android and iOS app stores have also been taken down.
Like me, you’re probably wondering why and the answer is piracy. “There’s no excuse for the negative impact aggregator sites like ourselves have created for the comic industry and creators,” says Manga Rock. The company has admitted their faults in full and genuinely wants to right their wrongs.
Only, they are not simply taking down their site and app, they are completely rebranding and recreating their company from the ground up.
Via their new brand, MR Comics, the company plans to create a new platform. This platform aims to make comics accessible to fans all over the world. With over 10 years of experience building tech and catering to manga fans, the company shows great promise. Numerous Youtube commentators have already expressed their support.
Creating a Netflix for Manga
Everyone loves manga, but are people willing to pay for it? The answer seems to be yes. One user named Adishnu asks “Can’t you make it like a Netflix for manga? One [fee] and unlimited reading, but like affordable? [Because] I wouldn’t mind paying that small amount, as long as I [can] keep reading.” Adishnu brings up a good point, one that I’ve been wondering for a long time. Why doesn’t someone come out with a Netflix for manga? After all, streaming services like Netflix have significantly cut down movie and television piracy. It’s easy to believe that a similar platform would do the same thing for manga.
Youtube commentators have shown almost universal support for such a platform. However, it’s likely easier said than done. There are copyright laws in place that may be different per country or per company.
One huge benefit MR Comics advertises is tools for creators. The company plans to provide creators and publishers with AI-assisted tools to help them with their work.
Until the platform takes off, however, we will have to read manga the standard way: buying them in stores or online.
Original article reposted with permission. | https://medium.com/animedia/manga-rock-shuts-down-due-to-piracy-and-starts-mr-comics-fa8227abf8e0 | ['Limarc Ambalina'] | 2020-05-10 08:40:58.611000+00:00 | ['Manga', 'Anime', 'Comics', 'Mrcomics', 'Anime News'] |
Speed interviews: fad or fab? | Hireplace
Law firms have been doing it for more than a decade. And so has IBM, Abbott Labs, NUS, and Workforce Singapore more recently.
It may seem like a reckless leap of faith, but to these companies, substituting long, overwrought assessments for speed, simplicity, and rapid-fire questions have its upsides.
We’re talking speed interviews.
Based on the same concept as speed dating, speed interviews allow companies to gauge whether an individual is a suitable candidate in 10 minutes or less.
This technique of relying on the subconscious mind’s ability to discern good hires is called thin slicing, which harnesses the power of thinking without thinking. It is supported by lots of cognitive research that suggests initial intuition is as — or maybe more — accurate than prolonged assessment.
But apart from helping companies avert the perils of pondering, here are some reasons why speed interviews are here to stay:
1. Saves on time and resources. Career fairs are a money pit. With speed interviews, companies can pre-screen and evaluate 20 candidates in the time it usually takes to meet 2. The convenience of scheduling multiple interviews in one go as well as the time it takes to accomplish this saves companies plenty of time and resources.
2. Immediate comparisons between candidates. Since most interviews for a position span days or even weeks, it’s hard for managers to remember the information they gathered in previous interviews. Speed interviews allow managers to see all of the candidates in a couple of hours, so they can better compare their talent pool’s strengths and weaknesses.
3. Access to a wider pool of talent. Speed interviewers see an average of 2 to 10 times more candidates, so there’s less chance that companies will miss out on a great candidate, especially one with a lousy résumé. A greater number of candidates also means that companies have access to more diverse talent.
4. Fewer rehearsed responses. Thanks to the Internet and Google, most candidates now arrive over-prepared for a regular-length interview. The beauty of speed interviewing is that you may get more genuine and unrehearsed responses.
5. Avoid the “hiring limbo”. Unfilled roles often have an ongoing cost for employers. With speed interviews, employers will be able to find their ideal candidate much faster and have a higher chance of landing that top candidate before they’ve moved on to another opportunity.
6. Eliminate inefficient phone interviews. Hiring managers typically rely on phone interviews to vet candidates before deciding to bring them in for an in-person conversation. This takes time to schedule and execute, unlike speed interviews, whereby employers are able to zero in on only the most qualified individuals. That way, they’re able to save time for deeper discussions with these candidates in the final stages of the hiring process.
Want to learn more about how Speed Interview can benefit your business? Book a demo today with Customer Success Manager — Cherilyn ([email protected])
Follow us on Linkedin and/or subscribe to our blog to receive updates & insights in the speed recruiting world. | https://medium.com/@speedinterview/speed-interviews-fad-or-fab-b15b84edc7e3 | [] | 2020-12-15 02:00:54.478000+00:00 | ['Virtual', 'Recruitment', 'Technology', 'Speed Interview'] |
#Woke Scold on the 50th Anniversary of Apollo 11 🚀🌒 | #Woke Scold on the 50th Anniversary of Apollo 11 🚀🌒
We choose to go to the moon…
On July 16th, 1969 at 9:32 edt, a 363 foot tall rocket lit it’s F-1 engines generating 7,891,000 lbs of thrust. The most powerful rocket developed, and still is. On top of it, Buzz Aldrin, Neil Armstrong and Michael Collins sat headed towards the moon.
We currently live in a world of intersectional and identity politics, which means no great event can go unpunished. The following articles came from the NYT and WaPo. (I’d rather you not click on them as they don’t need revenue, just for context.)
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/17/science/women-astronauts-nasa.html?smtyp=cur&smid=tw-nytimes# https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/16/us/how-the-soviets-won-the-space-race-for-equality.html?smtyp=cur&smid=tw-nytimes https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/forget-new-manned-missions-in-space-nasa-should-focus-on-saving-earth/2019/07/18/79e55eb8-a995-11e9-9214-246e594de5d5_story.html?utm_term=.3ba633a38b77 The culture that put men on the moon was intense, fun, family-unfriendly, and mostly white and male https://t.co/x5vQBuU4IN
A few things I noticed about these is they all had the same theme, that white males are bad, and Apollo should be shunned for this, also that they all dropped after the 50th anniversary of the launch, as a warm up to the 20th, the 50th of the moon landing (I assure you, more wokeness will come on that day)
Saturn V Launches
This narrative is of course false, and hardly worthy of a response. While 100 may see this, 100,000 will read each of these articles. Xennials, Millennials that may not recognize the importance of the space program and what was accomplished this week 50 years ago.
For Starters, over 400,000 people were involved in Apollo, they were young, old, fat, skinny, educated, un-educated, man, woman and every race you can think of, were the guys on top of the Saturn V white? Yep. They were the best for the mission.
Was NASA late to the game with Women, and did Russia beat them? Yes. Did they put Valentina Tereshkova in a poorly made craft in Vostok 6…absolutely. When Sally Ride went up in 1983 in Shuttle it was infinitely safer (skip the ackshually of Challenger). Did Tereshkova survive YEP!, doesn’t mean other Cosmonauts didn’t pay the price 5 confirmed dead including this article (Do not google the audio it will haunt you) https://www.npr.org/sections/krulwich/2011/05/02/134597833/cosmonaut-crashed-into-earth-crying-in-rage
Apollo 11 hits Max Q
I will not get into the Dead Cosmonauts in this, although a fascinating subject. For the American paper of record to dunk on NASA for a Communist achievement is weird, the Russians should be proud of their space program, but they did not get to the moon. We did.
There was a movie that came out a few years ago, that the Times and WaPo must have slipped their mind, Hidden Figures (Great Movie) that illistrated a very important contribution from African- Americans to Apollo. Each step from Mercury, Gemini to Apollo was critical right down to the placement of a decimal.
Never?
For #CancelCulture to take it’s shot at #Apollo isnt surprising, for it to be strategically done by the mainstream media, is surprising. After all the Times said in 1936 that we would not leave earth, 18 Years later one did. Celebrating the CCCP putting a woman into space, is the same as celebrating a woman rising within the ranks of the Nazis. Communism has a 100 million body count, capitalism does not.
(I’ve added this thread from @hollymathnerd) https://twitter.com/hollymathnerd/status/1151876274694041600?s=21
This is where we are as a society, canceling people, events, companies for the smallest slip up, even events that occured in a different time. I will take all of the innovations, progress and discoveries made due to Apollo and we as a society learn from the mistakes and do better.
Cancel culture is part of the reason #NASA hasn’t replaced the Space Shuttle, it’s been 8 years. We have nothing but projects that pitter out…we pay Russia $93 per ass to send our Astronauts to the ISS, now that is a Russian Collusion story I’d like dug into. The best day in Space history is July 20th, it’s worst day is the 21st when Atlantis landed. We are risk adverse, it costs too much, STEM is underfunded and under appreciated in schools across the country. If we are to return to the Moon and get to Mars, we must continue to press the boundries of human understanding, abilities and limits.
That being said Apollo 11 is the last time the entire world was focused on a goal, all eyes were looking to the Moon, for hope, for all mankind. 500 Million people from the Aborigeni, Russians to a little girl in Encino, California.
The next people headed to Mars are in grade school right now, Apollo, Shuttle, Soyuz, Falcon all of them inspire them to reach higher.
But what do I know, I am just a white guy from a farm in Michigan…
Per aspera ad astra 🚀🇺🇸 | https://medium.com/@Peekaso/woke-scold-on-the-50th-anniversary-of-apollo-11-41c43a3f700c | ['Aaron Peek'] | 2019-07-20 11:53:16.458000+00:00 | ['Apollo', 'Russia', 'NASA', 'Space', 'Woke'] |
Lambda Layers in tf.keras. Lambda layers are useful when you need… | Introduction
Lambda layers are useful when you need to do some operations on the previous layer but do not want to add any trainable weight to it. Lambda layer is an easy way to customize a layer to do simple arithmetic. Let say you want to add your own activation function (which is not built-in Keras) to a layer. Then you first need to define a function that will take the output from the previous layer as input and apply a custom activation function to it. We then pass this function to the lambda layer.
From Tensorflow documentation
The Lambda layer exists so that arbitrary TensorFlow functions can be used when constructing Sequential and Functional API models. Lambda layers are best suited for simple operations or quick experimentation. For more advanced use cases, subclassing keras.layers.Layer is preferred. One reason for this is that when saving a Model, Lambda layers are saved by serializing the Python bytecode, whereas subclassed Layers are saved via overriding their get_config method and are thus more portable. Models that rely on subclassed Layers are also often easier to visualize and reason about.
Example 1
# add a x -> x^2 layer
model.add(Lambda(lambda x: x ** 2))
Example 2a
# add a layer that returns the concatenation
# of the positive part of the input and
# the opposite of the negative part def antirectifier(x):
x -= K.mean(x, axis=1, keepdims=True)
x = K.l2_normalize(x, axis=1)
pos = K.relu(x)
neg = K.relu(-x)
return K.concatenate([pos, neg], axis=1) model.add(Lambda(antirectifier))
Example 2b
def linear_transform(x):
v1 = tf.Variable(1., name='multiplier')
v2 = tf.Variable(0., name='bias')
return x*v1 + v2 linear_layer = Lambda(linear_transform)
model.add(linear_layer)
model.add(keras.layers.Dense(10, activation='relu'))
model.add(linear_layer) # Reuses existing Variables
Example 3
from keras.layers import Lambda
from keras import backend as K
# defining a custom non linear function
def activation_relu(inputs):
return K.maximum(0.,inputs) # call function using lambda layer
squashed_output = Lambda(activation_relu)(inputs) # where inputs are output from previous layer
Example 4
def output_of_lambda(input_shape):
return (input_shape[0], 1, input_shape[2]) def mean(x):
return K.mean(x, axis=1, keepdims=True) model.add(Lambda(mean, output_shape=output_of_lambda))
Example 5
Let say I want to build a custom layer that computes the element-wise euclidean distance between two input tensors, I would define the function to compute the value itself, as well as one that returns the output shape from this function.
def euclidean_distance(vecs):
x, y = vecs
return K.sqrt(K.sum(K.square(x - y), axis=1, keepdims=True)) def euclidean_distance_output_shape(shapes):
shape1, shape2 = shapes
return (shape1[0], 1)
Then call these functions using the lambda layer shown as follows:
lhs_input = Input(shape=(VECTOR_SIZE,)) lhs = dense(1024, kernel_initializer="glorot_uniform", activation="relu")(lhs_input) rhs_input = Input(shape=(VECTOR_SIZE,)) rhs = dense(1024, kernel_initializer="glorot_uniform", activation="relu")(rhs_input) sim = lambda(euclidean_distance, output_shape=euclidean_distance_output_shape)([lhs, rhs])
References | https://medium.com/analytics-vidhya/lambda-layer-in-tf-keras-c4e8b94c87e | ['Rahul Bhadani'] | 2020-12-25 22:33:35.325000+00:00 | ['Tensorflow2', 'Data Science', 'Lambda', 'Machine Learning', 'TensorFlow'] |
RFbtc | RFbtc
Almost everyone is familiar with Bitcoin and BTC. It was introduced by Satoshi Nakamoto, a mysterious and anonymous individual or group in January of 2009. Nakamoto witnessed the outdated, unsustainable, and unfair financial system and sought to improve it. Thus, Bitcoin was born; a peer-to-peer digital cash network where people could freely transact without fear. The native currency BTC is non-inflationary, meaning the value of bitcoin will only go up as holders continue to accumulate. This radical and forward-thinking idea has been adopted by numerous minds in the crypto space, all of whom strive to emulate the success of bitcoin.
Bitcoin is not without disadvantages, however. Its network can be slow and expensive, and it has limited functionality and financial applications. At this point, it is more of a store of value than an actual currency. Because of this, most users can only buy, hold, and accumulate BTC rather than actually use it. Furthermore, holders aren’t rewarded for participating. Many projects on networks like Ethereum are leveraging distributed ledger technology to make unique and highly profitable projects that benefit users.
RFbtc is a new Ethereum token that is based on RFI’s innovative tokenomics and aims to increase profitability for token holders. Yield generation has been a problem for DeFi since its inception. Farming tokens with large supplies can perform well for a short period of time until the market becomes diluted with excess tokens and a lack of buyers and holders. RFbtc is based around a 4.2% transaction fee where half is distributed to all token holders automatically and half is sent to a burn address, deflating the total supply. This function punishes weak hands and incentivizes long term holders. With every transaction, holders can passively add to their RFbtc stack.
All generated fees that do not get burned go to holders of the token based on what percentage of ownership they have of RFbtc. The sophisticated RFbtc smart contract ensures that liquidity pools and exchange wallets are EXCLUDED from earning fees. This will protect token holders and guarantee that rewards are distributed fairly. These functions are performed automatically at the time of each transaction meaning there is no central party or interface in charge of distribution. This streamlines the process and prevents costly contract interactions. To put it simply, this is a better way to do yield generation in DeFi. It provides incentives to holders and rewards them fairly for doing so in a way that doesn’t dilute the price of the token. The burn function creates scarcity and supports increases in the token’s price. Meanwhile, holders can sit back, relax, and watch the RFbtc roll in!
The Problem:
Users who interact with DeFi contracts and protocol deal with a large number of risks. DeFi projects demand users to trust in a central party and put their faith in clunky, hard to use, and insecure contracts. Users are then rewarded with freshly minted tokens that come at a cost. It is difficult for users to know if the value of the tokens they are generating is greater than their initial investment, it also saturates the market with swaths of new tokens. The result is almost always the same, users will end up losing value from the inflated supply, or worse yet, users will begin to dump their freely farmed token and crash the price further. The people behind these projects do not anticipate these economic consequences because they lack knowledge and understanding. Investors then must assume all of the risks brought on by interacting with DeFi smart contracts. So what are the specific risks that individuals assume?
Market Risk and Volatility: Price and market volatility that negatively impacts token holders.
Trust: Mismanagement of funds by teams or individuals that harm holders.
Security: Bugs and exploits within contract code that hurts holders.
Tokenomics: Token design that cannot sustain profitability
RFbtc mitigates these risks and provides a safe, high yield environment for its community. This is accomplished through the following tokenomics:
Deflationary total supply of 21,000,000
2.1% ‘share tax’ on every transaction to reward holders
2.1% token burn on every transaction
No presale
Max buy of 210,000
In summary, RFbtc is rewarding holders and punishing short term investors. The goal is to cultivate a strong community and reward them throughout the life of the project. Anyone who holds RFbtc can take advantage of transaction fees to earn passive income without having to lift a finger. The supply is deflationary, meaning the potential for positive price action is increased. The lack of presale ensures a fair token launch and the max buy restriction of 210,000 will limit price impact and manipulation from whales.
RFbtc is taking notes from successful projects in the space and applying them in order to benefit holders. Follow these links to learn more about the project and join the community!
Website: https://rfbtc.tech/
Telegram: https://t.me/RFbtctech
Twitter: https://twitter.com/rfbtctech | https://medium.com/@rfbtctech/rfbtc-a86b9651b937 | [] | 2020-12-24 05:02:00.173000+00:00 | ['Crytpo', 'Defi', 'Btc', 'Uniswap', 'Ethereum'] |
Why we need the support of progressive men | As a Co-Founder, Managing Director, working mother, stepmother, partner, and friend, I juggle many roles in my day-to-day life (as I am certain most of you reading this will surely understand). But what I can safely say, is that I couldn’t achieve what I have in my professional career (as well as balancing all of these other responsibilities) without the support of so many people — especially men — over the last 20 years.
For so many working women, and in my own personal experience, I believe it takes not only the support and encouragement of fellow women (thank goodness for the sisterhood!), but of progressive men who want to see their female counterparts succeed in life.
My husband is a perfect example of this. He is truly a partner in every sense of the word. We are co-parents to our 6-year old daughter, and share the school runs, the meetings, the activities and all the logistics that concern the life of a young child. My husband manages the majority of the household (which I am so thankful for!) and I cover most of the administrative duties of family life. I can say, that we certainly are flipping the traditional model, and have a very egalitarian system running. Without my husband’s loyalty, encouragement, and partnership, I am certain that I wouldn’t have taken the chances and risks in my professional life, and ultimately would not have reaped the rewards either.
Likewise, I want to credit the brilliant professional partnership that I have established with my business Co-Founder, Michael Meyer. We have both been through professional (and personal) highs and lows in the last twelve years of running our agency. But what has been so critical, is that we have always had each other’s backs. For example, when my daughter was born, I returned to work immediately at 80% capacity, but Michael was insistent that I continue to receive the exact same salary as I would have had at 100% full time. Being understanding and empathetic to the situation of a new baby is something we have both allowed the other. Similarly, when we have had outside endeavours (such as starting an additional business, or completing further education), we have been nothing but supportive of this. A true partner wants to see you fly, and Michael has certainly been that partner to me. I hope I have been that partner to him too.
In my prior professional experience, before having started our business with Michael, I worked for the BMW Group for many years. During my tenure, I had so many brilliant opportunities come my way, including working in Silicon Valley during the heart of the dot com boom, and progressing in a variety of positions throughout the company. I couldn’t have achieved and experienced these amazing things without my fantastic leaders and mentors such as Thomas Giuliani, Ulrich Selzer, Andreas-Christoph Hofmann or Eric Pierrejean. They all saw something in me that perhaps the others didn’t, and continued to give me both the advice and opportunities to grow and excel within the business. I thank every one of them for lifting me up to rise, particularly in a time when it perhaps wasn’t as common (sadly) for a female to do so.
We all need the support and encouragement of others to succeed. And in the #metoo era, I am so proud that I have had the most amazing men and women in my life who have helped make me what I am today. Thank you!
- Virginie Briand, Co-Founder and Managing Director of 19:13 | https://medium.com/@virginiebriand/why-we-need-the-support-of-progressive-men-9d73e9e12764 | ['Virginie Briand'] | 2020-01-24 16:05:05.883000+00:00 | ['Support', 'Leadership', 'Good Men', 'Role Models', 'Inspiration'] |
Who Will Lead HHS and CDC Under Joe Biden? | Who Will Lead HHS and CDC Under Joe Biden?
A speculative but informed list
Credit: Pool/Getty Images
Joe Biden will be president of the United States, inaugurating what could be a major shift in how Covid-19 is being tackled. As they say in Washington, personnel is policy. So who is going to be tapped for the top health jobs under the new administration? Below is a list of potential candidates for a variety of roles that cover public health, administration, and health care policy. It’s speculative but informed based on interviews and other public reporting. (If you think I have this totally wrong, feel free to email me at [email protected] or suggest names in the comments.)
The roles of director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services are unique in that not only do they need to have a wide breadth of public health knowledge (including likely infectious disease experience given that the nation is experiencing the worst pandemic in history), but they also have to run large bureaucracies and are seen as some of the most important communicators on health and health care issues. The CDC is an independent agency within HHS, the latter of which has over 80,000 employees. Politico has speculated, based on reporting, that the Biden team may lean toward governors and former governors for the HHS job due to the natural political skills elected officials have and the fact that governors oversee health care as a large part of their state budgets. However, that’s not an absolute directive, and there are many people who seem like contenders who don’t fit that bill.
Given the massive health inequities in the United States, which have only become even more apparent during the pandemic, there’s hope (at least from this blog) that the public health leadership of the U.S. will be more representative of the country as a whole.
Here’s some informed conjecture.
Folks on the radar
On Monday, the Biden-Harris transition team announced its Covid-19 advisory board. These are public health experts who are tapped to advise the transition team on how the incoming administration should tackle Covid-19 (it’s unclear if this is through policy guidance alone or other measures). I’m listing the names and blurbs from the press release below. It’s reasonable to assume that some folks on this list could eventually be tapped for other formal health administration titles as has happened in the past, especially Vivek Murthy, MD, who has HHS experience and served as U.S. surgeon general from 2014 to 2017.
Co-Chairs and Advisory Board Members: CO-CHAIRS Dr. David Kessler
David A. Kessler, MD, is Professor of Pediatrics and Epidemiology and Biostatistics at UCSF. Dr. Kessler served as FDA Commissioner from 1990 to 1997, appointed by President George H.W. Bush and reappointed by President Bill Clinton. Dr. Vivek Murthy
Vivek Murthy, MD, MBA, served as the 19th Surgeon General of the United States from 2014–2017. As the Vice Admiral of the US Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, he commanded a uniformed service of 6,600 public health officers globally. The officers focused on helping underserved populations, protecting the nation from Ebola and Zika, responding to the Flint water crisis, and natural disasters such as hurricanes. Dr. Marcella Nunez-Smith
Marcella Nunez-Smith, MD, MHS, is an Associate Professor of Internal Medicine, Public Health, and Management at Yale University and the Associate Dean for Health Equity Research at the Yale School of Medicine. Dr. Nunez-Smith’s research focuses on promoting health and healthcare equity for structurally marginalized populations. MEMBERS Dr. Luciana Borio
Luciana Borio, MD, is VP, Technical Staff at In-Q-Tel. She is also a senior fellow for global health at the Council on Foreign Relations. Dr. Borio specializes in biodefense, emerging infectious diseases, medical product development, and complex public health emergencies. She served in senior leadership positions at the FDA and National Security Council, including as Assistant Commissioner for Counterterrorism Policy and Acting Chief Scientist at the FDA, and Director of FDA’s Office of Counterterrorism and Emerging Threats. Dr. Rick Bright
Rick Bright, PhD, is an American immunologist, virologist, and former public health official. Dr. Bright was the director of the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) from 2016 to 2020 and the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response at the Department of Health and Human Services. He also previously served as an advisor to the World Health Organization and the United States Department of Defense. His career has focused on the development of vaccines, drugs, and diagnostics to address emerging infectious diseases and national security threats. Dr. Ezekiel Emanuel
Ezekiel J. Emanuel, MD, PhD, is an oncologist and Vice Provost for Global Initiatives and chair of the Department of Medical Ethics and Health Policy at the University of Pennsylvania. From January 2009 to January 2011, he served as special advisor for health policy to the director of the White House Office of Management and Budget. Since 1997, he has served as chair of the Department of Bioethics at The Clinical Center of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Dr. Atul Gawande
Atul Gawande, MD, MPH, is the Cyndy and John Fish Distinguished Professor of Surgery at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Samuel O. Thier Professor of Surgery at Harvard Medical School, and Professor of Health Policy and Management at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Dr. Gawande is also the founder and chair of Ariadne Labs, a joint center between Brigham and Women’s Hospital and the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health for health systems innovation, and of Lifebox, a nonprofit organization making surgery safer globally. He previously served as a senior advisor in the Department of Health and Human Services in the Clinton Administration. Dr. Celine Gounder
Celine Gounder, MD, ScM, FIDSA is a Clinical Assistant Professor at the NYU Grossman School of Medicine and cares for patients at Bellevue Hospital Center. From 1998 to 2012, Dr. Gounder studied TB and HIV in South Africa, Lesotho, Malawi, Ethiopia and Brazil. While on faculty at Johns Hopkins, Dr. Gounder was the Director for Delivery for the Gates Foundation-funded Consortium to Respond Effectively to the AIDS/TB Epidemic. She later served as Assistant Commissioner and Director of the Bureau of Tuberculosis Control at the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. Dr. Julie Morita
Julie Morita, MD, is Executive Vice President of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF). Morita previously served as the Health Commissioner for the City of Chicago for nearly two decades. She is a member of the American Academy of Pediatrics and has served on many state, local, and national health committees, including the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, and the National Academy of Sciences’ Committee on Community Based Solutions to Promote Health Equity in the United States. Dr. Michael Osterholm
Michael Osterholm, PhD, MPH, is Regents Professor, McKnight Presidential Endowed Chair in Public Health and the director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy (CIDRAP) at the University of Minnesota. Dr. Osterholm previously served as a Science Envoy for Health Security on behalf of the State Department. For 24 years (1975 to 1999), he worked in the Minnesota Department of Health; the last 15 years as state epidemiologist. Ms. Loyce Pace
Loyce Pace, MPH, is the Executive Director and President of Global Health Council. Over the course of her career, Loyce has championed policies for access to essential medicines and health services worldwide. Ms. Pace has worked with Physicians for Human Rights and Catholic Relief Services, and previously served in leadership positions at the LIVESTRONG Foundation and the American Cancer Society. Dr. Robert Rodriguez
Dr. Robert Rodriguez graduated from Harvard Medical School and currently serves as a Professor of Emergency Medicine at the UCSF School of Medicine, where he works on the frontline in the emergency department and ICU of two major trauma centers. He has authored over 100 scientific publications and has led national research teams examining a range of topics in medicine, including the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of frontline providers. In July 2020, Dr. Rodriguez volunteered to help with a critical surge of COVID-19 patients in the ICU in his hometown of Brownsville, Texas. Dr. Eric Goosby
Eric Goosby, MD, is an internationally recognized expert on infectious diseases and Professor of Medicine at the UCSF School of Medicine. During the Clinton Administration, Dr. Goosby was the founding director of the Ryan White CARE Act, the largest federally funded HIV/AIDS program. He went on to become the interim Director of the White House’s Office of National AIDS Policy. In the Obama Administration, Dr. Goosby was appointed Ambassador-at-Large and implemented the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). After serving as the U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator, he was appointed by the UN Secretary General as the Special Envoy for TB.
The composition of the committee feels strategic in terms of getting quality voices in the room for a science-backed approach to the pandemic and for signaling what’s to come. The Biden administration likely wants to find people who can provide the best strategies for getting the pandemic under control as well as boost the morale of the health agency employees who have felt sidelined, silenced, and compromised. Take for example Rick Bright, the former top vaccine official in the Trump administration who became a whistleblower. His inclusion on the Biden-Harris Covid-19 advisory board sends a signal of restoration to all three agencies. Promoting people within the organizations who have stuck through the four years will likely also happen or at least be considered (see the first person suggested for CDC below). It should be noted that jobs that manage entire agencies require congressional approval; however, the CDC director position does not.
Here’s who else is likely on the radar
CDC
Anne Schuchat, MD: As the principal deputy director of the CDC — and the interim CDC director from January to July 2017 and February to March 2018 — Schuchat is viewed by many in public health to be an obvious contender for the director job. She has extensive knowledge of the agency, and she’s been hands-on during prior health emergencies including H1N1, SARS, and Ebola. In prior pandemics, she led daily briefings, which many in the media are hoping will pick up again. An October ProPublica feature revealed that Schuchat has clashed with the Trump administration, including Covid-19 task force leader Deborah Birx, and that she’s viewed by CDC insiders as “the defender of the agency’s principles.”
Mary Bassett, MD: The current director of the FXB Center for Health and Human Rights at Harvard University was formerly the commissioner of the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene from January 2014 until August 2018. There’s a tradition of the former New York City health department lead becoming head of CDC with Tom Frieden, MD. She has a great TED Talk on why doctors should believe in social justice.
Richard Besser, MD: The president and CEO of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation was a former acting director for the CDC and ABC News’ former chief health and medical editor. He was the acting director of the CDC during the H1N1 pandemic in the U.S. During the Zika pandemic, I ran into Besser while reporting in Brazil, and he had shrewd advice about what the major questions of the response were. His media and communications savvy could work in his favor for sharing Covid-19 messaging. He could also be under consideration for HHS roles.
HHS/Surgeon General
Mary Katherine Wakefield: She’s a nurse and health care administrator who served as the acting Deputy Secretary of Health and Human Services in the Obama administration from 2015 to 2017 and as head of the Health Resources and Services Administration from 2009 to 2015. Given the immense work of nurses during the pandemic, giving Wakefield the top job would send a good message of recognition to a large but often overlooked group of health care workers.
Peter Kilmarx, MD: Kilmarx is an expert in infectious disease research and HIV/AIDS prevention and is currently the deputy director of the Fogarty International Center at the National Institutes of Health. He led the CDC efforts to quell the Ebola pandemic in Sierra Leone. He’s been in touch with a wide range of contact tracing and epidemiology experts during the pandemic.
Margaret Ann “Peggy” Hamburg, MD: Hamburg — yet another former New York City health commissioner — served as the commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration under the Obama administration and is currently the chair of the Board of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. She’s also worked at HHS and the National Institutes of Health. If the administration is looking for someone with U.S. health agency knowledge, Hamburg is an obvious name to consider.
Tom Frieden, MD: The former head of the CDC before Robert Redfield and the current president and CEO of Resolve to Save Lives, an initiative of Vital Strategies, has become a prolific science communicator during the pandemic. His name is likely in the mix.
Scott Gottlieb: Whether he actually makes a final shortlist, Gottlieb — who was thought of as an effective former head of the FDA — is likely a name being considered.
Michelle Lujan Grisham: The governor of New Mexico is on Politico’s list of contenders for the top HHS spot. She ran New Mexico’s health agency in the past, and she currently co-chairs Biden’s transition team.
Mandy Cohen, MD, MPH: The North Carolina Health Secretary is also on Politico’s list and was a top official at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services under the Obama administration.
Beth Cameron: The vice president for global biological policy and programs at the Nuclear Threat Initiative previously served as the senior director for global health security and biodefense on the White House National Security Council. She wrote a sharp critique of Trump’s pandemic response in March as she had helped write the nation’s “pandemic playbook” under Obama. | https://coronavirus.medium.com/who-will-lead-hhs-and-cdc-under-joe-biden-bc758aae9df4 | ['Alexandra Sifferlin'] | 2020-11-10 16:19:36.672000+00:00 | ['Coronavirus', 'Covid 19', 'Politics'] |
5 Amazing Activities to Keep You Outside in Central Oregon | When it comes to outdoor activities in Oregon, central Oregon is the mecca for everyone who enjoys the great outdoors. The high desert landscape is very unique and diverse. The winter is packed with snow and people playing in it, while the summer is hot and perfect for the lake. I had the privilege of growing up in Bend, Oregon and grew up going to many amazing lakes, rivers, trails, caves, and more beautiful places. These are just 5 of my favorites, but no where close to all the options Bend has to offer.
1. Hike to the top of Pilot Butte
Pilot Butte State Park is in the center of Bend and is an amazing place to hike. The hike up the Butte can be done on a road or a well kept dirt trail. It is a little over a mile to hike to the top of the Butte to the viewpoint. The Viewpoint is the best part though, and makes all the work you did hiking up there worth it. There is a diagram that identifies all the mountains you can see around you. It is a great way to enjoy the beauty of nature.
2. Winter sports on Mt Bachelor
Mt Bachelor is one of the premiere winter sports locations in Oregon. They have all the resources you would need for any winter sport or activity you can think of. Over 100 open trails for hiking or Nordic skiing, 11 lifts for downhill skiing and snowboarding and multiples lodges. Mt bachelor is a fantastic winter sport location and a big part of Bend’s outdoor lifestyle.
3. Visit Smith Rock State Park
Smith Rock State Park is a 40 minute drive from Bend, but worth it. It is a beautiful area covered in basalt cliffs that are known around the state for their great rock climbing. The rock climbing there is amazing for all levels of climbers and many lessons and groups go there to climb frequently. There are also multiple trails for hiking or running.
4. Enjoy the Deschutes River and Cascade Lakes Highway
The Deschutes rivers goes through downtown Bend and is a hot spot during the summer. Floating on the river on an intertube or even an air mattress is not a rare sight. There are often enough tubes on the river that traffic forms, and you have to maneuver around people to avoid tube accidents. It is all worth it though, as enjoying the cool water and hot sun cannot be beat. The best part is how much the Bend Park and Recreation department supports it as well. There is a bus that runs from the common start and end points for the floaters. This bus is exclusive to the people floating the river.
5. Experience the Newberry National Volcanic Monument
The Newberry National Volcanic Monument is a huge 55,500 acre area consisting of 4 main parts: Lava Butte, the Lava River Cave, Lava Cast Forest, and Newberry Caldera. Lava Butte is the site of a past eruption and is covered in lava rock and obsidian. The Lava Tube Cave is the sight of underground lave flow and can be hiked in today. The lava cave is also my favorite. The lava cast forests are areas where the lava flowed during past eruptions and many signs are visible in the landscape and plant life. The Newberry Caldera is a active shield-shaped Stratovolcano that is only 20 miles south of Bend. All of these natural wonders are beautiful to see and close to Bend.
After reading about 5 of my favorite things to do outside in Bend I hope you are motivated to get outside the next time you are there visiting. As I said at the beginning of the article, this is nowhere near everything to do in Bend and there are lots of things other than outdoor activities to do as well. Bend is a beautiful and fun place to live that I enjoyed for my whole childhood, and now I hope I can share some of my love for Bend with anyone who reads this list. | https://medium.com/@vansisec/5-amazing-activities-to-keep-you-outside-in-central-oregon-9a175eb0a52e | ['Christian Vansise'] | 2019-02-16 01:49:32.960000+00:00 | ['Oregon', 'Hiking', 'Bend'] |
Can Virgins Have a Fulfilling Sex Life? | So before we dive in to all the ways a virgin can cultivate a healthy sex life, let’s talk about virginity for just a moment. Yes, I’m the first one to yell “Virginity is a social construct!” because I think, in general, we make way too big a deal of this, especially when it comes to women. Dear gods, having sex for the first time was such a ridiculously big, scary deal for me all because everyone made me believe that not only would it hurt like hell (it didn’t hurt, at all) but that it was a defining moment not only in my life but as a moral decision that I would have to live with until the day I died. Je-sus.
I was so afraid to pick the wrong person (i.e. someone I didn’t end up having a long-term relationship with, because wouldn’t that just make me a slut?), so afraid that if I was careless my “number” might one day end up being “too high,” so afraid of not doing things the right (i.e. morally appropriate) way…
So yes, I think the narrative around virginity that our culture tells is largely sexist, inaccurate, and a real buzz kill.
However, it’s important to acknowledge that “losing our virginity” is a marker of experience in our lives.
And it’s even more important to acknowledge the fact that each person has different perspectives on virginity and, as it relates to their own, we must respect that. If someone chooses to remain a virgin for whatever reason, up to and including upholding their personal code of morality, then being sex-positive means that we honor that person’s right to define their sexuality and make sexual choices for themselves in whatever way they want.
So it doesn’t matter why someone is a virgin, how old they are when/if they choose to have sex with someone, or why they eventually choose to have sex.
To take that point further, I’m going to do something radical here and write this article from the perspective that virginity is not an “unfortunate circumstance” that one is trying to quickly alter. Let’s look at this from the respectful perspective of virginity as someone’s choice, and applaud anyone who is smart enough to know that they can still have a healthy, satisfying sex life even without ever having had sex with a partner, by doing things like this…
Dress in ways that express your sexuality
How do you want to feel as a sexual being? What does that look like?
When I think of expressing my sexuality through the way I dress, I often want to highlight my femininity, but also express some of the masculine energy I often feel. Since I was a teenager, I’ve always loved finding ways to feminize men’s clothing. I loved to wear ties and blazers in high school with skirts or tight pants. In my thirties and forties, I’ve found that I love pairing masculine plaid shirts with skirts and big earrings or leggings and high boots that accentuate my curves.
Maybe you want to emphasize certain masculine or feminine qualities of your body — or go more androgynous. Or perhaps you want to express your sensual side by wearing lots of bold textures like faux furs, or satiny slip dresses.
And yes, you can still wear those “come fuck me boots” even if you don’t want anyone to actually come fuck you.
Take nude self-portraits
I will forever tout this as a wonderful exercise in exploring one’s sexuality. It has been one of the most enlightening ways I have been able to understand my own sexuality.
It is just me and my camera. I don’t have to deal with the expectations or perceptions of a lover which might skew my own self-perception. Without all the extra noise, all I hear is my own voice. All I see is my own body.
You can keep these super casual — grabbing your phone and snapping photos just before you go to bed. Or you can go all out, like I do by setting up your camera on a tripod and using the timer function.
After you get over the initial discomfort of posing in front of the camera, you’ll start to realize that no one is watching or judging. You can be yourself.
Then you’ll start feeling more grounded, deeper in your own body. You’ll start posing in ways you never imagined you would be brave enough to try.
At some point, you’ll realize that you’re incredibly turned on, which feels so amazing. You’ll come to understand that your embodiment of your own sexuality brings you sexual pleasure — no one else is needed. That is such an amazing feeling.
As you explore this over the course months or even years, you will start to learn all kinds of things about yourself. You’ll learn to see your body with more compassion, to view it through the eyes of a lover (which again, feels amazing), to try new things, to question assumptions you’ve made about yourself and your sexuality…
It’s a deep exploration that takes you places you never thought you would go.
Engage with sexual content
Don’t be afraid to explore different kinds of sexual content. Porn can be a fun outlet for sexual exploration under the right circumstances. Just try to find sites that align with your sexual values and preferences.
Don’t be afraid to fall down a rabbithole if you really want to go exploring, but remember that porn is still overwhelmingly made for the male gaze, often served with a heaping spoonful of misogyny. So if you’re a woman, be prepared to block out some stuff you wish you had never seen — trust me, that’s gonna happen.
But when you stumble onto just the right video it can be an incredibly intense sexual experience, even when you are alone.
Read erotica and find the styles and language you like. Be on the lookout for sexually-oriented artistic endeavors and social statements like Hysterical Literature. Take classes on sex. Go see a burlesque show.
There are all kinds of outlets and ways to explore your sexuality without actually engaging in sex with another person.
Masturbate like a champion
This is like personal hygiene to me — it’s non-negotiable. It’s not necessarily something I do every day, but I don’t let too long go by between orgasms. I consider orgasms as important to my health as brushing my teeth or working out.
And it’s not a chore or a passive activity. I’m not lying on my back just trying to polish one off and get on with my day.
I try to approach it with the same effort and excitement that I would give to a lover. Why should I give myself anything less than that?
So yes, the sheets get mussed, as well as my hair, I get sweaty, clothes come off, and more often than not, my face ends up pressed into my pillow as I try to catch my post-orgasm breath.
I have a very, very good time with myself and consider it just as legitimate as sex with another person. | https://medium.com/sexography/can-virgins-have-a-fulfilling-sex-life-c04ff7a75e3b | ['Yael Wolfe'] | 2020-11-03 15:46:03.500000+00:00 | ['Sex', 'Sexuality', 'Women', 'Self', 'Self Love'] |
The Graph: Applications and Data to Use Web3 | Essentially being a trusted and decentralized database, Web 3 finds its applications in fields as varied as the energy sector, forestry, fisheries, mining, material recycling, air pollution monitoring, supply chain management, and their associated operations. The Graph developers can create applications that enhance the growth of interaction with internet-based systems in all these spheres.
Now, we already have dApps in social messaging (Whisper, Telegram, etc.), storage (IPFS, Swarm, Storj, etc.), state machines (Evn, custom, etc.) Data Feeds (Oraclize.it, town crier, etc.), Off-chain Computing (Cloud, VMS, etc.), Governance (Daos, Hard / Soft forks, etc.), will have the growing tendency in the future.
Also, the data and applications that will use the decentralized platform on Web3 are from these areas:
DeFi
Decentralized finance also called open finance, is a fledgling technology with potential. DeFi operates via decentralized, permissionless (without any central authority) applications, called DApps, built on a blockchain network, most commonly Etherum. Visionaries see this as an open-source alternative to every financial service we use today. Picture savings, loans, and trades, to insurance and even more, as all globally accessible.
Health Care
Accurate and detailed medical records are essential for the wellbeing of patients, as they contain valuable information about their medical history, which is needed for diagnostic purposes and to improve the examining doctor’s decision about suggested treatments. There are several countries putting their resources into leveraging blockchain technology to improve the quality of their citizens’ lives. In addition to Estonia already mentioned, UAE, Singapore, and other countries are implementing blockchain to store medical records, instead, dApp can store this info for health service.
Governance
When governance is centralized, it means there is a central authority that can come up with policies that may or may not take the contributors into consideration, and thus if the central authority makes a bad decision, it affects the contributors. However, a decentralized governance system where the contributors are responsible for the system’s decisions is the perfect solution. With the Web3 protocol, decentralized governance will blaze the trail for better administrative systems.
Grants & Certification
One of the greatest potentials of Web3 is that it can serve as a decentralized, permanently unalterable storage layer for any type of information, or asset, and not just used for the settlement of financial transactions. Creating DApps makes the technology suitable for storing and certifying all kinds of information, transactions, employment qualifications, and sensitive records/documents. What has attracted the greatest interest, however, is the certification of data and verification of identities. There are many, additional areas where certification using Web3 technology can be applied, including the issuing of land registry title deeds, etc.
A category like this needs all the transparency and privacy it can get, and an immutable technology like the blockchain makes data and records transparent enough to see, but private enough not to access. Creating DApps for grants will be a welcome development to be used on the Web3 platform because it will eliminate the monopolies that centralized systems have caused.
Marketplaces
In recent times we have seen the emergence of so many e-commerce platforms because it brings some ease of doing business to users of such platforms with DApps on the Web3 protocol because it gives users more control over their activities on related platforms.
Entertainment, gaming, Gambling Industry, Music/Movies
Entertainment is a wide area with lots of subcategories, and as with other categories, they need a decentralized system if their full potentials need to be harnessed. From intellectual property claims to music licensing, from movie platforms to gaming, DApps can be created for different entertainment-related systems. For example, It is a way to solve the problem of illegal downloading with several innovative ideas being introduced to pay artists and studios for legal downloads. Web 3 improves and transaction costs are further reduced, the decrease in the power of monopolies may accelerate, creating the democratization of power between consumers and firms.
Trust has continued to be one of the major challenges for the gambling industry in general. Especially for online gambling service providers, there are concerns with regards to the fairness of the random processes utilized (i.e., in the calculation of odds) and of course the protection of the funds that are involved in gambling transactions. At the moment, the crypto community has begun to enjoy some entertainment DApps, and that is proof enough that the mass adoption of DApps is around the corner.
IoT
The Internet of Things (IoT) is becoming essential for many daily activities and a major technological component for smart cities, smart homes, and vehicles. In addition, wearable devices have opened up many opportunities in medicine, e.g., programs that monitor our health, tracking our daily exercise, and even enabling remote care. Exploiting the information generated by such IoT devices can effectively transform our homes and cities and have a profound effect on the quality of our lives while saving energy and providing us with useful, personalized information.
Social, messengers
With decentralized social apps, the possibilities are endless. Users of such social DApps will not be victims of monopolized systems where the social platforms have more power over user data than the users. Social DApps will eliminate the chances of data theft, as well as promote seamless social communications between users from all parts of the world. | https://medium.com/@ninadrokina/the-graph-applications-and-data-to-use-web3-afecf74f622 | ['Nina Drokina'] | 2020-12-21 21:25:50.290000+00:00 | ['Web3', 'Dapps', 'The Graph Protocol', 'The Graph', 'Subgraph'] |
How Science is Making it Possible to Eat and Pet a Chicken at the Same Time | Perspective Piece
How Science is Making it Possible to Eat and Pet a Chicken at the Same Time
Photo by Daniel Tuttle on Unsplash.
At age 11, something changed. And it wasn’t that I got a Hogwarts invite from Professor McGonagall. Instead, I started feeling differently about animals.
I created a fictional land called Evergold, where all the animals were safe and happy. Here, the fields and forests abounded with meat plants.
Picture a willow, swaying in the wind, with sizzling hot bacon strips oozing from its branches. In Evergold, there were no animal farms or slaughterhouses. Even the moose and wolves could be friends, meeting up for peaceful games of tag.
Today, startups creating cultivated meat are on the cusp of a great achievement for humans and animals. By growing meat directly from cells, they’re paving a more nonviolent future. The new meat tech could also greatly reduce land and water use, and prevent pandemics.
Slaughter-free bacon is around the corner
Winston Churchill made a prediction in 1931. Cultivated meat enthusiasts love to cite his words:
We shall escape the absurdity of growing a whole chicken in order to eat the breast or wing, by growing these parts separately under a suitable medium.
80 years and many sci-fi depictions later, meat cultivation was finally taking off in 2010. Jason Matheny and Isha Datar each published influential papers that year. Then in 2013, Mark Post debuted the world’s first cultivated hamburger at a conference.
By May 2020, New Scientist estimated there are some 60 startups working on this endeavor internationally. And recently in August, 50–100 lucky applicants were chosen to sample the cultivated version of bacon!
These taste tests were done by Mission Barns, based in San Francisco, Mission Barns describes how they do bacon on their website:
Our process begins by isolating cells from an animal and placing them in a warm cultivator which mimics the animal’s body. The cells grow naturally as they do in a cow, chicken, or pig as we feed them nutrients including vitamins, sugars, and proteins. After the cells fatten the cultivation process is complete. We then harvest the meat, throw it on a pan, and enjoy.
Mark Post’s groundbreaking 2013 hamburger did use cells from a slaughtered animal. Yet he since cofounded Mosa Meat and the team gets their cells from small biopsies, where the healthy live animal is given anesthesia.
Memphis Meats, SuperMeat, Finless Foods, and JUST are just a few of the other cultivated meat companies. Their works in progress span many kinds of meat, including seafood. Two hubs for the industry are Israel, and the San Francisco Bay Area, where I once had the honor of dog-sitting for a meat cultivation scientist.
The new meat tech could prevent pandemics and feed your kitty
“Cellular agriculturalists” are the scientists making my wistful pangs for Evergold more than just a fantasy.
My vision is a world where cultured meat is on shelves, and decreases the demand for meat from animals. This would have a net positive effect on the planet. -Isha Datar
But besides the obvious perk of sparing Wilbur the pig, what other benefits does meat cultivation offer?
The nutrition of real meat, made even better?
Plant-based marvels, like the Beyond Breakfast Sausages and Impossible Burger that entered stores this year, taste almost identical to our familiar meaty favorites. However, some people wish for a slaughter-free option that’s nutritionally identical to animal flesh.
Cultivated meat is potentially even better, because scientists can adjust the nutrition. For example, Cubiq Foods has cultivated a poultry fat that’s high in EPA and DHA omega-3s.
What is it about red meat that makes it linked with higher rates of colorectal cancer, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes? Perhaps meat cultivators and nutritional scientists of the future can collaborate on safer red meats.
Avoid contamination and pandemics
Cultivated meat reduces the need to handle huge herds of animals. This is a 3-way win for food safety.
First, making meat in a sterile setting can prevent foodborne illness and contamination.
Second, about 73% of antibiotic use is for meat. This tripled since 2000 and has added to the growth of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. The CDC states 2.8 million U.S. Americans get AR diseases annually. Growing meat from cells instead of billions of livestock would protect the efficacy of antibiotics.
Third, no longer breeding vast herds of animals will reduce the risk of pandemics. According to a 2013 United Nations report, 70% of new human diseases from recent decades had come from animals.
Feed carnivorous pets without killing other animals
There are at least two companies now cultivating pet food.
Because Animals and Bond Pet Foods have established themselves with plant-based treats and supplements; meanwhile, they’re mastering cultivated products and preparing to introduce them to the market. “Be the first to buy cultured meat pet food,” beckons Because Animals’ homepage.
Imagine a world where both the staunchest human carnivores, and creatures like our cats, can be fed animal-based meat without slaughtering other innocent beings.
Will cultivated meat help with the climate crisis?
Environmental benefits are perhaps the most touted hope of cultivated meat. Hanna Tuomisto at Oxford headed an impact assessment in 2011 to estimate the potential. Depending on the type of meat product compared, cultivated meat involved:
78–96% fewer greenhouse gas emissions
99% less land
82–96% less water
7–45% less energy (except for poultry, which had lower energy use)
This report sparked further studies by Tuomisto and others that were more inconclusive about climate. In 2019, Oxford projected 1,000-year climate impacts. They compared 4 different cultivated meat scenarios and 3 conventional beef scenarios.
The study suggested cultivated meat would be vastly better for at least the next 100 years, as you can see on the graph. 3 of the 4 cell-based scenarios outperform cattle-rearing impacts for at least 800 years.
However, given how the different emissions of each system behave, cultivated meat’s worst-case scenario would be worse than the cattle systems after about 150–400 years.
The Good Food Institute, a nonprofit leading alternative meat, gave a response to the 2019 study. They suggested that since cell-based meat uses 99% less land, the extra land could be used for clean energy production and carbon sequestration, thus increasing the difference for climate. As the new tech improves, they believe its advantages over traditional meat will increase.
14 scientists were awarded $3 million last year for alternative meat research. At this point, cultivated meat looks very promising for land and water use. We’ll see if upcoming analyses clarify the energy and climate factors.
What are some challenges facing cultivated meat tech?
One hilarious challenge of cultivated meat? What to call it. There are at least 5 terms in common use that all begin with C:
cultivated meat
cultured meat
cell-cultured meat
cell-based meat
clean meat
Cultured meat seems the most common, being the title of Wikipedia’s page on the subject. Cell-based meat is nice because it neatly contrasts with “plant-based meat,” the preferred term for brands like Beyond Meat.
The Good Food Institute published research in September 2019 that advocated for cultivated meat. This term appeared to land the best with collaborators and consumers.
Speaking of consumer acceptance, GFI’s 2018 survey showed 66% of US Americans were willing to try cultivated meat. Survey results have varied depending on how the concept was framed.
Economy
The most obvious obstacle of cultivated meat is economy. Quartz reported the following timeline of cost reduction:
2013: $1,200,000 per pound. (Mark Post’s original beef patty.)
2017: $9,000 per pound. (Memphis Meat’s chicken.)
2018: $1,000 per pound. (Memphis Meats again.)
2019: $100 per pound. (Aleph Farms’ beef patty.)
Now that the technology has scaled up, it may be a matter of time before it gets competitive with conventional meat.
Safety and consumer acceptance
Two of the elements that lower cell-based meat’s cost also raise eyebrows.
Growth factors are used. This parallels the use of hormones for livestock. In addition to hormone-free, many people want non-GMO. But cells are genetically altered so they grow indefinitely. This is called immortalization.
IntegriCulture’s CulNet System offers a solution. They better mimic the whole body of an animal in which cells grow, making the process more economical without needing growth factor.
Whatever production methods win out among the various startups, regulation is underway. In March 2019, the USDA and FDA announced they would oversee cultivated meat in the United States.
It’s been tremendously exciting to watch this new meat tech take off, and to think where it will be in 5–10 years…
How to pet and eat a chicken at the same time
Cultivated meat could be a dream for:
animals who don’t want to be slaughtered
people concerned about them, but hooked on meat
future generations we hope will live on a sustainable planet
Time and research will tell. To give us a sneak peek, JUST, Inc. filmed an “out-of-body” taste-test of their chicken nuggets.
The nuggets were grown from a single feather shed by Ian. Ian the rooster.
As people sat outside eating, there was Ian right beside them. Alive and well, waddling around the picnic table.
Surreal.
That’s how you eat an alive-and-well chicken and pet them at the same time. ❤ | https://medium.com/creatures/how-science-is-making-it-possible-to-eat-and-pet-a-chicken-at-the-same-time-61927fb8fad1 | ['Phoenix Huber'] | 2020-12-15 23:56:25.345000+00:00 | ['Animals', 'Food', 'Creative', 'Technology', 'Climate Change'] |
The Security Token Thesis | Last summer I wrote Traditional Asset Tokenization, in which I hypothesized that a broad array of assets will move to blockchain records of ownership (represented by tokens), thereby changing the way society holds and transfers investments. A lot has transpired since last summer. In short, it’s happening — the infrastructure to support security tokens is now being built out.
I define security tokens as any blockchain based representation of value that is subject to regulation under security laws. That includes tokens representing traditional assets like equity, debt, derivatives, and real estate, and it also includes pre-launch utility tokens that are deemed securities by the SEC. In this article, I focus on the traditional asset segment and lay out the reasons why security tokens dominate other methods of recording and trading ownership claims. Taken together, the features listed below form the foundation of the thesis that security tokens will see widespread adoption across numerous asset classes in the coming years.
24/7 markets
Fractional ownership
Rapid settlement
Reduction in direct costs
Increased liquidity and market depth
Automated compliance
Asset interoperability
Expansion of the design space for security contracts
The first four are pretty straight-forward, and I’ve already written about liquidity and automated compliance in other posts, so I’ll review these six topics only briefly. I will state up front that some of these features could be delivered through a relational database, and yet, they haven’t been. Why not? I offer some initial thoughts in the Interoperability section. I conclude with a section on the potential for innovation in security design, which is the most interesting part of the whole thesis.
24/7 Markets
The major U.S. stock market exchanges open at 9:30 a.m. and close at 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time each weekday, with the exception of holidays. After the closing bell on Friday, you can’t trade your stock again on major exchanges for over 65 hours. It’s 89 hours on a holiday weekend. Any number of information events can and do happen during these breaks. In fact, companies often purposely release information after 4:00 p.m.
However, focusing on the U.S. stock market is too narrow because this is not solely a U.S. phenomenon. Teams all over the world are working on tokenizing assets and some observers suggest that this will accelerate the integration of global markets. Around-the-clock trading hours will accommodate all time zones. It is worth noting here that expanding trading hours comes with a cost. Prior research has found that trading outside regular hours is characterized by lower liquidity and higher spreads.
Do we need a blockchain for 24/7 trading? Of course not, but it’s part of the package. The blockchain ecosystem is a technology stack where “always open” is the de facto standard for cryptocurrency exchanges, time will tell whether security token exchanges adopt similar policies.
Fractional ownership
Fractional ownership is not unique to blockchain, in fact, it’s not even unique to this century. Joint ownership dates back to the Roman Republic, or the Dutch East India Company in more modern times. However, some assets classes such as commercial real estate and fine art continue to be characterized by high unit costs.
A typical retail investor cannot harness the resources required to buy a Manhattan high rise. The investor is left with two options: (1) Forego exposure to Manhattan commercial real estate in their investment portfolio, or (2) gain exposure through an intermediary, for example a publicly traded Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT), where it is often bundled with a portfolio of other buildings of varying quality and characteristics. Security tokens offer an efficient path to fractionalize a single high value asset. As more assets are fractionalized, we can achieve more optimal asset allocation at the retail level. It moves us closer to being able to construct a true “market portfolio.”
At scale, this also opens up new investment strategies. Long-short strategies have been used in stock markets for years and these will expand to any asset class with fractionalized ownership. Imagine being able to go long Brooklyn and short Manhattan, thereby creating an “NYC market neutral” real asset portfolio. Admittedly, these strategies require that either a security token lending market or synthetic derivative product develops to facilitate the short.
With increased trading activity of fractional ownership, price discovery will be enhanced and markets will become more efficient for assets that have historically traded infrequently due to high unit costs.
Rapid settlement
The first distinction to understand is the difference between execution and settlement. Trade execution means recording an agreement between a buyer and a seller to exchange a specific quantity of an asset at a specific price. Settlement means that the documentation around the transfer of ownership from the seller to the buyer (and payment from buyer to seller) is recorded and complete. Settlement is when ownership of the assets actually changes hands.
Exchanges like NASDAQ and NYSE can execute trades very quickly, but settling asset transfers takes time. The SEC recently adopted a shortened settlement cycle for most broker-dealer transactions to T+2. The “2” is days, meaning the ownership doesn’t change hands for two days after trade execution. Settling transfers of LP and LLC interests can take even longer.
A figure from Richard Brown’s 2014 article on securities settlement illustrates the complexity of settling a public equity trade:
Trades for bitcoin or ether settle in minutes, not days, but there are a lot more parties involved in securities transactions — more than most investors appreciate. There are complexities such as short selling and margin buying. Blockchain has the potential to increase settlement speed for securities, but it’s more complicated than a comparison to cryptocurrencies. The degree to which these processes can be automated through interoperable smart contracts will determine the gains in settlement speed.
Cost Reduction
Advisory services around securities issuance are costly, and that’s not going to change in the near term. However, several parts of the issuance process will eventually be automated, which will reduce costs in the long run.
Post-issuance, there are a lot of administrative costs around ownership reconciliation. When startups are acquired, reconciling the capitalization table to the underlying purchase agreements and option grants is costly. This problem is exacerbated as companies grow. The story of Dole Foods is instructive: A 2015 court ruling required a payment to all shareholders. There were 36M shares outstanding, but claims for payments were filed for 49M shares. Something clearly doesn’t add up. The resolution boiled down to a reconciliation exercise to figure out who owned what and when. The article linked above dives deeper into what aspects of this issue a blockchain can and can’t solve, but the conclusion is that the current system is “starting to show its age.”
When all the ownership claims are tokenized, cap tables will be reconciled in real time by code. All the contractual features such as liquidation preferences, ratchets, and drag-along rights will be baked in to the securities allowing managers to easily run scenario analysis to calculate payoffs under different assumptions.
Reduction of direct costs is not the most interesting benefit of security tokens, but if it mitigates enough administrative costs, this alone may be a sufficient condition to induce share-to-token conversions such as the one Anexio is currently executing.
Liquidity and Market Depth
Most private assets are relatively illiquid, which means the ownership interests are costly to trade. For private assets like an LP interest in a venture capital or private equity fund, exiting the position before fund liquidation frequently involves deep discounts, and often require GP approval.
Harbor CEO, Josh Stein, stated the benefit of tokenization succinctly: “lock in the capital without locking in the investors.” Tokenized funds allow the fund managers to invest in illiquid assets without fear of redemptions, while fund investors can access liquidity in the secondary market. A deeper market for the ownership interests and the increase in investor liquidity is expected to be accompanied by an increase in value. This is what economists call a liquidity premium. Beyond VC, private securities of all types are often highly illiquid. Security tokens promise similar gains in liquidity for asset classes like real estate and early stage equity.
Divisibility of high unit costs places these assets within reach of a much broader market, but market depth will also be increased through a few other channels: (1) The rise of cryptoasset prices have created billions in crypto wealth, some of which would love to diversify into more stable assets without returning to fiat. (2) Algorithmic market makers such as Bancor show some promise of increasing market depth. (3) Security tokens could mitigate market segmentation, making it easier for for buyers in one country to access assets in another country. As I discuss in the next section, security tokens allow many compliance features to be automated, potentially relaxing some of the regulatory frictions and facilitating integrated global markets.
Automated compliance
I addressed this topic when Harbor came out of stealth in February, but will briefly summarize it here for completeness. (Disclosure: I’m an advisor at Harbor)
The case for tokenized securities often revolves around relaxing frictions to trade, and one of the most complex frictions is adhering to regulations. It is complex for at least two reasons:
(1) Regulations can vary along multiple dimensions such as asset type, investor type, buyer jurisdiction, seller jurisdiction, and issuer jurisdiction. Each of these dimensions has numerous regulatory permutations and multiple regulatory agencies that govern trade.
(2) Regulatory compliance is typically documented through a series of separate ledgers, each constructed by entities that facilitate issuance and/or secondary market trade. It is only through reconciliation of these ledgers that ownership and compliance is legally validated. In this environment, maintaining compliance adds latency and cost to trade, segments markets, and reduces liquidity.
A key feature of security tokens is that they are programmable. Many elements of the contracting environment can be hardwired into the architecture of the security.
When securities are tokenized, compliance can be automated, which means that regulated trade will no longer be restricted to walled gardens. Security tokens will be able to trade anywhere, including decentralized exchanges. Further, baking compliance into the token could help market participants navigate the extremely complex task of selling securities across borders.
Security tokens may make compliance so frictionless that regulators begin requiring securities to tokenize, an idea I first heard from Anthony Pompliano. This is not as far fetched as it might seem — there is precedent for mandates from the SEC for technology adoption. As far back as 1996, the SEC required electronic filing of financial statements through EDGAR, and later adopted XML technology. Recall that public adoption of the Internet was only just beginning in 1996, so the SEC was ahead of the curve in this respect. There were only 36 million users on the Internet in 1996, or 0.9% of the world population. This is not far off the adoption rate of blockchain today. Coinbase alone has over 20 million accounts as of this writing.
Asset Interoperability
Interoperability is one of the most important concepts in technology. The Internet itself is essentially a stack of protocols that enable many different types of software to exchange and make use of information (i.e. TCP/IP, SMTP, FTP, SSH, HTTP). It’s the reason I can use Outlook to compose an email, send it from my .edu address to a friend with a .com address, who then reads the email through Google Chrome.
The arc of technological evolution bends towards interoperability and interoperability is facilitated by standards. By definition, standards must have widespread buy-in to be effective, which makes it more challenging for centralized solutions to induce market adoption of standards. Blockchain offers us protocol standards upon which everyone can build, and that is a big part of why this is the right technology to re-engineer the financial plumbing today. It will almost certainly not be the right technology forever. Either blockchains will evolve to become more scalable, less resource intensive, and more interoperable, or they will be replaced by new technology with these features.
Regardless of what we call it, the important thing is that the “consensus system” remains, providing a decentralized way for (rational) economic actors to reconcile the truth. The economic incentives that induce actors to perform this function without a central coordinator is the true innovation. (h/t to Chris Burniske for this passage)
Let’s take a moment to address the question every blockchain skeptic loves to ask: “Do we need a blockchain for this? Couldn’t this be done with a database?” The answer is yes, some of it could be done with a centralized database, but it begs the question “why hasn’t it already been done?” The answer is that the current centralized solutions for electronic value transfer lack compatibility — they don’t talk to each other. I can’t send value from PayPal to Venmo, or from E*Trade to RealtyShares. These layers aren’t interoperable.
Interoperability within the Ethereum protocol is facilitated by the ERC-20 token standard, which allows a wallet to hold any token that adheres to the standard. It makes distributions easy. For example, let’s say I own some ERC-20 tokens that represent ownership in an apartment building. Each month the lease payments from the tenants are converted to a ERC-20 stablecoin by the building manager and pushed to all the owners’ wallets in the corresponding proportions. Regardless of which ERC-20 wallet the owner uses, it can hold both the ownership and distribution tokens.
The idea of standardized ownership claims is not new, it’s the reason your brokerage can hold shares of stock in many different companies. The innovation is that ERC-20 is an example of a standard that allows me to hold security tokens that represent many different types of assets in the same wallet. This is not to say that ERC-20 is the only solution or that Ethereum is the only protocol that will have these features. Scalability remains a major concern. If cross-chain interoperability becomes a reality, we’ll likely be able to move beyond ERC-20. Many teams are currently working on this.
Some ownership claims, like the deed to my house, are literally on paper, but the point is bigger than digital versus paper. Most asset ownership is already represented digitally. I don’t have any paper certificates for the public equities I own, and frankly neither does my broker, although they could produce them if requested. I don’t have any paper for many of the LLCs and Limited Partnerships of which I am a member. These ownership claims were documented on PDFs and signed electronically. The issue is that even though all these claims are represented digitally, the digital systems don’t all play with each other, which inhibits compliant trade.
The thesis underpinning the idea that everything will be tokenized is grounded in the aspiration that everything will be interoperable. If the ecosystem for global assets becomes interoperable, it means we can hold ownership claims to a commercial building, early stage equity, corporate bonds, a T-bill, a single family residence, and a decentralized network on the same platform. Further, we could self-custody these types of ownership claims in a single hardware wallet, if so desired. It means these assets to be able to reference each other contractually and interact in an automated way. It could mean global pooled liquidity for all asset classes through a single interface. Perhaps, it even means that we’ll hold less cash as working capital. Most of the major benefits of tokenization are dependent on the ability of computer systems and software to exchange and make use of information, or in a single word: interoperability.
If we achieve full interoperability of assets, the ability to frictionlessly move value in and out of a diversified portfolio will have an impact on how we manage short term liquidity needs. Tushar Jain explores this idea here…
Design space expansion
Lou Kerner recently reminded me of an anecdote about the history of television, summarized here by Prof. Stevens of NYU:
“Many early programs such as Amos ’n’ Andy (1951) or The Jack Benny Show (1950–65) were borrowed from early television’s older, more established Big Brother: network radio. Most of the formats of the new programs’ newscasts, situation comedies, variety shows, and dramas were borrowed from radio, too”
Technology is often developed to improve something we already know and understand. What was probably less obvious at the dawn of television was that video content would evolve from a visual rendition of radio programming by a few major networks to millions of user generated videos on YouTube.
The current stage of security tokens is analogous to broadcasting a radio program on television. We’ve just begun to tap the expanded design space for securities that it facilitates and we just don’t know how it will evolve from where we stand today. It could be a huge canvas for creativity over the next decade for those involved with security creation.
Security tokens allow us to build in contractual features that have previously been infeasible to execute. It moves us closer to the economic concept of complete contracts.
This is by no means an exhaustive list, but here are a few ideas to illustrate the point…
>Ownership characteristics
Features that reference the duration of ownership could be useful in shaping corporate governance and mitigating managerial myopia. An example currently being pitched by Eric Ries and others is tenured voting. The one sentence explanation is that the longer you hold the stock the more votes you get. This is tantamount to what founders are trying to achieve when they create a class of shares with 10x voting rights around the time they go public, but that’s a blunt instrument. It’s an interesting example of a contractual feature that would be easy to bake into a token. Cash flow rights (dividends) could also be altered according to ownership characteristics to create incentives for specific ownership structures. There’s a lot to unpack and think about in these models, but the point is that programmable securities will induce innovation in corporate governance.
>Access rights
The value of access rights doesn’t get enough attention. For example, many of Sequoia Capital’s venture funds have been notoriously difficult to access, even for some institutional investors. Sequoia has been very successful and there is evidence that performance within the VC asset class is persistent, perhaps due to network effects. This suggests that access to Sequoia’s follow-on funds is a valuable asset. If you’re already an investor with Sequoia you will typically be offered an allocation of follow-on funds, but it’s not necessarily a contractual obligation, it’s based on the relationship. This means it’s not directly monetized.
If a tokenized ownership claim on a Sequoia fund contractually entitled the holder to participation rights in the follow-on fund, the token would presumably trade above net asset value (NAV) due to the value of the access rights. Let’s take it a step further and integrate cross-fund references. Perhaps a fund with lower demand, say Sequoia India, contractually includes a future allocation in the next flagship fund. Access that has historically been relationship based will move towards rights based once funds are tokenized, in order to unlock the value.
There are many flavors of access rights. In addition to access to allocations of financial assets, security tokens could explicitly endow physical access to real estate, or admission to exclusive events. Minority owners of restaurants will gain access to priority seating or off-menu items. It could facilitate early access to research, or advance access to software releases. Access rights will integrate product markets with capital markets, merging the concept of “owner” and “user” not just for decentralized networks, but in the real world. Access to discounts could be conditioned on holding a specific set of assets, where the issuers have entered into a corporate partnership. In sum, access rights are valuable and will be monetized as they are built into security tokens.
>Unbundling value
Channeling Jim Barksdale, I would be remiss to offer examples of bundling, like attaching access rights to ownership, without acknowledging the design space around unbundling.
Consider all the sources of value that could be unbundled within securities. Voting rights could be unbundled and sold to activists. Dividend rights could be unbundled like Treasury STRIPS. Companies could unbundle specific revenue streams and finance them independently. Complex revenue sharing and payment waterfall agreements become much simpler in this environment. There are lots of ideas to be explored in this category.
>Cross-asset referencing
Once asset classes are playing in the same sandbox we’ll see innovation in contracting across markets. I’m particularly intrigued by cross-referencing debt and equity during a liquidity squeeze. Essentially, I’m suggesting an automated restructuring feature. For example, say you have a mortgage on your house and have some equity value, but lose your job. Lack of income means you won’t be able to get a home equity loan to access that value and make your payments. In this scenario, you might default on your loan leading to foreclosure.
If both the equity and debt were tokenized, a contractual feature could be designed where the mortgage token holder begins receiving equity tokens in lieu of payment as long as the value of the property exceeds the loan balance. There would no doubt be a penalty function since the mortgage holder doesn’t necessarily want equity, and would want to disincentivize the borrower from gaming the system. However, foreclosure is very costly for lenders and receiving value in the form of equity while keeping the owner-occupier in place as they try to resolve the liquidity squeeze may be the optimal solution. There are a lot of things to think through in this model, but it’s a fascinating concept. Mitigating foreclosure rates has the potential to unlock a lot of value, both financial and societal.
There’s a lot of room for cross-collateralization beyond home equity. Loans will be secured by all sorts of things we haven’t considered, leading to credit expansion along many dimensions.
Conclusion
There’s plenty of work left to do, but the security token movement has substantial momentum at this point. The hype around blockchain will add fuel to this momentum, but only realization of real benefits will sustain it in the longer term.
I’m organizing a conference in Manhattan on June 11 with Security Token Academy, where I’m the Chief Strategy Advisor. We’ll explore the current state of the exchanges and trading platforms that are being built to address the considerable challenges that remain. If the challenges are met with solutions, there will be a strong case to create most securities as tokens someday.
At scale, we won’t call them security tokens, we’ll just call them securities.
— -
Further reading:
Traditional Asset Tokenization (McKeon)
Liquidity is about market depth, not magic (McKeon)
The Promise of Automated Compliance (McKeon)
The Official Guide to Tokenized Securities (Pompliano)
Official Guide to the Security Token Ecosystem (Koffman)
The Future of U.S. Securities Will Be Tokenized (Marks)
This article benefited from discussing these ideas with many people over the past few months. I thank Ryan Alfred, Spencer Bogart, Andy Bromberg, Chris Burniske, Alex Evans, Matt Huang, Tushar Jain, Nikhil Kalghatgi, Lou Kerner, Michael Kogan, Dan McKeon, Ben O’Neill, Alex Pack, Anthony Pompliano, Bob Remeika, David Sacks, Derek Schloss, Darsh Singh, and Josh Stein for helpful comments. I will update this post from time to time to incorporate additional feedback. All errors are my own. | https://medium.com/hackernoon/the-security-token-thesis-4c5904761063 | ['Stephen Mckeon'] | 2018-10-06 18:24:24.289000+00:00 | ['Token', 'Security Token', 'Blockchain', 'Interoperability', 'Bitcoin'] |
How to forecast trip duration using BigQuery ML | Google Cloud Platform
How to forecast trip duration using BigQuery ML
Photo by Lucian Alexe from Unsplash
This tutorial will go through the challenge lab in Google Cloud Qwiklab: Create ML Models with BigQuery ML: Challenge Lab.
We will use a real-life dataset shared on Google Cloud Public Dataset: austin_bikeshare to help select new bicycle models for public bike share systems. This lab aims at predicting average trip durations for different bike schemes. Two schemes are provided using different assumptions of features selected. You’ll compare which one has a better performance.
Step 1: Create a dataset to store your machine learning models
After logging into the Google Cloud Platform using the assigned credential, open BigQuery and create a dataset in your project.
Create a dataset in BigQuery (image by the author)
Step 2: Create a forecasting BigQuery machine learning model
We’ll incorporate the starting station name, the hour the trip started, the weekday of the trip, and the address of the start station in the first model and use 2018 data only to train the first model.
Model1 training:
# Create a Linear regression model CREATE or REPLACE MODEL austin_bikeshare.bikeshare_model OPTIONS (model_type='linear_reg', labels=['duration_minutes']) AS # Data preprocessing and feature selection SELECT start_station_name, EXTRACT(HOUR FROM start_time) AS hourofstart, EXTRACT(DAYOFWEEK FROM start_time) AS day_of_week, address AS location, duration_minutes FROM `bigquery-public-data.austin_bikeshare.bikeshare_trips` AS trips # Join to get the address of the start station JOIN `bigquery-public-data.austin_bikeshare.bikeshare_stations` AS stations ON trips.start_station_name=stations.name WHERE EXTRACT(YEAR FROM start_time) = 2018 AND duration_minutes > 0
Step 3: Create the second machine learning model
The features in the second model are relatively simpler. We’ll incorporate the starting station name, the hour the trip started, and the bike share subscriber type in the second model and use 2018 data only to train this model.
Model 2 training:
# Create a Linear regression model CREATE or REPLACE MODEL austin_bikeshare.bikeshare_model2 OPTIONS (model_type='linear_reg', labels=['duration_minutes']) AS # Data preprocessing and feature selection SELECT start_station_name, subscriber_type, EXTRACT(HOUR FROM start_time) AS hourofstart, duration_minutes FROM `bigquery-public-data.austin_bikeshare.bikeshare_trips` WHERE EXTRACT(YEAR FROM start_time) = 2018 AND duration_minutes > 0
Step 4: Evaluate the two machine learning models
Both Mean Absolute Error and Root Mean Squared Error are used for evaluation.
Model1 Evaluation:
# Choose evaluation metrics SELECT SQRT(mean_squared_error) AS rmse, mean_absolute_error AS mae FROM ML.EVALUATE(MODEL austin_bikeshare.bikeshare_model, ( # Prepare the testing dataset with the same features as the training set using for 2019 SELECT start_station_name, EXTRACT(HOUR FROM start_time) AS hourofstart, EXTRACT(DAYOFWEEK FROM start_time) AS day_of_week, address AS location, duration_minutes FROM `bigquery-public-data.austin_bikeshare.bikeshare_trips` AS trips JOIN `bigquery-public-data.austin_bikeshare.bikeshare_stations` AS stations ON trips.start_station_name=stations.name WHERE EXTRACT(YEAR FROM start_time) = 2019))
Evaluation for the first model (image by the author)
Model2 Evaluation:
# Choose evaluation metrics SELECT SQRT(mean_squared_error) AS rmse, mean_absolute_error AS mae FROM ML.EVALUATE(MODEL austin_bikeshare.bikeshare_model2, ( # Prepare the testing dataset with the same features as the training set using for 2019 SELECT start_station_name, subscriber_type, EXTRACT(HOUR FROM start_time) AS hourofstart, duration_minutes # No need to join anther table since all the features needed are in one table FROM `bigquery-public-data.austin_bikeshare.bikeshare_trips` WHERE EXTRACT(YEAR FROM start_time) = 2019))
Evaluation for the second model (image by the author)
From the comparison, we can find that the first model is more accurate.
Step 5: Use the second model to predict the average trip durations
We are going to use the second model to predict average trip length for trips from the busiest bike-sharing station in 2019, where the subscriber type is Single Trip . | https://towardsdatascience.com/how-to-forecast-trip-duration-using-bigquery-ml-ef2bf4a52a47 | ['Fangyi Yu'] | 2021-08-22 19:04:10.412000+00:00 | ['Machine Learning', 'Google Cloud Platform', 'Sql', 'Regression', 'Bigquery'] |
Video Resume “ Future of Resumes” | Well, The answer here is yes and I will tell you why..
Like from this corona situation nobody was able to go to the office right? At these crisis time the people looking for jobs had a tough time as there was no in office interview as this time video resume was a plus as it gave a more brief introduction and hiring companies can judge well from the video resume like the confidence , communication skill , knowledge and so on
Apart from this the video resume are the future of resumes as | https://medium.com/@myjobguru1/video-resume-future-of-resumes-ef28fdae542 | [] | 2020-12-24 11:04:46.213000+00:00 | ['Job Hunting', 'Job Search', 'Job Interview', 'Jobs'] |
Argentina Becomes A Global Technology Leader by Leveraging Morpheus.Network | SENASA, the National Food Safety and Quality Service of the Argentine government, has agreed to work with Polaris Network to implement the Morpheus.Network solution for animal management and certification using blockchain and IoT technologies.
Morpheus.Network takes pride in seeing their network grow in the country’s agribusiness sector thus building inroads in a brand new market. It will be a significant multiplier to work with the entrusted governmental organization as Morpheus.Network aims to become the trusted and reliable partner for their supply chain needs.
About SENASA
SENASA has headed the government of Argentina’s surveillance, regulation, and certification of animal and plant origin products and also deals with the prevention, eradication, and control of diseases and plagues affecting these plant and animal species.
In its venture within the agro sector, Morpheus.Network promises to integrate data and analytical support in securing conformity, traceability, automation as well as cost-efficiency.
Why opt for a supply chain solution?
The integration of myriad data including materials, products, responsibilities, arrivals, timing, cost, temperature, locations, documents, losses, damage, or misdirection in a supply chain frequently proves problematic.
Moreover, the difficulty increases with more moving pieces getting involved, the more products are moved, the more country borders are crossed, and the more fragile or vulnerable the merchandise.
It is like monitoring a series of spinning plates not knowing which might be the next one to fall and smash.
The supply chain is critical to Jorge Marcos Madrid’s businesses who happens to be the founder and CEO of 18 companies in the agribusiness sector, including Vitalcan which is Argentina’s largest pet food business employing more than 200 people and with a turnover of $50 million. As such, he is familiar with the difficulties of moving his product across vast distances, high altitudes, and over borders crammed with bureaucratic processes.
End-to-end traceability and automation with Morpheus.Network
Morpheus.Network uses blockchain technology to create a transparent, and efficient platform to streamline and automate the global supply chain. We utilize public and permissioned blockchains as well as sidechains to utilize decentralized advantages while maintaining the security and privacy of user’s data.
Who is Jorge Marcos Madrid?
Jorge Marcos Madrid, CEO of Vitalcan SA pet food company (Argentina) has partnered with Morpheus.Network to regulate and automate phytosanitary solutions across the country.
Speaking about the collaboration named, ‘Polaris Network’, Jorge remarked,
“I am very proud of our systems. We have 6,500 clients across the country and once an order is received it is delivered within 24 hours. We can only fix a problem after it arises which can be time-consuming and expensive. By using the Morpheus.Network platform, we know immediately if there is a problem and how to correct it without having to implement reverse logistics to determine the point and owner of failure. The platform is both flexible and precise. We also can reduce costs by making sure things are at the right place at the right time. For example, scheduling a truck to pick up or deliver at optimum times can reduce delays and costs.”
Shedding light on the routine difficulties from the sector, Jorge continued, “We have mountains, plains, jungles — there is a lot of logistics involved with such physical obstacles. Sometimes we move our products more than 2,500km from the warehouse to their final destination. Companies here also are not as technically developed as our European counterparts. We need a solution that fits.”
The gross estimation of agribusiness in Argentina
Agribusiness is a huge sector in Argentina accounting for 60% of GDP — a whopping $60 billion per annum. However, Jorge sees Morpheus.Network as a timely platform to market, support, and onboard clients in the country.
According to him, SENASA officials are very open to bringing the country forward. As of November 2020, it is now Senasa’s newly accepted best practice and norm for all companies handling phytosanitary materials to comply by agreeing to leverage the Morpheus.Network platform.
Polaris & Morpheus.Network have agreed on the 1st project on phytosanitary with SENASA and now are looking at the 2nd project based on blockchain and IoT to bring the country forward with animal management and certification.
Predicting the future possibilities on the lines of the joint venture, Jorge reflected, “We’re not currently as advanced in terms of technology as the US, but these implementations with the Morpheus.Network platform should put us in the same category, or dare I say Argentina would be superior in regards to these specific solutions.”
What were the challenges on the way?
The issue lies in transporting pesticides safely across the country which is used by farmers to clear farming land of all vegetation. It currently cannot safely be transported in bulk as there are too many potential issues regarding the misuse, loss, or theft of the product.
How does the Morpheus.Network Supply Chain Platform work?
The pilot survey was conducted by Polaris and Morpheus.Network which will allow the pesticide to be delivered in bulk where they can track the product as required by regulations up to and including its geolocation at all times using Morpheus.Network automated workflows with a customized IoT module. There is a dashboard to give SENASA, access to the locations and time stamping; so if there is any deviation from the planned route, an alert is sent out to SENASA.
An essential part of the implementation includes leveraging IoT devices on 400 trucks to transmit data including the geolocation, timestamp, and flow meter readings from the 30,000L tank trailers while being filled with glyphosate material. All these essential data will be validated on the blockchain in real-time through Morpheus.Network platform.
How will blockchain technology improve performance?
There will be an immediate impact on the 100,000 farmers who use this product as they will no longer need to receive the pesticide in fifty individual 20-liter plastic bags. This poses an immediate cost saving of between 25% and 30% in the initial delivery costs of a market worth $600 million.
It also alleviates the requirement on the largest phytosanitary companies like Bayer / Monsanto and Atanor to provide reverse logistics to retrieve the empty plastic bags as required under Argentinian law.
Another major aspect of the SENASA implementation includes deploying 20,000 IoT devices to track intermediate bulk containers (“IBC bins”) for producers such as Atanor and Bayer.
Jorge addresses the long term prospects embedded within the sector saying, “The government does not have any money for investment into new technology, so it falls to private companies to take up the slack. But for a private company to invest they need to see a return. Using the Polaris approach, we can demonstrate savings without huge costs upfront fees.”
“The future — not just for Argentina but the world — is based on collaboration. Years of competition meant each party was looking for a competitive edge, but we are at another stage, a collaborative stage where companies, regulatory bodies, tech companies, agents and farmers need to work together.”
Morpheus.Network’s Digital FootPrint technology is transforming the way today’s companies trace and retrieve supply chain data enabled by advanced blockchain applications.
With benefits like cost savings, time management, systematic regulations, automated workflows, and customized IoT module maintenance, the phytosanitary approaches in Argentina will be subject to service by Morpheus.Network. The blockchain platform will help combine operational data with access to locations in real-time. The digital software solutions provider will help deliver orderly conduct while ensuring transparency to all the stakeholders in the entire process.
About Morpheus.Network
The cloud-based middleware platform for Digitizing the Supply Chain. Morpheus.Network provides shippers and exporters with a complete set of tools including PO Acquisition (SAP), Workflows and Process Orchestration, Robust Document Collaboration and Exchange, Visibility Foundation based on Internet of Things (IoT), A Digital Footprint Blockchain Notary Service for optimizing safe and secure supply chains saving time and money. https://morpheus.network/
About SENASA
SENASA is a governmental organization that plans, organizes, and executes specific programs and activities to regulate the production of safe food for human and animal consumption. Competencies. It is responsible for executing the national policies regarding animal and plant quality and safety, as well as food safety. https://www.argentina.gob.ar/senasa | https://medium.com/morpheus-network/argentina-becomes-a-global-technology-leader-by-leveraging-morpheus-network-5f2b4cf3ff39 | ['Nikhil Sethi'] | 2020-12-15 02:56:58.970000+00:00 | ['Senasa', 'Supply Chain', 'Blockchain', 'Argentina', 'Adoption'] |
What Is a Viral Loop and How Does It Work? | Image source: Pixabay
Stop me if this sounds familiar: You came up with a brilliant product idea that you feel in your gut will catch on. You work with your team to bring that idea to life. You put it out in the wild and early adopters loved it (or so they say). Some of them even asked their friends to try it out. So far so good, right?
Fast forward to two months later and you find yourself still stuck with the same users. Except this time, they’re dropping off one by one until… *cue awkward cricket sounds*
What gives?
Here’s what gives: Your product doesn’t have a viral loop going for it.
You see, when it comes to releasing products, a viral loop is kind of a big deal.
Want to know what a viral loop is and what it can do to help your products catch on with your target audience?
This blog post has your back. Dive in!
Viral Loop: A definition
A viral loop is a mechanism that entices your existing users to refer your product to others.
Put another way, a viral loop helps you influence your existing users to introduce and promote your product to their friends, colleagues, family, and social network. If your existing users are falling over themselves to recommend your product to their friends and get them to install it, then your product has a strong viral loop going for it.
Isn’t that like word-of-mouth marketing?
Well, kinda? It’s more accurate to say they’re close cousins. Like word-of-mouth marketing, viral loops operate on trust. The difference with viral loops is they have “virality” built into the product itself.
In other words, you’re not just going by word-of-mouth. When creating a viral loop, you’re putting a mechanism in place to help your existing users spread the word about your company or product. This mechanism kickstarts the loop in motion, which can result in exponential viral growth.
A viral loop goes like this:
1. A new user uses your product, likes it, and keeps using it.
2. You offer that user an incentive in exchange for referrals.
3. Finding value in the incentive offer, the user sends invites to others.
4. User’s friends receive the invites.
5. User’s friends accept the invites, become new users.
6. Go back to step 1, and the cycle continues (it’s called a “loop,” after all.)
Dropbox is a great example (an overused one, in fact). If you’ve been using the internet long enough, chances are you’ve accepted a Dropbox invite from a friend and sent some invites yourself. After all, who doesn’t want free storage space?
Viral loops are especially effective for social media platforms. Why did Facebook blow up in its early days? Because of a strong viral loop, that’s what. The moment you sign up for a Facebook account, the most logical thing to do is to send out friend invites. And why not, considering the social networking platform would be pointless if you don’t connect with your friends?
3 advantages of creating viral loops
To have a better appreciation of how viral loops work, let’s go over its advantages.
1. You get highly-qualified leads
When it comes to getting highly-qualified leads, viral loops deliver the goods.
Want proof?
According to a Social Media Today report, marketers rate referrals as the 2nd highest source of quality leads. That same study shows that 78% of B2B marketers claim that referral programs generate good or excellent leads.
No surprise there, really. When you offer an incentive that interests users, they’re more likely to refer your product to friends whom they think will also find the product useful.
Let’s say you’re using Evernote and want to take advantage of the company’s referral program to earn the points you need to enjoy some of the software’s premium features. If you have one invite left, to whom would you send that invite? Your journalist pal who spends most of her day writing essays and reports or your dear grandma?
We’re pretty sure you’d choose the former (and we’re also sure Evernote would prefer that, too).
2. It’s cost-effective
Let’s face it-consumers don’t trust businesses as much as they used to. You can get creative with your ads, but if potential users don’t know you, they aren’t likely to give you the time of day. You can spend more on ads until you earn their trust, but that won’t exactly bode well for your bottom line.
So, here’s an idea: Instead of spending all your marketing budget on ads, why not create a viral loop and enable your existing users to do the marketing for you?
After all, according to , 92% of consumers worldwide trust recommendations from friends and family more than other forms of advertising.
In other words, if you want your target users to trust you more, give your existing users a good reason to vouch for you. You can do that with viral loops, which will significantly reduce your customer acquisition costs.
3. You get exponential growth
Meaningful (and profitable) relationships are built on trust This is even more true now that trust in businesses is at an all-time low.
With viral loops, you get a distinct advantage because you have real people vouching for your products and services. When you combine that trust with a great product and a solid referral system, the viral loop that is set into motion can create a snowball effect that leads to exponential growth.
Want to see what exponential growth looks like over more than a decade? Here’s a visual representation of Facebook’s monthly active users from 2004 until 2017.
Types of Viral Loops
If you want to create a viral loop that will drive growth for your product, offering the right incentives is key. Here are the types of viral loops you can choose from (bear in mind that they can overlap each other in certain situations… which is okay):
Basic Viral Loop
The basic viral loop uses a simple premise to drive viral growth: to entice your existing users to share your product with their friends, offer them an incentive that allows them to get more of it. Dropbox is a classic example of a basic viral loop. To get more of Dropbox, just send your friends a Dropbox invite and you’ll get free storage in return.
Value-Driven Viral Loop
Value-driven viral loops are two-sided in such a way where each referral provides value to both the referrer and the recipient. This is effective for two obvious reasons. First, when your incentive offers value to the recipient, you increase the likelihood that the invite will be accepted. Second, your existing users will be more inclined to send invites knowing they’re giving their friends a favor. It’s a win-win situation for both!
Savings-Driven Viral Loop
As the term implies, a savings-driven viral loop drives viral growth by offering users an incentive that helps them save money, usually in the form of a coupon or a promo code. Shoeboxed’s referral program, for example, offers users a 10% discount off their monthly payment for every successful referral (the recipient also receives a 10% discount, which also makes it a value-driven viral loop).
Charity-driven viral loop
This works by offering users the opportunity to give back to the community in exchange for referrals. Amazon’s online pharmacy for example, donates $100 to the nonprofit RxArt organization for each successful referral.
How to find the right viral loop for your campaign
Can’t decide which viral loop to use for your product campaign? To arrive at an informed decision, you need to take stock of the many elements that go into a viral loop to make it successful. Also, asking the right questions will help.
Which rewards are more likely to motivate your users to spread the word? To kickstart your viral loop, give your existing users an offer they can’t resist. Whatever that reward is, make sure it’s unique and special and that it provides real value.
To kickstart your viral loop, give your existing users an offer they can’t resist. Whatever that reward is, make sure it’s unique and special and that it provides real value. Which incentives will help you acquire high-quality users? Make sure to offer incentives that will specifically attract your ideal users. Remember, not all users are created equal. If you choose rewards that appeal to everyone, you’ll get low-quality users that will “muddy the waters” of your referral marketing campaign. Meanwhile, highly-qualified users will not only spread the word about your product, but they’re also more likely to become repeat users.
Make sure to offer incentives that will specifically attract your ideal users. Remember, not all users are created equal. If you choose rewards that appeal to everyone, you’ll get low-quality users that will “muddy the waters” of your referral marketing campaign. Meanwhile, highly-qualified users will not only spread the word about your product, but they’re also more likely to become repeat users. How much can you afford to spend on incentives without compromising profitability? Being generous with your incentives is fine, but if you’re spending $80 for an incentive for a product you’re selling at $50, then it’s not going to bode well for your bottom line. You need to strike the right balance between motivating users to make referrals and staying profitable.
How to make your viral loop go, well, viral
It’s one thing to create a viral loop for your product, but it’s quite another to create one that will grow your business. Here are steps (or best practices, if you will) you can take to ensure the success of your viral loop.
Make sure your user base loves your product
When creating an effective viral loop, it’s less about the number of users you have and more about whether or not they love your product. Where exactly are they on a scale from “nice-to-have” to “must-have”?
To find out, don’t rely on the number of downloads or revenue alone. To have a better idea of how much your users love your product, and by extension how eager they will be to refer your product to others, you need to find the right data and dig deeper.
You need to determine your users’ level of engagement and find ways to boost that engagement. To do that, you must use data analytics to your advantage. Paid product intelligence tools like , Trendalytics, and Localytics can give you access to user data and generate insights that will help you enhance product experiences.
But which metrics or KPIs should I track?
Now you don’t need to keep track of every user data that pops up on your product dashboard. That’s your one-way-ticket to analysis paralysis. To accelerate growth, you need to focus on what Sean Ellis of Hacking Growth calls the ‘North Star Metric.’
The ‘North Star Metric’ is the one metric that has the most bearing on your company or product’s long-term success. It’s also that one most important metric that will have a positive impact on user retention.
To determine your ‘North Star Metric’ you must define the core value of your product and then identify the supporting KPIs that contribute to or enhance that core value.
With your ‘North Stars’ established, you can use your KPIs as benchmarks when making changes that will enhance the product experience. You won’t get it right the first time, but by deploying surveys, interviews, A/B testing, you’ll know what changes you need to carry out to make your users love your product. Once you’ve aced the key KPIs of your product, you’re in a perfect position to put in place a referral program that can create a strong basis for a viral loop your willing users can’t get out of!
Optimize your “referral funnel”
To keep the referrals coming, make sure you’re providing your potential users with a straight path towards conversion (becoming a user) and brand advocacy (becoming a referrer).
To create a user journey that is personalized, frictionless, and uncomplicated, you need to have a granular understanding of how your users interact with your product. Visualization helps. To that end, you’d do well to use a referral funnel.
Here’s what a typical referral funnel looks like:
As you can see from the above image, a potential user has to go through specific stages in their user journey, from acquisition to referrals to advocacy.
The goal here, of course, is to minimize possible leaks in your referral funnel. This means making sure your prospects don’t have to go through multiple hoops to get to where they want to go. And you better make sure they understand the value they will be receiving when taking the next action. To minimize drop-offs, do some funnel analysis and use the insights you’ve gained to make the necessary tweaks that will increase conversions and referrals.
How effective is your viral loop?
So, you’ve decided on a viral loop strategy? Great! With that said, you want to make sure the amount of referrals it’s bringing you justifies the cost of your incentives, or whether it’s going to sustain itself in the long run.
To arrive at a definitive answer, you need to calculate your Viral Coefficient (or K-factor).
The Viral Coefficient, simply put, is the average number of new users your existing users can acquire over their lifetime as a customer/client.
So, if your average user is generating an average of two users through referrals over their customer lifecycle, you get a viral coefficient of 2.
Now let’s get to the fun stuff.
The formula for calculating your Viral Coefficient is:
VC = C X R X CR
where:
C = Number of customers
R = Average number of referrals per customer
CR = Average conversion rate for referrals
Let’s break it down into specific steps:
Determine the current number of your users (e.g. 100) Multiply that number to the average number of referral invites your user base sends out (100x10) Multiply the result by the conversion rate of referrals (10%) Multiply the three values above (100x10x.10) and you get 100 new users. This means your existing user base has generated you 100 secondary users. Divide the number of existing users by the number of secondary users and you get a viral coefficient of 1. That means that with your viral loop, every user generates one secondary user through your referral program.
A Viral Coefficient of 1 is actually a good number (at least according to general consensus). Meanwhile, a Viral Coefficient greater than 1 indicates exponential growth. Many say that a k-factor that is less than 1 is bound for failure. However, this isn’t necessarily true for all products, specifically for those that have longer sales cycles where it usually takes more referral invites to get a potential user to sign up.
That said, in most cases, a Viral Coefficient that’s less than 1 means you need to perform some tweaks with your viral loop. Look at the values in the formula again and determine what you need to work on. Are you not acquiring enough users? Does your conversion rate need a boost? Do you need to offer a more attractive incentive to increase your referrals?
You want to make sure any changes you make will have some bearing on the results. As already mentioned, do some funnel analysis and then check if the most important metric (your North Star Metric, remember?) is being met in every stage of the funnel.
Once you do all of the above, you’ll be able to glean invaluable insights to help you make the changes that will give your Viral Coefficient a boost.
Final Word
At the end of the day, sustainable growth is based on trust. Promote your brand or product in ways that diminish that trust and you’ve already lost the game. Remember, in today’s increasingly overcrowded market, trust is your most prized asset. Once you earn it, you have to nurture it like you would a dear friend. If you want your viral loop to be successful, don’t make it generate growth for its own sake. A viral loop that drives sustainable growth should empower your users in ways that allow them to take ownership of their experience with your product.
GrowSurf is a powerful and simple referral software that lets you easily build a viral loop into your product or newsletter. See why top tech and media companies, startups, and marketers choose GrowSurf by signing up for a 14-day free trial here. | https://medium.com/@growsurfkevin/what-is-a-viral-loop-and-how-does-it-work-a29a722c6726 | ['Kevin Yun'] | 2020-12-17 18:17:21.835000+00:00 | ['Digital Marketing', 'Viral Marketing', 'Viral', 'Referral Marketing', 'Growth Hacking'] |
6 Creative Stages of Branding Design: Step-by-Step Guide. | Today competition between businesses is rather sharp. To stand out among the crowd, a company needs to be unique and recognizable by customers. A strong brand is what stands behind each successful product. Nielsen’s Global New Product Innovation Survey discovered that nearly 59% of people prefer to buy new products from brands familiar to them, and 21% say they are ready to purchase a product if it comes from a brand they like.
Some people got used to thinking that only marketing specialists do all the job in branding. However, if you say it to professional designers, they’ll tell you how wrong you are. As an American graphic designer Paul Rand said: «Design is the silent ambassador of your brand.» The article tells about the essence of branding as well as the role of design in it. Also, we’ll define the key stages of effective brand creation.
What is branding?
Lately, the word “brand” has been commonly used as some trendy thing, especially in the fashion industry, so many people forget its true essence. According to Business Dictionary, a brand is a unique design, sign, symbol, words, or a combination of these, employed in creating an image that identifies a product and differentiates it from its competitors. In other words, a brand is a visual representation which people correlate with a company or a product. An effective brand identity is the one which customers associate with a high level of credibility and quality.
However, powerful branding depends not only on aesthetic features of brand elements but on the details such as message and emotional appeal standing behind it. To create proper brand identity, designers need to get deep into the details about business goals as well as do a research of the market and its target audience. Here we’ve divided a branding process into six essential stages which designers need to go through on the way of brand creation.
Creative process of branding design for Andre
Stage 1. Business goals and brand personality
Of course, it’s not a designer who sets the goals of a company or defines its personality still it is a foundation of all the branding process. To receive the expected results, the company has to set the priorities and values at the start point so that the crew working on branding could see which way to go. They do not necessarily need to be defined and used for all the cycle of brand existence. The goals can be modified later during a creative process but it’s vital to have some directives in the beginning.
Moreover, before designers start working on a visual part, they need to identify the character which company or product wants to present. Designing a brand without this knowledge is like drawing a portrait from a photograph. You can do the copy quite right but the work won’t have an emotion in it. The same is with branding. If the clients didn’t provide a designer with a description characterizing their company, it’s good to ask for it. For example, designers can ask customers to make a list of 4–5 keywords describing their business, or at least what they want a company to be.
Practice shows that not all the clients come to designers prepared. They may not think of details and ask only for an attractive visual presentation that will bring success to their business. There is nothing remarkable about it. Clients often see designers like artists creating beautiful pictures and you can’t expect them to know all the peculiarities of designers’ workflow.
In one of our previous articles, we’ve mentioned the role of psychology in design. It can be quite helpful on the way of understanding users’ behavior and their possible reactions to the design. Moreover, psychology principles can help designers establish effective communication with clients. There are many customers who are not certain in their desires and preferences and that’s when psychology assists. If a designer finds proper questions to ask, it will be easier to create a guide based on client’s wish.
Corporate identity for Binned
Stage 2. Market and user research
When the goals are set and a company’s personality seems clear, designers go to the research work. This step is essential for all kinds of designer’s job, be it a logo or a mobile app. The research helps to immerse into the environment of the future brand and comprehend the peculiarities which may influence its success.
First goes the market research. Designers dig out the information about the market and potential competitors. It’s good to learn from someone’s experience be it good or bad. Having the necessary data experts can create a unique and efficient logo and build a brand identity that will stand out the competition.
Designers and clients’ preferences should step aside to the needs of target audience. A brand needs to make a good impression on its potential buyers or users to gain their trust. User research helps to get deeper into preferences and psychological peculiarities of the target audience.
The design is not a pure art. If you rely exceptionally on the sense of beauty and talent, there is a risk of failing the task. Research takes less time compared to doing the job over.
Stickers designed for Reborn
Stage 3. Logo design
Some people often mistake a logo for a brand but it is only one stage in the process of branding. However, it would be wrong to underestimate the role of logo design. It is the basic mark of brand identity, the most prominent symbol of brand image and the foundation of effective marketing strategy enabling its connection with the target audience.
In our article Logo Design: Creative Stages, we’ve described essential stages of the creative process in logo design. They are:
setting the task
user research
marketing research
creative search
choice of style direction
choice of color palette
testing in different sizes and environments
creating a style guide setting right and wrong cases of logo use etc.
Logo design for Passfold
One of the aspects the research includes is exploring logos of the competitive companies. It helps to avoid unnecessary similarity with other logos in the sector and make an original brand identity.
When all the core information is gathered, designers move to more artistic stage — creative process itself. By the means of various experiments, they choose the style direction and color palette which will work best for a brand.
After the logo is complete, designers start the testing part. The thing is that not everything looking good on a digital screen will be the same in a different environment or variety of surfaces. That’s why it’s vital to test the logo in all possible situations and placements to make sure there won’t be an unpleasant surprise.
Logo design plays a big part in branding, so designers are recommended to pay big attention to its creative process. A well-thought logo is worth time investment.
Logo animation for Binned
Stage 4. Visual elements of brand
Logo design is not the only visual representation of a brand. Certainly, the major focus will always be a logo but there are some more elements deserving the attention such as mascots and typography.
Companies often look for the ways of personalizing a brand and designers have a solution. Mascots are the custom design characters created to represent the brand in a quite symbolic way. They can be created as a part of a logo or exist as an individual brand element. Such characters can establish the connection with users as nothing else. A mascot serves as a tool for communication and interaction with users helping to transfer the message in an unusual manner. People start to see a mascot as a major representative of a company introducing them a product or a service. The efficient mascot guarantees recognizability and memorability to a brand and easily draws users’ attention.
Mascot design for Saily
Another visual element responsible for brand identity is typography. Many logos are created via typography or contain fonts in it but typography doesn’t end here. Banners, business cards, correspondence a company applies should involve brand identity signs as well. You can make fonts also speak for your brand. Designers often create custom fonts for companies to be unique even in such small details. However, it’s not the only option. Experts may choose a combination of regular fonts which will suit a certain brand best. This way users will easier remember a brand because of its consistency in every detail.
Logo design for Reborn
Stage 5. Corporate brand style
When the logo is ready, the color palette is chosen, and other visual elements are prepared, it’s time to unite them into harmonic corporate style. It is required when a designer works on branding for companies providing services. Various attributes can become a branded item depending on a type of a company. There are some common brand items which are used by different companies:
Business card. Today it’s a must-have item in business communication so it’s vital to make sure a business card represents a brand properly.
Business cards designed for Binned
Business cards for Deetu
Correspondence. Business communication always has a formal style. To show a brand is a reliable partner and service provider, designers need to work on its correspondence presentation. Letterheads and envelopes need to contain brand identity elements showing the professional level.
Envelope design for Reborn
Billboards and banners. They are a core part of branding and marketing so clients often ask designers to work on a creative idea for outdoor adverts and web banners.
Poster designed for Andre
Vehicle branding. Companies which provide product delivery need an effective decoration of the vehicle. Brand identity elements on the company cars or trucks is an efficient way of outdoor promotion.
Vehicle livery designed for Andre
T-shirt and hats. Clothes with brand marks bring the team spirit into a company so employers often take care of these attributes. Branded T-shirts and hats can be a good alternative to a uniform if it’s required or they can be used as presents.
Branded clothes designed for Binned
Stage 6. A style guide
The work is done. The visual material is complete. The last task for the designer is to make sure clients will use all the assets properly. A style guide is a document providing instructions about correct and wrong ways to use the graphics created for the brand. Traditionally, a style guide includes the explanation of the idea standing behind a logo as well as the presentation of a corporate color palette which can be used for different purposes. It can be good to demonstrate the examples of incorrect usage in order to avoid poor visual performance.
Styleguide for Reborn
As you can see branding is a complex process. Each step should be well-thought, based on the needs of the target audience and business goals. To see more, welcome to check case studies on our recent branding projects. Stay tuned!
Recommended reading
How to create a brand style guide
Logo Design. Creative Path to Effective Branding. Free E-Book. | https://medium.com/@tubikstudio/6-creative-stages-of-branding-design-step-by-step-guide-be557fd329fd | [] | 2017-10-09 13:31:40.480000+00:00 | ['Marketing', 'Design', 'Graphic Design', 'Logo Design', 'Branding'] |
Garry, from Yo, Taxi | “Garry acted like he was already in heaven, he did what he wanted to do. I always said he was the nicest guy you’d ever want to meet. There are nicer guys, but you wouldn’t want to meet them. They can’t be as much fun. They don’t get wasted and say ‘Tony, you in there?’ and expect an answer to come from my insides because I reminded him of his friend Tony for a moment as we drove in his white Cadillac convertible. We were heading back to his house from mine, where we had rolled additional joints after we and our wives smoked the one I’d brought with me and we wanted to keep partying. Garry and I burned one to prepare for the twenty-minute drive to his house, and on that high highway ride home he thought I had Tony in there.
“The night Garry died, Angela and I, his Air Force buddy John, John’s wife Inge, and Garry’s wife Bian were with him at home. Garry’s doctors told him the end was near. Garry said fine. He’d had enough of pain, being weak as a kitten, sick, unable to eat or walk.
“Garry and John used to go up in spy planes and listen to Viet Cong radio transmissions. Air Force intelligence had picked them out, right from basic training. Smart boys. We stood around the bed. Garry was good to go. Cancer for ten years and it finally did him in; something they couldn’t cut out or burn out or medicate into submission. He wanted to die at home. He wanted to die that night.
Bian handed me a letter from an old girlfriend, Garry’s former fiancée. ‘Read loud so he can hear you,’ Bian told me. It was too hard for her, plus she didn’t read English well. Her English? She’s Vietnamese. Garry met her at the zoo in Saigon during the war, what, fifteen years ago. The letter said, ‘Dearest Garry, My first love. We’ll never see each other again and I want you to know how wonderful it has been to have you in my life. You have been a dear friend for so long and will be forever.’
“I choked up, tears in my eyes. My voice cracked, and I found it hard to catch a full breath. No sound other than me reading and Garry breathing. Garry’s eyes were closed. He breathed slow and heavy from all the meds. He was on a ton of shit because of the pain. Time stuck on that scene, slowing down to match his breathing. The room compressed and became still, like the moment before the big bang. Reading the letter was the hardest thing, feeling time stop on my friend dying, my emotions.
“Time resumed. The others left the room. Garry said my name and tapped the middle of his forehead — where people say the third eye is. I planted a kiss right there. He died a few hours later.
“The month before Garry died, we wanted to prove once and for all if there’s life after death. But how? If he came to me in a vision, big deal; it could be wishful thinking on my part. If he didn’t, what did that mean? He might have better things to do in the spirit world.
Eventually, we came up with a plan, Garry wrote a phrase we had never used in conversation, and Bian kept it hidden. If I had a dream or something with a message from Garry, Bian would show me the paper. Garry visited me in my sleep one night a month after he passed. Not the scrawny, weakened, pale man cancer killed. No sir, he looked buff, youthful. Rippling muscles, lush, tan skin, no gray in his beard or his hair, a bounce in his step and a twinkle in his eye. We said goodbye outside my front door. It conveniently faced the sunset. Garry gave me a hug. He turned to walk away, a cliché into the dying colors of the day.
He said, ‘Catch you at the big show, buddy boy.’”
“Wow. What did he write on the paper?”
“I never found out. When I told Bian about the vision, she said she couldn’t find the paper, had never read it. We were so close.
“Check this out. Garry loved everyone, but he hated Dr. Jackass. Jarkas, but we said it the other way. It fit better. Jarkas moved out of the practice six months before Garry died, good riddance we thought. You know what? We found out that one week after Garry died, Jackass called his patients. She told them Garry’s deathbed wish was for her to take over their care. Think about that. The one person he couldn’t stand, because she was so sneaky, had the balls to lie to each and every patient about a dying man’s wishes. Like she was there. Like Bian would have let her in the house. Jackass convinced a secretary to give her Garry’s patient list, and she called them all. I don’t know if Jackass paid or tricked her. What a goddamn world this is, huh. She’s gonna live to a hundred, a rich cheating bitch until the end. Meanwhile Garry died at forty-three.” | https://medium.com/@leonwolfauthor/garry-from-yo-taxi-4f22e81da481 | ['Leon Wolf'] | 2020-12-17 18:13:51.719000+00:00 | ['Friendship', 'New York City', 'Old Friends', 'Conversations', 'New York'] |
Power BI Custom Maps — Part II: Shape Map | Shape Map
In Power BI Desktop, open a new page.
Step 1: Enable Shape Map in options
First, we need to enable Power BI Shape Map visual.
To enable Shape Map, select File > Options and Settings > Options > Preview Features, then select the Shape Map Visual checkbox. Click “OK”.
Then restart Power BI Desktop.
After restarting Power BI Desktop, we can see Shape Map icon from the Visualizations pane.
Step 2: Create a Shape Map
Click the Shape Map icon and you will see a chart is created
Drag Suburb to the Location shelf, and you will see a shape map created for the United States
In “Format” tab of the Visualization pane, click “Shape”
You can see here “Map” is by default “USA : states”, that’s why we see a default shape map created for the United States
In the “Map” dropdown menu you will see a list of shape maps available in Power BI:
Look at the list and we will find no shape map available for what we want here — Melbourne: suburbs.
We should then use “+ Add Map” to create a custom shape map for Melbourne suburbs.
Step 3: Download VIC suburb/localities shapefile from website
We can download Victoria suburb/localities shapefile from this website: https://data.gov.au/dataset/ds-dga-af33dd8c-0534-4e18-9245-fc64440f742e/distribution/dist-dga-3b946968-319e-4125-8971-2a33d5bf000c/details?q=melbourne%20suburb
The downloaded file is named “viclocalitypolygonshp.zip”. If you unzip it, you will see shape file with suffix “.shp”.
Power BI custom shape map supports TopoJSON format. So we need to convert shapefile into TopoJSON using tools such as Map Shaper.
Step 4: Convert shapefile into TopoJSON
Go to Map Shaper, and drop the downloaded zip file in
Then you will see page like this:
Check “snap vertices” — this will fix topology errors by snapping together points with nearly identical coordinates. Then “Import”
Then you will see the polygon map for the whole of Victoria.
Click “Export” in the upper right corner, select “TopoJSON”, then “Export”
One file named “VIC_LOCALITY_POLYGON_shp.json” will be exported. Keep it for use below.
Step 5: Add a custom shape map
Back to Power BI Visualizations pane, click “+ Add Map”
In the prompted window, select the file “VIC_LOCALITY_POLYGON_shp.json” you exported in Step 3, and “Open”
Wait for a while and you will see the map changes into the Victoria suburb polygons.
Now go to Fields pane, drag Median Price into “Color saturation” shelf
Wait for a while and you will see Victoria suburb polygon in different colors
Step 6: Configure zoom
Looking at the map, we can see that only the central below part is colored. We want the map to focus on those colored suburbs only.
To do this we can go to “Format” tab, click “Zoom” and turn on “Auto zoom”
Wait for a while and we can see we are now much zoomed in:
But I want to zoom in further. To do this we might turn off “Auto zoom” and turn on “Manual zoom” — BUT DON’T rush to do this as you will find zooming in and out both very slow.
As an alternative, we can consider filtering out the two “outlier” suburbs in the leftmost and rightmost and keep the central part only.
To filter out, keep “Auto zoom” on. Go back to “Fields” tab, scroll down to “Filters” > click “Suburb is (All)” > keep “Basic filtering” > check “Select all” > uncheck “BELLFIELD” and “HILLSIDE”
Now we can see the map is centered:
Step 7: Change data color
By default, green color means high price and red color means low — this looks weird.
We can configure this a bit by going to “Fields” tab > “Data colors” > change “Minimum” to light red and “Maximum” to dark red
Then the map will look like this:
Step 8: Play with it!
Use your mouse to hover over the suburbs and you can see tooltips for each of them
Play with it as you like!
Found Shape Map not user-friendly?
The shape map is visually wonderful but not that user-friendly as the page is not quite responsive to format changes. The page loads slowly. Also, it is hard to zoom in and out and thus has limited interactiveness.
In the next part, we will see how we can import Mapbox from the marketplace and create a fancy interactive Mapbox 3D Choropleth Map, which is more responsive and interactive. | https://medium.com/weareservian/power-bi-custom-maps-part-ii-shape-map-939873da3f66 | ['Selina Li'] | 2019-07-08 04:35:51.183000+00:00 | ['Melbourne', 'Power Bi', 'Custom Map', 'Housing Prices', 'Girls In Tech'] |
To Separate The Good Memories From The Bad | When a relationship ends, it’s hard to separate the good memories from the painful ones. It’s hard for us to let go because we don’t want to put to waste all the good things that have happened to us all those years. At the same time, we can’t just discard the painful memories, we can’t pretend that those things never happened because they have, and they have taught us things we just can’t leave behind.
Maybe one way to reconcile this is to think that even our painful memories have turned out to work for our good. We are now wiser and stronger because of them, and they’re as much a part of us as all the other good memories we had with the people we loved.
One relationship may end, but a new one may still begin, a new relationship formed by two people who have already changed and become better from everything that they’ve been through, both the good ones and the bad. | https://medium.com/the-inspirer/to-separate-the-good-memories-from-the-bad-aa96da6a3f4e | ['Jocelyn Soriano'] | 2020-11-20 02:32:53.143000+00:00 | ['Life Lessons', 'Relationships', 'Self', 'Love', 'Advice'] |
Introduction to User Experience | Introduction to User Experience
I am learning a course on Edx that is an introduction to design thinking, just I finished the first module. Now I am sharing what I have learned. ishimdar ahamad Aug 5, 2019·3 min read
We’ve all had good and bad experiences with products that we use in our daily lives.
What is Good UX?
When we are thinking about good user experience then in our mind come some words like this.
Useful, Helpful, Easy to Learn, Attractive, Satisfying, Accessible, Fun, Connected, Delightful.
What is a Bad UX?
When we might think of bad user experience then in our mind come to some words like this.
Stressful, Ugly, Confusing, Inefficient, Distracting, Tedious, Frustrating, Condescending, Inconsiderate.
Why User Experience?
The experience people have when they interact with your product that means they are using the product. They choosing the product from among the myriad of other products that might be out there. Acquiring the product, how do they actually go from selecting the product to getting it in their hands so that they can actually use it. User experience also includes upgrading the product, or purchasing the next product, or starting to use the next version of the product, and so on, and so forth.
Why User Experience Hard?
* We as designer are not the user. Even if we are a potential user of this product, we did not represent all users. It’s very important that first, we understand who the users are?
* Some time Ux dealing with software then computer think differently than people.
* Some time product that we designing are complex because of the fact that they’re software-based and it’s so easy to add new features.
How to make UX Easy?
* We follow an iterative prototyping process.
* We do that by applying user-centered research and design methods and we have a whole set of these that we know will work to keep the design on track and
* Know a little bit about how people work. And what we know will help them accomplish what they need to accomplish.
* Choosing a target user, research methodologies
Key Method for UX Research:
* We often conduct interviews to understand more about users’ needs and how they currently do things.
* We conduct observations to actually watch what people do and how they do it to understand things that they might not be able to tell us
* Sometimes we conduct surveys, especially when we’re wanting to reach a very large audience, and we need to understand characteristics and behaviors and attitudes of that large audience.
* We use user testing to take a prototype or a system that we’ve developed and figured out whether or not people are able to accomplish what they need with that prototype or system.
* We also apply a range of inspection methods where we can use best practices and knowledge about what works and what doesn’t to take a close look at a prototype or representation of a system to determine whether it’s on track for delivering a good user experience or not.
Conclusion
1: Design approach could help designers know what the product should be, based on a target user’s perspective.
2: Product’s usability design is more important to retain the target audience. Even if the product is the first of it’s kind, users will jump to other similar products if it is unusable to the users.
3: Usability is also a factor for product success.
4: Need finding is a good foundation for designing a product.
5: Need finding is necessary to establish not just the product but also the stakeholder’s business model. | https://medium.com/@ishimdarahamad_84327/introduction-to-user-experience-82760d370193 | ['Ishimdar Ahamad'] | 2019-08-05 07:08:18.969000+00:00 | ['User Experience', 'UX', 'First Post'] |
7 Golden Rules for Not Taking Things Too Personally | Do you take things personally?
Of course you do — we all do. It’s almost impossible to float through life immune to the judgments of others, unless you interact with no-one, ever.
But the difficulty comes when we take things too personally, when we let the opinions of others pierce our emotional skins, superficially or right to the core of who we are.
But here’s the thing. No matter who we are, or what we do, we’ll be judged. The more we try, the more risks we take, the louder we sing, the more crap we’ll get.
And, even if we do nothing but lie on the sofa every night with a king-size block of chocolate, we’ll be judged on that too.
The point is, we can’t stop the onslaught of others’ opinions about us. It’s futile to try. But we can master the way we deal with them.
Here’s how.
7 Golden Rules for Not Taking Things Too Personally
“If you are impeccable with your word, if you don’t take anything personally, if you don’t make assumptions, if you always do your best, then you are going to have a beautiful life. — Miguel Ruiz
Taking things personally just means you’re a person with a healthy emotional radar. You Feel Stuff, which is a good thing. So you don’t need to develop a “thick skin”. But you do have to understand that taking everything personally will put you at the mercy of life’s slings and arrows. It will make you play small. Is that what you really want?
Before you take things (deeply) to heart, run this checklist.
1. Do you know who they are?
Who has judged/hurt you? Do you even know who they are? The harshest critics are often anonymous voices on social media. Immediately dismiss the criticism of anyone who hides behind a mask, an unfathomable user name or weird avatar.
Freedom of speech is important. People should be allowed to have and express opinions. Anonymous constructive comments are okay. Anonymous mean comments are cowardly. Why would you let a coward hiding behind a keyboard hurt you? Why would you allow anyone who doesn’t know you to hurt you?
2. Do they (really) matter to you?
So many people are affected by the words, actions, opinions of people who don’t really matter. That mother in the school playground. That friend who left you out who won’t be a friend in the end. That obnoxious guy in the next cubicle at work. That micro-managing boss you will eventually move on from. The toxic ex you never have to see again. Some slick politician you’ll never have to meet. Yes, they’ve hurt or annoyed you but, when you step back and see the big picture, they’re not truly important to you. So keep them in their place; don’t make them bigger than they are.
And, if they do matter to you, don’t be too quick to react. Listen — and try to understand their perspective.
3. Are they Going Low?
“When they go low, we go high.” — Michelle Obama
Michelle Obama popularised this slogan, offering restraint as an antidote to criticism. She later explained it was not about banishing hurt feelings, but about not allowing yourself to stoop to an angry or low level response, to maintain your dignity in the face of challenge.
Ignore anyone who judges you based on your looks, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, any points of difference, personality and relationships. That’s none of their business. Smile and think this: if they’re making it personal, they can’t have anything substantial to say.
4. Know this is about them.
There is great power in realising the way a person speaks about or acts towards about others is utterly revealing of who they are. In their comments, posts, tweets, behaviour — or acts of meanness — they are telling you about their history, their belief systems, their character, their emotional game, the often narrow way they view the world. They’re standing before you — Naked.
Any poisonous judgments they make are a product of who they are. It’s helpful to understand that. It’s helpful to know that’s NOT who you want to be. It’s probably even more helpful to stay away from them.
5. Don’t make assumptions.
The number one rule of psychology is “make no assumptions”. When you are upset or angry it’s easy to assume you know what the other person meant. It’s also possible you have it completely wrong. Stay neutral: allow another person’s opinions to be theirs — and theirs alone. You don’t have to do anything with them.
6. Figure out how they can help you.
Often the reason we’re hurt by criticism is because it “hits a nerve”, we believe it contains a kernel of truth. Feedback is not always negative. And, even if it is, it can contain things that can help us, particularly around our work. If you’ve had some feedback that’s hard to take, sit with it a while and — when you’re ready — unpack it and see what you can learn. There are always better, or alternative, ways to do things. Stay open to them.
7. Don’t let them limit your life.
The great danger in taking things too personally is that you get defensive and it begins to dictate your life. Your critics can keep you in a box, closing your heart and mind to new experiences, to possibility. Don’t let them trap you. Don’t let turn you into a victim. Don’t let them own your life. If you are going to do anything worthwhile at all, the critics will come for you. But they’ll only win if you hand them the power to do so. | https://karennimmo.medium.com/7-golden-rules-for-not-taking-things-too-personally-581efcae02f4 | ['Karen Nimmo'] | 2020-11-24 11:07:28.285000+00:00 | ['Self Improvement', 'Life Lessons', 'Mental Health', 'Psychology', 'Inspiration'] |
By Ismael Bala | To Deviate a Beam or Invert an Image: A Review of Salihu Mahe’s How to View the World from a Glass Prism
By Ismael Bala
Originally published in https://nigeriareviewofbookscom.wordpress.com/
I
Twenty Years or so ago one would be hard pressed to pick out a poet writing in English in Northern Nigeria from a line up, even with a gun pressed to one’s head. Now there is literally a deluge of poets, as clichéd as it sounds, when it rains poetry, it pours in many Northern Nigerian cities, from Kano to Ilorin to Minna to Kaduna to Makurdi to Gombe, Sokoto and Maiduguri.
Among the literature genres, poetry is currently enjoying some kind of a boom, some late bloom and a critical renaissance. There are many writers’ groups, artists’ collectives, online forums and numerous Facebook chatrooms and Whatsapp groups in universities and colleges and virtually in all the cities across the region. These poets are mostly young men and women, many of whom are graduates of disciplines far removed from the humanities, the traditional domain of poetry. They write by far some of the most scintillating, nuanced and to some extent hard to categorise poetry. Their most dominant idiom is the demotic and the overriding subject is the vagaries of love and the subtleties of romance and the romantic; their style is variegated and leans towards the innovative; they are hopelessly romantic while at the same time staunchly political and socially conscious.
One other feature of this group of writers is that they do not appear keen to publish in the traditional brick-and-mortar publishing industry, preferring instead to make their poetic presence felt online: on Instagram where their poems are often engraved and filtered with the latest photo editing software on frames and memes with exotic backgrounds and fonts, on Facebook pages, sometimes on Twitter and more often than not, in web-based journals and magazines. Some of them write with the social media in mind, hence their works are therefore minimalist and popular, while some happen to just favour the social medium without compromising their style or voice to blend with the online cacophony.
II
Among this ensemble of poets that are making wave not just in Northern Nigeria, Nigeria as a whole and indeed in the larger creative world is Salihu Mahe. How to View the World froma Glass Prism is his debut collection and before its present reincarnation as a full volume, the collection (as a chap book) won the “Words Rhymes a Rhythms’ Green Author Prize” in 2019. Mahe joins a long list of authors whose professional training or affiliation inform or form the basis of their arts, writers such as the medical doctor, Dr Dami Ajayi, Dr Mariya Sidi, Dr Marzuq Ungogo, Naseeba Babale and many others. Mahe trained as an engineer and the title of the collection under review easily manifest his academic training and persuasion. This is not to suggest that the collection is reductive, or the poet’s poetic purview and concerns are narrow, or that the poetry could be read in relation to Physics to which prism attests to. Rather, the collection as a whole imbues the vexed and the old love-hate relationship, which used to exist between science and poetry and the arts generally.
III
It is commonplace that scientific inquiry is closely hinged upon the twin concerns of measuring and describing things that are often beyond our immediate senses. As such, one can argue that poetry which — as we have here in How to View the World from a Glass Prism — tilts towards science is a tool not just for measuring and describing what is beyond the immediate senses, but for tracking down and making sense of what is out of range too.
For most people, the penetrating obscurity and mysticism of much of modern science means it is simply out of range. In the same vein, the connection between science and poetry is increasingly becoming more tenuous and farfetched, straining into irrelevance and incongruity. Certainly, there are few poets that are still working in that tradition (a good example of which would be the British poet, Diana Syder, whose book, Maxwell’s Rainbow [2002]) is acclaimed as one of the best collections of science-based poetry). But even at that, poems about science are not what you would expect from a young poet like Salihu Mahe.
In How to View the World from a Glass Prism, the science is overt, and as it were, forms part of the structure of the poems. In most of the poems, science (or its different varieties: Physics, chief among them) informs not just the poetic structure and the themes, but the content in a more generic way, and seamlessly it is fitted into the background of the poet’s thoughts, attitudes and sensibilities. Yet despite the pervasive presence of science in the collection as a whole, it is not easy categorising which are the science poems and which are not, and which I sense is how the poet wants the readers to also regard them. All the same, there is what could be called ‘marshalling’ of the poems into different chiefly notional sub-sections, each determined by a particular scientific concern informed by a specific scientific strand.
For most part, science (and not so much its practitioners surprisingly) is the dominant subject, but more often it is simply used to gain an insight and wisdom about the world and the behaviour of the poet-persona towards it. The poems are punched (so to speak, like most science poems) beyond any easy, predictable ending, and in the end what gives the reader a buzz about the poems is finding some scientific insights that were not there at the start of the poem.
Poets who turn their attention to science often write with aloofness and detachment that can turn them into mere spectators, heralding the excitement of the subject they are enthusiastically writing about; but not so Salihu Mahe, who despite being young is already in possession of a uniquely promising talent. His curiosity about the scientific realm and his inquiring sensitivity makes him as in “How to Train your Dragon” simply a fine voice sensitive poet as well. His sensibility allows him to go beyond the traditional range for poets, and one of the best poems here is about poetry. Indeed his curiosity takes him into strange places — into the eponymous prism, memories, the realm of the dragon and corpse — unusual features of science poetry that are evoked with a sense of exhilaration and wonder. These poems have that most attractive quality: they are simply interesting and no less innovative.
IV
The operating motif and mantra of the poems collected here is “howism”: each of the 28 poems is either titled “how to…”, or “this is how to. . .”, giving the collection a feel of a self-help book. Yet it is that feel that makes the volume unique; for the poet feigns and assumes a different persona and voice to use congruent and parallel poetic optics to deviate a familiar “beam” or invert a “clichéd” image into a fresh one. So the overriding metaphor of a prism allows the poem to delve into what we think we know and turn them into something that may shock and awe us. This is evident right from the first poem, “This is How to Make Memories I”: First/Flirt with time/Second/Seize the moment.
Some of the poems have a texture and indeed the tincture of minimalism: they read like Nietzschean aphorisms, punching over and above their wee appearance on the page, and in this category belongs poems such as: “How to Live and Die”, “Burial Made Easy”, “This is How to Trust a Loved One” and “How to Find a Wife”.
Though the poems are not grouped into any discernible division, yet the poems sort of “group” themselves into some notional “cohere” like the aphoristic poems mentioned above. And there is yet another grouping for the non-aphoristic, fairly long poems sometime with a bit of long lines. Here too the poet handles the demand of long poetic lines with ease and this group of poems include: “How to Honour the Memories of your Father”, “How to View the World” and “How to Look at Glass Houses”.
V
The poems are emboldened by the accompanying drawings which graphically not just complement and supplement in the true Derridean style the poems but also render them in a non-verbal, preternaturally double textual mode. While for a non-science person like my humble self, it may well-neigh be impossible to domesticate and poeticise the prism, it is the most natural and indeed easiest of task for a poet like Salihu Mahe who is on top of his game in How to View the World from a Glass Prism.
In the last analysis, How to View the World from a Glass Prism emerges as a collection in which Salihu Mahe expresses poetic wisdom: an order of higher, paradoxical or purely intuitive thought, which, though not beyond the reach of critical analysis, is an embodiment of successful coupling of form and content, theme and craft, experience and artistic vision. A reader has the right, indeed the valency, to demand something from poetry. Whatever the reader’s demand is, How to View the World from a Glass Prism has already offered, or is in the process of offering them: whether the demand is sheer aesthetic delight for the aesthete, or imagistic complexity, linguistic playfulness and textual and stylistic subtleties for the fastidious critic. | https://medium.com/@nigeriareviewofbooks/by-ismael-bala-ac92c2a9f7f0 | [] | 2020-12-15 17:13:42.174000+00:00 | ['Poetry Writing', 'Poetry'] |
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Make Medium yours. Follow the writers, publications, and topics that matter to you, and you’ll see them on your homepage and in your inbox. Explore | https://medium.com/chalkboard/divided-sight-f991a5fb7c65 | [] | 2020-12-03 16:31:11.983000+00:00 | ['One Line', 'Poetry', 'Missing You', 'Moon', 'One Line Poem'] |
Welp. I was sure wrong about that one. | Welp. I was sure wrong about that one. We dated for about two and a half weeks. We had been friends, I thought, for a lot longer. So when it became this whirlwind romance, I totally rationalized it. I thought this love is based on years of friendship. It was unrequited love finally being fulfilled. And it was so exciting.
Some part of me knew that it was really just a dysfunctional pattern of behavior playing out (and not the first time, by any means) for the both of us. What brought us together was a mutual addiction to love and attention. But it felt so good. And he was saying all the right things. I just wanted, so desperately, to believe it.
He said he loved me. He told me, with astonishment, how beautiful I was. He said my laugh was intoxicating. He wrote to me in an email that there was nobody else he wanted to spend time with and that I was everything he wanted in a person. We were dreaming together, making plans about where we would live together (it would have been my house, that I already own, of course). We were even, I thought, working through some of the hard, real stuff. Learning about each others’ quirks and how to accommodate each other. I would need to learn to be ok with his nocturnal nature; I was preparing to never insult or berate him for his late night indulgences that would include video games and whiskey. And he would need to be ok with my obsessive need for quiet and the occasional panic attack regarding some noise that was bothering me. We would learn to share space in a way that would meet both of our needs. We would build a home together and become a family.
It’s all I’ve ever really wanted. And I really wanted to believe it was actually happening. Things were moving so fast and there were red flags everywhere but I saw threads of potential and I clung onto them so tight.
Thursday morning we talk on the phone.
“I wanna come and stay with you at your house tonight,” he says.
“Oh yes, please, that sounds so lovely. I will look forward to that.”
The day goes on. I meet up with a teacher friend to go for a walk. My new boyfriend is working, driving for Uber. We exchange texts. I share with him about walking with my friend. He complains of how slow work is. It’s frustrating. He’s got bills coming. He comments that at least he’s got me and that’s awesome. I respond that, yes, he has got me and I love him. We continue exchanging the occasional text throughout the rest of the day. I continue to look forward to the evening when I can see him and touch him again.
Around 7 o’clock we start texting about the evening plan.
“Will you be staying up late tonight?” he asks.
“I don’t know, what’s your plan?”
“Working til midnight, maybe earlier.”
“I thought we were gonna hang out tonight, though? Maybe I misunderstood.”
“Yeah, after I work.”
This turns into a phone conversation, which I appreciate. He could have just blown me off at this point but he called to talk and listen and communicate. I express my discomfort with a midnight start time. He expresses his frustration with needing to work and make money. I say I’m trying my best to be understanding and supportive. And ultimately, I acquiesce to midnight. I prepare to stay up and wait up for him. I’ve got a lot of time off of work right now so I am available for this sort of thing and I want to show him that I do support him. I even send him a follow up ‘I support you, you’re doing good, thanks for communicating with me, I know it’s frustrating, I look forward to seeing you later’ text.
So I stay up and I wait. I’m checking the time, the minutes can’t go by fast enough. I’m so anxious to see him. Somewhere inside I know something isn’t quite right but maybe he is just really frustrated and embarrassed about being broke. And I just need to encourage him and give him the space he needs to make it work. I talk on the phone with a close friend and she offers words of encouragement. She applauds his work ethic and urges me to be patient and supportive. So ok, I’ll do my best.
It’s 11:45 and I haven’t heard anything from him since my encouraging, supportive text around 8. I’m starting to freak out.
It’s midnight. I tell myself, ‘you’ll wait 20 minutes to reach out.’
At 12:21 I text, “Ok it’s after midnight now. I’m concerned. Can I get an update?”
No response.
I call and text a few more times. When it’s after 1, I essentially beg him to call me because I’m so very worried. I go to his house. I use the key he gave me to open the door and go inside. His dog and cat are there. They seem just as disoriented and confused as I feel. He had obviously packed a bag for a sleepover. But he didn’t take it with him to wherever he was. I am so overwhelmed and confused and scared. I don’t know what to think or how to feel. My head is spinning. My internal dialogue is a mile a minute and all over the place. I am panicked.
I drive back home, take a Xanax and some Benadryl, and just wait. I might have slept for a couple hours.
After an eternity of agony, it’s Friday morning. Still no contact. No texts. No calls. So I call 911.
“Sorry if this is not really an emergency but my boyfriend is missing. He was supposed to be at my house at midnight last night and he never showed up and he is not answering my calls and I am very worried.”
“Ok.” The dispatcher was very calm and just took down the information. My name and address, his name and address, etc.
“Have you called any of the hospitals or jails?” she asks, matter of factly.
“No.” I feel so stupid.
“Ok so we will call around, see what we can find out, and an officer will call you back, ok?”
“Ok.”
At some point I take an Ambien. I need to escape from this nightmarish reality and I need to rest. A few more hours go by. I’m in and out of sleep. The phone rings.
“Hi, is this Jamie?”
“Yes, this is Jamie, yes.”
“Ok and so you were concerned about your friend and his whereabouts? So we’ve checked the hospitals and the jails and he’s not in any of them. Hopefully this rules out the worst case scenario. We also called his brother, so he is aware, and he has an appointment to meet with him at 1 o’clock today so hopefully he will show up for that. Would you like to move forward and file a missing persons report?”
“Ok. No. Thank you.” I know what’s going on now.
I get in my car to go back to his house. I don’t know why I’m doing this. I use my key to open the door and go inside again. It looks the same. The sleepover bag is still packed. The animals are still confused and probably hungry. I put some food in his cat’s dish and she purrs gratefully while she crunches away. I call him again and this time I leave a voicemail to let him know that I called the cops and that they reached out to his brother and that I just hope he’s ok.
And then I drive back home and crawl into my bed and cover my eyes. This is so painful. I just want to die. And then I get a text.
“I’m sorry. I can’t do this.”
This was all he was going to say to me. ‘I’m sorry, I can’t do this.’ After telling me he loved me, dreaming with me about moving in together, talking about marriage and babies. He had literally texted me about naming our imaginary daughter ‘Lola’ just the day before. Just the day before! And that’s all he was gonna offer as an explanation? ‘I’m sorry, I can’t do this.’
I dial his number. He picks up.
“I’m sorry,” he says.
“What happened?”
“I’m just sorry and I can’t do this.”
“You can’t offer any explanation??”
“Maybe I can call you later and explain.”
“No, you can just answer the question. What happened? Did you go to see your ex?”
“Yeah.”
“Ok. Alright. This breaks my heart.”
“I know. I’m sorry.”
The rest of the day is pretty blurry. I go to see my therapist. She is obviously alarmed and encourages me, not for the first time, to find some sort of support group. She’s right. I am an addict. Addicted to what, exactly, I don’t know. Love? Sex? Attention? Alcohol? Xanax? Ambien? Yes. All of it.
My two best friends come over to “comfort me”. We just get really drunk. After several white russians, I watch my best girl friend tearfully confess to her very conservative mom that her 12-year-old daughter is gay and proud. It is very intense. My friend is so stressed and so scared and also so drunk. When she hangs up with her mom, we both cry and hold each other in my kitchen. She tells me I’m worthy and important to her. This makes me cry even more.
I’ve already arranged for my abusive ex-boyfriend to come over after she has to leave. She has watched me go back to him so many times, she doesn’t even try to stop me. She tells me she’s concerned about my safety but that she doesn’t judge me and is not surprised.
I’m so drunk. It’s easy to push away the heartache for tonight. My ex, who I totally ditched to be with the new boyfriend, comes right back into my home. He cracks open a beer and proceeds to get drunk with me. If we talk about anything heavy or serious, I won’t remember it. I will vaguely remember taking off our clothes and engaging in some angry sex. It’ll do, for tonight.
In the morning, I can’t help but text the new boyfriend about how hurt I am and how irresponsible he was with my feelings. He doesn’t even respond.
My ex is sober and angry now. He can’t take it that I’m heartbroken about some asshole that cheated on me after I left him to be with said asshole. And he wants to punish me. So he leaves me in this pathetic state of utter despair. Some part of me is proud of him for standing up for himself. But I am so lonely and broken and helpless and I beg him to come back and just help me to survive. Eventually, he’ll text back to say that he can come back in the evening. So ok, I can survive until the evening.
In the meantime, I decide to reach out to my new (ex) boyfriend’s ex girlfriend. I want her to know what happened. I want her to have the full story. I want her to know that it was just 24 hours ago that I believed he was in love with me and committed to me. I wanted her to know that he had been planning on coming to my house when he went to her house.
She is so much more welcoming to me than I ever thought in a million years she would be. She suspects he was hiding some truths, too. She feels like something was off, too, and is interested in getting to the bottom of it.
So we get to the bottom of it.
The bottom is a painful place.
This dude had been going back and forth between the two of us for several days. He told us both he loved us. He told us both he would not be talking to or seeing the other. He slept with both of us. At least once he did these things with both of us on the same night. And then he continued to lie about it. For several days.
Several days.
And so I continue texting with his ex girlfriend. She is so straightforward and so willing to share. And she welcomes my sharing. She lets me in on what he’s texting her and how he’s trying to manipulate the story. She shows me some very very mean things he says about me. He calls me crazy. He says I don’t matter. He’s angry with me for reaching out to her and angry with her for believing my *crazy* story. He promises her that I mean nothing to him and that he doesn’t want anything to do with me. He claims that I’m just trying to ruin their relationship because I’m angry and bored. He has blocked me on every social media platform at this point. He knows he’s been caught. But he continues to reach out to her, tries to manipulate her and get her back.
This is so painful.
As much as I appreciate her sharing with me all of these things, it hurts. This man loved me, I thought. This was going to be a fresh start for me, I thought. I was finally going to escape an abusive relationship and heal and move forward with this fun-loving, adorable, sexy man and live happily every after. This was going to be the happy ending everybody always says I deserve. But now I mean nothing to him? Nothing? I’m just a crazy story teller, relationship ruiner?
It hurts.
…
And so, it wasn’t the happy ending I’d been waiting for. It wasn’t love. It wasn’t the real thing. It was fantasy. And now it’s over.
He has reached out. Now that it seems like he can’t get his ex back, he’s trying to get me back. Maintaining contact with her will help me, I think, to keep my eyes open to reality as well as to remind him that he can’t get away with all this deception.
It’s hard because I’d be lying if I said I couldn’t relate to operating in such a dysfunctional way just to try to find some love and attention. It’s how I was raised (which is another story, or two, perhaps for another day). A part of me aches for him and the pain and the loneliness that he is so desperately trying to avoid feeling. And part of me just really liked that fantasy we were living out for those whirlwindy couple of weeks.
Getting through these next few days, weeks, months will be challenging. Just brushing my teeth and getting in the shower today will be challenging. Navigating what to do with my hurt, angry, abusive ex will be challenging. And I’m scared. | https://medium.com/@missham/welp-i-was-sure-wrong-about-that-one-d68574f206d7 | ['No Name.'] | 2020-12-22 22:03:44.224000+00:00 | ['Lies', 'Addiction', 'Heartbreak', 'Mental Illness', 'Relationships Love Dating'] |
The Moment We’ve All Been Waiting For | The Moment We’ve All Been Waiting For
Goodbye, 2020
It’s the moment we’ve all been waiting for: the chance to say goodbye to the hectic, harrowing year that was 2020. We entered the new decade with high hopes; sadly, those Roaring ’20s references didn’t quite track on our IG posts the way we’d hoped.
But as we close out this year, I am focusing on gratitude. For one, painful police brutality ignited a racial reckoning we needed centuries ago. We’ve learned to speak up and rise up. We made it possible for a new administration to take the reins next month. And we baked bread — lots and lots of bread.
On behalf of the Momentum editorial team, we thank you for learning, expressing your pain, and sharing your hope with us this year. We plan on being a guide and good friend and getting you through the fight against anti-Black racism through 2021 and for years to come.
Read the latest issue of Momentum’s Up to Speed newsletter here: | https://momentum.medium.com/the-moment-weve-all-been-waiting-for-63d924bb8f9a | ['Jada Gomez'] | 2020-12-18 06:33:09.687000+00:00 | ['Newsletter', 'Gratitude', '2020', 'BlackLivesMatter', 'Politics'] |
Has Cancel Culture Gone Too Far? | Last week, the National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC) removed a portion of a new exhibit called “Talking About Race,” citing concerns that it hadn’t contributed to “the productive discussion” the curators had hoped. The move came after mounting pressure and criticism from conservatives.
But if we were living in less insane times, the outcry wouldn’t have been partisan. In a sane world, any reasonable person, regardless of political persuasion, would have seen this exhibit for what it clearly was: racist.
Yet that didn’t happen because we’re living in crazy town now. Anything goes, and almost no one notices.
“Talking About Race” had a noble goal: to provide tools to advance open, honest and respectful “conversations” about race. But a graphic illustration embedded within it — “Aspects & Assumptions of Whiteness & White Culture in the United States” — undermined this effort.
The chart was based on a book written by Judy H.Katz in 1978 entitled “White Awareness: Handbook for Anti-Racism Training.” In her book, Katz argued that because white people dominate the power structure, all Americans (including non-whites) have internalized certain beliefs and practices. This, of course, makes sense.
But here’s where it gets bizarre.
The chart highlighted 14 categories of “white dominant culture” that have been “normalized” over time. According to “Aspects & Assumptions,” even characteristics and behavior such as hard work, punctuality, and a desire for progress make non-whites feel “inferior or abnormal.” Why? Because they’re oppressive. Again, why? Because these are apparently “white” standards that people of color simply can’t meet.
The irony is that if a KKK Grand Wizard (or Donald Trump) claimed these as “white” characteristics, we all know what would happen. They would be vilified as racists. The blowback would be epic. The media would spin the story 24/7 for days, and maybe weeks.
Yet when those teaching anti-racism suggest that non-white Americans can’t be expected to meet standards of conduct common to most people of all colors across the world, the silence is deafening.
What happened last week should be a wake up call to anyone committed to eliminating systemic racism in the United States. We’re on a slippery slope. We’re living in a time when anyone or anything that’s deemed offensive can be ejected or terminated. That means that if characteristics demonstrated by most functional adults can now be considered symbols of “whiteness,” they could also be on the chopping block at some point. They could be “cancelled.”
If that happens, these well-intentioned crusaders may end up sabotaging the quest for equality. | https://medium.com/discourse/has-cancel-culture-gone-too-far-3a813d2e4ffa | ['Monica Harris'] | 2020-08-21 23:26:03.759000+00:00 | ['Equality', 'White Supremacy', 'White Privilege', 'Cancel Culture', 'Race'] |
A Path Through Polarization | December 2020
Recently I was approached by an HR professional who was curious about how the vision work that we do in Genysys might address the polarization of relationships in the workplace. The environment of polarization continues to escalate in today’s world. His question reminded me of a comment of a participant in an envisioning workshop that I facilitated almost ten years ago. This workshop was for members of a historical society that was deeply divided over what to do with a very unique asset. They had been given a castle in the middle of the local community. A majority of the society members didn’t want to have anything to do with the castle.
After the workshop one of the participants, who represented the majority of those who wanted nothing to do with the castle, came up to me and after thanking me for being willing to facilitate this workshop in such a contentious environment, made the following comment: “The common vision that we were able to develop today about the future of the castle has brought needed healing to our society.”
Upon reflection, I believe that the key to developing some healing and common ground was first to identify the common questions that all of the participants had about the future of the castle beyond the present reality. As they thought beyond five years, which is where we in Genysys begin, it was amazing the common ground in interests, hopes, and concerns that began to emerge. When the results of the visioning exercise around the questions of the long-term future of the castle began to be shared the participants began to see that they often had much more in common about the future than they ever thought possible. As one participant indicated, “Eighty percent of what we shared today is common and/or complementary, our problem was that we had, up to now, no forum or way to discover our common ground.”
Here are two questions that might help in discovering common ground in an environment of polarized differences:
What common questions do we, in any group of which we are a part (work, family, community, church, etc.), have about our future beyond five years? How does each participant answer these questions as they look to that year of focus beyond five years?
The common and complementary responses to those answers can provide a bridge of hope for a common and positive future for those involved as it was for the historical society and its castle. | https://medium.com/the-consultant-school/a-path-through-polarization-e8753a1b7345 | ['Ray Rood The Genysys Group'] | 2020-12-22 21:27:11.729000+00:00 | ['Consulting', 'Organizational Culture', 'Polarization', 'Ending Polarization'] |
Talents | I embrace my talents,
we all have them.
I decipher the signals.
If i don’t have that
or that,
It will be for something.
It will be because I have this.
I take care of them,
I bless and thank. | https://medium.com/@peace.and.dolls/talents-2e741f8cd2 | [] | 2020-12-27 10:18:15.228000+00:00 | ['Talent', 'Thoughts', 'Feelings', 'Gratitude', 'Poetry'] |
Your Own Pure Heart | Your Own Pure Heart
photo by Rustam Mussabekov on Unsplash.com
Love, give us pure vision!
Dear One,
I am writing to remind you of things you already know. There is a place in you and everyone that is inherently innocent. When you judge yourself and others, you are seeing through the eyes of your own feelings of guilt or self-righteousness, and those emotions warp your perspective.
Emotions are just energy flowing through you. To feel deeply is one of the gifts of being human. Strong feelings can motivate you to take action and can facilitate the opening of your heart in empathy and compassion. These same emotions, however, can obscure your vision, causing you to feel shame and to project blame.
Today is the occasion for you to meet yourself as a child, choosing to see all people through the eyes of Love, the eyes that behold you always in your innocence. When you take off the glasses of guilt and blame, you have clarity of vision and can embrace your own pure heart.
Remember, this moment is an opportunity to connect to Love, and therefore, to live into the fullness of who you are.
As always, do what best awakens you to love,
Your Inner Wisdom | https://medium.com/advent-reflections/your-own-pure-heart-834523fa636d | ['Ani Vidrine'] | 2020-12-18 14:18:22.568000+00:00 | ['Compassion', 'Advent', 'Heart', 'Humility', 'Love'] |
Delhi weather update: Light rain likely in national capital over next 2 days, says IMD | Delhi weather update: Light rain likely in national capital over next 2 days, says IMD
The city recorded a minimum temperature of 10.9 degrees Celsius on Thursday. The maximum temperature is likely to settle around 29 degrees Celsius. Geist Dec 10, 2020·2 min read
The national capital and its neighbouring cities are likely to receive light rainfall over the next two days under the influence of a fresh western disturbance passing over the Himalayas, the weather department said on Thursday.
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Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand have also received a fresh spell of snowfall due to the western disturbance.
“After the western disturbance withdraws, icy cold northwesterly winds blowing from snow-laden Himalayas will bring temperatures down in the plains,” an official of the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said.
The minimum temperature is expected to drop to 8 degrees Celsius by Monday, according to an IMD forecast.
The city recorded a minimum temperature of 10.9 degrees Celsius on Thursday. The maximum temperature is likely to settle around 29 degrees Celsius.
Delhi’s air quality was recorded in the “very poor” category, and is likely to improve over the next two days due to a predicted increase in the wind speed and light rain.
The city’s air quality index (AQI) was 304 at 10 am. The 24-hour average AQI was 358 on Wednesday.
An AQI between zero and 50 is considered “good”, 51 and 100 “satisfactory”, 101 and 200 “moderate”, 201 and 300 “poor”, 301 and 400 “very poor”, and 401 and 500 “severe”. | https://medium.com/@geist_2487/delhi-weather-update-light-rain-likely-in-national-capital-over-next-2-days-says-imd-ad7148985d9f | [] | 2020-12-10 08:23:37.354000+00:00 | ['Indian', 'Național', 'News', 'Weather'] |
The Hidden Impact of Product Messaging on Your Scaling Business | Time for the obvious statement of the day: the startup journey is chock full of challenges. From fundraising to selling to just keeping the lights on, founding teams have plenty to deal with. But there is one thing that should be at the top of a startup’s to-do list: positioning and messaging.
I know what you’re probably thinking. Of all the things on that to-do list, why is positioning and messaging so important?
It’s so important because having the wrong messaging impacts all aspects of your business. Whether you’re pitching, selling, or marketing, messaging is involved. And creating the right messaging is not a one-and-done process. It takes trial and error, feedback, validation, and revisiting the drawing board numerous times to finally get the story right. And even when you do get it right, the story will have to scale with your business, which means that your messaging journey is never really done.
This is one lesson that Eric Prugh learned along his journey co-founding PactSafe, a platform that empowers high-velocity contract acceptance through seamless clickwrap agreements. In the early days, the PactSafe team was constantly testing and adjusting to find the right story to tell. While PactSafe is scaling and growing, it wasn’t always that way.
As Eric explains, “It took us a year and some change to really get that first big deal across the line. And you know I think it was obviously a combination of the right message, right time, right product, but it’s also aligning to the right type of person that’s going to align to the product and understand the value.” Through the journey to finding the right message, Eric learned a lot of other lessons along the way, and he shared those during his guest appearance on the Better Product podcast. Here are a few of the things he learned.
Your lack of sales success can either be a product problem or a message problem.
Some sales meetings don’t convert, and that’s just the name of the game. But if you’re striking out repeatedly and don’t know where you’re going wrong, you could have a product problem or you could have a message problem. If it is a product problem, then there are things you can do to address it and make sure that it is solving real problems. But if you’re like Eric and you’re confident that your product is addressing real problems and providing value, then it may be time to check in on the story you’re telling.
Strong messaging is more than just explaining what you do. In order to craft a compelling story and resonate with your audience in a way that drives them to buy, you need a real understanding of the value you provide, the right stories to tell, and the personas of the people who can derive the most value from your product. That way, you can be confident that the story you’re telling is the one that your audience wants to hear and it is the one that will make your product irresistible.
“It was really challenging in the beginning to get people to care. And it was because we started out with a very horizontal focus where we said anybody with online terms and conditions can use this product. And that is such a classic startup mistake to think about it that way.”
Refining your message takes persistence (and a lot of questions).
Finding the right messaging doesn’t happen overnight, and you certainly can’t do it from a bubble. In order to find the message that resonates with customers, you need to talk to customers over and over again. You should be obsessively looking for chances to test out your ideas and making in-the-moment tweaks to be constantly honing your message for each audience.
Start it early, seek validation, and don’t be afraid to get real feedback. In the early days of PactSafe, Eric and team were constantly testing, and it was from those failed meetings that they learned the mistakes they were making. As Eric explained, “It was really challenging in the beginning to get people to care. And it was because we started out with a very horizontal focus where we said anybody with online terms and conditions can use this product. And that is such a classic startup mistake to think about it that way.”
After learning lessons, making changes, and collecting wins to site in the process, they were able to align on the right messaging that spoke to the buyer’s pains and helped convert sales.
“If we didn’t have customers to talk about that were using the product, if we didn’t have the stories that related back to the real value that PactSafe provided… That’s what got us to the right messaging. That’s what got us to the right personas, and to think about things the right way.”
You need to scale your message alongside your product, and make sure that you have the right team to support it.
When you’re in startup mode, you’re likely extra responsive to your customers because you want to keep them around. But as you scale you’re going to have more differing opinions and it can be easy to lose sight of what you’re working towards. But just like you use a product roadmap to guide product growth, you need to align your message to the high-level vision and value proposition of your product, and understand when to say no. As Eric of PactSafe explains, “We definitely fell prey to being too responsive in the beginning and I think there’s a little bit of residue of that even today.”
Don’t get me wrong, it is important to listen to your customers and make sure you’re scaling in a way that aligns to their needs and goals. But resist the urge to be too accommodating and instead root your team in the foundational position and message that you want to communicate in the market.
The best way to do this is to hire someone to lead the effort. In the beginning when there is just a handful of people responsible for the message externally, it is pretty easy to keep it aligned. But as your team grows and your organization becomes more complex, product marketing can become a big blind spot for the business. If you have groups of people out there telling a different story, it will cause confusion, but bringing product marketing in house will control the message and align it to the product’s value. | https://medium.com/better-product/the-hidden-impact-of-product-messaging-on-your-scaling-business-15cd31504957 | [] | 2019-06-27 17:38:20.790000+00:00 | ['Scaleup', 'Startup', 'Product Marketing', 'Messaging', 'Positioning'] |
Getting Started with Competitive Programming 👨🏻💻 | March 24, 2020.
Almost all of the colleges in India are shut due to the COVID-19 pandemic. We know you might be bored to death at home.
If you are someone who has heard about “Competitive Programming” either from your seniors or your peers but still don’t know what it is about then this article might help you out. This article will be more relatable to the undergrads studying in Indian colleges, possibly someone who took a semester of maybe programming in C or Python, depends on your curriculum. We tend to put Competitive Programming on this pedestal as it helps us bag better career opportunities in the software industry.
What is it ?
Google code jam
Competitive Programming is a mind sport.
That’s true. Competitive programming contests are usually contests that have people solve algorithmic puzzles and challenges with a given time and memory constraint to make things more fun. You know, the kind of puzzles that would have you write a program to find the solution.
Such programming competitions involve solving a set of logical or mathematical problems, and contestants are required to write a program to solve the problem. Programs can come from the fields of combinatorics, number theory, graph theory, string analysis and data structures or any field closely related to mathematics or computer science. Read the following to get the gist of the problems usually asked.
Longest Sub-string from leetcode.com
How does it happen ?
It starts with you reading the problem statement. Let’s go over a sample problem. This is from codeforces.
You think a little, code something, test it, its wrong, you think again, code again and finally arrive to the correct solution.
You copy your code, paste it in the submit section and hit submit.
Now your submitted code will be tested against a lot of test cases. If your code gives the correct output in the given time and memory constraints, Congratulations! you just solved your first problem.
yay
Competitions usually have a set of problems that you have to solve say in 3 hours. Each correct submission rewards you some points. The one with the max score wins 😬 | https://medium.com/dsckiit/getting-started-with-competitive-programming-bc26d4a9579f | ['Junaid Rahim'] | 2021-04-03 06:47:48.029000+00:00 | ['Cpp', 'Getting Started', 'Competitive Programming', 'Beginner', 'Leetcode'] |
Thank you! | Thank you! Why did I have to explain to white folks on social media the how and the why black people vote?
Number one, except for Obama and probably Jimmy Carter we’ve never had a choice between a racist and a non racist — ever. So we vote for the one who, at least, seems like he would *actively* harm us.
We don’t have the luxury of choices. I don’t vote *for* Democrats. I vote “against* Repubilicans. I don’t vote to harm Muslims, Mexicans, poor people, black people, brown people, gay people.
I know who’s be terroizing us for centuries and it wasn’t them. Republican dog whistles don’t work on us. Calling Mexicans rapists didn’t grab our collective pussies.
In addition, I can’t see one damned thing Republicans have done for the average working white man, so why in the hell would I vote for one.
I’ve been on social media asking white folks to tell me what Republicans have done for the average working white man... Still waiting for an answer. Oh wait, I did get one — I was called a bitch, after pointing out facts and the truth about the Republican party and why white folks gravitate to it.
I guess the truth hurts.
Trump makes (certain) white folks feel supreme and that’s all that matters.
The Master Race of the Aggrieved People have yet to figure out that black people, brown people, Muslims, and “the gays" aren’t in charge — old white men are — and apparently never ask themselves: Wait! If white people are in charge why ak I so aggrieved and broke? Why are they pointing fingers over there and not at themselves? Instead of feeding me a daily diet of racist bones everyday, why aren’t they lowing my taxes that they don’t pay; telling me colleges are for liberals, although they send their children to private schools, have college degrees themselves and weren’t indoctrinated into those liberal commie ideas, and send their kids to the best private schools; tell me universal healthcare is socialism, yet they are going to collect tax paid pensions and have my tax paid healthcare; tell me it’s the blacks, the feminists, the Muslims, the gays, and the Mexicans, when the only ones I see in charge are rich old white guys who claim to be straight and Christian?
At the very least, they like the racist messages but you’d think they would insist on some economic pay back.
Master race, my ass... | https://medium.com/@mydaddyscat/thank-you-823d0446ff7a | [] | 2020-03-18 19:23:03.532000+00:00 | ['Republicans', 'White Voters', 'Election', '2020 Presidential Race', 'Republican Hypocrisy'] |
How I Would Free My Younger Self From Stage Fright | Photo by Vince Veras on Unsplash
I played the trumpet as a kid — from third grade all the way up through high school.
In my estimation, I was okay. I wasn’t insanely gifted, but by most metrics I was a solid member of the groups that I played in.
Except when the spotlight was on me. When I played a solo, or when there was no place to hide as a member of a small ensemble, I would get incredibly nervous. So nervous, in fact, that my throat would start to close up and my hands would start to shake uncontrollably.
It’s pretty much impossible to make a trumpet sound good in such a state. And as a result, I tanked pretty much every single solo that I had.
For years I dealt with this. And you’d have thought that after one or two experiences with such public humiliation, I’d do everything I could to avoid the spotlight — or even the instrument as a whole
But no. I repeatedly — and I mean repeatedly — put myself into situations where I would be unable to play due to nerves. Solo after solo, ensemble after ensemble, the amount of times that I faced down my fears and failed to rise above them is…concerning, from a psychological perspective.
I was determined to fix this weakness. And yet — I never did anything to try and actually deal with it.
I didn’t change how I practiced. I didn’t reach out to anyone for help. I didn’t do any research on performance anxiety or how to conquer it.
And I never beat back that fear.
It’s been a long time since I played the trumpet. But I’ve learned a lot about how to combat stage fright since then — some of it from experience, and some of it from Charles Duhigg’s excellent book The Power of Habit. And given a time machine and a five minute audience with my younger self, this is how I would advise him to work through his crippling fear of the spotlight he so desired:
Practice makes automatic
Most of these solos were pretty simple — nothing I couldn’t handle when I wasn’t under the pressure of performance. As a result, I didn’t spend a lot of time practicing them.
Now, I know that I should have.
Now, I would practice those solos over and over and over again. I would have them memorized up, down, and sideways. I would have them practiced to the point where you could wake me up in the middle of the night, give me a trumpet, and hear a perfect rendition of the musical segment from my half-conscious self without me even knowing where I was or what I was doing.
One of the things I learned from The Power of Habit is how useful it is to practice complex behaviors to the point where their execution is automatic. Duhigg’s example was an NFL coach whose precision in designing and assigning drills allowed his players to turn their practice into reflex, improving both reaction time and execution by removing thinking from the action.
With much of my brain being occupied with how nervous I was, off-loading the actual music part to reflex would have helped me immensely. Practicing to the point of physical memorization — where my body took over the execution rather than my conscious mind — would have undoubtedly helped with my nerves.
Learn how to deal with physical stress
“Just relax.”
This is probably the worst in-the-moment advice that you can give someone dealing with performance anxiety. It’s like telling a drowning man to stop inhaling water.
After all, if the person knew how to relax, don’t you think they’d already be doing it?
With that said — it’s entirely possible to practice physical relaxation techniques prior to moments of performance anxiety so that you can use those techniques during moments of stage fright — the same way you can have someone practice swimming prior to being in a drowning situation so that they know what to do while they’re dealing with it.
For example — I used to flirt a bit with meditation. It never progressed into a serious relationship — but there was one particular exercise that taught me how to relax during high-tension moments.
A few times a week, while trying to clear my mind, I would practice building and then releasing tension in my body. I would first clench my toes, hold for a moment, and then relax them, focusing on the feeling of how tight they were followed by how relaxed they felt. Then I would do the same thing with my calf muscles. Then I would continue onwards up my body, tightening and relaxing all of my joints and major muscle groups, right up through the muscles in my head.
This taught me both how to recognize physical tension and then force myself to release it — and it almost immediately had a real impact on my life.
At the time, I hated driving. I didn’t have a lot of on-the-road experience, I’d barely escaped a few serious accidents, and every time I found myself behind the wheel I couldn’t wait until the vehicle came to a stop.
But soon after starting that clench-hold-release-reflect exercise, I realized that I was incredibly physically tense while driving around. Oftentimes, my thigh muscles were clenched so hard that my legs were practically shaking — and the physical tension and the low-key anxiety I had around driving were feeding into each other in a vicious little loop that made the experience miserable for me.
But because I had been practicing how to “force” my muscles to relax, I started being able to do the same while behind the wheel. And after a little practice, my ability to remain physically relaxed while driving led to a massive reduction in the anxiety I experienced on the road. And now, although I don’t really love being behind the wheel, driving is now a neutral activity rather than one to dislike.
Doing this same sort of exercise back when I was playing the trumpet would have undoubtedly helped me to ease up some of the physical tension and shaking that I dealt with that led to such poor performances.
Don’t try to NOT think about things — especially outcomes
“Try to pose for yourself this task: not to think of a polar bear, and you will see that the cursed thing will come to mind every minute.” — Fyodor Dostoevsky
So much of my time in the build-up to and during these failed trumpet solos was spent telling myself to not think about how nervous I was.
Like Dostoevsky’s white bear, this only made my anxiety more invasive and pervasive.
I found a somewhat similar sentiment echoed in The Power of Habit:
The Colts started the game strong, but before the first half ended, they began falling apart. Players were afraid of making mistakes or so eager to get past the final Super Bowl hurdle that they lost track of where they were supposed to be focusing. They stopped relying on their habits and started thinking too much.
Just as thoughts of success and failure overtook the players’ carefully practiced on-the-field responses, my obsession with my own anxiety and my hopes for overcoming it only added fuel to the nervous dumpster-fire I regularly reverted to beneath the heat of the spotlight.
Trying not to think about stage fright doesn’t help. And neither does trying not to think about possible good or bad outcomes of each individual moment.
Now, I would try to force myself to think — specifically, about the music itself, and about all of the time spent practicing that particular piece (see the first step above). The NFL players in Duhigg’s book were able to rediscover their success once they were reminded to focus on what they had practiced instead of the outcomes of the game — and applying the same thing to my younger self would have helped me deal with stage fright while in the moment.
Focus on the mundane
On the heels of this last item — having a whole list of other things to focus on — even if small — has helped me through other moments of performance anxiety over the years.
Playing with a musical group offered one big way to get my mind off of my own stage fright — and that was the sound of my fellow musicians. One thing I could have done was try to focus on the output of a single instrument, zeroing in on that sound in order to divert my thoughts away from the shakes and the failure that I feared.
I also could have focused on my breathing — although being told to “focus on breathing” wouldn’t have helped if I didn’t know what that meant. Now, I would pay close attention to the feel of the air as it went through my nasal passages — or the increasing tightness and then looseness of my chest as I inhaled to capacity and then exhaled.
Even drilling down to the feel of certain things like the weight of the instrument in my hands or the texture of my dress pants on my legs could be enough to distract me from anxiety. Focusing on the font of the sheet music, or on a particular ink blot or a stain on the paper could provide another similar diversion from the mounting stress of the approaching performance
The five senses — sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch — are great avenues for things to focus on instead of anxiety. These distractions, although small, can be of massive value.
—
I wish I had known all of these things fifteen to twenty years ago. At the same time, I’m glad that I learned them, even after the fact — because now I can pass them on! Stage fright, performance anxiety, whatever you want to call it, is very manageable — you just have to put in the time and the effort to combat it before it happens, so that you know how to deal with it in the moment. | https://medium.com/@mortdecai-jones/how-i-would-free-my-younger-self-from-stage-fright-2e9489cc0f89 | ['Mortdecai Jones'] | 2020-12-16 13:31:27.526000+00:00 | ['Performance', 'Self Improvement', 'Anxiety', 'Self', 'Stress'] |
What are career and opportunities after learning python programming course?? | Python is thinking about a programming language, which is simple and easy to learn when contrasted with different dialects like Java and C++ and so on Python is easy to understand language structure and has simple inviting gathering highlights. Python is quicker being developed and execution. The 6 to 7 lines of code you write in Java or C++ language, a similar code on the off chance that you convert into the Python it very well may be 2 to 3 lines. It can likewise diminish the code intricacy with regards to an immense structure level. Python has a lot of libraries that help information examination, information control and information representation.
Here Jetking Aliganj one of the best hardware and networking institute in Lucknow are going to discuss various Python career openings accessible for a Python software engineer and how Python is hot, generally requesting and amazing language into the present place of employment market. Python likewise considered the top requesting future Programming language also. There are various open positions for Python individuals in all the territories like in India, USA, Canada, UK other European nations and across the Globe.
Requesting and High compensation
These days Pythons generally utilized and top requesting language across the globe into the product business. Installment and compensation of the Python Programmers are high. On average, we talk about the US, India or different nations likewise the compensation of the Python Programmers is high a result of its interest and uses into numerous innovations. Since a lot of large and small organizations need great python range of abilities resources. Python engineer compensation relies upon different quantities of variables with current and past experience also, Considering range of abilities, experience and mastery level, and Geographical area.
Simple to learn
One of the top reasons is Python is very easy to learn. Python is effectively readable and reasonable language it’s more like the English language like we talk and its amazing language doesn’t require some investment to learn like different dialects Java and C++.Python is a free and open-source language additionally a significant level language. In Python you can essentially compose your code like the English language and Python will change over it into lower-level subtleties. Python is a easy language where the machine peruses and deciphers the code.
Versatile Language
Python is a Portable Language that underpins various stages like Windows, Macintosh, Linux, Unix, and so forth the greater part of the platforms are upheld by python. For instance, on the off chance that we compose a code in Python for windows and need to run this code on another stage, for example, Linux, Unix and Mac then we don’t have to roll out such improvements into it, we can duplicate glue and run this code to on some other stage.
Web Development
Python is a Programming, which is generally utilized for web advancement too, similar to these days its exceptionally colossal web improvement market on the planet. In the event that you investigate popular sites Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and so forth Python has been used to build up these applications. So there as immense various Jobs of Python are accessible in these business sectors too. Python likewise can be utilized to construct Client-worker web applications.
Graphical User interface
Python is to a great extent utilized in small or big Projects work in GUI applications like on Graphical User Interface. Python additionally generally utilized for Desktop and Gaming advancement applications. As should be obvious there is likewise a colossal interest for GUI and Game improvement applications on the lookout. The individuals those knowing python well they are having various number of openings around there too. So for GUI applications, Desktop applications and Game improvement additionally it is requesting language.
Test Automation
Due to its Simplicity and incredible language Python is likewise viewed as a most loved Programming language generally used to construct a Test mechanization Framework for the Software Testing Company. That is the reason these days Demand for python is being expanded step by step in Test automation with various structures like Robot system, Pytest, Hybrid structures or custom measured structure. Python with selenium blend for automation testing contents is more in demand. People, they realize Python can likewise move and center their vocation into the Software Automation Testing field. Where there are more number of Automation Testers need with information or master with Python Programming here too. | https://medium.com/@kinjal-bisht201/what-are-career-and-opportunities-after-learning-python-programming-course-c68460b9c9f8 | ['Kinjal Bisht'] | 2020-12-24 09:30:31.512000+00:00 | ['Hardware Course', 'Python Programming', 'Networking', 'Coding'] |
Time-Travelling through the telescope | Scientists claim that if an alien 65 million light-years away, see the earth through a powerful telescope, they can see “dinosaurs”. Is it possible?
Did you know that when we look at objects in space through a telescope, we are looking at the past?
Celestial bodies like stars or faraway galaxies are far too distant to be measured in kilometers. Therefore, we use “light years”, which is a measure of the distance light travels in one year. Given how fast light travels, it takes less than a nanosecond to travel from the eyes to the TV or a wall, or even a house 200–300 meters away.
Sound travels one kilometer every three seconds, while light travels 300,000 kilometers per second. If we see a flash of light three kilometers away, and then seconds pass until we hear the rumble of distant thunder. What we see is what happened one-hundredth of a milliseconds ago, and what we hear happened seconds ago. That is not exactly the distant past.
If we were to look at our closest celestial bodies like the moon, which is 380,000 kilometers away. We see it as it was 1.3 seconds ago. Because it only takes 1.3 seconds for light to travel from the moon to us. If we look at the sun, we will see it as it was about 8 minutes ago.
The moon doesn’t change much from one moment to the next. But when the mission control center talks to the astronaut on the moon, this delay can be noticed. Radio waves travel at the speed of light, so it takes 1.3 seconds for information from the mission control center to reach the moon, and even the fastest response takes 1.3 seconds to return.
The Andromeda Galaxy is 2.5 million light-years away. It is the most distant celestial body visible to the naked eye. The light we see now has a history of 2.5 million years. The closest human relatives that could have seen the Andromeda Galaxy are the Genus Australopithecus.
So if we were to go back to when the dinosaurs went extinct, which is 65 million light-years away. We would find the NGC 4845 galaxy. Let’s assume some brilliant aliens residing there decided to look our way. If so, they’ll see the earth as it was at the time of the dinosaurs. But we cannot be certain that they would see any individual dinosaurs getting hit by an asteroid. Because they’ll need a very powerful telescope. Unless the aliens have technology that surpasses ours, the laws of physics make it impossible to make a telescope that powerful.
When it comes to our technology in recent years, the Hubble Space Telescope has obtained images of some galaxies that are seen in their early stages of development. To go further back to the time when the stars began to shine, we would need a telescope that can detect extremely low-intensity infrared light. Because although the light from these young stars in distant galaxies is emitted in the form of visible light, it has been stretched to resemble infrared light by the expansion of the universe.
It is hoped that when the James Webb Space Telescope is finally launched, we will be able to look back in time and observe events that occurred in distant galaxies a long time ago.
So the conclusion is until we can build a telescope that defies the laws of physics, we cannot be certain that aliens are peeping at our Mesozoic Era. But we are certain that we do not need a Tardis to time-travel. We can do that with just our bare eyes or with glasses, if you can’t see without them.
So when you look up, remember you aren’t seeing things as they are now, you’re seeing things as they were. | https://medium.com/digital-storytelling-content-creation/time-travelling-through-the-telescope-202d616a6964 | ['Dashmi Wijerathna'] | 2021-07-29 16:44:39.282000+00:00 | ['NASA', 'Cosmology', 'Time Travel', 'Telescope', 'Freestyle'] |
Part two: Secure remote working or secure remote tech? | People decision trees
As we discussed in part one, there is no one size fits all when it comes to a “secure” remote worker. You can load up as much secure tech as you want, but if your workforce doesn’t understand how to work securely in their new distributed world, you may as well not bother.
The bad news is; there’s no quick fix. As with any decision, there are extenuating factors to consider and not just which tech works with which device. Some elements are personal circumstances.
Remote preparedness
As you’ve discovered, many of your workforce will never have worked from home, but have you thought about whether they have the right conditions to do so? Laptop sales grew 2.8% in the second quarter of 2020, highlighting the scramble for suitable work from home equipment. I think we can safely say we knew they needed the right equipment if they didn’t already have a portable corporate device.
I know of a few companies who began to prepare for lockdown by surveying remote working suitability, quite early in the year. I’ve not seen one of these surveys so unfortunately, I’m unable to comment on their thoroughness into circumstance.
Circumstances, to name a few
Let’s delve into a few extenuating factors for “secure” remote preparedness.
Living conditions: Do they live in a suitable working environment? Is it a shared property, with shared WiFi and communal areas? Do they have access to a practical, comfortable and private location to do their work? Can they work from home safely (and I mean physical safety)? Are they able to manage childcare whilst schools are closed?
Finances: Do they have a partner who’s suddenly out of work, meaning cash is a bit tight? Do they have the home resources to effectively and efficiently work? Can they manage the increase in utility costs by redirecting commuting costs into household bills? Are they able to sustain themselves without a subsidised canteen or the team biscuits? Do they have suitable internet connections, that aren’t limited by fair usage, without additional cost?
Cohabitation: Do they live with anyone who would pose a risk to them or the business? If you require background checks, how do you manage relationships which may gain access to company data? Are they able to carry out their work away from cohabitees?
Education/knowledge: Are they able to carry out the tasks independently, away from a support network? Do they have the cognitive skills to adapt? Do they have the physical tools and the knowledge of their use to work effectively? Do they have refreshed data protection and secure working knowledge, in light of the changes made to working conditions?
Mental wellbeing: Are they able to cope with the isolation of remote working? Are they going through tough or challenging times that can have an impact on their mental wellbeing? Are they scared/anxious/nervous about new ways of working, their job security or the global situation?
The list is endless!
Do any of these ring any bells from when you’ve previously encountered an accidental or malicious insider?
Data and system access controls
We wouldn’t be doing our job correctly if we weren’t all over data controls and who has access to what, and for what purpose. As part of the remote working transition, did you make any reviews to these controls?
If you didn’t, I hope the cogs are now turning. Let me give you a few scenarios;
Worker: Female, aged 19, Call Centre Operative
Living Conditions: 6m x 5m room in a shared house with shared WiFi and bathroom
Finances: a 20% drop in household income, increased living expenses
Cohabitation: Shares room with a furloughed partner who has a higher than average amount of high-interest debt
Education/knowledge: Often used as an example of how to perform tasks and communicate with customers. Carried out data protection and information security refresher 10 months ago
Mental wellbeing: Due to the stress of increasing bills and a loss of income, her partner is becoming increasingly agitated. They live in a small room and are unable to distance from each other while in lockdown.
As a Call Centre Operative, she has access to customer data, such as name, address, email, direct debit information. She accesses the systems through shared WiFi, using the corporate VPN. Your worker doesn’t always lock her screen when visiting the bathroom or grabbing a drink, after all, she’s working from her room and they only other person in there is her partner, and they overhear her work calls anyway. She reuses the same password for her work and personal accounts.
What could possibly go wrong?
Worker: Male, aged 26, Marketing Executive
Living Conditions: 2 bedroom flat, private facilities and connections
Finances: Maintained salary and household income
Cohabitation: Lives with a roommate of a similar income bracket
Education/knowledge: Talented in his field, known as a little workshy but makes up for it with creative ideas. Was due to take information security refresher 2 months ago
Mental wellbeing: Is enjoying getting up late, but misses social connections and the team snacks
As a Marketing Executive, he often receives creative assets through file transfer systems, from Creative Agencies. The company doesn’t have a preferred file transfer system. He and hs his roommate often work to music and play office Olympics in their living room (home office). He has access to company social media channels, via a shared login as well as other web assets. With private WiFi, and no systems requiring the use of a VPN, he rarely connects, in fact, the VPN sometimes causes issues when using some of the sites he needs for work.
What could possibly go wrong?
Worker: Female, aged 40, Head of Department
Living Conditions: 3 bedroom suburban house, private facilities and connections
Finances: Maintained current salary and household income
Cohabitation: Lives with a long-term partner and their 5-year-old child
Education/knowledge: Well regarded by team, peers and stakeholders. Carried out data protection and information security refresher 3 months ago
Mental wellbeing: Is adapting well to remote working, it’s not the first time she has worked from home; however, it is the first time with a house full
As a Head of Department, she has access to confidential staff data, such as name, address, email, timesheets. She can also access internal finance systems, and approve purchases and funds transfers up to the value of £50,000. Systems are accessed through private WiFi, using the corporate VPN. During her evening bath, she often lets her 5-year-old watch YouTube on her corporate machine, while her partner goes for a run. Desktop notifications are enabled for email and instant messaging.
What could possibly go wrong?
Worker: Male, aged 33, First Line Support
Living Conditions: Living at home with parents
Finances: A 66% drop in household income
Cohabitation: An only child, living at home with parents who’ve both been made redundant
Education/knowledge: Due to the job, feels he has an excellent understanding of secure working and IT systems. He carried out data protection and information security e-learning upon joining the company two years ago.
Mental wellbeing: With both parents out of work, there is mounting pressure to support the household financially. With limited social interactions, other than through digital means, he begins to feel overwhelmed and isolated.
As First Line Support, he has access to staff data, such as name, email and some admin accounts through a shared login. Very familiar with using the right tools, such as VPN to access support queues. He spends most of his time in his bedroom, away from the family and distractions, other than a gaming PC. At the moment, the family don’t have enough food to sustain them as they usually would, they are mainly surviving on cereal and water until his parents’ Universal Credits kick in.
What could possibly go wrong?
Risk assessing secure remote preparedness
It’s near on impossible to risk assess preparedness if you don’t have an understanding of your workforce. If we look back to the early days of school closures when teachers remained at work for the children of key workers or vulnerable children. Those at risk were highlighted, and even that didn’t secure their safety. According to Sky, lockdown saw a 53% increase in child abuse cases. We know that fraud also went through the roof, along with domestic violence. Statistically, one of your team is at risk of poverty, violence or worse. Do you know how far they’d go to survive? How can anyone on the brink of existence behave securely?
So where do you start? Firstly, this isn’t a team project; this is a business-wide project. This is where collaboration is vital. HR/P&C must be involved, DP must be involved, Security must be involved, IT must be involved, Risk must be involved, everyone has a responsibility for information security, data protection, employee wellbeing and more!
A platform for assessment
Here’s an example of what a “People Security” decision tree could encompass, but, again, the possibilities are endless and belongs to everyone!
Whilst the current situation did seem to be sprung upon us; Bill Gates did call it back in 2010. From the outside looking in, we did seem to have lost touch with our dusty, filed away Business Continuity Plans, and I do wonder if theses plans considered the interpersonal, economic and social impact on our teams.
The moral of the story
I guess it’s ‘Seek to understand before you are understood’. To create a secure remote worker, you must understand the worker. What motivates them, what hinders them, their knowledge and understanding and ability to roll with the enforcement of change. | https://medium.com/@infosecjem/part-two-secure-remote-working-or-secure-remote-tech-8155d2bdbee3 | ['Jemma Davis'] | 2021-01-18 13:57:46.476000+00:00 | ['Information Security', 'Cybersecurity', 'Cyber Security Awareness'] |
Saying Goodbye to Talent | You have a rock-star team. Everyone works together, everyone communicates, everyone works to their strengths and asks for help in areas of less experience and skill. This is a team where you know you can hand out assignments, ensure they have the resources needed, and stay out of their way because it will get done. If help is required, they will come to you early, before it is a problem.
You want this team to stay together forever, right?
No. Not if you are doing your job as not only a manager, but as a mentor and leader.
(OK, OK, you honestly probably do a little, but stick with me.)
Top talent deserves rewards and with today’s world that reward wanted is often a new opportunity, not just extra dollars in the bank account.
(Those are nice as well, no one will say no to them.)
If you want to retain that top talent for your company, prevent that skill, teamwork, and knowledge from walking out the door, you simply must train them to grow beyond whatever box your team resides. Maybe it is managing their own team. Maybe it is migrating to a team with a new skill set challenge. Maybe is it leadership of a new team spun up to meet a new business challenge. Maybe it is YOUR seat as you look to do the same.
I’ve watched many of my best team members take advantage of each of these paths. Each time I’ve felt much like a proud parent watching their child score that goal, nail that dance move, or hit that high note.
Holding tight to your good talent, restricting them from growth and opportunity, that often in today’s professional world is what leads to the quickest loss of those very people. It is selfish and the younger generation especially sees through that selfishness without hesitation.
Help them grow, mentor them in how to progress their career, give them a path beyond you and your team. Give them growth and overall you’ll work together far longer than taking the alternative path. Even if they take that knowledge and do leave, it will likely be an opportunity you are proud to see them take, they will leave on good terms, and you’ll have a peer you can call on for years to come.
Thoughts? | https://medium.com/@theotherjon/saying-goodbye-to-talent-1815c89de593 | ['Jon Santee'] | 2020-12-08 13:05:06.197000+00:00 | ['Leadership', 'Personal Development', 'Team Building', 'Growth', 'Team'] |
Gdańsk | I admire tour guides for the same reasons I admire standup comedians: they’re all-around smart, historically-informed, and adept at attuning to the perspectives of others. The good ones at least.
Having relied on tour guides from Eastern Europe to East Africa, I’ve had mostly excellent guides, with some forgettable and regrettable ones mixed in. This post is basically a tribute to a guide named Łukasz Darski, who showed me Gdańsk, a jewel of a city on the Baltic Sea coast of northern Poland.
Gdańsk (old town pictured) is actually a tri-city region on the Baltic Sea coast with Sopot and Gdynia, all three of which have their own character.
There seems to be a certain tao to finding the right guide. I tend to rely on word of mouth from people I know rather than checking online reviews or booking with a company. Łukasz was recommended to us by our PolishOrigins genealogy guide.
We connected with him via WhatsApp on our two-hour drive from Toruń to Gdańsk. He was immediately responsive and asked just a couple questions about our interests and time allotment. He suggested we start at the European Solidarity Centre the next morning, which turned out to be exactly the right call.
The ECS is located in the shipyards of Gdańsk, where laborers started the Solidarity movement (Polish: Solidarność) in the 1980s, which ultimately helped to bring down Communist systems throughout Europe.*
Gdańsk shipyard, near the location of the Solidarity Centre. Two factors made Gdańsk a site where the Solidarity movement could incubate. First, it provided access to sailors who brought in new ideas and information from outside the Soviet bloc. Second, the network of man-made islands and bridges in the shipyards were not accessible to tanks and larger military equipment that were used to quash previous revolts.
“Here they are researching and trying to spread the idea of solidarity,” Łukasz told us when we met him in the Solidarity Centre atrium. Lech Wałęsa, the Nobel-prize winning figurehead of the movement and former president of Poland, maintains an office in the building. The centre was hosting a conference on critical thinking that day.
Atrium of the European Solidarity Centre. The rust-colored steel buttresses are angled five degrees to give the appearance of a ship’s hull.
The permanent exhibit positions the Solidarity movement as the proudest moment in modern Polish history. Solidarność was the Soviet bloc’s first independent trade union. Its membership peaked at 10 million members — 1/3 of the Polish working-age population at the time.
Exactly which moments Poland should be proud of in its history is a dynamic conversation. Having been partitioned and occupied by its neighbors for a period that stretched from the late 18th to the early 20th century — and then again during World War II — there is no shortage of traumatic memory in Poland.
At one point during the trip, our genealogy guide subtly noted, “In Poland there are no politics — only history,” which seems to be a play on a comment attributed to French philosopher Jacques Ellul. I take it to mean that the political office-holders are the ones who have constructed and wielded the most compelling historical narratives, for better or worse.
Poland’s current political powers hold up an image of the country as the martyr of Europe, a victim whose suffering and righteousness has never been properly acknowledged. It is an agenda that shares traits with other forms of nationalism attracting populist support in Europe and the US, with a common denominator of mostly white Christian men. Several of the heroes of Solidarność, including Wałęsa and the Kaczyński brothers, have played a part in Poland’s shift to the hard right. It’s complicated.
In spite of the complications, the ECS skillfully and powerfully constructs a narrative of Solidarity as an example of Polish character at its best. Here are four reasons why it ranks up there as one of the most effective and relevant museum exhibits I’ve seen*:
The Design and Collection
The information was presented in a visually-compelling way without over-reliance on interactives. I feel pressure to read everything in museums, so I rely on the visual design to convey quickly what this section is all about and where I should focus my attention. The ECS did this expertly, and in conjunction with a fascinating collection. One exhibit pavilion features the original “21 Demands” document, which is a series of demands the striking shipyard workers made of the Communist authorities, written on plywood and posted for all workers to read. The ceiling of the pavilion is dotted with hardhats worn by the shipyard workers.
The original “21 Demands” document, which is included by UNESCO in its “Memory of the World” list as one of the most important documents in history. Among the 21 points are calls for free trades unions to be established, censorship abolished, and political prisoners to be released.
Ceiling in one area of the ECS, covered in hardhats worn by Gdańsk shipyard workers. For a good history of Solidarność with further resources, check out this summary from the International Center on Nonviolent Conflict.
2. The Narrative
The exhibit’s narrative offers the most relevant advice in Europe and the US right now:
We can resist and defeat authoritarianism through collective action. Solidarity. We must carry each other’s burdens.
During times when authoritarianism is on the rise, the ones who often ascend to positions of power are people who look to exploit the opportunity without regard for ethics or morality.
Resistance is not easy or cheap, and the cost in suffering increases the longer we wait to make our move.
Publicly remembering the victims of atrocities can create powerful moments for dialogue. These moments are the points where remembrance can turn into action that changes society for the better.
We take freedom for granted but if we don’t take care of it, we lose it day by day. We need to work on freedom every day.
Uniforms representing nine striking coal miners who were massacred in Katowice in 1981 during the Solidarity struggle. Coal miners’ uniforms hang on hooks at the beginning of each day. These uniforms hang in memoriam, implying they will never again be taken off the hook by the nine workers who were massacred.
A closing wall at the ECS features the emblem of Solidarność formed by comments made by visitors.
4. The Guide
Łukasz. He’s from Gdańsk and lived through this history. He essentially gave us a socially-conscious tour of the permanent exhibit and wove in elements of his personal experience to enrich the displays.
For example, one nook in the museum is a recreation of the living room of a Communist-era flat. These flats are all over Poland and are still used, though now the exteriors have a modicum of color and the interiors are furnished with more zest.
Model of a Communist-era flat at the ECS.
“The only inaccuracy here is that the flat probably would not have color TV,” Łukasz said.
He told us a story of his sister waiting in a line for four hours for a doll, only to be told there were none left.
Refrigerated display case used during Communist era in Poland. The item was used to illustrate the point that after standing in line for up to four hours for provisions, one would finally make it to the front of the line and often find the shelves empty.
He talked about regretting his choice not to attend the June 12, 1987 mass in Gdańsk led by John Paul II (Polish-born Karol Wojtyła).
Mass led by Pope John Paull II in front of 700,000 people in Gdańsk. The Pope subtly but unquestionably advocated for Solidarność when he said, “Bear one another’s burdens…Solidarity — this means: one with another, and since the burden exists, then it’s a burden to be carried together, in the community.” Photo by Chris Niedenthal.
As great as the ECS exhibit was, Łukasz could have been talking to us in a coffee shop and we would have been enthralled. We had budgeted to spend two hours at the museum, by which point we were deeply engrossed in an exchange of ideas about American and Polish politics. We spent three hours at the museum altogether and certainly could have spent four.
Next, Łukasz took us on an outdoor hike, which we were game for on a crystal clear but brutally windy, cold day.
The saunter up the hill in freezing cold wind was worth it for this overlook. Shipyards on the left, old town on the right.
Our next stop was a quick lunch at a bar mleczny, or milk bar, which is a small-ish den that serves a decent cafeteria-style menu for cheap. They were popular with students and commoners during some of the leaner economic times of the 20th century in Poland. It’s a nice choice for a cheap lunch.
“I like this one because your coat doesn’t smell like milk bar the rest of the day,” Łukasz said, referring to the typical lack of ventilation in these places.
To my plate, I added gołąbki (stuffed cabbage roll simmered in a tomato sauce) and ziemniaki (potatoes, of course) to go with my favorite soft drink in Poland, czarna porzeczka (black currant juice). I’m waiting for the day when Costco starts selling it, so I can buy a pallet full. To top it off, I had to pick a bowl of soup from the good selection on offer. I chose kapuśniak — cabbage soup.
“To jest najlepsze,” the lunchlady said when the bowl landed on my tray. It’s the best.
A gołąbki. This all sounds like a lot of cabbage, and it is. It really is. But still, it’s not too much cabbage.
By lunchtime, our party had decided to stay an extra night in Gdańsk so we could see more of the city with Łukasz. After touring historic sites in the beautiful old town, Łukasz set us up in a sauna on the Baltic beachfront in nearby Sopot, where the custom is to run out of the sauna, across the frozen sand, and into the ice-cold sea — then back to the warmth of the sauna. We ended night one with a dinner at Bulaj, an upscale restaurant 250 meters down the beach.
Our second day with Łukasz featured a visit to Gdańsk’s monumental museum dedicated to World War II. Here, the tensions in Poland’s historical reckoning with WWII fully surface. Our touring with Łukasz concluded at the Muzeum Emigracji (Immigration Museum) — the counterpart to Ellis Island on the Polish side. This building was the place where the majority of Poles who left for the US boarded ship. I hope to cover both of these museums in future posts.
To say a final word about Gdańsk and Łukasz: Gdańsk is a beautiful city with a ton of interesting activities to offer, but Łukasz brought it to life for us in a way that made us promise to ourselves that we will come back. It’s a city and an experience that will always hold a special place in my heart. If you’re planning to visit Gdańsk, book a tour with Łukasz.
Me and Łukasz at the European Solidarity Centre, with Lech Wałęsa behind us signing historic documents with a conspicuous red pen. The pen was designed by a struggling entrepreneur from Częstochowa, Poland’s holy city of miracles, which is home to the revered Black Madonna painting. Wałęsa knew the signing of the accords would be seen worldwide. His choice to use this absurdly large pen boosted the business of the guy from Częstochowa. The pen has a postcard of John Paul II rolled up inside of it.
#####
Notes
The other most effective and relevant new (or new to me) museums I have toured in the last several years include the National Socialist Documentation Centre in Cologne, Germany; and the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, DC.
For a good history of Solidarność with further resources, check out this summary from the International Center on Nonviolent Conflict.
Pronunciation Guide:
Gdańsk: Like the word “dine,” but with a short hard g at the beginning and a quick “sk” at the end. (It’s basically one syllable. gDINEsk.)
Sopot: SOH-poht
Gdynia: g-DIN-ya
Łukasz: WOO-kosh (like Lucas, but with a woo and a sh)
Toruń: TOH-roon
Solidarność: Sol-ee-DAR-nosh-ch
Lech Wałęsa: Lech (with a throaty ch sound) va-WEN-sa
Kaczyński:
Katowice: kat-oh-VEETS-eh
Wojtyła: voy-TIH-wa
mleczny: MLEH-chnih
gołąbki: go-WAHMP-kee
ziemniaki: zhem-NYAH-kee
kapuśniak: kah-POOSH-nee-ahk
To jest najlepsze: TOE yest nye-LEP-sheh
Bulaj: BOO-lye
Częstochowa: chen-stuh-HOVE-uh
Standard disclaimer: Pretty much all the r’s are rolled. The penultimate (second-to-last) syllable almost always receives the emphasis. The letter ę is not exactly “en,” but like a nasally “en.” Which brings me to the point: I’m still learning Polish and I’m making up my own phonetic spellings, so take all this with a grain of salt. If you see something in error, linguistically or historically, let me know. It’s good learning opportunity for me. | https://medium.com/@kiel.majewski/gda%C5%84sk-95933ecdeb48 | ['Kiel Majewski'] | 2019-01-02 14:58:23.429000+00:00 | ['Travel', 'Poland', 'Museums', 'History', 'Social Change'] |
Ranchi Mall FLO Blockchain Contract Report — August 2018 | in Eudaimonia and Co | https://medium.com/ranchimall/ranchi-mall-flo-blockchain-contract-report-august-2018-713a6c09d7e6 | ['Rohit Tripathy'] | 2018-08-15 23:17:41.924000+00:00 | ['Blockchain', 'Ranchi Mall', 'Bitcoin', 'Cryptocurrency', 'Startup'] |
The Tip of the Iceberg: Can Small Colleges Survive in the 21st Century? | If you live in New England, you’ve likely heard a great deal about the imminent demise of small private colleges. Just today, Southern Vermont College announced it would close.
Boston Magazine led with a cover story headline last month: The End? Boston’s Small Colleges are Expensive, In Debt, and on the Verge of Collapse.
This followed news of the highly publicized mergers and closings of Wheelock, Mt. Ida, and Newbury College as well as the heavily-covered potential closing of Hampshire College in western Massachusetts.
The fact is that colleges are merging, closing, or being acquired more frequently in a trend that is likely to continue.
As in any industry, some colleges will not survive. Others should not survive. If a college or university does not deliver a product — in this case, a college education — that has value and is affordable to the market they serve, the outlook is appropriately grim.
Demographic Decline Is One of Higher Education’s Challenges
Economist Nathan Grawe offers an especially stark assessment for one of the underlying causes that he calls a “birth dearth.” Grawe concludes: “The Great Recession did not simply delay births — it eliminated them.” He sees a time bomb with an 18-year fuse that will decrease the pool of potential college applicants by 24 percent by 2029. Scott Jaschik recently reported in Inside Higher Education that even the University of California system is reporting a modest decline in enrollment.
The likely demographic collapse of the traditional-age college applicant pool illustrates that the problems facing small private colleges extend well beyond their group. It suggests that the small, under-resourced, tuition-dependent private institutions may be the first to feel the dramatic effects of demographic change.
But the recent Rand study that argues for the closing of many of the smaller public universities in Pennsylvania illustrates that the problem is not confined to one sector of higher education. It further intimates that the competition for students in a shrinking applicant pool will be fierce and ugly.
The shame is that closures, mergers, and acquisitions are just as likely to come from a series of other factors.
Unprepared Trustees are Risk Factor for Many Institutions
Another risk factor for colleges and universities is the complete failure of the stakeholders who share governance to understand the challenges. They are woefully unprepared for what they and their successors will face.
For many presidents and boards, the inability to meet enrollment targets is a campus problem, solved simply by increasing the tuition discount rate. At these institutions — shaped by a lack of transparency, misunderstanding of the overall state of higher education, and general incrementalism — the lawns will be cut and the dorms will be full on the day that the closure is announced.
It is the responsibility of management, the faculty, and trustees to know what is transpiring beyond the college gates. The best strategic planning discussions on campus are now filled with discussions about the impact of changes occurring outside the institution.
Senior Management Often Not Up to the Task
Another risk factor for colleges is that management is often not up to the task of leadership during a changing industry. The SEC and New York State Attorney General are investigating the College of New Rochelle over alleged improprieties that have caused a severe financial crisis that may close the college. The sad truth is that most college administrators are ill-equipped to handle crisis management in an environment where incrementalism emerges from process-driven decisions that often produce a climate of campus inertia.
Regulatory Uncertainty is Risk Factor for Colleges, Universities
An additional risk for institutions are the regulators and the uncertainty of their future actions. Hampshire College is moving toward probable closure because the trustees and management fear changes mandated by state regulators and want to get ahead of the curve.
How exactly do state and federal regulators work with colleges to strengthen their financial standing, improve their overall health, and provide peace of mind for prospective applicants when the optics they offer in the name of regulation effectively destroys any opportunity for the college to make the changes that it must make to survive? The media shines a harsh and unforgiving light on even the most enlightened intentions.
We seem to be lost in the forest and stumbling through the trees. For the large and complex mix of institutions — especially east of the Mississippi River — there are several basic policy questions to consider as they determine the best way to move forward:
Do they throw in their lot together, anticipating major structural changes that dramatically impact people, programs, and facilities?
Do they kick the can down the road, pushing the problem on to the next generation of leadership?
Are public colleges immune to industry risks, or, with state support declining, will they face similar pressures in the future?
Will only large, rich (i.e. well-endowed) institutions survive?
America has a rich, complex, and storied collection of colleges and universities that the rest of the world seeks to emulate. Yet, the world is changing around us.
The task ahead is to figure out how to shape a future that preserves one of the most unique features of the American democracy. Frederick Jackson Turner argued that the frontier was a kind of “safety valve” that opened the promise of America in the 19thcentury. Colleges serve the same function today. It is our job to figure out what to do with them and help them | https://medium.com/academic-innovators/the-tip-of-the-iceberg-can-small-colleges-survive-in-the-21st-century-97a29397f366 | ['Brian C. Mitchell'] | 2019-03-04 17:49:18.599000+00:00 | ['Boston', 'Higher Education', 'College', 'New England'] |
10 React Interview Questions for 2020 | What’s the Difference Between Class-Based Components and Functional Components?
The most obvious differences are syntax and definition. A functional component is a function that returns another component. A class-based component is a class whose render function returns another component. But which one should you use and when?
Prior to React 16.8, before Hooks were introduced, only the class-based components could hold internal state and lifecycle methods, and functional components could only rely on props (thus, they were stateless). So, it was easy: use classes for stateful components and functions for stateless.
But now, React Hooks such as useState and useEffect let you have state and lifecycle methods inside functional components. Additionally, React team is encouraging everyone to move away from class-based components because of performance issues and poor class implementation in JavaScript. There are still a few features still missing from functional components, however. One of those is error boundaries, so you are forced to use class-based components.
Here are examples of both approaches. This is the same component, implementing a counter button, both in class-based components and in functional: | https://medium.com/better-programming/10-react-interview-questions-for-2020-544f0ce5386b | ['Michael Krasnov'] | 2020-06-24 11:12:57.106000+00:00 | ['JavaScript', 'React', 'Interview', 'Programming', 'React Native'] |
The Tension of Thanksgiving | There is a tension to embrace this Thanksgiving.
To be fair, I think the tension is there every year, but it is especially present in a year where we’ve experienced so much loss.
God calls us to be thankful, but he also calls us to mourn with those who mourn.
I don’t know about you, but when COVID first began earlier this year, I never imagined we’d be dealing with it going into the holiday season.
For some of you, this Thanksgiving is the toughest Thanksgiving you’ve ever faced. The losses have been insurmountable this year, and you don’t really feel like celebrating. That’s okay. I stand with you. My encouragement to you is to know God is with you.
The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. (Psalm 34:18, NIV)
When we see friends and family who are sad, our first instinct is to want to fix them. We mean well. “Cheer up,” we say, with all sincerity. “Look at all you’ve got to be thankful for.”
There are times when it can be helpful to remind others of their blessings. But more often than not, I think our call is to sit with people in their grief. As we are reminded in Proverbs:
Singing light songs to the heavyhearted
is like pouring salt in their wounds. (Proverbs 25:20, MSG)
The tension of Thanksgiving is to express our gratitude while still acknowledging the pain and mess of this world. I believe a grateful heart is also a mournful heart. A friend of mine captured this tension well when she posted on Facebook, “Grief has sharpened my gratitude and gratitude has in turn softened my grief.”
I think Paul embraces this tension well in one of the most-quoted verses of Scripture:
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6–7, NIV, emphasis mine.)
Paul tells the Philippians not to be anxious. But why would he need to tell them that?
Because he knows there’s plenty of things in this world to be anxious about!
And God knows it, too.
Even in our anxiousness, the invitation is to go to God and tell him how we’re feeling. He doesn’t promise our circumstances will change, but he does promise peace in the middle of those circumstances.
And so, no matter where you find yourself on this Thanksgiving day — whether you are joyously celebrating or just trying to make it through the day; whether your gratitude list is overflowing off the page or it’s a struggle to scribble down one item — my prayer is that you would feel the peace of God.
May this day be a reminder that you are loved by Jesus.
P.S. Feel free to skip the veggies this year and go right to the pie. You’ve earned it! | https://medium.com/nobody-left-out/the-tension-of-thanksgiving-e9dc18c71c81 | ['Michael Murray'] | 2020-11-26 17:19:15.889000+00:00 | ['Religion', 'Christianity', 'Sadness', 'Jesus', 'Thanksgiving'] |
How to Use Content and Social to Promote Your Small Business | Author: Pratik Dholakiya / Source: Entrepreneur
In the United States, the small business sector represents a significant part of the nation’s economic growth, with an estimated 28 million registered businesses earning 54 percent of annual sales in America. Small business accounts for 55 percent of all jobs and, on average 66 percent of new net job growth on an annual basis, according to the U.S. Small Business Administration.
Given these statistics, there is nothing “small” about small businesses in America, except that these organizations typically follow a lean startup model, beginning as part-time businesses and growing only with time and cautious investment. Because of this limited growth model, hiring a marketing manager isn’t an option, budget-wise, for many small businesses.
However, what they lack in capital, these nusinesses can make up for with creative content marketing.
How can your small businesses leverage content tools and brand messaging to support your growth? Here are several strategies and software packages that every business owner should consider part of an effective marketing plan.
Master social media management.
If delegating social media management to someone on your team isn’t an option, become a master content creator yourself. There are many online courses available on Udemy that start for $10 per lecture, allowing you to learn at your own pace the fundamentals of digital marketing and social media. The courses will teach you what to share and when, to optimize the benefit of professional community management.
Learn what software applications the experts use to preschedule posts, and how to get alerts sent to your phone whenever someone likes or comments on your social media content. Empower yourself (or your staff) to respond quickly to customer questions on important social channels like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Small businesses that sell online nationally, or internationally, can benefit from looking at metrics or analytics regarding their social media engagement. Learn where your customers are from, what posts have the most traction, the most active days or times for your customers — and more. You can use Sprout Social. The software also comes with comprehensive scheduling applications, competitive reports and more.
Take advantage of newsjacking and trending hashtags.
Starting from scratch with new social media accounts means a slow, persistent build in terms of audience. Don’t be discouraged if it takes time and a lot of effort to gain traction and followers for…
Click here to read more | https://medium.com/oneqube/how-to-use-content-and-social-to-promote-your-small-business-da00feefce3e | [] | 2018-03-01 17:06:21.636000+00:00 | ['Content Marketing', 'Digital Marketing', 'Business', 'Economic Growth', 'Hashtag'] |
The Geography of a Creative Life | The geography of a creative life is different than that of a normal one. It doesn’t follow predictable arcs, have clearly marked destinations or well-lit paths. It requires you in the words of my friend AJ Leon to “grab a machete and hack your own.” You don’t take the MCAT or pass the bar exam. No certification or diploma makes you qualified to do your work. Instead of choosing from the options in front of you, you take the scenic route and explore the possibilities that around you.
False Starts
I’ve had many false starts in my life.
I quit Muy Thai, Bass Lessons, and Capoeira within a few weeks of starting
I started a dozen writing projects, one of many digital graveyards where early incarnations of my work are buried
Everyone has false starts. Entire industries thrive on false starts.
We sign up for a class but never remove the shrink-wrap. Or we look for the next thing that’s going to solve our problem when we haven’t used the first one.
We join the gym but never attend.
We purchase an instrument but never practice
A false start is better than standing still. You try something. You learn something. False starts allow you to collect data points and pay attention to what you find engaging. False starts are only a problem when they stop us in our tracks for good.
Dead Ends
When I was 20, I had a plan. But I quickly realized that life rarely goes according to plan, especially if you make that plan when you’re 20. I was fired on my 25th birthday, graduated into two recessions, and was near broke at 30. You couldn’t have planned such lousy timing.,
If you choose to pursue a life of meaning, intention, and purpose, you’ll hit dead ends. You don’t choose this kind of life if you want to get from A to B without stopping anywhere along the way. Sometimes you have to hit rock bottom to reach your peak. New beginnings are often disguised as endings, and dead ends precede significant change.
Dead ends hurt. When a book doesn’t sell copies, the album is a dud, and the project fails we hit dead ends. “Artistic losses” are our miscarriages said, Julia Cameron.
Layovers
Every creative journey has a layover between the beginning and the final destination. Day jobs and whatever else we need to do to pay the bills are layovers in the geography of a creative life:
Steven Pressfield picked fruit and drove trucks
Michael Crichton went to Law School
John Legend Worked for the Boston Consulting Group
People on a layover know it’s temporary. They spend a small part of life they’re life doing what they need to do so they can do what they were born to do. Dyana Valentine says that you should treat your day job as the first angel investor in your dream or company. Treat your layovers accordingly.
Detours
In the detours of a creative life, we arrive at what elle luna calls the crossroads of should and must. We begin a part of the journey where everything is unknown, and anything is possible:
When a doctor quits her practice to pursue some humanitarian effort, she takes a detour
When a designer walks away from a startup to make art, she takes a detour
Detours take us into uncharted territory. We can approach them like a person who drives across the country and only stops for gas. Or we can stop and look around. All it takes is one turn in a different direction to end up at a different destination. When you arrive at the detour, you’ll be encouraged to take the tried and true path, and discouraged from enduring the uncertainty of an unproven path. The detour is the call in every hero’s journey.
Peaks and Valleys
In 2013, I was on top of the world. I became a WSJ best selling author. I made more progress with my career in 6 months than I had in all the years prior. By the summer of 2014, I was in a dark valley, my crucible, or what I referred to in my previous book as the impact zone. You’re taking wave after wave on the head, and it seems like you’re never coming back up for air. We canceled an event because we didn’t sell enough tickets. A few weeks later an editor contacted me about writing a book.
When you’re in a dark valley, it can be hard to find reasons to live. The wounds feel like they’re never going to close. It’s been said that cracks are how the lights get in, but in the midst of grief that light passes through you, quickly fading back into darkness. Every experience is intensified, and every emotion is heightened.
You feel beyond lonely, yet you can’t be around people.
You want to climb, but you can barely stand.
You want to feel intimacy, but all you’re capable of is distance.
But every dark chapter eventually comes to an end. Permanence is diminishing. The wounds close and we’re left with the scars of distant memories, and valuable lessons to carry us into what comes next. The clouds clear. The sun rises again. In the midst of darkness I always reflect on these words from Unmistakable Creative guest Ananta Ripa Ajmera
It’s all about connecting with the sun because when we wake up before the sun, we’re able to see that transition from darkness to light. And I think there’s something so deeply healing to the human psyche about seeing that happen because it’s a reminder to us the darkness is temporary, and it passes and gives way for the light of the sun of the day. So too do these dark habits and destructive patterns and thoughts that we have only have a temporary existence in mind.
All seasons of adversity eventually come to an end. In the dark valleys of a creative life, loss creates an opening. We lose what wasn’t meant to be so we can focus on what we’re destined for.
False Horizons
At the height of his career, when he was so famous that people recognized him on the streets, Ed Helms told Sam Jones “life is a series of false horizons.”
The other day my friend David Burkus asked me “how’s it going?” This is code among writers for “how many copies has it sold.” I told him that I hadn’t checked the Amazon rankings more than once. All I knew was that the book seemed to be resonating with readers.
When we’re not at the mountaintop, we think to reach it will lead to everlasting happiness. When we reach the mountaintop we understand why accomplishing our goals won’t make us happy forever. The expression of your soul’s calling is in a perpetual state of evolution. There is no I’ve made it in moment. There ’s only a craft to master and more work to be done. To be an eternal master, you must be a perpetual student. | https://medium.com/the-mission/the-geography-of-a-creative-life-23b17660ca68 | ['Srinivas Rao'] | 2018-09-04 01:15:55.078000+00:00 | ['Life Lessons', 'Writing', 'Art', 'Creativity'] |
Barack Obama and the breakdown of the American Center | Call it a tale of two presidents. When Barack Obama was first elected President, the nation was truly in crisis, mired in an economic crisis unequaled since the Great Depression. The enthusiasm and hope greeting his election was compared by many to that which greeted Franklin Delano Roosevelt upon his ascension. Indeed, right after his election, Obama was featured on the cover of Time Magazine fashioned to look like FDR in his 1930s-era convertible.
The comparison seemed apt. After all, in 1932, FDR seemed to be coming to the rescue of a nation seemingly coming apart. Roosevelt took radical steps, implementing the New Deal which included not only short-term stimulus to get the economy moving again, but long-term interventions that would forever after change the relationship Americans have with government. Roosevelt’s approach was so radical that some have called him a “traitor to his class,” since he pursued this radical pro-worker agenda despite his privileged background.
But there is another take on Roosevelt’s policies. At the time, there were growing movements on the left and the right offering answers to desperate Americans. On the left were the Marxists, on the right, Fascists. Roosevelt’s aggressive intervention, combined with his talent at communicating his agenda of hope cut these movements off at their knees. There was no need for radical steps since the system had worked — the United States took care of its citizens and acted justly. Roosevelt’s action led to the ascendency of the American center for over sixty years.
Contrast that with what happened with Obama’s Presidency. There was a critical moment in President Obama’s first term where he met with thirteen of the most powerful bankers in the country. These were the very people most responsible for the financial mess that engulfed the country at the time. These were the same people who were foreclosing on millions of homes, and whose irresponsible behavior destroyed the wealth of tens of millions of homeowners. Remember, for most people, most of their wealth is tied up in their home. Destroying the value of someone’s home is, for most people, tantamount to destroying their net worth.
In the meeting, as reported by Simon Johnson and James Kwak in their book 13 Bankers, the bankers expected to pay a serious price for their risky behavior. This impression was at first reinforced by the President sternly taking them to task for creating this crisis. But then, Obama changed his tone, suggesting that they all needed to work together. Rather than forcing the bankers to make concessions, perhaps making some of the most culpable resign, he ordered them to accept cheap financing from the federal government at the same time as they were foreclosing on millions of taxpayers. The President demanded nothing substantive from them in return. There was no bail-out for the homeowners, the middle-class families who bore the brunt of this crisis.
This meeting set the tone for his administration’s dealing with the bankers. When he was first elected, America’s banking system was on its knees. The President could have demanded virtually anything in return for the bank bailout. Instead, he demanded virtually nothing, allowing the bankers to prosper and feed on the misfortune of millions of investors and homeowners. Under the President’s plan, average people lost their homes and their jobs, or feared that happening to them. Rich bankers did better than ever.
Something about this arrangement struck most Americans as profoundly unfair. Where we expected the President to use the system to our benefit, it seemed instead skewed to benefit those at the top.
The center never recovered. From that moment on, increasing numbers of people who believed in the system for years felt betrayed. No longer did the establishment take care of average Americans. Instead, it seemed to be nothing more than an out-of-touch swamp.
President Obama was cautious, fearing that drastic steps would hurt the financial system worse than it was already hurting. He is a decent man who worked hard to bring stability in a time of chaos. But where FDR’s radicalism ultimately restored faith in the establishment, Obama’s caution added fuel to the fire of radical movements. For years we enjoyed the stability born of FDR’s radical steps. Now, we must live with the division and extremism resulting from Obama’s failure to act boldly.
If you liked this post, here’s something else you might like: | https://greinerou.medium.com/barack-obama-and-the-breakdown-of-the-american-center-e1a47e9b956a | ['Michael Greiner'] | 2018-08-20 14:18:57.971000+00:00 | ['Politics', 'Franklin Delano Roosevelt', 'Obama', 'Moderate', 'Recession'] |
Ten Hard Questions for the future of humanity | Photo by Callum Shaw on Unsplash
Over time we have reached a pinnacle of time that we have started to accept certain thing as normal (moral); and we have stopped questioning them. Contemplating hard what if or why question is necessary for improvement to keep oneself and humanity in the right direction but on contrary, we are stuck with some old narrative(s) and could not find solution to those and as time passes, those narratives are taking complex and ugly forms.
We have a general perspective that any progress in a physical world is progress and rest we don’t care, or it is better to keep them in academics and libraries.
Nowadays any conversation other than physical world tend to generate friction and since we are not talking about those hard questions, we have accepted that what-ever answers arrived at by majority are the right one, these answers have become sacred to us; We are not willing to change or challenge them because it means going against the herd we belong to.
Talking about them means opening a can of worms which we know we will not be able to reach a consensus on; we have become so much unimaginative that we cannot imagine a better future without them; We are stuck with them as though losing them will erode our identity our own basis of rationality.
But we cannot run away from them forever. So, let’s take the first step and ask those questions and contemplate a world where we can go past them. Let’s try to find an answer which is beyond our political, social, spiritual believes; our core values.
Can we dare to do that; Are we willing to listen to the other side of us or will we continue to dwindle while continuing our quest to be progressive only in a material sense? | https://medium.com/@mfakhar2000/ten-hard-questions-for-the-future-of-humanity-f05a69dcb31a | ['Muhammad Fakharuddin'] | 2020-12-28 15:56:36.986000+00:00 | ['Questions', 'Falcón', 'Humanity', 'Future'] |
How To Check Occupied Disk Space In Laravel | In this example we will see how to check occupied disk space in laravel.
in laravel. Many time we need requirements to check occupied disk space of server in admin side and we are checking manually if disk space are fully occupied or not so in this tutorial i will explain you how to check occupied disk space in laravel so you can check directly in admin side without any manual action. Also you can use this code in Ubuntu as well.
this code in as well. PHP provide built-in function to check total space and free space of server , here we will use these functions and will get output.
and of , here we will use these functions and will get output. So, first you need to create Controller for logical part.
I have created one controller and created disk_total_demo() function like below.
public function disk_total_demo()
{
$disktotal = disk_total_space('/'); //DISK usage
$disktotalsize = $disktotal / 1073741824; $diskfree = disk_free_space('/');
$used = $disktotal - $diskfree; $diskusedize = $used / 1073741824;
$diskuse1 = round(100 - (($diskusedize / $disktotalsize) * 100));
$diskuse = round(100 - ($diskuse1)) . '%'; return view('details',compact('diskuse','disktotalsize','diskusedize'));
}
Then after put below code in your details.blade.php file.
<html>
<head>
<link href="https://stackpath.bootstrapcdn.com/bootstrap/3.4.1/css/bootstrap.min.css" rel="stylesheet">
</head>
<body>
<div class="col-sm-6 col-md-3">
<h2 class="no-margin text-semibold">Occupied Disk Space</h2>
<div class="progress progress-micro mb-10">
<div class="progress-bar bg-indigo-400" style="width: {{$diskuse}}">
<span class="sr-only">{{$diskuse}}</span>
</div>
</div>
<span class="pull-right">{{round($diskusedize,2)}} GB /
{{round($disktotalsize,2)}} GB ({{$diskuse}})</span>
</div> </body>
</html>
And finally we will get output like below screenshot. | https://medium.com/@websolutionstuff/how-to-check-occupied-disk-space-in-laravel-f879445d491d | [] | 2020-12-20 04:52:34.981000+00:00 | ['Ubuntu', 'Occupied', 'Laravel', 'Di̇sk', 'PHP'] |
Launch of DR Ready Mix Concrete Mobile App | Our Mobile App development team had recently developed DR Ready Mix Concrete application for a client based in Chittoor Andhra Pradesh.
The app objective is to facilitate employees of DR Construction to place Concrete Ready Mix orders, schedule deliveries and track completion of delivery. Business owner of the company will have access to target completion statistics of Individuals, monthly turnover, Pending payments, etc. Owner can manage new employees and set monthly targets to them.
This construction-related application helps in great deal in company to manage and streamline operations within the company. The company plans to extend the application to do GPS tracking of load and vehicles and give access to clients/customers to keep updated at construction site about the ready mix order.
This construction based mobile application is developed in Flutter, a cross platform mobile development framework by our company based in Hubli. Eneblur is one of the top Flutter, React Native and Ionic app Development Company exploring quick mobile app development execution to help clients reach market with their business operations.
Android technology has evolved to be the majestic app development platform for startups to large businesses. We’ve got a team of android specialists blessed with top-class abilities. We tend to square measure full-fledged and mean mobile applications development.
These days, higher percentage of digital media utilization comes from mobile applications. Smartphones lead the approach in providing solutions to streamline construction business operations, site management, construction site supervision, material management etc.
With additional technological advancement, we are relying on mobile gadgets for our daily activities. So, this shows an appropriate vision for future sustainability of mobile application development.
Conclusion
Our developers utilize their passion for android application development and iOS application development to make incredible results. Eneblur’s dedicated team of mobile app development has developed more than 20 apps in native and cross platform variations. If you are looking to develop an app for your start-up or business, we are ready to meet challenges on quality, time, and security aspects meeting client satisfaction. | https://medium.com/@eneblurconsulting/launch-of-dr-ready-mix-concrete-mobile-app-ca744523a19 | ['Eneblur Consulting'] | 2020-12-10 06:20:26.666000+00:00 | ['Mobile Apps', 'Android App Development', 'iOS App Development', 'Mobile App Development', 'Construction Mobile Apps'] |
When Things Go Wrong, Maybe It’s All Alright | Be Careful What you Wish For
Rule №1: Be really clear about what you want because the universe has a sense of humor
When speaking things into existence, get your shit in the right order.
I say this because, within days of again saying, “God, you’re gonna get me a new car.” I was in an accident.
The crash was in no way my fault — and I wasn’t injured. I was going straight, the driver to my right attempted to turn left in front of me.
She got a ticket. My car, Maggie Mae got totaled.
The insurance company wouldn’t pay to fix her. They’d give me a check instead.
I had no alternative but to go car shopping.
Manifesting More
Rule №2: Have a plan for when the plan you planned doesn’t go as planned
I got a cool new car, which I’ve named Pearl. She has seats that warm and that brand-new car smell, which beats the heck out of l’eau de wet dog. She is shiny and new.
I also have a loan to go with my new car.
When I spoke to God and the Universe and said you’re going to get me a car before the end of the year, I seriously was hoping it would be December.
August was before the end of the year, no arguing that point. Seems my plan and the Universe’s plans were different.
I wanted to wait to get settled and organized since I moved into a new home earlier in the year. I didn’t need a mortgage and a car payment, at least not quite yet.
The joke was on me.
When I told my brother I was buying a car, he asked, “Is it in your budget?”
“Oh, yeah!” I responded cheerfully.
It wasn’t.
Not until some woman hit me and I needed a car — kind of has to be part of my budget doesn’t it?
As, if I was a five-year-old, and my hearing suddenly became impaired with my fingers in my ears all I kind of could hear was la, la, la, la — I can’t hear you as he mentioned something about planning.
I am not five, so I replied: “I did have a plan, but this happened a few months ahead of my planning plans.” | https://medium.com/live-your-life-on-purpose/when-things-go-wrong-maybe-its-all-alright-99d5880c8b6e | ['Mary Ann Lopez'] | 2019-11-04 21:52:54.697000+00:00 | ['Life Lessons', 'Positive Thinking', 'Money', 'Self Improvement', 'Growth'] |
If You Can’t Meditate, Bake Bread | If You Can’t Meditate, Bake Bread
The act of making something every day can be a powerful form of anxiety relief
Photo: Theme Photos/Unsplash
A recent comic by Luke McGarry shows a man in an apocalyptic hellscape, trying to get past a pair of armed and intimidating gatekeepers. “Please — grant me safe passage,” the man says. “I can trade medicine and precious metals.” To which the gatekeepers reply: “Ha! Fool! Don’t you know the currency of the future is homemade sourdough?”
You’re not just imagining it. Everyone is baking bread right now.
The search terms “bread,” and “baking bread,” have spiked to a 14-year high on Google Trends. You probably know a Bread Guy (or Bread Gal), and may even be one yourself.
But why have so many people suddenly become pursuers of the perfect olive loaf or French baguette during this pandemic? One explanation is that making bread can be an existentially healing endeavor. Stephen S. Jones, director of Washington State University’s Bread Lab, tells Wired that, over the years, he has received handwritten letters from three different people who, after visiting his lab, turned to breadmaking to cope with the grief of losing a child. He believes that baking bread is akin to a spiritual experience. “Bread is alive” and “you become one with this thing,” he suggests.
To lessen our anxiety and improve our well-being, we’re often prescribed mindfulness-cultivating practices, like yoga and meditation. But another option is to make something every day. You may choose to bake a loaf of bread or pick up an old hobby, or you could try a completely new creative pursuit altogether. Your daily creative task might be to write a poem or sketch a picture, or to fold origami.
In this thread on Hacker News, the user Internetvin writes about how the emotional overload of his father-in-law passing away within days of his son’s birth led him to make a song every day. The healing effect of a creative outlet inspired him to build Futureland, a project network for people to record their progress of making something every day.
Similarly, as a means of coping in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks, the designer Michael Bierut started drawing something every day. This practice led him to start The 100 Day Project with his students at Yale. The project eventually found its way online, where participants have shared more than 1.4 million Instagram posts (and counting) of their projects to date. This year’s 100 Day Project starts on April 7.
The goal of making something during times of hardship isn’t to be “productive,” or to even achieve anything specific. Rather, the aim is to tap into your creativity to make meaning from the situation — or to find an outlet for your energy that makes it easier to maintain a calm, positive attitude.
Your daily creative practice can be as short as 20 to 60 seconds. The key is just to pick something you can do every day. For example, one of Bierut’s students, the art director Zak Klauck, set out to design a poster every day in under 60 seconds. Internetvin has tweeted about setting himself the goal to write just a single line of code within 20 seconds. And the artist Mike Winkelmann has so far followed through on his mandate to draw something every day for nearly 5,000 days straight, even on the day his daughter was born.
If you’re interested in setting up a daily creative practice, but have no idea how to get started, here’s some advice:
Whatever you pick, you don’t have to do it for 100 days — even 10 days will suffice. Much like mustering the energy for physical exercise through this pandemic, you will thank yourself for exerting the effort.
Instead of seeing this isolation as time that’s lost, you can decide to do something with it. And who knows, maybe you can even make something that you love. Once this is all over, you may look back on your daily creative practice as the one thing that made your isolation bearable. | https://forge.medium.com/if-you-cant-meditate-bake-bread-b99dda9dc6da | ['Herbert Lui'] | 2020-04-03 16:02:29.565000+00:00 | ['Habits', 'Meaning', 'Creativity', 'Psychology', 'Coronavirus'] |
Does Libra matter? | Does Libra matter?
Facebook’s new cryptocurrency, Libra - how it impacts banks, social networks, and you.
This week, Facebook launched a stable, fiat-backed cryptocurrency, called Libra, built to facilitate cross-border money transfers. Facebook’s goal is to build a payments network around Libra by creating an online ecosystem (on/off the social network) where users can make purchases and peer-to-peer (P2P) transfers. Its structure and backing create the potential for Libra to be a catalyst in the cryptocurrency market.
Why is Facebook interested in crypto?
A large technology player coming into the payments market with a solution that excludes cards has long been a concern for banks, card payment networks and other traditional financial institutions. This is one attempt. Libra is early and opinionated but gives a glimpse of where the financial system can go, yet it does have interesting implications for what the financial system can shape into:
A global blockchain-based payments system could lead to fundamental changes in the digital consumer economy — payments can become faster, more reliable and cheaper.
A significant portion of Bank’s profits come from cross-border and foreign exchange, which would be directly impacted by this alternative.
Libra has a long path ahead: decisions by global policy makers will have a major impact on the future of the cryptocurrency.
It’s important to consider the notable differences between Libra and Bitcoin, the latter of which has been the basis for most cryptocurrency policy and design. Of note:
Libra will not be fully decentralized or anonymous (at least initially).
Libra is meant to be exchanged, not to be used as store value.
Libra is backed by various global fiat currencies in order to avoid massive volatility experienced in most existing cryptocurrencies.
Facebook going after global payments validates the massive opportunity to improve existing cross-border and P2P payments systems. Transferring money from one country to another should be as easy as it is to send a text message. Banks can leverage their existing market position with new technologies to better fill this gap, giving them a better shot at avoiding disintermediation when (and if) Libra (or something similar) should take off.
What is Libra?
“a simple global currency and financial infrastructure that empowers billions of people” — Libra White Paper
The Libra is a stablecoin — a digital currency that’s supported by established government-backed currencies and securities. The goal is to avoid massive swings in value so Libra can be used for everyday transactions, one of the main challenged with more volatile crypotcurrencies, like Bitcoin.
Facebook created a new subsidiary, called Calibra, to build the new wallet and focus on the company’s blockchain efforts. The digital currency is expected to launch in 2020.
How will it work?
In order for the Libra to reach the usability and acceptance scale required to make it work as a payment method, it needs to be widely trusted. Facebook is creating a new payments network on which users can buy things and pay each other. This ecosystem consists of:
The Libra Blockchain : a new, open rail for anyone to build on top of.
: a new, open rail for anyone to build on top of. The Libra Reserve : a reserve of real assets, distributed globally, to back Libra.
: a reserve of real assets, distributed globally, to back Libra. The Libra Association: a governance structure for the entire Libra network and Reserve.
Members of the Libra Association will each invest $10 million in the network through the Libra Reserve, which will govern the digital coin. While Facebook will be one of the founding members, it will be just one equal member of the Association. The Founding Members are:
Payments : Mastercard, PayPal, PayU (Naspers’ fintech arm), Stripe, Visa
: Mastercard, PayPal, PayU (Naspers’ fintech arm), Stripe, Visa Technology and marketplaces : Booking Holdings, eBay, Facebook/Calibra, Farfetch, Lyft, MercadoPago, Spotify AB, Uber Technologies, Inc.
: Booking Holdings, eBay, Facebook/Calibra, Farfetch, Lyft, MercadoPago, Spotify AB, Uber Technologies, Inc. Telecommunications : Iliad, Vodafone Group
: Iliad, Vodafone Group Blockchain : Anchorage, Bison Trails, Coinbase, Inc., Xapo Holdings Limited
: Anchorage, Bison Trails, Coinbase, Inc., Xapo Holdings Limited Venture Capital : Andreessen Horowitz, Breakthrough Initiatives, Ribbit Capital, Thrive Capital, Union Square Ventures
: Andreessen Horowitz, Breakthrough Initiatives, Ribbit Capital, Thrive Capital, Union Square Ventures Nonprofit and multilateral organizations, and academic institutions: Creative Destruction Lab, Kiva, Mercy Corps, Women’s World Banking
Why it makes sense for Facebook
The large majority of Facebook’s revenue comes from advertisement. Payments are a potential way for Facebook to turn its messaging platforms — Messenger, WhatsApp — into complementary, revenue-generating businesses.
With its 2.5 billion users, Facebook’s network dwarfs that of any other bank or payment system globally — with a proven network effect. Monetizing its user base could lead to a global commerce network inside the Facebook Ecosystem.
As expected, this is a project that will take time and face several regulatory hurdles. There is a long way to go. Facebook has attempted to address some immediate regulatory concerns by establishing a governance structure that places Facebook as an equal member of the governing body. The Libra Association has as a charter to define a sustainable governance structure, a path towards decentralization and oversee the Libra Network and Reserve.
Facebook will be heavily involved in developing the technology behind Libra throughout 2019. The Libra Blockchain is open-source, intentionally, enabling any developer to build application on top of it. This is an initiative that the entire payments ecosystem should be following.
Let’s see what happens when you point 2.5 billion people at a cryptocurrency. | https://medium.com/hackernoon/does-libra-matter-7cf94da982a5 | ['Rita Waite'] | 2019-06-24 01:41:06.747000+00:00 | ['Fintech', 'Facebook', 'Payments', 'Cryptocurrency', 'Bitcoin'] |
What the hell am I doing? | I don’t expect anyone to read this but if you come across this, hi! I am Evie (I tend to dislike my given name) I go by she/them pronouns and I am a young adult situated in Canada. I decided that I will write away my problems like the majority of our melodramatic generation and decided to do it here where no one will know me (hopefully).
I don’t quite know what I am doing. Kinda obvious by the title. And when I say this, I don’t just mean this site, or writing, I know quite a bit about writing, but overall with my life. I am in those awkward years where you are thrown from kid to adult with little to no guidance, and it doesn’t help that the one parent I have available doesn’t quite seem to understand that unless it comes to money.
I want to be an author, and possibly pop my head into YouTube, but that's about it. And while some may see that as enough, I don’t. I barely see the point in life. I don’t want to work until I’m sixty something (realistically I’m not retiring at a young age unfortunately) and then what? suffer in a retirement home till my clock ticks out? I hate that. I hate it with every fiber of my being yet its how the world works.
This is why I love books like Harry Potter and Starwars. There is an actual point in their lives, in these worlds. Earth is just not appealing. This is not to say I want to die. While I have my moments, overall its more so that I don’t want to exist? I don’t know.
This is becoming a depressing first entry so I’m going to leave this here. If anyone reads this, have a good day/evening and find your purpose!
Warm Regards,
Your local hypocrite | https://medium.com/@madamemisfortune/what-the-hell-am-i-doing-83c4627f7b97 | ['Madame Misfortune'] | 2020-12-18 06:49:40.995000+00:00 | ['Helping Others', 'Youngadult', 'YouTube', 'Purpose', 'Life Lessons'] |
Mashed Potato-Stuffed Meatloaf | Forget mashed potatoes as a side dish and reinvent meatloaf with this spud-stuffed version. The potatoes are ready in no time, thanks to your microwave, and could easily become a weeknight go-to recipe all on their own.
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with foil. For the mashed potatoes: Poke each potato with a fork several times and microwave until soft, about 15 minutes (or use your microwave?s potato setting). Cool until you are able to handle them with a towel, about 2 minutes. Halve the potatoes and scoop out the flesh with a spoon and discard the skin. Mash the potatoes and butter in a medium bowl until smooth then fold in the sour cream, chives and 1 teaspoon salt until well combined. Set aside. roo roo roo roo roo roo roo roo roo roo roo roo roo roo For the meatloaf: Toast the bread crumbs in a dry skillet over medium heat until browned and fragrant, about 1 minute. Transfer to a large mixing bowl and set aside. Add the oil, onions, garlic, oregano, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper to the skillet and cook, stirring, until onions are tender, about 8 minutes. Let cool slightly. Add the onion mixture to the bread crumbs along with the meatloaf mix, Parmesan and Worcestershire sauce. Toss and mix gently. Add the eggs and mix it completely into the meat mixture. Transfer 1/2 of the meatloaf mixture to the prepared baking sheet and gently press into a 12- by-3-inch rectangle. Gently create a well down the middle of the meatloaf mixture with a 1/2-inch wall on all four sides. Spoon the mashed potato mixture into the well. Working with a quarter of the remaining meatloaf mixture, gently flatten the mixture with the palms of your hands. Lay the meatloaf mixture over 1/2 of the mashed potatoes. Repeat with the remaining meatloaf mixture ensuring the potatoes are completely enclosed. roo roo roo roo roo roo roo roo roo roo roo roo roo roo roo roo roo For the glaze: Whisk together the ketchup, brown sugar and vinegar in a small bowl. Spoon the glaze evenly over the entire loaf. Bake until an instant read thermometer registers 160 degrees F in the center of the loaf, about 45 minutes. While the meatloaf is cooking, cook the peas according to package directions. Toss with the butter and season with salt and pepper. Keep warm. Slice and serve the meatloaf with butter, black pepper and the peas.
Ingredients:
Mashed Potatoes:
roo roo roo roo roo roo roo roo roo roo roo roo roo roo
1 pound russet potatoes (about 2 medium), scrubbed clean
1/2 stick (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, cut into pieces, at room temperature
1/3 cup sour cream
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh chives
Kosher salt
Meatloaf:
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 medium onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons dried oregano
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 1/2 pounds meatloaf mix (or a combination of ground beef and pork)
1/3 cup grated Parmesan
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
Glaze:
1/2 cup ketchup
1 teaspoon dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
Peas:
1 pound frozen peas
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
roo roo roo roo roo roo roo roo roo roo roo roo roo roo roo roo roo roo roo roo
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Unsalted butter, at room temperature, for serving
Coarsely ground black pepper, for serving | https://medium.com/@allentin/mashed-potato-stuffed-meatloaf-669d16da7189 | ['Allentin David'] | 2020-12-20 18:06:14.292000+00:00 | ['Entertainment', 'Family', 'Social Media', 'Earth'] |
Christmas Is Different This Year | Christmas Is Different This Year
Photo by Charlie Robert on Unsplash
It wasn’t easy making that phone call,
Telling my daughter she couldn’t come at Christmas.
The rules have changed.
No overnight stay,
No sharing of cutlery or crockery.
No board games.
She knew the call was coming, but hoped to find a way.
It helped a little, knowing thousands made the same call.
We will stay at home a little longer,
Blow air kisses on the screen,
And remember how it used to be
When we could hug. | https://medium.com/illumination/christmas-is-different-this-year-eca935520604 | [] | 2020-12-20 21:04:25.809000+00:00 | ['Poem', 'Illumination', 'Christmas', 'Covid 19', 'Poetry'] |
Katafin Week 14 — Fairly Valued?. It’s kind of hard to understand the… | Are those storm clouds or is the sky clearing? Depends on who you ask. It’s kind of hard to understand the value of some companies at the moment. I use Zoom and its fine but is there any possible way that it is worth $116 billion? No, absolutely not. Our company uses Uberconference for our daily conference calls which is infinitely cheaper and much easier to use. I feel like I’m watching Billy Beane in Moneyball as he realizes what he inherently understood as a player, markets have a herd mentality based on esoteric factors vs. a complete understanding of how it actually works.
Zoom is a videoconferencing platform at the moment, nothing more, nothing less. Videoconferencing is a feature of a larger communications and workflow management but increasingly part of many platforms ranging from Google and Facebook to Microsoft and Slack, its not hard to find a videoconference service. This reminds me of the froth of the Dotcom era with the valuation excuse being ‘work has changed’. That may be true but Slack’s acquisition by Salesforce (for a measly $28 billion) points to an integrated future for business service platforms. IMHO, Slack is infinitely more useful. I believe the hunt is on for additional add-ons for large players for companies like Asana and Atlassian, both of which we use at Photofy.
This all goes back to of of my model fundamentals, buy things you use, like and understand (pure Buffet). The real difference here is that I’m not really buying anything to hold, that’s what our managed account is for. I’m buying and selling premium and seeking to maximize the velocity of those trades. Even a wildly overvalued stock like Zoom, can provide returns but I could also get caught owning something I don’t believe in selling a Put on a options wheel at a price where I might not be able to sell any Calls afterward. I’ve avoided this to date but as the inevitable pullback comes, I want to be vigilant about what I’m committed to. Straddling rising or falling positions can work if I stay flexible.
Net Invested Capital — $110,062
Assigned: WORK-100 shares at $31-(-$18). F-300 Shares-$2549.90 ($299.90 profit). JETS 200 Shares-$3899.89 ($299.89 profit). XPEV-bought 100 at $50.
NRZ Premium-$10 12/18 Call-$37 (closed early for $17) $20.
GE Premium-(2) $10.50 12/11 Put-$40 (closed early for $8) $32. $10 12/4 Put-$20 (expired) $20. $10.50 12/4 Put-$49 (expired) $49
GOLD-$22.5 12/4 Put-$37 (closed early for $6) $31.
MUR Dividend- $37.21
TOL Premium-$46.5 12/4 Put-$35 (expired) $35. $48.5 12/4 Put-$65 (expired) $65.
INTC Premium-$47 12/4 Put-$41 (closed early for $20) $21. $48 12/11 Put-$81 (closed early for $37) $44. Dividend — $66.21.
PTON Premium-(2) $124 12/4 Calls-$100 (closed early for $70) $30. $122 12/4 Call-$98 (closed early for $43) $55. (2) $129 12/4 Calls-$218 (closed early for $124) $94.
F Premium-(5) $9 12/11 Puts-$125 (closed early for $47) $78. (3) $8.5 12/4 Calls-$60 (assigned for $2549.90-$299.90 profit) $60.
WORK Premium-$39 12/4 Put-$101 (closed early for $55) $46. $31 12/4 Put (assigned for $3,099.92, $17.79 loss)
JETS-(2) $19.5 12/4 Call-$50 (assigned for $3899.89–$299.89 profit) $50.
UDOW-$85 12/18 Put-$225 (closed early for $100) $125.
APHA Premium-(2) $8 12/4 Put-$74 (expired) $74.
AAPL Premium-$117 12/4 Put-$90 (sold early for $20) $70. $121 12/4 Put-$48 (sold early for $6) $42.
SNAP Premium-$44 12/4 Call-$53 (closed early for $15) $38. $43 12/4 Call-$41 (closed early for $10) $31.
SBUX Premium-$96.5 12/4 Call-$52 (closed early for $20) $32.
WMT Premium-$149 12/4 Put-$ (closed early for $10) $48.
PLTR Premium-(2) $20 12/4 Puts-$80 (closed early for $20) $50. $20 12/4 Put-$35 (closed early for $4) $31. $20 12/4 Put-$45 (closed early for $7) $38.
TWTR Premium-$44 12/4 Put-$35 (closed early for $15) $20.
DKNG Premium-$48 12/4 Put-$60 (expired) $60.
NET Premium-$70 12/4 Put-$51 (expired) $51.
QS Premium-$25 12/18 Put-$240 (closed early for $150) $90.
BB Premium-$7.5 12/11 Put-$43 (closed early for $30) $13.
XPEV Premium-$50 12/4 Put-$77 (assigned) $77.
Total Return: $2,333.42, 2.12%
Whether or not many stocks are overvalued remains to be seen. Regardless, volatile premiums in predictable channels remain a core part of the strategy. The CAPE index just reached an alarmingly high ratio but then again, with the strong possibility of more money to be pumped into economies around the globe, I believe true measurements are difficult. An extra trillion or two still go a long way to distorting what might actually be happening. Apologies to our kids for the debt.
Note: This is not financial advice, and I am not a financial professional. This article is an account of my personal experience. This information is for entertainment purposes only. | https://medium.com/@katadhin/katafin-week-14-fairly-valued-fec0c09a1b0c | ['John Andrews'] | 2020-12-08 22:00:17.624000+00:00 | ['Options Trading', 'Personal Finance', 'Retirement'] |
Learn Japanese Through Games: 5 Recommendations & Tips | Learning Japanese from the ground up is a very difficult task. While the grammar structures are not terribly different from English, learning the Japanese alphabet, as well as kanji, is incredibly difficult to master. While in English we have 26 letters, the Japanese hiragana and katakana systems have 46 characters each, for a total of 92 characters.
If you thought that was bad, the Japanese written language uses around 2000 Chinese characters (kanji) that you’ll have to learn as well. But luckily for us gamers, one way to make our language education fun is to learn Japanese through games. This guide will introduce five of the best Japanese games to help you learn the Japanese language. Along the way, we’ll give you some basic studying tips and things to watch out for when buying Japanese games online.
Note: This guide is meant for beginner or low-intermediate Japanese learners ( l). This is simply because if you are already at N2 or N1 level , you can simply choose any text-heavy Japanese game on the market.
1. Pokémon Games
One of the best tips I have when trying to learn Japanese through video games is to start with games you already know. These are games that you have already completed in the past, and ideally games where you would remember a lot of the dialogue, storyline, and menu functions. For many of you, will be the perfect place to start. Any of the games on the Gameboy, DS, or 3DS consoles are great for Japanese reading practice. Since the games were made for young children, they use mostly hiragana and katakana, with some basic kanji mixed in. For those of you who are learning basic kanji, I highly recommend playing games for reading practice.
Game region restrictions: luckily all Gameboy games and Nintendo DS games are not region locked and can be played on consoles from any country. However, Nintendo 3DS games are region locked. Unfortunately, you will need to buy a Japanese 3DS to play Japanese 3DS games.
2. Steins;Gate
Without a doubt, Steins;Gate is one of the best visual novels of the past two decades. From beautiful art and character design to an amazing story and humorous dialogue, it is a great game for those interested in sci-fi and time travel stories. Moreover, a large percentage of the dialogue is voice acted in Japanese. This large amount of spoken dialogue makes Steins;Gate a great video game for Japanese listening practice.
One study tactic you can use is to keep your eyes focussed on the images as you play, completely ignoring the text at the bottom of the screen during spoken dialogue scenes. Listen to the character’s voices and see how much you can understand. When there is a word you don’t understand you can write down those words and then look them up on your phone or computer. To do this, make sure that voice synchronization in the options menu is on. This setting makes sure that the voices match up exactly with the dialogue displayed on the screen.
In addition to listening practice, the game even has a glossary for Japanese slang words that Western audiences might not know, such as (nerd/geek).
Game region restrictions: Currently the game is available on PC and various gaming consoles both in English and Japanese. We have confirmed that the NA English version on PS4 and PS Vita has Japanese audio with English subtitles (which is necessary for Japanese listening practice), so we recommend buying these versions. For all other consoles, please check the available languages before purchase.
3. Root Letter
Another game that is great for Japanese listening practice, Root Letter is a visual novel set in Shimane prefecture in Japan. Aside from using the game to learn Japanese, you can also experience a beautiful world created from real places in Shimane. In the game, you play a man in his 20s who finds a mysterious letter from his childhood penpal Aya. He decides that before he does anything else in his life, he wants to meet Aya face-to-face for the first time. However, as soon as he arrives in Aya’s hometown, things take a strange turn. No one seems to know who Aya is and everyone is reluctant to help him find her. Root Letter is an entertaining visual novel that has tons of spoken dialogue. If you follow the same tips we gave in the Steins;Gate section above, the game should help you brush up your listening skills and learn new vocabulary.
Game region restrictions: is available on PS Vita and PS4. These systems are not region locked. However, please buy the English versions if you would like to read the English text while listening to the Japanese voice-overs.
4. Mario & Luigi RPG
Mario & Luigi RPG is a great game that will help you practice your Japanese reading skills. If you’ve never heard that title before, it is likely because it was called Mario & Luigi Superstar Saga in English countries. If you are familiar with Super Mario characters and the basic premise of most games in the series, you should have an easy time with most of the dialogue. Like the series the Mario & Luigi RPG game was targeted at children and uses basic Japanese. There is a large amount of dialogue in the game displayed in hiragana, katakana, and basic kanji.
The Game region restrictions: Japanese games are available for the Gameboy Advance and Nintendo DS and both consoles are not region-locked. However, games on the Nintendo 3DS are region-locked, so you’ll require a Japanese 3DS to play them.
5. Japanese Dungeon
Last but not least is a mobile game available on Android and iOS. Japanese Dungeon is a simple Japanese vocabulary game you can play for a few minutes at a time during your commute or lunch break at work. The premise of the game is simple: you are a hero fighting through dungeons with the power of your Japanese knowledge. Each dungeon has a certain number of battles and you defeat monsters and boss characters by correctly matching spoken vocabulary to their written forms.
The game starts off with the very basics: hiragana and katakana. Therefore, the game is great even for those who are just learning how to read Japanese characters. If you are already an intermediate, this game will be too easy for you. I only recommend Japanese Dungeon for low to medium beginners looking to learn hiragana, katakana, and easy Japanese vocabulary.
These were just five of the best video games that can help you learn Japanese. Whether you choose a few of these games or not, remember that it is best to start with games you have already played in the past. We purposefully chose games that aren’t too pricey, so be sure to look for these games cheap and even buy used copies if you can.
Most importantly, be sure to keep in mind the region locking restrictions listed above and buy the correct copies for your consoles. | https://medium.com/animedia/learn-japanese-through-games-5-recommendations-tips-aabcbdf95ce0 | ['Limarc Ambalina'] | 2020-05-04 13:03:18.203000+00:00 | ['Pokemon', 'Gaming', 'Japanese Language', 'Steinsgate', 'Learn Japanese'] |
Technology, Innovation and Modern War — Class 17 — Organizational Design — Safi Bahcall | This was our next -to-last class. While this class focused on the impact new technology and operational concepts and modern war, we thought it was important to have our students understand the organizational and cognitive barriers that make adopting new technologies difficult. Our guest speaker was Safi Bahcall,author of Loonshots.
The pre-class assignment was to watch Safi’s video about Loonshots.
In addition to our speaker, today was presentation prep day for our students’ final papers. We met with all the teams and reviewed their final summaries. (A description of their final assignment follows the summary of Safi’s presentation.)
I’ve extracted and paraphrased a few of Safi’s key insights and urge you to read the entire transcript here and watch his video.
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Invention versus Innovation
As I’ve been sitting in the back of the class for the last couple of months, I’ve seen great speakers on strategy, on technology, on invention. I’m using the word invention deliberately — not innovation — because invention and innovation are different things. That point is at the heart of the problem with innovation inside so many organizations.
Invention is having an idea. For example, in the 1920s, when Robert Goddard showed that we could propel metal tubes by exploding liquid fuel inside them, he invented jet propulsion. That was a great invention. It didn’t become an innovation until it was developed and deployed at scale. In the case of jet propulsion, it wasn’t the U.S. that innovated. It was Nazi Germany with the V1 and the V2 missiles, and the Messerschmitt 262, the first jet aircraft.
So what’s at the core of the problem for national security organizations? What’s stopping them from innovating faster and better? It’s not strategy. The 2018 National Defense Strategy explained very clearly and effectively what needs to get done. It’s not technology. The military has 76 innovation labs. It’s not leadership. Leaders across every service are pounding the table about innovation.
Organization Design
The military has three of the four pieces of the puzzle you need: strategy, access to technology, leadership. The fourth, however, is missing. And that’s organization design. Good teams will kill great ideas, no matter how smart the strategy, how enticing the technology, or how much leaders insist on innovation. Why that’s the case is a longer story, which I’ve written about, but the bottom line is that we need to design our organizations to solve that problem — the adoption problem. If we don’t do that, we will lose.
I’ll give you an example. For close to 60 years, IBM dominated the IT industry. The industry was known as IBM and the Seven Dwarfs because IBM’s competitors were so far behind. If there was a superpower in any industry, it was IBM in IT. There were a couple of little competitors in the 80s, who didn’t seem like much. A little company in Seattle called Microsoft. When they did their first partnership with IBM, they had just 32 employees. There was another little company in Santa Clara called Intel. They were running out of cash. Little competitors that IBM disregarded.
Does the story of a superpower ignoring distant threats from seemingly weak competitors sound familiar from the class discussions on China? For IBM, strategy was not the problem. Invention was not the problem. Just like the DOD, IBM has tons of innovation labs. Many widely used technologies originated at IBM. Leadership was not the problem. IBM has been pounding the table about innovation for years. But if you look at IBM today, it’s 1/10th the value of Microsoft, it’s half the value of Intel. Strategy, technology, leadership — those were fine. But good teams kept killing great ideas. That’s the adoption problem.
So what can we do? There are some ways. They’re not obvious. They’re not what you read about in glossy magazines. They have nothing to do with fuzzy words like culture.
It’s About Creating The Structure for Adoption
It’s about structure. How do you create the right structure that helps with adoption? One of the things I found very encouraging over the last couple years in speaking with leadership in military or intelligence is their curiosity about what’s happening in the private sector, outside their usual sandbox.
When I sat down with Admiral Selby, we talked about Google. Google, at the time, was overhauling the back end of their search engine. They built their search engine 20 years ago. And they needed to fix the guts of it because it was out of date. Not unlike big legacy systems in the military. Google was getting that job done in blocks of six months. Selby pointed out that nothing like that could get done in the military in six months. It might take six years, if not 60 years. So how does Google get it done in six months? And what can the military learn from that?
We don’t have time to get into all the details we discussed, but I’ll give you a flavor.
Five Patterns that Impede Adoption
I’ll start with five patterns I’ve observed across the service branches, and what we might do about them.
The first is a preference for big versus small. Many of your previous speakers have talked about that. Bigger jets, bigger engines, bigger ships, as opposed to the small changes that can make an enormous difference. The second is a preference for product over strategy. A preference for things that you can touch — ships, guns, planes. As opposed to new strategies that are less obvious, less glamorous, but can make an enormous difference. For example, the tank was invented in the mid-1910s. And it was used in World War I. But it wasn’t the tank as a technology, by itself, that allowed Nazi Germany to take over Western Europe in a matter of weeks. It was their strategy, the Blitz. Focusing on technology alone, getting caught up in the shiny glamour of it and neglecting the less glamorous strategies on how to deploy those technologies creatively, is a common trap. Not just in the military, but also in Silicon Valley, where it dooms otherwise successful companies. The third is a focus on technology as opposed to transfer. In other words, a large investment in acquiring sexy new technology. With much less energy and attention on identifying and navigating the internal barriers to adoption. Assuming that good ideas and technologies will win the day, by themselves, and neglecting the often-hidden sources of internal resistance, agendas, misaligned incentives, legacy stakes. You can spend billions on great technology, on dozens of innovation labs, but if you don’t put energy and creativity into winning those internal battles, the technologies will die. The fourth is a focus on prototyping as opposed to pretotyping. Pretotyping is about what to do beforethe minimum viable product. How to test hypotheses incredibly fast. In one day for $100. Doing it well bakes into the system a preference for hypotheses rather than opinions; fast experiments rather than big plans; and testing ideas and strategies, not just products and technologies. And the fifth pattern is a focus on minimizing as opposed to maximizing risks. By which I mean maximizing the intelligent risk-taking you need to discover important breakthroughs. I see this all the time in mission-driven, as opposed to profit-driven, organizations. When lives are at stake, there’s an enormous focus on reducing risk. In the military, you don’t want a lot of risk in your parachutes, or in your nuclear silos. But if you want to discover a new technology before your competitor, you want risk. You want to fail. A lot. If you only try things that don’t fail then you won’t discover the truly important breakthroughs, the ones where everyone gave up because they didn’t think it could be done. And who will discover them? Your adversary, who is taking those risks, who is working through the nine failures to get to then 10th iteration, the one that works. And you’ll see that 10th iteration when it’s too late, when it’s a bullet coming at your head.
Three Solutions
I’m not going to talk about reforming the acquisition process, which many of your class speakers have mentioned and does need to get done. Doing that is like turning an aircraft carrier. It’s incredibly slow, because of all the stakeholders. I’m going to talk about some things that are easier to do. More like a surgical strike.
1 is measurement. If you can’t measure it you can’t manage it. Conversely, the things you measure well, with easily understood and visible metrics, tend to improve without much extra push. So how you do that with innovation? Follow the money is the bottom line. But the fact that we aren’t doing that at all is a real problem. I remember speaking with someone senior at the Joint Chiefs of Staff who said, “We have no tangible way of knowing how we’re doing on innovation across the service branches. Absolutely no idea.” If you can’t measure it, you can’t manage it. 2, rewards. A quote from a major in the Air Force, “You get promoted in the Air Force by not screwing up. Trying something new means risking failure, scaring people around you, and therefore risking advancement. Do what the guy did before you and train those below you to do what you do.” A widespread mindset in the DoD is that the №1 priority is don’t get fired. What are the implications of that mindset? How much risk will people take? I mean among the people that you want to be taking intelligent risks, the ones that you want to discover new technologies and strategies before your adversaries do? Do you want the №1 priority in the minds of those people to be how do I play it safe? The need for a “special forces” for innovation. Not another innovation lab but standing up a new functional combatant command of program champions who can identify the internal barriers to adopting new technologies, come up with solutions, and get the job done. With representatives from each of the service branches. A joint surgical strike on innovation, rather than a disconnected massive attack.
There’s a widespread failure to understand that being a good inventor and a good champion are vastly different skill sets. The idea of radar was discovered by a pair of scientists in the Naval Research Labs 18 years before World War II started. They were great inventors, but lousy champions. The idea sat there for a decade until a naval officer named Deak Parsons discovered it, went around to every bureau chief, pounded the table on why it mattered, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, until he got them to cough up a check for $5,000 to fund the project. Robert Goddard was another great inventor, lousy champion. It’s because there was no good champion for that idea here in the U.S. that the Nazis — who got the idea from Goddard’s papers — developed missiles and jet aircraft first.
You heard in an earlier class from General Shanahan about a bullheaded Colonel named Drew Cukor who pounded the table to stand up Project Maven and JAIC to bring AI to the military. Cukor is the most recent in a long line of internal champions, like Deak Parsons or Vannevar Bush, or Schreiver with ICBMs, or Moffett with aircraft carriers, or Rickover with the nuclear Navy. They were all great champions. Not inventors.
What we need is a new functional combatant command to attract, train, and deploy great champions. To develop the next generation of Drew Cukors or Deak Parsons or Bernard Schrievers, rather than hoping and praying that maybe we’ll get lucky and another disrupter will come along in time and modernize the military. We no longer have that luxury. We cannot afford to start our conflicts with yesterday’s technology and hope that we will catch up. Not in the era of data and algorithms. Chris Brose was quoting was John McCain when he said, “Hope is not a strategy.”
We need a separate command for the same reason that we need cyber or special operations as a separate command. The problem is endemic to all the service branches, not specific to just one. And there’s a unique skill set that needs to be developed. Good champions need to be mediators, buffers between technologists and soldiers. They need to be bilingual, to speak the language of each side fluently. They need to understand product market fit: why some ideas will get traction, others won’t. They need to identify hidden organizational barriers and come up with solutions. They need to understand horizontal influence: how to influence people over whom they have no direct authority. All of those are special skills, with best practices and useful lessons to be learned from years of examples across the different branches. Yet no such training exists today.
Google does it. Microsoft does it. They’ve understood the importance of having a special forces unit for innovation champions and have done it well. They create a career ladder to retain people in the role, to build experience and skill, to convey prestige and respect. They keep the role neutral, like Switzerland, neither on the research side, nor on the operation side, but in between, like a mediator needs to be.
If you create a joint special forces for innovation Sherpas, for program champions, you not only gain the ability to innovate faster and better as an organization. You improve your ability to attract, retain, and motivate talent. When I put out that War on the Rocks article, I got emails from very impressive people, with an entrepreneurial bent, who had left the military, but clearly wanted to contribute. They said, “If that division was there, sign me up.” You put a purple rope around it, you make that command hard to get into, you make it as cool as SOCOM.
Read the transcript of Safi’s entire talk and watch the video below.
If you can’t see the video click here. | https://medium.com/@sgblank/technology-innovation-and-modern-war-class-17-organizational-design-safi-bahcall-7ee825bccf7c | ['Steve Blank'] | 2020-12-21 16:07:46.013000+00:00 | ['Defense', 'Teaching', 'Military', 'Higher Education', 'National Security'] |
Frame The World | Roll up your sleeves and spit your lies at me
Lick the poison off my skin
Your grin as wide as the gates of hell
But yours is not my sin
Throw up, blow up, show up, your fuckup
Bury your head in my womb you are safe
Eat the apple off my tree
Frame the world with your liquid tongue
But not my destiny
Live up, give up, take up, your fuckup
Your public climax, wipe it off my screen
Kiss me goodbye before the end
Just another reason to believe
I cannot be your friend
Line up, tie up, fire up, your fuckup! | https://medium.com/emotional-freedom-lyricism/frame-the-world-4d977918e8c8 | ['Morten Jensen'] | 2020-09-02 16:52:15.231000+00:00 | ['Writing', 'Words', 'Lyrics', 'Poetry', 'Sin'] |
Using OpenCV to Cartoonize an Image | Using OpenCV to Cartoonize an Image
(Source: By Author)
What is OpenCV?
OpenCV is an open-source python library used for computer vision and machine learning. It is mainly aimed at real-time computer vision and image processing. It is used to perform different operations on images which transform them using different techniques.
It majorly supports all languages like Python, C++, Android, Java, etc. It is easy to use and in demand due to its features. It is used in creating image processing or rendering application using different languages.
In this article, we will try to perform some image transformation using the CV2 version of OpenCV. We will try to make sketches, cartoons, and other transformations on an ordinary image.
Installing OpenCV
In order to install OpenCV, we need to run the following command given below in the command prompt.
pip install opencv-python
As soon as we install OpenCV we are good to go and start with our image transformation process. Open jupyter notebook and import the required libraries.
Importing Required Libraries
We will import required libraries that are cv2 and numpy using the code given below.
import cv2
import numpy as np
First Transformation(Cartoonize)
In this transformation, we will find the edges of the image and make a cartoon using the bilateral filter and bitwise operator. You can use any image for this transformation, I am using my own image for this article.
# Reading the Image
image = cv2.imread("image1.jpg") # Finding the Edges of Image
gray = cv2.cvtColor(image, cv2.COLOR_BGR2GRAY)
gray = cv2.medianBlur(gray, 7)
edges = cv2.adaptiveThreshold(gray, 255, cv2.ADAPTIVE_THRESH_MEAN_C, cv2.THRESH_BINARY, 9, 10) # Making a Cartoon of the image
color = cv2.bilateralFilter(image, 12, 250, 250)
cartoon = cv2.bitwise_and(color, color, mask=edges) #Visualize the cartoon image
cv2.imshow("Cartoon", cartoon)
cv2.waitKey(0) # "0" is Used to close the image window
cv2.destroyAllWindows()
Original and Cartoon Image(Source: By Author)
Second Transformation(Blurring Image)
In the second transformation, we will try to blur the image with an edge-preserving filter and adding a threshold to the edges. For this, we will use Gaussian Blur.
#convert to gray scale
grayImage = cv2.cvtColor(image, cv2.COLOR_BGR2GRAY) #apply gaussian blur
grayImage = cv2.GaussianBlur(grayImage, (3, 3), 0) #detect edges
edgeImage = cv2.Laplacian(grayImage, -1, ksize=5)
edgeImage = 255 - edgeImage #threshold image
ret, edgeImage = cv2.threshold(edgeImage, 150, 255, cv2.THRESH_BINARY) #blur images heavily using edgePreservingFilter
edgePreservingImage = cv2.edgePreservingFilter(image, flags=2, sigma_s=50, sigma_r=0.4) #create output matrix
output =np.zeros(grayImage.shape) #combine cartoon image and edges image
output = cv2.bitwise_and(edgePreservingImage, edgePreservingImage, mask=edgeImage) #Visualize the cartoon image
cv2.imshow("Cartoon", output)
cv2.waitKey(0) # "0" is Used to close the image window
cv2.destroyAllWindows()
Blurring Image using Edge Preserving(Source: By Author)
Third Transformation(Stylization)
In this transformation, we will use the stylization technique and create the cartoon of the image.
cartoon_image = cv2.stylization(image, sigma_s=150, sigma_r=0.25)
cv2.imshow('cartoon', cartoon_image)
cv2.waitKey(0)
cv2.destroyAllWindows()
Stylization(Source: By Author)
Fourth Transformation(Pencil Sketch)
In this transformation, we will create a pencil sketch of the image. We will create both colorful and black & white sketches.
cartoon_image1, cartoon_image2 = cv2.pencilSketch(image, sigma_s=60, sigma_r=0.5, shade_factor=0.02)
cv2.imshow('pencil', cartoon_image1)
cv2.waitKey()
cv2.destroyAllWindows()
Black & White(Source: By Author)
cv2.imshow('pencil', cartoon_image2)
cv2.waitKey()
cv2.destroyAllWindows()
Colored Sketch(Source: By Author)
In this article, we saw how we can use OpenCV to create different image transformations. Go ahead try these transformations and in case you feel any difficulty please let me know in the response section.
Before You Go
Thanks for reading! If you want to get in touch with me, feel free to reach me on [email protected] or my LinkedIn Profile. You can view my Github profile for different data science projects and packages tutorials. Also, feel free to explore my profile and read different articles I have written related to Data Science. | https://towardsdatascience.com/using-opencv-to-catoonize-an-image-1211473941b6 | ['Himanshu Sharma'] | 2020-11-19 14:04:42.796000+00:00 | ['Image Processing', 'Computer Vision', 'Opencv', 'Deep Learning', 'Python'] |
The Revolution Will be Published | The Revolution Will be Published
An archive of zines reveals the raw, uncensored voices of the punk, queer, and DIY countercultures
Top, from left: Hakim Bey et al., This Inheritance Must Be Refused, 1994 (2018.86.1109); Jane LeCroy, Treasure of Love, 2001 (2018.86.1136); Maggie Wrigley, SQUAT~TER, 2011 (2018.86.939); Sabrina Chapadijiev, Cliterature, 2004 (2018.86.195). Bottom, from left: Aaron Cometbus, Cometbus #55, 2013 (2018.86); rOBNOXIOUS, tHE fALL oF aMERICA, 1999 (2018.86.1027); Artist unidentified, A Night of Terror, date unknown (2018.86.1484); Dylan Graham, Heroine, 2003 (2018.86.1347); Andre Denee, Lights Very Village, 1994 (2018.86.1362); Amber Gayle, Transient Songs, 1995 (2018.86.1561).
By Ian Karp
In 1988, after a life of relocation, the punk artist, writer, teacher, activist, and squatter Fly Orr — known as Fly — landed on New York City’s Lower East Side. Soon after, she moved into an East Village squat (an illegally occupied building, usually neglected, vacant, or abandoned) and became involved with the community art space ABC No Rio, a center for performance and squatter arts and activism. There, Fly dove into countercultural scenes on the Lower East Side, surrounded by other musicians, artists, activists, and squatters.
In addition to her work as a comics illustrator, muralist, and squatter activist, Fly was an archivist, collecting printed matter and other artwork that circulated in the underground communities she had been part of since the mid-1980s. After 35 years of accumulation, Fly’s collection had grown to more than 1,900 art objects from around the world, spanning the 1980s to the present. Fly’s collection consists mostly of zines, a type of self-produced publication that has long connected the various strands of the underground. It became known as the Fly Zine Archive (FZA).
Kate Huh, “Rebel Fux!” #22, 1996–2001. 2018.86.1513. Fly Zine Archive, The Mary and Robyn Campbell Fund for Art Books and gift of funds from Mary and Bob Mersky.
Mia recently acquired the FZA, making it the first major museum to add a zine archive to its permanent collection. The FZA’s diverse array of counterculture publications and art will offer Miavisitors the opportunity to learn about a range of topics historically discounted by museums, namely artist and activist work within punk, squatter, feminist, and anarchist communities. In addition to zines, the archive includes comics, drawings, prints, punk rock show bills, DIY guides, poetry collections, neighborhood newspapers, artists’ books, and more than 150 issues of the punk periodical Maximum Rocknroll. It’s rich in contributions from LGBTQ+, Latinx, and unsheltered artists and writers, as well as activists in areas like mental health, safe drug use, affordable housing, and systemic police misconduct.
Fly created and collaborated on some of the archive’s contents herself. She picked up and traded for other material at countless zine and anarchist book fairs, neighborhood meetings, and punk shows, both in New York City and on tour. The collection also grew with zines and comics that Fly received in the mail. Exchange through the postal system had evolved naturally within the zine community, as a way to self-distribute media and to connect with fellow artists, writers, and zinesters. Fly received material from San Francisco’s East Bay punk scene and Vancouver squats, as well as from France, Italy, the Netherlands, Japan, and elsewhere.
While the FZA contains a wide variety of artwork and publication, it is the spirit of DIY that drives the collection as a whole, an ethic embodied by the zine medium regardless of subject matter. There is no formal specificity to the medium, although the typical zine is a printed copy of a collaged master that comprises both original and appropriated media. Compositions include handwritten and word-processed text as well as illustration, photography and other graphic artwork. Some zines are printed using high-end printers, such as the Risograph, a stencil duplicator that allows for accurate multiples to be printed in several colors. More often, zines are black and white, xerographic copies made with a standard office copier, giving them that rough reproductive haze we all know.
Mission Mini Comix, composite of 4 minicomics: “Happy Bunny Gets V.D.,” “Lil’ Dope Fiend Overdose Prevention Guide,” “Separation of Corporation & State,” and “Why Use Reason When You Can Use Pepper Spray!,” 2011–2013. 2018.86.1419, 2018.86.1428, 2018.86.1429, and 2018.86.1437. Fly Zine Archive, The Mary and Robyn Campbell Fund for Art Books and gift of funds from Mary and Bob Mersky.
But it is the self-published, self-distributed nature of zines that is most indicative of the medium and their makers’ democratic ideology. It transgresses traditionally exclusive modes of publication — the zine is itself a form of protest. And contrary to magazines, blogs, and mainstream publications, zines are traditionally non-commercial, often even anti-commercial in their promotion of free art, knowledge, and use. The accessibility and affordability of zine production, distribution, and consumption is a direct extension of the countercultures in which the medium is so popular.
As Fly notes, “Zine content and quality has evolved with the accessibility and potential of digital modes of production.” As such, zines are an expression of DIY culture that balances the artist’s own touch with multiplicity, providing a personal connection between a zine maker and their readers. The result is a medium that is both socially and formally aware of modern changes to conceptions of art, authenticity, and originality.
A highlight from the FZA is Kate Huh’s series Rebel Fux!, an anarcho-queer minizine (a smaller than usual zine) that cleverly collages found imagery and Huh’s own concise, self-reflexive poetry to confront gender, sexuality, heteronormativity, anarchism, and existence. Rebel Fux! minizines are printed on a single sheet of paper cut and folded into eight approximately 4 x 3 inch leaves without the need for binding — exemplifying how zine formats do not conform to mainstream print standards.
Minizines are also a favorite format of the San Francisco comics collective Mission Mini Comix. The FZA includes 59 of their minicomics, addressing themes of addiction, safe drug use, sexual health, and protest. Mission Mini comics are collaborative efforts, each leaf having been illustrated by a different member in their own respective style. The comics cohere nonetheless through the informative but satirical awareness of the text. Titles such as Happy Bunny gets V.D., Copy Wrong: The Sad State of Intellectual Property, Lil’ Dope Fiend Overdose Prevention Guide, and Separation of Corporation and State capture the group’s comedic approach to such serious topics.
The archive also has many issues of the tabloid zine Slug & Lettuce, started in 1987 by Christine Boarts Larson. The zine is a montage of text and image. Interviews with bands, music and zine reviews, and “Scene Reports” from punk shows around the world are juxtaposed with Larson’s fast-moving photography and contributing readers’ original comics and illustrations. Besides documenting global DIY and punk happenings, Slug & Lettuce also facilitated international communication and networking with its event and contact listings.
Above: Christine Boarts Larson, “Slug & Lettuce” #62, December 1999–February 2000, 2018.86.880. Below: Nick and Sarah, “Teenage Lobotomy: A Zine About the Institutionalization of Youth,” 2018.86.984. Fly Zine Archive, The Mary and Robyn Campbell Fund for Art Books and gift of funds from Mary and Bob Mersky.
Squatting is one of the most prominent themes in the FZA. There are squatter zines and comics, DIY guides for squatters, histories of squatting, and even the squatters’ newsletter, Piss Bucket. The title of this zine is an allusion to the essential bathroom amenity of most squats, a joint-compound bucket. The insurgent, DIY essence of such squatter zines is representative of squatters’ larger ideas about voluntarism and self-autonomy. The zine contains detailed information about how to safely enter a vacant property, how to repurpose and fix its neglected parts, and how to care for it as a squat. It even provides a list of squatters’ rights and tactics to fight eviction. Beyond being art objects, zines like Piss Bucket are important historical documents for reconstructing the history of squatting in New York City and for understanding how Lower East Side squatter relations with city government — which had maintained the neglect of vacant property — evolved from hostility to partnership.
The archive also has several works by writer and activist Sascha Altman Dubrul, for a short time known as Sascha Scatter. La Vida Secreta de los Gabachos chronicles Sascha’s nomadic journey through the North American anarchist circuit as a teenager. He vividly records his experience hopping trains, squatting, and talking with strangers across America and Mexico. The legendary memoir is representative of a larger genre of vagrant travelogues, a rich vein in the archive.
Today, Sascha works towards reforming the practices, language, and culture that surrounds mental health care and institutionalization, another prominent theme of the archive. Teenage Lobotomy: A Zine About The Institutionalization of Youth confronts this directly. Teen artists and writers Nick and Sarah reflect on the mistreatment of youth patients in mental health and behavioral modification institutions while advocating for mental health care through art and creative expression. They also operated the Misled Youth Network, a series of zines featuring art, poetry, and musings on their experience as abused and misunderstood teens.
The FZA is massive in scale and cultural scope. But to Fly, the archive is more than just its count of art objects. “It preserves the continued evolution of rebel voice and artistic freedom,” Fly says, alluding to the archive’s most pervasive themes. Revolution, dissent, and irreverence, along with empowerment of individual and communal voice, tie all of the FZA’s contents together, making it a vital record of cultural evaluation and critique from many perspectives.
Left: Anonymous, Piss Bucket #1, 1992, 2018.86.737. Right: Sascha Altman Dubrul, La Vida Secreta de los Gabachos, 1996, 2018.86.1066. Fly Zine Archive, The Mary and Robyn Campbell Fund for Art Books and gift of funds from Mary and Bob Mersky.
The zines, comics, and other contents of the archive were intended to be read, seen, researched, and appreciated. As such, the FZA will be made publicly available in the Herschel V. Jones Print Study Room, as well as online via Mia’s collection database. The FZA will also enrich Mia’s exhibitions and public programming with its documentation of punk, squatter, anarchist, and DIY culture from the 1980s to the present. Moreover, the acquisition will further aid the continual effort to diversify Mia’s collection by gender, race, ethnicity, ideology, and medium. A zine archive is a unique addition to any museum’s collection, and Mia is proud that the Fly Zine Archive will make it one of the first.
Ian Karp is the John E. Andrus III Curatorial Fellow in the Department of Prints and Drawings at Mia. | https://medium.com/minneapolis-institute-of-art/the-revolution-will-be-published-31d38242f980 | ['Minneapolis Institute Of Art'] | 2020-06-30 20:08:35.756000+00:00 | ['Art', 'Media', 'Music', 'History', 'New York'] |
Using the Raspberry Pi 4 as a Desktop Computer | Launched in 2019, the Raspberry Pi 4 was a significant upgrade over previous models. With USB 3, gigabit ethernet, a faster processor, dual 4K HDMI display support and options for 2, 4 or 8Gb RAM it seemed to be breaking into the low end desktop computer space.
I’ve had a 4Gb Pi 4 since April, and haven’t really used it for too much yet. It had a stint as part of Balena’s Folding for COVID project then went back into the box for a while.
Fast forward to November and the Raspberry Pi foundation released the Pi 400, an all in one Pi 4 based computer inside its own keyboard. This got me interested in building up my own Pi 4 as a desktop computer, with the aim of using it as a workstation for future personal coding projects. As I’d want to leave it on my desk for extended periods and use it for hours at a time, I decided I’d need a case with active cooling to keep the dust and the temperature down. This article covers adding such a case to the Pi, and installing software that manages the fan and other features.
While looking at the Pi 400, I also realized that the Raspberry Pi Foundation also produce an official desktop kit with a base unit and separate keyboard form factor.
Shopping List
Here’s what you’ll need to build your own desktop Pi 4… as I live in the USA I’ve included links are for suppliers that ship from there and take payment in US Dollars. If you’re in the UK/EU, Pimoroni will have most of this stuff. If you need all of the components, it’s probably going to be cheaper to buy either the official complete desktop kit or the Pi 400 that I mentioned earlier. I already had everything except the case, so I stuck with the build my own route.
You’ll also want a couple of things you might already have:
USB mouse.
USB keyboard.
I used some older Microsoft products I had on hand. If you don’t have these, pretty much anything you can find will work.
Hardware Build
The case comes in kit form, and is straightforward to assemble — it even comes with a small screwdriver which is the only tool you need.
The instructions are clear and easy to follow. Check out the slideshow below to see the steps involved. There’s an expansion board that plugs into the Pi to relocate the audio and HDMI ports. The Pi then slots into the top of the case, connecting with it using the GPIO ports. The bottom of the case screws on, and helps secure the Pi inside. Finally, there’s a set of rubber feet to stick on the bottom.
Pi 4 desktop case parts.
Raspberry Pi 4 with the case’s port extender fitted.
Raspberry Pi 4 with port extender mounted in the case.
Arrangement of ports and power button.
Access to GPIO ports via removable magnetic cover.
Having all of the ports on the back of the case is nice, it makes it look much cleaner than plugging things into three different sides of the Pi, and makes cable routing on your desk a lot easier.
The one potential downside I can see with this case is access to the GPIO ports. Having them brought out to sit under a magnetic cover on the top of the case is a really nice idea, and it’ll be easy to wire things to them. Fitting HAT type accessories will need a ribbon cable, and the HAT won’t sit flush on the Pi. This doesn’t concern me, as I wasn’t planning on using this particular Pi for tasks that require the GPIO ports.
If you need to connect the Pi camera while using this case, you can route its ribbon cable up and out the top by the GPIO ports. If using the Pi as a desktop, it’s more likely you’d want a USB webcam than the official Pi camera, and that would simply plug in around the back with everything else.
Operating System Setup
There’s nothing special to do here, just flash an operating system image onto your micro SD card and insert the card into to the Pi. The Argon case exposes the card slot underneath, making it easy to change cards as needed:
Easy access to the Micro SD card.
I used the official Raspberry Pi Imager to flash Raspberry Pi OS (Desktop version — not Lite) onto my micro SD card. The imager tool and OS images can be downloaded from the official Raspberry Pi site. Balena’s Etcher is also a great tool for flashing images to cards.
Power Button and Fan Management Software
Once you’re up and running with Raspberry Pi OS, it’s time to install Argon’s software that manages the fan and power button. Installation is really simple — a single curl command downloads the software and installs it. The default fan settings start with it running at 10% when the temperature hits 55 Celsius, stepping it up to 100% at 65 Celsius. I didn’t feel the need to change these, but several alternatives are available:
Fan configuration software.
Installing the software also enables the Pi to respond to the power button on the back of the case. There’s a few options for shutdown — pressing and holding the power button for 3 seconds will shut the Pi down cleanly, holding it for over 5 seconds will force a shutdown, and a double tap of the power button initiates a reboot.
I don’t know if this package works on other operating systems that you could install on the Pi — Ubuntu for example — but it works well with Raspberry Pi OS.
Wrap Up
Here’s my Pi 4 in its new case, up and running as a desktop:
Raspberry Pi 4 desktop up and running!
It’s early days to say much about the case, but I’m really pleased with it so far. Some reviews say the fan’s noisy… this is subjective but I don’t think it’s a problem based on my usage so far. Here’s a video showing it powering up, initially running the fan, and booting to the desktop environment in real time:
Now I have a Pi I can leave on my desk without fear of dust getting in it, and run for a long time as it’s got active cooling, I’ll aim to use it to develop future coding projects that appear on this site… and update this article with thoughts on how it performs in that role. | https://medium.com/nerd-for-tech/using-the-raspberry-pi-4-as-a-desktop-computer-835f492f225 | ['Simon Prickett'] | 2020-11-18 04:54:17.684000+00:00 | ['Debian', 'IoT', 'Raspberry Pi 4', 'Linux', 'Raspberry Pi'] |
Paper 2 Data — An example of how to extract information from legal contracts using Artificial Intelligence. | 1. Dataset
Please see: https://github.com/JsyPhil/paper-2-data/blob/main/F1-P2D-NER-CUAD-v1-Pre-Annotation-Workflow.ipynb
To create a dataset for such an NLP project, we first needed to find a corpus of legal documents, convert them to text and then pre-process these appropriately to be compatible with the pre-trained model’s approach to word embeddings and tokenization.
Fortunately, the CUADv1 legal agreement dataset was published by the Atticus Project in 2021 at the time of the project and this contains 510 general commercial legal contracts obtained from publicly available SEC filings.
Whilst the Atticus Project has created a dataset corpus of 13,000+ labels across these agreements, given that our use case is different, we will need to build our own dataset of labels.
Document Length
A current limitation of most NLP models is that they have a restriction on the length of the text from which predictions are to be made. Often this is 512 or 768 tokens depending on the model and it’s structure. Increasing this value has an exponential effect on size of the neural network and therefore the memory requirements and so is often hard-capped on the model.
Legal contracts will often be more than 512 words, which when tokenized will create many more tokens than this (see below for the explanation under Label Alignment).
This is easily solved in this use-case as most of the data to be extracted will be near the top of the legal contract so only the beginning of the contract will be needed.
If a whole contract is to be used in a model then this will need to be overcome. There are techniques available, models without a hard-cap and also models being developed for the purpose of long documents such as Big Bird from Google.
Labeling scheme
For the purpose of this project we want to extract the following basic data points from the legal contracts:
a) Agreement Date
b) Document Name
c) Party
We will use the Inside-Outside-Beginning (IOB) tagging convention to create the following feature labels for annotating and labeling the text in each agreement in our dataset:
0 B-AGMT_DATE
1 B-DOC_NAME
2 B-PARTY
3 I-AGMT_DATE
4 I-DOC_NAME
5 I-PARTY
6 O
The IOB convention will help the model understand and learn which word is part of the data we are aiming to extract. If two separate pieces of data that we need to extract are adjacent in the text then the IOB convention handles this. For example the agreement name and the agreement date may be next to each other on the front page of the agreement. In this case the feature labeling would look and be translated as follows:
Facility Agreement
7 May 2021
B-DOC_NAME, I-DOC_NAME,
B-AGMT_DATE, I-AGMT_DATE, I-AGMT_DATE
1, 4,
0, 3, 3
Therefore, we are able to create a feature label for every single word in every document, most of which will be ‘6' and not useful data for us, but at the same time we are able to train a model to know which few words in each contract contain the data which we want to extract, being feature labels ‘0’ to ‘5’.
Annotating each contract
There are a number of different options when it comes to feature labeling text to create a dataset for NLP projects. Some of these are proprietary commercial software options and some are open-source and free to use under license. A good open-source option is Doccano.
Doccano — Text Classification — Labels and Annotations
To get the documents into a format to import into Doccano, we prepared an initial workflow to import the text, clean the text and automate some of the tagging from the information available in the CUAD dataset.
Only some of the documents in the CUAD dataset are applicable for our use-case as some documents are templates, undated or don’t include counter-party information.
We built a workflow in Python to automate the creation of the annotations where possible. Where the automation is not possible, we are still able to identify these contracts and review the text manually in Doccano.
This annotation process in Doccano was time very well spent. All evidence suggests that the more annotations that can be made available for the NLP models, the better the models will perform. Similarly it is important that the annotations are completed consistently in every agreement, so not to confuse the training of the model. Therefore, each annotation was carefully reviewed after completion.
Following this workflow, we finished with a dataset of 314 documents containing 1,697 labels.
Number of labels in the dataset
2. Pre-processing the text
Please see: https://github.com/JsyPhil/paper-2-data/blob/main/F2-P2D-NER-CUAD-v1-Dataset-Preparation.ipynb
The text and feature labels are exported from Doccano using JSONL which is a multi-line JSON file format. This data then requires some further pre-processing to create a further JSON file format ready for ingestion into the NLP transformer models and to utilize the handy Datasets library, from Hugging Face.
This was done with a further Python workflow creating a list of every word in each contract exported from Doccano and matching this with a corresponding list of tags from 0 to 6 (as described above) relating to the annotated tag also exported from Doccano. This is then exported as a JSON file format.
This JSON data can be utilised and manipulated by the Datasets library and dovetails well into the Transformers library, for example when creating Training and Evaluation sets of data.
3. Fine-Tune the Transformer Models
Please see: https://github.com/JsyPhil/paper-2-data/blob/main/F3-P2D-NER-CUAD-v1-Fine-Tune-Transformer.ipynb
We utilized the ubiquitous Hugging Face open source NLP libraries to obtain and fine-tune our models.
Hugging Face has become the de-facto place to go for current state-of-the-art NLP models, datasets and other resources including tutorials and well-supported libraries.
It has helped that the data science teams at Google AI, Facebook AI, Microsoft and many others including universities have contributed to the models and libraries available at Hugging Face.
Hugging Face hosts many implementations and advancements of the original BERT model by Google AI from 2018. Some of these implementations are ‘fine-tuned’ examples addressing specific use cases, whilst other are ‘pre-trained’ examples which can be further trained for discrete use cases.
For the purposes of this project, it is the latter that we are interested in. Pre-trained models are a fantastic innovation as they allow anyone to use models which have been generally trained to a point with vast amounts of data and large compute resources, typically which are only available to ‘Big-Tech’ and ‘Academia’.
These pre-trained models can then be trained just a little bit more with your own relatively small amount of data to achieve great results.
There are some limitations which you have to accept, including that there may be some bias in the training data used to train these pre-trained models. Such limitations are usually well explained by the developer of the pre-trained model.
The Models
We experimented with four pre-trained variants of BERT for the purpose of fine-tuning our models:
DistilBERT base model (uncased)
DistilBERT base model (cased)
RoBERTa base model
DeBERTa-v2 (xl)
The workflow that we used to fine-tune our models was based on the Token Classification foundation workflow provided by Hugging Face. For our project we are only interested in the ‘Named Entity Recognition’ implementation to classify the entities in our text, i.e. the document name, date and parties.
The foundation workflow was adapted for our use case including:
Configuration settings for multiple experiments Bespoke feature labels Helper functions specifically to align label predictions from the DeBERTa-v2 (xl) model (this model does not have a Hugging Face AutoTokenizerFast class). Bespoke training schedule with warm up and cosine calculated learning rate for optimal tuning. Implementation of Weights and Biases for convenient experimentation and hyper-parameter tracking. Sample checking of the predictions
Label Alignment
It is worth specifically noting the complications which can arise from each model’s tokenization process. Different models will utilise different bespoke tokenizers, dictionaries and pre-trained word-embeddings. These may be based on sentencepiece, wordpiece or a byte-level BPE (same as GPT2). This is a current area of innovation in all the models. For example DeBERTa, developed by Microsoft, switched its tokenizer from byte-level BPE to sentencepiece across v1 to v2 in a matter of a few months. Hugging Face provide an excellent summary of the various tokenizer methods.
Accommodating different models and each of these tokenizers in a workflow requires some effort.
The tokenizer will add tokens to denote the start and end of vectors, these, among others are called ‘Special Tokens’. Also, if a word is to be put through a model and that word is not in the model’s pre-trained dictionary, then the tokenizer will break up that word into parts of words.
Therefore the amount of tokens passed through a model will be larger than the amount of words.
When a word is split into two or more tokens then the label assigned to the word is duplicated across the tokens. How this is done for any given sentence can differ greatly across each tokenizer.
When predictions are made from the models, we have to realign and re-complete the words as well as removing, or ignoring, the special tokens.
Fortunately, Hugging Face does accommodate this in some of the pre-trained models which are hosted on the platform, but not on others. We implement code to handle both these scenarios including building a bespoke helper function specifically for DeBERTa-v2 (xl).
Learning Rate Schedule
We found that using a bespoke learning rate schedule had a good impact on the performance of the models. Hyper-parameters can be seen below for our optimal learning rate schedule.
Learning Rate Schedule — Hyper-parameters
This had a warm-up from 0 to a maximum depending on the size of the batches and with a cosine decay. We believe that the bespoke learning rate schedule optimises the performance by allowing the pre-trained weights to be well maintained whilst being appropriately nudged for our specific use case.
Results
Some of the experiments undertaken can be seen on our page hosted on the Weights and Biases website.
Performance of the models — Weights and Biases
We found that the DeBERTa-v2 (xl) model produced the best outcome with F1 scores of 0.95 being consistently achieved at around 5 epochs and a batch size of 1 or 2 but was very resource intensive, in so far as even high end GPU hardware from 2020 could not run this model due to memory constraints. We had to utilize NVIDIA TITAN RTX GPU with 24GB of GPU memory to run this model. Even then the batch size had to be reduced to 1 or 2 samples per batch depending on the number and type of GPU otherwise runs would run out of memory. This model has 900 million parameters to fine-tune.
We also achieved good results with RoBERTa base with F1 scores of around 0.92 also consistently being achieved after around 5 or 6 epochs and a batch size of up to 16 depending on the type and number of GPUs available.This model has 125 million parameters to fine-tune.
Accordingly RoBERTa base was a good compromise with much less resource requirements for a very small reduction in performance.
The two DistiBERT models are great models to get the code up and running effectively including streamlining and de-bugging. This is because they are lightweight and run quickly. However, for inference, the performance isn’t good enough to justify using them over RoBERTa base.
The uncased version of DistilBERT performed better than the cased version.
We believe that the the larger DeBERTa-v2 and RoBERTa models may outperform further if more training data is available, which is often the case.
4. Final model
Please see: https://github.com/JsyPhil/paper-2-data/blob/main/F4-P2D-NER-CUAD-v1-Final-Model-Workflow.ipynb
We trained a final model for both RoBERTa and DeBERTa-v2 xl using the most promising hyper-parameters from our experiments.
We used the largest batch-sizes possible given the GPU memory for each model. Which was 16 and 2 for RoBERTa and DeBERTa-v2 (xl) respectively.
The optimizer used is Adam with a learning rate as defined above.
We found optimal performance after 8 epochs for both models. Although, we discovered similar performance after around 6 epochs up to the maximum of 10 epochs.
It is both important and recommended that the same text pre-processing is used for any legal contracts used by the model as that used for training.
5. Inference
Please see: http://localhost:8888/notebooks/Dropbox/Python/Paper%20To%20Data/paper-2-data/F5-P2D-NER-CUAD-v1-Inference.ipynb
The workflow of this single notebook provides for the following practical process:
Searches for and converts from PDF to text any number of legal contracts in PDF format in a defined folder or location. Pre-processes this text for ingestion into the fine-tuned final model. Predictions are accurately produced from the fine-tuned model for the agreement name, commencement date and parties to the contract. These predictions are then transformed into a structured tabular format and exported as a CSV file, togethet with the full text of the document for further use.
Exported tabular data from the NLP model.
Conclusion
We successfully demonstrated how NLP can be applied to a specific and valuable use case in the legal, professional and financial sectors. We hope that this may inspire technologists, business executives and managers alike to continue their learning and utilization of this important technology for the benefit of their businesses.
Special thanks to Malcolm Mason for his support and knowledge throughout this project. | https://medium.com/analytics-vidhya/paper-2-data-an-example-of-how-to-extract-information-from-legal-contracts-using-machine-learning-476fedd55592 | ['Phil Godley'] | 2021-05-27 17:04:06.083000+00:00 | ['Financial Services', 'Machine Learning', 'Legal', 'Artificial Intelligence', 'NLP'] |
Small Packages | A silent night, a smallish town,
A family here just for the count,
no consequential business meet
or international retreat,
an unimpressive stable stall,
a tiny baby — that was all.
A modest gift from God to us
and hardly worth a stir or fuss.
But shepherds come and angels sing,
Magi journey, gifts to bring.
From that beginning springs so much,
affecting everyone we touch.
That baby, now become the King,
invites us all to join His sing,
to open self as tiny gift
and give His choir a unique lift.
____________
Copyright ©2020, Paul H. Harder II
This poem is licensed under a Creative Commons BY-NC-ND 4.0 License. | https://medium.com/@paulharder2/small-packages-c3040621518a | ['Paul H. Harder Ii'] | 2021-02-07 16:06:32.534000+00:00 | ['Faith', 'Christian', 'Christmas', 'Poetry'] |
How to Respond When People Want to Pick Your Brain for Free | “Hey, can I take you out for coffee and pick you brain? I have a question about freelance writing.”
This is such a common question and I’m sure you’ve been asked it in one way, shape or form at some point in your career.
In fact, I’ve heard this taught as an actual tactic for learning the business.
In fact, I’ve definitely asked people if I could pick their brain! (And still do sometimes!)
So, is it good to do this? Is it smarmy? Is it somewhere in between?
Hey, can I pick your brain?
Ahh…I guess it’s kind of a grey area.
When we’re just getting started, or trying to figure out how to level up, we need someone who is further along to point us in the right direction.
But if you’re that person who is further along, you’re probably REALLY busy. And you likely get asked this question a LOT.
The answer here, for the asker and the mentor is boundaries.
Because here’s the thing, in the content marketing game, sharing valuable advice and offering free information is important!
And literary citizenship is super important!
But sometimes you need to get paid for your advice. | https://medium.com/@robynroste/how-to-respond-when-people-want-to-pick-your-brain-for-free-5881034bfb1f | ['Robyn Roste'] | 2020-09-22 02:57:36.537000+00:00 | ['Writing Prompts', 'Freelance', 'Freelance Writing', 'Freelancers', 'Freelance Writer'] |
Scrum: A Brief History of a Long-Lived Hype | Scrum has been around for a while, they say. The Scrum Guide holds the definition of Scrum, they say. The first, official version of the Scrum Guide was released in February 2010. So, how was Scrum defined before 2010 then? How did its definition evolve before and after 2010 and become the framework that we know today? What else happened along the road to the way that Scrum is defined and represented?
In the paper “Scrum: A Brief History of a Long-Lived Hype” I have described what changed to the definition and representation of Scrum over time, before and after the creation of the Scrum Guide. It shows how Scrum evolved into the framework that we know today since its first formal introduction in 1995. Because a touch of historical awareness is more than helpful in understanding Scrum and caring for the future of Scrum.
I looked for sources that are not just credible in terms of authorship but also offer regular enough check points. In the end, the sources I used for describing the evolutions of the definition of Scrum are:
The paper “SCRUM Software Development Process” by Ken Schwaber (1995, 1996)
The paper “SCRUM: An extension pattern language for hyperproductive software development” by Mike Beedle, Martine Devos, Yonat Sharon, Ken Schwaber and Jeff Sutherland (1999)
The book “Agile Software Development with Scrum” by Ken Schwaber and Mike Beedle (2002)
The book “Agile Project Management with Scrum” by Ken Schwaber (2004)
The book “The Enterprise and Scrum” by Ken Schwaber (2007)
“The Scrum Guide” by Ken Schwaber and Jeff Sutherland (2009, 2010)
“The Scrum Guide” by Ken Schwaber and Jeff Sutherland (2011, 2013, 2016, 2017)
“The Scrum Guide” by Ken Schwaber and Jeff Sutherland (2020)
For every source I have described the same three topics to show what Scrum consisted of at the time (regardless the different terms used), what the ‘definition’ of Scrum was at the time:
Roles, responsibilities, accountabilities Controls, deliverables, artifacts Phases, meetings, time-boxes, events
For every source I have included a graphical representation of Scrum or of a Sprint that was either taken from the source directly, either from an alternative source of the same period.
Finally, I have shared my thoughts and observations on the changes to the definition of Scrum for every source. Obviously, they represent what I deem noticeable. They hold no judgement, directly nor indirectly.
To complete the paper I have listed some important landmarks in the history of Scrum and included some personal musings on the topic of “ Scrum and the Desire for Universal Truths” (and what the Scrum Guide was not created for).
I hope you will enjoy reading the paper. I hope it will help you grow a deeper understanding of Scrum. I hope it will help you shape your Scrum to get the most from it. I hope it will help you create better products with Scrum while humanizing your workplace.
Take care
Gunther Verheyen
independent Scrum Caretaker | https://medium.com/@ullizee/scrum-a-brief-history-of-a-long-lived-hype-fb0739f98744 | ['Gunther Verheyen'] | 2020-12-18 09:21:41.921000+00:00 | ['Scrum', 'Scrum Guide', 'History', 'Definition'] |
The Rain | 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/illumination/the-rain-4eda1128d4b6 | ['Amritha Nair'] | 2020-11-06 13:32:55.275000+00:00 | ['Nature', 'Beauty', 'Poetry', 'Rain', 'Weather'] |
What is Blockchain? — Management Perspective | The million-dollar question that is bothering the C-suites at the moment. A wise friend I know said “it’s like high-school sex, everyone talks about but no one knows how to do it!”. So allow me to share my understanding of blockchain and what it really means from a decision-maker perspective.
Warning: Treat this as a super-simplified version of a rather complicated concept. Enough to make you appear smart in front of your BoD or investors. Not enough to fool everyone, and … haters are gonna hate anyway.
What is Blockchain?
TL;DR: It’s a new type of database. Period.
The long explanation is of course more complicated than that. Blockchain is a new decentralised distributed database technology. The most fundamental and disruptive attribute of blockchain is that it stores data in append-only fashion. Once the data is written, it lives forever, it cannot be deleted, cannot be modified.
So how do you change something? Think of it as a chained equation. In the first ‘block’ you write A=1 and A will forever has the value of 1. Unless you append a new part of the equation ‘+1’ which makes it become A=1+1, means 2! i.e, to change something you must chain up the modifier to the previous value. Hence “block-chain”!
And to simplify things, everytime you append something, you pay fees to miners. Miners are basically server nodes that run the blockchain software, distributed and technically all nodes are equal. A bit like the bit-torrent days, remember?
Now you know what it is, the next million-dollar question you will have to answer to your bosses is:
Should I use blockchain in my organisation?
If you ask this most likely you won’t have a need to so soon: Blockchain is a new database, why do you need a new one when the old works just fine for past couple of years. Do you even know how database works? You probably have never heard of an incident regarding databases since the day you took your current job, unless some idiot accidentally wiped the entire production customer database thinking it’s a test one. Unfortunately for me, it happened to me more than I wish to remember.
Blockchain database is slow. Low through-put. Expensive to store transactional data, fees are applied per write-operation. Does it sound completely contradicting to the hype out there? That’s why it is a hype!
Why is there a hype?!
Because of Bitcoin.
Blockchain is merely a technical concept, it is not a tangible platform one can use. The version 1.0 of blockchain concept materialised in the form of Bitcoin platform. It is the very first world-wide ledger platform that stores how much virtual credit one owns. Because of the nature of blockchain, the trust and security is built-in. If the ‘network’ says person A has 2 units of BTC, then A actually own 2 units of BTC and no one else can change or deny that fact. If then say A transfer 1 BTC to person B and it is recorded ‘on-chain’ then the truth became A owns 1 BTC and B owns 1 BTC, plus the fact that the transaction happened will forever live on the network. So blockchain hype is because of Bitcoin, but Bitcoin ≠ Blockchain.
Is Ethereum just another Bitcoin?
No.
Again blockchain is just a technical concept. After Bitcoin platform was born, zillion other implementations of blockchain concept came to life. Most notably is Ethereum platform, which is by popular opinion, deemed as blockchain 2.0 technology.
Bitcoin was pretty dumb, you can’t do anything on it except recording the transactions. On the other hand, you can do a lot more with Ethereum. You can write code, store basic text data, make applications and enforce business logics that are permanently unchanged once deployed on the network. It allow zillion other organisational Tokens to be created on top of it. Here come the crypto flood.
Is blockchain = crypto currency?
No.
Perhaps you can guess that each Token, or crypto currency, was created for a purpose, each token is organisation-specific. So the need to exchange values to/from the ‘grandfather coin’ BTC organically sparked the crypto race. Suddenly everything was hyped up. You probably know the rest of the story since then.
Should I hold Bitcoin / Ethereum / Other coins?
Yes.
Now that you have done a good job showing off to your board. You start to wonder when might be the right time to visit the topic again, if at all.
There’s no other technology in the past decade that is as game-changing as blockchain; and judging by the hype, its applications definitely will be quite something. Think of investing in blockchain as a long-term investment, if you do, you are actually investing in the future infrastructure of the world’s technology. Just like the Internet back in the 90s.
In my opinion, Bitcoin might lose its value, same go for Ethereum. However the applications that were already born on-top of those platform have sparked the next Internet-like evolution and they will be around for a pretty far foreseeable future. A clarification here, you can’t exactly invest in “blockchain” as a ticker, you could only invest in its applications. If you decide to jump in the game now, do your homework carefully and pick projects that align with your interest, just like picking the right stock. Choose wisely and good luck!
What’s next?
There is another real game-changing concept grew out of this hype. The Smart Contracts. Follow me and look out for my next article, in which, I’ll explain in details Blockchain 2.0, aka, Ethereum and why it’s going to change the way we live.
… or buy my time and I’ll teach you what to say to your bosses. | https://medium.com/anatics/what-is-blockchain-management-perspective-43de6e0d3463 | ['Kent Nguyen'] | 2018-07-04 14:47:33.208000+00:00 | ['Management', 'Technology Strategy', 'Blockchain', 'Cryptocurrency', 'Bitcoin'] |
A Soulful Vlogger With a Touch of Fairy Dust | The Cottage Fairy
The epitome of beauty, mindfulness, and simple living.
The instant you delve into one of her videos, time stops. Her name is Paola Merrill and she is TheCottageFairy on YouTube. She is a 24-year-old Puerto Rican American, a self-described bibliophile and daydreamer, an incredibly talented artist and lives the simple life in the most charming little cottage in rural Washington State.
Flowers abound in her videos and make an appearance in every single one of her vlogs, and I love it! She gathers them in a wicker basket during her nature walks through scenic landscapes and later shares the many ways they may be appreciated… In Paola’s case, they are an inspiration for her paintings and homemade postcards, for papermaking and decorating, for baking and cooking, for tea and honey, and the list goes on and on… Each creation is a feast for the eyes and feels like a warm hug for your soul.
Mr. Darcy is her pet rabbit, and her muse. After all, she is The Cottage Fairy… Why wouldn’t she have a pet rabbit named Mr. Darcy? She also shares life’s adventures with an adorable black Lab named Aegir. A guest appearance by either one of them always brings a smile to my face. Paola has also shared that she has a loving and supportive boyfriend who is a Surveyor by profession. He’s also made brief appearances in her videos, as well as her brother who now helps her with video production. You can find more of his filmmaking work on his Instagram account @ Rohan_Merrill.
Paola brings an interesting mix of simplicity and authenticity, with a touch of fairy dust. As you submerge yourself in one of her cozy vlogs, it’s as if you are being wrapped in a warm blanket of love, and you can’t help but wonder… Is she for real? ~ And I mean this in the best of ways. Her daily life depicted on camera seems like a fairytale, straight from the land of rainbows and butterflies. Every little detail in her space and surroundings is a beautiful expression of her creative soul. From the decorations on the wall, right down to her flower-adorned hair. She reminds you that beauty is in the details and all around us…
Photo Source TheCottageFairy YouTube Channel ~ Preparing for Autumn — a cozy vlog
The magic of her channel is the poetry woven into everything she shares; The soft music, her calm and soothing voice as she shares her inner experience, the slow rhythm of rural living, the many walks strolling through fields of wildflowers... Yet in all its simplicity, she still manages to share the complexities of life we all encounter, in a way that is so genuine and relatable, she feels like a dear friend you wish was always by your side. Her presence feels warm, gentle, and loving. By the end of her videos, it’s as if a personal invitation had been extended to nurture your own inner zen garden and creative potential.
In one of her vlogs, she speaks about the message she wants to convey through her platform…
“I see my own videos as kind of… Artistic, creative short films, that offer a haven from loudness and busyness for those who need it.”¹
Image Source Soul Whisper Creations ~ Video link to the audio version of this story
As I write this story, she already has over 642K subscribers on YouTube and has only been around for a little over a year. The rapid growth of her channel is remarkable, to say the least, yet I can’t say I’m surprised. Her videos are immersed with beauty and have a subtle meditative quality to them. Not to mention the comments left by her following which clearly lay out how deeply they resonate with her and what she has to share.
She seems to have appeared out of nowhere, to remind us of the peaceful stream that flows deep within all of us. She takes each one of us by the hand and guides us into the present moment. She is mindful and fully present within each moment, creative and incredibly inspirational, a brilliant storyteller and vlogger.
After nearly a year of watching Paola’s weekly content, I have to remind myself that she is just like the rest of us… A human being doing the very best she can. And even though her channel exudes the calm and inner peace we all aspire to, she experiences the same challenges as we all do. In her self-reflective moments, she shares some of them with us with an open heart.
Nonetheless, the little nook she has created deep in the womb of YouTube’s universe is truly special. It opens the door to a peaceful space; one where I feel as though I’ve been whisked away to a magical cottage nestled in the landscape of my very own heart. | https://byrslf.co/a-soulful-vlogger-with-a-touch-of-fairy-dust-4fcb8ed88f1f | ['Felicity Love'] | 2021-09-08 19:58:52.323000+00:00 | ['Mindfulness', 'Artist', 'Beyourself', 'Vlogs', 'Creativity'] |
OkCupid Expands Identity Options for LGBTQ+ Users | OkCupid Expands Identity Options for LGBTQ+ Users
OkCupid has always been exclusively inclusive, and we continue to optimize the app for all users. This Pride Month, we’re excited to announce that we’ve created a dedicated space where our LGBTQ+ users can choose from an expanded list of over 60 identities to signal to other users who they really are and how they identify. Daters will not only be able to select these identities so they can share more about themselves with others, but they can also use them to filter for the types of people and relationships they’re looking for by setting them as preferences when searching for a match. All identities will be available by the end of this month.
This announcement follows our legacy of inclusivity. OkCupid was the first major dating app to give users a place to highlight their pronouns, leading to almost 2 million straight and queer users proudly displaying their pronouns on their dating profiles. We were also the first major dating app to expand gender and orientation options for users, and remain the only one to include in-app matching questions specifically for the LGBTQ+ community. And today, we’re proud to announce the release these new identities for LGBTQ+ users (see below). Developed in consultation with staff and community experts, including the Human Rights Campaign — the nation’s largest LGBTQ rights organization — these will be in addition to the 22 gender options and 20 orientation options we currently have, now giving people over 60 identities for users to choose from.
Bear
Boi
Bottom
Butch
Drag king
Drag queen
Femme
Hard femme
High femme
Leather
Otter
Soft butch
Stone butch
Stone femme
Stud
Switch
Top
Twink
Versatile
“Safety and inclusivity on dating apps is important not only during Pride, but all year round,” said Jay Brown, Human Rights Campaign Senior Vice President, Programs, Research & Training. “Allowing users to select from such a wide array of identity options will make many LGBTQ+ users feel more welcome on OkCupid, and will allow them to use the platform in a more authentic way.”
At OkCupid we aim to provide an accepting experience for everyone. Not only does the LGBTQ+ community make up an important and active set of our user base, but there are also millions of allies on our platform. We found that 7 in 10 people on OkCupid say it’s important to them that their match cares about the LGBTQ+ community — and 97% of all respondents support marriage equality. Expanding our list of identities for LGBTQ+ users is our way of showing our dedication to making the OkCupid app the best place for matching on what matters to you, no matter who you are or what you’re looking for.
Please consider making a donation to HRC today to fuel the fight for equality. | https://theblog.okcupid.com/okcupid-expands-identity-options-for-lgbtq-users-a528e8a23039 | [] | 2021-08-09 20:23:05.155000+00:00 | ['Pride', 'Love', 'LGBTQ', 'Dating', 'Inclusion'] |
Intel® OpenVINO™ Docker Environment | What is OpenVINO™?
The OpenVINO™ Toolkit’s name comes from “Open Visual Inferencing and Neural Network Optimization.” It is primarily focused around optimizing neural network inference and is open source. OpenVino doesn’t support training.
Intel developed this tool to helps support fast inference across Intel® CPUs, GPUs, FPGAs, and Neural Compute Stick with a standard API.
OpenVINO™ can take models built with multiple different frameworks, like TensorFlow or Caffe, and use its Model Optimizer to optimize for inference.
This optimized model used with the Inference Engine that helps speed inference on the related hardware. It also has a wide variety of Pre-Trained Models already put through Model Optimizer.
In OpenVINO™, Pre-Trained Models refer specifically to the Model Zoo, in which the Free Model Set contains pre-trained models already converted using the Model Optimizer. These models can be used directly with the Inference Engine.
OpenVINO™ Docker Image:
Prerequisites:
1. Docker setup
2. Git
Build a Docker image:
git clone https://github.com/nullbyte91/Intel-edge-AI-foundation-udacity.git cd Intel-edge-AI-foundation-udacity/docker/ docker build — rm — build-arg proxy=$http_proxy — rm — tag openvino:v1 .
Run a container:
docker run -v /etc/localtime:/etc/localtime:ro — rm -it -e http_proxy -e https_proxy -e ftp_proxy -v `pwd`:/work openvino:v1 bash
Running GUI apps with Docker:
We need to share the Host X11 display server with a docker container to see the image window when we run an application.
docker run -v /etc/localtime:/etc/localtime:ro -it -e DISPLAY=$DISPLAY -v /tmp/.X11-unix:/tmp/.X11-unix -e http_proxy -e https_proxy -e ftp_proxy -v `pwd`:/work openvino:v1 bash
Mount Camera:
To perform both real-time (webcam) and video processing, We need to mount a camera with the container.
docker run -v /etc/localtime:/etc/localtime:ro — rm -it — device /dev/video0 -e http_proxy -e https_proxy -e ftp_proxy -v `pwd`:/work openvino:v1 bash
Test your environment:
Finally, we are going to test our docker environment with one demo application. | https://medium.com/udacity-intel-edge-ai-scholars-2k19-20/intel-openvino-docker-environment-1b293e753b67 | [] | 2020-01-22 05:13:35.095000+00:00 | ['Intel', 'Demo App', 'Openvino', 'Docker', 'Security Camera'] |
Preserving Whiteness Is Killing America | The thing about this movement though is that it’s not just associated with white people. It is supported by anyone who believes in maintaining a system that actively works to keep white people in a position of power. For example, I have seen examples of People of Color (PoC) on Twitter and TikTok choose to support this movement. Often describing themselves as Radicalist, they make provocative claims that keep Whiteness intact.
By adding PoC to their ranks, whiteness is given a more legitimate platform with which to exert its force. How can a movement that has PoC as supporters really be about just maintaining whiteness? Although the claim is ludicrous and outlandish, whiteness serves to only ensure it is able to maintain control regardless of who it harms. The need to preserve whiteness is like a self-destructive behavior. It may feel good in the moment to uphold the system but each day that you support it and make baseless claims to advance its causes, the more harm you do to yourself and those around you. | https://medium.com/perceive-more/preserving-whiteness-is-killing-america-b4f8538ddad7 | ['James Woods'] | 2020-12-09 16:23:27.344000+00:00 | ['White Privilege', 'Race', 'America', 'Race Relations', 'BlackLivesMatter'] |
What is cloud computing? A beginner’s guide | We have always been storing the programs and data that we need onto our computer’s hard disk and accessing it whenever required. This is computing. But now technology has taken over and the need to store everything on your physical hard disk is no longer there. Here, Cloud Computing comes into picture. Cloud Computing is the method of computing in which the data and programs are stored over the Internet and not on your hard disk. The Internet is referred to as the Cloud in ‘Cloud Computing’.
My Background: I am Cloud and Big Data Enthusiast , I am here because I love to Talk about Cloud. I am 11x Cloud Certified Expert. 4x AWS Certified , 3x Oracle Cloud Certified , 3x Azure Certified 1x Alibaba Cloud Certified .
What is cloud computing ?
Cloud computing is the delivery of on-demand computing services — from applications to storage and processing power — typically over the internet and on a pay-as-you-go basis.
How does cloud computing work?
Rather than owning their own computing infrastructure or data centers, companies can rent access to anything from applications to storage from a cloud service provider.
One benefit of using cloud computing services is that firms can avoid the upfront cost and complexity of owning and maintaining their own IT infrastructure, and instead simply pay for what they use, when they use it.
In turn, providers of cloud computing services can benefit from significant economies of scale by delivering the same services to a wide range of customers.
What cloud computing services are available?
Cloud computing services cover a vast range of options now, from the basics of storage, networking, and processing power through to natural language processing and artificial intelligence as well as standard office applications. Pretty much any service that doesn’t require you to be physically close to the computer hardware that you are using can now be delivered via the cloud.
Over the past there years, job searches that included keywords related to the top cloud providers, such as “Google Cloud,” “Azure,” or “AWS,” increased by 223%, the report found. Job listings that included these terms in the description rose by 101% over the same time frame.
Why is it called cloud computing?
A fundamental concept behind cloud computing is that the location of the service, and many of the details such as the hardware or operating system on which it is running, are largely irrelevant to the user. It’s with this in mind that the metaphor of the cloud was borrowed from old telecoms network schematics, in which the public telephone network (and later the internet) was often represented as a cloud to denote that the just didn’t matter — it was just a cloud of stuff. This is an over-simplification of course; for many customers location of their services and data remains a key issue.
What are examples of cloud computing?
§Cloud computing underpins a vast number of services. That includes consumer services like Gmail or the cloud back-up of the photos on your smartphone, though to the services which allow large enterprises to host all their data and run all of their applications in the cloud. Netflix relies on cloud computing services to run its its video streaming service and its other business systems too, and have a number of other organisations.
§Cloud computing is becoming the default option for many apps: software vendors are increasingly offering their applications as services over the internet rather than standalone products as they try to switch to a subscription model. However, there is a potential downside to cloud computing, in that it can also introduce new costs and new risks for companies using it.
Public cloud services serve as the one bright spot in the outlook for IT spending in 2020. Cloud spending in many regions is expected to grow rapidly as economies reopen and more normal economic activity resumes, with regions such as North America expecting to return to higher spending levels as early as 2022.
What is Infrastructure-as-a-Service?
Cloud computing can be broken down into three cloud computing models. Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS) refers to the fundamental building blocks of computing that can be rented: physical or virtual servers, storage and networking. This is attractive to companies that want to build applications from the very ground up and want to control nearly all the elements themselves, but it does require firms to have the technical skills to be able to orchestrate services at that level. Research by Oracle found that two thirds of IaaS users said using online infrastructure makes it easier to innovate, had cut their time to deploy new applications and services and had significantly cut on-going maintenance costs. However, half said IaaS isn’t secure enough for most critical data.
What is Platform-as-a-Service?
Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) is the next layer up — as well as the underlying storage, networking, and virtual servers this will also include the tools and software that developers need to build applications on top of: that could include middleware, database management, operating systems, and development tools.
What is Software-as-a-Service?
§Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) is the delivery of applications-as-a-service, probably the version of cloud computing that most people are used to on a day-to-day basis. The underlying hardware and operating system is irrelevant to the end user, who will access the service via a web browser or app; it is often bought on a per-seat or per-user basis.
What is private cloud?
§Private cloud allows organizations to benefit from the some of the advantages of public cloud — but without the concerns about relinquishing control over data and services, because it is tucked away behind the corporate firewall. Companies can control exactly where their data is being held and can build the infrastructure in a way they want — largely for IaaS or PaaS projects — to give developers access to a pool of computing power that scales on-demand without putting security at risk. However, that additional security comes at a cost, as few companies will have the scale of AWS, Microsoft or Google, which means they will not be able to create the same economies of scale. Still, for companies that require additional security, private cloud may be a useful stepping stone, helping them to understand cloud services or rebuild internal applications for the cloud, before shifting them into the public cloud.
What is hybrid cloud?
Hybrid cloud is perhaps where everyone is in reality: a bit of this, a bit of that. Some data in the public cloud, some projects in private cloud, multiple vendors and different levels of cloud usage. According to research by TechRepublic, the main reasons for choosing hybrid cloud include disaster recovery planning and the desire to avoid hardware costs when expanding their existing data center.
Refer to this article for more Information.
Gartner Forecasts Worldwide Public Cloud Revenue to Grow 6.3%
in 2020
I hope that this guide helps you in building your career with Cloud and getting Cloud Certified,
If you have any doubt or unable to understand any concept feel free to contact me on
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If you liked this content then do clap and share it . Thank You . | https://medium.com/analytics-vidhya/what-is-cloud-computing-a-beginners-guide-1e89fdb8791d | ['Adit Modi'] | 2020-12-21 17:47:56.951000+00:00 | ['Cloud Native', 'Cloud Services', 'Cloud Storage', 'Cloud Computing', 'Cloud'] |
Vanessa’s Goodbye | Vanessa’s Goodbye
(Photo by Rhodi Lopez/Unsplash)
Lost in a blizzard
That only I could see
Vanessa was gone
Misplaced
From where she was supposed to be
Vanessa was cold
But not from the water
That filled her body
She was cold before that
She was cold
Even when the sun could reach her
Six feet slumber
She was finally
Unreachable to the sun
Her funeral was rough on me
But Worst on a mother
Who knew nothing of her daughter’s sorrows
Vanessa was a cold case
That detectives couldn’t solve
Friends attended
Frenemies attended
Everyone wanted to say
Goodbye
I wanted a second chance
I wanted Vanessa…to grab my hand | https://medium.com/house-of-preservation/vanessas-goodbye-2404cfb3b5df | ['Sakari Lacross'] | 2020-11-22 15:03:07.298000+00:00 | ['Flash Fiction', 'Tragedy', 'Short Fiction', 'Poetry', 'Series'] |
Work in Progress, Pt. 3: Battling Insecurities. | It doesn’t start out easy at all, well at least for me it didn’t. I’d say I started picking at every little thing about myself around middle school. So let me paint a picture for you and take you back to how Jourdan thought between the ages of 11–17. For starters, I was always tall as hell. So boom first things first, Shopping was always weird because at the time, finding jeans that were long enough? Rare. My shoe size grew as I went from grade to grade so, trying to find shoes that I, a pre-teen/teenager would like in the WOMEN’S section while all my friends have size little feet and were buying shoes for $30 (or more) cheaper… y’all know how it goes. Someone start a petition to bring PAYLESS back!! How’d we let them fail? Okay next. There’s the physical appearance insecurity for you. Following? Good. So, I mentioned I’ve always been tall. I stopped playing basketball before high school and was STEADY drilled with the, “you hoop?” question. I’d be rich as hell if I was given a dollar for every time I was asked that. “Am I not doing what I’m supposed to be doing?” There’s the second-guessing and thinking I’m not doing enough insecurity. Next, the one that probably bothered me the most. B*ys. Wow, I am so upset I let y’all rusty-dusty boys make me feel the way I did about myself. 😂 I knew I wasn’t the prettiest and again, I’m tall so we have to knock out some of them because being with someone shorter than you? Oh, you’re just asking to get roasted. 😭 and the fact that I have beauty marks was already a huge part of my physical insecurity. Being called Ice Cube was very traumatic let me just say, so screw whoever started calling me that lol. We’re going to leave that part alone because I got some words for a few of y’all. Also, I was annoying as HELL. I now see why I was treated the way I was at times. Little did I know, my attention-seeking personality was really a mask to hide my cry for help. Therapy y’all. Sheesh. The decline of my self-esteem, lack of self-love and, the minuscule amount of self-confidence I had caused me to carry myself with a negative look on my life. I didn’t think I was beautiful. It was hard because I always felt like I was just that one friend, you know. I was the mom of my friend groups. I was the sister, the best friend, the advice giver, the not relationship material type gal. I had a bunch of pointless situationships 😂 I was what…? I mentioned in the past how I felt that I basically needed to be everyone’s go-to. Yes, I realized that most of those sitationships were just them using me because of that trait of mine. Ouch. It was because I didn’t feel like I was ever capable of giving myself the love I was looking for and longing for in everyone else. Analogy time. I was good for feeding everybody at the table and watching them eat, enjoy what I gave them and, take what they need to fulfill themselves while I sat back, exhausted and drained but that didn’t matter. This was a reoccurring feeling too. Everyone else was GOOD. You’re good, just enjoy the fact that everyone is happy. WHY YOU GOTTA BE SO INSECURE?? YEAAAAH. If you know me you know I love Jazmine and Bryson.
I’ll be honest, it didn’t fully hit how insecure I was about myself until this past year when I had to dig so deep during moments where I was by myself, to find something to keep me going. I was never the type to compliment myself or admire my strength still working on it, as I type this because I believed I wasn't worthy of compliments. I didn't think I was strong because if I was, why am I feeling like this? Why am I going through the things I’m going through? God gives his toughest battles to his strongest soldiers right? Why did I feel so damn weak? Where’s that strong girl everyone “admires and loves so much”? Being strong at a young age really isn’t that admirable of a thing when you think about it. What did I go through that made me have to be so strong? Who hurt me? Undealt with Trauma? Yeah, I’m going to touch more on this in another part but back to what I was saying. I’m very good for a couple things, let’s list them out:
saying “no, I'm okay.” when I'm actually drowning in the many thoughts that cross my mind daily and I am FAR from okay. I didn’t like feeling as if I was a burden or an inconvenience to people so I kept most of how I was truly feeling to myself. when people ask me to do something, even if I'm not feeling my best, I do it because helping others=making them happy=I should be happy too. Eveyone’s go to. Feeling obligated. Vicious cycle, I’ll tell you. saying something nice about myself but quickly following it up with some negative ass comment, constantly having people tell me, “Don’t say that about yourself” or “stop doing that to yourself”. You all were right by the way, I was doing nothing but harming myself even more.
I was doing these things to myself DAILY. To the point like I said in part one, I didn't even recognize who I was. I was lost in everyone’s opinion of me, I was stuck. That’s all. I originally typed, “I was stuck in…” but something told me to just delete the ‘in’ and just say it. I was stuck. I was lost. I didn’t know me so I pretended to be someone I wasn't. I didn’t love myself enough. I didn’t appreciate myself. I never went out of my way for me. If i’m being honest, I hated myself. I hated everything about myself. I nit-picked at every flaw. Never once realizing what I was doing to myself. It took me going through one of the most gruesome and traumatic phases in my life to finally appreciate me.
You guys know how I like to be vulnerable. As I say, I believe it speaks to my growth. I battled through mental health diagnoses, severe depression and anxiety and, at one point feeling as if I lost control over my life. I found myself in the lowest of lows. It made what I went through in Middle School and High School seem like absolutely nothing. It’s extremely hard when it’s your own mind doing the attacking and belittling and not others. I was definitely my worst enemy. So you can already guess that all positive remains of self- ANYTHING went straight out the door. Quick praise break? God, there were so many times, I can look back now and say Thank You. It really was just me and you. Thankful you kept me near and protected with your love. 💗 Remember how I said I never admired my strength? Well look. I brought myself out of the inevitable in my eyes. Have you seen my glow lately? I’ve finally started to fall in love with who I am becoming. I let go of my want-to-be perfectionist ways, I let go of the doubts about myself, I started surrounding myself around people who held me accountable to believing that I am in fact worthy of everything I want (s/o to my groupchat man, y’all already know what it is. Never have to say too much 🤞🏾) finding things and hobbies that made me happy and, started to re-train my brain to be grateful for all that I am. It has been a fun and eye-opening part of my journey so far. One thing about me, I love projects so working on myself has been my favorite one by FAR.
I’m not crying, you are.
I can’t wait to continue updating you all on how I transition and evolve into a better version of myself. I hope you enjoyed today’s read as well as my others. I’ll leave you with this, I want you to find some time today and just say 3–5 things you need to hear from yourself. In order to start loving you properly, you have to believe you’re deserving of it. 🤍
✨ Jourdan, I am so proud of your growth. I am grateful that you never gave up. YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL! Progress looks so good on you. ✨ | https://medium.com/@jourdancherie/work-in-progress-pt-3-battling-insecurities-64f09e921fc1 | ["𝓙𝓸𝓾𝓻𝓭𝓪𝓷'𝓼 𝓙𝓸𝓾𝓻𝓷𝓪𝓵"] | 2021-09-10 21:00:17.866000+00:00 | ['Change Your Life', 'Courage', 'Insecurity', 'Self Love', 'Self-awareness'] |
How TargetEarly Visualized the Most Important Early Vote Election of Our Time | How TargetEarly Visualized the Most Important Early Vote Election of Our Time TargetSmart Follow Apr 5 · 4 min read
By: Joe Garland and Rina Schiller
The 2020 election cycle posed unprecedented challenges for voters, campaign staffers, government officials, journalists, and political scientists. In response to a pandemic that upended all aspects of public life and threatened to torpedo voter participation, a wave of new laws and regulations added to the uncertainty of the voting environment. Expanded early voting and vote-by-mail programs in all fifty states and DC fueled a massive surge in votes cast before November 3 — over 100 million voters returned a ballot prior to Election Day in 2020, more than doubling the number of early votes cast just four years prior. And as it became clear that voter turnout would exceed all expectations, two key questions emerged: how much would this surge of early voters alter the overall electorate, and what segments of the electorate would make the greatest overall impact?
This rapidly changing landscape left us at TargetSmart with a unique opportunity to provide timely and detailed early voting data to the progressive ecosphere, the media, and the general public. Armed with the nation’s most comprehensive and accurate voter file, a best-in-the-industry data products team collecting and cleaning early vote data around the clock, and investment in platforms equipped to rapidly process large national databases, the TargetSmart team built TargetEarly. The groundbreaking site allowed election observers around the world the opportunity to study daily pattern shifts in voting behavior, as they were happening, at the click of a mouse.
TargetEarly Demographics Visualization
How did we build TargetEarly?
We separated the development process into:
1. data aggregation
2. data visualization and web development.
Comparing individual-level demographic and partisan data for over 150 million voters across three election cycles posed significant challenges, not the least of which was a need for agility in our processes after an unprecedented wave of early voting ballooned the size of our build files. We were able to address this problem and rebuild our aggregation flows quickly and on the fly with minimal disruption because of agile and beautiful workflows that looked like this:
The TargetEarly workflow…simple!
To help us be nimble, TargetSmart leaned on the variety of tools offered by Amazon Web Services (AWS). To get technical, TargetEarly ultimately leveraged a series of CSV files stored in AWS S3 buckets, which were picked up by our front-end to calculate summaries and draw visualizations using code written in HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. We used D3.js, a JavaScript data visualization library, to build the graphs. The site is served through AWS CloudFront, a low-latency Content Delivery Network (CDN). To sum it up, these technologies enabled TargetEarly to withstand an unexpectedly large wave of public interest, scaling to hundreds of thousands of users securely and without significant latency or availability concerns.
The team that made TargetEarly possible consisted of folks from TargetSmart’s Client Tech and Strategic Consulting & Analytics teams. This cross-team collaboration was instrumental to getting TargetEarly out and ensuring the success of the project. We are proud to have created a product that was so important to the movement and genuinely enjoyed building it together.
We have to say, after all the work that went in to TargetEarly, the hardest part of the entire process was choosing the colors. Here’s just a few of the iterations:
A few of the iterations, regarding the color scheme of TargetEarly.
How did TargetEarly impact the election?
TargetEarly’s greatest success became evident as media coverage of the 2020 election reached a fever pitch. In the days leading up to November 3, TargetEarly allowed journalists across the globe to analyze early voting patterns at levels of specificity and granularity never before seen in a presidential election. While a wide array of national and international news outlets used the site to generate overall top-lines, a full host of local outlets were also using the site to paint a more nuanced picture of what early voting patterns meant for their coverage areas.
The very existence of TargetEarly democratized the political data landscape — suddenly small newspapers and local broadcast news programs had up to date access to the same aggregate data that in prior cycles had only been available to network news and high-profile national dailies. And by expanding access to accurate data, we are helping to publicly and transparently combat misinformation.
Currently in Georgia, where Republican-led efforts threaten to seriously restrict voting rights for millions of voters, activists are leaning on data from TargetEarly to illustrate the clear racial bias at the heart of these anti-democratic measures.
TargetEarly was a vital resource in the Democratic ecosystem in this last election cycle, and we plan to make the platform even bigger and better in elections to come.
Check it out for yourself at TargetEarly. | https://medium.com/targetsmart/how-targetearly-visualized-the-most-important-early-vote-election-of-our-time-1aefe3a5d23b | [] | 2021-05-21 18:12:03.838000+00:00 | ['Targetsmart', '2020election', 'Dataviz', 'Targetearly'] |
America’s Complete Independence from Britain | By Archibald Willard — Archibald Willard, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=499045
British Economic System in the Colonies
The American colonies were intertwined in the British economic system which was balanced in favor of English manufacturers providing goods from the raw materials obtained from the colonies. It was a system that had been carefully laid out in British favor.
As taxes were imposed on items that hurt the colonies financially, they turned to temporary economic independence from Britain as a bargaining tool. It began to be seen that the colonies and Britain were not perfectly joined as originally thought as many “began to reconsider the British system and their place within it.” The idea was to go back to the way things were once reason was seen and the taxes lifted by the Crown.
Yet, as the Mother Country did not learn from previous actions, they continued to put the colonies in a situation where manufacturing was looking to be more permanently temporary. Thoughts of total economic and cultural independence were not in the original thoughts of most colonists as they were perfectly happy in the British economic system. They provided the resources and Britain provided the final goods.
As the threat of an altercation between the Mother Country and her American offspring increased, plans for economic self-sufficiency were put into place with no thought of the long-term effects. Many of these failed but the attempt was loudly seen as a strong move to complete independence. The colonies were not taking any of Britain’s actions lying down.
No Economic System in Place for New Country
Once political independence was achieved, the citizens of the new country found themselves without a stable economy and a need to establish a foundation quickly as continued use of British products made them slaves of the Empire in a different form. One problem that plagued all the states of the new union was the lack of expertise in creating the right manufacturing environment where none existed before.
With superb marketing skills, many experts were enticed over the Atlantic to help build the economic foundation of America. This proved to be more difficult that many had imagined as foreign goods were still desired and an imbalance between the states on dealing the matter existed. The states still saw themselves as separate colonies governed uniquely instead of as one entity. It would take collaboration and Congress to step up to try and rectify this. It would happen but at a cost in which no state was completely satisfied. Each state would fight for its own voice and right to govern. This would continue to be a struggle through the end of the Civil War.
Growing Pains
Manufacturers struggled to find their place in American society as did the merchants who had to deliver desired products at reasonable prices and still make a profit. Societies that could be seen as precursors to the unions were formed to help protect American laborers and fight against foreign imports. Though they would die in time, these societies helps shape the early American economy.
Even the rural farming families struggled to fit in as they were both manufacturers and merchants. This spilled over into the cultural realm as society was being defined in ways that were vastly different than in Britain. The desire for more equality while struggling with inborn status views was found reflected in membership of manufacturing societies where many only had the rich as members and all had no women.
Culture Came Before Economics
The cultural independence came originally through being separated from Britain for so long and being largely ignored. As the taxes began to be impressed upon them, they “began to recognize and defended the considerable autonomy that they had gained.” Independence culturally had been developing all along. The taxes just exposed it. The more Britain looked at America and the colonists’ reactions, the more they saw danger as “to British eyes, a land of so many independent common men and so many chattel slaves seemed doubly strange and threatening to proper order.”
Cultural independence did not happen when political and economic independence occurred. It had occurred long before. It took the steps toward economic and political freedom for anyone to fully notice how different culturally the Mother Country was from her child. The British and the Americans were totally different culturally while fooling themselves that they were one and the same.
Had to Be Quick
The efforts of America to be politically, economically, and culturally independent from Britain was similar to that of a wildebeest born who has to quickly find its footing before the predators swoop down. It finds itself falling time and again but grows stronger with each effort. Eventually it takes off running and outdistances its mother.
This was the development of American independence.
Sources
Peskin, Lawrence J, Manufacturing Revolution: The Intellectual Origins of Early American Industry (Baltimore: John Hopkins, 2003).
Taylor, Alan, American Colonies: The Settling of North America (New York: Penguin, 2001). | https://rebeccagraf-63084.medium.com/americas-complete-independence-from-britain-b8b2244a3cde | ['Rebecca Graf'] | 2018-08-03 22:28:21.761000+00:00 | ['History', 'American History'] |
What Exactly Makes Johnny Depp so Annoyingly Likeable? | What Exactly Makes Johnny Depp so Annoyingly Likeable?
Hint: It isn’t Captain Jack. Well, not exactly
Image/Delphini/Freepix
I first wrote about Depp in late 2019. He was settling in for a gruelling courtroom battle with his ex, Amber Heard. If you don’t know why, here’s the full story.
Like most people my age, 52, thanks for asking, I grew up alongside Johnny Depp. Our generation watched an awkward, yet gifted teenager blossom into a versatile and talented actor. For nearly forty years, Depp has thrilled, engrossed and entertained us and he’s far from done.
The 1980’s television series, 21 Jump Street, made him a household name and broke girls hearts across the planet. By the time the morally questionable but lovable pirate, Jack Sparrow, sailed into view on the Black Pearl, Johnny Depp had become a Hollywood icon. His appeal is global and doesn’t rely on language or culture. If you think I’m wrong simply follow some of the threads on Twitter.
I spend quite a bit of time on the platform, sampling the general mood of the populace at large and looking for material for articles. I’ve noticed something interesting about Johnny Depp over the last few months. Not the man, as much as his followers or fans, who in many ways, are a direct reflection of the man.
We attract people to us by the energy we give off. Usually, these people are like-minded. The obese blonde buffoon currently occupying the White House is an excellent example.
Depp’s fans, however, take the whole concept of fandom to another level. Nothing puts them off their stride. Not Amber Heard and most certainly not our annoying little neighbourhood virus. In the midst of the pandemic, news about Depp’s new Instagram account was all over Twitter. Not even a global pandemic can dampen their enthusiasm or loyalty.
They’re not quick to forgive and still pile accusations and condemnation on Heard at every opportunity. Although she has proven herself completely deserving of the attention, she must rue the fact she picked ‘his’ finger to chop off. Of all the available digits she could have chosen, this one, with hindsight, wasn’t the best choice.
Depp himself says very little publicly. He rarely speaks out about his private life and when he does his loyal fans are there to latch onto every word. There is real and genuine love, a little bit of fanaticism and ample amounts of fawning involved if you’re a Club Depp member.
Anyone who voices criticism of Depp does it at the risk of stirring up the tribe.
The question is, why? What exactly is it about Johnny Depp that inspires such love and unwavering loyalty? Yes, there’s the undeniable talent, the good looks and the charm, but there’s clearly something else.
I’ve loved watching Depp on screen over the years. There is a genuine gentleness and sincerity that seeps through his many characters, no matter their failings or idiosyncrasies. You know, somewhere deep down inside, that you’d get on with this man, you’d enjoy his company and value his friendship.
The fact that he’s easy on the eye is also a key part of the package, as the content of many a tweet will attest to. The crucial difference though, between Johnny Depp and his Hollywood cohort, seems to come down to one thing.
Humility.
Everywhere you go, stories abound of the man’s humanity. He is humble to a fault, unassuming and not filled with the self-aggrandising arrogance and pretentiousness that permeates so much of Hollywood. Depp is the real deal.
Screenshot/Twitter
He has remained intensely private, the unfortunate incident with Heard perhaps the only break from this pattern. He still enjoys the loyalty, friendship and support of his ex-partner, Vanessa Paradis and is widely acknowledged to be an attentive, loving and caring father.
Both Paradis and Depp’s daughter chose to speak out early against the claims of abuse levelled at the actor by Amber Heard. In 2016, Paradis had this to say about her partner of 14 years.
Johnny Depp is the father of my two children, he is a sensitive, loving and loved person, and I believe with all my heart that these recent allegations being made are outrageous.
The traits Depp displays are clearly not assumed, but a reflection of the caring, loving and humble man that lies behind the many faces he wears so comfortably on screen. Is he flawed? Of course he is, but it’s this part of him that he wears so obviously on his sleeve that endears him even more to his fans.
I am, he quietly tells us through his demeanour, just like you. This humility, coupled with abundant talent, have perhaps been his greatest assets and will continue to serve him well as he emerges from a truly dark place in his life.
He is by no means alone.
All across the world, hundreds of thousands of passionately loyal and loving fans have stood beside him, keeping the candle lit. The fact that their faith in him has been vindicated only serves to strengthen their resolve.
They will undoubtedly be instrumental in ensuring that Depp once again enjoys the full glare of fame’s spotlight. It will be a well deserved and much-anticipated return. We’ll keep our eyes firmly focused on the horizon in the hopes of seeing the Pearl’s black sails again with Depp at the helm. You know what they say.
You just can’t keep a good ship down. | https://medium.com/lighterside/what-exactly-makes-johnny-depp-so-annoyingly-likeable-3a0746b597b9 | ['Robert Turner'] | 2020-04-29 14:08:30.015000+00:00 | ['Television', 'Celebrity', 'Johnny Depp', 'Cinema', 'Entertainment'] |
Animating Charts using D3 | The SVG implementations are perfect if there is an animation on it. On this article lets discuss how to make animation on your SVG images using D3. SVG has an inbuilt capability for making animations/transformations. We can add that capability through d3.
Photo by Hans Eiskonen on Unsplash
One of the great use cases of SVG is you can make animations. Using the SVG animation's advantage, you can create simple games, animating characters, Graph and chart loading animations.
Here over this article, we are making a multiline chart with on load animation. If you want to know SVG animation's in-depth concept, please refer to my article about SVG animations.
Let's get start the coding….
These are the set of steps that we are discussing as part of this article.
First, we will set up the workspace and read the input data using the d3.js library. Next, we will make the line chart. Finally, we will create the chart on load animation.
Let's move on to the first step…. Setting up of workspace.
Step 1: Workspace setup
First, let's make to be ready our HTML page. For playing with d3 in your HTML page first, you need to add the d3 specific libraries on the HTML page.
Yeah ….. our workspace is ready to play with d3.js…
Let's start the coding for creating the SVG canvas with margin. The following code snippet makes an SVG canvas with a width of 630px and height of 400px .
var margin = {top: 20, right: 50, bottom: 30, left: 50},
width = 630 - margin.left - margin.right,
height = 400 - margin.top - margin.bottom;
var svg = d3.select("body").append("svg")
.attr("width", width + margin.left + margin.right)
.attr("height", height + margin.top + margin.bottom)
.append("g")
.attr("transform", "translate(" + margin.left + "," + margin.top + ")");
Now our SVG canvas is ready. Here follow the SVG tags created based on the above code snippet.
<svg width="630" height="400">
<g transform="translate(50,20)"></g>
</svg>
Next, we need to get the data for two lines in the line chart. So we need to parse two data files and plot the result. Here I am taking the input as amazon and apple companies' last 6-month stock data. The data format looks like follows.
Here in this situation, we need to read data from two files. The implementation d3.queue helps to read from multiple resources at a time.
var parseDate = d3.timeParse("%m/%d/%Y"); d3.queue()
.defer(d3.csv, "/data/apple-6-months-data.csv")
.defer(d3.csv, "/data/amazon-6-months-data.csv")
.await(ready); function ready(error, apple, amazon) {
if (error) throw error;
apple.forEach(function(d) {
d.date = parseDate(d.date);
});
apple.forEach(function(d) {
d.close = Number(d.close.replace(/[^0-9.-]+/g,""));
}); apple.sort(function(a, b) {
return a.date - b.date;
}); amazon.forEach(function(d) {
d.date = parseDate(d.date);
});
amazon.forEach(function(d) {
d.close = Number(d.close.replace(/[^0-9.-]+/g,""));
}); amazon.sort(function(a, b) {
return a.date - b.date;
});
}
The above code snippet is an example of reading from multiple resources using d3.queue implementation. Once the resource reading finishes it will call the callback function called ready() with parameter as error, first file data, second file data . Inside of the ready function you can play with the file data.
In the above code snippet doing the following set of actions.
Read the file content using d3.queue . Once the file reading finished, it will trigger the ready function with error and file data. If there is an error, then the function throws the error . Parsing the apple date variable ( d.date ) type into the date from a string. Converting the apple closing balance into number type. Sorting the apple data based on date. Repeating steps 4,5,6 for amazon too.
Step 2: Creating a line chart
So we parse the data. Next, we are going to make our line chart using our parsed data. Here below follows the line chart plotting portion in our ready function
var xAxis = d3.axisBottom()
.scale(x)
.ticks(5)
.tickSizeInner(15)
.tickSizeOuter(0); var yAxis = d3.axisLeft()
.scale(y)
.tickFormat(d3.format("$.2f"))
.ticks(5)
.tickSizeInner(15)
.tickSizeOuter(0);
function ready(error, apple, amazon) {
.....
//apple - contains apple 6 months data
//amazon - contains amazon 6 months data
x.domain(d3.extent(apple, function(d) { return d.date; })); var amzn_ext = d3.extent(amazon, function(d) { return d.close; });
var apple_ext = d3.extent(apple, function(d) { return d.close; }); y.domain([
d3.min([amzn_ext[0],apple_ext[0]]),
d3.max([amzn_ext[1],apple_ext[1]])
]); svg.append("g")
.attr("class", "x axis")
.attr("transform", "translate(0," + height + ")")
.call(xAxis); svg.append("g")
.attr("class", "y axis")
.call(yAxis); svg.append("line")
.attr(
{
"class":"horizontalGrid",
"x1" : 0,
"x2" : width,
"y1" : y(0),
"y2" : y(0),
"fill" : "none",
"shape-rendering" : "crispEdges",
"stroke" : "black",
"stroke-width" : "1px",
"stroke-dasharray": ("3, 3")
});
var combinedData = [];
combinedData[0] = {name: 'apple', data: apple};
combinedData[1] = {name: 'amazon', data: amazon}; svg.selectAll(".plot-axis")
.data(combinedData)
.enter().append("g")
.attr("class", "plot-axis")
.append("path")
.attr("class", "line")
.attr("d", function(d) { return line(d.data); });
}
In the above code snippet, the variable apple contains apple 6 months data and the variable amazon contains amazon 6 months data. This data population explained in step 1. Here in the above code snippet, it is doing the following set of actions.
Using d3.extent module, it is finding out the maximum and minimum values of the last 6 months date range. For both Amazon and Apple the date range are the same here. So considering only the amazon. Finding out max and min values of amazon and apple closing balance using d3.extent. find out min and max of data from step 2. This is for deciding the y-axis min and max values. Plotting the x and y-axis using SVG. Creating a variable array combinedData which contains two values, which are apple and amazon 6 months data. Creating the line chart based on the combinedData array.
We are done with making the line chart. Next, we are going to the core idea behind this article, animating the line chart.
Step 3: Creating the animation
Now we are moving into the main part, adding animation. The below set of lines creates the loading animation for the SVG chart.
function ready(error, apple, amazon) {
...
svg.selectAll(".plot-axis")
.data(combinedData)
.enter().append("g")
.attr("class", "plot-axis"); var path = svg.selectAll(".plot-axis").append("path")
.attr("class", "line")
.attr("d", function(d) { return line(d.data); });
d3.select(path._groups[0][0])
.attr("stroke-dasharray", totalLength[0] + " " + totalLength[0] )
.attr("stroke-dashoffset", totalLength[0])
.transition()
.duration(5000)
.ease(d3.easeLinear)
.attr("stroke-dashoffset", 0); d3.select(path._groups[0][1])
.attr("stroke-dasharray", totalLength[1] + " " + totalLength[1] )
.attr("stroke-dashoffset", totalLength[1])
.transition()
.duration(5000)
.ease(d3.easeLinear)
.attr("stroke-dashoffset", 0);
}
The above line of code doing the following set of actions.
Create two paths based on the combinedData array. Iterating path._groups[0][0] and apply linear transition for the duration of 5 sec. Iterating path._groups[0][1] and apply linear transition for the duration of 5 sec.
Here follows the complete set of code for line chart implementation.
The output of the above code snippet looks like follows.
In this article, we saw how to make basic animations on the line chart using d3. In D3 official site, you can see more advanced examples of d3 charts. | https://medium.com/javarevisited/animating-charts-using-d3-3756ed4c0d | ['Anish Antony'] | 2020-12-24 07:18:12.332000+00:00 | ['Coding', 'Programming', 'JavaScript', 'D3js', 'Web Development'] |
Bits | Bits
Photo by Derek Thomson on Unsplash
I feel like a ghost
in this world
and it feels good.
No body, no time,
just bits
flying back and forth.
Lighter than the angels.
Just figures of speech
encoded in bits
flying who knows where.
We are
all bits of information
completely out
of our corporeal
minds.
Existing as
digital ghosts, like the stars.
We see across time.
Starlight from bodies burned out
long ago
blown to bits,
into photons of light,
lighter than the angels.
A culture of bits of information
flying back and forth.
Flying in circles,
circling back
in a world
smitten to bits.
Just a figure of light,
and it feels so good
to be this free -
but I miss
my life. | https://medium.com/resistance-poetry/bits-be060cfa406f | ['Antoinette Nevitt'] | 2020-12-11 12:38:07.553000+00:00 | ['Resistance Poetry', 'Pandemic', 'Life', 'Poetry', 'Digital Life'] |
Generating solar power — and self-reliance — in the West Bank | Spreading the “Culture of Solar”
The new solar arrays are a test case for solar energy in the West Bank, which has virtually no domestic power industry and imports up to 90 percent of its electricity.
“It is fundamental that we diversify the sources of energy,” said Education Minister Marwan Awartani. He hopes the project will “spread the culture of solar [and make the West Bank] more self-reliant.”
That self-reliance is a long-term goal of officials in the West Bank and Gaza. Between them, the enclaves have a single, hobbled power plant. That, combined with fuel shortages and aging power lines, has led to widespread blackouts. The effect of power cuts is especially dire in Gaza, where the United Nations has warned of “disastrous consequences” from ongoing electricity shortages.
“There are many challenges in the West Bank and Gaza, but perhaps the biggest among them is energy,” says Youssef Habesch, IFC’s resident representative for the West Bank and Gaza.
Blackouts put a brake on commerce and economic growth, says Habesch, which is something the West Bank and Gaza can ill afford. Poverty is rampant, and more than 25 percent of residents are jobless, one of the highest rates in the world.
That’s why there’s a palpable sense of hope in Beit Hanina. There, like in much of the West Bank, rooftop solar arrays are one of the few practical ways to generate electricity.
Al Adhameya principal Sayyef Mansour says the school is excited by the availability of clean, reliable, and relatively cheap power. The school now spends up to four-fifths of its operating budget on electricity,
“At school and in our village, we all consider this solar project a great achievement,” he says. “This project will ensure that students are comfortable in their learning environment… a right everyone should have.” | https://medium.com/world-of-opportunity/generating-solar-power-and-self-reliance-in-the-west-bank-b8699b191025 | ['World Bank'] | 2020-02-18 21:53:17.658000+00:00 | ['Middle East', 'Solar Energy', 'Education', 'Electricity', 'Schools'] |
HONEYPOTS — AN EXAMPLE WITH LARAVEL | Bots are everywhere. Most of the times we see captchas in login pages. But there are some other ways too and one of them is Honeypot. Basically you put some hidden inputs and if they are filled, you know that it is a computer. As always you are setting a trap for bots.
So in this section I’ll show you an example in Laravel. First let’s create a laravel project;
laravel new honeypot
And I will create a ArticleController.
php artisan make:controller ArticleController
Let’s fill controller
<?php namespace App\Http\Controllers; use Illuminate\Http\Request; class ArticleController extends Controller
{
public function create()
{
return view(‘articles.create’);
}
}
Lets modify routes in web.php;
Route::get(‘article’, ‘App\Http\Controllers\ArticleController@create’);
Route::post(‘article’, ‘App\Http\Controllers\ArticleController@store’);
And I will create these folders and filesin resources.
And the code in articles/create.blade.php;
<div class="container">
<form method="post" action="/article" enctype="multipart/form-data">
{{ csrf_field() }}
<div class="form-group row">
<label for="title" class="col-sm-3 col-form-label">Article Title</label>
<div class="col-sm-9">
<input name="title" type="text" class="form-control" id="title" placeholder="Article Title">
</div>
</div>
<div class="form-group row">
<label for="articleText" class="col-sm-3 col-form-label">Article Text</label>
<div class="col-sm-9">
<textarea name="articleText" type="text" class="form-control" id="articleText"
placeholder="Article"></textarea>
</div>
</div>
<div class="form-group row">
<label for="userName" class="col-sm-3 col-form-label">User Name</label>
<div class="col-sm-9">
<input name="userName" type="text" class="form-control" id="userName"
placeholder="userName">
</div>
</div>
<div class="form-group row">
<label for="requestTime" class="col-sm-3 col-form-label">Request Time</label>
<div class="col-sm-9">
<input name="requestTime" type="text" class="form-control" id="requestTime"
placeholder="Requesttime" value="{{time()}}">
</div>
</div>
<div class="form-group row">
<div class="offset-sm-3 col-sm-9">
<button type="submit" class="btn btn-primary">Submit</button>
</div>
</div>
</form> </div>
The page will look like this;
User Name and Request Time will be hidden at the end.
Let’s write a store function in ArticleController.
public function store()
{
// Some Validation if (!request()->has(‘userName’) || request()->input(‘userName’)) {
abort(422, ‘Catched by username’);
}
if (time() — request()->input(‘requestTime’) <= 2) {
abort(422, ‘Catched by requestTime’);
} return ‘Everything is ok’;
}
So let’s examine this function;
We are checking if request has userName input. If not there is a problem.
If userName input is filled, there is a problem.
requestTime input’s value is time(). And with that input we are calculating the time between pages initialization and post. So if it is submitted so fast like under 2 seconds there is a problem.
Don’t forget, we will make these two inputs hidden so users won’t see them only bots will see and if they are not clever enough they won’t be able to pass this test.
But why stop here. Let’s create a middleware and make our code clean.
php artisan make:middleware Honeypot
We will copy the check codes and paste it in middleware. And erase them from store function.
public function handle(Request $request, Closure $next)
{
if (!$request->has(‘userName’) || $request->input(‘userName’)) {
abort(422, ‘Catched by username’);
} if (time() — $request->input(‘requestTime’) <= 2) {
abort(422, ‘Catched by requestTime’);
} return $next($request);
}
And before we forgot we must define middleware to our route.
Route::post(‘article’, ‘App\Http\Controllers\ArticleController@store’)->middleware(Honeypot::class);
So when we make the two inputs hidden honeypot will be ready.
<div class=”form-group row”>
<label for=”userName” class=”col-sm-3 col-form-label”>User Name</label>
<div class=”col-sm-9">
<input name=”userName” type=”text” class=”form-control” id=”userName”
placeholder=”userName” hidden>
</div>
</div>
<div class=”form-group row”>
<label for=”requestTime” class=”col-sm-3 col-form-label”>Request Time</label>
<div class=”col-sm-9">
<input name=”requestTime” type=”text” class=”form-control” id=”requestTime”
placeholder=”Requesttime” value=”{{time()}}” hidden>
</div>
</div>
Actually we can continue with this article. There are some basic things we must do but I am leaving these to you. Like;
We must not use constant number in time difference check. You can make it configurable.
You can convert your html form in to reusable components or includes.
This is it. As always I ll put a Laracast link below. I learned it from there. And watching it is better I think. And it shows some other features too. | https://medium.com/@ugur-muslim/honeypots-an-example-with-laravel-26aa65960b82 | ['Uğur Müslim'] | 2020-12-12 18:47:09.821000+00:00 | ['Coding', 'Honeypot', 'Spam', 'Laravel', 'PHP'] |
Love Over Safety? | My parents and me in Germany, Christmas 2019. Who would have known…
What Metallica has to do with me pondering whether I should travel to Germany for Christmas and spend time with my parents.
In a normal year, I would see my parents (70 and 68 years old) at least twice. They would fly to the best city in the world for a summer vacation, spend a few weeks with me and take videos of Central Park squirrels and firetrucks passing by. In December, I would travel to my small hometown in Germany near Cologne for Christmas and sleep in my childhood bed (I’m 6'4), right under a fading, dusty ‘Ride the Lightning’ Metallica poster (teenage rebellion, you know?). In a good year, my brother Johannes who works as an anesthesiologist in Zurich would also return to the family basecamp, if his schedule permits, and by 11 pm on Christmas Eve, us four would snuggle up under the XMAS tree (not made of plastic), stuffed with turkey, Spätzle, and Haribo Goldbears.
Quick reminder: it’s 2020. My parents didn’t make it to the US this year, a) because they didn’t want to die from a respiratory virus and b) even if they wanted to, they couldn’t enter the states thanks to restrictions on travel from the EU to the US. The only way for me to spend time with my parents this year is to book a flight to Germany this December (which technically works because I have a German passport).
Do I want to go? “HELL YEAH!”, says the metalhead son who loves his parents and didn’t have a chance to hug them for almost 12 months. “HELL NO!” says the metalhead son who loves his parents, but also went to med school, and understands that Covid-19 is no joke — especially for a 70-year-old man and a 68-year-old woman. I really want to see my folks and convince myself that “Nothing Else Matters”. But I also know that there’s a small but real chance that I could be an asymptomatic carrier and bring home “Creeping Death” in the form of Covid-19. Sad but true. I’m banging my head.
Well, emotions aside. This doesn’t have to be as dramatic, destructive, and thunderous as a thrash metal album. Let’s look at the science. There’s actually a way I could fly to Germany this year and see my parents while minimizing the risk of exposing them to the novel coronavirus (I’m aware that there’s no zero risk scenario, but as a scientist, I’m comfortable with 99.9%).
Here’s what I would do: | https://felixgussone.medium.com/love-over-safety-b65573d7932c | ['Felix Gussone'] | 2020-10-20 17:30:51.267000+00:00 | ['Travel', '2020', 'Germany', 'Covid 19', 'Coronavirus'] |
Södertälje maps and stories | Maps
I have made several Google Maps of Södertälje. Some of these will be self-explanatory.
Stories | https://medium.com/@jaxroam/s%C3%B6dert%C3%A4lje-maps-and-stories-c73f0c8478fe | ['Jonny Axelsson'] | 2020-12-13 21:17:12.437000+00:00 | ['Maps', 'Urban Planning', 'Stadsplanering', 'Södertälje'] |
10 Funny JavaScript libraries | Such a humorous theory has long been known: for any word of the English language, there is a JavaScript library with the appropriate name. Below we will look at a list of the most unusual names, with links to their repositories and a brief overview of the functionality provided by these libraries.
Here I was amused not by the name, but by what this tool does, namely, it allows you to write javascript as if it were English, for example:
whenever('Click Me!').is('clicked').then('Change the text to "Clicked!"')
I’m not sure if this is useful or really improves readability, but the idea is fun and worth at least curiosity.
This tool implements a queue with event subscription support.
Have you ever wished to have the power to do anything you want by a snap of your fingers? Thanos JS gives you a taste of this power, allowing you to reduce the file size of your project down to 50% with a simple command. But instead of achieving it by some clever JavaScript manipulation, Thanos JS simply randomly deletes half of your project files. Thus, this JavaScript tool isn’t intended for serious use. It was created just as a joke.
This is a lightweight CSS3 and JavaScript library for creating scrolling animations. It is free, open source, and easy to use. Scrollanim uses Animate.css and has a large number of built-in CSS animations, from which you can choose, for example, bounceIn, bounceOut, fadeIn, fadeOut and others.
The tool allows you to track changes in the DOM and find out, for example, whether a particular page element has been modified. The description on the repository explains in detail where and how this can be useful. Weighs 1.5 KB
One of the best animation libraries in the world, Anime.js is flexible and easy to use. This is the perfect tool to help you add some great animation to your project.
Anime.js works well with CSS, SVG, DOM attributes, and JavaScript objects and can be easily integrated into your applications.
A useful tool that allows you to easily link keyboard shortcuts to events in the browser. On the site, when certain keys are pressed, this part of the page is highlighted. Weighs 2.2 KB.
This is a small JavaScript library that allows you to create a watch function that notifies you when a node that matches a given CSS rule is added to the DOM. The library uses dynamically defined CSS animation rules (@keyframes) that are added to the browser’s animationstart events when a new DOM node is added.
The description on the repository states that this is “browser-javascript, jquery-like lib”, which gives reason to believe that some selectors for DOM.
Popper.js is a 3 kB JavaScript library with zero dependencies that provides a reliable positioning engine you can use to ensure all your popper elements are positioned in the correct place. | https://medium.com/code-carbon/10-funny-javascript-libraries-ac4890403cca | ['Zeba Academy'] | 2021-03-03 08:34:21+00:00 | ['Programming Languages', 'Programming', 'Mobile App Development', 'Javascript Development', 'JavaScript'] |
Subsets and Splits